Changing Habits, Changing Lives

You've probably noticed that I use quite a few recipes from this wonderful cookbook, "Changing Habits, Changing Lives"... The author of this best selling book and cookbook is Australian nutritionist, Cyndi O'Meara. I have been to two of her seminars (where we Thermomix consultants demonstrate her healthy way of cooking using the Thermomix), and I highly recommend them!

Cyndi is inspirational - she shows that healthy eating is so much simpler and easier than people think, and that anyone can change their bad eating habits and regain their health, if they do it one step at a time. The key is to know why the habit needs changing, and then take it slowly, changing one habit at a time!

I found that when I really understood why something was bad for me, and exactly what it was doing to me, I was much more motivated to change. So if you'd like some encouragement and new information concerning the way you eat and how it affects your health, have a read of this book. (And if you can get along to any of Cyndi's seminars, they are well worth it!)

For the next couple of months you can actually buy Cyndi's book for $19.95 (it's usually $30) as she is running a FREE Teleseminar (worth $550!) starting this month, and you need to have the book to join in. This is a great way to get personal advice, encouragement and assistance from Cyndi. To find out how to join in the Teleseminar, click on the link above, or in the side bar.

I hope this will be a help to you all, as it has been to me.

Fruit-Filled Breakfast Brioche

This morning I made a filled brioche for breakfast. There's nothing like steaming hot fruit encased in a sweet bread to make the kids get out of bed! It was supposed to be filled with the leftover cooked apples and cinnamon I had in the fridge, but when I went to get them, they were gone... (My kids love cooked apple - they eat it on toast.) So in the absence of anything else, I used a tin of peaches. It was still yummy!

This is an easy breakfast if you're an early riser - it took an hour and a half from beginning to end (but only about 10 minutes of actual work). If you're not an early riser, have it for morning or afternoon tea! (I use my Thermomix, which makes it very quick. If you have to make it by hand it will of course take longer.)

1. Place in Thermomix bowl and mix for 10 seconds, speed 6:

- 400g unbleached plain spelt flour

- 2 tsp (or 1 sachet) instant dry yeast

- 60g honey

- 40g oil (or butter)

- 1 egg (optional)

- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

- 150g rice/almond milk (or other milk) (approx. - check as you mix to see if you need more milk or more flour)

2. Mix on interval speed for 3 minutes, wrap in breadmat (or place in oiled bowl and cover), and rise in cold oven for 20 - 30 minutes with a shallow pan of boiling water in the bottom of the oven to create steam.

3. Remove from oven and roll dough into a circle, about 1 cm thick. Place dough on pizza tray lined with baking paper. Spoon cooked/tinned fruit onto centre of dough, and fold dough over it into the centre, leaving a hole so you can still see some of the fruit.

4. Place tray back in cold oven and turn it on to 180 degrees C (less if fan-forced). (Leave the pan of hot water in the oven.) Leave to rise and bake for about 25 minutes, checking towards the end and turning tray so it browns evenly. May need a little more time - lift brioche up a little to check if it's browned underneath.

5. Slip onto a large plate, slice like a pie, and serve hot!

Sunny Scalloped Eggs & Broccoli (or Silverbeet)

This is an easy, light meal that is handy for using up all that lovely fresh broccoli or silverbeet that's in season right now. We like it for lunch, as it's got lots of protein from the eggs and the broccoli/silverbeet, and protein is very helpful for keeping you awake and energised! We're dairy free, so I make my own rice & almond milk, which saves us lots of money, but you could use regular milk if preferred. We're getting lots of eggs from our chickens right now as well, so all round, this is an very inexpensive meal for us. Serve with raw vege sticks.

1. Chop up and place in Varoma

- 2 cups of broccoli (or silverbeet)

2. Place in steamer basket in bowl:

- 6 eggs

Fill bowl with 500g water. Put on the lid, and place Varoma on top.

3. Steam eggs and broccoli (or silverbeet) for 15 mins, Varoma temperature, speed 1. (If the veges need more time, take the eggs out, and keep steaming until done.) Tip water out of bowl, set eggs aside.

4. Add to bowl, and chop for 5 seconds on speed 5:

- 1/2 onion

- 1 stick of celery, quartered

- a few mushrooms (optional)

5. Add oil and saute for 2 minutes, 100 degrees, reverse speed 1:

- 20g olive oil

6. Add remaining ingredients and cook for 7 minutes, 90 degrees, reverse speed 3:

- 500g rice/almond milk

- 4 Tblspns plain flour (I use spelt, but rice or other flour would work)

- 1 tsp sea salt (or to taste)

- pepper

7. While white sauce is cooking, peel eggs and slice in half. In a baking dish, spread greens, then place eggs on top in two rows. When sauce is cooked, pour and spread over eggs.

8. Without cleaning out bowl, add and mix on speed 6 for a few seconds until made into crumbs:

- two pieces of wholemeal bread (use your day old bread that's getting a bit dry)

- 2 tsp of olive oil or butter

- a handful of fresh parsley

9. Sprinkle crumbs over white sauce. Place casserole dish under hot grill to brown slightly, and serve.

Chocolate (or Carob) Almond Smoothie

We often have smoothies for either breakfast or morning tea - they're great for energy, and a quick way to fill up hungry tummies. We don't use milk, just nuts and seeds with water to make nut milk, plus either fruit and ice, or chocolate or carob powder. The kids asked for a chocolate milkshake this morning, so here's my healthy version.

First, grind up in your Thermomix on speed 9 for about 10 seconds:

- 80g raw almonds

- 20-30g of seeds - pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, linseeds, chia seeds (opt)

Add dates and grind again on speed 9 for 10 seconds:
- 80-100g dates (depending how sweet you like it)

Add ice and grind another 10 seconds on speed 9:
- 2 trays of ice cubes (or more if you want it thicker)
 

Add other ingredients to the bowl, and blend on speed 9 for a minute:

- 600-800g water

- 30g raw cacao or carob powder

You'll probably end up with some chewy bits of dates at the bottom, so just scoop them out with a spoon and eat them - delicious!

For a chocolate (or carob) 'green' smoothie, add a couple of handfuls of baby spinach or butter lettuce, and some pieces of frozen avocado... I make this for the kids and they have no idea it has spinach in it! ;)

To make a chocolate (or carob) banana smoothie, you just use frozen chunks of banana instead of the ice - no other sweetener needed.
 

Meatball, Vege & Bean Soup

I made up this recipe today, and it's delicious! (If I may say so myself!) I made it completely in the Thermomix, but if you want to make it on the stovetop, just chop the veges and saute in oil, add stock & water & beans, bring to boil, and drop in meatballs and simmer til cooked. Yum!

1. Grind bread into crumbs and set aside:

- 2 pieces wholemeal spelt/gluten free bread

(Also grind meat into mince if making your own, then set aside.)

2. Place in TMX bowl, and chop on speed 5 for about 5 secs, or until consistency desired:

- 2 cloves garlic

- 1/2 onion

- 1 large leek, chopped in chunks

- 1 carrot, quartered

- 1 celery stick, quartered

- 2 ripe juicy tomatoes, quartered

(or any other combination of veges you prefer!)

3. Add oil and saute at 100 degrees for 5 mins, reverse, speed 1:

- 2 Tblspns olive oil

4. Add and cook for 25 minutes, Varoma, reverse speed 2 (while making meatballs):

- 2 Tblspns vege stock concentrate (or to taste)

- 2 Tblspns tomato paste

- a couple of handfuls sliced mushrooms

- 1 tsp Italian herbs (dried)

- water (up to 2 litre mark)

5. Meanwhile, mix together in a bowl and make into bite-sized meatballs, and place them in the Varoma (both trays) spread slightly apart for the steam to get through:

- 500g beef / turkey / chicken mince

- breadcrumbs

- 1 large egg

- dash each of ground cumin, ground sage, cayenne pepper, oregano, salt & pepper

- dash of tamari sauce

(As soon as they're made, take the MC off the TMX bowl and place the Varoma on top - try and get it done before the steaming begins!)

6. Remove Varoma (put lid underneath to catch drips) and add to bowl:

- 1 tin cooked cannelini beans, drained

- water to top up soup to 2 litres again

7. Replace Varoma, cook for 5 more minutes at Varoma, reverse, speed 1. Make sure meatballs are cooked!

8. Serve soup into bowls, add a few meatballs, and enjoy! (You could sprinkle with some grated parmesan if you can have it.)

Menu Plan Monday - 10th August

If you're wondering how a family of six uses a Thermomix to save time and money on their food, read on!

This week I really need to use up things in the freezer, fridge and cupboards, as we're getting ready to move! I have so many veges in the fridge - mostly greens, carrots and capsicums - as last week was so busy I didn't get all the cooking done that I'd planned to do. This week is going to be just as busy, if not worse, so I'm going to try and keep it simple. I love cooking so much that sometimes I go a bit overboard with my plans, and end up spending most of the day in the kitchen... so this week I'm trying to implement the K.I.S.S. method - 'Keep It Simple, Stupid!'

I'm also trying to work on having more protein at breakfast and lunch, and more carbohydrates at dinner, as protein gives you energy and wakes you up, while carbohydrates make you sleepy (see Cyndi O'Meara's book "Changing Habits, Changing Lives" for more information). I really notice this when homeschooling my kids - the last thing I want is sleepy, floppy kids who can't concentrate on their work in the mornings, then wake up and go balistic at night when you're trying to get them to bed! So for breakfast we've been having things like fruit or fruit smoothies, and...

- mince (beef/turkey) in white sauce gravy (dairy free) on spelt toast;

- poached eggs and mince patties with toast;

- porridge with fruit and finely chopped nuts;

- boiled eggs chopped up in a white sauce (dairy free) on spelt scones;

- bean & vege patties;

- scrambled eggs on toast;

- wholegrain pancakes with pecans and apple sauce/pure maple syrup (I only have one or two with syrup - too sweet!) ...

This kind of breakfast keeps you going for a while, and gives you heaps more energy. This is how I was raised, and is the kind of breakfast I prefer - I've never liked sickly sweet breakfasts, or cereal out of a box - it makes me feel a bit ill, and my blood sugar sinks very low by about 9.30am if I eat like that. Try having a higher protein breakfast and lower protein dinner, and see if it helps your energy in the day, and sleeping patterns at night! (Note: I can't completely cut out protein at night or my husband would miss out on meat meals, so I'm cutting down on the meat and adding more carbs at night.)

Have fun cooking for your family, and remember, if you need inspiration, check our orgjunkie.com's Menu Plan Monday. You'll also get some great ideas from the recipe blogs at thermomix.com.au, and the thermomix forums. Have a great week!

(TMX) - prepared and/or cooked in Thermomix.

Monday: (lunch) Meatball & bean & vegetable soup (TMX); (dinner) Vegetable curry (TMX) on brown rice.

Tuesday: (lunch) Stir Fry veges & beans (TMX) with quinoa (TMX); (dinner) Marinated chicken wings (crockpot) with basmati rice and leftover stir fry veges (for the family - I'll be at a TMX demo).

Wednesday: (lunch) Scalloped eggs with broccoli (TMX); (dinner) Salmon patties (TMX), mashed potatoes (sweet & regular) (TMX), lots of steamed veges (TMX).

Thursday: (lunch) Savoury lentils (TMX) on rice (TMX) with raw vege sticks; (dinner) Crumbed steak, baked potatoes, steamed veges (TMX).

Friday: (lunch) Chilli Taco Salad (dairy free version); (dinner) Creamy vegetable soup (TMX) (dairy free).

Saturday: out for lunch (demo); (dinner) Potato wedges, dairy-free 'sour cream', tuna patties & veges.

Sunday: (lunch) Roast chicken & baked veges; (dinner) Soup (TMX) & spelt bread rolls (TMX) using this recipe.

Menu Plan Monday - 3rd August

Here we are again at the start of another week - here's my menu plan, what about yours? Pop over to Menu Plan Monday and post what you're cooking this week! (This week's 'Menu Plan Monday' is being hosted by The Happy Housewife.)

TMX stands for 'cooked or prepared in the Thermomix'.

Monday: (lunch) Chicken a la King TMX on rice; (dinner) Vegetable pasta TMX, broccoli & corn on the cob.

Tuesday: (lunch) Leftover Chicken a la King on spelt scones TMX; (dinner) Latcham Pie (beef and mashed potato (TMX) pie, from Cyndi O'Meara's cookbook, "Changing Habits, Changing Lives") and steamed veges TMX.

Wednesday: (lunch) Soup TMX & leftovers with spelt bread rolls TMX; (dinner) Lamb & Spinach Curry (from Cyndi's cookbook) on brown rice TMX.

Thursday: (lunch) Baked potato wedges & salad TMX; (dinner) Crockpot Pot Roast with veges.

Friday: (lunch) Leftovers/soup made from leftovers TMX; (dinner) Fish sticks & raw vege sticks.

Saturday: (lunch) Picnic at the beach (if weather's good!)... Tuna salad sandwiches on spelt bread TMX, fruit, homemade lemonade TMX; (dinner) Who knows? Something on the way home!

Sunday: (lunch) Crockpot steak and vege bake; (dinner) Pumpkin soup TMX and spelt rolls TMX.