Date Slice - Cheap Tuesday Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups of dates - chopped
• 1 Cup of Water
• 1/4 cup of Honey
• 1 tablespoon of sugar

• 1/2 Cup of Brown Sugar
• 1/4 Cup of Apple Sauce
• 1/2 Cup of margarine

• 1 & 1/3 Cup of whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
• 1 & 1/2 Cups of Rolled Oats
• 2 tablespoons of cinnamon

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line a 20 x 30 cm baking tray with baking paper and/or  canola spray
2. In a saucepan place the dates, water, honey and teaspoon of sugar and over a medium heat cook and stir for approximately 10 minutes or until the dates have absorbed all the liquid. allow to cool to room temperature
3. Mix the margarine, brown sugar and apple sauce with electric mixer until well combined
4. Sift in flour and bicarb soda - stir until well combined, and then add in rolled oats and cinnamon and mix well
5. Press half the oat mixture into the lining baking tray
6. Spread date mixture evenly over the top
7. finally, place or crumble the remaining half of the oat mixture over the top so dates are completely covered
8. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until golden brown, cut into slices and enjoy!

xxx

Fun Fact Friday - ALCOHOL

I'm backkkk! Sorry I haven't posted in such a long time, end of semester exams stress meant I had no time to post ( I have never been good at multitasking).
Today I thought I would share some facts on Alcohol and why it's so detrimental to your health. Also while all you are getting ready for a big weekend I am partaking in Dry July this month and would love if you guys would be able to support and donate to my page https://au.dryjuly.com/profile/madisonsanford at the moment the funds are looking very sad. Please donate just $5 or $10, that's less than a red bull and vodka that you will likely buy in an overpriced nightclub later tonight!!

So since I'm doing Dry July I thought I would give you some health facts on ALCOHOL, just before you head out haha-

There is no nutritional benefit of alcohol itself - red wine it is the grapes that attribute to the benefits not the alcohol! At 29 kilojoules per gram of alcohol plus whatever sugar is added in combination, your drink of choice can easily add a lot of unwanted kilojoules into your diet:

A 6 pack of UDL's : 4838 kJ (1148 calories) and 146 g of sugar

A 6 pack of Beer: 3420 kJ (810 calories) and 158 mg of sodium

A bottle of white wine: 2130 kJ (510 calories) 180 mg of sodium

6 cans of bourban and cola: 6414 kJ (1536 calories)

And if its a binge drinking weekend, you start to lose count of the number of drinks you have had, and throw in a late night kebab or macca's run and you have well and truly gone above and beyond your daily recommended calorie intake. Crazy stuff hey!

Alcohol is rapidly absorbed via the stomach and small intestine to the blood stream and is broken down more slowly than it is absorbed. Most is broken down by the liver (90%) and a small amount is excreted via sweat and urine. The liver can only break down 3/4 of a standard drink per hour, which is why sobering up takes a while. and NO coffee, showers, exercise or vomiting will not speed up the process.

Some Adverse health effects of Alcohol:
Short term side effects =

• reduced concentration
• slower reflexes and lack of coordination
• increased confidence and loss of inhibitions
• blurred vision and slurred speech
• intense moods (depression, anger, elation)
• headaches
• vomiting and nausea
• alcohol related injuries
• in severe cases alcohol poisoning

Long term side effects =

• cirrhosis of the liver
• cancer
• cardiovascular diseases
• problems with nerves of arms and legs
• poor diet
• alcohol dependency
• stomach problems
• frequent infections
• skin problems
• concentration and memory problems
• reproductive issues
• depression and social problems (family, work, finances all become affected)

Now I'm not advocating 'no drinking', I just want to show you that binge drinking and having alcohol as apart of your every day life can have adverse effects on your health. So try to slow down your drinking over the weekend, remember to eat before and during the course of the night to slow down the absorption of alcohol and try to include non-alcoholic beverages into your night as well. With the money you save donate to my dry July cause and help those suffering with cancer xxx

Mad moroccan veggie patties - Cheap Tuesday Recipe

I kind of winged this recipe and it worked out so thats always promising! Veggie patties are a great healthy and cheap alternative to meat patties.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 400 g can of chickpeas
• 1 onion diced (I used purple onion)
• 2 carrots grated
• 2 potatoes grated
• olive oil
• 1 tbsp of minced garlic
• 1 1/2 tbsp of morrocan spice (or try cumin & curry powder if you don't have)
• 1 tbsp of mixed herb
• 1 cup of plain flour
• 1 large egg
• pinch of salt and pepper
• seasame seeds sprinkled on top of patties before cooking (optional)

note: next time I think I would add some breadcrumbs

Method:

1. Drain and wash chickpeas, and then mash/ blend  with tsp of olive oil to a smoothish texture
2. squeeze excess moisture out of the carrot and potato and then add to chickpea mixture
3. lightly fry the onion, garlic and herb/ spices for around 3-4 minutes and allow yto cool a bit before added them to the mixture
4. Add in quinoa, flour, egg and salt & pepper and mix, using hands to combine the mixture
5. Mixture was quite sticky so this is where I would add some breadcrumbs next time. Roll 6-8 balls depending on the size you want, and sprinkle some sesame seeds on the top.
6. In a frying pan, fry the patties in some olive oil (push the balls into a patty shape with spatula) cook until brown on both sides continuously turning and until pattie in cooked all way through! Approx 15 min
7. Serve with salad and buns or if you're feeling extra creative use large (oven-cooked) mushrooms as the bun for an ultimate veggie burger.

Enjoy xxx

Feel good Chicken Soup (Cheap Tuesday Recipe)

Winter is definitely around the corner, and as much as I have tried to avoid it the dreaded 'Common Cold' has struck me down over the weekend. So this is exactly what I felt like - a healthy feel-good soup to warm me up and make me feel better! And it cheap and easy to make!! This is another one that cost me less than $10 to make (not including pantry staples)

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 500 g Chicken Thigh (or breast) diced
• 1 Brown onion
• 2 tsp of minced garlic
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 L Chicken Stock, salt reduced
• 1 packet of chicken noodle soup ( makes up to a 1 L solution)
• 3/4 cup of pasta
• 2 Carrots, diced into chunks
• 2 Potatoes, diced into chunks
• 3 Celery stalks, diced
• 1-2 tsp's Mixed herb and pepper
• I topped my soup with some spring onion

Method:

• Place large soup pot on stove (medium/high temp) and cook the onion and garlic in the olive oil for about 2 mins
• Add in the chopped up vegetables and herbs, stir and cook for 5 min, stirring often
• Pour in chicken stock and chicken noodle soup mix, bring soup to boil and then allow to simmer for 10-15 min
• Add in diced chicken and cook for further 10 minutes
• Add in pasta last and cook for a further 8-10 minutes or until pasta is tender and chicken and vegetables cooked through!
• Ladle into bowls and add chopped spring onion or herbs on top, and serve with a nice toasted bread!

*Tip from my mum: If you have left over soup the next night, a great way to change it up a bit or if more liquid is needed; add a tin of tomato soup and its corresponding water gives the soup a whole new flavour!

Enjoy xxx

Spirulina explained

Spirulina a microalga  (edible bacteria) was used by the Aztec civilisation over 400 years ago and is a rich source of protein, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.

Source: algae industry magazine

Advantages:

> With over 60% protein, a good source of iron and potassium and rich in Vitamin A (beta-carotene), B6, B12 ,Vitamin K and folic acid making spirulina an all-round great source of many nutrients.
Spirulina contains an omega-6 fatty acid (gamma linolenic acid) with anti-inflammatory properties and  heart health benefits.

> It also contains antioxidant properties, which as the name suggests stops the oxidising of cells in the body and helps to protect them from damage, e.g. stop premature aging of skin cells!

> Some studies have shown that spirulina may also have anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties, possibly helping immune responses and action against bacteria and viruses of the likes of herpes simplex, influenza A, mumps, measles, enterovirus and HIV-1


Disadvantages/ People who shouldn't take it:

> Make sure you buy from a reputable brand, one that tests its products for harmful toxins levels, so you can ensure there was no contamination during the growing of the algae, and no high harmful levels of mercury

> Don't use if you suffer from phenylketonuria, as spirulina contains all essential amino acids- including phenalanine! Which is what people with this condition are unable to breakdown and will have adverse health effects.

> Also suggested on australian spirulina website not to take if you have hypoparathyroidism, serious allergies to seaweed or seawood, or if you are currented experiencing high fever. When in doubt check if your health professional before including it in your diet.

In moderation I think Spirulina could be a great inclusion into your diet, such as adding it to a lunchtime or post-exercise smoothie. I add about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon to a smoothie every now and then when I'm feeling like I haven't got enough nutritients in my diet.

References:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/355898-health-benefits-of-spirulina/

http://www.australianspirulina.com.au/spirulina/spirulina.html

Sarada, D. V., L., Sreenath Kumar, C., & Rengasamy, R. (2011). Purified C-phycocyanin from spirulina platensis (nordstedt) geitler: A novel and potent agent against drug resistant bacteria. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 27(4), 779-783.

Khan, Z., Bhadouria, P., & Bisen, P. S. (2005). Nutritional and therapeutic potential of spirulina.Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, 6(5), 373-379.

Home made Muesli Bar Slice

This is a quick and easy recipe, and easily adapted to what you have in your own pantry! next time I would like to add pumpkin seeds. Omit nuts if for primary school kid's lunch box. Great way to save money on pre-packaged muesli bars and they are so yummy!

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup plain flour  
• 3/4 cup of chopped dates or dried fruit preference (sultanas, dried apricots, craisens etc)
• 3 tablespoons of chia seeds
• 1/4 cup of sesame seeds
• 1 cup of mixed chopped nuts
• 1/4 cup of shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup of dark choc chopped

• 1/4 cup of milk
• 1 egg

• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 60 g butter or margarine or coconut oil
• 1/4 cup of honey

Method:

• Preheat oven to 180*C
• Place all the dry ingredients except for the brown sugar in a bowl and mix together
• Place the brown sugar, butter and honey in a separate bowl and place in microwave for 1 minute
• Then add the brown sugar mix to the dry ingredients and mix
• Finally, add in the milk and egg and mix again
• Line a laming ton dish with baking paper and grease the edges. Place mixture in, and cook in oven for 15 minutes
• Once cooled, slice and enjoy xxx

10 tips to decrease grocery bill - Fun Fact Friday

Happy Friday Everyone!

If you're anything like me, a trip to the grocery store can be a daunting experience especially when I go over budget, or forget something on my list, or worst of all don't plan for all the week's meals meaning more than one trip to the supermarket!

So I've done some research, and with the help of the FOODcents Training that I did through uni; I have compiled a list of ten must-do things which will help keep your food budget in line

1) Most important thing is to plan all the meals and snacks that you and your family will need for the week, and WRITE A SHOPPING LIST :)

2) When writing your meal plan and shopping list be aware of the current specials, and mark downs so you can factor a cheaper option into your budget.

3) Include at least one meat-free meal per week, this will help to keep costs down as meat can be the most expensive item on the shopping list. For protein sources make use of beans and other legumes.

4) Shop for your staples first: fruit and vegetables, meat, dairy, bread and cereals first. Around the outskirts of the supermarket, instead of down the aisles as they say!

5) A very very important handy tip is to look at the price per 100 g of the product instead of the price of the item. That way you can get a much better idea of which product is actually cheaper!

6) Consider buying in bulk as it can work out cheaper for staples that you use frequently. Also buying your meat in bulk and then freezing in portions is great if you have the space.

7) Make your own snacks (i.e for the lunchbox) instead of buying overpriced pre-packaged items.

8) Don't shop on an empty stomach! Trust me, I know first hand that when I've done the grocery shop while hungry I have always brought unnecessary or unhealthy snacks.

9) Consider the 'home-brand' / cheaper alternatives, some times they come from the same factory as the more expensive brand-name products. Although try and support Australian-made products when you can!

10) Beware of the Buy-One-Get-One-Free promotions. Only factor it into your shop if its something you actually need, otherwise your spending over your budget.

For more great tips check out these links:

Nutrition Australia budget buying
Kidspot- Family Budget
Daily Telegraph- 50 ways to save

Enjoy your weekend xxx