Month: January 2015

To kale or not to kale? 

To kale or not to kale? 

by Food By Jill ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I have come to love Kale. 

It’s a type of wild cabbage. 

It’s amazingly good for you. 

It’s one of those Super foods that are ridiculously versatile. Think pesto, stir fry, wraps, curry, juice, smoothies, pastas and pastes.

Some of the scientific facts (as one does) 

Low in calories, high in fiber and has ZERO fat content…..hellllllooooo!!! 

It’s also rich in iron, vitamin K, A and C……is filled with powerful antioxidants………………high in Omega 3, helps keep cholesterol levels down, it also ranks high in the calcium department, AND it’s very good if you are detoxing, or just part of your green juice squeeze! 

❤️🍴

Cofffffffffeeeeeee! 

Cofffffffffeeeeeee! 

by Food By Jill ♥ 1 Comment

What’s your morning “pick me up?” 

So after the “importance of breakfast” post yesterday and all the trends that we are currently following, coffee is still a staple for most of us! 

Be it tall, short, long, grande, skinny, soy, latte, flat, white or black, we all tend to be driven by this dark, aromatic and intoxicating elixir. 

I mean, the smell, the taste, that first sigh of contentment, can’t be beat! 

In bed, on the run, at the table……….cooooooffffffeeeeee please!!!!!!!!! 

❤️🍴

Popstars 

Popstars 

by Food By Jill ♥ 1 Comment

Not of the Britney Spears variety, I’m talking about POPCORN! A star in its own right, it probably evokes memories of your favorite movie cinema visit, or just those Sunday evenings when Carte Blanche signals the end of the weekend for the kids, and movie time for the adults! 

The microwave variety has a huge following, but with all the processed salt and other ingredients, it’s not really the best option for you. 

Popping your own, with the help of the other star ingredient – coconut oil – makes a PERFECT snack for all! 

Scoop about three tablespoons of coconut oil into a pot, turn up the heat and let that melt, then cover with popcorn kernels and wait for the magic to happen!   ❤️🍴

Cauliflower power! 

Cauliflower power! 

by Food By Jill ♥ 2 Comments

Soooooo, we on this trend of being healthy! Eating less processed carbohydrates, or just less processed items in general! 

I love the cauliflower pizza base idea! It packs an amazing flavour punch and is obviously much healthier (just don’t over dose with cheese) 

Recipe below! 

Ingredients for the base:

1 cup of cauliflower (finely chopped in a food processor or grated) 

1/2 cup of low fat grated mozzarella 

5 tablespoons of almond flour 

3 tablespoons of grated Parmesan 

1 teaspoon of chopped mixed herbs (any that you prefer) I use oregano 

1 pinch of salt and pepper 

1 egg beaten 

Toppings 

GO WILD! 

Set your oven to 200 degrees celcius 

Mix the base ingredients in a bowl, shape into a circle or spread out onto a prepared baking tray and pop into the oven for about 15 minutes or until golden brown! 

I use a basic tomato sauce for the base 

Top with your choosen ingredients and pop back into the oven to melt 

I don’t pile the pizza with toppings, bearing in mind that the cauliflower doesn’t “harden” like a normal pizza base! 

So that’s that! 

Be creative and enjoy the process! 

It’s ridiculously yummy! 🍴❤️

Breakfast! What’s that??

Breakfast! What’s that??

by Food By Jill ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I have never been one to rush to the breakfast table in the morning! 

My mother always made sure that we had our favorite cereals out, with a whole lots of extras, yet I couldn’t seem to get out of bed with major enthusiasm. Maybe the thought of sleeping for an extra ten minutes was more appealing! 

As an adult, I’ve come to realize how important it is to actually eat breakfast! All those “it’s helps your metabolism” and “it’s healthy for you”, are actually true!!! (Who knew right?) 

There is something ridiculously comforting about a warm bowl of oats, also the lushness of a soft poached egg on rye. If I’m having a manic morning, there are always hard boiled eggs in my fridge for a little protein fix! (No flex zone) 💪💪 

There are also so many blogs and websites that can give you tips on how to bring out your creative breakfast genius, so go and do some browsing and eat your porridge! Ha! 

The bowl in the picture is filled with warm oats, flaked almonds, chia seeds, raw cacao nibs and cranberries!! 

❤️🍴

A fishy story! 

A fishy story! 

by Food By Jill ♥ 3 Comments

There is something almost sexy about a good piece of fish, served with lashings of lemon butter, also just black pepper and sea salt will do!

Fish is so fickle, if you don’t have a good fish monger or a trusted supermarket to supply you with daily stock. I don’t really go out to eat fish, as I can’t seem to trust the restaurants with their idea of “fresh” or “catch of the DAY”. 

I love getting fresh fish and just preparing it the way I enjoy, these days I’ve been playing around with loads of flavoured butters to top them with, the fish in the picture is topped with a chilli and shrimp butter! 

My top tip! 

Portion the fish, season as your wish, seal it (like you would steak) in a smoking hot pan, both sides quick quick! Transfer on to a baking pan, drench with lemon juice, black pepper and freshly chopped dill or chives! Pop into a hot oven (200 degrees celcius), 8 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Salivating moments 

❤️🍴

Chia Chia Chia 

Chia Chia Chia 

by Food By Jill ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Super Foods? Superseeds? Superhuman powers and superman. 

I’m not one to jump onto fads or these quick fix diets. Detoxing and juicing and souping doesn’t sit well with me. I tend to believe that everything in moderation helps, also that if you just got up from the couch and go for a walk, you will notice the difference soon enough, and patience, with hard work, helps the entire weight loss, get fit, live your best life situation.

BUT! I have jumped onto the Chia seed craze. I eat it in anything I can. Cereal in the morning, apples dipped into it with peanut butter for a snack, even smoothies. Also raw strawberry “jam” using chia is amazing. 

Loaded with fiber, protein, Omega3, Calcium, Maganese, Magnesium, Phosphorous and also with decent amounts of Zinc, VitaminB3, potassium, VitaminB1 and VitaminB2!!!  It is a superseed!! Sheeeeeeewy! 

So get some Chia! Sprinkle it everywhere! 

❤️🍴