Quinoa confusion - Paleo or not? Healthy or not?

What an exciting week it has been! In case you missed it, I had the amazing honour of sharing my journey with hypothalamic amenorrhea and body image on The Huffington Post! Seriously a dream come true! 

OK back to quinoa. It’s the high-protein darling of the vegan and vegetarian world. It’s the hip new pseudo-grain (it’s actually a fruit). And it seems to be somewhat of a grey area for Paleo folks – some love it (using said “fruit” defense, because God-forbid they eat a grain), and some are downright against it (if it walks and talks like a duck, (or grain), then…).

So who is right? Is quinoa the super-food it’s made out to be, or is it just another dodgy grain-like cereal?

Apparently Quinoa is a girl on pinterest who is well
 into her fashion…and hates pleather.
Just a little weird.

About 4 years ago, I was diagnosed with coeliac disease. My symptoms were not pretty – fat and protein malabsorption (which translates to chronic diarrhea, that kind of also feels like constipation – fun, right?), nutrient deficiencies, low energy and a rash that was spreading all over my body. The treatment for coeliac disease is simple – follow a gluten free diet.

So I switched my beloved oat-based porridge to quinoa porridge. It was a simple switch, and tasted pretty good, too. Unfortunately, just going gluten free didn’t cut it. I still had my symptoms some 6-9 months later. That’s when I decided to try this crazy “Paleo” thing that my hubby was doing (despite my dietitian brain being completely against it). Lo and behold my symptoms disappeared…..quite rapidly, in fact, with the high fat, low carb diet I had adopted.

Fast-forward to last year when I was diagnosed with hypothalamic amenorrhea and hypothyroidism, which my low carb diet probably played a large role in. I was tasked with adding in more carbs, and there is only so much sweet potato a girl can eat, especially with the exorbitant prices in NZ! Cue quinoa. I thought – why not throw it back in the mixer and see what happens?

This time, however, I made sure that I soaked my quinoa seeds overnight, rinsed and rubbed them in the morning, THEN cooked them (more on why I did this later). Success! No adverse reaction, no tummy upset. I felt great. Hurrah! Quinoa porridge is now a regular breakfast for me, and I love it!

I tell this story to highlight the fact that there is no one diet for everyone, and what might be right for you now, might not have been OK a while ago, or in the future. It’s all about experiementation!

So why does quinoa get such a bad wrap? Well, the quinoa seed contains a few “anti-nutrients”:

Check out those soapy saponins after soaking quinoa overnight

• Saponins – as the name suggests, these are soap-like substances, which can cause problems with digestion and potentially increase intestinal permeability (AKA “leaky gut”)
• Phytates – or “phytic acid” can bind up minerals, such as iron, zinc and magnesium, preventing their absorption and utilization by the body
• Protease inhibitors – “proteases” are enzymes that break down proteins into their smaller constituents, amino acids, which can then be absorbed through the intestinal wall and used by the body to build new proteins. The body is clever, right? Protease inhibitors, as you might have guess, can inhibit the action of these enzymes, thus disrupting the ability to digest proteins 

Well crap. That all sounds pretty unhealthy. Why would I even consider eating such a food?

Here’s the thing – soaking, rubbing, rinsing and cooking reduces the content of these anti-nutrients by 50-100%, making them less problematic, and the vitamns and minerals contained within (think calcium, magnesium, folate, iron, phosphorus, vitamin Bs and vitamin E), more bioavailable. Brilliant!

All that said, if someone is suffering from a health condition, especially if it is digestion-related, I would suggest cutting out quinoa and going quite strict Paleo for a period of 30 days. Then you can start to reintroduce foods and see how you go. That sounds fair, right?

Now just because I love you, I have decided to share my yummy brekkie recipe. Enjoy!

Warming Quinoa Porridge

• ¼ cup quinoa
• ½ cup water (plus extra for after cooking)
• ¼ cup coconut milk (plus extra for after cooking)
• 1 ripe banana, mashed
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp maca powder (optional, but is great for hormonal balancing)
• 1 small handful of nuts (chopped) and/or seeds
• 1 small handful of coconut flakes (optional)
• Sometimes I also add a sprinkle of Great Lakes Beef Gelatin (flavourless) for extra gut-healing goodness

Method

1. Soak the quinoa overnight and rinse thoroughly in the morning, massaging the seeds as you rinse. This removes “saponins” and improves the digestibility of the quinoa
2. Add quinoa, water and coconut milk to a small saucepan over med-high heat until just boiling
3. Turn the heat down to low and put a lid on the saucepan for around 10 minutes or until most liquid is absorbed
4. Meanwhile, mash the banana and chop the nuts
5. Add everything together (quinoa, banana, nuts, maca, coconut flakes, cinnamon) and add extra water and/or coconut milk until it reaches your desired consistency
6. Enjoy slowly!

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Paleo Pumpkin-Pie Pancakes

Yes, I like alliteration. Rolls of the tongue, doesn’t it?

PANCAKES! Who doesn’t love them, seriously? You say Sunday morning. I say pancakes. They just work. Any day, any time, really. But unfortunately, most pancakes are full of sugar, and gluten and junk. Especially the Shake ‘n’ Bake kind and yes, even the gluten free variety. (Note to self gluten-free processed foods are not healthy, just because they do not have gluten in them).

I like to experiment with recipes. Sometimes they are complete failure. Other times a huge success. The recipe I am going to share with you, my lovely friends, was a huge success. Otherwise I wouldn’t share it, would I? It probably wouldn’t even go on Instagram because, as everyone knows, you only put the highlights of your life on Instagram.

Anyway, enough jibber jabber (that didn't even get spell-checks. Seriously?).  Give these yummy Paleo pumpkin (yes there is a vegetable hiding in there) pie pancakes a whirl. I am pretty sure even the little ones (meaning kids) would like these. Handy tip: roast the pumpkin the night before in coconut oil.  Roast some other veggies for your dinner that night, while you’re at it. Why not?

Paleo Pumpkin Pie Pancakes

They taste better than they look. Promise.

Ingredients

• ½ cup mashed pumpkin (roast the night before)
• 2 eggs, whisked
• ½-1tsp cinnamon (I have super strong cinnamon at them moment)
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ¼-1/2 tsp all spice
• ¼ tsp ginger powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• Coconut oil/butter to cook in
• Splash coconut water (or plain water, but coconut will be sweeter)

How to

1. Heat oil/butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat
2. Mix all ingredients, except coconut water, in a mixing bowl until smooth
3. Add a splash of coconut water to thin out the consistency a little
4. Add dollops of mixture to the pan once it is hot, allowing to cook lightly (2-3mins) on one side, then flip and repeat
5. Serve with whatever your heart desires. Mine desired sunflower seeds and coconut flakes. A little full fat yoghurt and some berries would probably be quite nice, too
6. ENJOY!

PS. Have you checked out the AHSNZ conference yet? 

Raspberry Coconut Chia Pudding - You're Welcome!

This might be a quicky today - I'm trying to write this on my blogger app while waiting for some blood tests in chilly Christchurch, New Zealand. My thumbs aren't working too well. And before you get all smug and say "told you it was bloody cold over there", it just so happens that it is going to be sunny and hot today. Hot enough to swim. So there! And this tiny little country is absolutely breathtaking! Check out some of these pervy pics from our little tiki-tour: 

The Blue Pools, Haast Pass, New Zealand.
We went for a cheeky skinny dip in this glacier-fed pool.
No filter needed here - this place was freakin' amazing!

King dancer pose over-looking Wanaka

Mount Cook overlooking Lake Pukaki

Jealous, aren't you? You can check out more pics on my Instagram: kate_callaghan

We were off on an adventure around the South Island to decide where we want to set up Callaghan base camp. Still not sure but getting closer. Stay tuned! 

So anyway, there was a fair bit of driving around, and no radio. Which meant I had plenty of time to think. Mostly about food. Because that's what I do. I try and think of tasty and nutritious ideas to share with you, oh loyal readers. And lord knows you are loyal, putting up with my waffle time after time! Thanks for that! Anywho, this time I came up with an incredibly delicious brekkie that I shared on my Insta' yesterday and it cause quite the raucas! Here it is:

Looks yummy doesn't it? Bet you want the recipe hey? Well, you're in luck my friend, because I'm feeling generous. Don't say I never do anything for you! This is great for brekkie but would also work for a dessert. 

Raspberry and coconut chia custard (makes ~3 serves, 'cos that's how many peeps I was cooking for)

1. For the custard base (make the night before, or at least 3 hours prior to eating - the chia need time to do their thing and swell up)
You will need:
* 2 eggs
* 1 cup coconut milk
* 1 tsp cinnamon
* 1/2 tsp vanilla bean powder
* 1 banana
* 2T chia seeds
* 1/2 cup water (maybe)

- Whizz everything together in an oven safe bowl and bake at 120 degrees for around 40-50 mins. It shouldn't wobble too much when it is done. 
- Allow to cool slight then blend with 1 banana and 2T of chia. Add water if it is looking too thick and gluggy. 
- Divide into 3-4 glasses and place in fridge overnight. Soak 3/4 cup of cashews overnight

2. For the raspberry topping (soak cashews ahead of time)
You will need:
* 2 handfuls of raspberries (I used frozen)
* 3/4 cup cashews
* 1/4-1/3 cup water
* Pinch of stevia

- Whizz everything in a blender until it reaches a smooth consistency. 
- Place a scoop or 2 on top of each custard base
- Add extra toppings if you want, such as coconut flakes

Oh and if you can't be arsed with the raspberry topping, it's pretty good with a few nuts sprinkled on top, especially Sarah Wilson's Coco-Nutty Granola. Look at that, now I have given you two recipes in one.

That's it! I'm off to get the life sucked out of me. And because I hate blood tests so much, I have packed myself a couple of post-test chocolate cookies from Practical Paleo to lift my spirits. I know, I'm a wuss. Whatever. You're just jealous of my cookie (see below). Have a great day friends! Xx

5 ways to energise your day

Alarm goes off. Mind starts racing with the day’s to-do list (how will I get everything done?!). Launch out of bed. Get glance of self in mirror and subsequent huge fright, setting adrenalin into overdrive. Make coffee. Strip off onesie (What? You don’t wear a onesie? Get with the times!). Jump into shower. Brush teeth and clean self whilst in shower. Get out. Get dressed. Do hair. Grab coffee in travel mug. Run out door.

Sound familiar? If this is how you start your morning, then chances are your body has been kicked into fight or flight mode before you have even left the house. You have effectively set your body to up to be in a heightened state of stress for the rest of the day.

Running around stressed is far from something to boast about. You know what I mean – when someone says “how are you?”, you respond with “oh I’m so stressed!” like it’s some badge of honour to show how much you can juggle. I know this because this use to be me. Until it all came crashing down.

Stress is no good for anyone. Check out this impressive list of "did you know's":

• Did you know chronic stress increases your risk of a heart attack?
• Did you know that stress causes the hormone cortisol to increase, which increases inflammation in the body? 
• Too much cortisol is also responsible for that belly fat you can’t seem to budge, no matter how well you eat or drink.
• Did you know that chronic high stress and cortisol wreak havoc on your hormones, contributing to problems such as low testosterone in males and amenorrhea and fertility problems in females.
• Did you know that chronic stress can disrupt your gut flora and, in turn, your overall health and wellbeing?
• Did you know that too much stress and cortisol can lead to adrenal fatigue and low energy?                
• Did you know stressing all the time can reduce your stomach acid and therefore your ability to properly breakdown and digest your food?                   

Now who's boasting? 

If you are a stress-addict and/or poor sleeper, no matter how hard you try with squeaky-clean eating and smart training, you’re probably not going to get the results you want.

So, what can you do about it? Well, I believe the morning is a pretty good place to start. Try out these 5 ways to get your morning off to a great start, reducing your stress, and energising your day:

1. Take 10 deep breaths. Before you get out of bed. This will only take 2 minutes, so no excuses please. Hold your hands over your belly and feel the rise and fall as you take deep breaths in and out through your nose

2. Have a healthy breakfast. If you don’t have time to make anything, prepare something the night before, such as my Berries Extraordinaire. If you do have time, fry up some eggs and veggies and serve with avocado.

3. Chew your food well, chew it slowly and do nothing else. A little while ago I found myself sitting down to my breakfast with my phone, checking my emails, then Facebook, then Instagram, then Twitter, then wondering where my breakfast went. No good for digestion. No good for stress levels. Concentrate on just one thing – your meal – to allow adequate digestion and to optimize the nutrition you obtain from your meal.

4. On that note – don’t touch your phone until you walk out the door. Trust me, you’re not going to miss anything of importance that the inter-webs has to say in that short amount of time.

5. Let this be your new mantra:                                                                                         

“There is plenty of time in the day to get everything done”                                              

I heard Tim Ferris say he did this to keep him focused and prevent him from becoming overwhelmed and stressed with everything he had to do in the day. He said it made him more productive. More calm. I tried it. Completely agree! You don’t need to say it out loud – just repeat it over in your head a few times, especially when you feel a little frazzled by your to-do list.

6. Yes, I know I said 5, but when do I ever stick to what I say I’m going to do. This was meant to be a short post. Clearly incapable. Right, number 6 (which I think is the most do-able and most rewarding):

Smile at 2 people that you walk past. Complete strangers. Hopefully they’ll smile back (if not, chase them down and ask what their problem is. Kidding! Don't do that). Maybe even say good morning. It’ll give you (and them) a little warm fuzzy feeling to kick-start your day, and theirs.

What’s your best way to start the morning? Let me know if you try any of these and if you notice a difference. I would say number 5 and 6 have made the biggest difference to my day.