By Kristin Cosgrove

I always thought I was pretty healthy.

When I was growing up, my Father had a fruit and vegetable business. As children, I remember always having an abundance of beautiful fresh produce available to us, which we were happy to take advantage of.  Friends would visit in the summer and be in awe of the trays of peaches, boxes of cherries and huge bowls of every kind of berry sitting on our bench top. We always had great things to eat but as I got older and left my parents home, things started to change for the worse.

I was busy with work and shall we say, a very active social life. All I could really cook was a few simple pasta dishes and chicken cacciatore! I began to rely on jars of this and packets of that. Cereal became a big part of my diet as did bread, pasta and take away Thai curries.I began to experience weight gain, skin problems and the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome – bloating, constipation, discomfort and tummy upsets. I began to make connections between what I ate and how I felt.

I became more interested in cooking and passionate about food.  I loved shopping at markets and visiting specialty shops. My husband gave me a Jamie Oliver cook book for Christmas one year and I remember how inspired I became, how I couldn’t wait to make my own pasta, to invest in some good quality kitchen ware.  My education in food was slow moving and self led but I was on my way.

When I became a mother, the idea of being healthy took on a whole new meaning. I started to think about food as nourishment and began buying more organic food and cooking more.  My first daughter suffered with a mild dairy intolerance.  We stopped giving her milk and she improved so we forgot about it. When my second daughter was born it was clear by the time she was six weeks old that we were facing some serious problems.

After seeking help from several doctors, Maternal Health Nurses, Dieticians and Naturopaths, Francesca was finally diagnosed with intolerances to wheat, dairy, soy, fish and nuts when she was eighteen months old. I didn’t know what to feed her!  I panicked at first, then burst into tears at the thought I had been causing my baby such discomfort through the food I was feeding her.  Then as all mums do, I decided to take control of the situation and educate myself about true health, real food and whole food eating.

It turns out that there is a lot to eat without wheat, dairy, soy, fish and nuts!  Vegetables for a start! Fresh fruit, good quality grass fed and free range meat, eggs, beans and pulses and gluten free grains like rice and quinoa.  I actually enjoy getting up in the still dark morning to prepare a proper breakfast for my kids – it is so satisfying. Rice porridge with stewed fruit, scrambled eggs and delicious super food smoothies has replaced the boxed cereal with skim milk combinations I had once relied on.

The more we learnt about what food was healthy for my daughter, the more we realised we could all be eating this way. And in time, we all felt the benefits.

I am so grateful to have been faced with the problem of food intolerance. Yes, it can be difficult at times…not everyone understands and many think “just a little bit won’t hurt”.  Travelling can be challenging and children’s parties are a nightmare but I am lucky in that my gorgeous girl understands what works for her body and appreciates feeling well, healthy and strong.

In fact, I would say living with food intolerance has been less a problem and more a blessing, one that has improved the health and well being of our whole family and developed a keen interest in growing, preparing and eating food in all of us!

Sticky Orange Chicken

This is a simple dish that takes no time to prepare and can be cooking in the oven while school bags are unpacked, home work assisted and tales of the day are told.  My kids love it!  I usually serve it with some roasted potatoes and green beans.

Ingredients

10 free range or organic chicken drumsticks or lovely legs (I prefer the skin off but it’s up to you)

Coconut oil, melted, about ¼ cup

2 oranges

A good drizzle of honey (around 2 tablespoons)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season

Preparation

Rinse and pat dry the chicken then place in a baking dish.  Pour over the coconut oil and massage it in to the chicken.  Cut one orange in half and squeeze the juice over the chicken.  Slice the other orange and tuck it in around the chicken pieces, along with the juiced orange.  Drizzle over the honey and season with salt and pepper.  Bake at 200C for about an hour, turning once or twice.  Serve drizzled with the pan juices.

Kristin lives by the beach with her three children and her husband, who is part time due to work circumstances.  She is passionate about healthy food – cooking it and eating it!  She loves yoga, travelling and learning new things constantly.  Her friends and family provide much adventure in her life and also give her a reason for celebration.  They keep her busy and entertained and at the end of the day (well, most days) laughing!

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When a friend recently suggested Rachel as an inpirational mum to interview for my Mumday Monday blog, I jumped at the chance to see where this fabulous woman was at now!

Tell us a little about yourself.

Hi, my name is Rachel and  I’m 42years old. I have 2 kids,  Remy 9 years old and Essie 6 years old.

I was a professional dancer for 15 years between the ages of 19 – 34years  and  I also danced at the Moulin Rouge in Paris.

I have  choreographed many TVC, musicals as well as the opening ceremony for the Paralympic in 2000.

I have taught pilates for over 10 years and am now the Pilates Director at Elixr Health Clubs.

Not many mums can say they danced at the Moulin Rouge in Paris! Can you tell us what this was like plus a bit about your life during this period?

It was a truly amazing but incredibly exhausting time of life !! Two show every night 6 days a week.  We always went out after the show, so bed was usually 5am.  Wake up around 1pm.  Completely different to my life now!

I have such fond memories and life long friends from the year I was there.

You are clearly passionate about Pilates. Can you tell us about some benefits of Pilates you have experienced?

I have so many,  it is such a rewarding job.  I have had many clients with serious disc injuries, hip replacements, shoulder reconstructions, knee injuries, torn muscles who are now pain free.

Has fitness always been important to you?

Absolutely and always will be.  I can’t imagine ever having a job where I sit at a desk all day.  I am fortunate that my job is all about exercise.

What does healthy eating mean for you?

Eating 3 meals a day.

Never skipping meals.

Eat whole foods like fresh fruit and vegetables and meat.

What are 5 of your kitchen pantry essentials?

– Oats (for porridge)

– Pasta

–  Rice

– Raw nuts

– Tinned tuna

What do you indulge in?

Chocolate! There is nothing else that competes in my eyes : )

What are some of the things you value most in life?

Definitely my health and happiness.

What is your favourite quote?

You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar!

 Do you find time to nurture yourself? What does this involve?

I need to be outdoors with nature.

Walking in a park or along the beach by myself.

This is my mediation.

What are your tips to staying happy and healthy?

– Listen to your body.

– Don’t over eat.

– Get enough sleep.

– Drink plenty of water.

– Enjoy a glass of wine at the end of the day.

What do you and your kids like to do on the weekend?

We spend the weekend running around doing sports.  Then we all love to settle down in the afternoon to watch a movie.

Would you like to share one of your favourite healthy recipes?

Simply a fresh salmon fillet on the BBQ with a healthy rocket salad is one of my favourites.

Local and in-season foods are best, and buy organic if you can. Below is a list of 6 of my kids’ favourite nutrient-rich and enzyme-rich raw foods. I hope your little munchkins love them as much as mine!:

1. Avocado – Available all year round, it is rich in protein, enzymes, fibre, potassium, vitamin E and healthy fats. Spread on toast or sandwiches, add to smoothies (which thickens while creating an ice-cream like consistency), make guacamole, or add to sushi rolls.

2. Blueberries – Blueberries are a wonderful way for children to get a natural sweet fix. They are a superior source of antioxidants, which are important in fighting harmful “free radicals” which can lead to cancer and other diseases. Add blueberries to morning smoothies, to cereal, in your healthy muffins, or mixed into yogurt.

3. Lettuce – In season all year round, lettuce is rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, manganese and chromium, as well as being a very good source of dietary fibre. My kids have fun making” iceberg lettuce cups” which they fill with lots of healthy fun stuff like prawns, tuna, grated carrot, cucumber with a squeeze of lemon or lime, roll and enjoy!

4. Almonds – Almonds are high in fibre, contain healthy omega-9 oleic fatty acids, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Kids can sprinkle raw almonds on their muesli or yoghurt, have a handful as a snack, or use almond butter instead of peanut butter (most processed peanut butters on the grocery shelves today are loaded with sugar and partially hydrogenated fats). Almond butter can be spread on anything from bread, to lettuce leaves or apple slices, or be added to smoothies.

5. Coconut – Besides being anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, coconuts are highly nutritious & hydrating. They are also rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals. We choose the baby coconuts at home and drink the water and eat the flesh as a complete snack or add the water and flesh as the base for our mango or berry smoothies.

6. Raw Honey – This is an unprocessed sweetener which has all its vitamins and minerals intact & can help with seasonal allergies. Drizzle on top of yoghurt or muesli or dip pieces of cut up fruit into it – yum!

Other wonderful and nutritious raw foods to enjoy this summer include apricots, raspberries, strawberries, peaches and nectarines, melons, plums, passionfruit, pineapple, beans, beetroot, capsicum, celery, cucumber, eggplant, mushrooms, pumpkin, squash, tomatoes, zucchini and sweet corn.

If you love some of these raw ideas, perhaps you would like to attend one of my Plentiful Workshops in February. Tickets can be booked through Facebook under Brenda Janschek Health & Lifestyle

Have a plentiful day.

Bren x

Believe me, I know what it’s like in this time-poor existence, rushing to get the kids to school so that we can get to work on time, and we reach for what is convenient (or what we’re told by marketing is convenient). But with a bit of preparation and the right ingredients in your kitchen, the family could be enjoying highly nutritious morning meals, and still get out the door on time.

So many breakfast cereals are marketed as health foods. Little wonder it’s the main form of breakfast for most families. We’re far too trusting, assuming it must be good because that is what the advertisements say. According to NY Times best selling author, Dr Mercola, “The unfortunate reality is that the cereals aggressively marketed to kids have the worst nutritional quality of all cereals. An analysis, published in the Journal of American Dietetic Association found that children’s cereals have more sugar, sodium, carbohydrates, and calories per gram than cereals not marketed to kids. They also have less protein and fiber.”

Here are 5 things to think about before you reach for the boxed cereal in the supermarket. Cereal is:

1. Highly processed – to make the flakes, shapes and puffs, the grains have  to be heated up to very high temperatures and extruded at high pressures. The shapes are then sprayed with synthetic vitamins and food colours

2. Nutrient deficient – the processing destroys many valuable nutrients in grains, causes the oils to become rancid and renders certain proteins toxic

3. Difficult to digest – cereal grains contain phytic acid, a substance that binds up nutrients and makes it difficult for you body to absorb and therefore difficult to digest

4. High in sugar and carbohydrates – most of the cereals marketed to kids have 30-50% sugar content which raises blood sugar levels very quickly

5. Health issues –  all of the above points can cause bloating, constipation, IBS, allergies, infections, concentration issues and contribute to weight gain, obesity and more

Breakfast is important fuel after fasting during sleep so that our bodies can rejuvenate each night. So it’s a prime time to feed our bodies real foods, whole unprocessed foods that contain protein, fat and carbohydrates, and come from plants and animals, to give us the best start to the day.

If you want to achieve vibrant health for your whole family, try these 5 quick healthy breakfast ideas instead of boxed cereal:-

1. Bircher muesli – rolled oats mixed with nuts, seeds, coconut, soaked in milk or coconut water and yoghurt overnight. It can be made and stored in the fridge for several days

2. Smoothies – simple combinations include milk, raspberries, bananas, raw honey and yoghurt, can be whizzed up in 5 minutes

3. Eggs – scrambled/poached/fried eggs on sourdough or sprouted toast with a spread of avocado

4. French toast – sourdough bread soaked in a mix of eggs, milk and cinnamon, lightly fried in butter, served with a drizzle of Canadian maple syrup and topped with fresh fruit

5. Fruit and yoghurt parfait – create layers of yoghurt, nuts, seeds, fruit, coconut or homemade granola for a delectable breakfast treat

So why not prepare your fridge and pantry with some of these staples, to make preparing a nutritious and delicious breakfast a breeze? Download my FREE BREAKFAST EBOOK with 10 delicious recipes to make your morning’s shine. 

If you need some guidance and inspiration to change your kitchen into a real food haven, check out my programs here

Bren x