Durian

After four months of walking past market stalls of stinky, weird, spiky looking durian I finally plucked up the courage to try this mysterious fruit. At first I wasn't too impressed and I didn't like the creamy texture... But something had me coming back for more and after a few weeks I was totally hooked. There is nothing else in the world quite like Durian...

Durian is known as 'The King of Fruits' here in Asia.

• Durian is extremely nutritious because it is rich in vitamin B, C and E and with high iron content. Eating durian is alleged to restore the health of ailing humans and animals.
• A preparation from its roots and leaves is prescribed by traditional doctors for fevers and jaundice.
• Decoctions of the leaves and fruits are applied to swellings and skin diseases.
• Durian fruit helps lower cholesterol.
• Durian is a strong blood cleanser.
• The ash of the burned rind is taken after childbirth.
• Durian contains high levels of the amino acid tryptophan, known to alleviate anxiety, depression, and insomnia, and create feelings of happiness, by raising levels of serotonin in the brain
• Durian contains high level of soft protein which makes it a good muscle builder.
• Durian has a reputation as a powerful aphrodisiac.
• Durian is recommended as a good source of raw fats.

Raw food documentary trailer... Coming soon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeRXk_oGuGk

Coconut oil

‘We live in an era where people have realised that artificial diets and chemical treatments for the skin, hair and body are not as effective as natural methods. The resurgence in the popularity of coconut oil as a moisturiser attests to this. My experience has clearly demonstrated to me that the phenomenal moisturizing properties of organic cold pressed coconut oil on the skin cannot be matched by any complicated chemical moisturiser.’

‘As we become what we eat, we find that heavy meals of cooked animal protein and fat make the tissue dense and coarse.’

–David Wolfe.

‘Cooked oil is the largest cause of free radical damage in the human body. Free radical damage has come to be regarded as the primary cause of aging.’

- Dr.Denham Harman

Free radicals are molecules of oxygen that have an unpaired  electron therefore they are highly unstable and highly reactive. Some examples of these are cigarette smoke, air pollution, excessive sun exposure and the natural breakdown of tisssues. Free radicals in the body steal electrons from the healthy parts causing damage, aging and producing more free radicals, gradually speeding up aging and degeneration of tissue and cells and can ultimately be the cause of diseases such as cancer.

Heated oils are something you should avoid if you want to feel healthier, loose weight, avoid illness and live longer. Coconut oil is the only oil that keeps its nutritional value once heated and can be heated to a very high temperature Unlike other oils it is completely digestible and highly nutritious. Use it for baking, cooking and frying, but ultimately take advantage of its raw properties; there are reports that a small spoonful a day can help speed up weight loss and can curb sugar cravings; try it as a substitute for butter or margarine.

Coconut oil is also said to be ‘the best’ moisturiser for your skin, 100% natural and organic; use it as a moisturiser on your skin and a conditioning mask for ‘tv advert’ hair.

A jar can be quite pricey if you are on a budget but it lasts a long time and is an all round cooking and beauty product of the highest quality.  You only need small amounts…(Unless you follow my recipe for flapjack or granola which requires a bit more J).

This product is highly recommended!

The magical health benefits of Cocoa (plus delicious drink recipe)

Cocoa contains:

Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C.
Good for all aspects of health

Polyphenols
Good for high blood pressure and prevention of strokes

Dietary fibre
Anti-obesity, laxative

Theobromine
Mood elevator

Flavonoids
Antioxidants, anti cancer, anti diabetes, premature aging.

Serotonin
Anti stress, anti depressant.

Make HOT CHOCOLATE:

You will need:

Spoonful of cocoa
two or three spoonfuls of honey
(you may have to experiment with the right combination)
Stir into mug with hot/boiling water.

Healthy Hot Chocolate!!

The Hot chocolate you buy in the shops is heavily processed and has no nutritional value, it also often contains whey powder which will make you put on weight and can cause swelling over your entire body.
Whey powder is in most packaged foods now, is highly addictive and my advice is to avoid it.
To you health and wealth....

'Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food'

How to prepare mangoes.

Dear followers,

I am sorry I haven't been blogging recently, I came to Vietnam last month and I haven't had a kitchen until now (but still not a very good kitchen and without half the things I would like) but the food here is interesting and the fruits especially, so learning lots of new things.

Today we're are going to learn how to prepare mangoes properly! ...I ate six mangoes today.
Mangoes are a 'hot food' according to Ayurvedic medicine, which means they are great for energy and will wake you up!

Hold the mango with the pointy side facing.
Find the angle where the sides are flattest.
Slice down slowly, you should feel you are next to the stone.

Do on each side so you have almost two halves.
Slice down and across, making square shapes, taking care not to go through the skin.
Push the sides back a bit so the mango looks like this...

You can then slice out the squares from the peel quite easily.
Peel the rind off the remaining part and slice away any fruit from the sides.

I love to eat mango by itself but you can add them to smoothies or fruit salads as well! :-)

Berry smoothie.

Great for a snack, breakfast or have before any meal...

Blend yogurt, teaspoon of honey and some fresh (or frozen) berries.

:-)

Make your own muesli.

Ingredients:

Coconut oil
Honey
Oats (porridge or jumbo oats)
Flaked almonds
Copped hazelnuts
Broken walnuts
Pumpkin seeds
Dried apricots, diced
Dates (soak for 30 mins minimum beforehand)
Raisins

Melt one or two tablespoons of coconut oil and half honey to coconut oil.

Add the oats:

And the rest:

Make sure the mixture is dry enough, add more oats and nuts at the end to ensure it's the right consistency.

Take a large baking tray and pour in the mixture, do not flatten down make sure it's broken up.

Put in the oven on 160 for approx 15 - 20 mins or until slightly brown.

Wait until cool and then store in an air tight jar:

And enjoy for breakfast :-)

Super salad bowls...

EAT MORE GREENS

On an ideal day I will have a salad for lunch and a salad for dinner, I LOVE salads.
They really can be the most exciting thing to make as anything can go in them.
Here are some of my favourite salad ingredients which never fail to make a delicious crunchy bowl:

Avocado
Raisins
Nuts and seeds
Lightly steamed brocolli/green beans
Pesto
Apple
Beans
Lemon juice/ Olive oil/ Pinch of salt - dressing
Egg free, flax oil mayonnaise
Cold brown rice


And plenty more..

Here are a couple I made earlier :-)


Ingredients:

Very lightly steam the sugar snap peas/green beans - they need to be crunchy.
Dice the avocado
Pour butter beans into serving bowl, add the avocado and greens - stir in some pesto as dressing.

And, this one I made from left overs...

Mixed herb salad
Tomato
Cold brown rice
Cold sugar snap peas (previously steamed)
Cold broccoli (previously steamed)
Olive oil/lemon juice and a small spoon full of flax oil egg free mayonnaise - stir in for delicious dressing.

EAT MORE GREENS :-)

Sweet treat.

This concoction is great for breakfast or desert or anytime you fancy something sweet..

You will need:
Fruit (chopped banana my favourite) I use blueberries in this one.
Bio live natural organic yogurt.
Honey
Pumpkin seeds
Raisins
Good quality muesli (avoid brands such as Alpen which contain the dreaded whey powder, always read the label and go for the most natural looking one... Or make your own from oats, barley etc - recipe on its way!)

Find a nice tall glass and fill the bottom with your fruit, pile on the yogurt leaving space for...
Some honey
Sprinkle on some seeds then raisins
Finish with muesli.

Oranges

Have an orange every evening for a vitamin C boost, the vitamin C will work well at night whilst you sleep leaving you fresh for the next morning and day ahead!

Vitamin C is the only vitamin that our body cannot store for long periods of time therefore a daily intake of citrus fruit is important and oranges are delicious :-) 

Keep a large bowl in your kitchen stocked up!

Remember - Try not to eat anything at least two hours before going to bed. Your digestive system needs to rest so your body can detox, heal and rejuvenate itself; it will also enable you to drift into a deeper more restful sleep ..zzzzz

Healthy Hummous

This is one of my favourite foods! I have it with carrot sticks or as part of a salad.

You will need:
1 tin of Chick peas
Extra virgin olive oil (Lots, add until creamy texture)
Two or three garlic cloves
Veg stock half (one small teaspoon)
Tahini (1 -2 tablespoons)
Half a juice of a lemon

Food processor (I use a Magimix).

Whizz up until smooth texture.

Yum!

Lentil bake (own recipe).

Tasty lentil bake, great if you are on a budget!

You will need:

Red lentils

Vegetable stock

Onion

Coconut oil

Tomato or tomato puree - optional, sometimes I make without tomato.

Goats cheese  - small handful of grated coats cheese, can also make without.

Ryvita, or breadcrumbs for topping

Pumpkin seeds for topping.

Melt one small teaspoon of coconut oil in a pan.

Dice onion and sauté until transparent.

Put in approx one pint jug of  dry red lentils (I never measure!)

Add a freshly chopped tomato or two – optional.

Prepare approx one and a half pints of veg stock – pour over mixture – put on lid and turn to a low heat to simmer (do not boil) leave for approx 20 – 40 mins until mixture has thickened – If too thick add some more water.

Add a little goats cheese – optional.

Pour into dish.

Sprinkle with broken ryvita or breadcrumbs, pumpkin seeds and a little goats cheese.

Put in the oven on 160 for approx 20 mins or until golden brown.

Serve with a large green salad or steamed broccoli .

Enjoy!

Fats that make you healthy...

Some of the good fats:

Avocados

Nuts (raw and unsalted)

Seeds

Olives

Olive oil (unheated)

Coconut oil 

Incorporating some of these good fats into your diet every day (along with plenty of fresh vegetables) will make a difference to your health. Fats are vital for your health and cell turnover so (unless you are detoxing) include these everyday, most of these ingredients are included in my quick and easy recipes so stay tuned...

I never count calories or limit my fat intake, as these are the foods that make me feel full and give me strong skin, hair and nails.

For recovery from cancer and degenerative diseases it has been said that avoiding ALL fats is good for recovery, I am not an expert but take a look at Gerson therapy: http://gerson.org/GersonTherapy/gersontherapy.htm.

Keep chinese herbs!!

Please sign the petition.



http://www.chineseherbs.org.uk/index.php?option=com_petitions&view=petition&id=34

Granola bars (my own recipe)

You will need:

Coconut oil (find in your health shop if in the UK) - Coconut oil is fulll of nutrients and good fats, I use this instead of oil when cooking, baking or frying, it will not clog up your arteries like other heated oils. It can be used as a substitute to butter and is really delicious, 100% natural and organic.

Honey (try for a local, unheated kind, there is lots of choice but read the labels)

Oats (and a little oatmeal if you have some)


Pumpkin seeds


Raisins


Dried apricots

Place two tablespoons of coconut oil and two tablespoons of honey into a pan on a low heat, once melted turn off the heat. Add oats (and a little oatmeal if you wish) until covered but not too dry. Add seeds, raisins and apricots, stir in.

Grease a tray using a little coconut oil and pile in the mixture, pat down with a fork and bake for approx 5 mins on approx 150.

(These measurements and cooking instructions are rough guidelines as I do this recipe by instinct.)

Ideal for a quick snack, even have for breakfast or with a nice cup of tea instead of cake...
I also have a similar recipe but for a chocolate bar which I will share with you if you request!

Enjoy!

Green juice :-)

Cordelia's breakfast ideas

Cordelia's breakfast kitchen ;-)

Begin every morning with a glass of warm water and lemon juice - this will cleanse the body and flush out toxins.

Exercise (even if you only jog up the stairs) ... If it is suitable for you, do this before eating! If you can't begin preparing a nutritious breakfast...

BREAK FAST - means to break the fast, you should aim to have at least twelve hours of fasting from your last meal until you eat again the next day, your digestive system needs rest.

Breakfast options:

Ah!Juice: If you have a juicer (which I highly recommend) make a fresh juice from approx 8 large organic or peeled carrots, a nob of fresh ginger and two apples.

SLIMSmoothie: plain yogurt, honey, berries (fresh or frozen) whizz up in the blender and drink to start the day with energy.

OOOH Porridge: Make porridge in a pan with oats and water, once thickened add honey to taste and a sprinkling of raisins and seeds.

Rye Toast Treat: If you can make your own great, if not try and look for an organic yeast free kind, toast it and serve with natural peanut butter from the health shop, marmite or honey, use coconut oil as a substitute for butter or marg.

Power Bbbreakfast: Chop a banana in the bottom of your bowl or glass if you're going to be posh, cover with natural yogurt, drizzle over some honey, sprinkle with seed mix, raisins, chopped apricots and enjoy.

For coffee drinkers,  I love coffee too but I save it for the times I really need it. Instead green tea, the loose kind is the best if you can get hold of it; this contains caffeine which will give you that kick in the morning but it is also heaving with health giving properties!

Herbal teas -peppermint tea is great for digestion and has a soothing effect on the whole body. For a cleanse try a fennel or nettle based tea and feel refreshed an invigorated!!

Try not to overeat - this will leave you feeling sluggish and lethargic for the rest of the day.
Have a nutritious, tasty breakfast for a great start to the best day!

Awareness.

There is a real concern at the moment that people in the UK are becoming overweight, unhealthier and developing diseases which are ultimately caused by factors such as diet and lifestyle, stress, pollution and environment. With better information and education this does not have to be the case. Your diet and lifestyle determines not your health today but how you are tomorrow and the years ahead. Being healthy can be fun; this doesn't mean you have to stop drinking or having a good time it just means that you have to start being aware.

When you become aware of what you are eating 

you become aware of what you are thinking 

when you become aware of what you are thinking 

you become aware of what you are doing...

And when you become aware that you are aware

You are truly awake.

Awareness is something we are rapidly losing along with our potential as human beings, the world is becoming a digital haven and we are not using our natural intelligence to its potential, we have been forced to become lazy. Through cleansing our bodies of toxins, being more active and consuming a diet of whole natural foods (organic and locally sourced where possible)  we are able to become more connected to our source of life, we can have more opportunities, transform ourselves, we can really feel alive, remember who we are and why we are here.

'You are what you eat' can be translated into languages across the globe and I have yet to meet anyone who does not know this saying.