Tag: healthy lifestyle

recipes

Lemon & Turmeric Cake

Quirkalicous

Moist, tangy, and delicious!! This lemon & turmeric cake can be decorated with caramelised lemon slices or left as is.

It’s easy, doesn’t require a mixer, and is the perfect tea cake. All your friends will absolutely love it! That’s IF there’s any left by the time they arrive…

The turmeric is not overpowering, but is just enough to draw attention to its presence. It provides the right hint of spice that pairs extremely well with the tanginess of the lemon. The appeal is not only with the flavour but also in the vibrant yellow colour, and of course, the health benefits, which are huge!

You can read more about these health benefits in our ‘immuno-boosting-combinations‘ post.

Lemon & Turmeric Cake

  • Servings: 12-15
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Rating: ★★★★★
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Moist, tangy, and delicious! And can easily be made keto or paleo! - This turmeric cake will be your new immuno-boosting go-to solution!

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups flour
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¾ teaspoon turmeric powder
    • {if you have fresh turmeric, you can also add a root (or less, depending on the size) finely grated}
  • 2 lemons – grated zest
  • ¾ cup sugar/stevia
  • ¾ cup yogurt
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup butter (melted)

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 10-Inch pan, or loaf pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, toss together the flour, baking powder, salt, turmeric powder, and freshly grated turmeric root if using.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix together the lemon zest with the sugar until combined. Then add the yogurt, eggs, and melted butter, making sure to mix well.
  4. Add the bowl with the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until fully combined.
  5. Pour into the prepared pan.
  6. Bake for 30-35 minutes until set around the edges and a toothpick comes out with only a few moist crumbs (don’t over bake or the cake will dry). Serve warm or at room temperature.

    Substitutions
  • Substitute flour for oat flour, or gluten-free flour.
  • You can replace sugar with any form of granulated sugar, whether it be stevia or coconut sugar.
  • Instead of butter, you can use coconut oil, vegan butter or ghee, depending on your preference.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 119 calories; 7 g fat; 11 g carbohydrates; 2.8 g protein; 39 mg cholesterol; 61 mg sodium.

recipes

Best Healthy American Style Cookies

Quirkalicous

Addictive and indulgent! These soft and chewy cookies, loaded with chocolate chips, will just make your day!

You’ll find that you won’t be able to stop on only one bite…

As these cookies contain no eggs and no sugar, they won’t spread. So depending on your preference, you can make them as thick or thin as you like. I tried them both ways and must say I prefer them slightly thinner as it gave them a nice crunch before reaching the soft and chewy inner.

These cookies can be stored in a sealable container for up to 1 week, if they manage to last that long, as in my house they tend to go within the first hour. You can also store them in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Best Healthy American Style Cookies

  • Servings: 12-15
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

No butter, no white flour, no sugar and no eggs needed - These vegan cookies can easily be made paleo or keto too!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups oat flour
  • ¼ cup arrowroot starch
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • 6 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
  • ½ cup chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C/356F and line a large tray with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine your dry ingredients and mix well.
  3. In a saucepan over the stove, or a microwave-safe bowl, gently heat your honey, add your oil and whisk together until combined.
  4. Add the wet mixture to the dry, along with the vanilla extract and milk, and mix until thoroughly combined.
  5. Fold in your chocolate chips.
  6. Place small spoonfuls of dough on the lined tray and press each one lightly, into a cookie shape.
    7. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until lightly brown. Make sure not to overcook. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on the tray.
    Substitutions
  • Substitute Oat flour for almond flour for a more paleo cookie
  • Cornflour or tapioca flour can be used instead of arrowroot starch, also, flaxseed is a good alternative if you’re looking to make them keto
  • You can replace honey with maple syrup, agave nectar or sugar-free syrup to make it keto
  • Instead of olive oil, you can use coconut oil
  • coconut milk can be used instead, or any milk of your choice.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 163 calories; 5.5 g fat; 26.2 g carbohydrates; 2.8 g protein; 2 mg cholesterol; 9 mg sodium.

As an update, I substituted 1/2 a cup of oat flour with coconut flour and the results were very nice. It added a different flavour to mix.

MENTAL HEATLH, SUPERFOODS

Immuno-Boosting Combinations

Quirkalicous

Our immune systems are complex defence networks comprising many cells, proteins and processes that work to protect our bodies against any infection and diseases. It keeps a record of every germ ever defeated so that it is able to recognise and destroy the microbe quickly if it enters the body again. To work optimally, it requires balance and harmony.

Therefore, our first line of defence is a healthy lifestyle with good, regular nourishment.

Due to the closely linked relationship of mind and body, it is important to consider the relationship between stress and immune function and try incorporate foods and supplements to work on these simultaneously.

Below are a few items that when combined provide a powerhouse of nutrients to battle any cold, flu or bacteria. They can be incorporated into any food or consumed as a tea.

GINGER
The unique fragrance and flavour of ginger come from its natural oils, the most important of which is gingerol. This is what is responsible for most of its medicinal properties and has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects which help strengthen your immunity and reduce stress, prevent cell damage, fight off a number of chronic diseases like high blood pressure, heart and lung diseases, fights germs, illness, inflammation and cancer-causing molecules, all whilst promoting healthy ageing.

Inhaling the steam from freshly made ginger root tea may also assist in relieving nasal congestion and other respiratory issues from the common cold or environmental allergies.

Ginger works as a powerhouse detoxifier, helping remove unwanted chemicals from your body, and neutralizing unstable molecules known as free radicals from the kidneys thus preventing the formation of kidney stones.

It is also known to treat chronic indigestion, suppress your appetite, and keep your metabolism at its best.

LEMON
Freshens your breath, boosts your immunity, improves your skin, aids in digestion, may support heart health, and weight control among many other benefits. They are high in vitamin C and fiber.

Lemons may also help prevent kidney stones due to their citric acid content. The citric acid works by increasing urine volume and increasing urine pH, thus creating a less favourable environment for kidney stone formation.

Due to the fact that vitamin C and citric acid assist in the absorption of non-heme iron from plants, lemons are also thought to prevent anaemia.

TURMERIC
Turmeric contains the active compound curcumin which has many scientifically-proven health benefits such as the potential to prevent heart and liver disease, reduce cholesterol, alleviate PMS symptoms, aid in gastrointestinal diseases, Alzheimer’s and cancer. It is also a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant and therefore helps to fight off a variety of viruses including herpes and the flu, among many other things.

Honey
Raw, unpasteurised, honey has long been used as a folk remedy throughout history and has a huge variety of health benefits and medical uses such as antibacterial and antifungal properties, digestion and gut health, immunity boosting, antioxidants, in its use for sore throats and to heal wounds.

Garlic
Garlic has been used throughout history for its medicinal properties. It is known to combat sickness, common colds, infections, reduce blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels reducing the risk for heart disease.

Green Tea
Contains powerful antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties therefore boosting the immune system and preventing various ailments such as cancer and coronary heart disease among many others. It also reduces the effects of free radicals and prevents inflammation caused by extensive exposure to UV sunrays.

All the above are prefect for incorporating in to your every day diet to alleviate a variety of ailments whilst boosting your immune system.