hcg Phase 2 3 4 Tenderised Steak in Paw Paw Marinade

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Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Slice the paw paw in half or in quarters if necessary, and remove the seeds and then mash it up using a fork or potato masher.
  2. Mix the remaining ingredients together with the paw paw or papaya in the bowl.
  3. Place the steak into the marinade, ensuring that the mixture soaks into the meat.
  4. Cover and refrigerate for no more than two hours as longer will cause the meat to tenderise too much and start to disintegrate.
  5. Remove from the marinade and braai over hot coals for 8 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the steak

hCG Phase 3 4 OVEN FRIED GREEN TOMATOES

by In Side & Sauces Tagged 5 Comments

Another classic Southern dish right hereeeeee!

Ingredients

  • 4 green tomatoes, sliced thinly, about 1/4 inch
  • 1 1/4 c almond flour
  • 1 t onion powder
  • 1/2 t garlic powder
  • 1/4 t cayenne pepper
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/3 c water
  • coconut oil
  • s&p

Method

Put your oven on broil and place the rack on the second shelf from the top. You want to cook the tomatoes through while simultaneously browning the coating without burning. Too close and you will certainly burn the tomatoes (take a look at the ones on the back of the plate). I used 2 baking sheets for all the tomatoes, but you could use one, and do a switch-a-roo so you only have to clean one pan. Lightly drizzle the baking sheets with olive oil.

Get out two soup bowls (I was going to say cereal bowl, but thought better of it). Mix the eggs and water in one and the almond flour and seasonings in the other. Place the tomato slices in the egg then in the almond flour. Place the tomatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet and drizzle the tops with a bit of coconut oil.

Broil for about 6 minutes on one side, then flip and brown the other side, about another 6 minutes. Sprinkle with a bit of salt right when they come out of the oven. Serve hot.

hCG Phase 2 3 4 Fish Soup in Tomato-Saffron Broth with Broccoli, Cauliflower and Cabbage

by In Main Meals Tagged , , , , , 25 Comments
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 white or yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2-4 garlic cloves, chopped or sliced
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes (no salt added) with liquid or 4-6 fresh tomatoes, chopped with liquid
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried dill
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
  • 4 cups of water
  • Generous pinch of saffron threads
  • 450gms fish (skin removed) such as salmon or firm, white-fleshed fish like Pacific halibut, tilapia, or Pacific cod cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 head of cauliflower or broccoli (or a combination) broken into small florets
  • 2 cups thinly shredded cabbage
  • Salt to taste
  • Optional addition: 1 can of coconut milk

Instructions:

Melt coconut oil in a deep, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté a few minutes. Add garlic and sauté just one minute more then add tomatoes and tomato paste, dried dill and fresh parsley. Simmer rapidly, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down a bit, about 15 minutes.

Add water. Bring to a gentle boil then add saffron. Simmer gently with a cover for 30 minutes. Add salt to taste.

Get your steamer going and steam broccoli and/or cauliflower until tender but not mushy.

Add the fish to the broth and simmer without a lid for 3-5 minutes. Stir in coconut milk if using. Ladle over steamed veggies. Garnish with cabbage.

hCG Phase 3 and 4 Raw Zucchini, carrot and cashew salad rolls

by In Salads & Dressings Tagged , , 28 Comments

These are a hit at any function!!!  Everyone just loves them, so why not go healthy at your next function.

Salad Filling

3 medium organic zucchini, shaved thinly lengthways

½ organic carrot, julienned or grated

½ organic red capsicum, julienned or finely sliced

1 organic lebanese cucumber, julienned or finely sliced

¼ cup organic  coriander leaves

¼ cup organic mint leaves, roughly chopped

Cashew Sour Cream

1 cup raw organic cashews, soaked a few hours or overnight

¼ teaspoon sea salt

½ tablespoon organic lemon juice (or cider vinegar)

¼-½ cup filtered water

Guacamole

1 ripe organic  Avocado

2 tablespoons organic red onion, finely diced

½ lime, juiced

Dash of Tabasco, to taste

Salt, to taste

 
Description:

Salad filling

 

In a large bowl, gently toss the salad to combine.

* can add rocket leaves to the salad for a peppery bite.

 Cashew Sour Cream

 

drain the cashews, place nuts in a food processor add remaining ingredients then puree until smooth. Refrigerate until needed.

 

To Assemble…To make one roll… on a clean bench or chopping board lay approx. 8 zucchini strips lengthways and close together, spread a spoon of each sour cream, guacamole and top with a small handful of salad and roll up tightly.  Repeat with remaining ingredients. Cut in half and eat straight away!

Dairy-free ways to thicken foods without wheat

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Image result for ways to thicken your food

Going gluten-free, and dairy-free, does not signal the end of life as you know it. Ok, yes it does (but that’s a good thing!) This lifestyle is so much more exciting than the one you had before – experimenting and whipping up magical dairy- and grain-free masterpieces can be so much fun!

With these options at your pantry’s disposal, you can cook your way to nutrient-rich dishes with ease.

Pan reduction.

The best way to thicken a sauce or gravy is to let it reduce until it thickens on its own and then to whisk in some chilled rendered fat, from chicken, beef or pork at the end. The rendered fat can be used to replace butter, but it should also be added in its solid state, so chill it in the fridge until solidified.

Egg yolk.

Not only will eggs become your best-Banting-friend, but the yolk works wonders for making delicious and silky cauli-mash.  Eggs can also thicken up a “creamy” sauce. Add a touch of coconut cream or coconut milk to your egg yolk and whisk it together. Add the egg mix to the dairy-free sauce and heat it on low so that the sauce thickens without becoming curdled.

Xanthan gum.

A little goes a long way. This can add body to sauces and act as a binder in baking. But be careful of adding too much, as it goes jelly-like when added to liquid. A bit on the tip of a knife should be plenty.

Psyllium husks.

This soluble fibre not only increases the fibre content to your diet, but it is a great binder to crackers and breads. This also goes gelatinous when added to liquid, which is why it works wonders as a binder in savoury baked goods, but can be a little tricky to work with. For best results buy the whole psyllium husks and grind them in your coffee grinder, for a less gelatinous feel.

Pureed veggies/fruit.

Pureed pumpkin/sweet potato/potato/cauliflower/tomato/banana/apple – pureed vegetables can be used to thicken soups, and stews, whereas pureed fruit can add volume to batters. Pureed pumpkin and sweet potato can add moisture to cakes.

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hCG phase 2 3 4 Low-Carb Cauliflower Hash Browns

by In Breakfast, Main Meals Tagged , , 13 Comments

Delicious cauliflower pancakes that you can enjoy by themselves or with homemade mayonnaise or a hearty salad, or serve as a side dish, just like hash browns.

Ingredients

450 g cauliflowers

3 eggs

½ yellow onion, grated

1 teaspoon salt

2 pinches pepper

110 g coconut oil for frying

Instructions

Remove the cauliflower leaves and shred an appropriate amount of cauliflower coarsely. Save the rest of the cauliflower for another time.

Mix the shredded cauliflower with the other ingredients in a bowl and let sit for 5–10 minutes.

Melt a generous amount of coconut oil on medium heat in a big sauce pan. The cooking process will go quicker if you plan to have room for 3–4 pancakes (about 3–4 inches) at a time. Use the oven on low heat to keep the first batches of pancakes warm while you make the others.

Place mounds of the grated cauliflower mix in the frying pan and flatten them carefully until they measure about 3–4 inches in diameter.

Fry for 4–5 minutes on each side, adjust the heat so that they don’t burn. Be patient, if you flip the pancakes too soon they may fall apart.

Serving suggestions: Enjoy them as they are with homemade mayonnaise or spicy butter and leafy greens. Or have as a side dish, a great option to hash browns.

Foods that Boost your Immune System12:

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Pomegranate Juice

The ancient Egyptians were on to something when they used this colourful fruit to treat infections. So far, most modern research has focused on pomegranate extract, but the juice shows promise: It may help your body fight bacteria and several kinds of viruses, including the flu.

Pomegranate fruit is one of the most popular, nutritionally rich fruit with unique flavor, taste, and heath promoting characteristics. Together with sub-arctic pigmented berries and some tropical exotics such as mango, it too has novel qualities of functional foods, often called as “super fruits.”

Botanically, it is a small size fruit-bearing, deciduous tree belonging to the Lythraceae family, of genus: Punica. The tree is thought to have originated in the Persia and Sub-Himalayan foothills of Northern India. Scientific name: Punica granatum.

Health benefits of Pomegranate

  • The fruit is moderate in calories, holds about 83 calories per 100 grams; slightly more than that of in the apples. It contains no cholesterol or saturated fats.
  • It is a good source of soluble and insoluble dietary fibers; providing about 4 grams per 100 g (about 12% of RDA). Dietary fiber aid in smooth digestion and bowel movements.
  • Nutritionists recommend pomogranate in the diet for weight reduction and cholesterol controlling programs. Regular inclusion of fruits in the diet boosts immunity, improves circulation, and offers protection from cancers.
  • Certain ellagitannin compounds such as Granatin B, and Punicalagin are found abundantly in the pomegranate juice. Studies suggest that punicalagin and tannins can be effective in reducing heart-disease risk factors by scavenging harmful free radicals from the human body.
  • Total antioxidant strength of pomegranate fruit measured in terms of its oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) is 2341 µmol TE/100 g.
  • The fruit is an also good source of antioxidant vitamin-C, provides about 17% per 100 g of daily requirement. Consumption of fruits rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents by boosting immunity.
  • Regular consumption of pomegranate has also been found to be effective against prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), diabetes, and lymphoma.
  • Further, it is an also good source of many vital B-complex groups of vitamins such as pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5), folates, pyridoxine and vitamin K, and minerals like calcium, copper, potassium, and manganese.

hCG Phase 3 and 4 Crunchy Chicken Salad

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It’s that time of the year again when we want to shed our jackets and indulge in fresh salads. While I enjoy a classic Caesar, or a good romaine, I also like to make salads that are not found on everyday menus.

Serves 4

You’ll need:

3 cups shredded Chinese cabbage
3 cups shredded red cabbage
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup unsalted cashews
1/4 cup chopped chives (try cutting with scissors)
1 cup roughly chopped mint leaves
1 cup torn cilantro leaves
4 small red thai chilies, seeds removed and finely sliced (optional if you don’t like spice)
4 fully cooked chicken breasts, cut into slices

For the coconut lime dressing:

1 cup of coconut milk
2 tbsp of fish sauce
4 tbsp of lime juice
2 tbsp of coconut sugar

Combine cabbage, carrot, cashews, chives, mint, cilantro and chicken in a large bowl and toss gently to combine.

In a measuring cup, combine coconut milk, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. Stir well to combine. Pour half the dressing over the salad and gently toss. Divide between plates and top with chilies. Add more dressing to taste.

I like to make a lot of dressing and keep some in fridge to dip veggies in or pour over rice, but you can half the dressing recipe if you want to. Beware of the chilies, as they are very spicy. After slicing them, wash your hands very well and don’t touch your eyes or nose. If you prefer a little less spice, sprinkle the finished salad with dried chili flakes instead.

Foods That Boost Your Immune System #11:

by In Uncategorized 11 Comments
Chicken Soup
 
There’s hard science behind Grandma’s favorite cold remedy. Homemade chicken soup really can ease your symptoms and may help you get well sooner. What’s more, there’s a chemical in it called carnosine that can protect your body from the flu virus. 
Since colds are believed to be caused by viral infections in the upper respiratory tract, research has suggested the ingredients in the soup slows white blood cells from gathering in the lungs, therefore slowing the progress of irritating side effects, like coughing, sneezing, and a stuffy, runny nose.

Used in Ancient Times The idea that chicken soup, often dubbed the “Jewish penicillin,” has medicinal effects dates back to ancient times, but modern scientists have never fully deciphered the reasons.

Some doctors believe that the soup’s benefits are mainly psychosomatic, that it’s the ultimate comfort food. Others say the steaming hot soup clears congestion and provides the body with necessary hydration to flush out viral bugs.

Foods That Boost Your Immune System #10:

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Garlic

This kitchen staple does more than punch up the flavor of food. Raw garlic can help beat skin infections thanks to its ability to fight bacteria, viruses, and fungi. To get the benefits, you have to use the real stuff, though, not garlic powder. A garlic supplement may even help lower your cholesterol.

Garlic is a plant in the Allium (onion) family.

It is closely related to onions, shallots and leeks.

It grows in many parts of the world and is a popular ingredient in cooking due to its strong smell and delicious taste.

However, throughout ancient history, the main use of garlic was for its health and medicinal properties.

Its use was well documented by all the major civilizations… including the Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks, Romans and the Chinese.

Calorie for calorie, garlic is incredibly nutritious.

A 1 ounce (28 grams) serving of garlic contains:

  • Manganese: 23% of the RDA.
  • Vitamin B6: 17% of the RDA.
  • Vitamin C: 15% of the RDA.
  • Selenium: 6% of the RDA.
  • Fiber: 1 gram.
  • Decent amounts of calcium, copper, potassium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin B1.

Garlic also contains trace amounts of various other nutrients. In fact, it contains a little bit of almost everything we need.

This is coming with 42 calories, with 1.8 grams of protein and 9 grams of carbs.