Les Mills GRIT STRENGTH

Ok so most people who know me know I am a gym junkie, and that I have trained in and certified in a few Les Mills program's, body pump and body combat. But my recent training has been in the new program out GRIT strength and let me tell you if you haven't tried it yet you really need to!!!! I've been doing it now for about 2 months and I LOVE how it makes you stronger. It is only a 30 min class but it will leave you burning calories up to 12 hours once you have finished, so when your sitting at your desk or having a drink with friends your still burning fat, how cool is that!!!!
It is recommended to do the class two times a week with a rest day between, like with all weight program's so you shouldn't be working the same muscles two days in a row as it allows them to repair and get stronger! The beauty of GRIT is that it is fast and it makes you go heavier in your weights to challenge yourself but it also adds plyometric training in to activate the fast twitch muscles!

Check out the video below to find out more
 

If your keen to try it and live in Launceston area come in and try a casual visit at Health and Fitness World Launceston in Williams Street LAUNCESTON. So far I have not met someone who isn't hooked to keep coming back!!!

Gluten Free and Dairy Free Graham Crackers

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups gluten free flour mix ( see recipe below for this)

1/2 cup organic coconut sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup water

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

2. In a food processor or mixer combine the first 6 ingredients.

3. Add coconut oil to the mix and pulse/mix until it resembles coarse meal.

4. Add honey and water and continue to mix until it all combines. May need to add a little more water to make the mix combine.

5. Remove and shape the dough into a flat disk and place between two pieces of parchment paper.

6. Roll dough between two pieces of grease proof paper until 1/4 inch thick. Cut into crackers or shapes.

7. Place cookies on a baking sheet or parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

8. Cool and serve.

**Gluten Free Flour Mix**

This mix makes 1 kg so it can be used for other baking projects as well.

700g white rice flour

200g potato flour

100g Tapioca flour

Cashew Protein Cookies

So of late I have really been branching out with ideas of cooking and today I knocked up some little cashew gems! I had seen a post on a site where they made them but I wanted to play around with the recipe to suit our taste buds.

Ingredients

200g cashews
2 tablespoons rice bran oil
60g vanilla protein powder (I used my hydroxyburn pro clinical)
1 tablespoon almond mill
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 tablespoons light coconut milk
20g milk choc chips (or to keep it healthy you can use cacao nibs)
2 teaspoons stevia or I used Hermesetas granulated sweetner

How to Make

Pre heat oven to 180 degrees or 170 if using a fan forced. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
In a small bowl mix the protein powder, almond mill and the stevia (or sweetener). I
Place cashews in a food processor and grind, then add the oil and grind again so it comes together like a cashew butter. Place the cashew mix in a bowl and add the egg, vanilla and coconut milk and stir together. Add in the dry ingredients and mix well. Next add the choc chips or cacao nibs and mix well. I used a teaspoon and made 24 balls that I placed on the trays and flattened slightly by pressing with the back of a fork. Bake for approx 12 minutes or until slightly browned.
Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly on trays then place onto a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.

Nutrition if you make 24 biscuits is per biscuit- Calories 88, Protein 5.5g, Carbs, 4.5g, Fat 6g,

The finished result!!!!

Balsamic, Beetroot, Fetta and cashew dip

Recently we got a dip from the shop that was really good so I have tried to replicate it and it was pretty easy but tasted better cause it was fresh!

Ingredients
1 medium Fresh beetroot
150g Danish Fetta cut into cubes
1-2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar more if needed to make it smooth
1/4 cup Raw cashews
Salt to taste

What to do
Cut the beetroot in half and remove the ends and wrap in aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 40 minutes until soft. Remove from oven and cut into smaller pieces, allow to cool a little.
In a food processor place raw cashews and pulse until chopped. Add the Danish  Fetta and the beetroot. Add a little balsamic vinegar to help pulse the ingredients together and to smooth out. Add a touch of salt for taste. I even left my cashews a little chunkier for a bit of texture.
You can use this dip with fresh vegetable sticks, crackers, we even put a little on some scotch fillet steak. Other ideas is to use in a wrap with a salad.

Banana Bread Wheat Free

I originally made this using wheat but have tweaked the recipe to make it a wheat free and a few other healthier options.

Ingredients
1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup lupin flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup rapture
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
125g organic coconut oil
3 eggs
4 bananas mashed

What to do
Turn oven to 180 degrees or 170 if fan forced, grease a loaf tin and place baking paper inside so it overhangs.
Combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon in a bowl.
Place the coconut oil in the microwave to melt then set aside to cool slightly, once cool add the eggs and whisk together. Put the oil egg mix and the banana in with the flour and stir to combine. Place the wet mix into the tin and cook for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes then place on a wrack to cool, or serve warm.

William loved it served warm with a little hazelnut spread! 

Angela's Anzac's

Ok so I decided to have a play around with a new recipe today and incorporate some more healthy options into the making of Anzac biscuits and here is the result!

1 cup plain flour
1/2 cup organic coconut sugar
1/2 cup organic rapadura
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup desiccated coconut
120 grams tasteless coconut oil
1 tablespoon golden syrup
2 tablespoons boiling water
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda ( add a little more water if mixture is too dry)

1. Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees or 170 degrees for a fan forced oven.
2. Put grease proof paper onto biscuit trays or use a silicone reusable mat.
3. In a large bowl mix all the dry ingredients together.
4. In a microwave jug put the tasteless coconut oil and golden syrup and heat until coconut oil is melted.
5. In a small bowl add the boiling water and bicarbonate soda.
6. Add the bicarbonate of soda water mix to the golden syrup and tasteless coconut mix and stir until it froths up.
7. Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients and stir in well and is not too crumble, if the mix crumbles add a small amount of water to make it stick more together.
8. Using a teaspoon size amount of mix roll into balls and place onto the prepared trays. The biscuits will spread so leave a good amount of room between each spoon mix.
9. Place in the oven and cook for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
10. Remove from oven and let cool slightly on trays before transferring to cooling racks.
11. Allow Anzacs to cool then eat and enjoy!

Note:
For those who don't know rapadura is a form of sugar that is the dehydrated juice from the sugar cane. It is whole and unrefined with only the water removed. To read more about the health benefits of rapadura click  HERE.

To read more about the benefits of raw organic coconut sugar click here.

Are you feeling like your always hungry???

Do you often find yourself eating a lovely meal through out the day and then fins an hour later your tummy is rumbling again??? Well if this is you it could mean you are not eating enough  protein!

The University of Sydney did a study that found people who skimped on protein in their meals in fact ate more calories than those who did. It discovered that people who were on a 10% protein diet ate more calories overall, with 70% of these coming from snacks, when compared to people on a 15% protein diet.

Therefore is has been suggested that we should aim to get 15-20% of our daily calories from protein rich foods, which include things such as lean meat, fish, legumes and nuts.