Breakfast

A creamy, crunchy acai bowl makes the perfect summer breakfast. Acai berries are very high in antioxidants and the pulp also provides a good amount of fibre. Chia seeds add essential omega-3 fatty acids and help to thicken up the mix by swelling up. The protein is in the topping of nuts and seeds.

1 frozen brick acai pulp

1 banana

1 tbsp chia seeds

1/2 apple

1/2 cup apple juice (unsweetened)

• Place acai, banana, apple, chia seeds and apple juice into a blender and process until smooth.
• Transfer into a bowl.
• Top with Paleo Granola, hemp seeds, nuts and seeds, sliced banana or fresh berries.

Including some protein in your breakfast in really important and quinoa does just that. Quinoa is a seed and not a cereal grain closely related to the beetroot and spinach family. It is gluten-free, paleo friendly, high in protein and fibre and contains good amounts of calcium, magnesium and iron.

1/3 cup quinoa

1/3 cup cup water

1/3 cup cup coconut milk

1/2 tsp vanilla bean (powder or essence)

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/3 cup desiccated coconut

• Soak quinoa in filtered water overnight.
• Rinse thoroughly and place into a small pot with milk, water, vanilla and ginger.
• Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 min. The quinoa should be al-dente and have a slight crunch to it (overcooking it makes it mushy).
• Drain any excess water, if any.
• Remove from heat and drain any remaining liquid, if any.
• Stir in desiccated coconut.
• Mix well and top with fresh fruit (berries, sliced banana, kiwifruit, papaya, mango, peaches work well)

Make double the amount and keep for breakfast the next day or an afternoon snack. Add a dollop of natural full fat yoghurt, chopped nuts (hazelnut, almond, walnut) or seeds (pumpkin or sunflower).

Eggs are the perfect breakfast food! And if you want an easy, super quick, highly nutritious, everyday breakfast option-this is it! Eggs provide complete protein keeping you full and your blood sugar stable. They are also rich in B-vitamins, choline (essential for the brain and nervous system!), vitamins A and D, zinc and iron, and antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin (great for eye health!). Vegetables are a great source of complex carbohydrates, increase the nutrient load even further and also add fibre. Just mix in whatever vegies you have in the fridge.

1 cup of any mixed vegetables (tomato, mushrooms, capsicum, spinach, kale, rocket, zucchini, broccoli)

1 tbsp coconut oil (or organic butter for frying)

2 organic eggs

2 tsp tahini

1 tbsp pumpkin seeds

1/2 tsp dulse flakes

1 tsp dukkah (to taste)

• Wash and roughly chop the vegetables.
• Heat coconut oil in a pan and stir fry vegies for 3-5min.
• Break the eggs over the vegetables and stir them in.
• Cook for another 3 min or until eggs are cooked through.
• Plate up and drizzle with tahini and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds, dulse flakes and dukkah.
• Season with sea salt/rock salt and cracked pepper.

Tasty and therapeutic variations and additions:

Top with a handful of alfalfa sprouts and a spoonful of cultured vegetables.

Add half an avocado.

Add some fresh herbs (parsley, coriander, dill, basil, mint). Just get a fresh bunch of herbs and chop it using your kitchen scissors.

Spice it up with a little ground turmeric or a mix of cayenne and cinnamon.

Add another source of protein like sliced smoked or fresh salmon, crumbled feta or goats cheese.

Add a tablespoon of shredded or desiccated coconut to the eggs and combine with leafy greens and chilli flakes.

Who doesn’t like a comforting bowl of porridge on cool winter mornings! Make sure you add some protein (LSA, nuts, seeds, yoghurt, kefir) to balance the carbohydrate load and balance those blood sugar levels.

1 pear

1/3 cup GF flakes (rice, millet, quinoa, amaranth or a mix thereof)

1/3 cup filtered water

1/3 cup milk (rice, almond, coconut, organic full fat dairy)

1/2 tsp of cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger (optional)

1 tbsp of LSA (linseed, sunflower seeds, almonds)

Handful of chopped almonds (or walnuts to serve)

Dollop of natural yoghurt (or kefir to serve)

• Grate the pear with skin on.
• Bring the flakes, water, milk and grated pear to the simmer and cook for ca. 10 min or until smooth.
• Mix in cinnamon, ginger, and LSA.
• Serve with extra milk and sprinkle with nuts.
• Top with sliced banana or fresh berries (optional).

Savoury mince and veggies for breakfast you think!? Oh yes. The idea might be challenging for some but I If you have become fond of the paleo style of eating, this is a super easy and tasty meal at any time of the day! And as much as we love eggs sometimes it is good to have a change. This bowl is pure whole food. Nourishing, warming, grain-free, and sugar-free, this nutrient-dense, high-protein brekkie gives you energy for the day ahead. Lean beef or lamb mince is a great source of complete protein, iron and zinc and will curb hunger until lunch time. The Paleo bowl is also a great way of incorporating more veggies into your day (especially into your breakfast!) which provide all the vitamins, minerals and complex carbohydrates you need for prolonged energy and concentration. Their energy is released slowly and sustains you for longer (in contrast to the short-lived energy spikes causes by high-sugar, highly processed breakfast cereals). Herbs and spices will add flavour and aid digestion.

2 tbsp olive oil

500g organic beef mince (or organic lamb mince)

1 brown onion

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 glove of garlic (grated)

1 chili

3 cups vegetables (chopped)

500 ml tomato passata

• Heat the olive oil in a pan and cook the mince for a few minutes, breaking in up with a spoon while stirring.
• Add chopped onion, fennel seeds, garlic and chilli (if using) and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Add chopped vegetables and tomato passata. Use any vegetables of the season or whatever is left in your fridge (zucchini, squash, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, grated carrot, corn, capsicum etc).
• Cook until vegetables are cooked but still have a slight crunch.
• Add fresh herbs.
• Enjoy warm. If you like, sprinkle with some pumpkin seeds or stir through some left-over cooked quinoa.

Make a big pan for dinner and keep left-overs for breakfast. Or cook in bulk and freeze in small portions.

Pretty much all commercial breakfast cereals are extremely high in sugar and gluten and low in nutrients. This high protein granola is not only gluten-free but also grain-free! Use as a topping for porridge or serve with natural or coconut yoghurt and fresh fruit. Or enjoy a handful of paleo granola for morning or afternoon tea (packed in a zip lock bag or glass jar to take to work).

1 1/2 cup mixed nuts (macadamia, almonds, hazelnuts, brazil, pecans, walnuts)

1/2 cup coconut flakes

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

2 tbsp sesame seeds

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla powder

4 tbsp coconut oil

• Preheat oven to 125C.
• Roughly chop mixed nuts (by hand, in a food processor or with mortar and pestle).
• Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
• Line a baking tray with baking paper and spread granola mixture out evenly.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
• Take it out of the oven and let cool down completely.
• You can pop it into the fridge for 10min to cool, this will help the coconut oil solidify.

If you like, add in some chopped dried fruit for sweetness like cranberries, goji berries, inca berries or dried apricots. In dried fruit the sugar (fructose) content is much more concentrated compared to fresh fruit so don’t go too crazy on it.

A nourishing and warming breakfast but not your average porridge! Oats and apple are great sources of soluble fibre supporting healthy digestion and help lower cholesterol levels. They are also a source of manganese, zinc and B vitamins – nutrients needed for carbohydrate digestion and energy production. Use rolled oats as they are minimally processed. LSA, seeds and yoghurt provide a protein boost to balance the carbohydrate-rich grains. Flaxseeds are highly beneficial for hormonal health. Pep it up with your choice of spices (cinnamon, vanilla, ginger) and add some antioxidants in form of fresh berries.

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup water

1/2 cup milk (organic full fat dairy, almond, rice, seed, coconut milk)

1 apple (grated with skin)

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla bean (powder or paste)

1 tbsp seeds (pumpkin, sesame, hemp, sunflower)

1 LSA (or ground flaxseeds)

1 tbsp walnuts (to serve)

2 tbsp berries (or sliced banana, to serve)

A dollop of yoghurt (natural plain)

• Combine water and oats in a small pot and bring to the boil.
• Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes until soft.
• Add milk, apple, cinnamon, seeds and vanilla.
• Cook for 5 minutes until creamy adding more milk if needed for texture.
• Spoon into serving bowls and mix through LSA.
• Sprinkle with walnuts and berries and serve with a dollop of yoghurt.

For those with weaker digestive systems it is a good idea to soak the oats in filtered water over night to support digestibility and assimilation.

This seed breakfast is seriously nutritious. Seeds are nutritional powerhouses filled with protein and minerals. Flaxseeds help balancing hormones. (P.S.: seed brekkies are great to boost fertility!). Tt is important to soak the seeds to neutralise their phytic acid content and ensure mineral absorption. This also makes them easier to digest. And when you combine the lovely crunch of nuts and seeds with creamy coconut yoghurt, maca, vanilla and cacao… it seriously tastes like rocky road!! A healthy rocky road!

1 tbs pumpkin seeds

1 tbs sunflower seeds

1 tbs sesame seeds (Or hemp seeds)

1/4 cup almonds

1/3 cup coconut flakes (unsweetened)

1 tbsp ground flaxseeds

1 tsp maca powder

1 tsp raw cacao powder

1 tsp vanilla bean (powder)

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

3 tbsp coconut yoghurt

• Soak pumpkin, sunflower, sesame seeds and almonds in filtered water overnight.
• Rinse and drain and place into a serving bowl (or parex container to take to work).
• Add in coconut flakes, ground flaxseeds, maca, cacao, vanilla and cinnamon.
• Spoon over coconut yoghurt and mix well. Add a splash of water to adjust consistency.
• Top with fresh berries (optional).

Make a little bit more and save some for a snack the next day. Keeps in the fridge for a couple of days.

What a way to start your day: this smoothie gently supports and heals your digestive system and is full of nutritious goodness. Kefir is a potent probiotic containing both bacterial and yeast species that are beneficial for the gut flora thereby protecting against gastrointestinal diseases. It has also been demonstrated to improve lactose digestion in adults with lactose intolerance and to have anti-fungal and antibacterial properties. Papaya and pineapple contain high levels of papain and bromelain, enzymes that aid digestion and the breakdown of protein. LSA and nut butter provide good protein for satiety and preventing sweet cravings. Cinnamon also stabilises blood sugar levels.

A wedge of papaya

A slice of pineapple

1/3 cup kefir (or natural plain, full fat yoghurt)

1 tbsp ground flaxseed (or LSA)

1 tbsp ABC spread (almond-brazil-cashew nut butter)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1-1/2 cups filtered water

• Deseed and peel the papaya.
• Peel and roughly chop the pineapple.
• Combine fruit and all other ingredients in a high speed blender and mix until smooth.

To make it dairy-free replace the kefir/yoghurt with a serving of protein powder (aim for 25-30g of protein. Talk to your nutritionist about which type of protein powder is the most suitable for you; grass-fed whey protein isolate, rice or pea protein). Always choose protein powders that are free of fillers and artificial sweeteners.

Eggs are and everyday superfood and perfect for breakfast. Filled with protein, they will curb hunger until lunch time. They are also rich in B-vitamins and essential nutrients that nourish the brain and nervous system. Frittatas are so quick to make and on the go!

8 organic eggs

12 cherry tomatoes

2 handfuls of baby spinach (or rocket)

pinch of cracked pepper

pinch of salt

Sprinkle of ground turmeric (optional)

Sprinkle of chili flakes (optional)

40g of feta cheese

2 tbsp of pumpkin seeds

• Preheat oven to 175C
• Break eggs into a bowl and whisk
• Cut the cherry tomatoes into halves and add to the eggs
• Roughly tear the spinach (or rocket) and add to the mix
• Stir well and season with salt and pepper
• Add a touch of chili flakes or ground turmeric if you like it a little spicy
• Crumble in the feta cheese and gently fold through
• Pour the mixture into a large 6-hole muffin pan
• Sprinkle pumpkin seeds on top
• Bake for ca. 20min or until the frittatas are set
• Enjoy warm on a slice of wholemeal sourdough with and extra serving of greens dressed with lemon juice and olive oil

Add some fresh herbs for flavour and to support digestion: parsley, coriander, dill, basil.

Feta cheese can be replaces by sheep or goats cheese.

These frittatas are delicious hot and cold so why not make a few more to have as snacks or for take-away lunches.