Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie

Because who doesn’t love Peanut Butter!

If you are having peanut butter cravings then this smoothie is sure to hit the spot without you having to shovel several tablespoons into your mouth (lets be honest - we have all done that before!)

The trouble with peanut butter is that it is so delicious and you just keep wanting more, and those small spoonfuls are so calorie laden. It is time to introduce you to PB2…. if you haven’t met already. PB2 is a peanut butter powder that is great for smoothies or baking and has 85% less calories than peanut butter! Yay! You can add a little water to it to make it a peanut butter-like paste, or you can add it to smoothies or baking to get that peanut butter flavour. You can buy it online from I-herb, but it is available at some health food stores and even some of the bigger supermarkets nowadays.

This peanut butter smoothie is not only delish, but it hits the spot for those peanut butter cravings perfectly AND it keeps you full till lunchtime, without being heavy on the calories. To be prepared you will have to peel and chop up a zucchini into small pieces the night before and freeze it. The frozen zucchini makes the smoothie cold and thick and delicious.

PEANUT BUTTER PROTEIN SMOOTHIE

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 scoop of vegan vanilla protein powder

• 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

• 3/4 cup frozen zucchini pieces (peel and cut a zucchini into quarters before chopping it up into small triangles and freeze in portions for smoothies)

• 2 Tbsp of PB2

• 1 small banana (ladyfinger) or half a regular size banana

• 1/2 Tbsp natural peanut butter to drizzle in your glass or on top of your smoothie

METHOD

• Peel, chop and freeze zucchini the night before

• Drizzle some peanut butter in your glass (optional)

• Simply blend it all other ingredients together in your blender

• Option to drizzle peanut butter on top

• Savour your time with this beauty!

This smoothie has 21g of protein and less than 350 calories and it is so filling and satisfying!

Gazpacho Soup - The Perfect Springtime Afternoon Snack

Spring is in the air. And isn’t it wonderful!

Hopefully all of the training through Winter is paying off and we are all feeling excited to rock our bodies in Bikini’s this Summer ;)

Thankfully we start to crave lighter foods as the weather warms up and you might be looking for some fresh snack ideas? Well you have come to the right place. We have a delicious nutritious fresh and flavourful afternoon snack for you.

Gazpacho Soup topped with avo and Tamari Seeds

The Below recipe makes entree size soups for 2 people or a main serve for one. Team it with a slice of our Seed & Nut Bread to make it a meal.

GAZPACHO SOUP RECIPE

Serve cold.

Blend all together:

• 3 ripe roma tomato’s

• 1/4 a red or yellow capsicum

• 1/2 a Lebanese cucumber

• 1/2 Tbsp purple onion

• 1 Tbsp lemon juice

• 2 tsp olive oil

• Sprinkle salt flakes and cracked pepper

Top this fresh delicious soup with small pieces of cucumber and tomato and avocado and sprinkle with Tamari seeds. The avo and Tamari seeds add a nice source of healthy fats and a little protein.

TAMARI SEED INGREDIENTS & METHOD

• Equal amounts of sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds.

• in a bowl sprinkle Tamari over the seeds until they are all lightly coated.

• Line a baking tray with baking paper and set the oven on 180.

• Lay the seeds on the tray.

• Bake in the oven for 10-20 minutes staring them at the halfway mark.

• Remove from the oven when they are starting to slightly brown.

Enjoy these on top of salads, soups, curries or roast vegetables. Such a delicious crunchy addition to many meals!

Wendy's 3 Ingredient Brownies

These brownies are easy and delicious and are only 100 cals each!

It is great to treat yourself sometimes. As Wendy always says - life is all about balance! But the best thing about these brownies is that while they are a treat - they are healthy and a great on-the-go snack. You can really feel that you are treating yourself, without any of the nasties.

Even treats can be good for you!

This is part of what Wendy’s program is all about - Enjoying the journey! Always finding little ways to make yourself happy and staying healthy in the meantime.

INGREDIENTS

* 380-400g banana

* 40-50g cocoa (or preferably chocolate prefer protein powder)

* 2 tsp baking powder

* Dash of water to blend

METHOD

*Preheat oven to 180 and line a tray with baking paper.

* Blend all ingredients in food processor and pour into your tray.

* Bake for 15-25 minutes on 180.

Enjoy ☺️

Beef Bone Broth

Here’s a recipe for how to make your own Bone Broth plus some reasons why we recommend it!

Beef bone broth is made my simmering the bones, connective tissue and joint bones that you can get from your butcher. The result is a highly nutritious broth that can be used as the base for soups or stews, sauces, risotto’s, rice or gravy’s. You can even drink it warm on it own or with some added herbs and spices. The options are endless and the flavour it adds is delicious!

Bone Broth is not only flavoursome but it boasts a number of health benefits. It is great for digestion and gut health. Gelatine is an abundant protein in bone broth and once in the digestive tract gelatine binds with water to support healthy movement of food through the intestines. It also contains many important vitamins and minerals since beef bones are rich in calcium, magnesium and potassium. It may also help fight immflamation and improve joint health.

INGREDIENTS

For approx. 4-8L (depending on your pot size)

• 6 kg beef bones consisting of meaty bones and bone cartilage coming from joints and tendons

• 2 brown onions (cut in half but do not remove the skin)

• 1 carrot medium sized (cut in half)

• 1 stick celery (cut into large pieces)

• 3-4 garlic cloves

• 1/4 bunch of thyme

• A few stalks of parsley

• 2-3 bay leafs

• 1 Tbsp of peppercorns

• Water to cover bones

• Add other herbs or veg if you wish

METHOD

• Firstly to clean the Bones you will need to bring a pot of water to boil, add the bones and meat and boil for 2-3 minutes. Strain the water off and refill the pot with fresh water to cover the bones.

• Place the pot on the stove and as soon as the liquid is boiling reduce to a very low heat so the liquid only simmers.

• After a few minutes of boiling a greyish protein foam will assemble on the top - Skim the foam with a small ladle and repeat this process every 10-15 minutes for the first hour of cooking.

• Simmer for up to 12 hours on a very low heat and assure the bones are always covered with water (add water from time to time).

• After 12 hours add the vegies and herbs and spices.

• Leave the skin on the onion! (the onion skin will give the stock a lovely golden colour).

• Continue to let simmer for another 12 hours with everything in the pot. Topping up with water occasionally.

• After Approx. 24 hours Turn off the heat and let it cool.

• Now strain the stock carefully with a ladle through a sieve (do not pour because a lot of the vegetables and meat particle could be dissolved again and turn the broth cloudy).

• You can use some o0f the broth for a soup the same day or for whatever you intend to use it for and the rest for another time.

Note; If you do not skim the protein foam it will turn the stock cloudy as it would after a while dissolve again sink to the bottom and turn the stock slightly bitter and cloudy.

Better Digestion for Better Health

Better Digestion is better for EVERYTHING!

When its all working well you feel just better; your skin is clearer and brighter, you have more energy, you loose weight more easily, you sleep better and have no bloating. It’s something that really goes unrealised until you find how much better you feel when you prioritise your digestion.

The digestive system is so important because in basic terms - it converts the foods that we eat into their simple forms and the broken-down food passes through the small intestine and is absorbed into the bloodstream, where the nutrients are carried to each cell in the body.

What if you are eating lots of good foods but still aren’t feeling the best? What if your digestive system isn’t working the best it can and so the nutrients are not all being transported where your body needs them? Let’s step back to basics and talk about how we can optimise the goodness in what we eat by fine-tuning our digestive system to get the best out of our diet and be the best for our bodies.

A large amount of microbes, such as bacteria , live inside the large intestine and in the rest of the digestive system. These bacteria play an important role in healthy digestion. Some of the foods we eat are important for feeding this bacteria and avoiding certain foods protects the balance.

Daily steps to improve your digestion

• Lemon water upon waking.

• Probiotic daily.

• 3L of water spaced out over the day.

• Eat plenty of vegetables and leafy greens and some fruits- your plate should be 80% vegetables and leafy greens and 20% protein.

• Avoid dairy as much as possible, completely if possible.

• Avoid refined carbohydrates, sugar, carbonated drinks and alcohol as much as possible, completely if possible.

• Choose lean meats and control portion size to not exceed 120g per meal.

• Eat on scedual - if possible every 3 hours throughout the day. Smaller portions more often is better for digestion.

• Eat sauerkraut twice per day.

• Include probiotic foods such as bone broth into your diet.

• Include probiotics drinks, such as kombucha or coconut kefir into your diet.

• Digestive enzymes with meals can be helpful (speak to your Dr about these).

• Eat a raw meal once per day - Think delicious salads with homemade dressings and nuts and seeds for protein.

• Exercise daily, even if it’s just a walk.

• Consume lighter meals for dinner - soups, salads and lots of veg.

• One day a week eat only vegetarian. Or better still - consume only liquid foods - smoothies, vegie juices and soups - this gives your digestive system a break.

• Only eat red meat once or twice per fortnight.

• Manage stress - anxiety can send digestive system into overdrive. Think about incorporating mindfulness or meditation or yoga into your days.

• Don’t eat 3 hours before bedtime.

• Get a good nights sleep!

Argh! Our bodies are so complex aren’t they! It’s just crazy how our insides work but also mind-blowing how interrelated even external things are; how things like stress can affect our digestion. Don’t let all of this information overwhelm you. You are probably already aware of most of it. Those involved in Wendy’s training programs will have most of these protocols in place already. Just focus on making one or two changes per week until you have it all incorporated into your daily/weekly routine.