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Healthy Food Corner

Food is what sustains us. It builds our muscles, supports our immune system, balances our hormones, brightens our skin and gives us the energy to be our best. Real food is beautiful, nourishing, life sustaining, and wonderful. It is medicine for body as well as for the heart and soul!

One of the biggest misconceptions is that healthy eating involves following a diet, counting calories, fat or carbs, or missing out on all the foods you love. But in reality, healthy eating is simply about eating real food and listening to our bodies.
The key is to eat fresh, seasonal produce, in as close to its natural state as possible. Eat when you're hungry, stop when you're full and enjoy every mouthful. If you do this 80-90% of the time then the occasional treat won't have a negative impact.

holly

Holly Redman, BSc.(Hons). NT. DipCNM

I'm a chef, nutritional therapist, lecturer and health writer with a first class degree in chemistry and I'm motivated by a passion for seriously delicious food! My mission is to show people that healthy food can be both scrumptious and easy to prepare. My latest venture is Pure Taste, a restaurant that specialises in gourmet gluten-free and paleo-friendly food.

The project is a culmination of everything I love and my experiences so far. The chemist in me loves the challenge of working with unusual ingredients, while the nutritionist and chef relish being able to create amazing and healthy dishes that everyone will love to eat.

Serving up a smorgasbord of devilishly delicious dishes, Pure Taste's food is designed to make you feel as good as it tastes, creating a unique dining experience that can be enjoyed by everyone. www.puretasterestaurant.com

As well as being suitably seasonal for January, this delicious dessert recipe is also packed with healthy mono-unsaturated fats and contains the perfect combination of ingredients for optimal heart health, so you can indulge and keep your new year's resolutions on track!

chocolate mouse

Chestnuts are rich in the antioxidant vitamin-C, an excellent source of the B group vitamins, rich in iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc, as well as blood pressure lowering potassium

In this recipe they're combined with...

  • Cacao - which is has been shown to help maintain healthy blood pressure and circulation
  • Avocado – which is packed with heart healthy monounsaturated fats
  • Goji berries - unique among fruits because they contain all essential amino acids and contain more antioxidant carotenoids than any other food.

Makes 6

  • 415g can of unsweetened chestnut puree
  • 2 medium avocados
  • 50g of raw cacao powder
  • 100g of xylitol
  • 60ml water
  • ½ tsp of vanilla or hazelnut extract
  • A pinch of salt
  • 20g dried goji berries
  • 10g cacao nibs

1. Powder the xylitol in a nut mill or coffee grinder

2. Place the avocado flesh, chestnut puree, cacao powder, xylitol, vanilla and salt in a food processor. Blend until smooth and well combined. You may need to periodically stop the food processor and use a spoon to scrap the mixture down from the edges.

3. Divide the mixture equally between 6 ramekin dishes.

4. Decorate each dish with a sprinkle of goji berries and cacao nibs

5. Chill for 2 hours or more before serving

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