Gluten-Free Chicken Schnitzel

This is another recipe that I developed for my detox clients.

I love to eat food that is healthy but doesn’t feel like it! Comfort food is the best!

It gives me the greatest pleasure to sit down with friends and family to a meal that feels indulgent and naughty but is actually full of hidden veggies, healthy and guilt free!

My Gluten Free Chicken Schnitzel is one of those meals that tastes too good to be healthy.

I’d go so far as to say that it might just rival the traditional schnitzel. I don’t follow a 100% gluten free diet, but I do try to minimise my gluten intake and I believe that even non-coeliacs should try to be aware of how much gluten they are consuming. I think we eat too much gluten and that is why so many of us are suddenly finding ourselves intolerant.

Recipes like this help us to reduce our gluten intake while still enjoying delicious food.

So here it is, my Gluten Free Chicken Schnitzel

Ingredients

•   2 chicken breasts
•   1 egg, beaten
•   1/2 cup macadamia meal (made by processing whole macadamias)
•   ¼ pumpkin, chopped
•   Rocket, cucumber, red onion, capsicum for side salad

Method

1.       Place pumpkin on oven tray and roast for 20-30 minutes until soft (approx 180 degrees).

2.       Spread the macadamia meal on a shallow bowl or plate

3.       Dip the chicken in the egg and then roll in the nut meal

4.       Place the schnitzel on a tray lined with baking paper and bake for 7-10 minutes each side until cooked through

5.       Chop up salad ingredients and arrange on plate

Serve and enjoy!

Do Detox Diets work and do you need to do one?

The word ‘detox’ seems to cause such a stir in the media and online world.

You have one side making radical claims about their detox curing all sorts of ills and then you have the other side saying that the concept of detox is a load of rubbish and you shouldn’t waste your time and money.

I prefer to use the word ‘cleanse’ for my detox programs because I think it more accurately describes what we are trying to achieve. What we want to do with a detox is give your body a rest from processing anything that places a load on the major organs of elimination (the liver, the kidneys, the gut and the skin) and at the same time use supplements that assist these organs with their function.

As a naturopath, I always find myself frowning when people say that detox doesn’t work.

I just don’t understand this. Its like saying breathing doesn’t work. I think that when people say detox doesn’t work its because they have a skewed concept of what detox is. It feels like everyone these days is looking for a quick fix and an instant cure. Detox is not a miracle cure to all of your health issues.

Detox is a holiday for your body.

You know what it feels like when you’re due for a holiday; you’re exhausted, you might be snappy, emotional, moody, your body aches, you don’t want to get out of bed YOU JUST NEED A BREAK!

This is how I imagine the poor body when it needs a detox. Its screaming at you “come on! Stop putting so much pressure on me! I’m so sick of processing your caffeine, your alcohol, your processed foods, your cosmetics. Man I need a break!”

Four weeks of fresh, nutritious food, minimising exposure to toxins, nourishing the body and assisting elimination with naturopathic herbs and supplements is a pretty decent break for your tired body.

Some people argue that your body is already designed to detox itself. That’s why you’re born with a liver, kidneys, lymphatic system, intestines etc. Yep, that’s true. But I think we all expect more from these organs than they originally signed up for and helping them out with an annual or bi-annual rejuvenation can only help them to perform better.

At the end of my cleanse programs people usually report that they are sleeping better, they wake up in the morning feeling alert, their energy is consistent throughout the day, their skin is improved (I was once told that I was ‘glowing’ when I was midway through a detox), they are not feeling bloated, their bowels are working well and they just generally feel more vibrant.

I try to get my clients to continue using the principles and recipes they have learnt during detox for the rest of their lives. And a lot of them do. Detox is like a restart button, it gets you back into good habits and it reminds you how the body is meant to feel.

So, do you need to detox?

You may not NEED to. But i’m sure your body will thank you for it!

One Week Into My Detox and I'm Still Alive

Not that I ever thought I wouldn’t be, but I think that’s how people sometimes feel when they embark on a detox program.

I have to say that transitioning into this cleanse has been unbelievably easy for me. Yes, I can here you saying “But you’re a Naturopath, of course it’s easy. You should be healthy anyway!”.

And I am. But I’m not perfect and I fall into habits quite easily. Before I started this cleanse I was having a coffee every morning, drinking red wine too regularly and, I just opened a new clinic which was a very busy and full on month, so there were way too many “quick” dinners A.K.A takeaways.

I started my cleanse on a Thursday because I expected to get caffeine withdrawals so didn’t want to be at work when that happened. But it never did.
I expected to get cravings for red wine and chocolate but that still hasn’t happened and on Monday I gave my left over (home made) bounty bars away without even flinching!

What’s the secret to my success? Well I think there are a few things going on here.

The lack of coffee withdrawals I think is due to the fact that I did a 6 week detox at the beginning of this year which really improved my liver function and my liver has (so far) been keeping up with processing my daily coffee intake.

The lack of cravings is partly due mindset, partly because I like being healthy and looking after my body and partly because I am still eating lots of really yummy food! I start my day with a green banana smoothie, then I might snack on some nuts, lunch is a salad with boiled egg, walnuts and pepitas, maybe some rice crackers with macadamia butter as an arvo snack and then something yummy for dinner like salmon and veggies or chicken quinoa salad. So I really don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything when it comes to food.

I’ve also been getting up of a morning and exercising (walking or hula hooping), doing my stretching, I went for a massage on Friday and I had a bath on Saturday AND Sunday. So I really have been practising what I preach and it feels great!

It’s so nice to do a cleanse every 6 months or so just to check in with yourself, mentally and physically, and to get back on track with your health and lifestyle goals. And the fact that I’ve found it so easy this time just reinforces the benefits and proves that a good cleanse program really does have long lasting results 

look after your liver

It’s the Burton Health Christmas party this Saturday (yippee) and as you may have already gathered, I’m rather fond of the occasional glass of wine or 2 (+). So what am I going to do to protect my newly detoxified liver?

I’m quite prone to sluggish liver function so I do a few things every day to help it out such as drinking dandelion tea and doing warm water and lemon or ACV in the morning. But over the Christmas and New Year period I’ll be giving my liver extra love, in the form of herbal medicines, to ensure it can keep up. Read on to find out a bit more about your liver and how you can help it function at its peak.

Did you know that your liver cleans your blood, processes nutrients, makes hormones, regulates blood sugar and stores many vitamins and minerals? Busy little organ!

Here are some symptoms that may indicate that your liver function is not up to scratch:

•   Indigestion, reflux, bad breath
•   Bloating, constipation or feeling sick after a fatty meal
•   Slow metabolism or weight gain
•  Feeling angry, irritable and unable to concentrate
•   Headaches, tiredness, waking between 3am-4am
• Acne, rosacea and dry skin
•  PMS, period pain, tender breasts

Did you find yourself nodding your head as your read that list?

Thankfully there are a few daily practices we can start up to help to cleanse our liver so that it can perform at its peak:

• Start the day with a glass of warm water and ½ a fresh squeezed lemon or 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• Eat bitter foods such as rocket, endive, kale and spinach
• Drink dandelion root tea
• Eat broccoli sprouts, garlic, turmeric and grapefruit*

*If you are taking medications, please read the label or consult your health care provider before including grapefruit as it is contraindicated with some medications.

And of course, give your liver a rest every now and then by having alcohol free days, cutting down on coffee, using chemical free skin products, and eating organic, unprocessed food where possible.

There are herbs and nutrients that you can use to specifically protect and improve the function of your liver. Dandelion, St Marys Thistle (milk thistle), Turmeric, Schizandra, vitamins A, C and E, selenium, zinc and glutamine are just a few of the key liver helpers.

Your Naturopath will be able to advise you on the best herbs and supplements to take during the silly season.

And remember, while you’re at your Christmas and New Year functions, moderation is the best way to avoid a hangover ,as well as alternating your alcoholic beverages with water.

Sneaky tip: soda water in ashort glass with a piece of lemon/lime looks just like vodka and soda – drink these to avoid attention from your colleagues (you’re welcome).

It's time for a cleanse

1

Do you feel tired, sluggish and weighed down?

Want to feel energised, light and alive?

The Burton Health Two Week Cleanse is here!

I know I promised this cleanse would be ready in August but it ended up being a much bigger task than I had anticipated (and I procrastinated a bit too) but the results are worth the wait!

I have written a complete 2 week package that will get you started on your new health regime with lots great tips and recipes that you’ll be able to use over and over again.

This is not a 2 week fast, crazy, harsh, run to the toilet every 5 minutes, fad type detox program. I have lovingly created a program that I am proud of and that is so super easy to follow – you won’t even feel like you’re doing a detox!

The idea of this cleanse is to give your body a ‘holiday’ so that it can rest and restore without having to continuously filter toxins and break down processed foods. It is a fresh start to a healthier diet and lifestyle, packed with pearls of naturopathic wisdom 

There are 2 ways you can do this cleanse

1) The complete cleanse will include a half hour consult with me to determine appropriate herbal medicines to assist your body’s cleansing processes. The Complete Cleanse is valued at $205 and includes:

  1 x half hour consult

  2 x weekly meal plans

  Suggested shopping list

 Recipes

  Superfood ideas

  Lifestyle suggestions, Hints and Tips

  Links and contacts

  Access to the Burton Health Cleanse Facebook Group

  3 supplements to assist your cleanse (detox powder, 100ml bottle herbs, probiotic)

2) The Foodie Cleanse is the same as the complete cleanse minus the consult and supplements. This version is for anyone outside of Sydney who can’t make it to the clinic for an individualised consult but who still want to re-boot their health with a two week clean eating program. The Foodie Cleanse is valued at $30 and includes:

  2 x weekly meal plans

  Suggested shopping list

  Recipes

  Superfood ideas

  Lifestyle suggestions, Hints and Tips

  Links and contacts

 Access to the Burton Health Cleanse Facebook Group

If you’re ready to nourish your body with great food and balanced lifestyle practices get in touch to arrange your cleanse today. Book online, email laura@burtonhealth.com.au or call 0405123852 to book your appointment.

10 reasons to eat Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are likely to help balance blood sugar, improve heart health, reduce inflammation, aid weight loss and improve digestive function. All fantastic reasons to include them in your diet!

I am a little bit obsessed with chia seeds at the moment. I add them to my oat bran of a morning, make puddings, put them in my banana muffins, choc mint brain power bites, smoothies, yoghurt, salads and pretty much anything else I can think of!

Here are 10 reasons why you should add
some chia seeds to your diet:

1. They are high in fibre which improves digestive function and bulks up the stool to make bowels more regular
2. Chia seeds contain all 8 of the essential amino acids making them a complete protein. Protein helps with muscle repair, blood sugar balancing and appetite regulation.
3. They are high in antioxidants so they help to destroy disease causing free radicals.
4. Chia contains good amounts of lots of essential nutrients including calcium, iron, vitamin c and potassium.
5. They are mucilaginous which means they secrete a gel like substance that is nice and soothing and healing to the gut – put some chia seeds in a small amount of water and watch it turn to jelly. Now imagine this in your digestive system. So good!!
6. Can be used to substitute egg. Yep! If you’re allergic to egg you can mix chia seeds with water so it goes all jelly-ish and use that in place of egg in your recipes! To make Chia gel mix 1 part Chia seed with 10 parts water, stir, then let it sit for around 10 minutes
7. Chia is full of omega 3 ALA fatty acids which are anti-inflammatory and good for cardiovascular health as well as arthritis sufferers. If you’re a vegetarian you can use chia seeds as one of your non-meat or fish sources of omega 3.
8. Chia slows the digestion of carbohydrates to glucose which provides a slow release of energy to keep you going and going and going.
9. Chia seeds have been shown to increase HDL cholesterol and lower Triglycerides as well as lower blood pressure all good news for heart health.
10. Chia seeds are gluten free so can be enjoyed by coeliacs and those with gluten sensitivities.

If you are a naughty person who doesn't drink water, you will need to start if you are going to include chia seeds in your diet. A lack of water may result in constipation due to the high fibre content.

While chia seeds are an amazing superfood to include in your diet to boost overall health and nutrition, if you do have any medical conditions such as diabetes or heart disease, you still need to seek professional medical advice for your condition.

Giveaway - Closed, sorry!

The lovely people at The Chia Cohave given me one prize pack to give away to a lucky Burton Health friend :)

The pack includes:

• 1 x 150g black Chia
• 1 x 150g white Chia
• Sunscreen
• Jute bag with recipe card

Just head over to the Burton Health Naturopathy Facebook page to enter. You will need to 'Like' our page and comment on the competition picture to tell us how you will use your chia seeds if you win. Winner will be drawn on Monday 26th August. Good Luck xx

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A Naturopaths breakfast

I love my shakes for Breakfast and I've recently been asked what I put in them. Well, this changes every day but I thought I'd share a few of my standard favourites.

My Detox Smoothie above was delicious (don't be put off by the colour, you can't really taste the spirulina). It was made from:

• 250ml Coconut milk
• 1/2 frozen banana (peel before freezing)
• 1 teaspoon enterocare powder (a probiotic and slippery elm supplement)
• 1.5 scoops Thermophase detox powder (a protein powder which also helps with liver detoxification)
• 1 teaspoon spirulina powder
• Cinnamon on top

It was so yummy and kept me full until lunch time.

Sometimes if I'm in a rush I'll just have protein powder (at the moment I'm using rice protein) with almond, hazelnut or coconut milk or sometimes just with water.

This morning I skipped the protein powder and just had a Green Banana Smoothie:

• 250ml Almond milk
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 teaspoon enterocare
• 1 teaspoon spirulina
• 1/2 tablespoon flaxseeds
• 1 teaspoon avocado (makes it really creamy)
• Cinnamon

Sometimes I'll add berries too but I pretty much always have frozen banana because it tastes yum and makes it nice and cold.

Feel free to share with me some of your favourite smoothie ingredients.