Lee's divine 'Lemony Herb Crackers'

If you haven’t heard of her already, Lee Holmes is one to watch. She’s a wholefoods chef, the author of a truly amazing recipe book ‘Supercharged Food’, and an all-round inspiration. Lee is proof that you are what you eat. After discovering she had an autoimmune disease and fibromyalgia, Lee decided to heal her body with whole, natural foods and lots of green juice. We have had the pleasure of getting to know Lee and she positively radiates health. All of her recipes are gluten, wheat, dairy, yeast and sugar free. But Lee’s also a total foodie, so the dishes she makes (at midnight in her kitchen mostly) are absolutely divine. You’re in very safe hands.

So let’s get on to these lemony crackers. In Lee’s words, “they work well as a snack if you are feeling peckish in between meals – you can eat them instead of a carb or sugar-filled snack; they’re such a healthy way to refuel your body!” And to make these little beauties, all you need is 7 ingredients and 10 minutes. Let’s get cracking (no pun intended).

Here is Lee’s fabulous recipe, and a link to her video:

Lemony Herb Crackers
Makes about 35 crackers 

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cups almond meal
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ cup sesame seeds
• 1 TBS dried mixed herbs
• 1 egg (opt for free range)
• 1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp lemon rind

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 175°C and grease a baking tray
2. Combine the almond meal, salt, sesame seeds, mixed herbs and lemon in a bowl
3. In a small jug whisk the egg, then slowly add the olive oil while still whisking
4. Pour egg mixture into the dry ingredients and mix to form a firm dough. If it is too dry to roll out, mix in a little water
5. Roll the dough out on a sheet of baking paper to a thin rectangle of about 35 x 25 cm
6. Place the prepared baking tray face down over the top then invert the two together so you now have the dough on top. Peel off the baking paper
7. Using a sharp knife cut the dough into 5 cm squares
8. Bake until crisp, 12-15 minutes, turning them halfway through
9. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before serving
10. Keep in an airtight container for freshness

Nutrition

• Almond meal is an excellent low-carb, high-protein option, which adds a sweet taste to the crackers
• Sea salt (Lee uses celtic in her video) is a great way to balance your electrolytes (and restore your poor adrenals); it’s also packed full of minerals!
• Lemon rind gives the crackers a zesty, citrusy tang, which comes from the aromatic oils and perfumes that are contained in the rind

If you like this recipe, check out Lee’s incredible new website. It just went live this morning! www.superchargedfood.com

Eat for warmth in winter

My love for winter is simple. I like wearing boots (my havaianas are feeling jealous and displaced) and I like skiing. I like wearing scarves too. And the occasional rainy day (read: excuse to wear Ugg boots and watch DVDs all day without feeling guilty).

I also love winter foods (mmm… curry). There is something very nourishing about eating casseroles, soups, stews and roasts. And apple crumble. Oh yum… hang on, I’m having a moment.

Eat warm, stay slim 
Winter is a time for nourishing foods; it’s when we should be eating the richest, warmest and heaviest meals and cooked meals are required to support the body’s need for protection in the colder weather. It’s also *gulp* a time when we tend to put on an extra kilo or two of “insulation”. Portion control is really important during this time, remembering that a salad is probably half the kilojoules compared to a casserole or stew of the same size. If you want to avoid putting on weight in winter, I strongly recommend you watch your portion sizes, eat slooooowwwwly and maintain a regular exercise program. Exercise is particularly important to keep the spine and joints flexible, but I digress…

Eat intuitively
The extent to which you follow winter eating principles really depends on your constitution. It’s pretty intuitive and you probably do it naturally - if you have a tendency to feel the cold, then you need to eat warming foods more than someone who can get away without wearing a jacket in winter. What’s particularly important, is that you listen to your body. Don’t eat salads and raw foods if you feel the cold. It’s common sense really, but it’s all too easy to grab a salad (and feel virtuous about it) when what you really need are cooked and warming foods.

Cooking methods and meals
The general rule for winter cooking is to cook foods for longer at lower temperature with less water. Warming cooking methods include grilling, frying, roasting, searing, baking, long simmering in liquid, slow cooking, cooking with alcohol, and using hot or warming spices. Think casserole, stew, roast, soup, bakes and curry. Invest in a slow cooker if you have the time (ha!).

My favourite winter breakfast is porridge. Plain porridge can be a little boring, but add stewed fruit, honey, roasted slivered almonds and cinnamon and it not only looks pretty, but tastes delicious. 

Warming foods
Meat (if you’re so inclined) and eggs are very warming, so that’s good news for the meat-eaters. As far as vegetables go, a good rule of thumb for veggies is, the longer it takes to grow, the more warming it is. Root vegetables (carrots, potatoes, pumpkin, sweet potato, beetroot, onions, garlic) are among the most warming. Avoid cold drinks and cold foods like icecream as they have a cooling affect on the body (I can hear you saying “duh”, but I thought I’d mention it anyway).

Here are some basic lists of warming foods.

Fruit (especially cooked): apple, cranberry, date, dried fruits, grape, kiwi, mandarin, orange, pear, tangerine, watermelon
Veggies: boy choy, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, garlic, ginger, kale, leek, onion, parsnip, potato, seaweed, spinach, sprouts, squash, pumpkin, sweet potato, turnip
Nuts and seeds: almond, brazil, cashew, macadamia, pecan, pine nut, pistachio, walnut, linseed (flax), pumpkin, sesame, sunflower
Grains (cooked): barley, corn, millet, oat, quinoa, rice, rye, wheat
Beans: adzuki, black, kidney, lentil, lima, navy, soy

Warming herbs and spices
A great way to warm up a dish is to add warming spices and herbs in the cooking process. Cumin is excellent, as is turmeric, cayenne pepper, chilli, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Chai tea contains lots of these spices and is a yummy way to warm your body. Garlic and ginger (actually vegetables) are very warming too.

Add salt for extra warmth
Salt is very warming and has the most grounding action of food. Any dish can be made “warmer” by adding a little salt (I recommend sea salt, rather than table salt, which is far less good). Good sources of salt include sea salt, soy, miso and seaweed. In Ayurveda, the traditional medicine system of India, salt is said to strengthen one’s energy. Do be cautious with the quantity that you add, particularly if you tend towards fluid retention (water weight) as I do.

Some local “fast food” recommendations
While healthy home cooking is best, you can still get food quickly and eat well, particularly in winter. Iku Wholefoods is definitely a firm favourite. As is About Life (formerly Macro Wholefoods) in Bondi Junction/Rozelle and The Health Emporium in Bondi. Iku does the most delicious porridge and tofu curry and About Life does yummy soups, casseroles and curries. I also really love Laurie’s Vegetarian Cafe in Bondi. Try the veggie burger or the lentil casserole. Yum and yum.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m putting on my Ugg boots, stretchy pants (my guilty pleasure) and a scarf.

Sources
Pitchford, P 2002, Healing with Wholefoods, North Atlantic Books, California
Haas, E M 2006, Staying Healthy with Nutrition, Celestial Arts, California