The GREAT Sydney AIP Resource Page

Tags

AIP, AIP Resources Sydney, Ancestral Diet, Autoimmune Protocol, Farmers Markets, Grass Fed Meat Sydney, Health, Nutrition, Paleo

(Image from here)

This week’s Autoimmune Connection is all about following the Autoimmune Protocol internationally.

Hosted by Rory over at The Paleo PI, it also features Astrid from Heal Me in the Kitchen, Catharina from Paleo Feest, and yours truly from TSL-central! We’re taking this global, baby!

You can check out the vid’ here:

And, if you enjoyed the video, please subscribe to the series and consider forwarding the link?

I gotta’ say, it’s so much fun getting to connect with other AIP bloggers from around the world.

And, it’s clear that this autoimmune protocol movement is growing, as more and more of us implement diet and lifestyle changes to manage our autoimmune symptoms. The very best thing about connecting with fellow AIPers is that I hear stories of success every week. So very inspiring.

 The best kind of happiness is a habit you’re passionate about. (Shannon L. Alder)

It must be said that starting out on the protocol can be a little daunting. Especially at the beginning. So, I thought I’d start a new page on the blog. A page dedicated to resources I use to help me stay the course while on the AIP.

Some of these, I mention in the Autoimmune Connection recording above. Some I thought of after the recording was made. And, some I’ll add as I think of them…

 Happiness is the only thing that doubles when you share it. (Albert Schweitzer)

So, without further ado, and in no particular order, here goes:

G.R.U.B. (Vaucluse) (aka Grass Roots Urban Butcher) – Dominic and his team at G.R.U.B offer a full-service butchery (and then some). All of their meat is grass fed and finished. It’s always an experience to go in and chat to whoever is behind the counter.

These guys are passionate about their product AND they deliver to Sydney, Central Coast and Newcastle customers, and across a number of other NSW locations. They can even deliver to the ACT and Southern Highlands.

Feather and Bone (Marrickville) – Laura and Grant of Feather and Bone source their product directly from local farmers and producers in NSW who are committed to nurturing the health of the land and the plants and animals it sustains. They only buy whole bodies direct from the farmer. The bodies arrive whole at their factory where they cut and pack to order.

Available for home delivery or pick up from the Marrickville base camp, all produce is as free from chemicals and hormones as it was from cages and pens.

Linga Longa (country NSW) – I met Greg and Lauren at Eveleigh Markets. Honestly? – they are the main reason that the team at G.R.U.B. and Feather and Bone don’t get more of my business. Here at Casa TSL, we are addicted to their pork! They also make great 100% pure beef snags.

All Linga Longa beef is grass fed-certified with no artificial growth stimulants or antibiotics. Their pigs are free range and grain-free. You can get farm fresh beef and pasture raised pork delivered from the paddock to your door. All products delivered from Taree to Wollongong.

Greg & Lauren from Linga Longa Farm
(Image by TSL)

Eveleigh Market (Newtown)– If you’ve been following TSL for a while, you’ll know that Eveleigh’s weekly farmers market are where I go to shop. I love it. It’s on every Saturday from 8am – 1pm. It’s puppy friendly. And, it’s under cover. See you there!

Local NSW based farmers and artisan food producers bring fresh and seasonal produce they grow, rear or make direct to the Market for sale to the public. The Market is home to over 70 regular stallholders who sell a wide range of farm fresh products, from source to hub. You can find a variety of goods including seasonal fruit and vegetables; organic produce; beef; lamb; pork; poultry; smoked fish; and olive oil.

SMH Growers Market at Pyrmont – Held on the first Saturday of every month, the Sydney Morning Herald Growers’ Market turned 17 years old in 2015.

It features more than 70 producers’ stalls selling everything from fresh fruit and seasonal vegetables to venison, lamb, beef, rare-breed pork and seafood. It’s bigger than Eveleigh BUT only held monthly and is subject to the elements!

iHerb (online) – iHerb sells nutritional supplements and other health products. They reputedly carry one of the largest selections of high-quality nutritional products in the world. And, despite the fact that they are US-based, they offer extremely reasonable prices and cheap shipping.

I buy most of my supplements through iHerb.

GPA Wholefoods (Australia-based, online) – aims to provide Australia with the highest quality, nutrient-dense whole foods available world-wide.

The foods they sell are all derived from whole foods. They are free from additives, binders and fillers. There are no synthetic vitamins or minerals. Great resource.

Kitsa’s Kitchen (Crows Nest, Online) – at the time of writing, Kitsa’s website is still under construction. 

Kitsa Yanniotis is a qualified GAPS and BED Certified Practitioner, and she was an early adopter of using diet to improve digestive health. Kitsa well-known in Australia for her cultured foods (she has a range of organic raw cultured vegetables). She also produces an entire range of award-winning, allergy friendly foods.

Kitsa’s beautiful new store, “Emporio Organico” is opening very soon in Crows Nest.

Fiji Markets (Newtown) – where I source my plantains. ’nuff said!

About Life (Rozelle, Cammeray, Bondi Junction, Double Bay, Surry Hills) – your one stop shop in Sydney for natural products and whole food nutrition. In each store you will find a supermarket, wholefoods café and natural pharmacy.

About Life stores offer loads of natural food grocery lines and they are known for stocking those hard to find items catering to a range of dietary needs. All products are 100% natural, no artificial flavours, colours, sweeteners, preservatives or trans fats cross their doors

Pantry Innovations (Australia-based, Online) – I know I said I’d talk about resources I use. And, I have yet to use Otto’s Cassava Flour or Pantry Innovations. BUT – I’m excited about what they’re doing, and they need our support – so check ’em out!

Currently Otto’s Cassava flour is only available in the USA (having only just launched there in February 2015). Pantry Innovations is on a mission to bring it to Australia as soon as possible. This is not an easy process but they are determined to bring the next generation of grain free, nut free, gluten-free baking flour to your door. They are not a big company, just an average couple living in the Northern Rivers in NSW who think this product needs to be available to Aussie’s who are on a food journey like ourselves.  And, I agree!

So there’s the start of my Sydney AIP resources list. What do you think? Have I missed out a GREAT resource that you feel I should check out? I’d love to hear from you.

How to Prepare for and Recover from a Colonoscopy (While on The Autoimmune Protocol)

Tags

AIP, Autoimmine Protocol, Bone Broth, Bowel Cancer, Colonoscopy, Digestive Health, Disease Prevention, Paleo, Stewed peaches

So, if you’re of a delicate disposition, look away now.

Chicken!

No, seriously. Maybe you should read this one.

Because this one is about preparing for a colonoscopy, which is an important health procedure. While on the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP), no less. Although, this preparation could just as easily be for anyone having a colonoscopy who is concerned about what they eat. And, while it’s not for the squeamish, I promise I won’t get too down and dirty on you.

What is a colonoscopy, anyway?

Colonoscopy: A procedure allowing a Gastroenterologist to comprehensively examine your large intestine (colon). An endoscope equipped with a video camera is passed via the rectum through the full length of the colon. Biopsies (tissue samples) can be taken for pathology testing and polyps can also be removed during the procedure.

Many of us will experience the indignity of a colonoscopy at some point in our lives.

In Australia, bowel cancer is the second biggest cancer killer. It affects 1 in 12 Australians in their lifetime. And, New Zealand is no better. In fact, between them, New Zealand and Australia have the highest rates of bowel cancer in the world. So chances are that you, or someone you know, will be affected in some way by the disease. In my family, it’s rampant. This is my third colonoscopy. And, I have yet to reach the standard screening age of 50.

And, if you have unidentified digestive complaints – common in many autoimmune diseases – a colonoscopy will often be scheduled to ‘check things out’.

See why a colonoscopy can be so important?

Frankly, the worst part of the colonoscopy isn’t the procedure. You’re sedated for that bit. No. The worst part is the 48 or so hours leading up to the procedure. The bit where you’re clearing out your colon so that it’s squeaky clean for the camera…

And this bit can be broken into 3 stages.

Stage 1: two days before your procedure. Otherwise known as the ‘You-know-it’s-coming-but-if-you’re-prepared-it-isn’t-so-bad-stage’

During this stage, you are limited to a low fibre diet. You know what has lots of fibre? Vegetables. So, this is almost the antithesis of what you normally eat on the Autoimmune Protocol. Forget about filling your plate with greens today.

In bright RED letters on your patient information form, you are instructed to avoid brown bread, high fibre cereals yellow cheese… all good so far. But then also – vegetables, fruit, any food containing seeds or nuts.

You are also instructed to drink at least 12 glasses of water or clear apple juice.

The following foods are some examples of recommended foods for stage I:

• corn flakes
• white bread or toast with margarine and Vegemite
• tinned fruit without the skin
• white bread sandwiches with chicken, beef, fish, eggs or white cheese
• Ginger ale
• White pasta
• Plain biscuits or sponge cake

Stage II: the day before your procedure Also known as ‘The-stage-where-you-are-housebound’. Really.

You are instructed to eat no solid foods and no dairy products. You may consume clear fluids only. Things like Bonox or Gatorade are encouraged. As is yellow or orange diet jelly. Oh goody!

And then the real fun begins. PicoPrep fun.

PicoPrep Fun…
(Image by TSL)

PicoPrep, also known as sodium picosulfate, is a powder dissolved into liquid and taken orally that produces a watery bowel motion that empties and cleanses your bowel prior to examination. It causes you to frequently and urgently make a mad dash to your bathroom. In my family, we call it ‘squirt juice’. I probably don’t need to say any more about it except that when I went to purchase my PicoPrep for this procedure, the pharmacist asked me if I needed any super-soft loo paper and Sorbolene…

This is the worst stage of the procedure. By far.

Stage III: the day of your procedure. ‘Sleepy-Time’.

Assuming your procedure is in the morning, and frankly – the earlier the better, after enjoying a hearty breakfast of… well, nothing. Not even any water. And, of course, having a slightly tender nether region from all those trips to the loo. Then, today is pretty painless, really.

Your nearest and dearest drives you to the surgery rooms where you check in. If you’re lucky, your health insurance will cover the procedure. You’re then directed to a cubicle where you strip off and pop yourself into a hospital gown and lie down on a gurney until it’s time for your procedure. You’ll be asked about your preparation process. The anaesthetist will come and have a wee chat. And then, you’ll be wheeled into the theatre. You’ll be asked to count backwards from 10…. and, before you realise it, you’ll be waking up in your cubicle again.

Simples!

Unfortunately, I can’t make the PicoPrep part of your procedure any easier. I wish I could. I REALLY wish I could.

What I can do, is help you a little with sticking as closely to the AIP while undergoing the process. Here’s what I do…

Low fibre food is the go in the lead up to your procedure. And, any seasoned AIPer knows that preparation is e v e r y t h i n g. So I plan ahead.

I poach a whole chook – I buy a pasture raised chook, cover it with water and throw in a few bay leaves, before bringing it to the boil. I reduce it to a simmer and walk away for 90 minutes. The cooked chook is removed from it’s broth and set aside to cool sufficiently to handle. Once cool, I’ll remove the meat from the bones, saving both separately.

That poached chicken is the foundation of my stage I eating plan.

I make bone broth from the leftover chook bones – If I’m sufficiently organised, I’ll have extra chook carcasses in the freezer. They’ll go into the pressure cooker with the leftover bones from my poached chook. I follow Simone from Zenbelly’s instructions on making pressure cooker bone broth, but if you’d like to make it conventionally, here’s a post on how to make bone broth.

That chicken bone broth is the foundation of my stage II eating plan. (If you can call consuming liquids eating.)

I also hard boil some happy eggs – I’ve successfully reintroduced eggs. They are not part of the initial elimination plan. If you tolerate eggs, hard-boiled are just about the easiest, most portable way to get a high protein snack. Pop a few room temperature eggs into a saucepan. Cover them with cold water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 8 minutes. Easy!

I stew some peaches – you’re ‘allowed’ tinned peaches as part of your low fibre diet day. I can’t remember eating tinned peaches as an adult. I remember we used to have them on summer holidays as a kid. They are definitely a comfort food for me.

Of course, so much better if, rather than commercially produced peaches in syrup with extra sugar, you stew your own. It’s easy and much better for you.

I made a LOT of stewed peaches…!
(Image by TSL)

Small segue – ever since reading Jo Robinson’s Eating on the Wild Side, I always opt for white peaches over yellow if I can.

White-fleshed peaches and nectarines have twice as many bionutrients as yellow-fleshed varieties. (Jo Robinson, ‘Eating on the Wild Side’)

To make my stewed peaches (admittedly not the prettiest dish I have ever made), I must first remove the skins. No skins allowed on a low fibre diet. I simply score a cross in the bottom of each of my peaches with a knife. I drop each peach into a pot of simmering water for about a minute. I pull them out with tongs and set aside until cool enough to handle. The skins will peel away easily. The peaches are then chopped, stones removed, before being popped back into the empty pot with a little water and brought to a simmer until soft. They taste remarkably good!

I also splash out and buy some organic, clear apple juice – and I drink it with water. Half and half. It’s my wee splurge to get over the boredom of straight water and broth, and reward to myself for going through this awfulness that is the PicoPrep.

And, that’s about it for the cooking preparation.

For me, the focus is on maintaining my whole-food diet, to the limited extent that I can, and at the same time not compromising on the preparation for the procedure. I don’t want to have to do it all again!

The REAL work comes after the procedure…

The nature of a colonoscopy is such that your colon is cleaned out good and proper. And, it seems we are learning more every day about just how important all that bacteria in your gut actually is.

So, I aim to repopulate my gut as quickly and efficiently as I can. Here’s what I’m doing this time around:

• continuing to up my bone broth consumption
• eating more nutrient dense offal
• ensuring fermented veggies  feature at every meal
• getting outside in direct sunlight every day
• walking barefoot in the grass
• sleeping
• taking a good broad-spectrum multi-strain probiotic

Have I left anything out? Are there any other steps you take to ensure your body bounces back from a colonoscopy? I’d love to hear…

LUSCIOUS Lamington Cupcakes

Tags

AIP, Australia Day, Autoimmune Protocol, Dairy Free, Dog, Gluten Free, Healthy Lamington, Lamington Muffin, Paleo, Poodle

The TSL take on lamingtons in honour of Australia Day!
(Image by TSL)

There is no place in the world like Australia. Not even its beautiful neighbor New Zealand. (Henry Rollins)

It’s a drizzly and overcast old Australia Day as I write this. To be honest, it’s a wee bit of a welcome respite from the heat we’ve been having lately. For me, at least.

And here at Casa TSL, it has been a B I G day. Capital letters BIG. Today we met the newest addition to our extended family.

Fang, the black miniature poodle, has arrived at my sister’s. And she is meltingly cute.

Fang, the black miniature poodle pup
(Images by TSL)

We were invited to introduce Miss Bella, our 10-year-old pooch, to her sort of niece by way of a barbecue. It has to be said that Bella was singularly unimpressed with Fang. No matter. The rest of us fell head over heels in love… What a fluff-ball!

And, what else could I bring to an Australia Day barbie, but lamingtons? It would virtually be UN-Australian not to.

What is a lamington, you ask?

lamington

noun     AUSTRALIAN/NZ

a square of sponge cake dipped in melted chocolate and grated coconut.

(Image by TSL)

Of course, here at Casa TSL, a traditional lamington won’t cut it. After almost a year on the Autoimmune Protocol, we’re a 100% grain-free, mostly dairy-free household.

And, my sister and her partner are very similar, too.

And, then there was the small fact that I didn’t actually have a lamington tin in which to bake my sponge…

Time to improvise!

Adapting a recipe I found on the VERY talented Teresa Cutter’s site (The Healthy Chef), I bring you these remarkably lamington-like healthy-ish lamington cupcakes.

Completely free of any grains or dairy… they’re bloody good, mate!

Don’t worry about the world coming to an end today. It is already tomorrow in Australia. (Charles M. Schulz)

• Servings: 10
• Time: 45 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Ingredients:

6 x happy eggs
1 x teaspoon vanilla bean paste
2 x Tablespoons raw honey
1/4 cup macadamia nut oil
1/2 cup coconut flour
2 x teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
1/2 cup raspberry jam or preserve*
1 x cup desiccated coconut for rolling
100 g best quality dark chocolate, roughly broken up
1/4 cup coconut milk

Method:

1. Heat your oven to 160° C / 320° F. Line a muffin tray with 10 papers.

2. Throw your eggs, vanilla and honey into your mixing bowl. Mix on high for 10 minutes until light and creamy.

3. While the machine is still running, pour in the macadamia nut oil. Mix well.

4. Add the coconut flour and baking powder. Mix until thoroughly combined.

5. Using a 1/4 cup as a measure, pour lamington cake mix into your prepared muffin tray.

6. Bake for 15 – 18 minutes or until cooked through.

7. Fill a piping bag with raspberry jam. Stick the nozzle into the middle of each cupcake and fill with a healthy squeeze of raspberry jam.

8. While waiting for your cupcakes to cool, heat your coconut milk in a small pan until almost boiling. Turn off the heat and add your chocolate. Stir until you have a smooth silky ganache.

9. When your cupcakes are cool, spread a little chocolate ganache on the top of each.
Dip in coconut and pop onto a tray to set.

* check the labels for a preservative free, low sugar number

E N J O Y !

Sculpture by the Sea – Bondi 2014

Tags

AIP, Art Walks, Autoimmune Protocol, Bondi Coastal Walk, Outdoors, Photo Montage, Sculpture by the Sea, Stress, Sydney, Sydney Culture

‘Wind Stone the Threshold of Consciousness’ by Koichi Ishino
(Image by TSL)

If you’re new to Sculpture by the Sea – it’s well worth a look-see if you’re visiting Sydney. It’s held every October/November along the gorgeous Bondi – Tamarama coastal walk. The natural beauty of the coastline is majestic in itself, but then with the addition of large-scale pieces of sculptural art – just wow!

Small admission: LM took me to Sculpture by the Sea on our first ever date together. It was a scorching hot Sydney day. The kind that we’ve been experiencing again lately. Temperatures well into the 30’s (that’s 90’s if you think in fahrenheit!) 

We now go every year together. It has become one of our ‘traditions’. And, of course the fluff-bucket joins us, too. It would feel really weird not to go.

We get up early and go before the crowds arrive. I’m not so great with crowds.

And, just in case you’re wondering how this post fits in with my autoimmune protocol regime, well – it slots right in there under managing stress, protecting my circadian rhythms, getting low-intensity activity AND improving my environment! Checking out the annual Sculpture by the Sea exhibition makes me happy.

The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another. (William James)

So, this year, LM took all the photos. He’s so much more patient than I about the increasing numbers of people who have the same idea as us – get up early to beat the crowds.

And so, without further ado, the annual TSL Sculpture by the Sea photo montage:

‘Big Man’ by Will Maggiore
Hot forged steel

‘Currawong’ by Lou Lambert
Hard woods, wire, rope, copper

Two Perspectives on ‘Crossing the Sky by Boat’ by Peter Tilley
Cast iron, corten Steel

A little perspective, like a little humour, goes a long way. (Allen Klein)

‘Sentinels’ by Julie Donnelly
Glass

‘Save Our Souls’ by Cave Urban
Bamboo, steel, rope, concrete, LED lights

Foreground: ‘Ring’ by Peter Lundberg
Cast bronze
Background: ‘Permanent Sunrise’ by Alejandro Propato
Steel pipes, nylon wire, steel wire

‘Ornithopter’ by Sam Deal
Found objects, recycled material

‘Sisyphus’ by George Andric
316 grade stainless steel

‘The Figure in the Landscape’ by John Petrie
Basalt

‘Men Playing with Birds’ by Wang Shugang
Painted bronze

‘Gift of the Rhinoceros’ by Mikaela Castledine
Polypropylene fibre, aluminium

‘Headrest’ by Michael Le Grand
Painted Steel

‘Evidence Based Research – Crossing the Line’ by Julie Collins & Derek John
Timber, Steel, Industrial polyurethane

‘Breaching’ by Michael Greve
Redgum, spotted gum

‘The Wanderer’ by Sean Henry
Bronze, exterior paint

‘House of Mirrors’ by Neon
Mirror, plywood, gabion cages

‘Look who’s here’ by Janaki Lele
Paper mach, sand, exterior varnish

‘M.140901’ by Toshio Iezumi
Float glass

‘Wind Stone the Threshold of Consciousness’ by Koichi Ishino
Marine grade stainless steel, granite

‘Wine Talk’ by Richard Tipping
Reflective tape on aluminium, galvanised steel poles
(All images by TSL)

The eighteenth annual exhibition of Sculpture by the Sea at Bondi runs until the 9 November. It’s free. And, highly recommended!

 

Sandor Katz Hits Sydney

Tags

Alexx Stuart, Autoimmune Protocol, Cultured Food, Food Trends, Gut Health, Health, Kombucha, Lacto-fermentation, Live Food, Michael Pollan, Milkwood Permaculture, Pickling, Probiotics, Sandor Katz, Sauerkraut, The ARt of Fermentation

(Image by TSL)

Six months. SIX WHOLE MONTHS! That’s how long ago I booked tickets through the inspiring team at Milkwood Permaculture for two sessions with Sandor Katz on the art of fermentation.  It’s been a long time coming. But, I gotta’ tell you – it was worth it.

Sandor Katz is colloquially known as the ‘Godfather of Lacto-Fermentation’. It’s a practice that is currently undergoing a bit of a renaissance – particularly as interest grows in the probiotic benefits of eating live food. Certainly, it helps that it tastes pretty great, too!*

Even food writer Michael Pollan acknowledges Sandor Katz’s most recent book as being largely responsible for his ignited passion for cultured food…

Katz’s book is the main reason that my kitchen counters and basement floor have lately sprouted an assortment of mason jars, ceramic crocks, jelly jars, bottles, and carboys, the clear ones glowing with unearthly colours. (Michael Pollan)

…and, if some of the high-profile Sydney-based chefs (the ones that I recognised, anyway!) in attendance at the sessions are any prediction of food trends, lacto-fermentated morsels will soon be popping up all over town. I know Mr Gilmore down at Circular Quay has been working on fermenting vegetable juices. Just saying!

Sauerkraut by Sandor Katz
Cabbage, carrot, herbs, garlic ready to bubble away…
(Image by TSL)

But, what is lacto-fermentation?

Heard of probiotics?

Lacto-fermentation is a natural way of preserving food that pre-dates refrigeration (by quite some time!). It is natures way of allowing us to utilise microbial processes using beneficial bacteria including Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium spp. and other lactic acid bacteria (LAB) (also known as probiotics), which thrive in an anaerobic fermenting environment.

So, the ‘lacto’ part in lacto-fermentation, comes from ‘lactobacillus’. A wide variety of LAB and yeasts are involved in the process of lacto-fermentation. These all work together to convert raw food into more easily digestible components, along with releasing and stabilising nutrients of the food.

There are a number of stages and processes along the way – and, as with most things ‘living,’ it is not an exact science. There is no ‘right’ way or one recipe. Not by a long shot.

There is no one way to ferment. Ultimately it is about experiential learning. (Sandor Katz)

So, lacto-fermentation is a process of preserving food that produces things like  traditional dill pickles (gherkins), real sauerkraut, kimchi, fermented beverages, even naturally produced vinegar (think Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar). At its most basic, it takes nothing more than vegetables, salt, water and a bit of patience – anyone can try it.

This simple process works because of the lucky fact that bacteria that could be harmful to us can’t tolerate much salt, but there are healthy bacteria that can.

But, why should I care?

The benefits of eating food with live, Lactobacillus bacteria include a healthier digestive system and speedy recovery from yeast infections. They are also supposed to have anti-inflammatory properties and be useful in preventing certain kinds of cancer. And, as I’ve already mentioned, they taste good!

The prevailing view is that you should add small, frequent amounts of as many varieties of fermented foods and beverages as you can to your diet – each has their own beneficial probiotic qualities. At a minimum, I try to add a couple of tablespoons of fermented vegetables to two of my meals every day.

There are a number of artisan food producers who have started up with their own lacto-fermented products. Because of the live nature of these foods and beverages, and the requirement to keep them chilled, they tend to be region specific. Refrigerated shipping is expensive! And, because the process is a little labour intensive, these products can get expensive.

So, I went to see Sandor in action to better understand how to make my own lacto- fermented product. Cheaply!

(L – R) Sauerkraut, Beet Kvass, Kimchi, Pickles
(Image by TSL)

Sandor was an inspirational presenter. His knowledge about fermentation is encyclopaedic – and it’s not just theory. The man has spent the last three decades experimenting with the art.

I walked away from my day determined to expand my horizons with fermenting vegetables (itching to try the four celery ferment – celeriac, stalk, leaves and seeds) and to try my hand at making fermented beverages (kombucha – a sweetened fermented tea is first cab off the rank)… I promise to keep you posted on my progress!

If you are at all interested in learning more about fermentation, I have it on very good authority that the very pragmatic and talented Alexx Stuart is running a series of posts about this very subject next week on her blog, Real Food & Low Tox Living.

*If you need a refresher on just who is this Sandor Katz character and his ‘Art of Fermentation’ – check out the last post I did about him here.

Mango, Passion Fruit & Coconut Eton Mess (TSL-Style)…

Tags

Australia Day, Bill Granger, Dairy Free, dessert, Elizabeth Hurley, Eton Mess, Gluten Free, Mangoes, Meringue, Paleo, Pavlova

Mango, Passion Fruit & Coconut Eton Mess (TSL-Style)
(Image by TSL)

I have always been attracted to Australians and Australia. (Elizabeth Hurley)

Really, Liz? First, there was the jerky comment, and now this? Did you have to…?

I am not an Australian. I’m not saying it will never happen. But, I’m not one yet. And, I do love my adopted country. At least, most of the time, I do. So, given yesterday was Australia Day, it would have been a tiny bit wrong not to recognise it somehow.

As it happens, I’ve never really understood the fascination with lamingtons. And, the old traditional Aussie meat pie is also out because I can’t do gluten. But, I do love a good Pavlova. I’ve even posted about the great Pavlova debate before. That post included Bill Granger’s recipe for seriously good brown sugar Pavlova. It’s caramel-y and yummy. And, he serves it with a yoghurt cream – just that tiny hit of sour really makes a difference.

But our dietary habits have changed a little here at Casa TSL since that post. No gluten. Very little dairy (especially not the cow juice variety). Not a lot of sugar. Time to experiment…

The thing with experiments is that sometimes they don’t work out the way you want expect them to. So, when my meringues failed to reach the lofty heights that I desired* (frankly, they were more macaroon-y in shape), I changed direction and created an Australian take on that very British of desserts – the Eton Mess.

Mango, Passion Fruit & Coconut Eton Mess (TSL-Style)
Hand Model – TSL’s little sister 
(Image by TSL)

I figure it kind of still works for multi-cultural Australia on the country’s national day – an English dessert, made by a Kiwi of Anglo-German heritage, living in Sydney, with mangoes from Queensland bought from a Greek grocer…

And, despite the less-than-stellar meringues, my Eton Mess tasted pretty fab’!

• Servings: 8
• Time: 3 Hours - give or take, including assembly but not including refrigeration of coconut cream
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

(Image by TSL)

Ingredients

For the Meringues/Macaroon-y Thingys

1/2 cup desiccated coconut
3 large egg whites (freshest possible!)
pinch of salt
1/2 cup coconut sugar
2 teaspoons arrowroot powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar

For the Coconut Cream

2 cans full-fat coconut cream (refrigerated overnight)
1 teaspoon coconut sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

For the Mango-Passion Fruit

2 large mangoes
6 passion fruit

Method

1) Preheat your oven to 150°C/300°F. Line a baking tray with baking paper. I traced 6 circles around the base of a large mug onto the paper. They were to be the templates for my meringues (or macaroons if they flop like mine!). You could equally do one big meringue of about 20cm in diameter.

2) In a dry pan, toast your coconut desiccated coconut until it starts to turn golden brown

3) Ensure the bowl and beater of your mixer is clean and dry (Fat is the enemy of egg whites – running a paper towel dipped in vinegar around your bowl will fix that!). Whisk your egg whites with a pinch of salt for about 8 – 10 minutes until glossy and thick. With the mixer on high, add the coconut sugar one tablespoon at a time. Then, slowly add the arrowroot, vinegar and vanilla. Gently fold in the toasted coconut.

4) Spoon your meringue mixture onto your prepared baking paper. Place the tray into your oven immediately reduce the temperature to 120°C/250°F. Bake for one hour. Turn the oven off and leave the meringues in the oven to cool completely. NB – your meringue will be browner than usual due to the use of coconut sugar.

For the Mango – Passion Fruit

5) Peel and chop the two mangoes into a medium bowl. Add pulp of passion fruit. Stir and refrigerate until ready to assemble.

For the Whipped Coconut Cream

6) Refrigerate mixing bowl for five minutes before use.

7) Open the refrigerated cans of coconut milk. The cream will have separated from the milk. Carefully scrape out the cream into your mixing bowl. Add the vanilla and coconut sugar. Whip the cream until fluffy.

Assembly

8). Distribute half the fruit mixture into the base of your serving glasses. Repeat with half the whipped cream. Crumble half the meringues over the top of your mixture. Repeat. Place in the fridge until ready to serve.

E N J O Y !

*I suspect my eggs weren’t quite fresh enough. But, it could also have been that coconut sugar is quite coarse. Perhaps, next time I might blitz it in the food processor first.

Currently Crushing Griffin Jerky

Tags

Artisan Food, Australian Jerky, Beef Jerky, Elizabeth Hurley, Fast Food, Food Dehydrator, Griffin Jerky, Healthy Snack, Jerky, Local Businesses, Nightshade Free, Pasture Raised Jerky, Preservative Free Jerky, Snack

Griffin Jerky
(Image from here)

I’ve always been obsessed by beef jerky. (Elizabeth Hurley)

Do you know that if you had told me yesterday that I would have anything in common with Elizabeth Hurley, I would have laughed at you. And, then I find that, like me, she has always been a little obsessed by beef jerky. 

I’m not talking that processed stuff filled with preservatives and artificial colouring and a shelf life of a million years that you see at petrol (gas) stations. Rather, I’m talking about the jerky of old – pasture raised, ‘happy’ meat, free of any preservatives or nasties that has been naturally cured.

I’m kind of building up to trying my hand at making it…

According to the good people at Wikipedia, jerky can be defined as ‘lean meat that has been trimmed of fat, cut into strips, and then dried to prevent spoilage. Normally, this drying includes the addition of salt, to prevent bacteria from developing on the meat before sufficient moisture has been removed.’ So – it’s pretty healthy, given the protein level. But, it possibly should be given a wide berth if you have a problem with salt. I don’t. Have a problem with salt, that is. I also don’t have a dehydrator. Which is why I haven’t tried making my own yet.

Here is a dehydrator. Isn’t it pretty?
(Image from here)

Anyhoo – until I get around to making my very own jerky, I have found the next best thing. Griffin Jerky. Made right here, in New South Wales, Australia.

A relatively new operation, Griffin Jerky was started in July of last year by Brent Griffin.  Apparently, he and his girlfriend were on a bit of a road trip in the States. They stopped off at a farm in Colorado and tried some homemade Buffallo Jerky. Brent was inspired – and, he decided to give making his own a red-hot go when he arrived home. So glad he did.

Griffin Jerky
(Image from here)

Brent’s jerky is made from sustainably raised animals  – all grass fed, pasture raised, hormone & antibiotic free. His product is all gluten free and has no preservatives, added nitrites or nitrates, definitely no MSG. It’s made in small batches with all natural fresh ingredients. And, best of all, it tastes great! Really great.

If you live in Australia, you can order your Griffin Jerky online (here). It comes in a number of flavours and you can even get a nightshade-free version (that’d be the Classic’ – my favourite!). I’m warning you now – it’s very more-ish!

Christmas

Tags

Christmas, Holidays

(Image from here)

Christmas isn’t a season. It’s a feeling. (Edna Ferber)

The silly season is upon me in a big way, so this is my last post for the 2013. A huge ‘Cheers!’ to you for continuing to check in with me here at TSL HQ on such a regular basis. 

Wishing you a fab’ Chrissie…

See you in the new year!

My Salt isn’t as Pretty as Simon Johnson’s Salt…

Tags

Cooking, craft, food, Gail Simmons, Garlic, Garlic salt, Homemade, Homemade Christmas Present, Preserves, Salt, Sea salt, Simon Johnson

Garlic Salt à la TSL
(Image by TSL)

Dark chocolate, and salt and vinegar chips are my weakness – but not together. (Gail Simmons)

When I told you I had a toothache last week, I was understating things a little. Tooth issues can be nasty. So much so, that I don’t think we want to relive it. So we won’t.

What I will say is that when I was in the city having yet another dental appointment on Friday, LM and I happened upon Simon Johnson’s pop up at the MLC Centre. Apparently, its been there since October. Huh.

I love Simon Johnson’s.

For the uninitiated, the man himself (originally from across the ditch in New Zealand) is a serious food providore. He now has 8 Simon Johnson retail stores around the country –  all stocking some of Australia’s best ranges of imported and home-grown quality foods, sourced from over 80 producers internationally. His Woollahra store has the most divine cheese room AND the well-trained crew he has on board offer you a complimentary coffee when you step into the store. And, it is great coffee!

So, since the pop up shop was there, I had to have a browse. Two reasons for this, really. It would have been rude not to. And, when you can’t find Christmas presents for anyone on your list, the rule is you can buy something for yourself. Well, that’s my rule, anyway.

Time for a small segue – I’m making a few Christmas presents this year. One of the homemade items in my repertoire is flavoured salt. I’m actually getting a little obsessed with the whole idea. Have you tried it? It’s so good! Salt is a natural preservative and holds flavour incredibly well. It will extract the moisture from whatever ingredients you choose to add to it – say fresh herbs, citrus, garlic – and preserve the flavour. Those favours are then imparted into whatever dish you add the flavoured salt to. Genius!

At dinner parties I sit below the salt now. There are a lot of interesting people there. (Donald T. Regan)

I started with garlic salt. As with all things, the better your ingredients, the better your end product. So, I roasted some lovely organic garlic before squishing the meat out of each wee clove and then mashed them all up and mixed them with some Himalayan sea salt, before dehydrating the resulting mixture in a very low oven…

This is what mine looked like…

Garlic Salt (sans label) à la TSL
(Image by TSL)

Yep – it looks like plain, unadulterated Himalayan sea salt. BUT, it actually tastes fantastic – full of roasted garlic flavour. I have been adding it to all sorts of dishes with gay abandon and achieving great tasting results.

So, while I wasn’t wildly enthusiastic about my salt’s visual appeal, I was ok with that…

Until I saw this at Simon Johnson’s…

Falksalt Wild Garlic Salt Flakes
(Image from here)

For just $7.50 you can get this beautiful looking flaked salt with lovely speckles of wild garlic mixed throughout. SO much prettier than mine. And, that’s not all.

Check out these flavours.

Falksalt Smoked Salt Flakes
(Image from here)

Falksalt Rosemary Salt Flakes
(Image from here)

Falksalt Citron Salt Flakes
(Image from here)

Clearly, the presentation of my flavoured salt needs some work. I had to pick up some Ortiz anchovies and some Aphrodite halloumi to console myself (so perhaps that will go some way to make up for my disappointment!)

(Image from here)

(Image from here)

If you’re a foodie visiting Sydney, pop Simon Johnson’s Woollahra store onto your list. You can find it at 55 Queen Street, Woollahra, NSW, 2025. It’s open 7 days and chock-full of lots of wee goodies.

And, if you’re in the city, William at the MLC pop up store was most helpful when we visited!

The Balmain Boat Company Messes About With Boats

Tags

Arthur Ransome, Balmain Boat Company, Boating, Childrens Book, DIY, Do it yourself, Flat Pack Boat, How to be an awesome grandparent, Kenneth Grahame, Sailing, Swallows and Amazons, Wind in the Willows

The Classic Balmain Boat Company Rowboat at Watson’s Bay
(Original Image from here)

Better drowned than duffers, if not duffers won’t drown. (Arthur Ransome, Swallows and Amazons)

I’m feeling a little nostalgic today. It’s my Dad’s birthday and he’s on my mind…

When I was a child, Arthur Ransome’s Swallows and Amazons was one of my favourite books. His writing had the ability to transport me into all the action and adventure that the Walkers and the Blacketts experienced in their little sailing dinghies. I vividly remember wanting to be a member of Team Swallows so badly.

Mr Ransome wrote the book way back in 1929, so it’s a sign of his seriously good writing that I was still so engaged almost 50 years later. Just thinking about it makes me want to go back and read it again, to see if I can still feel that sense of escapism… Perhaps I will!

I was lucky enough to grow up in a boating family. Not all that surprising when you consider that the City of Sails was my home-town.

My Dad is still boating today. And, I know how much he appreciates messing about in boats. So, when I first found out about the wonderful Balmain Boat Company, it made me think of him.

The Pilot by Balmain Boat Company
(Original Image from here)

Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. (Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows)

The good people at Balmain Boat Company reckon anyone can build a boat. They create flat-packed, DIY rowing and sailing dinghies so that anyone who has a hankering to get out on the water, can do just that.

Founded by Nicole Still and Andrew Simpson, the awesome Balmain Boat Company  mission is “to make parents and grandparents look like legends.” Brilliant!

Purists can rest easy – the design of these beautiful wooden boats (no tinny’s here, thank you!) is a combination of yester-year rowboat (think Swallows and Amazons!) coupled with the clean lines, not to mention neat edges, of computer-led wood-cutting.

I think they are just lovely.

The Classic Balmain Boat Company Rowboat at Watson’s Bay
(Original Image from here)

And, you want to know what else?

You can even design your own figurehead for your Balmain Boat. All Balmain Boat Company boats come with a standard figurehead, inspired by the co-founders first built boats. Nicole’s figurehead is a Fairy Penguin, inspired by the world’s smallest penguins, which come to shore on Phillip Island here in Australia.  Andrew’s figurehead is the mythological flying seal.

Nicole and Andrew rightly feel that every boat has a story, and your boat should tell your story.  So, you can send them a photo of your family dog, your favourite animal or your lucky charm, and they’ll design a custom figurehead just for you. I think that’s inspired!

The Penguin Figurehead
(Original Image from here)

If you have a hankering to make your own Balmain Boat Company boat, you have a couple of options:

• If you live in Australia, the DIY boat kits can be dispatched from the Darlington, Sydney warehouse within 7-10 business days of ordering.
• If you live in the USA, the DIY boat kits can be dispatched from the Poland, Ohio warehouse within 7-10 business days of ordering.
• If you live anywhere else in the world, shipping charges are determined by order size and postcode. The company has shipped to Taiwan, the United Kingdom and New Zealand.

If you’d like to learn more about the very fab’ Balmain Boat Company (including how to have your boat built for you!), check out the website here.