My New Blog!

Ok, my last post was just a quick hello for 2012 but shortly after writing it I had an idea to start a new blog. I love The Daily Ritual but my intuition told me to start something new.

I would like to introduce to you "Kitchen Fairy" where I'll be posting on all things healthy, in the kitch', a little more creative, a little less restrictive. Just a new place that I hope you enjoy as much as me.

Picking up off my last 2012 post, I really went with the flow on this one- this theory works!

Much Love,

Ulyana
xx

Happy 2012!

Another number ticks the calendar over, telling us a new year has begun. Although it seems nothing has really changed... the sun still rises, the stars twinkle and the moon does her thing.

Right now there are millions of people starting diets they will not finish, attempt new exercise programs, and aim to build healthy habits which are unlikely to be integrated into their life. As well as a bunch of other "stuff". I hope if you have made these resolutions at least some of them happen for you!

This isn't mine lol

To me this year is about letting go of goals and seeing what may come without any expectation.

Happy 2012!

Love
Ulyana

Banana Caramel Pie: Vegan and mostly Raw

The only reason I know these pies exist is because my sister loved them so much in high school. The sickly sweetness never appealed to me but the flavour combination of caramel and banana did. Instead of the whipped cream, I topped it with coconut ice cream and left out the dairy, flour and white sugar. The result YUM.

Banana Caramel Pie with Coconut Ice Cream

Ingredients...

Crust...

1/4 cup finely ground oats or oat flour

1 cup walnuts 

1 cup sultanas

1/4 cup dried banana pieces 

1 tsp vanilla powder or extract

1. Break down all crust ingredients into a doughy consistency. As you can see from my picture, I've left the walnut pieces quite chunky. Walnut is a softer nut and it's quite nice to do it this way.

2. Put in the fridge for around 30 minutes to chill a touch, before moulding into mini tart tins or a pie dish (with removable bottoms). 

3. Leave in the fridge until ready to use.

Caramel filling...

1 cup cashews 

½ cup pitted fresh dates or about 8 Medjool dates

2 tbs mesquite powder 

3/4 cup water (or almond milk if you prefer)

1 tsp vanilla extract 

½ tsp psyllium husk (optional)

1/4 tsp salt

Sliced banana to layer, flavour and decorate...

1. In a high powered blender whizz the cashews, dates and the rest of the filling ingredients together until very smooth. The mixture will turn a beautiful caramel colour. If the consistency is too thick then add a little extra water.
2. Layer slices of fresh banana on the crusts and spoon caramel neatly into the tins/ dishes and place in the fridge to set for minimum 1 hour.
3. Layer slices of fresh banana on top of the caramel.

*The psyllium husk is to bind and thicken the caramel, making it very firm. Although not a necessity, it's great if you need to mop up excess fluid*

Coconut ice cream...
Entirely optional and if you leave it out they have significantly less kj's and fat and just as nice.

1 can of coconut cream
3 tbs maple syrup
1/4 tsp vanilla bean powder
1/4 tsp liquid vanilla extract
1/4 tsp powdered stevia (optional)
1/4 tsp salt

1. Mix all the ingredients up and put in your ice cream maker and spoon onto the pies!

Turn the coconut into cream by doing this...Coconut Whipped Cream (just add a pinch of sweetener)

Love
Ulyana...

Dolmades: stuffed vine leaves

A savoury appetizer ...

It only took one long conversation with my girlfriend, originally from the Greek Islands, to be inspired to make some dolmades will fresh vine leaves ;)

It turns out the process is very simple but it takes a while to roll each leaf. Also, you can use pickled grape vine leaves if fresh is not an option. As with many cultural dishes there are many variations, I've put my veggie inspired take on them. 


When using fresh vine leaves only use the young tender leaves at the tips of the branches. The older and larger ones are too fibrous and chewy.


To prepare/ blanch the leaves... 


First, rinse the leaves well in water and arrange grape leaves flat in a dish. Cover with boiling water that has 1/4 cup salt added to it, and let sit for 2 minutes. The colour should change to a brighter green. Drain then cover with cold water, let sit for 5 minutes, drain again. Dress with lemon juice and they are ready to use...


*The salt draws out any bitterness*

Filling 1: Herbs and lemon

1/2 cup white or brown rice (brown requires more boiling)

1/2 onion finely diced

2 cloves of garlic

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/4 cup raisins

3 tbs chopped parsley

3 tbs chopped mint

1 tsp chopped rosemary

lemon juice, salt, pepper

Filling 2: Sun dried tomato and artichoke

1/2 cup white or brown rice

1/2 cup marinated artichoke, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup sun dried tomato

1 tbs nutritional yeast

1/2 onion finely diced

2 cloves of garlic

Salt, pepper

1/4 cup tomato paste

Vegetable stock...
2 vegetable stock cubes 
4 bay leaves,
1 tsp black pepper corns
1 tsp mustard seed,
1 tbs olive oil 
salt 

Dressing...

1/2 cup lemon juice

2 tbs olive oil,

2 tbs fresh dill

salt, pepper

Method...

1. Boil the rice and sauté onion and garlic in olive or coconut oil. (Coconut oil has a more buttery consistency), half the mixture for both fillings.

2. Add the rice and rest of filling 1 and 2 separately, set aside.

3. Using 1 or 2 vine leaves, use 2 heaped teaspoons of mixture per dolmade, roll them neatly and place in a large saucepan that has been lined with vine leaves or cabbage on the bottom (to prevent burning). This is where I put the vegetable stock, bay leaves, pepper, mustard seed, olive oil and salt.

4. Use a plate to keep the dolmades under the water level and set on low heat to cook slowly for around 45- 50 minutes. Once cooked drain, set aside to cool, refrigerate then dress with the lemon juice dressing.

Love 
Ulyana...

A box of tomatoes...

I said yes to a box of tomatoes before I knew what to do with them.

So, I gave some away and included them in every meal.

Tomato went into everything- salad, salsa, sandwiches and soup.

On my Sunday afternoon I thought I must make something nice...

I sun-dried a batch (in the dehydrator).

Before...

After...

I experimented by combining roasted apple into a savoury tomato sauce that can be used with anything. I'm sure it's been done before but this is my recipe :))

Savoury Tomato and Roast Apple Sauce

The tangy sweetness compliments the tomato flavour. Roasting the onions, garlic, tomato, and apples intensifies their flavour and begins the infusion process. Can be used as a base for any tomato dish pizza, pasta, dips, and sauces.

Ingredients...

8 very ripe tomatoes, halved

2 apples core removed and halved, pink lady or red delicious (red in colour)

2 medium sized brown onion, halved

1 extra brown or white onion, finely diced

3 cloves of garlic

1 extra clove of garlic finely diced

3 tablespoons of tomato paste concentrate

3 bay leaves

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

1-3 cups of water 

Olive oil

Salt, pepper

Method...

1. Slow roast the tomatoes, onion, garlic, apples and a good sprinkle of salt and drizzle of olive oil (keeping aside the extra onion and garlic for later) in a moderate oven until the tomatoes are nicely brown and collapsed and he apples soft- it may take around 45 minutes. Let cool.

2. Cook the finely diced garlic and onion in a small amount of (3 tablespoons) olive oil until golden.

3. In a food processor pulse the roasted tomato, apple, onion, garlic until at the desired consistency. Quite nice chunky or smooth. 

4. Add the paprika, tomato paste then blended tomato and apple puree, the bay leaves and simmer on low heat. Add as much water as needed.

5. Test the taste and adjust accordingly. A little extra salt to balance the sweetness, extra olive oil, cracked pepper and if needed some lemon juice if needed.

All roasted and ready to go...

I preserved my batch, the colour is slightly more orange than other tomato sauces.

One word... YUM!

Love

Ulyana...

Summer ice fruit blocks, pops

When playing around with fruity ice it's best done in the morning. The light is fresh enough to take a decent picture and the temperature is still cool to avoid melting. Kids are so easily satisfied with a fruity ice block and they contain no added sugars or flavours.

Orange Mango flavour

You'll need...

Ice pop molds- I used these star shaped ones, you'd be surprised how few we have in the shops so I ordered online.

Fruit juice or puree- it's that simple!

Front and centre is Hibiscus infusion...

Add fruit juice to the ice pop holds and freeze overnight, they'll be ready in the morning. Make sure you do freeze for long enough...

Front and centre pineapple and lemon

Flavours to try...

Orange 

Pineapple

Mango

Lemon (will need to add some sweetness so combine it with a sweet, clear coloured fruit) 

All berries

Kiwi fruit

Lychee

Grape

Apple juice and the list goes on...

Fruit tea infusion option

The red coloured pop I made with a hibiscus tea infusion and used stevia as a sweetener. I also used a white tea infusion with vanilla citrus, sweetened with some apple juice it was also for a sophisticated palate. 

The moulds I used...



Have fun!

Love
Ulyana

Natural Fertility for Women

Natural fertility and women's health is my biggest interest and clinically, I focus on it the most. I see client's undergoing IVF (in vitro fertilisation), menstruation problems and natural fertility, women wanting to conceive or are wanting to stay in peek condition while they are pregnant. It is very positive and rewarding for both me and my client.

On the opposite note, not everyone is as lucky or as fertile as nature's ideal intention. Some women and men struggle in the area and it is in my opinion the struggle of a life time. Nothing is as heartbreaking to watch someone else's hopes crumble month after month. It's sad to watch someone else's tears fall.


I'm writing this as an eye opener that this is a big problem that is forcing many people to seek medical help to conceive. We all want children, there is nothing more natural than wanting to procreate but we need to be open to getting help when we need it both naturally and medically. I've focused more on what lifestyle habits you can cultivate to encourage optimum fertility, rather than discuss too many of the causative factors.


Also, a women's endocrine system is a complicated topic and her reasons for infertility vary as does the right treatment strategy. A healthy lifestyle approach may improve your condition but more specific treatment such as body work (acupuncture), herbal and nutritional supplementation may be needed.

Causes of Infertility

Age- After the age 32 the quality and quantity of a woman's eggs begin to decline.

Hormones- Conditions such as endometriosis, PCOS (Poly cystic ovarian syndrome), egg quality and quantity and immune system factors may need to be investigated medically. 

Smoking- Damaging to your cervix and fallopian tubes. Smoking also increases your risk of miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy. 

Weight- If you're overweight or significantly underweight, it may inhibit normal ovulation.

Sexual history- Sexually transmitted diseases like chlamydia and gonorrhoea can cause fallopian tube damage.

Alcohol and caffeine- Heavy drinking is associated with an increased risk of ovulation disorders and endometriosis. Caffeine is also a drug that is best kept to minimum- no more than 1 cup of coffee once or twice a week.

Drugs- Some medications interfere with a healthy pregnancy, check with your doctor. Recreational drugs don't support fertility.

This is a good article on infertility.

Fertility boosters

Eliminate toxins


Both in the environment and what you choose to wash, deodorise and pamper yourself with. Unnecessary chemicals and heavy metals can be absorbed and stored in your body, creating extra work for your liver to detoxify.


Why is the liver important to your fertility? Because it helps maintain hormonal balance within your body by metabolising the hormone after it's been used. If the liver doesn't remove these effectively then they can accumulate causing an imbalance such as oestrogen dominance. The body naturally produces metabolic waste, which also needs to be filtered. By keeping your environment pollutant free you create less work for the liver.


Chemical based deodorants, tap water, perfumes, toiletries, cleaning products, toothpaste, hair products, nail polish (don't worry, beautiful alternative nail polish Butter and Zoya are available), sanitary napkins, washing powders, insect repellent, dry cleaning chemicals, hair dye, electromagnetic radiation from TV's, computer screens- and the list goes on. Take a closer look at what you use that may be adding more chemicals to your life.

If it's not good for the water supply, it's unlikely to be good for you. Think eco-friendly when it comes to these products.


Rules of Nutrition


Aim for clean and organic, high vegetable and fruit, whole grains, plant-based essential fatty acids, nuts, seeds and lean protein sources. Raw foods such as salad, fresh juices and smoothies are great for overall health and increasing the antioxidants in your diet. 


Include broccoli and other vegetables from the cruciferous family like cabbage, cress, bok choy and kale. These are particularly good for detoxifying oestrogen-like chemicals found in some plastic products like water bottles. PBC's (Polychlorinated biphenyls), and BPA's (Bisphenol A) are common xenonestrogens that mimic oestrogen in the body, even though they differ chemically.





No agricultural pesticides, no genetically modified goods, no processed and "junk" food, canned fish, crustaceans, excessive dairy (hormone drugs used in farming practices), minimal red meat and no pork or excessive white sugar.


**A nutrient dense diet will encourage fertility. In cultures where the food is less processed, the fertility rates are higher.**


Exercise


Moving your body is as natural as feeding it. Stimulating the circulation, energy production, and waste elimination helps maintain a healthy body weight and the right muscle/ fat ratio. A healthy amount of fat is necessary for a woman's fertility, if she is too lean it affects the health of her endocrine system.

A daily cardiovascular based routine with weight- resistance 2 or 3 times a week is ideal. Too much weight training for a female body will affect the hormones and menstrual cycle. If you've ever seen a women's body building competition then you can see why an extreme physique does not promote fertility. Maintaining a good balance between strength, stamina, flexibility and weight is the ideal.


All core work is important for when you do carry a child, your body is strong in all the right places to support you and be fit for child birth. After the child is born you'll need to be even more fit!


Which brings me to mention how beneficial yoga is for all stages of preconception, conception and post birth body care. Integrating bodily awareness, breath control, core strength and flexibility will all help when it's time to give birth.


Stress


Stress affects your endocrine system. Here is a more comprehensive article explaining the link between stress and infertility.
Regular acupuncture treatment can reduce stress levels, amongst other benefits for improving fertility. Traditional Chinese Medicine has been used for centuries, particularly in women's health. This topic alone deserves a full article and there is a lot of information on the web, be choosy with what you read. Acupuncture in combination with IVF treatment is being researched and has been shown to increase  conception from 30% to 50%.

Get more sleep and learn to relax. Most of the women I see that need help with fertility tend to be the "nervy" type. Relaxation and proper sleep patterns allows your body a chance to heal and regenerate.


Supplements


Basic nutritional baseline for preconception care. Again more specific supplementation may be needed, so please see a good naturopath for more help.


B Complex including B12, iron and folic acid. 
Vitamin C- fresh fruit, citrus and leafy vegetables and/ or supplement with a buffered form of vitamin C. 
Vitamin D- first by getting enough sunshine then supplementing if needed. 
Omega 3 fact acids- flaxseed oil and chia seed
Zinc and mineral complex


Love
Ulyana...