Natural Nutrition with Stephanie Pech

Mum is the best and breakfast in bed is a time-honoured tradition on mum’s designated day of rest and relaxation. What could be better than sleeping in a little late and having breakfast served to you by your favourite people? 

Kids love to prepare something special for mum, and mums love the thoughtful gesture - although sometimes the meals kids choose might not be the healthiest or too complicated for their kitchen skills, no matter how much help they get from dad! So here are some easy recipes that even the smallest hands can help with or do themselves.

Fluffylicious pancake love

Now who could possibly resist a generous, fluffy pancake? This recipe is so easy and does not take much knowledge or effort at all. Let the kids get busy choosing and setting out a variety of toppings. Blueberries, bananas and coconut butter are some of my favourites and ones that my mother never complained about. 

Ingredients
2 large ripe bananas
3 eggs
2 tsp. milled flaxseed (I used Linwoods nut mix)
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
Pinch of vanilla extract
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of salt

Method
Blend all the ingredients in a high speed blender such as JTC OmniBlend for about 60 seconds, or until you have a perfectly smooth batter. In a frying pan, heat 1-2 tsp coconut oil. Once the oil starts to shimmer, pour in the batter to make 2.5” cakes. Allow the cakes to cook in the pan until golden brown before flipping it over (you’ll see bubbles pop up when they are ready to flip). Continue cooking the rest of the cakes, adding a little more cooking fat to the pan before each new set of pancakes. Serve warm with fresh organic berries, banana slices and coconut butter (CocoYogo Cacoa Coconut butter tastes heavenly).

Sunrise Chocolate Smoothie

Ingredients
1 handful of organic kale
1 frozen banana
2 tsp raw cacao
2 cups almond 
1 tsp almond butter
1 scoop chocolate protein powder (I recommend plant based powders like Sunwarrior, Vega One or Lean 95)

Method
Blend all the above ingredients in a blender such as JTC OmniBlend for 30 seconds or until you have a smooth consistency. Serve in a tall glass and top with cacao powder and cacao nibs and don’t forget to stick a nice colourful straw in. She’ll love it!

Prosciutto wrapped mini frittata muffins

Well if daddy isn’t around and nobody else can help the kids, I suggest you bake these mini fritatta muffins a day in advance and have the kids serve in the morning with your favourite cup of coffee. 

Ingredients (makes 12 muffins)
4 tablespoons fat (best coconut oil or ghee)
½ medium onion, finely diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
½ pound of mushrooms, thinly sliced
½ pound frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
8 large organic free range eggs
¼ cup coconut milk (the fatty stuff at the top of the can works best)
2 tablespoons of coconut flour 
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved
5 ounces of Prosciutto di Parma
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
A regular 12 cup muffin tin

Method
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Heat a large pan and add half the coconut oil, sautéed the onions until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook until the mushroom moisture has evaporated. Seasoned with salt and pepper and set it aside.
For the batter, beat the eggs in a large bowl with coconut milk, coconut flour, salt, and pepper until well-mixed. Add the sautéed mushrooms, spinach and stir to combine. Brush the remainder of the melted coconut oil onto the muffin tin and line each cup with prosciutto, making sure you cover the bottom and sides completely. Spoon in the frittata batter and top them with cherry tomatoes. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked to your liking.

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and getting restaurant reservations is a task that can be seriously tricky and also rather expensive. So why not opt for a cosy evening in and a home cooked dinner? I know what you are thinking right now... No, you don’t have to worry about what to cook. Just follow my easy recipes and a tasty loved up evening is guaranteed.

These three dishes are perfect to prepare in advance so you only have to do minimal work on the actual day and I can assure you that there will be plenty of time to cuddle up and just simply enjoy the food and each other’s company.

Starter

Smoked tomato soup

Ingredients
4 pounds plum tomatoes, halved, seeded, divided
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large leek, white and pale-green parts only, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh horseradish or prepared horseradish
1 ½cups low-sodium chicken broth
5 tablespoons unsalted grassfed butter, room temperature
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
Thinly sliced basil
Special Equipment: ½ cup hickory, pecan, or applewood chips (available at ACE Hardware)

Instruction
1. Scatter wood chips in a medium cast iron skillet and heat over high until chips begin to smoke (about 5 minutes). Cut a 24” sheet of heavy-duty foil and fold in half to make a large square. Fold in half twice more to make a small, thick square. Carefully place over chips and set 5 tomato halves, cut sides up, on top; remove skillet from heat. Cover with foil and top with another medium skillet. Let tomatoes sit until barely softened and smoky (5-8 minutes). Transfer tomatoes to a plate and let cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, chop remaining tomatoes. Heat oil in a large pot over medium and cook onion and leek, stirring occasionally, until tender but not yet taking on any colour (8-10 minutes). Stir in garlic, bay leaves, coriander seeds, and horseradish and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant (about 2 minutes). Add chopped tomatoes and broth, increase heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover pot, and simmer until tomatoes are soft (35-45 minutes). Let cool slightly; discard bay leaves.
3. Working in batches if needed, blend tomato mixture, smoked tomatoes, and butter in a high speed blender until smooth. Strain soup through a medium-mesh sieve into a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or room temperature topped with basil.

Main course

Paleo sweet potato lasagna

Ingredients
2 sweet potatoes, sliced ¼ inch thick lengthwise
4 zucchinis, sliced ¼ inch lengthwise
1 ½ lbs grass fed ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup tomato purée
2 tbsp coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil + extra for brushing
1 tbsp dried oregano OR fresh, chopped
Pinch of sea salt; Pinch of fresh cracked pepper
1 tsp garlic powder (optional)
Parsnip layer
1 lb parsnips, peeled & sliced
1 tbsp coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup coconut milk
Pinch of sea salt
Dash of paprika

Instruction
1. Boil parsnips until soft and ready to mash (approx. 30 minutes).
2. Preheat oven to 200C.
3. Heat the coconut/olive oil and sauté the garlic over medium-low heat. Add the onions and sauté for 3-4 min before adding the ground beef. Allow to cook for another 8-10 minutes. Once cooked drain excess fat (if any).
4. Add the tomato purée and cook for another 10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, oregano.
5. Brush the bottom of a large (9 x 13) baking dish with some coconut or olive oil.
6. Arrange a dense/overlapping layer of potato slices in the dish and brush with more oil and lightly season with salt, pepper & garlic (optional). Add the ground beef mixture and spread over the potatoes.
7. Brush the zucchini slices with coconut/olive oil and arrange over ground beef. Season the zucchini lightly with salt, pepper & garlic (optional).
8. Drain the parsnips and heat the coconut/olive oil.
9. Sauté the garlic for a few minutes on medium low heat & add the parsnips. Add the coconut milk, salt & pepper and mash or put in high speed food blender to puree.
10. Layer the parsnip purée over the lasagna and season with paprika.
11. Bake for 45 minutes or until cooked to your liking.
Optional sprinkle with fresh mozzarella cheese.
 
Dessert

Love mousse

Ingredients
Vanilla layer
1 cup cashews (soaked for at least 10 min)
¾ cup coconut milk
¼ cup coconut oil
1 tbs. coconut sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Chocolate layer
½ cup coconut oil
1 tbs. raw cacao powder
1 tbs. coconut sugar
½ tsp. vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Extra toppings
Punnet of strawberries or your favourite fruit

Start with the Vanilla layer
1. In a food processor or high power blender such as JTC OmniBlend whiz the cashew, coconut milk and coconut oil until smooth.
2. Add the vanilla extract and coconut sugar and whiz till well combined.
3. Taste test!
4. Get 4 cute jars or glass bowls and pour or spoon in the first layer of vanilla mousse.
5. Place these jars into the fridge.
6. Place the vanilla filling aside.
 
Chocolate layer
1. Place all the ingredients in to the food processor.
2. Whiz until super smooth. The friction from the blending with allow the chocolate to melt and combine together.
3. Get your jars out of the fridge and pour or spoon in the first chocolate layer.
4. Place back in to the fridge for a couple minutes to allow the chocolate to firm up a little.
5. Continue this method with alternating layers of choc and vanilla until you have used all the mixture.
6. Top with chopped strawberries, if your jars are too small, serve the strawberries on the side.
7. Place the jars in to the fridge for at least an hour or prepare the day before and leave overnight.
8. Take out of the fridge at least 20 mins before serving as the chocolate - layer may be a little hard otherwise.

It’s that time of the year where most of us want to get back on the health wagon again and perhaps lose a few pounds from all that Christmas feasting and the fun that we had over the holidays! If your goal is to lose weight but you still fancy a sweet treat, than try out my healthier dessert versions. All of them are raw, dairy-free and of course refined sugar-free but full of natural flavours and therefore are a much better choice than your average conventional chocolate bar that you may crave. I hope you like them as much as I do. Happy munchin’!

PS: Don’t go nuts and do not forget that these are just healthier alternatives. Ultimately, sugar is sugar, regardless of where it comes from.

Raw snickers bars

Ingredients: (8 bars)
 
Chocolate base
¼ cup (55g) coconut oil melted
? cup (40g) raw cacao powder
2 tbsp (30ml) honey or maple syrup
1 tbsp maca powder
1.5 tbsp raw cacao butter
Nougat layer
½ cup (120g) super smooth raw cashew butter
¼ cup (60g) coconut butter (not oil!)
2 tbsp molasses
½ tsp vanilla extract

Caramel Layer
¾ cup (130g) pitted Medjool dates
¼ cup (60g) smooth roasted cashew butter
2 tbsp coconut oil melted
1- 2 tbsp lukewarm water
Pinch of Himalayan rock salt

Topping
¼ cup (30g) roasted salted or unsalted 
cashew nuts

Instructions

1. Base - Place cacao butter and coconut oil in a jug. Place jug in a large bowl of boiling water and leave to melt slowly, whisking occasionally. Once fully melted, whisk in cacao and maca powder.
2. Pour mixture into a lined 6-inch square tin - ideally loose bottom. Place in the freezer to set for 30 to 60 minutes.
3. Nougat - Place all raw cashew butter and coconut butter into a large jug. Like with the chocolate, leave it to sit until the coconut butter has melted. Whisk in honey/maple and vanilla extract. Be sure the chocolate is set, quickly pour over the nougat and return to the freezer with haste; you don’t want the base to melt! Leave to set for at least 30 minutes.
4. Caramel Topping - Blend dates, salt and roasted cashew butter to a smooth paste in a high speed blender. Add in melted coconut oil and blend to combine. (It will look like it won't combine…be patient and add in 1 tbsp 
5. of water).
6. Blend again until smooth. Add another tablespoon of water if necessary to create a smooth thick caramel consistency. You want to get a spreadable creamy consistency. Spread caramel over the nougat base once it has set. Roughly chop roasted cashews and sprinkle over the top, pressing them lightly in to the caramel. Return to the freezer and allow to set for about one hour before slicing into snack sized bars. Store in the fridge for up to two weeks in a air tight container or the freezer for up to one month.

Very berry

Ingredients: (8-12 balls)
10 Medjool dates (soaked in hot water for 
2 hours)
1 cup of unsweetened natural coconut flakes
1 cup raw almonds
1 cup raw walnuts
½ tsp. vanilla bean powder
1 pinch cinnamon
1 pinch of Himalayan rock salt
Freeze dried raspberries 

Instructions
Put all ingredients (except the dried raspberries) into a high speed blender and process until your mixture bundles up together into a tightly formed dough. Pull apart and roll into small truffle sized balls. Roll balls in dried raspberry and pop in the fridge or freezer for about an hour. Keep in fridge for about 14 days or freezer for up to a month.

I really love cooking! Especially when I have healthy nutritious organic ingredients. Somehow it relaxes me and being creative in the kitchen is definitely a good way for me to just switch off and enjoy an evening at home after a busy day. I got myself a nice new toy, a slow cooker, and I have been playing around with a few different recipes. Every year, around this time I always miss home, Berlin Germany, the most. My mother would make all these really tasty, heartwarming fall dishes that you can just serve in a nice little bowl and eat, sitting on the floor, in front of the fire place. My mum’s cooking tastes amazing of course. However, it unfortunately may not always be the healthiest food. I tried some of her tasty dishes in my new slow cooker and made them more nutritious and healthy. I hope you like them as much as I do.

Overnight cinnamon apple oatmeal

4 Servings

Ingredients
2 large organic apples (best are Juliet), chopped into cubes
1½ cups dairy free milk (almond, coconut or rice milk)
1½ cups water
1 cup organic rye oats or gluten free oats
2 tablespoons organic coconut oil
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon baobab
1 tablespoon chia seeds
2 tablespoons milled/ground flaxseed
pinch sea salt
2 scoops plant based cinnamon protein powder, Lean95 (optional)

Optional Toppings
¼ cup organic goji berries
¼ cup chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans)

Method
In a large bowl, mix chopped apples, milk, water, oats, coconut oil, and flaxseed and combine well. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours (overnight). Stir in pinch of sea salt into the oatmeal just before serving.
Serve in a bowl and add 2 teaspoon of goji berries and chopped raw nuts.

Slow cooker pineapple chicken

4 Servings

Ingredients
500g organic chicken breasts
1 fresh organic pineapple
1 medium organic onion
2 tbsp organic low sodium soy sauce
½ cup organic chicken broth

Method
Chop onion and place in slow cooker and put the chicken breast on top of the onion.
Chop pineapple into small chunks and pour over the chicken. In a small bowl mix soy sauce and chicken broth and pour mixture over everything you already have in your slow cooker. Cover and cook on High in the slow cooker for 4-5 hours.
Serve with a side of Quinoa and veggies.

Thai chicken & coconut stew

4 Servings

Ingredients
2 cans unsweetened organic coconut milk
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh organic ginger
2 tablespoons green curry paste
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Asian organic fish sauce
500g boneless, skinless organic chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
1 medium red organic onion, thinly sliced
1 large organic sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½” dice
2 heads organic bok choy, roughly chopped
1 cup organic grape tomatoes, halved
1 lime
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Organic Cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Lime wedges, for garnish
Cooked organic quinoa

Method
In a slow cooker, combine coconut milk, ginger, green curry paste, and fish sauce. Add chicken thighs, onions, sweet potato, and bok choy, and stir to coat. Cover and cook on Low for 3½ hours, or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken from slow cooker and roughly shred. Return chicken to slow cooker, add in grape tomatoes, stir, and cook an additional 30-60 minutes. Skim fat from surface of sauce in slow cooker and then stir in lime juice. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Divide quinoa among 6 bowls. Pour stew over quinoa and garnish with cilantro and lime wedge. Serve immediately.

Steph’s Superfood Energy Bars will help you fight off the mid-day slump! The combination of protein, fibre and antioxidants will stabilise your blood sugar and rev up your energy for hours. Petite and portable, they contain all-natural ingredients and therefore they are the perfect fuel for on-the-go munching. Store-bought muesli bars usually contain lots of sugar and other unpronounceable preservatives. So why not make your own?

Raw Superfood and Seed Energy Bars

Ingredients
(Makes around 10 bars)
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup dried shredded coconut
½ cup sesame seeds
½ cup sunflower seeds
4 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp bee pollen (optional)
10 fresh soft medjool 
dates, pitted
3 tbsp coconut oil, room temperature
4 tbsp raw cacao powder
1 whole vanilla bean, cut into pieces (including the pod) or 1 teaspoon 
vanilla extract

Method
1. Add the dates into the food processor and run the processor for 30 seconds until the mixture is smooth, it should look like a paste. You might have to help out by stirring around a few times with a fork or add a dash of water.

2. Pour the date paste into a large bowl and start adding all your seeds and dry ingredients to the paste and stir until well combined (I used my hands to really get the mixture well combined!). Add coconut oil as needed until you have a cake-like batter. Press the mixture evenly into a 11 x 7-inch baking dish, make sure it becomes quite compact. Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Cut into bars. Wrap them in paper and store in an air-tight container, which you can keep around a week in the fridge.

Apple Cinnamon Energy Balls

Ingredients
1½ cups chopped dried apple
10 soft medjool dates, pitted
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp cinnamon
½ cup toasted pecans

Method
1. Add the dates into the food processor and run the processor for 30 seconds until the mixture is smooth, it should look like a paste. You might have to help out by stirring around a few times with a fork or add a dash of water. Slowly add the dried apples and blend until the apples have broken down into very small pieces and the mixture becomes batter-like consistency.
2. Add the nutmeg, cinnamon and toasted pecans and continue to blend until the pecans reach your desired size.
3. Once blended, scoop out tablespoon sized amounts of the mixture and roll into balls, depending on the stickiness you can wet your hands a touch to make the balls easier to roll.
4. Store the balls in the fridge in a sealed container for a few hours. You can keep them approximately a week when kept in the fridge or over a month in the freezer.
 
Pumpkin Seeds - Pumpkin seeds are an incredible source of iron and are an excellent source of essential fatty acids that promote good prostaglandin production. They are also super high in zinc and are used as a popular nutritional treatment for prostate problems.

Sesame Seeds - Sesame seeds are one of the highest plant-based sources of calcium and iron. They contain both essential and non-essential amino acids.

Chia Seeds - Chia seeds were once used by Aztec warriors as an energy booster and are an incredible source of plant-based omega 3 fatty acids and protein. They are also a great source of soluble fibre, which makes them promote a clean digestive tract and regular bowel movements. Awesome!

Bee Pollen - A true superfood, bee pollen contains all of the essential components of life and is a complete protein. It is considered an energy and nutritive tonic in Chinese medicine. Cultures throughout the world use it in a number of applications, including extending longevity, improving endurance and vitality, aiding recovery from chronic illness, and antibiotic treatments.

Raw Cacao Powder - Unlike processed dark chocolate, the antioxidants in raw chocolate are completely preserved. Out of all the foods that contain antioxidants, raw cacao is the highest in the world. It is also the highest food source of magnesium.

Unrefined raw coconut oil - is one of the best fats you can consume. It is a saturated fat that is so nourishing to every cell in your body and even has powerful anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal properties.

Medjool Dates - These delicious fruits are beyond perfect in every way. They are an incredible source of potassium and are loaded with dietary fibre. Dates are natural energy boosters and they can be used in many treats to replace refined sugar. Might I add that they taste like caramel. Oh, I love dates!

Green goodness

1 handful of spinach
1 handful of kale
1 cup frozen mango
1 handful mint
1 small cucumber
½ kiwi fruit
2 cup unsweetened almond milk
pinch of cinnamon
ice
Blend in a high speed blender

Breakfast lover

1 handful baby spinach
1 handful kale
1 banana
1 tsp  Manuka Honey
1 tsp Chia Seeds
1 scoop Rice Protein
3 cups filtered water
Blend in a high speed blender

Chocolate lover

1 frozen banana
2 cups cold unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp raw unsweetened cacao powder
1 tsp raw unsweetened carob powder
1 tsp Baobab
Pinch of cinnamon
ice 
Blend in a high speed blender

Beet and berry smoothie

1 medium beet, steamed, roasted, or raw (if you don’t have a high speed blender, use steamed or roasted)
1 cup fresh or frozen mixed berries
½ cup fresh orange, sectioned
¾ cup homemade almond milk or ¾ cup commercial almond milk and 1 tbsp hempseed
Blend in a high speed blender

Optional: add 1 scoop of plant based protein powder for a protein boost and if used as a breakfast

I love blending and it’s no secret as you may have seen on my Instagram @Stephanie.pech!

I like to blend my smoothies super thick so I can eat them with a spoon and “chew” them, as it allows the digestive enzymes in my mouth to pre-initiate digestion and make me fuller, faster.

Very often, I spend at least 20-35 minutes reading emails or articles while I eat my breakfast. I find a thick smoothie makes me feel as full as if I’d eaten bacon and eggs and they are so much easier to prepare!

Blending doesn’t spike your blood sugar as much as juicing does and fibre is one great way to lower the glycaemic index of a food, juicing eliminates just about every shred of fibre, while blending does not.

Blending allows you to easily consume superfood cocktails. Let’s face it: superfoods like chlorella, maca, spirulina, cacao, goji berries, chia seeds, flax seeds and protein powder are hard to eat with your hands out of a zip lock bag. Dumping these kind of things into a blended smoothie makes it far easier to deliver boatloads of nutrients to your body. They are also the perfect post-workout meal or snack.

Stephanie is a Holistic Nutrition and Metabolic Balance Coach. Visit www.naturalnutritiondubai.com. Follow her on Instagram @Stephanie.Pech.