Yummy Yong Green Food

It’s not often that you find a place to eat where the food really nourishes you. Where you know that care has been taken not just to feed you and take your money, but to really think about what goes into the dishes, and how they affect your health. Yong Green food uses organic produce from local suppliers wherever possible, donates to charity, offsets carbon emissions and uses only filtered water. 

Stir-fried Rice with Kimchi

Their menu is varied and includes everything from light raw options to hearty hot pots and curry. It is predominantly vegan and gluten free, as well as offering meals without onion and garlic.

Given the quality of food, the prices are reasonable, the atmosphere is bustling and vibrant, and the staff is friendly and efficient. 

Brown Rice Tea

My favourite meal, which I return to time after time, is the vegan, gluten free Macro Dragon Bowl. It consists of biodynamic brown rice, leafy greens and other vegetables, tempeh, seaweed and probiotic lemon tahini sauce (the ideal topping). It is served with housemade chickpea miso soup and is so healthy and satisfying that I love it even more every time I eat it. 

Macro Dragon Bowl

Also high on my list of favourites, and good to share, is the raw cheese platter. The herbed garlic cashew cheese is creamy and delicious, and goes perfectly with the nut bread, tamari almonds, olives and balsamic figs. Need I say more! 

Raw Cheese Platter

Well, I will say one more thing; if you want to really treat yourself, don’t go past the caramel slice. How can this raw, organic, vegan, gluten free treat be so utterly amazing? There must be a magic fairy living in the kitchen is all I can say.

Caramel Slice

May you be full of Yong’s beans,

Carla.

Catering for dietary restrictions at kids’ parties: 10 hot tips.

A dairy, soy, gluten and sugar-free "ice-cream cake" replacement.

One of the hardest times for a child with allergies, intolerances or other dietary restrictions has to be party time. More than anything else, a party is judged from a child’s perspective by the sheer amount of cake, lollies and other goodies that can be devoured before you feel sick. Of course, as food sensitivities become more common, many parents kindly provide some allergy friendly alternatives, but this can’t be relied upon. And simply turning up and hoping for the best isn’t really a viable idea, unless you want to run the risk of your child leaving the party hungry and upset. To make parties more fun for everyone, I’ve compiled a few tips to help your child enjoy their friends’ celebrations without feeling left out or ill.

1. ·      The first thing I do when I receive an invitation is always to contact the party parent and ask what food is being provided. Is it home made or from packets? What are the ingredients? If food is being catered, call the relevant organisation and ask them the same questions. You might think you’ll be perceived as a pain, but I have always found people to be very understanding. You aren’t asking them to change anything, just to let you know what your child can eat, so that you can plan ahead. Once they know your child’s needs though, they may even be more mindful in their catering and include some allergy friendly options.
2. ·      Now that you know what party food they can eat, you know how much of a gap there is to fill. You can’t be expected to recreate the menu exactly, but often there are a few simple and common party foods that can easily be made allergy friendly and/or healthier. For example, fairy bread is never in my experience dairy and soy free. Apart from the butter, the bread will almost always have dairy or soy in it. So I often make my own version for Ethan, which looks the same but wont make him sick. Even better, I get to use my lovely Hoppers hundreds and thousands that are made without artificial colours and flavours. The more similar you can make the replacements to the original, the less left out and different your child will feel. Hence, the importance of asking what’s on the menu and planning ahead.
3. ·      Sometimes other children will have similar food requirements and you can take it in turns with their parents to make supplementary party food. This is not always the case, but if your child does happen to have a classmate with allergies it might be worth teaming up with their parents. If nothing else, it’s always beneficial to have another person in a similar situation to bounce ideas off.
4. ·      Allergies or not, it’s always helpful to fill your child up with a healthy meal before they go to a party. That way there’s less desperation involved when the food comes out. And importantly, they will be more able to control themselves around foods they aren’t allowed to eat.
5. ·      For younger children, it’s a good idea to be present when food is being eaten. That way you can do any last minute packet checking, give them their replacements, steer them clear of foods they can’t have and remind them of any other limits you’ve put in place. As they get older of course they will have to learn to make sensible choices without you, but when they are young, they will need some adult guidance. If you can’t be there, perhaps ask another adult to supervise who will be able to make sure they choose wisely.
6. ·      Cake is rarely free of the major allergens such as gluten and dairy, but may well be fine if the problem food isn’t a common cake ingredient (such as nuts). Asking, as always, is the key. I always make sure I bring my own allergy friendly cake, because that’s one part of the party kids really don’t want to miss out on. I make a big cake, chop it up, and freeze individually wrapped pieces until I need them. This is an awesome time saver.
7. ·      Tell your child before the party what they can have so there’s no uncertainty or upset at the time. I always spell out exactly not just what they will be allowed, but how much. Just because the marshmallows don’t have dairy and soy doesn’t mean I’ll let Ethan eat the whole bowl! Then let them know what replacements you have brought so they know what to expect and that there are options for them.
8. ·      Party bags are usually full of lollies, many of which are out of packets, thus providing no list of ingredients. What I tend to do is bring a few little toys and maybe one acceptable food item to replace the party bag lollies. I ask the parents for the bag during the party and do any necessary swapping whist they’re playing. That way the bag looks the same, but the contents are different (unless of course you have an enlightened parent who has only put toys in the bag).
9. ·      When it’s your child’s party it’s nice to make sure you cater for others dietary needs too, as what goes a round comes around. Also, it’s really lovely to see kids who are not used to being provided for be able to eat the same as everyone else. Not to mention what a lovely break it is for their parents not to have to worry about what their children are eating.
10. ·      Although allergies and intolerances can be annoying, sometimes it actually helps our children to be healthier. It means we do have to look at ingredients and consider what our kids are eating, rather than just assuming they can have a free for all of refined junk every time there’s a party. Children need to be educated about food, and this includes party food. Yes it’s ok to have treats every now and again, but these are not everyday foods and there are limits. And when party food makes Ethan bounce off the walls I point this out to him, because I want him to make the connection between what you eat and how you feel. It’s not something you’ll find in a pass-the-parcel, but knowledge about food and its affect on your mind and body is one of the most important gifts you can give your child.

Ethan’s Healthy Blog Post: a 6 year olds views on food.

When I told my son Ethan that I was writing a blog he wanted to know if he could write something too (well I think he meant dictate to me as he can’t write yet). So I thought why not? The views on food and health from a 6 year old could be entertaining and perhaps even enlightening. So here goes.

Me: What’s your favourite food?

Ethan: Lollies.

Me: What do you like about them?

Ethan: They’re sweet.

Me: Are lollies healthy?

Ethan: No.

Me: Do you know why lollies aren’t healthy?

Ethan: ‘Coz they can feed bad bugs that you’ve got and then it wont be healthy and the bad bugs will kill the good bugs and you’ll feel sick and your tummy will hurt.

Me: What’s your favourite healthy food?

Ethan: Corn.

Me: Do you know why vegetables are good for you?

Ethan: To make me big and strong.

Me: What foods can’t you eat?

Ethan: You can’t eat too many lollies or too much of anything. And dairy and soy can make me feel sick.

Me: Do you know why you can’t eat them?

Ethan: Coz you’ll feel sick. And if you eat too much sugar and you’re standing on the edge of a canyon and you go all silly and then you fall down and die.

Me: How do you feel about this?

Ethan: Not good. Coz I love that stuff.

Me: Do you think lots of other people have foods they can’t eat too?

Ethan: Yes I do, I think 9000 hundred trillion cazillion and 97 people in the world I think have got allergies.

Me: How do you know if something has dairy or soy in it?

Ethan: You have to read the ingredients.

Me: Is there anything else you want to say about being healthy.

Ethan: Well, if you’re healthy then you focus more, you’re stronger, you can run faster, you’re healthier, and last of all you can jump higher. You need to do lots of exercise and stay fit to be healthy. And you need to brush your teeth a lot to keep your teeth healthy. You have to eat greens and veges to be healthy. If something’s green and its food its good for you. If you eat greens you’re as healthy as pie (that’s just a joke). And carrots are good for your eyesight so then you can see in the dark. If you’re healthy you’ll live for longer so you can do more stuff, and if you’re tackling somebody then you will probably win if you’ve had more vegetables than them.

Me: Thanks Ethan, that's great.

Ethan has also taken a keen interest in my Instagram account, and has posted the following photos, of which he is very proud:

 Paddington Bear eating a chocolate coated strawberry

 Ethan strawberries maze.
When I asked him who was going to walk through the maze, he replied "my teeth".

Ethan's fruit display. He spent a long time rearranging our fruit bowl to create this lovely photo.

May you be full of beans,

Carla and Ethan.

Cooking with Coconut – Part 3 of My Journey into the World of the Coconut.

Coconut-filled Peppermint Bounty Bites (recipe below)

So by now you all know I love coconuts. In my last post I gave you lots of information about why I think coconut oil in particular is super-healthy. The most logical question now is, how do you incorporate coconut into your diet? The answer is, easily. I love the fact that I can get coconut into my diet in so many different ways. The simplest way to use coconut oil (also known as coconut butter) is to use it instead of any other oils you currently use, and even as a replacement for butter or margarine in baking.

I use coconut oil in all my cooking, from stir-fries to muffins. At first I couldn't get my head around using it with foods that I didn't associate with a coconut flavour. I was fine with curries and many Asian style dishes, but thought the idea of something like Italian food cooked in coconut oil was just plain weird. Now that I'm so used to it I cook everything in coconut oil, even eggs and tomato based dishes. Partly it's because I'm used to the taste, but it helps that I use a good quality, fairly mild tasting, oil (Loving Earth brand to be specific).

One of the best things about coconut oil is that it can be heated to fairly high temperatures without becoming oxidized like most other oils. In contrast, most unsaturated oils are best eaten unheated. Many of you are probably wondering how to retain the lovely taste of olive oil in foods like pasta. Surely coconut oil wouldn’t live up to your culinary expectations in this situation? My suggestion would be to try cooking the sauce ingredients with coconut oil (or without any oil if you prefer), and then drizzle some olive oil over the top just before serving. I’m salivating at the thought.

As much as I love coconut oil, it’s only the beginning of where the mighty coconut can take you in the kitchen. I also incorporate coconut milk and coconut cream into my diet on a regular basis. Just to clarify, coconut milk and cream are made from the meat (white part) of the coconut. Coconut water on the other hand is the liquid found inside the centre of the coconut, and is often sold as a drink. I use the milk and cream in place of regular milk in pretty much all my cooking. Be it pancakes, porridge, biscuits, cakes, muffins, chocolate or curries, coconut milk and cream work beautifully. From a cost perspective I suggest buying coconut cream and watering it down to make coconut milk, as that's all coconut milk really is anyway.

There are a couple of considerations to take into account when buying coconut cream or coconut milk. Firstly, most products have an emulsifier in them, which basically means that the liquid and the thicker part are combined so that it has a smooth consistency. This is convenient if its winter (when the oil hardens) and you want to be able to pour it easily. For the purists it’s less ‘natural’, but I’ll leave that judgment up to you. It is also useful to note that cans usually contain BPA (you know, the chemical nasty that we’ve all become aware of in many plastic containers and bottles). So ideally choose a can that is labeled BPA-free, although this can be hard to come by.

Unlike the ease with which coconut milk can replace cows milk, coconut flour cannot be used as a 1:1substitute with normal flour. It is much heavier and lacks gluten, which affects it's consistency when cooked. Gluten-free baking is an art and usually works best when a variety of flours are used. There are some exceptions, but they take a lot of trial and error to discover, so I strongly recommend following recipes at first until you get the hang of it. When it’s done well, coconut flour creations can be delicious, and much healthier than the usual refined wheat products most people eat regularly, so it’s worth a bit of experimentation.

Now what about coconut sugar and coconut nectar/syrup? I'm afraid my rave reviews of coconut products don't quite reach this far. Coconut sugar, also known as coconut palm sugar (which is not the same as regular palm sugar), comes from the sap of the coconut palm flowers, and can be used in place of regular sugar. The syrup is really just a liquid version of coconut sugar and can be used in the same way you would use honey or maple syrup. In terms of its health benefits, it is far richer in vitamins and minerals than many other sweeteners. But that's where the benefits end, I’m sorry to say. Although it has been claimed that coconut sugar has a low GI, this is a hotly debated issue. The biggest problem though is it's fructose content (this discussion is another whole blog post, but suffice to say that too much fructose is really not good for you). Coconut sugar is made up of predominantly sucrose, like normal sugar, which is an equal combination of fructose and glucose. So although it's not as high in fructose as some other sweeteners, it's still in the 'enjoy sparingly' category.

Last but not least is desiccated coconut, the grated and dried coconut flesh that we all know and love from Bounty bars. It is also a fabulous ingredient in many recipes, but is particularly yummy in sweet treats. In fact, I’m going to share my Peppermint Bounty Bites recipe with you right now. Enjoy.

Peppermint Bounty Bites

Makes 15-20.

Suitable for:

Gluten free, grain free, dairy free, soy free, sugar free, low fructose, egg free, nut free, vegetarian, vegan and raw.

Conscious Content for chocolate

¾ cup raw cacao

3 teaspoons vanilla essence*

6 tablespoons coconut oil

6 tablespoons coconut cream

1/3- 1/2 cup Norbu or xylitol (depending how sweet you like it)

3 tablespoons of boiling water

8 drops stevia

Conscious Content for coconut filling

1 ½ cups desiccated coconut

¾ cup coconut cream

3 tablespoons coconut oil

1 teaspoon peppermint essence*

1 teaspoon vanilla essence*

4 teaspoons Norbu or xylitol

*Vanilla/Peppermint Essence

Avoid brands that are ‘imitation’ essences.  These usually contain ingredients such as flavor, sugar, food acids and preservatives.  ‘Natural’ essences should only contain water, alcohol and the oil or extract.

The Creative Phase:

11.   Make the chocolate first.

22.  Dissolve Norbu/xylitol in the boiling water and then combine it with the other ingredients.  The warmth from the boiling water will help keep the chocolate liquid enough to spread as required.

33.  Make sure the coconut oil is liquid. In colder temperatures coconut oil will solidify and you will need to melt it. To do this you can either melt it in a saucepan over a low heat or for a truly raw recipe use the double boiler method. A simple way to do this is to put the oil in a small bowl and place it on top of a larger bowl filled with boiling water. Make sure the water is not touching the top bowl, either by choosing the right sized bowls or by placing the top bowl on a metal ring, lid etc. to raise it up slightly. Leave until melted.

44.  Set out 15-20 7.3cm round cupcake liners on a baking tray.  With a basting brush thinly and evenly cover the cupcake liners with chocolate mixture (this can be messy).  There should still be about half the chocolate left over for use later in the recipe.

55.  Freeze the cupcake liners for 10 min. It’s a good idea to make sure you have space in your freezer before starting this recipe and that your freezer will fit your baking tray.

66.  Whilst waiting for the chocolate to harden combine the coconut filling ingredients.  Again the coconut oil needs to be liquid.

77.  Remove the chocolate-coated cupcake liners from the freezer, making sure the chocolate is not too soft (in which case put it back in the freezer for a few more minutes). Fill each cupcake liner with the coconut mixture, gently pushing it down until it reaches the sides and is filled to the top of the liner’s edge.

88.  With the remaining chocolate use the basting brush to cover the top of the filling, right to the edges so that it is completely covered. If you got sidetracked and the chocolate has started to harden you can re-melt it the same way you would the coconut oil.

99.  Freeze them until the chocolate is completely hard (you will know because the cupcake liner will easily peel off). Store them in the freezer until you are ready to serve.  At this point remove them from the freezer, gently peel off the cupcake liner and leave them to sit until they are room temperature (they are fine to eat straight away if you like them cold and firm).  If you take them out of the freezer too early they will still be delicious but also very messy and you wont be able to peel off the liner easily.

May you be full of beans and coconut, coconut, coconut...

Carla J