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GET FIT WITH NATASHA Your new best friend for healthy high carb plant based eating. My daily meal plan, ultimate detailed weight loss tips, cooking tips, snack ideas & 55+ easy vegan recipes for your leanest & fittest body yet!

“When you plant seeds in the garden, you don’t dig them up everyday to see if they have sprouted. You simply water them and clear away the weeds — you know that the seeds will grow in time. Similarly, do your right daily practice and abandon impatience. Be content creating the causes for goodness; the results will come when they are ready”

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Natasha Here Introduction Comparative Anatomy Chart The Lowdown Sugar, Please! Facts for Life Further Resources My Ultimate Weight Loss Tips Minimum Calorie Requirements Breakfast Food Combining Smoothie Recipes and Plan for the Week Watermelon and Mint Cooler Banana Berry Nice Cream Lunch Easy Snack Ideas Dinner Cooking Tips Closing Thoughts

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COOKED RECIPES Very Berry Oatmeal 3 Ingredient Pancakes Banana Blueberry Oat Pancakes Fluffy Pancakes Blueberry muffins Banana Bread 4 Ingredient Banana Muffins Chocolate Chip Cookies Healthy Chocolate Frosting Easy Meal Idea Simple and Healthy Starch Topper Loaded Mexican Spiced Tofu, Black Bean and Corn Sweet Potato Vietnamese Noodle Salad with Soy and Lime Dressing Veggie Stir Fry with Flavour Bomb Sauce Classic Pesto Homemade Gnocchi Creamy Pumpkin Pasta Go-To Gravy Chana Masala Dhal Creamy Lentil and Spinach Curry

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COOKED RECIPES Hearty Mushroom Stew Chilli Con Carne Loaded Minestrone Quick Indian Lentil Soup Quick Asian Noodle Soup Green Bean and Avocado Salad with Zesty Vinaigrette Roasted Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Pasta Salad Grilled Corn and Dill Potato Salad Smashed Chickpea Sandwich Singapore Noodles Crispy Oven Baked Chips Moroccan Tofu Scramble Veggie Spiced Rice Mushroom Risotto Rocket Fuel Butter Chicken Style Sauce Sweet ’n’ Sour Stir Fry Sauce #1 Sweet ’n’ Sour Stir Fry Sauce #2 Teriyaki Sauce 5 Minute Cheesy Sauce Delicious Salad Dressings

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NATASHA HERE Welcome! This is my first eBook and I am very eager to share it with you. The goal of this book is to inspire and help you make the best choices for your diet and nutrition so you can be the best version of yourself and live a long and wholesome life. The content inside is food focused and I show you what to eat, how much to eat, how to plan your meals and how to make them if losing weight, being lean, energised and healthy as well as having a positive and stable mindset is what you desire. As you may already know, I practise and promote a high carbohydrate, low fat plant based diet. My macro ratios sit at approximately 80|10|10 (carbs, protein, fat) give or take a few percent. Through years of being involved in numerous sports including athletics, cross country, tennis, basketball and ballet, from the age of 16 I was interested in understanding how the human body works and what is the best fuel to nourish our needs, both in and out of our activities. I also wanted to know the key to eat to your heart’s content while staying lean year round, because I love eating and you do too! I did my research, experimented with a few different ways of eating and nothing came close to the high carb plant based diet in terms of energy and vitality. It makes sense. There is no calorie restriction, no constant thoughts about food during the day, no starvation, no powders and gimmicks and no guilty feelings for eating as you please. In a world of unsustainable dieting and weight loss obsession, I am here to show you what is right. As the fear of sugar and carbohydrates grows in society, so do people’s waistlines… I have taken into consideration the fact that many of us live busy lives and don’t have hours to spend in the kitchen. Many of my recipes are easy to make with no compromise on flavour, and depending on how many people you are cooking for, you may have a decent amount of leftovers for work/college/school or dinner the next day. I have many convenient recommendations you can find in your local supermarket, it’s amazing the amount of healthy product available for us these days which makes this high carb lifestyle even more sustainable. This way of eating is seriously money-saving as well. Fruits, starches, vegetables and legumes are the cheapest and most nutritious food groups out there. Please share any of your recipe creations with me by tagging me on Instagram 😁 Here’s to staying carbed up and being strong, switched on individuals in this crazy world! Kudos! xx 🍌🍉🍇🍒🍑🥝🍊🍍🍓🌽🥒🍆🥦🍠

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INTRODUCTION

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I WANT YOU TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND… This is a lifestyle and not another ‘diet’. Diets are only temporary and are based on calorie restriction which is unsustainable. I don’t do diets, I do what works for life. Most wanting to lose weight have the mindset that they constantly need to be eating less, and less, and less. What happens when they can’t handle it anymore? They binge, hard. On high fat foods. They end up back at square one, with the weight back on and sometimes more. This constant yo-yo cycle does serious damage to your metabolism, adrenals and thyroid function which slows down all of your bodily systems. Your body is unsure if it will be soon going into another famine so it is going to be holding onto the fat you want to lose. The human body hates this unstructured routine and you end up miserable with nasty mood swings, hormonal imbalances, hating food and hating life in general. This is no way to live. This high carb, low fat lifestyle is about abundance and is the species specific diet for humans. Just like herbivorous horses, all of them eat hay, grass, some fruits and vegetables and carnivorous cats need meat for survival and thrive exclusively on flesh. All animals are attracted to and consume their species specific diet but strangely enough, developed homo sapiens can never seem to get it right. They’re always arguing - one day we’re omnivores, the next we’re carnivores, sometimes we’re herbivores but then they’ll come up with some bollocks that too many plants are bad for us… with all of these vague statements, what are we supposed to believe?! In nature we are all hugely drawn to the fragrance of tree ripened fruit and it’s juicy, sweet flavour. This type of fruit digests incredibly and is perfectly designed for humans. We know for a fact we wouldn’t be catching and killing animals with our bare hands, ‘sharp claws’ and ‘fangs’, proceeding to make a bloody mess all over ourselves and devour the muscle, fat, ligaments, tendons and bones. It doesn’t matter your age, nationality, race, genetics or gender - human physiology is human physiology. This way of eating WILL work for you and provide you with your natural, leanest self. Just look at the healthiest and longest living nations in the world where chronic disease is basically unheard of and what they eat - their diets are based on starches, beans, fruits, vegetables and sugar with very minimal animal products. As soon as they adopt a typical western lifestyle, they blow out. If you are coming from a past of heavy dieting, restriction, stimulant or medication usage then initially you may be dealing with some metabolic damage and temporary weight gain - please do NOT freak out and lose hope. This is your system and hormones rebalancing. Remember it’s all about CONSISTENCY as this is not another ‘quick fix’. Stay true to this way of wholesome eating and your body will reward you in ways you maybe can’t yet imagine. You only have one body. Look after it. Life is short.

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COMPARATIVE ANATOMY CHART OF DIFFERENT ANIMALS AND THEIR NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS BASED ON PHYSIOLOGICAL DESIGN

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THE LOWDOWN Hunting an animal with a gun is not the same as a lion chasing down a zebra. People often wonder about the cavemen days. The truth is, those were times of survival. We ate anything to survive. Majority of our diet was high carb plant foods including super sweet tree ripened fruits, tubers and other root vegetables and small to moderate amounts of nuts and seeds. On the rare occasion of plant scarcity, animals were hunted with spears. Insects and lizards were consumed before any large land animals. In this day and age, most humans eat meat by technology, not naturally. If we were made to eat meat, why do we slice, dice, chop, broil, sear, grill, fry and BBQ it to swanky ideals and standards? And then season it with salt, pepper, herbs and spices all of plant origin to suit our tastes? Do you think a real meat eater does any of this? Can you imagine a clowder of cats or a pride of lions casually standing around the BBQ, one in an apron holding a pair of tongs flame grilling rump steaks, serving them on plates with salad, grilled onions and ketchup then sitting down at the table with a knife and fork?… Yeah me either. Raw meat has the potential to make us really ill, that’s why there’s so much emphasis on raw meat handling, preparation and safety. A carnivore’s stomach secretes powerful digestive enzymes with about 10 times the amount of hydrochloric acid than that of a frugivore/herbivore. An omnivores’s stomach acidity falls mid range - examples include bears, pigs, squirrels, dogs and rats. Humans cannot stomach E. coli bacteria, salmonella, parasites and other pathogens. Omnivores and carnivores can. 14

If we have truly adapted to eating animal products, wouldn’t rates of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, hypertension, high cholesterol and osteoporosis be decreasing, rather than skyrocketing??? Heavy consumption of animal products is killing us and big pharma literally makes a killing because of this. We live in a meaty culture because of social conditioning and expectations. Where do you get your protein though?! Now, I don’t live in a fairytale world. I get that people eat meat and I’m not offended by it. I accept it. This being said, it is essential that people gain consciousness and become aware of the facts and where the meat is coming from. Modern animal agriculture has catastrophic and devastating effects on the environment. Enormous amounts of natural habitat are being cleared along with its inhabitants causing endangerment and extinction in thousands of species of animals, the Amazon and Borneo rainforests are burning down, 150 million land animals around the world are killed everyday in heinous, torturous conditions, people are starving because the grain that could be used to feed them is fed to animals to fatten them up for slaughter and hundreds of communities are facing severe water shortages because animal agriculture is using up most of the supply. The land and beings in these circumstances don’t have a choice, but we do. Everyday we are lucky enough to have the choice of what we put in our mouths, so make it count.

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SUGAR, PLEASE! Oh sugar… you sweet, sweet thing. How you are demonised, but we all come back for more… Why must something so enjoyable be ‘so bad’ for us? If you follow any mainstream media or are active on social media, chances are extremely high you have come across a lot of low carb, keto, sugar free and even carnivore diet promotion. This trend has really taken off and is the ‘in thing’ with a lot of influencers jumping on board. Even walking through the supermarket you will see a lot of product labelled ‘keto’ or ‘paleo’ friendly. I’m going to cut to the chase and give you facts that will help you for life.

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1. Keto and low carb diets are a big fad of the diet and fitness industry. 2. The weight lost on keto is water weight as your body depletes its glycogen stores. The next to go is muscle, and people confuse this as fat. 3. Reducing your calories as a whole is a very short lived way to lose ‘weight’ (not fat) 4. We have not evolved to eat meat. 5. Every cell in the human body runs on sugar. 6. A human cutting out carbs is the same as a cat cutting out flesh. 7. Cane sugar (which is the most demonised) is not a toxic poison produced in a laboratory, it is part of several species of perennial true grasses of the genus saccharum used for sugar production. In simpler words, sugar is literally a grass. It grows out of the ground. It is a plant. 8. You are craving sweet foods because you aren’t receiving enough simple sugars or calories as a whole through your daily nutrition. 9. You do not have an addiction or psychological issue, your body is telling you to meet its needs. 10. ‘Fruit good’ but ‘sugar bad’? Good quality fruit oozes sugar! 11. Low carb diets and caffeine abuse/addiction go hand in hand. 12. Heavy meat diets cause a huge range of health issues. 13. Robert Atkins died from his own diet. 14. Low carb makes you stink, high carb makes you sweet. 15. Animal agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation and climate change. 17

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GREAT RESOURCES TO FURTHER YOUR KNOWLEDGE ON THE POWER OF PLANT BASED NUTRITION AND DEBUNK THE ‘CARBS ARE BAD’ AND HIGH PROTEIN MYTH THAT IS PERMEATED THROUGHOUT SOCIETY • ‘Carb the Fuck Up’ - Durianrider • The China Study - T. Colin Campbell • Dr. McDougall’s health and medical center - www.drmcdougall.com • Dr. Neal Barnard’s program for reversing diabetes • What the Health - Available on YouTube and Netflix • Game Changers - Available on YouTube and Netflix • Blue Zones website, media and books 19

MY ULTIMATE WEIGHT LOSS TIPS

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1. NEVER RESTRICT YOUR CARB AND SUGAR INTAKE The biggest mistake we can ever make! Restricting your carb and sugar intake guarantees you will want to (and probably will) fall off the wagon and eat fatty foods that make you gain weight and leave you sluggish. Restricting calories is out the door from now on. Always eat when you are hungry BUT it is important to eat before ravenous hunger because this is bad for our mood and wellbeing. Obey the sweet tooth, every cell in the body runs on glucose (sugar). High carb, low fat plant foods are self limiting and you can only eat as much as you need. Some days you may need to eat the whole bag of rice or pasta and some days you may not. Your hunger will vary day to day depending on your activity, the weather, and if you are female, where you are at in your menstrual cycle.

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2. ALWAYS EAT IN THE MORNING Now there can be a lot of stigma around the word breakfast, when we should eat it or if we should even eat it at all. Let’s look at it for what it is - breaking your fast. This is usually in the morning when our body signals us with hunger cues after a period of fasting overnight. You won’t always be hungry at the exact same time each morning, it depends on what you ate the day before, how much you ate and when your last meal was. Getting into a routine and fitting that in with your schedule is essential for success. If you don’t feel hungry but need to get out the door, grab a couple pieces of fruit or a jam sandwich and take some juice with you. Those who regularly deny ‘breaking their fast’ when their body needs them to get hangry and moody later on in the day and have a tendency to then rely on caffeine to see them through - BAD idea. Not eating in the morning also sets you up for nighttime binges. Within 30 mins of rising I always have some simple sugars to get my brain and body going and 30-60 mins after that I will have my fruit meal. Sometimes I go straight for my fruit meal - it just depends what’s available to me in that morning.

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3. THE EXCESS FAT WE EAT IS THE FAT WE WEAR If maximum weight loss in the shortest period of time is the goal, then cut out overt fats as much as possible. This is a concept a lot of society cannot grasp… Why is fat called fat if it doesn’t make you fat? Yes the body needs some fat and that’s why there’s still trace amounts of fat in all fruits and veggies. I recommend eating a maximum of 30g per day for fast fat loss. This is a good number that will lean you out and still allows for some overt fat consumption if you’ve eaten really low fat throughout the day. I cook some meals totally oil free and some big stews/soups/curries (with multiple servings) with a little bit of olive oil for flavour and richness. Because I’m already so lean this is no issue for me but it is completely optional and you don’t have to use it. All of my recipes can be made oil free. When we are properly carbed up, any cravings for fat drastically drop compared to when we are hungry. If you binge, this is simply because you aren’t eating enough fruits, starches and sugars earlier in the day. When we allow ourselves to get ravenously hungry, our standards go out the window and we want to eat anything in sight. Avoid this by always having some snacks/simple sugars on hand. These change your state in literally a minute. If a product you want to use to accompany your starch has a minimal amount of oil in it though then you don’t have to sweat the small stuff. 2-4g/100g is fine. The most important to avoid is refined vegetable oil (think canola, safflower, soybean) and then minimal nuts, seeds and avocado. (Though avocado is a lot less dense fat calorie wise compared to nuts so if you are going to have something more rich, choose avocado over nuts) Basically if you want to lose fat, eat less fat. If you want to maintain your weight then eat approximately 10-15% total daily calories from fat. If you want to gain weight then eat approximately 20-25% total daily calories from fat. Don’t get caught up overthinking numbers, these are general guidelines.

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4. CUT CAFFEINE AND STIMULANTS (ESPECIALLY IF YOU’RE BATTLING YOUR MENTAL HEALTH) Caffeine is a big trigger for depression and anxiety. This is true for people with and without current mental health issues. I have never met someone who feels ‘out of control’ that doesn’t consume copious amounts of coffee or stimulants. A huge problem is that coffee is so normalised in today’s society that you’re seen as ‘abnormal’ if you don’t drink it. I haven’t had a cup of coffee since mid 2017. Sure it smells good and I like the taste (only if it’s sweetened) but longterm, the risks far outweigh the benefits. Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant, natural pesticide and a neurotoxin. Coffee stains your teeth and caffeine in general dehydrates you, messes with your natural sleep and hunger patterns and overstimulates your brain - it stimulates dopamine but then depletes serotonin overtime. Serotonin is critical for regulating a number of bodily functions and low levels are associated with depressed immune function. Personally, I’ve never relied on or abused caffeine for energy and I am generally an all round stable person. I do eat chocolate in some of my baked goods but the amount of caffeine in them is negligible. Never use stimulants when you’re tired as this taxes your adrenals and thyroid function and you will feel worn out and eventually crash. How this ties into weight loss is that caffeine affects our natural hunger and thirst cues. When high on a significant amount of caffeine, you are very likely to eat and drink less than you need. The next day, week or month your body will force you to find calories as you are lacking. In this state of hunger, you are less rational and less likely to make good food choices.

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5. MEDICATIONS INCLUDING THE CONTRACEPTIVE PILL AND SSRI DRUGS CAN CAUSE WEIGHT GAIN No matter how healthy one’s diet is and how much exercise they do, the pill and SSRI medications can prevent weight loss and cause weight gain longterm. I’ve seen this happen with many women and men of all ages. Girls I know that stopped taking the pill years ago are still suffering with the consequences. The pill contains hormones like oestrogen, which when are flooded throughout the body, become anabolic and cause weight gain. The reason that SSRI drugs (antidepressants, anti anxiety, antipsychotic medications) cause weight gain isn’t yet fully known but I believe it has to do with how they interfere with your serotonin levels and other hormones + your adrenals. Consider other forms of contraception as the pill is linked with some serious side effects including cancer. Girls, hands down the best contraception is a vasectomy. If you have a boyfriend speak to him about it. Guys, get on board. Durianrider has made many videos on how to go about getting one. Yes they are reversible and yes it is stress-free and awesome! I know many people have given up their SSRI medications after adopting a holistic, HCLF lifestyle. Time to treat causes and not symptoms. You can’t say you’ve given yourself a chance with your mental health if other areas of your life aren’t being looked after and treated accordingly. 25

6. H Y D R A T I O N N A T I O N I know we’ve all heard this one many times before but it’s for a very important reason! The adult body is 60-65% water. Dehydration is so common these days and people aren’t even aware of it. Caffeine, alcohol, air conditioning, stress, heavy clothing, and nutrient deficient foods are all contributing to this dehydration throughout society. Drink 500ml of water on rising and before meals. Aim for a bare minimum of 2L daily and more if you’re getting your sweat on. Make a permanent habit of it so it becomes second nature and drink the best quality water you can get. I have a reverse osmosis set up at home but a faucet filter works too. I used to use a Brita water filter jug which did the job as well. I bring a water bottle with me ANYWHERE I go and also a second bottle filled with juice or a sweet drink/sugar water. You can spruce up plain water with lemon, lime, strawberry, orange, cucumber or ginger slices or try some herbs like mint or sage! 26

7. SQUAT ON THE TOILET FOR GREAT DIGESTION AND A FLAT STOMACH You heard me! Squatting is most natural and how we would defecate in nature. Modern toilets were designed for overweight royalty who didn’t want to squat down into a hole. The positioning of the modern toilet kinks the colon and doesn’t allow for complete elimination, whereas squatting relaxes the colon. Once you try it, you will instantly feel lighter and more energised. So many people in society are constipated from using modern toilets and along with their heavy meat diets + dehydration, it can take them up to 25 minutes for one toilet trip with a lot of straining involved. This often leads to haemorrhoids and other problems. It takes me 25 seconds on average I’d say. When you eat properly, expect to go 1-3 times daily. If you are on the heavier side or not yet comfortable with carefully and gently stepping up onto the bowl with the lid lifted, then purchase a squatty potty or use a stool. Easy!

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8. REST AND RECOVERY IS SO IMPORTANT Animals never feel guilty for resting but in this hectic society, humans do. Animals always nap to meet their needs and are always ready for action when required. Quick 10-20 minute naps are healthy and important to fit in to busy schedules. Try and go to bed at a reasonable hour, latest in bed 10:30pm resting in darkness and asleep by 11pm.

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9. MOVE YOUR BODY. JUST DO IT. Under eating and training never works for more than a couple of days. You have to put in what you want to put out! Even a brisk walk daily is great. If you’re overweight or have any pain, don’t run. It is too high impact and will cause joint issues. If you’re new to running, work your way into it and start very small. Just 3-5 minute jogs daily and work your way up from there. Wear proper and supportive cushioned shoes for any activity you do. Altra and Hoka are great brands. Any soreness or niggles, ride a bike instead. Cycling is my favourite cardio and I recommend everyone to get a bike, actual game changer. If you haven’t ridden a bike or played sports since you were a kid, go for a hybrid. If you have a decent base of fitness and more flexibility get a Trek Emonda ALR 5. These are fantastic value for money with good parts, brakes and gearing. Use your bike for transport and commuting, chilled out cruisy rides, exploring rides and hard out, full gas sweaty rides! You will love your bike like a boyfriend or girlfriend, husband or wife. Get some MTB cycling shoes and pedals too if you want your best results.

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10. POSITIVE MINDSET IS EVERYTHING Obviously we aren’t going to be happy and in a good mood 100% of the time because of hormonal fluctuations, situations and challenges this is normal. Life will throw ups and downs at us which can leave us questioning everything. But remember, it is so important to flow with your emotions, and not push them down and bottle them up. Express yourself, reach out and communicate with those close to you. A lot of us don’t do this because of fear of judgement. The worst thing we can do is make assumptions about people and situations. We can speculate, but we can’t let it eat away at us. It’s amazing what a healthy lifestyle does to your mindset. Remember that if you have a device to read this book on, 2 arms, 2 legs, a roof over your head and a warm bed to sleep in at night then consider yourself lucky, you are doing very well! Gratitude is the name of the game. Entitled people (who are generally depressed) severely lack gratitude. Don’t fall into a victim mentality and don’t beat yourself up or put yourself down if you have any slip ups. Tomorrow is a new day to start fresh. Don’t let others around you cause self doubt or bring you down. If they are, it’s time to stand tall wth your head high and move on. Do what’s right for YOU. We only have one shot at this life and could be dead tomorrow, so if you’re in a bad place or hate what you’re doing: MAKE CHANGES TODAY!

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MINIMUM CALORIE REQUIREMENTS Women: 2500 calories daily Men: 2800 calories daily CALORIE RESTRICTION IS NOT THE ANSWER. REPEAT AFTER ME CALORIE RESTRICTION IS NOT THE ANSWER. If you want your leanest body based on your genetic blueprint, EAT LIKE ME 😊 I never count calories or promote calorie counting for weight loss as it is completely unnecessary and causes unhealthy mindsets in a lot of people but I’m telling you these numbers and this information so if you’re starting out you know to EAT ENOUGH, not so you can track a calorie deficit. Our appetite is self regulating and your body will tell you its needs. Of course these numbers can vary depending on your activity levels and other factors. Some may need to consume 5000 calories a day if they’re training the house down. If you are coming from a past of calorie restriction or an eating disorder you will potentially go through periods of extreme hunger so eat as many plant based high carb foods that you care for. The body is an incredibly smart machine and will tell you when it needs more fuel, LISTEN and be in tune with your body and obey its calls. You need to make fuelling yourself a priority because if you aren’t properly fed you aren’t helping yourself or others. Lead by example. Believe me when I say this, it can be very easy to under eat on a vegan diet as plant foods are lower in calories by volume compared to animal products. Throw fruit quality, misjudging amounts of food and disorganisation into the mix and you could be left a hungry, unstable case. I know most modern weight loss programmes promote calorie restriction and tell us ‘you need to eat less to lose weight!’ and ‘you can only lose weight in a calorie deficit!’ but this is false. Weight loss is all about hormones, and eating to provide an optimal catabolic hormone profile. It’s NOT about calories in, calories out and you can’t out exercise a bad diet. That’s why I recommend eating like a BEAST! Carb the fuck up on the daily! Going hungry pretty much guarantees we will crave something fatty later in the day, and this is where a lot of people trying out a plant based diet go back to animal products, thinking they can’t satisfy themselves on plants. If you find yourself in a situation where you haven’t eaten enough, FIRST have some sugars so you balance back to a rational mindset. Glucose is what the cells want and need. Then decide if you want a sweet or savoury meal. Then have the food you were originally craving in your famished state, if you wish. You will notice a decreased desire for it. I know every time I want 3 large packs of hot chips to have some jam on toast, rice or clean baked potatoes and then I’m good to go or I’ll just get 1 pack. When you reach your desired leanness you can be more lenient with fat intake. Because I am so lean and consistent with my actions, I can eat some fatty food a few times a week and it doesn’t affect me at all. If you’re getting too lean, then definitely eat more fat and protein!

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BREAKFAST Fruit is the major key 🔑 One of the perfect human foods. Hydrating, full of nutrients and sugars we need to get our brain and body ticking. When I say fruit I don’t mean 1 punnet of blueberries or a small bowl of fruit salad, this will only leave you famished an hour later and wanting to eat fatty foods. I mean big banana and date smoothies or mono-meals of 800g-1kg of grapes! Forward planning and prep is key, bananas and dates are my ultimate staples for smoothies. Buy a box of either and have them on hand for the whole week. Only consume/blend ripe and spotty bananas otherwise they will be chalky and cause digestive issues + taste bland AF! Obviously the fruit situation depends on where you are in the world and what’s in season. In Thailand the bananas are a different variety and just need to be yellow and soft for full ripeness. You could have a mono-meal of sweet mangoes, cherries, nectarines, peaches or grapes. If it’s freezing where you live and fruit is sparse or not good quality, consider blending up a box of frozen fruit with juice or plant milk. Tinned fruit also works, get the sweetest one you can find. On the odd occasion when it’s cold or I’m travelling/ camping I will have oats/porridge for breakfast (minimum 1 cup oats with water, plant milk and sugar) this is another option but not a daily occurrence for me as I love the hydrating and high vibrancy factor of smoothies and fruits. It is important to have a back up though!

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FOOD COMBINING FRUIT FIRST, STARCHES SECOND! Why? Fruit is high water content and fast digesting, starches are low water content and slow digesting. What does this mean? When you eat fruit and/or fresh juice on top of and soon after a meal of starch/cooked food, it will begin to bubble and ferment leading to a strong sense of stomach discomfort, bloating and gas depending on how much fruit is consumed. This isn’t a ‘health issue’ but it will hinder your digestion which impacts your mood and overall wellbeing. The feeling of a balloon pushing outwards from the inside of your stomach isn’t something we desire. If you want your flattest stomach and best digestion, eat all of your fruit and drink all your smoothies and fresh juices before cooked meals. (This does not apply to pasteurised juices or fruit jams) 35

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SMOOTHIE RECIPES AND PLAN FOR THE WEEK I add organic raw sugar to my smoothies depending on how sweet the fruit is. Use any sugar you like and add to taste. If my fruit is 70-100% sweet and tastes great I’ll eat it whole. Dipping whole fruit in sugar is another option. 1. 6-10 bananas with 1 tsp cinnamon, 2 cups plant milk, topped with water 2. 6-10 bananas with 1 cup frozen blueberries, topped with half juice and half water 3. 6-10 bananas with a tin of passionfruit pulp or 6 fresh passionfruits, topped with orange juice and water 4. 20-25 pitted dates with 1 tsp cinnamon, 2 cups plant milk and a bit of water 5. 10 dates and 4 bananas with 1 cup frozen raspberries, topped with water 6. 1 ripe, fragrant pineapple cut into chunks, 4 bananas, topped with orange juice and water 7. 2-3 mangoes, 4-5 bananas, 1 tin passionfruit pulp or fresh passionfruits, topped with water

Other smoothie add ins: any frozen fruit you like, fruit juice, nectar, coconut water, vegan caramel or strawberry sauce, baby spinach, frozen spinach or kale, acai powder, maca powder, vanilla essence/ extract. 39

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WATERMELON AND MINT COOLER Ingredients • 1/4-1/2 whole watermelon • 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves • Sugar as desired (I add a lot to this one as it’s hard to get properly sweet watermelon in Australia!) Method 1. Blend everything until smooth.

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BANANA BERRY NICE CREAM Thick, creamy and refreshing. You’ll need a food processor, high speed blender or nice cream machine for this. Ingredients • As many frozen bananas as you want • As many frozen raspberries or other berries as you want • Sugar to taste • A touch of plant milk or coconut cream to aid the blending process if needed (not too much or you’ll end up with a smoothie!)

Method 1. Break the bananas into chunks and add everything to your blending device. 2. Blend for a couple of minutes and scrape sides as needed. Eventually the bananas will transform into a thick creamy mix similar to soft serve. 3. Eat as is or transfer to a container and freeze for 1-2 hours.

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LUNCH In a perfect world, we would all eat fruit for lunch as well. Tree ripened, fragrant and calorie rich. My favourite style of eating is Raw Till 4 - fruit for breakfast and lunch and then a big cooked dinner with a side salad. This is optimal, but I understand. I understand this is not always doable and that is FINE. Life isn’t about perfection, it’s about intention. In Thailand, the Philippines and during the warm months in Adelaide I generally eat Raw Till 4 as there is abundant access to quality fruit but when it’s cold in Australia maybe I will eat something warm and comforting for lunch like a bowl of oatmeal, stew or keep it easy with some roasted potatoes and sweet chilli sauce. The options are endless here - if you are feeling fruity you could have another mono-meal of fruit, smoothie, store bought juice (fresh or pasteurised is fine) or here are some other lunch ideas below. You can conveniently buy these when you’re out and about as well 1. Vegetable and tofu sushi rolls (avo, cucumber, mushroom, pumpkin, eggplant etc) 2. Footlong veggie delight from subway with sweet onion, sweet chilli, BBQ, tomato or marinara sauce. 3. Banh Mi (a traditional Vietnamese sandwich) 4. Vietnamese noodle salad. 5. Rice noodle soup or minestrone with lots of pasta. 6. Baked beans or tinned spaghetti on toast. 7. Homemade sandwiches or wraps with mixed salad and grilled eggplant/ mushroom/capsicum cooked in a sandwich press with any low fat sauce you fancy. Praise 99% fat free mayo is vegan. Add some tofu or tempeh if you wish. 8. Pumpkin or vegetable soup (supermarkets have great options) with rice or pasta. 9. Instant microwave rice (flavoured or unflavoured) with chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, green beans, rocket, lemon juice, salt and pepper. 10. Leftovers!

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EASY SNACK IDEAS • Fresh fruit • Dried fruit

• Baked pita chips

• Tinned fruit • Juice (fresh or store

• Jarred roast peppers,

• Veggie sticks pickles

bought, I occasionally

• Blueberry & oat muffins

use my cold press juicer

• Banana bread

or purchase nectar from

• Lollies, sports gels

the 


• Cordial

supermarket, consume

• Low fat vegan ice-cream

as much as you want)

• Nice cream (blended frozen

• Tinned beetroot or corn • Rice crackers • Rice cakes/corn thins • Toast with jam or marmite/Vegemite

bananas, has the consistency of soft serve) • Smoothie bowls • Chickpeas with mustard and BBQ sauce

• Cereal with plant milk • Sandwiches

• Vegetable dumplings/

• Hummus, baba

• Potato gnocchi (as it only

gyozas

ganoush, tomato salsa,

takes 3 minutes to boil I

other dips and relishes

find it a fantastic meal/

• Oats/porridge

snack on the go) 51

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DINNER I eat my evening meals rich in starch. Remember - WHAT WE EAT TODAY IS HOW WE FEEL AND PERFORM TOMORROW! An easy way to construct endless dinner meals is this: 1.

Choose any starch/grain: This makes up majority of your meal. I mainly eat white rice (basmati or jasmine), black rice, pasta or potatoes. The spuds can be roasted, boiled or mashed.

2.

Add some beans or tofu/tempeh.

3.

Add your desired sauce or gravy.

4.

Add some raw or cooked veggies. It’s easiest and most nutritious to cook veggies by simply zapping them in the microwave. I even cook mushrooms in there with some garlic, salt and pepper.

There are thousands of tasty combinations from all different cuisines of the world. Go for a browse in your local supermarket and see how many different sauces, herbs and spices, soups, stews and ready made topping you can find. These are great to have on hand when you don’t have time to cook from scratch OR make big batches that will last you a few days. If it’s getting late and I need quick fuel, I will simply put tomato pasta sauce/sugo with a tin of chickpeas on my starch + some nutritional yeast. Easy as. Rice and soy sauce, satay, teriyaki, hoisin, sweet ’n’ sour etc! 54

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COOKING TIPS Cooking is a very enjoyable activity and also a creative art. While it is important to follow recipes step by step so they turn out properly with the best taste and texture, the more experienced you become the more you can experiment with adjusting and adding different flavours and ingredients. Remember we all start out as beginners so don’t get disheartened if it doesn’t turn out on your first go, just keep practising! Here are some useful reminders that we should all follow: • Always use a sharp knife: A blunt knife actually increases the risk of cutting yourself as you have to apply more pressure to the food. I mostly use the Victorinox tomato knives. They are cheap, sharp as hell and never go blunt. • Wash all your fruits and vegetables: If using conventional produce with edible skin, consider soaking the fruits and veggies in water and some vinegar, this rids the produce of many more pesticides. • Rinse your beans: If using tinned, drain into a colander or sieve and wash until there is no more foam. If using dried, rinse any dirt or small hard bits away. • Prep your ingredients before you start cooking so everything is ready to go. • Use a timer while using the oven or I guarantee you will burn something.

• Save all of your scraps and compost them please! All of the critters love and thrive on them. It pains me seeing people chucking them in the bin. Tip into the 
 garden, a park up the road or your compost bin. Just be careful throwing banana skins over your neighbour’s fence. • Hit up the spice rack! Herbs and spices add so much flavour to your food, also don’t be afraid of adding celtic, macrobiotic or pink salt to your cooking. Salt really uplifts a dish. • Cook your rice in stock or add 1-2 stock cubes for flavour enhancement. • Lemon and lime juice are fantastic flavour enhancers. I squeeze some over a lot of my dishes. • Get an extra large pot and mixing bowl. • Buy 2 loaves of bread and freeze one.

• Get a decent blender, it makes a world of difference. I use a Froothie Optimum. • Get a non stick ceramic pan and bakeware. Avoid teflon where possible. I use Raco Release and Stonewell.

• Garlic only needs a minute or so of direct heat, any longer and it will burn. • NUTRITIONAL YEAST. Try it. On any of your savoury dishes.

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COOKED RECIPES

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VERY BERRY OATMEAL Oats are one of those foods we all have in our pantries. They are filling, comforting, nutritious and provide you with strong energy. The only issue is people find them goopy and hard to eat because they make them so bland by not adding enough sweetness. There are hundreds of potential add ins when it comes to oats and this is just one example. Sometimes I even grate carrot or zucchini into the pot. Apples with cinnamon and maple syrup is always a winner. Enjoy! Ingredients Method • 1/2 - 1 cup rolled or steel cut oats 1. Add ingredients to a depending on how much fuel you saucepan, bring to need the boil and simmer • 1/2 - 1 cup plant milk till thick. • A few handfuls of berries (I like Alternatively, add frozen because they break down ingredients to a bowl and flavour as well as colour the and microwave oats) according to packet • Sugar or syrup to taste instructions. Note that steel cut oats take the longest to cook and have a nutty and chewy texture.

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3 INGREDIENT PANCAKES These are a super easy base recipe, feel free to add in a couple tablespoons of sugar or a teaspoon of cinnamon. Eat them plain on the go or top with maple syrup. When cooking pancakes, if your pan isn’t non-stick enough add a bit of coconut oil the first round and this works for the whole batch. Ingredients • 3 cups oat flour • 2 cups plant milk of choice • 2 large or 3 medium spotty bananas Method 1. Blend oats in a high speed blender until a flour is reached. 2. Add in the remaining ingredients until a batter is formed or add the flour to a bowl and stir in the remaining ingredients. 3. Heat a non-stick pan over medium and pour approx. 1/3 cup of batter. 4. Allow pancake to cook until bubbles appear then flip and cook until golden.

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BANANA BLUEBERRY OAT PANCAKES Ingredients
 • 1 cup oat flour (just blend up 1 cup of oats)
 • 1/2 cup wheat flour
 • 1 punnet berries of choice or 125g frozen berries
 • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
 • 1 teaspoon baking powder
 • 2 tablespoons sugar
 • Pinch of salt
 • 2 ripe bananas
 • 1 cup plant milk
 • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
 Method 1. Blend bananas, plant milk and vanilla extract or mash up with a fork. 2. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl and then add the banana mixture. Combine then fold in the berries. 3. Spoon pancake size mixture into a nonstick pan on low-medium heat. Cook for approx. 4 minutes on each side. Serve with either maple syrup, jam or berry compote. 


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FLUFFY PANCAKES The apple cider vinegar and baking powder help to bubble and ‘sour’ the batter, similar to that of buttermilk which gives pancakes that desirable fluffy texture. Ingredients • 1 cup plain flour • 5 tbsp sugar • 3/4 tbsp baking powder • 1/2 tsp salt • 1 cup plant milk • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar • 1 teaspoon vanilla Method 1. In a medium bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and stir to combine. 2. In another bowl or measuring cup, add almond milk, apple cider vinegar and vanilla and stir to combine. 3. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture and whisk until smooth. 4. Let the batter rest for 5-10 minutes. *Important* 5. Pour batter about 1/2 cup at a time onto a non-stick pan over medium heat. 6. When the top starts bubbling, flip and cook until golden 7. Serve warm with maple syrup!. 66

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS Ingredients • 1.5 cups plain or wholemeal flour • 1/2 cup rolled oats • 3/4 cup sugar of choice • 1 tsp baking soda • 2 tsp baking powder • 1 cup plant milk of choice • 1 cup applesauce • 3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries • 1/4 tsp salt • 1 tsp cinnamon • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg or ginger

Method 1. Preheat oven to 350F or 180C. Combine dry ingredients then stir in wet ingredients. 2. Gently fold blueberries into the mixture and add a touch of water or milk if it’s too thick. 3. Spoon mixture into muffin patty cases or silicone moulds. Bake for 20-25 mins until they have reached a deep golden colour. 67

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BANANA BREAD Ingredients • 1 3/4 cups plain flour or white spelt flour, sifted • 3/4 cup white or raw sugar • 4 large spotty bananas • 2 tsp baking powder • 1/2 tsp baking soda • 1/3 cup applesauce • Pinch of salt • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 1 tsp cinnamon • 1/2 cup choc chips or blueberries (optional)

Method 1. Preheat oven to 350F or 180C and line a loaf pan with baking paper or use a silicone loaf pan. In a medium sized bowl, mash bananas with a fork. Add applesauce and vanilla, mix. 2. Add flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and soda and mix just until all flour is combined (don’t over-mix!) 3. Fold in blueberries or choc chips if using. Pour batter into the pan and bake for 50 mins. After 48, stick a fork or toothpick in the middle and check it comes out clean. Cool for 10 mins before slicing.

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4 INGREDIENT BANANA MUFFINS Ingredients • 3 cups very ripe and spotty mashed bananas • 1/2 cup oat flour, sifted • 1/2 cup almond butter (or any nut/ seed butter) • 1/2 cup sugar of choice

Method 1. Preheat your oven to 350F or 180C and line 12 muffin tins with liners or use silicone moulds. 2. In a large bowl, add all the ingredients and mix until fully incorporated. 3. Pour batter into muffin liners until close to the top (these muffins don’t rise so you don’t have to worry about overflow) and sprinkle some sugar on top. 4. Bake for 20-25 mins until golden on top, remove and allow to cool. (They may seem undercooked when first taken out but they are just deliciously moist!)

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CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES Ingredients • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour • 2/3 cup white or raw sugar • 1/2 cup brown sugar • 4 tbsp maple syrup • 1/3 cup plant milk • 1 cup chocolate chips • 1 tsp baking powder • 1 tsp baking soda • 2 tsp vanilla extract • 1/2 tsp sea salt • 2 tbsp ground flax seeds • 6 tbsp water

Method 1. In a small dish, mix ground flax seeds with water and set aside for 5 mins to thicken. 2. In a separate bowl mix the dry ingredients. 3. Add the wet ingredients. Mix until a cookie-dough texture is achieved. It may be dry at first but keep on stirring. 4. Stir in the chocolate chips and form the dough into one big ball. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour or freeze until cold. 5. Preheat oven to 350F or 180C. Form dough into balls and place on a baking mat or paper and gently flatten with your palm. 6. Bake for 10 mins. They will be soft when they first come out but harden on cooling. Enjoy! 74

HEALTHY CHOCOLATE FROSTING The secret to keeping this frosting rich and creamy is microwaving or baking your sweet potatoes instead of boiling them. Ingredients Method 1. Combine all ingredients in • 2 cups cooked sweet potato (from 2 sweet a food processor or high potatoes approx. 6 inches speed blender for 1-2 long, baked or microwaved, minutes. Scrape sides as skins removed) needed. Store in the refrigerator. • 1/2 cup cocoa powder • 1/2 cup sugar • 2 tbsp almond butter • 2 tsp vanilla extract • 1/2 tsp instant coffee powder (really brings out the chocolate flavour) • 1/2 tsp salt • Plant milk to thin (if needed, 1 tbsp at a time)

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EASY MEAL IDEA Roasted sweet potato topped with jarred tomato sugo, a tin of sweet corn, rocket, spring onion, lemon juice and pepper.

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SIMPLE AND HEALTHY STARCH TOPPER All of the vegetables release their natural juices to create a delicious, savoury mixture.
 Ingredients • Half a bunch of kale, chopped thinly • 1 punnet cherry or grape tomatoes, halved • 300g mushrooms, sliced • 2 cloves garlic, crushed • Lemon wedge • Salt and pepper

Method 1. Heat a frypan on medium and add the tomatoes with a good grind of salt and pepper. Cook them on one side for 5 minutes until they slightly darken, reduce the heat, cover and cook for a further 5 minutes until juicy, fragrant and softened. Remove to a bowl and set aside. 2. Add the mushrooms to the pan and after 3 minutes then add the garlic. Keep cooking until the mushrooms darken then add the kale (it will steam up quickly) 3. Add the tomatoes back to the mixture, add more salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon. 78

LOADED MEXICAN SPICED TOFU, BLACK BEAN & CORN SWEET POTATO Ingredients • 1 large sweet potato • 200g tofu, crumbled • 1/2 tsp garlic powder x2 • 1/2 tsp onion powder x2 • 1/2 tsp cumin • 1 tsp smoked paprika • 1/2 can black beans • 1/2 can corn • 2 tbsp tomato paste • Salt and pepper • Pinch of cayenne pepper • Arugula/rocket leaves • Lemon wedge for topping

Method 1. Preheat oven to 445F or 230C. 2. Slice sweet potato in half lengthwise, mix 1/2 tsp each of garlic and onion powder and a good grind of salt and pepper with a touch of water or oil and rub or brush onto the skin and flesh of the potato. 3. Place on a tray and bake for 30-35 minutes until soft and caramelised. 4. While the potato is cooking, heat a saucepan on medium and add tomato paste and 1 tbsp water, stirring until hot. Add tofu, black beans, corn and all the spices + salt and pepper and cook for 5 mins. 5. Top the potato with the tofu mixture, serve with arugula and lemon juice.

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VIETNAMESE NOODLE SALAD WITH SOY AND LIME DRESSING Ingredients
 • 1 packet vermicelli noodles
 • 1 carrot, cut into short thin strips
 • 1 cucumber, finely sliced
 • 1 capsicum, finely sliced
 • 1 cup bean sprouts
 • 4 spring onions, green and white part finely sliced
 • 1/3 cup each of fresh coriander, basil and mint, roughly chopped
 • Optional: 200g flavoured tofu
 Dressing
 • Juice of 1.5 limes
 • 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
 • 1/4 cup soy sauce
 • 2 cloves garlic chopped
 • 4 tsp sugar of choice
 • 2 tsp curry paste
 • 1 red chilli chopped
 • Optional: 1 tbsp vegan fish sauce


Method 1. Cook vermicelli noodles as per packet instructions, drain and rinse then place in a large bowl. 2. Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar and shake shake shake it baby until the sugar is dissolved. 3. Add the vegetables, tofu if using and dressing to the bowl. Mix gently and serve.

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VEGGIE STIR FRY WITH FLAVOUR BOMB SAUCE Ingredients • 1/2 cup soy sauce or tamari • 1/2 cup vegan chicken or beef broth or plain vegetable broth • 1 tbsp maple syrup or rice malt syrup. If you only have standard cane sugar, this works as well • 1 tsp rice vinegar • 1 tsp sesame oil (can sub with 2 tsp sesame seeds) • 1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot • 2 inch piece of ginger, grated or finely chopped • 2 garlic cloves, minced or finely chopped Method 1. Whisk all ingredients together (except the ginger and garlic) until the corn starch has dissolved. 2. Dry fry your veggies of choice. I usually use snow peas, sugar snap peas, broccoli, baby corn, mushrooms and capsicum (bell pepper) 3. Add sauce, ginger and garlic in the final 2 minutes of cooking your veggies. Heat through and serve on a big bed of rice.

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CLASSIC PESTO Ingredients • 3 cups packed basil (stems removed) • 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts • 3 cloves garlic • 4 tbsp lemon juice • 4 tbsp water • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast • 1/2 tsp salt Method 1. Toast pine nuts in a small saucepan on medium heat until they are fragrant and a deep golden colour (be careful because they will burn quickly at this stage) 2. Add them to a blender, food processor or blend remaining ingredients with a stick blender to desired consistency, I like mine with a bit of texture. 3. Serve with pasta, roasted potatoes, toast, rice, use as a dip/spread for crackers or as a salad dressing!

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HOMEMADE GNOCCHI Fluffy pillows of potato ready to soak up your favourite sauce. This fresh gnocchi is surprisingly easy to make and tastes so much better than the store bought version, with 3 ingredients and no funny numbers. Ingredients • 5 large starchy potatoes • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour + extra to dust your bench top • 3/4 tsp salt

Method 1. Peel potatoes and cut in half. Boil them until very soft. 2. Drain and let them cool for a few minutes. Mash with a ricer or standard masher. A ricer works best but a standard masher is fine too, just make sure to mash any small lumps thoroughly. 3. Add the salt and flour and knead with your hands until a smooth dough forms. If it’s sticky, add some more flour. 4. Divide the dough into 4 sections and roll each section into a rope on a floured surface. Cut the rope into individual pieces. 5. Bring a large pot of water to the boil and transfer half the gnocchi. Cook for a few minutes until they rise to the top. Remove with a skimming spoon and repeat with the other half. Buon appetito!

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CREAMY PUMPKIN PASTA This was one of those ‘I have random ingredients in the fridge and pantry that need to be used’ dishes and it definitely turned out! Ingredients • 1 packet pasta of choice • 1 medium avocado, mashed • 1/2 butternut pumpkin, cubed (I leave the skin on) • 4 ripe tomatoes, chopped • 1 garlic clove, minced • 1 tsp garlic powder • 1 tsp onion powder • 1 tsp Italian herbs • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar • 1 lemon wedge • Salt and pepper to taste

Method 1. Preheat oven to 410F or 210C and toss pumpkin with garlic and onion powder, Italian herbs and some salt. Add to a tray and roast for 20 minutes or until golden. 2. Bring a pot of water to the boil and cook pasta until al dente, drain. 3. Heat a pan on medium and cook the tomatoes with the garlic clove, balsamic vinegar and salt + pepper for 5 minutes. 4. Gently mix the avocado into the pasta until coated, add pumpkin, tomatoes and salt + pepper to taste. Squeeze lemon on top.

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GO-TO GRAVY So flavourful and rich, a match made in heaven when poured over mashed potatoes. Ingredients • 1/4 cup flour of choice • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast • 2 cups vegan chicken, beef or veggie stock • 1 tsp onion powder • 1 tsp garlic powder • 1 tsp yellow mustard • 1 tbsp soy sauce • Black pepper to taste Method 1. Toast dry ingredients (except pepper) in a small saucepan until fragrant and then slowly add the stock, whisking out as many clumps as you can. 2. Add the mustard and soy sauce, if it’s still lumpy use a stick/immersion blender straight in the pot or transfer to blender and process until thick and creamy. 3. Return to saucepan and heat until bubbly, finally, add pepper.

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CHANA MASALA Chickpeas in thick, spiced tomato gravy. The baking soda in this recipe breaks down the onion and helps it caramelise faster. Don’t be alarmed when the onion seemingly breaks down into a small pile! The caramelisation makes the sauce beautifully flavourful. Ingredients • 1 large onion, finely diced • 4 cloves garlic chopped • 2 inch knob of ginger • 2 tins chickpeas, drained and rinsed • 1 tin whole tomatoes • 1 tsp cumin seeds • 2 tsp black mustard seeds • 1/4 tsp baking soda • 1/2 cup water • 2 tbsp lemon juice • 2 tsp ground coriander • 1/2 tsp black pepper • 1 tsp cumin • 1.5 tsp garam masala • 1 tsp turmeric • 1 cup fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped • 1 birds eye chilli (if you like it spicy, optional) • Salt

Method 1. Combine garlic, ginger, chilli (if using), 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1/2 tsp salt in a mortar and pestle or food processor/blender. Pound of process until a paste is produced then set aside. 2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pot on medium, add all of the seeds and toast until aromatic. Add the onion and baking soda along with a splash of water. Cook, stirring frequently until the onions are soft and a deep golden colour. Immediately add the blended paste and stir. 3. Add ground coriander, black pepper, turmeric and 1 tsp garam masala. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 4. Add tomatoes and crush them using a whisk, potato masher or the back of a fork. 5. Add chickpeas, half the fresh coriander and about 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer, cover with the lid slightly cracked then reduce the heat to maintain gentle bubbling. 6. Stir occasionally until the liquid has reduced to a thick stew, roughly 15-20 minutes. Stir in remaining garam masala and lemon juice. 7. Season with salt, serve with rice (and papadums for a finishing touch!)

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DHAL Based on lentils, this is a warm and energising staple meal fuelling millions throughout the world. The hunza people from Pakistan often live for 120 years (I know right?!) and eat a vegetarian diet high in carbohydrates. They eat dhal and chapati every evening. There are thousands of recipe variations for dhal and I have tried many myself so with time you can experiment with different flavours. This recipe is delicious and tastes even better the next day. Ingredients • 400g red or yellow split lentils • 2 onions, finely chopped • 4 garlic cloves, minced • Thumb size piece of fresh ginger, grated or chopped small • 4 ripe tomatoes, chopped • 2 tsp turmeric • 2 tsp cumin seeds • 2 tsp ground coriander • 1 tsp garam masala • Salt and pepper to taste

Method 1. Rinse the lentils well and place them in a pot, covered with cold water about 3 inches. 2. Bring to the boil and scoop off any foam that rises to the top then reduce to a simmer. Stir in the turmeric and leave to cook gently. 3. In a medium-large pot heat 2 tbsp avocado/olive oil or water/stock if oil free. Add the cumin seeds and toast until strongly fragrant. Add the onions, garlic, ginger, chilli and tomatoes and cook until golden and softened. 4. Stir in the ground coriander and garam masala and keep the mixture cooking on a low-medium heat. 5. Stir the lentils, they should be the consistency of porridge, with a bit of water to spare. Remove them from the heat and mix in all of the aromatic fried mixture. 6. Season well with salt and pepper and serve with rice.

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CREAMY LENTIL & SPINACH CURRY Ingredients • 1 cup red split lentils or 1 cup whole green lentils (whole take 10-15 mins longer to cook) • 1 medium onion, diced • 2 garlic cloves, minced • 2cm fresh ginger, minced • 2 tsp curry powder • 1 tsp cumin • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional) • 400ml light coconut milk • 1 cup vegetable stock • 200g baby spinach • 1 lemon, juiced

Method 1. Rinse lentils well in a colander or bowl. 2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil on medium and sauté onion for 4 minutes without browning. Add garlic & ginger & cook for 1 minute. 3. Add curry powder, cumin & cayenne & stir to coat onions. Add the lentils, coconut milk & stock. Stir & cover. Simmer for 15 minutes, adding more water if needed. 4. Fold in the spinach until wilted, add lemon juice. Stir to combine & season with salt to taste. 5. Serve with rice &/or naan bread. 91

HEARTY MUSHROOM STEW Ingredients • 500g portobello or cremini mushrooms, coarsely chopped • 1 large onion, halved and sliced • 2 long celery stalks, chopped • 2 large carrots, sliced • 1kg potatoes • 3 garlic cloves, crushed • 1.5 cups dry red wine (recommended but if you can’t get wine, use an extra 1.5 cups of stock with 1.5 tbsp red wine vinegar) • 1/4 cup flour • 4 cups vegetable broth • 2 heaped tbsp tomato paste • 2 tbsp fresh rosemary • 1 tbsp fresh thyme • 2 tsp marmite or Vegemite (gives an amazing savoury flavour) • 1 tsp liquid smoke (optional)

Method 1. Heat a large pot on medium, add mushrooms and cook until softened, then add the onion, celery carrots and garlic. Cook until the veggies start to tenderise, about 5 minutes. 2. Add red wine (or stock and vinegar) and bring to a simmer. Let it bubble until the liquid has halved. 3. Stir in flour, bit by bit, until fully incorporated. Add broth, tomato paste, potatoes, thyme and rosemary. Stir fully and raise the heat slightly and simmer uncovered until the potatoes are soft, about 30 minutes. Add a touch of water if the mixture becomes too thick. 4. Stir in liquid smoke, marmite or Vegemite, salt and pepper. Serve with rice, pasta or crusty bread.

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CHILLI CON CARNE Ingredients • 1 large onion, diced • 2 cloves garlic, crushed • 1 green bell pepper, medium size chunks • 1 tin chopped tomatoes • 1 tin red kidney beans • 1 tin Mexican style chilli beans (from Coles in Australia, if you can’t get just use 1 more plain kidney beans) • 1/2 cup vegan beef or vegetable stock • 2 tbsp tomato paste • 2 tsp cumin • 1 tsp paprika • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional) • 1 tsp oregano • 1/2 tsp cinnamon • Lime wedges and fresh coriander for serving

Method 1. Heat a large pot on medium, sauté onion, capsicum, garlic and water with a splash of water for 5 minutes, until softened. 2. Add stock, chopped tomatoes, tomato paste and stir till combined. Simmer for 2 minutes. 3. Add the beans and all the spices, stir then let simmer for 20 minutes until thickened. 4. Serve with starch of choice, fresh coriander and a lime wedge.

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LOADED MINESTRONE Ingredients • 1 onion, chopped • 3 garlic cloves, minced • 2 stalks celery, chopped • 1 zucchini, diced • 1 carrot, chopped • 2 medium white potatoes, cubed • 1 tin chickpeas or white beans (add a tin of each if desired) • 3 cups baby spinach • 1 cup elbows, penne or tubular pasta • 2 x 400g tins chopped Italian tomatoes (better quality) • 4 cups (1L) vegetable stock • 1 tsp Italian herbs • 2 bay leaves (optional) • Salt and pepper

Method 1. In a large pot heat 1 tbsp olive oil on medium and add carrots, celery, onion, potato and a good grind of salt and pepper, cook for 5 minutes 2. Add garlic and herbs stirring for 1 minute, mix in diced tomatoes, vegetable stock, zucchini, bay leaves then bring to a boil 3. Cover with lid and simmer for 20 minutes. 4. Add chickpeas or beans and pasta + 1 cup of water or to desired soup consistency and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes or until pasta is al dente . 5. Turn off the heat and stir in spinach, it will wilt without having to boil out its nutrition. 6. Season well with more salt and pepper and serve. Add a squeeze of lemon juice for a finishing touch.

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QUICK INDIAN LENTIL SOUP So simple yet so delicious. This easy soup is a winner. Ingredients • 1 cup red split lentils • 1 onion, diced small • 4 cloves garlic, minced • 1 large red bell pepper/capsicum, diced small • 2 tsp cumin powder • 1 tsp turmeric powder or 1 knob fresh turmeric, minced • 1 bay leaf • 4 cups (1L) water • 2 tsp vege stock powder (alternatively you could use 1L liquid stock instead of plain water) • Pinch of chilli or cayenne pepper • Salt to taste

Method 1. Sauté onion and capsicum on medium heat in 1 tsp oil or a touch of water for 4 mins. Add garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes. 2. Add all spices and stir for 1 minute, add lentils and water/stock. 3. Bring to the boil then simmer for 10-15 minutes.

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QUICK ASIAN NOODLE SOUP A healthier, fresh alternative to instant ramen. Ingredients • 3 tbsp miso paste
 • Soy sauce to taste
 • 2cm knob of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
 • 6 shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
 • 2 large portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
 • 100g baby spinach
 • 1 packet chow mein, udon or soba noodles
 • 2 spring onions, finely chopped for garnish


Method 1. Cook noodles according to packet instructions and set aside. 2. Pour 4 cups water into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add miso paste and stir till dissolved then add ginger, shiitake mushrooms and a dash of soy sauce. 3. Simmer for 5 minutes to develop its flavour. 4. Divide portobello slices, baby spinach and noodles equally amongst 2 bowls and ladle the soup over top. 5. Garnish with spring onions and enjoy the divine simplicity.

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GREEN BEAN & AVOCADO SALAD WITH ZESTY VINAIGRETTE Ingredients Salad • 1 ripe avocado, cut into medium chunks • Approx. 300g green beans, ends cut then cut in half • 1 red bell pepper, chopped small • 1 punnet cherry or grape tomatoes, halved Vinaigrette • Juice of 1 lime • 2 tbsp white wine vinegar • 2 cloves crushed garlic • Salt to taste

Method 1. Bring a small saucepan of water to the boiling cook green beans for a few minutes, until vibrant green. Drain and place into a large bowl. 2. Add avocado, bell pepper and tomatoes. 3. Add dressing ingredients and stir through well to combine. 4. Serve as a side to your main dish or add some rice or couscous.

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ROASTED SWEET POTATO, CHICKPEA AND PASTA SALAD Ingredients Salad• 1 large sweet potato, cubed • 1 carrot, grated • 1/2 red onion, finely sliced • 1 tin chickpeas or butter beans or cannellini beans • 150g rocket leaves • 200g dry weight penne, spirals or pasta of choice Dressing• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar • 1 tbsp dijon or french mustard • 1 garlic clove, minced • Squeeze of lemon • Salt and pepper

Method 1. Preheat oven to 425F or 220C, line an oven tray with baking paperer silicone baking mat. Season potato with salt and pepper and place on tray. Bake for 20 minutes, turn and bake for a further 15. 2. Cook pasta according to packet instructions, add to a large bowl. Add the potato, veggies and chickpeas 3. Combine dressing ingredients in a cup, stir well and add to salad. Mix and serve.

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GRILLED CORN & DILL POTATO SALAD A fantastic alternative to heavy, traditional mayonnaise based potato salads. You could add low fat vegan mayo to this as an additional touch. Ingredients Method 1. Place corn on the grill over • 900g small white potatoes medium-high heat. Grill until • 4 cobs of corn, husked tender and moderately charred, • 3 green onions, sliced about 10 minutes. • 2 tbsp dijon mustard 2. Remove from heat and let cool • 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped slightly before handling. Hold • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar cobs upright on a chopping • Salt to taste board and slice off kernels with a • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper sharp knife. Transfer to a large bowl. 3. Place potatoes in a large pot of water and bring to the boil. Simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and slice in halves or quarters. 4. Add to the bowl of corn along with green onions, mustard, vinegar, dill, salt and pepper. Toss well. Serve and enjoy!

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SMASHED CHICKPEA SANDWICH An easy and delicious sandwich stuffer + it takes just minutes to prepare. Ingredients • 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed • 1/2 lemon, juiced • 1/3 cup lite vegan mayo • 1/2 small red onion, chopped • 2 small stalks celery, chopped • 1/2 tsp garlic powder • Crushed nori sheet or dulse seaweed to flavour • Salt and pepper • Bread of choice, toasted

Method 1. Place chickpeas in a medium sized bowl and roughly mash with the back of a fork or potato masher until desired consistency. 2. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Heap the mixture onto bread and add lettuce, cucumber and/or tomato for a sandwich or simply eat as toast!

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SINGAPORE NOODLES Ingredients • 1 packet vermicelli noodles • 2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced • Approx. 20 snow peas, halved • 3/4 cup scallions, thinly sliced • 3 cloves garlic, chopped • 3 tsp tomato paste • 2 tsp soy sauce • 3 tsp curry powder • 3/4 cup veggie broth • 1/2 tsp white pepper, can sub with black • Squeeze of lime and bean sprouts for serving (optional)

Method 1. Add noodles to a bowl and pour boiling water all over them to cook, or boil for a few mins in a pot. Let soften and drain, rinse well with cold water and set aside. 2. Heat a frypan or wok on medium. Add peppers and cook until half softened. Add snow peas and scallions and cook for 3 minutes. Add garlic and stir through for another 2 minutes. 3. Add tomato paste, soy sauce and spices. Continue to stir for a further minute. 4. Toss through noodles and veggie broth, using tongs to gently loosen and combine 5. Serve and add bean sprouts and lime juice if using!

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CRISPY OVEN BAKED CHIPS The secret to getting your chips as crispy as possible is boiling them until they’re soft and using a cornstarch slurry to coat. This creates a ruffled texture when baking and the cornstarch crisps up in the gaps. Ingredients Method 1. Wash and scrub potatoes then cut • 4-6 white potatoes into desired chip shape. Add to a • 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch large pot and add water to cover • 2 tsp avo/olive oil (optional but adds to taste and them 1” plus 1 tsp salt. Bring water crispness) to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium and cook for about 10 • Sea salt to taste Herbs of choice, I use minutes until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Drain carefully • 1 tsp garlic powder and place in a large bowl. • 1 tsp dried rosemary 2. Preheat oven and 2 trays at 445F or 230C. Combine the cornstarch with 1/3 cup water and mix very well until no clumps remain. Add this slurry mixture to the potatoes along with the oil and herbs if using and a good pinch/grind of salt. 3. Hold the bowl firmly and shake well from side to side for about 30 seconds to ruffle up the potato and combine all other ingredients. 4. Add to your preheated trays and bake for 20 minutes, turn, and cook for a further 20 minutes. Eat by themselves or with desired sauce! 102

MOROCCAN TOFU SCRAMBLE Ingredients • 1 block extra firm tofu, gently squeezed and patted dry with a tea towel, removing as much moisture as possible • 1 small onion, chopped • 2 garlic cloves, minced • 1 red capsicum, chopped • 3 portobello mushrooms or 6 cup mushrooms, sliced • Punnet of cherry tomatoes, halved • Big bunch of baby spinach • Bread of choice Spice mix • 1 tsp black salt (highly recommend, gives depth and an eggy flavour because of its high sulphur content - can find in Indian & Asian grocers or online) • 1 tsp cumin • 1 tsp turmeric • 1 tsp ground coriander • 1/2 tsp paprika (normal or smoked) • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper or chilli powder (optional)

Method 1. Heat a saucepan on medium. Add the tomatoes and grind some black pepper onto them. Cover and let cook down for a few minutes until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. 2. Add onion to the pan and cook for 3 minutes then add garlic for a further minute and cook till translucent. 3. Add the rest of the veggies (except baby spinach) and cook for 5 minutes. Stir frequently and add a dash of water if anything sticks. 4. Add spices and black salt to the mixture and stir well. Crumble the tofu into the pan and break up with spatula if required. Let everything cook for a further 4 minutes. 5. Fold in the baby spinach until it wilts and add the tomatoes. 6. Toast your bread and serve the scrumptious mixture on top.

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VEGGIE SPICED RICE Ingredients • 1 onion, chopped • 4 garlic cloves, minced • 1 thumb ginger, finely chopped • 1 tsp cumin seed • 1 tsp mustard seed • 1/2 tsp turmeric • 5 ripe roma or truss tomatoes, chopped • 1 zucchini, chopped • 1 tin chickpeas, rinsed • 2 cups basmati or jasmine rice • Approx. 2.5 cups water • Salt to taste

Method 1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pot on medium. Add seeds and toast for 30 seconds. 2. Stir and add onion and zucchini. Cook for 5 minutes. 3. Add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add turmeric and stir to coat. 4. Add tomatoes and cook them down for 4 minutes then add the rice and chickpeas, stirring to coat for 30 seconds. Add the water and bring to the boil then reduce heat to lowmedium, cover and cook for 15 minutes. 5. When the time is up, check if the rice is cooked and salt to taste.

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MUSHROOM RISOTTO The secret to a great risotto is patience. Stir, stir, stir. Ingredients • 2 cups arborio rice • 1 onion, chopped • 3 garlic cloves, minced • 375g sliced mushrooms • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast • 5 cups stock • 2 tsp thyme • 2 tbsp white wine vinegar • Salt to taste Method 1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pot on medium high. Sauté onion and mushrooms for 5 minutes then add garlic & cook for a further 2 minutes. 2. Add thyme & vinegar & mix well. Add the rice & toast it for 2 minutes. 3. Reduce heat to low & add 1/3 cup of stock & stir till absorbed. Continue adding the stock ONLY 1/3 cup at a time and lightly stir. (If you add all the stock at once & leave it to cook it will be gluggy & unevenly cooked) 4. When only a small amount of stock is left, stir in the nutritional yeast. If rice is sticking to the bottom of your pot, add a touch of water & scrape it off with a wooden spoon. Taste it, the rice should be tender & the risotto creamy & thick. Serve with some fresh parsley or chives. 106

ROCKET FUEL The more you get into training and fitness, the more you understand the importance of carbohydrates. Some days you need something super simple and sustaining to whip up and this is it. The combination of sweet and starchy makes you so productive and strong the next day and it actually tastes good, like a rice pudding dessert. Funnily enough, I’ve never had food combining issues with this. It contains a big bed of jasmine rice, 3 spotty mashed bananas, 1 tsp vanilla extract and some soy milk for creaminess all covered in organic raw sugar. You could replace the bananas with apple sauce. Fitness magazines or blogs won’t show you this because it’s not aesthetic but it’s what top athletes consume who want to perform. Lean mean rocket fuel.

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BUTTER CHICKEN STYLE SAUCE Simmered with cauliflower, this dairy free curry is incredible. Luxurious and rich without a drop of dairy. Ingredients • 2 & 3/4 cups water • 1/2 cup natural cashews soaked in hot water for 10 mins • 160g tub tomato paste • 1 tbsp garam masala • 1 tsp chilli powder (more or less depending on preference) • 1 tsp ground cumin • 1/2 tsp ground ginger • 1 tsp salt

Method 1. Simply drain the cashews and blend everything until super smooth. 2. Sauté 1 chopped onion and 4 minced garlic cloves for a few minutes. Pour in the sauce and then about 6 cups of cauliflower florets which is about 1/2-3/4 a full head. 3. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes until the florets are fork tender. Stir often. Garnish with fresh cilantro/coriander and serve with rice or naan bread. YUM!

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SWEET ’N’ SOUR STIR FRY SAUCE #1 A traditional recipe. Keep it on hand in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks. Ingredients • 1 cup pineapple juice • 2/3 cup rice vinegar • 2/3 cup light brown or white sugar • 6 tbsp ketchup/ tomato sauce • 2 tbsp soy sauce • 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch • 2 tbsp water

Method 1. Mix the cornstarch and water to form a slurry, this is to thicken the sauce. In a medium sized saucepan, combine pineapple juice, rice vinegar, sugar, ketchup and soy sauce, bring to the boil on medium heat. 2. Stir in cornstarch slurry and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. 3. Remove from heat and serve with desired veggies, tofu and rice. 110

SWEET ’N’ SOUR STIR FRY SAUCE #2 This sauce has a deeper, more umami flavour. It is excellent with eggplants and toasted sesame seeds. Ingredients • 4 tbsp soy sauce • 3 tbsp sugar • 3 tbsp rice vinegar • 2 cloves garlic, minced • Pepper to taste • 3 tsp cornstarch

Method 1. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar and garlic. In a separate bowl, mix together the cornstarch with a splash of water until no clumps remain. 2. Add the cornstarch liquid to the reserved sauce and add it to your pan in the final 2 minutes of cooking your veggies.

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TERIYAKI SAUCE An all round favourite, makes about 1 1/4 cups sauce and keeps in the fridge for a good week. Ingredients • 1/2 cup soy sauce • 1/4 cup brown sugar • 1 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced • 1 tsp garlic, minced • 1 tbsp rice malt or maple syrup • 3 tbsp mirin • 1 tsp sesame oil • 1/4 cup water mixed with 3 tsp cornstarch

Method 1. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan, bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. 2. Remove from heat and let cool. Place in a container and use in stir fries, as a topping and salad dressing.

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5 MINUTE CHEESY SAUCE I’ve made a fair few lean cheesy sauces in the past but none of them have ever been on point like this. Everyone I’ve made this for loves it. Slather it on roast spuds, pasta or your partner. Use as a dip for corn thins, crackers, pita bread and veggie sticks. Ingredients • 2 cups rolled or quick oats • 1/2 cup nutritional yeast • 1/4 cup cornstarch or arrowroot powder • 2 tsp onion granules • 2 teaspoons salt • 1 tbsp lemon juice • 1/4 tsp liquid smoke (could sub with 1/2 tsp smoked paprika) • 340g jar of roasted red bell peppers in water • 3 cups warm water

Method You’ll need a good blender for this. If yours isn’t very strong, you could blend until just combined and then transfer to a pot and thicken on the stove. 1. Add all the ingredients including the bell pepper water to your blender and blend on medium/high for 4-5 minutes.

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DELICIOUS SALAD DRESSINGS Dressings bring life to salads. The secret with them is that you want enough just to coat all of your ingredients but you don’t want them drenched with a pool of potency swimming in your bowl. First, it’s a waste as it will probably get thrown out and second, it’s too overbearing - no one wants forkfuls of vinegar. Toss and taste your dressing in the salad - always. Don’t assume it needs more because you can’t see much of it. Extra is good because the flavours will be even better the following days. Another secret to make salads taste their best is to finely chop all of your ingredients especially the leafy greens. The smaller the ingredients are the more you can fit on your fork and the more different flavours you will get in each bite. • 3 parts balsamic vinegar • 2 parts dijon mustard • 1 part maple syrup or other liquid sweetener 1. Whisk ingredients in a cup, bowl or shake up in a jar. • 3 parts balsamic vinegar • 2 parts extra virgin olive oil • 1 medium-large clove crushed garlic • Salt and pepper 1. Simply add ingredients to salad and toss to coat.

• • • • • • • • •

2 garlic cloves 1/4 cup fresh chives 1/4 cup fresh parsley 1 tbsp tahini 1 tbsp nutritional yeast 1/2 tbsp fresh miso 1/4 cup water 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice 1/4 tsp salt

1. Pulse the garlic, chives and parsley in a food processor or blender/ stick blender. 2. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until very smooth. 3. Taste and adjust to your liking. 114

SALAD DRESSINGS CONTINUED • 3/4 cup ripe avocado • 2 garlic cloves, minced • 1/4 cup white wine or 2 tbsp white wine vinegar + 2 tbsp water • 2 tbsp lime juice • 1 tsp dijon mustard • 1/4 tsp sea salt • 1/2 tsp black pepper

• • • • • • • • •

1. Mash avocado well with the back of a fork and mix in remaining ingredients.

1. Whisk liquid ingredients & stir in garlic & ginger or shake everything well in a jar. Goes perfectly with Asian style dishes especially shredded cabbage, carrots, capsicum & spring onion.

• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast • 1 tbsp soy sauce • 1 tbsp mustard • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar • 1 lime or lemon, juiced • 1 tbsp liquid sweetener • 1 tsp veg Worcestershire sauce • Water to desired consistency 1. Whisk ingredients in a small bowl.

1/4 cup rice vinegar 1/3 cup water 2 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp liquid sweetener 1 tsp sesame oil 1 garlic clove, minced 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger 1/2 tsp chilli paste (optional) 1/8 tsp salt

• 1/3 cup silken tofu • 2/3 cup soy milk • 1/4 tsp garlic powder or 1 garlic clove • 1 tsp dried parsley • 1 tsp chives • 1/8 tsp onion powder • 1 tbsp lemon juice • Black pepper to taste 1. Blend or process until smooth. 115

CLOSING THOUGHTS I want to thank you for supporting this book and the high carb movement. You can see this is not just a ‘diet’, it’s a lifestyle. True health starts within yourself and your daily choices which blossoms and flourishes to all aspects of your life including your energy, mood, work ethic, clarity, vitality, awareness, gratitude, life purpose, connections and relationships as well as how you deal with life’s challenges, situations and stresses. Everyday I see people struggling with their lives because of malnutrition caused by dietary misinformation as well as straight up manipulative lies they have been led to believe through the cut throat world of the dieting industry. It brings me joy to share this valuable information and these recipes with you because I love to help people help themselves while enjoying tasty shit all along the way! You can help me help others too by spreading this message and showing them how easy it is to maintain a healthy and lean body while staying grounded with themselves, others and nature. Respect and appreciation for this planet is a real soul healer. Throughout all of the world destruction stemming from financial greed and a booming population, we need to step up, speak up and be stewards for the land. Always remember - speak the truth and share how you feel because those that mind do no matter and those who matter do not mind!

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𝓑𝓮𝓼𝓽, 𝓝𝓪𝓽𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓪 𝔁𝔁