Healthy Food – TracysAntics

Roasted Sweet Potato & Pumpkin Soup Recipe

For anyone new here, I will put my hand up… I. Hate. Winter.

For me, there are two good things about Winter. Soup and the fashion (Coats, Scarves, Boots…). You would think that considering I am a winter baby, I would be all about it. but I have come to realise that this definitely not the case!
I can not stand that it is dark by 5pm. It’s cold. It rains a lot. The days just feel shorter. But anyway…

ROASTED SWEET POTATO AND PUMPKIN – SERVES 6

This is probably one of my all time fav winter soups and its super quick and easy to make.

1/2 Whole Pumpkin	Ground Spices (Cumin, Pepper, Salt, Smoked Paprika, Coriander)
1 Large Sweet Potato	2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 Carrot	1 Zucchini
2 Onions	2 Vegetable Stock Cubes
2 Garlic Cloves	165mls Coconut Milk (Optional)

Step One: Preheat oven to 180C fan bake & Boil a jug fill of Water	Step Two: Chop Pumpkin and Sweet Potato, spread on a baking tray and drizzle over olive oil and add spices of choice.
Step Three: Cook Pumpkin and Sweet Potato for approx 40mins (turn half way)	Step Four: In a large soup pot, saute Onion, Garlic, Salt & Pepper
Step Five: Grate (or chop) Carrot & Zucchini and add to the soup pot	Step Six: Once the Sweet Potato & Pumpkin have finished roasting in the oven, take out and add to the soup pot
Step Seven: Add in the boiling water along with the 2 stock cubes (If you had fresh herbs such as Rosemary or Thyme, you could add these in here too)	Step Eight: Put a lid on the pot, turn down to a low heat and simmer the soup for 30 minutes to an hour (30 mins if you are in a hurry, longer if you have time).
Step Nine: (Optional) Add in the Coconut Cream.	Step Ten: Once you have taste tested and added more salt and pepper if needed, BLEND. You can do this in an actual blender or with a stick blender (I would recommend option B). WARNING: Blending hot soup can be really dangerous! So if you have time, wait for it to cool down before blending. If you can’t wait, please be careful.

Serve with some fresh sliced bread toasted under a grill and spread with Garlic or topping of choice. If you have some Sesame or Pumpkin Seeds, toast those up and put them on top too!

TIP:

If for some reason you have made the Soup too salty, you can always boil some potatoes to add into the soup – as you may not know this until the end of the process, it would extend the time it takes to make the soup, however, it will save the soup instead of having to start again!

If you try the soup out, let me know how it goes! If its good, share it with Friends and Family – It’s a great excuse to get everyone around on a Sunday for Lunch or as a Starter for Dinner.

NOTE: I am not qualified in Nutrition or anything of the kind (Yet… ;), I just love food and creating recipes!

2016 in Review

2016 was such a whirlwind! I feel as though I clicked my fingers and somehow its New Years Eve!

SOUTH AFRICA

Our holiday to South Africa has to be my biggest highlight of the year! It was absolutely incredible. Visiting a country that is entirely different to what you know is something amazing in itself but meeting a lot of awesome new people, Adopting a Chimp, Going on a Safari and Visiting Cape Town was something I will never forget. We only got back a little over a month ago and I already miss it so much! Take me back!

Got to hang out at an amazing Winery in Franschhoek called Babylonstoren.

Adopted a Chimp called Claudine from Chimp Eden

Elephant Family walking to a water hole – Safari Experiences are the best!

Holding and Feeding a Vulture at Moholoholo Rehabilitation Centre

View from our accomodation in Hout Bay – Cape Town

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Cape Town

Visiting the Penguins at Boulders Beach in Simons Town

table-mountain — Chilling on Top of Table Mountain! Literally Chilling. It was Freezzingg!

14591899_360185414373618_4861073281584726016_n — Canopy walkway, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden‎

Lions Head | Signal Hill – View from Table Mountain

View of Capetown and Table mountain from Signal Hill

GRADUATION

Both Dietmar and I went back to NZ this year to take the last step with our degrees which was Graduation. It was a pretty cool day and a great moment having that certificate in your hand to say, Well Done, you actually did it!

KITTY

Our Cat has to be a highlight. She’s a highlight of everyday. She’s Cute and Funny and sometimes a Pain in the Butt, BUT we wouldn’t have it any other way!

Found a way to sleep underneath all the car parts!

MELBOURNE

I love this City. It’s nearly been 2 years since we moved our lives across the ditch and for me, its one of the best things I have done. It has changed me a lot, in many good ways and I am grateful to be living here!
I made a point this year of trying to discover more of the city and all its quirks, bars, food, coffee, gardens! It really is a beautiful place and I adore it.

Found a flower shop with an amazing Cacti room!

MEETING INSPIRING PEOPLE

This year I was lucky enough to meet 3 people who I have followed for a long time for different reasons. 2 for Fitness and 1 just because shes a badass and I love it.

Meeting Karissa Pukas at Federation Square

meeting-nikki-and-heidi — Meeting Nikki and Heidi at The Arnold Classic!

HAVING SOME OF MY ABSOLUTE FAVS VISIT MELBS!

I have been lucky enough this year to have some of my beautiful friends and family from NZ come over to Melbourne and visit! I do miss everyone so much back home so it really means the world whether its for a stopover for 7 hours or for a week. It really has made my year seeing some of my best friends and showing them around my favourite city!

All in all 2016 has been an interesting year with some definite highlights! I can’t wait to see what the new year will bring! See you all then X

Healthy Banana Pancakes | Recipe

Because, Who doesn’t love Pancakes?

Serves 2

You will need:

Blender/nutribullet/ magicbullet etc
Large Pan
Small saucepan
Coconut oil / any oil for cooking

Pancake Recipe:

1/2 cup Wholegrain Oats
2 Bananas (ripened – aka has brown spots)
4 Medium sized Eggs (or 3 large)
3 Tbsp Almond milk (or regular/ any other milk)
(Optional) 1 scoop Protein Powder – I use Prana On – Vanilla

Berry Sauce Recipe

Put all ingredients in the small saucepan and let simmer for approx 10 mins or until pancakes are done.

1 cup mixed berries
1/4 cup water
1 tsp Cinnamon
(Optional) Sweeteners

Pancake Instructions

1. Put the Wholegrain Oats into the blender and blend until it turns into flour consistency.

2. Add 1 Banana (mashed), Eggs, Almond milk and Protein Powder if using.

3. Blend until smooth but thick consistency. (May need to add extra Oats if consistency is too thin or extra milk if too thick).

4. Cook for approx 3-4 mins each side (don’t flip until you see the surface producing bubbles).

5.Serve with the Berry Sauce and toppings of choice!

ENJOY!! =D

If you try out this recipe, please take a picture and tag me on Instagram & Twitter @Tracyabbott07 or on my Facebook page @tracysantics.

Protein Balls | Recipe

Snackin’

Bliss balls are an amazing nutritious treat – whether you are living a healthy lifestyle or wanting to try something new. Most bliss balls/ protein balls on the web are very high in fructose/ fruit sugars as they are 78-80% date based. These however, are nut based.

Bliss balls are fantastic because you can pretty much make them out of anything – Nuts, Dried fruits, Coconut etc etc and they are SO easy! (Providing you have a Food Processor/ Blender of some kind)

YOU WILL NEED

1/3 Cup Rolled Oats
2tbsp Chia Seeds
1/2 Cup Nuts (Almonds, Cashews, Brazil – You choose!)
3tbsp Nut Butter (I used Almond)
1 Serving of Protein Powder (Optional)
1 Scoop Coconut Greens (or any alternative you may have)
and a swish of almond milk/ any milk depending on consistency.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add Oats, Nuts, Coconut Greens and Protein Powder (if using) to a blender/ food processor and blend until the nuts have ground down and the ingredients have mixed together.

2. Add in the Nut Butter and Chia Seeds and mix again. The mixture should start sticking together at this point. Blend until the mixture has turned into a cookie dough like consistency.

3. Add the milk if mixture is too dry – don’d add to much or it will get very mushy/ too wet.

4. Roll into balls using about a Tbsp and a half of the mixture for each (or more/ less depending on how big you would like them)

5. (Optional) Roll in Cocoa Powder/ Shredded Coconut.

6. Put them in the fridge/ Freezer to harden to the consistency you would like them.

These will last in the fridge for around a week ( if they last that long!) and a great for a mid morning/ mid afternoon pick me up, Pre-workout/post workout snack or even a after dinner treat!

If you try out this recipe, please take a picture and tag me on Instagram & Twitter @Tracyabbott07 or on my Facebook page @tracysantics.
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