Rosehip Vinegar Recipe

Rosehips are completely free and are best known for their extremely high vitamin C content.  This is the first year that I have got around to experimenting with them so I started researching the best methods of preparing them with 2 main objectives...

1. Preserve the vitamin C content by avoiding cooking (as with traditional syrups)

2. Find an easy method with no 8 stage* preparation instructions 

*Rosehips are renowned for their itchy hairs and at school they were called itching berries (we used to put them down each others backs).  Many recipes require you dry the berries  to extract the seeds and hairs - this one doesn't!)

So, with these goals in mind I found a recipe for rosehip vinegar and adapted it to make it as easy as humanly possible!



Josie's Rosehip Vinegar


Ingredients:

1. Rosehips - I used a standard sized punnet and managed to fill it. There are no rules here but simply the more hips you use - the more vinegar you need - the larger your jar must be. 
2. Vinegar - I chose to use organic apple cider vinegar because it has such wonderful healing properties so seemed like the perfect partner for my nutrient rich rosehips.  You could however use any vinegar you like.





Method: 

1. Take the ripe rosehips and cut off the hairy end, squidge them between your clean fingers so the centre (seeds, hairs pulp and all) comes out -throw it all into the jar.  Repeat this until your jar is fulled with a mash of rosehips.  

2. Pour your chosen vinegar over the hips so they are concealed (anything popping out the top could mould). 

3. Transfer your jar to the fridge so the vinegar can infuse with the rosehips (other recipes used a shelf or window sill but thinking of my goal of preserving the vitamin C I thought the fridge would be better) and leave to infuse for 10 days.

4. After the 10 days strain the vinegar through a muslin cloth and pour the sifted (hair and seed free) vinegar into a bottle. 

Delicious and nutritious!

Enjoy.

Josie.x

The Benefits of Vitamin D

Vitamin D has been getting lots of press attention recently and new research is being conducted all the time with very positive findings that suggest this may not simply the latest nutritional hype.  Several medics and researchers believe that deficiency is a key factor in today's most prevalent chronic diseases.

Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin which is available in 5 different forms but you are most likely to hear about D2 and D3.  Vitamin D2 is derived from plants and is thought to be the most bioavailable form.  Vitamin D3 is derived from animal products and is present in foods such as oily fish, liver, eggs, butter and fortified products.  

Because we can synthesise vitamin D3 in our skin from contact with sunlight, it is especially important that we get outside.  A prescription of lovely foreign holiday springs to most peoples minds - but if that is not feasible then even a bright day in the UK is worth getting out in. Aim for 15 minutes without sun protection factor each day when the sun does decide to show its rays (although spring and summer sun in colder climates is only likely to be warm enough to be sufficient so a holiday is still a fab idea - and what a perfect excuse!).

So,  what are the top 5 reasons to keep on top of your vitamin D intake...?

1. Bone Health

2. Mood Enhancer (particularly with SAD)

3. Reducing the Risk of Cancer

4. Immune Health

5. Cardiovascular Disease


So, if you think you may be deficient after a long winter then consider a supplement to give you a boost and consider taking one at the onset of winter to get you through the darkest days.

Happy Sun Hunting!

Josie

Fat...it's not all bad.

We have grown so afraid of consuming fat in today's dieting world that we don't know how much or how often we should really consume it. Some people have become so fearful of it that they cut it out completely. We need fat, we just need to get it from the best sources for our body.

Why do we need fat?

Fat gives us energy, is helps us absorb nutrients, it lubricates our joints and protects our muscles. It regulates all the natural cycles of the body and best of all it releases endorphins. When you look at fat like this, you cannot afford to avoid it any longer. Fat free diets may result in loss of a menstrual cycle, early osteoperosis, reduced hair growth, low absorption of vitamins and fatigue. 

So, which fat do we want and where do we get it?

Look for the natural choices and you are usually off to a good start: nuts, seeds, avocado, eggs and oily fish. These good fats are a source of essential fatty acids, including omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids. The omega-3 fats have gained the most attention by researchers due to their anti-inflammatory action and positive effect on blood cholesterol levels. 

Oils: When cooking choose coconut oil or a little real butter as these are stable when heated. If using oil on salads choose cold pressed flax or olive oil. Go to your health food shop and browse your options. 

Which fats should we avoid?

We want to avoid crisps, cakes, pastries, too much cheese, pizza, ice cream, chocolate... 

These foods often contain trans fats and hydrogenated fats which have been treated to make them create certain textures or lengthen shelf life.  The body does not recognise these and uses them as if them as if they were a healthy fat - this may lead to a hardening of the cellular wall and affect healthy cellular activity.

Below I have a recipe for almond milk and date, flax and almond energy balls with the pulp that remains!  Start your journey back into fats with these healthy recipes.

Almond Milk

Use 1 part almonds to three parts water. Or less or more depending on how creamy you want it.

1 cup almonds
3 cups water
1 piece muslin/cheese cloth

Soak the almonds in water for about 8 hours. Place the almonds and room temperature water in a food processor. Blend until water becomes milky and all almonds are pulverised. Take a container and drain the almond milk through the muslin and squeeze until all the creamy-ness is in the milk. It is that easy. You can store this in the fridge for up to three days in a sealed container and use it in cereal, tea, shakes and smoothies. Banana, honey and almond milk is a lovely one, good energy, healthy fat and scrumptious.

Flax, Date and Almond Energy Balls

Almond Meal - 2 cup
Dates - 1 cup
Coconut Oil - a few tablespoons
Flax Seed - a few tablespoons

Ok, this is easy and you can play around with amounts depending on your preference. You can use the almond meal left over from the almond milk process or blend up some almonds seperately for a higher fat/energy boost (always soak them first).

Start by blending the dates up to make a paste, I use the smaller fitting that slots on the tabletop blender, you may have to experiment with your own tools. Remove the date pulp and put in a mixing bowl. Add the almond meal and mulch it all together with your hands. This is messy and I usually add the coconut oil while my hands are still covered in this gunk and get it all over the bottle. I add coconut oil so the balls solidify nicely in the fridge. I then add the flax seed and roll the dough-like mixture into balls.

Whack them in the fridge for a few hours and you can start to eat them in moderation. you need to leave them long enough that the flax has absorbed the coconut oil and is soft and digestible. Full of wonderful good fat and energy, perfect before the gym or before you leave the house in the morning. 

Josie

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How to live a healthy life.

I used to scoff at those who ate ‘too' well and called them extremists, puritans and, frankly, BORING. However a few problems with my body and an accident involving a long flight of unsuitably placed stairs robbed me of my health and made me sit up and pay attention (well sort of half listen at first).  I am going to share my experiences of healthy living in general, detoxifying the body and ultimately, how to be the best version of you possible, in a way that feels right for you.

A lot of us think we are healthy. We try to eat the right things and do the best we can given our busy lifestyles. But, we still seem to lack energy. There are so many excuses we come up with for feeling less than our best, but 90% of the time it is related, at least in part, to our diets. I am here to help you feel vital and energetic in a few, surprisingly easy, delicately trodden steps. Once your energy levels improve you can start to take leaps and bounds.

We often create an experience of time limitation in our lives, where there never seems to be a moment in the day to do what we want to do and this leads to neglect of our bodies and our diets. It is amazing how often I hear, ’I don’t have time’. What if I told you that it is actually really easy to increase your energy levels by 20% just by making a few simple changes?

I know we all have our forbidden fruits, our treats, our cravings. I think we should have those things sometimes, just not everyday. You should enjoy your food and make health changes gradually…and who knows, eventually those cravings might disappear? Actually, if you do this right (in your own time) I can guarantee they will, perhaps not overnight but when it’s right for you. If over time you choose to cleanse your diet even more, then that is fantastic.

I see this journey as a ladder to health. We climb it gradually at a speed which is right for us. Food really is the key to making us feel better about ourselves emotionally and physically. It is nature’s medicine.

Best Wishes


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