Vitamin N – are you getting enough?

I am going to go out on a limb here and presume that you have no idea what vitamin N is.  Am I right?

You may have never heard of vitamin N before, but it is vitally important for your health.  You need adequate vitamin N for healthy functioning of the immune system, emotional and physical resilience, strong elastic nervous system function, optimum energy production, and healthy growth and development just to name a few areas.  In essence, every part of you requires a regular intake of vitamin N for normal, robust healthy function. 

You can’t store vitamin N for great lengths of time so regular intake is absolutely necessary to maintain optimum levels.

Quinoa Veg Bowl

This recipe makes for a fantastic breakfast or lunch. The flavours are simple but the addition of sauerkraut really adds a little something special. Having this for breakfast really sets me up well for the day ahead.

Now don't let yourself be limited by the recipe, mix it up! The egg can easily be replaced by a piece of chicken breast, or salmon, or sardines, or mackeral, or tofu, or indeed some beans! Instead of brocolli and pumpkin you could add spinach leaves and green beans, or capsicum, celery, zucchini, sweet potato, swede the list is endless...

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup of grated pumpkin (any type will do)
• 1/2 cup of brocolli cut into small florets
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons of water
• 2 teaspoons of coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon of Tamari
• 1/2 cup of quinoa - pre soaked and lightly sprouted overnight
• Optional - a generous tablespoon of good quality sauerkraut

Method:

• The night before you want to put your quinoa on to soak overnight (please see my website posting under 'Soaking Legumes, Grains and Nuts' for how to do this, it really is quite simple). 
• Place your soaked and lightly sprouted quinoa into a saucepan and cover with water until the water sits about an inch above the seeds. Simmer for 5 minutes with the lid on until cooked through and place aside.
• Place a teaspoon of coconut oil in a saucepan over medium heat, once heated through, crack your egg into the saucepan cooking it sunny side up with the lid on. This will take about 5 minutes to cook through. Then carefully remove from the saucepan and set aside.
• Put your water and 1 teaspoon of coconut oil into the  fry pan over medium heat, once hot, add the brocolli and grated pumpkin, then place a lid on top. Allow to cook for 5 minutes before taking the lid off and adding your tamari and quinoa. Stir the mixture through for another couple of minutes allowing any liquid to evaporate before taking off your saucepan off the heat. 
• Spoon your quinoa mixture into a bowl, top with your sunny egg and add your sauerkraut if so desired. Enjoy!

Tangy Carrot Sauce

This carrot sauce goes really well on salads if you want a little extra zing in each mouthful, but don't limit yourself to just using it on salads, you could use it as a dip, as an accompaniment to salmon patties as I have done, it really is versatile. 

Ingredients:

• 4 carrots roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup first cold pressed olive oil
• 2 tablespoons organic honey
• 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt fine
• 1 inch piece of ginger
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of water

Method:

If you have a good strong blender, you can literally just throw everything and blend on high for about 2 minutes or until well combined. This recipe makes about 1/5 cups of sauce which will keep in the fridge for a few days. 

Buckwheat Pancakes/ Pikelets/ Wraps GF DF GF

This recipe is so versatile, healthy and tasty. With endless toppings to choose, you can easily make this a sweet or savoury meal, snack or use as a lunch wrap.

Ingredients:

- 2 cups buckwheat flour

- 500mls of filtered water, coconut water, almond milk or rice milk

- 1 levels teaspoon of baking powder (GF)

- 2 eggs

- Oil for cooking

Method:

- Place you milk/water and eggs into a bowel and whisk together. 

- Slowly add your baking powder and buckwheat flour whilst you continue to whisk. Once all combined check the consistency, you want it to be fluid but not overly runny.

- Heat some oil in a large saucepan on medium heat, once hot turn down to a low heat.

- Place you mixture into the saucepan, altering the quantity depending on whether you are making pikelets or pancakes or wraps. 

- Cook each side for only a couple of minutes, you will notice the mixture begin to firm and turn golden. 

- Choose your toppings!

- These will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for a couple of days however they will stiffen slightly, just reheat them quickly on the stove to bring back their flexibility.