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For me, my food journey has been life long, for as long as I remember I’ve been totally in love with eating and as for cooking, that began when I was old enough to reach the stove. Through disaster and constructive criticism to where I am now, a chef of 18 years having worked for some fabulous restaurants around Sydney, including my own Italian Trattoria, I spent some time working in the UK and now I am a proud mother of two beautiful girls who I have been just dying to take on a life long adventure of delicious nourishment.

Since reaching my 30’s I have taken a huge interest in health and have become a big believer in using food as medicine. Since bringing my two girls into this world it has never made more sense, that maintaining good health through food really is best when addressed from a very young age, from the beginning, only then will a child grow with a deep understanding that real food is indeed that. Whole foods are real foods.

At age 33, recently engaged to my partner Chris and pregnant with our first daughter I was inspired to take on yet another challenge (because a business and a first baby wasn’t about to be hard enough!) I spent a year studying holistic health through the Institute of Integrative nutrition. Here I learned about over a hundred dietary theories and lifestyles and if I was to take away anything from the course it would be this, not everyone is suited to one theory and not one diet is right for everyone. But one thing is for sure, eating as many vegetables and fruits that we can squeeze into our diet is nothing but beneficial for our health no matter who we are or where we’re from. Eating free range, grass fed and organic where ever possible is best and also that love and happiness, movement and breathing and finding activities which fill your cup are just as essential for good health as the food that you choose to eat.

What does a chef do once children are on the cards? I have had some work writing recipes for Marley spoon but I now I spend my days cooking for close to a hundred small children at a childcare centre, and can I say, going to and from work with my own two girls is a privilege that not a lot of women get the opportunity.

Please let me take you on our journey of exciting, healthy and delicious food ideas, recipes and experiences for you and your little ones to enjoy together.

And just so you know, I don’t believe in deprivation when it comes to treats but I do believe in restraint.

Subbing in healthier options where ever possible so our food can be beneficial even when it tastes naughty is how I like to cook.

Healthy bodies are happy bodies.

Much love, Beck x

 

Protein Packed Pumpkin and Rosemary Muffins

Protein Packed Pumpkin and Rosemary Muffins

Rebecca Hodges
snacks, sides, Recipes, lunch box, kids food, Food & Drink, family, Breakfast

There was a time (a long time) in my cooking career where the thought of gluten free baking was quite non desirable, let alone tackling grain free flours! However as I move through my own health story I find myself constantly discovering new ways of baking allowing even more room for nutrition for my family and myself.

Baking doesn’t always have to laden itself with heavy wheat flours or even gluten free baking flour.

In this recipe I highlight the use of chickpea flour for protein and complex carbs and ground seeds for added good fats with some added potato starch to help lighten up the story too, making these little muffins a sustaining little veggie baked snack that are delicious.

Try them filled with cheese (we like Meredith valley goats cheese) some hummas, homemade pesto or even a good slice of ham off the bone, we tried ours sliced like a little slider bun filled with goodies, but do feel free to eat these beauties how ever you desire, as they’re fabulous and full of flavour just on there own!

Recipe makes 12 muffins

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

400g pumpkin (kent or jap) peeled, diced and cooked.

2 large pasture raised eggs

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup water

1 cup chickpea flour

1/2 cup potato flour

1/2 cup mixed seeds, ground (I used flax, sunflower and pepita)*

2 Tbs whole flax seeds (linseed)

3 tsp baking powder (aluminium free)

4 Tbs nutritional yeast

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 sprig rosemary, chopped finely.

Method:

*Preheat oven to 175 degrees celcius. (347 Fahrenheit) Grease and flour a 12 hole muffin tray. I used ghee and chickpea flour.

*For this recipe I cooked my pumpkin in a small pot of boiling water until tender, although any left over roasted pumpkin will do fine.

*In a large mixing bowl whisk the pumpkin, eggs, oil and water until consistency is smooth like a thick soup.

*In another mixing bowl combine the flours, baking powder, ground and whole seeds, nutritional yeast, salt and rosemary. Evenly combine with your finger tips so there are no lumps.

(I use a nutribullet to grind the seeds finely, if you don’t have a bullet, any blender should do, but don’t over blend as you’ll end up with a seed butter)

*Whisk the wet ingredients with the dry until consistent and divide evenly into the prepared muffin tray.

*Cook on the middle rack of the oven for 35 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle.

*Cool on a wire rack and enjoy.

*Pumpkin adds a beautiful earthy sweetness to savoury or sweet baking as well as adding moisture. It’s a delicious and wholesome vegetable containing good amounts of vitamin c and beta carotene.

*Seeds like pepitas, sunflower and flax are full of magnesium, iron and protein. They add delicious nuttiness without the need for nuts. And the good fats in the seeds are excellent for heart health and help to keep our cholesterol low.

*Chickpeas are high in fibre, protein, Vitamin B6 and iron making them a delicious source of plant based sustenance.

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