Author: Scott & Rhonda

Slow Cooker Beef Rendang recipe

Today I’m sharing a slow cooker, Beef Rendang recipe.

This is a recipe from the Fast 800 Recipe Book by Dr Clare Bailey and Justine Pattison.

We haven’t made any alterations to this one, as it is fabulous just the way it is.

This very tasty recipe is quickly becoming one of our favourites to cook. It is very easy and tastes great with some steamed pak choi and broccolini. I was talking to some friends about this dish and they asked if they could have the recipe.

So I have decided to share it this way.

Slow Cooker Beef Rendang

serves 4

Ingredients 

600g diced beef (shin or skirt)

6 garlic cloves, peeled

50g fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

2 medium red onions, peeled and quartered

1 tsp dried chilli flakes

2 tbsp oil (coconut or canola)

1 x 400 ml can coconut milk

3 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 beef stock cube

½ tsp grnd cinnamon 

Method

Put the garlic, ginger, onions and chilli flakes into a food processor and blitz till finely chopped.

Using 1 tbsp of oil in a fry pan, quickly brown the diced beef in batches over high heat and transfer to the bowl of your slow cooker.

Then add the remaining oil and the garlic and onion mixture to the fry pan. Gently fry the mixture for 5 minutes, stirring constantly till fragrant. Then add to the beef.

Stir in the coconut milk, soy sauce and 200ml of water.

Crumble in the stock cube and add the cinnamon.

Stir the mix well and leave to cook for 6 to 8 hours, or until the meat is falling apart.

 

You can serve this with steamed greens or rice if you prefer. Either way, we hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

 

Till the next post,

 

Live clean n Prosper

 

A herb called Gymnema

Todays post is about a herb called Gymnema.

Recently Scott was talking about the existence of a herb that altered how food tastes.

Now I don’t mean how when you add basil to the risotto it adds to the flavour. I mean the herb changes how we perceive what the food tastes like. I was instantly intrigued and asked him to help me find out more.

What is it?

The herb is called Gymnema or Gymnema sylvestre.

It is actually a woody climbing shrub that’s native to the tropical forests of India, Africa and Australia. Common names include gymnema, Australian cowplant, Periploca of the woods, and the Hindi term gurmar, which means, “sugar destroyer”. Its leaves have been used in the ancient Indian medicinal practice Ayurveda for thousands of years.

How does it work?

The leaves contain active plant molecules called gymnemic acids. These impair the ability to taste sugar by blocking the sweet receptors on the tongue. The leaves can be prepared as a tea, however the beverage has a bitter taste.

The sweet-blocking effect of the herb can last anywhere from 15 to 50 minutes and may even persist for several hours. It is effective against the taste of sucrose (sugar), stevia, xylitol, and artificial sweeteners such as aspartame.

The Gymnemic acids apparently have no long-term effects on taste and they do not influence bitter, salty, or sour taste perception. Which means that the overall taste of the food eaten will be different.

In 2005 a group of Neuroscience students took part in a laboratory exercise utilising Gymnema. The students reported that sugar felt like melting sand on the tongue and M&Ms tasted chalky, salty, and bitter.

Are there health benefits?

Extracts of this plant are widely used in Australian, Japanese, Vietnamese and Indian medicine.

Several studies have found that the Gynnemic acid compounds can also attach to receptors on the intestinal walls. This helps to reduce absorption of sugar molecules in the gut. A process that increases insulin production and regenerates insulin-secreting islet cells, creating favourable insulin levels. Both processes can help lower blood sugar levels.

The Gymnemic acids also reduce the body’s ability to metabolise carbohydrates in the intestine.

Studies have found that the use of Gymnema significantly reduces the desire for consuming high-sugar sweet foods. This means fewer calories. A consistent calorie deficit will help with weight loss.

Hence, there are benefits of using Gymnema for treating obesity and diabetes.

Several studies have also confirmed the link between excessive sugar intake and increased inflammatory markers in animals and humans.

The ability of Gymnemic acids to reduce sugar absorption in the intestines may also allow it to decrease inflammation caused by excess sugar intake.

This herb also appears to have anti-inflammatory properties of its own. The leaves are considered immunostimulatory, meaning they can regulate the immune system, reducing inflammation. This is thought to be due to its content of tannins and saponins, which are beneficial plant compounds.

In conclusion,

This herb sounds really interesting and I would love to try a ‘taste exercise’ like the students did. Trying different foods after using some of the extract.

On a medicinal note, it is good to see herbs used in practical applications to treat serious health issues such as diabetes and obesity.

I hope you also found this information interesting,

Till the next post,

 

Live clean n Prosper.

Sources – US National Library of Medicine,  Science Direct,Wikipedia, Medical News Today

Coffee and Caffeine

Todays post is about coffee and caffeine.

Recently Scott came home from a day at university and declared he was giving up coffee, or to be more precise, caffeine. He explained that one of the lectures he attended was about the effects of caffeine on the body.

This was the start of several discussions and I wondered how much information was available on this subject.

A search of the Internet provides a massive amount on information about coffee and caffeine. Most is about how good it is. There is less information about any down sides.

First, what is Coffee?

Coffee beans are the seeds of a fruit called a coffee cherry. Coffee cherries grow on coffee trees from a genus of plants called ‘Coffea’. There are a wide variety of species of coffee plants, ranging from shrubs to trees.

Coffee beans start out green. They are roasted at a high heat to produce a chemical change that releases the rich aroma and flavour that we associate with coffee. They are then cooled and ground for brewing.

The result is an intricate mixture of more than a thousand chemicals. The cup of coffee you order from a coffee shop is likely different from the coffee you make at home.

About the caffeine

Caffeine is a psychoactive substance that occurs naturally in the fruit, leaves, and beans of coffee, cacao, and guarana plants. It is also added to some beverages and supplements.

It is absorbed within about 45 minutes after consuming, and peaks in the blood anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours. The caffeine in beverages is quickly absorbed in the gut. From there it dissolves into both the body’s water and fat molecules. It is then able to cross into the brain.

Food or food components, such as fibre, in the gut can delay how quickly caffeine in the blood peaks. It can remain in the blood anywhere from 1.5 to 9.5 hours, depending on various factors.

According to many studies, moderate intake can promote a variety of health benefits, including a lower risk of certain cancers, brain conditions, and liver problems.

Is caffeine bad for us?

Caffeine consumption also carries several risks and the human response to it can vary substantially across individuals. Low to moderate doses (50–300 mg) may cause increased alertness, energy, and ability to concentrate.

This is due to the caffeine increasing the neurotransmitters for memory, concentration and pleasure.

However, research has also linked moderate amounts of caffeine to adverse effects on health.

In 2013, the results of a study showed that consuming as much as 300 mg of caffeine a day during pregnancy may increase the risk of having a baby with low birth weight.

In 2015 a study identified several negative effects of consuming more than 400 mg of caffeine per day. The adverse effects include reduced blood flow to the brain and heart, irregular and/or rapid heart rate as well as reducing the body’s ability to recycle and absorb calcium.

Some symptoms of increased caffeine consumption include anxiety, restlessness, insomnia and tremors.

Interestingly, these effects can also be present when people withdraw from caffeine.

Then there was also a wide range of studies that suggested that the cognitive benefits of caffeine are actually associated with relief from withdrawal, rather than with improvement in function.

To drink coffee or not?

It appears that more research is necessary to confirm whether long-term caffeine consumption is safe. Whether it provides benefits or increases the risk of health problems. At the end of the day, it is how the individual feels when they do, or don’t drink coffee.

On a personal note Scott only drank, on average, 2 cups of coffee a day so he didn’t think that giving up coffee would be noticeable. However, on the day he decided to stop drinking coffee, he experienced headaches, was jittery and quite grumpy. Thankfully these symptoms only lasted one day.

Now Scott is drinking decaffeinated coffee. He states that he his head feels clearer with less brain fog and generally feels better overall.

Till the next post,

Live clean n Prosper.

Sources – US National Library of Medicine, Harvard School of Public Health, Science Direct, Medical News Today