I was recently having a conversation with a friend about the "perfect diet", and we both agreed that one doesn't exist.
No one way of eating suits everyone, because we are so vastly different both physically and emotionally.
That is why I find it almost comical the constant stream of contradicting nutrition information in the media. One week vegan is the way to go and the next week being a vegan is going to give you a stroke.
My philosophy at the Conscious Kitchen is just that, becoming conscious to how food makes you feel on a physical and emotional level.
You wanna eat cake, sure, but what is the relationship you are having with the cake?
I know it sounds funny to think of having a relationship with cake, but truely we all have a relationship with food on some level and at different times, that relationship can, like any relationship, get a bit unhealthy.
Stopping for a moment and connecting to yourself before eating is one of the best ways to regain consciousness around what you are eating and why.
Reading, listening and learning about nutrition will help too, and is essential, but at the end of the day, if you aren't connected to how food makes you feel in your own body, or the reasons for eating the way you do then no amount of new information can help.
With this kind of conscious connection, no food is off limits, you simply eat according to how you truly feel.
But connection on a deeper level is key here, because, eating a bag of cookies might be what you think you want at the time, however, if you search a little deeper, you might discover other reasons like...
Maybe you felt like you needed a little joy in your life?
Maybe you felt frustrated or lonely?
Maybe you were bored?
Maybe you were being mindless?
The reasons are endless but unless you connect to the why there will always be a wagon to fall off.
So sometimes eat cake!
If it is for the right reasons.
The chemical cascade in our body after we eat something for the wrong reasons, can effect how we process the food… In essence, birthday cake consumed with pleasure, joy, friends and family, is very different from cake scoffed in an effort to comfort yourself after something shitty happening.
Here at the conscious kitchen I like to up-level the food to be more nutritious and less addictive.
This cake is the perfect example… Lemon cake made with unrefined sugar, less refined carbohydrates and more protein.
I hope you like it. X X
Lemon and Almond Cake
Ingredients
200 g almond flour
100 g tapioca flour
60 g coconut flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
zest 3 lemons
3 eggs
1/4 cup coconut cream
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
3 drops lemon essential oil (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
Grease and line a loaf tin with baking paper.
Place the almond, tapioca and coconut flours in a large bowl.
Sift in the coconut sugar, baking soda and baking powder.
Mix together.
In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, zest, coconut cream, water, essential oil and coconut oil (melted).
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones and mix well.
Pour into the lined baking tin and bake at 180ºC for 45 - 50 minutes.
Check with a skewer that it is cooked all the way through.