Early bird offer: pre-order the I Quit Sugar Chocolate Cookbook!

Update: The 500 Vital Vanilla Protein Powder sachets mentioned below have all been snapped up!

Hello. How’s your day? Mine’s good, thanks. Onto other matters…the I Quit Sugar Chocolate Cookbook: 74 Sugar-Free Cakes, Fudges, Truffles + Barks is almost here.  Since so many of you are rather keen to get in early, we’re taking pre-orders from today. And I’m sharing one of my favourite recipes from the book: My Fudgy Protein Bites. So healthy you could eat it for breakfast (and I do!).

Protein Bar
Fudgy Protein Bites, photography by Marija Ivkovic. Recipe below.

Hang on Sarah! Can you even eat chocolate when you go fructose-free? Yes,  friends, you can. You can!!

However, it does mean making your own real chocolate. I’ve been experimenting for over a year now with different techniques and ingredients, and this cookbook is the culmination of my favourite flavour combos, transformed into more than 70 fructose-free cakes, truffles, brownies, smoothies, mousses and barks.

If you’re keen to get in early, we’ve got a bit of an offer for the first 500 people who pre-order:

Pre-order today + get a Vital Vanilla Protein Powder sample. 

 

The first 500 to pre-order the I Quit Sugar Chocolate Cookbook will also receive a 7g Vital Vanilla Protein Powder sachet from VitalThese 500 sachets have already been snapped up!

For more information on the book – what bang you get for your buck – and how to pre-order, simply click this button below:

IQS choco pre-order-trim

I should say, I use the Vital Vanilla Protein Powder to make a number of the treats in the book, including my favourite, My Fudgy Protein Bites (above). This protein, importantly, is 100% Pure Pea Protein. The Vital Protein

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My sugar-free ANZAC biscuits + 50% off sale

This post has been updated.

I’m getting older and more sentimental and this year’s ANZAC day is piquing some emotional spots. For readers outside Australia and New Zealand, ANZAC day is a national day of remembrance to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who fought at Gallipoli during World War I. (Today however, it goes beyond that anniversary; it’s now a day when we remember the service and sacrifice of all Australian servicemen and women from every conflict, past and present.)

Image via Claire K Creations. Recipe for a sugar-free ANZAC cookie below
Image via Claire K Creations. Recipe for sugar-free ANZAC biscuits below.

Right now, I’m feeling much respect. Respect for oldies. For a generation who sacrificed. It’s this – the idea of sacrificing for a greater and largely unknown good – that touches me. My goodness, the faith!? Do we ever feel this?! Couple this with the fact that these very people who sacrificed are now so very out on their own. We don’t care for our oldies as they cared for the future generations. We don’t “do” this same notion of sacrifice. Somewhat sadly, we just don’t have the time. Or faith, somehow.

Our “way” is to give money. This is not the same as our time and intimate contact. Is it? But it’s still very much needed. Today, as well as running an ANZAC biscuit recipe, and a special sale offer, I’m giving $1 from every sale to the ANZAC Appeal. Next year, I hope I have the time to be more intimate.

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My Sugar-Free ANZAC Biscuits

Again, for readers outside Australia and New Zealand, these biscuits were eaten by our soldiers in lieu of bread and was a tooth-cracking combo of long-last foods that would withstand the journey via ship to reach the troops: oats, flour, golden syrup, coconut and bi-carbonate of soda. It was an incredibly hard wafer, leading some of the wives and mums back home to finesse things a little. Today, we make them on this special day to remember the Fallen. I invite you all to take a moment to reflect and

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10 beefy reads for vegans + meat lovers

I want to get to a point straight up today.

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Photo by Stephanie Gonot

I’ve been travelling around learning about meat production and reading more and more on the subject. A few weeks back I shared how I eat my meat, which prompted debate and more questions. I’ve read some more…and more…and figured y’all might like to do the same.

First up, before I get to the great meat reads, I’ll clear a few things up:

* My food philosophy is always about how to get the densest nutrition for my ethical buck. This means balancing things up, making the best decision with every food choice. This means there is no “one right answer”. I value local over organic. I appreciate for many, a mainstream supermarket is their only shopping option (the closest bourgeois farmer’s market might be a two hour drive away). And I value sustainability first and foremost (both of the planet and of our food systems), ahead of my own hedonistic needs (taste, texture, convenience and even health).

* I’m not a scientist. I’m a journalist, a conduit. I take dense information and share it in a way that’s most appropriate to the readers here on this blog. And this is a personal blog where I make it very clear that these are my personal experiences and interpretations. As always, I keep reading and learning, with my eyes wide open. I encourage the same of everyone here.

*  I live in Australia where many of the stats bandied around about the amount of water and grain to produce meat are a moot point. I explain, why below (eg: the bulk of beef and lamb in Australia is grass fed, raised on arid range land that can’t be used to produce grain etc). Thus, most of the popular factoids do not apply to Australian meat.

So, to this end, some extra reading and ideas to digest:

1. The Vegetarian Myth: Food, Justice and Sustainability, by Lierre Keith

Lierre was a vegan for 20 years and switched to sustainable meat eating for ethical, environmental and health reasons. Indeed, this positioning makes her take very compelling. She has thoroughly explored every possible

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13 very nifty things to do with chia seeds

Chia seeds are the new quinoa. The new ingredient to wriggle its way into the mainstream after a few decades as the fibrous, whole-mealy staple of the granola belt. I know many of you out there are still trying to work out what to do with the damn things once you’ve bought a packet. And since I hate the idea of anyone buying a packet of anything and having it sit there going to waste, henceforth a wee list of clever applications….

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Cashewy chia pudding, from the I Quit Sugar Cookbook

I’ve written on why chia seeds are so healthy before if you want to catch up. They’re godsends when you’re quitting sugar. They help to control your appetite because they fill you up (with the addition of liquid they swell to 17 times their original size) and they’re a fabulous source of protein. They’re also full of nutrients – vitamins A, B, D, E, calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium – which help with the detox hell that some can suffer.

But today it’s all about how to eat them. Wrap your laughing gear around these ideas:

1. Make my healthy cashewy chia pudding from the I Quit Sugar book (image above). I make mine in a jar and carry it to the office, or on planes when I’m travelling. It’s filling, can be made the night before and is spill-proof!

2. Use in place of an egg in recipes.  Substitute 1 tablespoon of chia seeds (preferably finely ground) + 3 tablespoons of water per egg.

3. Thicken up soups or gravies. If you don’t want to use cornstarch or other thickening agents, add a teaspoon of chia seeds or chia bran at a time until you reach your desired thickness. Bear in mind it takes a minute or two for the seeds to swell and work their magic. Be paaaaaaaatient.

4. Sprout chia seeds to use in salads. These things are quite zesty…a bit like broccoli sprouts. Chia seeds are mucilaginous so you can’t use the usual tray or jar sprouters. Instead…

  1. Sprinkle a thin layer of seeds on the bottom of an unlaquered terra cotta dish or plate.
  2. Put the terra cotta dish in a larger plate of water.
  3. Cover with another plate.
  4. Small amounts of water permeate the terra cotta plate upon which the chia seeds sit, and provide exactly the right amount of water to sprout them.
  5. Day 2, lightly mist the seeds (or sprinkle)  with water.
  6. Day 3, they should be right to eat.

5. Or try this easy tuna spread idea: Dump a small lunchtime can of tuna and springwater or brine in a bowl with about 1 tsp chia seeds, then use as you normally would on sandwiches or in salads.

6. Add to a chocolate brownie or truffle recipe to turn them into protein bars. Throw in a few tablespoons of

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My Crispy Roast Chicken: 5 reasons why it’s the smartest way to eat a chook

The past few weeks I’ve been digging around for the cleverest, tastiest most sustainable, healthiest and most economical way to eat chicken. You know, I get obsessed…

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I made my Cheat’s Crispy Roast Chook with an Inglewood Farm organic chicken (recipes below) for photographer Marija Ivkovic, food stylist Lee Blaylock and assistant Kim the other night after we finished shooting my next cookbook. Photo by Marija Ivkovic

I’m personally fatigued by the competing messages when it comes to weighing up the ethical v eco v health v hip pocket considerations and wanted to find a snaptight solution to buying and eating a damn chook that ticks off everything. You too?

After a little consultation and some Googling and kitchen playing I found The Solution. It lies in this technique, which can be summed up in a menu grab:

Organic crispy skin roast chook. With a side of broth.

There’s a full circle story to eating chicken. And it’s really worth knowing it from beginning to end (and back again). I’ll break it down into points…

And just so you know, this is a sponsored post, but opinions are all my own and I researched the topic and came to these conclusions myself. You’ll find my position on sponsored posts and advertising here.

1. The most ethical, environmental and economical way to eat chicken is to eat different joints.

I’ve written about why it’s important to eat the whole animal before. Meat should be eaten respectfully. Eating all of an animal – not just the fashionable cuts, such as the breast – is the most mindful and conscionable way to go about things. It also saves a lot of cash as some of the unfashionable cuts are cheaper (wings anyone?). I really suggest playing around with drumsticks recipes (for bonus health reasons as I outline below), or recipes that use all different cuts of the chook… to see what you like best. I’ve provided details below of how to roast cuts of chook, too (if you’re not into buying a whole bird). I also like this recipe, which plays about with different cuts. Buy up several at your supermarket and experiment.

2. Eating all your chook is best for your health.

Let’s break it down into some watercooler points:

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refining your quirks

I sometimes see my personality quirks as highly expressive boils on the face of life. Too loud, too swollen, too festy. I’ve been feeling this way lately and have been backing away from things a little…to give the world a break from my boils. I could probably put this prettier. But it’s the picture that comes to mind. Many of us resent our quirks, especially those of us who’ve done “work on ourselves”. You know, all that “abandon the ego” stuff…But I’ve had a helpful insight today. I’ll explain….

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Image via Favim

I was at meditation group Monday night, and my teacher Tim was sharing something about the different stages of transcendence or some such. I can tune out to such speak. I’m about 2984757 lifetimes off transcending. When I meditate I don’t sink blissfully into some ephemeral space where “Wow, I just zoned out…did 20 minutes and three semi-trailers really just pass by?!?”. I don’t drift off anywhere. Nope, my experience is a jerky, nervous, chattery one that is far from inspirational. I’ve written about this before here.

But Monday I tuned back in when Tim mentioned that one of the outcomes of steering oneself to transcendence entailed refining your personality quirks in a fresh way, such that you become more YOU and more LOVEABLE. Two bangs for the buck.

I have many personality quirks. I don’t know where to begin detailing them. I have a deep-seated inclination to flee. It’s a big part of why I ride a bike. So I can flee when the quirk strikes. I have to talk to strangers wherever I go. This always annoyed my mother.

I’m a control freak.

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My response to the anti-vax twit storm

* This post has been updated, 18th July 2014.

Each week I get asked to join Seven’s Sunrise panel to discuss various topical issues of the morning. This morning I was asked to comment on a news item that reported parents in Sydney’s wealthy suburbs were putting their kids’ lives at risk by choosing not to get them vaccinated. I went on air shortly after 8:30…

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In the notes handed to me a little before I went on air, I was told Kochie would be asking me about the basis of the anti-vax movement’s argument. What was their premise? On air Kochie referred to the news item, mentioning that one of the reasons for the phenomenon was that wealthy parents miss the vaccination schedule due to being on holidays, and he asked for my thoughts. And so it was I waded into quite the storm.

Sarah Wilson creates controversy after she appears to back anti-vaccine movement

I felt I should respond to some of the claims being made and answer the questions being asked on Twitter.

I’m going to be frank, however. I’m pushed for time today. And I’m not very well. Plus, it’s a topic that I’m not an expert in, nor does it touch me directly. And so I haven’t researched it as far as I might another topic that I would normally elect to speak out on.

But I don’t like leaving issues hanging, and I’d like to stamp out any confusion that could certainly be causing some parents upset. Below I share whether I would vaccinate my kids. But first…

* I was called on to share the reasons why some parent’s don’t vax their kids.

I managed to do some quick Googling before going on set to see if there had been any studies on this in Australia. It strikes me as really odd that parents would skip something as important as vaccinations simply because they were on holidays that day. And, surely, given it’s such an important topic, with so much parental engagement, I’d have thought schools would have contingency plans in place for parents who miss the schedule (if they aren’t actively anti-vax). Ergo, I displayed skepticism and shared some thoughts I’d come across online that suggested there were a number of other reasons for the phenomenon. An Australian study (albeit an old one) found that: “Older, highly educated parents form the basis of the [sic] anti-immunisation lobby”. More here, here and here. I shared this on air, in answer to the question.

* Do I have kids? No.

I say this upfront before discussing any topic like this, and did so this morning, too. I don’t want anyone to think I fully understand the challenges parents face with these kind of decisions. I’ll be frank.

I have an immune disease that means I can’t have kids. Very sadly.

* Am I personally anti-vax? No.

As I said this morning, “I’m not going to take a stance on this myself because I don’t know fully”.  It’s a topic I’m not wholly abreast of. It’s a complex one.

 I don’t like professing to “know” if I simply do not. I won’t speak out on it. Instead I engage in the debate and absorb, absorb, absorb.

If I could have kids, I’d probably look into the topic further.

And I’ll stress what I clarified this morning on air: “I’m just putting it from the perspective of the anti-vaccination movement’s perspective.” As asked.

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my 20 best productivity tips

I’m not a productivity fiend. Flaying about in chaos can be exhilarating. But I do like the sport of finding a smarter way to do things. And I love it when people share what they do. Is it a chick thing? I mean, it’s the secret to women’s magazines – sharing the kind of information our grandmother’s shared over the back fence. It’s pervy and helpful at the same time.

bermuda triangle of productivity my 20 best productivity tips
image via ritholtz.com

I get asked often what I do to make things smoother, faster. And when I do, I realise I do have a few things in place, most of them gleaned from my 2-year-long experiment chronicled in my Sunday Life series of columns. Here’s a bunch of things I do plus stuff a bunch of smooth, fast friends I have do…and I’m going to ask all of you to add to the list. I’ll do a second post of the best-ofs (with links to your various blogs/instagrams etc). Share away below.

I’ll kick off first.

1. I use Instapaper for long reads.

I’ve written about this great program here. I have a “read later” widget in my bookmarks and save links that I want to…read later…or to use another time. Then, once a fortnight or so, I’ll got through the stored links and read them, or file them in categories. If I’m travelling, I’ll open and download a bunch to read on the plane.

2. Hootsuite for all social media.

It’s the only (to my knowledge) free desktop that allows me to post to all (or a few) social media outlets at once. Again, I have a “hootlet” widget in my bookmarks and can share a link everywhere in an instant.

3. I use Siri a lot.

She likes my voice and does what I say. I use it for brain fart moments (I compose emails to myself) and writing long texts and even the copy on my instagram posts. Not sure if this is legal… but I find it useful when I’m driving or riding (which is when most of my brain farts come to me).

4. I use the keychain access function.

This is a Mac function. It’s a secure spot where you can put all your passwords for easy access. Open. Copy. Paste.

5. I’m a fan of the Pomodoro Technique.

I use this when I’m working on big projects and all my writing tasks. It works. It’s possibly my favourite widget.

6. I delete emails without fear. And write less of them myself.

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Gwyneth Paltrow shares her favourite wintery recipes with us!

Oh, today we’re in for a treat! Gwyneth Paltrow this week releases her latest cookbook It’s All Good in Australia and – hoorah for us – I’ve been very lucky to be granted a sneak peak and an extract.

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Perhaps she’s wearing makeup that makes her look like she’s not wearing makeup…either way, the shot is hot and fresh and pervily captivating.

Gwyneth and I are very much on the same page with food and lifestyle stuff and she contributed a recipe to my I Quit Sugar cookbook. You might recall her last cookbook, My Father’s Daughter, was a rippa…but it used sugar in the recipes; this time around, Gwyneth has switched most of her recipes to xylitol, rice malt syrup and stevia. We’re straddling a revolution, I tell you!

She’s also a fan of slow cooking. Anyone who follows my style of eating here will no doubt love the lamb tagine. The recipes are also hit with a “Vegan”, “Protein Packed” and “Elimination Diet” so you can choose your own adventure, with various modifications specified. Clever, hey?

But over to Gwynnie and her nouriture…

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Sweet Potato + Five Spice Muffins, recipe below. © It’s All Good by Gwyneth Paltrow, Grand Central Publishing

Sweet Potato + Five Spice Muffins

Gluten-free baking is not for the faint of heart. At first as we tested this recipe, we produced heavy or bizarrely textured muffins, but we finally hit the nail on the head with the perfect mix of ingredients. These muffins are super-tasty and are always a smashing success in my house.

Makes a dozen (vegan) muffins

  • 1 large sweet potato
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
  • ¾ cup xylitol
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups gluten-free flour (if the flour doesn’t include xanthan gum only add 1 teaspoon)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1½ tablespoons Chinese five-spice powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

Preheat the oven to 200 C. Prick the sweet potato a few times with a paring knife or a fork. Bake until soft (when a paring knife can cut through with zero resistance), about 1 hour. Set the sweet potato aside until it’s completely cool.

Peel the sweet potato, discard the skin, and mash the flesh in a mixing bowl with a fork. Whisk the olive oil, almond milk, xylitol, and vanilla into the sweet potato. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, five-spice powder, and salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

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7 tips my dentist wasn’t meant to tell me

I have a dentist. His name is Dr. Ron Ehrlich from the Sydney Holistic Dental Centre. He gets it. He doesn’t eat sugar. He does exercise in the same way I do. He is actively engaged in the wholefood movement and shares more than just a fill-in with his patients. Over the years he’s shared some fabulously open-minded tips for wellness. I figured all my friends here would benefit from hearing them, too. It’s definitely stuff a dentist generally only shares with their friends…Over to Ronald…

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Image by Greg Guillemin

1. Grind your teeth?  Try to correct your breathing.

Ninety-five per cent of us don’t have enough room for the 32 teeth we have in our mouths.  Not having enough room for your teeth means your airway is not as big as it could be and it’s now recognised that grinding is most often linked to “sleep disordered breathing” including snoring and sleep apnoea. So working on breathing through the nose helps for lots of reasons – including reducing the incidence and effect of tooth grinding, which results in premature wearing or cracking of teeth, broken fillings, headaches, neck aches or a sore jaw.

Which brings me too…

2. Forget mouthguards: tape your mouth shut at night.  Serious!

Try using Micropore (3M) tape over your mouth….yes, I’m serious. You’ll be amazed how something so simple can make a difference. Using the 7-8 hours of sleep to practice breathing through your nose evens out your breathing and stabilises your body chemistry. And because it improves sleep and evens out your breathing, by that same reasoning it also helps reduce the grinding of teeth. [I tried four different – expensive – mouth guards, all of which didn’t stop me from grinding, before trying this tape method. It’s the ONLY thing that’s ever worked and costs a few dollars a month! – Sarah.].

3. Getting mouth ulcers? Avoid grains.

Mouth ulcers (aphthous ulcers) are a common problem. They are an autoimmune response. Try avoiding all grains for a few months. Grains produce a protein called zonulin (…look it up), that causes leaky gut that results in a whole range of autoimmune conditions.

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