How lack of sleep can make you drunk!
This week on our 'Mindful Living' segment - Danny and Izelle chat about sleep, and how you need to be getting enough of it!
Izelle Hoffman is a lifestyle chef and cookbook author who's passion for mindful living, eating, drinking and sleeping are infectious!
Each week she joins Danny to chat about another aspect of living mindfully and this week it is all about sleep, and good food, of course!
One standout finding is that a lack of sleep affects the body the same way drinking alcohol does. Research found that after 17 hours without sleep, our alertness is similar to the effects of a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05%, which according to U.S. law is considered "impaired" on the legally drunk scale.
Each week, Izelle also shares a great recipe from her Mindful Eating Cookbook! This week, it's all about the chocolate!
Choc chip blondies
Prep time: 10 minutes
Baking time: 15–20 minutes
Servings: 12–16 blondies
2 x 410 g cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
6 Tbsp raw honey
100 g almond butter
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tsp caramel essence
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
50 g almond flour
1 tsp Oryx desert salt
2 large eggs
100 g dairy-free dark chocolate, chopped (I prefer Gayleen’s Decadence)
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C on thermo-fan. Line a 20 x20cm baking pan with baking paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Place the chickpeas in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Add all of the other ingredients except the eggs and chocolate and process on high for 3–5 minutes, scraping down the sides, until the mixture is smooth and well blended. (If you don’t have a food processor, you can pulp the chickpeas with a blender, add the rest of the ingredients and beat with an electric beater for 2 minutes on high speed.)
- Beat the eggs in a separate bowl until light and fluffy, then add to the chickpea mixture and beat for another 30 seconds to mix well. Fold in the chocolate chunks.
- Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking pan and bake for 15–20 minutes. The edges will be crispy and firm to the touch, while the centre will remain moist and soft.
- Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares and serving. The centre will firm up a bit while cooling, but will remain perfectly moist and soft.
Note: These gluten-free soft and fudgy blondies are bursting with healthy flavor, are naturally sweetened and are the perfect dessert to sneak in some protein-packed chickpeas.
Why we make use of these ingredients:
Chickpeas
I love chickpeas, whether grilled and flavoured as a snack, served in a vegetarian curry or pulped and mixed with a few other ingredients to form the base of a cake! Chickpeas are a good source of fibre, rich in calcium and anti-inflammatory, and boost the immune system.
Almonds
Whether in the form of milk, flour, butter or flakes, almonds are packed with nutritional benefits. They boost the immune system, help repair damaged skin, help prevent cancer, reduce the risk of osteoporosis and have alkalising properties. They are also a source of vitamin E, magnesium and high-quality protein.
Raw Cacao
Raw cacao contains very high amounts of antioxidants, reduces appetite and helps with weight loss. It alleviates stress, helps manage depression and regulates blood pressure. It is a fantastic source of calcium too. I always keep a slab of locally made Gayleen’s Decadence in my pantry, because it’s preservative free, dairy free and sweetened with raw honey
Bicarbonate of soda
You will find this in my pantry as well as in the bathroom next to my toothbrush. Bicarbonate of soda alkalises the body, and so drinking half a teaspoon dissolved in water before I go to bed at night helps neutralise the acidity build-up of the day. It also provides relief from colds and flu, and supports healthy detoxification
Oryx Desert Salt
What is the purpose of adding salt during cooking? It’s to enhance flavour, right? So why not start by using a good-quality salt to do the job? Sundried and unrefined with no additives will bring out the best in your food in the healthiest way possible.
Raw Honey
Salt needs sweet and vice versa to enhance taste and flavour. So when you add sweetness, choose a sweetness that has a healing effect on your body and health. Raw honey is antiviral and antifungal, and contains powerful antioxidants. Its helps ward off allergies, stabilise blood pressure and balance blood sugar levels. It also boosts the immune system and promotes digestive health.
This past weekend was a very important one for Izelle! She partnered with the guys at Freedom Walkers and shared more in the podcast about how Scribante Group in partnership with Freedom Walkers are changing lives for the better !
Listen here:
You can buy your copy of the award winning 'Mindful Eating' cookbook here!
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