Tomorrow is Valentines day and being the responsible Dietitian that I am, I am sharing my favourite super health raw chocolate brownie. If your looking for a non-Cadbury chocolaty treat for your special someone, I encourage you to give this one a try. Even the biggest of skeptics would be impressed – ohhh with the gooiness of the dates, the heartiness of the nuts. And you wouldn’t believe its completely raw! But what really makes this recipe a keeper is the “caramel icing…”
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I think I was born in Japan in another life. For me, nothing compares to Japanese cuisine – always so light, healthy and tasty, and always an emphasis on seasonal eating. There is also the admirable focus on omega-3 rich sources such as seaweed and oily fish, as well as pickled vegetables and fermented soy products such as miso. With the residents of the island of Okinawa in Japan exhibiting a life expectancy amongst the highest in the world, maybe we should be paying more attention to the basis of Japanese cuisine.
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Hurray for popcorn! The guilt free, crunchy goodness that is oh-so-satisfying when paired with a good movie and an even better friend. My long time friend Alexa treated me to this concoction for my last Christmas gift, with the popcorn kernels in a cute mason jar and the toppings alongside to accompany them. This recipe has been a lifesaver during these dreary January nights. After an overload of chocolate and Christmas treats, what could be better than a night-in with your best gal a bowl full of guilt-free popcorn.
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Another year done and dusted. No better time than now to reflect on what an amazing year it has been. Everywhere around us we see people becoming more conscious of the food we eat, and the effects it is having on our health and our planet. We are increasingly asking for more Sustainable Seafood options, we are also demanding to know more about Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) in our food supply, and we are opting for dietary options that don’t promote environmentally unsustainable farming and agriculture. We should be proud, these are big steps in the right direction.
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Fermenting foods was first notorious as a means of food preservation. Now we know that a diet rich in fermented has the extra bonus of keeping our gut flora happy and healthy. But the health benefits are not limited to our digestive tracts; evidence shows that gut health can play a role in immunity, inflammation, mood, allergies, as well as autoimmune disorders. Unfortunately fermented foods have all but disappeared in our newly sterile, overly-processed world of food. And what our current Western-style diet lacks, traditional diets thrive on. In Asia it is tempeh and miso from fermented soy, in the Caucasus Mountains it is kefir from fermented milk. In Africa they enjoy fermented porridge and cassava. In Korea it is Kimchi. In Germany it is Sauerkraut. What happens when our modern day diet lacks these all important fermented foods?
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Pesto in autumn, I hear you ask? Thanks to my container gardening course last spring, (see Container Gardening – 8 Edible Plants To Grown Indoors) I’ve managed to grow basil indoors, and it has been thriving up until now! What else better to do with the last basil leaves of the season than to make a pesto? This Protein Packed Hemp Seed Pesto offers more protein than your standard pesto, and also uses cost effective walnuts in place of pine nuts. But the real twists lies in what makes this vegan version just as tasty, if not more, than it’s parmesan counterpart.
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We all know that calcium is essential for good bone health. Since our kinder years, it has been drilled into us that calcium comes from cows… and I’m sure we can all recite the 3 recommended servings of dairy per day. The problem with those recommendations is that it doesn’t take into account the fact that dairy, alongside beef, is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. Don’t get me wrong, I love my cheese and kefir, and I do advocate that dairy has an important role in general nutrition. But if you are like me, and struggle to get your ‘three recommended serves of dairy’ in, maybe its time to start looking at other sources of non-dairy calcium foods to ensure we are meeting the recommended targets for bone health.
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We all have them. Our go-to-meals when our fridge stock is looking pretty sad. This Japanese Miso and Soba Noodle Soup is an ol’faithful for me. For my roomie Sami, its Satay! This simple Peanut Satay Recipe goes on anything! In the summer put it on a Summer Tofu Salad Bowl, in the cooler months I like it on this classic Indonesian style dish, served with steamed seasonal vegetables and hard boiled eggs. Thanks for the awesome recipe Sami!
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Earlier this year, the answer to the age old question Is breakfast really the most important meal of the day? was answered in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Although the study was small, it concluded that there is no major differences between breakfast eaters and breakfast non-eaters in terms of metabolic profile – though, the breakfast eaters did have more stable blood sugar levels throughout the day. Does this change anything in the world of nutrition? No, not really. Read more »
Last week I had the pleasure of dining at the notorious Lentils As Anything Restaurant in Melbourne, Australia. Since I got wind of this eatery’s concept some 10 years ago, I dreamed of one day dining there and finally got my wish. It was amazing. The philosophy behind Lentils As Anything is that you pay what you feel the food is worth, and with this you are given the opportunity to contribute towards a world where respect, generosity, trust, equality, freedom and kindness rule. This not-for-profit organization has been successfully working for over 13 years; when diners such as myself can afford to pay the proper price of the meal plus a few dollars more, it allows those that are less fortunate to be able to dine out and be social, regardless of their financial situation. Lentils are in my opinion the superfood of all superfoods. Now let me tell you why lentils should be allowed centre stage at your next meal, and I’ve included a simple prep guide to make it all the less daunting.
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