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eggplant

Eggplant With Miso, Run The Day And Popeye

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Like all of us, my brain is trying hard to manage many things at the moment. Disappointingly, sometimes it just won’t do what I want it to do. Anyone else in the same boat?

I have been studying for a few years now and theoretically getting to the pointy end of my results. Things should look something like this – Step 1 – collect all the data – tick. Step 2 – analyse the data – no tick. The problem is, there does not appear to be a section in my brain for statistics. I have searched but so far any brain cells that may have had any ability to understand this are currently AWOL.

Of course, statistics inform so many things that we do everyday and it is very interesting to read about some historical statistical errors that have significantly impacted the health and well-being of many. In the health arena, we have known about these errors for some time but it takes an even longer time for these messages to get out to those who really need to know.

Hormone replacement treatment, serving spoons and Popeye all have a story to tell. You can read about these statistical surprises right here.

See you in March! 

 

Something to Think About

“Either run the day or it runs you.” – Jim Rohn

 

 

Something to Make

Miso Eggplant

Eggplant aka aubergine is just delicious.  Purple is one of my favourite colours and maybe that’s where it all started. They are just so shiny and gorgeous and extremely versatile. Think Eggplant Parmigiana, Moussaka, grilled eggplant and so many other dishes that feature this vegetable. Full of vitamins, anti-oxidants and a great source of fibre, Miso Eggplant is a go to side dish in my household.

Ingredients

2 medium eggplant, sliced in half lengthways and flesh scored diagonally

Olive oil

Your choice of nigella, pepitas or sesame seeds

Miso Glaze

1 tablespoon miso paste

1 tablespoon maple syrup

2 tablespoons olive oil

 

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees and line a baking tray with baking paper.
  2. Drizzle some olive oil onto the tray and rub the cut side of the eggplant into the oil. Place in the oven to cook (cut side down on tray) until soft.
  3. Combine glaze ingredients in a small bowl.
  4. Remove from oven, flip each piece of eggplant over and brush with the miso glaze. Put back in the oven for another 10 minutes until the miso is caramelising.
  5. Sprinkle with your choice of seeds and serve.

 

Something to Do

Watching your own vegetables grow is SO satisfying. There is something quite magical about watching a baby leaf emerge and develop into something you can actually eat. The best thing is, even if you live somewhere with limited garden space, there are plenty of plants you can grow in pots on verandahs, balconies and even a windowsill.

Spinach or silverbeet is my pick at the moment, because within two weeks the leaves are big enough to cut and use. You could plant seeds ($1.39) or alternatively buy a small punnet with 6-8 small seedlings ($4.49). If you compare this cost to the price of buying bags of ready to eat spinach, there is a money saving tip right there.

A small bag of baby spinach retails for around $2.50. This might seem quite cheap but the reality is, all or some of the bag might end up languishing in the bottom of the crisper. 

Check out some ideas on incorporating spinach into salads and some handy tips on growing this bright green vegetable here.

So how about it? Want to try growing some spinach and have it on fresh on hand whenever you need it? 

 

 

 

carrots

Carrots Galore, Chains Of Habit And Veggie Up

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This past week has been all about graduation in my world.

We have a newly graduated Occupational Therapist in the household (very proud) and my students at Murdoch University, graduated with their Nutrition and Food Science degree (also very proud).  There has been a lot of clapping, a lot of adjusting of mortar boards and plenty of wonderful photos.

It is always positive to be reminded what a privilege it is to have such high quality education in Australia, and that persistence and endurance are very underrated. It is no small feat to complete any training or study and I commend all that do. 

If you have someone in your world that has been swanning about in a gown and stylish hat over the past few weeks – well done indeed!

 

Something to Think About

“Chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken.” – Warren Buffet

 

 

Something to Make

Roasted Carrots Salad

Love, love, love carrots! Full of vitamins A and C and a great source of fibre, this carrot dish is one of my absolute favourites.

Ingredients

1 bag carrots or 1 large bunch multi-coloured or 1/2 bag orange plus 1/2 bag purple carrots 

2 x red onions, quartered 

1 cup plain Greek yoghurt

1 bunch fresh dill, chopped finely

1/2 cup currants

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp honey

Olive oil

 

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
  2. Wash and trim carrots (but keep whole) and peel and quarter onions. Place all onto a lined baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and roast for approximately 40 minutes or until tender.
  3. While the vegetables are cooking, combine the yoghurt, cumin and honey.
  4. Using a large platter, spread the dressing over the base of the platter and top evenly with the currants and dill.
  5. Arrange the roasted carrots stylishly over the dressing and enjoy!

 

Something to Do

Australian statistics show that 96% of children and adolescents aged 2-17  and 94% of adults aged 18 and over do not eat the recommended servings of vegetables each day.

We REALLY need to do better. Eating more vegetables reduces the risk of almost of all of our major lifestyle diseases. So simple and yet, so apparently difficult.

For a reality check, if you are not consuming at least 2.5-3 cups vegetables and salad each day, then you are one of these statistics. The fact is, having vegetables only at dinner time will not be enough for anyone.

Some easy ways to increase your vegetable intake:

  • Think about grabbing whole carrots, baby cucumber, handful of cherry tomatoes or a sliced sweet red capsicum as a snack to go with some cheese or hummus.
  • Keep a stash of frozen vegetables as a quick, easy and nutritious alternative to fresh.
  • Grate and chop vegetables into sauces and casseroles.
  • Add legumes to meat dishes to extend the meal and boost the fibre.
  • Use the portion plate model when preparing your meal to ensure that vegetables are a feature.
  • Use a little delicious dressing to make your vegetables and salad interesting.

 

 

 

lemon

Lemon Fluff Up, Wind In The Sails and Life Luxuries

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Hello Lovely People!

It is currently school holidays in my neck of the woods and as our youngest is currently in Year 12, it is officially our last ever school holidays. This coming term will be a series of ‘lasts’ for us and this will no doubt bring sadness and happiness all at the same time.  Is anyone with me on the Year 12 journey? Love to hear your thoughts.

For me, school holidays look a lot different to what they did a few years ago, but there is no doubt they bring challenges for parents as well as a break for the kids.  Sourcing activities is always a must and a popular outing is the movies. If you happen to be going with your little chickens or grand chickens, you can check out my thoughts on movies snacks here.

The next week brings International Coffee Day (yay) and World Heart Day but luckily not on the same day. May each of them bring either a reminder or something to look forward to.

 

Something to Think About

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

 

 

Something to Make

Lemon Fluff Up

My Nan probably wouldn’t have described herself as an expert cook but some of her signature dishes were seriously good. Chicken and vegetable soup, fried rice, coconut biscuits, hot cheese plate (not sure I will ever be able to share this one) and an English roast dinner are just some to name a few.

Desserts at Nan and Pop’s house were quite simple yet delicious and this recipe I am sharing today is a perfect example.  I made up the name, because it was nameless during my childhood but I do believe that lemon and fluff describe it perfectly. You tell me?

This little lemon treasure is an excellent source of calcium (225mg per serve) and protein (7.5g per serve) and could be a snack or dessert.

Ingredients

375ml light evaporated milk, chilled

85g packet of lemon jelly crystals (low sugar or regular)

Method

  1. Pour the jelly crystals into a jug and add 1 cup (250ml) boiling water. Stir until crystals are dissolved. Pour into a shallow dish and refrigerate until almost set (around an hour).
  2. Once the jelly is almost set, pour the chilled evaporated milk into a separate bowl and beat with an electric mixer for around 5 minutes (yes, this is a long time).
  3. Once the evaporated milk becomes thicker and increases in volume, add the jelly and beat for another couple of minutes.
  4. Pour mixture into a 1 litre capacity large bowl or into four smaller bowls or glasses.
  5. If you would like to make these fancy, garnish with curly lemon rind.

 

Something to Do

What does the word luxury make you think of? A great hotel, a fancy restaurant or a beautiful car? Most likely it is slightly different for us all but luxury is very often associated with wealth and money in some shape or form.

Recently on social media, I came across Jade Bonacolta, who writes about productivity, personal growth and life hacks. She listed her six luxuries in life as:

  1. Time
  2. Health
  3. A quiet mind
  4. Slow mornings
  5. Ability to travel
  6. A house full of love

What a great way to reframe luxury. The interesting thing is, many of these luxuries above, get sacrificed in the pursuit of material possession and perhaps other luxurious items.

Grab a pen/cil, something to write on and a quiet space and list your most valued life luxuries. I’ll wait. Let me know how you go.

magpie

The Magpie, Sesame Pumpkin and Five Hours

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Happy Thursday Lovely People!

I think we can all agree that the current weather situation is rather pleasant and certainly puts a spring in the step right?

The thing is, besides the warm sunny days, spring brings the flapping black and white wings of the magpie. For me (and perhaps some of you too) this introduces significant stress because I am bird phobic.  I am not entirely sure when it started but a regular walk many years ago, interrupted by a kamikaze magpie that resulted in a pierced ear did not help. I can admire Willy Wagtails and Kookaburra’s when they have their little sing alongs because I know they are not interested in me (unless I’m holding a sausage in the case of the Kookaburra) but that is my limit.

This means that in spring, my walks can often be a bit longer than usual and potentially zig zaggy, if I need to avoid a potential magpie post. I guess that this helps with the plan to up the steps that we talked about last week. They somehow know that I am around too and you will often find flapping birds if I’m around – go figure.

This week’s quote is a little reminder for me, what about you?

Something to Think About

“If you face the fear it goes, if you run from it, it grows’.” Unknown

 

 

Something to Make

Sesame Pumpkin

Pumpkin is such a versatile vegetable – it can be made into soup, roasted, put into a salad, grated into muffins, quiches, scones, cake and so much more.

Sesame pumpkin is a delicious side to any protein and literally takes 5 minutes to prepare.

Ingredients

Small Butternut pumpkin (or any other you prefer) 

2 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp sesame seeds

Sea salt flakes

Method

  1. Scrub the pumpkin and thinly slice (about 1cm thick)
  2. Place all ingredients into a large lined baking tray and toss to coat the pumpkin
  3. Place in oven and roast (tossing once halfway through) for approximately 30 minutes, or until soft

 

Something to Do

Each week I receive a newsletter from Greg McKeown, an Organisational Psychologist, who teaches people how to focus and simplify.  He often writes about super interesting things and last week he discussed a routine known as The Five Hour Rule, which piqued my interest. This rule dates back to Benjamin Franklin who devoted (at least) an hour a day to learning something new and in his case, he woke early to read and write for an hour each day. The idea is that making use of an hour each day to educate yourself on something, exercises your mind, improves your skills and allows the practice of discipline.

The question is, when and how can we do this? If you work or study during the day, often the last thing you feel like doing is coming home to engage your brain again. Yet, perhaps there are different ways of learning despite this.

For a few years now, I have been learning Italian and each night I spend about 20 minutes doing free Duolingo lessons on my phone.  I am about to hit 1800 days straight of doing this,  only because I can do it without any preparation and in a short period of time. I am so committed to keeping that streak now and I can because it is something I can do anywhere.

Other ways that we can incorporate learning into our day/night is reading before you go to bed, listening to a podcast on your way home, attending a free online lecture or webinar or watching a documentary. The process of learning something does bring joy and it doesn’t need to be related to your job or your expertise.

What about you – are you a fan of the Five Hour Rule?

strawberries

Strawberries, Concentrating and Stepping It UP

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Strawberries, September and spring – all have arrived and are ready to go. All good news from my end as strawberries make me happy just thinking about them and spring is a great time to get out and about isn’t it?   

My week/month has been focused on trying to train our 5 month old mini-schnauzer puppy, Billie. She is a Houdini mini goat, who can escape from any given situation and without a doubt is taking detailed notes in her diary every day on how to outsmart her family.  So far the score is firmly in Billie’s favour but we are working hard to change that… stay tuned!

strawberries

Something to Think About

“I just try to concentrate on concentrating’.” Martina Navratilova

 

 

Something to Make

Roasted Strawberries

Strawberry season is so exciting! I do love this bright red fruit, perfect for eating fresh, in baking, a salad or roasted. 

This recipe was a happy accident and the combination of a few random recipe ideas. Roasted strawberries are delicious served with plain Greek yoghurt, ice-cream or custard.

Ingredients

500g fresh strawberries, washed, trimmed and hulled

2 tsp sumac (available in the supermarket)

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla

Juice of 1 small orange and 2 tsp finely grated rind

Method

  1. Line a medium sized baking dish with baking paper or silicone mat and heat oven to 160 degrees.
  2. Tip strawberries into baking dish.
  3. Add remaining ingredients and mix the strawberries around gently to coat them evenly.
  4. Place in oven and roast (tossing once halfway through) for approximately 35-40 minutes, or until syrupy.

 

Something to Do

Tracking steps is something that many people do these days, and it can be a super handy method of keeping tabs on how much you are moving. However, I think it is easy to overestimate our daily steps too. If you don’t purposefully plan a physical exercise each day, it can be incredibly difficult to achieve the oft mentioned healthy target of 10,000 steps each day. Read here for an interesting insight into the origins of this health promotion message.

Have you noticed that if your job involves sitting at a desk, you are lucky to clock up any more than 5000 steps?

In the past couple of years, my personal target has been to up the ante a little and aim for 15,000 steps each day. Admittedly, it is trickier on the days I go to the gym, because there is less walking involved but it just means that I walk the dog and walk around the block at the end of the day. The reality is, if we keep doing the same things year after year, we don’t shift the needle on our fitness. 

To get those extra steps in try getting up every hour:

  • walking a bit further to and from the bus/train if you take public transport
  • walking your dog (or cat)
  • take a walk in your lunch break
  • taking a walk around the block with your partner, friend or family member at the end of the day for a debrief/destress.

You can measure your steps on a wearable device such as an Apple Watch or Fitbit. Your mobile phone also has an inbuilt tracker and is found under the ‘Health’ icon on an iPhone or under the Google Fit app on an Android phone.

Are you joining me on the ‘getting your steps up’ challenge?

Womens health

Women’s Health Week, Green Peas and Taking Care

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Happy Thursday to you all!

Thanks for the good luck wishes that some of you sent for the City to Surf last weekend. Surprisingly, I’m not as sore as I thought I might be and that has been a pleasant surprise indeed. Did you take part too and how did you fare?

This coming week is Women’s Health Week and although we shouldn’t need a nominated week to look after ourselves, it can be a timely reminder to do so. 

This weekend brings Father’s Day and I hope for all the Dad’s out there, that a wonderful day is had. Father’s Day can bring sadness too and I know that not having your Dad around is tough.  Sending love to all the Dad’s that are here and to those of you who are missing him.

 

Something to Think About

“Taking care of myself doesn’t mean ‘me first’. It means ‘me as well’.” L.R. Knost

 

 

Something to Make

Easy Peasy Green Soup

This soup has been one of my faves for many years and is one of the quickest and easiest meals to make.  Everyone has green peas in their freezer (and if you don’t get on it ASAP because they are SO good for you) and the other ingredients are often in the pantry. This soup is perfect for the nights or weekends when cooking feels like an impossibility. In the blink of an eye, this green delicious soup is ready to be served with your favourite toast, crumpet or muffin.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons  olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 onion, chopped

1 litre vegetable stock

500g frozen peas

2 x lean bacon rashers, finely diced (omit for the plant based peeps)

2 tablespoons chopped mint

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Freshly ground black pepper

 

Method

  1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat, add garlic, onion and bacon and sauté for 5 minutes until onion is translucent but do not brown.
  2. Add stock, peas, mint and parsley. Bring to boil and the reduce to simmer for 8 minutes.
  3. Remove from heat and allow to cool a little before pureeing with a handheld bamix or blender.
  4. Season with pepper and a spoonful of natural yoghurt if desired.

 

Something to Do

Next week 2-6th September is Women’s Health Week hosted by the Jean Hailes Foundation.. There are some great resources available here through the Foundation and some good podcast listening too. This year’s theme is ‘Your voice. Your choice’ and each day during Women’s Health Week, Jean Hailes will release new resources, stories, checklists and more.

There is no doubt that women are prone to putting themselves last in the caring line and I know that it is super tough to take the time and make the effort to look after ourselves as well as everyone else in our lives. If this is you, try starting with something small. It can be as simple as taking five minutes to quietly sip on your coffee when you wake up or reading a few pages of your book before you go to sleep. These small moments do help in busy lives and might just give you the impetus to do more. Above all, look after yourself and remember ‘me as well.’

chicken

Not Fried Chicken, Do It Now and Icy Cold Nips

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Chicken, chicken, chicken were words that I heard often from my gorgeous Nan in her last few years. She felt that every meal given to her at the nursing home definitely contained chicken. I’m not sure that it was totally true but sharing a chicken recipe with you today, has made me cross my fingers that you don’t feel the same way…..

Anyone doing the City to Surf this weekend? It has been a LONG while since I have laced up my runners for this one but I will be on course this coming Sunday. I have a few little tips here on food to consider before you run/walk and oh, don’t forget to put your sunscreen on and drink your fluids ok?

And before I go, just in case you are prone to putting things off… a little reminder too.

Something to Think About

“Something that can be done at any time is often done at no time. Do it now or decide when you’ll do it.” Gretchen Rubin

 

 

Something to Make

Not Fried Chicken

I can clearly remember the last and probably only time I ate KFC (known as Kentucky Fried Chicken at the time). I was 19 years old and getting ready to go out with a bunch of my friends. We were WAY too busy to put some bread in the toaster, so someone went and bought KFC from around the corner.  I ate two pieces of chicken and in that moment knew that I would not be eating that again. EVER.

I’m sure that others have had a similar experience and yet, I do know that there are still plenty of people and lots of teenagers that buy KFC. Which brings me to Not Fried Chicken.  I have no clue where this recipe came from but my household quite likes it – let me know if yours does too.

Ingredients

1 cup wholemeal breadcrumbs or unprocessed wheat bran

1 tablespoon dried mixed herbs

1/2 teaspoon each of dried thyme, basil and oregano

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

500g chicken breast, sliced into long pieces 3 cm wide, skin removed

1 cup natural yoghurt

Method

  1. Combine all dried ingredients into a large ziplock freezer bag and toss to combine.
  2. Coat chicken with yoghurt and add to ziploc bag.
  3. Place chicken into an air fryer (if you have one) or onto a lined baking tray.
  4. Cook according to 20-30 minutes until cooked through (but don’t overdo it).
  5. Serve with a fresh salad or vegetables and homemade wedges.

 

Something to Do

Fancy the idea of an ice bath?  Ever heard of the Wimhof Method?

In the last few years, the benefits of an icy cold shower or an ice bath have been increasingly promoted as a method of recovery post exercise and/or to enhance general well-being. There is also the alternate hot and cold bath or shower and contrast water temperature therapy. No matter which one you choose, they all involve icy conditions.

Cold body therapy has gained serious popularity in recent years, due to its link to numerous proposed health benefits including performance enhancement, improved mood, reduced stress, enhanced immune function, improved cardiovascular function and increased vitality.  However, research shows that there is limited scientific evidence to support these claims.  In short, more research is required.

Having said all of that, I LOVE swimming in the ocean all year and the there is nothing like the feeling of a dip in cold water, followed by a warm shower and a coffee! There is a sensation of being able to do anything at all with the day after a brisk swim, especially if my ugg boots are coming with me! It does give you a very energising boost and reminder that it is truly wonderful to be alive.

If this sounds interesting and you are near the ocean, head on down with a friend for support or join in with others at Cold Nips. If you think a slower foray into cold water might be easier, start by putting your shower on cold for the last 10 secs and see how you go.

Olympics

Olympics, Marathons and Delicious Ricotta

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One of my all time favourite things to do every four years is watch the Olympics. I need to be listening to or watching them at all times for the entire two weeks they are on. It doesn’t matter what the sport – I’m all in.

What about you – do you love them too or are you waiting for them to be over?

Hope your week has been full of what you wanted it to be.

Something to Think About

“People run marathons every day of their lives in one way or another and we need to remember to give ourselves the finishers medals we deserve.”  Zoe Koplowitz – Marathon competitor

 

 

Something to Make

Whipped Ricotta (Plain and Sweet)

Ricotta is an Italian whey cheese made from sheep, cow or goat whey left over from the production of other cheeses. It is made by coagulating the proteins that remain after the casein has been used to make cheese. It is a seriously versatile dairy product that can be used in savoury dishes like pasta, lasagne, quiches and pies and also in cake icing, pancakes, hotcakes or spread on toast with sliced fruit. I love it!

Ricotta is lower in fat at 10% than regular cheddar cheese at 35% fat, plus a good source of calcium and protein too. There are so many ways that I use it in my kitchen but here are two of my faves.

Whipped Ricotta with Lemon

Ingredients

500g fresh ricotta

juice of one lemon

Finely grated rind of one lemon

Method

  1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix with a hand held beater/mixer for around 1 minute.
  2. This is delicious served on top of roasted vegetables or roasted cherry tomatoes or anything that takes your fancy. Can be used for savoury or sweet dishes and gives such a delicious lift to any dish.

Whipped Vanilla Ricotta

Ingredients

500g fresh ricotta

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup icing sugar

Method

  1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix with a hand held beater/mixer for around 1 minute.
  2. This is delicious served on top of plain or fruit toast with sliced strawberries, stone fruit or tinned sliced peaches. It can also be spread on cakes as an icing or as an accompaniment to fresh fruit as a dessert of breakfast.

 

Something to Do

We really can’t go past watching or listening to the Olympics at the moment can we?  As a Sports Dietitian, I obviously have a big interest in sport and for the two weeks that the Olympics is on every four years, I cannot get enough of them. It is so cool that we get to watch sports that ordinarily don’t get the media coverage and to witness the unbelievable hard work that these athletes put in to get there. So many highs, so many lows, disappointments and celebrations. Thankfully, there are so many ways to watch the Olympics now too, which is fabulous.

Apart from the watching there are a few interesting things to read and do too. Have you ever listened to Roy and HG commentate sport? If you haven’t, you must. Their highly entertaining take on each days events is just wonderful and you can listen to them here. Go back and check out the earlier days of the games too – SO funny.

What about how the Ancient Olympians prepared?  Some VERY interesting routines indeed and well worth a read here.

And then, I shared some of my Olympic thoughts after the Rio Games and I find myself doing the same things this time round too.

Lastly, if you are feeling super inspired and want to know how you can fuel yourself like an Olympic athlete, hop on over to my professional organisation Sports Dietitians Australia for lots of  credible, informative and practical fact sheets on many different nutrition topics.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie….

Very Good Scones, Getting Your Poo Test and Winnie the Pooh

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I’m back from my Irish Italian adventures! 150km of walking over Irish mountains (who knew they were there?) in the rain and the fog with a couple of my closest friends, was most certainly an experience I won’t forget. Despite the physical difficulty, we loved the challenge and the wonderful Irish hospitality. And of course, the food. Favourite things to eat included Irish porridge, soup of any kind, soda bread and fish and chips. There was also cider, but that’s a topic for another day! For more details on my travels, there are plenty of stories on my Instagram feed.

From Ireland, we hopped over to Italy to run my Yoga Retreat with a wonderful group of people.  It was a fabulous week of food, Italian culture, laughs and new friendships. Of course, if you would like to join me next year, best get your name on the list quick!

I hope that your winter or summer, wherever you might be, is travelling just the way you want it to. Sit back, have a read and enjoy.

Something to Think About

“Promise that you’ll always remember that you’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think ” Winnie the Pooh

 

Something to Make

Fluffy Puffy Cheese Scones

This is a recipe that I have adapted over the years that can be served as a stand alone scone fresh out of the oven, the perfect accompaniment to your favourite soup or lightly toasted with your favourite topping. 

These scones take literally 10 minutes to prepare and seem to be work well no matter how they come together. I won’t pretend that they are good as my mums, because she is a professional scone baker from way back but they are rather tasty.

Ingredients

4 cups self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp mustard powder

1 cup grated tasty cheddar cheese

300ml reduced fat/light thickened cream

200ml soda water

Method

  1. Combine all dry ingredients and the cheese and make a well in the centre
  2. Add the cream and the soda water and using a knife, mix all ingredients together until a ball of dough is formed
  3. Place the dough on a floured board and knead until smooth and you have a round ball. If the mixture is a little wet, add a little flour.
  4. Press the dough down with your hands until it is approximately 5cm high
  5. Using a scone cutter or glass, cut the dough into scones and place onto a lined baking tray, close and all snuggled up together.
  6. Bake in a 180 – 200 degree hot oven for 15-20 minutes until golden.
  7. Serve scones with a little butter or your favourite spread. 

 

Something to Do

Although this may not sound like the most exciting news ever, it really, really is. Australians aged 45-49 can now opt-in to the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program. This means that an additional 1.6 million Australians are now eligible to request their first bowel cancer screening test, by opting in to get the test mailed to them.  Following this, their next screening test will be automatically mailed out every two years.

My Dad was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2017 and this led to me being an ambassador for Bowel Cancer Australia (BCA) for many years now. You can read about some of my thoughts about this here. BCA have been advocating hard for screening from age 45, given the rising rate of bowel cancer under age 50 and finally their hard work has paid off.  Unfortunately, there is still a perception of ickiness around doing this very easy poo test but the reality is quite different. For a humorous take on the process, check this out by one of my colleagues Warwick Merry here (P.S. written before the age change). There is no ick, just simple instructions – all you have to do is click here to opt-in right now.

Australians diagnosed through the National Bowel Cancer Screening are 59% less likely to die from bowel cancer. That seems like a pretty good reason to start clicking!

beans

To Beans Or Not To Beans – Goodies Your Gut Will Love

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Everyone (Including Beans) Needs A Day In The Sun 

Beans, beans, beans! Not the green beans that add some colour to your plate but the smaller dried or tinned variety. All beans are special but they are extra special in February because it is Gut Health Month and World Pulse Day.  This doesn’t mean that we just do stuff for our gut health in February but it seems like a good time to start.

What The Heck Are Pulse’s?

It is clearly a good day when we all wake up with a pulse but in this case we are referring to the pulses that belong to the wider legume family.  This is a group of plants whose fruit or seed is enclosed in a pod.  Pulses refer specifically to the dried, mature seeds of these plants and include dry peas, beans, lentils and chickpeas.  The term legume, includes these dried varieties as well as fresh peas and beans and is a more commonly used term than pulses. 

Everyone is familiar with the good old baked bean but there are so MANY other varieties out there. Some that you may know of include chickpeas, lentils, peas and beans like butter, kidney, cannellini and soybeans.

I include legumes in my cooking at least three times a week and I don’t think anyone in my household even knows! Not that there is any need to hide pulses but they are super easy to add to almost any dish.  

If you are starting the legume/pulses journey, some easy ways to introduce these nutrition powerhouses into your day include adding a tin of brown lentils to a bolognaise sauce (as they virtually disappear once they are put into a dish) or throw them into a green salad or any kind of mince dish. Kidney or black beans are perfect for burrito bowls or wraps, chick peas are delightful when they are added to a curry and lentils can make a rather tasty salad.

The Nutrition Lowdown On Pulses

Legumes and pulses are truly multi-skilled and are:

  • a budget friendly source of plant based protein
  • higher in protein than most other plant based foods
  • usually low in fat
  • rich in low glycemic index carbohydrates
  • a good source of B vitamins including folate, plus iron, zinc, calcium and magnesium
  • super high in fibre – both soluble and insoluble with the added benefit of resistant starch which is fabulous for maintaining good gut health

For a bunch of great reasons to eat them, you can read the latest by the Grains and Legumes Nutrition Council here. While you are doing that, check out some handy Gut Health resources here too.

Product Review – Edgell Snack Time With Beans

The pulse gang have been around for ages and we have established over and over that they are great for our gut and overall health. Yet, as a population we still don’t eat enough of them. Let’s make it easier.  One of my favourite meals for lunch, is a fridge salad (whatever YOU have in your fridge) topped with a tin of Edgell Snack Time.

There are nine varieties to choose from and they are really delicious. Think chickpeas in a zesty vinaigrette, black beans and charred corn with lime and herbs and other just as delightful combo’s.  I am not sponsored in any way, shape or form by Edgell but I do appreciate how easy they make getting beans and legumes into a meal.

So, what about making inroads on your gut health and getting those beans in your day at the same time? If you have an easy way of doing this, I’d love to hear it!

 

 

Julie Meek

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