I've was greeted with this question twice yesterday. I'm curious~what are your first thoughts when asked if you've had a busy day? Are they similar to one of these answers? 1.“Yes, I’ve been 'on the go' from the moment my feet hit the floor; getting myself/ family ready in the morning, making lunch,putting the wash on, trying to get emails cleared, phone calls returned, all my urgent tasks … [read more]
Breakfast Booster Smoothie
Which breakfast gives you the most ‘mileage out of your tank of fuel’? Have you noticed which foods make you feel nicely satisfied in your stomach, awake and bright in your mind, with a steady stream of energy and even mood for the next few hours? Rather than feeling sleepy, irritable, hungry an hour later, heavy and bloated! One of my favourite breakfasts that ticks the boxes for me is an … [read more]
Portion Distortion- have you been caught out too?
Do you remember when fast food places started to ‘upsize’ meals, add fries and a drink for a few cents more? Since I didn’t eat at McDonalds and KFC, I felt pretty smug I wasn’t super sizing my meals. But around the same time, I was reading Brian Wansink’s research (he wrote ‘Mindless Eating’) and had a shock. It turned out I was super sizing EVERYTHING I was eating and drinking. And worst … [read more]
Quinoa Tabbouleh
Tabbouleh salad is a great base for lunch or in a pita pocket bread or to complement a meal of kebabs, tzatziki yoghurt dip and green salad. Usually tabblouleh is made with cous cous or bulghur wheat which are both made from wheat grain. I’m making it here with quiona (pronounces keen-wa) grain. This makes the salad gluten free and suitable for Low FODMAP diets. Quinoa is from South America and … [read more]
Raw Energy Salad
I love salads in Summer and the amazing colour and taste of this one especially. This keeps in the fridge for at least 3 or 4 days and still tastes great. Ingredients ¼ red cabbage 2 raw beetroot 6 small or 3 large carrots Salad dressing e.g French or Balsamic or Pomegranate juice based dressings are all good with this salad. Method Finely slice the cabbage. Grate the … [read more]
Summer Lunch
What am I making for lunch this week? Here on the table are lovely green leaves, Bruschetta topped olive oil, goat feta, tomato and basil, Raw Energy Salad and Quinoa Tabbouleh. Plus a Fresh Herb Mayonnaise and French Salad Dressing. I like to have easy-to-prepare lunches for the week ahead. It’s summer here in New Zealand so I make 2 salads on Sunday that keep well and store in the fridge. So … [read more]
Muesli bars
I love the versatility of muesli bars but loathe the commercial ones in the supermarket, which contain damaged ‘trans’ fats and are often loaded with sugar, both of which will only increase inflammation in our body. So here is one I have just made from Dr Libby’s Real Food Kitchen recipe book, which stores nicely in freezer. I get a couple out for breakfast and it sets me up for the day or … [read more]
Mindful or Mindless Eating… which are you?
I have a confession to make… watching people eat fascinates me! Not right up close mind you, but from a distance such as in the airport or in a shopping mall food court! It started after I read an amazing book called ‘Mindless Eating- why we eat more than we think’ by Brian Wansink. I could see that in speeding up our life, trying to fit the increasing demands in our day, something had to give. … [read more]
Lentil Pate
It’s great to have this Lentil pate as a vegetarian protein rich base for lunches. Made at the weekend and kept in the fridge, it’s ready to put together for the week ahead. In Summer I like the lentil pate with some crackers and a large bowl of salads for lunch. In Winter this is lovely with crackers and a large bowl of vegetable soup to warm me. Lentil pate can also be used as a protein … [read more]
Chermoulah Prawns
This Chermoulah sauce is a delight on the taste buds. It is a Moroccan recipe from Annabel Langbein’s book 'Free Range Cook'. Like many of Annabel Langbein’s recipes it is big on taste and easy and quick to make- a winning combination! You can make the Chermoulah sauce and store in the fridge for a few days, use it with chicken kebabs or like here, with prawns. This is delicious for a buffet … [read more]