Quicklinks
Posted by kathryn in Shopping Basket, Weight loss, Salads and Main courses
- The US$7 Dinner Challenge: Sarah’s Cucina Bella has set a challenge: making a two-course dinner for four people for US$7. That’s not a lot of money, about $10 Australian. I’m taking part – are you up to the challenge?
- A selection of salads: I’m new to Food Blogga, but particularly love her salad selection. There are side salads, meal salads, dishes suitable for winter, as well as lighter salads for the summer months. The Food Blogga salad collection can be found here.
- What is fat?: Great round-up on current thinking about fat and obesity: Think fat just hangs around and does nothing? It doesn’t.
- Using up leftovers: One of the recipe collections on the BBC’s GoodFood website centres around using leftovers. Whether it’s a roast dinner, rice, stale bread, vegetables – you can find a way to use it up here.
- Food portions: I’ve been thinking about buying Amanda Clark’s book Portion Perfection for clinic, but in the meantime I’ve found she has a blog. And there’s a summary of the calories in different drinks and how they’ve changed over the years.
- More beetroot: I’ve also just found a whole section of beetroot recipes on the NY Times website, including this glorious looking Mediterranean beetroot and yoghurt salad.
Kookaburra photograph by Iansand. Just because.
How do you find a good nutritionist?
Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday
Lisa thought I might have some advice on how to find a good nutritionist!
While it’s not something I often look for, I do have some opinions and thoughts on this.
1. Make sure your nutritionist is registered
In Australia, once you’re qualified, if you want to practice as a a nutritionist you have to join a professional association. Registration is also necessary for getting insurance – vital for practising these days.
As I’m from the naturopathic school I’m registered with ATMS. Dieticians are registered with the Dieticians Association of Australia. And I suspect the same is true in many other countries.
If your practictioner is registered with a professional body it’s your guarantee they are qualified, have a basic level of competence and are more likely to conduct themselves ethically. I would strongly recommend against seeing an un-registered practitioner.
2. Consult widely
About 80 percent of my clients are referred to me by existing patients and other practitioners. Knowing someone who has already come to see me means they can have confidence in my abilities and a knowledge of how I work.
This is a great way of finding a good practitioner Talk to friends and family members and find out if they’ve seen a nutritionist. If none of your immediate circle know a nutritionist, then check with your local health food shop. They very quickly get an idea of who’s good and who to avoid in the local area.
3. Ask your prospective practitioner questions
Having a good rapport with your nutritionist is important to the success of your health changes. If you trust, like and respect them you’re more likely to follow through on their suggestions. If they have an understanding of you and your lifestyle, they are more likely to make recommendations which suit you.
Before making an appointment call or email the practitioner. Ask them how much they charge and what the ongoing costs will be? Whether they have any areas of speciality? What training they’ve had? How much time is involved? Can they describe how they work? How often do they prescribe supplements? How flexibile are their programmes?.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions and don’t be shy.
4. Don’t commit to a long term programme before you’re sure
With most practitioners you are able to have a one-off initial consulation, without committing to a long-term programme. The first consult is time to get to know your practitioner and discuss options.
Be wary of any practitioner who asks you to lock you into a programme before your initial consultation.
5. During consultations be clear about what you want
I spend a lot of time during consultations talking to clients about what they want. From me, from the process and for their health. How much time do they have to concentrate on their health? What are their cooking skills? What’s the extent of their food knowledge? How long do they think treatment is going to take? How are they expecting to feel in one week or two months? What are their goals? What’s their budget?
I work in a highly collaborative way. I negotiate with clients, check on what they can and can’t do, ask for their input.
Therefore the clearer you can be about what you want the better. Prior to your appointment spend some time jotting down notes. Think about how you’re feeling now and how you want to feel. What troubles are you experiencing and what help do you need.
I find this time and focus pays dividends.
What about you – any other thoughts on how to choose a practitioner?
What is Q & A Thursday?
This post is part of Q & A Thursday – a monthly burst of blogging, where you get to dictate the subject matter. Q & A Thursday is all about simple, practical answers to food and diet dilemmas sent in by readers.
An old remedy: lemon juice in water
Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday
The next question in Q & A Thursday is about lemon juice in the morning.
What do you think of half a squeezed lemon in hot/boiling water in the morning? I have been doing this as opposed to my morning coffee.
This is an old naturopathic remedy. Most detoxes include it and a lot of practitioners recommend this combination to aid liver and digestion.
While I don’t promote detoxes, I do have clients who swear by it and I sporadically recommend this remedy to people.
However there’s no concrete evidence for this action. If it does help the liver and digestion, the impact will be small.
But I still like the idea of starting the day with a drink. A cup of lemon juice and water, or some herbal tea. A small morning ritual that provides some hydration. But more importantly a moments pause before launching into the day.
What is Q & A Thursday?
This post is part of Q & A Thursday – a monthly burst of blogging, where you get to dictate the subject matter. Q & A Thursday is all about simple, practical answers to food and diet dilemmas sent in by readers.
Do you crave ice?
Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday
The next question in Q & A Thursday is from a reader who asks:
Someone once told me that people who are anaemic crave ice. I can’t find any information about this, but it worries me because my 12 year old daughter LOVES ice.
Pica is the name of the health issue where people crave and chew substances which are either not normally classified as food, or are not usually eaten in large quantitites. As well as ice, pica cravings can include clay, cornstarch, paper, soil, chalk, soap and coal.
What causes pica?
Our knowledge of what causes pica is a bit sketchy. There is some evidence it may be caused by nutritional deficiencies and ice pica has been linked to low iron. However none of this evidence is conclusive.
What to do if you think you have pica?
For pica to be diagnosed the cravings must have lasted more than one month. It is not a short-term, one-off condition.
Plus if you simply like chewing ice, that is not pica. Pica is a craving. Which is a more intense desire or need, than a simple enjoyment.
If you think you may have pica it’s really important to see your GP. To get a proper diagnosis and work out why this is happening.
What is Q & A Thursday?
This post is part of Q & A Thursday – a monthly burst of blogging, where you get to dictate the subject matter. Q & A Thursday is all about simple, practical answers to food and diet dilemmas sent in by readers.
What are salicylates?
Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday
Next on Q & A Thursday a reader asks:
What are salicylate levels? And why are people concerned about these levels in fruit? I have come across several websites noting that the salicylate levels in pears drop to zero if you peel the skin off. I always thought that we should try to eat the skin of fruit and vegetables because that is where all the vitamins are, but should I be peeling my fruit instead?
Chemicals occurring in food
All foods contain chemicals. While we tend to think of chemicals as being bad things to be avoided, natural chemicals are present in everything we eat. Vitamins, carbohydrates and proteins are chemicals. Your food smells and tastes the way it does, because of chemicals.
What are salicylates?
Salicylates are one of these naturally occurring chemicals. They’re water soluble and particularly common in plants, where they act as hormones assisting in growth, photosynthesis and respiration.
Where are they found?
Salicylates are found in many common and normally healthy fruits and vegetables. Asparagus, beetroot, pumpkin, snow peas, apples, rhubarb and bananas all contain salicylates.
Their levels tend to be high in un-ripe fruit and reduce with ripening. They are also sometimes concentrated in the peel. Which is why unpeeled, unripe pears have more salicylates than the peeled, ripe fruit.
They’re also found in herbs, spices, nuts, honey, yeast extract, tea, coffee, jams, some flavourings, beer and wine.
Why are they a problem?
While they are natural substances, some people are intolerant to salicylates and eating foods containing these natural chemicals affects their health. As with all intolerances the best way of improving health is for the intolerant individual to avoid foods containing salicylates.
This type of intolerance is uncommon and most people are free to eat salicylate containing foods without problem – including pears with their skin.
More information
- If you think you may have a salicylate intolerance it’s important to see your doctor and be correctly diagnosed. Do not simply cut these foods out of your diet and hope to get better – as this can cause nutritional deficiencies.
- For more information take a look at the factsheets and information published by Royal Prince Alfred Hospital’s Allergy Unit.
- If you have a salicylate intolerance then I would strongly recommend their Friendly Foods recipe book.
What is Q & A Thursday?
This post is part of Q & A Thursday – a monthly burst of blogging, where you get to dictate the subject matter. Q & A Thursday is all about simple, practical answers to food and diet dilemmas sent in by readers.
Pear photograph by Anrushti.
How to cook vegetables to get the most nutrients
Posted by kathryn in Vegetables and Q & A Thursday
First up in October’s Q & A Thursday is a question from Andrea:
I’ve often heard that you should steam vegetables, rather than boil them, to gain more nutrients out of them. However, I am not sure why this is so. Is this because (a) nutrients are water soluble, so when you boil them and drain off the water, you are pouring the nutrients away? Or (b) boiling vegetables actually destroys the nutrients somehow?
Vegetables contain a number of different nutrients. Vitamins, minerals, fibre, antioxidants, as well as carbohydrates and even tiny amounts of protein. While we can get carbohyrates, protein and fibre from other foods, we rely on vegetables to provide many of the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants we need for good health.
Most healthy eating guidelines include recommendations on how vegetables should be cooked. To keep your vegies as jam-packed with nutrients as possible, some cooking methods are better than others.
Some nutrients are water soluble
Vitamins are split into two main groups. Some of them like Vitamin C and the B group, are water soluble. While others, like A, E and D are fat soluble. If you boil vegetables, then some of these water soluble nutrients leach out into the cooking water and when you drain the vegies these nutrients are lost down the sink.
If you’re cooking vegetables in a soup or stew, some of these nutrients will be retained – as you’re not draining away the juices.
Some nutrients are fragile
Some of the water soluble nutrients, like vitamin C, are also quite fragile. When exposed to heat they start to degrade.
Which means extensive cooking at high temperatures is also a problem for these water soluble nutrients.
Of course it’s not that simple
If you’ve just read the above, it sounds like we should all be eating raw vegetables. However, while some nutrients are lost during cooking, others actually become more available and useful. This is true of the lycopene in tomatoes, the iron in spinach and a number of others.
The top 5 guidelines on how to eat vegetables
- The number one priority is to eat vegetables, no matter how they are prepared. Without daily serves of vegetables your diet is deficient.
- Eat a variety of vegetables. They all contain different vitamins and antioxidants. By eating a variety you are ensuring your diet is the best it can be.
- Prepare you vegetables in a variety of different ways. To get the most out of your vegies eat them both raw and cooked.
- Try not to over-cook vegetables. Lightly steam, stir fry or micro-wave the majority of vegetables you eat. This reduces the nutrient loss.
- Cook and eat vegetables with a small amount of oil, as this helps you absorb the fat-soluble vitamins and antioxidants.
What’s your favourite way of eating vegetables?
What is Q & A Thursday?
This post is part of Q & A Thursday – a monthly burst of blogging, where you get to dictate the subject matter. Q & A Thursday is all about simple, practical answers to food and diet dilemmas sent in by readers.
What's in season in Sydney: October
Posted by kathryn in What's in season
Following some thought I’ve decided to make the regular what’s in season list NSW specific.
I’m moving more and more towards eating primarily local foods and the vastness of this country means sticking to Australian grown produce is not quite enough. Food and produce from the west coast and far north travel thousands of miles getting to Sydney.
Which isn’t quite “local” food really. So from now on each month I’m going to concentrate on what’s being grown and harvested in this state.
While I will make every effort to produce an accurate list, this information is not easily available. I suspect there will be errors and omissions along the way. So please let me know if you have more information or spot a mistake.
For Australian readers from other states – I’d love to know the differences between you and NSW.
Fruit:
- Apples: Fujis and Sundowners from Batlow and Orange still available
- Avocadoes: NSW avocadoes are available – mostly Hass
- Bananas: from Northern NSW
- Blueberries: Coffs Harbour fruit available
- Grapefruit: ruby grapefruit are particularly delicious at the moment
- Lemons
- Mandarins
- Mulberries
- Oranges: navels
- Strawberries: while the NSW strawberry season is just starting most of the cheap punnets in the shops are from Qld and WA. Local strawberries are available from farmers’ markets.
Vegetables
- Artichokes (globe)
- Asian greens
- Beetroot
- Broad beans
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Herbs
- Leeks
- Lettuce
- Peas
- Potatoes: chat
- Rhubarb
- Silverbeet
- Snowpeas
- Spinach
- Wild rocket
The monthly what’s in season guide is compiled from a number of sources, including: the Harris Farm Market and Fratelli Fresh market updates; Lettuce Deliver’s weekly shopping guide; the Sydney Markets seasonal guide; updates in Donna Hay and Delicious magazines; a range of books; as well as my own observations of what’s currently available and good value. I sometimes continue to make updates during the month, as fruit and veg availability changes.
Sweet pea photograph by Helen Mary.
Q & A Thursday & Jamie Oliver
Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday
Q & A Thursday
This is a Q & A Thursday week. For those new to Limes and Lycopene, Q & A Thursday is a monthly burst of blogging where you get to dictate the subject matter.
Q & A Thursday is all about simple, practical answers to food and diet dilemmas sent in by readers.
If you have a question you’d like answered send me an email. For more information you can take a look at the Q & A Thursday archives.
Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food
In last Friday’s Quicklinks post I referred to a review of Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food programme. I didn’t realise at the time, but it’s on TV this evening, here in Australia.
Sounds like an interesting programme.
Quicklinks
Posted by kathryn in A Balanced Diet, Pudding and Main courses
- On becoming an omnivore: This has nothing to do with health, nutrition or even being sensible really. But I just love Jeffrey Steingarten’s writing. Here he talks about becoming an omnivore.
- Mediterranean-style quinoa: Each week I say to myself I’m not going to link to 101 Cookbooks again. And then Heidi posts another superlative recipe and I just have to let you know. This one is culturally confused quinoa dish – with pesto, roasted cherry tomatoes, pine nuts and tofu.
- Vanilla & rose firni: I’ve never eaten one of these before, but it’s sounding like a rosewater and vanilla infused “custard”. Made with rice flour. With pistachios on top. Anyway it’s from Quick Indian Cooking so it must be good.
- What is health? Essay from Dr Abigail Zuger in the NY Times about health: “It is as fragile and elusive as a soap bubble, as protean as a Lava lamp. It is as hard to define as love or happiness, and even harder to trap and keep.” Loved it.
- Asparagus: Two ways with asparagus from UK chef Yotam Ottolenghi. Simple, astounding dishes.
- Claudia Roden: Claudia Roden is my second favourite cookery book writer. Her recipes are glorious. Not always easy, but clearly and succinctly explained. If you do what Claudia says, the dish will work. I’ve just found a collection of recipes from her book Arabesque on the BBC website.
- Fish in a bag: Another beautiful recipe from Crunchy Green Things, this time it’s for fish wrapped in foil with cherry tomatoes and a big handful of spinach. At least one serve of vegetables before you even get to the side salad.
- Food, class and social inequality: In a review of the latest Jamie Oliver programme Felicity Lawrence explores the difficulties of food and social inequality. While the current emphasis in food and diet advice is on choice for some people it’s not that easy. An excellent review of the complexities of food, nutrition and diet in the modern world. Britain on a plate.
Photograph by Anna H-G.
The pantry challenge: what you cooked
Posted by kathryn in Blogging and Main courses
I’ve been thinking recently about one of the difficult parts of keeping on the dietary straight and narrow. Planning and shopping. They’re an integral part of eating well, but for most of us there are days and weeks when thinking ahead and getting to the supermarket just doesn’t happen.
At these times it’s easy to fall back on fast food and take away.
The challenge
So a few weeks ago I set a challenge. Was it possible to make dinner from a list of 15 basic, long life ingredients? Adding a further degree of difficulty, the dishes also needed to be interesting, easy and healthy.
The ingredients were limited to common, easily purchased foodstuffs:
- Olive oil
- Tinned tomatoes
- Tinned legumes or beans
- Soy sauce
- Frozen vegetables
- Flour
- Pasta
- Tinned fish
- Eggs
- Bread
- Vinegar
- Fresh onions
- One spice or spice mix
- One dried herb or herb mix
Given 15 ingredients what would you cook?
This isn’t the easiest of challenges. However a handful of you lovely readers have come through with the goods, and proved me right.
Below are seven fantastic dinners. That’s a week’s worth of meals, which can all be made using only the ingredients listed above.
Seven different and wonderfully tasty looking meals.
Kate from the well named blog Healthy, Tasty, Green & Cheap adapted one of her quick cooking chickpea dishes to suit the challenge.
Frozen spinach, onion, chickpeas, olive oil and cumin are all it takes to make dinner. And Kate’s meal is ready in under ten minutes.
Serve this by itself, or with some boiled rice.
Healthy, Tasty, Green & Cheap’s chickpeas with cumin and spinach.
Despite wanting to bump up the ingredients list with lemon, Hippolyra from Fuss Free Flavours managed the challenge with flying colours.
Her dish is a baked risotto using tinned mackerel and chickpeas, topped off with a bright and vibrant pea “mash”.
Fuss Free Flavours baked tomato, mackerel & chickpea risotto with pea puree.
The aim of the challenge was to make an easy dinner. However Cassie from Veggie Meal Plans took it one step further.
Her salad gets tastier the longer it sits. Plus it travels well.
So from a few minutes in the kitchen, you have dinner and a salad to take to work the next day. All from a tin of mixed beans, some frozen green beans and five other pantry ingredients.
Veggie Meal Plans’ mixed bean salad with bread.
While she was initially flummoxed by the challenge Wendy from A Wee Bit of Cooking ignored her fresh herb and vegetable garden for one evening. Instead she put together pasta with chickpeas and tomato.
Wendy was first introduced to this dish by an Austrian-Italian friend, and spices it up with chilli flakes and dried oregano.
A Wee Bit of Cooking’s pasta e ceci.
In the midst of moving Lucy from Nourish Me is in the mood for cleaning out her pantry.
And she puts together a filling and nutritious paella using brown rice, tomatoes, peas and a splash of smoked paprika.
While it’s unusual to use brown rice in a paella, Lucy follows Mark Bittman’s advice and par-boils the rice.
After a little bit of stove-top cooking, it’s then finished off in the oven.
Nourish Me’s tomato and brown rice paella.
Cindy from Where’s the Beef put together a Moroccan inspired spicy chickpea dish.
She chooses to slow cook the onions for “maximum soft sweetness” and then adds spinach and chickpeas. The dish is spiced up with Ras el hanout and served with bread.
Where’s the Beef cooks Moroccan spiced chickpeas.
This was my entry in the Pantry Challenge.
It’s a variation of a dish I make regularly in all different guises.
This time tomatoes, spinach and peas are boosted up with some rice and then flavoured with Moroccan spices.
The dish is finished by cracking eggs on the top and gently poaching them in the spicy tomato mixture. It’s filling and nutritionally well balanced.
Limes & Lycopene’s tomato, spinach & egg tagine.
Add 15 ingredients to your pantry
So add these 15 items to your shopping list. Put them in your pantry and freezer. Then next time you’re busy and have forgotten the shopping – you can still make a wonderful dinner.
For those of you who weren’t able to take part in this round of the Pantry Challenge, I’m going to repeat the challenge in November.
And thank you to all the entrants – your dishes are marvellous
Spinach photograph by Mary Mactavish.
5 comments
10 October, 2008