Hi Kathryn,

Thanks so much for the link to the cauli, bean and parsnip mash! Just wanted to say that I used it hot as a mashed potato substitute, but I bet it would be yummy cold on crackers as well.

And as someone who lives beside the US, I am really shocked to hear that Australia is now considered the most overweight nation – I always think of Australia as such an athletic country (with such good weather in so many places – you can be outside a lot of the time). Well, Canada’s not exactly rating high (or should I say low?) in the weight department, either!

Ricki – mashed potato substitute nice work. I’d only got as far as thinking about it on toast.

There is an image of the healthy, bronzed Aussie – but it’s far from the reality for most people. In actual fact we’re an affluent society that works long hours – which leaves little time for outdoor pursuits and exercise. Processed and junk foods are readily available and relatively cheap. Our sense of what’s overweight has changed significantly in the last 10 years. It’s been normalised, reduced in urgency as a health problem. So yes, overweight and obesity are probably the major health issue that affects our nation.

Hey Kathryn – Re: Dips, I’ve just made a delicious beetroot one you might like!

I was really shocked to hear that about Australia too. I haven’t been over for about five years, but the problem just didn’t seem anywhere near as obvious then as compared to the US. So quite a shock to hear that Australia has rocketed to the top of the list.

On the bright side, there will be plenty of people for you to work with Kathryn!

I think the reporting of the survey which states Australia is the most obese country is a little over the top. Apparently the people surveyed were people getting their blood pressure tested. It is likely that people who are over-weight were more likely to be concerned about their blood pressure and therefore more likely to take advantage of the free test. The sample is therefore likely to contain a higher percentage of overweight people than the population as a whole.

But that said, there are still way too many overweight Australians.

Hi Kathryn,
Sorry I haven’t stopped by for a while. I am keen to know the outcome of the research about eating locally. I bought cauliflower two days ago, they were so cheap! But all I do is steam, boil or grill them. Making a dip would be a great idea. As for the overweight issue, I’m not surprised, I recall comments by producers for TV show “The Biggest Loser”, when they were first auditioning for the first series here, they thought that the contestants in Australia were much bigger than the ones in the US version.

take care,
Nora

Sophie & Vireya – there’s definitely some doubt about whether the claim we’re the fattest nation in the world is true or not. There’s “this press release” from the AIHW. Plus considerable evidence that some Pacific Islands have worse obesity problems than we do. So yes, agreed, I think it’s been over-reported.

Which of course does not mean we don’t have a significant, significant problem here in Aus.

Nora – if you’re looking for more uses for cauliflower, I’ve always liked the look of Lucy’s roasted cauliflower dish.