Lean, Clean & Green

Do you feel "the bulge" (aka food baby) on Sunday nights after too many celebratory meals and drinks over the weekend? If you said YES you're not alone! Many people, including myself, have a relaxed approach towards food over the weekend. The brunch, late lunch, and a night out on the town can wreak havoc on your progress if you are trying to slim down. Take heart! Sunday nights are here to help you bounce back and get you ready for an incredible week of eating lean, clean & green! By that I mean:

- Lean meat/fish/chicken/legumes - No processed foods - Lots and lots of green veggies!

This is what I had for by bounce-back Sunday meal:

Grilled Scallops marinated in chilli, garlic, lemon juice & coriander

Fresh summer salad with baby spinach, avocado, yellow capsicum, fresh figs and a light sprinkling of goats cheese fetta

Fresh broccolini and asparagus steamed and mixed with tahini yoghurt, pine nuts and fresh basil (from my garden)

A perfect way to kickstart your new week feeling fabulous and motivated!

Let's make this week count!

Question: What is your favourite way to bounce back?

Chocolate-dipped Figs

I love summer. Especially the fruit that comes with it. So much so that when I go for my morning jog around my neighbourhood I search out overgrown fruit trees that might just be hanging over a fence somewhere. And this morning - to my delight - the moment was there. A fig tree. Next to a car park. It stood there like its been waiting for me to eat from its fruit for years. Well that's how it felt. If you're a fruit lover you'll know exactly what I mean. So I picked as many ripe ones as I could find.

I love the sweetness of its centre. Syrupy yet crunchy. And the colour is so...rustic. Delightful!

I simply had to make it into a sweet treat - healthy of course! So this is how you can do it! Ingredients: Cacao powder Coconut oil Agave/maple syrup Figs Crushed macadamias

Chocolate - the amount you'll make will depend on the number of figs you have. Just mix together cacao powder and coconut oil until you get a dipping chocolate consistency and then add agave/maple syrup to taste.

Crush the macadamia nuts.

Dip figs in chocolate & roll in nuts. Lay on a plate lined with wax paper or sprayed with oil. Voila!!

Protein Banana Bites

If you are like me you are always looking for new ideas to make snacks exciting, tasty, and healthy. It is important to eat 3 meals per day and 2 to 3 snacks in between depending on your activity level. Including snacks will help you regulate blood sugar levels, reduce cravings for unhealthy foods, and help achieve your recommended daily intake for vitamins and minerals. Choosing the right types of nibbles will keep your hunger levels in check. So when lunch or dinner time creeps up, you make good choices and don't eat until you feel you'll explode. It's a win-win really.

This is my latest favourite to spice up snack time. High in protein (from vegan sprouted brown rice protein powder) to keep your tank full until dinner time. Low in fat. High in taste. 100% satisfying.

Ingredients: 1 small banana 3/4 of a scoop protein powder (I like Sunwarrior vanilla brown rice protein) 1 egg white 1/2 tsp vanilla paste 1 Tbsp almond milk (or any other milk) 1/2 tsp coconut oil 1 tsp cinnamon 1 Tbsp low fat Greek yoghurt

Method:

Combine protein powder, egg white, vanilla paste and almond milk to form a batter-like consistency. Chop banana into wheels and gently coat the banana with the batter using a spoon. Heat your pan to medium-high and coat the pan with coconut oil. Spoon each banana wheel gently onto the hot pan. Cook 1-2 min on each side or until golden. Combine cinnamon and yoghurt. Serve warm banana bites with cinnamon yoghurt.

**Handy Hint: have these for dessert after dinner , make extra, and save it for your snack the next day (ideal for those who work full-time)! These smell AMAZING - it was really hard to resist eating them during the photo shoot.

This recipe is gluten free and can also be vegan/dairy free if you leave out the yogurt. This is the ideal snack to keep you full and energised until dinner. It is low GI and only 700kJ or 167 calories per serve.

Extra ideas and variations:

- Add cacao powder for a healthy chocolate substitute. - If you don't like banana you can use apple, pears or peaches instead. - Add lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice for an almost-lemon-meringue-pie taste

Tropical Sunrise Breakfast

You have to look twice at this photo or you'll think it's a dessert. It is in fact BREAKFAST. And YES it is healthy and dietitian-approved :)

This is the perfect recipe for those balmy Saturday mornings before strolling down to the beach, for wowing your overnight guests the next morning, or to impress your other half with breakfast in bed! It is so quick to make, tastes delicious and makes you feel like you've just woken up on a tropical island. Here's how:

Ingredients: 1 banana 1 passionfruit 1 tsp coconut oil 1/2 cup low fat Greek yoghurt 1 tsp maple syrup

Method: Heat pan on medium to high heat. Add coconut oil to pan. Slice banana in half lengthwise. Pan-fry the banana on both sides until golden. Serve with passionfruit, yoghurt & maple syrup.

The combination is magical - like a Hawaiian party in your mouth. Your body will love you too! Banana is the perfect fruit to fuel you up for the looong summer day ahead. Passionfruit has a long list of good-for-you ingredients. It is rich in vitamins A and C - powerful antioxidants that will keep you young and glowing! It is also rich in fibre which is great for keeping you regular and for fighting off those unwanted kilos. Low fat Greek yoghurt is high in protein and good bacteria to keep your muscles and tummy happy :)

This summer...inject some TROPICAL into your day - no matter where you are!

Super Snack Balls

These balls are amazing - in fact I was really tempted to call them "amaze-balls" - at the risk of sounding like a teenage girl. But I didn't. Instead they are super snack balls because they're pretty much made up of SUPERFOODS!

They're great for a morning or afternoon snack or a pre- or post-workout bite. They're pretty good crumbled over yoghurt too for a healthy dessert.

They work out cheaper than buying a pack of muesli bars and is also much better for you. If you have a look at muesli bars of late you'll notice that almost all of them contain glucose syrup made from wheat - a.k.a. rubbish for your liver.

But these little beauties will have you jumping up with energy and your liver giving a you a hug (for once).

Ingredients:

1 cup oats 1 cup shredded coconut 1/2 cup nut butter 1/2 ground chia seeds 1/2 cup goji berries 1 Tbs acai berry powder 1 Tbs raw cacao powder 3 Tbs raw honey or agave syrup

Mix together well and make into bite-sized balls!

Makes ~20 balls at 117 calories per ball.

A Few Questions

Working in a country with over 110 separately registered NGOs you begin to ask a few questions. Working in a hospital you begin to ask a few more.Gambia has a population of approximately 1.8million people. Clinging to a wide expansive river the country is split in two. Predominantly, the south is made up of patches of dense thick jungle and high grassland. The mango trees form pockets of shade away from the jungle and protect from the hot tropical sun. In the flatter grassed areas these conglomeration of mango trees signal a village forming and provide ample shade for the small 3mx3m houses.

Such villages of mud brick can be seen as you speed away from the capital Banjul towards the much quieter country side. Dodging goats and chickens on the road you are greeted by the smiling children yelling ‘TOOBAB’ as they realise they see a white elbow out the window on the car.

With each mud bricked village getting further and further apart there begins a certain trend. With each rusty tin roof there are more and more holes, punched out as if to intentionally let rain in. There are more collapsing mud brick walls and many, many more sickly looking children, no longer as excited to see you.

It is in this continent of contrasts Gambia certainly stands out. This is no better seen than at this small rural hospital in Sibanor. Some 1.5 hours from Banjul, Sibanor is prototypical for rural life here. Many people from the village own units of land on which to grow a sparse array of peanuts, or maize to try and feed their family. Fenced by sticks they attempt to protect the crops from the goats roaming aimlessly about.

Our job here in Sibanor is, for a small fee, to check over children, adults and the elderly. To look, listen and take on board some of the dilemmas playing out in Africa’s smallest country. But living and working in a hospital where you have 3 blood tests to decide upon an illness is not ideal.

For a doctor there is clinical intuition and then just plain guessing. Much of what we do is basic and a lot of it helps, but nothing is as shocking and profoundly unnecessary as the death of many Gambian children. Most are starving amid plenty. With the jungle trees lusciously expanding children are starving. Again and again and again.

We are here to help. We feed. We treat and sometimes we win. But others we don’t and neither do some of 110 different organisations here in Gambia. I don’t know the statistics but 110 per 1.8 million people would have to be close to the most impressive ratio yet.

But why are they here and more importantly why aren’t they working? We provide the basic of health care and the basic of life to those on the brink, but why? Why are they now, after 40 years of attempting to improve the situation, not winning?

Bandaid

Six weeks have already gone by since we first arrived in The Gambia. So much has happened and time seems to have flown by. We’ve already made so many friendships, settled into the Gambian culture and our work at the clinic, and we’ve acquired a small vocabulary of the Mandinka language – well at least the greetings. Something that hits you right away when you come to know the Gambians is that they are extremely friendly, warm and generous people. They will always take time to greet and talk with you. If you walk around in the village you will get several invites to join families for a meal or to take part in an afternoon of drinking their favourite brew “ataya” – a very strong sweet tea that has a very particular way it is brewed, poured and frothed. They will give you their best (and often only) chair to sit on while the rest of the family with make do with tree stumps or empty oil cans for seats. They will always show you respect and ask about your family.

The people here care about each other – their family is their support system, their offspring is their security for the future. It is refreshing to see that people don’t invest all their time and energy into acquiring “stuff” but instead invest into relationships and family. Families spend time laughing, chatting and eating together. It is a picture so far away from that which we have become used to in Australia. We like to spend our time on facebook, eating our meals in front of the TV or watching comedies. We work long hours to pay for more “stuff” to keep us happy. These people don’t have much, yet they seem happier than most Australians even if they are faced with the reality of death around them almost every day.

The burden of most diseases that could easily be cured, eradicated, or prevented in the west weighs heavily upon the African people. You often feel that you’re only placing a band aid on the deep wound that is the real problem. HIV, TB, malaria, and severe malnutrition form the bulk of what we see in the clinic. It is heartbreaking to see so many children on the ward that so closely resemble that image we so often see on the world vision ads – and only because their mother could not afford to feed her baby the right food. Some children weigh only 3 or 4 kg at the age of 18 months. Their hair fall out and their skin peel off because they don’t meet their vitamin and mineral requirements. Their bellies and feet are puffy from a lack of protein in their diet. They now have a very stark reality of knocking at death’s door – debatably a better destiny than the life they might lead if they recover from this.

Sibanor

The journey up-country to Sibanor Village was one I’d never forget – mango tree after mango tree dripping with golden ripe mangoes ready to be picked. Green rice fields, palm trees, chickens, goats, cows, donkeys, horses, cats, dogs, exotic birds, old tin corner shops that sell anything imaginable. Children with rags for clothes walking on the side of the road playing with each other or minding 2 or 3 goats. Broken down trucks overloaded with freight. “Gally-Gally” or taxies packed full of people like sardines and with double the load on the roof with items such as sofa lounges, wood, luggage, goats and chickens. Women dressed in colourful material with babies on their back carrying pales of water or bags of food on their heads. Groups of men sleeping or chatting under mango trees playing cards. Village life seemed peaceful and stress free.We arrived at the Sibanor Health Clinic compound where we were shown to the house where we would be staying in for the rest of our time here in The Gambia. From all accounts before our arrival we had the impression that we would be without electricity – so we were prepared for no luxuries! Needless to say, we were surprised and thankful to be shown to the largest house in the compound with air conditioning in the main bedroom (and probably the only air conditioned room in the whole of Sibanor), lights, running water (only cold), a fridge and a working oven with gas stove! I wanted to jump up and down with excitement but then felt almost guilty and shameful to have such luxuries while there are people getting by without these only 50 metres from us. We are so fragile compared to the strong people of Africa who get by with smiles on their faces without the luxuries of electricity, running water or their own room with a mattress to sleep on. The first night was interesting. The power was cut for the night so our rechargeable batteries, torches and lamps came in handy! There was a big storm with thunder and lightning that sounded like it was about 1 metre from our house. The bats made screeching sounds all night and the birds, goats, donkeys and roosters started their morning calls well before 5am. Although we did not get much sleep that night I didn’t matter because we felt like it was Sibanor’s way of giving us a warm welcome. It was so nice to finally be where we knew God wanted us for the next couple of months.

Green pastures of The Gambia

“Salaam maleekum” – the local greeting meaning “peace be with you” is the mantra of the Gambian people. They value peace above all things and maybe that is why it is one of very few African countries that has been untouched by war.From the moment we flew over The Gambian river dividing the fields into dense green pockets of land – we felt like God gave us a peace of his promise in Psalm 23 – “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters”. And the Lord knew we needed it after our unplanned whirlwind tour of West Africa that took us through South Africa, Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal and finally The Gambia. Thankfully also we got out of Nigeria just in time before the bus explosions took place in the main city. After being treated like criminals on our journey to get here – it was a breath of fresh air to be welcomed by a friendly Scottish couple that runs the guesthouse at the WEC headquarters in Banjul. They helped us navigate our way around and find our feet for the first week. This was not such an easy task as replacements for our lost luggage had to be found. Most girls would be excited if they had $1000 of insurance allowance to spend on essentials – more of a chore in a developing country. Life lesson learnt: ALWAYS pack at least 2 sets of underwear on your carry-on and split your clothes between you and your travel mate! During our first week of orientation in Banjul we slowly got used to the frequent prayer calls from the mosque next door, the hot (and humid) weather, and the reality of the struggle to make a living. Like most African countries, the people are desperate to make a buck out of anyone that seems better off than them. Children will often wave and run after you shouting – Tubab!! Tubab!! (meaning white person) – and ask for a ‘minty’ (lolly) or some dalasi (local currency). The Gambians see “tubabs” as an opportunity for a better life, a way out – yet when you stop to chat with them they seem content, friendly, at peace. Most of them practice Islam (98%) as a religion which includes the 30-day fast known as Ramadan. Our arrival here was right in the middle of Ramadan – so we had many sleepless nights from continuous 3-hourly prayer calls. They are not allowed to eat, drink, smoke, dance, listen to music or swallow their own saliva during the hours of daylight. It was clear the locals were struggling in this heat without a drop of water during the day. Without energy and continuing hunger pains they drag their feet walking to the nearest vendor to line up for fresh bread and dates for the break of the fast at 7:30pm. Each sunset awaiting a night of feasting, drinking and praying to Allah. We were only at the preliminary stage of discovering the cover of the book that is The Gambian way of life…so much more to uncover, learn and experience about the people of The Gambia and how we can help them in the next 2 months of our time here.

The West African introduction

The cackles from immigration was the first warning shot. In retrospect there were a number of other warnings that any usual traveller in these parts should take head of. Making the arrival into Nigeria from Johannesburg for a 2 hour stopover in ‘transit’ to The Gambia, we thought we were ready for the next 48 hours. We would arrive shortly into The Gambia and then to the rural village of Sibanor to start work. Instead lost/stolen luggage, confiscated passports, shower/toothbrush deprivation, carpet sleeping, food stealing and arguments with airport staff would be the mainstay of what became a classic introduction to Nigerian dysfunction at its highest.Reading our departure card her head flicked up. Where are you going? We paused not knowing if this was a real question with all the intonation in her voice. “Nigeria” we said, with hesitation not knowing what was ahead. With that she rocked her head back and started laughing loudly - catching her breath to bring herself together and form a complete sentence she finally states in a much more serious tone “ well good luck”. Clement our immigration officer smartly dressed in a khaki officer uniform, complete with a beret and stripes, first met us at the end of our first of a number of long lines. Shaking his head he kept stating – ‘I don’t know who booked this for you. How did they book this?” He unfortunately was referring to the connecting flights to The Gambia – taking our passports to “check”, we were not to lay hands on these again for almost 2 days. Confirming that Virgin Nigeria has been grounded by the government for safety concerns we started to wonder when the next flight to The Gambia would be. Using the passports as a trump card Clement stated he needs us to ‘wait here’ while he finds out what to do next. He will give them back when he knows. This classic misdirection which we will later learn is used to soften us up he goes and starts collecting other peoples’ passports and asking then to wait also. Congregating together we learn they also have connecting flights and no entry visa to Nigeria. This typical scenario is any airport from KL to Perth of having passengers have to wait for connecting flights is managed somewhat uniquely in Nigeria. A transit officer is assigned to collect all these connecting passengers’ passports and not give them back until (he) the transit officer has booked them into their next flight personally. Assured this was necessary to stop people illegally running off finding their way through custom departure (past the same 20 guards guarding this area) and then through immigration to illegally reside in his country. We were not even allowed to see where they were being kept. In fact, you are to stay in a room 4x5m with 3 couches, 2 glass coffee tables and 6 other passengers of the same fate. Being inquisitive as to where our luggage was being stored during all of this we were saddened to hear that all of Lizanne’s clothes, toiletries etc. in fact everything but her camera, laptop and the clothes she had on had “gone missing”, but no one else’s luggage had reached this same fate. Now with half our luggage, no passport, no flight out and a more and more distant immigration officer leading us around behind him like 2 prisoners in cuffs we started to pray for a way out. Approaching midnight Clement finds the time to attempt to resolve our ticket problem. Finding one ticketing official who is eagerly able to tell us there are no other airlines but his that are going to The Gambia. Over 24 hours later we left the place which made us sure that returning to Nigeria is not something that anyone should ever do. Many, many more events occurred but these events will have to be left for our face to face on return – we cannot give you the best now!

A Dietitian's Breakfast

At first glance you might not be convinced…

How can a dietitian have chocolate for breakfast?

Well you see this isn’t just ANY chocolate, this is Organic Raw Dark Chocolate with 73% cacao sweetened with organic evaporated coconut nectar – the way chocolate SHOULD be eaten. This is the real deal. It is almost like eating chocolate straight from the bean of the cacao tree. Antioxidants anyone?

Anyway, this post isn’t about the health benefits of cacao (as much as I’d like to go on about it). This is about my breakfast this morning, a little something I like to call the….

Choc-Berry Bowl of Goodness (makes one serve)

Ingredients: ½ cup of rolled oats ½ cup of milk (soy/almond/rice/oat) ½ cup of water 1 small banana ½ cup blueberries 2 squares of organic raw dark chocolate

Method: Place the oats, milk and water in a bowl and microwave for 1 min. Stir the oats and add sliced banana. Microwave for another minute. Take out of microwave. Top with chopped chocolate squares and blueberries. Yum!!!

A bowl of delicious creamy, chocolatey, oaty goodness!

The best part is when the chocolate starts to melt and it covers the oats and blueberries in a glossy chocolate glow! I bet you’re already eating with your eyes…

Why should you eat this? Blueberries and Cacao are VERY high in antioxidants which will help you fight free-radicals that have been shown to cause cancer and other diseases. Antioxidants help to slow down the ageing process and encourage the natural glow of your skin.  Oats is a wonderful food as it provides loads of soluble fibre that is great for keeping you regular. It is also a dieter’s dream as it gives you sustained energy and a feeling fullness as it swells up in the digestive tract. All of these foods are loaded with vitamins and minerals that will perform many weird and wonderful things in your body and make you feel like you’re on top of the world!

Question: What is your favourite breakfast?

Maple Peach Brown Rice Pudding

Need new inspiration for breakfast, late-afternoon snack, or dessert? Look no further than here!!! This is quick, healthy and delish.

Fruit is my favourite food on earth. If I could I would have it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Although as a dietitian and a foodie, I feel it is my duty to try other foods as well…*sigh*…tough life! But today I didn’t feel any such obligation when I started to think about my afternoon snack.

I let my love of fruit guide me to the way of a Maple Peach Brown Rice Pudding! Even if you don’t love fruit…you will love this!

Maple Peach Brown Rice Pudding Ingredients ½ cup cooked brown rice ¼ cup coconut cream* 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 1 peach Maple syrup to taste – I used 1 tsp

Combine all ingredients and ¾ of the peach in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve with remaining peach and a drizzle of maple syrup.

*for low fat version use reduced fat coconut milk/soy/almond/oat milk instead.     

If you feel you want something creamy and luscious on top...I recommend this vegan cream recipe! It's the perfect accompaniment!

This pudding is also great for our vegan friends and those that need a gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free or soy-free option!

And for those interested in the nutritional info, here it is:

Energy: 974 kJ Fat: 5.3g Carbs: 39.7g Fibre: 3.8g Sugar: 13.9g Protein: 4.1g

Fill in the blank: My favourite food is ________

Maple Peach Brown Rice Pudding

Need new inspiration for breakfast, late-afternoon snack, or dessert? Look no further than here!!! This is quick, healthy and delish.

Fruit is my favourite food on earth. If I could I would have it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Although as a dietitian and a foodie, I feel it is my duty to try other foods as well…*sigh*…tough life! But today I didn’t feel any such obligation when I started to think about my afternoon snack.

I let my love of fruit guide me to the way of a Maple Peach Brown Rice Pudding! Even if you don’t love fruit…you will love this!

Maple Peach Brown Rice Pudding Ingredients ½ cup cooked brown rice ¼ cup coconut cream* 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 1 peach Maple syrup to taste – I used 1 tsp

Combine all ingredients and ¾ of the peach in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve with remaining peach and a drizzle of maple syrup.

*for low fat version use reduced fat coconut milk/soy/almond/oat milk instead.     

If you feel you want something creamy and luscious on top...I recommend this vegan cream recipe! It's the perfect accompaniment!

This pudding is also great for our vegan friends and those that need a gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free or soy-free option!

And for those interested in the nutritional info, here it is:

Energy: 974 kJ Fat: 5.3g Carbs: 39.7g Fibre: 3.8g Sugar: 13.9g Protein: 4.1g

Fill in the blank: My favourite food is ________

Quinoa, Chia and Cacao…

I’m sure you’ve seen these words being thrown around in your latest issue of ‘body & soul’ magazine, your local health shop or at the neighbourhood farmer’s market. If you are anything like me, you’re probably a bit sceptical about “new” foods appearing like this, especially if you can’t even get past the first syllable when trying to pronounce it. But are these “superfoods” just a money-making scheme or can it actually benefit your health? Well here is the lowdown: Quinoa is pronounced “keen-wah” and is not a grain but actually a seed.

It is however an excellent substitute for grains as it is easy to cook, naturally gluten-free and high in protein. In fact, it contains all 9 amino acids that are required by the body for building muscle, making it a complete protein source! Who needs protein powder?

It is also a GREAT source of fibre, to help keep those bowels regular and waistline in check. Need more convincing?

Quinoa is a great source of phosphorous, magnesium and iron, especially when you compare it to grains like wheat or barley. These minerals help form healthy bones, strong muscles and take part in biochemical reactions within your body to give you energy that will outlast the energizer bunny!

This little nifty seed will give you an energy boost now, but will also sustain you well into the next 3-4 hours after eating it. Want to know how to incorporate it into your daily diet?

Have a look at this delicious recipe you can try for breakfast, or even as a snack or for dessert. There are ofcourse many other tasty and healthy ways you can have your quinoa, including savoury dishes. But I am on a bit of a sweet tooth wagon right now, and all things sweet, creamy or chocolate-y is attracting my attention on pinterest today!

Stay updated for more posts this week on other superfoods like chia seeds, cacao and your leafy greens!

Sweet sweet potato bites

I don't like to eat the same thing for lunch everyday. Salads can be nice - but not if it is the same day in day out. Also, why would you have the same thing everyday if there are a bizillion combinations out there for yummy lunches!? I don't. That is why when I opened the fridge today, I looked at my leftovers for inspiration. I dreamed up a rather satifying and absolutely delicious feast from some left-over baked sweet potato I had in the fridge! And then I made it...

 

Are you drooling yet?

These are so visually appetizing and filling that you can have it for lunch, dinner or even appetizers for your next dinner party.

The best part about these guys...they're 100% healthy! They are also vegan, dairy free, soy free, nut free and gluten free!

This is how you make them:

Sweet Sweet Potato Bites

Ingredients:

1 large sweet potato 1/2 mashed avocado seasoned with salt & pepper Mustard Caramelised Onions Sundried tomato Hommus Lemon

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees celcuis. Wash the sweet potato and place whole onto baking tray and bake for around 30-40mins depending on the size of your sweet potato. Before you take it out you can prick with a scure/fork to feel if the inside is completely soft. Allow to cool.

Cut sweet potato into slices an top with these combinations:

1. Mashed avocado, mustard and sundried tomato 2. Mashed avocado and caramelised onion 3. Mashed avocado and hommus

Finish with a squeeze of lemon and garnish with greens. Voilla!

You're ready to gobble up a delicious meal or entertain your guests!

Question:

What is your favourite dish to entertain guests with?

Rooibos Iced Tea Cooler

My parents love their glass of wine with their lazy weekend lunches, but after a recent 5-week holiday overseas, numerous celebratory feasts and a few extra kilos later, they decided to call this month "Dry February". Without a crisp cool chardonnay to complement their Sunday afternoon salmon and roast potatoes, my mother had to think up a new drink that will help them cool down in the heat of Perth's summer this year. This is what my ever-inventive mother came up with...

Rooibos Iced Tea Cooler

Ingredients:

4 rooibos tea bags 2 oranges   1 lemon mint leaves sweetener to taste - agave/honey/stevia 1 litre of water 6-8 ice cubes

Method:

Boil 1 litre of water. Add tea bags and brew until desired strength (i like it strong). Add natural sweetener to your taste (I omitted). Place in fridge/freezer until completely cold.

Add cold tea to blender, with the juice of 1 orange and ice cubes. Blend untill ice is well crushed. Slice the orange and lemon into wedges and wash mint leaves.

Add to cold tea mixture. Garnish with colourful straws and extra lemon on the side of the glass. Hydration perfection!

This does not only taste good but is also VERY GOOD for you - read about the benefits here.

Question of the day:

What is your favourite summer drink?

Mine is freshly squeezed carrot, apple, celery, beetroot and giner juice in the morning.

The Humble Cup

One of my friends popped over last week during her lunch break for a quick catch-up and a debrief of how her wedding plans are coming along (I'm her bridesmaid - yay!).   She already had her lunch packed, so I thought what better way than a perfectly brewed pot of tea to try and keep my friend here as long as I can (muahahaha).  

As I was looking over my selection of teas  deciding on which one to make, I got thinking about the custom of drinking tea and the benefits that come from it.

Tea is believed to be the most popular drink in the world, after water. The british alone consume 165 million cups per day or 60.2 billion per year. That is a lot of tea! So what are the benefits? I'm glad you asked...

1. Antioxidants - helps us fight free radicals (nasties that causes cancer/disease/ageing)
2. Less caffeine - an average cup of coffee contains 135mg of caffeine whereas tea only has 30mg per cup
3. L-theanine - an amino acid in tea that keeps us calm yet allert and enhances our mood. Who needs coffee?
4. Fat burner - clinical trials have shown that green tea raises metabolism and speeds up fat oxidation!
5. Studies have shown that people who drink tea have stronger bones possibly due to the polyphenols found in tea.

I can go on and on about how good tea is for you because there are just so many benefits!

But if there is only one thing I want you to get out of today it would be to:

Drink more tea, not coffee!  Savour it, enjoy it and think of how your body is going to love you for it!

It really is a humble cup...quite frankly I think it deserves a gold medal!

Question of the day:

What is your favourite tea?

Mine is Rooibos, a traditional South African tea that is grown only in the highlands of the Cape region. It means "Red Bush" if directly translated and it is a dark warm red colour when brewed. It is naturally sweet and it has MANY health benefits. Just talk to your fellow South African friend and they will tell you...

My favourite way to drink Rooibos in summer - Rooibos Iced Tea Cooler. You will love it!

The Humble Cup

One of my friends popped over last week during her lunch break for a quick catch-up and a debrief of how her wedding plans are coming along (I'm her bridesmaid - yay!).   She already had her lunch packed, so I thought what better way than a perfectly brewed pot of tea to try and keep my friend here as long as I can (muahahaha).  

As I was looking over my selection of teas  deciding on which one to make, I got thinking about the custom of drinking tea and the benefits that come from it.

Tea is believed to be the most popular drink in the world, after water. The british alone consume 165 million cups per day or 60.2 billion per year. That is a lot of tea! So what are the benefits? I'm glad you asked...

1. Antioxidants - helps us fight free radicals (nasties that causes cancer/disease/ageing)
2. Less caffeine - an average cup of coffee contains 135mg of caffeine whereas tea only has 30mg per cup
3. L-theanine - an amino acid in tea that keeps us calm yet allert and enhances our mood. Who needs coffee?
4. Fat burner - clinical trials have shown that green tea raises metabolism and speeds up fat oxidation!
5. Studies have shown that people who drink tea have stronger bones possibly due to the polyphenols found in tea.

I can go on and on about how good tea is for you because there are just so many benefits!

But if there is only one thing I want you to get out of today it would be to:

Drink more tea, not coffee!  Savour it, enjoy it and think of how your body is going to love you for it!

It really is a humble cup...quite frankly I think it deserves a gold medal!

Question of the day:

What is your favourite tea?

Mine is Rooibos, a traditional South African tea that is grown only in the highlands of the Cape region. It means "Red Bush" if directly translated and it is a dark warm red colour when brewed. It is naturally sweet and it has MANY health benefits. Just talk to your fellow South African friend and they will tell you...

My favourite way to drink Rooibos in summer - Rooibos Iced Tea Cooler. You will love it!

Tropical Dream Ice Cream

This is a dream in a bowl. A TROPICAL dream! From the taste you'd never think it is 100% goodness and dairy free. No added sugar. Low in fat.

         

When you eat this it takes you to your summer happy place. Mine is lounging in a hammock on a picture perfect beach in the maldives with my toes dipped in the luke-warm tropical water, colourful fish swimming by, gentle breeze...it is a holiday in the form of food. So why wouldn't you want to try this?

Tropical Dream Ice Cream Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 frozen mangoes (cut into small cubes) 4 ice cubes of frozen coconut milk 8 small fresh strawberries

Method:

Place the frozen mangoes and coconut milk into a heavy-duty blender and blend, blend, blend until you get the creamy consistency of ice cream. Depending on the type of blender you use, you may need to stop the blender and scrape the contents off the side of the blender and then start again. Once you reach the consistency of ice cream, scoop into a bowl and stir through the chopped-up strawberries. Tadaaaa....a tropical summer dream in a bowl!

Hello Blog World!

I'm so excited to finally call this blog my own! I've wanted to share my ideas and knowledge about health, nutrition and creative inspiration with you all...but couldn't come up with a good idea of how to do this. A few searches in google...and it occured to me...BLOGGING ofcourse!

Get excited! Because this isn't just any blog...it is a the blog of a dietitian that is not-so-typical. I say this because you won't hear me telling you what you CAN'T eat, instead I'll give you ways you can have your cake and eat it too (the healthy way offcourse)!

What you'll find on this blog: - healthy versions of your FAVOURITE recipes - Up-to-date tips, info and advice on health and nutrition - Creative inspiration for your kitchen, home and life!

Be sure to check back daily for exciting new recipes and tips on how to be a healthier you!