tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58503383604180770372024-02-20T01:03:55.843+11:00Nutrition with WendyWendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15617157039991274344noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850338360418077037.post-77461733265055993312014-08-06T17:00:00.001+10:002014-08-06T17:00:57.659+10:00Baked Oats Recipe and some thoughtsNutrition has been in the news a lot recently thanks to a certain celebrity chef and his promotion of a paleo diet. I have read the conversations with interest and may have added in a bit of banter myself. In this space I would like to place the science aside (Not that it's not important, but because I don't think it belongs on this recipe sharing personal blog) and think about whether this type of diet fits into your lifestyle or makes sense to you. I guess the main gripe I have is that this celebrity chef is trying to tout it as the only acceptable diet for everyone and that the current dietary guidelines are flawed and should be changed.<br />
<br />
I feel paleo diet can work for some people but it's definitely not a diet for everyone. As far as fad diets are concerned this one is probably not as harmful as say, the lemon detox diet. In fact I agree with many of the principles of eating whole unprocessed foods however eliminating food groups for no particular reason just doesn't sit well with me or most of my patients. <br />
<br />
I am lucky that I work in a hospital in the sense that most of the people I see aren't on some bizarre restrictive diet. However I have come across some of the more extreme effects fad diets can have.<br />
<br />
Recently I saw an elderly lady on a very restrictive diet which had led to her becoming very malnourished. When I spoke to her family about this they were very adamant to change her diet and felt I was certainly pushing her closer to death with my recommendations. No matter how much I listened, explained, demonstrated to them they were certain that they were right and I was wrong.<br />
<br />
It makes me wonder if it's a waste of time for me to <strike>argue</strike> converse with the converted. If consequences of a poor diet were staring at people in the face and they choose to ignore it, what hope do I have when people are only faced with success stories? It disheartens me a little...<br />
<br />
<br />
Something that does warm me up is weekend breakfast. Recently I've been trying my hand at baked oats, a winter version of my <a href="http://nutritionwithwendy.blogspot.com.au/2014/03/overnight-oats.html">overnight oats</a>. I like to have it when the top is crunchy but the bottom is still soft and creamy. It doesn't need added honey or sugar with the dried and fresh fruit adding sweetness. This recipe is not grain free or dairy free but still very wholesomely good for you. My apologies for the lack of measurements but you can't really go wrong with this one! <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Baked Pear Oats</span></b></span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ztV-S_RR2XAFOQBl_G5F7ZkSSkSa9kMOGlOD7iFNZByVOQQPcYFZibyItdhfERJ2EiC7QuPR-9uNXrzEQ3EuCJPzSe013pVpz96e_j7MRMzYLLP8JWyWzR8r4dLC1QxvtCkeMZJq/s1600/IMG_6045+(Medium).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ztV-S_RR2XAFOQBl_G5F7ZkSSkSa9kMOGlOD7iFNZByVOQQPcYFZibyItdhfERJ2EiC7QuPR-9uNXrzEQ3EuCJPzSe013pVpz96e_j7MRMzYLLP8JWyWzR8r4dLC1QxvtCkeMZJq/s1600/IMG_6045+(Medium).JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
<b> </b><br />
<b>Cooking Time: </b>15mins<br />
<b>Serves: </b>1 <b><br /></b><br />
<b>Ingredients: </b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Oats</li>
<li>Milk (or other milk alternative)</li>
<li>Chia seeds</li>
<li>Nut butter </li>
<li>1/2 pear, thinly sliced</li>
<li>1 date cut up into small chunks</li>
<li>Sprinkle of pepita seeds</li>
<li>Sprinkle of sultanas</li>
</ul>
<b> Method</b><br />
<ol>
<li>Mix all the ingredients together in an ovenproof bowl. Make sure the milk only just covers the oats. </li>
<li>You can either leave it to soak for a few minutes while you get ready then put it in the oven or pop it straight into the oven at 170 degrees celcius. </li>
<li>Remove the bowl from the oven with some oven mitts when the top is crunchy and lightly brown (roughly 15mins)</li>
<li>Enjoy! </li>
</ol>
Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15617157039991274344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850338360418077037.post-24550701264157458932014-03-23T22:05:00.000+11:002014-03-23T22:06:31.181+11:00Recipe: Overnight Oats<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjATzbZS7vNpf-A8tFnJbXcVF0YV8SP3u8ed7EgkdkzhP4K6cOyduUgpfcFIXc01Qd-4kSMtr4Dr5qKzbK6UmCgcJ7mjVQEWYxZFIsaJCTpMbM-NklsRBIAVEn_TCjtDqJ2670tIa5T2xlOtZM=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://imageshack.com/a/img197/2018/g5fr.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a> <i>Blueberry+ chia seeds + peanut butter overnight oats </i><br />
<br />
I've been a little obsessed with overnight oats lately. Coupled with fruits it is bringing me true joy almost every morning before work. As summer fruits are exiting the scene but the summer heat is not, I'm still taking great comfort in a nice cold bowl of oats.<br />
<br />
You see previously I'd always put off making overnight oats because I didn't have a cute jar to mix it all up in and leave in the fridge but I didn't even need one! I just mixed it all in a bowl, cover and leave in the fridge overnight. Easy peasy.<br />
<br />
This recipe keeps me full for 4-5hrs.<br />
<br />
I know.<br />
<br />
Insane. <br />
<br />
Tuesday and Wednesday mornings are my busiest at work and I just don't have time to have a mid morning snack. Lets just say I've had some embarrassing stomach grumbling moments... (borborygmi is happily my fav word and also the scientific word for stomach rumbles ;))<br />
<br />
With the start of 2014 I had jumped on the new years resolution making bandwagon. One of my top resolutions was to be kinder to myself. This meant many things for me: being more active, leaving work on time, taking time out for myself and making sure I'm not frantically hungry while working.<br />
<br />
Waking up early in the morning has always been something I struggled with so trying to make a good filling breakfast can sometimes be difficult. Especially when I don't like cereal... Overnight oats all done up the night before has been a saviour on busy mornings. It's made my stomach much more content and meant that I have a clearer mind to better help my patients every morning. Win-win. <br />
<br />
The other great thing about overnight oats is you can dress it up in a bajillion topping combinations. Here's the base recipe to making beautiful overnight oats: <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Overnight Oats</span></b></span><br />
<b>Preparation Time: </b>10mins<br />
<b>Serves: </b>1 <b><br /></b><br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients: </b><br />
<ul>
<li>1/2 cup oats</li>
<li>1/2 cup milk</li>
<li>1 tbsp vanilla yoghurt</li>
<li>2 tsp chia seeds</li>
<li>2 tsp nut butter </li>
<li>Fruit toppings </li>
<li>Sprinkle of dried fruit or toasted nuts</li>
</ul>
<b> Method</b><br />
<ol>
<li>Mix all the ingredients together, making sure the oats are adequately covered in liquid. </li>
<li>Cover the bowl and refrigerate. </li>
<li>Top with fruit </li>
</ol>
<table class="ingredientList"><tbody>
<tr align="left"><th><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">Per bowl: 1545kJ, 15.1g protein, 12g total fat, 2.9g saturated, 45g carbohydrates, 73mg sodium, 7.2g fibre </span></i><span style="font-weight: normal;">(calculations do not include fruit toppings and dried fruit or nuts)</span></th></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table class="ingredientList"><tbody>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<img src="http://imageshack.com/a/img838/9765/iprw.jpg" height="640" width="640" /><br />
<i> Cherries + toasted pepitas</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://imageshack.com/a/img809/7926/kbsr.jpg" height="640" width="640" /><br />
<i> Mangoes + lychee + sultanas + peanut butter + chia seeds</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://imageshack.com/a/img826/5228/zuf6.jpg" height="640" width="640" /><br />
<br />
<i>Strawberries + blueberries + almond nut butter + sultanas </i><br />
<br />
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRo-D-_9u3f767cobrdofzlZouZzu25waWdhs6GqtLfr6h1nAdQ4TBFeK8_B7gERzSEeOb_hKXE3ykyO2VHL83tvHZChR2HURmJYQk52jfHTKf6OAT9JEcVgsEfX8a9A1X7KcqZ2C_/s1600/IMG_5406+(Medium).JPG" height="640" width="640" /><br />
<br />
<i>Flaxseed + berries + chia</i><br />
<br />
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhoJT7WDGhVJBJt8dSie047BoTS6Wd4TL-W69LLzYAYi8GEUHvLF2ZA1Xf7f7UPqEOCVco0UjTc3-YBe7SsI6KvFhddP_QXWESbsS3ZOJJxQ_BD84U3MIfoHpjTC-60y1TmyOiuCnn/s1600/IMG_5445+(Medium).JPG" height="640" width="640" /><br />
<br />
<i>Persimmons + flaxseed + peanut butter </i><br />
<br />
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi60Nzh1iOiJdlyMtUA1LK6fdPZzGWFQHgXjBS8uSCUNlVmS0xjKYD9gD6o8dlxN7IhDvZpqauysodyqt8j4lFeBP9vWv4WnJhMkmLECvxFiFQZ5PxJ2mFa6mFzkymLEZzQPKwJpsKZ/s1600/IMG_5448+(Medium).JPG" height="640" width="640" /><br />
<br />
<i>Grilled plums + sultanas + almonds + dessicated coconuts + chia seeds </i><br />
<br />
<br />
<i><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0HwXROZOtD_L3KgBw2EhjYt8DbVJRKnFKIGeaSzGmapJWwFjuSu-zfRQRnMZsvUK0PUcuR0tXmPDuXAcVaIyT4kPeHZt5HvpaQ1aJJOnOSVNKi6wCMi3u1GylxSzGfDKE7LJIRZsn/s1600/IMG_5470+(Medium).JPG" height="640" width="640" /> </i><br />
<br />
<i>Frozen pineapple + almonds + dessicated coconut + chia seeds </i><br />
<br />
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</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So the last time I posted anything was in June.... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sorry! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Work
kind of got on top of me and I spent more time in the kitchen than
posting things online. Also people at work now know about this blog and
it's all a little embarrassing... Hello everyone from physio department!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I
made this cake a few weeks ago for a colleague's farewell lunch and then again last Sunday for father's day. Since the cake was well received and I've had a few requests for the recipe I thought I'll post it up here. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.everydaycook.com.au/?p=1076"></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://imageshack.com/a/img89/2708/tl79.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://imageshack.com/a/img89/2708/tl79.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Lemon Yoghurt Almond Cake</b></span></span></span>
<b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Preparation Time: </b>20mins
<b> </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Cooking Time: </b>20mins</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Adapted from:</b> <a href="http://www.everydaycook.com.au/?p=1076">Everyday Cook</a><b> </b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Ingredients</b></span></span><br />
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">100g
butter</span></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">100g
caster sugar</span></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">3 eggs</span></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">160g vanilla yoghurt</span></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span><span lang="EN-US">Zest of 1 lemon</span></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">1 1/2 cups almond meal</span></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">100g wholemeal flour or gluten free flour</span></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>Syrup:</b> 2tbs lemon juice, 50g caster sugar </span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span lang="EN-US"> Method</span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<ol start="1" type="1"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Preheat
oven to 180°C. Line a 20cm tin with baking paper.</span></span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Beat butter and sugar together until pale and creamy. </span></span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Add
eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. </span></span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Add yoghurt and
lemon zest and beat until combined.</span></span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Fold in the almond meal and flour until combined. </span></span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Spoon the mixture into the
prepared tin and smooth the surface. Sprinkle almonds on top</span></span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into
the centre comes out clean. </span></span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">While
the cake is baking make the syrup. Heat lemon
juice with caster sugar in a small saucepan until sugar dissolves
and mixture thickens into a syrup (2-3mins on medium heat)</span></span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Pour the
hot lemon syrup over warm cake and then cool the cake in the pan. </span></span></span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
The original recipe actually used pistachio meal but after shelling
hundreds of pistachios until my fingers hurt, I felt almond would do just
fine.... <br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I've also tried this recipe using hazelnut meal with great success as seen below. If you are expecting a fluffy light cake, this is not it. This is a dense, rich, sticky cake where only a sliver is needed to satisfy that cake craving. </span><br />
<br />
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<br />Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15617157039991274344noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850338360418077037.post-73678629862509036832013-06-03T15:05:00.000+10:002014-03-23T22:08:00.069+11:00Recipe: Nutty Oat Muesli BarsFirst I have to apologise. For keeping this muesli bar recipe to myself for too long. <br />
<br />
You see this is a fantastic recipe that I've been using to make delectable muesli bars to impress people and then promising them the recipe but never giving it....<br />
<br />
It's super easy with very little prep time unless you're like me and picking specific seeds out of a seed mix packet.....<br />
<br />
I've made 2 variations of these now. One that's shown below and another even nuttier and sweeter one for a hike I did. The recipes are fairly fail safe and even my first batch that I made with whatever I fancied thrown in turned out great!<br />
<br />
<img src="http://imageshack.us/a/img801/7513/img21621v.jpg" height="640" width="640" />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-size: large;">Nutty Oat Muesli Bars</span></span></b><br />
<b>Makes:</b> 16 bars<br />
<b>Preparation Time: </b>15min<br />
<b>Cooking Time: </b>20mins<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients </b><br />
<ul>
<li>5 fresh dates </li>
<li>1/3 cup dried apricots </li>
<li>½ cup mixed nuts/seeds (I used pepita, sunflower, almonds) </li>
<li>2 tbsp walnuts </li>
<li>2 cups rolled oats </li>
<li>1 tbsp sultanas </li>
<li>1 tbs desiccated coconut </li>
<li>2 tbs LSA </li>
<li>3 ½ tbs natural nut butter (I used organic peanut butter) </li>
<li> 3 tbs honey </li>
<li>1 tsp Vanilla extract </li>
<li>1 tsp brown sugar </li>
<li>1 tbsp water </li>
</ul>
<b>Method
</b><br />
<ol>
<li>Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius </li>
<li>Line a rectangular baking tray with baking paper. This is a trick I learnt from Jamie Oliver: Scrunch up the baking paper into a ball and run it under water. Shake off the excess and it will be super easy to line any tray! </li>
<li>Roughly chop up the dates, apricots, almonds and walnuts into smaller pieces. </li>
<li>Combine the ingredients in step 3 with the oats, sultanas, coconut and LSA in a bowl and stir to mix. </li>
<li>Mix the nut butter, honey, vanilla essence, brown sugar and water over the stove until melted and it forms a sticky syrup. </li>
<li>Mix half of the syrup into the bowl of dry ingredients. </li>
<li>Place the muesli mixture into the baking tray and spread it with a spoon to all the corners of the tray </li>
<li>Pour the remaining syrup onto the muesli, making sure there's no more dry muesli mix. </li>
<li>Cut another piece of baking paper around the same size as the tray and lay it over the tray. Press on the muesli mixture to compact it. </li>
<li>Place the tray in the oven uncovered and bake for 20mins or until the top is golden brown and smelling delicious. </li>
<li>Once the tray is removed from the oven, use the baking paper from step 9 to press the muesli again. </li>
<li>Do not take the muesli out of the tin as it will crumble. </li>
<li>Leave to cool in the tray and cut into slices once fully cooled. </li>
</ol>
<i>Per 45g bar: 793kJ, 5g protein, 9.8g fat, 1.6g saturated, 18.8g carbohydrates, 7mg sodium </i><br />
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As you can see the bar is packed with quite a lot of energy compared to say a fruit or low fat yoghurt snack but this will definitely keep you full! This snack is high in protein and fibre and packs a good punch of unsaturated fats. If you use unsalted nuts and natural nut butters like me the sodium will be very low as well.<br />
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I also made a batch with some wheat flakes from cereal which added a good crunch to it as well. The batch I made for a hike kept me energised and going for several hours! I also pop these in a zip lock bag to take to work or crumble them to top my yoghurt for some different texture. Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15617157039991274344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850338360418077037.post-4071737472667794782013-04-09T13:30:00.001+10:002014-03-23T22:09:06.645+11:00Taiwan Part 2: Alishan amd Kaohsiung Okay It's been a little while since I last updated on my Taiwan holiday. So here's a nice reminder of how amazing Taiwan looks: <br />
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On our second day with <a href="http://www.taiwanholidays.com.au/">Taiwan Holidays</a> we headed up the mountains to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alishan_National_Scenic_Area">Alishan National Scenic Area</a> (<span lang="zh-Hant">阿里山</span><span lang="zh-Hant"><span lang="zh-Hant">國家風景區</span>)</span>. This is one of the "eight wonders of Taiwan" and an area known for cypress trees, sakura, high mountain tea and the girls of Alishan. I remember the song "<i>Ālǐshān de gūniang"</i> or "The Girls of Alisan" was a popular song my parents would sign with friends over some alcohol and karaoke and a song I frequently heard at every Chinese culture type event! "The Girls of Alisan" refer to the beauty of the girls in the aboriginal tribe living in Alishan; their beauty attributed to the clean water and environment. </div>
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We made a quick pit stop for some fuel and I picked up some grilled sweet potato before ascending the mountain. </div>
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I love roasted sweet potato. Fond memories of travelling Beijing with my cousin while holding a hot sweet potato for warmth compels me to buy sweet potato everywhere I go. I bought a small container this time as this sweet potato was roasted with some sugar syrup. It made it sticky and gooey but I felt it didn't really need that added sweetness! The sweet potato would've been beautiful on its own! </div>
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One of the biggest issues in Taiwan is the amount of typhoons and earthquakes that affect the little island. We luckily didn't go during typhoon season but we saw many of the effects. This picture is of a landslide that occurred a few months ago where a large amount of the mountain was sliced away by the landslides, destroying many houses along the way. The grey bits are concrete used to seal up the dirt so the mountain won't degrade further. You might be able to spot two little spots on top of the grey patch. Those are two aboriginal people paving the concrete! Apparently their feet are more flat, making them agile on slopes. They're doing it with no safety equipment whatsoever!<br />
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And up the mountains we go..... </center>
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Our tour guide arranged for us to have lunch at <a href="http://alishanhouse.hotel.com.tw/eng/">Alishan House</a>, a hotel within the scenic area. The hotel looked pretty amazing with Japanese influences and lots of cypress wood! And this chicken was amazing! You will notice that we have seafood, especially fish a LOT during our trip..... </div>
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We started our guided walk after lunch and the first thing we see is this huge sakura tree. There was only a small number of pink blossoms and our tour guide said this tree is used as an indicator of when sakura season starts as it is often the first to bloom. During sakura season the place gets very very crowded but as you'll see there was still a lot of people on the day we went.<br />
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Look at the magnificence of these tall straight trees!</center>
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This very strange looking tree is actually three trees that have become one. Each new generation grew on top of the old one. And look at the amount of people! The area is protected so wooden paths are built around the area. Sadly I didn't take as many photos as I would've liked as we had to keep moving along the path to keep the path congestion free.<br />
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At one of the lookouts. Look at that view! We don't have enough mountain ranges in Australia to get views like this! </center>
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On our way down I bought some dried wild boar meat. They cook then with spices, dry the meat then roll them into sheets! I bought the crispy kind and it was really good! Great snack on our long bus rides. The boar meat tastes a bit like beef and yet it also has a game meat taste to it. Very hard to describe so you'll just have to try for yourself!<br />
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After our visit up the mountain, we took a bus ride down to have some tea. </div>
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This is Formosa oolong tea. Oolong is probably my favourite type of tea. It's a semi oxidised tea so a bit like halfway between green tea and black tea. The place where I came from in China, is a oolong tea growing area so I have had oolong tea for many many years. These days I drink mostly green tea as my green tea comes in the ease of a tea bag (Oh laziness...)!<br />
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We taste tested two types of oolong tea, both grown in the mountains of Alishan. The demonstration lady asked us to taste one type of tea and asked us what it reminded us of. It had a fragrance like milk! She explained that the expired yoghurts from the supermarkets are collected and used as a type of fertiliser for the tea trees and the tea takes on that milky flavour! It was fascinating and a nice cup of tea during winter was what my tired legs needed.<br />
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These are charcoal peanuts. they look very strange and inedible but they are far from that!! The peanuts are coated in the black charcoal and are addictively crunchy and delicious. I still haven't figured out if it's safe to eat charcoal but I bought five packets of these back home with me.....<br />
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After our trekking morning and afternoon we re-boarded the bus and went to<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaohsiung"> Kaohsiung <span lang="zh">高雄</span></a>: The largest municipality in Taiwan. <br />
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This is a view of some city lights at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_River">Love River</a>. Our tour guide explained it was called the Love River as years ago it was a popular place to commit suicide if two lovers were forbidden to marry by their parents. Despite it's morbid origin, we could see the river really lived up to the name. There were couples everywhere! The river used to be a major eye and nose sore as it used to be the dumping ground for human, agricultural and industrial waste. It wasn't until the last couple of decades that they have been treating the sewage and cleaning up the once smelly river. Now the river is lined with cute cafes, trees and rows of bikes for hire. Needless to say it was a popular date spot and we saw many many couples taking romantic strolls.<br />
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A view of Kaohsiung city from the Former British Consulate at Takao. You can see the Tuntex Sky Tower in the skyline (The tallest skyscraper in Taiwan before Taipei 101 was completed).<br />
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Ok you've probably had enough sightseeing now and am wondering about the food! Of course this is a blog about food and nutrition so I'm pleased to say we visited Liuhe Night Marke<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">ts (<span lang="zh-Hant">六合夜市). One of the largest night markets in Taiwan. This place was insanely packed!</span></span><br />
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I mean look at that crowd around the entrance! Before my trip to Taiwan, night markets was one of the top things I wanted to visit. Markets full of food and cheap shopping? Of course I'm excited! Night markets are very popular in Asia and especially in Taiwan where it is a must visit on every tourist's list. It often involves hawkers selling all sorts of food, drinks, electronics, clothes, shoes, handicraft and animals outside. This market is open 5pm-5am! <br />
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Our first stop was grilled abalone mushrooms. These are giant abalone mushrooms brushed in a soy type sauce and grilled on a stick. They also had smaller, deep fried mushrooms that were also delicious.<br />
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This is a man making us an oyster omelette. This is a widely popular dish in Taiwan which consists of small oysters in an egg omelette. This one was sadly disappointing as they didn't give us many oysters and they bulked up the omelette with lettuce! <br />
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I didn't take many other photos as night markets also involve strolling and eating and buying too much food at once and not having any hands to hold a camera....<br />
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Truth be told, this was probably my least favourite night market. It was just so crowded! The problem with going on tours is you have a time limit at each location. For this market we had 2hrs which isn't nearly enough! The lines on some of the stalls were insanely long. Our tour guide said to go to any place that had a long line as Taiwanese people love to line up for good food! I lined up for one store and it was so long I gave up and then proceeded to have lost the rest of my family. I ended up spending the remaining 15mins looking for my parents! I guess that could be a reason why I didn't enjoy this market!<br />
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There is one must try food though! Papaya milk tea. There is a store called Zheng's old brand papaya milk that has a really long line. It serves up amazing papaya milk tea that's endorsed by the president of Taiwan. Best drink of the trip, truly. This is a <a href="http://mykafkaesquelife.blogspot.com.au/2011/07/liuhe-night-market-kaohsiung.html">blog</a> I came across when researching Taiwan and there's a lot of good photos and food recommendations for Liuhe Night market (as well as other places in Taiwan.) <br />
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Next up: The day I got really ill in Taiwan.... or I might just skip to the amazing Taroko Gorge photos ;)Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15617157039991274344noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850338360418077037.post-24043769339427798962013-02-23T17:29:00.001+11:002014-09-05T22:53:33.628+10:00Recipe: Weekend Coconut Crepes with Lemon CurdAh weekends. Weekends are the only times when I have time to make a proper breakfast. These days it's been along the lines of oats, congee, cheesy melts and crepes. Oh crepes.<br />
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I had a big craving for these thin pancake like creations last weekend but it just wasn't meant to be. The first crepe place I went to had closed down and the second had run out of crepes. How can you run out of crepes!?<br />
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By Monday night my dreams of soft crepes filled with chocolate and banana had turned to searches on the Internet. When I saw this recipe I felt myself gasp at the simplicity of the recipe. I got to work right away.<br />
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Funny how my best dishes happen in the middle of the night?<br />
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When I first had this I immediately exclaimed "THIS IS THE BEST THING I HAVE EVER MADE!" Yes in the middle of the night. Now that I have calmed down a bit it is definitely still one of the best.<br />
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These crepes are soft and delicate and have an unmistakable coconut aroma when cooking. The edges are slightly crispy and I don't know if it's the fat from the coconut in these, but they are so easy to unstick to the pan and flip! I have officially perfected the flip now! I have tried replacing the coconut milk with plain low fat milk and they stuck a little tighter to the non stick pan and were very difficult to flip.<br />
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Now lemon curd is one of my favourite things ever. There was a period last year where I was a little obsessed with lemon tarts. Okay maybe a lot obsessed; I made it my mission to find the perfect balance of sweet and tart curd. I trialled a few recipes myself but was never completely satisfied. This lemon curd however is the best yet and it doesn't even need butter!<br />
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My brother proclaims it the best thing I have ever made and has been begging me for three days to make a new batch. He licked the bowl of the last batch clean. That's how good it is. And it's so easy! Just put all the ingredients in the pot and mix over a flame.<br />
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You may find that the lemon curd may overpower the coconut taste a little and it's fine to have the coconut crepes simply with a bit of sugar and banana or with Nutella cream and strawberries. They also go great with some cream cheese and strawberries. Delicious any way! <br />
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Okay enough praise of this recipe! Here it is with a few minor alterations. <br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Coconut Crepes with Lemon Curd, Banana and Whipped Cream</span></b></span><br />
<b>Adapted from: </b><a href="http://www.tylife.pl/2013/01/kokos-i-cytryna.html">Taste your Life </a><b><br /></b><br />
<b>Cooking and Prep Time: </b>20-30mins<br />
<b>Serves:</b> Makes 12 crepes<br />
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<b>Crepes:</b></div>
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1 cup cake flour (if you don't have cake flour use all purpose flour)</div>
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½ cup skim
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350 ml coconut
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2 large eggs<b> </b></div>
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<b>Lemon curd:</b></div>
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2<b> </b>whole eggs</div>
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2 egg yolks</div>
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1/2 cup caster
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Juice and rind from 1 large lemon and 1 small lime </div>
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<b>Method:</b></div>
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Mix
the lemon curd ingredients in a saucepan until well combined. </li>
<li>Place the saucepan on low- medium heat and stir constantly for 5-8minutes. Mix quickly until the mixture starts to thicken and resemble lemon curd. When it is done, pour into a covered bowl or jar and place in the fridge to cool </li>
<li>Mix together all
of the ingredients for crepes until well combined.
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Heat a non stick pan (I used a small 15cm diameter pan). Spray lightly with cooking oil. </li>
<li>When the pan is hot place a tablespoon of the crepe mixture into the pan and swirl around to cover the base of the pan. There should be just enough mixture to make a thin layer of crepe. </li>
<li>When the edges start to brown, run a spatula along the edge of the crepe to loosen it from the pan. If you're brave enough, slide the crepe to one side of the pan, fling pan upwards and flip! Cook until golden brown on both sides. </li>
<li>Don't be discouraged if the first few crepes don't work out! This always happens! Some strange cooking phenomenon where the first crepes and pancakes turn out horribly. </li>
<li>Cover crepes with foil if you're making a few to keep them warm. If you're not using all the batter cover and place in the fridge. Stir the mixture a few times if removing from the fridge. </li>
<li>Whip up a little bit of thickened cream and slice a banana into thin discs. </li>
<li>Place a spoonful of curd, followed by some whipped cream and bananas onto a crepe. Roll it up. </li>
<li>Feel yourself sigh with content at the amazing crepes you've just made. </li>
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<i>Per coconut crepe: Energy: 408kJ, Protein: 3.1g, Fat total: 5.5g, Sat Fat: 4.4g, Carbohydrates: 8.7g, Sodium 23mg </i><br />
<i>Per tablespoon curd: </i><i>Energy: 393kJ, Protein: 3.0g, Fat total: 3.0g, Sat Fat: 1.0g, Carbohydrates: 13.3g, Sodium 26mg </i><br />
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These are coconut crepes with nutella cream and strawberry filling. To make nutella cream simply whip nutella into thickened cream. So simple, so delicious! <br />
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Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15617157039991274344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850338360418077037.post-18149549677009792852013-01-28T16:19:00.001+11:002014-09-05T22:54:17.044+10:00Taiwan Part 1: Sun Moon Lake, NantouIt's been over 3 weeks since I've been back from Taiwan and I'm still dreaming about the extraordinary mountains and hot springs. Sifting through my photos makes me sigh and want to plan another trip! Taiwan was amazing. From the friendly people to the unexpected abundance of organic food, I fell in love with it the moment I was handed delicious food on the tour bus (Way to my heart is obviously through my stomach!)<br />
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My family and I travelled with <a href="http://www.taiwanholidays.com.au/">Taiwan Holidays</a> which organised everything from airfare, accommodation, insurance, admission fees etc on their "escorted tours" for a fairly good price. They have both Chinese and English speaking tour guides who were both lovely on our tours.<br />
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Our first day was probably the most tiring day because we arrived in Taiwan around 5-6am in the morning and our tour started immediately. I was exhausted since I didn't get any shut-eye on the plane but determined to make the most of the day. </div>
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Our first meal was soy milk and a fan tuan (literal translation: rice ball) to have on the bus. As our schedule was quite packed, our tour guide arranged for a local shop to make warm fresh organic soy milk. This stuff tasted nothing like what we get from the supermarket and taste requires getting used to! It was made with organic soy beans and no added sugar, no preservatives. Nothing but soy beans and water. <br />
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This is a <i>fan tuan</i> after I've taken a big bite out of it. It's packed full of <i>you tiao</i> (Chinese doughnut), pork floss, picked vegetables and egg wrapped in rice. A little bit like a sushi. It's a popular breakfast or snack food in Taiwan and parts of China and is really a flavour and texture explosion in your mouth! The crunchy you tiao, fluffy pork floss and another type of crunch from the pickled vegetables paired lovely with the soft warm rice.<br />
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Our first stop was Sun Moon Lake (<span class="st">日月潭)</span> in Yuchi,<b> </b>Nantou (Central Taiwan). This is the largest body of water in Taiwan and was so named because the east side is shaped like the sun and the west side shaped like the moon (though I could not see this...) <br />
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Doesn't it just look breathtaking? The water was very very blue and sparkled under the sunlight. The mountains all around was a sight you can not see in Australia!<br />
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We walked around the lake for a little while then checked out some of the shops nearby. I don't know if it's just tourist areas but everywhere we went that had food, we could try before we buy! Our whole tour group pounced on a little fruit store selling the freshest looking fruit!<br />
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We bought some pink guava, star fruit and persimmons for a morning tea snack under the Taiwan sun. Taiwan fruit is amazing. Truly amazing. <br />
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Look at how many varieties of banana there were!<br />
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Our next stop was Wen Wu Temple (文武廟) which was also right by the lake. One distinguishing feature of almost all temples is how many steps they have! This is just the first set of steps! I think I got to the second set of steps and then collapsed onto some big marble chairs and waiting until everyone had regrouped.<br />
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If you have never visited a Chinese temple you really should, regardless of your religious beliefs. The architecture is amazing. Everything is hand carved and hand painted. The marble carvings tell stories and are so intricate you're left scratching your head as to how it is possible. It is definitely a feast for your eyes! This <a href="http://www.fashionpirate.net/2012/08/wenwu-temple.html#.UQX7DGdCqSo">blogger</a> has some more close up pictures. <br />
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After the exhausting walks around the temple our tour guide got us each a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_egg">Tea egg</a>. This is such a popular snack in China as well as Taiwan that it's even sold in 7Eleven! It's made by cooking an egg in tea and various spices then cracking the shell (without peeling) and returning it to the water to seep in the flavour of the tea and spices. It may smell medicinal but it's amazing, trust me. <br />
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It seems like we've been eating non stop but we were off to lunch next!<br />
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As we had such a big group in our tour a lot of the dining places were larger restaurants or hotel dining rooms. Our lunch that day was in the <a href="http://einhanresort.hotel.com.tw/eng/">Einhan Resort</a> dining room which had this amazing view of Sun Moon Lake. <br />
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Everyone was quite hungry, after not sitting down for a proper meal all day. I had a hard time trying to take photos as all the food was to be shared and I was a little embarrassed to stop people from eating so I could take a good photo! This is a local fresh fish and it was delicious!<br />
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Taiwanese food has a huge focus on fresh seafood caught in local areas by local fisherman and it definitely shows in the flavour of the food! <br />
<br />
After stuffing our tummies, we drove to another part of Sun Moon lake so that we could take the cable car to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formosa_Aboriginal_Culture_Village">Formosa Aboriginal Culture Village</a>.<br />
<br />
The culture village is an amusement park combining both aboriginal culture in one area and an amusement park full of ride in another.<br />
<br />
Our tour guide said the whole place was slowly built by one guy passionate about keeping the Aboriginal culture in Taiwan alive. He slowly bought pieces of land and employed mostly aboriginal people to run the place. <br />
<br />
<center>
<img src="http://imageshack.us/a/img27/125/img3610xl.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></center>
<br />
Look at the cable cars running from Sun Moon Lake to the village! <br />
<br />
<center>
<img src="http://imageshack.us/a/img541/3738/img3615k.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></center>
<br />
The view was breathtaking but I'm scared of heights.... I may have spent a lot of the (very long) ride screaming in fear but I'll save you guys the pictures of that..... <br />
<br />
My parents went to visit the culture village and spent time watching traditional song and dance and learning about the history while my siblings and I ran off to the rides so there isn't many pictures. <br />
<br />
By night time I was extremely exhausted. I'd slept less than 2hours in 2 days and was ready to collapse! Dinner was first and I didn't even manage to notice the restaurant name!<br />
<br />
<center>
<img src="http://imageshack.us/a/img526/6546/img3626n.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></center>
<br />
More fish!<br />
<br />
<center>
<img src="http://imageshack.us/a/img692/7049/img3632xx.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></center>
<br />
Dinner was a lovely selection of dishes but the highlight had to be this vegetable hot pot. I don't know how but Taiwan vegetables taste sweeter! <br />
<br />
Since dinner refueled me, I managed to convince my mum to wander the streets with me after checking into the hotel. Sadly we took a wrong turn and didn't find the food section of the street markets and ended up clothes shopping instead.<br />
<br />
It was an amazing first day introduction to Taiwan's beauty. Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15617157039991274344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850338360418077037.post-78825513521056465332012-12-27T17:25:00.003+11:002014-09-05T22:57:48.863+10:00How to Eat Healthy While on Holiday<span style="font-family: inherit;">The holiday season is upon us and many may be planning trips
away over the Christmas/New Year season. It's easy to start dreaming of
all the food and drink 'must haves' in the holiday location and forget
about maintaining good eating habits. I will be going away to Taiwan and
Hong Kong and I am already searching up all the famous food stalls and
restaurants I will be visiting! A day or two of this may be harmless
but mindlessly eating my way through Taiwan and Hong Kong can mean
coming back 5kg heavier! With the summer weather in Australia, I can
imagine how coming back heavier from a holiday may not be ideal for
most! Here at 6 tips on how to keep on top of weight gain during a
holiday:</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>1. Plan! </b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Plan
your food and exercise like you would the locations you're visiting!
Although many elements will be out of your control there will always be
things you can plan for. For example if you are going on a tour ask the
travel agency for the list of hotels and restaurants you'll be visiting.
This way you can see if the hotels have a gym or a swimming pool and
what the specialties are at the restaurants. If you're planning your own
holiday make sure to factor in when and where you are eating so you
don't end up starving on one leg of the trip and overeating when you
find the nearest store selling food. Setting some rules during the
planning stage is important as you'll most likely be blinded by all the
delicious food when you're there. This can be simple things like "I will
always take the stairs when possible" or "I will only have dessert
every second day rather than every meal of every day." </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>2. Share your food to portion control</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">If
you're like me, I will search high and low for where to eat the best
local food. In fact I have gone through all the night markets I am
visiting in Taiwan and taken screen shots of blog posts featuring stores I
want to visit so I won't forget which foods I must try! The problem
though is most foods may be quite energy dense! If you're travelling
with others this is the time to share. Sharing is caring! Like I've
mentioned before, I think we eat food not just for the nutrients but
also for enjoyment and there's no greater enjoyment than being able to
share good tasting food with others! </span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/1140/50dsc00174.jpg" height="480" width="640" /> </span><br />
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>3. Only have what you can't get at home </b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">When I'm on holiday I
choose my food based on this mantra. For example if the place is known
for their fresh seafood, it's probably unnecessary to have a side of
chips and soft drink with my fish. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/3650/dsc05896gd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/3650/dsc05896gd.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i> Egg tarts at KFC in Fu Zhou count as food we can't get here =P! </i></span><br />
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/4427/dsc05713f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/4427/dsc05713f.jpg
" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b> </b><i>Peking duck in Beijing! </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>4. Stick to water most of the time </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Liquid kilojoules is something I normally restrict even when not on holiday. It's so easy to consume a meal's worth of kilojoules in one beverage without feeling even the slightest bit full. I will choose water 90% of the time and the remaining 10% will be for drinks I can't get in Australia or celebrations involving alcohol ;) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>5. Exercise as much as possible. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I probably get in more exercise when I'm on holiday than when I'm at home... This is because I make an effort to walk everywhere. I believe walking or cycling through a city is a better experience than being stuck in a car or bus. I've made hiking, swimming, snorkeling, cycling and jogging part of my plans. I prefer to do my exercises outside but if there's really no way to do those things a hotel swimming pool or gym does the trick too. I'm also quite a fast walker (or so I'm told) and tend to walk at a pace where my heart rate is elevated. I'd like to thank all those years rushing for the train to school and uni! </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/3549/dsc01140tj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/3549/dsc01140tj.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Kayaking! </i></span><br />
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img571.imageshack.us/img571/7481/dsc04676a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://img571.imageshack.us/img571/7481/dsc04676a.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/7973/dsc04682q.jpg" /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>These stairs were a killer but the view at the top was amazing! </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/4433/dsc05733g.jpg" height="640" width="480" /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>That's my cousin! We climbed all the way to the top of that tower in this pic! It was -12 degrees in Beijing that day but we braved it to climb a tiny section of the great wall! </i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>6. Eat your veggies</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">5 serves of veggies! No exceptions! I try and stick with this even when I'm away as it is a simple thing to do. As I'll be having buffet breakfast every morning I'll be squeezing in my veggie serves first thing in the morning! Mmmmmm roast mushrooms....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Also sticking to the plate model of half a plate full of veggies, 1/4 protein source and 1/4 carbohydrate source is also another way to ensure you're eating a balanced diet. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Bonus 7! </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Don't feel guilty. A holiday is meant to be enjoyed and I think for most, eating a bit extra is the norm. Despite planning, many factors can still be out of your control. Many people will find themselves putting on a kilo or two during the festive season and this is OK to acknowledge and move on. If your new years resolution is to lose 5kg yet your holiday made you put on 2kg it's easy to feel discouraged, feel it's unachievable and ditch weight loss altogether. But DON'T! Strength is when you persevere despite the set backs! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday season! I'll be back with lots of photos of yummy food from Taiwan and Hong Kong soon!
</span>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15617157039991274344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850338360418077037.post-32491455338660528632012-12-16T19:00:00.000+11:002014-09-05T22:58:32.119+10:00Ultimate Meat Dish: Chicken and Chorizo PaellaSo I promised a meatier dish and here it is!<br />
<br />
Chicken and Chorizo Paella.<br />
<br />
This has got to be my favourite one pan dish. It's super fragrant, delicious, full of vegetables and loved by everyone.<br />
<br />
I have to say it probably isn't the most authentic paella but if you want to impress, this is an easy dish to win anyone over. Except my parents; they're not paprika fans....<br />
<br />
I recently made it at my birthday party and it was enjoyed both fresh from the pan and reheated at 1am in the morning! <br />
<br />
W<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">hen I say this is a 30minute dish.... it may be pushing it a bit. You know how Jamie Oliver has those 15min and 30min meals where you're suppose to have done half the prep? Well this is <i>that</i> kind of 30min dish<span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Don't be scared off <span style="font-size: small;">b</span>y the long ingredients list, they're all simple things you can keep in your pantry or use for other things<span style="font-size: small;">.</span> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">30 Minute Chicken and Chorizo Paella</span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Adapted from: </b><a href="http://www.healthy-delicious.com/2011/12/30-minute-chicken-and-chorizo-paella/">He</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.healthy-delicious.com/2011/12/30-minute-chicken-and-chorizo-paella/">althy Delicious</a> </span><b> </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Serves: </b>6<br />
<b><i><br /></i></b></span></span></div>
<b>
</b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ingredients</span></span></b></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 <span style="font-size: small;">b</span>oneless, <span style="font-size: small;">s</span>kinless <span style="font-size: small;">c</span>hicken <span style="font-size: small;">b</span>reasts, cut into a 1/2-inch dice</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 <span style="font-size: small;">t</span>ablespoon <span style="font-size: small;">o</span>live <span style="font-size: small;">o</span>il</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 teaspoon <span style="font-size: small;">s</span>moked <span style="font-size: small;">p</span>aprika</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 link <span style="font-size: small;">c</span>horizo, cut into <span style="font-size: small;">2cm</span> slices</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Half dozen prawns (reserve the
heads)</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 <span style="font-size: small;">o</span>nion,diced</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 medium sized carrot, diced</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 <span style="font-size: small;">c</span>apsicum, chopped</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3 cloves <span style="font-size: small;">g</span>arlic, smashed</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 and 1/2 cups <span style="font-size: small;">a</span>rborio <span style="font-size: small;">r</span>ice (Or if you can find the authentic bomba rice)</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3 cups <span style="font-size: small;">r</span>educed salt <span style="font-size: small;">c</span>hicken <span style="font-size: small;">s</span>tock</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tomato diced or half a can diced tomato</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 generous pinch <span style="font-size: small;">s</span>affron <span style="font-size: small;">t</span>hreads</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Handful mushrooms chopped </span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 <span style="font-size: small;">l</span>emon, juiced</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Salt and <span style="font-size: small;">p</span>epper to taste</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Preparation</span></span></b></div>
<ol start="1" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Set a large, deep skillet over
medium-high heat. Toss the chicken with the olive oil<span style="font-size: small;"> and </span>paprika. Cook,
stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through – about 5 minutes.
Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Add the sausage, onion, capsicum,
and garlic to the pan. Cook until sausage has browned and vegetables have
softened – about 5 minutes. </span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Add the rice, stock, tomatoes,
mushrooms, carrot and saffron. Throw in the prawn heads too.</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bring to a simmer, then cover
and cook for 20 minutes, or until most of the liquid has absorbed and the
rice is soft. Stir in the cooked chicken and prawns. </span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Remove from heat and stir in the lemon
juice. Season with salt and pepper (It doesn't really need sal<span style="font-size: small;">t in my opinion!)</span>. Let stand for another minute or two
before serving.</span></span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span>
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<img src="http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/3924/imagelgr.jpg" height="640" width="640" /><br />
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<img src="http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/5985/image1zrp.jpg" height="640" width="480" /><br />
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<img src="http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/8499/image2tzn.jpg" height="640" width="640" />
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<br />
I've added some wilted spinach leaves into the last one and used scallops instead of prawns. Adding the prawn heads to the dish really gives it a great seafood flavour but I guess scallops are a little bit more no fuss!<br />
<br />
I think the great thing about this dish is how much vegetables you can put in it while still being able to satisfy meat hungry individuals. I used mostly vegetables that are firmer so they can keep their shape after cooking. After cooking for 20mins the vegetables soaked up all that meaty chorizo taste so my siblings didn't even blink an eye at the mushrooms (their least favourite vegetable!).<br />
<br />
You can see from my photos that the things I've added can vary. Other vegetables that could be added include peas, pumpkin, corn, cauliflower, beans and rocket. This dish can handle anything your fridge has or doesnt have. I do feel the essentials are paprika, saffron, arborio rice, onion, garlic and stock. Everything else you can vary so whether you like your seafood, chicken or snails (apparently in an authentic paella!) paella it's up to you! <br />
<br />
What's your favourite one pan dish?Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15617157039991274344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850338360418077037.post-63217621936568889182012-12-05T22:29:00.001+11:002014-02-01T13:59:54.384+11:00Birthday Cakes Part 2!I was going to post a recipe tonight but seeing as it's Wednesday, the most unmotivating day of the week (to me), I think we need to look at cake pictures.<br />
<br />
In my family, we celebrate a birthday each month from August onwards and I use it as an excuse to make something more decadent. I take off my dietitian hat and choose a cake based on how pretty it looks. I know... so superficial... but we eat with our eyes as well as our mouth!<br />
<br />
This year for my sister's birthday I made her a big white cake. You might remember last year I made her a <a href="http://nutritionwithwendy.blogspot.com.au/2011/07/birthday-cakes-strawberry-and-cream.html">Strawberry and Cream Cake</a>.<br />
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<img src="http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/9880/image4hn.jpg" height="400" width="400" /><br />
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This cake has a lot of frosting.... You can see a few flecks of crumbs from the cake because I just refused to put on any more extra icing! I must say I cheat a bit and used store bought frosting as I was exhausted after doing the layers! The best part of the cake though was inside.... <br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/1410/imageabt.jpg" height="400" width="400" /><br />
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It's a <span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Rainbow Cake! </b></span></span><br />
<br />
I used the <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/256688/rainbow-cake">Martha Stewart recipe</a> (minus the ridiculous amount of frosting) and this cake took me HOURS! I only had one lone cake tin so had to bake each individual layer separately.<br />
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It was worth it though. Seeing the faces of my family in amazement at the colours! This is by no means the best rainbow cake ever, in fact if you google rainbow cake you'll find a trove of amazingly decorated rainbow cake and <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/10/photo-of-the-day-28-layer-rainbow-cake.html">this</a> 28 layer one.... but I was so proud of it!<br />
<br />
To be honest the cake tasted like an average sponge cake so tastewise it wasn't anything spectacular however the colours made everyone feel like they were eating a rainbow!<br />
<br />
The second big birthday cake I made was for a dear friend who loved pink and wanted both vanilla and chocolate flvoured cake! I was really into trying to make an ombre cake and only semi succeeded. I was in a mad panic the night before after having to rebake a layer then wrecking the home made frosting! I had a small tub of store bought frosting left and quickly made a crumb coat before refrigerating. By the morning I was in a mad dash to buy more frosting, get to my friend's house and frost the whole cake as well! This is the end result:<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Pink Ombre Chocolate and Vanilla Layer Cake</span></span></b><br />
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<img src="http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/6840/image3mg.jpg" height="400" width="400" /><br />
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Oh yeh I forgot my icing pens so just used the piping bag... As you can see it's not quite the perfect ombre effect but I didn't want to add more frosting to the cake and my time was running out! Luckily the birthday girl loved the cake (or so she tells me)!<br />
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The inside:<br />
<img src="http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/100/img3415ct.jpg" height="400" width="340" /><br />
Recipe <a href="http://naturallyella.com/2011/02/14/marble-cake-photography-and-a-giveaway-oh-my/">here</a>.<br />
<br />
The third (and fourth) cake I made this year was a<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-size: large;">Chiffon Cake</span></span></b><br />
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<img src="http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/1462/image5ig.jpg" height="640" width="640" /><br />
<br />
This is an orange chiffon cake I made but for my mum, dad and aunty I made the <a href="http://aspoonfulofsugah.blogspot.com.au/2011/07/pandan-chiffon-cake.html">pandan version</a>. I LOVE chiffon cake! They are super light, fluffy, soft and did I mention fluffy? The problem though is because they feel so light I can probably eat the whole cake by myself without a problem... If I squished the cake down it'll probably fit into the palm of my hands!<br />
<br />
The has to be my standout cake. My dad told me I should just make 2 every time because we went through this so quickly! Best. Cake. Ever.<br />
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And I think we should end with the best cake ever. <br />
<br />Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15617157039991274344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850338360418077037.post-23497438420200316302012-11-26T20:57:00.001+11:002012-11-27T09:27:37.831+11:00Is Frozen Yoghurt Good for You?<a href="http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/3052/photo2zv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/3052/photo2zv.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The frozen yoghurt craze has really swept across Sydney with stores popping up everywhere. In fact I can think of half a dozen stores off the top of my head! Some are self serve while others are priced according to size but all are marketed as a healthy dessert. But is it really?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Low fat? </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yes, as most frozen yoghurt places advertise, frozen yoghurt is low in fat. This is because the product is made with yoghurt (often with low fat milk) rather than cream so naturally it becomes lower in fat. However the two things that add taste and texture to food is fat and sugar. If the fat component is gone something else has to be added in to replace it; usually sugar. This means that most frozen yoghurt has about as much sugar or more as ice cream and this is before any toppings are added. To mimic the creamy texture that fat would give, emulsifiers, binders and thickeners are often added.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>How about the probiotics? </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Probiotics are the beneficial bacteria found in probiotic drinks, pills, yoghurt and newly in fruit juice. More and more research is going into probiotics now as its effects seem to reach beyond gut health. Gut microbiota (or the colony of bacteria in your gut) is thought to have a role in immune function. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Something that will probably stay with me forever was a lecture I had at university on gut microbiota. The lecturer showed us a video of a faecal transplant... A patient had a faecal transplant done (faecal matter fed through a tube down their nose after it was filtered with coffee filters) to save their life from a life threatening bacterial infection. It worked a charm in resetting their immune function! Yep amazing stuff! It wasn't the easiest thing to digest in the morning but it was very intriguing.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sorry to talk about human waste in the middle of a post about yoghurt......</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">When I started researching what types of probiotic strains are used for frozen yoghurt I came up empty. Most places had no information on the type or amount of beneficial bacteria in their product. This is important to know as you want strains that have good evidence backing up its health benefits and you want enoughbacteria that some reach your gut where it's needed. Also important is how the yoghurt is made. If excessive heat is used in the processing of the product much of that good bacteria is destroyed before freezing.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>How many calories?</b></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.yelp.com.au/biz_photos/e8TzXCFDVb-lJe4wE_gJGw?select=plVBW8dHZCfiXkAztbY2oQ#plVBW8dHZCfiXkAztbY2oQ" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img height="240" src="http://s3-media3.ak.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/plVBW8dHZCfiXkAztbY2oQ/l.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yogurberry and Twisted both have nutrition information on their website. 100g of frozen yoghurt have around 400-500kJ (95-120Cal). This can be higher in the flavoured varieties and I have noticed that some places put a little disclaimer to the low calorie or fat claim that states only the original yoghurt are low in calories or fat. 400-500kJ is actually a good size for a snack however the problem is that often the serving sizes can be huge! You wouldn't see a bowl that big at ice cream places! Frozen yoghurt places that are self serve often don't even give you the option of a smaller bowl and even I find myself paying for 300g at the checkout.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Research by a leader in consumer behaviour, Brian Wansink, has shown that bigger serving plates lead to mindless over eating. This <a href="http://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797%2806%2900179-6/abstract">paper </a>shows that even nutrition experts, given a bigger bowl, will serve themselves 31% more ice cream than those with a smaller bowl. Of course the other problem with self serve places is that I end up wanting a little bit of everything which ends up being a lot of everything...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The toppings can also add in a fair few calories. I always get overwhelmed with the choices available as they can range from fruits to lollies, cereals and biscuits. While a few pieces of strawberry won't make much of a difference, if you add just 1 Oreo biscuit you are adding 200kJ and about 5 pieces of mochi can be 150kJ. Just half a tablespoon of shredded coconut can add 350kJ! It's easy to see how the energy content of the frozen yoghurt can climb up quickly and drift away from a healthy snack.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Top tips when having frozen yoghurt</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">1. Pick the smallest size bowl. It's big enough, really. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">2. If it's self serve, survey the flavours available and pick 1-2 yoghurt flavours only. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">3.Make sure the toppings are mostly fruit based.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/3739/photo1zh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/3739/photo1zh.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm a big ice cream and frozen yoghurt fan but I find I often over-indulge with frozen yoghurt because of the healthier halo it carries and the amount of choices I'm presented with (yes even I'm not immune sometimes!). Sometimes a scoop of ice cream can actually be the healthier option. Remember frozen yoghurt is only as healthy as how much you have and what you put into it! </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Update: </b>I've just read an <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21574706">interesting study</a><span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">that may suggest eating foods th<span style="font-size: small;">at appear "guilt free" actually doesn't give our body the same satisfaction a<span style="font-size: small;">s foods perceived to be indulgent. What this means is that if you have that froyo thinking it's <span style="font-size: small;">good for you, your body won't <span style="font-size: small;">register the<span style="font-size: small;"> same sense of fullness as, if you had an indulgent snack that you think is bad for you. There<span style="font-size: small;">fore it may just be better to have that indulgent snack and feel satisfied! </span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15617157039991274344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850338360418077037.post-47779056653471980622012-11-11T16:18:00.000+11:002014-09-05T22:58:57.209+10:00Recipe: Beef Spaghetti Tossed in a Guacamole SauceI had grand plans to post up a meaty dish but instead this dish took my fancy so meatier dish will have to wait.<br />
<br />
This was something I came up with in less than 30mins. If I was smarter and didn't forget to cook pasta for a pasta dish... it probably would have taken a shorter amount of time...<br />
<br />
I have recently worked with <a href="http://www.avocado.org.au/">Australian Avocados</a> and felt inspired to put avocados in everything... This was one of the successes. If you like guacamole dip then you will love this dish!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>Beef Spaghetti Tossed in a Guacamole Sauce</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<b>Serves:</b> 1<br />
<b>Preparation and Cooking Time: </b><30mins<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients: </b><br />
<ul>
<li>Enough fettucine for one </li>
<li>6 button mushrooms </li>
<li>6 snow peas in pods</li>
<li>1/4 of a carrot</li>
<li>Palm size piece of lean beef </li>
<li>1/2 a large avocado</li>
<li>1.5 tablespoon of salsa dip </li>
<li>2 tablespoons chopped coriander</li>
<li>2 teaspoons lemon juice</li>
<li>1 teaspoon of honey wholegrain mustard</li>
<li>Optional: jalapeno</li>
</ul>
<b>Method: </b><br />
<ol>
<li>Bring some water to the boil and add fettucine (follow packet instructions to see how long you should cook it for. Don't overcook!)</li>
<li>Prepare the ingredients that need to be cooked: quarter the mushrooms and cut each snow pea into 3 segments. Slice the beef into thin strips </li>
<li>Scoop out 1/2 an avocado into a mixing bowl and mash it up so there aren't any big chunks.</li>
<li>Add the salsa dip, chopped coriander, lemon juice, wholegrain mustard and jalapeno to the mashed avocado and mix</li>
<li>Place the mushrooms, snow peas and beef into a non stick pan and stir fry for 5 minutes or until cooked. </li>
<li>Hopefully your pasta is done by now so strain it and place the pasta into the mixing bowl with the guacamole sauce. Mix so that the sauce coats the pasta well. </li>
<li>Transfer the cooked mushrooms, snow peas and beef into the mixing bowl as well. </li>
<li>Grate some carrot into that mixing bowl as well. </li>
<li>Toss everything together in the mixing bowl with a fork and add salt and pepper to taste!</li>
<li>Transfer to a bowl and enjoy or if you're lazy like me and sitting at home by yourself it's totally acceptable to just eat from a stainless steel mixing bowl.... Don't judge me... </li>
</ol>
<img src="http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/9602/photoilu.jpg" height="640" width="640" /><br />
<br />
Because there's elements of cooked and raw ingredients in this dish, it's only mildly warm when ready to eat. This means it's fantastic in summer!<br />
<br />
What's also good is the abundance of good fat in this dish. Avocados are a great source of monounsaturated fat which actually helps lower LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) and raise HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol) in the blood. You can say monounsaturated fat is often misunderstood as a bad thing just because it's associated with the word fat! Fat soluble vitamins such as Vitamin E and K are also found in fat so avocados are a good source of these vitamins.<br />
<br />
What's also suprising is that half an avocado actually has 5g of fibre (almost 17% of our recommended daily requirements for fibre!) despite it tasting soft and creamy!<br />
<br />
Avocados have a million other health benefits but I think what everyone wants to know is that this dish rocks. It's creamy without the cream, tart and tangy from the lemon and salsa and keeps you feeling full for a long time! For those that have never used avocados I've included some tips on how to choose and ripen an avocado below:<br />
<br />
<b>Ripening and Storing Avocados </b><br />
The best way to ripen avocados is in a brown paper bag with a banana or apple. I normally buy 1-2 already ripe Hass avocados (they are purple-brown when ripe) and the rest I buy green unripe avocados to keep for longer in the fridge.<br />
<br />
If you've got an avocado cut open, put a few drops of lemon juice or white vinegar on the flesh and wrap up to pop in the fridge. This stops it from browning. Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15617157039991274344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850338360418077037.post-32270364728994144242012-10-22T15:00:00.000+11:002014-03-23T22:11:56.244+11:00Quick Summer Breakfast IdeasToday was hot in Sydney. It's funny how 33 degrees feels soooo hot after winter but it'll soon feel normal once summer sets in. One of my biggest dilemmas during summer is what to have for breakfast (I'm sure this isn't most people's biggest concern but my life kinda just revolves around food....)<br />
<br />
Like I've said before, I often value my sleep more than breakfast making so I'm often having breakfast on the go. Normally it includes a piece of toast or some eggs but as the weather warms up I'm getting turned off hot breakfasts. Now I'll always be a tea drinking hot breakfast kind of girl, but I needed to spruce up my breakfast routine during warmer days! I'm not a cereal or muesli and milk type of person so I needed other ideas!<br />
<br />
Now hopefully I don't have to tell you all how important it is to have breakfast especially since I recently saw this <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/diet-and-fitness/skip-your-breakfast-today-here-are-the-consequences--20121017-27pu9.html">article</a> in the newspaper. It highlights how skipping breakfast actually primes your brain into seeking out higher calorie unhealthy foods which is why it makes sense that dieters who eat breakfast are often more successful in the long term at keeping weight off. <br />
<br />
So the following will be my top 10 breakfast ideas during summer to start you off feeling cool and ready for the day.<br />
<br />
<b> 1. Fruit smoothie </b><br />
Slurping down on a homemade smoothie always has me feeling alive on a hot day (but the blender is my least favourite thing to clean up....) My absolute favourite is a blueberry smoothie. All it requires is some frozen blueberries, low fat yoghurt and milk and some ice. Sometimes I like to add a teaspoon of honey but often the fruits are sweet enough. I probably get more calcium into my system during the warmer months as otherwise I love a hot cup of green tea. Be wary of cafe smoothies as often they can be quite large, heavy on the ice cream and full fat dairy. I prefer making my own anyway.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://imageshack.us/a/img202/6215/photoisy.jpg" height="640" width="640" />
<b> </b><br />
The blueberry smoothie is the purple drink in the background!<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>2. Yoghurt and Cereal </b><br />
My second favourite cooling breakfast has to be a nice bowl of yoghurt with some broken up weet-bix and some frozen blueberries. I go through frozen blueberries very quickly during summer and there's always a box in my freezer. I think they are essential! Any type of natural or greek yoghurt goes really well with any type of crunchy cereal.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://imageshack.us/a/img850/9650/photo6gr.jpg" height="640" width="640" />
<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>3. Fruit salad </b><br />
If you have time chop up some fruit or even do it the night before. It'll be super cool and refreshing and you can even add a dollop of yoghurt on top. If you have more time you can make a <a href="http://nutritionwithwendy.blogspot.com.au/2011/07/fruit-and-yoghurt-parfait.html">fruit and yoghurt parfait</a> just to be a little bit fancy.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://imageshack.us/a/img89/305/photo4ldx.jpg" height="640" width="640" />
<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>4. Eggs </b><br />
Boil up some eggs the night before and leave it in the fridge. In the morning peel and eat! The sulfur smell may stink up your car or the train but everyone's just jealous that you had breakfast while they didn't ;)
If you have time the night before make some frittatas and eat cold the next day. Vegetable frittata's are good as they give you a dose of vegetables before the day's even started.<br />
<br />
<b>5. Breakfast muffins </b><br />
Now I'm not talking those BIG muffins you can get with your coffee! If you have time over the weekend make up a batch of wholemeal or oat muffins. Keep in the fridge and grab on your way out in the morning. These <a href="http://nutritionwithwendy.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/recipe-bluerberries-and-white-chocolate.html">blueberry and white chocolate</a> ones are pretty tasty! Also shown are some orange and chia seed ones (recipe coming sooooon)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://imageshack.us/a/img222/3616/photo3ib.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://imageshack.us/a/img222/3616/photo3ib.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a><img src="http://imageshack.us/a/img687/919/photo2tcc.jpg" height="640" width="480" />
<br />
<br />
<b>6. Think wholegrain breads </b><br />
Instead of toasting my bread I just put some organic peanut butter on it and it's nice and soft rather than crunchy. Also good are wholemeal english muffins or mountain bread wraps. Put an egg with some salad leaves and cheese in a wrap and you've got something neatly packed for one handed eating!<br />
<br />
<b>7. Can of baked beans </b><br />
This is probably one of my brother's favourite. Nice cold can of baked beans on the weekend with some toast. During winter I like to pour the baked beans into a pan with some herbs and let it simmer. Mmmmmm (See I'm already back to winter breakfasts!)<br />
<br />
<img src="http://imageshack.us/a/img201/9614/photo1mz.jpg" height="640" width="640" />
<br />
<br />
<b>8. Corn on the cob </b><br />
My mum is kind enough to sometimes boil some corn for me in the morning but often it is too hot and it gets left till the next day. So i get a nice cold cob of corn! Delish on their own, high in fibre and of course, a serve of veg!<br />
<br />
<b>9. Drink ideas: Cold Milo or Juice </b><br />
As I said I'm a hot tea type of person. I drink a LOT of green tea throughout the day. Not just because of the health benefits but because it's so delicious and just warms me up and gets me ready to face anything! However during summer my tea drinking habits make way for cooler drinks. I love a cold glass of low fat milk with a spoonful or milo and other times a small glass of orange juice is also good. I'm not a big proponent of juice as I feel the real fruit is ALWAYS best but somedays it's a nice cold drink to wash down breakfast. Remember though I'm talking a small glass, around 200ml rather than the big Boost juices.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://imageshack.us/a/img42/7614/photo5ae.jpg" height="640" width="640" />
<b> </b><br />
This is a new juice that's out from Golden Circle. Pleasant taste with the goodness of probiotics for bowel health.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>10. I'm Reeeeeeally in a rush!! </b><br />
If you're looking for packaged foods a cold Up and Go, Belvita biscuits or muesli/nut bar isn't too bad of an option. Of course I always advocate for minimally processed foods but if it's a toss up between nothing and something for breakfast, the something always wins.<br />
<br />
As you can see from the list there's a slight trend in terms of what to look out for for breakfast. I always try and add fruits, vegetables, dairy and wholegrains to all my meals, especially breakfast. Look for breakfasts with lots of fibre, protein or both to ensure you feel full for longer. Always choose low GI options for the same reason. You can always mix and match the suggestions I've made. Eg. A cup of milo with a boiled egg and a piece of fruit ensures a good source of protein and fibre but also meets 1 serve of your dairy and fruit requirements for the day!<br />
<br />
Let me know below what kind of breakfast you're having! I'll love to have more ideas on what I can make!
Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15617157039991274344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850338360418077037.post-78987301838338057302012-09-17T17:00:00.000+10:002012-09-19T12:34:22.338+10:00Meatless Monday: Pumpkin, Chickpea and Spinach SatayI know, I know.... Another meatless post!?<br />
<br />
But <span style="font-size: large;"><b>veggies are awesome! </b></span><br />
<br />
Before you click the close button and think "Urgh Wendy's gone vegetarian; I guess we can't be friends anymore" hear me out!<br />
<br />
This dish LOOKS like a meat dish! =D?<br />
<br />
<img src="http://imageshack.us/a/img823/8246/img3428z.jpg" /><br />
See!? Okay this may be a bad angle for meat imitation. But it COULD look like some chunks of meat!<br />
<br />
It fooled my brother. Multiple times. Before he asked me "what kind of satay is this?? I can't find any meat!"<br />
<br />
I know though, that there are people that hate deceiving dishes... it's like your eyes promising your tastebuds some meat and it never gets any... And I'm not going to be one of those people who say "It totally tastes like meat! You won't even miss it!" So if you need some meat you can always add some in. I think chicken will go nicely.<br />
<br />
So what's with the infux of veggie dishes?<br />
<br />
I hate cooking with meat. It just feels slimey, and smelly and HARD to do! Yeh you'll probably never hear "I just can't be bothered to cook meat" from a vegetarian....But I promise the next recipe post will be a meat dish! In the meantime if anyone wants to make me a nice piece of lean steak (or even better take me to have some!) I'm always up for it ;) Don't lose hope in me though! I will have a meatier post soon! <br />
<br />
I found this recipe from the dozen or so mini recipe books I got at the recent <a href="http://www.icd2012.com/">conference</a> (I'm really working up a collection!)
I actually picked up this booklet not knowing it was all vegetarian recipes until quite a few pages in. The dishes looked so good, I was salivating anyway.<br />
<br />
The recipe book is produced by Sanitarium, a company owned by the Seventh-Day Adventist Church so all it's products are vegetarian, in accordance to its teachings. You can actually order the book online for <a href="http://www.sanitarium.com.au/health-and-wellbeing/health-and-happiness-cookbook">free</a> and it has amazing photos that will make you drool, vegetarian or not!<br />
<br />
Onto the recipe! I couldn't help myself and did make a few changes though. The ingredient list may seem long but don't be scared! There's no weird ingredients that you only use for this dish and leave rotting in your fridge. Also it's a pretty simple one saucepan dish. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Pumpkin Chickpea and Spinach Satay</b></span></span><br />
<b>Adapted from:</b> Sanitarium Food for Health and Happiness Cookbook<br />
<br />
<b>Serves: </b>4-5<br />
<b>Preparation and cooking time:</b> 30mins<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<ul>
<li>2 tsp olive oil or peanut oil</li>
<li>1 brown onion</li>
<li>2 garlic cloves </li>
<li>Small piece of ginger the size of your pinky </li>
<li>700g pumpkin</li>
<li>200ml Carnations light and creamy coconut flavour evaporated milk </li>
<li>1/2 cup salt reduced vegetable stock </li>
<li>2 cups cauliflower florets </li>
<li>1 medium carrot </li>
<li>1/3 cup crunchy organic peanut butter</li>
<li>1 tbsp soy sauce </li>
<li>2 tsp brown sugar</li>
<li>400g can chickpeas</li>
<li>1/4 cup chopped coriander </li>
<li>60g baby spinach</li>
<li>Boiled rice to serve </li>
<li>Chilli (optional)</li>
</ul>
<b> Method</b><br />
<ol>
<li>Make some rice if you don't have any leftovers like me. </li>
<li>Prep all the veggies: Dice the onion, pumpkin and carrot. Chop up the garlic, ginger and coriander finely. Cut the caulifower into small florets. </li>
<li>Heat oil in a large saucepan and cook the onions for 2mins until soft. </li>
<li>Add the garlic, ginger and chilli if you're using it and give it a stir to mix. </li>
<li>Add in pumpkin followed by coconut flavoured evaporated milk and stock. </li>
<li>Bring everything to the boil, cover and simmer for 5-8mins.</li>
<li>Add the cauliflower and carrots followed by the peanut butter, soy sauce, sugar and chickpeas. Stir to combine, cover and simmer until cauliflower is cooked (About another 5mins)</li>
<li>Turn off the heat and stir in coriander and spinach leaves.</li>
<li>Serve with rice.</li>
</ol>
<i>Per serve: Energy: 1840kJ (440kcal), Carbohydrates 27g,
Fibre 10g, Fat 26g, Saturated fat 6g, Protein 20g, Sodium 515mg, Potassium 1245mg, Calcium 115mg, Iron 3.6mg (These values are based on the original recipe and although not stated, I believe it is without rice) </i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://imageshack.us/a/img255/903/img3434b.jpg" /><br />
The recipe book is at the back. My dish looks better right? =D <br />
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<img src="http://imageshack.us/a/img525/8551/img3429h.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<img src="http://imageshack.us/a/img62/4082/img3433l.jpg" /><br />
<br />
I don't usually cook with coconut milk due to it's saturated fat content so to me using flavoured evaporated milk still gave it a nice coconut taste (Don't kill me if you think it doesn't taste 'authentic!') You could also use evaporated milk and add your own coconut flavouring. I had a look at some reduced fat coconut milk, which is where they use coconut extract and water, and some had less kilojoules per 100ml than the flavoured evaporated milk. However the saturated fat content was still higher.<br />
<br />
<b>Eg. per 100ml:</b><br />
Carnations coconut flavoured evaporated milk: 1.1g sat fat <br />
Amoy regular coconut milk: 21.6g sat fat<br />
Amoy light coconut milk (44% less fat): 12g sat fat<br />
<br />
How much fat you should have per day depends on your energy needs but I usually recommend 20-35% of your energy should be from fat in accordance with the <a href="http://www.nrv.gov.au/disease/macronutrient.htm">NHMRC</a>. Also <20g of saturated fat/day, as recommended by the <a href="http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/healthy-eating/food-labels/Pages/fat.aspx">National Heart Foundation Australia</a>. You can see how easy this is to go over when having these products and we havent even gotten into coconut cream! <br />
<br />
Anyway back to the food! The original recipe actually asked for longer cooking times but I found my veggies got too soft and mushy especially when I stirred in the sticky peanut butter. So don't overcook! My parents tried it without rice and weren't a big fan as it was too mushy but there won't be any problems if you don't overcook it =)<br />
<br />
If you want to add meat, lightly stir fry it until cooked and put it aside then toss it back in with the cauliflower. <br />
<br />
As always this will be delicious: I guarantee it! (I should design a Wendy stamp of approval...) All that fibre and protein will keep you full and your body will thank you for feeding it vegetables!<br />
<br />
I've got a little bit of leftover coconut flavoured evaporated milk so anyone have suggestions on what to make with it?
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</script>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15617157039991274344noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850338360418077037.post-30268376129724266102012-09-11T18:38:00.000+10:002012-09-13T14:55:01.775+10:00What do Dietitians Eat? When I tell people I'm a dietitian one of the most common things they ask me is "What do you eat?" Or sometimes it's statements like "You must eat real healthy" or "Are you a vegan or vegetarian?"<br />
<br />
I always find it very difficult to answer this question as my diet is often quite varied and there's no specific thing I eat that would be different from anyone else; I don't have access to some miracle diet pill or secret diet book!
<br />
<br />
Often times these conversations occur when I'm eating and almost everyone has the immediate impulse to look at my food and judge me! If I have something society deems to be "unhealthy" I often get the "I can't believe you're eating THAT!"
<br />
<br />
This even happens with my mum. There's been a time where I've bought ice cream and sat outside my own house and eaten it in the car before going in because I didn't want to get judged by my mum. (and also so my siblings didn't steal any!) It's like we're all to have perfect diets and we wouldn't dream of having anything "unhealthy" on our plate. Thing is, I don't think foods can be simply classified as "good" and "bad." Like many things in life, it's all fifty shades of grey. Nutrition is such a complex field that it's difficult to decide how to rate the healthfulness of food.
<br />
<br />
What I also think people forget though, and I think I'm speaking for a majority of dietitians here, is:
<b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">We love food!</span></b>
<br />
<br />
Why else would we do a degree on nutrition and spend all day talking about it!?
<br />
<br />
There are so many dietitians I know who would also call themselves foodies and many more who like a bit of dessert (like me!). And yet many look at us like we're food's worst enemy!
<br />
<br />
I thought to give an idea of what dietitians eat I'll share some photos from the International Congress of Dietetics held last week in Sydney. This was a large 3 day event of workshops and lectures that over 2000 dietitians attended from all over the world and lunch was provided.
<br />
<br />
<img src="http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/6549/e398c120f70811e1bea8123.jpg" />
<br />
<b>Day 1</b>: Clockwise from top: Falafel wrap, carrot cake, wild rice mix salad, egg sandwich on multigrain, green beans and cannelini beans, hainan chicken salad (in the middle)
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<br />
<img src="http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/4053/f2893410f7c811e1a946220.jpg" />
<br />
<b>Day 2</b>: Corned beef, cheese and lettuce grain roll, pumpkin and fetta and strawberries (I think this was my favourite lunch)
<br />
<br />
<img src="http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/1531/9638c662f89511e1a3d8220.jpg" />
<br />
<b>Day 3</b>: Chickpea and cous cous salad, chicken and egg wrap, mini eggplant burger, roast beef with tzatziki sauce and potato salad.
<br />
<br />
Sadly I didn't get a chance to take a photo of the vegetarian options.
<br />
<br />
Morning and afternoon tea wasn't really provided but as there was an exhibition on as well, free samples were given out. Available everyday was: Chobani and Jalna yoghurt, nuts, fresh fruit, Yakult.
<br />
<br />
As well as these many stalls had bags of goodies to give away, it was like the Easter show! Other foods of note include: a new Pepsi (coming soon), Grain Waves, meal replacement cookies,Quaker Oat cookies, Sanitarium One Square meal, Optifast, beans and corn mix, Heinze squeeze soup, chocolate paddle pops and much more.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/7039/photoytx.jpg" />
<br />
Look at all these things to try!<br />
<br />
Although I would eat practically anything, there are a few rules I follow with my day to day eating.
1.<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Eat breakfast. </b>Breakfast is often my favourite meal on the weekends but during the weekdays I often value my sleep more than a sit down breakfast. However I always make sure I bring something with me before I head out the door as I know skipping breakfast always leads to poor food choices later on in the day. This can be an Up and Go, toast, fruit or yoghurt. </li>
<li><b>Have 2-3 snacks/day.</b> I always bring my own snacks with me. My body is like clockwork when it comes to eating. I like to eat every 3 hours and sometimes there isn't always food around which is why I bring my own snacks. If I know there will be a fridge I bring some yoghurt but otherwise it'll be fruit, nut bars, nuts, or a homemade cupcake. Eating regularly also stops me from getting ravenously hungry and ending up at a fast food joint simply because it was the closest food avilable. </li>
<li><b>Never eat infront of the TV.</b> Studies have shown those who eat in front of the TV are more likely to be overweight or obese. In my family, dinner is the only meal when we all sit together so the television is always off and we share in conversation. I believe meals should be enjoyed with family and friends rather than with the television. You're more likely to appreciate the meal, eat mindfully and know when you're full. </li>
<li><b>Be mindful about your food choices. </b>I think food goes beyond calories and nutrients. Food is often associated with emotions and I believe in eating for enjoyment rather than to count calories. We eat foods, not nutrients. I always try to be mindful about my food choices and know that when I choose an indulgent food it is a conscious choice and not something I eat just because it's there. This way I don't end up in a vicious cycle of emotional eating-guilt-more emotional eating. </li>
<li><b>Eat slowly.</b> I'm probably known as one of the slowest eaters amongst my friends. I like to savour my food and chew it properly. At the recent dietetic congress a Japanese study found that fast eating was linked to decrease in diet induced thermogenesis (DIT) (amount of energy needed to process food; low DIT is linked to obesity). Also it takes the body around 20mins before it begins to feel full so if you rush through your meal you're more likely to overeat. I find with slow eating you get more time to appreciate your meal and notice the different flavours, textures, smells more than if you rushed through it. </li>
</ol>
I take a lot of food photos and post it on my Instagram so if you're curious for more check out my Instagram at nutritionwwendy for more food ideas. And while we're at it, my twitter (@NutritionwWendy) also has a lot of nutrition goodness (incl. latest nutrition research from the congress!). If there's any foods I've made on my Instagram that you'll like the recipe to, let me know via Twitter or Instagram =) <br />
<br />
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</script>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15617157039991274344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850338360418077037.post-31112554257752693972012-08-27T17:49:00.000+10:002014-09-05T22:59:58.413+10:00Meatless Monday: 8 Minute Corn SaladLast week it was my mum's birthday. I have no idea how old she turned this year as she only let us put three candles on the cake.... Over the years I had run out of gift ideas so this year I decided taking the stress from cooking meals everyday off my mum for that one night was the best gift idea.<br />
<br />
I'd set out a grand plan of roast chicken, pork belly, salads and vegetables in my head before my mum reminded me that she needed to take my siblings to piano classes at 6pm which left me only 2hrs to prepare everything!<br />
<br />
I sent my mum off to get a massage to help her relax while I did some last minute ingredient shopping. I had this <a href="http://thehealthyfoodie.com/2012/08/14/grilled-corn-salad/#&disp=176479">grill roasted corn salad</a> in mind but Woolworths had run out of fresh corn that day (amongst a bunch of other things that I needed to make the birthday cake!) and I was running out of time! Instead I grabbed some canned corn and shortened my cooking time! This salad is the result.<br />
<br />
I managed to plate up this salad, beef, mushroom and onion stir fry, roast pumpkin and sweet potato and stir fry bok choy by dinner time. The chicken wasn't ready until an hour afterwards.... Everyone was starving so I didn't manage to take a picture of all the food but I did take a picture of this corn salad before it was gobbled up. Trust me it takes like 5 minutes! I only said 8 minutes to cover myself. And it's delicious. If there's any doubt I'm willing to hold live demos at my house where you can watch me whip it up in 5minutes then proceed to eat it and tell you it's delicious.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #674ea7;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>8 Minute Corn Salad</b></span></div>
Adapted from: <a href="http://thehealthyfoodie.com/2012/08/14/grilled-corn-salad/#&disp=176479">The Healthy Foodie</a> <br />
<br />
<b>Serves:</b> 2-4<br />
<b>Preparation and cooking time:</b> 5-8mins<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients </b><br />
<ul id="zlrecipe-ingredients-list">
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-0" itemprop="ingredients">1 can of corn</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-1" itemprop="ingredients">1/2 capsicum, chopped</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-3" itemprop="ingredients">1 cupgreen beans cut into 1" (2cm) pieces</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-4" itemprop="ingredients">1 cup fresh parsley, chopped</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-6" itemprop="ingredients">The juice of 1 lime</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-9" itemprop="ingredients">Fetta cheese, crumbled</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-10" itemprop="ingredients">½ cup walnuts, chopped</li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-10" itemprop="ingredients">2 cups baby spinach and rocket </li>
<li class="ingredient" id="zlrecipe-ingredient-10" itemprop="ingredients">Salt and pepper to taste </li>
</ul>
<b>Method</b><br />
<ol>
<li>Drain the can of corn</li>
<li>Place corn, capsicum and green beans in a pan and stir fry for 2 minutes (You can skip this step too since it's not really necessary to cook these ingredients anyway</li>
<li>Place all the ingredients in a bowl and toss before serving </li>
</ol>
<i>Per serve (443g): Energy: 1787kJ (427kCal), Carbohydrates 66.5g, Fibre 11.2g, Fat 15.4g, Saturated fat 3.5g, Protein 16.8g, Sodium 532mg (These values are based on the original recipe from the link)</i><br />
<br />
See easy right? This salad didn't store well overnight in the fridge (the beans went a bit brown) so eat it all up on the same day!<br />
<br />
<img src="http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/3254/img3403o.jpg" height="640" width="640" /><br />
<br />
<img src="http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/1893/img3402x.jpg" height="640" width="563" /><br />
<br />
Isn't it so colourful? And I promise it's good for you ;)
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</script>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15617157039991274344noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850338360418077037.post-68500984642732719712012-08-06T14:39:00.000+10:002012-09-13T14:57:08.465+10:00Meatless Monday: Warm Quinoa, Potato and Orange Salad RecipeI made this salad last night as part of dinner from bits and pieces I found in the fridge and pantry. It's not only vegetarian but vegan too!<br />
<br />
Years ago, when I first started setting foot in a kitchen, I made mainly baked goods. To be more specific, those cake mixes you can buy at the supermarket. I started with these because I never had to worry about main meals (thanks mum!) and I thought they would be the easiest. Sadly I could not even make cake from the packet. I know......<br />
<br />
Now I realise it's because I always over beat the batter and my mum would buy the cheapest cake mixes that always looked good when fresh out of the oven but were hard as a rock after a day. Come to think of it, I'm not sure why I didn't just give up then and step away from the oven!<br />
<br />
I persisted and eventually I was starting to search up easy recipes online I could use. I stuck firmly to the recipes I had, believing that if I even turned the oven one degrees more than specified, my cakes would be ruined! Baked goods are unpredictable that way; they never look like the ingredients they started as. And that makes baking so magical to me. Nevertheless, I bought many ingredients I had to throw out in the end as I had no other use for them.<br />
<br />
It took me YEARS to feel comfortable enough to start omitting and replacing ingredients in recipes! First it was with savoury dishes then with the sweets and now I'm finally feeling a little bit more comfortable writing up my own recipes. This is where this recipe came in. I'd only heard about quinoa a year or so ago and I hadn't made anything with quinoa in it for a while (despite my last post also being a quinoa recipe!) so I decided to make a salad. I had a browse online for some recipes and found most recipes had ingredients I did not have. I had no salad greens, no lemon, no meat. Yeh my fridge was quite barren..... The idea of a quinoa salad was already in my mind and I knew I could not let it go so I did what I could with what little I had. And it turned out great!<br />
<br />
Maybe you've never heard of <a href="http://www.nutritionwithwendy.blogspot.com.au/2011/06/meatless-monday-quinoa-with-roasted.html">quinoa</a>, maybe you're ready to try your first quinoa recipe or maybe you've made quinoa a million times. Whatever your quinoa knowledge may be, go look in the fridge and pantry and put whatever looks good in this salad with some quinoa. The more colourful and vibrant it is the better! <br />
<br />
For those that still want a recipe as a guideline continue reading =)<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #351c75;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Warm Quinoa, Potato and Orange Salad </span></b></div>
<img src="http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/3439/quinoasalad.jpg" />
<b> </b><br />
<b>Serves:</b> 2 large serves<br />
<b>Preparation and Cooking Time: </b>25 minutes<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
<br />
<b>Salad </b><br />
1 cup quinoa<br />
3 cups water or stock<br />
Half a medium sweet potato<br />
1 medium sized potato<br />
1 small carrot<br />
1/2 cup chickpeas<br />
1 1/2 tablespoons sun dried tomatoes<br />
Half a small avocado<br />
Half an orange<br />
<br />
<b>Dressing</b><br />
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar<br />
1/2 tablespoon oil from sundried tomatoes <br />
1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil<br />
<br />
<b>Method</b><br />
1. Pre-heat oven to 170degrees celcius<br />
2. Dice up sweet potato, potato and carrot and place them on a baking tray with foil. Give them a light spray with olive oil and some salt and pepper to taste. Put in the oven for 10-15mins or until light brown<br />
3. Place 1 cup of quinoa in 3 cups of stock/water in a saucepan (I used vegetable stock as it gives the quinoa more flavour. Quinoa is very good at soaking up the flavour of stock!) Bring it to the boil then lower the heat so it just simmers for 15minutes or until the quinoa turns opaque and splits. Look at the picture. Most if not all the water should be absorbed. I don't think you can overcook quinoa anyway.... <br />
4. Dice half an avocado <br />
5. Cut an orange in half and peel half then dice into segments. Cut the other half of the orange into segments and eat while waiting for the quinoa and roast veg to be ready!<br />
6. Once the quinoa and vegetables are ready place them on a plate. Add the chickpeas, sundried tomatoes, avocado and orange.<br />
7. Place the vinegar and oil in the salad and lightly toss the salad with a spoon. (You could toss in a bowl then place on a plate but I'm lazy and less washing up!) If you used stock for the quinoa there's not much need to add salt but flavour with salt and pepper as desired. <br />
8. Eat slowly. It's delicious, I promise!
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</script>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15617157039991274344noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850338360418077037.post-41831960175621298652012-06-11T18:00:00.000+10:002014-09-05T23:00:26.123+10:00Meatless Monday: Quinoa Corn FrittersI saw the recipe for quinoa corn fritters on one of my favourite blogs <a href="http://www.blogger.com/and%20luckily%20I%20wasn%27t%20scared%20off%20by%20the%20long%20recipe%21%20">Apples Under My Bed</a> and luckily I wasn't scared off by the long recipe! These are actually quite simple to make and make a delicious snack. My mum had bought several husks of corn and this recipe came at just the right time! I made very small modifications due more to the lack of ingredients in my fridge than anything else.<br />
<br />
This is the 3rd quinoa recipe I have posted. See another <a href="http://nutritionwithwendy.blogspot.com.au/2011/06/meatless-monday-quinoa-with-roasted.html">Meatless Monday post</a> and a <a href="http://nutritionwithwendy.blogspot.com.au/2011/08/recipe-quinoa-cocoa-cupcakes.html">dessert one</a> too. Lets see who makes all 3 recipes in one day ;)?<br />
<br />
<img src="http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/6201/img1547ic.jpg" height="360" width="640" />
<br />
<div style="color: #674ea7;">
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Quinoa Corn Fritters</span></b></div>
Adapted from <a href="http://applesundermybed.blogspot.com.au/2011/10/quinoa-corn-fritters.html">Apples Under My Bed</a> <br />
<br />
<b>Serves:</b> 5 fritters<br />
Preparation and Cooking Time: 45min<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
1/4 cup dry Quinoa <br />
1/2 cup water<br />
1 large corn cob <br />
1 clove of Garlic, crushed<br />
2 teaspoons olive oil<br />
1 egg<br />
1.5 heaped tablespoons (38g) Wholemeal Plain Flour<br />
1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cumin<br />
3 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce<br />
A pinch of Sea Salt and Freshly Cracked Pepper<br />
<br />
<b>Method</b><br />
<ol>
<li>Rinse the dry quinoa under cold water and then put it in a pot with water. </li>
<li>Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and the germ turns opaque and splits from the seed- see <a href="http://nutritionwithwendy.blogspot.com.au/2011/06/meatless-monday-quinoa-with-roasted.html">picture</a> </li>
<li>Shave the corn kernels from the corn cob. </li>
<li>Place corn kernels in a pan with the crushed garlic on high heat and
sauté for 2-3 minutes until it smells heavenly and a pretty yellow. </li>
<li>Transfer corn to a large mixing bowl.</li>
<li>Add the 1/2 cup cooked quinoa, beaten egg, flour, baking powder, cumin, Worchestershire sauce, salt and pepper to the mixing bowl with the corn. Stir ingredients
together until a wet mixture is formed (See picture below)</li>
<li>Heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil over low-medium heat. </li>
<li>Form small round balls by spooning up 1 tablespoon of mixture and roughly forming it in your hand. </li>
<li>Put the balls on the pan and after 1minute push the pattie flat with the back of a spoon. The mixture is very wet but it will hold if you treat it with care! </li>
<li>Cook for another 5minutes then flip to cook for another 5 minutes until it is nice and brown.</li>
<li>Serving suggestions: alongside poached eggs and bacon at breakfast, as part of a salad at
lunch, as an appetiser with some sweet chilli dipping sauce or alongside
grilled meat or chicken and a big salad at dinner.Or just eat them on their own ;) </li>
</ol>
<i>Per fritter: Energy: 551kJ, protein: 5g, Fat: 4.5g, Saturated fat: 0.8g, Carbohydrate: 15.9g, Sodium: 60mg </i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/9696/img1542jn.jpg" height="360" width="640" />
<img src="http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/9098/img1543.jpg" height="360" width="640" /><br />
This is what the mixture should look like. It looks pretty wet!<br />
<br />
<img src="http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/572/img1544f.jpg" height="360" width="640" /><br />
Sizzling away in the pan...<br />
<br />
<img src="http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/2266/img1546q.jpg" height="360" width="640" /><br />
Tada done!!<b><br /></b><br />
<br />
<b>Nutritionally speaking......</b><br />
These fritters are a good snack and can be part of a great meal too! They're not too energy dense if you're only having 1-2 and have a good protein content, low saturated fat and low sodium (depending on how much salt you decide to add!) They're also going to be quite high in fibre from the corn and quinoa (although not calcuated) so will keep you full for longer than expected. Plus another fun way to cook quinoa right? <br />
<br />
I must admit my siblings did not enjoy this but I think it was because of the cumin and Worchestershire taste so feel free to substitute this for any other kind of flavouring<i>. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</i><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Let me know how you cook quinoa or what vegetarian recipes you are trying this week. </span><i><br /></i>
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</script>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15617157039991274344noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850338360418077037.post-14370473125992644852012-06-02T23:41:00.001+10:002014-09-05T23:04:05.678+10:00What to Eat When You're on a BudgetWell it's more like what to eat when you have limited cooking facilities and limited food available as well!<br />
<br />
I used to be able to travel to various locations for a week at a time for work. I would always have to be prepared to make very fast simple meals as I would often be tired from work and cooking facilities can vary. It actually became quite an exciting challenge to come up with what to cook every night! I know how daunting it is to cook a meal after a long day and how easy it is to just grab take away but trust me the following will work even for the most lazy, unmotivated and unskilled! I thought I'll share with everyone some of the tips for cooking meals that are both healthy, quick, simple and cheap (I once only spent $25 for a week's supply of food for myself).<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #674ea7;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Always be prepared</b></span></div>
Write a shopping list! Write what meals you plan to make! Think of ingredients you can use multiple times in different ways for different meals. This will ensure no food is wasted as well.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5850338360418077037"><img src="http://img546.imageshack.us/img546/8955/img2114jn.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a><br />
This is one of the shopping lists I made before going to the supermarket.
<br />
<div style="color: #351c75;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #674ea7;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Breakfast Ideas</b></span></div>
When I had access to a stove I made eggs every morning. This varied from a fried egg to scrambled eggs with tomato and spinach. I also had some toast with peanut butter.<br />
<br />
One of the places I was at only provided a kettle and a microwave. This is where I had to get creative.... (PS we also had no cutlery at times...)<br />
<br />
<img src="http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/3577/img1829n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /><br />
This is something a friend recommended. It's scrambled eggs cooked in the microwave! It's very very simple to make, seriously. Crack an egg into a bowl (Or takeaway container in my case), put a tablespoon of milk into it and then whisk it slightly. Put it in the microwave and watch the magic. You might want to take it out and give it a stir 30seconds in. I would also have the eggs with some instant oats that I heated up in the microwave or a piece of toast. Cereal also works well. <br />
<br />
What's really important at breakfast time is having something with protein and fibre. These two things will keep you full and satisfied. In the breakfasts I had, the protein came from the eggs, porridge and the peanut butter. The sources of fibre were the bread, porridge and vegetables I added to the eggs. <br />
<br />
<div style="color: #674ea7;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Lunch Ideas</b></span></div>
Lunch always had to be something simple and could easily pack into my bag. This usually meant sandwiches and salads.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5850338360418077037"><img src="http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/1977/img1757sk.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a><br />
One of the sandwiches I had. One of the weeks I survived on a tuna sandwich every single day because tuna was on sale.... I always made sure I loaded it with some vegetables such as red onion, spinach, tomato and mushrooms so I wasn't leaving the task of consuming 5 serves of vegetables all at dinner.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5850338360418077037"><img src="http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/3848/img1801sr.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a><br />
This is one of the salads I made. You might recognise this from a previous <a href="http://nutritionwithwendy.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/meatless-monday-strawberry-salad-with.html">blog post</a>! Yes I was still obsessed with fruit in salad at that time (and I've had more chances to experiment so look out for them in future posts). This one has some added shredded chicken from the night before and instead of a vinaigrette I just used some olive oil.<br />
<br />
A snack after lunch was always fruit to ensure I got my serves of fruit as well. <br />
<br />
<div style="color: #674ea7;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Dinner Ideas </b></span></div>
<img src="http://img846.imageshack.us/img846/6053/img1755qh.jpg" height="640" width="480" /> <img src="http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/5153/img1799m.jpg" height="640" width="640" /><br />
One of the first days I really couldn't be bothered cooking and it was already an effort to go shopping so I made sure I bought a frozen meal for these kind of days. Instead of eating out of a plastic plate or bowl I made the effort to plate it up and it made all the difference. I often have one or two frozen meals stored in my freezer at home for really lazy days or when there is just nothing in the fridge. Frozen meals can be quite small sometimes so an extra salad or serve of vegetables on the side can bulk up the meal.<br />
<br />
The second picture is of a very simple meat and veg meal. I bought a BBQ chicken and took off the drumstick, microwaved some frozen vegetables and had it with a piece of bread. No cooking required! I shredded the rest of the chicken for sandwiches and salads at lunch and to go with pasta for the next night's dinner. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5850338360418077037"><img src="http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/1562/img1807v.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5850338360418077037"><img src="http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/5619/img1849iu.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5850338360418077037"> </a><br />
Pasta is my number one go to dinner on these work trips. I buy a can of low salt tomato based pasta sauce, add in some frozen and fresh vegetables, a source of protein and voila meal done! <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5850338360418077037"><img src="http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/9360/img1806b.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a><br />
How I cooked the above pasta dish on the left... As I said before, one of the facilities only had a kettle and microwave. I was determined to not just live on frozen meals for a week and took inspiration from a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iODrN07xIXA">video</a> I'd seen on cooking in a hotel room. I filled the kettle with water and added pasta and boiled it with the lid open so it will continue to boil. Lots of stirring in between and there you go cooked pasta! I put some pasta sauce on it, some already microwaved frozen vegetables and some shredded chicken and into the microwave it went. It wasn't as delicious as home made pasta sauce but it was still a comforting meal after a long day and that's all it needed to be.<br />
<br />
I also tried cooking lentils and pork fillets in the kettle but they didn't work out so well.....and never try to cook pork fillets in the microwave....<br />
<br />
Lentils and any form of canned beans are very cheap to buy and easy to cook. They're a great substitute for meat or simply to add more bulk to a meal. You can never speak ill about beans (maybe the gas...)!<br />
<br />
There were still some days when I did end up eating out and I didn't want these photos to sit in my phone neglected while my kettle of pasta got some screen time... You can always go back to my post on <a href="http://nutritionwithwendy.blogspot.com.au/2011/06/guide-to-eating-out.html">tips for eating out</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5850338360418077037"><img src="http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/8928/img1797pz.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5850338360418077037"><img src="http://img857.imageshack.us/img857/2989/img1848.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a><br />
Looking at that salad is making me drool already....<br />
<br />
I hope this post comes back on nights when you're feeling uninspired and unable to get off the couch. These meals are definitely cheaper than some take aways and this is more my definition of fast food. If you think about it, in the time you take to call up a pizza place and have it delivered, you could have had a nice home made meal!
<b><br /></b><br />
<br />
<b>Feel free to share any quick meals, cooking tips and what you like to eat when you're in a rush in the comments below! </b>
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</script>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15617157039991274344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850338360418077037.post-40138558034309601182012-04-22T12:57:00.000+10:002014-09-05T23:05:52.071+10:00Recipe: Bluerberries and White Chocolate CupcakesI used to hate blueberries. Something about the smell, the colour, the price! But then I don't know how or when, I started to fall in love with them! I'm still not a fan of fresh blueberries but I love them frozen and I make sure to have a packet in my freezer at all times. At only 184kJ/100g they are a great frozen sweet treat any time of day.<br />
<br />
Two nights ago I picked up my box of frozen blueberries for a snack and discovered a recipe for blueberries and white chocolate muffins. It was VERY late in the evening but I had all the ingredients handy and decided to do some late night baking.<br />
<br />
I made a few modifications with the recipe so here's a comparison of the original with my modified recipe.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: large;"><b>Blueberries and White Chocolate Cupcakes</b></span><br />
<br />
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<b><span lang="EN-AU">Original Recipe</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-AU">Serves: 6</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-AU">Modified Recipe</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-AU">Serves: 14</span></div>
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<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 112.3pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 219.15pt;" valign="top" width="292"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-AU">1 cup blueberries</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">2 cups self raising flour</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-AU">¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-AU">½ cup white chocolate bits</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">1 egg, lightly beaten</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-AU">¾ cup butter milk </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-AU">½ cup vegetable oil</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">¾ cup blueberries </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-AU">1 ½ cup wholemeal flour</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-AU">½ cup self raising flour</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-AU">¼ teaspoon baking powder</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-AU">½ cup low GI sugar</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-AU">¼ cup white chocolate bits</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-AU">1 egg, lightly beaten</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-AU">¾ cup low fat milk</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-AU">½ cup canola oil </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-AU">¼ cup low fat yoghurt</span></div>
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<b> </b><br />
<b>Method:</b><br />
<ol>
<li>Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius</li>
<li>Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl</li>
<li>Stir in egg, milk, yoghurt and oil </li>
<li>Scoop batter into lined cupcake tray evenly</li>
<li>Push in a few blueberries and white chocolate into each cupcake </li>
<li>Bake for 20-25mins </li>
</ol>
<img src="http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/1433/img3219e.jpg" height="360" width="640" /><br />
Before they go into the oven!<br />
<br />
<img src="http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/9427/img3222p.jpg" height="360" width="640" /><br />
<br />
<img src="http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/6317/img3223yx.jpg" height="640" width="444" /><br />
<br />
These were beyond delicious. The only thing I would've done differently is to put MORE blueberries in! These are more dense than your ordinary cupcakes but they were very moist and soft and filling. So perfect.<br />
<br />
<b>Nutritionally Speaking....</b><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">Original
Recipe (Per serve)</span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">Modified
Recipe (Per serve)</span></b></div>
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<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-AU">Energy 2320 kJ </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-AU">Protein 9.2 g </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-AU">Fat (total) 23.6 g </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">Saturated fat 4.7 g </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-AU">Carbohydrate 74.8 g </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-AU">Sugars 36.7 g </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-AU">Sodium 410 mg</span></div>
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<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-AU">Energy 864 kJ </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-AU">Protein 4.2 g </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-AU">Fat (total) 9.2 g </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-AU">Saturated fat 1.4 g </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-AU">Carbohydrate 25.4 g </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-AU">Sugars 10.4 g </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-AU">Sodium 68 mg</span></div>
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<br />
As you can see I have significantly reduced the kilojoules! 864kJ is still a bit high for a snack but it's a big improvement on 2320kJ. An average person's kilojoule intake for the day is 8700kJ so just having one muffin from the original recipe would be 25% of your daily intake. Not such an innocent muffin now right? <b><br /></b><br />
<br />
<b>Some easy modifications to try when baking:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Change the serving size. I prefer cupcakes over muffins because they're cuter and I only have cupcake tins at home ;). This way I ended up with over twice as many cupcakes than I would have! Good food should be shared so I passed some on to my neighbours, family and friends who dropped by. It's also quite impressive if they love it (and they will!) and you tell them you made them! </li>
<li>Substitute white flour with wholemeal flour. This is really easy to do if you're baking a fruit cake or nut cake since there's already different textures in the batter. If you're not sure how much to substitute try 1/4 or 1/2 of the amount in the recipe and just experiment. </li>
<li>Choose Low GI Cane sugar, Natvia or Splenda instead of white sugar. These have lower GI or less kiljoules than white sugar. However read the packet for conversions of quantity. Usually sweeteners are several times sweeter than sugar so less may be needed. With sugar it also helps to experiment with how much is really needed. As this cupcake already has blueberries and white chocolate I felt it would be quite sweet already so I cut 1/4 cup of sugar off and it was still quite sweet. </li>
<li>Choose low fat ingredients. This includes using low fat milk, cream, yoghurt etc. Choose maragrine instead of butter. This can reduce the kilojoule content as well as the total and saturated fat. </li>
<li>I've been exprimenting with adding yoghurt to my cakes and so far so good! Adding 1/4- 1 cup of yoghurt can make cakes more moist, dense and increase the protein content. Definitely will be experimenting more with yoghurt! <b><br /></b></li>
</ul>
<b> Let me know about any recipe modifications you've made and how it turned out! </b><br />
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</script>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15617157039991274344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850338360418077037.post-86754275280555115582012-03-19T19:46:00.000+11:002014-09-05T23:06:14.303+10:00Meatless Monday: Strawberry Salad with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette<br />
<center>
<a href="http://www.theveggiemama.com/p/meatless-mondays.html" target="_blank" title="Veggie Mama"><img border="0" src="http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a63/britney_jean_spears/Veggie-Mama-meatless-monday-button.jpg" /></a></center>
<br />
<br />
Today I wanted to share a salad I've been obsessed over. I've had this for lunch for the past 3 days!! It is so unbelievably delicious you MUST try it! I've had this new fondness for fruit in salads and it's such a brilliant idea especially throughout spring and summer. Sadly summer is over in Australia and with the dreary summer Sydney has had this year, I feel robbed. This salad is the perfect mix of tangy, sweet and fresh taste that I have been craving.<br />
<br />
This salad is under 2000kJ/large serve. I usually have some chicken or tuna with it or have it on the side with a meal. However at 2 serves of vegetables, a serve of fruit and plenty of good fats from the olive oil and cashews it's a great low salt lunch choice! Not to mention it's vegetarian on it's own which is why I've added it to <a href="http://www.theveggiemama.com/">Veggie Mamas</a> Meatless Monday list. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=5850338360418077037&postID=8675427528055511558"><img src="http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/8051/img3072vj.jpg" height="589" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="color: #674ea7;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Strawberry Salad with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette</b></span></div>
Adapted from: <a href="http://www.acouplecooks.com/2011/06/strawberry-salad-with-honey-balsamic-vinaigrette/">A Couple Cooks</a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br />
</b></span></span><br />
<b>Serves:</b> 4 (side salad) or 2 (salad meals) <br />
<b>Preparation Time:</b> 10mins<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<ul>
<li>A cup or two of strawberries (Watermelon works great too)</li>
<li>Half of a red onion</li>
<li>Handful of cashews</li>
<li>Crumbled fetta cheese </li>
<li> Vinaigrette dressing</li>
<ul>
<li>4 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar</li>
<li>3 tablespoons olive oil</li>
<li>4 teaspoons mustard</li>
<li>2 tablespoons honey</li>
<li>Fresh ground pepper </li>
</ul>
</ul>
<b>Method </b><br />
<ol>
<li>Prepare the ingredients: Wash and slice the strawberries. Wash and dry the salad greens. Thinly slice a red onion (if you’d like it to be a bit less spicy, soak the slices in cold water for about 20 minutes prior to serving).</li>
<li>Make the dressing: Combine dressing ingredients in a bowl, whisk with a fork </li>
<li>To serve, spread the greens on a plate and top with strawberries, red onion, cashews, cheese crumbles and vinaigrette</li>
</ol>
<i><span lang="EN-AU">Per large serve: Energy: 1610 (385kCal) Fat: 26g Sat Fat: 4.6g Carbohydrates: 24.8g Protein: 8.8g Sodium: 84mg </span></i><br />
<ol></ol>
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</script>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15617157039991274344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850338360418077037.post-73205825376644532142012-03-14T23:26:00.001+11:002012-09-13T14:59:34.347+10:00What is Coeliac Disease?This week, March 13-20 is Coeliac Awareness Week.<br />
<a href="http://www.care2.com/news/member/234119459/3128666"><img src="http://dingo.care2.com/pictures/c2c/share/31/312/286/3128666_370.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>What is Coeliac Disease?</b></span></div><a "="" "http:="" 1="" 2.953.1.30="" books="" en="" flylib.com="" href="http://www.blogger.com/imageanchor=%221%22" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img height="134" src="http://flylib.com/books/2/953/1/html/2/24%20-%20Small%20Intestine_files/DA7C24FF3.png" width="200" /></a><br />
A person with coeliac disease has an abnormal immune reaction to gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, triticale and possibly oats. When a person with coeliac disease eats a food containing gluten their intestinal villi (small finger like projections that line the intestinal wall) gets inflammed. Over time these projections can flatten out. The problem with this is that the villi is responsible for absorption of nutrients in the gut.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>How Do You Get Coeliac Disease?</b></span></div>Coeliac disease affects approximately 1% of the population but it is likely 75% of those with coeliac disease remain undiagnosed. More adults are diagnosed than children and it is more common among Caucasians. If you have a first degree relative that has coeliac disease then it may be likely that you are susceptible to it as well. This is because those with coeliac disease have a specific marker called HLA on their cells. This gene is present in about 30% of the population. A blood test or buccal swab can test for the presence of this gene but only about 3% of those with the positive genetics will go on to develop coeliac disease. This means that this test can only be used to rule out coeliac disease. <br />
<br />
Environmental factors also play a part, for example there is a larger prevalence of coeliac disease in cultures that eat wheat.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>What are the Symptoms of Coeliac Disease?</b></span></div><a "="" "http:="" 02="" 2011="" href="http://www.blogger.com/imageanchor=%221%22" new-research-may-have-found-a-way-to-treat-celiac-disease-symptoms="" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" supplements-daily.com=""><img src="http://supplements-daily.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Celiac-disease.jpg" /></a><br />
Many people suffering from coeliac disease may have no symptoms or only a few non specific complaints. This means that many can remain undiagnosed for several years. <br />
Some common symptoms:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Iron deficiency anaemia or other vitamin and/or mineral deficiencies </li>
<li>Weight loss</li>
<li>Diarrhoea, bloating, flatulence, nausea, vomiting, steatorrhoea, abdominal cramps</li>
<li>Muscle wasting</li>
<li>Weakness and tiredness</li>
<li>Osteoporosis</li>
<li>Infertility</li>
<li>Failure to thrive in children</li>
<li>Skin rashes and bruising </li>
<li>Recurrent mouth ulcers </li>
<li>headaches and dizziness</li>
</ul><div style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is There a Treatment or Cure?</b></span></div>Coeliac disease is treated with a gluten free diet. A vaccine is in development and is currently undergoing clinical trials but the best treatment we have now is still a gluten free diet. Although this may be a bit daunting it's important that there are risks involved in not treating coeliac disease.<br />
<ul><li>Chronic poor health </li>
<li>Increased risk of GI cancers </li>
<li>Infertility and miscarriages</li>
<li>Refractory coeliac disease (late diagnosed coeliac disease) </li>
<li>Liver disorders</li>
<li>Neurological disorders (ataxia, epilepsy, early onset dementia)</li>
<li>Increased risk of autoimmune diseases such as diabetes and Dermatitis herpetiformis (skin condition)</li>
<li>Damage to teeth </li>
<li>Poor nutritional status such as anaemia, low bone mineral density, poor absorption of protein, fat, carbohydrates, calcium, magnesium, zinc and vitamins</li>
<li>Osteoporosis </li>
</ul><div style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Okay How Do I get Tested? </b></span></div><a "="" "http:="" blog="" dadhealth.eu="" genetics-plays-a-role-in-development-of-celiac-disease="" href="http://www.blogger.com/imageanchor=%221%22" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img height="229" src="http://dadhealth.eu/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/page6pic1.png" width="320" /></a><br />
First of all don't start a gluten free diet just yet. The test used to diagnose coeliac disease will not be accurate if you have not been eating gluten and can give you a false negative. Therefore wheat products must be eaten for 6 weeks prior to a biopsy test.<br />
<br />
The first test is usually a blood screening test that looks for antibodies in the blood. A person with untreated coeliac disease often has increased levels of these. However a blood test can not diagnose coeliac disease and it MUST be followed by a small bowel biopsy.<br />
<br />
A small bowel biopsy is a conducted to look at the villi in the small intestines. This requires a gastroscopy procedure which is when they look at your bowel and collect small samples to look at under the microscope. This is to confirm the presence of a flattened villi, a sign coeliac disease.<br />
<br />
A second biopsy usually occurs after at least 6 months on a gluten free diet. This should show recovery of the intestinal villi.<br />
<br />
It is very important that this procedure of diagnosis is followed. Although it seems slow it is the gold standard for diagnosis. Coeliac disease is a life long medical condition that benefits greatly from a proper diagnosis. By obtaining a proper diagnosis you can be assured that the symptoms experienced are caused by coeliac disease and not another medical condition. There are other causes of abnormal intestinal villi and it's important to make sure what you have is coeliac disease as treatment is a life long strict gluten free diet. <br />
<br />
<div style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Gluten Free Diet</b></span></div><a glutenfree.html"="" href="http://www.blogger.com/imageanchor=%221%22" http:="" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" www.flipsmuesli.com.au=""><img height="200" src="http://www.flipsmuesli.com.au/img/coeliac_approved.png" width="160" /></a><br />
Treatment of coeliac disease is self managed. How strictly you adhere to the gluten free diet is in your control so it's important to be aware of foods that contain gluten and how to read and interpret food labels. Symptoms often take 6-12 months to settle so keep at the diet even if you do not see any immediate effects. The <a href="http://www.coeliac.org.au/index.html">Coeliac Society</a> has a great collection of resources for anyone who has coeliac disease ranging from ingredient list booklets, magazines, restaurant cards, seminars, cooking demonstrations, gluten free food monthly discounts at Coles and recipes etc. It costs a small annual membership fee but it's really worth it! With the amount of gluten free products in the market now it's become a lot easier for people with coeliac disease to still have many of the foods they enjoy. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Remember individual consultations with an <a href="http://daa.asn.au/for-the-public/find-an-apd/">accredited practising dietitian</a> can help manage coeliac disease and answer any questions you might have.
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</script>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15617157039991274344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850338360418077037.post-19009917362723491372011-12-10T21:17:00.000+11:002014-09-05T23:06:42.489+10:00Recipe: Mango SaladsI wanted to share 2 recipes today on one of my favourite foods of summer: Mangoes!<br />
<br />
After the last post about <a href="http://nutritionwithwendy.blogspot.com/2011/11/restaurant-review-nok-nok-thai-eating.html">Nok Nok </a> I had an intense desire to make Thai Green Mango Salad and as luck would have it someone had gifted us some!<br />
<br />
I did a quick search on green mango salads online and mashed together a few recipes that took my fancy and ingredients were available in my fridge. <br />
<br />
<div style="color: #674ea7;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Green Mango Salad</b></span></div>
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>1 small handful of dried shrimp (around 1 1/2 tbsps)</li>
<li>1 green mango (peeled and sliced or grated)</li>
<li>1/2 cup bean sprouts</li>
<li>1 birds eye chili (chopped)</li>
<li>1 tablespoon coriander/cilantro (chopped)</li>
<li>1 green onion (chopped)</li>
<li>1 tablespoon roasted peanuts (chopped)</li>
</ul>
<b>Dressing</b><br />
<ul>
<li>3/4 tablespoon fish sauce</li>
<li>1 tablespoon lime juice</li>
<li>zest of 1 small lime </li>
<li>1 tablespoon brown sugar </li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>Method:</b><br />
<ol>
<li>Mix the mango, bean sprouts, chili, green onion, dried shrimp and corriander in a large bowl.</li>
<li>Mix fish sauce, lime juice, lime zest and sugar in a small bowl.</li>
<li>Toss the salad with the dressing and serve garnished with the peanuts.</li>
</ol>
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=5850338360418077037"><img src="http://img845.imageshack.us/img845/3221/img1626b.jpg" height="567" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
Look at this beautiful dish! This will be a flavour explosion in your mouth and with only 3 steps what could be easier? The salad can serve as a healthy and refreshing lunch during the summer or anytime of the day. For those who have never tried green mango salad or would give it a pass just imagine the flavour and texture of this dish in your mouth right now. The soft sweetness of the mango, the crunchy fresh bean sprouts, the flavoursome coriander, the spicy chilli, the crunchy roasted peanuts, the salty and fishy shrimp and fish sauce, the tangy sour lime and the sweet sugar all combined together in one dish. Heavenly!<br />
<br />
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #674ea7;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Prawn, Asparagus, Mango and Avocado Salad </b></span></div>
<br />
I first saw this salad shared on Twitter and knew I just HAD to make it! It had a lot of my favourite ingredients! Sadly it was the middle of the night and I was already in bed so I bookmarked the link for another day. That night I couldn't stop thinking about it and in the morning I recruited the ingredients from my fridge to make this beautiful salad.<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<ul>
<li>500g prawns, peeled and deveined</li>
<li>2 mangos, peeled and flesh cut into bite sized cubes</li>
<li>1 avocado, peeled and cut into bite sized cubes</li>
<li>1 small bunch baby asparagus, lightly steamed, cut into small lengths</li>
<li>small sprig snow pea sprouts, trimmed</li>
<li>1 tablespoon walnut pieces</li>
<li>a few tiny baby cos lettuce leaves, rinsed, pat dry</li>
<li>black pepper</li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>Dressing:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Juice of 2 limes (including 1 teaspoon finely chopped lime zest)</li>
<li>1 tablespoon coriander leaves, finely chopped</li>
<li>1 Birdseye chilli, finely chopped, seeds removed</li>
<li>2 teaspoons honey</li>
<li>1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil</li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>Method</b><br />
<ol>
<li>If you are using green prawns, cook the prawns in gently boiling salted water until the colour changes to pink. Prawns don't take long to cook, so be careful not to overcook them. Set aside to chill in the refrigerator. Or if you are using cooked prawns, simply peel and devein, then chill them while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.</li>
<li>To make the dressing, combine the lime juice, lime zest, coriander, chilli, honey and olive oil in a small jug and whisk lightly. </li>
<li>Arrange the lettuce on serving plates. Top with the mango, avocado and asparagus, then arrange the prawns over the top. Sprinkle the dressing over the salad, top with the walnut pieces and snow pea sprigs. Season with pepper. Serve immediately.</li>
</ol>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=5850338360418077037"><img src="http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/1536/img1651e.jpg" height="640" width="636" /></a><br />
<br />
This salad was really fresh and lovely as well and my family really enjoyed having fruit in a salad. As the weather gets warmer I often find myself uninspired to cook or eat cooked foods so salads are really quick and easy during these times. I was too eager to make the 2 salads above and didn't get a chance to measure the kilojoule content of the dishes but they are definitely low kilojoule, low fat healthy meals. What's also great about salads is anyone can make them out of anything! Put in lots of vegetables and then add in a protein source like meat, chicken, legumes etc to make it more satisfying!<br />
<br />
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br />
I have officially graduated from my course a couple of weeks ago! I am now a fully qualified Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD). It's all very exciting and yet nerve wracking trying to figure out what to do with myself now, so I'm taking a holiday! I'll be going away to China for a lovely 3 weeks break with my family tomorrow. We'll be touring multiple cities across China so look forward to many food and travel posts ahead. The weather will be the polar opposite from Australia (though if this rain continues it might be quite similar) so I won't be having any salads! I can't wait to absorb in all the food and culture!<br />
<br />
Hope everyone has a lovely and safe Christmas and New Year.
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</script>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15617157039991274344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850338360418077037.post-11347614284359292642011-11-12T20:09:00.001+11:002014-09-05T23:07:25.712+10:00Restaurant Review: Nok Nok Thai Eating HouseAbout a month ago some friends and I went to check out the new <a href="http://www.darlingquarter.com/">Darling Quarter</a> on its opening day. It was quite a dreary rainy day but nothing comes between a bunch of girls and new restaurants and cool children's playground equipment. Sadly the playground equipment was wet and was dominated by children much smaller than us so we explored the restaurants. <br />
<br />
All the restaurants in Darling Quarter had lovely interior designs and it was so hard to pick which to eat at! We settled for <a href="http://www.noknok.com.au/">Nok Nok</a> for its crisp white interior (but mostly for its mains priced at <$20). <br />
<br />
<img src="http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/8581/img1509l.jpg" height="640" width="640" /><br />
So clean and pretty!<br />
<br />
Nok Nok does dine in and takeaway. The menu is quite extensive with over 70 items! What's also great is they indicate how spicy their food is. And specify if the dish is spicy or just the sauce. They also offer substitutes if you can't handle to heat which I think is mighty sweet of them. There were 7 vegetarian options. We had a really hard time deciding what to eat and decided to order a number of things. A little too much I have to say.... <br />
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<img src="http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/5128/img1504xk.jpg" height="360" width="640" /><br />
<i>Mixed starter plate $15.90 </i><br />
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This had 2 pieces each of: gai haw bai toey (baked chicken wrapped in pandan leaf), fish cake, chicken satay, ka nom jeeb (steamed pork and prawn wonton) and spring rolls. <br />
<br />
The pandan wrapped chicken was quite interesting and I never say no to satay sticks but otherwise there wasn't much out of the ordinary. What I love about the entree dishes is there was quite a few to choose from, and there were quite a few healthy dishes. What I find with Thai restaurants is there is often too much fried foods. At Nok Nok there were quite a few grilled, baked and steamed entree options which is refreshing to see. <br />
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<img src="http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/2572/img1503w.jpg" height="360" width="640" /><br />
<i>Tum Mamuang: Green mango salad $12.90</i><br />
<br />
I love mangoes (Yes it's mango season right now) and this salad is no exception. It was divine! Nok Nok had 8 salads to choose from and from the names they all seem like good healthy choices. Salads are great to have when it's hot and you just want something light. As you can see they're of a decent size and won't make you look like a rabbit munching on green leaves. <br />
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After the entree and salad one of my friends already declared she was full! But there were still mains to come!<br />
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<img src="http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/2469/img1507j.jpg" height="360" width="640" /><br />
Guay<i> Teow Kua Gai: Bangkok's Chinatown favourite. Stir fried thick rice noodle with chicken,egg, calamari, lettuce and light soy sauce. Served with sriracha chilli sauce. %14.90</i> <br />
<br />
This is the dish I chose and I had made a bad decision nutrition wise! This dish was very low on veggies as you can see from the lack of colour. They did offer a generous amount of chicken and calamari and the noodles were of a lovely texture but I found the dish too salty.<br />
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<img src="http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/7541/img1506qr.jpg" height="360" width="640" /><br />
This is a dish which I forgot the name of... I remember it was duck in soup... and I see bean sprouts. <br />
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<img src="http://img542.imageshack.us/img542/9766/img1505q.jpg" height="360" width="640" /><br />
I think this was <i>Chicken Pad Si-Ewe: Fried thick rice noodle with chicken, egg, Chinese broccoli in sweet double soy sauce.</i><br />
<br />
If you're looking for fried noodles this would be a much better choice with the addition of Chinese broccoli. <br />
<br />
After lunch we were quite stuffed and took a long walk around Darling Harbour before going to Lindt cafe for some dessert hehe. <br />
<img src="http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/6536/img1511z.jpg" /><br />
<br />
As a dietitian I'm not big on depriving myself of wonderful food. Often when I eat out I order the food that appeals to me the most which might not necessarily be the healthiest option. Of course home made food is often healthier so by choosing to eat out I am already stepping into a mine of unhealthy options. <br />
<br />
A lot of the time a restaurant meal may not be something planned. A birthday dinner, business lunch or family get together might seem to get in the way of good eating habits but it should be part of it! I find people often deprive themselves too much during a diet and when a restaurant meal comes up they over eat. This often leads to feelings of guilt and self blame afterwards which lends itself to emotional eating. As a result the weight does not budge and often a dieter can feel like they've failed at their diet again. They might even vow to try again the next week. <br />
<br />
Does this sound familiar? Maybe my example is a bit extreme but it's a common thought process. It sounds like a vicious cycle but it can be broken. It's important to remember portion control at your restaurant meal and not to treat it like a buffet (which is probably a bad choice if you're watching your weight). As well as this remember to resume healthy eating habits after the meal and not feel like your diet is sabotaged.<br />
<br />
If you find yourself eating out a lot it might be wise to choose your meals carefully. Thai food for example have many healthy and unhealthy options. <br />
<br />
<b>Healthy Thai Food Options</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Choose the salads. Thai salads as well as a lot of their other dishes are full of antioxidant rich herbs and spices</li>
<li>Avoid dishes with coconut oil and milk. Coconut oil/milk is high in saturated fat. This is the type of fat that raises your cholesterol and causes plaque in your arteries. There is a lot of controversy about the use of coconut oil/milk but the National Heart Foundation and American heart Association still recommends limiting their consumption. This is a large topic that I will not discuss this time. </li>
<li>When choosing soups pick clear broths eg. Tom Yum. Thick creamy soups often contain coconut oil/milk </li>
<li>Choose foods that are grilled, boiled or steamed</li>
<li>Avoid curries as they contain high fat coconut milk</li>
<li>Thai food can often be rich in vegetables. Take advantage of this and order dishes with lots of vegetables </li>
<li>Choose stir fries as they often come with lean meats and lots of vegetables. They are also less likely to be in a rich sauce. I found that although my dish had light soy it was still far too salty for my liking. </li>
<li>Choose brown rice instead of white or sticky rice for an extra boost of fibre </li>
<li>Choose entree sized meals or share with a friend. Thai food is best enjoyed shared! </li>
</ul>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br />
Please excuse the long absence! I've been tirelessly working at placement which is where all my nutrition knowledge has been channeled towards! But don't fret 1 more week left and I will have (unofficially until May next year) graduated! Yes that's right a full fledged qualified dietitian. Hehe.
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</script>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15617157039991274344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850338360418077037.post-22595922570112853642011-08-21T23:34:00.001+10:002014-09-05T23:08:09.331+10:00Recipe: Quinoa Cocoa CupcakesI was having a sweet tooth (do I always have a sweet tooth?) and really wanted to perfect a quinoa recipe I had tried to make twice before. <br />
<br />
I have previously mentioned the great benefits of quinoa in a blog post but if you need a refresher click <a href="http://nutritionwithwendy.blogspot.com/2011/06/meatless-monday-quinoa-with-roasted.html">here</a>! <br />
<br />
Just a reminder, quinoa is gluten and wheat free and can be used in sweet and savoury dishes. I had previously used it to make quinoa with roasted cauliflower and pumpkin but the versatility of quinoa set me out to search for a sweet dish. This is what I found: <br />
<br />
<div style="color: #674ea7;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Cocoa Quinoa Cupcakes </b></span></div>
Recipe adapted from <a href="http://www.vegan-food.net/recipe/1493/Quinoa-Cocoa-Cupcakes/">vegan-food </a><b><br />
</b><br />
<br />
<b>Makes:</b>14<br />
<b>Cost: </b>$0.41 per cupcake<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Preparation time: </b>20 minutes + 10minutes in fridge<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Baking Time: </b>20 minutes<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<ul>
<li>3/4 Cup cooked quinoa</li>
<li>1/3 Cup vegetable oil (I used olive oil)</li>
<li>2/3 Cup white sugar (Or low GI sugar)</li>
<li>1 Teaspoons vanilla extract</li>
<li>1 Teaspoon baking soda</li>
<li>3/4 Teaspoon baking powder</li>
<li>1/2 Cup unsweetened cocoa powder</li>
<li>1 Cup wholemeal flour</li>
<li>1/2 Cup white flour</li>
<li>4 Tablespoons water</li>
<li>6.5 Tablespoons low fat/skim milk </li>
<li>1 Large egg </li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>Method</b><br />
<ol>
<li>Preheat oven to 180-200 degrees celcius</li>
<li>Rinse 1/3 cup of dried quinoa (This will make about 3/4-1cup of cooked quinoa)</li>
<li> Place rinsed quinoa in a covered pot with about 2 cups of water. </li>
<li>Bring the quinoa to a boil, and simmer for approximately 20 minutes and add water if necessary. </li>
<li>After 25minutes take the quinoa off the stove, drain if necessary and allow to cool (in fridge is quicker). The quinoa should be fluffy and opaque looking and the liquid should mostly be all absorbed. </li>
<li>Line cupcake tin with paper liners.</li>
<li>In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients well with a wooden spoon. It should look like this: </li>
</ol>
<img src="http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/9237/img1484ri.jpg" height="400" width="400" /><br />
<ol>
<li>Bake at 180 degrees celcius for about twenty minutes, or when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.</li>
</ol>
<i><span lang="EN-AU">Per cupcake: Energy: 693kJ (165.5Cal) Fat: 5.3g Sat Fat: 1.0g Carbohydrates: 24.4g Protein: 4.1g Sodium: 127.4mg Fibre: 2g </span></i><br />
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Here they come out of the oven....<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=5850338360418077037&postID=5807012139534464898"><img src="http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/8864/img1487l.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=5850338360418077037&postID=5807012139534464898"><img src="http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/1158/img1488v.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a><br />
Notice how it looks bumpy on the top? I think the quinoa hardens with the exposure to heat and it offers a grittiness and crunch on the outside but the inside is super soft. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=5850338360418077037&postID=5807012139534464898"><img src="http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/7296/img1494nt.jpg" height="357" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
A look on the inside....<br />
<img src="http://imageshack.com/a/img695/1790/img1495n.jpg" height="360" width="640" />
The flecks of yellow are the quinoa casing.<br />
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<i><span lang="EN-AU"> </span></i><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=5850338360418077037&postID=5807012139534464898"><img src="http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/5044/img1391xn.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a><br />
These are ones I had made previously when I was still perfecting the recipe. I added some ready made frosting as they looked a bit bare. I would have tried making my own frosting but I was in a rush and the shops had closed!<br />
<br />
I have made these cupcakes 3 times now and each time I have added more milk and water (notice how wet it looks in the mixing picture?). This made sure they were nice and moist. Timing in the oven is also very crucial as they can dry out easily if left for too long in the oven. The original recipe called for very little liquid and the flour did not have enough liquid to go with it. I added in an egg to make it more cohesive as the original batch crumbled away. I always feel wholemeal cupcakes need a bit more milk or water as they can turn out dry so experiment! <br />
<br />
The cupcakes were absolutely delicious the 3rd time round. The first batch fell apart and were dry. The second batch were a lot more moist but still a bit hard. Three's the charm as they were soft and mosit and so deliciously chocolatey! I brought the 2nd batch into work previously and everyone said they loved it and it didn't taste any different to normal cupcakes. I think they may have lied a bit =P. I can't say you can not taste the grittiness from the wholemeal flower or quinoa at all but it's very acceptable (especially if you had my 3rd batch!). It looked like a normal chocolate cupcake and tasted 90% like a normal cupcake!<br />
<br />
<b>Nutritionally Speaking....</b><br />
These cupcakes fare nutritionally better than many of the commercial cupcakes being low in saturated fat and higher in protein and fibre. They are a great snack on the go and was able to satisfy my sweet tooth and will be more filling than other commercial cupcakes. However notice the nutrition information is only for 1 cupcake and it may be hard to stop at one with these.... also the nutrition information does not have frosting and the addition of frosting will add to calories. If you are having more than 1 of these cupcakes the energy/calories do add up and no amount of good protein and fibre will discount that!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">So what should I make next with quinoa? </span>
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