Spiced Buckwheat Fruit Loaf
If you haven’t eaten buckwheat yet, it’s time for you to get up close and personal with this unassuming superhero. Although it’s usually cooked as a grain, it’s actually the seed of a plant in the rhubarb family. It’s naturally gluten-free; a good source of resistant starch, which feeds our beneficial gut bacteria; and is…
Ketogenic diets: Part 3 – Weight loss
Is a ketogenic diet really the best way to lose weight? Not according to the weight of scientific evidence.
Plantain Carrot Cake
It was my husband’s birthday this week, and he loves carrot cake. I’ve always used Dr Joel Fuhrman’s nutritarian carrot cake recipe in the past, but this time around I decided to try my hand at a plantain cake? Why? Because I had 2 beautiful plantains ripe and ready to go… and my daughter had…
Ketogenic diets: Part 2 – Is ketosis ‘natural’?
Is ketosis the “natural state” of humans, or any other animal species?
Slow-cooked Plantains
Plantains have recently become available through my organic fruit and vegetable co-op, and I’ve gone mad for them! Plantains are related to bananas; they look like oversized, extra-fat bananas, but are always eaten cooked. Some recipes use unripe, green plantains which are starchy and only mildly sweet. When left to ripen and then slow-cooked with…
Ketogenic diets: Part 1 – The Basics
What is the ketogenic diet, why was it developed, and what role do ketone bodies play in fasting metabolism?
Quince and Pomegranate-Topped Orange Polenta Cake
Traditional polenta cakes are full of butter, eggs and sugar, and are usually drenched with syrup (even more sugar!). This oil-free, refined sugar-free vegan version of an old favourite is very much a special-occasion recipe, but totally worth the time and effort. You could make the quince and pomegranate topping as a stand-alone recipe, and…
Veganism and eating disorders
Among eating disorder treatment specialists, ‘vegan’ is a dirty word. I’ve seen many clients suffering from anorexia nervosa over my 20+ years in practice. Without exception, all were told by their doctors, dietitians and psychologists that veganism was part and parcel of their eating disorder and they could not recover from it unless they went back…
Quince Jam
Quince is a member of the apple and pear family, but its flesh is too tart to eat raw. Quince jam is typically loaded with sugar, however dates make a nutritious and delicious substitute. Ingredients: 2 large quince 6 cardamom pods 1 cinnamon stick 1 cup pitted dates Method: Chop quince roughly and place in…
Can a plant-based diet cure IBS?
I often see the question “Can a plant-based diet cure IBS?” pop up in vegan Facebook groups. Since a) April is IBS Awareness Month and b) I’m seeing ever-increasing numbers of clients with IBS and other functional gastroenterological problems in my practice, I thought I’d grab the opportunity to address this burning question. First, what…