Lime and Coconut Cheesecake
My daughter wanted a lime and coconut cake for her 14th birthday. None of the recipes that I googled sounded very promising, so I decided to adapt my Passionfruit Cheesecake recipe for the occasion. I could only get my hands on purple-fleshed sweet potato; if you can find white-fleshed, it will produce a more traditional…
Israeli Couscous, Sweet Potato and Broccoli Salad
If you’ve never tried Israeli couscous, you’re in for a treat. It’s a type of toasted pasta with a delightfully chewy texture, and is quick and easy to prepare. When combined with baked sweet potato, steamed broccoli and a piquant sauce, it makes a delicious main course salad. Warning – Israeli couscous is not suitable…
Report from the inaugural Australasian Nutrition in Healthcare Conference
The inaugural 2019 Australasian Nutrition in Healthcare Conference has officially wrapped up – and the unanimous judgment from all the conference delegates and speakers was that it was an unmitigated success! Four years ago, I was with Dr Heleen Roex-Haitjema at the International Plant-Based Nutrition Healthcare Conference in Los Angeles when she approached conference organisers…
Menopause, gut bugs and oestrogen – how nurturing the ‘garden in your gut’ can help prevent weight gain, diabetes and cancer
When I was in my early twenties, I became very close to my boyfriend’s Mum, who was going through menopause at the time. My own mother never talked much about her experience of ‘the change’, but Helen discussed her menopausal trials and tribulations quite openly with me. She found a willing listener, not just because…
How the Pill and HRT affect your gut… and your risk of autoimmune and inflammatory disease
With roughly one quarter of Australian women aged 18-49 using the oral contraceptive pill, and around 6% of postmenopausal women taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT), the question of how oral oestrogen drugs affect the gut and its microbiome, and consequently the risk of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, is a crucial one to answer. I’ve written…
Aduki Bean and Rice Balls
These tasty morsels of beany goodness can be served by themselves as a snack, or add a salad and voilà – dinner is served! Ingredients: 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)1/4 cup sunflower seeds1/2 cup polenta1/3 cup savoury yeast flakes/nutritional yeast 1/2 tsp dried thyme1 tsp dried oregano2 tsp smoked paprika2 tsp onion flakes1 tbsp dulse…
How a plant-based diet helps overcome food addiction
It’s nearly the end of January… and for most people, that means their New Year’s Resolutions to eat better and lose weight have already fallen by the wayside. That’s if they made any New Year’s Resolutions at all, of course. Many people have tried every popular diet, every meal replacement formula, every home delivered meal…
Do you need to ‘activate’ nuts?
Walk into any health food store and you’ll see packets of ‘activated’ nuts selling for up to 3 times the price of regular ones. What’s the selling point? Devotees of the practice – which involves soaking raw nuts in lightly salted water, then drying them again – claim that it reduces phytate levels, making some…
There’s nothing jolly about Silly Season weight gain
The average Australian gains between 0.8 and 1.5 kg over the Christmas period, according to Nutrition Australia; US research indicates that people who are already overweight or obese are the most likely to gain over 2 kg. That’s bad enough, considering that unlike our US and European friends who get to hide their festive flab…
Cinnamon Plantain Coins
These healthy versions of banana chips are so simple to make! Choose very ripe plantains (with black spots!) to ensure your chips will be sweet. If you don’t have a food dehydrator, just use your oven, on its lowest setting, for 4-6 hours. Ingredients: Ripe plantains, sliced 8 mm thick Ground cinnamon Ground cardamom Method:…