Plant-based on the road in Aotearoa New Zealand
One of the questions I’m asked most frequently by clients who are considering adopting a plant-based diet is “How do I stick to it when I’m travelling?” Obviously, how difficult or easy it is to remain 100% plant-based on the road depends on where you’re travelling, but in most parts of the world, it’s relatively…
Report from the 5th International Plant-Based Nutrition Healthcare Conference
Last week I had the enormous privilege and pleasure of attending the 5th International Plant-Based Nutrition Healthcare Conference in Anaheim, California. It was my 4th time attending this conference, which has grown from 400 attendees the first time I attended in 2014, when it was held in San Diego, to close to 1000 this year.…
Passionfruit Cheesecake
I adapted this recipe from one that I found on Naturally Nina. Mine uses purple sweet potato instead of white, more lemon than the original, and passionfruit for the topping. It’s gluten-free and much lower in fat than the typical cashew-based vegan cheesecake. Enjoy! Ingredients: 100 g raw buckwheat 100 g pitted dates 2 tsp…
Dying to feel better
25 September 2017 Would you take a drug that increases your risk of osteoporosis and bone fracture, causes sexual dysfunction in up to 73% of people who take it, and nearly doubles the chances of your child developing an autism spectrum disorder or developmental delay if you take it while you’re pregnant? Would you take…
Highlights – and lowlights – of the Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine annual conference
18 September 2017 Last weekend I attended the Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine (ASLM) annual conference to present the findings of my Bachelor of Health Science Honours research project. The project was on the effects of membership of the Facebook group ‘Wholefood Plant-Based Aussies’ on people’s ability to maintain a healthy plant-based diet. I thought…
Can’t kick the sugar cravings? Blame coffee!
Clients often ask me whether they should give up coffee. It’s not always an easy question to give a straightforward answer to, because coffee consumption seems to have both upsides and downsides. But according to new research, if you’re struggling to kick sugar cravings, you may just need to break up with coffee. A lot…
Banana Bread
I adapted this recipe from one of Mary McDougall’s, which I found in The Starch Solution. It’s everything banana bread should be – moist and satisfying… but without the refined sugar and oil of typical banana bread recipes. Ingredients: 1 tbsp ground linseed 3 tbsp water 3/4 cup plant milk 1 tbsp lemon juice 1…
‘Cheat days’ and the diet mentality
Last week I gave a presentation on wholefood plant-based eating at an employee wellness event. After describing all the health benefits of a way of eating based on minimally processed plant foods, a man in the audience raised his hand and asked “Does this diet allow for cheat days?” I explained that he was free…
Pumpkin, Fennel and Red Lentil Soup
I LOVE pumpkin soup. Recently I discovered that pumpkin and fennel are a match made in heaven. Here is one of the fruits of that marriage :). Ingredients: 1 medium onion, peeled and diced 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced 2 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced 1 cup water or low-sodium vegetable stock…
Orange-Mustard Sauteed Greens and Mushrooms
Sautéing greens makes them much tastier than steaming them, and a simple sauce of orange juice, mustard and vinegar takes their flavour to a whole new level! Ingredients: 1 bunch kale, destemmed and finely chopped 1 head broccoli, cut into florets 1 tsp Mrs Dash Garlic & Herb Seasoning Blend (order from iHerb) or garlic…