The myth of ‘alkalising your body’
There are many myths about nutrition and health that swirl around the Internet, and regularly pop up in popular books and the mass media. One of the most pervasive is the notion that we should be striving to ‘alkalise our bodies’ in order to achieve optimal health and prevent cancer. Excess acidity, we’re told, is…
Hormonal contraception and women’s mental health
A massive Danish study has sounded alarm bells about the effect of hormonal contraceptives (including oral contraceptive pills, patches, vaginal rings and hormone-releasing IUDs) on women’s risk of developing depression… but who is listening? Researchers from the University of Copenhagen utilised Denmark’s excellent centralised medical record-keeping system to track over 1 million women aged between…
Quince and Pear Crumble
I’m making the most of quince season which is all too short! This sugar-free, oil-free crumble is the perfect dessert for a cold winter night. Ingredients: 1 cup date paste* 1 large quince, peeled, cored and chopped 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground cardamom 2 ripe pears, cored and chopped 1/4 cup date sugar^…
What a night at Canberra’s What the Health premiere
On Tuesday 13 June I had the great honour and privilege of attending the Canberra premiere of the brilliant new documentary What the Health, as a member of the expert panel for the post-film discussion. If you haven’t seen What the Health yet, it’s time to set that to rights! The follow-up to Kip…
Parsnip Oven Fries
Parsnips are a winter vegetable that I never particularly enjoyed, until I discovered how delicious they are when baked! Use your favourite seasonings to add some ‘zing’ to these healthy oven fried. Ingredients: Parsnips, trimmed, scrubbed, and cut into thin french fry shapes Aquafaba (water from cooking chick peas; or the canning liquid from chick…
Intermittent fasting
In last week’s post, Stuffing food into a hole that isn’t food-shaped, I discussed the use of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), popularly known as ‘tapping’ for handling the emotional drivers of food cravings. There’s another powerful tool for reshaping your relationship with food: a form of intermittent fasting known as ‘time-restricted eating’ or the…
Gingered Quinces with Cardamom Yoghurt
Quinces are the ugly ducklings of the apple family. Don’t let their unassuming appearance fool you; when handled correctly this autumn fruit is absolutely delicious! Ingredients: 1/2 cup pitted dates 1 cup water 1.5 cm piece root ginger, peeled 1 orange, peeled and quartered 2 large quinces, peeled, quartered and cored 3/4 cup plant milk…
Wow-Factor Enchiladas
The wow-factor in these vegie-packed enchiladas is the chipotle chillis in adobo sauce, which you’ll find in the Mexican foods aisle at larger supermarkets, or in well-stocked fruit and vegetable shops. This recipe made enough for 2 dinners for my family of 4 big eaters. Ingredients: No queso sauce 2 red capsicums, cut in half…
Stuffing food into a hole that isn’t food-shaped
A couple of weeks ago, a member of a Facebook support group that I belong to, for people following a healthy plant-based diet, asked what she should eat when she’s craving a sweet treat. (This is also a question that a LOT of my clients ask me!) Most of the members who responded to…
Buckwheat Breakfast Parfait
This recipe was lightly adapted from Oh She Glows’ Raw Buckwheat Breakfast Porridge. I prefer to use dates as a sweetener rather than the liquid sweetener in the original recipe, because they’re a whole food rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals. Ingredients: 2 cups raw buckwheat groats 4 cups water 1½ cups unsweetened plant milk…