Cauliflower ‘Cheeze’
Most vegan versions of this childhood favourite are nut-based and high in fat. I’ve been experimenting with replacing some of the nuts with brown rice flour, and have come up with a perfectly creamy Cauliflower ‘Cheeze’ with a whole lot less fat! Savoury yeast flakes, known in the US as nutritional yeast, add a cheesy…
Why are salt, sugar and fat so addictive?
In last week’s post, I introduced you to John and Ashleigh, who both struggle with food cravings when they become anxious. As I pointed out in that post, “It’s not about the food”, many people overeat, or eat when they’re not genuinely hungry, to quell uncomfortable feelings. But why is it that, as John humorously…
Pumpkin Muffins
My daughter is always nagging me to make muffins that she can take for school lunches. I adapted this recipe from John and Mary McDougall’s fantastic book The Starch Solution. These moist, satisfying muffins are so delectable, I’m now under orders from Imogen to make them every week! This recipe is a great way to…
Deluxe Breakfast Buckinis
Having mastered the art of the basic buckini, I’ve moved on to bigger and better things! Prompted by my daughter’s kit list for an upcoming Guide camp , which included BYO breakfast cereal, I got to work on creating a delicious breakfast combo that would put Cornflakes and Rice Bubbles in the shade. I think…
Fear-based medicine and the concept of risk
Last week’s Deep Dive webinar on cancer screening was a pretty wild ride; many EmpowerEd members expressed surprise and outrage after learning about the shockingly poor evidence base for common cancer screening tests. Fun fact from the webinar: No randomised controlled trial to determine whether colonoscopy is effective for either early detection of colorectal cancer…
Sweet Potato, Kale and Buckwheat Ragout with Tamarind Yoghurt
My previously-confessed love affair with buckwheat is still burning hot. Here’s this week’s buckwheat creation: a hearty and flavourful main course stew. Ingredients: 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced 1 tbsp maple syrup 1 tbsp black cherry vinegar (or use balsamic vinegar – preferably caramelised – if you can’t find black cherry) 2 tsp…
Waking up to the power of food
A month or so ago, the indefatigable Greg McFarlane, who has been involved with the animal rights and vegan movements for the last 10 years and is currently a director of Vegan Australia, approached me for help. The Australian Department of Health was calling for submissions on its draft National Strategic Framework for Chronic Conditions,…
Cinnamonny Brekky Buckinis
Buckwheat, where have you been all my life???? I’ve known about this nutritious, gluten-free pseudo-grain for years, and dabbled with a few recipes for it. But it wasn’t until I was placing an order with Honest to Goodness that I decided to go all out and buy a 5 kg bag of the stuff. That…
You are what your gut bacteria eat
You’ve heard the saying “You are what you eat” a thousand times. But have you ever thought about what the trillions of bacteria that inhabit your gut might be eating, and how this impacts on your health? Your gut microbiome is comprised of roughly 500-1000 species of bacteria, whose combined numbers run into the trillions,…
Doctors are the 3rd leading cause of death
Every week, I receive unsolicited mail, asking me to donate money to some medical charity or another. My generous donation, I’m assured, will result in breakthroughs that will help prevent needless deaths from our nation’s biggest killers: heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes… Oddly enough, I’ve never received a letter asking me to help fund research…