Breakfast for Busy People

Posted on December 1st, 2014 in Recipes

Breakfast in a hurry? Prepare this one the night before if you are really in a hurry in the morning…easy – grab it out of the fridge on the way out the door and eat it on the train or when you get to work.

In a jar layer the following:
– fresh chopped fruit of your choice (about 2 tablespoons)
– plain natural yoghurt (a good dollop)
– good quality untoasted natural muesli (about 2 level tablespoons)
– another dollop of yoghurt
– 2 teaspoons of a seed mix (eg chia seeds, flaxseeds, pepitas etc…I used a Kapai Puku mix)
– a few chopped raw nuts (I used macadamias)
– a sprinkle of ground cinnamon and coconut.

…and if you are feeling REALLY decadent a very light drizzle of maple syrup.

No excuses for not having a good nutritious breakfast that keeps you going until lunch!

Eat well stay well,
Melinda

 

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Seed Balls

Posted on November 28th, 2014 in Recipes

100g toasted pepitas
100g toasted sunflower seeds
3 tablespoons honey (raw organic if possible)
1 cup desiccated coconut
2 teaspoons good quality vanilla essence
2 tablespoons tahini
Extra coconut to roll

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and process until they resemble coarse sand. Roll into balls about the size of a walnut and roll in extra coconut.

Makes about 20 balls.

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Acryla…what?

Posted on November 28th, 2014 in Blogs

I was recently asked to answer some questions about acrylamide for US magazine Today’s dietitian (article here). I had previously written a short piece for my Facebook page about acrylamide and given the question of acrylamide had reared its head again I thought it might work as my first blog.

So what is acrylamide and why do I think you should know about it?  Acrylamide is a chemical used industrially to make polyacrylamide and acrylamide copolymers that are used in the manufacture of papers, dyes and plastics to name but a few.

Acrylamide is also a naturally occurring chemical compound that appears or develops in foods that have been cooked. It occurs in baked, fried, grilled and toasted foods but not in foods that have been boiled or steamed. They are prevalent in starchy foods such as potatoes, grains and breads that have cooked to high temperatures and usually browned…the darker the browning the more acrylamide in the food.

What does it do? As a toxic by-product of the cooking process it has been shown in lab tests that it can cause cancer in animals.  Acrylamide might also cause neurological damage with high and frequent exposure. The other main source of acrylamide exposure to humans is cigarette smoke.

Although the ‘experts’ are saying that there is no direct evidence to suggest that it causes cancer in humans they are suggesting that it would be prudent to minimise our exposure to acrylamide (read that as “better safe than sorry”!).  The old adage “the dose makes the poison” rings true here – if we are exposed to trace elements of acrylamide in manufactured products (including food wrapping) as well as higher levels of acrylamide in foods then how much is our dose?

So how do you avoid or minimise acrylamide consumption? This is relatively easy… avoid or significantly reduce the following foods:
• Potato crisps
• Hot potato chips / French fries
• Baked goods (including sweet biscuits)
• Roasted potatoes (cook until only lightly golden and eat less of them)
• Heavily toasted bread (toast only very lightly)
• Coffee
• Wheat-biscuit style breakfast cereals

And…opt out of using plastic and, quit smoking and avoid second-hand smoke.

When you think about it, the foods listed above are foods that are best eaten in small quantities and should be considered treat foods as part of a balanced diet.

Eat well – stay well.

Poached Egg with a Twist

Posted on November 20th, 2014 in Recipes

1 slice whole grain sourdough (gluten free if needed)
Generous spread of fetta and yoghurt mix (see below)
About 1/3 avocado diced or smashed
1 poached egg
Sprinkling of micro watercress
Sprinkling of hemp seeds or sesame seeds
Celtic sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Wedge of lemon

Fetta and yoghurt mix: mash 100g of fetta with 50g yoghurt and half a clove of finely minced garlic. This will last several days in the fridge.
Lightly toast the sourdough and spread with the fetta and yoghurt mix. Top with avocado and then the egg. Sprinkle with the watercress and hemp /sesame seeds.

Serves 1.

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