Product Review: Chic Nuts

I recently discovered this product when it was recommended to me by another dietetics student. I love the taste and think they're a healthy snack and a great way to get extra legumes into our day (one food group many of us miss out on altogether). Chickpeas themselves are full of nutritional benefits but I thought I would analyse these roasted chickpeas and do the hard work for you!

What are chickpeas?

Chickpeas are a legume. Also called 'pulses', legumes include all forms of beans and peas from the Fabaceae botanical family. Other legumes include: butter beans, cannellini beans, red kidney beans, soy beans, lentils, mung beans and split peas. Think baked beans, hommus, Mexican dishes and dahl!

Why are legumes good for us and how much of them should we be having?

Legumes are rich in protein, fibre, B vitamins and phytonutrients. They are low G.I., low in fat (in particular saturated fat), and gluten free.

They are the only food that are included in two of the five food groups:
- 'Vegetables and legumes/beans'
- 'Lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds and legumes/beans'

They are classed in the vegetable group because of their high source of fibre, vitamins and minerals, and as part of the lean meat and alternatives group because they are a good source of protein. This makes them great for vegetarians too!

The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend we have:
- 5-6 serves from the 'vegetables and legumes/beans' group each day (where 1/2 C of legumes counts as a serve), and
- 2-3 serves from the 'lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds and legumes/beans' group each day (where 1 C of legumes counts as a serve)

So when you eat legumes it counts towards your serves from both food groups!

So how do Chic Nuts stack up?

Chick Nuts are just chick peas that have been slow roasted and seasoned with salt and/or herbs and garlic. A serve is 25g (or around a 1/4 of a cup). This means it's equal to half a serve of veg!

I've used the nutrition information panel to compare Chick Nuts to the recommendations for each nutrient (see Nutrition Information Panels: Decoded) to see if Chick Nuts really are a healthy snack:

• Energy:             399kJ/serve    (Recommendation is <600kJ/serve for a snack)
• Total fat:           9.3g/100g        (Recommendation is <10g/100g)
• Saturated fat:    2.1g/100g        (Recommendation is <3g/100g)
• Sugars:             2.6g/100g        (Recommendation is <15g/100g)
• Dietary fibre:    4.1g/serve       (Recommendation is >3g/serve)
• Sodium (salt):   300mg/100g    (Recommendation is <400mg/100g)

The final word...

Chick nuts are a crunchy, salty snack that is a healthy alternative to things like chips, while giving you an extra serves of legumes (with plenty of fibre and protein). They meet all of the nutrition panel recommendations and get the tick of approval from me!

My Healthy Homemade Muesli Bars

This recipe has taken much tweaking to get them perfect, but it is my go-to recipe. I make a double batch then re-make these muesli bars as soon as the last lot has run out! 

Full of wholegrain oats, nuts and seeds, the variations possible for these bars is endless, but I've included two of my favourites: cranberry and mixed nut and; dark choc chip and hazelnut.

Cranberry & Mixed Nut Muesli Bars

1 1/2 C rolled oats

3/4 C mixed nuts, roughly chopped (I use almonds, walnuts & hazelnuts)

1/2 C dried cranberries

1/3 C mixed seeds (I use linseed, pepitas and sunflower seeds)

1/4 C desiccated coconut

1/4 C wholemeal plain flour

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 Tbsp skim milk

25g (~2 Tbsp) margarine or reduced fat table spread

2 Tbsp honey

1 tsp vanilla essence or extract

2 tsp cinnamon

1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C and line a 20cm square tin with baking paper.

2. Melt margarine, honey and vanilla in the microwave on low.

3. Combine all ingredients (including melted margarine mixture) into a medium sized bowl.

4. Press mixture into the lined tin and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

5. Allow to cool slightly in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice into 8 bars and store in an airtight container.

Dark Choc Chip & Hazelnut Muesli Bars

1 1/2 C rolled oats

3/4 C hazelnuts, roughly chopped

1/4 C dark chop chips

1/3 C mixed seeds (I use linseed, pepitas and sunflower seeds)

1/4 C desiccated coconut

1/4 C wholemeal plain flour

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 Tbsp skim milk

25g (~2 Tbsp) margarine or reduced fat table spread

2 Tbsp honey

1 tsp vanilla essence or extract

1 tsp cinnamon

1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C and line a 20cm square tin with baking paper.

2. Melt margarine, honey and vanilla in the microwave on low.

3. Combine all ingredients, except dark choc chips, into a medium sized bowl.

4. Press mixture into the lined tin and sprinkle choc chips evenly over the surface. Press the choc chips into the surface and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

5. Allow to cool slightly in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice into 8 bars and store in an airtight container.

Note: These bars store well for at least 2 weeks, but in really hot weather they are better stored in the fridge to keep them fresh.

Nutrition Information Panels: Decoded

You're in the dairy aisle staring at several shelves of yoghurts. Many claim to be 'low fat' and 'natural' and have been advertised on TV as 'healthy'. You want to choose the best yoghurt but have no idea where to start.

This is the dilemma many people find themselves in and unfortunately is also when all good intentions can get lost if you don't know how to interpret the product's packaging.

The nutritional information panel (NIP) on the back of the pack is the best place to start because it contains the actual 'facts'. NIPs have lots of numbers and without a guide it can be difficult to know where to start, so I've created an easy toolkit to help you to decode food labels and choose the better yoghurt! (or whatever product it may be)...

1. Per Serve and Per 100g columns:

    - Use the per serve column to check the amount of energy a food contains- aim for  less than 600kJ per serve for a snack. You can also use this column to see the fibre content of a product and compare to similar products.

    - Use the per 100g column to compare the fat, sugar and sodium content of similar products.

2. Serving Size

This is the size the manufacturer has decided is a serve (in this case 2 biscuits). Check whether this is the amount you will actually be eating (often it isn't!)- a product may look low in kJ but this changes pretty quickly when you're eating double or more of the recommended serving size.

3. Fat

- Total fat: Generally go for less than 10g per 100g but for dairy (such as milk and yoghurt) aim for less than 2g per 100g and for cheese less than 15g per 100g (as these foods are naturally higher or lower in fat). Remember that total fat includes both good and bad fats!

- Saturated fat: This bad fat can increase cholesterol levels so choose products with less than 3g per 100g (or less than 1.5g if you are at risk of cardiovascular disease).

4. Sugars

Aim for less than 15g per 100g of sugars or less 25g per 100g if it is a product with a high fruit content. Remember that it is the 'added' sugar that is most important to limit- check that sugar isn't too high on the ingredients list.

5. Dietary Fibre

When looking at products in the grain (breads and cereals) food group, wholegrain is best. When comparing similar products, choose the product with the highest fibre content- as a rough guide look for greater than 3g per serve.

6. Sodium (salt)

Sodium is the chemical component in salt which can increase our blood pressure. Foods with less than 400mg per 100g are good but less than 120mg per 100g is better. Try opting for 'low salt' or 'no added salt' products.

Ingredient List

Ingredients are listed from largest to smallest by weight. As a rule of thumb, if sugar, salt or high saturated fat items are listed as one of the 1st three ingredients, put it back!

So next time you find yourself staring at yoghurts in the supermarket (or any other packaged food for that matter!) try turning them over and comparing their NIPs.

Note: The guidelines provided in this article are based on the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating and the National Heart Foundation recommendations.

Stuffed Capsicums

These stuffed capsicums are so easy and nutritious and they taste good too! Filled with lean beef mince, kidney beans, brown rice and grated veg, they're packed full of fibre, protein, vitamins A and C and one stuffed capsicum has around three serves of veg!

They're also versatile. Serve as individual capsicums or half capsicums with a green side salad. The 'stuffing' is also just as good on its own and is great as lunch leftovers with some baby spinach tossed through it. 

The recipe serves around 4-6.

Stuffed capsicums

250g lean beef mince

½ medium brown onion, finely diced

1 tsp garlic

2 Tbsp tomato paste

2 ½ medium tomatoes, diced

125g can red kidney beans (or four bean mix)

1 C grated carrot

1 C grated zucchini

2 tsp mixed herbs

4-6 red capsicums (1 per person), hollowed out

½ C brown rice

1.      Cook rice (takes ~30mins. Alternatively, use microwavable brown rice)
2.      Cook hollowed capsicums at 200°C for ~20mins or until soft and starting to blister
3.      Meanwhile sauté onion and garlic, add mince and herbs and cook well.
4.      Add tomato paste, tomato, beans and grated vegetables. Cook on low until vegetables are            cooked.
5.      Drain excess water from capsicums and stuff. Bake for a further 5-10mins.

      Note: You can cook the capsicums whole or as halves, depending on how you wish to serve them. Try grating a little parmesan or reduced fat tasty cheese on top before baking for the last 5-10 minutes.

13 healthy snack ideas

Snacks are an important part of a healthy diet. They provide us with energy and nutrients between meals to fuel active brains and power working muscles. They can also help to stave off cravings that can derail even the best off intentions! But with so many options to choose from, where do you start?

Well I've done the hard work for you and compiled a list of healthy snacks that you can make at home or grab on the go...

1. 1 piece medium fruit, 1 cup fruit salad or 1 small tub diced fruit in natural juice
2. 1 tub reduced fat yoghurt (try Chobani, Yoplait Forme, Nestle Soleil Diet or Tamar Valley No Added Sugar)

3. 30g (1 small handful) raw or roasted unsalted nuts or trail mix (made with nuts, dried fruit & seeds)
4. 1 slice raisin toast (try Burgen fruit & muesli bread) thinly spread with reduced fat table spread
5. 1-2 cups natural air-popped popcorn (not the kind you get at the movies!)
6. 1 oat and fruit based muesli bar (try Be Natural or Carmen's)

7. 1 wholegrain crumpet topped with 2 tablespoons reduced fat ricotta, sliced banana and a small drizzle of honey
8. 1 glass reduced fat or skim milk with 2 teaspoons Milo or Vitarium sugar-free flavoured milk mix
9. 2 wholegrain Ryvitas or Vita-Weats each spread with 1 teaspoon peanut butter or 1/2 slice reduced fat tasty cheese and tomato
10. Fruit smoothie (made with 1/2 small banana, 1/4 cup frozen berries, 2 heaped tablespoons reduced fat plain yoghurt and 3/4 cup reduced fat or skim milk)

11. 1 cup vegie sticks (carrot, celery, capsicum, cucumber) with 4 tablespoons reduced fat tzatziki, hommus, guacamole or cream cheese
12. 1/2 cup reduced fat plain or greek yoghurt topped with the fruit of 1 passionfruit and 2 tablespoons Kellogg's Fibre Toppers
13. 2 Arnotts Snack Right or Spicy Fruit Roll biscuits

Welcome!

Welcome to the dietetic degustation! I'm a dietetics student with a passion for nutrition and an aim to spread my knowledge through practical advice.

I will be sharing recipes, my take on the latest nutrition research, healthy eating tips, snack ideas and product reviews. 

I'd love any feedback or suggestions for new posts.