The complete balanced meal planner

Here it is: the dietitian-devised complete balanced meal planner! Choose any combination of steps 1-6 and you will create a healthy, and flavoursome, balanced meal. Give it a try for yourself and have a go planning your dinners (or lunches) for the week.

Step 1: Choose your protein

This should take up ¼ of your plate. Choose lean meats and trimmed of skin and fat, dried or reduced salt tinned versions of lentils and other legumes, raw or dry roasted, unsalted nuts and natural nut and seed butters (without added sugar or salt) and reduced fat dairy, where possible.

Meat:

100g beef, lamb, kangaroo, veal, chicken, turkey, pork or fish (in the form of mince, steak, breast, diced, sliced, tinned, skewers, rissoles, meatballs, etc)

Meat alternatives:

2 large eggs

170g tofu or tempeh

1 C lentils, chickpeas, red kidney beans, cannellini beans and other legumes

30g nuts, seeds, or nut or seed paste

Dairy:

1 cup (250mL) milk

½ cup (120mL) evaporated milk

2 slices (40g) hard cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, fetta)

½ (120g) cup soft cheese (ricotta, cottage)

¾ cup (200g) plain natural or Greek-style yoghurt

Step 2: Choose your carbohydrate

This should take up another ¼ of your plate. Choose wholegrain and low GI versions where possible.

Grains:

1 cup cooked pasta (spaghetti, penne, risoni, lasagne sheets, cannelloni tubes, wonton wrappers etc), noodles (rice, egg), rice, quinoa, pearl barley, buckwheat, bulgur, polenta or semolina

2 slices bread, 1 medium roll, 1 flatbread (wrap, pita etc)

4 crispbreads

2 small English muffins or crumpets

1/3 cup flour (wheat, buckwheat, quinoa, rice, corn) or breadcrumbs- into patties, pancakes etc

Starchy vegetables:

1 medium potato, sweet potato, parsnip, taro or cassava

1 medium corn cob

1 cup lentils, chickpeas, red kidney beans, cannellini beans and other legumes

Step 3: Choose your vegetables

This should take up the remaining ½ of your plate. Each of the following is 1 serve; aim for 3 or more serves to fill half your plate. Choose fresh, frozen, or reduced salt tinned versions and as many different colours as possible.

Cooked:

½ cup cooked green, orange, white or purple vegetables (e.g. broccoli, carrot, pumpkin, cauliflower, mushrooms, beetroot, etc)

½ cup cooked beans, peas, lentils or other legumes

Raw:

1 cup leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, rocket, kale, silverbeet, etc)

1 cup raw salad vegetables (cucumber, capsicum, sprouts, etc)

1 medium tomato

Step 4: Choose your cooking method for each element

Note: Plate elements (protein, carbohydrate and vegetables) can be cooked together or cooked and kept separately.

Boil

Microwave

Steam

BBQ/grill

Stir-fry

Pan-fry

Poach

Bake/roast

Stew/casserole

Toast

Step 5: Choose your flavour base

Usually in tablespoon quantities per plate.

Marinade

Tomato

Stock

White or red wine

Soy/tamari/hoisin/oyster/fish sauce

Herb or spice rub

Reduced fat cream or evaporated milk

Pesto

Curry paste

Step 6: Choose your flavour additions

Usually in teaspoon or tablespoon quantities per plate.

Herbs- fresh, dried or paste

Spices

Onion

Garlic

Chilli

Ginger

Lemon, lime or other citrus

Cheese- parmesan, fetta, ricotta, mozzarella, etc

Condiments- mustard, chilli jam, etc

Olive or nut oils

Strawberry, macadamia and oat muffins with sweet spices

A few weeks ago I went to a spice appreciation class at Herbie's in Rozelle (click here for their website). It was a lovely afternoon and the perfect birthday present for anyone who, like me, loves anything related to food. The idea of flavouring your food with herbs and spices instead of added fat, salt and sugar, is definitely one that appeals to me, and which, in my opinion, offers infinitely more possibilities! 

Now, when you think of herbs and spices you generally think of savoury dishes, right? Well, if you have ever added vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice to cakes or other baked goods, you've added spice to sweet dishes too! This time, I decided to venture further than these traditional ingredients and experiment with one of my Herbie's purchases: fragrant sweet spice mix. Made up of coriander seed, cassia, cinnamon quills, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, poppy seeds, cloves, cardamom and rose petals, it really is delicious to smell (and taste!). 

And so, this was my creation: sweet and fragrant strawberry, macadamia and oat muffins, full of fibre, low in saturated fat and sugar and with plenty of flavour! A perfect afternoon treat. Note: if you don't have access to this fragrant mix, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon with still give a lovely flavour!

Strawberry, macadamia and oat muffins with sweet spices

1 ½ C wholemeal SR flour

¾ C rolled oats

¼ C LSA 

¼ C brown sugar, plus 1 Tbsp extra

2 tsp fragrant sweet spice mix

1 egg

½ C skim milk

½ C reduced fat Greek-style yoghurt

¼ C oil (olive, canola or macadamia)

1 tsp vanilla

¾ C strawberries, diced, plus 2-3 extra, sliced

2 Tbsp macadamias, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Combine flour, oats, LSA, brown sugar and fragrant sweet spice mix in a large bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk egg, milk, yoghurt, oil and vanilla.
4. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and gently combine. Fold through diced strawberries.
5. Divide mixture among 12 muffin cases, top with chopped macadamias and a sprinkling of brown sugar (from 1 Tbsp extra). Place a strawberry slice on each.
6. Bake for 25-30mins or until lightly golden and skewer comes out clean.

Makes 12 muffins.

Can I still eat dessert if I’m trying to be healthy?

I’m going to be honest here and say it makes me sad to imagine a world without dessert. I’m a self-confessed dessert fiend and I’ll have something sweet after dinner most nights. My family and friends can vouch for that- if I turn down dessert they know something’s wrong!

Many of you are probably thinking that as a Dietitian, shouldn’t I be eating healthily, like, all the time? The truth is I’m just like you, I have my vices, and dessert is one of them! So I wanted to answer a question I commonly get asked:

Can I still eat dessert if I’m trying to be healthy?

The answer is: Yes! But it does depend what you consider ‘dessert’ and how much you have of it.

The reasons why dessert has made it into the dieting bad books:

1. Often eaten after a large meal, when we’re not hungry, making it unnecessary kilojoules (or calories) which can be difficult to burn off if all you’re doing after eating it is relaxing on the couch then going to bed.
2. Typically laden with excess sugar and fat, particularly pre-packaged and restaurant types.
3. Extras like whipped cream, ice cream or icing sugar, which can really add up.
4. Can provoke a night time binge that starts with a bowl of ice cream, gets followed by some chocolate and finished with a few bickies. 

How to make dessert part of a healthy diet

• Don’t eat if you are truly stuffed after dinner (a feeling we want to try and avoid at any meal).
• Dessert should be small and not a hugely significant energy contribution to your diet- practice the art of mindful eating if you struggle with this one.
• Avoid pre-packaged and processed desserts and instead choose desserts made from wholefoods. Cooking, or preparing, it yourself is generally the best option so you know exactly what’s going into your food.
• Make dessert contribute positively to your nutrient intake in some way- whether it be a source of  calcium, fibre, protein or antioxidants (from dairy, whole grains, nuts, fruit, etc).
• Reduce your portion size- if you enjoy making your own sweet treats, cut the cake or slice into smaller pieces than the recipe recommends and avoid going back for seconds.
• Dessert shouldn’t really be a habit. Always ask yourself ‘do I really feel like this?’. If the honest answer is no, then it would just be a waste to eat it- save it for a time when you know you’d really enjoy it!
• And who said dessert has to be ice cream or cake? When I think of dessert I think of sweet, but that doesn't mean you're limited to ‘dessert’ foods. How about yoghurt with berries? Or a hot chocolate? Or a muesli slice? Or even a handful of trail mix or dry cereal? 

Healthier dessert options

• Fruit salad with yoghurt.
• Milk based rice, semolina or sago pudding.
• Baked ricotta with berries.
• Homemade cake lower in sugar and butter, made with wholemeal flour and flavoured with fruit, cinnamon, vanilla, coconut or nuts.
• Individual serves of (ricotta-based) cheesecake, pudding, cake or pie, baked in a muffin tin or small ramekins. 

Links to some of my healthier sweet treat recipes:

• Chocolate souffles
• Pumpkin pie
• Baked raspberry and barley mini puddings
• Chocolate chip cookies
• Apple cinnamon crumble muffins
• Lemon yoghurt cake
• Rum balls
• Banana date loaf
• Berry yoghurt and coconut balls

Lentil ‘meatballs’ with pasta, greens and lemon pesto sauce

Lentils. They were once only the domain of vegans and 70's hippies, but I'm keen to bring them back. Small legumes, full of fibre and protein, they make a wonderful meat alternative, and are a great way to bulk up a meal (without the cost of meat). You can buy them dry or canned and I must say, for me canned is the way to go. No soaking or cooking required, you just open the can, pour into a fine sieve and rinse. 

Brown lentils especially go well as the basis of burgers, rissoles and 'meatballs'. I adapted this recipe from another one I saw floating around the internet and they're super tasty. They work especially well with my homemade basil pesto, but if you don't have the time, you the bought stuff and just add a good squeeze of lemon.

Lentil ‘meatballs’ with pasta, greens and lemon pesto sauce

375g tagliatelle or fettucini

1 leek, sliced

3 C silverbeet, finely sliced

1 large zucchini, cut into matchsticks

½ medium eggplant, cut into matchsticks

1 C beans, halved crossways

1 C broccoli florets

Lentil ‘meatballs’

2x400g cans brown lentils, rinsed

2 eggs, lightly beaten

¾ C reduced fat ricotta

¼ C grated parmesan

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp mixed herbs

2 Tbsp fresh parsley

¾ C breadcrumbs (preferably panko)

Lemon pesto sauce

1 bunch basil (~2 C)

4 Tbsp toasted pinenuts

2 Tbsp grated parmesan

1 tsp minced garlic

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp lemon juice

Zest of 1 lemon

2 Tbsp water

1. In a food processor, process lentils and parsley until mostly smooth, but some texture still remains. Transfer to a large bowl.

2. Add eggs, ricotta, parmesan, garlic, mixed herbs and breadcrumbs. Stir well and let mix sit for at least 20 mins.

3. Make lemon pesto sauce: in the same food processor process all lemon pesto sauce ingredients until smooth. Add more water to thin further, if desired. Refrigerate until needed.

4. Roll tablespoons of lentil mix into balls and place on lined baking trays. Spray with a little olive oil. If making 'meatballs' ahead of time, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate until needed.

5. Bake lentil ‘meatballs’ at 205°C for 20-25mins or until golden brown.

6. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a saucepan of boiling water and stir-fry greens in a large frypan.

7. When pasta is cooked, drain and toss through vegetables along with lemon pesto sauce. Divide among bowls and top with ~6-8 ‘meatballs' per bowl. Top with extra parmesan.

Serves 6 plus a few leftover ‘meatballs’ for lunches :)

What to do with that floppy carrot (plus other nifty ideas to reduce your food waste)

I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how big a problem food waste is in the developed world. But at the household level, what can we do to reduce the amount of food we throw away each week? I'm sure we've all had to throw food away at some stage because it's past its use-by-date or gone limp in the crisper, started sprouting or just gone stale! And we tend to throw perfectly edible food away too, just because we don't know what to do with it. Well, I’ve done a bit of research and come up with some tips, tricks and everyday ideas to make your food go further!

I bet your grandmother didn't waste it!

Tips & tricks:

1. Plan your meals for the week and make a shopping list (that you’ll actually stick to).
2. Go ‘shopping’ in your own fridge and pantry first! You’ll be surprised at what’s been hiding away… and keep an eye on use-by-dates so you can use things before they go off.
3. Love your leftovers- it could mean there’s one less night you have to cook (perfect for when you’re busy) or that lunches are sorted for the following day- who wouldn’t love that?
4. If you need to buy one ingredient for a particular recipe and you know you won’t need all of it, plan to cook something else that week that could also use it.
5. Only buy fresh as you need it, but when it comes to fruit and veg, frozen and tinned is often just as good and will last a lot longer!
6. Buying in bulk is cheaper… but only if you’ll actually get through it all. Be realistic about the quantities you’ll use, or shop with a friend or two and divide your bulk purchases.
7. Store your food correctly so you don’t shorten it’s lifespan, follow pack directions if it says to refrigerate after opening, store opened dry ingredients in an air-tight container, vegetables in the crisper and potatoes, onions and other root veg in a dark cool place (like a cupboard)
8. Don’t feel you need to stick exactly to a recipe, adapt it to what you have at home- cooking should be about experimentation!
9. Don’t cook for six if you’re only serving three- unless you’re an avid leftovers fan you will invariably end up throwing some away. Bring out those maths skills and divide the ingredient quantities accordingly, OR freeze your leftovers (but make you label and date the containers).
10. Don’t pile your plate up just because that’s how much you usually serve yourself, listen to body and only serve up the amount you think you’ll actually need to feel satisfied.
11. And of course, compost any scraps that can’t be saved. 

Freezing fresh herbs to make them last longer.

Everyday ideas:

1. Don’t throw out old limp vegetables, scraps like peels or tops and tails that you’d usually cut and discard- use them to make a vegetable stock or puree into a soup.
2. Overripe bananas and other fruits are great in smoothies, cakes and muffins.
3. The stems of broccoli and cauliflower can also be used! Slice finely and add to a stir-fry.
4. Just like potato skin, sweet potato and pumpkin skins are also edible! But if you’re mashing these veg (or don’t usually like the texture of the skin), don’t throw out the peels, spray with a little oil, sprinkle with a little spice or garlic and bake in the oven until crispy and they become healthy chips (with a great dose of fibre and antioxidants to boot)!
5. If you can’t get through a whole bunch of fresh herbs, chop finely and put in an ice cube tray with a small amount of oil or water and freeze until needed (and don't forget the stems too)! You can also freeze fresh lemon and lime juice or zest.
6. Freeze bread to prevent it going stale, or turn fresh-gone-stale bread into toast, breadcrumbs or crispy croutons.
7. Have an ‘all-in’ meal at the end of the week to use up any veg, leftover roast meats, cheese or herbs. Omelettes, frittatas, fritters, soups and homemade pizzas work well for this.
8. Keep the seeds from your pumpkin, clean them, dry them and roast in the oven- they’re great as a snack to munch on.
9. Collect seeds from pumpkins, passionfruit, pawpaw, avocados, mangoes, lychee, nuts, hot chillies or capsicum for planting in the backyard. Sweet potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, ginger, and garlic cloves will shoot quite quickly after planting. You can also take the white root end of a leek, spring onion or fennel, place in a glass jar with a little water in a sunny spot and it will continue to sprout just like that!

Growing your own spring onion from old roots.

Recipe makeover: chocolate soufflés

I love my desserts. And chocolate is the best kind. But I'd never made a soufflé before. My knowledge of them didn't extend far past them being French, puffy and hard to make (and to be honest, I got most of that from one of my favourite childhood shows, Madeleine). But they're actually not as difficult as I thought they'd be! As usual, I scoured my cookbooks and the internet for recipes and took the best elements of each to make my version. It's a lot healthier than standard versions that can use a lot of actual chocolate, butter and sugar. But no need to panic because there's plenty of cocoa in there to give you a real chocolatey hit (without the extra kilojoules or calories)! So without further adieu…

Individual chocolate soufflés

2 large egg whites

3 Tbsp pure cocoa powder

5 Tbsp castor sugar, plus extra for dusting ramekins

1 Tbsp plain flour

1/2 Tbsp cornflour

1/4 tsp vanilla extract (or essence)

6 Tbsp skim milk

1. Brush 4 ramekins lightly with reduced fat table spread or oil then dust lightly with castor sugar (you'll only need about 1 tsp sugar per ramekin and spread it by rolling the ramekin around in your hand so the sugar coats all surfaces). I used 1-cup capacity ramekins, but for the classic puffing-up-over-the-top look, try 3/4-cup capacity ramekins.
2. Whisk cocoa powder, plain flour, 4 Tbsp of the castor sugar and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 1 minute or until sugar is dissolved. In a small bowl or cup, make a paste with the cornflour and a couple of teaspoons of water and slowly add to the saucepan, stirring constantly until thickened (another few minutes).
3. Remove cocoa mixture from heat and pour into a large bowl. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes or until you are ready to cook the soufflés (this part can be done up to a day in advance).
4. Beat egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Sprinkle over remaining 1 Tbsp castor sugar and beat until thick and glossy. Set aside.
5. With the same electric beaters, beat the chilled cocoa mixture for 1 minute or until smooth (as it may go quite firm in the fridge and needs to be loosened up again).
6. Gently fold egg whites into cocoa mixture, a quarter at a time, until no streaks of white remain (while still keeping as much air as possible in the mixture).
7. Divide mixture among ramekins, smooth tops and run a knife around the edges of the ramekin to loosen the sugar from the sides ensuring an even rise.
8. Bake for ~12 minutes at 180°C or until puffed and just hard on top (the centres should still be quite light and gooey).

Serves 4.

5 nutrient interactions you should know about!

We are told to eat a balanced diet because every food contains a different combination of nutrients. But did you know that some of these nutrients interact with each other in our bodies and can increase or decrease the absorption of other nutrients? I've put together a list of the 5 nutrient interactions you should know about, including whether (or not) this should change the way you eat!

Iron & Vitamin C

Vitamin C can enhance the absorption of iron by up to 50% by helping convert the iron consumed into a form more easily absorbed by the body.

• Eat iron-rich foods (such as meat or iron-fortified cereals) with vitamin C-rich foods (such as red capsicum and citrus fruits).

Tip: Add some red capsicum to your beef stir-fry or a sliced orange or kiwifruit with your cereal at breakfast.

Calcium & Vitamin D

Vitamin D enhances calcium absorption by stimulating it’s transport throughout the body.

• The best source of vitamin D is sunlight- so make sure if you’re eating enough dairy you’re also getting some time outdoors.
• Also, if your doctor or dietitian has recommended a calcium supplement, choose one that contains both calcium and vitamin D.

Iron & Phenolic Compounds

Phenolic compounds in tea can bind to iron, inhibiting its absorption in the body.

• Avoid drinking tea with meals as it can reduce the amount of iron you’ll absorb from it.

Tip: Try having your tea mid-morning rather than with breakfast

Fibre & Many Minerals

Phytic acids (such as oxalic acid) in high fibre foods such as fruits, vegetables and wholegrain breads and cereals can bind minerals such as iron, calcium, zinc & magnesium, inhibiting their absorption.

• Yeast in leavened bread can counteract this (by breaking down some of these bonds allowing the minerals to be absorbed).
• Diets excessive in fibre are not recommended- but most Aussies are having trouble even meeting the recommendations.

Tip: Stick to 5 serves of veg, 2 serves of fruit and 5 serves of whole grains.

Different Mineral Supplements

Many minerals compete for absorption in the body: magnesium, calcium, iron, copper and zinc. This can especially be a problem if you are taking any supplements of these nutrients because supplements often contain many times the recommended intake of that nutrient from food. For example, if you are taking a calcium supplement, it could be inhibiting iron absorption from the food you eat.

• Most people, if they are eating a balanced and varied diet, are getting all the nutrients they need and don’t need supplements. 

Tip: Avoid supplements unless actually necessary. Unsure? Ask your doctor or dietitian if you need one.