Diet Related Chronic Disease - latest US figures

In between my vaguely successful attempts at genotyping mice (I'm currently working in the nutrition lab in the School of Molecular Bioscience, Sydney Uni), I have been reading the new USDA Dietary Guidelines. Take a look at the stats on diet related diseases in the US, really scary stuff!

Note the figures for osteoporosis - this can be reduced if people eat more calcium containing foods and undertake weight bearing exercise. Australian women fall short of eating the recommended daily intake (RDI) of calcium which ranges from 1000 mg a day to 1300 mg a day pre and post menopause respectively. Making matters worse, only 30 - 40% of calcium is absorbed from food whilst sodium, a high protein diet, caffeine and ageing increase its excretion (a whopping 150 mg of calcium is excreted with every 50g of protein ingested).

The best bioavailable source of calcium is found in dairy foods (milk, cheese, yoghurt). Milk provides approx. 230 mg of calcium per 200 ml regardless of its fat content. The same amount of calcium can be ingested in 120 g of plain yoghurt and 30 g cheese. Other good sources include nuts and seeds, tinned fish with bones, spinach and legumes. Vitamin D helps the absorption of calcium and it is recommended you spend a few minutes in the sun every day without sun screen. Osteoporotic fractures can lead to long term pain and disability, loss of independence and premature death. Simply put, you can reduce the likelihood of having an osteoporosis related fracture by eating the right amount of calcium, doing weight bearing exercise and getting a little sun!

References
USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010
FSANZ Australian Food Composition Tables 2006
Samman, S. Calcium. School of Molecular Biosciences, University of Sydney

Banana and Date Smoothie

I had this smoothie at a cafe in the Middle East over Christmas. Such a perfect combination of flavours – I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of it earlier. At the time I was hungry but didn’t feel like eating a large meal. This smoothie was the perfect remedy for curbing the hunger pangs. I was determined to make myself one as soon as I got home but forgot all about it until this weekend when I rediscovered it in a café in Avalon. It was a hot day, too hot to eat a proper lunch, so once again I turned to this smoothie for a quick fix. I use full fat milk and yoghurt so I get a good combination of fat, protein and carbs in one drink. You can of course swap for low fat dairy options or soy.  Dates are high in fibre, non haem iron, selenium and potassium. They can help reduce cholesterol, improve bowel function, build blood and prevent oxidation in the body. They are also rich in other vitamins and minerals such as B complex, calcium and magnesium. Dates contain lots of simple sugars making them ideal for an instant energy boost. Bananas are also high in potassium, fibre, magnesium and B6 and in simple sugars when ripe. I like to combine these fruits with full fat dairy in an attempt to slow down the absorption of the sugars into the bloodstream. You could add a couple of prunes for extra fibre if you like. This is a calorie-laden smoothie but it tastes good and its full of good stuff.

• 1/3 cup of boiling water
• 4 dried dates (pitted)
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 ½  tablespoon of organic full fat natural yoghurt
• Organic unhomogenised full fat milk

Soak the dates in the hot water for 30 minutes until soft. Then combine the dates, soaking water, banana and yoghurt in a blender and blend until smooth. Add milk to a smoothie thickness of your liking as you blend.

Mango and Ricotta Muffins for Marci

I miss my Canadian friend Marci. She left Australia in May this year and gave me the most incredible muffin cookbook as a leaving present. So after chatting to Marci this morning, I made muffins to remind me of all those mornings we drank coffee and shared a muffin at Single Origin in Surry Hills. I am a big fan of ricotta in muffins, it adds a dose of animal protein to an otherwise carb heavy snack and it tastes yummy. There are no ricotta muffin recipes in the book so this is my version.

I have used organic stone ground spelt flour which does not rise as well as refined white flour but has a better glycaemic index (GI).  The glycaemic index is a measure of how much a food raises blood glucose levels after eating. This year, we were lucky enough to be lectured in carbohydrate science by Professor Jennie Brand-Miller who is well known for her work on the GI. Conventional milling is very efficient in removing all of the bran from the endosperm, which increases its digestibility and thus its GI. To make wholemeal flour, ground bran is simply added back into refined flour. Stone ground flour is a lot coarser and it is less susceptible to gelatinisation resulting in a lower GI. The GI of food is important for those with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes and low GI foods have been shown to improve these conditions. You can read more about the glycaemic index here.

• 2 cups of whole spelt flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cups of sugar
• 1 cup of unhomogenised whole milk
• 70 ml of grapeseed oil
• 1 egg
• 1 cup chopped mango (not overripe)
• 100 g crumbly whole milk ricotta

Combine flour with baking powder salt and sugar and in a separate bowl mix the egg with milk and oil. Add the wet to the dry ingredients but do not over mix. Add the chopped mango and crumbled ricotta and carefully fold into the mixture. Spoon into prepared muffin tins and bake for 17 minutes at 220^o.

Prawn and mango salad with tamari and lime dressing

With the house full of dust and builders, I am currently living in a serviced apartment which makes cooking a bit of a challenge. I am already missing my cake and muffin tins and my beloved mortar and pestle but with summer around the corner, there are plenty of simple recipes that require little preparation. This is my favourite Sydney salad utilising some of the best produce Australia has to offer. Mangoes are coming into season and reed avocados are cheap and creamy. I love macadamias but you can add other nuts or seeds instead.

Serves 4 as starter or 2 as a main

Salad

• 250 – 300 g of cooked Australian prawns
• Red capsicum thinly sliced
• 3 large handfuls of rocket
• ½ large kensington mango, cubed
• ½ large reed avocado, sliced
• 1 handful of mint leaves chopped
• ¼ cup of macadamias –chopped or smashed

Dressing

• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp of tamari
• 3 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 red chilli sliced finely
• salt and pepper

Toss the rocket and capsicum and top with avocado, mango, prawns, nuts and mint. Mix the dressing ingredients and drizzle over the salad.

Mushroom and Leek Barley Risotto

I know! I have completely neglected the blog. Study took over my life in May and June and then I took a lovely trip home to England in July. I am hoping to get a few recipes in before the 12 hour study days resume.


Europe was beautifully bright and sunny with lots of refreshing salads and summer fruits. I almost forgot it was winter in Sydney until I woke up to a black rainy sky at 6.30 am on my return. It’s a shock to the system being thrown back into winter fruit and vegetables. My body is still craving those lovely salads but it’s just too cold to eat them! At least we have blood oranges, the saviour of winter.

This risotto is rich and warming - perfect for winter - and uses pearl barley instead of rice. Arborio rice, commonly used in risottos, has a high glycaemic index. Some quick science behind the reason for this. White rices such as Arborio, Calrose, Jasmine and Japonica rice (such as that used in sushi) are mostly short grain varieties with a high level of amylopectin starch. Amylopectin is a starch made up of branched chains of glucose units. The branched structure allows water to penetrate the grain easily during cooking and gelatinise the starch. Gelatinised starch is broken down rapidly by our digestive system into glucose units which causes a sharp spike in blood glucose levels. Longer grain rices such as basmati have a lower level of amylopectin with increased amounts of amylose starch. Amylose consists of unbranched chains of glucose units which pack tightly together. This does not allow water to penetrate easily and the starch is not gelatinised to the same extent. Thus, amylose starch is broken down into glucose and released into the blood stream much more slowly. This makes sense when you think about what each rice variety is used for. Short grain rice is used for sushi and asian dishes because its sticky while basmati is a much drier rice when cooked. And remember that barley lowers cholesterol due to its beta-glucan content as discussed before.


Ok, back to the recipe! Serves approx 4
I have approximated in cups as I rarely cook using scales.

• Olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• Red onion finely chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
• 1 leek chopped
• 3 - 4 cups of chopped mushrooms – you can use a mixture of flat, portobello, oyster and shiitake
• 3 cups of baby spinach
• Handful of chopped parsley
• 5 cups of chicken stock plus more if needed (heated)
• 1 cup of pearl barley
• ¾ cup of labneh (yoghurt cheese – this is optional)
• 2 - 3 cups of baby spinach
• Salt and pepper

Sauté onion in olive oil until translucent, add leeks and half the garlic and cook until soft. Add barley, stir and then add two cups of warm chicken stock. Bring mixture to boil and then reduce heat and simmer until most of stock is absorbed, stirring frequently. Add remaining stock, about 1/2 cup at a time, allowing stock to be absorbed before adding more and stirring frequently until barley is tender.


Meanwhile, melt the butter and gently sauté the mushrooms. After about three minutes, add the remaining garlic and stir until mushrooms are golden. Add to risotto and when ready to serve stir in the spinach, labneh, parsley, salt and pepper.


I sometimes serve with a little parmesan or a drizzle of lemon olive oil or flaxseed oil.


P.s. Dave, send me a pic if you make this risotto, mine was taken with an Iphone...

Tuna sashimi, orange and fennel salad with lime and honey dressing

I ate way too many simple carbs today and by the time it got to six o’clock, I was desperate for some good quality protein and a green crunchy salad. On the way home, I was very excited to see there was still some australian sashimi grade tuna at the local fishmonger. I thought this would go perfectly with in-season fennel, oranges and lime – and also rid me of the sluggishness that comes with a day of unbalanced eating.

There are lots of reasons to eat fish. It is an excellent source of protein, low in saturated fats and contains omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3’s have been linked to maintaining cardiovascular health and the healthy development of the brain, eyes, skin and nervous system. Omega 3 fats are also believed to protect against inflammation, depression and behavioural disorders. Try to eat at least 100g of fish 2-3 times a week.

Ingredients

• 200g fillet of tuna (sashimi grade) 

• 3 cups of mixed lettuce leaves and rocket
• 1 cup thinly sliced fennel

• 1 orange (segmented)
• cherry tomatoes
• Tbsp of chives (chopped)

Dressing

• 2 tablespoons lime juice

• 1 tbsp honey
• 5 tbsp olive oil 

• 1 tbsp of sesame oil
• 1 tbsp of tamari
• 1 tbsp of Mirin
• Tbsp of sesame seeds
• Salt and Pepper

Serves 4 as starter or 2 as main course

Source for fish information: Jukic, K. 2010. Fish and Seafood lecture. University of Sydney

Cruciferous vegetables - Broccoli and cauliflower soup

What happened? The clocks went back and I went from wearing cotton and bare feet to jeans and woolly socks in the space of two days. After an incredible March, autumn is finally upon us and the cooler temperatures will put soup back on the menu. I had some broccoli and cauliflower in the fridge left over from my organic bob box and didn’t feel like eating meat so I came up with the soup below. I have added butter beans and yoghurt to thicken the soup and to increase the protein content.

This recipe gives me the opportunity to quickly talk about cruciferous vegetables, the family from which broccoli and cauliflower originate. The cruciferous family, which also includes cabbages, bok choy and brussels sprouts, has been the subject of many studies for its cancer fighting properties. These are most likely due to numerous antioxidants or phytochemicals contained in these vegetables which inhibit oxidation and prevent the deterioration of cells and organs. Studies indicate that consumption of vegetables like cruciferous veg is associated with a lower prevalence of some types of cancer and heart disease. However, the same effect has not always been observed when antioxidant supplements are used.  Other constituents in the vegetables might be important which is why it is so important to eat lots of fruit and veg and not just supplement with tablets. Other advantages of these types of vegetable include soluble fibre, protein, Vitamin C, folate and potassium.

·       Tbsp olive oil

·       1 carrot finely chopped

·       1 onion finely chopped

·       Piece of celery finely chopped

·       2 cloves garlic finely chopped

·       Tsp of cumin seeds

·       Head of broccoli separated into florets

·       ½ cauliflower separated into florets

·       1 litre of homemade chicken stock

·       400g of cooked butter beans

·       Cup of full fat natural yoghurt

·       Chopped parsley

·       Salt and pepper

Gently fry the carrot, celery and onion in olive oil until soft, then add garlic and cumin seeds and continue to fry for a couple more minutes. Stir in the broccoli and cauliflower and add chicken stock. Bring to the boil and then simmer until the vegetables are soft. Add butter beans, simmer for a couple more minutes and then puree the soup with a hand blender. If the soup is not thick enough, simmer without a lid to reduce. Before serving, stir yoghurt through the soup and season to taste. Serve with fresh parsley, a drizzle of flaxseed oil and sourdough bread.

References

Jukic, K. 2010. Fruit and Vegetables Lecture. University of Sydney

Mann, J. & Trusswell. A. S. 2007. Essentials of Human Nutrition. 3^rd Ed. Oxford University Press

USDA Nutrient Database

Maman champignon date slice

I recently completed an experiment to determine the β-glucan content in oats and barley so I thought this was an appropriate recipe to post. Believed to reduce cholesterol, β-glucan is found in high concentrations in oats and barley (you may have see the advert about porridge oats on Australian TV). Like starch, β-glucan is a chain of glucose molecules. However the bonds in β-glucan differ in spatial arrangement and consequently cannot be broken down by our digestive enzymes. β-glucan is instead destined for microbial fermentation in the colon like other dietary fibres. Due to its chemical make-up, β-glucan is termed a soluble fibre. Many studies have proven it can reduce cholesterol, possibly by binding with bile acids (which make cholesterol) and excreting them in the faeces.

Naturally lowering cholesterol is a matter close to my heart since Marcus has familial high cholesterol – the type that is difficult to manage without statins. I therefore try to include oats in the diet as much as possible. Barley actually has a higher β-glucan content than oats so I will be making sure I include more barley in the future. This is a recipe from my mum which brings oats and dates together to make a delicious and nutritious snack. I have altered the recipe slightly to bring the Glycaemic Index (GI) down a little – australian dates tend to have a higher GI than other varieties.

• 150 g dates - put in pan with water and simmer to make a paste - can use more or less of water and dates
• 150 g Flora – it does lower cholesterol after all…
• 120 ml of honey (I’m using snow gum honey at the moment)
• 280 g oats – use small oats if possible
• Handful of chopped nuts - walnuts or pecans

Line smallish tin with greaseproof paper. Melt flora with honey then add oats and nuts. Spread half on bottom of lined tin - press lightly with fingertips. Spread dates on top and add rest of mixture - press lightly with fingertips. Bake in oven until golden brown – about 180 - for about 20 -25 mins. Leave to cool and cut whilst still in tin and warm into desired slices. When cooler lift onto cooling tray and when really cold take off grease proof and leave to set.

Kiwi and Lime salsa

I never know what to do with kiwi fruit apart from just eating it as is. Few foods deliver as much vitamin C, in fact, just one kiwi fruit can provide double the recommended daily intake. It also contains an enzyme which breaks down protein making it a brilliant complement to meat. Kiwi fruit works equally well with vegetables by enhancing the absorption of iron from non animal sources (due to its C content). So you see, kiwi fruit can be eaten alone or with food, its all good. So, how about making a salsa which can be served on the side of either a vegetable or meat/fish dish. The tartness of kiwi works fantastically with lime, it only takes a few minutes to make and trust me, its delicious on top of an Indian curry.

· 4 kiwi fruit, peeled and chopped into ½ cm cubes

· Juice of 1 lime

· 1 clove of garlic, smashed with salt

· inch of fresh ginger grated

· 1 red chilli sliced

· salt and pepper

Mash all ingredients together and place on the side of indian veg/meat curry. You can also add yogurt to make into a more cooling raita style accompaniment.

Bubble and squeak

My dad used to take me to the best greasy spoons in South London when I was a kid (and the best pubs). Anyway….. it was usually at the weekend and I fell in love with bubble and squeak - left over greens and potatoes from the previous evening’s roast dinner, mashed up and fried like a potato patty and topped with a fried egg. It was the best breakfast! Doesn’t sound too healthy I know, but if you reduce the oil in the frying pan and poach the egg instead, it’s pretty nutritious. I’m sure I’ve talked about how good dark green leafy vegetables are for you, maybe I haven’t, but I will do later. Trust me, they are extremely good for you so incorporate them into as many meals as possible. This is a great way to get them in at breakfast time (or any other time) and not waste leftovers from the night before.

There are some shocking statistics on food wastage. It was reported in the UK last year that Britons throw away 20m tons of food a year, over half of the food produced on farms and equivalent to half of the food import needs for the whole of Africa! Just last month, an academic from UWS claimed Sydney consumers throw away more than $600m worth of fresh food per annum. Don’t get me started on the US. So use left over’s wherever you can and cut back on buying stuff you just won’t eat. It’s all very well railing against GM foods but we make them a necessity if we just continue to over consume. I write this as a reminder to myself!

Moral of the story, eat bubble and squeak with an egg on top, its delicious!

Pumpkin Hummus

I could eat hummus every day, I love it so much. I have always enjoyed hummus, ever since I first tasted it when I was really young. I used to beg my mum to buy it but she insisted on making it herself. My mum makes everything from scratch but I always wanted ready-made supermarket food! I didn’t realise how lucky I was. History repeats itself and I would never buy hummus from the supermarket now unless really pushed for time. Not that ready made hummus isn’t good, some of it tastes excellent, but I like to have control over what I’m eating and know exactly what is in my food i.e. salt and oil content. I also like the variations of homemade hummus, such as this one with pumpkin. Hummus is a brilliant source of vegetarian protein and fibre making it a great snack or accompaniment to any meal. The tahini also provides essential fatty acids and minerals. I’m currently using unhulled tahini. It has a slightly bitter taste in comparison to hulled but being less processed, unhulled is higher in nutrients.

• 400 g cooked organic chickpeas
• 300g of cooked organic pumpkin
• 1 clove of garlic (or more if you like)
• 2 tbsp of organic tahini
• ½ lemon juiced
• ½ tsp of ground cumin
• Sea salt to taste (Himalayan is good)
• 1 tbsp of olive oil/flaxseed oil
• Water depending on how thick you like it
• Sweet Paprika

Chuck chickpeas, pumpkin, garlic, tahini and lemon juice into a blender and add water if it needs to be thinned down. Once blended, stir in the oil and cumin and add salt to taste. Spoon into a bowl and sprinkle paprika over the top. Yummy.

Grapefruitade

I'm a little bit lazy when it comes to grapefruit. If its the weekend, then I will make a bit more of an effort and cut them up properly. But if I want a grapefruit hit and its a nice sunny day, then I get out my citrus fruit squeezer and make a delicious grapefruitade. Its really really easy and quick to make and tastes divine, particularly on a hot day. I try and get all the fibre into the juice too so I don't miss out on the good bits!

• 1 -2 Grapefruit, juiced
  
• Tbsp honey (my favourite at the moment is Australian Blood Wood honey)
  
• Sparkling water (can't go past San Pellegrino)

Lemons can be used instead of grapefruit to make the more commonly known drink, LEMONade!

BOB Pizza

This week's BOBBERS will have received a yummy organic pizza base and lovely red roma tomatoes so I thought I would pass on my tomato sauce recipe in case you were wondering what to do with your base! Once you have made the tomato sauce you can top the pizza with goats cheese, pumpkin, grilled zucchini, garlic and parsley. You could also add some capers or olives, some fresh sardines or maybe parma ham. 

The tomato sauce is really easy:

• BOB roma tomatoes
  
• 2 cloves of garlic
  
• fresh basil/parsley
  
• oregano
• olive oil
  
• sea salt
  

Finely chop the garlic and lightly cook in olive oil until golden, then add the fresh chopped parsley or basil and quickly stir for 1 minute. Add the chopped roma tomatoes and simmer for 30 minutes or until you have a nice reduced tomato sauce. Add sea salt and oregano to taste and then spread on top of your BOB organic pizza base and top with whatever you feel like. Buon appetito!

Energy Cookies

I am often asked about snack foods that can be eaten on the run by busy people. There are lots of muesli bars, snack bars, energy bars and protein bars on the market but to be honest, I wouldn’t touch most of them so I know how hard it is sometimes to find a snack that is healthy and convenient. It’s rare to find a packeted product which has unprocessed organic ingredients, healthy good quality oils and is devoid of flavourings and excess salt and sugar so I would go for homemade snacks every time. And it’s good to know what you are eating.

Marcus is doing the Oxfam 100 km walk in August and he was given an energy cookie recipe by one of his team mates. I have been dutifully making the cookies for their training sessions and they are really quick and easy to make (which means he can start making them himself!). I have changed the recipe a little here and reduced the saturated fat and sugar content because we are not all walking 50km a day. However, these cookies are made from low GI grains and contain lots of soluble fibre along with protein and essential fatty acids. They should keep you going for quite a while…

Makes about 12

All ingredients organic where possible

• 1 cup of wholewheat flour
  
• 1 tbsp of baking powder
  
• 1 cup of rolled oats
  
• 1 cup of oat bran
  
• ½ cup of LSA mix (ground linseeds, sunflower seeds and almonds, found in the fridge in health stores)
  
• 1 cup of chopped up organic apricots
• 100mls of EV olive oil
•  ½ cup of honey
  
•  ¼ cup of boiling water
  

Mix the dry ingredients together. Mix the olive oil, honey and boiling water and then pour the liquid into the dry mix and beat it all together, moistening it with more water if needed. Make approx 12 cookies with the mixture and cook on a non stick baking tray in the oven for about 25 minutes at 150 degrees. When cooked, place on a wire rack until cool and firm.

Bobby beetroot salads

Beetroot is not a particularly popular vegetable in England although this is changing. In Australia however, it’s a different story. I was amazed at how much beetroot figured on menus when I first moved to Oz and the recent memory of boiled beetroot in vacuum packs made me a little apprehensive. However, after exposure to the beautiful fresh version, I became a purple plant convert. It is a staple in any juice, makes a yummy dip and is a regular addition to winter salads. I’m a big fan of roasted beetroot in olive oil, salt and pepper but you can also boil or bake it. Beetroot greens are also highly nutritious and can be prepared in the same way as spinach.

Beetroot is a good source of folate, fibre and antioxidants and has been shown to reduce blood pressure due to its nitrate-rich properties (also found in green leafy vegetables). Throw together roasted beetroot and pumpkin with rocket leaves and goats feta for a delicious salad to accompany lamb. A lighter salad with beetroot, freshly chopped apple, onion and spinach is equally as good.

Beetroot and pumpkin salad

·       Beetroot, washed, topped, tailed and chopped into cubes

·       Pumpkin chopped into cubes

·       Pumpkin seeds

·       Wild rocket leaves

·       Goats feta

·       Thinly sliced onion

·       Olive oil

Dressing

·       Balsamic vinegar

·       Olive oil

·       Sea salt and pepper 

Roast the beetroot, pumpkin and pumpkin seeds in olive oil until cooked then throw together with rest of ingredients and toss in the dressing.

Beetroot and apple salad

·       Beetroot, washed, topped, tailed and chopped into cubes and roasted in olive oil

·       BOB’s apples washed and chopped into cubes

·       BOB small onion, thinly sliced

·       Baby spinach

Dressing

·       Lemon juice

·       Flaxseed oil

·       Sea salt

Grilled eggplant with tomato and parmesan

Eggplant, or aubergine as we call it at home, is one of my favourite vegetables. I think this recipe originally came from my friend Beth as we ate it a lot at her dad’s beautiful old house in Le Marche, Italy. It’s great as a starter with grilled sourdough (rubbed with freshly cut garlic and a drizzle of olive oil) or as a side to lamb. I usually use normal blackbell eggplant but BOB gave us Lebanese eggplant this week which can also be used. If you have tomatoes left over from last week, they can be used to make the tomato sauce.

·        Eggplants cut into inch thick slices or lebanese eggplant cut in half along the length

·        3 tomatoes chopped

·        2 large cloves of garlic finely chopped

·        olive oil

·        basil

·        parmesan

·        rocket

·        lemon juice

·        parsley roughly chopped

·        sea salt and pepper

Rub olive oil all over the eggplant and grill gently over a barbeque until cooked. Alternatively, roast in the oven. Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce by gently cooking the garlic in olive oil until golden. Add the basil leaves and stir for a few seconds and then add the chopped tomatoes. Add some sea salt and then simmer with lid for 30 -45 mins, stirring and breaking up the tomatoes every so often. Lay the cooked eggplant on top of the rocket leaves tossed in lemon juice and then spread the tomato sauce over the top. Finish with grated parmesan, black pepper and chopped parsley. Belissimo!

Oranges and Lemons

Oranges have been a running theme in BOB for the past few weeks which has helped me to rediscover my love for the citrus fruit. One orange provides more than the daily requirement of Vitamin C. Vitamin C has been shown to reduce the severity of infection but has numerous other roles in the body including the formation of collagen, defence against free radicals and as an antihistamine. Citrus fruits also contain lots of fibre and important antioxidants. BOB gave us beautiful lemons this week which are so cleansing when squeezed into warm water and drunk first thing in the morning. I also use lemons in most of my salad dressings and marinades.

I have started putting oranges into salads because they are so delicious. This is a really simple salad that would be a perfect accompaniment to meat. The sweetness of the oranges works so well with the salty sour taste of olives.

2 or more oranges, peeled and cut into segments
Rocket leaves
Fennel thinly sliced
Olives

For the dressing:
Lemon juice
Olive Oil
Salt and pepper

Mix the salad ingredients together and then toss in the lemon juice and olive oil dressing.

Easy Tabbouleh

BOB gave us beautiful flat leaf parsley and tomatoes this week, and with the sun shining, I thought a yummy Tabbouleh was in order. I am often asked about easy healthy lunches to take to work, well, this would be a good one. Parsley, when used in large amounts such as in tabbouleh, has incredible antioxidant properties, particularly those that promote eye health. Tomatoes are THE source of lycopene which has been shown to protect against a variety of cancers. Parsley and tomatoes are both rich in vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre. Bulgar wheat is traditionally used in tabbouleh and due to minimal processing boasts a low GI and high levels of vitamins and minerals.

70g bulgur wheat
4 tomatoes seeded and chopped into small cubes
1 large bunch of parsley, chopped
1 small bunch of mint, chopped
2-3 spring onions chopped

For the dressing:
Garlic clove crushed to a paste
¼ tsp of cinnamon
¼ tsp of allspice
Lemon juice
Olive Oil
Salt and pepper

Sit the bulgur in water for about 3 min, wash and then mix with the other salad ingredients. Toss the salad in the dressing and its ready to go! So easy. If you are wheat intolerant or gluten free, you can swap the bulgur for quinoa.

I love BOB

BOB and I have become very close over the last six months. Every Monday I get excited about coming home because BOB is always there, waiting for me. In the past few weeks, we have become closer than ever and I am pleased to say, it is now official.

Bondi Organic Box, or BOB for short, is the creation of my good friend Lisa Kanani. BOB supplies the local area with boxes of beautiful organic fruit and vegetables every Monday. I love organic food but it can be prohibitively expensive. I love BOB because it makes organic fruit and veg so much more accessible by being cheaper than other organic retailers.

Lisa is off to blighty for a few months and has entrusted me with BOB in her absence. I will endeavour to write a recipe each week using BOB ingredients to help BOBBERS use up their yummy fresh produce. It’s so good to eat organically and in season and to support local farmers and businesses.... so get on with it and order your BOB now!

Innocent Fish Pie

This is a delicious fish pie that can be eaten without the fear of loading up on excessive calories. There are some beautiful fish pie recipes out there but all are considerably high in fat listing ingredients such as puff pastry, double cream and cheddar cheese. There is no doubt that these elements create a luxurious and great tasting pie, however, this type of meal should be the exception not the rule.

If you want to eat fish pie more frequently than a treat, this recipe cuts down dramatically on the saturated fat content and still tastes good. It is suitable for wheat free diets and dairy free diets where yoghurt and goats cheese is tolerated and is also nutrition rich with lots of veggies and protein. I have a weakness for truffles so I add a small amount of truffle oil but this is optional. Serve the fish pie with steamed organic broccoli dressed with organic unrefined linseed oil.

· ½ - ¾ pumpkin, peeled and chopped into 1 inch cubes
· 2 organic eggs
· 2 large handfuls spinach
· 1 onion, finely chopped
· 1 carrot, finely chopped
· Olive oil
· 1 cup fat free organic yoghurt
· 150-200ml Bonsoy milk
· 50g of goats fetta cheese
· 1 lemon, juiced
· 1 heaped teaspoon Dijon mustard
· 1 large handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
· 2 tsp of truffle infused oil (optional)
· 500g of white fish (such as blue eye cod, barramundi etc) chopped into strips
· Macrobiotic sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
· Nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius. Steam the pumpkin until soft and then mash with 50ml of soy milk, some grated nutmeg, salt and pepper.Add the eggs to a pan of boiling water and cook for 8 minutes until hard boiled. Steam the spinach in a colander above the pan for a minute and then squeeze out moisture. Remove the eggs, cool under cold water, then peel and quarter them and put in bowl with spinach and fish.

In a separate pan slowly fry the onion and carrot in a little olive oil for about 5-10 minutes, then add the yoghurt and remaining soy milk and bring to the boil for about a minute. Remove from the heat and add the goats cheese, lemon juice, mustard, parsley and truffle oil if using. Pour the vegetable sauce over the eggs, fish and spinach and mix together carefully. Put into an ovenproof and spread the pumpkin mash on top of the fish. Cook for about 30 minutes or until cooked through.