Eat Smart Diet & Nutrition blog » berry

New flour recipes – ever tried Spelt or Coconut flour?

Lauren James — Mon, 02 Sep 2013 04:13:07 +0000

There are a range of ‘new’ flours on the market which are offering those with intolerances more baking options, or for some are a nice flavour change. These baked treats are delicious but should be an occasional treat (not every day!)

Spelt flour Berry Delicious muffins Makes 12 muffins Low FODMAP friendly

135g rolled oats                                                            1 cup spelt flour
2 teaspoons baking powder                                    ⅔ cup castor sugar
2 eggs                                                                        ½ cup mild flavoured oil
¾ cup low fat milk or plain yoghurt (lactose free if low FODMAP)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ½ tsp vanilla bean paste

1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries.

Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C for fan forced) and line a 12 cup muffin pan with muffin papers.

Blend the oats in a small food processor to make course flour. Add to sifted spelt flour and baking powder, and sugar a large mixing bowl.

Combine eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla; mix well. Add to dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

Spoon the batter into the muffin papers. Press the raspberries into the batter and swirl a little with a table knife.

Bake for 20- 25 minutes or until golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Coconut flour banana bread Makes 12 slices Gluten free

400g ripe banana (about 4 medium bananas)

6 large eggs

1 tblsp honey, golden syrup, agave syrup or stevia liquid

2 tsp vanilla extract or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

¼ cup oil (canola, olive, peanut, macadamia – whatever you have!)

½ tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking powder (gluten free if required)

70g (1/2 cup) coconut flour (can be purchased from health food stores)

20g (1/4 cup) chia seeds

2 tblsp coconut flakes/chips

Preheat oven to 150 degrees Celsius (fan-forced) or 170 degrees Celsius.

Combine first 7 ingredients until well combined. Add the coconut flour and chia seeds but mix until just combined only.

Rest for 10 mins to allow the chia seeds to absorb some of the liquid.

Line a loaf pan with baking paper (use a little butter/oil on the pan so the baking paper sticks to the pan)

Pour in the batter in the pan and sprinkle top with coconut flakes/chips.

Bake for 50-55 mins or until a skewer comes out clean.

The New Superfoods!

Lauren James — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 02:01:52 +0000

There are a host of new super foods being touted as energy giving, disease preventing, revitalizing, youth preserving and overall powerhouses of nutrition. But do they do all they claim to?

Chia seeds

Originating from Central America, this seed is a water absorbing seeds that can be made in to a gel or used in baking as well as simply being added to cereal, yoghurt or a smoothie. The seeds are high in soluble fibre, Omega-3 fatty acids and contain protein, calcium, vitamin C and antioxidants. Great for people who tend towards constipation and for those looking for a non-fish source of Omega-3’s.

Goji berries

Goji are an extremely rich source of antioxidants and provide high levels of vitamin C. They taste like cherries and can be added to cereal, muesli, yoghurt, baking or simply enjoyed by themselves. Goji berries are a dried fruit and as such should be enjoyed in a 2 tblsp serving sizes. They may be health giving but they still contribute calories and carbohydrate to the diet so be aware that you can have too much of a good thing!

Acai Berry

Pronounced ‘ah-sigh-ee’ this non-typical berry is actually a reasonable source of protein. Similar to Goji it is also high in antioxidants and a range of micronutrients. The Acai berry is extremely sensitive to light and air so make sure you store it properly. Is it worth the hype? A reasonable source of protein for those who struggle to find enough protein in their diet (e.g. vegetarian or vegan eaters) but for most is not a tasty (in fact its quite tasteless) way to good health!

Maca

The Incan superfood! This is a “revitalizing” powder which contains amino acids (the building blocks of protein), essential fatty acids (e.g. Omega-3’s) and micronutrients. Anecdotally people swear by it, however, the scientific community is still waiting for the revitalizing to occur!

Cacao

Raw chocolate? Yep, this is raw chocolate! What does it taste like? Very, very bitter chocolate. Can’t see too many people eating a block of raw cacao however it can be added to smoothies, yoghurt, used in cooking or making a hot/cold chocolate drink. It is touted to have many health benefits from being an aphrodisiac to increasing our feel good chemicals to being a muscle relaxant due to its high magnesium content. For my eating pleasure, I’d rather a great tasting chocolate a little less often over a very bitter somewhat chocolate-y powder every day!

Super foods they may be but good health, vitality, youthfulness and vigour is achieved through many aspects of life, not just the foods we put in our mouth. So to live a long and prosperous life – Eat Smart, exercise, keep your mind active, care for your heart and choose the right parents!

Healthy, protein rich snack recipes

Lauren James — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 06:12:27 +0000

Goodie Balls

200g trail mix (nuts/seeds/dried fruit) 50g almonds
2 tbs chia seeds 2 tbs flax seeds
2 tbs pumpkin seeds 2 tbs sunflower seeds
1 tbs peanut butter 2 tbs maple syrup

1. Place all ingredients in a bowl and use a Bamix or blender to blend to a fine grain.
2. Roll into 15 balls.
Note: you can add ½ cup whey protein powder if you wish.

5g protein per ball.

Crunchy Cookies

½ cup ground linseed/flaxseed 2 cups ground almonds
½ cup pumpkin seed or sunflower seed 1 cup walnuts
½ cup dried cranberries or goji berries ½ cup macadamia nut oil
½ cup honey or organic maple syrup 1 tspn vanilla essence

1. Preheat oven to 150°C.
2. Combine linseed, almond meal, pumpkin seed, walnuts and cranberries
3. Add oil, honey and vanilla and mix through until combined
4. Divide into 30 balls, place onto a baking tray lined with bake paper and flatten slightly.
5. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until golden and cooked through.
6. Rest on tray until cool and store up to 2 weeks.

3.6g protein per cookie.

Very Berry Yoghurt

½ cup fresh or frozen berries 100g low fat vanilla yoghurt
2 heaped dsp crunchy muesli e.g. Carmen’s 1 flat dspn LSA

1. Layer berries and yoghurt.
2. Top with muesli and sprinkle over LSA.

Serves 1 and provides 8g protein per serve.

Healthy Christmas Recipes

Lauren James — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 23:40:31 +0000

Christmas is a time to celebrate! Keeping moderation in mind – treat yourself with these low calorie, flavour filled creations.

Entrees and finger food

Rainbow Stack Serves 8

1 eggplant

2 red capsicums

2 zucchini

1 sweet potato

150g reduced fat feta cheese

100g basil pesto

Freshly cracked black pepper

Cut the vegetables into slices about 10mm thick. Try making these a similar diameter as they will be stacked.
Barbeque or grill the vegetables for about 10minutes or until soft. Season with pepper.
Assemble stack: eggplant as a base, followed by zucchini, sweet potato, a thin slice of feta, a small dollop of pesto and finally a slice of capsicum.
Return to the grill or bbq (lid down) and cook until cheese is melting. Serve immediately.

Cranberry and Turkey Bites Makes 24

Olive oil spray

3 sheets filo pastry

2 tsp oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

250g turkey mince

2 tsp fresh thyme

Freshly cracked black pepper

2 tbsp whole cranberry sauce

1 tbsp finely chopped toasted walnuts

1 tbsp finely chopped chives

Preheat oven to 180°C. Use oil spray to lightly coat 2×12 mini muffin pans.
Layer the 3 filo sheets, lightly spray with oil on the bottom and middle sheets. Cut filo into 6cm squares to end up with 24 squares
Line each muffin hole with filo square. Lightly spray shells with oil. Bake for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Set aside until needed.
Heat oil over medium heat in frying pan. Cook onion until soft. Add turkey and thyme. Break up mince and cook for minutes until meat is coloured (about 8 minutes). Stir through cranberry sauce and pepper.
Fill filo shells with mince mixture. Bake 4 – 5 minutes to reheat.
Combine walnuts and chives and sprinkle over. Serve immediately.

Honey Pork Kebabs Serves 8

500g pork fillets

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp ground paprika

2 tsp olive oil

Honey glaze

½ cup orange juice

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp barbecue sauce

2 tbsp creamy mustard

Cut pork into 3 cm cubes and combine with additional ingredients.
Thread pork (2-3 pieces per skewer) onto skewers (if bamboo skewers used, soak for at least 1hr prior)
Combine glaze in a small saucepan and bring to boil whilst stirring. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened.
Cook skewers in a pre-heated non-stick pan, grill or barbecue for 5 minutes or until browned and cooked through, turning occasionally.
Serve with honey glaze.

Hearty Hummus Serves 8

400g can chickpeas (juice reserved)

2 cloves garlic (more if you like!)

Juice of 1 lemon

Freshly ground black pepper

4 tbsp tahini

1 cup fresh parsley

2 ripe tomatoes, deseeded and diced finely

1/4 cucumber, diced

½ red onion, diced finely

Sweet paprika to garnish

In a food processor blend together chickpeas, garlic, lemon and tahini. If additional moisture is needed, add juice from chickpeas. Add parsley and blitz again until blended.
Place in serving bowl and mix in tomato, cucumber, onion and pepper. Sprinkle with paprika before serving.
Serve with vegie sticks or mountain bread/pita (crisped in the oven)

Sweet Treats

Spiced Cherries Serves 8

250ml (1 cup) water

1/4 cup caster sugar or sugar substitute

5 whole cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

800g cherries (stems still attached)

800g diet vanilla yoghurt

In a small saucepan combine water, sugar, and spices. Stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Simmer over medium heat until thickens slightly and remove.
In a shallow heatproof bowl arrange cherries. Pour hot syrup over and set aside for 1 hour.
Serve chilled with vanilla yoghurt. Use stems to dip cherries if desired.

Cranberry and Pistachio Biscotti Makes 26 slices

3 egg whites

1/3 cup castor sugar

½ cup plain flour

¼ cup wholemeal flour

80g pistachios

80g dried cranberries (Crasins)

½ tsp grated orange rind

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a 19x9cm loaf tin with greaseproof paper.
Using an electric beater, whisk egg whites until soft peaks from. Add sugar at intervals, beating well between so appears glossy and smooth.
Fold in sifted flours, pistachios, cranberries and orange rind. Mix well. Spoon into tin and smooth over top.
Bake 25-30minutes or until top is brown and firm. Remove from oven and cool in tin. Reduce oven temperature to 140°C.
Remove loaf from tin and slice with serrated knife into 5mm thick slices. Arrange slices on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and bake 15-20 minutes until just firm. Cool on tray.

Berry Trifle Serves 4

2 tbsp apple juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

500g fresh or frozen berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries)

12 sponge finger biscuits, thickly sliced crossways

2/3 cup low-fat custard

Place apple juice, vanilla and half the berries in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth.
Place biscuits in a bowl. Working quickly, pour berry mixture over biscuits and spoon this sauce until coated.
Spoon 2 tablespoons biscuit mixture into base of four x 1 cup capacity dishes. Top each with 1 tablespoon custard. Arrange 1/3 of the remaining berries over custard. Repeat layers twice. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

Fruit truffles Makes 24

1 cup pitted dates

1 cup raisins

1 cup walnut pieces

2 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tbspn margarine

1 ½ tbsp desiccated coconut

1 tsp vanilla essence

Extra coconut for coating

Place fruit, nuts, cocoa, margarine, coconut and vanilla in a food processor and process until the mixture forms sticky crumbs. Blitz mixture slowly, with caution not to over process.
Wet hands and roll the fruit mixture into 24 balls. Roll each ball in coconut and refrigerate until required.

Yoghurt, Meringue and Berry Sticks Makes 6

1 packet/4 meringue shells

400g Vanilla or berry flavoured low-fat Greek yoghurt

1 punnet of fresh berries (strawberries, rapsberries, blueberries) or 1 packet frozen berries

Assemble 6 popsicle molds with a wooded/plastic stick for each.
A total of 4 layers will be created: First make a layer of yoghurt and parfreeze until slightly set. Second layer add broken meringue pieces and parfreeze again. Third layer berries and continue freezing process. Finally complete with another layer of yoghurt.
Insert stick into each mold and freeze overnight or until completely firm.
When ready to serve, run mold under warm water to loosen stick.

Totally Wild about Sports Nutrition

Lauren James — Tue, 17 May 2011 20:57:37 +0000

Eat Smart Nutrition Consultants are famous! Dietitian Lauren Nugent has been filming segments for Totally Wild on Network Ten over the last few months presenting Sports Nutrition tips, hints and recipes.

Totally Wild on Network Ten

See Segment 3 Totally Wild EXTREME – TW19/076 TX: 22/04/2011
Reporter: Lauren
Blurb: Looking for energy right before a match. Our nutrition expert, Lauren shows you how to make an easy, energy packed Oat fruit slice

See Segment 3 Totally Wild EXTREME – TW EXTREME – TW19/080 TX: 29/04/2011
Reporter: Lauren
Blurb: Sports & Training dietician Lauren shows us how to make a Berry and Banana smoothie which helps your muscles recover after a big game

More will be filmed in air in coming months so stay tuned…..