Five Ways to Store Groceries To Keep Them Fresh!

Australians throw away up to 20% of their bought groceries each year adding up to $8 billion worth of wastage. We over buy, incorrectly store food and overestimate our appetites. To help prevent food wastage, shop smaller or more thoughtfully by planning meals and learn how to keep food to preserve its freshness. 

I buy small amounts of vegetables and fruits that are in season and build my meals around what I have in the fridge. I regularly buy meats like chicken breast or lean mince and have on hand canned beans, frozen vegetables, tofu and cheese to add to meals. Spices, tinned tomatoes and brown rice are also great to have in the pantry for your cooking. 

I found an amazing list of 40 DIY ways to store groceries to make them last and stay fresh. I have picked out five of my favourites for you. See the complete list here. Have you got any tips to share?

1. Don't keep cheese in plastic: Contrary to what you may have learned in the past, you should never wrap cheese in plastic wrap. Wrap it in wax paper instead and then store it in a plastic bag. You should also keep your cheese in the warmest area of your refrigerator such as in the door or a vegetable bin.
2. Make herb ice cubes: You can freeze fresh herbs to make them last longer. Just cut them up and add them to an ice cube tray and cover with olive oil. Once they are frozen, you can take them out and place them in a plastic freezer bag. 
3. Add paper towel to your lettuce storage: Adding a paper towel to your lettuce before storing it will absorb the moisture that turns lettuce limp. Just add the paper towel over the lettuce in a bowl or plastic bag and it will keep moisture from causing the lettuce to wilt, making it last up to a week longer than regular storage methods.
4. Keep eggs for up to 4 weeks past their use-by-date: If you want eggs to last longer, store them inside the fridge as opposed to in the door. Eggs that are stored on a middle shelf will last up to 4 weeks past their sell by date and those stored in the door will often begin to go bad right around the sell by date. Even if you have an egg holder in the door, avoid keeping eggs there. To test your egg, pop it in a bowl of water. If it sinks it is still fresh, if it floats, it has turned bad.
5. Freeze your nuts: Nuts last much longer in cool environments as they are less likely to turn rancid. Keep in sealed containers and take out a few minutes before use.

No More New Year Resolutions AND How to Choose a Protein Powder

Welcome to 2015 my loves!

This year I am not making any resolutions. I think we make the same resolutions every year, typically to be more healthy, lose weight, stress less, exercise more, spend more time with the family, work less, quite a bad habit, etc, etc. Setting rules for myself is something I no longer want to do but for 2015 I certainly have big dreams for my own happiness. I feel blessed to have 365 (well 358 now to be exact) days to spend with my family and friends, my beloved dog Pablo, enjoying my time in my beautiful apartment, moving my body, connecting with nature and exploring the world. A genuine feeling of positivity surrounds me in embarking on the new year and I just feel excited to be given each day.

My Chihuahua 9-month old Pablo

While I have strayed from traditional resolutions, I certainly endorse setting goals for yourself and seeing the new year as a fresh start. I have enrolled in an online nutrition course with the premise to sort through the conflicting information out there on how to achieve optimal health and to get the information I need to make an educated decision on how and what to eat. I want to take a step back from intense exercise after realizing my body is not designed for such strenuous activity (a neck and shoulder injury forced this epiphany) and I am shifting the focus back to lighter movements, lots of walking and plenty of stretching. An exciting European holiday is also set for the new year and I am having endless fun planning our travels; the Amalfi Coast here we come!

What do you have planned for the New Year ahead? If shifting your diet to include more nutritious and healthy options is one, you may have considered adding a protein powder into your meals. Protein is essential to have at each meal time and especially useful at breakfast as it revs up your metabolism to burn more calories for the day. It will also rebuild your muscles if you are embarking on an exercise program in 2015 which will help you to achieve your goals in both how you feel and how you look.

My good friend asked me about a protein powder the other day and after trying endless ones myself, I thought what would be the powder I recommend?

These are my top two:

1. 100% Whey Isolate Protein Powder (I like Gold Standard): Whey is derived from a cheese by-product meaning it does contain dairy and isn't suitable for vegans. You can get this type of protein powder in many different brands but it is important to look for those labelled whey isolate as they fat and lactose (mostly sugar) is removed. There are two other types of whey proteins so you may want to do your own research. While not dairy-free, it's a type of protein usually tolerated by those sensitive to dairy but not intolerant. It does have a slightly milky taste. My tip would be to buy this product from a supplement store or online to get the best deal. These will be more expensive at pharmacies or grocery stores. Also see if you can get flavour samples before purchasing a large quantity as there is usually a lot of different flavours to choose from and you don't want to get stuck with a dud.
2. Sunwarrior Protein Powder: This is a great vegan option and is easily accessible, I can buy it from my grocery store. Again you can probably find the best deal online. This powder is made with fermented rice proteins, and is also gluten free. Some vegan proteins can taste super chalky but this one is pretty delicious although those comparing it to a whey protein may find it hard to palate. 

There are hundreds of powders out there to choose from but this would be my golden rule. Always look at the label when deciding on a protein powder and make sure it doesn't contain any more that 7-10 ingredients. Try and find a powder with more natural ingredients. If you can't pronounce all the ingredient names, put it back on the shelf. 

100% Whey Isolate Gold Standard

Vegan Sunwarrior Protein

Staying Healthy During The Silly Season

It is the time of the year to treat yourself with delicious Christmas food, spend time with your loved ones and celebrate! Celebrations are a wonderful part of life but can be a challenge for those focused on healthy eating. Challenges will lie ahead in the next few weeks with decadent buffets, indulgent desserts and sugary cocktails served at parties.

The most important thing you can do for yourself this silly season is to keep track of what you are eating and to stay active. Monitoring yourself will help to keep the December weight off and start the year off right.

I have three tips to help you to healthy over the few weeks.

    1.    Don't drink at every party!

Christmas time means booze, booze, booze not to mention New Years' Eve and summer get togethers. Use some restraint here to decide what parties you want to let loose at - and abstain (or at least limit) from alcohol at others. Try a wine spritzer, which is half sparkling water and half wine or stick to vodka and sodas. Also have a glass of water between every drink to stay hydrated. Avoid refills before you have finished your drink so you can monitor your intake.

   2.    Stay active! 

Have a swim, a run on the beach and even train on Christmas Day! Wake up and have a beautiful walk or jump in the pool to get your body moving. Any movement will do. Dance around with your friends, do lunges up the stairs or do some burpees when you wake up. Still try to stick to a work out routine but when that schedule gets interrupted you can always improvise. Great workout routines are on you tube to try, including HIIT cardio programs, yoga follow alongs and pilates routines.

   3.   Journaling 

Keeping a food diary or journal can help and keep on track of your food and exercise. It is a time to treat yourself but not at every meal time so choose where you want to lash out and stay healthy at other times. Really choose those foods you most enjoy rather than scoffing down lollies, chocolate and greasy canapés without thought. Those calories quickly add up and can derail your training program. If you plan ahead you will be better equipped to make healthy choices. Look over the past few days of your eating diary and see what worked and where you faltered. This will help you make improvements and stay on top over the holidays.

Gluten-free Low Sugar Peach, Cranberry and Coconut Cake

Spiced poached fruits, red jewelled cranberries and buttery fragrant coconut all represent the flavours of Christmas and the festive December month. My cake is made with these festive favourites combined with almonds, quinoa and eggs to make a decadent but healthy sweet treat. The eggs make this cake super moist and golden with a richness that works for the cake to be served alone or warmed with custard for an after-dinner pudding. Making the whole cake in a blender creates minimal mess and apart from the baking time of 45 minutes, it really takes little effort to make.

Gluten-free Low Sugar Peach, Cranberry and Coconut Cake

Ingredients:

• 200 grams of almond meal and quinoa mix 
• 5 organic eggs
• 450 grams of tinned peaches
• 1 cup of Natvia
• 1 teaspoon of gluten-free baking powder
• 1/2 cup of cranberries
• 1/2 cup of shredded coconut

Method:

1. Use a blender to puree the eggs and sugar until creamy.
2. Add the peaches without liquid.
3. Mix in the almond meal and baking powder until combined but don't over mix.
4. Stir in the cranberries and coconut.
5. Pour into a lined baking tin or generously cover the tin with coconut oil.
6. Sprinkle over some shredded coconut.
7. Bake for 45 minutes on a moderate heat. Check the cake is set by inserting a skewer into the middle. If it comes out clean you will know it's baked through. 
8. Let cool in the pan.

Gluten-free Vanilla Cupcakes (with Coconut Flour)

A basic sweet cupcake recipe is essential to any bakers repertoire. For those bakers who like a healthy twist on their sweets, this is the type of vanilla cupcake that you will want to make, satisfying vegan and gluten/dairy free requirements. You could also swap the honey for stevia if you wanted to create a lower sugar cake.

Vanilla Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sitfted coconut flour
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup coconut oil or butter (melted)
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine all the dry in ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well (a hand mixer works great).
4. Divide batter among 8 cupcakes.
5. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
6. Cool and then frost.

*Store in a airtight container at room temperature for a few days or in the fridge for about a week.

Vanilla Frosting:

1/2 cup low-fat cream cheese or tofu cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup stevia
1 tsp. vanilla

Chocolate Frosting:

1/2 cup butter or vegan butter, softened
1/4 cup stevia icing sugar mixture
2 Tbsp. cocoa

For both icings, whip together all ingredients with an electric mixer until smooth.

That Sugar Film - A Doco on One Man's 60-day Sugar Experiment

There is no question of the over consumption of sugar to be bad for your health. To think that type-2 diabetes (which is directly linked to poor diet) kills someone every six seconds around the world, it is no wonder that doctors are closely examining what we eat.

Move over saturated fat as sugar is now demonized as the old dreaded 'fats' once were. Books on eliminating sugar from your diet have repeatedly hit the best sellers' list in the past 18 months.

It's not just confectionary items that give you a sugar overload. With 80% of processed foods containing sugar including many perceived 'healthy' foods, some people are unwittingly consuming much more of the sweet stuff than they may realize. Cereals, yoghurt, muesli bars and sauces are all culprits for loading up your sugar dose, quite often those labelled 'low-fat' or '97% fat-free'.

With a onslaught of 'healthy eating' practices bombarding the public it is no wonder we are confused. Paleo eaters boast the benefits of eating meat, giving up sugar entails bumping up your fat intake and new research tells us meat shouldn't be eaten regularly for good health. Each piece often seems to contradict one another and after sugar got beaten around in the media, health experts started to tell us not to quit sugar as your body needs it for clean fuel. You can't blame the public for throwing in the towel.

Personally quitting sugar has worked for me. I lost weight easily and realized how much sugar I had unknowingly been eating with my breakfast cereals, love for honey toast, sugary yoghurt snacks and afterwork cocktails. I never thought to think about what it was doing to my body until I stopped eating it and gained much more energy, mood stability and maintain a weight 6 - 7 kilos lighter than when I ate more sugar.

Australian TV actor and filmmaker Damon Gameau set about to do the reverse of my lifestyle change and revert back to eating sugar in a seemingly 'healthy way' for 60 days. His journey is documented in 'That Sugar Film' where Damon completely changes his health in a mere few months. The shocking results on his mental and physical wellbeing were staggering. Within a few weeks he had the beginning of fatty liver disease, he felt on edge and was terribly tired. Damon had gained 10cm of visceral fat around his waist and was informed he was on the fast-track to obesity.

“I had no soft drink, chocolate, ice cream or confectionery,” Damon told Australian program 'Sunrise'. “All the sugars that I was eating were found in perceived healthy foods, so low-fat yoghurts and muesli bars and cereals and fruit juices, sports drinks ... these kind of things that often parents would give their kids thinking they’re doing the right thing.”

A typical breakfast for Damon would have low-fat yoghurt, cereal and apple juice containing 20 teaspoons of sugar (where 4 grams of sugar relates to one teaspoon of sugar). He believes many people don't realize they are consuming so much sugar and that labeling in ambiguous and misleading.


SOME OF OUR WORST SUGAR OFFENDERS ... according to Damon

• Raisin toast (4 teaspoons per slice)
• 250ml popular liquid breakfast drink (4 teaspoons)
• 250ml bottle of multi-vitamin juice (6 teaspoons)
• Iced tea (8 teaspoons)
• Powerade (8 teaspoons of sugar)
• 400ml apple juice (10 teaspoons)
• A serve of low fat yoghurt (11 teaspoons)
• A low-fat strawberry standard size smoothie (18 teaspoons)

I am looking forward to seeing this documentary when it is released in March 2015.

ricotta pikelets with figs and honey

ricotta pikelets with figs and honey 

This recipe is super simple, fresh and healthy. Ricotta is a yummy low-fat soft cheese that is mild in flavour and creates light and fluffy pikelets. To me, combining cinnamon and honey at breakfast time is one of life's little pleasures and this always makes my morning a little more special. Treat your guests to a home-cooked pikelet feast or make this treat just for yourself.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup wholemeal spelt flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, plus extra, to serve
• 2 eggs
• 100g extra light ricotta, plus extra to serve
• 3/4 cup buttermilk or almond milk
• 2 tbls honey
• spray oil, for cooking
• 6 figs, quartered, to serve
• honey, for drizzling, to serve

Method:

1. Sift flour, baking powder and cinnamon together into a large bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and ricotta together until smooth. Whisk in milk and honey, then combine with dry ingredients. 
3. Heat a heavy based non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Lightly grease the pan using the spray oil. Add ¼ cup of batter and cook until golden brown on the underside, 1-2 minutes. Turn over and cook until just cooked through. Repeat with remaining batter.
4. Stack up piklets on serving plates. Top with a spoonful of ricotta, a sprinkle of cinnamon, a generous pile of figs and finish with a drizzle of honey.