Nutritious build-a-burger bar toppings or sides! Colourful burger bar toppings can take a burger to the next level. When entertaining a crowd, setting up a burger bar is a great option from the point of view of ease and budget. Burger patties can be braaied or grilled and are a win for most guests. For small crowds, consider making burger patties from lean mince. Add marinated chicken fillets for variety
Mmmmm…. chicken curry… As a Durbanite, it would be a shame not to embrace curry but curry, while always delicious, is not always prepared in a healthy way. One habit I hope people can maintain as a positive change, attributed to the lockdown we find ourselves in, is cooking at home more often. I hope that people have come to learn that cooking a healthy, nutritionally complete meal, does not
Butternut cooked two ways or rather roasted butternut, used two ways …. either way, I have always wanted to use this chef’s cooking term but unfortunately, these recipes are not as gourmet as the title might suggest. But they are healthy and tasty! Day 9 of lockdown and my fresh produce had become rather scanty. I had been avoiding the shops before the official lockdown so I did a normal
Are you sort of Banting? It has been some time since the Banting craze began but just a peep into the shops suggests that it is still very popular. New products appear almost weekly and many restaurants are catering for the low carb, high fat way of life, but my initial reservations remain. The persistent niggle on my mind though has more to do with the multitudes of varying interpretations
These mini snack muffins include baby marrows which might seem unusual but it is a great way to add nutrients and flavour without extra calories. Baby marrows are always a part of my grocery shop but with only two of us at home, we do not always get through the full punnet. I have seen various baby marrow (or zucchini) muffin recipes over the years and I always wanted to
Home-Toasted Muesli is a reduced sugar alternative to the store bought varieties because it lacks the honey coating that gives commonly consumed muesli its high sugar content. Swiss style muesli is a lower sugar option because it is raw and does not have this honey coating . Gently home-toasting raw, rolled oats,nuts and seeds, however, brings out a flavour lacking in a Swiss style muesli. This Home-Toasted Muesli is so
This Veggie Loaded Frittata is great for breakfast or lunch boxes and makes getting enough vegetables into the diet much easier! It can be made in advanced and kept in the fridge for 4 days. Using up odd vegetables also minimizes waste. 1 T canola oil 250 g mushrooms, sliced ½ green pepper ½ red pepper ½ medium onion, diced 1 spring onion 1 clove garlic, minced 1 cup cherry
These whole-wheat gingerbread buttons are a good example of why it is better to bake your own festive treats rather than buy commercially produced baked goods. Baking from scratch at home gives you more control and knowledge. Recipes can be adjusted in many ways to reduce sugar, fat and other nutrient empty calories. Knowing exactly what goes into your home bakes is an added bonus. Baking at homes offers the
Lunch box food safety is an important part of healthy eating as many of the healthy foods and snacks we pack are perishable. As the weather begins to warm up, lunch box food safety is definitely something to factor into lunch meal planning and preparation. For many people, packing fresh, perishable, foods is avoided due to their spoiling nature or the altered taste when eaten warm. These are however the
As brown rice is a wholegrain, it is one of the high fibre carbohydrate containing foods we should be including as part of a nutritious diet. The term ‘well balanced meal’ is no cliche but rather a simplified description of a meal that is nutritionally complete for the complex requirements of our fascinating bodies. The brain needs glucose supplied by unrefined carbs while the muscles need carbs for both fuel
A banana split, while perhaps old fashioned, and typically served as dessert can be given a healthy make-over. Bananas are often listed as one of few fruits that kids, and sometimes even adults, enjoy. Why not take a simple banana to the next level of enjoyment. Rich in nutrients, fibre and protein, a healthy banana split brekkie could surely entice breakfast skippers and lazy eaters. Bananas are rich in energy and often
Adopting a gluten free diet seems to be on trend at the moment. Gluten is found in wheat, barley, rye and oats as a storage protein. For people living with coeliac disease, the consumption of gluten causes inflammation and damage to the intestine and must therefore be strictly excluded from their diet. A truly gluten free diet is very restrictive and requires extra food preparation and extensive planning. Avoiding gluten
Savoury mince is a quick family dish and can be served in many ways… with pasta or rice, on top a jacket potato, in a pita pocket, on whole-wheat toast or rolled up in a wrap. Variety is key to reduce boredom often associated with healthy eating. Time is of the essence for many a mom, student or new bride which makes a portfolio of quick but most importantly nutritious
Banana Ice Cream! There can simply be no simpler recipe. I love bananas and I do enjoy ice cream so this is the perfect summer treat that is both nutritious and delicious … a winner combination in the mind of a dietitian! All you need is to make sure you have frozen bananas on hand. If you want to make banana ice cream for your family, perhaps sneak one banana
Just Fruity Animals … Now, i think you would be hard pressed to find a convenient healthy treat as cute as these! A great lunch box filler or after school snack, these fruity rhinos, elephants, lions, hippos and buffaloes are sure to please any kid. I just loved these when I saw them and wanted to share my opinion and nutritional analysis of them. It is important to reduce
Smoothie design is half the preparation work done. While already quick to prepare, smoothie making can be even quicker if you plan ahead. Simply design a few recipes using the Smoothie Design infographic guide below which will help you create a good balance of nutrients with sensible portion control. It is important to be careful not to create a kilojoule bomb of a smoothie if you are trying to lose
This Christmas Muesli is inspired by my love for muesli together with the knowledge that it can be a very energy dense breakfast choice if sweetened with honey or sugar. As breakfast remains important no matter the season, why not try this Christmas Muesli for a healthy but novel breakfast option in the Christmas holidays. Muesli can be deceptive in that is is made from healthy oats, dried fruit and nuts
While traditional complementary feeding (introduction to solids) is simply described as the feeding of pureed food with a spoon, Baby Led Weaning is an entirely different approach, seeing infants self-feeding from age 6 months. As Baby Led Weaning gains momentum as a more convenient option that enhances the development of fine motor skills, it is easy to see the attraction. Nutritionally speaking however, there are some differences between the two methods and with nutrition during