17 April 2013 ,16:40 Saturday Links
Some links for you - recipes, writing on food and articles I've spotted recently on the Internet.
 
  • Another lovely fish recipe from Martha Rose Shulman over at the New York Times. White fleshed fish is cooked with a spicy and zesty North African sauce called Chermoula. Serve this with lemon wedges, a big green salad and a small baked potato.
     
  • I love this idea for Porridge Pancakes from Appl es Under My Bed. The pancake batter is made from rye flour, oats and chia seeds, flavoured with ground cinnamon. These pancakes are cooked and served with grilled figs and yoghurt. A delicious sounding weekend breakfast.
     
  • Interesting and thoughtful piece on paleo eating, food paranoia and fringe diets from Hunt, Gather, Love. It's quite long and one person's experience, but still worth a read.
     
  • Gorgeous post from Fuschia Dunlop on food and simplicity: "The picture...is of my lunch yesterday, at home: pao fan (‘soaked’ or soupy rice) made from leftovers of brown rice with broccoli, with added green pak choy, and some spicy fermented tofu... It was just what I felt like after a few days of rather gluttonous eating over Easter: plain, cheap, healthy and nutritious but also rather nice."
     
  • Green Kitchen Stories have made Braised Fennel with Saffron and Tomato and it looks delicious. They've added some zucchini and served it with brown rice. A lovely way to cook fennel.
     
  • These Ricotta Stuffed Figs with Orange Syrup from Where's the Beef caught my eye. Figs are in season at the moment and this is an absolutely delicious sounding dessert.
 

What have you spotted on the Internet this week?

 
16 April 2013 ,19:59 Does it matter if you eat the same breakfast every day?
If you're rushing to get ready in the morning, it can be tempting to stick with the same, no-fuss breakfast every day. However you may be doing your health a disservice. Eating a variety of foods is a fundamental part of having a good, healthy diet. To put it simply, a variety of foods means you are consuming a variety of nutrients and this is the best way to ensure you are getting everything you need.

If you are already consuming a range of different foods throughout the rest of the day, then having the same breakfast each morning is not a major problem. However if you're eating tends to be more limited, then your health will suffer.

There are some easy ways you can mix up your breakfast, without adding to the morning rush. Sprinkle fresh or frozen fruit, and different nuts and seeds over your breakfast cereal. Instead of having vegemite on toast each day, mix up your toppings. Try peanut butter, or hummous and tomato. Choose a different type of bread, or have ryvitas with cottage cheese and cucumber for a change. Mix up your foods and make your breakfast just a little bit different each day. It'll stop you from getting bored and ensure you're getting the best nutrition possible.
 
 
09 April 2013 ,11:01 Warming up with savoury porridge
Recently I've been having savoury porridge for breakfast. It's turned suddenly autumnal here in Sydney. We're having cold, wet weather and the days are getting shorter. Which means I've been looking for warming breakfasts.
 
In the past, for me, porridge has always been associated with sweet flavours. I've had it with fresh fruit, a sprinkle of nuts and some honey. I've been known to stir through jam or maple syrup, add sultanas and use the "sweet" spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice.
 
But more recently my brain and tastebuds have turned to savoury flavours and I've found that porridge is a great vehicle for leftovers. My current savoury porridge phase kicked off when we had a few spoonfuls of tomato and eggplant pasta sauce left. Not enough for a whole meal, so I stirred them through some cooking oats and served with crumbled feta on top. Success.
 
My second savoury porridge included leftover pumpkin, which had been roasted in spices until it was almost mash.
 
Then, yesterday we had some leftover zucchini-heavy ratatouile. I stirred this through my porridge, with chopped fresh parsley and then topped with a dollop of natural yoghurt and a sprinkle of nuts and seeds - for some extra protein and filling-ness. Again, it was delicious. 
 
I've also been spotting savoury porridges on the Internet. While it's called a Congee this recipe is basically porridge topped with eggs, green shallots and other flavourings. Lovely idea.
19 March 2013 ,15:28 Boosting a smoothie
Smoothies can be a healthy meal, that works as a nutritious breakfast, snack or post-exercise boost. However they can also be a nutritional disaster. One of my local juice bars sells smoothies which sound healthy but on closer inspection are super-sized cups chockablock full of kilojoules, sugar and even sodium - not such a healthy breakfast.

Making smoothies at home is the best way to ensure your smoothie is a healthy meal, as you'll know exactly how it's made. While it takes a little more effort, I'd suggest the effort is worth it.

I use a stick blender for making a smoothie, simply because it's less hassle than getting the full food processor and blender out the cupboard. Plus it's easier to wash up afterwards, especially as I make my smoothies in the same cup I drink from.
 
  • Use a low fat milk or yoghurt as the base
     
  • Use real fruit, instead of fruit juice
     
  • Try to be restrained with sweeteners like honey, use 1 – 2 teaspoons rather than tablespoons
     
  • Add a healthy boost by including some flax or chia seeds
     
  • If you want to make your smoothie more filling try blending in some rolled oats or walnuts

I've written about smoothies before and this post has some suggestions on different ingredients you can use to make healthy smoothies which taste delicious.

About our Blogger

Kathryn Elliott
 Kathryn Elliott is an Australian based nutritionist, food writer and recipe developer.

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