Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2020 i Healthy Food Guide

The start of a new school year marks an exciting time for many, but for others, it brings the dreaded question — ‘What do I put in my child’s lunch box?’. Your child eats about 2500 lunches throughout their years at school — so it’s no wonder packing lunch boxes can feel like a chore! Well, we’ve got lots of inspiration for you! Turn to page 57 for our lunch box special, full of helpful ideas and tips to build a healthy, balanced lunch. Plus, we’ve got work lunches covered, with delicious salads for every day of the week on page 48, and easy ways to save money at work on page 22. A new favourite lunch in the HFG office is a colourful snack plate of vegie sticks, hoummos,…

Healthy Food Guide (HFG) magazine is your complete guide to healthy eating. Our recipes use easy-to-find, affordable ingredients. Cook with HFG, and you’ll always enjoy a nutritious meal. We give unbiased opinions and are not affiliated with any food manufacturers. All branded food in HFG has been approved by our dietitians. Advertisers cannot influence editorial content. You can trust our advice. All our health information is supported by solid scientific evidence, not media fanfare. We smooth out any confusion caused by ‘pseudoscientists’. Dietitians review all our articles so that they’re always accurate and up-to-date. We also publish our references in the magazine and online at healthyfoodguide.com.au Every recipe in Healthy Food Guide is healthy Our recipe writers work with qualified dietitians to develop all our meals. A nutritional analysis is…

Smaller portion size  (if you eat meat most nights) Makes 1 meal 1 ‘minute’ steak or small medallion 1 small chop or cutlet 1 slice of roast meat Makes 2 meals 1 medium steak, sliced into thin strips 1 lamb shank Makes 4 meals 500g* mince 500g* beef/pork/lamb strips or diced Larger portion size  (if eating meat 3–4 times a week) Makes 1 meal 1 medium steak 1 chop Makes 2 meals 1 large steak Makes 5 meals 1 kg* roast or slow-cooked meat cut (eg, leg of lamb), or diced (eg, chuck steak) *raw weight…

Your first port of call, if you suspect you’re suffering from symptoms of a food allergy, is your doctor. They should make a first-line assessment, recommend initial tests and refer you to a specialist if needed. If you bypass your doctor and decide to go straight to a naturopath or postal allergy-diagnosis testing centre, you risk misdiagnosis — as well as missing other causes of your symptoms. Getting a wrong diagnosis may mean you’re cutting out foods you may not be reacting to, making lifestyle choices you don’t need to, and even missing treatment of a potentially life-threatening condition. For more information, visit the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy website www.allergy.org.au…

BAKED ‘WRAPCHOS’ Serves 2 Cost per serve $5.10 Time to make 25 min 2 medium wholegrain wraps 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 small onion, diced 1 garlic clove, crushed 100g lean beef mince ½ teaspoon dried oregano ½ teaspoon ground coriander ½ teaspoon paprika 1 x 400g can no-added-salt four-bean mix, rinsed, drained ½ x 400g can no-added-salt chopped tomatoes 1 small carrot, grated ½ red capsicum, diced 1 shallot, sliced 2 tablespoons light sour cream ¼ cup fresh coriander, to serve 1 large tomato, diced 1 Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. 2 Lightly spray each wrap with oil, then cut into triangles. Place triangles onto prepared tray and bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned and crispy. 3 Meanwhile, heat olive oil…

Have you noticed the ever-expanding range of vegetarian options in the supermarket? From pork-free vegan bacon (‘facon’) to faux ‘chick ’n’ schnitzels’ and tofu snags, there’s a lot on offer if you’re cutting back on meat. But with recent reports spotlighting the sky-high sodium content in some meat alternatives, are they really healthier? Let’s grill the facts on meat-free burgers. Why plant-based? BOOST YOUR HEALTH If well planned, plant-based eating patterns brim with fruit and veg, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Rich in fibre, disease-fighting antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, they keep your body working at its best. EASY ON THE WALLET Meat-free diets save you serious cash. Rump steak, for example, costs $24 per kilo — but you can pick up a can of chickpeas for less than $1.…

LETTER OF THE MONTH Thank you for teaching me how to cut down on food waste and save money on the grocery bill (Jan, 2019). My first port of call is always my own pantry and fridge. Having kept all my magazines, and my weekly HFG Meal Plans, on spreadsheets for 4–5 years, I now have enough weekly plans with corresponding shopping lists to last me the entire year. We’re two retirees, and HFG helps us stay on track with the weekly menus, delicious recipes and interesting articles. Just renewed again! Elaine Hood, VIC Long-time reader I absolutely love your magazine and have been buying them since 2009. What I love is that you cut right through all the confusing misinformation and tell us the truth. An example of this…

Nice & easy! If you consume a modest daily level of ‘flavanoids’ — which are found in fruit, veg, dark chocolate, red wine and tea — you could cut your cancer risk, an Australian study has found. And the daily target is easy: a cup of tea, one apple, an orange, 100g of blueberries and 100g of broccoli will do the trick! Nature Communications, 2019 What does 1000mg calcium look like? To help you reach your recommended daily calcium intake, eat: 1 in 3 shoppers say they never check the ingredients list on packaging in the supermarket. To help you shop healthier and smarter, turn to our Shop Easy section, beginning on page 79. Arnott’s, 2019 Smart snacking Late-night snacking may not be good for the ticker, American researchers have…

HelloFresh THE COST: From $7.49 per meal THE OFFER: You can choose from three meal plans: classic (with 10 recipes to pick from per week), vegetarian or family. HelloFresh promises recipes that are easy to follow and feature fresh, seasonal produce. To set up your subscription, you opt for three, four or five different meals per week, and choose two or four serves of each. the VERDICT HelloFresh has designed the family plan to keep mum, dad and kids happy, with friendly flavours for young palates, plus optional ingredients for those a little more daring. Dinnerly THE COST: From $6.25 per meal THE OFFER: Dinnerly has a two-person box and a family box, both of which can be vegetarian. The company gives you the choice of ordering between three-to-five meals…

Plan meals ahead Meal planning is an easy way to get more variety and more nutrients into your diet — plus it saves you precious time! Try to base your meals around different proteins. For example, include lean red meat two-to-three times a week, fish twice a week, make one or two legume-based dishes, and create egg or chicken dishes on other days. Make vegies the hero Whether as a perfectly cooked roast, or tender, juicy steaks, meat has long been the main event on the dinner table — closely followed by carbs. It’s now time to make vegies shine. Rather than thinking of vegetables and salad as a side dish, get creative with new ways to make them the star. For example, roast a large tray of colourful root…

Allergy tests True allergies cause an IgE-mediated immune reaction, so the best way to tell whether you’re suffering from an allergy is to test for an immune response to a trigger. Here are the main allergy tests that are currently on offer. SKIN PRICK TEST The established gold standard for diagnosing allergies is the skin prick test (SPT). This test is generally well tolerated and runs the least risk of creating serious side effects. Just a few drops of a liquid containing the allergen is put on the skin of your forearm or back. Then a prick is made through the liquid, so a small amount of the allergen goes under the skin. The appearance, within 15–20 minutes, of a red, itchy lump on the skin where the skin prick…

GREEK LAMB & FETA SALAD Serves 4 Cost per serve $4.70 Time to make 30 min ✔gluten free ½ cup oregano leaves Zest and juice of 1 large lemon 600g lean butterflied lamb leg Feta salad 2 baby cos lettuces, cut into wedges 1 large cucumber, halved lengthways, thinly sliced 1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves 200g baby tomato medley, halved 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil Juice of 1 lemon 1 teaspoon dried oregano 60g Greek feta, crumbled 1 Preheat a large chargrill pan over high heat. Rub the oregano, lemon zest and juice all over the lamb and season to taste. 2 Chargrill the lamb, turning occasionally, for 20 minutes for medium, or until cooked to your liking. Transfer lamb to a board, cover loosely with foil and rest for…

Several sensational celery juice claims hit the social media spotlight recently, but forget the food fads! Here are five reasons to love celery — without having to juice it. Green goddess Light ‘n’ tasty One cup of crunchy, healthy celery sticks contains just 79kJ (19cal), so it’s a top snack if you want to whittle your waistline. Healthy blood Celery is a good source of vitamin K, which is essential in blood clotting. Immunity boost A cup of celery contains about one-tenth of your daily vitamin C needs for immunity. Hydration hero At 95 per cent water, celery helps you stay hydrated — so it’s great in warmer weather! Strong bones This veg gives a surprising step-up in bone-building calcium, with 5 per cent of your daily needs in one…

Wildly Good Beetroot & Black Bean Burgers Per 125g serve: 747kJ (179cal), 10g protein, 0.2g sat fat, 26.4g carbs, 6.8g fibre, 291mg sodium Vegie Delights Lentil Patties Per 75g serve: 669kJ (160cal), 11.6g protein, 0.8g sat fat, 7.2g carbs, 6.3g fibre, 364mg sodium Linda McCartney’s Vegetarian Mozzarella ¼lb Burgers Per 98g serve: 992kJ (237cal), 17.8g protein, 1.9g sat fat, 10.1g carbs, 2.2g fibre, 424mg sodium Harvest Gourmet Incredible Burger Per 113g serve: 860kJ (206cal), 19.2g protein, 4.5g sat fat, 6.2g carbs, 5.7g fibre, 465mg sodium Bean Supreme Hemp Burgers Per 85g serve: 618kJ (148cal), 7.9g protein, 0.9g sat fat, 12.9g carbs, 6.2g fibre, 366mg sodium Quorn Burgers Per 80g serve: 563kJ (135cal), 12.8g protein, 2.8g sat fat, 8.2g carbs, 3.8g fibre, 328mg sodium…

Every letter published in our March issue wins a Biome Organic Cotton Canvas Tote Bag valued at $24.95! Reduce plastic bag waste when shopping with these large, all-organic cotton compartmentalised bags. Each bag folds out wide with six stitched pockets on the inner side for protecting items such as fresh herbs, celery and eggs, as well as holding bottles upright and apart. Visit biome.com.au. * Congratulations to Elaine Hood of Victoria — this month’s Your Say winner — who has won a Sunbeam Two-Way Blender valued at $199. Have your say at healthyfoodguide.com.au and click WIN, or send to Locked Bag 5555, St Leonards NSW 1590 Note: ‘Your say’ letters may be edited for length and content.…

Try these five dietitian-approved tips to improve the nutrition profile of your meal delivery kit: 1 You can stretch a two-person meal to feed up to three or four people by bulking it up with extra vegetables such as broccoli, carrot and baby spinach. 2 Reduce the saturated fat by using half the recommended amount of rich dressings and sauces like mayo and pesto. 3 Use half of the seasoning and sauce sachets, and avoid adding salt while cooking, to cut back on sodium. 4 Help keep the kilojoule content in check by using just 1 teaspoon of oil per person. 5 Use half the recommended pasta and rice per person, and bulk up the meal with vegetables.…

It’s hard to ignore the conflicting opinions on meat consumption that have been hitting the headlines recently. Late last year, a research review judged evidence behind recommendations to limit meat intake to be weak, saying there were very few health benefits from cutting meat intake. This advice, however, contradicts accepted dietary guidelines. On the other side of the fence, vocal vegans and animal rights activists protest that we should be all ditching meat in favour of plant foods. Let›s check out the latest science. The good news… Meat has been a regular dinner plate fixture for as long as most of us can remember. There’s a good reason: red meat is a valuable source of iron, protein and other important nutrients like zinc, vitamin B12 and omega-3 fats. Energy-boosting iron…

Hydrogen breath test The hydrogen breath test can be used in the diagnosis of a FODMAP intolerance, specifically lactose, fructose and sorbitol malabsorption. Breath testing is based on the idea that when a sugar is not well absorbed in the gut it ferments, producing a gas which can be measured. While breath tests are widely used in clinical practise, there are issues with the reliability of method and results interpretation. Hair testing While testing a snippet of your hair to see if your symptoms are caused by an allergy may seem painless, there’s no science to it. Hair tests are not recognised by any medical allergy specialists, and research does not support in any way the use of hair testing for assessing allergies. Electrodermal testing Electrodermal testing (such as the…

Monday CHICKEN KIEV Serves 4 Cost per serve $4.80 ✔diabetes friendly 30 mins 600g new potatoes, halved 4 x 150g chicken breast fillets ½ cup reduced-fat fresh ricotta ¼ cup chopped fresh herbs 1 large garlic clove, crushed ½ teaspoon lemon zest ¼ cup plain flour 1 tablespoon milk 1 egg 1½ cups fresh breadcrumbs 250g green beans, steamed, to serve 1 Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a large baking tray with baking paper and place potatoes on tray. Spray with olive oil and cook for 15 minutes. 2 Meanwhile, cut a pocket into the thick side of each chicken breast, being careful not to cut right through. Place ricotta, herbs, garlic and lemon zest into a small mixing bowl; stir until combined. Season mixture with cracked black pepper. Stuff…

School mornings are busy enough without daily dilemmas about what to put in the lunch box. So, to help make mornings a little smoother, we’ve put together a week’s worth of lunch ideas. It’s often said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but a healthy, balanced lunch box gives children ‘bounce’ for the playground and brain power for the classroom. Still, it’s true, packing lunch day after day can be a chore — especially when it comes home uneaten! Grab the kids and use this fun guide to build a nutritious lunch box together!…

BERRY ‘NICE’ CREAM WITH PISTACHIOS Serves 8 Cost per serve $0.90 Time to make 15 min + freezing ✔gluten free ✔dairy free ✔vegetarian ✔diabetes friendly 3 large bananas, chopped 350g frozen mixed berries 100ml unsweetened almond milk ¼ cup chopped pistachio kernels, to serve 1 Place banana in single layer on a baking tray or container. Cover and freeze until frozen. 2 Partially thaw frozen banana and mixed berries, then place in a blender. Process the fruit until well combined. 3 Add almond milk and process until smooth and of a sorbet-like texture, occasionally scraping down the sides of processor. This can take 3–4 minutes. 4 Spoon the ‘nice cream‘ into a 4–cup airtight container or a loaf tin. Cover and freeze. Sprinkle the ice cream with pistachio nuts and…

Spiced-up snack The new Edgell Snack Time Red Kidney Beans with Chilli & Olive Oil ($1.30 per can) is an easy way to eat more high-fibre legumes. You don’t even need to drain them! Per 70g serve: 548kJ (131cal), 4.8g protein, 8.8g carbs, 5.2g fibre, 170mg sodium That’s fresh! Keep fruit and veg fresher for longer with FreshPaper ($7.99 per 4–pack). Simply pop a sheet into your vegie crisper to extend the shelf life of fresh produce. Short n’ sweet Twisted Frozen Yoghurt Mini Cups Strawberry & Vanilla Bean ($7 per 4–pack) are the perfect treat to tame your sweet tooth, with just 437kJ (104cal) per serve. Per 85g serve: 437kJ (104cal), 2.7g protein, 1.5g sat fat, 15.4g sugars, 38mg sodium ‘Ave some avo oil! Grove Extra Virgin Avocado Oil…

TO GET MORE PROBIOTICS ... Probiotics are ‘good’ bacteria that create scientifically proven health benefits. Once inside your gut, probiotic strains can flourish, helping with digestion and producing protective substances. TO GET MORE PREBIOTICS ... Healthy bacteria feed on prebiotics — the fibrous, indigestible parts of wholegrains, fruit and vegetables. Without enough fibre, your good gut bugs just won’t survive. TO GET MORE RESISTANT STARCH ... Resistant starch is a special type of prebiotic fibre that ‘resists’ digestion in the small intestine. It is fermented in the large bowel, which produces substances that keep the gut lining healthy.…

‘You’ll feel super satisfied with this delicious menu!’Melissa Meier, Accredited Practising Dietitian MONDAY Breakfast • PB & banana toast 2 slices soy–linseed toast with 1 tbs natural peanut butter & 1 sliced banana • 1 regular skim latte (2400kJ/570cal total) Lunch • Chicken & salad roll 1 small Bakers Delight capeseed roll with 100g BBQ chicken breast, 1 cup lettuce, ½ tomato, ½ carrot & 1 slice cheese • 170g tub plain yoghurt & ½ cup raspberries (3100kJ/740cal total) Dinner • Herb-crusted pork with sweet potato & pea salad (p41) (1400kJ/340cal total) Snacks • 4 Arnott’s Vita-Weats with 2 tbs hoummos • 1 cucumber with 1 tbs tzatziki • 30g almonds (1800kJ/430cal total) Daily total: 8700kJ (2080cal) TUESDAY Breakfast • Summer chia pudding made of ¼ cup chia seeds, 1…

YOUR GUIDE TO MEAL DELIVERY KITS, p16 Gibson et al. 2019. Nutritional qualities of commercial meal kit subscription services in Australia. Nutrients. 11(11): 2679. 7 WAYS TO SAVE MONEY AT WORK, p22 Australian Government Department of Health. 2014. More than half of all Australian adults are not active enough. Available at www.health.gov.auAccessed November 2019. Australian HR Institute. 2017. So, which country spends the most money on work lunch? Available at www.hrmonline.com.auAccessed November 2019. Get Australia Standing. 2019. Australians sit almost 10 hours each day (on average). Available at www.getaustraliastanding.orgAccessed November 2019. Statista. 2019. Average price of coffee beverage cups sold at coffee bars and cafés in Australia in 2018, by type. Available at www.statista.com Accessed November 2019. HOW MUCH MEAT IS TOO MUCH? p24 Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2015. Australian…

My partner is reluctant to cut down his meat intake. Do you have any suggestions for healthy vegetarian options that are filling, high in protein and taste good? Simone W, via Facebook Q&A For protein and satisfaction, you can’t go past lentils or chickpeas, and the canned version is as good as the dried and cooked. Add flavour with herbs, spices, mustards, chilli, onion or garlic. You can then shape them into patties or rissoles, serve them with a salsa, or even hoummos, in a burger or toasted sandwich, or with a salad. Alternatively, you can try plant-based or vegan burgers like the Beyond Meat Beyond Burger plant-based patties, which Choice Magazine rated highly for taste. Or Quorn, which looks and tastes like chicken mince. A good protein target is…

Recipes contain no more than: • 1700kJ per main meal • 800kJ per dessert • 600kJ per side dish • 200kJ per 250ml fluid Recipes contain at least: • 20g protein per main meal • 5g protein per side dish or dessert Recipes contain no more than: • 10g fat per main meal • 4.5g fat per dessert • 3g fat per side dish • 3.5g fat per 250ml fluid Recipes contain at least: • 6g fibre per main meal • 3g fibre per side dish or dessert Recipes contain no more than: • 500mg sodium per main meal or dessert • 200mg sodium per side dish Recipes contain at least 250mg calcium per serve Recipes contain 4.5mg (or more) iron per serve Serves of vegies per serve ✔gluten free…