Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2024 i Healthy Food Guide

The Conversation, Enzo Palombo - Professor of Microbiology, Swinburne University of Technology This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. A condition dubbed fried rice syndrome has caused some panic online after the case of a 20-year-old who died in 2008 was resurfaced on TikTok. Fried rice syndrome refers to food poisoning from a bacterium called Bacillus cereus, which becomes a risk when cooked food is left at room temperature for too long. The 20-year-old college student died after reportedly eating spaghetti that he cooked, left out of the fridge, and then reheated and ate five days later. Although death is rare, B. cereus can cause gastrointestinal illness if food isn’t stored properly. Here’s what to know and how to protect yourself. WHAT IS FRIED RICE…

Summer fruit is so great right now, we're using it any way we can – so why not try it in a salad? And make the return to school or work smooth and seamless with tempting portable lunches and low-fuss dinners. Too easy! To make life easier, we’ve done the healthy eating hard yards for you! Every main meal contains at least two serves of vegies. Each dish meets our dietitians’ criteria to ensure it doesn’t contain too much energy, saturated fat, sugar or sodium. Recipes all come with a nutritional analysis, with the table on page 94 showing how they fit daily nutritional needs. Our food writers work with qualified dietitians to develop these recipes for maximum health benefits. For more about our recipe badges, see p99. ✓gluten free…

Chicken, mango & mandarin salad with pita crisps Serves 4 Time to make 15 mins ✓dairy free 400g can black beans, drained, rinsed1 small red onion, sliced1 small red capsicum, diced1 bunch fresh coriander, leaves and stems finely chopped, plus leaves for garnishing½ bunch fresh mint, leaves picked and finely sliced¼ cup lime juice1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil300g cooked, shredded chicken1 large mango, sliced2 mandarins, peeled and segmented120g baby spinach and/or rocket leaves4 wholemeal pita breads, toasted then roughly broken 1 In a large mixing bowl, combine the black beans, onion, capsicum, coriander and mint. Add lime juice and extra-virgin olive oil. Stir through to evenly coat. 2 When ready to serve the salad, gently stir the chicken, mango, mandarin segments and spinach/rocket leaves through. Garnish with remaining coriander leaves…

Mixed berry muffins $AVER Serves 12 Prep 15 mins Cook 20 mins ✓diabetes friendly ✓vegetarian 1¼ cups self-raising flour1½ cups unprocessed bran¼ teaspoon salt½ teaspoon cinnamon½ cup sugar1 cup mixed berries, frozen or fresh2 small bananas, mashed¾ cup reduced-fat milk¼ teaspoon baking soda1 egg1 teaspoon vanilla essence2 tablespoons reduced-fat spread, meltedExtra fresh berries and dusting of icing sugar (optional) 1 Preheat oven to 190°C. Lightly oil a 12-hole muffin tin, or line with paper cases. 2 Into a large mixing bowl, sift flour and add bran, salt, cinnamon, sugar, berries and mashed banana. 3 In a separate bowl or large jug, combine the milk, baking soda, egg, vanilla and melted spread. Add to the other ingredients. Mix until just combined. 4 Spoon batter into muffin tins. Bake for 18-20 minutes…

PER SERVE 1830kJ/436calProtein 12gTotal fat 24gSat fat 7gCarbs 40g Sugars 6gFibre 12gSodium 380mgCalcium 200mgIron 2mg Your individual daily nutrition intake will vary depending on age, gender, height, weight and your level of physical activity. We use 8700kJ (2100cal) as the recommended average daily energy intake because this is the figure prescribed by the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. While tracking numbers is one way to healthy eating, focus on the quality of the foods you eat, too. Enjoying a wide variety of whole foods will make it easier to meet your daily nutrition needs, as well as balance energy intake. Use our recommended daily nutrition intake as a guide only. For personalised advice, visit dietitiansaustralia.org.au or dietitians.org.nz/ to locate an accredited practising dietitian near you. SODIUM If you have…

A new brainstem function which controls the pace and quantity of eating was recently discovered by US scientists. It relies on signals from both mouth and gut. The breakthrough challenges long-standing ideas about the role of taste in regards to eating. It suggests that brain cells controlling the process are activated by signals from the mouth rather than the gut. The unexpected revelation indicates a dual response of the brain to taste, with one part encouraging more eating and another regulating speed to avoid overconsumption. The discovery could lead to a better understanding of how weight-loss drugs work and new avenues for weight loss. Nature…

Attitude is everything! If your negative thoughts around exercise are stopping you from taking part – it's time to re-train that brain! WHY DO YOU Exercise? A recent UK survey showed that 40 per cent of respondents exercised to lose weight, 24 per cent to build muscle and 22 per cent to improve fitness. All admirable and entirely valid motivations. But the results also suggest that we see exercise as a means to an end, rather than something that can simply be enjoyed for what it is – a pastime that has the power to lift our mood, boost our energy, raise our self-esteem and generally help us feel better. The World Health Organization recommends we aim for at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week, ideally a…

Falafel kebabs with pita chips, hummus & fruit Serves 3 Prep 10 mins Cook 10 mins ✓vegetarian ✓dairy free 225g ready-made falafels2 x wholemeal Lebanese flatbread rounds400g no-added-salt chickpeas, drained and rinsed1 teaspoon sumac2 teaspoon tahini1 tablespoon lemon juice1 clove garlic12 cherry tomatoes1 Lebanese cucumber, thinly sliced½ green oakleaf lettuce1 red apple, cut into thin wedges125g blueberries, washed 1 Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Line a large tray with baking paper and place falafels, and pita bread onto a tray. Spray pita bread with oil and sprinkle with sumac. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until pita is crisp and falafels are heated through. 2 To make the hummus, in a food processor, place chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic and ¼ cup of water. Blitz until smooth and set aside. 3…

Herb-crumbed chicken with asparagus, potato & egg salad Serves 1 Time to make 40 mins ✓dairy free 2 eggs1 spring onion, finely sliced¼ cup wholegrain breadcrumbs¼ teaspoon smoked paprika¼ teaspoon ground white pepper½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley150g boneless skinless chicken thigh, cut into 3 pieces3 small new potatoes5 spears asparagus, halved, woody ends removed2 teaspoons white wine vinegar or lemon juice1 teaspoon olive oil1 teaspoon capers, chopped1 cup rocketBlack pepper 1 In a small saucepan, cover 1 egg with water, bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 7 minutes. Cool, peel and dice roughly. 2 Preheat oven to 200ºC. Line an oven tray with baking paper. In a bowl, combine spring onion, breadcrumbs, paprika, pepper and parsley. Spread mixture out on a plate.…

It's hard to go past dried shitake mushrooms for giving dishes a distinctive umami flavour boost! These versatile fungi delicacies have long been a staple of Asian cooking and can be used in soups, risotto, pasta and stir-fries for their wonderful meaty texture and rich, earthy notes. Shitake mushrooms are also a good source of vitamins and minerals, in particular copper and B5, important for making red blood cells and supporting healthy bones, skin and hair. You can pick up dried shitake mushrooms at supermarkets and Asian grocery stores. To prepare them, simply soak in boiling water, cover and leave for several hours to rehydrate.…

Raise your lunch game by swapping your bread and fillings for more nutritious options, switching juice for fresh fruit and adding some wholesome snacks. + GRAIN BREAD White bread made from refined flour has a high glycaemic index (GI) which spikes your blood sugar levels and can result in a mid-afternoon energy-slump. Swap: white sourdough bread for fibre and nutrient-rich grainy or brown bread. + CHICKEN Processed meats such as ham are high in sodium which can increase blood pressure, and excess consumption has been linked to some types of cancer. Swap: ham for chicken breast or tuna to reduce the sodium and increase the amount of protein in your meal. + FRESH FRUIT While both juice and whole fruit contain essential nutrients, the juicing process removes much of the…

If you have a balanced diet and regular exercise routine but still find it hard to maintain a healthy weight or feel a persistent lack of energy, your food choices might not be the sole culprit. Genetics and lifestyle factors can interfere with normal hormone function which may, in turn, also get in the way of your healthy weight goals. What are hormones? Put simply, hormones are chemical messengers. They are how our cells communicate with each other across the body. Our bodies make lots of different hormones, each with its own job. Some of them help control everyday things like lifting our mood or boosting metabolism, while others bring about significant life changes, like starting puberty or menopause. What role do hormones play in weight management? Weight management involves…

Herby tart with summer tomatoes $AVER Serves 6 Prep 15 mins Cook 30 mins ✓vegetarian 1 sheet of reduced-fat short pastry1 clove garlic1 cup tightly packed mixed fresh herbs (basil, chives, parsley and oregano all work well), plus extra basil or parsley to garnish250g cottage cheese2 eggs1 tablespoon grated parmesan400g cherry tomatoes, bigger ones halved (we used multicoloured tomatoes) Side salad 100g mesclun salad leaves½ red onion, thinly sliced1 Lebanese cucumber, halved lengthways, thinly sliced1 tablespoon balsamic vinaigrette (1 part olive oil to 1 part balsamic vinegar)1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds, toasted 1 Preheat oven to 180°C. Spray a 20cm quiche or tart tin with oil, or line an oven tray with baking paper. 2 On a floured surface, roll pastry out slightly thinner to line tin. Gently press into place…

If you're not serving straight away, place prepared rolls between damp paper towels. MONDAY Vietnamese fresh spring rolls with peanut sauce Serves 4 ✓dairy free Peanut dipping sauce ½ cup peanut butter1 teaspoon crushed garlic1 teaspoon crushed ginger1 tablespoon reduced-salt soy sauce1 tablespoon brown sugar1 lime, juice Spring rolls 16 rice paper wrappers100g rice or bean vermicelli, cooked1 cup each cos lettuce leaves, shredded red cabbage, julienned carrot, mung bean sprouts1 cup mixed fresh coriander and mint1 large avocado, sliced24 cooked prawns, peeled and tails removed 1 In a mixing bowl, whisk all dipping sauce ingredients to combine. Add boiling water a little at a time to thin. 2 In a medium bowl, combine vegetables and herbs. 3 Fill a shallow dish with cold water. Dip a rice paper wrapper…