Posted by kathryn in Dinners

Given my one-pot meals focus I thought I’d continue the theme into this week’s Quicklinks. * Haloumi & vegetable bake: It was Sophie from Mostly Eating who directed me to this fabulous recipe potatoes and lots of vegetable baked in the oven and topped with haloumi. Which sounds absolutely lush. * Quinoa tagine: I’ve linked to it before, but I’ll link to it again, because Ricki’s quinoa tagine with chickpeas and olives is a brilliant example of one-pot cooking. …

Read more 3 comments 30 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Dinners and Vegan

This is one of my favourite, favourite one-pot meals. I’ve been making this vegetable and bean stew for years. I’ve made it for Richard and I, for dinner parties and it never fails to please. In some magic way it manages to be both warming and light, at the same time. It’s exactly the kind of food I’m loving at the moment. A perfect example of my one-pot cooking strategy. While there’s a bit of vegetable prep and a …

Read more 17 comments 29 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

Mid week meals are all about simple, low maintenance and low fuss. In summer, salads and stir fries are the perfect solution. However as we head into winter I find myself wanting something more hearty. In winter I want easy and hearty and healthy. Which can seem like a big ask. But it’s why each winter I find myself drawn to one pot cooking. Dishes where you roughly measure a series of ingredients into a casserole dish, place in …

Read more 17 comments 28 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Miscellanea

This is one for the readers living in Sydney . . . As you may know I co-run the Balance2health clinic in Gladesville. My clinic partner is Alexia Morris, pilates instructor and personal trainer extraordinaire. And we’re looking for a massage therapist or aromatherapist, to complement our clinic. We have a large, bright and light-filled room, available all day on Mondays. We’re looking for someone experienced, self-motivated, who will thrive on working independently. Obviously you must be a fully qualified, …

Read more 2 comments 27 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Salads and Soups

• Two salads to choose from: Originally I planned a link to Stonesoup’s wondrous take on tabbouleh. But then Jules posts a sublime cabbage salad. So I’ll include that as well. * Carrot recipes: I’m not the biggest fan of carrots. But I know they’re good for me, so I’m always looking for new ways to make them more interesting. Which means I like the look of Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska’s carrot and caper dish. * *Where food comes …

Read more 8 comments 23 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

Those of you in Sydney might be interested to know Michael Pollan is taking part in this year’s Writers’ Festival. Tomorrow morning he’s in conversation with Caroline Baum. While in the afternoon he’s taking part in a forum on the future of food. His fellow panellists include someone from the CSIRO’s “designed food” team and an agricultural scientist – so should be an interesting debate. Update: Michael Pollan was also on the 7.30 Report last night – you can read …

Read more No comments 23 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Blogging

h3. Can anyone tell me what a pot sticker is? I read about them all over the place. Obviously they’re a common thing. But I’ve never heard of them. And each article I read seems to feature a different food. h3. Does anyone know where to buy farro in Sydney? I’m obsessed with Helen’s best salad ever. The recipe looks glorious. I want to try it. But am having no luck buying farro. Do we call it something else …

Read more 15 comments 22 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

Over the last week I’ve been blogging about the importance of variety in your diet. Over four days I posted a list of the foods I ate, to check on the variety in my own eating. Each day I ate over 30 different foods, but you may have noticed the same ones cropping up regularly. * There were at least two occasions where I had tahini bars, quinoa and oat croquettes and fetta and olive muffins. * I had the …

Read more 5 comments 21 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Blogging

I’ve been very tardy. Two lovely bloggers have tagged me and I haven’t acknowledged their kindness. A Life (Time) of Cooking has tagged me for a Yummy Blog Award. While Confessions of a Food Nazi calls me a Blogger with Purpose. Thank you both. I’m stoked and really do appreciate it. Most Fridays I lodge a Quicklinks post. Five or six articles I’ve seen during the week – stuff that has sparked my interest. It may be a piece …

Read more 6 comments 20 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

This week I’ve been talking about eating a variety of foods. I’ve blogged about why it’s important, and I’m also in the process of listing the variety of foods I’m eating this week. Plus I’ve asked you to keep a track of how many different foods you’re eating. With fruit and vegetables we are told to aim for 2 + 5 serves a day. But there’s no magic figure for the number of different foods you should eat. No …

Read more 4 comments 16 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

During this week on food variety I’m keeping track of how many different foods I eat each day. I was originally going to post this information in the comments section. Instead I’ve decided to list it all in one separate post. I’ll add to this over the next few days. h3. Wednesday * Quinoa & oat croquettes with strawberry jam: quinoa, rolled oats, sesame seeds, sugar, strawberries * Mandarin * Soy coffee: soy milk * Lentil soup & bread: …

Read more 16 comments 15 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

As I noted yesterday, most health authorities publish lists of dietary principles to follow. In amongst the advice to lower saturated fat, eat more vegetables, choose lean protein and avoid trans fats, the principle most commonly overlooked is the exhortation to choose a variety of foods. h3. Variety of foods means variety of nutrients Variety of foods is important, because it’s the best way of ensuring you get all the nutrients you need. Lists of the healthiest foods in …

Read more 4 comments 14 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

This week on Limes & Lycopene I want to talk about one of the fundamental principles of good nutrition: eating a variety of foods_. Almost everywhere you look, health and nutrition bodies recommend variety as one of the keyen.stm dietary guidelines. So this week I’m going to be talking about why it’s important and what variety actually means. I’ll end the week with the most important part – how to increase the variety in your diet. Some simple and …

Read more 13 comments 13 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Breakfast, Vegan and Salads

• Kitchen tips: Three mini tips from Mark Bittman – foods he keeps in the kitchen, to make meal preparation easier. I’ve used parmesan rind in soups and it’s wonderful – but never thought to freeze the stuff. * Quinoa breakfast: I’ve previously linked to some of Ricki’s wonderfully imaginative quinoa recipes, now Heidi at 101 Cookbooks has posted a nutty, cinnamon breakfast quinoa. This looks glorious and a great way to start the day. * *The difficulties of …

Read more 6 comments 09 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Blogging

That’s it for Q & A Thursday for this month. As ever, thanks to all the readers who lodged questions. If you have any thoughts or comments, then join in the discussions underneath each post. Otherwise the next Q & A Thursday will be in June – on Thursday 5th. If you have any questions for then let me know by email.

Read more No comments 08 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Grains

The last question in today’s Q & A Thursday is from Antti-Juhani: bq. what is the effect of sourdough fermentation on the macronutrient content of a bread dough? Really, really, really good question . . . but one I’m not able to answer. So I’m wondering if anyone else can help? h3. What I do know about sourdoughs: # Sourdough bread is made with a starter culture, which is a blend of bacteria and yeast. This culture reacts with …

Read more 3 comments 07 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Winter

I know that most of you are headed into Spring and Summer. I read enough Northern Hemisphere blogs to know you’re excited about asparagus season and the onset of warm weather. Here in Australia though, we’re moving rapidly into winter. And . . . the cold and flu season has already kicked off. Stephanie, Patrick and Helen have all asked about beating winter illness. So I’m going to combine all the questions into one answer. Beating a cold, flu …

Read more 7 comments 08 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Miscellanea

I’m going to tread carefully here – commenting on the nutritional value of an Australian icon. Despina has asked – is vegemite healthy? The short answer is – it’s not too bad. There are better foods and there are worse foods. Vegemite is a dark brown paste made from yeast extract, that was first invented in the 1920s. For those living in the UK and New Zealand, it’s similar to marmite. Vegemite is a concentrated source of some of …

Read more 10 comments 08 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Nutrition

Continuing from Naomi’s question about iron and B12. B12 is a whole different kettle of fish. It’s a curious, complex vitamin. Instead of being one molecule, B12 is actually a group of compounds, which are structurally similar and all contain cobalt. h3. What is vitamin B12? * B12 can’t be made by either plants or animals. Instead it’s manufactured by bacteria and it ends up in our food as a result of this bacterial activity. * The bacteria in …

Read more 2 comments 08 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Nutrition

You have about 3 – 4 grams of iron in your body at any one time. Much of this is in the haemoglobin molecules in your red blood cells. A smaller amount forms part of certain enzymes, while the rest is in transit, bound to a protein called transferrin. Transferrin manoeuvres iron around your body to wherever it’s needed. Every day we lose a small amount of iron. Simple bodily functions like sweating, the shedding of skin and cells …

Read more No comments 08 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Nutrition

First up on Q & A Thursday, Naomi is asking about iron and B12: bq. I only cook red meat occasionally at home. How can I maximise the benefit of the iron and B12 in meat when I do eat it? How long does the iron etc I’d get from a meal stay in my system? The mineral iron and the vitamin B12 are both important micro-nutrients. We use them to form strong, healthy red blood cells. These cells …

Read more No comments 08 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

I had breakfast with a friend over the weekend. Amidst the discussion of books, politics and mutual friends, we also talked about his diet. He’s a smart man, knows about food, earns a good income. And yet he’s not happy with his diet. Each day starts off well. Breakfast is sugar-free natural muesli with fruit, nuts and yoghurt. He has fruit on his desk for morning snacks and eats well at lunch. However _from mid afternoon, the health value …

Read more 16 comments 07 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Miscellanea

The latest issue of Life etc magazine is now available. I have a regular recipe column in this magazine, called Ten Minute Kitchen. Three healthy recipes, using a featured ingredient, which can be prepared in ten minutes or less. The current issue is all about tomatoes. The recipes are: * Chicken with roasted tomatoes * Quick lentil and tomato soup * Beef & tangy tomato tortillas The magazine is available from newsagents, or you can download the recipes from the …

Read more 4 comments 06 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

This is a Q & A Thursday week – so if you have any questions about food, diet and nutrition then send me an email. For those of you new to Limes & Lycopene Q & A Thursday is a monthly burst of blogging, where you get to dictate the subject matter. The Q & A Thursday forum is all about simple, practical answers to food and diet dilemmas sent in by readers. If you have a question you’d …

Read more No comments 06 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

Cold days and heavy rain – feels like we’ve skipped autumn and are heading straight into winter this year. Despite this prices have come down in the last couple of weeks and there are some good bargains around. h3. Fruit: * Apples: Pink Ladies and Bonza apples are being picked at the moment, so they’re the freshest available * Avocado: Hass are coming into season this month * Bananas: good quality and super-cheap * Custard apples * Figs: going …

Read more 4 comments 01 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Breakfast and Snacks

• Grow your own: Wendy from A Wee Bit of Cooking has been growing her own micro salad leaves. A tasty, fresh and highly nutritious addition to any salad. * Indian porridge: Porridge is such a good way to start the day. Low GI, filling and guaranteed to keep you going. I was intrigued by A Life (Time) of Cooking’s Indian style porridge. Flavoured with cardamon, cinnamon, nuts and palm sugar – what a delicious combination. * *Easy, healthy …

Read more 4 comments 02 May, 2008