Christmas Infused Waters

Posted on 22/12/2020 by Cathie Lowe

Infused waters can be a refreshing way to drink water when you’ve had enough water. Those people in hot weather know exactly what I mean. Infused waters have minimal sugar so are an alternative drink for people with diabetes. This photo is an example of some Christmas colour infused drinks.

Cucumber slices, mint leaves and sliced chilli – this was quite refreshing.
Cherry, lemon slices and mint – my favourite for colour and taste.
Peach slices, lemon slices and ginger – not a strong flavour, so next time I’ll be adding more ginger and peach.

There are plenty of websites with recipes and suggestions for infused waters. I’d love to hear any favourite recipes that you have.

Wishing you all a happy and healthy festive season and a fantastic 2021. Cathie

Festive Mexican Rice Salad

Posted on 24/12/2019 by Cathie Lowe

I have been experimenting with this salad as it has Christmas colours, has mexican flavours and a great source of fibres.

If you use the cooked brown rice from the supermarket and start grilling your corn while layering the rest of the ingredients, this salad can be finished in 15 minutes. Put with grilled salmon (and chilli sauce) and you have a very quick easy meal.

Ingredients

2 cups cooked brown rice (buy prepared packet)

1/2 tspn ground cumin

400g can drained kidney beans

30g baby spinach leaves

1/2 diced red or green capsicum

200g punnet of cherry or other small tomatoes – halve the tomatoes

1/2 Spanish onion, sliced

2 cobs of corn

1 avocado

1 tbsp. lite sour cream

chilli powder to taste

cayenne powder to taste

handful fresh parsley

1/2 lemon juiced

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Method

Heat a non stick pan and start grilling corn cobs (takes about 10 minutes), turn every few minutes.

In a salad bowl, layer the brown rice and sprinkle cumin over top, then kidney beans, spinach leaves, diced capscium, tomatoes and onion.

Mix lemon juice and olive oil and sprinkle over the salad.

Once the corn has been grilled, slice the corn from the cob and sprinkle over the salad.

Slice half the avocado and layer on top.

Mash the other half avocado with lite sour cream, chilli and cayenne pepper and place on top of the salad and sprinkle with parsley.

Serves 6

Nutritional Information

Per serve Energy 1340kJ, Protein 10g, Fat 11.8g, Carbohydrate 37.3g Fibre 11g

It’s National Nutrition Week – Try for 5 Challenge

Posted on 12/10/2015 by Cathie Lowe

Happy Monday Everyone,

It’s feeling like summer in Queensland which is when I start looking for salads. Which is one way of boosting vegetables if you aren’t getting your 5 vegetables a day. Have a look at the link below for recipe ideas for vegetables.

The Asparagus Crumbed with Parmesan on Bocconcini Salad is a different way to eat asparagus which is in season now. The Rice Paper Rolls are a great way to boost vegetables and these could be used at a party with the dipping sauce for a different snack. Continuing on with the Asian influence the Asian Salad with Snow Peas and Cashews is a refreshing crunchy salad.

http://pickrightfeelbright.com/nutrition-recipes

And finally a link to a website to help get ideas for how to encourage children to eat more vegetables….

http://www.nutritionaustralia.org/national/resource/vegetable-snacks-kids

Hope you take on the 5 Vegetable a Day challenge this week.

Regards Cathie.

Lamb Shank and Vegetables

Posted on 18/06/2010 by Cathie Lowe

Lamb Shank and Vegetable Recipe

Nice hot filling meal for cold winter weather – enjoy. Serve with steamed vegetables such as pumpkin, broccoli, beans and peas.
Serves 2

2 lamb shanks
440g can salt reduced tomato soup
440g no added salt canned tomatoes
1 clove garlic, crushed or finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, halved and finely sliced
3 celery sticks, finely sliced
2 tspn dried basil
pepper to taste

In a slow cooker or large casserole dish, place all the ingredients. If slow cooking, place in cooker and follow instructions. If baking in the casserole dish, bake in the oven at medium heat for 1 ½ to 2 hours until lamb is tender and ready to fall from the bone.
Nutrition Analysis:
Energy 2000kJ, protein 53g, fat 17g, carbohydrate 28g, fibre 9g, sodium 630mg.

Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup Recipe

Posted on 01/05/2010 by Cathie Lowe

Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup

Spray oil or 2 tspn olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped finely
2 cm chunk of ginger, peeled and chopped finely
1 medium onion, diced
500g sweet potato, peeled and roughly chopped
2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
4 cups of water
¼ tspn ground nutmeg
ground pepper to taste

Spray or coat a saucepan with oil and add chopped onion, garlic and ginger. Cook until soft.
Add all other ingredients and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 20 – 30 minutes.
Blend until smooth.
Serve with a swirl of low fat natural yoghurt.
Serves 4.

Nutrition information – per serve – 490kJ, 3g protein, 2g fat, 21g carbohydrate, 4g fibre

Glycaemic Index of Sweet Potato Has Changed

Glycaemic index is a measure to see how slow or quick a food is digested and ends up as blood sugar. The lower GI foods are used on a day-to-day basis for people with diabetes to help keep blood sugars stable.

Sweet potato when tested in research laboratories overseas came back with low GI (slow release) values. Research in Australia indicates that the sweet potato available here has GI levels between 61 to 77, which is moderate GI. To look up the values go to the Australian data base at www.glycemicindex.com

The values vary depending on the variety, different skin types and flesh colours. This is the same with nutrients. Beta carotene is high in sweet potato with orange coloured flesh and Vitamin C levels are higher in other varieties.