Eat Well

We recently had a few people over to watch a sports match on television and as part of the festivities we put togethera cheese platter. I love cheese platters and it's not just because I enjoy my cheese. For me, cheese platters are a fascinating social microscope. For our recent fromage folly we put together five cheeses. We had a Welsh red Leicester, a French camembert, a cream cheese flavoured with honey and pistachio, a Tasmanian gorgonzola-style blue vein, and a wedge of Swiss. With a scattering of water crackers and a quintet of cheese knives available, guests were able to attack the platter as they saw fit. From this point there are three levels on which I revel in the cheese platter. The first is taste, although I'll admit I don't…

Georgia Harding Georgia Harding is a naturopath with almost 20 years' experience, a mother, and a passionate health educator. After many years consulting in a busy practice, lecturing in natural medicine and sharing her knowledge on talkback radio, Georgia decided to reach out and share her passion for holistic health by developing her blog, Well Nourished. On her website, she shares fad-free health advice and intolerance/ allergy-friendly recipes to inspire people to live happy, healthy lives and create delicious food memories. Georgia says, “The intricacies of the way we eat seem to have become the big picture and a source of stress for so many people. Avoid becoming hung-up on all of those little things you ‘should’ be doing and take simple steps to improve your health and wellbeing — good health…

Capsicums are part of the nightshade family and are from the same species that produces cayenne or chilli peppers. They are native to Central America, where they have been cultivated since at least 3500 BCE. Explorers brought them to Europe in the 1200s and they spread like wildfire. Capsicums come in many colours, including green, yellow, orange and red. The green capsicum can be an immature, non-ripe version of the other colour varieties. To confuse the issue though, not all capsicum varieties start out green, and neither do green capsicum always mature into the other colours. While you can eat your capsicum at any stage of development, research has shown that the vitamin C and carotenoid content tends to increase while the capsicum is reaching its optimal ripeness. The added bonus…

1: Eat more plants Eating more plants is one of the best things you can do for your health. Evidence shows that eating a wholesome plant-based diet can reduce your risk of weight gain and chronic disease. Plant-based diets are protective against type-2 diabetes, certain cancers, cardiovascular disease and obesity. Plant-based foods including fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and wholegrains are rich in dietary fibre, healthy unsaturated fats and protective antioxidants. Fruit and vegetables are loaded with important phytochemicals such as flavonoids, carotenoids and isothiocyanates that have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions, helping to protect our cells from oxidative damage. Inflammation is said to be the root of almost all diseases. Excessive red meat and processed meat consumption can promote inflammation in the body. Raw nuts and seeds (including their pastes and oils),…

Lamb Cutlets with Apricot & Pearl Couscous Salad Recipe / Sammy Jones Take the cooking outside this Christmas and prepare the heart of this summery Christmas lunch on the barbecue. Serves: 4 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp cumin Juice 1 lemon Salt & pepper, to taste 10 lamb cutlets 1 cup pearl couscous, uncooked 2 cups vegetable stock 2 tsp olive oil 8-9 apricots, halved ¼ cup craisins 2 cups rocket ¼ cup coconut yoghurt or plain yoghurt 1. In a bowl, mix paprika, cumin, ½ lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss lamb cutlets through mix and set aside for 30 mins. 2. Prepare couscous and vegetable stock as per the couscous packet instructions, set aside and drizzle with 1 tsp of olive oil. 3. Drizzle apricots with 1 tsp of olive oil. 4. On a medium-high heat,…

Herbal teas offer more than hydration. These beneficial brews have healing properties which some find easier to swallow than supplements. Tea time is a relaxing ritual intrinsic to many cultures. Kettles are whistling around the world right now so tea lovers can wet their whistle. Frothing chai in India, refreshing mint in Morocco, rusty rooibos in Africa, green tea in China and Earl Grey in Buckingham Palace are some tasty teas being poured. According to tea master Lu Yu, “Tea tempers the spirit, harmonises the mind, dispels lassitude, relieves fatigue, awakens the thought and prevents drowsiness.” There are plentiful teas to match your many moods. Get up and go with ginseng, soothe stress with lunch lemon balm, revive with afternoon green tea and digest dinner with a minty mug. Join team tea Is…