Happy New Year

The end of 2012 is nearly upon us. How quickly has this year gone?
I would like to wish all my fellow safe food lovers a healthy & most enjoyable New Year.

Today I would like to share one of my favourite recipes with you- Cucumber Cups with Thai Beef Salad. Perfect to serve on New years Eve- which is what I will be doing!

Ingredients
6 Lebanese cucumbers                                            1 Tb rice bran oil
500g porterhouse or fillet beef, cut into
2cm thick slices                                                       1 small red onion, finely chopped
1/4 C mint leaves, finely chopped                            2 Tb finely chopped coriander
1 Tb sweet chilli sauce                                             1 Tb fish sauce
1 Tb lime juice                                                         1 teaspoon brown sugar
extra coriander leaves- garnish     
                      
 Method
1. Wash & trim ends from cucumbers. Cut into 2cm thick slices. Using a melon baller or teaspoon, scoop out seeds, leaving cucumber flesh 'cups'. Place on a tray.
2. Heat oil over med-high heat. Cook steak for 2 mins each side or until cooked to your liking. Transfer to a plate. Cover with foil. Repeat with remaining steaks. Stand, covered, for 10 mins before thinly slicing across the grain.
3. Combine steak, onion, mint and coriander in a large bowl. Whisk sweet chilli sauce, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar together in a jug until well combined. Pour over salad. Toss gently to combine. Spoon salad into cucumber cups.

WISHING YOU A FABULOUS 2013.

CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS

 I would like to take this opportunity to wish  all my like-minded safe food lover's and their respective families a wonderful Christmas. May it be relaxing, and full of healthy delicious food.

I have been waiting since October for these Waffle Crisps to arrive in my local Aldi store. Finally, only yesterday, I spotted them. There are only 6 ingredients- wheat flour, butter (20%), egg, salt, & raising agent.
Enjoy alone or as pictured with fresh fruit & ice cream. Delicious!
(N.B. The above picture was the only one I could find in goggle images- therefore price may not be correct!)
The Waffle Crisps are only in store around Christmas so stock up!

PRODUCT OF THE WEEK

GLOBAL ORGANICS: Organic borlotti beans. This classic Italian bean is very nutritious and can be used in salads, tossed with pasta, and is delicious in soups & casseroles. There are no GMO ingredients ( just Borlotti beans, water & sea salt). These beans are an excellent source of protein and fibre as well as being low GI. There is no added sugar, artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. ENJOY!

Food Additives & Hyperactivity in children (cont)

Further to my previous post in which I discussed the connection between coal tar dyes (i.e. 100 numbers), and hyperactivity in children ,I would like to bring the additive282 to your notice.

Calcium propionate (282) has been linked to behavioural & learning problems by numerous researchers. It has also been linked to skin irritations, headaches migraines and asthma. It may be found in supermarket breads, wraps , crumpets and other bakery products.In addition, all mainstream breadcrumb products contain this additive. So, to avoid it , either make your own breadcrumbs, or look for organic varieties. It is also found in many manufactured foods such as sausage rolls and  fish fingers. However, due to our 5% loophole in food labelling in Australia this ingredient may not be listed.
Calcium proprionate is banned in the U.K.- colicky, restless babies improve significantly when this additive is removed from the mother's diet! SPREAD THE WORD to all your friends!

Additives linked to hyperactivity in children

To do this topic justice it will warrant a number of posts.
Lets start with the artificial colours made from coal tar dyes.  A few years ago I read a mum's testimonial  in which she stated that after she avoided all of the yellow colours (i.e. 102 Tartrazine, 104 Quinoline Yellow & 110 Sunset yellow) in  her son's food she literally had a completely different child. Her son was calmer, less fidgety & well behaved!

If hyperactive children are an issue in your family try eliminating just the yellow colours first & watch for any differences. This may take a week or two or you may see some differences within a few days- depends on the child. Then, take out the reds (120 Carmines, 124 Ponceau & 129 Allura Red). Watch for any improvements.  To be continued...........

Natural Food Company potato chips

Honey Soy Chicken- Whilst walking past the television one day this week I heard part of the transcript of a commercial for the Natural Food Company's new line of potato chips. The words 'nothing artificial' sparked my curiosity! Off to the supermarket yet again! The magazine advertisement states: 'No Artificial Colours',
                                                                                                                           'No Artificial Flavours' &
                                                                                                                           'No Preservatives'.
Sounds too good to be true for such a product. The 3rd ingredient listed was sugar, the 4th was salt- not a good start. However, it gets worse- the 6th-11th ingredients are all highly likely to be either contain or are alternate forms of MSG (natural flavours, soy; vegetable extract; maltodextrin, honey powder, dextrin corn starch, vegetable powders). All designed to make you eat more & become addicted to the flavour!

These products are an excellent example of how food ( if you can call it that!) manufacturers advertise BY OMISSION. Disgraceful, & as for the statement on television saying that there is nothing artificial, well, there could be nothing further from the truth. Vote with your purchasing power- DON"T PURCHASE.
                                                                                                                          

                   

Weiss Sorbet Summer Berries

Yesterday I commenced the ice cream/ sorbet/ frozen yogurt label research! Numerous ice creams have maltodextrin ( a form of MSG) listed- no surprise there. Both the Creamy Vanilla & Rich Chocolate Simply Less ( a new Cole's brand) have maltodextrin  but at least there is real cocoa powder (3.5%)  in the Rich Chocolate. Best to avoid the vanilla flavour if your children are hyperactive as the 'natural colour' Annatto (160b) can increase such behaviour.

WEIS SORBET (Summer Berries) is a safe choice- the 4 main ingredients listed are: Strawberries (12%), Raspberries (11%), apple puree and cherry juice. Citric acid (330) and 3 vegetable gums (410,412,415) are also listed. Both 412 (Guar gum) & 415 (Xanthan gum) have no known adverse reactions. If  large amounts of 410 (Locust bean gum or carob bean gum) are consumed it may cause abdominal pain, diarrhoea or allergic reactions for some people.

PRODUCT OF THE WEEK

Morlife Dark Chocolate coated fruit & nut snacks: Compared to other chocolate snacks the Morlife brand contain significantly higher levels of antioxidants because only real fruit and premium dark chocolate is used.
You can choose from goji berries, cherries, blueberries, five berry mix, almonds and macadamias.
Of course, fresh seasonal fruit /nuts by themselves are a highly desirable breakfast/ snack/ dessert choice.

However, these products are very delicious & can be a way of indulging in dark chocolate whilst gaining additional antioxidant benefits. For example, a 10g serve of dark chocolate blueberries has the same level of antioxidants as 1 tomato, 1 kiwifruit, 1 C of watermelon, and 1 carrot combined. Enjoy!

'Natural Flavours?'

If you are free watch the Today Tonight show on Ch7. tonight (11th Dec), at 6.30pm. They will be covering a story on the 'flavours' used in ice-cream.There are more than  two thousand approved flavouring chemicals that don't have to be described on food labels because they are considered to be closely guarded trade secrets.

The fact is that most processed foods contain flavouring additives that have been made in large chemical factories.

A number of years ago when I was lecturing about Food Additives & Children's Behaviour I included a ppt slide of the chemicals which are in 'strawberry flavour'. They are too numerous to list here as there are 48, the last of which is 'solvent'!! The remaining 47 are difficult to pronounce & are certainly not ingredients our grandmother's would recognize!

The butter flavour diacetyl – used in products such as microwave popcorn has been linked to a rare and deadly respiratory disease known as Popcorn Workers Lung. Its victims include young, healthy, non-smoking flavouring industry workers who have been exposed to vapours when diacetyl is heated.

So far three workers have died, and many are awaiting lung transplants.

 

The truth about Aspartame

Originally, Aspartame ( an artificial sweetener) was only given approval to be included in dry food products- 20 mg per kilogram of body weight per day. Today some consumers are ingesting up to 150mg per day, 7 days p

Pass this link on to any of your family members or friends who you see consuming diet drinks, yogurts, lollies, jams, jellies, chewing gum etc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHD9Xqru3NY&list=PL37DD25BB1178E89D&index=3

Video clip is full of the possible consequences on your health and even that of babies in the womb. (Maybe a good idea to turn the music down & just follow the text!)

PRODUCT OF THE WEEK

The product I would like to feature this week is Coles Lemon Myrtle Tea. It may be enjoyed as a hot drink but, in my opinion, it really comes into it's own by turning it into an Iced tea.Add a few extra lemon slices & enjoy!
There are only 2 ingredients: Lemon Myrtle (60%) & Lemongrass (40%). Last year my Year 9 students enjoyed this Iced tea as part of their 'taste testing experience' of Australian Indigenous ingredients.

'Rejuvenate, refresh and renew with a natural herbal infusion.' Lemon Myrtle is reputed to act as a relaxant and is naturally caffeine free. This tea is individually sealed to maintain freshness & with a heat wave about to hit us this week in many Australian states I'm making up a jug tonight!