Below is a recipe from Lilly Lloyd, who has shared some wonderful nutrition information and recipes over at my instagram and facebook pages the last couple of months. She has moved on to a different path and is no longer providing nutrition consults, but here is a yummy recipe from her to say Goodbye!

Honestly, who doesn’t love a perfect eggie?! I absolutely do and they taste even better when they’re paired with this epic salad! Anything with halloumi and you’ve got me SOLD!

So, with anything we put in our mouths we should be curious of what and how it’ll feed our bodies. Ok so, the best time of year is here to eat fruit and even better stone fruit, yum! Peaches, mangoes, nectarines, cherries, so much yes! Can we take a moment of appreciation for these please, they are some delicious pieces of fruit. Peaches are too good, juicy, sweet and soft – so what are the nutritional benefits of them? They’re rich in vitamin C, potassium, fibre, antioxidants, cofactors contributing to the production of melatonin (our sleep hormone), antioxidants and so much more!

Peaches paired alongside Quinoa and Halloumi has this meal flying off the nutrient radar. 

Benefits of Quinoa & Halloumi: Unlike most plant-based foods, quinoa is a complete protein, which means it contains all of the essential amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of the proteins that make up your muscles, bones, skin, and blood. The nine classified as “essential” must be obtained from food daily — your body cannot produce or store them — and quinoa provides all nine. Halloumi is a good source of important nutrients, including protein and calcium. Its exact content of fat and calories depends on how you prepare it. 

Benefits of eggs – a nice little hit of protein, plus it’s a brilliant source of choline, a nutrient essential for brain health, fertility and digestion.

These ingredients paired with peach is just a dream in heaven when it comes to a nourishing and delicious salad. Check the recipe below, cook it for yourself or take it to a friend’s BBQ this weekend.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

– Handful Mixed Leaves, rinsed

– Coriander

– Basil

– 1/2 an Avo, sliced or cubed

– Peach, sliced

– 28g Halloumi, cubed and fried until golden

– Handful Pecans, lightly toasted

– 1/4-1/3 Cup Leftover Bone Broth Quinoa

– 2 Eggies, boiled for 8 mins

– Salt / Pepper

– 1-2 Tbsp Basil Pesto 

METHOD

1. Precook your quinoa or at least let it sit in the fridge for 2 hours for the bone broth to sink in.
2. Boil your eggs (I let my cook for 8 mins, they’re PERF). Whilst they’re cooking, assemble your salad.
3. Toss together the mixed leaves, coriander, basil, avo and peach in a bowl. Add the pesto and toss further, sit aside.
4. Pan fry your halloumi whilst your eggs are still cooking away. Once you’ve done the halloumi, in the same pan, toss the pecans lightly.
5. Toss the quinoa, halloumi and pecans through the salad.
6. Place your eggies on top once cooked and crack some salt/pep over the top!

Enjoy!

The post Peach, Halloumi & Quinoa Salad appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

Packed full of veggies, low in sugar, free from preservatives, high in fibre, protein and prebiotics and downright yum.

This meal is great for starting the day because it’s going to keep your blood sugar levels stable for a while, and keep your tummy full.

I make this for the kids a lot but it’s a regular dinner for he adults too, because it just tastes so good!

This meal works well if you are using baby led weaning, as the beans are a good size for bub to pick up with their hands, and the texture of the sauce is fun to explore. The beans and veg are all soft (check the carrot as depending how small you cut it it could still be a little firm) so it’s okay for babies to mash with their gums. If they’re learning utensils it’s not a slippery meal so fun for them to practice using a spoon. Not into BLW? This meal is fine for you to feed bub as well.

Making your own baked beans isn’t hard to do, and when you cook it in a big batch you’re setting yourself up for success. Great for any meal of the day but one of my favourite quick dinners is to reheat a batch of these baked beans, and sometimes I must serve it with some toast and some extra greens, but often it’s perfect on its own.

If you’re concerned about a bit of windiness from the beans, you can use the dry beans and soak them overnight. This breaks down the phytic acid which is often responsible for causing gas, digestive irritation and to some extent it can bind with minerals. After soaking the beans overnight you will need to rinse them thoroughly and make sure they’re cooked through well.

Baked Beans

Ingredients

• 3 cups beans soaked overnight and rinsed or 2 x 400g can beans rinsed and drained. I like butter beans, cannelloni and kidney beans.
• 2 can diced tomatoes
• 250ml stock or bone broth
• 1 onion finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves crushed/finely chopped
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 2 florets cauliflower, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 sprig rosemary (finely chopped) and/or thyme

Method

1. Sautee the onion over medium heat until it starts to soften
2. Add the zucchini, carrot, cauliflower and garlic and sautee until they are cooked through.
3. Add the herbs and spices, stir for a minute, then add the beans and tomatoes and stock. Stir through, then bring to the boil.
4. Reduce down to a simmer on low heat, cover and let it cook for 30 minutes or until it’s all at a good consistency.

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This recipe is a staple for me – whenever I see some really good looking exotic mushrooms they go into my trolley, and making Mushroom San Choy Bow is one of my favourite ways to use them. But it’s great even with regular mushrooms. After you’ve cut all the mushrooms up it’s pretty quick and easy to make, and the ratios of the ingredients can be flexible, I don’t measure precisely when making this – a splash here and there of the various sauces and balance to taste.

Mushrooms are so good for you!

Mushrooms are a very healthy food – they are good for your brain health, good for your immune system and they’re a prebiotic, so they feed your good gut bugs.

Learn more about medicinal mushrooms here – Medicinal Mushrooms Podcast

There is a lot of naturally occuring sulphur in this dish with the onions, cabbage, leek and garlic, so it’s also very good for your liver, hormonal detoxification and your skin.

Don’t want a vegetarian san choy bow? Fodmap issues? Check my options at the bottom of the recipe.

The Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 tsp ginger, finely grated
• Half leek – halved vertically and washed, then thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup shredded green cabbage
• 1 full bag paper mushrooms, or equivalent quantity of mixed mushrooms (I use mostly button mushrooms, and add shiitake, king oyster and enoki mushrooms)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp soy
• Splash fish sauce (omit if vegan)
• 1 tsp mirin
• Splash rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 lime, juiced
• Small pinch of salt
• 1/4 cauliflower, very finely chopped/shredded
• 1-2 green onions
• 1 Iceberg or cos lettuce (see step 5 – you may want to do this in advance if you’re not confident).

Method

1. Heat some olive oil in a large fry pan on medium heat and sautee the red onion until soft. Add the leek and continue to fry for a further minute.
2. Add the mushrooms and cook until soft.
3. Add the cauliflower, cabbage, ginger and salt and cook until it’s all adequately softened, then add the sauces. Balance to taste.
4. Dice up the spring onions and stir most of them through, reserving a little to garnish with.
5. Take the iceberg lettuce apart into leaves (allow some time for this a it can be fiddly, you want to avoid tearing the leaves). Wash and dry them, then assemble on a plate.
6. Put the mushroom mixture into a bowl, sprinkle with the remaining spring onions or some sesame seeds, I also like to drizzle a little sesame oil over the top.
7. Now you can eat it – take a lettuce leaf, place a couple of spoonfuls of mushroom mixture into the lettuce, wrap up the lettuce so you can hold onto it and take a bite.

Tweak it.

Add some unflavoured medicinal mushroom powder into this mix before you serve it for some extra oomph! I like to use Lion’s Mane, or a blend of Reishi, Cordyceps, Shiitake, and a few others.

Not keen on a vegetarian dinner? Use pork or beef mince to replace 1/3-3/4 of the mushrooms. Sautee the mince off after the red onion, then proceed with the rest of the steps.

If you’re fodmap sensitive this recipe may give you some gas so you may choose to swap the mushrooms for pork or beef mince, skip the red onion and use the green part of the leek and spring onions only. You can probably handle some mushrooms, but maybe not this much.

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Meatballs are such an easy food for toddlers who like to feed themselves, and you can get creative with the ingredients to give kiddo lots of variety. You can sneak veggies in them, which is good if you’ve got a fussy eater, but still handy if you’ve got a little one who doesn’t have teeth to chew up spinach.

I introduced food to both Ash and Lara with baby led weaning techniques. Ash took a few months to get the hang of eating, but Lara seemed to be a champion eater right from the start. It’s an effort to keep up with her appetite!

These meatballs are good if you’re introducing finger food to babies, they’re great for toddlers, and they’re good for adults too.

I make meatballs in big batches and freeze them, reheating a few at a time in the oven to give her for dinner or to put into her lunchbox.

You can have a few variations in the freezer so you can keep it interesting.

I made these meatballs at a time when Lara was about 8 months old, so I wasn’t adding any salt, wheat flour or egg into her food. If you had an older child or you were cooking this for an adult you could add a little salt to season it, however I found it tasted fine as is.

Also, these aren’t just for kids! They taste pretty darn good so if you’re in need of a quick dinner, use them yourself. Just make a quick tomato sauce, throw in the meatballs until they’re heated through and serve alongside some pasta, zucchini noodles, rice.

One of the tricks is to roll them small. It makes it easier for kids to handle, and it’s quicker and easier to cook. Rather than turn them over in the pan with tongs, I just give the pan a good shake every now and then, so they get cooked evenly.

Recipe

Ingredients

• Large handful pork mince (this might be about 300g)
• Small handful wombok
• 1 tbsp chopped Coriander leaves
• 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 brown onion
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• Olive oil for cooking

Method

1. Dice the onion very finely or chop in a food processor. Add this to a pan and saute gently over medium heat until softened. Scrape this into a bowl, and then add the chia seeds and a splash of water. (This helps to bind the meatballs as a replacement to egg).
2. Finely chop the wombok or shred in a food processor, then stir through the onion.
3. Add the garlic powder, sesame oil, mince and coriander to the bowl. Mix it all together well with your hands for a few minutes. The more you can work it, the better it will hold together as this breaks the proteins down. Alternatively, you can blend it in a mix master.
4. Heat some olive oil in a pan over medium heat, then roll about 1 tbsp mixture at a time and add into the pan. Cook them in batches and don’t overfill the pan.

The post Toddler friendly Pork and Wombok Meatballs appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

This salad is a classic Tuscan dish that is a great way to use up stale bread. It is refreshing in summer, and like many foods if you start with good quality ingredients like juicy tomatoes and good quality bread, it is delicious.

You could have this salad on it’s own or as a side.

Serves 2 as a main or 3-4 as a side

Ingredients

• Approx 200g (or 2 handfuls) stale bread, such as a sourdough or ciabatta
• 1 lebanese cucumber, cut into bite size chunks
• 1/2 red onion
• 1/2 tsp sumac
• Olive Oil
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 small anchovy (optional)
• 2 tsp capers
• handful fresh herbs such as basil, coriander or dill
• small handful kalamata olives, pitted and roughly cut
• large handful of baby tomatoes or 1-2 larger tomatoes, cut into bite size chunks
• large handful mixed lettuce, rocket or baby spinach leaves

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200C.
2. Thinly slice the onion and place into a bowl, then sprinkle with the salt and a few good splashes of red wine vinegar. Massage with your fingers and allow that to sit while you make the rest of the salad. Soaking the onion helps to reduce the burn from it.
3. Tear the bread into bite size chunks and sprinkle with olive oil and a little salt. Spread it on an oven tray and then place into the oven. Keep an eye on it as you make the rest of the salad, and give it a shake/stir so that it gets evenly browned. It should take about 10-15 minutes to get golden, at which point remove it from the oven.
4. Start assembling the rest of the salad into the bowl with the onion. If you choose to use the anchovy then chop it up very finely before adding to the vinegar an onion, then stir it around a bit more.
5. Add the tomatoes, olives, capers, cucumber, lettuce and herbs.
6. Sprinkle the sumac and pepper over the top, then drizzle with the olive oil. Mix it all together.
7. When the bread it golden, allow it to cool for a minute then stir through into the salad.

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Succulent patties that are rich in nutrients but tasty as heck… I have a recipe for you that offers this!

These days I create meals that can be enjoyed by adults and kids alike, and with a bit of alterations are suitable for a baby that’s just starting to eat (although by the way she is going you’d think she was a eating competition winner in a previous life). And this was a hit!

These patties were so tasty, I made larger patties for hubby and I, smaller patties for Ash and small patties of a mixture without salt for Lara (baby led weaning). Everyone loved them!

Tinned salmon is a great source of calcium and other minerals as the bones can be crushed up and eaten – you won’t even know they’re there. On top of that, it’s so easy to just open a can, smoosh it up and through it together with some other ingredients for an awesome meal. Extra bonus – it’s a very cost effective meal.

I used red salmon and tricolour quinoa but you could use pink salmon or any other colour quinoa if you’d prefer. I cooked the quinoa earlier in the day and let it rest until I was ready to make the patties. If you haven’t cooked quinoa before, I would say it’s just like cooking rice via the absorption method. You want it to be tender but not entirely mooshy. When it cooks, the germ ring becomes visible so it gets a white outline around it.

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup quinoa, cooked and then cooled
• 415g can salmon
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• Handful coriander leaves, finely chopped (you could also use dill)
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp chia seeds
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 lemon, juiced
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseeds
• Rice flour 2 tbsp
• 1/2 tsp salt

Method

1. Drain the salmon, and transfer it into a bowl and mash it with a fork to break up the bones
2. Add all the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix together
3. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes
4. Heat a fry pan over medium high heat, then add 2 tbsp olive oil
5. Scoop a small handful of the mixture out and loosely form into a ball then place in the pan. Slightly flatten with a spatula so that it forms a disc shape
6. Fry for about a minors or until it turns golden brown. Turn the patty over and cook until it turns golden brown.
7. Transfer cooked patties to a plate and cook the remaining mixture in batches, adding more oil to the pan in between as needed. After a few batches you might need to turn the heat down in the pan.

Meal ideas :

​

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Getting your children to eat well is a big concern for many parents. The struggle involves not just knowing what to feed your child, but how to get them to actually eat it. Meal time battles are a great source of stress, and it’s in response to this that paediatric nutritionist Mandy Sacher has created her book: Wholesome Child.

I’ve come across a fair few cook books aimed at children, but Wholesome Child is currently my favourite. This is not just a recipe book but an impressively thorough nutrition guide as well. It includes digestible information about the different food groups, additives and preservatives, good vs bad fats, sugar, and tips for dealing with fussy eaters. There are also lunch box ideas and meal plans. The recipes are aimed at children between 1-6 years of age, however my husband and I have enjoyed the dishes as well.

The book is structured around an 8 step guide of incremental changes that can be made to your diet, which will allow you gradually introduce healthy foods and phase out unhealthy foods. Dramatic diet changes are rarely well appreciated by young or old, and by making small steps it helps to reduce the negative responses your child may have.

Step 1: Whole Grains – Replace processed grains with whole grains and focus on variety

Step 2: Reduce Sugar – Set healthy limits and create structure

Step 3: Increase Vegetables – Get creative and persevere

Step 4: Boost Protein – Balance healthy animal proteins with vegetarian options

Step 5: Healthy Fats – Focus on good fats and avoid processed low-fat foods

Step 6: Balance Fruit – In the recommended amounts, it’s a healthy part of a child’s diet

Step 7: Rethink Dairy – Moderate milk consumption and focus on high-calcium foods

Step 8: Avoid Nasties – Eat real food that is free of preservatives, additives, artificial colours, GM ingredients and excessive sodium

With the focus on making small changes, these suggestions are ones you are likely to stick to. It also helps that the recipes genuinely taste good.

Generally the recipes are gluten free and low in dairy, and use alternatives to sugar such as maple syrup, and use coconut oil rather than butter. Most commonly they are recipes you and your children are already familiar with such as brownies, cupcakes, fish fingers and patties, but they are boosted with vegetables and other healthy ingredients such as seeds, good fats and other wholegrains.

Spread throughout the book are charts and tips which allow you to make modifications to the recipes, for instance a guide on how to bake with different flours is extremely handy if you wanted to adjust some of the baking recipes to suit what you have on hand. Initially I didn’t have the variety of ingredients Mandy suggests, so adjusted the recipes to use spelt or wheat flour where gluten free was called for, or puffed rice instead of puffed quinoa, and when carob powder is used I’ve just used extra cocoa powder. But because I really like all the recipes and plan to keep cooking them, I’ve been gradually adding to my collection of pantry staples.

My favourite sections include Mandy’s suggestions on dealing with fussy eating, her guide on additives and preservatives, and her thorough guide on sugar which includes an eye opening section on hidden sugars and suggestions on how to curb sugar cravings and swap the worst offenders for healthier, but still tasty, alternatives.

On top of all that, the book is just gorgeous. The rainbow charts, decorative details and vibrant photography make it a pleasure to read through. This is a recipe book that you can immerse yourself in, and I have done this on numerous occasions. I like to sit down with Ash and say “What would you like to make today?” So far he has picked out the veggie platter (that wasn’t a recipe but he liked the picture, pg 47), choc chia pops (pg 89), strawberry milkshake (pg 225), carrot and cinnamon muffins (pg 83) and flaxseed crackers (pg 185).

One of the big successes we had was the Mac ‘n’ Cheese, which I am excited to share the recipe with you.

Mac ‘n’ Cheese

Serves: 4
Prep: 30 min
Cook: 30 min

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Brown Rice Penne
• 1 Cup Cauliflower Florets
• 1 Cup Zucchini, Peeled And Shredded
• 1-2 Tbs Coconut Oil
• ¾ Cup Milk Of Choice
• 1 Tbs Tapioca Flour
• 1 ½ Cups Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
• 1 Tbs Chia Seeds
• Sea Salt And Pepper, To Taste
• 1 Tsp Paprika Powder

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside.
3. Place cauliflower in a food processor and process until it reaches a rice-like consistency.
4. Heat oil in a large frying pan and sauté cauliflower and zucchini for about 5 mins.
5. In a saucepan, warm ½ cup of milk.
6. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining milk and the flour until there are no lumps. Then whisk this mixture into the warm milk. Continue whisking gently until milk thickens to the consistency of heavy cream.
7. Mix cheese, chia seeds, sautéed cauliflower and zucchini into the milk-flour mixture and season with salt and pepper. For a smoother consistency you can process using a hand held blender.
8. Place the pasta in a casserole dish and pour the cheese and veggie sauce over it. Sprinkle with paprika powder and shredded cheese (optional) and bake in the oven for 30 mins until the top is golden.

Tip: For a school-friendly version, place mixture in mini muffin holders and bake for approximately 25 mins to create mini mac ‘n’ cheese muffins. If your child does not like the sight of seeds, them leave out chia seeds and use chia powder instead.

The post Review: Wholesome Child Cookbook and Nutrition Guide (plus Bonus recipe!) appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

I love a good risotto in Winter. Heck, I love risotto any time of the year. So when fellow Naturopath and gut health afficiando Allison Jones (nice name hey?) shared with me this delicious recipe for a gut friendly (dairy free, gluten free, vegan and potentially low fodmap) risotto made from nutritious buckwheat and beetroot, I just had to nab it to share with you. Tip: Wear gloves when handling the beetroot so you don’t end up with red stained hands!

Want more recipes from Allison? You can visit her page here.

A while back now, I decided to improve my plant-based cooking repertoire. Even though I like to keep my kitchen non-denominational, I like to dabble in different dietary scenes. But, as a lifelong omnivore I was guilty of being very lazy when it comes to making meals from plant foods. All that changed a few years back when I decided to improve my diet and also found a love for recipe development. In the last year I set myself a challenge to improve my plant-based cooking repertoire.

This recipe for Buckwheat Risotto put to good use all of the principles of recipe development that I’d learnt – the need to balance different flavours with a range of complementary textures to keep the palate surprised and content. I’ve now been making this recipe for almost two years, so I’ve had plenty of time to get it just right.

Buckwheat has become a featured ingredient in many of my recipes. I love using it since it’s gluten free (don’t be fooled by its name), with a unique flavour and texture, depending on how it’s cooked. It feels very nourishing and satisfying to eat. It’s also highly nutritious, with a good balance of carbohydrate, protein, minerals and antioxidant plant compounds such as rutin and quercetin.

In this recipe, I’ve paired buckwheat with other earthy ingredients: roasted beetroot, porcini mushrooms, thyme and hazelnut. If you’re not familiar with porcini mushrooms, they’re a veritable umami powerhouse – delivering plenty of that unique savoury flavour provided by the natural glutamate content.

And, because I always look after you, dear reader, I’ve provided both a pressure cooker/Instant Pot option and a stove top option. Everyone wins!

This risotto is perfect in the depths of winter, but also in the transitional seasons. You will certainly not regret making this.

Buckwheat risotto with porcini, thyme, hazelnut and roast beetroot

Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan, options for Low FODMAP

Serves 4-6

Pressure cooker/Instant Pot and stove top options (stockpot required)

Equipment: pressure cooker or stockpot, large glass heatproof bowl, baking trays, frypan (if browning the mushrooms), large measuring cup, kitchen knife, chopping board, tongs

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups buckwheat groats
• 15g dried porcini mushrooms
• 3 cups water, divided (pressure cooker option) OR 6 cups of water, divided (stovetop option)
• 1 bunch of thyme
• 1 1/2 tablespoons gluten free miso paste
• 1 1/4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for the beetroot and mushrooms
• 250g white button mushrooms, sliced in half or in thick slices (if browning on the stove) (use oyster mushrooms or canned champignon mushrooms for a low fodmap option)

To serve

• 2 large beetroot
• 100g hazelnuts

Method

The Prep

1. Pre heat the oven to 180C/350F fan forced
2. Boil 2 cups of the water and pour over the porcini mushrooms in a large glass heat proof bowl. Let sit for 20 minutes.
3. Peel and chop the beetroot in to large bite sized pieces, then spray/coat with oil and place into separate oven trays.
4. Place the beetroot and hazelnuts in the oven. Remove the hazelnuts after 5-7 minutes (keep an eye on them to avoid burning). Roast the beetroot for 30 minutes total until a knife goes through each piece.
5. Once the porcini has soaked for 20 minutes, remove them from the liquid and set aside. Transfer the porcini liquid in to a large measuring cup and add any extra water needed to make 3 cups.

Pressure cooker/Instant Pot option

6. Reserve smaller stalks of the thyme and place the rest in the pressure cooker, with the leaves still attached to the stems.
7. Add all ingredients to the pressure cooker (including the porcini liquid and soaked porcini mushrooms) except the beetroot and hazelnut. Place the sliced button mushrooms last, to sit on top of everything else. Alternatively, these can be browned on the stove in olive oil.
8. Cook at high pressure for 6 minutes and then let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes. At the 5 minute point, release remaining pressure.
9. Reduce the liquid in the risotto by selecting “saute” or “brown” on the pressure cooker. This will take between 5-8 minutes and requires occasional stirring.
10. Once the risotto is at the desired texture, remove the thyme stems with tongs, being careful to get all of them out – you’ll need to stir a few times and look carefully to remove them all.
11. Once ready to serve, plate up the dish and then place roasted beetroot, hazelnuts and mushrooms (if browned on the stove) on top of the risotto along with the leaves from the reserved thyme.

Stovetop option

6. Add all ingredients to the stockpot (including the porcini liquid and soaked porcini mushrooms) except the beetroot and hazelnut. Add the remaining 3 cups water.
7. If mushrooms are being browned on the stove, do not add them to the stockpot.
8. Reserve smaller stalks of the thyme and place the rest in the stockpot, with the leaves still attached to the stems.
9. Bring to a boil, then remove the lid and cook on high heat, stirring every few minutes. The risotto will be done in approximately 30 minutes or until soft, but slightly chewy.
10. The sliced mushrooms can be browned in some olive oil in a separate fry pan while the risotto is cooking.
11. Remove the thyme stems with tongs, being careful to get all of them out – you’ll need to stir a few times and look carefully to remove them all.
12. Once ready to serve, plate up the dish and then place roasted beetroot, hazelnuts and mushrooms (if browned on the stove) on top of the risotto along with the leaves from the reserved thyme stems.

About Allison:

Allison Jones is a Clinical Nutritionist and Naturopath in southern Sydney. She specialises in digestive health, with an interest in the gut microbiome. Allison is also a a passionate (and obsessive!) recipe developer, creating original recipes that are both nutrient dense and delicious. Find her at bodyelectricvitality.com.au

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If you struggle to get your children to eat their daily 5 serves of veggies, sometimes it can help to sneak some veggies into their meals. Why not try this recipe: Meatballs that are packed full of veggies.

A hit with kids, and adults like them too.

When it comes to serving vegetables up to toddlers, I like the approach of “hide some, show some”. This way, there is a good chance at least some vegetables will be consumed, but at the same time normalises vegetables by displaying them next to the other favourite foods. I don’t make a big song and dance about vegetables, and I also try to make sure they taste good i.e. aren’t overcooked and are well seasoned. By treating vegetables like any other food, it has helped to reduce the likelihood that Ash will realise I am emotionally invested in his eating veggies, and therefore use that against me (as toddlers are known to do). So far this has been working for me and Ash doesn’t have an aversion to vegetables. There’s a part of me that still wants to make sure I’m getting as much in as possible and I feel that I need to sneak them in to achieve this.

One of the ways I like to hide some veggies is in this variation of meatballs. It makes them a lot softer than conventional meatballs, which I think is good for young children as they can be easily broken into toddler sized mouthfuls. I then serve it in a tomato based sauce alongside some pasta, and you can add in some visible veggies such as broccoli, peas, mushroom or slices of zucchini.

If your child is exceptionally adverse to the sight of vegetables you might want to puree the vegies before mixing it in, peel the zucchini and omit the spinach.

Hidden-Veg Meatballs

Makes 3 meals worth

Ingredients

• 250g beef mince
• 1 medium carrot
• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 handful sized chunk pumpkin
• 2 handfuls baby spinach, very finely chopped
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 4 tbsp flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp salt

Method

1. Grate the carrot, pumpkin and zucchini into a bowl.
2. Add the mince, spices, flour, eggs and salt.
3. Using gloved hands, squish the ingredients altogether until it is really well combined.
4. Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat.
5. Add a splash of olive oil, then cook the meatballs in batches. Because they are quite soft you won’t be able to make perfectly shaped meatballs. I find it’s easier to use my hands to get a rough golf ball shape and then put it straight into the pan. Once one side of it is browned, turn it over using a wooden spoon or tongs, until all surfaces are browned and it is cooked through (approx 4 minutes).
6. Place the cooked meatballs onto paper towel to drain the excess oil whilst you cook the remaining batches.

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Have you bought a bunch of beetroot and thrown away the greens? Probably, most people do. It’s not an ingredient that many people would have the confidence to cook with, or even think to use it at all. But I’m here to tell you that Beet Greens are not just awesomely good for you, they also taste delicious!

When you next buy a bunch of beetroot, use the tops within the first couple of days of bringing it home, and the roots will keep for later in the week.

If you’re growing beetroots at home, you can keep taking the leaves from the plant as they grow, and they can be added to stirfrys, soups, or juices. If you’ve got a whole bunch, try this pasta recipe. It was so tasty I will definitely be making it again.

Why are beet greens so good for you?

They’re rich in nutrients, in particular magnesium, vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B2, manganese, potassium and iron. They have a lot of antioxidants in them, and they’re also an abundant source of nitrate, a nutrient which is converted to nitric oxide in the body, a chemical that helps to dilate blood vessels and lower blood pressure. Nitrate is best utilised when beets and beet leaves are consumed raw (such as in a juice) but there is still some absorption when cooked.

Smoked Trout and Beet Greens Pasta

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 small red onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 bunch beetroot greens, thoroughly washed.
• 2 tbsp shaved Parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp pine nuts
• 200g spaghetti (you could use wholegrain, spelt, rice or other varieties)
• 1 fillet of smoked trout, skin and bones removed
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 vegetable stock cube

Vegetarian alternative – use sauteed mushrooms instead of the smoked trout.

Method

1. Separate the stems from the leaves on the beetroot greens.
2. Put a large pan of water on to boil. once it hits the boil, add the spaghetti. check it occasionally to see when it’s done.
3. Heat a large frying pan to medium heat, and add the pine nuts. (Don’t use oil at this point). Keep a close eye on these, shaking the pan or stirring every now and then. Once they get nicely browned, tip them out into a bowl and reserve these for later.
4. Meanwhile, finely dice the onion and garlic. Add the olive oil to the pan, then saute the onion and garlic until soft.
5. Dice the beet stems and add to the pan. Cook, stirring for 3 minutes, then crumble in the stock cube and add a splash of water.
6. Reserve the smallest beet leaves, and thinly slice the remaining larger leaves. Add all of these and stir, adding another good splash of water. Cook for another 5 minutes or until pasta is al dente.
7. Crumble in the smoked trout fillet then scoop the spaghetti out of the water and add to the pan. If a bit of pasta water comes with it that’s great (it makes the sauce silky). Mix well.
8. Crack over some black pepper and taste for seasoning. If its too salty add a small squeeze of lemon.
9. Serve into bowls then top with the pine nuts and Parmesan.

Do you cook with beet greens? Let me know your favourite way of using them in the comments below?

The post Smoked Trout and Beet Greens Pasta appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.