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Brain food for toddlersBrain food for toddlers Eighty percent of our adult brain is formed by the age of three. So just at the time when our toddlers have learnt that saying “NO” causes the big people around them to act in all sorts of funny ways,...

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Omega-3's are not all equal!Omega-3's are not all equal! There’s no denying that eating fish is good for you. One of the key reasons is that it’s a great source of polyunsaturated fat – in particular the omega-3 fats called EPA and DHA. These fats...

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Finding the hidden salt in my pantry!Finding the hidden salt in my pantry! The best way to learn is to teach. I find this all the time with nutrition. Whenever I give a talk, I invariably find myself thinking ‘Oh yes. I must do that!’ Telling others is a great way to keep...

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Keep your eyes healthy with sweet cornKeep your eyes healthy with sweet corn It’s great to buy fruit and vegetables in season. Right now we’re eating heaps of sweet corn. It’s so easy to cook: three minutes per cob (husk on) in the microwave. My son and I munch ours straight...

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Can I eat mussels if I have high cholesterol?Can I eat mussels if I have high cholesterol? The short answer is yes - you can eat mussels if you have high cholesterol. Mussels are low in kilojoules, cholesterol and fat. The little fat they do have is mostly healthy unsaturated fat with plenty...

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Getting kids to eat vegetables

Posted on : 03-05-2010 | By : Cindy | In : Behaviours, Kids nutrition, Vegetables

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I don’t buy crisps and hardly ever feel like eating them but put me in front a bowl of them and I can’t help myself! It’s even worse with a glass of wine and a few friends around. The ambiance, the conversation… before I know it I’ve mindlessly gobbled up hundreds of kilojoules and a few good spoonfuls of fat. It’s all to do with proximity.

So if it works with crisps, why not vegetables? This is the question that researchers at Cornell University recently answered with a resounding YES. Move the salad bar so it’s more ‘in your face’ and the kids eat more salad. Such a simple move, and not a mention of 5-a-day, antioxidants or any other cleverly crafted health coercement (not sure if that is a word but it sounds good!)

But hold on, don’t us mums already do that at home? We innately understand proximity. We chop an extra carrot, a few extra vegetables and pop them in front of the kids to allay the pre-dinner whining. We chop up fruit and put it on the table – and it gets eaten. If we told our kids to go eat an apple or a carrot, they would hardly jump at the idea. But when it’s placed in front of them most kids gladly eat it – especially if there’s nothing else on offer. I’ve found it works with husbands too.

So before the researchers and big business spend any more millions on working out how to get kids to eat their food, perhaps they could leave work early and see how it’s done in their own home!

Hot Cross Buns recipe

Posted on : 02-04-2010 | By : Cindy | In : Celebrations, My idiot-proof recipes, Snacks

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Here’s my recipe for Hot Cross Buns. Today we had them for morning tea with freshly brewed coffee sitting on the balcony in perfect weather – not too hot, not too cold. We always invite family or friends to share them. Delicious!

1 teaspoon dried yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

325 ml warm water

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

500g (3-3.5 cups) flour  (I used a 7-grain flour from the health food shop)

1 tablespoon mixed spice

1/2 cup raisins or currants

Hot Cross Buns have more kilojoules (calories) than Easter Eggs

Posted on : 30-03-2010 | By : Cindy | In : Celebrations, Snacks

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Only a few days left before the hot cross buns disappear for another year. I know we are meant to eat them only on Good Friday but I LOVE them! The trouble is that right now I have my foot in a lumbering moon boot so the last thing my body needs is extra carbohydrate. I’m just not burning up enough energy i.e. exercising enough, to indulge in an extra 830kJ (200 calories) per hot cross bun. And that’s without any butter or margarine!

In my pantry is an opened pack of hot cross buns, mostly eaten by me, and an opened pack of marshmallow Easter eggs

Chocolate – don’t share it with your pet!

Posted on : 19-03-2010 | By : Cindy | In : Food safety, Snacks

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In the story of Winnie-the-Pooh, Pooh Bear gets stuck in Rabbit’s hole and has to lose weight so he can become unstuck. Rabbit puts up a sign which says “Don’t Feed the Bear”. At Easter, all families with a dog need a similar sign attached to their chocolate Easter Eggs: “Don’t Feed the Dog.”

Animals can die from eating chocolate. They are sensitive to theobromine – a compound similar to caffeine. Compared to humans, animals metabolise theobromine more slowly which means it stays in their body for much longer. Even a small amount of chocolate may be enough to cause vomiting, diarrhoea, seizures and even death.

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