Pumpkin & chickpea curry

Warm up without bulking up. In winter we often give ourselves permission to overeat for comfort & warmth. However you don't need to admit defeat to the dreaded winter weight gain. Bulk up meals with vegetables and legumes like lentils & beans. They take your digestive system a long time to break down, leaving you feeling all warm and satisfied! 

This very healthy curry is low in fat, high in filling fibre thanks to the split peas and packs a punch of flavour from the herbs & spices that will help fight off colds & flus. Add more chilli if you like a kick. 

Pumpkin & Chickpea Curry

 Makes: 4 servings - Prep time: 15 mins - Cooking time: 30 mins

• Ingredients:
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
•  1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 x 3cm piece ginger, finely grated
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 cup pumpkin diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• ½ bunch celery
• 2 zucchinis, diced
• 400g chopped tomatoes
• 1 ½ teaspoons garam masala
• 3 cups cooked chickpeas (2 x 400g tins)
• 2 x handfuls baby spinach leaves
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Curry leaves to serve

 METHOD

1.     Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat and sauté onion, garlic, ginger, chilli powder, cumin, coriander and turmeric for about 3 minutes.

2.     Add carrots, pumpkin & chickpeas and stir until combined with the spice mix. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and ½ cup water.

3.     Cover and simmer for 10 minutes and then add zucchini & celery. Cook for a further 10 minutes.

4.     Stir in garam masala, spinach and lemon juice.

5.     Garnish with curry leaves to serve.

Common Nutrition Concerns of Runners

At our Body Fusion clinics we are increasingly seeing more and more runners in relation to their nutrition. 

In Lane Cove we have just established a relationship with North Shore Fitness and Outdoor Training. You can read more about them here: www.nsrunningfitness.com.au/

It doesn’t matter if its elite training program, an upcoming personal goal such as a half marathon or an integral part of weekly routine/fitness - our runners are struggling to manage their nutrition around their training and performance.

WHEN and WHAT to eat? Well yes, it’s quite the dilemma. Lucky you’ve got some passionate dietitians at your disposal.

Here are some of the most common issues we observe...

The wrong fuel mix:

Our macronutrients carbohydrate, protein, fat and alcohol provide energy via metabolism. For middle to long distance running our premium petrol is going to be carbohydrate, particularly the longer we run.

Our guidelines suggest 45-65% of energy to come carbohydrates for the general population. However, these percentages obviously need to change for each runner based on training frequency, intensity and duration.

Fact Carbohydrate containing foods aren’t simply breads, pasta and potatoes! Carbohydrate can also be found in many other food sources such as yoghurt, legumes and lentils and fruit.

What we often find with our runners is that they are not tapering their carbohydrate properly around training or the quality needs improvement. Some carbohydrate sources are going to be more sustaining for training or performance. Others will conveniently take you on a quick up and down rollercoaster ride and then leave you panting by the roadside in an exhausted heap.

Incorrect timing of meals

To eat or not eat before you run? GOOD QUESTION. And that’s going to often be different from individual to individual. Not all one Nike shoe fits all.

I have also done a lot of work with runners who are incorporating fats at the wrong time of their training. There is nothing worse than trudging along with a stitch or heavy stomach!

Runners Gut

Do you suffer from stomach cramps, nausea or diarrhoea during running or races? Studies suggest 30-50% of endurance athletes experience such complaints due to physiological, mechanical or nutritional origin. Symptoms will vary based on the environmental conditions, event distance and fitness level of participant.

It’s happened to many of us, and its not exactly convenient. It’s not always just due to stress either. Helping our runners manage this kind of problem nutritionally means they’re running in the right direction, not just towards the nearest bathroom (Winning!).

Inadequate Hydration

With 1-2% loss of body weight though primarily through sweat loss there is a direct correlation to performance deficit. 

Dehydration is important to manage as a part of your training and race plan and this includes not only prior and during your run but also after the exercise is completed. Yes – rehydration with water first before a celebratory drink!

Our dietitians would love to help you keep running into the sunset. Coming into the cooler months we are starting to hit fun run and marathon season. Give us a call!

Contact Us

Get in touch with our Dietitians Ashleigh or Aimee at Body Fusion

5 minute healthy banana pancakes

Pancakes can be healthy when made & served with the right ingredients! 

Why these pancakes are healthy: 

• They contain oats instead of white flour meaning they are rich in soluble fibre, which keeps your bowels regular & reduces cholesterol reabsorption in the large intestine. 
• High in protein from the eggs, milk and yoghurt to keep you full and aids in muscle repair/regeneration
• They don't contain any refined sugar or flour like regular pancake mixes that can spike your blood sugar levels.  

5 minute healthy banana pancakes

Makes: 4 medium sized pancakes (serves 2)

Prep time: 5 mins - Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• ½ cup rolled oats
• 1 medium, ripe banana
•  2 eggs
•  ½ cup milk

To serve:  Natural/greek yoghurt or ricotta cheese, berries, crushed nuts & cinnamon

What to do:

1  In a small food processor blend together pancake ingredients.

2  Heat a large frying pan with 2 tsp coconut oil or grapeseed oil and divide batter into 4 even pancakes. Cook until small bubbles form on one side, then flip and cook for another minute.

3  Serve onto two plate with ½ cup yoghurt + 1 cup berries & sprinkling of nuts and cinnamon on each. 

Top Tips for a Healthier Easter

It's that time of year again. The supermarkets are stocked with mountains of golden alluring bunnies, the easter hat parade was a great success and the you've had a Mexican stand off with that hot cross bun sitting on the middle of the staff table for about the last 2 hours.

Here are some tips from our expert dietitian's to help your healthy behaviours around Easter:

1. Don’t fight your cravings:

Studies have proven that if you go out of your way to deny your cravings there is a good chance you will overindulge. There is no point being in denial, it is Easter! Accept that you will be having a small amount of chocolate or an occasional hot cross bun and that is OK. 

2. Choose quality over quantity (less is more!):

Your food experience should be one of pure pleasure. Smell, observe, hear and taste your chocolate. Is there a scent of vanilla? Does it sound crunchy when you bite into it? Do you notice the taste and flavour vanish after you swallow?

Why are you popping mediocre Easter chocolate into your mouth if you could be slowly and mindfully enjoying a small Lindt bunny? So not worth it!

Make sure you are paying attention whilst you are eating! Gobbling down easter eggs mindlessly isn’t satisfactory, especially if you can’t remember it. 

Too much chocolate on a regular bases can be detrimental to health as it is high in saturated fat and energy. For example a 200g Lindt bunny = 1086 calories, where are the average adult would need about 1500-2000 calories/day to maintain their body weight.

3. Out of sight, out of mind: 

Be honest with yourself: If it’s in your house you are going to eat it. Try to minimise how much you bring home from work or give to family members as a gift. After all, “Sharing is caring". Some of our clients find it useful to freeze their chocolate so they are not tempted to eat it or to put it completely out of sight.

4. Don’t skip meals: 

Only chocolate for breakfast or any other meal is a horrible idea. Chocolate is high GI as it contains much simple processed sugar and spikes your insulin. This does not fill you up for long, which could result in many other consequent binges later on. Remember to eat 5 small healthily spaced meals (this includes small snacks morning and afternoon) with plenty of grains, fruit, vegetables, lean proteins and healthy omega-3 fats throughout the day. 

5. Find healthy alternatives to celebrate Easter: 

We need to remember what Easter is about. 100% it has religious connotations but for most people religious or not it also symbolises family. For my example my friend Steph is Greek and she explained their Christmas involves all attending late night mass, having a homemade 12am feast in the kitchen with family and cracking eggs against eachothers heads! (Sounds fun to me). You can check Steph out on instagram @steph.zervos, she's a sprinter training for the Commonwealth Games and an awesome PT.

Just remember:

• You don’t have to eat 20 bunnies to feel closer to your family or friends
• A healthy BBQ, dinner out or another non food based activity with friends or family to celebrate can be just as special

Here are some other healthy ideas

• Painting eggs with children.
• Making healthy food into easter bunnies and chicks, get the kids involved here. The more hands on, the better! (See below photos)
• Making healthy chocolate alternatives: Check Kat's previous blog out for a yummy example: http://bodyfusion.com.au/blog/2016/3/21/choc-almond-easte
• Home made hot cross buns made with wholemeal, rye or spelt flour. We love Teresa Cutter's recipe. Check her out!
• Choosing dark chocolate varieties of chocolate, higher in cacao which in small amounts does has positive links to reducing blood pressure and preventing cancer due to polyphenol conten

6.    Adapt a positive attitude: The world isn’t going to ever run out of chocolate

Why do we need to go crazy in one weekend? Reality is, you can still eat chocolate as a part of a healthy diet! Daily in fact. If you do indulge, well tomorrow is another day. Let it go! Get back on the horse or of course check in with a Dietitian if you need some support and direction.

Happy Easter everyone! Enjoy. 

Ash and Kat :)

Choc almond easter eggs

One of our favourite things to do is create healthier, more nutrient rich versions of our favourite treats. These little eggs are packed full of heart and brain boosting omega 3 healthy fats,  fibre, potassium and have less than 3g of sugar per serve! 

Makes:  24 balls

Prep time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

•    ½ cup almond butter

•    1 cup blanched almonds

•    1 cup walnuts

•    2 tbls chia seeds

•    2 tbls milk

•    1 tbls maple syrup

•    2 tsp vanilla extract

•    1/3 cup cacao powder

•    ½ cup shredded coconut

•    1 tsp cinnamon

•    ½ tsp nutmeg

What to do: 

•    Place chia seeds and milk in a small bowl. Stir to combine & set aside.

•    In a food processor, process almonds, walnuts and 1/4 cup coconut until finely chopped.

•    Transfer to a large bowl and add cacao, cinnamon and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.

•    Add almond spread, maple syrup and chia mixture. Stir to combine, adding an extra 2 teaspoons of water to bind mixture, if required.

•    Place leftover coconut in a shallow dish/plate. Scoop 1 tablespoon of mixture, press and roll to form a ball, the coat in coconut. Place on a large lined baking tray.

•    Repeat with remaining mixture and coconut. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

TIP: Remove from fridge 10 minutes before serving.

You can use any nuts you like! Hazelnuts, pistachios & macadamia’s all work well. 

Caramelised onion & pumpkin pizza

Makes: 1 large pizza (serves 2 people)  

Prep time: 20 mins

Cooking time: 1 hr 15 mins  

Cooking at home is one of the best ways of eating healthier. Takeaways, fast food & restaurant meals are usually much higher in fat, sugar & salt, not to mention we normally end up eating a significant amount more than if we had made it ourselves at home. With this in mind, Australian Healthy Weight Week encourages you to roll up your sleeves and getting into your kitchen. 

I wanted to share a special dish that I really enjoy making on the weekends. It's turns a regular pizza recipe completely on its head and is by no means traditional. That is the fun of it though! All of the brightly coloured vegetables make getting to your five serves per day much easier and the recipe can be adapted for those with gluten or lactose intolerances. 

Ingredients:

Base

•    500g butternut pumpkin

•    1.5 cups buckwheat flour

•    0.5 cup oat or quinoa flour

•    3 tbls extra virgin olive oil

•    2/3 cup low fat milk (substitute for lactose free if required) 

•    Dried turmeric

•    Curry powder

•    Salt

Hummous

·      1 can cooked chickpeas

·      1 tbls tahini

·      1 tbls salt reduced soy sauce

·      Juice of ½ lemon

·      1 clove garlic, crushed

Topping

1 punnet grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

4 red onions

2 red capsicums

100g rocket

What to do:

1  Preheat oven to 200°C and line a large flat baking tray with baking paper.

2  Place capsicums & tomatoes of a lined baking tray and slow roast for 45 minutes.

3  Boil kettle, steam pumpkin until soft, drain & puree with hand blender. Set aside to cool slightly.

4  Slice red onions into rings, place in a medium fry with 2 tsp olive oil & cook for 10- 15 minutes  caramelized.  

5  Combine 1 cup of pumpkin puree and all other base ingredients into a large bowl, season with salt & pepper.

6  Spread evenly onto the flat baking tray so that base is approx. 3cm thick. Bake at 180 degrees for 20 minutes.

7  Meanwhile, combine all hummous ingredients into a small food processor and blend until well combined. Gradually add 1/2 cup water until it reaches a smooth & creamy consistency.

8  Once base has firmed and is golden around the outside, remove and place aside to cool slightly.

9  Remove the capsicum & cherry tomatoes from the oven and dice capsicum into bite size pieces.

10           Spread base with a generous amount of hummous, top with rocket, oven roasted vegetables & onions. 

Roast cauliflower, pomegranate & quinoa salad

Serves 6-8 serves

*Gluten free, Low Gi & Vegetarian. 

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa (raw)

1 cauliflower head, chopped into florets

150g rocket leaves

1 pomegranate, seeded

1/3 cup pine nuts

Dressing

¼ cup natural yoghurt

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt & Pepper 

Method

1)    Preheat oven to 180°C and place cauliflower florets onto lined baking tray. Drizzle 2 tsp olive oil over the florets and place into the oven. Roast for 30 minutes until soft.  

2)    Meanwhile, rinse quinoa, place into a medium saucepan. Add 2 cups water and bring to boil. Immediately reduce to a simmer.

3)    When all water has almost gone, take quinoa off the heat and let it steam in saucepan with lid on (3mins). Then take it off the heat & let quinoa cool.

4)    Heat a small frying pan over medium heat, add pine nuts and toast for 2 minutes until golden brown.

5)    Scatter rocket leaves & quinoa over a large serving dish. Add cauliflower florets, toasted nuts & pomegranate seeds.

6)    Finally, mix together dressing ingredients and drizzle over the top immediately before service.

Ways to use this healthy salad:

Eat as a side with a palm size piece of grilled lean meat, chicken or salmon/fish

For vegetarians add some chickpeas or lentils to add protein

Quinoa can be replaced with pearl barley or wholemeal couscous & pinenuts can be substituted for walnuts. 

How to have a healthy Australia Day BBQ

The great Australian BBQ is something unique to our culture. Unlike the love Aussie’s have for the great outdoors & backyard cricket, some our eating behaviours aren’t quite as endearing for our bodies. Stacks of sausage sandwiches with tomato sauce, plate size T-bone steaks, potato salads & coleslaws laden in creamy dressing topped off with pavlova, beers and wine are some of the mistakes made at our Australia Day events.  Read on to see how you & your family can stay healthier at BBQs:

Don’t burn the meat!!

When meat is burnt or charred it develops substances called heterocyclic amines. They are produced in foods that are cooked at high temperatures when blackened or charred and have been linked to causing cancer. Turn down the heat and marinate your meat instead. This protects foods from charring and reduces potential cancer causing agents formed in the meat. It also infuses flavour and tenderises.

Go for the good stuff

Processed meats like bacon, pastrami, salami, hot dogs and some types of sausages have been classed as carcinogens, strongly linked to bowel cancers, Australia’s second highest cancer killer! Replace cheap sausages, cabanossi sticks and hot dogs with homemade extra lean mince chicken, turkey or beef burger patties and smaller cuts of lean steaks like fillets, porterhouse or cutlets. Better yet throw some shrimp (that’s prawns) and fish on the BBQ instead. Fish has been thought to reduce bowel, prostate and breast cancer.

Quality over quantity

Keep your portion sizes of lean red meat to the size of your palm. A 65g cooked portion of red meat is equivalent to one serving according the Australian Dietary Guidelines, roughly 100g raw. That means 1 small steak, 2 cutlets or 2 small lean sausages or 1 - 2 meat skewers. You are looking to balance out the rest of your plate, so that is has ¼ lean meat (not half), ¼ low GI carbohydrates and half vegetables with a drizzling of healthy fat containing dressing like olive oil, lemon juice and herbs.

Practical tip: Use your own palm as your meat measure. 

Be alcohol wise

Alcohol is a very energy dense molecule, containing the second highest number of kilojoules than fat. A six pack of a regular lager (6 x 375mls) contains approx. 3780kJ/ 900kCal which is one third of a males entire daily energy needs! Cider and sweet pre-mixed drinks or cocktails are equally as potent because they have the alcohol plus sugars added.

If you choose to drink then opt for a shot of a clear spirit with a soda water/ diet mixer instead of beer & cider. If you’re a wine drinker then slow yourself down by finishing one glass at a time then chase it with a non alcoholic drink like some sugar free fruit flavoured mineral water.  

Serve up salads with dressing on the side

Try and include three different coloured vegetables into your salads. Eating a variety of colours increases the amounts & types of antioxidants and phytonutrients. These help the body to protect against cancer causing cells and fight inflammation. Then replace creamy mayonnaise based dressings with low fat yoghurt, mustard and lemon juice or try balsamic vinaigrette. Try our festive quinoa, cauliflower and pomegranate salad recipe. 

We are very lucky to live in a beautiful country that provides us with some outstanding food produce and opportunities to be active.  Enjoy what being Australian means to you this year!

Stay happy and healthy!

Katrina

Body Fusion 

Tips for a healthy, guilt free Christmas

We are constantly surrounded by food during the Christmas and holiday period, with busy schedules and late nights it can be hard to feel healthy enough to enjoy all of the festivities. Here at Body Fusion we believe in a balanced approach to life, this includes the party season. Hence we have a few recommendations that’ll help you enjoy yourself without blowing out or feeling too restricted.

Never arrive too hungry

Arriving at a function ready to eat an entire Christmas ham is never a good idea. Always eat a balanced breakfast with low GI carbs like sweet potato, grainy bread or oats with eggs, yoghurt and either vegetables or a little fruit. Eat regularly throughout your day, have a light fibre rich meal or snack before you go like some snowpea & cucumber sticks with hummous or 1 scoop plain greek yoghurt with 1 piece of fruit so you arrive level headed and not devour your days worth of kilojoules from the cheese and chip platter.

 Choose what you LOVE, not what you like.

Big festive meals are a joyous event however this doesn’t have to equate to a big festive weight gain. Instead of saying ‘no’ all the time only choose the item or couple of items you truly LOVE and forgo the ones you only ‘like’. For example I love pavlova, but I only just like potato salad. So I will choose to eat a piece of pavlova after dinner but swap the creamy potato salad for baked vegetables and salad. Changing the way you think will reduce the amount of guilt associated with food decisions and allows you to enjoy your meal because you are eating the foods you love!

Eat just a little less

Once you have chosen your ‘LOVE’ food/s consider your portion sizes. If you are trying to lose weight or simply maintain then eat whatever you like just in a smaller portion. This will keep your total kilojoule (energy) total in check and prevent a binge. Try having half a piece of fruitcake with fresh fruit instead of a big slab with trifle as well.

Be alcohol wise

It is a time of celebration and in Australia that often means free flowing bubbles and beers. Remember moderation! If you choose to drink then opt for a shot of a clear spirit with a soda water/ diet mixer instead of beer & cider. If you’re a wine drinker then slow yourself down by finishing one glass at a time then chase it with a non alcoholic drink (like the fruit flavoured sparkling waters).  Always aim for at least 2 alcohol free days per week.

Make sleep a priority.

There is no replacement for a good nights sleep, it will reset your appetite hormones, helps stabilise stress levels and reenergise the body. Make a conscious effort to get at least 7-8 hours sleep per night, limiting blue light from mobile phones and computers at least half an hour before bed.

 Keep moving

This is especially important if you are taking a break from your normal exercise routine. Replace your workouts with outdoor activities like walking, bike riding, swimming (especially at the beach), maybe even trying some water sports like surfing or paddle boarding. Exercise is particularly important for keeping your metabolism working efficiently and improving insulin sensitivity. 

 Remember that a few extra treats over a couple of days can be tolerated by the body but don’t let it those habits carry into the New Year. Remember, one fruit mince pie over 4 weeks can add up to an extra 1kg of weight, that’s not something many want to start a new year with.

Wishing everyone a very safe, happy and healthy Christmas and New Year!

Katrina :) 

Zucchini & Lentil Fritters

Zucchini & Lentil Fritters

We were inundated with requests for our recipe for these fritters after posting them on Instagram one morning. These fritters are wonderful because of their versatility, they can be made ahead of time and used for breakfast, lunch, dinner or even an afternoon snack. They are high in fibre, low in fat & packed with protein from the lentils, cottage cheese and eggs. Due to the dark green broccoli florets and zucchinis they are also rich in vitamin C (for fighting off disease) and vitamin K (helps clot your blood & protect bone health). We love these guys and hope you will too! 

Makes: 12 fritters  

Prep time: 20 mins

Cooking time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

•    1 broccoli head, florets chopped very finely

•    400g tin brown lentils, drained & rinsed

•    3 medium zucchinis, grated & squeezed to remove excess water

•    2 eggs, whisked

•    ¼ cup quinoa/besan or wholemeal flour

•    ½ tsp baking powder

•    1/3 cup low fat cottage cheese

•    1 bunch fresh mint, finely chopped

•    Salt & Pepper

What to do:

1  Preheat oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

2  Boil kettle, steam broccoli florets for 3 minutes until soft, drain and tip into large mixing bowl.

3  Mash together broccoli then add lentils, zucchini, eggs, flour, cheese and mint. Stir well to combine.

4  Season with a little salt & pepper

5  Form mixture into 12 even sized patties and place onto baking tray.

6  Bake for 25 -30 minutes until golden brown on the top.

Alternative cooking method:

1.    Heat frying pan on medium and add 1-2 tsp olive oil.

2.    Pan fry fritters in batches for 5 minutes either side.

3.    Pat dry with paper towel to remove excess oil before serving.

Serving suggestions:

- 3 fritters on a bed of baby spinach & dollop of natural/greek yoghurt or low fat cottage cheese