Rebroadcast: Dancing through Sunday food specialist Bec Thexton joins me for a Q&A Part II

Bec Thexton the creator of Dancing Through Sunday for a pretty awesome part 2 episode of answering questions to the biggest food challenges.  

Q: Dave Toomey: I like bread…too much. Sandwichs for lunch everyday…for years. What can I replace it with for lunch etc

• If you wanted to avoid bread you could use lettuce leaves, collard greens or other similar vegetables as the ‘bread” replacement. Think San Choy Bao! Some recipes in show notes.

• You could make salads from the same ingredients you have in the sandwiches on top of some spinach? E.g avocado, tuna, lettuce and tomato or a chicken salad?

• Buy rye/buckwheat/spelt wraps from the health food shops/supermarkets and use those instead of bread – lighter, generally less carbs and more options however DO READ LABELS.

Q: Brent Danis: Is the food produced in the states as bad as they show in Food Inc? Is “organic” a myth?

• Brent, I hope not. Currently Unites states require producers to obtain special certification in order to market food as organic

• The certification and requirements are in place however the labelling of ‘organic products’ has 4 levels of interpretation.

• 1)‘100%’ Organic: This means that all ingredients are produced organically. It also may have the seal of approval from the health boards.

2)‘Organic’: At least 95% or more of the ingredients are organic.

3)’Made With Organic Ingredients’: Contains at least 70% organic ingredients.

4)‘Less Than 70. Organic Ingredients’: Three of the organic ingredients must be listed under the ingredient section of the label. To be certified organic, products must be grown and manufactured in a manner that adheres to standards set by the country they are sold in. *off internet because its legislation.

Q: Nida Kazmi challenge: How to satisfy all 6 senses in quick meals –

• Play with flavor (herbs and spices), colour (I try to ‘eat a rainbow!’), texture so have some creamy ricotta cheese, fresh cucumber, aromatic smoked salmon, crunchy seedy crackers and a gooey drizzle of balsamic glaze topped with some fresh dill, for example! And garnish/season! The sixth sense.. maybe ask Heston and he can play an iPod whilst you eat! Haha, no. I love being mentally satisfied and happy after a meal knowing I ate a delicious and healthy meal so to satisfy that, take the time to put the effort into what your eating.

• If you focus on flavor combinations, nutrition, colour, texture and garnish you’ll always get a good meal!

Q: How to eat for your body type i.e. some people can be vegetarian and be ok, others bodies actually need meat otherwise they look sickly etc

• This knowledge comes from listening to your body. Listen listen listen!

• Take the time to be present and aware when you eat and then take the time to see how your body is reacting afterwards. You’re probably not feeling sluggish and ‘tired’ if you’re sleeping 8 hours a night – it might be that white pasta cabonara you had for lunch or the fact that you haven’t had any iron rich foods for 4 days.

• You may have slight cramping or bloating after eating dairy so be mindful of that. I learned that with uncooked chick peas they make me super bloated and I have a mild allergic reaction to large amounts of raw red onion! (a lot of people do actually – so odd!) all by listening to what my body tells me after I eat.

• It will tell you – trust me! I CRAVE broccoli, greens, legumes, peanuts, avocado and dark chocolate!

Q: Mary Sullivan Preston: Getting the veggies from my CSA box cooked before they go bad. Simple recipes and easy recipes.

• Play a game called ‘clearing the fridge” and chuck the veggies in a frittata, pasta bake, roast them or boil them down to a delicious soup.

All of these things can be frozen, saved for the next week or taken to work for lunch. This does require some good quality tuppaware but nothing beats the feeling of knowing you have a delicious stew or soup in the freezer at home for those nights you ‘cbf’. Will have some

• Use the tomatoes to make a passata sauce then freeze for next time

• When cooking recipes, you can replace similar vegetables. If the recipe

• I don’t waste a thing. I even use all the broccoli stalks. We grate them to make spaghetti!

calls for carrot, you can use a zucchini. If it calls for potato, use that sweet potato! Most of my recipes on my blog can have the vegetables subbed in and out depending on what you feel like!

and put them in whatever we are cooking. I also toast the pumpkin seeds out of my pumpkin!

Q: Suzie Eisfelder: As someone with allergies and intolerances I’d like to know how to cook without onion, garlic or anything in that family. It’s a real challenge to know what I can put in to replace that flavour. Also, how do we talk to the restaurants when we go out? What do they need to know to be able to make food we can eat?

• Fennel has a liquorice-like taste but onion-like texture. Try it with chicken or fish.

• Celery is among the most common aromatics.

• Capsicums are often used in Cajun cooking. Green peppers and celery are a good base for rice dishes or savoury stews.

• Herbs and Spices for Onion and Garlic-Free Cooking: Garlic chives, an herb with a garlicky flavour, are an obvious substitute, but be careful if you’re managing a true food allergy: chives are in the allium family. Ask your allergist before eating them. If only one person in family has allergy these can be added fresh on top of a meal for those who aren’t.

• Cumin’s distinctive taste that may work well in some recipes, especially where garlic is used raw. I love cumin on everything!

• Horseradish, freshly grated, can add some of the pungent notes you might otherwise lack.

• Ginger has a distinctive flavours but may be useful in stir-fries as aromatics.

Anne Green – fasting diets (i.e. the 5:2 diet and the alternate day fasting diet) blog chicks facebook page

• From what I have researched of it the trend I see if the end goal of weight loss. I am not a fan of diets as I don’t believe restricting yourself for 2 days a week for the rest of your life is sustainable. I believe being healthy is more than a number. To me it is a mindset, lifestyle, balanced real diet and being comfortable. I would focus on that however whatever works for you that achieve all of the above is what you should focus on!

Resources:

Bread Alternatives:

‘Life changing bread’ to supplement the bread in your diet:

http://www.mynewroots.org/site/2013/02/the-life-changing-loaf-of-bread/

And a cracker recipe!

http://www.mynewroots.org/site/2014/07/the-life-changing-crackers/

Collard Greens Wraps 

http://dailyburn.com/life/recipes/raw-collard-greens-wrap-recipe/

Quick and healthy salad ideas:

Roast Cauliflower and Farro Salad:

http://www.dancingthroughsunday.com.au/my-blog/2014/08/roast-cauliflower-and-farro-salad.html

Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad:

http://www.loveandlemons.com/2014/09/15/butternut-squash-quinoa-salad-w-tart-cherries/

Crispy Kale and Lentil Salad:

http://www.dancingthroughsunday.com.au/my-blog/2014/01/whats-for-dinner-3.html

Autumn Roast Veggie Salad:

http://www.dancingthroughsunday.com.au/my-blog/2014/03/roasted-autumn-quinoa-salad.html

Zucchini and Grilled corn salad

http://www.loveandlemons.com/2014/07/30/zucchini-grilled-corn-salad/

Superfood meal ideas:

Rainbow Veggie Bowl

http://www.dancingthroughsunday.com.au/my-blog/2014/09/rainbow-veggie-bowl.html

Quinoa Stuffed Capsicums:

http://www.dancingthroughsunday.com.au/my-blog/2014/07/quinoa-stuffed-capsicums.html

Sunflower Seed Wrap

http://www.trialandeater.com/sunflower-wrap/

Stacked Salmon Salad:

http://www.azestybite.com/stacked-salmon-salad/

Collard Greens Wraps

http://dailyburn.com/life/recipes/raw-collard-greens-wrap-recipe/

Quick but healthier dinner options:

Sweet Potato Rosti w/ fried egg

http://www.dancingthroughsunday.com.au/my-blog/2014/09/sweet-potato-rostis-w-fried-egg-and-greens.html

Spicy Sweet Potato Tostadas:

http://www.loveandlemons.com/2014/08/25/spicy-sweet-potato-tostadas/

Wholegrain Spaghetti with creamy Avocado Sauce:

http://www.dancingthroughsunday.com.au/my-blog/2014/03/creamy-avocado-basil-wholegrain-pasta.html

Red Lentil and Spinach curry

http://naturallyella.com/2014/10/01/quick-red-lentil-and-spinach-curry/

Lentil Bolognaise:

http://www.dancingthroughsunday.com.au/my-blog/2014/07/lentil-bolognese-.html

Paleo Nasi Goreng:

http://thewholedaily.com.au/food/paleo-nasi-goreng/

Quinoa Fried Rice w/ egg pancake

http://thewholedaily.com.au/food/quinoa-fried-rice-egg-pancake-gluten-grain-free-fried-rice/

ANYTHING on this site: http://thewholedaily.com.au/food/

Simple weeknight dinners: http://cookieandkate.com/2014/14-simple-weeknight-dinners/#comment-219163

Sweets:

Vegan Carrot Cake Cupcakes

http://www.dancingthroughsunday.com.au/my-blog/2014/07/carrot-cake-
cupcakes.html