Redefining Eggs

Eggs for protein

Eating eggs 2-3 times a week is a great way to enjoy lean healthy protein.

resize Fritatta in pan

Protein is made up of amino acids which are the building blocks of our bodies with hormones, skin, blood cells and muscles all relying on a regular supply of amino acids. Including lean proteins in each meal is a great way to keep you feeling fuller for longer helping to prevent that afternoon snacking usually on sugary or high fat foods.  Ideally as part of your lean protein intake the recommended amount of protein is 1-3 serves a day.

1 serve of protein is :

(100g raw) or 65g cooked lean red meats such as beef, lamb, veal, pork, goat or kangaroo

(100g raw) 80g cooked lean poultry such as chicken or turkey

(115g raw) 100g cooked fish fillet or one small 95g can of tuna or salmon in spring water or sardines

2 large (120g) eggs

1 cup (150g) cooked or canned legumes/beans such as lentils, chick peas or split peas (preferably with no added salt or sugar)

170g firm or silken tofu

30g (10 only almonds), sunflower or pumpkin seeds, natural peanut or almond butter or tahini or other nut or seed paste (no added salt sugar or fat)* (limit these to only once a day)

 Tips on choosing fresh eggs

When buying eggs, do your best to buy free range or organic, always check the carton making sure that all eggs are in tact.

Store the eggs in the fridge and to check if an egg is fresh, place it into a bowl of water, if it sinks its fresh, if it floats then it needs to be discarded, if it is in between, then eat within a couple of days.

When in doubt always crack an egg into another container before adding it into your other ingredients or into the pan.

 Bringing flavour into your egg dishes

Use fresh or dry herbs – fresh is better for flavouring eggs, best fresh herbs to use are chives, parsley, basil, dill, coriander.  Shallots, although not so much a herb, go great with eggs.

Rsz Dom hands veg

 

Dry herbs you can use, cumin, coriander, paprika, oregano, thyme.

You can also add mustards and serve the eggs accompanied with a fresh or store bought tomato salsa – check the sugar and salt content and opt for the lower content.

For a richer egg mix instead of milk you can use, ¼ cup yoghurt, sour cream or cream.

Instead of Parmesan you can also use 100g of grated good quality cheddar, cottage cheese, quark, ricotta or feta.

 

Bread plus …… for Breakfast

The Grain family includes oats, wheat, bread, pasta, whole-wheat biscuits, rice, barley, corn,polenta, buckwheat, spelt, millet, sorghum, triticale, rye, quinoa and semolina.breadrolls 1 rsz

Bread is a great source of carbohydrate giving you energy and it is best eaten for breakfast and lunch. The best breads to choose are wholemeal, wholegrain, rye, pita, lavosh, crisp breads, English muffin, crumpet, rice cakes, seeded breads, sprouted breads, sour dough, organic whole grain breads. Always read the label of ingredients and buy the bread with all natural ingredients.

The recommended amount is 4-6 serves a day.

1 serve is:
1 slice (40g) bread
½ medium (40g) roll or flat bread
3 (35g) crisp breads
1 (60g) crumpet
1 small (35g) English muffin or scone

The nutrients provided by whole grain breads and natural grains include carbohydrates/starch which gets converted to energy, protein, fibre and a wide range of vitamins and minerals which can reduce the risk of developing certain diseases including coronary heart disease, diabetes and can also assist in the maintenance of the digestive system preventing colon cancer.

High fibre foods, such as wholegrain breads and cereals, can also be an effective part of any weight loss program as they take longer to digest and create a feeling of fullness, which discourages overeating.

Bread with ricotta_cherry tomatoes rsz

Spinach, tomato and herb ricotta toasts
Serves 2
Prep time 10 minutes
Cooking time: 3 minutes

Ingredients:
200g cherry tomatoes
2 tsps. virgin olive oil
2 tsps. balsamic vinegar
Cracked pepper and salt
½ cup ricotta cheese ( from the deli)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Cracked pepper and salt
1 tsp. lemon zest
4 sliced of whole grain bread
2 cups spinach leaves

Recipe Steps:

  1. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half and toss with the olive oil, balsamic and salt and pepper.
  2. In a bowl smash the ricotta with the chopped herbs and the lemon zest.
  3. Toast the bread and spread on the ricotta cheese, top with the spinach and then the tomatoes. Serve.

Bread plus – other ideas

  • Cinnamon: Honey (1 tablespoon) and good sprinkle of cinnamon with ricotta Substitute the tomatoes and the spinach with 1 sliced apple or 1 sliced pear, fresh or grilled giving ½ a piece of fruit per person.
  • Bananas: Spray a hot non-stick frypan with oil and cook 1 sliced banana for 1 minute until golden, set aside, cook 6 trimmed rashes of bacon and whisk 1 egg with ¼ cup of milk. Dip 2 pieces of bread into the mix until coated with egg mixture and cook the bread in the same pan for 1 minute on each side until golden and serve with the banana and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup – serves 2.
  • Berries: ½ cup of berries – fresh or frozen cooked with 1 tablespoon of maple syrup
    Avocado and cherry tomatoes: Top two slices of toast each with 1 ½ tablespoons of ricotta or cottage cheese, ¼ a diced avocado, 5 cherry tomatoes, cut in half and chopped chives, season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon.
  • Sicilian style – brioche buns with granita.

brioche rsz

8 Winter Breakfast Ideas

Our steamy summer nights are definitely behind us as the sun starts to set a little earlier and the mornings turn up the chill. Transitioning your weekday menu into the warmer months may leave some a little lost for thought. Summer days are great for all things fresh and chilled, salads, grills, barbequing, and those fast and quick meals in minutes. How to translate this into our warmer days does take a little extra thought but with some handy tricks and tips your winter meals can bring you as much pleasure, comfort and ease both in the kitchen and at the dinner table.

8 Winter Breakfast Tips

8 Winter Breakfast Tips

We all know that breakfast is an important part of the day and a time when our grains take centre stage.

  1. Oats, nutritiously can keep us going all morning, for something a little different try combining your regular oats with rye and triticale, soaking them overnight in apple juice or water cuts their cooking time in half and are a quick option for a hearty and satisfying breakfast.
  2. Topping them with chopped nuts or soaked dried fruits.
  3. Stewing some fresh fruits in their own juices and served with natural yoghurt and a spoon full of chopped walnuts will add sweetness without adding refined sugars.
  4. Millet and quinoa are also great alternatives if you have gluten intolerances and can be purchased in the whole grain or in flake form.
  5. Miso, broths and vegetable soups served with rice or noodles might be a little hard for some of you to stomach in the morning, but a vegetable broth with a little shredded chicken, chopped egg or slow cooked meats for breakfast is a light, cleansing start to the day and something that you can make ahead of time and reheat in the morning.
  6. Soups are a great way to fit those 5 serves of vegetables into your day and make great easy lunch options.
  7. Eggs are always a great one to fall back on and take minutes to prepare, poaching, boiling or baking them mixed with spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes and fresh chopped herbs.
  8. Breakfast burritos, baked bean jaffles, toasted breakfast sandwiches, fresh muffins, whole meal pancakes are all things that you can prepare the night before and heat in the morning if you are really time poor.

Just a few minutes of prep time and you can have a winters worth of great breakfasts to keep you healthy, happy and well fed.

Otherwise drop into Putia Pure Food Kitchen for a hearty and healthy breakfast

Dessert to start the day

It seems that the food fashion is heading towards starting the day with what is usually the end of the night’s rewards and restaurants alike are serving up guilt laden delights for all occasions even breakfast.

 

rzs apples baked with olive oil 5707

We all know that breakfast is the most important part of the day and if whole grain muesli, egg white omelets and sour dough 12 grain toast is getting a little stale in your morning menu then head to some of our finest venues for a little heart starter. Of course nutritionist are going to say that this is not the ideal way to start the day but in moderation and every now and then it’s healthy to change things around as long as you continue the day with high protein healthy meals and of course a little exercise.

For a real hit you can simply head to Putia Pure Food Kitchen for a great coffee and a mouthwatering Chocolate waffle, mulled red wine poached pears, spiced syrup,mascarpone. So challenge your taste buds, get out and enjoy. Here is my recipe on a breakfast idea that’s sweet, fruity and with that all-time favorite creamy finish for you to try at home.

Apples baked with olive oil and oranges with pine nut pastry and whipped ricotta

Serves 6
Shake up this dessert by adding some fresh figs to the apples, grated 80% dark chocolate to the pastry and a heady vanilla bean or rich Lick ice cream to finish it off.

3 large granny smith apples sliced into 1 ½ cm rounds
2 tbsp. extra virgin Olive oil
1 tbsp honey
Zest of 1 orange
1 tbsp orange marmalade
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger

For the pastry
30g pine nuts
25g flaked almonds
1 tbsp Bertolli olive oil, extra
5 sheets of filo pastry

350g firm fresh ricotta
2 tbsp caster sugar
½ tsp vanilla paste
½ cup pouring cream
2 tbsp marmalade extra
¼ cup water

Preheat the oven 200c

Place the olive oil, honey, marmalade and spices in a bowl with the orange zest and whisk to combine. Toss the apple slices into the mix and then place onto a tray lined with paper and bake for 10 minutes until softened. Remove from the heat; if you want a little more colour place the apples under a griller. Set the apples aside keeping the marinade.

Toast the almond flakes and the pine nuts for 4 minutes until golden.

Lower the heat to 180c
Blend together the nuts until crushed.
Add the tablespoon of extra olive oil into the left over marinade from the apples. Using a pastry brush the marmalade, oil and honey mixture onto each sheet of pastry and scatter over some of the crushed nuts, sit the pastry on top of each other until all sheets are done, scatter over any remaining nuts, then slice the sheets into 6 strips and onto a tray lined with baking paper, place the strips in a fold so that concertinas onto its self. Bake for 10 minutes until golden. Place the ricotta, caster sugar, vanilla and cream into a food processor and blend until smooth, heat a small saucepan with the marmalade and the water and simmer until reduced and slightly syrupy.

To serve place down a pastry, top with a slice of apple, some of the ricotta and then another slice of apple, drizzle over some of the syrup and serve.

Mothers Day Putia

Mothers Day Putia Style: 7 ways to thank your Mum

 

Mothers Day Putia

For more than 100 years we have been celebrating Mums on Mother’s Day.  Mums need to be pampered, spoilt and to take it easy on Sunday 10th May 2015.  For a start, what you must do is clear the decks on Saturday. That means give her a hand with the washing, grocery shopping and housework so that it is done and dusted and out of the way for Sunday.  You don’t want her distracted by the basket of laundry or feeling guilty that the fridge is empty apart from cheese wine and crackers. Next must-do is to sign her up to Netflix to watch her favourite TV series late on Sunday afternoon so that she can watch House of Cards and fall blissfully asleep on the sofa!

7 Ways to Thank Your Mum and Celebrate Mothers Day Putia-Style.

1. To kick off Mothers Day Putia-style, why not start with breakfast at Putia.

Has she tried the spiced pumpkin waffle with salted caramel sauce? Or autumn fruit compote and mascarpone? 

Mother's day breakfast Putia

2. Or what about some tasty local preserves?

From Putia Panty give her a range of delicious handmade jams, relishes and pickles made from local ingredients and hand chosen for our pantry.

Mother's Day gifts putia pantry

3. Make lunch a special occasion at Putia, where we honor Mums and they eat for free*.

Dine in the dappled shade of the Poinciana tree,  sip on Italian Prosecco and listen to live music.

*Conditions apply.

Mother's Day lunch Putia

4. Surprise her with a gift voucher to a Putia cooking class in Brisbane.

Enhance her skills in her favourite cuisine.

Mother's Day Putia Cooking Class

5. Give her Putia Pantry personal cleansing products – the Coconut, Lemongrass & Coffee Detox body sea salt scrub smells and feels so fresh.

Putia Products Cleansers

6. Why not surprise her with a ticket to the Hampton Festival on the following Sunday? Join Dominique on her City and Country Tour, starting with breakfast at Putia. Travel by bus together to the festival of seasonal fresh produce, wineries, restaurants, market stalls, cooking demonstrations and art exhibitions.

Mother's Day Gift Hampton Festival

7. Enjoy Lindeman’s Wines – Early Harvest: lighter in calories and lighter in alcohol. How much more healthier can we get? 

Mother's Day Lindemans Early Harvest

Finally, post an absolutely gorgeous pic (flattering angle and lighting please) of her on Instagram as a fabulous memory of the day!

 

 

comfort food healthy snacks

Tips to make comfort food – Healthy Snacks

Snacking in winter or for comfort is easy and often we don’t even know we are doing it. Here are some indulgent and healthy snack ideas to take you through winter.

I hope you have enjoyed my healthy tips to make comfort food. Please feel free to share your tips to get you through the colder months!

I also have some great cooking classes on offer during June at Putia Pure food Kitchen including; Risotto, Gnocchi and Pasta, Winter Comfort Cooking and Singles Winter Comfort Cooking, Breakfast Like a King, Fabulous Organic Growing and Northern Italian Favourites.

comfort food healthy snacks

Comfort food is all about meals and ingredients that keep us feeling nurtured, warm and wholesome during those cold days and chilly nights, and these tips are a sure way to keep the winter blues away and still feel like you are staying true to your healthy self.

  • Try having spiced popcorn that you have made yourself. Roast off almonds, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds with a tsp of olive oil and a tablespoon of tamari or your favourite curry powder. Add a little salt and pepper and bake until golden and crunchy.
  • Make your own herbal teas by infusing ginger with mint and a stick of cinnamon. Drink this for a warming drink. You can add a little honey and lemon if you feel poorly.
  • If you are entertaining, use a lighter style red wine and bring it to a simmer with lemon and orange peel, a stick of cinnamon, a couple of cloves, a few slices of ginger and a tbsp of orange blossom or rose water and simmer  this until fragrant. Drink warm for a twist on that comforting  glass of red. For hot chocolate fans, blend together dark dutch cocoa, with a good pinch of cinnamon, a few drops of vanilla essence, a pinch of chilli and some honey or a little sugar. Pour over your warm milk or hot water and enjoy.
  • My favourite healthy chocolate substitute (as we all know that chocolate is a winter favourite) is blending together fresh dates with dutch cocoa, cocoa nibs, soaked nuts and a table spoon of coconut. Roll into balls and again in coconut. Eat one when you feel that sugar hit urge.

Tips to make comfort food – Healthy Dinners

Lasagnes or pastas are easy winter and comfort food but can be full of high fats and heavy if you are not careful in the preparation. This post gives you some great pointers on how to prepare this time honoured favourite healthily, as well as delicious stews and other winter favourites.

There are also some great cooking classes I have on offer at Putia Pure Food Kitchen .

Comfort food is all about meals and ingredients that keep us feeling nurtured, warm and wholesome during those cold days and chilly nights, and these tips are a sure way to keep the winter blues away and still feel like you are staying true to your healthy self.

brasied veal with applescomfort Cooking Dinners

  • Use lasagne sheets layered with roasted vegetables or your favourite meat sauce and top with a mixture of crumbled ricotta, feta and a little parmesan instead of the heavy white sauce. Again, you can mix together lite sour cream or yoghurt and a couple of eggs instead of using the white sauce or cheese. Blend through chopped lightly steamed broccoli and asparagus, flavouring it with lemon zest and basil.
  • For a lighter style of lasagne, you can use crepes, softened rice paper sheets, or thin slices of pumpkin, potato or sweet potato, slightly steamed and then layered in between your meat or vegetables. Homemade tomato sauce is great and you can add in chicken, turkey or lean beef mince for a hearty bolognaise. A great tip is to add in a diced onion, stick of celery and a diced carrot and cook this off first in a little water or oil until softened and starting to caramelise, this gives great flavour to the sauce and bulks it out with vegetables. Add in a little balsamic vinegar and rosemary, thyme and basil to the sauce as you start to cook the vegetables and simmer the sauce for at least 30 minutes.
  • Casseroles, stews and slow cooked meals are ideal for winter and keeping them lite is easy by draining off extra oils that come from browning the meats before adding in the vegetables and stocks. Cooking your onions and meat in a little water instead of the oil helps cut down added fats. Using lots of seasonal winter vegetables also bulks out the dishes giving you great flavour and a healthy main meal. Use different sides instead of mash potato. Try buckwheat, bourghal, wild rice, quinoa and high protein grains.  When slow roasting, add a little water with fresh herbs or a tin of tomatoes for a delicious gravy. Make sure to skim off the oil that will rise and sit on the top.
  • For that bowl of hot chips, slice your potatoes into wedges or chunks and steam or boil until still a little crunchy. Drain and toss with 1 tsp of olive oil and your favourite seasoning. Cook these on baking paper on an oven tray in a hot oven of 220 until golden. Try mixing it up and using sweet potato, parsnip and potato as a combination.
  • Pizzas are so quick to make from scratch. Mix 1 7g sachet of yeast with ½ cup of warm water and place it in your oven set at 30 – 40 c to foam. Pour this into 200g of flour and add in a dessert spoon of olive oil and enough warm water to form a dough. Knead to a smooth ball and cover with a towel allowing it to sit for 20 – 30 minutes to rise. Roll out thinly, preheat your oven as high as it goes and then top the dough with your favourite toppings. Keep them to a minimal 4 and always include 2-3 vegetables. Sprinkle over a little shaved parmesan and cook on a pizza stone or straight onto a preheated baking tray for 10 minutes until crunchy. Top with leaves, rocket or spinach.
  • Use pita bread or flat bread instead of making your own dough.

Tips to make comfort food – Healthy Lunches

Lunches can be a little tricky in the cooler days and cold salads and sandwiches sometimes just don’t do the trick.

I love vegetable and hearty soups, they are such a great way to incorporate all the vegetables you need and are easy to make, store, freeze and reheat.

Comfort food is all about meals and ingredients that keep us feeling nurtured, warm and wholesome during those cold days and chilly nights. These tips are a sure way to keep the winter blues away and still feel like you are staying true to your healthy self.

Healthy Comfort Cooking Lunches

Cooking classes are another great way  to pick up helpful tips and tricks and at Putia Pure Food Kitchen during April and May there are some great classes on offer. This includes Stress Free finger Food with a Twist, Clean Food Naturally, Meatless Meals in Minutes, and Seafood Classics. Book your cooking class today!

  • Soups are a fantastic way of warming up without adding on any extra kilos. If you love creamy rich soups try substituting low fat yoghurt, sour cream or adding a handful or dahl or lentils, a potato, or even sweet potato into the pot. Blend for a velvety texture.  Soups are made mostly on stock or water, seasonings and vegetables, grains such as barley, pasta or beans. You can also add small pieces of meat, chicken or fish. Enhance the flavour without adding unnecessary fats by using fresh herbs. Winter minestrone or chicken and vegetable soups are wonderful with the addition of thyme, sage, oregano and parsley either with or without a tomato base. Lighter soups using zucchini, asparagus, broccoli and even lettuces are beautifully flavoured with chives, basil, lemon zest, lemon thyme, mint, dill and coriander.
  • Using your lentils and a variety of dahls not only make great soups but are also delicious turned into patties, and either baked or fried in a non stick pan. Add in your favourite vegetables and serve them with minted yoghurt and a homemade chutney.
  • Those flaky buttery home made pies are delicious and perfect for colder weather although the pastry can pack a punch on the hips. Try an Italian style pastry using only wholemeal  flour, olive oil and water, rolled thinly and filled with spinach greens, ricotta, herbs and eggs, baked until golden. It makes an ideal lighter style lunch or dinner and still with that real home made feel.
  • Filo pastry is a perfect lighter option for a comfort food filled with creamy chicken, spinach and mushrooms or tuna and vegetables. Or for a vegetarian option, pumpkin and roasted red onion or spiced lentils. Substitute any of the creamy sauces for a white sauce made with a little olive oil and flour and skim milk, or an egg mixed with low fat yoghurt, adding in some shaved parmesan, low fat feta or ricotta and loads of fresh herbs. The crispy filo is fantastic lightly sprayed with olive oil before baking to achieve that golden brown colour.