Vegetarian

Quick and easy recipes - soup, salad and snacks

Image by Rosanna Faraci

No doubt about it, COVID-19 has had a significant impact on our lives and livelihoods. All of us have different experiences and have been effected in different ways. For many, it has provided an opportunity to consider our own health and well-being and take a closer look at our nutrition choices and habits. This has resulted in a significant increase in home-cooking (including a contagious interest in sourdough baking!) as well as cooking on a budget.

You may have already been searching your favourite recipe sites, or flicking through old recipe books for meal inspiration. If you are looking for more ideas, I have linked in below a few winter-friendly options that are quick and easy to make, and will help to keep your body and brain nourished and content.

These, along with other recipes, are here on my website, or if you are looking for more ideas you will find over 140 meal and snack ideas in Super Food for Performance - currently discounted.

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Pumpkin and Pinenut Spinach Salad
Yes, a salad for winter - you can serve it while the sweet potato is still warm. Great with lamb or chicken, or roast some chickpeas with the sweet potato for a vegetarian option.

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Dahl

Perfect for a warming lunch or savoury snack. High in fibre and a tasty way to eat lentils!

Image by Bec Doyle Photography

Image by Bec Doyle Photography

Salmon and Ricotta Frittata

Works well for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack - high in protein and a terrific source of calcium.

Image by Bec Doyle Photography

Image by Bec Doyle Photography

Mexican-Style Beef with Sweet Corn Salad

More salad! But you can serve it while the corn is still warm. Mix in some black beans for a plant-based lunch bowl on it’s own.

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Banana Bread

One of the most searched recipes right now - a great way to use up extra bananas, and lower in sugar and additives than the standard store-bought varieties.

Image by Bec Doyle Photography

Image by Bec Doyle Photography

Recovery Smoothie

A great recovery option post-training, especially with more of us training from home right now. Mix it up with your favourite fresh or frozen fruits.

Happy cooking and stay safe. I would love to see your creations, so if you post any of your cooking on your social media please tag me in - (these recipes or your own healthy favourites!). You can find me on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

All about Omega-3's and how to get enough from plants vs fish vs supplements

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Have you seen the Game Changers?  I haven’t – but I’ve read enough reviews from well-regarded nutrition scientists to indicate that I don’t need to.  Nor does anyone need to become vegan for health and performance benefits.  Don’t get me wrong, I am all for plant-based ie. eating more vegetables, choosing wholegrains and moderating meat intake.  Just because I’m not vegan however, it doesn’t mean I have zero care for the environment, or mine or others’ health, well-being and performance.  In fact I care for these things greatly, and this is why I become frustrated by false and misleading nutrition messaging.

Plant-based nutrition is all the rage right now, and for good reason.  But this doesn’t mean the entire world needs to become completely plant-based  Everyone is entitled to make their own personal choices and decisions about the way they eat.  Many factors contribute to our food preferences, including ethical, religious, social, cultural, economical, environmental, psychological, physical and pure taste and enjoyment.  Regardless of a person’s approach, my priority when working with individuals is for them to get the most from the foods that they like and choose to eat.

Enough with the Game Changers and the virtues of plant-based eating - this is not at all what I wanted to focus on!  Although it’s highly relevant to a nutrient that I find many people don’t get enough of, regardless of nutrition preferences - omega-3 fatty acids.  The topic of omega-3’s also opens up a whole host of questions around the best sources, sustainability of our fish supply and the role of supplements, which I will address to the best of my current knowledge.

My interest of late in omega-3 intake has primarily been in relation to vegan-style eating and how adequate intake can be achieved on a consistent basis.   I work with many vegetarian and vegan clients who are active and training at a high level, and working hard to make their nutrition work for them.  I’m also involved in reviewing vegetarian and vegan meal plans for online health and wellness programs (TiffXO and Centr) so have a responsibility to consider where omega-3’s are coming from.  Plus on a personal note I have a child who has difficulty eating fish, hence my priority to investigate non-marine sources a little more thoroughly (said child is now having flaxseed meal sprinkled on his breakfast each morning, in conjunction with repeated offerings of fish…..btw we have well exceeded ‘10’ exposures and seemingly still have a long way to go!).

Historically vegetarians have often been recommended to take a supplement to ensure their omega-3 intake is adequate.  Fish eaters can just eat salmon and sardines, right!!  Ok, not always that simple, but fish and seafood are by far the richest source of bioavailable omega-3.  Omega-3 has been identified as being important for a range of body functions, including:

·       Brain health and function

·       Management of inflammatory conditions such as chronic pain and arthritis

·       Cardiovascular health

·       A potential reduction in the body’s inflammatory response to strenuous activity

·       Just to name a few….

 Types of omega-3

When it comes to omega-3, the most important varieties to consider are these three:

EPA eicosapentaenoic acid (long-chain fatty acid)

DHA docosapentaenoic acid (long-chain fatty acid)

ALA alpha-linolenic acid (a shorter chain omega-3 fat). 

Why are fish and seafood so rich in these fatty acids? DHA and EPA are synthesized by marine algae, which are eaten by phytoplankton, which are then consumed by fish and seafood and accumulate over time.

ALA is a short chain omega-3 found naturally in non-marine foods such as flaxseeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds and walnuts. The short chain omega-3’s must be converted to long chain omega-3’s to be best utilised by the body. The conversion rate to the more effective DHA and EPA is low (estimated at less than 15%) so you need to consume quite a lot of ALA from foods plant sources to get a similar amount obtained by eating fish or seafood.  It’s not impossible, but takes some careful planning.

 How much do we need?

The recommended dietary intake of long chain omega-3’s to prevent chronic disease has been estimated to be 430mg per day for women, and 610mg per day for men, so around 500mg/day on average, although there is no set standard and different organisations recommend anything from 250-500mg combined DHA/EPA per day.  Unfortunately not many of us are likely to consume this much omega-3 on a regular basis. There are more specific recommended omega-3 doses for health conditions such as some types of arthritis, requiring higher dose supplementation beyond the levels of intake able to be achieved via food alone (it’s important to speak to your health professional and dietitian if your needs are elevated due to a health condition).  There is no recommended level of omega-3 intake advised for athletes at present, however I was just yesterday reading some interesting research on omega-3s in the context of nutrition and concussion. There is also potential for the anti-inflammatory effect of omega-3’s to impact recovery and muscle/joint health, but unfortunately specific research on athletes is lacking.

Omega-6 to omega-3 ratio

The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats is often discussed as a contributor to health – with many of us consuming far more omega-6 fats from various vegetable oils and not enough omega-3.  This imbalance can potentially lead to inflammation in the body, which can then be linked to chronic health conditions.  The best way to address this is to put some effort into increasing omega-3 intake, plus taking care not to overdo sources of omega-6 fats.

Sustainability of fish sources

The other question to consider is what may happen if everyone suddenly starts focusing on omega-3 intake by eating more fish.  The old saying ‘There’s plenty more fish in the sea’ may not apply in this case, particularly if we are focused on a small number of specific varieties.  I started looking into this further and came across some great work being done by the Australian Marine Conservation Society and their Good Fish Project .  They have developed resources including a Sustainable Seafood Guide and a listing of Sustainable Seafood Restaurants, which are very useful in helping to make sustainable fish and seafood choices at home and when eating out.

The Fisheries Research and Development Corporation have also developed an excellent app where you can find the status of Australian fish stocks to help determine sustainable fish and seafood choices (go to www.fish.gov.au for more info).

Vegetarian sources – can you get enough from food?

Back to my main reason for looking into omega-3 a little further - can vegetarians obtain adequate omega-3 from foods or is supplementation necessary?  Research indicates that on average, ALA intake for vegetarians in Australia is not sufficient to allow conversion to an adequate amount of DHA and EPA.

ALA can be found in plant based foods like nuts, seeds and oils however the volume of these required to ensure adequate DHA and EPA conversion is likely to be challenging from a practical and palatability point of view.  Even though the amount of ALA in these foods may be high, the low conversion rate means that significant volumes need to be consumed - we are talking tablespoon upon tablespoon of flaxseeds and chia seeds for example, which can become quite hard going, but not impossible if this is your preference.  The other option are micro-algae supplements to part-supplement food sources within a fish-free diet.

Supplements

There has been significant debate surrounding fish oil supplements and their effectiveness, and ideally the best way to obtain your omega-3’s is through food sources.  However there are certain situations where supplementation may be useful.  Some people worry about the mercury content of fish oil supplements (needlessly, as the processing and purification remove all mercury), however a greater concern in recent years has been around quality and effectiveness of over-the-counter products.  I won’t discuss that in more detail here, but it’s certainly something to consider.

 As previously mentioned, there are vegan-friendly omega-3 supplements derived from algal oil.  These contain predominantly DHA and absorption may be similar to that from fish and fish oil. 

Is high dose supplementation necessary?

Research has indicated that certain medical conditions may benefit from higher dose omega-3 supplementation, such as heart disease and some forms of arthritis.  There has been recent controversy however with regard to cardiovascular disease – previously there were indications to suggest taking 1000mg fish oil (DHA/EPA) for cardiovascular disease and higher doses for elevated triglycerides, however this has been questioned due to some recent studies.  Your individual situation and health are unique – speak to your GP and Accredited Dietitian for more personalised advice. 

Summary

If you eat fish and seafood, then choosing sustainable sources rich in omega-3 is likely your best way to achieve adequate omega-3 intake.  Non-marine sources also can provide omega-3, but the type of omega-3 is less effective, meaning you need to consume significant volumes regularly to achieve adequate intake.  

Rather than focusing only on fish, perhaps a combination of oily fish/seafood and plant-based sources is the way to go (with appropriate supplementation if required, based on individual needs)….especially with the shift towards more plant-based eating into the future.

However you do it, omega-3’s are important – speak with an Accredited Sports Dietitian if you want to talk it all through for your unique individual needs.

Furthe reading:

https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2013/199/4/omega-3-polyunsaturated-fatty-acids-and-vegetarian-diets

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Omega3FattyAcids-HealthProfessional/

 

Nicoise Salad

Nicoise salad is one of my favourites, light but protein-rich and great for an easy dinner on a hot night or a portable and filling lunch.  The dressing works well for other salads too.  This recipe is from my book Eat Right For Your Life.

Nicoise Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients:

500g/1 lb baby new potatoes, quartered

200g/7 oz green beans, topped and tailed

1 medium red (Spanish) onion, sliced thinly

150g/5 oz mixed lettuce leaves

250g/9 oz cherry tomatoes

400g/14 oz canned tuna in oil, drained, flaked

4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut into quarters

½ cup/90g seeded black olives

3 anchovy fillets in oil, drained and cut in half lengthways

 Dressing

Combine ¼ cup/60ml of lemon juice with one crushed clove of garlic and 2tsp of Dijon mustard (add 60ml olive oil also if desired).

Method

  1. Steam potatoes and beans until just tender, drain and allow to cool.

  2. Combine onion, lettuce leaves and cherry tomatoes in a large bowl. Top with potatoes, beans, flaked tuna, eggs, olives and anchovies. Serve with dressing on the side.

 

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Oats vs quinoa for health, energy and performance

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I am officially over superfoods.  They are over-promoted, over-priced and over-done.  Take quinoa for example.  Sure, it's a nutritious grain.  Actually it is not really a grain, the part we eat is the edible seed of the quinoa grain crop, although the nutritional composition is similar to that of other grains so it tends to get lumped into the grain family. Quinoa is a great gluten-free option for those who have a true allergy or intolerance to wheat protein, which many people do (but don't get me started on the fad that 'gluten-free' has become).  Quinoa is nutritious, as many of the labelled superfoods are.  But there are hundreds of other foods NOT awarded the title of superfood that are equally, if not more nutritious.  

I like quinoa, but it is not always a staple in my kitchen cupboard.  I have some at the moment as I am trialling some quinoa recipes for my book.  Part of this inclusion relates to my fear that as a dietitian my integrity will be questioned if I don't include quinoa or some sort of other ancient grain somewhere in the book.  Saying this, my quinoa recipes are awesome (thanks to Justin Moran from Just In Time PT for his quinoa soup contribution, delicious)!  Don't worry, I have totally succumbed to peer pressure and included kale in a couple of recipes too.   

So, I was thinking about the whole superfood super-saturation and I got the quinoa packet out of the cupboard for a direct comparison to the homebrand oats (of which my family eat over 1kg per week).  You may be surprised by the results, based on 100g:

                                 Quinoa    Oats

Kilojoules                1590kJ    1590kJ

Protein                     12.9g       12.8g

Fat                             5.7g          9.3g

Carbohydrate          67.2g      54.8g

Fibre                          2.7g        12.1g

I was actually hoping that quinoa might prove me wrong and live up to the hype, but sadly no.  Quinoa and oats contain similar kilojoule and protein content per 100g, less fat in quinoa, less carbohydrate in oats and just over four times more fibre in oats.  Sometimes people are concerned about the fat content of oats, however they are  still relatively low in fat, based on serving size, so don't be mistaken that oats are fattening (we need some good fat).

I must give credit where it is due, and hail quinoa for it's vitamin and mineral content (which is similar to oats in terms of iron, calcium and magnesium content), amino acid profile and taste, I do love the taste.  Quinoa has great value for vegetarians and athletes due to the higher protein and nutrient content compared to standard rice, pasta and noodles - you don't see stir-fry and oats served too often.  Quinoa has a wide range of amino acids, and although often promoted as a complete protein, the total amount of protein in an average serve is quite small, around 6g per serve (50g dry).  Particularly when we consider athletes, who need adequate essential amino acids from ~20-25g protein for the immediate post-exercise recovery period.   Quinoa doesn't quite cut it for recovery protein on it's own, but combined with a high biological value protein source such as meat, fish, eggs or dairy it is a highly nutritious choice, and a great option as part of meals over a training day.

Oats are not considered a complete protein, but the amino acid profile comes pretty close.  It lacks lysine, an amino acid which is low in many grains, but which quinoa does contain in small amounts.  As per quinoa, oats should be served with an additional high quality protein source if consumed as a recovery option. 

An additional tick for oats relates to the beta-glucan they contain, which may be beneficial for those trying to reduce blood cholesterol levels.  Porridge or muesli for breakfast looks all that more attractive.

If you are trying to lose weight, both oats and quinoa are low-glycemic index, great for sustained energy levels and improved satiety - a small amount goes a long way.  Have you tried quinoa porrdige, not too bad!

Quinoa is gluten-free and a great option for those who have a gluten allergy, oats are not quite gluten-free but come pretty close, and are tolerated well by most people with an intolerance to wheat and wheat products.

So without labelling, both quinoa and oats can be considered 'super' 'foods' (note the differentiation from 'superfoods').

If I had to choose one over the other......I think the real clincher would be the price.......homebrand oats work out at around $1.60/kg, compared to over $20/kg for quinoa.  You pay 12 times as much for quinoa.....is it 12 times as nutritious??   Think about your overall dietary patterns, what YOU need and how you can enjoy both/either oats and quinoa to bring you health, energy, and performance benefits.

If you enjoyed this article you will find more on my Thoughts page and please subscribe to my free newsletter, just leave your details below.

My book Eat Right for Your Life is out now too, available at bookshops, newsagents and online retailers, including recipes with both oats and quinoa respectively!