The cornerstone of healthy living is healthy eating. It’s common knowledge. But what’s not so apparent is how to eat healthily. Low carb? Low fat? Atkins? Food combining? There is so much conflicting advice, it can be confusing.
Canadian nutritionist Lynda Aune provides a simpler approach in her “Healthy Eating cookbook.
“No tricks, just straight healthy eating, she explains.
Aune runs a center called Choices, a weight loss healthy eating program. “Healthy eating is the most important aspect of managing many common chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, to name but a few, she writes in the preface to her cookbook.
“I follow the glycemic index – it was developed 20 years ago by a doctor that wanted to develop a program for diabetics, she told Daily News Egypt in an earlier interview. “The idea is to keep your blood sugar low at all times. If you eat low glycemic the food stays with you for a longer period of time so you are not as hungry so often.
A low glycemic diet is a carbohydrate-controlled diet based on choosing low glycemic carbohydrates, which are slowly digested and absorbed, producing a gentle rise in your blood glucose and insulin levels. Low glycemic foods help boost your metabolic rate, and keep you feeling fuller longer so that you eat less.
The cookbook was compiled in response to her client’s demand for simple recipes to help them with their healthy eating program. “It’s based on my strong belief that healthy eating is interesting and easy to do, Aune writes.
With her selection of recipes, Aune stays true to her beliefs. Breakfast includes generous frittatas and baked muffins. Salads are far from dull, and are spiced up with a variety of nutritious, and delicious, ingredients. A traditional Minestrone Soup becomes a meal in a bowl with the addition of appetite-filling ingredients like shredded cabbage and frozen peas.
For main meals, there’s a variety of choice: from hearty salads to meaty meals like juicy marinated roast beef.
Healthy eating doesn’t mean skipping dessert. The cookbook offers a selection of desserts that pass through the lips but don’t add to the hips. For chocolate lovers, there’s a light, fluffy mousse to satiate your cravings.
Aune even includes a section of recipes catering to children from sushi-style cream cheese (low fat of course) sandwiches to fruit kebabs.
The cookbook is a good way to kick-start a healthy lifestyle. The no-nonsense layout might not be your first choice if you’re browsing the shelves of cookbooks at a bookshop. However, this homegrown edition guarantees that you’re more likely to find the ingredients locally. “The book was written with local ingredients in mind, Aune explains.
“Take advantage of the local ingredients, Aune recommends. There’s an abundance of local grains and beans in addition to the variety of seasonal, fresh produce that’s grown locally to pool together the ingredients you need for healthy eating.
“It’s all right here, Aune says adamantly.
Choices’ “Healhty Eating Cookbook is available at local bookshops and vendors, and is sold for LE 70.
BERRY BRAN MUFFINS
Ingredients½ cup All Bran cereal½ cup skimmed milk½ cup whole grain flour2 teaspoons baking powder½ teaspoon cinnamon½ cup oat bran (or wheat germ)1 cup blueberries1 ¼ cups raspberries1 egg, slightly beaten2 tablespoons honey1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
Preheat overn to 350 T (180 C). Place All Bran cereal in a bowl, pour milk over; soak for 10 minutes. Sift flour, baking powder and cinnamon into a large bowl. Stir in oat bran, fold in blueberries and raspberries. Combine egg, honey and vanilla in a small bowl. Add egg mixture to cereal mixture and stir gently with wooden spoon until just combined; do not over mix. Fill 12 lightly oiled or paper-lined muffin tins. Bake 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Let sit 5 minutes before removing from tins. Cool muffins on wire rack.
MARINATE ROAST BEEF
Ingredients700gm beef roast1 small red onion, chopped finely2 tablespoons fresh oregano, fine chopped3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar1 tablespoon capers, drained¼ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon pepper
Sprinkle roast with salt and pepper. Prick meat with fork. Combine remaining ingredients and place meat with mixture in zip-top food storage bag. Marinate for 2 hours or overnight in refrigerator. Roast in 350F (180C) oven until done as desired. Slice thinly and place on serving dish. Drizzle with liquid from bottom of pan.Serves 8
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
Ingredients100gm dark chocolate1 tablespoon (15 ml) sugar3 egg yolks 6 egg whites
Melt dark chocolate in double boiler or microwave. Remove from heat, add sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in egg yolks, one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Beat 6 egg whites until stiff. Fold into chocolate mixture. Place in serving bowls and refrigerate overnight to set.Serves 4.
