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Product review: HelloFresh meal kits
HelloFresh meal kits were the first available in Australia. They continue to be quite popular among people looking for easy delicious recipes to make at home. HelloFresh This German was founded in 2011 and hit the Australian market back in 2012. They are also present in the US, the UK, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, France, New Zealand and Canada. HelloFresh meal kits Plans HelloFresh offers three base plans: classic, veggie and family. The classic and veggie plans can be set up for 2 or 4 people, the family plan is for 4 people. For each of them you can choose from 3, 4 or 5 meals…
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5 easy vegan swaps
Last week we spoke about red meat, eggs and dairy, but what if you choose not to eat any animal products? The following 5 easy vegan swaps can help you navigate this style of eating. 1. Yoghurt These days there is a wide variety of dairy free yoghurt in supermarkets. These are generally made with coconut or almond milk. However, note that the flavour, texture and, most importantly, nutrient content are not the same as real yoghurt. 2. Parmesan cheese Probably the most popular hippie health food is nutritional yeast. This is because it has an umami flavour that helps fill the void left by the absence of cheese, especially…
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Which rice is better?
Following the discussion on carbohydrate-rich foods, today’s discussion is all about rice. In particular, we aim to answer the question: which rice is better? What is rice? Rice is “the starchy seeds of an annual southeast Asian cereal grass (Oryza sativa) that are cooked and used for food” (1). Rice belongs to the grains and cereals, alongside bread, pasta, oats, etc. This are also commonly known as “carbs” or “carbohydrates”, even though fruits, vegetables and legumes are also rich sources of carbohydrates. Although rice originated in Asia, it has spread throughout history to other parts in the world. Many countries, such as Spain and its colonies, Italy and the US…
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Which pasta is better?
Pasta (or noodles) is a staple in many traditional cuisines. Although the most common types of pasta are made with wheat flour, it can be made with alternative ingredients to suit dietary requirements. Read on to find out: which pasta is better? Ingredients Grains The common varieties of pasta that we associate with Italian cuisine are made of different types wheat flour. Asian noodles are commonly made with wheat flour (in the North of China, etc.), rice flour (in the South of China, Vietnam, etc.) or buckwheat (in Japan). Pasta made from wheat flour can be made with or without egg, depending on the style. Egg pastas are probably the…
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5 easy low-carb swaps
It is safe to assume you are either following a low-carb diet or you know someone who is. Either way, these 5 easy low-carb swaps can be useful when you are planning your meals for the week or a special occasion spread. 1. Rice Even though cauliflower rice does not absorb sauces or juices as well as regular rice, it makes a good low-carb substitute as a side dish for curries and stews. Bonus points: you will add to your daily vegetable intake. 2. Noodles or long pasta (e.g. spaghetti) Konjac noodles (e.g. Slendier) or spiralized zucchini make good substitutes for long pasta, but, once again, they won’t absorb sauces…
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What are macronutrients?
Macronutrients or “macros” are the components of food that contribute to energy. Energy, in the nutritional sense, is measured in kilocalories (a.k.a. Calories) or kilojoules. The main macronutrients are protein, fat and carbohydrates (a.k.a. “carbs” or “CHO” for the chemistry-minded people out there). Most foods you can think of are made of a combination or these 3 components. Protein Proteins are structures composed of amino acids. There are 7 essential amino acids for humans, meaning our bodies cannot make them. Foods high in protein include: all animal foods (meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk, etc.), some legumes (beans, chickpeas, lentils, soy), and some nuts and seeds. Protein bioavailability (i.e. how much…
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Are all sausages bad for you?
Most people won’t associate sausage sizzle or bangers and mash with healthy food. In fact, many doctors and dietitians tell people to avoid them. But are all sausages bad? What is a sausage? According to the dictionary, a sausage (a.k.a. snag in this part of the World) is “a highly seasoned minced meat (such as pork) usually stuffed in casings of prepared animal intestine” (1). What the World Health Organization says In their Q&A about consumption of meat and cancer, the WHO includes hot dogs and sausages in the processed meat category. They found convincing evidence from epidemiological studies that links processed meat with a small increase in the risk…
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Book review: Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat (Samin Nosrat)
My introduction to the now celebrity chef Samin Nosrat was through Michael Pollan’s book Cooked. Soon after she started making appearances in several of the podcasts I listen to. She talked about her culinary story, which led to the book Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering The Elements Of Good Cooking and the Netflix show of the same name. The author Samin Nosrat is a writer, teacher and chef, born to Iranian parents who migrated to the US. Samin started her professional cooking career in the prestigious Californian restaurant Chez Panise without having done any formal culinary education. For more details on this story, listen to any of her interviews or…
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Book review: Culinary reactions (Simon Quellen Field)
Culinary Reactions: The Everyday Chemistry Of Cooking is a book for the scientists who love cooking or the cooks who love science. If you are neither of those, you might find this book frustrating. Consider yourself warned. The author Simon Quellen Field is the CEO of Kinetic MicroScience, a company that designs and sells science toys. The book Culinary Reactions is an exploration of food and cooking from a scientific point of view. Throughout the book, there are chemical lessons, recipes and some nutrition-related topics. I listened to the audiobook because that’s my preferred medium these days but keep in mind the following: The audiobook is not narrated by the…
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Comfort food
Comfort food is defined as “food that provides consolation or a feeling of well-being, typically having a high sugar or carbohydrate content and associated with childhood or home cooking.” (1) I recently went to a concert and realised that nostalgia does the same thing to music than to food, at least for me. Comfort music is generally music I grew up listening to. There are bands that I don’t necessarily consider my favourite ones but that made a strong impression in my life as a youngster, and give me that warm, fuzzy feeling when I listen to their music. Back to food. It is key to note that, for the…
