Rachel is a university qualified nutritionist based in Balmain, Sydney. She is a busy working mum of two teenagers, so is practical and realistic with her advice. Specialises in peri menopause, menopause, gut health, weight issues, low FODMAP diet and sports nutrition. Online and in person consultations available.
From time to time when life gets busy I like to use a meal kit service. I like the convenience of having the ingredients ready and someone else to do the “thinking” for me. I think they are great if you’re not a confident cook or if you’re trying to nudge some of the other members of the household to do some cooking. Here’s how I work with meal kits to help them work for my health goals.
Read MoreHealthy waffles made with oats for fibre and gut health, ricotta and eggs for muscle building protein and chia seeds for omega 3 fats. This is a great healthy breakfast that tastes great. Fodmap friendly too!
Read MoreWe are entering into exam season and you might have a stressed-out teenager on your hands. As I'm sure you remember from toddler days, what they eat can have a big impact on mood. Here’s my tips for the foods to include in your teenager’s diet.
Read MoreWhile I quite enjoy a good waffle for breakfast, the reality is that waffles have become one of my favourite low FODMAP snacks. I don’t always feel like eating toast (and sometimes my belly prefers that I don’t eat toast either), so it’s important for me to have a low FODMAP toast alternative available for snacking.
Read MoreThis healthy recipe for dill and chive salmon patties is low FODMAP, gluten-free and dairy-free. It's a great way to add omega-3s and calcium to your day.
Read MoreComing up with a lunch box day after day can do your head in! A healthy lunch box doesn't need to be full of expensive "super foods" that will get picked at - these ideas can be put together in 10 minutes max.
Read MoreRecently I was asked to review the afternoon tea menu of a group of Out of School Hours Care Centres. I thought this was a fabulous initiative by the centre because such centres are valuable in promoting healthy eating to children and their families. For busy working parents it would be a godsend to know that when you pick up your kid they have had something decent to eat. But maybe your kids don’t go to after care -what should you be including in afternoon tea at home?
Read MoreFor the lazy cook like me, the tray bake has to be the ultimate dinner. I read a lot of recipe books and immediately turn the page if too much chopping or browning is involved. A tray bake is perfect because I can pop it in the oven while I am driving my kids around. And bonus - minimal washing up!
Read MoreFeeding your 3 or 4 year old can be such a challenging time. I thought I'd offer some tips which I've learned from my training and also what worked with my kids. Get to know how much your children should be eating and look at the pattern over a week not a day. Children have small stomachs so don't expect them to eat adult portions. Your toddler will have developed food likes and dislikes, and their appetite will differ depending on how active they have been and whether they are going through a growth spurt. So don't worry if they eat a lot of food some days and little on others. As long as they are getting a wide range of different foods over the course of a week they will be getting the nutrients they need.
Read MoreDo you have sporty teenagers? With the winter sports season kicking off, you might be wondering if your teenagers are eating the right types of food to support healthy growth and development as well as their training and competition. It's not all about protein powder to get "shredded", or litres of sweet sports drinks!
Read MoreHas your teenager recently announced they are a vegetarian? Mine has! The rest of the family eat meat and I'm too busy to be cooking 2 meals every night so here's some ideas for how I cope. I've also seen quite a few vegetarian clients recently with iron deficiency so I'll outline some common nutrient concerns with a vegetarian teenager and how to avoid them.
Read MoreI was lucky enough recently to be able to work with an athlete preparing for the Australian Schoolboys Rugby Union Tournament. He was interested in maintaining his work rate, making his tackles and not fatiguing in the second half of the game. Here's some of the key points we came up with. Of course, every athlete is different with different food preferences, requirements and backgrounds. What is right for one athlete may not benefit the next - so make sure that your sports nutrition advice is tailored to your goals.
Read MoreIt's sooooo cold in the morning in Sydney at the moment and I love a warm bowl of porridge, but I'm often hungry a couple of hours after I've eaten it. I've come up with a fabulous trick to increase the protein of your porridge to keep you full all morning.
Read MoreI love taking classic comfort foods and making them a whole lot more nutritious. I've added lentils and plenty of veggies to my shepherds pie base and my mash is half cauliflower and half potato. With the veggies, lean lamb and lentils this is a immune boosting recipe for winter that my kids love!
Read MoreI developed this delicious granola recipe for my son and he loves it. He mixes it with yoghurt as a great second breakfast after early morning rugby training or after a game. The combination of protein and carbs makes it ideal for refuelling my hungry boy!
Read MoreCreate this delicious classic french salad with loads of veggies and heart healthy tuna and eggs for a hot summer night to transport you to the south of France.
Read MorePresenting my mid week mojito...
Over the last few years A2 milk has become a significant player in Australia and New Zealand. It has recently expanded into the UK and US markets too. If you suffer from bloating or an upset stomach after drinking milk, it might be worth giving A2 milk a go.
All regular cows’ milk brands today contain a combination of two main types of beta-casein protein, namely A1 and A2. The A2 milk company has developed a genetic test to choose cows which don’t produce the A1 protein. The farms that produce the A2 milk use only cows which produce the A2 protein. The rest of the A2 milk process is no different to the production of any other milk - it doesn't use genetic engineering or a special technological process.
There have been 2 small human studies looking at the effect of A2 milk. The first study was conducted on a small group of 41 people, of which 10 reported an intolerance to dairy milk. In this trial after drinking A1 protein only the study participants reported softer stools than after drinking A2 milk. It is thought this was due to an increase in gut inflammation caused by consumption of the A1 protein.
This second study on 45 people compared common commercial milk that contained both A1 and A2 milk proteins and to milk containing only A2 protein. This study found that consuming A2 milk did not cause an increase in unpleasant digestive symptoms (for example, bloating and flatulence) usually associated with milk consumption in those who were lactose-intolerant.
These studies were both very small. Currently Monash University is conducting a larger trial which will have results published in December.
With only 10% of Australians consuming their recommended 3-4 serves of dairy each day I am a big fan of any product that helps people drink more milk. Dairy products are a rich source of a wide range of nutrients including calcium, protein, iodine, vitamins A, B2, B12 and D, and zinc. Improved dairy intake has been linked to weight management, reduced risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes, and provides one of the best dietary sources of calcium for bone health.
If you already drink milk with no tummy upsets, there is no advantage in switching to A2 milk, and it does cost nearly twice the price of regular milk. However if you do suffer from digestion issues after drinking milk then it's certainly worth giving A2 milk a go.
Note that A2 milk is not lactose free, so will not solve medically diagnosed lactose intolerance. However, if you have diagnosed lactose intolerance but would still like to try a2 Milk™, you can add a lactase enzyme supplement (such as Lacto-Free) to break down the lactose milk sugar making it possible for you to enjoy dairy.
if you do want to try A2 milk, make sure you buy the labelled A2 milk and don't be tricked by other milk that "contain A2 protein" as it's the A1 protein you want to avoid.
I am a big fan of Jalna A2 yoghurt which is a reduced fat yoghurt made from A2 milk. While all yoghurts contain starter cultures, not all have probiotics (live bacteria that survive digestion and colonise in the gut). The strains in all Jalna Yoghurt are: Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus Casei. These cultures have been shown to survive in sufficient numbers to reach the large intestine, where they multiply and colonise. These cultures have been demonstrated to provide gastrointestinal and immune health benefits.
With the arrival of spring in Sydney I've been looking for a new way of including fish in our meals. Salmon is a fantastic source of omega-3 fatty acids which are inti-inflammatory and extremely beneficial to your health - they can help lower cholesterol, reduce high blood pressure, and may reduce symptoms of arthritis and depression. Omega-3s are essential fats that must be obtained from our diet. These burgers are an excellent source of quality protein that can help build and repair lean muscle.
I modified a Teresa Cutter recipe here and it was a huge hit with the family.
I serve the burgers on a bun for the kids and "naked" for me. I like to serve along roast sweet potato and carrot wedges (cook at 200 C for 40 minutes, drizzled with evoo) and a big green salad.
In my house gone are the days of the picky pre-schooler. Instead I'm seeing two growing teenagers who seem to be constantly hungry. In particular the minute they get in from school! Teenagers have a higher energy requirement to accommodate their growth. However 41% of today's Australian teenage diet is coming from discretionary food choices that are linked to obesity, increased risk of diabetes and tooth decay. Did you know that tooth decay is five times more prevalent than asthma among Australian children?
Key micronutrients at this age are calcium, iron and zinc. For both boys and girls the growing skeleton requires increased amounts of calcium to help reach peak bone mass in their 30s. Think dairy - milk, yoghurt and cheese. As soon as girls start menstruating their iron needs increase, but boys need iron too for growth and energy. Red meat and fortified breakfast cereals like weetbix are a good source of iron.
So how can you fill up your teenager and steer them away from the packaged stuff?
Make sure their afternoon tea will fill them up for a couple of hours. Those small packages of processed food (even if you get it in the health food aisle) are unlikely to do that. A good snack will combine a serve of protein along with a wholegrain carbohydrate. For example, wholemeal toast with nut butter, or a toasted wholemeal english muffin with cheese, or corncakes with ricotta and tomatoes.
Fill up the fridge with vegies and fruit. Have easy to grab fruit and veg at eye height in the fridge - cherry tomatoes, mini cucumbers and snow peas are a great quick snack with humous or a handful of nuts
The toasted sandwich maker and a blender are the teenager's best friend. Teach them how to make a quick smoothie - my daughter's favourite is milk, yoghurt, oats and frozen raspberries or mango. My son's fave is milk, weetbix, banana and milo. Great before or after sport if they don't want something solid in their stomach.
Again leave left over pasta or stirfry at eye height so they can be reheated quickly
If you don't want your kids to eat it - don't buy it!
Rachel is a university qualified Clinical Nutritionist based in Balmain. She is also the busy working mum of two teenagers, so is practical and realistic with her advice . Rachel offers private consultations to improve your family's health and well-being. You can find her on Facebook and Instagram for more healthy tips and tricks.
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