All posts tagged: diet

Clean Eating in Auckland

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IMPORTANT: This article was published in 2014. Details may have changed.  I love dining out, but it can be hard to make healthy choices when dining out so I often view dining out as a chance to indulge in rich foods. It doesn’t have to be this way! Luckily, there are a few places in Auckland who are making huge effort to offer delicious healthy options. What I also love about these places is they can be great inspiration for cooking at home too. Most of these offerings are easy to recreate at home using fresh ingredients. I’m not a health nut, but with my health issues this year, I’ve been looking at what I eat more and focusing on clean eating and whole foods.

Getting back on track menu

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Results I had a blood test on Saturday and the results weren’t so flash. I hadn’t been feeling quite normal lately and I should have guessed that I was back to being hyperthyroidic. My last few blood tests had been great so this setback feels like a slap in the face. The pendulum swings both ways, so let’s hope it swings back in my favour with adjusted meds and diet. I haven’t done a menu plan for a few weeks and as a result, maybe I’ve been slacking off on my self-imposed diet. There is controversy about diet and auto-immune diseases. My endocrinologist (frustratingly) says diet has no influence on my condition. But I think eating better makes sense and surely it cannot hurt. I guess being able to control at least one aspect of my life helps. Diet I’m going mostly gluten-free and eating lots of whole foods. Proteins, vegetables, dairy are up. More juicing. Minimal alcohol and refined sugar. I’ll allow myself 1 glass of wine per week (medicinal purposes) and use honey in my hot drinks. I’m going to invest in a …

The Last Summer Barbecue

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I have been meaning to share this post for a while. When I was first diagnosed with Graves’ Disease at the end of summer, I did a lot of reading about what to eat. Being able to take control of something, even if it’s just diet made me feel less helpless about my health issues. Eating whole foods has been one positive change I’ve been making, dining out I usually make an exception but at festivals, where things like hot dog on a stick and greasy chips rule, it can be difficult to find something suitable to eat. A bunch of friends and I went to see The Opensouls reunion show mid-March at Phoenix Fest at Nixon Park, Kingsland. Back in 2007 and 2008, Phoenix Fest was just around the corner from our flat and a group of us would shake our asses off at the park and return home for further festivities. Phoenix Fest was on hiatus for 6 or so years and came back this year with a reunion show. How fitting! A …

A Healthier Meal Plan

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We are getting this The Honesty Box delivered every week now. For $39.40 including delivery to Auckland central, our F&V small is 8kg (sometimes 10kg) of fresh fruit and vegetables. Shared between The Koala and I, this needs careful planning to eat everything before the next box arrives. I’ve been testing out gluten-free recipes and I think avoiding processed food is good practice regardless of my health concerns. I’m seeing an Endocrinologist (for the first time) today and hopefully there will be time to discuss diet and Graves Disease with him. I’m fairly adamant at this stage I want to try medication and diet only before than permanent options like surgery or radiation. If possible, I’d like to stay away from radiation. It’s starting to get cooler but since we’re still receiving salad ingredients, we shall eat salad this week. Here’s a guide to what we’re eating this week: BREAKFAST Avocado and tomato on toast Banana and peanut butter smoothie Cumin hash brown with a fried egg and grilled tomatoes Fruit and vege juice and soft boiled eggs Rice noodle soup …

Grave Diagnosis and Diet

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The diagnosis I have Graves’ Disease. It sounds ominous and is characterised by hyperthyroidism. Since being diagnosed with Graves’ Disease a month ago, I’ve been reviewing my eating habits. I’ve lost around 7kg (15lb) due to illness, most of this is muscle so I’ve been super hungry and craving protein like a mofo. I’m on medication but I feel there is more that I can do than just popping a bunch of pills. I’m not going to get into my other symptoms here (I am a textbook case) but I’m focusing on improving my overall health through diet. In the last month… I’ve been focussing on eating whole foods with specific nutritional benefits. I’ve cut out pasta completely and have only had bread a couple of times. I bought a gluten free loaf which a few slices remain. I haven’t eaten much rice or rice noodles but have them once or twice a week. I’ve had 1 coffee since I have been diagnosed and an average of 2 alcoholic beverages a week. I was surprised at myself …

Tofu Tuesday: First Raspberry

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We received a wonderfully summery bounty from The Honesty Box this week. Strawberries, raspberries, avocados, plums, nectarines, peaches, cherry tomatoes and more. Tofu the bunny had never met a raspberry before so I figured it was time. I thought that it would be love at first sniff but he wouldn’t even give it a lick. OK little bunny. Suit yourself. I’ll just leave it here in case you change your mind. When I checked on the raspberry a few hours later, it had vanished. *Please note, raspberry is a very occasional treat for rabbits…Maybe once in a lifetime.

Tofu Tuesday: Yet another tiny carrot

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Another salad fit for a rabbit. Another tiny carrot from our garden. At this rate, we won’t be eating any of these. I haven’t eaten a single carrot from our garden yet, not even a nibble. They’ve been going to Tofu only who loves the tops as much as the tiny bottoms. They smell very sweet and delicious. Tofu the bunny doesn’t like to share. Also, dandelion leaves, bright lights silverbeet (rainbow chard), cos lettuce, sage leaves and coriander (cilantro). Tofu approved.

Prepare a raw meal

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One of my “To Do” activities this spring was to prepare a raw meal. Don’t worry, I’m not giving up hot meals just yet, I just thought it would be interesting and a challenge this spring to make something that was raw, good looking and edible. So I gave it a go. It was harder than I thought even without cooking involved. I picked ingredients based on flavour and colour. I used a few questionable ingredients that have been processed/fermented/pasturised like oil, soy sauce and milk. You can get raw versions of these things apparently. I didn’t for this experiment, but you could. I used gurnard and salmon and squeezed fresh orange and fresh lemon onto the lot. A happy ending via a strawberry smoothie.