The Opinion Page - Eat Crap Die Young

Well it's been a brief hiatus while I decided what to do with this blog. Sure - recipes are good, but who really reads them?? You can pretty much find a recipe for anything anywhere these days - and all for free. Thank god for the internet.

I thought I'd have some more fun by sharing my opinions on health and wellness issues. And maybe a recipe or two along the way.

Do you know when"wellness" first appeared in the oxford dictionary only. Me either - but I'm trying to find out! We spend billions of dollars and hours of time trying to "be well". The truth is that being well is not as complicated as its made out to be. But our society chooses to make it extremely complicated.

Just this week I spent over $100 in must-have vitamins and minerals. I should tell you that my health and weight are good, and I am suffering from no discernable illnesses. I am singlehandedly supporting the supplement industry. That makes me a dummy, and yet, I still do it.

I've got a lot more to say on this topic.....And here's a blog with a whole lot more to say about every supplement and vitamin under the sun....Over the next few weeks I'm going to make a list of all the supplements recommended by all the experts from whom I've bought recipe and health books. Let's see what it would really cost to ingest all the things they recommend for me.


The Nutritional and Dietary Supplement Law Blog

Healthy Sauces Episode 2

Healthy Hollondaise Sauce

This version has no butter in it, but is still creamy and delicious.

500g low fat natural yogurt
3 egg yolks
3 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
pinch salt

Line a container with muslin and drain the yogurt overnight to make 1 and a quarter cups yogurt cheese. In the top part of a double boiler place the yogurt cheese, egg yolks and lemon juice. Half fill the bottom saucepan with water (do not let water touch the top saucepan) and bring to a simmer. Whicsk the sauce constantly for 6-7 minutes until it thickens. Remove from heat and whisk in mustard and salt.

Mkes 2 cups.

Healthy Sauces Episode 1

Healthy White Sauce

This sauce would be used for cauliflower cheese, or instead of a bechamel sauce in lasagne.

1 and a half tablespoons non-dairy spread or butter
1 and a half tablespoons spelt flour
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
pinch salt
1 dried bay leaf
2 cups soy or other milk

Combine non-dairy spread and flour in a frypan. Cook over low heat for 3 mins, stirring with a wooden spoon until it is cooked and has turned pale brown. Stir in the mustard and salt, add bay leaf and one-third cup milk. Stir until thick. Continue to add the rest of the milk gradually, stirring all the time.

Option: to make a cheese sauce, stir in half cup low fat grated mozzarella at the end of cooking.

Makes 2 cups, and is suitable for freezing.

Need a detox juice?

Well it's after Christmas now, and I for one need to deflate the tyre that appeared around my stomach over the Christmas period.

Now this drink won't win any awards for sweetness, but it sure will give your body the detox it needs (and Goldie Hawn swears by it so it must be good).

By the way, you actually need a juicer raher than a blender for this one. You can throw all the ingredients in a blender, but it's pretty lumpy. If you don't mind lumpy - go for it!

This drink takes anything green that you have, and juices it all up for a mega dose of chlorophyll and antioxidants. Use whatever you have - as long as it's green, it's good!

Here's what I had in mine today....

Ultimate Detoxer

• 1 celery stalk (including leaves)
• 1 good handful parsley (continental is best - stems and all)
• chunk of cucumber
• handful of green beans
• 1 carrot (OK, I know it's not green)
• 1 knob of fresh ginger (no more than 1 cm, or it's too much)
• Half cup sparkly mineral water (to dilute)

Juice the lot, add the mineral water and drink, feeling very smug about how you are taking care of yourself.

Smoothies not Sodas

It's official, the western world is a nation of fizzy drink consumers.
Carbonated drinks contain the equivalent of up to 10 teaspoons of sugar - that's why we are all getting fatter.

So give the fizzy drink a miss - have a smoothie instead. It's actually good for you. Today's recipe celebrates the humble kiwi fruit.

• 1 kiwi fruit, peeled and chopped
• half cup low fat vanilla yogurt
• 1 cup low fat milk of your choice
• half frozen banana
• half cup crushed ice

Blend and enjoy!

Alcoholic Smoothies

With Christmas fast approaching it seemed the right time to start adding some 'winter warmers' into the mix. Of course, if making these, be careful the children don't get their hands on them....

Vodka is great to add to any recipe - because you can't taste it. Add one measure of spirit per glass of smoothie mix.

But for today, here's a special rum recipe for those of you who like it:

Rum Berry Cooler
1 measure white rum
2 tablespoons lime juice
Half cup raspberries (strawberries would also taste great)
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup soda water
half cup crushed ice (if you like it cold)

As usual, stick it all in the blender for about 30 seconds. Alternatively if you want to keep the berries whole, then just shake it up in a cocktail shaker. Decorate with a couple of lime slices and serve.

Remember, dont drink and drive......

Breakfast smoothie

For all those people who can't stomach breakfast - try this for size. It contains all your essential nutrients and enough good stuff to keep you going for a few hours. Oh yeah, tastes good too....


1 cup skim milk
1 tablespoon tahini or unsweetened peanut butter
1 frozen, chopped banana
1 tablespoon vanilla protein powder
1 tablespoon flax seed oil
crushed ice (if you like it really cold)

blend away - eat with spoon or drink.

If you don't have protein powder, you can use 1 tablespoon rolled oats and add a little vanilla essence. The texture will be different but still tastes great.

There's a whole chapter on liquid breakfast ideas in Absolute Smoothies, if you're looking for inspiration!

Blueberry Smoothie Magic

You know, they say that humans don't like to eat foods that are colored blue. Really - apparently it's because it's not a 'usual' color for food.

Well whoever wrote that forgot about the blueberry. A powerhouse of antioxidants, good for you in so many ways. Get some of these into your smoothies - close your eyes if the color bothers you!

Here's my fave blueberry recipe:

Half cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
Half cup vanilla low fat yogurt
1 cup low fat milf (soy, cows - whatever)
1 teaspoon honey
throw in half a frozen banana for texture
Half cup crushed ice

Blend for 30 seconds or so, then enjoy.....

Too many bananas?

Bananas and smoothies are a match made in heaven. I always freeze my bananas so they make the smoothies creamy....

And today's favourite banana recipe is:

Tropicana Fresh

Quarter cup pineapple juice
Half cup low fat coconut milk
1 banana,
frozen and chopped quarter teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1 tablespoon lime juice
Half cup crushed ice (if fruit not frozen)

Stick it all in the blender and blend for about 30 seconds.

P:F:C: 5:15:38
Cal: 334
Kj: 1371