Welcome to our seasonal newsletter. On this page we bring you tips and strategies for healthy eating for you and your kids, interesting information about which foods to avoid and which foods to choose for optimum health and sensational healthy recipes.
EATING A HEALTHY BREAKFAST - OUR CHILDREN
Breakfast is an extremely important meal because while it breaks the period of overnight fasting, it also replenishes the body's supply of glucose and provides other essential nutrients to sustain us throughout the day.
Research has proven that children who eat breakfast perform better, are happier, concentrate better at school and have improved learning ability and that children who skip breakfast have a decreased attention span and energy levels. A number of studies also suggest that children who miss out on breakfast can display behavioural problems and tend to be more overweight than those who don't.
Studies being done are finding that our lifestyles are more hectic and breakfast is sometimes just not a priority. It gets forgotten, missed, or rushed, in the hustle & bustle of life. Another problem is that children who are eating breakfast are being offered high sugar juices and breakfast cereals and white toast instead of nourishing wholefoods. This not only affects their behaviour (sugar can cause mood swings and irritability) but their brainpower and their ability to concentrate and process information. One university study has shown that excessive sugar intake has a similar effect on the brain receptors as some drugs of abuse!
So, what does all this add up to and what can we do?
Make breakfast a priority for us and our children. Ensure at least 15 minutes is spent sitting down to breakfast with your children every morning. (Yes, this can be difficult for some, but it is essential to help promote and develop healthy eating habits.) Give them REAL food!!
Most of the packaged cereals on the market are highly sweetened and refined. They also have added synthetic vitamins, a sure indicator of a destroyed, nutrient poor food.
When choosing breakfast foods, just remember the Natural Kitchen Strategies principle of 'As close to nature as possible'. So think wholegrain cereals such as rice and oats, think fresh fruit, yoghurt, nuts, fresh fruit smoothies and wholegrain breads, muffins, waffles and pancakes. There is a whole world of delicious breakfasts out there without a bowl of packaged cereal or slice of white toast in sight!!!!
IN SEASON
Ah, summer! With all the delights of this season, we could live on fruit and salads alone! What could be better on a warm summer morning than a bowl of fresh berries? Blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries are all perfect as they are.
How about a creamy mango and banana smoothie or a plate of juicy melon? Honeydew, rockmelon and watermelon are wonderful thirst quenchers and are naturally cleansing, particularly first thing in the morning.
Even Cherries in the morning, Cherries in the evening, Cherries at supper time!!' Make the most of this divine fruit as they are here for such a short time!
Try freshly squeezed pineapple juice - it is thick, rich and deliciously creamy. Later on in the season, we can enjoy the delights of the stone fruits - Apricots, Peaches, Nectarines and Plums.
On to the rest of the day and what better way to move on to vegetables than with asparagus? Considered a delicacy since Roman times and a major supplier of folic acid, it is delicious in any form.
A huge variety of salad greens, including watercress and the delicious and peppery rocket, cucumbers, tomatoes, spring onions, avocadoes and snow peas make salads so simple to prepare.
Experiment with the rich and versatile flavour of eggplant and relish the sweetness of whole corn on the cob.
What a summer!
Getting real pleasure and enjoyment from new season's produce is a great way to be in tune with nature and the real life cycles of our food.
Summer can be a slow and languorous time but we can still have great fun in the kitchen with all the delicious summer foods, making meals simple but sensational.
The Natural Kitchen Strategies principle of 'As close to nature as possible' is incredibly easy to implement in summer because we have such a vast array of fabulous foods to work with. Try these simple recipes for yummy summer tastes.
ROASTED VEGETABLE SALAD
250g pumpkin
2 potatoes
1 eggplant
1 red capsicum
1 zucchini
1 spanish onion
1 bunch asparagus
1 head broccoli
Mixed salad greens (such as rocket, spinach, cos etc)
Olive oil
Sesame Seeds
Sea salt
Scrub potatoes and cut into wedges.
Place in baking dish, toss in a little olive oil and place in 180°C oven.
Bake ½ hour.
Chop pumpkin, slice and chop eggplant, slice capsicum into thin strips, slice zucchini, cut onion into wedges.
Add to potatoes and add more olive oil if necessary.
Bake further 40 mins, turning occasionally.
Break off woody ends of asparagus and cut each spear in half diagonally, cut broccoli into small heads.
Add to other vegetables 10 minutes prior to end of cooking.
Toast sesame seeds in a dry frying pan until just golden. They burn easily so watch them carefully.
Toss salad greens together.
When vegetables are roasted, allow to cool until they are just warm
Toss with salad greens.
Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and sea salt and toss together.
Click here for a printer friendly version of the ROASTED VEGETABLE SALAD.
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Did you know sesame seeds have a higher calcium content than almost any other food? However, what makes them outstanding value in the food stakes is that, unlike many other sources of calcium, they also have high phosphorous and magnesium levels, making the calcium more completely utilised by the body. They are also high in B vitamins and protein. Shake them over anything and everything, sweet or savoury, and make the most of this fabulous food!
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CAROB ICE CREAM
5 frozen bananas
375g tofu
3 tblsps carob powder
¼ cup soymilk
1 tblsp pure maple syrup
Blend well in food processor.
freeze for at least 2 hours.
Click here for a printer friendly version of the CAROB ICE CREAM.
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Did you know that maple syrup is rich in potassium, calcium and iron? It is one of the few unrefined and unprocessed sweeteners available. It is made from the sap of the maple tree and to produce one litre of syrup, 40 litres of sap must be collected, hence its high cost. Try replacing more refined sugars with maple syrup and enjoy its unique, moist flavour.
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QUICK TIP
Store chopped fresh summer fruit such as banana, strawberries, blueberries, peaches, apricots and nectarines in the freezer and use for instant smoothies. They give a wonderful creamy texture to the smoothie and if you only use a little liquid, it can be made thick enough to eat with a spoon.
Children's Food Educator
Jacqi Deighan, founder of Natural Kitchen Strategies, has many years experience in working with young children and in the hospitality industry, particularly as a chef in the corporate sector.
She successfully ran her own catering business and has a Diploma of Applied Science in Hospitality Studies and an Associate Diploma in Child Care. Jacqi, a mother of three, and a passionate believer in the importance of natural foods, has spent many years researching children's health and experimenting with healthy cuisine, recipe conversion and ways to tempt children's jaded palates.
Jacqi Deighan, a member of Speaker Direct and Booked-Out Speakers, educates parents in the importance of providing a sustaining and nourishing lunch to children, what to avoid and why, and gives lots of simple lunchbox ideas that can nourish and sustain their child throughout the day.
Jacqi gives motivational presentations to a variety of groups such as mother & baby groups, school parent associations, community centres, clubs, Maternal & Child Health Centres, etc. She also gives personal consultations and empowering group talks in private homes.
Jacqi Deighan is a founding parent and member of the steering group of the Parent's Jury, a web-based network of parents who wish to improve the food and physical activity environments for children in Australia.
She has appeared on television, been interviewed on the radio and has been quoted many times in the press with her innovative ideas for children's health.
NKS ~ newsletters ~ SUMMER
are happier, concentrate better at school and have improved learning ability and that children who skip breakfast have a decreased attention span and energy levels. A number of studies also suggest that children who miss out on breakfast can display behavioural problems and tend to be more overweight than those who don't.
It gets forgotten, missed, or rushed, in the hustle & bustle of life. Another problem is that children who are eating breakfast are being offered high sugar juices and breakfast cereals and white toast instead of nourishing wholefoods. This not only affects their behaviour (sugar can cause mood swings and irritability) but their brainpower and their ability to concentrate and process information. One university study has shown that excessive sugar intake has a similar effect on the brain receptors as some drugs of abuse!
with your children every morning. (Yes, this can be difficult for some, but it is essential to help promote and develop healthy eating habits.) Give them REAL food!!
When choosing breakfast foods, just remember the 
Ah, summer! With all the delights of this season, we could live on fruit and salads alone! What could be better on a warm summer morning than a bowl of fresh berries? Blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries are all perfect as they are.
Summer can be a slow and languorous time but we can still have great fun in the kitchen with all the delicious summer foods, making meals simple but sensational.
250g pumpkin
5 frozen bananas
