August 2010 Newsletter: Magic Mushrooms, Winter Exercise, Special Offer, Great Recipe

Hi everyone, welcome to the August monthly newsletter from OrganicFood.com.au. For your reading pleasure, we've again compiled some handy and insightful nutrition, well being and foodie articles from our expert guest contributors. We hope you enjoy!

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Your Wellbeing: Magic Mushrooms

Written by our in-house nutritionist Amanda.

Mushrooms are the perfect food for the busy lives we lead today.  They are quick and easy to prepare, blend well with other flavours, can be cooked almost any way you can imagine, and are very nutritious. Mushrooms are the only fresh fruit or vegetable that contains Vitamin D (the "sunshine Vitamin").  This is essential in healthy bones.  Mushrooms have immune boosting properties - especially the shitake mushroom.    

Mushrooms are a hidden treasure for vegetarians as they contain nutrients that are typically found in meats.  They are low in calories, fat and cholesterol free and very low in sodium, yet they provide several nutrients. The nutrients in mushrooms are different from those of other vegetables and provide the B group vitamins, especially riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), folate, pantothenic acid and biotin, but have little vitamin A or C.  It is now known that mushrooms contain Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin that helps keep bones strong and fights disease.

Mushrooms are best stored unwashed in brown paper bags in the refrigerator, preferably on the lowest shelf. Generally it is important that mushrooms are packaged in materials that allow them to breathe, so they don't “sweat” and become slimy. Buy some organic mushrooms.

Your Body: Winter Training

Its late July, winter is half-way through, soon you’ll be back outside in that glorious summer sun. For most, summer means long days at the beach, in swimmers that costs half your Christmas budget. But what’s the best way of ensuring you look your best in that expensive new swim suit? The answer is simple. Stick to your exercise program through-out winter! Consider some of the important benefits of exercising and staying healthy over winter: ·      

• There are fewer crowds so you’ll have that exercise space to yourself, especially if its outdoors. ·       Training before work means you’ll get to see the sky filling with light as the sun rises     
• Don’t like to exercise early morning? You can train in your lunch break now because you won’t have to combat the draining summer heat. ·      
• Peaceful empty streets. No cars. No Kids. ·      
• Best of all. You’ll have a few month head start on the summer beach body.

So be a trend setter not a trend getter. Keep up your routine and reap the benefits all year round.

To help jump start your fitness we are offering readers a FREE 1 on 1 Personal Training Session to the first 5 people who mention this article.

Michael Fitzgibbins Personal Trainer Group Fitness Specialist Fit Fundamentals – Alexandria, NSW
(02) 8003 4847 or 04 23 22 33 23 info@fitfundamentals.com.au I www.fitfundamentals.com.au

Your Mind: Yoga Food

Whether you are a yogi, a novice or just attend yoga classes regularly what you eat before and after yoga practice can influence how you feel and even how effective your practice is. Imagine sitting down to a bacon and egg breakfast before going to a class, the heavy meal sitting in your stomach as you stretch out your body. Or drinking a stimulating espresso coffee that kicks in just as you settle into a yogic meditation. The food you eat is an important aspect of yoga practice as it supports and nourishes the body, in turn nourishing the mind and emotions.

There are many varied perspectives about what it means to nourish your body and it is easy to follow a path only to find out later that it doesn’t suit you. However, having body awareness and indeed awareness about what you are consuming is the first important step in truly nourishing your mind and body and thereby supporting your yoga practice. Listen to yourself so that you’ll know what kinds of foods might be best in each moment. But remember also to allow yourself the flexibility and freedom to make choices. Flexibility of mind is as important as flexibility of body so don’t get caught up in rigid food rules.

There are good practice guidelines for when and what to eat before and after a yoga session:
Yoga in the morning

• Avoid stimulants such as sugar or caffeine before classes as you may find your mind or body racing which may make it hard to settle into the yoga poses.
• If you tend to suffer from low blood sugars, get lightheaded or irritated when you miss meals, then have a piece of fruit or a veggie juice half an hour before a class. This will give you enough “food fuel” to keep you going until you finish and can eat again.
• Yoga stimulates up your “digestive fire” so you can end up feeling quite hungry after a class. Aim to wait 30 minutes to an hour after class before eating again. Eating a big meal straight after class can make you feel groggy as it the blood supply from your brain and limbs gets pulled to your stomach to digest the food. If you need to eat sooner after classes, have a piece of fruit, a veggie juice or a light meal.

Yoga in the evening

• If your class is in the early evening, it is good practice to eat a light protein based meal in the mid-afternoon beforehand. Eating too soon before a class will draw the blood supply from your limbs to your stomach for digestion. This will reduce your ability to really engage in yoga poses and stretch out. You may also feel uncomfortable if your stomach is too full. Ideal sources of protein include tofu & rice, a tuna salad or whole-wheat biscuits with avocado and tahini.
• After yoga class you can eat a larger meal however, be aware that eating a large meal too late at night can create sleeping issues so a smaller nourishing meal about an hour after class is ideal. Consider a veggie soup, lentil dahl or a light stirfry.
• If you tend to suffer from low blood sugars, get lightheaded or irritated when you miss meals, then have a piece of fruit on hand for immediately after class. This will give you enough “food fuel” to keep you going until you can have a meal.

As far as what to eat to nourish your body, a diet consisting of fresh, untreated foods is the first step towards health regardless of whether you practice yoga or not. And as always think organic where possible.

Sowelu is boutique Fitness and Wellness centre located in Paddington, Brisbane

Your Tastebuds: Recipe of the Month

Vegetable and Lentil Soup with spiced Yoghurt                         

Serves 6  

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small leek (white part only chopped)
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 ltr vegetable stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 185g (1 cup) brown lentils
• 450g (1 lb) butternut pumpkin, peeled and cut in to 1cm cubes
• 2 zucchini, cut in to cubes
• 400g (14oz) tin tomatoes
• 200g broccoli, cut in to small florets
• 1 carrot
• 80g ( ½ cup) peas
• 1 tbsp chopped mint  

Spiced yoghurt

• 250g (1 cup) thick plain yoghurt
• 1tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 3 dashes Tabasco sauce  

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the leek and garlic and cook for 4-5minutes, or until soft and lightly golden. Add the curry powder, cumin and garam masala and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.   Add the stock, bay leaf, lentils and pumpkin. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Season well.  

Add the zucchini, tomatoes, broccoli, carrot and 500ml water and simmer for 10 min, or until the vegetables are tender. Add the peas and simmer for 2-3 minutes.  

To make the spiced yoghurt, place the yoghurt, coriander, garlic and Tabasco in a small bowl and stir until combined.   Dollop a spoonful of the yoghurt on to each serving of soup and garnish with the chopped mint.

Grocery Product Special Offer: New Pasta Range

From BioItalia, we have added some more great pastas to our organic range.

We have a launch special offer discount on our FUSILLI and MACARONE. Wonderful when paired with our range of gourmet organic pasta sauces.

Find out more, or check out our full range of  Special Offers and Newly Added Products on our website.

Thanks for your interest in the organic market and the environment....any queries about our online organic food shopping service please visit www.organicfood.com.au or contact Leonie@OrganicFood.com.au.

Thanks

The team at OrganicFood.com.au Pty Limited