LIZANNE MARR

IBS & Gut Health Dietitian

Filtering by Tag: bones

4Grain Protein Rice

Love your rice but feel like you're not getting as much from it as you'd like?Say hello to 4Grain Protein Rice! Now with more protein, fibre and B-vitamins than ever before!

This staple is colourful, crunchy yet soft, satisfying and exciting! It has a low Glycaemic Index (GI) giving you slow-released energy and stabilised blood sugar levels - perfect for weight management or diabetics! The seeds in this are also really high in protein so it will keep you fuller for longer and help repair your muscles to keep your metabolism sky high. Who wouldn't want this new rice? Even those who are gluten-intolerant can have this as it is 100% gluten free!

This is SUPER easy to make if you have a rice cooker at home. If you don't, it is still very easy. I promise :)

Ingredients: 1 cup brown rice 1 cup quinoa (I used red) 1/2 cup amaranth seed 1/2 cup millet 5 cups water

Don't worry these are not difficult to find! Quinoa and brown rice is widely available in Australian supermarkets these days - look in the healthfood isle. Amaranth and millet will need to be sourced from your local health food store and are very affordable. I want to talk a little bit about these grains and their nutritional value:

Quinoa is a seed that contains all essential amino acids required by the body, therefore a complete protein source! It is not a grain but a seed and when cooked becomes soft with a nutty, satisfying taste. You can read more about it here.

Brown rice is an unmilled, whole natural grain that has only had its outer husk removed. This means that it contains more B-vitamins, magnesium and iron than white rice. It is also a great source of fibre!

Amaranth seed is often called "grain" because is behaves like a grain but is technically a seed. There have been a few studies to show that amaranth may help with high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. This seed is also naturally gluten free and is rich in B-vitamins!

Millet is a traditional food source for many countries including India, Russia, Germany, China and West African countries like The Gambia! This little seed is rich in calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium and zinc. These are all important for healthy bones, skin and energy levels.

Have I convinced you yet? Well maybe the easy method will...

Method: Combine all ingredients in your rice maker and turn it on "cook". It should be ready in about 20 minutes! Voila...it's that easy!

* If you don't have a rice maker, simply add everything in a big pot on high heat until it starts to boil. Turn heat down and simmer for about 20-25 minutes or until cooked.

This 4Grain Protein Rice is PERFECT to add to your food prep for the week! It is something that will keep in the fridge for the whole week and works really well added to salads for lunch or as a foundation for dinner!

This is how I had it for dinner last night...a delicious purple raw kale & brocolinni salad and oven-baked sweet potato with a creamy tahini sauce drizzled over it!

You could even make it into a healthy dessert like this one! Or use it in a salad like this one.

Question: Do you get bored with rice? What else have you tried to make it more nutritious and exciting?

The Humble Cup

One of my friends popped over last week during her lunch break for a quick catch-up and a debrief of how her wedding plans are coming along (I'm her bridesmaid - yay!).   She already had her lunch packed, so I thought what better way than a perfectly brewed pot of tea to try and keep my friend here as long as I can (muahahaha).  

As I was looking over my selection of teas  deciding on which one to make, I got thinking about the custom of drinking tea and the benefits that come from it.

Tea is believed to be the most popular drink in the world, after water. The british alone consume 165 million cups per day or 60.2 billion per year. That is a lot of tea! So what are the benefits? I'm glad you asked...

  1. Antioxidants - helps us fight free radicals (nasties that causes cancer/disease/ageing)
  2. Less caffeine - an average cup of coffee contains 135mg of caffeine whereas tea only has 30mg per cup
  3. L-theanine - an amino acid in tea that keeps us calm yet allert and enhances our mood. Who needs coffee?
  4. Fat burner - clinical trials have shown that green tea raises metabolism and speeds up fat oxidation!
  5. Studies have shown that people who drink tea have stronger bones possibly due to the polyphenols found in tea.

I can go on and on about how good tea is for you because there are just so many benefits!

But if there is only one thing I want you to get out of today it would be to:

Drink more tea, not coffee!  Savour it, enjoy it and think of how your body is going to love you for it!

It really is a humble cup...quite frankly I think it deserves a gold medal!

Question of the day:

What is your favourite tea?

Mine is Rooibos, a traditional South African tea that is grown only in the highlands of the Cape region. It means "Red Bush" if directly translated and it is a dark warm red colour when brewed. It is naturally sweet and it has MANY health benefits. Just talk to your fellow South African friend and they will tell you...

My favourite way to drink Rooibos in summer - Rooibos Iced Tea Cooler. You will love it!

The Humble Cup

One of my friends popped over last week during her lunch break for a quick catch-up and a debrief of how her wedding plans are coming along (I'm her bridesmaid - yay!).   She already had her lunch packed, so I thought what better way than a perfectly brewed pot of tea to try and keep my friend here as long as I can (muahahaha).  

As I was looking over my selection of teas  deciding on which one to make, I got thinking about the custom of drinking tea and the benefits that come from it.

Tea is believed to be the most popular drink in the world, after water. The british alone consume 165 million cups per day or 60.2 billion per year. That is a lot of tea! So what are the benefits? I'm glad you asked...

  1. Antioxidants - helps us fight free radicals (nasties that causes cancer/disease/ageing)
  2. Less caffeine - an average cup of coffee contains 135mg of caffeine whereas tea only has 30mg per cup
  3. L-theanine - an amino acid in tea that keeps us calm yet allert and enhances our mood. Who needs coffee?
  4. Fat burner - clinical trials have shown that green tea raises metabolism and speeds up fat oxidation!
  5. Studies have shown that people who drink tea have stronger bones possibly due to the polyphenols found in tea.

I can go on and on about how good tea is for you because there are just so many benefits!

But if there is only one thing I want you to get out of today it would be to:

Drink more tea, not coffee!  Savour it, enjoy it and think of how your body is going to love you for it!

It really is a humble cup...quite frankly I think it deserves a gold medal!

Question of the day:

What is your favourite tea?

Mine is Rooibos, a traditional South African tea that is grown only in the highlands of the Cape region. It means "Red Bush" if directly translated and it is a dark warm red colour when brewed. It is naturally sweet and it has MANY health benefits. Just talk to your fellow South African friend and they will tell you...

My favourite way to drink Rooibos in summer - Rooibos Iced Tea Cooler. You will love it!