October 22, 2018

"Mum, I'm hungry!" - primary school edition

October 22, 2018/ Rachel Eagleton, clinical nutritionist/ Rachel Eagleton

Recently I was asked to review the afternoon tea menu of a group of Out of School Hours Care Centres. I thought this was a fabulous initiative by the centre because such centres are valuable in promoting healthy eating to children and their families. For busy working parents it would be a godsend to know that when you pick up your kid they have had something decent to eat. But maybe your kids don’t go to after care -what should you be including in afternoon tea at home?

October 15, 2018

6 fast, easy and healthy tray bakes

October 15, 2018/ Rachel Eagleton, clinical nutritionist/ Rachel Eagleton

For the lazy cook like me, the tray bake has to be the ultimate dinner. I read a lot of recipe books and immediately turn the page if too much chopping or browning is involved. A tray bake is perfect because I can pop it in the oven while I am driving my kids around. And bonus - minimal washing up!

September 13, 2018

Boosting your calcium intake on a lactose free diet

September 13, 2018/ Rachel Eagleton, nutritionist/ Rachel Eagleton

Did you know more than half of Australians adults don't get enough calcium? Calcium is the major building block for our bones - it's deposited as a crystal onto out bones to give them strength. Our bones also store calcium so that when we don't get enough calcium in our diets the body will take calcium from our bones. This is why it is really important to have a daily supply of calcium throughout our lives. So, how do you get enough calcium on a dairy-free diet?

September 04, 2018

Why Women in Their 40s Need to Stay Active

September 04, 2018/ Rachel Eagleton, nutritionist/ Rachel Eagleton

As a nutritionist I'm concerned with many aspects of your wellness, beyond what you eat, such as stress levels, mental health, sleep and movement. Today I'd like to welcome a guest post by Brendan McGovern, the Principal Physiotherapist and Director of RedoHealth, a small physiotherapy practice in the heart of Balmain. I’ve asked Brendan to talk about why we need to stay active, the benefits to you and your family, and how to fit it all in!

September 03, 2018

Supporting your recovery from injury through nutrition

September 03, 2018/ Rachel Eagleton, nutritionist/ Rachel Eagleton

A downside of finding a sport that you love is the inevitable injury that sidelines you. While you are sidelined - what can you eat to support your recovery to get you back to your sport stronger than ever? No, I'm not talking about eating your feelings via chocolate and red wine but using your diet to support your recovery and get you back to your sport stronger than ever?

Your focus during your recovery should be on fighting inflammation and fuelling repair – loading up anti-inflammatory foods, keeping essential nutrient intake high as well as boosting protein intake. Your focus during your recovery should be on fighting inflammation and fuelling repair – loading up anti-inflammatory foods, keeping essential nutrient intake high as well as boosting protein intake.

August 30, 2018

Chicken cacciatore with spelt pasta

August 30, 2018/ Rachel Eagleton/ Rachel Eagleton

This is our new family favourite, midweek pasta meal. If you don't want pasta it is just as good over zucchini noodles. For a warm lunch the next day I like to put in a tin of drained cannellini beans to the sauce mixture to increase the fibre content and make enough for left overs. Depending on how much energy I have at dinner time I either serve with a big salad or stir a large handful of spinach leaves through the sauce at the end. I get four types of veggies into this dish, plus chicken thigh fillets which are a good source of iron.

August 24, 2018

Roasted pumpkin, pear and chickpea soup

August 24, 2018/ Rachel Eagleton, nutritionist/ Rachel Eagleton

We love soup for Meatless Monday or after Saturday morning sport. However often a plain vegetable soup can be low in protein and leave you hungry later on, so I’ve added chickpeas which are a terrific source of plant based protein and fibre. Adding pear brings a beautiful sweetness to this dish. This soup is very simple to put together with the oven doing the bulk of the work.

August 15, 2018

My favourite nut bars to keep in your handbag

August 15, 2018/ Rachel Eagleton, clinical nutritionist/ Rachel Eagleton

Are you a snacker? Do you like something sweet with your morning coffee? I am, especially as I am up early with the kids and do my exercise then, so by morning tea breakfast is a distant memory. A nut bar can be a handy shelf stable option that will survive be kept in your handbag or office drawer. Here are my favourite supermarket finds.

August 09, 2018

Provencale kingfish

August 09, 2018/ Rachel Eagleton, nutritionist/ rachel

I love this time of year with the hint of spring starting. Here is a favourite recipe adapted from an old delicious magazine that I have made with salmon, snapper and kingfish. Easy, fresh and perfect for topping up your omega-3s

August 02, 2018

Feeding your pre-schooler

August 02, 2018/ Rachel Eagleton, nutritionist/ Rachel Eagleton

Feeding your 3 or 4 year old can be such a challenging time. I thought I'd offer some tips which I've learned from my training and also what worked with my kids. Get to know how much your children should be eating and look at the pattern over a week not a day. Children have small stomachs so don't expect them to eat adult portions. Your toddler will have developed food likes and dislikes, and their appetite will differ depending on how active they have been and whether they are going through a growth spurt. So don't worry if they eat a lot of food some days and little on others. As long as they are getting a wide range of different foods over the course of a week they will be getting the nutrients they need.

July 29, 2018

Product Review - Huck Energy Gels

July 29, 2018/ Rachel Eagleton, nutritionist/ Rachel Eagleton

I was excited to find a new energy gel for my clients with sensitive tummies needing a low FODMAP sports supplement*. Here’s my review of Huck energy gels.

July 24, 2018

10 easy snacks for busy women

July 24, 2018/ Rachel Eagleton, nutritionist/ Rachel Eagleton

What do you do when the 3pm energy slump hits? Do you grab a biscuit from the office stash or ignore the slump and hope it passes? For me if I don't make the effort to have a small snack at this time I get very hangry and snap at everyone around me.

July 10, 2018

Product Review - Naked Kitchen Black Bean Chilli with Red Quinoa & Paprika

July 10, 2018/ Rachel Eagleton, nutritionist/ Rachel Eagleton

I'm always on the look out for shelf stable products that are healthy and delicious that I can serve up for a quick lunch or dinner. Since my daughter became vegetarian I've explored some new areas of the supermarket and came across this product in the fridge section which she and I both think is delicious!

June 21, 2018

5 Easy Office Lunches

June 21, 2018/ Rachel Eagleton, nutritionist/ Rachel Eagleton

Does this sound like you? Can I guess why? Like a lot of the women I see, you've had a coffee and maybe a slice of toast for breakfast. You've chosen a tuna salad for lunch - because you are trying to be "good". By 3 pm you are all about the easy carbs - picking at the kids’ leftovers and in and out of the kitchen after dinner. That's because you've barely eaten enough to make it from your bed to the sofa let alone provide yourself with enough energy to do all the things you need to do in your day! Crowd out the junk food by getting your lunch right.

June 03, 2018

Should you consider a low FODMAP diet?

June 03, 2018/ Rachel Eagleton, nutritionist/ Rachel Eagleton

For some people, a diet high in FODMAPs can cause a range of abdominal symptoms such as bloating, excess wind, distension, abdominal pain, constipation or diarrhoea (or a combination of both). Following a low FODMAP diet can help manage these abdominal symptoms - 75% of people with IBS experience relief from their symptoms with a low FODMAP diet.

April 23, 2018

Sports Nutrition for Teenagers

April 23, 2018/ Rachel Eagleton, nutritionist/ Rachel Eagleton

Do you have sporty teenagers? With the winter sports season kicking off, you might be wondering if your teenagers are eating the right types of food to support healthy growth and development as well as their training and competition. It's not all about protein powder to get "shredded", or litres of sweet sports drinks!

April 04, 2018

Why you should swap your lunchtime tinned tuna for tinned salmon

April 04, 2018/ Rachel Eagleton, clinical nutritionist/ Rachel Eagleton

A tin of tuna is a popular lunch choice as it is a good source of protein, cheap and shelf stable. A lot of people eat tuna for lunch assuming they are getting a serve of omega 3s – essential fatty acids. However tinned tuna is very low in omega3s - tinned salmon or sardines provide much more.

March 17, 2018

Grilled vegetable and fig platter

March 17, 2018/ Rachel Eagleton, nutritionist/ Rachel Eagleton

Perfect for entertaining, or for a family dinner with the hopes of leftovers, here's how we've been enjoying our grilled veggies. Our secret is to include a punnet of figs (so cheap at the moment - and they used to be such a luxury!) and to marinade before grilling. This is a delicious side to barbecued steaks, sausages or halloumi.

February 06, 2018

Roasted pumpkin salad with crispy chickpeas, pomegranate and mint

February 06, 2018/ Rachel Eagleton, nutritionist/ Rachel Eagleton

In worrying news for hummus fans the world over - we are facing a GLOBAL SHORTAGE OF CHICKPEAS! After the avocado crisis I'm not sure how I'll cope! In the meantime, while tinned chickpeas are still cheap I'll stock up. Here's how we had them last night - roasted til crispy tossed with coriander, cumin and oregano, roasted along side some pumpkin. Served with rocket, mint, toasted pepitas, pomegranate seeds and some halloumi too.

December 12, 2017

12 Days of Christmas

December 12, 2017/ Rachel Eagleton, nutritionist/ Rachel Eagleton

I hate to use the term superfoods (eye roll) but I was thinking about all the lovely food we are blessed to be surrounded by this time of year and that I associate with Christmas. I thought I'd share some of their health benefits as well as recipes that my family enjoy this time of year. I'd love to hear about your Christmas super foods too! My favourite part of Christmas is sharing a meal with the people that I love. Food should be seen as part of the celebration - not something to feel guilty about. Include plenty of fresh fruit and veggies and some lean protein and use the time off work to schedule in a walk or run. Consider Mindful Eating over the Christmas break by making more conscious food choices, paying attention to how you eat, and practicing self-acceptance.