Choosing Healthy Cooking Oils

I have just returned from the most relaxing weekend away in the Barossa Valley.  When I get through the mountain of washing and catch up I have to do, I'll post some pictures.  In the meantime, as part of my new 'healthy' lifestyle, I've been researching cooking oils, and wanted to share some of what I've found with you.


Until I started researching a more healthy lifestyle, I hadn't thought much about what cooking oils I was using.  Then when I started reading about them I was totally confused (and a little bit frightened), but finally I have started to narrow it down and have found some oils I am happy with.

Source - Choice

A Little Bit About Fats & Oils

There is a lot to learn about fats and oils but here is a brief summary:
Saturated Fats

• Includes animal fats (meat & dairy) and some non-animal sources (coconut and palm oil)
• These fats have high melting points and are generally solid at room temperature (except for palm and coconut oil)
• They have long carbon chains, connected with single bonds and are saturated with hydrogen.
• They are stable and resist oxidation
• Saturated fats are hard, inflexible cells that tend to stick together.

Unsaturated Fats
This is a more soft, pliable fat.  There are 3 types:

Monounsaturated Fats (also known as Omega 9)

• Include oleic acid in olive oil, macadamia oil, avocado oil
• These fats have lower melting points, so they are liquid at room temperature.
• The carbon atoms have a double bond at the ninth carbon from the omega end
• They have a neutral effect on inflammation

Polyunsaturated Fats
These are known as essential fatty acids.  They are essential for normal bodily function but cannot be made by the body so we have to include them in our diet.
Omega 6

• Includes most cooking oils - linoelic acid in sunflower oil, safflower oil, corn oil, canola oil
• These nut and seed oils oxidise and can go rancid quickly.  They should be stored in the fridge.
• The carbon atoms have a double bond at the sixth carbon from the omega end
• Omega 6 oils can promote inflammation

Omega 3

• Includes oily fish (salmon) and plant sources (flax/linseed oil, walnuts, pecans)
• These oils also need to be stored in the fridge.
• The carbon atoms have a double bond at the third carbon from the omega end
• Omega 3 oils tend to reduce inflammation. This is important to me with my MS, as the lesions on my brain and spine are areas of inflammation.  In fact when I had my first blood test my inflammation marker was high (outside normal).

How to Choose the Right Cooking Oil

There is an interesting article (well worth a read) on choosing the right cooking oil at The Conscious Life.  On this web page you will find a great chart that shows the different types of oils together with their composition, their omega 6 to omega 3 ratio, and their smoke point. David Gillespie also makes some interesting points on 'vegetable oils' in his book Big Fat Lies.

Rather than repeat all the information in this article (and everything else I've read), I will just summarise that in choosing what cooking fat/oil you use you should consider:

• The balance between saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats particularly the balance of omega 6 to omega 3
• How the oil is extracted - is it cold-pressed or extracted using a chemical/heat process?
• The smoke point - once an oil begins to smoke, it starts to break down and it's composition changes.

The Oils I Cook With

Cold-Pressed Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Me at an Olive Farm in Mildura, Victoria.  We learnt all about olives and how they are cold-pressed to extract the olive oil.  It was over 40 C that day - very hot!

Why EVOO (Extra-Virgin Olive Oil)?

• High in mono-unsaturated fat
• Has a lovely flavour so is great to use on salads, in Mediterranean cooking, and to dip bread into.
• It has a low smoke point of 191C/375F so is best used cold or to gently sweat/lo-heat fry food (below 120C).
• Is a cold-pressed unrefined oil.
• There is a large selection of good Australian made EVOO's to choose from, just make sure your oil has a green colour and good fragrant smell.

Cold-Pressed Extra Virgin Macadamia Oil

Brookfarm Macadamia Oil

Why Macadamia Oil?

• High in monounsaturated fat (83%)
• Has a good balance of omega 6 to omega 3 (Conscious Life suggests a ratio of 1:1)
• It has a smoke point of 210C/413F so it's suitable for higher heat cooking methods (such as baking and pan frying) than olive oil.
• Has a mild neutral flavour so it works well in baking cakes and muffins.
• Made from Australian macadamia nuts.  Try Brookfarm above or Purity Pressed

Cold-Pressed Avocado Oil

Grove Avocado Oil

 Why Avocado Oil?

• High in monounsaturated fat (approx 70%)
• Cold pressed unrefined oil
• It has a very high smoke point 255C (according to Grove) which means it is suitable for high temperature frying such as BBQ and stir fry's which I do a lot of.
• Versatile can be used cold as a salad dressing or for high heat cooking.
• Try Grove  above or Purity Pressed.

Now I am not a dietitian or nutritionist, I'm just a girl with MS trying to eat well. These are the oils I have chosen so far, but I'm still researching and learning.  I haven't included saturated fats such as Ghee (Clarified butter) or Coconut oil, as I'm trying to follow a low saturated fat diet, but these may be an option for you.  Whatever you decide to cook with, at least if you've researched it, you're making an informed decision, not just influenced by the advertising we are bombarded with.

Tip - Only buy oils in small quantities so that you can use them in a short amount of time.  This will help reduce oxidisation and the oil becoming rancid.

Further Reading & References:
The importance of the ratio between omega-6 and omega-3 essential fatty acids can be seen in an article at PubMed Library here

A guide to what our fat intake and ratio should be is found at The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (ajcn.org  here)  Here they recommend a ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 of between 1:1 - 3:1. This is what the ratio used to be going back quite a few generations.  The rate now can be as much as 20:1 as omega 6 oils are used in so many processed foods we buy.  A very interesting read.

Another interesting article on the omega balance at Wild Health Food here which I found when researching rice bran oil.

An article about what happens to oils when they are over-heated at Nutrition Diva here and a particularly good article outlining the effect of heat on extra-virgin olive oil at WH Foods here.
The difference between refined and unrefined oils - PCC Natural markets article here

Online Decor Magazines

I use to be a complete magazine addict.  I would regularly buy all sorts of home decor magazines, and I still do buy some from time to time, but I find myself more and more reading blogs and online magazines now.  They are free and get delivered straight to your inbox.

Here are some online magazines I've found (click on the name for a link)

Adore Home Magazine

A Brisbane based Australian decor magazine

Ivy & Piper

Another Australian magazine with a worldwide feel.

Tickle The Imagination

A lovely Australian craft magazine

Heart Home Magazine (UK)

Pretty homes from the UK

Covent Garden

I think this one is Canadian - really nice.

For a little dose of Scandinavia try 1 by Fryd

The Party Dress
This is more of a dining & entertaining magazine, but still very pretty.

There's a round up of some other US and Canadian online magazines at Decor Happy blog here. (Includes Rue, Est, Matchbook, Anthology, Nesting Newbies, High Gloss and Lonny)

If you go to the issuu web site, you can browse loads of online magazines.  Do you read any of these magazines or know of any others?  Please share, I'd love to know.

Chinese Fried Noodles - Chow Mein

Chow mein literally means 'fried noodles' in Cantonese, and this version is a favourite in our house.  Like fried rice, you don't really need a recipe.  You can just throw in whatever you have in the fridge, but here's a basic version that you can build upon.




Ingredients:
Noodles
450-500g, 1lb fresh egg noodles
sesame oil
Vegetables
100g, 4oz snow peas
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
2 tbsp finely chopped spring onion (scallions)
Meat
225g, 8oz chicken breast, cut into shreds (for my kids)
12 uncooked prawns (shrimp) for me
cooking oil - peanut oil or avocado oil
Marinade for Chicken
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine)
2 tsp sesame oil
pinch salt
pinch white pepper
Sauce
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
1 tsp sugar
pinch salt
pinch white pepper

Method:
Prepare the Noodles.  Heat or cook the noodles according to the instructions on the packet.  All noodles are different.  I buy my hokkien noodles from the Asian supermarket and they only need to be soaked in boiling water for 20 seconds.  Other noodles need to be soaked longer, or cooked first.  Once your noodles are ready, drain them and toss a little sesame oil (1-2 teaspoons) through them so they don't stick together.

Prepare the meat.  If you are using chicken breast, slice it into fine shreds (approx 5cm/2in long).  Combine all the marinade ingredients in a glass dish and marinade the chicken for 10 minutes.  If using prawns (shrimp), peel and devein them.  I cut mine in half, but you can leave them whole.  I don't marinate my prawns.

Get all your ingredients ready.  Stir-fry's are quick so you need to have all your preparation done before you start.

Cook the meat.  Heat a wok over high heat.  Add 1 tbsp of stock or cooking oil, and stir fry the chicken shreds for a couple of minutes, then remove and wipe clean.  Reheat the wok and cook the prawns.

Reheat the wok, add a tbsp of stock or cooking oil.  Add the garlic and cook for 10 seconds (don't let it burn), then add the snow peas (mangetout) and cook for a further 60 seconds.  If you are adding other vegetables add them now (after the garlic).

Add the noodles, the sauce ingredients, and spring onions and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.

Continue to stir fry for another couple of minutes until the noodles are heated through.  Keep scooping up the noodles and turning them over so they don't stick to the bottom of the wok.  Because I eat the prawns and the kids like the chicken, I just add them on top when I serve up the meal.  This way I get an OMS friendly meal, my kids get what they want, and I don't have to cook two separate meals.

That's it.  They're ready to eat.  You can garnish with spring onion slices or drizzle a few drops of sesame oil on the noodles if you like.  I always put some soy sauce on the table because my kids like an extra splash on the noodles.

Notes & Variations: 
Flavour - this recipe uses garlic but you could also use ginger or chilli, or add oyster sauce
Vegetables - add more vegies such as Chinese mushrooms (especially straw mushrooms), shredded Chinese cabbage, pak choy cut into inch long segments, shredded carrot, bean sprouts, sugar snap peas, baby corn (cut in half vertically or chop into pieces).
Meat - You can add other seafood such as scallops or calamari.  My kids like it with chicken, so I just give them the chicken and I have the seafood.
Noodles - use medium egg noodles or dried yellow shi wheat flour noodles.  Swank's book The Multiple Sclerosis Diet prohibits chow mein noodles.  I'm not sure why?  Perhaps he means chow mein fried noodles which are high in fat, like the Hong Kong style crispy fried noodles?  The Asian noodles I can buy in Australia have minimal ingredients and are low in saturated fat.  Read the ingredients list and nutrition information on the packet when making your selection.  I find many of the fresh noodles in the supermarket come in a compressed block and tend to stick together or break.

Seasonality:  This is an all year round dish.  Use whatever leftover vegetables you have, or whatever is in season.

Interesting Facts:
Noodles symbolise long life because of their length, so don't cut your noodles.
The original recipe that I base mine upon is from Ken Hom's book Simple Chinese Cookery. I've changed mine about, but you will find the original recipe in the book.


My wok is carbon steel.  It is well seasoned so it is naturally non-stick.  There is a Chinese saying - the blacker the wok, the better the cook.

My Mediter-Asian Eating Style

My son's favourite food type is Asian, especially yum cha.  He loves steamed dumplings, rice, stir fry's and soups.  My daughter's favourite food is Italian.  She loves pasta, gnocchi, pizza, and antipasto platters.  My husband and I love both.  When I started reading about the role of diet in managing MS and decided to adopt a more healthy way of eating, I noticed that many Asian and Mediterranean dishes suited the diet criteria outlined by Roy Swank in his book The Multiple Sclerosis Diet.

The Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet is based on the traditional diet of Crete, Greece, and Southern Italy in the early 1960's.  At this time, these countries had low rates of chronic disease and high life expectancy.  Interesting that it was only southern Italy, as northern Italy has a diet higher in meat and dairy.  Co-incidentally MS in Italy has a north-south gradient, meaning there is a higher occurrence in the north.

Source - Oldways

The key elements are:

• Physical activity - I'm not sure about the clip art in the pyramid?  They don't look Greek or Italian to me.
• The main part of each meal is plant based with wholegrain cereals (bread, pasta, polenta, cous cous, rice) and beans and nuts.
• Animal protein - mainly seafood with some poultry.  Meat is not as common, eaten only a few times a month.
• Dairy is consumed in small amounts
• Sweets and desserts eaten a couple of times per week rather than daily.  Many desserts are fruit based.
• Cooking oil - olive oil.  Bread is eaten dipped in olive oil rather than with butter
• Minimal processed food.  Fresh produce is usually grown locally and eaten seasonally.

The Asian Diet

Oldways introduced the Asian food pyramid in 1995, as a model for healthy eating (similar to the Mediterranean pyramid), due to the low incidence of chronic illnesses in the Asia region.

The key elements are:

• Physical activity (I think the ballerina is meant to be doing yoga?)
• The main part of each meal is plant based with rice or noodles, and beans and nuts.
• Animal protein - mainly fish, with some poultry and pork.  Meat is not eaten as much and usually only in small amounts.
• No dairy (except in India - where they eat paneer, ghee and lassi)
• Sweets eaten a couple of times a week rather than daily.  Many desserts are rice or fruit based.
• Cooking oil - peanut and soy bean oil, coconut oil, ghee (India)
• Minimal processed foods

It's not just for MS

Below is a worldwide map of cancer incidence.  You can see a larger version at Cancer Research UK here.  According to GLOBOCAN there were an estimated 12.66 million new cancer cases and 7.56 million deaths in 2008.  Australia tops the list.  Not in total but in rate per 100,000 population.  Australia/NZ has a rate of 313, Northern America 300, and Western Europe is 287, compared to South-east Asia 141. 



According to this map, Africa is the place to be. What food do they eat there? Well interestingly, a very similar food pyramid to the Asian and Mediterranean, based on plants and whole grains, with seafood and only small amounts of meat, dairy, and sweets.

Another point to note.  According to Oldways, when Asians stop eating their traditional diet and adopt a more Western diet and lifestyle, their health is affected and they may face problems such as obesity and diabetes.  China now leads the world with the highest incidence of diabetes, and heart disease is growing - see article based on New England Journal of Medicine here.

What did I Learn from all this?

Eat in a Mediterranean or Asian style
Grow my own vegetables (or buy fresh) and eat seasonally
Have a largely plant and wholegrain based diet (include more vegetarian meals)
Eat fish and seafood a couple of times a week
Eat small amounts of other animal protein such as poultry but as part of a dish, rather than as the whole dish (choose chopsticks over a knife and fork)
Eat sweets and dessert a couple of times a week as a treat rather than everyday
Make up for the above by having a glass of red wine with dinner
Go back to a more traditional, old-fashioned way of eating
Try to change from a sedentary to a more active lifestyle (without the bad clip art).
 
So now when the kids ask what's for dinner, I say "Oh something Mediter-Asian".

Have a New Teenager by Friday

When I did The Interior Addict's Interior photo challenge in July, this photo got quite a few comments.

I thought I'd tell you a little bit about the book.  The book is divided into sections:

Introduction - I'm Telling You, They'll Get Weirder than weird
Monday - He Used to be Normal. What Happened?
Tuesday - Talking to the "Whatever" generation
Wednesday - Belonging Matters more than you think.
Thursday - You're Grounded (I Hope So)
Friday - Ka-ching, Ka-ching.  Dividends on the Way
Ask Dr Leman - This is an A-Z section of hot topics or issues you may face with your teenager and tips on how to handle them.  For example; acne, bad-mouthing others, eye-rolling (my daughter is the Queen of this), Internet use, and parties etc...

The book is a really easy read, with summary boxes and 'It Worked For Me' examples throughout.  Now here's the thing ..... it's pretty hard to change a teenager.  They know everything and the world revolves around them. There is no magic pill that will make them perfect.  This book is really aimed at managing how we, as parents, deal with and treat our teenagers.  As Dr Leman says, Your teenager will change to the degree that you change.

There's lots of good advice and tactics to use.  Some of the things I've done since reading the book are:

• I say hello to my son or daughter when they get in the car, but then I'm quiet rather than bombarding them with questions.  The last few times my son and I have been alone in the car together, he has really opened up and told me things that I wouldn't have learnt by asking a million questions.

• My son was in a tennis tournament recently and he didn't do as well as he'd hoped.  I said, you must be disappointed.  He then said, you must be so disappointed in me.  Not at all.  I was disappointed for him not in him.  Rather than try to have a big discussion with him about it when he was so down, I let it go.  The next day I wrote him a letter saying how proud I was of him and that he has my full support.  I left it on his desk, and didn't say anything to him about it on the way home from school.  He went up to his room when we got home, then came down to the kitchen and gave me a big hug.  Not just a shoulder nudge, I'm too cool to hug, but a real, genuine, heartfelt hug.  He was thrilled.

• The other thing I'm learning to do is stop the nagging.  My son is not a morning person, and although he's quite organised he is often running late in the morning, or can't find his Go Card (card for the school bus).  My normal response is to nag - this isn't good enough, you have to get up earlier, it's not fair on your sister.  When this happened again, the other day, rather than nag, I let it go and took him to the bus stop.  When he got home in the afternoon, I had a quiet talk to him in a calm voice.  I asked him to come up with a plan for getting ready on time, and he did.  He decided that he needed to set his alarm earlier, he needed a set place to keep his Go Card, and he needed to have everything ready for school the night before.  Now it's early days, but so far we haven't been late chasing the bus down the street and the mornings have been much less stressful.  The best bit is, it's his plan, his rules for getting ready, not mine.

This is the first Dr Leman book I've read, but he has quite a few.  My sister read the Birth Order Book, and apparently I definitely have the personality of the first born in the family.  Another book that looks interesting is How to Have a New Husband by Friday, and Sex Begins in The Kitchen, which I'm guessing means, if you help me cook/clean up after dinner instead of reading your Blackberry/iPad, you might get lucky!

You can see Dr Leman's web site and books here.

So there's my thoughts on the book.  I'd love to know if there are any other good books you've read, or lessons you've learnt raising your kids.

Interior Photo Challenge Round Up

Well I made it.  I got through the whole month of July and took a photo everyday for The Interiors Photo Challenge.  Here are some highlights to wrap it up for those of you not on instagram.

Day 24 - Designer - I don't really do designer but this wing back bed was custom made, so maybe it's designer?

Day 16 - Bedside- My favourite bedside drawers from an antique shop in London and a cheap Target lamp (shhh)

Day 14 Vase - bought in a second hand shop in Sydney years ago.

Day 11 Bright- Brightly coloured ribbons on display

Day 12 - Old - An antique French aeroplane clock and compass bought in Paris

Day 27 - Rug - My favourite Laura Ashley Rug 10 years old and still going strong

Day 30 Glass - Pretty glass decanter.  Empty :(

Day 25 - New Purchase - Love Home cushions bought recently

You can see the first 10 days of the challenge here.

I really enjoyed the challenge, and seeing other people's photos.  I'll definitely try another one in the future.

Minestrone Soup

I love a good minestrone soup.  A complete meal full of goodness that doesn't leave you hungry.

This recipe is based on Stefano de Pieri's version from his book Modern Italian Food.  You might be familiar with Stefano from his cooking series A Gondola on the Murray.  He is a wonderful chef who operates Stefano's restaurant at The Grand Hotel in Mildura, Victoria.  My husband and I were lucky enough to enjoy one of his 5 course dinners with matching wines.  The most delicious food I've eaten!

My husband, Stefano de Pieri, and me at Stefano's restaurant.

Ingredients:
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 stick celery, strings peeled and diced
2 zucchini (courgettes), diced
20 green beans cut into 1cm lengths
3 ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced
1 400g (14oz) can of Italian white beans - cannellini, borlotti (drained weight 240g)
100g (3.5oz) small dried pasta (small shells, macaroni)
2 litres of chicken or vegetable stock, or water
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil or stock
Salt flakes and freshly ground pepper

The first thing I love about this recipe is Stefano says "Consider the ingredients listed as a guideline, rather than a hard and fast recipe".  That's my style of cooking.  The original recipe includes peas which I've left out because I'm one of those strange people that doesn't like peas.

Method:
Get all your ingredients ready. Peel and dice all the vegetables.  I like to de-seed my tomatoes as I like a clear soup rather then one with tomato seeds floating in it, but it doesn't matter.  Rinse and drain the beans.

Heat the stock or olive oil in a heavy based pan, and gently saute the onion, carrot, and celery for a couple of minutes until they start to soften.  Add the potatoes, and season with salt & pepper.  Add the remaining vegetables and stir.  Add the stock or water, and simmer with the lid askew for about an hour.

About 20 minutes before the soup is ready, I put a saucepan of water on the heat to cook my pasta.  Once cooked, I add the drained pasta and white beans to the soup so they warm through just before serving.

Serve with crusty bread.  For a real treat, brush slices of sourdough baguette with extra-virgin olive oil and toast on a griddle pan ...  so yummy!  There's virtually no fat in this meal, so a little olive oil won't hurt.

Notes & Variations:  Many chefs use bacon bones or speck to flavour the dish, but I enjoy a clear clean tasting soup (without the fat).  For a more tomato based soup, you can use tinned diced tomatoes and a little tomato paste, and you can cook the pasta in the soup rather than cooking it separately.  Just add it towards the end of the cooking time and cook until al dente.
You can add more flavour by including: garlic, thyme, oregano, sage, parsley or 1-2 tablespoons of tomato paste.  For minestrone alla Genovese, stir through basil pesto when serving.  There's a whole chapter on minestrone in The Silver Spoon (Italy's cooking bible).  Other pasta shapes include: orecchiette or you can use carnaroli rice.

Seasonal:  Use whatever vegetables are in season.  Other Vegetables to include are cavalo nero, savoy cabbage, spinach, green peas.

Nutrition:  Cannellini beans are a white Italian bean, related to kidney beans.  They can be bought dry, where you soak them overnight and boil them for 1-2 hours, or you can buy them pre-cooked in a can.  They have a creamy texture and hold their shape.  According to Self Nutrition Data, white beans are very low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. They are a good source of dietary fibre, protein, folate, iron, magnesium and potassium.  One cup (262g) has 7.8g of iron, that's nearly twice as much iron as the same weight of cooked beef sirloin.  As for dietary fibre, if you've eaten these beans before, you know they work.  If you make the soup with borlotti beans, it will have less iron but more dietary fibre.  Don't be frightened about using chicken stock, it adds flavour and generally has very little fat.  If you buy ready made stock, just read the ingredients list and the nutrition panel when making your selection.

Interesting Facts:  Minestrone literally translated means big soup.
Ever notice how many dishes start by sauteing onion, carrot, and celery?  By slowly sweating these vegetables, they release their sugars and create a flavour base for the dish.  This is often called a soffrito.