Women have very specific needs and therefore it is important for all women to ensure that they get a variety of nutrients. So, here are the nutrients you need to make sHere are those nutrients, which are particularly important for women:

Calcium

• Prevents osteoporosis and maintenance of bone health
• Found in: Dairy products, tofu, fish with edible bones (e.g. kippers)

Folic acid

• Essential for women of child-bearing age to prevent neurological defects in the child
• Found in: Avocadoes, Green leafy Vegetables

Are you a Baking fan?
You'll be happy to know that you need to give up your favourite hobby. Here are tips for some healthy substitutes for common baking ingredients

Sugar substitute               Unsweetened Pureed Apple

Best with:            Cakes and baked goods. 

How to:                Cut the sugar amount in half by adding the same amount of pureed cooked apple plus an extra 1/3. Eg. If recipe calls for 1 cup sugar, you can use ½ cup sugar and about ¾ Cup pureed apple (½ cup +1/3).  Keep in mind that you will need to cut down the recipe’s main liquid by about ¼ for every cup of apple sauce added.

See below for a clip from Lila's appearance on the Dr Mol Show on 31st May 2013

Can’t seem to look at the menu without looking at the dessert section? Have an uncontrollable sweet-tooth? Try these tips from Kezia first:


1.       Begin with fruit

Fruit is naturally sweet.  It’s also packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, but most importantly its low in fat.

Ideas

·         Fruit yoghurt / low fat vanilla yoghurt with fruit added

·         Bananas baked in orange juice, cinnamon and a tsp of honey

·         Poached pears

·         Grilled fruit, especially nectarines, apricots and peaches. (Cut in half, remove the pip. Sprinkle with one tsp brown sugar and place under the grill until sugar has dissolved)

·         BERRIES!!! A 1 and ¼ cup of berries can go a long way.

o        Added to low fat yoghurt

o        Pureed with a splash of orange juice and poured over low fat ice-cream


2.       Eating dessert out tips

·         Order a small portion.  You only need a two to three mouthfuls to satisfy your sweet-tooth

·         Share a dessert between two people

·         Avoiding the biscuit base and only eating the filling


3.       Low fat options

·         Low fat vanilla ice-cream with a sprinkling of cinnamon

·         Low-fat custard

·         Low-fat, low sugar sorbet

·         Low-fat frozen yoghurt

It may be getting colder but in my opinion, it's always the right weather for ice cream!
I have an ice cream machine, which I love to use to make low fat ice creams, but even if you don't have one you can still make your own. This frozen yoghurt is my latest that I've made and it is really lovely, light and refreshing!

Makes approx 2 litres ice cream

1 cup serving =  1 milk + 1/2 fruit + 1/2 starch

Ingredients:

500g watermelon, chopped
1 cup fat-free vanilla yoghurt
375 ml fat-free milk
4 egg yolks
½ cup sugar
30g flour
½ tsp vanilla essence

Method:

1. Scald the milk until almost boiling point. 
2. Beat sugar, egg yolks and flour until light and creamy. 
3. Add the milk to the egg mixture then return it to the saucepan and bring to boil, stirring continuously to form a custard. 
4. When thick remove from the heat, add vanilla and set aside to cool to room temperature
5. Blend the watermelon using a food processor or stick blender and then push through a sieve to remove seeds
6. Mix the watermelon puree and the yoghurt into the mixture
7. If you have an ice cream machine put it into the machine and churn as per manufacturer’s instructions.

If you don’t have an ice cream machine, pour the ice cream mixture in a shallow dish and place in the freezer. Then stir the mixture every 30 min and place back in the freezer. Repeat this stirring and freezing process 4 times. Alternatively, click here for more ways to make ice cream without a machine.

Adapted from tasteofhome.com

Serves 4

1 serving = 2 starches + 2 proteins + 1 fat

Ingredients:

1 cup fat-free milk
1 1/4 cup grated reduced-fat cheddar
125g (1/2 tub) fat-free chunky cottage cheese
125g (1/2 tub) fat-free smooth cottage cheese
3 tblsp flour
2 1/2 cups cooked macaroni pasta
3 tomatoes, sliced
1/2 grated onion
Salt and pepper to taste
Paprika

Method:

1. Mix the milk, cheeses, flour and pepper
2. Stir in the macaroni and onion
3. Place half mixture in a baking dish, top with sliced tomatoes.
4. Place the rest of the mixture in and top with the remaining tomatoes
5. Sprinkle with paprika
6. Bake uncovered at 180ºC
7. Serve with a fresh green salad

Cauliflower is not only rich in fibre and antioxidants, but also makes this excellent creamy, low-calorie and "free" soup!

Serves 10

Ingredients

1.5kg cauliflower, washed and cut into florets
1 tblsp olive oil
2 stalks of celery, chopped
3 leeks, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
2 - 3 tblsp powdered chicken stock
Water
Salt and pepper to taste

Click here for my article on FairLady Online on the benefits of plums

Get creative with veggies
 
Having a green salad every day or the same steamed broccoli every night can get very boring. Fortunately, there are many interesting ways one can prepare vegetables to create a whole new taste experience: 
 

• Mushroom burger. Try using a large grilled mushroom as a burger patty. Just be sure to use a low GI seed roll rather than a normal white burger bun.
• Grilled vegetable kebabs. Brush a “lite” Italian dressing over baby tomatoes, mushrooms, sliced baby marrow and red peppers. Push the pieces of vegetables onto skewers and grill until the vegetables are tender (i.e. about 6 to 8 minutes).
  

There are so many conflciting pieces of information when it comes to boosting your metabolism. Here we debunk those myths...

1. Fact or fallacy: There’s nothing you can do to speed up a slow metabolism
Fallacy. Whereas many may have a sluggish metabolism due to hormonal problems, many others tend to use this as an excuse for not losing weight. Either way, you can speed up your metabolism by following the “Facts” in this article.
 
2. Fact or fallacy: Drinking water can boost your metabolism
Fact. Yes, you’ve probably heard this one before, but drinking more of the translucent stuff is definitely worth your while. The reasons for this are two-fold. Firstly, water is essential for many of the metabolic processes that take place within the body, so it therefore makes sense that if you don’t drink enough, your metabolism cannot function optimally. Secondly, often one mistakes thirst for hunger, leading to one eating when actually your body is craving hydration. Therefore by drinking enough water you’re also preventing yourself from overeating. So try and drink at least 2 to 2.5l of water a day.