Dietitian Approved Charity Recipe e-Book

Dietitian Approved is a downloadable e-book with over 25 recipes created by a group of freelance Dietitians with a wide range of expertise but a common love of food!

The idea for the book came about one day when a group of dietitians decided they wanted to do something to raise some money to help those UK families in need. Since dietitians are all about food, what's better than to produce a simple, family friendly collection of healthy recipes? People who buy a copy will be helping support a family in need whilst feeding their own. A simple gesture that “pays it forward”.

All the recipes are genuine “go to” meals that the dietitians prepare for their families. The authors  decided not to include any nutrition analysis in the recipe book, believing that food doesn’t always have to be broken down into nutrients and calorie counts and that meal times should just be enjoyed with family or friends.

The BDA was pleased to support this initiative and launch the e-book during Dietitians Week 2019.

Click the button below to download the e-book through https://sowl.co/LW3vl for £3.99 (all proceeds going to the Trussell Trust). 

Happy St. Patrick's Day

After a very exciting weekend of rugby, Ireland not only have the victory of the Six Nations but today celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day.  The public holiday will no doubt be welcomed by many following Saturday’s win. 

image from https://www.london.gov.uk/get-involved/events/st-patricks-day-parade-and-festival-2014

It may be obvious, but when I think of Ireland I think of potatoes.  Potatoes are a great vehicle for other vegetables.  Now I rarely make just mash potato, it would be mashed potato with butternut squash or mashed potato with carrots.  I occasionally use swede but my young daughters prefer other flavours such as parsnip or sweet potato, which secretly pleases me as I am not that fussed on swede either!  

The addition of vegetables to mash potato is perfect for those children who turn their noses up at vegetables as they won’t notice you have fortified their mash just a little.  With extra vegetables brings more nutrients making the meal nutrient rich and balanced.

A dish I pretty much make on a weekly basis is fish pie.  I vary the mash topping depending on what I have available in the cupboard. I have been known to mash potato with either one of the vegetables listed or occasionally use them all!  I also add frozen peas to the fish base for good measure.  

Click to link to NHSchoices page on fish and shellfish

It is recommended that we include fish in our diet twice a week with one of these as oily fish.  Oily fish contains omega-3 fatty acids which may help prevent heart disease and is important in helping to develop the nervous system in unborn babies.  I am sure you are aware that mackerel, salmon, sardines and trout fit under the heading of oily fish but what about tuna?  Sadly tinned tuna has had most of the omega-3 fatty acids removed during the canning process so is not a good source but fresh certainly is.

Here is my fish pie recipe

Ingredients:

500g       Fish (haddock, plaice, cod, salmon) or 2 packets (260g/pack) Fish Pie Mix

125g        Dill and Mustard Sauce

60ml        Milk

1/2        Lemon - juice and zest (not essential)

100g         Frozen Peas

300g         Potatoes

200g        Combination of sweet potato, carrots, butternut squash, parsnip, swede

80g         Butter/Margarine

Method:

Preheat oven at 180’C or Gas Mark 4

Peel and cut the potatoes and veg into small pieces and boil until tender; approx 20 mins

Place the fish in an oven proof rectangular dish (approx 12 inch x 9 inch x 2 inch deep) - if not using the fish pie mix then skin the fish and cut into small chunks

Dot the Dill and Mustard Sauce over the fish

Pour the milk evenly over the fish then the zest and juice of half a lemon 

Spread the peas evenly over the fish

Mash the cooked potato and veg with half the butter/marg and a splash of milk

Top the fish with the mash and dot the remaining butter/marg over the mash - oil works just as well

Cook for 45 mins or until golden brown

The Sunshine Vitamin

The sun is shining and suddenly life feels a little easier.  The school and nursery run doesn’t seem such a chore as the kids run and scoot happily in the warm sunshine.  Thoughts drift to picnics in the park, trips to the seaside and splashing in the paddling pool.   With sunshine comes Vitamin D.  We all need Vit-D but are we getting enough?

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Vit-D can only be made when the UV light is strong enough.  This is only possible in the UK from April until September in the middle of the day (10 – 3pm) on exposed skin (hands, face, arms or legs).  You only need 15 minutes, two to three times a week during these months to get your Vit-D for the whole year but is this realistic? 

With sun we immediately slap on sunscreen, pull out the sunhats, sunglasses and cover up.  The risk of melanoma is very real.  All these factors will prevent you making enough Vit-D.  There is also the rather important issue that the sun is not very predictable.

So what about food sources?  There are only a few foods that are naturally rich in Vit-D including oily fish and eggs.  Some foods are fortified such as breakfast cereals and margarines.  The problem is that children would need to eat 8 eggs or 26 tablespoons fortified breakfast cereal every day to meet their requirement, which I think you’d agree is not a practical solution!

So what can you do?  UK Health Departments recommend all children from 1 – 5 years take a vitamin supplement containing vitamins A, C and D.  Breastfed babies should be supplemented from 6 months (or from one month if the mother did not take a Vit-D supplement in pregnancy).  Infants fed 500ml or more formula a day do not need supplements as formula milk is already fortified.  All pregnant and breastfeeding women need a Vit-D supplement.

Requirements for babies and children up to 5yrs: 7 – 8.5mcg/day

Requirements for pregnant and breastfeeding women: 10mcg/day

For more information ask your midwife or health visitor or look at the NHS Choices website.