By Keeva Stratton
Improving your diet does not have to mean avoiding your favourite foods, says author, nutritionist and naturopath, Julie Maree Wood, who in her new book somehow manages to create healthy versions of all our favourite take-away meals. From tiramisu, to fish and chips, pizza, burgers, and even a fry-up: in her new book, The Complete Food Makeover, Julie proves that fast food needn’t be fat laden.
We spoke with Julie to find out how she had achieved this incredible foodie feat:
RESCU: The book has so many delicious recipes. Where did you find your food inspiration?
Julie Maree Wood: I did a lot of research talking to people about their comfort food favourites, scanning takeaway menus and looking through old cookbooks to uncover some hidden beauties that have dropped off the radar. Not many current cookbooks feature the old-fashioned favourites that I wanted to make-over in my book and so I could often be found at my mother-in-law’s house fossicking through her fantastic collection of 70s recipe books (pineapple rings with glazed cherries were certainly the garnish of choice back then!).
RESCU: How did being a naturopath and a nutritionist influence the recipes?
Julie Maree Wood: I am a food nerd through and through and so I cannot help in trying to make any recipe that little bit healthier; but, as a naturopath, I understand that taking real pleasure in food can be a wonderful part of a person’s wellbeing. By offering people a healthy version of their comfort food favourites, the nutritionist in me gave their diet a boost and the naturopath gave them permission to eat their faves, guilt-free.
RESCU: Can nachos, fish and chips and tiramisu really be part of a healthy diet?
Julie Maree Wood: Yes, most foods can be part of a healthy diet. It’s all about balance. Sounds so boring, but it’s true. The Complete Food Makeover’s versions of these popular dishes makes it even easier to enjoy these traditionally high fat, low nutrient dishes as they have been nipped and tucked to work with your body, not against it.
RESCU: When ‘making over’ the recipes from fatty classics to fab ‘n’ healthy, did you have any disasters?
Julie Maree Wood: I had many development disasters. I have a ‘three strikes and you’re out’ policy when I’m writing a cookbook, and so I did three rounds with any disasters. If I cracked them, they stayed. If not, I struck them from the list. The worst offender was the Jaffa Self-Saucing Pudding. The stubborn Taurus streak in me pushed me to six rounds with this pudding. It was a big battle and I was the only happy face in my house when I jubilantly pulled the perfect looking pudding from the oven after the sixth night in a row!
RESCU: Do you think it is more expensive, or time consuming, to cook and eat healthy food?
Julie Maree Wood: It can be. You need to be smart about it – buy seasonally, plan your meals, eat a wide variety of foods and develop a good collection of cookbooks. This means you buy fresh food when it is at its cheapest, you can make something tasty with whatever is on special, and by eating a wide variety of fresh food you will be offering your body a whole range of nutrients. Planning meals keeps the costs down, helps you choose recipes that will be quick, and gets that nagging “What’s for dinner?” question out of your head every day.
RESCU: If you’re relatively new to the kitchen, what recipes would you recommend?
Julie Maree Wood: When writing The Complete Food Makeover, I was very mindful of people just venturing into the kitchen, and at the top of each recipe, I always noted the level of difficulty. 90% of the recipes are rated easy. If you’re a beginner, try the Quiche Lorraine, Caesar Salad, Blueberry Cheesecake and Beautiful Berry Muffins first. These are all easy and look very fancy when cooked, so all of your friends will be very impressed!
About the author:
Julie Maree Wood is an award-winning author, naturopath and nutritionist. She teaches and writes on health and wellbeing, runs a clinic in Sydney and is dedicated to making good health simple. She has published three children’s books overseas, and in Australia she has published Feeding Fussy Kids with Antonia Kidman (a collection of recipes and strategies to encourage picky eaters to eat more healthily), as well as 60-Second Secrets (filled with over 350 quick and easy things you can do to improve your health and wellbeing). Find out more at www.juliemareewood.com.au and www.thecompletefoodmakeover.com.au
Read More About Food and Your Body…
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2. Perfect Butt Guide
3. The Metabolic Clock