Welcome to Episode 27 of Quirky Cooking Chats (Season 2), with Jo Whitton: The Meat Question - Dr Pran Yoganathan

{Watch this podcast video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/7d9Qo8E2rVk}

To eat meat, or not to eat meat? This seems to be THE question right now. In this episode, Jo invites Dr Pran Yoganathan onto the show to share his thoughts on the meat question.

Dr Pran is a gastroenterologist and founder of The Centre for Gastroenterology in Sydney. His aim is to empower his patients to embark on a journey of self-healing using the philosophy of “let food be thy medicine”. Dr Pran has a strong interest in the field of human nutrition. He practices an approach to healthcare that assesses the lifestyle of the patient to see how it impacts on their gastrointestinal and metabolic health. He believes that the current nutritional guidelines may not be based on perfect evidence and he passionately strives to provide the most up to date literature in healthcare and science to provide “Evidence-Based Medicine”.

Dr Pran has a special interest in conditions such as Gastro-oesophageal Reflux (GORD), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and abdominal bloating. He takes a very thorough approach to resolve these issues using dietary manipulation in conjunction with an accredited, highly qualified dietician, rather than resorting to long-term medications.

Dr Pran and Jo discuss:

An important takeaway from this interview is to be curious, educate yourself, dig deeper and know where your food is coming from and how it is produced - whether it’s animal-based or plant-based.

Dr Pran’s website: https://centreforgastrointestinalhealth.com.au/

Past podcasts you may find helpful:

Be Curious! The importance of having a curious mindset https://youtu.be/JRBLxDa6Lm8

Gut Health 101 https://youtu.be/pe2GV8IIWo0

Meat Stocks & Bone Broths - How & Why https://youtu.be/bo4KLoiKTv4

How to Save Money on Your Health Journey https://youtu.be/qyRmpOQ4kp0

Find healthy recipes and tips at www.quirkycooking.com.au 

Welcome to Episode 26 of Quirky Cooking Chats (Season 2), with Jo Whitton: Arepas, Empanadas & GF Venezuelan Cooking, with Elena Rangel.

{Watch this video on the Quirky Cooking YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/xvc2jsceVSI}

Join Jo as she visits a small cafe in Yungaburra, Far North Queensland, to learn how to make arepas, empanadas and patacon maracucho (plantain sandwiches).

Jo's friend Elena (owner of Coffee & Clay cafe) loves to share the dishes she learnt to make growing up in Venezuela and explains that traditional Venezuelan breads and baking are naturally gluten free, made from cassava, cornmeal and plantain. Watch and learn how to make these simple and delicious recipes, and if you need detailed instructions you can find similar recipes linked below.

Visit Elena's "Coffee & Clay" cafe in Yungaburra, FNQ https://www.facebook.com/CoffeeAndClayYungaburra/

Recipes:

Arepas: https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/how-to-make-arepas/ (use olive oil rather than vegetable oil)

Empanadas: https://www.thewhiteiguana.com/en/post/empanadas-good-and-crispy-venezuelan-fried-corn-pies

Patacon Maracucho (Venezuelan Plantain Sandwich): https://cookgem.com/patacon-maracucho/

Annatto Oil (or Achiote oil - annatto seed is also known as ‘poor man’s saffron): https://www.food.com/recipe/annatto-oil-109238

Guasacaca (creamy avocado Sauce): https://www.seriouseats.com/guasacaca-recipe

Pica de Gallo (fresh salsa): https://hispanicfoodnetwork.com/pico-de-gallo/

Visit Jo’s website: https://quirkycooking.com.au/ 

Welcome to Episode 25 of Quirky Cooking Chats (Season 2), with Jo Whitton: Cooking with Joy & Deliciousness (+ 'Sweetness' is Not a Dirty Word!) - Jude Blereau

Food is about nourishing the body AND soul! We often look at all the nutrients needed for the physical body to survive, but forget that the soul needs nutrients too.

Wholefood chef Jude Blereau is a big believer that joy and deliciousness are nutrients in their own right. Jude says that the idea that wholesome sugars and fats are "bad" has done nobody any favours. "I’ve worked many years doing food coaching, and my average client was women in their 40’s that had followed this [low fat, low sugar diet] to the letter and their bones were shot, they were deeply unhappy in their life and [they'd followed] this harsh kind of, restrictive diet. Being constantly worried about ‘good and bad foods’ is a very stressful way to look at food... [and] arises from the loss of food culture."

In the "health food" world, there's been a huge shift against sugars, even wholefood sugars. In this episode, Jude discusses why 'sweetness' is not a dirty word and why a little bit of wholesome sweetness in your life is actually a good thing. She also gives a clear argument against fake sweeteners, including the 'natural' ones made in laboratories.

When you base your food decisions on foundational, whole-food principles, everything falls into place and decisions over what to eat and what not eat become much clearer.

Jo and Jude also chat about:

Visit Jude's website for information on her cookbooks, cooking classes and programs and recipes: https://wholefoodcooking.com.au/

You will be able to download Jude's "Wholefood Manifesto" (the core principles of wholefood eating) when you subscribe to her newsletter.

Visit Jo's website to read her wholefood philosophy here: https://quirkycooking.com.au/food-philosophy

Find Jo's wholefood recipes and tips here: www.quirkycooking.com.au 

Welcome to Episode 24 of Quirky Cooking Chats (Season 2), with Jo Whitton: "Building a Business with Heart" - Helen Marshall of Primal Alternative   

Helen Marshall is the brains (and heart!) behind the successful grain-free baking business, Primal Alternative. Jo and H have been 'business besties' for years and love to chat about all things business, food, health, working from home, family, gardening and life in general, and in this episode they let us in on one of their chats. 

Listen in as Jo and H talk about:  

Jo’s trainee, Bea, joins in with a few questions of her own about the Primal Alternative baking business, such as: 

There’s lots more info and fun topics covered in this podcast - if you have an interest in home-based businesses and doing what you love, listen in! 

You can find out more about Primal Alternative and starting your own healthy baking business at home by downloading an Info Pack here https://primalalternative.com/info-pack  

Or visit the Primal Alternative website here: https://primalalternative.com/

Welcome to Episode 23 of Quirky Cooking Chats (Season 2), with Jo Whitton: "Healing Veggie Soup".

Watch this episode on the Quirky Cooking YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/xfM4gFDKVdU

This week Jo cooks one of her favourite soups - a nourishing, hearty soup based on homemade chicken stock and chock-a-block full of veggies, herbs and deliciousness! Use what you have, get creative and enjoy.

Why use meat stock as the base? Jo explains in this video: https://youtu.be/bo4KLoiKTv4

You can find the recipe for Healing Veggie Soup in Jo's latest cookbook, Simple, Healing Food: quirkycooking.com.au/simplehealingfood

Or visit Jo's recipe blog for a version that includes chicken (and some tips for warding off the winter colds and flus!): https://bit.ly/QChealingchickensoup

Find more recipes and tips at www.quirkycooking.com.au, and in Jo's cookbooks:

Welcome to Episode 22 of Quirky Cooking Chats (Season 2), with Jo Whitton: "Ask Me a Question" (Backyard gardening, gut health, hormones, natural skin and hair care, healthy eating & more!)

This week Jo answers questions from her listeners, including:

People, resources & websites mentioned by Jo in this video:

For plenty of free recipes, cooking videos and health and lifestyle tips, visit the Quirky Cooking website: www.quirkycooking.com.au

Welcome to Episode 21 of Quirky Cooking Chats (Season 2), with Jo Whitton: "Cultured Ice Cream, with Wal Foster of Natural ice Cream Australia"  

From his iconic, blue, ice-cream van in Brunswick Heads, chef Wal Foster of Natural Ice Cream Australia creates unique, small-batch cultured ice creams that incorporate native Australian flavours like wattleseed, mountain pepper, tamarind, rosella, strawberry gum, smoked paperbark, pandanus, finger lime and aniseed myrtle.   

In this episode, Jo and the Quirky Cooking team stop by to visit Wal while on an events trip, and Jo chats to Wal about the story behind Natural Ice Cream Australia. Wal shares his interest in probiotic and prebiotic foods and "food as medicine" and talks about how his focus has changed over the last few years from creating sugar-laden French classics and working long hours, to creating one-of-a-kind, gut-healthy ice creams (with indigenous ingredients that he often forages himself), while living a slower, healthier life that includes time to surf and spend time with friends.   

When you stop by Natural Ice Cream Australia for a treat, expect it to also be a learning experience. Wal takes the time to share the fascinating stories behind each ice cream as he serves them, including the ingredients (which may include native fruits you've never heard of before!), where they're sourced, how the ice cream is made and why it's good for you. Wal's amazing creations always bring a lot of joy and delight to his customers, many who may have never really thought about the health of their microbiome before visiting his little blue van!   

Wal generously shared a recipe for honey-sweetened, cultured ice cream with mountain pepper and roasted apricots in Jo's latest cookbook, Simple, Healing Food (quirkycooking.com.au/simplehealingfood), so it was a fun idea to have a cookbook signing and ice cream party at Wal's van in Brunswick Heads. If you have this cookbook, this recipe is a must try! And if you're ever in Wal's neighbourhood, make sure you look him up and enjoy one of his mind-blowingly delicious treats. You'll be glad you did.  

Find Wal online and follow his journey: 

Read more about Wal's story: 

Visit the Quirky Cooking website for real-food recipes and cookbooks: www.quirkycooking.com.au

Welcome to Episode 20 of Quirky Cooking Chats (Season 2), with Jo Whitton: "Preparing Ahead for Breakfasts 'On-the-Go'" (Part 2)

Visit the Quirky Cooking website: www.quirkycooking.com.au

Continuing on from the last podcast... How to boost your breakfast when your busy routine doesn’t allow time for a sit-down breakfast in the morning!

Toast and cereal may be the easiest option, but they often cause bloating or blood sugar crashes later on. A "quick carbs" breakfast also means you’ll generally be hungry again in a couple of hours, whereas a nutrient-dense breakfast will set you up for hours and will reduce the desire for snacking later on!

In this episode:

Find recipes and tips at www.quirkycooking.com.au, and in Jo's cookbooks:

Welcome to Episode 19 of Quirky Cooking Chats (Season 2), with Jo Whitton: "Preparing Ahead for Breakfasts 'On-the-Go'" (Part 1)

Visit the Quirky Cooking website: www.quirkycooking.com.au

We've all heard that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day", and it's true that nourishing your body with a wholesome meal each morning really does make a difference to the rest of your day! But what do you do when your busy routine doesn’t allow time for a cooked breakfast every morning?

Toast and cereal may be the easiest option, but they often cause bloating or blood sugar crashes later on. A "quick carbs" breakfast also means you’ll generally be hungry again in a couple of hours, whereas a nutrient-dense breakfast will set you up for hours and will reduce the desire for snacking later on!

If you find you're just grabbing snacks as you rush out the door (or you don’t manage to eat at all), this episode has plenty of breakfast suggestions for you. If you have kids that reject your attempts to wean them off toast and cereal and onto more wholesome choices, there are lots of tips for you! And for those who have a little more time in the mornings but just feel uninspired by breakfast, there are plenty of ideas to help you get your breakfast mojo back!!

In this episode:

Watch to the end to see Jo preparing some of her favourite 'prepare ahead' breakfasts!

This episode is part 1 in the breakfast series, don't miss part 2 for plenty more breakfast ideas (and cooking videos), including both egg-based and egg-free breakfasts, mini meal breakfasts and 'meals in a glass' that you can blend and take with you.

Find recipes and tips at www.quirkycooking.com.au, and in Jo's cookbooks:

Welcome to Episode 18 of Quirky Cooking Chats (Season 2), with Jo Whitton: "The Importance of Community & Friendships" In this episode, Jo interviews Marcus Pearce, author of the book "Your Exceptional Life".

Marcus has an interesting story of living the smoking-drinking-partying life while being a TV sports commentator, then turning to strict veganism and no alcohol in his search for health, longevity and quality of life. He soon realised that there was a lot more to health than just having a super strict diet, and for the past 15 years he's researched the fascinating subject of what makes for a healthy, happy life.

What Marcus noticed about the happiest, healthiest cultures around the world is that community and friendships play a huge part in not only our health and longevity, but in our quality of life as we age.

Listen in and be inspired to reach out and build stronger friendships and be an active part of your local community.

Find Marcus Pearce here: https://marcuspearce.com.au/

Find Marcus's new book here: https://your-exceptional-life.myshopify.com/

Listen in to Marcus and Damo's podcast "100 Not Out" here: https://thewellnesscouch.com/shows/100-not-out

Visit Quirky Cooking for healthy food and lifestyle tips: https://www.quirkycooking.com.au/