There's a pithy cartoon by Cathy Guisewite which captures the current whirlpool of confusion around dieting. Reading through a menu with her friend at a restaurant, they proffer their advice:

"I'm eating high protein!" declares her friend.

"Artery-clogging saturated fats. Excess protein leaches calcium from the
body," protests Cathy.

"Mostly fish. Soy," muses her friend. "Mercury poisoning. Unsafe PCB levels. Gastrointestinal problems," comments Cathy.

"Fresh veggies. Fruit platters," says her friend. "Toxic metals. GMO's. Wax-encased pesticides," says Cathy.

"We'll have the brownie!" yells her friend, hand up in the air. "At least we're sure what we're eating," smiles Cathy.

Hmmm - perhaps, as the sub-title suggests, we're all suffering from an
avalanche of over-processed information? With so many different diets on offer, all of which claim to help us lose lots of weight and feel a million dollars, it can be very confusing knowing just which foods to eat - and which are best for our health.
According to nutritionist Karen Inge, there's no one right way to eat. "We've over-simplified for too long," she says. "We need to understand our own genetic blueprint and to eat accordingly because a lot of the way we metabolise our food is genetically determined."

For Inge, becoming an intuitive eater is the way to go. "Most of us have lost the sense of being hungry or feeling full because as kids we were made to finish everything on our plates. What we need to do is to find out about our family history and to tune in to what foods make us feel sluggish and what foods make us feel better. Portion control is critical as is knowing what to eat more of and what to eat less of."

She recommends eating large amounts of low energy density foods like fruit and vegetables - surely not a difficult feat in late summer. For me, sticking to a low fat diet is easier at this time of the year because there are so many luscious fruits and vegetables in season and also because the heat diminishes my appetite for fatty foods. Grilled meats, chicken or fish can be enlivened with a dry rub (like a Moroccan seasoning or dried lemon myrtle mixed with sea salt), a squeeze of lemon or lime juice, a scattering of freshly chopped herbs and some cracked black pepper.

 

Chilled soups like gazpacho or roasted red capsicum make marvelous low fat high fibre starters and grilled summer fruits, sprinkled with a little cinnamon sugar, are perfect for dessert. With a little imagination (and restraint), I bet you are able to resist any brownie which comes your way!

Kangaroo Salad with Moroccan Spices

Serves 2

400g kangaroo loin fillet
2 teaspoons Moroccan Seasoning
2 cups mixed salad leaves (mesclun)
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed,
halved and blanched
2 - 3 roasted medium beetroot,
peeled and quartered
1 orange, peeled and cut into segments
Sliced red onion rings for garnish

Dressing:

1 teaspoon honey Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
50ml orange juice

Rub the Moroccan seasoning into the fillet and leave to marinate for an hour or overnight. Heat the char-grill and cook 3 - 4 minutes on each side - or longer if you prefer it well done. Leave to rest in a warm place for 5 - 10 minutes. Slice the meat on the diagonal.

For the salad, combine the leaves, asparagus and orange segments and
divide evenly between two plates. Add the quartered beetroot. Top with the kangaroo and drizzle with the dressing. Garnish with thinly sliced red onion.

For the dressing: whisk together the mustard, vinegar and orange juice
until well combined.

 

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