Lunch Box Ideas & Recipes

Coming up with interesting and nutritious foods to put in your children’s lunch boxes can be tough. Being creative with vegetables and fruits, offering them as snacks and including them in their school lunches will help kids to appreciate and enjoy fruit and veggies and help to ensure they get enough.

Below are some ideas for lunch box snacks and lunches that include some vegetables and fruits. 
Always try to present the food in a fun way. A lunch box with different compartments is a great idea.

Lunch box Snacks:

Ants on a log: fill sticks of celery with cottage cheese (or cashew paste) and sultanas.

Veggie sticks: carrot, zucchini, capsicum, baby corn or celery sticks (crunchy vegetables can be softened by lightly steaming for younger children).

Healthy dips: such as hummus, mashed avocado and creamed corn, carrot and chickpea, blended white bean and tuna. You could use the veggie sticks (above) as dippy sticks or just plain rice crackers to dip in these vegetable dips. The dippy sticks or rice crackers should be put in a separate container to the dip. Kids love lots of little boxes of things to try.

Fruit: small pieces are best. Apples or pears can be cut up (and peeled if necessary) and put in a small air tight container. Grapes, mandarin (peeled and broken into segments), berries and melons are great if cut into bite size pieces and put in an airtight container. Small pieces of fruit such as plums, apricots and nectarines are also great.

Yogurt and fruit: Add chopped up fruit to plain yoghurt (such as Jalna biodynamic natural yoghurt) in a thermos. Add sesame seeds and organic honey or rice syrup to taste.

Tempeh or tofu (firm): lightly fried with tamari or soy sauce.

Corn on the cob: simple, yet kids love it warm or cold. If cooking corn on the cob for dinner cook extra to add to the kids’ lunch boxes the following day.

Home-made Muesli bars: Remember to keep them small. These may not be suitable for school snacks because of the nuts, however they can be used as lunch box snacks for other occasions. (check out the recipe on our website)

Lunch box Lunches:

Wraps:  Flat bread (preferably wheat free) wrapped around hummus, salad and avocado; or salad and egg. Cut in half and put in an airtight lunch box.

Vegetable rice paper rolls: Wrap finely cut carrot, cucumber, bean sprouts and rice noodles in rice paper wraps. Serve with a dipping sauce.

Savoury fruit and veggie muffins: Keep them small to keep cooking time to a minimum and ensure they are cooked through. (see recipe on our website)

Home-made vegetable soup: Make a whole lot and then freeze it in small containers. Pull out of the freezer the night before and warm it in the morning and put it in a thermos to take to school. Pack some flat (wheat free) bread to dip into the soup. Soups kids enjoy include: pumpkin, potato and leek, minestrone and miso, however you can use any vegetable soup!

Vegetable pikelets: Add grated zucchini, creamed corn, carrots and cheese to the usual pikelet mix. You can use gluten free flour to make the pikelet mix if you prefer.

Bread sushi Rolls: use wheat free wraps or bread with the crusts cut off. Spread with veggie dips (above), creamed corn or cream cheese and add grated carrot, tuna, salmon, or anything else your child likes!

Bean salad: you can buy organic beans such as chick peas or 3 bean mix. Stir through a nice sauce like tomato with chopped parsley or pureed roasted pumpkin. Send to school in an airtight container with a fork or a spoon.

Enjoy!

Managing Digestive Conditions

In the last few months, I have been busy with a seminar focusing on naturopathic treatments for

digestive conditions such as functional dyspepsia (indigestion and reflux) and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), I thought I would share a couple of fruity antidotes, because it’s always lovely to share research on food.

First, the Kiwi fruit has been shown to be helpful in IBS, with 1 kiwi fruit eaten twice a day shown to improve defecation, frequency of bowel motions, pain and discomfort. This study was of good quality, over a period of 6 weeks in 70 participants.

Whilst, bananas, were shown to be helpful in those suffering from functional dyspepsia, reducing acid production and increasing healthy mucus secretion.

Happy Eating! 

Naturopathy & it's Ties with Exercise Physiology

Naturopathy is founded on a ‘Nature cure’ or ‘Natural’ philosophy of healing.  It is holistic in its approach to each person, respecting that health integrates your physical, mental and emotional state, and it supports your body’s inherent desire to recover to full health. We know that everything you eat, drink, breath, feel and do has an impact on your physiology. Naturopathy aims to facilitate your journey away from disease towards optimum health on all those levels.

This approach mirrors what dedicated exercise physiologists do – they are searching for ways to aid recovery and improve wellbeing that are beyond just ‘exercising’. Naturopathy can support correct physiology through a number of avenues. 

Some include:

·      Identification & reduction of inflammatory triggers (think dietary assessment and adjustment, toxin and allergy screening, body composition testing, essential fatty acid testing)

·      Enhancement of anti-inflammatory pathways (through dietary adjustment and nutritional & herbal supplementation such as fish oil and turmeric extract)

·      Support of the body’s own repair response (minerals, antioxidant nutrients, essential fatty acids, immune & adrenal herbal tonics are useful especially for long term conditions)

·      Facilitation of improved organ function (for example - improving digestion enhances nutritional status, improving blood sugar regulation reduces diabetes risk, improving stress response enhances fertility in both sexes, improving sleep quality boosts energy & assists weight loss)… and the list goes on!

Through the use of traditional & modern assessment techniques, herbal & nutritional medicine, and a good dose of common sense, Naturopathy is a solid practice of ‘Natural Medicine’ with the aim of achieving full health rather than just treating disease.

Stress, Fatigue, Anxiety...Do these sound familiar?

As we reach the tail end of the year, there is one theme that seems to be recurring with every patient I see…. Stress, fatigue, anxiety, lethargy, low mood. 

We are all over worked and burn out.

‘Stress’ is a word that we hear used often. We have all felt what it is like to have a ‘stressful’ day or week (or year!). 

However the correct meaning of stress does not just refer to how we feel emotionally. It refers to a process of changes that occur in our body when our body is put under intense pressure or workload. To understand stress, we need to understand about the fight or flight response. This is our body’s primitive and innate response that enables us to ‘fight’ or ‘flee’ from perceived attack in order to ensure our survival. It gives us the physical capabilities to literally run or fight for our lives. 

The response is hardwired into our brains and can be difficult for many to control. For example, imagine you are walking down the street and come face to face with a big, black dog growling at you. You are going to want to get out of there as quickly as possible and this is where the stress response kicks in.

Every day is a series of stressful events. We lose our keys, argue with the kids, rush to get to work on time, feel the pressure of trying to get through hundreds of emails in a day or hand a report in on time, then rush back out the door again only to get stuck in rush hour traffic. All these small events initiate the same ‘fight or flight’ response within our bodies.

Changes that occur in the body with anxiety and stress

•            The ‘fight or fight’ response is initiated when your brain senses danger - or our 20^th century ‘dangers’ such as getting lost, rushing around, losing things, fear or worry.
•            Adrenaline and cortisol, our stress hormones, are released from the adrenal glands. These hormones initiate the physical changes that occur with stress.
•            The respiratory rate changes. We start breathing faster and using our upper chest and accessory breathing muscles (to get us ready to run fast).We can experience a tightness in the chest and trouble catching our breath.
•          Our blood pressure increases and our pulse quickens as our bodies attempt to get more blood pumped into our limbs to allow us to better run/fight. Suddenly sitting still at your desk becomes difficult.
•         Our senses sharpen. Our peripheral vision increases to allow us to look for danger. Our pupils dilate. These are not things that most people notice, but have a check in the mirror next time you’re feeling anxious/stressed.
•         Our thought processes quicken and jump from one thing to the next. This allows us to process any potential danger ahead, but in actual fact makes it harder to concentrate and focus on one task at a time. Ever had a million things running through your head?
•         Our blood sugar regulation changes- our glucose level increases to allow more available energy. Here comes the 3pm coffee and sugar cravings!
•         Our muscles tense up to prepare us for action. This helps us to run faster and get better strength. If no action occurs, the muscle tension remains, leading to poor posture and aches and pains. We become more prone to injuries as we are more inflamed and our muscles fatigue easily. Chronic muscle tension puts pressure on our joints and tendons leading to further aches and pains. 
•         Energy is diverted away from the digestive system. Blood is diverted from the gut to the arms and legs. This leaves us less able to digest our food and absorb nutrients. Bloating, reflux, constipation and/or diarrhea can all occur due to this part of the stress response.
•        Energy is diverted away from our immune system. We don’t need to worry about infections when running for our lives, however ongoing stress leaves us open to infections and explains recurrent colds.
•        Nutritional stores get depleted. The stress response uses up our B vitamins, zinc, magnesium and omega 3 fatty acids as well as needing cofactors such as vitamin C, chromium, calcium and proteins. On top of this, the changes that occur in our digestive system reduces the absorption of nutrients from the food that we eat, meaning that we cannot replenish our nutrient stores.

On a daily basis, adrenaline and cortisol are pumping around our body, changing our biochemistry and having huge effects on our health. Our body cannot keep this high level of activity for very long without causing harm. There will be a cumulative effect of stress hormones leading to all sorts of health issues.

….Headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, high blood pressure, sugar cravings, fatigue, weight gain, thyroid issues, poor immunity, low libido, hot flushes, anxiety, depression, insomnia, inflammation…

These are all symptoms of chronic stress!

What you can do about it

It is difficult to avoid the triggers that make us stressed and make us feel exhausted. However here are a few simple steps you can take to improve your bodies’ resilience to stress:

1- Get enough sleep - This sounds obvious enough, but often the first thing that we miss out on when under stress. Our brains need a minimum of 7.5 hours sleep to thrive and we do best with 8 hours. Time for sleep needs to be prioritized just like anything else in your day. Try to get to bed by 10pm to ensure you have enough time for sleep.

2- Start each day with some early morning exercise - Exercising first thing in the morning has many benefits (such as weight loss, improved mood and increased energy) however it also allows some time to yourself to start your day and prepare for what’s ahead. It can be as simple as a 20 minute walk outside in the early morning sunshine. Exercising at the end of the day is still useful; however it doesn’t allow much time to wind down before bed. Studies have found that morning exercise aids cortisol regulation for the rest of the day.

3- Avoid sugar and caffeine - Caffeine and sugar both stimulate our adrenals and cortisol and adrenaline production, which is completely counterproductive when trying to stabilize these levels! I know that it is so easy to fall into the trap of reaching for sugar and coffee to give you that energy boost, but you will simply coming crashing down soon afterwards only to reach for your next ‘hit’. Limit to 1 coffee daily and ensure this is before 10am. Replace with herbal teas such as green tea or rooibos for an energy boost or try ginger, fennel, cinnamon or peppermint based teas to reduce sugar cravings.

4- Eat regular meals to keep your blood sugar levels stable - Stable blood sugar levels are essential for good energy, concentration and focus. Start the day with a good breakfast and don’t allow more than 4 hours between meals. Snack on protein rich snacks that won’t spike your blood sugars such as natural, unsweetened yoghurt, cheddar cheese, raw and unsalted nuts, cottage cheese on crackers or hommus and vegetable sticks. Portions only need to be small however eating regularly makes a huge difference to your energy and cognitive function.

*There are also a variety of well researched natural supplements that you can take that makes a huge difference to how your nervous system responds to stress. These include herbal medicines such as licorice, siberian ginseng, withania or astragalus. A B complex is also useful when feeling exhausted and overworked. 

However these should be prescribed from a professional so please seek advice from us before yourself on supplementation.

The Male Factor

We have the culmination of 2 events in September, Father’s Day (1^st Sept) and Fertility Awareness Week (2-8^th Sept) so it seems like the perfect time to talk about optimising male fertility.


Interesting fact - For 30% of infertile couples, infertility is the result of the male factor alone and in 20% it is a combination of male and female factors. In fact, approximately 40% of all couples undergoing IVF are doing so because of male fertility issues.
Many men, although not infertile, may be subfertile due to factors that can affect sperm quantity and quality:

• Environmental & Occupational Factors:
• air, water & food pollution, toxic chemicals (e.g. fertilisers and pesticides), heavy metals, excessive heat, WIFI and electromagnetic exposure and radiation
• Lifestyle factors:
• smoking, alcohol, caffeine, recreational drugs, prescription medications (e.g. blood pressure medication, steroids, antidepressants, anti-psychotics, antibiotics, gout medications), poor diet, nutritional deficiencies , saunas/spas
• Age
• associated with modest decreases in sperm quality.
• Emotional Stress
• Disease and ill health 
• e.g. Genitourinary and systemic infections, diabetes
• Overweight & Obesity
• up to 50% higher rate of sub-fertility compared to ideal weight men.
• Hormonal Factors

Diet:

•  Drink plenty of water each day, ideally filtered, aim for 30ml to 1kg of body weight.
• Increase whole plant foods, high in antioxidants, e.g. legumes and beans, seeds and nuts, grains, vegetable (8-12 serves/day) & fruits 
• Minimise processed & refined foods
•  Maximise dietary sources of good fats (fish especially oily fish like sardines, trout, salmon and anchovies, walnuts and flaxseed meal)
• Eat two generous handful of raw nuts eat day (include walnuts and almonds)
• Minimise saturated fatty acids, avoid hydrogenated vegetable oils and refined oils. Aim for 0.8-1.2g protein/1 kg body weight. 
• Eat protein with each meal.

Lifestyle:

• Give up smoking and alcohol entirely until stable pregnancy has been achievedAlcohol is associated with reduced sperm concentration, motility, morphology andsemen volume, chronic alcohol exposure is association with hormonal abnormalities.
• Cigarette smoking has been shown to decrease sperm counts, motility, and number of normally shaped sperm.
•  Eliminate recreational drugs  (e.g. cannabis)
•  Be a healthy weight and start a healthy weight loss programme if necessary.           
•   Exercise – aim for at least 2-4 hrs/week of cardio exercise for at least 3 different days.
• Avoid excessive exercise as it reduces sperm quality (e.g. high intensity cycling (300km/week).
• Minimise caffeinated beverages - Limit coffee to 1 cup or less per day. Avoid, ‘energy drinks’ as these have high amounts of caffeine, sugar and artificial additives.
•  Reduce electromagnetic and WIFI exposure - Use of laptop computers connected to internet through Wi-Fi decreases human sperm motility and increases sperm DNA fragmentation, therefore keep laptops, ipads away from scrotums and mobile phones out of pockets.
• Stress management - e.g. meditation, yoga, mindful breathing and exercise  

• These factors above can contribute to infertility, miscarriage and ill health of the child.

Sperm are highly susceptible to oxidative stress, this can be caused by environmental toxins, drugs, smoking, heat and radiation and electromagnetic radiation, and when this stress exceeds the antioxidant capacity of seminal plasma, oxidative stress and damage will be the result, effecting sperm quality.

The creation of sperm (spermatogenesis) is temperature dependent - increased scrotal temperature can impair fertility – eg. chefs, bakers, long distance drivers, athletes. After exercise ensure you have a cool shower or ocean swim and change out of tight exercise pants. The process of creating new sperm takes about 72-117 days, which means that 3-4 months is an ideal preconception preparation time.

 For those of you who would like to try for a baby, there is no better way than to start with a preconception check with your health care professional, call us to book a preconception health appointment.

My favourite winter herbal teas

I have become addicted to herbal tea this winter. Not only are herbal teas a great way to warm up in

winter, but they taste great. I have found myself reaching for herbal tea much more frequently than a glass of water. It’s a great way to stay hydrated plus there are the added health benefits of the herbs themselves. Below is a list of some of my favourites and their health benefits.

Pukka Organic Herbal Tea Range

http://www.pukkaherbs.com.au/teas/

This tea range it beautiful. Not only do they make some great blends, but they come in beautiful packaging which makes it even more indulgent to enjoy a cup. I have been having the ‘refresh’ which is made with organic peppermint, licorice and fennel. It tastes quite sweet and balances blood sugars so is great for sugar cravings. It also soothes the digestive tract and reduces bloating. I also love their ‘original chai’ with cinnamon, black tea, ginger, cardamom and licorice. The licorice sweetens it up and the cinnamon and ginger warm up the body. I have it with a little honey but you could also add a dash of almond milk.

Green tea

Green tea has so many health benefits that it should be in your daily list. It has a high flavonoid content which are powerful antioxidents. It is also the highest food source of catechins which are stronger antioxidents than Vitamin E and A. Regular consumption (aim for 2-3 cups a day) reduces the risk of cancers, heart disease, lowers cholesterol and reduces blood pressure. Always choose an organic green tea as it is known to be high in pesticides. You can drink this hot, but I often drink it at room temperature as if it is a glass of water purely for its health benefits! Add a ginger or peppermint tea bag if you want more flavour.

Planet Organic Ginseng Plus

Planet organic tea has a range of herbal teas, but I like the Ginseng Plus. It contains siberian ginseng and licorice to support the adrenal glands, nervous system and boost energy levels. It also contains ginger and cinnamon which means it tastes almost like a chai tea. Nice and sweet and a great way to boost mental clarity and energy on a busy day.

Winter boost tea

This warming winter tea contains a combination of peppermint, elderflower, lemon peel, yarrow, echinacea, angelica, lemon balm and marjoram. It is organic and designed for battling a cold or flu. The elderflower, yarrow and peppermint are traditionally used as a diaphoretic to support a fever. Echinacea boost the immune system while the angelica and marjoram are used for coughs, bronchitis, inflammation and in the chest and to fight infections. It has a mild peppermint taste and tastes great with a dash of honey. Kids can also drink this cooled to aid a fever. This is a great addition to the medicine cabinet in winter.

Black tea

I must admit I really love a cup of black English breakfast tea with a half teaspoon of honey. It too contains high levels of anti-oxidents and the catechins also found in green tea. It does contain caffeine, about 1/3 the amount found in a cup of coffee. But let’s face it- I like the caffeine hit and a cup of black tea does make the start of the day a lot easier.

World Breastfeeding Week (WBW)

This year's World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) theme, 'BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT: CLOSE TO MOTHERS', highlights Breastfeeding Peer Counselling.

Even when mothers are able to get off to a good start, all too often in the weeks or months after delivery there is a sharp decline in breastfeeding rates, particularly exclusive breastfeeding. 

The period when mothers do not visit a healthcare facility is the time when a community support system for mothers is essential. Continued support to sustain breastfeeding can be provided in a variety of ways. Traditionally, support is provided by the family. As societies change, however, in particular with urbanization, support for mothers from a wider circle is needed, whether it is provided by trained health workers, lactation consultants, community leaders, or from friends who are also mothers, and/or from fathers/partners. If you are a new or experienced mum and have friends who are struggling with breastfeeding – offer them your personal success story, tell them what helped you, encourage them to seek support via the Australian Breastfeeding Association or a private lactation consultant. The benefits are huge for mother, baby, partners and our future generation.

Butter vs. Margarine - which is better?

The debate about whether margarine or butter is a healthier choice is a big one. So let me get straight to the point - margarine should never be consumed and butter should be limited.

Why is margarine so bad? It is made of 'trans fats'. Trans fats are largely a man-made product and are found in only small amounts in nature (in animal products) . Because they are rare in the environment, we are not very good at breaking them down and clearing them out of our body. Trans fats have actually been found to be more highly implicated in cardiovascular disease than saturated fats, making them a worse choice. In fact, trans fats and margarine are so bad for us, that many countries around the world have placed a total ban on their consumption and addition into the food supply (Switzerland, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden). And although there has been some talk and movement in Australia, the government is yet to initiate a change and we are still encouraged to have margarine as a so-called 'healthy' alternative to butter.

The chart above describes just how artificial and chemical laden margarine really is. Would you eat this now knowing how it is made?

Where are trans fats found?

As well as margarine, trans fats are used in frying at high temperatures (such as fish and chips) as they do not burn and are very cheap. The oil made from trans fats does not go rancid quickly like other plant based oils do, so can be used to fry over and over again without having to change the oil. Trans fats are also found in processed foods- adding trans fats increases the shelf life of foods and act as a natural preservative, so they are frequently found in biscuits, cookies and commercial baked goods. If they are added to processed foods to kill microbes, what are they doing to our insides?

Trans fats and cardiovascular health

Trans fats are even worse than saturated fats. They not only increase LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) but also lower HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol), increase the risk of diabetes, gall stones, and internal inflammation. Consumption is associated with an increase risk of coronary artery disease- this is well researched and the reason why margarine is banned in many countries.

But what about the ‘cholesterol lowering’ margarines?

Basically, margarine is made from a healthy, good oil, but turned into an artificial and heavily processed product. There are many cholesterol lowering margarines on the market that claim to reduce levels. And they do. This is because they add plant sterols into the final product and these plant sterols reduce cholesterol. It is nothing to do with the margarine, in fact you would get the same effect from simply increasing plant sterol rich foods in your diet. This includes lots of vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds.

How is butter made?

Take cows milk and shake or churn the milk until it forms butter. That is all - at least butter is in a natural state. And of course butter is made from cow's milk and saturated fats so is not exactly a healthy option when eaten in excess, but in moderation at least its not a toxic man-made substance!

The moral of the story? 

NEVER touch margarine and enjoy butter sparingly x

Sources of Calcium

When asked to identify sources of Calcium, milk and dairy always get put at the top of the list. Many adults have a hard time listing other sources of Calcium.

According to the Australian Nutrition Survey most Australians are not getting the Recommended Daily intake (RDI) of calcium from their diet. People at different stages of life need different amounts of calcium. 

For adults aged 19-50 the RDI is 1000mg. Adolescents, women over 50 and men over 70 require higher amounts with an RDI of 1300mg.

Not only is calcium vital for strong bones and teeth, it is important for the electrical conduction system in the heart, neurotransmitter release and muscle contractions.

Products such as milk and cheese are well known sources of calcium. However, some 

people are unable to tolerate dairy products. Others avoid dairy for ethical and health reasons. For these people there are many other sources of this very important mineral.

Good dietary sources of Calcium

Dairy - One cup of milk or a 200g tub of yoghurt provides around 300mg calcium.

Fish and Seafood- Some fish and seafood are also rich in calcium. Especially canned fish such as sardines and salmon because the canning process softens the bones and they can be eaten along with the fish. Half a cup of canned Salmon contains about 400mg of calcium. Crab and scallops are also relatively high in calcium containing about 100mg per serve. Seafood also provides vitamin D, which is essential for proper calcium absorption.

Leafy Green vegetables – A cup of cooked spinach contains up to 350mg calcium. Bok choy, collard greens (cabbage family) and mustard greens are also high in calcium. Note that although spinach is very high in calcium it contains oxalic acid which binds with the calcium and reduces its absorption. Calcium in other green vegetables is well absorbed.

Broccoli- Once cup of cooked broccoli contains about 60mg of calcium.

Tahini – Tahini is made from sesame seeds and 2 tablespoons contains approximately 130mg calcium. Add tahini to dips, salad dressings or as a spread.

Nuts – Nuts are an excellent calcium rich snack. Twelve brazil nuts contains 90mg of calcium and 15 almonds contains about 40mg calcium. Almond butter is also a good source of calcium and can be used as a spread. 2 tablespoons contains about 110mg of Calcium.

Tofu  – the amount of calcium in tofu depends on which coagulating agent was used to extract the soy protein in the process of making tofu. 120g tofu prepared using calcium sulphate contains 200 - 400mg calcium. Tofu prepared with nigari (magnesium chloride) has slightly less calcium than tofu prepared with calcium sulphate. Check the label to see which agent was used to process the tofu. Some tofu packages will also have the calcium content listed as a percentage of the RDI.  Add Tofu to stir-fries, curries and soups.

Soy beans – Cooked soy beans contain about 175mg per cup. Add them to soups, salads, curries and stews.

Blackstrap Molasses – At 120-200mg of Calcium per tablespoon, blackstrap molasses is a great when you are after something sweet.

Calcium fortified milk alternatives – 200ml of calcium fortified soy or rice milk contains about 200-300mg calcium.

While it’s preferable to obtain the Calcium you need from your diet, supplements may be of benefit if you find it difficult to get enough from food. If you are concerned about your calcium intake call or email the clinic to talk to one of our experienced Naturopaths.

If you are looking for an easy way to get more calcium in your diet, this recipe is a good dairy free option.

Tofu, Broccoli and Sesame

Ingredients

 225g extra firm tofu, cubed

1 Onion

2 cloves of Garlic

1 head of broccoli florets (lightly steamed)

3 green shallots

1/2 cup tamari

1/3 cup corn starch

2 tbs. Sesame oil

Grated ginger, to taste

2 tbs. sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Mix together tamari, sesame oil and ginger.
2. Heat a large fry pan  (medium – high heat)
3. Coat the cubed tofu with cornstarch (shake of any excess corn starch).
4. Heat half the tamari mixture in the frypan.
5. Add the tofu and cook until browned and slightly crispy.
6. Remove from the pan and set aside.
7. Add the remaining tamari mixture to a hot pan.
8. Add onion and garlic and cook until tender. Add the lightly steamed broccoli.
9. Add the tofu cubes and toss together with the sesame seeds and shallots.

 Enjoy!!

Post script

If attempting to influence the gender of your unborn child, a diet high in calcium is a very important component of swaying for a girl. Some of the above foods would be desirable additions to your diet (not all of them because the girl diet also requires low sodium and potassium). For more information on dietary recommendations for Gender Swaying you can email lisa@genderway.com.au or contact the clinic.