Wrap Your Mind Around Healthy Eating| Ft Dietitian Susie Burrell

We've all learnt that a lot of white breads on the market are filled with perservatives, artificial flavours and other not-so-good-for-us ingredients. When it comes to looking for alternatives, some of us choose to reach for wholemeal or other types of more nutritious breads. Others may choose to reach for wraps. Wraps can be a great bread alternative, but you still need to be careful about which ones you're picking up.

New studies from the University of Newcastle have shown that some brands of wraps can actually be full of salt and artificial preservatives, and we all know consuming to much of either isn't good for our bodies. In fact, 17 out of 22 top wrap brands were found to be full of artificial preservatives. Some wraps add way more salt to your diet than you actually need, and a continual intake of salt at those levels can lead to things like heart disease. Dietary recommendations state that the average person only needs around 1600mg of sodium per day, but on average, Australians are consuming 2430.5mg per day, which is obviously way more than what we need.

So when you're out shopping next and choose to pick up some wraps, just be on the look out for how much salt and other ingredients are in the brand you choose. Wraps can still be a great alternative to munching on bread, you just need to watch what ones you're putting in your mouth. Helga's, for example, offer a great low-salt alternative. If you do want to implement some wrap alternatives into your diet, I've popped a few recipes below to give some inspiration.


Breakfast Wrap
Serves: 2

1 tablespoon fat reduced mayonnaise

1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce

non-stick cooking spray

100g sliced salt reduced ham, coarsely chopped

4 eggs

2 tablespoons fat reduced milk

1 tablespoon finely sliced chives

ground black pepper

1/3 cup grated light tasty cheese

2 Helga’s Lower Carb Wraps

1 cup baby spinach leaves

1. Combine mayonnaise and chilli sauce and set aside.

2. Spray a non-stick frying pan with cooking spray and place over a medium heat. Add ham and cook stirring for 2 minutes. Remove from pan and cover with foil to keep warm

3. Place eggs, milk, chives and pepper in a bowl and whisk until combined. Add to frying pan, reduce heat slightly and cook for about 2 minute or until egg is set around the edges, then stir gently with a wooden spoon until almost set. Stir in cheese. Turn off heat.

4. Heat wraps in the microwave on high for 15 seconds or until just warm. Spread wraps with mayonnaise mixture, top with spinach, ham and egg, then roll up to enclose filling.

Grilled Vegetable, Goats Cheese & Pesto Wrap

Serves: 2

1 tablespoon light Greek yoghurt

1 tablespoon basil pesto

1/2 large red capsicum, cut into 4 thick strips

1 red onion, cut into thick wedges

150g peeled pumpkin, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 Helga’s Mixed Grain Wraps

1 1/2 cups baby rocket

75g goat’s cheese, crumbled

ground black pepper

1. Combine yoghurt and pesto and set aside.

2. Place capsicum, onion, pumpkin and oil in a bowl and toss to coat. Place a stovetop grill over a medium heat (see tip). Cook vegetables for 7 minutes, turning frequently, until tender. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. Place wraps in a microwave and heat on high for 15 seconds or until just warm. Spread wraps with pesto yoghurt and top with rocket, grilled vegetables, cheese and pepper. Roll up wrap to enclose filling, leaving one side open.

Spicy Chicken 'n Slaw Dinner Wrap
Serves: 2

1 teaspoon Mexican chilli powder

2 teaspoons olive oil

250g chicken tenderloins

1 cup finely shredded red cabbage

1/2 cup grated carrot

1/2 small red apple, thinly sliced

3 green onions, finely sliced

2 Helga’s Traditional White Wraps

1/3 cup coriander leaves

3 tablespoons low fat coleslaw dressing

1. Combine chilli powder and oil in a bowl. Add chicken and stir to coat. Heat a stove top grill or non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Cook chicken for 3-4 minutes each side or until cooked. Remove chicken from grill and set aside.

2. Mix cabbage, carrot, apple, green onions and half the coriander in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the dressing and stir to combine.

3. Heat wraps in microwave on high heat for 10 seconds until just warm. Spread wraps with remaining dressing. Top with chicken and coleslaw. Scatter with remaining coriander leaves. Roll up to enclose filling, leaving one end open.


Pictorial comments courtesy of Dietitian Susie Burrell

We've all learnt that a lot of white breads on the market are filled with perservatives, artificial flavours and other not-so-good-for-us ingredients. When it comes to looking for alternatives, some of us choose to reach for wholemeal or other types of more nutritious breads. Others may choose to reach for wraps. Wraps can be a great bread alternative, but you still need to be careful about which ones you're picking up.

New studies from the University of Newcastle have shown that some brands of wraps can actually be full of salt and artificial preservatives, and we all know consuming to much of either isn't good for our bodies. In fact, 17 out of 22 top wrap brands were found to be full of artificial preservatives. Some wraps add way more salt to your diet than you actually need, and a continual intake of salt at those levels can lead to things like heart disease. Dietary recommendations state that the average person only needs around 1600mg of sodium per day, but on average, Australians are consuming 2430.5mg per day, which is obviously way more than what we need.

So when you're out shopping next and choose to pick up some wraps, just be on the look out for how much salt and other ingredients are in the brand you choose. Wraps can still be a great alternative to munching on bread, you just need to watch what ones you're putting in your mouth. Helga's, for example, offer a great low-salt alternative. If you do want to implement some wrap alternatives into your diet, I've popped a few recipes below to give some inspiration.


Breakfast Wrap
Serves: 2

1 tablespoon fat reduced mayonnaise

1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce

non-stick cooking spray

100g sliced salt reduced ham, coarsely chopped

4 eggs

2 tablespoons fat reduced milk

1 tablespoon finely sliced chives

ground black pepper

1/3 cup grated light tasty cheese

2 Helga’s Lower Carb Wraps

1 cup baby spinach leaves

1. Combine mayonnaise and chilli sauce and set aside.

2. Spray a non-stick frying pan with cooking spray and place over a medium heat. Add ham and cook stirring for 2 minutes. Remove from pan and cover with foil to keep warm

3. Place eggs, milk, chives and pepper in a bowl and whisk until combined. Add to frying pan, reduce heat slightly and cook for about 2 minute or until egg is set around the edges, then stir gently with a wooden spoon until almost set. Stir in cheese. Turn off heat.

4. Heat wraps in the microwave on high for 15 seconds or until just warm. Spread wraps with mayonnaise mixture, top with spinach, ham and egg, then roll up to enclose filling.

Grilled Vegetable, Goats Cheese & Pesto Wrap

Serves: 2

1 tablespoon light Greek yoghurt

1 tablespoon basil pesto

1/2 large red capsicum, cut into 4 thick strips

1 red onion, cut into thick wedges

150g peeled pumpkin, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 Helga’s Mixed Grain Wraps

1 1/2 cups baby rocket

75g goat’s cheese, crumbled

ground black pepper

1. Combine yoghurt and pesto and set aside.

2. Place capsicum, onion, pumpkin and oil in a bowl and toss to coat. Place a stovetop grill over a medium heat (see tip). Cook vegetables for 7 minutes, turning frequently, until tender. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. Place wraps in a microwave and heat on high for 15 seconds or until just warm. Spread wraps with pesto yoghurt and top with rocket, grilled vegetables, cheese and pepper. Roll up wrap to enclose filling, leaving one side open.

Spicy Chicken 'n Slaw Dinner Wrap
Serves: 2

1 teaspoon Mexican chilli powder

2 teaspoons olive oil

250g chicken tenderloins

1 cup finely shredded red cabbage

1/2 cup grated carrot

1/2 small red apple, thinly sliced

3 green onions, finely sliced

2 Helga’s Traditional White Wraps

1/3 cup coriander leaves

3 tablespoons low fat coleslaw dressing

1. Combine chilli powder and oil in a bowl. Add chicken and stir to coat. Heat a stove top grill or non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Cook chicken for 3-4 minutes each side or until cooked. Remove chicken from grill and set aside.

2. Mix cabbage, carrot, apple, green onions and half the coriander in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the dressing and stir to combine.

3. Heat wraps in microwave on high heat for 10 seconds until just warm. Spread wraps with remaining dressing. Top with chicken and coleslaw. Scatter with remaining coriander leaves. Roll up to enclose filling, leaving one end open.


Pictorial comments courtesy of Dietitian Susie Burrell

continue reading

posted by The Noise in Wonderland . 12/9/16 .