Quirky Cooking Chats

AQJ 142: Helping Teens to Eat Well, with Dr Damian Kristof & Jo Whitton

As kids get older and become more independent, they sometimes begin to move away from the healthy foods they’ve been raised on. Hanging out with friends, getting their license and first car, going off to work or uni, going to parties and places where the food is far from ideal… Parents often feel stressed about their teenagers reduced interest in eating healthy food during this stage of life! If teenagers are not part of a ‘health conscious’ peer group, it can be hard for them to eat differently to their friends.
In this podcast, Fouad interviews Dr Damian Kristof (naturopath, nutritionist and chiropractor) and Jo (Quirky Cooking) about how they’ve coped with the teenage years and their kids’ food choices. They discuss how they taught their kids to eat well while young, the difficulties they’ve faced along the way, the changes that happen in the brains of teenagers and how it affects their food choices, what to do when kids get ‘off track’ with their eating, how to help teenagers to take responsibility for their own food choices, and much more.
Useful Links:
Listen to Jo’s son Isaac talk about diet changes from a teenager’s perspective 
Learn more about Dr Damian Kristof 
Damian’s seminars, “The Power of Food” and “Crack Your Stress Code”
Damian & Marcus’s Podcast, “100 Not Out” (all about ageing well)
Read Jo’s story, and how her family healed with food
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AQJ 141: Healing with Traditional Foods, with Hilda Gore of WAPF

Over the last century, our refined, Western foods have crept into most societies world wide. What has been the impact of these foods on the health and wellbeing of ancient cultures and peoples? In this podcast, we discuss the work of Weston A. Price and the foundation that carries his name, and how they are helping cultures all over the world to return to traditional, healing foods.
Background:
Weston Price was a dentist with an interest in nutrition and health, who travelled extensively in the 1930’s, observing the dietary habits of diverse cultures including the Lötschental in Switzerland, Native Americans, Polynesians, Pygmies, and Australian Aboriginals, among many others.  His extensive research materials include some 15,000 photographs, 4,000 slides, and many filmstrips.  He observed that various diseases endemic to Western cultures of the 1920s and 1930s were rarely present in non-Western cultures, and that as non-Western groups abandoned indigenous diets and adopted Western patterns of living, they showed increases in typical Western diseases. He concluded that Western methods of commercially preparing and storing foods stripped away vitamins and minerals necessary to prevent these diseases.
Initially, the medical and scientific communities vigorously rejected this controversial work as lacking scientific precision, nevertheless, as time went on, research has confirmed his observations and modern medical orthodoxy is slowly accepting that lifestyle and diet are a major factor, perhaps the major factor, in the degenerative diseases that plague the developed world.  Many have credited his book, “Nutrition and Physical Degeneration: A Comparison of Primitive and Modern Diets and Their Effects“, with greatly improving their health. [via amazon.com.au]
This Episode:
Jo interviews Hilda Gore of the Weston A. Price Foundation (WAPF) in the US about her work, the foundation’s commitment of sharing knowledge and research around “food, farming, and the healing arts”, and her upcoming trip to Australia. They talk about this non-profit group’s dedication to restoring nutrient-dense foods to the human diet through education, research and activism. WAPF supports a number of movements that contribute to this objective including accurate nutrition instruction, organic and biodynamic farming, pasture-feeding of livestock, community-supported farms, honest and informative labelling, prepared parenting and nurturing therapies.
Bonus – Intro with the cooks at the Hope for Health “Together Retreat”!
Jo is recording this episode from Noonamah, NT, where she and her friends and cooking at an Indigenous health and cultural learning retreat – the perfect place to talk about traditional cultures, the effect of a western diet on indigenous people, and the importance of traditional healing foods!! Jo, Leah and Shantell share their experiences of cooking for and with the Yolngu people of East Arnhem Land – fascinating indigenous foods, knowledge and bush craft were shared with the Balanda (non-indigenous) people at the two week retreat, and much connection, learning and healing took place. Such a beautiful experience for all who attended. (You can find more info about the “Together Retreats” here.) Jo and the girls were adopted into the Yolngu clan, and Jo is looking forward to travelling with Hilda up to Elcho Island to spend time with the Yolngu people in September, learning more about their traditional foods. You can check out Jo’s photos and videos of this retreat on her Quirky Cooking Facebook page, here.
Useful Links:
Learn more about The Weston A. Price Foundation
Visit Hilda’s Website, Holistic Hilda
Listen in to Hilda Gore’s Podcast, Wise Traditions
Help support Hilda’s upcoming trip to Australia
Learn more about the work of Hope for Health in Australia
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AQJ 140: Children’s Health, Eczema, Antibiotics, & Boosting Immunity

Jo has an extra special guest on the show today… Fouad is back! There’s lots of laughs and catching up, and sharing stories and news. We know you’ve missed their crazy banter, so grab a cuppa and enjoy the chat.
Jo and Foo share their experiences of working through recent childhood illnesses and health issues – eczema, chicken pox, colds and flus – and discuss natural ways you can help to boost your family’s immunity this winter. They also discuss the pros and cons of antibiotics and western medicine, the importance of working out the root cause of illnesses and dealing with that, looking into environmental triggers, the benefits of healing diets and herbal remedies, and how they blend natural and western medical practices in their own families.
If you’re interested in learning more about foods, herbs, spices and natural supplements that can powerfully boost your immune system (and your moods!), you’ll love this podcast!
Useful Links:
Healing eczema by improving gut health, podcast with Elyse Comerford
Healing eczema naturally, Emma’s Story (article)
Foods that help with Microbial Health, podcast with Dr Jason Hawrelak
How to make a healing meat stock, and the benefits over bone broth (article by Elyse Comerford)
Kakadu Plum Powder (a powerful, natural vitamin C supplement)
Host Defence (medicinal mushroom powders & tinctures)
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AQJ 139: Teaching Kids to Cook, with Dani Valent

Teaching kids to cook with real food is important for their future, and the future of our planet. Our children’s enjoyment of cooking begins with our attitude towards food and cooking, and often is dependant on mum or dad being organised so they have the time and headspace to include the kids in the meal prep.
In this episode, Jo chats with her friend Dani Valent about everything from simplifying your cooking, decluttering your pantry, reducing stress in the kitchen, and using the ingredients you have on hand… to teaching your kids how to cook and eat well, and how to get them started on the path of loving good food! If cooking dinner makes you feel stressed, or you don’t know where to begin with teaching the kids to cook, listen in and get some great ideas to make life easier.
Dani is a mum of three, has over 20 years experience as a food writer, is the author of three amazing Thermomix cookbooks, has run cooking classes all over the world, and loves to share her passion for good food via her classes, cooking videos, website, and cookbooks.
“The way I see it, good food is central to a life well-lived. It’s nourishment and energy. It’s a way to gather – in the field, the market, in the kitchen and at the table. It’s culture, ritual, history and future. It’s art, craft and science. It’s sensual and – believe me – it can get emotional. Let me tell you about the time I wept with joy over some beautiful cheesecake… Of course, it’s also just breakfast, lunch and dinner, simply getting yourself and those around you fed, fuelled and satisfied in a practical no-nonsense way. I get it!… I’m also a mum so I know all about getting food on the table for the family.” – Dani Valent
Listen in as Dani shares some of her best tips for teaching kids to love good food as much as you do, and learn to enjoy spending time together in the kitchen.
[Illustration by Meg Rennie, for the Melbourne Kitchen Project]
Useful Links:
Our “Simple Magnificence” Cooking Class in Brisbane, 15 June – Collaboration with Dani Valent, Jo Whitton and Fleur Sharpe
Dani’s “Restaurant Club” at e’cco, Brisbane, 13 June – Collaboration with chef Phillip Johnson, menu incorporating Australian indigenous ingredients
Read about Dani Valent
Dani’s Thermomix cooking video library
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AQJ 138: Childhood Anxiety & the Inflamed Brain

Dr. Natalie Challis is a neuro-psychotherapist who specialises in treating children with anxiety and other health concerns. She says, “What drives me? Mothers. I want to be an advocate for mothers experiencing the same distress and frustration I felt.”
Dr. Nat first became interested in children’s mental health when her son started showing signs of anxiety and obsessive-compulsive behaviours. “He was 4 when his anxiety began. Watching him struggle was the hardest and most distressing thing I’ve ever been through. I remember the utter frustration of trying and failing, time and again, to get him the help he needed. My intuition told me it wasn’t his personality and we were the best parents we knew how to be. Yet these were the reasons offered to me by multitudes of medical professionals. Luckily I listened to my intuition and successfully treated my child.”
Working alongside Dr Nat is Leigh Shinde, a neuro-nutritionist, and together they successfully treat children at their Kids Development Centre, using a wholistic approach around the brain, body and gut. They use cutting edge science with regard to brain and gut inflammation through brain imaging and biochemical testing.
Dr. Nat says, “When a child presents with symptoms of anxiety, we need to look at what’s happening in the brain, the body and the gut. Anxiety is a symptom of chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation is on the rise because of our lifestyle. We eat an excess of processed food, we’re less active, and we’re exposed to more toxins than ever before. This means we need a whole body approach to supporting your anxious child… In the medical world, so much emphasis is placed on psychology, rather than looking at what’s going on biologically. We can achieve real results when we reduce inflammation in the gut, body and brain. Children become calmer and happier because their whole body is balanced.”
Nat and Leigh are passionate about getting this information out to parents who haven’t been able to get the help they need for their child. They have developed a 9 week online program called “Love Your Anxious Child” for those who can’t get to a clinic for treatment. The program is designed to give parents evidence-based knowledge and actionable steps to support and treat their anxious child. You can find out more about this program here: Love Your Beautiful Brain.“We want to make a real change, to the disheartening rise in children who suffer from anxiety, and to despairing mothers everywhere.” – Dr Nat & Leigh
About Dr Natalie Challis and Leigh Shinde:
Dr. Nat is a specialist in children’s brain health. She is a Board-Certified Diplomate in QEEG – the highest qualification level achievable globally in her field. As a Psychotherapist specialising in Neurobiology, Dr. Challis has QEEG mapped 1000’s of children, allowing parents the unique experience of seeing into their child’s brain. This view helps parents to understand the neurological reasons behind their child’s behaviour of fear, anxiety and avoidance.
Leigh is a children’s Neuro-Nutrition Expert. She holds a Bachelor of Science with postgraduates in both Human Nutrition, and Nutritional and Environmental Medicine. As a Neuro-Nutritionist she investigates how food, additives, nutritional deficiencies, gut health and genetics can impact on your child’s neurological and physiological development.
Useful Links:Find out more about their Kids Development Centre hereDig deeper and read the research behind their work here
Learn more about their online program here
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AQJ 137: Fussy Eaters & How to Have Peaceful Mealtimes

Do you have a fussy eater in your home? Need some help?
Beth Bonfiglio of Little Fusspot helps people from all over the world with mealtimes that are less than peaceful. She is known as the ‘supernanny of mealtimes’! Beth brings the core fundamentals of many different professions together to make a one stop shop for all types of fussy eaters, from the extreme to the simply reluctant.
Beth completed her clinical nutrition qualifications in 2012, then began creating 1 on 1 therapy workshops, perfecting her courses, and eliminating advice that is now redundant or counterproductive to raising happy and healthy children. She is always interested in learning new techniques and approaches to tackling fussy eating, and says that her constant research and development means that her methods are always evolving, constantly updated and shared among a supportive community with the same goal of “making every bite count”.
Beth’s main motivation for learning all there is around food aversions and feeding disorders is her own son. He was diagnosed with a severe sensory processing disorder when he was 2 and has always struggled with any foods other than beige and white carbohydrates that come in packaging. She sets small goals each month and uses her own techniques to stretch the range of food he eats. He now happily enjoys colourful salads, sushi (massive accomplishment!), green juices and smoothies!
“I’m passionate about being able to help every child who has aversions to eating. More than anything though, it is the success of every child that makes my job as a feeding therapist such a rewarding one.”
Listen in and learn about:
· Particular foods that are known to cause fussy eating
· Sensory processing disorder and how to overcome it
· Common questions like, “Will my child eat broccoli if I serve it up 20 times?”
· How to avoid having a fussy eater
· Picky eaters VS problem feeders
· When to get professional help
Useful Links:
Find out more about Beth and “Little Fusspots” here
Find out more about “Primal Alternative” here
Listen to Helen of Primal Alternative talking about finding fulfilment in your work
Our “Simple Magnificence” Thermomix cooking workshop, Brisbane 15 June
Hope for Health “Together” Retreat, 16-28 June
Our interview with Hope for Health
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AQJ 136: Finding Connection & Fulfilment in Your Work, with Helen Marshall of Primal Alternative

Many of us go through a period in our lives where we begin to question the work we do and our career goals and decide we want to find work that is more fulfilling, that gives us purpose, and that brings connection with like-minded people.
Maybe you have been out of the workforce for a few years because you’ve been busy with babies and small children; or maybe you’ve had to take a break due to health issues, and now you feel a bit lost and not sure how to begin finding work that will ‘fill your bucket’ as well as your bank account!
That was the case for Jo, who put her graphic design career on hold to begin a family, then realised after 10 years of being home with kids that her career no longer fit in with who she was and what she wanted to do in life. Helen Marshall of Primal Alternative also had this predicament – she left the corporate world to have kids, went through a major change in her diet and lifestyle, and when she was ready to begin working again she knew she needed to find something that fits better with her young family.
Jo and Helen discuss how to find fulfillment in your work, and Helen shares her dream of giving women the opportunity to build their own business doing something they love, something that has a purpose, is family-friendly, promotes good health, and fosters beautiful connections.
We love what Helen is doing with her community based business, Primal Alternative – check it out here. If you’d like to know what’s involved in starting your own Primal Alternative franchise you can find out more here.
Helen also does health coaching, and has her own podcast: Primal Alternative Podcast
Primal Alternative are the producers of our Quirky Cooking Grain Free Pastry (and our Sweet Potato Pastry), and will be stocking more of our products soon!
From the Intro:
Jo has been in the Northern Territory cooking at the Hope for Health retreat for the past week. Find out more about Hope for Health and the work they are doing to improve the health of Indigenous Australians, here.
Interested in the Hope for Health “Together Retreat”, June 2019? Learn more here.
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AQJ 135: Empowering Parents of Kids on the Spectrum, with Rhiannon Crispe

Rhiannon Crispe is an occupational therapist and passionate autism advocate. She thinks outside the diagnostic box and sees every child as an individual with unlimited potential. On this episode, Rhiannon shares some of the ideas and interventions that can empower parents of kids on the spectrum, and explains that there is not a one-size-fits-all approach to the complexities of autism. Jo and Rhiannon discuss questions such as:
– What is autism?
– How has our understanding of autism changed over the past 50-70 years?
– If autism is a behaviourally defined condition, why do we need to be
looking beyond the behaviours?
– Can nutrition make a difference for autistic children?
– What can parents do at home to support the health and development of
their child?
Rhiannon is the host of Homebase Hope a fortnightly podcast dedicated to empowering parents of kids on the spectrum. She is hosting Australia’s largest free and online autism event in April – The Autism Summit.
Useful Links:
Rhiannon’s Website, Homebase Hope
Australia’s largest, free and online, Autism Summit – learn more here
Our Quirky 10th Birthday Giveaway! 
Hope for Health Indigenous Health Retreat, Darwin
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions!
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AQJ 134: Travel Tips – Travel Food, Eating Out and Being Prepared!

Jo and her two eldest kids (19 and 21) have just come back from travelling overseas, and in this episode Jo shares her travel tips, especially for those who are on special diets and find the idea of overseas travel a bit daunting! She talks about:
What foods you can and can’t take on flights overseas (and in Australia)
Her favourite travel snacks, and how to pack them
Tips for travelling gluten free in Spain
Eating out, and what foods may have hidden gluten
Doing your research before you go and preparing ahead
Mistakes they made and what they learnt on the trip
The importance of travel for kids (and adults!)
You’ll also hear about the places they travelled and their itinerary –  so watch out, you’ll be wanting to book flights to Spain after this episode!!
Make sure you also listen to the intro of the last podcast, which was recorded in Spain with their friend and tour guide, Victor Garrido of ‘We Love Malaga’! Listen here.
Useful Links:
A Gluten Gree Guide to Spain
Top 10 Food Markets in Spain! (Always check out the markets wherever you go – they’re amazing!)
Food Tours in South Spain that we recommend – let them know if you’re gluten free and they will accomodate you!
Malaga Walk & Taste Tour
Gourmet Malaga Tapas Tour
Authentic Andalucian Food Tours & Cooking Classes
Sevilla Tapas Tours
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AQJ 133: Play Therapy for Fussy Eaters, with Crystel Poggioli (OT)

In this episode, you get two discussions on health and wellness topics for the price of one! 😀 The main interview is on supporting parents of kids with developmental disorders to eat well, and the importance of play therapy in helping to change your child’s diet for the better. Plus in the intro, we discuss another topic you’ll find very interesting – how the lifestyle in Spain impacts their longevity, and what we can learn from their way of life!
Intro: Jo introduces listeners to her friend Victor Garrido (a tour guide and quirky cook in Spain), and they chat as they drive through South Spain about the Spanish way of life, and why Spanish people generally enjoy long, healthy lives despite some habits that would seem to work against health and wellness. Once again we see it demonstrated that good health is so much more than just a great diet!
Victor Garrido runs the We Love Malaga tour company in South Spain, and is a long-time follower of Quirky Cooking. He is passionate about sharing his country and its history and culture with visitors to Spain, loves to cook, and his history and food tours are well worth experiencing!
You can find Victor at @boke and @welovemalaga on Instagram, and on the We Love Malaga website. You will find reviews for his tours here on Trip Advisor. If you’re thinking of visiting Spain, we highly recommend looking him up!
Main Interview: Jo interviews her friend Crystel Poggioli (Paediatric Occupational Therapist and GAPS Practitioner) who works with special needs kids and super fussy eaters about the strategies she uses in therapy sessions to help them learn to eat well. She discusses why healing food is so vital for reducing the symptoms of ADHD/ADD/Anxiety, the importance of play therapy, and many of the strategies she uses to help support these children.
Crystel Poggioli has been a Paediatric Occupational Therapist for over 23 years with a range of experience including Royal Children’s Hospital, Brisbane; the inclusive education system in Vancouver, Canada; and working all over Far North Queensland in the education and health system.
She established The Whole Child in 2011 and has been providing holistic occupational therapy services to children and families ever since. Having a private practice allows Crystel to blend her passion for natural health, down-to-earth strategies including gut healing and play therapy.
Crystel had the privilege of training in person with Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride to become a Certified GAPS practitioner, and she loves how occupational therapy and GAPS work together so well to bring healing and recovery.
The Whole Child provides occupational therapy and GAPS services in the clinic, in the community and via Skype or email. As well an online shop stocks products that Crystel really believes in (10% discount on books for the month of February).
At the same time Crystel is blessed with her own family life – and on a homeschooling journey with 6 children… so far they’ve been homeschooling for 10 years, with the youngest being 3 and the eldest 15. Crystel finds that above all else being a mum is the biggest self-development program you could ever embark on!
You can find out more about Crystel and on her website, The Whole Child
You can also connect with Crystel on Facebook, The Whole Child
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AQJ 132: Calming the Chaos – Supporting Kids with ADD, ADHD & Anxiety

Sharon Collon of The Functional Family is passionate about supporting families with special needs. She loves to share step by step, practical strategies and solutions to improve your daily life and routine, helping to reduce the stress and overwhelm that parents of special needs kids are often dealing with. Over the past ten years she has researched and tested these strategies in her own family, teaching her children the skills they need for life, and helping many other families she has come into contact with. She is big on life hacks that really work, and big on getting results to get your family to a place where you have time for adventure, laughter and joy!
Sharon’s online course, Calming the Chaos, offers life changing strategies to parents who have a child or children with ADD, ADHD or anxiety.  This course offers practical information about how to structure the home to assist the whole family. It tackles everything from organising your home, creating routines and systems, becoming your childs’ advocate, and transitioning your child from activities, to creating joy in your home. Everything that you need to survive and thrive as a parent of a child with special needs.
We are shaping future adults. Right now it might be a child who has trouble brushing their teeth and getting ready, but in the future it could be the adult who can’t get to work on time.  It’s so important to teach them the skills now, so they can grow up to be functional, happy and well-adjusted adults.
Useful Links:
The Functional Family website
Calming the Chaos course – $20 off!! (plus more info about the course here)
Facebook page
Instagram
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AQJ 131: A Delicious Wholefood Christmas – with Jude Blereau

“You know how this is supposed to be the season of joy? Well, I don’t know about you, but most years I feel like I’m just running around in the kitchen like a mad woman! I actually want to have time to sit down… time to DO the joy, and to SHARE the time. It’s very much about being organised and having a game plan, but also having stacks of simple recipes that you can mix and match and use in different ways, and dress up or down. I’m really keen on mixing and matching, I love putting a whole lot of things out on the table so people can take a bit of this or a bit of that. And you know what I really like about that? I like that it brings people together. You’re not just preparing things and putting it on their plate, they’re actually involved in the meal.” (Jude Blereau)
“You know what I also like about this approach? …[The food is] put out in a way where you have to take a bowl, and when you’re pouring for yourself you have to pour for the person next to you, so it makes you of service to the people around you. So you’re sharing a meal in a really communal way… you’re actually connecting with someone as you pass the plate to them… and no matter how the year has been with them, if you put something on their plate an exchange of gratitude takes place.” (Fouad Kassab)
In our last podcast for 2018, we sit down with Jude Blereau of Wholefood Cooking for a wonderful chat about food that nourishes both body and soul, and how to make the Christmas season a beautiful time of connection and joy.
Grab a cuppa and and join us around the kitchen table, as we discuss:
Delicious, whole food dinner party ideas
How to create a Christmas dinner that brings everyone together in a beautiful way
Some traditional recipes that need to be brought back
Making space in your life for the things you want to do
Pre-Christmas pot luck dishes – great recipes to make and take
Wholefood desserts, seasonal foods, roasting a turkey
Why ‘keeping things simple’ is not about quick recipes, it’s about getting organised
Avoiding the food pressure and enjoying this time with family & friends
Bringing joy and deliciousness to your Christmas table!
Useful Links:
Jude’s online Christmas cooking class
More Online Cooking Classes for the New Year!
Jude’s cookbooks
Jude’s blog
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