Jenni Gilbert Dr Libby Weaver is an internationally acclaimed Australian nutritional biochemist (actor Hugh Jackman describes her as “a one stop shop for wellbeing”) who believes that our energy level, not our weight, is the most important benchmark of overall wellness.
“Every day in my practice I see otherwise healthy people telling me that they feel exhausted and overwhelmed,” she says. “It doesn’t have to be this way.”
In her new book, The Energy Guide: A Step-by-Step Plan to Finding the Energy You Need to Flourish, Libby explains how to reboot diet, improve sleep, understand your hormones and how their imbalance can have a profound impact on wellbeing, reduce stress and manage demands on your time.
She also provides more than 100 recipes and meal ideas packed with energy-giving goodness.
Here Libby shares a delicious and healthy alternative to traditional fried rice.
“This is a great way to add a serving from the nutrient-rich brassica family,” she says. “Don’t worry if you don’t have a food processor; you can still make this recipe – you just need a sharp knife. Shave the cauliflower and broccoli, then chop it into rice-sized pieces.
“Otherwise, put the cauliflower and broccoli in a food processor and pulse to small pieces roughly the size of rice.”
INGREDIENTS
1⁄2 small head cauliflower (about 350g), cut into florets
250g broccoli, cut into florets
2 tablespoons extra virgin coconut oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 red capsicum, seeded and diced
1⁄2 cup (100g) fresh corn kernels
1⁄2 cup (60g) frozen peas, thawed
1⁄2 cup (125ml) good-quality chicken stock
1 tablespoon tamari (tamari is traditionally tied to the Japanese; a thicker, less salty, fermented soy sauce than its Chinese counterpart and that contains less wheat – if any, depending on the brand, aka gluten-free).
2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
A few drops of sesame oil
METHOD
Melt 1 teaspoon of the coconut oil in a wok over medium heat, add the egg and swirl to coat the base.
Cook for 2 minutes or until the edge is set, then flip it over and cook the other side.
Remove the omelette from the wok and allow to cool slightly, then cut into thin strips.
Melt the remaining oil in the wok, add the spring onion, ginger, celery and capsicum and stir-fry for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are just soft.
Add the cauliflower and broccoli mixture, corn, peas, stock and tamari and stir-fry for 5 minutes or until the cauliflower is just tender.
Remove from the heat and fold through the omelette strips, coriander and toasted sesame seeds.
Add a few drops of sesame oil and serve hot.
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Prep ahead: Process cauliflower and broccoli, chop vegetables
