Oasis Magazine - Cairns & Tropical North Queensland Issue 19 - Aug|Sep 2017 | Page 52

COLOUR YOUR FAMILY’S WORLD With Fun And Food NUTRITION DOROTHY RICHMOND Dietitian Spring is the festival season in Cairns, so this colourful time of the year involves harnessing local food in season such as lemons, limes, pineapples, pumpkin and chillies. Healthy food, as well as being colourful, has fabulous aromas and is a taste sensation. And what better way to try new dishes than to enrol in a healthy cooking class. Dietitians encourage people With the weather warming up, to follow a healthy diet but it’s the perfect time of year to often people also need experiment with adapting basic cooking, shopping HEALTHY FOOD, AS recipes to make them and commodity skills to WELL AS BEING increasingly healthy. instigate change. COLOURFUL, HAS Spring chicken recipes A great way to have FABULOUS AROMAS using caramelised new food experiences AND IS A TASTE lemon and curries laced is to be involved SENSATION. with vegetables is the in a workshop that way to go. Colourful dips enables people to source, prepare, cook and above all and salads can be prepared appreciate the flavour of food to cater for all festivities and are enjoyed by all age groups. Stir fries are around a shared table. quick to prepare using Asian greens and This is particularly important for people lots of herbs and spices such as ginger. who are on a restricted budget where Experience zesty lemon, crunchy dips packaged preprepared food may appear and salads, warm turmeric, perfect to be the only alternative. Dishes prepared utilise basic food equipment and low- pork, finger food and more. 52 | w w w. o a s i s m a g a z i n e . c o m . a u cost ingredients. Young children are particularly at risk when mum or dad lack the skills and confidence to prepare fresh food. Cooking workshops enable participants to acquire knife skills and experiment with healthy cooking methods of not just meals but also snacks. Interactive cooking classes and tasting of new dishes in a social environment empowers people to make changes to their diet with positive health outcomes for the whole family. The Colour your family’s world with fun and food project is administered and delivered by Dorothy Richmond, Dietitian and Chef, on behalf of Northern Queensland Primary Health Network, and funded by the Australian Government Department of Health. For information on these free workshops contact Dorothy. Workshops have already been held in Mareeba and Kuranda with more sessions planned region wide.