Become an at-home masterchef with our online cooking class!
Everyone knows the expression ‘you are what you eat’, but as we continue to stay at home to prevent the spread of COVID-19, a nutritious diet is more important than ever. Eating healthy food will help you go about your day with more energy and vitality.
Don’t neglect your nutrition while you’re studying online
Food affects both your physical and mental health. While it may seem like you have fewer food options at the moment, there’s some simple ways to stay on top of your nutrition:
- Eat a healthy, balanced diet with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables.
- Choose high-fibre foods such as wholegrain cereal and wholegrain bread.
- Don’t panic if you can’t find a food item at the supermarket – get creative! Pasta and rice can often be replaced with potato, bread or wraps. Mince can be replaced with mushrooms, lentils, chickpeas or tofu.
- While the fridge may be very tempting while you’re studying at home, try to stick to a normal eating pattern – three meals a day plus two snacks. Avoid ultra-processed and sugary foods like biscuits, muesli bars and sugary cereals.
Find out more about how healthy eating leads to a healthy headspace.
Need some inspiration?
If you’re finding it hard to rustle up some healthy meals in self-isolation, we’re here to help! Join Deakin student Stacey Vas as she shows you how to prepare a tasty and simple meal that will have you coming back for more!
Mushrooms, pumpkin and tofu curry*
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 400g button mushrooms (trimmed)
- 1 brown onion (cut into thin wedges)
- 2 tablespoons Rogan Josh curry paste
- 500g butternut pumpkin (peeled, cut into 2.5cm cubes)
- 2 medium tomatoes (chopped)
- 250ml reduced-salt vegetable stock
- 140ml can coconut milk (you can reduce the fat content by replacing coconut milk with coconut-flavoured evaporated milk or lite coconut milk, but make sure the curry doesn’t boil)
- 300g firm tofu (drained, cut into 2cm cubes)
- 1⁄4 cup coriander leaves
- 2 cups steamed jasmine rice (to serve)
- 1 cup natural yoghurt
- 1 small Lebanese cucumber (halved, seeds removed, diced)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
Steps
- Heat wok over medium-high heat until hot. Add half the oil and swirl to coat. Add mushrooms, stir-fry three to five minutes until golden and almost tender. Remove to a bowl. Add remaining oil and onion, stir-fry two to three minutes or until soft. Add curry paste, cook, stirring constantly, for one minute or until aromatic.
- Stir in pumpkin, tomatoes and stock. Cover, reduce heat to medium, simmer, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes or until pumpkin is just tender.
- Combine the last three ingredients listed to make cucumber raita.
- Return mushrooms to wok, add coconut milk and tofu. Cook, uncovered for five minutes or until warmed through. Top with coriander. Serve with cucumber raita, vegetables and rice.
*Recipe courtesy of Nutrition Australia. Check out the Nutrition Australia website for more food and recipe inspiration and nutrition education, including fact sheets and the latest research and information on current food and health trends.
Take it one step further and grow your own food!
Do you know about the Community Garden at our Burwood Campus? This group is all about sustainability and home-grown produce. And what better way to while away some of that ISO time than learning how to grow and harvest your own food?
Check out their Facebook page for heaps of awesome ideas, videos and inspiration, including:
- How to prepare a garden bed for planting, including adding compost, checking soil pH, watering and mulching.
- Planting seedlings and seeds to be harvested in winter, including carrots, snow peas, coriander, rocket/lettuce, beetroot, potatoes and sweet potatoes.
The Community Garden is also running regular online events this trimester, so join the group to unearth your own pair of green thumbs!