Check out my interview and purely delicious ... - The Healthy Chef

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keep it fresh,
keep it simple
{ TERESA CUTTER’S MOTTO TO ‘KEEP IT FRESH AND SIMPLE’
MEANS COOKING FOR HEALTH AS WELL AS TASTE }
Interview Belinda Glindemann
Teresa Cutter is a leading Australian authority on healthy cooking, just as her
business name and alter ego, The Healthy Chef, suggests. She spoke to yum. about
growing up in a Polish home, Richard Simmons, her love of submission wrestling
(seriously!) and everything in between.
Can you tell us about your earliest memories of cooking and your inspiration?
My great aunt was my inspiration in healthy cooking and living healthy – I was
fortunate to spend a lot of time with her and uncle when I was growing up. They had
their own vegie garden and used to cook everything from scratch. They were fit and
healthy, very liberating and supported everything I wanted to do. They encouraged
me to play sport and bought me my first bike. Mum’s kitchen was a little different –
she worked very hard and had two jobs to support my sister and I through school.
Her food was quite rich with lots of saturated fats and often we had takeaway foods.
Mum didn’t really love cooking. I think that many of us are so busy with work, career
and family that we have lost the ability to cook and prepare meals at home. We
think healthy food takes more time, but it actually doesn’t. It all comes down to good
strategic planning, choosing the right ingredients and keeping it simple.
Your family is Polish — what influence, if any, does that heritage have on your
cooking today? I’ve been inspired greatly by the Polish recipes my great aunt used
to create, and try to recreate them for the recipes in my books and on my website.
Take us back to the beginning of you ‘getting healthy’. At the age of nine, I realised
I was overweight. A group of high school students did a survey by recording the
weight and height of our class. I was shocked to discover that I was the heaviest

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in the class – about 10-15kg more than any of my classmates. I remember that day
as if it were yesterday.
At home, we always had extra large portions and second helpings coated with lots
of butter. Lots of fried food too! If I ate all my food, my Mum would fill my plate
up again. I was always sick – in and out of hospital, my immune system suffered.
I had to do something, I had to take control of my health. My parents would call it
being rebellious. I would call it saving my life! I never exercised. I was always the last
person to be picked for sports at school. I was clumsy and always falling over and
grazing my hands and knees.
And after that time in your life? Determination and persistence are two of my traits
so once I decide to do something I will continue to do it until I achieve it. The very next
day I remember asking Mum to buy more fruits and vegetables. I started to halve all
the food portions mum gave me. I’m not sure how I knew what to do at such a young
age, maybe it was all the TV, but I somehow knew what I had to do. It wasn’t an easy
task. And it didn’t happen overnight. I would get Mum to buy healthier cereal like
rolled oats for breakfast. I remember refusing to eat deep-fried foods, which forced
Mum into practising healthier cooking methods with our meals. Instead of catching
the school bus, I began to walk to school. It was only a 15-minute walk though my
little country town and quite pleasant. From then on, I’d walk straight past the deli
after school instead of popping in and buying bagfuls of mixed lollies or icecreams,
like I used to do each day.
I remember watching shows like The Richard Simmons Show on school holidays and
joining in with the exercises at home. It was my favourite show. I also experimented
with the healthy recipes they made on the show. I made my first egg white omelette
and remember showing Mum that if you drain the juices from a roast chook and

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put them in the refrigerator, you’d be able to skim off all the excess saturated fat and
make a delicious gravy just by thickening the juices with a little cornflour. Without
realising it, I had lost all the excess fat within a year and I felt great! I felt fit and
healthy for the first time. I could move around freely and not puff and pant. I was
eating healthy and exercising regularly and as a result was so happy and full of
energy. Also I noticed I wasn’t falling over anymore when I ran. My coordination
had improved. I was a lot calmer and felt in control. Even my grades improved at
school.
When you left high school, what were your earliest plans for your career? Did
you study at university? Get an apprenticeship in a kitchen? Tell us more. After
completing Year 12, I began my hospitality career working with executive chef Neil
Jackson at the five-star Lord Forrest Hotel in my hometown of Bunbury, Western
Australia. I was a second-year apprentice when I had the opportunity to work with
executive chefs Chris Taylor and Bert Lozy at Observation City Resort Hotel in
Perth. I very quickly worked through the ranks, which led me to becoming assistant
pastry chef of the hotel. I also won gold and bronze medals in the prestigious cooking
competition, Salon Culinaire.
All this time I kept up with my fitness training at the gym and I also received my
qualifications as a certified fitness trainer then studied nutrition at Deakin University.
Six years after qualifying as a chef I left my position at the hotel to focus on working
in the health and fitness industry. This gave me the time and opportunity to develop
my recipes and menus to give out to my clients as well as develop healthy recipes
and conduct healthy cooking classes for companies such as Blackmores, Clinique
and Nivea, as well as develop recipes for my range of cookbooks and the magazines
I wrote for.
Like most chefs I wanted to have my own restaurant, so I opened a wholesome
and mostly organic cafe in Avalon on the northern beaches of Sydney called ‘The
Healthy Chef’. It was awesome and I loved being able to test all my recipes out on
the regular customers. The cafe was a huge success, but I needed my food to reach a
wider population if I was going to make a difference and reach people just like how
Richard Simmons had done for me when I was young. After about five years I sold
my share of the cafe to focus on my own healthy food range. In November 2012, I
launched my Healthy Chef Functional Food Range. All our products are made from
wholefoods and free from chemicals, artificial sweeteners and fillers. Our WPI and
Organic Pea Protein are the first of their kind in Australia and we have lots more
products on the way.
What is it about cooking that you love? I cook every day and I love sharing my
recipes with everybody on my website. If I can help people become healthier
cooks, then that’s just awesome.

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Do you have any food intolerances/allergies etc? My constitution and digestive
system is quite sensitive so I feel better on a grain- and dairy-free diet. I’m not coeliac,
but feel less bloated and more energized when I don’t eat gluten. I focus on fresh
vegetables, fruits, greens, nuts, seeds and lean protein.
What’s your favourite breakfast dish? Lunch? Dinner? For breakfast I love my
smoothies. I combine frozen berries, coconut water or cashew milk with Healthy
Chef Protein and Organic Superfood as well as some chia and probiotics for healthy
digestion. It basically has everything you need to help repair and energize the body.
Lunch is always a salad and some protein like smashed organic eggs. Leafy greens
are the perfect fuel to help stimulate peristalsis in the gut. My kale salad or superfood
tabouli are awesome lunchtime staples. This is my main meal of the day. Dinner
is often light but mostly focuses on plant-based foods. It’s normally something I’ve
cooked for my blog, then hubby and I sit down and enjoy it afterwards. My favourite
foods are leafy greens and green vegetables, organic eggs, banana, apples, berries,
pineapple, nuts and chocolate. I love chocolate but I control my portions.
Which of the variety of amazing sports you’re involved in is your favourite? And
how does someone like you get involved in submission wrestling and/or body
shaping — amazing?! I love cycling, walking and MMA (mixed martial arts). The
cycling was inspired by my grandparents and martial arts by my husband. I took
up martial arts for self defense and submission wrestling basically was part of its
evolution and it’s awesome! I am kinder to myself these days due to injury (as I was
rather competitive) so I don’t take things as hard or serious as I used to. Fitness figure/
body shaping was a big part of most of my 20s. I loved it and it helped me become a
better personal trainer and chef. It made me have a better understanding on how
diet and exercise can shape your body to however you want it to be.
Tell us about Teresa Cutter at home? I’m based in Sydney at Surry Hills. I’ve been
married to my husband, Paul, for 25 years. He’s my soul mate and guardian angel.
Paul and I train together so we love to go for long walks or go to the movies. I also love
to bake and experiment with recipes. Hubby is a cinematographer so I also get him to
take all the lovely pics for my recipes.
Where do you like to holiday? Kamalaya in Koh Samui, Thailand, is our favourite
holiday destination. We go there once a year to focus on our health and reset for the
year ahead. They also have kickboxing, so my husband Paul is in heaven. I spend
most my time having the most awesome Auyrvedic massages, doing yoga or sipping
fresh coconuts by the pool.
What’s something that nobody really knows about you? Geez! That’s a difficult
question! I suppose I can be a little blunt and straight to the point when I’m dealing
with people. I tend to tell it how it is.

yum. | the healthy chef
green pea
fritters
{ Ingredients }
300g (10½ oz) green peas (if using frozen, make sure to defrost first)
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
2 organic/free range eggs
zest of 1 lemon
150g (5¼ oz) good quality ricotta
1 ½ tablespoons coconut flour (see notes)
Pinch of sea salt and pepper
Smash the green peas roughly either by hand or
by using a blender or food processor. Make sure to
keep it chunky as this is not a puree.
Combine the smashed peas into a bowl with
parsley, egg, lemon zest and coconut flour. The
coconut flour will thicken the mix and allow it to
hold its shape when cooking. Season with salt and
pepper and taste to check.
Add the ricotta last, smashing it through the pea
fritter batter – make sure to leave nice chunky bits
of ricotta through the mix.
Heat a pan over a low heat with a little olive oil.
Cook spoonfuls of pea fritter mixture - as much as
you would pikelets or small pancakes. You should
get about six green pea fritters.
{ REMEMBER } It’s important to cook them over
a low, gentle heat on each side until golden and
cooked through. Serve with a squeeze of lemon
and enjoy. You can also accompany with leafy
greens or steamed vegetables and drizzle with
cold pressed olive oil and lemon.
+ Makes 6 +
{ NOTES } Coconut flour is available from most
health food stores. It can also be replaced with
other gluten-free flours such as almond meal or
brown rice flour. Quantities of almond meal or
rice flour will need to be doubled – just enough so
that the fritter will hold its shape when cooked.
For dairy-free fritters – omit the ricotta all
together.
gluten
free
SOY
free
SUGAR
free

yum. | the healthy chef
One Bowl
Chocolate Cake
{ Ingredients }
3 cups (300g/10½ oz) almond meal
½ cup (60g/2oz) good quality unsweetened cacao powder
2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
4 free-range or organic eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or paste
125ml (½ cup/4½ fl oz) melted butter or your choice of macadamia nut oil or cold pressed coconut oil
125ml (½ cup/4½ fl oz) your choice of milk (dairy, nut, seed, rice)
½ cup (125g/4 ½ oz) coconut sugar or 4 tablespoons manuka honey or rice malt syrup
Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F) for fan forced
or 170°C (325°F) for non fan forced ovens.
Combine almond meal, cacao, coconut sugar and
baking powder.
Bake for 40 mins or until just cooked through.
It’s OK if the inside is a little moist when you
remove the cake as it will create a lovely moist
texture inside.
Add the eggs, melted butter and milk then mix
well to form a smooth batter.
Serve alone or topped with ganache, chocolate
mousse or smashed raspberry sauce.
Spoon into a 20cm/8 inch round baking tin that
you have lined with baking paper to prevent
sticking.
+ Serves 20 +
gluten
free
SOY
free
SUGAR
free

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Strawberry
Crumble
{ Ingredients }
Crumble
40g almonds
40g pistachio nuts
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 fresh pitted medjool dates
500g strawberries
¼ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Combine almonds, pistachios, cinnamon and three
dates in a food processor.
Process until you have a crumble-like consistency.
If you don’t have a food processor you can chop
finely by hand.
Blend 250g of strawberries with the other two
fresh dates and vanilla until smooth.
Cut the other 250g of strawberries into quarters.
Combine the quartered strawberries with the
blended puree.
Divide into serving bowls. Top strawberries with
the crumble. Serve and enjoy.
+ Serves 4 +
gluten
free
vegan
SOY
free
SUGAR
free

yum. | the healthy chef
Green Pea and
Spinach Risotto
{ Ingredients }
1 onion, finely diced
60g (2 oz/ ¼ cup) raw carnaroli rice
500ml ( 2 cups/17 ½ fl oz) good quality vegetable or chicken stock – hot
250g (9 oz) green peas
2 large handfuls baby spinach leaves
Black pepper to taste
Parmesan and fresh chopped parsley to serve
Sauté onion in 2 teaspoons olive oil over a medium
heat until soft.
Add the rice and stir through for 1 min.
Add 1 cup of stock and stir through the rice then
continue stirring until the rice has absorbed some
of the stock and thickened.
Add 1 more cup of stock and simmer – stirring
over a medium/low heat until the rice is tender
but not soft.
Blanch the peas for 1 min in boiling water then
drain. Add half the peas into a high performance
blender or food processor and puree with the
spinach until smooth.
Combine the green pea and spinach puree along
with the whole green peas to the risotto and stir
through.
Heat through for 3 mins or until the risotto is
thick and creamy. Your risotto should be lovely
and soupy, not too thick.
Season with black pepper and add a little grated
parmesan to stir through the dish.
Serve on shallow plates. Top with extra grated
parmesan and chopped parsley.
+ Serves 2 +
gluten
free
vegan
SOY
free
SUGAR
free

juices and
smoothies
Words Teresa Cutter

yum. | the healthy chef
When I’m feeling run down my first plan of attack starts in the kitchen. I start to
juice and blend fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs that provide me with a concentrated
source of nutrients that the body easily absorbs. I love making my simple immune
boosting green smoothie on a daily basis and alter the ingredients depending on what
I feel like and what’s in season. Citrus such as orange, lemon, pink grapefruit and lime
are a great base then you can top it off with leafy green vegetables and any boosters
such as ginger, turmeric, manuka honey, Healthy Chef Organic Superfood boosters and
probiotics such as kefir. Coconut water or the addition of some pinepple is also lovely if
you want your smoothie a little on the sweeter side.
Immune Boosting
Green Smoothie
{ Ingredients }
2 whole oranges
1 whole lime
½ whole lemon
1 large handful baby spinach leaves or your choice of greens
small sprig parsley
1 ½ - 2 cups water depending on your desired consistency
Peel oranges, lime and lemon. Combine in a blender with baby spinach, parsley and water. Blend for a
few seconds until smooth. Enjoy and allow your body to be nourished.
{ juice boosters }
Pineapple - High Vitamin C . Contains bromelain that aids digestion and has anti-inflammatory properties.
Manuka Honey - Antibacterial to help fight virus and bacteria.
Ginger - Anti-inflammatory and helps promote gastric motility.
Turmeric - Natural antiviral with potent anti-inflammatory properties. High in curcumin which is a
powerful antioxidant.
Fermented Foods - This may include kefir (water, coconut or dairy versions), yoghurt, kombucha or a
probiotic supplement.
Superfood Supplements - Healthy Chef’s natural proteins or Organic Superfood boosters to support
healthy immune function.
Pumpkin seed - Add 1 teaspoon to your smoothie before blending or use ¼ cup pumpkin seed milk to
replace some of the water in the recipe. It’s high in zinc for optimum immune function.

yum. | the healthy chef
I basically designed this recipe for myself to enjoy as a nourishing quick breakfast if I’m pushed
for time. It makes me feel full and energised all morning. I love making up my own healthy
meal replacement shakes as I know exactly what’s in them and what I’m putting into my body.
Most store-bought shakes include fillers such as dextrins, milk solids and dry milk powders,
vegetable gums, hydrogenated vegetable oils, gluten and artificial sweeteners that can often
cause gastrointestinal disturbances and bloating, so it just makes sense to keep it real and made
from pure and natural wholefoods.
Superfood Smoothie
{ Ingredients }
1 cup (150g) blueberries
1 cup (250ml) coconut water or your choice of water, milk etc
2 tablespoons Healthy Chef Pure Protein
1 tablespoon Healthy Chef Organic Superfood
1 teaspoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon goji berries
½ teaspoon probiotic powder
ice to blend – optional
Combine berries, coconut water, protein powder, Organic Superfood, chia seed, goji berry, probiotics and
ice (if using) in a high performance blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Enjoy for breakfast or as a healthy snack.

yum. | the healthy chef
f you want super power packed nutrition – then you need to try my chocolate
smoothie. This makes a delicious healthy snack or light meal that’s perfect
when you want to indulge in a little chocolate therapy. The addition of frozen
chopped banana makes it smooth and creamy and I sometimes throw in other
fruits that compliment and add extra nutrition such as frozen berries.
Chocolate
Power Smoothie
{ Ingredients }
1 ripe banana, chopped
½ cup frozen strawberries
2 tablespoons Healthy Chef pure protein
1 tablespoon maca powder
250 ml coconut water or your choice of milk
(almond, macadamia, cashew nut, pumpkin seed, rice, organic dairy)
1 teaspoon raw cacao powder
1 teaspoon chia seed
½ cup ice (optional)
Combine all the ingredients into a good high speed blender.
Blend all the ingredients and enjoy immediately.

yum. | the healthy chef
Smoothies make a terrific quick breakfast or meal replacement any time of day. This
is one of my favorite breakfast smoothies. It contains antioxidants and protein to
nourish and support your immune system as well as keep you full all morning.
Strawberries and
Cream smoothie
{ Ingredients }
150g strawberries, frozen
250ml (1 cup) coconut water
2 tablespoons Healthy Chef Pure Native WPI or Organic Pea Protein
Combine all the ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth smooth and creamy.
{ smoothie b o o s t e r s }
OMEGA 3 - Essential in your diet and will support your health in every way such as reduce
inflammation, nourish the brain, help with fat loss and protect the heart. Add 1 teaspoon flaxseed, chia,
walnut or their oils into any smoothie.
HEALTHY CHEF ORGANIC SUPERFOODS - Loaded with antioxidants to nourish your body with
vitality. Provides a nutritional boost to support your healthy diet. Add one teaspoon of Healthy Chef
Organic Superfood Antioxidant to your next smoothie and feel energised.
PROBIOTICS - Good bacteria that help protect our immune and digestive system. Fermented foods
such as natural yoghurt and keifir are a great addition to smoothies and you can also add a concentrated
powder available from health food stores.
PROTEIN - Healthy Chef Pure Native Whey and Organic Pea Protein is a great addition to any smoothie.
They contain all the essential amino acids needed to repair and support a healthy body. Add 2 tablespoons
into any smoothie.
BERRIES - Low in calories and high in antioxidants. A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition
found that adding strawberries to meals slowed the insulin responses by delaying the absorption of sugars in
the digestive tract. Insulin is an anabolic hormone that increases storage of fat, protein and glucose. Its main
effect in regard to fat is to block lipolysis (oxidation of fat). Throw frozen or fresh berries into any smoothie.
CINNAMON - As little as ¼ – ½ teaspoon of cinnamon added to smoothies can help stabilize blood sugar
levels and improve insulin sensitivity.