Chef reveals health and wellness secrets and her top 'kitchen hack'

Chef reveals the easy ‘kitchen hack’ that stops her reaching for junk food – and the top health and wellness secrets she swears by

• Chef and cookbook author Teresa Cutter shared her health and wellness secrets
• The foodie said the most important thing is to keep things simple and fresh
• Teresa’s kitchen hack is freeze bananas for either healthy ice cream or smoothies
• She believes in the 80/20 rule of eating healthily 80 per cent of the time 

The chef and leading cookbook author Teresa Cutter has offered a look inside her kitchen, revealing her health and wellness secrets and her ‘top kitchen hack’ that keeps her on track with her goals. 

The Sydney-based chef has built up a loyal following over the years of health-conscious foodies that love her healthy yet surprisingly delicious recipes and her organically-sourced, nutritionally-based wholefoods product range. 

Teresa even has a celebrity following, with the likes of Elle Macpherson, Megan Gale and Kelly Slater frequenting her former cafe in Sydney’s Northern Beaches before she broke away and launched her own range. 

Writing on her website, Teresa explained that the most important thing for good health is that you keep things simple.

The chef and leading cookbook author Teresa Cutter (pictured) has offered a look inside her kitchen, revealing her health and wellness secrets

‘Keep it simple, keep it fresh and prepare the food yourself. You know exactly what’s going into your body and your body will thank you for it with endless energy, glowing skin and vitality,’ she said.

What are the five food staples Teresa swears by?

1. Green vegetables including broccoli, baby spinach and baby cos lettuce.

2. Avocados.

3. Raw nuts and seeds.

4. Good bottle of olive and avocado oil.

5. Kiwi fruits. 

Teresa swears by consuming plenty of water every single day, as well as having a ‘focus on green, nourishing foods such as dark leafy vegetables, superfoods and healthy fats such as avocados’.

While Teresa spends much of her working life in the kitchen, like many of us she doesn’t always enjoy spending hours whipping up tasty and healthy treats if she fancies a snack.

‘My number one kitchen hack is to chop and freeze your bananas,’ the chef said.

‘I always have a stash in the freezer as they add amazing texture to my morning protein smoothies. They also provide fibre, energy and magnesium.’

Frozen bananas also work well as a healthy ice cream option. 

Teresa said you also cannot under-estimate the power of a good knife when you’re cooking.

She likes Victorinox knives, which start from just $9 and which she has been using since she was an apprentice chef over 25 years ago.

‘They’ve lasted for years and I’m in love with the classic wooden handle so your hands don’t slip when you’re chopping,’ she said.

Teresa’s top tip is to keep things simple when you’re cooking, don’t spend more than 30 minutes making dinner and also freshly prepare things yourself so you know what is going into your food (pictured)

Teresa (pictured) said she subscribes to the 80/20 rule whereby she eats healthily for 80 per cent of the time and a little of what she loves for the other 20 per cent

Teresa is the author of the cookbook Earth To Table (pictured

When it comes to the five things she can’t live without, the chef said she always has the green vegetables broccoli, baby spinach and baby cos lettuce in her fridge whatever the weather.

She is also a fan of avocados for her smoothies, as well as raw nuts and seeds for snacks and nut butters.

‘A good bottle of both olive and avocado oil is always in my pantry. I use them liberally in my cooking, baking and drizzled over salads,’ the 52-year-old said.

Finally, Teresa said she loves to eat plenty of kiwi fruit, because it is high in both vitamin C and the antioxidants that boost collagen and keep her skin looking its best.  

What does the ideal salad contain?

* GREENS: Something like baby spinach, cos lettuce, rocket or kale.

* PROTEINS: Nuts and seeds, tahini, hummus, organic eggs or smoked salmon.

* HEALTHY FATS: Avocado, extra Virgin olive oil, nuts, seeds and tahini.

* VEGETABLES: Carrots, broccoli and other seasonal veg.

* BOOSTERS: Fermented vegetables, apple cider vinegar, seaweed, lemon juice, dukkah, grated ginger or garlic.

* DRESSINGS: Hummus, pesto, vinaigrette, vinegar and olive oil. 

Speaking about how you can boost your health today, Teresa said you can never under-estimate the positive qualities of a good salad.

But rather than just include lettuce and tomato, in order to be healthy you need to stuff it full of satiating ingredients like healthy fats and ‘boosters’ including fermented vegetables to keep it filling. 

‘I like to transport my salad in Kilner Jars as many have these cool stainless lids that hold your olive oil dressing, which means no more soggy salad,’ she said. 

Teresa also swears by making recipes that take 30 minutes or less to make, knowing full well how much people – including herself – can resent slaving away for hours in the kitchen.

‘My diet philosophy is the 80/20 idea – where basically you eat healthily 80 per cent of the time and what you want 20 per cent of the time,’ Teresa previously told FEMAIL.

‘It’s a great way to be balanced as opposed to being fanatical 100 per cent of the time as it’s not going to last, and it’s all about moderation and customising your diet according to your needs.’ 

Teresa Cutter is the author of the book Earth To Table. For more information, please visit her website here.    

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