WINNING TEAM LAUNCH BOOK OFFERING QUICK & HEALTHY FOOD SOLUTIONS -
FIT FOOD FAST – healthy food for families on the run

Following their hugely successful book Fit Food for Winners (2005), the Millennium Institute of Sport & Health and Nestlé have again combined their talents and expertise to launch Fit Food Fast, in conjunction with Random House New Zealand.

Fit Food Fast was officially, and impressively launched by Prime Minister John Key at the Millennium Institute of Sport & Health earlier today. His off-the-cuff and relevant address was very well received by the large audience.

Prior to the launch there was an entertaining and educational panel discussion on healthy eating between elite athletes Moss Burmester and Barbara Kendall, and sports nutritionist Claire Turnbull.
Pic left - L to R: Moss Burmester, Barbara Kendall and Claire Turnbull

Fit Food Fast features the healthy eating strategies of 12 of New Zealand’s top athletes, from a variety of sporting codes ― Brendon McCullum, Barbara Kendall, Alison Shanks, Simon Child, Valerie Vili, James Dolphin, Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell, Moss Burmester, Michael Campbell, Joe Rokocoko, Maria Tutaia and Debbie Tanner. Each athlete talks about their favourite foods and recipes, and how they fit in with their lifestyle and training regime.

Fit Food Fast has been designed to inspire busy families to create quick and easy, tasty and nutritious meals. Sports nutritionist Claire Turnbull provides advice on healthy eating, attitudes to food, shopping smart, how to read labels and much more. Plus there is a nutritional analysis of each recipe. There are recipes for breakfasts, snacks, lunches and dinners, and for delicious, lower fat sweet-treats.

Mike Stanley, Chief Executive of the Millennium Institute of Sport & Health, in opening the launch event said that Fit Food Fast was being published to help New Zealanders make good nutritional choices. “You don’t have to be a top athlete to benefit from the book’s recipes and advice” he says, “but you will be inspired to create food that is tasty, healthy and easy to prepare; most of the recipes contain just six ingredients.”

This book has been developed by the teams at the Millennium Institute of Sport & Health (the world-class sports training facility in Auckland dedicated to excellence in sports performance and in personal health, recreation and fitness) and at Nestlé New Zealand where the recipes were developed in the Consumer Kitchen.

I must say that I was enormously impressed by the facilities at the Millenium Institute. We arrived a little early so Murray the Duty Manager kindly showed us around. Wow – amongst other thnigs we saw an Olympic swimming pool, full scale athletic track, indoor 60 meter track, gymnasiums, basket ball court, conference facilities and a 30 room lodge. Thanks Murray.

This was a book launch with a difference and I greatly enjoyed the experience. Now I’m deciding what to make first from this attractive cookbook The front runners are Jo Rokocoko’s Barbecued asparagus and prawn salad and Spring spaghetti with broad beans and peas, both seasonal dishes. Actually I think I’ll make them both over the weekend. I notice that my favourite fruit & veg supplier, Bhana Bros in Ponsonby Road, has broad beans in store so off I go.
Fit Food Fast (Random House- $29.99) is available for sale in bookshops nationwide.

Millenium Institute of Sport & Health - http://www.mish.org.nz/