If there’s one thing we all love it’s a fresh take on healthy living that doesn’t sacrifice taste or convenience. Enter Luke Hines, a personal trainer, nutrition expert and cookbook author who’s been championing real, nutrient-dense foods for over a decade.
We sat down with Luke to chat about his culinary journey, his tips for fitting nutritious meals into a busy lifestyle and why he’s raving about McKenzie’s new ready-to-serve Pulses in Tetra Pak. With these pre-cooked pulses, whipping up delicious, healthy meals has never been easier—even if you’re not a confident cook. Keep reading as Luke shares his secrets.
marie claire: How did you get started in cooking / nutrition?
Luke: I have always been a lover of food! From a very young age, I was never a fussy eater, I always gravitated towards different flavours and textures and this curiosity always had me being very creative in the kitchen! From a cooking and nutrition perspective, these two worlds collided for me when as a personal trainer in Bondi, I became a contestant on My Kitchen Rules! This was a real marriage of both my passion for eating nutrient dense foods, but also making sure they were flavoursome enough to stay alive in the competition! Twelve years later since almost winning the competition, I am proudly using my platform to encourage Aussies to eat real food, cooked simply, that tastes great, that also happens to be incredible for your long-term health too.
Many of us juggle busy work and family schedules—what are your top tips for fitting in nutritious meals without it feeling like a chore?
I totally get that life is hectic and busy and sometimes the idea of cooking a healthy meal from scratch can be daunting. The good news is, there are so many quick and easy ingredients you can have already on hand, so that even on the busiest of nights, you can whip something together! Of course, from a pantry staples perspective, you can’t go past the McKenzie’s range in general, they have got me covered with everything from my almond flour, pink salt, baking powder and fine desiccated coconut, just to name a few, but it’s their new Pulses in Tetra Pak that is a real game changer. They’re a range of ready to serve pulses, including beans, peas and lentils that can be incorporated into any recipe to provide protein, fibre and delicious plant goodness, regardless of whether its meat free Monday, taco Tuesday or spag bol Sunday!
What excites you the most about McKenzie’s Pulses in Tetra Pak, and how do they make meal prep easier?
What I love about this range the most is how they’ve taken care of all the soaking and prepping normally required with dried pulses, making cooking quicker and easier than before. They can be heated in no time, and are versatile enough to be incorporated into salads, curries, sauces, stews, even desserts! The best part is, and this is important to me as I try to run a conscious kitchen at home, is that they are a more sustainable and eco-friendly option to steel cans, cutting down on wastage, and the pack itself reseals with ease, meaning as a guy that lives on his own, there is never wastage. The packs also don’t bruise or damage your fruits and veg like some pesky cans do on your way home from a grocery run, which is always awesome.
How do you incorporate pulses into your own meals?
I like to call it ‘crowding out my plate’ with goodness. If I am making a traditional meat-based curry, I’ll always add some pulses in there to up the protein, fibre and plant goodness. Similarly, the beans in particular are a great addition to a chilli con carne, or taco mix, not to mention adding things like chickpeas or lentils to my sweet treats to add texture, depth of flavour and added nutritional benefits. I love how I can have them on hand in the pantry, they’re easy to store at room temp, and I can incorporate them into almost anything. Trust me, salads are never boring at my house, especially now when I have roasted chickpeas for incredible crunch and texture!
What do you wish more people knew about food and nutrition?
That it doesn’t have to be over complicated or confusing! Keeping it simple really is key. When it comes to cooking healthy food, packed with nutrition, I say try to build the recipe from scratch, use minimal processed ingredients, and focus on some core elements; well sourced protein, healthy fats and smart carbs. The McKenzie’s range really tick all these boxes, which makes cooking nutritionally sound food easier than ever before.
What are some of your favourite healthy ingredients to keep on hand for quick, nutritious meals or snacks?
I have an epic high protein blondie recipe that incorporates lentils into it, the kids would never know they are there! And a chocolate brownie packed with chickpeas that is one of the best brownies I have ever tasted. Who said you can’t have your cake and eat it too? And the best part is, these recipes can be made in bulk and stored in the fridge and freezer to have on hand anytime, meaning you’ll never be without something that tastes a little cheeky, but is good for you too.
What’s one surprising way you like to use pulses that people might not expect?
Well clearly you know I love sneaking them into desserts, but I add them to nearly all my Mexican inspired recipes, from tacos, burritos and tostadas, they are super flexible and really lend themselves nicely to the spices of Mexican cuisine. And with their quick and convenient cook time, it makes whipping these types of recipes together super simple for even the busiest household.
How do you approach fitness and wellness holistically, balancing both your workouts and what you eat?
First off, there is never going to be the perfect meal, perfect workout, perfect night’s sleep or perfect lifestyle routine. It’s about understanding consistency is key and doing your best, with the resources you have, most of the time, that counts. Wellness needs to be realistic, and if we set our expectations impossibly high, the let down and come down of failure can really derail future progress, so strive for progress, not perfection. Secondly, I always try to tune into my body and listen to what it needs. Do I need to eat more greens? Do I need more sleep? Do I need to hydrate more? Really try to clear way the head noise and distractions in life, and tune back into who I am, and what helps me thrive from the inside out.
What are your non-negotiable self-care / health / fitness rituals?
Sleep! I am addicted to it, and I recently realised that if you don’t get your sleep right, nothing else can function well. Getting adequate rest allows you to face and handle the world so much better, it allows you to respond to what life throws at you from a place of calm, not panic. Sleep affects our mood, food cravings, our performance in the gym, literally all aspects of our waking life. So non-negotiable are early nights, dark rooms, low-tech environments before bed, and a clean and clear space to rest.
Do you have any early food or cooking memories?
Some of my fondest memories are being in the kitchen with my mum, helping her to make her famous chocolate cake, or her classic apricot cake, or even the massive minestrone soup she would always have on the stove. She really made the most of what we had growing up, and always put so much love into every dish, and I am so grateful that she put flavour and nutrition at front of mind as kids growing up, and always made it such a joy to share the time in the kitchen with her. I hold these memories very close, especially the ones of when I got to lick the bowl!
This article originally appeared on Marie Claire Australia and is republished here with permission.
