When I go out for dinner or meet new people, inevitably they find out what I do or they recognise me and we fall into a conversation about diet and lifestyle. Many of the questions I get asked are the same and it occurred to me that many of you probably want to know the answers too.

So here are five of the questions I’m most frequently asked about.

1. What’s your favourite quick and easy, healthy dinner?

This changes based on what I have in the fridge! But I do try to incorporate as many vegetables as I can into whatever meal I’m making. If you follow me on Instagram, you would have seen me post a picture of a delicious soup I made the other day from all the leftover veggies I had in the fridge.

I served it up for an easy week night dinner with dark, crusty bread and a chunk of mature cheddar cheese. I also love a stirfry filled with lots of veggies and a protein-rich food such as chicken, meat or tofu, served with brown rice. It’s really easy, nutritious and healthy.

Other nights I might just have a simple fillet steak with a big interesting salad, always dressed with a flavour packed dresssing based on extra virgin olive oil, and a smart carb of some sort like quinoa, baked sweet potato or corn cobs.

Plus, I can’t go past a frittata – they are so versatile and you can fill them with anything you’ve got in the fridge – tomato, pumpkin, eggplant. Serve it hot or cold with a big salad (I eat a lot of salad!).

2. How bad is alcohol for me… really?

Ok, here’s where the rubber meets the road. If truth be told, even though alcohol (particularly red wine) has been shown to have some health benefits in relation to heart health, in general alcohol does more harm than good. If you don’t drink, definitely don’t start!

Regular drinking can damage your liver, raise your blood pressure, raise blood triglyceride levels and increase your risk of certain cancers. Our Australian recommendations are:

“For healthy men and women, drinking no more than two standard drinks on any day reduces your risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury over a lifetime. Drinking no more than four standard drinks on a single occasion reduces the risk of alcohol-related injury arising from that occasion.”

If you do like to have a drink I suggest aiming for at least two or three alcohol free days (AFDs) each week. On the other nights try to stick to the recommended one or two glasses. You can slow yourself down by alternating an alcoholic drink with a sparkling water, putting your glass down when at a social function and organising catch-ups with friends that doesn’t always involve having a drink.

If you’re having a big night out (a wedding or birthday for instance), you may go over the two glass limit, but do your best to reign it in. I try to drink as much water throughout the night as I can. The next day again drink plenty of water to ensure you are properly hydrated. (Post continues after gallery.)

Healthy dinner ideas.

Instagram @DeliciouslyElla

Bowl of super creamy pasta with sauted mushrooms, peas and spinach.

Instagram @FreshlySnapped

Quinoa, wilted kale, cherry tomatoes, butter beans and some hidden alfalfa sprouts, with a squeeze of lemon.

Instagram @FreshlySnapped

Baked Eggplant with chilli flakes, mint leaves and tahini.

Instagram @DeliciousMagazine

Sriracha Salmon with Edamame Mash.

Instagram @EatFitFood

Carrot, cumin falafels, sage, quinoa, spiced pineapple, fresh salad topped with basil pesto and zucchini hummus.

Instagram @EatFitFood

Trout with rice and vegetables.

Instagram @FoodFitAndRepeat

Meatballs, zoodles and cauliflower rice.

Instagram @HonestlyHealthy

Asian quinoa stir-fry.

Instagram @HonestlyHealthy

Pumpkin Gnocchi.

Instagram @BeFitFoods

Vegetarian Black Bean Chili-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes.

Instagram @BeFitFoods

Shrimp and Avocado Pasta.

3. Should I be taking supplements?

This is a complicated one as everyone is individual and has different needs and risk factors. However, if you’re otherwise healthy, I’m a big believer that if you’re eating a healthy diet full of a variety of foods and fruit and vegetables, you shouldn’t need to pop many pills.

"You shouldn’t need to pop many pills" (Image via iStock).

However, having said all that, of course there are a few that are beneficial and it can be hard to ensure you get enough through diet alone. For instance:

Fish Oils: 

Omega-3 fatty acids have pretty solid evidence showing them to be good for your heart health, your brain, reducing inflammation throughout the body and more. My suggestion is to buy a good quality fish oil and store it in the fridge to protect the fragile fats from oxidation. This is the one supplement I do take every day. Unless you're an avid oily fish fan and eat it several times a week, taking a fish oil supplement at least a few times a week will be beneficial. I also give my kids an omega-3 supplement to ensure they have these essential fats for their brain development.

Vitamin D: 

During the summer we probably get enough vitamin D from the sun just by virtue of being outside - all you need is about 15 to 20 mins with sun exposure to your arms and legs. However, if you always cover up and use sunscreen, then you might well be low in Vitamin D. Particularly during winter when you would need a lot more time in the sun to produce adequate vitamin D and you likely find you spend more time indoors, you may struggle to keep your vitamin D levels up.

"During the summer we probably get enough vitamin D from the sun just by virtue of being outside" (Image via iStock).

Vitamin D is important for strong bones, muscular and overall health. Your GP can check your blood levels of vitamin D and rates of deficiency seem to be on the rise in Australia. If you're low you certainly need a supplement to pick you back up, but the rest of us may also consider supplementing ourselves through the winter months. For those of you living in the northern hemisphere far from the equator, a supplement year round may be required.

Folate:

This is essential if you’re trying to get pregnant and through at least the first 3 months of pregnancy to ensure the healthy growth and development of the foetus. Adequate folate has been shown to reduce the risk of neural tube defects such as spinabifida. Folate is also of interest throughout life as it plays an essential role in protecting DNA from damage as we age. However eating a folate-rich diet is more prudent than popping supplements since these foods also offer a broad array of potentially beneficial phytochemicals.

Probiotics: 

If you’ve taken a course of antibiotics, supplementing with probiotics is beneficial to your gut health. I advise taking them along with and for at least a few weeks after your antibiotics. Others may consider taking probiotics on a regular basis, particularly if you have any kind of gut problems. I also like to take them while travelling overseas. As an everyday measure you may also like to consider eating plenty of probiotic containing foods such as fermented foods like sauerkraut or kimchi, natural yoghurt, kefir or other probiotic drinks.

4. How do I get my kids to eat more veggies?

This old chestnut! As a mother to two boys I know how hard it is to get kids to eat (and enjoy) veggies. My advice here is just to keep offering them – it’s a marathon, not a sprint. You’re creating habits to last a lifetime, not just today. So, even if they don’t eat everything you put in front of them, you’re teaching them what a healthy, balanced meal looks like so they know what they should strive to eat.

Whether or not they eat it, I suggest you continue to put a few veggies on their plate. We have always had a rule in our house that you have to try everything on your plate, but I never force them to finish the plate - I've spent enough time undoing that bad habit in adults! I also suggest you make veggies an integral part of the meal and not just a side event. They may well pick them out, but eventually they'll probably try them.