Us Irish like our bread. We have it as toast in the morning, for lunch as a sandwich and maybe even with our dinner in the evening. There are so many different breads on the supermarket shelves that you would think our needs would be catered to, but so many are tasteless and nasty, full of sugar, salt and weird preservatives that, honestly, I don't consider them bread at all. This spelt bread recipe is an antidote to all of the rubbish out there. It has been borrowed and adjusted slightly from the gorgeous Cornucopia cookbook, well worth the investment for some wonderful veggie recipes.
Wholegrain spelt contains a broader range of nutrients in comparison to it’s more inbred cousins (like wheat) including manganese, B3, phosphorous and magnesium. The seeds in this recipe add fibre and essential fats which are vital for healthy skin, eyes, hormone and mood balance. Pumpkin seeds are also a good source of zinc, also important for healthy skin, immune function and fertility. Spelt does contain gluten, but much less than wheat and is generally much easier to digest.
Ingredients:
425g wholegrain spelt flour
40g each of sesame, pumpkin & sunflower seeds
15g each of poppy & linseeds (or you can make up whatever mix of seeds you fancy)
2 tsp baking powder
1 heaped tsp salt
550ml water
1 tbsp blackstrap molasses
What to do with em!
Oil and line the base of a 2lb loaf tin.
Preheat oven to 180C
Sieve the flour & baking powder (though wholegrain spelt flour can be a challenge to sieve, so don’t worry too much about that)
Add the salt & seeds & combine thoroughly
Mix the water & molasses in a jug (I use a little boiling water to warm it up a bit so the molasses is easier to dissolve)
Pour about ¾ of the liquid into a well in the centre of the dry mix
Make sure the molasses is evenly distributed, not clumped in sticky pockets (which won’t be the case if it is thoroughly dissolved in the water first!)
Use as little mixing as possible to achieve an even mix, as the gluten in spelt is more fragile than wheat.
Add as much water as is needed to achieve a sloppy consistency (I often only need 500ml)
Pour mix into the prepped tin and press down evenly.
Bake in the centre of the oven for about an hour, until well risen and evenly browned.
Run a knife around the edge and turn the loaf out on a wire rack & tap the base
If it makes a hollow sound, the bread is cooked.
Cover with a tea towel and leave to cool on the rack before cutting
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Flapjacks from heaven...
I have been experimenting with a flapjack/snack bar/sweet treat for the last few days and have finally hit the jackpot. The challenge was to come up with something nut, seed, wheat, sugar, dairy & egg free, but still super tasty, especially for young uns with allergies. I am so pleased with the result, though I have yet to try them out on small people. My rather large sugar addict friend assures me his children would gobble them up. I made a half size batch, but double the amounts below for 2 7x11" flat trays.
These babies are loaded with fibre from the oats, oat bran and apple puree. Oats & oat bran are also rich in selenium (a vital antioxidant) magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, iron & calcium. There's plenty of natural sweetness in the sultanas and apple puree, with a little extra help from the low GI agave syrup. Adjust this to suit your own tastes though. Rest assured that the fibre in the oats & oat bran will give a slow release of energy for you & your little ones, so no crazy sugar rush.
Super yummy snack bar
2 cups rolled oats (I used Jumbo Ballybrado porridge oats)
1/2 cup oat bran
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup sultanas
1/3 cup sunflower oil (unrefined & organic)
1/2 cup apple puree
3/4 cup agave syrup
Turn on your oven to 190C
Grease and line a 7x11" flat tray (or 2 if you're doubling the recipe)
Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl
Mix the wet ingredients in another bowl
Add the dry mix to the wet mix and stir well, it should be quite wet, but not sloppy
Spoon the mix into the tray (or trays) and press flat
Pop in the oven for 18-25 minutes, until golden and beginning to darken around the edges
Mine took 23 minutes, in a fan oven, but keep a good eye on them the first time as they can burn quite easily!
The result is a lovely chewy, slightly cake like texture with just a little bit of crumble.
Enjoy with a cuppa, yum yum.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Post liver flush food...
It's done. The liver flush is complete. It really wasn't as bad as I expected, I didn't need to hold my nose as I swallowed the various concoctions and I did not experience terrible cramps, but boy am I glad I was close to the toilet today!
Having completed the liver flush, I felt it best to eat lightly, but also to eat something tasty, as I have been eating really simply for the last week and needed some serious flavour! So, I got some homemade chicken stock from my freezer (good quality bouillon would do, but if you can get your hands on home made, it's definitely better) sauteed some garlic and ginger, added the stock and once it was simmering, added half a leek, one head of pak choi (just the crunchy bits)and some wholewheat noodles. I let them simmer for a few minutes, then added the greens from the pak choi, some lime juice and after a minute or two, served it up. Garnished with coriander, it was ready to go. Minimum fuss, maximum flavour and very gentle on the tummy.
Flush out the toxins!
Spring is definitely in the air and I am almost finished my detox, so the timing feels right for a fresh start, a new year...while the sun is shining and spirits are rising.
Last night I began a liver flush, which I must admit, was pretty unappetising. I downed glasses of epsom salts and water at 2 hour intervals and just before hopping into bed had a glass of olive oil & pink grapefruit juice. It sounds a bit disgusting and it was, but not as revolting as I expected. I managed to swallow the lot without having to hold my nose and this morning was rewarded with gallstones in the toilet bowl and what I can only describe as toxic 'scum'. It's not done yet, but I feel it's been worth it.
I'm not telling everyone who reads this to do a liver flush. There are numerous contraindications such as kidney or liver problems, constipation and any kind of acute illness, so don't consider doing this kind of detox without professional supervision. A detox can be as simple as cutting out the rubbish from your diet for a week. You don't need to go to extremes to cleanse your body, why not consider cutting out coffee and tea, sugar and dairy and processed foods for a week. Eat lots of fruit & veg, get familiar with wholegrains and sprouts. Get off the couch, go for gentle walks and use all that free time to read a book, phone a friend or listen to music. Do it for a week, or 3 days, or a day! You might find you like it.
Last night I began a liver flush, which I must admit, was pretty unappetising. I downed glasses of epsom salts and water at 2 hour intervals and just before hopping into bed had a glass of olive oil & pink grapefruit juice. It sounds a bit disgusting and it was, but not as revolting as I expected. I managed to swallow the lot without having to hold my nose and this morning was rewarded with gallstones in the toilet bowl and what I can only describe as toxic 'scum'. It's not done yet, but I feel it's been worth it.
I'm not telling everyone who reads this to do a liver flush. There are numerous contraindications such as kidney or liver problems, constipation and any kind of acute illness, so don't consider doing this kind of detox without professional supervision. A detox can be as simple as cutting out the rubbish from your diet for a week. You don't need to go to extremes to cleanse your body, why not consider cutting out coffee and tea, sugar and dairy and processed foods for a week. Eat lots of fruit & veg, get familiar with wholegrains and sprouts. Get off the couch, go for gentle walks and use all that free time to read a book, phone a friend or listen to music. Do it for a week, or 3 days, or a day! You might find you like it.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
The detox begins...
Last Tursday was my 32nd birthday. Wow, it looks big when you write it... I have been toying with the idea of doing a detox for months and finally, something clicked and I decided now is the right time. This is my new year, so for me the timing is perfect. A spring clean, inside and out...in two weeks I will be unstoppable!
There are numerous signs that may tell you a detox is worth doing. Some include sluggishness, tiredness, headaches, difficulty sleeping, joint pain, skin problems, bloating...the symtoms of living for many people! How to do a detox will vary from person to person, but the simplest advice I can give is to focus on giving your body time & space to eliminate and cleanse. This means reducing the burdens that we usually push on our liver and other organs of elimination, like kidneys, intestines and even skin. Detoxing is more about what you don't do, than what you do, do. So, the simplest detox goes something like this:
Remove from your diet all of the foods and chemical substances that put pressure on your body. These include dairy, red meat, sugar, tea & coffee, alcohol, cigarettes, refined & processed foods (that's food in boxes and white bread, rice, pasta etc) Reduce the amount of grains in your diet, even wholegrains and feast on brightly coloured vegetables, small portions of fish and organic chicken. Drink plenty of water, herbal teas and get lots of sleep. Get some gentle exercise every day (walking, yoga, cycling) and decide that for one solid week, you will get in excess of 8 hours sleep every night. The world will continue to turn, your body will thank you for the rest and you will be bouncing with energy by the end of your detox.
I have decided to start my detox by removing all of the above mentioned items (if you are a fan of perfume, fake tan, body potions & lotions, consider eliminating them too, there are plenty of gentler alternatives and a break will really benefit your skin) and beginning a kidney cleanse, in preparation for next week's liver flush. The liver flush is a an overnight process, preceded by drinking a litre of apple juice a day, for 6 days, which helps to soften any gallstones in the liver of gallbladder. The flush cleanses the liver of toxins, fat & sludge and flushes out the 'stones' of fatty and calcified deposits that are called gall stones.
The purpose of the kidney cleanse is to prepare your kidneys for the liver flush, as there may be quite a lot of sludge and toxins released from the liver. The kidney cleanse is a 5 day process, where you drink the mix below first thing in the morning, 5 days in a row. If your kidneys are in good working order, you may not need to do it, but if you have any history of UTI's or kidney infections, then it is worthwhile. Don't feel any pressure to do either kidney cleanse or liver flush, it's not a vital part of a detox!
The kidney cleanse goes like this:
First thing in the morning, on an empty stomach, drink the following concoction, in one sitting:
475ml filtered or bottled water (no fluoride or chlorine)
2 organic lemons, in their entirety, skin, pith and flesh
Good pinch of cayenne pepper
1tsp maple syrup (for sweetness only, exclude if you're tough like me!)
Put the whole lot in a blender and blitz until it's all liquid.
Don't eat for at least an hour after you've taken this mix and be sure you are close to a toilet. I started this yesterday morning and felt fine all day, this morning I was very glad to be working from home and close to my bathroom.
One word of warning, if you are giving up drinking a lot of tea or coffee, or eating lots of sugar, be prepared for some headaches. If you really need to, take a painkiller, but try to get through without. Go for a walk, get some fresh air, or take a nap if you can. Headaches, spots & tiredness are all part of the detox. It's normal to feel that way and you will come out the other side, I promise!
There are numerous signs that may tell you a detox is worth doing. Some include sluggishness, tiredness, headaches, difficulty sleeping, joint pain, skin problems, bloating...the symtoms of living for many people! How to do a detox will vary from person to person, but the simplest advice I can give is to focus on giving your body time & space to eliminate and cleanse. This means reducing the burdens that we usually push on our liver and other organs of elimination, like kidneys, intestines and even skin. Detoxing is more about what you don't do, than what you do, do. So, the simplest detox goes something like this:
Remove from your diet all of the foods and chemical substances that put pressure on your body. These include dairy, red meat, sugar, tea & coffee, alcohol, cigarettes, refined & processed foods (that's food in boxes and white bread, rice, pasta etc) Reduce the amount of grains in your diet, even wholegrains and feast on brightly coloured vegetables, small portions of fish and organic chicken. Drink plenty of water, herbal teas and get lots of sleep. Get some gentle exercise every day (walking, yoga, cycling) and decide that for one solid week, you will get in excess of 8 hours sleep every night. The world will continue to turn, your body will thank you for the rest and you will be bouncing with energy by the end of your detox.
I have decided to start my detox by removing all of the above mentioned items (if you are a fan of perfume, fake tan, body potions & lotions, consider eliminating them too, there are plenty of gentler alternatives and a break will really benefit your skin) and beginning a kidney cleanse, in preparation for next week's liver flush. The liver flush is a an overnight process, preceded by drinking a litre of apple juice a day, for 6 days, which helps to soften any gallstones in the liver of gallbladder. The flush cleanses the liver of toxins, fat & sludge and flushes out the 'stones' of fatty and calcified deposits that are called gall stones.
The purpose of the kidney cleanse is to prepare your kidneys for the liver flush, as there may be quite a lot of sludge and toxins released from the liver. The kidney cleanse is a 5 day process, where you drink the mix below first thing in the morning, 5 days in a row. If your kidneys are in good working order, you may not need to do it, but if you have any history of UTI's or kidney infections, then it is worthwhile. Don't feel any pressure to do either kidney cleanse or liver flush, it's not a vital part of a detox!
The kidney cleanse goes like this:
First thing in the morning, on an empty stomach, drink the following concoction, in one sitting:
475ml filtered or bottled water (no fluoride or chlorine)
2 organic lemons, in their entirety, skin, pith and flesh
Good pinch of cayenne pepper
1tsp maple syrup (for sweetness only, exclude if you're tough like me!)
Put the whole lot in a blender and blitz until it's all liquid.
Don't eat for at least an hour after you've taken this mix and be sure you are close to a toilet. I started this yesterday morning and felt fine all day, this morning I was very glad to be working from home and close to my bathroom.
One word of warning, if you are giving up drinking a lot of tea or coffee, or eating lots of sugar, be prepared for some headaches. If you really need to, take a painkiller, but try to get through without. Go for a walk, get some fresh air, or take a nap if you can. Headaches, spots & tiredness are all part of the detox. It's normal to feel that way and you will come out the other side, I promise!
Blueberry Muffins
I hate greasy, wet muffins, the type you buy sometimes (if you're desperate for some sugar) from a petrol station or the snack trolley on a train. You know the kind. Sometimes you'll even find them in shops that sell coffee, they really are pretty yuck. They actually sweat under that plastic wrapper and they are squishy and bland, but sickeningly sweet. So...I thought it might be worth sharing with you a recipe for blueberry muffins. They are just a little bit sweet, filli
ng & very satisfying. With the magic ingredient of milled flaxseed these babies have a gorgeous smooth texture.
I used a lovely buttermilk from Tinnock Farm, which I bought at the Farmers Market in Dun Laoghaire, well worth a trip and buttermilk made like it should be, when making butter! There are a lot of ingredients, but don't be put off, they're really easy to make. If you use soya instead of buttermilk, these muffins are vegan too!
Blueberry Muffins
1/2 cup milled flaxseed
1 cup whole spelt flour
Just under 1 cup plain flour
1.5tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup apple puree
1/2 cup agave syrup
1 cup buttermilk (or soya with 1tbsp lemon juice to sour it. Just let it sit for a few minutes first)
3tbsp sunflower oil (organic & unrefined)
1 tbsp orange juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed and patted dry
Heat the oven to 200C. Grease a muffin tray
If you're using soya, combine it now with the lemon juice, letting it stand while you get everything else ready.
Put all of the ingredients (bar the blueberries) in a stand mixer & allow the entire mix to come together. If you don't have a stand mixer, use a bowl and hand mixer.
Fold the blueberries in by hand.
Scoop the batter into muffin cups (I got 12 from this mix)
Bake for 18-22 minutes or until lightly browned and the tops spring back when touched lightly.
Loosen the edges and gently remove the muffins from the tray. Cool on a wire rack & enjoy with a cuppa...delicious!
ng & very satisfying. With the magic ingredient of milled flaxseed these babies have a gorgeous smooth texture.I used a lovely buttermilk from Tinnock Farm, which I bought at the Farmers Market in Dun Laoghaire, well worth a trip and buttermilk made like it should be, when making butter! There are a lot of ingredients, but don't be put off, they're really easy to make. If you use soya instead of buttermilk, these muffins are vegan too!
Blueberry Muffins
1/2 cup milled flaxseed
1 cup whole spelt flour
Just under 1 cup plain flour
1.5tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup apple puree
1/2 cup agave syrup
1 cup buttermilk (or soya with 1tbsp lemon juice to sour it. Just let it sit for a few minutes first)
3tbsp sunflower oil (organic & unrefined)
1 tbsp orange juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed and patted dry
Heat the oven to 200C. Grease a muffin tray
If you're using soya, combine it now with the lemon juice, letting it stand while you get everything else ready.
Put all of the ingredients (bar the blueberries) in a stand mixer & allow the entire mix to come together. If you don't have a stand mixer, use a bowl and hand mixer.
Fold the blueberries in by hand.
Scoop the batter into muffin cups (I got 12 from this mix)
Bake for 18-22 minutes or until lightly browned and the tops spring back when touched lightly.
Loosen the edges and gently remove the muffins from the tray. Cool on a wire rack & enjoy with a cuppa...delicious!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Scrummy Coconut & Sultana Cookies
I am always on the hunt for yummy treats that are super healthy & super fast to throw together. These cookies are just that. They are a fantastic snack and hunger buster when you're on the run. They are not super sweet, with just a wee bit of agave syrup to satisfy those with a penchant for sugar. Of course, you can add more, the proportions below are a suggestion, change them at will! I am becoming less convinced of the super healthy virtues of agave syrup. It is certainly lower on the GI scale than sugar and that's a good thing. This is because it's made up of mostly fructose and a little glucose. Proportions vary, depending on the variety of plant and harvest method...but my guess is it's somewhere around 70% fructose and 30% glucose. Fructose has to go to the liver first, before it can be metabolised, hence the delay in increasing blood sugar levels. Massive amounts of fructose can do it's own damage, so my advice is, everything in moderation, including agave syrup!
So, back to the cookies; they are made with a mix of tahini, dessicated coconut, dried fruit (in this case sultanas) and oat flour. I had intended to use all coconut, but ran short. Necessity being the mother of invention, I grabbed some oatflakes, blitzed them in my little coffee grinder and made oat flour! Who'd have thought it would be so easy? I quite like the end result, coconutty without being macaroons, of which I am not a fan! The tahini adds protein and buckets of calcium, which is good news for anyone who struggles with dairy. The oats are rich in fibre and bring their own share of protein to the mix too.
Ingredients:
So, back to the cookies; they are made with a mix of tahini, dessicated coconut, dried fruit (in this case sultanas) and oat flour. I had intended to use all coconut, but ran short. Necessity being the mother of invention, I grabbed some oatflakes, blitzed them in my little coffee grinder and made oat flour! Who'd have thought it would be so easy? I quite like the end result, coconutty without being macaroons, of which I am not a fan! The tahini adds protein and buckets of calcium, which is good news for anyone who struggles with dairy. The oats are rich in fibre and bring their own share of protein to the mix too.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup dark tahini
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 generous tbsp water
- 1/4-1/2 cup agave syrup
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 1/2 cups dessicated coconut
- 1 1/2 cups oat flour (see method above! Substitute all coconut if you prefer)
- A good handful of sultanas (or unsweetened cranberries if you have them)
- A pinch of salt flakes
- Turn the oven on to 170C and grease and line two shallow baking trays.
- In a medium bowl, mix the tahini, lemon zest, water and agave syrup. Mix thoroughly until smooth & glossy. Tahini has a habit of seperating into oil on top and a more solid, dense paste at the bottom. Stir it up as best you can and make sure you smush out all the thickerlumps of tahini.
- Add the beaten egg and mix thoroughly
- Combine the dry ingredients in a seperate bowl and add to the wet mixture. Give it all a good stir.
- With wet hands, shape and flatten spoonfuls of the mix into discs about 1cm thick.
- Place the whole lot in the oven and set your timer to 10 minutes. My fan oven takes 14, others will take 10, so the first time you make these, watch 'em like a hawk to be sure they don't burn. When they are nicely golden, they're done.
- Enjoy with a cuppa herbal and kick back for a few minutes. As one of my sugar loving tasting friends skyped me yesterday 'Jeebus those cookies are f****n delish...'
Monday, February 22, 2010
Scrummy breakfast...and that's according to a sugar addict!
I have a friend who is a self confessed sugar addict. He does pay attention to what he eats, but man, there's a whole lot of sugar in there. Breakfast is usually a cup of coffee and maybe a gourmet breakfast roll from the local deli in the car on his way to work. I have given up berating him for eating while standing, dining on pizza and chips, consuming copious amounts of coffee...
For anyone trying to change their diet, starting the day well is always purported as being one of the most important first steps and it is! Usually, people are advised to eat porridge or homemade granola with a boiled egg, or maybe even an omlette. If you're new to eating breakfast, these options might not hold much appeal. I think I may have discovered a combination that works, even for the sweetest tooth. This is porridge like you've never known it. This is porridge from planet delicious. Try it, it will satisfy your sweet tooth, it doesn't taste like grandmother's gruel and with the addition of protein rich quinoa will keep you going for much longer than that breakfast roll, croissant or even a bowl of Special K. The cinnamon helps to balance blood sugar levels and the apple puree adds a lovely sweetness without any sugar neccessary, along with the benefits of pectin, creating a smooth creamy delight. The berries turn the whole concoction a beautiful pinky purple, definitely not grey and stodgy!
Ingredients per person:
First off, put the oatflakes, quinoa, sultanas, cinnamon & water in a saucepan.
Turn the heat on really low (my hob goes from 1-9 so I use 2)
Give it a stir and leave for approx 20 minutes.
Return from beautifying yourself for the day and add the apple puree & berries.
If the berries are frozen, you'll need to wait a few minutes for them to defrost.
Pour the lot into a bowl and enjoy, slowly...give yourself time to enjoy the feeling of virtue it bestows.
If you fancy a little more sweetness, drizzle some agave syrup over the top. Agave is much lower GI than sugar and so won't send you into a sugar rush. This got the double thumbs up from my sugar addict friend, and that's my litmus test for success.
For anyone trying to change their diet, starting the day well is always purported as being one of the most important first steps and it is! Usually, people are advised to eat porridge or homemade granola with a boiled egg, or maybe even an omlette. If you're new to eating breakfast, these options might not hold much appeal. I think I may have discovered a combination that works, even for the sweetest tooth. This is porridge like you've never known it. This is porridge from planet delicious. Try it, it will satisfy your sweet tooth, it doesn't taste like grandmother's gruel and with the addition of protein rich quinoa will keep you going for much longer than that breakfast roll, croissant or even a bowl of Special K. The cinnamon helps to balance blood sugar levels and the apple puree adds a lovely sweetness without any sugar neccessary, along with the benefits of pectin, creating a smooth creamy delight. The berries turn the whole concoction a beautiful pinky purple, definitely not grey and stodgy!
Ingredients per person:
- 1/3 cup of jumbo oatflakes
- Small handful of quinoa (I like to use seeds, but you can use flakes for faster cooking)
- 2/3 cup of water
- Small handful of sultanas
- Good pinch of cinnamon
- 2 dsp apple puree or stewed apple
- Handful of berries (fresh or frozen)
Get started:
I suggest you get this started pretty much as soon as you get out of bed. It will take about 20 minutes to cook, which gives enough time for morning ablutions.First off, put the oatflakes, quinoa, sultanas, cinnamon & water in a saucepan.
Turn the heat on really low (my hob goes from 1-9 so I use 2)
Give it a stir and leave for approx 20 minutes.
Return from beautifying yourself for the day and add the apple puree & berries.
If the berries are frozen, you'll need to wait a few minutes for them to defrost.
Pour the lot into a bowl and enjoy, slowly...give yourself time to enjoy the feeling of virtue it bestows.
If you fancy a little more sweetness, drizzle some agave syrup over the top. Agave is much lower GI than sugar and so won't send you into a sugar rush. This got the double thumbs up from my sugar addict friend, and that's my litmus test for success.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Spring is in the air
On Sunday I went for the most gorgeous walk by the sea with my mountain man (we decided against an afternoon on our bikes in the hills). It was bloody freezing. My nose, ears, fingers and toes were numb by the time we got back to the car, but despite that, there was a definite hint of spring in the air.
We walked the pretty streets of Sandycove in south Dublin, seeking out signs of spring in the gardens of the quaint little houses there. Cherries in blossom, already! I'm sure it's really early, but there they were, just coming into bloom and it got me feeling all spring like.
Today is pancake Tuesday and while I have already partaken in the tastiest spelt pancakes (my breakfast choice was flaked almonds, sultanas, a wee bit of dark chocolate, banana and some maple syrup) I have an urge for something more pure. Inspired by a youtube clip I watched of the boys from the happy pear I whizzed up a smoothie for my lunch and I am bouncing around the place with energy. Give it a go, it's super healthy, super food, super fast. Yum
Green Goddess Smoothie
Put everything in your blender and blitz thoroughly.
You will get the most delicious, vibrant green, tasty filling smoothie. No need for milk or yoghurt. The flax provides some protein along with super healthy fibre and essential fats, as does the avocado, plus wonderful Vitamin E. The spinach is rich in iron, magnesium & fibre. The chilli will get your circulation going and the apple juice, well, it helps the whole lot go down! It is pretty low GI too, as there is buckets of fibre to slow the release of sugar from the fruit into the blood. ENJOY!
We walked the pretty streets of Sandycove in south Dublin, seeking out signs of spring in the gardens of the quaint little houses there. Cherries in blossom, already! I'm sure it's really early, but there they were, just coming into bloom and it got me feeling all spring like.
Today is pancake Tuesday and while I have already partaken in the tastiest spelt pancakes (my breakfast choice was flaked almonds, sultanas, a wee bit of dark chocolate, banana and some maple syrup) I have an urge for something more pure. Inspired by a youtube clip I watched of the boys from the happy pear I whizzed up a smoothie for my lunch and I am bouncing around the place with energy. Give it a go, it's super healthy, super food, super fast. Yum
Green Goddess Smoothie
- half an avocado
- 2 dsp golden linseed (flax)
- half a mango
- 200ml apple juice
- juice of half a lime
- 1/4 red chilli, chopped finely (this gives it a gently kick, I could definitely handle more)
- big handful of spinach
Put everything in your blender and blitz thoroughly.
You will get the most delicious, vibrant green, tasty filling smoothie. No need for milk or yoghurt. The flax provides some protein along with super healthy fibre and essential fats, as does the avocado, plus wonderful Vitamin E. The spinach is rich in iron, magnesium & fibre. The chilli will get your circulation going and the apple juice, well, it helps the whole lot go down! It is pretty low GI too, as there is buckets of fibre to slow the release of sugar from the fruit into the blood. ENJOY!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Valentine's shmalentines...
Valentine's Day. I will save the rant about hallmark and rip off roses, I'm sure it wouldn't be welcome. I'm not a massive fan of Valentine's Day. It's crowded with tat, overpriced roses, nasty fluffy underwear and the pressure to be the perfect lover...oops, sorry, that rant sort of sneaked in the back door. I'm a wee bit too matter of fact for such things and in my quieter moments would have to admit that I have always liked to think if you love someone, you should tell them on a regular basis. Life is too short to save that stuff for one day in the year. Be kind, thoughtful, generous with your love...why the hell not? Does it cost anything? Nope.
So, what do I do on Valentine's Day? I guess it depends. I have been subjected to all of the above and while I would never expect such things, I promise I would never be so ungracious as to refuse a beautiful bouquet or box of chocs. To me, flowers and chocolates do not symbolise romance. This year I am hoping to get out into the mountains on my bike, preferably with my mountain man. Maybe the sun will shine and we'll catch the view from the top all the way out to sea and over the Wicklow mountains. Maybe I'll fall off (again) and have my bloody knees wiped clean while I wait for my breath to return. In my world, that is romance.
The truth? I like the idea of Valentine's Day. Does it have to be expensive? No. Does it need to include dinner, surrounded by roses and red balloons? Not at all. Should there be some sparkley trinket on your wrist by the end of the day? This is a tough one, I do love a bit of sparkle, but the answer is no.
If you do fancy marking the event with some small inexpensive but personal gesture, why not try this!
Make your favourite person a loved up scent for their skin. Skip the nasty perfumes, they're overpriced chemical soups that just pile on the toxins for your liver to deal with. Admittedly, even the recipe below will mean a little more work for your liver, but it will be a hell of sight less challenging than anything you might buy in a fancy department store.
So, to begin, find a small glass vial, ideally dark glass with a screw on lid. I recently discovered that the 10ml shots of royal jelly sold in health food shops (like my favourite, The Hopsack) offer the perfect container. Hooray! Soak for half an hour to get the label off, make sure it's dry & start experimenting...
3/4 fill the vial with almond or jojoba oil.
Add a few drops of your chosen essential oils. Atlantic Aromatics are a lovely Irish company who make the most beautiful oils, again you'll find them in a good health food shop.
If you're making this for your girl, try some rose, ylang ylang & geranium. Rose is emotionally nourising, ylang ylang super sensual and geranium lifts mood & stimulates all over.
For guys, try some benzoin, sandalwood and juniper. Benzoin lifts the mood, while sandalwood calms and harmonises and juniper relieves anxiety. The combination is a lovely musky, gentle sexy scent.
Get into your local health food shop and sniff a few little bottles, buy the ones that take your fancy and get mixing. You'll only need a few drops, the rest you can use to scent your bedroom or add to bath water, depending on your mood.
p.s. make sure that you don't apply neat essential oil to your skin, most oils are best applied in a base oil like almond!
Whatever you get up to this Valentine's Day, enjoy yourself and if you have no significant other, show yourself some love, you're worth it!
So, what do I do on Valentine's Day? I guess it depends. I have been subjected to all of the above and while I would never expect such things, I promise I would never be so ungracious as to refuse a beautiful bouquet or box of chocs. To me, flowers and chocolates do not symbolise romance. This year I am hoping to get out into the mountains on my bike, preferably with my mountain man. Maybe the sun will shine and we'll catch the view from the top all the way out to sea and over the Wicklow mountains. Maybe I'll fall off (again) and have my bloody knees wiped clean while I wait for my breath to return. In my world, that is romance.
The truth? I like the idea of Valentine's Day. Does it have to be expensive? No. Does it need to include dinner, surrounded by roses and red balloons? Not at all. Should there be some sparkley trinket on your wrist by the end of the day? This is a tough one, I do love a bit of sparkle, but the answer is no.
If you do fancy marking the event with some small inexpensive but personal gesture, why not try this!
Make your favourite person a loved up scent for their skin. Skip the nasty perfumes, they're overpriced chemical soups that just pile on the toxins for your liver to deal with. Admittedly, even the recipe below will mean a little more work for your liver, but it will be a hell of sight less challenging than anything you might buy in a fancy department store.
So, to begin, find a small glass vial, ideally dark glass with a screw on lid. I recently discovered that the 10ml shots of royal jelly sold in health food shops (like my favourite, The Hopsack) offer the perfect container. Hooray! Soak for half an hour to get the label off, make sure it's dry & start experimenting...
3/4 fill the vial with almond or jojoba oil.
Add a few drops of your chosen essential oils. Atlantic Aromatics are a lovely Irish company who make the most beautiful oils, again you'll find them in a good health food shop.
If you're making this for your girl, try some rose, ylang ylang & geranium. Rose is emotionally nourising, ylang ylang super sensual and geranium lifts mood & stimulates all over.
For guys, try some benzoin, sandalwood and juniper. Benzoin lifts the mood, while sandalwood calms and harmonises and juniper relieves anxiety. The combination is a lovely musky, gentle sexy scent.
Get into your local health food shop and sniff a few little bottles, buy the ones that take your fancy and get mixing. You'll only need a few drops, the rest you can use to scent your bedroom or add to bath water, depending on your mood.
p.s. make sure that you don't apply neat essential oil to your skin, most oils are best applied in a base oil like almond!
Whatever you get up to this Valentine's Day, enjoy yourself and if you have no significant other, show yourself some love, you're worth it!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
The new kid on the block
Maybe not so new, but Oliveto is new to me. An Italian restaurant in Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin...where I happened to dash in for a quick bite to eat before the cinema recently. I didn't know it existed, probably because I haven't been eating out as much as I used to. On our first visit; the mountain man and I, we noticed tasting menus displayed for an evening that had already passed in October of last year, but which seemed to be a regular, seasonal event. It looked incredible, 7 courses, 3 different wines and all for the price of €60 a head. Ok....so €60 aint exactly cheap, but as a special occasion, could we stretch to it?
We did... I found out that OLiveto were having their second tasting night in February and added my name to the list. With only 40 places available, first come first served, I watched my inbox like a hawk, waiting for the email to arrive inviting us to book. I waited...and waited...when the menu didn't come I feared the worst. They had taken my email address down incorrectly and I had missed out. I phoned up, left a message, desperately hoping that I wasn't too late. I wasn't, hooray! Fla, the owner rang me and assured me that I was still in with a chance, just to sit tight.
So I waited some more and the menu arrived, glistening with the promise of new tastes and flavours. I replied in a breathless fashion and was on the list. Hip hip hooray! This was no ordinary night out...this was a belated birthday dinner for the mountain man, who unlucky for him, was born on the 23rd of December. That sucks. One present for 2 events. So, I wanted this night out to be special and oh boy, was it.
We were the second group in the door, at about 3 minutes to 7, like teenagers we could barely hide our excitement. The evening kicked off with glasses of delicious prosecco while we waited for everyone to arrive. Once the entire guest list had been seated, Fla thanked us for coming and explained the intention behind the evening. A thank you to their regulars (we were interlopers!) an opportunity to try something you might never order otherwise, a chance to showcase the 'talent in the kitchen. And so, he introduced us to Alberto, the head chef, who proceeded to take us (or was it just me?) on a journey, describing each course in detail, how he had marinated the ox tongue for a week to remove the toxins before marinading it further to enhance the flavour. He described the thick, rich chestnut veloute that came with the ravioli in the 3rd course and told us that the wild pheasant in the 5th course came from Glenmalure, just a few miles down the road...'I ring them up and say, I want 24 pheasant...and they go out and gather them up'. I was totally rapt.
All seven courses were, to me, incredible.
Course 1: Jerusalem Artichoke Soup - earthy, mellow, sweet...served with a brightly coloured chive oil.
Course 2: Ox Tongue & Portobello Mushroom Terrine - salty, meaty, delicate...delicious and as Fla pointed out, something that I might never order if offered it on an a la carte menu.
Course 3: Ravioli with Chestnut Veloute - light, rich, comforting...
Course 4 : A palette cleanser, mandarin jelly and beetroot granita. Beetroot? Really? Yes, really...possibly my favourite course. The beetroot looked like it had been crumbled over the top of the jelly, as soon as my spoon touched it, it melted. Sharp, tingly mandarin with the earthy, sweet taste of beetroot.
Course 5: Wild Irish Pheasant, cabbage puree, tomato & olive compote, salsify. I loved this least, but honestly, I adored every morsel.
Course 6: Orange Chocolate Fondant - happy Ruthie, chocolate....mmmmmmm... and no, it wasn't overdone as Alberto may have feared. Gooey and delicious.
Course 7: 3 Italian cheeses. Oh my word...is it over?
We finished up with the most delicious coffee, which we were later told is ordered direct from a supplier in Italy, who roasts the beans the day they are ordered and ships them directly to Oliveto. Mountain man doesn't really drink coffee in Ireland, but this double espresso bowled him over.
We were in the restaurant for 5 hours. We chatted comfortably with the most gorgeous couples sitting either side of us. We ate every morsel of food presented to us from what was described as the most challening season of all...and loved every bite. We took our time, we enjoyed wonderful conversation and left just before midnight, promising to return.
I won't wait until the next tasting menu and I would advise anyone else who loves good food not to wait too long either.
We did... I found out that OLiveto were having their second tasting night in February and added my name to the list. With only 40 places available, first come first served, I watched my inbox like a hawk, waiting for the email to arrive inviting us to book. I waited...and waited...when the menu didn't come I feared the worst. They had taken my email address down incorrectly and I had missed out. I phoned up, left a message, desperately hoping that I wasn't too late. I wasn't, hooray! Fla, the owner rang me and assured me that I was still in with a chance, just to sit tight.
So I waited some more and the menu arrived, glistening with the promise of new tastes and flavours. I replied in a breathless fashion and was on the list. Hip hip hooray! This was no ordinary night out...this was a belated birthday dinner for the mountain man, who unlucky for him, was born on the 23rd of December. That sucks. One present for 2 events. So, I wanted this night out to be special and oh boy, was it.
We were the second group in the door, at about 3 minutes to 7, like teenagers we could barely hide our excitement. The evening kicked off with glasses of delicious prosecco while we waited for everyone to arrive. Once the entire guest list had been seated, Fla thanked us for coming and explained the intention behind the evening. A thank you to their regulars (we were interlopers!) an opportunity to try something you might never order otherwise, a chance to showcase the 'talent in the kitchen. And so, he introduced us to Alberto, the head chef, who proceeded to take us (or was it just me?) on a journey, describing each course in detail, how he had marinated the ox tongue for a week to remove the toxins before marinading it further to enhance the flavour. He described the thick, rich chestnut veloute that came with the ravioli in the 3rd course and told us that the wild pheasant in the 5th course came from Glenmalure, just a few miles down the road...'I ring them up and say, I want 24 pheasant...and they go out and gather them up'. I was totally rapt.
All seven courses were, to me, incredible.
Course 1: Jerusalem Artichoke Soup - earthy, mellow, sweet...served with a brightly coloured chive oil.
Course 2: Ox Tongue & Portobello Mushroom Terrine - salty, meaty, delicate...delicious and as Fla pointed out, something that I might never order if offered it on an a la carte menu.
Course 3: Ravioli with Chestnut Veloute - light, rich, comforting...
Course 4 : A palette cleanser, mandarin jelly and beetroot granita. Beetroot? Really? Yes, really...possibly my favourite course. The beetroot looked like it had been crumbled over the top of the jelly, as soon as my spoon touched it, it melted. Sharp, tingly mandarin with the earthy, sweet taste of beetroot.
Course 5: Wild Irish Pheasant, cabbage puree, tomato & olive compote, salsify. I loved this least, but honestly, I adored every morsel.
Course 6: Orange Chocolate Fondant - happy Ruthie, chocolate....mmmmmmm... and no, it wasn't overdone as Alberto may have feared. Gooey and delicious.
Course 7: 3 Italian cheeses. Oh my word...is it over?
We finished up with the most delicious coffee, which we were later told is ordered direct from a supplier in Italy, who roasts the beans the day they are ordered and ships them directly to Oliveto. Mountain man doesn't really drink coffee in Ireland, but this double espresso bowled him over.
We were in the restaurant for 5 hours. We chatted comfortably with the most gorgeous couples sitting either side of us. We ate every morsel of food presented to us from what was described as the most challening season of all...and loved every bite. We took our time, we enjoyed wonderful conversation and left just before midnight, promising to return.
I won't wait until the next tasting menu and I would advise anyone else who loves good food not to wait too long either.
Monday, February 1, 2010
kale
I promised to write about kale. I still have a bag of organic kale from the most gorgeous organic farm stand...in my fridge. It's been there for over a week. It's beginning to get a bit brown around the edges and laughs at me every time I go to the fridge. I don't really know what to do with it to make it sing. Sure, I can make soup or add it to a stir fry, but that's just a bit dull, don't you think?
Today I made celeriac and fennel soup. Yum. Still the kale looks on and laughs. It is so full of fibre, magnesium, B vitamins and other wonders...why can't I just eat it?
So, if anyone has any kale recipes, send them on. I will find something, eventually and I will buy kale while it is still in season and I promise to post a fantastic kale recipe, just not yet.
Today I made celeriac and fennel soup. Yum. Still the kale looks on and laughs. It is so full of fibre, magnesium, B vitamins and other wonders...why can't I just eat it?
So, if anyone has any kale recipes, send them on. I will find something, eventually and I will buy kale while it is still in season and I promise to post a fantastic kale recipe, just not yet.
Spelt Pastry
I've just posted the recipe I used to fill the spelt pastry shell I made last week and thought I had better post the recipe for the pastry I used! This is a version of a recipe my Mum has been using for years, since I was a child when she made applie pies on a regular basis. I don't often make pastry, but whenever I do, I have to phone my Mum to get the proportions. She has the recipe in her head, of course, and calls it out to me over the phone. I write the details on the back of an envelope and by the time I've made the pastry, the envelope has been recycled and I still don't know how to make pastry! Finally, I have written it down and now you get the benefit of my Mum's years of experience. The only change I've made to her recipe is to use wholegrain spelt flour rather than plain white, but you can use either, depending on what you're making.
When you're making pastry it's really important not to over handle it. So, minimal poking and stirring, rolled and folded as per the instructions below and then put in the fridge. When you use it and trim off the bits you don't need, you can use them again! Fold them, rather than squish them together and keep in the fridge or freezer.
I've used spelt flour because I like to avoid wheat when I can, as we do tend to eat far too much of the stuff. Spelt is an ancient grain which has not been farmed as intensively as wheat and therefore remains much as it was when humans first started growing it. It also contains less gluten than wheat so is easier to digest. Wholegrain spelt contains a broader range of nutrients in comparison to it's more inbred cousins, including manganese, B3, phosphorous and magnesium.
The Recipe!
12oz wholegrain spelt flour
8oz vegetable margarine
water to mix (approx 100-150ml)
When you're making pastry it's really important not to over handle it. So, minimal poking and stirring, rolled and folded as per the instructions below and then put in the fridge. When you use it and trim off the bits you don't need, you can use them again! Fold them, rather than squish them together and keep in the fridge or freezer.
I've used spelt flour because I like to avoid wheat when I can, as we do tend to eat far too much of the stuff. Spelt is an ancient grain which has not been farmed as intensively as wheat and therefore remains much as it was when humans first started growing it. It also contains less gluten than wheat so is easier to digest. Wholegrain spelt contains a broader range of nutrients in comparison to it's more inbred cousins, including manganese, B3, phosphorous and magnesium.
The Recipe!
12oz wholegrain spelt flour
8oz vegetable margarine
water to mix (approx 100-150ml)
- Weight out the flour
- Slice in the margarine and continue to break up with a knife, until the pieces of margarine are quite small.
- Add the water slowly, and bring together with the flour mix.
- The mix should be fairly dry, just barely holding together, stay on the dry side.
- Put the mix on a floured counter and roll out.
- Fold in 3 and roll out again
- Fold in 3 and roll out again
- Fold in 4 and put in the fridge until you need it.
Bad blogging practice
I have had my wrist slapped by a reader of my blog. I promised to finish the recipe I started last week and never quite made it back to my laptop to do so. How incredibly remiss of me. Hopefully it's not too late, so here goes!I gathered together the collection of random ingredients in my fridge; organic chestnut mushrooms, organic baby leek, Spanish chorizo, organic eggs, greek feta cheese and a little organic milk. A very quick stiry fry of some sliced garlic - a couple of cloves - 4 chestnut mushrooms and one small leek provided most of the filling. I added the chorizo to the pan at the last minute, then tipped the whole lot into the by now well chilled pastry shell (I had put it in the fridge that morning). I crumbled about 50g of feta over the top. 2 eggs and a little milk with a grind of fresh black pepper were gently whisked together and poured over the top of the tart filling. (You don't have to use the milk, eggs alone will do fine)
30 minutes in a 180C oven and the tart was cooked and crisp. Delicious served with a crisp green salad of rocket, baby spinach, avocado & some gently toasted seeds.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Spelt pastry
I woke up this morning, jumped out of bed and danced around my bedroom to Elbow's 'On a Day Like This'. Somehow it spurred me on to think about dinner, at 7am, before the sun had even begun to show it's face. So, I rolled out some leftover spelt pastry and laid it into a dish.
I have no idea what will go into this speckled bowl of pastry. I have various bits and pieces in the fridge to choose from. Some kale, so good for me and yet...what to do with it (more on that later) beautiful yellow stone carrots from McNally's Family Farm in Dublin, feta cheese, the real McCoy chorizo (no nasty sweeteners, lactose or weird preservatives) from The Real Olive Company, sundried tomatoes, red pepper...mmmm, it's beginning to take shape already.
I'll post the recipe for whatever combination ends up filling the pastry, tomorrow.
Happy cooking and of course, eating.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Dairy Free Cashew Lasagne
Mmmmm, it worked. So well, I sent mountain man home clutching 2 portions to keep him going until pay day. It's not a veggie recipe, but could very easily be made so using tofu instead of beef. So, here goes:
Cashew Lasagne
Wholegrain spelt lasagne sheets (Biona do a lovely one)
Ragu Ingredients:
piece of chorizo, about 150mm long, sliced thinly
pinch of cinnamon
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely sliced
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 handfuls of mixed herbs, I used parsley, rosemary & thyme
unrefined, organic sunflower oil
700g lean minced beef
2 x 400g tins of good qualiy chopped tomatoes
2 glasses of red wine or water (I used water)
2 bay leaves
White Sauce Ingredients:
600g cashew nuts (approx)
water
salt & pepper
Making the ragu:
In a large, heavy based dish slowly fry the chorizo with the cinnamon for about 5 minutes, then add the onion, carrot, garlic & herbs and about 4 tbsp of sunflower oil.
Mix together, then add the minced beef.
Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the tinned tomatoes and wine/water.
Simmer very gently on the hob, lid on for around an hour and a half.
(Jamie Oliver suggests wetting a piece of greaseproof paper and placing it on top of the pan, followed by the lid. This will keep it from splashing all over the place)
After the initial simmering period, check the consistency of the sauce. I found I needed to remove the lid and simmer for another hour or so to get it to thicken up.
Making the white sauce:
Put the cashew nuts in a small blender and add about 200ml of water.
Blitz for a minute or so, then check the consistency.
Keep adding water slowly and blitzing until the mix is at a good consistency, like that of whipped cream.
Once you're happy with the consistency, season with salt & pepper.
Assembling the lasagne:
Turn the oven to 200C/400F/gas6
To assemble the lasagne, rub an earthenware or pyrex dish with sunflower oil.
Smear a layer of the white sauce on the bottom of the dish, cover with a layer of lasagne sheets and follow with the ragu.
Keep the layers fairly thin, each sauce is quite rich, so you don't need to go crazy.
Repeat the layers, white sauce, pasta, ragu, white sauce, pasta, ragu...until you have used all of the sauces or have run out of space!
Don't do more than 6 layers or it may not cook through.
Finish with a layer of white sauce and top with some sundried tomatoes.
Bake for no more than 30 minutes, or you will end up with soggy pasta sheets! There is no need to blanch the pasta beforehand!
Serve with a crisp green salad, delicious!
Cashew Lasagne
Wholegrain spelt lasagne sheets (Biona do a lovely one)
Ragu Ingredients:
piece of chorizo, about 150mm long, sliced thinly
pinch of cinnamon
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely sliced
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 handfuls of mixed herbs, I used parsley, rosemary & thyme
unrefined, organic sunflower oil
700g lean minced beef
2 x 400g tins of good qualiy chopped tomatoes
2 glasses of red wine or water (I used water)
2 bay leaves
White Sauce Ingredients:
600g cashew nuts (approx)
water
salt & pepper
Making the ragu:
In a large, heavy based dish slowly fry the chorizo with the cinnamon for about 5 minutes, then add the onion, carrot, garlic & herbs and about 4 tbsp of sunflower oil.
Mix together, then add the minced beef.
Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the tinned tomatoes and wine/water.
Simmer very gently on the hob, lid on for around an hour and a half.
(Jamie Oliver suggests wetting a piece of greaseproof paper and placing it on top of the pan, followed by the lid. This will keep it from splashing all over the place)
After the initial simmering period, check the consistency of the sauce. I found I needed to remove the lid and simmer for another hour or so to get it to thicken up.
Making the white sauce:
Put the cashew nuts in a small blender and add about 200ml of water.
Blitz for a minute or so, then check the consistency.
Keep adding water slowly and blitzing until the mix is at a good consistency, like that of whipped cream.
Once you're happy with the consistency, season with salt & pepper.
Assembling the lasagne:
Turn the oven to 200C/400F/gas6
To assemble the lasagne, rub an earthenware or pyrex dish with sunflower oil.
Smear a layer of the white sauce on the bottom of the dish, cover with a layer of lasagne sheets and follow with the ragu.
Keep the layers fairly thin, each sauce is quite rich, so you don't need to go crazy.
Repeat the layers, white sauce, pasta, ragu, white sauce, pasta, ragu...until you have used all of the sauces or have run out of space!
Don't do more than 6 layers or it may not cook through.
Finish with a layer of white sauce and top with some sundried tomatoes.
Bake for no more than 30 minutes, or you will end up with soggy pasta sheets! There is no need to blanch the pasta beforehand!
Serve with a crisp green salad, delicious!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Cooked out...
Last week I cooked and cooked and cooked. I love to cook...and eat...and feed people, but wow, I didn't stop all week! It was a new years resolution to do more cooking, but I think last week took the biscuit. Sunday morning began with wheat free granola, I moved into the evening with a roast chicken and the associated roast spuds, carrots and gravy - the gravy was my first attempt at gravy and it was absolutely gorgeous! - then followed on Monday with my favourite squash, red pepper and coconut soup and spelt bread. Of course the chicken carcass was turned into chicken stock and the remains of the chicken meat became omlettes, stir fries and sandwiches. On Friday night I made super yummy energy bars full of dried fruit and seeds - a must for the 7 hour long seminar I attended yesterday - and now, on Sunday afternoon I am planning a dairy and wheat free lasagne. Phew. I need to lie down.
I do understand why some people struggle to cook from scratch all the time, but I'm certain that the energy and optimism I felt this last week was due in no small part to the delicious, vital, healthy food I made for myself. I feel compelled to keep cooking.
I do understand why some people struggle to cook from scratch all the time, but I'm certain that the energy and optimism I felt this last week was due in no small part to the delicious, vital, healthy food I made for myself. I feel compelled to keep cooking.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Being a kid again...
That toyota ad is in my head, stuck there...I've been singing it all day and I love it. I want to be that kid again...the one I was about 20 years ago. The one who climbed trees and winded herself by falling out of them on a regular basis, the one who had no fear - of high cliffs, rushing water, fast cars and roller coasters. I am still pretty fearless when it comes to fast cars and mountain tops, but less so with those more adult concerns; like love, business, friendship... So, today I am embracing the child in me, like the song says, 'give a little time for the child within you, don't be afraid to be young and free. Undo the locks and throw away the keys and take off your shoes and socks, and run you.'
Tomorrow I must sit in a hotel function room for 8 hours, listening to very important updates about the impact new EU legislation will have on the availability of nutritional supplements. For those 8 hours, I will be an adult, on Sunday I'm going for a ride on my bike, really fast, down a steep hill.
Tomorrow I must sit in a hotel function room for 8 hours, listening to very important updates about the impact new EU legislation will have on the availability of nutritional supplements. For those 8 hours, I will be an adult, on Sunday I'm going for a ride on my bike, really fast, down a steep hill.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Detox the Old and Welcome the New You!
January is officially the month for renewal and cleansing. Many of us have over indulged during the festive season, but even if we haven’t, this month gives us the perfect opportunity to reflect and adjust our lifestyles, eliminate bad habits and become the fabulous vibrant person we know we can be. A very popular first step in this process is detox-ing, which is a great kick start in eliminating any excess of chemicals in the system, easing the burden on the liver and kidneys and rejuvenating your entire body. There are many different approaches to detox-ing, some of which can result in quite extreme reactions without proper preparation or supervision. A simple and gentle way to start, without the need for supervision is to reduce or cut out completely the food and drink that makes life difficult for your digestive system, liver and kidneys. Start by cutting out dairy products, red meat, stimulants like tea & coffee and sugary treats for 1 week. This will give your body some breathing space and allow it to gently eliminate any build up of toxins. Feast on fresh fruit & vegetables, steamed fish, herbal teas and go easy on starchy foods like bread, pasta and potatoes. Ensuring you are drinking sufficient water, (between 1.5-2L every day) will also help this process. Instead of tea or coffee, start the day with fresh ginger, lemon and cayenne tea, stimulating your liver and digestive system and boosting circulation, so that you are ready for the day ahead. Enjoy the break from your normal routine and allow some space in this week of cleansing for some quiet personal time. 2010 won’t know what hit it.
You can make ginger, lemon & cayenne tea yourself by adding freshly sliced root ginger, a slice of lemon and a very small pinch of cayenne pepper to a cup of hot water. Cayenne pepper is quite hot, so start small and add more if you can take it.
You can make ginger, lemon & cayenne tea yourself by adding freshly sliced root ginger, a slice of lemon and a very small pinch of cayenne pepper to a cup of hot water. Cayenne pepper is quite hot, so start small and add more if you can take it.
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