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Posted on 04.29.05 by Administrator @ 10:21 pm
Let’s talk about the poor old potato! It really is a very healthy food and, contrary to popular opinion, actually very low in fat and a good addition to any diet. They’re filling and satisfying as well as incredibly versatile - just check out some of my recipes Potatoes contain lots of vitamin C and impressive amounts of potassium. They are a good source of vitamin B6 as well as containing smaller amounts of the other B vitamins. And to top it all, they are an excellent source of fibre! Just remember to top your baked potatoes with healthy low-fat options such as yogurt, tuna, low-fat cottage cheese and vegetables instead of butter, margarine, sour cream or high-fat cheese. And if you can’t buy organic potatoes, give the skins a miss as they are invariably sprayed with toxic chemicals. Filed under: Nutritional tips Comments: None |
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Posted on 04.28.05 by Administrator @ 3:41 pm
I’ve just bought myself a beautiful organic spearmint plant and it’s inspired me to try out some new recipes with mint. Here’s one we had yesterday as a side dish with some chicken… Potato & Mint Salad - serves 4 500 g (1 lb) new potatoes Boil the potatoes in their skins until tender. Drain and mix with the dressing while warm, then leave to cool. Add the radishes and chopped mint and serve. Filed under: Vegetarian and Salads Comments: None |
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Posted on 04.27.05 by Administrator @ 3:27 pm
I thought I’d include a little information about the powers of the mighty lentil. Not only are they cheap and easy to prepare, but they are also a nutritional heavy-weight. They are high in protein, packed with both soluble and insoluble fibre, rich in folic acid and also contain a good amount of copper, potassium and iron. Lentils also contain compounds called phytates which are thought to help ward of cancerous changes in cells. Filed under: Nutritional tips Comments: None |
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Posted on 04.26.05 by Administrator @ 10:10 pm
As I’m sure I told you before, I just LOVE beans and pulses, and lentils are one of my favourites. Just call me an old hippy if you like, but that’s the way it is. And this is one of my favourite lentil recipes - we eat this all the time at home, often with variations of different vegetables, depending on what I’ve got in the fridge at the time. As my husband can’t tolerate spicy food very well, I usually chop up some cucumber, cut some mint and mix it with yogurt and cumin for a cool accompaniament, and serve the whole thing with brown rice, some mango chutney and sometimes chappatis, pitta bread or poppadoms… Lentil Curry - serves 4 225 g (8 oz) whole brown lentils Put the lentils in a pan with half the onion, 1 clove garlic and the stock. Simmer for 45 minutes until lentils are tender and have absorbed the stock. Boil or steam the cauliflower florets until tender and drain. Heat oil in a pan and fry the rest of the onion and celery for 4 minutes until osft. Add rest of garlic and curry spices and cook for a further 2 minutes while stirring. Add the cauliflower, apple, lemon juice and salt. Add the lentils and most of the parsley and serve, sprinkled with reserved parsley. Filed under: Vegetarian and High-fibre Comments: None |
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Posted on 04.25.05 by Administrator @ 5:54 pm
Here’s another healthy cake for you to try - it contains very little fat (especially if you use skimmed milk) and is a real tasty treat for all the family… Honey Fruit Loaf 175 g (6 oz) wholemeal flour Pre-heat oven to 170°C (325°C, Gas Mark 3) and grease a 450g (1 lb) loaf tin. Melt the honey, treacle and half the milk in a pan on a low heat. Dissole the bicarbonate of soda in the rest of the milk and add to the pan. Mix the flour and salt together, make a well in the middle , and pour in milk mixture. Stir and add fruit, mixing well. Turn into the tin and bake for 1.5 hours or until cooked (check with a skewer - pierce it through the middle of the cake and when it comes out clean, the loaf is cooked). Filed under: Desserts, cakes, bread & biscuits Comments: None |
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Posted on 04.23.05 by Administrator @ 4:46 pm
It’s nearly the end of April and it finally feels like spring is really here. It’s a glorious sunny day, warm with blue skies, so I thought it was the perfect day to share another healthy, tasty salad recipe with you… Brown Rice Salad - serves 4 225 g (8 oz) brown rice Cook the rice in boiling salted water for 40 minutes until tender. Drain through sieve and rinse with cold water. Leave to cool. Mix the rice with all the vegetables, dates, almonds and sunflower seeds. Mix the oil, apple juice, vinegar, bran, curry powder and garlic and add salt and pepper to taste. Pour dressing over salad, toss it and serve immediately. Filed under: Vegetarian and High-fibre and Rice Dishes and Salads Comments: None |
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Posted on 04.22.05 by Administrator @ 4:09 pm
As we all know, cherries are a delicious fruit and, being a fruit, are a healthy option as a snack, especially compared to many processed, high-fat, high-sugar and high-salt options in the shops these days. There is however, a lot more to the cherry than is first apparent. Researchers found that cherries contain a compound known as ellagic acid, which helps to neutralise carcinogens in the body. Cherries are therefore seen to be a fruit that actively helps prevent cancer. Choose organically grown fruits if you can, as these are not treated with harmful insecticides and fertilizers. Filed under: Nutritional tips Comments: None |
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Posted on 04.21.05 by Administrator @ 3:27 pm
This is a great dish for any season, served with a fresh mixed salad… Chicken & Pasta Bake - serves 4 2 tbsp oil Sauce: 350 ml (12 floz) milk Grease ovenproof dish (about 1.8 litre/3 pint) and cook the pasta according to the instructions on packet. Heat oil in frying pan and brown chicken pieces on all sides. Add the onion abd garlic and cook until soft. Remove from heat and stir in apple and cooked pasta and salt and pepper to taste. Put milk, small sliced onion, peppercorns and bay leaf in a saucepan and bring to boil. Remove from heat and leave to infuse for 30 minutes. Strain through a sieve and discard solids. Melt butter in a pan, stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and gradually stir in infused milk. Return to heat and bring back to the boil while stirring. Reserve a handful of the grated cheese and stir the rest in the sauce with the nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Add the chicken mixture and stir thoroughly. Spoon mixture into ovenproof dish and sprinkle with reserved cheese. Bake in the middle of preheated oven 200°C (400°F, Gas Mark 6) for 25 minutes, until the top is golden. Serve garnished with parsely and with a crunchy salad. Filed under: Chicken & Poultry and Pasta Comments: None |
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Posted on 04.20.05 by Administrator @ 8:01 pm
Some of you have written to me to ask for some information on tofu, it’s nutritional qualities, how it’s made etc. So here’s a little about one of my favourite health foods… Tofu is soya bean curd, made from dried soya beans. These are soaked, crushed and boiled. A coagulent is added to make it separate into curds and whey, then the curds are poured into moulds and left to set. Tofu is rich in protein and therefore makes a good substitute for meat or cheese, and it has little flavour. It is great at soaking up the flavours of other foods, herbs and spices. I often marinate it in soy sauce and fresh garlic for a chinese stir fry. Tofu’s other health beneifits are that is is cholesterol-free, low in calories and if it is made with calcium sulphate (check the packaging) it is a great source of dietary calcium. It is also a rich source of isoflavones. These are hormone-like substances that have a similar effect to oestrogen in the body. Japanese women seem to benefit from consuming many soya-based foods by minimising some of the unpleasant side-effects of the menopause. It has also been shown in some studies that women who eat soya products have lower rates of breast cancer. This compares favourably with the increase of cancer associated with synthetic oestrogen. Filed under: Nutritional tips Comments: None |
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Posted on 04.19.05 by Administrator @ 7:14 pm
Here’s a great fish bake which can be made with any white fish. I usually buy frozen fillets and simply defrost them before I start preparing the dish. Serve it with brown rice or a baked potato, plus a nice crisp mixed salad… 450 g (1 lb) white fish, fillets (remove skin if necessary) Cut the fish into chunks and place in ovenproof dish. Heat oil in a small pan and fry onions, peppers and celery until soft. Spoon this over the fish, add salt and pepper o taste and pour over the vinegar and chopped tomatoes. Mix breadcrumbs, lemon rind and cheese together - spoon this over the whole dish and bake in preheated oven 190°C (375°F, Gas Mark 5) for 30 minutes. Serve garnished with lemon wedges. Filed under: Low-fat and Fish & seafood Comments: None |
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