I love this warming, filling soup that’s rich in protein. A complete meal with a little green salad on the side (or some spinach leaves or leftover cooked greens stirred in at the end) it makes a complete meal. I usually freeze the leftovers in individual serving sizes to take to work on a cold, frosty day.
For 4 (or 2 with generous leftovers)
1 large onion, chopped
2 sticks celery, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, chopped roughly
500ml carton of passata (sieved tomatoes) or a 400g can tomatoes chopped or whole
750ml water or leftover vegetable cooking water (e.g. from steaming veg)
175g red lentils
1 teaspoon additive-free vegetable stock powder. Dr Coys Organic Vegetable Bouillon is best and suitable for SC diet. From health stores.
3 heaped tbsp freshly chopped or frozen chopped parsley
Freshly ground black pepper
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Optional extras (health and flavour boosters) to add to the :
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger + heaped teaspoon turmeric powder added during cooking
1. Put the onion, celery, garlic, tomatoes and water into a large saucepan. Add the lentils afterwards making sure they are submerged in liquid. Lentils tend to stick to the bottom so I don’t stir this until they are cooked.
2. Boil for 20 mins/until lentils are soft. Only stir the lentils gently at the very top if they are stuck together, otherwise leave them alone.
3. Mix the veg stock powder into a little water and add to the soup AFTER the the lentils are cooked otherwise the salt will make the lentils take forever to cook.
4. If you like a smoothish soup then add the parsley and olive oil and blitz with a stick blender or in a food processor.
Variation:
Add 2 sliced carrots along with the celery and onion.
Health boosting tip:
Soak your lentils overnight in cold water. This starts them sprouting, which makes them even more digestible. I don’t bother unless I have extra time to spare.
Why this soup is good for you: Lentils are rich in magnesium which is Nature’s tranquiliser, helping reduce stress. They and onions are also rich in soluble fibre, which feeds beneficial bacteria in your gut. “Good” bacteria help produce digestive enzymes to help you digest your food. They also generate butyrate, which aids daily repair of your bowel – good news for your skin, your hair, your digestion, even your mood. Lentils, like all beans and pulses, need to be either sprouted or boiled for at least 10 minutes to make them digestible. However, lentils, split peas and all sprouted or fermented versions (eg bean sprouts, tofu) are the easiest of the beans/pulses to digest because they are lower in protease inhibitors. Protease inhibitors are substances that inhibit digestion and are found to some extent in all plant foods – vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans. Remember that beans, seeds and nuts are designed to be eaten by an animal, pass through the gut undigested, and then be deposited by the animal in a nice blob of “fertiliser” to grow into a new plant! Protease inhibitors are found in the skins of beans and pulses and are neutralised by soaking in cold water for at least 12 hours and then sprouting or fermenting or boiling hard for 10 minutes.Sieved tomatoes (passata) are rich in lycopene and beta carotene – fantastic for eye health and getting heathier looking skin. The extra virgin olive oil helps your body absorb the beta carotene.
I ate something similar to this on my first Christmas away from home, which happened to be Italy (as au pair to a hoard of screaming children!). They really knew how to do amazing things with chestnuts but my favorite was the turkey stuffing. We use this every year for our turkey and love it. You can use leftover uncooked spare stuffing to make a fantastic quick roast fish (baked mackerel with chestnut stuffing). Buy vacuum-packed cooked chestnuts from delis or (better-value) dried chestnuts from health stores such as Asia Market, Drury St, Dublin 2 or Down to Earth in South Great George’s St, Dublin 2. Enjoy…
Makes 600ml stuffing (enough to stuff the body cavity and neck of a 1.8kg bird) with about 1 cup of leftovers which you can use to make my delicious stuffed mackerel fillets for another dinner…
250g cooked peeled chestnuts
or
130g dried peeled chestnuts , soaked overnight, then boiled till tender, drained
1 heaped dsp fresh thyme leaves (or a 1 level tsp dried, but fresh is much nicer)
1 rounded dsp chopped sage
2 heaped dsp chopped parsley
A few good grinds of black pepper
1/4 level tsp Himalayan or Atlantic sea salt
60g onion, finely chopped so it cooks properly (1/2 a medium onion)
1 level dsp light olive oil, virgin macadamia oil or clarified butter (these 3 options are all good for people on a dairy-free diet), or regular butter if you eat dairy.
Process or mash thoroughly the chestnuts until they resemble coarse breadcrumbs, tip into a bowl with the chopped onion, herbs and seasoning.
If using butter, melt it gently. Add your butter or oil to the bowl and mix well. This stuffing can be stored for a couple of days in the fridge before using.Variation:
If you prefer, use half chestnuts and half brown gluten-free (or granary if you eat gluten) breadcrumbs. For each cup of processed chestnuts use 1 cub of breadcrumbs. Why this is better for you: Chestnuts are lower glycaemic index (lower sugar) than bread so are a much healthier alternative. They also contain potassium, which helps your body neutralise the effects of eating too much meat at Christmas. Fresh herbs are antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-ageing – good news especially at Christmas when all that extra sugary, bready food and alcohol can take its toll.
Don’t know about you but I’m really looking forward to Christmas and have started my baking already. This recipe is the nicest mincemeat and doesn’t boil over during baking. It’s adapted from Rose Cousin’s “Cooking Without” recipe book for people avoiding gluten or dairy. But I’ve been making it for years because I love it. Store this mincemeat in a sterile glass jar. If you intend to store for more than a couple of weeks, allow the mincemeat to cool a little before adding a tablespoon of brandy/whiskey. Mix well just before bottling. You can sterilise jars by boiling the lids in water and heating the jars themselves to around 80C in the oven for 15 minutes.
Organic where possible:
450g peeled cored eating (not cooking) apples – Cox’s are fantastic for flavour
225g unsulphured sultanas
225g unsulphured raisins
110g dried mixed peel (if you avoid citrus, or want to 100% avoid the refined sugar in the peel, use currants or chopped unsulphured apricots instead.
Rind and juice of 1 orange, organic is possible (if avoiding citrus, use apple juice instead)
¼ teaspoon allspice
Level tsp Ceylon cinnamon
1/2 level tsp nutmeg
A little cloudy apple juice
1. Mix together all the ingredients in a large cooking pot with lid
2. Simmer very gently ½ hour
Pastry recipes:
This one’s dairy free, gluten-free https://www.annacollins.ie/gorgeous-gluten-free-mince-pies/
This gluten-free one is made with butter https://www.annacollins.ie/fantastic-buttery-gluten-free-pastry-for-pies-tarts-and-mince-pies/. If you are sensitive to dairy products then you can use clarified butter for the pastry. Make this by very gently heating the butter, skim off the foam on the top and chill in a tall drinking glass or jug, then allow to solidify. You will use only the solid part to make your pastry. Discard the white iquid part underneath – that’s where the problematic milk proteins (which provoke the reaction) are found.
When baking your mince pies
Bake 20-25 mins at 200C (185C fan) until golden
You can use an egg wash to stick the pastry tops on the pies.
Put a baking tray over the next rack in the oven so the pies cook evenly through.
Why this is (somewhat) better for you: While I’d love to say this is a health-giving recipe I can’t really because its very high in natural sugars. Although it doesn’t contain refined sugar it IS very high in natural sugars from the dried fruit. BUT this mincemeat is free of low grade oils (like vegetable suet or sunflower oil) and refined sugar – both of which fire up inflammation in you. If you choose organic dried fruit you avoid sulphur dioxide (preservative) that wreaks havoc on so many peoples digestion around Christmas time. This preservative is converted by pathogenic bacteria in your bowel into irritating sulphites, which can cause gas, bloating and general unwellness in your gut. Non-organic grapes (raisins etc) are also very heavily contaminated with herbicides such a glyphosate that cause your gut to leak toxins and undigested food into your bloodstream.(increased intestinal permeability and systemic inflammation). This process predisposes to and perpetuates inflammatory conditions from autoimmunity to mood issues and many more besides. Choosing food free of undesirable contaminants is a great step towards better health. Here’s to a happy and a healthy Christmas. I will certainly be eating some (gluten-free) mince pies…
This is another lovely recipe from Food, Glorious Food by Patrick Holford. If you are using pumpkin for this recipe, use a small one, rather than the large watery-fleshed ones used for carving Halloween lanterns. We loved these and other people seem to love them too. Great hot, warm or at room temperature as an accompaniment to lots of green vegetables and some form of protein (e.g. beans, pulses, meat, fish).
For a more Mediterranean flavour use oregano/Herbes de Provence and ground sweet paprika instead of cumin, coriander and turmeric.
For 4
950g pumpkin or a large butternut squash, washed but unpeeled
Level tsp turmeric
Rounded tsp ground cumin
Rounded tsp ground coriander
Half level tsp Himalayan salt or sea salt
2 tbs (140g tin) tomato puree
1 tbsp olive oil
Preheat oven to 200C (180C fan).
Cut the squash or pumpkin in half length-ways and scrape out the seeds and pulp with a spoon. For the squash, cut each half into 4, length-ways, so you have 8 long pieces. If using pumpkin, aim to cut into lengthways wedges about 3cm thick.
Mix the turmeric, cumin, coriander, salt, tomato puree and oil together in a bowl, then rub the paste all over the squash or pumpkin until evenly coated.
Place the squash in a roasting dish and cook for 45-60 minutes or until the flesh is soft when pierced or squashed.
Serving ideas:
Use as an accompaniment to my chickpea and cauliflower curry for a filling meal.
Substitute for baked potatoes as an accompaniment for meat, fish or a salad
Cut the leftovers into bite sized chunks and mix with salad and beans, fish, meat or eggs for a healthy lunch or lunchbox
Why this is good for you: All orange vegetables are rich in beta carotene, which helps give your skin an attractive golden glow. Most peoples bodies convert beta carotene to vitamin A, needed to protect against infections and for good vision and healthy skin. Herbs and spices are powerful antioxidants, which fight inflammatory conditions like eczema, Crohn’s, colitis and rheumatoid arthritis. Squash or pumpkin is a healthier alternative to potatoes as it contains more nutrients, more fibre and less (natural) sugar.
This recipe comes from Food Glorious Food, by Patrick Holford and Fiona McDonald Joyce. I did adapt the quantities slightly, increasing the chickpeas, giving more protein to keep you fuller for longer. We also used curry powder instead of the curry paste recommended and it was still lovely. It isn’t hot. The curry is really a meal in itself without needing accompaniments though we did roast some pumpkin wedges. We coated them in tomato puree and spices according to Patrick and Fiona’s recipe for Indian Spiced butternut squash, also from the same book. Don’t be tempted to leave out the coconut oil – extra (healthy) oils are very important for keeping you fuller longer when you eat animal-free meals.
For 3 big eaters, with a little left for lunch next day: Remember to go to my “larder & shopping” section for unusual ingredients.
2 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
2 heaped tbs Thai curry paste or Sharwoods Madras curry powder (or any curry powder – make sure to check labels for gluten if relevant)
2 large onions, sliced
2/3 large cauliflower, broken into bite size florets
2 x 400g tins chickpeas or 220g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight, then boiled till tender to yield 440g when cooked and drained (about 2 mugs)
400ml can full fat coconut milk
100ml hot vegetable stock (use 1/4 teaspoon Marigold bouillon or 1/2 a Kallo vegetable stock cube to make this up)
1 tbs tamari sauce
250g fine green beans (or you could use runner beans, cut into 2″ lengths)
Optional: Handful of coriander, torn or roughly chopped
Put the oil, curry powder and onions in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Le Creuset type pot on a medium heat, mix around, cover with a lid or plate and sweat until softened and translucent – this usually takes around 10 minutes. Add the cauliflower and chickpeas to the pan and stir to coat them in the other ingredients.
Pour in the coconut milk, stock and tamari, and stir. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer over a gentle heat until the cauliflower is nearly done. I found this took about 15 minutes.
Stir in the green beans, cover and cook for another 5 minutes or so until they’re tender. Scatter with the coriander leaves (if using) before serving.
To serve: You can eat this curry on its own, or serve with brown rice or with the gorgeous Indian spiced butternut squash recipe I will be posting shortly.
Why this recipe is good for you: Thousands of clinical studies show that a wide range of spices have profoundly anti-inflammatory properties, helping soothe joints, digestive system and delay ageing. Sometimes people complain that Indian takeaways upset them, thinking it is the spices. It is more likely to be the heavy use of low quality refined oils that promote inflammation and play havoc with their stomachs!! The chickpeas in this recipe are a good source of protein and also of soluble fibre, that feeds beneficial bacteria in the gut to help your health. Chickpeas, like all beans and pulses, need to be soaked and boiled thoroughl (or tinned!) to make them digestible. Virgin coconut oil and full fat coconut milk contain important medium chain triglyceride fats that feed your brain. MCTs also used by the body directly to make energy, rather than being stored as fat – good news if you want to be slim and trim. People with ME/chronic fatigue syndrome particularly benefit from coconut oil in their diets. Cauliflower is a sulphurophane vegetable, helping your liver detoxify used-up hormones and other waste products. Substituting beans/pulses for meat/cheese in some of your meals every week is a good way of helping your kidney function and supporting joint and bone health. Fresh coriander binds to heavy metals such as mercury and aluminium in the gut, helping their safe elimination. “Silver” fillings give off toxic mercury while “normal” tea is high in aluminium, a known neurotoxin. Helping your body eliminate these is good news.
This sauce makes a brilliant base in which to cook or heat vegetables, white fish, tofu, pre-cooked lamb, or cooked chickpeas. It also freezes well for future fast dinners. I have also posted my “Aromatic ginger, tomato & coconut chicken” recipe where I use this lovely sauce to cook chicken fillet and spinach.
For enough sauce for 2 people Remember to check out my “larder & shopping” section for unusual ingredients
25g creamed coconut cut up roughly OR ½ cup of thick full-fat tinned coconut milk
3-4cm approx of fresh ginger root (enough to give 1 rounded dsp ginger when finely grated)
500g (500ml) bottle of passata (sieved tomatoes – from all supermarkets)
2 green chillies or ¼ teaspoon chilli powder (optional)
1 large handful fresh coriander if you have it
2 large garlic cloves
Version 1 (made with food processor or liquidiser)
1. Peel the garlic, de-seed the chillies (or if you like more heat leave them in), chop the ginger and coriander roughly and throw the lot into a small food processor. A food processor is preferable to jug liquidiser as if gets the ingredients ground up more quickly.
2. Add enough of the passata to get everything going and blitz until smooth.
3. Pour into a saucepan, add the rest of the passata and the creamed coconut or coconut milk and simmer for five minutes until the creamed coconut is melted and the sauce has slightly darkened. The sauce is now ready for use. Or cool and store in the fridge for a day or two until needed, or in the freezer.
Version 2 (without kitchen gadgets)
1. De-seed and chop the chillies, crush or finely chop the garlic, chop up the creamed coconut and the coriander roughly, finely grate the ginger.
2. Put all of this, with the passata, into a saucepan
3. Simmer for 5 minutes until the coconut is melted and the sauce has darkened a little. The sauce is now ready for use. Or cool and store in the fridge for a day or two until needed, or in the freezer.
Add green vegetables of your choice and cubes of raw chicken or fish, or cooked lamb or beef and simmer till everything is cooked. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Chicken pieces and baby spinach (see recipe)
Stir the following into the sauce and bubble, covered, until the veg are cooked but still crunchy, and the meat is heated through:
150 cooked, cubed lamb, 1 x 454g tin or mug of cooked, drained chickpeas, and 4 cups broccoli florets
1 1/2 x 450g tins or mugs of cooked, drained chickpeas plus 4 cups green beans cut into 4cm lengths
4 cups broccoli florets or 5cm lengths of runner beans and 300g bite-size cubes of firm white fish such as monkfish, lemon sole or coley
If you are not wanting to lose weight, and are not following a ketogenic or paleo diet, you could also enjoy some brown rice on the side.
Why this recipe is good for you: Processed tomatoes with no additives are a rich source of lycopene, an antioxidant that protects your skin from the damaging effects UV rays – like an edible sunblock! Your body absorbs lycopene better from pureed tomatoes than from whole tomatoes. Ginger, tomatoes, turmeric and chillies all have anti-inflammatory properties that are helpful for a healthy digestive system and good, clear skin. Non organic rice can be heavily contaminated with arsenic but fresh coriander bind to this and other toxic metals in your intestines, helping them be eliminated from your body. Spices like ginger and garlic help boost liver function, also to eliminate both natural and man-made toxins. Yet more reasons why herbs and spices are fantastic for you. Using passata packaged in glass jars or bottles means less exposure to toxic bisphenol A (BPA) , which is present in the plastic linings of cartons and tins. Scientific studies link BPA to hormonal imbalances such as low libido, endometriosis, fibroids, and hormone breast and prostate cancer) as well as osteoporosis. Limiting your exposure is good news.
I ate this yesterday and enjoyed every bite. For a change I made it using chicken pieces on the bone (instead of bite size chicken pieces) and so then I cooked it for longer. The sauce of tomatoes, chillies, coriander, garlic and ginger also makes a brilliant cook-in sauce for vegetables, white fish, tofu, pre-cooked lamb, or cooked chickpeas. It also freezes well for future fast dinners.
For 2 people Remember to check out my “larder & shopping” section for unusual ingredients
25g creamed coconut cut up roughly OR ½ cup of thick full-fat tinned coconut milk
3-4cm approx of fresh ginger root, peeled
500g (500ml) bottle of passata (sieved tomatoes – from all supermarkets)
2 green chillies or ¼ teaspoon chilli powder (optional)
1 large handful fresh coriander if you have it
2 large garlic cloves
2 skinless chicken fillets, ideally organic, cut into bite sized chunks
300g organic baby leaf spinach* or chard
Brown basmati rice (optional) plus ground turmeric for cooking.
Version 1 (made with food processor or liquidiser)
1. Peel the garlic, de-seed the chillies (or if you like your dish quite hot leave them in), chop the ginger and coriander roughly and throw the lot into a small food processor. A food processor is preferable to jug liquidiser as if gets the ingredients ground up more quickly.
2. Add enough of the passata to get everything going and blitz until smooth.
3. Pour into a saucepan, add the rest of the passata and the creamed coconut or coconut milk and simmer for a few minutes till the coconut is melted. Stir.
4. Add the chicken pieces and simmer till tender (about 10 mins)
5. Stir in the spinach, turn up the heat and cook until wilted (about 5 mins)
Version 2 (without kitchen gadgets)
1. De-seed and chop the chillies, crush or finely chop the garlic, chop up the creamed coconut and the coriander roughly, finely grate the ginger.
2. Put all of this, with the passata, into a saucepan
3. Simmer for a few mins until the creamed coconut melts, stirring occasionally.
4. Add chicken and simmer until tender (about 10 mins)
5. Stir in the spinach, turn up the heat and cook until wilted (about 5 mins).
*Conventional spinach is one of the most agri-chemical contaminated vegetables you can buy. If you cant get organic spinach then using chard, sliced green leeks, or steamed-til-tender broccoli or steamed green beans are good substitutions.
Serve with:
Some steamed broccoli florets.
If you are not wanting to lose weight and are not on a ketogenic or stoneage/paleo diet you could add (for 2 people):
Brown basmati rice (*boil ½ mug brown rice with 1 mug boiling water and ½ teaspoon ground turmeric, covered, till water is absorbed and rice is fluffed up).
Variation: If you prefer to leave your chicken fillets whole, simply cook for longer in the sauce (about 25 minutes) until cooked through, before adding the spinach for the last few minutes.
Why this recipe is good for you: Processed tomatoes with no additives are a rich source of lycopene, an antioxidant that protects your skin from the damaging effects UV rays – like an edible sunblock! Your body absorbs lycopene better from pureed tomatoes than from whole tomatoes. Ginger, tomatoes, turmeric and chillies all have anti-inflammatory properties that are helpful for a healthy digestive system and good, clear skin. Non organic rice can be heavily contaminated with arsenic but fresh coriander bind to this and other toxic metals in your intestines, helping them be eliminated from your body. Spices like ginger help boost liver function, also to eliminate both natural and man-made toxins. Yet more reasons why herbs and spices are fantastic for you. Using passata packaged in glass jars or bottles means less exposure to toxic bisphenol A (BPA) , which is present in the plastic linings of cartons and tins. Scientific studies link BPA to hormonal imbalances such as low libido, endometriosis, fibroids, and hormone (e.g. breast and prostate cancer) as well as osteoporosis. Limiting your exposure is good news.
This is another lovely slow-cook recipe for winter. You could also do it on top of the stove so it simmers gently after initially coming up to the boil.
For 2:
250g lamb gigot chops (with bones) or fillet, trimmed of fat and sliced (with bones is better for the flavour)
220g onions (ideally a massive Spanish onion as it saves peeling time!)
2 medium potatoes, ideally a floury type, scrubbed and sliced into rings
1 medium quince/tart eating apple (eg cox’s pippin) washed, and sliced into thick rings (no need to core or peel)
6 large prunes, soaked overnight, drained, stoned and chopped (or use no-soak prunes)
1 level tsp turmeric
2 heaped tsp tomato puree
Juice of 1 small lemon, or to taste
Preheat the oven to 180C
Put a few pieces of the meat in an ovenproof casserole and cover with layers of onion, potato, quince, prunes and spices. Repeat the layers until all the ingredients are used up.
Dissolve tomato puree in 120ml cold water or leftover veg cooking water, then pour into the casserole.
Cover and cook in the oven until the meat and potatoes are tender. This takes 2 hours if using lamb gigot/fillet. If using unsoaked prunes double the quantity of water in the dish and check every ½ hour to ensure it does not dry out and burn (I found this out by experience!).
Hand around the lemon juice at the table to be added to taste.
Serve with one of these:
A large green salad
Steamed frozen peas
Steamed broccoli or (even better) purple sprouting broccoli
Baby spinach leaves and halved cherry tomatoes drizzled with virgin olive oil
Variations:
Use trimmed organic sirloin steak (takes about an hour but be aware quince takes much longer to cook than an hour so use the apple with this instead) or round steak (takes about 2 hours) instead of the lamb.
Why this recipe is good for you: Powerful antioxidants for health come from the tomato puree (lycopene) and turmeric (curcumin) in this dish. Onions, quince and apples are a great source of soluble fibre to feed beneficial gut bacteria. Meat cooked on the bone releases collageneous substances into the liquid that help nourish and heal the lining of your digestive system. Yes, home made chicken soup and other bone-based broth soups really are good for you. Lamb is a more natural meat exposed to fewer intensive farming practices than some other meats so if you can’t buy organic read meat, its a good choice.
I knew I would be in a hurry the other morning with an early clinic so I threw together the ingredients for this deliciously thick smoothie the night before and blitzed them in the morning. If you like your smoothie thinner, add more liquid. If you prefer it thicker add less liquid and eat from the glass with a spoon like I do – yum!
For 1 hungry adult:
Remember to consult my “larder & shopping” section for unusual ingredients
2 rounded dsp high quality unsweetened protein powder of your choice – e.g. sprouted rice protein, hemp protein, Sun Warrior protein powder (or for a dairy option try Solgar Whey-to-Go Vanilla)
200ml unsweetened additive-free milk of your choice: almond, hemp, coconut milk, milk or (if you can eat gluten) oatmilk
1 ripe organic pear, washed
1 heaped tsp cocoa powder, organic if possible
1 heaped tbs flax or chia seeds, ideally soaked in water overnight
Optional: A pinch of pure stevia powder or a few drops of stevia drops to sweeten
1. Cut the flesh off the pear (no need to peel) and throw in the liquidiser.
2. Add all the other ingredients. Blitz for a minute until smoothish. Enjoy.
Variation:
Pear and ginger smoothie: drop the chocolate and substitute 1 dsp grated fresh ginger root (peeled before grating).
Why this smoothie is better for you: It’s almost always best to chew your food rather than grinding it up and drinking it. This is because food you have to chew stays in your stomach longer and makes you feel fuller longer too. Chewing your food mixes it with your saliva, starting the digestive process (with the enzyme salivary amylase) in the mouth so “chewing” this smoothie rather than gulping it down helps digestion enormously. Soaking nuts and seeds overnight starts the process of sprouting them, making their nutrients more digestible. Chia and flax, when ground, are a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids and minerals. Protein is an essential component of a good breakfast, helping regulate blood sugar to keep energy levels and mood even through the morning. Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E, great for moisturising skin and body fromwithin. Yoghurt and keffir provide friendly bacteria important for a healthy digestion, clear skin and stable mood. Fermenting makes the soya or dairy milk easily digested. Lecithin granules help emulsify (digest) fats and are a great source of phospatidyl choline. Phos choline is only found in egg yolks, lecithin and organ meats. Chlorella and spirulina are seaweeds so are rich in iodine. Iodine is needed for the body to effectively eliminate oestrogen (oestradiol), which in excess causes breast and other hormone-driven cancers. Fluoride, chlorine and wheat flour products suppress iodine utilisation in the body.
Wholegrain millet is an earthy tasting fluffy grain when cooked. It’s really cheap and is great for mopping up sauces/juices. Its a far healthier choice than couscous but looks really similar when cooked. Make sure to buy millet wholegrains instead of the flakes (which will become porridge!). Millet is naturally gluten-free and high in nutrients whereas couscous is made from white flour, low in nutrients.
Enough to feed 3 people as an accompaniment (NOT suitable for SC diet)
Put your millet into a small saucepan. Add the boiling water and cook, covered, for 8-10 mins. No need to stir.
The grains are done when you can see little steam holes in the surface, the water will be absorbed and it looks fluffy like couscous. Make sure you don’t put the millet in cold water or cook for too long or the result won’t be nice.
Variation:
After cooking, drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil on top of the millet, and sprinkle over some ground paprika. This looks lovely in a serving bowl. You could also sprinkle on some fresh coriander leaves.
Why this is good for you: Millet grains are a rich source of magnesium and also of vitamin B17. Magnesium helps clear toxins from the body and also aids relaxation, helping you stay chilled under pressure. Its also great value. Vitamin B17 is a powerful nutrientwith action against cancer cells. Vitamin B17 is also found in many bitter tasting seeds such as those of apples, pears as well as bitter apricot kernals. Millet is an alkaline grain, which helps support bone density, joint health and vitality generally. An alkaline food is one that after the body has “burned” it for energy, leaves an alkaline residue. Fruits, vegetables, beans, pulses, millet, buckwheat and apple cider vinegar are alkaline whereas cheese, milk, wheat, meat, fish, and eggs are acidic. Acidic foods, when not balanced by alkaline ones, can cause skin, digestive, bone, joint, kidney and heart problems. Eating about 80% of your diet as alkaline foods is associated with a longer healthy lifespan.
