This is a delicious bright green soup and contains protein from the peas. It is a meal in itself and just the thing for a wintery Irish January day while you recover from the festive season splurge. It takes about 20 minutes to make and it freezes well. Dried herbs won’t really cut it in this soup, it just won’t taste great. I got the original recipe from Rose Elliot’s “Gourmet Vegetarian Cooking” but adapted it to use better-for-you oils and fats.
For 4:
15g butter or ghee (clarified butter, suitable for those with dairy intolerance), or if you don’t have either of these, 1 tbs of extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
900g frozen peas (petits pois are the nicest)
1½ litre vegetable stock (make by boiling up chopped carrots, onions, cabbage or other green veg stalks, a leek and a bouquet garni) or use Kallo veg stock cubes/Marigold bouillon
A generous handful of fresh thyme sprigs
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbs chopped fresh mint
To serve: extra virgin olive oil or natural yoghurt
1. Melt the butter in a large sauce pan and add the onion, sweat on a low heat, covered, until soft and translucent.
2. Wash your thyme, then find an elastic band or a piece of string and tie it in a bunch, this saves you spending ages fishing out stray twigs from the soup later. Set aside.
3. Add the peas to the saucepan and cook for 2-3 mins, stirring often. Pour in the stock/water, add the thyme, bring to the boil then cover and simmer for a few mins until the peas are done.
4. Find the bunch of thyme sprigs and roughly (with a spoon) separate the leaves (which you want) from the twigs (which you don’t). Leave the leaves in the soup and throw away the twigs.
5. Add the chopped fresh mint and process till smooth.
Serve with:
A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (about a teaspoon) or a blob of natural yoghurt on the top. For dairy-free diets, avoid yoghurt.
Variations:
If you want to increase the variety of vegetables in this soup you can add 1 large leek at the same time as the onion.
Why this is good for you: Peas are a great source of vegetable protein so this is a good sustaining soup and a perfectly balanced meal even on its own. The protein and the fats will keep you full for ages. Like all intensely green vegetables, peas are also rich in magnesium. You need magnesium for stress management, sleep, detox and even weight loss. This soup avoids harmful refined oils (most cooking oils). Refined oils are found in shop confectionery, biscuits and cakes, processed foods and all cooking oils except cold-pressed or extra virgin oils. Heating virgin cold pressed nuts/seed oils makes them harmful. Olive oil can be gently heated, and virgin coconut oil/ghee/butter are safe for cooking at higher temperatures. Marigold, Vecon or Kallo are better quality stock cubes than most. Thyme has powerful antioxidant anti-inflammatory properties which slow ageing and tune up the health of your digestive system. Mint helps calm and soothe your whole digestive system.
This unctious, tangy pesto is one I’d call a real crowd-pleaser and people will think you spent hours making it! Today we grilled some salmon darnes and had a huge dollop of this on the side with some steamed veg for a quick weekday dinner. The pesto keeps for about a week in a clean airtight glass jar in the fridge. It is fantastic served with some steamed carrots/pak choi/spinach/courgettes and a grilled or steamed piece of fish or chicken. For a snack or decadent breakfast spread it thickly on some wholemeal gluten-free or (if you eat gluten) 100% rye 100% sourdough toast with perhaps some sliced tomato (and a little crumbled goat/sheeps feta chees if you eat dairy) on top.
For a generous jar with 6 servings
4 small green chillies, stalks removed (optional)
100g fresh coriander, stalks and leaves, washed and cut up in 2-3cm lengths
25-30g organic raw pumpkin seeds or half pumpkin half sunflower seeds (you could also use almonds or walnuts if you don’t have any seeds)
2 large cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly cut up
Extra virgin olive oil (about 150ml)
Pinch of Himalayan/Atlantic sea salt
Juice of 2 limes (or use juice of a lemon if you cant get limes)
1. Combine all the ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor, grind until smooth.
2. Add the olive oil as you go until you achieve a thick, consistency. If you want a pouring consistency, add more oil.
Why this is good for you: Fresh coriander binds to toxic metals in your gut and gets them safely out of your body. So if you have mercury dental fillings, for example, this is a great thing for you to eat. Coriander and lemon juice have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties to keep your skin clear, younger and fresher longer. Lime or lemon juice also aids digestion at mealtimes. As many people struggle to make enough digestive juice to fully break down their food, it can be a helpful addition to a meal. Garlic helps kill gut infections such as candida overgrowth and parasites, which are REALLY common, even in Ireland! But garlic also encourages growth of beneficial bacteria in your gut. Harmful candida and parasites cause many digestive problems, skin disorders and even mood problems that I make dealing with them a priority in nutrition clinic. Extra virgin raw olive oil is also packed with antioxidant vitamin E, which helps reduce your tendancy to allergy as well as moisturising your skin from within. Eating this pesto helps balance your gut bacteria in favour of the good, helpful ones.
I made these raw protein bars for snacks a few weeks ago, adapted from Christine Bailey’s recipe. I meant to bring the leftovers in to my nutrition clinic to share with colleagues but somehow we just couldn’t bear to part with them. We ate the lot over the following week. These are quite like the Nakd bars you find in health stores. This bar is perfect when you are short of time and need something to support your blood sugar levels and you want something sweet. These are a good emergency breakfast option, post-gym snack or lunchbox treat. These can be frozen in batches for up to a month.
Makes 12 large bars For unusual ingredients, don’t forget to check out “larder & shopping”
200g/1½ cups raw Brazil nuts
60g gluten-free organic porridge oats or buckwheat flakes
30g ground chia seeds (buy ready-ground or use a coffee/spice grinder)
250g dried unsulphured apricots, soaked overnight in filtered water/250g dried apricots plus 6 tbs water/freshly squeezed orange juice
3 heaped tbs unsweetened or vanilla protein powder (Nua Naturals rice protein, Nuzest Clean Lean Protein or Sunwarrior Classic/Warrior blend are all great. Solgar Whey-to-go vanilla is another option if eat dairy and are using this snack for sports nutrition/muscle recovery.
Zest of 1 orange, organic if possible
Pinch of Himalayan or Atlantic Sea Salt
Essential equipment: food processor
1. Chop the apricots roughly. If you have not already done so, grind the chia seeds and set aside.
2. Place the nuts and oats in a food processor and process until fine. Add the chia, apricots, protein powder and orange zest and process till well mixed. If you have used soaked apricots this will usually form a dough. If your apricots are unsoaked then you will need to start adding the orange juice or water about 2 tbs at a time, pulsing in between, until the mixture forms a dough. The amount of liquid needed will vary depending how dry the apricots are.
3. Press the mixture into a 20cm square tin lined with baking parchment and freeze for at least 1 hour so it firms up enough to cut neatly.
4. When frozen, cut into 12 bars. Store in the fridge or freezer until needed.
Note: It’s important that the chia seeds be ground. This helps the bars stick together really well.
Variations:
For a gingerbread version, add 1 level tsp each of ground ginger and cinnamon along with the protein powder.
For a chocolatey version, add 2 heaped teaspoons pure cocoa powder along with the protein powder.
Why these bars are better for you: Because these bars contain protein from the nuts, seeds and protein powder, they help keep you feeling fuller much longer. The fact that they are raw means more nutrients such as essential omega 3 and 6 oils. Brazil nuts are a rich source of magnesium which helps relax the bowel to prevent constipation. The bars are rich in crucial minerals such as selenium and iron which are important for the thyroid gland, brain function and energy production. Buying unsulphured (brown) apricots in the health store avoids the sulphur dioxide that causes unpleasant digestive symptoms for so many people. Sulphur dioxide is added to many dried fruits as a preservative and is always listed on the packet so its easy to avoid by paying attention to labels.
Christine Bailey is a successful nutritional therapist who published The Functional Nutrition Cookbook in 2012. It contains over 130 tasty recipes that are super-healthy but also delicious.
I was looking for something nice to do with carrots yesterday, found this recipe and adapted it slightly. We didn’t have the coarse-grain mustard or the honey so we left both out and thought it was still nice. I like to make up large bowls of salady things like this in the summer, to keep in the fridge for dipping into at mealtimes. Who wants to spend all evening in the kitchen when the weather’s so nice…
For 2 people (with plenty of leftover dressing):
4 medium carrots
2 tbs sesame seeds
For the dressing:
1 large clove garlic, crushed
Large pinch freshly ground black pepper
1-3 teaspoons of raw honey (optional)
3 heaped dsp coarsegrain mustard (optional) – if you are gluten-intolerant, make sure you check the label!!
400ml virgin cold-pressed sunflower or sesame oil. Dont be temped to use toasted sesame oil, the burnt flavour will be far too strong.
200ml red or white wine vinegar (or you could use apple cider vinegar).
200ml extra virgin olive oil
First toast the seeds on a dry pan over a medium heat, shaking every so often, until slightly golden. Remove from the heat.
Put the dressing ingredients in a large screwtop jar and shake well to mix.
Grate the carrots, add the seeds and enough of the dressing to moisten the whole lot. Stir and serve.
Why this is good for you: Carrots are a brilliant source of carotenes which help protect your eyesight and also give your skin a golden glow, making you look more suntanned. They also help your skin protect itself against UV rays, like a sort of edible sunblock. Raw, unheated (virgin) sesame and sunflower oil are high in omega 6, which helps balance your hormones for increased energy, better mood and even smoother, more moisturised skin. It’s even helpful in reducing PMS. Extra virgin olive oil, while not high in omega 6, is packed full of vitamin E which moisturises your skin from within. Vitamin E helps your body conserve and reuse the vitamin C you get in your diet – increasing its benefitial effects. Vitamin E from olive oil also has an anti-allergy effect. This means it can help reduce symptoms of hayfever, asthma and skin allergies. Mustard is a spice andlike most spices has antioxidant properties linked to slowing ageing, soothing inflammatory conditions and balancing your immune system.
This is my gluten-free take on a delicious Middle Eastern bulgar wheat salad by Claudia Roden. Instead of wheat, I use millet (naturally gluten-free). Everyone takes seconds when I serve it at a buffet or barbeque. I love having it for leftovers too and it keeps for several days. Serve it with some protein such as roast chicken, a bean salad or some felafels, and a large green salad or some wilted spinach leaves dressed with lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil.
For 6:
330g/1½ mugs whole millet grains (from wholefood stores)
800ml/3 mugs boiling water, filtered if possible
1 large onion, red if possible
3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
110g tomato puree
Juice of 1 lemon
A bunch of fresh mint, or 1 tbs dried
1 rounded tsp ground cumin
1 rounded tsp ground coriander
1 level tsp ground allspice
110g raw walnuts and/or hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
1. Add boiling water and millet to a large saucepan, cover with a lid and simmer on a medium heat until the water has been absorbed completely. Fork it up a little to break up the grains.
2. While the millet is cooking, peel and chop the onion and add to a large bowl with the olive oil, tomato puree, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, allspice, nuts and mint.
3. When the millet is cooked, allow it cool down so its tepid or cold. Then add to the rest of the ingredients and mix gently with a fork, avoiding mashing the grains, which should remain distinct from each other.
4. If you have time, leave this sit for an hour, or even overnight, for the flavours to develop.
Why this is good for you: Herbs and spices are packed with beneficial antioxidants which prevent food from spoiling. A high intake of spices helps delay aging and is linked to lower incidence of skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. Cumin and coriander help soothe and repair the digestive system while mint is anti-spasmodic, helping prevent cramps, gas and spasms in the bowel.
This is a superb but simple recipe I cut out of a magazine years ago. No idea who wrote it. I made a large plate of it recently for a family birthday and we grazed on it for the rest of the weekend. The aubergines cook quite quickly, especially with sliced and grilled or fried. Cook right through: aubergines don’t taste good if undercooked so make sure they are translucent, with no trace of white. If you can’t get pine nuts, you could use flaked almonds instead.
For 4-6 people as a starter, or grazing platter
2-3 medium, aubergines, about 700g
2 tbs sea salt (flakes or finely ground, it doesn’t matter)
About 125ml extra virgin olive oil
50g pine nuts
Small bunch fresh mint, half chopped, half in sprigs
Small bunch fresh flat leaf parsley, half chopped, half in sprigs
Few drops balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
Cut the aubergines lengthways into 1cm slices. Score both sides of each with a fork. Sprinkle with salt. Drain on a rack for 10-20 minutes, then pat dry with kitchen paper. The salting of the aubergine draws out the bitter juices and makes the end product much sweeter.
Meanwhile, heat a ridged stove-top grill pan until very hot. Wipe with olive oil, using a wad of crumpled kitchen paper or heatproof brush. Paint each slice with oil. Arrange on hot pan, pressing down firmly. cook for 3-5 minutes on each side until grill-marked, tender and aromatic.
Heat a separate frying pan, add pine nuts and toast gently until golden. Set aside.
Scatter cooked aubergine with chopped mint, parsley, black pepper and balsamic vinegar. Loop slices on serving plates, add pine nuts and sprigs of mint and parsley and serve.Why this is good for you: Raw herbs like parsley and mint are a powerhouse of antioxidant, anti-ageing nutrients that help soothe your digestive system. Mint is anti-spasmodic and so can reduce wind. Parsley is rich in iron and is great for your kidneys too. Aubergines are rich in fibre, which is good news for the beneficial bacteria in your gut – they use the indigestible fibre in your food to make healing substances to repair and maintain the health of your small and large intestine. People who eat more vegetables have a lower incidence of ALL digestive disorders, including gallstones, colitis and gastritis. Like most vegetables, aubergines are also high in potassium which helps your body respond well to your natural thyroid hormone (T3). This results in more energy, thicker hair and better bowel regularity.
The good weather got me thinking of this really simple, delicious dish. A Greek classmate once showed me how to make it. She simply charred the peppers in a few minutes over an open gas flame but you can use a grill. This dish works well as a starter with some fresh bread, or as a side dish alongside some meat, grilled/baked white fish or a vegetable frittata. It’s also great for a summer buffet. Using goat or sheep feta gives a lovely crumbly texture and tangy taste and is easier to digest than imitation feta made from cow’s milk.
If you don’t have oregano, you could also use fresh mint or flat leaf parsley.
For 2 people:
2 large green peppers, whole, washed
1 dsp dried oregano or tbsp chopped fresh oregano leaves
1-2 tbs good quality extra virgin olive oil
20g goat/sheep feta cheese
1. Put the green peppers on a baking sheet under a hot and cook (turning frequently) until most of the skin is charred and the peppers are soft and slightly collapsed.
2. Remove from the heat, leave on the baking sheet, and cover with a large bowl or saucepan for 15 minutes or so. This softens the skins and makes them easier to peel.
3. On a plate (to catch the delicious juices) peel and discard the skins of the peppers. Slice into around 4 lengthways. Remove and discard the stalks and anything that’s not green.
4. Lay the peppers with their juices on a fresh plate.
5. Sprinkle over some freshly ground some black pepper and the oregano. Crumble the feta into little pieces and scatter over. Finally, drizzle over the olive oil.
Why this is good for you Oregano, especially eaten fresh, is a powerhouse of volatile antioxidant rich oils. These oils help keep your skin young and firm, soothe your digestive system, and even help eliminate infections and protect you against life-threatening diseases. Oregano helps combat the yeast overgrowth that contributes to cystitis and sinusitis. Oregano is really easy to grow in Ireland in a pot (in a flowerbed it takes over!). If you use it often, it keeps sprouting new, tender leaves all through the summer. Green peppers, like all green veg, are rich in magnesium needed for stress management, great skin and being “regular”. Feta made from goat/sheep milk is lower in allergenic proteins than cows milk. For that reason, some people who cant take cows milk products find they can tolerate moderate amounts of goat/sheep milk products. Goat’s milk is closest in chemical composition to human milk.
This is a very quick and easy uncooked vegetable dish which I really like. With some protein like fish, meat, a frittata/omelette or a bean salad it provides a balanced meal. Unless you have tons of energy to pound away for ages with your hands, make this recipe using smallish sprigs of young kale (April-June) – it’s much easier to work. As you might have noticed I’ve got a bit of a green theme going on this month. The power of vegetables to lift your wellbeing is big in food research right now (see my May 2014 newsletter). In my opinion, eating lots of green stuff is one of the most useful things you can do to help your body and your mind.
For 2-3 people:
1 bag tender young organic kale
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½-1 ripe avocado
Cayenne pepper to taste
1 1/2 tbs sunflower seeds (or pumpkin seeds, chopped Brazil nuts or hazelnuts)
Lemon or lime juice to taste
1/2 tsp paprika, or to taste
1 tbs finely sliced or chopped spring onions or red onion (if you can eat cooked onions but not raw ones, try soaking the sliced/chopped onion in the lemon or lime juice for 15 minutes – it totally takes the heat out!)
Remove any stalks from the washed kale and place in a large bowl.
Kneed, pound and squish the kale with your hands for around 5 minutes until it is wilted (you might like to use rubber gloves for this as the juice can stain your nails).
Add the avocado and mix it into the mixture, mashing as you do so.
Add all the other ingredients and serve.
Serve with:
Baked or grilled, roast or poached fish or chicken, a frittata or omelette or a beany salad
Why this is good for you: Kale is high in folic acid which helps your body carry out the daily repair and maintenance on your stomach and intestines. Kale, like all dark green veg, is rich in magnesium which is needed to relax your mind and get a good nights sleep. Magnesium also helps keep your skin in good condition by supporting your liver to clear toxins out of the body. Things like psoriasis or acne are usually a sign of poor liver function. Avocados and raw olive oil are rich in vitamin E which moisturises your skin (and everything else) from within. the reason I suggest using organic kale is that like baby spinach, “conventional” kale is in the top 3 most agri-chemical contaminated fresh produce.
Now the weather is lovely, my thoughts turn to all those things I can make in advance to graze on over the weekend, or for weekday lunchboxes. The colours of the lemon zest, herbs, carrots and red peppers stand out like jewels against the earthy tones of the lentils. This makes a great main course alongside a large mixed salad and maybe sometimes starchy, like a steamed sliced sweet potato, or some quinoa anointed with pesto. You could also use this as a starter, or instead of potatoes/rice with some grilled/roast white fish or chicken. Good when trying to feed vegetarians and carnivores a the same meal!
For a quick weekday version of this classic French salad: Just cook the lentils and carrot with a bay leaf, drain and add a generous splash of balsamic vinegar, a little olive oil and lots of black pepper. Good with large multicoloured mixed salad.
Serves 3 as a main course salad, 6 as a starter
200g/1 mugful Puy lentils
1 medium/large carrot, peeled and diced into 1/8”/0.5cm squares
½ a red (or white) onion, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 clove garlic
Lemon vinaigrette (see below) or a splash of balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and lots of black pepper.
If you eat dairy: 50g goat/sheep feta, crumbled (optional)
2 teaspoons mint, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped parsley or coriander
Black pepper to taste
2 medium red peppers (optional i.e. if you are feeling fancy!)
1. Rinse the lentils, cover them generously with clean water and bring them to a boil with the garlic, carrot, onion and bay leaf.
2. Simmer until they are cooked (15-20 ins) but still hold their shape.
3. Drain the lentil mixture and save the liquid for making soups or gravies.
4. While the lentils are cooking prepare the red peppers (if using) by grilling under a hot grill until the skins are charred, then put them in a covered bowl to steam for 10 mins or so, then take off the charred skins with a knife. Do not rinse them under water or the sweet juices will be lost. Slit them open, remove the seeds, and cut into strips or squares.
5. While the lentils are still hot add the feta, vinaigrette, herbs and the red peppers and their juice, if they are ready.
For the Lemon vinaigrette:
Juice and peel of one lemon (ideally organic, or scrubbed very well)
1/2 level tsp paprika
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed
¼ level teaspoon Himalayan or Atlantic sea salt (optional)
6-8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1. Remove two wide strips of peel from the lemon with a veg peeler and slice them into narrow slivers.
2. Mix all the ingredients well in a bowl or put in a screw top jar and shake well.
Why this is good for you: Lentils are a great source of soluble fibre which feeds good bacteria to help your skin, digestion, mood and immunity. Lentils are a good source of protein instead of meat or fish at a meal so will keep you full for ages. Herbs and spices are antioxidant and help delay the visible signs of ageing (wrinkles, saggy skin, anyone?). Red peppers and carrots are a good source of beta carotene, which helps give your skin a golden glow, even without the aid of the sun, according to British study of university students. Another bonus of this salad is the raw extra virgin olive oil, which gives vitamin E to make your skin (and all your parts!) smooth and moisturised from within.
Quinoa is technically not a grain but a seed and is seriously easy to cook. It’s really rich in protein at a whopping 14% so will keep you fuller longer. Make sure to buy whole quinoa grains, not quinoa flakes or flour. If you (or your kids) struggle to like new tastes, stir in something strong-tasting and familiar (like basil pesto or tomato sauce) prior to serving for the first time. For a really simple meal, I sometimes cook enough quinoa and when its done but still hot, stir in a drained rinsed tin of chickpeas, a couple of spoons of dairy-free basil/sundried tomato pesto, and some chopped rocket or baby spinach leaves, a little chopped red onion, a clove of crushed garlic and lots of extra virgin olive oil. This makes a gorgeous warm salad and is lovely cold too (e.g. in lunchboxes). Simple cooked quinoa with pesto would make a great after-school snack…
Put your quinoa into a saucepan. Add the boiling water and cook, covered with a lid or a plate, for about 10 mins. No need to stir. Remember never to cook quinoa in cold water if you want it to be fluffy and delicious.
The grains are done when you can see little steam holes in the surface, the water will be absorbed and you can see little curly white lines at the edges of the grains. If not all the water has been absorbed, turn off the heat, replace the lid and leave for 5 minutes to fluff up.
Cooked quinoa
Why this is good for you Quinoa is rich in essential vitamins and minerals as well as protein so its a pretty good all round food. It’s a great one to introduce to your kids if you struggle to get them to eat enough protein (eg. meat, fish, eggs, beans) instead of just pasta and bread all the time. Because quinoa is so high in protein it does not cause the sharp spikes and troughs in blood sugar that so often contribute to energy problems, hyperactivity and concentration difficulties. It’s also rich in magnesium which you need for keeping chilled out, and potassium which you need for good thyroid function, energy and mood. Its also high in folic acid, betaine and choline, which are fantastic for your brain health.Buy organic if you can, as it contains higher levels of essential minerals due to not being exposed to the pesticide glyphosphate (roundup) (see my April 2014 newsletter, shortly to be posted on www.annacollins.ie)
