Seasonal Slaw

It's late autumn and the weather in the UK has suddenly turned rather chilly. It's the time of year for comfort food - soups and stews and and a mighty dollop of fruit crumble. But sometimes these can all be a bit heavy; the solution is a great seasonal salad, packed full of immune boosting nutrients for the inevitable sniffs and snivels as well as lip-smacking flavour.
And to match the dazzling autumn trees, this seasonal slaw has an array of deep orange and reds to provide well needed colour to an otherwise green leafed plate!
For those with a dairy intolerance, shop bought coleslaw is generally a no-go area, with some milk product popping up in the long list of ingredients on the packet. And once you've read that list, somehow it doesn't seem quite so palatable! Unless they're described as creamy coleslaw, they all taste rather vinegary to me as well…..

So this autumn slaw is a real change in direction from any of those vinegary or creamy ones you may have come across before. It's sweet, but has a sharp flavour from the apple and lemon juice. It's definitely crunchy and has great textures. In fact, I find it really moreish and one serving is just not enough. Which is no problem, as it's really healthy and good for you as well as tasty, so there's no downside - unless the beetroot affects you on it's way out!! Many people experience red wee after eating beetroot - beeturia! - which isn't too much of an issue as it's just a short term issue. Apparently for some, though, it may mean there's a problem with iron metabolism.
The three main veg in the slaw - carrot, beetroot and red cabbage - are all packed full of phytonutrients of varying kinds which are anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and known to help the body detoxify. Beetroot also has fabulous amounts of folate, manganese and fibre as well as vitamin C which is also a big feature of the benefits of red cabbage. Surprisingly, red cabbage has over 50% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C, much more than citrus fruit. And being a cruciferous vegetable, red cabbage has marvellous anti-cancer properties too!
So try this slaw as a side, or the main feature of your lunch. Not only is it packed full of flavour and nutrients, it really does look pretty on the plate! (To add more zing, you can use red wine vinegar instead of lemon juice, but this doesn't work for those who have to avoid fermented foods due to yeast allergies.)
Autumn Slaw

1 medium carrot
1 small raw beetroot
1/8 of a red cabbage
1 small stick celery
1 Cox's apple
2 tablespoons sultanas
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper
Pop the sultanas in a dish with some hot water for a few minutes so they plump up. Drain and put to one side. Wash all your veg thoroughly. Grate the carrot, beetroot and apple. Thinly slice the cabbage and celery. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl with the lemon juice and season to taste. Add more juice and seasoning as required. Leave to one side for a while to let the flavours develop then serve and enjoy.

Simply delicious apple caramel slice

I made a big mistake yesterday - I watched an episode of The Great British Bake Off. The programme itself was fine, but it was cold, grey and wet outside and the combination of the dull view out the window and the gorgeous looking cake on the screen could only lead to one thing - I had to bake!
I've been trying really hard to cut down on sugar recently; having a yeast intolerance is all connected to a yeast overgrowth which of course thrives on sugars. I feel so much better when all forms of sugar are avoided, but sometimes it really is just too hard and I fall off the wagon. It is definitely my weakness! When I tell people that I have a dairy free diet, they look in horror and always ask how I manage without cheese. For me, it's not too difficult, but live without cake.........? Now that's really hard!
Our rather overgrown and straggly apple tree has had a bumper crop this year, so there's been lots of apple based dishes served up in my gorgeous new kitchen. With a bowl of freshly picked fruit on the worktop, it had to be an apple based bake, but really sweet and sticky. Caramel was the answer, but was it possible to make it dairy free ?

 The answer is yes - and amazingly successfully as long as you're patient and have a little time! I found this recipe in The Naughtiest Vegan Cakes in Town, a book packed full of mouthwateringly gorgeous cake recipes, and adapted it slightly (hope Ms Cupcake doesn't mind!).
Caramel is traditionally made with sugar, butter and cream; rather wonderfully, it works equally well with dairy free options, just done in a slightly different way. The trickiest part was melting the sugar and golden syrup at the beginning - it seemed to take ages but do persevere as it comes together eventually! I have to admit my caramel was rather grainy before I put it on the bake, but it didn't matter as once baked and cooled it was wonderfully smooth - and oh so sweet!!
So, if you have a spare hour, it's grey and wet outside and you just need something delightfully sweet to cheer everyone up, give this a go. But if you're trying to lose weight - steer clear, as this is definitely not a healthy option!!
** allergy options - this recipe contains wheat flour and nuts. It would work as well without the nuts and just the apple. I made this with wheat free flour with excellent results, so no need to shy away if you have a wheat or gluten allergy.
Apple Caramel Slice

For the caramel:
200g caster sugar
60g brown sugar
2 tbspoons golden syrup
35g dairy free spread
60mls soya cream
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For the base:
270g self raising flour
230g brown sugar (caster will do if you've run out)
180g oats
1/2 tsp salt
260g dairy free spread
3 medium sized apples
50g pecan nuts (or walnuts)
Preheat the oven to 180C. Grab a 33x22cm cake tin, grease it well and line it with baking paper - make sure it comes up all the sides as well.
Make the caramel first - put the sugars and golden syrup into a small saucepan over a low heat and stir. Keep going - it will melt eventually and you will end up with a thick liquidy sticky brown gloop. Don't be tempted to increase the heat otherwise the sugar will burn. Once you think all the sugar has melted, take it off the heat and leave for a minute or so. Then add the dairy free spread, soya cream and vanilla essence and stir well to combine. Leave to one side to cool whilst you make the base.
Place the flour, sugar, oats and salt into a large bowl. Add the dairy free spread and mix well - I used my hands as it was easier! Once you have a sticky dough, put about 200g to one side and press the rest into the base of the cake tin, making an even layer. Pop it in the oven for 10 minutes.
In the meantime, peel and chop the apples and check your caramel - I found it had gone too thick to spread so reheated it very gently to make it pourable. Take the base out of the oven, cover it with apples and pecan nuts and then pour on the caramel sauce. Crumble the remaining dough over the top and put back in the oven for 20mins or until it's golden and bubbling.
Remove from the oven and put out of the way - the caramel is so liquid you cannot do anything with it until it's completely cool otherwise the whole thing will collapse. Patience is definitely required at this point, so go and do something else to distract you!!!
Once cool, cut into slices and serve with a little ice cream (dairy free of course!) and enjoy!
Top tip - the caramel is really sticky so when you pour it over the top before baking, try not to go right up the outside edges. It will spread anyway and too much sticks to the paper and the tin!!

Asparagood!

Seasonal food is a hot topic; should we only buy what's available locally to reduce the environmental impact of transporting food around the world? Or should we buy whatever we want at any time of the year, something the big supermarkets are keen for us to do (they can charge more out of season!)? Then there's the argument that purchasing beans from Kenya, for example, boosts the local economy and helps relieve poverty and raise living standards.
It's a complex issue that can be debated for a long time. There are some foods that I really can't manage without all year - apples and bananas for example, although once the stored UK apples have finished, I do try to buy apples from Europe that are transported by land rather than air. And then there are some foods that, although you can buy throughout the year, should only be eaten during their short local season. For me, that's strawberries (British strawberries are just sublime!!) and asparagus.

There is something just wonderfully luxurious about fresh asparagus stalks; juicy and succulent, their strong pungent flavour bursts in your mouth, juices dripping down your chin, texture firm and crunchy (or that's how I like them any way). So beautiful they need little adornment other than a light seasoning of salt and pepper; I used to love then coated in frothy butter, but that's not possible on a dairy free diet (and sunflower spread just doesn't do it!).
Traditionally, the UK asparagus season is only 8 weeks long, from the end of April through to the end of June; it may last a little longer this year due to the cold spring. So now is the time to go grab your bunches of asparagus and indulge in some delectable dining. And your body will love you for it to, because each spear is packed with powerful nutrients. Asparagus is a fabulous source of folic acid, vitamin K, fibre, vitamin B6, thiamin, vitamin A and C. It also contains some interesting phytonutrients which work some amazing tricks inside the body!
Asparagus contains saponins and flavonoids as well as other anti-oxidants which have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Research shows that saponins can help relieve some chronic degenerative neurological conditions. The anti-oxidants, B vitamins and fibre can help improve heart health and reduce diabetes.
Asparagus also contains inulin, a carbohydrate that has a beneficially effect on the digestive system, or rather on the 'friendly bacteria' contained within. Much of our modern diet and way of living takes it's toll on the delicate eco-system in our guts. The inulin in asparagus isn't digested in the upper digestive tract, and provides a wonderful food source for the friendly bacteria lower down to feed on and grow, helping to heal a damaged gut lining and promote overall health. This is particularly relevant to people with food intolerance or allergies; re-establishing a colony of healthy bacteria is a good place to start the healing process.
Unfortunately for some, eating asparagus may bring many benefits, but there is one massive side effect - smelly wee!  Apparently, the pungent post-asparagus wee smell is formed after the break down of asparagusic acid, a concentrated sulphur containing compound. Up to 50% of asparagus eaters suffer from this phenomena to a greater or lesser extent. It really bothers some people, but if you don't mind, or don't suffer from this slightly embarrassing condition, then munch on those glorious stems whilst the going is good - your body will love you for it, even if your nose doesn't!

Vitamin C surprises

Recently, I completed an analysis of the vitamin content of my food over a few days. Eating a wholefood, plant based diet, I thought my intake would be fabulous. For some, like vitamin A and folate, it was amazing, for others, like B12 which is only found in animal products and yeasts, it was non-existent. No real shocks there.

What did surprise me was the vitamin C content. Whilst pretty good, and above the official recommended daily intake (RDI), it was still only moderate in comparison to the levels that are thought to really promote health, 500mg or above.

I don't want to get bogged down in figures or controversies surrounding vitamin C (as there are quite a few!!), but think there's a few things worth pointing out. RDIs are established to state the amount of a vitamin or mineral you should have to prevent specific, identifiable diseases. In the case of vitamin C, it's scurvy, a horrible condition that used to hit sailors out on the high seas for long periods of time without any fresh fruit or vegetables. You don't actually need much vitamin C to prevent scurvy, so the current recommendation of 40mg/day is higher than absolutely necessary. Which is great, because vitamin C does much more than stop your gums from bleeding. 

In the 1970s, research suggested that vitamin C could prevent the common cold; many people still believe this and religiously take vitamin C supplements. In fact, vitamin C is the most commonly purchased food supplement in the UK. However, since then, loads more research as been undertaken which disagrees with Pauling's original conclusion. 

What has been found is that vitamin C is a highly active anti-oxidant. A co-factor for many enzymes, it's essential for key metabolic functions in the body, including processing fatty acids, controlling blood cholesterol levels and processing drugs and toxins in the liver. Vitamin C is attributed to improving a multitude of common complaints including allergies, arthritis, asthma, eczema, PMT, osteoporosis - the list goes on. Eating processed foods, high in fat and protein, and taking medication for acute and chronic illnesses further exposes our bodies to stress; it seems to me that good doses of vitamin C are essential for everyone!

I want to get my vitamin C from my diet rather than taking pills, so what are the best foods to eat?  Everyone thinks that citrus fruits are the best source and whilst oranges and lemons are pretty well loaded with vitamin C, they are trumped by peppers and greens. I was amazed to discover that the best source by far is peppers - chilli, bell, all sorts and of all colours. This is swiftly followed by those marvellous greens - kale, spring greens, broccoli, watercress, sprouts - again the list can go on. The best fruits are actually blackcurrants and strawberries, which is great at this time of year in the UK, as strawberry season is upon us and I'm in strawberry heaven!! There's nothing quite like a freshly picked, succulently sweet British strawberry!

By including more of these vitamin C packed foods its pretty easy to increase vitamin C intake - almost triple it. And of course, all fruits and vegetables contain a whole array of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that help our bodies not only function more efficiently, but heal from within. 

Quinoa - being celebrated all year!

Did you know that quinoa (pronounced 'keen-waa' although I still think 'quin-noah' in my head!) is such a superfood that it even has it's own year? The United Nations has decided that 2013 is the International Year of Quinoa, a celebration of the Andean people who have preserved traditional ways of cultivating this nutritious grain as well as it's potential for alleviating poverty and food insecurity - not bad for such a tiny grain!

Quinoa has been the 'in' grain with the dieting fashionista for some time now, often used for gourmet markets only. But as more becomes known about the great nutritional properties of this unusual grain, it's popularity is increasing and becoming more mainstream.
Although I'm calling it a grain, Quinoa is not actually a true cereal but more related to beets and spinach; the 'grain' is the plants seed. The leaves can also be eaten as a green, although these are not readily available on the international market. Nutritionally, quinoa really is a powerhouse of goodies, with fantastic levels of manganese, magnesium, iron, potassium and calcium. It's high in fibre and low in fat and cholesterol. But what makes quinoa even better is that is the protein content; it is one of the few plant-based sources of complete amino acids as well as being gluten free.
As well as eating as a whole seed, quinoa can be ground into a flour and used to make bread, cakes, pasta, dumplings - the list continues. It's great as a salad base, added to stews and soups and apparently can be used to brew beer!
Being suitable for practically any type of diet (it's even considered kosher) or allergy, demand has been increasing, and therefore so has the price. This means that indigenous populations are finding it hard to buy (the price has tripled since 2006!), but equally farmers are able to make livable income which has a knock on effect, expanding the economy as a whole. Trials are underway elsewhere in the world to see if quinoa can be grown in different climates; after all, potatoes were once the staple of the Andean population, maybe quinoa can be too.
In my opinion, quinoa definitely has a place in a plant based wholefood diet. There are of course ecological aspects to take into consideration - air miles, farmer welfare etc - but when compared to the environmental impact of the meat and dairy industry, they just don't equate.
I love quinoa as a salad base; this one is called Sarah's salad, after my lovely friend who first introduced it to me. It's simple to make and packed with nutritional goodies. This recipe makes a big bowl - it stays fresh in the fridge for a few days but it's easy to half if you don't want to eat it every night.  Enjoy!
Sarah's Quinoa Salad

200g quinoa
4 grated carrots
couple of handfuls of chopped fresh herbs - parsley, mint or coriander
2 tbspns mixed seeds
2 tbspns flaked almonds
2 tbspns raisins or sultanas, soaked in boiling water
50mls of fresh orange juice
good glug of extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
First, cook the quinoa according to the packet instructions - I tend to do 3x weight of quinoa i.e.: 600mls in this case. Simmer for 15 minutes or so until the water has been absorbed and the grain soft but with a little 'bite'. Drain any remaining cooking liquid and leave in the pan with the lid on to steam for a few minutes. Empty out into your serving bowl to cool off.
Meanwhile, grate the carrots, lightly toast the seeds, and soak the raisins or sultana for a few minutes so they plump up all fat and juicy. Once the seeds and quinoa are cool, drain the raisins and mix all the ingredients together, adding olive oil and seasoning to taste.

Food allergy research - will it help?

Manchester University have announced the launch of a massive research project about food allergies. They state that food allergy detection and management is thwarted by lack of evidence regarding prevention of or protection against food allergies - http://www.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/news/display/?id=9743
On the face of it, this is great, particularly their focus on food manufacturing processes to prevent cross contamination and to promote clearer food labelling. For those with severe, life threatening allergies this will definitely make life easier, and safer.

It can take so long to examine the small print on packaging - some of it so tiny it's almost impossible to read! And then there are the warning labels that just seem to be having a laugh - the tuna tin that warns it contains fish. Or peanut butter - contains peanuts!! Mind you, I watched Hungry for Change recently, a film about the food and diet industry (http://www.hungryforchange.tv), where it talked about a blueberry and pomegranate breakfast cereal which contained neither blueberries or pomegranate, so I guess you can never be too sure!
Will this study really tackle the issues surrounding food allergy? There is a list of well known food products that are allergens - milk, eggs, wheat, peanuts, shellfish to name a few. For those with food intolerance the list is seemingly endless; in an inflamed state, it would seem that the body can develop issues with any food stuff (my latest one seems to be lentils - how can that be???.) Manufacturers seem to add elements of many of these products into their food products. Milk or one of it's derivatives appears in the most unexpected places (sweet chilli crisps??).
For me, the underlying issue comes back down to food processing and how we prepare and eat our daily intake. Processed food, which is really what this project is about, is generally devoid of nourishment and full on sugar, fat and profit. Whilst we continue to fill our bodies with poor quality fuel, underlying sensitivities and intolerances will continue as the body battles to keep clearing out toxins, constantly playing catch up to promote wellness.
Maybe Manchester University should focus their research on the benefits and healing properties of a wholefood, plant based diet rather than continuing the status quo with food manufacturers. Not sure where the funding would come from then, though - carrots just don't bring in the big bucks!! It will be interesting to see what "safe allergen threshold" are, what conclusions are made in three years time. In the meantime I'm going to minimise my processed food and keep to the fresh stuff - don't need my reading glasses for that!

TGIF - totally great information on food!

Life is just so busy at the moment, it's hard to find time to blog. Our shipping still hasn't arrived back either, so I'm missing the computer as well as all my cookery books and paraphanalia.
Although I've not been writing as much, I have been cooking! Being back in the UK, I feel like I'm discovering a whole new range of products again. It's amazing how things have changed in just under three years. And how much things cost!
One of the great things I've noticed is how much awareness of food allergies and sensitivities has increased, as well as recognition of different diet choices. The range of products on a menu may still be limited (unless it's a vegan restaurant!) but it seems much easier to order food that's not going to create problems a few hours later. For example, I visited TGI Friday's yesterday with the kids, and they have a special menu for people with allergies, mainly gluten and lactose. Our waitress was so helpful, and not only told us about this menu (you need to ask for it) but got the kitchen to serve our nachos in a way that it was half with cheese and sour cream, and half plain near to the guocomole. And they happily swapped bits around so we had a meal we could all enjoy without worrying what was in it. And there's more information on their website too that takes the guess work out of  how to avoid intolerances.

The recession, and the general need for people to reduce their household expenditure has also increased the popularity of vegetarian food, with food magazines and programmes jumping on the bandwagon. Generally, vegetarian food is cheaper than  meat based, as long as it's made from scratch rather than just another ready meal, over processed and full of sugar and salt..And campaigns like Meat Free Monday, which promotes the environmental benefits of a plant based diet, not just the financial, is gaining more support.
This is good news for those who eat a wholefood plant based diet, or have to avoid certain foods like dairy. I love reading food magazines and articles, but so often the recipes are packed full of items that are a no no. One of my favourites is the Obeserver Food Monthly; a couple of weeks ago I excitedly bought my first issue for some time. The theme was cooking on a budget. One article challenged top chefs to come up with a family meal for under £5.00. There were some interesting suggestions in there, including a mouthwatering dahl, but the one that caught my eye was this vegetarian estofado.
Estofado is Spanish for stew (so the internet tells me!), or slow cooked food. This dish doesn't really take much time to cook and the flavour develops well. The outstanding surprise was the amount of garlic - a whole bulb! I have to say that it does give you serious garlic breath, but it's what gives this stew a deep, rustic flavour.
Nutritionally, it has just about everything you could ask for - protein in the chickpeas, beta carotene and vitamin C in the pumpkin, folates and other B vitamins in the spinach and omega 3 fats in the walnuts, as well as the healthy heart properties of the garlic. Unless you have a nut allergy, there's not much in there to upset any sensitive eaters, and it passed the kids test with flying colours (I did cut down on the garlic a bit!!). Serve this with some rustic wholemeal crusty bread, or wholegrain rice, and you have a fabulous tasty and cheap dinner.
Chickpea, pumpkin, spinach and walnut estofado (recipe by Jose Pizarro)

1 small onion
1 bulb garlic
1 tbspoon olive oil
400g tin chopped tomatoes
800g of pumpkin or squash flesh, chopped into 2.5cm pieces
800mls vegetable stock
400g tin chickpeas, drained
1 bag baby spinach
50g walnuts roughly chopped
Chop the onion and garlic. Heat the oil in the base of a large pan and sizzle the onion and garlic for a few minutes, stirring constantly so it doesn't burn. Add the tinned tomatoes and fry off the excess juice gently. Once reduced, add the pumpkin and vegetable stock, and simmer until the pumpkin is tender. Add the chickpeas and seasoning, and cook for another 5 minutes or so. Most of the fluid should have evaporated by now. Just before serving, stir in the spinach and heat through for a couple of minutes until it's wilted. Serve out into dishes and scatter the walnuts over the top. Enjoy!

Sunday vegetable bake

We do love a good, hearty Sunday meal in our house. Eating a plant based whole food diet, it's sometimes hard to find a dish that will satisfy everyone Sunday lunch desires, without having to cook three separate meals.. This wasn't so much of a problem out in India;  putting together a roast dinner was a real challenge - the hot weather, lack of something suitable to roast and a rubbish oven was just all too much!. And once we started to (over) indulge in long lazy Sunday brunches laid on at Bangalore's lovely hotels, it became a non-issue.
But now we're back in the UK, the challenge returns. It is possible to buy roast meat replacements, but these do tend to look quite unappetising and have a long list of processed ingredients - not suitable for a wholefood diet at all. Quorn products tend to be a bit better, but it's fermented, which is no good for someone with an allergy to yeast! In fact, it was eating more Quorn products when my daughter became a vegetarian a few years ago that finally tipped my body into mega-migraine mode and prompted my journey into finding out what was going on. So really, I should be thanking Quorn!

As the weather has been so cold and wintry, I wanted a Sunday lunch that was warming and cosy, as well as tasty and pleasing to everyone in the family. There was one spice that was needed - my new favourite, smoked paprika.
I'd not cooked with smoked paprika until we returned from India last month. It seems to have become popular in recipes recently - or maybe I've just noticed it more. No chance of finding it in Bangalore though so it's new to me. I've experimented with this spice in soups and stews, and it's a corker!  Smoked paprika generally comes from Spain. Pimento peppers are smoked over oak then ground into a powder. This gives the paprika a deeper, more complex flavour. It's great for replacing the smokey flavour of bacon in vegetarian dishes.
Proper smoked paprika has three levels of 'heat''; dulce which is sweet and mild, agricdulce which is bittersweet and medium hot, and picante which is hot. My Tesco version didn't give any indication and claims to be sourced from more than one country, so guess it's  probably dulce, sweet and mild, but still has a deep rich, red colour.
The smoked paprika in this bake makes it beautifully rich and warming, a perfect dairy free, wheat free, almost every allergen free Sunday lunch. In case you wonder why there's broccoli stem in the ingredients, I served it with broccoli and I hate throwing away the stems, so bunged them in the bake.

Sunday vegetable bake
1 onion, chopped
1 leek, washed and chopped
splash of olive oil
1 - 2 cloves garlic, diced
3 carrots, chopped
1 broccoli stem, chopped (optional)
4 big mushrooms chopped
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
400g tin of mixed beans, rinsed well
thyme
smoked paprika
4 large potatoes
salt and pepper
First, scrub the potatoes and par boil them so they are soft enough to slice but not so soft they fall apart. Leave to cool whilst you prepare the rest of the dish. I used a Le Creuset casserole dish (one of my favourite things!!) that goes on the hob and in the oven - if you don't have something similar, then you'll need to start in a saucepan and transfer to an oven proof dish (more washing up!!).
Pre-heat the oven to 180oC. Heat the oil and fry the onion and leek until soft. Add the carrots and broccoli stem. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the thyme and mushrooms. Mix well, pop on the lid and simmer for 10 minutes or so until everything is soft. Add the tomatoes, beans, smoked paprika, salt and pepper and simmer for a few minutes.Meanwhile, cut the cooled potatoes into thin slices.
Transfer the mix into an oven proof dish if needed. Season with salt and pepper, then layer the slices of potatoes over the top until its all covered. I dotted the top of the potato with some dairy free spread to help brown the top. Place in the over and bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the bake bubbling underneath. Leave to cool for a couple of minutes, then serve with broccoli or any green veg of choice and feel your self being hugged warm by the rich, yummy flavours!

Fabulous Falafels

I may have mentioned it before - I love chickpeas! An amazingly versatile pulse, chickpeas can be used in so many different dishes, starring in it's own right or as a replacement for something less healthy. They can be served whole, mashed, blended or ground, absorb other flavours or stand out with their own deep, rustic taste. Dairy free and free from most things people tend to be allergic or intolerant to, chickpeas are packed with nutrients, protein and fibre.

Also known a garbanzo beans, chickpeas are a great protein source for people eating a plant based wholefood diet, or just trying to cut down on their meat intake. Low in fat (and cholesterol free), chickpeas are 23% protein, that's better than many meat products. It is however, not a complete protein, low in one of the essential amino acids. To counterbalance this, however, they can be combined with whole wheat or rice to create a complete protein packed meal, without all the added extras found with meat - saturated fat, cholesterol, antibiotics etc.
Falafels are one off my favourite chickpea dishes. So simple to make, these small patties are a taste sensation, packed with flavour and healthy goodies. My kids love them too, and they make a great mid week meal combined with wholewheat pitta breads (or flatbread) and salad. Before we moved to India, I always used to buy ready made falafels. Once in India, there were no falafels to be seen so I made my own. And once I realised quite how easy they are, ready made ones just don't quite seem the same any more!
Flavouring is the key to a good falafel - the spices should be tasted but not overpowering and they really do need salt. If you have a gluten intolerance, then chickpea flour works brilliantly instead of wholewheat flour, if you can find it. Called gram or besan flour in India it's supposed to be quite easy to make by grinding dried chickpeas in food processer. I've not tried it yet myself as it was available in every grocery store in India; I'm hoping to find it in an Asian grocery store now we're back in the UK. The falafel mix needs to be quite dry, so you may need to add a little more flour during processing. I use fresh coriander as well as dried, but you can use parsley if it's easier to find, but it gives it a different flavour.
My falafels always end up a bit flat as I shallow fry them in a small amount of oil. Round falafels have to be deep fried, and so of course end up with a higher fat content.
Fabulous falafels

350g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight or a 410g tin.
1 onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
handful of fresh coriander, including stems roughly chopped
1 tspoon ground cumin
1 tspoon ground coriander
1/2 tspoon chilli powder
2 tablespoon wholewheat flour
salt to taste
2 tablespoons of oil
If you have soaked chickpeas, cook them in a pressure cooker for about 4 whistles. Leave to cool.
Drain chickpeas (cooked or tinned) and dry off with kitchen roll. Place in a food processor with all the other ingredients except for the oil and blend until smooth(ish) - if you like texture, or more rustic falafels, don't over blend. Coat hands with flour, take out a spoonful of mixture and form into a round, flatish pattie. Put on a plate. This amount makes around 12 balls. Cover the plate with clingfilm and place in the fridge for 30 minutes or so, or until you're ready to cook them.
To cook, heat the oil in a large frying pan or skillet and fry the falafels on both sides until brown. I tend to cook on a higher heat to start, then lower the flame to allow the falafel to cook all the way through. Serve straight away in warmed pitta bread with mayo and salad. Enjoy!

Junking our health?

There are an increasing number of studies being published that relate health to diet. Recently, one suggests there is evidence showing that fast food caused asthma and other allergic conditions http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21009654
This study is related to an ongoing international research programme into asthma and allergies in childhood. It concludes that those children who eat fast food more than three times a week have up to a 39% increase in allergic conditions. Those who ate fresh fruit 3 times a week or more cut the risk of asthma and allergies by 11% or more.

For me, this study is interesting as it points to a causal relationship between the food we put in our bodies and our health - chronic conditions that require medication and can be life threatening are being created by poor diets. And the fact that such a small amount of fruit a week can make a positive difference is staggering - how much more if fresh produce was consumed in abundance?
The problem with research studies such as these, or any medical research really, is they never give firm 'proof', it's all incidental. There will always be those few who eat junk food all their lives and never suffer any ill effects, same as those who can smoke 20 cigarettes a day and not suffer from lung cancer or other respiratory disease. But this study is big - 500,000 children in 50 countries, so it's pretty persuasive.
In todays Western diet, many children and adults eat junk food a lot more than 3 times a week. And chronic health problems including obesity, diabetes, asthma, heart disease to name a few continue to increase. So will this information change anything? Sadly, probably not. Whilst there are medicines to 'manage' these diseases, there's not much incentive to really get to the root of the problem. And fast food is such big business is it really going to harm them? Probably not.
Hopefully, though, some will listen up and make a change. Asthma and allergies can be debilitating at any age, but in children it always seems so much worse. The medications and treatments can be unpleasant in themselves with their own potential side effects, and it's pretty scary rushing a child to hospital with an asthma attack in the middle of the night.
For us, we've realised that dairy has a definite causal link to my son's asthma, something we've only just discovered (but that's another posting). Fortunately, he's of an age where he can make his own conclusions and is willing to try alternatives. So hopefully now we can keep him off dairy, off the meds and wheeze free. Lots more fruit and veg for him!

Green goodies

There's a lovely little organic grocery store close to home. Buying fresh organic produce is quite a challenge here in Bangalore, partly because demand hasn't been particularly high and I think because a lot of the farms have been replaced by concrete as the city rapidly expands at the edges. The weather also plays a massive role in the quality and quantity of goods available; the summer months were too hot and the produce suffered greatly.
Delivery day is Friday afternoon and I have finally sussed the time to go; yesterday the baskets were stacked high with glorious green leaves, herbs, fresh brightly blushing tomatoes, massive fresh carrots and even bunches of perky celery. So often, celery, if available at all, lies on the shelf sad and stringy, wilted from lack of water and impossible to eat. I packed my basket high with fresh goodies, and returned home, mouth watering and mind overflowing with ideas for tea.
Out of all the food items that are difficult to come by here, the one thing I crave more than anything else  (including chocolate!) is greens. It must be my body telling me it needs more B vitamins! So last night, the green veg won and I knocked up a incredibly easy couscous salad heaped with greens and herbs.
On the scale of healthy wholefoods, couscous doesn't rate too well. Actually a form of semolina derived from wheat, it's steamed and then dried, forming little granules. No good for those who are gluten-free. It only takes 5 minutes to prepare, so it must be pretty well processed; this removes much of the beneficial vitamins and minerals available in the wheat germ, but it is still a good source of selenium (43mcg) and potassium and pretty low in fat, so not bad really. Quinoa or brown rice would be healthier options.

So what went in to the salad? First, I prepared the couscous according to the packet instructions - added boiling water, a pinch of salt, covered the bowl and left it alone for 5 minutes. Once cooled, it needed fluffing up with a fork then combined with lightly steamed broccoli and green beans, mint, coriander, beetroot leaves, cucumber and spring onions for the greens. For a little sweetness, I added some dried apricots and finished it off with some sliced almonds for an extra crunch and a dash of extra virgin olive oil. Seriously yummy! Oh, by the way, beetroot leaves are one of the best sources of beta-carotene, the precursor to vitamin A and so excellent for eye health.

Sacks of dried fruit and nuts - Kashmir

Dried fruit can be a problem for some people with a food allergy or intolerance, due to the sulphites added as a preservative - it's not used in organic products which is why they tend to be a darker brown/orange colour, and not so appealing. Dried apricots tend to have the highest levels of sulphites and can give rise to asthma or other respiratory problems.
The apricots and almonds I used come from Kashmir; I bought them from a market stall on a trip to Srinigar back in June and they are incredible. The fruit in Kashmir is amazing - deeply flavour apricots, peaches, cherries; tree fruits you just can't buy down in Southern India. The intensity and sweetness just burst onto the tongue and I was like a little kid in a sweet shop so excited to find these natural goodies. The dried apricots are equally intense in flavour and sweetness, and are dried naturally out in the sun, no additive required. Eating them in the salad brought back great memories of an amazing trip, so feeding my soul as well as my body!

Cocoloco

I love coconut. My love affair with that wonderful deep, sweet flavour started with my first Bounty bar and has continued ever since. In the days when I consumed milk, I would always chose coconut ice cream or frappe, or anything coconut flavoured, unless strawberry was on offer. Living in South India is ideal for me as coconuts are everywhere! It's a key ingredient in local dishes, and of course it's dairy free.

Coconut, and coconut trees, have so many different uses. According to The Coconut Research Centre, about one third of the world's population rely on coconut to some extent for food or income. The insides of coconuts are used in cooking, for health and skincare, but the shell, leaves and wood from the tree all have different uses too. The compound I live in has a whole area dotted with trees which provide lovely shady areas and a batch of highly sought after nuts. Some even grow in peoples garden, which can actually be quite hazardous as if the nuts fall before they can be harvested, they will damage your roof and certainly your head if one lands on you. There are many internet claims that falling coconuts kill 10 times more people a year than sharks (150) but I don't think there are any solid statistics.

According to legend, coconuts, or coco nucifera, were given their name by 15^th century explorers. The brown fibrous outer shell with three indentations were said to remind them of a monkey’s face (coco). Nucifera means “milk bearing”.  The mature nut is protected by a dense fibrous husk, 2-3 cms thick, which can be quite challenging to open up. There are machines which will open your nut and remove the meat inside, but I prefer to use the unusual kitchen tools of hammer and screwdriver or smash them outside onto the paving - great stress remover!

In India, coconut is consumed at two different stages of maturity - tender coconuts, young green nuts that are sold by street vendors for the water inside, and the mature, brown husk covered nut that are more familiar in Western countries, often found on the coconut shy at a summer fete. It's the meat from the mature nut that is used to make coconut milk - the milk doesn't come from the fluid inside but the flesh, or meat, which is scraped out, ground and then strained to extract the white fluid. Due to its fat content, when put in the fridge, the milk separates with a thinner milk lying underneath and a top layer of cream. 
If you can't get your hands on a tin of coconut milk, or prefer to make your own fresh, it's really easy. All you need break open a coconut and remove the flesh with a sharp knife - a thin brown layer of husk will come out too but that's ok. Grind some of the meat - fill the grinder about half full. When all finely chopped up, add half a cup of warm water and grind again until the coconut is all mixed up with the water. Pass this through a fine sieve or muslin cloth (or fine weave tea towel) and squeeze out as much milk as you can. Put the fibre back into the grinder and add a bit more water and repeat the process, just to get as much milk out as possible. Once fully squeezed, discard the fibre - you could use it for a facial scrub I guess (not tried that out tho').

Coconut meat, and therefore the milk, does have quite a high fat content (27g per 100g), but it's a mixture of saturated, mono-unsaturated and omega 6 fatty acids. There is no cholesterol though, as this is only found in animal fats. Fat in coconut is in the form of medium chain fatty acids; these are easier to break down and can actually help reduce cholesterol levels. Lauric acid is the main fatty acid in the chain, a fantastic immune booster and an anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial agent.

Coconut meat is also great for the digestion as it’s high in fibre and can help reduce constipation, flatulence and stomach ulcers and can help stabilise blood sugar levels. It’s also a natural source of iodine and therefore can help support thyroid function as well as protect the body against cancer, osteoporosis and pancreatic disorders.

You can buy dried coconut milk powder but beware if you have a milk allergy as most of the brands I have seen also contain dried dairy milk. The freeze drying process would also knock out most of the nutritional benefits as well, so I would avoid those if at all possible. Wholefood and raw food diets advocate using fresh ground coconut as a fat or oil replacement as you can all the benefits, including the fibre, without needing to add extra oil. Try this South East Asian style salad and see what you think, although not if you have a peanut allergy!

Cucumber salad with peanuts and coconut (serves 4 big portions)
1 -2 cucumbers, depending where you live - one long English style or 2 shorter Indian style
3-4 tablespoons fresh grated coconut
3-4 tablespoons roasted peanuts (unsalted) crushed
juice 1/2 lime
salt to taste
finely chopped green chillis - depending on how hot you like it
dash of jaggery, or raw brown sugar
chopped fresh coriander
Mix all the ingredients except coriander together, adjusting the sugar, lime and salt to taste and garnish with the coriander.
Enjoy!