Reverse polarity

Last week I had an encounter that left me feeling exhausted, very upset and hurt. I apologised at the time (apology not accepted), but still felt attacked and worried. It’s far too involved to tell you the whole story, so suffice it to say that when I’m overwhelmed by negativity - my own or someone else’s - I try to counterbalance it with positive thoughts and actions, so I:

Do something to make someone else happy: this is one sure way to make yourself feel happy and worthwhile. Even simple chores around the house can help raise spirits; make a pot of tea, take out the garbage or strip and make the bed really well smoothing out all the wrinkles – better still, change the sheets.

Think about something else. A natural reaction is to go over and over the argument, thinking up the ‘right’ responses. There probably were no ‘right’ responses, and anyway it’s too late now. We all have so much to be grateful for – as the saying goes ‘don’t sweat the small stuff’ – so rather dwell on something (or someone) that makes you happy.

Forgive everything. No-one knows what is truly happening in anyone else’s life, so this incident was probably the ‘straw that broke the camel’s back’. Be forgiving, because holding on to anger and resentment never helped anyone – you just wander around with a thundercloud over your head and, believe it or not, others can see and feel it, and will want to avoid it. And you.

Put on a happy face. We don’t always feel happy, but putting on a happy face really can improve how we feel – and it makes life a lot more pleasant for everyone else, too. I’m not saying that nobody should ever be sad or anxious or feel bereft – we will all feel these emotions at some time in our lives – but make sure the tears you shed are for a worthy cause.

Cook. If all else fails, the kitchen is the place to be. Take out aggression by chopping and chopping and chopping! Bang the pots around. Slam the cupboard doors. It’s amazing how silly you’ll feel, behaving like this – and does it solve any problems? No… not unless the ‘problem’ was dinner!

Don’t take yourself too seriously. No one else will. And remember, however bad a situation is, it is going to change. Maybe as soon as tomorrow.

Spinach and beans : Wk44/5

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
±400gm tin cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 slice bread, crumbed
4 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
45ml water
30gm small seedless raisins
500gm baby spinach
2 Tblsp pumpkin seeds
4 herb muffins

Method
Spray a large lidded frying pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Gently dry fry the onions and garlic until the onion softens.
Add the cumin and paprika and fry until fragrant.

Stir in the beans, tomatoes, raisins and bread crumbs.
Add the water.
Pile the spinach on top, cover with a lid and simmer until the spinach has wilted.
Fold the spinach through the bean mixture.

Divide between 4 warmed bowls and top with the pumpkin seeda.
Serve with warmed herby muffins.

Link to .pdf files for Week 45 and Review (5)

Go here for the recipes and shopping list for Week 45.

And, in case you missed them, here are the links for recipes and shopping lists for weeks 17 - 20:
Week 17

Week 18

Week 19

Week 20

Chicken in cider : Wk44/4

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
4 skinless chicken breast fillets, cut through sideways
1 onion, sliced
3 stalks celery, sliced
250ml cider (or apple juice)
250ml chicken stock
3 carrots, halved and sliced
2 turnips, small dice
1 red pepper, sliced
2 green apples, cored and sliced
200gm frozen peas

480gm potatoes
¼ cup fat free milk
Method
Cook the potatoes in lightly salted water.
Drain well and then mash.
Beat in the milk.
Keep warm.

Spray a wide lidded pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the chicken pieces for about 5 minutes to seal.
Add the onion and celery to the pan and cook for another 2 minutes.
Pour in the stock and cider (or apple juice).
Tip in the carrots, turnip and red pepper and stir.
Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and put the lid on.
Simmer for 15 minutes.

Now add the apple slices and the peas and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Divide the mashed potato between 4 warmed plates.
Put 2 pieces of chicken breast on each plate and then serve the vegetables.

Micro-minerals : Chromium

Micro-minerals, like minerals, are organic elements present in the soil. Plants absorb them from their growth medium. We need even smaller amounts of each micro-mineral in our diet, but they are just as essential to maintain all nerve and muscle function, teeth, bones and body cells. Micro-minerals are insoluble in water and need to be bonded with a soluble compound before they can be properly utilised. That is why foods are the very best sources.

Functions of Chromium:

• Insulin function
• Glucose metabolism
• Maintain normal blood sugar levels
• Maintain blood pressure
• Promote brain function

Sources of Chromium:

• Corn oil
• Clams and oysters
• Whole grains
• Dairy
• Eggs
• Legumes
• Cheese
• Yeast
• Apples, bananas, oranges and grapes
• Brown rice
• Dark green and leafy veg
• Dried beans

Deficiency symptoms:

• Impaired growth
• High blood sugar levels
• High cholesterol
• Glucose intolerance

Supplements are usually unnecessary provided the diet includes plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. Always check with your doctor before taking supplements of any kind. An excess of any vitamin, mineral or micro-mineral can have unpleasant side effects.

 

Spicy veg : Wk44/3

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
1 tsp oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 Tblsp tomato paste
1 cup veg stock
300gm cauliflower florets
300gm carrots, thick julienne
200gm courgettes, sliced
1 yellow pepper. sliced
4 tomatoes , chopped
1 x 400gm butter beans, rinsed and drained
3 Tblsp chopped coriander

Method
Fry the onion and garlic in the oil until the onion softens.
Add the spices and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
Tip in the carrots, cauli and pepper.
Stir well to coat in the spices.
Pour in the stock.
Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

Now add the courgettes, tomatoes and butter beans and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Stir through the chopped coriander.

Serve garnished with coriander sprigs.

You can use any beans in this recipe – cannellini beans, chickpeas.
I served mine with warmed naan breads, but you could use rice, quinoa or couscous.
 

Prawn noodles : Wk44/2

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
2 large carrots, julienne
200gm broccoli florets
100gm mange tout, sliced diagonally
8 baby sweetcorn, quartered lengthways
100gm green beans, cut in 3cm lengths
24 medium prawns, cleaned and deveined
3 x 75gm packs 2 minute noodles, broken up
2 Tblsp dry sherry
3 Tblsp low salt soya sauce
1 tsp grated ginger
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 spring onions, sliced
2 Tblsp sesame seeds

Method
In a small bowl, combine the sherry, ginger, soy and garlic.
Set aside.

Bring 2 cups of water to a rolling boil.
Cook the carrots, broccoli, sweetcorn, mange tout and green beans for 5 minutes.
Remove the veg from the saucepan to a plate using a slotted spoon.
Drop the prawns into the water and cook until they turn pink – about 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove the prawns to the veg plate using a slotted spoon.

Cook the noodles in the remaining water for 2 minutes.
Drain and return to the pan, adding the sherry/soy sauce.
Tip in the prawns and cooked veg.
Give everything a good stir and allow to heat through again.

Serve garnished with the sesame seeds and spring onions.

Price watch

I seldom go from shop to shop looking for the ‘best’ prices on food stuffs. By the time I’ve rushed around using extra petrol and parking meters, any potential savings have been spent anyway. Plus I really don’t have the time. I generally shop at my local supermarket (Pick and Pay – our local equivalent to Tescos), only making the occasional foray further afield.

Last week, I spent an hour or so noting down prices on food stuffs that I buy regularly, looking for the best value between the various brands available within the one supermarket. ‘House’ brands are usually the cheapest, but not always. Larger, economy packs sometimes cost the same – or more – than the equivalent weight or quantity in the smaller size packs. It always pays to check the prices – look on the higher and lower shelves, too; the popular - often more expensive - brands are usually at eye-level. I’m afraid I’m very skeptical when things are labeled free-range, organic or omega-3, I don’t know how stringent our local food-regulatory body is.

Eggs – ½ dozen ‘house’ brand, extra large R8.49 (R1.42 ea); these were the cheapest at Pick and Pay, and an egg is an egg is an egg, right? Branded ‘free range’, large were R8.99 for 6 (R1.50 ea); and the ‘Omega-3’ were R11.99 for 6 (R2.00 ea). There is – supposedly – three times as much omega-3 in omega-3 eggs as there is in regular eggs, but is the price difference really justified? Last night, I found 18 free-range eggs at R20.92 (R1.16 ea) on ‘card-holder’s’ 10% discount at Woolworths – even at the non-discounted price they worked out to R1.29 ea.

Whole grain pasta – 1 kilogram branded product started at R23.18 and rose quite alarmingly from there. The house brand started at R15.18. If you want to take a trip to your nearest Fruit and Veg city, they have 3 x 400gm packs of pasta for R20 – but these are not whole grain products, admittedly. A serving of pasta is 60gm (dried), so the cost per serving is 91c (whole grain, house brand), 99c (white), or R1.39 (branded whole grain).

Canned tuna in brine – 170gm, shredded, R7.99: 170gm, chunks, R10.99: 425gm, chunks, R23.99.
If you’re making tuna and mayo sandwiches then obviously the shredded is the cheapest, but if you want to make a salad or fish cakes the chunky is a better choice. In this case, the larger can works out 40c cheaper by equivalent weight. But then don’t forget the humble pilchard; served with a salad, mashed on toast or made into very tasty fish cakes, pilchards are an excellent choice at R11.99 for 400gm.

Legumes – 400gm branded baked beans – just R4.99, a good, high-fibre breakfast or lunch for 2; or add sliced banana for an interestingly different salad that kids will love. By and large, dried beans are far cheaper than the cooked canned varieties. I found dried lentils at R23.99 for 500gm, but R7.49 for a 400gm can. Lentils triple their weight when cooked, so a 500gm packet of the dried will give you 1.5 kilograms when cooked, without the added weight of the canning liquid (±160gm). 240gm drained, canned lentils cost R31.20 per kilo, but you can cook your own from dried at a cost of R8 per kilo – just over ¼ of the price! Lentils, barley and split peas require no overnight soaking, and cook very quickly.

Fruit and vegetable prices vary radically by season. Very often the frozen brands are less expensive than fresh or canned, all year round. Nutritionally speaking, there is not that much difference between the three. Personally, I will always buy fresh – the flavour is so much better, I under- rather than over-cook them, and there is less in the way of additives (specially salt/sugar). If you buy canned, choose fruits in their own juice not syrup.

Here's an example of the bigger package costing more:
5 Roses tea bags - 100 (+ 2 extra free) cost R20.49: the 200 bag box (no free extras) costs R43.99. Doesn't make sense to me.



Oh, by the way, the exchange rate varies daily, but you can take  R11 to £1 and R7 to $1 as a rough guide.

Sweet sour chicken : Wk44/1

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
3 skinless chicken breast fillets, cut into bite-sized pieces
12 pitted green olives, halved
6 pickled garlic cloves sliced
1 x 400gm tin chopped tomatoes with onions
6 sweet & sour peppadews (bottled), sliced
½ yellow pepper, sliced
2 Tblsp finely chopped basil

240gm rice
2tsp chicken stock powder
1 head broccoli, broken into florets
4 courgettes, quartered lengthways

Method
Cook the rice in water to which you have added the chicken stock powder.
Once cooked, drain and keep warm.

Boil, steam or microwave the broccoli and courgettes until tender.
Drain and keep warm.

Spray a saucepan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the chicken pieces until they are sealed and starting to brown.
Tip the chopped tomatoes and onions into the pan.
Add the garlic, peppadews, olives and yellow pepper.
Cook, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has reduced and thickened.
Stir through the basil.

Serve with the rice and steamed broccoli and courgettes.

The sweetness of the pepperdews and the sharpness of the pickled garlic give this dish an unusual flavour. Don’t be afraid of using this much pickled garlic, it is really not garlicky.

Minimize the mess

Nothing beats a home cooked meal. It’s freshly prepared with care and consideration for family health and personal preferences.

Some people say they hate to cook, but I think what they really hate is the clean-up required afterwards. I’m not a great fan, myself, but I’ve found the best way to handle the clean-up operation is to tackle it as I go along.

I usually head out to the kitchen at about 17:45 – of course, a lot earlier, I had already taken out of the deep freeze anything that needed to thaw. Placemats, serviettes, cutlery and condiments go on the table. I fill the sink with hot water. I wash my hands and wipe down all the counters. Then, recipe in hand (or brain), I get out the other ingredients I need.

I peel, clean and chop any vegetables and fresh herbs I’m going to need, and the rest goes back in the fridge. I measure out spices and herbs, rice, couscous, pasta – either directly into a pot, or into small dishes – and then put any remainders away. All I have on the counter now are the ingredients I am actually going to cook, lined up in the order I’m going to use them. Organization like this takes very little effort, and means that the onions don’t burn while I’m looking for the curry paste.

Now the actual cooking begins, and when I have some free time – while everything is simmering away nicely – I warm the dinner plates and rinse off any little dishes, kitchen knives and chopping boards I’ve used and stack them in the dishwasher or drainer. I wipe up any spills and splashes as they happen.

Cooking healthy portion sizes means that once I’ve dished up there are no leftovers, so I can immediately fill any saucepans I’ve used with cold water. Cold water helps release the starch and makes the pots much easier to clean.

Time for dinner, with some pleasant conversation and a glass of wine.

I rinse off the dinner plates and cutlery and stack in the dishwasher. I always wash my pots by hand – they take up too much space in the dishwasher – but this is quick and easy to do since they have been soaking in cold water. I wipe down the surfaces again, and it’s time to relax. Total time spent on preparation, cooking, eating and clean-up – 60 minutes, maximum.

It takes at least that long to order a take-away, wait for the delivery guy, eat and clear up; a take-away is less healthy and more expensive. And I bet you didn’t do anything important while you were waiting!

Tomato and mushroom penne : Wk43/5

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
1 x 400gm tin chopped tomato and onion
250gm button mushrooms, sliced
1 – 2 Tblsp sweet chilli sauce (optional)
2 Tblsp finely chopped basil

320gm penne pasta

Method
Cook the pasta in plenty of lightly salted boiling water until al dente.
Drain and keep warm.

Place the tomato/onion mix in a small pan.
Add the sliced mushrooms and simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes.
Stir the basil and sweet chilli sauce through the tomatoes and mushrooms.

Toss the pasta and sauce together.

Serve with plenty of fresh salad and grated parmesan if desired.

This is another very quick, very easy emergency meal, requiring minimal attention.

Link to .pdf files for Week 44 & Review (4)

Go here for the recipes and shopping list for Week 44.

And, in case you missed them, here are the links for recipes and shopping lists for weeks 13 - 16:
Week 13

Week 14

Week 15

Week 16

 

All-in-one salad meal : Wk43/4

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
3 large handfuls mixed salad leaves
2 handfuls watercress & rocket
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
5cm cucumber, sliced
1 yellow pepper, cut in strips
6 white mushrooms, sliced
12 green olives
Small handful croutons
±40gm low fat feta cheese, crumbled
2 Tblsp pumpkin seeds
2 Tblsp sunflower seeds
2 Tblsp broken cashew nuts
2 Tblsp slivered almonds

Method
Arrange everything in layers, using a large, wide bowl.

Serve with a simple dressing of balsamic vinegar and olive oil, or a low fat commercial salad dressing, and crusty bread or rolls.


Everything you need is in this salad, but I served mine with sliced avocado, smoked chicken and ham.

Micro-minerals : Copper

Micro-minerals, like minerals, are organic elements present in the soil. Plants absorb them from their growth medium. We need very small amounts of each micro-mineral in our diet, but they are just as essential to maintain all nerve and muscle function, teeth, bones and body cells as all the other nutrients. Micro-minerals are insoluble in water and need to be bonded with a soluble compound before they can be properly utilised. That is why foods are the very best sources.

Functions of Copper:

• Required for iron absorption
• Needed for haemoglobin production
• Helps with nerve transmission
• Transfers oxygen to muscles
• Aids in the production of melanin (skin and hair colouration)
• Essential for the production of collagen (bones) and elastin (skin)
• Involved in immune function
• Anti-oxidant
• Prevents hypothyroidism
• Protects myelin sheaths around nerves

Sources of Copper:

• Liver
• Shellfish
• Whole grains
• Legumes
• Poultry
• Nuts and seeds
• Tofu
• Yeast
• Vegetables and fruits

Deficiency symptoms:

• Osteoporosis
• Growth retardation
• Bone formation abnormalities
• Hair loss
• Fragile blood vessels
• Fatigue
• Skin sores
• Anemia
• Lack of taste sensation
• Increased risk of heart disease

 

Supplements are unnecessary provided the diet includes plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. Always check with your doctor before taking supplements of any kind. An excess of any vitamin, mineral or micro-mineral can have unpleasant side effects.

 

 

Mini falafels : Wk43/3

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
1 x 400gm can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 Tblsp fresh chopped parsley
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chilli paste
2 Tblsp plain flour

2 large tomatoes, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 avocado, chopped
100gm baby spinach
4 sweetcorn cobs

Method
Combine the chickpeas, garlic, parsley, spices and flour.
Blitz with a hand blender or food processor.
Take dessertspoons full of the paste, and shape into patties. (about 20)

Make the salsa by combining the tomato, onion and avo.
(Dress the salsa with 1 Tblsp each of balsamic vinegar and olive oil, if you like.)
Boil, steam or microwave the sweetcorn in lightly salted boiling water.
Drain and keep warm.

Spray a large frying pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the falafels until lightly browned and heated through.

Serve the falafels with the sweetcorn, raw baby spinach and salsa.


Sweet chilli sauce is good with this, for dipping.

Salmon pesto pasta : Wk43/2

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
240gm pasta shapes – penne, rigatoni, conchigli
1 x 340gm can pink salmon in brine
4 – 6 courgettes, grated
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp chilli paste
2 Tblsp basil pesto
Grated rind of 1 lemon

125gm fat free smooth cottage cheese

Extra pesto to garnish

Method
Cook the pasta in plenty of lightly salted boiling water until al dente.
Drain, retaining about 2 Tblsp of the cooking water.
Return to the pan with the reserved water and the grated courgettes.
Cover with a lid and simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir through the garlic, chilli paste, pesto and lemon rind.
Flake and fold in the salmon and about ½ of the brine.

Remove from the heat.
Stir in the cottage cheese.

Serve immediately, garnished with extra pesto if desired.


This is a great ‘stand-by store cupboard’ recipe. Very quick to prepare. Serve with a fresh salad, if you have the time, ingredients and energy!

Chewing the fat

I always advocate using low-fat and no-fat dairy products, cutting all visible fat off meat before cooking and I very seldom use oil in my recipes. But even using these measures, there is still adequate fat in my diet. For our health we need to eat fats, and there are risks associated with not getting enough.

From previous posts on vitamins, a while ago now, you may remember that vitamins A, D, E and K are all fat-soluble vitamins. This means that unless you have fats available from the foods you eat your body cannot absorb and utilize these vitamins. They are important for your immune system; for growth and repair; for your bones, teeth and hair; for your skin; for all your body cells.

If we don’t eat enough fats, chances are we are over-eating from other food groups, most likely starches and protein. This affects the balance of nutrients you get which can have a negative impact on health. High starch consumption increases appetite and invariably your waistline, and excess weight can lead to type-2 diabetes, while a high protein diet strains the liver and kidneys which can lead to osteoporosis.

We need fats to maintain our HDL cholesterol level – this is the friendly cholesterol that helps keep the unfriendly LDL in check and helps prevent heart disease. Essential fatty acids – specially Omega-3s – can raise HDL levels.

Insufficient dietary fats can cause depression, and make you more susceptible to stress, too. Omega-3s and Omega-6s are important for proper, regulated brain function because they insulate the nerve cells and improve nerve transmission.

Don’t cut out fats altogether; just cut back on saturated fats. The fats we eat should be mono-unsaturated and poly-unsaturated fats and these are readily available in vegetable oils, vegetables such as avocado pears, eggs (Omega-3 eggs contain up to three times the Omega-3s found in regular eggs), cold water fish, shell fish, nuts and seeds.

And you can re-read last Friday’s post to see how much is enough when it comes to fat.

Breaded chicken : Wk43/1

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
4 skinless chicken breast fillets

1 x 400gm can chopped tomato and onion
1 – 2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp balsamic vinegar

2 slc wholewheat bread, crumbed
1 tsp dried mixed herbs

350gm broad beans – frozen, fresh or canned
480gm new potatoes, halved

Fresh chopped parsley

Method
Heat the oven to 200ºC.
Mix the tomato and onion, the garlic and balsamic vinegar together in a bowl.
In another bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and dried herbs.

Spray a large over-proof dish or grill pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Split the chicken breasts and open each one out like a book.
Place the breasts in the dish or pan in a single layer.

Spread the tomato mix over the chicken pieces.
Press the breadcrumbs on top of the tomato.
Bake at 200ºC for 20 – 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in lightly salted boiling water until tender.
Drain and keep warm.
Cook the broad beans according to type – fresh, frozen or canned.
Drain and keep warm.

Serve the breaded chicken garnished with chopped parsley.

All in the mind

Forget the visible, offensive bulges of unwanted fat on your body, and start your eating-for-health plan by concentrating on the mass between your ears, behind your eyes and above your mouth. Yes, I’m talking about your knowing and knowledgeable brain.

Let’s look at what we know, and check whether we have our facts straight.

‘A kilojoule is a kilojoule / A calorie is a calorie’.
Is this true? I don’t think so. You can follow a calorie/kilojoule restricted diet and not lose weight or get healthy, if they are the wrong kind of calories/kilojoules. 100 calories from fats (butter, margarine, oil, cream, etc) is far more fattening and unhealthy (in my mind) than the same number from protein, vegetables or fruit. There are 4 calories to every gram of carbohydrate or protein, but 9 in every gram of fat! If you’re interested, alcohol has 7 calories per gram. For health, your daily intake of fats should not exceed 30% of your total daily calories; so if you are consuming between 1800 and 2000 calories per day that allows you a maximum of 600 calories from fats, or 65 grams. The problem with fats is that very often they are ‘hidden’; even when they are visible, you don’t realize just how much you are using.

‘Cut out fats, they make you fat’.
Do not eliminate fats completely. We need fats to maintain healthy supple skin and reactive nerves. Rather cut back on the saturated fats and go for the healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated varieties. The only fats to eliminate altogether are trans-fatty acids.

‘To lose weight, you have to go on a diet’.
No, no, no! To lose weight, you need to make healthy food choices – for the rest of your life! And monitor and moderate your portion sizes. Forever. Diets are usually undertaken for a limited time period (you give up or the x-days plan finishes); they are not healthy in the long term, and some of them are very expensive to keep up.

‘To lose weight you have to eat less and exercise more’.
In my own weight loss experience, I actually had to eat more. I had been skipping breakfast, and very often lunch, too, as well as not eating much for supper. Now I eat three meals a day, and snack on fresh fruit if I feel the need – and I have maintained a weight loss of 18kg for over a year. So eat less of the foods you know to be unhealthy and more of the good stuff. Any reader who has been following me for a while knows that I don’t ‘do’ exercise – I run the house, do all the cleaning, washing and ironing and play with my 2 year old grandson in the afternoons, that’s my exercise. But the objective of exercise in a healthy lifestyle is to be fit. Being fit raises the metabolism so that you burn more calories all the time, and not just while you are working out.

‘Sugar is out’.
All foods are digested and converted to saccharide chains, and sugar is no different. It does have a very high GI, so raises blood sugar levels very quickly. Sugar can still be part of a healthy diet, though, just keep consumption low. Keep in mind that continued use of sugar – or sugar substitutes – may well maintain a craving for sweet things.

Did that expose any diet myths, or did you know it all already?

Honey and ginger chicken : Wk42/5

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
8 skinless chicken thighs
1 onion, chopped
2 tsp grated ginger
1 Tblsp runny honey
¼ tsp turmeric
1 cup water

200gm carrots, julienne
200gm parsnips, julienne
480gm potatoes

Chopped parsley, to garnish

Method
Boil, steam or microwave the carrots and parsnips until tender.
(Parsnips cook a lot faster than carrots, so if you want to cook them together, cook the carrots alone for 10 minutes before adding the parsnips.)
Drain and keep warm.
Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water until soft.
Drain well, mash until smooth and keep warm.

Mix together the honey, water and turmeric.
Set aside

Spray a large, lidded frying pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the chicken pieces until sealed and lightly coloured.
Add the onion and ginger and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.

Now pour in the liquid.
Cover with a lid and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
Remove the lid for the last 5 minutes to allow the sauce to reduce a little.

Serve 2 thighs per person, with the mash and vegetables on the side.
Spoon the sauce over the potatoes and garnish generously with parsley.

Link to .pdf files for Week 43 and Review (3)

Go here for the recipes and shopping list for Week 43.

 And, in case you missed them, here are the links for recipes and shopping lists for weeks 9-12:

Week 9

Week 10

Week 11

Week 12

Haddock rarebit :Wk42/4

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quickish

Ingredients
450gms smoked haddock fillets
400gm spinach, coarsely chopped
300gm cherry tomatoes, halved

500ml fat free milk
100gm fat reduced cheddar, grated
2 Tblsp cornflour
2 Tblsp wholegrain mustard

Method
Heat the oven to 180ºC.

Make a cheese sauce using the milk, cornflour and nearly all the cheese.
Stir in the mustard.

Spray a large oven-proof dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Cover the base of the dish with the tomato halves.
Next, distribute the spinach evenly over the tomatoes.
Lay the fish pieces on top of the spinach.
Pour over the cheese sauce, spreading with a spoon so that everything is covered.
Sprinkle on the remaining cheese.

Bake for 35 – 40 minutes until the fish flakes easily.
Brown under the grill if necessary.

Serve with crusty bread, if desired.

Micro-minerals : Selenium

Micro-minerals are organic elements present in the soil. Plants absorb them from their growth medium. We need very small amounts of each micro-mineral in our diet, but they are just as essential as macro-minerals to maintain all nerve and muscle function, teeth, bones and body cells. Micro-minerals are insoluble in water and need to be bonded with a soluble compound before they can be properly utilised. That is why foods are the very best sources.

 

Functions of selenium:

• Essential for growth
• Helps thyroid function
• Antioxidant
• Anti-carcinogenic
• Boosts immunity
• Anti-ageing

 Sources of selenium:

• Nuts
• Whole grains
• Fish – especially tuna
• Meat
• Chicken
• Kelp
• Onions and garlic
• Milk

 Deficiency symptoms:

• Premature ageing
• Thyroid problems
• Frequent infections
• Misshapen nails
• Fatigue
• Impotence / infertility
• Loose skin
• Hair and/or skin discolouration
• Elevated blood pressure
• Keshan disease

 People at risk of depleted selenium:

• Smokers
• Alcoholics
• Anyone undergoing high-dose steroid treatment
• Anyone with rheumatoid arthritis

 

Some areas of the world have selenium-deficient soil – notably parts of China, Finland, New Zealand, Africa and the United states. If only local produce is eaten in these areas, deficiency symptoms may occur.

 

Supplements are unnecessary provided the diet includes plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. Always check with your doctor before taking supplements of any kind. An excess of any micro-mineral can have unpleasant side effects.

Stuffed aubergines : Wk42/3

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quickish

Ingredients
2 large aubergines

180gm potatoes
150gm chickpeas
1 onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup fat free milk
Pinch paprika

2 Tblsp fresh breadcrumbs
30gm grated parmesan

Method
Boil the aubergines, in their skins, in plenty of water, for 5 minutes.
Remove from the pan and set aside to cool slightly.
Add the potatoes to the pan and cook for 10 minutes.
Throw in the chickpeas and continue cooking for another 5 – 10 minutes,
or until the potatoes are well cooked.
Drain and mash roughly.

Slice the aubergines in half lengthways.
Scoop out the flesh, leaving a shell about ½ - 1 cm thick.
Chop the scooped out flesh coarsely.

Heat the oven to 200ºC.

Spray a pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the onion and garlic until the onion softens.
Add the chopped aubergine flesh and continue cooking for about 10 minutes.
Add this mixture to the mash, along with the milk, paprika and half the parmesan.

Arrange the aubergine halves in an oven-proof dish in a single layer.
Spoon the mash mixture into the aubergine shells.
Scatter the breadcrumbs and remaining parmesan over the top.
Bake for 30 minutes or until the top begins to brown

Serve one half-shell per person with a green salad on the side.

Thai lemon chicken : Wk42/2

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
4 skinless chicken breast fillets
1 Tblsp dry sherry
1 egg white, beaten
2 Tblsp cornflour
2 tsp grated root ginger
For the sauce:
3 Tblsp lemon juice
2 Tblsp Rose’s lime cordial
2 Tblsp caster sugar
¼ cup water
1 Tblsp cornflour

240gm rice
300gm mange tout
4 spring onions, sliced thinly
Freshly chopped parsley

Method
Cook the rice in lightly salted boiling water until tender.
Drain and keep warm.
Steam the mange tout just enough to heat through.
Keep warm

Lay the chicken in a single layer in a dish.
Mix together the sherry, egg white, ginger and cornflour.
Pour this over the chicken, and turn the pieces to make sure they are covered.
Leave to stand for 15 minutes.
Spray a large pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Gently dry fry the chicken breasts for 15 to 20 minutes until they are cooked through and browned.
Allow to stand for 5 minutes before slicing thickly on the diagonal.

Combine the lemon juice, lime cordial, caster sugar, water and cornflour in a small pan.
Cook until the sauce is thickened and glossy.
Taste for seasoning and sweetness– this sauce is quite tart
Keep warm.

Serve the chicken slices beside the rice and mange tout.
Spoon over the sauce and garnish with the spring onions and parsley.

Healthy foods

Last week I gave you a list of unhealthy foods, so you can fairly safely assume that anything that did not appear on that list is healthy – in moderation, of course. Even healthy foods eaten in excess can cause weight-gain, and we all know that carrying excess weight is unhealthy. Here are my favourite healthy foods:

Vegetables
All brightly coloured vegetables are great as a source of vitamins, minerals and micro-minerals. Yellow through orange through red supply generous amounts of carotene; and get plenty of the dark green and leafy veg, too, as they give us iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium (and more). All vegetables are a good source of fibre, and generally they contain varying amounts of Vitamin A, C and the B group (plus others). Vegetables – boiled, steamed or raw – are low in calories/kilojoules, and it would be difficult to eat ‘too much’, provided you don’t smother them with rich creamy sauces or add excessive amounts of salt.

Fruits
Like vegetables, fruits are full of nutritional goodness, plus they make delicious eating. Bananas, watermelon and dried fruit are high in sugar, so limit consumption of these, otherwise aim for three servings of fruit a day. Fruit is so versatile; use it to top off your muesli or oats, make a smoothie, add it to a green salad, have it as a starter or finish your meal with a (home-made) fruit salad. If you drink commercial fruit juice it’s best to dilute it with an equal amount of water – check the packaging for any added sugars, and make sure that it is 100% pure fruit juice.

Lean chicken, turkey and ostrich
These meats are low in fats and cholesterol – in fact, ostrich has no cholesterol but has a flavour and texture similar to beef, if you have a craving for red meat. Of course, don’t eat the skin no matter how crispy and delicious it looks; better to cook it without the skin in the first place!

Fish
Eating fish two or three times a week can help to lower your risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Fish is low in fats – total and saturated – and a good source of protein. All fish and shellfish contain some omega-3 fatty acids, which are the friendly fats that can increase the body’s production of the ‘good’ cholesterol while lowering the levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol and triglycerides. Mackerel, herring, sardines, tuna, canned salmon and trout have the highest omega-3 content. Keep the cooking method simple – steam, bake, grill or ‘dry-fry’.

Legumes (Pulses)
Legumes are rich in fibre, vitamins, minerals and protein and low in fats. Nutritious, delicious and filling.
Legumes have a low GI which means that the sugars they contain enter the bloodstreams relatively slowly.

Nuts and seeds
Nuts and seeds are between ten and twenty five percent protein. They are good sources of Vitamins B1, B2 and E, as well as calcium, phosphorous, potassium and iron. People who regularly eat nuts show a decreased risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Low fat or fat free dairy produce
Full fat milk is 6% fat, low fat is 2% and fat free is… fat free (almost). Yes, there is a difference to the taste and texture, but one that you can get used to very easily. Low fat and fat free products retain all the nutritional value (and protein) of the full fat version.

Eggs
Although egg yolk has a high cholesterol count, if you have high cholesterol you will do yourself more good by cutting down the total fats you consume than by eliminating eggs from your menu. Eggs are an excellent source of protein and other nutrients; they are inexpensive and easy to prepare.

Now, shall I have an egg or baked beans for lunch?.....

Baked fennel fish : Wk42/1

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quickish

Ingredients
4 hake fillets, skin on
Fish seasoning
2 Tblsp oil
4 fennel bulbs, trimmed & quartered lengthways
1 red pepper, cut in strips
1 yellow pepper, cut in strips
4 large tomatoes, chopped
6 anchovies, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed

480gm potatoes
300gm green beans
Fresh chopped parsley

Method
Heat the oven to 200ºC.

Spray a large oblong pyrex dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Boil the fennel in lightly salted boiling water for about 10 minutes.
Drain well, and arrange in the pyrex dish.

Combine the tomatoes, garlic and anchovies, and pour over the fennel.
Scatter the pepper strips into the pyrex dish.
Drizzle with 1 Tblsp of oil and season with freshly ground black pepper.
Bake for 15 minutes.

Sprinkle the fish with the seasoning and place on top of the veg, skin side up.
Drizzle with remaining oil and return to the oven for another 25 minutes.

While the fish is baking, boil the potatoes until soft.
Drain well, mash and keep warm.
Boil, steam or microwave the beans until cooked, but still crispy.
Drain and keep warm.

Serve the baked fish and vegetables alongside the mashed potatoes and beans.
Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Reviewing (2)…

In case you missed them, here are the links for the recipes and shopping lists for weeks 5 to 8:

 Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Some of the photos are not great – I was using a very old camera. But, after all, it’s the food that counts. I have made, photographed and eaten all these recipes myself – and maintained an 18 kilogram weight loss.

Western curry : Wk41/5

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
6 eggs, hard boiled and shelled
400gm new potatoes cut in medium pieces
1 tsp ea. coriander seeds and cumin seeds
4 cardamom pods
½ tsp ea. ground turmeric and ground ginger
1 tsp chilli paste
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 onions, chopped
2 sticks celery, sliced
150gm green beans, chopped
3 Tblsp tomato paste
250ml fat free yoghurt

Method
Cook the potato and green bean pieces in boiling water for about 10 minutes.
Drain and set aside.

Grind all the spices together in a pestle.
Spray a pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the onion, garlic and celery until they start to soften.
Add the spices and fry for another minute or two.
Now add the chilli paste, tomato paste, the potatoes and green beans.
Allow everything to heat through for a few minutes.
Quarter the hard boiled eggs and gently fold through.

Remove the pan from the heat before stirring in the yoghurt.

Serve with sambaals of chopped tomato and onion, slices of mango or lemon and chutney.

Link to .pdf files for Week 42

Go here for the recipes and shopping list for Week 42.

Fish with tartare sauce : Wk41/4

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
4 hake fillets, skin on
Fish seasoning
480gm new potatoes, quartered
12 cherry tomatoes
Mixed salad leaves
4 sprigs of fennel
4 lemon wedges

1 Tblsp tomato sauce
3 Tblsp low fat mayo
1 gherkin, finely chopped
1 Tblsp capers, chopped
1 Tblsp lemon juice

Method
Mix together the mayo, tomato sauce, gherkin, capers and lemon juice.
Set aside.

Cook the new potatoes in lightly salted boiling water until done.
Drain and keep warm.

Spray a pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Sprinkle the fish with the seasoning.
Dry fry the fish for about 5-8 minutes per side.

Serve the fish with the potatoes, tartare sauce and salad vegetables.

Micro-minerals : Zinc

Micro-minerals, like minerals, are organic elements present in the soil. Plants absorb them from their growth medium. We need even smaller amounts of each micro-mineral in our diet, but they are just as essential to maintain all nerve and muscle function, teeth, bones and body cells. Micro-minerals are insoluble in water and need to be bonded with a soluble compound before they can be properly utilised. That is why foods are the very best sources.

 

Functions of Zinc

• Strengthens the immune system
• Essential for growthRequired for bone and teeth formation
• Alleviates/reduces stress
• Helps with fertility
• Protects DNA
• Necessary for healthy hair and nails

 Sources of Zinc:

• Oysters, lobster, crab
• Oats
• Pumpkin seeds
• Legumes
• Nuts
• Meat
• Dairy produce
• Eggs
• Ginger
• Yeast

 Deficiency symptoms:

• Slow wound healing
• Lack of taste / smell
• Sugar cravings
• Dry skin
• Poor appetite
• Hair loss
• Stretch marks
• Night blindness

  People at risk of depleted zinc:

• Diabetics
• Alcoholics
• People with HIV infection
• Those on a protein restricted diet
• Anyone with digestive problems effecting absorption
• Anyone with liver disease

 

Supplements are unnecessary provided the diet includes plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. Always check with your doctor before taking supplements of any kind. An excess of any mineral – or micro-mineral can have unpleasant side effects.

 

 

Carrot patties : Wk41/3

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quickish

Ingredients
750gm carrots, grated
1 ±400gm can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 onion, quartered
2 Tblsp peanut butter
1 tsp ground cumin
1 egg
3 Tblsp sesame seeds
±80gm dry breadcrumbs

Grated rind from 1 lemon
1 Tblsp lemon juice
3 Tblsp low fat mayo

4 wholewheat rolls

Method
Beat the mayo, lemon juice and rind together.
Set aside.

Put half the grated carrot, the onion, chickpeas, peanut butter, egg and cumin into a food processor.
Blitz to a thick paste.
Stir in the remaining grated carrot and the sesame seeds.
Shape the mixture into 8 patties and coat with the breadcrumbs.

Spray a large frying pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Cook the patties for 5 minutes each side.

Serve 2 patties per person with a wholewheat roll, the lemon mayo and mixed salads.
 

Peasy chicken pie : Wk41/2

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick
Ingredients
400gm skinless chicken breast fillets, cut in chunks
1 onion, sliced
2 sticks celery, sliced
1 cup/ 100gm peas
1 cup/150gm sweet corn kernels
3 Tblsp chopped parsley
200ml chicken stock
1 Tblsp corn flour

400gm potatoes
150gm chickpeas
½ cup milk

Method
Boil the potatoes in lightly salted boiling water until soft.
Drain well and mash together with the chickpeas.
Beat the milk into the potato mix.

Spray a pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Fry the onion and chicken for about 10 minutes until the onion is soft and the chicken is sealed.
Add the celery, peas, sweet corn and stock.
Simmer for 15 minutes, then thicken the gravy with the cornflour.
Tip into a large ovenproof dish.

Spread the mash over the chicken.
Place under the grill until the potato is golden.

Unhealthy foods

Here are some unhealthy foods; how many are you still buying and eating?

Anything with batter or crumbs.I do, occasionally, breadcrumb fish or chicken in my recipes; but then I use fresh breadcrumbs, and I will bake, or fry in a non-stick pan with a no-oil cooking spray. Also, I know what I have added to the breadcrumbs.

Anything that requires deep-frying.
We sometimes have chips, but I only buy the ‘oven’ variety, and I check the food nutrition label for the make with the lowest saturated fat total. I know some people who own – and still use! – deep fat fryers.
The more oil you use to cook with, the more can be absorbed by your food.

Anything processed.
Cold deli meats and processed cheeses contain a lot of saturated fat naturally, which is best avoided. Many cheeses have a lot of added salt – also to be avoided.

Anything refined.
Pastas, white bread, white bagels, white rice – nearly all the roughage and nutrients have been removed, leaving you with just starch.

‘Ready meals’ and store-made salads.
These contain added fats and salts. And sugar.

Pre-chopped vegetables and fruits.
As soon as you cut vegetables and fruits they begin to lose their vitamins and minerals. The longer they are exposed to light and air, the more they lose. How long have they been sitting, pre-shredded, in the supermarket? Very often, this kind of purchase is not good value for money – stir-fry veg are bulked up with the cheapest ingredient, cabbage. Soup packs generally contain onion, potatoes and carrots (all of which I’m sure you already have) and some rather tatty celery. Fruit salads? These are made from the undamaged parts of damaged fruits, so that the supermarket can still make a (huge) profit.

Canned fruit.
Unless the fruit is canned in its own juice, it contains vast amounts of added sugar.

Tinned vegetables.
A lot of salt gets added in the canning process. I use tinned beans, but I always rinse them 3 or 4 times before adding to my dish.

Sugary breakfast cereal.
For one very obvious reason – the added sugar. This type of breakfast will raise your blood sugar level rapidly, with an equally rapid crash. By 10, you’re going to be craving something else sugary. Continual rising and falling blood sugar levels make you irritable and unable to concentrate – to say nothing of the chance of exacerbating diabetes.

Take-aways and fizzy, sugary cold drinks.
Do I need to say why?

I’m not saying never, ever eat these foods; just be aware of their potential threat to your overall health and well being.

Fast food fix : Wk41/1

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
240gm rice
1 egg, beaten
2 rashers lean back bacon, chopped (optional)
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp grated ginger
150gm mushrooms
2 courgettes, julienne
½ red pepper, cut in strips
200gm spinach, roughly chopped
150gm frozen peas
1 Tblsp soy sauce

Method
Cook the rice in lightly salted boiling water until tender.
Drain well and keep warm.

Spray a wok or large frying pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Pour the beaten egg into the wok and allow to set.
Turn out the omelette, roll it up and slice into strips.

Dry fry the bacon in the wok.
Add the garlic and ginger, the mushrooms, courgettes and red pepper.
Add 1-2 Tblsps of water.
Stir fry for about 5 minutes, until the courgettes begin to soften.
Tip in the cooked rice and the frozen peas and mix well.
Pile the spinach on top, cover with a plate or lid, and steam for a further 5 minutes.
Fold the spinach through the rice and sprinkle over the soy sauce.
Fold in the sliced omelette.

Serve with extra soy or teriyaki sauce to taste.

Leave out the bacon for a vegetarian option.

Reviewing (1)…

In case you missed them, here are the links for the first four weeks of recipes and shopping lists:

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Some of the photos are not great – I was using a very old camera. But, after all, it’s the flavour of the food that counts. I have made, photographed and eaten all these recipes myself.

Crispy fishcakes : Wk40/5

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
500gm potatoes
400gm skinless fish fillets
350ml fat free milk
2 tsp wholegrain mustard
3 Tblsp Helman’s low fat mayo
4 spring onions, finely chopped
Grated rind of 1 lemon
3 Tblsp chopped parsley

±60gm plain flour
1 egg, beaten
±80gm dry breadcrumbs

Method
Boil the potatoes in lightly salted boiling water until soft.
Drain well and mash.

Poach the fish in the milk until the flesh flakes easily.
Drain and flake the fish.

Mix the mayo and mustard into the potato.
Stir through the parsley and lemon rind.
Gently fold in the flaked fish.
Shape the mixture into 8 fish cakes.

Dip the fish cakes first in the flour, then in the egg and lastly in the breadcrumbs.

Spray a large pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the fish cakes for about 5 minutes each side until they are crispy and golden.

Serve 2 fish cakes per person with a fresh salad and lemon slices on the side.