This potato salad is the tastiest I've eaten. The potatoes are cooked in Indian spices and then cooled a little and mixed through with chopped fresh cucumber, capsicum, herbs and chilli. I love this with kebabs and the Christmas Salad Downunder. Ingredients for cooking with potatoes 1 Kg new baby potatoes unpeeled and halve the bigger ones 1/2 tsp … [read more]
Fruit and Vegetable diet~ as the basis to or a whole day’s menu
I am intrigued by the varied dietary approaches we have today... vegan, vegetarian, raw, high carbohydrate low fat, low carbohydrate high fat and Paleo style diets. And there is good science for all, which only confuses people even more! But if you look at one theme that connects all approaches, vegetables reign supreme. And especially green raw vegetables such as spinach, watercress, celery, … [read more]
Green Juice
Green juices and green smoothies are a wonderful way to get the goodness and fluid of a lot of green foods rich in chlorophyl and antioxidants and in a very digestible form. Green juices and green smoothies are particularly good for supporting liver detoxification. We can all do with a daily green drink! I love this combination of ingredients. I put just enough apple in to take the edge off the … [read more]
Nut and Fruit bars
This is proving to be one of my most popular snack bars. It is a bar made from toasted nuts and some dried fruits, in this case raisins and the picture shows a bowl of goji berries. These are rich in antioxidants and slightly chewy, very nice. The mixture of coconut oil, almond butter and honey makes for a lovely soft caramel flavour. The only cooking is toasting the nuts so very easy. The bars … [read more]
Smoky chipotle and bean soup
I have been yearning for this soup all week! The rain and cold have arrived and it's definitely feeling time for something that deeply warms and nourishes. The combination of flavours here is OUTSTANDING!! Chipotle chillies are mild and smoky used in Mexican cooking and absolute magic happens with the combination of cumin, ginger, smoked paprika and fresh coriander. Those who have tried this soup … [read more]
Summer greens with herbs and hazelnuts
A few months back in Summer I discovered this gorgeous salad. Herbs and toasted nuts just lift vegetables in such magical ways, which I adore. And the salad can keep well in the fridge so saves you on making lunch the next day- just add some feta cheese, tuna, salmon or smoked chicken. Ingredients for salad 500g Asparagus cut in 2 diagonally 200 g Snow peas / … [read more]
Lentil and Vegetable Soup
Leaves are turning gold and the mornings are darker as we head into Autumn. And after enjoying salads during the Summer months I now start yearning for warming soups at lunchtime. Pumpkins and parsnips are some of the seasonal produce at the Farmers Market in Lyttelton were we shop each week for all our groceries. There are still courgettes and green beans in season, so lovely to combine with the … [read more]
Quinoa Tabbouleh
Tabbouleh salad is a great base for lunch or in a pita pocket bread or to complement a meal of kebabs, tzatziki yoghurt dip and green salad. Usually tabblouleh is made with cous cous or bulghur wheat which are both made from wheat grain. I’m making it here with quiona (pronounces keen-wa) grain. This makes the salad gluten free and suitable for Low FODMAP diets. Quinoa is from South America and … [read more]
Raw Energy Salad
I love salads in Summer and the amazing colour and taste of this one especially. This keeps in the fridge for at least 3 or 4 days and still tastes great. Ingredients ¼ red cabbage 2 raw beetroot 6 small or 3 large carrots Salad dressing e.g French or Balsamic or Pomegranate juice based dressings are all good with this salad. Method Finely slice the cabbage. Grate the … [read more]
Muesli bars
I love the versatility of muesli bars but loathe the commercial ones in the supermarket, which contain damaged ‘trans’ fats and are often loaded with sugar, both of which will only increase inflammation in our body. So here is one I have just made from Dr Libby’s Real Food Kitchen recipe book, which stores nicely in freezer. I get a couple out for breakfast and it sets me up for the day or … [read more]