Kale Chips

Now, I know that these green pieces of crispiness are around everywhere and it was a massive trend about 6 months ago but it's about time to make your own. Store bought is dry and full of bad stuff {surprise surprise}

Kale chips are the easy-peasy-no-hassle to make with only one thing you should worry about. Timing. There have been many a time where I've checked them and thought 'oh, just 1 more minute. I've got time to do this' and poof! Hello big pan of burnt kale chips. Very sad indeed.

Kale is fully packed vitamin and anti-oxident brassica that you want to start eating. If you already eat it, eat more! It's a great source of Iron, Vit K and is fab for cardio vascular support.  There are plenty of types from curly to cavelo negro. Any of the varieties are good for you but the best one for crisps is the curly.

These crisps are a healthy, tangy snack. You get to chose your spice {my preference is cayenne} and it takes all of 6 minutes. Make sure your kale is clean and dry. If the pieces are still wet from washing they won't crisp up and it'll be a waste of time.

I just break off pieces of the leaves and pop onto a baking tray. You kind of want bite size pieces, easy to pop into your mouth! Simply drizzle with oil {I use coconut} and not too much then sprinkle over some chunky salt and your desired spice. Give it all a good mix and make sure the leaves are coated then pop into a pre-heated overn at 190C. Stand by your oven! Do not move, check after 5 minutes and see how crispy they are. If at all they go brown, take them out immediately. It really is a case of 'take your eye of the ball and you lose'.

One last summer salad

With the 1st of Setpember came rain, wind and my mind wandering to sunnier climes. Can I cope in this climate for the next 6months? Will my feet cope with constantly being wet and cold and my body with the shivers?

Luckily enough, I managed to escape for a few days, to lands filled with golden sunshine and white beaches and although I feel invigorated I'm now back in the midst of storms, mist and rain.

This salad is a hommage to the last of the summer days. I'm quietly praying for an Indian Summer to come bounding into Ireland but if not, this is my last dish.

Beetroot is one of my favourite veggies of all time. I love how it leaves a reminder that it's been near you with it's purpley pink hue. I never wear gloves. I'm one of those people that love having something put their mark on me. As we all know veggies that are vibrant are better for us. This root veggie is great for improving stamina and contains vitamins such as potassium, magnesium and iron. Research has proven that beetroot can actually lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes due to the amount of nitrates it contains. Nitrates produce a gas called nitric oxide in the blood which widens blood vessels as well as lowering blood pressure.

I use red onions in this salad which compliments the natural sweetness of the beetroot. White onion would be fine, but not perfect!  Onions, particularly red onions are a great source of Chromium which helps control glucose levels which as we all know are related to insulin resistance. There has also been some talk that the outer layers are the most beneficial but there isn't a huge amount of research to prove this.

You can eat the skins of beetroot if you want, for this dish though I've taken them off but, if I was roasting them I would totally leave them on. Parsley is another ingredient and it is so good for your digestion. Please if you have bowl problems eat as much as you can. It will help no end!

RECIPE:

6 small to medium beetroots boiled till a knife slides in and out easily

large handful of parsley, washed and chopped

1 medium red onion, sliced finely

olive oil

salt and pepper

Once your beetroot is cooked peel them carefully and cut into wedges. Slice your onion and add along with the parsley. Cover with a generous glug of good quality olive oil, salt and pepper and serve.

This dish would be great with the beets red hot and a sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds!

Miso infused bulgar stuffed Cabbage parcels

Yes, it's a mouthful. But oh what a mouthful of deliciousness. It was one of those electric lightbulb moments when I was walking down the hill thinking about cabbage. I know what's going through your head right now. And thinking back it's pretty strange that I was thinking about cabbage, nothing but cabbage for no particular reason. But. It turned out genius. Trust me.

Oh the cabbage. I love how the further inside you go the lighter it gets. Now of course there are different benefits with the different colours of cabbage so keep it varied. New research has shown that steaming cabbage is the best (good job my recipe uses that cooking method!) and the reason being is that, the fiber related components do a better job at binding with your stomach bile if steamed. Bit icky but trust those Harvard boys! It's also fantastic for cholesterol and Vit C, contains more than an orange to be truthful and for those of you who purchase numerous anti-ageing creams…you're actually just better off eating cabbage regularly.

Kale, kale, kale. Hopefully you've all had a go at making kale chips?!?! I'm looking at you in the back. I stole this little bundle off a friend down the road. Can you spot the two snails? So cute and so fresh. This gorgeous and delicious veggie is also great for lowering cholesterol especially when steamed….see a theme emerging?? Due to its unusual concentration of types of antioxidants (carotenoids and flavonoids) its a fantastic de-toxer for the body.

Now, let's talk bulgar wheat. I know it's not gluten free and if that's an issue for you I would swap it out for quinoa (just cook it in less miso). But I eat so much quinoa I thought that this would be a nice difference. It's part of the bunch called 'whole-grain foods' which are very good for you despite what your paleo friends tell you. This particular golden grain is a good source of protein, fiber, iron and Vit B6. For 100g you'll only get 33.8g of carbs. Not bad!

RECIPE:

½ cup of bulgar wheat

¾ pints of miso soup ( I used a sachet of miso and hot water)

6 stems of tender stem broccoli finely sliced

6 leaves of kale (any will do) finely sliced

Cabbage leaves, either 4 large ones or 8-10 small ones

First put bulgar in the miso soup and bring to the boil, lower to a simmer and cook till soft but not mushy. Meanwhile slice your kale and broccoli stems. Wash your cabbage leaves (whichever you're using) and cut a triangle out of the thick white part. This will make it easier to fold and make a parcel plus, this is the bit that takes the longest to cook!

Once the bulgar is cooked, strain of any liquid, shouldn't be a lot and mix with the finely chopped broccoli and kale. Season well.  Put your pan of water on to boil and get your steaming gear ready. Then spoon either two spoonfuls into the big leaves and a small spoonful in the small ones. Wrap the cabbage leaves around the filling and tie or use a cocktail stick to keep it together.

Steam for about 5mins (could be longer depending on how big your leaves are) but you want them with a slight bite to them.

Tip: if you want to switch up your filling you could add toasted pine nuts, flaked almonds, some raisins..a little chilli or some sliced shitake mushrooms. Nom Nom.

Aubergine Rings of Goodness

'Oh yay' I hear you say when you read the title and it once again has aubergine in it. I just can't get enough of this veggie. I love it. It's so versatile and it just soaks up any great flavour you want to add to it. This particular recipe comes handed down to me in one of those treasured and battered recipe books. It's a favourite with everyone and gives a spicy sweet punch.

I've spoken about aubergines here and here so I'm not going to keep ranting about the benefits of eating it. Instead I'm focusing on Cayenne. This wonderfully punchy spice is made from the dried and ground pods although like most general store bought spices it's usually blended with a cheaper spice so it goes further. I would totally recommend you to find a great spice dealer and stick with them. You will notice a massive difference in quality. Cayenne from Sierra Leone in Africa is said to be the most pungent and medicinal, it's said to be the purest stimulant producing natural warmth and great for circulation. Also knows as a great remedy for colds, coughs but do be careful. This is one serious spice.

Lemon. Another native of Norther India, this fruit comes in many forms. Big, small, sweet and sour. It's so versatile that it is constantly in my house. Gin and tonics, desserts, a cleaner and for savoury dishes, it's an all rounder!
Used as a disinfectant for sore throats as well as cuts and abrasions this has some serious natural healing qualities. In the third century AD the Romans believed that they were an antidote for all poisons. Along with other citruses they act as a solvents in the body which stimulate the liver and gallbladder which mobilise any inactive acids or toxic settlements.

RECIPE:

2 or 3 medium size aubergine

pinch of cayenne

juice of 1 ½ lemons

1 tbsp of honey/maple syrup

little slug of olive oil

Preheat oven to 200C. Cut aubergines into rings about 1 inch in width. Mix the cayenne, lemon juice, honey/maple syrup and olive oil in a little jug. Taste and see if you prefer it sweeter (the initial taste should be of sweetness followed by a kick of cayenne taken away by the acidity of the lemon). Lay the  rings in a tray as flat as you can. Brush both sides with the mix and pop into the oven for about 15-20mins. Turn over half way through. They should get a great caramelised look to them and be soft. 

This works great with rich meat like lamb or duck and don't forget that aubergine reduces in size considerably!

Warm lentil salad

Yes, lentils. Those tiny little pearls of goodness that come in so many colours. Sunday I talked about red lentils, today I'm talking about green lentils and maybe next week I'll talk about black lentils…
They are just so good for us, I can't stop telling people! And this salad is one of my favourite (and most versatile) ways of eating them.

So you already know that these bad boys are great for preventing blood sugar levels to rise rapidly after eating food. But did you know that they not only are a source for 6 important minerals, two types of Vitamin B but also protein?! Isn't that great? All for 230 calories a cup. They are also one of those things you can cook in big batches and keep for a couple of days. And cooking couldn't be easier. Put lentils in a pan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Adding a bouquet garnis will add flavour as will adding spices to the water.

The sweet potato. Oh, how I adore you. Since starting my insulin resistant way of eating I have had to take out all carbs, starches and a whole bunch of other deliciously bad things from my diet. One of those ticked-off-my-list-things is the potato. How I miss mash…chips…crisps! However, the sweet potato is a completely different matter. These little orange potatoes can actually regulate our blood sugar! Research has shown that extracts of it can 'significantly increase blood levels of Adiponectin'. This, is a protein hormone produced by our fat cells that is an important modifier of insulin metabolism! Yes, you can eat this potato on your insulin resistance diet…happy days.

In this dish I use both red onion and spring onions. For two reasons; they both have very different tastes but work together beautifully and, spring onions are in season. Even though I talked about onions here, there is always so much to say and maybe one day I will have to treat you with a whole post just about the blessed onion! For now though, let's just say you should be eating onions every day.

In my local farmers market I can buy fresh garlic and I have to hang it up to dry for a couple of weeks before really getting the full flavour of it. I love the colours and smells of garlic. It's another great one for regulating blood sugar levels as well as strengthening the immune system. Ever notice the sticky feeling on your fingers after working with garlic? That's the sulphur containing compounds being released.

At this time of year when the weather is hot, ok, supposed to be hot. There is no better 'cooler' than mint. No-one can quite decide how many species of mint there are but, it's anywhere from 13-18. This green crawling sprawling plant has a number of properties that range from helping with depression to aiding digestion. I use it when I've eaten too much (happens quite often you'll be surprised to know). Add a few fresh leaves to boiled water and drink. Yum. In this dish it works wonderfully to counterbalance the sweet caramelised red onion and what can be the heady deep flavour of sweet potato to make this perfect and light for summer.

RECIPE:

1 med-large sweet potato

6 spring onions

1 large red onion

2 whole garlic bulbs

300g green lentils

big bunch of parsley and mint

aged feta cheese

1lemon

On a parchment lined baking tray place the spring onions, quartered red onion (held together by the root end!), half an inch thick sliced sweet potato and halved garlic bulbs. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Put into a preheated 200C oven and leave till cook with an occasional turn. Usually 20mins.

In the meantime, cook the lentils in water and drain. Finely chop the parsley and mint and put into bowl. Mix with the lentils and a drizzle of olive oil. Mound the veggies in the centre of the lentils, crumble feta around and squeeze the lemon all over. Eat warm or cold!
- You can of course make this vegan by leaving out the feta and also making it for meat eaters. Add strips of cooked chicken breast or steak to the mix. Switch it up by sprinkling the veggies with some cayenne/paprika or adding some cumin seeds.

It's a Dahl of a Sunday

The weather has closed. Summer has gone. Everybody will be white rather than red soon and I want colour, smells and flavour. Dahl is that dish. That dish that can bring back the feel of summer. It's full of goodness, totally vegetarian and vegan and one of those great dishes that you can make a bunch of and freeze. Technically, Dahl is not a dish, it's actually the name Indians use for lentils. Meaning that anything with lentils in is Dahl.  There are so many different types of Dahl and every family will have their very own recipe…this is mine.

It starts like most of my cooking with onion, garlic, ginger, cumin and coriander. Take a minute and picture the smell that is coming off these 5 ingredients once you add a little heat. Just take a minute.

Let's talk about the eye watering onion. Ok, we all know that there are a huge amount of types of onions; red, white, spring, chive, small, large etc etc. But to think that the onion family has 325 members and is one of the oldest vegetables known to man is pretty full on. There are so many legends and old wives tales about this veggie; to strap it to the soles of your feet during a cold will suck it out. Peel it under water to avoid crying (never works for me!). Fell over? Strap some slices over the bruise and overnight it will have gone….have you tried any?

This veggie has so many healing abilities that if you don't include it in your diet you really should. It's known for it's antibiotical, disinfectant, diuretic properties as well as helping with asthma, dissolving blood clots, regulating blood, infection fighting, the list goes on and on. Basically, EAT IT!

Another oldie but goodie. Ginger….that nobly dry-on-the-outside root that is so tasty! The older it is the more fibrous but, you can still use it. Make a lemon and ginger tea or rhubarb and ginger jam. Don't throw it out. A great overall promoter of circulation in the body, ginger has again, been around for years and years. Those oldies knew what they were doing back in the day! Used instead of garlic and onions to spiritually and physically cleanse, Ancient Indians preferred ginger as it produced a sweet smell that didn't offend their Gods.

I've talked about cumin here so let's have a little chat about coriander today. One thing I found when I was researching is that the oil can be used to lower glucose levels and regulate insulin. Great for us Insulin Resitant peeps or those with PCOS. It's been used as a digestive aid for years and has been found in Bronze Age ruins.

Tomatoes! I love tomatoes that grow in summer. You cannot get any sweeter, tastier little mouthfuls than fresh off the vine. And, as Rory O'Connell would say 'eating tomatoes out of season is too horrific to think about'. Ok, I'm paraphrasing but you get the gist. Don't eat veggies out of their season! Tomatoes are over 93% water and when eaten raw are super effective at reducing liver inflammation..munch away while it's the season peeps especially with all those Pimms doing the rounds.

The other vital ingredient is the lentil. I love the red variety in this dish as it gives it that bright sun shinning glow. All varieties are good for you. Scrap that. Great for you. Really really great. Especially for those of us with Insulin Resistance and blood sugar level problems. Their high fiber content helps to slow down the rise of blood sugar levels after eating. They are also a massive source of oestrogen..so for those with hormone troubles, something to research and, yes, there's more. They are great for lowering cholesterol.

RECIPE:

1 large red/white onion 

3+ cloves of garlic (depending on your taste. I use 5)

1-3 chillies depending on heat

2 inches peeled and grated ginger

1tsp tumeric

1tsp whole cumin seeds

1tsp coriander seeds

1tsp curry powder 

1tsp garam masala (optional)

4/5 big tomatoes/10-12 small tomatoes

250g of cooked red lentils

Slice the onion, garlic cloves and chilli finely. Add to some hot olive oil/ghee and cook till soft. Add the spices and cook some more. Slice the tomatoes and add to the pan. Stir and add some water to help cook the tomatoes. Put on a low simmer. Meanwhile cover red lentils in water and put on to cook. Once the tomatoes have broken down and the lentils are cooked add together. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with some mint yoghurt.

My quinoa and chickpea burger

It's been showering us with sunshine in Ireland. I'm loving it. The dresses haven't quite found their way past my wardrobe but, it's sunny enough to sit outside with sunnies and no jumper! Am I lucky or what? Who knew that my first Irish summer would be so sweltering (pinch of salt people).

The job is going well, great infact. I'm still getting into a routine but the fact I'm living in the countryside and the sun is shinning and I'm creating new recipes is pretty sweet. Life is good.

One of my latest creations came around from leftover quinoa and mint peas. There are plenty of quinoa/amaranth/chickpea burgers out there. And I'm sure they're all fantastic. Personally I've always been a bit of a 'I eat meat, why the hell would I make a burger without?' kind of person. Cue this job where the meals are all vegetarian and as vegan as possible. Cue, my veggie burger.

Quinoa is a fantastic little ball of grain goodness. For those of us who try to exercise, you may have heard of it being a complete protein and gluten free. Good for those allergic to wheat. Did you know that it contains more calcium than milk? A pretty nifty little grain.

And then, I present the chickpea. For those of you living across the pond, you will know it as the garbanzo bean. I'm sticking to chickpea you hear?!? These golden balls are one of my all time favourite things to eat. Give me some chunky homemade humus or some chickpeas with turmeric, onion and garlic any day of the week. Yum. 

It's spring/summer time and I love spring onions. The spicy freshness that is so similar and yet so unlike an onion is something I love, plus the fact you can eat all of it is a winner. And since moving to Ireland I find myself cooking more and more with these green and white sticks.

The garlic clove is beautifully packaged. A food stylists dream that comes with it's very own packaging. And so pretty it's packaging is. Known throughout the world to prevent disease, keep away vampires and make armies stronger.

My favourite quote concerning garlic comes from John Harrington and The English Doctor: 'Garlic then have power to save from death; Bear with it thought it maketh unsavoury breath; And scorn not garlic like some that think; It only maketh men wink and drink and stink'

Now we all know the chilli. There are so many different varieties and so many contentions for where they originated it's a chilli minefield. I'm a fan. I love hot but you may not. The recipe will be just as good less spicy so you can decide how much you want to put in.

RECIPE:

2 cups of cooked quinoa (mine had peas in from yday)

2 cups of cooked chickpeas

5 different sized spring onions

6 garlic cloves (less if you love vampires)

2 big chillies (less if you're not a hot person)

2 large eggs (or enough to bind)

large handful of herbs (parsley, coriander, basil. Anything you want)

Salt and pepper

Mix all the ingredients together. I used a food processor and roughly chopped all the ingredients. I'm new to the wonders of food processors so didn't really need to but. You CAN do this by hand. Mash the chickpeas and chop everything else finely, then mix.

Use 2 spoons to keep burgers even-ish. Cook in coconut the oil of your choice till crispy and golden then flip and repeat. 

This mix made roughly 20. They freeze really well.