Recipes for Gorgeous gallets, sugar free muffins, and seaweed recipes.

An other glorious Autumn day is upon us,

Recipes for Gorgeous gallets, sugar free muffins, and seaweed recipes.

No gathering herbs today as on a train into London. Still do get a little of my herbal fix getting glimpses of glistening silverweed by the side of the track and the trees heavy with russet hawthorne berries. I picked about 1kg of those same berries last week with a hope of making hawthorne berry leather. Not some credit crunch related economy exercise to patch up the hole in my boots. Rather it is the desiccated pulp of this supper berry (goji move aside. What I should have produced should have ended up something like those pure fruit bars you can buy. Unfortunately the instructions I was following of using a low oven were erroneous and when I eagerly opened the oven I was faced with chared edged glup. Please let me know if any of you do have a desicator as I will forward the recipe. I did use the rest of the hawthorne puree, that was supposed to be my second batch of leather. I added it to apple sauce and eat for breakfast mixed with oats so at least got some benefit! (btw the picture is actually of the berries I picked, note a few rosehips in the mix!)


For those who are interested:

Hawthorne berry puree

• Pick ripe hawthorne berries (see picture), wash and place in


• Cover with water and boil for 15-20 mins until soft.


• Pass through metal sieve.

The last stage sounds easy but is not! Hawthorne’s have a lot of fibre and seeds and it makes the sieving process a labour of love. This puree is not sweet so add to apple sauce and use as desert. Also freezes well.

Hawthorne berries are rich in antioxidants and are used in herbal medicine as the main heart herb in its armoury. The flavonoids it contains increase energy supply to cardiac muscle cells, relax the blood vessels supplying the heart so increase blood flow, reduce heart rate while increasing contraction. This makes the heart more efficient. And it can lower blood pressure. All in all this makes it an excellent heart tonic, and is safe to take every day. If you are on hear medication already or suffer with low blood pressure do check with me first.

Gorgeous Galettes

For anyone who has been on holiday to Brittany you will already love these. These buckwheat based pancakes make a great supper and are rich in rutin that guards against varicose veins. No a grainand related to dock, buckwheat is gluten free and a great alternative to wheat . This recipe the meal is low GI and yeast free.

Galette

• 225g oz Buckwheat flour


• 1.5 ozMelted butter/ olive oil


• 1 pint Water


• 2 egg
  

Filling

• Spinach


• Sheep’s cheese (ouseray) Can have with no cheese


• Eggs

How I made it:

• Combine all the ingredients for the gallet in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Leave for 1-2 hours.


• Cook spinach and drain off any excess liquid.


• Heat frying pan and brush with oil. Pour 1 ladle full of batter and swirl pan around until coated. When little bubbles appear and top is set flip pancake


• Straight away crack egg into centre of galet while it is still in pan. Add thin layer of cheese (if using) and sprinkle with cooked spinach.


• Carefully fold up pancake. I do this in package style so I and up with a four sided squarish shape. Don’t worry it they crack a bit, this is normal. Give it a little pat if not quiet brown cook for until it is.


• Transfer to oven proof dish and cover with foil. Put in warm oven and start process again.
  You can make these with ham, but cured meat, like ham, but it is full of sulphites (even organic) and carcinogenic so only have occasionally. I serve this with a green bitter leaved salad.

S.A.D.

As the days start to draw in you may have noticed your resolve to avoid sugary teats wanes with the warm weather. This is due to the effect of plummeting serotonin levels brought on by milky autumn sun telling our body we really should just stay in bed more, stop shaving your legs and eat cake. There are herbs like St. Johns wort and Rhodiola that boost the happy hormone levels and for those suffering badly this is an option. I must admit I am not sure how I would survive January without my daily shot. Also sunlamps and exercise have been shown to ward of the winter woes. But for those of you who do have a sweet tooth but don’t want the sugar here is a sugar free muffin. (It does take honey though!)I make these for my son and have been asked for the recipe buy practically all the mums I know. So this is for them too.

Honey and Yoghurt Muffins

These are not a health food! So only once in a while.

• 225 g spelt flour


• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder


• 1tsp. bicarb.


• pinch of salt


• 1/2 tsp. mixed spice


• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg


• 50g of medium oatmeal


• 50 g of light muscavado sugar (can use maple sugar or fructose here)


• 225g of sheep yoghurt (can use soya or greek here)


• 125ml soya milk


• 1 egg


• 50g butter melted (can use dairy free margarine)


• 60 ml runny honey

How I made them

• Pre-heat oven to Mark 6/ 200 Celsius


• Line 12 hole muffin tin with paper muffin cases. (I use a silicone one so no papers!)


• Sift flour, the bicarb. and baking powder, salt, and spice into bowl. Stir in oat meal.


• Mix yoghurt with the milk and beat in the egg. Pour into dry ingredients quickly, do not over mix.


• Divide mixture evenly, you can sprinkle with a little oatmeal if you wish. Bake at Mark 6 or equivalent for 17-20 mins. They should be well risen and firm to touch.


• Leave in tins for 5mins before turning onto cooling rack.

Can omit honey and use 1 small ripe banana.

Enjoy

I must write a book 101 ways with seaweed! This is such a healthy addition to any diet rich in macronutientsinclude sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, chlorine, sulfur and phosphorus; the micronutrients they contain include iodine, iron, zinc, copper, selenium, molybdenum, fluoride, manganese, boron, nickel and cobalt.

Seaweed salad:

• Buy dried sea weed soak in water for ten minutes then drain. Dress with sesame oil and soya sauce.

Another seaweed salad:

• Same as above but add 1tsp. Tahini, ½ tsp. Of honey or fructose and 1tsp. Of lemon juice to every desert spoon of soya sauce and sesame oil dressing.


• Slice thinly cucumber (same amount as seaweed) and mix with seaweed and dressing.

Sea weed sprinkle:

Buy sushi nori in supermarkets. Toast under grill and crumble over food. You can add toasted sesame seeds to this.

Sea weed stock:

Add one piece of wakame seaweed to any meal that benefits from stock. Will still need additional flavouring so either make own stock base or add to marigold organic stock powder and boiling water. Boil for 10-15 mins.

Autumnal soul food

As the wind starts howling and the autumn rain blows wind off the trees we all need some comfort food. Here are a couple of healthy recipes that should do the job. As you will see I have changed the format a little to help you decide if this meal if for you.

Fish pie:

This is great British classic and high in omega 3 oils. I make this with out dairy and my dairy eating family love it!

Low GI if uses sweet potato, high in omega 3 and protein, dairy free option, high in zinc.

Sweet potatoe and potato cause wind, can make with out topping and serve with rice.

Ingredients. Serves four

• 3 handfuls of fish pie mix. Equal quantities of white fish, smoked haddock and salmon cut in two inch chuncks (I get my fish monger to do this)
• 1 handful of prawns with there shells on.
• 1 tbs. Capers
• 1 fennel bulb
• Chopped fennel herb from top of bulb, if any.
• Small handful of parsley chopp
• Small glass of white wine
• 2 tbs. Of flour/ (or corn flour if you are wheat free)
• Fish stock cube
• Back peppercorns
• Mace blade or powder (you can use1/4 tsp of nutmeg here)
• 1 Onion
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt
• 1 mug full of milk (1/2 cup of unsweetened soya milk, ½ cup soya cream if dairy free)
• Potatoes for topping, equivalent of four large baking potatoes.( If low GI use sweet potato).
• Olive oil/ butter

How I made it:

• Peel potatoes cut into 2 inch cubes and boil in salted water.
• Put 3/4 back pepper corns, 1 mace blade or ¼ tsp. Powder, 1 onion cut in four, 1 bay leaf, a pinch of salt, the parsley stems in a pan with the milk (or soya alternative) simmer with lid on until onion soft.
• Meanwhile chop fennel and soften on gentle heat in a 1 tbs. of oil or butter. When soft add white wine and fish stock cube and boil for 5 mins. to reduce by half.
• Potatoes should be ready by now, pass through potato ricer or mash by hand with a little butter/ olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• The milk mix should also be ready strain and add to the wine fennel mixture. Pour this into a bowl to cool a little. Take a little of the cooled liquid out and mix with flour/ corn flour to a smooth paste then return to the rest of the milk/ wine mixture.
• Place the fish and prawns in a casserole dish. Pour sauce with fennel over the fish and mix gently. Should be cool enough not to cook the fish.
• Stir through the chopped parsley, fennel herb if using and capers.
• Top with the mashed potato and bake in a hot oven (gas mark 6) until crispy on top (about 30mins)
• Serve with peas and spinach.
  
  Spicy pinto beans: (frijoles de charros)

Low GI, high in fibre, high in phyto-oestrogens, rich in vitamins and minerals, yeast free, wheat free, dairy free, vegie option.

Not good for poor digestion.

This is a nutritious one pot meal that can be served with rice and vegetables.

Ingredients:

• 500g of dried pinto beans soaked overnight (you can use two cans or pre-cooked ones)
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 whole dried smoked chillies (unsmoked fine) – don’t use if suffering with heat signs (yellow coating on tongue)
• Smoked paprika
• Chorizo sausage (optional, delicious as vegetarian meal)
• 1 small onion
• Olive oil
• Salt
• 1 can of chopped tomatoes

How I made it:

• Drain soaked beans and put in sauce pan with 1.5 l of water and simmer until soft (about 1 hour). Do keep checking I regularly burn beans!
• Peel and dice onion and fry in 1 tbs. Of olive oil until golden, add chorizo (if using) and 2 tsp. of smoked paprika and stir for 1 min. Or so.
• Then add tomatoes, bay leaf and chilli.
• Simmer for 5 mins to combine the flavours.
• Add the cooked beans with 500ml of beans cooking water and cook for a further 10 mins.
  
  Serve with brown rice and vegetables of your choice. These beans freeze well too. Enjoy!
  
  

Hi All





What a lovely Autumn day! I have included a picture of me dispensing herbs so you can have an idea of what is I get up to when I am formulating your remedies.

I have a Autumn soup recipe for you all today rich in beta-carotene and protein. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 diced onion
1 stick of diced celery stick
2 diced carrots
1 cinnamon stick
Sea salt, preferably gray salt
Freshly ground black pepper
About 4 cups chicken/vegetable stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon ground toasted coriander, optional
1 medium Roasted Winter Squash recipe
1/2 cup red lentils

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until hot. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and cinnamon stick and saute until soft but not brown, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add the chicken stock and the coriander, if using, and bring to a boil. Add red lentils. Simmer for several minutes until lentils cooked. Stir in the squash until smooth, then simmer gently to let the flavors meld, about 10 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick.
3. Puree the soup in a blender until smooth. (The soup can be made ahead to this point, cooled, covered, and refrigerated for several days or frozen for about 1 month. It will thicken as it cools and may need thinning with stock or water when reheating.)
4. Return the soup to the pan and reheat gently. Add the half-and-half, if using. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Keep warm until service.

To serve:
Ladle the soup into serving bowls. Garnish evenly, with pumpkin seeds, if desired.

Roast the squash: Cut into slices remove seeds and toss in olive oil roast in hot oven (gas mark 6) for 20mins or until soft.

Winter remedies No 1:

Fresh ginger tea at the first sign of a cold.

Slice two to three slices of ginger per cup of boiling water and brew for 5-10 mins add slice of lemon and honey. The sesquiterpenes in this medicinal root are anti- viral against the rhinovirus (common cold).

Today I am going to spend the afternoon foraging again, one of my favourite Autumn past times! First on my list is blackberries, second is Burdock root. This is a delicacy in Japan and is cooked like a vegetable. (I shall give you the recipe later). From a herbal perspective it is a great detoxifier and we use it for acne, eczema, psoriasis, chronic infection. I works by aiding the clearance of metabolic toxins into the blood stream and works really well if combines with a diuretic. Anyone for braised burdock with a side serving of dandelion leaves!

Please refer to this link for a photo, happy hunting!
http://www.countrylovers.co.uk/wildfoodjj/burdk100.htm

What I will be eating tonight is dhall and rice and vegetables.

To make Dhall couldn't be easier, I eat it all the time and is great for kids and easy to eat. Serve this with brown rice and a vegetable of your choice. Garlic spinach is always good.

Dhall

Mung beans are one of the most cherished foods in Ayurveda. (traditional Indian medicine). They are tridoshic, which means they can be eaten to balance all three doshas, especially when cooked with spices appropriate for each dosha. They are very nourishing, while being relatively easy to digest, they do not generally create abdominal gas or bloating, the drawbacks of larger beans. I use the hulled beans to make dhall but you can always use red lentils. They are of course a great source of protien when combined with the rice as well as rich in lots of nutrients from magnesium and calcium to iron and b vitamins.

Ingredients:

180 g Moong dhall/ or red lentils
2 small onions, one finely chopped into rings.
Salt 1/2 tsp.
1 clove garlic
Turmeric 1/2 tsp.
Cumin 1/4 tsp.
Nigella 1/4 tsp.
Fenugreek 1/4 tsp.
Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp.
Fresh coriander 3 Tbs.

N.b. If you are a very hot person, e.g. you feel the heat! Just omit the dried spices apart from cumin and add grated coconut before serving with the fresh coriander. Also you don't need all the spices, just be inventive and use what you have, as they say all Indian households have the perfect dhall recipe!

1. Wash split peas/ lentils and discard and that are green.
2. Cover with water, about 9ooml and add turmeric, salt and one onion cut into quarters.
3. Boil until lentils are falling apart, take onion out and mash to pulp with fork and add back it.
4. Heat olive oil and fry second onion that you have chopped finely, until brown. Then add rest of dried spices (roughly ground first) and fry until the mustard seeds pop.
5. Pout on the dhall and stir on the coriander. Keep lid on until serving to stop aromas escaping.

I often stir baby spinach in at the end for added vegetables, or some times 2 ripe chopped tomatoes.

Japanese burdock:

Ingredients:
1/2 lb burdock root
1/4 lb carrot
1 tbsp soysauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp mirin
1/2 tbsp sake
1 tsp sesame seeds
2 tsps vegetable oil

1. Peel burdock root and shred it into very thin strips. Soak the burdock strips in water for a while and drain well.
2. Peel the carrot and cut it into short and thin strips.
3. Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan, and fry burdock strips for a couple minutes.
4. Add carrot strips in the pan and stir-fry them.
5. Add all seasonings in the pan and stir-fry well. Turn off the heat.
6. Sprinkle sesame seeds.

This is a delicious dish and is very good for you. As sesame oil is very high in omega six oils it is best to have this dish with oily fish to counter this. Try steamed salmon with fresh ginger and spring onions.

Hi All,

Well this is the first of my blogs, hopefully first of many. My talent unfortunately does not lie as a writer, or speller, so you will have to bear with me! I have over the years been asked for recipes from clients of mine and have endeavoured to provide these but I thought for the less imaginative of you a rolling list of what I cook at home may give you some ideas! I will also try to include seasonal tips as I go along to keep you all healthy!

My dinner tonight will be:

Roast butternut squash multi-grain risotto

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash
1 mug of gallo mixed grain risotto rice (with goodies like spelt and barley in it)
Organic chicken or vegetable stock
1 onion
1 clove of garlic
1 glass of white wine (optional)
Thyme one sprig
pepper and salt
oilve oil

1. First chop the squash into chucks, about 1.5" thick, don't take the skin off (this is my laziness!) and toss in olive oil and a little salt and roast at gas mark 6 for 34-40mins until soft.
2. While you are doing this you can finely chop the onion and garlic and sweat in olive oil on very low heat until translucent and sweet (approx. 15 mins)
3. Add to the onion mix the rice and coat in the oil. Then add the wine and the thyme and enjoy the aromas developing. Keep on low heat and stir regularly.
4. Get a pan of stock going on the neighbouring hob so that it is simmering and add a ladle of this to the rice. Keep on adding as it evaporates. Keep on stiring rice regularly.
5. Check the squash, if ready then take out of oven and scoop out of flesh, I like to keep about half in 1" cube chunks.
6. When the rice is nearly done, i.e. aldente- it should have a slight bight. Add half the squash and let in break down, about 5 mins. Add the remained of the squash just before serving. I serve with pecerino (sheep's cheese like Parmesan) and fresh black pepper. As a side you can try wilted spinach, fresh salad or a vegie of your choice.

ENJOY!

An other thing.....

Elderberry cordial

Elderberries the beautiful dark burgandy berries that hang in chanderliers from elder trees are a real autumn treat, not only for the birds but for us. They are also fantastic anti-virals, even being effective against the flu virus. This cordial therefore makes a fab winter tonic. You will have to be quick though... I made this last weekend and many berry clusters were already over or raded by the local birds. You can of course cheat and buy this in waitrose, but there is nothing like squirling away the autumn bounty to be enjoyed on a dark winters night.

Ingredients:
elderberry 1/2 carrier bag
brown sugar dependant on amount of berries you pick, about 1 1b
Cinnamon one stick
Cloves a few
Slices of lemons

1. Put the ripe elderberries in a large sauce pan with half their volume of water and simmer for 20minutes.
2. Cool then squeeze out juice through metal sieve, jelly bag or fruit press.
3. Measure the juice and for ever 500ml add 250g of unrefined sugar, add one cinnamon stick, a few cloves and slices of lemon and simmer for a further 20 minutes.
4. Strain and bottle while hot in sterilised bottles.

This will will leave your kitchen smelling like mulled wine and cordial does make a nice drink or Christmas gift. However it also if great for coughs, flu and colds. Just take one teaspoon every few hours. Children 2- 10 can take half the dose.