Mountain Bikes and Garlic

I did once own a mountain bike. I'm not sure why I had it as I never rode it off-road, just potted around country lanes, wondering why it was such hard work.  The nearest I've got to serious downhill mountain bike stuff was when I worked as a chalet girl in Chatel, France, we didn't have any snow for the first few weeks and one of the team thought it would be a great idea to take mountain bikes up in the cable car and then ride them back down.  I opted for sitting in the sun at the top of the mountain writing postcards, I was the only one injury-free at the end of the day!
But since moving back to the country I decided to join the local cycling club, not realising initially that mountain bikes were the bikes of choice (I turned up on my thin-tyred hybrid and was sent on my way!).
Luckily I have been loaned a rather gorgeous bike so now take part in the ride around The Chilterns each week - and what a great way to explore, albeit I am focused on the ground more than the surroundings as, watching out for tree stumps, mud, holes and the like is pretty crucial.
But what I didi spot as we were storming through a woodland this week, was a carpet of beautiful wild garlic.  Asking if everyone could stop whilst I pick a bunch of garlic was not really an option - trying to keep sixteen cyclists together all evening is already a big enough task, so today I retraced our route, this time on foot and with a big bag!


One of the tastiest things to make with wild garlic is this delicious pesto - rich, pungent and very moreish!



Wild Garlic and Hazelnut Pesto

100g wild garlic (flowers and leaves)
100g hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
30g parmesan, grated
juice of 1/2 lemon
100ml-200ml extra virgin olive oil

- Place the garlic and hazelnuts in a food processor and process until completed broken down.
- Add the parmesan and lemon juice and blitz again.
- With the machine running slowly pour in the oil, adding more if you like a looser consistency.
- Spoon into a jar, cover with a little oil and store in the fridge.

Stressful Times Need Food

Although we think of stress as something that comes from too much work, not getting to a date on time, burning dinner or just being totally disorganised and having too much on your plate, it's important to remember it also comes from your emotions too.  So if you are upset or sad, your body sees this as another stress, and it's important to know how to deal with this, to prevent it from causing long-term illness, such as excess weight, heart problems, depression or anxiety problems.
Stress uses up vitamins and minerals that are needed for every function in the body, so while your nutrients are being used for stress they are not being used to digest your food, support your immune system, produce energy or keeping you hair and skin healthy.
The B vitamins are especially important with regards to stress - B1 and B3 play a vital role in maintaining a healthy mental attitude, B6 helps to produce serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps the body to deal with depression (serotonin is know as the 'happy hormone'), B12 is called the memory vitamin as it used mostly in the brain.
In general B vitamins are also needed for the production of energy, and without energy it's hard to cope with anything!
To ensure a good intake of B vitamins eat a variety of colourful vegetables, wholegrains, legumes, nuts, seeds and eggs.

Vegeree

Serves 4

1 large red onion, peeled and cut into wedges
350 g butternut, deseeded and chopped
2 large courgettes, sliced
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp curry powder
1 tbsp olive oil
300 g basmati rice
4 large eggs
handful parsley leaves
seasoning

- Preheat the oven to 200° (400°F) Gas mark 6.
- Place the onion, butternut and courgettes into a roasting tin.  Sprinkle with the cumin seeds, curry powder and oil.  Roast for 40 minutes, tossing a couple of times.
- Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the pack instructions.
- Softly boil the eggs.
- When the vegetables are cooked, drain the rice and stir into the roasting tin with the vegetables, along with the parsley.  Season to taste.
- Carefully peel the eggs and serve cut in half on top of the dish.

Happy, stress-free eating.

Joy xx

Back to Paleo

I am often asked about my own diet (people want to know I am human and eat foods I shouldn't to make them feel better!), and yes, I do eat chocolate every day (we all have our vices), but it's about balance and moderation in all things, and knowing what may be doing you harm.  So if I thought that something I was eating was causing me bloating, bad skin or upsetting my digestion for example, I would stop eating it - I want to feel the best I can all the time.
I think a lot of the time people have forgotten what it feels like to be 100% well and full of energy, and you may not realise that some foods are affecting you.  I have had a client recently who gave up gluten (I suggested this to her, as she was having some digestion problems), and she lost 4 cm around her waist, without losing any weight - she had been bloated from her intake of wheat that didn't agree with her, without her realising.
And this is what the Paleo diet is so good for - it cuts out all the man-made foods that may cause intolerances, and focuses on the nature-made foods that your body should recognise and know how to digest and extract nutrients from.
And the great thing about the Paleo diet is that you can maintain it for life.  Infact I really don't like calling it a diet as this assumes you will 'go on' the diet and at some stage 'go off' the diet.  If you can't maintain a new eating regime for at least 10 years (or life) then it's not really worth starting.
So what is Paleo?  It's going back to the diet we think paleolithic man (cavemen) would have eaten - anything they could have caught or foraged for - grass-fed meat, wild fish, eggs, fresh fruit and vegetables.  This means no grains, dairy, legumes or pulses (all of which may cause digestive problems).
Of course we are unlikely to go hunting and foraging, and buying all organic ingredients can be expensive, but every little bit you can do to aim to eat as naturally as possible is a step closer to a healthy you.
Today sees the launch of the Paleo aisle in Ocado's online store - with me as its' expert, so if you have any questions do get in touch.
Here is one of the recipes from my latest Paleo book - 

Summer Frittata

A great protein-rich meal that can be served for breakfast, brunch or lunch, or could also be made to take on a picnic or to work in a lunch-box.

Serves 4

 

Prep time:  16 minutes

Cooking time:  29-34 minutes

350 g sweet potato

2 tbsp olive oil

1 red onion, peeled and chopped

1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced

125 g fresh or frozen peas

1 tbsp chopped mint

1 tbsp snipped chives

seasoning

7 medium eggs

·         Cook the sweet potato in a pan of boiling water for 8 minutes, until just tender.  Drain.

·         Heat half the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion with the sweet potato and red peppers for 5-6 minutes.  Add the peas and cook for one minute more.

·         Beat the eggs in a large bowl, pour in the vegetables and mix well.  Season and stir in the herbs.

·         Heat the remaining oil in the same frying pan and pour the egg and vegetables back into the pan.  Preheat the grill to hot.

·         Cook over a low heat for 15 -18 minutes, until the bottom of the tortilla is golden.

·         Finish cooking under the grill for 6-8 minutes, until golden on top.

·         Leave the tortilla to stand for a minute then run a knife around the edge of the pan, place a plate or board on top and turn over to remove from the pan.

·         Cut into wedges to serve.

Cycling the Backroads of Sri Lanka

As usual, I found the need to escape the English winter just as all the Christmas festivities came to head, and on Christmas Day I headed off to explore Sri Lanka by bike.  If you want to feel, smell, and be part of a country, being on a bike is pretty good way to do it.
The only downside of course is the energy required!  And when climbing some of the steep hills through the tea plantation area, I did struggle to remain polite with all the locals who called 'Good Morning' - all my energy was required for getting up the hill.  But then I remembered something that Dame Kelly Holmes talked about at the ISENC - she said that when in training her coach had told her to chat with her colleagues while she was running, so that when she was running alone in competition 'all of her oxygen would be her own' - needless to say I made it up all the hills!
My trip started in Columbo, staying with a lovely friend who was so inspired with Sri Lanka that she now imports her own delicious Kandula Tea.  As it was still the party season we spent a lot of time eating out and trying lots of great new dishes, one of which I had quite a few times at Columbo Swimming Club, and have already tried at home - devilled cashews.  Cashews are grown in Sri Lanka so are on the menu a lot, although they are not cheap even there.
After the madness of Columbo setting off to the countryside was heaven - cycling along tiny tracks and country roads, with only the odd tuk tuk or motorbike passing us, and the occasional dog chasing us for a bite at an ankle (which thankfully they never got!).
And when we got hungry we stopped at the small cafes for a bit of local food - string hoppers steamed with coconut and brown sugar were a favourite, as were homemade spicy lentil patties and vegetable samosas (and their idea of spicy is pretty hot!).
The main dinner offering in most places is a Sri Lankan buffet - don't be fooled, this is not a few salads and nibbles, this is a full buffet of at least 7-8 curry dishes, with soups, salads, sambals (spicy coconut side-dish), poppadoms, rotis, 2-3 types of rice, plus a host of other dishes we were too scared to try!  At the beginning we all made the most of the abundance of food on offer -  we figured we were using up so many calories on the bike each day.  After the first week we all realised that the eating had overtaken the cycling and we were now on a 'buffet tour' of Sri Lanka!  So it was time to reign in and be sensible, which for me just meant reverting back to Paleo rules and cutting out a few things, one of which was rice.  This caused lots of concern to the locals who don't believe you can eat curry without it!  And obviously it's their main crop and a staple of their own diets.  But for me it did the trick, I have returned without the excess buffet weight!


Devilled Cashews

Serves 4

4 tbsp vegetable oil
2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
200 g raw cashew nuts
small handful curry leaves
1-2 tsp chilli powder
salt and pepper

Heat the oil until smoking hot.
Add the shallots and cashew nuts and cook until golden.
Add the curry leaves and cook until crisp.
Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
Mix together the chilli powder and seasoning and toss the nuts in the mixture.
Leave to cool slightly before serving.



After staying with friends over the holiday period and talking a lot about food, nutrition and health, it made me realise how much I assume people know about nutrition and their bodies.
So over the next few months I hope to write about nutrition basics, and how you really can affect your health, both now and in the future.  
If there are any subjects you would like me to cover just drop me a comment and I will do my best to accommodate.

Healthy, Happy Eating,

Joy x

Winter Comfort

So this week we have been told, we will be seeing the real start of winter - not a very cheering prospect.  But it happens every year, so we should be used to it.  And as the great Ranulph Fiennes once said "There is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing"....so get your thick vests out!
Much the same also applies to food.  We were having a discussion this week about how, in the winter, you really fancy comforting foods.  One person described it as 'stodgy' food - think of those great steamed puddings, or meat pies - that is certainly comforting.
But equally comforting, and possibly more nutritious, are great colourful stews and curries.  Just because it's winter doesn't mean we have to leave the bright colours of summer behind.  Going back to the clothing theme, it's interesting how all the clothes available to buy in the winter are devoid of colour - why?  When surely we want to brighten the dreary days?
So forget the beige and brown puddings and pies and pile on the colourful veg!
Adding spices to your food also adds heat, so you are warming yourself from the inside, as well as getting other great benefits from these foods, for example - ginger (anti-inflammatory), garlic (anti-oxidant), turmeric (anti-inflammatory), black pepper (rich in minerals) - the list is endless.
So even though this recipe uses a ready-made sauce for convenience, I still add lots of other spices to improve it.  Or you could make your own sauce completely from scratch.


Vegetable Thai Curry

Serves 2-3

2 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
3cm piece root ginger, peeled and diced
1 red onion, peeled and chopped
1 red pepper, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp red Thai curry paste
1 x 400 ml can coconut milk
1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped
5 stems of tenderstem broccoli, halved
small handful green beans, halved
6 cherry tomatoes, halved 
3 tbsp almond flakes, toasted

Heat the coconut oil in a wok or large frying and and cook the seeds for 2-3 minutes, until the mustard seeds start to 'pop'.
Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute.
Add the onion and pepper and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes before stirring in the curry paste and cooking for a further minute.
Pour in the coconut milk and bring to a simmer.
Add the vegetables, then simmer for 8-12 minutes, until the sweet potato is tender.
Serve with cooked quinoa or rice and sprinkle with the toasted flaked almonds.

Cruciferous and Goitrogenic

This is one of my favourite times of the year, when my Father's allotment is overflowing with great vegetables that he needs to give away, as he can't possibly eat them all.  So that's where I come in - he gets more visits from me this time of year!
And as I am constantly telling clients to each more vegetables, especially the cruciferous variety to help with detoxifying, I like to come up with new ways of cooking them.
Cruciferous vegetables include cabbage, broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower, and all are rich in vitamins, minerals, fibre and disease-fighting phytochemicals.  There is even research that links cruciferous vegetables to a lower risk of cancer, as well as a reduction in oxidative stress.
But as with everything in life, there is a catch.  If you have any thyroid issues, some of these vegetables may not be doing you as much good as you thought, unless cooked in the right way.
Certain foods contain goitrogens, which are compounds that make it more difficult for the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones.  For people with a healthy thyroid this is not an issue as the thyroid gland compensates and just makes more, but in those people whose thyroid function is compromised the thyroid gland may grow more cells and eventually a swelling in the neck, known as a goiter, may occur.  Cruciferous vegetables along with soy, strawberries, peanuts and peaches are known to have this effect.
But all is not lost - these wonderful foods do not need to be avoided totally, just cooked in a gently way to change their phytochemical structure and eliminate the goitrogenic effect.
This cabbage recipe is similar to one I have done before on the blog, but to me it is one of the tastiest ways to eat cabbage - coconut oil, spices and the addition of beans for protein - a perfect vegetarian light lunch.

Heat coconut oil with cumin seeds and mustard seeds until they begin to 'pop'.
Add sliced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes before stirring in 1/2 tsp turmeric and cooking for another minute.
Stir in shredded cabbage, drained canned beans and a sprinkling of desiccated coconut and toss well to coat with the spices.
Pour in 2-3 tbsp water and cover to steam the cabbage gently for 5-6 minutes.
Season to taste and serve.

Technical Issues and Tofu!

Oh the delights of technology.  First the computer decides it will go on a complete go-slow, then the Wi-Fi packs up completely!  Huge thanks to Apple in Kingston, who talked me through deleting my whole hard-drive (very scary!), and boo-hiss to Netgear who are no help whatsoever!  Having spent an afternoon doing my work from Starbucks, I have finally had enough and decided to change my system to somebody more reliable - is there such a thing I hear you ask?!

Anyway, on to more interesting things...whilst all this mayhem was occurring I was invited to a tofu-making demonstration in a Korean supermarket - Korea Foods.  And what was even more surprising is that it was not too far from my where I live.  Previously unknown to me, there is a huge Korean community in New Malden, just a 10 minute drive away - much handier than driving into Chinatown for those illusive ingredients I am often asked to buy.

Tofu is made in a similar way to cheese where, after the milk has been made by steaming and pressing the beans, a coagulant is added, the solids and liquid separated, then the solids pressed and lightly cooked in a big block before being cut, cooled and packaged.  In all the process only took about 30 minutes from start to finish - amazing.
But what was more amazing was the supermarket itself - I love to shop in a place where there are so many ingredients that I have no idea what they are!  Luckily there are lots of very friendly staff on hand to help advise.

Tofu is a great source of protein and calcium and is a great ingredient for vegetarians.  Although it is fairly bland on its' own, when cooked with other flavours tofu becomes a very versatile ingredient.

I wrote this recipe for a company that provides me with wonderful coconut oil.  If you want to know more about this delicious ingredient, and find more of my recipes, go to their website - www.coconoil.co.uk.

Vegetable and Tofu Stir-fry

Serves 4
Prep/cooking time: 30 minutes

25g Coconoil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 red onion, peeled and chopped
1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced
1 yellow pepper, deseeded and sliced
2 carrots, peeled and cut into julienne strips
150g broccoli spears
1/4 savoy cabbage, shredded
250g tofu, cut into cubes
dash of soy sauce to serve

1. Melt the Coconoil in a wok over a medium heat and add the spices.  When the mustard seeds start to ‘pop’ add the onion and stir-fry for 4-5 minutes.
2. Add the remaining vegetables and stir-fry for 10-12 minutes until the vegetables are ‘al dente’ – just beginning to soften.
3. Add the tofu and a dash of soy and stir-fry for another 4-5 minutes until the tofu is hot.
4. Serve immediately.

A great start............

It's that time of year again - all the newspapers, magazines, TV and radio programmes are full of talk about diets - can they not think up something original for once?  And how sensible do they think it really is to start dieting and cutting out complete food groups, when everyone is suffering with coughs and colds due to their immune systems being shot to pieces after a stressful Christmas?!
So, needless to say, I will not be dieting!  But what I may be doing is thinking about how I can help my body to remain healthy throughout the cold months of winter, whilst not relying on comfort foods that may add on the pounds!
As far as detoxing is concerned, our bodies are doing this constantly, every waking hour and, impressively, even when we are sleeping!  So rather than cutting out huge amounts of food, just cut out those things that cause the liver to be over-worked (alcohol, caffeine and processed foods), and feed it lots of nutrients that may help it to support it to work better (sulphur-rich foods such as eggs and onions, the brassicas - cabbage, sprouts and broccoli, and good sources of protein - eggs, fish).
Drinking lots of water also helps to flush out toxins, and generally try to incorporate as much fresh, organic food into your diet as possible.











Cabbage Soup


Serves 4


1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, peeled and sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1 stick celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1/2 cabbage, shredded
1.5 litres vegetable stock
freshly milled black pepper
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp flaked almonds


1.  Heat the olive oil in a medium pan and saute the onion, carrot and celery for 2-3 minutes.
2.  Add the garlic and cook for another minute before stirring in the shredded cabbage.
3.  Pour in the stock, season, bring to a simmer and cook for 12-15 minutes.
4.  Toast the seeds and flaked almonds and sprinkle over the soup to serve.


This is also great served topped with a poached egg.