A Soup-er Solution

Article courtesy of Diabetes Magazine. (Diabetes.org.uk)

Unlike baking, where you need to follow a recipe, soup is very flexible. And It’s almost impossible to get it wrong. Here are the basics:

Stock
If you don’t have any homemade, look for fresh or liquid versions, they’re usually tastier and less salty than stock cubes. Check the label for salt content and try and go for green traffic lightly as much as possible. If using shop-bought stock cubes, go for reduced or low-salt ones, or try diluting them.
The base
This could be a chopped onion or a carrot and stick of celery. Chop and sauté in a little vegetable oil until soft.
The heart
This could be one ingredient, like tomato, or complementary ingredients, such as pea and mint.
Flavouring
Chilli, ginger and garlic will give an Asian flavour. Curry powder or paste and fresh coriander provide an Indian influence, a teaspoon of pesto gives an Italian twist, while a touch of harissa and a squeeze of lemon delivers Arabic essence.
Bulk and add protein
Throw in a handful of red lentils with the stock to add fibre and thicken the soup. Or try tinned beans, chickpeas or lentils, or shredded leftover chicken. These ingredients are good for your health and won’t affect blood glucose levels too much.
Garnish
Try a swirl of Greek yogurt, a sprinkle of toasted almonds, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, or freshly chopped chives or basil.

Super green Cauli-rice Risotto

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine and taken from Hungry Woman by nutritionist Pauline Cox.

Maximise your health, enhance your happiness, and re-balance your hormones with these wellness-boosting dishes.

Risotto .. with a difference. This fibre-packed, low-carb version of a classic is speedy, delicious and healthy, full of potassium and magnesium and liver-loving goodness.

Serves 2

Ingredients:
Coconut oil, for frying
1 white onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 leek, sliced and washed
2 small courgettes, chopped
400g cauliflower rice (widely available in supermarkets)
150ml veggie stock or bone broth, or 4 ice cubes of frozen bone broth
1/2 bag of spinach
1/2 bag of kale, chopped with stalks removed
30g nutritional yeast, plus extra to serve

To serve:
A drizzle of olive oil
A handful of sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds
Chopped fresh herbs of choice
A good pinch of beetroot salt or sea salt
A dollop of roasted red pepper pesto (optional)

Method:

Add a little coconut oil into a large pan and saute the onions, garlic, leek and courgettes until soft and brown. Add in the cauliflower rice and cook with the veggie mix for a few minutes, before adding the stock.
Add the spinach and chopped kale, allowing it to wilt into the cauliflower rice mix.
Take half of the veggie and cauliflower rice mix and add to a blender, then combine until smooth.
Reintroduce the smooth mix back to the remaining half of the veggie and cauliflower rice mix, and stir in the nutritional yeast before plating up.
Drizzle with olive oil, toss on the seeds and chopped herbs, beetroot salt and extra sprinkle of nutritional yeast. Add a dollop of roasted red pepper pesto for an extra kick.

Broccoli and Walnut Whip

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine and taken from Hungry Woman by nutritionist Pauline Cox.

Maximise your health, enhance your happiness, and re-balance your hormones with these wellness-boosting dishes.

This delicious salad is a nutrient powerhouse. It takes minutes to whip up, with all that walnut goodness and broccoli brilliance leaving you full and satisfied.

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 head of broccoli
1 small red onion
A handful of walnuts
3 heaped tbsp natural or coconut yoghurt
4 tbsp Black tahini and miso dressing (see recipe)
A handful of pomegranate seeds

Method:

Cut the broccoli into florets, and steam or gently boil them for 5 minutes, until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water to prevent further cooking.
Dice the red onion and roughly chop most of the walnuts, leaving a few pieces to serve.
In a mixing bowl, combine the yoghurt and 3 tablespoons of the black tahini and miso dressing (if refrigerated, mix with a fork, loosen with a little olive oil, or keep at room temperature for 30 minutes before using).
Add the broccoli, red onion and walnuts to the mixing bowl with the yoghurt and stir to coat. Plate up and finish with the remaining walnut pieces, drizzle over the remaining 1 tablespoon of the black tahini and miso dressing, and then scatter over a few pomegranate seeds.

Black Tahini and Miso Dressing:
Whisk together 1 tbsp black sesame tahini paste, 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp miso paste and 1 tsp salt until combined. Keep refrigerated and use within 5 days.

Green Banana Get up and Go Pancakes

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine and taken from Hungry Woman by nutritionist Pauline Cox.

Maximise your health, enhance your happiness, and re-balance your hormones with these wellness-boosting dishes.

These protein-packed, flourless pancakes can be made without the collagen, however, the extra hit of amino acids in the morning is ideal for muscle building and hunger control. When bananas are green, they have less sugar content …. you decide how green you want to go. Delicious hot or cold!

Makes 12 small pancakes

Ingredients:
1 greenish banana
2 eggs
1 tbsp collagen peptides (optional)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Coconut oil or ghee, for frying

To serve:
Natural yoghurt
Fresh berries
Chopped nuts
Seeds

Method:

Add the banana to a blender with the eggs, collagen (if using) and cinnamon, then combine to create a smooth batter.
Heat a small amount of coconut oil or ghee in a frying pan, and when the pan is hot, add 3-4 spoons of batter to create 3-4 mini pancakes. Cook for 2-4 minutes until golden in colour, before flipping over to cook on the other side.
Serve with natural yoghurt, fresh berries, chopped nuts and seeds, for extra goodness.

Eat to treat Endometriosis

Article taken from Psychologies Magazine (October 2019)

Henrietta Norton*, author and leading expert on women’s wellbeing, helps us find the best ways to nourish ourselves to combat disorders of the reproductive tract.

Endometriosis and Adenomyosis are complex disorders of the female reproductive track whereby cells, similar to those found in the lining of the womb, are found elsewhere in the body. However, they develop differently and can have varying symptoms: In adenomyosis, rogue cells grow within the wall of the uterus; in endometriosis they grow outside the uterus. Endometriosis is more common in adolescents and women of reproductive age and adenomyosis in women who have had more than one child. You can have one or both of these disorders and, in fact, 42.3 per cent of women with endometriosis have a dual diagnosis.

You can help yourself

Endometriosis and adenomyosis are both progressive and oestrogen-dependent, influenced by the fluctuation in hormones during the menstrual cycle, which stimulates these cells to grow, then break down and bleed as they would in the lining of the womb, leading to inflammation and pain. Studies demonstrate that nutritional therapy is an effective approach to both conditions – in fact, research shows that it can be more effective at obtaining relief of pain and improving quality of life than medical hormonal treatment after surgery for endometriosis.

Nutrient deficiencies occur if you are not having enough food or having too much of the wrong food. You may be eating well, but not well enough to provide the specific nutrients you need to heal from a specific condition. Some gentle changes can help you make strides in your experience of endometriosis.

Lifestyle support

Consider these tweaks to help your body deal with the symptoms of endometriosis and adenomyosis

Eat colour : Women who ate green vegetables 13 times or more a week (roughly twice a day) were 70 per cent less likely to have endometriosis. Carotenoid-rich foods, especially citrus fruits, also positively affected symptoms. Use smoothies, juices and soups to nourish.
Befriend your gut : Beneficial gut bacteria can reduce production of beta-glucuronidase, an enzyme that remakes oestrogen in the gut and can contribute to its dominance. Add natural, organic yogurt to your diet, either on its own or in dressings and sauces. Fermented foods, such as sauerkraut and kefir, are excellent sources of beneficial bacteria, or take a pribiotic supplement (minimum 10 billion CFU, or colony forming units).
Keep up your minerals : Zinc and magnesium are used up in states of physical imbalance. Women can lose up to half their supply of magnesium during menstruation. Women with endometriosis often suffer from heavy bleeding, which reduces their iron stores.
Be conscious of intimate products : Tampons use bleached paper products that contain dioxins, proven to have an adverse effect on the hormonal system.
Rethink gluten : Research that categorises endometriosis as an autoimmune condition documents an improved response in those following a gluten-free diet. Three quarters of women on a gluten-free diet for a year reported a significant decrease in symptoms.

*Henrietta Norton is a nutritional therapist, women’s wellbeing writer and co-founder of food-grown supplements brand Wild Nutrition. wildnutrition.com; @wildnutritional.

White Fish with Butternut & Ginger Mash

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (April 2021) and taken from The Right Carb by Nicola Graimes.

Mash doesn’t have to mean potatoes. Try carrot, sweet potato, parsnip, celeriac or beans. This recipe celebrates Asian flavours of coconut, ginger, chilli and coriander.

Serves : 4

Ingredients :
2 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
3 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
4 thick hake fillets, or other sustainable firm white fish, such as haddock
20g butter
Sea salt and black pepper
Steamed long-stem broccoli and lime wedges, to serve

For the mash :

1kg butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks
4 whole garlic cloves, peeled
5cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
2 red jalapeno chillies, deseeded and diced
115ml unsweetened drinking coconut milk
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 handfuls of chopped coriander

First make the mash. Put the squash in a saucepan with the garlic and ginger, cover with water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until tender. Drain and pick out the ginger. Return the squash to the pan and add half the chilli, most of the coconut milk and the lime juice.
Mash until smooth, adding coconut milk as needed. Season with salt and pepper and stir in three quarters of the coriander leaves. Taste and add more lime juice, if needed.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, add the ginger and fry for 2 minutes until crisp. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.
Season the fish with salt and pepper. Add the remaining oil and the butter to the pan and heat over a high heat. Place the fish in the pan, skin-side down, then reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the skin is crisp and the flesh has cooked two thirds of the way up. Turn the fish, baste and cook for a further 2 minutes until just done.
Spoon the mash onto plates. Top with the broccoli and fish and scatter over the ginger, chilli and coriander leaves.

Spiced Roasted Vegetables with Lime Raita

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine and taken from The Right Carb by Nicola Graimes.

This fibre-rich, nutritious one-pan meal is loaded with veg and doesn’t need any extras. If you’d like to top up the protein content, add cubes of smoked tofu, paneer or halloumi at the same time as the cauliflower.

Serves : 4

Ingredients :

1 small butternut squash, about 650g, peeled, deseeded and cut into 2.5cm chunks
3 parsnips, cut into batons
2 red onions, each cut into 6 wedges
400g chickpeas, drained
5 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tblsp cumin seeds
1 tblsp coriander seeds, crushed
1 tblsp garam masala
300g cauliflower, broken into small florets
250g brussels sprouts, peeled
Sea salt and black pepper
1 handful toasted, flaked almonds and coriander leaves, to serve

For the Lime Raita
250g plus 2 1/2 tblsp plain yoghurt
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Finely grated zest of 1 and juice of 2 unwaxed limes

Preheat the oven to 180oC Fan / 200oC / Gas Mark 6. Put the squash, parsnips, onions and chickpeas in a large bowl. Pour over 3 tablespoons of the oil and turn the vegetables with your hands until coated. Tip into a large roasting tin, or use 2 smaller ones, and roast for 20 minutes, turning once.
Meanwhile, mix the remaining oil with the spices and season well with salt and pepper.
After 20 minutes, add the cauliflower and sprouts to the tin or tins. Spoon over the spiced oil, add a splash of water and turn until everything is combined. Return to the oven for a further 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and starting to caramelise.
Meanwhile, make the lime raita. Mix together the yoghurt, garlic and lime juice and season with salt and pepper.
Before serving, top the roasted vegetables with the lime zest, almonds and coriander leaves and serve with raita on the side.

Eat your way to a more positive state of mind

Article taken from Psychologies Magazine (November 2019)

Leading expert in women’s wellbeing Henrietta Norton tells us how to nourish ourselves for improved mental health and emotional balance.

Three and a half million people in the UK take antidepressants and the potential side effects range from gut problems, drowsiness, insomnia and painful menstruation to hives, tremors, confusion, anxiety and impotence. An increased risk of suicidal behaviour in children and adolescents has also been documented. Nutritional medicine has made developments in exploring the link between mental and physical health and research shows depression is more common in those with compromised immune function.

Take back a level of control

Evidence indicates that our sensitivity to stress, anxiety and depression is programmed in infancy, sensitising us to a certain level of adversity. Hypersensitivity to stress and depression may occur due to changes in our stress-response network. Of great clinical interest is that the group of inflammation-sensitive depressives tend not to respond well to antidepressants.

The B vitamins are essential for functioning of the nervous system, and vitamin B5 in particular for production of hormones such as cortisol. Sources include whole grains, eggs, beans and lentils, veggies, fish and meat. A vitamin B complex can be supportive and one that includes vitamin C, magnesium and ashwagandha will help regulate cortisol. Magnesium, rapidly used up when we’re stressed, is essential for the production of neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin. The best sources are nuts and seeds (especially pumpkin and hemp), buckwheat groats or flour (buckwheat is a seed and not related to wheat), greens such as spinach and kale and seafood. If sleep is an issue, try an extra 80mg of food-grown magnesium at night.

Foods for happiness

Following is a guide to feeding ourselves to best support our hormones, brain chemicals and, ultimately, moods.

Eggs. Rich in zinc and tryptophan, eggs can boost serotonin levels. Dip steamed asparagus into boiled eggs as a morning mood enhancer.
Wild Salmon. This fish is full of healthy fatty acids to support our hormones and libido. Mix with horseradish and plain yogurt to make a salmon pate for a quick mood-supporting snack.
Avocado. These are rich in healthy omega-3 fatty acids which have an array of health benefits. The acids DHA and EPA may help to improve brain function, regulate vision and contribute to normal heart function. These acids are also used as ‘taxis’ to ferry hormones around the body, including libido-charging testosterone in men and women. For a boost of healthy fats, slice chunks of avocado into your salad or onto your morning toast, drizzle over extra virgin olive oil and add flakes of wild salmon.
Quinoa. This whole grain is rich in protein, magnesium and B vitamins, which are needed to produce anti-anxiety brain chemicals, including GABA. Use as an alternative to rice or wheat pasta for managing anxiety and stress.
Lean proteins (fish, chicken and lamb). These proteins provide a complete mix of the amino acids required for the building blocks of neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine.

Ideas with Ryvita

Recipe ideas from advert by Ryvita in Psychologies Magazine (Spring 2021)

Chicken & Avocado

A classic combo, but who knew avos were so high in fibre? Combine 80g of fibre from half an avo with 2 Multigrain Crunchy Rye Breads and you have a filling snack with 6.3g of fibre. For added protein, top with chicken.

Ingredients :
2 Ryvita Multigrain Crunchy Rye Breads
1/2 avocado
Cracked black pepper
Cooked Chicken

Cut the avocado in half and mash the flesh. Reserve the other half.
Spread the mashed avocado on 2 Ryvita Multigrain Crunchy Rye Breads, add the chicken and season to taste with black pepper.

Hummus & Cherry Tomatoes

Hummus and rye breads make for easy high-fibre meals. Add roasted on fresh cherry tomatoes to get 9.4g of fibre over 4 slices.

Ingredients :
4 Ryvita Red Quinoa & Sesame Protein Crunch Rye Breads
100g cherry tomatoes
1 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp hummus

Preheat the oven to 200 C / Gas Mark 6.
Toss the tomatoes in the olive oil, season and bake for 15-20 minutes until the tomatoes start to burst.
Spread the hummus on the rye breads and top with the tomatoes.

Peanut Butter & Banana

Nuts are a great source of fibre and the average banana gives you 1.7g of fibre per 80g serving. Combine these with crunchy rye breads and you have a delicious snack with a whopping 6.6g of fibre – in less than 5 minutes!

Ingredients :
2 Ryvita Multigrain Crunchy Rye Breads
1 tblsp peanut butter
1/2 banana
1 tsp toasted, chopped peanuts

Top the crunchy rye breads with the peanut butter.
Slice the banana and place on top.
Sprinkle on the peanuts.

Fruitful breakfast

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (Spring 2021)

This refreshing, original acai bowl from ‘Plant Over Processed‘ by Andrea Hannemann is a great substitute for hot porridge as the days get warmer.

Serves : 2

Ingredients :
2 cups frozen blueberries
3 frozen ripe bananas
2 acai superfruit packs of 1 scoop acai powder
1 cup frozen mango chunks
1/2 cup plant milk

For the toppings
Sliced banana, granola, shredded coconut, goji berries or blueberries

Place all the ingredients except the toppings in a high-powdered blender.
Blend, starting on medium speed and gradually making your way up to high, for 1-2 minutes, stopping every 20 seconds to mix the ingredients and push them down with a smoothie stick.
Once you see the ‘swirl’, you will know it’s done. Pour your smoothie into your favourite bowl and add your choice of toppings.