And for a completely different approach to pancakes, check out this recipe I found for Potato Pancakes. Be sure to read as far down as the healthy option!

RECIPE FOR WATERCRESS SOUP

Serves: 4
Prep: 5 minutes
Cooking: 15 minutes

15ml/1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 small stick celery
350g/12oz potato, peeled and diced
600ml/1pt chicken or vegetable stock
3 (85g) bags watercress
150ml/1/4pt milk
pinch of nutmeg
squeeze of lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and celery and sauté over a medium heat for 5 mins until pale golden. Stir in the potato and stock and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 10 mins or until the potato is tender.

2. Stir in the watercress, cover and cook for a further 5 mins or until the watercress is wilted. Transfer the soup to a food processor and blitz until smooth. Return the soup to the rinsed out pan add the milk, nutmeg, lemon juice and seasoning to taste. Gently reheat until piping hot and serve with crusty bread.

Cook’s note:
There are lots of variations to this lovely soup.  For Fresh Pea and Watercress Soup, just sustitute 400g of frozen peas for the potatoes.  Also delete the celery, nutmeg and lemon juice.  Serve with a sprig of mint.

Per serving
calories:    167
fat:    5.5g
saturated fat:    0.8g
carbohydrate:    19.5g
protein:    11.1g
fibre:    2.7g
salt:    0.91g

Recipe courtesy of http://www.watercress.co.uk where you can find more delicious ways to eat watercress.

To remind yourself why eating watercress is such a good idea nutritionally, check out my earlier post on watercress.

By now you may be feeling sated with rich food, and hopefully looking forward to something nutritious yet tasty. Here’s a recipe that fits the bill:

Recipe: Falafel in Pitta Pockets

Garnished with watercress

Serves 4
Prep: 10 mins
Cooking: 22 mins

225g/8oz dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in water
1 tbsp tahini *
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 garlic clove, crushed
100g bag watercress,  roughly chopped
juice half a lemon
2 tbsp vegetable oil, for frying

To finish:
100g bag watercress
150g Greek style yogurt
1 small clove garlic, crushed
4 wholemeal pitta bread

* Tahini is a sesame seed paste used widely in Middle Eastern cookery. It adds a savoury, nutty flavour to these falafel and is available from health food stores and large supermarkets.

1. Drain the chickpeas and place in a food processor with the tahini, salt, baking powder, cumin, coriander, cayenne, garlic, watercress and lemon juice. Whizz until very finely chopped but not puréed. (If you have time, set the mixture aside for a couple of hours, so the flavours can mingle, but it’s not imperative).

2. Preheat the oven to 220C/Fan 200C/Gas Mark 6. Place a large roasting tin in the oven to heat up. Using a wet hand shape the mixture into 16 balls, then flatten slightly into patties.

3. Add the oil to the roasting tin, return to the oven for 2 mins, then carefully add the falafel, tossing to coat in hot oil. Bake for 20 mins, turning once until crisp and golden.

4. Whilst they cook, roughly chop half the remaining watercress and stir it into the yogurt with the garlic and seasoning to taste. Lightly toast the pittas on each side, cut each in half and open up each half to make a pocket. Fill the pitta pockets with falafel, remaining watercress and the yogurt sauce. Serve whilst warm.

The recipe comes courtesy of http://www.watercress.co.uk and is just one of many ways to use watercress as a garnish. For a reminder of the health benefits of watercress, check out my posting on the nutritional value of watercress.

Carrot Paneer and Pea Curry Christmas season

Christmas food and feasting seems to start earlier each year, with the results that even before the big day I’m feeling weary of rich food and cakes, and looking forward to something tasty and savoury. And with snow falling outside as I write this, something to beat the chills would be great too.

So here’s a warming and tasty curry that’s good for you too. Enjoy!

CARROT PANEER AND PEA CURRY
Serves 4

Ingredients
300g (4 medium) carrots, diced
125g frozen peas
200g tinned tomatoes
2 tbsp vegetable oil
30g butter
1 tbsp medium strength curry paste
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 lge onion, peeled and finely chopped
227g packet of paneer
3cm fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 red chilli, seeded and finely diced
3 cardamom pods
1tsp black mustard seeds
75g creamed coconut
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin seeds
200ml vegetable stock
1 handful chopped coriander

Method
1. In a deep pan, heat the oil and butter. Add the carrots and onion and fry for about 5 minutes. Season with the sea salt and black pepper. Add the ginger and garlic, followed by the mustard seeds, ground coriander, turmeric, cumin, chilli, curry paste and crushed cardomom pods.
2. Add the tomatoes and vegetable stock. After 5 minutes add the creamed coconut. Chop the paneer into 1cm cubes and add it to the stock mixture with the frozen peas. (If the mixture is too thick add a little water).
3. Serve on a bed of Basmati rice with mango chutney and poppadoms. Garnish with the chopped coriander.

Notes
Paneer is a type of cheese used widely in Indian cuisine and some Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian cuisine. Unlike most cheeses, the making of paneer does not involve rennet as the coagulation agent, and therefore is completely lacto-vegetarian.

Carrots in your winter skin-care routine!

During the winter months our skin is faced with the damaging and drying effects of cold, windy weather and the low humidity of indoor heating. But there’s no point in spending a fortune on lotions and potions without making sure you are eating the right food as well. The old saying “beauty comes from within” really does hold true and following a healthy diet filled with anti-oxidant rich foods is the best medicine for getting your skin in tip top condition and preventing premature aging.

Top of your skincare food list should be the humble carrot. This delicious root vegetable is packed with a powerful antioxidant beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body. In fact, of all fruit and vegetables, carrots are actually the best source of beta-carotene – an 80g serving contains more than twice the recommended daily amount (RDA) needed by adults. The antioxidant action of beta-carotene helps to act against age-accelerating free radicals, so that our skin remains healthy and elastic.

In addition to its skincare benefits, the Vitamin A in carrots is essential for the proper functioning of the immune system. This nutrient keeps the skin and cells that line the airways, digestive tract and urinary tract healthy, so they act as barriers and form the body’s first line of defense against infection.

And don’t worry if you’re not a fan of raw carrots, eating cooked carrots is actually a nutritional bonus. Research published in the European Journal of Nutrition showed that more beta-carotene was absorbed from cooked, puréed carrots than from raw ones*.

So make sure you pick up a bunch of carrots and get crunching. They’re great as a healthy snack with low-fat dips, and are endlessly versatile in a range of delicious dishes. Try out the winter warming recipes below or visit www.britishcarrots.co.uk for more recipe inspiration.

Some other top tips for looking after your skin in the winter include:

• Drink lots of water – when the days start getting colder it’s easy to forget to keep drinking your 6-8 glasses of water a day.
• Dress in layers – if you’re too hot, you will sweat, and that sweat will end up trapped close to your skin, making you itchy and red.
• Stick to a shorter, warm-water bathing routine – excessive hot water will dry out your skin.
  Continue to wear a moisturizer with SPF – just because it’s cold doesn’t mean the sun can’t still do some serious damage to your skin.
• It’s also a good idea to buy a lip balm with SPF to soothe chapped lips.
• Moisturize – it’s best to moisturize after your bath, applying body lotion all over while you’re still a bit damp.

And to help you boost your carrot intake, here’s a healthy recipe using carrots.

HONEY AND THYME ROASTED CARROTS

When you’ve got the oven on for a roast, why not pop the carrots in to? Roasted they have a wonderfully sweet, dense flavour and smooth velvety texture. Kids will particularly love ‘em!

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 20-25 minutes
Serves: 4
Per serving: 76 calories, 3.1g fat, 0.4 saturates, 11.3g sugars, 0.07g salt
Price per portion: 16p

Ingredients

450g/1lb carrots, washed and trimmed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp runny honey
2 tbsp lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper
a few fresh thyme leaves or pinch of dried

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C/400F/Gas 6. Cut the carrots into thick batons – try and make them similar sizes and then they will cook evenly. Place in a roasting tin, add the oil, honey and lemon juice and seasoning and toss well to mix.

2. Roast the carrots for 20-25mins, stirring halfway through this time, until the carrots are golden and tender. Scatter over the herbs and serve warm.

One more broccoli recipe, still quick to prepare, and with great nutritional value.

INGREDIENTS:

• 200g bellaverde® broccoli
• 45ml/3tbsp olive oil
  1 medium onion, finely sliced
• 1 medium aubergine, cut into small cubes (about 1cm)
• 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
• 1 (400g) can chopped tomatoes
• 5 fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 50g/2oz pitted Kalamata olives
• 4 medium eggs
• 25g/1oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD:

1. Heat the oil in a 25cm diameter frying pan, add the onion,
aubergines and pepper and sauté for 6-8 mins until soft and browned, stirring
occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Meanwhile, wash the bellaverde® and prepare by trimming the base
of the spear and chopping the remaining into 3cm pieces.

3. Pour the tomatoes in the frying pan with the bellaverde®,
basil and olives. Cover the pan with a baking tray or lid and cook, over a
medium heat for 4-5 mins or until all the vegetables are tender.
Meanwhile,preheat the grill.

4. Use a spoon to make four hollows in the tomato mixture and very gently break one egg into each. Recover the pan and cook over a medium heat for 2 mins. Remove the lid, sprinkle over the Parmesan and cook under the grill for 2-3 mins or until the eggs are cooked as you like them. Serve immediately with warm crusty bread.

 Mail this post]]> http://healthyeatingforhealthylivingtips.com/recipe-for-flamenco-eggs-with-broccoli/feed 0 http://healthyeatingforhealthylivingtips.com/healthy-halloween-recipe-ideas http://healthyeatingforhealthylivingtips.com/healthy-halloween-recipe-ideas#comments Sat, 17 Oct 2009 08:00:44 +0000 admin http://healthyeatingforhealthylivingtips.com/?p=553 Want to get the kids eating more vegetables? Halloween presents some fun ways to “trick and treat” them.

Here’s one – more below – together with a reminder of why you’ll be doing them a favor!

Frankenstein Fingers and Sheep’s Eyes

Frankenstein's fingers and sheeps' eyes

Fill a small bowl with ready-made guacamole, houmous or other favourite dip. Take 5 baby carrots and take a thin slice off the tip of each. Then use the knife to make a small incision at the base of this cut and push a flaked almond into the slot to look like finger nails! Arrange the carrots into the dip so they look like fingers. For the sheep’s eyes, peel 4 carrots and thickly slice. Slice a few green stuffed olives and red grapes. Top each carrot slice with a blob of sour cream and the sliced grapes or olives. Arrange the eyes in pairs on a serving plate.

Why are carrots so good to eat?

Guard yourself against ‘things that go bump in the night’ with our spooky Halloween x-ray vision carrot party menu. Not only will carrots help you see in the dark, but they can be made into great party fare.

Why not get the kids to “give you a hand” creating Frankenstein Fingers from baby carrots, using flaked almonds as finger nails and assembling them into a pot of slimy green guacamole. Sheep’s eyes are a doddle too, simply top the sliced carrots with a blob of sour cream and then sliced grapes or olives and arrange the eyes in pairs on a serving plate. Kids will love decorating Spooky Carrot Muffins with iced spiders, pumpkins and ghosts and they’ll be great for any trick or treaters too. Jacket potatoes with chilli lamb and carrot topping are another delicious party option for children and adults alike.  And they’re all dead easy to prepare. Not to mention easy on the purse in these credit crunch days!

These devilish delights are packed with carrot goodness. They are brimming with the powerful antioxidant beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body. In fact, of all fruit and vegetables, carrots are actually the best source of beta-carotene – an 80g serving contains more than twice the recommended daily amount (RDA) needed by adults. Vitamin A aids the growth of healthy bones and teeth and is essential for the proper functioning of the immune system. Carrots are also high in fibre, naturally low in fat and saturates and count as one of your five-a-day.

So what are you waiting for? Hop on your broomsticks, don your pointy hats and get carrot crunching this Halloween. Try out the spooky recipes below or visit www.britishcarrots.co.uk for more recipe inspiration.

For a bit of Halloween fun, here are some more spooky ideas! They are quick and easy and get the kids eating veg too!

Firey Jackets

Firey Jacket Potatoes

Preparation: 10mins
Cooking: 1hr 10mins
Serves 6
Per serving: 335 calories, 9.4 fat, 4.0g saturates, 10.3g sugars, 0.37g salt

Ingredients
6 baking potatoes, scrubbed
1 (400g) pack lean lamb mince
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 green pepper, deseeded and chopped
10ml/2tsp ground cumin,
10ml/2tsp coriander
10ml/2tspsmoked paprika
1/2-1tsp/2.5-5ml chilli flakes
450g/1lb carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
1 (400g) can tomatoes
15ml/1 tbsp tomato puree
salt and ground black pepper
45ml/3tbsp chopped fresh coriander
sour cream mixed with chopped coriander to serve, if liked

Method
1.    Preheat the oven to 220C/ Fan 200C/450F/Gas Mark 7. Scrub the potatoes clean, then place on a baking tray. Bake for 35-40mins or until tender.
2.    Meanwhile, Heat a large pan or wok, add the lamb mince without any extra oil, and sauté over a medium heat for 6-8mins, stirring to break up the mince, until it is nicely browned. Add the onion, garlic and pepper and sauté for 2mins.
3.    Add the spices and carrots, cook for 1 min. Then add the tomatoes, puree and plenty of salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 10mins. Stir well, then simmer uncovered for a further 5mins or until the juices have thickened slightly. Adjust the seasoning.
4.    Split the baked potatoes and spoon a little of the mince mixture into each. Serve topped with sour cream mixed with chopped coriander if liked.

Halloween Carrot Muffins

Carrot Muffins

Preparation: 20mins
Cooking: 25mins
Makes 12

Ingredients
200g/7oz soft light brown sugar
200ml/7floz sunflower oil
2 medium eggs
200g/7oz plain flour
2.5ml/1/2 tsp baking powder
2.5ml/1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda
pinch of salt
5ml/1 tsp ground cinnamon
200g/7oz carrots, peeled and grated
50g/2oz walnut pieces, chopped
5ml/1 tsp vanilla essence

For the icing:
225g/ icing sugar, sifted
25g/1oz unsalted butter
75g/3oz chilled full fat cream cheese
food colouring and writing icing

Method
1.    Preheat the oven to 170C/Fan 150C/325F/Gas Mark 3. Line a deep 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
2.    Place the sugar, oil and eggs in a large bowl, then beat together with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and thickened. Sift over the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and cinnamon then fold in until well mixed. Fold in the carrots, walnuts and vanilla essence.
3.    Divide the mixture between the paper cake cases. Bake in the middle of the oven for 25mins or until golden, risen and the middle bounces back when lightly pressed. Leave to cool in the tin for 5mins before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
4.    For the icing: Use an electric whisk to beat the icing sugar and butter together in a large bowl until fluffy. Add the cream cheese and briefly beat together again until just combined. Don’t overbeat or it will become runny. Spread the icing over the muffins, then let the kids go mad icing the cakes with spooky characters.

Freezing instructions:
Un-iced these muffins freeze well. Once cold pack them into a freezer proof container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for about 1 hour, then ice as instructed.

Here’s another great recipe for those of you  who are developing a taste for broccoli

INGREDIENTS:

• 400g bellaverde® broccoli

• 1 garlic clove
• 6 fresh mint leaves
• 60ml/4tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 30ml/2tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 100g/4oz goats cheese
• 45ml/3tbsp pine nuts, toasted salt and freshly ground black pepper

         METHOD:

1. Wash the bellaverde® and trim the base of the spear. Cook in a saucepan with salted boiling water for 4 mins until just tender. Drain and then rinse in cold water to cool slightly, then, drain again.
2. In the meantime finely chop the garlic and the mint together and place in a large bowl. Pour in the oil and the balsamic vinegar and mix until well combined.
3. Add the warm bellaverde® to the bowl with the dressing. Season with salt and pepper and toss all together until evenly coated. Place on a serving plate.
4. Crumble over the goat cheese and scatter over the pine nuts and serve.

Energy(kcal)	249
Protein (g)	9.3
Fat (g)	22
Of which saturates (g)	4.8
Carbohydrate (g)	3.7
Of which sugars (g)	3.2
Fibre (g)	2.8
Salt (g)	0.32
1 of your 5-A-DAY A third of your GDA of Vit C

Recipe: Baked chicken with lemon carrots

Baked Chicken with Lemony Carrots, Garlic and Potatoes
Serves 4
Per serving: 432 calories, 15.1g fat, 3.6g saturates, 11.1g sugars, 0.88g salt

Ingredients
1 kg chicken thighs, chicken breasts on the bone or drumsticks
500g carrots peeled and cut into batons
3 tbsp olive oil
A little soft butter
3 medium potatoes peeled and cut into slices
2 lemons
2-4 cloves of garlic peeled and finely sliced
2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme or 1tsp mixed dried herbs
Sea salt and black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400oF/Gas Mark 6. Smear an ovenproof dish liberally with the butter, layer the potatoes and garlic on the bottom of the dish and season well, then top with the carrots and slice one of the lemons in thin slices over the carrots. Add the herbs and drizzle with 2tbsp of olive oil and pour over 2tbsp of water.
2. Lay the chicken pieces skin-side down on top, squeeze the juice from the remaining lemon, season with salt and pepper, and drizzle over the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Bake for 20-25mins in the oven and then turn over the chicken, spoon a little of the pan juices over them.
3. Turn the oven down to 180DegC/370DegF/Gas Mark 4 and continue to cook for a further 25-30mins until the chicken is well browned and the potatoes cooked through.