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.

Well, Christmas is over, and I hope you had a great time.

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.

As the days get shorter and we all start planning some warming comfort food, make sure carrots are on the menu. They’re a classic ingredient in stews, pies and casseroles and are also packed full of vitamins to help ward of colds and keep you ship shape during the winter months.

Carrots are the most prolific vegetable source of beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body. This is essential for the proper functioning of the immune system and keeps the skin and cells that line the airways, digestive tract and urinary tract healthy.

Carrots are actually one of those vegetables that are better for you cooked than raw. Research published in the European Journal of Nutrition showed that more beta-carotene was absorbed from cooked, pureed carrots than from raw ones. Carrots are also naturally low in calories, fat, salt and saturates and high in fibre. An 80g serving of carrots, or about half a medium sized carrot, counts as one of your 5-A-DAY.

Try mashing carrots with potato, grating into pasta sauces and curries, or whizzing into soups. If you’re serving them on the side, why not ring the changes with our delicious suggestions below:

• Caraway seeds: After cooking, toss carrots in a frying pan with butter and a sprinkle of caraway seeds for around 3mins.
• Citrus: Citrus really brings out the sweet flavour of carrots. Simmer carrots until tender then drain and toss in a pan with some butter, sugar to taste and lemon or orange juice for delicious citrus glazed carrots.
• Honey: Try tossing carrots in honey and oil before cooking for a delicious and healthy glaze.
• Maple syrup: Stir 1tbsp of maple syrup and 1tbsp of wholegrain mustard into melted butter and pour over cooked carrots.
• Sesame seeds: Their nutty flavour complements the sweetness of carrots. Toss cooked carrots into a frying pan with sugar, sesame oil and sesame seeds for 4mins before serving.

Here is the first of some delicious carrot recipes I will post over the next few weeks or log onto www.britishcarrots.co.uk for more ideas.

Honey and Thyme Roasted Carrots

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

Tomatoes and Red Pepper

As I write this in the UK it’s warm and sunny – never quite sure how long that will last, but we live in hopes.

In such weather, wanting to shed any winter weight gain, our thoughts may turn to a summer detox. If this conjours up images of misery and starvation, think again. It need not be the case.

My last post about Sandy Halliday’s detox diet generated a lot of interest and I asked her to share a sample recipe with us. Try this – I’m sure you’ll love it!

It combines being tasty with being filling – always an advantage, especially when you need something that’s “family-friendly” too.

Inca Salad
Serves 4

Ingredients

100g (1 cup/4oz) quinoa, rinsed very well and drained
2 cups (500 ml) vegetable stock
½ large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
50g (½ cup/2oz) peas
½ red pepper, seeded and diced
100g (¾ cup/4oz) cooked chickpeas
¼ cup (1 oz) spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced
¼ cup (1 oz) parsley finely chopped
¼ cup (1oz) fresh mint finely chopped
1 ripe avocado, peeled and diced.

Dressing

30 ml (2 tbsp) cup freshly squeezed lime juice
21 ml (1½ tbsp) vegetable stock
Freshly ground pepper
1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
¼ tsp chipotle chili pepper

Method

In a medium saucepan heat the quinoa and stock until boiling.
Reduce heat and simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa fluffs up, about 15 minutes. Drain any excess water and set aside to cool.
Combine all of the vegetables in a large bowl.
Add the quinoa and mix well.
Whisk the dressing ingredients together and pour over the salad.
Mix well and refrigerate until chilled.
Taste before serving, and add more lime juice as necessary (it should be tangy).

Click here to get more like this, for immediate download, in Sandy’s ebook.

Detox Recipes

Mushrooms Could Reduce Breast Cancer Risk by 64%

A study conducted jointly by the University of Western Australia and the Zhejiang University in China has found that eating mushrooms and drinking green tea could help protect against breast cancer.

The research team examined the mushroom and tea consumption of more than 2,000 women aged from 20 to 87 in relatively affluent south-east China. Half the women had confirmed breast cancer, and the others were healthy women recruited from outpatient clinics.

It was found that the the combination of dietary intake of mushrooms and green tea-drinking decreased breast cancer risk with an additional reduced effect on the malignance of cancer. The data were adjusted for other factors, such as physical activity, weight, menopause, alcohol consumption and smoking, including passive smoking.

If this research is confirmed in other studies there are implications for an inexpensive dietary chance to protect against breast cancer.

More information at www.mushroom-uk.com, where you’ll also find more great mushroom recipes like the one below.

Mushroom Recipe

Spicy Mushroom and Bean Chilli

Preparation: 10 mins
Cooking: 25-30 mins
Serves 4

Mushroom Recipe Ingredients
15ml/1tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 green pepper, roughly chopped
200g pack button mushrooms, halved
15ml/1tbsp ground paprika
10ml/2tsp ground cumin
5ml/1tsp chilli powder (more if liked)
1 (400g) can chopped tomatoes
15ml/1tbsp tomato puree
1 (400g) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
a pinch of sugar
salt and ground black pepper
brown rice to serve

Method
1. Heat the oil and sauté the onion for 3 mins until soft. Add the garlic, pepper and mushrooms and sauté for a further 3 mins until the mushrooms are tinged brown. Add the spices and cook, stirring for 30 secs.

2. Add the tomatoes, puree, beans and sugar, then bring to the boil. Season to taste, turn down to simmer and cook gently for 20 mins or until thickened and reduced. Serve hot with a 45-60ml/3-4tbs

Three of your “Five a Day”

Energy (kcal) : 165
Protein (g) 9.0
Fat (g) : 5.0  -  Of which saturates (g) : 0.6
Carbohydrate (g): 23.0   – Of which sugars (g): 9.0
Fibre (g) : 7.0
Salt (g) : 0.92

Study Reference:

Min Zhang, Jian Huang et al. Dietary Intakes of Mushrooms and Green Tea Combine to Reduce the Risk of Breast Cancer in Chinese Women. Int J Cancer: 124, 1404-1408 (2009)

Continuing my series on healthy meal ideas, here are some ideas for desserts. They may not be very new, but “back to basics” is a good idea!

Healthy Desserts

* Gourmet “chocolate mousse” – you’ll find this as a comment by Rafael, in response to Katie’s breakfast smoothie recipe on the linked website

* Fruit salad, an old classic, but don’t forget how enjoyable it can be

* Fruit smoothie – blend 135g frozen fruit with 12ml plain yoghurt

* Baked apple with yogurt

* Piece of fresh fruit

By the way – remember that “Stressed” spelled backwards is “Desserts”. Don’t fall into the stress-trap of comfort eating! More ideas welcome – please add a comment with your favorite healthy dessert idea!

Continuing the theme of “what shall I eat” for a healthy diet, here are some ideas for your main meal.

Pizza as a main meal

• Home-made or Covent Garden soups
• Mackerel, herring or salmon – new potatoes and salad
• Whole meal pasta
• Ratatouille
• Couscous or whole grain rice
• Vegetable curry
• White fish
• Kedgeree
• Skinless chicken
• A lean pork chop – occasionally
• Pizza – halve the cheese and double the vegetable topping

As ever, more ideas are welcome – please add a comment with your favorite main meal idea!

• Cottage cheese and pineapple
• Rice salad
• Avocado with prawns inside
• Tinned wild salmon in sandwich
• Salad with avocado mashed with garlic and lemon juice
• Wholemeal chicken, tuna or turkey sandwiches – add humus instead of mayonnaise
• A little low fat grated cheese grilled on toast with a dash of soya sauce. (When you use grated cheese it looks more, but tastes just as good!)
  
• Tomato, olive and red onion salad
• Jacket potato – add tuna, humus or Whole Earth baked beans
• Sweet potatoes and hummus
• Marks & Spencer’s bean salad
• Humous with strips of pitta bread
• Tinned sardines on wholemeal toast
• Stir fry of any vegetables you have in the fridge

More ideas welcome – please add a comment with your favorite healthy lunch!

Here’s an interesting article on MSNBC about those food items you may look at and wonder is this safe to eat?

OK – the picture’s a bit extreme, but you know what I mean.

We’ve all done it – pick up a bargain in the supermarket with no clear idea of which meal to incorporate it into, and then a week later you find it and wonder if you should eat it or not.

Check out the informative table on “How long will food last”? and read why you should probably be far more careful than you already are!

Scrambled Egg

Many people are keen to improve their diet, but short on ideas of what to have for their meals. Over the next few posts, I’ll be sharing a few meal ideas, and hope you’ll comment with some of your own favorite healthy meal ideas.

• Porridge made with water, Rice Dream, soya or almond milk – add a little honey to sweeten, or a tablespoon of chopped walnuts, sunflower seeds, dried or fresh fruit – for instance a mashed banana
• Organic muesli or sugar free cornflakes or rice crispies with Rice Dream, soya or almond milk
• Shredded wheat or puffed wheat if no intolerance suspected – not every day
• Live plain yoghurt with a teaspoon of sugar free jam, or nuts and fruit (look for Sojasun)
• Scrambled egg with smoked salmon
• If time is really short, a protein meal replacement drink
• Poached or boiled egg with rye toast
• Grilled tomatoes and mushrooms on rye toast
• Whole Earth baked beans on rye toast
• A tablespoon of Whole Earth peanut butter on rye toast
• Thanks to Katie Freiling for her Green Breakfast Smoothie recipe

More ideas welcome – please add a comment with your favorite healthy breakfast!