Breast Cancer Awareness Month 

This month is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, with a 1000 women still dying or being affected by breast cancer every month, there is still much to do to fight it.

The Chinese have understood the power of mushrooms for millennia , and have used Maitake, Reishi and Shiitake mushrooms in particular for the prevention (and in some cases the treatment) of various cancers, including Breast Cancer.  These mushrooms are packed with B vitamins for energy, B5 (pantothenic acid) that helps support the adrenal glands when stress is overwhelming, and a highly bio-available source of iron, coupled with fibre to ensure the prevention of constipation. 

Use this Breast Cancer Awareness week to explore the use of Shiitake mushrooms which are now readily available in dried form from most supermarkets in your weekly eating programme.   Add a small handful of Shiitake mushrooms to a large cup of hot filtered water and soak overnight before adding to soups, winter casseroles, and broths to enrich the flavour and support your immune system. Who would have thought that a simple mushroom could deliver so much?  

Make sure you visit http://www.breastcancercare.org.uk/ for more information about breast cancer and how you can help fight the cause. 



Is the 5:2 working for you? Get the Gloss have a fantastic section on their website of recipes, tips, where to eat, how to exercise, articles and support all about the 5:2. If your stuck for recipes, I have recently contributed twenty or so to the website and will be updating them on my blog on a regular basis. 




This week my Endive, Frisee, Rocket and grated Kohlrabi Salad with Toasted Cashew Nuts is proving popular. 



Kohlrabi, in season now, is a superbly rich source of vitamin C, more so than oranges! At this time of year, this vitamin is vital for boosting immunity and warding off diseases. Kohlrabi also contains health promoting phytochemicals that are thought to be anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer. This brassica can be served raw, shredded into salads, or roasted, keep the leaves and use much like you would steam kale or greens. 

Ingredients:

1 small head of Kohlrabi, outer leaves trimmed 

1 handful rocket, washed and drained 

1 small endive, quartered lengthwise 

1 handful core frisée leaves, (as these are the Sweetest)

6-8 cashew nuts, whole or halved 

1 dessert spoon of walnut oil 

1 tbsp. apple cider or white wine vinegar

Several sprigs of fresh tarragon

Small bunch chives, chopped finely

Salt and pepper to season

Method:

Coarsely grate the kohlrabi, and plunge into ice-cold water to prevent browning

Place the cashew nuts into a frying pan over low heat, and dry fry until golden. Remove from pan to prevent overheating and set to one side. Mix the walnut oil, chopped tarragon, chopped chives and apple cider vinegar as dressing. Arrange all the leaves into large salad bowl, top with grated drained Kohlrabi and cashew nuts and toss with dressing.  Serve as main course salad.

Enjoy!

    Another installment from Get the Gloss's "How To" on the 5:2. This week it's all about fish.   

    See my lemon sole recipe below:

   

Light and zesty, this recipe for lemon sole makes a dish which is simple to follow yet super tasty to try. The juices from the fish make a deliciously natural dressing and the spinach and nutmeg side provides the perfect companion to the delicate, flaky fish.

Serves: 1

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium fillet of lemon sole

1 pack baby spinach

2 tsp olive oil

pinch of grated nutmeg

cracked black pepper

juice of 1 lemon

several sprigs of parsley, roughly chopped

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat your oven to 185 degrees. Meanwhile, apply 1/2 the olive oil to both sides of the fish and drizzle the juice of half the lemon over the fish.

2. Wrap the fillet in silver foil, allowing 'breathing space' above the fish by creating a tent to let it steam in it's own juices.  Place into the oven for 20-25 minutes or until a fork inserted into the side of the fish comes out with clear running juices. This indicates that the fish is cooked through.

3. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based skillet or frying pan. Wilt the baby spinach so that it shrinks down to one serving, and grate a little of the nutmeg and cracked black pepper on top.

4. Take out the fish from the oven, opening the silver foil and sliding the fish onto a plate. Pour the cooking juices over the top and squeeze on the remainder of the lemon juice. Serve together on a medium Dinner plate.

 Visit www.getthegloss.com for more.

Poached Salmon Fillet in White Tea Broth 

My simple, hearty 5:2 recipe for Get the Gloss's expert advice columns on how to tackle the 5:2 diet. 

Serves: 1

1 large salmon fillet

200 ml water

1 white tea bag (eg Clipper)

1 stick of lemongrass, bashed with wooden spoon to release oils and flavours

1 tsp mixed Thai spices (dry)

1 small pack purple sprouting broccoli , woody stems removed

Method:

1. Boil the kettle and add the hot water to the tea bag. Leave it to infuse for 5 minutes then remove the bag to prevent the broth becoming too bitter.

2. Simmer the broth over heat with the lemon grass stick and Thai Spices for 10 minutes.

3. Add the purple sprouting broccoli and salmon and poach for a further 5 minutes.

4. Take it off the heat and allow to stand for 2 minutes before serving.  Do not throw the broth away or serve dry as this is where all the goodness is.

Wellbeing at Wilderness Festival

As well as attending Abergavenny Food Festival this year I will also be heading to Wilderness Festival (7th - 10th August) in the Cotswolds to take part in their Wild & Wellbeing Programme. 

There are a huge range of amazing contributors taking part in the programme, such as Headspace, Hunter Gather Cook and Wild Medicine Walks.

Tickets are limited but are still on sale here: http://www.wildernessfestival.com, get yours now for the ultimate summer festival. 

Abergavenny Food Festival Debate

Join me at the annual Abergavenny Food Festival in Wales this September 21st 2014. I will talking at The Festival Debate "Is Healthy Eating making us ill?" with Joanna Blythman, Julian Baggini and Shaun Hill. The event is chaired by Nick Barnard of Rude Health.  

The festival hosts over two hundred exhibitors, including cooking demonstrations, a children's Food Academy, masterclasses, tastings, workshops and talks. 

Get your tickets now at:

http://www.abergavennyfoodfestival.com

Lastest Organic Burst Video: Acai Berry

I have been working with British suppliers of the superb food-state supplement powders and capsules, Organic Burst, over the last few months, to support them in establishing their place in the British marketplace for their collection of superfood powders, that I personally use daily, and recommend to many of my clients. For those of you who want to step up their nutrition, watch the video's every week to hear how these products really are superior. This week we look at the Acai Berry.