Pack in more proteins

PulsesI’ve been reading an interesting article in New Scientist, based on Eat Like the Animals: What Nature Teaches Us about Healthy Eating by David Raubenheimer and Steven J. Simpson. The authors talk about their research into animals and humans which, put simply, suggests we should stop worrying about counting fat and carb calories and focus more upon the protein content of our diet, writes Dr Susan Aldridge, HS guest blogger and  freelance writer and editor based in London, with an interest in medicine, health, science and food/nutrition. 

We have evolved to have not one, but five basic appetites to fulfil our health needs. These drive our intake of carbohydrate, fat, protein, calcium and sodium. In an obesogenic environment (where protein is ‘diluted’ by fat and carbs), people may tend to over-consume fat, carbs and highly-processed foods (which ‘taste like’ protein) in order to get enough protein, say Raubenheimer and Simpson.

 

How much protein do you need every day? Find out your basic calorie need (depending on gender and age) and the percentage of this (15-20 per cent, again depending on age) and divide this by 4 to get the number of grams of protein you should try to consume per day. There are plenty of online tools to help you do this.
My daily protein requirement came out to 68g, so I’ve put together three recipes to help achieve – even exceed – this. I didn’t eat them all on one day! They’re just some ideas to help pack in more protein, other than the obvious ones of adding more eggs, fish and pulses.

Protein smoothie

I hadn’t tried protein powders before. They come in a variety of flavours that blend well with berries and peanut butter (more protein!) to make a filling smoothie that could be a meal in itself.

Serves one
150g carton raspberries
One sachet organic whey protein powder – I tried creamy cacao flavour
One tsp. chia seeds
Half tsp. matcha powder
One tsp. cacao powder
One tsp. linseed meal
One tsp. turmeric latte powder
One dsp. peanut butter
250ml almond milk

Blend and thin to desired consistency with more almond milk.
Protein content 33g per serving.

 

Hummus with walnuts and quark

This makes a chunky dip which is a cross between traditional hummus and a Middle Eastern dip called muhammara which contains pomegranates and walnuts. The kefir quark gives a nice tang and protein boost.

Serves six

One can chick peas, drained
100g kefir quark
25g walnuts
One tbsp. flax seed oil/extra virgin olive oil
One tbsp. pomegranate molasses
One tbsp. tahini paste
Two tbsp. flax seed oil
One pack (100g) pomegranate seeds
Three cloves garlic

Blend all ingredients in a food processor. Contains 10g protein per serving (about twice as much as regular hummus).

Salad with black lentils

Lentils and beans are high protein – combine the two in this special salad and add colour and flavour with the other ingredients.

Serves four
150g black turtle beans, cooked, drained and cooled
150g whole olive green lentils, cooked, drained and cooled
80g pomegranate seeds
150g pack of barrel aged feta, cubed
Olives (your favourite deli blend)
Two avocados, peeled and sliced
Green leaves (I used watercress and baby kale)
100g walnut pieces
Dressing: blend flax seed oil, balsamic vinegar and pomegranate molasses
Combine all ingredients and toss with the dressing. If keeping for a second day, add the second avocado then to prevent browning.
Protein content 30g per serving.

Soft fruit in season

nectarinesThe stone fruits – plums, nectarines, peaches and apricots – are in season now, so make the most of them while you can. Members of the Prunus genus (part of the Rose family), these delicious fruits are rich in vitamins, fibre and antioxidants, according to HS guest blogger, Dr Susan Aldridge,  freelance writer and editor based in London, with an interest in medicine, health, science and food/nutrition. Beta-carotene gives apricots and peaches their yellow colour, while anthocyanins make plum and nectarine skins red. The stone fruits, although sweet, are classed as low to medium glycaemic index and so will help control blood sugar.

Of course, taste and texture of stone fruits can vary – we’ve all had a ‘woolly’ apricot or a tasteless peachy. To avoid disappointment, don’t buy pre-packaged fruits that may have been picked early and stored for a long time so the ripening process is arrested. Try an independent greengrocer and buy individual fruits instead. And it’s a good idea to check the origin of the fruits and go for a grower as local as possible (even if that’s not in the UK) for better texture, aroma and flavour.
For a very healthy snack, team stone fruits with nuts – apricots and brazils, peaches and walnuts and so on…and maybe add in some cheese to make a light and easy picnic meal (apricots and Manchego is a pa recommend apricots and Manchego). And I’ve put together three recipes to make the most of these seasonal soft fruits.

Peach melba smoothie

Till now, I would never put a peach in a smoothie. Why? On a trip to the Soviet Union in the 1980s, I was offered ‘peach nectar’ and have never forgotten the grey-beige colour and gloopy texture. I’m glad I decided to drop this prejudice, because the following smoothie, which brings together the peaches and raspberries of a classic Peach Melba dessert, is a lovely pink-orange colour and tastes delicious.

Serves one
250g carton of raspberries
Two peaches, stoned and sliced
One tsp matcha powder
One tsp chia seeds
One tsp cacao powder
One tsp linseed meal
One tsp turmeric latte powder
Nut milk (I used cashew nut milk) to top up
Blend all ingredients. I left this overnight in the fridge and it was fine the next morning but I suggest not leaving it longer than that as peaches do brown.

Nectarine Greek salad

I know some people think fruit in salad (apart from fruit salad, of course) is a bit weird but, trust me, this works.

Serves four (or two people twice – leave the salad without dressing, nectarines and avocado in the fridge overnight and add them in the next day)
Two nectarines (I used one yellow fleshed, one white fleshed), sliced
One pot of deli olives
Two peppers (yellow/orange, red/orange), chopped small
One red onion, chopped
250g feta cheese, cubed
100g plum or cherry tomatoes, halved
Half cucumber, sliced

Flaxseed oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and fresh basil and mint to dress.
Mix all ingredients and toss with dressing and herbs.

Summer fruit crumble

I’m always experimenting with crumble mixes – different flours, sugars and additives, such as nuts and oats – and I think this one works well with the seasonal stone fruit mixture.

Serves four
Two peaches, stoned and sliced
Six plums, stoned and sliced
Two nectarines, stoned and sliced
Ten apricots, stoned and sliced
One tsp. cinnamon
One tbsp. sugar
One tbsp. coconut blossom nectar
For the topping:
30g nuts, chopped
40g oats
100g spelt flour
75g butter
One tsp. cinnamon
One tbsp. sugar
One tbsp. coconut blossom nectar

Mix the chopped fruit with the sugar. Rub the butter into the crumble mixture to create a rough crumb. Then top the fruit with the crumble and bake at 180oC for 20 minutes or until browned.

Easter healthy treats

MagnoliaWhen I first started planning this month’s blog, I had no idea how life was going to be when it got to actually sending it out. My original thought was how to deconstruct that childhood favourite – the Crème Egg. So, something with eggs and something with ‘ultimate’ – ie 100% cocao solids – chocolate and, of course, the usual seasonal juice.

I don’t want to lay on any detailed health or lifestyle advice for these long days of social distancing ahead – there’s no shortage of that elsewhere. Just a couple of points…

  • More time at home means more time for smoothies and juices. Why not set up a daily habit? There are plenty of immune-boosting recipes out there.
  • Small, local ethnic shops can be a good source of lesser-known pulses and other new foods to try – and they need the business now! Check they’re not crowded and watch out for narrow aisles.

 

Green juice with extras

Spinach is just coming into season, so I combined this with grapefruit and a Bramley apple, throwing in a cucumber to boost the alkalising effect. Then checked the fridge and fruit bowl for any tired old leftovers and threw them in too.

Serves one

Bunch of spinach (from local greengrocers)

One Bramley apple, peeled and sliced

One cucumber, chopped roughly

Three tired celery sticks, chopped roughly

One broccoli stem, from last night’s dinner, chopped

One kiwi fruit from bowl husband keeps to add to his breakfast (I don’t like them on their own), peeled and sliced

One inch turmeric root, peeled and chopped

One inch ginger root, peeled and chopped

Feed everything into the juicer and drink immediately.

Spinach, grapefruit cucumber and apple juice kiwi – stolen from husband’s breakfast fruit bowl – I only like them in juice

 

Mung dhal with eggs and vegetables

This is a highly nutritious and cheap meal. Mung dhal is the inside of green mung beans.  It is cheap and very easy to cook (no soaking) – I got a big bag from my local Asian shop and wondered why people seem to be swooping on the pasta and leaving the pulses behind.  Ring the changes by serving with, or without, eggs, with salad(s), with rice or naan bread, raita and pickles – or even thinned down as a soup. We had it with mixed vegetables one day, peas the next, then I made it thinner and served as a sauce with hard-boiled eggs.

 

Serves six (or two for three days)

Two onions, peeled and chopped

One large red chilli, chopped

Three garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

Two inches ginger root, peeled and grated

One tbps. turmeric powder

One tsp. cumin seeds, ground

One tsp. black mustard seeds, ground

400g tomatoes

400g tin spinach puree

300 to 500g mung dahl

Mixed vegetables, frozen peas

Hard-boiled eggsFry onions, chilli, garlic and ginger with the spices till soft, then add tomatoes, spinach and bring to the boil. Add around 1.25 litres water (adjust liquid depending on if you want a thin or thicker dahl). Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until the dahl is soft. Meanwhile, boil the vegetables/peas till tender, hard-boil the eggs if using. Stir vegetables/peas into the dahl and heat through. Serve over the halved-hard boiled eggs/with rice/bread/raita/salad.

Chocolate peanut brownie  

I’m hearing that people are doing a lot of baking these days, so here’s a recipe I put together. I don’t normally mention brands here, but I’m going to give a shout out to British chocolate company Montezuma’s – high-quality chocolate, with a lovely range of flavours, including the Absolute Black, a 100% cocoa solids chocolate with absolutely no sugar, which I’ve experimented with here. It’s definitely an acquired taste if you eat it as is – dry, rather than bitter. I wondered how it would go down in baking. Here’s how…

80g Absolute Dark with hemp and sea salt and 80g Absolute Dark with Almonds, chopped into chips in a food processor

Sugar (or substitute like coconut blossom nectar – try for as little as you think you can get away with – I added 2 tbsp.)

70g butter, chopped

2 tbsp. water

2 eggs, beaten

125g flour (any flour – I used spelt)

One tbsp. cacao powder

One tbsp. cinnamon

50g salted roasted peanuts

Preheat the oven to around 170˚C. Heat the chocolate chips, sugar, butter and water until melted. Pour into a mixing just and add eggs. Mix well. Then add cacao and cinnamon to the flour in another bowl. Pour in the chocolate mixture, add peanuts and stir well. Add eggs, flour, nuts. Pour the mixture into a baking try and bake for 30 to 40 min. Leave to cool and then cut into squares.

 

 

 

 

Celebrate February with celery

celeryFebruary marks the end of the British celery season (although imported celery is, of course, available year round), so grab some while you can, writes Dr Susan Aldridge, freelance writer and editor based in London, with an interest in medicine, health, science and food/nutrition.

Celery is 95% water – and the rest of it is rich in vitamin C, minerals, soluble fibre and anti-inflammatory antioxidant phytochemicals. It’s valued in traditional Chinese medicine for treating high blood pressure. Of course, celery is an ideal healthy snack – portable, crunchy and with a handy groove that you can fill with peanut butter, cream cheese or a dip. Here are a few more ideas for adding more of this low-calorie (10 calories a stick) nutrient-dense vegetable to your 5-a-day (or more!) fruit and veg a day intake.

Classic celery juice

Celery has an alkalising effect so, so look no further for a lovely green juice recipe if you’re interested in this potential health benefit. By the way, I’ve started to add turmeric root alongside ginger root to all my vegetable juices.
Serves one
One cucumber, roughly chopped
Several sticks of celery, chopped
Big bunch spinach
One inch of turmeric root, peeled and chopped
One inch of ginger root, peeled and chopped
Juice all ingredients and drink immediately.

Celery and lentil soup

This main meal soup is a great winter warmer. I got the idea from a talk by Professor Mike Lean of the University of Glasgow about a ‘traditional Scottish’ low-calorie diet consisting of porridge and lentil soup (which he hopes will put type 2 diabetes into remission). You can keep it simple with just celery and lentils, or add any other vegetables you happen to have hanging around (I found a parsnip at the back of the fridge).

Serves four
250g red lentils
One head celery, chopped
One tbsp. dried mixed herbs
One tsp. chilli flakes
One litre of vegetable stock (you can use more, or less, depending on how thick you would like your soup to be)
Tomato puree

Cook the celery with the herbs till soft, then add the lentils and stock. Cook until the lentils are soft, then liquidise and add tomato puree to taste.

Crunchy salad

The point of this salad is to combine celery with some other crunchy ingredients. I was going to add peanuts for even more crunch, but decided to use them in the dressing to give an Oriental kick.

Serves four
Celery sticks, finely chopped
One red pepper, finely chopped
Two carrots, grated
Small white cabbage, grated
One cup of pomegranate seeds
One pineapple, sliced and diced
Dressing
One tbsp. peanut butter
Flaxseed oil
Soy sauce

Whizz the peanut butter, oil and soy sauce in a food processer to make the dressing. Mix the other ingredients and toss with the dressing.

Next month: Spring forward with greens, turnips and leeks

December: Some healthy comfort food for the festive season

Cranberries ChristmasHad enough of Christmas food ads already? Let’s plan ahead and make sure to include some healthy home-cooked dishes amid the festive frenzy. I recently had some very delicious mulligatawny soup at a posh Indian restaurant and decided to recreate it (particularly as I’ve just been at a conference where the health benefits of lentil soup were being promoted), writes Dr Susan Aldridge, freelance writer and editor based in London, with an interest in medicine, health, science and food/nutrition. At the same restaurant, I had some amazing spiced roast potatoes, so decided to recreate those too, with a healthy twist. And, as always, let’s kick off with a seasonal juice recipe.

Winter boost juice

If you’re partying a lot – be it the office do or a family dinner (or, of course, both), it’s a good idea to juice a lot as well. Fresh cranberries are in the shops now, grapefruit is in season and it’s always good to top up with pure pomegranate juice.

Serves two
Three red grapefruit, peeled and segmented
One carton fresh cranberries
Two inch ginger root, peeled and chopped roughly
Pure pomegranate juice
Juice the grapefruit, cranberries and ginger, pour into two glasses and top up with pomegranate juice.

Swede and Leek Mulligatawny soup

Serves two to three
Parsnips, swedes and turnips are in season and are a great source of fibre, vitamin C and antioxidant phytochemicals, while leeks are prebiotic, which support the health of the gut microbiome.
Half a swede chopped (or substitute turnips, parsnips)
One large leek, chopped
One large onion, finely chopped
100g or so of lentils (reduce or omit for a thinner soup)
Two inch piece of root ginger, grated
Four cloves of garlic, chopped
One tbps. curry powder
500ml (or more to top up) vegetable stock

Tomato puree

Cook the swede, onion, garlic, ginger and leek in coconut oil until soft and add the curry powder and lentils. Cook for a further five minutes, then add the stock. Simmer until everything is soft then add tomato puree to taste, liquidise (add more stock if too thick).

Turmeric and rosemary roasties
Serves two

Serve with a roast/Christmas dinner or in wedges with dips for a buffet.
500g roasting potatoes, whole, halved or cut in wedges
One tbsp. turmeric powder
One tbsp. chopped rosemary
Pre-heat the oven to 200°C. Boil the potatoes till tender, drain and shake them around a bit in the pan. Heat one tbsp. coconut oil in a saucepan. Toss the potatoes with the turmeric and rosemary in the oil till coated. Cook in a foil lined tray in the oven for 30 minutes or until they’re crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.
Next time: It’s a citrus New Year…