Going purple for September

aubergine beetroot blackberriesThe A, B&B trio (Aubergine, Beetroot and Blackberries) group are all in season now. They’re high in fibre, low in calories, rich in minerals, vitamins and the antioxidant phytochemicals that given them their deep colour writes Dr Susan Aldridge, freelance writer and editor based in London, with an interest in medicine, health, science and food/nutrition. The purple of aubergine skin comes from nasunin, a potent antioxidant which was found (in lab experiments only, to be fair) to protect brain cell membranes from damage.

Back to School juice

There are still plenty of blackberries around, so pick them while you can. Blended with frozen berries and grapefruit, this makes a delicious healthy juice with just the right acidity balance. Amounts of berries can be varied.

Serves two

Fresh picked blackberries
Bag of frozen berries, defrosted
Two red grapefruit
One inch ginger root, peeled and chopped
Pomegranate juice
Juice all berries, grapefruit and ginger and top up glasses with pomegranate juice.

Ratatouille

I have been studying ethnobotanist James Wong’s new book 10-a-day The Easy Way and wondered how many veg I could add to my aubergine in a ratatouille recipe. Here goes…

Serves four

One aubergine, chopped
One red pepper, chopped
One green pepper, chopped
One yellow pepper, chopped
Three courgettes, sliced
Handful of runner beans, sliced
Two red onions, chopped
Two red chillis, chopped
Two garlic cloves, diced
Two 400g tins of tomatoes
Two tbsp. tomato puree
One tbsp. dried mixed herbs
100g pot of mixed olives
Fresh basil, torn
Fresh parsley, chopped

Heat some coconut or olive oil and fry the onions, garlic and chilli for a few minutes till soft. Stir in all the other vegetables and soften. Then add tomatoes, tomato puree, herbs and simmer till all the veg are tender. Add the olives. Finish with the fresh herbs and maybe a drizzle of olive or flax seed oil.

This is incredibly versatile. Serve with rice, pasta, baked potato or sweet potato, hot or cold. I put this recipe into my nutrition calculator and it ‘only’ contains 2.5 portions of fruit and veg per serving. Now my challenge is to adapt this recipe to up this total. Fancy joining me in this challenge?

Beetroot and horseradish hummus – new food processor

I have just bought a new food processor. So, to celebrate, I put together a recipe I’ve been meaning to try for a while.

Serves four

Three boiled beets, chopped
One 400g tin chick peas, drained
Two tbsp horseradish
Two tsp spices (many hummus recipes call for cumin, but I used ras el hanout and sumac)
Flax seed or olive oil as required

Process the beets, chick peas, horseradish and spices. Add oil to create the consistency you want.

This beautiful deep pink-purple dip is great with pitta bread, crackers and crudites and keeps in the fridge for up to a week.

Next time: Going nuts in October.

B is for beetroot

JuiceGuest blog by  Susan Aldridge, freelance writer and editor based in London, with an interest in medicine, health, science and food/nutrition.

There are all sorts of claims for the health benefits of beetroot, some of which are well researched. For instance, beetroot juice has been found to lower blood pressure due to the high content of nitrates. Other attributes that beetroot is said to have are that it increases the blood flow to the brain when nitrates are converted to nitrites in the mouth, and that it cleanses the blood.

There’s no doubt that it is packed with nutrients including: beta-carotene, calcium, folic acid, iron, magnesium, potassium, Vitamins A, B6 and C. Another less popular suggestion is that beetroot juice can be good for the sinuses when sniffed up the nostrils!

Rainbow juice

Serves 1

Carton of blueberries
One beetroot
Handful of tomatoes
Two oranges, peeled
One lemon
Bunch of spinach
Large lump of ginger, peeled

Juice the above ingredients and drink immediately. For a version of Rainbow Juice that is a little less sweet, substitute three peeled carrots for the oranges.

Beetroot and carrot salad
Serves two

Two (raw) beetroot
Four carrots
Handful of walnuts or almonds
Handful of mixed seeds
Slice or grate the beetroot and carrot. Add nuts and seeds and dress with flaxseed oil, cider vinegar and lemon.
Pink pasta
Serves two

One large red onion

Pack of cooked beetroot, chopped
50g half-fat crème fraiche
150g pasta (any kind)
100g feta cheese, crumbled
Chopped mint

Put the pasta on to cook. Then saute the onion in coconut oil to soften, then add the chopped beetroot to warm through. Add the crème fraiche and stir, making a chunky sauce. Stir into the cooked pasta. Top with the feta and finish with the mint.