Beetroot-Caraway fritters


Are we really starting the New Year with fritters?  Yes!  I know frying is not the chosen healthy way to cook but there is a way around it (plus I tried baking and steaming, and they just didn’t work).  The trick is to keep your oil on a gentle heat and not to overcook the ingredients so that the end result tastes very healthy indeed, with the carrot and beetroot still retaining their raw crunch.  

And for all those salt addicts, if you feel you want to add salt, please don’t.  Try adding more crushed caraway or garlic or chopped dill instead - wonderful flavours which really make this delicious dish work.

Serves 4;   makes 12 fritters as a starter

2 large organic raw beetroots, coarsely grated [I did mine in the kitchen whizz]
3 medium organic carrots, coarsely grated

2-3 tsp ground caraway seeds
2 crushed garlic cloves
1 full tbsp chopped dill

50g rice flour

3 beaten eggs

2 tbsp plain Greek yoghurt

1-2 tbsp olive oil

Rocket - as much as you want for 4 ‘beds’ on which to place the fritters

 

Method:

Combine all the ingredients, except the oil, dill and yoghurt, in a bowl and stir well.  Don’t be put off if the mixture doesn’t seem to ‘glue’ - it will as it cooks.  And if some bits  break off it doesn’t matter - they still taste delicious and no one will mind once they are on their bed of rocket on the plate.

Heat some of the oil in a large pan on a medium heat, and add four separate heaped tablespoons of the fritter mix to your pan, flattening each one lightly with a wooden spoon or spatula - don’t be too exuberant or else the fritter will break apart before it has a chance to cook.  Remember to keep to a medium heat - about 5 or 6 minutes on each side until they are golden on the outside but still a bit soft on the inside.  This is very dependent on your individual cooking tops.  You don’t want the oil to heat excessively but you need a gentle sizzle for them to stick together. 

When cooked, place the fritters on a paper towel to take off any excess oil then pop into a low heat over whilst you repeat until the mixture is finished.

Place on a bed of rocket and top with a good dollop of yoghurt sprinkled with black pepper and finely chopped dill.

 

Previous Recipes...

 

Sunday 4th December already - what happened to November?

I’ve been buying ‘Fish 4 Ever’ canned sardines since I first saw them on the shelves of the Long Crichel bakery some years ago.  I had never been a fan of canned sardines (love them fresh) but the Fish4Ever offerings are absolutely delicious, and a great way to get fish on the table of those who ‘don’t do fish’.  Check out their website, it makes for a good read.
Here is one of their recipes which I’ve changed only slightly ...


Mackeral Pate (dairy free)


Serves 4 people, takes 10 minutes to make  and no cooking required, easy peasy...


1 tin Fish4Ever Peppered Mackerel in Organic Sunflower Oil – drained  
1 small tin (125g approx) chick peas
1 freshly chopped chilli
handful of chopped flat-leafed parsley
Lime Juice
Sea Salt

Method:-


Drain the chick peas but reserve some of the liquid. Process to a smooth paste in a food processor and add some of the liquid as required to make a soft consistency. Add the flaked skinned mackerel and process till smooth, adding the chilli and parsley and 1 tbsp lime juice.
Taste and season to desired taste.  Chill and serve with carrot, celery or cucumber sticks or oat cakes.

 


Summer Salads Galore

Here are a host of ingredients I regularly add to salads in order to make them more like a meal but still with minimal work.

Layering and painting are my two key words.

Start with your bed of leafy anything:  lettuce, endive, rocket, watercress, young spinach leaves, dandelion leaves, shredded white pointed cabbage..some or all of the above.

Then add the next layer, some colour:  roasted whole beetroot, or grated raw beetroot, roasted onions, grated carrot - or roasted baby carrots, chopped celery,  baby broad beans, fresh peas from the garden, sliced beef tomatoes - or roasted cherry tomatoes (which are part of the ‘finish’ as they’ll be placed on top at the very end together with the ‘accessories’ I’ve listed below).

Next is the protein layer: Boiled, sliced egg, grilled haloumi or crumbled feta, a can of Fish4Life salmon or sardines (sustainably farmed and delicious), any pulses you like which have been soaked overnight then cooked, eg butter beans, soya beans, chick peas, or a mixed bag.  Nuts like almonds (with skins) either halved or whole, whatever you like, or walnuts, or...the list goes on.

Essential accessories:  This is the glossy finish which gives your salad that extra oomph.  A handful of Munchy Seeds thrown over the lot, more chopped nuts if you like.  Chopped chives or salad onions, some blueberries or thinly sliced pear and of course handfuls of chopped mint, parsley, basil, dill...the more the better - a veritable explosion of tastes.  Toss the whole lot together, add those roasted tomatoes and a few extra seeds, some tempting haloumi or crumbled feta, and it’s done!

 

 

Leafy Greens Detox Soup

Based on 4-6

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 finely chopped large white onion
  • 1tsp  ground cumin seed & coriander seed; 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1-2 red chilli (depending on your taste)
  • 2-3 litres strong vegetable broth (either a home-made chicken broth or try Marigold organic); the amount  of liquid depends on how many greens you use; add more broth near the end if more is needed
  • 1 sliced leek
  • a 4 cms piece of ginger, chopped
  • 4 crushed cloves of garlic
  • 2 finely sliced salad onions
  • Large bunch of flat-leafed parsley, chopped
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Spring greens, pak choi, shredded white cabbage, broccoli florets
  • Sea salt or herbamare [Vogel] if required but the Marigold vegetable broth contains vegetable salt.


Method
Gently heat the oil, add the onion and leek until both are softened then half of the garlic, ginger and spices, some chilli if desired, and keep on a low heat, stirring until fragrant.

Add the broth, turn up the heat until it boils then turn down to simmer.

Add the broccoli first as this will take the longest to cook, but don’t overcook as it should keep some ‘crunch’.

After five minutes add the cabbage, finely sliced greens and/or torn pak choi, as well half the chopped parsley and chopped salad onion.

Before serving add the rest of the garlic and ginger, then decorate with the remaining chopped parsley.

Previous 'Healthy Cooking' recipes......

 

Blessed Bronte Soup

A special recipe given to me by Marg who used to work at the Bogeyhole cafe on Bronte beach, Sydney - a must-visit cafe for serious foodies! Check out their website...

This soup became my beta-carotene soup on my immune workshops - high in anti-oxidants - all those orange-coloured vegetables - plus ginger is such a great anti-inflammatory. It’s easy to freeze, easy to eat and everyone seems to love it.

Ingredients:

  • 1 chopped white onion
  • 1 butternut squash, in chunks
  • 4 roughly chopped sweet potatoes
  • 3 roughly chopped carrots
  • Large potato, cut into chunks
  • Two handfuls of chopped coriander
  • 2-3 corn on cob (optional)
  • 1-3 finely chopped de-seeded red chilli
  • 1” or 2-3 cm finely chopped ginger
  • 1-3 cloves pressed garlic
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • Vegetable broth (eg Marigold)

(above amounts vary according to your preferences)

Method:
Steam-fry’ the onion in a small amount of the broth until soft. Add the chunks of squash, sweet potato, carrots, potato and finely chopped chilli; cover with the broth. Add half of the finely chopped coriander.

Let boil then simmer for at least 1 hour until soft - the longer the better with this soup as it gives time for the flavours to develop. Add the ginger and garlic at the end to keep their flavour and nutrients. Process until smooth. Stir in the cooked, ‘de-cobbed’ corn and lime juice. Garnish with coriander.

And another great beta-carotene hit....

 

Sweet Potato Falafel
(Gluten Free)

Ingredients:

  • 2 sweet potatoes, approx weight 700g total
  • 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
  • 3 chopped cloves garlic
  • 1 ½ tsp ground coriander
  • 2 large handfuls of chopped coriander, c 30g
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • 120g gram flour (chickpea flour; available in most supermarkets)
  • Splash of olive oil, some sesame seeds

Method:
Preheat the oven to 160 C and roast the sweet potatoes until tender, approximately 45-60 minutes. Leave to cool then peel.

Mash and add cumin, garlic, ground and fresh coriander, lemon juice and gram flour in a large bowl. The mixture should be smooth.

Place in the fridge for at least an hour to firm, then using a tablespoon ‘form’ round falafel shapes and place on an oiled oven tray. You should be able to make circa 15 falafel from this mixture. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes - until the base is golden. Then turn over and bake another 5-10 minutes. They should remain ‘soft’ inside not concrete!

Serve with spicy tomato sauce [see last month’s lentil rice recipe] or any homemade chutney or chilli sauce

Health Benefits:

Sweet potato is a concentrated source of vitamin C and A (in the form of beta-carotene); a good source of copper and manganese, minerals which are cofactors of superoxide dismutase, one of the body’s most powerful antioxidant enzymes; also rich in iron (for energy a.o.), B6 (heart a.o.) and potassium. Oh yes, and fibre....
 

Roasted Beetroot

Ingredients:

  • Approx 800g organic red beetroot
  • 80g sunflower seeds
  • A dash to 20ml organic maple syrup - or if you’re being good, none at all!
  • 4 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • Mixed rocket, watercress, spinach leaves
  • Pepper, herb salt

Method:
Scrub the beetroot well, then quarter. Preheat the oven to 200C and place beetroot on baking tray, sprinkle well with sea or herb salt and bake for approx 30-40 minutes (depending on size of the beetroot). Meanwhile dry roast the sunflower seeds in the lower part of the oven, careful not to burn them. Mix the beetroot with the oil, maple syrup, vinegar, crushed garlic and mixed leaves. Sprinkle the sunflower seeds on top; adjust seasoning and serve at room temperature.

Nutritional Information:

Beetroot: Beetroot is one of the richest sources of folic acid which helps to protect unborn babies from spina bifida, and is also thought to help lower homocysteine levels in the blood.

Beetroot also contains the mineral silica, which helps the body to utilise calcium, so is therefore important for musculo-skeletal health and reducing the risk of osteoporosis.

Many people juice beetroot for its cleansing and detoxifying properties and its ability to help increase stamina.

One of the most well known benefits of beetroot juice is that it is rich in iron which helps in purifying the blood and also helps in cooling it. It also helps in curing anaemia. It contains carbohydrates in a natural sugar form. Beetroot juice can dissolve inorganic calcium deposits in the body.

Hence, it is very important for the prevention of circulatory disorders like arteriosclerosis, varicose veins, hypertension, etc.

Consuming beetroot juice regularly helps skin health; it also contains choline which support the liver’s detox role; It also helps liver function because it contains the bioactive agent betaine.

Beetroot juice’s alkalinity is very important and efficient in fighting acidosis.

And something for your Omega 3 levels....

 

Superfood salmon salad

At CNM college up in London a gaggle of us used to regularly eat lunch at Leon’s, a healthy eatery around the corner which used to serve up the most delicious quick meals. My favourite was their chicken superfood salad but apparently in the early days they used to do a fish version as well. So here is my own take on their salad - but with salmon, as it fits in with this month’s blog on Omega 3s.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • Eight 70g slices of salmon
  • A head of organic broccoli - or a packet of broccoli spears if you can find organic ones
  • ½ bag of organic rocket and the same again of chopped baby spinach - or about 4 handfuls of each!
  • 5 tbsp quinoa (pronounced keen-wah)
  • 4 roughly chopped home-grown or vine-ripened tomatoes
  • 200g frozen peas or about 800g unshelled pods
  • 2 lemons
  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tbsp yoghurt topping (see ingredients and method below)
  • 4 tbsp Munchy seeds (the new ‘Crunchy Bites’ orange pack is delicious - but any ‘Munchy Seeds’ will do well)
  • Generous helpings of chopped mint and parsley; sea salt and pepper as desired

Method:
Put 160 ml water into a small pan and bring to the boil; add the quinoa and continue boiling for 5 minutes before reducing and simmering a further 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and fluff with a fork; leave until cooled.

Drizzle a little oil over the seasoned salmon and wrap in baking paper [to avoid aluminium kitchen foil]. Bake in 150 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes, just enough to cook through but to remain moist. Some may like their salmon cooked longer...

Steam the broccoli for 5 minutes until it’s done but still keeps its ‘bite’, adding the peas for the last few minutes so that they too will retain freshness and colour. Place under cold water to stop the cooking process.

To serve, just build up your dish: toss the leaves, broccoli, tomatoes and peas in a dressing of lemon juice + olive oil, and place the cooked salmon on top. Then a blob or three of the yoghurt topping, seeds and chopped herbs; decorate with lemon wedges on the side.

Yoghurt topping: have a play with this and adjust to your taste.

200ml thick Greek yoghurt, juice of about ½ lemon, 3-4 cloves of crushed garlic; sea salt and pepper; chopped dill.