Broad Bean Dip

So, I usually say most of my meals never take long to prepare and I always opt for hassle free nutrient dense food but the below may be an exception.

Every week we have a Riverford vegetable box delivered and this is something that I started early on in my health journey. They are organic in season vegetables which is so important.

At my Endometriosis talk last week at the Royal Society of Medicine I talked about reducing our exposure to these chemicals and it is particularly important for those with oestrogen dominant conditions such as endometriosis. When we eat food covered in pesticides, these chemicals are perceived as xenoestrogens in the body and thus mimic the action of oestrogen, adding to that overall load, which therapeutically we are looking to reduce.

One of the reservations people have around organic is often the cost and this is where buying in season really makes a difference. Blueberries are a great example of this as currently you can buy organic for a round £2-2.50 as they are in season but the price in winter shoots up to £4. In season, organic vegetables aren’t actually that expense and a vegetable box for the family, with 8 different types of vegetables is starts at £14.

So although I wouldn’t have put the broad beans in my supermarket trolley, they came with Riverford and it pushed me outside my comfort zone and to try something new. Try the recipe and see if you agree with me, that it was worth the effort…

Broad bean Dip

Ingredients

Broad beans

½ avocado

1 tbsp tahini

2 garlic cloves - crushed

5 tbsp olive oil

Himalayan Salt

Black pepper

Method

1.     Pod the broad beans and then boil for 5 minutes.

2.     Once boiled you want to double pod and the outer shell should easily come away with your fingers – this makes a huge difference to the flavour.

3.     Add all of the above into your food processor and blitz for 30 seconds. 

Broccoli Rice

Broccoli, we’ve known for a long time that they are a super food with so many health benefits but a new study has revealed that the sulphoraphane in broccoli can support blood sugar management in diabetes. “We have investigated the mechanism and sulphoraphane targets the critical disease process.” Anders Rosengren commented.

If you suffer with diabetes then having this food in your diet would be beneficial. Insulin sensitivity is programmed through our genes and having a genetic SNP (single-nucleotide polymorphism) on this may mean you have a higher chance, if not following the right diet and lifestyle of being diagnosed with diabetes. I see lots of people in clinic who have this SNP or the genes for high cholesterol and they are amazed that we can have such positive results through our diet.

I have diabetes in the family and a SNP on my insulin sensitivity gene so it is important that I manage this through my diet. My blood glucose and HbA1c levels remain at a good level but on the wrong diet these could quickly be pushed out.

One of the key areas to managing this is adding lots of good quality vegetables to your diet and this broccoli rice is a great way to do that. You can add to most things and we typically use it as a rice alternative when having chili or curry’s or add to salads.

Let me know what you think.

Broccoli Rice

1 broccoli

Olive oil

Method

1.     Cut the florets off to individual pieces and steam for 4 minutes

2.     Add to food processor and blitz for 5 seconds

3.     I drizzle with olive oil as you can never have too many antioxidants. 

I LOVE Chips (Part 2)

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So after a busy week away, here is the second instalment of chips. As you can see from the 3 recipes provided, you really can use any vegetable in place of normal potatoes, making it a healthier snack for all.

Courgette Fries

3 courgettes

1 egg

75g ground almonds

20g Parmesan

Dried rosemary

Pinch turmeric

Method

1- Preheat over to 200C

2- Slice the ends of the courgettes and cut them into “chip” size

3- Mix the ground almonds, parmesan, rosemary and turmeric together on a large plate.

4- Beat the egg into a separate bowl and dip the courgette into this and then role onto the parmesan mix, coating evenly.

5- Place them on a baking tray and cook for 15 minutes or until crispy.

Health benefits of Courgettes: Courgettes are rich in nutrients magnesium and potassium, which help to normalize blood pressure. It has a high vitamin C content and this in addition to the carotenoids it contains, stops the oxidation of bad cholesterol in the blood. Overall this plays a role in promoting a well-rounded healthy cardiovascular system.

I LOVE Chips! (Part 1)

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One of my greatest loves in life (after my husband and son of course) is chips!! A true northern girl! So I’m always looking at ways to make my favourite food healthier. So for all my fellow chip lovers out there, this one is for you.

Kohlrabi Fries

1 Kohlrabi

1 tablespoon butter or ghee

Dried chili Flakes

Salt and pepper to season

Method

1- To prepare, cut off any remaining roots and trim the base. If it is very small you will not need to peel but if it is larger in size then peel off the tough outer skin. You can save the leaves and cook them as a green.

2- Peel some kohlrabi and cut it into sticks and cook on a low heat in some butter or ghee

3- Add a tablespoon of dried chilli flakes (more or less to taste) and cook until softened and a slight crispy outside

4- Season with salt and pepper to taste

Health benefits of Kohlrabi: Part of the brassica family and contain health-promoting phytochemical that studies have shown protect against some cancers. It is rich in many vitamin, minerals and dietary fiber, which is important for weight-loss.

Sweet Potato Fries (A well known classic)

2 sweet potatoes

1 red onion

1 tablespoon butter

Dried chili Flakes

Salt and pepper to season

Method

1- Preheat oven to 180C/350F

2- Cut sweet potato into sticks and place on a baking tray and coat with 1 tablespoon melted better.

3- Cut a red onion into small chunks and spread evenly across the same tray. Season with salt and pepper. If you want additional flavour you could add dried chili flakes.

4- Cook for 30 minutes

Health benefits of Sweet Potato: Sweet potatoes contain twice as much fibre as other types of potatoes. They are high in many vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A and beta-carotene, that acts as an important antioxidant in the body, especially in the summer as it helps protect your skin from sun damage by both deflecting and repairing cell damage caused by excessive UV exposure.