Love Your Gut Blog
Monday, February 22nd, 2010
Healthy foods for battling the cold
I have to admit that by now I was hoping to be able to start talking about getting ready for springtime, encouraging you to throw off the winter layers and start tackling some new health challenges to help improve our digestive health.
But sadly the winter weather seems to be very much here and no respite on the horizon this week. So much so that am seriously considering leaving my walking boots in the car and getting the shovel out of the shed! And not for the gardening.
But as we know, cold weather can tempt us to comfort eat and lack of good digestive fibre has been known to play havoc with our guts. So perhaps this recipe may help us stay warm and healthy at the same time! This soup, which contains broccoli and brussels sprouts has an added bonus as both vegetables are rich in anti cancer plant chemicals. Also the chick peas supply the body with fermentable carbohydrates, serve with a wholemeal roll and you’ll be well on the way to a happier you on the inside and out.
Cream of broccoli & brussels sprouts soup with almonds
Serves 4
Per serving
365 calories 28g fat
5g saturated fat 6.5g fibre
Ingredients
3tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion (chopped)
1 clove garlic
1.2 litres (2 pints) basic stock (see Sauces section below)
1 bouquet garni
2 medium head broccoli
(cut into florets)
350g (12oz) brussels sprouts (halved)
110g (4oz) ground almonds
150g canned chickpeas (drained)
100ml (10fl oz) single cream
4tbsp slivered almonds
Method
1. Heat the oil. Add the onion garlic, and sweat gently in the oil for 5 mins. Add the stock and bring to the boil.
2. Add the broccoli to the pan. Pick over the brussels sprouts and add to the pan. Add the bouquet garni and ground almonds.
3. Simmer gently for 10 mins, add the chickpeas, remove bouquet garni and simmer for another 5 minutes. Allow to cool a little before liquidising, in a food processor and return to pan.
4. Stir in the cream and heat through. Serve with the slivered almonds floating on top.
For a creamier but higher fat version of this recipe, add more cream (up to 300ml)
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Tuesday, January 19th, 2010
Getting the day off to a great start
How are those New Year resolutions going? If you’re struggling you’re not alone as I can profess from my own slight weaknesses and those around me. I have to admit that the recent bout of bad weather didn’t help things at all. Couldn’t get to the gym, struggled with the balance of not having too many comfort foods, its not been easy.
But one thing I did get into when the weather was cold was porridge. When you know you’ve got to go and face the wintery weather, it was nice to get warm food inside you and certainly one that was also good to get your digestive system stimulated in the morning.
Why is porridge so good? Well it has protein, B vitamins and slow released energy which is ideal to try and keep from snacking mid morning. But of course it is also full of gut friendly oats and the recipe below also includes some anti-oxidant rich dried fruit.
I know some visitors to the blog may have problems with lactose and therefore using milk with porridge might be a problem. But chatting to gastroenterologist Dr Naila Arebi last week suggested substituting milk for apple juice and then adding a range of fruits. I haven’t given it a try yet but I certainly will. And if you’ve got any great healthy breakfast recipes then please share them with us. But if you need to get some more healthy recipes then order your free digestive health pack today and we’ll send one out to you!
Porridge with prunes and apricots
Serves 2
Per serving
614 calories
12g fat
7g saturated fat
19g fibre
Ingredients
2 cups semi-skimmed milk
2 cups water
2 cups porridge oats
8 ready-to-eat prunes (snipped)
8 ready-to-eat apricots (snipped)
2 tsp brown granulated sugar
Extra milk for drizzling
Method
1. Put the milk and water into a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. Add the oats and cook for 5 mins or as directed on the packer.
2. Add the prunes and the apricots to the porridge. Cover and leave for 1 min.
3. Pour into two bowls, sprinkle over the sugar and leave to melt - about 1 min. Serve with extra milk poured on top.
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Wednesday, November 11th, 2009
Food to keep your body warm and healthy
Is it just me or has it suddenly got very cold this week? I am waiting for the day when I need to use my de icer in the morning and am concerned that it isn’t that far off.
It’s also colder in the evenings and in a bid to get warm, we’ve been looking at some hearty but healthy dishes that will warm you through the winter nights and keep your digestive system in good shape too!
Curried bean & root vegetable casserole
This is a perfect autumn or winter dish, and although it may look rather lengthy, it takes at most, half an hour to prepare and is the ideal dish for a slow cooker. Do all the preparation the night before, put into your slow cooker before you leave for work and when you open the door in the evening, you’ll be greeted by mouth watering smells and a delicious dinner that’s ready to eat. This is one meal that’s exceptionally rich in prebiotics, thanks to the beans and the vegetables.
Serves 4
Per serving
278 calories 10g fat
1g saturated fat 6g fibre
Ingredients
1 large leek (sliced)
1 large onion (chopped)
3 cloves garlic (chopped)
3tbsp rapeseed oil
3tsp good curry powder or paste
1 swede (cubed)
1 large parsnip (cubed)
2 carrots (cubed)
1 medium sweet potato (cubed)
About 700ml (1 1/4pints) basic stock (see Sauces section)
400g can chopped tomatoes
3tbsp tomato pureé
1 400g can broad beans (drained)
Method
1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil and sweat the leek, onion and garlic, stirring continuously, for 3 mins.
2. Tip in the curry powder or paste, stir until it coats the vegetables and cook for another 2 mins.
3. Add the root vegetables to the pan and stir to coat thoroughly. Add the stock, chopped tomatoes and tomato pureé and bring to the boil.
4. Cover and simmer for 45 mins. Add the broad beans to the pan. Continue to simmer until beans and vegetable are all tender – about 10-15 mins.
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Tuesday, September 15th, 2009
Try out our Health in a Bowl!
It’s only about another month until the clocks turn back and am sure you’ve noticed it’s already starting to get darker a little earlier each evening.
As Autumn approaches, we’ll be starting to think about comforting foods to get us ready for the cold weather, but too often it’s too easy to fall into the trap of substituting healthy food for more fattening snacks.
But, renowned chef and Love Your Gut supporter, Antony Worrall Thompson offers us this healthy recipe, which will not only warm you through the winter months but will help your digestive health too.
Health in a Bowl
SERVES 8
450g (1lb) thick-cut ham on the bone, chopped
2.4 litres (4 pints) chicken stock
4 tablespoons pearl barley
2 tablespoons Puy lentils
2 medium onions, sliced
46 medium carrots, diced
2 medium parsnips, diced
1/2 medium swede, diced
Ground black pepper
2 sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
Sprig of parsley
450g (1lb) potatoes in their skins, diced
1 small cabbage, chopped
1 leek, chopped
4 tablespoons chopped parsley
400g (14oz) tin of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
4 tablespoons snipped chives
1 Place the ham in a saucepan and cover with stock. Bring to the boil, skim any scum, then add the pearl barley and lentils.
2 Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the onions, carrots, parsnips, swede, pepper, thyme, bay leaves and parsley. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for a further 15 minutes.
3 Add the potatoes and cabbage and return to the boil. Simmer until they are just tender (about 15 minutes).
4 Add the chopped leek and parsley and cook for a further
5 minutes or until the leek is just tender.
5 Add the beans and warm through. Ladle into soup bowls and serve sprinkled with chives.
Per portion: 264 kcal, 3g fat, 0.8g sat fat, 0.97g sodium
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Monday, August 10th, 2009
Mediterranean nights with a mixed salad
July was a month to forget weather-wise and perhaps many a barbecue sat neglected in a far corner of the garden.
But it would seem that, August is looking marginally better, and as we did have a barbecue last night, I’m already thinking that this week could be one where salads will be nice and refreshing to eat.
And for those who’ve taken their holidays already, this dish might bring back happy memories. And for all of you worrying about your digestive health, the salad is bursting with vegetables and particularly those who are trying to get gut healthy this could be a good salad to try.
Mediterranean mixed salad
Here’s a recipe that will bring back memories of hot summer days and balmy evenings on the beach anywhere in the Mediterranean. Wonderful ripe tomatoes, succulent and flavoursome sweet peppers and the coolness of cucumber add up to a feast of vitamins and anti-ageing free radical fighters.
Serves 4
Per serving
318 calories 19g fat
3g saturated fat 6g fibre
Ingredients
350g (12oz) frozen sweet corn
1 red pepper (diced)
1 yellow pepper (diced)
1 medium cucumber (peeled and diced)
150g (5oz) radishes (sliced)
1 sweet Spanish onion (finely chopped)
5 plum tomatoes (finely chopped)
110g (4oz) raisins
100ml (3.5fl oz) French dressing with herbs
Method
1. Cook the sweet corn and leave to cool.
2. Put all the ingredients into a bowl with the raisins. Pour over the dressing and toss.
For more delicious recipes go to www.insideoutdiet.co.uk and order your free book
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