Monday 30 June 2014

What to eat when you can't eat anything - Week 9

I've just  finished Week 9 of my intolerance regime and my mindset has slowly changed. I don't really miss dairy products any more. I'm still eating some goat's cheese, but I really think that I won't ever go back to consuming dairy products the way I used to. I definitely don't feel the need to have dairy milk or yoghurt ever again - except maybe to be polite in people's houses or restaurants. 


A lot of the food I made this week seemed to have kind of an American flavour - not deliberately, just a coincidence!

Breakfast

1. With the beautiful weather we had recently I was looking for another easy, refreshing breakfast and I was craving berries. I decided to try Berry Smoothies.The frozen berries from Dunnes formed the backbone of my breakfasts. I started with blueberries, and when I ran out I bought raspberries. The rest of the smoothie consisted of my usual Koko coconut milk drink, whole chia seeds, ground flax seeds and bananas. It's so fast and tasty, so versatile, and easy to drink on the go if you're running late for work. The only problem is that it isn't quite filling enough. I'm going to have to source some vegan protein powder that isn't pea protein in order to make it a proper meal.  

Lunch

 1. I'm still on the hunt for filling lunch ideas, and this recipe was a great success. Due to the texture and the garlic in it it reminded me of a basil hummus. It's really tasty, filling and fast to make - and it doesn't require any tahini!  www.sbs.com.au/food/recipes/butter-bean-dip

Dinner
1. I really don't eat enough fish these days, so I tried to up my Omega 3 intake by making Teriyaki Salmon http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/teriyakisalmon_66107. I made extra sauce (leaving out the ginger) and served it with stir-fried vegetables and rice noodles - so easy, healthy and tasty!

2. Here's another recipe from the Ainsley Harriott's Meals in Minutes cookbook, available here. These Bean Burgers are really versatile. You can replace the spices with basil and oregano to give them an Italian flavour and serve them in a tomato sauce with pasta for a vegan 'spaghetti and meatballs'. Another blogger has posted the recipe:  http://blog.boden.co.uk/todays-recipe-spicy-beanburgers-from-ainsley-harriott/ 
We served them with Sweet Potato Frieswww.cuisinart.com/recipes/sides/6177.html which is another versatile recipe - I often have them spiced with smoked paprika, or sprinkled with herbs like oregano, rosemary, sage and majoram before cooking. 

I also made the BBQ Sauce from this recipe to accompany the dish:
http://tasty-yummies.com/2012/02/20/gluten-free-vegan-lentil-meat-loaf/I made a lot of changes to the recipe - but it still tasted really good. I left out the celery seed and the blackstrap molasses, substituted chilli flakes for the sriracha and used mustard powder instead of wholegrain mustard. I do have liquid smoke - I picked it up on a whim the last time I went to the US. I'm not sure where you can get it in Ireland - I'd try fancy food stores like McCambridges or Morton's as I'm not sure the the sauce would taste the same if you used smoked paprika - but it's trying to make a small amount if you can, as it worked so well with the burgers and fries. 

3.  I had a lentil craving, but didn't want dahl, so I found a great recipe for Vegan Sloppy Joe's (something I'd only ever heard mentioned on TV) This was SUCH a simple and tasty meal. Another great after-work recipe. I just used mustard powder instead of regular yellow mustard, and served with gluten-free bread. http://www.theppk.com/2009/11/snobby-joes/


Snack

1. After last week's courgette overload I mostly stayed away from this versatile vegetable. The only exception I made were these Baked Courgette Fries. There are a million recipes for baked courgette/zucchini fries on the internet, but I picked this recipe as it didn't require any eggs. http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2013/05/28/crispy-healthy-baked-zucchini-fries/ These tasted lovely and light, and would make a great accompaniment to a burger dinner as well as being a tasty snack on their own. I didn't make the healthy ketchup she suggested (I will soon) but used some of the leftover BBQ sauce from above instead. 

Introducing the Herb Garden at the Small Crane Saturday 5th July




I am delighted to be introducing and talking about the Herbs that we have planted with the community at the Small Crane this Saturday, 5th July at 12pm. It will coincide with the Open Day at Health and Herbs in aid of Enable Ireland so please come along if you are in the area.

Don’t pass your local herb garden without valuing nature’s herbal healing 
bounty. Health and Herbs have taken on board the raised flowerbeds in the Small Crane. 


We started in Autumn 2013 and have been delighted to find so many of the 
plants have thrived and nature has sent very helpful wild guests to add to the 
wealth of herbs for healing.

Many of our native weeds and cultivated plants have medicinal properties. 
I will describe some of those you can find in The Small Crane that you might not have thought of or known how to use. 

Thyme and sage are familiar from your cooking, but have you ever wondered why these plants have been used for meat dishes. The reason is that they have strong anti-microbial actions. Before the invention of fridges meat was stored for days wrapped in sage and thyme. They reduced the incidence of food poisoning that caused unpleasant side effects at a time that also predates indoor plumbing nd en-suite bathrooms. This is a good example of knowledge gleaned from experience rather than scientific data. 
Thyme is effective as a medicine for cough and chesty conditions because it is antiseptic and antispasmodic. Sage is particularly helpful as a gargle for sore throats and as a mouthwash. This is because it contains resins, these are large sticky molecules that adhere to the lining of the tonsils and gums and have an antiseptic effect. The traditional knowledge has been validated by scientific research.
Chickweed is an abundant herb and weed, it is cooling and soothing for eczema and other irritating rashes. We make this into a soothing cream.

Feverfew looks like a pretty daisy like flower and is known as the migraine 
plant. Traditional knowledge led to the common practice of eating a feverfew 
leaf in a sandwich as a preventer and treatment for migraine headache. Science has validated this use of the plant because anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic constituents have been identified in the herb. Today we usually use feverfew as a capsule or tincture because it is such a bitter herb. I usually use nervine and adaptogen herbs in conjunction with Feverfew when treating migraine. 
Nervine herbs have a strengthening effect on the nervous system and adaptogens support the action of the adrenal gland hormones, we rely on these when coping with stress.


Horseradish is an example of a pungent herb; it stimulates the same taste receptors as the Japanese paste called wasabi. It stimulates the digestive juices and for this reason it is served with heavy meats. The pungency also stimulates the mucous membrane secretions of the nasal passages and is used for chronic sinus infection, usually in conjunction with Ginger and Cayenne. These herbs improve the blood circulation to the sinuses, which is important in order to deliver any therapeutic intervention to the sinuses. Thyme and Horseradish work well together for sinus problems. Horseradish is best-used fresh, grating the root and add to Sinus Tea, this is a blend of herbs containing Thyme, Elderflower, Peppermint, Plantain and Yarrow. Plantain is a weed that is so common you walk over it and past it on such a regular basis you don’t ever see it. Check it out as Plantago lanceolata or Plantago majora. The both have nourishing effects on the mucous membranes and a cooling effect on any inflammatory digestive condition. It grows around the cobbles inside the walls of the flowerbeds at the Small Crane.

Dandelion Roots and Leaves are used for nutrition and for medicine. Add dandelion leaves from your garden to any salad, they add a bitter tastiness to bland salads. Start with one or two leaves to add ‘bite’ to your salads. Dig up dandelion roots, chop small and simmer until soft. Leaves stimulate elimination through the kidneys and the root stimulates bile secretion. Bile is your laxative and helps eliminate cholesterol and toxins and it aids healthy gut function.

Other herbs include Borage, Fennel, Pineappleweed, Mint, Wild leeks, Mallow, Wild Strawberries, Lemon Balm, Fennel, dock, Shepherd’s Purse, Raspberry leaves and Wild Strawberries.

Sign up for our monthly newsletter to find out about herbs walks, herb of the month features and relevant news events on a regular basis. 
Call into our clinic at Health and Herbs and dispensary anytime or advice regarding any health problems or just for a cup of tea.

Otherwise I hope to see you at the Small Crane (close to the Jes) on Saturday, 5th July at 12pm where I will be delighted to talk you through the herbs in the garden.


Thursday 26 June 2014


If you are looking for fresh Wheatgrass Pat on the market is there on Saturdays. A tray costs €8.
Ernie's on Sea road also has some trays.

I'm stocking up on my greens today. Green juices and wheatgrass are extremly alkalizing for the body and amazing for some extra energy when you are on the go a lot.
It is great for any inflammatory disease or skin conditions. 

Juicing your way to better health.

Michelle :)

Tuesday 24 June 2014

What to eat when you can't eat anything - Week 8

I can't believe that I've been keeping up with this intolerance diet for two months now! Time really has flown. I'm really starting to feel the benefits now, my dodgy stomach is a thing of the past and I've even lost a few pounds. I think it's mostly because I've cut down on my junk food (my limited options have gotten a bit boring) and replaced my wine habit with spirits diluted with sparkling water, ice and squeezed limes. It's becoming easier to find new recipes and I'm much more confident with my substitutions.



Breakfast

1. I found the perfect breakfast for the heatwave we've been having - and it's such a simple idea that I'm surprised I didn't think of it myself: It's called Overnight oats, where you soak porridge oats, fruit, and whatever you like in milk or a milk substitute and leave it overnight in the fridge to soften. I followed this recipe: http://ohsheglows.com/2011/06/04/blueberry-banana-pie-vegan-overnight-oats/ and it was fast, filling, yet light and really fresh tasting. I highly recommend trying it. I didn't bother with the added granola as it seemed like too much work, and I also used a lot less maple syrup as I don't like overly sweet breakfasts. I'm sure you could replace the oats with rice flakes, millet, quinoa flakes or any other grain if you prefer.

Lunch

1. I found the best bean burger recipe ever when searching the internet for new lunch recipes. And the second best thing about it is that it only takes a few minutes to make, the third best thing is that they're really healthy as you can oven bake them instead of frying them. Give them a try with your favourite burger toppings:
I left out the ginger and replaced the celery with finely chopped courgette as I didn't have any celery. I think they're really flexible anyway, you can substitute as much as you like. 

2. Sarah Brown was a guru of vegetarian cooking in the 1980's. A friend of mine donated a cookbook of hers to me a couple of years ago and this Hazelnut and Courgette Loaf is the best recipe I've tried from the book. another blogger posted the recipe here. It's light and delicious and yet filling, and not as much work as you'd think. I used to make it with an orange and tomato sauce from the same book which complimented it perfectly, but since I can't eat oranges at the moment I tried the roasted vegetable sauce from this recipe (I haven't made the nut loaf itself  though) : 
http://kokongalodge.co.nz/cuisine/vegetarian-nut-loaf-with-roast-tomato-sauce/ but only left the veg in the oven for about 20 mins while the nut loaf was baking, it still tasted great. 
I just left the ginger out of the nut loaf and used ground hazelnuts and chopped peanuts instead of ground almonds and chopped hazelnuts and it tasted just as good as ever. 

3. Here's yet another lentil dahl recipe for evenings when you're in a hurry and just want something fast, filling and tasty:
http://dairyfreecooking.about.com/od/soupschilistews/r/lentildahl.htm 
I just replaced the fresh ginger with some garam masala to give it more flavour, and was out the door to enjoy the weather in no time! 

4. This recipe got mixed reviews in my house. I loved it, and felt so smug for having so many vegetables in one meal. We replaced some of the spinach with courgette (yet again, I know!) as we didn't buy enough spinach. I thought it tasted lovely and fresh but my other half didn't think it had enough flavour. We  just added the goats cheese  to the white sauce to cut down on the work and used more pesto. And when she says 'noodles' she means lasagne sheets. We didn't bother par-boiling these as Biona spelt lasagne sheets cook in 35 mins anyway. Spinach Lasagne


Snack

1. I had a lot of courgette to use up thanks to the Aldi Super 6 and Chocolate Covered Katie posted an intriguing sounding recipe for Courgette muffins, so I decided to give them a try. They tasted wonderful (and even got the parent seal of approval) but as they weren't really that healthy as they had a lot of oil in them I won't be making them again. I recommend adding chocolate chips to make them more of a decadent treat. And in case you're worried, you can't taste any courgette from them, you just see the occasional fleck of green that reminds you that they're in there and adding vitamins to your dessert:


Monday 23 June 2014

My journey of going RAW.


My journey of going RAW.


At the beginning of lent I decided to go Raw.
I’ve always been interested in eating a raw diet, but never had the guts to completely jump in and do it. I would eat raw most days but would break down at dinner time and eat cooked food. I was eating about 60% raw, I just needed the extra push to move to eating 100% raw vegan food. So I decided lent was the best time to go for it.
I decided the best way to know if something is all it’s cracked up to be is to try it. At the very worst if it doesn’t work out you can always go back, right?


What I found is that eating raw is not only easy to do, but makes you feel amazing.
It wasn’t easy to resist eating cooked foods at first. Just like breaking any habit, it takes time and persistence. Most of all, it helps to simply take it one day at a time and focus on only one goal.
Here are just a few things I’ve learned:
1.Live foods. It’s common sense right? A cooked seed won’t grow, but a raw seed will. Heating food over 118 degrees Fahrenheit destroys much of the nutrients in your food. Cooking food also diminishes the natural life energy. I’d rather put living food in my body.
2.Enzymes. Cooking food destroys much of the natural enzymes (your body can also create enzymes, but can only do so much) in your food that are needed to break down nutrients. Eating raw eliminates this problem.
3.Insane energy. You won’t know this unless you try it for yourself, but eating raw gives you an amazing boost in energy. I used to get tired around 2 or 3pm during the day. Now I simply don’t have that problem. When I do get tired, it doesn’t last nearly as long and an orange or apple will recharge me within a few minutes.
4.Better sleep and less sleep needed. I’ve slept better than ever while eating raw. But most importantly, I don’t wake up feeling tired or groggy anymore. On most days, I wake up feeling full of energy.
Increased mental clarity.
5.Eating raw has helped me focus on the things that are important and made me more emotionally in tune with others. I feel like a wall of fog has been removed in my mind. It’s easier to think clearly and focus for long periods of time.
6.Eat as much as you want. This isn’t really a health benefit, but it is pretty awesome. I never get that uncomfortable full feeling eating raw. You know where you have to unbutton the top button on your pants and take a nap? I don’t get that. I can eat as much as I want, and while I will feel full, I don’t feel weighed down or tired.
7.Less cleanup. Simply put, there aren’t many dishes to wash when you eat fruit and vegetables. Although if you do compost (like I do), you’ll probably have to do it more often.
8.No packaging. Eating raw means less packaging all around (well, I guess you could argue that banana and orange peels are “packaging”). This means less trash in a landfill and more room in your cupboards. Win/win for everyone.
9.More regularity. You should naturally have around two to three bowel movements a day. If you’re going less than that, it probably means your intestines are unhealthily clogged. A raw diet gives you more than enough fiber to keep you regular.
10.Connection with the earth. Eating food that’s been freshly picked just feels different. You feel more connected to the earth and more grounded. Eating lots of processed foods — frozen or from a box — makes creates more of a gap and leaves you feeling disconnected from the earth that sustains you. Want to give it a try?
It should be noted that you don’t have to go 100% raw to see the benefits of eating this way. My transition to a raw diet wasn’t a quick process.
You don’t have to drop out and becoming a complete raw foodist right away. Any increase in raw foods in your diet will give you noticeable, immediate results.

I went back on cooked food for about a month and really felt the effects so I am delighted to be going back raw. This time I wont be sticking to it so strictly but Im looking forward to all its benefits again.





Michelle

Friday 20 June 2014

Volunteer life at Health and Herbs

I have been volunteering at health and herbs since February. I was given the opportunity to volunteer after spending three days doing work experience in Health and herbs as part of my college course. I am studying Health Science and Complementary Therapies, the clinic was the perfect place for me to get an inside look at the work professional therapists do. Because I had such a wonderful time throughout my work experience I jumped at the chance to volunteer.

I learn so much from my days at the clinic but more than this I am given the opportunity to get to know and work with some of the wonderful people who work at Health and Herbs. There is such a wealth of knowledge and experience and professionals who come at the issue of health from different alternative healing backgrounds. It is truly great to see how all the therapists work together to give the clients the best overall assistance possible.
I spend my time helping out in the shop, stocking shelves or blending teas. Every week I help out with a different task. All the therapists and staff are always happy to answer my questions about different herbs and tinctures. That is of course when they have time, the clinic is usually a hive of activity, clients coming and going and people coming in and out of the shop for information and products. And in between all the bustle there is usually a moment when I can sip some herbal tea and enjoy the conversations with the practitioners within the clinic.
I value my time spent there and look forward to the days I pop in to give a hand for a couple hours a week.

BANANA & PEANUT BUTTER SMOOTHIE

This smoothie sells itself.

It is great if you have sugar cravings and is full of Essential Fatty Acids and Potassium.

More importantly its YUMMY.

1 ripe banana 
300ml Soya milk
1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter
70% dark chocolate- optional

Enjoy

Michelle  :)

Tuesday 17 June 2014

Are weeds beneficial?

As we are fast approaching the height of the summer many of us are busy on their hands and knees, cursing what feels like a no-win situation against plants that are commonly referred to as weeds.
Many ask why do they exist? How do I eradicate them for good? Should I use herbicides? Sadly in a lot of cases it's more a question of "which herbicide should I use" rather than "should I use a herbicide". We have unfortunately moved more and more towards depending on herbicides for weed control rather than learning to be tuned in with nature, learning how to optimize soil health and using mulching methods and other beneficial growing methods to minimize potential plant diseases and excess appearance of misplaced plants (e.g. 'weeds').


Some of you might be interested in knowing that some weeds are actually extremely beneficial and could not only help to improve your health and wellbeing but also cut down on your food bill (especially during the summer months). If you visit a garden owned by a Herbalist you will most likely find that there is a patch in the garden where plants are allowed to grow wild and in many cases the whole garden is allowed to grow more or less wild. Some of the plants that are commonly referred to as 'weeds' include Horsetail (Equisetum arvense), Stinging nettles (Urtica dioica), Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale), Cleavers (Galium aparine), Chickweed (Stellaria media), Docks (Rumex crispus - Yellow dock) and Clover (Trifolium pratense - Red Clover) - just to name a few. All of these 'weeds' and many more are very commonly used by Medical Herbalists for various health complaints and for general wellbeing. These can all be included in cooking and salads (although stinging nettles need to be cooked and/or infused and roots need to be cooked and/or decocted (i.e. boiled in water)).
Correct identification and use of the correct part of the plant is essential and therefore I would advise anyone who is starting out to pick plants with someone who already knows how to identify them and/or to purchase a good book that is easy to look up, easy to take out with you to help identify the plants and has good pictures.
I will talk about individual weeds in more detail in future blogs,
Lara J.

Monday 16 June 2014

Having my Mung Beans Sprouts for a snack. Low in calories, high in fiber, B vitamins and deliver a boost of vitamins C & K.







How to sprout
1. Soak seeds overnight in sprouting jar with water.

2. The following day, drain water and rinse with fresh water once or twice.

3. Place in a sprouting jar upside down to allow excess water to drain. Do not place in direct sunlight.

4. Every day rinse with fresh water, to keep the sprouts moist and clean of mould.

5. Ensure the sprouts never dry up, and repeat process typically for 3 to 4 days until your desired length or age of sprout. 

6. Rinse out with fresh water and serve in salads, wraps, juices, breads/crackers, or just eat as a snack.

Enjoy

Michelle :)

What to eat when you can't eat anything - Week 7


I had a lot of bean, lentil and tofu based dishes this week! I'm trying not to rely on goat's cheese and eggs too much for my protein sources. It's not that I'm trying to lose weight on this intolerance regime - but I'm trying to be as healthy as possible (while still leaving room for dark chocolate and ready salted flavour crisps!). 

Breakfast

1. This week I tried a breakfast recipe I haven't used in months: Banana baked oatmeal. I tripled the recipe and cooked it in a loaf tin, so I had enough for three breakfasts and added the optional nuts and cinnamon. It's portable for breakfast on the go, and so filling! Once again Chocolate Covered Katie has come up with a winning recipe so simple that I wish I'd thought of it myself: 
(The photo below is from the website as I never think to take photographs until it's all gone)

Lunch

1. My new lunch attempt this week was Lentil and Red Pepper Dip which was very tasty and easy to make but not filling enough - an ongoing problem with my lunches. I thought the fact that it was full of lentils would make it really filling. but it was lighter than I expected. In future I think I'll make it when I also have hummus or something else equally filling in the house to supplement it. 


Dinner

1. At least once every couple of weeks I get a craving for some kind of coconut milk based curry dish - sometimes it's Thai curry, sometimes it's Indian curry. This week I finally got around to trying a recipe that I downloaded a couple of years ago. I never saved the link and couldn't find it online now, so my apologies to the creator. The only change I made was that I fried the spices for a minute or two before adding the coconut milk and the vegetables. It was really delicious, and not much work. (I used regular tofu as it's much healthier.)

Coconut milk tofu with cardamom
Serves 4 or 2 hungry people
-400 grams deep fried tofu (or regular tofu)
-2 small red bell peppers, or 1 large
-2 medium sized onions (yellow or red)
-1-2 tbls grated galangal (or ginger) I always use two tablespoons, but use one if you want to make a milder version
-1/2-2 red long chillies with their seeds removed and chopped, use just half a chilli if you want a milder version
- 1 can of coconut milk
-1 tsp coriander
-1 tsp curry powder
-1 tsp cardamom, add 1/2 tsp after tasting if needed
-3 tbls gluten-free soy sauce, or Bragg's Aminos
-1 tbls palm sugar (or maple syrup)
- 1 cinnamon stick, or 1 tsp cinnamon
-1/4 cup roasted peanuts (180C for 15mins in oven)
-oil for frying if you are not using deep-fried tofu
Chop the vegetables, grate the galangal and chop the chilli.
Fry the regular tofu in some hot oil in a wok or a pan. Add the coconut milk and let it boil with the tofu for 10-15 minutes, add the spices and the vegetables, let everything boil for another 10 minutes, add the peanuts, mix and serve the food with some jasmine rice.

2. I also made a dish that I used to make all the time - if you've been to dinner in my house it's quite likely that I made you this! It's a very simple lentil 'bolognaise'. I used to use grated carrot, but I've begun substituting with grated courgette. It doesn't look as good but it still tastes really good. 



Lentil bolognaise


1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
½ red pepper finely chopped
1 courgette grated
¼ cup dried red lentils (rinsed in a colander or sieve)
½ tsp dried oregano
3/4 tsp dried basil
A good squeeze of tomato puree
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 tsp vegetable stock powder or ¼ vegetable stock cube, crumbled
Black pepper
Optional: fresh basil, olives, sundried tomatoes, capers.

  • Heat oil on a medium heat in a large saucepan/wok. Add the onion and red pepper and fry for about 5 minutes until onion is soft and translucent
  • Add garlic and fry for 1 minute
  • Add the tomato puree, oregano and basil and stir well to coat the vegetables
  • Add the lentils, courgette, tomatoes, pepper and stock and stir well
  • Simmer with a lid on for about 20 – 30 minutes until the lentils and carrot are soft adding a little hot water if it starts to stick. Taste to see if you need to add more herbs or stock, remove the lid and simmer for another ten minutes or so until the sauce is reduced and the bolognaise is nice and thick. The lentils should be totally soft before you serve it. Serve with spaghetti.

 I used  nutritional yeast and Bragg's Aminos instead of stock to give it more depth of flavour and savouriness.  I didn't add exact quantities, and you don't need to worry about adding the fresh basil, olives and sundried tomatoes if you don't have them all. I just happened to have them all in my house and I'm so glad I did as it made it taste extra good :D

3. Before I started this intolerance regime I used to love Linda McCartney's Sweet Potato Nachos. The cookbook is available here. It's a great cookbook :) Another blogger has posted the recipe here: http://alifelesssweet.blogspot.ie/2009/11/meatless-monday-sweet-potato-nachos.html
My other half requested them at the weekend, so I made them for him in one dish with cheese and corn tortillas, and made my own in another dish with many, many substitutions. They didn't taste quite as nice but they were still pretty good. I cut up BFree wraps in tortilla chip sized pieces, brushed them with oil and put them in the oven for about 5 mins, then flipped them and baked for another 5 minutes. This made them crisp up, but I wish I'd added a little salt to them as they didn't have much flavour :( I also discovered the next day that they have corn starch and corn flour in them (corn is on my list of foods to avoid) so I was gutted that I'd broken my regime for something that wasn't even much of a treat :'( 

I also had to substitute the kidney beans for pinto beans and added a white sauce with added nutritional yeast instead of the cheese. 

4. My other half swears by Ainsley Harriott's Meals in Minutes cookbook, available here. I think he's made about 3/4 of the recipes in the book at this stage! His Speckled-Eye Squash Stew is a favourite of ours, especially with some added halloumi cheese and served with a little chutney on the side (both of which I've had to forego for the moment). Again, another blogger has posted the recipe here: http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=4554 

Snack

1. When I was using the oven to make the baked oatmeal breakfast recipe I decided to make these Vegan Cheesy Goldfish Crackers from Katie as well. I used to love Cheesy Goldfish Crackers whenever I was over in the States so I thought these would be good. I was right. They're ADDICTIVE. They're especially good when they are still warm from the oven. They don't keep very well, (I thought they were a little dry the next day) but I still managed to polish off all that were left. I used a cleaned bottle cap from an empty wine bottle (not mine, unfortunately) which made them perfectly bite-size. I made about 65 crackers from the recipe.

Happy eating! 

Wednesday 11 June 2014

If like me you are prone to breakouts, this is a fantastic product. EPI Peel removes dead skin and reduces scarring and fine lines. I don't know where I would be without it. Contact Skinspecialist for more information or to order it.

It is so hard to find a product that is inexpensive and actually works.

I just had to share it.

Michelle 


Monday 9 June 2014

What to eat when you can't eat anything - Week 6

I actually managed to eat out a couple of times since I started this new regime. It hasn't been easy, but I managed to have a couple of delicious meals that didn't make me feel TOO deprived! 
 I was up in Dublin recently and went for a lovely sushi meal in Musashi on Capel Street. I just had to sneak in my soy substitute (Bragg's Aminos) and forego the pickled ginger. I love sushi and how light yet filling it is, so I was delighted to be able to go crazy and order loads :) I've made my own sushi in the past, you just need sushi rice and nori sheets (both are readily available in the Asian shops around Ireland), the fillling of your choice and some dipping sauce (soy sauce, tamari or Braggs Aminos) and wasabi paste. I tend to stick to vegetable fillings such as avocado, or carrot and red pepper when I make my own. Optional extras include sushi vinegar and a rolling mat (I've never used sushi vinegar and I found a plate much easier for rolling the sushi than a rolling mat). Here's a simple recipe to get you started, the trick is to make sure the rice is cool, but not completely cold or it sticks together too much, making it impossible to spread over the seaweed: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cucumber-and-avocado-sushi/


Here's a recipe for raw california rolls from Michelle Hanley Nutrition and Juice Specialist (I haven't tried these myself though):

California Rolls

2 nori sheets
2 teaspoons mellow white miso
2 cups alfalfa or clover sprouts (optional)
1⁄2 ripe avocado, thinly sliced
1⁄4 cucumber, seeded and cut lengthwise into thin strips
1⁄4 cup grated carrot
1⁄4 red bell pepper, cut lengthwise into thin strips
Tamari for dipping (optional)

1) Lay one sheet of nori, shiny side down, on a bamboo sushi mat.

2) Using the back of a teaspoon, spread 1 teaspoon of the miso in a single horizontal strip anywhere along the bottom third of the nori.

3) Along the edge of the nori closest to you, layer half of the optional sprouts, avocado, cucumber, carrot, and bell pepper.

4) To roll, grip the edges of the nori sheet and the sushi mat together with your thumbs and forefingers, and press the filling back toward you with your other fingers. Using the mat to help you, roll the front edge of the nori over the filling. Squeeze it with the mat; then lift the mat and continue rolling.

5) Just before completing the roll, dip your index finger in water and run it along the far edge of the nori sheet. This will seal the seam of the roll. Cut the roll into 6 pieces with a serrated knife.

6) Fill, roll, and slice the other sheet of nori the same way. Arrange on a plate and serve immediately, with a small bowl of tamari for dipping, if desired.


Or if that's too much work then try making a sushi bowl instead: http://www.veggieful.com/2013/11/vegan-sushi-bowl-recipe.html

The rest of my meals this week were less exotic though unfortunately.

Lunch

My new food processor arrived, and I realised that because I never had a food processor before I don't have any recipes which need to use one! So to  try it out I made my own simple hummus. It came out really well - I used slightly less oil than they suggested in the recipe so it was a little thicker than shop-bought hummus, but it tasted lovely and was really filling. The possibilities are endless for the future though: I think I'll try adding some olives next, or extra lemon and coriander, or maybe some smoked paprika :)

Dinner

1. This week I tried the other goats cheese and pasta recipe that I mentioned in an earlier post: Goat cheese apple walnut pasta. This tasted lovely and made a really fast mid-week dinner. the only substitution was low sodium vegetable stock instead of chicken stock. I used brown rice pasta in this dish.


2. Once again I had a lot of bits of veg to use up after the weekend and I really wanted to see if this Ethiopian Stew recipe was as tasty as the African sweet potato curry I made last week. Unfortunately it wasn't as tasty, and was a little too sweet for me due to the cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. It was probably my own fault as I made quite a few changes to the recipe: I left out the split peas, didn't use the berbere spice mix (too much trouble to make!) and just used the vegetables I had in the house. If you try it (and please do, as it's so unusual) let me know how it turned out 


3. I had a second brown rice pasta dish this week - Smoked salmon with creamy courgette sauce. I used this recipe as the inspiration for my latest soy cream creation (I made so many changes that I think I can call it my own recipe). I used red onion instead of leeks, I left out the asparagus, I substituted soy cream (with a little nutritional yeast) for the regular cream and I cooked all the smoked salmon in the sauce for a few minutes, as I prefer it that way. It's another great, fast dinner www.taste.com.au/recipes/22238/smoked+salmon+with+creamy+asparagus+and+zucchini+sauce

Helpful site
A friend of mine introduced me to this site: 
You simply type into a list all the ingredients you have in your house and it shows you a lot of recipes you can cook with those ingredients. It's so handy! You can also highlight certain foods that you really want to use and it concentrates on giving you recipes with those ingredients.