Sometimes a slice of toast, spread with butter or a chosen alternative, is just what you want. When you fancy a change, however, here are some suggestions:
• Make the toast interesting by choosing a different type of bread. Multigrain bread is both delicious and nutritious.
• Rye is one of the grains recommended for a healthy gut. Rye bread, often sold as pumpernickel, tastes completely different to wheat bread and breaks easily. Rye crispbreads are another alternative.
• Supermarkets sell a selection of Italian breads, which make good toast. Like most British breads, they are made from wheat.
• Most breads contain gluten. If you have a gluten intolerance, buy gluten-free bread. These days, most gluten-free loaves taste good and toast well.
• Cornbread has become very popular, although the yeast type does contain a high percentage of wheat flour.
All of these can be used without spreading butter, or an alternative, on the toast.
Apple: grate raw apple and mix with grated raw carrot, moistening with a few drops of yoghurt or milk. Mix the pulp of baked, cooled apple with finely chopped dates or raisins and/or chopped almonds.
Banana: mash with a few drops of lime or lemon juice. Baked Bananas can be mashed and served hot or cold.
Cheese: mix soft cheese with chopped dates or other dried fruit, including ready-to-eat apricots or prunes or chopped nuts. Also try mixing soft cheese with chopped basil, mint or parsley. Grate hard cheese and mix with a little Mayonnaise.
Chicken: mix finely minced, cooked chicken or other poultry or meat with a little home-made Mayonnaise.
Dates: if fresh, they will be sufficiently soft to be stoned and finely chopped to make a spread. If dried, chop and mix with a little live yoghurt or low-fat soft cheese.
Fish: pound cooked kipper or mackerel or salmon flesh until smooth. Moisten with a few drops of virgin olive oil and flavour with lime or lemon juice and a shake of pepper or pinch of ground ginger.
Fruit: various fresh fruit purées are excellent spreads. Make a thick purée in a food processor or liquidizer (blender). Sweeten acid fruit with a little honey, but do not make the purée too sweet as it should be refreshing.
Garlic: to make a bruschetta, rub the hot toast with a cut garlic clove then moisten with a generous amount of virgin olive oil. To turn this into a complete main dish, top with salad ingredients and portions of chicken, meat, fish, lentils or chickpeas. Roast Garlic is another good savoury topping. Ciabatta or other Italian breads are ideal but any bread could be used.
Ginger: spread the toast with the syrup from preserved stem ginger and top with finely chopped stem ginger.
Honey: look for the organic type. Thick honey is more suitable than thin.
Horseradish: spread a very thin layer of the sauce or horseradish cream over the toast.
Pâté: the Liver Pâté makes an excellent spread, as do most kinds of pâté. If buying ready-made, check it is very fresh and buy organic pâté if possible.
Preserves: jams, jellies, marmalades and even some chutneys make good spreads for toast. Choose low-sugar preserves when possible. Maple syrup is another choice; add a squeeze of lemon juice to lessen its sweetness.
Sardines: mash cooked or canned fish.
Watercress: this is delicious with butter, but finely chopped watercress leaves are sufficiently soft to use as a spread when mixed with a few drops of virgin olive oil.
Butter, or an alternative spread, is given more flavour if mixed with other ingredients.
Anchovy Butter: mix butter with finely chopped or flaked fish, or a few drops of anchovy essence, together with a little lime or lemon juice.
Herb Butter: choose herbs that are important for a healthy gut, blending a generous amount with butter. Basil, dill, fennel, lemon balm, mint and parsley are particularly pleasant.
Nut Butter: blend chopped nuts with butter. Peanut butter is a great favourite but, before serving, check that people are not intolerant or even allergic to this.
Seed Butter: blend a small amount of seeds, such as caraway, cardamon, cumin, dill, fennel, poppy or sesame, with butter. Most seeds have a strong flavour, so use sparingly. Sprouting seeds like alfafa are an excellent addition to the diet.
Even if you rarely make a dessert it is worth doing so for anyone who is trying to cure, or alleviate, gut trouble. A dessert is generally easier to eat than a more substantial main course. Desserts should be based on nourishing and recommended ingredients that play a real part in helping the gut (see here). The recipes that follow have been chosen to produce easy-to-digest, tempting dishes.
A syllabub is one of the oldest British traditional recipes. Originally, it was far more liquid than the dessert we know today. By using live yoghurt with a small amount of whipped cream, you will create a dessert with a similar texture to the syllabubs of the old days, although much lighter and less fattening.
| Ingredients | ||
|---|---|---|
| METRIC (IMPERIAL) | AMERICAN | |
1–2 |
lemons* |
1–2 |
115g (4oz) or to taste |
loaf (lump) sugar |
¼lb or to taste |
140ml (¼ pint) |
white wine |
2/3 cup |
425ml (¾ pint) |
live yoghurt, as thick as possible |
scant 2 cups |
140ml (¼ pint) |
double (heavy) cream, whipped |
2/3 cup |
* Choose unwaxed lemons. |
||
Method |
1 Wash the lemons in cold water and dry well. Rub the lumps of sugar over the surface of the fruit to extract the very top zest. If you have no lumps of sugar then finely grate the top zest and use 115g (4oz/½ cup) caster sugar. The zest gives a very strong flavour so, if you are not over-fond of a sharp, lemony taste, do not use too much. Halve the fruit and squeeze out the lemon juice.
2 Put the lemon-coated sugar, or lemon zest and caster sugar, with the wine into a basin, and allow it to stand until the sugar has dissolved.
3 Fold into the yoghurt then add the whipped cream. Taste the mixture and incorporate as much lemon as desired. Spoon into individual glasses or dishes. Chill well before serving.
Variations:
• If you require a more generous amount of cream then replace some of the yoghurt with whipped cream.
• Use fromage frais instead of some of the yoghurt.
Apple Syllabub: omit the lemon zest and most of the juice and use 230ml (8fl oz/1 cup) cooked apple purée. Sweeten to taste.
Banana Syllabub: use a little lemon juice but omit the lemon zest and add 2 smoothly mashed bananas.
Other Flavourings: use mashed raspberries or other soft fruit or a thick purée of cooked apricots or plums or uncooked pears or mangoes.
Freezing: not recommended.
Cranachan is a traditional Scottish dessert. One of the main constituents is oatmeal – an excellent source of soluble fibre needed to prevent constipation. For this dish the oats are toasted, which gives them a delicious nutty taste. The traditional recipe uses a large amount of whipped cream, but live yoghurt is used here instead to cut down on fat.
| Ingredients | ||
|---|---|---|
| METRIC (IMPERIAL) | AMERICAN | |
85g (3oz) |
rolled oats |
scant 1 cup |
285ml (½ pint) |
live yoghurt |
11/2 cups |
1 tablespoon |
honey |
1 tablespoon |
225g (8oz) |
fresh raspberries |
½lb |
1–2 tablespoons |
whisky, preferably Drambuie |
1–2½ tablespoons |
Decoration |
||
extra raspberries |
||
Method |
1 There are two ways of toasting rolled oats. You can spread them in a layer in an ungreased heavy frying pan (skillet) and heat them slowly on top of the cooker, turning them over several times. The second method is to spread the rolled oats in one flat layer on a baking tray and heat them for 10–12 minutes in a preheated oven set to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 or 160–170°C with a fan oven. The rolled oats should be just golden; if too dark they tend to acquire a slightly bitter taste. Allow to cool completely before using. Toasted oats can be stored in an airtight tin or jar.
2 Mix the yoghurt with the honey. Blend in the oats, half the raspberries and the whisky.
3 Spoon the remaining raspberries into sundae glasses and top with the oat mixture. Decorate and chill well before serving.
Variations:
• Tofu can be used in place of the yoghurt. Process in a liquidizer (blender) with the honey.
• Use other soft berry fruits, such as sliced strawberries, whole blueberries, blackberries or loganberries.
Freezing: not recommended.
Ice cream is wonderfully tempting when you are not completely fit and perhaps not feeling particularly hungry. This recipe is based on an egg custard and cream. It can be adapted to make it less rich (see ‘Variations’).
| Ingredients | ||
|---|---|---|
| METRIC (IMPERIAL) | AMERICAN | |
3 |
large eggs |
3 |
55g (2oz) or to taste |
caster sugar |
¼ cup or to taste |
425ml (¾ pint) |
milk |
scant 2 cups |
1 |
vanilla pod (bean) or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract* |
1 |
425ml (¾ pint) |
double (heavy) cream |
scant 2 cups |
* This has a better flavour than vanilla essence. |
||
Method |
||
1 Break the eggs into a bowl, whisk in the sugar and then add the milk with the vanilla pod or extract. Either pour into the top of a double saucepan or leave in the bowl. Stand over a pan of hot, but not boiling, water and cook until sufficiently thick to make a good coating over a wooden spoon. Stir briskly or whisk while cooking. Cover and allow the custard to get quite cold. Remove the vanilla pod – this can be rinsed in cold water, dried and used again or placed in a jar of sugar to flavour it.
2 Whisk the cream until it stands in soft peaks, fold in the strained cold custard, pour into a container and freeze.
Variations:
• Use half double (heavy) cream and half full-cream yoghurt.
With an ice cream maker: there is no need to separate the egg whites as the mixer aerates the ingredients as it freezes them. You can be more economical and use single, instead of double, cream or half cream and half live yoghurt.
Fruit Ice Creams: these are excellent for encouraging people to eat more of the recommended fruits (see here). Blend equal quantities of whipped double cream and thick fruit purée together and sweeten to taste. Try a purée of melon and bananas, apples and lime, mixed soft berries or other fruits as they come into season.
Spiced Ice Cream: incorporate some of the spices suggested here, such as ground cinnamon or ginger. This makes the ice cream appealing to anyone who likes stronger flavours.
Freezing: do not make the ice cream mixture too sweet or it will be too soft and difficult to freeze. The basic version of the Ice Cream or a Fruit Ice Cream can be stored in the freezer for up to 4 weeks, but the version containing full-cream yoghurt or the economical version is better eaten with a week. Remove from the freezer about 10 minutes before serving and place in the refrigerator.
A fruit sorbet (sherbert) enables you to incorporate a whole range of fruits in a most refreshing form. In this recipe, the melon purée blends well with the sharp flavour of the citrus fruits.
| Ingredients | ||
|---|---|---|
| METRIC (IMPERIAL) | AMERICAN | |
1 |
medium-sized melon (about 800g/1¾lb before peeling) |
1 |
285ml (½ pint) |
orange juice |
11/2 cups |
2 tablespoons |
lemon juice |
2½ tablespoons |
1 tablespoon |
lime juice |
1 tablespoon |
2 tablespoons |
honey or caster sugar |
2½ tablespoons |
Method |
1 Halve the melon, scoop out and discard the seeds and remove the pulp. Put this with the other ingredients into a liquidizer (blender) or food processor and process until you get a smooth mixture.
2 Pour into an ice cream-making tray or suitable container and freeze until lightly frosted.
3 Remove the sorbet from the freezer and spoon into a bowl. Whisk briskly to aerate the mixture, then return it to the container and continue freezing.
Variations:
• Use watermelon instead of an ordinary melon.
• Use any mixture of fruits that are in season. Berry fruits are wonderful for summer. While cooked fruits could be used, select uncooked fruit if possible.
• Fruit juices make good sorbets.
To make a lighter mixture: fold 1 or 2 whisked egg whites into the fruit, after whisking it as stage 3 (you will be using uncooked eggs). Alternatively, soften 2 level teaspoons gelatine in 2 tablespoons cold orange juice (extra to that given in the recipe), then dissolve over hot water. Add to the other ingredients, then freeze.
With an ice cream maker: these are perfect for making light, well-aerated sorbets. Simply tip the smooth purée, made as stage 1, into the ice cream maker and switch on to freeze. There is no need to use gelatine or egg whites.
Freezing: sorbets can be stored for up to 6 weeks. Bring out of the freezer about 15 minutes before serving.
This dish is made with a rice pudding and an egg custard. These two are combined, and gelatine added, to produce an unusual cold dessert. The extra ingredients – dates, apricots and nuts – not only add to the food value but also make it suitable for a special occasion. Use ready-to-eat dried apricots. Organic ones have a better flavour but are not as brightly coloured as fruit that has been treated.
| Ingredients | ||
|---|---|---|
| METRIC (IMPERIAL) | AMERICAN | |
85g (3oz) |
short-grain (pudding) rice |
scant ½ cup |
850ml (1 ½ pints) |
milk |
3¾ cups |
55g (2oz) |
caster sugar |
¼ cup |
¼ teaspoon |
almond extract |
¼ teaspoon |
2 |
large eggs |
2 |
15g (½oz) sachet |
gelatine |
1 envelope |
2 tablespoons |
sweet sherry |
2½ tablespoons |
3 tablespoons |
sieved apricot jam |
3¾ tablespoons |
3 tablespoons |
finely chopped dates |
3¾ tablespoons |
3 tablespoons |
finely chopped apricots |
3¾ tablespoons |
3 tablespoons |
blanched chopped almonds |
3¾ tablespoons |
140ml (¼ pint) |
double (heavy) cream, whipped |
2/3 cup |
Method |
1 Put the rice with 570ml (1 pint/2½ cups) of the milk, half the sugar and the almond extract into the top of a double saucepan or in a basin. Cook over a pan of boiling water for 30–35 minutes or until the grains are tender.
2 Meanwhile, whisk the eggs with the remaining sugar, add the rest of the milk and stir over hot, but not boiling, water until the mixture is sufficiently thickened to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
3 Add gelatine to the cold sherry. Allow to stand for 3 minutes then add to the hot rice pudding and stir over a gentle heat until the gelatine has dissolved.
4 Strain the hot egg custard into the hot rice pudding and add the apricot jam. Allow the mixture to cool completely, cover and place in the refrigerator until it stiffens slightly (this is important as it means the dates, apricots, nuts and cream will remain suspended in the soft pudding).
5 Fold in the dates, apricots and almonds and lastly half the whipped cream. Spoon into a 1.2 litre (2 pint/5 cup) mould or a number of individual moulds and leave to set. Turn out and top with the remaining cream.
Freezing: not recommended.
Rice is an ideal food for people suffering from intestinal complaints because it contains no gluten and provides easily digestible complex carbohydrates. You may not have had old-fashioned rice pudding for some time but I am sure you will enjoy it by itself or served with your favourite fruit. Make certain you buy the right kind of rice – short-grain (pudding) type – as this will make a lovely, creamy pudding.
| Ingredients | ||
|---|---|---|
| METRIC (IMPERIAL) | AMERICAN | |
55g (2oz) |
short-grain rice |
good 1/2 cup |
570ml (1 pint) |
milk |
2½ cups |
2 tablespoons |
honey or sugar* |
2½ tablespoons |
30g (1oz) |
butter, optional |
2 tablespoons |
1 teaspoon |
ground cinnamon |
1 teaspoon |
* You can alter the taste of the pudding by your choice of sugar, so vary this from time to time, using caster, granulated, Demerara or light Barbados sugar. |
||
Method |
||
1 Preheat the oven to 140–150°C/275–300°F/Gas Mark 1–2 or 120–130°C with a fan oven.
2 Place the rice, milk and sugar into a 1.2 litre (2 pint/5 cup) pie dish. Cut the butter into small pieces, if using, and mix with the other ingredients.
3 Top with the ground cinnamon and bake for 2½–3 hours. Serve hot.
Freezing: not recommended.
Note: stirring the pudding after about 1 hour adds to the creamy texture. In this case, add the cinnamon topping after stirring.
Variation:
Rice Custard: whisk 1 or 2 large eggs, add the milk and then strain this liquid over the rice in the dish.
This turns a rice pudding into a special dish, full of nourishing ingredients.
| Ingredients | ||
|---|---|---|
| METRIC (IMPERIAL) | AMERICAN | |
55g (2oz) |
short-grain rice |
good 1/2 cup |
570ml (1 pint) |
milk |
2½ cups |
3 tablespoons |
caster sugar |
scant 4 tablespoons |
about 5 |
lemon balm leaves or strips of lemon zest |
about 5 |
30g (1oz) |
butter |
2 tablespoons |
2 |
large eggs |
2 |
Method |
1 Put the rice, milk, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, the lemon balm or lemon zest and the butter into the top of a double saucepan or a large basin and cover.
2 Place over a saucepan of simmering water and cook for 35–40 minutes or until the rice is tender and the pudding has become thick and creamy.
3 Remove the lemon balm leaves or lemon zest.
4 Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3 or 140–150°C with a fan oven.
5 Separate the eggs. Whisk the yolks into the hot rice mixture. Whip the whites until they stand up in peaks, whisk in the remaining sugar then fold the whites into the rest of the ingredients.
6 Spoon into a buttered 18cm (7 inch) soufflé dish and bake for 25–30 minutes or until well risen and firm. Serve hot with a purée of fruit.
Freezing: not recommended.
A fruit crumble is an exceptionally easy hot pudding to make and a delicious combination of flavours and textures. Bananas, pears and dates are fruits that provide good amounts of fibre and nutrients needed for a healthy gut (see Chapter 4). Use fresh dates if they are available, otherwise the dried variety will do.
All fruits in this recipe are firm, so orange and lemon juices are added to provide extra moisture.
| Ingredients | ||
|---|---|---|
| METRIC (IMPERIAL) | AMERICAN | |
Fruit layer |
||
2 |
large bananas, peeled and sliced |
2 |
2 |
ripe but firm medium pears, peeled, cored and sliced |
2 |
4 tablespoons |
chopped dates |
5 tablespoons |
2 tablespoons |
orange juice |
2½ tablespoons |
1 tablespoon |
lemon juice |
1 tablespoon |
Crumble topping |
||
85g (3oz) |
butter or margarine |
3/8 cup |
170g (6oz) |
plain (all-purpose) flour |
1½ cups |
½–1 teaspoon |
ground cinnamon |
½–1 teaspoon |
85g (3oz) |
caster sugar |
3/8 cup |
Method |
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 or 150–160°C with a fan oven.
2 Put the fruit with the orange and lemon juices into a 1.2 litre (2 pint/5 cup) pie or oven-proof dish. Make sure the fruit is levelled on top to give a good base for the crumble mixture. Cover the dish with foil and cook for 5 minutes only, then remove the foil.
3 Rub the butter or margarine into the flour, adding the cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle on top of the fruit, giving an even layer. Return to the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the topping is golden in colour. Serve with live yoghurt.
Freezing: not recommended as these particular fruits tend to become over-soft.
This is an adaptation of the Flapjack recipe. The crisp oatmeal topping makes an excellent change from a fruit crumble. Do not over-sweeten the fruit base as you need a contrast to the sweetness of the oatmeal mixture.
| Ingredients | ||
|---|---|---|
| METRIC (IMPERIAL) | AMERICAN | |
Topping |
||
55g (2oz) |
butter or margarine |
¼ cup |
55g (2oz) |
soft brown sugar |
¼ cup |
2 level tablespoons |
golden (corn) syrup |
2½ level tablespoons |
140g (5oz) |
rolled oats |
1½ cups |
30g (1oz) |
plain (all-purpose) flour |
¼ cup |
Fruit layer |
||
455g (1lb) |
cooking apples, weight when peeled, cored and sliced |
1lb |
225g (8oz) |
fresh pineapple, weight when skinned and finely diced |
½lb |
2 tablespoons |
water |
2½ tablespoons |
1–2 tablespoons |
soft brown sugar |
1–2½ tablespoons |
Method |
1 Put the butter or margarine, sugar and syrup into a saucepan and melt over a low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the rolled oats and flour. Mix thoroughly and cool slightly as the mixture becomes easier to spread over the fruit when cool.
2 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 or 140–150°C with a fan oven.
3 Put the apples, pineapple, water and sugar into a 1.2 litre (2 pint/5 cup) pie dish. Cover with a little foil and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and make sure the fruit is spooned into a flat base.
4 Spoon the oatmeal mixture over the top of the fruit, spreading with the back of a metal spoon to form a smooth layer.
5 Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot with live yoghurt.
Freezing: not recommended.
English Eve’s pudding consists of a sponge baked over apples. I have chosen the Welsh version, Pwdin Efa, because it is more interesting. Apples are one of nature’s most healing foods, and you can read more about them in Chapter 4.
| Ingredients | ||
|---|---|---|
| METRIC (IMPERIAL) | AMERICAN | |
680g (1½lb) |
cooking apples |
1½lb |
140ml (¼ pint) |
water |
2/3 cup |
55g (2oz) |
caster sugar |
¼ cup |
Topping |
||
55g (2oz) |
butter or margarine |
¼ cup |
55g (2oz) |
plain (all-purpose) flour |
½ cup |
340ml (12fl oz) |
milk |
1½ cups |
few drops |
vanilla extract |
few drops |
30g (1oz) |
caster sugar |
2 tablespoons |
3 |
large eggs |
3 |
Method |
1 Peel and slice the apples, put into a saucepan with the water and sugar and cook gently until a fairly smooth purée.
2 Spoon into a greased 1.2 litre (2 pint/5 cup) pie, soufflé or other ovenproof dish. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 or 160–170°C with a fan oven.
3 Heat the butter or margarine in a good-sized saucepan, stir in the flour and cook, stirring well, over a slow heat for 2–3 minutes. Add the milk and vanilla extract, stirring or whisking as the sauce comes to the boil and thickens. Add the sugar and remove from the heat. Cool slightly.
4 Separate the eggs. Beat the yolks into the warm sauce. Whisk the egg whites until very stiff and fold into the ingredients in the saucepan. Spoon the light mixture over the apples.
5 Bake for 40 minutes or until well risen and golden. Serve at once.
Variation: spoon the apples and then the topping into individual deep, ovenproof dishes, such as soufflé dishes. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until well risen and golden.
Freezing: not recommended.
Baked apples may seem a very simple dessert but they are a splendid way of enjoying the concentrated flavour of the fruit. The thick, smooth pulp from baked apples makes an ideal filling for the Soufflé Omelette as well as other dishes.
Although some dessert apples, such as Cox’s, can be baked, the right kind is a good cooking apple, such as a Bramley, which makes a fluffy pulp. Choose good-sized fruit.
| Ingredients | ||
|---|---|---|
| METRIC (IMPERIAL) | AMERICAN | |
4 |
cooking apples, each about 225g (8oz/½lb) |
4 |
filling, optional (see below) |
||
Method |
1 Wash the apples in cold water and dry thoroughly. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 or 140–150°C with a fan oven.
2 Remove the core of the apples with a special apple corer or a small, sharp knife. Slit the skin around the centre. These steps prevent the pulp bursting through the skin.
3 Stand the fruit on an ovenproof dish, add the filling (see below) if required and bake for approximately 50 minutes. Serve hot with live yoghurt or custard.
• Chopped dates, by themselves or with a little lemon, lime or orange juice to soften them.
• Chopped dried apricots, moistened with lemon, lime or orange juice. Use the ready-to-eat type and choose organic fruit if possible.
• Honey and chopped almonds, pine nuts or walnuts.
In addition you could have:
• butter and brown sugar
• raisins or other dried fruit
• mincemeat
• apricots or other jams or jellies: bramble jelly is particularly good
• golden (corn) or maple syrup
Variations:
Microwave ‘Baked’ Apples: prepare the fruit in exactly the same way as for oven baking. The apples cook in a very short time: 1 large apple takes about 4 minutes on full output. Cooking several apples at once takes longer. The exact timing will vary with the fruit and the output of the microwave so check in your microwave instruction book.
The flavour of the fruit is excellent but the skins tend to be tougher than when the apples are baked in the oven. If you have a combination microwave, however, the skins will be perfectly soft.
Barbecued ‘Baked’ Apples: prepare the fruit as above, adding a filling if desired. Wrap each apple separately in foil to make a package. Stand on a metal baking tin over the barbecue fire and cook for about 50 minutes. Always open the foil carefully as steam builds up inside.
Freezing: do not freeze the whole cooked fruit, although apple purée freezes well.
Bananas are an excellent source of easily digested carbohydrates, fats and potassium needed for normal fluid balance and muscle activity. Eaten raw or cooked, they contribute to a healthy diet. The fruit is delicious baked in its skin and served hot. Cooked bananas have an entirely different taste and texture to raw ones.
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5 or 170–180°C with a fan oven. Put the unpeeled fruit into an ovenproof dish and bake for 18–20 minutes, depending on the size of the bananas. The skin will turn very dark. Do not over-bake or the juice tends to seep through the skin and the pulp loses its moist texture.
Bananas can also be cooked in the microwave. In this case prick the skin two or three times and put the fruit into a microwave dish. One banana takes 1½–2 minutes on full output. The skin may split slightly, even when pricked. Several bananas will take longer.
Always take care when peeling cooked bananas as both the skins and fruit are very hot.
Freezing: not recommended.
As you will see from reading Chapter 4, various fruits have special healing benefits that help maintain gut health. Undoubtedly the simplest, and one of the best, ways to enjoy fruit is to eat it raw. This may not appeal to everyone, and certain fruits do need cooking.
Serve a fruit salad as often as possible, selecting fruits from the list of healthy gut foods. Apples and pears are always a good choice.
The term ‘coulis’ refers to a clear, unthickened sauce. A coulis can be either savoury or sweet, but one based on fruit is an ideal accompaniment to a rice pudding or ice cream. This recipe with kiwi fruit has a refreshing taste and is an excellent source of vitamin C.
| Ingredients | ||
|---|---|---|
| METRIC (IMPERIAL) | AMERICAN | |
6 tablespoons |
water |
7½ tablespoons |
1 tablespoon |
caster sugar or clear honey |
1 tablespoon |
6 |
ripe kiwi fruit |
6 |
Method |
1 Put the water and sugar or honey into a small saucepan and heat until the sugar has dissolved. This can also be done in a bowl in the microwave. Allow to cool.
2 Halve the kiwi fruits and remove all the pulp. Add to the syrup, then sieve or liquidize to give a smooth sauce.
Variations:
• Raspberries and other ripe, soft fruit can be used in the same way. Use less water if the fruit is very juicy.
• Fruit that needs some cooking, such as firm apricots and blackcurrants, should be simmered in the water and sugar but never over-cooked.
Freezing: a coulis freezes well.
The recipes that follow will enable you to prepare some interesting and easy-to-make dishes that the whole family will enjoy. They include ingredients included in the list of healthy gut foods on pages 54–5. Sometimes someone who is unwell does not eat much food for lunch, so they will be ready for a home-made scone, biscuit or slice of cake at teatime.
To ensure perfect results it is important to weigh and measure ingredients carefully and to ensure the oven is properly preheated before baking. If you have any doubts about the accuracy of your oven temperature it is worth investing in an oven thermometer. If you have just acquired a fan oven, be prepared for the cooking time to be a little shorter than when baking in a standard oven, so do check baking progress early.
Do not change the basic proportions in the recipes as these have been carefully tested to give a good result. You can increase or decrease the amount of spices, however, as they are a matter of personal taste.
If you are anxious to include some of the grains recommended here, you can use small amounts in the basic scone recipe (overleaf). Instead of 225g (8oz/2 cups) of wheat flour, use just 170g (6oz/1½ cups) of wheat flour plus 55g (2oz/½ cup) barley flour or rye flour. Do not exceed these amounts.
• If using plain flour, use exactly the same amount of baking powder.
• If using self-raising flour, sift this with ¼ teaspoon baking powder.
• The barley or rye flour should be sifted with the wheat flour.
• Cornmeal or polenta are not suitable for scones.
• Rice flour is excellent in biscuits but gives too dry a texture in scones.
• Many good supermarkets sell these different flours, as do health-food shops.
Home-made scones (biscuits), whether sweet or savoury, are an ideal way to tempt the somewhat fickle appetite of anyone who is not completely fit. A freshly baked, light scone may be more appealing both to the eye and the appetite than slices of bread or toast.
The recipe begins with basic sweet scones, ideal for teatime or throughout the day. This is followed by suggested variations, including recipes for savoury scones, which are an excellent accompaniment to soups, cheese or light main dishes.
The important points to remember when making scones, are:
a. Make the dough appreciably softer than for pastry.
b. Do not over-handle the dough before shaping. You can pat out the dough, rather than using a rolling pin.
c. Bake at a high temperature and test early so the scones are not over-baked and become dry as they cool.
If the person with gut trouble has been recommended a special spread, rather than butter or margarine, make sure it is suitable for baking.
| Ingredients | ||
|---|---|---|
| METRIC (IMPERIAL) | AMERICAN | |
225g (8oz) |
self-raising flour or plain (all-purpose) |
2 cups |
flour with 2 teaspoons baking powder |
||
pinch |
sea salt |
pinch |
30–55g (1–2oz) |
butter or margarine or recommended spread |
2 tablespoons to ¼ cup |
55g (2oz) or to taste |
caster sugar |
¼ cup or to taste |
140ml (¼ pint) |
milk, see stage 2 |
2/3 cup |
To glaze |
||
milk or 1 beaten egg |
||
1 Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas Mark 7 or 200–210°C with a fan oven. With this basic recipe there is no need to grease the baking tray; a light dusting of flour makes sure the scones do not stick. With most variations you should either grease the tray or line it with baking parchment.
2 Sift the flour, or flour and baking powder, with the salt. Rub in the butter or margarine or spread; do not over-handle the dough. Add the sugar then gradually incorporate the milk. While full-cream milk makes richer scones, skimmed milk could be used. Makes of flour vary, so add the last drops gradually. The dough should be soft but not too sticky.
3 Turn on to a lightly floured surface and roll or pat until about 2cm (¾ inch) thick. Cut into the required size with a pastry cutter. When people are unwell it may be wise to make really small rounds. Place on the baking tray. To give an attractive shine, brush the tops with milk or egg.
4 Bake for 10–12 minutes. To test if cooked, press at the sides of the scones; they should feel just firm to the touch. Lift on to a wire cooling tray. If you want them crisp on the outside, do not cover. If you prefer a soft scone, place a teacloth (kitchen towel) over them.
Freezing: it is important to freeze the scones when just cold as they then retain their freshly baked taste when defrosted. You could warm them by putting them in a hot oven for 1–2 minutes.
Variations: mix the scone dough with half milk and half live yoghurt. This produces a very light scone.
Gluten-free flour: this makes good scones. Follow the quantities as in the basic recipe and the suggestions that follow.
Olive Oil Scones: add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the sifted flour. You will need less milk to bind the mixture together. Do not exceed this amount of oil.
Almond: add 55g (2oz/½ cup) blanched, chopped almonds to the flour. When the scones are shaped, brush with milk or beaten egg and top with more chopped almonds. You could also add dried fruit as in the following suggestions.
Apricot: add 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest to the flour as well as 55g (2oz/1/2 cup) finely chopped, ready-to-eat, dried apricots. Buy organic ones if you can.
Citrus Fruits: add 1 or 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon or orange zest to the flour. Mix the dough with a little lemon or orange juice in place of some of the milk.
Dates: this dried fruit is important on the diet. Add about 115g (4oz/2/3 cup) finely chopped dates with the sugar. Other dried fruits, such as raisins, can be used.
Ginger: sift 1 teaspoon ground ginger with the flour then add 2 or 3 (2½ to scant 4 tablespoons) finely chopped, preserved or crystallized ginger with the sugar (see also under ‘Savoury Scones’).
Oatmeal: use 55g (2oz/½ cup) less flour and add the same amount of rolled oats instead. Use the same amount of baking powder with plain flour and add ½ teaspoon baking powder with self-raising flour. Dried fruit such as almonds, apricots and dates can be added to oatmeal scones. Savoury Oatmeal Scones can also be made. Omit the sugar and add a generous amount of seasoning to the oatmeal. Chopped herbs are an excellent addition.
Omit the sugar in the basic recipe and sift the salt plus a good shake of freshly ground black pepper with the flour. You could also add ½–1 level teaspoon mustard powder.
Basil: this is a very important herb on the diet and gives a pleasing flavour. Add 2 tablespoons finely chopped basil to the flour. Other herbs, as recommended on pages 54–5, can be used instead.
Cheese: add 55g (2oz/½ cup) finely grated Cheddar or other good cooking cheese to the mixture, after rubbing in the fat. A tablespoon chopped herbs, such as parsley, basil or coriander (cilantro), can also be added.
Cumin: add 2–3 teaspoons cumin seeds after rubbing in the fat. Blanched almonds or raisins blend well with the seeds; add 2–3 tablespoons (2½ to scant 4 tablespoons). Cumin scones are a particularly good accompaniment to soups.
Garlic: add 1–2 finely chopped garlic cloves, after rubbing in the fat. For a milder taste, use Roast Garlic. The garlic is then fairly soft, so adjust the amount of liquid accordingly. Instead of garlic, you could use 3–4 tablespoons (scant 4–5 tablespoons) very finely chopped chives or spring onions (scallions).
Ginger: use 2.5–3.5cm (1–1½ inches) peeled then grated or very finely chopped root ginger. Add to the mixture after rubbing in the fat. A small amount of basil or other chopped herbs could be used as well.
Apples contribute healing substances to food when used in both sweet and savoury dishes. American-style muffins have become very popular, and can be served at any time of the day. Do not over-beat this muffin mixture; just combine the ingredients quite gently.
The recipe assumes you are using stiff pulp from baked apples. If stewing the fruit, use a small amount of water only and no sugar and follow the adaptation under ‘Variations’.
| Ingredients | ||
|---|---|---|
| METRIC (IMPERIAL) | AMERICAN | |
115g (4oz) |
butter |
½ cup |
200g (7oz) |
apple purée |
1 cup |
55g (2oz) |
sultanas (seedless white raisins) or dried figs, very finely chopped, optional |
1¾ cups |
200g (7oz) |
plain (all-purpose) flour |
1¾ cups |
2 level teaspoons |
baking powder |
2 level teaspoons |
pinch |
sea salt |
pinch |
1 teaspoon |
allspice or ground ginger |
1 teaspoon |
1 |
large egg |
1 |
1½ tablespoons |
milk |
2 tablespoons |
Method |
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 or 180–190°C with a fan oven. Grease small muffin tins (pans) or bun tins well or insert paper cases into the tins.
2 Put the butter with the apple purée into a saucepan or basin and heat until the butter has melted; this could also be done in the microwave. Add the sultanas or figs to the warm mixture; this helps to soften the dried fruit.
3 Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and allspice or ginger together. Beat the egg with the milk.
4 Blend the dry ingredients with the apple mixture then add the egg and milk, stirring gently. Do not worry if the mixture looks slightly lumpy.
5 Spoon into the prepared tin or paper cases and bake for 15–20 minutes, depending on size. The muffins should be just firm. Over-baking makes them too dry. Serve while warm or freshly baked.
Variations:
If using smooth stewed apple purée, omit the milk in the recipe.
• Apricots or figs could be used; stew the fruit until a smooth, thick purée. Use the same weight as for apples. Follow the recipe above but omit the milk.
• Use 200g (7oz/1 cup) mashed ripe bananas with 2 (2½) tablespoons lemon or orange juice or milk.
Berry Muffins: use 140g (5oz/1 cup) whole raspberries or blueberries with 1½ (2) tablespoons milk.
Freezing: these freeze well. Warm gently after defrosting to restore their fresh flavour.
Gluten-free flour: if you are baking for someone who has been advised to avoid ordinary wheat and other grains because of gluten content, use gluten-free plain flour and follow the recipe above. You should get very good results.
Ginger is packed with healing substances useful in controlling nausea and other health complaints. The rather unusual baking instructions for these biscuits ensure that the mixture spreads out correctly and forms the small cracks that are a feature of these famous biscuits.
Gingernuts are sometimes used to thicken a stew, instead of flour. Simply break 2 or 3 into small pieces, add to the cooked, hot stew and leave for a short time for them to break into smaller pieces, then stir briskly to blend into the liquid.
| Ingredients | ||
|---|---|---|
| METRIC (IMPERIAL) | AMERICAN | |
55g (2oz) |
butter or margarine |
¼ cup |
2 tablespoons |
golden (corn) syrup |
2½ tablespoons |
30g (1oz) |
caster or soft brown sugar |
2 tablespoons |
115g (4oz) |
plain (all-purpose) flour |
1 cup |
½ teaspoon |
bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) |
½ teaspoon |
½–1 teaspoon or to taste |
mixed spice |
½–1 teaspoon or to taste |
1 teaspoon |
ground ginger |
1 teaspoon |
Method |
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 or 180–190°C with a fan oven. Grease 2 or 3 baking trays.
2 Put the butter or margarine, syrup and sugar into a large saucepan, stir over a low heat until the ingredients have melted, then remove from the heat.
3 Sift the flour with the bicarbonate of soda and the spices, add to the melted ingredients and mix thoroughly. Allow to cool enough to handle.
4 Gather up pieces of the mixture and roll into 16–18 small balls. Place on the baking tray, allowing plenty of space between the balls for the mixture to spread.
5 Bake for 5 minutes only at the setting given in stage 1, then reduce the heat to 170°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3 or 140–150°C with a fan oven and bake for a further 10 minutes or until golden brown. If your electric oven holds the heat for a long time, switch it off and let the biscuits cook in the residual heat.
6 Cool on the baking tray for 10 minutes, then lift onto a wire cooling rack. When quite cold, store in an airtight tin away from other biscuits.
Variation: use maple syrup instead of golden syrup.
Freezing: this is not necessary as the biscuits keep well in a tin.
This recipe produces small cakes with a crisp, biscuit-like texture. Use tender, ready-to-eat dried apricots. These, with the rolled oats, are an excellent way to boost the amount of constipation-fighting soluble fibre in your diet.
| Ingredients | ||
|---|---|---|
| METRIC (IMPERIAL) | AMERICAN | |
85g (3oz) |
butter or margarine |
3/8 cup |
85g (3oz) |
dried apricots, finely chopped |
3/8 cup |
55g (2oz) |
sultanas (seedless white raisins) |
1/2 cup |
85g (3oz) |
rolled oats |
scant 1 cup |
85g (3oz) |
sugar, preferably Demerara |
3/8 cup |
55g (2oz) |
self-raising flour or plain (all-purpose) flour with ½ teaspoon baking powder |
½ cup |
1 |
large egg, whisked |
1 |
Method |
1 Put the butter or margarine into a large bowl and stand this over a pan of boiling water to melt. This can also be done in the microwave.
2 Add the apricots and sultanas to the hot fat; this tenderizes the dried fruit. Leave until quite cold before adding other ingredients.
3 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 or 160–170°C with a fan oven. Line the base of a 23–25cm (9–10 inch) round sandwich tin (layer pan) with baking parchment or greased greaseproof paper. Grease the sides of the tin.
4 Add the rolled oats, sugar, sifted flour, or flour and baking powder, then the egg to the ingredients in the bowl. Mix thoroughly.
5 Spoon into the prepared tin and smooth flat on top. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until golden and firm to the touch.
6 Cool the cake for a few minutes, then mark into triangles while warm. Leave in the tin until almost cold, then carefully remove. These cakes keep fresh for 2–3 days in an airtight tin. Store away from other cakes or biscuits.
Freezing: open freeze then pack.
Oatmeal is a healthy food because it helps prevent constipation, but did you know it also helps control levels of blood cholesterol? Make use of it wherever possible. Flapjacks are a favourite with young and old, so these are likely to be very popular. Both ground cinnamon and ginger are highly recommended so you can choose which spice to incorporate into the other ingredients. Butter gives the best results in these biscuits.
| Ingredients | ||
|---|---|---|
| METRIC (IMPERIAL) | AMERICAN | |
85g (3oz) |
butter |
3/8 cup |
55g (2oz) |
caster sugar |
¼ cup |
2 tablespoons |
golden (corn) syrup |
2½ tablespoons |
1 teaspoon |
ground cinnamon or ground ginger |
1 teaspoon |
170g (6oz) |
rolled oats |
scant 2 cups |
Method |
1 Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5 or 170–180°C with a fan oven. Grease an 18cm (7 inch) square sandwich tin (layer pan). Do not line it with greaseproof paper or baking parchment.
2 Put the butter, sugar and syrup into a saucepan and heat until the ingredients have melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the spice and rolled oats.
3 Tip the mixture into the tin and spread flat. Bake for 25 minutes or until evenly golden brown. Leave for about 3 minutes, then mark the mixture into fingers. Do not try and remove these from the tin at this stage or they will break.
4 When almost cold, lift the biscuits onto a wire cooling tray. When quite cold, store in an airtight tin away from other biscuits.
Freezing: not recommended.
Variations: a 20cm (8 inch) tin could be used to give thinner biscuits. Reduce the baking time by about 5 minutes.
Almond Flapjacks: as almonds are an excellent food for gut disorders, add 2 (2½) tablespoons finely chopped almonds at the end of stage 2.
The following recipe is based on a traditional British cake. Instead of the usual currants and raisins, however, I have included dates because of their mild laxative effect and high energy content. These small, crisp cakes are an ideal way to tempt the appetite.
| Ingredients | ||
|---|---|---|
| METRIC (IMPERIAL) | AMERICAN | |
225g (8oz) |
self-raising flour or plain (all-purpose) |
2 cups |
flour with 2 teaspoons baking powder |
||
pinch |
sea salt |
pinch |
115g (4oz) |
lard (shortening) or butter |
½ cup |
85g (3oz) |
caster sugar |
3/8 cup |
85g (3oz) |
dried dates, finely chopped |
½ cup |
1 |
large egg, whisked |
1 |
few drops |
water or milk |
few drops |
Method |
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 or 180–190°C with a fan oven. Lightly grease two baking sheets (tins) or line with baking parchment.
2 Sift the flour, or flour and baking powder, with the salt into a mixing bowl. Rub in the lard or butter until the mixture is like fine breadcrumbs. If using a food processor or electric mixer, do not over-mix.
3 Add the sugar, dates and then the egg, mixing well. Gradually stir in just enough water or milk to make a rolling consistency.
4 Roll out the dough until about 1.5cm (½ inch) thick then cut into 5cm (2-inch) rounds. Place on the baking trays and cook for 13–15 minutes or until golden. Lift onto a wire cooling tray. Eat when freshly baked.
Variation: substitute 55g (2oz/good ½ cup) rolled oats for the same amount of flour. In this case sift just ½ level teaspoon baking powder with the self-raising flour. Use the same amount of baking powder with plain flour.
Freezing: these freeze very well; open freeze, so they do not stick together, then pack.
Both carrots and ginger are included in the list of healthy gut foods Carrots provide fibre, minerals and vitamins, and ginger helps calm a nervous digestive system. Combined in this delicious recipe, they provide an inviting means of ensuring a healthy gut. Ground ginger is used as the flavouring in this cake, and luxurious preserved ginger in the topping.
Peel or scrape the carrots just before making the cake so they are kept moist. Never place whole or grated carrots in water as that would incorporate too much liquid into the cake mixture.
| Ingredients | ||
|---|---|---|
| METRIC (IMPERIAL) | AMERICAN | |
For the cake |
||
170g (6oz) |
butter or margarine |
¾ cup |
170g (6oz) |
caster or light brown soft sugar |
¾ cup |
3 |
large eggs, whisked |
3 |
170g (6oz) |
self-raising flour or plain (all-purpose) |
1½ cups |
flour with 1½ teaspoons baking powder |
||
1–2 teaspoons or as required |
ground ginger |
1–2 teaspoons or as required |
170g (6oz) |
carrots (weight when grated) |
1 2/3 cups |
55g (2oz) |
blanched almonds, chopped |
½ cup |
For the topping |
||
55g (2oz) |
soft cream cheese |
¼ cup |
30g (1oz) |
butter or margarine |
2 tablespoons |
55g (2oz) |
icing (confectioner’s) sugar, sifted |
½ cup |
3 tablespoons |
sliced preserved ginger |
scant 4 tablespoons |
Method |
1 Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5 or 170–180°C with a fan oven. Grease and flour the cake tin (pan) or line it with greased greaseproof paper or baking parchment.
2 Cream the butter or margarine and sugar until soft and light, then gradually beat in the eggs. Sift the flour, or flour and baking powder, with the ground ginger; fold into the creamed ingredients with the carrots and nuts.
3 Spoon into the tin and bake for 1 hour or until firm to the touch. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire cooling tray. Leave until quite cold.
4 Cream the cheese, butter or margarine and icing sugar together. Spoon over the top of the cake. Cover with the preserved ginger.
Freezing: open freeze, then pack.
Variations:
• Instead of butter or margarine use 170ml (6fl oz/2/3 cup) olive oil and stir into the other ingredients. This makes a good cake but the texture is not as light as when creaming the fat with the sugar.
• Use only 115g (4oz/1 cup) self-raising flour and 55g (2oz/½ cup) ground almonds. In this case, sift ½ teaspoon baking powder with the flour. If using plain flour, add 1½ teaspoons baking powder as in the recipe above.
The word ‘smoothie’ describes a mixture of fruits, with some herbs and even a few vegetables, yoghurt or milk formed into a smooth drink. A smoothie is thicker than a juice but should never be so solid that it is difficult to drink. When someone is not completely fit, often it is an effort to eat solid food, and this is when a smoothie is a sensible alternative.
I am not giving set recipes with quantities, as smoothies are purely a matter of personal taste and a wise use of the ingredients available. Instead, I have suggested some very pleasing combinations of flavours. When making smoothies, boost their flavour and healing benefits by including some of the healthy gut foods as ingredients.
Smoothies have become so popular that special machines are available, but an ordinary liquidizer (blender) is excellent for the purpose. A food processor can also be used, but do not fill this too generously or some of the soft mixture could seep down around the cutting blade.
1 Add the ingredients to the goblet or food processor bowl. Do not over-fill. Put on the lid, switch on at a medium speed, process until all the ingredients begin to soften, then increase the speed. Hold the lid firmly in position when using a liquidizer because the mixture rises in the goblet.
2 If the blades do not revolve easily, it means the mixture is a little too stiff. Add a small amount of liquid then switch on again.
3 With a smoothie machine, you turn the tap and let the mixture flow into a jug or individual glasses. With a liquidizer, remove the lid and tip the goblet so the mixture can be poured into a jug or glasses. With a food processor, it is wise to place the bowl on a large plate before removing the lid and central blade. If any liquid does run down the central hole, it can be spooned up from the plate.
4 Serve the smoothie cold. A very little crushed ice could be put into the glasses, but check this is allowed on the diet. Too much ice would spoil the flavour. Smoothies can also be served warm, but do not over-heat.
You do not have to select a large number of ingredients. A smoothie can be made with just one ingredient but the following examples produce most interesting flavours. Aim for an attractive colour as well as a delicious flavour.
Remove bitter pith from citrus fruit, peel and core from apples and pears, and any large pips or stones.
Autumn Special: diced pears and dessert apples with lemon or lime juice and live yoghurt. This can be given a spicier flavour by adding a little stem ginger or ginger wine.
Citrus Special: orange and pink or ordinary grapefruit segments, orange or tangerine juice, banana(s) plus a little honey if required to sweeten.
Cool Green: diced melon, kiwi fruit, white grapes, lime juice.
Exotic Special: fresh figs, melon, lime, pinch ground ginger.
Golden Smoothie: orange segments, grated young carrots, skinned and deseeded tomatoes, a few basil leaves.
Richly Dark: blueberries, blackberries, a few chopped dates, red wine.
Summer Berries: raspberries, redcurrants, strawberries, banana(s), live yoghurt, shredded mint leaves.
Vegetable Special: a few spinach leaves, grated young carrots, tender celery heart, pine nuts, a little single cream or live yoghurt.
Well-chosen drinks are important when you want to maintain a healthy gut (see Chapter 4). Water and the liquid from fresh fruit are ideal too. With modern gadgets you can extract juice from a great variety of fruits and from juicy vegetables. In addition to these, here are some very refreshing drinks.
Appleade: wash about 455g (1lb) apples but do not peel or core them. Cut into small pieces and put into a large container with several strips of lemon zest. Pour 570ml (1 pint/2½ cups) boiling water over the apples and lemon zest and press the fruit with a wooden spoon. Leave until cold, then strain the liquid and add the juice of 1 lemon and any sweetening required. This juice can be diluted with water.
Variation: ripe pears could be used instead of apples.
Lemonade: grate the top zest from 2 well-washed lemons and put into a jug. Pour 570ml (1 pint/2½ cups) boiling water over the zest. Leave until cold, then strain and add the juice from 2 lemons and any sweetening required. Warm for a few minutes to dissolve the sugar. This juice can be diluted with water.
Variations: use 2 limes or 3 oranges in place of the lemons, or try a mixture of citrus fruits.
Fresh Milk Shake: put a few spoonfuls of soft fruit, such as raspberries, chopped strawberries or a mixture, into a liquidizer. Add a tumbler of cold milk and switch on until blended. You can choose semi-skimmed milk or any of the other milks you prefer (see here). The drink can be made richer by adding a small spoonful of ice cream with the fruit.
Variation: vary the milkshakes with any seasonal fruit available.
Ginger Milk Shake: follow the directions for Fruit Milk Shake but add diced stem or preserved ginger instead of fresh fruit.
Mint Tea: this is famous in Arab countries, where it is served hot and sweetened. It is delicious with less sugar and can be served hot or cold. Put about 10 small mint leaves into a small teapot or larger beaker. Add about 285ml (½ pint/11/2 cups) boiling water. Press the leaves with a spoon then strain and serve hot or well chilled.
Variations:
• Use other herbs, such as camomile, lemon balm, basil, tansy or rosemary.
• A little lemon or lime juice can be added to the strained liquid.
Milk Tea: if you have been advised to increase your intake of milk, try making tea with boiling skimmed milk or a mixture of milk and water instead of the usual boiling water.
Iced Tea: strain your favourite tea, allow it to become very cold, then serve over crushed ice. Add a little lemon juice and/or a few sprigs of mint for extra flavour.
Iced Coffee: if coffee is included in your diet, try the beverage iced. Make the coffee in the usual way, cool and pour over crushed ice. Top with a little whipped cream.
Variation: make ultra-strong coffee, cool and pour into an ice-making tray. Place in the freezer. Put 1 or 2 cubes of the iced coffee into a tumbler and fill with ice-cold milk. Top with whipped cream.
Pineapple Wine Cup: this is a drink for a special occasion that everyone can share. Peel a small fresh pineapple, cut into dice and discard the hard centre. Put into a chilled bowl. Top with 2 bottles dry white wine and flavour with a little lemon juice. Decorate with rings of cucumber and sprigs of mint.