Feel-good Food
Of all the nutrients in our diet fat must be the most debated and the most misunderstood. Although, in terms of healthy eating, fat is often cast as the villain, it's worth remembering that it also plays a benificial role. In the body, fat cushions and protects the vital organs, provides energy stores and helps insulate the body. in the diet, it is necessary for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) and to provide essential fatty acids that the body can't make itself. While some fat is essential, many of us are eating too much of the wrong tyes of fat and not enough of the right types. A high-fat diet, particualry one that contains a lot iof saturated 'animal' fats, is known to increase te risk of problems such as heart disease, stroke and certain types of cancer. There are three types of fat: saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, whch occur in different proportions in food. Saturated fatty acids are linked to higher blood cholesterol, which can then lead to heart disease.
Polyunsaturated fats
Omega-6 fats These are mostly found in vegetable oild and margarines sch as sunflower oil, safflower oil, corn oil and soya bean oil. Omega 6 fats help lower the LDL ('bad') cholesterol in the blood, but if you eat too much they will also lower the 'good'.
HDL cholesterol
Omega-3 fats These are found mainly in oil-rich fish such as salmon, fresh tuna, mackeral and sardines, in linseeds (flax) and rapeseed oil. They help to protect the heart by making the blood less sticky and likely to clot, by lowering blood pressure, and encouraging the muscles lining the artery walls to relax, this improving the blood flow to the heart. It's important to have a balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fats in the diet. At the moment most of us have too much omega-6 fats and not enough omega-3 fats and recent research suggests that low levels of omega-3s in the blood may contribute to depression, antisocial behaviour and schizophrenia.
Monounsaturated fats
Monounsaturated fats are found mainly in olive oil, walnut oil and rapeseed oil, nuts and avocados. They help reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering LDL ('bad') cholesterol.
Saturated fats
Saturated 'animal' fats are found in full-fat dairy products (cheese, yogurt, milk, cream), lard, fatty cuts of mear and meat products such as sausages and burgers, pastry, cakes, biscuits, and coconut and palmoil. A diet high in saturated fats can raise levels of LDL ('bad') cholesterol in the blood, which wll cause narrowing of the arteries and increase the risk of heart attacks and stroke.
Trans fats
Trans fats occur naturally in small amounts in meat and dairy products, but they are also produced during the process of hydrogenation that is used to cenvert liquid vegetable oils into semi-solid fats in the manufacture of some types of margerine. Trans fats are most commonly found in biscuits, cakes, pastries, meat pies, sausages, crackers and takeaway foods. Although, chemically, trans fats are still unsaturated fat, studies show that in the body they behave like saturated fat, causing vlood cholesterol level to rise; in fact, some studies suggest that trans fats are worse than saturated fats.
Red Lentil Soup with Low-fat Cornbread
Hands-on time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: about 30 minutes
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle (optional)
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tsp chilli powder (or to taste)
250g (9oz) red lentils, washed
400g can chopped tomatoes
1.1 litres (2 pints) vegetable stock
For the cornbread
100g (3½oz) plain flour
100g (3½oz) quick-cook polenta
1 tbsp caster sugar
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 medium egg
175g (6oz) low-fat natural yogurt salt
Serves 4 (cornbread cuts into 8 slices)
1 Start by making the soup. Heat the oil in a large pan and gently cook the onion and celery for 10 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and chilli powder and cook for 1 minute. Add the lentils, tomatoes and vegetable stock and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
2 Meanwhile, make the cornbread. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan oven) mark 4 and line a 450g (1lb) loaf tin with baking parchment. Measure the flour, polenta, sugar and soda into a large bowl. Add ½–¾ tsp salt (depending on taste) and whisk to combine.
3 In a separate jug, whisk together the egg and yogurt. Add to the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Scrape into the prepared tin, level the surface and bake for 20–25 minutes until golden and firm to the touch. Leave to rest in the tin for 10 minutes.
4 Blend the soup until smooth (do this in batches if necessary) and return to the pan. Check the seasoning (if the soup is too thick for your liking, add a little more water).
5 To serve, reheat the soup (if necessary), then ladle into warmed bowls and drizzle with oil, if you like. Serve with the warm sliced cornbread.
Hands-on time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: about 20 minutes
8 slices marinated red pepper
8 fresh basil leaves
150g (5oz) mozzarella cheese, cut into 8 slices
4 English muffins, halved
salt and freshly ground black pepper
green salad to serve
Serves 4
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan oven) mark 6. Lay the mushrooms side by side in a roasting tin and season with salt and ground black pepper. Top each mushroom with a slice of red pepper and a basil leaf. Lay a slice of mozzarella on top of each mushroom and season again. Roast for 15–20 minutes until the mushrooms are tender and the cheese has melted.
2 Meanwhile, toast the muffin halves until golden. Put a mozzarella mushroom on top of each muffin half. Serve immediately with a green salad.
Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: about 30 minutes
1 onion, finely sliced
3 skinless chicken breasts, cut into finger-sized strips
1 green pepper, seeded and diced
1–1½ tsp chipotle paste, to taste (see Save Effort)
1 litre (1¾ pints) chicken stock
100g (3½oz) easy-cook rice, washed
410g can black-eyed beans, drained and rinsed
a large handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve (optional)
low-fat soured cream
low-fat guacamole
Serves 4
1 Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onion gently for 10 minutes or until softened. Add the chicken and green pepper and continue to fry for 5 minutes. Stir in the chipotle paste, stock and rice.
2 Bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the rice is tender. Stir in the beans and most of the coriander. Check the seasoning.
3 Divide the soup among four bowls, garnish with the remaining coriander and serve with a dollop of soured cream and guacamole (to stir through), if you like.
Reducing the amount of salt in our diet is, say health experts, one of the most important steps we can take to reduce the risk of high blood pressure, a condition that affects one in three adults in the UK.
Experts have calculated that reudcing our salt intake to 6g a dat would reduce the number of people suffering from stroke by 22% and from heart attacks by 16%, saving about 34,000 lives a year.
Hidden salts
You may think the easiest way to cut back on salt is not to sprinkle salt over your food when you're at the table, but unfortunately the answer isn't quite that simple - only about 15% of the salt we eat comes from salt added to our food furing cooking and at the table. Three-quarters of all the salt we consume is hidden in processed foods - one small can of chicken soup, for instance, can contain well over half the recommended daily intake of salt for an adult.
Re-educating our taste buds
Our taste for salt is something we learn to like the more we eat. But just in the same way that we can teach our taste buds to enjoy foods with less sugar, we can train them to enjoy foods with less salt (sodium choloride). If you gradually reduce the amount of salt you eat, the taste receptors on the tongue become more senstive to salt. This proces takes between two and three weeks. Use herbs and spices to enhance the natural flabours of foods and before long you'll be enjoying the real taste of food - not the flavour of salt.
Hands-on time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: about 25 minutes
2 onions, finely sliced
5cm (2in) piece fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
1 tsp each ground turmeric and coriander
1 tbsp medium curry paste
4 tomatoes, roughly chopped
400ml (14fl oz) fish stock
200g (7oz) raw shelled king prawns
300g (11oz) white skinless fish, such as cod, haddock, coley or pollack, cut into 2.5cm (1in) cubes
200g (7oz) frozen peas
salt and freshly ground black pepper
boiled rice or crusty bread to serve (optional)
Serves 4
1 Heat the oil in a large pan over a low heat. Add the onions and a good pinch of salt, then cover and cook for 15 minutes until completely softened. Stir in the ginger, turmeric, coriander and curry paste and cook for 1 minute.
2 Stir in the tomatoes and stock and simmer for 5 minutes. Mix in the prawns, fish and peas, then cook for 3–5 minutes (stirring carefully to prevent the fish from breaking up) until the prawns are bright pink and the fish is opaque. Check the seasoning and serve with rice or crusty bread, if you like.
Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
1 tbsp vegetable oil
400g (14oz) frozen mixed vegetables
6 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
½ tbsp cornflour
100ml (3½ fl oz) chicken or vegetable stock
170g canned crab, drained
frozen or chopped fresh coriander leaves, (optional)
Serves 4
1 Bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the noodles according to the pack instructions. Drain well and put to one side.
2 Heat the oil in a large wok until smoking. Add the mixed vegetables and stir-fry for 5 minutes or until piping hot.
3 In a small bowl, stir together the sweet chilli sauce, soy, cornflour and stock. Add the sauce to the wok; bubble for 1 minute, then toss through the noodles, crab and coriander, if you like. Check the seasoning and serve immediately.
Steamed Fish and Vegetable Parcels
Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
40g (1½oz) butter, softened
400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 courgette, peeled into ribbons
4 × 125g (4oz) boneless, skinless white fish fillets, such as haddock, pollack or coley
8 small fresh dill sprigs
salt and freshly ground black pepper
green salad and crusty bread to serve
Serves 4
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan oven) mark 6. Cut four rough 38cm (15in) squares of baking parchment.
2 Grate the zest from the lemon, then put it into a small bowl with the butter and plenty of seasoning. Stir to combine, then set aside. Slice the zested lemon into thin rounds.
3 On one half of each square, pile a quarter of each of the beans, fennel and courgette. Top each pile with a fish fillet, then top with some lemon slices. Dollop a quarter of the butter on to each pile of vegetables and fish, then add the dill sprigs and some seasoning. Spoon 2 tbsp water on to each pile. Seal the parcels by pulling the paper up and over the filling, then folding the edges.
4 Put the parcels on baking sheets and cook in the oven for 18–20 minutes. To test whether the fish is cooked without opening the parcel, press the fish gently through the paper – it should feel as if it is flaking. Transfer the parcels to plates and bring to the table with some salad, and bread to mop up the juices.
Hands-on time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: about 10 minutes
4 thick slices wholemeal bread
2 large tomatoes, sliced
2 × 120g cans sardines in olive oil, drained
juice of ½ lemon
freshly ground black pepper
a small handful of fresh parsley, chopped, to garnish
Serves 4
1 Preheat the grill. Toast the bread on both sides.
2 Divide the tomato slices and the sardines among the toast slices, squeeze the lemon juice over them, then put back under the grill for 2–3 minutes to heat through. Season with ground black pepper, then scatter the parsley over the sardines to garnish and serve immediately.
Hands-on time: 20 minutes, plus chilling
Cooking time: 12 minutes
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 tbsp freshly chopped tarragon
25g (1oz) fresh breadcrumbs
1 large egg yolk
vegetable oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
toasted burger buns, mayonnaise or Greek yogurt, salad leaves and tomato salad to serve
Serves 2
1 Put the chicken into a bowl with the shallots, tarragon, breadcrumbs and egg yolk. Mix well, then beat in about 75ml (2½fl oz) cold water and season with salt and ground black pepper.
2 Lightly oil a foil-lined baking sheet. Divide the chicken mixture into two or four portions (depending on how large you want the burgers) and put on the foil. Using the back of a wet spoon, flatten each portion to a thickness of 2.5cm (1in). Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
3 Preheat the barbecue or grill. If cooking on the barbecue, lift the burgers straight on to the grill rack; if cooking under the grill, slide the baking sheet under the grill. Cook the burgers for 5–6 minutes on each side until they are cooked through, then serve in a toasted burger bun with a dollop of mayonnaise or Greek yogurt, a few salad leaves and tomato salad.
Grains such as wheat, barley and quinoa are the edible seeds of different grasses. Many of these grains are available in a variety of forms; as side dishes they make good low-GI alternatives to rice and potatoes.
Quinoa
This nutritious South American grain is a great alternative to rice.
1 Put the quinoa in a bowl of cold water and mix well. Soak for 2 minutes, then drain.
2 Put into a pan with twice its volume of water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover and leave to stand for 10 minutes.
Pearl barley
Barley comes in several forms, do you should check which type you have bought. Pearl barley had had its outer husk removed and needs no soaking. Rinse the barley in cold water, then put it into a pan with twice its volume of water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the hear and simmer until tender - 25-30 minutes.
Bulgur wheat
A form of cracked wheat, bulgur has had some or all of the bran removed. It is good served as an accompaniment or used in salads. It is pre-boiled during manufacturing, and may be bouled, steamed or soaked.
Simmering bulgur Put the bulgur into a pan and add water to cover by about 2.5cm (1in). Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and summer for 10-15 minutes until just tender. Drain well.
Steaming bulgur Place the bulgur in a steamer lined with a clean teatowel and steam over boiling water for 20 minutes or until the grains are soft.
Soaking bulgur Put the bulgur into a deep bowl. Cover with hot water and mix with a fork. Leave to steep for 20 minutes, checking to make sure there is enough water. Drain and fluff up with a fork.
Quantities
Allow 50-75g (2-3oz) raw grain per person. Or, if measuring by volume, allow 50-75ml (2½fl oz).
Mild Spiced Chicken and Quinoa
Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: about 20 minutes
juice of ½ lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp mild curry powder
1 tsp paprika
350g (12oz) skinless chicken breast, cut into thick strips
200g (7oz) quinoa (see here)
1 cucumber, roughly chopped
½ bunch of spring onions, sliced
75g (3oz) ready-to-eat dried apricots, sliced
2 tbsp freshly chopped mint, basil or tarragon
salt and freshly ground black pepper
fresh mint sprigs to garnish
Serves 4
1 Put the chutney, lemon juice, ½ tbsp oil, the curry powder, paprika and salt and ground black pepper to taste into a bowl and mix together. Add the chicken strips and toss to coat.
2 Cook the quinoa in boiling water for 10–12 minutes until tender or according to the pack instructions. Drain thoroughly. Put into a bowl, then stir in the cucumber, spring onions, apricots, herbs and remaining oil.
3 Put the chicken and marinade into a pan and fry over a high heat for 2–3 minutes, then add 150ml (¼ pint) water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve with the quinoa garnished with mint.
