Spring is in the air and as the weather finally changes, everyone around me seems to be coming down with a cold. Like so many Irish folks, I am sensitive to foods containing gluten.  And, I try to stay away from dairy in the damp weather.  And, I’m a vegetarian, hmm…. No meat, no wheat, and (mostly) no dairy.  Alas, I’m a professional cook so I spend a lot of time creating recipes to suit a variety of diets. Here’s one of my favorite cold weather  meals that’s tasty, satisying, easy to make and good for ya! (more…)

What could be nicer than always having a big bowl of fresh, organic probiotic yoghurt ready in the fridge.

Making it is easy-peasy and I usually do it while having breakfast. It’s half the price of commercial stuff, and because it has fewer ingredients, it has fewer ‘food miles’ as well.  What could be better.

If you’ve made yogurt before, you probably bought some commercial live yogurt to start, and then saved a fwe scoops from each batch to start the next until, after a few goes, it lost its potency and you had to start again with fresh shop-bought yogurt. All of which was costly and unpredictable.

Well, not any more.

My new, foolproof technique has one crucial ingredient: some probiotic “pixie dust”, aka commercial yoghurt culture.  In other words, the culture that commerical yogurt producers use.

I sourced a sachet from someone selling yoghurt at Dublin’s Temple Bar food-market; it cost €10, and is good for 200 litres of milk… two years later I’m still using it (just store it, sealed, in the freezer)

Or, you can buy a box of 10 sachets here, and sign-up nine friends to share the box with you!

To make 2-litres of yoghurt:
You need:
2-litres of milk (full-fat works best, and I like to use organic)
A pinch of  probiotic  culture (less than 1/8 of a teaspoon works fine)
A timer (essential, so that you don’t forget the heating/cooling milk while doing something else, such as eating breakfast!)
A large bowl & lid to culture the yoghurt
Somewhere warm (I’m currently using a ‘nest’ made out of a sleeping bag (!) in a draft-free cupboard; but I’ve also used a tea-cosy over the bowl, and a south-facing window on a sunny day; and in winter, the warming plate from an old wine-making kit)

Method:
1] heat the milk until nearly boiling (about to lift off!) about 10 minutes.
2] Cool the milk, until it drops to about 45° (so you can just bear to stick a (clean) finger in it and count to 10).   I sit the saucepan uncovered in a sink of cold water for about 10 minutes; remember, the timer!  (if it gets too cold,  just heat it up again a little)
3] Pour the warm milk into the bowl (plastic is best for staying warm; if using glass/metal, preheat the bowl).
4] Add a pinch of the culture, and stir well.
5] Cover, and place somewhere warm and undisturbed for about 10 hours, or over night.
6] Cool fully, before refrigerating
7] Enjoy!

While culturing, try not to disturb it, as this can upset the process.

The bacteria double in number every 20 minutes, so if the yoghurt hasn’t set even after 10 hours, it may just need another 20-40 minutes (happened to me just the once); because it has probably cooled by then, simply transport the bowl (carefully) and set it in a basin of boiling water for 20-40 minutes.

This may sound elaborate, but it really is very simple.  Once you get the hang of it, you can do it in the morning while having breakfast, and come home in the evening to a batch of fresh organic yoghurt, and for a fraction of the price of commercial stuff.

And no plastic rubbish!

And, if you like that, I have a 101 tips for saving time, money and resources in my new book, Drive like a Woman, Shop like a Man.

(c) Mary Mulvihill 2009

Picking nettles

I’m out in the garden, getting some nettles to put into the pot. 

The first young shoots are the best, but nettles can be cut regularly from springtime for a regular supply of fresh leaves.  They can get a bit insect infested during the summer though…..

If you have never tried the soup, here is the recipe. Don’t worry – they don’t sting when cooked….

NETTLE SOUP
Nettles are very nutrient rich and of course – free… Try not to gather them beside a busy road where they will have been contaminated by traffic fumes.

Ingredients: All optional-apart from the nettles…
2 tablespoons of vegetable margarine or oil
2 tablespoons of organic flour
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped (optional)
Freshly picked and washed young nettles (several good handfuls – picked with gloves and caution)
2 cups soya milk.
1 cup water or stock
salt and pepper to taste

Fry the onion and garlic in the oil or margarine for a few minutes then stir in the nettles (If you just get the nettle tops and a couple of leaves there is no need to chop or remove stalks) until they soften. Stir in the flour and gradually add the soya milk and water or stock, stirring all the time. Add seasonings and liquidise…yum yum…

Nettles are really versatile and make a great fertiliser and spring plant food.  There is even talk of them being used to clothe the nation.  It might not be long until we can sell our surplus stock like wind generated electricity….

It′s that time of year, work places and homes are full of sniffles, sneezing and aches and pains.

You can give these pesky germs the slip with some eco-effective natural get-healthy, stay-healthy solutions.

′Newest research reveals certain foods can significantly alleviate symptoms, as well as boost your body′s natural defenses to help you better fend off colds and flu,′ says Jacob Teitelbaum, author of From Fatigued to Fantastic!

Here are eleven side-effect-free solutions to keep you in fighting form.

Symptom: Coughing

Feel-Better Fix: Dark Chocolate. Just a square or two of this sweet treat can curb coughing, maintains Teitelbaum. Indeed, a recent US study revealed that a natural compound in dark chocolate called theobromine was found to be more effective than codeine (an active ingredient in perscribed syrups) at suppressing persistent coughs without the side effects of drowsiness and constipation.

 Symptom: Sneezing

Feel-Better Fix: Saltwater.  Can′t stop sneezing? Consider saltwater. Researchers at the University of Michigan found this fuss-free mix was just as effective at stopping symptoms as over-the-counter cures. Want to try it? Teitelbaum suggests dissolving ¼ teaspoon of salt in one cup of lukewarm water. Then, sniff up a bit of this solution out of the palm of your hand. Gently blow your nose and repeat this process with the other nostril. You can also use a bulb syringe (available at any chemist) to gently drop in the saltwater and irrigate nasal passages. Why it works: Saltwater naturally soothes inflamed sinus tissue while flushing out symptom-causing bacteria and irritants – making it easier for your body to heal.

Symptom: Congestion
Feel-Better Fix: Onion. ′The natural sulfur content in onions effectively breaks up thick mucus and congestion,′ explains Lauren Feder doctor  and author of Natural Baby and Childcare. The best way to employ this veggie′s healing powers? Make an onion pouch. Chop off a few large pieces of any kind of onion, then stuff it into an old sock and securely tie, suggests Feder. Then, place this pouch near your nightstand or above your child′s crib before bed, and leave it overnight to clear uncomfortable congestion.

Symptom: All-over achiness
Feel-Better Fix: Hot water bottle. This is my favourite – to be honsest I don′t even need to feel bad to get my hot water bottle out!  This medicine chest-must has the ability to provide you with instant warmth whenever you need it to relax tired, achy muscles.

Symptom: Sore Throat
Feel-Better Fix: Lemon and Honey.  When your throat feels scratchy and raw, try this simple recipe. Mix one cup of hot water with the juice of one small lemon and two tablespoons of honey. These natural ingredients provide a one-two punch. ′Lemon dries up congestion while honey (which is a natural antibacterial) soothes inflamed tissue – reducing pain. Or try a hot black currant juice. Researchers at The Common Cold Centre at Cardiff University in the UK found that the traditional English remedy provides immediate relief from a sore throat and coughing.

Sidestep general ills with these science-backed immune boosters.

Shellfish: (as if we needed another reason to eat shellfish) a recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed that selenium (a nutrient plentiful in oysters, lobsters, crabs and clams) increases immune cell production of flu-fighting proteins called cytokines.

Tea: Researchers from the University of Florida (another US study!!)  found tea drinkers experience 30 percent fewer colds. Why? Experts say the drink is naturally high in an amino acid called L-theanine, which prompts the body′s protective T-cells to secrete more virus-fighting compounds.

Garlic: This plucky vegetable naturally stimulates the production of infection-fighting white cells in the body – bolstering immunity.

Yogurt: ′Seventy percent of our immune cells are located in our gut,′ explains Teitelbaum. ′So this food′s potent probiotics, or ′good bacteria′ prevent cold-causing microbes from flourishing in the body,′

The Skinny on Supplements

Some products have been shown to reduce the intensity or lessen the duration of colds and flu. Below, two science-backed all-stars.

Echinacea: Studies seem conflicting but this herbal immune stimulant has been proven to enhance the body′s natural defenses to help you better fend off colds and flu, explains Teitelbaum. One note: Moms-to-be should avoid Echinacea since the herb can stimulate the uterus, causing premature labor. Additionally, since studies on the herb have all been conducted with adults, not much is known by the scientific community about the risks and benefits in children. Bottom line: Both groups should steer clear. Everyone else, says Teitelbaum, should look for Echinacea products that offer at least 1,000 milligrams and take one pill daily.

Zinc: ′This mineral plays a large role in strengthening our immune system,′ says Teitelbaum.

So there you have it, going green isn’t just the right thing to do, it also good for you!

via: sprig

If ever there was a time to try raw food, then early January has to be the time folks! Maybe you got a juicer for christmas, or maybe you’ve been eyeing one in the sales. But now is the time.

Juicing is a quick, easy, supertasty, uber-fresh way to get the best possible vitamin hit into you. (more…)

Today I will be talking about how to avoid food waste and still eat great food. Handy hints and a recipe for Sweet Potato, Coconut Milk and Coriander Soup.

Did you know that 45% of purchased salad leaves are thrown out, according to research cited by the WRAP report? 4.4 million apples are thrown out in the UK each day. In Ireland, we don’t yet fully seperate food and other types of biodegradable waste in our stats (is that symbolic or what!) but we do produce 2.28 million tonnes of what is called biodegradable municiple waste. This is 177% more than was produced in 1995.

So how do we avoid this?

(more…)

The first of our recipes from the Cornucopia at home book is from the bread section. As a place, Cornucopia is great for breads, with an impossible to choose from variety to accompany your soups.

This one is the spelt bread recipe. Even on the first run, it turned out great.

As you can see, I got my 3 year old daughter to help out. She loved rolling, lovely the gooeyness, thought the flour was like snow and was v proud of herself altogether. She also ate it, which is always more likely if she made it. (just noticed the crums on her chin – awww!)

(more…)

A simply glorious new cookbook has come out, one that is, without doubt, the ideal…yes, I’m going to say it….Christmas gift!

Sorry, I had to do it, I had to mention christmas gifts, as this without doubt is one for that special someone in your life.

Especially if there are:

vegetarian….have any dietary needs or preferences….and of course they must like like cooking from scratch.
I’ll feature a recipe from each of the sections over the next short while, which are: soups, salads, mains, breads, desserts.

When living in Dublin in the 1990s, I worked in Cornucopia as a lowly Kitchen Porter, in 1995. It was a great place to work, great food to take home at the end of the day each day. I was surrounded by a crew of quirky characters. This was especialy the case with the younger members of staff, who were usually arty militant vegans or some other such tendency.

Like the restaurant, the book is great for yeast free, gluten free, vegan, sugar free etc without compromising on taste.

As it happens, they also have moved along quite nicely with the quadrant - Marc Michael’s organic farm in Wicklow is one of the many great pictures featured, as they source much of their seasonal veg from him.

So have a look for the book out there, or buy it here: here!

And watch out for the featured recipes as they appear over the next short while.

Ollie

newsflash: Cornucopia at home has just been named Irish foodbook of the year at the Listowel food fair.

This perfect Autumn recipe comes from a recent vegetarian cookery book by Mary Sheehan. Mary is an Irish American based in Clare when in Ireland. This in part explains the unusual (to me) measurements being used below. Unusual yes, but v handy too! The book is full of recipes that can be made without, it seems, a scales. So if you are short of a scales, its a really handy one to have, as it all goes by portions of cups and spoons.

Unlike many cookery books, this is full of recipes that are fairly similar to a lot of the food modern eco types might actually cook. So this book is , happily, full of fairly doable stuff with nothing overly elaborate or ornate in there. It very much revolves around wholefoods, seeds, vegetables, tofu, breads etc.

You can order the book here: here! don’t expect a doorstopper coffeetable book to impress casual visitors with – this is a working cookbook for people who cook. Which might be exactly what you really need.
Honey squash with pumpkin seeds
1 butternut squash, cut into 8 pieces

1 tbl. butter

1 tbl olive oil

1 1/2 Tbl minced fresh ginger root

1/4 cup minced shallots

2 tsp tamari

2 Tbl .choppped scallions

1 Tbl. Honey

1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup curly parsley

sea salt, cracked black pepper to taste.

Steam squash. when tender but still firm, remove from heat and let cool enough to handle. Peel, seed and dice into bite sized chunks. Set aside. Heat butter and oil in a skillet (pan). Add ginger and shallots ,cook until brown. Add squash, tamari, scallions, salt pepper and honey. Coat well and cook until squash is tender. Remove from heat ,put on a platter and garnish with pumpkin seeds and parsley.

Another one from Hugo, this one has many quadrant foods, and also happens to be very tasty.

Pic is from one of the many Spud days David Langford has put on. This was from a day of his in the Organic Centre recently. (I’ll finish off the spud series soon!)

Fennel, potato and orange salad

750g firm waxy potatoes, peeled
3 oranges
2 fennel bulbs
half red onion, finely chopped
handful flat-leaf parsley

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
half teaspoon caster sugar
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed with a little salt

Slice the fennel vertically as thinly as possible, a mandoline is ideal for this and then blanch in plenty of boiling salted water for a scant minute after the water comes back to the boil, you still want some bite.

Drain and while still warm toss in with six tablespoons of olive oil, two tablespoons of sherry vinegar and a good seasoning of salt. Set aside for
a few minutes, toss and leave for another two minutes. Add the herbs and capers, toss again and divide on four plates.

Bring a pan of salted water to the boil – you can use the same water you used for the fennel and when it is at a rolling boil slide the eggs in. Cook for three minutes or until just set and place on top of the fennel.