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Nourish Naturally Seasonal Recipes
Our health and vitality is largely dependent on the nutritional content of food. Eating seasonally – eating foods that are available and grown locally – means getting the best flavour and nutritional value from fresh food. It’s cheaper and cleaner as fewer chemicals are required for storage and shipping. Eating crops you've grown yourself can't be beaten for ultimate satisfaction.
Each month, you will find three favourite seasonal recipes, based on key foods in season, noting their health benefits.
November
Autumn is well under way now as the last of the leaves turn yellow and fall to the ground, along with conkers. A great time to play outside when the sun is shining and the air is crisp. A touch of frost is not problem for sturdy vegetables like parsnips and kale which compliment succulent game meat. Pears, figs and quinces are also particularly good now.
But we are all too aware of the rain, rain, rain that also accompanies November when all you really want is comfort food. It's times like these that only a mug of hot soup will nourish the parts other dishes can't reach! So this month, I've three soup recipes to warm you up - ideal for lunch or light dinners.
Beetroot Soup
Beetroot, the ruby-coloured root vegetable, has enjoyed a bit of a comeback since the days of pickled cubes in the 1970's. It can be used in sweet and savoury dishes thanks to it's earthy, rich and sweet tones. Store beetroots in a cool, dry, dark place to preserve the nutrients over a few weeks.
To cook whole, wash the bulb but don't peel it, cutting the stalks to 2.5cm and leaving the root at the bottom - the collour will bleed if either are trimmed too much. Then, bake in a low oven, either wrapped in foil or in a little water in a lidded casserole dish for about 2-3 hours. For boiling, prepare it in the same way, then simmer for around an hour. Juiced raw beetroot is great for cleansing the blood and help lowering blood pressure.
Containing the powerful antioxidant betacyanin, which gives beetroot its deep red hue, this vegetable purifies the blood and has anti-carcinogenic properties. Rich in vitamins A and C,iron, calcium and folic acid, research shows it boosts the body’s natural defenses in the liver, regenerating immune cells. Also contains silica, vital for healthy skin, fingernails, ligaments, tendons and bones.
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1 tbsp olive oil
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1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
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1 tbsp Greek yoghurt, to serve (optional)
1. Heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and then
sauté for 3-4 minutes, until softened.
2. Add the beetroot, stock, fresh parsley and borlotti beans and bring to the
boil. Reduce the heat to simmer gently for 10 minutes, or until the
beetroot has softened and is cooked through. Season, to taste, with salt
and freshly ground black pepper, then blend with a hand blender until
smooth.
3. To serve, pour into a bowl and garnish with a tablespoon of Greek yoghurt
and leftover chopped parsley.
Serves 1 Prep 20 mins Cook 10-20 mins Low fat
Spicy Parsnip Soup
Roast parsnips sprinkled with sesame seeds have to be one of my all-time favourite accompaniment to a Sunday roast dinner. A relative to the carrot, the parsnip has an earthy but sweet flavour but doesn't contain beta-carotene. Parsnips have similar nutritional values to potatoes - vitamin C, B vitamins, potassium, copper, magnesium - but have 50% fewer calories than the humble spud.
Parsnips shine as a soluble fibre source, which helps tp lower cholesterol and keep blood sugar on an even keel. They are also high in folic acid, useful in reducing risk of heart disease and may help prevent demnetia and osteoporosis bone fractures. And potassium, an ain to blood pressure, is present in ample quantities.
Young, small parsnips are less fibrous and don't really need peeling - they can be just scrubbed clean and served whole. Older parsnips should be peeled very thinly and then chopped into evenly sized chunks. A fibrous
central core should be cut away and discarded to your compost. Parsnips last for a week if stored in a perforated bag.
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olive oil
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knob of butter
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1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped (or a large leek)
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thumb size piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
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1 tablespoon of garam masala
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6 parsnips, peeled and chopped into chunks
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500ml low fat coconut milk
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1 litre vegetable stock
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Celtic sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
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1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
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handful of fresh coriander leave (optional)
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1. Heat a splash of olive oil and the butter in a large saucepan. Add onion,
garlic, ginger and garam masala. Gently fry for around 10 minutes, until
the onions are soft.
2. Add the chopped parsnips and coat in the oil and spices by stirring
together.
3. Pour in the coconut milk and stock, season well and bring to the boil. Turn
down the heat and simmer for 30 minutes with a lid on.
4. Stick a knife into the parsnips to check they are cooked after half an
hour. Remove them from the heat and use a hand blender or liquidizer to
blend it (be careful, it's hot!)
5. Taste the soup to see if it needs a little more salt or pepper.
6. Serve with a sprinkling of sliced red chilli, a few coriander leaves, and a
chunk of crusty bread.
Serves 4 Prep 30 mins Cook 35-40 mins Vegetarian
Prawn and Bean Stew with Cavolo Nero Cabbage
The leaves of the Cavolo Nero are very dark green, almost black, hence its name, which translates as 'black cabbage'. It has a pleasantly tangy, bitter flavour, with a sweet aftertaste. Originating in Tuscany, Italy, it is now grown in the fertile, loamy soil of Lancashire in the UK.
Similar to kale, it is nutrient dense, containing vitamins C, K and A, all the B vitamins, and copper. It’s a rich vegetable source of calcium plus contains vital minerals such as iron, magnesium, potassium and folate. Most appealing to dieters is that its quite filling and low in calories owing to a high fibre content.
It’s also rich in sulphur phytochemicals which are believed to help protect against certain types of cancer and the phytochemicals, lutein and zeaxanthin, which help to reduce the risk of cataracts and a condition called age related macular degeneration which is the major cause of loss of vision in the UK.
An extremely versatile vegetable for soups, stews or accompaniment to meat and fish dishes, it’s so easy to use and has a great, rich flavour that will liven your tastebuds. Remove old or damaged outer leaves, cut the leaves free of the core and slice out any tough central stalks. Rinse, then chop or slice. It will keep in a cool, dark place or the vegetable drawer of the fridge for several days.
This recipe is simple, quick and easy. Nutritious, it is an easy low-fat supper that's ideal when you hunger for something quick after work.
- olive oil
- ½ fennel, finely sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, finely sliced
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 x 220g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- handful cavolo nero or kale, washed
- 150g raw prawns
1. Add 1 tbsp oil to a large frying pan before tipping in the fennel.
Cook for about 5 minutes, until softened.
2. Add the garlic and paprika and fry for 1 minute more. Add the
chopped tomatoes. Increase the heat and cook for 5 minutes,
until thickened.
3. Stir in the chickpeas, chopped greens, some seasoning and a
splash of water and cook for 2 minutes. Add the prawns and cook
until just pink.
4. Serve in bowls with crusty brown bread, if you like.
Serves 2 Prep 5 mins Cook 15 mins Low fat
All recipes supplied from BBC Good Food and jamieoliiver.com
Happy cooking and tell us if you made any useful alterations:
info@nourishnaturally.co.uk
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Contact
info@nourishnaturally.co.uk
07758 643164
Seasonal Recipes
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December |
