Basil Pesto

Ingredients

• 15g Fresh Basil (more if you like)
• 100mls of extra virgin olive oil
• 50g parmesan cheese
• handful of pine nuts
• 3 cloves of garlic
• salt & pepper

Method

1. Pre heat the oven to 180oC. Put the pine nuts onto a flat roasting tray and roast (without oil) for 10mins.
2. Wash and dry the basil, take the leaves off the stalks and place in a measuring jug or blending jug.
3. Grate the cheese. Cool the pine nuts. Peel the garlic cloves
4. Add the oil, cheese, garlic and nuts into the jug with the basil, blend together into a smooth pesto.

If kept in an airtight container in the fridge this will keep well for up to 3 weeks as the garlic acts as a natural preservative. However it discolors and spoils every time it is exposed to the air; therefore store it in small airtight containers and only open one at a time.

Fish Risotto

Ingredients

• 1 onion & 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 carrot
• 1 red pepper
• 1 tin of tomatoes
• 150g Risotto rice (can be called aborio rice)
• 100mls white wine (optional)
• 2 dozen large raw prawns & 1/2 med squid cut into rings (can use any fish but others may flake up so if using others cut into large chunks)
• handful of baby spinach
• Fish/veg/chicken stock cube
• 60g Parmesan cheese (optional)
• Half teaspoon of chili powder (optional)
• Half teaspoon of smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon basil pesto (best made yourself, see next post)
• Olive oil, salt & pepper

Method

1. Peel and cut the onion into small dice and crush the garlic.
2. Heat 50mls olive oil in a saucepan and add the onion, garlic, rice and plenty of salt & pepper, lower the heat and saute until the onions are soft. Stir well and add more oil if it's too dry.
3. Wash and peel the carrot, cut into small dice and add to the saucepan, stir well.
4. Deseed the pepper, cut into dice and add. Add the chili and paprika. stir well.
5. If using the wine add now and bring to the boil, leave on a high heat without a lid until reduced by half the amount.
6. Add the tin of tomatoes to the saucepan. Stir well until absorbed.
7. Add 100mls of water and crumble the stock cube into the saucepan. Stir well and again the water will absorb into the rice. You may need to higher and lower the heat as need be.
8. Add the fish and another 200/300mls of water and stir well as before.
9. Taste the rice and if it's soft enough and the mixture is nice and moist then it's done. If the rice is done but it's very dry then add a little water (50mls) and heat. If the rice is not done and the mixture is dry then add 200mls of water and stir until the rice is cooked.
10. Add the pesto and chopped spinach, stir well.
11. Grate the Parmesan cheese and add to the mixture (you can leave out the cheese if you like), stir well and Serve, you can garnish with more grated Parmesan, chopped parsley and lemon.

Green Lentil & Turmeric soup

The other day I was privileged to receive an insightful view of living beyond cancer. My friend, who survived cancer surgery and treatment explained that, while the treatment eliminated final traces of cancer it ravaged many other healthy cells. She communicated a sense of being afloat, with little support and practical information on how to assist her body to recover from the damage of chemotherapy; and then made the perceptive association between nutrition and her body attaining improved well-being and strength.

After investigating ‘healing foods’ I am left pondering my old hobby-horse; what good is it to know the names of food that assist health if we are not able to put them into dishes that we eat?

With this in mind let’s take look at Turmeric – it is from the ginger family and nicknamed ‘ Indian saffron’ because of its lovely yellow colour.

The substance called curcumin in turmeric has been the subject of investigations in relation to cancer. Cancer Research UK indicates that, while inconclusive, early trials show promising results. One such trial found that curcumin altered the expression of 62 genes, 2 of which were inflammatory; it was this information that indicates curcumin may hinder metastasis (Bachmeier et al. 2008).

Here’s a recipe that’s easy to make, and a pot of it can be kept in the fridge for up to four days if it’s only reheated in the portions being used. I have read suggestions that black pepper and oils increase the absorption of turmeric - off to read more......

GREEN LENTIL & TURMERIC SOUP

INGREDIENTS

·         1 Onion

·         2 Sticks of celery

·         1 Leek

·         1 carrot

·         2 cloves of garlic

·         2 tablespoons of green lentils

·         1 tablespoon of turmeric

·         1 tablespoon of paprika

·         1 tablespoon of tomato puree

·         1 stock cube (veg/chicken)

·         Salt, Black Pepper & tablespoon olive oil

METHOD

1.      Peel and cut the onion and garlic.

2.      Wash and cut the celery, leek and carrots.

3.      Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onions, garlic, salt & pepper, stir till soft.

4.      Add the lentils, leek, carrot and celery put on a low heat with a lid for 10mins, add the turmeric & 

      paprika,

5.      Add enough water to cover the veg well, add puree and stock cube, bring to the boil, then lower to a  

      simmer for 20mins.

6.      Puree with a hand blender.