Superfood Snacks

© Copyright Christine Margaret, June 2011

Publisher Christine Margaret

ISBN 978-0-9804893-8-5

All rights reserved.

http://www.christine-margaret.com/

This book is not intended to take the place of medical advice from a trained health professional. The

information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. It has not been evaluated by the

relevant food and drug authorities and is not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Readers

are advised to consult a qualified health professional regarding treatment of their medical problems. The

author takes no responsibility for any possible consequences from any action taken by any person reading or

following the information in this book.

With thanks to Jane MacRoss who gave support when I needed it.

.

Page | 1

Table of Contents My Story .................................................................................................................................... 4

Superfoods ................................................................................................................................. 5

About anti-oxidants ................................................................................................................... 6

About organic, biodynamic and chemical free .......................................................................... 7

Diets ........................................................................................................................................... 9

The superfoods ............................................................................................................... 13

Acai berries .............................................................................................................................. 14

Amaranth ................................................................................................................................. 15

Apples ...................................................................................................................................... 19

Asparagus ................................................................................................................................ 23

Avocados.................................................................................................................................. 25

Bananas ................................................................................................................................... 28

Beans ....................................................................................................................................... 31

Beetroot ................................................................................................................................... 32

Blueberry ................................................................................................................................. 34

Broad Beans ............................................................................................................................. 37

Broccoli .................................................................................................................................... 39

Buckwheat ............................................................................................................................... 41

Carrots ..................................................................................................................................... 43

Celery ....................................................................................................................................... 46

Cherries .................................................................................................................................... 47

Chia seed.................................................................................................................................. 48

Cider apple vinegar .................................................................................................................. 50

Cocoa ....................................................................................................................................... 51

Coconut.................................................................................................................................... 53

Coffee ...................................................................................................................................... 56

Coriander (Cilantro) ................................................................................................................. 58

Cranberries .............................................................................................................................. 59

Cucumber ................................................................................................................................ 60

Curry ........................................................................................................................................ 62

Dandelions ............................................................................................................................... 63

Dates ........................................................................................................................................ 65

Eggs .......................................................................................................................................... 67

Figs ........................................................................................................................................... 68

Flax ........................................................................................................................................... 70

Flax seed .................................................................................................................................. 71

Garlic ........................................................................................................................................ 72

Page | 2

Ginger ...................................................................................................................................... 74

Goji berries .............................................................................................................................. 77

Grapefruit ................................................................................................................................ 79

Graviola .................................................................................................................................... 80

Green tea ................................................................................................................................. 81

Guinness .................................................................................................................................. 83

Honey ....................................................................................................................................... 84

Kelp .......................................................................................................................................... 85

Leek .......................................................................................................................................... 86

Lemon ...................................................................................................................................... 88

Macadamia nuts ...................................................................................................................... 90

Mangosteen ............................................................................................................................. 92

Mushrooms .............................................................................................................................. 93

Oats .......................................................................................................................................... 94

Onion ....................................................................................................................................... 95

Papaya (paw paw) ................................................................................................................... 96

Parsley ..................................................................................................................................... 98

Pineapple ................................................................................................................................. 99

Pomegranate ......................................................................................................................... 100

Pumpkin seeds ....................................................................................................................... 102

Quinoa ................................................................................................................................... 103

Radish, black .......................................................................................................................... 108

Raspberries ............................................................................................................................ 109

Rooibos .................................................................................................................................. 110

Sunflower seeds ..................................................................................................................... 111

Sunshine ................................................................................................................................ 112

Tomatoes ............................................................................................................................... 113

Turmeric ................................................................................................................................ 114

Vegetables, green leafy ......................................................................................................... 117

Walnut ................................................................................................................................... 118

Watercress ............................................................................................................................. 120

Watermelon ........................................................................................................................... 121

Wheatgrass ............................................................................................................................ 122

Yoghurt .................................................................................................................................. 123

Superfood gluten free muesli (granola) ................................................................................. 124

Superfood breakfast power shake ......................................................................................... 125

Vegetable sauces and dressings ............................................................................................ 126

The Pantry .................................................................................................................... 129

Page | 3

Stock items ............................................................................................................................ 130

Home-made beef broth for the freezer ................................................................................. 131

Home-made chicken stock for the freezer ............................................................................ 132

Home-made vegetable stock for the freezer ......................................................................... 133

Water ..................................................................................................................................... 134

Milk ........................................................................................................................................ 137

Oils and fats ........................................................................................................................... 139

Unrefined sugars.................................................................................................................... 142

Refined and manufactured sugars ......................................................................................... 146

All salts are not equal ............................................................................................................ 147

Cooking utensils ..................................................................................................................... 149

Traps for the unwary ............................................................................................................. 151

Ingredient name and metric/imperial conversions ............................................................... 153

Food as medicine .......................................................................................................... 155

Foods for specific purposes ................................................................................................... 156

Foods for detox ...................................................................................................................... 157

Foods that promote sleep ..................................................................................................... 158

Foods that assist with weight loss ......................................................................................... 161

Foods that feed the brain ...................................................................................................... 163

Foods that feed the eyes ....................................................................................................... 166

Some ORAC levels compared ................................................................................................. 168

High protein plant foods ........................................................................................................ 170

Gluten free flours................................................................................................................... 172

The vexed question of Vitamin B12 ....................................................................................... 173

The “Big C” and the story of Vitamin B17 .............................................................................. 174

Making your own medicines ........................................................................................ 177

Making your own capsules .................................................................................................... 178

Making essential oils .............................................................................................................. 180

Making your own teas ........................................................................................................... 181

Making tinctures .................................................................................................................... 182

Using olive leaves .................................................................................................................. 183

Cough and cold remedies ...................................................................................................... 184

Growing your own food ............................................................................................... 185

Growing foods in pots in small spaces ................................................................................... 186

More traps for the unwary .................................................................................................... 191

Page | 4

My Story How I came to write this book

I have had fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) since I was a teenager. For the last 20 years I have been actively managing it with neutraceuticals and dietary changes. However managing is not the same as curing. I was not curing it and not becoming free of all symptoms.

The more you research natural “cures” the more confusing things get. Claims have been made that foods like papaya, beetroot, asparagus, olive leaf, ginger, turmeric and many others can be used to cure specific cancers and specific other diseases, but who knows if any of them “cure” the many “syndromes” from which so many of us are suffering. So I decided to try a different approach.

Instead of restricting my diet by eliminating harmful foods and instead of eating specific foods or taking specific supplements to do specific things, I decided to open my diet up to each and every superfood. If a food is known to cure something – anything – it is in my diet.

As it happens I love most of the superfoods – they are not bland like so many of the supposedly “good” foods we are told to eat, so my diet is no longer restrictive and eating has become a pleasure again.

I also decided to take some of the most potent foods as supplements. I bought a pill-maker, thousands of empty capsules, bulk powdered organic herbs and spices with known therapeutic effects. From these I made my own supplements. I take a small amount of a variety of these supplements daily instead of neutraceuticals.

The result – when I am eating just the foods in this book and taking a few food supplements, I have no remaining symptoms. I can live a totally normal life in which I experience pleasure with physical activity, recover fast from exertion and have no unusual pain or fatigue at any stage during the day and night.

Page | 5

Superfoods The foods in this book

About superfoods

I am including as a super food, any food that has been shown to cure something. It is not enough that a food is good for us. It must also be reputed to cure something, even if mainstream medical research has not confirmed this. When I started out I expected to find 20 or so, but this book is up to 65 and there are many more to come.

There is anecdotal evidence reported every day that some food has cured some disease. There was the person who cured Hep C with canned beetroot, or the person who cured cancer with asparagus. The world is full of these stories.

We can’t know for sure if the stories are true, but we do know that the foods they cite are almost always very high in a variety of different anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants are very good for us, whether we are healthy or sick, so the stories could be true.

If we eat a range of foods that are very high in anti-oxidants, they should protect us from just about every disease and perhaps even cure a few.

About free radicals and anti-oxidants

You can learn more about

free radicals and anti-

oxidants here:

http://www.naturalnews.co

m/024710_antioxidants_fr

uits_antioxidant.html

Free radicals are atoms or groups of atoms that are like “vandals” who don’t have anything to do but cause trouble – that’s my unscientific explanation. Anti-oxidants search out these free radical atoms and bond with them, which keeps them happy and stops them from doing nasty things in our bodies.

The US and Australian food industries are now labelling the antioxidants in food with ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity). If you see an anti-oxidant count on a food label it is likely to be the ORAC count.

However, not all anti-oxidants are the same. The ORAC rating adds up the total volume of goodies, but there is much more to food than the total volume of anti-oxidant capability. It is the combination of a range of nutritional components that turns a food into a super food.

Page | 6

About anti-oxidants

You can learn more about

anti-oxidants here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wik

i/List_of_antioxidants_in_f

ood

We need a balance across our diet of a range of many different types of anti-oxidants. We must have:

vitamins such as A, C and E

vitamin co-factors such as co-enzyme Q10

minerals

hormones, such as melatonin

carotenoids, such as astaxanthin, beta-carotene , lutein, lycopene, zeaxanthin

flavonoids and flavanols, such as quercetin, catechins, resveratrol, anthocyanins, kaempferol

phenolic acids, such as ellagic acid

non-flavonoid phenolics such as curcurmin from turmeric and xanthones from mangosteens

other organic antioxidants such as uric acid, fucoidan and algin.

There is no way we can consciously know if we are getting every nutriment we need, and it would be pointless to try.

We can go back to what mankind has always known, that colour and flavour are the keys to good food. One truism is to make sure we have one of every colour on our plate, so we have a green, a red and a yellow, but this is not quite enough. For example, there are at least three different reds that are all essential to the body:

Lycopene, found in tomatoes and watermelon

Anthocyanins, found in red cabbage and red fruits

Betalains, found in beetroot and rhubarb

So just eating tomatoes is not going to get us the full range of “red” nutrients. We can learn to see the subtle differences in colour, for example between a scarlet red, a maroon red and a purplish red. They key is to eat as many bright vibrant colours as we can get. We also need to challenge our taste buds with a wide a range of strong flavours, particularly bitter flavours.

Page | 7

About organic, biodynamic and chemical free

USA

http://www.ota.com/news/p

ress/186.html

Europe

http://ec.europa.eu/agricult

ure/organic/consumer-

confidence/logo-

labelling_en

Australia

http://www.australianorga

nic.com.

UK

http://www.alotoforganics.

co.uk/help/cert.php

Canada

http://www.organicguide.c

om/organic/certification-

and-labelling-in-canada/

You can find a list of

organic certification

bodies worldwide here:

http://www.organicstandar

d.com/images/stories/direc

tory/organic-certification-

directory-2011-web.pdf

Your food must be clean of pesticides. Go for organic or biodynamic labelling. Organic standards stipulate how much man-made chemical contamination is permitted in food. Biodynamic is organic food grown according to additional controls. Either is good.

Each country has organic certification bodies and you will need to understand which maintain high standards for your country.

If you see the label “organic” on a food without a logo from one of these industry based certification bodies – there is lots of supposedly organic milk out there without this certification for example – then it is dubious that the food has complied with all the requirements of the certification bodies.

It takes a long time for a property to be granted organic status and there may be food available that is being grown according to organic principles on properties that have not yet attained certification. You may find some fresh fruit and vegetables in your supermarket that is labelled as undergoing certification, or more commonly labelled as being grown “chemical free”. These are certainly preferable to standard fruit and vegetables.

If you cannot get organic, the next best thing is to get as much fresh food as you can and if you must have preserved food, ensure it is either dried without chemicals, frozen or bottled in glass.

Canned foods pose a problem as many cans are lined with plastics that can degenerate and contaminate the food. You are not going to know until you open the can, if the can you are buying is plastic lined. I have purchased organic beans in cans with plastic linings.

Avoid food stored plastic containers if you can, particularly if it has been processed or heated in the plastic. Never cook in plastic yourself.

Page | 8

Page | 9

Diets

About diets

This book is not presenting a “diet”. If you are under medical or any other type of healthcare, then follow the instructions you are given. Use the foods in this book to add to what you are doing, not to replace what you are doing.

Dietary belief systems

It can be hard to keep up with dietary belief systems and dietary fads. These change on fairly regular basis with evidence being found to both support and condemn the currently popular diet. My personal opinion is that everyone has a different metabolism and so we should all listen to our own bodies to work out what is or is not good for us. The most popular belief systems currently relate to:

vegetarianism, which is no meat product that an animal dies to provide

veganism, which is no animal product at all including eggs and dairy

raw food, which is as it sounds, nothing cooked, although they do tend to dehydrate a lot of food

slow cooking, in which food is cooked but very slowly

gluten free food

You will find that most recipes in this book are gluten free, most are vegetarian and many are cooked.

The blood type diet

For more information on

the blood type diet, check:

http://www.dadamo.com/

I strongly recommend that

you check the D’Adamo

website and check the list

of foods that are good for

your blood type.

My personal favourite eating system is that developed by Dr Peter D’Adamo. He recommends different foods for different blood and metabolic types. Literally, “one man’s food is another man’s poison”. His eating system includes animal products and cooked meals.

Although most of the foods in this book are fairly neutral and good for most blood types, not all foods are good for all blood types. As an 0+ blood type there are foods in this book are just not good for me, even though they are medicine for an A blood type.

Page | 10

Diets

Nourishing Traditions

http://www.westonaprice.o

rg/

http://www.westonaprice.o

rg/book-reviews/thumbs-

up/393-nourishing-

traditions

Another eating system I try to follow where I can is that proposed by Weston Price. It does seem to contradict a little of the D’Adamo system, but maybe not as much as one would think at first glance. Essentially they advocate the eating of nutrient dense food prepared in traditional rather than modern ways.

A good cookbook related to the Weston Price system of eating is Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon.

Other authorities referred to in this book

Dr Mercola

Mike Adams

G Edward Griffin

http://www.mercola.com/

http://www.healthranger.org/

http://www.realityzone.com/

Symbols

Highly therapeutic

Brain food

High protein

Aids with Detox

Heart, cholesterol, blood circulation

Page | 11

Image attribution

http://www.morguefile.com/

http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/720280

http://www.morguefile.com/creative/hotblack

Wikimedia commons.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Citrus_fruits.jpg

This image is in the public domain because it contains materials that originally came from the Agricultural Research Service, the research agency of the United States Department of Agriculture.

Wikimedia commons.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Wmpearl

Wikimedia commons.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Jorgebarrios

Wikimedia commons.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Hariadhi/Gallery

Wikimedia commons.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carl%C3%A8gle_-_Les_Linottes_page_0148.jpg

This image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired.

Wikimedia commons.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Epiphyte_house_at_Knypersley-Bateman_Orch._Mex._Guat.-Vignette_page_12_(1837).jpg

This image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired.

Wikimedia commons.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nsr-slika-386.png This image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its

copyright has expired.

http://www.morguefile.com/

http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/734796

http://www.morguefile.com/creative/mconnors

The superfoods

Page | 13

Acai berries Creams and toppings

Acai is often sold as an

anti-aging supplement.

What this really means is

that it is very high in anti-

oxidant levels. Those

selling these berries claim

it has the highest levels

ever found.

It doesn’t really matter

though. They are pretty

high and that’s all we

really need to know.

Claims have also been

made that the acai berry

can:

assist with weight loss

improve mental

awareness and

particularly focus

strengthen muscles and

bones

boost blood flow

improve digestion

improve skin

lower cholesterol

blast cancer cells.

Watch this Dr Mercola

video to understand both

Acai AND anti-oxidants:

http://www.youtube.com/w

atch?v=dTUE5IvsD7s

You cannot get fresh acai berries as they perish quickly. Freeze dried is currently the best option, or snap frozen pulp if you can find it. Use the freeze dried as a topping for other dishes or mixed into drinks.

It’s very expensive, so if money is an issue just use a small amount to add some punch to the other superfoods you are using. Make sure you get a dark coloured product – the darker the better.

Acai cream You may find this pulp at a good health shop with a freezer compartment.

100 g pure frozen acai pulp or puree 1 frozen banana 2 tbs raw honey ¾ cup fresh apple Juice

1. Blend acai, banana, honey and apple juice together until smooth.

2. Serve in a bowl as you would serve yoghurt. 3. Sprinkle freeze dried acai or pure ground cocoa beans

on top.

Acai smoothie

100 g frozen acai pulp or puree 100 g vanilla frozen yoghurt – as natural as you

can get ¼ cup organic un-homogenised milk, or raw if

you can get it

1. Blend until lump free. 2. Serve in a glass with a straw.

Page | 14

Amaranth Amaranth or quinoa stir fry

Amaranth is a gluten free

grain that contains very

high levels of protein,

making it useful for a

vegetarian or vegan diet.

It is part of a family of

grains including quinoa,

amaranth and chia. They

are all seeds rather than

cereals, grasses or grains.

You can purchase

amaranth:

as a flour

as a grain that can be

eaten raw or cooked

flaked, or

puffed.

It has some proteins that

other baking goods are low

in, making it particularly

useful. In addition, those

proteins are in a form that

makes them easy to digest.

It is not easy to bake with

amaranth, but it can be

added to other recipes,

particularly sauces, soups

and stews to increase their

protein levels.

Amaranth is excellent for

diabetics.

You can use amaranth or

quinoa interchangeably so

refer to the quinoa pages

for more ideas.

How to cook amaranth

1. Rinse the seeds if they do not come pre-rinsed. 2. Boil 1 cup seeds in 2½ cups water for 18-20 minutes.

You can use chicken broth for a savoury flavour or apple juice for sweet in place of the water.

3. Don’t overcook them as they become “gummy”.

2 cups cooked amaranth or quinoa 2 tbs oil 1 onion, chopped 1 carrot, sliced 1 celery stalk, sliced 1 cup mushrooms, sliced 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped ½ cup almonds, chopped ¼ cup sunflower seeds 2 tbs Tamari soy sauce, wheat free 1 tsp seasoning

1. Sauté vegetables, garlic, almonds and sunflower seeds in the oil until vegetables are tender crisp.

2. Add soy sauce, seasonings and amaranth or quinoa. 3. Mix well until warmed through.

The amaranth and mushrooms make this a good dish for vegans who need high protein dishes.

Source: http://www.saltspringseeds.com/recipe/powerfoods.htm

Page | 15

Amaranth Spinach, amaranth and sweet potato stack

John Robinson, in the

1970s realised that the

western diet had become

nutrient poor and decided

to research traditional

foods from older

civilisations. He came

across amaranth and

initiated research into the

value of the plant which

eventually resulted in

amaranth becoming

available as a food in the

Western world.

Amaranth was eaten

throughout central and

south America and formed

a major part of the diet in

these regions.

The seeds and leaves were

used as food and as

medicine and the plant was

regarded as sacred.

The sacred aspect to the

food led the Spanish

Catholic invaders to make

its cultivation illegal,

effectively removing it from

the diet in some areas of

Central and South

America.

You can eat the leaves as a

salad vegetable.

½ cup amaranth 1½ cups water 1 small sweet potato, cut into 1 cm cubes 1 can tomatoes, whole or diced 1 small garlic clove, crushed ¼ red onion, diced 2 brown mushrooms ½ can chickpeas 1 heaped tsp garam masala 1 tbs tomato paste extra-virgin coconut oil English spinach leaves handful coriander Celtic sea salt and pepper

1. Rinse and drain amaranth. 2. Cook in water for around 20 minutes. 3. Season with salt and pepper (or vegetable salt). 4. Meanwhile, sauté garlic and onion until translucent. 5. Add sweet potato and cook for a few more minutes. 6. Add garam masala and stir through. 7. Add canned tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped

mushroom, salt and pepper. 8. Simmer on low heat, covered, until potato is steamed

through (probably around 20 minutes). 9. Add chickpeas and coriander and allow to heat for a

few minutes. 10. On each plate, create a bed of spinach leaves. 11. Serve amaranth over the leaves. 12. Top with sweet potato and chickpea mix. 13. Sprinkle with a few fresh coriander leaves.

Page | 16

Amaranth Milk and honey amaranth pudding

Unfortunately it is difficult

to bake with amaranth

alone as it makes baked

goods too dense. We all

have come across those

gluten free breads that feel

like bricks and weigh just

as much.

However, it makes

excellent puddings.

For a fascinating insight

into the use of amaranth

and other South American

foods, check out this web

site.

http://www.kokopelli-seed-

foundation.com/amaranths

.html

There is also some detailed

research available in “Lost

Crops of the Incas”. This

can be found on-line at:

http://www.nap.edu/openb

ook.php?isbn=030904264

X

¼ cup amaranth seeds soaked in water 1½ cups milk (or coconut milk) 1 tbs lemon zest plus some extra for serving 2 dates, chopped into small pieces 3 egg yolks (or 3 tbs chia or flax gel) 1 tbs extra cold milk 1 tbs arrowroot powder 1 tbs honey plus some extra for serving

1. Rinse amaranth. 2. Soak it in cold water overnight. 3. The next day, drain the water away. 4. Simmer milk, lemon zest, most of the dates and the

amaranth in a saucepan for about 25 minutes till the amaranth is soft and translucent. Stir regularly.

5. Combine the milk and arrowroot. 6. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs (or chia/flax gel),

honey, milk and arrowroot powder till creamy. 7. While quickly beating the eggs, begin to place one

tablespoon at a time of the hot milk-amaranth mixture into the eggs. Your aim is to make a custard so keep stirring so you don’t create scrambled eggs.

8. Place the amaranth custard in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Don’t let the water touch the bowl otherwise it cooks the custard too quickly.

9. Keep stirring the custard until it is thick and then serve with extra lemon zest, chopped dates and honey.

Amaranth porridge 1. Place amaranth and/or quinoa in water at a ratio of

1:2.5 and bring to a boil. 2. Reduce the temperature to a simmer, cover and let

cook until all of the water is absorbed, about 12-15 minutes for quinoa and 10-12 minutes for amaranth.

3. Serve like porridge with milk and fruit of your choice.

Page | 17

Amaranth Amaranth squares

Amaranth is nutritionally

much richer than standard

Western grains.

Compared to wheat, corn,

rice and oats, it has more:

Protein

Fibre

Fat

Calcium

Iron

…and less carbohydrates.

Try growing your own.

Just take some

unprocessed seeds from

your food jar and sprinkle

them around.

They are an exceptionally

hardy weed. They seem to

be able to survive in a lot

of different climates and

soil conditions, from

tropical areas to frosts, so

the best way to find out if

you can grow them is to

take a few seeds from your

food supply and try.

I have pots of amaranth,

chia and quinoa growing

and time will tell.

For more information:

http://www.burkesbackyar

d.com.au/factsheets/Flower

ing-Plants-and-

Shrubs/Amaranth---The-

French-Alternative/557

1½ cups roasted almonds, pepitas or a mix 1 tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp salt 5 tbs raw honey 1 tsp pure vanilla essence 1 cup puffed amaranth

1. Pulse the nuts in a food processor till broken up into little bits.

2. Add the cinnamon and salt. 3. Pulse until finely ground and just starting to clump

together. 4. Add the honey and vanilla. 5. Pulse until everything is incorporated. If you don’t

have a food processor, process smaller batches in a blender to get a sticky granular mixture. It’s fine to leave a few larger nut chunks.

6. Put mixture into bowl and add the puffed amaranth. 7. Use a strong spoon to mix until well combined. 8. Press mixture into a glass loaf pan and smooth with

the back of a spoon. If you are using oily nuts there is no need to grease the dish.

9. Cover and refrigerate. Once chilled the mix will hold together and be easy to cut into little squares.

How to puff amaranth

1. Heat a wok to a very high temperature. 2. Add 1 tablespoon of amaranth and place a lid on

straight away. If it doesn’t start popping immediately, your wok wasn’t hot enough. Toss out the amaranth and start again.

3. When the popping slows down, swirl the covered wok around a little until the popping finishes.

4. Once the popping is finished remove the amaranth from heat and repeat this process, 1 tablespoon at a time until all of your amaranth is puffed.

Page | 18

Apples Beetroot and apple winter salad recipe

An apple a day keeps the

doctor away. There is more

to this old saying than we

have ever realised.

Apples are very high in

pectin which helps bind

and eliminate toxins,

especially heavy metals.

Apple helps control

cholesterol and blood

sugar, encourages the

growth of beneficial

bacteria in the digestive

tract and inhibits

fermentation in the

intestines.

Fortunately apples are

also cheap and plentiful

and store relatively well,

so they can be used as the

base for many different

fruit recipes.

Learn more about apples

as a superfood here:

http://www.oneadaysuperf

ood.com.au

Most of the recipes on this

site are pretty good too.

Just watch the sugars and

grains.

Source for recipe:

http://www.food.com/recip

e/quick-homemade-

applesauce-no-sugar-

added-

201473#ixzz1Przjb9rt

2 beetroots, peeled 2 green apples, cored ½ lemon, juiced black pepper

1. Grate the beetroot and apple very coarsely and mix them together with the lemon juice and black pepper.

Source: http://www.oneadaysuperfood.com.au/apple_recipes/healthy_apple_recipes/beetroot_and_apple_winter_salad/

Applesauce for meat dishes

1.3 kg apples 1 tsp cinnamon 1 pinch nutmeg 1½ cups water 2 thin lemon slices ¼ tsp salt

1. Peel and core apples (or leave the skins if you prefer). 2. Cut apples into approximately 2.5 cm cubes. 3. Add all ingredients to a saucepan and bring to a boil. 4. Cover and reduce heat to low. 5. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the apples have

softened significantly. 6. Stir frequently so that apples do not stick to the

bottom of the pan. Add more water if necessary. 7. Remove lemon slices. 8. Mash with a potato masher or use a blender or food

processor for a smoother consistency.

Serve warm or at room temperature with pork or savoury pancakes.

Page | 19

Apples Crab apple chutney

Archaeologists have found

carbonized remains of

apples in prehistoric lake

dwellings in Switzerland,

dating back to the Iron

Age. There is also evidence

showing that apples were

preserved by slicing and

sun drying during the

Stone Age in Europe.

The wild apple of Europe,

the main ancestor of the

domestic apple, is

classified as Malus

Sylvestris. The original

European wild apple tree

had thorns and small,

bitter fruit and is known

today as the crab apple.

Crab apples are not good

to eat, but make excellent

jelly, either on their own or

with other fruit.

As far as anyone can tell,

this small bitter apple was

developed by the Romans

into the domestic apples we

have today. Domestic

apples do not breed true

from seed. If you attempt to

grow them from seed you

will get something quite

different from a modern

apple tree, but

surprisingly, often

something much better

than the modern tree.

Try this recipe if you have a crab apple tree handy.

2 kg crab apples, peeled, cored and chopped into little cubes

450 g brown sugar 2 onions, chopped 4 tsp fresh turmeric, grated 20 cloves 500 ml apple cider vinegar 2 tsp chilli powder 2 tsp salt 10 cm fresh ginger, grated

1. Place the crab apples in a heavy based saucepan. 2. Stir in all other ingredients, cover and bring to the

boil. Reduce heat to low and stir chutney so that it doesn’t stick.

3. Cook uncovered for about 1 to 1½ hours, depending on size of cubes. Crab apples don’t fall apart.

4. Stir regularly to reduce and thicken. 5. Leave to cool completely then pour into sterilised jars

and label.

This recipe will give approximately 12 x 220 ml jars. It keeps for up to 6 months and tastes better as it ages.

Poached crab apples Unfortunately most recipes for crab apples contain vast amounts of sugar. You can try poaching them, with skins and stalks attached, in a very sweet fruit juice or wine with a little cinnamon and cloves. Bring liquid and spices to the boil, add crab apples and poach slowly until the skins start popping. Store in a fridge in their poaching juices so the fruit sugars soak through. They will still be tart, but more palatable if you can handle sour flavours.

Page | 20

Apples Crab apple cider

You can use crab apples or

any apples from wild

seeded apple trees for this

recipe.

Bunch crab apples water 2½ cm fresh ginger, sliced ¼ tsp nutmeg ¼ tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp ground cloves 1 cup brown sugar

1. Slice the apples leaving the skins on. 2. Place slices in a saucepan and cover with water. 3. Add ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg to the

saucepan. 4. Bring to boil. 5. Simmer for a long time until apples are broken down. 6. Strain out solid pieces with cheese cloth. Squeeze out

as much liquid as you can. Save the pulp for making apple sauce/chutney/bread.

7. Now that the juice is separated, add brown sugar to taste and bring to a boil. This is a lot of sugar, so add a bit at a time to find the amount you need.

8. Let it simmer for a bit. 9. Cool and serve.

Use apple juice as the

basis for any fresh juice.

All ingredients should be

thoroughly washed and

wax free.

If you don’t like the

sweetness of vegetable

juices (I don’t), add the

citrus fruits including the

peel.

If you don’t like bitter

flavours reduce the citrus.

Apple juice super starter

3 apples and any or all of the following ½ small beetroot ½ carrot 1 stick of celery 1 cm fresh ginger root unpeeled ½ cm fresh turmeric root unpeeled ¼ lemon or lime unpeeled

1. Push all ingredients through a juicer. 2. Adjust lemon, lime or ginger to taste. 3. Drink immediately.

Page | 21

Apples Buttered apples and figs

All apples are not equal.

There are different benefits

relating to pits, flesh and

skin and between different

varieties.

A New Zealand study has

shown some interesting

differences between

heritage apples and

modern apples.

http://www.treecrops.org.n

z/resrch/apple/applecanc0

6.html

One such heritage apple is

Monty's Surprise.

“…if you were to substitute

a variety such as Monty's

Surprise in place of a

'supermarket' commercial

variety, you would receive

3.4 times the amount of

phenolics in the skin and

5.9 times the amount in the

flesh. Hence one Monty's

Surprise apple a day would

be comparable to eating at

least four modern apples.”

“A little known French

cider apple called Fuero

Rous has tested with the

highest levels of

procyanidins in the skin

and flesh. This specialist

cider apple variety has

tested even higher than

Monty's Surprise, although

Monty's Surprise still has

the highest levels for an

eating apple.”

3 tbs brown sugar 80 g unsalted butter 1½ cups dessert wine 4 Early Red or Granny Smith apples 8 dried figs, chopped 1 tsp ground cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). 2. Combine the sugar, butter and wine in a saucepan and

bring to the boil. 3. Boil rapidly for 3 minutes. 4. Cut the apples in half horizontally and remove the

cores with an apple corer or a sharp knife. 5. Put the apples in a glass baking dish and stuff the

holes with the chopped figs. 6. Pour the sauce over the apples and sprinkle with

cinnamon. 7. Lightly cover and bake in the oven for 40 minutes or

until the apples are tender. 8. Baste with sauce every 10 minutes and remove the

cover for the last 10 minutes of cooking. 9. Serve 2 halves of apple for each person and drizzle

with the sauce.

What to do with surplus apples

Obviously, the easiest and best way of eating an apple is fresh picked, straight off the tree. Not only is it good for you generally; it is also good for your teeth.

It you have surplus apples you can stew them and freeze them.

1. Peel apples and cut them into pieces. 2. Add to a saucepan with a little water and few cloves. 3. Stew over medium heat until they are soft. 4. Freeze in appropriate sized containers to suit your

uses for the stewed apple.

Page | 22

Asparagus Asparagus feta frittata

Asparagus is one of those

foods that seems to be

good for just about

everything. It is claimed

that it:

is great for your heart

fights depression

gets rid of warts

lowers cholesterol

stimulates milk

production in nursing

mothers

is a potent antioxidant

is antifungal and

antiviral

helps cleanse the body

and prevent kidney

stones

prevents bladder and

urinary tract infections

helps HIV treatment

helps prevent multiple

sclerosis

contains anti-cancer

properties

is especially powerful

in preventing lung

cancer

is energizing and fights

chronic fatigue

syndrome

lowers blood pressure

naturally

is highly alkaline

stimulates hair growth.

Learn more:

http://www.naturalnews.co

m/023368_asparagus_ben

efits_food.html#ixzz1Odkp

WtqI

1 tbs olive oil ½ cup chopped red onion 2 cups fresh asparagus, tough ends trimmed off,

up to about 2-3 cm if the stems are large 8 large eggs 2 x ¼ cup feta cheese 2 x ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated ½ tsp sea salt ¼ tsp black pepper

1. Preheat broiler or grill. 2. Heat oil in a large frypan over medium heat. 3. Add onion and cook about 5 minutes until softened,

stirring occasionally. 4. Add chopped asparagus and cook for about 3 minutes

until softened. 5. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together eggs, ¼

cup feta cheese and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. 6. Add salt and pepper and mix well. 7. Add egg mixture to frypan. 8. Stir gently and cook until almost set. 9. Top with remaining ¼ cup feta and ¼ cup Parmesan

cheese. 10. Place under broiler or grill. 11. Cook until mixture is puffy and golden, about 4

minutes. 12. Remove from heat. 13. Cool slightly, cut and serve.

If you cook more than you need, you can eat some cold for lunch the next day.

Source: http://www.asparagusrecipes.net/asparagus-feta-frittata.html

Page | 23

Asparagus Asparagus, feta and pumpkin seed salad

You can grow our own

asparagus, inside or

outside, in the soil or in

pots.

If you grow it in pots, you

must select the right size

and you need lots of room

for roots.

Asparagus is tricky to

grow so refer to an expert

if you want to try. You will

not be able to harvest for

three years. After 3 years

you simply harvest most of

the spears you see when

they reach about 12-15 cm.

Jamie Oliver has some

instructions here:

http://www.jamieoliver.co

m/recipes/member-

recipes/How%20I%20gro

w%20asparagus/1925

Source for recipe:

http://www.food.com/recip

e/asparagus-feta-pumpkin-

seed-salad-67062

1 bunch leaf lettuce 500 g fresh asparagus, tough ends trimmed off,

up to about 2-3 cm if the stems are large ⅓ cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas) 250 g feta cheese ¼ cup olive oil 3 tbs Balsamic vinegar 1 tsp Tamari soy sauce ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce ½ tsp pepper, ground black ½ tsp cumin seed, ground ¼ tsp celery seed, whole

1. Wash your lettuce and tear into bite sized pieces. 2. Trim the asparagus and steam in a vegetable steamer

until tender. This should take no more than 5 minutes. The spears will be bright green and easily pierced with a fork.

3. As soon as the asparagus is cooked, plunge it into cold water to stop it from cooking any further.

4. When it is cool, drain well and cut it into 2.5 cm long pieces.

5. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry frypan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until they "pop" and turn light brown.

6. Turn them out at once to cool on a plate. 7. Cut the feta cheese into 1 cm cubes. 8. For the dressing, mix the oil, vinegar, Tamari or soy

sauce, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, cumin and celery seed.

9. Arrange the lettuce in a salad bowl, with the asparagus, cheese and pumpkin seeds over it and drizzle the dressing over the salad immediately before serving.

Page | 24

Avocados Simply avocado

Avocados are right up

there on the brain food list

along with blueberries.

They are high in protein

containing all 18 essential

amino acids needed by a

body to create complete

protein.

They contain mono-

unsaturated fats that

increase the blood flow to

the brain and balance

cholesterol levels. They aid

in the regulation of blood

pressure.

They have high levels of

lecithin which supports the

liver.

They have also been shown

to be beneficial for certain

cancers.

They have 60% more

potassium than bananas.

http://www.naturalnews.co

m/023035_avocado_food_

nutrients.html

Source for recipe:

http://www.avocado.org.au

/recipes/recipe_finder.aspx

?recipeID=100andSearchS

tring=dip

To halve an avocado Cut ripe avocado lengthwise around the seed.

Twist the halves gently to separate.

To remove the pit, slide the tip of a spoon gently underneath the seed and lift it out.

To peel an avocado Cut the avocado in two and remove pit as above.

Place the cut side down and remove the skin with a knife or your fingers, starting at the narrow end, or scoop out the flesh with a spoon.

To serve an avocado the simple way Serve avocado halves with a little oil and quality

vinegar or lemon juice in the centre.

Basic avocado dip

1 avocado pinch of sea salt ½ tsp extra virgin oil lemon juice to taste 1 tsp herbs (parsley or thyme) dash of Tamari soy sauce

1. Remove the avocado flesh with a spoon. 2. Mash the avocado roughly with a fork. 3. Add sea salt, lemon juice, herbs and olive oil. 4. Mix all together. 5. Add a dash of Tamari on top.

Serve as a dip for biscuits or spread on toast.

Vary the flavour with different salts, different herbs and different sauces. Try Tabasco for some punch.

Page | 25

Avocados Avocado, macadamia and pear salad

Avocados are known to

have existed as far back as

291 BC.

They grew wild in Central

America and South

America. They were

brought to Europe in the

16th century and to the

USA and Australia in the

19th century.

The Aztec name for

avocado was 'ahuacatl'

out of which the word

avocado has evolved.

Avocados were part of

traditional medicine which

used the flesh, skins and

seeds of avocadoes to treat

issues as diverse as

baldness, expelling

intestinal worms and

diarrhoea.

Here is a great website all

about avocados. Try their

30 ways in 30 days eating

program. It’s full of

superfoods, but

particularly avocado.

http://www.avocado.org.a

u/lifestyle/30_ways_in_30

_days.aspx

You can download a full

cookbook here:

http://www.avocado.org.a

u/assets/pdf/masterbook.p

df

2 ripe but firm avocados 40 g macadamia nuts 2 firm ripe packham pears 1 or 2 lemons salt and freshly ground

black pepper, to taste

1. Coarsely grind the macadamia nuts. 2. Chop peeled avocados into cubes and brush with

lemon juice. 3. Peel the pears and chop in cubes of the same size. 4. Gently mix the avocado and pear cubes with the

ground macadamia nuts. 5. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. 6. Serve immediately.

Choose avocados and pears that are firm and not too ripe so that they do not go mushy when mixed.

Source: http://www.avocado.org.au/recipes/recipe_finder.aspx?recipeID=7&CategoryID=39&

Other uses for avocado

Mash into mashed potato.

Use on bread instead of butter.

Bake as a vegetable. Cut into wedges and bake in a medium oven 180°C (350˚F) for 20 minutes. Avocado will hold its shape and taste warm and buttery.

Add to any dish towards the end of the cooking period.

Blend 1 avocado with zest and juice of ½ lemon and ¼ bunch of coriander to serve with fish cakes or curried dishes.

Page | 26

Avocados Easy avocado pasta

Avocado oil

Avocado oil is in the same

league as olive oil as a

healthy oil, providing you

purchase the right quality

of oil. Extra virgin

avocado oil is a green

colour and must be stored

in dark bottles as it

oxidises quickly.

Avocado oil has

significant amounts (0.5-

1.0%) of the cholesterol

lowering sterol Beta-

Sitosterol.

Beta-Sitosterol may also

benefit males with benign

prostatic hypertrophy

(BPH). A therapeutic dose

can be gained with as

little as 10-15 grams of

avocado oil per day,

Extra virgin avocado oil

may also be helpful for

weight loss. The addition

of 10 ml of avocado oil to

a morning smoothie may

reduce the desire for mid-

morning snacks.

This is an interesting

report on avocado oil:

http://www.olivado.com/st

udies4.htm

3-4 ripe avocados 1 tbs cream 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 tsp olive oil (or avocado oil if you have it) squeeze lemon 4 serves any healthy pasta rock salt flat leaf parsley Parmesan cheese lemon wedges

1. Put the flesh from the avocados into a bowl. 2. Add a squeeze of lemon and lightly smash the avocado

with the back of a spoon. Leave some larger chunks for texture.

3. In a frypan, over medium heat, add a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil and gently fry the garlic till lightly brown.

4. Add the avocado and fry for only a minute. 5. Add a tablespoon of cream to loosen the sauce. 6. Keep sauce warm until the pasta is cooked. 7. Spoon generously over hot pasta and garnish with flat

leaf parsley and parmesan. 8. Add lemon and salt to taste.

Avocado coconut water shake

1 ripe avocado, pit and skin removed 1 cup coconut water or coconut milk ½ mango, pip and skin removed ½ tsp nutmeg ½ cup ice

1. Place all the ingredients into a food processor and blend till smooth.

2. Serve in a chilled glass.

Page | 27

Bananas Banana celery salad

Bananas are good for

your heart, your blood

pressure and nervous

health, kidneys and

bones, thanks to their

very high levels of

potassium compared to

other foods.

Bananas can act as mood

enhancers or mild

sedatives thanks to

tryptophan which helps

the body produce

serotonin.

Bananas are good for

your blood thanks to the

high level of Vitamin B6.

Bananas may be helpful

to keep bad cholesterol

levels down, to protect

against Alzheimer’s

disease and even

potentially reduce the risk

of cancer.

Find out more about

bananas and discover lots

of nearly healthy banana

recipes here. Just take

care with the sugars and

grains.

http://www.australianban

anas.com.au/nutrition

Source for banana chips

recipe:

http://www.easy-banana-

recipes.com/banana-

chips-recipe.html

5 bananas, thinly sliced 3 sticks celery, thinly sliced 1 large green capsicum (bell pepper), thinly

sliced ½ Spanish onion, thinly sliced 150 g shelled pistachios, roughly chopped 1 tbs lemon juice ¼ cup light mayonnaise

1. Combine lemon juice and mayonnaise and set aside. 2. In a large mixing bowl combine sliced banana, celery,

capsicum and Spanish onion. 3. Spoon dressing over salad. 4. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios. 5. Season with salt and pepper.

Source: http://www.australianbananas.com.au/recipes/savoury/banana-celery-salad

Lightly salted banana chips

5 raw bananas, slightly under-ripe 2 tbs salt oil for deep frying

1. Peel the bananas and soak in salted iced water for 10 minutes.

2. Slice bananas into thin round slices. 3. Dry banana slices on kitchen paper. 4. Sprinkle some paprika or chilli powder over the

bananas slices if you like a spicy flavour. 5. Heat oil in a deep fryer, wok or heavy bottomed

frypan. 6. Fry banana slices about 2 minutes until golden brown

or crispy in one-layer batches. 7. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt to taste.

Page | 28

Bananas Simple banana desert

There are many different

types of banana that grow

easily in tropical and sub-

tropical climates. They are

another must, along with

papaya, avocado and

mango for a warm climate

garden.

For information on how to

grow them check out:

http://www.abc.net.au/gar

dening/stories/s2189533.h

tm

If you have limited space

you can grow a plant in a

large pot. They are heavy

feeders so need good

quality soil and regular

feeding and watering. You

can see how to grow them

here:

http://msucares.com/news/

print/sgnews/sg06/sg0608

24.html

Your biggest snag with

growing your own

bananas is the problem of

using a whole hand, as the

bananas ripen at the same

time. You will need to

learn what to do with

green bananas and how to

dry or freeze bananas to

preserve them.

Bananas freeze easily

either in their skins or

skinned and sliced. Frozen

bananas can be added to

smoothies or blended to

make a creamy ice cream.

A simple desert my mother used to serve was sliced bananas placed into a bowl with a dollop of cream on top and finished with a generous sprinkling of grated chocolate. It went down well with we children.

Banana berry crush

1 frozen banana ½ cup fresh or frozen raspberries 150 ml apple juice (no added sugar) ice

1. Add all ingredients to a blender and mix well. 2. Add more ice for a super-chilled smoothie.

Source: http://www.australianbananas.com.au/recipes/drinks/banana-berry-crush

Grilled bananas with ginger sauce

1 tbs any brown sugar, firmly packed 2 tsp fresh lime juice (or rum) ½ tsp fresh ginger root, peeled and grated 2 bananas, split lengthwise

1. Set grill to a medium to high heat. 2. In small bowl, combine sugar, lime juice and ginger. 3. Arrange bananas to cover the base of a baking dish. 4. Pour sauce evenly over them. 5. Place dish with bananas under the grill and when

lightly browned, turn. 6. Grill the second side until they reach the desired

colour. 7. Serve bananas on individual plates, drizzled with sauce

from the baking dish.

Page | 29

Bananas Fried bananas

Cavendish is the most

commonly available

banana. It is a large

dessert banana that can

be can be eaten fresh at

various stages of ripeness,

cooked or dried.

Lady Finger bananas are

a much smaller banana.

They have a more delicate

flavour and are ideal for

fruit salads and

decorating desserts, as

they do not brown when

cut.

Lady Finger bananas

must be fully ripe before

eating as they taste dry

and starchy if under ripe.

They should have brown

flecks on a thin skin.

Plantain bananas are

large green bananas

popular in Asian and

African cooking and are

often used as an

alternative to potatoes or

rice. Check out Asian

grocers for this non-sweet

variety.

Red Daccas are a plump

red banana with creamy

delicate orange/pink flesh.

You can eat them as any

normal banana or cook

them in their skin for a

barbeque treat.

8 large plantain bananas or 16 small red bananas (if you cannot find banana varieties in your supermarket try an Asian grocery or use any under ripe bananas)

½ cup extra virgin olive oil 1 cup fresh orange juice ⅓ cup honey 1 tsp cinnamon crème fraiche or sour cream for garnish

1. Peel bananas and cut lengthwise. 2. Sauté in batches in olive oil, transferring when done

using a slotted spoon so that the oil drains, into an oblong glass baking dish.

3. Mix orange juice, honey and cinnamon. 4. Pour over the bananas. 5. Bake at 150°C (300˚F) for about 15 minutes. 6. Serve in bowls with a dollop of crème fraiche or sour

cream.

Banana smoothie

Use bananas as the fruit base for just about any smoothie and add other fruits for colour and taste.

Blend together: 1 banana, peeled 1 cup un-homogenised or raw milk 5-10 drops vanilla essence (optional)

Sweeten with dates or raw honey.

Use sweet nuts like almonds or macadamias for flavour.

Use berries or other fruit for colour and to give an acid tang.

Freeze the banana to get a colder drink.

Page | 30

Beans Cannellini bean mash

Beans are helpful in

weight control as they

make us feel full without

contributing too much to

the total calorie count.

They contain lots of fibre

which keeps the digestion

working well.

Some beans are also high

in antioxidants,

particularly small red

beans, red kidney beans,

pinto beans, black beans,

navy beans and black-

eyed peas

They also contain

relatively high levels of

protein for a vegetable

food.

If you have a bad reaction

to beans, pick the beans

allowable for your blood

type according to the

D’Adamo diet which you

can find at:

http://www.dadamo.com/.

You might be surprised.

Take any bean recipe you

like and use the beans

interchangeably. The key

to a good diet is to keep

up the variety.

2 x 400 g cans organic Cannellini beans ½ onion, diced chopped fresh basil, rosemary or spring

onions to taste 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or minced ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, grated olive oil

1. Fry onions in olive oil until they become translucent. 2. Rinse the beans to get rid of the starch. 3. Add garlic, herbs and beans to the onions. 4. Cook for about 5 to 10 minutes, until the beans are

tender. 5. Mash beans and add parmesan as you mash. 6. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Serve as a side dish, either hot or cold.

Cannellini and broad bean salad

½ cup fresh broad beans or sliced green beans 1 x 400 g can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained 1 tbs lemon juice 2 tbs olive oil 1 large ripe tomato chopped or the

equivalent amount of grape or cherry tomatoes

1 small red onion, diced

1. Cook broad beans for a few minutes in boiling water until tender. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

2. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl. 3. Add cooled broad beans. 4. Serve on its own or with a protein food such as grilled

lamb.

Page | 31

Beetroot Juices, soups and dips

Have you noticed how

many foods in the book

are orange, red or

purple?

A good rule of thumb is

that the more vibrant the

colours of fruit and

vegetables, the more

nutrients they have.

Beetroot is antioxidant

and anti-inflammatory.

The betalains found in

beet have been shown to

aid in the elimination of

toxins and help process

fat into energy.

Drinking beet juice can

lower blood pressure and

increase blood flow to the

brain – which has to be

good.

“In addition to promoting

brain function and

lowering blood pressure,

beets also help protect

against cancer (especially

colon cancer), help

cleanse the bowels, help

strengthen the gall

bladder, increase stamina

and more.”

Source:

http://www.naturalnews.c

om/031711_beetroot_juic

e_brain_health.html#ixzz

1LZPUGrKf

Most commonly we eat beetroot as pickled beetroot, but occasionally we find it grated in sandwiches and salads. However, the simplest way to get large amounts of beet into your system is to juice it. Combine with apples to create a wonderful juice.

Spicy beetroot dip

400-500 g cooked small red beetroot, coarsely chopped

250 g plain Greek style yoghurt 2 tbs lemon juice 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine ingredients thoroughly in a bowl. 2. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

How to cook beetroot

1. Trim off the top ends (leaves and some stem). Leave the skin and some of the stalk to prevent the beetroot from losing too much of its colour during cooking.

2. Steam or cook in boiling water. This can take from 20 to 50 minutes depending on the size of the beetroot.

3. Test the beetroot with a skewer and when soft, remove it from the heat and cool it under running water.

4. Squeeze the beetroot and the skins will slip off.

Page | 32

Beetroot Beet borscht

There is one thing you

really have to know about

the betalains, the red

plant pigment in beetroot.

First, there are no known

human health risks

associated with beetroot

or beetroot powder.

However, you might get a

scare if you start

consuming large amounts

and your urine turns red.

But fear not, it is just that

the betalains are not

being processed

thoroughly by your body.

You might want to have

your iron levels tested as

this can happen with both

high and low levels of

iron.

Source for Beet borscht

recipe:

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/

pohskitchen/stories/s2985

704.htm

50 g butter 1 large brown onion, chopped 4 garlic cloves, chopped 500 g beetroot, peeled and diced into 1cm cubes 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced thinly 1½ litres beef broth (see Error! Reference source

not found. Error! Bookmark not defined. for recipe)

3 tbs flour (substitute arrowroot for gluten free) 180 ml tomato puree or tinned crushed tomatoes 300 g Desiree potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly 3 tbs Balsamic vinegar 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp sea salt ¼ tsp freshly cracked white or black pepper 250 ml crème fraiche or sour cream for garnish 4 tbs chopped flat leaf parsley

1. Heat butter in a large saucepan on medium heat. 2. Sauté onion and garlic until soft but not coloured. 3. Add beetroot and carrot and sauté until tender. 4. Pour in beef stock. 5. While this is heating up on the stove, whisk flour into

three tablespoons of the tomato puree. 6. Whisk with the remaining tomato puree and combine

with rest of soup mixture. 7. Cover and bring to the boil. 8. Add the potatoes, Balsamic vinegar and sugar. 9. Simmer until potatoes are tender. 10. Add the salt and pepper. 11. Blend in a blender or with a stick blender until smooth.

Serve with a generous dollop of sour cream or crème fraiche, sprinkle of parsley and serve with bread.

Page | 33

Blueberry Blueberry-pomegranate vinaigrette

Blueberries are regarded

as one of the best

superfoods as they are

extremely high in anti-

oxidants.

They have been shown to

boost memory and to

lower both depressive

symptoms and glucose

levels in the blood.

They also help detoxify

the body.

Here is one list of claims

made for the blueberry. It

has been shown to:

fight cancer

lower cholesterol

prevent macular

degeneration

promote urinary

health

feed the brain

help with Alzheimer's

prevention

be anti-aging

protect circulatory

health

be anti-diabetes food,

for prevention and

control

be anti-inflammatory

support digestive

health

aid with weight loss.

½ cup blueberries ½ cup pomegranate juice ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil ⅛ cup red wine vinegar basil salt pepper 1 garlic clove

1. Blend the blueberries and pomegranate juice together to make a mixture.

2. Simmer over low heat to reduce it to a thick sauce. 3. Add the other ingredients and blend it together.

Store in small jars and use as a salad dressing.

Blueberry vinaigrette

1 cup fresh blueberries ½ cup white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar 1 tbs honey 1 tbs fresh tarragon, chopped ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp black pepper, freshly ground 1 medium shallot, minced 1 tsp fresh garlic, minced

1. Blend fresh blueberries with oil, vinegar, honey, tarragon, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender.

2. Add minced garlic and minced shallot to mixture and stir through.

Use as a dressing for grains like quinoa, or as a salad dressing.

Page | 34

Blueberry Blueberry lavender ice cream

There are a number of

different varieties of

blueberries that suit

different climates.

You can grow them in any

climate from very cold to

subtropical, as long as

you select the right

variety to grow.

To learn more about

which type to grow and

how to grown them, check

out:

http://www.abc.net.au/gar

dening/stories/s789952.ht

m

You can also grow them

in pots providing you

select a dwarf variety and

plant them in very large

containers.

This website contains lots

of good information on

growing fruit trees.

http://www.greenharvest.c

om.au/greennotes/Fruit_tr

ees_for_small_gardens.ht

ml

Source for recipe:

http://www.onceuponaplat

e1.com/2008/08/lavender-

blueberry-ice-cream.html

You will need an ice cream maker for this recipe.

1 cup blueberries, rinsed ¾ cup sugar 2 tbs dried culinary lavender blossoms ½ tsp cinnamon ½ tsp pure vanilla essence 1½ cups full cream milk 1½ cups light cream

For the milk and cream you are aiming at a butterfat content of 10 to 12 %. Check your local shops for a way of combining milk and cream to get that result.

1. Place a 1 to 1½ litre saucepan over medium heat. 2. Add blueberries, sugar and ½ cup water and stir until

berries begin to pop, about 4 to 5 minutes. 3. Pour this mixture through a fine strainer set over a

bowl to catch the liquid. 4. Put the blueberry pulp into a blender. 5. Return berry syrup to the saucepan, add lavender and

stir over medium heat for about 5 minutes until syrup is infused with the lavender flavour.

6. Strain the liquid through a fine strainer into the blender with the blueberry pulp, pressing to extract liquid. Discard the lavender.

7. Next add the cinnamon and vanilla to the blender and whirl until very smooth.

8. Pour into a bowl, nest in ice water and stir often until very cold, about 15 minutes or so.

9. Stir in the milk/cream mixture. 10. Pour the chilled mixture into a 1 to 1½ litre ice cream

maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions until firm enough to scoop.

11. Serve right away, or transfer to a container and freeze, airtight, up to 1 week.

Page | 35

Blueberry Banana and blueberry smoothie

If you are lucky enough to

live somewhere with a

harvest surplus of

blueberries, you can

preserve them for use

throughout the year.

They are very easy to

freeze.

Remove damaged

berries and stems.

Rinse them and make

sure they are fully dry.

Place them on a large

cookie tray.

Put the tray in the

freezer.

Once they freeze,

place them in a sealed

bag and leave in the

freezer.

The natural wax on the

outside of the blueberries

protects the fruit while

being frozen.

When ready to use, simply

thaw and eat.

You can use frozen blueberries for this recipe.

1 cup plain yoghurt ½ cup blueberries 2 bananas

1. Peel the bananas, slice thickly and spread out in a baking dish.

2. Put in freezer and freeze until solid. 3. When frozen place the banana slices in a blender. 4. Add blueberries to blender. 5. Pour yoghurt into the blender. 6. Blend until smooth. 7. Pour into a glass and serve.

Source: http://www.bananarecipes.us/banana-and-blueberry-smoothie.html.

Blueberry and watermelon ice

½ small seedless watermelon 1 cup ice cubes 10 blueberries

1. Blend watermelon flesh with the ice for a few minutes at high power until the mixture becomes smooth.

2. Pour into a glass. 3. Drop the blueberries into the glass, stir and serve.

Ways you can preserve blueberries

Freeze them. They are very easy to freeze.

Make jams and jellies.

Make savoury chutneys.

Page | 36

Broad Beans Broad bean and butter bean mash

Broad beans are one of

the few vegetables that

contain high levels of

anthocyanins, commonly

known as Vitamin B17 or

laetrile.

You can find out more

about the importance of

B17 in your diet at Error!

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found. Error! Bookmark

not defined..

There is evidence that the

B17 is a very important

nutrient in the treatment

of cancer.

From The Nature of

Cancer by Ernst Krebs,

Jr.

“Q. Are the broad beans

or visa fava high in

cyanide?

Yes, they are splendid. It

was one of the staples in

the diet of the Roman

legions. The legionnaires

not only ate broad beans

but they fed them to their

horses. This made for a

very vigorous infantry in

Calvary.”

300 g cannellini beans or butter beans, cooked 100 g broad beans, shelled and cooked, fresh or

frozen ½ medium onion sea salt and black pepper, freshly ground 4 tbs extra virgin olive oil 1-2 tsp horseradish, heaped, to suit your taste 1 lime or ½ lemon, juice and rind splash verjuice, optional 2 tbs chopped parsley 1 garlic clove

Verjuice is a mildly acidic juice made from unfermented grapes. It is good for vegetable dishes, but take care as much of it contains preservatives. You can find information on verjuice here: http://www.maggiebeer.com.au/products/details/?Item=PrdctsVerjuice62

1. Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor, seasoning well.

2. Process a little if you prefer a chunky mash or process until smooth and creamy.

3. If the mix becomes too thick while processing, add a little more oil or warm water.

You can serve this mash:

on toast, bruschetta, or crusty bread

with some good cheddar cheese and olives

on crackers

as a dip

on char-grilled eggplant slices, accompanied by a green salad

with a plate of roast vegetables

about 1 tablespoon dropped into in the centre of a bowl of creamy soup.

Page | 37

Broad Beans Moroccan fava beans in tomato sauce

There is interesting

evidence that broad beans

increase the levels of L-

dopa in the body, which,

in turn, encourages the

release of growth

hormone from the

pituitary gland.

Why do we care?

Firstly L-dopa is

important for a range of

brain functions like sleep,

mood and learning

ability.

Secondly L-dopa

stimulates the release of

human growth hormone,

or HGH, which is the

ultimate anti-aging

compound.

L-dopa used as a

supplement can be

dangerous, but it is not

necessary to take it that

way. It is found in

sufficient quantities in

velvet beans (Mucuna

pruriens) and broad

beans (also called fava

beans).

As part of an overall anti-

aging strategy add these

beans to your daily diet.

http://www.hghtalk.com/n

utrients/benefits-of-l-

dopa-and-broad-beans-

in-relation-to-hgh/

A lot of people do not like broad beans. For those who dislike them but want to add them to their diet, try using a good sauce.

500 g cooked fava or broad beans 6 large ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and

chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or pressed 1½ tsp paprika 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp salt ¼ tsp black pepper, ground ⅛ tsp hot pepper, ground ⅓ cup olive oil ¼ cup fresh coriander, chopped

1. Add the tomatoes and all the ingredients except the beans to a large heavy frypan or saucepan and stir to mix.

2. Cook uncovered over medium to medium-high heat, stirring occasionally and mashing the tomatoes as they soften.

3. Do this for about 25 minutes, or until a rich, thick sauce has formed.

4. Add the cooked fava beans and about two tablespoons of water to the sauce. Simmer for a few minutes to heat the fava beans and remove from the heat.

You can serve the fava beans warm.

They are good eaten with bread for scooping up the beans and sauce.

Page | 38

Broccoli Stir fried broccoli with carrots

All the brassica

vegetables are good for

you, but broccoli is the

queen of the brassicas.

Broccoli is a valuable

superfood for a range of

health effects.

It is a brain food

thanks to its high

levels of Vitamin K.

Its iron content will

help the body get over

a cold and support eye

health.

The potassium in

broccoli aids those

battling high blood

pressure.

A large amount of

calcium helps combat

osteoporosis.

The vegetable is also

high in fibre which

helps to normalise

digestion and reduce

blood cholesterol

levels.

Additionally, it has been

linked to preventing and

controlling:

Alzheimer's disease

diabetes

heart disease

arthritis

and even the aging

process.

1 head broccoli 3 or 4 carrots 2 tbs olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tsp salt ½ tsp sugar 1 cup chicken or beef broth

1. Wash and drain broccoli. 2. Break off flowerets (split if large). Set aside. 3. Peel tender portion of stems and slice ½ cm thick. Set

aside. 4. Peel and slice carrots the same way. 5. Heat oil and garlic in large frypan. 6. Stir fry carrots for about 1 minute. 7. Add sliced broccoli stems and stir fry for about 1

minute. 8. Add the rest of the broccoli. 9. Sprinkle with salt and sugar. 10. Stir in the broth. 11. Cover and cook briskly for 2 to 3 minutes. 12. Uncover and toss until liquid evaporates.

Other ways of eating broccoli

There are plenty of simple ways of eating broccoli.

Steam and serve with lemon juice and butter.

Dunk in egg, roll in grated Parmesan cheese and fry.

Roast, drizzled with olive oil and grated Parmesan cheese.

If you don’t like broccoli, try broccolini which is milder and sweeter than broccoli. It is also easy to grow and you can harvest exactly what you want to use.

Page | 39

Broccoli Tandoori broccoli

In recent years, broccoli

has made the headlines

for its potential in

relation to some forms of

cancer.

It has been linked to

preventing or controlling:

hormone-related

cancers, such as

breast and prostate

cancer

stomach and colon

cancer

malignant tumours

generally,

lung cancer.

It appears to have the

ability to help the body

increase the level of

enzymes that block

cancer.

You can easily grow your

own broccoli, or if you do

not need much at a time,

you can grow broccolini.

You will need good sun

and a large pot – no less

than 50 cm wide, very

good potting soil. Keep

the soil moist but not wet,

as broccoli does not like

wet feet.

1 whole head of broccoli

The filling 50 g paneer cheese (or cottage cheese) 2 tbs sultanas (or raisins in the US)and nuts,

chopped 1 tsp green chillies, chopped and deseeded 3 tbs fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped

The marinade 100 g mature cheese, grated 1 egg 1 tsp ginger root, finely chopped 100 g hung yoghurt or fairly solid yoghurt 100 ml cream 1 tsp green cardamom, powdered ½ tsp mace powder salt to taste lemon juice for serving

1. Divide the broccoli head lengthwise into four and blanch by dunking briefly in boiling water.

2. Mix cottage cheese, nuts, sultanas, green chillies and coriander to make a filling. Place this in-between the broccoli flowerets.

3. Make the marinade by first mixing together the grated cheese and egg and then all other ingredients.

4. Apply all over the broccoli and rest for half an hour. Grill under a hot grill or in the oven at 200°C (400°F) till lightly browned, seven to ten minutes.

Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/tv/pohskitchen/stories/s2860066.htm