The autumn colours we’re currently enjoying are the ‘big reveal’ of the yellow, orange and red pigments that are normally masked, in summer, by the green of chlorophyll. In Autumn, chlorophyll molecules break down. So, for the next two months, let’s look at the health benefits of the yellows, oranges and reds in fruits and vegetables and make the most of them in my new juice, main and salad recipes.

The yellow, orange and red pigments belong to a family phytochemicals called the carotenoids. They all have strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cancer protective properties. The best-known carotenoids are alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin and lycopene, but there are over 600 different pigments in the family, so lots more research to do!

Within the carotenoid family there are two broad groups – the xanthophylls (the yellows) and the carotenes (the oranges). Lutein and zeaxanthin are xanthophylls and are both important for eye health, with research suggesting that a high intake may help reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration. Yellow fruits are a particularly good source of these phytochemicals. Another of the xanthophylls is beta-cryptoxanthin, which is found in yellow peppers and sweetcorn. Some studies have suggested that beta-cryptoxanthin may be effective in preventing lung cancer.

Carrots are rich in beta-carotene as are mangoes and sweet potatoes. One study suggests that beta-carotene may help reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome. Meanwhile, alpha-carotene has been linked to a reduced risk of death from cancer, heart disease and diabetes, with carrots and tangerines being good sources. We’ll take a closer look at lycopene, a red pigment, in next month’s post.

 

Super Orange Juice

Serves One

Two oranges

Three carrots

One yellow (or orange) pepper

One inch peeled ginger

 

Yellow split pea dahl

Serves four

100g red lentils

100g yellow split peas

two onions

three cloves garlic

Spices include a mixture of black mustard seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, all blasted in a Nutribullet miller or ground in a mortar and pestle, one tsp each of ground turmeric and ground cinnamon

Tbsp chilli jam

Two tbsp. tomato puree

Bag frozen peas or mixed veg

Fry onion and garlic in coconut oil, add spices, tomato puree and chilli jam. Cook for around 10 minutes, until soft. Then stir in the lentils and split peas and add the water. Cook until soft and then add the mixed vegetables, cooking for a few more minutes.

This is a good dish to serve over two days. Day one, add a baked sweet potato and the next day, re-heat and serve with a packet of microwaveable basmati microwave rice (or similar) with some interesting additions (I used one with pinto beans, chilli and lime – there are lots of options). A dollop of mint and cucumber raita and some mango chutney wouldn’t go amiss either.

 

Sunny salad

Serves two

This is an (almost) all-yellow salad, packed with nutrients and a sweet addition to grilled salmon, smoked salmon or halloumi. Pineapple

Sweetcorn

Grated carrot

Yellow pepper

Almonds

Seeds

Yellow and orange tomatoes

Nasturtium flowers

Mix all ingredients with flaxseed oil and cider vinegar, and decorate with the nasturtium flowers.

Eat your greens – it’s one of the simplest ways of improving your health! Forget boiled cabbage and tired lettuce – green vegetables (and fruits) can be tasty and satisfying (as I’ve tried to show in the recipes below).

Chlorophyll is the pigment that gives green plants their colour and it is the most abundant pigment in nature. Research has shown that chlorophyll can prevent the absorption of carcinogens in the diet and is capable of killing cancer cells. Chlorophyll’s intense colour masks the presence of other antioxidant and anti-inflammatory pigments, like carotenoids, in green fruits and vegetables. Greens are also high in potassium, vitamin C and magnesium and leafy greens are rich in folic acid (the word ‘folic’ means ‘leafy’ in Latin). Finally, greens also low in calories, high in fibre and have a low glycaemic index. So why not challenge yourself to eat something green every day, if you feel your diet could do with a nutrient boost?

 

CKC juice

Couldn’t be easier and the kiwi adds a touch of sweetness.

Serves one

Two big handfuls of kale

One inch piece of peeled ginger

Two peeled kiwi fruits

One cucumber, chopped into big chunks

Juice everything and drink immediately.

 

Green Curry

Serves two

Jar of green curry sauce

One tbsp grated ginger

One chopped green chilli

Two cloves crushed garlic

Two heads of pak choi, chopped

Two leeks, finely chopped

One pack tenderstem broccoli, chopped

One green pepper, finely chopped

Stir fry everything for five minutes in coconut oil, add curry sauce, turn down the heat and simmer till tender (about 15 mins). Serve with a ‘healthy’ grain, like red rice, freekeh, amaranth, quinoa…

 

Super Green Salad

Serves two to four

Assemble as many green ingredients as you can – eg

Cooked French beans

Cooked runner beans

Cooked/raw peas

Watercress

Lettuce

Chopped cucumber

Kiwi fruit, sliced

Diced celery

Watercress

Baby kale….

Serve with avocado dressing

For the avocado dressing

One avocado

Two tbsp flax seed oil

Two cloves garlic

One red chilli

Handful of mint leaves

Juice of one lime

Blast the above in a Nutribullet to make a dressing of mayonnaise like consistency. Add more oil or lime juice if it comes out too thick. Scale up as needed to dress the amount of salad greens you have.

A report at the recent Alzheimer’s Association International Conference suggested that following a Mediterranean diet can help preserve cognitive function in later life and thereby reduce the risk of dementia. The research is part of the US Health and Retirement Study which involves nearly 6,000 adults. Those who stuck most closely to the Mediterranean diet had a 30 to 35 per cent lower risk of cognitive impairment.

The Mediterranean diet incorporates the traditional healthy eating habits of the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea – Spain, France, Italy and Greece. It is typically high in cereals, fruit, vegetables, legumes, olive oil, low in red meat and moderate in dairy products, fish, poultry and wine. For more details, see the Mediterranean Diet Foundation.

For the final (for now) instalment of the Mediterranean diet blogs, we visit France. I’ll admit that, although I’ve travelled a lot in France, the prospect of writing about French food is a little intimidating! So I thought about my ideal, simple, French meal and have applied the Eatwell plate/food pyramid principles to it. This is for a French style dinner party, where you make the starter the largest course, the main the simplest and the dessert the smallest.

 

Rainbow Crudites

Serves two

Two cooked beetroot, chopped

One pack cherry tomatoes, halved

One tub of your favourite olives

100g grated carrot

100g fine French beans, cooked and cooled

50g sweetcorn

Arrange all the ingredients like an artist’s palette and dress with raspberry vinegar and extra-virgin cold pressed olive oil.

 

 

Omelette aux fines herbes

2/3 eggs per person

Chopped herbs

Beat the eggs, add the herbs. Heat olive oil in a pan till it begins to smoke and add the egg mixture. When it begins to go frilly round the edges, tip the pan and let the liquid mixture run into the base and continue like this till set. Serve immediately, with a green vegetable (asparagus, tender stem broccoli or runner beans (in season now) on the side.

 

Lavender chocolate pot

Serves four

Provence is famous for lavender and it’s often included in cooking in that regions. You could also make this dessert with rose or violet flavoured chocolate. I buy rose-flavoured and lavender and lime-flavoured milk chocolate from the shop at Kew Gardens and it provides all the sweetness you need in this recipe – no need for added sugar.

100g bar of lavender (rose or violet) flavoured chocolate, finely chopped

200ml double cream

75ml whole milk

One egg yolk

Berries to serve

Put chocolate in a bowl. Warm cream to boiling point, pour over chocolate and stir till chocolate melts. Mix egg and milk in separate bowl. Pour into chocolate mix, stir and strain, put into pretty teacups or glasses (the smallest you can find) and refrigerate overnight. Top with an edible flower before serving with berries.

Coming next: G is for Green

 

M is for Mint

Our vegetable garden is failing again this year – the spinach and rainbow chard look weak and weary, the kale is wobbly and the potatoes (which might be worth a post in August) have taken over in a way I wasn’t expecting. But at least I’ve got the mint…

There are up to 20 varieties of culinary mint. Last year’s chocolate mint bounced back impressively so I bought basil mint and spearmint. I put them in big pots and they have done really well. A quick browse through gardening catalogues shows that pineapple, Moroccan, apple and grapefruit mint plants are also available – so ideas for next year’s collection.

Now to health benefits. Mint is very high in antioxidants – but surely you’d have to eat a lot to get any positives? I think mint has more to offer if you use its soothing and refreshing qualities for healthy summer recipes that replace sugar and salt. So, I’ve created one for each of my mint varieties. We also have a very healthy lemon balm plant, which features in the first recipe. The dip and salad are perfect for summer barbeques!

 

Mint water/mint tea

At the start of the day, add crushed chocolate mint leaves, lime and/or lemon slices to a big jug of water. Add ice. Drink throughout the day to keep hydrated. Top up the ice cubes. If you want to make it pink, add some pure pomegranate juice.

For the tea, pour boiling water onto a handful of lemon balm and mint leaves. Drink while warm, or leave to cool, add ice and drink cold. This is definitely soothing, refreshing and [warm] aids sleep.

 

All-purpose dip

Serves two

200g high-protein/Greek yoghurt

Two garlic cloves

One tbsp. flax seed oil

Handful of spearmint leaves

Half a cucumber (grated)

Whizz all ingredients, except the cucumber, in a Nutribullet or blender to make a thick sauce. Stir in the cucumber.

 

Mint tomato salad

Serves two

Handful of chopped basil mint

100g tomatoes – go for two varieties (eg plum, heritage, cherry, salad etc)

One red onion/three shallots and/or two chopped cloves garlic

One tub of your favourite deli olives

Flax seed or olive oil

Mix all the salad ingredients, dress with the oil and mint

 

 

 

There is more good news about the Mediterranean Diet. A study published in the International Journal of Cancer in March,  and reported in the Telegraph showed that women who adhered most closely to the Mediterranean style of eating had a 40 per cent reduced risk of oestrogen receptor-negative breast cancer, which is one of the most deadly forms of the disease. The research tracked women aged between 55 and 69 for 20 years.

The Mediterranean diet incorporates the traditional healthy eating habits of the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea – Spain, France, Italy and Greece. It is typically high in cereals, fruit, vegetables, legumes, olive oil, low in red meat and moderate in dairy products, fish, poultry and wine. For more details, see the Mediterranean Diet Foundation.

For this instalment of the Mediterranean diet blog, we visit Spain. Spanish cooking contains three of my favourite healthy food choices – olives, peppers and tomatoes. Olives contain high amounts of oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid which lowers cholesterol and the risk of heart disease. They are also packed with a wide range of phytonutrients with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Meanwhile, peppers and tomatoes are both rich in antioxidant carotenoids (the phytochemicals that give them their bright colours).

 

 

Gazpacho Smoothie

Make your smoothie into this classic, refreshing Spanish soup.

Serves two

400g cherry tomatoes

One cucumber

One red pepper

100g yoghurt

One tbsp. cider vinegar

One tbsp. flaxseed or olive oil

 

Whizz the above in a Nutribullet. Put in the fridge overnight. Add an ice cube to each serving and then serve with little bowls of diced cucumber, tomato, red and green pepper, red onion or shallots.

 

Rainbow Peppers

Padrón peppers are famous in Spain. Here, I combine this classic dish with stewed red, orange and yellow peppers.

Serves two

One red, one yellow and one orange pepper, halved and sliced into strips.

Three garlic cloves, crushed

One red chilli, diced

Jar or tub of sun dried tomatoes

One carton cherry tomatoes

One tub mixed olives

One tbsp. your favourite spice(s) – I use cinnamon and paprika

One tbsp. rapeseed or extra virgin olive oil

Heat the oil and cook the peppers, chilli, garlic and spices for one minute so everything is covered in oil. Lower the heat and cook gently with the lid on the pan till the peppers are soft. Now add the tomatoes, turn up the heat and cook with the lid off until most of the liquid has evaporated. Eat hot or cold,

alone as part of a Mediterranean buffet or as a topping for pasta (not Spanish, I know, but perhaps with a sprinkling of grated Manchego cheese to add an extra Spanish accent). If serving the peppers cold, try adding a slug of flaxseed oil for an omega-3 boost.

 

Vegetable Tortilla

A classic tortilla contains potatoes, but if you are looking for a no-carb version, use peppers, shallots/red onions, peas and asparagus with the eggs.

Serves two

Six eggs

One red pepper, diced

Two shallots/one red onion, diced

100g peas

100g asparagus

Olive or rapeseed oil

Fry the onions and peppers in the oil till soft. Cook the peas and asparagus, beat the eggs and mix. Add the egg mixture to the frying pan and, when it just starts to solidify at the edges, take the pan off the heat and place it under a medium grill. Cook until the omelette has solidified.

 

Coming next: M is for Mint