Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup
Its January. Its cold. Everything around me is screaming slow down, comfort,enjoy and take time out. So its the perfect to make a big bowl of soup and nourish your soul. I’m trying to keep a cold at bay so I want something filled with antioxidants to boost my immune system and naturally warming properties. […]
Carrot and Red Lentil Soup
Carrot and Red Lentil Soup: Well, its turning wintery and our tastes are starting to change! I’ve had salad leaves for a week in the fridge, untouched, and all I want is warm comforting foods. Food can be warming in two main ways. They are hot in temperature (soups, stews and roasts are perfect) or […]
Roasted Squash Soup
Naturally sweetening with Roasted Squash Soup I had a conversation with someone recently about one of my sweet potato soup recipes. The feedback was the soup didn’t taste very sweet and was a little tasteless. When I started asking questions, I realised that the sweet potato used was quite white inside and sounded under ripe. […]
Chickpea and Butternut Squash Stew
Cooking with Winter squashes: Chickpea and butternut squash stew The pumpkin frenzy of the last few weeks has reminded me about the great variety of squashes and pumpkins we have available in Ireland. At this time of year, these colourful vegetables are ideal for winter soups, stews and warm salads. The added benefit is that […]
Cauliflower and Roasted Beet Salad
Supporting Detox with Cauliflower and Roasted Beet Salad The word detox is an overused and sometimes misunderstood term. It is one of the questions I get asked most about when I am doing talks or discussing the role food plays in health. The body needs to process and detoxify itself in order to keep the body in […]
Chickpea and Chorizo stew
Bean rich Chickpea and Chorizo Stew Anyone who reads my recipes, either in my weekly column or on my website, will know how much I use beans in my favourite healthy dishes. Whether it is blending them to make a dip, adding them to my stews or casseroles or thickening my soups with them, they […]
Sweet potato and sage soup
Sweet Potato soup OK, there is no denying it. We are starting to put on the heating and light the fires. As the weather starts to get more wintery, we change our wardrobes and also our eating habits. To help us stay warm this winter, we naturally begin to eat more soups, stews and casseroles, […]
Whole wheat pasta salad
Thursday 14th April, Check out article today in the Cork Independent or read below: http://www.corkindependent.com/lifestyle/lifestyle/start-with-a-store-cupboard/ I hear one excuse over and over again from clients. They say ‘I come home and open the cupboards to make my meal and there is nothing to eat’. It is so important to keep your cupboards regularly stocked and […]
Leek and Butternut soup
Thursday 24th March Check out my article in today’s Cork Independent on one pot wonders or read below: http://www.corkindependent.com/lifestyle/lifestyle/one-pot-wonders/ One pot wonders I was making up a soup the other day as part of my Spring detox programme, hoping I could put the complete meal into the one pot. I have taken out wheat and […]
Red Kidney Bean and Brown Rice salad
I know you are probably tired of hearing about carbs but they are crucial to health and especially weight loss. I often talk about the importance of choosing complex carbohydrates over refined grains. I got several questions back regarding what a complex carbohydrate actually is. Understanding the processing of grains is useful in order to […]
Split Pea Pate
January 6th Split Pea Pate 1 tin of yellow or green split peas – drained and rinsed 1 dessert spoon of tahini Juice of half a lemon ¼ teaspoon of ground cumin ¼ teaspoon of paprika 1 garlic - crushed Sea salt and black pepper Place all ingredients in a blender and whiz for 1-2 […]
Sweet Potato and Butterbean soup
December 10th Sweet Potato and Butterbean soup 1 tin of butterbeans (washed) 3 medium sweet potatoes (peeled and chopped) 2 small onions (chopped) 1 inch fresh root ginger (grated) ½ teaspoon ground cumin 2 cloves of garlic (crushed) Sea salt and pepper to taste 1 litre of boiling water Place the onions in a large saucepan […]
Spagetti Squash soup
Wednesday 24th November Check out my article today on for Local markets: We are really in the thick of winter and soup season is in full swing!! I got spaghetti squash in my veggie box the other day and found it lovely. To be honest, it looks just like any other squash but is more […]
Celeriac and Carrot soup
Wednesday 17th November Check out the blog I’ve just posted on the Local markets website: I’ve been getting celeriac for a few weeks now in my veggie box and am starting to get into them. The first few week I simply steam themed and then mashed them up, providing a very nice base to […]
Lime and Cumin Hummus
Cumin and Lime Hummus 125g dried chickpeas or 1 tin of chickpeas Juice of 1 lime 1 garlic clove, crushed 1 tablespoon tahini 2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil ½ teaspoon of ground cumin Sea Salt and freshly cracked pepper If using dried chickpeas, prepare the night before. Put a saucepan of water on […]
Carrot, butter bean and Celeriac Curry
Wednesday 3rd November Check out my blog today on Local Markets for some interesting facts about carrots!!! Below is the curry I did… I’ve been eating it all week and its lovely and tasty! I adapted this recipe from a Jamie Oliver recipe I found - I am always looking for easy curries and this one […]
Black Bean burgers
Thursday 21st October Check our my article today in the Cork Independent to find out about how a nutrition consultation can help you achieve your health aims. I’ve also got a great bean burger recipe which is one of my favourites at the moment - its also a great hit with kids!! http://www.corkindependent.com/lifestyle/lifestyle/more-than-just-a-burger/ Bean burgers […]
Lamb shanks with adzuki bean and sweet potatoes
Friday October 8th After an extremely busy but worthwhile 3 day CorkMeet, I barely had time to write my article Local markets. Check it out for loads of healthy information on sweet potatoes and check out the reipce below - its delicious: Lamb Shanks with Sweet Potato stew Serves 2 Like most people who are interested […]
Beef and Adzuki Stew
Friday 17th September Check out my blog today on www.localmarkets.ie where I give healthy eating tips and hints on beans and lentils. I’ve also put a lovely stew, perfect for the evenings that are getting cooler. Check it out below: Cooking: Whether you are buying tinned or dried, please wash them thoroughly before use. If […]
Roasted tomato and pinto bean salad
Wednesday September 1st Read my blog today on Local Markets for some interesting facts about tomatoes! I’ve included the recipe below to give you a taster! Roasted tomato and pinto bean salad For this recipe I’ve stolen Nigella’s great way of roasting tomatoes called ‘moon blushing’. Simply cut about 400g of cherry tomatoes in half, place on a […]
Hot and Spicy Romanesco Cabbage with Lentils
Wednesday 25th August Check out my blog today on http://blog.localmarkets.ie/ for some healthy tips and hints with this great looking cabbage! Romanesco Cabbage The type of cabbage shown here is a Romanesco cabbage. I actually thought it was a type cauliflower so treated it like one when I cooked it. Cabbage is part of the cruciferous […]
Chickpea Burger
Thursday July 8th If you are interested in a different type of burger, read my article today in the Cork Independent. If you want more spice (you know who you are Carla!!!) then simply double up on the spices and herbs in this recipe. http://www.corkindependent.com/lifestyle/lifestyle/a-different-type-of-burger/ Remember the week I gave you heaps of interesting facts […]
Tuscan White Bean Dip
I got this recipe form the lovely Gary who I do most of my demos with - its such a lovely dip. PrintTuscan Bean Dip Ingredients1 can cannellini beans (or your favourite bean) ½ cup water 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp chopped thyme 2 teaspoons lemon juice 3 cloves roasted garlic 1 cup julienne […]
Homemade Baked Beans
Thursday 10th June Check out my article in today’s Cork Independent which gives you tips on how to select the right tinned foods: http://www.corkindependent.com/lifestyle/lifestyle/learning-how-to-choose-the-right-foods./ Homemade baked beans 125 g of dried haricot beans or 1 tin of haricot beans 1 onion 1 clove of garlic 1 tin of chopped tomatoes ½ teaspoon cumin ¼ teaspoon […]
Smoked Chicken Salad
Friday May 7th There is a new deli in Kinsale called Bia - its a gourmet food store and is selling all sorts of yummy ingredients - from oils to spices and gluten free and wheat free foods. One thing it does stock is the Ummera range - I bought their smoked chicken and had […]
Chilli Hummus
Thursday 27th April This week in my Cork Independent article I talk about some healthier versions for healthy snacks - which can be very useful in tiding us over till our next meal. However, we often tend to go for the snacks that can be filled with sugar and refined carbohydrates (scones, muffins or croissants) […]
Butternut Squash and Rocket Salad
Monday, 19th April I think we may as well keep going with the salads as long as we can. I feel like eating them when its sunny and warm outside - I rarely feel like eating then in the depths of winter!!! This is lovely simple salad and there is still a few butternut squashes […]
Quinoa and Lentil Salad
Friday 16th, 2010 Remember how I talked about the importance of whole grains the other day. Well this salad below contains one of the nicest whole grains around… quinoa. For some reason people freak out when I mention this grain, like its a deep mystery and can only be cooked by masters!! However, its so […]
Brown Rice and Kidney bean salad
Tuesday, 21st April One advantage of blogging is that you can sit on the balcony with the sun pouring down and still be considered ‘working’. I had a client in earlier today who wasn’t clear what I meant by the term wholegrain carbohydrate. I get so used to educating people in my clinics that I […]
Giant tomato salsa with lentils
The Blue Haven ‘Casual Cooking’ cookbook is a lovely little cookbook for the spring and summer, with plenty of easy tasty recipes. I was given an opportunity to supply a few recipes to promote the area of healthy eating and healthy meals. Below is one of the recipes that I have in the book - this […]
Spicy Lentil soup
Wednesday March 24th Last night I talked to the Munster branch of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Association (ICTCM) about the importance of building a good foundation for the health of their patients through good nutrition. The message to them was similar to that of the message I’ll be giving to the Munster CPA tonight. It is […]
Kale with chickpeas, soy, chilli and garlic
I’ve adapted this recipe from The River Cottage Diary I was given for Christmas. There may be a few more adaptations throughout the year! You can have this healthy eating dish as a light supper for 2, use is as a side dish for a nice curry, or make a full meal by placing on a bed of […]
Coconut, lentil and kale soup
I adore this soup and never realised that soy sauce with coconut milk would provide such a yummy result! If you are ever stuck with which legumes to use in a dish, lentils are great in that they don’t need soaking or pre cooking (handy!) and are equally as good as all other legumes in […]
African Stew with chicken
Healthy Eating recipe with Chicken African Stew I love this recipe as it means you need to go out and buy some yummy 100% peanut butter from the health food store!! A great addition to a healthy eating plan. Nuts butters are great snacks on some sliced apples or pears or on some wholemeal toast. […]
Sweet potato and potato leek soup
Healthy Eating recipes: Sweet potato and potato leek soup This soup is one of my winter healthy eating favourites. I use sweet potato as well to top up the antioxidants to protect me from winter colds. I actually use mung beans in this recipe but use any bean you want. Of all the beans, I […]
Chickpea Stew
Healthy Eating recipes: Chickpea Stew This is a great winter stew and can last you over a few days. Again I’m not using any cooking oils for healthy eating. I’m going to try to get you experiment with this to see how you go. Cooking with oils has been linked to increased free radical damage […]
Leek and Chickpea Soup
Healthy Eating Recipes: Leek and Chickpea Soup This is a simple, feel good healthy eating soup that tastes lovely. I garnish it with chopped fresh coriander leaves to add colour and you’ll have some left over from your Chickpea stew! The leeks in this are great prebiotics (this means that they feed the good bacteria […]
Chickpea and carrot salad with roasted cashews
Healthy Eating recipes: Chickpea and carrot salad with roasted cashews This serves 2 portions. Cumin and carrot is a match made in heaven and this simple salad is great for putting in a lunchbox and taking to work. This dish is perfect for healthy eating and packed full of fibre with the carrots and chickpeas, and the […]
Warming Carrot and Ginger soup
Healthy Eating recipes: Warming Carrot and Ginger soup This is a lovely winter healthy eating soup as its got a nice kick from the ginger. Ginger is one of the best spices going, if there was a category ‘Super spices’, this would be in the top three. It is excellent for calming digestive problems and […]