Diet and Chemotherapy - Banana and Spinach Smoothie
Diet and Chemotherapy I’m getting more and more requests from people and organisations to develop recipes and menus for people undergoing chemotherapy - they want to know more about diet and chemotherapy. It can be a time when appetite is low and eating can be difficult. And yet, it is a time when eating a […]
Blueberry Yogurt with Toasted Cashews
Blueberry Yogurt with Toasted Cashews I’m very excited about the work that I am currently doing with Urru Culinary Store in Bandon. I was brought into the store to take a look at their menus, and make suggestions on how to put health at the centre of these. As a store committed to providing only […]
Tasty feta and mango crackers
If anyone sees a crazy looking women in the shops taking photos of labels, well that’s me! Slowly over the course of the summer I’ve had to challenge all my assumptions about particular shops, particular brands and particular foods! I’ve learn that shopping well really does come down to one thing – reading the label. […]
Using Yogurt Dip as a dressing
Yogurt dressing and dip What is interesting about the comparisons I’m doing at the moment across various food products is how there are no rules! There is no one brand or any one supermarket that is better than others. It really comes down to reading labels and paying attention to back of the product as […]
Handy Hummus Wrap
Handy Hummus Wrap I must admit, I do think that hummus is one of the handiest dips. I have about 10 different ones on my website spogsracing.com, using different beans, spices and citrus flavours. One of the reason why I feel it is so useful is that it can be used as a spread, a […]
Banana bread recipe
Alternatives to something sweet Lent is often a time when people consider the habits they have and which ones they feel would be good to give up! Often, sweets and chocolates are top of the list or things to give up. So are there any alternatives in terms of sweet things to enjoy? One of […]
Beetroot Tzatziki Dip
I’ve found the best beetroots this winter - I’m not sure if the frost brought out all the sweetness. Not only have I been cooking with them an awful lot but I have also been reminding myself of just how great they are… Not only are beetroots a great source of fibre but they are also packed […]
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 […]
Boosting your Immune System with Parsley Dip
Parsley Dip This is a great time of year for the colour green! Do you notice the fresh herbs are starting to get cheaper and more plentiful in the shops? I even notice the bags are getting bigger. Summer is the perfect time to boost your fresh herbs consumption. Not only are they packed full […]
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 […]
Healthy Yogurt Pizza Dough Recipes
In the below recipe, you can use anything for a topping. I generally try to reduce down the cheese topping and generally use pesto with chopped peppers, sauted onions with olives or thinly sliced tomatoes with fresh basil. Every time I do this recipe the consistency is different so if you feel this is too […]
Courgette scones
Courgette and Cheese scones I find courgettes are at their best at the height of summer. They are sweet enough to chop or grate into salads. I also find that they are often on special offer, which means I have a few handfuls of them in my fridge. Courgettes are a great addition to breads, […]
Raspberry and Coconut muffins
Wednesday 22nd September Check out my article today on http://blog.localmarkets.ie/. For a sample of what to expect, see below: I’m not sure I should be covering raspberries as we only have a week or two left of them but I can’t help it. We’ve such lovely berries at the moment that much of what I’ll talk […]
Guacamole
There is also a yummy recipe for guacamole… one of my favourite dips! Homemade guacamole 3 avocados – peeled, stones removed and mashed 1 lime – juiced 1 small handful of fresh coriander (optional) 2 tomatoes – diced 1 clove of garlic 2 teaspoons of yogurt A pinch of salt and black pepper A pinch […]
Super Green Smoothie
Super Green Smoothie 1 large handful of spinach or kale 2 tablespoons of yogurt 1 tablespoon of ground linseeds 1 apple - chopped Water Place the spinach and apple in a liquidiser and add a small glass of water. Whizz till the spinach is well liquidised. Add the yogurt and the linseeds and […]
Broad Bean Dip
Broad beans are a great summer treat. Yes, they take a bit of effort in podding them and removing the fibre layer, but I think they are worth the effort. Of course, most supermarkets have done this for you - you can buy little packets of shelled beans ready to cook. I eat these in […]
Root vegetable chips
I’m getting great sweet baby turnips from the community garden at the moment and if I’m not grating them into my salads I’m roasting them like this. Graham, a dear friend of mine, bought me a special chip making roasting tray which really means you don’t need oil to make roasties! I noticed on the […]
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 […]
Coconut Muffins
Friday 28th May Its the weekend and you might have a bit of spare time for some baking this weekend. I make these muffins when I know I’m going to be out and about a lot. If you have a meeting first thing or have meetings straight after one another, having a healthy snack such […]
Split Pea, Chive and Lemon dip
Tuesday 25th May I’ve gone a bit mad with the dips lately. I think this is due to the fact that they are just so easy to make and can be used in a variety of ways - perfect for an easy healthy eating plan. This dip is just yummy and split peas are easier […]
Tzatziki
Monday 24th May This may have a funny name but it is the most simple of recipes and perfect for a lunch time or afternoon snack. I have half a cucumber left in my fridge after a cooking class last week and wondered what to do with it. Cucumbers are great for healthy eating coming […]
Cumin and Lime hummus
Friday May 21st For those who could not read my hummus recipe in the WOW article, here is a copy below. I made a similar hummus to this last night at my ‘lose weight for summer’ healthy cooking classes - I made with red kidney beans and I think I might prefer this to the […]
Black Eyed Bean Hummus
Wednesday May 12th I’m doing one of my home based cooking classes tonight and I thought I’d throw in a little twist on a traditional recipe. The theme of the evening is the importance of beans and lentils and through the evening I’ll be talking about the various health benefits of these great healthy eating […]
Guacamole
Tuesday May 6th Unfortunately, we have been poorly educated around fat. As a result, we have all sorts of mis-conceptions around the role of fat in the diet and in our bodies. It is the quality of the fat that is important when considering fat for healthy living. Poor quality fats, often found in highly […]
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) […]
Energy Bar
Thursday 21st April See below for my great new energy bar in the Cork Independent that will keep the hunger at bay for ages… http://www.corkindependent.com/lifestyle/lifestyle/a-snack-with-some-bite/ This is a perfect healthy snack to keep you in line with a healthy eating plan. Healthy snacks: Food for Living’s Energy Bars 150 g rolled oats 50 g raisins […]
Great Health Benefits of Garlic - with garlic pesto
I’ve a great article in the Cork Independent on the health benefits of garlic and a yummy Wild Garlic pesto that I had for breakfast this morning on a slice of sour dough rye and a poached egg. I had a good handful of blueberries as I was making making breakfast - making it a […]
Banana and Blueberry Muffins
Wednesday 23rd April I was out at a training course all day and knew I’d get hungry. At 11 o clock the usual plate of biscuits and scones came out with the tea. Rather than fall into the trap of nibbling on them for the sake of it, I brought along these muffins as part […]
Green Pea Dip
Monday, April 12th What a weekend!!!! Sunshine and everyone feeling good. I hope everyone got out for their 20 minutes of sun with no factor on - remember that Vitamin D is essential in terms of your immune system and is blocked with sun block. Once you’ve got your 20 minutes and are going to […]
Baba Ganoush (Aubergine Dip)
Check my ‘What’s Coming Up’ section for information about my 4 week cookery course that will change your eating habits and have you feeling fabulous! March 29th, 2010 People tend to forget just how great dips are in terms of healthy eating. I’m not talking about the sour cream ones (!!!!) but the ones that […]
Olive Tapenade
With summer in the air, I notice that I want salad more and more. Yet, don’t forget that dressings are one of the best ways to add new tastes, flavours and goodness to your salad selection. You can use all sorts of ingredients - from fresh herbs to spices, citrus such as lemon or orange […]