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Citrus Prawn Cocktail With Chilli Mayonnaise.
An old favourite revisited, but you won't find shredded lettuce or pink sauce in this one. Instead it's packed with tangy citrus fruits and a hint of chilli to make it unrecognisable from the seventies original.
200g frozen, cooked peeled prawns, defrosted.
2 large grapefruit.
4 medium oranges.
a mild red chilli or a pinch or two of chilli flakes.
4-6 tbls good quality mayonnaise.
Chopped parsley and slices of lemon to decorate.
Using a sharp knife, cut the top and bottom off the oranges and grapefruits, then cut off the rest of the skin including the pith. Carefully cut between each segment of the fruits to extract the flesh without any pith. Set aside.
Remove the seeds from the chilli, then cut into tiny slivers.
In a large bowl, mix the chilli or chilli flakes with the mayonnaise, then mix in the prawns and the fruit segments. Be careful to discard any juice from the fruit as this will make the mixture too runny.
Spoon the cocktail mixture into individual bowls or wine goblets. Top with chopped parsley and a slice of lemon.
Serves 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes. |
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Tuna Pie.
Crust:
1 cup of grated strong cheddar cheese
1 cup of plain flour
Melt 4 oz. (115g) margarine, mix together and press into a 9 in. (23cm) pie plate.
Filling:
1 tin of tuna 185g (drained)
1 small tin of ideal milk 170g
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tbsp. fresh chopped parsley
½ medium size onion, chopped
1 tsp. Colman's mustard
Mix all together and pour in to crust. Bake at 190C or Gas setting 5 until set and firm. Delicious with salad hot or cold.
Enjoy. Marie Birch |
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Blue Cheese Dressing.
2 oz. blue cheese
1¼ cup of mayonnaise
1 crushed garlic clove
¼ cup double cream (thick)
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Crumble blue cheese into small pieces and stir into the mixture of mayonnaise and double cream. Add chopped parsley, garlic and salt & pepper to taste. Place all ingredients in blender and beat until smooth.
Enjoy. Marie Birch |
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Apple & Pineapple Crisp.
500g sliced peeled apples
250g can crushed pineapple
1 tbsp. lemon juice
175g cup packed brown sugar
125g cup old-fashioned oats
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
125g cup chopped pecans
75ml melted butter or margarine
Preheat the oven to 350 degree's. Arrange the apples in a 9"x9" baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
Mix the undrained pineapple and lemon juice in a bowl. Spread over the apples. Combine the brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg and pecans in a bowl and mix well. Stir in the butter. Sprinkle over the prepared layers.
Bake, covered with foil, for 30 minutes; remove the foil for 10 to 12 minutes longer or until crisp.
Enjoy. Marie Birch |
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Super Seeds.
Seeds contain many essential vitamins and minerals but they are often overlooked as a superfood. A seed contains everything needed to grow into a plant so they are full of health benefits. They have a high concentration of essential fatty acids; our bodies can't make these so we have to obtain them from our diet. Essential fatty acids make up the outer layer of the body's cells and keep our immune and nervous systems functioning properly as well as being an important brain food. Seeds are also a good source of phyto-oestrogens (naturally occurring plant oestrogens), these can help balance Women's hormones (and men's!) and ease the symptoms of PMS and the menopause. Our skin, digestive and endocrine system will also benefit from seeds - and as they are excellent sources of protein, they are ideal for vegetarians. Seeds are also a good source of fibre but the husks can be irritating to the gut, so anyone with IBS or Crohn's disease should avoid them.
Seeds add another dimension to our diet with their variety of flavours. In order to retain their nutritional value they should be stored in a dark-coloured airtight jar in the fridge. Don't keep them for longer than two months as they have a high fat content that can quickly become rancid. |
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Top Seeds.
Pumpkin - can be eaten raw or cooked. They are rich in protein, iron, zinc and phosphorous.
Sesame - these can also be made into a paste called tahini. They are a good source of protein and calcium and also contain vitamin B3, iron and zinc.
Sunflower - these can be eaten raw, cooked or whole. They are rich in potassium and phosphorous and contain some calcium and iron.
Linseeds (also called flaxseed) - these are rich in the phytochemical lignan, which can have an anti-cancer effect. They are also a good source of soluble fibre that can help lower cholesterol. They must be well chewed, ground, or soaked in water before using, or they will pass straight through the body.
Pine nuts (also called pignolias) - they are a good source of protein. Best when toasted.
Hemp - it's illegal to grow these into cannabis plants! But there's no problem with eating the nutritious seeds. The green seed coat is rich in fibre and the creamy white centre has a light, milky flavour and is full of antioxidants. It is also the seed with one of the most digestible and usable forms of essential fatty acids. They also contain immune-boosting amino acids.
Fennel - these are good for detoxifying and are best used as an infusion (soak the seeds in boiling water for 10 minutes).
Caraway - these can be used as an infusion (the same way as with fennel); the tea can then be used to settle the digestion.
Poppy - these are an excellent source of calcium. |
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How To Include Seeds In Your Diet.
*Sprinkle seeds onto salads.
*Add to any bread or cake mix.
*Toast seeds and add them at the last minute (to preserve the crunch) to pasta dishes.
*Add to cereals and muesli.
*Coat tofu with toasted sesame seeds, tahini paste, soy sauce and stir-fry.
*Make a snack out of mixed seeds, dried fruit and nuts.
*Use as part of a stuffing mix - sunflower seeds mix well with apricots.
*Make a dip by combining seeds, herbs and yoghurts.
*Make hemp into a milk by soaking the seeds overnight.
*Grind seeds in a coffee grinder and add to any meal. |
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