Great food, Nutritious - learn to cook it - on the nutrional cookery class

The smart food for weight loss – The really effective diet

Diets are not really about punishment or food deprivation.  diet actually means  ‘a great way of eating’.  If that doesn’t sound like your diet then you need to come to our Nutritional cooking classes where you really can learn to eat more and weigh less .   Losing weight means you need to increase your metabolic rate.  You won’t achieve that by reducing your intake of food.  Infact you will have the reverse effect on your body – resulting in slowing down your metabolic rate and therefore not losing weight at all – worse still potentially gaining it when you start to eat normally.  

Our nutritional cookery classes examines the effects of eating  on the body and looks at ways to increase the metabolism and eat the things that are efficient for the body to digest and speed up your metabolic rate.  We’ll teach you to eat food that is good for you, your taste buds and your waist line! 

Call us on 01923 778880 to book your class or email Cara for more information. cara@thecookingacademy.co.uk

Exam food – Top 10 Brain Foods

Yes it’s that time of year and you will need to keep your brain sharp and nourished.

Here are 10 highly effective brain foods that improve memory, mood, concentration, and overall clarity of mind.  So eat up.

 1.    Blueberries —Blueberries serve a wide range of functions for improving mental function. Most notably, regular blueberry consumption has been shown to improve memory function. Furthermore, blueberries are rich in antioxidants, helping to prevent free radical damage. Do you still need some more to convince you.  Research has found that blueberries can also reverse age related declines in motor function, balance, and co-ordination. 

2.    Salmon—Rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, salmon helps your brain develop tissue for increasing your brain power. Furthermore, salmon also plays a key role in fighting Alzheimer’s and other age-related cognitive disorders.

3.    Linseed —Linseeds are packed withALA- a healthy fat that aids the cerebral cortex in functioning better. This is the portion of the brain responsible for processing sensory information. Keeping it sharp is vital.  Sprinkle 1 tbsp on your cereal.

4.    Coffee—regular coffee drinking has been shown to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s, Dementia, and other mental disorders. That’s because caffeine is good for the brain (in moderation), and it contains antioxidants. The important thing to note is you shouldn’t add in all the other junk to your coffee (I’m talking about the ridiculous Starbucks /café Nero type of drinks crammed with sweeteners and fatty products). 

 5.    Mixed nuts—Peanuts, walnuts, pecans, and other nuts contain properties that help with everything from fighting insomnia to promoting mental clarity and strong memory. Walnuts are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids while almonds contain natural mood-enhancing neurotransmitters. 

 6.    Avocados—Don’t let the avocado’s fat content fool you. It’s a healthy fat that promotes blood flow, keeping your mind functioning at its peak. That’s not all: Avocados have also been shown to reduce blood pressure – whilst that might not worry you at a tender age its function is still relevant, it absorbs stress which might be highly relevant at this stage.

7.    Eggs—Egg yolks are rich in choline, an essential nutrient to improving memory function.  Did you know that 6 grams of protein hide out in each egg? One egg also contains 5 grams of fat, but the kind of fat your body wants, it prevents ageing and aids the brain to function. Often people avoid eating eggs because they assume egg consumption will send their cholesterol levels through the roof. Fortunately, that’s not necessarily true. Controlled consumption will keep your cholesterol levels in check, allowing you to reap egg benefits.

 8.    Whole grains—From oatmeal to whole grain bread, whole grains are excellent brain foods as they improve circulation and contain essential fibre, vitamins, and even some Omega-3. Just make your sandwiches from whole grain breads to enjoy the benefits.

9.    Chocolate—For me, this is the yummiest brain food of all. Dark chocolate (85% coco solid Green and Blacks) is antioxidant-rich, and it also improves focus and concentration. Milk chocolate, on the other hand, improves memory and reaction time.

10.    Broccoli—Broccoli has been shown to improve memory function as well as slow the aging process. This means a broccoli-rich diet will keep you young and sharp. 

Author – Kumud Gandhi – Founder of The Cooking Academy – A unique cookery school that put the medicinal value of ingredients at the heart of every thing they teach.

www.thecookingacademy.co.uk

Watercress - The Cooking Academy cookery school

What’s in Season this month -  January 2012

Acorn Squash

Baby Plum tomatoes & Beef tomatoes

Sage

Basil

Beetroot

Brussels sprouts

Celeriac

Chantenay Carrots

Cara Potatoes

Cauliflower

Chanterelle Mushrooms

Chesnut Mushroom

Globe Artichoke

Galangal & Ginger -

Mustard cress – great for sandwiches

Leeks

 Parsley 

Peppers

Purple sprouting broccoli – Broccoli has been shown to improve memory function as well as slow the aging process. This means a broccoli-rich diet will keep you young and sharp. 

Red Onion

Red Cabbage

Swede

Thyme

Spring onions

Shitake mushrooms

Savoy cabbage

 Watercress

A recipe for the heart  – Purple sprouting broccoli  & mange tout with an oriental dressing

Purple sprouting broccoli is in season and besides tasting very good, medicinally has some pretty compelling reasons to be eaten.  Now this tasty and quick recipes make broccoli infinately more interesting and edible. 

Purple Sprouting Broccoli with Chilli and Sesame Dressing

 Serves 3-4

 Ingredients

 350 g purple sprouting broccoli

200g mange tout

salt

 For the dressing: 

  1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

 1 tbsp sesame oil

 1 tbsp lime juice

 1 tsp Thai fish sauce

 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce

 1 small red chilli, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic finely chopped

Salt to taste

 Cooking Instructions

1.  Start by preparing the broccoli by cutting it into even-sized pieces, stalks as well.  Top and tail and take the rind off the mange tout.  Wash thoroughly.
2.  Place both of the ingredients into fan steamer, place into a saucepan, add a little boiling water, sprinkle with a little sea salt and place the lid on firmly shut to allow to steam cook for about 4 minutes.
3.  Meanwhile, to make the dressing, place all the dressing ingredients into a bowl, stir well and taste, season as per your preference.�When the vegetables are cooked, remove from the steamer and transfer to a warm serving bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the vegetables, toss it around and serve straight away. 

 Serve with steamed rice or with a meat/tofu main dish

 Health tips 1:  Did you know that broccoli contains more vitamin C than most citrus fruits and it has more calcium than a glass milk and has more fibre than whole wheat bread. 

 Health tips 2: The best way to eat broccoli is to steam it, boiling it loses its mineral value very quickly, though broccoli can be eaten raw as well. 

 Broccoli is high Vitamin A, C and Vitamin B1 (Thiamin), B2 (Riboflavin), B3 (Niacin), B5 (Pantothenic acid), B6, B9 (Folate).  It also comes packed with lots of good minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc.

 Broccoli for weight loss

Broccoli  is considered a low-glycemic food which helps to normalize blood sugar. One of the keys to weight loss is controlling the body’s response to insulin.  

 The real potent nutritional value of broccoli lies in substances called isothiocyanates.  (Don’t let the name put you to sleep).  Isothiocyanates are a class of very potent anti-carcinogens. Meaning, they fight and help prevent cancer.

Broccoli is Anti-cancerous

Specifically, tests have shown that broccoli’s anti-cancer compounds greatly protected mice from stomach cancer. Although you don’t hear about stomach cancer much per se, it is actually the second most common form of cancer.   Studies conducted at the John Hopkins University (USA) showed that broccoli contains compounds that trigger the body to produce a substance (sulforaphane) that, in turn, manufactures enzymes that are powerful cancer fighters.

Author – Kumud Gandhi – Founder of The Cooking Academy – A unique cookery school that put the medicinal value of ingredients at the heart of every thing they teach.  www.thecookingacademy.co.uk

Cauliflower & Cheese Soup

It’s definately soup day today!  The sun may be out but dont be fooled into thinking it’s spring, the temperature is touching 4 degrees in Hertfordshire today and thus demands soup to warm up the cockles.  Would someone please tell where the cockles can be found on the human anatomy!!  It’s a northern expression that sounds great but what are cockles ?  

I had this soup for supper yesterday and thought of a dear customer who is confined to a pureed food diet for the time being.  I thought of her instantly as she described her pain and dedicate this recipe to her.  

Cauliflower & Cheese Soup  

 Serves 4

 Ingredients

 1 Cauliflower – Florets separated and cut down if very large pieces

4 or 5 charlotte potatoes – peeled and cut in half

1.25  litres of vegetable stock

4 sticks of celery – finely diced into ½ cm cubes

5 bay leaves

25g unsalted butter

1 tsp salt or to taste

5 black peppercorns fresh or dried, add in whole

50 g cheddar cheese or Manchego cheese

Splash double cream or crème fraise

 Cooking Instructions

 In a large pan, melt the butter then add the bay leaves, celery, and black peppercorns garlic and cook for 15 minutes without colouring but softened. Now add the cauliflower and potatoes and cook for a further 15 minutes, stirring gently from time to time.  

 Now add the stock and bring to the boil. Once boiling, turn down to a gentle simmer and cook for 30 minutes.

 Remove from the heat and liquidise the soup very gently; or if you prefer a little more texture then use a potato masher to mash the solid vegetables.  

 Return to the heat; now add the cheese and cream and check the seasoning after the cheese has disintegrated (cheese can be salty and will therefore add its own seasoning).  Sprinkle a little cheese on top and grill for a few minutes to develop a little crust … garnish with a few strands of rocket if desired or trying to show off your culinary skills to your family and friends …..

 Serve with some fresh crusty bread  - enjoy

 Cooks tip 1: Use broccoli instead of cauliflower if desired

Cooks tip 2: Manchego Cheese or stilton cheese is delightful

 Health tips 1: Cauliflower is from the same family as broccoli.  It is rich in folate, vitamin C, vitamin E and beta-carotene. 

 Folate helps in making and stimulating blood; Folate is also essential for growth of body tissues and can prevent severe diseases like cancer and heart disease.   Vitamin C, acts as anti-oxidant; Vitamin E and beta-carotene, makes our immune system strong.

 Recipe by Kumud Gandhi – copyrights to The Cooking Academy Cookery school

Recipes to pep up the Brussels

Brussel Sprouts!  Are you still boiling  yours ?

Love or loathe them, they’re a fabulous little winter vegetable packed with earthy flavour and goodness, their medicinal qualities are somewhat overshadowed by their reputation for smelly after-effects.  But it all depends on what you do with them. So here are 3 alternative recipes:

 Steam the sprouts with just 50 ml water and covered either in the microwave or on the hob.  Once fully cooked, mash with parmesan cheese, some double cream a little black pepper and salt to season – serve them as an alternative mash potato or bubble & squeak patties.

 Another alternative is to toss them in a little butter, a generous helping of garlic and sliced almonds, fry on a high heat for 2 minutes, then turn them out into a baking tray and roast for 30 minutes.  Serve with any other main course dish

My third suggestion is equally simple, quick and tasty.  Tossing a knob of butter into a baking tray, add some pancetta or lardons, the raw sprouts topped and tailed, some chesnuts and some rosemary, mix together and roast for 40 minutes at 180 degrees.  Once cooked, season with a little pepper, salt is unnecessary as it will come from the pancetta or lardons.

Nutritional Value of the ‘Super food’ league

Brussel Sprouts are high in antioxidant properties, they have three times the level of vitamin C of an orange.  Unlike most vegetables, Brussel Sprouts are high in protein as well, providing just over a quarter of their calories. Four-to-six sprouts contain the adult daily requirements for vitamin C.  They’re also an excellent source of vitamin B6, vitamin D, vitamin K, beta-carotene, potassium and folic acid during pregnancy.     As if this wasn’t enough, Brussels sprouts contain numerous cancer-fighting phytochemicals in the form of glucosinolates.  A 100 g serving of cooked Brussels sprouts provides 35 calories, 2.3 g of protein, no cholesterol, 0.4 g of fat, 7.2 g of carbohydrate, and 3.3 g of fibre.  With such an impressive resume their definately worth their salt! 

Recipes by Kumud Gandhi – founder of The Cooking Academy- a Cookery school in Hertfordshire  that puts the medicinal value of food at the heart of everything they teach.  For further infromation please contact Sonia Basra at The Cooking Academy 01923 778880

Jazz up the Cranberry sauce - Recipe from The Cooking Academy

Cranberry sauce – spice it up !

 If you like the idea of cranberry sauce but find traditional jars too sweet then you might like my alternative. My ‘left over turkey’ somosa recipe will be a willing accompaniment as a dip to this dish so look that one too.  

I’ve taken a regular jar of cranberry sauce, add 1 tsp of dried chilli flakes, ¼ tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp of ground roasted cumin, 1 tbsp of lemon juice and 3 tbsp of orange juice.  The consistency is now perfect as a dip, to accompany your turkey roast dinner or the somosas. Give it a go…..

Recipe by Kumud Gandhi – Founder of The Cooking Academy

Kumud's recipes for Leek and Potato soup

Kumud’s recipes for Local leeks and potato soup

On a cold winters night like tonight this recipe for Leek and Potato soup will go down a treat!  Both leeks and potatoes are at their best and so what better time to eat the seasonal good stuff.  This recipe is very quick and easy and cook time is really quite manageable for after work without losing the will to live!   With such little maintenance you can go grab a bath whilst the soup is simmering and it’ll ready to eat on your return.  

Serve with some crusty wholemeal bread and make the meal a really nourishing treat as well as a winter warmer.

Nutritional Value:

Leeks are packed with anti oxidants, folic acid and are a good source of vitamin A, C, E and K .  Leeks also contain small amounts of zinc and potassium.  Its’ anti oxidant  and vitamin C value is the greatest as they develop resistence against bacteria and infectious agents.   For this time of year its just the sort of vitamin boost the body needs to keep it fighting fit.

 Leek & Potato Soup

 Serves 4

 Ingredients

 2 leeks, finely shredded, white & green parts

4 large rooster potatoes, peeled and diced

2 shallots, finely diced

750ml vegetable stock

A pinch of salt (0.25g)

4 sticks of celery – finely diced into ½ cm cubes

2 shallots, finely diced

1 tsp finely chopped garlic

5 bay leaves

25g unsalted butter

1 tsp salt or to taste

Pinch of black pepper

Splash double cream

 Cooking Instructions

 In a large pan, melt the butter then add the bay leaves, shallots, celery, and garlic and cook for 15 minutes without colouring but softened. Now add the leeks and cook for a further 15 minutes, stirring gently from time to time before adding the potatoes. Cook for a further 5 minutes.

 Now add the stock and bring to the boil. Once boiling, turn down to a gentle simmer and cook for 35-40 minutes or until the potatoes are tender to breaking up in the liquid.

Remove from the heat and liquidise the soup very gently; or if you prefer a little more texture then use a potato masher to lightly mash the solid vegetables.

Return to the heat; add the black pepper, stir and check the seasoning level, salt etc… now add the cream and serve with some fresh crusty bread

Cooks tip 1:

Cut the leeks lengthways from the top and fan open to ensure you wash out the grit from the top part of the leaves. 

Iron Rich foods

With the cold weather dipping in and out at the moment it’s very easy to catch a cold.  However if you regularly feel run down it could be your iron levels are running low.   Iron deficiency could become a serious risk to your health if it goes undetected for too long.  

Iron is an essential for the formation of haemoglobin. The iron in haemoglobin combines with oxygen and transports it through the blood to all parts of the body. Anemia is a result of iron deficiency. Symptoms often associated with anemia are; tiredness, lack of stamina, headaches, insomnia, breathlessness, and loss of appetite.

For a vegetarian the bodies intake of Iron is very important and often a mineral that can be easily depleted over a period of time.  Prolonged deficiency can begin to impact other health areas and most importantly impair the quality and output of every day life. Vegetables like broccoli and pak choy are rich in iron. These particular vegetables are high iron and also high in vitamin C, which increases absorption of their iron content.

Iron Absorption by Body

The iron absorption by body depends on the form of the iron. The iron from animal sources, known as heme iron, is absorbed easily by the body. The iron found in vegetable sources, known as non-heme iron, is less available to the body. The amount of iron absorbed from vegetarian foods is around 1 – 10%, while it is 10 – 20% from animal foods.

Good Enhancer Foods for Iron Absorption: Combinations of foods such as beans and tomato or tofu and broccoli result in good iron absorption. In general vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, capsicums, potato, tomato, etc. and fruits such as cantaloupe, grapefruit, strawberries, orange, etc. enhance the iron absorption.

Foods Not Good (Inhibitors) For Iron Absorption: Avoid the following foods in combination with high iron foods as they inhibit the iron absorption: Tea, coffee, chard, etc.  Here’s a list of ingredients  that are great to build up your iron levels.

 Vegetarian Iron rich food  

 For further information contact Kumud Gandhi at The Cooking Academy 01923 778880.  Or email her on kumud@thecookingacademy.co.uk

Author Kumud Gandhi – Founder of The Cooking Academy – cookery school that puts the medicinal value of food at the heart of everything they teach.  Copywrites required. www.thecookingacademy.co.uk

Hazledene Farm shop – Suppliers of native rare breed meats

You know I’m a great advocate of searching out local suppliers of fine provenance and I’m happy to share yet another local treasure with you.  

Hazledene Farm & Farm shop is conveniently located in Chesham on a rather large estate.  They sell native rare breed animals that are are slow maturing which adds to the flavour. All the livestock is free range and fed on a non-gm natural diet, and whilst not certified organic all the produce on the farm is raised to organic certification standards – but without the heavy price tag.   The quality of the produce is fantastic and having cooked with it I can say it is particularly good. 

So if you’re thinking about your christmas lunch then you’ll find some very tasty produce at Hazledene Farm.  The farm shop is well stocked with a range of high quality produce including our very own range of organic spices and spice blends from The cooking Academy. 

Contact Liz on  01494-783501  http://www.hazeldenefarm.com/