Broad Bean Dip

So, I usually say most of my meals never take long to prepare and I always opt for hassle free nutrient dense food but the below may be an exception.

Every week we have a Riverford vegetable box delivered and this is something that I started early on in my health journey. They are organic in season vegetables which is so important.

At my Endometriosis talk last week at the Royal Society of Medicine I talked about reducing our exposure to these chemicals and it is particularly important for those with oestrogen dominant conditions such as endometriosis. When we eat food covered in pesticides, these chemicals are perceived as xenoestrogens in the body and thus mimic the action of oestrogen, adding to that overall load, which therapeutically we are looking to reduce.

One of the reservations people have around organic is often the cost and this is where buying in season really makes a difference. Blueberries are a great example of this as currently you can buy organic for a round £2-2.50 as they are in season but the price in winter shoots up to £4. In season, organic vegetables aren’t actually that expense and a vegetable box for the family, with 8 different types of vegetables is starts at £14.

So although I wouldn’t have put the broad beans in my supermarket trolley, they came with Riverford and it pushed me outside my comfort zone and to try something new. Try the recipe and see if you agree with me, that it was worth the effort…

Broad bean Dip

Ingredients

Broad beans

½ avocado

1 tbsp tahini

2 garlic cloves - crushed

5 tbsp olive oil

Himalayan Salt

Black pepper

Method

1.     Pod the broad beans and then boil for 5 minutes.

2.     Once boiled you want to double pod and the outer shell should easily come away with your fingers – this makes a huge difference to the flavour.

3.     Add all of the above into your food processor and blitz for 30 seconds. 

Broccoli Rice

Broccoli, we’ve known for a long time that they are a super food with so many health benefits but a new study has revealed that the sulphoraphane in broccoli can support blood sugar management in diabetes. “We have investigated the mechanism and sulphoraphane targets the critical disease process.” Anders Rosengren commented.

If you suffer with diabetes then having this food in your diet would be beneficial. Insulin sensitivity is programmed through our genes and having a genetic SNP (single-nucleotide polymorphism) on this may mean you have a higher chance, if not following the right diet and lifestyle of being diagnosed with diabetes. I see lots of people in clinic who have this SNP or the genes for high cholesterol and they are amazed that we can have such positive results through our diet.

I have diabetes in the family and a SNP on my insulin sensitivity gene so it is important that I manage this through my diet. My blood glucose and HbA1c levels remain at a good level but on the wrong diet these could quickly be pushed out.

One of the key areas to managing this is adding lots of good quality vegetables to your diet and this broccoli rice is a great way to do that. You can add to most things and we typically use it as a rice alternative when having chili or curry’s or add to salads.

Let me know what you think.

Broccoli Rice

1 broccoli

Olive oil

Method

1.     Cut the florets off to individual pieces and steam for 4 minutes

2.     Add to food processor and blitz for 5 seconds

3.     I drizzle with olive oil as you can never have too many antioxidants. 

Spicy Butter Bean burgers

These are a firm favourite in our house and great now we are going into BBQ season as a meat free alternative. They are vegan and so delicious.

Butter beans, aka lima beans, are a great source of cholesterol lowering fibre. The fibre is also great for managing blood sugar fluctuations, as they prevent blood sugars spiking too quickly (download my e-book for more information on this).

These are fully vegan and do contain protein but for a full protein serve with some whole grains, such as rice and plenty of salad.

These beans are rich in molybdenum which assists in the detoxification of substances like sulfites, copper and alcohol, and it also helps the body to excrete protein breakdown products such as uric acid and petrochemicals.

Ingredients

660g Large butter beans (I use Navarrico)

2 red onions finely sliced

1 carrot – grated

2 cloves of garlic – crushed

2 tbsp tomato puree

2 tsp tamari sauce

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp smoked paprika

2 tbsp coconut oil

Method

1.     Sweat the onions for 2/3 minutes

2.     Add the garlic, paprika, cumin and a splash of water to the pan, mix. Add in the grated carrot and cook on a low heat for 5 minutes

3.     Mash beans in a separate pan.

4.     Add to the beans the tomato puree, mustard, tamari and mix well.

5.     Add the vegetables to the pan and mix well.

6.     Season to taste with Himalayan salt and pepper

7.     Make burger patties from the mixture and heat a spate frying pan with coconut oil

8.     Fry the burgers, they will take roughly 5 minutes each side.

9.     Serve with a large salad. 

Improve your Sleep? Try my Walnut Super Green Paste

This super greens walnut paste is sooo good and perfect to offset those easter eggs. Full of detoxifying herbs and spinach, with some lovely in season wild garlic leaves. I made this to use up some spinach but it’s a great one to have in the freezer and can be added to pasta, so even when in a rush you can offer something nourishing. It is also a great way to add herbs and vegetables to your breakfast. I had on some Organic paleo bread this morning with eggs, full of protein and phytonutrients.

Walnuts give this an even better nutritional composition as they provide protein, healthy fats, including omega 3’s, fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

They are rich in the protein l-arginine and therefore great for the cardiovascular system so anyone with family history of this would do well to add in to their diet.

They are rich in vitamin E, folate, omega 3 fats making them great food for brain health. Interestingly a study in 2005 showed that in rat models they increased melatonin levels three-fold, so anyone struggling with insomnia or sleep would benefit in having these in their diet. Melatonin is the hormone responsible for regulating and inducing sleep and is produced in the darkness. Interestingly having white or blue based lights in the bedroom inhibit melatonin, so should be avoided especially in children’s bedrooms.

Walnut Super Green Paste

100g walnuts

½ cup parsley

1 cup Basel

½ cup wild garlic

2 cups spinach

Juice of 1 lemon

6 tablespoons of olive oil

Method

1-    Mill the walnuts in the nutri bullet/blender

2-    Add all of the greens to the blender with the lemon juice and mix for 20 seconds

3-    Mix the walnuts and olive oil to the paste and blender for further 20 seconds, until pesto like consistency

4-    Ready to serve

5-    I then put the leftovers between some folder baking parchment paper and stuck in the freezer for later use. Just break off  what you need. 

Courgette Brownies

brownie

These are grain free and contain vegetables, with the courgettes making an appearance., although you would never know! I personally think these taste just as good as the flour version and with the addition of the dark chocolate they feel like a treat. Dark chocolate contains fibre, essential for prop bowel movements and is high in Manganese, Copper and Magnesium, so it really is good for us.

The refined grans have been replaced with almonds and tahini, for extra protein and nutrients. Tahini is made from sesame seeds and are a good source of phytoestrogens, that can naturally displace aggressive estrogens and thus help with hormone balance.

Ingredients

120g almond butter

80g tahini

140g dark chocolate,

70+ % cocoa solids

3 eggs

2 courgettes, grated

60g ground almonds

1 tsp bicarbonate soda

pinch cinnamon

Method

1- Preheat the oven to 180 C

2- Mix the nut butter, tahini and chocolate together in a saucepan over a low heat, allowing the chocolate to melt.

3- In your food processor add the remaining ingredients and mix. Then add in the chocolate sauce and re blend until it forms a smooth consistency.

4- Grease and line a square baking tin with baking parchment and spoon the mixture in.

5- Bake for 25 minutes, until it is firm on top.

6- Transfer to baking tray and allow to cool. These last for 2/3 days but perfect for freezing too.