Latest recipes with photos

Give a warm welcome to this cool smoothie. Mint has traditionally had a role in welcoming guests throughout history, and by many different cultures. The ancient Greeks rubbed mint leaves on the dining tables to greet guests, mint tea is offered to guests in the Middle East and many cultures boil the leaves to freshen the air. This is also the recipe to say goodbye – to stomach problems – mint has a soothing effect on the digestive tract, relieving symptoms of indigestion, cucumber too is high in fibre, also good for digestive health and pineapple contains a digesting enzyme that is unique to pineapples, Bromelain. Bromelain is know to be good for brain health, also, when you are cooking one of our delicious meat recipes, the meat can be tenderized with pineapple because the Bromelain breaks down the meat proteins. Cucumbers are cool too, they are mainly water, 95% in fact, making them ideal for hydration. Cucumbers contain polyphenols called lignans which are considered helpful in lowering the risk of breast, ovarian and prostate cancers. Be prepared to be bowled over by this smoothie!

What a way to start your day, a healthy bowl of nature’s fruit and nut bounty. Bananas aren’t only full of vitamins and minerals but numerous bioactive compounds that have antioxidant qualities. Walnuts contain phytonutrients that have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits, research has shown that most of the foods we usually eat do not contain some of these phytonutrients. An unusual form of Vitamin E is found in walnuts and studies have found it provides heart protection. Who would have thought that the walnut was so unique!

This sunrise smoothie is a colourful burst of vitamins and minerals to help protect your health. The flavonoids and vitamin A in carrots, oranges and mangos protect the eyes and help protect against many cancers. Oranges are a great source of fibre which improves the function of the digestive system. There are many more health benefits to gain from this sunny start to the day.

This recipe not only looks fantastic, but it is fantastic for you in many ways. Let’s look at your heart, grapes contain phytonutrient resveratrol which is great for heart health, strawberries, heart- shaped for a reason, contain anthocyanins which are associated with heart health as well as being what gives fruit and flowers their colour. Pecans contain monounsaturated fats that help prevent coronary heart disease. All this and more, vitamin C, folate, manganese, potassium, fibre to name just a few.

We’re sure you’ll be converted to this healthy substantial burger option once you try it, we are also sure that you won’t only be eating it on the 31st August – National Burger Day. Flaxseeds or linseeds are small oilseeds that originated in the Middle East thousands of years ago. Flaxseeds have a high content of Omega-3 which is good for heart health and they are 29% Carbohydrate, of this, a massive 95% is fibre which is good for digestion. They contain many vitamins, minerals and essential amino acids so understandably they are becoming more popular. Be aware though – they do not contain Lysine so they cannot be considered a protein source, but this can be found in another ingredient, the black bean. A great alternative burger recipe!

We can be sure that these little cookie people don’t have joint inflammation or digestive problems. Ginger, Cinnamon, Cardamom and Cloves all have anti- inflammatory properties as well as many others, studies show that chronic inflammation and oxidative stress speed up the aging process that play a large part in age-related cognitive decline. It’s amazing to think that Coconuts are the stones of the Coconut fruit, similar to an Avocado stone. The white Coconut meat is rich in fibre which aids digestion, Ginger too is renowned for relieving nausea and sickness. Adults and children alike, will love these flavoursome cookies.

The recipe is perfect for World Diabetes Day, it not only looks good, it does you good. Blueberries definitely deserve the accolade of being one of the ‘Superfoods’. It is considered that they contain one of the highest antioxidant capacity of all of the more well known fruits and vegetables. The main antioxidant compounds belong to a large group of polyphenols called flavonoids, one group of flavonoids are called anthocyanins, it is this group that have the impact on diabetes – several studies show that insulin sensitivity is improved and blood sugar levels are lowered when Blueberries are included in the diet. You will enjoy this delicious dessert even more in the knowledge that it’s a ‘Superdessert’.

You can keep fit and healthy running after real tennis balls, and also, with our nutritious edible version. Eggs contain an essential nutrient that is gaining a resurgence in the nutrition world, the nutrient is called Choline. Scientists in the mid 1800’s discovered that the molecule, Choline, in the yolk of eggs was exactly the same as a substance, ‘Neurine’, in our brain. Choline plays a key role in human cell health, nervous system activity and development, liver function, early growth and development (it is important for pregnant women to eat choline-rich foods). Spinach is rich in iron, this is important for red blood cells which help in the transportation of oxygen around the body – essential for all that running around. Take advantage, serve and then, love all!

An alternative sandwich that’s full of fibre due to the plantain and lentils. They are both great sources of fibre which, as we know, aids digestion. This sandwich is healthy for everyone, but pregnant women especially will benefit from the iron and high quantity of folate in the lentils, one cup (200g) provides 358 micrograms of folate and considering the daily requirement is 400 micrograms it doesn’t take a mathematician to know this adds up.

The power of pears is boundless, we’ll spell it out for you. P for Potassium which lowers blood pressure and takes pressure off the cardiovascular system. E for Eyes, the lutein and zeaxanthin help in the reduction of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. A for all the Antioxidants and their anti-carcinogenic activities which are linked to the prevention of some cancers. R for the Red blood cell count improvement because of the copper and iron content. S is for the synthesizing of new tissue in various organs and helps to keep the metabolism working efficiently.

An interesting fact is that wild rice isn’t actually rice, but a seed that is produced by some types of aquatic grasses in North America. There are many benefits, one of which is that these seeds contain high levels of antioxidants which neutralize free radicals. Free radicals are the by-products of cellular metabolism and they have the potential to turn healthy cells cancerous. Wild rice has a substantial amount of Vitamin C which repairs cells, tissues, organs and gives the immune system a boost. It has high levels of fibre which clears out bad cholesterol and also aids the digestive system. We think there are enough reasons here to go wild!

Not that we need an excuse to eat this delicious dish but National Fish and Chip day is as good as any. Another good reason is for the health benefits, people who eat fish regularly have a lower risk of heart disease. Cod or haddock are a good source of protein which delays stomach emptying, this helps to stop sudden increases in sugar levels. These fish contain Omega-3 fatty acids which are good blood thinners and many B vitamins. Who said fish and chips weren’t healthy? We aren’t waiting for the 2nd June!