This is really simple and works hot, warm, or at room temperature, whichever you fancy. I like to eat this with grilled, poached, or baked fish. I invented this a few years ago but forgot about it until this summer’s heatwave. Good quality unrefined (i.e. cold-pressed) nut oil makes this super-delicious but if you can’t get it, extra virgin olive oil is fine – it just won’t have that nutty flavour.
For 2, as an accompaniment
2 large leeks, including the green parts
2 tbsp cold-pressed walnut or hazelnut oil (or extra virgin olive oil if you cant get nut oil)
2 tbs sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
1 tbsp roughly chopped raw hazelnuts
Lots of freshly ground black pepper
A pinch of Himalayan or Atlantic Sea Salt
1. Cut the leeks in half at the point where the white meets the green part. Clean the green parts by separating the layers from each other and running under the tap to remove any grit. Wash the white parts too. Now cut everything into disks somewhere between half and three-quarters cm thick, just so long as they’re all approximately the same.
2. Steam over boiling water or in an electric steamer until wilted, checking frequently. Over boiling water, this will take maybe three minutes. You want the leeks slightly wilted but still bright green. When wilted, drain for a minute or two.
3. Empty the lot into a serving bowl, add the cold-pressed oil, vinegar, hazelnuts, and seasoning. Toss and serve.
Why this recipe is good for you: Leeks are a rich source of inulin, which helps feed the good gut bacteria that are important for all aspects of our health – skin, immunity, digestion, and more. The green parts of all vegetables are rich in relaxing nutrient magnesium too – for brain, liver, and bowel health. Cold-pressed, raw nut and seed oils are a fantastic source of omega 6 oils, which we need to balance hormones and boost immunity. A typical Western diet today contains a large amount of refined omega 6 oils (all non-raw or non-cold-pressed/extra virgin nut and seed oils are refined). Consuming a lot of omega 6 oils containing -trans fats are linked to premature ageing, life-threatening disease, hormonal imbalance, low energy, and suppressed immunity. Raw-cold pressed nut and seed oils are best kept in an airtight glass bottle in the fridge to stop them from being damaged by oxygen and light and losing their health benefits. Extra virgin olive oil is more stable and can be kept in a dark cupboard. Dressing a salad with vinegar can help boost digestion.
This is an Italian technique for cooking courgettes which I learned as an au-pair in Rome a few decades ago. Thanks, Signora Pilato. It’s really simple but really lovely. It goes with nearly anything.
For 2:
4 medium courgettes
Extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
Black pepper
1. Put a heavy-bottomed frying pan on medium heat to warm while you peel the garlic cloves and slice them into quarters. Throw them into the pan with about a tablespoon of olive oil to soften slightly while you prepare the courgettes.
2. Wash the courgettes, slice them into disks of say 1/2 – 3/4 cm thick. You don’t have to be too precise here – it’s a rustic dish. Throw onto the pan, turn the heat down low, stir around to coat with the garlic and oil, and cover with a lid (or large plate). The lid is important because this means the courgettes will cook in the steam, rather then (unhealthily) frying and burning. The juices from the courgettes will stop everything from burning provided the heat is low enough. Stir from time to time to check everything is cooking but not burning. If it’s getting too brown, add a tiny amount of water and turn the heat down a little.
3. After about 15-20 mins, stirring occasionally, the courgettes will be softened and start to turn a little translucent and slightly browned in places. They are now done. Take off the heat and top with a few good grinds of black pepper and maybe a little more olive oil. It will stay warm, covered, in the pan, for quite a while.
Variation:
If you are feeling fancy and don’t need to avoid dairy, you could sprinkle some freshly grated parmesan over your courgettes after piling on your plate.
Why this dish is good for you: Courgettes are a rich source of fibre and are a low-carbohydrate vegetable you can eat in unlimited quantities without gaining weight. Braising or steam-frying is a good, low-temperature way of cooking vegetables and tastes great.
I love the jewel-like colours of this super simple salad. The zingyness of the lemon juice and mustard contrasts beautifully with the earthiness of the beetroot. We had it on a bed of dressed green leaves and avocado yesterday in the garden for lunch, with the super simple butterbean salad I just posted. Because of the antioxidant power of the lemon juice, mustard, and olive oil, this salad keeps for up to 2 days in the fridge. do make sure to add the lemon juice dressing immediately after you have grated the carrot and beetroot, otherwise, they oxidize and go brown.
4 medium carrots, peeled or scraped
1-2 small raw beetroot, peeled
2 small spring onions or 1 tbsp chopped red onion
1 level tsp mustard, ideally Dijon, but English or wholegrain would do
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of Himalayan salt or Atlantic sea salt
Black pepper
Optional health boost: 2 tbsp chopped parsley
1. First make the dressing by mixing in a large bowl the mustard, juice, olive oil, salt, and 10 good grinds of black pepper. 2. Now slice the onion and grate the carrots and beetroot and add to the bowl. Mix well and serve with some green salad and whatever protein you are eating – lean meat, fish, eggs, beans/pulses.
Why this recipe is good for you: Beetroot is high in chromium and betaine, nutrients that help your body process the natural sugars in the beet. In processed sugar, where sugar beets are stripped of their nutrients, all you get is the sweetness, without the chromium and betaine your liver needs to get rid of it harmlessly. Carrots and beets, like all root veg, are high in carbs so take the place of potatoes or bread in a meal. Carrots are a great source of beta carotene. This helps liver function, gives your skin a golden glow, and is a powerful antioxidant, helping protect your skin and eyes from UV or age-related damage. Mustard, lemon juice, and olive oil are also rich in antioxidants that help you maintain beautiful, clear skin. Extra virgin olive oil is also rich in vitamin E, which moisturises your skin from within. Healthy skin does not need body moisturiser. Virgin olive oil, eaten raw, also aid long-term weight loss when added to your daily diet. Piperine in black pepper helps your digestive system absorb nutrient minerals.
This is a salad we eat most days for lunch with some protein like chicken, smoked fish, a bean/pulse salad or a couple of eggs. The main thing about a salad is it needs to be almost completely raw, take up at least 50% of your plate and have lots of different colours to give you a range of nutrients. You’ll see some blanched frozen peas in the picture here, because I love them. (Thaw frozen petit pois in sieve under hot tap, put in bowl, cover generously with boiling water, leave 1 min, strain, run under cool tap and add to salads). If you’re packing this lunch to eat later, simply throw in handful frozen peas – will keep everything cool and take a couple hours to melt.
If you’re in a hurry you don’t have to have all the ingredients – mix and match.
For 1: Leaves (choose one or 2, more if you want):
A generous 2-hand handful torn up: choose from rocket, chicory, lettuce, endive, radicchio, organic baby spinach, nasturtium leaves, watercress, pea shoots etc. Colours (choose 3 or 4, more if you want):
1 large tomato or handful cherry tomatoes , cut in bite size pieces
2 spring onions or 1/4 red onion, sliced thinly
1/2 red/yellow pepper, sliced
Cup of sliced cucumber, courgette, fennel or celery or a bit of everything
Grilled artichokes (drain off the low-grade oil before adding)
1 tbs olives Healthy Fats:
Optional: 1/4-1/2 soft avocado, cubed (healthy fats aid weight management)
1-3 dsp extra virgin dressing https://www.annacollins.ie/mediterranean-salad-dressing/ OR https://www.annacollins.ie/asian-dressing/ Starch (not more than 1/4 of your meal though):
beetroot (cooked and sliced or raw and grated), small carrot, peeled and grated, thinly sliced raw butternut squash, some leftover cooked baby boiled potatoes, sweet potatoes or roasted squash Gut-bacteria modifying boost:
1 clove raw garlic, crushed Optional carbs (no more than 1/4 of the meal):
Grated carrots
Grated or chopped beetroot
Cold cooked potatoes (NOT for SC diet)
1. Throw everything in a big bowl, add 1-3 dsp extra virgin oil-based dressing and toss til coated.
2. Eat with a palm sized portion meat, fish, couple of eggs or a cup of cooked beans/pulses.
Why this is good for you: Fresh raw vegetables, especially when organic, are packed with vitamin C and biofoavonoids. These strengthen skin and connective tissue, speed healing and help prevent digestive disorders. You need vitamin C from raw foods, folate from dark green leafy veg (eg spinach, chard, broccoli), and bioflavonoids to help maintain digestive wellness. Greens are also rich in magnesium, which helps you relax your mind and body and fight infections.
Getting into the habit of eating a salad every lunchtime is one of the best things you can do for your health. Veggies in your daily diet also give you a beautiful golden skin tone after 6-8 weeks, according to a study I quoted in one of my e-newsletters last year. Spices and herbs in my special Mediterranean dressing lower numbers of “bad” bacteria in your gut and support growth of healthy bacteria that impact on everything – even weight management and mood.
This is something delicious I make when I’m in a hurry and need some good quality protein. It works well with a simple mixed salad on the side to make a balanced meal. You could also substitute it for potatoes alongside meat or white fish. I usually make lots so we can use the leftovers for packed lunches.
Serves 4 (or 2 with leftovers)
1 heaped dsp sun-dried tomato pesto
One of the following fresh herbs if you have them, chopped:
Rosemary leaves: 1 tsp/oregano 1 tbs/parsley 1 tbs
2 dsp lemon juice
2 tins or mugs of cooked butter beans, drained
1 clove garlic, crushed (optional)
Black pepper
Mix the lemon juice, pesto, garlic, and herbs together in a bowl.
Add butterbeans, a few good grinds of black pepper, and mix well. Taste and if you feel like it, add more lemon juice, pesto, or pepper.
Eat with a large mixed salad such as my “basic mixed salad”.
Why this recipe is good for you: Beans and pulses are rich in soluble fibre, a type of fibre that feeds friendly bacteria in your gut. Friendly bacteria are important for your immune system, helping regulate it and prevent allergies such as eczema and inflammatory diseases such as colitis. These good bacteria also help your body clear toxins. Toxins we are commonly exposed to include used-up hormones (eg estrogens, testosterone), old medications, and chemicals (eg toxic nitrites from processed meat, petrochemicals from toiletries, and petrol fumes). So if you want to have good detoxification, clear skin, and tune up your digestion, fostering your good gut bacteria is one of the keys. Rosemary, oregano, lemon juice, and garlic are also great helpers for the liver, also promoting fast efficient clearance of toxins.
We were once in a rustic trattoria in Puglia where there was no menu. The owner just came out of the kitchen and told you what they were going to feed you. One of the courses was local greens (cima di rape) braised with olive oil and garlic and liberally sprinkled with Parmesan. It was incredibly good. Since that holiday we often cook greens by braising them with olive oil and garlic, rather then steaming. Serve as a side to a piece of meat or fish, or maybe an omelette or a simple piece of smoked mackerel or trout.
1 x 500g bag chard or organic* spinach leaves
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped into quarters
3 spring onions (optional) cut into 2cm lengths
Extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Optional (avoid for dairy-free diet): 1 tbs freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1. Put a frying pan (ideally a heavy-bottomed one) on a medium heat, add the garlic and white parts of the spring onion and 1 tbs olive oil. Cover with a lid or plate and cook until softened and slightly translucent.
2. Meanwhile wash the chard/spinach, shake the excess moisture off the leafy greens (don’t dry them completely or they will burn). If the leaves are large, cut into approximately 5cm lengths (across the thick stalks) and add to the pan along with the green parts of the spring onions. Cover and cook gently until wilted. If you use baby spinach or chard this will only take a couple of minutes. If you use larger leaves it can take 10-15 minutes.
3. Eat hot or lukewarm – they will keep warm, off the heat, in the covered pan for quite a while.
Why this is good for you: First of all why do I stress “organic” spinach leaves? Because spinach is in the top 3 most agri-chamical-contaminated produce. Agri-chemicals like herbicides disrupt both our gut bacteria and our hormonal systems. Our hormonal systems need to work well for energy, motivation, mood, proper thyroid function, freedom from hormone-related diseases and much more. Chard and spinach, because they are dark green leafy veg, are very high in magnesium and folic acid. If you have digestive disorders, acne, psoriasis, or eczema, or if you are stressed, you could need more of these nutrients. Folic acid and magnesium are essential for liver function and mental health. Most Irish people are deficient in magnesium because don’t eat enough magnesium foods and we eat and drink things that deplete it from your body – coffee, sugar, refined foods, for example. Stress also depletes your nutrients. Celtic people also often have altered folic acid metabolism. This genetic issue may predispose us to alcoholism and depression.
Last weekend I craved some fresh, gorgeous, ripe papaya so we visited the Asia Market in Dublin 2 where we picked up an enormous specimen for about €7. We cut about a third off, scooped out the spherical black seeds, peeled the section with a potato peeler, and cubed it before piling it into bowls and drizzling with lime juice. The rest we kept in the fridge for the next day, and the next. A real taste of southeast Asia. This is the simplest dessert in the world after a weekday dinner. If you wanted to make this into a snack, serve a cupful of papaya pieces with a heaped tablespoon of delicious (dairy-free) Coyo coconut “yoghurt” from health stores. I get my Coyo from Ennis butchers in Inchicore who also sell great meat and fish, and from Nourish health stores.
1 ripe papaya (you will want enough to make 2 teacupfuls of bite-sized cubes)
1 lime, cut in half
1. Peel and scoop out the seeds of a piece of papaya large enough to yield 2 cupfuls
2. Pile into 2 bowls and hand around a lime half to drizzle over. Delicious.
Why this is good for you: Papaya contains the enzyme papain, which helps digest protein. It’s often in digestive enzyme supplements. Papaya eaten as a dessert after a meal of fish, eggs, meat, or beans helps you digest the meal. Papaya also has anti-inflammatory properties and is rich in minerals.
I dreamed up this easy way with chicory this evening, to go with slow roast free-range pork. We also had my braised sliced courgettes alongside, which I will post shortly. The lovely bitterness of chicory cuts the fattiness of the pork, helping you digest it. You could also serve this as a starter, with a sprinkling of parmesan, or a tablespoon of chopped, raw walnuts.
For 2:
2 medium heads of chicory, treviso, or radicchio, rinsed, then halved lengthways
Extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
A pinch of Atlantic sea salt or Himalayan salt
Optional: 2 DSP freshly grated parmesan cheese (avoid for dairy-free)
Preheat oven to 200C (fan 185).
Place the chicory in a roasting tin, cut side up, and drizzle over about a dessert spoon of extra virgin olive oil.
Roast for 15-20 minutes in the oven until wilted.
Serve with a few good grinds of black pepper, a pinch of salt, and another drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. If you are feeling decadent, sprinkle a teaspoon of freshly grated parmesan over each half.
Why this is good for you: Chicory, radicchio, and treviso are examples of foods that help you to digest a fatty meal. This is because their bitterness stimulates the flow of bile and digestive enzymes from your gallbladder. This helps break down (emulsify) fat into tiny droplets, which can then be digested all the easier by the digestive enzymes made in your pancreas and also in your small intestine. Other foods/drinks that do the same thing include dandelion coffee, dandelion leaves, rocket, and bitter apple sauce made from cooking apples.
I love this beany salad which I have adapted from a recipe by Tamasin Day-Lewis. We eat it lukewarm or at room temperature as the fancy takes us. It’s also lovely made with butter beans. The tomatoes are optional, some people prefer the dish without. Boiling the beans with herbs and vegetables give the most amazing flavour to the finished dish. But if you can’t be bothered, its still worth making – just omit the onion, celery, rosemary and extra sprig of sage.
As a main meal you could serve this with a large leafy salad (or lightly steamed broccoli florets drizzled with lemon juice and olive oil) and maybe some quinoa (nice with basil pesto and a crushed clove of garlic stirred in while its still hot).
Feeds 4 as an accompaniment, 2 as a main course:
225g dried cannelini beans, soaked in filtered water overnight (or soak in boiling water for 1 hour)
Optinonal: 1 sprig rosemary (about the length of your hand), destalked, chopped fine
2-3 large sprigs sage (around the length of your hand also)
1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half
2 celery stalks
3 large garlic cloves
5 tbsp virgin olive oil
3 fresh or tinned tomatoes, chopped (if you are a perfectionist you can skin them and remove the seeds too – I never bother)
Freshly ground black pepper
A pinch of Himalayan salt or Atlantic sea salt, not “table salt”
1. Cook the beans in plenty of water with a sprig each of rosemary and sage, the onion, celery and 1 clove of garlic until just about tender. Reserving the cooking water, drain the beans and discard everything else.
2. Into a large heavy bottomed saucepan or frying pan on a gentle heat put your 1-2 remaining sprigs of sage, the 2 cloves of garlic and bash them about with a wooden spoon for a minute so they get a bit squashed.
3. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, cover with a lid (or a large plate) and cook a couple of minutes until the garlic has started to sizzle.
4. Add tomatoes, beans and a further 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Turn everything in the oil, then pour over enough of the bean stock to cover the base of the pan. Cook until most (but not all) of the liquid has evaporated.
Why this is good for you: Extra virgin olive oil, especially raw, is a great source of vitamin E which is great for moisturising your whole body, controlling allergies and is anti-inflammatory. Beans are a great high protein alternative to meat, fish, eggs or dairy products. They contain magnesium which has a calming effect, as well as helping keep the skin clear by enhancing liver function. Herbs like sage and rosemary are antioxidant, anti-ageing and naturally anti-inflammatory. They also encourage growth of friendly gut micro-organisms.
Table salt is an industrial product which contains added aluminium (dessicant) to stop it absorbing moisture. This is toxic. Himalayan salt is the cleanest salt and contains trace minerals. Its “clean” because it came from ancient seas where plastics and other man made contaminants were not present.
This is the simplest thing in the world to make and is greatly piled on top of a mixed, dressed, leafy salad. If you are in a hurry, serve with a handful of rockets, another cherry tomato, and a drizzle of virgin oil-based dressing. We often make up a big bowl of this at a weekend and take the leftovers to work. If you are an extra hungry person, you could add extra carbs in the form of a baked sweet potato, gluten-free wholemeal bread, or (if you eat gluten) brown pitta or 100% rye bread.
To serve 3-4:
2 cans or (even better) mugs of home-cooked chickpeas, drained
2 DSP extra virgin olive oil
1 rounded DSP sundried tomato pesto
1 DSP lemon juice
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint, oregano, or parsley or 1 DSP chopped rosemary leaves
Half a red onion, finely chopped (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper
A pinch of Himalayan or Atlantic sea salt
In a bowl, mix the oil, pesto, lemon juice, garlic, herbs, salt, and a good grind of black pepper together.
Add chickpeas (and onion if using) and mix well. If you have time, let it sit for half an hour or so to let the flavours amalgamate.
Dietary note: Fresh herbs and raw virgin olive oil are fantastic sources of antioxidants to keep us healthy. Fresh herbs are powerfully anti-inflammatory, anti-ageing, and help soothe an inflamed digestive system. Home-cooked is best when it comes to pulses but there’s still a lot to recommend tinned chickpeas. Pulses are rich in soluble fibre that feeds good gut bacteria for digestive wellness, hormone balance, and good skin. They also contain magnesium, one of Nature’s most soothing minerals, which we need to eat every day. Pulses like chickpeas are also a source of high-quality protein.
