Tag: organic

Green goodies and a couscous salad for tea

There’s a lovely little organic grocery store close to home. Buying fresh organic produce is quite a challenge here in Bangalore, partly because demand hasn’t been particularly high and I think because a lot of the farms have been replaced by concrete as the city rapidly expands at the edges. The weather also plays a massive role in the quality and quantity of goods available; the summer months were too hot and the produce suffered greatly.

Delivery day is Friday afternoon and I have finally sussed the time to go; yesterday the baskets were stacked high with glorious green leaves, herbs, fresh brightly blushing tomatoes, massive fresh carrots and even bunches of perky celery. So often, celery, if available at all, lies on the shelf sad and stringy, wilted from lack of water and impossible to eat. I packed my basket high with fresh goodies, and returned home, mouth watering and mind overflowing with ideas for tea.

Out of all the food items that are difficult to come by here, the one thing I crave more than anything else  (including chocolate!) is greens. It must be my body telling me it needs more B vitamins! So last night, the green veg won and I knocked up a incredibly easy couscous salad heaped with greens and herbs.

On the scale of healthy wholefoods, couscous doesn’t rate too well. Actually a form of semolina derived from wheat, it’s steamed and then dried, forming little granules. No good for those who are gluten-free. It only takes 5 minutes to prepare, so it must be pretty well processed; this removes much of the beneficial vitamins and minerals available in the wheat germ, but it is still a good source of selenium (43mcg) and potassium and pretty low in fat, so not bad really. Quinoa or brown rice would be healthier options.

So what went in to the salad? First, I prepared the couscous according to the packet instructions – added boiling water, a pinch of salt, covered the bowl and left it alone for 5 minutes. Once cooled, it needed fluffing up with a fork then combined with lightly steamed broccoli and green beans, mint, coriander, beetroot leaves, cucumber and spring onions for the greens. For a little sweetness, I added some dried apricots and finished it off with some sliced almonds for an extra crunch and a dash of extra virgin olive oil. Seriously yummy! Oh, by the way, beetroot leaves are one of the best sources of beta-carotene, the precursor to vitamin A and so excellent for eye health.

Dried fruit can be a problem for some people with a food allergy or intolerance, due to the sulphites added as a preservative – it’s not used in organic products which is why they tend to be a darker brown/orange colour, and not so appealing. Dried apricots tend to have the highest levels of sulphites and can give rise to asthma or other respiratory problems.

The apricots and almonds I used come from Kashmir; I bought them from a market stall on a trip to Srinigar back in June and they are incredible. The fruit in Kashmir is amazing – deeply flavour apricots, peaches, cherries; tree fruits you just can’t buy down in Southern India. The intensity and sweetness just burst onto the tongue and I was like a little kid in a sweet shop so excited to find these natural goodies. The dried apricots are equally intense in flavour and sweetness, and are dried naturally out in the sun, no additive required. Eating them in the salad brought back great memories of an amazing trip, so feeding my soul as well as my body!

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The best carrot cake ever!

When I was a teenager, I had a job during the summer holidays at a small local whole foods cafe. It was simple but all freshly made; baked potatoes, salads, soups and cakes. I’m not sure if this was the start of my interest in healthy food but it certainly was the beginning of one of the loves of my life – carrot cake! Now, carrot cake is one of those ‘pretend it’s healthy’ sweet treats. Even if you make it with wholemeal flour or all organic ingredients, it’s packed full of sugar still, but hey, it’s got carrots in it so it’s got to be good for you! The carrot cake at the cafe was amazing – but it was a secret recipe and I just couldn’t get the women who owned the cafe to share it with me.

 After I left home and moved to London, my love of carrot cake reached a new level when I discovered the Cranks restaurant that used to be upstairs in Covent Garden, a dark and mysterious place that enticed you in with mouth watering aromas and served fabulous vegetarian food on beige hippy style natural pottery plates. They too had amazing carrot cake – and a cookery book. I still have that book, and its crumpled torn pages and broken spine mark it’s over use. It even came out to India!

 I have made this cake so many times over the years, and it never goes wrong. And what’s even better, it’s dairy free, so I can make my cake and still eat it! Butter cream or cream cheese frostings are out these days; just haven’t found a reasonable replacement to date. I think it tastes better plain anyway.

I have made this with egg replacer instead of eggs to make it vegan and it still works well. I’ve not tried to make this gluten free so I can’t say whether it would work – sorry! Try and grate your carrots a bit finer than mine – my food processor only seems to work on rustic size.

Carrot cake (Cranks recipe)
175g carrots
100g sugar – castor or unrefined
2 eggs (or equivalent in egg replacer)
75mls oil
100g self raising (wholemeal) flour – or plain flour with baking powder if you’re in India and can’t find any!!!
1 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
50g of raisins
50g of dessicated coconut (if you have it – not essential)
Heat the oven to 180oC and grease a smallish loaf tin. Grate your carrots.
Whisk the eggs and sugar together until it’s thick and creamy then whisk in the oil gradually until it’s all combined. Stir in the rest of the ingredients until its all well mixed – it should be quick thick but still moist. Turn into the greased tin and bake for 25 minutes or until the top is slightly brown and firm to the touch and a tooth pick comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then turn out on to a rack until completely cold. Keeps well for a few days – if it lasts that long!! Enjoy.
Cranks don’t have any restaurants in London anymore but the brand is still out there. Have a look at their website – they have a few of their recipes on line, including old favourites of ours lentil and tomato soup (or holiday soup as my kids call it, as I always made it when we went off in the car for a camping holiday) and homity pies. http://www.cranks.co.uk

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The organic food debate – real evidence?

Who would have thought that a humble carrot or potato could cause so much debate and hype in the media? A recent study produced by Stanford University has hit the headlines for claiming there is no evidence to show that organic food is safer or healthier than conventionally grown food. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19465692. Using this report as new research, there have been many articles and commentaries vilifying those who believe in the organic ‘myth’.

I always find it interesting to see how ‘facts’ are translated into ‘proof’. With anything that is connected to big business and money, research is rarely independent and unbiased. The Stanford study claims to have no primary funding source. Really? The University does happen to have major funding from one of the large GMO companies, but that must be coincidence, surely?Putting all that to one side though, if you look at the study conclusion it does come to some positive conclusions about organic food, despite the way it’s worded. http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=1355685. Oh, by the way, this is not a new study but a review of previously published research.

* organic food has significantly lower levels of pesticides – and 30% is significant!

* exposure to anti-biotic resistant bacteria was significantly lower in organic meat produce – up to 33%.

It may not prove that one carrot has more beta-carotene than another, but these two points are positive evidence that organic food is healthier. Pesticides are a big issue. Controls are in place to ensure that chemical residues don’t go above a level deemed ‘safe’ for health. As far as I’m aware of, each chemical is tested independently, whereas in reality our bodies are exposed to a cocktail which may, or may not, work together, building up in our cells, then have to work even harder to detox. And what do our cells need to clear away these chemical toxins – vitamins, minerals and energy that comes from our fruits and vegetables. So it seems logical to me that if you don’t eat the contaminated products in the first place, and stick to organic, then you’re ahead already in the healthier department!

 The conclusion regarding anti-biotic resistant bacteria is also highly significant. Routine administration of antibiotics to animals reared for food is a major contributing factor to the creation of superbugs. And we really don’t need any more antibiotics in our food, whether it’s meat or dairy products.

The study also concludes that all the studies are so different that it is difficult to come to any over all conclusion – so there is no evidence that conventional food is better or worse than organic food either.

Personally, I would rather have my food organically grown and locally produced, the closer the better. I like my food without genetic modification, antibiotics, pesticides, growth hormones and chemical fertilisers. I think organic food tastes better, are more vibrant and I do believe they are better for my health. Bought in supermarkets, they can carry a higher price tag, but direct from the farmer, or even from my own garden, that’s not so much of an issue.

But one of the most important, and fortunate, things is that I have a choice, and when it’s possible I choose organic because I prefer it and believe that it’s healthier for me. Maybe the evidence tells me I’m wrong, but when that’s supported by large conglomerates willing to gamble our health and environment to make big bucks I’m just not ready to listen.

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