Kale or sprout?

I was wondering why the price of kale's s gone higher in some supermarkets but not at our local marke (Stone). I read the following in the Telegraph not in a health magazine!

For all the attempts by fashionable chefs to dress them up with pancetta, chestnuts or even hazlenut chimichurri, for many people there remains something fundamentally unpalatable about Brussels sprouts.

So it comes as something of a surprise to find that the humble - and much maligned - sprout has given birth to the latest 'superfood’.Born from a cross between Brussels sprouts and kale, the flower sprout has not only become increasingly popular with British shoppers but is now being exported around the world. Sales have grown by 300 per cent in the last three years and it is now being stocked by a number of leading supermarkets, including Waitrose, M&S, Asda, Sainsburys and the Co-op. 

The new breed of green vegetable, which was first developed fifteen years ago, is praised by its advocates for its sweet 'nutty’ flavour and versatility in the kitchen. Like kale and sprouts, the flower sprout is also classed as a 'superfood’ because it is a good source of vitamins and dietary fibre.

Voila! At the moment, its the vegetable that our two rabbits love the most...I should try it and then convince my hubby that it's tasty too! 

I'm off playing badminton at Weston village hall.

Have a blessed Monday.

Cutting down on red meat?

Do you like your meat or do you prefer vegetables? In our family, it's a bit of both. My hubby and my step-daughter love red meat, I do too but can do without, as I am happy with a plate of couscous or lentils, Imo has just become a vegan after being a vegetarian since she was 13! What about you? What's your diet like? I must say that I will avoid talking about deserts!..

Is this new research I found in the daily telegraph a publicity stunt?
The researchers define a “high-protein” diet as deriving at least 20 per cent of daily calories from protein. They recommend consuming about 0.8g (0.03oz) of protein per kilogram of body weight every day in middle age. It means a person weighing nine stone should eat about 45-50g (1.6-1.7oz) of protein a day. A 300g (10.5oz) steak contains 77g (2.7oz) of protein.

As well as red meat, dairy products high in protein are also dangerous, the researchers said. A 200ml (7fl oz) glass of milk represents 12 per cent of the recommended daily allowance, while a 40g (1.4oz) slice of cheese contains 20 per cent.

Chicken, fish, pulses, vegetables, nuts and grain are healthier sources of protein. However, a chicken breast or salmon fillet still accounts for about 40 per cent of recommended daily protein intake.

“The research shows that a low-protein diet in middle age is useful for preventing cancer and overall mortality,” said Dr Eileen Crimmins, a co-author of the study.

“However, we also propose that at older ages, it may be important to avoid a low-protein diet to allow the maintenance of healthy weight and protection from frailty.”

British experts agreed that cutting down on red meat had been proven to lower the risk of cancer but said a balanced diet was still the best option.

Dr Gunter Kuhnle, a food nutrition scientist at the University of Reading, said: “While this study raises some interesting perspectives on links between protein intake and mortality… It is wrong, and potentially even dangerous, to compare the effects of smoking with the effect of meat and cheese.” 
He claimed that sending out such statements “can damage the effectiveness of important public health messages”, adding: “The smoker thinks: 'why bother quitting smoking if my cheese and ham sandwich is just as bad for me?’ ”

Prof Naveed Saattar, an expert in metabolic medicine at Glasgow University, said the low-protein effect in older people could be due to “survival bias”, where those who have lived longer are already generally healthier.

Protein controls the growth hormone IGF-I, which helps bodies grow but has been linked to cancer susceptibility. Prof Tim Key, a Cancer Research UK epidemiologist, said: “Further research is needed to establish whether there is any link between eating a high protein diet and an increased risk of middle aged people dying from cancer.”

Red pepper risotto

Tonight, Imo cooked herself a vegetarian risotto (serve 1 person) so I thought that I would share the recipe for you.
First you need 50 gr of risotto rice. Then cook it with a little bit of water and balsamic vinegar. When the rice starts to swell, gradually add in some stock  (250 ml of vegetable stock, she used a quarter of a stock cube diluted with Provence herbs) then dice 2 medium tomatoes, a red pepper and to finish put in some calamata and green olives. Also, tomatoe puree, gound black pepper, soya cream or normal cream, you could also add parmesan cheese. Stay by and stir continuously till it is cooked. (i.e. if you are like me, you may want to take 1 or 2 grains of rice and check).
I am impressed by my daughter's culinary skills since as far as I am concerned, every risotto I ever tried ended up in a mini disaster!
What about you? Do you like cooking risotto? Have a blessed evening. 

Butternut squash and nut roast?

Steven and I decided that Imogen (who is a vegetarian) would have a nut roast this Christmas..and I thought I would cook it! However, those of you who know me will not be surprised to hear that I left it a bit late. Two days ago I tried to cheat and get one from M&S but to no avail, they did not have any left! Not taking no for an answer, I bought all the ingredients in Tesco and last night I was scouring the Internet to find an easy recipe! 

However, I had to deal with an emergency so I was in no mood to bake it then and feeling emotionally exhausted. 

Today has been great, we've just come  back from a convivial Christingle service in Hixon church. I am still humming Come and Join the celebration. I have found a perfect recipe. Click here to see it on the web! However as Imo does not like onions or garlic, I will have to make some slight changes..so we shall see! Below is the recipe adapted for children or fussy teenagers!
450g/1 lb peeled, deseeded butternut squash, cut into cubes
225g/8 oz raw, chopped hazelnuts, almonds, pistachios and brazil nuts
Provencal herbs
salt and pepper 

Put the butternut to roast for half an hour at gas mark 7/ 220 C. When the squash has finished roasting, mix all the ingredients together, then press the mixture into a lined 2 lb loaf tin. Bake for 60 mins at gas 190 C. Imogen has looked at it and cut a little sample and all is good. 
Have a blessed Christmas and may the Lord bless you in abundance. 
Yours in Christ.

The Vegetarian option!

Since Camille has been back from university, she has enjoyed cooking for her sister and herself.
As Imogen is vegetarian, they have tried a variety of recipes and on that hot day, it was falafel, chips, salad, tomatoes, salsa, humous. They enjoyed it very much. I like falafel though in small dose as I do watch the calories... 
What about you? Do you have a vegeterian meal sometimes or do you prefer your meat?