Category Archives: Healthy Eating

CarolCooks2 weekly roundup… 18th -24th September 2022-Monday Musings, Chicken Curry with Bamboo , Health, Morbid Obesity, Aromatic Leaves…Deep Fried Maple Leaves…and Saturday Snippets where “Curve” is my one word prompt.

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Hello and welcome to my weekly roundup of posts you may have missed during the week…September is in its final week...the start of high season and sunshine for some although we are still getting some ferocious tropical downpours and the start of shorter nights and colder days for others…

Lots of food months in September like potatoes, rice, mushrooms, Italian Cheese, honey, chicken, and whole grains all foods I like…This is the time to gather up the rest of the harvest and prepare for the winter month for those of you who are in the Southern Hemisphere…

Last Monday saw the funeral service for Queen Elizabeth II… Queen Elizabeth II sadly left this world after 70 years of service and dedication to the Crown and the British people…a sad week for so many worldwide…a Queen who was a mother and grandmother who dedicated her life to serving the Crown and throughout her life, she did so with grace, humility, dignity and a sense of fun…

What can we look forward to in October?…for some there is Halloween but it’s also a month loaded with national and global celebrations. In addition to spooky revelry, October’s schedule includes multiple days on the topic of bullying awareness …it makes me sad that after all the days, weeks and months we are still banging this drum…Bullying is unacceptable in my book and yet it still exists…

It’s National Apple, Chilli and Caramel, pears and Rhubarb month plus cookbook month… those are just a few of my favourites already the recipes are swirling around in my brain…

Let’s have look at last week’s posts…starting with…Monday Musings...

Monday was a historical day and a sad day but a day where we could reflect on a life well lived, a much-loved mother, grandmother and Queen was laid to rest…Long Live the King!

Monday Musings …19th September 2022…

Chicken is such a versatile and healthy meat, quick to cook and a whole chicken can make more than one meal today I shared a much-loved recipe here chicken with bamboo…bamboo is a very versatile vegetable…Bamboo shoots are also very nice to eat…Bamboo shoots (noo maai) are used as the main ingredient in a variety of traditional Thai dishes, they can be cooked, pickled, and eaten raw. Bamboo shoots have a high amount of vitamins A, B1, B2 and C.

CarolCooks2 in my kitchen…Chicken Curry with Bamboo Shoots( noo maai)…

I love writing A-Z’s and this one is no exception it is interesting and informative to look at a country’s cuisine…Today I am taking you on a virtual tour of the cuisine of Estonia…a cuisine that is similar in many ways to the food I grew up with and also a cuisine that is building on its traditional roots and is so good now that some restaurants have started to earn a Michelin star…

CarolCooks2…A-Z World Cuisines…Part 23…Estonia…

World wide Obesity is on the rise…the official figures are scary because not does obesity only limit our lifespan and impact our enjoyment of life it also impacts on health services around the world…We cannot halt the train that produces so many processed foods which are in general laden with chemicals, the same with our meat and vegetables we can however take charge of ourselves and choose to get off that train…Sally who writes Smorgasbord Magazine uses herself as an example of what can be achieved… she tells how it impacted her life and would have affected her longevity …she also is very honest as she chronicles her journey…she is a living example of what can be done by us…TO READ THE ORIGINAL POST PLEASE CLICK THE HIGHLIGHTED LINK BELOW…

Smorgasbord Health Column – Size Matters: The Sequel – #Morbid Obesity – Delicious foods you can eat on a healthy #weightloss programme by Sally Cronin

Aromatic leaves can make a great difference to the taste of our food and often we have them in our gardens or can find them if we forage we may pick the fruit and not realise that the leaf also has a place in our culinary world to enrich our dishes…

In this post, I look at maple Leaves, The Duan Salam leaf and the star fruit leaf…all these leaves that until I researched this post I was unaware either of their existence or the fact that they could be used…I have Duan Salam leaves in the post and on their way to me, the star fruit leaves stare me in the face every day and I knew not of their use… the Maple leaf I don’t have a tree near me and even those of you who have didn’t know they could be eaten…it seems it has been a learning curve all around this week…that makes me happy as I love to learn new things…

CarolCooks2…Friday Food Reviews…Aromatic Leaves…Part 5…

One of my favourite posts to write and research…this week my muse gave me an easy one…”Curve”…I hope you enjoy the music and the chatter x

Saturday Snippets…24th September 2022…Today’s one-word prompt is “Curve”

Thank you for joining me today as always I look forward to your comments I hope you are having a fabulous weekend xx

Smorgasbord Health Column – Size Matters: The Sequel – #Morbid Obesity – Delicious foods you can eat on a healthy #weightloss programme by Sally Cronin

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Especially for you...this week Sally outlines what you can eat to lose weight and stay healthy…

Delicious foods you can eat on a healthy #weightloss programme

Most eating programmes to lose weight will emphasise all the foods that you cannot eat.

This to me is crazy as in fact they are far outweighed by the number of foods that you can eat. This is why we head into a weight loss programme already feeling deprived.

As a rule of thumb when preparing your menu for the week and a shopping list; select anything that has been taken from the ground, picked from a tree, allowed to roam free and graze naturally and comes from a cold sea environment rather than a fish farm.

Anything that is wrapped in plastic or cardboard should be treated with suspicion as should the really cheap options. Also whilst it is convenient to buy your vegetables ready chopped they will have lost up to 50% of their nutritional value in the first week after being chopped and more as the days go by. Think about what an apple looks like after only a few minutes of being exposed to the air. Usually, good quality frozen food is chopped and prepared immediately so you can use that as an alternative.

To read the original post please click the highlighted link below…

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2022/09/22/smorgasbord-health-column-size-matters-the-sequel-morbid-obesity-delicious-foods-you-can-eat-on-a-healthy-weightloss-programme-by-sally-cronin/

 

CarolCooks2 in my kitchen…Chicken Curry with Bamboo Shoots( noo maai)…

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Good morning and welcome to my kitchen where all my recipes are cooked by me and tried and tested on my family…Trust me they are the harshest of critics…For the last few months, I have been publishing a chicken recipe on Tuesdays…

We like chicken plus chicken is such a very versatile protein it has little fat(unless we add it)…a healthy alternative to red meat…  low in saturated fat, CHICKEN contains higher amounts of omega-6 fatty acids than other animal meats, is high in protein, essential vitamins and minerals such as B6, B12, iron, zinc, and copper…It is also quick and easy to cook…

However…not only have I reduced the amount of meat I eat I am trying to introduce more meat-free dishes into my family’s diet…plus many of my readers and friends are either vegetarian or vegan. I respect other people’s views and observances of their chosen diet…I will also say that I have been pleasantly surprised at my family’s response to my vegetarian recipes…so far they have liked them and not lamented (moaned) about the lack of meat…for me, that’s a big bonus…

Today I bring you, Chicken Curry, with Bamboo Shoots…

Bamboo shoots are very nice to eat…Bamboo shoots (noo maai) are used as the main ingredient in a variety of traditional Thai dishes, they can be cooked, pickled, and eaten raw. Bamboo shoots have a high amount of vitamins A, B1, B2 and C.

bamboo-1071509_640

See the little shoot peeking its head above the ground this is what we look for and when peeled they look like the second image…Always available year-round on the markets bamboo shoots are a very healthy vegetable which is a staple of the Thai diet…

Chicken Curry with bamboo shoots…

Ingredients:

  • 500 gm boneless, skinless Chicken Thigh Meat cut into cubes
  • 1-3 tbsp Thai red curry paste
  • 2 cups coconut milk
  • 1 cup bamboo shoots cut roughly or into thin strips…canned ones are fine
  • 2 – 3 Thai Chillies
  • 1 cup  Thai Sweet Basil…Horapa
  • 5 Kaffir Lime Leaves
  • 2 tsp Coconut Sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Fish Sauce
  • 1/2 tsp Salt

Let’s Cook!

Heat half the coconut milk in a wok or pan, then stir in the curry. Cook it on low heat until it is thick and well blended.

Add the chicken meat and fry it in the curry for about 5 minutes, then add the other half of the coconut milk.
Add the bamboo shoots, red chillies, and pieces of kaffir lime leaf. Cook for 10 minutes, then let it cool down slightly and stir in the basil and serve.

Enjoy!

This curry is quick to cook and delicious,

Bamboo …can be sliced and boiled, sautéed or braised and served as an accompaniment to meat and fish. They can be slow-cooked with other vegetables or stir-fried. The crunchy texture of young, tender bamboo shoots makes them a great choice served as hors d’oeuvres or stand-alone vegetable.

Healthwise bamboo is a powerhouse of proteins, carbohydrates, fibre and minerals. These shoots are very low on fat and sugar making it an ideal snack for diabetics. The presence of fibre in large quantities known as nutraceuticals helps in dealing with gut issues.

Thank you very much for reading this post…if you have already cooked with bamboo then you know how lovely it is and if you haven’t and get the chance to try it…Enjoy!.. it is a lovely vegetable and you should be able to find it tinned in your Asian Stores or online.

 

CarolCooks2 weekly roundup… 11th -17th September 2022-Monday Musings, Mushroom, Spinach Eggy Crumpets with Feta Cheese and Thyme , Health, Morbid Obesity, Aromatic Leaves…and Saturday Snippets where “Bread” is my one word prompt.

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Hello and welcome to my weekly roundup of posts you may have missed during the week…September is here...we are halfway through the month…the start of high season and sunshine for some although we are still getting some ferocious tropical downpours and the start of shorter nights and colder days for others…

September is the ninth month of the year it is also Classical Music month and personally, I love classical music …lots of food months in September like potatoes, rice, mushrooms, Italian Cheese, honey, chicken, and whole grains all foods I like…September, in Old England, was called Haervest-monath (Harvest Month). This is the time to gather up the rest of the harvest and prepare for the winter month for those of you who are in the Southern Hemisphere…

All the news around the world I’m guessing has been about the passing of Queen Elizabeth II… Queen Elizabeth II who sadly left this world after 70 years of service and dedication to the Crown and the British people…a sad week for so many around the world both personally and countrywide…I will comment though that whether or not you agree with a monarchy some seem to forget the Queen was also a mother and grandmother and no one can deny that she was also dedicated to serving the Crown and throughout her life, she did so with grace, humility, dignity and a sense of fun…

Let’s have look at last week’s posts…starting with…Monday Musings...

How uncanny was that to see a rainbow that is a natural happening when rain and sunshine are in tandem but for a double rainbow to appear at the time when we were notified of the Queen’s passing was beautiful…rainbows signify hope and my hope is that the Queen is now reunited with her beloved Phillip and going forward the hope that King Charles will be a good king …I think he will as he had an excellent role model in his mother…xx

The End of an Era! and a Rainbow…

Tuesday was time for another veggie recipe and who doesn’t like crumpets…this recipe is a version of eggy bread with crumpets, spinach, feta cheese, thyme and mushrooms it was delicious and something that my family requested I make again and there was no bacon in sight…I had no complaints and no whinges about having no bacon…win, win…

Wednesday I was over at Smorgasbord Magazine where Sally is rewinding and reposting one of my first A-Z’s…Thank you, Sally I am enjoying re-visiting these posts…

Please head over to Smorgasbord to read the original post by clicking the highlighted link below…

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Carol Taylor’s – Culinary A – Z Rewind – ‘G’ for Ginger, Garlic, Guacamole, Goose fat and Gribige…

Today is the day when we can check what we should weigh…To find out please click the highlighted link below…If you have any questions just drop Sally a message in the comments and she will come back to you…

Smorgasbord Health Column – Size Matters: The Sequel – #Morbid Obesity – #Weightloss – How much should you weigh? by Sally Cronin

Friday’s Product Review…Aromatic Leaves…Part 4.

Aromatic leaves are much used in my kitchen both to add flavour to recipes or as in the case of some of the larger leaves to cook fish or sticky rice…Many leaves that are native to other countries are now finding their way around the world as either dried or frozen I think that is great as we can widen our cooking repertoire and experience other flavours…some of which we may not like and others which may become a staple in our spice collection…

CarolCooks2…Friday Food Reviews…Aromatic Leaves…Part 4…

Saturday Snippets…

One of my favourite posts to write and research…this week my muse gave me an easy one…”Bread”…I hope you enjoy the music and the chatter x

Saturday Snippets…17th September 2022…Today’s one-word prompt is …“Bread”

Thank you for joining me today as always I look forward to your comments I hope you are having a fabulous weekend xx

Smorgasbord Health Column – Size Matters: The Sequel – #Morbid Obesity – #Weightloss – How much should you weigh? by Sally Cronin

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Today is the day when we can check what we should weigh…To find out please click the highlighted link below…If you have any questions just drop Sally a message in the comments and she will come back to you…

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2022/09/15/smorgasbord-health-column-size-matters-the-sequel-morbid-obesity-weightloss-how-much-should-you-weigh-by-sally-cronin/

Smorgasbord Health Column – Size Matters: The Sequel – #Morbid Obesity – #Weightloss – The Project Plan for Success by Sally Cronin

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Our physical approach, our mental attitude and our emotions are all factors in how we overcome disease and obesity, and should all be addressed when looking for the right programme that will work for each individual.

Weightloss – The Project Plan for Success

So far Sally has explored how you got to this phase in your life where you are uncomfortable with the extra weight you are carrying. Now it is time for you to tailor make your eating programme for the next phase, which is achieving optimum health for your age. Let’s face it, if as Sally said…you are like me  69 years old, with a wonky knee and a love of more sedate sports such as walking and swimming, throwing yourself into rock climbing, triathlons and training for the Olympics is probably not on the cards.

O love Sally’s honesty and she is asking no more than she herself has done and achieved…Please head over to read the original post by clicking the highlighted link below…

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2022/09/08/smorgasbord-health-column-size-matters-the-sequel-morbid-obesity-weightloss-the-project-plan-for-success-by-sally-cronin/