super-duper-food

Smoked mackerel, broccoli and chickpea flour fusilli. I’m...

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 16:21:00 +0000

Smoked mackerel, broccoli and chickpea flour fusilli. I’m all about packed lunches these days. The more filling I can make them without having to increase the size of my tupperware, the better. I have found this really great gluten-free chickpea flour based pasta by dell’ UGO which is super versatile and keeps you going for that much longer! Really nutritious stuff that goes well with pretty much everything! A squeeze of lemon juice and some olive oil was enough to bring it all together! Simplicity at its best.

Easy Raw Chocolate Mousse! With a hand-mixer, mix together: 2...

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 12:29:00 +0000

Easy Raw Chocolate Mousse!

With a hand-mixer, mix together:

2 ripe bananas

1 avocado

2 tbsp coconut butter (manna)

1 tbsp flax/pumpkin/hemp oil

1 tsp unprocessed cocoa powder

Pinch of salt

Add a bit of TOTAL Greek yoghurt to make the mousse that extra bit creamier and filling.

Et voila! Eating this straight out of the jar is a lot more fun by the way.

Homemade Matcha (Green tea) flavoured 0% TOTAL Greek...

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 13:09:59 +0100

Homemade Matcha (Green tea) flavoured 0% TOTAL Greek Yoghurt!

If you’re not getting your daily dosis of green tea yet, get with the program. One cup of green tea has as many antioxidants as 10 cups of english tea! You absolutely must try this metabolism-enhancing, stress-reducing, immune-boosting, cholesterol-lowering, cancer fighter.

Matcha is a pure green tea powder with serious superpowers. It has antioxidant levels 6 times that of goji berries, 7 times that of dark chocolate, 17 times that of wild blueberries and 60 times that of spinach! The concentrated powder form is even better for you than using ordinary green tea bags because the powder is made from entire tea leaves which means that you ingest all their antioxidant powers instead of throwing them away with the leaves in your teabag.

I found some Matcha at a Chinese supermarket and finally decided to buy it. My love affair with Matcha flavoured anything started in Bali where I tried green tea ice-cream for the first time. I’ve been meaning to try and flavour my 0% TOTAL greek yoghurt with it for a while now and it sure was worth the wait! Makes my favourite snack even healthier!

Power juice with an added shot of wheat-grass

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 13:12:16 +0100

Power juice with an added shot of wheat-grass

Black Pepper Tofu! I adopted this simple and extremely delicious...

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 18:46:43 +0100

Black Pepper Tofu!

I adopted this simple and extremely delicious recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi’s book, Plenty. I served mine with wild rice and quinoa.

Ingredients: (Serves 4)

800g firm, fresh tofu
Cornflour, to dust the tofu
Vegetable oil, for frying
150g butter
12 small shallots (350g), peeled and thinly sliced
8 red chillies, thinly sliced
12 garlic cloves, crushed
3 tbsp chopped ginger
5 tbsp crushed black peppercorns
3 tbsp sweet soy sauce
3 tbsp light soy sauce
4 tsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp sugar
16 small, thin spring onions, cut into segments 3cm long

Cut the tofu into 3cm x 2cm blocks and toss them in cornflour, shaking off the excess. Pour in enough oil to come 0.5cm up the sides of a large frying pan, and bring up to frying heat. Fry the tofu in batches in the oil, turning the pieces as you go. Once they are golden all around, and have a thin crust, transfer to a paper towel.

Remove the oil and any sediment from the pan and throw in the butter. Once it has melted, add the shallots, chillies, garlic and ginger, and sauté for about 15 minutes on low-medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the contents of the pan are shiny and totally soft. While you wait, crush the peppercorns, using a pestle and mortar or a spice grinder. They should be quite coarse.

When the shallots and chillies are soft, add the soy sauces and the sugar, stir, then stir in the crushed pepper. Warm the tofu in the sauce for about a minute, then add the spring onion and stir through. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Raw coconut water and chia seed oatmeal for breakfast this...

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 09:18:00 +0100

Raw coconut water and chia seed oatmeal for breakfast this morning!

I added a 1/3 cup oatmeal to a cup of coconut water and a tablespoon of chia seeds and left to soak overnight. The chia seeds really soak up all the excess liquid and thicken up the porridge. In the morning I grated one apple into it and sweetened it with cinnamon and all spice.

The texture of the raw oatmeal is delicious and incredibly filling because its so nutritious. Must try!

Quick Tip

Thu, 04 Oct 2012 12:42:47 +0100

Ever get really frustrated by the fruit you’ve bought that just won’t ripen quick enough? Place the fruit in a bag together with a banana. Banana’s aid the ripening process of the other fruit. Really works!

Behl Puri! Who knew Indian street food known as...

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 11:28:57 +0100

Behl Puri! Who knew Indian street food known as ‘Chaat’ was so darn tasty? I sure didn’t.

I tried this dish made by Horn Ok Please at the RealFoodFest in Southbank. It’s a savoury street food snack made out of puffed rice, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, chilis, Chaat masala, and is dressed with different sweet, tangy and spicy chutneys made from dates, tamarind, green chillies and coriander. This is all mixed together and topped with Sev (deep-fried pieces of crunchy noodles made from chickpea flour) to finish it all off.

All the different flavours and textures you get in each mouthful is incredibly satisfying, and not to mention nutritious too!

Follow Horn Ok Please on twitter to trace their whereabouts. This is a must try!

Swap pasta for Spaghetti Squash! This vegetable’s texture...

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 10:35:00 +0100

Swap pasta for Spaghetti Squash! This vegetable’s texture is surprisingly similar to pasta. Watch the video to learn how to prepare this “spaghetti” dish that’s nutritious and gluten-free. I scored one at waitrose a few weeks ago and prepared it exactly the same way. Seriously delicious!

GIVEAWAY

Thu, 06 Sep 2012 19:58:35 +0100

Win a case of CHI coconut water by liking them on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/chidrinks

Where are u originally from? And which part of UK are you based in now?

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 09:14:39 +0100

Hi! I am originally from the Netherlands, but I grew up in Spain. I am currently based in London. You can follow my whereabouts and latest finds on twitter.com/super_duper_f

Ice-cream for breakfast! Yes these are the perks of eating...

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 08:48:00 +0100

Ice-cream for breakfast! Yes these are the perks of eating healthy!

I made this raw, sugar-free avocado, banana and cocoa nib soft serve this morning. I also topped it with granola and yacon syrup to make it extra delicious and breakfast-like.

All you need to do is prepare in advance. I cut one banana and one avocado into chunks and put them in the freezer overnight. To make the ice-cream: blitz the frozen fruit, cacao nibs and half a cup of water in your vita-mixer. And voila, your guilt-free ice-cream is ready!

Warning: Ridiculously tasty and highly addictive.

My take on sensible snacking. Many people end up munching a full...

Sat, 01 Sep 2012 16:24:56 +0100

My take on sensible snacking.

Many people end up munching a full meal’s worth of calories every day just by snacking, causing it to become a bit of a taboo among dieters. I know we all try to avoid snacking most of the time, but let’s just be honest here. We have all been tempted by the conveniently placed snack foods at the shops and sometimes make an impulse buy. Even when we know that it’s these kinds of snacks that can contribute hundreds of empty calories to our diets.

But sometimes we just can’t avoid it and I don’t think we really have to either. Eating between meals does not mean we have failed in life. However it is important to choose snacks that count towards our nutrition for the day, rather than foods filled with empty calories. Eating healthy, nutritious snacks between meals can actually help boost our metabolism and eventually lead to weight loss. The key to losing or maintaining our weight and still enjoy between meal snacks is to snack sensibly.

We should be snacking on foods that are packed with fiber and protein as they give us more energy, help us feel fuller for longer, and keep us from overeating at our next meal. One of my personal favorite snacks is tempeh. This Indonesian staple is a highly nutritious fermented food made from soybeans. It’s also an excellent low-calorie source of protein that can be pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried, grilled, steamed, and baked. It’s deliciously sweet and nutty flavor and crispy texture makes for the perfect snack. I really wish packaged tempeh snacks would become more available across the UK.

Because you all deserve to know what’s really going on, here’s...

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 19:02:00 +0100

Because you all deserve to know what’s really going on, here’s the low-down on coconut water. It’s all the rage recently and I’m sure you’ve noticed it popping up on shelves at your local shops and supermarkets. Coconut water is über refreshing and generally known for its super hydrating qualities, and also for being naturally fat-free and containing more potassium than a few bananas.

I’m a huge fan of the stuff but it’s the sugar content within these coconut water containers that is worrying me. Coconut water is of course a great alternative because it contains less sugar than many sports drinks, fizzy drinks and fruit juices. And most of us can end up drinking several bottles in one day thinking we’re being extra healthy, but the calories can add up very quickly. This is one of those low-fat yoghurt situations- yes they are low-fat but are instead loaded with sugar. That’s why I recommend that those of us keeping an eye on the amount of sugar we consume should beware! I suggest reading labels to make sure that you are choosing pure coconut water and therefore avoiding those with added sugar or juices, which are no different from other sugary drinks.

I’ve done my homework and found a great brand named Chi. Chi coconut water is 100% pure, fat free, low in carbs, low in sugars, low calorie and can help in slimming. One 330 mL container only has about 25 calories and contains a lot less sugar than other brands.

The second coconut water I’ve featured is in fact slightly more sugary but definitely worth it! Coco Cafe is one of those products you spend ages eye-balling at the shop wondering whether to buy it or not. But I’m so glad I did. It’s cleverly made up of natural coconut water, one strong shot of espresso and a splash of skimmed milk and it tastes really good. Make Coco Cafe your coffee of choice, it’s totally worth it!

Summer salad (part 2!) is a Potato Salad with Chilli and Spring...

Sun, 05 Aug 2012 09:17:43 +0100

Summer salad (part 2!) is a Potato Salad with Chilli and Spring Onion.

I’ve put a fresh twist on this comfort food.

I added potato’s with skins on as they can add nutrients to a meal. Potato’s, as well as their skins, are known for their high fiber content and are also great sources of vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, zinc, and protein. I think they taste great too!

So I added: (Serves 1-2)

About 6-7 baby potato’s
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon 0% Greek yoghurt - Great sub for mayonnaise!
1 teaspoon agave syrup
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
sea salt
freshly ground Black pepper
1 large finely chopped red chilli
Some fresh Mint & Parsley
1 finely sliced spring onion

Perfect summer salad. Pea and mint purée, topped with whole...

Sat, 04 Aug 2012 13:02:24 +0100

Perfect summer salad. Pea and mint purée, topped with whole peas, cucumbers and spring onions for added texture, goat-cheese and watercress! Must try!

Mexican Salmon! Salmon fried in coconut oil on a bed of shredded...

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 12:21:00 +0100

Mexican Salmon! Salmon fried in coconut oil on a bed of shredded courgette topped with home made guacamole, a cherry tomato/parsley/spring onion/Tabasco salsa and 0% Greek yoghurt! The yoghurt is a fantastic substitute for sour cream!

This meal sure does fulfil the ‘variation’ aspect of a balanced diet. Try and make meals as colourful as possible, it really helps make meals more nutritious and look even tastier.

Amazing selection at the fish market today

Fri, 20 Jul 2012 10:22:55 +0100

Amazing selection at the fish market today

I’m sorry for my lack of posts recently. I graduated from...

Sun, 08 Jul 2012 09:54:14 +0100

I’m sorry for my lack of posts recently. I graduated from university last week so as you can imagine things have been pretty hectic and I haven’t really had a moment to do anything like cooking.

But I’m back with Courgette Spaghetti! Let me explain. After spending a week in Italy chowing on pasta and pizza on a daily basis, I had to come up with an alternative when I got home. Instead of giving up my new bad habits, I just made them healthier!

I’m probably one of the only people that gets excited about getting a veggie slicer as a graduation gift, but I swear it’s awesome and will change your life. I now make noodles out of veggies. Enough said.

Stevia sweetened chocolate. What dreams are made of!

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 16:50:46 +0100

Stevia sweetened chocolate. What dreams are made of!