The Yoga Retreat Recipe Book - Aveyron Accueil, gites pour

The Yoga Retreat Recipe Book
Lucy Ackroyd
www.aveyronretreat.co.uk
www.aveyronaccueil.fr
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Yoga Retreat Recipe Book
With thanks to all those who have come on retreat to Les Aleis for being so appreciative of
the food and encouraging me to produce this book.
To all my yoga teachers past and present, especially Rolande Buffiere - who has given me
her friendship and wisdom since we met when I arrived here in 2001. Namaste.
Finally, thanks also to all the WWOOFers and HelpExchangers who have worked here
over the years.
Dedicated with love for my daughters Lola and Phoebe.
My style of cooking is to use whatever is the garden, fridge or cupboard, to produce
simple, quick, and healthy meals. These are recipes to improvise around rather than
rigidly stick to. Like most people, I lead a busy life and don't want to spend hours in the
kitchen – except when I'm catering for a yoga retreat! I may not have the stress of living in
a city and working 9-5, but I do have two children, a large garden, and various animals to
look after, as well as running a business single-handed. All the hard work is worth it when
I can eat freshly picked organic produce or prepare delicious meals for friends and guests.
Joke
Dalai Lama goes into a pizzeria and the waiter asks what he would like.
DL replies “Make me one with everything.”
Lucy Ackroyd, SW France, February 2012
www.aveyronretreat.co.uk
“By the purity of food, follows the purification of the inner nature.” Swami Sivananda.
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CONTENTS
Part 1 – Introduction
We are what we eat; Basic ingredients; Seasoning; Drinks; Ayurveda & Yogic Diets
Part 2 – Recipes
Breakfast: granola; kiwi marmalade
Soups:
◦ beetroot & tomato
◦ carrot & ginger
◦ squash & sage
◦ miso & noodles
◦ cauliflower & roquefort
◦ leek, lentil & potato
◦ nettle
Salads:
◦ beetroot & ginger
◦ tabouleh
◦ seed sprouts
◦ mixed leaves
Main dishes:
◦ Nut loaf
◦ Lentil lasagne
◦ Lentil crumble
◦ Tagine
◦ Quiche
◦ Stuffed Courgettes
Desserts:
•
clafoutis
•
fruit crumble
•
carrot cake
•
chocolate courgette cake
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Introduction
Yoga means union – meaning harmony of body/mind/spirit. The physical postures
(asanas) of hatha yoga were originally developed to make the body supple enough to
spend long hours sitting in meditation with the aim of attaining nirvana - achieving a
perfectly peaceful state of mind. (It literally means blowing out the fires of greed, hatred
and delusion).
The health-giving benefits of practising hatha yoga are well-documented and since
being introduced to the western world in the 1960s it has become an increasingly popular
form of exercise. Unfortunately, the more stressful, artificial, and fast-paced our lifestyles
become, the more people need yoga to bring themselves back into balance. Yoga is
holistic – the more we practise it the more aware we become of ourselves and our
relationship to the environment around us. Gradually, we may start eating more healthily,
drinking less alcohol, re-evaluating our choices. After all, what is the point of doing a form
of exercise to keep fit and then filling ourselves with junk food and other toxic substances?
A vegetarian and organic diet makes sense – not just for our own health but also for
the health of our planet. Every day we make shopping choices – to spend our money
ethically or not, and every meal time we make choices about eating healthily or not.
Everyone falls into habits – some more harmful than others. Through yoga we can
become aware of these habits and apply some conscious decision-making to change
them. Even within the limits of our money and time – we still have lots of choices.
As an Alexander Technique teacher I know how important our every day activities
are; – it's the unconscious actions we perform regularly (and the food we eat daily) that are
crucial – and so often problematic. Simply becoming more aware gives us freedom to
choose and to change – not just ourselves but the world around us. As a parent I try to
offer a positive role model for my children to copy (or to rebel against!). I can't make them
be a certain way. However, I can influence their eating habits – which with any luck will
stay with them as they grow up.
The same reasoning applies to catering for yoga retreats. For me, it's about sharing
my home and lifestyle with people so they can re-connect with nature and themselves. By
offering simple but tasty vegetarian organic food I hope to inspire guests to try cooking like
this for themselves. Which is why I'm so delighted to be asked to produce this recipe
book. Bon Appetit!
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We are what we eat
We eat, primarily, to stay alive. We nourish our body by ingesting food from plants (or less
efficiently, animals that have eaten plants) which have transformed the sun's energy into
complex substances that our bodies then break down and use to keep us functioning.
However, much of what we eat is not needed by our bodies, some of it can be harmful to
us, and our bodies must work hard to eliminate it before the toxins get chance to cause us
damage.
The quality of our food, therefore, greatly affects the quality of our physical and mental
health. We are a reflection of our internal and external environments. The more inbalance we become the more in-tune we will be to our actual needs rather than our
desires. The one affects the other. The more healthily you eat, the more you will feel like
doing yoga, and the more you do yoga, the more you will feel like eating healthily.
Mastication - I'm sure everyone's been told at sometime or other to chew their food
properly, but I doubt many understand why it's so important.
The main reason is that
everything we swallow needs to be in liquid form so that we can digest it, otherwise lumps
of food just sit in our stomach and can't be broken down and digested properly. As a
consequence, food takes a long time to pass through our digestive tract and becomes
putrid before finally being expelled. Chewing (even things that are already liquid) also
allows saliva, which contains enzymes that break down carbohydrates, to impregnate
every mouthful, forming an important role in our digestion.
Also, food needs to stay in our mouth long enough for the brain to detect and identify what
molecules are present so they can be processed correctly. This amazing facility is
compromised the more food is transformed by cooking and the more artificial molecules
are present. In these instances, the brain thinks the body is being attacked by dangerous
particles and the immune system is activated.
Of course, another reason for taking our time to chew our food, is to savour it. This gives
us time to appreciate the work gone in to growing and producing the ingredients, as well
as the care and love put into it by the person who has prepared it. For this reason many
yoga retreats eat meals in silence.
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Basic Ingredients:
We all know about eating 5 portions of fruit & vegetables a day – but we also need to try to
eat a wide variety to give us all the different vitamins & minerals required. Good quality is
also important – the fresher the better and preferably food that has not been subjected to
toxic substances.
Vegetables
Organic, locally produced, seasonal vegetables are best – not only do they contain more
nutrients but they also cause very little pollution to the planet. Many towns are now
served by organic box schemes which come direct from the producer to the consumer and
are an excellent way of supporting the local economy. Many offer a good variety of choice
– but not knowing exactly what you're getting is all part of the excitement. Farmers
markets (like the traditional French markets) are another popular way of buying directly
from producers.
There is no need to buy expensive 'superfoods' or designer vegetables. All brightly
coloured (eg. red, yellow, orange) fruit & vegetables, such as carrots, squash, pumpkin,
tomatoes, beetroot and apricots, are rich in vitamin A and lycopene - which inhibit growth
of cancer cells and stimulate the immune system. However, tomatoes must be cooked to
release it and mixing with olive oil improves assimilation.
Even the humble brussel sprout (and other members of the cruciform vegetable family
such as cabbage, broccoli, & cauliflower) contain powerful anti-cancer molecules.
However, as many nutrients are water soluble (eg. Vitamin C) or destroyed by high
temperatures, it is better to avoid boiling them, try to steam or stir fry instead.
Unrefined foods
As soon as a food is processed or refined it has most of it's nutrients removed (and often
artificial chemicals added). Get into the habit of buying brown rice and wholewheat flour
and pasta. Buy brown sugar instead of white.
Not only does white sugar fail to supply us with any nutrients, it actually depletes our
bodies of their mineral reserves (potassium, magnesium, calcium, zinc, silica), B group
vitamins and vitamin E. White sugar is present in many refined, processed foods – to
such an extent that even the average French person (who traditionally eats quite healthily)
consumes an astonishing 500g of sugar per week.
Store cupboard staples:
◦ cereals – brown rice, quinoa, couscous, oats, wholewheat flour & pasta
◦ dried pulses - green/brown/red lentils, chickpeas, beans
◦ sweeteners – honey, brown sugar, molasses, rice or agave syrup
◦ tins – tomatoes, beans, chickpeas
If you have enough storage space, I suggest buying cereals and pulses in bulk (which is
cheaper and produces less packaging waste) and then decant into 500g or kilo glass jars.
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Seasoning
Avoid using too much salt – especially if you are cooking for children. Instead, put salt on
the table so that people can fine tune the seasoning themselves. People can become
accustomed or even addicted to very salty, sweet or spicy food – which isn't always good
for us. The more in balance you become, the less you will crave things that are unhealthy
and the more your body will choose what it actually needs. Remember, all tinned food
already has salt added. Use low-salt organic stock cubes if possible. (I use Marigold
organic vegetable bouillon powder which comes in good value 900g catering packs.)
Yeast extract, made from a mix of brewer's yeast and salt, is full of protein, iron,
potassium and B vitamins.
Shoyu or Tamari naturally fermented soya sauce. Not to be confused with manufactured
soya sauce which contains sugar and other additives.
All members of the onion (allium) family (onions, shallots, garlic, leeks, chives) have antibacterial properties, plus help to regulate blood sugar levels. Crush garlic into olive oil for
best results.
Herbs are great for adding flavour but also have many different health properties. Use
fresh if possible (everyone can have a few pots on their window sill or patio), but dried
herbs are easier to keep in stock. Rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, and mint are rich in
terpene essential oils. Parsley and celery are antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.
Tumeric is the most powerful natural anti-inflammatory, but must be mixed with black
pepper to be assimilated by body, and ideally also dissolved in olive oil. Add to food at
last minute so as not to destroy its active ingredients.
Ginger is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Fresh ginger root keeps well and
adds great flavour to a number of dishes. Put a slice in a cup of hot water for a drink that
aids digestion.
Drinks
Water makes up approximately 80% of our body, so it makes sense to make this your
main drink, preferably filtered tap water. (Buying bottled water is a great waste of
resources and an unnecessary cause of pollution.)
• Drinking at mealtimes interferes with our digestive processes so it's better to drink
water before eating.
• Drinking water first thing in the morning helps cleanse our system of toxins which
have accumulated over night.
• Tea and coffee both contain caffeine so it's better to limit your intake.
Herbal teas (tissanes in French) are a great way to use plants and medicinal herbs. They
can aid with a wide variety of problems from digestion and sleeping, to dealing with
symptoms of colds or the menopause. You can make them yourself from common plants
such as nettle, lime flower (linden tree), elderflower, mint, lemon balm. You can make
mixes according to taste or medicinal prescription.
Green tea is a powerful antioxidant & detoxifier (by activating enzymes in the liver that
eliminate toxins from the body).
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Breakfast is the most important meal of the day so try to make it healthy and
nutritious. Oats are higher in protein than other grains and are also rich in B vitamins and
iron. Granola or porridge (with added dried or fresh fruit) is a great way to start your day.
GRANOLA
450g oats
50g sunflower seeds
50g sesame seeds
50g linseed (good for women)
50g pumpkin seed (good for men)
150g apple compote
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
4 tbsp honey
50g brown sugar (can use molasses, rice or agave syrup instead)
2 tbsp sunflower oil
250g raisins
250g almonds
1 tsp salt
1. Mix everything except raisins in a bowl and spread onto 2 large baking sheets.
2. Cook 150C/300F for 40 mins until toasted golden (turn after 20 mins).
3. Allow to cool and add raisins. Store in airtight container.
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Breakfast here at Les Aleis, offers a choice of granola or porridge, home-made organic
wholemeal bread with a selection of home-made jams, fresh fruit and home-made organic
yoghurt, and our own free-range eggs.
Organic wholemeal bread is very difficult to find in rural France so I make it in my bread
machine. It only takes a couple of minutes to add the ingredients and the machine does
all the hard work. A 600g loaf can be ready in 3 hrs and costs a fraction of a bought loaf.
I also have a yoghurt maker, which again is very quick and easy to use. The re-usable
glass jars mean a lot less packaging waste.
Even if you don't have your own fruit it's often worth buying some when it's in season
locally and the prices are low, and making your own preserves. In SW France fig trees
flourish but figs don't travel and have almost no shelf life so must be eaten (or preserved)
immediately. My fig & ginger jam seems to be the most popular with guests – but my
favourite is kiwi marmalade – the ingredients for which are more readily available in most
countries.
Kiwis, which grow well in southern France, are harvested in winter the same time as
oranges, from neighbouring Spain. This tangy colourful conserve somehow brings a taste
of summer sunshine to the grey winter months.
Kiwi Marmalade
2kg kiwis peeled and chopped
4 large organic oranges
2 large organic lemons
2kg sugar
1. In a large jam pan sprinkle sugar over kiwis and the chopped zest of the oranges
and lemons. (Reserve the juice.) Leave overnight.
2. Bring to a rapid boil and add the lemon juice.
3. Boil to setting point and put in jars.
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SOUPS are incredibly nutritious yet simple and quick to make.
Basically add any
combination of vegetables and seasoning to water and simmer for 20 mins until cooked.
Adding pulses makes it more hearty and wholesome – a balanced meal in a single pot.
As a rough guide use 300 ml of liquid per person. Additional liquid can be added if
necessary to achieve desired consistency once it has been liquidized. Quantities of
ingredients are only a rough guide – experiment according to your own tastes.
Here are a few of my favourites:
Carrot & Ginger Soup
1 onion
2cm root ginger
1 litre of stock
150g red lentils
250 g carrots
1. Peel & dice onion and ginger and put in saucepan with a little olive oil, cook gently
for 5mins to soften.
2. Add boiling water and stock cube
3. Add chopped carrots and lentils
4. Simmer gently for 20 mins then liquidize.
5. Add salt & pepper to taste.
Leek, Lentil & Potato Soup
1 leek
3 potatoes
150g green/brown lentils
1 litre stock
1. Cut leek lengthways and wash, then chop finely and put in saucepan with lentils
and stock. Simmer for 20 mins.
2. Add peeled and diced potatoes. Simmer a further 10 mins until cooked.
Squash & Sage Soup
1 squash (eg. Butternut)
1 onion
150 g red lentils
1 litre stock
handful of fresh or dried sage leaves
1.
2.
3.
4.
Gently fry the chopped onion to soften it before adding the stock and lentils.
Add the squash peeled and chopped into roughly 2 cm cubes.
Simmer for 20 mins until cooked. Add S&P and sage leaves.
Liquidize. Serve with a swirl of cream and a sprinkling of sage.
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Nettle Soup
This is my favourite spring-time soup and is full of vitamins and minerals. Pick your nettles
from an area that's not too polluted (eg. not by a roadside). Pluck the top of the stem with
the first few leaves on it – don't be too delicate about it. The younger and fresher they are
the more nutrients they contain. Older stems tend to be a bit tough and stringy.
It's a delicious soup that tastes a bit like spinach or watercress – very healthy!
plastic carrier bag full of nettle tops
1 large onion
1 large potato
1 litre stock
1. Use washing-up gloves to pick the nettle tops and to rinse them in washing-up bowl
before adding directly to large saucepan.
2. Pour on 1 litre of boiling water
3. Add stock cube, chopped onion & potato, simmer for 20 mins.
4. Liquidize.
Miso & Noodle Soup
This asian-style soup is very light and nutritious. Again, vary the ingredients according to
your tastes or whatever is in season. It's also very quick to make – about 15 minutes.
4 garlic cloves
2cm root ginger
soy sauce
1 tblsp miso paste (fermented soya beans and rice)
50g noodles (left over rice can be used instead)
optional extras:
green leaves eg. spinach, chard, kale, beetroot tops,
grated courgette, carrot or beetroot.
spring onions or chives,
coriander or parsley
tofu
1. Put finely chopped garlic and ginger into pan with about 1.5 litres of water and
bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 mins to allow flavours to infuse.
2. Add vegetables, tofu, soy sauce and noodles and simmer a further 5 mins.
3. Turn off heat and dissolve miso in cup of soup liquid before adding it to the pan.
(Miso contains bacteria that helps gut flora so it shouldn't be boiled.)
4. Stir well and serve in large bowls.
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Beetroot & Tomato Soup
This is my favourite summer soup which can be served either hot or cold. It's the gardenfresh beetroot and tomatoes which make it so delicious, but I'm sure it would still work with
tinned tomatoes and ready cooked beetroot which are available all year round.
(Skin fresh tomatoes by placing them in a bowl or pan of boiling water for 1 min. The skin
will split and then be easy to peel off with a sharp knife.)
1 onion
3 garlic cloves
225g raw beetroot (grated)
225g fresh ripe tomatoes (skinned and roughly chopped)
250 ml tomato juice (this can be made from puree)
500 ml veg stock
1 tblsp tomato puree
2 tblsp soy sauce
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
salt & pepper
1. Cook onion, garlic and beetroot in a little olive oil or butter in a covered saucepan
for 10 mins on a low heat so they soften but don't colour.
2. Add all other ingredients and simmer gently for 15 mins. Taste for seasoning.
3. Liquidize until very smooth. Reheat gently or serve chilled with swirls of cream.
Cauliflower & Roquefort Soup
Roquefort is a strong blue cheese made from sheep's milk here in the Aveyron department
in SW France. However, any blue cheese should work just as well.
1 cauliflower
1 large onion
1 large potato
1 litre stock
50g roquefort
2 tblsp crème fraiche
1. Cook onion in a little olive oil or butter in a covered saucepan for 5 mins on a low
heat so it softens but doesn't colour.
2. Add stock, diced potato and cauliflower florets. Simmer for 20 mins until cooked.
3. Remove from heat and liquidize until smooth.
4. Stir in the crème fraiche and crumbled cheese until it has melted.
5. Add S&P if necessary. Serve garnished with chopped chives.
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SALADS
Beetroot & Ginger
This is a really zingy dish packed full of flavour and goodness.
Thanks to my good friend Sarah Bowman for sharing it with me.
2 fresh uncooked beetroot
1 courgette
2cm ginger root
50g sunflower & pumpkin seeds
2 tblsp soy sauce
chopped chives or spring onion (optional)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Peel the beetroot and grate into a bowl.
Add the peeled and finely grated ginger root.
Add the grated courgette.
Toast the seeds for 5 mins in a non-stick fying pan.
Add seeds and soy sauce (plus chives/onion) to bowl and mix well.
Tabouleh
This traditional Lebanese Salad is almost a meal in itself.
For 6/8 people:
300g couscous
500g ripe tomatoes
6 firm tomatoes
½ cucumber
1 onion diced
juice of 3 lemons
bunch of fresh parsley
bunch of fresh mint
3 tblsp sunflower oil
50g raisins
50g black olives chopped
S&P
1. Put couscous in a large bowl and add chopped ripe tomatoes and lemon juice.
Leave for 2 hours to absorb the liquid.
(If you're in a rush you can prepare the couscous in the usual way using equal quantities
of couscous & boiling water and leave for 5 mins.)
2. Mix in all other ingredients and put in fridge to chill for 2 hours.
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Seed Sprouts – are incredibly simple and quick to grow. They are highly nutritious as the
process of germination increases their vitamin and mineral content by tenfold . It also
activates enzymes and amino acids which make them easily digested and assimilated by
our bodies. They take about 3 days to germinate and after rinsing can be kept in the
fridge in a sealed container for up to a week – but like most things it's best to eat them
straight away and raw. My favourites are lentil sprouts. You can use any whole organic
seeds, pulses or cereals. (The ones sold in small packets especially marketed for
sprouting are usually more expensive.)
Seeds - sunflower, sesame, pumpkin, radish, cress, alfalfa.
Pulses - lentils, chickpeas, mung, aduki.
Cereals - quinoa, wheatgerm, millet.
Mixed Green Leaves
Dinners at Les Aleis always include a big bowl of mixed green salad leaves. Depending
on nationality, this is either eaten first (French), with the main dish (English), or afterwards
(Belgian).
In general, the darker the leaf the more nutrients it contains – so avoid those insipid
iceburg lettuces that contain nothing but water. I like to grow a variety of rustic lettuces
that can withstand our dry hot summers – which make everything bolt and go to seed very
quickly. Rocket is great for adding flavour – even in tiny amounts. As is sorrel, a tangy,
lemon flavoured hardy perennial related to the dock leaf (rumex) which has been growing
in the same place in my garden for the last 8 years. Beetroot leaves and ruby chard give
colour and texture. Fresh herbs add a variety of tastes and health-giving properties.
Edible flowers such as chives, nasturtium and calendular make it look beautiful. Sprinkled
with seed sprouts adds a final culinary and nutritional magic touch.
I serve it with a classic French dressing made with olive oil, mustard and vinegar mixed
together in a bowl. Crushed garlic optional.
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MAIN COURSES
Nut Loaf
This is a great replacement for the Sunday roast and is always popular with our yoga
retreats – vegetarian and carnivores alike. Again, the ingredients listed here are just a
guideline and can be changed according to seasons or personal tastes. The main thing is
to get the consistency right so that it sticks together without being too wet or dry.
125g red lentils
250g nuts (I like a mix of peanuts, chestnuts, & walnuts)
1 large carrot
1 large red onion
2 cloves garlic
3 sticks celery
75g mushrooms
1 egg (or 2 tbsp tahini paste as an alternative animal-free binding agent)
2 tomatoes (fresh, tinned or dried)
2 tsp tomato paste
100g bread crumbs
mixed herbs – fresh or dried (be generous!)
S&P
1. Cook lentils in large saucepan with lid in enough water to cover by 1cm. Simmer
gently for 15 mins until water has been absorbed.
2. Put nuts and all vegetables, except tomatoes, into a food processor to rough chop.
Fry gently in olive oil for 10 mins until soft.
3. Add tomatoes, breadcrumbs and tomato paste and cook for 2 mins.
4. Remove pan of cooked lentils from heat and add vegetables, beaten egg, herbs,
and seasoning.
5. Put in 900g loaf tin lined with grease-proof paper and cook for 1 hr 190C/375F.
Cover with foil after 30 mins if necessary to stop the top browning too much.
Serve with ratatouille or a home-made tomato sauce.
Quick tomato sauce:
This takes 10 minutes to make and can also be used with pasta or as a base for tomato
soup - just add water, tomato paste and red lentils.
Peel and chop 4 cloves of garlic and fry gently in pan with olive oil for 4 mins without
browning. Add tin of tomatoes and mash with potato masher. Add herbs, S&P to season.
Cook for 5 mins.
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Lentil & Spinach Lasagne
Brown lentils are a great mince replacement and work really well in lasagne, but also other
dishes such as shepherd's pie or moussaka.
250 g brown lentils
sauce:
1 stock cube
25g flour
1 onion
25g butter
4 garlic cloves
250 ml milk
1 tin tomatoes
50g hard cheese
250g spinach (fresh or frozen)
250g feta cheese
1. Cook lentils in saucepan with lid in enough water to cover by 2cm. Add a stock
cube and simmer gently for 30 mins until soft and liquid has been absorbed.
(You can also cook the chopped onion and garlic with the lentils instead of frying.)
2. Gently fry chopped onions for 5 mins until soft, then add chopped garlic and fry for
another 5 mins.
3. Add tin of tomatoes (chopped) and onion mixture to lentils and season.
4. Put spinach in large saucepan with lid and cook gently for 5 mins until wilted (or defrosted).
5. For the sauce: put milk, butter & flour in saucepan and whisk until it comes to
simmering point and thickens.
6. Layer lentils then spinach & feta in shallow oven-proof dish alternatively with layers
of lasagne pasta, ending with pasta. Cover with sauce. Sprinkle on grated cheese.
7. Cook for 45 mins at 180C/ 350F.
Serve with crunchy salad.
Other vegetable fillings which work well are: mushroom & spinach or aubergine & red
pepper. Experiment according to what's in season and your personal taste.
Red Lentil & Vegetable Crumble
For a lighter alternative to lasagne try this recipe.
250g red lentils
1 stock cube
3 leeks or 3 courgettes or 500g mushrooms (or mixture)
1 onion
1 lemon
100g breadcrumbs
50g hard cheese
1 tblsp herbs (fresh or dried) eg. thyme, sage, marjoram/oregano, parsley.
1. Put lentils in saucepan with lid in enough water to cover by 2cm. Add stock cube
and simmer gently for 10 mins until soft and all water has been absorbed.
2. Gently fry sliced leeks/courgettes/mushrooms in olive oil until soft. Place in bottom
of shallow oven-proof dish. (Leeks & courgettes can be steamed instead.)
3. Add finely chopped onion, S&P, grated zest and juice of lemon to cooked lentils.
Mix well and spoon onto vegetables.
4. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs mixed with grated cheese and herbs.
5. Bake in oven 20 mins at 180C/350F.
*Add a layer of fresh sliced tomatoes between vegetables and lentil topping to add colour.
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Root Vegetable TAJINE
1 onion
2 cm root ginger
1 green pepper
3 carrots
2 parsnips
1 swede
1 large potato
1 tin tomatoes
6 dried apricots, prunes or dates
cooked (tin) chick peas or kidney beans
S&P
Ras el hanout seasoning - (mixture of coriander, cumin, paprika, fenugreek, tumeric,
cinnamon, ginger, bay leaf)
1 tsp Harissa (chili) paste
1. Gently fry the chopped onion, ginger & pepper in olive oil in large saucepan with lid
until soft (5-10 mins)
2. Add chopped up root veg (roughly 2cm cubes) plus chopped tomatoes, simmer for
5-10 mins then turn off heat.
3. Add chopped dried fruit and beans and seasoning and mix well. Add more liquid if
necessary.
4. Transfer to ovenproof dish with lid and cook for 1-2 hours at no. 4-6 (120-180C)
This is a dish which should be cooked fairly slowly but is very flexible – adjust your oven
temperature to the time you want it to take. Pop it in the oven before going to your yoga
class and come back to a delicious healthy meal.
Tajine is the name of the Moroccan earthenware pot with a conical cover used for these
slow-cooked stews. The traditional tajine pot is formed entirely of a heavy clay and
consists of 2 parts: a base unit that is flat and circular with low sides, and a large coneshaped cover designed to return all condensation back to the bottom. With the cover
removed, the base can then be taken to the table for serving.
Traditional cooking method was over a charcoal stove. For use of tajine pots on gas hobs
you need a special diffuser. However, any oven proof dish with a lid will work just as well.
Tajines are traditionally a type of meat stew where the slow cooking allows the meat,
usually cheap cuts of lamb, to soften and absorb all the flavours of the vegetables and
seasonings. Dried fruit, nuts, olives and fresh or preserved lemon, are often added, along
with a variety of spices.
Tajines are endlessly versatile – experiment with different combinations of your favourite
vegetables and beans.
Serve with couscous: Put equal amounts of couscous and boiling water into a bowl and
leave (with a plate on top) for 5 minutes to fluff up. Add a knob of butter and fork through
before serving.
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Quiche
I love quiche – it is so quick & versatile. A seasonal favourite to serve hot or cold.
In France we are spoilt with excellent ready-made & rolled shortcrust or flaky pastry, which
I usually have in the fridge for emergencies. Obviously, it's not as good as home-made but
is perfect for feeding unexpected guests.
Making shortcrust pastry from scratch isn't very difficult and only takes a few minutes (it's
one of the most useful things I learned at school).
Shortcrust Pastry:
100g plain flour
50g butter
50ml water
pinch of salt
Mix flour & salt in bowl and add butter cut into small pieces. Rub the butter with your
fingertips until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Add the water a little at a time until
the ingredients begin to stick together. Then, using one hand, collect the mixture together
and knead lightly to give a firm smooth dough.
Fillings:
4 eggs beaten and enough milk to make 500ml. (I mix it all in a measuring jug).
Leek & Feta – this involves no pre-cooking so is really quick & easy to make.
Simply put chopped leek and crumbled feta onto pastry. Add beaten eggs & black pepper.
Red Onion & Sage – fry 2 finely-sliced red onions in olive oil gently for 10 mins.
Add chopped sage to egg mix. Grated cheese optional.
Curried Courgette – fry finely sliced onion in olive oil gently for 5 mins. Add curry spices
and 1 large grated courgette. Cook a further 5 mins.
Cook in fairly hot oven 180C/350F for 30 mins until pastry is cooked.
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Stuffed Courgettes
If you are fortunate enough to have your own vegetable garden you will no doubt know
how productive courgette plants are. Small ones are fantastic in salad, and if you forget to
pick them they suddenly turn into giant marrows! Large courgettes are great for stuffing
and baking in the oven. They are also a perfect way of using up leftovers (e.g. curry, rice,
or couscous).
½ large courgette/marrow per person
200g rice or couscous
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1 pepper
2 tomatoes
50g hard cheese
mixed herbs
S&P
1.
2.
3.
4.
Fry finely chopped onion & garlic over gentle heat for 5 mins.
Add chopped pepper and tomatoes, cook for further 5 mins.
Add cooked rice or couscous and season well.
Cut courgettes lengthways and scoop out centre part with a spoon.
(If it's tough, score along each side of the seeds with a knife first.)
5. Put filling into hollow and sprinkle with grated cheese.
6. Place in roasting tray with ½ cm of water in base.
7. Cook in oven 180C/350F for about 30/40 mins until a knife goes into courgette
easily and the cheese has melted.
If you use the round variety courgette de Nice – use one per person and slice off the top
(stalk end) to scoop out the seeds in the centre. Serve with the lid on – it looks very
impressive.
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DESSERTS
Clafoutis
This is a local French dessert which works well with either fresh, frozen or bottled fruit.
400 g cherries or plums
150 g flour
100 g sugar
50 g butter
3 eggs
300 ml milk
sachet of baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
1. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
2. Separate the eggs and whisk the yolks with the milk and add to the bowl.
3. Mix well and add the melted butter to make a batter.
4. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold into the batter.
5. Put the fruit in the bottom of a buttered dish and sprinkle with sugar
(plums should be cut in half and de-stoned).
6. Pour on the batter and cook for 35 mins at 180C/350F
– test by putting a knife in the middle, if it comes out clean it's cooked.
Fruit Crumble
This British classic is very popular in France and I think it's a very tasty and healthy way of
using up windfall fruit or dealing with a glut. It's also very quick and simple to make (and
apart from rhubarb & ginger, needs no pre-cooking).
Peel and thinly slice the fruit to fill whatever dish you are using and sprinkle with sugar.
(Put the chopped rhubarb & ginger in a pan with 50g of sugar and simmer gently for 10
mins.)
To make the crumble topping, rub 100g butter into 100g flour (as for pastry) and add 100g
oats, 50g brown sugar, sunflower or sesame seeds. Mix together and put on top of fruit.
Cook 30 mins until golden brown (180C/350F).
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Carrot Cake
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
3 cups grated carrot
1 cup raisins/nuts
1 cup veg oil (sunflower)
4 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Icing:
250 g cream cheese
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 lemon (juice & zest)
Mix ingredients together and
spread on cake.
Sift dry ingredients into bowl and mix in oil.
Add eggs one at a time
Add carrots, raisins/nuts, vanilla.
Pour into greased & floured tin (approx 22 x 30 cm)
cook 50 mins at 180 C/ 350 F
(1 cup = 140g flour / 225g sugar)
N.B. Quantities don't have to be exact. If you use the same cup for measuring everything
it will turn out fine. I use wholewheat rather than white flour. Also, brown sugar is best.
Chocolate Courgette Cake
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 cups grated courgette
1 cup veg oil (sunflower)
2 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla
4 tsp cocoa powder
¼ cup choc chips
¼ cup walnuts
½ cup milk
pinch of salt
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
mix oil & sugar
add eggs & vanilla
sift in flour & powders
mix in milk
add grated courgette
pour into greased & floured tin
sprinkle with nuts & choc chips
cook 45 mins at 180 C / 350 F
These are very simple American recipes given to me by friends from Oregon many years
ago. The French find making cakes with vegetables a bit strange but usually find the
results delicious!
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Ayurveda is India's 5,000 year-old medical system which looks at health in terms of mindbody balance and in which diet plays an important role. However, in Ayurveda, a
balanced diet does not revolve around fats, carbohydrates and proteins, nor are calories,
vitamins and minerals given direct attention. We know these nutrients intellectually, not
through direct experience. You cannot detect the vitamin C in orange juice, much less the
difference between it and vitamin A. For the most part, Western nutrition comes out of
laboratory analysis, Ayurvedic nutrition comes directly from nature.
When your taste buds greet a bite of food, an enormous amount of useful information is
delivered to the doshas, - 3 metabolic principles (vata, pitta, kapha) which are present in
differing amounts in everyone at different times. Although there are only three doshas,
Ayurveda combines them in ten possible ways to arrive at ten different basic body types.
Working solely with this information, Ayurveda allows us to eat a balanced diet naturally,
guided by our own instincts.
Ayurveda recognises six tastes, or rasas: sweet, sour, salty, and bitter are the four we
already know, plus two others, pungent and stringent. All spicy food is pungent. Astringent
is the taste that puckers your mouth – like the tannin in tea. In Ayurveda, a balanced diet
should contain all six rasas in every meal. It is not necessary to overload a meal with each
taste, for example, just a hint of herbs and spices will add pungent and bitter to a meal.
The major food groups all revolve around the rasa of sweet, but with the five other tastes
carefully blended in:
 Fruits – primarily sweet and astringent, with citrus fruits adding sour.
 Vegetables – primarily sweet and astringent, with leafy greens adding bitter.
 Dairy – primarily sweet, with yoghurt and cheese adding sour and astringent.
 Meat – primarily sweet and astringent.
 Oils – primarily sweet.
 Grains & nuts – primarily sweet.
 Legumes – primarily sweet and astringent.
 Herbs & Spices – primarily pungent, with all other flavours added secondarily.
Complementary Foods
More important than the quantity of protein we consume is its quality. Proteins are made
up of amino acids, some of which can be synthesized by the body, but others must be
included in the diet. The key to a well-balanced amino-acid content in the diet is the
combination of complementary foods. To get the maximum value from your food as
vegetarian you should set out to build complete protein meals.
Some basic combinations are: cereals (wholemeal bread, rice etc) with legumes (beans,
peas, lentils); cereals with dairy products; and seeds (sesame or sunflower) with legumes.
Three classically simple meals can serve as examples of this principle – cereals with milk,
bread with cheese, rice with beans. Meals constructed along these lines will give the body
all the protein it requires.
The choice of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and cereals is abundant and these
foods can be prepared in a multitude of different ways, offering an enormous range of
tastes and textures.
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Yogic Diet
The yogic way of eating is quite simply the most natural. A pure or 'sattvic' diet
based on fresh fruit, vegetables and grains keeps the body lean and the mind clear,
making it most suitable for the practice of yoga. Full of prana (life energy) a pure
vegetarian diet is the best possible guarantee of physical and mental health, bringing
harmony and vitality to both body and mind.
The goodness we gain from a vegetarian diet comes first hand, by contrast, the
nutrients from eating meat comes at second hand – we consume the flesh of creatures
who have themselves processed the natural energy drawn from different plants. Animal
flesh contains a high proportion of toxins but also lacks vital vitamins and minerals and
contains more protein than we need. Animal protein also contains too much uric acid to be
broken down by the liver, some is eliminated but the rest is deposited in the joints, causing
stiffness and eventually leading to problems like arthritis. In contrast, nuts, dairy products,
spirulina and legumes – especially the soya bean – all supply high class protein.
Apart from the crucial consideration of health, meat eating is both inefficient and
wasteful. Many pounds of cereal must be fed to livestock to produce one pound of meat on
the table, the 'wasted' food used to supply the animal with energy. As protein converters
livestock are inefficient, an acre of cereal will produce 5 times more protein than an acre
devoted to raising animals for human consumption. The figure for legumes, 10 times more
and leafy vegetables 15 times, are even more startling. Some individual vegetables are
even more efficient. This is without even considering the pollution and misery caused by
factory farming and other methods of intensive meat production.
For the yogi, all life is sacred and 'ahimsa' the sanctity of all living creatures, is
among the highest laws in yogic philosophy. Once you become conscious of where your
food comes from and how it affects you, your mind will gradually open and you will come
to realise that all creatures are as divine as yourself.
According to yogic philosophy, in the unmanifested universe, energy has 3 qualities
known as gunas that exist together in equilibrium: Sattva (purity); Rajas (activity, passion,
the process of change; and Tamas (darkness, inertia). Once energy takes form, one
quality of the three predominates. Thus on an apple tree, some of the fruit is ripe (sattvic),
some ripening (rajasic) and some overripe (tamasic). But no matter which quality prevails,
an element of each of the other two will always be present as well.
Sattvic food is the purest diet. It nourishes the body and maintains it in a peaceful
state. It calms and purifies the mind, enabling it to function at its maximum potential.
Sattvic foods include cereals, wholemeal bread, fresh fruit and vegetables, pure fruit
juices, milk, butter & cheese, legumes, nuts & seeds, sprouted seeds, honey & herb teas.
Rajasic food is very hot, bitter, sour, dry or salty. It destroys the mind-body
equilibrium, feeding the body at the expense of the mind. Too much rajasic food will over
stimulate the body and excite the passions, making the mind restless and uncontrollable.
Rajasic foods include hot substances such as sharp spices or strong herbs, stimulants like
coffee and tea, fish, eggs, salt and chocolate. Eating in a hurry is also considered rajasic.
Tamasic food benefits neither the body or the mind. Prana is withdrawn, powers of
reasoning become clouded and a sense of inertia sets in. The body's resistance to
disease is destroyed and the mind filled with dark emotions such as anger and greed.
Tamasic items include meat, alcohol, fermented foods such as vinegar, and stale or
overripe substances. Overeating is also regarded as tamasic.
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