It’s official calories do count! The comeback of carbs

I’ve just finished the latest Marion Nestle book ‘ Why Calories Count:  From Science to Politics’ and wanted to cheer when I finished it. She is one of my ‘must read’ authors on food, nutrition and politics and always gives an expertly researched and unbiased account of food and nutrition, delivered without fanfare or pseudo science - just clear, evidence based advice and guidelines (think Nigel Slater of nutrition!).

Is this another nail in the coffin for the low carb diet advocates following on from the recent research linking red meat consumption to increased mortality (http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/archinternmed.2011.2287v1).  Possibly....

Marion Nestle and Malden Nesheim argue that calories (either too few or too many) are the source of the world’s health problems.  The book explains what calories are, how they work and discusses food politics and the different dietary regimes.  Reducing calorie intake regardless of the proportion of fats, carbs and proteins in your diet will result in weight loss.  In the long term, individuals will lose weight regardless of the type of diet they follow as long as overall calories are reduced.  

They also suggest and explain simple and effective ways to manage weight including:

Get Organised

Get Motivated

Monitor your weight

Eat Less

Be aware of calories, but don’t count them excessively

Insist on smaller portions

Keep snacks to a minimum

Eat what you like (in moderation, and if you can’t do this set limits!)

Eat better

Don’t drink your calories (alcohol (!) or fizzy drinks)

Stay out of supermarket centre aisles

Move more

Turn off the TV 

My thoughts?  They are spot on.  While in the short term excluding carbohydrates can give very quick results in terms of weight loss, this is not particularly effective as a long term health strategy.  While it makes complete sense to reduce and avoid huge amounts of refined carbohydrates and sugars, surely whole grains, beans and lentils should be valuable additions to a daily diet.   They are excellent sources of B vitamins, fibre and other nutrients and it just does not make sense to exclude them on a long term basis.  

While the Paleo and Dukkan high protein/high meat diets may work for raging carnivores, surely there has to be a question mark around the quality of the red meat we consume today which bears very little resemblance to the wild, lean and omega 3 rich meat our ancestors hunted.   

As always the key is balance, and a healthy dietary approach is not not complicated.  Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, watch your portion sizes, limit refined carbohydrates, sugary and processed foods.  Move more!!

In celebration of carbs, here is my recipe for Spaghetti Puttanesca

Delicious with nutty wholemeal spaghetti and a grating of parmesan.  The sauce is also lovely with roasted fennel (which make a nice accompaniment to baked fish).  

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add a chopped chili and 2 cloves of chopped garlic (be careful not to let it burn).  Cook for 1 minute then add 1 400g tin of chopped tomatoes, 4 tinned anchovies, 2 tablespoons tomato paste  and let it cook down to a pulpy sauce for 15-20 minutes.  Add 100g of chopped black olives and 2 large tablespoons of drained capers, let it cook for 5 minutes than add plenty of chopped fresh basil.  Season and serve with wholemeal spaghetti.  Enjoy with a glass of good italian red and a green leafy salad! 

Ageing Gracefully.....!

I’m doing some research on nutrition and ageing at the moment which is giving me plenty of ‘food’ for thought.  I don’t think I have a problem with ageing but I am keen to age ‘well’. I have no intention of starting a battle which I’m not going to be able to win, so not planning on any silicon, suction or botox, though I would like to still feel attractive, capable and feminine going into my ripe old age (Audrey Hepburn and Fanny Ardant are my absolute icons).  I saw a 60 year old something the other day in St Germain, dressed in Seven kick flare jeans, a fab Antik Batik top and ethnic necklace, with her gorgeous snow white hair in a razor sharp bob and thought admiringly ‘that’s the way to do it’! 

So what do we mean by ‘ageing well’?  Let’s start with cosmetics.  The skin. Ideally charming wrinkles as opposed to a crocodile skin!  I love seeing laughter and expression lines on people’s faces as an echo to their life experiences.  Isn’t an unlined, smooth, expressionless face on older people curiously unattractive?  The lovely thing about ageing is that it allows your character and personality to come through.  Strong noses, chins etc which might have been the bane of your existence in your youth, can add personality and strength to faces as they age. Equally ‘chocolate box’ prettiness which might have seen you through a charmed childhood and adolescence, can often fade with age.   

The best ways to look after your skin?  Avoid excessive direct sunlight (though we need some to make the all important Vitamin D) which can damage the skin.  A diet rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals (think fruits and vegetables) helps to protect skin cells.  Keep hydrated (water) and avoid excessive alcohol (!) and stress.

The body.  As women hit the menopause, the ovaries stop producing oestrogen and oestrogen levels drop dramatically.  As oestrogen plays a role in fat distribution, this is often is the cause of women becoming ‘barrel shaped’ and beginning to store fat around their stomachs.  Interestingly, women who have higher fat stores going into the menopause tend to have an easier menopause because adipose (fatty) tissue produces oestrogen which helps to buffer the fall in oestrogen production from the ovaries.  Fat cells also help to plump up and smoothen the skin.  However, as always there’s a balance - if we carry too much weight this will put pressure on our cardiovascular systems and our joints.   Ideally we should try and maintain a  healthy body weight - neither too thin (think prune  - like!) or too large.

The brain. The thought of losing my mental function as I age probably scares me more than anything. And, if I had to make a choice, I would rather be a ‘barrel shaped crocodile skinned’ 60 year old with fully functioning mental capabilities than lose any part of my mental function.   Research increasingly links the importance of antioxidants and photochemicals (fruits and vegetables of all colours, as many servings as possible) together with omega 3s  (oily fish, nuts and seeds) in optimising brain function.  Research also links the importance of a strong social network and doing activities which ‘use’ the brain (crosswords etc) as playing a protective role in preserving mental function.

Interested in more anti-ageing tips?  Come and join Janelle and myself at a 'Anti-Ageing' workshop in Villennes on Saturday 31st March from 15h00 - 17h30!

Useful addresses:

Janelle’s fantastic dynamic yoga classes at Villennes and Paris will help keep you flexible and mobile (and her Sun Salutations will work wonders on any bingo wings!)

http://bigappleyogafrance.com/

Pilates Ouest Studio - Outstanding pilates classes in an oasis of calm at St Germain en Laye which helps work on  ‘core strength’ and firm, flat abdominals.

http://www.pilates-ouest.com

As always a recipe.   

Roasted vegetables with lentils and baked salmon.  

I tend to make lots of the veggies and lentils and have them as a salad the following day with goat or feta cheese.  You can also use leftovers to make a roasted vegetable and lentil soup by simply adding more stock, a slug of sherry, fresh herbs and blending it all up.

Good ‘anti - ageing’ recipe as salmon provides omega 3 while the vegetables are bursting with antioxidants.  Serve as a family meal and encourage lots of talking/interaction around the table (all good for ‘brain function’) or in silence with a mini crossword for each family member to complete! 

Roasted vegetables:

Chop up a selection of vegetables for roasting - fennel, courgettes, aubergine, pepper, sweet potatoes, squash, red onions and mushrooms.  Put in shallow baking tray and pour over a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Roast in hot oven (200 degrees) for about 45 minutes.  

Prepare salmon:

Put salmon filets in baking dish ( 1 per person), season to taste, add fresh herbs, squeeze of lemon juice and bake with veg for the last 20 mins.

Lentils:

Finely chop 1 onion, 2 sticks celery and 1 carrot.  Fry in 1 tablespoon olive oil for 5 mins.  Add 2 cups of brown/puy lentils (wash first) and 4 cups of veg stock.  Add 2 bay leaves and 2 crushed cloves of garlic.  Cover and cook for 40 minutes or so until lentils are tender.  Season.

To serve:

Put lentils in serving dish, add roasted vegetables on top.  Strew over some rocket (roquette)  or serve rocket and avocado salad on the side.  Serve with the salmon.  Enjoy! 

Dr Dukan's proposals to tackle obesity

This week France has been scandalised by Dr Dukan’s proposals defined in his new book ‘"Lettre ouverte au futur président de la République".  In his book he suggests (as part of a public health policy to tackle obesity) that students in their final 2 years of school receive additional points for their Baccalaureat  if they maintain their weight within a reasonable range.  Mon Dieu! 

I suspect/hope that these remarks might have been taken out of context (and plan to read the book myself) though, I must admit I am not a fan of the Dukan regime.  The regime works (initially) but consuming vast amounts of animal protein is (I feel) unethical, environmentally unfriendly, unhealthy (China study anyone?) and expensive.  As for the oat pancakes (galettes d’avoine) he recommends on his regime and which you can buy for a small fortune in shops, I would rather stick my head in a box and eat the cardboard....

To penalize students for being overweight smacks of discrimination (to penalize anyone for being overweight also smacks of discrimination!). The “BAC’ is oh so important at determining future universities and ‘grandes ecoles’, so gaining/not gaining additional points could actually have an impact on students future careers.  This is also an incredibly stressful time for students who absolutely do not need the additional pressure of a bi annual weigh-in, which could end up by demotivating and upsetting them.  There’s also a question mark in my mind around the use of BMI, as this is not always the best measure of assessing health.

A successful public health policy aimed at tackling obesity, should focus on education, support, inspiration and motivation.  Punishment is never particularly successful in any form.  One of the recent positive moves in primary schools has included increasing the nutrient content of lunches by reducing the salt, sugar and fat content and this is the type of direction that public health policies should follow.

Enjoy your weekend!

10 Healthy Steps to optimise your health and wellbeing

A quick blog to wish everyone a happy and healthy 2012, and also to outline the 10 easy (?!) steps that you could think about adopting in order to optimise your nutritional health and wellbeing in 2012.  I’m happy to say that some of the steps involve eating ‘more of’!! 

1. Eat more vegetables and fruit
   
   While it might be a struggle to get our little cherubs to eat their 5 a day, we have absolutely NO excuse and should be aiming for 7-8 servings a day.  They are bursting with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals and research consistently links fruit and vegetable consumption to improved health and a lower risk of cardiovascular and other diseases.  A portion is 80g/or a palm sized serving, and the aim should be to eat as wide a variety as possible.  Potatoes do not count, in any form, as they as deemed a starchy food!
   
   
2. Eat more unrefined grains
   
   Try to replace white bread, pasta and rice with wholemeal varieties when you can as unrefined grains contain more nutrients and fibre (which is needed for digestive health and helps to promote satiety - ie it keeps you feeling full longer).  Do also try to experiment with other grains, such as millet (no, it’s not just for birds!) and quinoa.
   
   
3. Eat more omega 3 fats
   
   There is increasing evidence suggesting that our modern day diet is deficient in these fats which are so incredibly important for our health.  These fats are known for their ‘anti inflammatory’ effect on the body and are also essential for optimising brain function. Omega 3 fats are found in oily fish (salmon, mackerel and sardines) nuts and seeds, so try to eat 2 servings a week of oily fish as well as munching on seeds and nuts as a healthy snack.
   
   
4. Limit sugar, refined and processed foods
   
   Sugary foods are a source of ‘empty’ calories and play havoc with your energy levels.  They are digested quickly and initially flood the bloodstream with sugar, only to then cause crashing ‘lows’ in energy a couple of hours later as the body tries to control its blood sugar levels.  Limit cakes, desserts and biscuits to once or twice a week and try to ‘ home-bake’ when you can, so you can add healthier ingredients such as dried fruit, seeds and wholegrains, rather than buying processed goods.  Try to avoid processed foods which can be high in fat, sugar and salt and when this is not possible, select processed foods which a)  resemble something you could make yourself and b) have a shorter ingredients list such as pizza and ready made pasta sauces!!
   
   
5. Drink more water
   
   Easy.  Cheap.  So why do we not drink enough of it?!  Next time you think you are hungry, try having a glass of water as we often mistake ‘thirst’ signals for ‘hunger’.  Try to have a glass of water with meals and a glass in between meals and note that is is better to drink small regular glasses of water than to gulp a large volume of water in one go.
   
   
6. Drink less alcohol
   
   Yes, I know there is the ‘French Paradox’ and yes I know that red wine contains a substance called resveratrol, a phytochemical which helps to protect cells from damage and is associated with being cardioprotective.  However, the amount of wine that might actually be beneficial to us is really just a small (50-60 ml) glass a couple of times a week, and not huge quantities that we tend to drink!  Excessive alcohol is linked to a higher risk of diseases such as liver disease and cancer.  Interestingly enough, one of the reasons why alcohol could increase cancer risk is because it depletes the vitamin folic acid ( found in leafy green vegetables for example).  Folic acid helps to prevent damage to cellular DNA. While this does not necessarily mean you can down your bottle of wine accompanied by a large salad, it is another good reason to keep eating your vegetables!  Try to have 2-3 non alcohol days (NADs!) every week and when you do drink limit your consumption to 1-2 drinks a day.
   
   
7. Respect your food
   
   In a world where there are huge discrepancies in the amount and quality of food available to people, shop carefully, select foods in as natural a state as possible and do not waste food.  If  you have the time and budget, try to select the environmental/humane alternatives.  I’d also add here (and I don’t mean to sound ‘new agey’!) that if an animal has suffered or died in order to be part of your meal, than at the very least you can cook it as well as you can, savour the meal (rather than gulping it down!) and have a silent few seconds where you mentally say ‘thank you’ to the animal on your plate.
   
   
8. Respect yourself in relation to food
   
   One of the first steps in long term weight management, is making sure that you eat when you are hungry.  So many of us eat when we are stressed, tired, angry or miserable for example and this is a starting point for a bad relationship with food.  Food is neither a 'treat' or a tool for denial, it is there to nourish us.  Food obsessions/or eating problems should be tackled as quickly as possible, because, unlike other addictions, it is impossible to avoid food, and we absolutely have to eat.
   
   
9. Watch your stress levels
   
   Some stress is good, as it can ‘spur’ us on to achieve incredible things, however constant every day chronic stress (dealing with children, finances and relationships) can drag us down, leaving us exhausted and miserable.  It can be difficult to reduce stress levels, but what we can learn to do is to change the way in which we respond to stress, managing stress through gentle exercise, relaxation time and learning that for some situations we just have to ‘let go’.
   
   
10. Exercise regularly
    
    A minimum of 3 sessions of at least 30 minutes a week.  Find something you enjoy doing ( I love walking!) and make sure you schedule exercise time into your week.  Try to keep moving - gardening, running around in the garden with the children, dancing in the kitchen etc etc.  For more detail on exercise ideas, you can contact Alison Laborderie at commit-2-be-fit.com

As always a recipe:

Moules Marnieres a la Charlotte

So easy and so good for you.  Mussels are a good and relatively cheap source of omega 3, zinc, iron selenium and folic acid.  In the spirit of a healthy and lean January, I have not added creme fraiche to the sauce (though you can do!).  Serve with a bowl of brown rice to soak up the juices and a large green salad.

For 4 people

- 4 litres of mussels

- 30 g butter

- 2 shallots

- 1 glass of dry white wine

- 1 glass of fish stock 

- parsley

- salt and pepper

Prepare the mussels:

Clean them in a sink full of water.  Scrape off any ‘beards’ and discard any which are open.

In a large saucepan ( Le Cruset is ideal!), melt the butter and fry the shallots for 5 minutes until golden.  Add wine, stock and mussels and cover and cook for 5-10 minutes until the shells open.  Sprinkle with parsley.

Serve with a 1 very, very small glass of dry white wine!

Enjoy!

Gentle Weight Management for Children

I’ve received a couple of calls recently either from parents worried about their children’s weight or by parents worried about their children being worried about their weight.  

Weight is a sensitive issue for most people and it is just as sensitive an issue for children which is why I am sometimes amazed by the harshness of the comments made directly to the child as well as dismayed by the situations I’ve heard about where a child is given a ‘telling off’ or ‘warning’ by their medical doctor or paediatrician.

It is so incredibly important that every child knows they are loved by their parents for who they are.  Forgot the after school activities and the expensive presents, the best gift you can give to your child is to let them know that you love them exactly the way they are.  Yes, we may not like the way they behave sometimes, but in terms of their appearance, they need to know that they are (in our eyes) completely and utterly perfect!  I do worry that constant criticism of a child’s weight destroys their confidence as well as increasing the risk of the child having disordered eating patterns later on.  As parents we should be as ferocious as Rottweiler’s in defending our children against any unkind or thoughtless comments as well as taking care not to make insensitive comments ourselves.

So, what can you do if you feel that your child might be putting on a little bit too much weight?

• Check their growth curves

Most children tend to roughly follow the weight and height curves of their birth and after their first year there is a steady growth rate just up to the puberty spurt (9-14 for girls) and (10-17 for boys). Note that BMI is measured in a different way for children as it takes into account their age and gender and uses percentiles to assess it relative to other children of the same age and sex. If your child is rocketing upwards in terms of their weight, you could discuss your concern with your family doctor but I would not do this in front of the child, it is better to have this discussion alone. 

• Do not put them on a diet and don’t start to talk constantly about weights and diets. Focus instead on healthy eating, having more energy for sport etc

Most children do not need to be put on a diet and certainly should not be ‘losing’ weight. They are still growing and developing so it is incredibly important they receive the nutrients they need.  If a child is overweight, the aim is simply to slow down the rate at which the child is gaining weight.

•  Review the family diet

Take a long and honest look at the family diet and make subtle healthy changes for the whole family.  Do not single the child out!  The usual culprits are sugars (cakes, biscuits, sweets but also hidden sugars - sweetened yoghurts, white bread, crisps and breakfast cereals), too many snacks and large portion sizes.  I often find that many children ask for food simply because they are bored - a child does not really need to eat again within a couple of hours of having a meal.  Offer fresh fruit, plain biscuits or unsweetened yoghurts between meals if your child really is hungry (and often when they are offered this type of selection they magically decide that they are not hungry!) and never offer food as a ‘reward’ or to ‘comfort’.  Limit unhealthy foods, but do not ban them completely.   Remember that our roles as parents is to teach our children to moderate their food intake on their own and refusing to let them eat certain foods does not help them do this.  

• Check their levels of physical activity 

Ideally our children should be moving around at a moderate level for at least 60 minutes a day.  Tempting as it is to let them sit in front of the Wii or their DSs, do try to include sport and games in their daily routine.  I’d also add here that we should not force our children to do sports, particularly if they dislike team sports.  Try to find activities they enjoy and that you can share with them, such as walking, cycling and dancing.  Plan family activities at the weekend to include a long walk, swimming or bike ride and make sure your children see you moving around too!

• Give them compliments

Boost your child’s confidence, particularly if they are might be feeling self conscious and worried about their weight.  Let them know how incredibly amazing you think they are, compliment them as much as possible and plan enjoyable activities you can do with them.  

And finally, if anyone ever gives you or your child a hard time about their weight, then please send them to see me and I will sort them out!

As always a recipe.  This time a winner of a cookie recipe, perfect after a long Sunday family walk with hot chocolate for the children and tea for the adults.  It is high in fat and sugar and yes, I could play around with it to make it healthier, but in the spirit of this blog post I won’t.  This recipe is perfect exactly as it is!

Charlotte’s cookies

Makes 10-12

Heat oven to 200 degrees.

Blend 125g butter and 100g of castor sugar in a food processor until creamy.  Add 1 large egg yolk and a couple of drops of vanilla extract, and whizz again before before adding 125g plain flour and 100g chocolate chunks.  Use floured hands as dough will be very soft and shape into ‘flattened golf balls’.  Place on baking tray covered with grease proof non stick paper and bake for 10-15 minutes.

Resist eating straight away and drag the family out for a long walk before coming back to demolish them!

Enjoy!

Is BMI the best indicator of health?

I’m doing some research for a weight management programme today and have been busy looking at the ins and outs of the Body Mass Index (BMI) which is one of the most common methods used to assess weight in relation to height.  The BMI calculation involves dividing the weight in kilograms, by the square of the height in metres.

For example, weight 80kg, height 1.85m, then the BMI is 80/(1.85 x 1.85)  = 23.37

(Note that BMI applies to adults between the ages of 18 and 65 years of age, and should not be used by pregnant or nursing mothers and might not apply to serious athletes which higher muscle masses).

BMI classifications were decided by The World Health organisation in 1995 who originally recommended three cut off points, 25, 30 and 40, based on anthropometric international data examining populations, weight and disease risk.  These classifications have now been refined and are as follows:

18.5 or less  Underweight

18.5 to 24.99  Normal Weight

25 to 29.99   Overweight

30 to 34.99  Obesity (Class 1)

35 to 39.99  Obesity (Class 2)

40 or greater  Morbid Obesity

These ranges apply to both men and women, and are meant to take into account build and muscle mass.

The health issues associated with having a BMI in the higher ranges include cardiovascular disease, diabetes, joint issues and a possible higher risk of cancer.  However BMI may not necessarily give us the best picture of our health for the following reasons:

• It is possible to be fit, well muscled and well built (yup - those ‘heavy bones’ we inherited!) and have a BMI of overweight, despite having a low level of body fat.  In contrast a skinny, low muscled, unfit individual might have a normal BMI.  

• There are some studies which actually show no greater risk of overall mortality for individuals who sit in the overweight category (BMI of 25-29.9) while being underweight is linked with being more dangerous for our health.  This could possibly be for the reason above, while the underweight category will include people with underlying disease processes - such as heart disease, lung disease, cancer or infection, which can cause weight loss.  Some researchers have highlighted that despite the conflicting evidence being overweight is still a risk to health because excess weight tends to progress and can also be hard to lose. Many overweight people can go on  to become obese which is linked with definite health risks.  

[(Lewis et al (2009) Mortality, Health Outcomes, and Body Mass Index in the Overweight Range American Heart Association 119: 3263-327]

• One of the most important points to make about BMI is it that does not take into account fat composition and where fat is deposited in our bodies. Lean muscle weighs more than fat!  Research shows that it is far more dangerous to store the fat around the middle, where it is known as ‘visceral fat‘ which is strongly linked with cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.  Visceral fat is not more dangerous because it sits closer to our hearts (as many people seem to think!), but because abdominal fat is ‘metabolically active'.  It  produces chemical substances which trigger inflammatory processes, and these processes then damage our blood vessels and interfere with blood sugar regulation. Better measures to assess fat composition are hip to waist measurements and skin-folds tests.  Ideally the waist circumference should not be more than 80cm for women and 94cm for men.  The waist hip ratio is calculated by dividing your waist measurement by your hip measurement and should not be more than 1.0 for men and 0.8 for women. 

It is interesting that fat stored on the thighs and bottoms seems to play a protective role, so all your lovely Rubenesque pear shapes should celebrate!  Research now links fat on the lower part of the body (known as gluteofemoral body fat) to playing a protective role in managing long term fat storage (it ‘traps’ excess fats and prevents them floating around your body causing mayhem!) and reducing inflammation.

[Manolopoulos et al (2010) Gluteofemoral body fat as a determinant of metabolic healthInternational Journal of Obesity 34, 949-959]

So, while BMI is probably ok as a health indicator for those at the upper and lower ends, it is less clear cut for those individuals in the overweight range.  In this case, waist circumference and other measurements to assess fat composition will give a more accurate picture of health.  

As always, a recipe.  Adapted from 101 cookbooks (http://www.101cookbooks.com/ ) a fantastic blog and given to me by my friend Janelle who runs ‘Big Apple Yoga’ at Villennes http://www.bigappleyogafrance.blogspot.com/

Chinese cabbage salad

The dressing is incredible and can be used pretty much with any salad.  I like to use red cabbage rather than the white cabbage the original recipe suggests.  I love the colour which to me screams of autumn (a bit like red wine!).  It is a great source of Vitamins A and C, and like all the cruciferous family a source of substances called ‘indoles’, compounds linked to a reduction in cancer risk.

Lovely served as a side dish with cold roasted meat.  I ate it last night with salmon brochettes - salmon strips marinated in teriyaki sauce.  

3 large shallots, skinned and thinly sliced
splash of extra-virgin olive oil
pinch of salt

1 tablespoons miso
1/2 teaspoon powdered mustard (or a bit of whatever mustard you have around)
2 tablespoons brown sugar (or honey or agave)
50ml (brown) rice vinegar
70ml cup mild flavored extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon pure toasted sesame oil (optional)

1/2 of a medium-large red cabbage
75g slivered almonds, toasted
2 large grated carrots

large chunk of grated radish (radis noir)

Stir together the shallots, splash of olive oil and big pinch of salt In a large frying pan over medium heat. Stir every few minutes, you want the shallots to slowly brown over about 15 minutes. Let them get dark, dark brown (but not burn). if needed turn down the heat. Remove them from the skillet and onto a paper towel to cool in a single layer. they should crisp up a bit.

Make the dressing by whisking the miso, mustard, and brown sugar together. Now whisk in the rice vinegar and keep whisking until it's smooth. Gradually whisk in the olive oil, and then the sesame oil. Two pinches of fine grain salt. Taste and make any adjustments if needed.

Cut the cabbage into two quarters and cut out the core. Using a knife shred each quarter into whisper thin slices. The key here is bite-sized and thin. If any pieces look like they might be awkwardly long, cut those in half.

Gently toss the cabbage, carrots, shallots, almonds and radish in a large mixing/salad bowl. Add a generous drizzle of the miso dressing and toss again - until the dressing is evenly distributed. Add more a bit at a time if needed, until the salad is dressed to your liking.

Enjoy!

Supermarket shopping - rules which can be broken......!!

I made the stupid mistake of doing my weekly food shop with my children last week which must have added at least 20% to to the cost of my trolley.  Even though I like to think of myself as a ‘health supremo’, I let my three little cherubs add sweets, flavoured yoghurts and a large jar of nutella  to my shopping as I was feeling just too worn out to protest.  

The golden rules for shopping healthily are generally to shop as your ‘grandmother’ would have shopped which means:

• Avoiding processed, refined and ready prepared foods
• Avoiding buying any item which your ‘grandmother’ would not recognise as food
• Avoiding buying any item which has more than 5 ingredients

This usually means sticking to the outside aisles of the supermarket (fruit and veg, meat and fish etc) rather venturing into the middle.  Depending on your supermarket, the alcohol aisle may or may not be on the outer aisles......!

As always, rules are made to be broken.  ‘Grandmother’ possibly did not mind not having a life and spending the whole day shopping and cooking!  Maybe she had a husband who worked 9-5pm and was around to help in the evenings rather than husbands who travel away all week (though there is a possible question mark around whether most men of that generation did help with children!).  She might have had a family circle nearby to help her, rather than living far away from any family and having to take her children shopping when she and they are cranky, hungry and tired.......

So, with all this in mind, I think we are doing well if we can follow these rules roughly 70% of the time, and that rather than mentally beating ourselves up about the sweets and biscuits we do give our children we should also give ourselves a big pat on the back for the number of times we get it right!

I’m just looking at the ingredients list of the Nestle Smarties yoghurt that my children 'forced' me to buy and wondering just when nutritional labelling is going to get clearer.  To be fair, while it does indicate that there is 24.5g of sugar per 120g pot (20.4%), it is hard to work this out from the list of ingredients.  My ‘grandmother’ certainly would not have recognised this as a yoghurt and it contains 24 ingredients.....

The contents of the yoghurt part alone looks like this, with my comments in brackets:

Sweetened strawberry yoghurt  83.3%:

• 85% partially skimmed milk yoghurt
• 7.2% sugar (at initial glance - under 10% so ok-ish)
• 5.5% strawberries (don’t even think about counting this as a 1 a day portion, which is a 80g serving!)
• fructose (er - that’s sugar too - how much?)
• rice starch [amidon de riz] (white processed starch which helps stabilise the yoghurt)
• milk concentrate
• flavour (which one?)
• Colouring E162 (natural red food colour derived from beetroots)
• E296 (malic acid, used to balance acidity.  No side effects noted from use as an additive)
• Vitamin D

The smarties element has 14 ingredients and no info on the sugar percentages.....!

Leaving you as always with a recipe:   Ricotta, spinach and pesto lasagne, which is perfect for a chilly autumnal evening.  Serve with a large salad and you’ve got your 5 a day

Tomato sauce:  Fry 1 large finely chopped onion with 75g chopped bacon (add a glug of olive oil if bacon is lean) for 5 minutes or until onion is softened. Add 2 chopped sticks of celery, fry for a further 5 minutes then add a 2 tins of tomatoes, 2 bay leaves, 2 crushed cloves of garlic, 2 tbs tomato puree and 2 tsp of mixed dried herbs.  Add 300 mls of water and simmer gently for 20 mins before adding a good slug of red wine and seasoning.   Blend the sauce slightly if you have fussy 'pick out the vegetables from the sauce' children!

Ricotta filling:  Mix 500g ricotta with 200g chopped mozzarella and 100g grated parmesan.  Add in 100g fresh pesto sauce, a handful of pine nuts and 300g of cooked chopped spinach (fresh or frozen).    Tear in some fresh basil if you have some and season generously.

Make up the lasagne:  Put a shallow layer of tomato sauce in a baking dish.  cover with lasagne sheets (use the dried no need to pre cook variety).  Then add layer of cheese mixture.  Repeat the layers a second time and you’ll end up with the ricotta layer on top.  Do a final layer of lasagne, cover with the tomato sauce and sprinkle with fresh parmesan.  

Leave the lasagne to ‘rest for a couple of hours at least if possible, so the sauces have time to soak through into the lasagne sheets, then bake at 180 degree for 30-45 minutes.  

You may have some tomato sauce left in which case you can freeze it or serve it with wholemeal pasta spirals if you have any members of your family who flatly refuse to eat spinach*sigh*! 

Enjoy!