Thyme: Thymus vulgaris Part used: leaf and stem Medicinal actions: Carminative, anti-microbial, anti-spasmodic, expectorant, astringent, anthelmintic Thyme is an aromatic herb with a bitter-sweet flavour. It has a long history of culinary and medicinal use. It is primarily used as a pot herb as it can withstand long cooking times. It also makes a delicious […]
Category: Blog
Apple Cider Vinegar
The Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar Apple cider vinegar (ACV) has a long history of use as a healing food, a dieter’s friend, a food preservative, and for cosmetic and domestic cleaning purposes. ACV is the result of a double fermentation process. First apple juice is fermented to apple cider, which is then further […]
Banana Coconut Bread
This recipe for banana coconut bread is a delicious solution when I find I have a surplus of very ripe bananas. It uses coconut and spelt flours but whole wheat or other flours would also work. I also regularly make this with 100% spelt flour and substitute apple puree in place of bananas. Adding cinnamon, […]
Elderberry
Sambucus nigra As summer comes to an end the hanging clusters of tiny elderberries change from green, to dark purple, to black when fully ripe. Each elderberry contains one to three seeds, which contain poisonous cyanogenic glycosides that can be deactivated by cooking. If you eat too many raw berries, which taste bitter-sweet, you will […]
Pan Roasted Vegetables
Come the weekends we all like something extra delicious and my absolute favourite is roasted vegetables, it never fails to satisfy. There is something very comforting about food coming out of a hot oven. Roasting brings out the sweetness of beets and parsnips, peppers, carrots and potatoes, and intensifies the robustness of garlic, mushrooms and […]
Barley Nutrition and Health Benefits
Barley is a highly nutritious cereal grain that was a staple food in the diet of our ancestors. Nowadays we most often encounter it in soups or beer, but its nutty flavour and chewy texture makes it a great addition to salads and a delicious alternative to rice and pasta. It is highly versatile and […]
Blackberry
Rubus fruticosus, A.K.A.: Bramble If you regularly walk past blackberry bushes, when the berries are ripe, without picking any you are definitely missing out on one of Nature’s great bounties. Blackberries are an excellent source of Vitamins C and K and manganese, they are rich in bioflavonoids and contain both soluble and insoluble dietary fibre. Blackberries […]
Juice Recipes and Tips
Juicing Tips Start with equal amounts of apple to vegetables until your taste buds adapt and you are relishing a ratio of 70-80% vegetables to 30-20% fruits. Beets have a strong earthy taste; they are a strong cleanser and are best used in moderation. Spinach when ground up is a strong laxative; a small handful […]
The Benefits of Juicing
Juicing fruits and vegetables offers many obvious and not so obvious health benefits. Juicing certainly makes it a lot easier to up your intake of fruits and vegetables, while benefiting from organic water filtered by nature. The vitamins, minerals, trace minerals and enzymes in freshly extracted juice are more easily and readily utilised by your […]
Beetroot Loaf or Burgers
Making a weekly vegetable loaf can be a great way of taking care of lunches during the week, or serve this beet loaf as the main dish for dinner. You could use the same mix to form beet burgers. Either way this is a tasty way to enjoy beets, or use carrots instead if you […]