Continuing the theme of using more veg in your cooking, this week – cauliflower! Cauliflower is a member of the cruciferous vegetable family, which also includes broccoli, kale, cabbage and Brussels sprouts. Cauliflower is white because its green leaves protect the head from sunlight. However, there are varieties of green, orange and purple cauliflowers. Cauliflower evolved from the cabbage and has gone through many changes with the version we know today first appearing in Turkey around 600 BCE. Today, cauliflower is grown throughout Europe, USA, India and China. Cauliflower is a great source of vitamin K, which is important for bone health, and vitamin C. It also contains fibre, potassium a

Chanukah is a wonderful festival – lighting candles on cold winter nights, not too much hard slog in the kitchen and family gatherings. It’s a lovely time of year which is fairly light on the pocket but not necessarily light on the waistline. Traditional Chanukah treats are laden with sugar and deep-fried, so is it possible to get through the festivities without ruining your healthy eating routine? Well I will certainly be enjoying a doughnut or two this Chanukah, assured by the fact that I eat a healthy balanced diet on most days throughout the year. An occasional sugary treat should be fine for most people (of course, diabetics should take advice from their health practitioner on this poin

This week how to incorporate more leeks into your culinary repertoire. Leeks are related to onions and garlic, however with leeks it is the leaves and stems that are edible. The flavour of leeks can vary from slightly sweet and subtle to strong and more intense depending on their size and how they are grown. Leeks have been grown for thousands of years and they are suited to colder climates. In Wales, leeks are the national emblem. In fact, Welsh soldiers used to put leeks in their caps to distinguish themselves from the Anglo-Saxons in battle! Leeks are a great source of vitamins A, B6 and C, so they may have a role in supporting a healthy immune system. They are also an excellent source of

This week, a focus on tomatoes. Tomatoes are really easy to add to many different dishes and come in many different sizes from small cherry tomatoes up to the hefty beefsteak tomato. Tomatoes can be red, green, orange, yellow or brown in colour, and there are over a thousand different varieties. Tomatoes are native to Central and South America and are thought to have been introduced to Europe after the Spanish “discovered” America. At first, tomatoes were not very popular as they were thought to be poisonous, since it is a member of the nightshade family, and tomatoes were more often grown in ornamental gardens for several centuries. Tomatoes are low-calorie and are an excellent source of vi

Continuing with the theme of using specific vegetables to increase your intake, this week I am talking about peppers. Peppers are native to Central and South America, and are available in several colours: green, orange, yellow and red. As peppers move through the colour spectrum from green through yellow and orange to red, their phytonutrient content increases, so red peppers contain up to 5 times the nutrients as green ones. Peppers are a member of the nightshade family, which includes potatoes, tomatoes and aubergines. The spices pimento and paprika are prepared from red peppers. Peppers are low-calorie and nutrient-dense, and are a great source of fibre, vitamin C, beta-carotenes, vitamin

Continuing with the vegetable theme, here is my next post on quick and simple ideas for incorporating more vegetables into weekday meals. This week – cabbage: Cabbage is a nutrient-dense, low-calorie food that contains vitamin C, potassium, folic acid, vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium and manganese, as well as fibre. Cabbage is the “king” of the cruciferous vegetable family, which contain compounds called glucosinolates which may help support the body’s detoxification pathways and are currently being researched for their anti-cancer properties. It is worth trying to include at least one portion of cruciferous vegetables into your diet each day. The other cruciferous vegetables include radish,