Healthy Eating

WHOLE CEREAL GRAINS. About 40% of the volume of every meal should be cooked whole cereal grains prepared in a variety of ways.

Whole cereal grains include brown rice, whole-wheat bread, barley, millet, oats, oatmeal, corn, corn grits, buckwheat noodles, rye, rye bread, quinoia, chapatis (wheat-flour) and tortillas (milled corn bread).

Porridge - Cook the oat flakes on a slow heat in water until creamy. Add dried fruit, chopped apple or pear to sweeten if required.

Rice, Millet or Quinoia - Wash and soak the grain a few hours before preparation. Cook slowly with sealed lid in correct amount of water and pinch of sea salt, for 45 minutes - one hour.

SOUPS. Approximately 5% of your daily food intake should include vegetable soup.

Miso Soup - Rinse and soak kombu and arame sea vegetables until soft. Boil for 15 minutes. Remove the kombu to use in a casserole or other dish. Mix miso with a little of the warm liquid, then add together. Garnish with finely chopped spring onion.

Pumpkin Soup - Saute onions in olive oil, add cubed pumpkin, and cook briefly, then add water and a pinch of sea salt. Simmer until cooked. Blend into a creamy soup. Add tamari to taste.

VEGETABLES. About 30% of each meal: 2/3 cooked (i.e. sautéed, steamed, boiled or baked), while 1/3 may be eaten as raw salad.

Use seasonal, locally grown vegetables, and if possible include green cabbage, kale, swiss chard, watercress, Chinese cabbage, pak choy, dandelion, onions, turnips, parsnips, carrots, pumpkin, squashes.

Use tamari, sesame oil, olive oil, vinegar, tahini (creamed sesami), tofu, to prepare fresh sauces and dressings.

Gram Flour Pakoras. Mix chick pea flour with water until a smooth batter, add a touch of tamari, add spices if required. Add chopped spring onion, spinach, mushrooms or grated carrot to the bowl, and mix thoroughly. Fry the pakoras in hot corn oil. Serve as a starter, snack or as part of the meal.

BEANS. Approximately 10% of your daily intake should include cooked beans. The most suitable beans for regular use are azuki beans, chickpeas and lentils. Other beans to be used on occasion include black turtle beans, kidney beans, black eyed beans, pinto beans, mung beans etc.

Azuki Bean Casserole. Soak beans overnight. Cook in pressure cooker for 30 minutes, or simmer in pot for 45 minutes. Stir fry onions, carrots and vegetables of choice. Combine vegatables and beans in casserole dish, with sufficient liquid from the beans, and spices or flavourings to your taste. Cook in oven.

SEA VEGETABLES. Seaweeds such as kombu, wakame, nori and Irish moss can be cooked with beans or vegetables, used in soups, or eaten separately as side dishes.

MEAT. If you eat meat, avoid intensively farmed meat products. Try to balance your diet, by eating meat only three or four times each week.

FRUIT . Only locally grown fruits should be eaten. In their correct season, berries, rhubarb, apples and dried fruits can be enjoyed daily in fruit desserts. Avoid tropical and semi-tropical fruit or fruit juices.

SEEDS. Roasted seeds, (lightly seasoned with tamari) are a nutritious and delicious snack.

Cooking oil. Use good quality sesame, olive or corn oil in moderate amounts.

Salt should be naturally processed sea salt.

Condiments: Gomasio (sesame salt) 10-12 parts sesame seeds to 1 part sea salt. Tamari soy sauce (moderate use, only for mild flavouring)

Dairy products including butter and yoghurt should be used only sparingly. Avoid flavoured yoghurts.

Additional Suggestions.

If possible, eat your main meal between 12 - 2pm, and a lighter meal in the evening. It is best to avoid eating for 2-3 hours before sleeping. When thirsty, drink water (preferably spring water) but not iced.

Chew your food very well, at least 50 times per mouthful.

If you have a choice, it is preferable to cook on a gas cooker. Avoid using microwave ovens.

Foods to avoid for better health.

Processed and packaged meals.

Foods with added salt and sugar (including processed breakfast cereals, fruit yoghurts etc)

Red Meat, animal fat, poultry.

Mayonnaise and commercial dressings.

Tropical or semi-tropical fruits and fruit juices, artificial drinks, coffee.

Sugar, honey, all syrups, saccharine and other artificial sweeteners.

All artificially coloured, preserved, sprayed or chemically treated foods. All refined, polished grains, flours and their derivatives. Mass-produced industrialised food including all canned and frozen foods.