Healthy food trends

Spelt and honey bread

Makes: 2 loaves

Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus rising time

Baking time: 25-35 minutes

Oven temperature: 190°C

• 10g instant yeast
• 75ml honey
• 300ml lukewarm water
• 500g whole spelt flour
• 30ml linseeds
• 30ml sunflower seeds
• 50ml rolled oats

Method

1 Combine the yeast, 50ml honey and the water in a large bowl. Set aside in a warm place until frothy.

2 Mix the flour (reserve a little for the kneading later), 10ml salt and the seeds and oats together. Keep some seeds and oats aside, to sprinkle over later. Make a well in the centre and pour in the yeast mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon, and then with your hands to form a soft dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface (use reserved spelt flour) and knead for 5-10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Leave to rise in a warm place for an hour, or until doubled in size.

3 Knock the dough down and knead for 2 minutes. Divide the dough in two, shape and place on a greased baking sheet or into 2 loaf tins. Cover and set aside to rise for another 30-40 minutes.

4 Mix the remaining 25ml honey with a little milk and brush over the top of the dough. Sprinkle with the reserved seeds and oats. Bake in a preheated oven for 25-35 minutes, or until the bread sounds hollow if you knock it on the bottom. Cool on a wire rack.

Spelt is an ancient type of grain. Although it is from the same family as wheat, its genetic structure is different. It is higher in protein, falling in the category of the new proteins and, although it contains gluten, seems to be easier to digest. This makes it more suitable for people with wheat allergies, but not gluten intolerance.

Cocoa-chia shake

Makes: about 300ml

Preparation time: 5 minutes

• 30ml cocoa powder
• 100ml low-fat evaporated milk, chilled overnight
• 200ml low-fat milk
• 10ml chia seeds
• Sugar, to taste
• Crushed ice, to serve
• Strawberries, to serve

Method

1 Mix the cocoa with some of the evaporated milk, until smooth. Add the remaining evaporated milk, milk and chia seeds. Whisk with an electric whisk or put in a jar, close the lid and shake until foamy. Add sugar to taste and the ice and shake again. Serve immediately with strawberries to decorate. The seeds will thicken the drink the longer it stands.

Chia seeds are one of the latest health-food crazes. They are a very good plant source of omega-3 fatty acids and contain high amounts of antioxidants, fibre and calcium. They are versatile and can be added to just about anything, making them easy to incorporate into almost any meal. As the seeds absorb a lot of liquid, they act as a thickening agent — as in this delicious milkshake.

Roasted beetroot and kale salad

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 30-45 minutes

Oven temperature: 180°C

• 6-8 small beets with stems and leaves
• Olive oil
• 100ml quinoa
• 100ml crumbled feta
• 500ml shredded kale
• 100g baby spinach
• 60ml olive oil
• 30ml balsamic vinegar
• 15ml chopped mint

Dressing

Method

1 Trim the stems and leaves from the beets and keep to one side. Scrub the beets well to remove any sand or hard pieces at the stem. Wrap in foil with a little olive oil, and salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place on a baking tray and roast in a preheated oven for 30-45 minutes, or until the beets are cooked. Leave to cool.

2 Cook the quinoa according to the pack instructions. Set aside to cool.

3 Rinse the beetroot stems and leaves very well. Chop the stems and sauté in a little olive oil for 2-3 minutes. Toss into the quinoa along with the beetroot leaves, feta, kale and baby spinach.

4 Cut the beetroot into slices or wedges with the skin on and arrange on a ser-ving plate with the quinoa mixture.

5 Dressing: Mix all the ingredients well and drizzle over the salad.

One of the biggest trends is to cut down on waste, by using more parts of the food you buy. For example, use the nutritious stems and leaves of beetroot instead of throwing them away. Another trend is to move away from animal proteins and to explore ‘old-world’ options, such as quinoa. Both these trends are part of the move to create a sustainable food system in a global economy. Kale is regarded as a super food as it is full of phytonutrients, antioxidants, vitamins A, B6, C and K, minerals and fibre.