hungry thursday: go green soup

Hi guys!  How is it Thursday again already?!

I made this beautiful soup the other day, which I didn't think was going to be anything much but as the saying goes, necessity is the mother of the invention of great soups :)  I was trying to think of ways to use up a tired looking cabbage and this turned out to be a huge winner!  It was spicy, salty, sweet and sour....and such a gorgeous colour!

And even though spring has definitely sprung:

Saturday afternoon in our neck of the woods

The nights and days are still a little chilly, and I'm never one to turn down an opportunity to make soup :)

I love using lemon in vegetable soups too, it gives such a freshness to it which is perfect for this time of year, and it also really lifts the earthy cumin in the soup too.  Cumin is fast becoming one of my favourite spices to cook with.  It's a wonderful spice to use if you want an earthy but mild flavour.  Just don't be like my sister and put cumin in your banana muffins instead of cinnamon!

By the way I totally recommend getting a pestle and mortar if you haven't got one - the flavour of freshly ground seeds is markedly better than ready ground.  And it's a good upper body workout ;)

Go green soup
Serves 4

Olive oil or cooking spray
1 large leek, washed and sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tablespoon ground cumin seeds
500g/2 cups green lentils
3 bay leaves (I have a bay tree so use fresh)
1 litre vegetable stock, plus 1 cup water
Salt and pepper
1 whole medium green cabbage, washed and shredded
Spinach, as much as you like
Any other green vegetable you like
Juice of 2 lemons

Heat the olive oil or cooking spray in a large stock pot.  Add the leek, onion and garlic and gently sweat on medium heat until soft.  I used a garlic flavoured rapeseed oil, in which case you wouldn't need the extra garlic...unless of course you love garlic!

Add the ground cumin seeds and cook for a few minutes.  Then add the green lentils and bay leaves, stir to get everything coated nicely and then add the vegetable stock.  Add salt and pepper, bring to the boil and then simmer for about 25 minutes or until the lentils are cooked through.  Add water if it needs it.

Add the chopped cabbage, spinach and any other vegetables you're using.  You may need a bit more water, depending how thick you want the soup.  Cover and cook for a few minutes or until the cabbage is tender and the spinach has wilted.  Add the lemon juice.

Puree with a hand blender until smooth.  Taste for seasoning.  Serve and enjoy your good-for-you go green soup!

I'm looking forward to getting my next veggie box tomorrow and seeing what seasonal spring goodies I have to cook with this week.  What dishes do you like to cook this time of year? 

More soon! x

monday mantra

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hungry thursday: lentil tacos

I had a mega craving for Mexican the other day and wow, did this hit the spot!  This can easily be doubled depending on how many you are serving.  And any leftover lentils makes a wonderful base for a soup the next day - simply add chopped fresh vegetables, a can of tomatoes and stock.

Lentil tacos
Serves 4 (or 2 very hungry people, with leftovers)

1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
1 tablespoon chili powder or hot smoked paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2-1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 cup salsa
8 taco shells
Shredded lettuce or salad leaves
Chopped fresh tomato
Grated fresh carrot
Any other taco fixins you like: jalapenos, grated low fat cheese, low fat sour cream, etc.

Guacamole:
2 medium ripe avocados
Fresh lemon or lime juice
Salt

In a large non-stick pan, saute the onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add the lentils, chili powder/hot paprika, cumin and oregano; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until the lentils are tender.  Uncover and cook for another 5 minutes or until mixture is thickened. Mash lentils slightly (or use a hand blender). Stir in salsa.

Heat your taco shells in the oven according to packet instructions.  Your kitchen will start smelling like corn chips :)

Make the guacamole by mashing the avocado flesh with the lemon/lime juice and salt in a bowl until well combined.

Spoon about 1/4 cup lentil mixture into each taco shell. Top with guacamole, lettuce, tomato, carrot and any of your other fixins.

Olé!

Are you a fan of Mexican food?  The best I've ever had was in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  I still think about it sometimes, five years later!  Monica's latest delicious travelogues have made me long to be back there in a big way! :)

on a natural high

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This post and give-away has been sponsored by Aspire.

I was recently contacted by the lovely folk at Aspire to see if I’d be interested in trying their natural energy cranberry flavoured soft drink.  At first, I was a little sceptical and wasn’t sure what to expect when I tried it for the first time, only that I would probably suffer my way through a can and need to brush my teeth afterwards.  Well, I was happy to be proven wrong on both assumptions!

Apart from sports drinks, drinks that claim to give you energy, burn calories and fire up the metabolism have never really appealed to me.  But now that I’m working for myself, and working to constant deadlines, I’ve admittedly become a bit of a workaholic and energy has been at the forefront of my mind – both how to make the most of it, and how to top it up.  Well, if you are organised and plan ahead that should be easy, I hear you say.  But to be honest, it hasn’t been.  It’s all been a huge learning curve and certainly not been as easy as I thought it would be.  I don’t think I’ve ever worked harder in my life!  I certainly haven’t spent all day in my pyjamas drinking sangria and watching Sex and the City, as I used to think I might in my dream life!  A life where you work and live in the same place is not as easy as it sounds.

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Time management and learning how to switch off are things I have had to work on in this new life of mine.  I’ve also found my energy levels are a bit different now too.  I aim to get my energy through the food I eat, so I try to start the day with some protein (eggs, or beans on toast) and get enough veggies and fruit in through the day, which I think I’ve always done ok with.  I don’t drink as much water as I used to but that’s also something I’ve done something about (coming in a future post!).  Exercise and fresh air are also great for my energy, so I try to get out at least once a day.  But I have not always succeeded in this, especially this last week!

And food wise I thought I would be far more structured and organised in this new working life, and maybe even be able to have my main meal at lunch time rather than in the evenings now that I have access to my own kitchen during the working day.  Ah, no.  One day I smeared some peanut butter on apple slices at midday, and then the next time I looked at the clock it was 5pm, the sun was starting to go down and my Blackberry was starting to look rather appetising.

On the plus side, I am getting stuff done.  I feel incredibly productive and motivated.  So, that is good.  Very good indeed.  On the other hand, my energy has been all over the place.  Finally allowed free reign and no longer needing to be on top form between 9am and 5pm, it explodes spectacularly at odd hours of the day and then sinks down again.  I’m finding I need to not only manage my time, but also my energy.  I’m learning about when my most productive times are, and what helps me when I need a boost with a deadline looming.

A natural night owl, I’ve never had a problem being alert in the evenings – I might feel a bit tired around 9pm, but I usually get a second wind.  I find I need a refreshing energy boost either mid morning or with lunch or my afternoon snack to give me a kick to get through the afternoon.  I don’t always want coffee or tea at those times and I kicked Diet Coke and its various cousins and love children to the curb some time ago.  What to do?      

Enter, Aspire.

Like I said in the introduction, I was very pleasantly surprised by Aspire.  First of all, unlike most natural energy drinks I’ve tried, Aspire tastes really nice.  There’s no nasty aftertaste, for a start! It’s one of those flavours that really grows on you.  It has a natural cranberry flavour (with an Apple flavour being launched soon) and contains green tea, guarana and ginger, as well as vitamins C and B6 and B12.  With the natural caffeine in green tea, a can of Aspire contains the same amount of caffeine as you would get in a regular cup of coffee.  I’ve found that having one on a day where I want a bit of extra energy to push me through to a deadline has been really beneficial.  If I have an Aspire with my veggie burger and salad at lunch, the 3pm slump just doesn’t happen!  It’s brilliant!

If you’re addicted to Diet Coke or Red Bull, try swapping one of them for a can of Aspire and see what you think.  I feel far more refreshed and energised after an Aspire than I ever did with one of those.  And no residue on the teeth either – a huge bonus!  I haven’t had a hangover for a while (they have got worse since I’ve got older, I have to say!) but I can imagine that an Aspire would work really well in place of a Bloody Mary.  I also wish I’d had a few around when we were jetlagged at the end of January.  I’ve even managed to turn my dear husband into an Aspire fan, who refuses to buy anything concentrated and his preferred sources of caffeine are coffee and tea.  He’s raved about it even more than I have, which was a huge surprise!  I don’t recommend having one in the evening though, unless of course you’re on a hen do or an all night rampage ;)  It really does perk you up!

Let’s face it, we all have energy slumps and often they are at inconvenient times when you might not have the wherewithal for a green smoothie or the time to go for a run, and in those situations I think a can of Aspire is a fantastic alternative.

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One of the interesting and unique things about Aspire is that it is a calorie burning drink as well.  They developed the product to be a high energy drink that stimulates the metabolism.  The combination of green tea, ginger and guarana apparently creates a thermogenic reaction which boosts the body’s potential to burn calories.  They’ve even done research with Leeds Metropolitan University to show that, on average, drinking a can of Aspire will burn 200 calories over a three hour period.  Hence, a lot of the feedback I’ve read from Aspire fans is that it’s great to have just before going to the gym to give you energy but also to maximise your workout effort.

I can see why this would be an appealing feature of the drink, but to be honest it isn’t really a selling point for me because fuelling for endurance rather than calorie burning is what I need to focus on as a long distance runner.  What does appeal to me about Aspire is that it’s a more natural alternative to the other energy drinks you can get out there, it gives me a great natural boost which makes me more productive, and it tastes really nice.  Calorie burning is a nice bonus!

I get a lot of offers to write about products for SLSB and not all of them are a good fit for where I am right now.  I’m interested in products or services that can complement or enhance my life as it is at the moment; a life that I think is very healthy and mindfully lived, where occasionally I need a boost or a bit of variety and if that is the case I prefer it to be as natural as possible.  And that’s why I was really impressed with Aspire.  Once I’d tried it and dug below the surface to find out what other benefits it had, I think there’s a lot more to it than meets the eye.  I also really like how the company as a whole really promotes a healthy and balanced lifestyle – they are involved with FitnessFirst, Zest magazine and lots of other initiatives that focus on wellness and being fit and active and I really think that is fantastic.  I like how Aspire is honest with their customers too, presenting the product as something to enhance your healthy lifestyle, rather than it being a magic potion with all the answers. But in some ways it is magic – because anything that can give me a boost without making me feel utterly drained an hour later or coating my teeth with sugar is a miracle!

In a marketplace that is saturated with sugary drinks that claim to give you energy, it is a rare thing in my experience to find one that actually delivers.  If it means I can also burn 200 calories while frantically typing up my latest column for Running Fitness, well, so much the better!

If you want to try it for yourself, you can find Aspire at Holland and Barrett stores all over the UK, at GNC stores, Selfridges and at Waitrose supermarkets.  In addition, Aspire can be bought online at www.aspiredrinks.com and www.winnaturally.com

Or, would you like to win a case?  I thought you might :)

One SLSB reader can win a whole case of Aspire Cranberry this week.  To be in the draw, please leave a comment telling me why you would like to try it.  The more creative the better!  The winner will not be drawn at random, I will be picking the most creative answer! :)

You can leave a comment on this post, or you can also enter via the SLSB Facebook Page.   You can also follow me (@philippa_moore) and Aspire (@AspireDrinks) on Twitter and tweet us your entry (you’ll only get 140 characters though!)

If you do not have a blog or Twitter account, please leave an email address so I can contact you if you are the lucky winner.

Everyone is welcome to enter, wherever you are around the globe!

You’ve got until 5pm UK time on Sunday, March 11th 2012.  I’ll announce the winner on Monday!

Until then, hope you have a fabulous week and get through it on a natural high :)

phil's greatest hits! instalment three

Happy Tuesday!  I hope you've all had a lovely start to the week!

Today I have another podcast for you, another instalment in my Phil's Greatest Hits series.  Today's greatest hit is from November 2011, where I wrote about how I had discovered I had had a chocolate in my handbag for over a week....and I'd forgotten it was there!  Sounds like a small, silly thing to some, but to me it represented an enormous victory and change that has come about in my mindset and attitude over the past seven years.

It feels wonderful for food to no longer occupy my every waking thought....now it's only in a good way, when I'm thinking about what to cook next ;) But the obsession has gone.  The panic has gone.  The "I must eat this and I must eat it all before anyone else gets it or sees me eating it" thoughts have gone.  Not only does that feel amazing, but it has given me so much emotional freedom.  It's been hard work, but very, very worth it.

So, without further ado, I give you the path to freedom!

You can listen here:

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Or download to your computer

Or get it on iTunes


I hope you enjoy the podcast, and please know whatever you might be struggling with right now, you are not alone.  You can break free.  It might not happen overnight, and it might mean you need to make some changes or get uncomfortable.....but it can be done.

Have a happy day my friends xxx

PS: Do you have a request for my Phil's Greatest Hits podcast series?  If so please let me know :)

monday mantra

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hungry thursday: lentil bolognese and spinach pie

This is a simple, easy and delicious midweek winter meal.  On the weekends I tend to make a giant vat of lentil bolognese sauce which makes enough for 1 lasagne, 1 lot of pasta bolognese and 1 of these pies, maybe even a bit more :) The sauce freezes well and you can just defrost it when you need it.

On the pastry - you can use filo if you prefer, as obviously puff is higher in fat, but I just prefer the taste of puff and don't have pastry all that often so I figure I might as well have the one that I think tastes nicer!  I figure all the threshold blitzing I've been doing lately might atone for the choice of puff over filo too.  But I buy Jus-Rol puff pastry who do a light version of puff too, so I should see if my local supermarket has it next time. Jus-Rol are vegan too (apart from their all butter shortcrust!)

And while we're on that, I have managed to stick to an entire month cheese free, and am feeling less bloated and more energetic for it.  So there you go, Phil lasted a month with no cheese! And still going! Miracles do happen!  Hence the inclusion of Tofutti in this recipe, which I must say is rather delicious.  I use it in lasagne too, and it's also very nice with baked potatoes.

You may think it's strange not to saute the spinach first, but you may know that spinach kind of...shrinks when cooked!  Therefore one measly bag of spinach is not going to be enough to cover the lentil filling.  I have tried putting the leaves on "raw" and cooked, and I think raw is best, as it steams inside the little pastry case while the pie cooks.

Lentil bolognese and spinach pie
Serves 6

2 sheets bought puff pastry (or filo if you prefer)
Approximately 1/3 batch of lentil bolognese sauce - either Sunday night spag bol or the sauce from lentil and walnut lasagne
1 x 140g bag washed spinach
Nutmeg (optional)
1 x 225g Tofutti Creamy Smooth herb and garlic spread (called Better Than Cream Cheese in Oz and US)
Sesame seeds (for extra calcium!)
Soy milk, to brush the pastry

Preheat the oven to 200 C.

Spray a large pie dish (I use my lasagne dish) with cooking spray.  Roll out one sheet of pastry and place on the bottom of the dish, making sure it goes up the sides as well.  Trim any excess.

Place a layer of lentil bolognese sauce over the top of the pastry.  Scatter spinach leaves over the top so the sauce is covered.  Then dot the Tofutti spread evenly over the spinach layer.  It is very thick, so you could mix it with some milk to thin it, but just try and dot it evenly about the spinach layer - it melts down when the pie cooks so should spread out fine.  Top with a light grating of fresh nutmeg if you like.

Finally, place the other sheet of pastry over the top.  Crimp the edges of the pastry together using a fork.  Make a few light incisions on the pastry top to let some steam out.  Or, do as I did here!

Brush the top of the pastry lid with soy milk.  Scatter the top with sesame seeds.

Place in the oven for about 35-40 minutes or until the top is puffy and golden brown.  I usually check it after half an hour.  I have a history of burning things!

Serve the pie with a salad or, if it's freezing, cooked vegetables of your choice - we had garlicky chard and a few homemade potato wedges with ours.  Delish!

This makes enough for 6 servings - we had some for dinner, then some for lunch the next day, and I froze the other two servings for a rainy day....or a lazy night, more likely!

With temperatures being what they have been here, there's nothing like a bit of comfort food to warm you from the inside out.  Apart from soup, I love nothing better than a pie for dinner when it's thrashing with rain outside :)

PS: There's still time to enter the Drink Me Chai give-away!