Tag: diet

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Black Cherry Oatmeal Bars Recipe

blck ch oat bars tw 28416

Oatmeal bars (or just oats in general) are great for boosting your energy and giving you a much-needed top up of fibre, known to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. And apart from being full of health-benefits, added with flavours of cinnamon and vanilla, these oatmeal bars make a tasty snack to eat on the go anywhere.

Ingredients:

  • 2 sticks (226g) unsalted room temp butter
  • 2 x 2/3 cups of white sugar
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp grounded cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2/3 tsp baking powder
  • 1 big jar black cherry preserve

Method:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF / 175ºC.
  2. Grease a baking pan (I used a 20 x 20 cm / 8 x 8 in) with butter and leave to the side.
  3. Cream the butter and sugar together really well.
  4. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
  5. Press half of the mixture into the bottom of the baking pan.
  6. Spread the preserves over it in an even layer.
  7. Crumble the remaining mixture, with your hands, over the raspberry preserves.
  8. Bake for 40 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
  9. Cool completely before cutting.

If you can’t get hold of any Black Cherry preserve then it’s just as easy to make your own – if not easier as you don’t need to leave the house! All you need is pitted black cherries, sugar and lemon. Glaze the cherries with sugar and leave for a couple of hours then simmer on a low heat for 1 hour.

  #Recipes   #baking   #recipe   #Baking   #brunch   #desserts   #christmas   #black cherry   #cherry   #bars

https://www.yumbles.com/post-1377/black-cherry-oatmeal-bars

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Farfalle with red pepper sauce – Catherine Fulvio

farfalle-red-pepper-sauce-266x266

It’s great over steamed fish and equally tasty over roasted garlic and courgettes.

Ingredients

  • 350g farfalle
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 shallots, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 100ml white wine
  • 2 red peppers, roasted and chopped
  • 50g crème fraîche
  • 200ml fresh cream
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 100g ricotta salata (or feta), crumbled, to serve
  • chives, to garnish

Directions

1 Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package.

2 In the meantime, prepare the sauce. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over a low heat and sauté the shallots until softened. Add the tomato purée and cook for 1 minute. Add the white wine and cook for a further 2–3 minutes. Add the roasted peppers and cook for 1–2 minutes, then stir in the crème fraîche and cream.

3 Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Remove half the sauce and blend it to a purée, then mix both back together again. Season to taste.

4 Toss the drained, cooked pasta into the sauce, sprinkle over the crumbled ricotta salata and garnish with some chive lengths on top.

KEEPING IT LOCAL: THIS SAUCE IS ESPECIALLY TASTY SPOONED OVER STUFFED LOCAL FREE-RANGE CHICKEN BREASTS WRAPPED WITH LOCAL DRY CURED BACON.

http://cookwithavonmore.ie/recipe/farfalle-with-red-pepper-sauce-catherine-fulvio/

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10 Drinks to help you sleep – warm milk 1st.

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Can’t sleep? Try one of these 10 drinks known to help you drift off into |

Fortunately, what you drink before bedtime could help you enjoy a more restful night. Your mother likely knew what she was doing when she sent you to bed with a mug of warm milk, a range of other delicious beverages could help you if you struggle to find peace at night. Here are just 10 of the drinks you can make at home to help improve your sleep.

Warm Milk

People have used this age-old remedy to help them drift into dreamland for decades, and it’s still a popular choice today, despite the fact that a New York Times article suggests there isn’t enough evidence to prove the ritual has any effect.

The reason why many mothers and scientific experts alike swear by warm milk is because milk contains significant amounts of the amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan is also present in meals full of carbohydrates, which is one reason why many people feel sleepy after eating a big meal. Once tryptophan is consumed, it’s converted to the natural hormone melatonin in the body, which helps to regulate our natural sleep state.

Almond Milk

Taking a step away from the classic bedtime solution, almond milk could be a fantastic sleep-inducing alternative. According to studies, the presence of serotonin in the brain can help to initiate sleep. Healthy serotonin levels in our central nervous system often depend on the presence of tryptophan, which is naturally found in both cow’s milk and almond milk.

Almond milk is also particularly high in magnesium, which is another important nutrient that can improve sleep quality.

Malted Milk

Whether it’s the classic British option Horlicks, or products like Ovaltine and similar store-brand offerings, this nighttime beverage is a great sleep aid for those in favor of warm, milky drinks. Malted milk contains plenty of vitamin B, zinc, iron, phosphorous, and magnesium — a blend of minerals that’s perfect for helping you relax before bedtime.

Valerian Tea

Valerian root has been used for centuries as something of a sedative in the medical world. It’s also been used to help reduce feelings of anxiety and promote calmness in people as a natural remedy to stress.

The valerian herb is now frequently used to help treat sleep disorders, particularly for people who suffer from insomnia. Usually, it’s combined with lemon balm, hops, and other herbs known to cause drowsiness. Unfortunately, the only problem with this sleep solution is that you need to be willing to take regular naptime breaks, as valerian can become quite addictive.

Decaffeinated Green Tea

Green tea is generating a lot of interest in the modern world today thanks to its ability to promote weight loss. However, if you remove the caffeine boost from green tea, it has sleep-inducing benefits, too.

Green tea contains the amino acid known as theanine, which has been proven to help reduce stress and promote more restful sleeping patterns. While the high caffeine levels of regular green tea cancel out those benefits when you’re starting your morning, decaffeinated options can be perfect for bedtime.

Chamomile Tea

Chamomile tea, like warm milk, is another more traditional option in the world of natural sleeping solutions. Experts have recommended the use of chamomile for years as an aid for those who suffer from insomnia. Often, this tea is very calming and soothing — as well as being caffeine-free.

Sometimes, people will pair their chamomile tea with other natural remedies, such as magnesium supplements, to help enhance the effects.

Herbal Tea with Lemon Balm

The last of our tea-based suggestions is just about any caffeine-free herbal tea. When mixed with lemon balm, herbal teas can make a perfect sleep aid for anyone seeking a natural way to drift off. Lemon balm, which is also known as balm mint in some areas, is a fantastic option for busting stress, fighting off insomnia, and promoting healthy sleep.

To make the best herbal tea, start by washing about 10 lemon balm leaves and adding them to your teapot with boiling water. Let the lot steep for about five minutes before adding a spoonful of honey and drinking it while it’s hot.

Pure Coconut Water

Coconut water might be a surprising addition to this list, as it’s often used as an energy-boosting beverage — or at least advertised as such. However, the truth is that coconut water is brimming with ingredients that can help you sleep better, such as magnesium and potassium, which help to relax muscles. This drink is also full of vitamin B, which is known for helping to reduce stress levels.

Banana Smoothies

Another fruit-based sleep-assisting option is a banana smoothie, which can be made quite easily before bedtime and is fantastic for promoting healthy sleep patterns. All you need is to blend a small banana with some almond butter and milk for a delicious smoothie. Not only will this healthy beverage help you fight off midnight snack cravings, but it also contains plenty of magnesium and potassium to promote muscle relaxation.

Tart Cherry Juice

Finally, a small study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food in 2010 found that drinking about 16 ounces of tart cherry juice during the day could result in a significant decrease in insomnia. The study was later duplicated and produced similar results.

Part of the reasoning behind this effect is that cherries are full of melatonin — an antioxidant that’s been known to regulate sleep cycles.

Sweet Dreams

While none of the drinks listed above are guaranteed to knock you out in seconds, they do possess some great natural qualities that can help you wind down and switch off after a long day. Combined with other sleeping advice, these drinks might be just the remedy you need to fight off insomnia.

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Rory O’Connell’s Summer spinach with garlic, chilli and lemon

 rachel summer spinach 5616

Serves 4-6.

You will need:

1kg (2lb 3oz) spinach leaves, stalks removed

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large cloves of garlic, peeled and very thinly sliced

1 dried chilli, crushed into small pieces, or a pinch of chilli flakes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

Directions

Wash the destalked spinach in several changes of cold water, then allow it to drain in order to remove as much of the water as possible.

Place a wide, low-sided, heavy saucepan or frying pan on the heat and add the olive oil. Immediately add the peeled thinly sliced garlic, and cook gently until the olive oil gets hot and the garlic colours slightly. Add the crushed dried chilli or the chilli flakes, whichever you are using, and cook for a few seconds – the garlic should now be golden.

Increase the heat and add the drained spinach, being careful because it will hiss and spit a bit. Cook the spinach, turning it constantly, then season with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Add the lemon juice and zest, and stir them in. Pull the pan off the heat and taste. Correct the seasoning and serve the spinach immediately in a hot dish. The spinach can also be removed from the pan when it is cooked, spread out flat to cool, and served later at room temperature.

Garlic Recipes:

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Baked eggs with tomatoes, chorizo, chilli and cheese

baked-egg-chorizo-cheese

(Serves 4)
Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 large ripe tomatoes, skinned, seeded and chopped

Salt

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

A good pinch of crushed chilli peppers 
(dried chilli pepper flakes)

8 large eggs

8 slices of chorizo

50g (2oz) manchego or Parmesan, grated

4 slices of bread, toasted and buttered, 
to serve

 
 DIRECTIONS

 

Preheat the oven to 180°C, 350°F, Gas 4. Put a frying pan on a medium-low heat, add the olive oil then add the skinned, chopped tomatoes, see my tip, above left. Season with a good pinch of salt and cook for about 15 minutes, until the tomato sauce is thick and viscous.
Remove from the heat, stir in the chopped parsley and the crushed chilli peppers. Divide the tomato sauce between four ovenproof ramekins and break 2 eggs into each dish. Place a slice of the chorizo on top of each egg and divide the grated manchego or Parmesan cheese, whichever you’re using, between the ramekins.
Place in the preheated oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, until the whites are set, but the yolks are just ever so slightly soft. Just before the eggs are ready, toast the slices of bread and butter them.
Remove the eggs from the oven and serve with the buttered toast.

http://www.rachelallen.com/post/baked-eggs-tomatoes-chorizo-chilli-and-cheese