Rhubarb Crumble Oat Bar

This is one for transporting the comfort of rhubarb crumble, without gooping up the inside of your transportation device, be it handbag, rucksack or humble pocket. I plan to make some adjustments with the change of season to make it a more storecupboard, chewy-bits muesli bar, but in the meantime, I can't say I'm too disappointed with eating a firm rhubarb crumble bar.

Preheat the oven at 175 degrees.

Stew your fruit for 5 minutes:

• 450g rhubarb, chopped into 1cm pieces
• 400g strawberries, halved (this is a great way of using up ones that are too ripe to enjoy on their own)
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup water

Drain the fruit from the juices (reserving the latter to use as cordial in some delicious impromptu cocktail). Set aside.

Mix together the dry ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts were very tasty)
• 1 1/2 cup oats
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cup flour (spelt worked well)

Then mix in the wet:

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (I like an olivey flavours, but use rapeseed if you don't)
• 1/4 cup honey
• few drops of vanilla essence

Compact half of this crumby mixture into the bottom of an oblong pan and bake for 20 minutes.

Add a good layer of stewed fruit, then sprinkle remaining mixture evenly over the top. Once distributed fairly, press down a little with the back of a spoon, then bake for a further 20 minutes, or until golden on top.

Have a little patience, and allow the crumble to cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes. Turn it out and cut into bar- shapes. I found a pizza cutter did the trick perfectly. Good eating!

Courgette, Dill and Feta Fritters

I don't like just a salad. I can only eat so many lettuce leaves, no matter what tasty dressing they may be smothered in. And to be quite honest, while the summer weather in Edinburgh is significantly better than any other time of the year, I still need some warming up. So I give you these fritters as a warming addition to your pile of salad.

Mix these up in a bowl:

• 1 big courgette, approx 200g, grated
• 1 red pepper, approx 100g, finely sliced
• 1/2 red onion, finely sliced (or several spring onions)
• 1/2 pack of feta, approx 75g, cubed
• 1/2 cup (at least) fresh dill, chopped (I'd put in any other fresh herbs that were beginning to look a little forlorn in the fridge too. On second thoughts, dill on its own is so grassy and clean tasting, I wouldn't. But I might substitute. Your call.)

Mix in:

• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp paprika
• salt and pepper to taste

Finally, slowly sift in:

• 60g gram (chickpea) flour

Once combined, you can keep in a air-tight container in the fridge for the rest of the day, or go ahead and shallow fry these immediately. They are fragile so try to exercise a little patience when moulding/flipping them. My restraint lasts at best half the time, allowing me to make the other person's serving a little more presentable than the slop I'm happy to serve myself. I find it doesn't detract too much, not when the fritters are this tasty.

Zingy Lime and Plum Loaf

Another squishy sweet, though this one you can slice like bread. This makes it a handbag handy that can easily be transported to work, consumed at your desk, and not fall between the keys if you're typing or surfing. It's also zingy, so a welcome awakening to a perhaps otherwise work-dulled body. Thank heavens for tastebuds to remind us that we are sensory creatures, not office androids.

This is adapted from Lucy's Kitchen by Lucy Waverman (2006). It doesn't make any great leaps of faith and adventure from the original, but these are tried and tested quantities of alternative ingredients that work nicely (margarine becomes rapeseed oil, sugar becomes honey and wheat flour becomes spelt). It still springs up and is moist without being greasy, so pretty good really.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees

Whisk up:

• 1/3 cup rapeseed oil
• 1/2 cup honey
• zest of 1 lime

Beat in:

• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup soya yoghurt

Then beat in:

• 1 1/2 cup spelt flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt

Gently stir in:

• 4 plums, stoned and chopped
• 50g walnuts, chopped (perhaps retaining some to sprinkle on top)

Pour into a loaf tin (greased and floured). Bake for a total of 35 minutes maximum. I recommend at least checking from Minute 20 onwards. If a skewer comes out clean, remove it. If not but you have a desired colour on top, cover with tin foil. And whatever you do, keep a close eye and mind your nasal intuitions. You have those senses for a reason. Speaking from experience, it does somewhat lessen the effect of flourishing newly baked goods, if you've needed to saw off any great chunks of severely burned tops and sides (A-hem, hmm, yes, hmmm).

I'd rather the highlight of some days isn't the inside of a burnt cake. But it ain't all that bad, if the very centre of said burnt cake is unquestionably tasty.

Rhubarb, Apple and Strawberry Tray Bake

You definitely need a fork to ensure it gets to your mouth in one piece. It's just too packed with soft, squishy fruit to be guaranteed to reach it otherwise. Pretty decadent in feel, but not too bad for you at all. The real decadence is using the stewing juices for cocktails... more on that in another post. In the meantime, here's a recipe to comfort and joy.

This one goes out to my Mum and in honour of her family favourite, apple tray bake. I've adjusted it to suit, adding some tart rhubarb, sweet strawbs and a smattering of cheeky nuts. Dad gave this an almighty thumbs up and while I think a little modesty is in order... stuff it, here you go.

Stew the following for 5 minutes:

• 450g rhubarb, cut into inch pieces
• 2 apples, peeled, cored, and cubed
• any left over strawberries, halved
• 115g sugar/or equivalent honey

Strain the fruit and set aside (Keep the juices for cocktails!)

In a medium bowl, mix:

• 85g brown rice flour
• 100g ground almonds
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

In another small bowl, whisk:

• 1 egg
• 1tsp vanilla essence
• 1 tsp almond extract

Then pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix together, finally stirring in the stewed fruit. Pour into a 6.5"x10"x1.5" baking tray and top with 50g chopped walnuts. Bake at 200 degrees for 25 minutes, allowing the walnuts to toast. Try twisting the pan around in the oven. Mine got a little overcooked at one end, so I'll turn mine next time. Set to cool, then chop into 6 generous squares. Serve with tea or coffee (it's not one of those which really goes best with one or tuther).

NB: One square slice holds 25g of nuts, or 1/3 of your daily requirement for protein (see blog on 'Diet for 21st Century' if you want more info). I like to think this means it's definitely a healthy thing to settle into a slice.

Strawberry Shortcake-Martini Hybrid

Despite my best efforts in a week of elevated pain and fatigue, this week I have no exciting food recipes to offer (the results of my attempts while eaten out of defeat, really should have gone straight to the bin). Gloriously I have something else to offer: a highlight like none other... The Beginning of 2008 Summer of the Cocktail.

Inception night was a roaring success and resulted in a Strawberry Martini-Shortcake Hybrid. Inspired by drinking hole in Barcelona that served soya-based Brandy Alexander, I called in the expertise of my friend, Dr Foxy T, an ex-cocktail waitress and scientist by trade. We have pledged to have regular Cocktail Discovery Evenings. Needless to say, these nudelicious cocktails will be prioritised by their soya-based nature and use of fresh, seasonal produce. All results will be reported.

In the name of science, Dr Foxy T suggested using a control group. Being a regular Dairy Drinker (DD), she tested the mainstream version, and I, the soya-based variations. Also in the name of science, I even sipped on the DD cocktail to ensure full comparative correctness: Dairy Intolerants (DI) must not be short-changed. As you can imagine, this proved a tough night for us both.

Hypothesis:

If a cocktail is made using soya (rather than cows milk), a viable alternative will make me and a lot of other folk very happy indeed.

Conclusions:

1. Dr Foxy T and her trusty Nudelicious assistant were very happy with the resulting soya-based cocktail. Dr T admitted if offered more than one, she would rather spend an evening DI-styley.
2. The DD version (made using cow's milk and half-and-half) looked more fluffy and like a milkshake (so admittedly better) than the DI drink which separated slightly, but was not too unsightly. (I didn't even observe this emerging finding, without being apprised of the situation. A result of my apprentice status, I assure you, rather than anything else).
3. In relation to taste, the variations suited the respective drinkers very well. Dr Foxy T prefered the taste of hers up-front (more creamy) and I didn't think the DD version was all it was cracked up to be. I would opt for the lighter, more refreshing version any day.

The Recipe for Strawberry Shortcake-Martini Hybrid (for one):

Muddle (smoosh) 7 or 8 strawberries

Fill cocktail shaker with ice, then pour in:

• 1 1/4 oz vodka
• 3/4 oz amaretto
• 1oz soy (that's half-n-half for dairy drinkers)
• dash of vanilla extract

Make sure the tops on tight, then shake as vigourously and as long as you can face. The logic behind this is that it brings down the temperature of the drink (the ice will be going down the sink) and gives the strawberries an extra pummelling. With the strainer in place, decant into cocktail glass. Imbibe in small enjoyable sippages.


A word to the weary:
I find alcohol is wonderous in small quantities, but is not worth over-doing. I write this to remind myself, rather than to be a kill-joy to anyone else. Much as I hate admitting it, my symptoms can become much worse as a result, completely undermining any therapeutic effect of getting a bit squiffy. On the bright side (and you always need to look at the silver lining, even when it's really well hidden), this is a perfect reason to have a truly delicious drink when I have one. Hurray for the 2008 Summer of Cocktails and 'Quality, not Quantity'.

Fight for the right to the sweets course

Imagine you've just had a wonderful meal with friends, good company and relaxed atmosphere. As a result, you're feeling gorgeous, interesting, and possibly slightly more open to persuasion than usual as a result from being filled with terrific food. The main course is over and you're considering whether you'll be asked if you'd like a dessert. You figure you're worth it. You take a moment to imagine what delights will be listed.

That's when the dreaming stops and I remember who I am. The truth is that I am someone who adores something sweet but often feels hopelessly ill when I indulge: I feel awful shortly after, lose the entire contents of my meal (if I'm lucky) and am left with a bitter taste in my mouth, both literally and metaphorically.

More often than not, I decide I will eat at least some dessert. I tell myself this is more about wanting to believe I'm normal, rather than the result of being a glutton. Admittedly, the jury's out. One thing is certain, it makes me a fool. I remind myself once more that dessert is not worth the suffering and prepare myself to desist at the next offer of afters.

The problem is that it is the omnipresent assassins, Wheat and Dairy, are ensconced in almost every dessert (just as they infiltrate so many foods). And I don't want to skulk on the margins of society trying to avoid them. Doing so costs me my sense of freedom (and epicurean enjoyment). I'm more likely to run into the line of fire than avoid it. Principles, I tell you! What can I do but fight: fight for the right to the sweets course.

My gut tells me I must involve European Court of Human Rights: The taste-buds of the dairy- and wheat- intolerant should be no less equal than those of fully-fledged omnivores.

My reasoning cries louder. Start small. Start in the kitchen. Just start doing something. To that end, I solemly declare my commitment to this cause and promise to divulge any relevant intel, both promptly and in full, that may assist in:

• dispelling the myth that you must consign yourself to a life devoid of odd sweet indulgencies
• overturning false expectations that all people are not created equal in their enjoyment of the sweets course
• providing the masses with bespoke sweets that will bring their special meals to a confident and sated close

(cue applause)

Beets' Soya Smoothies on the Shore

Do you ever get that real hankering for a smoothie? Something packed with fresh fruit and creamy, almost like a liquid lunch. I definitely do, but also have learned to quell my yearnings, because creaminess comes at an unmentionable price to the dairy-intolerant tum. Most pre-packaged smoothies and those made freshly in cafes are made with cows milk or yoghurt. It's just another one of those things you really fancy from time to time, but learn to live without (admittedly in my case not without harbouring a small grudge).

Last week I wandered into Beets on Bernard Street. It's a kind of mini Real Foods on the Shore, but with a more delicatessen-styled interior and finish. Its the sort of place that reminds you that you really do make your own choices about how you eat, rather than invoking a more resigned feeling that can hit in some healthfood shops. It's quite small floor space, so their range is by necessity limited. They do however stock basic wheat-free staples like flours and pastas, dried fruit and pulses and fresh local veg. I particularly like a quick rummage in their 1/2 price basket for the odd cook-it-quick challenge. These provide reason enough to recommend Beets, but I digress...

Their delicious sounding menu board of their trademark smoothies, although not advertised to include soya alternatives, is willingly transformed by simply asking. Last week, I was feeling delightfully drowsy post-acupuncture, was peckish and really fancied something packed with goodness. Feeling resilient, I braved rejection and asked if I might have soya milk instead of regular yoghurt, figuring this was more than enough to ask of the catering trade. And what do you know, I was asked 'wouldn't I prefer soya yoghurt?' Wouldn't I ever! I ordered a Number 3 (Mixed berries, apple juice, banana and soya yoghurt) and it was delicious. I wasn't even asked to pay a penny more for my intolerances (£2.55 small, £2.95 large). A wave of respect engulfed me. Three Cheers to Beets.

So if you're in the area, go support this fantastic little shop that comfortably takes intolerances in its stride. It's a wonderful feeling.

Beets: 49 Bernard Street, Leith EH6 6SL (0131 476 5086). Open until 6 all week, all year (except Sundays until 5pm). It's likely to be open until 7 or 8pm during the summar months depending on custom. Beets doesn't have its own website, but is listed at http://www.leithlinks.co.uk/business/delicatessens/beets/beets.html and otherwise speaks for itself.

Fennel, Shallot and Goats Cheese Quiche

I've just had a request for a quiche recipe for a midsummer's picnic. June and July are a great time for fennel, shallots and green beans. Fingers crossed these nudelicious vegetables are ripe-pickings in the shops in Montreal where my friend's now living.

This quiche is really jam-packed with flavour. It's best complimented by more fresh crunchy vegetables. I recommend chopping a quick green one at least, with lots of sweet tomatoes and a minimum of one spring onion. Better yet, step it up with a Green Bean and Walnut salad (see post).

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees

Pastry Case
See post on 'Oat Pastry' and consider using poppy seeds, in place of sesame seeds (they are a lighter, more fragrant seed). Half the pastry recipe is sufficient for this quantity of filling, but if you want it to be stress-free, make the full batch and use the remaining dough for another recipe.



Fennel and Shallots

Reduce these for 15 minutes:

• 2 heads of fennel (cut into rings)
• 300g shallots (peeled, and quartered)

Then add the following and cook for a further 5 minutes, then set aside:

• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Egg mixture

Whisk the following, then set aside:

• 4 eggs
• 250g goats/soya yoghurt (equivalent 1 cup)
• any feathery tops of fennel left over (finely chopped)
• lots of fresh dill (finely chopped, the whole lot)
• lots of fresh thyme (finely chopped, leaves only)

Cut some soft or crumbly goats cheese into small rounds, and set aside. 50g should be plenty for flavour without decreasing the overall healthiness of this quiche.

Assembling and baking your quiche

Alternate the vegetable and egg mixtures, allowing the egg to seep down to the bottom. Top it off with the pieces of goats cheese.

Bake for approximately 45 minutes. It's ready when you can shoogle the pan and it doesn't ripple on top, and when you insert a knife and it doesn't come out eggy. Bon appetit.

Spanakopita (Spinach and Feta Pie)

Admittedly, this is a Northern European version of the amazing Greek dish. It follows the hard and fast rules of including spinach and feta, but otherwise is just my version. I love the original dish and this comes close enough for me.

Spanakopita to me is always best served in filo triangles. Although I tried admirably hard to make them into pasties for my packed lunch tomorrow, the pastry just won't stretch to that function. So if you're using 'oat pastry', consider this an open pie. If you can eat wheat and fancy a real treat (sorry fellow non-wheaters, but I can't not tell them) don't bother with my pastry. Ready-made filo is so easy to roll out and is a wonderful flaky texture. Just be sure to remember it is a treat and not nutritious: filo means not a wholegrain in sight so therefore low GI. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Pastry Case
See 'Oat Pastry' post. You need half the quantity.

Filling
Put all these in a bowl and mix them up:

• 250g spinach (wilted, drained and roughly chopped)
• 250g mushrooms (sliced and lightly sauteed in olive oil until soft)
• 1 shallot or a couple spring onions (chopped finely)
• 100g feta (cubed small)
• fresh parsley (chopped, although coriander is just as tasty)
• fresh dill (chopped)
• 1 egg (whisked)

Assembly and Baking
Pretty much as you'd imagine, you fill the cases. You could add a wee bit of extra feta on top so it looks better presentation-wise, but this may be a detail too far. Tonight I just felt like it.

Bake for 20 minutes and let cool. Serve with salad, salad and more salad.

Against the Grain's choc chip & hazelnut cookies

I found some excellent chocolate chip and hazelnut cookies when on the Bridges the other day. They are made by Against the Grain, and stocked at Mcleish's. They are a bit pricey at £2.89, but oh so good.

Wait until you read the list of things they are free from: wheat, gluten, dairy, eggs, aritifical preservatives/ flavourings/ colourings and added salt. My only ongoing disappointment with most packaged foods is that they do include palm oil. Oh well, you can't win 'em all, kid.

They are delicious, refined and most suitable for an adult palate. It's not that children won't like them, but for the price, they are a treat. They are delicately-flavoured, mildly crunchy biscuits that would be complimented by either tea or coffee. They may just be subtle enough to not drown out a herbal tea, but I have ye to try this combo.

I say these are biscuits rather than cookies. For me, a biscuit has more crunch (rather than moist squidgieness) and is more subtle (less sweet and vanilla-toned). It doesn't matter either way, except if you are expecting one and get the other. These are very tastelicious.

Against the grain make three other types of biscuits which I have yet to try: Almond Cookies, Ginger Crunches and Berry Delicious. I look forward to reviewing these too, all in the name of keeping blog readers informed, of course.

http://www.againstthegrainfoods.com/

Warm Green Bean and Walnut Salad

This is very simple and tastes quite decadent. Another vegetable triumph. Hooray!


Steam 250g of green beans (topped and tailed) for 4 minutes. No need for a special steamer, you can use a sieve over a pan of boiling water- just make sure you have a lid that fits so you lose as little steam as possible.


Whisk together:

• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp wholegrain mustard

Once beans are done, pop them in a bowl and cover with the dressing.

In the meantime, dry roast 50g walnuts in a frying pan until they start giving off a stronger walnutty smell. Give the beans and vinegarette a turn, then put these on top. Cover with clingfilm if you'd like to keep them warm, although they are equally pleasing cold.

Oat Pastry

Although there are plenty of recipes for wheat-free pastry in cook books, many use mostly refined flours and butter or margarine to get the light texture we're used to in shops and restaurants. Although these tastes and feels great, it certainly isn't going to give sustained energy and is not likely to survive a trip as a packed lunch.

This pastry once baked is crunchy and doesn't crumble too much (warning: it is not flaky so don't be disappointed when it's not). It's full of flavour, a bit nutty and functional. It even passes the test of someone who doesn't really like pastry and normally leaves bits on the side. So here goes...

Mix/blast in processor:

• 125g brown rice flour
• 100g maize flour/maize meal
• 100g oats
• 25g ground almonds
• 25g sesame seeds or poppy seeds

Whisk in a separate bowl:

• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 egg
• 6 tbsp water

Gently stir/pulse the wet ingredients into the dry, adding further tbsps of water one by one, until the mixture forms clumps then starts to stick together without being too goopey (I needed a further 4 tbsps).

Roll the pastry out under clingfilm as this helps it stick together, and not stick to you (thank you, Lucinda, for this top tip). Roll out as thinly as you can while still feeling confident you can get it into the tin without it breaking. At last rolling, this quantity of pastry gave me cases for one 9" pan and three individual 3"pans. I've also managed two 9"ers, although this certainly makes you work up a sweat.

Although I'm a fan of cutting corners, make sure you blind bake the pastry (200 degrees, 10 minutes weighed down with a thin layer of uncooked beans/rice on greaseproof paper, and then 15 minutes without). Take it out and let it cool. You now have a good pastry case in which to pop your fillings and make a nudelicious tart or quiche.

Why? This morning I lazily spronged holes in a rising air-bubble as I blind baked the case without it being weighted. The result? The filling seeped out of the case and created a souffle-effect on the outside of one of my tarts. Not particularly attractive and was kind of a weird texture in your mouth. Although still edible, it wasn't worth cutting a 10 minute corner on.

Cornbread

There are many things to love about cornbread. I love the texture. It's more granular and filling than a sponge, and is traditionally is served in a large wedge alongside your main course. It's also a hybrid savoury-sweet. The first time my niece and nephew were given a piece, they couldn't believe their luck that they were being served cake for their dinner. And bottom line, I love the colour: it looks like it's full of sunshine.

The following recipe was once wheat- and cow's dairy- laden. In its original form, I have no doubt that it was sublime as it was the result of a long search from a close friend who had made it her quest to find the perfect cornbread recipe. Kindly she let me have a look and make some alterations.

Cornbread

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Grease either a round cake tin or a 9" by 5" bread tin.

Mix together the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl:

• 1/2 cup brown rice flour
• 1/4 cup cornflour
• 1/4 cup ground almonds
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cup polenta or cornmeal
• 3/4 cup dried fruit, such as blueberries, cranberries or tart cherries (optional)

In a smaller bowl, whisk the wet ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cup milk (goats or soya)
• 1/3 cup rapeseed oil (often sold as 'vegetable oil' in shops)
• 1/4 cup honey

Make a well in the dry ingredients, and pour in the wet. Stir until moistened throughout. The mixture will appear a bit lumpy, but that's ok: it's better not to overstir, and the lumps should even out in the baking anyway.

Pop in the oven for approximately 45 minutes. You can test for readiness in a couple of ways. It's done when 1) you pierce it with a knife and it comes out clean and/or 2) when you press in the centre, it springs back up again. If you find it's brown on top but still a bit wet, simply press a sheet of tin foil lightly around the top of the pan. This will keep it moist while stopping it from burning.

The cornbread stays fresh for two days, so enjoy eating it as it is at first. On day 3, rather than eating it in its less than sublime natural form, add some heat: put it in the toaster (turn the toaster on its side at the end to coax it out if you fear it may all apart) then spread on some marmalade. It's nudelicious for two more days.

French Onion Tart

To me, there is no savoury kitchen aroma more inviting than that of onions being reduced. They're rich, sweet, gooey and golden. This Onion Tart leaves them pretty much unadulterated, protected only by a hard, crunchy case of pastry and resting on a cushion of slightly peppered egg. Delicious.


Pastry Case:
The pastry for this recipe is the standard oaty one I use for tarts and quiches. It can be found under a separate post, funnily enough called 'Oat Pastry'. For this particular recipe, I suggest using sesame seeds (rather than poppy seeds), for no reason other than that's the way I like it. Have a go and see.

Onion:
Chop 4 onions into rings and let them reduce on a low heat in olive oil for 15 minutes on the hob. Add 1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar and 1 tbsp of soy sauce, mix together and cook at same low heat for another 5 minutes until any liquid remaining is like a thick sauce.

Egg Mixture:
Lightly whisk

• 4 eggs
• 100g goats/soya milk or yoghurt
• salt and pepper to taste
• a few drops of tabasco (optional)

Baking:
Reduce oven to 150 degrees and assemble the tarts: put the onions evenly across the cooled pastry base, cover with the egg mixture, and top off with a dash of nutmeg. Bake for 30-40 minutes (less for smaller pans) until the egg sets and then set on a rack to cool, before turning out and eating. Best served with a big juicy salad.

How to Cook for Allergies, cooking demo

Last night I attended a cooking demonstration called 'How to Cook for Allergies' by Lucinda Bruce-Gardyne who has recently published a book of the same name. It was held at NW Circus Place branch of Herbie of Edinburgh, a local company dedicated to the slow food movement.

Lucinda's passion for perfecting delicious alternatives for people with allergies was a real inspiration and it proved a really enjoyable evening.

Trained at the Leith School of Food and Wine in London, her demonstration was educational, accessible and most importantly useful. She took the time to explain how certain ingredients behave in different circumstances, giving a much needed reason to the amateur kitchen-user as to why a gluten-free cake might need 5 types of flours. It finally gave me extremely good reason to buy the rather irritatingly long list of flours often listed in recipes, and know that it will be money well-spent and storage space well-used.

Lucinda's can-do attitude was galvanising. Rather than being intimidated by a chef who knew everything and used fancy techniques too tricky for the general public, her focus was to teach the basics and show how easy it is to get started. Her book really details how to use variations to the best advantage. I may be a further £16.99 out of pocket, but now I'm fully referenced up and ready to get started.

To top it all off, the evening was evenly sprinkled with tasters of all the recipes covered. And they were out of this world. These simple recipes and techniques have ridiculously high pay-off. I ate the tastiest slice of Victoria Sponge I have ever eaten, even including those held in the category of Childhood Memory. I had some Tarte au Citron which knocked my socks off. The bread was easy to make (no kneading required), light in the middle, just the right kind of chewy on the outside and not in the slightest bit grainy. Washed down with a couple of glasses of white wine, the £12 ticket was definitely money well spent.

If you're interested, Lucinda will be giving 3 more demonstrations in the near future at The Edinburgh School of Food and Wine (Dairy-free 10 Aug, Egg-free 17 Aug, Gluten-free 14 Sept). Details on Lucinda's website (http://www.lucindabrucegardyne.com/) and on ESFW's (http://www.esfw.com/).

'a pawful of nuts'

Firstly, it is an expression coined by my Mum, and now very much part of the family lexicon. And the act of enjoying 'a pawful of nuts' is happily administered I would guess at least every other day in my Mum and Dad's house, as has been the case for many years. During our school years, Mum would bring offerings of nuts, raisins and carrots on a saucer, beautifully laid out, often like the rays of the sun. A pawful has always been a glorious thing.

'A pawful of nuts' however is also a healthy snack. Nuts when eaten raw and unsalted provide a source of plant protein. Many nuts are also rich in the right kinds of fats (unsaturated and containing omega 3).

Nuts are however high in calories and quickly make up your daily requirements for fat and protein. No matter how tempting it is, the key phrase is 'a pawful of nuts' and is not the same as 'the energetic pawfulling of many nuts'. The Harvard School for Public Health suggests a daily serving of 1 ounce (25g) of nuts. At approximately 185 calories per ounce, this serving should replace other fatty snacks and/or animal protein, rather to be seen as an additional supplement
(http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/nuts-for-the-heart/index.html).

But how many nuts is 25 grams approximately? I decided to conduct a home weigh-in exercise (admittedly my weighing scales are not digital, but then again this is an approximation):

25g equals the following amounts of nuts and seeds:

• 22 almonds (low GI)
• 7 brazils
• 15 cashews
• 20 hazelnuts (low GI)
• 8 macadamia (halves)
• 12 pecans (halves)
• 30 pistachios (unshelled and unsalted)
• 10 walnuts

Seeds and pinenuts are too onerous to count, so 25g translated into rounded dessertspoonfuls=

• 1.5 dspns, pinenuts
• 2 dspns, sunflower seeds
• 2 dspns, pumpkin seeds

**You can work out what your daily minimum requirement is for protein in grams by multiplying your weight in pounds by .36. If you weigh 140lbs (63kg or 10 stone), your requirement would be a mere 50g. That means one Harvard-approved one serving of nuts is half your daily protein requirement. A bit of a shock, but true.

The Optimal Diet for 21st Century Living

Last night, Dr Walt Willett, Professor at Harvard School of Public Health and at Harvard Medical School, gave a lecture in 'The Optimal Diet for 21st Century Living', the second in the University of Edinburgh Enlightenment Lecture series.
www.ed.ac.uk/explore.av

Dr Willett has spent the last 25 years studying the impact of diet on the occurence of major diseases. His lecture covered the impact of different food stuffs, such as types of fat, dairy and carbohydrates, as well as consumption of fruits and vegetables on illnesses such as coronary heart disease, types of cancers, osteoporosis and others. While some of the terms were technical and some charts less easy for the untrained eye, his messages were clear. We can make very real positive impacts on the health of our bodies if we make changes in our lifestyle and eating habits, even at later age.

The lecture was packed with information, but a few key messages stood out for the general member of the public and can frame the way we look at what we eat:
1. Dairy- debunking the myth we need to drink more milk to save our bones
2. Fats -a more decadent diet rich in transfats is deadly, while one rich in polyunsaturated fats, omega 3s, can reduce risks of disease
3. Glycemic Index- as a helpful way of chooseing which foods are healthiest
4. The 'Healthy Eating Pyramid' - a simple illustration on how to plan our eating in a balanced and healthy way

I have summarised these points below but a great deal more can be found at the Harvard University website: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/pyramid/index.html. This includes further details of good foods, what to avoid and some delicious-looking recipes.

1. Dairy
Daily calcium intake does not seem to be as high as recommended in the US (1200mg/day) or the UK (700mg/day), as the World Health Organisation recommends 500mg/day with no adverse risk of osteoporosis. This dietary requirement in adults can be met with a well-balanced diet and one portion of dairy a day. Increasing milk consumption does not decrease risk of osteoporosis, in some instances can increase possible risk of fractures and in men can increase risk of fatal prostate cancer (the latter based on a study of men who drank more than 3 glasses of milk a day).

2. Fats
The fats that we choose to consume, and importantly not consume, has a very clear impact on our health. Transfats (those which for the main are solid at room temperature) greatly increase risk of coronary heart disease, as do saturated fats (animal fats) to a lesser extent. These should be avoided. Interestingly the consumption of certain other fats (such as unsaturated fats) actually decreases risk. The healthiest fats are in the polyunsaturates omega 3 family, which include fish oil and plant oils (soya, olive and rapeseed). If you consume both healthy and unhealthy oils, they provide some sort of balance. If you want to decrease risk of various diseases, you should limit all oils but unsaturated fats which you can enjoy to your heart's content. As Dr Willett put it, load on the salad dressings, these can improve your health and make the salad taste a lot better too.

3. Glycemic Index
The Glycemic Index is a sound way to approach what foods to eat as this focuses on a slow, sustained release of glucose. In layman's terms, it leaves you feeling fuller for longer. Dr Willett reported that eating a diet with a high Glycemic Load increases risk of heart disease. Sadly as such, high GI goods include both potatoes and bagels. More details on nutritious delicious low GI foods to come.

4. The Healthy Eating Pyramid
This summarises very simply what principles we should employ to eat a healthier diet:

• the foundation of a good diet is to be active and take exercise
• a plant-based diet rich in wholegrains, fruit, vegetables and plant oils is most important
• this should be supplmented with smaller portions of protein, fish and chicken for meat-eaters, and nuts and pulses for vegetarians
• dairy products should be eaten in smaller quantities again, and
• red meats and refined carbohydrates (white bread, flour, pasta and potatoes) should be eaten only in very limited amounts.

pasta fantastica - Salute from Sainsbury's

I have found one really good wheat-free pasta that is tasty, a great texture and enough like the real thing that not even unsuspecting Wheat-Eaters really notice the difference.

Salute Gluten Free Spaghetti from Sainsbury's (£2.12 for 500g online, £1.89 in shops) is only marketed as gluten-free, but a quick squiff at the ingredients reveals that low and behold it's wheat-free, lactose-free, egg-free and milk protein-free. [Ingredients: Maize Starch, Pre-Treated Maize Flour, Rice Starch, Pre-Gelatinised Rice, Green Pea Concentrate, Lupine Flour*, Emulsifier: (E471)]

The Meadowbank branch is a dead cert for finding a packet, but it is more widely available as it's included on their online shopping and delivery service. The bonus of going to the shop though is I've also found Salute Fusilli, which isn't mentioned online. The Straiton shop also had Salute Penne last time I was in.

My only brief warning is that as with all wheat-free pastas, cooking time needs to be carefully monitored. The packet suggests cooking it for 7-8 minutes, and its worths putting your pinger on. Overcooked pasta is grim in most circumstances, particularly so here.

*A quick aside on lupine flour. It is derived from the lupine flower family we have in our gardens. Interestingly, this variety of plant is the closest relative to the common peanut! Be mindful anyone who might suffer peanut allergies as this might have similar effect.

an extraordinary loaf at The Manna House

How might I compare thee (oh Spelt and Honey Loaf) to a summer's day... (the heaven that I felt at our union)?

Let me count the ways: you remind me of my freedom and youth when I caroused the local bakeries willy-nilly, eating any wheat delicacy that took my fancy. your chewy crust, crispy to the outside. inside, your yielding and supple ways. like flickers of happy memories, you're flecked with sunflower seeds that keep me singing. you're strong, holding together my sandwich, not tearing at the application of a little butter. and you're gentle and light-hearted, not bloating me with unnecessary concerns. you've brought me so much pleasure.

If you would like to experience this or something similar... or would just like me to get to the point and want to eat some really tasty wheat-free bread, details are listed below.

Location: the Manna House, 22-24 Easter Road (pretty sure closed on a Monday but otherwise open)

The experience if you were me this afternoon: bordering on sensual - you walk in to be approached and seduced by as many gorgeous baked goods as can be held on its shelves. delights that you just want to sink your teeth into. Admittedly, most of these fancies are not wheat-free. Given my near-heaven experience of their chocolate twists, I may go as far to say as not particularly nutritious.

But there is the Spelt and Honey Loaf (featured above at a cost of £1.50). I can't tell you how long it is since I have had a truly scrumptious slice of bread that did not incur equal proportions of guilt (and possible fear for how I'd feel later). It was tremendous.

They also sell completely wheat-free 100% Rye Bread (small oblong) - £1.30
If you are able to limit your wheat-consumption rather than omit it entirely, there are 3 other types of bread available, all at £1.30: 40% Rye (round), 40% Rye with Caraway (round) and 20% Rye Baguette (long). Please note the remain percent is wheat flour.

The Manna House uses Scottish products where and when possible.

save your pennies at the Leith Wholefood Co-op

Today I chanced upon a fortuitious thing. I was walking past the Post Office collections building, towards Leith Walk. On the corner of West Montgomery Place and Brunswick Road, sits a very exciting prospect, the Leith Wholefood Co-op. It is open only limited hours (Saturday 11am-6pm Tuesday 1pm-4pm Thursday 6pm-8pm ), so I was delighted to find it open.

A little background: The Co-op is not-for-profit and is run by volunteers at the Autonomous Centre of Edinburgh, founded 'for groups or individuals to use who are trying to make a better society and improve their lives'. It's friendly and helpful atmosphere, accessible to pushchairs and wheelchairs.

Why do I tell you all this? There is cheap, organic and eco-friendly produce on your doorstep for a snip of the price. Food prices are kept low by buying in bulk. A small mark-up is taken in order to pay for the premises.

To see if it really was cheaper, I compared how much I would spend if I were to buy organic chickpeas, rice and honey here and with a few other shops:
£4.45 at the Co-op
£6.62 at Realfoods
£7.57 at Damhead
£5.31 at Sainsbury's (buying own-brand organics products where possible)

Below you'll see that the Co-op was not the cheapest for every item, but the bill in total was considerably cheaper. The Co-op has a good range of staples with which you could fill up your store cupboard (at least until you are familiar enough to know what they have and you will need on a regular basis). It is certainly worth visiting and catching some of their cut price goodies.
http://www.autonomous.org.uk/foodcoop.html

Only one's own circumstances can direct you to save pennies primarily, the degree to which you can and wish to make ethical decisions and if time means you need to get all your goods in one place. Each person is different.

Three Products Compared:

Suma organic chickpeas (tinned):
75p at the Co-op
75p at Realfoods
89p at Damhead
45p at Sainsbury's for own-brand organic chickpeas organic

white basmati rice (non-brand), 1kg:
£1.70 at the Co-op
£3.58 at Realfoods
£3.99 at Damhead
£2.79 for Sainsbury's own-brand

organic Rowse organic honey, 340g:
£2 at the Co-op
£2.29-£2.85 at Realfoods (range of Rowse honeys)
£2.69 at Damhead (for equivalent Capilano organic honey, 340g)
£2.07 at Sainsbury's for Rowse's acacia honey

the demon palm oil

The damaging nature of palm oil is most often attributed to its source and impact on the environment. Most widely publicised is the plight of orangutans in Borneo and Sumatra. TV programmes have helped raise this issue and further reading is available from Friends of the Earth: http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/reports/oil_for_ape_summary.pdf).

As a result, more companies are switching to sustainable sources of palm oil and are rightfully keen to differentiate themselves. Both Simpsons Bakery and Nairns are using organic palm oil that is claimed to come from ecologically sustainable sources. Nairn's supplier is even one of the founding members of Roundtable for the Production of Sustainable Palm Oil (http://www.rspo.org/). This can at least allay some of our fears.

There are however more direct consequences of consuming palm oil and that is its effect on the body. Producers are often keen to cite that it is free of trans-fatty acids, which indeed it is: trans-fatty acids have been used widely in processed foods, have detrimental affects on health, and are best avoided. What producers however omit to tell you is that palm oil is a saturated fat, also known to poor for one's health.

The World Health Organisation’s recent report states that it is a contributory factor in increasing risk of heart disease due to it being high in saturated fats (http://www.who.int/hpr/NPH/docs/who_fao_expert_report.pdf). A source even closer to home, the NHSDirect Health Encyclopedia states it in even plainer English: 'You should avoid food containing saturated fats because these will increase the levels of bad cholestrol in your blood.' This advice is given clearly across encyclopedia entries for the prevention of stroke, high blood pressure and arteriosclerosis.

Palm oil, whether organic or sustainable, both or neither, is used in many processed baked goods: it is relatively cheap and contributes to products having a longer shelf life. Anyone attempting a wheat-free diet and has read the labels will know that to get a product that has one without the other is a boon. When I manage to track down any of these highly-desirable and rare-breed products I will be sure to share these with you.

Taste of Edinburgh May 2008

Last Saturday was the first glorious summer's day to hit a weekend in Edinburgh in 2008. This was fortuitous as was the day we went to the much-hyped and rather over-priced Taste of Edinburgh event held in The Meadows.

The day was a huge success if measured by the extent of bared skin, thankfully less sun-burnt than is traditional to see on the first sight of sun. The place was flooded by multitude of tea-dresses, long shorts and sunnies.

I wouldn't call the event a complete success however. For £12 entry, plus the need to buy vouchers to eat or drink inside, it was not particularly good value for money. Sadly when our food did arrive, the quantity was quite skimpy - a disappointment really.

Perhaps it was mismarketed - a Taste of Edinburgh to me suggested a fair bit of sampling. While samples were available from the stalls, a great many were alcohol-based and there wasn't nearly enough food samples to provide a pleasant balance. Perhaps my cunningly light breakfast was my own downfall.

All was not lost though, as I wandered amongst the stalls, I came across the Simpsons of Speyside, purveyors of the humble oatcake. And there, sitting on one of the taster plates was one of my sought-after goods – wheat-free and palm oil- free oatcakes. See my blog on top three oatcakes to buy to find out more.

the humble oatcake – top three to buy

Tracking down a good wheat-free (WF) oatcake is harder than you might initially realise. Surely they’re all made that way, I hear you say, the clue is in the title. Sadly not. And the challenge is really on to find one that's free of palm oil (POF) and organic (O). Below I give you my top favourite oatcakes, starting from the top...

1st Place: Paterson's 'Organic Oatcakes (WF, O, POF) As their website proudly claims their '...oatcake range is also completely free from palm oil so are orang-utan friendly'. They are absolutely delicious, great depth of flavour and suitably crunchy without falling to pieces too easily. I can count 7 varieties in their range, plus 2 flavours of oatbites and oatcrackers too. www.wildaboutoats.com/

2nd Place: Simpsons of Speyside's 'Olive Oil Oatcakes' - (WF, POF) One of their range of 10 different wheat-free varieties, Simpsons has produced a delicious oatcake that meets all requirements. They use organic oats supplied from nearby and use extra-virgin olive oil. For a taste preview, go online to order or hold your breath just a little while until their Edinburgh suppliers are confirmed - details to come... http://www.simpsonsoatcakes.com/

3rd Place: Nairns 'Organic Oatcakes'- (WF, O) Nairn's range is entirely wheat-free, consisting of 6 varieties of oatcakes, plus a selection of oat biscuits and oat bites. All oatcakes (with the exception of the minis) come in sets of 6, making them perfect for a handbag handy. While the 'organic oatcakes' contain palm oil, they have been a firm favourite until recently and are readily available, both in local shops and supermarkets. http://www.nairns-oatcakes.com/

a meat-eater’s delight at Ardross

Once a year, we spend a long weekend in Elie and one of the most wonderful culinary delights is our trip to Ardross Farm Shop, just I mile north-east of Elie on the coast road. Our delight mostly centred around the delicious meat they have on offer.

Ardross Farm use traditional farming methods to produce their own cattle. While not 'organic', the welfare of their animals is a priority as is providing them with local GM-free feed. A perfect opportunity to buy local and feel comfortable about how the beasts were kept. The rump steak was excellent, full of flavour and tender to boot. We are very satisfied customers: 3 frozen packs have made it via the cooler to our freezer in the city.
http://www.ardrossfarm.co.uk/

They are also suppliers of Ballencrief sausages and bacon, which we found out comes from Longniddry on this side of the Firth. Absolutely phenomenally delicious and lucky for us, also available at the Edinburgh Farmers Market. Again 2 packs via the cooler to freezer. Their honey mustard one sausages are excellent and I can't even find words to explain exactly how delicious the bacon is. I'm just in heaven.
http://www.ballencrieffrppigs.co.uk/shop.php

If that's not good enough news for the Edinburgh resident, they share another good thing in common: Mrs Hamilton's lamb. I was delighted to find delicious gluten-free lamb and onion burgers that blew my socks off. Next to the Ardross steak, it was definitely rich, but certainly no less delicious.
http://www.mrshamilton.com/

And to round off the meaty entries with a touch of green... just yesterday, we discovered their garlic scapes. These are the parts of the garlic grown above ground, and can be sauteed for 6-7 minutes and then served. They are truly garlickily delicious. They were a bit strong for some as part of our 11am Sunday brunch, but would be perfect to have with some fresh crispy greenery a bit later on in the day. Looking forward to a trip up to the farmers' market when our supplies run out for more tastes in the present to remind us of the beautiful East Neuk and one of its many perks, Ardross.

http://www.scottishfarmersmarkets.co.uk/ (every second Saturday on Castle Terrace).