Serves 6
(Vegan; no gluten, flour, dairy, eggs, soy products; with option for cane sugar)
Too often desserts compete with rather than complement the meal they accompany. Large servings of heavy, fatty concluding courses made sense in an era gone-by when filling food could be scarce and energy expenditure was high. Being able to offer lots of rich food was also the designer-label-equivalent of its day: it displayed your wealth.
Serves 3-4
(No gluten or dairy; with options for nightshades, legumes, cane sugar and protein sources)
A budgeter’s salvation; an easy to digest, historically validated, therapeutic meal choice; and a creative cook’s plaything: soup caters to many needs. This one is so thick the stock can be lessened to turn it into a one-pot stew with the addition of noodles, or served alongside rice. Note the other variations as below. Also to its credit is the use of several spices now linked with improved immunity and cardiovascular health (see HEALTH STORE for my report: The Heart of the Matter: Significant Strategies for Preventing – and Repairing – Heart, Arterial, Stroke and Other Cardiovascular Damage). The spices and every other ingredient are available at the supermarket.
Serves 3
(Vegan; no gluten, dairy or legumes)
Sicily is at the bottom of the Italian boot. Due to its hot, dry climate and relative poverty its dishes use little meat and focus on an abundance of sun-ripened tomatoes. Savoury dishes are flavoured with dried fruit, nuts and sometimes a touch of chilli pepper. Meals are bulked up with lots of pasta and seasonal vegetables. The sauces that may accompany them are thickened with some of the starchy water left from cooking pasta.
Serves 4
(No gluten or legumes; with options for dairy and nightshades)
The brief, unassuming ingredient list to this recipe belies the succulent result. The trapped-in steam from the initial covered phase of cooking infuses the vegetables with garlic flavour. The uncovered cooking phase then evaporates the water and leaves tender, flavourful vegetables.
Serves 3-4 as a main
(No gluten, dairy, legumes or nightshades)
Spinach is one of the top providers of antioxidants. There are thousands of these minute defenders, which have ensured the survival of plants throughout centuries of shifting and challenging conditions. When animals and humans eat plants they are similarly protected.
Serves 3-4
(No gluten, dairy, or nightshades; with protein options)
In the early 80s I started preparing and serving sushi at cooking classes and food demos. Many people looked terror stricken as the seaweed-wrapped parcels came their way. Some would refuse to try it, while the daring approached the process as if they might never see their loved ones again.
Makes 1½ litres/quarts
(No dairy, with options for gluten, soy, and cane sugar)
Somewhere within most people’s memories of childhood is the excited purchase of an ice-cream. In the past, flavours were limited but decision making remained intense and debated. Hot days and cool, creamy contentment made for a winning combo with drippy, sticky, satisfied licking.
If you want to add more stress to your day then aim to arrive home late and say, “What the heck am I going to cook for dinner?”.
As psychologists observe, under stress we revert to the familiar. Out comes the cheese on toast or micro-waved pizza and out go any vague good intentions.
Makes 2 cups
(No gluten, dairy, cane sugar, egg; with options for nightshades and soy)
Thick, creamy and flavourful, you can make this in 10 minutes and employ it in a multitude of creative ways. Although the sauce warms up well just tossed with the likes of hot pasta or veg, if preferred first warm it gently over very low heat (don’t let it bubble). The jalapeno peppers contribute a tangy, mild oomph. ‘Hot’ foods like this have also shown the ability to minimise pain and to thwart pathogenic invaders (see my HEALTH STORE report: How To Thwart Fungal, Yeast, Viral, Bacterial and Parasitic Invaders – and Build Strong Immunity).
Makes 12
(No gluten, dairy, cane sugar, citrus or nightshades – with options for soy)
Flecked with herbs, veg and other contrasting colours and textures, these are so moist they don’t need butter and keep for days. Serve for brunch, use in lunch boxes, or make a quick batch for dinner to elevate eagerness for an accompanying soup or salad. Or mini muffin tin versions can be offered as fingerfood, or as part of an antipasto platter.