recipes

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Summer Fresh Asian Prawn Salad – for people with diabetes and those of us who want some weight loss!


Food for people with diabetes and weight loss

Food for people with diabetes and weight loss

With the sun shining and warmer air filling our lungs, we’re all looking for that perfectly light recipe to freshen our plates. This heavenly Asian prawn salad will do just the job.

Nutritionist and chef, Christine Bailey, uses the freshest ingredients to give us a low calorie, low carb, sweet and sour flavour explosion. Best of all, the sweetener (which comes from the stevia plant) has 0 calories and won’t affect your blood glucose levels- perfect if you’re catering for any diabetics or waist band watchers.

Want to make it vegetarian? Just substitute the prawns for your favourite tofu. The complimentary flavours in the dressing and sweetness from Truvia will ensure your taste buds definitely aren’t missing out.


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Fighting Anemia with Food – Recipes for Health. An Iron Rich Pesto!


Iron rich pesto

Iron rich pesto

Yesterday I explained that my wife and were increasing the amount of iron in our diet as she is undergoing tests for anemia.

In that blog post I mentioned that I was preparing a pesto for yesterday evening’s meal.

As it was based upon that day’s research I thought I would share it with you. While I’m not a food blogger I am a health blogger so I felt it would be suitable to share this recipe. I should mention that Mrs PatientTalk.Org described the meal as “very tasty”.

This recipe can be vegan or vegetarian according to taste.

Ingredients (serves 4)

a) 400g of Cavolo nero (also called Tuscan kale) – full of iron but also vitamin A, calcium, vitamin K and manganese.
b) 150g of water cress – again iron rich.
c) 10 Brazil nuts – a read source of antioxidants
d) Chopped garlic – to taste really but I used 2 cloves. An antibiotic often used as a folk treatment for the common cold.
e) Juice of one lemon – a great way of getting vitamin C.
f) Olive oil to taste. Olive oil is a way of lowering cholesterol.
g) Salt and pepper again to taste but go for more pepper than salt.
h) Optional but you can use a hard cheese such as Parmesan.


How to do it.

1) Strip the leafy green parts of the Cavolo nero away from any tough stalks.
2) Steam the green leafy parts for five minutes.
3) Please in your blender along side all the ingredients except for the brazil nuts.
4) Blend the ingredients till they become just a bit thicker then the consistency you like.
5) Add the brazil nuts and blend for 30 seconds.

Serve with whole grain pasta and a green salad.

If you have tried this at home please tell us what you think in the comments box. Please do feel free to

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Epilepsy Action Big BBQ is tonight. The sun is out so what are you waiting for!


Epilepsy Action Big BBQ and a great recipe for Baba Ganosh

Epilepsy Action Big BBQ and a great recipe for Baba Ganosh

Today I have just discovered is Epilepsy Action Big BBQ.

The aim is to raise more for Epilepsy Action by holding a BBQ this evening. You can find out more about the event here

By the way I must apologise for the delay is blogging about this but BBQing over the weekend got in the way.

That being said even though it is a Monday I shall be running a BBQ this evening.

As a small contribution I thought I would share my wife’s brilliant recipe for Baba Ganosh. A sporked of smokey augerine hummous which goes brilliantly with either meat of BBQed veggies.

It is really simple and quick and you can do it before anyone arrived.

So here goes

1) BBQ your aubergines for around 40 mins. Please remember to prick them all over with a fork first! I would go for around 6 to feed 4.

2) Take of the barbie and let’ em coll for an hour or so.

3) Put the aubergines through a sieve into a large bowl,

4) Add yoghurt, salt , pepper , olive oil and garlic to taste. She likes to add tahini as well.

Chill and eat with an ice cold beer and some lamb!

Do you have a fav BBQ recipe? Why not share in the comment section below and help raise awareness of epilepsy.


1 Comment Posted on Patient Talk

Bitter Gourd. Could bitter gourd (karela) be the new health superfood?

That was a bit over the top as a question but perhaps I should explain further.  A couple of weeks

Bitter Gourd Kerela - from http://www.freestockphotosclub.com/food/fresh-high-quality-bitter-gourd-image/

Bitter Gourd Kerela – from http://www.freestockphotosclub.com/food/fresh-high-quality-bitter-gourd-image/

ago when I was checking one of our Facebook communities I came across a post about bitter gourd and diabetes.  Sadly I did not have time to check the article out there and then and subsequently was not able to find it.  If you think you know which one I’m referring to and have the link please do put it in the comments box below.

I have to say I was very interested in the article for the very simple reason I love bitter gourd.  I first had it in a Lahore-style restaurant in a bitter gourd and mutton curry.  After a trip to India where it is very popular I must say I was hooked.

I should mention that the name bitter gourd is a bit of a misnomer.  Its bitterness level is pretty similar to chicory.  The flavour is quite similar to courgettes or zucchini with a hint of bitterness.  This to make sure that the name does not put you off trying this fantastic vegetable.

The reason for this blog is a bit self-indulgent.  I’m interested in the health benefits of anything I really like and the article I spotted whetted my appetite (literally).  So I decided to find out what were the health benefits of bitter gourd.

I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised.

  • In many Asian and African societies it is used as a treatment for stomach ache.  Being high in fibre it can help with keeping the bowels in regular shape.
  • High in Vitamin C it is also low in calories so great as part of a weight loss diet.
  • In Togo it is used as a way of combatting worms in the digestive system.
  • Apparently it works well for skin conditions.
  • It is a great source of anti-oxidants.  For more information about anti-oxidants please go to https://patienttalk.org/?p=252
  • Perhaps most importantly evidence suggests it has a role to play in reducing blood sugar levels. This  means that it can be useful in  the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes.  For a bit more information please go to http://www.diabetes.co.uk/natural-therapies/bitter-melon.html

So can I suggest you track it down as it is a great addition to any diet?  Normally I get mine from a nearby Asian market but I expect that, depending where you live, they will now be available in many supermarkets.

As a side bit of information they are also known as bitter melons or karela.  For my money they certainly fit the bill as a superfood.  So can I encourage you to try them?

So how do I cook them I hear you cry?  Simple I reply.  Apart from curries I actually don’t know.  This is why I’m turning to you.  Do you know of any decent recipes?  Please feel free to use the comments box below to add them or just provide a link to one on line.

All suggestions gratefully received.

Thanks very much in advance.