Elemental Health
June
2014

Dear Readers, 

 

 

Our team at Elemental Health got together and decided to share our favourite winter recipes. Then we thought that would make a great newsletter - so here it is!

 

 

So for a great start to Winter here are some of our therapists favourite recipes - low on allergens and usually a big hit with the family. So try cooking something a bit different for dinner and add some variety to your diet. Also if you are interested in some more regular updates please check out our Elemental Facebook page.

 

snowflake-cookies.jpg  

  Aloo Gobi (aka Potato Pea and Cauliflower curry)
  
Our nutritionist, Christine Pope, found this recipe online when googling
a few ingredients in her pantry- mainly potato and cauliflower. Fortunately there were frozen peas in the freezer as well to pad it out. This is great with grilled meat and also makes a standalone meal with some lentils or chickpeas.
 
Ingredients 
 
1 brown onion finely sliced
1 small cauliflower broken in florets
600g of chat potatoes cut in half or quarters if large
2 cups of peas
1 can of tinned tomatoes
1 can of coconut milk
2 tsp each of tumeric, cumin
1 tsp each of grated ginger and garlic and curry paste (optional)
 
Saute onion and spices for a few minutes until onions are soft. Mix the spice mix through the potatoes and cauliflower and add the can of tomatoes. Simmer for 30-35 minutes on low until potatoes are soft enough to put a fork in them easily. Add peas and coconut milk and stir well and simmer for a futher 10 minutes. Remove from heat and serve with grilled meats or on a bed of rice. 
 
Christine writes regularly on a range of health issues including food intolerances on her blog .
 

 

Sweet Potato and Chickpea Loaf  with Guacamole (or minted yoghurt)
 
This recipe is from our Integrative Therapist, Conny Pulvermacher, who amazes the rest of us by the healthy lunches she brings into work every day. Conny specialises in her own unique combination of craniosacral, myofascial therapies and kinesiology. 
 

1kg kumara, peeled & chopped   

3 plain Ryvita crackers (or gluten free alternative if gluten free is required)

1/2 cup roasted cashews

400g chickpeas, cooked (need to prepare these the night before ideally, with over night soaking, unless you hve a pressure cooker or want to use tinned version, which is not as nutritious)

1/2 cup coriander, coarsely chopped

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1 tsp ground cumin

2 eggs

3tsp yellow mustard seeds

lemon zest - pref organic lemon, zest the peel of entire lemon to add to ingedients

optional: 2 cloves of crushed garlic

optional: black pepper or light touch of chilli

 

Preheat oven to 180C and line a 11x25cm loaf pan

Blend/process the cashews and crackers until coarsely chopped

Steam the sweet potato until tender and cool for 10 minutes

Heat the mustard seeds in a frypan until they pop

Mix all the ingredients together and spoon into the pan

 

Bake for 50 minutes or until firm to touch, stand for ten minutes then cut into thick slices and serve with guacamole and a salad.

 

Guacamole:

 

Hand crush 2 medium sized avocados (preferably NOT pre-ripened ones) with a fork and mix with a very finely chopped small spanish onion. Add fresh coriander, basil, lemon juice, Herbamare herb salt, olive oil and black pepper to taste.

 


Beef and Chickpea Keema
 
If you are trying to be healthy and also budget conscious then this dish is a winner.  With two young kids, mince is a staple in our Massage Therapist, Ros's household and this recipe makes a change from the stock standard bolognese or mexican fare that mince often ends up as.

Ingredients
500g beef mince
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground corriander
1/2 tsp ground tumeric
2 cloves garlic, minced
3cm knob ginger, minced
3 handfuls baby spinach
1 tin chickpeas
1 tin crushed tomatoes
1 handful corriander, chopped
1 handful mint, chopped
chilli flakes, to taste
natural yoghurt, to serve

Method
* Fry onion in a little oil (coconut is great) until soft.  Add the garlic and ginger and fry for a few minutes and then add the ground spices. Cook until aromatic, then add mince.
*Cook until mince is browned then add the tomatoes and chickpeas. Bring to boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes to allow flavours to develop. Take off the heat and stir through baby spinach to wilt.
*Serve with brown rice, youghurt, chilli flakes and herbs to taste (these can be omitted depending on your children's tastes).

 

About Us

Elemental Health brings together a team of experienced therapists who are dedicated to working with clients to help them to achieve optimal health and wellbeing.  Our focus is on Osteopathy, Massage, Nutrition and Homeopathy.  If you have never used natural therapies before there are some tips on what therapy may help you on the Your Treatment page.

 
In This Issue
Potato Pea and Cauliflower Curry
Sweet Potato and Chickpea Loaf
Beef and Chickpea Keema
Lemongrass Pulled Pork
Date and Ginger Loaf
Quick Links


Lemongrass Pulled Pork

 

(serves 4)

 

1.5kg Pork Neck (Pork Scotch Fillet)

1 long red chilli halved

1 long green chilli halved

Bunch Coriander roots

5cm piece of ginger, thickly sliced

4 cloves garlic smashed

4 kaffir lime leaves

1 stalk lemongrass, halved lengthwise

150g dark palm sugar, grated (or brown sugar)

1/4 cup fish sauce

1 cup water

 

 

Preheat oven to 180c. 

Mix all ingredients together and place together with pork in a heavy based pan and cover with a tight fitting lid. 

Cook for 1 hour , turn over and cook for a further 2 hours.

The pork should just fall apart

 

Serve with Basmati Rice and Asian Greens.

 

This recipe is adapted from one that was given to Vanessa by one of her patients. She has cooked it for numerous dinner parties and even made it in the camp oven while camping. Everyone who has eaten it has asked for the recipe!!

 

Date and Ginger Loaf
Our homeopath, Ann Fallows has a strong interest in working with children who are on the spectrum so she put this fabulous recipe together for lunchboxes, its both gluten and dairy free so ideal if there are lots of food intolerances.

Date and Ginger loaf

 

1 cup dates, finely chopped
1 Teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 Tblspn macadamia nut oil
60g butter or non dairy equivalent
Pinch salt
1/2 cup besan flour or yellow pea flour
1 1/2 cups G.F plain flour
3 teaspoons g.f baking powder
1/4 cup raw sugar(optional)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup boiled water.

 

 

Combine dates, ginger, oil in a large heat proof bowl. Add sugar(optional) and chopped butter. Pour over boiling water and stir until butter is melted.

Sift flours with b.p and salt. Add to date mixture and combine well together. Add walnuts and mix through.

Bake at 180 for approx 45mins in a greased and lined 9x 22cm baking tin. Serve warm with butter.