This is the first in my new series of postings of ‘Places I like’ – food related of course, mostly local to our lovely city and hopefully a useful guide to help you find some hidden Brighton & Hove gems where you can buy and enjoy good quality food. I am not commercially linked to any of these venues or businesses and the opinions are purely a personal review based on my own experiences. I’ll include all kinds of places- restaurants, sandwich shops, pubs etc and I’m starting with a lovely place for a weekend treat….
I discovered this little bakery cafe ‘SugarDough‘ while out walking this morning on Hove seafront.
Sugardough is a tiny but beautiful little bakery cafe serving home made bread, cakes, coffee and savoury treats - made on the premises using traditional methods and free range eggs. We picked up an amazing sour dough loaf and some tiny portugese custard tarts which were gorgeous. Just the right amount of nutmeg and not cloyingly sweet like some. The selection of cakes includes flourless cakes… chocolate or orange. These are baked with almonds rather than flour – I’ve not tasted Sugardough’s versions but I’m guessing they will be good. Not quite ‘gluten free’ as flour based products are baked on the premises but for those with a milder wheat intolerance, these types of cakes can make for a lovely treat. They are rich so try splitting one between two – actually that goes for most cakes as the slices are generous!
For me there is no comparison between ordinary bakery breads (not to mention mass produced bread!) and these traditionally made sourdough loaves- I first had one of these in San Francisco in the early 90’s and I’ve never forgotten the tangy taste and light yet substantial texture of a good sourdough. Please try one if you haven’t already. Wonderful with poached eggs and some roast balsamic tomatoes and spinach on the side for a lovely weekend breakfast.
So all in all, Sugardough is a great little find – perfect for a ‘pop in’ while out on your early morning prom or after your jog along the seafront. Give it a go….
When cooked well, Thai food has to be one of my favourites – so many fresh ingredients, lightly cooked vegetables and a ‘clean taste’ – lovely. When I read about a Brighton and Hove company doing small group Thai cooking lessons a few years ago I filed it away as a ‘must do one day’. I finally got around to booking us in last week and what a fantastic experience it was. Highly highly recommended! The company is called Thai Style and is run by a lovely woman called Jiab. The focus is on fresh ingredients and there is no use of mono-sodium glutamate (MSG) or artificial colours – just fresh beautiful produce cooked with a light touch. Sessions are held for 1,2 or 3 people so it really is a personalised experience with hands on support- I’d recommend it to beginners or experienced cooks as Jiab is a fantastic teacher and can advise you on which dishes to choose and help you learn all of the skills you need there and then.
We booked in for a 3 hour lesson which involved selecting 2 dishes from a very large menu then meeting Jiab on Western Road to go off around different shops to buy the ingredients for our chosen dishes before going back to the kitchen to prepare them. I absolutely recommend this if you have the time (there are shorter lessons) . Jiab not only showed us the different shops she uses but also what to look out for in Thai ingredients – seeing first hand which shallots are the correct ones and what decent lemon grass should look like is invaluable and lots of fun too. One of the things I really like about Jiab’s style is that she has a range of shops on her ‘radar’ and she shops around until she finds the best quality ingredients that are available that day. This included shopping in Taj and Waitrose aswell as a number of smaller more specialist Asian shops in the local area – this was perfect for us as we wanted to use organic meats and produce where possible. Jiab is very knowledgeable about food and I just loved shopping around with someone who, for example, understands what type of skin a lime with lots of juice in it is likely to have. A real education.
We chose to cook a Pad Gra-prao ( stir fry with chillies and basil) and a Massaman curry. The Massaman was the more complex dish to cook and it was absolutely amazing to prepare every aspect of the curry paste from basics. I have made red and green curry pastes before but let me tell you , this is an entirely different process and the results are fantastic. A good pestle and mortar is essential and Jiab helped us improve our technique for using a large stone one so it was much less like hard work. We also prepared our own tamarind juice to add to the curry amongst other things- a tactile and meditative experience! Aswell as cooking our dishes to take home and eat that evening ( Jiab even prepares the rice so it’s like having a ready made take-away- only MUCH nicer!) we had enough curry paste leftover for a second helping later that week. Once you have a good curry paste, many Thai dishes can be very quick and easy so a bit of time lovingly preparing some pastes at the weekend can save you loads of time in the week- and you can still have an amazing and healthy supper.
I was so engrossed, I forgot to take a photo of the Massaman but here’s a picture of the Pad Gra-prao – I love this dish and often order in restaurants. It is a very quick stir fry- the secret , as with any stir fry, is to have everything ready prepared, chopped and sliced and close to the pan before you start- we learnt how to adjust the heat as we added different ingredients to make sure everything was perfectly cooked. Three birds eye chillies in ours made for a very authentically spicy dish – just as I like it. Here’s the result – with freshly fried basil leaves to boot! It was gorgeous.
Chicken Pad Gra-prao
All in all , a really great afternoon and I’m already wanting to book in another lesson! Why not give it a go. Happy cooking!
Means there’s no waste today! It’s my veggie box delivery day so it’s the morning I go through what is left in the fridge and have a clear out. The good news is that since getting my super blender there’s hardly ever anything left to throw away or freeze! And whatever is left in there can be dropped straight into the blender for a super smoothie. Fantastic.
Here’s today’s ‘leftover smoothie’:
An apple, a peach, 3 baby carrots, a big handful of spinach & lettuce, blackberries , rhubarb bits, 1/2 an avocado, a slice of pineapple (core and all) a scoop of protein powder, tbsp of flax oil and some ice. I know what you’re thinking- blending whole carrots? Well just watch. I’ll never be able to go back to a normal blender now!
One of the easiest ways of ‘upping’ your green vegetable intake is to have more salads- especially now summer is here and we are all looking for something refreshing to eat. The secret to a good salad, like most things, is variety. Aim for a rainbow of colours and don’t forget to add that all important protein and oils which are rich in Omega fats – like cold pressed nut or seed oils and extra virgin olive oil
For a great meal, try starting off with a big bowl of green leafy vegetables. Choose the really tasty ones – red leaf lettuce is nice, mix it with a bit of rocket or watercress or try some spinach. Then add loads of salad ingredients and top with some lovely dressing – a handful of pumpkin seeds, chopped nuts, egg or some leftover chicken or salmon. For a more filling meal add some couscous or cooked rice to the base. Or try quinoa – a grain with an excellent profile of amino acids (the building blocks of protein) . Don’t be afraid to mix sweet and savoury – a handful of blueberries or chopped red grapes in a green salad is delicious. And peppers of all colours can give your salad a real ‘colour hit’ and increase the antioxidants at the same time.
Dressings can really liven up a dull salad. Have you tried some of the amazing flavoured vinegars you can buy now in specialist shops? Give them a go. A little goes a long way so they are not as expensive as they first appear. I’m going to feature some dressings for salad in future blogs. Many of the best and most nutritious salad dressings can be found on ‘raw food’ websites.
And as an example, here’s today’s lunch. This ‘intermediate’ salad contains kale that has been ‘massaged until soft’ with 1/2 an avocado, a little olive oil and a dash of sea salt . Then I’ve added red onions, pumpkin and sesame seeds, some beautiful strawberries, dried cranberries and tomatoes and topped it off with a tiny sprinkle of pomegranate flavoured balsamic vinegar – yes pomegranate – it’s delicious I promise you !
Doesn’t it put a smile on your face just looking at it? More on the use of kale in salad in a future blog….for now, just trust me! Prepared in the right way, it’s amazing!
Science seems so low priority today that I sometimes worry children growing up may not have the opportunity to get excited by biology and get that ‘how does it all work? ‘ feeling. Then I see a video like this one – made by Harvard University, the film is absolutely beautiful to watch whether you understand cell biology or not. Great choice of music and better graphics than most things that come out of Hollywood. Some times the internet just can’t be beaten. How else would people all around the world have a chance to see something like this?
And for those with the ‘biology geek’ gene – here’s the longer version that tells you what is going on…. yes every minute….inside you…now…many times over!
Those of you who follow me on Twitter know that I have been going ‘blend crazy’ since getting my all new Blendtec Blender. Not for the faint hearted (expensive!) but these amazing machines really are commercial quality and should last much longer than the cheaper blenders if you are a daily user like me. The blender blades actually move so fast that you can make hot soup in minutes. It heats the soup up from the friction of the blade – wow! You see the Blendtec in lots of coffee bars – it’s the machine they use for making those lovely frozen drinks. (choose a chain that uses real frozen fruit rather than syrup for a nutritious cooling drink on long hot days)
But don’t give up on blending vegetables and fruit just because you can’t afford one of these super powered blenders. You can achieve a lot with a mid range blender … if it can blend ice well it can probably make a basic green smoothie. Just leave it on a little longer and accept that if you become a ‘heavy end blender’ your machine may burn out eventually. By then, you will know if you are ready to join the ranks of the investors in ‘Super Blenders’. The two best known brands are the Blendtec and the Vitamix . Watch out for them at expo type events so you can see for yourself before you buy – Vitamix were at the Grand Designs show this year. I read just about everything on these two power blenders before finally opting for the Blendtec.They are both amazing machines so it’s really a matter of personal choice in the end. What swung it for me in the end was the fact that the Blendtec is more the size and shape of a standard blender. I also like that you can just press a ‘one touch’ button then leave the room and let it do it’s work – these things are loud!
If you want to see them both in action, watch this Green Smoothie video with the two blenders tested side by side.Good recipe too though I don’t think the digestive enzymes are essential.
The only way to really know if your blender can make some of the more nutritious ‘green smoothie’type recipes is to give it a go. There are lots of recipes so Google away and have some fun. Blending is much easier than juicing, maintains the fibre from the fruit and veg and, more importantly,washing up is no problem so you might actually keep the habit going! Be careful though- some of the green smoothie recipes with masses of the harder veg are really only suited to the very strong blenders. I’m still testing my lovely Blendtec and today tried out a smoothie to use up some of my beetroot in the fridge. The result was amazing. The recipe was :
Here’s how it went….and I still have a large bottle left for later.
What a colour! Maybe I’ll pour in a bit of sparkling water and some lime slices for a non-alcoholic cocktail later!
Has anyone tried blending smoothies which include whole beetroot and carrots or greens in their home blender – I’d be interested to know how easy it is? Get blending and let me know….
The sheer range of diets and ’superfoods out there can be completely overwhelming leaving many people at a loss as to how best to plan their own and family meals. From my own training and reading of the health research, I really do think that the best guide to healthy eating for most people is to follow ‘Mediterranean Diet’ principles. This is not pasta, pasta, pizza, pasta ! Instead try a wide range of wholegrains, fruit and vegetables, nuts and seeds, chicken and fish + lower amounts of red meat and refined carbohydrates like white bread, cakes and high sugar & fat processed foods. Try to ‘eat a rainbow’ of colours every day. Eat mindfully and with friends and family not in front of the TV. Exercise. Do something you love – it doesn’t have to be the gym! Walking, dancing, playing football with the kids…anything that raises that heart rate and makes you feel good. And by eating a variety of foods you will be taking in a whole range of vitamins and minerals. Make food your friend NOT your enemy. Try to eat more of the good stuff – this will help reduce cravings for those sweet and fatty foods. And remember to be kind to yourself- a treat now and again does not make you a bad person. Try to eat well for 80% of the time and don’t worry too much about the occasional treat and take-away.
The Mediterranean Diet Pyramid produced by Oldways, the Harvard School of Public Health, and the European Office of the World Health Organization has been updated in light of recent research and now includes herbs and spices and a recommendation to eat fish or shellfish at least twice a week. Here it is:
You can read more about the Pyramid, download a PDF and see some delicious recipes on the MFA website (an Oldways programme).
How does your food and lifestyle compare? If you’re not there yet, take it one step at a time.
Great BHCC business breakfast at Carluccio’s this morning and a chance to hear more about how Brighton and Hove residents, council and businesses are contributing to the 10:10 campaign.
If you’ve not heard of it, the message from the 10:10 campaign is quite simple but one that will make all the difference if we really go for it – we just sign up to cutting our carbon by 10% in 2010 – hence 10:10. Easy isn’t it?
It makes perfect sense on so many levels. I’m signed up and working out my baseline as best I can so I can measure how we get on this year – both at home and in my business. Your measures don’t have to be perfect – it’s more important to get on and do something. Little changes can make a very big difference if enough of us go for it. We heard a story this morning about one family paying their little one 10p every time she remembered to switch a light off – that’s creative! (and could get expensive…)
5 reasons to join 10:10
1) Cutting down on some of your car journeys is a great strategy AND will almost certainly mean you walk or cycle more, even if it’s just to the bus stop! More exercise=better health
2) Buying local food reduces air miles- getting out visiting small local shops and businesses, browsing lots of lovely Sussex produce, slowing down and feeling part of your community = great for stress reduction. Not to mention eating all of that fabulous food we have all around us and supporting local business
3) The Soil Association estimates that UK organic farming is about 26% more energy efficient per tonne – try some organic food….it tastes great and could help with your carbon reduction.
4) Producing some of our own food is not only satisfying, delicious and a great health strategy but a fantastic way of reducing carbon. If you don’t have a garden, Brighton and Hove Allotment waiting lists are open again in many areas. If you’ve a long wait, why not try the ‘Grow your Neighbours Own Scheme‘ – I gather it’s really taking off at the moment. Or start by growing some herbs on your windowsill – those endless plastic pots of herbs we buy come with a cost to the environment. A pack of seeds will last ages and no plastic pots filling up your bin
5) Having a little less meat and factory farmed chicken and replacing it with some more vegetable based dishes could reduce greenhouse gases and have health benefits. There is no need to become completely vegetarian – stick to grass fed meat and give ‘Meat Free Mondays‘ a try. Vegetables have so many health benefits – make this the year you learn how to cook 3 GREAT veggie dishes. Jubilee Library has a brilliant selection of cookery books – go browse next time you’re in town.
So that’s it. Now go find out more and sign up here
You all know by now that I am very keen on looking at relaxation and ways of being kind to yourself as part of my nutritional therapy programmes. We can eat the best food in the world but if the body is in a constant state of stress, the digestion is one of the first things to go and we just might not get the benefits from all those lovely nutrients. I’m therefore delighted to have been asked to get involved with the next Diosa Delicious event ‘Goddess of Wellbeing’ – a relaxing evening for like-minded women to get together in Brighton & have lots of taster sessions with some great therapists. You can read more about the evening, download the flyer and find out how to book your place here.
You might have seen the last one of these events ‘Goddess of Chocolate’ on Heston Blumental’s ‘Feasts’ this week. As the name suggests it was all about chocolate…the good stuff , not the cheap choc bars we all try and avoid! If you missed it you can catch up online at Heston’s Chocolate Factory Feast
The Goddess of Wellbeing night is on the 21st April 6-9pm at the MyHotel in Brighton. Come and join us for a different night out and go home feeling like you have more energy than before you went out for once! I look forward to seeing you there…
It’s Earth Hour tonight- remember to switch off your lights at 8.30pm – it’s only for an hour to help show those in power that we do care about the planet and want action on Climate Change. And here’s some ideas of what to do…
Set up the candles, open a nice bottle of red wine and get out a game – poker, scrabble, dominoes, twister – you choose! But be careful of those candles if you choose Twister!
Have a romantic candle-lit dinner
Treat yourself to an hour long meditation session
Get in an early evening nap to make up for that sleep deficit you’re carrying
Turn off the lights and go out for a walk – see how many people in your neighbourhood are turning off their lights. Take a friend..and a torch! Or if you are local join the Brighton and Hove torchlit walk – from the Peace Statue at 8
Watch the launch video below – amazing!
We all need to take action to prevent climate change and this one is easy – switch those lights off at 8.30pm.
