LITMIR.BIZ

      MAKING CHANGES IN THE KITCHEN

      One of the most important messages I want to stress is that you should not feel intimidated by science, experts or chefs. If you feel you are ready to make some changes to the way you eat and would like to be healthier through food, I want you to know that you can easily do it. It’s not rocket science, you won’t have to start eating foods that you can’t pronounce and can’t find in the shops and you do not need to deprive yourself, feel hungry or bullied by anyone!

      It’s all very well knowing the principles of healthy eating. I think that most of us know that, in order to eat a healthy diet, we need to cut down on fat, sugar and salt and eat more fresh fruit and vegetables and, if we eat meat, we need to try to eat more chicken and fish than red meat. But knowing how to translate that knowledge into a plate of food at the end of a busy day that is healthy, quick and easy to make, affordable, tasty and enticing to the whole family is quite a tall order! But totally possible. Just take a moment to flick through this book and look at the lovely pictures of the dishes. Do they look like the kind of food you eat when you’re on a diet? Absolutely not! Yes, every dish in this book is low on the fat, sugar and salt. Sure, many of the recipes contain olive oil, but in small and healthy amounts.

      You’ll notice that most of my recipes have only short instructions and are very uncomplicated. That’s because I believe in making life as easy as possible and just don’t have time to spend hours preparing food. If it takes longer to cook than it does to eat, I’ve failed! An hour sitting over dinner chatting to my family is a joy. An hour standing preparing food is a chore.

      MY SUPER SUPERFOODS

      I love pretty much all veggies, chicken and fish–but below is a list of my tip-top superfoods that I couldn’t live without. I recommend that you incorporate these into your diet on a regular basis.

      * Onions, garlic and olive oil. You’ll see that most of my savoury dishes include onions, garlic and olive oil. This is because, besides being a great base for most dishes, these ingredients are proven to have special health-giving properties, especially when heated together. Onions and garlic belong to the same family and both have a protective action on the circulatory system. Together, they also work as a diuretic and have an antibiotic action. These three ingredients are also proven to help lower blood cholesterol. So, as long as you and your partner go for the garlic, everybody’s happy!

      *Sweet potatoes. So many of our staple dishes contain potatoes. Now I am a massive fan of the spud, and like to promote its health benefits regularly–but problems can arise when we add butter or fat to improve its taste. In comparison, the sweet potato is very moist and doesn’t need anything adding to improve the taste or texture. In fact, sweet potatoes contain everything you need all in one tidy little parcel. Sweet potatoes are a great source of vitamin E because they are fat free. They are also a great source of fibre, betacarotene and vitamins A and C, and are wonderful for a low-carb diet.

      * Tomatoes. Tomatoes are packed with potassium and vitamins and are wonderfully low in calories. Eat them cooked or raw, it really doesn’t matter–just eat them! Tomatoes are a superfood that gives great nutrition whichever way you look at it. Raw tomatoes are a good source of vitamin C and are high in vitamin A. Cooked tomatoes provide lycopene, an antioxidant thought to reduce cancer risk and cardiovascular disease. Lycopene is especially well absorbed into the body when the tomatoes are cooked and have a little olive oil added–think chilli and spaghetti sauce and, actually, most of the sauce-based dishes throughout this book! Kids don’t like tomatoes? Don’t give them straight from the refrigerator–they are much nicer at room temperature. Try lovely sweet cherry tomatoes just off the windowsill. Delicious!

      * Fish. Oily fish, such as mackerel, salmon, sardines and trout are a rich source of omega-3. Omega-3 is proven to help against heart disease.

      * Nuts and seeds. The oils in nuts and seeds, especially almonds, walnuts and peanuts, may help protect against heart disease and possibly some cancers, too. They are high in fat, but it’s the type of fat that is essential as part of a healthy diet, and are great when lightly sprinkled on salads or as a crunchy topping for bakes.

      *Green tea. Green tea is believed to protect against heart disease and some cancers. The antioxidants in green tea have been shown to be powerful. Since ancient times, green tea has been considered by the proponents of traditional Chinese medicine as a healthy beverage.

      * Berries. Red and blue berries such as raspberries, blueberries and redcurrants contain vitamin C and other antioxidants and are lovely and tasty in desserts or salads.

      * Salad leaves. Dark green leafy vegetables are a great source of iron, which helps keep your blood in healthy condition. Add a pile of dark green leaves to your meal as often as you can.

      * Spinach. I like to add some raw spinach to many of my salads. It’s rich in vitamin C, calcium and betacarotene. It boosts folic acid levels and helps to keep bones and blood healthy. If it’s good enough for Popeye, it’s good enough for me! Spinach needs to be eaten with vitamin C to ensure optimum absorption, so either add some orange segments to your salad or have a drink of fresh orange juice with your meal.

      * Carrots. Bugs Bunny loves them, they’re incredibly versatile and they’re available all year round at your local grocery shop. Carrots are chock-full of betacarotene, which the body converts to vitamin A for a slew of benefits, including maintenance of healthy teeth and bones, regulation of the immune system and protection from infections. Vitamin A also plays an important role in maintaining normal vision and

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