OUR resident foodie, JANE HUTTON, offers her helpful tips for keeping well in the coming months.
IT’S going to be the most interesting festive season in living memory. As the clock strikes on January 1st 2021, the ‘new year, new you’ mantra will have a whole different meaning. This winter it’s never been more important for all of us to take care of our physical and mental health. Advising on how to avoid not just the usual colds and flus, and the winter blues, but also realistic, feasible and evidenced ways to protect against Covid-19, has made it a busy season so far.
Health generally, and healthy eating in particular, have seen an upsurge in interest – everyone wants to know what to eat, and what to take. As this is not going to be the usual Christmas column focused on entertaining (because at the time of writing, no one knows whether Christmas is cancelled or not!), let’s see if I can give you the most helpful highlights.
Eat the rainbow, and as fresh and local as possible. Non-negotiable. No tablet or supplement is going to do what a broad, real food diet can do.
Eat your greens. They are the best flu fighters, and remember, Covid-19 is, in effect, a flu virus. Winter is a time of cavolos and cabbages, both extremely powerful weapons in the winter virus wars.
Eat beans and pulses. Lots of nutrients, culinary versatility, and great protein sources to keep energy balanced, to say nothing of being potent hormone balancers. For women, eating them three times a week reduces breast cancer risk by at least 25%, and for those anywhere near menopause or peri-menopause, they help balance hormones better, and more safely, than processed soya products.
Take vitamin D, along with plenty of fresh fruit and veg, and daily live organic yoghurt, nuts and seeds to supply co factors, for the darkest months – the research is stacking up showing a significant benefit in resisting Covid-19 infection, and if infected, reducing the likelihood of hospitalisation, complications and death.
What it does for mood, weight management, and more is the subject of an entire column! Take no more than 4,000 in a day for 8 weeks, and then stop.
To finish, eat dishes like this issue’s recipe – a bean-based alternative to mash that incorporates those amazing cabbages, and numerous other beneficial foods. A delicious side for a main meal, or top with poached eggs for a great winter warming lunch. Comfort food at its best! Wishing you all the best end to this year and start to nest. See you in 2021!
Jane’s butterbean colcannon
You will need:
400g can butter beans, drained and rinsed
stock to cover the beans
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp fromage frais/crème fraiche/ natural yoghurt
2 good sprigs fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
100g onion, finely sliced
100g green cabbage, shredded
1 garlic clove, crushed
25ml water
1/4 teaspoon soy sauce
Grated Parmesan or any cheese of choice
Put the beans in a saucepan and barely cover them with stock. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 –10 minutes until the stock has been reduced to about 25ml. Mash the beans and mix in the mustard, fromage frais and parsley. Leave to one side in a bowl. Heat a tablespoon of rapeseed oil and soften the onion. Add the cabbage and garlic, then the water and soy sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 10 minutes until the cabbage is soft. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Tip the onion into the mashed beans and mix well. Serve sprinkled with grated cheese, Parmesan or fresh herbs.