Short order

Ø Braise 3 celery sticks, halved leeks and slivers of garlic in olive oil for 2 minutes. Add good-quality vegetable stock and verjuice, and braise until soft. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with finely grated Parmesan and grill until golden. Serve with roasts or as part of a vegetarian meal.
Ø Toss roasted chicken strips, celery and chives in yoghurt and mustard dressing and pile onto sandwiches or baked potato.
Ø Slice into lengths and serve with a ripe blue cheese as an after-dinner treat.

Health Bites > Celery sense

Ø At 30kJ per 100g, celery is extremely low in kJ.
Ø A good source of potassium, which, together with chlorine and sodium, balances the body’s pH levels, and has a diuretic effect and prevents calcium loss through urine, which could lead to kidney stones.
Ø New research suggests potassium may be beneficial to people with heart disease. It also reduces the risk of stroke and high blood pressure. Four stalks of celery, raw or cooked, could help reduce blood pressure.
Ø The greener the celery, the higher the vitamin C, carotene and folate content. Folate is a mineral also known as folic acid, which plays a significant role in the development of the foetal nervous system, in red blood cell maturation, and also helps break down protein and carbohydrate.

Open sesame > super seeds

When ground, super healthy sesame seeds release their oils, which are more easily absorbed and digested. They contain:

Ø High quantities of calcium, iron and phosphorous; vital for healthy bones and teeth, and also for general alertness and a healthy sex life.
Ø They contain up to 40% unsaturated essential fatty acids – invaluable in the fight against heart disease.
Ø Sesame seeds provide a healthy dose of protein.
Ø They also contain antioxidant vitamin E, and health promoting B vitamins.

Sesame sense

Sesame sense

Ø Using sesame oil instead of other cooking oils helps reduce high blood pressure and lowers the amount of medication required to control high blood pressure, says a study by researchers in India. It’s packed with omega-6 essential fatty acids and it tastes delicious – food for thought!

Your kitchen guide for fighting common ailments

Allergies > onions, garlic, horseradish, green tea

Constipation > yoghurt, oats

Mouth ulcers > honey, yoghurt

Toothaches > cloves

Bladder infections > garlic, cranberry juice

EAT UP!

OATS > We know that oats work on our heart and our head: that warm, comforting breakfast bowl in the depths of winter does a lot to soothe the blues, but oats are also excellent for the digestive system, rich in soluble fibre to keep our bowels regular. Oats are high in protein, calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc, and contain small amounts of B vitamins. They are good for heartburn and indigestion, and help prevent colon cancer and high cholesterol.

Kitchen tip: A bowl of oats – add honey or yoghurt as a sweetener – before work, will help balance blood sugar levels throughout the morning and fight fatigue.

Winter Wonder Food

ONIONS > When runny noses, sinusitis, allergies and even asthma are making life uncomfortable, reach for an onion. Wrapped behind the onion’s papery skin are dozens of health-boosting compounds like quercetin, which also helps lower cholesterol and thin the blood. That’s why you’ll often hear onions associated with a good heart health. Red and yellow onions are particularly high in quercetin.

Kitchen tip: Eat raw or cooked.

Just Ginger

Ginger is one of the most important ingredients in Asian cooking, and the West is slowly embracing its unique medicinal and culinary benefits.

Ø Gingerols, the chemicals in ginger, help inhibit inflammation in the body.
Ø Fresh ginger steeped in hot water treats nausea related motion sickness, pregnancy and even hangovers.
Ø Pickled ginger has good anti-bacterial properties and is a great breath freshener.
Ø It is effective as a blood thinner.
Ø It is a useful anti-oxidant; it contains a phytochemical called zingerone, which helps deactivate free radicals that cause disease and tissue damage.
Ø According to health guru Patrick Holford, it’s also good for sore throats (hot water, ginger, lemon rind and honey); as a decongestant, it fights off colds and reduces fever.