Irma Green | Healthy Recipes

18th March 2015

Simple Crimini button mushroom soup

Inspired by some very pretty looking mushrooms at my local green grocers, I thought I would make a nice and easy mushroom soup . I love quick & delicious dishes as they really make a big difference to a busy day. And of course no… Read more

Crimini button mushroom soup– Serves 3-4

400 g crimini mushrooms – sliced
1 medium sized onion or a couple of shallots – sliced
2-4 tbsp of olive oil
25 g of ghee ( or butter)
1-2 springs of fresh thyme
750 ml of vegetable or chicken stock
Fresh flat leaf parsley ( optional -another one for the window sill)
1 tbsp of dried mushrooms -soaked in the vegetable stock
Pepper, sea salt, (Parmesan to garnish – optional)

Method:
Peel and finely slice the onion and set a side. Prepare the stock in a jug or separate pan, boiling 750ml of filtered water (quickest way to do it is to use a kettle), add the chicken or vegetable stock cube or homemade stock, stir until dissolved and add table spoon of dried mushrooms to enhance the flavour of the stock. Carefully wash the mushrooms, cut off the dry end of the stem, then finely slice and set a side.

Take another handful to keep aside for the topping (optional). For the soup: heat the olive oil and sweat the shallots for 2-3 minutes, then add thyme and mushrooms and cook for another 3-4 minutes, before adding the stock. Leave to simmer for about 5-7 minutes.

Set pot aside and leave to cool down for 5 minutes, then blend until smooth, towards the end of the blending process add the 1 tbsp of ghee . As for what to use for blending the soup, I usually use a handheld blender as it is very quick to clean, but the most smooth results you will get in using a food processor or blender. Once blended well, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serving options: just on its own or topped with a tbsp of sauteed mushrooms, freshly chopped flat parsley, some Parmesan shavings, finely chopped roasted chestnuts when in season, serve with freshly baked sourdough or multi-seed bread.
Bon Appétit !!

11th March 2015

Bircher muesli with carrot cake granola

Bircher muesli rocks and somewhat seems to be in fashion. I am sure its creator the Swiss nutritionist and doctor Maximilian Bircher-Benner would be very happy having found that many fans, if he was still with us. He could be calling himself a bit of… Read more

Bircher Muesli– serves 2-3
2 cups of organic rolled jumbo oats
1-2 tbsp of soaked almonds ( roughly chopped)
1 organic apple ( British if possible- I love breaburn)
300 ml of cashew milk ( or plant based milk of your choice e.g. rice, oat, almond, coconut etc)
1 tbsp of raisins & 1 tbsp roughly chopped dates
1-2 tbsp of walnuts ( roughly chopped)
1-2 tbsp of pecans ( roughly chopped)
1 tbsp of chia seeds
2 inch of vanilla pod or a dash of vanilla extract (optional)
1 tbsp maple sirup to sweeten if desired

Topping: a hand full of prunes soaked over night with a dash of cinnamon (optional) , kefir or natural yoghurt also works nicely as a topping.

Carrot cake granola
300g of organic rolled jumbo oats
50g-100g of carrot pulp ( left over from juicing) or 1/2 cup of finely grated carrot
2 tbsp of cashew pulp (left over from making cashew milk) or finely chopped cashew nuts
25g of coconut sugar or 2-3 tbsp of maple syrup or honey
2 tbsp of coconut oil
1/2 cup of walnuts – chopped
1/4 cup of pecan nuts- chopped
1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds -chopped
1/3 cup of raisins
2-3 tsp of cinnamon
1/2 tsp of nutmeg
2 inches of vanilla pod (scraped out , you can add the left over pod to the muesli) -optional
Pinch of salt

Method:

For the muesli: I usually prepare this in the evening: grate the apple including the skin and put together with all other dry ingredients into a mason jar, then add the milk, make sure it soaks through well and add some milk in excess as the chia seeds will soak up some extra liquid. Stir well, close tight and give it a good shake before putting it in the fridge.

That’s it-done- breakfast ready prepared for the next morning/day. You can already eat it after a 2-3 hours but its just nicer soaked over night. Shake/stir well again before serving, that way you ensure a delicious flavour throughout.

For the granola: preheat the over at 170c and line two baking trays with baking parchment and set aside. Put the oil, sugar or maple syrup, vanilla (if using), cinnamon and nutmeg into a large bowl and whisk together. It helps to place the bowl in the heated oven for a few minutes so the oil binds better with the other ingredients. Next add all other ingredients and mix together well, this is best done with your hands, as it makes it easier to combine everything . The mixture is quite sticky but delicious if you want to try some raw.

Evenly spread out the mixture on the baking trays and bake until nicely golden brown and crunchy. During the baking process give the granola a stir now and again, that way everything bakes through well.

Leave to cool down completely before putting the granola into jars. It will keep for up to a 3-4 weeks.

I love dried prunes soaked with a dash of cinnamon, also easily prepared together with the Bircher and soaked over night. You can add some of the prune juice to the bircher muesli its deliciously sweet. If you do not have time to make the granola or don’t like prunes, Kefir or plain natural yoghurt works a treat with this breakfast or just with granola and soaked prunes. 🙂 Enjoy !

4th March 2015

Sardine & green salad with tahini, ginger & tamari dressing

It’s March and snowdrops and crocuses are appearing everywhere. The best time to introduce salads back on the menu. It’s still a bit early for getting a huge variety of colours going , so we will have to stick to 50 shades of green which… Read more

Sardine & green salad with tahini-tamari & ginger dressing– serves 2-3

300g of flower sprouts or kale
2 heads of little gem lettuce
1/2 leek ( spring onions work very well too, if in season)
1-2 ripe avocados
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1-2 cans of sardines in oil or brine
1 cup of red quinoa

To garnish
2 tbsp of walnuts ( ideally soaked in filtered water for 2 hours)
2 tbsp of cashew nuts ( ideally soaked in filtered water for 4 hours)
1 tbsp of pumpkin seeds ( ideally soaked in filtered water for 2 hours)
1 bunch of fresh coriander

For the dressing
1 tbsp of tahini
2 tbsp of sesame seed oil & 1 tbsp of hemp oil
1/2-1 tbsp tamari sauce
1-2 tbsp of rice or white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp of miso paste (optional)
small piece of ginger & 1/2 a clove of garlic ( grated or crushed with garlic press)

Method:
I usually start with preparing the dressing, using a small jar with a lid, so I can give the dressing a good shake and keep any left over in the fridge. It’s very simple just add all ingredients to the jar, stir well , so the tahini mixes completely with the rest of the ingredients, then put the lid on, shake well and set aside.

Next rinse the quinoa and cook as per cooking instructions. The cooking process should take around 10-15 minutes and should give you enough time to prepare the rest of the salad.

Wash the flour sprouts, dry off slightly, tear off the tiny leaves and place in a salad bowl. Please don’t throw the hard stems away, you can use them for your next juice ( keep in a damp towel in the fridge, use within two days). Pour the lemon juice and a pinch of sea salt over the leaves and massage in well. This helps breaking down the fiber, making the greens more tender and easier to digest. This step is only necessary if you are using flour sprouts or kale as their leaves are tougher than regular salad leaves.

Next wash the gem lettuce and cut into stripes; wash, dry off and slice the leeks and add to the bowl together with the gem lettuce and gently mix all together.

Prepare the avocado, cut through the middle, open, remove the pip and skin, then cut through the length in the middle and then slice, that way you get nice similar sized pieces, add to the bowl together with the dressing and give it a good but careful mix.

Next prepare the fish, drain the oil or brine, remove any fish bones from the center and tear into pieces on top of the salad.

Finally fold the fish under the salad mix with two wooden spoons (I usually like using my hands but this one is a bit messy).

Serve with or without a boiled egg, a hand full of chopped soaked nuts and fresh coriander leaves. The salad is a great sandwich filling too, perfect for work lunches. Bon appetite !!

11th February 2015

Fishcakes with chia & linseed crust

Another week has flown by, I have been working on an assignment and was ueber-happy to be spending some time in the kitchen rather than at my desk. This time was awarded with a real feeling of spring, the birds were singing, the light was… Read more

Fishcakes with linseed and chia crust -serves 2-3

Fishcakes
250g of leftover roast vegetables ( e.g. potatoes, carrots, parsnip, onions etc)
150g of mackerel ( tinned or fresh) – other fish works too
4-6 tbsp of ground linseeds
2-3 tbsp of ground chia seeds ( chia & linseeds can be ground together)
1 medium sized egg
1 tsp of Dijon mustard ( English mustard works fine too, but use slightly less as it is hotter)
2 shallots (finely chopped- only add if there are no onions in your roast vegetables)
Himalayan Salt & pepper to taste
honey&mustard sauce ( just mix one tbsp of mustard, 1 tsp of honey- done)
Capers to garnish ( you can add a table spoon to the fish mix if you like , its quite delicious)

Mushy peas with mint
200-300 g of frozen peas
1-2 handful of fresh mint
1-2 tbsp of ghee or butter
Himalayan salt & pepper

Kale Salad
350 g of green and red kale ( washed and torn into smaller pieces)

Lemon dressing
Juice of half a lemon
2 tbsp of cold pressed olive oil
2 tsp of balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp of Dijon or English mustard
1/2 tsp of honey
Himalayan salt&pepper to taste

Method:
Mash the left over roast vegetables, add shallots, salt, pepper, beaten egg and mix well. Then add the fish , this is best done in flaking it on top of the mashed ingredients and then carefully folding the fish into the mix, at this point fold in the capers if you are adding them .

Pre-heat the oven at 160c and lay out parchment paper on a roasting tray. Place the ground chia and linseed on a plate- season with salt and pepper. Use a large spoon to divide the mix and make equally sized balls , then one by one flatten with the palm of your hand and coat with the chia and linseed mix before placing them on the baking tray. Do this very carefully as the fishcakes are quite fragile at this point. Bake for 30-45 minutes.

Prepare the kale salad by just adding the dressing to the washed and dried leaves, best to mix in a glass bowl. Massaging the dressing in well and leave until the fishcakes are ready to be served.

A few minutes before the cakes are done, put the frozen peas in boiling water, simmer for 2-3 minutes and drain well. Add ghee or butter to the peas, salt & pepper and blend using a hand blender. You can also just mash them manually. Finely chop mint and fold under the mash and serve hot together with the fishcakes and kale salad. Garnish the fishcakes with honey & mustard sauce and capers –

Enjoy !!

4th February 2015

Root vegetable curry and a word on seasonal eating

It’s February and we had some snow this week – it was amazing to wake up to everything being covered in a big white blanket- so beautiful! The snow was a quick reminder to check out what is in season this month. Depending on weather… Read more

Root vegetable curry – serves 3-4

1- 2 cups of brown organic lentils ( soaked as instructed on package )
2 shallots ( finely chopped)
2 cloves of garlic (crushed)
2 carrots ( diced), 1/2 celeriac (cubed), 1 parsnip (diced)
2 pints of vegetable stock
Fresh ginger ( a medium sized knob – crushed )
2 dates finely chopped
1-2 tsp of turmeric
1-2 tsp of freshly ground coriander seeds
1-2 tsp of ground cumin
1/2 tsp of paprika, 1 whole medium sized dried chili (pierced)
2 tbsp of coconut oil , Himalayan salt & long pepper to taste ( you can cook a couple of snapped long peppers in the curry , it gives it some extra spiciness)

Raw kale & sprouts to garnish ( optional)

Heat up the oil in a medium sized pot, add the shallots and garlic and saute for 1 minute, lower the heat before adding all the spices, chili, dates & ginger and cook for half a minute, constantly stirring using a wooden spoon as to not burn the spices. If the pot is still very hot, take it of the hob whilst stirring. Then, add the soaked lentils continue stirring for another 1-2 minutes before adding enough vegetable stock to cover the lentils well.

Depending on the cooking time of your lentils, add the carrots, celeriac and parsnip only for the last 25minutes of the cooking process. That way they stay crunchy and keep a higher nutrient value. Towards the end, season with salt and pepper for taste. If like your curry quite spicy, tear the chili apart and stir well.

The curry is pretty delicious straight way but as most curries it will taste even better the next day, so it is the perfect packed lunch. If you like you can add some raw kale or sprouts after heating it up. Bon appetite !

20th January 2015

Turmeric & honey porridge with papaya & pomegranate

This year is already flying, I cannot believe we are in mid January! I have been surrounded by books and scientific papers over the past two weeks, so I have been keeping a low profile. Yesterday I finally submitted my work. One of the things… Read more

Turmeric porridge with pomegranate and papaya – serves 1-2

1 cup of rolled organic oats
1-2 cups of water or rice milk (alternative milks: coconut, almond, soy, dairy, hemp or just water)
1/2 tsp of turmeric, 1/4 tsp of cinnamon & a pinch of ginger (optional)
1 tsp of honey or maple syrup
1 tsp of chia seeds
1 hand full of pomegranate
1 hand full of papaya including seeds ( seeds are optional)
1 tbsp of shelled hemp seeds ( pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds or chopped almonds, pecan or macadamia)

Porridge is really easily made with water or a variety of milks that are available in the shops now. I love rice milk it gives the porridge a nice creamy taste and texture and with some added fruits and nuts or seeds you are set for the morning. When not using turmeric, I love adding cinnamon, which gives a delicious warming flavor and keeps the blood sugar levels stable, so even less food cravings in combination with oats.

Method:

Place the oats, chia seeds and milk in a pot, add turmeric and honey and cook under medium heat until the the porridge has a nice creamy texture, adding more oats if its too liquid or more milk if its getting too thick. Keep stirring with a wooden spoon to make sure the porridge doesn’t stick to the pan. Chia seeds soak up a lot of liquid, so keep that in mind if you are using them, you might need to add some extra rice milk to get a nice creamy texture. Serve topped with pomegranate and papaya and sprinkle with hempseeds or your favourite nuts & seeds. Enjoy !!