IMMUNE BOOSTING CHICKEN SOUP   You don’t have to be sick to enjoy this soup – it is fabulous all year round!

You will need:

• 8 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 6 cups organic chicken stock
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tbsp ginger, grated
• 1 tbsp turmeric, grated
• ½ small red chili
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 chicken thighs, diced
• ½ tablespoon white miso paste
• ½ cup spring onions, sliced
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• ¼ cup fresh basil, finely chopped

Directions:

1. Soak the mushrooms in a cup of hot water for 10 minutes while preparing the soup.
2. In a medium saucepan, place the stock, garlic, ginger, turmeric, chili, onion, chicken, miso and spring onions. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Slice mushrooms and add with their soaking liquid, and simmer for a further 3 minutes.
4. Place in warmed bowls and sprinkle with basil and parsley

*Buy the best quality organic chicken stock you can if you don’t have time to make it. Check your local organic grocer or health food shop.

**You don’t have to be sick to enjoy this soup – it is fabulous all year round!

CREAMY PORRIDGE MINUS THE COW’S MILK   Give your body a break from all of that cow’s milk and treat it with some health-promoting coconut milk that won’t add to your congestion.

You will need:

• 1 cup whole oats
• 1 cup of the coconut milk you just made*
• An additional cup of water
• pinch of celtic sea salt
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ cup walnuts
• Poached quinces or fruit of your choice

Directions:

1. Place the oats, coconut milk, celtic sea salt, cinnamon and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
2. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and stir continuously for 5 minutes.
3. Pour the porridge into bowls and serve topped with walnuts and quinces and a little splash of extra coconut milk. If you don’t like walnuts or quinces why not try 1 tablespoon of LSA and perhaps some poached rhubarb?

Serves 2

*Tip – MAKE YOUR OWN COCONUT MILK – Buy a can of coconut cream (Ayam is a great brand): decant it into a glass bottle and add two parts of water and there you go, you have your own coconut milk to use on your cereal, in your curries, and, of course, your porridge. It will last 3-4 days in your fridge.

SALAD CREATIVITY   10 ways to spice up those boring salads you keep making!

1. Use your washed beetroot leaves next time you buy a bunch of fresh beetroot
2. Grated lemon rind adds a deliciously fresh zestiness as well as providing you with the anti-cancer phytochemical limonene
3. Give it some substance with ½ tin of cannellini beans
4. Liven things up a little with some finely sliced fresh chilli and grated garlic
5. Use lemon juice instead of balsamic vinegar with your extra virgin olive oil dressing next time - it will help you absorb the iron from your salad leaves; spinach in particular
6. Go nuts with goat or sheep fetta, great with lamb salads - it makes the salad more complete and you won’t be looking for a sweet treat later on
7. Made a roast last night? - next time make more roast vegetables than you need and use them in your salad - makes lunch preparation that much quicker!
8. Load up on the good oil - add some fresh unroasted and unsalted nuts and seeds e.g. sunflower seeds and also use extra virgin olive oil in your dressings
9. Use quinoa instead of cous cous or bulghur wheat in your next tabouli
10. Freshen your salad up with summer fruits (if you digestion can handle it) - kiwi, grapefruit, papaya and pineapple will aid digestion because of their natural plant enzymes. Mangoes are beautiful as are nectarines and strawberries in salads
11. One more… mix up your salad leaves - try raddicio, roquette, endive, and red oak - these are lovely lettuce varieties that aid digestion. Also - the old iceburg is coming back into food fashion; one of the biggest tips I can give anyone is to mix up their food; variety variety variety; although iceburg doesn’t have the digestive properties raddicio, roquetee and red oat have it is still very good for you

VITAMIN-BOOSTED BLACK QUINOA SALAD WITH GOLDEN BEETS   A delicious, easy to prepare and healthy salad.

I recently took this delicious salad over to a family BBQ and it was a loved by all. We were serving lamb and chicken off the BBQ with it so I decided I didn’t need the smoked salmon but it would be a gorgeous lunch inclusion. I hope you enjoy it and have as much fun as we did. As it turned out I made way too much as usual but it worked out perfectly; it was devoured the next day for lunch.

VITAMIN-BOOSTED BLACK QUINOA SALAD WITH GOLDEN BEETS

You will need:

• ⅔ cup black quinoa (you could easily use the white or red quinoa here or a mix of all three!)
• 50-80gm goat fetta cheese, crumbled
• 1 avocado
• Lemon juice
• 1 grapefruit
• 2-3 slices of smoked salmon, diced
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 10 baby golden beets, cooked, peeled and cooled (I used regular bunch purple baby beetroot that didn’t need peeling after boiling)

For the vinaigrette:

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp honey or 100% maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Rinse the quinoa under cold water and drain. Add to a pot with twice the amount of water (2 x ⅔ cup water). Bring to the boil while stirring and then turn to simmer and cover with lid. Cook for 15 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed. Take off the heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool. See www.johannaclark.com/newsarchive/superfoods/ for more quinoa info
2. To prepare the vinaigrette, in a small bowl, combine the mustard and honey with the white wine vinegar. Add the oil and emulsify with a fork. Season with pepper and celtic sea salt.
3. Prepare the other ingredients: Use a small spoon to shape small balls of avocado. Drizzle with lemon juice to prevent oxidation.
4. Peel the grapefruit and using a sharp knife, remove the white membranes of the grapefruit; cut it in slices.
5. Slice the beets in halves.
6. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, dress with the vinaigrette and toss ever so gently.

NOURISH RECIPE: WARM ROASTED BEETROOT, QUINOA AND CHICKPEA SALAD   Quinoa, everyone is talking about it, you will notice it making it’s way on the menus of Melbourne’s top restaurants as well as at your favourite local breakfast haunt. Everything from porridge to pilaffs, this gorgeous grain is starting to get all the glory it deserves.

Now it is time for you to give it a go if you haven’t already. Impress your guests with this delicious autumn salad straight from the Stephanie’s Nourish book.

All of you I am sure are in the know of quinoa from reading my article – if you haven’t found the time – make some and head to www.johannaclark.com/newsarchive/grains/ where you will learn it’s benefits and also how to cook it.

WARM ROASTED BEETROOT, QUINOA AND CHICKPEA SALAD

You will need:

• 1 ½ cups cooked quinoa
• 1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked
• 1 long kombu stick
• 5 medium beetroots (tennis ball size), stems and skin removed, cut into 1 cm thick batons (about 4 cups in total)
• 3 tsp ground cumin
• 1 brown onion, chopped
• 6 cups beetroot leaves, thickly sliced
• 2 tsp ground lemon myrtle (or 2 tbsp finely grated lemon ride or 3 tbsp finely chopped preserved lemon)
• 2 tbs mirin
• 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• Fine sea salt
• 1 cup flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C
2. Rinse the chickpeas, then place in a large saucepan with the kombu and enough water to cover by 4 cm. Bring to a boil, removing any scum that forms. Turn down to a steady, low simmer and cook for 1 hour or until the centres are tender to the core. Remove the kombu, drain, and put the beans in a large mixing bowl.
3. Prepare the quinoa for cooking and once cooked (10-15mins) add to the chickpeas.
4. Toss the beetroot in a little cooking oil and 1 tsp cumin to coat. Spread evenly in a roasting dish, then bake for 25 minutes, or until the centre is tender (a skewer or toothpick can easily be pressed through). Add to the beans.
5. In a wide-based frying pan, gently sauté the onion in a little cooking oil for 8-10minutes or until soft and golden. Add ½ cup water to dislodge any bits stuck to the pan, then add beetroot leaves and simmer until just tender. Turn the heat off, and then add to the mixing bowl along with the lemon myrtle, mirin, olive oil and ½ tsp cumin. Gently combine, season with salt to taste, and find a nice balance with the spices, oil and mirin (add more if they’re too light). Garnish with parsley so the bright beetroot stands out – it should look gorgeous and glossy.

DIP RECIPES   A selection of healthy and tasty dip recipes for the holiday season.

GUACAMOLE
2 medium avocados
½ medium lemon, juiced
1 clove garlic, crushed
A little freshly cracked black pepper and Celtic sea salt

Place all ingredients in a food processor and mix until smooth. It can also be made by hand by mashing with a fork. Refrigerate and use as a spread, dip for vegetable sticks or add it to salads.

MACADAMIA CREAM
1 cup macadamias
1 cup cashews
½ cup lemon juice
½ cup Numa shoyu (or tamari)
1 clove of garlic, crushed
Freshly cracked black pepper

Process nuts; add lemon juice, shoyu, garlic and pepper and process until smooth. More lemon juice or extra virgin olive oil may be needed if you would like the cream more liquid.

This is great to use as a spread, added to salads or used as a dip.

BEETROOT, MINT AND YOGHURT DIP

Beets have strong detoxifying properties because they are high in chlorine that assists in the cleansing of the liver, kidneys and bloodstream. They are also rich in potassium that balances the metabolism.

1.5kg freshly cooked beetroot
350–500ml fresh orange juice
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint
1½ – 2 cups biodynamic plain yoghurt
Salt and pepper

Cut beetroot into rough dice and combine with enough orange juice so as to blend until smooth but not runny. Fold in yoghurt and finely chopped mint and season with salt and pepper.

CARROT AND CORIANDER WHIP
1kg carrots, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons chopped coriander leaves
¼ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Sea salt to taste
Dash of plain yoghurt (optional)

Steam the carrots in a steamer over rapidly boiling water until soft – about 15 minutes. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or small blender and process until smooth. Add yoghurt if desired. Chill and use within three days.

HOMMUS
1 can chickpeas
½ cup plain yoghurt
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ small chili
Pinch of sea salt

To make the hommus, place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. A little extra virgin olive oil, a little water or more lemon juice may be required if mix is too thick. If you do not want to use yoghurt, use 3 tablespoons of water instead.

BLISS BALLS   A delicious afternoon treat that’s good for you!

You will need:

• 1 cup roughly chopped dried dates, sultanas and apricots
• 1 small cinnamon quill
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup roughly chopped or ground fresh sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, linseeds and sesame seeds
• ½ cup roughly chopped, fresh unsalted, un-roasted almonds
• ½ cup fresh coconut chips
• 2 cup rolled oats (whole oats, not the quick variety)
• 1–2 tbsp honey or maple syrup
• Shredded coconut to coat the balls at the end

Directions:

1. Put the dried fruit into a medium saucepan and just cover with cold water. Add the cinnamon quill and bring to the boil and then immediately return to a simmer until the fruit has plumped up and is soft (10–15 minutes).
2. Once the dried fruit syrup has cooled slightly, add the vanilla extract.
3. Add the nuts and seeds to the dried fruit syrup and with a wiz or in a mix master combine it thoroughly until it is like a smooth pulp. (If your mix master/kitchen aid is good quality you may not have to pre-chop the nuts and seeds).
4. Add the coconut chips, rolled oats and maple syrup/honey.
5. Bring it all together and give it a real ‘mush’ with your hands.
6. Make sure it is not too sticky or too dry. If the mixture is too wet, add more dry ingredients (nuts, coconut chips, oats or seeds), or if it too dry, add more water.
7. Roll into little individual bite-size balls and coat with freshly shredded coconut.

The bliss balls will keep well in the fridge for about 5–7 days and the freezer for a couple of weeks.

Other ingredients that work well:

• Grated lemon rind added to the dried fruit syrup
• Walnuts, brazil nuts, hazel nuts
• Dried figs, dried cranberries and other dried fruits
• Quality cocoa

Health Benefits:

• A fabulous little ‘pick-me-up’.
• Each ball is packed full of vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants!
• The linseed will benefit your bowels, your heart and your reproductive system (high in fibre, omega 3’s and phytoestrogens).
• They are sweet but naturally sweet (however you still have to watch your consumption of natural sugars, 1 or 2 is enough for a snack).
• Dried apricots contain high amounts of B vitamins as well as iron, both of which are necessary for the production of energy.
• Oats contain beta glucan – a specific form of fibre proven to lower cholesterol.
• The nuts and seeds in this mouthful of goodness ensure satiety, as nuts and seeds are high in protein and contain the beneficial ‘good’ fats.

PUMPKIN AND COCONUT SOUP   Are your despondent taste buds sick of your old pumpkin soup recipe? Well, brighten them up with this one!

You will need:

• 1 kg peeled pumpkin, cut into chunks
• 2 large onions
• 1 tbsp butter
• ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• freshly ground pepper
• sea salt
• 5 cloves garlic (3 in at the start and 2 at the end before blending)
• 1 small red chili, chopped
• 1 small green chili, chopped
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 small cinnamon stick, slightly crushed
• 1 tbsp of coriander roots or 2 tsp dried coriander
• 3 tsp tumeric
• 2 tsp freshly grated ginger
• 1½ litres of chicken stock
• Pinch nutmeg
• ½ tin coconut cream
• ½ cup fresh coriander

Directions:

1. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large saucepan. Add roughly chopped onions and gently cook over low to medium heat. Add the pumpkin and continue to cook until the pumpkin is slightly browned. Cover with lid if onions begin to burn. Add 3 cloves garlic, chilies, cumin, cinnamon stick, coriander, tumeric, ginger and stir through and cook for another 30 seconds to a minute.
2. Add chicken stock and simmer for 20–30 minutes until pumpkin is tender. Add the nutmeg and coconut cream and continue to cook for another 3–5 minutes. Using a stick blender or food processor, blend until smooth; a little more water may be needed if soup is too thick. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
3. Serve in warmed, large bowls and add a small dollop of coconut cream with some freshly chopped chives. Grainy spelt sourdough with a scraping of butter acts as a fabulous dipper! ENJOY!