Fish and chips

Calling all 'chip lovers' across the nation from 16th to 22nd of February 2015 is "chip week"

 We're a nation of Fish and Chip lovers: over 250 million portions of the famously British dish are sold every year in the UK, it even featured in the Writing of Charles Dickens, and amazingly, was exempt from UK food rationing during both WW1 and WW2.

Of course, hand in hand with our love of Fish and Chips, there's the age old debate about what the perfect accompaniment to your battered Fish and Chip supper is, and few disagree that salt and vinegar are the ultimate partner, bringing the meal to tangy perfection

I must admit I rarely eat fish and chips the last time I had fish and chips in paper and eaten with fingers was last weekend in Devon. Absolutely lovely. Freshly battered fish and freshly made chips--nothing frozen

Prior that at Milton Keynes hospital where I was doing some work last October where I had a lovely fish and chip lunch but the fish was baked and the chips chunky ones.

I am not an advocate of fried food every day but it can make a lovely simple treat.

//chips.lovepotatoes.co.uk/

SCHOOL FOOD

I have done a lot of work on this topic of food in school with calculations, menu planning, allergen information and training.

The information from the Children's Food Trust may be of help

New school food standards

So what’s new in the standards ( http://childrens-foodtrust.org.uk/214D-335Z3-GBYGG6-1EXPBF-0/c.aspx )? The main difference is that they're food-based only, which means schools and their caterers will no longer have to nutritionally analyse their recipes and menus. The general principle of the
new standards emphasizes the importance of providing a wide range of foods across the week.

Variety is key – whether it’s different fruits, vegetables, grains, pulses or types of meat and fish. Offering a wider range of different foods provides a
better balance of nutrients.

Check out the practical guidance ( http://childrens-foodtrust.org.uk/214D-335Z3-GBYGG6-1FILGZ-0/c.aspx ) developed for schools, cooks and caterers t.

Know your allergens?

New EU Regulations mean that schools have a legal responsibility to provide correct information about the allergens contained in the food and drink you make or serve to pupils. The 14 allergens covered by the requirements are celery, cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk,  molluscs, mustard, nuts, peanuts, sesame seeds, soya and sulphur dioxide. Information can be provided in a written format (e.g. listed on menus or standard recipes), or available for staff to explain verbally to parents and children.

The EU Food Information for Consumers Regulation ( http://childrens-foodtrust.org.uk/214D-335Z3-GBYGG6-1FILGT-0/c.aspx ), enforced in the UK by the Food Information Regulations 2014, applies to all food businesses, including schools, early years settings and hospitals from 13 December 2014.

IBS

IBS or irritable bowel syndrome makes life difficult for many people. Symptoms vary from person to person and there is not a universal solution.

I have had a number of patients with the problems and learnt that it often takes a while to sort things out.

The IBS Network Provides helpful advice for individuals to take control of their condition and are
found at

http://www.theibsnetwork.org/

Red meat update

Red meat as part of a healthy lifestyle

Red meat is typically defined as beef, lamb, pork and goat but also  includes meat products such as hamburgers and minced beef which have not been preserved.

This separates them from the category of "processed meats" which have typically undergone salting, smoking or curing  processes, or had preservatives added to them.

Red meat when eaten as part of a healthy, balanced diet provides a  valuable source of high quality protein and important micronutrients including B vitamins, vitamin D, iron, zinc, selenium, potassium and
long-chain n-3 fatty acids.  

For these reasons, healthy lifestyle choices should include consuming red meat with The Department of Health advising that adults should consume a balanced diet with up to 70g of lean red meat per day
and up to 500g per week as recommended by The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN).

In context, red meat when consumed as part of a health and balanced diet is a valuable source of high quality protein and many micronutrients.

When looking to make lifestyle choices, ideally these should include eating up to 70g of lean red meat per day and up to 500g per week.  Cuts of meats should be lean, or fat should be trimmed, with meat being well
cooked but not charred.

To find out more, please visit www.meatandhealth.com

Christmas pudding --lower fat and lower calorie

Christmas pudding --lower fat and lower calorie I developed this recipe a while ago and it is very popular. It can be made at the last minute or rather the day before Christmas and is both easy and economical not to mention tasty.

Having looked at most luxury style Christmas puddings as well as recipes for homemade ones using traditional ingredients like suet in them I found that most provided around 600 kcals and 80g carbohydrate per portion. So I was given the challenge of developing a lower calorie and carbohydrate pudding. 

 

This is what I made and it makes 8 small portions and each portion provides 204kcal 43g carbohydrate, 1.4 g fat, 0.3g saturated fat and 0.3g salt.

It was quick to make and also cheap. It will not keep so make it only the day before or freeze.

Ingredients

200g dried mixed fruit

100ml water

10 ml red wine

1 tbsp oat bran

I tbsp black treacle

200g self raising flour

1 tsp mixed spices

1 420g can of prunes drained

1 egg

 

Mix the wine and water together (I just washed out a wine bottle)

Pour the dried fruit into a dish

Pour on the wine and water mixture

Leave overnight in the fridge.

This soaking step is important as it plumps up the fruit.

To this mix add the oat bran and return the dish to the fridge

Take the stones out of the prunes and puree—if you have not got a liquidiser a potato masher works well

Add to the mix, then add the treacle and mix through.

Sift together the flour and spices and add to the mix

Finally beat in the egg

If the mix seems a bit dry add a little skimmed milk

Pour into a one and a half pint basin and smooth down

Alternatively pour into 8 small basins

Put in the microwave and cook for 7 minutes on high

Take out of the microwave and let stand for 5 minutes

Cook again for 7 minutes on high and again let stand

Test the inside is cooked with a knife or skewer –if not cooked –then cook again for 5 minutes and allow to stand then check it

 The smaller puddings will cook more quickly and so will a pudding in a shallower basin

 The pudding will not keep for long so freeze it or cook a day or so before required.

 If you do not want to cook in a microwave it can be baked for an hour in a medium oven in a covered basin stood in a bowl of water.

 Serve with custard or ice cream or as it is very low in fat a little brandy butter or my current delight a really nice plain Greek style yogurt

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

Diabetes- books for Christmas

Diabetes- books for Christmas--I wrote  a short book on low calorie and low carbohydrate ideas for Christmas and put it on kindle --this is now free.

CHRISTMAS IDEAS FOR DIABETES LOWER CALORIE AND LOWER CARBOHYDRATE

I was inspired to write this short book by patients saying how much they had likes some of the ideas I gave them for Christmas

So I have burnt the midnight oil writing this and have put it on Kindle today