Fake food!!! Plus Carrot and Coriander Soup

With every new invention of a type of food with omega 3 added to it, or a cereal with iron and vitamins forced into it, we move further into the realm of fake food.

Eggs generally do not naturally have Omega 3 - it is added to them my feeding the hen flaxseeds etc. Mass producers are going mad in their search for the perfect processed foods - while the real food, unadulterated (we hope!) is being left of a shelf. I have to say that I would rather have a real potato than fake 'low-fat' pasta. Fora that matter, I'd rather have proper pasta than the fake stuff.

We are messing about more and more with our food and it is not healthy! Many people still think margarine is healthier than butter. Butter is a natural by-product of milk. Very little other than churning and packing is done to it - marg is a whole other kettle of fish. Every part of it is processed.

We have become so obsessed with healthy eating that we are eating very unhealthy items because they have healthy nutrients added. This is not a good way to eat!

We need to return to a diet of non-processed foods, or very few if possible, of enjoying and savouring our food and not thinking about the nutrients in a particular product but in the overall goodness of a meal.

Anyone who has read 'In Defence of Food' by Michael Pollan, will recognise what I am saying. I recommend reading this book for anyone who is not sure they should drop the 'altered' cereal boxes.

Nutritionists keep changing their minds about what is good for us - protein, then carbs, not animal fat but trans fats, not trans fats etc. We need to realise that this is an industry closely linked to the processed food industry. We should trust ourselves. Eating a balanced meal of unprocessed foods is far healthier than a ready meal with low fat content and added vitamins.

My mum makes the best soups ever! She has a real talent for them. Last year she started making carrot and coriander soup but not with ground coriander/seeds, with the leaves. It was a blessed change and I found I loved this soup far more than the one with the seed. I can highly recommend this type of soup. So use up those excess carrots in this delicious soup. Simply substitute the ground coriander for fresh and use as much or little as you like!

Bon Apetit!

On another note, I have written 3 books. 2 are part of a series set in Scotland about the Sidhe, fairy folk. Available on kindle and in paperback: The Island of the Mist is book 2 The Stone in the Sword is book 1 The 3rd book is an adult, sexy witchy werewolf/vampire story set in New York and featuring a strong female lead character, again available in kindle and paperback formats: The Wolf, the Witch and the Coffin

Three things foodie

Firstly, it is with great sadness that I note that The WIld Elephant in Edinburgh has closed down. I was absolutely saddened to see the restaurant closed on Saturday evening when I was in Edinburgh.

Instead, friends took us to another Thai restaurant, Lemongrass, in Bruntsfield. I am also saddened to say that this place pales in comparison. My friends enjoyed their meals but mine was a second to the Green curry of the Wild Elephant. However, I must note that the service in this reataurant was very poor. We were given a table straight away and not told that a party was coming in at 8pm. We had just finished our main course and asked for the dessert menu, when the manager came over and said we should just have drinks, as the table was required.

We had not been informed of the time of the reservation, we saw several other tables of 4 being seated after us, not reserved and one of my friends did not hear this, so ordered a dessert, as did another friend. This was poor organisationa dn management and resulted in a scene with the people who were waiting more than half an hour for their table and the manager, who tried, I believe, to blame us for this delay. i heard the woman who booked the table stating 'No, this is your fault!'. It was not a good advert for this restaurant.

Secondly, my trip to mid Argyll saw me in a wonderful shop called Cockles, in Lochgilphead. I have family there and this shop is simply delightful. It is a fish mongers as well as a whole foods shop and the owner, Kay Hunter, is as friendly and as helpful as you could ask. They sell the best fish I have tasted in a while, less common flours and vingears, oils and more condiments than you could ever need. Cheese is another staple of this shop and their range is impressive given the compactness of the shop.

I noticed that they are recommended by Gourmet Britain, the Real Food Guide and Rick Stein, as well as Delia Smith :D They have a website: http://www.cocklesfinefoods.com/ I cannot recommend this highly enough.

Thirdly, while is the aforementioned shop, I spotted a wonderful product. It is hemp milk! I had never heard of this before and was surprised to find something this bizarre here. I am lactose intolerant and so gave it a try! Much tastier than soya milk, it was lovely without the pastey/powdery after taste. This particular product, called Good Hemp from Braham and Murray. 1 glass is 50% of the RDA of Omega 3. It is completely dairy/lactose free and contains natural omega 3, calcium and Vitamin D. It is also low in saturated fat! Wat a wonderful find in a wonderful shop. It is also easy to grow and is good at capturing carbon as well!

On another note, my second book, The Island of the Mist, is now available on both Kindle and paperback formats:

Kindle: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Island-Mist-Kingslayer-Series-ebook/dp/B0092TUS7U/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1346945410&sr=1-2

And paperback: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Island-Mist-N-Roy/dp/147921292X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346506656&sr=1-2

and in the US: http://www.amazon.com/Island-Mist-N-Roy/dp/147921292X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346946271&sr=1-2&keywords=the+island+of+the+mist

And you can still obtain the first book, The Stone in the Sword: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stone-Sword-ebook/dp/B006ZQIEPG/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1327179005&sr=1-3

Seasonal foods in June and July

I am a bit proponent of eating seasonally and getting free food where you can. My husband fishes and we often go (when in season) mushroom picking, berry hunting and getting as much free food as possible!

At this time of year we are particularly lucky with the variety of foods currently in season. Food is fresh and tactile and very, very healthy :D

Seasonal foods in June:
http://healthyeating.knoji.com/seasonal-foods-in-june/


Seasonal foods coming into July:
http://food-nutrition.knoji.com/whats-in-season-in-july/


As you will see, Mackerel is in season. This fish is very good for you, being an oily fish packed with Omega 3. Berries are coming into season now and many can be picked for free, you just know where to find them.

Something else I love at this time of year is light lunches, with pitta breads lightly toasted, hummus and black olives!

Enjoy the feast of summer!

My book is now available in paperback as well as Kindle now.
Kindle: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stone-Sword-ebook/dp/B006ZQIEPG/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1327179005&sr=1-3

Paperback: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Stone-Sword-N-Roy/dp/1477466347/ref=tmm_pap_title_0/279-1528994-5900510?ie=UTF8&qid=1327179005&sr=1-3