tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24505179771088996042024-03-13T09:16:23.979+00:00Cooking with ArthurTasty, healthy recipes for living well and cooking well with arthritis.Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06468110876613134751noreply@blogger.comBlogger199125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450517977108899604.post-81012930457041147562019-07-01T16:07:00.001+01:002019-07-02T13:49:00.795+01:00New Video: Harissa Chicken with Arthritis Action<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some exciting news: Arthritis Action asked me to make some videos with them to show how quick and easy cooking healthy meals can be, even with arthritis. The first recipe, Harissa Chicken and Couscous is a quick one pan meal you can make even on days when you are flaring and feel rubbish. I'm joined in the video by the wonderful Martin Lau, the resident dietician at Arthritis Action, who answers some of my questions about diet and arthritis and gives some great info about nutrients for those of us with arthritis.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Have a watch and let me know what you think. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8igl91lqYE">Arthritis Action</a> are a great charity devoted to helping people with arthritis manage their condition through hands-on practical advice and resources. I'm a big fan of their positive, can-do attitude and I hope some of that comes across in this video!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Q8igl91lqYE/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q8igl91lqYE?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17282516719456696295noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450517977108899604.post-52261392876611227012018-06-11T14:58:00.000+01:002018-06-11T14:58:17.331+01:00Arthritis Friendly Recipe: Sweetcorn Curry<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Curry is a popular dinner in our house - the little people are especially keen on it. I probably make some kind of arthritis-friendly but highly in-authentic curry twice a week. <a href="https://cookingwitharthur.blogspot.com/search/label/curry" target="_blank">Daal</a> is our go-to but I also <a href="https://cookingwitharthur.blogspot.com/2011/09/chicken-curry.html" target="_blank">like to make healthy twists on traditional British curries</a> like korma or masala. This curry recipe is a new favourite and probably the quickest and easiest curry recipe you will ever make. Sweetcorn is blended with aromatic spices to make a thick, creamy but surprisingly healthy sauce. I sometimes add a handful of cashews before blending and omit the butternut squash to make a richer, no-chop curry. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Both ginger and turmeric are traditional arthritis remedies as well as tasty curry ingredients - you can read more about their efficacy <a href="https://cookingwitharthur.blogspot.com/2012/02/arthur-investigatesginger.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://cookingwitharthur.blogspot.com/2011/05/arthur-investigatesturmeric.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>Ingredients:</i></b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J1SAaUMc_NI/Wx5_6d_GaLI/AAAAAAAABJo/7c6SSm_iITkzirIuYaAv4PApFGKi2mFsgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_5262.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1304" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J1SAaUMc_NI/Wx5_6d_GaLI/AAAAAAAABJo/7c6SSm_iITkzirIuYaAv4PApFGKi2mFsgCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_5262.jpg" width="260" /></a></i></b></span></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>300g chicken breast or thigh pieces (or you can use Quorn pieces)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>198g tin of sweetcorn (165g drained weight)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>150g diced butternut squash (I used frozen ready chopped - see my tips on cutting squash here)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1tbsp mild curry powder</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1tsp turmeric</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 onion, roughly chopped</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1tbsp rapeseed oil</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/2 chicken or vegetable stock cube</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>200ml coconut drinking milk (the thin kind in a carton not the tinned type)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1tbsp natural yoghurt</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Thumb sized piece of ginger, roughly chopped</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>Serves 2 adults and 2 small people</i></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Heat half a tablespoon of the oil in a casserole dish or large saucepan and fry the chicken or quorn pieces until just cooked through.Tip out on to a plate and put to one side.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Using the same pan, add the other half-tablespoon of oil and then sweat the onion, garlic and ginger until softened. Add the curry powder and turmeric and cook for a minute or so. If it is all getting a bit dry in the pan add a splash of water.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Tip in 2/3rds of the can of sweetcorn, the butternut squash, half stock cube and coconut drinking milk. Bring the pan to a simmer and cook until the squash is soft - about 10-15 minutes. Use a stick blender to puree the mixture until it is smooth.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Add the remaining sweetcorn, chicken pieces, yogurt and baby spinach leaves. Cook until the spinach has just wilted and then serve. </i></span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06468110876613134751noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450517977108899604.post-63763670113797444712018-05-26T16:44:00.000+01:002018-05-26T16:44:02.805+01:00Arthritis Friendly Recipe: Healthy Cookie Dough Bites<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I say healthy cookie dough bites but I think I should probably be honest and admit that they are 'healthier' rather than downright healthy! I hate it when recipes for claim to be more than they are - at the end of the day this is still a sweet treat and still high in sugar but it's a darn sight more nutritious than a spoonful of traditional cookie dough and everything in moderation, right?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are lots of recipes on the internet for so-called 'healthy' cookie dough bites but most contain a lot of fat (usually from peanut butter) or coconut oil. Peanut butter is great in moderation but there are better, less inflammatory fats for arthritis out there. Equally, I'm not yet sold on the<a href="http://cookingwitharthur.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/can-coconut-oil-treat-arthritis.html" target="_blank"> health benefits of coconut oil,</a> I prefer rapeseed (canola) oil for cooking. So, I've used cashew nuts here and not so many as to make the bites a calorie-bomb. I've also added soy protein powder to make them a more sustaining snack. Feel free to substitute whey protein or use all oats instead (which is what I do when I am happy to share these with the kids) . Finally, I sometimes add inulin powder to these to increase the fibre content of the bites and act as a prebiotic. Totally optional but fun if you like tinkering with random ingredients like a mad (food) scientist.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Ingredients:</b></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FUDAKw5jX7U/Wwl9Q1liexI/AAAAAAAABJU/bgL1-yIG3DoaiDBn_r4E4ByF0p60zPergCLcBGAs/s1600/Cookie%2Bdough%2Bbites.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1363" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FUDAKw5jX7U/Wwl9Q1liexI/AAAAAAAABJU/bgL1-yIG3DoaiDBn_r4E4ByF0p60zPergCLcBGAs/s320/Cookie%2Bdough%2Bbites.jpg" width="272" /></i></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>150g dates</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>30g cashews</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>30g soy protein powder (see notes above)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>50g oats</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 tsp vanilla extract</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>25g 85% cocoa dark chocolate - finely chopped</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Makes 9 bites</b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Soak the dates and cashews in cool water for one hour before making the bites. Drain them really well and then blend until smooth with the vanilla extract (I used a hand blender as I hate cleaning the food processor...).</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Stir the oats, protein powder and dark chocolate. If the mix is too wet add a more oats and if it is too dry add a tiny bit of water.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Take walnut sized blobs of the mixture and roll into balls. You can eat them immediately or keep them in a cool place for up to three days. I stash some in the freezer so I can grab one whenever I fancy it for my handbag.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>NB: these are gluten and dairy free if you use gluten free oats and dairy free chocolate (which almost all 85% cocoa chocolate is). Do check protein powder packets carefully if you have an allergy or intolerance as some have added ingredients that may not be suitable for your diet. If you need to make these nut-free, sunflower seeds are a good substitute for the cashews.</i></span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06468110876613134751noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450517977108899604.post-67118979131674345092018-05-01T14:25:00.001+01:002018-05-03T12:50:39.693+01:00Arthritis Friendly Recipe: Avocado Vegan Scones <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bare with me on this one!!! I haven't completely lost the plot over the last year - avocado actually makes a great, healthy substitute for butter in these easy, arthritis friendly, three ingredient scones. They are also dairy-free and vegan so great if you or your friends and family can't have milk products for whatever reason.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Avocados are high in fat but it's the healthy monounsaturated kind. They are also a good source of bone friendly vitamin C and B group vitamins. I find avocados easy to cut and scoop even with sore wrists as long as they are very ripe. I use a stand mixer to make scones as I find that easiest and it cuts down on the amount of 'help' my kids try to give me - something about the pale green dough seems to be irresistible to little fingers...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Ingredients:</b></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UgtiuD01_Ns/Wuhqz0W1YwI/AAAAAAAABIk/ykGnieJ1OSw5r5DEGZOl4Gr739Q6mdZTgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_5074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="319" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UgtiuD01_Ns/Wuhqz0W1YwI/AAAAAAAABIk/ykGnieJ1OSw5r5DEGZOl4Gr739Q6mdZTgCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_5074.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></i></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>225g self raising flour</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>150ml dairy free milk (or you could use soy yoghurt for an even richer scone)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>50g (half a small) avocado</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Makes 8 small scones or 4 large</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Mash the avocado with the yoghurt. Add the flour and mix until just combined - don't over work.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Place the dough on a floured board and pat out with your hands until it is about 2cm thick. Cut out scones using a sharp cutter. Repeat with the leftover dough.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Bake for 15-20 minutes (it will depend on the size of your scone) until well risen and golden.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Like all scones these are best eaten on the day they are made. You can freeze leftovers and revive them in the oven though.</i></span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06468110876613134751noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450517977108899604.post-15706354280940804082018-04-24T11:12:00.002+01:002018-04-24T11:12:57.476+01:00The Missing Year Well hello there! Long time no see.<br />
<br />
I've written and rewritten this post several times as I've tried to figure out what it is I want to say after such a long absence .<br />
<br />
Around this time last year our second child was born after a difficult and traumatic pregnancy, including me spending the last trimester away from my family as an inpatient in the local hospital. Our baby was born premature and then caught a very serious infection after coming home and ended up back in ICU. We're lucky that they are doing well now and things are much more settled for our whole family but I have spent the last year just being happy that we are all together and, frankly, not thinking very much about my arthritis or cooking.<br />
<br />
A few weeks ago though I couldn't remember the recipe for one of my favourite meals (this one) and ended up looking it up on the blog. I started browsing all the recipes I have posted over the years and muttering to myself that I could do better. At around the same time, my arthritis has started grumbling - I'm long overdue going back on medication and chasing after two small children takes its toll. So this is my tentative step back into the kitchen - and back to 'Cooking with Arthur'.Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06468110876613134751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450517977108899604.post-5555600481114450352016-11-05T14:11:00.000+00:002016-11-05T14:11:08.512+00:00Arthritis Friendly Recipe: Lighter Toad in the Hole<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Given it's Guy Fawkes (bonfire night) here in the UK, I thought I would post a lighter, arthritis friendly version of the traditional toad-in-the-hole recipe. It makes a great bonfire supper served with green vegetables and baked potatoes. It also reheats well so you can make it in advance for a party.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've reduced the fat content of the traditional recipe by using low fat sausages or quorn ones and cutting down on the amount of oil used. I like to add some roasted vegetables to the batter too - here I have used carrots but red onion, parsnip, squash and even leeks all work well. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I personally prefer to use a tin foil tray to make this in, I find it conducts the heat well and helps the batter rise as well as being lighter to use on your joints but an ordinary roasting pan or even earthenware dish works fine. Do think about using a hand blender to make the batter if you have sore wrists or hands - it makes it the work of seconds and because it helps add air to the batter gives a really crisp toad in the hole, after all no-one like a soggy toad!</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Ingredients:</i></span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtf7yTlRIN4EOCsI32rXdFLMzHF6WYbZKlq6AMCRGWWMx-sGDz9EzC0UsXNKIBMTAYzY06p_kwnCOSc4xT2JC1afmLKjmeUnH4bBiVthqbBM1sduG0V_ckgeWRa8molwN_ycFbud28BdCb/s1600/IMG_3371.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtf7yTlRIN4EOCsI32rXdFLMzHF6WYbZKlq6AMCRGWWMx-sGDz9EzC0UsXNKIBMTAYzY06p_kwnCOSc4xT2JC1afmLKjmeUnH4bBiVthqbBM1sduG0V_ckgeWRa8molwN_ycFbud28BdCb/s320/IMG_3371.jpg" width="320" /></a></i></span></b></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>75g plain flour</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 egg</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>200ml semi skimmed milk</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Handful of baby carrots (or chop up some normal sized ones)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>3 low fat sausages (I used quorn ones)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/2 tbsp sunflower or rapeseed oil</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Salt and pepper to season</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<b><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Serves 2-3 (easily doubled)</i></span></b><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Pre-heat the oven to 180C/392F.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Place the flour in a jug and break in the egg, add a small amount of the milk and start to beat the picture with a fork. Gradually keep adding the milk until you get a thin batter (about the same consistency as single cream). ALTERNATIVELY chuck the batter ingredients in a jug and whizz up with a stick blender until smooth. Season the batter mix with a little black pepper and salt.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Set the batter to one side.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Slice any rough tops of the baby carrots and halve any that look a bit squat. Place them in a small roasting tin or foil tray and coat with the oil. Add the sausages and roast everything for about 20 minutes or until the carrots have softened and the sausages are beginning to colour.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Remove the roasting tin from the oven, quickly spread out the carrots and sausages and then immediately pour the batter in. Return the tin to the oven and whack the temperature up to 220C/430F.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Cook the toad-in-the-hole for around 25-30 minutes or until the batter is well-risen and browned. Don't be tempted to open the oven door until it looks cooked otherwise the batter will sink. Serve immediately.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06468110876613134751noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450517977108899604.post-73480307860184403372016-09-19T14:23:00.003+01:002016-09-19T14:23:32.865+01:00Arthritis Friendly Recipe: Spicy Turmeric Chickpea Fritters<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hello! I'm back in the kitchen after far too long away with an easy arthritis-friendly recipe for these sunny yellow fritters packed with anti-inflammatory turmeric.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These little fritters make a great quick lunch or accompaniment to a curry. Gram or chickpea flour is sold quite widely now, it's traditionally used in Indian cooking (especially to make bhaji) and goes wonderfully crisp and light when fried. Chickpeas are also a great source of protein, fibre, folate and magnesium. People with all types of arthritis have been shown to get less magnesium and folate than their healthy peers so it's a good idea to look for easy ways to increase the amount you get in your diet through things like peas and beans. You can use whatever mix of sweetcorn and pulses you like here really but you may need to add a little more flour accordingly. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I tend to make this recipe in a jug using a hand blender. I find snipping spring onions easiest on my joints but you can chop them or even blend them if you prefer. If you find grating difficult just skip out adding the carrot.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Ingredients:</b></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6XjlorKwS9U/V9_mJcKNURI/AAAAAAAABCM/E1r3LnLi_sggAtyrGTz5zbKXVpE4NhrBwCLcB/s1600/IMG_3328.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6XjlorKwS9U/V9_mJcKNURI/AAAAAAAABCM/E1r3LnLi_sggAtyrGTz5zbKXVpE4NhrBwCLcB/s320/IMG_3328.jpg" width="286" /></a></b></i></span></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>250g mix of peas, sweetcorn and chickpeas (I used a 165g tin of sweetcorn and some chickpeas)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>75g gram/chickpea flour</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 small grated carrot (optional)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 medium egg</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>4 spring onions, roughly snipped or chopped</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/2tbsp garam masala</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1tsp turmeric</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1tsp mango chutney or brinjal pickle</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Sunflower or rapeseed oil for frying</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Tzatiki for serving</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Makes about 10 fritters</b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Put a rough 2/3rd of your peas, chickpeas and sweetcorn in a blender of food processor jug and whizz them up with the egg, gram flour, spices and chutney/pickle until you have a rough paste.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Stir in the remaining peas etc, grated carrot and spring onions. </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Heat a large frying pan with a thin layer of rapseed or sunflower oil. Drop dessert spoonfuls of the mixture into the hot oil to make little fat pancakes. You should be able to cook 3 or 4 at a time. Flip the fritter when the edges look set and the underside is golden - fry the other side for about 90 seconds until also crisp and golden, then serve immediately.</i></span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06468110876613134751noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450517977108899604.post-43184907917224844732016-07-18T12:03:00.001+01:002016-07-18T12:03:57.899+01:00What's (not) been cooking recently<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am a fountain of idioms and adages - I haven't the 'foggiest' why but I scatter them throughout my daily speech. At breakfast, I 'waste not, want not' by scoffing my daughter's leftovers, driven mad in the middle of the day, I 'start crawling up the walls' and by bedtime I'm ready to 'turn into a pumpkin'. </span><div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And recently, I've been living one of my favourites 'every cloud has a silver lining'...</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An annoying crop of health niggles meant I had to turn down a whole series of work and</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">personal opportunities over the last few months that would either be too physically demanding or impossible to organise childcare for. I was feeling a bit down in the dumps about it when some wonderful non-cooking related projects landed on my lap.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkvsfJTA5wQ92ShGMTBpvcevfQ5Kf7oe0SniGihNFf-Sg18eLAn6s7kMea6_fi64_2-0tY_UOkWXpxBZdx3b42ah7qe0EMNCUr9GCuAWcL5Q2mdBSC-KIuu0xS8s0St24lx7dUM04-UoKy/s1600/logo-psa.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="85" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkvsfJTA5wQ92ShGMTBpvcevfQ5Kf7oe0SniGihNFf-Sg18eLAn6s7kMea6_fi64_2-0tY_UOkWXpxBZdx3b42ah7qe0EMNCUr9GCuAWcL5Q2mdBSC-KIuu0xS8s0St24lx7dUM04-UoKy/s320/logo-psa.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the most recent ones I have been involved with is the launch of new site for people with psoriatic arthritis called <a href="http://www.psandme.com/About-PsA-and-Me/">PsAandMe</a>. It's a project sponsored by Novartis that aims to help people with PsA share their own experiences of the condition and get us all talking about the swings and roundabouts of having a chronic illness. As a contributing editor to the site, I've written <a href="http://www.psandme.com/lifestyle/psa-orange-drizzle-cake/">my usual healthy recipe</a> but also shared my thoughts of parenting and psoriatic arthritis, or <a href="http://www.psandme.com/wellbeing/parenting-and-psa/">how not to let PsA be the monster under the bed</a>.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do check it out if you suffer from PsA. There is some great content on the site including <a href="http://www.psandme.com/lifestyle/up-in-the-air-with-psa/">tips on flying with PsA</a> (so not fun), the <a href="http://www.psandme.com/wellbeing/psa-and-work/">old work/life balance conundrum</a>, <a href="http://www.psandme.com/symptoms/the-stress-factor/">dealing with anxiety</a> and <a href="http://www.psandme.com/psa-uncovered/me-my-mom-psa/">relationships</a>.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And if you have made it to the end of this post and survived the cartload of idioms, congratulations and just be grateful you don't have to live with me ;)</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06468110876613134751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450517977108899604.post-65332437722624803862016-05-27T17:04:00.001+01:002016-05-27T17:04:17.349+01:00Arthritis Friendly Recipe: Xylitol and Sunflower Oat Bars<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We're cooking with arthritis and a few unusual ingredients today! The first of these is xylitol, a natural sweetener derived from birch trees (you can read more about it's origins and safety on the NHSChoices site <a href="http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/the-truth-about-xylitol.aspx">here</a>). Xylitol has some impressive health benefits that have been widely researched and are well evidence based: it has been shown to help prevent<a href="http://www.cochrane.org/CD007095/ARI_xylitol-sugar-supplement-for-preventing-middle-ear-infection-in-children-up-to-12-years-of-age_"> ear infections</a>, has a lower glycemic index than sugar and may help protect against <a href="http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/the-truth-about-xylitol.aspx">tooth decay</a>. Now you might quite reasonably wonder what the state of you teeth has to do with your joints, but it turns out that there is a wealth of research linking tooth decay (or periodontal disease) and rheumatoid arthritis. It seems that <a href="http://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/comorbidities/gum-disease/ra-and-gum-disease.php">people with periodontal disease may be more likely to develop severe arthritis</a> and that some of the conditions associated with inflammatory arthritis, such as having less saliva due to Sjorgren's, may worsen existing tooth decay too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You can find xylitol with the sugar in most supermarkets and online. It works well in sweet treats - especially ice creams or mousses as it has a cooling effect. If you are baking with it though you may want to add a little of another type of sugar as it doesn't caramelise like normal sugar so your baked goods can look a little pale and sad looking.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The second unusual ingredient is <a href="http://www.pulsin.co.uk/organic-sunflower-protein-250g">sunflower protein powder</a> - it has a a mild nutty flavour and works well in baking, unlike a lot of protein blends. I've added it to these bars to help boost the protein and fibre content. Feel free to leave it out if you don't like the idea of it, you could either substitute it with another vegan protein powder (whey won't work as well) or simply replace it with oats.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yJCMkn3_i1s/V0hv6bBoNUI/AAAAAAAABBQ/Mh2HUSVSweEX05AIOn3KtVOjw69iqzoIwCLcB/s1600/IMG_2989.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yJCMkn3_i1s/V0hv6bBoNUI/AAAAAAAABBQ/Mh2HUSVSweEX05AIOn3KtVOjw69iqzoIwCLcB/s320/IMG_2989.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Ingredients:</b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>200g oats</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>50g sunflower protein</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>50g oat flour (grind oats in your food processor or replace with wholemeal flour)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 small bananas</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>100g butter/low fat spread or coconut oil</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>50g honey</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>100g xylitol</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds (optional)</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Makes 12</b></i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>In a small sauce pan, melt the butter (or other fat), honey and xylitol - keep the heat low and don't let it bubble too much. Take this mixture off the heat and allow it to cool for a few minutes whilst you get on with the dry mix.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Mix the oats, sunflower protein, flour and seeds (if using) together in a large bowl. </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Add the two bananas to the warm melted butter and xylitol mix. Use a stick blender to puree the mixture until smooth. Add this liquid mix to the dry mix and give everything a good stir until. The mixture will get quite thick and gummy - don't worry! Plonk the whole lot into the greased tin and bake for 20-25 minutes at 180C/375F or until the oat bars have risen slightly and are golden at the edges.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Allow the mixture to cool for 20 minutes before cutting into squares.</i></span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06468110876613134751noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450517977108899604.post-30008352146129414392016-04-22T11:51:00.002+01:002016-04-22T11:51:53.394+01:00Arthritis Friendly Recipe: Crispy Quinoa and Bean Burgers<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This recipe for arthritis friendly bean and quinoa burgers is adapted from 'How to Cook' by Anna Jones which is an amazing vegetarian cookbook. Her recipe uses all quinoa and chickpeas, neither of which I massively enjoy, so I've switched things up to use a brown rice and quinoa mix and a tin of mixed beans. Do taste your harissa paste before adding it - they vary so much in terms of heat and strength, so you may need a little more or little less.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you find shaping patties difficult due to your arthritis then you might want to try simply spooning this into a baking tin and pressing it down before spraying or brushing the top with cooking oil. Simply cut the cooked mixture into pieces once cool.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Peas and beans are a great source of fibre and protein. They also contain plenty of folate which research suggests that people with all types of arthritis may struggle to consume enough of. Moreover, a recent review of studies found that not only can eating pulses help you lose weight but it can also help you keep it off in the long term - great news if your joints would benefit from a lighter you!</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Ingredients:</b></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vsijI_r2M-Q/VxoB2MkNloI/AAAAAAAABAw/nnjNNtPmeSsEG6qVjtCGzscheF71OOyNQCLcB/s1600/Quinoa%2Bbean%2Bburgers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vsijI_r2M-Q/VxoB2MkNloI/AAAAAAAABAw/nnjNNtPmeSsEG6qVjtCGzscheF71OOyNQCLcB/s320/Quinoa%2Bbean%2Bburgers.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></i></span></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>250g cooked brown rice and quinoa (I used a seeds of change pouch but you could use leftovers)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>200g frozen peas, thawed (I zap mine in the microwave or you can leave at room temp for a few hours)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 drained can of mixed beans (approx 230g drained weight)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 clove garlic, crushed</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 dried apricots, roughly chopped</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/2 preserved lemon (optional but really good)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1tsp smoked paprika</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/2 tablespoon harissa paste</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 tsp nigella seeds</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Serves 4</b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Put all of the ingredients into a large bowl and mix until everything is well combined. Remove half of the mixture and put it into a smaller bowl and blend until it forms a rough place with a hand blender (you could also use a food processor). </span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tip this paste back into the large bowl and stir everything together. Take tablespoons of the mixture and shape them into patties with your hands then place them on a greased baking sheet. I make about 8 or 9 small patties with the mix.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Pop the shaped patties into the fridge to firm up for half and hour. Once they are a bit firmer, spray them with cooking oil and then bake them at 180C/375F for 30 minutes or until golden.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Serve them with flatbreads, salad and yoghurt or houmous.</span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06468110876613134751noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450517977108899604.post-32419430888848043652016-03-25T14:41:00.002+00:002016-03-25T14:41:17.152+00:00Arthritis Friendly Recipe: Hot Cross Loaf<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here is an easy recipe for a quick Easter hot cross loaf. At it's heart this is a soda bread recipe so there is no kneading or proving, which is great for arthritic hands. It's best eaten warm or within a day or two of making - something we have never had any trouble with. I'd say it is a good fibre-packed, healthy alternative to hot cross buns, but for me inhaling as many hot cross buns as is possible during the Easter period is a tradition in itself. Happy Easter!</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Ingredients:</i></span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtXa50X0gGCvSfV3BJ8vRPHnuCPhFEJSD9bjtLUvvK2nWVYKa-j7OFNNOWqSO5AhLZ2gXzBJLnH1O_y9TtfUx-q5FolUItbiQaobnQKQ2UfTz1w-F0knnO2ohKCgakRLdJPDsfR4RjGTWf/s1600/hot+cross+loaf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtXa50X0gGCvSfV3BJ8vRPHnuCPhFEJSD9bjtLUvvK2nWVYKa-j7OFNNOWqSO5AhLZ2gXzBJLnH1O_y9TtfUx-q5FolUItbiQaobnQKQ2UfTz1w-F0knnO2ohKCgakRLdJPDsfR4RjGTWf/s320/hot+cross+loaf.jpg" width="320" /></a></i></span></b></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>225g wholemeal flour (or you could use 1/2 white and half wholemeal)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>25g rolled oats</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 medium egg</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>150ml milk</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1.5 tsp baking powder</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>75g sultanas</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 tablespoon honey or golden syrup</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 tablespoon mixed peel (or you could use lemon or orange zest)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2tsp mixed spice</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Mix the flour, oats, baking powder, spice and dried fruit together in a large bowl. In a separate jug, beat together the egg, milk an honey.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Combine the wet and dry ingredients and give everything a good stir until you get a rough dough. Add a little more flour if the dough seems to wet to hold a loaf shape or a little more milk if it feels to dry to come together.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Flour your hands and roughly shape the dough into a round loaf shape. Pop in on a baking tray and score a cross on it with a sharp knife. Bake for 25-30 minutes until well risen and lightly golden. Allow it to cool on a rack.</i></span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06468110876613134751noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450517977108899604.post-65644918323299391872016-03-12T16:05:00.001+00:002016-03-21T11:01:19.954+00:00Arthritis Friendly Recipe: Cloud Bread<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Other than the chocolate variety, my two year old will not normally touch eggs. This is perhaps unsurprising as I couldn't stand even the sight of them until I decided to learn to cook them myself in my teens and discovered that actually frittatas, tortillas and eggy bread were all pretty delicious. However, as she also isn't fond of meat, I've been on a bit of a mission to encourage her to eat them recently - and I think I have finally cracked it (yes, pun intended) with this gluten free cloud bread. We've eaten these fluffy clouds with fillings for lunch and as a tea time snack with maple syrup. If you follow a low-carbohydrate (such as the AS/London/no starch diet) or a gluten-free diet then they also make a great alternative to a bread roll.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The recipe is quick and easy to make as long as you make sure you whisk the whites until they are really stiff and fold the yolk mixture in carefully. I wouldn't personally attempt this without a stand mixer but there may well be braver and stronger whisk-ers out there than me!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #073763;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients:</b></span></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aWDAEB53ohk/VuQ9_d2r_GI/AAAAAAAAA_8/GvZ12t238CMmLWDrSirMWGFByRafAHuSQ/s1600/IMG_2833.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aWDAEB53ohk/VuQ9_d2r_GI/AAAAAAAAA_8/GvZ12t238CMmLWDrSirMWGFByRafAHuSQ/s320/IMG_2833.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></span></i></span></div>
<span style="color: #073763;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2 large eggs</span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">30g (2tbsp) light cream cheese</span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1/4 tsp ground psyllium husk or 2tsp ground flaxseed (optional but helps the texture and adds fibre)</span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A little sunflower or rapeseed oil for greasing a baking tray</span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Makes 6 clouds</b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Preheat the oven to 150C and grease a large baking tray with a little oil.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Carefully separate the eggs. In a small bowl, beat the yolks together with the cream cheese, psyllium husks or flaxseed (if using) until smooth.</span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In a clean, large bowl whisk the eggs whites until they form stiff peaks. You should be able to turn the bowl upside down without them budging if they are whisked enough.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fold one spoonful of the whisked egg whites into the yolk mixture to lighten it, then gently tip this yolk mixture into the large bowl of whisked eggs whites. Fold everything together by delicately scooping around the outside and then cutting through the middle with a large spoon. Be very careful not to overmix - it's better to be left with a few little specks of visible egg whites than a floppy mix!</span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dollop large spoonfuls of the mixture onto the baking tray, then place in the oven and cook for around 20 minutes or until the clouds are a gentle gold colour.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you eat the cloud bread immediately it will be very light and puffy but it is also nice the next day split and warmed through.</span></i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Arthritis diet notes:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Eggs are packed full of protein, B vitamins, iron and selenium, all nutrients that several studies have shown people with arthritis sometimes struggle to get enough of. Many years ago it was recommended that we restricted our intake of eggs but the advice has changed - nowadays you can eat as many as you like provided you don't have familial hypercholesterolaemia.</span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06468110876613134751noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450517977108899604.post-70309319035283086092016-02-15T17:04:00.003+00:002016-02-15T17:04:55.973+00:00Arthritis Kitchen Gadget Review: The Garlic Card<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iXsS72C0LXc/VsIFEor6ugI/AAAAAAAAA_Q/DQLugcNJB1g/s1600/IMG_2758.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iXsS72C0LXc/VsIFEor6ugI/AAAAAAAAA_Q/DQLugcNJB1g/s320/IMG_2758.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have a pile of new arthritis kitchen gadgets to test this year and one of the first I got my creaky joints on was this GarlicCard.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>What is it supposed to do?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">GarlicCard is a small brightly coloured plastic card with raised bumps on it's surface against which you are supposed to puree a peeled garlic clove.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">According to the manufacturer, '<span style="background-color: white;">GarlicCard is a Swedish invention for grating garlic quickly and easily. GarlicCard lets everyone enjoy fresh garlic whithout bothering with hard-to-clean garlic presses, razor-sharp graters or time-consuming chopping'.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Sounds great for those of us with arthritis but...</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Does it work?</b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In theory, you simply rub your clove of garlic against the card and you get a fine puree.</span></span><a href="http://www.garliccard.com/garliccard/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This video </a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">shows you have it is supposed to work.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In practice, you diligently rub your garlic against the card and all you get is a bit of squashed garlic. I don't know whether the problem is partly with me - I find it hard to hold the card steady and </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">manoeuvre the piece of garlic with my stiff arthritic hands . However, it also feels like a slightly pointless invention. Squashing a garlic clove under a knife blade is easy and requires no extra tools. Similarly, garlic presses can be hard to use if you have arthritis but there are some good ones out there and at least they always work.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the plus side, it is super easy to clean -you can throw it in the dishwasher or rinse it under a tap. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Overall verdict</b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><b>F </b></span>It's a long time since a kitchen gadget has made me quite so angry actually. I love the concept; I love the styling; but, it is less than useless and I can't quite get my head around how something could have gone so wrong between the idea and the execution. </span></span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06468110876613134751noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450517977108899604.post-42073976619099421092016-02-03T09:43:00.000+00:002016-02-03T09:43:16.629+00:00Arthritis Friendly Recipe: Black Kale, Quinoa and Pumpkin Seed Bowl<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This kale, sweet potato and quinoa bowl is quick and easy to put together. I like to use leftover quinoa or brown rice that I cooked the night before and leftover roasted sweet potatoes but you could also buy a bag of ready chopped sweet potato and butternut squash and just use that. Equally you can buy 250g pouches or ready cooked rice and quinoa so if you are having a bad flare day do seek them out.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cavolo nero or black kale is delicious and it's dark colour means it is packed with antioxidants and phytochemicals. Kale is also a useful source of vitamin K. Several studies have suggested that vitamin K may help prevent or slow the deterioration of joints in osteoarthritis but there is little evidence to suggest it can help joint repair once the damage has occurred. There have been few studies about the role vitamin K might play in inflammatory arthritis ( i.e. rheumatoid, AS, and PsA) however some laboratory experiments have suggested that it might help block the inflammatory processes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Ingredients:</i></b></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><i><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-elodhAJA8us/VrHKeFwl6FI/AAAAAAAAA-8/HJypJmUhXfg/s1600/IMG_2691.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-elodhAJA8us/VrHKeFwl6FI/AAAAAAAAA-8/HJypJmUhXfg/s320/IMG_2691.jpg" width="320" /></a></i></b></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>250g cooked quinoa or brown rice (I used a mix of both)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>150g cavolo nero/black kale, finely chopped</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>A small courgette/zuchinni, coarsely grated</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>300g cubed cooked sweet potato</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/2tbsp olive or rapeseed oil</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1tbsp pumpkin seeds</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1tsp smoked paprika</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/4 tsp smoked or regular sea salt</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Serves 2-3</b></span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Heat the oil in a large skillet or frying pan. Add the chopped kale and stir fry until it has just softened. Add the smoked paprika, courgette, quinoa and cooked sweet potatoes and heat until everything is piping hot.</span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sprinkle the pumpkin seeds and smoked paprika over and serve.</span></i></span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06468110876613134751noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450517977108899604.post-37792976353983560762016-01-20T16:18:00.001+00:002018-06-11T15:06:00.247+01:00Arthritis-Friendly Recipe: Wholemeal Flax and Sesame Crackers<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm an avid reader of the back of food packets: I like to know what we're eating and there are certain ingredients (like palm oil) that I prefer to avoid. Snack foods in particular often seem to be full or unhealthy and unpronounceable ingredients. I found myself staring at the back of a packet of crackers the other day wondering how on earth there were 15 ingredients in some simple cripbread. Luckily, it's actually very quick and easy to make your own arthritis friendly crackers. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I prefer to make these in the food processor but you could easily stir the ingredients together. I've added flaxseed for the anti-inflammatory omega 3 it contains (and you can read more about why omega 3 is good for arthritis here) and calcium rich sesame seeds. You can easily swap in different seeds, spices or herbs to taste. Unfortunately this recipe won't work with gluten free flour though!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mNTuUavYxLA/Vp-zFCSxG4I/AAAAAAAAA-U/Yade-U4UBcM/s1600/IMG_0001.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mNTuUavYxLA/Vp-zFCSxG4I/AAAAAAAAA-U/Yade-U4UBcM/s320/IMG_0001.jpeg" width="278" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Ingredients:</b></i></span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>250g wholemeal or spelt flour</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>30g ground flaxseed (linseed)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2 tbsp sesame seeds</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2tbsp olive or rapeseed oil</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>120ml cold water</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/2tsp smoked sea salt (or ordinary if you prefer)</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Makes 24 large crackers</b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Put all the ingredients except the sesame seeds in a food processor or bowl and mix until combined in a stiff dough. You may need a little more or less water depending on the absorbency of your flour.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Once the dough has come together, roll it out between two sheets of baking parchment to about 5mm (1/6inch) thick. Scatter the sesame seeds over the top and press them into the dough with the rolling pin.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into long, rectangular cracker shapes. Transfer them to a greased or lined baking sheet and prick them all over with a fork.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Bake the crackers for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are just golden. Don't worry if they seem a little soft when they come out the oven, they will crisp up as they cool.</i></span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06468110876613134751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450517977108899604.post-39730767699517427572016-01-13T11:26:00.000+00:002016-01-13T11:26:00.285+00:00New Year Resolutions<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A belated Happy New Year to you all! We've had a bit of a rough start to the New Year so far - I basically broke my body in 2015 (looking after a toddler full time is an extreme sport) and it has been a difficult time for some of our family and friends as well. However, onwards and upwards...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've made a few resolutions for the blog this year: firstly, I'm going to write more product reviews as so many people tell me they find these the most useful thing and whilst there are lots of websites with healthy recipes, there aren't that many where a real person with real arthritis gives cooking implements a real test! Secondly, I want to myth-bust a little more. There is a lot of 'nutri-babble' out there. Too many articles and so-called experts regurgitate a load of pseudo-science and claim that their particular eating regime will cure all our ills. I entirely respect individual dietary choices but let's be honest about the facts behind them. And, finally, I'd like to grow the tips sharing bit of the site, so if you have a great hint for others on how to make cooking or life easier with arthritis then please share.</span><br />
<br />Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06468110876613134751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450517977108899604.post-73862313907570644722015-12-06T12:46:00.003+00:002015-12-06T12:46:57.705+00:00Arthritis Friendly Kitchen Gadget Review: Peta UK Food Preparation Board<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a long overdue review of a new chopping board developed by Peta UK. I was sent the board to look at back in August and thanks to haring around after my toddler, work projects and a spell of ill health I've only just got around to reviewing it. Regular readers will remember that I'm quite fond of Peta UK - their equipment so far has always <i>actually worked</i> rather than being gimmicky or flimsy (I'm looking at you <a href="http://cookingwitharthur.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/go-go-gadget-arthurmaster-class-food.html">masterclass chopper.</a>..). So, how did I get on with their board?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>What is it supposed to do?</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wn2UfbWA-s4/VmLqzn-28mI/AAAAAAAAA94/2FKXWmarsoE/s1600/FPB-All-removed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wn2UfbWA-s4/VmLqzn-28mI/AAAAAAAAA94/2FKXWmarsoE/s320/FPB-All-removed.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Designed to help people with weak hand function or those who can only use one hand well, the Food Prep Board is wooden chopping board with extra features intended to make it easier to slice, grate and prepare food. Peta UK have spent 10 years designing and finessing the board and it shows - it's a stylish, solid piece of kit suitable for any keen cook.The board has a removable wooden oval section that you can flip over to skewer food on wooden spikes making it possible to use a knife with two hands and cut more securely. You can also take out the oval section of the board and slide in one of the two graters (one coarse and one fine with a slicing attachment) or a stainless steel bowl to collect your chopped food or waste in.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDojW_aY72k&feature=youtu.be">This video</a> shows exactly how it works.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Does it work?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yet again, I'm really impressed by a piece of Peta UK kit. I've been having a bad flare recently and my wrists and elbows have been very sore so the board Multi Function Food Prep Board has been a real help.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The graters and slicer are nice and sharp making it easy to shred vegetables or cheese. It took me a little while to get the hang of grating horizontally comfortably but once I found a position that worked for me then it was straightforward. The skewered section is brilliant at holding most things steady - I found it particularly good for using on halved onions although I nearly skewered myself attempting to use it on a carrot as pictured on the box. Possibly my carrots were too wiggly! If you do want to chop something very hard </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">using the skewered section</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, like a butternut squash, then I'd recommend giving it a quick zap in the microwave first to soften it (pierce the skin a few times and cook it on medium for 2-3 minutes).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The board is relatively easy to clean. I love that you can put the graters and stainless steel bowl in the dishwasher. I personally wouldn't want to prepare meat on it because it is a little tricky to get the whole thing in the sink to scrub well. The board itself is quite heavy and difficult to store vertically as the wooden section tends to pop out (although on mine it does fit in tightly one way around and flops out the other way which is handy but probably not part of the design :)).This means I think it would be best for people with the worktop space to store it out on display but that is no hardship as it looks beautiful and could easily be used as a pan rest etc as well as a chopping board. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Overall verdict?</b></span><b style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A stylish and helpful tool for anyone who has weak grip or problems using both hands when preparing food. At £65 it is certainly an investment but I can imagine it lasting many, many years. Maybe one for the Christmas list? You can buy the board direct from Peta UK <a href="http://peta-uk.com/shop/multi-function-food-preparation-board/">here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06468110876613134751noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450517977108899604.post-62647173707386569982015-11-10T13:03:00.000+00:002015-11-10T13:03:38.473+00:00Arthritis Friendly Recipe: Black Rice Sushi Salad<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here's a recipe I wrote for the lovely PsAZZ support group's newsletter - you can read about this great bunch of psoriatic arthritis-ers <a href="http://t.co/pySMtm6Aah">here</a>. Having people you can share triumphs and tribulations with is hugely important if you suffer from any chronic illness so do look them up and see if you can support them in any way. </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients for the salad, it’s extremely quick to make and also travels well for pack lunches.</span><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Black rice is incredibly high in antioxidants thanks to the phytochemical anthocyanin which makes it that rich dark burgundy-black colour. Anthocyanin is the same plant pigment that makes blueberries blue and blackberries black. Studies suggest that it may help reduce inflammation and even protect against cardiovascular disease but there isn’t enough evidence yet to say how much anthocyanin we need to eat and how effectively it is absorbed by the body. Black rice is also an excellent source of fibre as unlike white rice it hasn’t been hulled. Fibre is great for your body if you suffer from psoriatic arthritis as it helps keep your bowel healthy and keep your blood sugar levels stable. You can find black rice in most supermarkets now but you could use brown rice if it’s not available.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Salmon is also an excellent lunchtime choice. It’s a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids which have been shown to help reduce pain and inflammation in all types of arthritis. If you can afford it, buy wild salmon over farmed as it has a much higher ratio of healthy omega 3 fats to unhealthy omega 6 fats.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you don’t like or can’t find frozen soybeans (although Birdseye sell them now), you can use frozen peas. I prefer soybeans as not only are they more authentic, but they are also little nutritional powerhouses. Soy beans are rich in protein, fibre, B vitamins and are a good source of omega 3 fats. They are also packed with isoflavones which some research suggests have anti-inflammatory properties.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For those of you with bad hands or who find chopping difficult, I make a very quick, no-chop version of this on flare days that uses tender stem broccoli and fine french beans in place of the cucumber and peppers. Just throw them in the pan with the rice for the last 5 minutes of cooking time. I also find it much easier to chop the spring onion and smoked salmon with scissors rather than a knife.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<b><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Ingredients:</i></span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rCYkZ9XNOgE/VkHqkItR_JI/AAAAAAAAA9g/klsA7Zcq3q0/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rCYkZ9XNOgE/VkHqkItR_JI/AAAAAAAAA9g/klsA7Zcq3q0/s320/photo.jpg" width="296" /></a></i></span></b></div>
<br />
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<b><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Salad:</i></span></b></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>120g Thai black rice</i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>100g cooked or smoked salmon cut into bite sized pieces</i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 spring onion, chopped</i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>100g cooked soybeans</i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>100g cucumber chopped into cubes</i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/2 red or yellow pepper, sliced into dice</i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<b><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Dressing:</i></span></b></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1tbsp mirin (or 2tsp honey mixed with 1tbsp water)</i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>2tsp soy sauce</i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1/2 tsp wasabi (or more to taste - you can also use horseradish sauce)</i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 tsp fresh grated ginger (or you can use paste from a tube or jar)</i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>1 tsp sesame oil</i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<b><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>To serve:</i></span></b></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Toasted sesame seeds and sliced nori seaweed sheets (optional)</i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b></b><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<b><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Makes enough for 2 people</i></span></b></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>First cook the rice by simmering it in boiling water for 30 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside to cool.</i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the dressing. If you find this difficult with a fork, you could use a small, lightweight milk frother.</i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Now add the salmon, cucumber, pepper, spring onion and soy beans to the rice. Add the dressing and give everything good stir until evenly mixed.</i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Top the salad with a good sprinkle of sesames seeds and crumbled nori sheets and serve.</i></span></div>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06468110876613134751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450517977108899604.post-34997737406956023142015-10-14T10:42:00.003+01:002015-10-14T10:42:42.789+01:00Share Your Day - National Arthritis Week<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6ocxBANk0Dg/Vh4g4P4SBUI/AAAAAAAAA9M/d4WzxtLHIDc/s1600/Hand-pad_generic_Twitter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6ocxBANk0Dg/Vh4g4P4SBUI/AAAAAAAAA9M/d4WzxtLHIDc/s400/Hand-pad_generic_Twitter.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As part of National Arthritis Week, <b>Arthritis Research UK</b> are asking everyone living with arthritis to share their experience as part of their '<a href="https://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/share-your-day.aspx">Share Your Day - Shape Our Future</a>' campaign. By describing the daily pain and challenges you face you can help them shape future research into new treatments.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think it's an incredibly brave campaign. Arthritis is often dismissed as just aches and pains but anyone who suffers from it will know that that pain can be all encompassing and soul-sapping. However, describing the way it affects you can be incredibly difficult. I don't really like to talk about how hard I find living with arthritis. When I've been interviewed about the blog I always say that I don't want to talk about the negative aspects of the illness too much. Partly, it's because I prefer to try to be optimistic - there are worse conditions and I've seen plenty of close friends and family affected by them, and partly, it's because I'm simply not brave enough to describe how it feels. Daily pain is draining. I manage most days with a handful of painkillers and sheer bloody mindedness. The days that I have struggle to play with my daughter, wash my hair or get a spoon in my mouth are the days I want to forget. I'm sure many of you are the same. How many times when the consultant asks how you are have you said 'fine thanks, and you?' before realising that wasn't really the answer needed? </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The truthful answer, that description of the way the pain colours your day, can be harder to articulate but that's the answer that medical professionals, researchers and policy makers need to help improve the lives of people with arthritis. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And, as easy as it is to say ' I'm fine' it's not always the way to spare others feelings. Sometimes friends and family need to hear how your arthritis affects you so they don't take it personally when you say you can't manage something.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, this National Arthritis Week, be a bit brave, if not for yourself then for others, and help Arthritis Research UK by sharing your story. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06468110876613134751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450517977108899604.post-40932795304834136582015-09-30T11:28:00.000+01:002015-09-30T11:28:29.418+01:00Red Velvet Brownies, National Arthritis Week and Time for Tea<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The fourth ever National Arthritis Week is just around the corner. From the 12-18th the various charities, support groups and professional organisations around the UK will all be doing their bit to raise awareness about arthritis.</span><div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Obviously I'm biased but I think it's a great idea. Arthritis affects 1 in 5 people in the UK but remains something of an unglamorous cause. Osteoarthritis is on the increase as life expectancy increases and rates of overweight and obesity rise. The daily pain of living with the condition causes immense suffering yet, too often people are told it is just something they have to put up with or an inevitable part of growing older. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Similarly auto-immune arthritis is poorly understood: I still get told I'm too young for it or have I tried emu oil/cutting out peppers/doing yoga. There are some amazing new treatments around now and some exciting breakthroughs being made but auto-immune arthritis can still affect everything you do and not just your joints. When I was pregnant I was actually amazed by how few medical professionals understood the condition or the medications and I often felt like I was having to teach them - which isn't something you particularly want to do when you are a mess of raging hormones!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'll post a bit about all the different awareness raising activity going on but I wanted to start by blogging about Arthritis Care's <a href="http://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/@2496/time-for-tea">Time for Tea campaign</a>. They basically want you to get together, have a natter, gobble some cake and raise some money for the work they doing supporting people with arthritis. I remember phoning Arthritis Care's Helpline before I was first diagnosed - I was confused, in pain and slightly at my wit's end. The lovely lady I spoke to gave me some information and basically told me to refuse to leave the GPs until I got referred! Thanks to that advice I got seen by an excellent team and started on proper treatment. So, to show my gratitude, I'm holding my own Time for Tea party and serving these brownies.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's the easiest brownie recipe ever! There is no melting of chocolate, cracking of eggs or beating butter, which makes it a doddle to make even on a flare-day. Simply stir all the ingredients together and bake for an impressive and delicious red velvet brownie.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instead of measuring the milk and oil out in a jug, you can pour weigh them directly into the mixing bowl: 1ml of milk is the same as 1g. I’ve not specified the amount of food colouring as I have found red food dyes differ massively - I suggest you add a few drops and give the mixture a stir and then add more as necessary. You want a good strong red colour as the intensity fades in the oven.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You could also make a raffle prize to raise money for ‘Time for Tea’ by mixing all the dry ingredients for these brownies together in a nice jar. Tie a ribbon around the jar and add a label with instructions to add oil, milk and bake.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rmXTR_w9P6Q/Vgu498QZvMI/AAAAAAAAA84/KvOaWHzHjAU/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rmXTR_w9P6Q/Vgu498QZvMI/AAAAAAAAA84/KvOaWHzHjAU/s320/photo.jpg" width="256" /></a><b><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Ingredients:</i></span></b></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b></b><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>220g plain flour</i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>150g caster sugar</i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 tablespoon cocoa</i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1tsp salt</i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>200ml milk (you could use almond milk for a vegan cake)</i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>75ml sunflower or rapeseed oil </i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1.5tsp baking powder</i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>150g chocolate chips or buttons </i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Red food colouring </i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<b><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Makes 16 brownies</i></span></b></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b></b><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Put the flour, sugar, salt, cocoa and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Stir the dry ingredients together a few times and then pour in the oil, milk and food colouring. Give everything a good mix and then finally stir in the chocolate chips.</i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Pout the mixture into a greased 20x20cm baking tin and cook for 25-30 minutes or until the top is shiny and slightly cracked. Remove from the oven and let the brownies cool in the tin for 20 minutes before slicing.</i></span></div>
</div>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06468110876613134751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450517977108899604.post-88313911552964234152015-09-21T11:06:00.001+01:002015-09-21T11:06:15.441+01:00Can following the Paleo diet help arthritis?The 'Paleo' diet (short for paleolithic) is in the headlines a lot at the moment but it's not entirely new; there have been various similar diets around since the 1970s with names like the 'caveman' diet (always makes me think of Fred Flintstone) and the stone-age diet. Followers of the Paleo diet believe that we should stick to the diet of our ancestors pre-agriculture so plenty of meat, vegetables and fruit but no grains, legumes or dairy. They argue that the diet of our distant ancestors is the one that we are genetically optimised for.<br />
<br />
I've lost count of the number of Paleo auto-immune protocols that I have read on the internet purporting to cure arthritis. Usually I try to be fairly open-minded about different dietary approaches but I think a lot of the information available about the Paleo diet is entirely misleading and irresponsible. For a start, the whole premise of the diet is that diseases like rheumatoid arthritis didn't exist in the Paleolithic era because they are diseases of affluence and linked to the consumption of grains, legumes and dairy. However, it is more likely that conditions like arthritis didn't exist simply because life expectancy was so short that acute infections, other humans, accidents or predators got to you before any chronic diseases had the chance to develop. Secondly, there if a lot of mixed evidence on what was actually eaten during the paleolithic period by our ancestors. Hunter gatherers were likely to be a lot more nutritionally flexible than the Paleo diet implies - when you exist hand-to-mouth you eat what is available. Your average cave man wouldn't have had the luxury of turning down available food sources in order to pop to WholeFoods. Equally, our ancestors diet would have evolved and varied over the 3.4 million years of the paleolithic period. It wouldn't have been set in stone (if you will excuse the terrible pun). In fact, recent research suggests that grains may well have been consumed by them. Moreover, if the consumption of grains and dairy is so unhealthy it is unlikely that we would have successfully evolved to consume them in our diets. Humans are endlessly adaptable and a wide range of different dietary patterns are followed successfully by different populations around the world.<br />
<br />
For people with arthritis, foods like wholegrains, beans and dairy are an extremely important and useful part of the diet. They provide essential nutrients that help mitigate and protect against some of the effects of the disease. Although there is little robust research on the effects of diet on arthritis, most studies that have been conducted have concluded that a vegetarian diet or a Mediterranean diet may be most beneficial and several longitudinal studies have suggested that high consumption of red meat (as on the Paleo diet) may increase a person's risk of rheumatoid arthritis. A Cochrane Review (the gold standard of evidence in health interventions) suggested that any dietary intervention that involves cutting out food groups (like the Paleo diet) should be approached with caution by people with rheumatoid arthritis due to the risk of deficiencies and malnutrition.<br />
<br />
Having said all that, there are some positive aspects to the Paleo diet. the Paleo diet's insistence that we avoid all processed food and increase our consumption of vegetables and fish is a healthy habit for anyone, including those of us with arthritis. But, if you are looking for a great healthy diet for your arthritis, you don't need to look to the Stone Age to find it!Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06468110876613134751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450517977108899604.post-19566933600569841622015-08-29T13:47:00.000+01:002015-08-29T13:47:29.349+01:00Arthritis Friendly Recipe: Quick Berry Crumble<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We're very lucky that we live by a bramble strewn park full of blackberries, so for the last few weeks the toddler and I have been picking our afternoon snack and coming home with berry-stained mouths and purple hands. We've picked so many that I've had to begin coming up with alternative uses for all of the blackberries we've scavenged - one of which is this easy crumble. It's barely a recipe - I can put this together even on days when my arthritis is as miserable as the weather and there is nothing quite like tucking into a wholesome, comforting home-cooked crumble.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This recipe is healthier than many traditional crumbles. Rapeseed oil replaces butter and keeps things light and crisp. It's high omega 3 content means it is good for your joints too. All dark coloured berries are a wonderful source of anti inflammatory anti-oxidants. The deep pigments that stain your hands and mouth are a phytochemical called anthocyanin.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Feel free to use whatever berries you have to hand. Frozen fruit works well too - simply defrost it before cooking and bear in mind that it may take slightly less time in the oven as the frozen fruit breaks down quicker. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Ingredients:</b></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mfp5eCxnTJA/VeGphY9tltI/AAAAAAAAA8U/U3vh23EUAWo/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="325" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mfp5eCxnTJA/VeGphY9tltI/AAAAAAAAA8U/U3vh23EUAWo/s400/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></i></span></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>250g berries (I used blueberries and blackberries)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1tbsp golden caster sugar (no need to use if your berries are very sweet)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>60g porridge oats</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>10g chopped nuts (or you can use seeds etc)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>25g runny honey</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1 tblsp rapeseed oil (I used Cooks&Co butter flavoured)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1/2tsp cinnamon (optional)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Makes 1 small crumble or 2 generous individual portions</b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Preheat your oven to 180C/375F. </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Place the berries in your baking dish and sprinkle over the sugar, if using.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>In a small bowl, mix together your porridge oats, nuts, honey, oil and cinnamon until every thing is evenly mixed. Sprinkle this mixture over the berries and then pop the whole dish in the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the fruit is bubbling and the crumble is golden.</i></span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06468110876613134751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450517977108899604.post-18287348228112434112015-08-09T13:21:00.004+01:002015-08-09T13:21:45.513+01:00Arthritis Gadget Review: Peta Easi-Grip Knives<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have some shiny new kitchen kit to review today - the Peta UK Easi Grip knife range. If you have not come across Peta before (and not, they aren't that PETA - read their hilarious<a href="http://peta-uk.com/about/who-were-not/"> 'who we're not' </a>page), they are a lovely company who design and make products to make living with a disability easier. I was sent a selection of their knives to review.</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What are they supposed to do?</span></b><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p4KZABr53ws/VcdFrAPr_AI/AAAAAAAAA70/yESQXpp0XEw/s1600/photo-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="315" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p4KZABr53ws/VcdFrAPr_AI/AAAAAAAAA70/yESQXpp0XEw/s320/photo-1.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I tested the bread knife, carving knife and all-purpose knife.The</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> knives are designed to make chopping easier in the kitchen. They have wide, non-slip soft grips and an angled handle to help keep the wrist and hand joints in a comfortable position. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do they work?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes. I'm really impressed by the knives. The thing I was actually most worried about was how sharp the blades would be. If you have ever been at one of my talks, you will know the first thing I say is 'a safe knife is a sharp knife'; a blunt knife makes it harder to cut and requires more pressure. So many knives I try are just not sharp enough to cut with but all three of these knives worked well. I was especially impressed with how the bread knife cut good slices of a crusty loaf.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The grip is comfortable to hold and doesn't add too much weight to the knife. I found it very good for my thumb joints. The knives were also easy to clean. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My only caveats would be that if you had very bad elbow arthritis (rather than wrist or finger problems) then you might find the knives trickier to use because the grip requires more of the motion to come from there. Also they are a pain to store because of the large handles, although the company do sell a good magnetic rack for them. Finally, I couldn't actually get into my knives at first because I couldn't remove the plastic blade cover without requesting my husband's help. A small niggle but it did cause me several aggravating minutes of cursing - like my toddler when she wants to get into a cupboard but can't!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was sent the knives free to review but they retail for a reasonable £11.95 each and you can buy them direct from Peta <a href="http://peta-uk.com/product-category/kitchen-tools/">here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Overall verdict?</b> <span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>A</b></span><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are so many supposedly arthritis-friendly kitchen gadgets on the market but very few that you really do feel have been designed and tested by people with a proper understanding of the challenges of cooking with arthritis. With these knives I really did feel like they were made to help with the frustrations of arthritis - not add to them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06468110876613134751noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450517977108899604.post-14312374003787447582015-08-01T14:11:00.002+01:002015-08-01T14:11:31.927+01:00Arthritis Friendly Recipe: Sweet Potato Caramel Muffins<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These yummy sweet potato muffins are like a cross between a very good sticky toffee pudding and a carrot cake. The dark brown sugar and sweet potato combine to create a lovely gooey caramelly crumb without needing to use as much refined sugar or fat as a regular muffin. I won't lie - grating sweet potato when you have arthritis is not easy. I either get my husband or the food processor to do it! The recipe also uses yoghurt - I actually like them best made with soy yoghurt but you can use any yoghurt except the greek kind (which would make them too dense and fudgy - unless you'd like them like that). You could even use a toffee flavoured yoghurt if you liked but this will add a lot of sugar.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite my mixed views on <a href="http://cookingwitharthur.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/can-coconut-oil-treat-arthritis.html">coconut oil and arthritis</a>, I do find it works well in cakey things. Because its a solid fat at room temperature it gives a particularly crisp outer crumb and moist centre to baked goods. I leave it up to you as to whether you want to use it or not...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Ingredients:</b></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij4SgctelcJuI1J4FvlvFUM9cUzqe6SiFBDpkV0PAe-PMkeh19JHD0G_B8_UPJh7fsQCwJypV-wV2Z18tBRtpbPmmNoOolhdrcq4QJeMqJIt4P9h0OTJFEZdOZx7YMr9UipNTUgMbUGxMI/s1600/CLQONz1VAAIQMQv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij4SgctelcJuI1J4FvlvFUM9cUzqe6SiFBDpkV0PAe-PMkeh19JHD0G_B8_UPJh7fsQCwJypV-wV2Z18tBRtpbPmmNoOolhdrcq4QJeMqJIt4P9h0OTJFEZdOZx7YMr9UipNTUgMbUGxMI/s320/CLQONz1VAAIQMQv.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></i></span></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>150g grated sweet potato </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>200g wholemeal flour (or you could use gluten-free)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>100g low fat natural yoghurt (you can use dairy free yoghurt too - I used soy yoghurt)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>2 medium eggs</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>30g ground almonds</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>75g dark brown soft sugar</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>2 tablespoons rapeseed oil or coconut oil</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1tsp baking powder</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>1tsp caramel flavouring (optional)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Makes 12 muffins</b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Mix the wet ingredients (yoghurt, eggs, oil) together in a jug. </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Put the flour, ground almonds, sugar and baking powder in a large mixing bowl and stir together. Then pour in the wet ingredients and stir until everything has just come together. The batter will seem a little thick but this is a good thing because the sweet potatoes will release moisture as they cook.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Spoon the mixture into a well greased 12 hole muffin tin. Bake for 20 mins at 180C/375F or until they are well-risen and golden. Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before you attempt to turn them out.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span>
<br />Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06468110876613134751noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450517977108899604.post-61227041351988380582015-07-19T13:51:00.001+01:002015-07-19T13:51:09.237+01:00Arthritis Friendly Recipe - Puy Lentil and Walnut Hummus<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of you may know the charity, <a href="https://www.arthritisaction.org.uk/">Arthritis Action</a>, which has recently had a fantastic relaunch. The charity is really focussed on helping people learn to manage their condition through healthy diet, exercise and support. I write a monthly column for them and had been down to do a recipe demonstration at their AGM. Sadly, the toddler and I got struck by a horrid chest infection (humira and play groups don't always mix) and I had to miss it. The upshot of that was that I was left with lots of packets of puy lentils from the demonstration I had planned. Once we had them in pilafs, burgers and salads I began to run out of ideas until I decided to make a dip. </span><div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This puy lentil and walnut hummus is absolutely delicious and incredibly quick to make - which is a good thing as we scoffed it all over one long lunch time. Lentils have a reputation as being a bit worthy and boring but they are a fantastic source of fibre, folate and b vitamins - all of which are really important for people with arthritis and something that studies show we often fail to consume enough of. Walnuts are also great as they are the nut richest in in inflammation fighting omega 3 fatty acids.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UokhI4gKMrk/Vauc-iEXgII/AAAAAAAAA7M/X8jW0ou9KpI/s1600/IMG_2248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UokhI4gKMrk/Vauc-iEXgII/AAAAAAAAA7M/X8jW0ou9KpI/s320/IMG_2248.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients:</b></span></i></div>
<div>
<i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">200g pouch of ready to eat puy lentils</span></i></div>
<div>
<i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">30g walnuts</span></i></div>
<div>
<i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 clove of garlic</span></i></div>
<div>
<i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 tablespoons red wine vinegar</span></i></div>
<div>
<i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tablespoon olive oil</span></i></div>
<div>
<i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 tablespoons water</span></i></div>
<div>
<i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div>
<i><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Put all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blitz until smooth. If the dip is a little thick, you can add a touch more water. Check the seasoning and add a touch of salt or more vinegar if required. Serve immediately or it will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.</span></i></div>
Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06468110876613134751noreply@blogger.com0