the core of the book is the four seasonal chapters where a healthy and sustainable cuisine is adapted around the common vegetables, fruit and fish available in each season. a variety of original and simple starters, economical and tasty main courses, healthy and low calorie desserts make up the book. the different recipes include guidelines on how they can be modified to make them healthier or more varied. most recipes are accompanied by cultural, sustainable and health tips the book includes a first chapter intended to instill the proper attitudes to home cooking, attitudes such as better budgeting, shopping wisely, meal planning, sustainable cooking. these are followed by other indispensable information and basic recipes which are considered as fundamental to a wide range of dishes. the book contains around 120 practical, economical and healthy recipes all tried out (and photographed by karen’s husband Jesmond). all recipes have been carefully planned to include healthy and fresh ingredients, contain low amounts of calories, sugars and fat whilst at the same time retaining taste and flavour. Followers of the mediterranean cuisine, vegetarians and those who are looking for original and healthy ways of food preparation should find this book an indispensable companion in their kitchen.
seasonal & sustainable Cooking for healthy living
‘seasonal and sustainable – Cooking for healthy living’ draws upon karen mugliett’s experience as a home economist and her holistic philosophy to sustainable living centred round the home.
‘Responsible living starts today is the motto I used in a website I launched earlier on this year, www.culinariaandwellness.com. My objective is to foster a healthy community, conscious of its responsibility towards sustainability and enjoying a better quality of life.’ – Karen Mugliett
karen mugliett
seasonal & sustainable Cooking for healthy living
Photography by Jesmond Mugliett ISBN 978-99909-3-159-4
karen mugliett
ChApTEr fIvE Winter
Winter intro
Winter produce
Winter Starters
Broccoli and orange stir fry Broccoli au gratin Traditional broth with gnocchi filled with ricotta, spinach and parsley Gnocchi filled with ricotta and tomatoes rice with chicken liver, almonds and raisins Lasagna with chicken mince, ricotta and spinach Tomato, spinach and chickpea soup
Winter Main Courses
Laħam fuq il-fwar (steamed meat) Cooking a lucerto Carving the lucerto Beef tonnato rabbit stew and spaghetti served with rabbit sauce pork fillet with nuts, spinach and cheeselets rabbit pie Broth with stuffed flank (falda mimlija) Salmon a l’orange Traditional pumpkin pie Salmon quiche
Vegetarian Main Courses
Stuffed red and yellow peppers Onion tart vegetarian lasagna
Winter Desserts
Lemon poppy seed loaf Bread pudding Dried fig dessert Almond and date tart Sweet ricotta pie Christmas pudding poached pears in port or wine
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Winter Desserts
Winter dESSErTS
bread Pudding Ingredients • 400g piece of a stale Maltese bread • 400ml skimmed milk • 3 eggs, beaten • 3 tbsp cocoa • 100g sugar (which can be reduced to taste) • 1 apple, chopped • 1 tbsp almonds, chopped • 400g dried mixed fruit (sultanas and raisins) • Grated rind of ½ lemon • ½ tsp cinnamon • ½ tsp ground cloves • ¼ tsp nutmeg
Method 1. Soak the bread in the milk and allow to soak overnight in the refrigerator. 2. Pre-heat an oven to 170°C and grease a rectangular dish and line the bottom with silicon-coated baking paper. 3. Add all the other ingredients and mix well. 4. Pour the mixture into the dish and bake in the oven for 35 to 45 minutes. 5. Test with a skewer which should come out clean if the pudding is done.
6. When ready, cool the pudding for 5 minutes in the baking dish and then turn out onto a cooling wire after passing a round-ended knife all around the sides. 7. Serve warm or cold.
HealtH tip: Carob SyruP (ĠuLeP) Can be uSed aS an aLternative to ChoCoLate or CoCoa in a reCiPe.
Lemon PoPPy Seed Loaf Ingredients • 200g plain flour, sifted • 2 tsp baking powder • ¼ tsp salt • 50ml sunflower oil • 150g sugar • 2 medium-sized eggs, beaten • Grated zest of 1 lemon • 40ml lemon juice • 3 tbsp poppy seeds For the syrup • Zest of ½ lemon, pared and sliced thinly • 60ml lemon juice • 40ml orange juice • 50g sugar
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Method 1. Pre-heat the oven to 170°C. Grease and line a 450g loaf tin with silicon coated baking paper. 2. Mix the oil, sugar, eggs and lemon zest and lemon juice in a bowl until thoroughly combined. 3. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl and then stir in the poppy seeds. 4. Pour the egg mixture into the dry ingredients and fold in. 5. Spoon into the greased loaf tin and bake for 45 minutes until golden brown on top.
Test with a skewer which when inserted into the centre should come out clean. 6. Cool the cake for 5 minutes in the loaf tin before turning out onto a cooling wire. 7. Make the syrup by slicing the pared zest into fine strips, place in a pan with the lemon and orange juice and the sugar, then boil together rapidly until it is reduced by half and is syrupy. 8. Pour the warm syrup over the cake and allow to cool before slicing.
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Chapter two Spring
Spring intro
spring produce Marrows (Zucchini and Courgettes) spinach
Spring Starters
Cherry tomato and olive salad Marrows with pine nuts and raisins salad artichokes with parsley and garlic tomatoes and parsley salad with a garlic dressing Zucchini and parmesan salad with lemon vinaigrette aubergine bake spaghetti with calamari sauce thick fish soup (aljotta magħquda)
Spring Main Courses
Marrows stuffed with mincemeat Grilled marrows stuffed with tomatoes, cheeselets (ġbejniet) and prawns Marrows stuffed with cheeselets (ġbejniet) and a touch of bacon aubergines with a pasta bolognese baked in the oven prawns in tomato purée and garlic Calamari (squids) stuffed with ricotta and cheeselets spinach and salmon roulade
Spring Vegetarian Main Courses
Marrows stuffed with ricotta and tomatoes basic recipe for braised rice (risotto) braised rice with ricotta and broad beans (ful) Cherry tomato and ricotta pie spinach pie
Spring Desserts
Cassata siciliana tangy strawberry tart light almond tart tarte tatin strawberries with honey and walnuts Figolli pasti di Mandorla
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spring mAIn courSeS
spring mAIn courSeS
roulades
sPINaCH aNd salMoN roulade Here I give my favourite recipe for a roulade, yet they can be filled with any type of healthy filling e.g. a mushroom and onion mix or a ricotta and tomato filling. The technique is similar to that of a Swiss roll but this time the mixture to be rolled is a base of spinach, eggs, flour and milk. The recipe can be made the day before or several hours before. A roulade is quite filling and can be served as a main dish together with a nice raw vegetable and fruit salad or can be one of the items in a buffet. Ingredients • 160g butter • 75g plain flour • 200ml milk • 4 eggs, separated • 1 kilo fresh spinach, boiled beforehand For the filling • 400g salmon grilled, bones and skin removed (if this is not possible use 2 cans of salmon) • 4 shallots, chopped • 100g ricotta, mashed • 1 tablespoon parsley Method 1. line a 24cm x 34cm dish with greaseproof or baking paper. 2. Drain the spinach well from any liquid it may have. 3. light the oven to 200 degrees c. 4. melt the butter in a frying pan and add the flour and stir for 1 minute. 5. Gradually add the milk and stir well. Allow the mixture to boil and thicken. 6. Separate the eggs and add the egg yolks to the flour mixture quickly. 7. Add the spinach to this mixture.
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8. beat the egg whites to form soft peaks and then fold in lightly with a metal spoon to the spinach mixture. 9. Pour and spread the spinach mixture lightly in the dish and bake in the oven for around 12 minutes until the mixture puffs up and is golden brown. 10. remove from the oven and turn onto a tea towel covered with a piece of greaseproof paper or a wire rack and greaseproof paper. 11. If sides are crusty it is best to cut these off but if they are not, leave them. 12. carefully remove the baking paper on which the roulade was baked and allow to cool. 13. roll the spinach roulade carefully with the greaseproof paper too as if you had a Swiss roll. be careful to support it from all around so that it won’t break. Put aside. 14. make the filling by combining all the ingredients and mixing together in a sort of paste. 15. When ready, unroll the roulade and spread the filling evenly all over. 16. roll once more to get into a rolled shaped once again.
Alternative fillings: 300g ricotta, 4 shallots, 1 tomato chopped finely, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley. Or: 300g mushrooms, 4 shallots, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, 1 tablespoon grated cheese. There are obviously other fillings one can use – let your imagination run loose…
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ChApTEr ThrEE Summer
Summer Intro
Summer produce Green peppers
Summer Starters
Green peppers stir fry Green peppers with tomatoes Tomatoes Stuffed baked tomatoes parma ham and melon with a honey and balsamic vinegar dressing Salmon rolls with fish or crab meat filling Figs with parma ham in a melon sauce Baked vegetables Zucchini and tomato salad with a garlic dressing pasta with a basil and tomato sauce and fresh cheeselets (ġbejniet) Spaghetti with fresh tuna, green peppers and basil penne with sun dried tomatoes, parsley and olive oil Mussel soup Mediterranean salad
Summer main Courses
Stuffed green peppers Chicken casserole with green peppers Fish Tuna with a fresh tomato and caper sauce Stuffed gurbell al cartoccio Dentici al cartoccio with an avocado dressing Barbecue marinades and toppings Octopus in beer stew
Summer Desserts
Figs Low calorie cheesecake with figs Basic ice-cream recipe – lemon and walnut variation Fresh fig ice-cream healthy desserts healthy dessert with milk and fruit Summer delight Trifle with coffee flavoured savioardi biscuits and amaretti Fruit and nut bowl peach meringue
Drinks with fresh fruit and vegetables Strawberry and banana smoothie Carrot and ginger drink 50 SEASONAL & SUSTAINABLE
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SUMMER Desserts
SUMMER Desserts
HealtHy Desserts Very often we go wrong when it comes to desserts, especially if one has a sweet tooth. Our portion sizes are quite large and calories are abundant in sweets. so it is important to try to control in different ways, avoiding the less healthy options and choosing ones which are more sensible and which will give some valuable nutrients such as fruit or milk. Here is a brief guide to consider: • you don’t have to have a dessert after every meal or each time you go out – very often our weekends end up being experiences where we indulge in food and drink (and in large portions) and this is the cause for our expanding waistlines. • Desserts can be shared if portions are large. It’s nice to be able to taste a dessert but it’s nicer on you, if you share it. • Desserts can be healthy too – healthy eating does not have to mean deprivation – it’s all about the choices you make… one can opt for fresh fruit or a healthy fruit salad. • Home-made desserts can also be healthy as the one illustrated opposite. Children can help in making it and one can vary according to taste. • some desserts can have more calories in them then a full meal and this is why we can really go wrong when selecting desserts. • some desserts can have as
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much as 600 to 1,000 calories per slice whereas healthy desserts can have just under 200 calories. restaurants could help by providing the calorie count of each dessert per portion size. High fat/sugar desserts could include sweet cheesecakes, desserts with cream, fudge, toffee, high amounts of chocolate and condensed milk. they will contain a lot of calories. Modify your recipes to cut down on the heavier ingredients and use lighter ones instead. Cut down on sugars, chocolate, cream, candied peel, glace cherries, full fat cheeses and substitute with nuts, fruit (fresh or dried), yoghurt (frozen, Greek, plain, low fat), skimmed milk custards, drizzle of honey, fatless sponge cakes (instead of creamed heavier cakes) and ricotta (which can even substitute ice-cream). alcohol is another cause for unknowingly exceeding our calorie limits. Going out does not have to mean drinking bottles of wine. this happens especially when we are in a group and it becomes the norm to order bottle after bottle of wine. the Mediterranean foundation recommends 1 glass of wine and 2 glasses of wine for females and males respectively with meals. Finally, my message is eat well, limit portion sizes, enjoy different tastes of food, moderate and live healthily, so choose wisely.
HealtHy Dessert witH milk anD fruit Ingredients this is a simple dessert made with: • skimmed milk custard • a light yoghurt • a nut layer (can be substituted for fruit) Method 1. Make the custard as you normally would but use skimmed milk. Use a nice colour. Here I have used a pastel yellow and opted for a light yoghurt which is white to contrast the colour and which it has a nice tangy lemony flavour. 2. Use long wine glasses and put layers of custard, then fruit (here, I have stewed some apples) and then followed by the yoghurt all the way up. 3. at the top, finish off with the custard and sprinkle a few nuts and a drizzle of honey. you can be creative too by choosing different fruits to give vibrant summery colours (e.g. strawberries) and a chocolate coloured blancmange. simple, yet delicious and healthy.
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ChApTEr fOUr Autumn
Autumn Intro
Autumn produce
Autumn Starters
pumpkin Vegetarian pumpkin stir fry roast pumpkin Ajjoli potato salad with curry and onions Salmon and blue cheese layers Marrow fritters (pulpetti tal-qarabagħli) Mussels au gratin on toast Cauliflower stew Lentil soup Broccoli soup Braised rice (risotto) with squid and sun dried tomatoes Curried pumpkin and carrot microbake
Autumn main Courses
Beef olive stew (braġioli) Chicken and pumpkin stir fry Lamb and lentil casserole (in a slow cooker) Smoked turkey rabbit in mustard sauce Lamb stew in a pressure cooker Lampuki al cartoccio
Vegetarian main Course
Quiche without pastry Vegetarian ragout with home-made curd cheese, tofu and ricotta
Autumn Desserts
healthy desserts Apple and almond tart healthy date and oatmeal crumble with poached oranges Almond Milanese cake Lemon cheesecake without a biscuit base Sinizza pumpkin spice cake in a microwave Savarin
Healthy Drinks prune and yoghurt delight Orange, apple and kiwi smoothie
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Autumn StarterS
Autumn STArTErS
PumPkin The pumpkin is a gourd-like squash and is not a vegetable but a fruit, even though it is mostly used as a vegetable in savoury dishes in malta. Pumpkin is usually cheap to buy and can be very versatile even though most just use it in soups. it is good to make the most of pumpkins when they are fresh and new. Pumpkins can be stir-fried or baked as in the following recipes, can be used in risottos or pies (as in the recipe in this book for a traditional pumpkin pie) or can be used in cakes, cheesecakes or bread. They contain high amounts of alpha- and beta- carotene which turn to vitamin A once in the body. The seeds of the pumpkin contain potassium and vitamin A.
vegetarian pumpkin stir fry Serves 4 to 5 Ingredients • 500g pumpkin • 1 green pepper or any other vegetable depending on the season when making this dish • 1 tbsp celery, chopped • 2 tbsp olive oil • 4 spring onions, chopped • 1 tbsp chopped parsley • 2 tbsp water • 3 garlic cloves • 2 tbsp light Soy Sauce • 2 tbsp honey • Pepper
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Method 1. Slice the pumpkin by slicing it into segments or large pieces and then cutting it into smaller pieces. Peel the pumpkin in small parts as the outer peel is quite tough and this is one easy way to do the job. 2. Chop and fry the garlic in 1 tablespoon of olive oil for a few seconds. 3. Add the green pepper and stir fry until half cooked. 4. Add the pumpkin, spring onions, celery, water, honey, light soy sauce and the pepper. 5. Stir fry for a few minutes until the pumpkin is just about tender. 6. Garnish with parsley.
SuStainable tip: Where possible, use food at room temperature to remove the chill and to use less cooking energy When heating is required.
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