Recipe

FOOD, WINE & ISLAND TIMES Apple & Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients

Apples, cut into batons* 650g trimmed fresh green beans 450g shiitake mushrooms, cut into approximately 3cm pieces (washed and dried ahead of time) 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour 1 cup beef broth 1 can cream of mushroom soup 2 tsp kosher salt 20 turns fresh cracked pepper 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp sherry vinegar 2 cups lightly chopped pecans

Method

1. Start by slicing the apple into approximately 5mm slices and then slice those again into 5mm pieces. Think of the cut as if you were cutting the apple into the size of a French fries. 2. Heat a large pot of salted water (should taste like the ocean) to a boil. Meanwhile, set up an ice bath - a large strainer that fits into a larger pot or bowl filled with ice water (more ice than water). 3. Once boiling, drop the green beans into the pot and stir. Cook for approximately 3-4 minutes or until just tender, but still has some crunch. The colour should still be bright green. 4. Immediately drain the beans from the water into a strainer and dunk the strainer into the ice water. Let cool completely. 5. Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over high heat. Add mushrooms (make sure mushrooms have had plenty of time to dry after washing or else will leach out water into the oil and make soggy) and sauté until tender.

6. Add apple batons to the mushrooms and sauté for 2 minutes. Stirring occasionally. 7. Stir in garlic and sauté for 30 seconds more. 8. Sprinkle flour over top of the mixture and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute longer.

9. Add beef broth and cream of mushroom soup, bring to a boil, and stir frequently.

10. Turn off heat and stir in salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and sherry vinegar.

11. Toss mixture with the green beans and then spread evenly into a 9x13 baking dish.

12. Top with the chopped pecans and bake in a 180 degree oven until hot throughout (7 to 10min). Serve immediately.

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Managing Food Cravings: 5 HELPFUL TIPS By Himanshu Singh

Food cravings are very common today, and several factors are to be blamed. It is that irresistible desire to eat specific food that is hard to ignore. The worst part is that you often chomp on nutrient-less food filled with empty calories and can harm your health. Well, if you can relate to all this, it is okay. You are not alone. Eat a Lot of Healthy Food

No one’s asking you to stuff yourself, but it is a good idea to fill yourself with nutritious and healthy food more often. Hunger and lack of nutrients lead to more cravings. Therefore, you need to follow a routine. Snacking between meals shows that you did not eat a healthy and hearty meal before. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds are fibrous and heavy on the stomach but healthy. Eating more protein also helps, as it keeps you full and stops carvings after meals. Therefore, you should eat chicken, fish, cottage cheese, and eggs to pack a punch. Additionally, proteins also help the body heal and renew, as they are the inherent building blocks of the body. Fats and carbohydrates are also high on the list of healthy and fulfilling macronutrients. However, you should always go for unrefined carbohydrates. When it comes to fats, most people will ask you to stay away from them. However, they are an essential nutrient that you will find in nuts, seeds, chis seeds, and fatty fish. Avocados are also great for your hunger pangs. Reduce Stress

You must have noticed that you feel hungrier when stressed or sad. Well, you are not alone in this. The chemical called cortisol is to be blamed here. You should know how it works. Stress decreases the appetite, and that is when the body release cortisol. The cortisol in the blood increases the appetite and leads to overeating. The cravings are mostly centred around sugars and fats. Therefore, it is crucial to identify your stress triggers and minimize them. Sleep Well

If you have noticed food cravings at night, you already have the answer to why you stay awake. The longer you stay awake at night, the more food cravings you have. A lack of sleep sends certain signals to the brain that increase the will to have more tasty food and calorie-rich food. It is more of a psychological feeling. Moreover, excessive worrying and sleep deprivation leads to chronic conditions like diabetes. Do Not Go Out Hungry

Grocery stores and departmental stores are the worst places for diet-watchers. Thus, you should never go there hungry, lest you pick up a packet of chips and start chomping. These places stock the unhealthiest food. Furthermore, you will find them displayed at eye level to catch your attention. So make it a point to have a good meal or a healthy snack before heading there. Keep Yourself Busy It is possible that you may not be able to follow all the above. Hence, keep your mouth busy by chewing gum. This will also distract your mind from hunger pangs. Additionally, you might also keep yourself busy by concentrating on work that lay unfinished. Changing your routine can have huge repercussions on your cravings, too, so you must adopt healthy practices. These are a few ways to manage your food cravings and stay fit. Think out of the box, and more ideas will spring in.

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