Blog :: Anna's Kitchen Blog

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Are you taking care of the biggest organ in your body?

What you put on your skin is just as important as what you put into your body, especially if you consider the role of your Interstitum in your overall health. We eat healthy organic products, and use healthy shampoo on our hair which stays on it for a few minutes at most, yet how many of us actually think about the creams and lotions, other than sunscreens laden with chemicals, that we use all over our body and leave to be absorbed, and how these affect our overall health?

Red Rice Summer Salad

Rice salad has always been a favourite of mine, however, as I have discovered over the years, and despite the fact that millions across the world eat white rice at every meal, white rice is not a healthy food. You could replace the white rice with brown rice, of course. But what if I was to tell you that there is another type of rice which is even healthier than brown rice?

The Health Benefits of Water – The H₂O series, part 2

In order to choose the correct water, you need to know which different micronutrients in mineral water are beneficial for each need. Water can also contain a number of harmful substances, trace elements and heavy metals. What about choosing plastic vs glass bottles?

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What’s cooking in your kitchen?: The 15 minute lunch

It’s all very well talking about eating healthy, but healthy food is more expensive, takes ages to prepare and is boring, I hear you say. Well, not necessarily! I am here to tell you that even when you are rushed off your feet, don’t have more than 15 minutes to prepare a meal, and you only have a few ingredients left from last week’s grocery shopping in your fridge, it is still possible to rustle up something not only nutritious, but tasty and pleasant on the eye.

What water should you be drinking? – The H2O question

As someone who drinks about 3 litres of water daily, I have always taken great care to pick good quality waters. Consider the fact that water makes up between 60 and 80% of the human body, and that water is not just important to stay hydrated, but it is also essential in bodily functions including in helping with the elimination of toxins, as well as in transporting nutrients in the body. However, none of this can happen unless the water you drink is the right water.

You can have your cake and eat it too! – Almond Cake Recipe (Sugar free!)

Whenever I surf the internet in search of a healthy recipe to satisfy my desire for a particular flavour the recipes are just a big disappointment. Promises of sugar-free desserts are full of syrups, honey, molasses, artificial sweeteners or even coconut sugar. Necessity being the mother of invention, my latest experiment was with French Almond Cake. After much consideration and searching I came up with the following recipe, for a real sugar-free treat that will leave you satisfied without the guilt trip.

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Suffering from fatigue? – Check your Co-enzyme Q10 levels!

Co-enzyme Q10 (or CoQ10 for short) is ubidecaquinone. This enzyme is found in all animals including humans. It is found in virtually all cell membranes and lipopotreins, and since it can be synthesized in the body it is not considered an essential vitamin. It plays two major roles in our bodies (although it has a long list of important functions). It acts as a natural anti-oxidant in the cells (the mitochondria) and helps break down free radicals (which are responsible for early signs of ageing and a host of other things) and helps convert the food we eat into energy.

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Is your cookware making you sick?

How you cook and store your food is as important as what you eat! So, you have embarked on a journey to healthy eating, and maybe even regular exercise, you buy mostly organic food and you take great care in choosing fresh wholefoods and in cooking everything yourself. However, did you know that what cookware and cooking utensils you use, and how you store your food, can undermine all the above efforts and put your health at risk?

Tuna Empanadas – with Chickpea Flour Crust

Empanadas de atún, or tuna empanadas, are a classical dish from Spain. You might be more used to seeing the Argentinian version which is usually filled with meat rather than fish (tuna). Usually the crust of these savoury pastries is made from plain white (wheat) flour and often they are fried rather than baked in the oven.

Is Your Breakfast Healthy?

Chances are your standard breakfast is somewhere along the lines of a bowl of breakfast cereals with milk, hot or cold, a glass of orange juice accompanied with a cup of tea or coffee, usually with sugar and milk. You are probably walking out of the house to work or school every day feeling smug about having been so healthy in your choices. Would you be surprised to hear that this breakfast is far from being a healthy choice?

Stuffed Squid with Barley and Black Olives

Like most seafood, squid are easy to prepare – once the fishmonger has done the hard work of cleaning them – and they are delicious. This is one of my favourite recipes which I adapted from a classical Mediterranean recipe which contains either grated bread or white rice in the stuffing. I have swapped out the rice and breadcrumbs with barley and in my opinion it tastes even better.