Slow cooking, stovetop cooking, thermomixing and Lamb ragu . . .

Slow-cooking to the non-Thermomix owner, probably looks like a convenient way to feed your family a nutritious meal. You just need to prepare your ingredients in the morning, throw them in the slow cooker and allow them to cook all day until you are ready to eat your meal at night . . but hold on, does this sound nutritious to you? To me it sounds more like a slow death to nutrients!

Although both a slow-cooker (and also a Thermomix), typically cook food at less than the boiling point of water, which is considered a healthier way of cooking . . . surely the prolonged heat exposure to vegetables in particular, as a result of hours and hours of slow-cooking, has to put the integrity of the more unstable water-soluble vitamins and phytonutrients at unnecessary risk? Of course, there are always exceptions, such as the antioxidant lycopene, a red pigment carotenoid, which actually becomes more bioavailable when tomatoes are cooked. But shouldn't we also be concerned about the other more fragile micronutrients in tomatoes? 

As a general rule, the longer a food is exposed to heat and the higher the cooking temperature, the higher the subsequent nutrient loss. Preserving nutrients as best you can using cooking methods is definitely a tricky science, especially on the stovetop where timing is crucial if you wish to preserve the nutrients in the foods you are cooking. 

Steaming has long been recommended as the most favourable method of stovetop cooking to reduce nutrient loss and thankfully we can look to our trusty Thermomix to help us out with this method of cooking in the Varoma. But rest assured, we can also look favourably at the TM bowl method of cooking in comparison to stovetop cooking methods such as simmering, boiling and frying which all expose foods to higher temperatures which are difficult to control. This is just another way that the Thermomix comes into it's own, not only are foods cooked quickly (less time) and at comparably low temperatures which are preset and controlled, they are cooked to perfection if you follow well-tested recipes, ensuring that nutrient loss is kept to a minimum.  In terms of nutrition, quick methods of cooking at low temperatures has to be more superior, and any Thermomix owner understands the concept of 'fast' in comparison to other methods of cooking. 

Traditionally a lamb ragu is slow cooked for hours to develop flavours and tenderize meats. Using a heavy based pan and my thermie, I believe that I have achieved that lovely richness of flavour and melt in the mouth texture to the lamb in much less time, preserving more of the nutrition in your lamb and vegetables :)

ingredients

lamb ragu
700g diced lamb
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground fennel
1/2 tsp ground cumin seeds
1 tbsp organic butter or ghee
2 large cloves garlic
1 onion, halved
1 large carrot, cut into chunks
20-40g extra virgin olive oil
50g tomato paste or concentrate
1 tbsp TM vegetable stock paste
400g can BPA-free tomatoes (or your own TM cooked tomatoes)
100g tomato passata or sauce
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves only
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves and/or parsley
1 dry bay leaf
1/2 cup dry red wine

method

1. Make a spice rub for the lamb by combining the coriander, fennel and cumin in a small bowl with the diced lamb. Mix well to cover and place in the fridge for about 30 minutes. TIP: It does pay to freshly grind your spices from the whole variety so that your finished dish will be more fragrant and flavoursome. Also, your lamb should be evenly diced for successful shredding later. 

2. Melt the butter or ghee in a heavy based pan (cast iron and not non-stick preferably) over moderately-high heat. In two batches, sear the lamb on all sides until deeply browned, about 4-5 minutes per batch. Remove the meat to a plate and repeat with the remaining lamb. The lamb should still be rare inside. DO NOT clean the pan!

3. Now add the spiced lamb to the TM bowl and shred for 2-4 seconds on reverse speed 5 to break up slightly. The lamb will break up further as it simmers, so don't over-do this step and turn your lamb into mush. Remove to the plate. 

4. Add the garlic cloves, onion and carrot to TM bowl. Chop on speed 7 for 5 seconds. Add olive oil and sauté at Varoma temp for 3 minutes on speed 1. Scrape down sides of bowl, add tomato paste and cook a further 2 mins at Varoma temp.

5. Add dry red wine to the frypan and deglaze, simmer on the stovetop until the liquid thickens. Then scrape contents of the frypan into the TM bowl.

6. Return the shredded lamb to the TM bowl and add the remaining ingredients (stock paste, canned tomatoes, passata, fresh herbs and bay leaf) to the TM bowl. 

7. Simmer the ragu at 90°C, speed soft, reverse for at least 15 minutes. . . or longer if you prefer in which case you may need to add some water. . . . just don't cook it all day :) 

Meanwhile cook your pasta or lightly steam or sauté your zucchini spirals. I like to serve with a side of green salad or steamed broccoli to ensure that we are getting our daily greens quota :)  

Cheesy flax & wholegrain crackers

Here's another lunchbox creation of mine that we have been making regularly this year. Like most of my recipes it is really flexible; it responds well if you are like me and find that you have a need to play around with the ingredients :) I try to mix up the wholegrains and flavours each time I make it. Buckwheat groats work really well in this recipe if you are looking to make it gluten-free. You can shape the dough anyway you choose, cut it into sticks, squares, shapes . . . your children will never be bored of them!

There are several reasons why I choose to make our own crackers in preference to purchasing commercial varieties. You could be tricked into thinking you are making a good choice when you see such claims on labels as 'high in fibre' or 'wholegrain', but take a closer look and you'll likely find processed vegetable oils, flavours, colours, emulsifiers, even MSG and other harmful additives lurking in the finer print, not to mention high levels of sodium from table salt. Plus it's virtually impossible to avoid trans fats in this type of product where fats in this form are used because they are cheap and function to extend the shelf-life of pastry and bakery goods. Consumers trying to avoid this dangerous fat, which is known to increase  'bad' LDL cholesterol and inflammation in the body, can very easily be caught out, especially in areas where trans fat labelling is not mandatory, which is the case in Australia and New Zealand, (www.abc.net.au/news).  In some parts of the U.S. where trans fat labelling is mandatory, a product claiming to contain 0g trans fat, is actually permitted to contain up to 0.5g of trans fats per serving! In Hong Kong, the labelling of trans fats has been mandatory since 2010, but more realistically, food products containing less than 0.3g of trans fats per 100g are permitted to be labelled as containing 0g trans fats (www.cfs.gov.hk). A good rule of thumb is that if you see partially hydrogenated fats listed in the ingredients on a food product, you are looking at trans fats. But really, to avoid the lies and confusion (and unnatural trans fats in any dose), it just makes sense to make your own nutritious and tasty, additive-free crackers with ingredients you can trust. Plus, it's easy as can be with a Thermomix on your side . . .

ingredients
100g golden flaxseeds (linseeds)
100g buckwheat groats (or kasha), oat groats or spelt grains (or a combination)
1/4 tsp baking powder
3 spring onions, sliced into 5cm pieces or 20g brown onion
1 garlic clove
70g parmesan cheese (or use vintage)
20g unsalted organic butter, cold or coconut oil (solid)
1/4 tsp Himalayan or sea salt
1-2 tsp raw honey, optional
70g milk of choice (or filtered water)
1 x egg white, to brush
poppy or sesame seeds, to sprinkle

flavouring options:  have some fun with your own flavour combinations!
- fresh herbs: rosemary leaves, basil, parsley or a mix
- 2 tsp dried parsley leaves, 1 tsp dried coriander leaves, 1/4 tsp whole peppercorns
- you can also use 1/4- 1/2 tsp each of onion and garlic powder in place of fresh

Gluten-free?  50g buckwheat groats + 50g brown rice works well
Dairy-free?  omit the cheese, add 1-2 tbsp nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavour, use coconut oil or ghee (if tolerated) instead of butter, use a plant-based milk

method
1. Preheat oven to 165 degrees C.

2. Grind peppercorns (if using) with flaxseeds and buckwheat/oat/spelt groats on speed 9 for 1 minute. Decant and set aside in a bowl.

3. Grate parmesan and/or vintage cheese on speed 8 for 5-10 seconds. Decant and set aside in the same bowl with the freshly ground wholegrains.

4. Add spring onions (or piece of onion), fresh herbs and garlic to TM bowl and chop on speed 7 for 5-10 seconds. 

5. Add butter, salt, baking powder, honey and return flours and cheese to the TM bowl with dried herbs of choice (if using). Mix on speed 6 for 5 seconds.

6. Add 50-70g water or milk (less if you have omitted the cheese). Knead on interval speed for 1 minute into a soft and moist dough - add more water or milk if needed.

7. Turn dough out onto a thermomat or a lightly floured surface. Knead lightly to shape into a smooth ball. Roll out to 2mm thickness. Cut into desired shape. I like to use a fluted roller cutter. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with poppy or seeds if desired.

8. Bake for about 12-15 minutes until light brown and firm. Rest on the oven tray for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Keep in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks.

nutrition tid bit
Although it's name could confuse you, buckwheat is in fact not related to wheat and like quinoa is technically the seed of a fruit! Buckwheat is a source of good quality protein, containing 8 essential amino acids. It is also rich in many of the B vitamins, as well as the minerals; phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper and manganese. Buckwheat is also high in flavonoids, which are phytonutrients known to protect against disease.

I like to activate my buckwheat groats for use in this recipe to increase their digestibility. You can purchase them in this form at health food stores under the name of 'buckinis'. Have you ever tried buckwheat at breakfast? . .

. . . an easy and nutritious breakfast idea of mine is to combine about 1/4 cup activated buckwheat (buckinis) with 1 tbsp freshly ground chia seeds, 1-2 diced dried dates (opt) + handful of fresh (or defrosted) berries. You could also add chopped raw nuts. Serve with biodynamic natural yoghurt, coconut yoghurt or a thermomix nut milk + a stir in a little vanilla bean paste (optional) for a delicious & nutritious, antioxidant rich, gut friendly kick-start to the day!

In case you are concerned about the effect of baking on the healthy omega-3 fats in flaxseeds, research has shown that they remain heat stable in both the whole and ground state during baking, however, the same cannot be said for flax oil when it has been isolated from the whole seed. The nutritional quality of the extracted oil is considerable more fragile, (www.whfoods.org).

Dark chocolate fruit cake

I have created this recipe now with Christmas in mind, but the inspiration for this cake comes originally from my amazing wedding cake which I had made for the occasion 12 years ago this coming March! It was the perfect combination of mud cake and fruit cake, decorated in a white chocolate ganache and topped with a beautiful arrangement of white chocolate shards and roses . . . and I haven't had anything quite like it since :)  Mud cake has long been a favourite of mine, but I rarely bake it at home purely because it is just too indulgent! My chocolate brownie always hits the spot when I'm in the mood for a rich chocolate, fudgy fix.

This is my own healthy version of a chocolate mud fruit cake, and for me it's the right mix of dark chocolate and fruity fudginess, plus it's not too sweet.  Making it this close to Christmas,  I have added a little mixed spice & the zest of an orange for a more festive feel. It's not too late to add this to your 'To do' list, there's no need to soak the fruit for days ahead :)

Dark chocolate fruit cake

ingredients

80 raw almonds

100g 70% dark chocolate (I like to use vegan)

150g organic dried prunes, pitted

150g organic dried dates, pitted

50g unsalted butter or coconut oil

100g goji berries

100g sultanas (or raisins)

100g currants

1-2 tbsp raw honey
½ tsp green leaf stevia powder

100g Baileys or Kahlua (coffee liquor) - use Brandy @xmas

juice & zest of 1 organic orange 

3 large eggs

150g white spelt flour (for grain-free see variations below)

1/2 tsp baking powder 

1/2 tsp bicarb of soda 
good pinch fine Himalyan salt

method
1. Peel the zest of the orange into strips and add to the TM bowl together with the almonds and dark chocolate and grind for 15 seconds on speed 7 into a coarse powder. Decant and set aside.
3. Mash prunes and dates at speed 6 for 15 seconds.
4. Add butter or coconut oil, goji berries, sultanas, currants, raw honey, coffee liqueur (or Brandy), orange juice and salt to the TM bowl and heat the mixture for 8 minutes at 90°C on reverse, speed 1. Stop once to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
5. While the mixture is cooling, preheat oven to 160°C and grease and line a 20cm round or square cake pan (or 4 individual tins 10x10cm square pans).
6. Add eggs, flour, baking powder, bicarb, stevia and return ground nuts and dark chocolate to the TM bowl. Also add ½ tsp mixed spice here for a Christmas cake. Mix with the aid of the spatula for approx 20 seconds on reverse, speed 3-4. You will collapse the structure of the dried fruit if you mix at a higher speed. If you prefer to blend the fruit, this is an option.
7. Carefully pour the mixture in the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 mins or until darkened on the edges and a skewer comes out clean. Allow to sit in the cake pan for a few minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

no Thermomix?
Zest the orange using a grater, chop the dried fruits by hand or use a food processor and cook the liquor with the fruits etc. (step 4) on the stovetop.

variations

• for more of a festive flavour add 1/2 tsp mixed spice and use brandy instead of coffee liquor
• this recipe also works well as individual cakes to package for xmas gifts. Keep it simple and decorate with a wide Christmas ribbon :)
• for a dairy-free use vegan chocolate and coconut oil instead of butter
• for a grain-free version:
• increase baking powder and bicarb to 1 tsp of each
• add 1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flaxseeds + 3 tbsp water)
• in place of the spelt flour use 50g coconut flour + 50g tapioca or arrowroot flour

Quick choc-mint fix treat balls

My girls requested these non-stop over our recent trip home to Australia in the July 2012 school holidays. They are a variation of my original treat balls. Great if you don't have raw cacao beans or nibs on hand. Stick to the basic recipe or mix up to your preference. If you don't have the seeds just add more nuts. 

ingredients

20g flaxseeds (linseeds) or chia

80g raw walnuts (or a mix of your fave nuts)

100g fresh dates, pitted

100g mixed dried fruit (e.g. blueberries, sultanas, prunes, cherries, goji or more dates)

4 tbsp raw cacao

5 drops 100% pure peppermint essential oil 

1 tsp vanilla bean paste (optional)
pinch salt

method

1. Add seeds and nuts to the TM bowl and grind into a fine powder on speed 9 for about 20-30 seconds.

2. Add all remaining ingredients and mix on speed 8 for about 30 seconds until the mixture comes together well and is able to be shaped into balls. If the mixture is a little dry which will depend on the ingredient combination you use, simply mix a little longer to release more oils from the nuts and seeds, or you may need to add a little coconut oil.

3. Shape into approximately 15 balls. Roll in desiccated coconut or enjoy as is. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week, if they last that long! 

For more healthy treat ball recipes click here. 

UPDATE (March 2013): For an adults only version, grind a couple of coffee beans with the nuts & seeds for a coffee flavour. I discovered this flavour sensation after grinding some coffee beans first and leaving remnants of the powder in the TM bowl before making this recipe without peppermint oil (+ vanilla) . .  you could always add a little liquor as a flavouring option too :)

Find me on Facebook at Mixing it up in HK

Raw energy bars

I came up with the idea for these when I was thinking about what I could make for something different to take with us for a nutritious snack on a family outing to Ocean Park in Hong Kong at the beginning of the school holidays. Miss 5 was favouring my treat balls, but rather than make my usual version, I decided to have a play with the basic ingredients and turn them into a bar for something different! So I made a basic, yet tasty chocolatey mix and turned it into 6 bars just by moulding 3 tbsp of the mixture into a bar shape inside a little plastic bag using my TM spatula. You could easily mould my treat balls into a bar if you wanted to.

The result is a little raw energy bar that you can wrap and take with you as handy little burst of energy when you need it out and about. It's just a shame that I can't send it with my girls to school due to the nut content, as my treat balls have always been a hit with them.

This is what I started with, but there is scope for so much more as I intend to experiment with over the coming weeks. . . while we are on school holidays and I don't have to think 'nut-free'. I will update this page with new recipes as I develop them.

These balls are of course inherently dairy-free, gluten-free, and packed full of dietary fibre and healthy plant fats, plus the sweetness is contributed by whole foods rather than added sugar.

Raw energy bars 
makes 6

ingredients (basic recipe)
100g raw cashews
100g raw walnuts
100g fresh meijool dates
100g dried dates
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
4 tbsp raw cacao  -  if you're a chocoholic like me, you may need 5 :-)


method

1. Add the nuts to the TM bowl and with the MC in place, grind on speed 7 for 10-15 seconds. The ground nuts should look a little moist, but not pastey. You don't want to release too much of the oil content. 
2. Add all other ingredients and combine on speed 7 until the mixture feels fudge-like when you squash some between your fingers. You will also notice that the oils will begin to come out of the nuts. This should only take 10-20 seconds. If you over mix it will become very oily.
3. Scoop 3 tbsp of the mixture from the bowl and place inside a small ziplock bag. Using your TM spatula, push, prod and shape the mixture into a bar measuring about 3.5 x 10cm and voila . . . you have a nutritious little bar of raw food goodness :) My girls love mummy to add a few drops of peppermint oil for a choc-mint bar. 

Variations . . . there are so many ideas

Use your own combination of nuts and seeds to make up the 200g, e.g. pumpkin seeds, almonds, cashew, peanut, pistachio, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds. You could try to make these nut-free by using a combination of seeds only. 

Use any combination of dried fruit such as dried blueberries, raisins, sultanas, apricots, cranberries, figs, dates, goji berries, prunes, apple, cranberries. It is a good idea to include fresh dates for stickiness. 

Add some extra flavouring such as cinnamon or mixed spice, lemon or orange zest, peppermint oil or vanilla.

Replace 50-100g of the fruit with dried or fresh coconut. I like to use fresh coconut in my treat balls.