What is Choosy Food about?
Choosy Food is a new way of thinking about how we eat now. As two old friends who've spent their happiest times cooking for family and friends, we've noticed a definite shift in the way we all prefer to eat. Gone are the days when plates were politely cleared. In this pick and mix world, everyone¹s as individualist about their food as in everything else they choose.
A few of us have discovered a genuine allergy. Allergic reactions are on the increase, particularly amongst children - with apparently inoffensive ingredients triggering symptoms which can range from a mild rash or bloating to a life-threatening event. The Choosy Food way of thinking was cooked up with them in mind.
More and more people are selective about food for other reasons, too. Vegetarians, of course, who range from strictly vegan to fish-, chicken-, even game-eating. And we're all highly health conscious now, careful about our weight, cholesterol, blood pressure or a fear of migraine. Some people have religious scruples about ingredients. And finally, there's a growing number of us who are just plain picky: our choices about what we will and won¹t eat is as changeable as fashion - but we both like fashion.
What's to be done? Some of us cope with a household that has one or more allergies, and one or more preferences. Most of us have experienced a moment when we cook up something new and delicious, but one of our guests (who used to eat everything) will sit back and declare: "I'm sorry, I don't eat that!" The Choosy Food website and blogspot are here to help. Of course there are a plethora of books and websites devoted to each individual condition - special ones for gluten allergies, or for organic eating, for low-fat alternatives, and so on and on. But ours is the only one that aims to cover the whole range of special eating. Here you will find recipes, tips, advice and above all lively writing about the food we all love, and the food we all need. Our aim is that food designed for special preferences doesn't have to be self-denying, or seem somehow lacking or dull. We devise really delicious recipes which everyone at the table can enjoy - including us!
Prawn and Radish salad with Green Beans
Crunchy vegetables and seeds, juicy shellfish and the spikiness of chilli with lemon juice make this an exciting starter or light lunch dish.
400g French beans, topped and tailed
225g cooked and shelled prawns
12 fresh radishes
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
1/2 red chilli, finely chopped
2 tbsp walnut or hazlenut oil
1 tbsp sunflower or groundnut oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
Coarse sea salt
Cook beans in boiling salted water until barely tender (about 4 minutes) Drain and cool in cold running water.
Toast the pumpkin seeds in a hot, non stick pan with a little sea salt, stirring constantly for a minute or two. Slice the radishes thinly. Blot the beans as dry as possible and mix all together in a serving bowl with the chilli, pumpkin seeds and oils. Refrigerate until you're ready to eat.
To serve, add the prawns, radishes and lemon juice to the bowl, toss and serve.
Choosy Note: If prawns are a no-go area, substitute their salty sweetness for chunks of smoked fish or ham.
Crunchy vegetables and seeds, juicy shellfish and the spikiness of chilli with lemon juice make this an exciting starter or light lunch dish.
No comments:
Post a Comment