“These gluten-free biscuits were one of the things I loved when I was pregnant and suffering from morning sickness. They’re very simple to make – and the ginger in them soothes digestive problems and eases nausea,” says Grace Cheetham, author of Simply Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free.
Gluten-free and Dairy-free Ginger Biscuits
Makes: 12
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
175g/6oz dairy-free margarine
125g/4½oz/¾ cup fruit sugar or caster sugar
100g/3½oz/heaped ½ cup rice flour
50g/1¾oz/scant ½ cup gram flour
50g/1¾oz/¹⁄₃ cup maize flour
2 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp gluten-free baking powder
scant ½ tsp xanthan gum
1cm/½in piece of root ginger, peeled and grated
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4 and line two baking sheets with baking parchment. Put the dairy-free margarine and sugar in a saucepan and heat over a low heat until the margarine has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil over a high heat, then turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for 4–5 minutes until the mixture has caramelized slightly and become syrupy.
2. Sift the flours into a large mixing bowl and stir in the ground ginger, gluten-free baking powder and xanthan gum. Add the root ginger and, using your fingertips, rub it into the flour mixture until well mixed. Add the margarine and sugar syrup, and stir well with a wooden spoon.
3. Spoon the mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, onto the baking sheets. Using your hands and the back of a metal spoon, shape each mound into a round biscuit shape about 3mm/1∕₈in thick.
4. Bake for 8–12 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely before serving.
Whether you’re suffering from allergy-related IBS, eczema, asthma, migraines or chronic fatigue, or you’re coeliac, Simply Gluten-free and Dairy-free will show you how to use substitute ingredients and simple cooking techniques to make mouth-watering meals. Find more inspiration on Grace’s award-winning blog glutendairyfree.co.uk.
Simply Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free by Grace Cheetham.
176 pages • Illustrated • £12.99
AUS $24.99 NZ $28.00
Homemade Swiss Muesli (with Baby & Toddler versions too!)
Kick-start your family’s day with this healthy, homemade muesli recipe. By using some of the same ingredients you can make a healthy Oat & Apple Purée for a 6-9 month old baby, and a tasty Fruit & Oat Mix recipe for a 9-12 month old toddlers. Soaking muesli with yogurt gives it a delicious creamy texture. It also makes muesli more digestible and means that the minerals in the muesli, such as iron, magnesium, calcium and zinc are absorbed more easily by your body. You can double this recipe and store the dried mix in a jar.
Homemade Swiss Muesli
Serves: 2 adults, 1 child and 1 baby
Preparation Time: 20 minutes, plus overnight soaking
Storage: Refrigerate soaked muesli for up to 3 days.
150g/5½oz/1½ cups porridge oats
50g/1¾oz/½ cup millet (or any other grain) flakes
30g/1oz/¼ cup raisins
30g/1oz/¼ cup dried cranberries
2 tbsp flaked almonds
2 tbsp roughly chopped hazelnuts
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
2 tbsp linseeds
3 tbsp natural yogurt or kefir
1 apple
1. Mix the oats, millet flakes, raisins, cranberries, almonds, hazelnuts and seeds in a large bowl. Add the yogurt and 625ml/21½fl oz/2½ cups warm water and mix well. Leave to soak, covered, overnight at room temperature.
2. Core and grate the apple, then mix into the muesli and serve.
For a 6-9 month old
Oat & apple purée
Put 4 tablespoons of the oats, ½ teaspoon of the yogurt and 185ml/6fl oz/¾ cup warm water in a saucepan and leave to soak, covered, overnight at room temperature. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat, then turn the heat down to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until completely soft. Transfer to a blender and add ½ of the grated apple and 2 tablespoons water. Blend for 30 seconds, adding extra water 1 teaspoon at a time, until smooth. Serve warm.
For a 9-12 month old
Fruit & Oat Mix
Put 4 tablespoons of the oats, 1 teaspoon of the raisins, 1 teaspoon of the cranberries, 1 teaspoon of the yogurt and 185ml/6fl oz/¾ cup warm water in a saucepan and leave to soak, covered, overnight at room temperature. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat, then turn the heat down to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until completely soft. Transfer to a blender and add 2 tablespoons water. Pulse for 15 seconds, adding extra water 1 teaspoon at a time, until the mixture forms a lumpy purée. Mix 1 tablespoon of the grated apple into the oat mixture and serve warm.
‘Renée Elliott’s cookbook is a kitchen essential for new moms and for those who need a little inspiration on how to feed the entire family. The delicious recipes cover babies, toddlers, kids and adults – and each meal is simple and healthy for everyone.’
Gwyneth Paltrow
Cooking for a family can be a huge challenge that leaves you feeling like you’re always making compromises. In Me, You and the Kids Too, Renée Elliott makes this do-able. She shows that you don’t have to cook different recipes to please everyone at the table – and that you never have to sacrifice flavour or nutrition to get meals made without stress.
Me, You and the Kids Too by Renée Elliott
£7.99
Irish Soda Bread Recipe, from The Realfood Cookbook
Usher in St Patrick’s Day with a slice of this wholesome Irish Soda Bread – toasted and slathered with butter and honey – for breakfast, courtesy of the Flour Power City Bakery. The buttermilk, or yoghurt, used to make this crumbly loaf with a dense crust, adds just enough fermentation to the dough to really make the bicarbonate do its thing, but hence the slightly ‘cakey’ as opposed to bready texture of the finished loaf. Easy and effortless, this is a good honest loaf of bread that anybody can make!
Soda Bread
Makes 1 small loaf
125g/4½oz/scant 1 cup wholemeal flour, plus extra for dusting
125g/4½oz/1 cup strong white flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
200ml/7fl oz/scant 1 cup buttermilk (natural yogurt is a good alternative)
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp black treacle
1 Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas 6. Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the buttermilk, honey and treacle and bring together as a homogenous mix, taking care to mix as little as possible.
2 Place on a very lightly oiled baking sheet and dust lightly with wholemeal flour. Cut a cross on the top.
3 Bake for about 30 minutes until brown and crisp on the outside but still soft on the inside. The delicious aromas from the oven are the best way to know when things are ready.
In the Real Food Cookbook, celebrity chefs such as Raymond Blanc and Giorgio Locatelli reveal how you can bring out a whole new spectrum of flavours at home from food that is refreshingly free of all the bad effects of mass market production.
With a glorious array of classic dishes and innovative cooking, these recipes with inspire you in the kitchen and the market.
How to Make Delicious Vegetarian Nut Cheese
Soaked and blended cashews make a remarkably creamy soft ‘cheese’. Garlic and lemon, herbs and nuts are just a few of the many flavourings you can use.
Vegetarian Nut Cheese Recipe
Serves: 4
300g/10½oz/2 cups cashew nuts
½ tsp salt
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp lemon juice
a large pinch of smoked paprika
5 tbsp chopped mixed herbs, such as thyme, oregano and chives
5 tbsp shelled pistachios, finely chopped
freshly ground black pepper
crispbreads or vegetable crudités, to serve
1 Put the cashews in a bowl, cover with warm water and leave to soak for at least 2 hours, then drain and transfer the cashews to a food processor or blender. Add 185ml/6fl oz/3/4 cup water and blend into a coarse paste. For a softer ‘cheese’, add a little more water and blend into a coarse purée. Add the salt and season with pepper.
2 Divide the nut cheese into 3 equal portions. Stir the garlic, lemon juice and paprika into 1 portion and spoon it into a ramekin. Put the chopped pistachios on a plate. Using your hands, divide another portion of the nut cheese into teaspoon-sized balls, then roll each ball in the pistachios until evenly coated. Roll the last portion of the nut cheese into a log and roll it in the herbs to coat. Serve the flavoured nut cheeses with crispbreads.
Find more of the best in modern vegetarian cooking in New Vegetarian Kitchen from award-winning author Nicola Graimes. For Nicola it’s all about celebrating flavours, textures, aromas and colours – and the magical transformation from the raw ingredients to the finished dishes. It’s a feast of inspiration – turn the pages and find a treasure trove of delicious meat-free meals.
New Vegetarian Kitchen by Nicola Graimes
240 pages • Illustrated • £14.99
AUS $29.99
The Best Gluten-free & Dairy-free Pizza Recipe
Are you coeliac and thought you couldn’t eat pizza? Think again! This gluten-free and dairy-free pizza has a thick crust that is deliciously crunchy and crispy on the edges.
The Best Gluten-free & Dairy-free Pizza Recipe
Serves: 2
Preparation Time: 25 minutes, plus 1 hour rising
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Toppings – here’s some suggestions
4 tbsp passata
1½ tbsp tomato purée
80g/2.oz/scant 1 cup drained, bottled or tinned artichokes in water or oil, torn into pieces
50g/1¾oz Parma ham, thinly sliced
40g/1½ oz/.⁄₃ cup pitted olives, halved
30–60g/1–2¼oz/¹⁄₃–2.⁄₃ cup soya cheese, shaved
Gluten-free Pizza Dough
85g/3oz/scant ½ cup rice flour, plus extra for rolling the dough
85g/3oz/¾ cup gram flour
30g/1¼oz/¼ cup maize flour
scant ½ tsp xanthan gum
½ tsp salt
1 tsp dried active yeast
2 tbsp olive oil
1 To make the pizza dough, sift the flours, xanthan gum and salt into a food processor. Add the yeast and blend to mix together. Add the oil and blend well. Add 100ml/3.fl oz/scant . cup warm water, a little at a time, and continue blending to form a soft dough. Process for 10 minutes to aerate the dough. Put the dough in a clean bowl, cover with cling film and leave to stand at room temperature for 1 hour until risen.
2 Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gas 7 and line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Turn the dough out again onto a lightly floured surface and knead a little, then shape it into a ball. Flatten the dough slightly, roll it out into a large circle about 5mm/.in thick and neaten the edge, using a sharp knife. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet.
3 Put the passata and tomato purée in a bowl and mix well, then spread it over the pizza base and sprinkle with the artichokes, ham and olives. Bake for 12 minutes until the base is starting to turn brown and the tomato sauce is bubbling. Remove the pizza from the oven and sprinkle the cheese over the top, then return to the oven for 1–2 minutes until the cheese has started to melt. Serve immediately.
Whether you’re suffering from allergy-related IBS, eczema, asthma, migraines or chronic fatigue, or you’re coeliac, Simply Gluten-free and Dairy-free will show you how to use substitute ingredients and simple cooking techniques to make mouth-watering meals. Find more inspiration on Grace’s award-winning blog glutendairyfree.co.uk.
Simply Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free by Grace Cheetham.
176 pages • Illustrated • £12.99
AUS $24.99 NZ $28.00
Order your copy here with free UK postage
8 ways to say no – and keep your friends!
It should be straightforward. Someone asks you to do something, you don’t want to do it, and you say so. Simple. Oh, if only! Try these 8 ways of not saying ‘yes’ which get your point across firmly so you feel nicely confident and in control and demonstrate respect and understanding of the other person.
1.The power of the pause
Giving an immediate reply can be a recipe for disaster. There are all kinds of reasons why we rush in with an ill advised ‘yes’ – we’re in a hurry, it’s easier to shut them up and sort it out later, we think whatever they are asking sounds all right … then later we realise just what we have committed to. On the other hand, if you rush in with an automatic no, you may regret it. Check your gut reaction to the request and also try to pinpoint the reason for your negative reaction.
Get into the habit of the automatic pause. This strategy will keep you out of all kinds of trouble.
2. Be receptive
As you pause, listen and give the appearance of listening. Raise your eyebrows a bit, nod and smile just a little. Even if you don’t like what you are hearing, it matters enough to the other person to have made them ask, and in some circumstances someone might have plucked up a lot of courage to approach you with a request. So it doesn’t hurt to be gracious.
3. Repeat the request
This gives you a little more time and confirms that you have heard correctly.
• ‘So you want me to come over and look after the kids right now.’
• ‘Right, you’d like me to take on Jason’s workload while he’s on holiday.’
• ‘So you’re asking me to sponsor you to run a marathon.’
4. Control your body language
Even if your heartfelt reaction is that you would rather have some grisly form of medieval torture than do what’s being asked, don’t let this show on your face. Don’t smile encouragingly, as this will give the wrong impression, but don’t frown and shake your head as the person is speaking. Keep your expression serious and immobile and nod just once to show understanding, not agreement. Make sure your voice is neutral, not heavily or even lightly sarcastic.
5. Get the details
Sometimes we are so eager to be nice and obliging that we say yes to a request when we have hardly even taken in the details of what has been asked. In our desire to be seen as Ms Can-Do or Ms Everyone’s-Friend we make it almost a point of honour not to be fazed by a request.
So we open our mouths before engaging our brains and find we have agreed to go on a hen night that turns out to be a weekend in a spa hotel in Dubrovnik, to child-mind on a day when we had other plans or to make cupcakes for the fund-raiser when we thought we were just helping out at a stall.
You could ask:
• ‘How much time do you think would be involved?’
• ‘What exactly do you want me to do?’
• ‘What kind of support is available?’
That way, you know what will be involved, and you can then decide whether you want to get involved or not.
6. Apologize
A brief, sincere ‘sorry’ is absolutely the right thing in most circumstances. But don’t grovel and don’t embellish the word with qualifiers about just how sorry you are – ever so, really, awfully. Just don’t say them. This isn’t a heartfelt expression of deep regret, it is just social shorthand that keeps encounters smooth and courteous.
7. Show understanding
You have already repeated the facts or checked that you have understood. Now, where appropriate, show that you understand the person’s situation and why the request is being made. This statement might begin with a phrase such as:
• I understand that … you are stuck for someone to look after the kids.
• I agree that … the cinema and a pizza are an option.
8. The ‘no’ word
Then you say no. There are different ways of indicating refusal, but if you have any doubt at all about your ability to get your point across, make sure the actual word ‘no’ is spoken. Many people will be all too ready not to hear it.
• ‘I can see that you’re stuck for a sitter, and I’m sorry about that, but I’m afraid it has to be a no.’
• ‘I appreciate your thinking of me and it does sound like an interesting evening. However, I’m going to have to say no.’
Other phrases for ‘no’ are:
• I’m going to pass on this occasion.
• Sorry, not this time.
• Thanks, but no thanks.
• Thanks, but not this time.
Being able to say ‘no’ is an important part of being more assertive, but why would anybody want that? Here’s 7 Reasons Why You Should Be More Assertive.
And you can find lots more practical exercises and examples from Mary in The Smart Girl’s Guide to Getting What You Want. Mary is a writer and personal development coach who leads workshops and training courses. Packed with humour, it is a book you will want to treasure and turn to time and time again.
The Smart Girl’s Guide to Getting What You Want
256 pages • £7.99
AUS $16.99 NZ $21.00
£7.99 | Order the book now!
Vegan Watermelon & Orange Breakfast Salad Recipe (it’s gluten-free too)
The cooling and sweet watermelon in this breakfast salad is set off by tangy orange and lime, and is a perfect vegan and gluten-free breakfast idea. It’s high in soluble fibre, antioxidants and vitamin C, as well as beta-carotene and potassium – put simply, it’s a great way to start the day!
Watermelon & Orange Breakfast Salad Recipe
Serves: 2
Preparation Time: 15 minutes, plus 30 minutes chilling
1 orange
550g/1lb 4oz watermelon, cut into slices
1 small cucumber, cut in half and thinly sliced
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp mint leaves
grated zest of 1 lime
dairy-free yogurt, to serve (optional)
1. Using a sharp knife, cut a thin slice of peel and pith from each end of the orange. Put the orange cut-side down on a plate and cut off the peel and pith in strips. Remove any remaining pith. Cut out each segment, leaving the membrane behind.
2. Put the orange in a serving bowl, then squeeze in the remaining juice from the membrane. Add the watermelon, cucumber, lime juice and mint, then toss together.
3. Sprinkle with lime zest, then cover and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to allow the flavours to develop. Serve with dairy-free yogurt, if you like.
Adele McConnell is the founder of the hugely successful vegan food blog, vegiehead.com, and was the winner of the prestigious ‘Vegan Food Blogger Award’ by The Vegan Woman 2012. She loves sharing her passion for vegan food. Watch her inspiring, easy-to-follow cookery demonstrations on her YouTube channel.
“Feed your soul, taste the love: 100 of the best vegan recipes”
The Vegan Cookbook by Adele McConnell
176 pages • Illustrated • £14.99
AUS $28.00 NZ $35.00
Honey Miso Salmon with Warm Green Salad Recipe
Marinate the salmon while you’re getting the kids’ school bags ready for the next day, polishing school shoes, washing sports kit (and hoping it will dry in time) and making sure your kids have cleaned their teeth before they go to bed. Once that’s all done, this is a delicious recipe for two that takes no time at all to whip up.
Honey Miso Salmon with Warm Green Salad Recipe
Makes: Makes 2 adult or 4 kid-sized portions
Preparation Time: 10 minutes, plus at least 30 minutes marinating (optional)
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Honey Miso Salmon
2 salmon fillets, skinned
½ recipe quantity Honey Miso Marinade (see below)
sunflower or olive oil, for brushing
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Warm Green Salad
200g/7oz broccoli or tenderstem broccoli
100g/3½oz sugar snap peas
85g/3oz/scant ½ cup frozen soya beans or broad beans, defrosted
85g/3oz/scant cup frozen peas, defrosted
2 spring onions, finely sliced on an angle
juice of ½ lime
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small handful of coriander leaves, chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Put the salmon in a shallow, non-metallic bowl, pour over the marinade and rub it into the fillets. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for about 30 minutes, or longer if you can, but it can be cooked straight away if necessary.
2. Brush a frying pan or griddle with a little oil over a medium-high heat, add the salmon and cook for a couple of minutes on each side until just cooked through.
3. Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil, put the broccoli and sugar snap peas in a steamer basket and steam for up to 5 minutes until tender.
4. Transfer to a bowl and toss with the remaining salad ingredients, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper.
5. Scatter the sesame seeds over the hot salmon and serve with the warm salad.
Lifesaver marinade aka Honey Miso Marinade
Make up a batch of this marinade and store in a jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Use it to flavour fish, chicken, pork or beef before frying or grilling. These measurements will give you 4 adult portions, but you can prepare as much as you like.
Mix together: 2 tbsp clear honey, 2 tbsp miso paste, 2 tsp rice vinegar or lime juice, 2 tbsp light soy sauce and 4cm/1½in piece of root ginger, peeled and finely grated.
Find more inspiring quick and easy recipes in bestselling author Jo Pratt’s latest book, Madhouse Cookbook. A life-transforming collection of recipes for busy parents – for surviving the stressful week, coping with weekends and enabling you to cling onto your social life. Follow Jo on her inspiring website jopratt.co.uk
“Home-cooked food that’s tasty and stress-free – this is Jo’s guide for busy parents” – Jamie Oliver
Madhouse Cookbook by Jo Pratt
224 pages • Illustrated • £20.00
AUS $35.00 NZ $42.00
5 ways to find real happiness
The saying that ‘If you do what you’ve always done, you’re going to get what you’ve always got’ could not be more true. Small changes in your life can lead to big shifts in how you feel and lead you into an upward spiral of positive emotion. We can use the metaphor of a central heating system where even small changes to any one part can cause a profound effect overall: for instance, by altering the thermostat, turning off a radiator or changing the timer, you can make noticeable changes in every room. Likewise, changing one attitude or belief can cause a massive change in your life.
Consider the following five points to see whether you agree or disagree with them.
1. Happiness is an active choice, not something that happens to you.
2. Happiness can only be experienced in the present moment.
3. No one can ‘make’ you happy, and you cannot ‘make’ anyone else happy either.
4. If you wait for happiness to happen, you may miss out on being happy now.
5. The key to being happy is to accept and enjoy what is already positively present in your life.
You may resist or disbelieve some of these ideas, but accept, or at least open yourself up, to the possibility that they are all true. Ask yourself: would you rather be right or be happy? Even if you just act ‘as if’ these things are true, even if you have some doubts, you can increase your level of happiness.
These are the five major points that author of Laugh Your Way to Happiness, Lesley Lyle covers in her ‘happiness coach’ course with her clients. “Many of them are surprised to discover that the ‘coach’ is not me but a metaphor for their own journey to happiness. They are the driver of their own coach, they decide on the route, whom they invite to share their journey and how much baggage they bring.
First of all, though, they have to get on board, sit in the driving seat and take control. There is no point in them just sitting there and wishing that they were somewhere else. They have to take action and accept total responsibility for their own journey. Making mistakes, going in the wrong direction or stalling is not a problem; anyone can get back on track. Perhaps I am like the sat nav, suggesting directions if they are lost and reminding them that there are lots of other routes than just one. After a while, a sat nav is no longer necessary because the driver is able to use his or her own instinct and sense of direction to know which way is best.”
As Buddha says: There is no path to happiness: happiness is the path
Happiness is a choice, but in order to make the right choice, you need to have the right information, intention, motivation and commitment. If you have been chasing happiness in the wrong places, or waiting for it come to you, then the good news is that happiness is already present if you look in the right places. Once you discover what makes you happy, and what does not, you can make some simple changes and adopt new behaviours that soon become a new habit.
No one can say exactly what activities will bring you happiness, but simple acts like being grateful, helping others, connecting with friends and family and pursuing meaningful activities have been shown to be common to people who describe themselves as happy. These are things that are almost always available to us, regardless of our circumstances. Once we know what will truly make us happy, we can take action to ensure we include it in our lives.
This is a book that will delight, as well as inform – most importantly, it will positively change your life.
Laugh Your Way to Happiness by Lesley Lyle
256 pages • Paperback • £8.99
A kale breakfast juice recipe that actually tastes great!
Kale juice recipes promise so much nutritionally, but rarely deliver on taste! Try this ‘Lean Green’ breakfast juice recipe from Crussh, though, and you can have something that tastes great and is good for you
‘Lean Green is probably the tastiest juice you’ll come across that’s made with kale. Kale is packed so full of nutrients that we’ve always wanted to find a way to make it taste good in a juice. For us, the combination of the kiwi and pineapple balance out the metallic nature of the kale and spinach. This is a fantastic breakfast juice to get you going first thing in the morning.’
Lean Green Kale Juice Recipe
2 green apples, quartered and stems removed
1 handful of baby spinach leaves
1 handful of kale
1 pear, quartered and stem removed
2 pieces (about 2.5cm/1in cubes) peeled pineapple
1 kiwi, peeled and halved
1. Put all the ingredients through an electric juicer.
2. Stir the juices together and serve immediately.
Here’s the healthy bit…
You’ll find vitamins B1, B2, B6, C, beta-carotene, copper, magnesium, manganese, and potassium with plenty of vitamins B3, B5, B7, folic acid, calcium, and iron. Lean Green also contains vitamins E and K, zinc, flavonoids and iodine!
Crussh is the UK’s fastest growing chain of juice bars. Avoiding additives, preservatives, GM foods, salt and sugar, they use the best natural and organic ingredients whenever possible. They have worked hard to perfect their recipes and now, for the first time, they are ready to share them. The book is divided into three chapters – ‘Juices’, ‘Smoothies’ and ‘Boosters’.
“Here they share their secrets for the very first time”
Crussh: Juices, Smoothies and Boosters
176 pages • Illustrated • £14.99
AUS $27.99 NZ $32.00
£7.99 l Buy the e-book now!
Easy Gujarati Vegetable Curry with Chickpea Rice
John Gregory-Smith’s easy vegetable curry recipe is quick to prepare, but still packs flavour. In fact, this magnificent curry can be made well in advance. Simply make the sauce and cook it without adding any of the vegetables. Cook the vegetables, then refresh them under cold water. When you want to eat, reheat the sauce and add the vegetables. Cook until the veg have warmed through, then serve.
Quick and Easy Gujarati Vegetable Curry with Chickpea Rice
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 35 minutes
250g/9oz/1¼ cups basmati rice
400g/14oz/scant 2 cups tinned chickpeas
1 onion
2 tbsp groundnut oil
2.5cm/1in piece fresh root ginger
6 garlic cloves
4 tomatoes
85g/3oz/heaped ½ cup cashew nuts
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garam masala
½ tsp chilli powder
½ tsp turmeric
400g/14oz new potatoes
3 carrots
1 small cauliflower
200g/7oz green beans
1 handful of coriander leaves
sea salt
1. Cook the rice in boiling water for 10–12 minutes until soft, or as directed on the packet. Drain and rinse the chickpeas in a colander. In the same colander, drain the rice then tip the rice and chickpeas back into the pan. Cover the pan with a clean tea towel and then the lid. Leave to one side so that the rice can fluff up ready to eat.
2. Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the onion. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and add the onion. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden.
3. Peel the ginger and garlic, then place both into a blender or food processor with the tomatoes, 55g/2oz/heaped ⅓ cup of the cashew nuts, the ground coriander, cumin, garam masala, chilli powder, turmeric and a good pinch of salt. Blend until smooth. Pour this mixture over the cooked onion, mix well and bring to the boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Cut the potatoes into quarters while the sauce cooks. Cook them in a saucepan of boiling water for 8 minutes. Peel the carrots, then cut them, with the cauliflower, into small pieces. Cut the beans in half. Add the vegetables to the potatoes and cook for 5–6 minutes until tender, then drain. Roughly chop the coriander. Mix the vegetables into the sauce. Serve the curry and rice, sprinkled with coriander and cashew nuts.
In his latest book Mighty Spice Express ‘Spice master’ John Gregory-Smith shows how exciting food – inspired by street stalls all over the world – can be prepared with lightning speed. With inspiration from Asia, South America, North Africa and the Middle East, John has done the thinking for you and created recipes that are full of brilliant time-saving techniques and shortcuts.
“Fast, fresh and full-on flavours from street foods to the spectacular”
Mighty Spice Express by John Gregory-Smith
224 pages • Illustrated • £20.00
AUS $32.99 NZ $42.00
7 Reasons Why You Should Be More Assertive
Being more assertive can be a scary prospect. It’s easy to think “If I’m assertive, won’t everyone thing I’m overbearing and pushy?” Or “What if it leads to conflict and arguments?”
Don’t worry, being assertive doesn’t have to mean that you become a bully. Being assertive means that you can get what you want by communicating in a confident but considerate way that doesn’t hurt, annoy or diminish others. That’s smart assertiveness for the modern woman; being graceful, witty, stylish and (above all) being heard.
Not convinced? Here’s 7 reasons why you should be more assertive from personal development coach Mary Hartley.
7 Reasons Why You Should Be More Assertive
- Assertiveness is a way of behaving and communicating that is based on acceptance of oneself and of other people. It demonstrates confidence without being overconfident, and self-control without trying to control others.
- It shows you respect yourself and you respect other people as well – in fact, you respect others too much to play games with them or to patronise them by assuming they cannot take dissent or disagreement.
- When you behave assertively, you are open and honest without hurting or diminishing others. You put forward your opinions and needs without putting yourself up on centre stage.
- This behaviour is smart because it shows a high degree of self-awareness and self-knowledge and a willingness to engage honestly with other people. You know that there is nothing to lose and everything to gain from being open and upfront. You are not scared to put yourself out there.
- We are all social beings and other people’s opinion and perception of you matter but you are at the stage in life, either in years or mentality or both, where you can take responsibility for yourself. You are not cowed into behaving in certain ways because you worry what someone will think of you because you are confident enough to be true to yourself.
- You acknowledge and own your feelings without trying to place the responsibility or blame for them on to other people.
- Being assertive enables you to live a grown-up life, with all the challenges, enjoyments and contradictions that may involve.
And you can do it with style!
Want to make voice heard today? Try Mary’s ‘stuck record technique’ and learn how persistence can pay off!
And you can find lots more practical exercises and examples from Mary in The Smart Girl’s Guide to Getting What You Want. Mary is a writer and personal development coach who leads workshops and training courses. Packed with humour, it is a book you will want to treasure and turn to time and time again.
The Smart Girl’s Guide to Getting What You Want
256 pages • Illustrated • £7.99
AUS $16.99 NZ $21.00
£7.99 | Order the book now!