SHOPPING Di's objects of desire ME AND MY WARDROBE Kate ...

February 2004 Online: www.thisisthenortheast.co.uk
19
Spring seems as far off as
ever, with terrible weather
and dark days leaving
many of us feeling
lethargic, or picking up
every bug around. But in
her new book, Bodyfoods
For Busy People,
nutritionist Jane Clarke
has tips on what to eat to
keep you active and
mentally fit. JONATHAN
DALEY reports
Give yourself a boost
SPRING seems as far off as
ever, with terrible weather
and dark days leaving most
of us feeling lethargic, or
picking up every bug
around. For most busy people though,
trying to eat well, on top of coping with
stress and illness, is just too complicated.
But celebrated nutritionist Jane
Clarke believes that a certain diet and
eating plan can combat the unhealthy
effects of a hectic lifestyle.
‘‘Leading a frantically busy life takes
its toll on our bodies in the form of digestive
problems, headaches, disrupted
sleep patterns and even bad-hair days,’’
says Clarke. ‘‘It’s my aim to help people
nurture and soothe their bodies with the
food they eat and drink.’’
Bodyfoods For Busy People, the fifth
book in Clarke’s Bodyfoods series, sets
out how to boost your spirits and immune
system, without complicated culinary
expertise. Divided into four categories:
basics, practicalities, therapies
and stress-busters, it’s an in-depth digest
of what and how to eat in order to
defy fatigue, stomach trouble, insomnia,
jetlag, hangovers, colds, skin complaints
any many other symptoms of stress.
‘‘The trick to remaining healthy,’’ insists
Clarke, ‘‘is firstly to understand
why your body is sending out hunger
signals, secondly to know which foods
are best to eat in such situations and
thirdly to have those foods to hand.’’
And for each eating principle in the
book, there is a set of simple recipe suggestions
to try.
‘‘You’ll find recipes that can be rustled
up in ten minutes flat, snacks that
will provide instant energy and keep
you focused, and suppers that will relax
and satisfy you when you stagger
through the door at the end of a tiring
day, giving your body the wherewithal
to wake up the next morning feeling
reinvigorated.’’
And she also includes lifestyle tips on
preventing stress.
‘‘I believe that the more you do in little
ways to feel good about your body,
the better you’re likely to treat it when
it comes to eating and drinking.’’
Many of the tips are simple – drinking
plenty of water a day, as well as eating
fresh fruit and vegetables – while others
may be less obvious, like adding herbs
and spices to food rather than salt. And
there are recipes which can be made in
advance and frozen, such as Lasagne
Verdi Al Forno, to avoid giving in to microwave
meals after a tough day,
If you never eat until late, it’s vital to
choose your foods with care, says
Clarke. Avoid rich, creamy and fried
food, or lots of raw vegetables. A carbohydrate-based
meal, such as a bowl of
pasta, rice with a stir-fry or risotto, will
be easy to digest and leave you feeling
contented and sleepy.
For those who feel tired all the time,
there are foods to tackle chronic fatigue
– she suggests Fig And Date Couscous,
which doesn’t lead to an energy dip after
eating, or Grilled Cinnamon Papaya.
And tackle colds and flu with delicious
salsa – great for giving your tastebuds
a kick, as well as being healthy.
There are recipes for Salsa Verde, Rossa
and Mango Salsa.
Here are a couple of recipes to keep
you going...
STRESS-BUSTING BODYFOODS
MUSHROOM RISOTTO
(serves 4-6)
Risotto may seem a cumbersome meal to
make, but if you have the energy to stand for
20 minutes, you should find that the monotonous
action of stirring acts as a hypnotic
stress-buster. Rice also seems to encourage
the body to produce soporific hormones to
wind us down rather than up.
30g (1oz) dried mushrooms
1 litre chicken stock
30ml (2tbsp) olive oil
30g (1oz) unsalted butter
2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
400g (14oz) Carnaroli or Arborio rice
30g (1oz) Parmesan, freshly grated
Soak the mushrooms in 450ml (16fl oz)
warm water for 30 minutes or until the
water has turned dark. Strain the mushrooms
through a sieve lined with
kitchen paper to remove any dirt, saving
the water. Rinse the mushrooms in
fresh water until they are very clean.
In a saucepan, heat the stock until it
is simmering slowly and steadily. Add
the olive oil and half the butter to a
heavy-bottomed risotto pan and saute
the shallots until soft, but not brown.
Add the rice, stirring until the grains
are well coated, and cook for a couple of
minutes to warm them through. Now
add the stock, a ladle at a time, allowing
the rice to soak up all of the liquid before
adding another ladle. After about
ten minutes, add the reserved mushroom
water, again a ladle at a time, until
it is used up.
Now add the mushrooms, stirring
gently as you continue to add the stock,
until the rice is cooked, but not mushy
– it should retain some texture.
When the rice is cooked, turn off the
heat and add the Parmesan and remaining
butter. Now check the seasoning;
you shouldn’t need to add much sea
salt because the stock is likely to have
been quite salty, but sprinkle over plenty
of black pepper before serving the
risotto immediately.
FOR CHRONIC FATIGUE
GRILLED CINNAMON PAPAYA
(serves 2)
When buying a papaya, sniff it rather
than squeezing it, and if your nose detects
a highly perfumed scent, this is a
sure sign that the fruit is ripe and ready
to eat.
Preheat the grill. Cut one large papaya
in half, from its stem to its base. Remove
and discard all of the brown seeds
and stringy bits and peel off the skin.
Slice the papaya lengthways into long
strips. Arrange the papaya strips on a
lightly oiled baking tray and dust them
with cinnamon. Place the baking tray
under the grill for one to two minutes.
Serve immediately with some creamy
vanilla ice cream or yoghurt and a sprinkling
of toasted coconut.
Bodyfoods For Busy People by Jane Clarke
(Quadrille, £14.99)
food
EATING OUT
THE PARKMORE
HOTEL, EAGLESCLIFFE
THE Parkmore Hotel and Leisure Club
on Yarm Road Eaglescliffe, situated
between Stockton and Yarm, is
extremely popular for weddings,
conferences and all manner of group
celebrations. But how does it compete
when it comes to the quiet meal out where
fierce competition from chic restaurants,
atmospheric bistros and increasingly good
pub fare is forcing all hotels to look to their
laurels? The Parkmore Hotel, built in 1896
as a family home and now owned by the
Reed family, appears to be meeting the
challenge admirably, due no doubt to the
quality of staff such as operations manager
Ben Hunt, holder of the prestigious
membership of The Worshipful Company of
Innholders.
Our Choice
Unable to resist a good prawn salad, I was
delighted with my succulent prawns while
my friend chose smoked haddock and pea
risotto and pronounced it mouthwatering.
Following a complimentary iced sorbet, my
main course, chunk of halibut, baked with
lemon garlic, julienne of vegetables,
pancetta cherry tomatoes, butter and white
wine with Lyonaisse potatoes was truly
mouthwatering. Staying with the fish theme
my friend was equally happy with her tuna
steak, chilli basil, potato rosti, tomato
chutney, buttered broccoli and lemon butter
sauce.
No room for desserts? Pure greed took
over. I had fruits of the forest delice, a
whipped-up wonder with raspberry sauce.
My friend went for the white chocolate rum
cheesecake.
The menu
Other sample menus include for starters:
smoked salmon and prawn timbale with
basil leaves, mussels in white wine and
parsley garlic and cream, wild mushrooms
and bacon glazed with goat’s cheese.
Main courses include braised rump of
beef, glazed vegetables, potato gratin with
claret jus; double entrecote steak stuffed
with prawns, potatoes with roasted root
vegetables; vegetable nut Wellington,
sautéed potatoes, leeks, cherry tomatoes,
and chive butter sauce.
For gorgeous food without the guilt, you
can book a Fit ’n’ Feast which includes a
workout in the gym, use of the swimming
pool and Jacuzzi, and a two course meal
from a varied menu, all for £18.95.
The cost of our three course meal for two
with a bottle of house wine and coffee was
£55.80
Jo Stevens
WIN A LUXURY NIGHT AWAY
The Parkmore Hotel and Leisure Club is at
636 Yarm Road, Eaglescliffe, Stockton on
Tees TS16 ODH. To book call (01642)
786815 or fax (01642) 790485. Email:
enquiries@parkmorehotel.co.uk
The hotel has teamed up with NE Magazine
to offer two people dinner with bottle of
house wine, use of all leisure facilities and
overnight accommodation with breakfast
(offer subject to availability). All you have to
do is tell us which year the Parkmore Hotel
was built. Answers on a postcard or the
back of an envelope to Parkmore Hotel
Competition, Features, The Northern Echo,
Priestgate, Darlington DL1 1NF. The closing
date is the end of the month. Usual
newspaper rules apply.