Healthy nuts and seeds are seen as carb-cutting and a survey on snacking found that 77 per cent of Americans have nuts in their pantries and use them in meals. Unusual and ancient grains such as farro, spelt and kamut (all types of wheat), and amaranth — a seed — are taking the place of rice or pasta in some meals. They contain healthy antioxidants as well as protein and other nutritional goodies.
Fermented foods such as black garlic are "trending". This is a relatively new product here but is a taste sensation many people will enjoy.
Bulbs of Marlborough garlic are given a low-heat treatment in a confined enclosure for 60 days. During that time the sugar levels increase to 60 brix (the sugar level in an aqueous solution), the garlic "ferments" and becomes black.
The texture is soft and smooth (like a soft prune) and the flavour a cross between balsamic vinegar and liquorice.
And if you were thinking the popularity of the gluten-free diet might be waning, think again. It is still trending upwards.
Recipes
Fettuccine with black garlic
• 125g dried fettuccine
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 cup finely sliced fennel bulb
• 50g snow peas, trimmed and sliced diagonally lengthwise
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup cream
• 4-6 cloves black garlic
1. Cook fettuccine according to packet instructions.
2. Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan. Saute shallot until softened. Add fennel and saute for 1-2 minutes. Pour in white wine and simmer until reduced by half.
3. Add snow peas, cook for 1 minute then add tomatoes. Heat until softened. Add cream then black garlic and heat through. Serve over fettuccine.
Roast vegetable & farro salad
• 1 cup (200g) farro
• 2 cups water
• 400g pumpkin
• 1 each: fennel bulb, red onion, green & red capsicums
• 4 large cloves garlic
• 5-6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 cup mixed fresh herbs, eg flat-leaf parsley, mint, coriander
1. Wash farro under cold water. Place in a saucepan with water. Cover and bring to the boil. Simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes or until cooked. The grains should be slightly chewy.
2. Meanwhile, peel and seed pumpkin. Cut into pieces roughly about 3cm x 1cm. Thinly slice fennel bulb. Cut red onion into 8 wedges. Seed and cut capsicums into cubes.
3. Place pumpkin together with garlic, fennel and red onion in a large roasting pan. Drizzle with about 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Season and toss. Roast for about 10 minutes.
4. Turn vegetables over, then add capsicums and roast for a further 10 minutes, until tender.
5. When farro is cooked, drain off any remaining water. Season and toss with lemon juice and a little olive oil.
6. When vegetables are roasted, cool slightly then sprinkle with vinegar and combine with farro. Finely chop herbs and spoon through.
7. Best served at room temperature. Great as is or served with roast chicken.
Gluten-free carrot cake with cream cheese icing
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup grapeseed oil
• 1 cup gluten-free flour mix
• 1/2 tsp each: salt, baking soda
• 1 tsp each: baking powder, ground mixed spice, vanilla essence
• 1 & 1/2 cups coarsely grated carrots
• 1/2 cup sultanas
• Cream cheese icing: 75g cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 & 1/4 cups sifted icing sugar
• 1/4 cup each: sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a 20cm round cake pan with baking paper.
2. Cream sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Beat in oil, until smooth.
3. Combine dry ingredients and sift into wet ingredients. Stir until blended. Stir in vanilla essence, grated carrots and sultanas. Pour into pan.
4. Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
5. Cream icing sugar and cream cheese until smooth. Spread over cold cake. Sprinkle with seeds.
Chicken Kerikeri
• 2 (500g) skinned and boned chicken breasts
• Juice 3 large Kerikeri navel oranges
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 25g butter
• 1 large shallot diced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1/2 red capsicum, diced
• 2-3 Tbsp creme fraiche
1. Cut each chicken breast into 4 long equal pieces and place in a plastic bag. Add orange juice and coat well. Cover and refrigerate for about 4 hours, turning occasionally.
2. Remove chicken, pat dry and season. Reserve juice.
3. Heat butter in a non-stick frying pan. Brown chicken quickly on all sides. Add shallot, garlic and capsicum. Cook for 1 minute. Pour in juice and poach for 5 minutes, until cooked.
4. Place chicken on a warm serving dish. Whisk creme fraiche into pan juices, heat through and spoon over chicken.
