Keeping it healthy

It is always difficult to come back from an experience like bootcamp and figure out how to put that regime into your lifestyle. For me it was not about the food, rather the exercise regime and that is challenging when you juggle a full time job and life in London.

Given the amount that I can fit into my week, I have to be even more aware of healthy eating and this is something that we have been pondering at work too. It is always great to be surrounded by like minded people at work who are interested in the same things as you and we certainly are that…a group of interested food aficionados who can quite easily pass the time of day away debating which spice goes into a carrot salad or which grain is going to capture the trend forecasters next. Puffed buckwheat has taken up quite some time earlier on in the year and now we are fine tuning a roast carrot salad that I was keen to get going as it is a great season with the Chantenays here at the moment and it will be fabulous colour for our counter.

This weekend I was inspired, as I normally am, by ideas coming from Mrs C-A. She is such a great cook working with flavour but generally keeping it healthy and her pinterest board is a good one to follow. I was greeted with this pin this morning which inspired me to get into the kitchen and give it a go. The website was full of great ideas and this recipe was just one that I wanted to try.

Roasted root veg are perfect at this time of year but it can get a little dull just serving as is so how can you bring an added zing? This is always a challenge with healthy food: how to add flavour without bringing in lots of fat or salt. Well this recipe had a green sauce suggestion that they call a pesto but whatever the name, it certainly took the dish to new levels and gave a tangy dressing that will be very useful in the fridge.

As suggested, I kept the veg chunky picking celeriac, courgette, squash, red onion, sweet potato and beetroot. I kept the beets in one corner of the tin to avoid bleeding onto the other veg which worked a treat and doused it all in chilli salt rather than just salt. I didn’t bother with the cavolo nero this time simply because I had plenty already but will try that trick another day.

The ‘pesto’ was definitely more sauce vierge and for a fresh kick I mixed the parsley with added basil and used the roasting oil in the mix too once it had cooled. I also substituted wholewheat bulgar for the polenta which is personal preference although the nuttiness added another earthy flavour which I enjoyed.

So thank you Mrs C-A…this was a meal fit for kings and one which is now packed up in my lunchbox with a couple of pieces of feta for a midday feast tomorrow. See you there.