We were delighted to run our series of online events to celebrate The Sligo Food Trails 5th anniversary. We invited members, Grainne Gilmartion of Sligo Wellness Centre, Anthony Gray of Eala Bhán Restaurant and Hooked and Dr. Prannie Rhatigan of Irish Seaweed Kitchen to share with us some wonderful recipes.
Breakfast Recipes for “Teenage Brains” with Grainne Gilmartin from Sligo Wellness Centre
CHIA PUDDING
Ingredients
60g chia seeds
400ml unsweetened almond milk
3tbsp cacao powder
2tbsp maple syrup
Half tsp vanilla extract
Cacao nibs
Handful of frozen berries
Method
Put all the ingredients in a large bowl with a pinch of salt.
Mix well.
Cover + leave to soak.
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OVERNIGHT OATS
Ingredients
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup oats
1 and half tbsp chia seed
Drizzle of maple syrup
Chopped fruit
Shredded coconut
Method
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.
Leave to soak.
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BERRY SMOOTHIE
Ingredients
250ml coconut milk
1 cup frozen berries
1 banana
1 tbsp dried goji berries
1 tsp chia seeds
Ice
Method
Mix all the ingredients in a blender!
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SUGAR-FREE CREPES
Ingredients
150 g plain flour
325 ml cow or alternative milk
1 large egg
35 ml sunflower oil
Method
Mix all the ingredients in a blender (or mix by hand in large bowl).
Fry on a non-stick pan in some oil.
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NUT BUTTER TOAST
Sourdough, wholemeal or oat bread toasted
Peanut butter
Chopped Banana
Cook along with Anthony Gray and make his delicious ‘DIY Lockdown Smashed Burgers’
Sligo’s seaweed queen, Dr. Prannie Rhatigan, Irish Seaweed Kitchen presents ‘Seaweed the Superfood’
Basic green smoothie with seaweed
Smoothies taste great, are easy to make, and give you a great green boost in one glass. Start small, and increase the green and seaweed content as you progress. There are endless possibilities and with a little experimentation you can custom-make your own.
About 15cm (6 inch) piece Alaria rinsed, snipped finely and soaked overnight in just enough water to cover, or 1 teaspoon, dried and ground.
1 banana chilled or else peeled, chopped and frozen overnight, or 2 chilled pears
¼ pineapple, including core, chopped
300 ml (½ pint) cold water
6 large green leaves, well washed
A little local honey or agave to sweeten if needed
Put everything, including the soak water into a blender and blend until smooth.
It is important to vary the ingredients in the recipe, choosing small amounts from a wide variety. Have a look at my version for a list of favourite ingredients.
Freshly made is best but the smoothie will keep if covered and kept refridgerated.
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My Addictive Green Smoothie with Seaweed -Advanced
This is our breakfast. Power-packed full of seaweed, fruit and vegetables, this smoothie keeps us energised and hunger at bay until lunchtime and beyond.
Already popular with many food conscious celebrities, smoothies taste great and this seaweed version packs a major nutrient punch from land and sea sources.
Prepare the smoothie every second day if pressed for time and store, covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Remember to soak the seaweed the night before. If you have forgotten then soak it for at least 10 minutes in the morning.
If you do not enjoy icy cold drinks, then use fresh ripe bananas or other fruit.
It can take you 20 minutes or longer to drink/ eat the smoothie and you will need a spoon if it is thick. Put it into a container with a lid if you are on the move. Don’t rush it!
Yield 1 ½ -2 litres using a Vitaprep blender with a 2 litre jug. Adjust the quantities to suit your blender jug
Seaweed used: Alaria
About 6g (¼oz) dried Alaria, rinsed and soaked in a cup of cold water overnight.
Juice: 250ml (8fl oz) blueberry juice or juice from 2-3 ruby grapefruit, or apple juice
Seasonal greens: 4 handfuls, choose from spinach, chard, 1-2 dandelion leaves, beet greens, young nettle tops in spring, 1-2 leaves of kale, lettuce, rocket, collard greens
Herbs: a sprig of mint, lemon balm, coriander or fennel. Hedgerow herbs when in season.
Fruit: ¼ ripe pineapple, core included or a handful of frozen berries or half an apple.
and
2-3 frozen or fresh bananas, or 3-4 pears.
Spices/seeds: 1 inch of ginger. Ground hemp and flax seeds.
Optional extras: a shake of cocoa nibs, bee pollen
To sweeten if necessary: a dash of local honey or agave
Two things to remember: Use produce in season and always vary the ingredients.
1 Pour the soaking water from the Alaria into a blender. Chop the Alaria roughly and add to the blender with the juice and pineapple. Blend on high before adding the rest of the ingredients.
2 Gradually add all the greens and fruit leaving the chopped bananas until the end. Add more water or juice if you like. Taste while it is still in the blender so you can adjust the flavour. If the smoothie is too bitter add a little more banana or a small amount of local honey or agave.
Cook’s tip: to freeze bananas pack them into a plastic container that will hold three bananas and slice into 1cm (½ inch) pieces. Freeze until required. Frozen bananas make the smoothie thick.
Fact box
To encourage you to use both land vegetables and seaweeds and get the maximum benefit from both:
“The important thing about seaweeds is that they are just not land plants…they have so much more to offer with specific components such as; alginates, fucoidans, laminarins, fucoxanthines, phyto-defensive compounds, and specific lipids…all of which just don’t occur in land plants and each of which to date has shown strong anti cancer properties. So to reduce seaweeds to land plant minerals, vitamins, proteins and carbohydrates is to overlook their richness and potential value.
…they aren’t just some land plant that is weird and grows in the water.” Jane Teas, PhD, Cancer Researcher
Fact box
Research has shown that seaweeds have an apoptotic effect on cancer cells. This means that they cause cancer cells to die while otherwise protecting normal healthy cells.
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Red resolution new year smoothie
Your ultimate blend of seaweed, strength and sweetness.
Seaweed used: dried seaweed blend
Serves 2–3 full glasses or 15 shots
Yields 550mls (191⁄2 fl oz)
150g (5oz) 1 medium raw beetroot, roughly chopped if you have a powerful blender, otherwise diced
2 – 3 beet top leaves, if attached, washed
225g (8oz) 1 large pear, roughly chopped
1 rounded teaspoon dried seaweed blend
1 rounded teaspoon raw cacao powder
1 small stick celery, roughly chopped
1 rounded teaspoon (small knob) of ginger, finely sliced, (optional)
200ml (7 fl oz) ice cold water
1 Place all the ingredients into a smoothie maker or blender and blitz until all ingredients are liquidised. A hand blender or food processor will also work.
2 Check there are no ‘bits’.
3 Pour into glasses and serve immediately or refrigerate for 24 hours maximum.
Enjoy!
