Serves 4

Adding lemon gives a great fresh zing to the traditional Brusselsprouts. Prepare the Brussels in advance and have all the ingredients to hand and this should be easy and time saving on the day itself. 

250g Brusselsprouts, halved and blanched
4 slices smoked Irish bacon, cut into lardons
2 garlic cloves, diced
100ml vegetable stock
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 tbsp toasted pinenuts

1. To blanched, place the Brusselsprouts into rapidly boiling water for about 7 – 8 minutes until just tender, take out and immerse into cold water with ice. Then strain well.
2. Heat a large wok or frying pan and add the smoked bacon lardons and fry until crispy.
3. Add the garlic and fry on a high heat for about 30 seconds.
4. Toss in the blanched Brusselsprouts, lemon zest and stock
5. Stir fry for about 2 – 3 minutes.
6. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Sprinkle over the pine nuts and serve.
Tip:  For a vegetarian option, omit the pancetta and add 100g fresh beans, chop the ends, blanch for a minute or so.   

Serves 4

This can be prepared a day ahead. Serve with roasted onions and buttered chestnuts or even a spicy pear compote or relish. It is delicious served just warm with apricot glazed ham on St Stephens Day. 

½ tsp ground cumin
A pinch ground cloves
½ tsp mixed spice
1 red onion, thinly sliced
½ orange, zest and juice
1 cinnamon stick
1 red cabbage, core removed and thinly sliced
3 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp Marsala (optional)
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
100g fresh cranberries, washed
2 tbsp butter
Salt & pepper to season

1. Add the spices to a dry saucepan and heat gently for 30 seconds until aromatic.
2. Add the butter to the saucepan, toss in the onion and sauté over a low heat until softened but not coloured.
3. Stir in the cinnamon stick, orange zest and juice, cabbage, sugar, Marsala and red wine vinegar.
4. Cover and allow to simmer very gently for about 45 minutes, stirring from time to time.  Add the cranberries during the last 15 minutes of cooking time with a little extra orange juice and / or sugar to taste. Season with salt and pepper as required.
Tip: Add 2 diced red apples during the last 10 minutes of the cooking time instead of the cranberries for a non Christmas version

There’s a lot of attention given to foods that may help boost our immune systems. Sometimes they are referred to as ‘Superfoods’. While there’s no legal definition of a Superfood, scientific research has discovered many beneficial nutrients in certain ‘everyday’ foods we enjoy. One of these is Brocolli.

Apparently the word broccoli comes from the Italian plural of broccolo, which refers to “the flowering top of a cabbage. I suppose they looks somewhat similar, so it’s probably no surprise to you that broccoli  shares many of the health benefits attributed to other cruciferous vegetables like kale and cabbage.

A fully functioning immune system is one of the most vital aspects of a healthy body, helping to prevent and combat disease. However in many people, the immune system does not function as effectively as it should.

Exposure to potentially toxic substances in food, water, air, dietary deficiencies, use of prescription and over-the-counter medications, and other lifestyle practices can result in a level of oxidative stress to our bodies that prompt our inflammatory system to work in overdrive.

In some people this combination of inadequate detoxification, chronic inflammation and oxidative stress put them at greater risk for developing cancer.

Broccoli, out of all vegetables, stands out as the most concentrated source of the antioxidants vitamin C, and carotenoids lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene.

The unique combination of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and detoxification components in broccoli make it a pretty interesting food in terms of cancer research. Studies are strongest in showing decreased risk of prostate cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, bladder cancer, and ovarian cancer.

Recent research has also provided us with a much better idea about the amount of broccoli that we need to lower our cancer risk. At the lower end of the spectrum, it looks like just a 1/2 cup of broccoli per day (only 22 calories) is enough to provide some measurable benefits. Few people have broccoli on a daily basis. But a 2 cup serving twice a week would still meet this minimum average amount. It’s good to remind ourselves how little this amount actually is, within the context of our week’s food.

So dig out your favourite broccoli recipe and get cooking!

Carrots
I love carrots, raw or cooked! For years, I was under the impression raw carrots must surely be of greater nutritional value, than steamed or boiled carrots – even if you boil them in a minimum amount of water, for a minimum amount of time.  I was WRONG, it seems!
‘An experiment carried out at the Institute of Food Research in 2009 showed that the body can absorb about 5% of the beta carotene from a single carrot, whereas when it is boiled, the carrot released 60% and blended and then boiled a whopping 90%!’ according to the Carrot Museum. For any of you who like carrots, you might be interested in discovering more about them. Their history, cultivation, nutrition and general trivia is all up for scrutiny with the click of a mouse – www.carrotmuseum.com has countless pages on the power of the carrot!
For instance, it looks at how adding a little fat can enhance the goodness of carrots in salad. It seems that an olive oil based dressing is not just good for flavour, but good for health too. Research from Ohio State University found that beta-carotene was absorbed when a fresh salad (consisting of carrots, romaine lettuce, spinach and cherry tomatoes) was eaten with full-fat salad dressing compared with fat-free salad dressing – beta carotene is soluble in fat (oil), not in water!
Although The Carrot Museum site states that it does not recommend self-diagnosis or self-medication and that ‘the information contained in this web site has not been verified for correctness’, it’s nevertheless an interesting read.
I think we can certainly stand over some nutritional facts about carrots as summarised in my paragraph below, while others may be a little more than enthusiastic in attributing nutrition and health related virtues to the carrot.
Seven reasons to like carrots
Carrots, like most fruit and vegetables, are relatively low in calories.  An 80g serving of cooked carrots contains approximately 24 calories, making them a good addition to your dinner plate, if you’re watching your weight.
Carrots are naturally low in fat and more importantly they are low in saturated fat (the kind that’s not so healthy for our hearts). An 80g serving of cooked carrots contains approx 0.3g of total fat (of that 0.1g is saturated fat).
Carrots count towards your five-a-day. Like most veg,  80g is an average serving . You can enjoy them fresh or  frozen- even the canned carrot counts nutritionally (but for me they are sadly lacking in texture and flavour that I’d prefer to choose another fresh veg rather than resort to tinned carrots). Serve them as a side dish, cooked in a soup or stew, raw in a salad or made into a juice.
Carrots are naturally low in salt too. To stay healthy and reduce your risk of getting high blood pressure, the best approach to salt is to avoid adding it at the table or when cooking. The target is to encourage people to consume no more than 6g of salt a day – which is pretty difficult as there is a lot of hidden and added salt when food is processed.  An 80g serving of cooked carrots contains just 0.1g salt, providing you haven’t added salt to the cooking water.
Carrots contain fibre, which helps keep the digestive system healthy and helps balance blood sugar levels. Fibre also helps you to feel fuller for longer so you find it easier to maintain your weight. An 80g serving of cooked carrots contains approx 2g fibre – about a tenth of the recommended daily amount for adults.
Carrots are packed with a nutrient called beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A by the body. In fact an 80g serving of cooked carrots contains more than twice the recommended daily amount (RDA) of vitamin A equivalent needed by adults. Vitamin A plays a part in many important bodily functions, such as:
• Vision
• Immune function
• Embryonic development and reproduction
• Bone health
• Skin health

Carrots help to keep your immune system strong. Vitamin A helps keep the skin and cells that line the airways, digestive tract and urinary tract healthy, so they act as barriers and form the body’s first line of defence against infection.

Spicy Parsnip and Carrot Soup
Serves 4

We all need a little spiciness to warm us up, especially after going for those wonderful inspirational autumnal forest walks – I often create new recipes while walking!. This soup freezes very well in batches as well.   

2 onions, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely sliced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
5 parsnips, peeled and diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 – 3 tsp medium curry paste (depending how spicy your want the soup!)
1.2litres chicken stock
Salt and ground black pepper
4 tbsp cream

Olive oil or butter

Sprigs of coriander for garnishing
Cream  

1. Melt a little butter or heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onions and cook over a medium heat stirring occasionally for about 6 minutes or until the onions are softened. Add the garlic and simmer for a further 2 minutes. Stir in the ground cumin and coriander and gently cook for another 1 – 2 minutes.
2. Add the parsnips and carrots, stir until thoroughly coated with butter, then stir in the curry paste followed by the stock.
3. Cover the pan and lower the heat. Allow to simmer for about 15 – 20 minutes or until the parsnips and carrots are tender.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool slightly.
5. Pour the soup into a blender and mix until smooth (or use the hand blender).  Return the soup to the rinsed saucepan.  Season to taste, stir in the cream and gently reheat.
6. Serve in warm bowls topped with swirls of cream and garnish with sprigs of coriander.

Tip:  Use 2 celeriac instead of the parsnips and carrots and sprinkle 1 tbsp crispy bacon over the top of each bowl. 

Autumn is the time when the best selection of fresh fruit and fruit and vegetable are available to harvest. All the different berry crops are in fruit, salads are available and there’s a full selection of leafy vegetables and root crops available. At the moment, I’m over in New Zealand helping Ireland to harvest a World Cup (I hope!).
As we all head for winter, there’s never been a better time to boost your immunity with the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are freely available in fresh fruit and vegetables. The fresher they are, the higher the vitamin content, so choose local produce whenever you can.

We have a number of coaches with us on the trip, the head coach, defence coach, scrum coach, and many others including a nutritional coach. Her strategy for us in terms of staying healthy is to eat as much fresh fruit and vegetables as possible.
Broccoli is one of my favourite vegetables, and I like to dress it up a bit by sprinkling lemon juice and sesame seeds over steamed broccoli as a side dish with a main meal. I’m a fan of carrots as a healthy snack.  I also like adding raw broccoli and cauliflower to salads.
Keep up with the healthy eating, and I’ll let you know how I get on in New Zealand

August can be the best of the summer weather with long evenings and warm clear days. The long evenings are a perfect excuse to fire up the barbeque and use it to incorporate your 5 a day.  One of the great things about this time of year is that lots of local produce are in season right now and they all go great with barbequed food. In particular onions, peppers, cherry tomatoes, courgettes, mushrooms and aubergines all taste delicious char grilled or in a salad.  My favourite way to eat them is char grilled on a skewer; you can try different combinations of vegetables, haloumi cheese or even chicken for extra flavour.
Vegetables not only taste delicious but have huge health benefits too; they contain high levels of vitamins, minerals, nutrients, fibre and antioxidants, all essentials in the efficient functioning of the body. The immune systems benefits as well from a diet rich in vegetables. They also improve sleeping patterns which leads to better concentration, which will help me with my on pitch performance.  These are the kinds of foods that I’ve been eating to keep me healthy and helped me secure a place on the plane to New Zealand!
Fruit and vegetables are low in calories too, so they are a healthy tasty addition to any barbeque meal. If you need inspiration Catherine Fulvio has some great recipe ideas for you to check out!

What is it that makes a meal cooked outdoors so much more appetising? I just love the spaciousness and expansiveness of the sky! Of course attempting to eat outside can sometimes feel like wicked intemperance. But you can’t beat the waft of a sizzling steak and the smell of freshly cut grass, despite our sometimes uncooperative Irish weather.
There is definitely something about cooking outdoors that makes it more of a shared experience too. Everyone seems willing to do a stint of turning with the tongs – help that is rarely offered in the kitchen! And of course the barbecue itself doesn’t have to be a terribly sophisticated piece of equipment, a simple grill will do. It’s far better to focus on foods and ingredients which lend quality, freshness and great taste to the eating experience.
Don’t forget to buy some skewers – that way you can add a rainbow of colour to your plate – peppers, whole cherry tomatoes and chunks of sugar snap peas. Key barbeque in-season vegetables such as courgettes, red onion, aubergines and mushrooms and some dark green leaves can transform your side salads into mainstream colourful crunchy nutrient-packed delights. Perfect with your beef steak or your chargrilled fish.
So as we face into the last few weeks before back-to-school, what could be better than chilling out doors with family and friends with some really good food. You can barbecue almost any food you like, even cheese like halloumi. It’s a lower fat cheese that keeps its shape when cooked so it’s ideal. If you’re having chicken, try marinating chopped up pieces in some natural yogurt with a little curry paste, then thread them onto skewers with some vegetables like red onion and courgette.
Just a little word of caution – over cooking and charring your food can make it unhealthy. You can avoid this problem by using marinades, especially on your meat. Here are a couple of my favourites.

Tikka Marinade
• 2 tablespoons natural yoghurt
• 1 teaspoon tikka paste
• 2 tablespoons chopped coriander
Mix the yoghurt with the tikka paste and add some chopped or whole chicken fillets and half of the coriander, making sure all the chicken is coated in the marinade. Leave in the fridge for at least one hour, or overnight, then cook on the barbecue. Sprinkle the remainder of the chopped coriander over the dish when cooked.
Lemony Mediterranean Marinade
• Juice and grated rind of 1 lemon
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 stem chopped fresh rosemary
Mix together all the ingredients. Marinate your chicken for up to 12 hours and fish for just 1 hour before you barbecue.
Fennel, rocket and cherry tomatoes with barbecued sardines  (for 4)
Sardines are oil rich, making them ideal for the barbecue.
 4 good sized sardines
 1 bulb fennel, sliced thinly as possible
 Fresh thyme , a few sprigs
 2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
 4 small bunches cherry tomatoes on the vine
 Olive oil
 4 slices thick crusty bread , toasted to serve
 Wild rocket for four
 Squeeze of fresh lemon juice

When the barbecue is ready lay the sardines on the rack and season with thyme and garlic. Lay the tomatoes on top. Drizzle with a little more oil and grill for 4-6 minutes, until cooked through.
Place the sliced fennel in a bowl of iced water and leave to soak for 10 minutes to crisp up.
Put the crusty bread on plates and top with the sardines and tomatoes when cooked. Drain the fennel well and toss in a bowl with the rocket, lemon juice, 4 tbsp olive oil and some seasoning. Serve with the sardines.
Just a few food safety tips for the barbecue this summer……..
Barbecuing is a quick and tasty way to cook when the weather is warm, but it’s important to follow a few simple rules to ensure your food stays safe and healthy.
 Poultry, pork and your homemade burgers should be cooked until they are piping hot all the way through, with no pink meat left and until the juices run clear. This is because these types of meat can contain harmful bacteria throughout, so they must be cooked thoroughly to make them safe.

 To ensure your meat is thoroughly cooked, cook meat indoors in and finish it off on the barbecue for added flavour.

 When you reheat food on the barbecue, always make sure it’s piping hot all the way through before serving.

 Never put cooked food on a plate or surface that has been used for raw meat or fish.

 Don’t add sauce or marinade to cooked food if it has already been used to marinate raw meat or fish.

BBQ Portobello Mushrooms and Red pepper Wedges with a Broad Bean Pesto
Serves 4

I just love vegetables chargrilled. You will be so surprised how many different vegetables can be used. Try using courgettes and aubergines sliced diagonally and grilled, place in a soft wholewheat roll with lots of your favourite salad leaves to enjoy a veg burger that is quick.  BBQ beetroot wedges are also delicious with an orange tarragon dressing served with a lovely summery glass of wine. 
 
For the pesto
150g fresh broad beans
2 garlic cloves
8 large basil leaves
4 tbsp parmesan, grated
½ lemon, juice and zest
100ml olive oil, extra virgin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

for the marinade
1 lemon, juice and zest
1 tbsp butter, melted
 1 ½ tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp chives, chopped
3 tbsp olive oil

4 red peppers, sliced lengthways into wedges
4 Portobello mushrooms, stems remove, brushed to clean
8 tsp broad bean pesto (recipe above)
4 generous slices mozzarella

1. Blend all the pesto ingredients in a food processor until a fairly smooth paste is formed.  Check for seasoning, you may need to add a little freshly ground black pepper.  If the pesto seems too thick, loosen with more extra virgin oil.
2. For the marinade, combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl.
3. Preheat the BBQ to a medium heat.
4. Brush the mushrooms and peppers slices generously with the marinade and place on the BBQ cut side down.
5. Grill for about 3 – 4 minutes and turn over.
6. Then place 2 tsp of the pesto into the mushrooms and top with the mozzarella.  Place the BBQ cover down and allow the cheese to melt.  This should take about 3-4 minutes. Meantime, when cooked, remove the peppers and set aside.
7. Place the mushrooms in the centre of a large serving platter, arrange the peppers slices around the edges.  Drizzle over the pesto and serve immediately with slices of warm ciabatta. 

Tip: Roughly dice the peppers and thread cap mushrooms and bay leaves onto a skewer, brush with the marinade and BBQ for an alternative.  Just remember to soak the skewers if using wooden ones.

New figures from Bord Bia show that fruit and vegetables purchases by consumers have increased – Fresh Produce Retail Market valued at €1.19 billion

Rugby Ace and Best in Season Ambassador Tommy Bowe encourages kid’s to score “5” this Autumn

19th August 2011:

Figures released today by Bord Bia show that the retail value of the sales of fruit and vegetables to Irish consumers have increased. The annual value of the total retail fresh produce market was €1.196 billion in June 2011, up 4.2% on the value to June 2010. The total volume of produce purchased over the same period saw an increase of 2.4%.

The figures released today by Bord Bia demonstrate that consumers are buying more fruit and vegetables but also serve as a reminder of the strong nutritional benefits of fruit and vegetables as part of a balanced diet and the importance of consuming the recommended 5 or more daily portions of fruit and vegetables . As the holiday season comes to an end and kids and adults re adjust to the back to school routine achieving 5 a day not only contributes to overall health but helps to improve sleeping patterns which leads to better concentration.

Mike Neary, Bord Bia, commented, “Ensuring that you eat your recommended daily portions of fruit and vegetables is an essential part of a healthy diet. This time of year, a lot of fruit and vegetables come into season so fresh local produce is in plentiful supply. There’s no better time than now to increase your daily intake by trying different types of tasty fruit and vegetables. The start of the new school year and the end of the holiday season is a perfect opportunity to get into the habit of adding fresh fruit and vegetables to the kids lunchboxes!”

While consumers are buying more fresh produce, according to the recent National Health Nutrition Survey by IUNA Irish adults are still not getting the full daily intake of fruit and vegetables as recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Fruit and vegetables are consumed daily but not at the level that they should be the average Irish adult is currently consuming approximately half the daily recommended amount.

Irish Rugby player and Best in Season ambassador Tommy Bowe believes that consuming 5 portions of fruit and veggetables a day is essential. “By having to watch what I eat I know all the different types of fruit and vegetables and the contribution each makes to a healthy balanced diet and ultimately a fit body. One way I try to pack more in is by snacking on ready to eat produce like apples, cherry tomatoes and even carrot sticks. I actually have to have more than five portions a day – especially if I want to secure a place on the plane to New Zealand!”

5 facts about your 5-a-day you may not have known

Fruit and Vegetables:

• Contain high levels of vitamins, minerals, nutrients, fibres and antioxidants, all essential in the efficient functioning of the body.

• Are low in fat, calories and salt; eating them helps maintain a healthy heart and weight.

• Contain fibre which help you feel full for longer.

• Contain lots of water which is essential for the body

• Portion Size is equivalent to one medium apple; one medium tomato or 4 heaped teaspoons of green vegetables.

As with all fruit and vegetables, they taste their best and are at their most nutritious when they are in season, and Bord Bia’s Best in Season website www.bestinseason.ie tells you when is the best time of year to be able to purchase fresh and tasty produce.