Purcell - Janellas Super Natural Foods

First published in 2014

Copyright Janella Purcell 2014

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. The Australian Copyright Act 1968 (the Act) allows a maximum of one chapter or 10 per cent of this book, whichever is the greater, to be photocopied by any educational institution for its educational purposes provided that the educational institution (or body that administers it) has given a remuneration notice to Copyright Agency (Australia) under the Act.

Allen & Unwin
83 Alexander Street
Crows Nest NSW 2065
Australia
Phone: (61 2)8425 0100
Email:
Web: www.allenandunwin.com

Cataloguing-in-Publication details are available
from the National Library of Australia
www.trove.nla.gov.au

ISBN: 9781743437063 (ebook)

Photography by Heath Missen (www.theleftlane.com.au)
Set in 11/13 pt Bailey Sans ITC by Liz Seymour, Seymour Designs
Colour reproduction by Megan Ellis

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

SUPER NATURAL FOODS FOR PERMANENT AND SUSTAINABLE WELLNESS

Since Janellas Wholefood Kitchen was published in 2012, my travels have been many and varied. And as usual the recipes in this book have found their roots in many different cuisines and cultures Italian, Japanese, Indian, the Middle East and South East Asia and some from our own exciting new way of eating and cooking here in Australia.

Im really excited by different cuisines and look out for different techniques, ingredients and recipes that I can modify into a Janella recipe. When I eat something or watch it being made Im always thinking: Ill just swap the white sugar for coconut palm sugar, the palm oil for coconut oil, the ghee for olive oil, or Ill use beetroot juice instead of food colouring. That way we can still enjoy many of the dishes we have come to love but in an ethical, healthy and environmentally sound way. What could be better than that? No guilt, on any level.

A lot has happened in the world of nutrition since my last book. Coconut is now a health food, raw chocolate is one of the best things you can eat, and green smoothies are the hippest accessory around. But this influx of new information and ingredients also causes a lot of confusion. Add to that the many new diets such as high protein/low carb, or no sugar we read about every day and the information battlefield only increases. Now were second-guessing everything we put into our mouths. No wonder most people dont know whats good for them.

The answer, as always, is Keep It Simple. If we eat food in its natural state and mostly plant food thats a great start. Add to that fermented foods and a few superfoods high in antioxidants and omega 3 fatty acids and youll have achieved a pretty amazing diet.

To ensure your continuing good nutrition, the quantity of processed and refined foods you eat should be reduced if not eliminated altogether, as should trans fatty acids such as margarine and refined vegetable oils.

I spend most of my days working with food and sharing my knowledge with clients in my naturopathic clinics and at demonstrations and events. The importance of sustainability has become a vital and intrinsic part of what I do and say about our eating choices and the growing of our food. Id like to share with you a few examples of how each of us can make a difference.

Palm oil is a crop that has been used extensively in processed food to extend its shelf life. This is at great cost to the wildlife that depends upon the rainforests, which are being destroyed in order to plant palm trees. Because of this, I decided not to buy anything containing palm oil or palm sugar. Palm oil is often described as vegetable oil in the ingredients. Youll find it also in many cosmetics.

Ive definitely seen an increase in digestive problems in my clients and have wondered if its related to the genetically modified (GMO) crops being grown in Australia today. Were now trialling GM wheat, pineapple, papayas, barley and sugarcane. These products have been modified for insect resistance, herbicide tolerance, colour, oil production, sugar composition, flowering and fruit development. Gene technology research is now being conducted in Australia on bananas, rice and corn. Wheat itself is not yet a genetically modified organism, but evidence suggests that other frequently consumed foods such as soy and corn may help explain the recent increase in gluten-related disorders. My advice, and my practice, is to buy organic and GMO-free whenever buying packaged foods.

Environmentally theres a real problem with eating the amount of meat we do, but so many of us are convinced we cant cook a satisfying meal without it. I believe that its wasteful and irresponsible to squander our precious environmental resources on a luxury item like meat, if only because its estimated that it takes 1000 litres of water to produce a quarter of a kilogram of beef! The more you look into these facts and figures, the more interesting it becomes. If youd like to investigate further, please look at the website of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) at www.fao.org/about/en/.

This book will help you to create delicious, fantastic and healthy meatless meals for your breakfasts, lunches and dinners. But Im not dictating that you must cut out meat altogether (although many of us have chosen to do so); Im suggesting you at least try to cut down. We need to eat more intelligently and that means including more plant food.

All the recipes in this book are vegetarian or vegan most with variations on how to substitute other ingredients, so you can adapt one meal to suit the whole family. Those less than enthusiastic about vegetarian food will never know that what theyre eating is super healthy, super natural and plant-based. Everyone will love these recipes because theyre super tasty. If someone in your family eats animal products, you can easily substitute organic chicken or meat where Ive used soy products (tofu and tempeh) or legumes. Or meat stocks where Ive included veggie stock. Its about eating fewer animal products and buying the best quality you can afford. Id really recommend you source organic meat, both for your health and the sustainability of our planet.