Tracey Pattison - Whole Food Thermo Cooked: 140+ deliciously healthy recipes for all brands of thermo appliance

INTRODUCTION I wholeheartedly believe that the foundation of great health begins in the kitchen. We need to get back to basics applying traditional and simple cooking techniques, using real whole foods and choosing achievable recipes that satisfy and provide nourishment. Getting organised and cooking food that will get your family eating at mealtimes, save time in the kitchen, not cost too much and improve your health and your familys health can seem impossible at times.

And trying to find recipes that tick all of these boxes can be another add-on to your already busy daily schedule. When all-in-one, or thermo, cooking devices first came onto the market 15 years ago, no one was prepared for the immediate attraction and, soon after, the devotion customers would have to this new way of preparing and cooking food. There was a realisation that these machines could help make healthy meals with minimal mess and fuss, and they would save time and money in the process it was nothing short of a winning combination. There is now an array of brands available with varying price tags. Although the original machines were and are expensive, there are now some costing considerably less, giving many people the opportunity of owning one. Once you start looking through the recipes in this book, you will begin to understand the capabilities of these all-in-one devices and see that they are way more than just a food processor.

You could almost think of them as an extra set of hands in the kitchen. Using a thermo appliance means that you are able to more easily cook and feed your family delicious whole foods every day. The set-and-check functionality of a thermo device gives you back your most valuable asset in everyday cooking your time! Being able to cook items at consistent temperatures, without having to worry about constantly returning to the stove to stir to prevent sticking or a pot from boiling over, means that the mess and stress of preparing whole foods is drastically reduced. If youre a first-time thermo appliance user, head straight to the Whole food basics section . In this chapter you will learn that by purchasing whole grains and raw nuts and seeds and then using your thermo appliance to turn these into fresh batches of flour, nut meals and nut or seed milks provides a far superior flavour and nutrient content than store-bought options. Plus by swapping your store-bought staples with the recipes in this cookbook you can take great comfort in knowing exactly what is going into every single recipe you prepare no more nasties, such as additives, preservatives and refined sugars.

The chapters Break-the-fast, Soulful soups, Delicious mains and Simple sides are all jam-packed with healthy and mouthwatering recipes that the whole family will love. The Wholesome sweets and Drinks, smoothies and shakes chapters are loaded with essential nutrient-dense, fibre-filling and fruit flavours that will please the sweetest of sweet tooths. I have always found that getting children involved in food preparation, particularly at dinnertime, is a great way for them to try new foods and also gain a keen appetite for the meal ahead. Along with your guidance, our thermo appliance makes this a fun and easy way for children to learn some basic cooking principles. Embrace and enjoy everything that your new-found and time-saving thermo appliance is capable of. Get inspired by the healthy recipes and delicious world of whole food cooking that are within this cookbook.

Be courageous and try something new. You will find many family favourites in this book that I guarantee you will keep coming back to, time and again. TIPS ON USING A THERMO DEVICE Here are some useful points to note if you are a thermo newbie.

• No two brands or batches of the same ingredients will give the same results. This is important to note as you will find that, depending on the freshness of certain whole foods, particularly whole grains, nuts and seeds, you will get differing results especially when milling. My general rule of thumb for milling is, after you have milled your batch for the time given in the recipe, feel the texture of the flour or meal between two fingers.

  If there is any grittiness simply mill again for 1 minute at the specified speed until you have a beautifully soft-feeling flour. The smoothness of the milled ingredients will impact how your baking goods turn out.

• It is assumed that all meat, poultry and especially seafood will be fresh, not frozen and thawed. You will find that a lot more liquid will be released from frozen items that have been thawed, especially prawns (shrimp). Always purchase fresh items for best results.
• What you place in your thermo appliance is what you get out of it. If you use fresh whole foods in season, the flavour will be at its peak and your dishes will taste better plus the price will be lower.
• Where budget and time allow, purchase locally and organically farmed and produced items. Visiting farmers markets and farm gates are much cheaper options than your regular supermarket shop.

SEAFOOD Always purchase the listed sustainable seafood options in the ingredients list in the recipes of this cookbook to make sure you are doing your part in keeping our waters safe from overfishing.

SEASONING You will notice that I dont say where to season your food in this cookbook, simply because everyone has their own taste requirements. Also, when using a thermo appliance, all of the flavour and nutrients are locked into the mixer bowl so you will find that the flavours of your dishes will be more intense than usual, which is fabulous! At home I always place Murray River pink sea salt and a pepper grinder filled with tri-coloured peppercorn on the table at mealtimes for anyone who may need to add more seasoning. However, I find that by simply cooking with an abundance of fresh aromatic herbs or dried herbs and spices, flavouring with fresh lemon or lime or by adding either a Winter or Summer stock cube (see ) when cooking, no extra seasoning is needed. SPECIAL DIETS If you or a family member have a special eating requirement, then this book has you covered. Every recipe is tagged to indicate whether it is dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, paleo, vegan or vegetarian. FOOD SAFETY Be sure to read thoroughly the disclaimer for safety guidelines.