Eat Well Issue #40 2022

The papaya tree grows to around 8m tall, although some dispute that it is a tree at all since the stem is not woody but relatively soft. This line of argument suggests that papaya is a herb, although a darn big one. Whether it is a tree or herb, the plant produces fruit in prolific quantities. Papayas continue to ripen once picked but they are much tastier if ripened on the tree/herb/plant. The sweet, flowery taste of papaya is best savoured raw but it also goes beautifully in salads and combines delightfully with tart flavours such as lemon, lime, chilli and ginger.…

Horchata is a drink that originated in the Valencia region of Spain, but its Mexican version is perhaps the best known and makes a refreshing summer drink. In Mexico, horchata is made from rice, milk, almonds, vanilla and cinnamon. You can sweeten it with your choice of sweetener (stevia is a healthy option) and fruit such as strawberries (although fruit is not used in traditional horchata). To make horchata at home, blend hot water with almonds and rice until smooth. Break up some cinnamon sticks and add them to the mixture before blending again until the cinnamon is pulverised. Strain the mixture through a sieve and then return to the blender. Add milk, sweetener and strawberries (if you are using them) and blend until smooth. For a vegan version, use…

Food should be nutritious. Food should also be enjoyable and delicious. In EatWell we aim to provide recipes for food that will do both things, nourishing and delighting at the same time. Yet neither nourishment nor enjoyment matter if your food is not sustainable. As last year’s COP26 showed us, the imperative to do something about climate change is real and immediate. We can’t ignore the fact that food must be central to our battle to halt climate change and keep temperature rise below 1.5°C. Food systems account for between 20 and 40 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions and contribute a staggering 80 per cent of biodiversity loss. Worldwide, the food industry is worth US$8 trillion each year, with many people relying on it for their livelihood. Rethinking our approach…

Lee Holmes Lee Holmes’ food philosophy is all about S.O.L.E. food: sustainable, organic, local and ethical. Her main goal is to alter the perception that cooking fresh, wholesome, nutrient-rich meals is difficult, complicated and time-consuming. Lee says, “The best feeling I get is when I create a recipe using interesting, nourishing ingredients and it knocks my socks off. Then I can’t wait to share it with my community and hear their experiences.” After being diagnosed with a crippling autoimmune disease in 2006, Lee travelled the world discovering foods that could be used to heal her body at a cellular level. After finding many nutrient-rich and anti-inflammatory foods and changing her diet, Lee recovered. Her mind alive with ideas for new recipes, she wanted to share her creations with the world, so superchargedfood.com was…

Laplap is a highly popular dish from the Pacific Island nation of Vanuatu. It is essentially a baked vegetable pudding made of taro root, banana, coconut milk and cabbage. It is made by softening taro root and mashing it into a paste, which is then smeared over softened banana leaves. Coconut milk is drizzled over the taro and then a thin layer of cabbage or spinach is applied. At this stage some vegetables are placed over the cabbage, leaving a small gap in the middle. A hot stone is placed into that gap and more coconut milk (around a cup) is drizzled over. This is then wrapped in banana leaves and traditionally was cooked in an underground oven. Sometimes meats like fish, octopus or chicken can be added.…

Passionfruit is a delicious fruit that is native to subtropical wild regions of South America, probably originating in Paraguay. Botanically, the purple passionfruit that you know and love belongs to the family of Passifloraceae and has the species name Passiflora edulis. There are some golden or yellow varieties available these days that go by the botanical name Passiflora edulis flavicarpa (Panama Gold passionfruit). Just to confuse the issue further, there are also some purple varieties of the P. edulis flavicarpa (known as Panama Red) now available. The two latter varieties are favoured by some as they produce larger, juicier fruit than the traditional passionfruit. Grow your passionfruit The passionfruit plant is an avid climbing vine that grows on anything it can get its tendrils through and around. Passionfruit grow upwards so you…