Combative mode...

Like most people, I have my good days and my bad days. Fortunately, my good days far outweigh my bad days. But I do know what it's like when the bad days keep piling up and everything becomes too much of a chore. When a couple of bad days turn into a week of bad days, into a month of bad days and all of a sudden you find yourself in a spot where nothing matters anymore. For me, that stopped when I said to myself 'enough is enough' and started talking with people, started taking more interest in the things around me. It wasn't easy; I had to force myself to do it.

Some people still think that depression is trivial and not a genuine health condition. They are wrong. Depression is a real illness with real symptoms, and it's not a sign of weakness or something you can 'snap out of' by 'pulling yourself together'. Sometimes it takes a concerted effort of medication and therapy but there are things you can do to help yourself. If you are feeling depressed, don't struggle on. Talk to someone, anyone. You have nothing to be ashamed of and nothing to fear. It's important to seek help from your doctor if you think you may be depressed. If you've been feeling low for more than a few days, take this short test to find out if you're depressed. Depression is quite common and affects about one in 10 of us at some point. It affects men and women, young and old.

Trying to find a diet to ease depression? Unfortunately, there's no specific diet that works for depression. No studies have been done that indicate a particular eating plan can ease symptoms of clinical depression. Still, while certain diets or foods may not ease depression (or put you instantly in a better mood), there is something to be said for a healthy diet in relation to mental health, as much as in relation to physical health. The healthier you feel, the more likely you are to go out and do something, which is the first step in dealing with, and overcoming, depression.

Damaging molecules, called free radicals, are produced in our bodies during normal body functions and these free radicals contribute to aging and dysfunction. Antioxidants such as beta-carotene and vitamins C and E combat the effects of free radicals. Antioxidants have been shown to tie up these free radicals and take away their destructive power. Studies show that the brain is particularly at risk for free radical damage. Although there's no way to stop free radicals completely, we can reduce their destructive effect on the body by eating foods rich in antioxidants as part of a healthy diet. Below is a list of foods that can help because of their antioxidants:

Apricots, Broccoli, Cantaloupe, Carrots, Collard Greens, Peaches, Pumpkin, Spinach, (Sweet) Potatoes, Blueberries, Grapefruit, Kiwi, Oranges, Peppers, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Nuts, Seeds, Wheat Germ, Whole Grains, Beans, Pulses, Peas, Lean Meat, Cheese, (Fatty) Fish, Milk and Yoghurt, Poultry, Soy, Seafood.

A bowl of yoghurt with some wheat germ, seasonal fruit (apricots, peaches, blueberries, strawberries) and flaxseeds or crushed brazil nuts makes a tasty breakfast. Top it with some grated dark chocolate (75% cocoa) for an extra boost in endorphins (the 'happy' hormone). Or replace the yoghurt with some cottage cheese or ricotta and whole grain bread or cracker bread. Have it with some freshly squeezed orange or grapefruit juice (with pulp) for an extra little lift.

For a light dinner try mixing some smoked mackerel with crumbly feta or young goats cheese, finely cubed red pepper and tomato, quinoa, couscous or chickpeas and some spinach that has been sauteed with one finely chopped onion and two cloves of minced garlic. Add loads of fresh herbs such as basil, thyme, oregano or mint to taste. For something that looks more filling, try adding a soft boiled egg or fried mushroom.

Fancy a snack, a pick-me-up, or a refreshing drink later on in the day? Try making a smoothie/milkshake with some fresh strawberries or blueberries, bananas, vanilla ice cream and some finely chopped pieces of dark chocolate (70% cocoa). Add in some wheat germs for a more filling drink.

This drink is full of antioxidants and endorphin increasing properties; brilliant if you are feeling 'a bit low'. Make sure that you drink plenty throughout the day (1.5 to 2 litre per day) but try to avoid great quantities of coffee and alcohol.

For a simple and quick tea, try this One Pot Pasta: add 350 gram pasta, 350 gram chopped tomatoes, chopped yellow pepper and finely sliced leeks, 1 finely chopped onion, 3 cloves of grated garlic, pepper and paprika and oregano or thyme (to taste), 2 sprigs of basil, a good splash of olive oil, 1 stock cube (vegetable or chicken) and 750 millilitre of water to a large pan. (Yes, one pan.) Bring to a boil on medium to high heat, stirring regularly. Once it comes to the boil, cook for a further 10 minutes whilst stirring. By the time the pasta is cooked it will have taken on all the flavour and the water should be reduced to form a nice sauce. Serve with some grated cheese and fresh basil. If you want to use wholemeal pasta, cook the pasta for slightly longer.

No meal is complete without a dessert and there are some wonderful options out there. One of my favourites combines sweet potato and pecans but you could substitute the sweet potato for pumpkin, if you want.

Sweet Potato Pie with Pecan Crumble

Ingredients:
For the pie crust

• 150 gram self-raising flour
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 115 gram butter
• 2 tablespoons ice water

For the filling

• 700 gram (2-3) sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 5 centimetre chunks
• 2 large eggs
• 60 grams of light brown soft sugar
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 175 millilitre double cream

For the topping

• 100 gram light brown soft sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 125 gram pecans
• 1 tablespoon double cream

Method:

For the pie crust

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and butter and mix until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs (it's okay if some of the butter is still slightly bigger in size)
2. Add the ice cold water and bring the dough together, add some more water if necessary (one teaspoon at a time) until the dough is crumbly but holds together when you squeeze it
3. Turn the dough onto some clingfilm, pat it down to a disk, cover with more clingfilm and leave to rest in the fridge for at least one hour
4. After one hour, place the dough on a floured piece of baking paper and roll the dough out to a 35 centimetre circle
• use your knuckles to press the edges of the dough firmly to prevent the dough from cracking when you roll it out
5. Pick up the baking paper and flip it over onto a 23 centimetre pie plate or flan dish and gently fit the dough into the bottom and along the sides of the dish, being careful not to stretch or tear the dough, before removing the baking paper
6. Trim the dough to a 2½ centimetre overhang and crimp this to form a rim
7. Prick the bottom of the pie crust all over with a fork and place in the fridge to cool for another hour
8. Preheat the oven to 180ºC, place the pie crust in the centre of the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the crust is firm and golden and leave to cool completely

For the filling

1. Cover the sweet potatoes with water in a large pan, bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender (about 15 minutes)
2. Drain the potatoes, puree in a food processor until completely smooth and leave to cool completely
3. Preheat the oven to 190ºC
4. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, the brown sugar and maple syrup until smooth
5. Add the sweet potato puree, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cream and whisk until completely smooth
6. Pour the filling into the fully cooled pie crust and bake on the lowest rack in the oven for about 50 minutes or until the filling is set
• transfer the pie to a cooling rack after baking to cool for one hour, then place in the fridge to cool completely

For the topping

1. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and add the sugar and pecans
2. Cook the mixture until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture is 'smooth' (this will take about 3 minutes)
3. Stir in the tablespoon of cream and leave to cool for a couple of minutes
4. Pour the pecan mixture over the cooled pie and spread it evenly out with a knife or spatula
5. Leave the pie to cool for about 30 minutes until the topping has hardened
• Do not place the pie back into the fridge but leave it in a cool place for up to 6 hours (if you last that long...)

You might feel as if you are all alone in the world, but trust me when I say: 'You are not, there are people who know and understand exactly how you feel. Talk to them.'. The food I have mentioned will not magically 'cure' your depression but it might help you to feel better, more capable, more energetic. It will not happen overnight but stick with it.

Tea made from St John's Wort has been proven to help with depressions and might be helpful for you. If you would like to try this, make sure to discuss it with your doctor as the herb does affect some medications. It might also be a good idea to discuss a drastic change in your diet with your doctor as this could have implications for people with certain illnesses such as diabetes.

I won't end this post with my usual 'Enjoy' (although the food is very enjoyable) but with this: If you are feeling depressed, or have been diagnosed with clinical depression, talk to people about it. There is nothing to be ashamed of.

Be safe, take care of yourself, trust in your abilities.

Too good to be true

Every now and then you come across a recipe that is so good that you just cannot believe it. It is everything a recipe should be: easy to follow, easily available ingredients, perfect for when living on a budget and the result is so tasty that you just keep going back for more. The other day, I found just such a recipe.

I had bought two tins of apricots but hadn't really thought about what to do with them. In principle, all they are good for is serving them with some yoghurt but, for some reason, it made hubby think of upside-down cake. If I am honest, it is not my favourite cake and I was... hesitant... to use them in that way. But it did make me think about baked apricots, which is something I like to do with fresh apricots that aren't quite ripe enough to eat out of the hand. I just didn't have any almond paste... Or vanilla... What I did have was loads of cream... And walnuts...

And so I went looking for a recipe that could combine these three random ingredients: apricots, walnuts and cream. I didn't quite find what I was looking for so I 'adapted' an old French recipe for Apricot Clafoutis. Traditionally, a Clafoutis is a baked French dessert of black cherries (stones and all), arranged in a buttered dish and covered with a thick flan-like batter. Over the years, many different varieties of fruit have been used but the best fruit to use is 'stone' fruits such as cherries, apricots, peaches, plums, and so on. Technically, when you use a different variety of fruit the dish is not a Clafoutis but a Flaugnarde. But that just doesn't sound as nice...

Remember how I said that a good recipe is not only tasty but also contains easily available ingredients and can be made living on a budget? This entire dessert costs £1.50 for four to six people. And yes, I do realise that some of the ingredients, such as the vanilla, are not necessarily things that you would call 'cheap' but ...a little goes a long way; in most recipes you will only use about a teaspoon. Another option is to buy some fresh vanilla pods, use the seeds for one dish but stick the pods themselves into a jar of sugar: vanilla flavoured sugar that will last as long as you keep the pods in the jar, even if you add more sugar... This way you can use the sugar every time a recipe asks for vanilla...

But, like I said, I didn't have vanilla, nor did I have the desire to go out in the rain to get some. Instead, I decided to crush up some walnuts that I had lying around and use those to flavour the custard.

Apricot Clafoutis

Ingredients:

• 250 gram fresh, ripe, apricots (halved and pitted)  or 1 tin of apricot halves, drained
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 25 gram plain flour, sifted
• 50 gram caster sugar or 50 gram vanilla sugar (then don't use vanilla extract)
• 150 millilitre double cream
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract or 50 gram vanilla sugar

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C and lightly grease a shallow, ovenproof, dish with a little butter. The dish should be large enough to fit the apricots in a single layer
2. Place the apricots cut-side down in a single layer in the dish (there should be a little space between them)
3. In a bowl, whisk the egg, egg yolk and the flour together
4. Whisk in the caster sugar (or vanilla sugar)
5. Add the cream (and vanilla extract if using) and whisk thoroughly to form a smooth custard
6. Pour the custard over the apricots so the tops of a few are just visible
7. Place the dish on the top shelf in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until puffed up and golden brown in places
8. Remove the dish from the oven and leave to cool for at least 15 minutes

Dust the cooled down Clafoutis with a little icing sugar and serve with a little lightly whipped cream or creme fraiche.

If you don't have apricots (or don't like them) try one of the options below:

• (black) Cherries and Kirsch
• Toss the (pitted) cherries with 3 tablespoons of Kirsch and 2 tablespoons of sugar and leave for 30 minutes. Strain the cherries and whisk the Kirsch in with the eggs. Place the cherries into a buttered dish and pour over the custard (you still want to see some of the cherries). Bake immediately for 30-35 minutes
• Plum and marzipan (or almond paste)
• Halve the plums and remove the stones. Place a dot of marzipan or almond paste into the hollow of each plum before placing them cut-side down into the dish. Pour over the custard and bake for 30-35 minutes
• I like to add little dots of almond paste on top of the custard, before it goes into the oven
• Plum and (plum) Brandy or Kirsch
• Halve the plums and remove the stones. Place the plums cut-side up in a single layer in a buttered and sugared dish, pour over the batter and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of Brandy or Kirsch. Bake immediately for 30-35 minutes
• Fruit and ...
• If you don't want to use vanilla (or like me don't have any), try flavouring the custard with some nuts that are crushed very finely or some spices or ...
• Apricots and walnuts or almonds
• Cherries and macadamia nuts or hazelnuts
• Plums and pecans or almonds
• Cherries and cocoa powder and/or cinnamon
• Plums and ginger

You know what they say:

Bon Appetit

Or

Enjoy

Coffin or Star?

You must be thinking I have gone off my rocker but this title, "Coffin or Star?", is not as daft as it may sound. In days gone by, the crust of a pie (yes, we're taking pie again) was called the coffin. We have moved on since then and just call it the pie crust but I can see where they were coming from. Especially when you know that in those days most pies were not round but oblong, regardless of the filling. The question itself, coffin or star, relates to how you fancy your mince pies; do you prefer a full 'coffin', or are you more of the 'star' variety?

My preference depends on how sweet the filling is, how much alcohol it contains and how good the crust is. If the filling is not too sweet, and contains a decent amount of alcohol, then I prefer a 'coffin' as the pastry will dampen the harshest alcohol flavours and add sweetness to the filling. If the filling is too sweet and there is not a lot (or no) alcohol, then I prefer a 'star' (or any other shape the baker has come up with).
Aesthetically, however, I prefer the 'star'; I like the contrast between the dark filling and the golden pastry, so I will usually make plenty of full 'coffins' and a few 'stars' to put on top of the pile.

In 2008 I had my first British Christmas. Can you imagine my face the first time I had a mince pie? Someone, I think it was my now sister-in-law, asked me if I wanted cream or custard with my mince pie. As I only knew mince of the meat variety, this question puzzled me. Why on earth would anyone want to have custard with a gorgeous beef pie? The look on my face must have been worth a million quid, and before long everyone was laughing at my mistake. It was quickly explained that Mince Meat is a sweet filling of dried fruit with spices. I opted for the brandy cream...

Mince pies used to contain meat and was a mix of (usually) mutton, suet, dried fruit and spices that had been brought over by the European crusaders returning from the Middle-East. The original recipes used to contain thirteen ingredients representing Jesus Christ and his twelve Apostles. The meat component has since been dropped from the recipe, although this was still used in the 1900s, but suet is still required.

With Christmas fast approaching (just 37 more days), I suddenly realised this morning that I had not made my 'Mince Meat' yet. There is still time but I need to get a move on... 

Mince Meat

(to be used in Mince Pies)

Ingredients:

• 500 gram Bramley apples
• 500 gram mixed dried fruit (raisins, sultanas, dates, figs)
• 225 gram chopped, mixed peel
• 500 gram suet of choice
• 500 gram demerara sugar
• 2 lemons, grated zest and juice
• 60 gram chopped, mixed nuts
• 1 tablespoon mixed, ground spices (cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger)
• 4 tablespoons whiskey, rum or brandy (optional)

Thirteen ingredients (excluding the optional alcohol and including the suet)!

Method:

1. Peel and chop the apples into pieces the size of the sultanas
2. Mix the apples with the lemon juice and rind
3. Chop the dates and figs into pieces the size of the sultanas and add to the apple mix
4. Add the rest of the dried fruit, mixed peel, nuts, spices, suet and sugar
5. Stir in the alcohol (optional) and leave to stand, overnight, at room temperature, covered with a cloth
6. Pre-heat the oven to the lowest setting
7. Stir the mixture and transfer to an oven proof dish
8. Put the dish in the oven and heat slowly for one hour
9. Pack into clean, dry jars, cover with wax disks and cling film or cloth
10. Store in a cool, dark place until needed
• The longer it can stand the better the flavours will be developed

The recipe should yield approximately six 500 gram jars.

I wish you an early Merry Christmas

Enjoy