Jamie Oliver's Asian Tuna, Coconut Rice & "Jiggy Jiggy Greens" | My Take

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

Tuna:

4 Fresh Tuna Fillets

200g Sesame Seeds

2 Green Tea Bags (I chose not to use these since I don't like green tea)

Salt 

Sesame Oil

Greens:

Bunch of Asparagus

Bunch of Tenderstem Broccoli

Bunch of Bok Choi/Pak Choi 

2 Cloves of Garlic (I chose to omit this)

Teriyaki Sauce

Rice:

Basmati Rice

1 Tin of Coconut Milk

Optional Dressing :

Sushi Ginger

Juice of Half a Pink Grapefruit

(I didn't make this since I really don't like ginger)

Extras

1 Red Chili

2 Spring Onions

Bunch of Fresh Coriander

Soy Sauce

Method:

1) I began by sprinkling sesame seeds and a couple of pinches of salt on a board. I then pressed the tuna raw tuna fillets into them before setting them aside.

2) I added the tin of coconut milk to a pan, then filled the tin with boiling water and poured that in, then i filled the tin again with rice and added that to the pan. I let it simmer with the lid slightly open and turned it off after 10 minutes.

3) With the rice simmering away, I finely chopped all my greens, as well as a red chili, the spring onions and the coriander. 

4) I added some oil to a pan on a medium heat, and, once hot I put in my greens, keeping the chili, spring onions and coriander aside. I stir-fried the veg on a medium heat for a couple of minutes, and added a few dashes of teriyaki sauce, before turning it down to a low heat. It is at about this point that you should turn off the rice.

5) I bought out another pan, put it on a medium-high heat, and poured in a table spoon worth of sesame oil. Once hot, I placed in my tuna fillets. I gave each one about two minutes on each side before turning it. The amount of time you should give your tuna will depend on both the thickness of your tuna pieces and how well done you like it. I wanted mine to be still raw in the centre, as Jamie's was.

6) Once I felt the tuna was done enough it was time to plate up, the rice and the greens were perfectly cooked at this point. The last thing to do once everything was on plates, was simply to sprinkle the chopped chili, spring onions, and coriander onto the rice, and add a splash of soy sauce onto the tuna. Et voila! You're done!

My Verdict:

I loved this meal! I enjoyed making it and I enjoyed eating it even more, and so did my family. 

The tuna was enough taste on its own and I was glad I hadn't used the green tea as I think it might have masked the beautiful taste. The sesame seeds and the the sesame oil were a really nice subtle flavor that worked with the tuna and the rest of the meal. 

The greens were lovely, the different flavors and textures worked well together, my only disappointment with this was I felt the teriyaki sauce was too strong for me. Next time I would either use a lot less or omit it completely. 

The coriander and spring onions were lovely extras, but the chili was, again, too strong for me and only took away from all the other lovely flavors. 

Lastly, the rice, it was amazing, so delicious! Slightly sticky and slightly sweet, i loved it! Coconut rice was now become a staple in my household - you have to try it!

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Hope you enjoyed seeing my attempt at one of Jamie Oliver's '15 Minute Meals'. I was quite proud of myself, even if it did take me closer to an hour! Haha

xo

'Self-Saucing' Gluten & Lactose Free Chocolate Brownies (FODMAP-friendly)

My recipe for some super-simple, scrumptious and totally fodmap-friendly brownies...

Ingredients:

Makes approx. 12 medium-sized brownies in an 8" x 10" baking tray.

125g Gluten-Free Plain or Self-Raising Flour 

   > I used Dove's Farm Gluten & Wheat Free Self-Raising White Flour 

70g Golden Caster Sugar

25g Cocoa Powder 

Pinch of Salt

50g Butter (melted) plus a little extra for greasing.

   > (click here for more information about the lactose content of butter)

2 Medium Sized Eggs

75ml Lactose-Free or Rice/Nut Milk 

   > I used Lactofree Semi Skimmed Fresh Milk (not suitable for those allergic to cow's milk)

Dark Chocolate Chunks 

   > (check ingredients/allergy advice for lactose content) I used Lindt Excellence Orange Intense

For the sauce:

100g Light Muscovado Sugar
12.5g Cocoa Powder

Method:

1) Grease a shallow baking dish with butter, pre heat to oven to 180C/160C fan/Gas Mark 4 and put the kettle on.
2) Put the flour, caster sugar, cocoa powder and a pinch of salt into a bowl, and stir until combined.
3) Whisk together the melted butter, milk and eggs until smooth. Add this to the dry ingredients and mix together until smooth.
4) Stir in the chocolate chunks and pour into your baking dish.
5) For the sauce, mix 150ml of boiling water with the muscovado sugar and cocoa powder, then pour this into the baking dish, on top of the brownie mixture. It will look very strange at this point! Don't worry though, just pop it straight into the oven and bake for 30 mins until the surface looks firm, risen and crisp.

As you scope out your brownies, you should find a glossy, rich chocolate sauce underneath - yum!
Eat immediately while they're warm and gooey or save for later - just make sure to pop them in the microwave for about 15 secs to heat them back up!

Good luck :)

xo

IBS & FODMAPs

IBS

At the beginning of June last year (2013), I began to notice strange pains in my lower tummy, back and sometimes my sides too. I have been through many many tests and antibiotics none of which seem to have done the trick and most recently (end of October 2013) I was referred to a gynecologist with possible endometriosis. He told me that it could be endometriosis or possibly IBS. He asked me to keep a 'pain diary' in order to try and work out whether my pain was related to my cycle (most likely endo.) or my eating (more likely IBS).

Within the last month or two I have noticed that my pain is often associated with my eating habits, more so than my cycle, and I have pretty much diagnosed myself with IBS - i will be going back to see my doctor within the next month for a professional diagnosis, and will update you all on how that goes.

For more information on IBS click here.

FODMAPs

While researching into the causes, symptoms and treatments of IBS, i came across the term 'trigger foods' and the idea that IBS can be controlled through diet. Most notably i came across something called the FODMAPs elimination diet. Developed by a research team at Monash University, the diet aims to control the symptoms associated with IBS, by focussing on a group of carbohydrates they've called FODMAPs.
Click here for more information.
The idea of the diet is to cut out foods high in these carbohydrates and focus on a diet of low-FODMAP foods instead. Below is a simple table that illustrates the basics of what foods are high and low in FODMAPs.

I have begun following a low-FODMAP diet to try and see if i can get rid of my pains for a while. After a couple of weeks I aim to begin reintroducing certain food groups to see if they 'trigger' anything.
In the meantime I will be posting some of my FODMAP-friendly meal ideas and recipes. First in line is a recipe for 'Chocolate Self-Saucing Gluten & Lactose Free Brownies', sound good?

Some of my favourites for more information and recipes:

Hungry Hungry Hippie

Kate Scarlata

The Healthy Apple

Pinterest

xo

*DISCLAIMER*

This post is completely my own opinions and choices. Please do not begin any sort of diet without consulting your GP first.