HOW TO GET WELL THE DRUGLESS WAY

CONTENTS

First Draft © Dennis Rocke & Dr J. M. Mungavin 1983

Updated © Dennis Rocke 2007

Lacto-Vegetarian Recipes.

It is no easy feat to undertake a new style of eating and will unavoidably mean more time spent in the provisioning and organising of the meals at the outset. At first it will be baffling as to what vegetables and such go with each other. As time goes by and if you observe the advice that follows then it will not be too much of a hardship. Mix and match with different pulse, grain and bean dishes as much as possible so that you can pioneer differing composites of flavours and textures that please the taste buds. It is time to forget the concept that a dinner consists of 'meat and two veg'.

A very good criterion to follow is to use the whole-wheat brands of flour, rice and pasta rather than their white counterparts at all times.

Buckwheat or Saracen Corn is the seed of a herbaceous plant. The different grains to obtain are: Wheat, barley, rye, maize, millet, oats and rice. In their whole form they are invaluable to the diet as they contain protein, iron, calcium, potassium and phosphorous as well as being one of natures' natural fibres.

There are a number of soft cheeses available made without animal rennet, such as, Cottage Cheese, Ricotta and Feta. Avoid hard cheeses as rennet is an ingredient in the production of most hard cheeses.

The most common lentils are green continental, brown and split red lentils. Lentils do not need any soaking before use. If you previously soak the lentils it will mean a much shorter cooking time. The least beneficial of all lentils are the split kind as we lose a lot of fibre when we shell them.

One of the oldest crops known is seaweed and there are many varieties. The most familiar are: Wakame, Kombu, Dulse, Nori and Arame.

The best yoghurt to use is goat's milk yoghurt as a lot of people are allergic or sensitive to cow's milk but are not when it comes to goat's milk. Cow's milk yoghurt of course is just as acceptable if the taste of goat's milk is not.

SPROUTS.

The first thing to make sure is the grains or seeds you have purchased were packaged for food. Never, ever use any seeds that have been packaged for planting, they will probably contain toxins such as mercury compound. So in order to ensure you are buying the correct seeds or grains, purchase them from your local health store. The best and most commonly used seeds when sprouting are:

• Alfalfa
• Mung beans
• Soy beans
• Wheat

If you are sprouting slow germinating seeds such as, soy beans or wheat, then soak them for 2 days, changing the water twice daily. Take them out of the water and spread them thinly on a paper towel or a large plate and leave them for another 2 or 3 days, rinsing them frequently under running water to make sure that there is nor moulding. 

Another way is to take a couple of handfuls of alfalfa seeds and place them in a jar filled with water. Soak them overnight and then rinse well next morning. Put them back into the jar, this time empty. Place a cheese cloth over the top of the jar held on with an elastic band. Rinse them frequently and let them rest in the empty jar after rinsing. Within the next couple of days you will see the seeds sprouting, when the sprouts are about 2 inches long they will be ready for eating. If you don't eat them all, place the uneaten ones back in the jar with a lid on and place them in the fridge. You can eat the sprouts in many ways, my favourite is to mix them in salads, but another way is to grind them and mix them with a vegetable juice.

SOURED MILK.

Don't use anything apart from unpasteurised milk, take a clean saucepan and fill with water, heat the water until warm and place the bottle of the milk into it. Warming the milk up to about body temperature. Pour some of the milk into a cup and stir in a tablespoonful of natural yoghurt. Cove the cup and keep it in a warm place, near the cooker or radiator, anywhere where it is constantly warm. Coagulation of the milk will take about 24 hours. Once it has coagulated it is the desired soured milk. Use 2 spoonfuls as a culture for the next batch and use the rest.

SAUERKRAUT

• A large onion
• Dutch Cabbage (White Cabbage)
• Handful of sesame seeds
• Juniper berries
• 114 oz of Sea Salt for every 4 lb of cabbage used.
• 2 Large carrots
• 2 Green peppers
• 2 teaspoons of honey

Chop a Dutch cabbage (white cabbage) into strips and place in a large stainless steel saucepan until about six inches deep. Sprinkle a handful of Juniper berries over the top. Cut the carrots, peppers and onion into strips. Add the sea salt, carrot, peppers and onion.

It all depends how much cabbage you have and how much sauerkraut you want to make. If you have more cabbage, start all over again. Add another layer of cabbage up to six inches deep. The same amount of salt, carrots, etc.,

Press each layer down into the saucepan and try to dispel all the air so that the ingredients will saturate in their own juices. Cover the saucepan with a cloth and place a heavy tray on top. Then put something heavy on top of that so that no air can enter the saucepan.

Stand the saucepan in a warm place and leave for about two weeks. It is possible that during this time foam and mildew will form over the tray. Remove the tray and cloth and wash in warm water, rinse with cold and then replace over the saucepan.

Put the sauerkraut in jars and keep refrigerated. Sauerkraut tastes better and is more health giving when it is eaten raw.

Do not throw the juice away. The juice is also a health giving substance and is extremely beneficial and nutritious.

HALVAH.

• Handful sesame seeds
• 2 Teaspoons Honey

Use a grinder on the sesame seeds and pour the ground seeds into a bowl Add the honey and knead with a spoon and mix the honey and ground seeds well into a hard doughy type consistency. This mixture is halvah. Cut into squares or strips or if you want to do something different, add shredded coconut or sunflower seeds. Even add more whole sesame seeds and mix with the halvah by kneading or simply rolling the halvah in the seeds.

VEGETABLE SOUP.

• Parsnip
• Small onion
• Turnip
• 1 Large carrot
• 1 Celery stick
• 1 Clove of garlic (if partial to garlic, otherwise leave out of recipe)
• 2 Large potatoes

Chop the potatoes into small pieces. Shred the carrots and celery. Chop the parsnip and turnip into the same size as the potatoes. Chop the onion into very small pieces.

Crush the garlic into a pulp.                                            .

Throw all the ingredients into a saucepan and ad~ about five pints of water. Cover

with a lid and bring to boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for about half an hour. The soup is then ready to serve.

The amount of ingredients is only a guide. The thicker you like your soup the more vegetables you add.

RUSSIAN STYLE BLACK BREAD.

• 2 lb Whole rye flour
• 3/4 pint of warm water
• 4 oz sourdough culture (purchase this from a decent baker)

Knead 1 and a 1/2 lb of flour with the water and culture until it is of a doughy consistency and cover. Stand the mixture in a warm place for about eighteen hours. After eighteen hours add the remaining flour and knead well. Place the mixture into greased bread pans and bake at 3500 F or gas mark 4 for an hour. Remove the bread from the oven and leave to cool.

SOUPS AND STARTERS.

YOGHURT AND MINT SOUP.

This recipe serves four people.

• Black pepper
• Mint sprigs to garnish
• Sea salt
• 1/2 cucumber, peeled and diced
• 1 Clove garlic, crushed
• 150 ml (1/4 pint) tomato juice
• 2 Tablespoons chopped mint
• 300 gms (10oz) natural goat's (cow's) milk yoghurt
• 300 ml (1/2 pint) goat's (cow's) milk

Mix the tomato juice and yoghurt thoroughly in a bowl. Stir in the milk, cucumber and garlic. Add most of the chopped mint, a pinch of salt and some black pepper to taste. Place in refrigerator to chill for about two hours.

Pour the soup into however many bowls that are necessary and sprinkle the remaining chopped mint over them. Use the mint sprigs for decoration.

VEGETABLE SOUP WITH BARLEY.

This recipe serves six people

• Black pepper
• Bouquet garni
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1 and 1/2 litres (2 and 1/2 pints) water
• 1 chopped turnip
• 1 large chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 cloves of crushed garlic
• 2 large tomatoes skinned and finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons of virgin olive oil
• 2 thinly sliced celery sticks
• 3 thinly sliced large carrots
• 40 gms (1 and 1/2 oz) [pt barley (the whole food equivalent of pearl barley)
• 75 gms (3 oz) French beans cut into 1 inch lengths

Place the barley in a bowl of water and cover. Leave in soak for about an hour then drain the water. Fry the onion in preheated oil until the onion is soft. Add the celery and turnip. Cover with a lid and gently cook for an additional ten minutes. Occasionally stir the ingredients.

Add the French beans, bouquet gami, soy sauce, barley and water. Sprinkle the salt and pepper to taste. Cover with lid and simmer for an additional forty-five minutes.

Lastly add the tomatoes and cook for ten minutes longer. Remove the bouquet garni and serve.

CHESTNUT SOUP.

This recipe serves six people

• Black pepper
• Bouquet garni
• Pinch of sea salt
• 439 gms (15 and 1/2 oz) can chestnut puree (un-sweetened).
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon of virgin olive recipes.
• 2 finely chopped celery sticks
• 300 ml (1/2 pint) goat's (cow's) milk
• 4 tablespoons of smatana
• 600 ml (1 pint) water

Add the onion to pre-heated oil in a pan and fry until soft. Add the water, celery, and bouquet garni. Sprinkle the salt and pepper to taste and cover. Simmer for ten minutes. Remove the bouquet garni. Take the pot of the stove and let the ingredients cool. Blend the mixture until it is smooth in a blender or food processor. Add and stir in the lemon juice. Re-heat the soup so that it is ready for serving. Swirl the smatana on the top of each serving and sprinkle the parsley.

PEA SOUP.

This recipe serves four people

• Black pepper
• Bouquet garni
• Pinch of sea salt
• Sprig of mint
• 1.5 litres (2 and 1/2 pints) water
• 1 clove of crushed garlic
• 1 medium sized onion finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon of virgin olive oil
• 2 finely chopped celery stick
• 250 gms (8 oz) marrowfat peas (dried). Soak the peas overnight

Add the onion to pre-heated oil in a saucepan and cook until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and celery and cook for an additional five minutes. Drain the peas and transfer them into the pan. Add the water, bouquet garni, salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and boil for ten minutes. After this simmer for about three hours until the peas are soft. Take out the bouquet garni and allow to cool before putting the soup into a food processor in order to puree the soup. If the soup is too thick, add water until it is the thickness preferred then serve it up as required.

STUFFED MUSHROOMS.

This recipe serves four people

• Sea salt
• Black pepper to taste
• The yolk of an egg
• 1/2 teaspoon of finely chopped thyme
• 2 cloves of crushed garlic
• 2 tablespoons of equally mixed amounts of finely chopped chives and parsley
• 2 tablespoons of virgin olive oil
• 50 gms (2 oz) whole-wheat breadcrumbs
• 500 gms (1lb) mushrooms

Sauce ingredients.

• 25 gms (1 oz) margarine
• 25 gms (1 oz) whole-wheat flour
• 300 mls (1/2 pint) goat's (cow's) milk
• 50 gms (2 oz) grated cheese

Topping and garnish

• Sprigs of thyme for the garnish
• I tablespoon parmesan cheese (grated)
• 1 tablespoon whole-wheat breadcrumbs

Firstly prepare by removing the stalks from about 3/4 of the mushrooms. Pour the oil into a frying pan and heat until hot. Place the whole caps into a frying pan an one way the rounded side down. Fry for 2 minutes and place the mushrooms rounded side down again onto 4 individual dishes (oven proof). Chop the remainder of the mushrooms along with the stalks and mix them with the rest of the ingredients apart from the ingredients for the sauce and ingredients for the topping and garnish. Add salt and pepper to taste. Put a spoonful of the mixture into each mushroom cap.

Preparing the sauce:

To make the sauce, melt the margarine in a saucepan and stir in the flour. Take the pan off the heat and add the milk, stir until the mixture has blended evenly. Place the pan back onto the heat and cook. Stir the mixture all the time until it thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste. When the mixture has thickened stir in the grated cheese, take off the heat and spoon the sauce equally over the mushroom caps. Mix the breadcrumbs and parmesan together and sprinkle evenly over the mushrooms. Pre heat the oven at 180°C (350°F), or gas mark 4. Put the four dishes into the oven for 20 minutes until the breadcrumbs are golden. Remove from the oven, garnish with the thyme and serve.

ARTICHOKE A LA MAYONNAISE.

This recipe serves four people

• 4 Globe artichokes
• 4 Tablespoons of fromage fraise
• 5 Tablespoons of herb dressing

To make the herb dressing.

• Black pepper
• Juice of a lemon
• Sea salt
• 1 teaspoonful of honey
• 15 gms (1/2 oz) chopped chives
• 15 gms (1/2 oz) chopped mint
• 150 gms (5 oz) natural yoghurt
• 25 gms (1 oz) chopped parsley
• 3 Sorrel leaves chopped finely
• 2 tablespoons of virgin olive oil

To make the dressing place the leaves of the mint and parsley minus the stalks along with all the other ingredients of the dressing given above into a food processor and blend until it has a smooth consistency. The dressing is then ready to use. Put it in a jar and keep in a refrigerator until needed. Shake the dressing before use.

To prepare the artichoke, trim the points so that the leaves look square. Cut off the stalks to the base of the artichokes. Bring a large saucepan full of water to the boil and place the artichokes in and cook for 45 minutes until the leaves can be pulled off easily. Remove the purple tinged leaves gently and the middle choke which is inedible taking care not to remove any of the underneath fond. Mix the dressing with the fromage fraise by folding them together and spoon some into each artichoke. Serve the remainder of the dressing separately in a sauce boat.

SALADS

PEPPERS AND SPRING GREENS.

This recipe serves six people

• 1 cored, seeded and diced red pepper
• 1 cored, seeded and diced yellow pepper
• 250 gms (8 oz) finely chopped spring greens (leaf only, no stalk)
• 3 sliced celery sticks
• 4 chopped spring onions
• 4 tablespoons shoyu dressing

To make the shoyu dressing

• Black pepper
• Juice of a lemon
• 175 mls (6 fluid oz) virgin olive oil
• 2 crushed cloves of garlic
• 2 tablespoons shoyu

To make the dressing simply place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend together.

To prepare the salad place the chopped greens into a bowl and add the dressing. Toss thoroughly and marinate for approximately l and 1/2 hours. add the remaining ingredients and again toss thoroughly. The salad is then ready to serve.

YOGHURT AND TOMATO.

This recipe serves four people

• Sea salt and black pepper
• 2 tablespoons of finely chopped basil
• 300 gms (10 oz) natural yoghurt
• 500 gms (1lb) skinned and wedged tomatoes

Put the yoghurt in a bowl and add the rest of the ingredients. Stir well then place in a refrigerator until ready to serve. This is a very refreshing salad for the hot days of summer.

EGG MAYONNAISE WITH POTATO.

This recipe serves four people

• Chopped fennel to garnish.
• 2 tablespoons of French dressing
• 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise (preferably home-made)
• 3 tablespoons of natural yoghurt
• 4 chopped spring onions
• 4 sliced Hard boiled eggs
• 500 gms (lib) potatoes (Irish if possible)

To make the French dressing

• Sea salt and black pepper
• 1 clove of crushed garlic
• 1 teaspoon of honey
• 1 teaspoon mustard (preferably Meaux)
• 175 mls (6 fluid oz) virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons of any wine vinegar

Home-made mayonnaise only keeps for one day, so always make your mayonnaise the same day you are going to use it. If possible make it an hour before you need it. Take all the ingredients out of the refrigerator at least an hour before you are ready to make the mayonnaise in order that all the ingredients are at the same temperature.

To make home-made mayonnaise

• Sea salt
• Black pepper
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon of any wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of mustard (preferably Meaux)
• 175 mls (6 fluid oz) virgin olive oil

If you have one, fit the whisk attachment to your food processor and put the egg yolk, mustard, salt and pepper in the bowl. Set the speed to 3 and start the machine. When the mixture is of an even consistency slowly pour in the olive oil. Gradually increase the speed of the machine until it is at maximum speed. Pour in the vinegar and whisk for about 5 seconds or longer until the mayonnaise is the consistency you prefer. Place the mayonnaise in the refrigerator until it is going to be served. You can of course mix the mayonnaise by hand, the outcome is the same but the machine is easier.

To prepare the salad firstly cook the potatoes in their jackets in salted water until they are tender. Chop the potatoes into small uneven pieces and place into a bowl. Pour over the French dressing whilst the potatoes are still warm. Toss thoroughly and leave them to cool. When cool add the spring onions and eggs. Mix the yoghurt and mayonnaise together. Add the mixture to the salad and toss thoroughly. The salad is ready to serve. Use the fennel as garnish.

MAIN DISHES.

CAULIFLOWER CHEESE FLAN.

This recipe serves four people

• Water to mix (iced)
• 1 yolk of an egg.
• 1/2 teaspoon mixed herbs (dried)
• 175 gms (4 oz) whole-wheat flower
• 75 gms (3 oz) grated cheese
• 75 gms (3 oz) margarine

The filling

• Sea salt and black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of mustard powder
• 125 gms (4 oz) grated cheese
• 150 mls (1/2 pint) goat's (cow's) milk
• 2 eggs
• 250 gms (8 oz) cauliflower florets

To make the pastry mix the flour and margarine in a bowl until it has the look of fine breadcrumbs then stir in the cheese and herbs. Form a well in the centre of the mixture and add the egg yolk. Add water to mix to a firm dough. Sprinkle flour onto a work surface, place the dough onto the flour and knead lightly until the dough is smooth. Take a 20 cm (8in) flan dish and roll the enough so that it fits the dish. Prick the dough with a fork and chill in the refrigerator for 1/2 an hour. Preheat the oven at 200°C (400°F), gas mark 6 and place the dish containing the dough in and bake 'blind' for 10 minutes. Take the pastry out of the oven, remove the foil and put back in the oven for a further 5 minutes. take the flan base out of the oven and prepare the filling by cooking the cauliflower in boiling salted water for 5 or 6 minutes. Rinse the cauliflower in cold water and chop the florets into uneven pieces. Beat the eggs and mix with the milk adding 3/4 of the cheese, the salt and pepper to taste and the mustard. Place the cauliflower in the flan case and pour the egg mixture over the top. Sprinkle the flan with the remaining cheese and return to the oven for a further 35 to 40 minutes until it has set and is a golden colour. Take out of the oven and serve.

CHEESE AND SPINACH PANCAKES.

This recipe serves four people

Making the batter

• Sea salt
• 1 egg
• 125 gms (4 oz) whole-wheat flour
• 175 mls (6 fluid oz) virgin olive oil
• 300 mls (1/2 pint) goat's (cow's) milk

The filling

• Grated nutmeg
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 1 egg
• 175 gms (6 oz) curd cheese made from goat's milk
• 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese ( fresh and grated)
• 350 gms (12 oz) chopped spinach use frozen spinach and only half thaw it

Sauce to put on pancakes

• 2 tablespoons of virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of whole-wheat flour
• 300 mls (1/2 pint) goat's (cow's) milk
• 50 gms (2 oz) grated cheese

Topping to finish

• 1 tablespoon of parmesan cheese (fresh and grated)
• 1 tablespoon of whole-wheat breadcrumbs

To make the batter place the flour and salt in a bowl, make a well in the centre and add the egg. Beat the mixture thoroughly until smooth. Gradually stir in the milk.

Heat a 15 cm (6 inch) omelette pan and add a few drops of virgin olive oil. Pour in a tablespoon of the batter mix, swirling the fluid so that the bottom of the pan is filled evenly. Cook until the underside is brown then if you can toss the pancake so that it turns over and cook the uncooked side until that side is brown. Turn the pancake onto a warmed plate. Repeat with the rest of the batter mix until all is used up. These ingredients should make 12 pancakes. Stack all the pancakes interleaved with greaseproof paper.

For the filling place the half thawed spinach in a pan and heat gently until it is completely thawed. Cook for a further 2 minutes, then pour off the excess liquid. Beat in both the cheeses, egg, nutmeg, salt and pepper into the spinach. Divide the filling between the pancakes, roll them up and place into a shallow ovenproof dish oiled with some of the virgin olive oil.

To make the sauce, heat some virgin olive oil in a saucepan, remove from the heat and stir in the milk and flour until blended. Return the pan to the heat and bring the contents to the boil, stirring until it has thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese. Spoon the sauce over the pancakes.

Mix the parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs and sprinkle over the pancakes. Place the 12 pancakes flat on a large oven proof dish and cook for 20 minutes in a pre heated oven 190C (375°F) gas mark 5.

RATATOUILLE AU GRATIN.

This recipe serves four people

• Sea salt
• Black pepper
• 1 cored, sliced and seeded red pepper
• 1 sliced aubergine
• 1 tablespoon of chopped basil
• 2 cloves of crushed garlic
• 250 gms (8 oz) thinly sliced mozzarella cheese
• 350 gms (12 oz) tomatoes
• 350 gms (12 oz) of sliced courgettes
• 500 gms (lib) of sliced boiled potatoes
• 6 tablespoons of virgin olive oil

Put 3 tablespoons of virgin olive oil into a frying pan and heat, add the slices of aubergine and fry them on both sides until they begin to brown, add more oil if necessary. Remove the aubergine slices from the pan and drain them on some paper off a kitchen roll. Put the remaining oil, garlic, courgettes and red pepper into the frying pan and fry stirring occasionally for approximately 10 minutes until all the ingredients have softened. When softened, add the tomatoes, aubergine, basil, salt and pepper to taste and simmer for a further 10 minutes.

Place the potatoes in an ovenproof dish and cover them with the rest of the ingredients from the frying pan. Spread the ratatouille to the edges of the dish and spread the cheese slices over the top. Bake in a pre heated oven for 20 minutes at 190C (375°F) gas mark 5. Take out of the oven and serve.

NUTS BEANS AND PULSES

TOMATO AND LENTIL QUICHE.

This recipe serves four people

Pastry made with cheese added

• Water to mix (iced)
• 1 yolk of an egg
• 1/2 teaspoon mixed herbs (dried)
• 175 gms (4 oz) whole-wheat flower
• 75 gms (3 oz) grated cheese
• 75 gms (3 oz) margarine

Filling

• Sea salt
• Black pepper
• 1 can of chopped tomatoes (397 gms or 14 oz can)
• 1 clove crushed garlic
• 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds
• 175 gms (6 oz) green lentils
• 2 chopped celery sticks
• 2 chopped onions
• 2 Tablespoons of virgin olive oil
• 250 mls (8 fluid oz) water
• 3 tablespoon of chopped parsley
• 75 gms (3 oz) grated cheese

To make the pastry mix the flour and margarine in a bowl until it has the look of fine breadcrumbs then stir in the cheese and herbs. Form a well in the centre of the mixture and add the egg yolk. Add water to mix to a firm dough. Sprinkle flour onto a work surface, place the dough onto the flour and knead lightly until the dough is smooth. Take a 20 cm (8in) flan dish and roll the enough so that it fits the dish. Prick the dough with a fork and chill in the refrigerator for 1/2 an hour. Preheat the oven at 200°C (400°F), gas mark 6 and place the dish containing the dough in and bake 'blind' for 10 minutes. Take the pastry out of the oven, remove the foil and put back in the oven for a further 5 minutes. take the flan base out of the oven leaving the oven on as you have not finished with it yet. Prepare the filling by heating the oil in a frying pan and adding the onions, celery, and garlic. Fry until the ingredients have softened. Add the tomatoes including the juice, lentils, water, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover with lid stirring occasionally simmer for 1 hour until the lentils are tender. After the hour, stir in the parsley and turn all the ingredients out into the flan case. Sprinkle the cheese an sesame seeds over the top and return to the oven for 15 minutes or until the cheese is brown and bubbling. Take out of the oven and serve.

BEAN STEW.

This recipe serves four people

• Sea salt
• Black pepper
• 1 bouquet garni
• 1 can of chopped tomatoes (397 gms or 14 oz can)
• 1 of each cored seeded and slice red and green peppers
• 1 teaspoon of chopped marjoram
• 2 cloves of crushed garlic
• 2 slice onions
• 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons of tomato puree
• 2 tablespoons of virgin olive oil
• 350 gms (12 oz) haricot or pinto beans, soaked for at least 12 hours
• 50 gms (2 oz) stoned and halved black olives

Firstly drain the beans and place into a saucepan. Cover them with cold water. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 10 minutes, then cover with a lid and simmer for 1 and 1/4 hours until the beans are almost tender. Add a pinch of salt. Drain the beans into a bowl so that you can save 300 mls (1/2 pint) of the bean liquid.

Put the oil into a frying pan and place on heat then put in the onions and fry until they soften. Add the garlic and peppers and fry on a low heat for 10 minute. Add the tomatoes along with their juice, the tomato puree, marjoram, bouquet garni, beans, 300 mls (1/2 pint) saved bean juice, salt and pepper to taste. Cover with a lid and simmer for 45 minutes. Add the olives and parsley after 40 minutes so that they are only in the pan for 5 minutes of the cooking time. Remove the bouquet garni and serve with a green salad.

ROASTED MUSHROOMS AND PEANUTS.

This recipe serves four people

• Coriander leaves to garnish
• Sea salt
• Black pepper
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon of shoyu
• 1 tablespoon of tomato puree
• 125 gms (4 oz) whole-wheat bread crumbs
• 2 celery chopped sticks
• 2 cloves of crushed garlic
• 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
• 250 gms (8 oz) ground peanuts
• 250 gms (8 oz) boiled and mashed potatoes
• 250 gms (8 oz) sliced mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons of virgin olive oil

To make the mushroom sauce

• 1 chopped onion
• 1 clove of crushed garlic
• 1 tablespoon of whole-wheat flour
• 125 gms (4 oz) chopped mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons of virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of shoyu
• 75 mls (3 fluid oz) vegetable stock
• 75 mls (3 fluid oz) goat's (cow's) milk

To make the sauce heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onion and fry until soft. Add the garlic and mushrooms and fry for another 2 minutes. Stir in the flour and remove from the heat then stir in the vegetable stock and milk. Put the mixture into a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring and cooking for 3 minutes. add the shoyu and stir in. add the salt and pepper to taste. Take off the boil and allow to cool. Place the sauce in a food processor and blend until smooth.

To make the roast take a frying pan and heat 1 tablespoon of the oil, add the onion, garlic and celery and fry until the celery and onion soften. Mix the breadcrumbs and peanuts together in a bowl. Add the fried onions and celery, mashed potatoes, egg, shoyu, tomato puree, parsley, salt and pepper to taste and mix thoroughly. Put the remaining oil in the frying pan and add the mushrooms and fry for 2 minutes, stirring the mushrooms as they fry.

Grease a 1 kg (2 lb) loaf tin and put 1/2 of the nut mixture in pressing it down so as to leave more room on top. Cover the nut mixture with the mushrooms and then press the remaining nut mixture on the top of the mushrooms. Cover the loaf tin with tinfoil and bake for 1 hour in a pre heated oven at l80°C (350°F) gas mark 4. After 1 hour remove from the oven and leave to one side for 5 minutes before turning the loaf out. Garnish with the coriander and serve with mushroom sauce.

DESSERTS.

GINGER AND KIWI SALAD.

This recipe serves four people

• 1 melon halved and seeded (not watermelon)
• 15 gms (1/2 oz) thinly sliced ginger
• 2 tablespoons ginger syrup
• 2 thinly sliced kiwi fruit
• 250 gms (8 oz) halved and seeded white grapes
• 4 tablespoons of apple juice

Using a melon bailer scoop the flesh from the two halves of the melon or cut into cubes and put them into a bowl along with the kiwi fruit, grapes and ginger. Mix the apple and ginger juice together and pour over the melon dish. The dessert is ready to serve.

IN CONCLUSION FOR LACTO-VEGETARIAN DISHES

Above are just a few starter dishes, main meal recipes, recipes for nuts, beans and pulses and desserts that you can use in the diet. There are many vegetarian recipe books on sale which will give you varied and delicious meals. There is no need to be boring. Be wicked, enjoy mealtimes without eating unhealthy food. You can purchase these books from book shops, health food shops or even in supermarkets. Look for a good Lacto- Vegetarian recipe book and adapt some of the recipes to the health diet. For instance it is acceptable for you to replace soup in the diet for a portion of stuffed mushrooms. Instead of a plain lettuce salad, substitute a spring green and pepper salad or an artichoke vinaigrette. Use your own discretion and vary the meals so as not to become to bored with the diet.

Aphrodisiac

Half glass of raw goat's milk (un-pasteurised if possible)

• 1 tablespoon liquid honey
• 1 tablespoon iced crushed as much as possible
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 2 teaspoons lecithin granules (health store should stock these)
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
• 2 tablespoons skimmed milk powder
• 2 tablespoon wheat germ oil
• 2 yolks of the egg (fertilised if possible)

Use food blender to blend these ingredients into a liquid after grinding the sesame and pumpkin seeds with a food grinder. This is best eaten at a leisurely pace using a spoon or a straw.

Excelsior

• 1 cup of vegetable broth

• 1 tablespoon wheat bran

• 1 tablespoon whole flaxseed

Soak both the flaxseed and wheat bran in the vegetable broth overnight. Warm the mixture up in the morning, stir it and drink. Consume the seeds as well as the broth. Swallow the seeds whole, do not chew them. This recipe is especially beneficial for constipation. What it does is helps to restore the rhythm of the peristaltic action of eating.

If the patient is on a juice fast then the excelsior should be strained.

Vegetable Broth

• 1 large handful (about a cupful) of celery including the leaves chopped up finely

• 1 large handful (about a cupful) of any other vegetable such as: beet tops or turnip tops

• 1 large handful (about a cupful) of shredded or sliced carrots

• 2 large potatoes chopped into small chunky pieces or sliced into about half inch squares

Using a stainless steel saucepan put all the vegetables in and fill it with about one and a half quarts of water, bring to the boil then turn down to simmer and place the lid on so that it will cook slowly. This should take approximately half an hour. Strain into a large bowl and allow to cool until it is only warm, then serve. If it is not to be used immediately, then keep it covered in a fridge until ready for eating, warm it up and serve.

Whey & Home Made Cottage Cheese

Whey is a by product of cheese making, so if I explain here how to make home made cottage cheese, then you will also have the recipe for whey. If you cannot find a health shop that sells whey you can make your own. When cheese is in the making, whey is the yellow-green liquid that remains after the removal of the solid parts of coagulated milk (the curds). We can make whey butter and whey cheese by dehydration of this whey liquid.

The Recipe

Place a container of soured milk in a pan containing water and warm it to about 110 degrees F. When you see that the milk has curdled, cover a deep strainer with a cheese cloth and place the strainer over another container to catch the milk. Pour the curdled milk onto the cheese cloth and let it strain through the cloth and strainer. What is left in the strainer is the fresh home made cottage cheese. If you find the cheese not soft enough to your liking just add sour cream a little at a time to it and stir it in until it is the right consistency for you. The residue in the new container that laid beneath the strainer is whey, so don't throw it away, it is a great little invigorating drink.

To make whey butter or whey cheeses boil the whey until the water evaporates and leaves a semi-solid substance. Put this semi-solid substance into a cloth and leave to harden. The hard substance is whey cheese. If it is whey butter that you desire, mix the semi-solid substance with cream until it has a consistency of butter.

About Whey

The reason whey is so good for health and beauty is that it is an internal cleanser. It helps promote growth of friendly bacteria and helps prevent constipation. Nothing is more an enemy to beauty than constipation. If a person suffers from chronic constipation the skin has a muddy, greyish look. It is porous and rough and very often suffers with pimples, eczema and other types of skin problems. Another complaint caused by constipation is halitosis (bad breath). Toothpaste or mouthwash is of no use with bad breath of this kind. Bad breath that originates in the lungs or stomach and not in the mouth cannot be cleared by using toothpaste or mouthwash. You must be careful about using mouthwash due to some mouthwashes causing tooth decay. Check thoroughly as to which mouthwash to purchase, ask your chemist. The lungs try to purify the impurities in the blood as it passes through them, this is why bad breath often comes from the lungs, which are excreting the impurities through breath. Whey is a very efficient combatant against constipation because it keeps the intestines clear and free of impurities.

Some scientists claim that eternal youth (with reservations) can be the result of keeping the colon in perfect working order, in other words keeping a perfectly efficient digestive, assimilative system in the body. The opposite to this perfect functioning, that is, sluggishness of the intestines, faulty nutrition, bad assimilation of food and constipation is the main cause of premature ageing.

Powder or tablet forms of whey are available in health shops. Put 2 tablespoons of the powder form into a glass of fruit juice, or in a glass of milk (preferably skimmed) each morning. Another way is to use the powder with baking, cooking, added to soups, cereals or even added to yoghurt.