Fennel & Hot Smoked Salmon Salad with Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette

Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients

Salad

2 Chicory Heads

1 Fennel

1 Avocado

Half a Medium Red Onion

200grm Hot Smoked Salmon

Vinaigrette

2 Tblsp Dijon Mustard

Half cup of Apple Cider Vinegar

Half cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Pinch of salt

Directions

For the vinaigrette mix the mustard, vinegar and pinch of salt together.  Slowly add the olive oil while mixing.

Thinly slice the red onion and fennel into half moons.  Put into a large bowl and mix with 2 tblsp of the vinaigrette.  Break the chicory into 1.5 inch pieces and put on top of the onion and fennel.  Cut the avocado in four pieces lengthwise then thinly slice put on top of mixture in the bowl.  Take the hot smoked salmon and flake into pieces on top of the salad.  Add more vinaigrette to taste and mix all together.  Ready for serving

Pasta al Salmone Fumicato  (Smoked Salmon Pasta)

Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients

3 Cloves of Garlic – finely diced.

1 Medium Yellow Onion – finely diced

1 Medium Carrot – finely diced

Half a Red Pepper – finely diced

1 Bottle of Tomato Passata

1 pinch of Chilli Flakes or Cayenne Pepper

200gms Smoked Salmon cut into small pieces

Bunch of Parsley chopped

Salt to taste

100ml of Double Cream or Soya or Oat Cream

500gms of Whole wheat Pasta

Directions

Heat oil in a pan.  Add the garlic and stir then straight away add the onion and a pinch of chilli flakes, stir for a couple of minutes.  Add the carrots and pepper to the pan, fry for 5 minutes to soften.  Pour the tomato passata (whole bottle) into the pan, rinse the bottle out with a cup of water and add that to the pan.  Add half the smoked salmon, salt and black pepper to taste and bring to the boil, then simmer for 20-30 minutes.  Five minutes before the end of the cooking time add the cream and remaining salmon.

Add salt to a pan of boiling water and cook the pasta until al dente.  Reserving some of the pasta water, drain pasta and return to pan.  Add the salmon sauce to the pan and add the parsley.  Mix well.  Add some of the reserved pasta water if needed to keep the dish moist.

Serve straight away.

Dressed Vegetables

Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients

200gms Mange Tout, lightly cooked (can use broccoli, green beans, courgettes, asparagus or a mixture).

4 tbls of fresh Lemon Juice

Pinch of salt

Half a teaspoon Dried Mint

Quarter teaspoon Ground Cumin

Half a pack of Feta Cheese (to crumble)

1-2 tbls of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions

Put the lemon juice, pinch of salt, ground cumin and mint.  Add the red onion and mange tout and mix together.  Crumble the feta cheese into the bowl.  Add the olive oil and mix.

Guilt Free Chocolate Mousse

Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients

600ml Soya milk (or 300ml rice milk and 300ml soya milk)
Pinch of salt
3 heaped tblsp agar flakes

3 heaped tblsp cocoa powder  (to taste)

1 heaped tblsp Arrowroot

70ml Maple Syrup  (to taste)

Directions

Put the cocoa powder into a bowl and mix with some of the soya milk to make a smooth paste.  Heat the remaining milk in a pan with a pinch of salt, sprinkling in the agar flakes before it reaches boiling point.  Simmer for 3-4 minutes or until all the flakes have dissolved, then add the cocoa paste and simmer for a further 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly.

Make another paste – this time with the arrowroot and a tablespoon of water – and add this to the pan, stirring constantly.  Add the maple syrup as you stir.  Remove from the heat, transfer to a flat dish and leave to cool for 1-2 hours.  Once set, blend in a food processor until smooth and creamy, adding more maple syrup if needed.  Could be topped with some whipped oat cream and hazelnuts.

http://www.metro.co.uk/lifestyle/887337-macrobiotic-diet-is-a-grain-of-truth-for-simple-food

Another write up from Ronnie who was also with us last year.

This Case Study by Philippa Brook shows how following a healthy plant based diet can have dramatic effect on the body, both internally and externally. Philippa demonstrated a massive improvement in the condition of her psoriasis – something that numerous prescribed topical treatments has failed to do (and whilst Chinese herbs have helped a bit in the past, the process was quite laborious and not easy to fit into Philippa’s life).

Philippa Before

Philippa After

Philippa’s Penninghame Diary

Day 1
Arrived feeling terrible. Where I get psoriasis is red and inflamed.  Face was pale with red blotches, spotty and felt totally shattered.  Had to wear make-up not to scare myself, let alone any of the other guests.

Lovely welcome dinner, with everyone who was taking part on the course. Meet Marie and Ray who run Penninghame, and Bill and Marlene our teachers for the week.  Delicious food.!

Day 2
Chi ball at 7.30am. Earlier than I get up in London for work! Later, an introduction to some new ingredients (like a new language; umeboshi, tempeh, shoyu, kombu, kukicha) and wholesome whole grains. Had a consultation, and learned that my stomach is tight, and my bottom lip is swollen, indicating bad digestion.  Red chin.  Bad circulation.  Low energy levels, in the past helped by chocolate and booze.  Psoriasis they say is to do with the body getting rid of toxins and it hasn’t been able to through digestion as my digestive system was under so much strain.  To correct: my body needs to detox to get rid of toxins and do yoga, chi ball or something equivalent to release the stiffness where the toxins where.
How I Feel
Shattered.  Left bloated, which is to do with me not chewing, making it really hard for my body to digest my food.  Body in total denial about what is going on.

Day 3
Learned why dairy isn’t good for you, and about the stages of sickness and stress.  Also had a seaweed bath today – amazingly soft skin afterwards.
How I Feel
Struggled out of bed again, – am still shattered so went to bed early.  Still feeling a bit bloated.

Day 4
Chi Ball class, lectures, Oriental Facial Diagnosis and a cookery class on Healthy Desserts. Went for steam and sauna too.
How I Feel
Woke up really stiff after a night of hot sweats.  So bad that I had to actually get up at one point and towel myself down!  Apparently, both of these are to do with my body trying to release all the toxins, stimulated by chi ball and this cleansing diet I am on.  Didn’t feel so tired today, feel like I’m getting some natural energy back. Feeling much more clear-headed and also confronted a few work issues that I had been ignoring for the last few weeks, knowing I had to confront them but without the space or clarity to do so.

Day 5
Yoga, more new foods and a cookery lesson on great stir frys, soups, burgers, pastas.
How I Feel
Feel so much better today and my bloating is gone.  Feel energised. Calm.  Everyone is commenting on how much better I look.  Eyes and skin brighter.  Spots have nearly gone and my red chin is dulling too.

Day 6
‘Dynamic meditation’ this morning – a real experience!  Also learned about food and the relationship to allergies, immune deficiency and natural immunity.
How I Feel
Psoriasis is so much better.  My elbows are my gauge as I always have it there and the redness and inflammation has died down and smoothed over, which is a sign that it is on the road to recovery. Feel energized, clear headed and really positive and calm.

Post Penninghame
I feel like I was going down a very destructive and debauched path.  Partying way too much, no off button, and not eating a good diet. Even when I think I am being healthy and cooking something like veggie stir fries, it turns out I have been ruining it by what I have been putting in it (white rice, sugary sauces etc)!

I was drinking way too much and had far too many really late nights. Body and mind were both exhausted. I left Penninghame with an optional starter pack, which gives you all the new ingredients you need to start cooking the penninghame way – straight way!  This gives you time to find out where you can buy all the new ingredients yourself.

My goal is to be really strict with myself and try and eat a totally plant-based diet and get rid of my psoriasis.  Once I have done it and programmed my brain into that way of thinking about food, I will be able to relax a bit and find a good balance. This will allow me to still be ‘naughty’, but because I’m giving my body such a break the rest of the time it will be able to cope with this.

By the end of my week at Penninghame my skin was so soft, I was chattier and had so much more energy – without any chocolate or coffee! Penninghame was so beautiful and so peaceful. It was the perfect place to recharge and I am excited to see what these changes will do to my body in the long term as my psoriasis is already greatly improved and people have been commenting on the difference!

Posted 30th December 2011

Further Information
For further information please contact Penninghame House on Tel: 01671 401414; info@penninghame.org   www.penninghame.org/

By Marlene Watson-Tara

This is a topic that can have enormous impact on your health.  Detoxification is the term we describe for the process of your body eliminating things that it was not designed to have such as heavy metals and toxic chemicals and as technology advances these toxins accumulate more and more.

Despite most people’s best intentions, we still live in a very toxic world….. we’re surrounded by toxins of all kinds, some worse than others.   That’s why it is important to use environmentally-friendly products that cause less impact to our planet.  But even if you try to “go green” environmentally, you may still end up with unwanted toxins inside your body.

Committing yourself to eat all-natural unprocessed foods as much as possible will certainly go a long way ot limiting your future exposure to toxins. Is is important to you to start removing as many impurities from your body as possible.

When selecting different options for detoxing, opt for ones more natural and food based as these tend to have not as many side effects.   A favourites is Daikon/Kombu/Shitake Tea (see recipe below).  The proteins from the seaweeds bind to the heavy metals and excrete them from the body.  I also use a Barley Grass Supplement.

Toxins

Our bodies are automatically detoxing every day. The body has natural physiological Detox actions of its own: sweating, urinating and moving bowels for example.  But in our modern era of pollutants, heavy metals, computer and mobile telephones radiations, harsh cleaning solvents, industrial sprays, chemical pesticides and so much more, the human body has become immensely overloaded with various toxicities.

Our bodies need a little help every so often.  Implementing simple detox steps can help with the following problems:-

• PMS
• Indigestion
• Ovarian cysts
• Headaches
• Impotence
• Cellulite
• Low Sex Drive
• Joint pains
• Bad breath
• Allergies
• Constipation
• Brittle Nails
• Skin eruptions
• Poor memory
• Depression
• Insomnia
• Excess weight

And most important, they feel great with renewed health and vitality.

Top Detox Foods

• Vegetable juices
• Water
• Raw foods/Sprouts/Greens
• Fruits, Vegetables, whole grains, seaweeds,  daikon, legumes, seeds

Avoid or keep to a minimum

• Fried foods
• Dairy
• Sugar
• Alcohol
• Caffeine

Start Skin Brushing.  Dry skin brushing speeds up the rate at which toxins are expelled from the body, because it motivates blood cells and lymph tissue, two key physiological detoxification avenues.  Skin brushing is not something you do in the bath or shower, but before you wash, you can bathe afterwards.

Breathing – The way you breathe can have a dramatic effect on your health.  Please read my notes on breathing and learn just how powerful oxygen is as a detoxifier.

Exercise – Taking daily exercise is essential to properly detox the body.

Drink Water –Drinking fresh filtered still water is one of the most efficient detoxifying fluids we can give ourselves each day.  I recommend 6-8 glasses of water at room temperature.  Chilled water with ice chills the kidneys.

Wholefoods Plant Based Diet – This diet is a food and lifestyle plan that supports the body as it attempts to detox and heal itself.  There are no miracle nutrients or natural magical bullets that do it all for you.  Important points to note:-

1.      Your diet should offer good nutrition

1. The foods you eat should help strengthen your natural Detox functions: the eliminative organs (liver, kidneys, intestines and skin).  Their natural detoxing ability is channelled through your daily bowel and urinary discharge, exhalations, emotional expression, movement and sweat.
2. Your diet should help to regulate blood sugar, avoiding swings that contribute to diseases, cravings and moodiness.
3. Your diet should help to strengthen your biggest ally in healing – your immune system.

These are the most important factors of any diet.

Food is best if made fresh and not frozen or canned.  Thorough chewing and eating small amounts of fermented foods ensure good digestion and improved absorption.

This diet assumes that you think of your food as medicine, so you shouldn’t dwell on what you may be missing and would like to indulge in.  It’s about healing and the need to do it in a focused way for the benefit of your body’s honest reaction.

A variety of nutraceuticals can help bolster immunity, aid the liver, support adrenal function, and provide solid nutrition.  These nutraceuticals may include maitake, shitake and reishi mushrooms, astragalus, milk thistle, algae or barley grass products, trace minerals, various herbs, whole food source multivitamins and minerals and so on.

Principle foods – The essential foods that provide your nutritional basics and make up your main dietary percentages are wholegrains.

• Principle foods – The essential foods that provide your nutritional basics and make up your main dietary percentages are wholegrains.
• Secondary foods – The foods that supplement your diet and enhance principle foods.
• Pleasure foods – The special foods you allow yourself to enjoy in small amounts.
• Swing foods – The idea of a swing foods is to take more of what appeals to you, not so much due to taste but instinct.

We spend a good portion of our lives processing organic matter.  We consume food, which then travels through various digestive stages designed to reduce its size and extract its goodness simply for the purpose of sustaining us.  It’s very simple, really – if you stop eating you die.  But also it is important to absorb the most nutrients from what you consume in order to thrive, not just survive.

Seaweed Bath and Its Benefits

Many will know the seaweeds purify and maintain the ecological balance of the ocean. They can perform the same purification process on your body too. The rejuvenating effects of eliminating toxins from the body can refresh us physically and mentally. A seaweed bath can create an invigorating effect by balancing the vital ingredients that constitute the body’s chemical structure. They are highly recommended for treatment of psoriasis and eczema.

Seaweed is said to possess an electrolytic magnetic action and so releases excess body fluids from the congested cells, dissipating fatty wastes through the skin pores. In addition, they also replace depleted minerals such as potassium and iodine, boosting thyroid activity and help to maintain adrenal regulation and hormone balance.

Seaweed therapy is recommended by its proponents for those affected by insomnia or sleep apnea. By improving the quality of sleep, it automatically enhances your immunity levels and helps you feel relaxed and fresh. A regular seaweed bath can minimize cellulite development on the skin by purifying it and giving your body a healthy toned look.

Seaweed body wraps help in toning up body muscle and speeding up the metabolism. They improve circulation, whilst ejecting the toxins out of the body. Seaweed therapy also aids in providing relief from joint and muscle aches and is of immense help in treating conditions such as arthritis, eczema and psoriasis.

Countries such as France, Spain, Italy, Ireland and Greece have facilities known as thalassotherapy spas (loosely translated from the original Greek word as ‘sea therapy’). T The presence of sea weed, such as bladder wrack and kelp, help in conditions such as psoriasis and the detoxification of the body by opening up the pores, ejecting toxins, accumulated grime and dirt from the skins layers.

How It Works -  The minerals and trace elements released by seaweed in hot water are absorbed through the skin through a process called osmosis.

Minerals are very important to vitalise body cells.  However minerals cannot be produced or restored inside of the body. Thalassotherapy enables the body to replenish essential revitalizing natural elements and mineral salts.  Seaweed contains mineral salts that can help the skin to hold its moisture better, which helps to smooth fine lines.

How To Take A Seaweed Bath – Place half a bag of bladder wrack kelp or knotted wrack kelp seaweed in a bath of hot water.   The seaweed will turn a beautiful spring green and the water will turn a rich brown as the seaweed release their minerals.   You can add a herbal bath oil, if desired, to help hold the heat in and pleasantly scent the water. Let the bath cool enough to get in. As you soak, the gel from the seaweed will transfer onto your skin.

Spa Detox – This coating increases perspiration to release toxins from your system and replaces them by osmosis with minerals.  It also helps to rejuvenate your skin, de-stress, stimulate the thyroid, help weight loss, eases eczema, reduce the appearance of cellulite and relax the whole body and mind.

Seaweed Body Wrap – You can also make a seaweed wrap by adding bladder wrack to a bowl of hot water leaving to soak then placing a bandage in the gel ,wrap the bandage around an area to be firmed up (buttocks or belly or arms) leave for 30 minutes and then remove.  Why not try a detoxing seaweed foot spa?  Wash well as seaweed may contain sand and bits of shell.
Kelp Seaweed will stay fresh if you keep it in the fridge, for up to 10 days or freeze.

Come to Penninghame House to learn more about detoxing, living and cooking for health and vitality!

Penninghame House has been included in Tatler’s Spa Guide 2012

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 small onion, diced (1/2 cup)

2 small carrots, diced (1/2 cup)

1 celery rib, diced (1/4 cup)

1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 cups pinto beans

6 cups miso bouillon (one sachet) or 6 cups dashi stock

1 bunch kale (12 oz.), trimmed and chopped (6 cups)

1/4 tsp. dried oregano

1/8–1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Put wakame in small bowl, cover with cold water, and soak 15 minutes, or until soft. Drain, squeeze out liquid, cut into small pieces and set aside.  Heat the oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery and wakame, and sauté 3 to 5 minutes, or until tender. Add cannellini beans, pinto beans, and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, 10 minutes.  Transfer half of soup to food processor or blender and purée until smooth. Stir mixture into remaining soup in pot, and add kale. Cook 5 minutes more, or until kale is tender. Stir in oregano and nutmeg.