Zinc

As I promised I will be posting a few health tips. Today I will be talking to you about Zinc.

Zinc is the most common mineral in our body after iron and it is responsible for many actions from supporting fertility and immunity to regulating mood and the impact of ageing.

In today's life styles most of our diets are often insufficient in zinc. Zinc is absorbed through the soil and into the foods we eat.Intense farming can deplete it's levels in the foods we eat.

The following foods are rich in Zinc :- shell fish, red meat, poultry, pumpkin seeds, beans, whole grains, greens, mushrooms, green beans, tahini and sunflower seeds.

To maximise your zinc intake it is best to consume it with protein like meat or eggs.

Recommended zinc allowance is 15mg per day

Some people only consume half of this with vegetarians, older people and teenage boys.

If you suffer with depression, infertility, frequent infections, poor sense of taste or smell or have more then two white marks on your finger nails then these can be signs that you are deficient.

Zinc can help with painful periods, acne, it can boost your immunity and improve your mood.

Sadza,Pap,Nsima, polenta/turned cornmeal

Sadza in Shona (isitshwala in isiNdebele, pap in South Africa, or nsima in the Chichewa language of Malawi) is a cooked corn meal that is the staple food in Zimbabwe and other parts of southern and eastern Africa. This food is cooked widely in other countries of the region.Sadza in appearance is a thickened porridge. A thinner form of sadza, "porridge", is cooked with peanut butter or margarine and eaten in the mornings occasionally. The most common form of sadza is made with white maize (Mealie-Meal). This maize meal is referred to as hupfu in Shona or impuphu in Ndebele. 


Other names inlcude polenta and turned cornmeal - although both of these are seasoned

You will need the following 


500g white maize meal
1.5 ltrs boiling water
Flat wide wooden spoon

Boil a full kettle. 
Put 1 cup of mealie meal in medium size bowl and mix with cold water until it is a watery-smooth paste with no lumps.
Add this mixture to a medium to large pot and add boiling water to the paste at least 3/4 pot full with water.
Stir the mixture quickly ensuring no lumps are formed,  continue to stir until your mixture starts to thicken to a porridge consistency. 
Put lid on pot and let boil for 5-10 minutes. 
Begin adding mealie meal 1 cup at a time whilst vigorously mixing the porridge with a wooden spoon after each addition. 
Continue adding mealie meal until mixture begins to thicken and will fall away from spoon. 
Stir hard and continuously so there are no lumps.
Close your pot and allow to steam on a low heat for about 5 minutes, you will notice the top of the Sadza will have a shine to it, at this stage it is ready to serve


Serve with Stew. (see African Stew recipe)

Bolognese Nata's way

The kids love this, the husband loves this and the most important critic the mother in-law loves this. It is easy as ABC and packed with flavour.

Ingredients

500g Minced meat

25g Chorizo sausage

1 Large onion finely diced

3-4 large cloves garlic finely minced

1 beef stock cube

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 heaped tsp mixed dried herbs
1 tsp dried or fresh oregano 

Salt and pepper to season according to own taste

1 can chopped tomatoes

1 tsp tomato paste
2-3 tablespoons olive oil

In medium/large pot heat oil and slowly saute onions until nice and translucent.
Add Chorizo and fry until the oil begins to change colour.
Add minced beef and half the finely minced garlic, continue to fry mince until it start to brown adding a little water to prevent the mince from sticking to the pot.
Add all dry spices and continue to slowly fry the meat over a medium heat until the spices begin to release aromas.
Finely add tomatoes and tomato paste, season and allow to cook on a low heat a further 20minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the pot from sticking.
Serve with spaghetti or penne pasta and top off with freshly grated parmesan cheese

Frikkadel (meat balls)

Frikkadel is a traditional Afrikaner dish comprising usually baked, but sometimes deep-fried, meatballs

500g mince beef or lamb or pork (if you like you can actually combine either beef and pork or beef and lamb)

1 large egg
6 tbls natural yoghurt
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 small onion, peeled and finely grated
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 cup very finely chopped fresh coriander

 ½ cup freshly chopped mint 
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon curry powder of your choice

1 tsp turmeric 
1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp paprika 
½ tsp chilli powder, or more depending on your fire
salt and  black pepper to taste

Vegetable or sunflower cooking oil to shallow fry

In a mixing bowl add above ingredients except the oil.

Using your hands, squish everything together ensuring all the spices and herbs are blended through the meat well.

To form the meatballs, pinch off a ball the size of a large plum.

Slightly flatten it in the palm of your hand.

Put them in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up on a floured board or cling flim.

Roll the meatballs in flour and dust off the excess.

Pre-heat oven 180degrees

Fry Frikkadel  meatballs in hot oil, in batches, for 3-4 minutes, or until crusty and golden brown all over, draining on kitchen paper. Place them all on a baking sheet and roast in the hot oven for 5-7 minutes, or until cooked right through.

Family flu remedies

I want to share this amazing family flu remedy with you all. It has been passed down to me by my beautiful grandmother and the great thing about it, it rely does work. You want to make a big batch in a bottle and keep it in the fridge.

What you will need 

4-5 large lemons juiced and seeded

2-3 tablespoons honey (you want good quality honey ie Manuka 15+ or a locally farmed honey)

3-4 cloves garlic (yes I know it sound yucky but garlic is very good for your immune system)

1 piece of ginger about the size of your thumb

2-3 tablespoons brandy or cognac (optional however the alcohol does help to break a fever)

Whiz all the above in a blender and bottle. 

Do not strain the bits cause as the mixture sits it becomes more concentrate. 

How to use this goodness

3-4 tablespoons of the above mixture in 1/2 mug hot water or if you brave enough take 1-2 tablespoons neat. Take this up to 4 times in the day.

Tea time

I love me a cuppa cha (tea).. When the kids are driving me crazy and I need some me time a cuppa tea is the one for me lol..Lyons Irish tea with a dash of milk and a teaspoon of sugar to chase those worries away. 

Tea oh glorious tea.. English Tea, Irish Tea, Green Tea, Chai Tea, Pu-Erh Tea, Rooibos Tea its all one in the same TEA. Some are sweet some are pungent some denote fruit flavours and some are right down bitter and nasty in taste..

Recently I have been tea crazy, went out and bought a whole load of teas and this is what I think about them:-

Rooibos Ginger Peach by English Tea Shop :- I bought this tea particularly for my middle daughter who has allergies. I was attracted to the fact it was flavoured as she has dairy allergies and cant have milk in her tea. This tea is caffeine free and sugar free and it only has 3 ingredients listed :- Rooibos, ginger pieces and peach flavour

I was amazed at how pungent in fruit flavour this tea is once brewed. You instantly get a great whiff of peach when you add hot water. The taste is fantastic you get a hint of ginger followed by full notes of peach and then the sweet nutty flavour of the Rooibos. The kids absolutely loved this tea and there was no need to add sugar because the fruit and Rooibos gives it a natural sweet taste. I would recommend this tea any day.

Cream Cheese Frosting

200g real butter

300g philadelphia cream cheese

1 teaspoon good vanilla extract

4 cups sifted icing sugar/ confectioners sugar

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until fluffy and creamy with an electric hand whisk for 3-4 mins. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy. 

This frosting is great on Red Velvet cakes and cupcakes, carrot cakes, cinnabons.