Bronwyn Kan has gathered together a collection of New Zealand women who share a quest to empower others to embrace a more wholesome lifestyle and diet.
They all have in common a belief in the benefits of consuming food in its most natural state, processed and refined as little as possible. What started off as a university project became the cookbook Whole: Recipes for Simple Wholefood Eating.
The women, who have successful wellness and food-oriented businesses or blogs, led Kan to realise a meal could be incredibly nourishing when ''you understand you are in control of the ingredients'', she said.
''People often say they don't have the time or ability to eat well, but I truly believe that it is a simple choice that can be uncomplicated and inexpensive to embrace.''
THE BOOK
WHOLE: Recipes for Simple Wholefood Eating
By Bronwyn Kan
Beatnik Publishing
RRP $44.95
© Bronwyn Kan
• Fresh mint, dark chocolate and sea salt cookies
From Jordan Rondel, aka The Caker
I came up with this recipe in the early stages of my business, when I had an excess of fresh mint in my garden. It's my favourite herb so I didn't want it to go to waste, but was unsure how it would work in baking.
Well, it works wonderfully! In these cookies, the fresh mint maintains its vibrant green colour and lends the loveliest subtle mint flavour.
INGREDIENTS
½ cup (115g/4oz) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup (170g/6oz) unrefined golden caster sugar
1 organic egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups (225g/8oz) plain flour
¼ tsp baking soda
1 cup (165g/5.8oz) dark chocolate chips
6 Tbsp fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
sea salt, for sprinkling
Method
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, and beat until smooth.
Sift in the dry ingredients and combine well. By hand, stir in the chocolate chips and chopped mint leaves.
Form the dough into a log to the dimensions you want the cookies to be. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 175degC. Line two baking sheets with baking paper.
Cut the log into approximately 1cm-thick cookies. Arrange on the baking sheets about 3cm apart. Sprinkle a little salt on each one.
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until just golden. Makes about 24.
• Fijian kokoda salad
By Hannah Horton, of Health Yeh
This raw specialty is a gift from the Pacific. Freshly caught snapper, coconut milk and crunchy, peppery greens paired with zesty lime, chilli and coriander is a match made in tropical heaven.
INGREDIENTS
400g fresh white fish fillets, skinned and boned and cut into 2cm cubes
½ cup (125ml) white vinegar
1 handful of microgreens
1 handful of crispy cos lettuce
1 handful of snow pea sprouts, fibrous ends trimmed off
¼ cup (125ml) fresh lime or lemon juice
4/5 cup (200ml) coconut milk
1 handful of coriander, chopped
1 fresh green or red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 red capsicum, deseeded and thinly sliced
1 cup (150g) cherry tomatoes, halved
sea salt and cracked black pepper
lime wedges
METHOD
Soak the fish in the white vinegar and set aside for 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, arrange the microgreens, cos lettuce and snow pea sprouts on a serving platter. Set aside. Rinse the fish carefully with cold water and drain well. Place in a bowl and pour over the lime juice, coconut milk, coriander, chilli, red onion, capsicum, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Gently combine with your hands.
Pile the fish and coconut lime mixture over your green salad and garnish with the lime wedges. Serves 2 to 4.
• Green pesto soba noodle salad
From Monique Satherley, of Snackpack
This salad is the business because it's very hearty and just like eating pasta but is gluten-free and much lower in calories. Soba noodles are made with buckwheat flour so as well as being free from gluten, they are rich in manganese, great for bone health.
INGREDIENTS
Pesto sauce
1 large bunch of basil, lemon balm or coriander
1 cup (135g) cashews or pine nuts
½ cup (60g) parmesan cheese, grated
¾ cup (190ml) olive oil
squeeze of lemon juice
pinch of sea salt
Salad
1 packet (450g) of organic soba noodles
2 medium carrots
5-10 snow peas
5-10 cherry tomatoes
halved bunch of baby spinach
rinsedpine nuts or crushed cashews for sprinkling (optional)
To serve
1 sliced grilled chicken breast or, for vegetarians, a handful of edamame beans.
METHOD
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. While the water is being heated, process all the pesto ingredients together in a food processor or blender. Check for taste, adding additional herbs and nuts for texture or more olive oil for a smoother blend.
Place the soba noodles in the boiling water and stir to ensure all of the noodles are under water. Once in and boiling, reduce heat to a simmer for 5 to 8 minutes. Check your packet instructions for specified timing.
While these are cooking, thinly slice or julienne your carrots and snow peas.
Fill a bowl with cold water then drain the soba noodles into a colander. Place the drained noodles into the bowl of water and ''clean'' the noodles by giving them a rub-down. By doing this you are removing extra starch, which will stop them from forming a gluggy mess. Transfer the clean noodles back into the colander and let the water drain off for a minute or so.
Transfer the noodles to a large bowl and toss with the pesto sauce until thoroughly coated. Stir through the carrots, snow peas, cherry tomatoes and spinach.
Top with crushed cashews or pine nuts and a sprinkle of grated parmesan. Serves 4
