FIVE WAYS TO PREPARE LEEKS

How to get the most nutrients out of food 1. SPRINKLE with Parmesan. Leeks are one of the best prebiotic foods — they boost the growth of healthy gut bacteria. Parmesan is unpasteurised and therefore has prebiotic qualities, too, so they work well together. 2. CHOP, sautée and add to mashed potato. It reduces the carb content and helps a serving of mash count as one of your five-a-day (potato is a starch so doesn’t count as veg). 3. SAVE the tougher green bits and use them in stock. This part of the leek is high in folic acid, a B vitamin important for the immune system and energy levels. 4. TRY raw baby leeks sliced in a salad — they have more than twice the vitamin C of boiled leeks. 5. SERVE with mackerel for a hearthealthy combination — the omega 3 in the mackerel help keep arteries free of inflammation and sulphur compounds in leeks are thought to lower unhealthy blood fats.