YOU CAN STILL Eat COMFORT FOOD — AND here’S HOW

I LOVE to take the unhealthy foods from cookbooks and switch the ingredients to make a healthier, healing and happier version. Here’s how you can do it, too . . .

BEEF CURRY

(SERVES 2) 410 g (14 oz) organic stewing steak, in cubes 1 x 400 g (14 oz) tin organic coconut milk 1 large onion, peeled and diced 2 garlic cloves (whole and remove at the end) 3 cm (1¼ in) cube of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin slices 2 small red chillies, finely sliced (remove the seeds if you prefer it mild) 3 star anise 2 tbsp ground cumin 2 tbsp ground coriander 250 ml ( ½ pint) fresh beef or chicken stock or water sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bitesized chunks 10 cherry tomatoes 1 tbsp fish sauce 40g (1½ oz) spinach Fresh coriander and ½ cauliflower to serve PuT all of the ingredients except the sweet potatoes, tomatoes, spinach and fish sauce into a slow cooker or lidded casserole. stir and add a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Then leave to cook for five hours (or overnight in the slow cooker).

Before serving, add the sweet potatoes, tomatoes and fish sauce and cook for a further 30 minutes, then stir in the spinach.

sprinkle the coriander over the top and serve with cauliflower ‘rice’ (grate half a cauliflower, then steam for two minutes, wrap in a clean tea towel and squeeze to get rid of excess water).

CHICKEN ARRABIATA

(Serves 2) 1 onion, chopped 1 clove of garlic, crushed Fresh chilli, chopped Handful of cherry tomatoes 1 tbsp tomato passata 2 chicken breasts, cut into strips Coconut oil for cooking Gently fry the onion, garlic and chilli in coconut oil until soft, add the tomatoes, passata and chicken. stir, turn the heat down and cover with a lid. leave to poach for 20 minutes. serve with a large green salad and spiralised celeriac noodles.

CHICKEN AND CHIPS

(SERVES 2) 1 chicken breast, cut into six thin strips 1–2 red chillies, finely chopped (deseed if you don’t like heat) 1 large garlic clove, minced Juice and zest of 1 lemon 2 tbsp unflavoured coconut oil, plus extra olive or coconut oil for the chicken 1 sweet potato, peeled and shredded into thin sticks with a mandoline or spiralised 2 tsp paprika sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Put the chicken strips, chillies, garlic, lemon juice and zest in a large bowl and mix well. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for as long as possible (at least 30 minutes). Add

a little olive or coconut oil if leaving over-night or longer than three hours. Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the sweet potato sticks or swirls and fry; turning and moving contin-ously - be careful because they are so fine they can easily burn. Once crisp, put on a plate and cover with kitchen paper. Using the same pan, heat a little more coconut oil, then add the chicken strips and fry one each side until golden brown and cooked. Turn off the heat, add 2 tbsp water and cover with a lid. This allows the chicken to cool slowly without getting too dry.

Season with the paprika, salt and pepper and serve with a simple green salad, such as rocket, lamb’s lettuce and avocado with a mustard, olive oil and lemon dressing.

STEAMED MONKFISH

(SERVES 2) 2 heads broccoli, broken into florets 1 tsp sea salt 5 cm (2 in) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into very fine matchsticks 2–3 tbsp coconut oil Handful of fresh basil 1 red chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped 1 tbsp fish sauce 300–400 g (10½-14 oz) monkfish Grilled cherry tomatoes, to serve

BLANCH the broccoli in a pan of salted, boiling water for three minutes, then drain, reserving 1 tbsp cooking water, and cool immediately under cold, running water. Gently fry the ginger matchsticks in the coconut oil over a low heat for two minutes. Turn off the heat and let the ginger infuse a little longer.

in a blender, blitz the broccoli with the ginger-flavoured coconut oil and a little of the ginger (reserve some ginger for the garnish), the basil, chilli, reserved cooking water and the fish sauce.

Salt the monkfish and steam for eight to ten minutes, or until cooked.

reheat the broccoli ‘mash’ until hot, then spoon it onto two plates. Put the monkfish on top and sprinkle with the reserved crispy ginger sticks. Serve immediately with the grilled cherry tomatoes on the side.

EGG MUFFINS

(SERVES 2) 6 eggs Coconut butter Filling (see below)

GREASE muffin trays with coconut butter (or olive oil), whisk eggs in a bowl, spoon a little filling into bottom of each muffin space and top with egg, then bake in a medium oven (150 c) for ten minutes. Fillings to try: SUNDRIED tomato, chilli and paprika. BEETROOT and feta. ROASTED squash and sage. AVOCADO, spinach, chives and basil.

ROASTED peppers, paprika and parsley.