Dear sisters, I had a lovely day last Saturday. I had been feeling little ‘under the weather’ so I was thrilled when my sisters came to my home to join me for lunch!
I made vegetable tagine, salad, pakoras, balti chicken and rice. Cooking in a tagine takes longer than conventional methods but the result is a more flavoursome dish – the large conical lid traps the steam and this in turn keeps all the natural flavours locked in. I enjoy rustic cooking with the ingredients just thrown into a pot and seasoning added between samplings!
The meal got me thinking about the campaign to eat five portions of fruit or vegetables everyday. When first confronted by this task, I couldn’t believe that anyone could eat that many vegetables voluntarily and the prospect of consuming mouthfuls of green leafy vegetables was more than I could stomach. Moreover, the dilemma of trying to fit it into my daily meals and the effort of constantly chopping and peeling! The breakthrough in my way of thinking came with the tagine. It was relatively easy to roughly chop vegetables of your choice, saute for a few minutes, then cover and simmer until done. As with most recipes, there are no ‘hard and fast’ rules about your choice of vegetables for the dish and you can experiment by using those in season or special offers from the supermarket. Apart from onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and green chillies, I added sweet potato, carrots, peppers and courgettes. The spices can also be adapted: from the subtle flavours of North Africa and the Middle East, to the deeply pungent and spicy masala of the Indian sub-continent. It is better to season sparingly and add fresh herbs like coriander, to bring out the true breadth of taste and to avoid masking the natural flavours of the vegetables. For an authentic taste, I stirred in a tablespoon of harissa paste.
My second dish of the day was my version of Greek salad: with lettuce, cucumber, fresh tomato, avocado, fresh coriander, feta cheese and pomegranate seeds – drizzled with the juice of fresh lemons and olive oil! This colourful salad brought to mind the suggestion of many health professionals : to eat a rainbow of fresh fruit and vegetables daily.
The benefits of eating a 
variety of plant-based produce are manyfold:
- A variety of colours make the vegetables more appealing and you will be more satisfied as a result. Top chefs thrive on the fact that half the enjoyment of food is linked to the way it looks on a plate. Fine dining involves paying attention to detail and aesthetically pleasing presentations of food.
- Eating fruits and vegetables of different colours will help you eat, at least, five portions a day, if not more…
- You will be ensuring an intake of a range of minerals and vitamins:
Red vegetables like tomatoes contain antioxidants which help to lower cholesterol.
Orange/yellow vegetables like sweet potatoes and carrots contain a chemical which is converted to vitamin A in the body. This vitamin is important for the health of our eyes.
Green vegetables, rich in the plant pigment chlorophyll, have been found to protect against certain types of cancer.
Blue/purple vegetables contain chemicals which are thought to prevent certain types of cancer.
White/beige foods, such as mushrooms, may reduce inflammatory conditions such as arthritis.
Research on this topic is still ongoing and further studies will hopefully elucidate the benefits of incorporating a variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet.
What have I learned of life’s lessons this weekend?
Definitely, it is the simple pleasures in this life which give you most joy: the immense blessing of sharing a simple meal with my sisters is something that I will not only treasure in my memory but insha’Allah, I will seek to repeat more frequently. For those who truly count God’s blessings and are grateful, then every small occasion is a cause for celebration and showing gratitude. While those who are materialistic, even a posh meal at an expensive restaurant with celebrities and high-flyers will not fill their hearts with happiness.
We need to reconnect with nature. We need to reconnect with the Creator.
I leave you with the dua of the Prophet Suleiman (as):
“My Lord! Grant me the power and ability that I may be grateful for Your favors which You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may do righteous good deeds that will please You, and admit me by Your mercy among Your righteous servants.” Surah An-Naml (27:19)
Useful resources
https://www.bhf.org.uk/heart-matters-magazine/nutrition/5-a-day/colourful-foods