Eat shoots and leaves: Cactus juice
Sunday May 30 2010
Just as maple syrup is a wholly natural sweetener from Mother Nature's maple tree, agave (pronounced ah-gah-vay) is a natural nectar from the cactus plant.
Characterised by its neutral-flavoured amber liquid, agave is a better alternative to those naughty artificial sweeteners and bags of sugar. The rapid rise of refined sugar in our diets over the past 30 years has prompted an unprecedented explosion in 'diabesity'. This newly coined term refers to the increasing rate of diabetes caused by obesity. Graphic HSE statistics inform us that 38 per cent of Irish adults are clinically overweight, while an alarming 13 per cent of Irish children under 12 years are already obese. Being overweight or obese significantly increases your chances of developing diabetes and further health complications, essentially impairing your quality of life. Currently, 60 per cent of GP visits relate to conditions caused by excess weight. Cutting down on sugar is of paramount concern, as is educating ourselves on the fats that harm and the fats that heal.
The main advantage of using agave is its low glycemic index, which means it breaks down slowly in the bloodstream unlike any other syrups and sugars. In other words, you won't get the roller-coaster highs and lows that regular monosaccharide sugars inflict upon us. Like the Duracell battery in a bunny, agave will drip-feed energy for longer, giving us a steady stream of go-go juice.
Agave is available in large supermarkets, all health-food stores, online and in most delicatessens. There are two things to remember. Ensure it has a Soil Association stamp. There are bogus varieties which have been found to be diluted with cheap, high-fructose corn syrup. Second, it cannot replace equal quantities of sugar in baking as it has a different relationship with flour and liquid. Following a dedicated recipe by an experienced cook is therefore essential for your taste buds and your culinary confidence.
Lemon curd
Mother of God, this is divine. I bet you won't notice the difference between agave and sugar, but your waistline certainly will. The use of extra virgin coconut oil instead of traditional butter provides immune-boosting lauric and caprylic acids. These compounds are found to be particularly useful for fungal infections or skin disorders such as psoriasis and eczema. EV coconut oil tastes exquisite, and it can be applied topically on your skin after a shower as well as used in cooking. It promises to transport you straight to Thailand.
You will need:
5 tablespoons agave nectar
5 egg yolks
Juice and zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
5 tablespoons extra virgin coconut oil
It's important to make sure from the start that you are continuously whisking with a metal balloon beater -- that's the implement usually reserved for beating egg whites. Using a small saucepan on a low setting, gently heat the agave nectar, the egg yolks, the lemon juice, the zest and the extra virgin coconut oil. When all the coconut oil has melted, keep a watch for little bubbles forming on the surface; this is telling you that the mixture is getting hotter and hotter. By this point, you should notice the curd getting thicker. Test it by dipping the back of a spoon into it. If the curd coats the spoon, remove it from the heat. If it runs off the spoon, keep the curd over the heat until it thickens a little more.
Pour into pristine jam-jars, and tie little tartan ribbons around the neck of the jars. What a zippy little treat to put you in the mood for summer. Serve with some natural yoghurt to tame down its tartness, or a simple spoon and a ravenous appetite will suffice.
L
www.susanjanemurray.com
- Susan Jane Murray
Originally published in
