Fennel – a hugely under-rated and under-used ingredient

Posted on by gloriouslygoodfood

Fennel, or more specifically, the fennel bulb, is a vegetable I don’t often see in use here in the UK and that’s a real shame.

The fennel bulb is delicious raw, steamed, sautéed, barbequed…you name it!

At only 31kcals per 100g and rich in essential vitamins, it is a very healthy as well as delicious vegetable. Its sweet, aniseed-like taste is a delight for the palate.

I enjoy it finely sliced (ideally with a mandolin) and seasoned with a little extra virgin olive oil & salt as a refreshing and gloriously tasty side-salad, though it’s equally delicious when mixed in with a variety of leafy salads, tomatoes & cucumber for a rich mixed salad.

I love using chunks of fennel bulb with peppers (capsicum), onions, garlic, courgettes & carrots for a roasted vegetable taste explosion, or just simply placed on the BBQ in the summer, then seasoned with a drizzle of olive oil & salt.

If you haven’t tried fennel or haven’t had any recently, why not give it a go?

As an added bonus, if you are watching your blood pressure (as I am), then you’ll find that fennel is said to have diuretic properties and therefore be useful in the reduction of high blood pressure.  It is also known to be a great digestive aid, particularly in the reduction of bloating (often in the form of fennel tea or, with infants suffering from colic, as an ingredient in gripe water).

For recipes, tips & general foodie stuff, go to www.gloriouslygoodfood.com
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Quick Tuna Salad | Low-Cal Tuna lunch | Tuna & Rocket Salad | Quick Lunch Ideas

Posted on by gloriouslygoodfood
Gloriously Simple Tuna Salad

Here’s one of my regular quick, filling & healthy lunches.

I’ll give you today’s quantities & ingredients, but it really is down to whatever you happen to have available on any given day.  The beauty of that is that you don’t get bored of it if you keep changing some of the ingredients.

Today’s makes enough for 2 generous portions or 1 super-greedy portion (i.e. for me, it’s one portion!).

Assuming 2 portions, it comes in at under 180kcals per portion!

Although it’s not strictly-speaking low-fat, it is low-cal and full of GOOD fat in the form of extra virgin olive oil. Remember to use a really good quality extra virgin olive oil here, as you’re not using a lot of it, so it’s essential to get the best & strongest taste.

For 2 portions, I’ve used: 
  • 40g rocket
  • 80g cucumber, diced
  • 120g (1-2, depending on size) tomatoes, diced
  • 1 large spring onion (the large salad onions…approx 50g chopped)
  • 2tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 can John West No Drain Tuna in a little olive oil (you can use different brands of course, and it doesn’t have to be in olive oil if you prefer it in brine…I just like using this one as it’s a bit tastier and less dry, without having tons of calories)
  • salt & pepper (to taste)
Method

Just throw all the ingredients into a large bowl, mix well and serve!

Gloriously Good, Gloriously Simple!

For more recipes, tips & general foodie stuff, go to www.gloriouslygoodfood.com