Jenny Kay reviews Tim Noakes’s second Banting book aimed at younger people and tries a few recipes
Title: Raising Superheroes
Authors: Professor Tim Noakes, Jonno Proudfoot and Bridget Surtees
Publishers: The Real Meal Revolution
Distributed by: Jacana Media
Cost: R398
This sequel to Tim Noakes’s first book, The Real Meal Revolution, which made Banting a household name in South Africa, is aimed at the younger generation.
The authors believe if parents of young South Africans follow the advice in this book, it could revolutionise the long-term health of the country. Quite a bold statement, but they provide plenty of evidence to back it up.
When one considers that South Africa is considered the third fattest nation in the world, we can certainly do with all the help and advice we can get.
In short, the book will help you raise your children and family on a sugar-free, anti-refined carb, pro-real food regime, setting children on the path to long-lasting good health.
According to the book: “Global health is in a transitional phase. After decades of expanding waistlines and diminishing health, we are finally coming round to the fact that low-fat, high-carb eating has been a profound and costly mistake.”
Noakes’s stand on sugar as the evil ingredient is strong, and no recipes in the book contain any table sugar, although honey is used.
Next on their list of “bad” foods are refined carbohydrates.
Fortunately there are some great recipes in the book for alternatives to traditional foods like cookies and breads.
I found the chapter on “treats” enlightening as it gives a whole new way to look at them. The book also has lots of advice on how to cope with different social situations such as birthday parties and outings.
One point that struck a chord was the need to educate one’s children about nutrition. Don’t just feed them without explaining exactly why they should be eating something. Knowledge will empower them to stand up for themselves when tempted.
The chapters cover kids of all ages, from babies to teens. Each begins with an explanation of which foods are best for that age group as well as all the nutritional requirements. There are great easy recipes. The chapters are also colour-coded for easy access.
In the chapter on teenagers, there is a recipe for a stunning strawberry and vanilla frozen yoghurt birthday cake which would trump most sugary creations.
The recipes in the book are suitable for the whole family to eat, ranging from sustaining breakfast dishes to packed lunch box ideas; quick dinners for busy moms; and lots of desserts and treat options.
PUMPKIN NUT FLAPJACKS WITH CINNAMON BUTTER
Serves 4
2 eggs, separated
1 banana, peeled and chopped
1 cup cooked and mashed pumpkin
a third of a cup of almond butter
half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon
half a teaspoon of mixed spice
a third of a cup of almond flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons melted butter
coconut oil or butter for frying
cream cheese, to serve
CINNAMON BUTTER
3 tablespoons melted butter
half a teaspoon ground cinnamon
50g chopped pecan nuts
In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks and set aside.
Except for the coconut oil or butter and cream cheese, place the remaining ingredients and egg yolks into a food processor and mix until they are the consistency of a batter.
Pour the batter into a bowl. Gently fold the egg whites through the batter using a metal spoon.
Heat a little coconut oil and/or butter in a large pan to medium heat.
Once the butter starts to sizzle, add spoonfuls of batter into the pan and cook until bubbles start to appear on the surface of the flapjacks.
Flip the flapjacks over and cook until golden on both sides. Repeat with the remaining batter. (Note: because these flapjacks aren’t made with gluten, they are quite delicate, so take care when flipping.)
Serve the flapjacks with a few spoonfuls of cream cheese and a drizzle of cinnamon butter.
CINNAMON BUTTER: To make the cinnamon butter, simply melt the ingredients together.
BATTERED FISH WITH SWEET POTATO CRISPS
Serves 4
FOR THE CRISPS
4 sweet potatoes, washed and thinly sliced
2 cups coconut oil for frying
salt and pepper
a sprinkle of paprika
FOR THE FISH
1kg fresh hake fillets, skin and bones removed and cut into strips
2 cups almond flour
4 eggs
1 cup fresh milk
salt and pepper
mayo, to serve
TO MAKE THE CRISPS: Dry the sweet potato slices well.
Heat the coconut oil in a deep frying pan over a medium heat, then fry the sweet potato slices in small batches until crispy.
Keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn. Drain on paper towel and season with salt, pepper and paprika.
Set aside.
(Once cold, these crisps can be kept in an airtight container and used for lunch boxes.)
TO MAKE THE FISH: Pat the fish dry with paper towel.
In a bowl, mix together the almond flour, eggs, milk, salt and pepper and give it a good blend with a hand blender.
In a pan, reheat the coconut oil on medium heat.
Dip the fish strips into the batter in batches so that they’re completely covered.
Allow the excess batter to drip off and pop the fish strips into the hot coconut oil.
Fry until golden on both sides and drain on paper towel. Repeat with the remaining fish.
Serve hot with the crisps, wedges of lemon and mayo. Add chopped capers and gherkins to the mayo if you like.
LEMON AND VANILLA CHEESECAKE
Serves 10
half a cup of desiccated coconut
half a cup of almond flour
60g melted butter
FOR THE CHEESECAKE
half a cup of water
20g gelatine
1 cup cream
1 cup cream cheese
2 cups buttermilk
a third of a cup of honey
zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
fresh gooseberries, to serve
Mix together the coconut, almond flour and melted butter for the base and press into 12 little glass jars.
For the cheesecake: Pour the water into a heat-resistant bowl and sprinkle with the gelatine. Allow to stand for 5 minutes.
Pour the remaining ingredients into the bowl of and electric mixer and whisk until thickened.
Melt the gelatine mixture over a little boiling water until it is clear. Spoon a few tablespoons of the cheesecake mixture into the gelatine and mix well.
Pour the gelatine mixture into the bowl with the cream cheese and mix until well combined.
Pour the cheesecake filling into the glass jars and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours to set.
Serve with fresh gooseberries.
RATATOUILLE ‘SHAKSHUKA’ EGGS
Serves 4
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
1 yellow or red pepper, seeds removed and diced
1 brinjal, diced
4 courgettes, sliced and diced
125g button mushrooms, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
400g tin of chopped tomatoes, blended
half a cup of water
a handful fresh basil, chopped
a pinch of salt
4 eggs
In a wide pan, melt the butter on a medium heat.
Add the vegetables and gently fry until soft. Add the garlic and fry for a minute.
Stir the tomato paste into the pan and fry for another minute.
Add the tomatoes and the water and simmer slowly for about 20 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Add the chopped basil and a little salt.
At this stage, you could serve the ratatouille as a vegetable option with a dish or as a delicious Mediterranean sauce. (It freezes well, so hang on to the leftovers.)
To complete the shakshuka, make hollows in the ratatouille mixture and crack in the eggs.
Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for about 5-10 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked to your preference.
Serve straight from the pan.
* The Angela Day cookery column (written by Jenny Kay) is published in The Star, the Cape Argus, the Daily News and the Pretoria News.