Jamie Oliver has established an amazing culinary empire and has been fighting for healthy food for years. It’s therefore not too much of a surprise that his latest cookbook is completely devoted to healthy dishes: ‘Jamie’s Everyday Superfood’. For this book, Jamie traveled the world to thoroughly investigate the world of food and health.
And although Jamie is one of the most well-known chefs and culinary authors, he apparently is still very involved in the process of making the book. Something I very much admire about him. In fact: Jamie has taken care of the photography of this book himself (I know from experience just how much work that is!) and the result is just gorgeous. This book has that well-known ‘Jamie’ style, with light, bright and colorful food photos. The book is filled with original, but very doable recipes and puts a large emphasis on health.
In the fairly short recipe introductions, that healthy focus can sometimes overpower the rest. An intro for a ramen & kimchi dish tells us about vitamin E, antioxidants and the protection of our immune system, and although that’s true and amazing, I know it can’t be the only reason Jamie wants you to make this dish. The nutty rice noodles, crunchy vegetables, spicy touch of pepper and the delicious rich taste of the walnut miso are so beautifully combined in this dish and bring so much flavor and textures. I’m sure Jamie will definitely focus on the taste in his TV show (in fact: I think Jamie is amazing in sharing flavors and can pretty much convince me to make everything!), but it’s something I miss a bit in the book.
Although I have to say that the recipes bring so much inspiration on their own. That breakfast chapter only! From fruit soups with ‘granola dust’ to sweet potato muffins and everything is just gorgeously presented. But the other chapters don’t disappoint either: you’ll find recipes from Bombay chicken with cauliflower and pappadums to skinny carbonara with peas. A few of the recipes require a bit more work, most are easy enough for weekday dinners and they always offer an original twist.
I started with a breakfast dish (that would come at no surprise) and that dish turned out to be a real winner: berry pocket eggy bread/French toast. Stuffed berry breads made with thick slices of wholemeal bread and a simple batter of banana (similar to these pancakes) for a very special crust. Generously filled with juicy raspberries and served with a luscious scoop of yogurt, a sprinkle of pistachios and a drizzle of honey. Such a perfect dish for lazy Sunday mornings!
Serves 2 | Recipe from Jamie’s Everyday Superfood
INSTRUCTIES
1. In a blender, blitz the eggs, peeled banana, and 1 pinch each of nutmeg and cinnamon until smooth, (note: mashing with a work works well too, DK) then pour into a wide shallow bowl. Cut your bread 1 inch/2½cm thick, then cut a slit into the longest side of each slice and wiggle your knife inside to make a pocket. Use your finger to stuff the raspberries inside – pack as many in as you can, but be gentle so you don’t tear the bread. Lay in the eggy mixture and gently squash the bread so it soaks up the eggs.
2. Meanwhile, put a large non-stick frying pan on a medium-low heat with 1 teaspoon of oil, then wipe it around and out with kitchen paper. Pour half the excess egg mixture into one side of the pan, then place a piece of soaked bread on top to give it a lovely pancake layer. Repeat with the rest of the mixture and the other slice alongside it. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden, then confidently flip over to cook for the same amount of time. Meanwhile, smash up the pistachios in a pestle and mortar – toast them first, if you like.
3. Serve the eggy bread dolloped with yoghurt, sprinkled with pistachios and an extra pinch of cinnamon and drizzled with a little honey.
