Category: Blood Group Diet

THE HEALTHY HAPPY KITCHEN for all blood types by Sue Visser

Lesson 4: BASMATI RICE AND VEGETABLES IN 15 MINUTES

For two people:

1 cup basmati rice
2 cups water
1 teaspoon olive oil
a pinch of salt or half a stock cube

Variations:

1 Rasta Rice: add 1 teaspoon of turmeric and a cup of chopped red and green peppers.
2 Quick lentil rice: add a cup of lentil sprouts. The one day old ones with tiny roots are best.
3 Thai spice rice: add a pinch of cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and ginger.
4 Butternut rice: add a cup of small cubes of butternut.
5 Mushroom rice: add a cup of chopped mushrooms and use half a stock cube instead of salt. Add chopped parsley.

Place oil and rice (no rinsing required) in a heavy pot on the stove on high. Stir to heat up and sear the rice and tip in the water. It should soon be bubbling vigorously. Add salt or any of the variations you have selected. Place the lid on the pot and turn the heat down to med- low for 10-15 minutes. This gives you time to cook the vegetable dishes.

GREEN BEANS AND CARROTS IN A CREAMY CURRY SAUCE

For two people:

1 cup chopped onion, celery and parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil 100g green beans (about a fistful)
2 large carrots
1 tablespoon mild curry powder
1 tablespoon rice flour
1 teaspoon honey (optional) a pinch or two of herb salt to taste

THE HEALTHY HAPPY KITCHEN for all blood types by Sue Visser

Lesson 7: CREAMED VEGETABLES FOR SOUP, BABY FOOD OR “MASHED POTATO”

Vegetable purée and creamy soups are a wonderful way for fussy eaters to enjoy vegetables. A very thick vegetable purée made from carrots, butternut, sweet potato, parsnips or turnips and any combination thereof makes a wise substitute for mashed potatoes and they suit all blood types. (Blood type A: reduce sweet potato to a minimum). Use the mixture for a baby food or a thick, creamy vegetable soup as well. Simply peel, dice and steam or boil the vegetables. Drain the vegetables and process with a hand-held blender with a little olive oil, sea salt and herbs and spices that you fancy. You can also add some canned butter beans if hungry guests suddenly arrive!

It is convenient to cook a large quantity of these vegetables and keep them in the fridge for a day or two. In a matter of minutes you can then whip out hearty soups by warming them up with a little hot water and a stock cube. Add milk or soya or rice milk for a creamier result. Top with a blob of fresh cream or yoghurt or some grated cheese if you tolerate dairy products. Alternatively, serve with a slice of lemon, chopped parsley, a sprinkle of paprika, cumin, etc. Enjoy with toasted rye bread, rice cakes or crackers or all type flatbreads and muffins. See baking recipes

CREAM OF PARSNIP (or butternut /carrot) SOUP

This is an unusual and very hearty soup. The flavour can be enhanced with English mustard or the green Japanese Wasabi mustard for a warm little kick. Parsnips suit all blood types and the garlic and onions do as well. Adding whipped cream is optional, and a little bit will do no harm to anybody! This soup takes about 20 minutes to make and serves two people for an outstanding taste sensation.

1 large onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 medium parsnips, peeled and finely chopped (or butternuts or carrots)
1 clove garlic
½ stock cube
2ml herb salt 2 cups boiling water
Optional: a blob of whipped cream
Optional: 1 teaspoon English or Wasabi mustard, or more to taste

Fry the garlic and onion in olive oil, in a medium-sized pot.
Add ½ a cup of water and then the parsnips.
Keep stirring on a lower heat, till the onions are glassy.
Add the salt, stock cube and the rest of the water and bring to the boil.
Add the mustard to the strength you enjoy
Simmer on medium for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.
Process the mixture with a hand-held blender until it is smooth. You can also use a liquidizer of a potato masher.
Serve immediately with a blob of whipped cream and wait for the compliments!

THE HEALTHY HAPPY KITCHEN for all blood types by Sue Visser

Lesson 5: GREEN STARTER

For four people as a starter or a lean meal for two people.

1 pack of asparagus (about 12 spears) or 1 small can of asparagus spears
1 pack of small whole baby green beans
Or: a large handful of green beans, sliced vertically in half
2-3 medium sized courgettes (baby marrows) Or: a 10cm slice of marrow, cut downwards into finger-sized strips

Make the light onion sauce well in advance.
Boil or steam the beans and marrows until just tender.
Chop off the tough ends of the asparagus.
Steam them very quickly until tender but not too soft and brittle.
Neatly pile the beans and marrows onto individual plates.
Arrange the asparagus spears on top, with a slice of lemon.
Serve with the onion sauce or the yoghurt sauce.(See sauces, dips and dressings.)
Alternatively, serve with butter, olive oil and lemon juice.

CURRIED VEGETABLE CASSEROLE (ADD CHICKEN, FISH OR TURKEY SEPARATELY)

When entertaining, prepare these two casseroles to cook in the oven so you can enjoy the snacks and dips with your guests. A mild vegetarian curry will suit all blood types and cause no offence. Chicken, fish or turkey breasts can be added to the same recipe and cooked in a separate dish. Serve hot chilli sauces and mango pickle separately for those who want to add more fire. Also offer a mild sauce, like the light and lean onion sauce, or a bowl of yoghurt to cool down any overheated guests. Steamed spinach goes well with this curry and you can serve it with the onion sauce, yoghurt or creamed tofu. Make a selection of fresh salads or steamed vegetables. Offer a bowl of shredded lettuce with a sprinkle of olive oil and lemon juice to mix with a little of the rice, for those who wish to reduce their intake of starches.

These ingredients will make a large vegetarian casserole to serve four people.
Halve these ingredients if you are adding some meat.

4 carrots
2 medium turnips
2 onions
2 medium sweet potatoes
2 tomatoes
2 red or green peppers
2 chillies
6 sprigs of soup celery
1 vegetable stock cube
2 tablespoons mild curry powder
1 teaspoon grated ginger
2 cloves fresh garlic
½ teaspoon herb salt
30ml olive oil
1 cup lentil sprouts
30ml rice flour to thicken
1 Aubergine, peeled and diced

Meat options:

1 cup diced chicken breasts (for all types use turkey breasts)
1 or 2 cups leftover chunks of roast turkey
1 or 2 coarsely chopped kingklip or cob fillets

THE HEALTHY HAPPY KITCHEN for all blood types by Sue Visser

Lesson 6: SAUCES, DIPS AND SALAD DRESSINGS YOGHURT SAUCE FOR GREEN VEGETABLES, DIPS OR SALADS

Blend of a cup of yoghurt with a teaspoon of honey and a tablespoon of olive oil. Add a dash mustard and some herb salt to taste.

LIGHT AND LEAN ONION SAUCE

This sauce keeps well in the fridge. It can be served with green vegetables or used as a light, low fat dip.

1 large onion or two smaller onions
50ml lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
50ml olive oil
1 teaspoon herb salt
1 clove chopped garlic
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Light a candle when you work with raw onions or cook chillies, and you will have no more tears. Peel and chop the onions and boil or steam them until tender. Alternatively, stir fry them in a tablespoon of the olive oil and let them simmer with a tablespoon of water on low heat until soft and glassy. Cooked onions provide a creamy base for the sauce, without the burn! Place all the ingredients in a deep bowl and process thoroughly with a hand-held blender. You can also use a food processor or an electric blender. Keep the sauce in the fridge.

Variations

Yogurt, chopped herbs, lemon juice or a little mayonnaise can be added to the basic sauce. A red onion will make a beautiful pink sauce or party dip. Use 30ml balsamic vinegar instead of 50ml lemon juice. Try the red onion sauce with steamed or roasted butternut. Top with fresh basil leaves or chopped parsley. Use 30ml tarragon vinegar instead of 50ml lemon juice. This sauce is lovely with fish or chicken. Add a small, fresh chilli instead of the mustard for more of a kick, especially for party dips.

FIERY RED DIP

This dip contains tomatoes and red peppers, so use the alternative recipe if you need an all-type red dip. If you can find some fresh peppadew peppers, you are in for a treat as they have a unique flavour, with quite a hot tang. This dip can be served with carrot and celery sticks, apple slices or lightly steamed green beans for the lean and light eaters, or offer thin slices of rye toast or rice crackers.

3 fresh peppadew peppers, minus the pips and chopped
Or: 6 bottled peppadews
Or: 1 large red sweet pepper with a small chilli
1 large chopped tomato
1 clove fresh garlic
½ teaspoon herb salt
50ml lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey 50ml olive oil
1 small sweet potato, chopped and boiled

Blend all the ingredients together, using a hand-held blender or a food processor.

ALTERNATIVE RED DIP FOR ALL BLOOD TYPES

Some people, especially blood type A, don’t enjoy chillies and A-secretors and B-secretors need to avoid tomatoes, so here is a milder red dip.

2 carrots, chopped and boiled till soft
2 teaspoons paprika powder
50ml lemon juice or 30ml balsamic vinegar
50ml olive oil
½ teaspoon herb salt
2 teaspoons honey or brown sugar
1 clove fresh garlic
1 tablespoon chopped onion

Blend all the ingredients together, using a hand-held blender or a food processor.

Variations

These red dips can be served at parties. When next you serve a cream of vegetable soup, add a swirl of yoghurt and top it off with a blob of red dip. Serve the red dip with fried slivers of ostrich meat, fish or chicken. Spread red dip onto rice crackers and add a pile of fresh lentil sprouts, mixed with grated cheese.

RAISIN RELISH

This sauce is very versatile and can be used on salads, vegetables, for dips, on yoghurt and even breakfast cereals. It can be made on the spot, and the sweetness can vary according to your requirements. The raisins make it very sweet – far sweeter than just adding raisins to a dish. The combination of raw onions with raisins is said to be very healthy. By adding lemon juice or vinegar and some oil, the Glycaemic Index of the raisins is lowered to a more tolerable level.

1 very small onion, chopped
100ml seedless raisins
50ml lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
Optional: the grated rind of a whole lemon
100ml olive / grape seed / canola oil
A pinch of herb salt

Blend all the ingredients in a tall container, using a hand-held blender. Taste it and you will find that you cannot really detect the onion! Add more onion to make a more savoury relish for salads or serve as is on salads, cereals or yoghurt.

Variations

1 Breakfast or desserts. Leave out the onion and salt. Add a chopped apple and a little more lemon juice. Serve with yoghurt, fruit salad or with chopped bananas for dessert. Add a pinch of ginger or cinnamon powder. Use this mixture to make the morning oats or muesli more interesting.

2 Vegetable or curry relish. Add a large, chopped onion and more lemon juice or vinegar. Add a small chilli and some ginger, if liked, for a quick chutney for your curry. Spoon this mixture over steamed root vegetables like butternut, sweet potato or parsnips.

3 An unusual salad. Chop up a few lettuce leaves into the bottom of a salad bowl. Sprinkle on some olive oil and lemon juice and a dash of herb salt. Top with raw, grated parsnips or carrots and butternut. Spoon over some raisin relish and garnish with a few onion rings.

POOR MAN’S PESTO SAUCE

Pesto sauce is usually made with pine nuts that are very expensive. This recipe uses ground-up sesame seeds, almonds or walnuts. Parmesan cheese can be substituted for pecorino cheese, made from sheep’s milk.

100ml olive / canola / sunflower oil
50ml lemon juice / apple cider vinegar
3ml herb salt
1 clove garlic, peeled
6 small spinach leaves
10 sprigs fresh basil
100ml grated parmesan cheese
50ml ground-up sesame seeds / almonds / walnuts

Tip the oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic into a tall container. Add a third of the chopped green leaves and process with a hand-held blender. Keep adding more leaves. If the mixture gets too solid, add a little more oil or lemon juice. Stir in the grated cheese and ground-up seeds or nuts. Do not worry if the mixture looks a bit runny. After a day in the fridge the sauce becomes more solid. It keeps well in the fridge.

THE HEALTHY HAPPY KITCHEN for all blood types by Sue Visser

Lesson 3: Bake healthy cookies for all blood types

These cookies are the ultimate in compact nutrition for sportsmen and the everyday person on the move. They contain no animal products or baking powder and are suitable for diabetics, being high in fibre and low in sugar. Select the most suitable ingredients and start baking! Yield: 24 muffins or a tray 30cm x 45cm cut into 30 flat cookies 1 cup = 250ml. Preheat the oven to 180° C.

Alternative blood type ingredients are indicated by a slash ( / )

Dry mixture:

2 cups oats (not O2) / barley flour (not O) / rice flour (all)
1 cup rye (not B)/ soya (not B2, O2 )/ yellow pea flour (all)
1 cup millet flour (all) / sorghum (only A, B2)
½ cup ground-up flax seeds
½ cup chopped walnuts / sunflower seeds (only A)
½ cup brown sugar / fructose / stevia equivalent
2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon citric acid
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder (not B, O2)
1 teaspoon ginger powder (all)
½ cup olive oil / canola oil (not B, O2)
optional extra: 1 teaspoon cream of tartar (extra potassium)

Wet mixture:

100g chopped dates / raisins / dried fruit
200ml water or fruit juice
50ml blackstrap molasses
STEP 1
Mix all the dry ingredients together and rub in the olive oil.

STEP 2
Soak the dates / raisins / dried fruit and molasses in water.

STEP 3
Pour the wet mix into the dry ingredients and stir well.

STEP 4
If the resultant mixture is wet and soft it can be spooned into the greased muffin trays. Adjust the consistency: add more water if it is too dry and sticky; but for slab cookies, it must be dry.

STEP 5
For making a giant slab for cookies, the mixture must be quite stiff and sticky. If it is too wet, add another tablespoon or two of oats or rye flour to strengthen it. Spread out the mixture to a thickness of about 1cm onto a flat greased baking tray and cut into squares with a knife prior to baking. For round cookies, spoon out blobs of dough. Leave plenty of space and flatten the tops. The dough consistency will vary according to your selection of dry ingredients. If too crumbly or wet, adjust by adding more flour that binds, such as pea, soya or rye ; if too dry, add more water.

STEP 6
Sprinkle chopped nuts, sesame seeds or brown sugar over the muffins or cookies and bake them in the oven at 180° C for 10-15 minutes. Switch off the oven. Allow them to settle for a few more minutes till the muffins shrink around the edges before removing from the trays. Cool on a wire rack or in a flat basket. For a stronger, chewy cookie, leave the baking tray in the switched-off oven for at least an hour. They can stay in overnight for a dry, crunchy biscuit.

Grains and legumes to suit all blood types and are free of gluten

Rice

The best rice for your health as well as for value is brown rice. If you use my easy method of preparation you will always have rice ready to warm up for a meal within 3-5 minutes. All you need is a thermos flask! 3-4 hours before the meal, tip one cup of brown rice into the flask with a good pinch of salt. Then pour in 3 cups of boiling water and close the lid. This will yield 4 cups of rice that is 90% cooked. It keeps for at least a week in the refrigerator. For meals, mix in an equal quantity of lentil sprouts and warm up in a steamer or microwave oven.

To make the Egyptian street meal called Khoshari, add a spicy tomato and chilli sauce, rich in lemon juice and olive oil. I keep a can of All Gold Indian style tomato handy for instant flavour enhancement. If you can’t eat too many tomatoes, try different sauces and gravies using canned tuna, fried onions, beans, curried vegetables, etc. Also have this rice with the cooked black-eyed beans.

Pilaau made from Basmati rice is also a tasty dish and it is lower on the glycaemic index than other types of rice. The most popular spices to add are: cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, fennel, star aniseed and turmeric or saffron for a yellow colouring. The nutritional value is negligible, so as a denatured white starch, it should only be eaten in very small quantities. Try to pad out your rice with grated carrot or chopped lettuce. When cooking, substitute some of the rice with millet granules to improve the nutritional value. Sesame or sunflower seeds can also be added. Add chunks of butternut to the pot as well, to save on time and add to the dish.

Millet

Millet is available as nutty wholesome flour or as dehusked grains. Millet is high in protein and alkaline minerals as well as trace elements. It is low on the glycaemic index, making it slower to digest and hence easier for diabetics to consume without making heavy demands on their insulin requirements. The granules can be cooked with Basmati rice. Substitute half or one-third of the rice with millet granules. For baking, millet adds a crunchy, nutty texture to biscuits but it is not a sticky, binding flour so include pea flour, oat, rye flour or eggs to make the biscuit less crumbly. A serving of millet a day certainly keeps the laxatives away, and it is highly alkalising to the digestive system. No more constipation, especially if you keep taking blackstrap molasses and eat loads of vegetables and plenty of fresh fruit.

Yellow peas

Yellow split peas must be the cheapest and most delicious addition to my grocery cupboard! The yellow pea flour is a popular baking ingredient and as far as I know, it agrees with all the blood types. When you have time, cook the whole bag of peas till soft, but do not add any salt to the pot. Keep sealed bowls of this basic dhal in the fridge or freezer. It can be flavoured up with a stock cube and a little curry powder. Add a splash of olive oil to make some delicious dhal. It can be enjoyed hot or cold. For a quick hot soup, I add some boiling water. You can add a few spoons of cooked yellow peas to just about any soup or stew to thicken it and improve the flavour as well as the protein content.

Black eyed beans (swartbekkiebone)

These attractive little beans can replace baked beans in all of your favourite dishes. As one of the few legumes that suit all blood types, the good news is that when they are correctly prepared, they do not cause gas, cramping, indigestion and discomfort. Soak them in boiling water overnight. Then rinse very well in a sieve under the tap to remove the toxic exudates that cause all that gas. Boil for about an hour in plenty of water and do not add any salt, or they will not soften during cooking. You will now have a pot of brown, cooked beans that are ready to eat.

My favourite bean dish is the Brazilian “Feswallez”. It is a rich brown beany stew, but I leave out the scraps of pork. It is best to fry up chopped onion, celery and leeks in a little oil. Add a generous sprinkling of: ground-up kaloontjie seeds, coriander, cumin and mustard seeds. Now stir in some of the cooked beans and their liquid with a stock cube or two. Turn on low and mix in well. You should not have to add anymore salt, but a dash of soy sauce makes it really delicious. It can be enjoyed as a single dish with brown rice or as a side dish. Serve it cold as a snack with toast or warm it up whenever you are hungry. Use it to add to chilli and beans, mince dishes and rich, thick soups like minestrone.

Lentil sprouts

Lentils do not suit all blood types. Rather sprout them and try to add to as many dishes as you can, either raw in salads, dips and smoothies or warmed up in curries, meat, bean and rice dishes. To make sprouts: soak lentils in water overnight. Then leave in a sieve covered by a plate for 3-4 days till the sprouts appear. Keep in the fridge and away from sunlight as the tips that turn green can cause gas and bloating.

Making the most out of dried peas and beans

Modified humus / dhal starter for all blood types

Best all rounder: cooked yellow split peas make a nutty creamy dhal or humus. Sometimes try dried green peas.

Other legume bases that suit all: black eyed beans, speckled sugar beans, canellini (haricot)beans or white broad beans. Be wary of eating a lot of beans not suited to your blood type – they can make you bloat and gain weight!

Specific choices: mung bean dhal (mung bean not for blood type B)

Chick pea only for O secretors

Kidney beans only for B’s and A non-secretors

Lentils for A, AB and O non-secretor

Fava beans not for AB or O secretors

Cooked pulses are wonderful to make into a puree. Either take time to soak and boil them (without salt) or open a can. Rinse off the water in a sieve. Add oil, a little lemon juice, salt and spices like cumin and pepper substitute. Optional extras: crushed garlic, chopped onion, chillies, curry powder. Mash by hand with a fork or use a stick blender to make a creamy paste. Adding a little boiling water makes it lighter and fluffy.

Dried green peas can also be prepared in this way, but are nicer as a soup, mixed with hot chicken or veggie stock.

A warm starter or main dish made from pulses:

Refried beans. Heat up oil in a pan. Add chopped onion with celery and garlic (optional). When sizzling, stir in cooked pulses of your choice. Season the beans well with salt and spices. Add about a 1 cm layer of water. Turn off heat and keep stirring till hot and succulent. Serve before it all sticks to the pan. This can be enjoyed hot on toast or rice. Add a salad or vegetable dish for a more leisurely meal.

For leftovers , add a cup of hot chicken or vegetable stock to a few tablespoons of refried beans for a tasty soup. Add other scraps from the fridge as well and top with parmesan cheese. For a swanky fish pate, mash smoked mussels or oysters into a bean dhal with a little lemon juice. This is also nice heated up as a soup.

Special note to lazy bachelors: You will soon get the hang of knocking together a quick and nutritious meal yourself, with very little effort. The secret is in keeping a good larder of cans to open and add to the basic foods you prepare and keep in the fridge or freezer when you have the time. Always keep fresh onions, lemons, tomatoes, carrots, radishes, parsley, lettuce, avocados and other salad ingredients around and eat them before they rot! Top up on fresh supplies at least once or twice a week. (For those who groan, remember this is the time and money you usually spent or wasted on takeaways.)

National pulse favourites:

1 Brazilian “fedjwales” is made out of kidney beans and has a thinner consistency. They eat it with rice in copious amounts, almost in preference to most other foods.

2 Egyptian Fouls Medamis is made out of fava beans and is also thinner. It is eaten with pita bread as part of a special breakfast or brunch with olives, white cheese, yoghurt, thin slices of onion, cold meats and hard-boiled eggs with lemon and tomato wedges. This is one of my favourites for daytime entertaining.

3 Mexican refried beans. Add tomato paste and loads of chilli to the bean mix. Best served on tortillas with salad and guacamole (mashed avocado) For the hard pressed bachelor, just fry up some onion and chilli. Toss in a can of baked beans and serve on leftover rice or toast. Top with a fried egg or omelette and you won’t have to buy takeaways!