Minerals & Nutrients

Living Foods

Book 1 starter and appetiser recipe web page. Seven wholefood starters with full recipes, methods, key minerals, key vitamins, chef's tips and embedded images.

Starters & Appetisers

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Sunflower Seed Pâté

Starter 1

Sunflower Seed Pâté

A smooth, mineral-rich starter made from soaked sunflower seeds, lemon, tahini and fresh parsley. Serve as a moulded pâté on a plate, surrounded by small salad leaves and a dark fruit-style Cumberland drizzle.

Ingredients

  • 250g sunflower seeds, soaked overnight
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 tbsp tahini
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • Small handful fresh parsley
  • 100ml filtered water
  • Small salad leaves, to serve
  • Cumberland sauce or dark berry reduction, to finish

Method

  1. Drain the soaked sunflower seeds well.
  2. Add sunflower seeds, garlic, lemon juice, tahini, sea salt, parsley and half the water to a blender.
  3. Blend until smooth, adding the remaining water slowly until the pâté holds together but is still creamy.
  4. Taste and adjust lemon or sea salt.
  5. Press into a small ring mould or ramekin and chill for at least 30 minutes.
  6. Turn out onto a plate, surround with small salad leaves and drizzle with Cumberland sauce.

Top Key Minerals

Magnesium Phosphorus Selenium Zinc Copper

Top Key Vitamins

Vitamin E Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) Vitamin B6 Folate

Chef's Tip

Excellent served with cucumber sticks, celery, peppers and spelt crackers. For a firmer restaurant-style finish, chill the pâté in a mould before plating.

Humamaise

Starter 2

Humamaise

A creamy chickpea and tahini spread served in a terracotta pot, finished with olive oil and herbs, with rustic sourdough and olives on a bread board.

Ingredients

  • 400g chickpeas, cooked and drained
  • 2 tbsp tahini
  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • Fresh parsley, to finish
  • Paprika or cumin dusting, optional
  • Sourdough rustic bread, to serve
  • Fresh olives, to serve

Method

  1. Add chickpeas to a blender or food processor and blend until partly broken down.
  2. Add tahini, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil and sea salt.
  3. Blend until creamy, adding a little water if needed.
  4. Taste and adjust lemon, garlic or sea salt.
  5. Spoon into a terracotta pot.
  6. Drizzle with olive oil and finish with herbs.
  7. Serve on a bread board with rustic sourdough and fresh olives.

Top Key Minerals

Iron Magnesium Manganese Zinc

Top Key Vitamins

Folate Vitamin B1 Vitamin B6

Chef's Tip

Add roasted garlic for a deeper flavour. Keep the texture slightly rustic rather than over-smooth if serving with sourdough.

Fermented Kraut Salad

Starter 3

Fermented Kraut Salad

A bright fermented salad using sauerkraut, mixed leaves, cucumber, spring onion and parsley. A clean starter that brings sharpness, freshness and living texture to the table.

Ingredients

  • 250g sauerkraut
  • Mixed leaves
  • Cucumber, sliced
  • Spring onion, finely sliced
  • Fresh parsley, chopped
  • Lemon dressing
  • Optional: shredded red cabbage
  • Optional: carrot ribbons
  • Optional: caraway seeds

Method

  1. Wash the mixed leaves thoroughly and dry well.
  2. Slice cucumber and spring onion.
  3. Place leaves, cucumber, spring onion and parsley in a bowl.
  4. Add sauerkraut and gently fold through.
  5. Dress lightly with lemon dressing just before serving.
  6. Finish with herbs or caraway seeds if using.

Top Key Minerals

Potassium Calcium Magnesium

Top Key Vitamins

Vitamin C Vitamin K Folate

Chef's Tip

Never cook fermented foods for this salad. Heat reduces the freshness and changes the living quality of the dish.

Avocado Mineral Plate

Starter 4

Avocado Mineral Plate

A simple clean plate of ripe avocado, cherry tomatoes, basil, lemon juice and sea salt. Serve on a white plate with baby leaf lettuces, fresh basil and lemon wedges.

Ingredients

  • 2 ripe avocados
  • Cherry tomatoes, halved
  • Fresh basil leaves
  • Baby leaf lettuces
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Lemon wedges, to serve
  • Sea salt
  • Optional: light olive oil drizzle

Method

  1. Slice the avocados cleanly and fan them across a white plate.
  2. Arrange baby leaf lettuces around the avocado.
  3. Add halved cherry tomatoes.
  4. Finish with fresh basil leaves.
  5. Drizzle with lemon juice.
  6. Season lightly with sea salt.
  7. Serve with lemon wedges on the plate.

Top Key Minerals

Potassium Magnesium Copper

Top Key Vitamins

Vitamin E Vitamin K Folate Vitamin C

Chef's Tip

Use ripe avocados only. They should yield slightly when pressed. Cut and dress close to service so the colour stays bright.

Wild Green Garden Salad

Starter 5

Wild Green Garden Salad

A large green buffet salad for two to four people, served in a clear glass bowl with rocket, watercress, spinach, mixed herbs, cucumber and lemon dressing.

Ingredients

  • Rocket
  • Watercress
  • Spinach
  • Mixed fresh herbs
  • Cucumber, sliced
  • Lemon dressing
  • Optional: basil, mint or parsley
  • Optional: cracked black pepper

Method

  1. Wash all greens thoroughly.
  2. Spin dry so the dressing does not water down.
  3. Slice cucumber thinly.
  4. Combine rocket, watercress, spinach, herbs and cucumber gently in a large glass bowl.
  5. Dress immediately before service.
  6. Toss lightly and serve fresh.

Top Key Minerals

Iron Magnesium Calcium

Top Key Vitamins

Vitamin A Vitamin C Vitamin K Folate

Chef's Tip

Never overdress greens. Let the leaves stay alive, crisp and lifted. Dress only at the last moment.

Irish Sea Moss Citrus Cup

Starter 6

Irish Sea Moss Citrus Cup

A bright citrus mineral drink made with sea moss gel, fresh orange, lime and spring water. Serve chilled in small glass cups as a light opening course or amuse-bouche.

Ingredients

  • 4 tbsp sea moss gel
  • Juice of 2 oranges
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Spring water
  • Orange slices, to garnish
  • Lime slices, to garnish

Method

  1. Add sea moss gel, orange juice, lime juice and a little spring water to a blender.
  2. Blend until smooth.
  3. Adjust thickness with more spring water if needed.
  4. Chill before serving.
  5. Serve in small glass cups with orange and lime garnish.

Top Key Minerals

Iodine Potassium Magnesium Calcium

Top Key Vitamins

Vitamin C Folate

Chef's Tip

Ideal as an amuse-bouche before a larger meal. Keep it chilled and bright so it refreshes the palate.

Falafel Bites with Herb Dip

Starter 7

Falafel Bites with Herb Dip

Small chickpea falafel bites with parsley, coriander, garlic, cumin and sea salt, served with a creamy herb dip, lemon wedges and crisp vegetables.

Ingredients

  • 300g soaked chickpeas
  • Fresh parsley
  • Fresh coriander
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • Sea salt
  • Optional: lemon zest
  • Optional: small amount of chickpea flour if mix needs binding
  • For herb dip: cashews, lemon and fresh herbs

Method

  1. Drain soaked chickpeas well.
  2. Blend chickpeas with parsley, coriander, garlic, cumin and sea salt until coarse but workable.
  3. Do not over-blend into paste; keep a little texture.
  4. Shape into small balls.
  5. Bake until golden or shallow fry if preferred for a crisp finish.
  6. Blend cashews, lemon and fresh herbs to make the herb dip.
  7. Serve falafel bites with herb dip, cucumber, herbs and lemon wedges.

Top Key Minerals

Iron Magnesium Zinc Manganese

Top Key Vitamins

Folate Vitamin B1 Vitamin B6 Vitamin K

Chef's Tip

Smaller falafel cook more evenly and create a better starter portion. Chill the mix before shaping if it feels too soft.