Udo’s Choice

I’ve always been slightly frustrated that the fruits, veg, meats and salads we buy these days seem to be of a lower standard to what we produced 40-50 years ago, why? We over farm our land, feed our animals with cheap alternatives to what they should be eating and spray our vegetables with enough chemicals to kill insects and ultimately over time, us!. So, we don’t get the same vitamins and nutrients we use to.

I was recently sent a couple of products from Udo, the company seems to have thought of all the things we need to make our bodies function like they use too, with essential EFA’s (essential fatty acids) like Omega 3 and 6
Udo’s quote ‘The body cannot produce EFAs, so we must source them in foodstuffs and oils. However, our diets tend not to provide the right quantity or balance of essential fats required by the body.

Most of the Omega Oils we obtain from our diets are damaged by food processing or by exposure to heat, light or oxygen, all of which degrade the nutritional value of Omega 3 and 6. Ultimate Oil Blend provides a premium natural source of unprocessed, undamaged Omega 3 and 6 in a ratio that supports optimum health.
In addition Omega 3 Alpha Linolenic Acid found in Ultimate Oil Blend contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels.  This effect is obtained with a daily intake of 2g ALA.
Ingredients:

•    Flax seed oil
•    Sunflower seed oil
•    Sesame seed oil
•    Coconut oil
•    Evening primrose oil
•    Soy lecithin (GMO-free)
•    Rice bran and oat bran germ oils
•    Mixed Tocopherols

So I decided to make a few recipes for Udo and to incorporate their products into the meals, it was so simple as the products are easy on the palette and also easy to add to anything, from salad dressings, smoothies, soups, casseroles, porridge, pasta dishes, mashed or baked potatoes, protein shakes and more.

Heres a few of the recipes I made for them to try out and have a look at their website if you fancy trying them out http://www.udoschoice.co.uk. I’ve read nothing but great reviews on what they can do for your skin, body and mind!. This is my first 10/10 for product, quality and manufacturer.

Chicken, Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Kale One Pot

Ingredients (Serves 4)8 x bone-in, skin on chicken pieces 1 large red onion, chopped chunky 1 sprig thyme 2 medium sweet potatoes cut into chunks or wedges, skin on 5 cloves garlic, skin on and crushed 4-5 tbsp coconut oil 2 tbsp smoked paprika 1 bag kale 4 tbsp Ultimate Oil Blend 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 2 tsp cumin seeds 30g butter 5 tbs water 2 tsp salt Large pinch black pepper

METHOD
Mix together the onion, potato, oil, paprika, cumin, chickpeas and garlic, salt, pepper and chicken pieces. Place everything, apart from the chicken, on a large backing tray. Place the chicken skin side up on top of the mixture.
Roast for 40 minutes before adding the kale, butter and water to the mixture. Roast for a further 10 minutes.
To serve: drain the juices from the tray into a separate bowl and add Ultimate Oil Blend. Portion out the mixture and chicken before pouring the sauce on top.?Enjoy!

Griddled Lamb Burger Pita Pockets with Sweet Roasted Veg

Ingredients (Serves 2)
Mint Lamb Burgers:
500g extra lean lamb mince 1 2 red onion, finely sliced 2 x tbsp. fresh mint, finely chopped 1 x large garlic clove, minced Pinch salt Pinch black pepper 1 x tbsp. Garam Masala powder Coconut oil
Mint Yoghurt Sauce:
Pinch chilli powder Pinch Garam Masala powder 2 x heaped tsp mint sauce 5 x heaped tsp natural yoghurt 1/4 lime, squeezed Cold water 3 tbsp Ultimate Oil Blend

Roasted Vegetables:
1 x large courgette?Handful of spinach or watercress 1 x whole wheat pitta per person

METHOD
For the burgers: mix together the lamb, mint, garlic, onion, Garam Masala, salt and pepper. Divide the mixture into four parts and shape each patties, before coating all sides with coconut oil.?Heat a griddle pan to a high heat and add the burgers, coking for 5-6 minutes each side or until golden brown. Lower the heat and cook for a further 4 minutes either side. Lay each burger on a chopping board and lightly cover with a sheet of greaseproof paper or foil to rest and to continue cooking.
For the Veg: with the same griddle pan add the courgette and sear with grill lines, usually 2-4 minutes either side. Whilst doing this, you can start the yoghurt.
For the yoghurt: mix all the ingredients together with a little water to get a smooth consistency.?Finally heat the pitta in the griddle pan until they have grill lines and begin to open.
Serve with the leafy greens and enjoy!

Individual Mini Strawberry and Almond Cheesecakes

Ingredients
1/2 cup natural yoghurt 1/2 cup cream cheese 2 tbsp. coconut palm sugar (or 1 x tbsp. coconut syrup) 1 lime, juiced 3-4 sprigs mint 1 large cup fresh strawberries, sliced 5 dates 3 tbsp Ultimate Oil Blend 1/3 cup whole almonds 3 pieces dark 80% chocolate

METHOD
In a medium bowl, add sugar, yoghurt, cream cheese and lime juice, beat with an electric mixture until smooth. Add Ultimate Oil Blend and mix for 20 seconds. Place mixture in the fridge to stay chilled.
In a separate bowl, add strawberries and a small amount of lime zest over the top. Squeeze together two strawberries to release their juice and gently mix all ingredients.
Place the almonds in a food processor and pulse to a crumb consistency (do not over pulse). Add the dates and mix until slightly sticky.
Add a layer of the nut base to a small bowl or drinking glass, then a layer of strawberry and finally the yoghurt mix. Grate a small amount of chocolate between the layers, alternate layers until they reach the top of the glass. Top with a piece of mint.
Place in the fridge until about 2 hours before serving, or enjoy straight away.
Top tip: use blueberries in-between layers for extra fruit.