Kirstin: There’s been a lot in the press recently about eating at least 30 different plants a week. Variety, it turns out, is the key to it all, or at least to a healthy gut. Previously we were encouraged to eat 5 servings of fruit or vegetables a day to optimise our vitamins and fibre intake, but with this new advice every individual plant you eat counts as one “plant point”. And you don’t even have to eat all of that plant, or even a serving of that plant, for it to count. Apparently just a small amount will do. So a banana counts as one point, as do a few carrot sticks. Interestingly, herbs and spices also count, albeit scoring just a quarter of a point each. But they still count! Why am I talking about this here? Well, having cooked from the Feast App for this past 10 days, I really do think I am doing well on the 30 points a week. The recipes are so varied and interesting in their spice and herb content. Especially the Ottolenghi ones, of course.
Take this recipe, for instance. I am always on the lookout for a good salmon recipe. And this one was a real winner with a lovely topping of sumac, aleppo chilli and pomegranate molasses, served alongside some very tasty bulgar salad. All told, I reckon this meal comes in at around 5 or possibly 6 plant points. Which is a well deserved added bonus to all those yummy flavours, and all the more reason you should give it a go!