Recipes to GLOW — Kate O'Brien Wellness

I’m delighted that the Walnut Mint Brownie recipe from my latest book GLOW: Your Complete Four Week Plan for Healthy Radiant Skin was featured once again in the leading wellness platform Hip & Healthy (link here). In case you haven’t read my book - its the perfect Mothers Day gift (hint, hint) and widely available.

Here are two more of my fav recipes from the book - both are quick and easy to make any time of year but come into their on during Springtime to help revitalise and freshen up our skin for the summer months ahead. Packed with all things glow including protein, essential fats, zinc, vitamins and much more the Pea and Edamame houmous is great on its own, but also fab in a salad or on toasted sourdough, with avocado, eggs - and with almost everything! These nutritious young soya beans have enjoyed a long history in Japanese cuisine, eaten on their own as a tasty snack or added to main meals and dips, but it is only recently that they have made their appearance in supermarkets in this part of the world (Asian supermarkets almost always have them in their freezer section). They are an excellent source of protein, choline, complex carbohydrates and fibre, releasing energy slowly to nourish the skin and fuel both body and mind.

Edamame’s are just one from my GLOW Foods list outlined in the book and if we eat most of these foods, almost daily, both our bodies and minds will thrive - that is a promise!

Makes 1 medium bowl

150g frozen peas, defrosted
150g edamame beans, defrosted and shelled
1½ tbsp tahini
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tsp tamari or soy sauce
juice of ¼ lemon
½ tsp ground cumin
large handful fresh coriander

Put all the ingredients in a blender/mini food processor and blend into a coarse paste. Spoon into a bowl, cover and leave to chill in the fridge. Serve with salads, on the side, as a dip for vegetable sticks or on bread or crackers.

Minted Farro and Three-Bean Salad with Goat’s Cheese

Serves 3–4

I made this salad a couple of times a week - every week - last summer and cant wait to revisit it now that the sun is shining once again. Great for entertaining too, as it looks so vibrantly yummy (see main pic) and tastes just as good too! Farro is widely available now too and so easy to cook (just follow directions on the packet).

125g roasted farro
750ml water
large handful fresh mint leaves (remember to use any leftovers for a freshly brewed tea)
150g frozen edamame (or broad) beans, defrosted and shelled
150g frozen petit pois, thawed
200g baby kale or baby spinach leaves
½ lime, juice only
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ avocado, peeled and sliced
5–6 cherry tomatoes, halved
50g goat’s cheese, cubed
2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
handful chopped walnuts
sea salt and black pepper
handful fresh coriander, chopped (optional)

Rinse the farro and place in a medium saucepan with the water, mint leaves and a pinch of salt. Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 20–25 minutes or until the grain is tender. Drain and place in a large bowl, discarding the mint leaves. Meanwhile, put the edamame and peas in small pot of boiling water and cook for 2–3 minutes. Drain and plunge into cold water (to retain colour and maximise nutrient content). Mix with farro. Add baby kale or spinach leaves. Drizzle lime juice and olive oil over salad and toss to combine. Add the avocado, tomatoes and goat’s cheese, and sprinkle the pomegranate seeds, chopped walnuts and coriander, if using, on top. For an added flavour hit use the Tahini Dressing on page XX.

Tip: you can substitute buckwheat for the farro – simply cook as with farro but for a shorter time.

GLOW: Your Complete Four Week Plan for Healthy Radiant Skin by Gill Books is available now in leading bookstores and on line.