Seasonal Inspiration

Ingredients food is inspired by the seasons and in Spring it embraces the new crops, the Spring Lamb and the freshness of our local farms. Creatures that have been hibernating awaken from their sleep. Just like us, they varied their diet to get ready for the winter and settled in for a cosy time centered on their homes. Now that Spring is here we'll look to eat lighter foods and start getting out and about more and more as the weather warms up. In some ways it is obvious that we are affected by the seasons, but it is easy to lose sight of this when you can buy produce all year round because it is shipped from warmer climates.

Looking After Yourself

As we will be spending more time in the sun and the outdoors we need to have diet that is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants. are present in the body in the form of Vitamin C, Glutathione and Urate which quenches the free radicals produced by the bodies pollutants. By eating food rich in antioxidants. such as Blackberry, Redcurrant, Orange, Blueberry and Pineapple we can help our body fight off the pollutants such as stress.

Eye Eye !

As a child your mother may have told you carrots would keep your eyes bright, but as an adult, it is fruit that is the key to great eye sight. Eating 3 or more servings of fruit per day may lower your risk of age related macular degeneration (the primary cause of vision loss in older adults) by 36% compared to persons who consume less than 1.5% servings of fruit daily. I suggest you start the day with a bowl of fresh fruit and berry's and a glass of red grape juice. For a mid morning break you need fibres such as oat energy bars, dried fruit, seeds or nuts. After lunch you can try combining raw vegetables and fruit in a smoothie thus giving your body the maximum chance for it to do want you want it to do.

Banana and Pineapple Energy Bars

Here is Executive Chef Erling Rugsten's recipe for the very popular energy bars that are served as part of the day delegate rate.

400g Ripe Bananas and Pineapple Dices

1000g Rolled Oats

500g Honey

100g Glucose

750g Unsalted Butter

50g Golden Syrup

Firstly put the butter, glucose, golden syrup and honey in a pot and melt down the whole mix until it starts boiling. Then add the bananas and pineapple to the boiling mix. Cook everything until the pineapples so soft, almost the texture of compote. Then add the rolled oats and mix everything together. Put the mix in gastronome trays lined with silicon paper 3cm in height. Bake it in an oven heated to 170 degrees for 25 minutes until the top is golden and crusty. Allow to cool and cut as desired.