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Sopa de Tortilla – Tortilla Soup

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by Daniella Guevara Muñoz 

Sopa de tortilla is also known as sopa azteca or Aztec soup. It is a simple but delicious soup and, as the name hints, is full of tortillas. This soup has been on La Popular’s menu for years. Whenever we take it off, we get complaints. So it stays on.

Images and text from Provecho: Real Mexican Food at Home by Daniella Guevara Muñoz, photography by Simon Bajada. Murdoch Books RRP $49.99. (Tortilla soup p.54-55)

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What makes this soup so delicious are the different textures – crispy tortilla strips, soft avocado, chewy cheese and a dollop of cream.
The soup is made in two stages. First is the soup base (which you can pre-make and keep in the freezer) and the second is the assembly. This recipe is traditionally made with chicken stock, but if you are vegetarian you can use vegetable stock instead.

Serves 2 litres (8 cups) / 6

2 litres (8 cups) chicken stock (see page 221 for homemade) or vegetable stock

Soup base 

  • 8 guajillo chillies, deseeded
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1½ brown onions, cut into chunks
  • 700 g (1 lb 9 oz) ripe tomatoes
  • ½ bunch coriander (cilantro), leaves picked
  • 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 6 corn tortillas (shop-bought or see page 253 for homemade), cut into quarters
  • 20 g (¾ oz) salt

To garnish

  • 1 guajillo chilli, to garnish
  • 6 stale corn tortillas (shop-bought or see below, or page 253, for homemade), to garnish
  • 200 ml (7 fl oz) vegetable oil
  • 1 avocado
  • 200 g (7 oz) cheese (queso panela if you can get it, but mozzarella works, too)
  • 100 g (3½ oz) chicharrón or pork crackling (omit for vegetarian)
  • 100 ml (3½ fl oz) thickened (heavy) cream

For the soup base, soak the guajillo chillies in boiling water until soft, about 5 minutes.

Once soft, drain them and put them in a blender or food processor with the rest of the soup base ingredients. Blend on high until you have a soft paste – it shouldn’t have any grittiness. Pass the base through a fine-mesh strainer.

For the soup, bring the stock to a slow boil in a stockpot, then add the soup base. Simmer until the soup thickens, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the garnishes. Using scissors, carefully cut the guajillo chilli into thin rings and cut the stale tortillas into 5 mm (1⁄4 inch) wide strips.

Pour the vegetable oil into a small saucepan and heat to about 180°C (350°F). I use a thermometer to test the oil, but if a piece of bread dropped in the oil browns in about 15 seconds, the oil is at the correct temperature.

Fry the chilli until crispy – don’t let the chilli burn, this happens in about 5–10 seconds – then place on paper towel to drain.

In the same oil, fry the tortilla strips until crispy, about 3 minutes – these won’t burn as easily. Place the strips on paper towel.

Halve the avocado, remove the seed and cut into slices. Put all the garnishes in separate bowls on the table.

Serve the soup in a large bowl. Each person can add whichever garnishes they want. I recommend: a handful of tortilla strips, cheese, avocado, chicharrón, a drizzle of cream, then the fried chilli. Keep adding more as you eat.

Corn tortillas

p.253

650 (1 lb 7 oz) Masa (page 250)

  • 280 g (10 oz) masa harina (nixtamalised maize flour)
  • ¼ teaspoon table salt (optional)
  • about 375 ml (1½ cups) warm water

In a mixing bowl, combine the masa harina and salt (if using). Gradually add the warm water while stirring with your hands. Continue to add water until the dough comes together and becomes soft and pliable.

The dough should hold together but not be overly sticky. If it feels too dry, add a little more water. If it’s too wet, add a bit more masa harina. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes to get the best result. It should be smooth and well combined. It must have a Play-Doh– like consistency, quite soft and a little bit sticky.

A good test is to make a tortilla in a press between two sheets of thin sandwich-bag plastic (see page 253). If the edge of the tortilla has deep cracks, the masa is too dry. A rough edge is normal.

You can keep masa for a couple of days in the fridge in an airtight container. If you want to use it, take it out of the fridge about an hour before you plan to use it. Knead thoroughly with your hand and add some water if necessary.

Divide the masa into small balls (about 30 g/1 oz), slightly smaller than a golf ball. You can make them larger or smaller depending on your preference.

Preheat a comal, hotplate or non-stick frying pan over medium– high heat. Place a ball of masa between two sheets of sandwich-bag plastic in the tortilla press (see the photographs on the following pages).

Press down firmly to flatten it into a round tortilla shape. Rotate the flattened tortilla with the plastic sheets 180 degrees, then press again gently. The tortilla should be approximately 1–2 mm (1⁄16 inch) thick.

Carefully peel off one of the plastic sheets, then place the raw tortilla (with the plastic) on the palm of your hand. The tortilla should be half on your hand, half hanging freely. Peel off the second sheet of plastic.

Lay the tortilla on the preheated hotplate or in the pan by placing the freely hanging tortilla on the hotplate first, then letting the rest of the tortilla roll off your hands.

You should come in with your hand, palm facing up, at an angle of about 45 degrees. Once the tortilla has hit the hotplate, rotate your hands about 90 degrees, rotating your palm towards the hotplate, pulling away from the tortilla.

This movement, if done smoothly, should release the tortilla from your palm without the tortilla falling on itself. This is a tricky movement, and I suggest practising this on the bench first (no heat).

Cook for about 30–60 seconds until the edge curls up slightly. Flip with a spatula and cook the other side for about 60 seconds, then flip again – if all goes well, it will puff up on the last flip.

(Tip: Don’t try to fix a wrongly placed fresh tortilla; it will get worse.)

Remove the cooked tortilla from the hotplate and stack it with the others in a clean tea (dish) towel in a chiquihuite. The stacking is important, as it will keep cooking the tortilla. Serve the freshly made corn tortillas warm to make your tacos.

When Green Cleaning Turns Toxic

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Emma’s story

‘Chemical poisoning’ is how a long-time cleaner describes her severe reactions to using workplace cleaning products she thought would be safe. J Simons talks with Emma (name changed for privacy) to find out more.

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Emma consciously chooses a healthy lifestyle. She has been careful about what she eats and the products she uses for around 20 years.

She prefers whole foods and items without plastic packaging that “seeps in”, and enjoys going to local markets where the produce is mostly spray-free, some certified organic.

“My skincare routine is organic or vegan because I am a vegetarian.”

Like many workers, Emma trusted that the cleaners she was using, which were labelled plant-based and eco-friendly, would be safe for her health and the environment.

But her story reveals that not all ‘green’ or ‘natural’ labels mean the products are completely safe, and some of them can cause unexpected reactions, depending on individual sensitivity. Nevertheless, professional guidelines, such as those from WorkSafe NZ, recommend using top-of-the-range masks to avoid fumes.

Photo: Freepik

Allergy to work – or chemical poisoning?

The problem began when she started using a particular cleaning product at work, although she used it for about six or seven months before realising it was making her unwell. She followed the dilution instructions on the label and even added more water than suggested. Even so, the fumes were overpowering.

“For three or four months, I was getting sick every day before I got the actual poisoning. I got really sick and couldn’t go to work.” Emma quietly recounts the intense gastrointestinal distress – including vomiting and diarrhea – that she faced daily during her illness. Unsure of what was happening at first, she even joked that she must be “allergic to work”.

“I’d start feeling ill after about 40 minutes of starting work every morning. I couldn’t work out what it was, until one day I was so ill I was keeled over in the cleaning cupboard.”

“The first time I phoned in and said I’ve got food poisoning. The next day, I was still sick and felt worse than the day before. I was having brain fog, which I would not have with food poisoning. The symptoms were slightly different, but I didn’t know what else to put it down to.”

Masking up

“I went to the doctor, and he just happened to ask what I did for a job, and that’s when he changed direction with his questions.”

The doctor confirmed that Emma should wear a professional chemical mask, even with plant-based products. Her workplace did not provide masks, and after asking for several months, she resorted to contacting her union and WorkSafe NZ.

Although the initially provided masks were inadequate – the cheap, single-use blue ones – the cleaning company has now supplied better masks (Moldex 2700 P2), but not the ones recommended by WorkSafe NZ. “They don’t want to spend the money,” says Emma.

Read the fine print

I looked at the details of the mask now provided. Although an improvement for chemical safety, it’s not the best professional option. Emma should likely have a 99% filter rather than the 94% that has been provided. For more hazardous chemicals, especially those that can irritate lungs or eyes, masks with replaceable cartridges would be the safest.

I checked out the label of the product Emma was using. Despite its ‘plant-based’ and ‘eco-friendly’ claims and use of real essential oils, it contained several chemical ingredients known to cause respiratory and skin sensitivities. In particular, the VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are of concern, and the product is classified as a hazardous substance.

Health and safety in the cleaning industry

Emma has been cleaning for many years. At one stage, a colleague attempted to insist that Emma and others use a banned product.

“She was trying to get us to use something, a product that was actually banned, for safety reasons, and she was still trying to get us to use it to get marks off the sink.”

“I did use it once after she told us to use it. I used a little bit – it was a powder. I had to go out of the shower cubicle, it was that strong, and I felt nauseous immediately.” Emma has often wondered if her colleague’s lung cancer was caused by the product that was banned.

Image: vectorjuice Freepik

“Health and safety comes last in the cleaning industry; they have all the procedures and guides you are supposed to abide by, but at the end of the day, it is about getting the job done in the least amount of time and money.”

Emma thinks it’s hard to educate the cleaning industry, and that there is resistance to truly green products. WorkSafe NZ has guidelines, but many cleaning companies fail to follow them, and enforcement often only occurs if a complaint is made – which can be at the risk of a cleaner’s job.

Simple natural cleaning products

Emma’s cleaning jobs haven’t always involved intense and harmful chemicals. Recounting a positive experience with a previous employer brings a smile: “At one place I worked at, the owner was open to making up things like using lemon and olive oil, and things like that.”

She reacts strongly to artificial smells on the bus or at work. “When there are a lot of people around with quite strong perfumes, I have always had these sensitivities,” Emma explains.

“I don’t get my nails done because I can’t stand that smell. I do try to get out into the fresh air often. Sometimes I use baking soda at work instead of the spray or other strong products.”

Photo: iStock/eskaylim

Contributing factor?

Emma also shared that she has epilepsy, which was diagnosed in childhood, and she’s currently awaiting a public hospital appointment.

“I’m looking at coming off medication for epilepsy due to side effects. I’m waiting to talk to a neurologist who focuses on using a keto diet instead of medicine.”

A recent study found that patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and idiopathic generalised epilepsy (IGE) show impaired autonomic nervous system responses, which can affect digestive functions.1 The autonomic nervous system regulates involuntary physiological functions like breathing, blood pressure and digestion, so Emma’s epilepsy may have contributed to the gastrointestinal symptoms she experienced during her chemical exposure at work.

Volatile vapours

I (the author) was reminded of my own recent experience with another so-called ‘green’ cleaner. It had a strong wintergreen scent, and I react to wintergreen – both the real thing (methyl salicylate, a plant compound) and synthetic versions. Within minutes, I was dizzy, nauseated, and had an instant headache, even through a P2 mask.

Wintergreen compounds are VOCs, and in sensitive people they can trigger severe symptoms. The Safety Data Sheet didn’t list methyl salicylate, but fragrances are often proprietary blends that conceal potentially harmful chemicals under a single ‘fragrance’ label.

Taking charge of her health

Now taking active steps to work on her own business, Emma allocates time every day after work to researching her business outside of the cleaning industry, educating herself in her new online direction.

She is quietly optimistic about the next steps in managing her condition, and feels more confident after being supported by her union, and about her appointment with a keto specialist. Her future is looking brighter with these things underway, and I hope to catch up with her again.

“No job is worth putting your health at risk,” she says.

STAY SAFE WHILE CLEANING
  • Always check and follow the instructions for cleaning products.
  • Wear suitable protective gear such as gloves and masks.
  • Ensure there is good ventilation when cleaning.
  • Workplace and commercial cleaning: follow the relevant WorkSafe NZ guidelines.
AUTHOR BIO

J Simons is a freelance writer, copywriter, and food photographer specialising in organic food, health, and sustainability. J creates compelling content and imagery that supports healthy living and ecological stewardship.

https://www.totalcreative.co.nz/photography

IMAGE AT TOP: Freepik

  1. Shaker, K.K., Al Mahdawi, A.M. & Hamdan, F.B. Interictal autonomic dysfunction in patients with epilepsy. Egypt J Neurol Psychiatry Neurosurg 57, 165 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41983-021-00422-0 ↩︎

The Gut Microbiome

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8 tips for whole-body health

One of the most complex systems supporting your health isn’t your brain, heart, or even your immune system – it’s your gut microbiome.

Nutritional therapist Paula Sharp finds out why this internal ecosystem, composed of trillions of microorganisms, is hailed by scientists as key to health research.

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Your gut microbiome is the diverse community of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microbes residing primarily in your large intestine.

They are microscopic, but have an enormous collective impact. They have essential roles in digesting food, modulating inflammation, and influencing brain health.

The microbiome also builds and regulates most of our immune function.

Image: DataBase Center for Life Science, Wikimedia Commons

What is the gut microbiome?

Imagine a rainforest inside your body, teeming with life. Like any ecosystem, the gut microbiome thrives on diversity and balance. This community of microorganisms works together to help you break down fibre, extract nutrients, synthesise vitamins (such as B12 and K), and produce beneficial short-chain fatty acids.

While we tend to think of bacteria as harmful, the majority living in your gut are either beneficial or neutral. These microbes co-evolved with us and perform tasks we cannot do on our own—such as fermenting non-digestible carbohydrates or keeping pathogenic (harmful) bacteria in check.

It’s estimated that the human gut contains between 300 to 1000 different species of bacteria, with every individual having a unique microbiome signature, influenced by genetics, diet, environment, and lifestyle.

The microbiome’s role in the body

Research over the past decade has dramatically changed our understanding of the gut microbiome. Once considered a passive system, it’s now seen as an active organ in its own right, interacting with nearly every physiological process.

1. Digestion and nutrient absorption

Gut microbes help break down complex carbohydrates, such as dietary fibre, that we can’t digest on our own. The fermentation of fibre by certain bacterial strains produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like acetate, propionate, and butyrate. These SCFAs are anti-inflammatory and nourish the cells lining the colon.

2. Immune system regulation

About 70% of your immune cells reside in the gut lining. A healthy microbiome helps maintain the balance between immune tolerance (not reacting to harmless substances) and defence (attacking pathogens). An imbalanced microbiome may contribute to autoimmune conditions – in which the body mistakenly attacks its own healthy cells – and chronic inflammation.

3. Gut–brain axis

The gut-brain axis describes the two-way communication between the gut and the central nervous system. Through neural, hormonal, and immunological pathways, the gut influences mental health.

Certain strains of bacteria, particularly lactobacillus and bifidobacterium produce neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA, these improve mood and cognitive function.

Image: Jill Wellington / Pexels

However, some bacteria mimic and interfere with these neurotransmitters. E-coli, campylobacter and clostridium are some of the bacterial culprits which release inflammation causing compounds (or toxins) causing mood to dip, anxiety to increase and sleep to be compromised.

Emerging evidence even links gut health to neurodevelopmental conditions like autism spectrum disorder and degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease.

What disrupts the microbiome?

Despite its resilience, the gut microbiome is highly sensitive to changes in our environment and behaviour. Modern lifestyles, particularly in industrialised nations, are often hostile to microbial diversity.

1. Dietary factors

Diets high in ultra-processed foods, added sugars, and low fibre reduce beneficial species and encourage the overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria, which are otherwise not a problem when the microbiome is balanced.

Excessive alcohol consumption and low intake of plant-based foods limit microbial diversity.

Image: Foodie Factor / Pexels

2. Medications

Antibiotics, while lifesaving, can wipe out both good and bad bacteria, potentially leading to long-term imbalance.

Medications that reduce stomach acids, NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications), and artificial sweeteners all negatively alter the gut microbiome.

3. Lifestyle stressors

Chronic stress or cortisol poisoning is felt in the gut.  The stress-hormone response increases intestinal permeability (leaky gut) and impairs microbial balance. This can show up as stress diarrhoea, nervous urination, nausea and ‘tummy ache’ in the lower abdomen. Is it just butterflies in your tummy, or compromised gut health?

Poor sleep quality disrupts the circadian rhythm of gut microbes. Sedentary behaviour has also been associated with reduced microbial diversity.

Eight ways to nurture your gut microbiome

Restoring and maintaining a healthy gut doesn’t require drastic changes. Simple, evidence-based strategies such as the following can support your microbiome’s resilience and diversity:

1. Eat a diverse range of whole foods

A variety of fibre-rich foods feeds different bacterial strains. Aim for 30+ plant types per week, including vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, herbs, and whole grains.

Image: Oksana S / iStock

2. Prioritise prebiotics and probiotics

Prebiotics are non-digestible fibres that act as food for beneficial bacteria. Sources include garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus and bananas.

Probiotics are live bacteria found in fermented foods like yoghurt, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, and miso. These can help restore microbial balance, especially after antibiotic use.

3. Minimise ultra processed foods

Artificial additives, emulsifiers, and preservatives in highly processed foods harm microbial communities and contribute to metabolic dysregulation.

Ultra processed foods look like this: instant noodles, snack chips, sugary cereals, frozen chicken nuggets, processed cheese slices, fizzy drinks and snack bars.

Many of them contain MSG (monosodium glutamate), thickeners, and phosphoric acid as additives. Taste has been enhanced with lab-produced flavourings such as ‘cheese flavour’, ‘strawberry flavour’, ‘honey flavour’. And the preservatives of choice are sulphates, sodium and/or sorbates. Food labels can feel like a minefield, but if you don’t recognise what’s on the label, it can be considered ultra processed food. 

4. Stay hydrated

Water is essential for maintaining a healthy gut lining and aiding fibre fermentation.

5. Move your body

Regular exercise has been linked to increased diversity and abundance of health-promoting bacterial strains.

6. Manage your stress

Mind-body techniques such as meditation, breathwork, or gentle movement like yoga can regulate the gut-brain axis and reduce inflammation.

Yoga on the beach (image: LucidSurf/istock)

7. Sleep consistently

A regular sleep schedule supports the natural circadian rhythms of your gut bacteria, which influence digestion and hormone production.

8. Consider supplementation carefully

While probiotic and prebiotic supplements can be helpful, they’re not one-size-fits-all. It’s best to consult a qualified health professional to tailor recommendations to your needs.

The microbiome and the future of health

We’re just scratching the surface of microbiome science. With emerging links to conditions as diverse as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, allergies, skin conditions, and even cancer, researchers believe the microbiome may soon be a central focus for personalised and preventive medicine.

Microbiome testing and interventions may one day guide us in choosing the best foods, therapies, or even medications based on our internal microbial profile.

The gut microbiome represents a new lens through which we can understand health, illness, and healing. It’s not about striving for perfection—but rather cultivating balance.

By eating real food, managing stress, staying hydrated, and treating your gut with respect, you can positively influence not just your digestion, but your immunity, energy levels, mood, and long-term vitality.

AUTHOR BIO: Paula Sharp is a nutritional therapist working one-to-one via Zoom to support women’s health, restore gut health and digestion, hormonal balance, skin and hair, sleep, shifting weight and health pre- and post-surgery. www.paulasharpnutrition.com
She is also a guest speaker, giving talks to companies on nutrition and mindset. In London she worked in the organic fruit and vegetable industry, and now she is based in Whakatāne, growing her own extensive spray-free garden.

Azadirachta indica - the neem tree

Neem: Nature’s healing gift to humanity

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Book review by Katherine Smith

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It’s appropriate that the cover of this book features its author, Klaus Ferlow, standing beside a neem tree, his left arm reaching around to embrace its trunk in a fraternal greeting. That’s because Ferlow (originally from Germany) helped to introduce people in North America to the healing properties of the neem tree, after emigrating to Canada in 1975 and founding Ferlow Botanicals approximately 20 years later.

Klaus Ferlow credits his (now late) wife Rose with introducing him to neem by urging him to watch a TV programme called ‘What’s in a Neem’, narrated by David Suzuki. Inspired by the documentary, Ferlow obtained some neem extract and applied a neem cream to the psoriasis on his scalp and elbow and got relief from this condition in just three weeks. Having previously trained as a herbalist, he decided to set up a business to bring the benefits of neem to the North American market. Ferlow Botanicals is now rum by the Ferlows’ sons, Peter and Harald, and Ruth (Peter’s wife).

Klaus Ferlow has maintained his interest in neem and founded the organisation Neem Research “to promote neem for human, animal and environmental health”. His new book, Neem: Nature’s healing gift to humanity, includes profiles of neem researchers and entrepreneurs. He gives special credit to the late Professor Dr. Heinrich Schmutterer as ‘the father of modern neem’. It was his observation that neem trees had survived a plague of locusts that swept through Sudan when he was on a field trip there in 1959 that caused him to wonder if a natural insect repellent could be present that led to his work researching neem and writing the definitive textbook on neem, The Neem Tree (1995, 893 pages).

From the home of the neem tree in India, knowledge about the tree has spread to North and South America, the Caribbean, Africa and Australia.

Among the examples described in the book is Abaco Neem, a farm in the Bahamas that includes neem trees intercropped with fruit trees. (In all, 120 varieties of fruiting and flowering trees are grown on the farm.) Spiders and beneficial insects like butterflies and bees have thrived in this environment and hives on the farm allow neem honey to be produced as well as other neem-based health and personal care products. Some of these products incorporate beeswax from the hives. Among the products produced by Abaco Neem is a neem-based insect repellent.

ABOVE: Collection of neem seeds for the preparation of seed balls. Photo: Paryavarana Margadarsi Vaisakhi via Wikimedia Commons

The farm has organic certification and the fruit from the neem trees also has the benefit of providing food for birds; a visiting intern from France identified almost 40 different bird species on a single day.

In addition to being used to promote human health when used as a supplement or medicine, neem has the potential to boost food production. Neem extracts can be used as insecticides and ‘neem cake’ made from defatted neem seeds can be used as a fertiliser that also helps to protect plants from nematodes. The book also reports that a constituent of neem (azadirachtin) is being developed as a food additive for farmed salmon in Scotland to treat sea lice infestation of the fish.

In India, a company called Nisarga Biotech has been producing supercritical extracts of neem (using CO2 to extract constituents from the plant) which may be used as botanical pesticides, or in cosmetics or personal or medicinal products. Their product line includes a neem toothpaste and mouthwash – a modern iteration of the tradition in Indian villages of using neem twigs as a toothbrush. The company has also ‘secured a patent for the manufacture of neem leaf CO2 extract for use in treating oral and colon cancer’.

Neem: Nature’s Healing Gift to Humanity is a testament to the hard work and vision of its author and all the individuals whose businesses feature in its pages.

• Published by Neem Research, 2016, 258 pages, ISBN 9780993727504

• Available via local booksellers or from Neem Research.

About the reviewer: Katherine Smith is the co-editor of The NZ Journal of Natural Medicine, which first published this review in issue 54 (February 2025).

Photo at top: Azadirachta indica – the neem tree. Photograph by Kwameghana (Bright Kwame Ayisi) via Wikimedia Commons

Healthy weight loss

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Diana Noonan discovered a surprising bonus while following a plant-based whole food eating plan – and shares her recipes for wholefood bliss balls and whole grain crackers.

The following is from personal experience, and is not intended as professional dietary advice. This article was first published in Organic NZ Jan/Feb 2021.

Fluctuating weight

When friends I haven’t met for a while fail to recognise me, I try to cover their embarrassment with a joke.

“I should have become a spy,” I laugh. “I have a very unmemorable face!”

But that’s not quite true. The reason they don’t recognise me is that my weight has been forever on the move. And we’re not just talking by a few hundred grams. For as long as I can remember, and despite being vegetarian since I was a teen, latterly a vegan, and having at least 30 minutes of exercise daily, I’ve struggled to keep within a healthy body mass index (BMI) as prescribed by the New Zealand Ministry of Health.

Instead, as someone who found it impossible to stop at just ‘one’ of anything sweet or refined, I’ve been either collecting the kilos, or in the throes of a restrictive diet. From Weight Watchers to Dukan, and the Mediterranean to the raw-food diet, I’ve tried them all. What’s more, they’ve almost always worked. But then, as soon as goal weight was reached, and everyday eating cut back in, I was back to square one.

The plant-based whole food pantry – let the eating begin! Photos: Diana Noonan

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Diana Noonan is a Catlins-based writer and organic gardener who enjoys eating what she grows.

Sheryl Stivens: Organic Pioneer

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Sheryl Stivens grew up on a mixed farm in Winchmore, Ashburton. Her family were fourth generation New Zealand farmers growing a variety of crops as well as breeding stud sheep. An experience when she was a young adult set her firmly on the organic path. 

Mercedes Walkham traces the life of this Soil & Health member who embodies the motto of ‘healthy soil, healthy food, healthy people’. 

Hunting and gathering

When Sheryl Stivens was 19 years old she moved to Australia, and met her husband Hal several years later in the Northern Territory. 

“In those days we were young hunters and gatherers catching abundant fish and game in the Australian outback and sleeping under the stars,” Sheryl recalls. 

“It was when we moved to Wagga Wagga (New South Wales) that Hal and I bought 30 acres of land, discovered the joys of growing your own food started to garden,” said Sheryl.

A turning point came for them with the realisation that there were no freshwater yabbies or other creatures in the billabongs on their land, due to the chemical fertilisers used to grow grain on the surrounding farms. They had both grown up with families using superphosphate and like many thought it was a “bird-poo type of product that came from Nauru Island” and never considered it to be toxic.

This realisation made them re-evaluate all their belief systems and from that moment on they vowed that they would not use anything that would poison the soil. “It became an unwritten law in our lives,” Sheryl says.

  ABOVE: Hal and Sheryl Stivens

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Author:  Mercedes Walkham is part of a collective organic garden based in Ashburton. She is pictured here with Sheryl.

Sri Lankan pulled jackfruit curry

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By Kelsi Boocock 

I tried jackfruit for the first time when I was in Sri Lanka a few years ago and it got me completely hooked. This is a deliciously unique curry and if you haven’t cooked with jackfruit before, this is probably one of the easiest ways to start. The green beans work perfectly to add a little freshness and crunch to the dish.

Images and text from Healthy Kelsi by Kelsi Boocock, Bateman Books, $39.99

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Ingredients 

Serves 4  

60 minutes

Jackfruit curry

  • 1 tsp             ground coriander
  • 1 tsp             ground cumin
  • 1 tsp             homemade curry powder (recipe also in the book Healthy Kelsi)
  • 1                   red chilli, halved and deseeded, plus extra to serve
  • 1                   shallot, finely chopped
  • 20                 curry leaves
  • 1                   cinnamon stick
  • ½ tsp            ground paprika
  • ½ tsp            ground turmeric
  • 400 g can     jackfruit
  • 400 ml can   coconut milk
  • 3 T                coconut yoghurt

Sweet and spicy beans

  • 2 Tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 cm piece fresh ginger, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 400 g green beans
  • 1 Tbsp coconut sugar
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • ½ cup roasted almonds, roughly chopped

To serve

  • 2 cups brown rice
  • Large handful of fresh coriander

Method

To make the jackfruit curry

  1. Dry roast the coriander, cumin and curry powder in a frying pan and stir until they turn dark brown.
  2. Add chilli, shallot, curry leaves, cinnamon stick, paprika, turmeric and jackfruit to pan, making sure everything is covered in the spices. Add coconut milk and simmer for 15 minutes.
  3. Add coconut yoghurt and continue simmering over a low heat until jackfruit is tender (should take around 20 minutes).
  4. While the jackfruit is softening, cook the brown rice.

To make the beans

  1. Heat sesame oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes.
  2. Add beans, coconut sugar and lemon juice and cook for 3–4 minutes, until beans are tender but still slightly crunchy. Add almonds and cook for 1 minute more.
  3. Serve curry and beans with brown rice and fresh coriander.

Hot tip: Add any vegetables you have on hand. Broccoli or cauliflower work beautifully.

Easy peri chicken dish

Easy peri peri chicken

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By Scott Gooding and Matilda Brown 

This recipe gets rolled out a lot in our house. The little kids haven’t taken to it just yet, but they will in time … and while we wait, there’s more for Til, Tashi and me. We also sell this as a ready-to-use marinade at The Good Farm Shop – it’s just so versatile.

Images and text from The Good Farm Cookbook by Scott Gooding and Matilda Brown, photography by Cath Muscat. Murdoch Books RRP $45.00

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Easy peri chicken dish

Ingredients 

SERVES 4

  • 1/3 cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2–3 cm (3/4 – 1 1/4 inch) piece ginger, peeled and grated
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • juice of 1 lemon, plus extra for drizzling
  • 800 g (1 lb 12 oz) boneless, skin-on chicken thighs charred
  • lemon halves, broccolini and radicchio wedges, to serve

Method

  1. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the chicken, lemon halves, broccolini and radicchio.
  2. Mix thoroughly. Add the chicken thighs and mix to ensure they are well coated with the sauce.
  3. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Heat a large ovenproof frying pan over medium heat and add the chicken.
  4. Cook the fillets for 3–4 minutes, or until the chicken is caramelised, before turning over and cooking for another 3–4 minutes on the other side.
  5. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 5–7 minutes until cooked through.
  6. Transfer the chicken to a chopping board. Allow to rest for 3–4 minutes before roughly chopping.
  7. Drizzle with some lemon juice, season and serve with charred lemon halves, broccolini and radicchio wedges.
Belinda Clark with her granddaughter Isla

My journey to healthier skin

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Diet and the skin-sugar connection

For most of her life Belinda Clark has enjoyed good health, despite a tendency to do too much, but her skin has often shown when something’s amiss. Here she shares her story.

Fortunately my mother started learning about healthy food when my sisters and I were young, and my parents eventually converted their citrus orchard to being organic and biodynamic.

Our mother’s research into wellbeing strongly influenced my own choices with holistic health later. These helped me stay generally well through student and overseas years and teaching in a New Zealand Steiner school, mostly while raising three children.

I sometimes enjoyed sweet food, concerned only for my teeth and very occasional candida outbreaks, although I knew of naturopaths who advised clients to avoid it. Dr Rudolf Steiner had recommended it for some, I’d heard, and most people ate it, so I took little notice.

Twenty-two years ago, my daughters, our pets and I moved to a lifestyle block near Napier. It was lovely and brought many benefits but also new pressures, especially when I accepted a herd of angora goats.

  ABOVE: Belinda Clark with granddaughter Isla and Caspian the cat, by a raised vege bed.

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Belinda Clark is a Soil & Health member who lives near a daughter and granddaughter at Birdsong Nature Sanctuary.

She enjoys learning from and supporting Nature, writing poems and short stories for her ‘Unusual Encounters’ book, being part of an International Peace Group and singing in Napier Community Choir.

Dark chocolate crunch bars (aka ‘healthy’ protein bars)

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By Dr Linia Patel 

Many shop-bought protein bars hit your protein numbers, but they come with so many other sweeteners and additives that aren’t great for you to be eating habitually. With this recipe I tried to create a protein bar that was healthy.

Images and text from Food for Menopause by Dr Linia Patel, photography by Clare Winfield. Murdoch Books RRP $45.00

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Clients (especially those who are on the go a lot) are always asking me to recommend a protein bar. To be honest, there isn’t one that I would recommend for regular consumption! They’re okay as an occasional get-out-of-jail card, but not for regular consumption.

Many shop-bought protein bars hit your protein numbers, but they come with so many other sweeteners and additives that aren’t great for you to be eating habitually.

With this recipe, I tried to create a protein bar (without using protein powder) that was healthy. One that I would be happy to recommend my clients eat regularly. Each bar gives you about 5 grams of protein – perfect for a snack. They are high in healthy fats, so, as yummy as they taste, keep it to one per snack!

Makes 10-12 bars

Ready in 20 minutes, plus chilling

Vegan

Gluten free

Ingredients 

  • 2 tbsp tahini
  • 4 tbsp almond or peanut butter
  • 60g (scant ½ cup) dark (70%) chocolate chips
  • 200g (7oz) cooked quinoa
  • 70g (½ cup) whole unpeeled almonds, chopped
  • 30g (1oz) whole linseeds or flaxseeds

Method

  1. Line a small loaf, baking or cake tin with parchment paper.
  2. Either in the microwave or in a bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water, melt the tahini, nut butter and chocolate together until smooth.
  3. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
  4. Tip into the prepared tin and chill for at least 1 hour, then cut into 10–12 small bars.

Tips

These will keep in the fridge for up to 10 days. If you like, you can drizzle with extra melted chocolate before slicing (as per the photo).