A quick and easy light meal that is appealing to the taste buds and tummy! Cooked brown and wild rice with fried dice onions in a dash of olive oil all in a pan. Add a little water with garden peas. Cook until water has been soaked up. Sprinkle on some spices of your choice, to enhance the flavour. Then add in previously lightly fried pieces of tofu or lightly fried pieces of halloumi. Fry all together briefly in one pan and serve🙂🥘. Top off with fresh herbs or more spice.

Pomegranates are rich in antioxidants, vitamin C and K. They also significantly contribute towards daily vitamin B, copper and manganese requirements. Various articles report how this ‘divine’ fruit supports your immune system and cardiovascular health. The antioxidants in pomegranates have been shown by research to help the body bring down inflammation, high blood clotting tendencies and reduce high blood pressure and ageing.

As ageing progresses, life can become a bit more difficult as we are less agile and flexible. Ageing is most noticeable on the skin. The skin tends to lose its flexibility and elasticity with advancing age. Pomegranate may bring a ‘beauty secret’ since it has been acclaimed for its beauty enhancing effects. For many years this fruit has been used in beauty treatments applied to the skin. Just drinking pomegranate juice or eating the fruit provides the body with some significant antioxidants that help reduce advanced ageing effects. A range of other health benefits have been associated with this fruit, from improving digestive abilities to enhancing physical and cognitive performance.

Perhaps this delightful fruit is great for exam times and other stressful times, to snack on. Yet let’s go back in time and consider how this fruit has been utilised, appreciating this is one of the most ancient fruits still being eaten. However, the fruit has been domesticated and may look somewhat different to about 8000 years ago.

Ancient Greek and Roman cultures have fabulous tales of this delightful fruit. While being linked to many theological stories and mythologies, pomegranate often symbolizes blessings.

By Anastacia Sampson