Our A – Z ingredient glossary is on hand to make sure you understand the nutritious elements you are adding inside every healthy recipe, provided by Mindful Chef. Within our glossary, you may find things you are familiar with but also uncover new ingredients which you can grow to love! All these ingredients, bursting with vital vitamins and minerals, are used to create our vegan, poultry, shellfish and many more recipes. Try a new recipe today and we’re sure your taste buds will thank us later!
A
- ALMONDS – almonds are teardrop shaped edible seeds that come from an almond tree. Many people commonly refer this seed to a nut , but either way it can be highly nutritious in a healthy recipe.
Recipe: King prawn tikka masala using almonds. - APPLE – apples are a type of fruit which is sourced from an apple tree. There are many varieties and colours of apples including pale green shades into a deep red.
Recipe: Chinese-style pork with caramelised apple. - APRICOTS – apricots are a stoned fruit which can often resemble a small peach but with the sharp taste of a purple plum. They can be a great addition to a savoury dish and are full of nutrients such as vitamin A, C and E.
Recipe: Spiced tofu tagine with apricots & quinoa. - ARTICHOKE – artichokes are a popular ingredient in European and Mediterranean cuisines as they are one of the world’s oldest foods, which is thought to originate from the mediterranean region. An artichoke is an immature flower bud from a thistle and can take a little bit of work to find the edible parts. Persevere and you will succeed!
Recipe: Mediterranean artichoke & citrus lentils. - AVOCADO – avocados have become a wildly popular fruit, that has a creamy texture and mild flavour, perfect for dips and dessert recipes. Learn how to cut an avocado properly with our helpful guide!
Recipe: Mexican-style beans with scrambled tofu & avocado.
B
- BASIL – basil is a herb widely used in tomato sauces and pesto. It is a green plant with a distinct, sweet smell and peppery taste, which is often favoured in Italian cuisines. You can source basil fresh or dried, but fresh is prefered in a wide number of healthy recipes.
Recipe: Basil pesto, tomato & chicken courgetti. - BEEF – beef is the culinary name for red meat sourced from cattle. This type of red meat is highly nutritious and a great source of protein and iron.
Recipe: Beef bolognese with brown rice penne. - BEETROOT – beetroot is a dark purple root vegetable, which has a pink / purple flesh inside, which is a perfect natural food colouring. This vegetable can be used inside sweet or savoury dishes, thanks to its sweet and rich, earthy flavour and bright colouring.
Recipe: Beetroot burgers with chipotle slaw and fries - BLACK RICE – black rice receives its signature colour from a pigment known as anthocyanin, which holds antioxidant properties. The flavour of the rice itself is a mild, nutty flavour with a chewy texture.
Recipe: Turkish chicken, black rice & choban salad - BOLOGNESE – bolognese is a meat-based sauce which originated in Bologna, Italy. Traditionally, the main ingredients included in this Italian dish are: beef or pork, tomato paste, wine, carrots, onion and celery.
Recipe: Beef bolognese with brown rice penne
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- CHESTNUT MUSHROOMS – chestnut mushrooms are from the same variation as a white button mushroom but grown brown instead of white. They have a slightly deeper flavour than the white button mushrooms, which makes them a great addition to our stroganoff recipes.
Recipe: Mushroom & butter bean stroganoff - CHIMICHURRI – chimichurri is an uncooked herb sauce which originated from Argentina. Traditional green chimichurri sauce incorporates parsley, garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar and oregano. Although, there are many variations.
Recipe: Chimichurri steak with sweet potato fritters - CHIVES – chives are a green coloured herb, with a not-too-pungent flavour. They are related to the same family as onions and garlic but can be found mainly to garnish dishes such as soups and potato-based recipes.
Recipe: Denver steak with chive & gherkin potato salad
D
- DIJON MUSTARD – dijon mustard is style of prepared mustard which can be seen as a pale yellow colour, in comparison to it’s American-style alternative. This variety has a strong, tangy flavour with a little hint of spice, making it the perfect condiment for meat and fish dishes.
Recipe: Green millet & trout with dijon yoghurt dressing - DUKKAH – dukkah is a middle-eastern spice mix, which can be eaten at breakfast or as a snack during the day. It is created using sesame seeds, hazelnuts, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper. The combination of these flavours and textures makes for a nutritious blend, both on its own and when used to flavour meat, fish or vegetables.
Recipe: Dukkah spiced pork balls with fresh lentil salad
E
- EDAMAME – edamame are immature soybeans traditionally eaten in Asian cuisines, but are becoming widely popular with Western countries. The flavour they provide are faintly reminiscent of peas but have a slight buttery and nuttiness too.
Recipe: Aubergine katsu curry with edamame & rice
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- FALAFEL – falafels are spiced ground chickpeas or other pulses, formed into a ball or fritter shape, which is then deep fried. This dish is a traditional middle-eastern street food, which is often eaten in pitta bread or wraps.
Recipe: Herby falafels on shakshuka with tahini - FENNEL – fennel is a herb, which is grown from the same family as the carrot and can be eaten raw or cooked. When raw the flavour is similar to fresh licorice, with the crisp texture of a celery. When cooked fennel becomes slightly sweeter with a melt in your mouth texture.
Recipe: Orange & fennel baked salmon with new potatoes - FIVE SPICE – five spice is a traditional ingredient used throughout Asian cuisines. The mixture often encompasses: star anise, cloves, cinnamon, sichuan peppercorns and fennel.
Recipe: Five-spice glazed duck with sweetheart cabbage
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- GARAM MASALA – garam masala is a spice blend used in Indian cuisines. Traditionally, the spices are first toasted to enhance the flavours before being ground into a power. Depending on the region, you may find many variations of the spices used, which is why there is not one defiant recipes for this mixture.
Recipe: Indian chicken curry, sweet potato & brown rice - GINGER – ginger is a spice, which can be incorporated into dishes either dried, fresh, powdered or as a juice. It is known for being one of the healthiest spices in the world, which is why it is commonly used in a selection of medicines.
Recipe: Lemongrass, ginger & turkey curry with basmati
H
- HADDOCK – haddock is a white-fleshed fish, which is often compared to with cod. This type of salt-water fish is in season during the winter and spring months (November – April), as the cooler air can make the flesh firmer.
Recipe: Smoked haddock and sweetcorn chowder - HAKE – hake is a type of fish native to cold waters such as the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans. This type of fish is in season all through the year and has quite a mild flavour similar to cod.
Recipe: Mexican hake with black beans & guacamole
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- JACKFRUIT – jackfruit is a hearty textured fruit used in vegan dishes as an alternative meat replacement. When ripe, jackfruit can emit a strong aroma and can be quite a sweet, tropical flavour. When cooked, some refer the flavour and texture of jackfruit to resemble pulled pork.
Recipe: Pulled barbecue jackfruit & avocado salsa - JALAPENOS – jalapeños are a type of chillies which flavours can range from moderate to very hot. They can be used fresh or dried, but when dried and smoked they are known as chipotle chillies.
Recipe: BBQ pork with jalapeño slaw & mash
K
- KALE – kale is a leafy green vegetable which comes from the same family as cabbage. You can find kale in two varieties: curly or smooth, although curly kale is the most common. Their flavour is strong and distinct, while their appearance can often include a tinge of blue or purple.
Recipe: Aubergine & pesto bake with roasted kale - KEDGEREE – kedgeree is a type of dish created using: cooked, flaky fish, rice, parsley, boiled eggs, curry powder and butter or cream. The flavours are warming, making this dish perfect as a healthy autumn recipe.
Recipe: Hot smoked salmon kedgeree
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- LEMONGRASS – lemongrass is a herb which features a lemon scent and produced from the stalk of the lemongrass plant. This ingredient can commonly be found in a selection of Asian cuisines, and can be used in fresh, dried or powdered form.
Recipe: Red Thai broth with lemongrass tofu
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- MATCHA – matcha is created by finely grounding specifically grown green tea leaves. These specifically grown plants differ from traditional green tea plants, as they are kept in the shade 20-30 days before harvest to avoid direct sunlight. The benefits of this is to increase the amino acid content and turn the leaves a darker green.
Recipe: Matcha salmon, carrot ribbons & brown rice - MISO – miso is a fermented paste, with a similar texture to peanut butter, and created from cultured soybeans, a grain (eg. rice), salt and koji. You will traditionally find miso in a selection of Japanese recipes.
Recipe: Miso & cashew aubergine buddha bowl
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- NIGELLA SEEDS – nigella seeds are tiny black seed with a slightly bitter and pungent flavour. The pungent flavour often reminds people of onions, even though nigella seeds are not from the same family. The most common place to find these types of seeds is the topping of naan breads.
Recipe: Tikka chicken with carrot & coriander salad
P
- PAK CHOI – pak choi is a Chinese celery cabbage which is a great addition to stir-frys. The flavour of this vegetable is a combination of cabbage and spinach, and is best when cooked briefly.
Recipe: Thai chickpea burgers with pak choi - PINTO BEANS – pinto beans are a type of bean native in South American cuisines. They are packed full of protein and fibre, which makes them a delicious ingredient to soups, stews and chilli.
Recipe: Mexican pinto beans & salsa stuffed avocado
R
- RAINBOW CHARD – rainbow chard is a vegetable which can often be referred to as Swiss chard. What makes rainbow chard different is that when sold, all the different coloured stem varieties are packed together. The most common colours you will find are: white, gold and red, but you may see purple stems too.
Recipe: Italian bean stew, rainbow chard & quinoa
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- SAMPHIRE – samphire is a vibrant green plant which is similar to asparagus, but has a distinct crisp and salty taste. The most widely available samphire is ‘marsh samphire’, although there is another variety called rock samphire.
Recipe: Sundried tomato salmon, Spanish rice & samphire
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- TAGINE – tagine can refer to two elements, the type of North African clay pottery, in which the dish is cooked in, and the stew-like dish itself. The dish incorporates succulent meat, poultry or fish and a mixture of vegetable or fruit.
Recipe: Flat iron apricot tagine with kale & quinoa - TEMPEH – tempeh is a cake-like ingredient made from slightly fermented and cooked soybeans. In recent years it has become a popular replacement for meat in a variety of vegan and vegetarian dishes.
Recipe: Teriyaki tempeh with kimchi fried rice