Taking the Cure - Antioxidants and the Irish Breakfast

The self help gurus that keep posting about how a woman's risk of heart disease escalates as soon as she hits 50 have a way of getting inside your head and killing the enjoyment of the full Irish breakfast which, as any visitor to the Emerald Isle will know, is a rich source of cholesterol.

Image: © Jacek Chabraszewski | Dreamstime.com
                 

Well, it has been a weekend, and it has been one of those weekends. Not just one, but three Irish breakfasts of one kind or another consumed on three consecutive days. Consumed intentionally and non-intentionally, by which I mean consumed more from politeness than from want, but consumed none the less and already visible on the matronly hips.             

Back in my own house this afternoon, it was time for some artery cleansing antioxidants in the form of a blast of berries.
     

Allow me to share the shopping list:

• Raspberries - one small punnet - 4.00 euro.
• Blueberries - one even smaller punnet - 3.00 euro.
• Tub of low fat natural yoghurt 1.79 euro,
• Carton of pomegranate and apple juice 2.24 euro.

Note to self help followers:
Shopping for antioxidants at these prices can seriously increase your risk of heart attack  ;-)

And now for the method:
Picture the scene: Half a mug of juice into the blender, handful of berries (both types) into the blender, 2 ice cubes into the blender, 3 dessert spoons yoghurt into the blender. This looks messy. Turn on blender.

DIY Digression
Nothing happens. Change to another socket. Nothing happens. Check fuse board. Looks okay. Check plug on blender looks okay. Try again. Nothing happens. Take out hand blender, stick it in jug, give it a whizz. Some spashing but a result. Definitely a result. Decant into glass. Tastes pretty okay.

Moral of the Story
When turning on the blender, check carefully that the lid is correctly in position as failing to secure the locks correctly may result in the blender failing to operate ...

Annexe
Heaps of fruit left over. What to do with it? Hmmmm. Blueberry and Raspberry pancakes? Well the blender is working again, so what the heck? In for a penny, in for the rest of the euro ...

Into the blender: One egg, 2/3 small mug of milk, four dessert spoons plain flour, handful blueberries, handful rasperries. Whizz.

Pour pancake mix into a lightly oiled hot pan. Toss, flip, do your own thing. The quantity - depending on the mug and the size of the egg, will be enough for up to 6 pancakes.

Serve with lemon and sugar.