Jamie's Super Food (2015) s01e05 Episode Script

Superfood, for me, is a new way of thinking.
It's not about goji berries and green drinks.
It's about cooking smart with simple foods that are nutritious and delicious.
I think it can be really confusing these days.
There's such a lot of kind of noise about what is and what isn't healthy.
'So in this show, I'm going to some of the healthiest places 'in the world, where people live the longest, 'to find out what they eat' It's really, really good! '.
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and how they live.
' 88 years old, still in charge of the kitchen.
'From the jungles of Costa Rica' It's absolutely jam-packed full of vitamin C.
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to the islands of Greece' This is what life's all about -- the old, the very young, all having a party, great food.
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and Japanese city life' Keep practising! '.
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they're all using humble ingredients 'to make some of the simplest and tastiest dishes I've eaten.
' I've picked the bowl up now cos it just makes me want to hug it.
Inspired by what I've learnt, I'm going to show you the tricks and tips to build my version of superfood into your life Who said eating healthy was boring and tasteless? Rubbish! .
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breakfast, lunch and dinner.
I don't want you to eat healthy food because you have to.
I want you to eat healthy food because it's delicious.
This is not a faddy diet.
This is about fat, nutrition, science.
This is about food coming together in a really beautiful way that's healthy and nutritious.
So what does a day of healthy food look like? I'm on a voyage of discovery, travelling to places where people live the longest, to find out what they're doing right.
In Japan, I discover the secrets of a mega superfood ingredient they're all eating and, inspired, I knock up a yummy, wholesome lunch dish.
Oh, it's so good! Full, full of goodness.
Then I'm off to Costa Rica, where the tropical climate produces wild and wonderful foods the locals are thriving on.
This gives me an idea for a gorgeous dinner, bursting with bright sunshine flavours.
That is going to be a joy to cook and to eat.
An incredibly nutritious superfood day and all for under 1,600 calories, so plenty of room for healthy treats and drinks, too.
First, let's kick off the day with a healthy breakfast.
If you eat breakfast every day, it focuses the mind, helps concentration and, inevitably, stops you from snacking.
Woohoo! So it's a really, really good thing.
It's the most important meal of the day.
I'm making my special popped beans with golden, runny eggs and warm, sweet, juicy tomatoes -- a trio of superfoods packed with protein from the beans and the eggs, and it will keep you full up till lunch.
So I'm just going to scatter some drained beans.
These are cannellini beans.
You'll see there's a little bit of excess moisture in there and we're going to just cook that away.
They'll start to crispen up, then they'll start to pop.
Beans are really incredible.
They add to one of your five-a-day, they're also really high in protein and really high in fibre.
To add flavour to your superfood beans, sprinkle in some aromatic fennel seeds.
The next layer is tomatoes.
Tomatoes are incredible, really high in vitamin C.
Tomatoes are a great source of an antioxidant called lycopene.
It's found only in red fruit and has potential anti-cancer properties.
So let's make these tomatoes incredible.
Let's go and get tomato's best friend -- basil.
And then one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
We're going to go in with a pinch of salt and then a lemon.
So have a little toss-up.
Over in the pan, the beans have transformed and split open, revealing the creaminess inside.
And then we're going to go in with the tomatoes.
The beans will suck up all that juice.
I want about 100ml, you know, half a wine glass of water, just to kind of release flavours.
And then it will thicken up again.
I mean, this has got half of your protein for the day, it's got two of your fruit and veg for the day.
Next up, the eggs.
And then a lid.
Now, this is another clever way to cook eggs.
You know, we've got one tablespoon of olive oil in the tomatoes and that's it.
The delicious juices in the covered pan will steam the egg, meaning no more oil is needed.
Meanwhile, toast up some wholemeal bread.
Look at that.
Whoa! So we're looking good.
Just turn it out, sprinkle it with basil leaves.
Let's get our toast.
So I'm using that lovely ricotta.
It's one of the lowest-fat cheeses out there, full of good stuff, calcium.
This calcium, when combined with vitamin D in the eggs, is great for the strength of your bones.
And then, for me, personally, I've got to finish it off with a little bit a flourish.
A bit of a kick with some chilli sauce and then a splash of balsamic vinegar.
But that, my friends, is a little ray of sunshine in the morning.
It's delicious, super nutritious, 399 calories.
All you have to do now is get it in your gob.
Mm! It's such a pick-me-up in the morning.
And it will keep firing you on full steam ahead until lunchtime and your body's just going to say, "Thank you very much!" For these recipes and more, go to In my quest to discover how to live a longer and healthier life, I'm travelling to the places experts have identified as health hot spots.
I've come to Okinawa, Japan -- a rugged island surrounded by warm, clear seas and coral reefs and home to some of the oldest people on earth.
One of the reasons for their longevity could be a food that surrounds the British Isles but we don't eat enough of -- seaweed.
So I've come to meet 58-year-old seaweed farmer Tadashi Oshiro.
Okinawans eat more seaweed than anyone else in the world, even more than people from mainland Japan, so we're going to go and pick some of the favourites of the locals.
There are dozens of varieties of edible seaweed, which have been eaten by the Japanese for thousands of years, and they all contain different powerful nutrients.
Today's crop is called mozuku -- an Okinawan favourite.
So this is what all the fuss is about? It's like spaghetti! - Green spaghetti.
- Yes.
- So how often do you eat the seaweed? Really? Wow! Yes.
Yeah, strong, strong! Tadashi's good health may come from high levels of iron in seaweed, which helps keep the immune system healthy.
- So, we go over here? - Yeah.
- Pick some.
One small handful of dried seaweed contains the same amount of iron as two whole bags of spinach.
This is full of so much good stuff, vitamin B12.
It's very, very good for your immune system, so there's definitely something in it, that's for sure.
Tadashi's invited me to taste some seaweed.
He's brought along his 83-year-old mum, who herself eats seaweed every day, as well as family friend and dab hand in the kitchen Masae.
- You mix it? - Hai.
She's going to whip me up a favourite dish -- seaweed tempura, where the mozuku is combined with a light batter and quickly fried.
- So OK? - Hai.
These beautiful seaweeds here are more nutritious than any land plant.
It really is incredible stuff and it tastes so good.
These are hot, crispy .
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and delicious.
The seaweed's got an amazing, savoury, salty flavour.
It's really, really good.
That's why it's so good in soups and broths as well.
It's kind of a seasoning as well as a flavour.
Having eaten seaweed all her life, Tadashi's mum is in no doubt of its health-giving properties.
Seaweed is absolutely a cornerstone of their diet.
We can't ignore it and, if you can look this good at 83, brilliant! We want a little bit of that! But seaweed definitely is something to look out for.
So what are you waiting for? Give it a go! And in a superfood day, seaweed has to be one of my hero ingredients.
So, for lunch, I'm going to make a really delicious chicken miso broth.
Absolutely gorgeous, full of so much of the good stuff.
It's that kind of dish that makes you just feel really, really good.
A delicious rice bowl layered with steaming veggies and tender chicken, all bathed in a tasty miso broth.
This dish will leave you feeling nourished and healthy.
So I'm just going to cut an onion into, like, little eighths.
I'm going to put a teaspoon of sesame oil into a pan and what I want to do is scald the onions, OK? So they kind of char.
Next up, I need to soak some mushrooms.
I'm using porcini, which give a massive bang for their buck.
Cover the dried mushrooms with boiling water to rehydrate and put to one side.
Next, add 150g of wild rice to a pan of boiling water.
More fibre, more nutritious, more flavour, actually, and things like magnesium and phosphorus, which are great for our teeth and nails and stuff.
So we're just trading up -- goodness, nutrients, straightaway.
Next, ginger.
Slice some fiery ginger into matchsticks and add to the pan followed by 800ml of stock.
Into this we're going to add our miso and all I need, literally, is a heaped teaspoon of this stuff.
Miso is a Japanese fermented soya bean paste that gives deep, savoury, rich intensity to any dish that it's added to, and you can pick it up from most supermarkets and health food shops.
And you can do all sorts of things with marinades and dressings and soups and stuff like that, so it's a great product to have a little play with.
Our soaked mushrooms have been rehydrated, so they can go in, along with the delicious mushroom-flavoured liquid, taking care not to add any grit from the bottom.
We're going to let that simmer for sort of 15, 20 minutes and while we do that, I want to create a little quick pickle.
Slice some radishes, including the green tops if they're looking fresh.
Add some vinegar and a pinch of salt.
10, 15 minutes later, you've got a simple little pickle.
That little crunch and sourness just kind of wakes up your taste buds.
So, pickle, done.
Right, chicken.
This is for two people and it's going to be generous and it's going to fill you up, but we only need one chicken breast.
In all the longevity hot spots I've visited, they all eat much less meat, and to help a little go a long way, I'm thinly slicing one chicken breast between two people.
Then we want to kind of build up layers.
I'm adding chestnut mushrooms and seasonal greens kale and chard, which are a source of iron.
Any dark green leafy greens are amazing.
The darker they are, the better they are.
Then some enoki mushrooms -- a thin, delicate mushroom used in Asian cooking.
Look really funky.
Finally, our superfood star ingredient -- dried seaweed.
And you don't need to go back to Okinawa to get it.
You can get this nori and these seaweeds in supermarkets now.
The research and science coming out about the goodness and nutrients in this stuff is phenomenal.
There's actually a complex carbohydrate that's only in seaweed called fucoidan, and scientists are in the promising stages of research into whether it can play a role in fighting cancer.
Cover and simmer for 4-5 minutes until the chicken is cooked.
Ladle your wild rice into the bowl and pile with the gorgeous, steamy veg.
Lovely tender pieces of chicken, loads of veggies.
You're definitely not going to go hungry.
And 520 calories in this, so a really wonderful lunch.
Pile your crunchy, pickled radishes onto the side and you're ready to dig into this wholesome bowl of superfood goodness, featuring that special hero ingredient -- seaweed.
Mm! The chicken here is tender .
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and it's soaked up all of that wonderful flavour.
Oh, it's so good! Next time you think to yourself, my body needs some nourishment, this is the thing to try.
It's definitely a super, super broth.
Next, I head to the tropical paradise of Costa Rica to discover another amazing hero ingredient.
It's like a gobstopper in your mouth.
And inspired, I'm making a scrumptious share plate bursting with vibrant colours and flavours.
It's a complete celebration of everything that's good for you.
I've been around the world and met some of the oldest, healthiest people.
There's things that they all have in common in lifestyle and food and I want to share that with you.
So I'm cooking up a day's worth of delicious super food dishes that will make you happy and healthy.
So far in our super food day we've had popped beans with egg, tomatoes, and ricotta toast for breakfast.
Then, for lunch, miso broth piled with rice, chicken, veggies, and seaweed.
Now, for further super food inspiration, I'm heading to Costa Rica.
On the Nicoyan Peninsula, a tropical climate and lush, fertile forests support one of the longest-living populations in the world.
These guys are living well into their hundreds, fuelled by a diet rich in fresh fish, eggs, and beans.
As well as one type of food they eat more of than any other health hot spot I've been to.
Here in Costa Rica, they love fruit.
They've got hundreds and hundreds being farmed and growing wild across the country.
So, I'm here with two fruit foragers, Huber and his father, to find out a little bit more.
First to investigate, local favourite mamon, also known as Spanish lime.
O-ho-ho-ho-ho! It's like a lychee.
Tastes like lemons, limes.
It's good.
This fruit, mamon.
Is it good for you? Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that protects our cells and helps fight disease.
And one of the highest concentrations of vitamin C can be found in this, a funny looking fruit attached to a more familiar food.
This is called the maranon.
And .
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you might know it already because that is a cashew nut.
And for every single cashew nut you have a fruit.
This is in an incredible fruit.
It's absolutely jam-packed full of vitamin C Five times more than an orange.
Really nutritious.
So, how much fruit do you guys eat a day? Do you eat fruit for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Do you guys think that eating a lot of fruit is one of the reasons that people from this part of Costa Rica live the longest? A high consumption of vitamins could be one of the reasons for Nicoyans' great health.
Multiple cancer research studies have drawn links between the high intake of vitamin C from food and low rates of cancer.
We cannot argue about the fact that the people from this area of Costa Rica live long, healthy, productive lives.
And if we want to learn anything from these guys, fruit has to be a part of it.
It's a beautiful cocktail of nutrients and minerals and goodness.
So, big up fruit, and enjoy it! And I've got a clever way to get more of this good stuff into your diet.
It's going to be immense.
Delicious, nutritious, and pretty damn quick.
Protein-packed prawns, smothered in a punchy marinade, resting on a pile of whole-wheat couscous, fruit, and veg.
It's a sweet and savoury, sunny celebration of food.
So, first up, look at these prawns.
We've got six of these bad boys.
We're going to add some big flavour with a marinade.
So, all I need is two sprigs of rosemary and, by the way, rosemary and shellfish, they're not thought of as being best friends but, I'm telling you, it works an absolute treat.
Just give it a good bash up.
Then we're going to hit it up with two cloves of garlic.
Garlic is a source of vitamin B6, great for the immune system.
Next, a teaspoon of smoked paprika, followed by saffron.
It gives you the most incredible colour.
So that goes in.
Now, one thing's for sure, is that saffron requires infusion to pull out all of that beautiful flavour.
Add a little swig of hot water and a dash of olive oil.
Look at that, the colour is just amazing.
That, my friends, is one hell of a marinade.
Now, prawns.
Inside this beautiful prawn is a little vein that we want to get rid of.
Just get some cooking scissors and just cut all the way down the back.
It's very simple.
It opens up that area and then we can pull out that vein very, very simply.
Just like that.
Of course, it makes it cook quicker, it allows flavour to get in and, also, it splays open like a beautiful, kind of, butterfly prawn.
Now, the prawn is a fantastic source of protein.
Really, really high in vitamin B12.
Now, that's a really important one because it's great for your nervous system and your immune system.
So it's fantastic to get your hit of vitamin B12.
We are going to just get our hands in there now.
Look at that.
That is going to be a joy to cook and to eat.
I'm taking inspiration from our friends in Costa Rica and trying to get more fruit into your life.
We might not have the maranon or the Spanish lime at our disposal, but a good old orange is a fantastic source of vitamin C.
Toss those also in the marinade.
I mean, look at that.
Incredible colours.
So, moving on.
While your prawns marinade, pour boiling water over the whole-wheat couscous.
Cover and set aside for ten minutes to fluff up.
Next, veggies.
This dish is one of the most exceptional ways to effortlessly get your three of your five a day.
This veg will add nutrients and fibre to the dish.
I'm using peppers, courgettes, and asparagus, but use whatever's in season.
A variety of colours tend to mean a wider variety of vitamins, so don't be afraid to mix things up.
Last, but not least, one or two chillies, depending on how hot they are.
These fiery favourites are super high in vitamin C and also contain anti-inflammatories.
Let's pour that into our bowl and we now want to flavour all of this with a lovely, simple, clean dressing.
Squeeze the juice of one orange and one lemon over the couscous.
More vitamin C, more goodness.
And some finely chopped mint and mix it up.
Time to cook the marinated prawns and oranges.
Every last bit of juice.
We want it all in there.
Have a little toss around.
They won't take very long to cook at all.
Can you see this prawn? Butterflying out.
See how it's just opening up as it's cooking.
That's what we're talking about.
Really nice, gnarly prawns.
So, let's plate up, guys.
I love, by the way, serving this as a share plate.
They're so beautiful.
The colour's extraordinary.
Wowzers! Top with little dollops of mild, cooling yoghurt, a sprinkling of mint leaves and, finally, juicy jewels of pomegranate.
Just do a Jackson Pollock, mate, you want to create mess.
There you go.
Warmly spiced prawns on a bed of rainbow-flecked couscous and that all important vitamin C rich fruit and, like my Costa Rican friend Huber said, why buy something synthetic when you can eat something so delicious? Not bad, rolling in at 572 calories per portion.
So, all we have to do now, is eat it and there ain't no polite way to do this.
Right, be prepared for a mess.
Head off.
Get the shell off.
Really delicious flavour.
It's a complete celebration of everything that's good for you in one dish.
What a joy.
What a joy.
So, there you have it.
A gorgeous breakfast full of beans.
A super healthy, hearty miso broth for lunch and, for dinner, a sweet and savoury plate of spiced prawns and gorgeous couscous.
A whole day's worth of incredibly healthy, delicious dishes and all for under 1,600 calories per person.
But, you know what, it's not about the calories, it's about filling your bodies with the good stuff.
That's super food.
Next time, a trip to Greece inspires a super salmon lunch with delicious healthy whole grains.
It's full of the good stuff.
Beautiful.
And, in Japan, a backyard brimming with medicinal powers helps me create a chicken dinner your body will thank you for.
That is a super food chicken dish.