Today's Vegetable: Chicory (great coffee substitute!)

Chicory

·     Chicory contains insulin, which helps diabetics regulate their blood sugar levels

·     Chicory is closely related to lettuce and dandelion but is a member of the sunflower family

·     It may be cleansing to the liver and gallbladder

·     Chicory is beneficial for digestion, the circulatory system and the blood

·     Chicory leaves are a good source of calcium, vitamin A and potassium

 

Chicory is a naturally caffeine-free herb that is a popular coffee substitute. It has health benefits that differ from coffee and is a great way to reduce your caffeine intake. Another benefit is that it cheaper than coffee as well!

To add more Chicory to your diet simple substitute for one ore two of your coffees a day!

To brew basic chicory coffee, use about 2/3 ground coffee and 1/3 chicory, and brew as you normally would (such as in a drop coffee maker or a French press).

 

 

Other ways of eating it include:

1. Raw chicory leaves are excellent eaten fresh, drizzled with a little vinaigrette, or
2. stir-fried and served as a vegetable side dish.
3. Whole heads of chicory can be baked, poached or griddled. 
4.  Chicory is particularly good wrapped in ham, covered with a Béchamel sauce and baked in the oven.

Here is a great chicory salad recipe:

Ingredients

• 6 heads chicory quartered
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 apples cores removed, halved, sliced
• 2 tbsp walnuts

For the dressing

• 150ml/5½fl oz sour cream
• 50ml/1¾fl oz mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 100g/3½oz Roquefort plus extra to serve

Preparation method

1. Place the chicory, onion, apples and walnuts into a big bowl. Stir until well combined.
2. For the dressing, blend the soured cream, mayonnaise, mustard, white wine vinegar and Roquefort in a food processor until smooth. (Add a little warm water if the mixture is too thick.)
3. To serve, drizzle the salad with some of the dressing mixture, and stir until well combined. Garnish with the extra Roquefort and serve more dressing on the side for people to help themselves.