I N S I D E

T H I S I S S U E :

What Librarians Eat! M A R C H 2 0 1 5 V O L : 3 I S S U E : 3

Welcome to the March edition of What Librarians Eat!.

We have decided to dedicate this edition to vegiterians. Also, through this edition,

those of you who do not eat meat on certain days during lent, can find delicious

recipes to cook on those days. You can also find a delicious Figolla recipe since

Easter is just around the corner.

As always, we encourage you to forward any delicious recipes you try at home as

well as suggestions in order for us to be able to include more areas of interest.

In the meantime, stay safe and have a Happy Easter ツ

Health Tip 2

Broad beans with

garlic

3

Spicy vegitable

and quinoa laksa

3

Spicy root soup

with crisp spiced

onion

4

Bean feta and herb

dip

4

Risotto of spring

vegetables

5

Potato frittata with

pesto and goat’s

cheese

6

Marinated feta in

thyme and chili oil

6

Leek, cheese and

potato pasties

7

Devil’s food cake 8

Chocolate caramel

brownies

9

Vanilla poached

plums

9

Women’s section 10

Men’s section 11

Ask us something! 12

Activities for this month:

Chinese lunch during break

Details to be announced soon

P A G E

10 Psoriasis Triggers

Stress

Your body reacts to stress. Studies show that stress can make psoriasis worse, but psoriasis can also

stress you out. Take a relaxing soak in the tub. Call up a friend to vent. Meditate. Focus on the

positive and make relaxation part of your daily routine. These are simple ways to bust stress and

may help keep psoriasis flares at bay.

Allergies

Research shows that people with psoriasis are more likely to have a large number of inflammatory mast cells (see left) -- the

kind that trigger allergic reactions like swelling and itching. Still, there’s no proof that psoriasis is an allergic reaction.

Alcohol

Scientists believe that heavy drinking can trigger psoriasis flares. More research, however, is needed to know what the links are.

Doctors say avoid alcohol altogether to help prevent reactions.

Cold or Dry weather

Winter's cold, dry weather can make psoriasis worse, while warm, sunny climates may help.

The key is to keep your skin moist. Use fragrance-free, thick, creamy lotions after showers and baths and throughout the day.

Tattoos

Tattoos can look cool, but the process can be a nightmare for psoriasis. Repeatedly piercing

the skin and injecting it with dyes causes major trauma. Damage like that can cause new sores

to appear, often 10 to 14 days later.

Medications

Some medicines used to treat high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis, and mental disorders can trigger psoriasis. Talk to a

doctor if your medication is irritating your skin

Infections

Common infections are doubly difficult for people with psoriasis. Yeast infections, thrush, strep throat, respiratory infections,

and staph infections are all known triggers for the disorder. Once you treat the infection, your flare-ups may also calm down.

Cuts and bruises

New lesions may appear where you were injured. This is called Koebner's phenomenon. Avoid injuring your skin when you

can. Wear gloves while working in your garden. Prevent bug bites and sunburn. And use care when trimming your nails and

shaving.

Smoking

Research shows smoking is directly linked to how bad psoriasis gets. The more you puff, the

worse your flare-ups, with outbreaks most often appearing on the hands and feet. Kick the habit,

and you may reduce the number of flares and possibly end them.

Hormones

Psoriasis can start at any age in both men and women. But it seems to peak in people between the ages of 20 and 30, as well as

those between 50 and 60. Puberty and menopause also seem to trigger patches. Doctors think hormones may be the link.

Interestingly, one study found that high levels of estrogen during pregnancy seemed to improve psoriasis for some women.

Source: http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/ss/slideshow-triggers

P A G E 3

Ingredients

1 onion, sliced

4 tbsp vegetarian korma or madras curry

paste

1ltr milk

750g frozen mixed vegetables

175g quinoa, rinsed

If you do not like quinoa, you can replace it

with 300g long-grain or basmati rice

Simmer the onion and the curry paste with a splash of water for

5 mins in a large saucepan, stirring from time to time.

Heat the milk in a jug in the microwave.

Add the vegetables and quinoa, then stir in the milk.

Bring to the boil, simmer gently for 10 mins until the quinoa is

cooked.

Check seasoning. Serve with warm naan bread.

Source: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2577/spicy-vegetable-and-quinoa-laksa

Broad Beans with Garlic

Ingredients

2kg broad beans

3-4 garlic cloves

chopped parsley

vinegar

olive oil

600ml water

salt and freshly ground pepper

Remove both skins from the beans.

Put into a small pan; add garlic and plenty of

water. Bring to boil.

Add all the other ingredients; simmer till the beans are tender.

Serve hot.

Source: http://tisjir.com/recipes/broad-beans-with-garlic/

Spicy vegetable & quinoa laksa

P A G E 4

Spiced root soup with crisp spiced onions

Ingredients:

2 onions

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 leeks, sliced

3 carrots, sliced

2 medium potatoes, chopped

2 parsnips or 1 small celeriac, chopped

2-3 tsp curry paste

1.2l vegetable stock from granules or a cube)

250ml natural yogurt, plus extra to serve

coriander or parsley, to finish

Ingridients:

400g can cannellini beans

200g feta cheese

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 garlic clove, crushed

3 tbsp chopped dill, mint

or chives (or 1 tbsp each)

Drain and rinse beans.

Tip into a food

processor with feta,

lemon juice and garlic,

and whizz until

smooth.

Add dill, mint or

chives, and season

with pepper.

Bean, feta & herb dip

Peel and halve the onions through the root, then slice thinly lengthways.

Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large pan, add half the onions and fry until just starting to colour.

Add the mustard and cumin seeds and fry until nicely browned.

Add vegetables and curry paste and stir until well coated. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat, partly cover and simmer for 30 mins, until the vegetables are tender.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining tbsp of oil in a small pan, add the onions and fry quickly until crisp and browned.

Tip onto kitchen paper.

Purée the soup in batches, then return to the pan and stir in most of the yogurt.

Taste and add salt, if necessary.

Reheat gently, then ladle into bowls and top each with a spoonful of yogurt, some fried onions and a scattering

of roughly chopped coriander or parsley.

Source: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1871/spiced-root-soup-with-crisp-spiced-onions

Source: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2248656/bean-feta-and-herb-dip

P A G E 5

Ingredients:

300g carnaroli rice (risotto rice)

150g parmesan, in a wedge

20g fresh chives, finely snipped

150g shelled broad beans (about

600g in their pods)

150g asparagus spears

200g shelled small peas (about

800g in their pods)

fistfuls of ice cubes

1 tsp vegetable stock powder, such

as Marigold

1 large shallot or 2 smaller ones,

finely chopped

3 large spring onions, trimmed and

chopped

1 fat garlic clove, lightly crushed

2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve

50g butter

125ml dry white wine

2 tbsp mascarpone

Risotto of spring vegetables

Tip the rice into a pan of boiling, lightly salted water.

Boil gently for 6 minutes then drain in a sieve. There should still be a

white core in the centre of the grains.

Spread the part-cooked rice on a clean tray, cool, then chill until you

are ready to finish the risotto. If covered with cling film, the rice can be

kept for up to 24 hours.

Shave about 25g off the parmesan wedge and set aside for later. Finely

grate the rest and save for later use.

Blanch the broad beans for 1 minute in boiling water then drain and

rinse them in a colander under cold water. Using your fingers, pop

each bean from its skin. (Thawed frozen beans can be popped without

blanching.)

Trim the asparagus and cut the spears at an angle into lozenge shapes.

Bring 1 litre of water to the boil in a large pan, add 1 tsp of sea salt,

then the asparagus, shelled peas and beans. Return to a gentle boil and

cook for 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, put lots of ice cubes into a large bowl half filled with cold

water.

Drain the vegetables in a colander set over a bowl to catch and save the

cooking water, then tip them straight into the bowl of iced water.

When cold, drain again and set aside.

Pour the saved vegetable water into a pan and whisk in the stock

powder.

When ready to finish the risotto, bring the stock to the boil and keep it

on a simmer.

In another large pan, gently sauté the shallot, spring onions and garlic in

the 2 tablespoons of oil and half the butter for 3-5 minutes until

softened.

Stir in the wine and cook until reduced by half.

Tip in the rice. Now add a ladle of boiling stock and stir until it is

absorbed.

Add the remaining stock, a ladle at a time, stirring until absorbed before

you add more. This takes about 8 minutes, by which time the mixture

should be slightly sloppy, not dry.

You may not need all the stock.

The rice is cooked when it is just softened and has a nice shiny glaze.

Remove the garlic clove.

Gently stir in the vegetables and remaining chives and return to a gentle

simmer, adding a little extra stock if needed.

Stir in the last of the butter, the grated parmesan and the mascarpone.

Check the seasoning. Divide immediately between four warmed shallow

bowls, drizzle over a little oil and scatter the parmesan shavings onto

each serving.

Source: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2617/risotto-of-spring-vegetables .

P A G E 6

Potato frittata with pesto & goat’s cheese

Ingridients:

4 medium potatoes (about

600g/1lb 5oz), thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

8 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tbsp olive oil

100g pack soft rindless goat's

cheese, sliced

3 tbsp pesto

handful rocket leaves

tomato and basil salad, to

serve (optional)

Ingredients:

100ml olive oil

2 tbsp fresh thyme

leaves, plus a few

extra for scattering

4 garlic cloves, sliced

¼ tsp dried chilli

flakes

140g semi-dried

tomatoes in olive oil,

drained

175g pack or jar

artichoke hearts in oil

2 x 200g packs feta

cheese

85g Kalamata olives

Tip the olive oil and thyme into a bowl

and blitz with a hand blender.

Stir in the garlic, chilli and lots of black

pepper (but no salt). You could add

some of the oil from the tomatoes and

artichokes, too.

Cut each block of feta into 4 (or 6) and

arrange in a dish or a food container

with the tomatoes, artichokes and olives.

Spoon over the herby oil, scatter with

extra thyme and leave to marinate in the

fridge overnight.

Source: http://

www.bbcgoodfood.com/

recipes/2358665/marinated-feta-in-

thyme-and-chilli-oil

Marinated feta in

thyme & chilli oil

Boil the potatoes in salted water for 5 mins until just tender. Meanwhile, heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.

Mix the garlic and eggs together with some seasoning, then drain the potatoes and stir into the egg.

Heat the oil in an ovenproof frying pan, then tip in the egg and potato mixture. Cook over a low heat for 5 mins or until

two-thirds of the frittata is set, then cook in the oven for 10-15 mins until cooked through.

Arrange the goat’s cheese round the edge of the frittata and drizzle with the pesto. Top with rocket and serve with a

tomato & basil salad, if you like.

Source: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2040641/potato-frittata-with-pesto-and-goats-cheese

P A G E 7

Leek, cheese & potato pasties

Cook the potatoes in boiling, salted water for 5-8 mins until tender, but still holding their shape.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan.

Add the leeks and thyme and soften for 10-12 mins.

Drain potatoes and add to the leeks with the mustard and plenty of seasoning. Stir in the cream and leave to cool a

little. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.

On a floured surface, roll out the pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin.

Use a side plate or a bowl as a template to cut out 6 x 15cm circles.

Mix the cheese with the leek mixture and pile a mound of the mix onto the centre of each pastry circle.

Brush around edges with a little egg, then bring edges together and crimp with your fingers to seal.

Place pasties on a baking tray lined with baking parchment, brush with the remaining egg and bake for 40-45 mins until

golden brown. Serve warm or leave to cool.

Tip:

- Those of you who are not vegiterians can add pieces of pre-cooked chicken or any other meat of your liking.

- You can also add other vegetables and experiment with the filling

Source: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1958638/leek-cheese-and-potato-pasties

Ingridients:

2 small potatoes (about

300g/11oz), cut into 1cm cubes

knob of butter

2 small leeks, tough outer leaves

removed, split in half lengthways

and finely sliced

3 thyme sprigs, leaves chopped

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tbsp cream

flour, for dusting

500g block shortcrust pastry

140g/ 5oz Welsh Caerphilly

cheese, strong cheddar or

vegetarian alternative, cut into

small chunks

1 egg, beaten

P A G E 8

Ingredients

Nonstick spray

1 cup boiling water

4 ounces Dutch-process

cocoa

10 1/2 ounces dark brown

sugar

5 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour

4 ounces cake flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup vegetable oil

4 1/2 ounces sour cream, at

room temperature

2 large whole eggs

2 large egg yolks

Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.

Spray a 13 by 9-inch metal pan with nonstick spray, line with parchment paper so it hangs over the sides of the pan and

spray the parchment with nonstick spray. Set aside.

Whisk the boiling water and cocoa powder together in a small bowl and set aside.

Combine the sugar, flours, baking soda and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Whisk the

oil, sour cream, eggs and egg yolks in a large pourable vessel.

Add the oil mixture to the cocoa and water mixture and slowly whisk to combine.

With the mixer on low speed, add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture over 30 seconds. Continue to beat on low speed

for another 30 seconds.

Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Continue to beat on low speed until the batter is smooth, 10 to 15 seconds.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the cake springs back when pressed and reaches an internal

temperature of 205 degrees F, 30 to 35 minutes.

Cool in the pan on a rack for 30 minutes, and then remove cake from the pan and cool completely before frosting, about 1

hour.

Chocolate Frosting:

Beat the butter and mayonnaise in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on high, until light and

fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. With the mixer on low, slowly add the melted chocolate.

Continue mixing on low speed until all of the chocolate is incorporated, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as

needed. Turn off the mixer and add one-third of the sugar.

Mix on low to combine, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Repeat until all of the sugar has been incorporated.

Add the salt and continue to beat until the frosting is smooth and lightens slightly in color, 2 to 3 minutes.

Use immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 hours or refrigerate for up to a week.

Bring to room temperature before using chilled frosting.

Source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/devils-food-cake-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Devil’s Food Cake Chocolate

Frosting:

5 1/2 ounces

unsalted

butter, room

temperature

1 ounce

mayonnaise

3 ounces semi-

sweet

chocolate,

melted and

cooled slightly

8 ounces

powdered

sugar

Pinch kosher

salt

Ingredients:

Cooking spray

1 (19.50-ounce) box chocolate

brownie mix

2 eggs

1/4 cup chocolate milk

1/4 cup canola oil

1 cup chocolate chips, divided

1/2 cup heavy cream

30 caramels (recommended: Kraft)

2 cups shredded coconut, toasted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously spray a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, beat the brownie mix with the eggs, chocolate milk, and oil until just combined.

Using a spatula, fold in 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Spread into the prepared baking dish and bake until center is barely set, 25

to 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool completely.

Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium low heat.

Stir in the caramels until completely melted and incorporated into the cream.

Remove from the heat and stir in the coconut. Spread in an even layer over the cooled brownies.

Melt the remaining chocolate chips in the microwave at 15 second intervals, stirring between intervals.

Drizzle the chocolate in a criss-cross pattern over the coconut topping.

Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to set before slicing into bars.

Source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sandra-lee/chocolate-caramel-brownies-recipe.html?oc=linkback

P A G E 9

Chocolate Caramel Brownies

For 4 people :

Ingredients

500g plums, washed

200g golden caster sugar

cinnamon stick

vanilla pod, split and seeds

scraped from middle

Cut the plums into quarters and remove the stones.

Tip the sugar into a pan with 225ml water, the cinnamon and vanilla.

Gently heat until the sugar dissolves. Slide the fruit into the syrup.

Bring the pan to the boil, then let it simmer for 5-10 mins, depending

on the ripeness, until the plums are soft.

Leave to cool slightly and serve as they are with something creamy.

Source: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2858/vanilla-poached-plums

Vanilla poached plums

P A G E

Shedding stops here!!

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If you've ever freaked out about how much hair you've been shedding recently, you're fears aren't unfounded. According

to the American Hair Loss Association, women actually make up 40 percent of those experiencing hair loss. But before

you jump to any conclusions, know this: Everything from your diet to your hairstyling habits could be affecting how many

strands you lose. Try these simple expert-approved tips to keep your head of hair full and healthy.

Massage your scalp

"Scalp massage helps to stimulate the scalp and remove dead skin cells—both of which encourage

healthy hair growth," says Philip Kingsley, a trichologist (someone who studies scalp and hair health)

and founder ofPhilip Kingsley Haircare. Use the balls of your fingers to massage the shampoo into your

scalp, moving from the hairline to the back of the head. This move boosts blood flow and stimulates

the hair follicles for growth.

Practice mindful brushing

"Brushes that cause a lot of traction call pull hair out from the follicle," says Kingsley. "If done

repeatedly, this can lead to permanent hair loss." Always start towards your ends (not your

roots), moving gently from section to section.

Take care of wet hair

"Hair is at its most fragile [and prone to breakage] when it is wet, being that the protective cuticle is slightly raised," says

Robert Dorin, a hair-restoration surgeon at True & Dorin Medical Group in New York City. Always wait until your hair

has fully dried before putting it in a ponytail or brushing it through.

Another simple fix: "Instead of wrapping hair in a towel turban, which can cause breakage, gently pat wet hair with a towel

to soak up excess moisture," says Jill Crosby, a celebrity hairstylist in Los Angeles.

Limit sun exposure

"Too much UV exposure from the sun can damage your hair, weakening it and causing it to appear dull," says Dorin. "This

is because the keratin proteins in the hair break down when exposed to UV rays." Not only does he recommend seeking

shade (year-round, ladies!), he suggests spritzing strands with a hairspray that has UV protection prior to sun exposure.

Eat more protein

"Hair is made of protein, and the cells that make each strand are the second fastest growing

cells your body produces," says Kingsley. "However, as hair is a non-vital tissue, it is the last to

benefit from what you eat. Any nutritional deficiency will often first show up as excessive hair

shedding." Opt for at least two to three servings of protein (find it in lean chicken, fish, eggs, and

low-fat Greek yogurt) a day.

Nix long-lasting styling products

Dorin warns against mega-hold products because they are high in alcohol content, which can

cause dryness. When they're brushed out, the residue left behind causes breakage. "Try using

softer-hold products like styling creams that maintain the moisture of the hair cuticle without

creating that friction when being brushed," he says.

Source: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/beauty/hair-loss-prevention

P A G E Men’s Section

How daydreaming helps your mind focus

Letting your mind wander may actually help your concentration,

suggests new research from Cornell University.

Here’s why scientists think that: In a study, participants matched

photos of celebrities more quickly and accurately than they did

for pictures of anonymous people they didn’t recognize.

The celebrity pictures sparked the activation of long-term

memories in the study participants. This boosted the

participants’ short-term memory performance, which was also

associated with greater activity in the brain region that’s involved

in things like imagining or reminiscing.

In other words, thinking about certain moments from the past can help you crack present problems. “We’re able to use

information from our long-term memory to solve the task at hand and succeed at it even better,” says study author

Nathan Spreng, Ph.D.

Previously, neuroscience experts believed that all daydreaming squashed your focus and hindered your performance.

And that’s still true if your mind wanders way off course—like if you start musing about what you did last weekend when

you’re proofing your sales figures for errors.

But if you summon up a long-term memory that’s relevant to what you’re working on, you can actually help your

performance, says Spreng. Going over your sales stats? Let your mind wander to that mistake you caught on last

quarter’s report.

Source: www.menshealth.com/health/daydreaming-helps-mind-focus

The worst way to speak

Chills in the bedroom may not be a good thing, finds a new Japanese

study.

Researchers found that people who slept in a cold room (57 degrees)

overnight saw their systolic and diastolic blood pressure rates spike 6 to

8 percent after climbing out of bed in the morning, compared to sleepers

who spent the night in a toasty, 76-degree room.

Your blood pressure naturally rises when you wake, explains study

coauthor Keigo Saeki, M.D., an epidemiologist at Japan’s Nara Medical University. But when you hop out of bed into a

cold room, the blood vessels in your skin constrict and your heart kicks into overdrive to warm you up, Dr. Saeki adds.

That boost in blood pressure lasts at least 2 hours and, over time, it can put a serious strain on your ticker, Dr. Saeki

says.

But don't keep your thermostat turned up all night—it's a major money-suck, and the higher temperature may disrupt

your sleep, says. Do this instead: Program your home's thermostat to increase the room to 72 degrees a half hour

before you plan to rise. If your current thermostat can't manage that, try a programmable option—like Nest's uber-

smart thermostat ($250, nest.com). After a few weeks, the Nest will have "learned" enough to both keep you

comfortably warm when you're at home and dial back the settings when you're out to cut energy costs.

Source: http://www.menshealth.com/health/bedroom-blood-pressure?icid=OBtrafficMH_TBD_SB3

“Ask Us Something!” Figolli

F O R T H E P A S T R Y

1kg plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

300g icing sugar

450g unsalted butter or

margerine

Zest of 2 lemons and 2 oranges

Juice of 2 oranges

7 egg yolks

F O R T H E A L MO N D

F I L L I N G

1kg pure ground almonds

800g icing sugar

Zest of 3 lemons

6 egg whites

1 tsp vanilla essence

You will also need marzipan,

icing and chocolate to

decorate the figolli

Start this recipe by preparing the pastry and the almond filling.

To make the pastry, sift together the flour, baking powder and icing sugar in a

large bowl.

Add the butter or margerine and rub with your fingers till mixture resembles

breadcrumbs.

Add the lemon and orange zest, the fresh orange juice and egg yolks and mix

together till you have a smooth soft pastry.

Wrap up the pastry in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, you can also prepare the almond filling.

Place all the ingredients together in a large bowl and bind together with your

hands to form a soft marzipan. Make sure the mixture is not sticky.

Once the pasty has chilled, and you have prepared the almond filling you can

start preparing the figolli.

Roll out the pastry on a floured work surface, to a thickness of about 3/4cm.

Using shaped figolli cutters, cut figolli shapes out of the pastry (you will need

2 pastry shapes for each figolla).

Carefully place the figolli pastry shapes on baking trays covered with

greaseproof paper.

Next, you need to roll out the almond filling, the same as the pastry, cutting

out one shape per figolla.

Brush ½ of the pastry shapes lightly with water, and cover each piece with

the almond filling.

Brush the almond filling lightly with water and cover with the remaining

pastry shapes.

Each figolla will end up with a pastry top and bottom, with the layer of almond

in the middle.

Bake the figolli in the oven at 180`c, for 35-40 minutes, depending on their

size.

When the figolli are cooked, remove the baking trays from the oven and

allow the figolli to cool down completely before removing them of the baking

trays.

For best results, decorate the figolli the following day, using chocolate,

marzipan, icing and silver dredges.

When the figolli are decorated and the icing is set, wrap them up in cling film

to keep them fresh. The figolli can be prepared up to 3 weeks in advance…..if

you can wait that long to taste them !

P A G E 1 2

Source:

http://acelineentertainment.com/

recipes/figolli/