Martyna Angell Wholefood Night Markets Interview

Martyna Angell Wholefood Night Markets Interview

Sydney's sweet tooths will now have a guilt-free option for satisfying their cravings, as GoodnessMe Box, the country's largest online health food sampling service, announces its dessert-themed Wholefood Night Markets on Thursday, 28 July, returning at Sydney's most sought-after location, The Grounds of Alexandria.

The Grounds of Alexandria is widely known as Sydney's ultimate foodie hang out and continues to be at the top of the game when it comes to pioneering the latest in dining experiences. It's industrial yet wholesome and trendy vibe meant that once again it was the perfect fit to host the GoodnessMe Box Wholefood Night Markets. Last year's sold-out event at the sanctuary brought together over 600 health-conscious consumers.

A first of its kind in Australia, the one-night only dessert festival of wholefood sweet treats will feature raw cakes, healthy milkshakes, peanut butter treats, -nice creams' and more.

The ticketed event at $35 will have talks and cooking demos from big names in the health and wellness world, including Jessica Sepel, Jacqueline Alwill of The Brown Paper Bag, Luke Hines, Instagram sensation Taline Gabriel, the Merrymaker Sisters, Martyna Angell of My Wholesome Cook and Lee Holmes of Supercharged Food.

Beyond the delicious desserts, the wholefood fair – which promises to indulge your taste buds without the guilt – will have organic wine and healthy dinner options for attendees to enjoy, courtesy of The Grounds of Alexandria's healthy BBQ-inspired menu.

Leading health food brands including IsoWhey Wholefoods, Rebel Kitchen (new from the UK), Luz Almond (revolutionising the dairy-free yoghurt and ice cream world) Pic's Peanut Butter, and Table of Plenty will have stalls where guests can sample and purchase their goodies.

Getting ready to take part in the event, health blogger, wellness coach and author of The Healthy Life, Jessica Sepel of JSHealth said, 'Giving yourself permission to enjoy all foods seems to relieve stress for people. Indulgence – in moderation – allows for balance. I think it's really important for people to ditch the diet mentality and to enjoy each mouthful of dessert. Turning to wholefoods-based, unrefined and sugar-free sweet treats is an even greater way to enjoy life while sidelining any guilt. The Night Markets are going to be the place for people to do exactly that. It's going to be a fantastic night out."

The creator of the event and founder of GoodnessMe Box, Peta Shulman, hopes the event inspires more people to join the wholefood movement, once they've seen how easy and tasty it can be to treat yourself while focusing on foods that nourish your body.

Shulman said, 'The standard western diet is full of nutritionally devoid processed and artificial foods. You can indulge and feel good about yourself by choosing natural wholefoods instead. Our Wholefood Night Markets will have plenty of inspiration for people looking to make better food choices or kick-start a healthier lifestyle.

'The Wholefood Night Markets are a way for new and established brands to showcase their products to a passionate and highly engaged audience, in an intimate and boutique environment. We had such positive feedback from the first Night Markets and the second event, this time with a dessert focus, promises to be even more impactful.

'GoodnessMe Box is building a strong community of wellness enthusiasts who want to celebrate eating well. So often we are fearful of foods. We should be able to enjoy all foods, including much loved desserts, eating them without guilt and from a mindful and health-conscious perspective. This is just what the Night Markets will offer attendees."

The $35 tickets are available to buy now from www.goodnessmebox.com with only 750 spots for the exclusive event. A special edition, take-home GoodnessMe Box is included in the ticket price.

What: GoodnessMe Box Whole Food Night Markets
Where: The Grounds of Alexandria, 2 Huntley Street, Alexandria
Date: Thursday, 28 July 2016
Time: Media VIP 5-6pm; general admission 6-11pm

Tickets: $35 www.goodnessmebox.com

Interview with Martyna Angell of My Wholesome Cook

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Question: What are you looking forward to most about the upcoming Wholefood Night Markets?

Martyna Angell: I am super excited to learn how to make more whole food treats from my fellow presenters and, of course, to be sharing one of my favourite dessert recipes on stage, one that's also one of the most versatile in terms of adaptability for various dietary needs.


Question: How do you satisfy your sweet tooth?

Martyna Angell: Although my sweet tooth is quite small and I try to satisfy it by having a dollop with vanilla yoghurt with fruit when cravings hit, when I was a teen I grew fond of the Snickers bar so I have re-invented a healthier version of the treat which I like to enjoy over a quiet moment. It's been one of my reader favourites and I love how it can be custom-made too! Oh, and a square of dark chocolate does not go astray from time to time.


Question: Can you talk us through a typical days food, for you?

Martyna Angell: At around 6:30am I have about a cupful of a whole food smoothie. There are many seasonal concoctions I choose from – choc banana, rockmelon numbers, berry. I started growing organic blueberries in our Sydney backyard and the crop was amazing last season! I try to pack as much nutrients as I can into the morning drink so from time to time I add whole food powders such as greens and maca, macqui, mesquite, etc. Sometimes, when my digestive system feels sluggish after a weekend of overindulging, I add about ½ cup Greek-style yoghurt to boost my probiotics levels and get me going.

At around 10am I have my breakfast which generally involves eggs with veggies - I love my veggies and make sure that we have fresh or cooked veggies with almost every meal. Sometimes, if I didn't include yoghurt in my smoothie, I'll have yoghurt with berries or other fruit in season and just a dash of cinnamon. A spoonful of low-sugar cereal (I love spelt flakes) works well here too, or in winter, I opt for some type of porridge with various toppings.

Between 11am and 12pm I make myself a cup of tea or coffee with just a dash of full cream milk – I try to consume very little milk because, unlike yoghurt and cheese, milk gives me acne. Sometimes I opt for almond milk.

Lunch is around 2:30pm and is the main meal of the day for me. It's something of a learnt habit from Poland where the main meal of the day is consumed between 2 and 3pm. This is usually a big mish mash fridge surprise salad of sorts – with baby spinach, avocado, shaved fennel, roasted veggies, sauerkraut or pickles, cayenne pepper, egg or canned or smoked fish (mackerel is one of my favourites and is a great source of omega-3). Sometimes it's simply leftovers from the family dinner the night before or a piece of grilled fish with some greens. I try to have it outside to get some vitamin D.

My last meal of the day is no later than 6pm and it's a small supper. Sometimes it consists of grazing on food I'm prepping for the family's main meal. Sometimes it's simply a cup of miso soup with a handful of veggies or 2-3 slices of rye crisp bread with various toppings. Sometimes, especially in summer it could be a whole food smoothie or a seasonal fruit and veg platter with some dips. Occasionally, I'll have a small portion of the meal I've prepped for the family (often I keep leftovers for lunch the next day).


Question: What inspired you passion for wholefoods?

Martyna Angell: I was fortunate enough to grow up in a home filled with delicious, real food. Both of my parents cooked, although it was probably the time spent in the kitchen with Mum that made me into the adventurous cook that I am today. For a short spell in my twenties, though, real food took a bit of a back seat in my life – I became infatuated with all the convenience and junk foods my Dad had warned me about. It was everywhere. Within a year I ate myself to the verge of obesity and that's when I decided enough was enough. Going back to the basics of wholefoods helped me gain my life back.


Question: What advice do you have for other parents who struggle to cook healthy food their families enjoy?

Martyna Angell: I've dedicated a whole chapter of The Wholesome Cook book to dealing with fussy eaters to help parents navigate the minefield of meal times with tiny tots and teens. One of the best tips I can provide is to get your kids involved in the kitchen – many hands make light work – and it's a great opportunity to catch up with them and talk to them about the merits of eating a variety of whole, real food. They are also keener to eat something they've helped prepare or cooked. The other thing is that kids have a developing palate so being mindful of it is important as well. Encourage them to try new things, lead by example and if they are really not that keen on some foods, leave them out for a while and try again in a few months. Instead provide a good selection of real foods they like.


Question: Can you share with us, a recipe from your cookbook, The Wholesome Cook?
Martyna Angell: As mentioned before, The Mixed Nut Snickers Slice from the book is one of my all-time favourites. So, yes please, let me indulge you.

Mixed Snickers Slice

SERVES: 8–10
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES + 35 MINUTES CHILLING TIME
COOK TIME: 5 MINUTES
EGG-FREE VEGETARIAN
Options: GLUTEN-FREE DAIRY-FREE LACTOSE-FREE VEGAN

When I first became old enough to carry my own pocket money around, I'd often duck into the local convenience store and indulge in a Snickers bar. Those days are gone but the flavour infatuation remains. If you can totally relate, this slice is for you. Double ingredients for a 20cm square tin.

Ingredients
Nougat Base:
1⁄2 cup rolled oats or coconut flour
3 tablespoons almond meal
3 tablespoons cashew paste
1⁄4 teaspoon vanilla powder or natural vanilla extract 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted Nutty

Caramel Layer:
1⁄2 cup rice malt syrup or honey
1⁄2 cup macadamia, almond or peanut butter or hulled tahini
1 cup mixed raw nuts (I like peanuts, almonds and macadamias)
Chocolate Layer: 75g dark (70% cocoa) chocolate, melted

Method
Line a 16cm round cake tin with baking paper. To make the nougat base, process all ingredients in a food processor on low until a thick dough forms. Press the nougat into the base of the prepared tin, then keep in the fridge while you prepare the Nutty Caramel Layer. Place rice malt syrup or honey and nut butter or tahini in a small saucepan set over low heat, melt and stir to combine " do not boil. Add the nuts and mix well. Pour the nutty caramel over the nougat base and spread evenly, smoothing the top. Place back in the fridge for 15–20 minutes to set. When set, pour over melted chocolate, smooth the top and return to the fridge for a further 15 minutes to set. To serve, cut the slice into wedges. Store the slice or any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

This recipe is from The Wholesome Cook book


Question: What is your earliest memory of cooking in your Mum's kitchen?

Martyna Angell: There are so many! Mum always cooked food in bulk – both my parents worked, so it was always easy to pull a delicious, home-cooked meal out of the freezer on busy weeknights. I loved making dumplings filled with seasonal spoils: blueberries in summer, sauerkraut and foraged mushrooms in autumn. We'd often stay up on a Friday night past my regular bedtime sticking 200 of them together, catching up, chatting and eating more than our fair share of the filling – the cook's bonus.


Question: What are 3 ingredients you couldn't live without?

Martyna Angell: Teff flour which is super nutritious and my go-to gluten-free flour because it's so easy to work with and tastes great. Fresh fruit and vegetables – fab for a quick snack, breakfast topping, smoothie or a throw together lunch salad. Nuts and seeds – buckwheat in particular as it's one of my childhood favourites – but I like them in all shapes and sizes. They are great to toss through salads, porridge and churn into butters.


Question: And, 3 kitchen utensils you couldn't cook without?

Martyna Angell: I absolutely adore my stick blender which is fab for pureeing soups and making other veg puree bases. It also has a small 2-cup capacity chopping attachment which is fab for making nut butters, instant frozen fruit 'ice creams" and dips as well as a whisk which takes the hard work out of whipping cream, butter and eggs. A good set of stainless steel pans and stainless cooking utensils is also essential for cooking healthier meals, because they are not coated with dubious plastics.


Interview by Brooke Hunter