Two delightful recipes with cinnamon

If you thought cinnamon was just for shaking on a latté, think again. The sweet spicy herb has been shown to help reduce cholesterol and regulate blood sugar levels, and could even help fight off those 3pm biscuit cravings.It’s also a mild circulatory stimulant, so it can help warm up cold hands and feet – perfect on a chilly winter’s day!

Try adding a sprinkle to your porridge every morning, or try our great recipes below to enjoy cinnamon at any time of year.

Mushrooms à la Grecque

Good for: boosting your vitamin D levels
Serves 4

Nutrients per serving:

Energy	Total fat	Saturates	Protein	Fibre	Carbs	Sugar	Salt
311 kcal	28 g	4 g	3.1 g	1.7 g	3.7 g	3.7 g	0.04 g

Ingredients

300g button mushrooms
120ml extra virgin olive oil
120ml dry white wine
100ml water
Juice of ½ lemon *
2 heaped tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp coriander seeds *
1 tsp black peppercorns *
½ tsp fennel seeds *
1 cinnamon stick *
2 generous thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
Pinch of salt

* Available at Holland & Barrett

Method

Step 1
Wipe any dirt off the mushrooms with a damp piece of kitchen paper. Mushrooms are our only plant source of vitamin D.

Step 2
Put all the remaining ingredients into a saucepan and bring up to the boil. Simmer for 3 minutes, then add the mushrooms. They will shrink a little as they cook.

Step 3
Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Tip into a bowl and leave to cool. Serve at room temperature.

Taken from Spices by Sophie Grigson (£20. Quadrille)

Cinnamon & Honey Tea

Good for: easing the pain of arthritis

Nutrients per serving:

Energy	Total fat	Saturates	Protein	Fibre	Carbs	Sugar	Salt
51 kcal	0 g	0 g	0 g	1.2 g	12 g	12 g	0 g

Ingredients

1 cup of hot water
2 tsps of honey *
1 tsp of cinnamon *

* Available at Holland & Barrett

Method

Step 1
Mix the honey and cinnamon into the hot water.

Step 2
Leave to cool before drinking.

Step 3
Drink morning and evening. Research by Copenhagen University found this tea was a traditional remedy for easing the pain of arthritis.

You can discover more tasty, healthy recipes in our recipe collection.

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This article has been adapted from longer features appearing in Healthy, the Holland & Barrett magazine. Advice is for information only and should not replace medical care. Please check with your GP before trying any remedies.