Our recipes are specially created to be healthy, nutritious and family friendly. Tuck in!
This fresh tasting mint smoothie is the perfect accompaniment to a summer weekend breakfast or a mid morning pick me up. We have made it sweet to appeal to children as well, but if it's only for you, then you might find that one pear, or even none, will do. There's no protein in the smoothie so it's not a substitute to breakfast. If you want to eat on its own then include a handful of almonds in the smoothie.
Healthy energy snacks are an every day necessity in our house. As a busy working active mum of two sporty energetic kids, even with all the organisation in the world, refuelling sometime has to happen in the car between school and evening activities, for them and for me! So I have become quite creative with my flavours to keep things fun. With mint in abundance in my garden, I was inspired.
The sun's finally coming out to play, all my favourite berries are also coming into season so it's time to play with those gorgeous colours and make healthy food look pretty and attractive to young and not so young! Offering a yoghurt and a few fruits to the kids for breakfast or dessert is great but they get bored! Choose a nice glass, cup or jar, and get creative with some nutritious layers! Here's what I did and I found great success!
With its origin in the area around Provence and Nice where I spent all my summers as a child, the word “ratatouille” originally meant a coarse stew as "touiller" or "ratouiller" means to stir in French. Ratatouille is a dish I make weekly all year round, because besides being loved by all at home, it is extremely versatile and packed full of vitamins and nutrients.
Who does not like a smoothie? The super healthy green ones, the beautiful looking purple ones, the candy coloured berry ones and summery yellow ones... but what about the one that looks just like a chocolate pudding ? Still healthy and amazingly balanced and nutritious for a supercharged breakfast before exams or a big workout! An all round winner for the whole family.
These French Puy Lentils are a staple in my house just as they were in my Grand mother's kitchen in Burgundy growing up. Quick and easy to prepare, they don't need to soak and cook in just 20 minutes. They are a great protein packed alternative to meat, rice or potatoes and are incredibly versatile, enjoyed hot or cold as a base for a salad. Chorizo and Dijon mustard is our favourite way to cook them, but get creative with them and enjoy!
This very simple rhubarb stew is not only seasonal and delicious, it is a very versatile base for a crumble, a simple dessert, a great topping for your morning oats or with Greek yoghurt!
Who can resist such a pretty shade of pink?
Wild rice makes a gorgeous looking salad, perfect for a weekend lunch or part of a buffet or barbecue spread. If eating on its own then try adding some feta cheese, sardines or wild salmon for some added protein. It's also a great salad to take into work or as part of a picnic.
Who doesn't love an ice lolly? These are dairy free and with none of the additives or nasties found in commercial ice cream. We've been getting through quite a few while perfecting the recipe and they are going down a storm!
One of the difficult things about a busy hectic family life is managing time and meal planning. That's where your AGA or like me a slow-cooker is a saviour several times a week. This gammon joint offers really intense flavours and requires no stock or liquid added.
When you love asparagus, the season is not really long enough, so I really try and come up with new recipes to include them at least a couple of times a week. This new recipe could very quickly become a seasonal staple for my family. It is quick to prepare, nutritionally balanced, can be adapted, can be eaten hot or cold, makes a perfect picnic or lunchbox item and when cut into squares it's a great finger food for the younger ones. What are you waiting for?
Children love food on sticks! This chicken has been marinated in yoghurt overnight which makes it soft and succulent - perfect for younger children who sometimes find breast meat hard work. My daughter says this is her favourite way of eating chicken breast.
When love of food and health meet in the kitchen, you get balance! This means that cookies can still be part of your life! Sometimes, the children will ask "Oh no mummy, is that another one of your healthy recipes?". How about "No" for an answer until they try!
These new cookies bring together some of the flavours of a carrot cake without the unnecessary sugar overload and are a great success at school pick-up time. Nice breakfast cookie for those in a rush!
This creamy dressing is perfect if you are looking for a hearty salad dressing. Also great poured over roasted vegetables. The protein and healthy fats from the cashew nuts and avocado will help to sustain you on busy days. This dressing will keep in a jar in the fridge for a couple of days.
These little chia pots are so easy to make and are an ideal quick breakfast or even a pudding. My son likes one for breakfast and he mixes with some homemade granola or even just some nuts and seeds.
As days get longer and the summer approaches, not fast enough may I add, we start longing for relaxed alfresco eating ideas. What better than to look at classic Mediterranean dips and starters? One of my favourites from childhood summers spent on the French Riviera is Tapenade. It's so easy to make...
We love to keep things simple, healthy and delicious so here we go: what we give you here is a 2 or maybe 3 ingredients only, quick & easy recipe. Your perfect go to recipe for entertaining all year round and keep your guests happy before dinner. This also makes a brilliant lunchbox item for kids and grown-ups alike with flat breads or raw veggie sticks.
We like to include a couple of vegetarian or meat-free days in our week. This helps to keep the weekly food budget down and gives our digestion a rest from processing meat. This bean chilli is a perfect recipe for those meat-free days. It's great on its own, but could be served with some brown rice if you are particularly hungry. Leftovers are also great the next day for lunch. It's best prepared with dried beans - see tip below, but you can use tinned if you prefer.
This is a very simple crumble to make and I often get my children to make it for me while I'm cooking the main meal. Blueberry and blackberry is a delicious combination and I use frozen berries that I always have to hand in the freezer so this recipe can be whipped up at any time. Feel free to substitute with your favourite fillings - rhubarb and ginger; apple and blackberry or pear and ginger are other favourites.
