recipes

Recipes, Breakfast and brunch

Sticking by our favourite rule of eating seasonal ingredients, and in the spirit of joining our American friends in celebrating Thanksgiving I decided to make you all this delicious Cranberry & Orange chia jam . It’s quick and easy, and will make the perfect partner to fluffy pancakes, warming porridge or creamy Greek yoghurt! Dare I say, the tangy deliciousness of this jam also makes it a great companion for a rich cheese board! Feel free to adopt it, for ever! Not just for Thanksgiving!

Nov 22

Nov 22 pre and post surgery tips

I am writing this a month after surgery on my foot. My recovery has been excellent according to my surgeon and my follow up appointment was fast tracked due to great healing. Obviously this could be done to a variety of factors, but I thought I would write down what I did as a nutritional therapist to help prepare my body for surgery.

Nov 13

Nov 13 beta-carotene soup

Recipes, Soups and salads

During the autumn and winter we turn from refreshing salads to warming soups for lunch. Soups are also ideal for children as you can disguise plenty of vegetables that they might otherwise refuse. This soup is very child-friendly with lots of naturally sweet root vegetables. We have served this with a cashew nut cream and a sprinkling of pumpkin seeds. These boost protein to keep you fuller for longer.

Nov 5

Nov 5 pumpkin pie oat slices

Pumpkin, spice and everything nice....I know I know...this has become an overused phrase BUT it truly is a wonderful combination. In a variation from the classic American pumpkin pie I used to enjoy when living in New-York, I have kept the warming pumpkin and spice element and dressed it into an oat square. Perfect to enjoy with a cup of spiced apple or cinnamon tea. Kids loved it too!

Nov 1

Nov 1 Do you get enough?

When talking about the mineral magnesium, the answer is most likely to be “no”. Magnesium is an extremely important mineral that is involved in over 300 reactions in the body. However, deficiency has been found in over 70% of the population. It is often very difficult to test for since only 1% of magnesium is found in the blood. Most is found in the bones (60%) and in muscles (26%).

Oct 29

Oct 29 glorious green soup

Recipes, Soups and salads

I guess you have possibly realised by now that we love our greens! First thing in the morning for breakfast in the form of leafy greens with eggs or spinach added to a smoothie... Well, let us introduce you to a delicious green soup for a healthy immune boosting natural solution to swerving those winter colds, sniffles and coughs. Give it a go!

Oct 24

Oct 24 family fish pie

Aside from the perfect all time favourite roast chicken, there is a close second comfort food request in our house and it is fish pie! I opt for a mix of white and sweet potato for the topping and I do not use or add white sauce to the fish. I works brilliantly as a made ahead meal ready to heat up the next day with a sprinkle of grated parmesan on top!

Oct 20

Oct 20 Gluten free no flour zesty muffins

Because life is all about balance and enjoying real good food, I decided to give the classic muffin a little Health Boost twist. The kids requested two different flavours – Lemon and poppyseed and choc-orange. I accepted the challenge and this recipe is for 12 light and fluffy muffins – 6 of each flavour. I have used ground almonds instead of flour and raw honey as the sweetener.

Oct 19

Oct 19 vegetarian stuffed squash

Since signing up to a weekly veggie box delivery, I have managed to convince my whole family that it is fun to be surprised every Friday with an eclectic array of seasonal organic vegetables. New colours, shapes and simply new never tried ones!
Aside from the good looking nature of this vegetable, the pattypan squash is full of goodness and brings an element of fun to the table!

Oct 11

Oct 11 red cabbage and fennel slaw

Recipes, Soups and salads

A colourful vibrant salad that's packed full of antioxidants. It's great served at a barbecue or as part of a buffet of salads. I like to serve this for a Saturday lunch with some good quality butcher's sausages.

Oct 9

Oct 9 apricot & oat bars

These bars are permanently in my fridge at the moment as they are proving a big hit with my daughter who is taking them into school as a mid morning snack. With no nuts they are suitable for the schools no nuts policy, and with a good combination of protein, fats and carbohydrates, and no hidden nasties they are keeping me happy too! They are so easy to make and then I store in the fridge ready for the week ahead.

Oct 4

Oct 4 squash & courgette curry

A fresh and zingy curry - perfect now that there's a chill in the air. It's packed full of ginger and garlic, both great anti-inflammatory foods that will help if you are feeling below par. I often just serve this on it's own, but you could always add some chickpeas or other beans. Can be served on its own, with brown rice or cauliflower-rice. You can substitute the butternut squash with pumpkin if you prefer.

Oct 1

Oct 1 5-minute chia jam

Recipes, Breakfast and brunch

When porridge season is upon us, making sure we have a wide choice of healthy toppings is key to good breakfast nutrition. Nut butters are a favourite in our house, but this no refined sugar jam is a great healthy alternative. The key to making porridge last you until lunchtime is to include some protein and healthy fats. With the addition of the chia seeds, this jam does both of these things! We have used some of our "pick your own" summer fruits for this one.

Sep 27

Sep 27 pea & mint hummus

Recipes, Dips and sauces

This recipe came about after a friend said she fancied a pea houmous and could I come up with a recipe for her. Well of course I could, so here it is Gayle! I added mint and cumin since they both go so well with peas. You can use this as a dip, or mixed into a salad to give it a protein hit.

Sep 25

Sep 25 Do you batch cook?

Blog, Nutrition

I first got into batch cooking when my children were babies and toddlers to make my life easier when it came to meal times. Batch cooking to me, doesn't just mean making larger portions of dishes and putting half in the freezer, which I also do most of the time. It also means dedicating a morning or afternoon to have a big cook off. If the oven's on then it makes sense to make use of it and put several dishes in at once! Having your freezer stocked with wholesome and nutritious meals means that you don't have to resort to poor food choices when you are tired, hungry and there's nothing left in the fridge.

Sep 20

Sep 20 why visit a nutritional therapist?

Often people only think of seeing a nutritional therapist if they suspect a food allergy or intolerance. However, there is so much more that we can do to help you feel in optimal health. I have listed below some reasons that you might wish to seek a consultation. A nutritional therapist never uses one diet for all, they recognise that everyone is unique. They look into every aspect of your past history and help to come up with an individualised plan that will work for you.

Sep 14

Sep 14 nuts & seeds energy snacks

Healthy snack bars are very hard to find and can sometimes be deemed healthy or advertised as such but beware! When possible, we try and make a batch on a Saturday or Sunday to get us through the hectic schedule of after school sport. Packed with essential fats and protein, gluten free and with no refined sugar, they will keep you going steadily for longer.

Sep 12

Sep 12 genetic testing - the key to personalised nutrition?

Genetic testing has come on in leaps and bounds over the past few years and has started to lead the way into finding the perfect diet for everyone. By testing your genes you can unlock the way to finding out how your body works and achieving optimal health. I have been very excited about genetic testing and what it can tell us since the beginning of the year when we touched on the subject as part of my course. Since qualifying I have done further study and had my own genetic profile analysed. So what did I learn and how can it help you?

Sep 8

Sep 8 sweet & spicy lamb koftas