Eat food you love that loves you back
April 21st is Earth Day. You’ll no doubt see lots of articles and social media posts about it (including this one of course 😉 ), but what is Earth Day and do the actions we take today really make any difference? Continue reading “Every day is Earth Day”
With the kids back at school and more people at their place of work rather than at home, packed lunches are back in focus. It can be hard to know what to put in that’s healthy, unprocessed and, of course, tasty. It’s even more challenging if you are creating packed lunches for a nut free environment, particularly schools. Continue reading “Savoury carrot flapjacks”
There’s no getting away from it, food has got super complicated! Every day I come across a new article or piece of research that claims a specific nutrient is the new cure for a disease or chronic health problem. Today’s one covered how vitamin C and E, but not other nutrients, could prevent Parkinson’s Disease. How much of these and why, they weren’t sure. And of course it concluded that more research is needed! Continue reading “Keeping it simple”
As its St David’s Day today (1st March), it seemed only right that I share something connected to Wales. Apart from stunning scenery and lush green countryside, the three things that spring to my mind are daffodils, sheep and leeks. And there’s only one of those that can feature in one of my recipes, so leeks it is! Continue reading “Quick leek, mushroom and broccoli pasta sauce”
It’s nearly a year since the Covid19 Pandemic forced us into a series of lockdowns. With many of our normal every day activities taken away, there’s been a surge in home activities. Ranging from gardening, home exercise classes, learning a language to an increase in baking. One of the most prominent ones – certainly on social media – has been bread making. Continue reading “Your daily bread”
Having an intolerance to yeast means that most bread items are off the menu for me. Yeast pops up everywhere in most cuisines, so finding an alternative can be a challenge – and rather restrictive. Continue reading “Sweet potato flatbread”
I love parsnip soup. And I love cauliflower soup. So it only seemed like a natural progression to try the two together. And it was definitely worth doing!
When cooked, parsnips are naturally ‘creamy’ – and so is cauliflower. When cooked and blended together, it creates a lovely rich and unctuous texture that is wonderfully comforting, perfect for those grey January days.
I’ve used both a curry powder mix that contains turmeric as well as a little additional turmeric. This is to ensure that as well as super tasty, this soup also gives the immune system a bit of a helping hand.
Turmeric is a beautifully golden yellow spice (or root rather) that contains some powerful medicinal compounds that have been well researched for their positive effects on both the body and the brain. The main compound studied is curcumin, although there are many more within turmeric that all work together as a team, so as always, trust nature and consume turmeric as a whole rather than an individual compound.
To maximise absorption of these helpful compounds, it’s best to consume alongside some black pepper (for the compound piperine that massively aids absorption) and a little fat. As you know, all my food is cooked without oil, but I have included some almond milk plus I like to garnish my soup with a drizzle of cold-pressed flaxseed oil. This provides some healthy omega 3 fatty acids and helps absorption of the turmeric compounds.
This soup keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days plus it freezes well, so you can make a big batch and have portions on hand when you need a tasty lunch that will hug you from the inside out! Enjoy.
Autumn really has hit with the wind, rain and dark evenings. So time to hunker down with some comfort food 😉
When you hear the expression ‘comfort food’, what do you think of? For many its stodgy bread, rich puddings, cake or chocolate eaten with a mix of guilt and pleasure. Often associated with childhood or times of abundance, sweet calorie-laden comfort food certainly does hit the pleasure centres in the brain, but for how long? And with what effect on the body?
Whilst I remain a huge fan of cake (for life would be dull without it!), I prefer my comfort food to nourish as well as nurture. Something nutrient dense and warming, like a big hug on the inside that has more than a fleeting effect – and doesn’t go straight to my hips!
This rainbow chilli is my perfect comfort food for this time of year. Packed full with veggies of different hues, it’s pleasing to the eye as well as the body. Every colour has its own tiny powerful phytonutrients, many of which act as anti-oxidants that help reduce inflammation and support the immune system, super important with all the autumn colds going around. And of course there’s Covid too!
And it’s not just the veggies that get up to good on the inside, but the spices as well. Chilli is super warming and contains compounds that help with chesty coughs and colds (amongst other things) and cumin helps calm the digestive system as well as supports immunity.
Of course, no chilli is complete without the beans. I use two different types in this one, kidney and pinto beans. Both have their own different phytonutrients as well as lots of plant protein, minerals and of course fibre. Keeping our microbiome – the colony of friendly bacteria living in the large intestines – happy is key to us being happy and healthy. And beans are full of gut loving fibre. They may make you fart, but beans are one of the healthiest foods you can eat – and yes they’re good for the heart too!
So if your evening is feeling rather dull and in need of something comforting, why not try this hug- in-a-dish rainbow chilli? It’s so good! And don’t forget to let me know how you get on. And if you feel in the need for something even more nurturing, then have a look at our next online retreat – Winter Glow. A whole weekend full of relaxation, company and great food ideas to really get you set for winter. Check it out here and come and get your glow on!
Autumn has arrived, blown in on a cold wind that’s a bit of a shock after the warm weather of the last month. Chilly weather always makes me want comforting soup, something that will gives a big hug and warm me up right down to my toes.
This sweet corn chowder is perfect for that. Most corn has been harvested by now, but you might still find some fresh cobs in the shop, sweet and deliciously golden. If not, then frozen sweet corn is a close second best as, like peas, the kernels are harvested and frozen in super quick time to preserve both flavour and nutrient benefits.
I grew my first sweet corn this year in my new veggie patch. It was fascinating to see how quickly they grew, and how they developed. They also seemed very popular with the local ants, but they didn’t damage it. The biggest challenge was knowing when to harvest it. As you can see, not all the kernels had ripened at one end, although they were super ripe at the other. But it tasted absolutely awesome when freshly harvested.
There’s a surprising amount of nutritional goodies in sweet corn. Yes there is sugar (which of course makes it so tasty) but this is all bound up in fibre, so it’s released more slowly, meaning you get a more stable blood sugar. There’s also a lot of insoluble fibre in sweet corn kernels, the type the friendly bacteria in your gut just love to dine on – a tasty treat for you and your microbiome!
Eating yellow foods means you are consuming flavonoids, powerful phytonutrients that support your skin, mucous membranes and eyes. They also have strong antioxidant properties, as has ferulic acid, another phytonutrient that has anti-inflammatory properties thought to help with preventing cancer and slow the ageing process (something I think we’re all interested in 😉 )
Traditional sweet corn chowder recipes tend to include a load of cream, butter and even bacon – you’ll find none of those in my dairy-free vegan version! The creaminess comes from the sweetcorn and potato plus whatever dairy-free milk you choose to use. If you want a little kick to warm your toes, then add some chilli flakes both when cooking and as a garnish if you like. My ‘secret’ ingredient is celery salt. This is a fantastic ingredient to keep in the cupboard as it provides a lovely savoury flavour to dishes. It almost tastes like chicken soup. And so nourishing, it’s perfect if you’re feeling a bit under the weather.
I hope you enjoy this recipe – it’s very easy and so tasty! If you give it a go, don’t forget to let me know.
