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Cheers!

One of the questions I often get asked by clients is what they can drink when they are on their new eating plan. They are often not that happy to hear my answer: "Water!" "What? Not even fruit juice? What about squash? Isn't there anything else I can drink?" The truth is water really is the best thing to be drinking. I am not going to discuss the pros and cons of filtered, tap or bottled here (I may well do that in a later post!), but for now let me be clear that plain water is the most thirst-quenching natural thing to be drinking. Other drinks that I recommend are herbal teas - I often make specific recommendations on these for different health problems. Coffee and tea are also good choice

Jerusalem artichokes: all you need to know

The Jerusalem artichoke is neither from Jerusalem nor an artichoke. It is a knobbly tuber that looks like a potato, and, when cooked, it has an unusual sweet taste. It contains a non-digestible fibre called inulin, which acts as a prebiotic, meaning that it promotes the growth of populations of gut-friendly bacteria. Our bodies do not use the fibre, but our gut bacteria (especially the beneficial Bifidobacteria) love it and chomp on it producing metabolic by-products which are utilised by our bodies in many different ways, including synthesis of vitamins and neurotransmitters (the chemicals which affect our emotions). The indigestible fibre also helps to move waste along the bowel quickly wh

You're worth it!

Why is it that parents will cook a healthy meal for their family but won’t take the time to prepare something just for themselves? Clients often tell me that they only cook a good meal if they have got someone else to cook for. If they are on their own, they might just have a sandwich or open a tin of soup. I have noticed this is a common thing amongst my friends too – they will prepare a tasty packed lunch for their kids, but might not bother with lunch for themselves or just have a couple of crackers and cheese. You are worth preparing some food for! Your nourishment is just as important as your child’s! You deserve to eat well too! Yes, I know you are busy but actually with some pre-prepa

Something for the kids......

This week, I have been getting feedback on my first set of menus for a local nursery, which provides all day childcare for babies and children up to the age of five. It has been a long time since I have had to consider the needs of little kids, but it has been fun putting together these menus and balancing the nutritional breakdown so that all children (including vegetarians and vegans) are getting a healthy balanced diet whilst enjoying what they are eating. As well as producing a healthy menu, practicalities such as the number of hours the chef has to prepare, capacity of the ovens and the days that different foods are delivered all have to be considered. So, I have learnt that cakes are p