Tag Archive for: In the Mood for Healthy Food

This recipe of pistou from the book Top 100 Low-Carb Recipes by Nicola Graimes is a new take on the traditional soupe au pistou which is a specialty from the south of France, Provence to be exact and eaten in the summer months.

Low Carb Recipe 1

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 leek, sliced

1 small carrot, finely chopped

1 stick celery, finely chopped

3 green beans, thinly sliced

700ml/11⁄4 pints/3 cups vegetable stock

150ml/5fl oz/2⁄3 cup pasta

1 bay leaf

30g/1oz/1⁄2 cup whole-wheat conchigliette (small shells) pasta

30g/1oz/1⁄2 cup canned cannellini beans, rinsed

sprig of fresh rosemary

salt and freshly ground black pepper

a few shavings of Parmesan, to serve

1 tbsp pesto, to serve

Method:

  • Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the leek. Cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the carrot, celery and green beans and cook for a further 5 minutes.
  • Pour in the stock and pasta and add the bay leaf, stir well. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, half-covered, for 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and using a hand-blender or food processor, semi-purée the vegetables.
  • Return the bay leaf to the soup, add the pasta, cannellini beans, and rosemary and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat slightly and cook for 10 minutes or until the pasta is tender. You may need to add some extra stock or water if the soup seems too thick. Remove the bay leaf and rosemary and season to taste.
  • Divide between 2 bowls. Serve with the Parmesan shavings and a spoonful of pesto.

Top 100 Low-Carb Recipes

Nicola Graimes

Top 100 Low-Carb Recipes

£5.99, available from Nourish Books

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These little cakes from the book Healthy Speedy Suppers by Katriona MacGregor are free of gluten and dairy if you’re sensitive to either. The quinoa gives them a firm, nutty texture, which is delicious with the fresh herbs and courgette/zucchini. Dipped in a little garlic mayonnaise, chilli jam or tomato chutney, they’re wonderful.

Healthy Speedy Recipe 2

 

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

140g/5oz/1 cup quinoa

300g/10 ½ oz courgette/zucchini, grated

3 spring onions/scallions, sliced

1 garlic clove, crushed handful of mint leaves, shredded handful of parsley leaves, chopped

10 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped juice of ½ lemon

55g/2oz/ ½ cup cornflour/cornstarch

1 egg

rapeseed/canola oil, for frying

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

garlic mayonnaise, chilli jam or tomato chutney, to serve

green salad, to serve

Method:

  • Tip the quinoa into a small saucepan and cover with 300ml/10 ½ fl oz/ 1 ¼ cups of cold water. Bring to the boil, cover with a lid and cook for about 5 minutes until all the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is cooked. Turn out into a bowl and leave to one side to cool.
  • Meanwhile, place the grated courgette/zucchini in the bowl of a food processor with the spring onions/scallions, garlic, mint, parsley, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon juice and cornflour/cornstarch. Crack the egg straight into the mixture, add the quinoa, and season with salt and pepper. Blend for about 30 seconds to mix the ingredients thoroughly and to form a thick paste. Tip the mixture out into a bowl and taste to check the seasoning.
  • Heat about 5mm/1/4 in rapeseed/canola oil in a large frying pan until the oil is hot enough to sizzle loudly when you drop in a tiny bit of the courgette/ zucchini mixture.
  • Drop a heaped tablespoon of the mixture into the hot oil, flattening slightly with the back of the spoon to form round patties. Repeat until you have 3–4 cakes in the pan at the same time, or as many as your pan will fit comfortably, with room to turn.
  • After 3–4 minutes the underside of the cakes should be nicely golden and holding their shape. Gently flip them over and cook until the second side is golden. Lift the cakes out of the oil onto some paper towels and keep warm. Repeat until all of the mixture has been used; you should end up with 12–14 cakes.
  • Serve the cakes warm with green salad and your choice of dip.

Part-time variation:

  • To make a very quick garlic mayonnaise or aioli, add 2 crushed garlic cloves to 4 tbsp good-quality mayonnaise along with a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with freshly ground black pepper and, if needed, a little sea salt.

Healthy Speedy Suppers

Katriona MacGregor

Healthy Speedy Suppers

£16.99, available from Nourish Books

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This recipe from Healthy Speedy Suppers by Katriona MacGregor, was given to the author by her good friend and fellow cook, Bella Thomas-Ferrand, it sings of indulgent Italian eating, both with its classic flavours and ease of preparation. A friendly greengrocer will find you figs, but failing that, good supermarkets have them out of season. After a few days in the fruit bowl and the help of sticky balsamic caramel they will be delicious. If sourdough isn’t available then any good-quality crusty loaf will work, the chewier and more rustic the better.

 

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

6 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp brown sugar

8 ripe figs

2 tbsp pine nuts

8 slices of sourdough bread

2 garlic cloves, peeled

extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

8 slices of prosciutto

100g/3 ½ oz Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

handful of rocket/arugula

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

  • Pour the vinegar into a small pan, add the brown sugar and heat gently. Once the sugar has dissolved, turn the heat up and simmer rapidly until the liquid is reduced and syrupy.
  • Slice the figs into quarters, vertically through their stalks, and place cut side down in the balsamic syrup. Cook over a medium heat, with the syrup bubbling, for 1–2 minutes, then turn the fig quarters, spooning the liquid over the figs. Remove the figs to a small plate, then boil the remaining syrup until reduced to a thick glaze.
  • Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a small frying pan for 1–2 minutes until lightly coloured, then leave to one side. Toast the sourdough on both sides using a griddle/grill pan or alternatively under a grill/broiler. Rub the garlic cloves over the toasted bread, then drizzle with olive oil.
  • While the bread is still warm, top each slice with 2 slices of prosciutto, followed by the caramelized figs, Gorgonzola and a drizzle of both the balsamic glaze and some more extra virgin olive oil. Scatter over the rocket/arugula and pine nuts and grind over some salt and pepper.

Healthy Speedy Suppers

Katriona MacGregor
Healthy Speedy Suppers
£16.99, available from Nourish Books

 

 

 

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This Salmon & Courgette Frittata from The Aussie Body Diet  is a high-protein start to your day and it is great for detoxing, with its combination of chelating agents, parsley and coriander. To get rid of excess water from the courgette, grate directly into a clean tea towel and twist until the courgette is completely dry. If courgette is not your thing, you can substitute any vegetable you prefer. Serve with a fresh garden salad.

Aussie Body Diet

 

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

80 ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing

1 large onion (220 g), roughly chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

10 small courgettes (1 kg), coarsely grated and excess water squeezed out

6 large eggs

2 x 85 g tins salmon in spring water or brine, drained; flesh, bones and skin mashed with a fork

1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

  • Preheat oven to 180 C. Grease base and sides of a large baking dish with oil.
  • Saute onion with olive oil in a large, deep saucepan or small frying pan over medium– high heat until brown (about 5 minutes). Add garlic and courgettes and cook over medium– high heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Turn off heat and leave to cool for 20 minutes.
  • In a mixing bowl, beat eggs lightly with a fork, then add salmon, coriander and parsley. Add courgette and onion mixture, season with salt and pepper and mix until thoroughly combined.
  • Pour egg mixture into prepared dish. Bake for 40–45 minutes or until golden brown on top and cooked when tested at centre with a skewer.
  • Take out of the oven, leave to cool for 10–15 minutes and cut into large slices.

Aussie Body Diet

Saimaa Miller

The Aussie Body Diet: A Happier, Healthier You in 14 Days

£14.99, available from Nourish Books

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For this recipe of buckwheat pancakes from The Aussie Body Diet: A Happier, Healthier You in 14 Days by Saimaa Miller, you do need a blender or food processor to break up the coconut into the desired consistency. If you don’t have one, you can substitute coconut cream. These pancakes are very versatile and can be served sweet or savoury – try sheeps’ yogurt, fresh fruit and almond butter, or avocado, wilted spinach and cherry tomatoes.

Aussie Body Diet

 

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

1 young coconut

80 g buckwheat flour

30 g flaxseed

1 teaspoon coconut butter, melted a pinch of sea salt or Himalayan rock salt

1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds

1 tablespoon sunflower seeds

olive oil, for frying

Method:

  • Blend 175 g of the flesh and 250 ml of the juice of the coconut until smooth.
  • Mix all ingredients except pumpkin and sunflower seeds in a large mixing bowl until you have a smooth batter. The mixture should be quite gelatinous and sticky.
  • Mix pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds together in a small bowl. Scoop out 11/2 tablespoons of mix and set aside in a small bowl. Add remainder of seed mix to buckwheat batter and mix together.
  • Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and drop about 3–4 tablespoons of batter into the pan. Cook for 1 minute and then sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the seed mix on top. Cook for another 30 seconds and then flip the pancake over. Cook for a further 2–3 minutes until pancake is golden brown and repeat with the rest of the mixture.

Aussie Body Diet

Saimaa Miller

The Aussie Body Diet: A Happier, Healthier You in 14 Days

£14.99, available from Nourish Books

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These antioxidant-packed nuggets from The Gut Health Diet Plan by Christine Bailey are ideal for healing the gut and lowering inflammation. Matcha has anti-bacterial effects on the digestive system making it a useful choice for improving gut health. The raw cacao butter makes the snacks rich and creamy – an indulgent healing treat.

Gut Health Diet Plan

 

Makes: 10 bites

Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus 15 minutes soaking and 30 minutes chilling

Ingredients:

60g/2 ¼ oz/1/3 cup xylitol

60g/2 ¼ oz/ ½ cup dried cherriesor goji berries

120g/4 ¼ oz/ ½ cup cashew nut butter

zest of 1 lemon 1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp matcha green tea powder

a pinch of sea salt

2 tbsp raw cacao powder, lucuma powder or goji berry powder

60g/2 ¼ oz/heaped ¼ cup raw cacao butter or coconut oil, melted

30g/1oz/scant ¼ cup plain, vanilla or chocolate vegan protein powder, colostrum powder or collagen powder

½ tsp vanilla extract

matcha green tea powder, lucuma powder or cacao powder, for dusting

Method:

  • Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Put the xylitol into a blender or food processor and grind very finely. Soak the cherries in warm water for 15 minutes. Drain.
  • Put the cashew nut butter into a food processor or a bowl and add the xylitol, lemon zest and juice, matcha, salt, cacao powder and cacao butter. Pulse, or stir, to combine. Add the cherries and the remaining ingredients, and process, or stir, to form a dough. Chill in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up.
  • Use a spoon to scoop out walnut-size pieces. Roll into balls and put on the prepared baking sheet. Roll the truffles in a little matcha powder or use some or all of the powders for dusting. Serve or store in the fridge for up to 1 week.

The Gut Health Diet Plan

Christine Bailey

The Gut Health Diet

£12.99, available from Nourish Books

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The combination of spices, lemon and herbs from The Gut Health Diet by Christine Bailey provide plenty of flavour for this Turkish-inspired, one-pot dish. It’s ideal for a weekday meal because it can be prepared ahead of time. Serve with cauliflower rice or Paleo bread, if you like. A spoonful of sauerkraut or pickles alongside the dish will give it a probiotic boost.

Gut Health Diet Plan

 

 

 

Serves: 2

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 55 minutes

Ingredients:

1 small pinch of saffron threads

4 boneless chicken thighs

1 tbsp coconut oil

4 shallots, cut into halves

2 garlic cloves, sliced

¼ tsp ground turmeric

½ tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground cumin

2 tomatoes, chopped

10 pitted green olives

250ml/9fl oz/1 cup chicken bone broth (page 39)

1 preserved lemon, chopped

1 handful of parsley leaves, chopped

sea salt and ground black pepper

Seeded Paleo Bread , to serve (optional)

Method:

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 
  • Put the saffron in a small mortar and crush using a pestle. Leave to one side.
  • Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole over a medium heat and cook the chicken on all sides for 2–3 minutes to brown it. Remove the chicken and leave to one side.
  • Add the shallots, garlic, saffron and spices to the casserole. Cook gently for 5 minutes or until the shallots are soft. Return the chicken to the casserole and scatter over the tomatoes and olives.
  • Pour in the broth and bring to the boil. Cover and cook in the oven for 45 minutes or until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Stir in the preserved lemon and parsley, then serve with Paleo bread, if you like.

 

This recipe of Thai green vegetable curry comes from the book Top 100 Low-Carb Recipes by Nicola Graimes. The Top 100 Low-Carb Recipes is the essential tool for anyone who is interested in controlling their weight by cutting down their intake of carbohydrates. The key to success is eating the right type of carb alongside good sources of protein and fat.

Low Carb Diet 2

 

Ingredients:

2 tsp sunflower oil

200ml/7fl oz/1 cup reduced-fat coconut milk

150ml/5fl oz/2⁄3 cup vegetable stock (see page 23)

115g/4oz/1 cup small broccoli florets

1 corn on the cob, husk removed, sliced into 2cm/3⁄4in pieces

1 small red pepper, seeded and sliced

55g/2oz/1 cup fresh spinach leaves, shredded

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander/cilantro, to garnish

Spice Paste:

3 green chillies, seeded and chopped

1 stick lemongrass, peeled and finely chopped

1 shallot, sliced juice and zest of 1 lime

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1cm/1⁄2in piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander/cilantro

Method:

  • Place all the ingredients for the spice paste in a food processor and blend to a coarse paste.
  • Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the spice paste for 1 minute, stirring. Add the coconut milk and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes until reduced.
  • Add the broccoli, corn and red pepper and cook for 3 minutes, then add the spinach and cook for another 2 minutes until the vegetables are just tender.
  • Season to taste and sprinkle with coriander/cilantro before serving.

Top 100 Low-Carb Recipes

Nicola Graimes

Top 100 Low-Carb Recipes

£5.99, available from Nourish Books

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We hope you have enjoyed the past 14 days! We loved sharing our wellbeing tips and tricks with you. If you would like to find out more, and to be informed about the next time we do the #14days of wellbeing, please sign up to  our newsletter!

The books that we have included, and you might like to delve into a little deeper, are:

SuperchargedGreen

 

Christine Bailey
The Supercharged Green Juice & Smoothie Diet
£10.99 | Available from Nourish Books

 

 

 

 

 

AussieBody_front

 

Saimaa Miller
Aussie Body Diet
£14.99 | Available from Nourish Books

 

 

 

 

 

index2

 

Jo Pratt
In the Mood for Healthy Food
£ 20.00 | Available from Nourish Books

 

 

 

 

Sign up for our newsletter to get our new articles straight to your inbox every month

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Extract from In the Mood for Healthy Food by Jo Pratt.

If you are not familiar with sprouts (and I don’t mean Brussels sprouts — they are a different thing all together!) then do read on. I must admit I didn‘t used to take that much notice of the tubs of loose tangles of pale threads with tiny unopened peas/buds at the top until I realized just how amazingly good for you they are.

Nutrition
There are lots of different types of baby plants and vegetables that are eaten in their sprouting stage and are a powerhouse of nutrients. They’re jam-packed full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, protein and enzymes that all have huge benefits to our health and wellbeing. When a plant or vegetable seed is germinated, its nutritional benefit increases anywhere between 300 and 1,200 per cent! So sprouted seeds are a pretty impressive condensed form of nutrients that shouldn’t be ignored. A little goes a long way in the world of sprouts so a mere handful of these ‘living foods’ included in your diet can give you a really healthy boost and leave you bursting with energy. What’s more, they can replace important enzymes in our bodies that we can no longer produce ourselves, as we get older.

Where to find them
When it comes to sourcing sprouts, they are becoming increasingly more available in supermarkets, grocery stores and, of course, health food shops, which is great news. However, your best option of getting to enjoy a variety of sprouts regularly is to grow your own – and it’s far easier than you might imagine.

How to sprout
You can buy all sorts of fancy sprouting seed trays and kits, but to get you started it can be as simple as using a fairly big screw-top jar (about 1–2l/35–70fl oz/4–8½ cups) and a lid with holes pierced into the top or a piece of muslin/cheesecloth securely attached to the top with a rubber band, for ventilation and drainage. I use a large Mason jar with a two-piece screw-top lid, replacing the metal disc with a piece of muslin/cheesecloth.

Details vary from seed to seed, but once you have some seeds or beans suitable for home sprouting sprouts(not planting) the general method is the same.

Put the seeds into your clean jar (fill no more than one-third full). Rinse with cold water, drain and then top up with fresh cold water. Leave to soak overnight (or less if the seed/grain package says so).

Rinse thoroughly, drain well (tip the jar upside down) and leave the jar on its side at room temperature, out of direct sunlight. Rinse and drain a couple of times a day (I find at breakfast time and before bed is the most practical time for me) and after 3–5 days you should have fully sprouted seeds. Make sure they are well drained, then keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Flavours
Like vegetables, each and every type of sprout has a different flavour. These are just some of the types of sprouts around:
» Fresh and delicate microgreens – the baby leaves of vegetables such as beets, pea, rocket/arugula, clover and cress. These are very mild in flavour and can really enhance the presentation of a dish when scattered over the top.
» Spicy and add bite – radish, onion, fenugreek, garlic, mustard.
» Nutty and wholesome – these will add texture and crunch to a dish: mung beans, lentils, chickpeas, aduki, alfalfa and split peas.

What to make
Here are a few suggestions on how to include some sprouts in your diet:
» Add to tossed salads or make them the star of a salad (mixture of any sprouts)
» Mix into coleslaw (cabbage, radish or clover)
» Scatter into wraps or sandwiches (alfalfa, sunflower, radish)
» Add to stir-fries (mung beans, aduki, lentil, cabbage)
» Add to sushi (radish, clover, sunflower, broccoli)
» Stir into soups, casseroles and stews (chickpea, mung bean, aduki, lentil)
» Mix into curries (chickpeas, fenugreek, lentils, mung bean, aduki)
» Blend into juices (broccoli, clover, alfalfa, pea shoots)
» Blend into hummus (chickpea)
» Garnish dishes (microgreens, alfalfa, onion, pea shoots)

index2

Jo Pratt
In the Mood for Healthy Food
£20.00, Available from Nourish Books

 

 

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We’re happy to announce that we have recently released a new app on the Apple App Store – Jo Pratt’s Healthy Food: Recipes for Every Day!

“Jo has done it again… lovely, light, delicious food”

– Jamie Oliver.

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An app packed with mouth-watering yet simple dishes from acclaimed cookery writer Jo Pratt, this stunning collection of nutritious recipes is for anyone looking to eat well. With the recipes available to access on your iPad or iPhone you can easily check that you’ve picked up all the ingredients while you shop!

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Start the day with Ginger Berry Muffins or Raspberry Yogurt Pots, enjoy a light meal of Poached Chicken Broth with Spring Greens or a more substantial Beetroot Gnocchi with Walnut & Watercress Pesto then treat yourself to a guilt-free Dairy-free Vanilla & Blueberry Cheesecake of Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies. This is the perfect  companion app for the                                                 everyday cook who wants to eat and live deliciously                                                   well.

 

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Download Jo Pratt’s Healthy Food today!

£2.29

 

Jo Pratt is an acclaimed food stylist, writer and presenter. She has written for Elle, Weekend, Sainsbury’s Magazine, TV_cook_and_food_w_2861142bOlive, BBC  Good Food and Glamour, for which she was Food Editor, as well as the BBC Food, Good Food Channel and Good To Know websites. She regularly appears on UK TV, including Saturday Kitchen and Daily Cooks Challenge, and works with many food brands.

Can you describe your book? What should the reader expect from it?
This book is for anyone and everyone who enjoys eating good food and wants to feel great once they’ve eaten it. There’s no eliminating, calorie counting or detoxing. They don’t have to be a fantastic cook or have lots of time on their hands, in fact it’s ideal for those with busy lifestyles (most of us then!) that need ideas and inspiration handed to them on a plate (so to speak). My aim is to inspire and increase the readers repertoire of healthy good-for-you recipes they can turn to, not only when they are in the mood for healthy food but anytime of the week.

If the mood to eat healthily takes over, no matter what the reason or occasion, then you can find well-balanced recipes to cook that are packed with fresh, nutritious ingredients, from breakfasts and brunch dishes, light lunches and sumptuous salads, main meals, desserts and baking goodies. All recipes use easily obtainable, everyday ingredients that won’t break the bank or take you hours to locate, simple cooking methods and great looking results. Where possible I have substituted less healthy ingredients for more healthy ones such as butter for oils, increasing veggies in a dish or bulking a dish out with wholegrains, and healthier cooking methods such as baking, steaming or poaching.

What inspired you to start writing?
To me writing goes hand in hand with developing recipes. I wanted to share my thoughts and ideas with people so started to put pen to paper every time I was cooking.
I also sort of fell into it from all of the work I was doing with some big named chefs. They would often need restaurant recipes scaling down to work for people to cook at home. Then I was asked to do some ghost writing so I was getting experience along the way. My first break into writing my own recipes being published was when ELLE magazine approached me to regularly write recipes for different occasions and scenarios (i.e girls night in, pre partying food etc). I jumped at the chance and this then led on to an idea for my first cookbook …In the Mood for Food.

When did your passion for cooking begin?
As a child I always loved cooking, possibly due to the fact that both grandma’s and my Mum were very keen and adventurous cooks. I would enjoy helping in the kitchen and they would always encourage me to get involved. I saw my primary school cook not so long ago who reminded me that I used to ask her for recipes after lunchtime. I also used to pretend to be Delia Smith on tv as a child, so I clearly had a passion from a young age. I decided to do a degree in Home Economics to turn my passion into a career. I knew there were many avenues when it came to working in the food industry.

Can you tell a bit about your experience with The Gorgeous Kitchen?
The Gorgeous Kitchen is a really exciting project for me. It’s a contemporary restaurant specialising in beautiful global cuisine at Heathrow’s Terminal 2: The Queens Terminal. I have spend plenty of time in the past working for restaurant chefs and of course eating in many restaurants but this time round I’ve collaborated with three other female chefs, Sophie Michell, Gee Charman and Caroline Mili Artiss, to launch The Gorgeous Kitchen. We create the menu’s and train our team of fantastic chefs to recreate them on a daily basis. We opened just over a year ago and it’s a wonderful place to go for delicious food and drink, to relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings before you fly.

What was the biggest challenge in writing In the mood for healthy food?
Not eating everything whist I was testing and creating the recipes. I couldn’t write a healthy cookbook and go up a couple of dress sizes in the process really could I?! I’d obviously try everything but my friends and neighbours are always happy when I am writing a book as they get to sample plenty as well.

What was the first dish that you mastered?
I remember when I was doing Food and Nutrition as a GCSE I made hot water crust pastry, which can be quite difficult to get perfect. I used it to make a classic Pork Pie. I’m from Melton Mowbray originally, which is famous for Pork Pies so it had to be the first dish to master really!

Can you tell us 3 kitchen hacks for the hot summer days?
Chilled flavoured water. It’s simple but very tasty and refreshing. Rather than just a glass of plain cold water, infuse a jug of water with pieces of ginger (handy to use up those tiny knobbly bits), slices of lemon, lime, lemon, orange, sliced apple or mint. Use a single ingredient or combine a few. The longer it infuses throughout the day better it tastes. Just keep topped up and chilling in the fridge.

 

Chilled Soups. I’m a massive fan of gazpacho soup but many soups can be served chilled such as pea, red pepper or tomato. Serve with a couple of ice cubes floating on top to keep it nice and cold while you eat it.

 

Avoid using your oven and hob too much as it will heat up your kitchen even more. If you have to do any baking try and do it first thing before your kitchen heats up throughout the day. Make the most of salads for lunch and dinner. I’ve plenty of great salad ideas in my book, which wont get you hot and bothered on hot summer days.

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Jo Pratt
In the Mood for Healthy Food
Available from Nourish Books in July 2015