Dip Recipes
Tzatziki
This tzatziki is another great, refreshing yogurt dip that goes well alongside a yummy dish of chili! Ingredients: 250g Greek yoghurt 2 cloves garlic 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1/4 large cucumber (peeled and de-seeded) Then grate and squeeze out to get rid of...
Avocado & broad bean dip
A lovely vibrant green avocado and broad bean dip, great for a summer lunch or picnic. This is a great alternative to the usual guacamole, incorporating some delicious seasonal, fresh broad beans and mint. As well as being delicious and a staple part of many a diet...
Puy lentils with roasted tomatoes & peppers
Puy lentils, like all lentils are a great source of soluble fibre, that help reduce cholesterol, stabilise blood sugar levels, as well as keeping your digestive system healthy by bulking out stools, reducing the likelihood of constipation. They are a great source of...
Ash Persian bean soup
My ash Persian bean soup is a real winter warmer. It's hearty, full of nutritious minerals, vitamins, fibre and antioxidants. Kidney beans, chickpeas and lentils are all incredibly high in protein, so if you want to leave out the chicken/lamb/beef it's still a...
Quinoa with Roasted Veg and Cod with wilted spinach, & long stemmed broccoli
Roasted veg quinoa is always one of my go-to's for an easy meal, because it has the potential to be really nutritious. I like to pair mine with cod and greens like wilted spinach and long-stemmed broccoli. Cod is a good source of vitamin B12, which is needed to make...
Courgetti chicken noodles
Chicken courgetti noodles are a bit of an obsession of mine at the moment. I think it's because I love the simplicity of the dish and the way it reminds me of my time living in Thailand. By swapping egg noodles to courgetti, you gain another vegetable, more fibre and...
Sweet potato crisps
Sweet potatoes are a complex carbohydrate made up of different sugar molecules. For this reason, they take longer for your body to break them down than simple carbs. This means they release 'energy' into the body a lot more slowly than potatoes do, and so effectively...
Classic energy balls
Energy balls are pretty much the perfect snack as they offer a satiating combination of protein, carbs, and fats. Plus, they're totally customisable and portable. There are many, many different combinations of energy balls out there so it's really a question of...
Vegan nutrition: did World Vegan Day get you thinking?
Our joints are a complex environment made up of bone, muscle, ligaments and cartilage. They are pivotal to our everyday movements, allowing us to twist, turn, stretch and bend. Typically inflammation can arise within our joints due to injury, arthritis, osteoporosis and ageing and this inflammation causes pain and discomfort. As a result, it is important to look after our joints in order to stay mobile for longer and as we go through the ageing process.
Pregnancy superfoods
Getting the right nutrients in your diet during pregnancy is incredibly important, not just for your health, but for the healthy development of your baby. We have cherry-picked our favourite superfoods that are quite simply SUPER for pregnancy, and bursting with nutrients for both you and your unborn baby.
Why is it so hard to lose weight and keep it off?
Most of my weight loss clients have been trying and failing to loose weight for some time before they get in touch. Here are the five most common reasons why long-term weight loss is harder than it seems.
Breastfeeding superfoods
Striking the right nutritional balance when you are breastfeeding is really important for both you and your baby. Although your milk supply may not be affected by what you eat, your body will always put your baby first; it will take the nutrients it needs for your baby’s milk from its own stores, and this can affect your energy levels, general health and wellbeing if you are not getting the nutrients you need from your diet.
5 quick diet tips to improve sleep quality
How did you sleep last night? I hope you effortlessly drifted off into dreamland and clocked your perfect eight hours. If that wasn’t the case though, you are certainly not alone. We are a nation of poor sleepers with nearly half of all Brit’s getting less than six hours a night….
Eat to beat stress
One minute you’re firing on all cylinders, the next you can barely focus and are reaching for the next lot of stimulants to get you going. When we are stressed, we reach for things to help us cope, but unfortunately the things we use to help us cope with this stress can often cause us even more stress!
Managing insomnia in pregnancy
Unfortunately, with a growing bump, back aches, leg cramps, baby worries, and frequent visits to the bathroom, it is common to struggle with sleep during pregnancy. The following recommendations are designed to help you sleep more soundly and get the good night’s rest you have been craving.
Managing morning sickness
There is overwhelming evidence to suggest that 90% of women are affected by morning sickness at some point during their pregnancy. Morning sickness is attributed to the changing levels of the hormone human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG) in the bloodstream, and is exacerbated by dips in blood sugar and deficiencies in magnesium, zinc and vitamin B6. While morning sickness cannot always be alleviated completely, the following tips should lessen the symptoms.
Why is it important to balance blood sugar levels in pregnancy?
Learning to eat in a way that keeps our blood sugar balanced is vital for the optimum health and functionality of any individual. During pregnancy, your increased blood supply and elevated levels of certain hormones expose you to more dips in blood sugar and make balance harder to achieve. This article hopes to equip you with the tools required to maintain your body’s status quo when pregnant.
Managing stretch marks with a healthy diet
To accommodate a growing baby, it is only natural that our skin stretches during pregnancy. If your skin is well nourished, the elastin in it should help to slow this process down. However, sometimes your skin will grow beyond the ability of its elastin and this is when stretch marks appear on a women’s thighs, hips, stomach and breasts. It is possible to minimise and, potentially, avoid stretch marks altogether by nourishing your skin through good nutrition and daily moisturisation during pregnancy.
Relieve pregnancy constipation with a healthy diet
Constipation is a very common problem that many women suffer from during pregnancy. However, through making some simple nutritional changes to your diet, this issue can be resolved within a matter of days.
Stay safe – Foods to avoid and foods to enjoy during pregnancy
You may have received advice from friends and family about what you should and shouldn’t be eating during pregnancy, but more often than not, this well meaning advice is based on popular old wives’ tales and is enough to confuse anyone. This article is designed to dispel the rumours and provide some clarity on the issue, highlighting the foods you really should steer clear of, and those that are safe to enjoy in pregnancy.
Recommended supplements for pregnancy
Food as opposed to supplementation is the best way to meet your nutritional needs during pregnancy. That said, most of us do not achieve the necessary levels of all micronutrients, so whether you eat a well-balanced diet or not, taking an antenatal multi vitamin/mineral throughout your pregnancy is a good ‘insurance policy’ to ensure your needs are met.