It is Mental Health Awareness Week so I want to share a few tips about the brain and how to keep it healthy. The average human brain weighs around 1.3kg and consists mainly of water and fat with some protein, carbohydrates and salts. To help keep your brain in tip top condition the easiest thing […]

May is an exciting month as new season foods really start to appear. Often the fresh, seasonal spring produce doesn’t need much cooking.  Think lightly steamed or roasted asparagus and broccoli served with pan fried salmon and buttered new potatoes for dinner.   Or a lunchtime salad of watercress, radish, spring onions with feta cheese and […]

It's easy to feel short on time and money when thinking about eating healthily. But one thing can help to save time and money, make it easier to eat healthily AND avoid food waste: Meal planning. Meal planning can help to reduce food waste and therefore save money by just buying the items needed and […]

Grab some British asparagus during its short season.  One of the signs of spring is the arrival of British asparagus in shops and markets.   Although asparagus can be bought all year round, for the best flavour, freshness and nutrition (as well as reducing food miles) choose seasonal British asparagus. Benefits include vitamins C, A, […]

Easter is a time of hope, renewal and spending time with family and friends.  After the restrictions affecting the last two Easter periods it feels particularly welcome. But for those who struggle with weight or have diabetes the prospect of being surrounded by chocolate and other goodies can be worrying.  Add in the pressure of […]

Be honest, do you spend your time wisely?  Do you want more time to do the things you enjoy?  Do you think you run out of time all the time but actually spend it doing things you don’t really intend to?  April is Stress Awareness Month and not having enough time for our own self-care […]

On Sunday I was a lucky enough mum to be made this gorgeous gluten-free orange cake by one of my sons. Because it doesn’t contain any flour it is lower in carbs than many cakes.  Instead, it uses ground almonds which, along with the eggs, contain protein.  This makes it more filling than ordinary cakes […]

 I’m guessing that no-one is that keen on having less time but since the clocks are going forward by an hour on Sunday morning that’s the reality this week.     This weekend to minimise the effect of the loss of the hour you might consider going to bed a bit earlier.  Or try spreading the clock […]

The beautiful spring sunshine and the approach of the equinox on Sunday has got me thinking about vitamin D.  Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin because we make it when sunlight hits our skin.   In the UK because of our northerly position and the cold weather (which keeps us covered in woolly clothes […]

Chocolate comes from the cocoa bean, which literally means ‘food of the gods’. And, historically, chocolate was so prized, cacao seeds were used as a form of currency (and, of course, some enterprising sorts even found a way to make counterfeit cocoa). It turns out those Mayans and Aztecs knew a thing or two because […]