Editorial

Don’t believe everything you think

I offer writing services to magazines and newspapers on the subjects of healthy eating, disordered eating and body image.

I used to work in publishing and have written in a few local publications including Food Magazine.

Contact me regarding fees

crunchnutrition

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Last night’s dinner was also tonight’s dinner because I made tons on purpose knowing full well I wouldn’t have time today and that it would be a race as Mondays often are.
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This was a Thai-ish chicken curry made with a shop bought packet 😱
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Yes, even nutritionists use shortcuts!Don’t fret, I won’t go to hell (at least not for this) because I used a packet of red curry paste by @thaitasteuk
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These are great when you are in a hurry, they taste fresh, not like some others, and are made with all natural ingredients and no funky stuff.
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👉In went some chicken breasts cut in chunks and browned a bit in coconut oil.
👉Then I added some onions, garlic (can’t have too much), ginger and salt and let that soften for a few mins - the salt actually draws out the moisture from the onions helping them to soften and preventing them from burning.
👉I stirred in a couple of tbsp. tomato purée and half the packet of curry paste and cooked for 2mins 👉In went chunks of carrots (3 large) and butternut squash (1/2 a medium one). 👉I then poured a tin of coconut oil, a tin of chopped tomatoes, a bit of water to rinse the tins and a stock cube - shoot me now 🤗
👉Lid on for 20mins, then I added a whole cauliflower cut in florets.
👉Lid back on for 5min.
👉Peas went in (a generous amount - 200g at least).
👉Off the heat, lid back on while I got the rest ready.
👉Squeeze of lime and all done!
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I served it with brown rice and some cashews for a bit of crunch.
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Eating well doesn’t have to be that labour intensive and certainly doesn’t have to be punishing!!
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#crunchnutrition
#eatfoodnotcalories

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Before, after, after and after after...
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Not me upside down obv!
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February swim done ✅
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I don’t know if I’m getting used to it or if it was just warmer today but it seemed much easier this time.
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I didn’t get that sensation that someone was sitting on my chest and that I couldn’t breathe.
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It was cold but not unbearably so and we were still granted that priceless moment of feeling blissfully content and weightless in the water.
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Can’t wait for our March swim @yogainthegardenexeter - thanks for organising it and the changing room service 👙
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#crunchnutrition
#alive

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Spicy lentils and coconut soup 😋
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I go back to this again and again and again because I absolutely love it!
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It’s super tasty, nutritious, filling, comforting and you end up with tons, which you can then freeze and keep as “ready meals”.
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Here’s what you need:
300g red lentils
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, grated
A generous amount of ginger, grated - let’s say 2 tbsp.
2 tbsp. tomato purée
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. garam masala
1/4 tsp. chili flakes (more of you want but I was cooking for kids too)
1 can coconut milk
1 can chopped tomatoes
800ml vegetable stock
Juice of a lime
Greens such as spinach or cavolo nero, finely chopped.
1 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper
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👉In a large saucepan, sweat the onion, garlic and ginger in olive oil until the onion has softened.
👉Add the tomato purée and spices and mix until fragrant.
👉Mix in the lentils, chopped tomatoes, coconut milk and stock.
👉Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 45min stirring occasionally (taste and adjust the seasoning).
👉Before serving, throw in the greens and pour the lime juice.
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Bon appetit 🤗
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#crunchnutrition

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When you’re checking out your own recipe...
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I’m actually incapable of following a recipe and even end up tweaking my own 🤣
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#crunchnutrition

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A French classic with a nutritious twist for lunch: salade de chèvre chair.
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That’s a salad with grilled goat’s cheese on toast if you didn’t know.
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I say with a nutritious twist because I added plenty of bitter leaves (rocket plus white and red chicory) and beetroot to get my digestive juices going and give my microbiome plenty to chew on 🦠
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Add some seeded bread, walnuts olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar to the mix and you have yourself an easy, yummy and nutritious lunch 💚
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#crunchnutrition

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The last few weeks have been incredibly busy. Fantastically amazing, lots of great exchanges, much hope for many of you, tears, laughter and hugs ❤️
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That’s my professional life.
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In my personal life this has meant late nights, early mornings, me running from one place to the other, my phone looking like a Christmas tree with hundreds of notifications 😱 and not enough time spent in the kitchen.
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Sure I’ve cooked and fed my family well but I didn’t have any spare time to “cook cook” i.e., being really creative and making intricate/beautiful things.
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Today, I reclaimed that time in between work, play dates, karate, drop offs, pick ups, meal times etc.
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I’m going to a girls night in tonight and I NEEDED to bring them something beautiful - only the best for that lot 😘
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It came to me in my sleep: blood orange and rosemary tart.
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What do you think?!
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#crunchnutrition
#grazialove

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What we had for lunch: sourdough pizzas 🍕 .
Half term means juggling work and kids and today was a home day with five boys to feed, so it had to be pizzas...
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My clients are often worried about pizzas and have them down as a no-no on their fear food list.
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Let me tell you, pizzas don’t have to be “unhealthy”, it all depends on ratio, quality, quantities and frequency of the eating.
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I made the dough with my sourdough starter. I also made the tomato sauce with good olive oil, onions, garlic, celery and no sugar (as opposed to jarred sauces).
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The base was very thin, I put lots of cavolo nero, olives and chillis on mine and didn’t load it with tons of cheese.
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So, really I had bread cheese and vegetables, what’s the problem?! 🤷‍♀️
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Ok, the boys had pepperoni and no vegetable but that’s one meal! They are not going to die!
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Balance is achieved in the long term not over one meal 💚
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#crunchnutrition

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Butternut squash and quinoa bites with a spicy cashew dip 👩🏻‍🍳
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For those who follow my stories you will have seen that a few weeks ago, feeling brazenly cheeky, I decided to make a meal out of two things my family hate: quinoa and butternut squash - I know 🙄🙄🙄
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I was ready for a “soupe a la grimace” (wince soup), as we say in France, and they were indeed most suspicious but to my amazement they polished the lot!
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My eldest even said: Maman, if the people from Instagram could taste your food, you’d have many more followers because your food is pretty but it’s also delicious... ❤️
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Don’t tell me he’s only half French! 😉He was clearly after something, but I banked that one nonetheless.
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Because I was somehow organised too that day, I even wrote down the recipe, see 👇
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1kg butternut squash
200g quinoa
1 tsp. Zaatar
1 tsp. Ground cumin
1/2 tsp. Ground coriander
1 tsp. Salt
4 tbsp. Ground flaxseeds
1 tsp. Chia seeds
1/2 bunch parsley
1 handful of cashews
2 tbsp. Lemon juice
2 cloves of garlic
1 pinch of Chili flakes
2 tbsp. Tahini
Olive oil
Water
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First soak the cashews in water for a few hours. In the meantime, cut the butternut, place it on a roasting tray with 2 tbsp. Olive oil and the zaatar. Roast until tender and leave to cool.
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While that’s happening, boil the quinoa until tender but not mushy and soak the seeds in a bit of water, enough to cover and a bit more.
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When the butternut is cool, roughly mash it up and place in a large bowl along with the seeds, spices, salt and parsley (chopped). Mix well until well combined.
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Form elongated little balls, place on a baking sheet, brush with olive oil and bake in a medium until golden like on the picture.
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While they are cooking, drain the cashews and place in a blender with the lemon juice, garlic, chilli flakes and tahini. Whiz until smooth, you may want to add a bit of water if it’s too thick and adjust the seasoning.
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Voila! By being a bit creative, you can get people to like foods they thought they hated!
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#crunchnutrition

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