February 2012
11 posts
9 tags
Breakfast In A Glass
A friend recently asked me for some smoothie recipe suggestions and it got me thinking. My routine these days is to have a green smoothie every other morning, and I’ve been playing it safe so far. The same tried and true ratio each time:
1 banana
1 big handful spinach or kale
1/2 cup fruit (usually frozen berries or frozen mango)
1 cup almond milk or water
1 scoop brown rice protein...
7 tags
The Problem with Labels
See the tags at the top of this post? They say things like “wheatfree”, “vegan”, sometimes “raw”? They correspond to how the recipe within this post could be categorized, making it easier for people who describe themselves as vegan, for example, to find it and (hopefully) make it. But I’d never call this blog “vegan” or “glutenfree”...
8 tags
Food For Lovers
Tuesday is Valentine’s Day, which means we’ve been swimming in a sea of pink and red and hearts and roses for far too long now. Is it just me, or is the bombardment of Valentine’s-themed junk reaching an all-time high this year? Every day I keep seeing more nonsense for sale online and in the shops, mostly made out of chocolate or flowers.
This year, to celebrate all things...
5 tags
Stepping Out of Your Food Comfort Zone
On Wednesday, I made apple pie.
I’ve made apple pie before, but never like this. If this was 6 years ago, I wouldn’t have hesitated to buy a pre-made pie crust and a can of sugary apple pie filling and call it a day. Who doesn’t love the convenience of ready-made ingredients? But convenience doesn’t mean it’s a better product. In fact, more often than not,...
January 2012
15 posts
9 tags
Eat More Fat
One of the most common mistakes people make with their health lies in their fear of fat. While there are plenty of reasons to avoid the “bad” fats, such as trans fats and hydrogenated oils, there are just as many reasons to consume the “good” fats, like the essential fatty acids (particularly Omega-3s) and polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids (aka PUFAs and...
8 tags
How To Eat More Leafy Greens
Green leafy vegetables are some of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet and feature heavily in my detox program. I love how easy they are to use in all kinds of dishes, as well as all the different varieties. It’s great to visit friends and family abroad and discover the types of green leafies available in their parts of the world. Where here in South West London, our local...
8 tags
Blood Sugar-Balancing Soup
Something I’m keen to address here on The Particular Kitchen is blood sugar. Hypoglycemia, a very low drop in our blood sugar levels, can influence us more than just physically. It brings on that manic state of hunger, our senses are heightened, our moods are all over the place, our head starts to spin. Believe me, imbalanced blood sugar levels are never a good thing.
In fact, they can be a...
8 tags
A Salad Suited for January
Let’s be honest here - January is not a salad month. It is a soup, stew, broth, curry, chili month. It is about food that warms and nourishes rather than cleanses and cools. And yet a lot of us choose January as the Detox month. While a seasonal detox is a healthy way to recharge when the weather changes (although, that seems to be a bit more vague these days), one at the beginning of the...
December 2011
8 posts
1 tag
What will 2012 bring?
Can you believe 2011 is almost over? This year has been quite eventful and I think 2012 will be no different. Want to know why?
We’re moving to Boston!
That’s right - we’re packing up our London flat and hopping back across the pond to set up a home in the Boston area. We are hoping to make the move in early July, Phil’s visa pending. This has been in the works for some...
6 tags
Holiday Hangover
Party season is upon us! In fact, you’ve probably been to your fair share of holiday parties already - and with Christmas this weekend and New Year’s Eve next weekend, it’s looking like the fun will continue! My favorite part about this time of year is getting all dressed up and spending a night out with friends and family. Sparkly dresses are completely acceptable attire. Velvet...
1 tag
Be Kind to your Belly
Is everyone ready for their winter break? Right now, I’m in Rhode Island, soaking up my last few days across the pond before heading back to London next week and spending Christmas with my husband’s family.
Tummy troubles do not have to be a given around the holidays. It seems that we put up with indigestion, bloating, heartburn, and elimination issues because we assume it’s...
9 tags
Healthy Holiday Travels
As you read this, I’m in Philadelphia, about to watch my awesome friend Alli get married. Congratulations Alli & Will! I’ll be here for a few more days, then I’m heading up to Rhode Island next week to have a very early Christmas with my family. Lots of travels… and I know I’m not the only one who’s going places this winter. In fact, I don’t think...
6 tags
Omega-3s For All!
Last weekend, I was lucky enough to be a part of the inaugural Free From Food Festival in London where I gave a cooking demonstration of a Christmassy take on my banana bread: Cranberry Orange Bread. It went over very well with the crowd, despite very windy and cold conditions! But I’m happy to say, the bread came out beautifully in the small convection oven Caroline, the organizer, brought...
November 2011
10 posts
7 tags
Grateful
Happy Black Friday! I’m actually thankful I live in a country where Black Friday doesn’t really mean anything and people aren’t camping outside of department stores the night before because they are so desperate to get the best toy for their kid.
And so begins my grateful list. It’s so easy to forget the real spirit of Thanksgiving when there is so much stress and worry...
1 tag
Holiday Recipes
Anything we can do to get ahead for the holidays is a good thing. So I’ve made a little compilation of recipes here that I think may be helpful for any holiday meal. All of the recipes you see below are marked with gluten-free (GF), wheat-free (WF), dairy-free (DF), egg-free (EF), soy-free (SF), raw (R) and vegan (V).
I’m looking forward to my own vegan holiday feasts this year! Next...
6 tags
A Sweet Thanksgiving (without the sugar) →
My latest post for Technorati Women is all about a healthified Thanksgiving (sans sugar) and a yummy almost-raw Pumpkin Pie recipe. One week to go!
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8 tags
Immunity Soup
On Tuesday morning, I woke up with that telltale tickle in the back of my throat, the one that usually means a cold is looming. I felt my energy start to flag, but I knew I still had time to fight back. It’s a crucial moment - the one where you notice the first hint of a symptom - because that’s your body’s way of telling you that something’s wrong. Time to reinforce your...
9 tags
Under the Sea
Last summer, I visited Newport, Rhode Island for a week, where Phil and I had a party to celebrate our recent marriage. It’s a beautiful town on an island on the North East coast of America filled with history and culture. Probably best known for its mansions and keen sailors, what I love best about visiting Newport in the summertime is the beach. There are two main beaches, with several...
October 2011
6 posts
7 tags
Fermented power
What do yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, miso and tempeh all have in common? They’re all fermented, which means they’re all awesome for your immune and digestive health. Why? Because, when properly prepared, they contain loads of friendly bacteria that help you to digest your food better and protect your body against illness and disease. One key component of fermented milk products,...
1 tag
On Eating Meat
I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve eaten meat this year. One (probably the most memorable) was a beautiful piece of lamb at my wedding, a dish I had chosen to have on the menu just 6 months earlier. Another was a pretty terrible turkey sandwich at a diner in Newport, when I had no other option. Just thinking about that sandwich makes me shudder! And this pretty well sums up how...
1 tag
No Cheese Please
Living a life without dairy has its challenges. What’s interesting to me is how different one person’s avoidance of dairy can be to the next. For example, a friend of mine is allergic to all dairy, another is vegan and avoids it for different reasons, and I (like many people I know) can’t have cow’s milk, but will happily enjoy goat, sheep, and buffalo dairy. Because there...
5 tags
5 Reasons to Love Pumpkin + 1 Recipe →
It’s pumpkin and winter squash season and I, for one, am delighted. These snazzy, starchy root vegetables (though, technically, they are fruits) come in such an array of shapes, sizes, and colors, and are completely versatile as a food. I happen to think they are best used for their inherent sweetness in healthy treats such as pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread. In fact, skip the healthy facts if...
7 tags
Banana Bread for the People!
Last weekend, I had a stall at a local Food Fair, my first venture into making and selling healthy treats for the masses. When I first signed up for the stall, I had no idea how great the event would be - hundreds upon hundreds crowded the tent to sample all the wonderful goods on display. My little table was sandwiched in between a fabulous catering company offering fresh oysters and an...