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, it’s the most convenient foods that are the worst for our health. We may have saved half an hour in the kitchen, but we’re left with a huge deficit of nutrients and frankly a lack of skills!

Stepping out of our comfort zone isn’t easy, but it’s important every once in a while. In the case of the apple pie, my comfort zone was to not make a pie at all. I’m not confident enough to make my own pie crust, let alone a gluten-free pie crust that would be appropriate on my Renewal Detox. But I had quite a few cooking apples picked up at the market last weekend that needed using for something. So far this winter, all of the English Bramley apples I’ve bought have gone towards a spiced apple compote that I kept in jars in the fridge to go with breakfast. Sort of like a chunky applesauce with lots of warming spices, like cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves. A spoonful of that on a bowl of warm grains in the morning? There’s nothing like it. But this had become my comfort zone and it was time to face a new challenge. The elusive gluten-free pie crust. Not only that, I wanted to use whole foods ingredients (meaning as close to nature as possible) rather than a ready-made gluten-free flour mix or a margarine.

The added bonus: an egg. For those of you who don’t subscribe to my monthly newsletter (but you really should!), you might have missed the news that I’m back on eggs. I’ve been looking forward to experimenting with adding my sensitivity-causing foods back in again (after all, it’s been over 7 years), but of course there’s been some hesitation. It’s scary – I associate those foods with lots of negativity and unpleasantness. Out of the three foods, though, the one I’ve been most excited to re-introduce is the egg. So far, I’ve made three recipes involving eggs without any unusual symptoms. I consider this a resounding success! The rumors are true: you can absolutely heal yourself back to health after eliminating food sensitivities for a little while. I could have probably cut this time short and tried to reintroduce earlier but I’ve really only been focusing on eating for my health in the past year or two. Eliminating the foods you’re intolerant to is only half of the equation… what you put in is just as important, if not more so.

I think this gluten-free brown rice flour pie crust is great. All too often, a gluten-free baked good is dry, too crispy, too tough, too crumbly. This crust is flaky, light, sticks together well, and doesn’t give you that heavy bloated feeling after eating. I’ve used my favorite sweetener here, coconut sugar, but feel free to use an unrefined brown sugar (such as rapadura or sucanat). UK readers: I’d highly recommend Sweet Sensations or Red23 if you’re looking for raw coconut sugar. I also used creamy goat’s butter – not quite ready to jump back into cow’s milk yet (and not sure I miss it enough anyway), so my kitchen is still very “Particular”! However, if you’re a butter lover, look for the best you can find – grass-fed is gold!

I urge you to try stepping out of your food comfort zone and explore something new or foreign to you this week. Maybe it’s a recipe you’re nervous to try. Maybe it’s a new food you’ve heard or read about. It could even be a restaurant you’d like to explore that’s perhaps a different cuisine for you. Whatever the case, it feels good to challenge ourselves and to come out the other side feeling accomplished! This is so true for those of you like me with food sensitivities. While I’m not going to start eating omelettes every day, just knowing that I don’t have to avoid eggs (such an important and nutritious food source) feels really really good.

*Note: If you’re currently avoiding a food due to a sensitivity or allergy, I must recommend that you don’t re-introduce that food without first consulting a nutrition expert or a doctor. 

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 MUFAs). But how to tell which are good and which are bad? Here’s some help…

Bad Fats

• trans fats (in fast food, fried food, and industrially processed & packaged foods)
• hydrogenated oils (margarine)
• vegetable oils (soy oil, corn oil)
• vegetable shortening (Crisco, Trex)

Good Fats

• extra virgin olive oil
• flax seeds and oil
• pumpkin seeds and oil
• hemp seeds and oil
• chia seeds
• walnuts
• almonds
• avocado
• virgin coconut oil
• sesame seeds and oil
• wild-caught cold water fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines, etc.)
• hazelnuts and oil
• pastured (grass-fed) beef and eggs and butter

Health Benefits

• Lower blood pressure
• Improve joint health
• Support brain function
• Anti-inflammatory, particularly for sufferers of arthritis and asthma
• Improve metabolic function and support weight loss
• Balance blood sugar

With all of this in mind, I made a deliciously fatty raw dessert a few days ago – one you can consume and feel good about. It contains cashews and walnuts, both of which have a wonderful amount of essential fatty acids. Cashews get a bad rap – everyone assumes they are full of fat and therefore unhealthy. While all nuts and seeds contain a large amount of fat, cashews in particular are made up of monounsaturated fats (MUFAs, remember?) – the same fatty acid found in olive oil. Of course, they are nutrient-dense, so you only need a small amount to get all that good stuff into your system.

That’s why I made some individual cream tarts. Pretty, right?

In addition to the cashew filling, the crust is made of walnuts, full of omega-3 fatty acids, that all-important healthy fat that our Western diets so often lack. Instead of downing fish oil, try some other sources, like walnuts, flaxseeds, or chia seeds. A dessert that’s good for you – how delightful!

Raw Cashew Cream Tart

by The Particular Kitchen

Prep Time: 15 mins + 1 hour chilling time

Cook Time: 0 mins

Keywords: raw blender dessert gluten-free soy-free vegetarian wheat free

And just for fun

I posted this on my Facebook page the other day…

1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans or Brits.
2. Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans or Brits.
3. Africans drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans or Brits.
4. Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans or Brits.
5. Germans drink a lot of beer and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans or Brits.

CONCLUSION:
Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

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 farmer’s market usually sells about 4 different varieties of cabbage, spinach and perhaps some Swiss chard, over in New England in the States, you can get all of those plus dandelion greens, collards, mustard greens, etc etc etc. If we’re lucky, we can find some bok choy and tatsoi, and in the summer of course we’ll get rocket (aka arugula), lamb’s lettuce (aka mache), and watercress.

That’s a lot of greens!

So, how do you incorporate all that leafy goodness into your daily meals? Here’s some suggestions:

• Green Smoothies. The sneakiest way to incorporate these veggies into your diet. Spinach is the default because its leaves are soft and sweet enough that the flavor won’t overpower any of the other ingredients in the smoothie.
• Salads. A no-brainer. But try stepping out of the lettuce department and into something a bit more daring. A massaged kale salad can be a wonderful thing and really forces you to practice chewing (something we tend to forget about when we’re hurrying through our meals).
• Stir Fries. One of the easiest meals to cook for yourself just got healthier – adding in a few leaves at the last minute takes no time. They wilt down so fast in a hot skillet that you’d barely notice they’re there. Try it next time you break out your wok.
• Soups. In much the same way that they can hide inside a smoothie, greens can go undetected in all sorts of soup. Of course, you can really go for it and prepare a totally green soup. Or you can simply stir through some shredded kale at the last minute.
• Wraps. For the more robust leafy greens, like collards and dinosaur kale, try using them as a wrap instead of a tortilla or pita bread. Best of all, they provide a crunchy edge to the wrap, making them a perfect compliment to softer fillings.
• Curries. One of my favorite simple Indian curry dishes, dal, always tastes better with a handful of spinach stirred through. So simple to do!
• Pesto. While basil is the classic leaf in pesto, you can create all sorts of alternatives using different herbs and green veggies. My spinach and walnut pesto is delicious, or you could try making a version using either parsley, mint, or cilantro. Plenty of options and all fantastically green.

So I prepared this simply sauteed dish using the purple broccoli, leaves and all. You could make this using any leafy greens you like – the flavors are divine.

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 potentially life-threatening issue. Your body is designed to get things back on track, but if you spend your life eating foods that will cause severe spikes and dips in your blood sugar, things can go from bad to worse. You could end up with type 2 diabetes or hypertension. Just another reason why eating a balanced diet as well as living a balanced life is so important!

How do you begin to balance your blood sugar levels?

This is something I’ve brought up with my detoxers, who are starting the program tomorrow! If you are trying to get over a sugar, caffeine, or alcohol craving, the best thing you can do is follow some of these crucial blood sugar-balancing steps:

1. Breakfast. Having a healthy and balanced breakfast sets your glycemic balance for the entire day, so be sure to include protein and healthy fats into your morning meal (and don’t skip it!)
2. Protein. Incorporating protein into every meal and snack can be challenging, especially if you are vegan or vegetarian. Try not to rely on animal protein sources only; legumes, lentils, nuts, seeds, quinoa, and fermented soy, such as tempeh and miso, are all good quality plant-based sources.
3. Healthy Fats. I can’t get enough of the stuff. When I don’t have a spoonful of ground flax on my morning smoothie or breakfast bowl, I feel… off. Failing that route, you can always add in some avocado, nuts, seeds, hemp, chia, or the freshest, wildest cold-water fish (salmon, mackerel, herring) you can find.
4. Snacks. Yes I’m telling you to eat snacks. But not just anything! One that contains a protein, a healthy fat, and a complex carb. Eating a little something every 2-3 hours ensures you don’t end up at the extreme hunger stage (which inevitably leads to the sugar binge stage). Examples of good snacks? A handful of raw walnuts and an apple. A handful of celery sticks and some hummus. A brown rice cracker with some almond butter.
5. Limited Carbs. Limit your carb intake, but not in an Atkins way. Have as many leafy and sulphurous vegetables as your heart desires. Chomp away on kale, broccoli, fennel, onions, spinach, asparagus, etc. Just limit the amount of starchy veggies and grains you’re having (whether they’re whole grains or made into pasta or baked goods). Two to three 1/2-cup servings should suffice for a day.

Many vegetable soups do not contain that all-important protein, so it’s crucial to make sure you’re getting it from somewhere else if you decide to have some for lunch. However, this soup recipe below is ideal for balancing our blood sugar levels. It contains healthy fats in the form of olive oil and almonds and protein in the form of chickpeas. It also has some wonderful spices and herbs, including smoked paprika, which is such a lovely strong flavor – adds a bit of Spanish red to the soup too! This is adapted from a Mark Bittman recipe out of his fabulous Food Matters Cookbook – he uses dried chickpeas in his original version, so I wanted to make it a bit of a cheater’s version. I’m sure I’m not the only one

In other news…

• Buy my cookbook, A Wholesome New Year, packed with recipes to inspire a healthy 2012!
• I’m teaching an afternoon of Allergy-Friendly cooking at The Avenue Cookery School in Putney. There are currently 12 spaces left, so book your place with me today by emailing me. It takes place on Thursday 26th January from 11am-2pm.
• Missed out on joining the Renewal Detox, which kicks off tomorrow? No worries! I’ll be running seasonal detoxes from here on out. The next one starts on April 14th, so more information will be coming in the spring about that one!
• The free Healthy Food Series continues at Nourish Health Foods in East Sheen – my next talk tackles Winter Blues this coming Tuesday (Jan 17th) at 2pm. Come along for some mood-boosting recipe ideas and a healthy treat to take home!

• New workshop alert! I’m presenting a 30-minute talk at Well4ever Clinic in Putney on 20th January all about Detox Advice. Come along at 11am for tea, healthy snacks, and some great info!
• P.S. to keep up with all of my events as well as to get special recipes not currently featured on this blog, sign up to my monthly newsletter

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 year always feels more important because of the two weeks of decadence we seem to all share at the end of December.

I’m running a 28-day gentle detox program. It’s online, it’s open to anyone, and it is already has 14 members signed up! The start date is a week from Saturday, the 14th of January. If you’d like to join, please email me. I’ll be going through it too (though, admittedly, the meal plans I’ve created aren’t too far removed from my normal diet). In addition to food, the program also covers exercise and lifestyle tips, as well as shopping lists and recipes. I’m trying to make it as easy on you as possible! What I do promise is that there will be no fasting, no juicing, and no ridiculous costs. If it isn’t the right time for you, I’m going to be running these regularly throughout the year, so check back in a few months time!

But I digress.

The salad issue. The one I’ve chosen to highlight in this post, while definitely a salad, is still completely relevant to the time of year. It features roasted beets and oranges (blood oranges if you can find them – they should be appearing soon). It’s light, cleansing, and rejuvenates the blood and liver. You don’t need any fancy equipment to make it look beautiful (though I would suggest buying a mandoline, which is so much easier than attempting to slice your vegetables paper thin using a knife).

This recipe is 100% approved on my Renewal Detox meal plan (just so long as it is combined with some form of protein – it would go nicely alongside some steamed fish or a quinoa dish). I might make this over the weekend for a birthday treat! I’ve already been promised vegan gluten-free pancakes in bed tomorrow morning

Orange, Beet & Fennel Salad

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Serves 4

The particulars:

• 2 red beets, tops trimmed
• 2 oranges (navel or blood oranges)
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced (mandoline)
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• handful fresh cilantro leaves

1. Heat oven to 400F. Wash beets, leaving a little water on the skin. Wrap each one in foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast beets until tender – about 1 hour. Leave to cool.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the oranges by removing the skin and pith with a sharp knife. Either slice the oranges crosswise or remove the segments. Place in a bowl with the lime juice.
3. Peel the cooled beets and slice thinly. Strain the juices from the oranges into a small dish and whisk with the olive oil and some salt and pepper. Divide the beets among the plates, then top with the fennel and oranges. Pour over the citrus juice dressing and garnish with the cilantro.

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 time now and a plan we decided on pretty early in our relationship. I will still be able to practice as a Nutrition Consultant, write blog posts here, and cook even more exciting recipes.

I’m so excited to be close to family and friends again and start a new chapter with Phil. At the same time, I know we’ll miss our UK friends and family too – but after moving to London from San Diego, Boston doesn’t seem so far! This New Year’s Eve, we will be celebrating all the wonderful things to come. So what better way to ring in 2012 than with a plate of delicious raw brownies??

I’m dubbing these Raw Nutella Brownies, since they have that chocolatey hazelnutty flavor the spread is famous for. As a high school student, my breakfast usually consisted of white toast thickly spread with Nutella. I shudder when I think of it now! I’d rather have one of these for breakfast – at least there would be some nutritional benefits to it!

Whatever time of day, if you have cause to celebrate, whip up a batch and indulge in these nutty rich brownies. And if you’re a New Englander, I’d love to hear from you – any great holistic health professionals, restaurant recommendations, or natural foods stores you love in the area?

Raw Nutella Brownies

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Makes 12 brownies

The particulars:

• 1 1/2 cups hazelnuts
• 1/2 cup raw cacao powder
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 tsp vanilla powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 cups dates
• 3/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 3 tbsp raw cacao powder
• 2 tbsp raw honey or agave nectar

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 is encouraged. Red lipstick is mandatory. It is a fun time to be a girl!

My least favorite part about this time of year are the inevitable hangovers after a night of revelry and a bit too much of what you fancy. This is not just limited to alcohol either – an excess of food and sugar can give you a hangover as well. It all comes down to added pressure on your liver, which is trying to keep with the extra demand placed on it with excessive glasses of champagne.

image source

While everyone seems to have their chosen hangover remedy or “cure”, it’s important to note that we all react differently to what we put in our bodies. A greasy breakfast might work for one person but be completely out of the question to another. Same goes for “hair of the dog“, which I wouldn’t recommend at all!

However, if you’re feeling the effects of an indulgent night, why not try some of these natural relievers… and at the end of the post is a recipe for what I’m calling the Morning After Smoothie – sure to help you feel human again!

Hangover Remedies

• Milk Thistle - a powerful liver protector, milk thistle liquid drops either directly on your tongue or dissolved in a glass of water before you go to bed and in the morning will boost your liver function.
• Cat’s Claw tea - a wonderfully anti-inflammatory and antioxidant herb, cat’s claw is a favorite healer among the Amazonian jungle tribes. Enjoy a cup with a teaspoon of raw honey and a squeeze of fresh orange juice.
• Bananas - to bring your blood sugar back up and to restore your potassium levels.
• Ginger - nausea is a common hangover symptom and ginger is a potent cure. The Morning After Smoothie below contains some freshly grated ginger, but if you’re after something even more immediate, a couple of thin slices in a mug of hot water will do the trick.
• Coconut water - if pure water isn’t cutting it in the rehydration department, coconut water will sort you out in a heartbeat!
• Yoga - exercise is probably the last thing on your mind if you’re feeling headachey and bloated, but a few sun salutations will shift your energy and your mind and help you kickstart the detoxification process (speaking of detox….)
• B complex - an overall health booster, taking a vitamin B complex either the night before or the morning after will rejuvenate your body naturally.
• Aromatherapy - depending on your sense of smell and how this affects your body, you may really benefit from some aromatherapy when you’re feeling rough after a heavy night. Lavender will soothe a stressed out system, while peppermint will invigorate better than the strongest cup of coffee!

The Morning After Smoothie

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Serves 1

The particulars:

• 1 cup probiotic yogurt (cow, goat, sheep)
• 1⁄2 cup frozen berries
• 1 banana
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 1 small piece of root ginger, grated
• Water, for smoothness

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 normal. I’m sure the odd upset stomach affects all of us at some point around the holiday season, and this comes down to a variety of factors.

Stress

Traveling, playing host/ess, and spending extra money can all create added stress. In turn, this stress affects us physically, most often through IBS symptoms, such as bloating, cramps, gas, diarrhea, or constipation.

Overeating

The holiday feast is something we all look forward to, and for great reason! It’s the culmination of a celebratory season. But with all of that food comes a taxed digestive system.

Overdrinking

Parties and gatherings = alcohol. While I couldn’t call myself a nutrition advisor without first mentioning that, except for the occasional glass of red wine (and organic red wine at that!), I’m not a big advocate of drinking. It creates physical issues that can easily be resolved by avoiding it all together. But I’m a realist and know that alcohol is a part of most of our lives and a vital part of our social culture. Awareness of how it affects you digestively is important, though, so keep it in mind next time you’re headed out on the town. (Next week, I’ll be addressing hangovers, so don’t worry if you’ve indulged!)

Mindless snacking

Those pretty little bowls of candy and chips that seem to appear everywhere at Christmas time are dangerously addictive. We can all too easily pack away salty and sweet snacks that we otherwise wouldn’t touch simply because they’re there. These contribute to a sluggish and weakened digestive system.

Digestive Support

• Stay hydrated! Plenty of pure, filtered water will keep your system in good working order. For every non-water beverage you consume, supplement it with another glass of water. Most of us don’t drink enough water in a day which can create loads of unpleasant symptoms associated with dehydration.
• Eat the rainbow. The holidays aren’t usually a time for fresh and raw fruit and vegetable consumption, and this can affect our digestion in a major way (not to mention our overall health). Try and continue your colorful fruit and veg consumption during the festive season with green smoothies, veggie canapes, chopped fruit with breakfast, and lightly steamed vegetable side dishes with evening meals.
• Walk after meals. Taking a snowy walk with your family and friends is not only adorable, it’s also a great way to get in a little exercise and encourage peristalsis (the wave-like contractions that move food through your digestive system) to ease that bloated feeling.
• Mindful eating. Savour each homemade bite! Take time to appreciate your food. Chew slowly and stop when you are full (if not just before). Take small bites and encourage dinner table chatting!
• Avoid carbonated beverages. Champagne, prosecco, beer, and sodas all contribute to gas and bloating, so if those are issues for you, try and avoid these drinks or at least keep them to a minimum.
• Probiotics. Improper digestion is a sign that your intestinal flora may be out of balance. Taking probiotics as a supplement will reinnoculate and keep your tummy happy. And consumption of fermented foods, such as tempeh, sauerkraut, and probiotic yogurt, ensures a “top up” of friendly bacteria in the meantime.

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 I’ve ever stayed put during the holiday season – we used to have Christmas with my grandparents on my Dad’s side, then New Year’s with my family on my Mom’s side. It is great to be able to see everyone you love all within the span of about a week, but traveling (especially at this busy time of year) can sap us of energy and leave us feeling drained.

image source

How do you cope with your holiday travels? Will you be going by plane, train, bus, or car? Will you be crossing timezones and oceans? Or do you get to stay comfy and cosy at home this year? I’d love to know what your plans entail in the comments section.

Top 10 Healthy Travel Tips

1. Distract yourself. This is my number one tip because, let’s face it, traveling sucks. Can you honestly say you enjoy it? Of course, once you arrive, it’s wonderful! But the getting there… that is a challenge. So the only way I can get through it without strangling an innocent bystander is by putting on my headphones (noise-cancelling are the best) and listening to playlists, podcasts, movies, etc. Buy as many books and magazines as you can justify in the airport or train station shop. Treat yourself like an annoying toddler and carry a bag full of fun stuff to keep you occupied while you travel. Anything to keep your mind from focusing on the many headaches that come with a long Christmas journey.
2. Bring snacks. This started for me out of sheer necessity, since I am unable to find adequate foods in airports or on trains that cater for a restricted diet. But even if I didn’t have to avoid eggs, dairy, or soy, I’d still bring my own snacks when I travel. It’s healthier, cheaper, and more convenient. Plus you can bring foods you actually enjoy eating rather than stuffing yourself with junk that you will regret later. Make the Mini Christmas Pudding Bites (recipe at the end of this post) and bring them with you!
3. Skip the alcohol. I know that traveling is stressful (see number 1), but alcohol, especially when flying, will only make you feel worse. If you are an anxious flyer, bring a few bags of your favorite calming herbal tea (chamomile or lemon balm are great) and buy a cup of hot water at a cafe or ask for one on the plane. Sip it slowly while you zone out to something funny or relaxing on your headphones.
4. Don’t skip the water. What’s worse: headaches & dry mouth & fatigue & nausea OR getting up to pee a few times on the flight? Exactly. I’m that girl who insists on sitting by the window but will make you get up so she can use the bathroom at least twice. Sorry! I like to see what’s going on out there Water is crucial when traveling, especially by plane. Best option: bring an empty aluminum or glass bottle from home and fill it when you arrive. Next best: buy a huge bottle of water, the biggest one you can find, once you’re through security at the airport.
5. Frequent movement. Use those bathroom breaks as an excuse to stretch your legs and get some exercise. Do some light stretching while chatting to the flight attendants in the back. If you’re on a long car journey, go for a 5 minute walk around the parking lot on a rest stop. On a train? Wander through the carriages (as long as you’ve got someone watching your stuff of course). Those little movement breaks will keep the cabin fever and stress at bay.
6. Avoid jetlag. If you’re traveling across timezones, there are two ways you can get your body to adjust a bit quicker. 1) Get as much sunlight as possible to keep you awake. Keep the curtains open if you have to be indoors but try and take a walk outside without sunglasses on if possible. 2) Do a bit of exercise on arrival. After a long journey, your body probably has a lot of toxins and energy built up, so it’s best to get rid of that with light movement. Jog, do yoga, swim, or run if you have the energy!
7. Up the fiber. Sitting for extended periods of time can really, ahem, slow things down. But getting tense and stressed out about travels tend to… speed things up. Fiber can help to bring your elimination back to a normal pace – but I don’t mean taking laxatives or fiber supplements. Simply eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts and seeds. Dried fruits are the next best option, but definitely choose the varieties that don’t contain added sugar (they’re sweet enough on their own!) – and don’t eat too many! Remember that dried fruits may look and feel smaller than fresh fruit, but they still come from the same place…. would you eat 10 apricots in one sitting? Well then don’t eat 10 dried apricots!
8. Pack a pantry. Are you a particular eater? Do you avoid certain foods or have a restricted diet? Then you should probably travel prepared! These days, when I’m traveling somewhere, my suitcase consists of about 3/4 clothes & shoes, 1/4 foods & drinks. For example, I’ll make up a big batch of my own granola before I leave and pack it in a ziplock bag. I’ll also stock up on the smallest containers of almond milk or rice milk I can find. Maybe I’ll bring some individual pouches of milled flax. Unsalted nuts & seeds, a bag of quinoa or buckwheat flakes, some brown rice protein powder… anything that travels well.
9. Ship ahead. Sometimes, sending a box ahead of your journey works out to be cheaper (and lighter). This is only the case if you’re flying and might be charged with heavy or extra luggage. I tend to do this when I’m traveling across the Atlantic around Christmas by sending my family’s gifts ahead. It’s pricey but generally less than what airlines are charging for baggage these days. And one less thing you have to worry about on your travel day.
10. Get festive. It’s the holidays – moods are heightened. We’re either really joyful or really grumpy. Why not spread the good cheer and enjoy it – it only comes around once a year after all! Crank up that holiday tunes playlist, load up your ipod or ipad with your favorite Christmas movie, wear ridiculous candy-cane-shaped earrings… whatever gets you in the spirit.

Mini Christmas Pudding Bites

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Makes 12-15; completely raw!

The particulars:

• 1 cup pecans
• 1 cup walnuts
• 1⁄2 cup dried figs, stems removed
• Zest of 1 orange
• 1 cup dates
• 1⁄2 cup dried cherries
• 4 tbsp carob powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 tsp grated nutmeg
• 1⁄2 cup shredded coconut
• Water as needed

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 with her to the demonstration tent. When our train was stopped outside Putney station for half an hour on Sunday coming home from the festival, I ended up sharing the cakey bread around with my fellow frustrated passengers which seemed to lighten the mood a bit!

Here’s a quick video of some of Sunday’s demo, if you’d like to see my Britney microphone in action

This video does not include the part where I forgot to add the “flax egg” to my cake mixture before placing it in the oven! Fortunately, I realized soon enough to salvage it, but man what a blunder. While the finished product would have been fine without the addition of flax, it’s nice to have the added insurance in the baking process (to help bind the mixture together) but also for the nutritional value of the seeds. It got me thinking about omega 3′s, an area of confusion to many. I’ve spoken to quite a few people who aren’t sure what omega-3′s actually are or where they come from but have heard that they are important to the diet. Are you confused too? Let me see if I can help.

Essential Fatty Acids

Without getting too “science nerd” here, I’d like to break it down to the simplest terms possible. There are good fats and there are bad fats. The bad ones are found in deep fried foods, margarine & spreads, and commercial oils. This includes trans fats, which are present in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils such as soybean oil (get to know your ingredients labels – this is in a LOT of processed foods). These bad fats are the reason people think they should be eating low-fat or fat-free foods, but this is slightly inaccurate. What is key to a healthy diet is replacing the bad with the good. Instead of just eliminating fat from your diet altogether, better to get rid of the nasty stuff and put back in the nice stuff.

And the nice stuff, as you may have guessed, includes omega-3 fatty acids, one of the essential fatty acids. Why are they essential? Because they are required for human health but aren’t manufactured in the body, so they have to come from our food. Omega-3s, found in certain types of fish, nuts, and seeds, are anti-inflammatory, while omega-6s, found in meats and soybean oil, tend to promote inflammation. Since most Western diets, particularly the Standard American Diet, are quite high in omega-6s, it is important that we get the right balance with the omega-3s. The ratio for optimal health is around 2:1 (omega-6 to omega-3); in other words, for every 2 grams of meat you consume, make sure you grab a gram of walnuts too.

Omega-3-rich foods

• extra virgin olive oil
• oily fish, such as mackerel, trout, herring, sardines, wild salmon, and halibut
• flaxseeds and flaxseed oil (also known as linseed)
• walnuts
• krill oil
• chia seeds
• hemp seeds
• pastured eggs
• grass fed meats
• kelp
• pumpkin seeds

Zesty Salmon with Pepper & Mushroom Lentils

Serves 2

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The particulars:

• 2 wild salmon fillets
• zest and juice of 1 orange
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup black or brown lentils, cooked
• 1 tbsp organic virgin coconut oil
• 1 small red onion, roughly chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 small yellow chili, finely chopped (optional)
• 1 green pepper, sliced
• 1 cup dried mushrooms, rehydrated and roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp Bragg’s liquid aminos or tamari