When I first became gluten free and struggled to give up my addiction to carbs oatcakes were my go to staple. I now make my own as they’re super simple and you know what’s in them! For me these are a staple in my 30 days to healthy living plans when i'm helping clients to work out the foods that do and don't serve them. We eliminate wheat and gluten, dairy and refined sugar. Oatcakes and a ...
Read MoreToday (5th April 2019) is National Caramel Day. I mean who even knew a day like this existed but it’s here so why not embrace it. Since I gave up refined sugar my health has improved so much that I’m slightly obsessive about keeping it out of my diet long term. Once we know what serves us, and what doesn’t, it’s so much easier to make healthy choices which is why I love taking clients through my ...
Read MoreThis is one of those super quick and yet deliciously tasty meals I love to create. It’s also a great meal for those on a budget as the ingredients are cheap and plentiful all year round. You could add other vegetables, sweet potato, yams etc too if you want to ring the changes. Serves 4 Ingredients 3 tablespoons coconut oil 1 onion finely chopped 3 garlic cloves finely chopped 2 teaspoons ground ...
Read MoreI’ve been thinking of what I could make for my latest Happy Healthy Hour at home where I share my philosophy to healthy living and why I believe diets don’t work! I decided upon a chocolate brownie but wanted them to be the decadent kind. Fudgy and gooey on the inside but crunchy on the outside. Roll over, these are to die for! The quantity makes a really large batch but I’ve found this is the ...
Read MoreHave you ever tried a Blondie? It’s like a brownie but without the cocoa! They’re one of my latest addictions so I’ve been working on a healthy protein packed recipe to take advantage of this trend. Here’s our favourite so far. Totally delicious, packed with protein and all the gooey-ness of a brownie! Ingredients 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained – reserve 6 tablespoons liquid 120g almond butter ...
Read MoreMillionaire shortbread was one of the few things I couldn’t resist in a cake shop but since being gluten free I’ve struggled to find a vegan version that isn’t overly sweet or whose base isn’t cloyingly stodgy. So I put my thinking cap on and came up with this delicious alternative. My innocent shortbread has all the hall marks of the original but none of the sins. Packed with nuts, coconut oil ...
Read MoreI love the oriental blend of Chinese five spice. I first encountered it in sweet treats when I made Gwyneth Paltrow’s muffins in her first healthy living book for Goop. They were delicious and I’ve been experimenting with it ever since. This is a really healthy treat packed with healthy spices – cinnamon, star anise, fennel, cloves and Sichuan pepper. I love that you get to choose what goes into ...
Read MoreWhen I first started easting clean I switched a few of the basics which I knew were filled with rubbish and mayo was one of them. I used to make a delicious cashew mayo and then I suddenly started reacting to cashews. Ahhh. They are in so many healthy recipes I’d created. Once I started experimenting with aquafaba things changed and this creamy, tangy vegan mayo is the result. 5 minutes, 6 ...
Read MoreThis bar was inspired by a mum of one of my daughter’s friends. They both row together and after a big race or a regatta they are seriously in need of some high density nutrition and this bar packs a real punch. Not one if you’re trying to lose a few pounds but a super nutritious treat for after a big workout or HIT session. Dry Ingredients 180g gluten free oats 60g oat flour (oats ground into ...
Read MoreHaving been gluten free for a few years I’d pretty much got desserts down to a fine art but then I added being vegan and refined sugar free into the mix and the whole world changed. I can quite see why restaurants serve fruit salad or sorbet as the vegan dessert option but honestly there are times when that just doesn’t cut it. For a special occasion I like to make something that has had some ...
Read MoreI was teaching a group of women from MIBA (Mums In Business Association) my top tips on blogging recently and mentioned that I was waiting for my favourite brands (Sweaty Betty, Whitworths, Lucy Bee, etc) to get in touch and ask me to blog for them when completely out of the blue Whitworths messaged me to ask if I’d like to be one of their Christmas Contributors. Would I ever! Not only did I get ...
Read MoreI was having a conversation with a mum from the rowing club about the virtues of homemade nut and seed bars and she mentioned she had a lovely recipe her teenage son adored. Me being me I got the ingredients together without really reading the full recipe and got started. I realised I didn’t have the vegan butter alternative it suggested so thought I’d improvise with oil and oat milk to create my ...
Read MoreThis recipe was inspired by Julie Cooke who was inspired by Rick Stein in his Food Heroes series. I spent all my childhood holidays at Padstow in Cornwall so have a real affinity with the sea and all things Cornish. I was at one of Julie’s Christmas Pudding making workshops recently and she had a selection of her pickles to buy. I was rather silly and forgot to read all the pickle labels and got ...
Read MoreI was thinking about healthy savoury recipes I could make for snacking on while I’m in the middle of my 30 days to healthy living pan. I’ve pretty much given up sugar and so wanted some savoury snacks that would replace what I’d normally reach for when I have one of those standing at the fridge thinking what can I snack on moments! Here’s a great alternative to the classic hummus. Now you can ...
Read MoreEvery family seems to have a repertoire of five favourite recipes which they cook again and gain and this is one of ours. Give it a try and you’ll see what I mean. Using good quality ingredients, organic where you can, makes all the difference too. Serves 2, prep 10 mins, cook 25 mins Ingredients 500g carrots, peeled and chopped into angled 3cm pieces 2 onions, peeled and chopped into wedges 1 ...
Read MoreI’ve been leading and participating in (on the grounds that I can then feel their pain - except that by day three I feel so fantastic I wonder why I don’t eat like this all year round) one of my 30 days to healthy living groups. One of the guiding principles is to balance the blood sugar as maintaining normal blood sugar levels is a very important part of avoiding long-term health issues, ...
Read MoreIn preparation for the Macmillan World’s Biggest Coffee Morning on Friday 29th Septemebe this year I’m preparing some delicious bakes as super treats for guests. Last year one of my neighbours came along thinking that with her allergies there would be nothing she could eat! As she said “I doubt I can eat anything but I’m here to support a good cause and a coffee always tastes better with friends ...
Read MoreAt this time of year there's nothing better than a firm cabbage roasted and caramelised to perfection. Yum yum. Serves 4 Ingredients 1 Hispi cabbage, trimmed and quartered lengthways 1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into strips 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 pinches coconut sugar or Xylitol 110g cherry tomatoes 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp roughly chopped chives Sea ...
Read MoreOn a recent trip to London to meet up with my University friends we had lunch in Fortnun and Mason, one of the most famous London Stores, and I was so impressed with their cauliflower steaks that I’ve created my own version in homage to them. Enjoy. Ingredients 1 head of Cauliflower, medium to large 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil ½ Tablespoon of Lemon Juice 1 teaspoon Ground Coriander 1 teaspoon ...
Read MoreSo these tasty little bars have turned out to be a big hit. I don’t think Mr H had ever eaten peanut better until he met me but some 20 years later, while his obsession with the stuff isn’t quite as big as mine, he does still love it! These are a tasty treat and packed with healthy fats, protein and vitamins. Enjoy Ingredients For the biscuit base ½ cup Arbonne vanilla protein powder ½ cup ...
Read MoreWhen I first posted the negative side of the kids favourite spread Nutella I had mums clamouring for me to devise an alternative recipe. Well months later,and tasting after tasting I can honestly say I have cracked it (excuse the pun!). My own daughter has been the guinea pig for my batch testing and when I gave her the jar with a spoonful of this on it she beamed and exclaimed – mummy you’ve ...
Read MoreThese Vegan, Gluten Free, and Raw Hazelnut Truffles first fell into my lap when I was surfing Instagram and my friend Patrycja from the blissful plate had just posted a batch she’d made earlier that day. They looked so delicious that I just had to get busy and start making them. Having been cutting back on my sugar for nearly 4 years I had a play with the quantities as I no longer have the sweet ...
Read MoreInspired by a friend’s chocolate banana bread she posted on FaceBook recently I have created my own vegan, gluten and refined sugar free version which pulls together inspiration from a couple of recipes I’ve been playing with over the last few months. If you’re anything like us, you’ll always have the odd over ripe banana in the fruit bowl. I freeze them into chunks and add them to cakes like ...
Read MoreI’ve always loved red cabbage and fresh home-made coleslaw. I think it is a throw back to spending time with my Auntie Tede (my grandmother’s sister) who married a country man and lived in what I thought of as the depths of the country side when I was growing up. She had coal fires and a doll’s chest which I remember was as big as I was. We were allowed to explore upstairs and bring a perfectly ...
Read MoreYou know how much hummus we go through in the Hutchinson household. So much in fact that I’m always looking for new ways to spice up a batch so when I saw Dr Rupy’s spiced beetroot side dish I felt the need to experiment with it and create hummus from it too. Here’s my take on it. You can eat the beetroot as a side dish once it’s cooked so if you have more than 300g beetroot and want to make ...
Read MoreI was off to a business network yesterday and wanted to take a sweet treat which was almost sugar free to show just how delicious eating sugar free can be. I’ve been eating what I call ‘clean’ – mostly plant based and wholefoods - for almost 4 years and it has quite literally changed my life. I no longer have the debilitating headaches I used to suffer with, my brain fog and lethargy have lifted ...
Read MoreYou ’ ve probably all worked out that we all love oats in this house. Being gluten intolerant I ’ ve found it important to create interesting breakfasts to keep me away from pining for toaste and crappy cereal. This month has been all about oats as it ’ s cold on a Saturday morning when Miss H takes to the rowing lake and getting something warm inside her (and me if I ’ m using the time she ’ s ...
Read MoreYou know how it is. You have a favourite recipe that you make week in and week out for months and then something changes and you forget all about it. Well that’s what happened to these delicious energy balls. I simply stopped making them – no idea why as I love them, I’d just forgotten all about them. I remembered them this morning and cooked up a batch (technically there’s no real cooking ...
Read MoreWe love these tasty seedy crackers straight from the tin but they are equally nice with a spicy topping. You can experiment with the flavours but I’ve found the sweetness of the molasses and the fiery nature of the chilli work really well. Ingredients 125g quinoa flakes 50ml rapeseed oil 250g pumpkin seeds 130g sunflower seeds 50g linseeds 3-4 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary ¼ tsp salt 1 – 4 ...
Read MoreVegan Chickpea Wraps These versatile Chickpea wraps are perfect as an accompaniment to curries or stews but work equally well as a salad wrap or with fajitas. I got the inspiration from the wraps they make on the Italian coast of Liguria. Here they are cooked on a super hot griddle often to great proportions and cut into triangles to serve along side fresh fish and salads. They are delicious on ...
Read MoreI’ve been experimenting with overnight oats for a while but I think it’s important to get the flavours right and add some texture too or all you end up with is a mushy goo. If that’s been your experience too, give these three delicious flavours a try – they have become staples in our household. The brilliant things about Overnight Oats is that they’re so easy to make, all you need to do is throw ...
Read MoreWhat do you do with all those unused root vegetables at the end of the week? My favourite option is to turn them into nutritious soup. This is one of my favourites. You can add pretty much anything you have to hand but I have a tied and tested recipe which seems to work well with a few tweaks here and there is we have a glut of spinach or chard etc Give it a go and let me know your favourite ...
Read MoreI love a green juice mid-morning or mid-afternoon if I’m feeling like I need a break in the office or am just back from a dog walk. They seem to pick me up and provide a spring to my step. All that green goodness is a real energy boost. Although I’ve added so many greens I like to get a scoop of the Arbonne Greens Balance in there too as it has a broad spectrum of fruits and veg in it so you’re ...
Read MoreIt’s that time of year. I am scanning the US sites with envy as I see all the amazing halloween displays and goodies to buy. Here in the UK we’re a little late to join the Halloween party but I’ve been carving pumpkins for years and love the buzz of trick or treating on a cold October night, though I do struggle to give trick or treaters all that sugar as I see it as the enemy on so many levels. ...
Read MoreI love beetroot but no one else in the Hutchinson house will touch it. I’ve tried adding it to smoothies, chocolate brownies, soups but they still detect it so I’ve now given up and have to eat a whole bunch to myself. Shame! This beetroot hummus recipe came out of necessity. I had cooked some beetroot that had arrived in our organic box but had far more than I needed so was wondering what to do ...
Read MoreI love Chia Pudding. It’s amazing how it soaks up liquid to become a gloopy, sticky mess. You need to get the consistency right or it can be a bit frogspawn-ish! So do experiment. Chia seeds are super hydrating, and are bursting with four times more iron than spinach! You can add any fruits that are in season to create a breakfast bowl or supper dessert. I like to add coconut flakes and seeds and ...
Read MoreI love a refined sugar free protein bar that is also gluten free and these are just one of my best inventions. Not only are they packed with protein and super foods but they are super tasty – they’ll keep for a week in an airtight container (if you’re lucky) – they never last that long in our house! Give them a try and let me know what you think. Ingredients ½ cup quinoa flakes ½ cup gluten free ...
Read MorePancakes always give a breakfast the feeling of having a treat but now you can feel good about it too. Packed with energy, these chia and flaxseed super soulfood pancakes really pack a punch. They are filled with healthy omega 3, fibre and protein. It’s quite literally rocket fuel for a plantpowered diet. Ingredients For the flaxseed egg 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed 6 tablespoons filtered water ...
Read MoreIngredients 2 tbsp coconut oil 2 onions, chopped ½ tsp each ground cinnamon, coriander and cumin 2 large courgettes, cut into chunks about 2cm 2 large tomatoes chopped ·400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 4 tbsp raisins 425ml vegetable stock 300g frozen peas chopped coriander, to serve For quinoa 100g quinoa 300ml hot vegetable tock Handful of fresh herbs chopped - i love to use corriander, ...
Read MoreWhen Breakfast needs to be ‘on the go’ these are my 'go to' Jars! Sometimes there simply isn’t time to sit down with the family for breakfast and that’s when a healthy wholefoods diet is key to success, well it is for me anyway. I can simply mix a quick and nutritious shake and drink it on the go. But how about when you need more than that? That’s when my latest invention is perfect. The ...
Read MoreWant to eat a more Plant based diet? Here’s a few great ways to start. Plant-based foods are becoming more and more popular in people's diets today. More and more individuals are looking for ways they can include aspects of the plant-based lifestyle in their own everyday lives, even if they don’t want to go completely vegan. This is certainly true for me and my family. I eat a pretty much vegan ...
Read MoreThis vegan chilli is gluten free and packed full of protein! As a family we make an effort to eat vegan two or three days a week but with a very sporty teenager in the house I like to know we’re keeping up with our protein intake too. When I was vegetarian in my early 20s and 30s I had such a low protein diet that over time I became quite ill. I was living on carbohydrates and sugar and it really ...
Read MoreEasy to make nutritious snacks ideas to keep your healthy eating on track! One of the things that has kept me on track with my new ‘healthy’ way of eating is to have plenty of healthy snacks at the ready when I feel the munchies coming on. I always concentrate on the things I can eat rather than fixating about the things I can’t. There are far more positives to eating a healthy wholefoods diet ...
Read MoreIt’s sometimes really difficult to be good and stay off the wheat and sugar at this time of year. Having a few healthy treats in the fridge or cupboard for when the munchies strike or to divert your focus when the Quality Street start to circulate will help. Here’s a few of my favourites: Ali’s Coconut Lemon Meltaway Snowballs I love having tiny treats available for when the munchies strike and ...
Read MoreThis is my go to recipe when I have a Vegan friend coming for ‘kitchen table’ supper. That makes me sound really posh, as if we had supper at a different table to the kitchen table quite often. We don’t. We used to have a separate dining room but, to be honest, it rarely got used to dining and when it did I felt the pressure to put on a four course spread with fancy napkins and all the trimmings ...
Read MoreI love soup and it’s a super filling soup for the coldest of days. Lentils are really healthy and a great source of protein so I often add them to salad, soups and make them into pates. The soup is especially good if you’re not much of a cook or just want something really quick and simple but that tastes delicious too. Ingredients: 1 tablespoon coconut oil 1kg carrots peeled and chopped 120g red ...
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