Tag Archives: Eating

Change How You Eat, Accept Your Body & Transform Your Life – Bite Sized Peace a NEW BOOK by Clinical Psychologist Dr Romi Ran

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Like everyone I have had a complicated with food in my life. I grew up with Bridget Jones and Jessica Simpson both being called fat. The toxic body culture of the 90s and 00s has a lot to answer for. I like to think this has all gone away, but it hasn’t. Women’s bodies are still judged and constantly up for discussion. Is it any wonder so many women, and men, have eating disorders or an unhealthy attitude to food?

Bite Sized Peace is a fantastic book by Clinical Psychologist Dr Romi Ran. Full of information, help and logic. Dr Ran has her own methods which are proven to help people love their bodies and develop a healthy attitude to food. There are many gems to find in this book, and while I have managed to love my body enough and finally have my weight in control, this book is an essential resource for anyone struggling with any food-related issue. Just brilliant.

Why this book matters 

  • A MUST-READ book for anyone finding themselves in a negative relationship with food and body image
  • Over 1 million Brits have an eating disorder, such as anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating. (NHS, 2021)
  • A study shows 30% of adolescents report that they restrict their eating or engage in binge eating. (Journal of Adolescent Health, 2021; International Journal of Eating Disorders, 2020)
  • Author Dr Romi Ran is a Clinical Psychologist and has worked with countless clients to help them obtain complete freedom from the constraints of disordered eating and body obsession
  • The way we see and eat food starts in the mind and is centred in self-worth – Dr Ran offers mindfulness eating techniques including helping people understand their hunger signals

In her brand new book Clinical Psychologist, Dr Romi Ran, shares techniques she has used and developed working with people challenged with food, eating and body image. Bite Sized Peace is a groundbreaking guide designed to help readers nurture a healthier relationship with their body and food and teaches how to then apply these transformative concepts to all aspects of your life.

Dr Ran has helped countless individuals to obtain complete freedom from the constraints of disordered eating and body obsession and her book is a culmination of her work helping clients challenge societal views and myths relating to diets, eating and weight. She supports clients to be their own expert and not rely on the advice (or rules) of others to nourish themselves, beginning with the acknowledgement that you are inherently worthy. Dr Ran’s methods include teaching people how to eat when they are hungry; choose foods that nourish their bodies; stop when they are full; and to eat mindfully. 

Bite Sized Peace – Change How You Eat, Accept Your Body, Transform Your Life by Dr Romi Ran is out now.

To find out more about Romi and her work and book visit: https://www.drromiran.com/

How To Wean Your Baby by Charlotte Stirling-Reed Book Review

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The easy weaning plan to ensure your baby becomes a happy and adventurous little eater.
How to Wean Your Baby, The step-by-step plan to help your baby love their broccoli as much as their cake ,Hardcover , Charlotte Stirling-Reed , (AuthorWeaning a baby, especially if it is your first, can be hard and scary. You are so worried about getting it right. I wish I had this wonderful book from Charlotte Stirling-Reed years ago. It would have made my life so much easier. It is a step-by-step guide and it starts with vegetables. Not the cliché baby rice.

It has key principles, the basics, milestones and everything else. When it comes to weaning, what is not in this book is not worth knowing. It also has plenty of recipes. Joe Wicks and Ella Mills are fans and so am I. I also love Charlotte’s feeding webinars. Watch one if you can. Essential reading for parents. 

In this beautiful, full-colour book, expert nutritionist Charlotte Stirling-Reed reveals her renowned method that has helped thousands of parents wean their babies confidently.

Based on a vegetable first approach, the perfect way to develop healthy eating habits and to tackle fussy eating before it begins, you’ll be hand-held through the first 30 days of weaning as well as given lots of delicious recipes all the family can enjoy.

Packed with tried and tested tips, as well as the latest evidence-based guidance, How to Wean Your Baby will fully equip and empower you to take this exciting next step.

How to Wean Your Baby is available here. 

The Ultimate Supper Club with Danilo Cortellini

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If you’re going to spend the evening dining at a strangers house, you’re going to want to make sure it’s going to be memorable for the right reasons. When looking for a supper club it can be hard to know which one is going to be to your liking, so make sure you start at the very top. We recently spent the evening with the enigma that is ‘The London Foodie’. Luiz Hara hosted a supper club worthy of anyone’s gastronomy dreams. Luiz himself a former investment banker turned Cordon Bleu trained chef, food, wine and travel writer has managed to taste his way around the World and decided to host supper clubs to share his gastronomical adventures with you. We were in for a treat as Luiz decided to share with us none other than Danilo Cortellini head chef to the Italian Embassy and his 10 delectable Italian courses taken from his first recipe book ‘4 Grosvenor Square: The Menu of The Italian Embassy in London’

The evening blends the warm and welcoming surroundings of Luiz’s home with the most incredibly intricate and note-worthy cooking of Danilo’s made and prepared in the heart of the kitchen where you enjoy your meal amongst a good crowd of appreciative guests. This is really a great place to get social and take in the atmosphere of an Italian dinner party, sharing wine and sharing exchanges on the impressive menu. The evening is made all the more charming when eating the same course on a different plate to your neighbour and watching the Creuset bubbling in front of your eyes. Small touches mean a lot here and it somehow makes you appreciate your dinner even more. There is minimal fuss and a team of warm and inviting hosts and servers.

Each of the courses are taken from Danilo’s new cookbook so not only can you admire the skill and creativity of the dishes, if you’re a dab hand in the kitchen, you can also recreate them yourself. Particularly impressive and instagrammable is the delicious Pasta Multicolore made with four different coloured pastas. Intricate and beautiful, Danilo’s artistic flair is showcased well. The beauty is, Danilo has made it all the more accessible for you to give it a try by including the recipe in his book and just in case you wanted to recreate it yourself, we attached the recipe below…

The menu was well balanced with some classic Italian dishes amongst more traditional offerings such as the Baccalà served with creamed Polenta. A simple dish with maximum flavour served in an ice cream tub.

We are taken from fish to simple vegetarian dishes such as the surprisingly light Lemon Risotto to the sumptuous pièce de la resistance Veal Cheeks Pizzaiola which is made using the best passata from Imperial d’Abruzzo a real salute to Italian cuisine.

Of course no 10 course menu is complete without at least 1 dessert and lucky for us we had 2. Yoghurt mousse with caramelised apricot and pistachio crumble and of course Tiramisu. Both easy on the eye and definitely gone in 60 seconds.

The apricot dish blends textures, colours and different sensations in the mouth as well as offering a great palette cleanse after the heavier Italian flavours.

Yoghurt Mousse

Tiramisu, well what Italian supper would be complete without one. Danilo’s take on this timeless classic has the perfect balance of booze and creaminess with a subtle but welcome side of coffee ice cream to round it off nicely.

Tiramisu

All in all a unique and special evening, from the inviting host to the impeccable cooking and service.

If you want an unforgettable evening make sure you check out The London Foodie for his outstanding hospitality and supper clubs.

http://thelondonfoodie.co.uk

If you fancy dining like the ambassador himself, make sure you check out Danilo’s new book;

4 Grosvenor Square: The Menu of the Italian Embassy in London.

Available from Amazon, Waterstones, Books for Cooks, Books etc. and Wordery priced at £25

Multi-coloured Ravioli with Butter and Sage Recipe Card

British women are damaging their health with weekday diets and weekend bingeing

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fitness-get healthyBritish women could be seriously damaging their health by sticking to strict diets during the week and binging at weekends, according to health experts.

Researchers have discovered a “feast or famine” culture with the majority of young women aged 18 to 40 (80 percent) restricting their diet during the week, only to overindulge at the weekends on junk food and alcohol.

Unsurprisingly, the survey showed Monday is the day women consume the least, with as many as one in ten consuming as little as 1,000 calories on the first day of the week.

A further one in twenty stick to a dangerously low calorie intake of 500 calories a day from Monday through to Thursday.

But on a typical weekend, the majority of women (83 percent) admitted they over indulge, with one in ten consuming 3,000 calories per weekend day (average) – with a further one in twenty admitting to binging on 4,000 calories or more on a Saturday or Sunday.

In terms of alcohol consumption – the average number of drinks consumed on a typical weekend evening (3 drinks) was more than three times the amount drunk on an average week night (less than 1 drink, 0.7).

Nutritionist Karen Poole said: “For many of us the weekend is typically a time to kick back, relax, catch up with friends and enjoy a little indulgence. Sometimes though it can simply mean too much of a good thing.

“If, at the weekend, you ramp up your junk food calorie, refined carbohydrate and alcohol intake, then you are looking at a potential sugar overload and your body will have to work hard to deal with the major increase in blood glucose levels, storing any excess for the future.

“Bodies function better with a regular varied diet of lean protein, essential fat and fresh vegetables providing a rich supply of vitamins and minerals.”

The report also revealed that a weekend of excess leaves 47 percent of women feeling tired and ill-equipped to deal with the busy week ahead.

The triggers for entering into a “binge” were also revealed, including a stressful week at work (40 percent), office cakes and treats (18 percent), a Friday takeaway (24 percent) and a Saturday morning fry up or bacon sandwich (27 percent).

83 percent admitted that on the whole, they are guilty of weekend excess when it comes to food and alcohol.

A further 77 percent said they wished they were more moderate with their health habits and indulgences.

Yesterday a spokeswoman for Spatone, which commissioned the survey among 2,000 women said: ‘’The working week can be long and tiring enough but if you’re also not eating a consistently healthy and balanced diet you may find your energy levels might suffer as you’re not getting enough vitamins and minerals to maintain normal energy function.

“Allocating time for rest, healthly eating and exercise throughout the week rather than dieting at the beginning of the week and then becoming unhealthy towards the weekend, can make it much easier to maintain energy levels and reduce tiredness and fatigue.

“Those who can’t get their iron requirements from dietary sources alone could consider taking a natural food iron supplement like Spatone”.

Celebrate Chinese New Year at School of Wok

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Ken Hom with SOW Logo

Chinese New Year is just around the corner and true to Eastern traditions, it is to be celebrated with a feast of delicious cuisine. We’re delighted to announce that our friends at Jeremy Pang’s School of Wok are here to enlighten you on all the culinary delights they have to offer from February 8th when Chinese New Year begins, all the way up until The Lantern Festival on Feb 22nd. Not only will you get the chance to try all the delicious dishes, but you’ll also get a masterclass in how to prepare the dishes yourself. So celebrate The Year of The Monkey and learn some new skills with School of Wok.

Saturday 13th February, join in the school’s popular Flavours of China, for a special Chinese New Year feast. Participants of this class will be whisked around a lantern-lined Chinatown, for delicious samples from some of the longest-standing Chinese bakeries and markets, followed by a celebratory cooking class back at in the School of Wok kitchens. Create warming, mouth-watering and symbolic dishes such as Lionhead Meatballs (signifying strength and power) and classic Chilli & Garlic Clams (signifying good wealth) to feast on along side a glass of wine, once the cooking is complete. This full-day class is sure to get you into the true spirit of Chinese New Year!

Chilli and Garlic Wealthy Clams Jeremy Pang's Chinese Unchopped (Quadrille £19.99) Photography by Martin Poole

Chilli and Garlic Wealthy Clams
Jeremy Pang’s Chinese Unchopped (Quadrille £19.99) Photography by Martin Poole

On the 19th February we have a truly unique experience for you to enjoy. Join head chef and founder Jeremy Pang and Michelin starred chef Alfred Prasad for a journey into the world of Indian Chinese Cuisine; a popular micro-cuisine of India that merges Chinese dishes with Indian spices and ingredients. With very little known about this cuisine outside of India, this one-of-a-kind class is unlikely to be duplicated anywhere in London. And with two passionate chefs combining forces as well as ingredients, you can count on delicious dishes and unique cooking techniques such as Spicy Momos (Tibetan dumplings) with Red Chilli & Garlic Sauce, Indian Chinese Chilli Chicken, and more. For more information on this exciting class, click here.

Celebrity Chef Alfred Prasad

Celebrity Chef Alfred Prasad

Other classes running during Chinese New Year include;

Authentic Chinese Cooking on 10th February

Understanding the Wok on 13th February

Understanding the Wok; Lantern Festival Special on Saturday 20th February.

Some of the dishes made and eaten during these classes will include ‘Longlife’ Lobster Noodles in Ginger & Spring Onion, Crispy Gold Bucket Wontons (for good wealth), Prawn & Pine Nut Lettuce Wraps (signifying rising fortune), Blanched Greens in Roasted Garlic & Goji Berry Broth for good health, and more!

For more information on how to book your Chinese New Year class click here.

For further information on the variety of classes, supper clubs, guest chef classes or corporate events, visit the School of Wok website at www.schoolofwok.co.uk

Verdi Italian Kitchen At The Royal Albert Hall | Restaurant Review

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Rather obviously, the first thing you take in when going to Verdi is the surroundings. As gorgeous and historical buildings go, it is hard to beat the Royal Albert Hall. You really do feel like you are dining in a piece of history.

We start off by ordering Mozzarella di bufala with Coppa: Salted, seasoned, dry cured thinly cut pork shoulder from the Mozzarella Bar, where you order either mozzarella di bufala or a burrata along with a side of your choice. I have the Gamberi Con Pancetta: Grilled pancetta wrapped prawns, rosemary, chargrilled lemon.

The prawns are sizzling when they arrive and of a decent size. They are meaty and the pancetta is smoky. It is well seasoned. It is a good starter. The mozzarella is soft and creamy. It has a beautiful texture but could do with more flavour. There is too much rocket and the pork is absolutely delicious but is a little stringy.

We also ordered some bread, which we would have liked to have been a little softer. It came with some good balsamic vinegar.

We also ordered some amazing cocktails: a Aperol Spritz: Aperol, Moët & Chandon, orange bitters, which not only tasted amazing, but also a little like Irn Bru, so perfect for the Scottish amongst us and an IL Verdi: Gin, sciroppo di fiori and pressed apple juice, which was delicious and refreshing.

prawns buffalobarverdi royalalbertcocktail verdicocktail
The service was excellent throughout and the atmosphere was peaceful due to the fact we went in-between shows. For our mains we had Agnello Ripieno: Stuffed lamb breast, white beans, tomatoes, smoked pancetta, spinach, garlic, basil and a Gamberoni pizza: King prawns, asparagus, mushrooms, tomato, mozzarella. The lamb was soft and beautiful. It came in a nice sauce, the beans added texture but the stuffing was just a little bit too spicy. A good meal all in all.

For a side we had Patate Arrosto: Sea salt roast potatoes, sage, garlic. We were not overly impressed. They were okay but not roast potatoes as we expected. The pizza was superb. It had a thin and tasty dough and was just wonderful. The prawns were generous and the ingredients worked together amazingly well.

verdi stuffeflamb gameronipizza cocktailFor dessert we have Tiramisu: Mascarpone, coffee soaked sponge,cocoa, coffee liqueur and I have some Gelato because I am full and mildly allergic to coffee. You get to choose three scoops and I choose chocolate hazelnut praline, natural mint and chocolate chip and lime. The tiramisu is excellent, with a thick layer of cocoa dust and a delicious liqueur soaked base. The gelato is equally as good and the portion is generous.

dessertverdi icecream tea

I would recommend Verdi for good food in a stunning location.

 

Verdi, Door 12, Royal Albert Hall
Kensington Gore, 
London, SW7 2AP 
Tel: 020 7070 4401

You can enjoy fantastic free live music on Fridays from 8:00pm played by popular jazz artists including favourites from Ronnie Scott’s and the 606 Club. Live music will also be performed on Saturday and Sunday lunchtimes. Full list of music dates and performers.

 

 

A Nation Of Secret Chocolate Lovers…

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Montezume chocolate bar reviewPrezzybox.com surveyed 886 people from all over the UK on their chocolate eating habits. They found some fun, weird and amazing facts.

  • An Astounding 57.2% of would rather have chocolate once per rather than sex.…. 1.3% of men agreed!
  • 78.5% of workers admit stealing chocolate from the communal work fridge
  • 83.1% of women have bought chocolate as a gift for a friend – but eaten it before they could give their friend it!
  • Women in London are the least likely to share a chocolate bar 1.1% (it’s mine!)
  • Women in York are the most likely to share a bar of chocolate 11%
  • 71.7% of women eat a family sized chocolate bar on their own at least TWICE per year.
  • 13.3% of women would rather admit to sleeping with a stranger, rather than admit stealing their mates chocolate.
  • Liverpool residents eat the most chocolate in the UK per year, 14kg WOW!
  • The average UK resident munches their way through 10kg of chocolate per year
  • Men (sex sign) spend £36 per year on chocolate (this includes valentines) Tight!
  • Women (sex sign) spend £57 per year on chocolate
  •  A perfect night includes chocolate for 68.3% of women
  •  74.7% of women secretly buy and eat a chocolate bar at least once per week (diet starts tomorrow?)
  •  Men eat 41% more dark chocolate than women.
  •  Women eat 54% more white chocolate then men.

 

Top 5 Friendly Towns & cities where chocolate is shared by women.

  1. York 11%
  2. Newcastle 10.3%
  3. Huddersfield 8.7%
  4. Portsmouth 8.5%
  5. Manchester 8.4%

5 Towns & cities where chocolate is LEAST shared by women.

  1. London 1.1%
  2. Leicester 1.78%
  3. Hull 3.3%
  4. Nottingham 3.4%
  5. Leeds 4.7%

Top 5 Chocolate Eaters in the UK, average per person per year.

  1. Liverpool 14kg per year
  2. Hull 13.57kg
  3. Glasgow 13.34 Kg
  4. Sheffield 12.6 Kg
  5. Cardiff 12.01 Kg

The Great Wings Challenge London

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FRANK’S RedHot present The Ultimate Eating Competition in London!

 

Fancy a tasty challenge? With the rise of food challenges, following the success of TV programs such as Man V Food, we would all like to think we can get our teeth stuck into an eating competition! Well, FRANK’S RedHot is hosting one and asking how many Buffalo wings you can eat in five minutes? Taking place at StickyWings on Brick Lane on Sunday 13th of October, FRANK’S RedHot will be opening its doors between 1pm and 10pm to host a five minute four-person battle on the hour every hour. People will be treated to an afternoon and evening of eating, great fun and a healthy level of competitive spirit!

 

Competitions have already taken place in Bristol and Manchester where regional winners have been selected. Following the event on the 13th, two London winners will complete the four person line-up for an epic wing eating competition final which will be held on the 14th of November at 7pm at StickyWings. One person will be crowned ‘The Official FRANK’S RedHot Wings Eating Champion 2013’ and will be awarded a prize of £1500.

 

Come along and enjoy the original mouth-watering FRANK’S RedHot Buffalo wings, served exactly as they were in Anchor Bar back in ’64 in the UK’s very own Buffalo Wing Shack.

 

There is a small fee of £10 to enter so sign up at https://battleofbones.eventbrite.co.uk/ or in person at StickyWings Restaurant, 40 Brick Lane, to take part in one of the five minute London slots and be in with a chance of holding the ultimate title of FRANK’S RedHot Wings Eating Champion.