Balloon Girl by Belle Amatt

June 14, 2016 Belle Amatt

Spot the difference between these images. The image below fits our expectations as ‘heroine of our novel’. She floats so effortlessly with her fragile frame, her tiny arm gripping so tightly to the balloons. There is something so delicate and vulnerable about the Balloon Girl in this print.

But she is not our heroine, for Sylvie is an over-weight child who is intrigued and tormented by the print which hangs on the wall in her room. She wishes that she could float away so boundless and free.

Sunny Sweetcorn Summer Yum

June 12, 2016 Belle Amatt

Pre-schoolers and young schoolers can be tricky to feed at times; maintaining that five a day may require a certain level of creativity.

Whilst reading the brilliant Blue Zones newsletter I came across some research which backs up my theory that it’s all about how you sell the concept of vegetable eating which gets the veggies where they need to be.

Beetiful Dip recipe and Health Benefits

May 18, 2016 Belle Amatt

Using beetroot in cooking adds a fabulous anti-oxidant hit as well as being visually stimulating. There are lots of reported benefits especially in the area of heart health. Reportedly, it is the high nitrate levels which offer such cardiovascular support and may offer a low cost and effective way to reduce high blood pressure.

As I’m currently researching a lecture on ageing, I am also interested in dementia and how this condition may be benefitted by the use of super-foods.

Cheesy Doritos dipped in Soup - not always seeing eye to eye on kid's nutrition

May 6, 2016 Belle Amatt

Last week, when one of my kid’s was looking peaky, I put together a wholesome tomato soup. Using plentiful onions and garlic, peppers of all colours, the sneaky courgette which she hates and a wealth of juicy tomatoes the end result was brimming over with anti-oxidants. The red split lentils were cooked well for the best level of camouflage and herbs were snipped into fragments.

To make it further appealing, I cut up fat wedges of her favourite bread and produced some garlicky croutons to go with. But not too many as, of course, the bread is the first thing to go at the detriment of soup eating.

So we were enjoying our soup, engaged in some hearty family conversation, when the croutons run out. A grown up member of the family reached into the pantry to grab half a bag of cheesy Doritos which had been stealthily stashed behind the bread-bin. The contraband is then passed around the table for dipping purposes.

Cacao with a hint of Chilli Granola - How to...

May 4, 2016 Belle Amatt

I loved the whole process of making this and the flexibility to adapt to your own taste entirely. Kam Alive cacao powder which we discovered when perusing a market in St. Albans gives a delightful little kick and may be the factor which gets the kids involved in the creative process. I added a hint of chilli after watching that 2000 classic film 'Chocolat' at the weekend in which the combination of cacao and chilli have wondrous effects on a sleepy French town!

Mindful but in a Hurry Herby Quinoa Salad

May 3, 2016 Belle Amatt

We all know that quinoa is fabulous. This is not ground breaking news. Quinoa is naturally gluten-free and contains a great range of nutrients including iron, B-vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, vitamin E and fibre.

It is one of only a few plant foods that are considered a complete protein. So it’s a brilliant food for vegetarians who would like to up their protein intake in the absence of meat.

But let’s also get to grips with how easy it is to chuck together.

It's the Tail End of IBS Month

April 29, 2016 Belle Amatt

According the NHS statistics, there are around 6 million people suffering with IBS in the UK. This figure of course only represents the people who have sought help from their GP therefore the overall figure will be way beyond.

Respect for each other, Food and Love

April 29, 2016 Belle Amatt

“Families who eat together stay together”. I have come across this saying frequently over the last few years. Certainly from experience of working with families in my mission to implant or reignite a love of food, those who eat together on a regular basis tend to have more exploratory little eaters.

Super Food Pesto

April 28, 2016 Belle Amatt

We learnt during my lecture at the weekend that the humble coriander plant can be considered a ‘superfood’ alongside all the more fashionable options such as Goji berries and cacao.

Brain Freeze Smoothie

April 26, 2016 Belle Amatt

It’s Wednesday, 2.30 pm and I have writer’s block. I’m craving a caffeine shot but need some thinking power that is going to last the distance. Scanning the pantry I’m thinking through brain foods so grab a packet of walnuts, some quick fix date syrup, almond milk and a beautifully ripe avocado. There’s a frozen banana in the fridge (be prepared…Girl Scout lessons remain invaluable decades on).

The Queen and the Little Prince

April 22, 2016 Belle Amatt

Few song lyrics affected my adolescence (a phase I’m still hanging on to) as much as Prince’s 1999 line “Everybody’s got a bomb / We could all die any day / But before I’ll let that happen / I’ll dance my life away.” This, as a teen, I took extremely seriously and by the late 1990’s had certainly done my fair share of dancing.

How does Prince’s untimely death make us feel in terms of our quest for longevity? Is it telling that a rock-star dies so young on the same day that the Queen celebrates her 90th birthday?

Red Wine, A Super Food or are we Fooling Ourselves?

April 19, 2016 Belle Amatt

Whilst researching super-foods this week for a lengthy lecture at CNM I see that red wine does not feature on the slides. It is too controversial a topic for sure for generic super-food training.

Advising that red wine could act as a protective dietary factor for one person could be beneficial however, for another it is a green light to get sloshed on a daily basis. There are so many great anti-oxidant alternatives to wine – do we really need it?

Go Nuts

April 18, 2016 Belle Amatt

I do believe that a small handful of unsalted nuts every day is a great addition to a wholesome diet. Packed with protein, fibre and essential fats, if used correctly nuts can be hugely beneficial. In moderation they make a great snack, especially as a replacement to crisps or other processed items.

Occasional Pasta Sauce

April 15, 2016 Belle Amatt

So, it appears from today’s news that Mars Food who make a variety of household favourites, such as Dolmio and Uncle Bens, have declared some of their products to be only for ‘occasional’ use. Whoops. Big news for quick-fix pasta lovers as Dolmio's lasagna, pesto and carbonara sauces are all on the warning list- along with Uncle Ben's popular oriental sauces.

The pasta sauce I’m sure is a staple store cupboard essential used on a regular basis as a hasty and easy dinner on top of spaghetti.

A poignant moment to whizz up your own low or no sugar version in a huge batch and store portions in the freezer for practicalities. Try it. It really is so simple and can certainly be eaten more than occasionally!

This is my favourite recipe rich in anti-oxidants, especially lycopene (in the sun-dried tomatoes) which has been well researched in the prevention of some cancers.

70 g pine nuts

2 roasted red peppers

4 sundried tomatoes

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Pinch of garlic powder

How to:

Whizz up all the ingredients, blend further by adding enough olive oil to create the perfect consistency, or for a looser, lower fat sauce use the juice from a can of tomatoes, adding to the mix until as smooth as you need.

Delicious on pasta, as a pizza topping or on courgetti.

A Quick Vegetarian Mushroom and Chestnut Pate

April 14, 2016 Belle Amatt

Scanning the larder for bits to use up, I came across Merchant Gourmet Whole Chestnuts ‘cooked, peeled and ready to use.’

I happened to have some closed cup mushrooms to hand so whizzed up this very tasty veggie pate.

How to:

Saute 3 plump cloves of garlic in olive oil, add 6-8 sliced medium sized closed cup mushrooms, the tiniest pinch of sea-salt and a grind of pepper. I also threw in a twiglet of thyme (the plant is just starting to produce some fresh Spring sprigs).

Whizz this up in the mini-chopper with the whole 200g pack of chestnuts (less the few you may pop into your mouth whilst the mushrooms are cooking – my Mindful Eating cleanse is approaching!)

Snip in a few leaves of Italian parsley and a tablespoon of olive oil. So good served on toast or made into a wrap for tiny vegetarian lunch boxes.

Tapas 20 Years on

April 12, 2016 Belle Amatt

My daughter's version of the brotherhood parade!

Easter in Seville has to be experienced. It is almost 20 years since I was last there but this city is still entrenched in tradition, the locals full of pride and the tapas rather wonderful. But it’s wise to go there with some knowledge on how and what to eat as the temptation to steer away from that healthy living you may have nailed prior to going on holiday is huge. Churros lurk around every corner and the patisseries are mind-blowing.

Sweet News

March 19, 2016 Belle Amatt

David Kracht / photo on flickr — David Kracht / photo on flickr

The government is imposing a levy on soft drinks but will this make a difference to the current obesity crisis in the UK?