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Spring Healthy Foods: getting the most out of the season’s natural produce.

Spring Healthy Foods: getting the most out of the season’s natural produce.

by | Mar 30, 2024 | Edition 10, Featured, Food

Spring Healthy Foods: getting the most out of the season’s natural produce.

Spring Healthy Foods: getting the most out of this season’s natural produce.

By Kate Devine

Spring has (nearly) sprung and that means a change in some foods that we should eat to keep us healthy throughout this new season. When foods are in season, obviously they taste better due to being richer in vitamins and minerals, but eating seasonal foods is also more sustainable as they are relevant to your geographical area and therefore require less travel, packaging and storing, while supporting small farmers and the local economy. Growing and consuming crops seasonally not only guarantees flavourful and nutritious produce, but promotes a varied diet and allows the environment to cycle through its natural resources and seasons like it would without human intervention.

I’m pretty sure we’ve all heard of the tomato shortage that’s swept the nation recently? Or as I noticed on a news app the other day, ‘Salad crisis to hit Britain!’. WOW, no wonder we all panic bought toilet rolls in the pandemic! Well, rest assure, it’s only due to the unexpected weather conditions abroad, therefore the fruit and veg that gets imported hasn’t grown as it should. I’ve read that things will return to ‘normal’ within 6-8 weeks so no need to panic people!

Here’s a list of some of the foods, and their amazing properties, that are in season during Spring:

Apple – help balance blood sugar levels, strengthen bones, lower cholesterol and provide relief from constipation and diarrhoea
Artichoke – help balance blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol, aid the digestion of fat and has a mild laxative and diuretic
Asparagus – help strengthen the immune system, keeps blood vessels supple, removes energy-draining toxins and has a mild laxative action
Beetroot – Has a liver-cleaning action, lowers the risk of heart attack, improves blood oxygen uptake and has an anti-diabetic effect
Broccoli – promotes collagen synthesis, strengthens the immune system, promotes prostate health and protects eye health – make sure to eat the leaves as they contain the most beta-carotene
Cabbage – helps heal ulcers, supports healthy liver function, fights free-radical damage to skin
Carrots – help lower cholesterol, powerful antioxidant, aids digestion and feeling of fullness and helps maintain good eyesight
Chicory – promotes healthy digestive tract, removes toxins from the blood, natural sedative properties and has a mild diuretic action
Leeks – feed the good gut bacteria, helps lower cholesterol, powerful antibiotic action and have a gentle diuretic and laxative
Parsnip – helps lower cholesterol levels, contain anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties, boosts your immune system and aids digestion
Purple Sprouting Broccoli – contains more antioxidants than green varieties but more prone to nutrient loss when cooking
Radishes – help lower blood pressure, supports healthy liver function, treats congestion and inflammation
Rhubarb – helps strengthen bones, protects against neurological-degeneration, lowers cholesterol and helps protect eye health
Spring Onions – feed the good gut bacteria, helps lower cholesterol, powerful antibiotic action and contains immunity-boosting sulphur compounds
Watercress – contains anti-cancer substances, aids digestion, promotes clear skin

Try to include these foods in your diet as much as possible over the next few months to ensure you and your family are getting the most out of this seasons natural produce.

written BY KATE DEVINE

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Improve your Mood with your Food

by | Oct 5, 2023 | ,

October, the month of spookiness and seasonal changes. I can’t tell you how many time I’ve discussed the weather with clients over the past month. A strange sentence to begin with, I know, but bear with… There’s been a definite shift in temperature and autumnal days…

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Improve your Mood with your Food

Improve your Mood with your Food

by | Oct 5, 2023 | Balance, Food

Improve your Mood with your Food

October, the month of spookiness and seasonal changes.

I can’t tell you how many time I’ve discussed the weather with clients over the past month. A strange sentence to begin with, I know, but bear with…

There’s been a definite shift in temperature and autumnal days are getting more and more. Thankfully, these include crisp, sunny days but so far, there’s been more rainy and dull days. This is the reason why I wanted to quickly discuss something that has been cropping up a lot in my clinic recently…Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD.

SAD is a hormonal imbalance between melatonin and serotonin; due to the reduced amount of time we spend outside during the colder months. It affects approximately 2 million people just in the UK alone and is predominantly more common in women than men.

As the days begin dark and draw to a close earlier and earlier, you may find yourself feeling a bit ‘meh’ more than usual. Here’s the sciencey bit – a small gland in the brain called the pineal gland, produces more of the hormone melatonin during the winter months, which regulates glandular function and makes us feel more sleepy. Serotonin, Melatonin’s counterpart, is known as the ‘happy hormone’ and is secreted during daylight exposure. Therefore, the less daylight, the less serotonin and the more out of balance the two become.

Symptoms may include:

  • Low mood
  • Appetite increase/food cravings – when there is insufficient daylight available, the body will try and boost its serotonin levels by craving sugary, starchy carbohydrates and fatty foods
  • Low energy
  • Irritability
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Low libido
  • Depression
  • PMS-type symptoms
  • Increased desire to sleep – sleepy during the day but unable to sleep at night
  • Increased feeling of ‘feeling useless’
KATE DEVINE. IMAGE © TOM PITFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY

I always recommend to my clients to try to get outside as much as possible; for a walk/exercise, enjoy your down time by sitting reading a book outside/drinking a mug of something warm, gardening, walking your dog/cat (that’s a thing, right?). It doesn’t have to be anything too overwhelming, but getting that exposure to natural daylight will help to keep a balance between the sleepy and happy hormones!

Light therapy is another good way of balancing those hormones for those times when you can’t get outside. A light therapy box or lamp mimics outdoor light. It is composed of fluorescent lights on a metal reflective base with a plastic screen on top to diffuse the light and filter out harmful UV rays. All you have to do is sit in front of it, close enough so that your eyes and skin can absorb the light (follow the manufacturers instructions as they all differ slightly). The machine gives off a bright light that simulates outdoor sunshine, therefore boosting serotonin, melatonin and vitamin D, as well as other beneficial effects. You can find them at www.lumie.com or Amazon but make sure it has no less than 10,000 lux.

Supplementation of Vitamin D (especially D3) is a must as well, for the same reason as above – lack of sunlight exposure on the skin. Vitamin D is responsible for the absorption of calcium and phosphorus; both are critical for building bone and maintaining teeth and muscle health. It can also help reduce cancer cell growth, help control infections and reduce inflammation. It is naturally present in only a few foods like the flesh of fatty fish and in smaller amounts in egg yolk and beef liver; but added to some foods like fortified cereals, orange juice, dairy & non-dairy milks.

I would recommend to supplement during the months of October to March as these are the months we are likely to spend less time outdoors. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin D supplementation for adults is between 800IU-1000IU per day and babies and children between 400IU-600IU per day, with the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for adults and children age 9 and over is 4000IU per day.

Avoiding/reducing intake of certain foods and drinks can help alleviate SAD symptoms, such as:

  • Caffeine – coffee, black tea, fizzy drinks/energy drinks
  • Sugary and starchy carbohydrates – chocolate/sweets/processed foods
  • Alcohol – it lowers brain levels of serotonin (happy hormone) so reduce and limit

Friendly foods to incorporate into your daily diet to help alleviate SAD symptoms would be:

  • Serotonin-boosting foods – poultry (chicken/turkey,) cottage cheese, eggs, spinach, soy, bananas
  • Omega 3 brain-boosting foods – oily fish (salmon/sardines), nuts, seeds, avocado
  • Fibre-rich foods – beans (canellini/kidney), lentils, broccoli, sweet potatoes, bright colour fruits and vegetables
  • B Vitamin foods – liver, poultry, seafood, dairy products (milk, cheese), leafy greens, eggs, legumes (beans/peas/lentils/chickpeas)
written BY KATE DEVINE

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Sarah Jayne Dunn & Jon Smith: On Creating more time with your family outdoors

by | Feb 9, 2024 | , , ,

It can be hard to find balance in life when we are so busy with all the other things that we have to juggle. One thing that has stood out since starting BROOD, is just how many of us are constantly looking for more ways to try switch off and spend quality time as a family. It’s also clear that we all want to incorporate ways to exercise into our weekly routine and encourage our kids to be active and outdoors too, but it can be hard to fit it in when there is only so many hours in the day! So, with a new sport activity sweeping exciting across the UK – Padel – we just had to find out what all the hype was all about, and to see if it was an activity that would fit into family life.

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BLUEBERRY DUMP CAKE & FIZZY FESTIVE FRUIT COCKTAIL CUBES BY KATE DEVINE

BLUEBERRY DUMP CAKE & FIZZY FESTIVE FRUIT COCKTAIL CUBES BY KATE DEVINE

by | Oct 1, 2023 | Christmas, Edition 8, Food

BLUEBERRY DUMP CAKE & FIZZY FESTIVE FRUIT COCKTAIL CUBES BY KATE DEVINE

I love everything about this time of year. The preparing, the celebrating, the socialising, the woolly jumpers, the cosy nights in watching ‘I’m a celebrity’ religiously for 3 whole weeks! What’s not to love?! Talking of preparing, this the week I’ve been thinking of wholesome, family foods to share with you all to enjoy throughout the festive season. Instead of a main meal, I’m thinking more about a warm, hearty dessert filled with sweet fruits with a crunchy, crumbly texture which is perfect to share with friends and family during the festive season. Introducing the Blueberry Dump Cake. Not the most enticing name for a dessert, I know, but it’s an original American recipe which comes from the concept of this cake – dump and bake! Quite literally you ‘dump’ the ingredients into a baking dish and bake. It’s as simple as that! I use the term ‘cake’ loosely, it’s more of a crumble or cobbler to me but let’s roll with it! It’s pretty simple and take around 40mins to make and bake so you’ll be done in the kitchen in no time.

 

Here’s the recipe, give it a try, you won’t be disappointed!

 

BLUEBERRY DUMP CAKE – Serves 8

 

You will need:

 

  • A medium sized oven proof dish
  • A mixing bowl

 

Ingredients:

 

  • 3 cups of frozen blueberries – you can use fresh, just reduce the cooking time by 5-10mins
  • 1/2 cup of sugar free sweetener
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp Xanthan gum
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1/4 cup almond flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup melted butter/coconut oil
  • Handful pecan nuts – crushed (optional)

 

Method:

 

  • Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees C or 375 degrees F
  • Place the blueberries, sweetener, lemon juice, xanthan gum in a bowl and mix well, coating all the blueberries
  • Once mixed, empty the blueberries into the ovenproof dish
  • In a clean mixing bowl, add the coconut flour, almond flour, baking powder, egg, cinnamon and salt and mix together
  • Layer the mixture over the blueberries
  • Drizzle the melted butter/coconut oil evenly over the top of the mixture
  • Sprinkle the crushed pecan nuts over the top if using
  • Place in the oven for approximately 30 mins or until the top is golden brown
  • Enjoy with piping hot custard or a scoop of your favourite ice cream.
Festive Fizzy Ice Cubes

Something else we all enjoy during December is raising a glass with friends and family, below you will find my ‘fizzy fruit cocktail cubes’ recipe which are perfect for both the adults and the children to enjoy!

 

FIZZY FESTIVE FRUIT COCKTAIL CUBES

 

You will need:

 

  • Ice cube trays – one regular square shaped tray and one star shaped tray if possible
  • Clear tumbler glasses – to get the full effect of the colourful fruit

 

Ingredients:

 

  • Fizzy water/lemonade/champagne
  • Blueberries
  • Raspberries
  • Cranberry juice

 

Method:

 

  • Prepare the fruit ice the night before you plan on making these drinks – start by filling the star tray with the blueberries and raspberries and fill each mould with regular water and place in the freezer
  • Do the same with the cranberry juice in the square shaped ice tray and place in the freezer
  • Once frozen, place the cranberry cube(s) in the glasses first, then a fruit star, then the sparkling water/champagne to get the nice colour gradient in the glass
  • Be careful not to get the fizzy water drinks mixed up with the champagne drinks!
  • Raise your glass and enjoy!

 

And as usual, don’t forget to share your creations with us @broodmagazine and @thedevinelife and feel free to drop us a DM with anything you might want help with or any nutrition related questions you might have. I’m more than happy to help!

written BY KATE DEVINE

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Improve your Mood with your Food

by | Oct 5, 2023 | ,

October, the month of spookiness and seasonal changes. I can’t tell you how many time I’ve discussed the weather with clients over the past month. A strange sentence to begin with, I know, but bear with… There’s been a definite shift in temperature and autumnal days…

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KATE DEVINE’S: Pink NO BAKE RASPBERRY & CHOCOLATE ENERGY BARS

KATE DEVINE’S: Pink NO BAKE RASPBERRY & CHOCOLATE ENERGY BARS

by | Jul 22, 2023 | Edition 6, Food

KATE DEVINE’S: Pink NO BAKE RASPBERRY & CHOCOLATE ENERGY BARS

BARBIE MOVIE HEALTHY SNACKS

With the New Barbie Movie turning all things Pink. We thought it would be a good way to reintroduce Kate Devine’s No Bake Pink Healthy Energy Bars to make with your little ones over the summer hols.

*********

Updated: July 2023

I’m sure many of you are juggling work, summer holidays, life in general by now. Uniform shopping, queuing in school shoe shops and spending too many hours searching for just the right pens, pencils and protractors for your cherubs new, squeaky clean pencil case! I do have to laugh though, I mean, it’s as if my kids were last at school a year ago and absolutely nothing will fit them and I must absolutely buy them everything new or else…..what?! They’ll just wear the uniform they wore 8 weeks ago which pretty much still fits them! The sheer panic when trawling the shops is funny really.

Anyway, onto food talk….more specifically, packed lunches. Trying to find healthy foods that our kids will eat when left to their own devices in the dinner hall is near impossible. They’ll always pick the tastiest options or just not eat what we put in their lunchboxes and go hungry. Neither is ideal. So, I find building their lunchboxes with them the most effective way to get them to eat well. Okay, so let’s be realistic here as well….you’ve been working late or done a million after school clubs and just about manage to feed your kid(s) dinner and get them in bed at a decent hour, then you realise you’ve got to do their lunchboxes! You’re not going to wake them and get them to join you in the slightly tedious process of creating a nutritious yet tasty lunch for the following day. BUT, you can perhaps spend some time over the weekend/evenings chatting and swapping ideas of what they might like to have for the coming weeks lunches. And if you are organised one night, before bed, ask them if they want to help you make their lunch for the next day and that you want to make sure they’re going to enjoy and want everything you put in there. Also, don’t forget they can take leftover dinners such as pasta or rice dishes, which they can eat cold or pittas, wraps or bagels. It doesn’t have to just be soggy sandwiches, crisps and chocolate bars!

One of the main things I would recommend to incorporate into their lunches is variety. Try to add different texture foods – sweet, salty, crunchy and soft, like pretzels, raisins, grapes, tortilla chips, chocolate rice crackers and nuts (be aware of allergies of course, or anyone in their class or who they sit with that may have nut allergies!). I also find putting their food into individual containers, not only keeps it fresher for longer but you can get really cute little jars and pots for their snacks that they will love as it’s something to show their friends and makes their food more interesting. I get mine from Amazon, they’ve got a huge variety that your kids can get involved in choosing with you.

I also find that when I pick mine up from school, they are STARVING – and must eat right now or else they’re going to collapse from the hunger! So dramatic. So I’ve been experimenting with healthy energy bars to take at pick up so they can survive the journey home and not collapse along the way! The most popular ones are the Raspberry and Chocolate ones, they are no cook and quick to make with minimal fuss. You can also cut into smaller portions and use in their lunchboxes to help avoid that afternoon sugar dip and keep them alert and brainy! Here’s the recipe for you to try…

No Bake Raspberry & Chocolate Energy Bars

You will need:

  • Rectangular baking tin – like a bread tin (9inch x 5inch approx)
  • Parchment paper
  • Food processor
  • Spatula

Ingredients:

Base – 

  • 1 cup almonds
  • 1 cup cashew nuts
  • 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
  • 2 tbsp Maca powder
  • 2 tbsp cacao powder
  • 1 cup dates
  • 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter
  • 1-3 tbsp almond milk

Top – 

  • 2 cups frozen raspberries
  • 2 tbsp acai powder
  • 1-2 tbsp rice malt syrup/maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp melted coconut oil
  • 3/4 cup desiccated coconut
  • 1/4 cup chia seeds
  • 1 tbsp smooth peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup cashew nuts
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Optional – 1 cup dark/milk chocolate for the top – melt in a saucepan and use a folk to drizzle over the top before freezing

Method:

  • Line the baking tray with parchment paper
  • Place all base ingredients – accept almond milk – in the food processor and blend until fine and crumbly – if mixture is too dry and doesn’t bind when pushed down, add a small amount of almond milk until sticky
  • Using the spatula push the base down firmly and place in the freezer while you prepare the top layer
  • Place all topping ingredients into the food processor and blend until smooth – the mixture will still be fairly thick due to the frozen berries
  • Remove the base from the freezer and place the mixture on top of the base and push down with the spatula until firm
  • Add the chocolate drizzle at this point if using
  • Place in the freezer for half an hour and once set, cut into bars or squares if using for lunch box snacks
  • For storage – keep in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month and remove a piece at a time prior to eating to allow it to thaw.

    NO BAKE RASPBERRY & CHOCOLATE ENERGY BARS
    NO BAKE RASPBERRY & CHOCOLATE ENERGY BARS
    written BY KATE DEVINE

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    Improve your Mood with your Food

    by | Oct 5, 2023 | ,

    October, the month of spookiness and seasonal changes. I can’t tell you how many time I’ve discussed the weather with clients over the past month. A strange sentence to begin with, I know, but bear with… There’s been a definite shift in temperature and autumnal days…

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    KATE DEVINE’S FRO-YO BERRY CUPCAKES AND CORONATION DESSERT FRUIT KEBABS

    KATE DEVINE’S FRO-YO BERRY CUPCAKES AND CORONATION DESSERT FRUIT KEBABS

    by | May 4, 2023 | Edition 10, Food

    KATE DEVINE’S FROYO BERRY CUPCAKES AND CORONATION DESSERT FRUIT KEBABS

    As I walked my kids to school this morning, I noticed many streets and houses decorated with buntings, balloons and the Union Jack Flag in preparation for the King’s Coronation. I love seeing the nation celebrate together; whether it’s a street party, house party or an entire school or community celebration! The idea of people coming together to witness and celebrate history and not the devastation of natural disasters or wars, makes for a very welcome and peaceful change.

    And, it just wouldn’t be an English tradition if afternoon tea, shortbread biscuits and cucumber sandwiches weren’t served, but I thought we could make it colour themed as well as traditional with some super easy and super tasty red, white and blue sweet treats for you to enjoy while watching King Charles’ Coronation (or not, if you’re not a big royalist – these healthy treats go just was well with a Netflix series or as something to do with your family!).

    FROYO BERRY CUPCAKES – makes 6 – double ingredients to make 12

    You will need:

    • 6/12 cupcake muffin tray
    • Silicone cupcake liners – if you read my last article, we made egg/oat breakfast muffins so you can re-use or may have leftover parchment cupcake liners from that recipe
    • Measuring cups
    • A small & medium bowl for mixing

    Ingredients:

    • 1/4 cup ground almonds
    • 2 tablespoon coconut sugar
    • 2 tablespoon melted coconut oil
    • 3/4 cup plain Greek yoghurt
    • 2 tablespoons of honey/maple syrup
    • 5 cups of mixed berries – strawberries (chopped), raspberries and blueberries

    Method:

    • Line the muffin tray with either the silicone or parchments cupcake liners
    • In a small bowl, stir together the ground almonds, coconut sugar and coconut oil and spoon a little into each muffin cup to cover the bottom
    • In a medium bowl, mix together the yoghurt and honey/maple syrup and spoon 2 tablespoons in each muffin cup making sure to totally cover the ground almonds at the bottom
    • Equally divide the berries into each muffin cup – chop a little if necessary
    • Place in the freezer until firm – around 6 hours
    • When ready to serve, remove from the freezer and and allow to set at room temperature for 8-10 minutes removing the muffin cups when defrosted a little
    • Enjoy immediately!

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    If you want to make something but haven’t got the time or just literally can’t be bothered, these fruit kebabs are the easiest and quickest Coronation chuck together and the kids will love getting involved too!

    CORONATION DESSERT FRUIT KEBABS – make as many as you want!

    You will need:

    • Wooden kebab sticks

    Ingredients:

    • Strawberries (remove the green leaves) – Can use leftover berries from above recipe!
    • Blueberries
    • Raspberries
    • Large white marshmallows

    Method:

    • Slide the fruit onto each kebab stick in a red, white and blue fruit order – alternating the strawberries and raspberries
    • Enjoy immediately or store in the fridge until ready to serve!

    Or, if you want to look like you’ve put tonnes of effort into your contribution to the street party (but really haven’t!), you can go for this Coronation Flag Dessert Board….

    Coronation Flag Dessert Board

    You will need:

    • A clean chopping or cheese board – depending on the size of the party!

    Ingredients:

    • Plain Greek yoghurt – enough to spread on the entire dessert board
    • Large white marshmallows, halved lengthways – as above recipe – can use leftovers
    • 300-400g Strawberries – green leaves removed – cut flat on top
    • 300-400g Blueberries
    • 250g Raspberries

    Method:

    • Spread a thick layer of the Greek yoghurt to the dessert board – as if you were spreading butter on bread – leave a small border around the edges
    • Using the strawberries, place them top side down so the wider part is in the yoghurt and the thinner part sticks up, to make the main cross of the flag – the yoghurt should help them stay in place
    • Using the raspberries, continue building the internal cross part of the flag in the same way as the strawberries
    • Then use the blueberries to fill in the four corners of the flag, making sure to leave space in-between the shape of the fruit in order to see the white of the yoghurt
    • Add the halved marshmallows along the white of the flag or where desired
    • Place in the fridge for a minimum of an hour or until ready to eat
    • Enjoy and bask in the glory of all your hard work (not) to make this magnificent masterpiece!

    Now, I hear you ask – why the obsession with berries all of a sudden?! Well, that will be because they are coming into season very soon, which means they can be sourced locally and sustainably and taste absolutely amazing! Also, they have so many health benefits, it would be rude for me to not make you aware of these….

    • Beautiful Blueberries – they are an excellent source of flavonoids (antioxidants), especially anthocyanidins. These antioxidants compounds are responsible for their blue, red and purple pigments. They are also a very good source of vitamin C, vitamin E, insoluble and soluble fibre. manganese and riboflavin (vit B2).
    • Quick Fact – Due to their high levels of antioxidants, blueberries can help protect the brain from oxidative stress and may reduce the effects of age-related conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease.

     

    • Radiant Raspberries – are an excellent source of fibre, manganese, vitamin C, flavonoids (as blueberries), and ellagic acid which is a cancer fighting compound. Raspberries are also a very good source of B vitamins, such as, B2, folic acid, niacin, pantothenic acid and vitamin B6.
    • Quick Fact – While the post common type of raspberry is red-pink in colour, they actually come in a range of colours including black, purple, orange, yellow and white.
    • Scrumptious Strawberries – The most popular type of berry in the world! Strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin C, K, dietary fibre and flavonoids. They are also a very good source of manganese, pantothenic acid, vitamin B1, folic acid, biotin, iodine and vitamin B6.
    • Quick Fact – Their unique flavonoid (antioxidant) content makes them a valuable protector against inflammation, heart disease and cancer.

    I wish you all a wonderful, and hopefully sunny, May and makes sure to enjoy the many bank holiday weekends coming our way! Oh, and don’t forget to tag myself @katedevinenutript and @broodmagazine should you make any of my recipes! Thank you!

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