Three Special Places to Eat in Bristol

Since I turned 40 I've been mentally compiling a bucket list of sorts. In amongst the stuff that defies budgetary concerns (I won't be taking off on that Ibizan yoga retreat or hiring a vintage Fiat 500 and navigating my way around Tuscany anytime soon) there are some rather more attainable things to strive towards - not big, life-changing goals, but realistic things I've always wanted to do but haven't quite got round to; learning to surf, partaking in some wine tasting, dining in a Michelin-starred restaurant...you get the picture.

So you can imagine my delight when I came across a Groupon offer for Casamia Restaurant in Westbury on Trym, owner of one Michelin Star and widely regarded as one of the best - if not the best - places to eat in Bristol. Since visiting on an offer back in the winter (it was my Christmas present to myself) I've been back again, also on a Groupon offer, and absolutely recommend this method as a way to sample award-winning, experimental cuisine for a fraction of the usual price.

Our return trip to Casamia this week got me thinking about the other really special places I've eaten in Bristol; restaurants that exceed expectation and have that certain something that elevates them beyond other places in the city. Here are my favourites...

Casamia

Well, of course. Hidden away in the middle of the affable but unassuming suburb of Westbury, Casamia might have a Michelin star, but it's not in the least bit snooty or discomforting. If you're lucky enough to spot a Groupon offer like we did (let's hope there will be another one coming soon...) you'll be able to sample its award-winning cuisine for a fraction of the normal price. Our offer included a 5-course set lunch menu for £76 for two (not including drinks) which, while not super cheap, is a relatively affordable way of doing the Michelin thing. And the food is truly outstanding. I had previously been a bit sceptical about the use of things like liquid nitrogen in cooking and have always preferred Jamie Oliver over Heston Blumenthal, but Casamia did a very good job of converting me to the merits of rehydrating things and scattering dishes with leaves and flowers. And it is just a bit exciting to have your dessert arrive in an undulating cloud of fog.

I won't go into too much detail about the dishes we ate and the complicated processes involved in their creation - there are numerous blogs and reviews out their extolling the virtues of Casamia. But suffice to say everything we ate was amazing and delicious. Even the butter is on another level (freshly churned Jersey cow stuff) You'll eat the kind of food here you won't eat anywhere else in Bristol, served with a theatricality that makes it a real treat if you usually find yourself beholden to the restaurant choices of little people. In short, this place makes a great change from Pizza Express, and if you have a special occasion coming up soon, I can't think of a better place for your celebratory meal.

Find out more about Casamia

Wilks

What a genteel place Wilks is. If you're after sublime modern cooking in a friendly but formal setting, this is the place to enjoy it. The service here is amongst the best I've experienced in Bristol, or indeed anywhere, and the cooking is outstanding. Oh, and yes, it's also got a Michelin star. Visiting at lunchtime for the set menu makes eating here much more friendly on the wallet - the weekday lunch menu is £19 for two courses, £23 for three. 

I ate perhaps the best piece of fish I've ever had here, as well as an exquisite risotto that rendered both me and the other half speechless. What I really liked was the unobtrusive service - no "how is everything, guys?" every two minutes - allowing us to quietly chat and get on with enjoying our meal without constant interruptions. That we liked very much...

Find out more about Wilks

The Ethicurean

A mythical sounding place, located in a similarly fairytale-esque setting...this place had me at 'walled garden', to be honest. Situated just past Bristol Airport in the village of Wrington, the Ethicurean is truly magical. The restaurant occupies a conservatory-type building, with windows looking out across the kitchen garden and surrounding rolling hills. It's a breathtaking setting in which to enjoy your dinner.

Our visit seems like a long time ago now (last summer) but the memory of our evening there hasn't faded, perhaps because the whole experience made us feel like we'd been transported to a corner of southern France for the evening - not a feeling you often get when dining out in Bristol. Aside from its beautiful location, the food at The Ethicurean is pretty special too. Completely seasonal, locally sourced and ethical, it's no wonder everything we sampled was delicious. The cocktails are pretty amazing too - you might want to think about booking a taxi to take you back home...

Find out more about The Ethicurean

(images courtesy of the Bristol Post and Guardian)

Summer in Denim

Typing to the sound of a gale force wind and lashing rain, it seems a bit previous to be talking about summer fashion. But despite pulling out the comfy knits again and realising that it's not quite sandal weather yet, I think it's okay to indulge a little in the idea that sometime soon we'll be basking in sunshine again.

However, said sunshine will, for the most part, be BRITISH sunshine, which always calls for something a bit heavier than a slip of cotton or spaghetti strap dress; and in my particular case, the mercury really does have to spike before I'll shed my jeans and long sleeves. That's why I love denim so much - it has that extra bit of weight and warmth that makes it perfect for dealing with the caprices of a British summer. It's all well and good having a wardrobe full of barely there dresses and tops for your two weeks of foreign sun, but for the most part, summers at home call for something with a bit more substance.

In a bid to distract myself from the thoroughly un-summery winds currently assailing the UK, I took a little wander along the virtual high street to see what's new in the denim world. Here's what I found...

& Other Stories Denim Skirt

Raw hem, right side of faded, pencil cut - a nice update of the classic denim skirt, don't you think? And priced at a very reasonable £39. 

Madewell Jeans

Not widely available in the UK, Madewell is a bit like an upmarket Gap, selling lots of cute denim pieces, albeit at quite expensive price points. These jeans are on sale via American department store Nordstrom, at the reduced price of £55.78 instead of £96 - quite a saving. I've been coveting some patched jeans for a while but hadn't found the 'right' kind of patch until stumbling upon these beauties.

Zara Espadrilles

Erm, what's not to love about an espadrille. Made from DENIM. Just take my £29.99...

Zara Embroidered Dress

Granted, this one's perhaps more Marrakesh that Minehead, but it would be cynical not to buy just one new summer dress - and this one benefits from the addition of long sleeves to counteract chilly UK weather. £45.99

Topshop Black Denim Dress

I find some denim dresses a little cutesy but this one has a bit of an edge. Unfortunately only available in size 4 online right now...£35

Mango Denim Oversized Shirt

A cute alternative to the standard t-shirt 'n' jeans combo - this lighter wash shirt works the double denim look and it has a nicely utilitarian feel to it. £34.99

Zara Dungaree Dress

Oh, to be the right side of 40 to pull this one off...I am still undecided as to whether I would personally feel comfortable strolling around in the sort of garment I last wore age 7, but if I was in the market for tapping into the dungaree trend (and was perhaps a few years younger), this is how I'd do it. £29.99

Bank Holiday Beaches

A long weekend is upon us and with the weather hopefully fixed to stable (let's perhaps be realistic and not hold out too much hope for wall-to-wall sun on a bank holiday Monday) your thoughts may be turning to places to go to make the most of your precious leisure time.  For desk-bound adults and school-weary kids, there's nothing like a dose of fresh sea air to get some colour in those cheeks and let off some pent-up energy. But the one thing you perhaps don't want to be doing is joining a choked-up motorway or meandering along an endless B road - not a good start to a family day out. 

Thankfully there are some rather nice beaches within a 2 hour drive of Bristol which can realistically be attempted within a day - here are three places you might like to consider...

Southerndown, South Wales

About an hour and half from Bristol, to the south west of Bridgend, Southerndown is a gorgeous spot, utterly unspoilt and devoid of tacky commercialisation. Its sweeping sandy bay is dotted with rock pools, perfect for exploring with fishing nets and buckets (don't worry if your forget yours - the little beach shack sells these, as well as other beach toys, teas, snacks and ice creams.) With plenty of space to stretch out on, it's a perfect spot for setting up a deckchair and windbreak and simply admiring the dramatic coastal scenery, or playing a game of Frisbee, cricket or footy.  Sheltered by lofty cliff faces, Southerndown's inspiring scenery has been used as a backdrop for a variety of TV programmes, including Dr Who and Merlin.

If you're feeling energetic, you may like to combine sunbathing with a walk along the coastal path, offering spectacular views across the Bristol Channel. But do be careful with little ones and dogs in tow who you'll need to keep well away from those plunging cliff edges. Also be aware that the beach is completely inaccessible at high tide, so be sure to check tide times before you leave home.

Find out more about Southerdown here.

Beer, East Devon

Tranquil, pretty Beer offers a slice of Devonian charm without too painful a slog down the M5. Backed by glittering white chalk cliffs, the beach here is sheltered and sunny, with clear waters perfect for paddling in. Beer is a 'working' beach, and its picturesque setting is enhanced with clusters of colourful fishing boats lining the shore. If you're lucky you may stumble upon the day's catch being unloaded. You can even take to the water yourself, on organised mackerel fishing trips, which run from May to October. 

For something a little more sedate, take part in a stone skimming competition (the beach is pebbly so there are plenty of skimmers to be had) or take in the views from the beach-side cafe, a real sun-trap where you can enjoy fresh crab sandwiches, ice cream or the quintessential Devon cream tea. If you fancy a wander to work up an appetite for lunch, head into Beer's pretty village centre where you'll find a couple of pubs and fish and chip shops. 

Find out more about Beer here.

Lyme Regis, Dorset

Our go-to place for reliable beachside fun. The right side of bustling (though it can get crowded in the summer), Lyme Regis makes just a small concession to seaside tackiness (in the amusement arcade on the promenade) and has buckets of charm. Lined with pastel-coloured beach huts, there's an expanse of pebble beach and a smaller sandy beach too choose from, with safe, shallow waters and an iconic harbour, the 'Cobb', which became famous after providing the atmospheric backdrop to the film adaptation of John Fowles' novel 'The French Lieutenant's Woman'.

Meander along the promenade to find plenty of places for an ice-cream or a pot of tea and slice of cake - there's a particularly cute cafe (the name escapes me) set up with pink chairs and umbrellas where you can enjoy a great cup of tea, homemade cakes and artisan ice cream. You'll find an interesting antique shop on the promenade, too, packed to the rafters with retro curios and bric a brac - a great place for a rifle. Head into town and there are more interesting shops and cafes to explore - we like the Town Mill Bakery, an organic cafe and bakery where you can feast on artisan breads, delicious cakes or enjoy a traditional Dorset cream tea. For something a little more chi-chi, esteemed chef Mark Hix has an outpost here at the Hix Oyster and Fish House, smart restaurant overlooking the harbour.

There always seems to be something happening at Lyme Regis. On our most recent visit here was a bath tub race going on and on previous visits we've seen air displays and lifeboat launches - exciting viewing to keep kids entertained without spending a penny.

Hope in a Tube

Skin looking a bit sorry for itself after the rigours of winter? Then you might just like to invest in what I reckon is a bit of wonder product for restoring some luminosity to the old boat race. Now, before I start extolling its virtues, the product in question is NOT budget. But what price decent skin? As someone with skin that can be difficult and reactive to even the slightest hormonal, lifestyle and environmental changes, I tend to put skincare quite high up on my list of priorities. I would never spend hundreds, and have had precisely one facial in my life (I didn't enjoy it all - I'd rather have a stress-releasing massage than have my skin prodded and appraised under unpleasantly harsh lighting) but when I find a pricier product that I think delivers the results to justify the price tag, I hand over my card and vow to do the shopping at Lidl for a few weeks. It usually balances out.

I discovered this product - Erborian CC Creme HD - via Wardobe Icons and while sceptical about handing over £36 for a face cream, the online reviews seemed pretty unanimously positive so I headed over to Space NK, gulped a bit then punched in my pin. There's no questioning that £36 is rather a lot for a 45ml tube of cream, but I'm pleased to report that a little goes a very long way. I've still got about half left of the tube I bought back in February, so in theory it should last me till June, working out at about £9 a month...relatively reasonable, no? 

So, what is about this product I'm liking so much? It's essentially a moisturiser, but somehow seems to deliver much more than just skin hydration. Firstly, the CC stands for colour-correcting. If, like me, you're sceptical about beauty buzzwords and scientific claims that sound a bit too good to be true, you'll be wondering what this actually means in practise. The cream comes out of the tube white but when applied to your skin has the impressive power to match your skin tone, 'colour correcting' by toning down any redness along the way. So, if you've got, say, a rather angry blemish, it takes out the redness from the affected skin, making it look a lot less visible and a whole lot calmer.

If you've got good skin, you won't need foundation on top of the cream as it offers some coverage and evens out clear skin. Worn under foundation, as I have been doing, it just seems to infuse your skin with a certain glow that normal moisturisers don't impart. You need the smallest blob to cover the entire face, and its moisturising properties are fantastic, without feeling heavy or greasy. Oh, and did I mention that it has an SPF of 45? I wore it on holiday in Morocco in lieu of standard sun cream (which often brings me out in spots) and liked the way it protects and gives a bit of colour and coverage if you don't like going bare faced.

Yes, it's expensive and it might not be for everyone, but I'm seriously impressed with this stuff and will sticking with it for the forseeable...

You can buy Erborian CC Creme HD online at Space NK. Incidentally you can sign up for a Space NK N-dulge loyalty card, which rewards you with £5 for every 100 points saved.

Try Somewhere New This Summer

If you’re a parent of school aged children you’ll already know just how prohibitively expensive it is to go away in the summer holidays. Budget flights don’t exist once the school term has ended, and you can pretty much forget hotel accommodation if you want to keep costs under £3000 per family.  Add in other necessities, such as car hire and food, and a week in the sun can make a seriously scary dent in your wallet. The Guardian published some interesting figures last year showing just how much prices for family holidays can rise out of term time – think somewhere around  25-40% on average.

If you’ve been trying to book your summer getaway recently as I have, you’ll know that research like this is backed up by personal experience. It goes without saying that holidays are a luxury and that to be able to even consider one puts our family in a much more privileged position than others. But travel is something we enjoy as a family and we make small sacrifices throughout the year to justify our summer getaway. However, even with two okay-ish incomes and the aforementioned scrimping, getting away to popular destinations on the continent (and also in the UK) is becoming increasingly difficult to do on anything vaguely resembling a budget. Even the price of camping has escalated - it can cost you upwards of £2000 for 10 days at some of Eurocamp's Italian and Spanish sites.

So how about trying something a bit different this summer? We recently visited the Moroccan coastal resort of Essaouira, around 2 1/2 hours from Marrakesh. With direct EasyJet flights starting in May from London Luton, this laid-back Moroccan resort offers a much more budget-friendly alternative to the well-travelled hot spots on the Continent; fares start at around £67 outbound and £35 return. We stayed with family, but there is a good selection of well-priced, atmospheric riads in the centre of town. While not ideal for families, a riad does offer the quintessential experience, with direct access to Essaouira's bustling but easy to navigate medina, as well as its huge beach, an obvious draw if you've got little ones in tow. 

For accommodation options that are a little more family friendly, you could consider Le Jardins Des Douars, just outside of town, which has resort-style facilities in a luxe-y setting. It's got the all-important swimming pool, lovely gardens to chill out in and a babysitting service. A week in July for a family of four will set you back around £800, making it a much more affordable option than a comparable resort in Europe. With its traditional Moroccan decor - think tadelakt walls, glittering tile work and carved wooden furniture - this place couldn't be further from the sterile, could-be-anywhere look of your average mid-range resort. 

So, what to do when you're in Essaouira? Perhaps best suited to older children who don't need access to playgrounds and toddler pools, this is a relaxed resort where you can pass the days hanging out at the beach, hitching a ride on a camel or navigating the sand dunes on a pony ride. Older kids will appreciate a wander round Essaouria's colourful souks which are much less hectic, noisy and overwhelming than those in Marrakesh. You can see most of the town in an afternoon, stopping to look into the interesting marquetry workshops (Essaouria is famed for its exquisite wooden handicrafts - see if you can catch the local craftsmen at work in the small 'Thuya' workshops that line the the alleys near the harbour.)

The harbour is another must-see - kids will love watching the fishermen bring in their haul of the day. You can then visit a fish grill where you can choose the fish that takes your fancy and have it cooked to order. A walk along the Skala du Port gives great views out to sea and across the sparkling white city walls. 

The beach isn't the most scenic and the promenades that line the beach are a little rough round the edges - it's not quite the South of France. But what the beach lacks in sophistication it makes up for in space - you won't struggle to find a wide patch to spread out on and make a sandcastle or two. Be warned that Essaouria's beaches attract wind and kite surfers for a reason - the town's 'alizee' is an almost constant breeze that can blow up with some force at times. The sea - being Atlantic - is on the cold side and may sometimes be too choppy for safe swimming. Adventurous kids and grown ups can visit one of the surf schools that line the shore and take to the water in wet suits to catch some waves. 

At the far end of the beach, furthest from the town, you'll find some surfy hangouts and schools, as well as a collection of camel ride operators. A camel ride in Morocco is a bit of a given, and there's something very evocative about sitting aloft one of these ancient animals as you navigate the dusty sand dunes. Be sure to bargain a little before you mount that hump, though - if you can't get the price you want, try one of the other camel owners. Stop off at Ocean Vagabond, a funky beach cafe serving good value food including kid-friendly burgers and pizza.

On the subject of food, eating out in Morocco is much more kind on the wallet than its European counterparts. You can eat in quite an upmarket restaurant, with wine, for around £50 for a family of four. We loved the unusual Elizir restaurant in the medina, a truly unique eating experience where you can enjoy traditional Moroccan food alongside child-pleasing Italian dishes. The menu is small but you should find something of the pasta variety to keep little ones happy. What's particularly alluring about this place is that it's rather hidden and very eccentric - the owner (who trained in Italy's gastronomic capital, Bologna - hence the Italian references) collects retro bric a brac and furniture, creating an eclectic fusion of traditional Moroccan wall art and flooring with funky 60s dining chairs, lighting and other weird and wonderful objects trouve. 

Other highly rated restaurants to try include the sea-front Chalet de la Plage, reputed to serve some of the town's best seafood, and Chez Sam, a rustic joint down by the harbour, also good for sampling the day's catch. If you need somewhere to rest your legs mid meander through the Medina, make a pit stop at the charming Patisserie Driss, just off the main square. It gets very busy and the service can be slow, but it's a good place for a cafe au lait and a delicious Moroccan confection - try the pastries filled with almond paste. There's a pretty courtyard to sit in or you can take your goodies away with you.

Come evening head to Taros Bar, a cool but friendly rooftop hangout where you can eat or just enjoy a cocktail or glass of Moroccan Gris wine overlooking the sea. Kids are welcome and it's got a laid-back, Ibizan-style vibe that makes it feel a bit of a treat for grown-ups.

Other activities you might like to try include testing your golf skills at the Mogador golf course, just outside town. Kids are welcome to use the driving range and putting course, and prices start at about £20 for a family of four.

Essaouria might not quite have the polish of resorts in France, Italy or Spain but it's got an unpretentious charm and character all of its own. And with prices for flights, accommodation and holiday entertainment coming in at a lot less than its European counterparts, the little corner of North Africa has a lot to commend it...

For alternative side to Morocco, read my post on Marrakesh here.

I Heart the Hippy Look

Something about shopping for summer clothes turns me into a bit of a hippy. Faded denim, embroidered cotton and cheesecloth...I'm all over it if I'm looking for something new to pack in my holiday suitcase. Perhaps it's because I'm a genuine child of the '70s, who grew up mucking about in denim pinafores, stripy Clothkits dresses and hippyish wooden clogs bought on holiday at Italian market stalls; thirty-odd years on and I still can't resist clothes that hold the promise of recapturing a glimmer of those carefree summers.

One of my favourite dresses, from ASOS

To be precise I'm not into that cliched 'festival boho' look that dominates the high street every summer - I'd look utterly daft in a a '70s-style floppy fedora, I hate maxi dresses and crotchet isn't my thing. But a cotton top, embellished with a lovely bit of embroidery, a pair of beaded leather sandals or a pair of battered denim cut offs say 'summer' like nothing else to me. 

With a holiday to Morocco on the horizon - the ideal place if ever there was one to embrace the '70s aesthetic - I took a trip to the shops to check out the summery offerings on the rails. As always, Zara does the look on a budget without looking tacky. You'll always find great leather sandals here and this season there are loads of pieces to satisfy your hippy tendencies - think embroidered peasant tops and denim kaftans if you feel like channelling the Talitha Getty in Marrakesh look...

Spotted in Zara

Look closely on the racks of New Look and you'll unearth some gems. This cute top totally had my name on it but I resisted buying in view of the fact I already have something rather similar.

New Look Blouse, £22.99

If you're  more of an online shopper ASOS is worth a look, though I find shopping here a little overwhelming and prefer sites with a more edited selection to trawl through. 

ASOS dress, £32.50

If you're also easily bewildered by the choice on the big fashion sites, I'd head to Mango which has the best edit of the '70s mood online, at incredibly reasonable prices. Handily it has a whole section dedicated to the '70s Revival' look - take a look here. I'm pretty taken with this fringed bag, embroidered dress and tie dye top, which at just £9.99 will have to be purchased immediately, I feel...

Mango bag, £29.99

If budget isn't so much of a consideration Anthropologie is the go-to place for this kind of thing; I only shop here in the sale, of course, where you'll often find some pretty good bargains - I have bought a couple of lovely tops here in the past, both heavily discounted. The good news for Bristol gals is that there's a branch in Bath so if you can try before you buy. 

And if money really is no object and you like the hippy look mixed with a big dose of Parisian Left Bank chic, then Etoile Isabel Marant is where it's at...but be warned that this is hippy dressing for those with investment banker wallets...

Etoile Isabel Marant Top, £220 (gulp)

Hemsley + Hemsley (and me...)

You're probably really over people banging on about things like eating clean, going sugar free, juicing, cold-pressing, spiralizing, etc, etc. But I'm afraid I'm going to add to the seemingly never-ending stream of articles, blogs and TV programmes on healthy eating with this post, sharing my love for the Hemsley and Hemsley girls, or rather their book 'The Art of Eating Well'.

My healthy eating bible

Slightly annoying title aside, this book isn't a pretentious foray into faddish food habits or the latest health obsession. It's written in a helpful, supportive way with a common sense philosophy at its core -  the 'better than' rule - which suggests that striving to eat the best, most nutrient-rich food wherever possible is the way forward. Many of the recipes are re-interpretations of old standards - shepherd's pie, beef ragu, sausage casserole - and the book relies heavily on something that was a mainstay in the cooking habits of our grandmothers: the bone broth, which is integrated into many of the books soups and sauces as a way of getting a good dose of nutrients, as well as keeping your gut in good nick(being mindful of one's gut health is another guiding principle of the book.) If you were given bone broth as a child (or in my case the Italian version - 'Brodo' - a comforting broth swimming with tiny pasta shapes), you'll no doubt remember its amazing capacity to make you feel instantly better when you were run down and poorly.

Can you tell I make this recipe a lot?

Aside from the recipes, the book is actually very interesting to read, shedding light on the science behind the buzzwords. If you've ever been dismissive about the power of that most middle-class of foodstuffs - quinoa - you might change your mind when you find out it's one of nature's most 'complete' plant foods, and a veritable powerhouse of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. And if you've ever tried cooking it only to end up with a bowl of flavourless, unappetising mush, this book explains how to 'do' quinoa properly - turns out it can actually be quite nice when you combine it with the right ingredients. I can personally vouch for the Quinoa and Roasted Vegetable Salad with Brazil Nut Pesto, which helped me to finally 'get' quinoa.

If you're thinking a recipe book written by two sisters who also run a bespoke food service, catering to dietary whims of the rich and famous, equals expensive recipes featuring a myriad of weirdly named ingredients you've never heard of, I'm pleased to report that the recipes are - on the whole - pretty accessible (though I've yet to track down dried arame seaweed or furikake so I can have a crack at the Superfood Salad...). While some dishes do call for expensive ingredients - raw honey don't come cheap, unfortunately - I haven't noticed that following a healthier philosophy has had much impact on the weekly food spend. Places like Lidl and Aldi are great for stocking up on your fruit and veg, plus you'll pay much less here for what can be expensive items in the usual supermarkets (think pecans, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, for example.) You will need to spend some extra time sourcing some of the less obvious items, however, but even Tesco is waking up to the fact that quite a few people want the odd pseudocereal in their lives. 

Broccoli, Pea & Basil Soup

Having tried to stick to a low-sugar diet in recent years, I have to admit that it can get a little boring sometimes, and while I've turned my tastebuds against processed sweet stuff, I don't think I'll ever completely lose my sweet tooth. However, I don't want to fall off the wagon, which is where the pudding and sweet treat recipes in this book have been most helpful. Who knew mousse made from raw cacao and avocado could be so nice (and so quick to whip up) and that amaranth makes a delicious alternative to rice pudding, satisfying a sweet tooth thanks to the use of maple syrup as a sweetener. Even my kids ate the no sugar, no flour banana bread for breakfast - a much better alternative to the standard toast 'n' jam or bowl of cereal. 

So, yes, buy the book. Everything I've made from it has been a success, and I'm using it more than any of the other books on my shelf at the moment. I feel pretty good on it and am finally getting my blood sugar issues under control, helping me feel a tad more energised, a little less stressy and generally more healthy.

Here are the recipes I've made so far and which I recommend trying:

Healthy chocolate mousse

Broccoli, Pea & Basil Soup

Feel justifiably virtuous whipping up a batch of this easy to prepare soup, packed with green goodness and boasting a deliciously tangy basil and lemon flavour. 

Beef Ragu & Courgetti

I nearly choked on my courgetti in amazement at the fact that my kids were happily slurping up their pasta sauce from actual COURGETTES. This ragu recipe is the best I've tried and you don't need to spend out on a spiralizer - I use a julienne peeler to get the same effect. 

Papaya, Halloumi & Watercress Salad

Papaya's never really done it for me, but it's packed with antioxidants and helps to cleanse your digestive tract. Combined with halloumi (one of my favourite cheeses) and peppery watercress, it's so much more palatable.

Hot Buckwheat Noodle Salad

They call it a "15-minute please everyone meal" - and it is. Delicious.

Banana Bread & Instant Chia & Blueberry Jam

Malaysian Lentil & Squash Curry

Not keen on lentils? Me neither, but this dish is so full of creamy flavour you'll forget that lentils have never excited you eating this yummy curry. 

Sausage & Cider Stew

Think swede, think bad memories of school dinners, but this recipe will make you realise that the humble vegetable is perhaps a little misunderstood. This stew combines swede with sausages, cider, leek and carrot to create an absolutely awesome winter dish. Highly recommended!

Chocolate Avocado Mousse

Get a sweet hit without the sugar - this mousse takes moments to make and is full of antioxidant goodness.

Banana Bread

Ground almonds make a great alternative to flour, it turns out, and in this recipe they bulk up a mix of banana, flaxseed, maple syrup and cinnamon to make a filling, tasty bread perfect for breakfast or elevenses. Tastes great slathered with the book's recipe for instant blueberry chia jam.

You can buy 'Hemsley Hemsley: The Art of Eating Well' from all good bookstores and online at The Book Depository. A selection of recipes is also available on the Hemsley Hemsley website.

And if you're trying to cut down on sugar, you can read a post about my experiences here.