Connecting with nature – and why you don’t need to leave the city to experience the benefits
Last week was Mental Health Awareness Week, which meant it was a very full week for me, and what followed was a weekend of tending to my own mental health. Even now, with all my meditation and mindfulness tools at my fingertips, I still need to check in with myself...
Creating a compassionate workplace
It probably won't surprise you to know that I haven't spent all my career working with meditation and chocolate - though during a lot of it I was eating chocolate and dabbling in some chocolate making on the side. Before I started Food At Heart, I spent over 17 years...
A Feelgood February Guide to Self-Care
Yes, we are in the month of love! And while I think it's really important to tell the people you love that you care for them, it's also a great opportunity to check in with your own self-care regime. I therefore want to share a few things I've put in place for my own...
Marmalade Choc Chip Cookies
As this is the month of Valentine's, I wanted to share a simple and tasty recipe that makes a lovely gift (for yourself or someone else!). Sometimes the greatest way you can show someone you care is by making something with your very own hands. I love the bittersweet...
Get some rest: a resolution that’s worth making ALL year
This January I'm trying to keep things simple. Rather than setting myself lofty goals and a long lists of 2019 to-dos that fizzle out by the end of the month, instead I'm assigning a word or two to use as my general theme for the year (whereas last year was all about...
A sprinkle of Christmas self-care
I've been a little quiet on the writing front over the last month as I've (not quite literally, but almost) been drowning in a sea of Slow Chocolate. Anything chocolate-related of course ramps up over Christmas. Which also means it's a great time for me to put into...
Mindful Eating and Chocolate: what chocolate has taught me about mindful living…
October is always an exciting month for me as it's the month containing Chocolate Week! And just in case you were wondering, Chocolate Week isn't really about gorging yourself silly with Dairy Milk. It's much more of a celebration and savouring of good chocolate - and...
Why mindful eating is about more than just eating: Organic September
If you've come across mindful eating before, you're probably be familiar with the idea of tasting and eating slowly, giving food your focus and generally trying not to scoff down bites of food in between checking your Instagram feed, binging on your latest fave boxset...
The art of self-kindness – and why it matters!
Have you ever heard that little voice in your head that says you're not quite good enough? That you don't know what you're doing while everyone else is completely sorted. And that you're not doing enough and haven't achieved enough. In fact, overall you're really just...
Why it’s good to go slow
If you read the title and think I'm going to justify why you should hang out in your PJs all day watching TV - though sometimes there's a place for this too - you might be a bit disappointed. This is not exactly what I mean by going slow. When I suggest adding a touch...
Dark Chocolate Dipped Homemade Crystallised Ginger Sticks
I really can't get enough ginger! It's one of the ingredients that's a safe bet when my stomach is feeling a bit dodgy. This recipe is a slightly different take on the juicy chunks of crystallised ginger that you'll find in jars. Instead I've created slightly crispy,...
IBS and stress: why a little calm is good for your gut
Yep, stress is a big deal in our modern world! It's the reason this year's Mental Health Awareness week was dedicated to it. Yet so many of us have a difficult time keeping on top of it. It's probably no surprise to know that stress is also a major trigger of...
How to meditate when you feel too busy to meditate
When I talk to people about meditation, one of the topics that comes up regularly is the challenge of building a regular, daily practice. Often people know that meditation will help, but struggle to find the time to fit it in - or their practice falls to the wayside...
Ginger and IBS: 3 gingery drinks for trouble tums
Ginger is one of my absolute go-to ingredients when my stomach starts to feel a bit on the upset side. I generously grate it into stir fries, chew on delicious chunks of crystallised ginger and, best of all when I need something soothing, whip it up into a drink. I...
How meditation can help with IBS – and 3 belly calming meditations
April is a time of many good things, with the weather starting to get (a bit) warmer, the days a little longer and, this year, a touch of early chocolate with Easter kicking the month off. It's also IBS Awareness Month. If you've been reading my articles for a little...
Sourdough Secrets: how to make sourdough starter – and some special recipes to use it in
In my last post I mentioned the wonderful power and taste of fermented foods; this week as a follow up I'm sharing some tips on how to create one of my favourite ferments: sourdough. If you are a fellow IBS sufferer and struggle with bread, you might find you're okay...
What The F! What are fermented foods?
You might have missed it, but fermented foods were highlighted as one of the food trends of 2018. Which is slightly ironic given that the practice of fermenting foods is thousands of years old. So what are fermented foods? Fermentation is a way of creating...
Three slow down tips for belly calm
I've been doing a fair bit of contemplating over the last week... I think it's partly because it's super chilly and a touch on the grey side in the UK, which makes me want to cocoon up inside. Also with all the excitement of the new year and January planning waning,...
Cultivating a little Christmas calm: 5 tips for a calmed festive period
As I write this actual real-life snow flakes are falling outside and I have twinkly Christmas lights and baubles right by my head. I am an unashamed lover of the festive season - and while the snow might get a bit slushy and perilous, it most definitely gets me in the...
Chop, chop, chop: a route to more conscious cooking (and living)
It's been a pretty exciting October, what with Chocolate Week AND I became an officially published author (which resulted in me having a little dance around the kitchen when a copy of the book landed through my front door). I'm so honoured, delighted and, yes, excited...
What I’m eating joyfully this month – the different parts of chocolate
Oh yes, October is a month to celebrate as it's the one that contains Chocolate Week. But this isn't really an excuse to chow down on a shed load of Dairy Milk. Chocolate Week is an opportunity to focus on good quality chocolate made with love. Making good chocolate...