Tag: foodwriting

New Year, New You?

  • Published in WH Times, Jan 2019

There is a lot of information about eating at this time of year: veganuary, weight loss plans, juicing, 5-2 diets, marathon training plans… but what many of us need is just some sensible support and advice that is tailored to us. We are all different, after all, with different needs.

I have been following Deirdre Swede on instagram; she is based in Welwyn and I like her sensible, real-life approach to eating well. I got in touch with Deirdre to ask if she had any advice for our readers this January.

Deirdre has been a Registered Nutritional Therapist for a year, and offers relaxed, one-to-one support as well as group workshops. She is very easy to talk to and her focus is on helping you to feel great, more energised, and to make small, positive changes if you need to. Deirdre told me that we tend to focus on what we need to cut out, but her approach is to make sure we eat enough of what our bodies actually need. “So many of us beat ourselves up about what we eat; I think we should focus on what we do well”, she explained.

In January, Deirdre suggests eating plenty of warming and nourishing porridge, soups and stews. She mentioned that eating salads and raw foods can be a bit tough at this time of year. One tip is to treat yourself to a veg box delivery scheme; it is a great way to make sure you eat seasonal, fresh vegetables, including some you might not always buy, and will help you to “eat the rainbow”.

Deirdre also offers group workshops: her most recent was on hormone health and was ideal for peri- or menopausal women (basically most of us in our 40s and 50s!). At the workshop Deirdre spoke about how sleep and stress can have an impact on your health, and cooked beetroot dip, dahl, roast vegetables and soup to show how easy it is to get more vegetables and pulses into your day. The next workshop is planned for 11 February (19.15-21.30). You can contact Deirdre via nutrition@deirdreswede.co.uk and her facebook page has lots of ideas for eating well.

The Cowper Arms, Cole Green

Published in WH Times, December 2018

Winter is the perfect time to head to a cosy pub and sit by a real log fire, and if that is after a country walk, all the better. The Cowper Arms in pretty Cole Green is right next to the Cole Green Way, surrounded by trees and is the perfect escape from working life. I visited last week to see the new refurbishment, and it has been transformed, with a smart new interior that makes the most of the lovely old building and surrounds.

If you just want to pop in for a drink, there are three cosy areas at the front of the pub, with two real fires. They have expanded their gin, cocktail and fizz list; I chose a Sevilla bitter orange gin which went well with a sprig of fresh rosemary.

The dinner menu has lots of choice, including plenty of pub favourites. We loved the roasted lentil falafel from the meze plate; a light texture with whole chickpeas in it. My king prawn roll with dipping sauce was beautifully prepped with crisp, fresh julienne vegetables. I chose lobster and crab fishcakes with smashed peas and it was a generous plateful for 13.50. The fishcakes were good but I didn’t think the asparagus was needed and is out of season in December.

My pal thought the roasted pork belly with seared scallops was great; it was served with dauphinoise potatoes, green beans and toasted almonds so you don’t need to order side dishes. I thought the menu was a little light on interesting vegetarian and vegan options, but if you like fish, steaks and pizzas there is plenty of choice for you. We chatted to manager Russell, who like many of the team, have worked at The Cowper Arms for years, and I am sure the chefs can adapt the menu if you need them too.

Everyone seemed excited and proud of the new pub and were looking forward to seeing all the regulars back again. I will definitely be back, and am looking forward to the lovely garden in summer!