Supper club lowdown

Eating out can be a challenging experience when you're a sensitive eater. It's great that more and more restaurants are recognising the demand for dairy and gluten free meals or plant based options, but that's not the end of the potential problems.
For a start, most what's on offer can be a bit dull and boring to be perfectly honest; ordering is easy as there's no choice involved, just the one option! And even in a vegetarian or vegan restaurant, many dishes are deep fried and contain refined or fermented products, so I can still leave feeling rather yuck.

Jane's Place, Hove

I still love going out to eat, though. I'm always hopeful that the choice I order will be super tasty, and won't come back to haunt me later. It's such a pleasure to end the evening feeling satisfied and well - unfortunately  a rarity. It doesn't stop me though, I just suffer the consequences!
My supper clubs, however, are designed with the sensitive eater in mind; everything is 100% plant based, so dairy free for sure, gluten free and yeast free, plus mainly whole food with limited refined sugar and oil, and not a deep fried item in sight! Every dish is infused with natural flavours and I use real produce, not 'fake' foods. I spend hours thinking up exciting dishes that you wouldn't generally find in a restaurant, then trying them out to make sure they taste great. I'm not a professional chef, so the presentation is a bit 'rustic' at times, but that doesn't seem to bother anyone, as the plates always come back empty. Dessert is always particularly popular - conversation pauses for a few moments whilst the first spoonfuls are savoured!
It's not just sensitive eaters that come along, we're open to anyone who wants a good night out! Some guests come as they already eat plant based, some just like good healthy food, others are

curious about vegan food and some are dragged along by their partners (but leave with happy tummies!).If you like eating out and you've never been to a supper club, do try one. Most of mine are held at a lovely atmospheric venue in West Hove called Jane's Place, with a wonderfully friendly host called, unsurprisingly, Jane. Her room can seat up to 12 and she makes everyone feel welcome, whether it's someone new or a regular diner. And it's an eclectic mix of people who come either alone or with a companion to keep them company.

As my passion is sharing the wonderful benefits of the food being eaten, I share a little bit of information about each course. I like to nourish the mind as well as the body! And if anyone is particularly bowled over by one of the dishes, I will share the recipe afterwards, as dining out menus are not well featured in most plant based cookery books.
If you like the sound of a great night out with good food, interesting company in a warm and friendly atmosphere, then my supper club will be right up your alley. Keep an eye on my Facebook page or follow this link to my website for the latest dates and menu - the next one is on 3rd February, so there's still time to book! http://www.thesensitivefoodiekitchen.com/supper-clubs2.html

Meet Sue

It's not often these days that I rush home to catch the beginning of a TV programme, but last night it was different. And it's definitely not often that the programme I'm rushing to see is Come Dine with Me. But when you know someone appearing on it, it's different!
After months of waiting, the opening episode of the new series was in Brighton, and featured a gorgeous eclectic Brighton mix of individuals, including the lovely Sue Bradley. I met Sue through a fabulous networking organisation called the Mumpreneurs Networking Club (MNC) and got to know her better after she came along to my Eat Well, Live Well course (although I did not know she played the saw!!!). Sue is a yoga teacher and an Eating Psychology Coach, and is passionate about fabulous, real food. If you missed last night's episode, follow this link to see the fun, frolics and food http://www.channel4.com/programmes/come-dine-with-me
I caught up with Sue recently to find out more about what she does as an Eating Psychology Coach: here's what she told me.
Me: So Sue, what exactly is Eating Psychology all about?
Sue: Eating Psychology is all about HOW and WHY you eat, rather that WHAT you eat. My practice incorporates mind-body nutrition and neuro-slimming for overeating; simple and effective techniques to help people change how they think about food and banish overeating and negative behavioural patterns for good. Basically, I help people transform their relationship with food.
Me: Sounds good! What type of people do you work with?
Sue: Anyone who wants to change the way they eat. I meet a lot of people who have been on diets that don't work for years, obsessive about counting calories or weighing and logging every ingredient and develop an unhealthy relationship with food. Or others who overeat and are stuck in a negative mindset.
Me: What about people who find themselves addicted to certain foods?
Sue: Yes, I also offer food education and re-education for those who already know what to eat, but are still finding themselves unwittingly consuming things that they really don't want to. This is often due to the addictive qualities of the food-related products we are surrounded by. This involves various processes, including demystifying ingredients on food packaging and helping people to shop smarter and healthier.
Me: So how can people get to see you?
Sue: I work with clients on a one to one basis. I can meet people in person here in Brighton or across the South East and London, or can meet worldwide via Skype, so I can be accessible to anyone. There's more information on my website http://eatingpsychology.co.uk
Me: You have a YouTube channel too
Sue: Yes, I have some short food education vlogs that people can watch - people can find out more by watching this short video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7phY-awavg
So there you have it, everything you needed to know about Sue's Eating Psychology but didn't find out by watching Come Dine with Me! Mind you, Sue's dishes made my mouth water, especially her dessert. Luckily, the recipes are available as an ebook - click here to get yours http://eatingpsychology.co.uk/come-dine-with-me/. Right, key lime pie, I'm coming for you!

Chia up with jam

My son recently declared "I just love jam". It made us all laugh as we hadn't actually been talking about jam at the time, it was just a random statement that came from nowhere. Of course!
Mind you, he does have a point. I particularly like a rustic homemade conserve jam-packed (excuse the pun!) with ripe fruit. Of course, the problem with jam is it's high sugar content, the key ingredient for preserving the fruit. Once a jar is open, how to resist eating it all at once?
According to food trend pundits, 'low sugar' is going to be a key feature in 2017. Eating a mainly whole food plant based diet, my sugar tends to come in it's natural form; I try to avoid highly refined sugars partly because of the strain it puts on the body, but mainly because I seem to be particularly susceptible to sugar lows if I eat anything with high levels of the white stuff. I become more 'panicgry' than 'hangry'', not a pleasant experience!

And being the beginning of the year with many people resolving to eat better and/or lose weight, I figured some healthy 'jam' would be just the thing to keep the spirits up.
If you haven't come across chia seeds yet, then this is a good recipe to start with as it's so simple. Chia seeds are tiny nutrient dense seeds that are a fabulous source of healthy omega 3 fatty acids, protein, fibre and and other nutrients like manganese, magnesium and various vitamins. You only need a small amount as they swell in fluid, softening and releasing all the goodness hidden within. This swelling thickens up the fruit purée, creating the jammy consistency you want in a fruit conserve. Chia seed jam works best with berries as they contain their own seeds - apricot jam might look a bit odd with lots of swollen seeds in it.
I like to use frozen mixed berries for my jam, but raspberries by themselves are also lovely. And that's it, no sweetener or other flavours. This can make it a bit tart, but you can really taste the real fruit flavour.
Once made, you can use it wherever you would use jam; on porridge, toast, rice pudding, ice cream, yoghurt (all dairy free versions of course!), in cake fillings, on meringues, scones or rice cakes - on whatever you like really!
Of course, the thing to bear in mind is that without the added sugar, chia jam doesn't have the same shelf life as a normal jar. It keeps fresh in the fridge for 5 days or so, that's if a resident jam lover doesn't finish it all in one go.
So give this a go; one of my key rules of eating well is never to feel deprived. So it you're on a New Year health kick, this will definitely hit the jam spot!
Chia seed jam

150g frozen berries of choice **
1 1/2 tablespoons chia seeds
30-45ml water
Place the frozen fruit into a saucepan, add the water and simmer until fully defrosted and soft. Mash any remaining whole fruit into a pulp. Add a little more water if needed. Stir in the chia seeds, simmer for a minute, then turn off the heat. Leave to cool in the pan for a couple of minutes, then transfer to a small bowl to cool completely. Once cool, it should be thick and gloopy. Transfer to the fridge, or eat straight away. Enjoy!
** In the summer, if you have a glut of fresh berries, make up a big batch of jam then divide into portions and freeze to use when berries are not in season.