Are you feeding your gut and brain well?
On Tuesday evening I attended the Integrative Health Mindd meet up at Bondi Pavilion in Sydney. These monthly Mindd meet-ups are presented by local Mindd-certified practitioners, and they're a great way to meet local, integrative practitioners and other people in the community who might have similar interests or need support in a particular field. There were two key speakers, both of which generously donated their time to the cause of building awareness around wellness and integrative health. What I'd like to do with this blog post is give you a mini sneak peak, in layman terms, about what we discussed and learned over the two and half hours. The first key note speaker was Dr James Read, a GP who specialises in children's health, gastrointestinal disorders, autism, ADHD, mental health and nutritional interventions for chronic disease. The main focus of his lecture was on the Gut Brain Axis and the connection between food/ mood and the effects of outside factors like diet and stress on the human body. Factors in Gut Brain Connection
The microbiome itself is composed of trillions of cells (in the gut alone) and can be altered by many factors, including:
How does the gut brain connection work? The vagus nerve is the main connection between the gut and the brain. A great way to illustrate this connection is if you know anyone who has ever been really nervous and vomited as a result. In this instance, the vagus nerve transmitted physiological stress to the gut. Another example is patients with IBS, who under stress, can get an immediate increase in abdominal symptoms. The communication goes from the brain to the gut, and from the gut back to the brain. Germ-Free Mice Scientist have done studies on mice that have zero microbiome (born in a germ-free environment and born by c-section). Scientists have actually been able to change the lab mice's behaviors with "Poo-fusions" (fecal transplant). Taking poo from a mouse that has been programed to have anxiety and putting it inside a germ-free mouse will cause the bacteria free mouse to develop anxiety. Nuts! Stress Stress can cause leaky gut (I didn't know this!!). As the gut gets more leaky, inflammatory chemicals are released which can cause a leaky brain as well, causing numerable negative effects. Autism Autism is a gut disease as well as a brain disease. Kids with autism will often have symptoms of pain, bloating and diarrhea, and the severity of the autism correlates with the gut symptoms.
Other interesting facts we touched on:
Photo Credit: Yourbestdigs.com
The second speaker was Alexx Stuart, author of the hugely successful book, Low Tox Life. Alexx told everyone a bit about her personal journey and the catalyst for her new found health quest which began roughly 13 years ago. When Alexx was in her late twenties, she was constantly sick with tonsillitis, suffering from the condition multiple times a year. She had taken so many rounds of antibiotics that they eventually stopped working all together. In too much pain to even swallow her own spit, she decided to meet with a naturopath. The naturopath told Alex what to eliminate from her diet, what to add to it and prescribed some funky odoured herbs as well. Within three days Alex was better. After years of pain and the reoccurring atomic bombs of antibiotics, she started to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Alexx began to dig deeper, and most importantly, she started to read labels. I didn’t start reading labels until recently myself. How idiotic, right? We assume “they” are looking out for us, so why check the labels? If there was anything really that bad in it, surely companies wouldn’t be able to add said ingredient to their shampoos, body lotions, tampons or frozen dinners….right? ... RIGHT? Well, sadly…. wrong. Alexx assured everyone life wasn’t all doom and gloom and that there are easy ways to set yourself up for success. If you're just starting out cleaning up your lifestyle, home, diet - break it down into bite size pieces to lead to increase your chances of success. The Power of Three Alexx asked us to think of the three most consumed items in the house (food category). It might be apples, bread, carrots…. (the answer obviously varies from family to family). When you've narrowed down your three top consumed items, just switch those out to organic. Nothing more, nothing less….start with those three for a quick win. TIPS:
Mould Alex also talked to us about mould poisoning, and has made a point to mention it in each speaking opportunity because her mould illness was undiagnosed for so many years and made her terribly ill. If you're interested in learning more about mould and how to keep your home clear of nasties, or want having testing done, look into ERMI or Hertsmi from Mould Lab. A few quick and easy ways to clean up your life + home fast: 1. EMF's: (Electromagnetic field radiation) Unplug/ Turn Off your wifi every night before bed. Also, consider using an ethernet cable if you work from home and don't need the wifi signal. People who leave their wifi on at night have a higher basal heart rate than those without it.
2. Elimante synthetic fragraces: The worst air pollutant is fabric softener- go figure! The goal here is to ditch phthalates which lurk in unnatural air freshers and candles in your home. If you're worried about odours, leave some bi-carb soda behind the toilet in the bathroom and that will do the trick! In America, a law of proprietary blending was passed in the 70's to help protect companies recipes. This is the reason a product can say "fragrance" but includes hundreds of synthetic, endocrine disruption ingredients under the umbrella of that one word, FRAGRANCE. 3. Get out and about: Getting outside barefoot and getting your feet on the Earth. I loved this quote from Alexx, "Getting grounded is one of the best antidotes to our modern technology hungry lives." I think it is one of the reasons that I love teaching restorative yoga so much because you have no choice but to disconnect for 60/90 minutes and be with your own company. I had such a wonderful time and I cant wait to attend Mindd's next event! Thank you again to Dr James Read and Alexx Stuart for the fantastic seminar. Want to learn more? Alexx’s book is out now, and as an ebook too of course. Low Tox Life comes out in America on September 4th. Alex recommeded a book called Healthy Home Healthy Families by Nicole Bijlsma Documentaries worth watching: The Disappearing Male, The Human Experience and Toxic Baby ____ Follow the Mindd Foundation on Facebook to keep up to keep up to date with their upcoming events and excellent research Defining the Human Microbiome : US National Library of Medicine Recommended reading material: 10% HUMAN, by Alanna Collen Listen to Dr. James Read chat with Dr. Suzie about how diets can cause, and treat, diseases here. EMK x
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Successful business aside, she lives with such intent, focus and love - she just radiates honesty and positivity. Hanging out with Rhi always leaves me feeling inspired, knowledgable and hungry for more discussions around yoga, wellness and family. As a mindful working mama of two boys, I wanted to learn her secrets... let's hear it from our woman of the hour, Rhiannon. _____
Give us one sentence to sum up what motherhood means to you.
The greatest gift. Childbirth was the ___________ because it ____________ . Childbirth was incredible because it was the most empowering experience of my life, albeit, equally the most painful. My mum always spoke fondly of her 3 birth stories which I believe ignited my strong interest and passion for birth since a really young age. The magic of conception, pregnancy and birth blows my mind. I came to my births full of excitement, and in acceptance of whatever my birth journey would be. Knowledge is power. So, I educated myself on the science of the psychological and physical birth process, and felt armed with understanding, options, and a team of midwives I trusted immensely. I did a lot of birth preparation; from acupuncture, engaging a doula, cranial osteopathy, many herbal teas, eating a (mostly!) good diet, perennial massage, body massage, essential oils, positive affirmations etc. So, when it came to the birth, I surrendered to the experience and trusted that my body would know what to do. And it did. And it was incredible. Have you always wanted to be an interior designer? I grew up always wanting to be an Interior Designer or a midwife. While my passion for creating beautiful and functional spaces is still strong, so is my yearning for supporting women through their birthing experience. I have intentions to sit my Doula training in the coming years, so then I can do both! What has been the hardest lesson to learn as a new mum running her own family design business? Managing my time and lowering my expectations of my time. Actively being mindful when I'm in working mode, and equally mindful with my mothering. It's easy to fall into the trap of being on a work call while making dinner with kids hanging off your legs, and getting on top of mothering/household duties when the kids are in care. I'm constantly working on lowering my expectations of my time, knowing that there is rarely a day or week that all the ‘to do’ boxes are ticked. And that is ok. (I think???!!!) Speaking of your family business, what’s it like living with AND working with your husband daily? How do you keep that so called “work life balance” steady? We never feel as though we are ‘working together’ as our jobs and days are so different. Sometimes we might be working on different projects for weeks or months where our only cross over is ‘on the business’ with bookkeeping etc. Our preferred projects, are the ones where we are engaged from design through to construction, and even then we work in a totally different capacity and different stages throughout the project. We joke that having a company together is probably our saving grace, as we have a greater understanding and tolerance for each other with the long days and late nights. Lastly, and probably most importantly, our success in renovating our own houses and working on projects together comes from a huge respect that we have for each other’s skill set. Matt doesn’t question my design decisions, and I never tell him how to build! What determines success in your eyes? Being in a place of absolute happiness and inner peace, regardless of the external situations surrounding you. Brené Brown says "Unused creativity doesn’t just disappear. It lives within us until it’s expressed, neglected to death, or suffocated by resentment and fear.” What are your thoughts on this? When I first heard this I instantly had a pit in my belly. That told me I was guilty of not fulfilling my creativity. I don’t find myself having blocks of time in my daily/weekly agenda to indulge in creative activity, as I wish I could. (I dream of one day having a sun-drenched studio space where I can paint uninterrupted for days on end!!) I try to increase my ‘creativity’ in my everyday tasks. I take that little bit of extra time to wrap a gift to my liking, rather than quickly throwing some wrapping paper over it. I try to cook at least one meal a week that allows me to explore a new recipe and spend some time enjoying the process rather than rushing through it. Or something as simple as after cleaning the house, picking some flowers from the garden to sit in a vase on the table. As my girlfriends would know, I hate ironing! I wait until the pile is huge and then listen to a good podcast while I work my way through it, which has now turned into a task I hilariously love! I try to make the otherwise mundane tasks seem somewhat more enjoyable and creative.
How talented is she?!?
If you could live anywhere in Australia where would you choose and why? We’ve recently relocated to the Mornington Peninsula and we are absolutely loving the slower paced beach lifestyle. If I could bring the Queensland weather down permanently, this place would be flawless. I hate the cold! So Queensland would be my pick, if I could just convince Matt. I love yoga because... I feel my body and mind strengthen in every practice. Like meditating, it’s the only real time I tap into my body, and all the other noises and distractions fade away. You are an avid vedic meditator? Can you tell us a bit more about what that journey was like, and why it resonates so deeply with you and your family? Both Matt and I started mediating in a state of desperate need to change our situation with daily stress and anxiety. We both found some relief once we started practicing, but it was only when we fell off the band wagon some 6 months later that we realized the positive impact it had made on our lives. Without the daily practice, our heads spun back into chaos and mess, a place that had felt normal for so many years, yet suddenly looked like absolute insanity! So, we committed to our practice again, and haven’t looked back. We don’t always manage to get in the 2 x 20 minute daily sessions, but our early morning sessions are non-negotiable. Our boys are very aware of our meditation practice, and Bobby will be able to learn it soon once he turns 5. They will have the greatest kick start being able to incorporate meditation into their lives from such a young and moldable age. As the Dalai Lama said; “If every 8 year old in the world is taught meditation, we will eliminate violence from the world within one generation.” Your recommendations got me onto some of my all time favourite brands like Peace Love and Vegetables, Dr Bronner's and Love Tea What are your 5 top, non-negotiable MUST HAVES at home? That’s a hard question because I'm so passionate about mindfully choosing ALL things that we surround ourselves with! Ok… Southern Cross Pottery water filter for our clean water. Abode for ALL our cleaning and washing products. InBed bed pure linen bedding. Pana Chocolate OR Alter Eco chocolate. For energy & space clearing consultation you can’t go past Leanne Dawson in Melbourne. Give us your fast five: I’m reading… Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Joe Despenza. I’m listening to… a Classic Acoustic playlist on Spotify. I’m loving… My early morning routine. I’m loathing… the Melbourne cold. I’m lusting after… The Leeroy sofa by Grazia.
Business Chicks exists to make the world better for women
I've been following Business Chicks on Instagram for a few months now, but I had no idea how vast their network was until this week. I attended their 2 day 9 to Thrive event in Sydney on the weekend, and boy did it blow me away. ___ On day 1, I grabbed my copy of Winging It (in the hopes of meeting Emma Isaacs), planned my route, packed the pram + nappy bag because I had to bring my daughter with me. I knew the schedule, roughly, and that was about it. When I saw the venue from afar, I was shocked, it was next level big. I was pretty self-conscious about arriving with a bub, and sheepishly asked the hostesses if it was OK to bring the pram in. All the business chicks support staff were in Grease Lightening-esk pink jackets were so kind and welcoming. They assured me that it was fine and pointed me in the direction of the creche as well as the Thank You baby room (which was amazing)! Off to a fab start: no line; efficient sign in, warm welcome... what's next? The Royal Hall of Industries is MASSIVE. Business Chicks was hosting a legit business expo with the top brands and companies in Sydney. There were banners with inspiring quotes on them, pink everywhere, gift bags and merch galore. There were over 100 exhibitors at the expo That's right, 100. A few stand outs were: Bumble Australia was offering free headshots (including hair and make up touch ups). The Green Elephant Creche was so cute! On the spot monograming of some fab leather pieces 1 on 1 financial consultations I made my way to the main stage, and got a seat to see Roxy Jacenko's interview. There were thousands of people there. Some were engrossed in the panel discussions, others perusing the stalls, buying merch or signing up to become Business Chicks members. There was such a buzz about the place, there is no other way to explain it. Girl bosses were everywhere drinking coffees, pink frośe, taking quirky photos, handing out business cards.... the place was pumping. Women from all walks of life were there just living their best lives. There were gals in ripped jeans, gals in fancy frocks, mums juggling bubs, girls in their early 20's, women in the 50's.... all there for different reasons, but sharing the common thread of wanting to make the world a better place for women. I did get to meet the inspirational Emma Isaacs which was the highlight of my day, and such a treat given my earlier than planned departure because things didn't go as expected with my daughter.
I wanted to hear from these working mums about how they execute their days and managed to keep their shit together (on the outside at least). The line up included: Kemi Nekvapil, Melbourne based coach, and MC of the panel. Sally Obermeder, media personality and owner of SWIISH Rachael Finch, model and fitness guru + owner of Body by Finch Emma Isaacs, founder and global CEO of Business Chicks, and mother of five Antonia Kidman, Australian journalist, author and mother of six children The women were all so natural and it seemed like they'd been friends for years. I was absorbed in the discussion, as you do when in a room of successful, hard- working mums telling you their secrets. Kemi didn't pull punches, asking the tough stuff and sparking excellent, engaging conversations. One of my favourite quotes was a mantra that Sally shared, which had been passed on to her from her sister Maha Koraiem. "Do only what you can do." Only do what you can do, and that's it. No more, no less. If you can't do something, outsource it. Take immediate control of the things that you can do, and focus on them. How bloody simple is that? Makes so much sense - it's actually infuriating. Why do we feel the need as women to hustle ourselves into the ground like some kind of martyr? Is this some kind of self-inflicted torture? Do we all have imposter syndrome? I sure as hell don't have anything to prove to anyone, or to social media, but I'll be damned if I'm not happiest when I'm flat out busy or flogging myself, getting shit done and kicking goals. Sometime I need to scale back on what those goals actually are. On any given day, it might be that I simply got to brush my teeth before 2 pm, I'll have to chalk that up as a win. That's the beauty of this journey. Life ebbs and flows, motherhood is the constant, and work is the delicious cherry on top. How do we marry them all? That's a damn good question. The gals gave various pieces of advice, but a common denominator seemed to be self-care. There was also a large agreement to not let mum-guilt get to you because it doesn't serve you, your partner or your children. It just weighs you down and makes you doubt your capabilities, and that's the last thing you need when you're already trying to wear all the hats your family needs. I also was lucky enough to catch the tail end of the "How to start a business online" talk and I really enjoyed the "Tech Talks" with three leading women who are making waves in the tech world.
Below were a few of my favourite nuggets from the day that are worth remembering, and sharing.
"I believe that my relationship with my husband is as important as my relationship with my children. They wouldn't exist if our relationship didn't exist."
Kemi Nekvapil
"It's not easy and it's not seamless, and shit goes wrong every day."
Sally Oberneder
"Mother guilt is a waste emotion."
Emma Isaacs
"Being underestimated is a powerful position to be in. It gives you the opportunity to prove people wrong"
Michelle Battersby
I highly recommend getting your friends together if you're in Melbourne or Brisbane. Or, go alone like I did on day 1. There are plenty of people to meet, conversation starters and lots of fun to be had.
Make sure you are following them on their socials and subscribe to their newsletter to see what exciting things they are to up to, who is speaking, and how to win tickets to their next event. EMK Want to know more? Connect on Facebook or Twitter Melbourne, August 24th - 25th (Click here to see the schedule) Brisbane, October 19th - 20th (Schedule is not yet released)
A brief backstory for you all. I tried to eat a wide variety of healthy foods when I was pregnant because I wanted to give my daughter the best start at a diverse pallet, as well as excellent nutrition obviously! However, when the time came to introduce solids, I was so was incredibly anxious. I had no idea where to begin, what to start with, how much was too much food...? I found myself asking all my friends about it, and eventually my sweet friend Kyla gave me Annabel's Complete Baby & Toddler Meal Planner. I'll never forget opening her book, reading the introduction and feeling such an incredible wave of relief. I was instantly inspired, and felt my confidence building with each homemade meal I prepared from her book. I started to create my own recipes and my passion for eliminating the expression "kid food" in our home has been a huge success and quite an enjoyable challenge. Some of the most engaging posts on my Instagram are surrounding the meals I make for my daughter. Annabel's story is complicated and beautiful, stemming from the loss of her first born daughter. Annabel wanted to create a legacy in her daughter's memory, and she has done that in spades. She is has pioneered the way babies and toddlers eat in the UK, and now you can find her products in countries all over the world as well. So, without further adieu, let me introduce to you the one and only, Annabel Karmel.
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WELCOME Annabel! Let's dive in, shall we: Describe your personality in three words. "Obsessed with Food!" Your passion for cooking began when you were living in Holland. What was that experience like for you as an expat and a cooking novice? A lot of people don’t know that I actually started working life as a musician. I was a talented harpist and studied classical music at the Conservatoire in the Hague, Holland. It was while I was living in Holland that I very quickly realised I had to fend for myself. Part of this meant that I had to figure out how to cook, and it was during this time that my love of cooking really began. Each week my mother would send me recipes which I would try out and by the time I returned home, cooking had become a real hobby of mine. What is a day in the life of Annabel Karmel like? No two days are the same! I definitely don’t ever sit still and I am extremely hands on. I like to be in the office as much as I can, so that's where you'll find me when I’m not out at various meetings with brands, retailers, suppliers, attending an event, filming or working on my next book! Our digital team, PR, marketing and sales departments are the eyes and ears of the business, so we regularly come together to discuss how we can continue to build the brand, act on our successes and share new ideas. I still dedicate one day a week to developing new recipe ideas, so every Tuesday you’ll find me cooking up something new in my kitchen. I love having this day out of the office, away from my desk, to get creative and discover new foodie favourites – some of which can often spark the idea for a new book. I trial and tweak ingredients, texture and method until I’m happy. I don’t ever want to stop this aspect of my job as it’s where it all began for me back in 1991 with the Complete Baby & Toddler Meal Planner. Evenings and weekends are all about family and friends and one of my greatest pleasures definitely has to be dinner with my three children – Nicholas, Lara and Scarlett. Now they are in their twenties! You really have to grab these opportunities when you can! You have three beautiful children as you mentioned above. Were they picky eaters, and what did they teach you about motherhood? Perseverance! Any parent out there with a fussy eater will appreciate the vulnerability and frustration you can feel. When I started out, there were no recipe books out there that provided meals which tasted as good as the recipes I was preparing. My ingredient combinations were truly unique. Getting a child to eat well can be a real challenge (and utterly draining), but I kept at it, and it’s because of Nicholas’s fussiness that I am where I am today. My children are now all grown up in their twenties, but if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have become such a celebrated author and a leading name in baby and children’s food. They are my daily motivation, and I couldn’t have taken on this journey without them. My passion for what I do seems to have caught on with my daughter Lara who joined the business in 2016. What's the best piece of advice you could give to our postnatal readers? If you’ve just welcomed a very special new member into the family, then – congratulations! It’s such an exciting time but your day-to-day is set to get a little bit more jam-packed! It’s important for you to continue to eat well both for you and for your baby. Here are my top foodie tips for new mum "Kate" starting her incredible journey: 1. If breastfeeding, your fluid requirements increase dramatically so keep a close eye on your daily intake and remember to stay hydrated. Kate should be drinking lots of water, herbal teas or unsweetened fruit juices, and keep a bottle of water handy when she breastfeeds. 2. Try to up your all-important intake of calcium, iron and fibre-rich foods: Fibre. Kate should aim to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day and include plenty of fibre. She can get this much-needed dose from fruit and vegetables as well as wholemeal bread, pasta and whole grains. After childbirth, women can often suffer from constipation - soluble and insoluble fibre can help with this. Iron. Red meat, dark green leafy vegetables and pulses such as lentils are all good sources of iron. If you’re a vegetarian then lentils are good, but should be consumed alongside a source of vitamin C which has been proven to help enhance iron absorption. Calcium. Kate should be aiming for 4-5 servings of dairy or other calcium-rich foods each day. A great way to start the morning is with a bowl of granola topped with fruit and yoghurt or some delicious bircher muesli soaked in milk. Plus, it’s two for the price of one in the nutrition stakes - oats and bran are low GI foods, so they will help fuel your body through a busy morning. We know that the healthy omega-3 fats contained in oily fish are important for your brain, nervous system and vision and they continue to be hugely important post-pregnancy. Try making my super simple Salmon Fishcakes to provide an important and delicious dose of the good stuff! Just remember that if breastfeeding, you should eat no more than two portions of oily fish a week. What stars had to align for you to go from cookbook author to having your food stocked at Tesco, Morrisons, Woolworths and beyond? I first gained the confidence to launch my own range of children’s food after learning about the retail sector when acting as an expert to retail giants Marks & Spencer and Boots in the UK. Marks & Spencer had wanted to launch a range of children’s food and, completely out of the blue, asked me to be their food consultant. I spent nearly two years talking to focus groups and it was a complete education in building a food range from scratch: thinking about who the consumer was, working out the nutritional information, recipe choice, understanding packaging and the importance of pricing. Three years later Boots asked me to work with them on a baby range that would be jointly branded Annabel Karmel and Boots. They wanted me to decide which products I thought would work in their stores. I designed a range called ‘Make It Easy’, which included both equipment and baby foods, and would be sold on the shelf alongside my books. This experience was invaluable. Under the aegis of two major retailing companies, I was given the opportunity to listen, learn and become my own expert. And it was during this time that I learned to tune in and listen to my own instinct. I knew I had it in me to produce my own food range under the Annabel Karmel brand – and it all stemmed from there. A big part of my mission is to offer healthy meal solutions for busy families. So many parents want to cook healthy meals from scratch, but often hectic schedules get in the way. Busy days still deserve the best mealtimes, and that’s why I’ve created a special range of snap-frozen meals for babies and toddlers in Australia. Babies will love my nutritiously balanced Peel & Pop Purees made with 100% real fruit and veggies which are snap-frozen to lock in the taste and goodness. I have also developed 15 delicious meals for children aged 1-4. A tasty way towards their 5-a-day, they make for the perfect freezer filler. Best part about living in the UK is… I love the food scene in the UK, particularly in London. Going out for dinner and catching up with friends and family over good food is one of life’s great pleasures. Since I love to cook, when I eat out, I want it to be special and food that I often wouldn’t cook myself at home. I adore Japanese food, and there are some incredible Japanese foodie spots here in London. I also love the great British countryside. My dogs are a big part of my life, and spending time with them is incredibly therapeutic and important to me. If I’m in need of a boost, I’ll take Bono (American Cocker Spaniel), Hamilton (Samoyed) and Sabre (Golden Retriever) away for a weekend of long walks or off to the nearest park for a good dose of fresh air. You’ve penned 44 cookbooks (and counting)! How do you keep inspired to keep creating year after year? My vision today is the same as it was over 25 years ago. I set out on a mission to show the world that you can make tasty recipes for babies and children. I want to continue to empower and inspire mums across the world to give their families the best start in life and to raise their children on healthy, wholesome diets. What, or who, inspires you above all else? My three children are my inspiration and motivation – and Natasha. I started out on my food journey wanting to give some meaning to Natasha’s short life and my first book was a legacy to her. My passion to succeed continued to be fuelled by Natasha and my three children who are so supportive. My mother is also a huge inspiration to me. She is a wonderful woman with an amazing work ethic. She is still busy working now as an architect and interior designer. I absolutely love running my own business, and I still love what I do 26 years on! What do you love about your work? Everything! I always say that if you choose a job that you love you will never have to work a day in your life. What you do for yourself dies with you, but what you do for others lives on. I hope that my recipes and the work that I have done in the field of children will continue. The knowledge in my books and food products makes it as if I'm there every stage of a child’s life, helping to look after them (and mum and dad too). Success in my eyes starts by eating well while pregnant to feeding babies, toddlers and families. The most famous person I’ve ever cooked for is … I have cooked for many celebrities and indeed chefs. Although I'm best known for baby & toddler food, I also make delicious food for adults. I'm especially pleased when cooking for well-known chefs as it's a challenge and I think they probably expect carrot puree... but get a gourmet meal that could stand up to a Master Chef grilling! Your new book Real Food Kids Will Love has just been released! I love scratching the term “kid food,” and your book seems to do just that. What age do you think babies are ready to join their parents at meal time? Home-cooked family meals are often the best meals. It’s not about spending hours slaving over the stove, it’s about finding solutions that work for your family, and often that means quick, balanced meals which are simple to prepare and taste delicious. My advice is to try and introduce tasty, healthy alternatives early on. My new book Real Food Kids Will Love brings together delicious recipes for kids aged one to five. It includes all the things mums want such as 15 minute favourites, making your own healthy fast food, and one–pot batch cooking. There is also dairy free and egg free recipes, vegetarian and vegan recipes.... as well as a collection of dishes that young children can make themselves. 2018 / 2019 will be epic because… I want to continue to innovate in the children’s food sector with even more flavour-fuelled, ready-to-go recipes based on my much-loved trusted cookbooks. We’ll also be working on making our products available for many more parents in even more territories. We are also heavily investing in our digital channels, so we will be developing even more content and helpful advice for parents. We are also currently working on a number of exciting education initiatives which will equip parents with even more useful tools to be able to give their baby the very best start. Watch this space! We sure will Annabel! x
If you have any particular questions for me, or about Annabel's books, comment below!
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