Whether it’s the Avocado and Lime Cheesecake, the creamy Chicory Latte or the Quinoa Risotto Balls that take your fancy – the eclectic mix of recipes in Hemsley + Hemsley’s new cookbook The Art Of Eating Well propagates a food philosophy that favours wholesome, unprocessed food that nourishes both the mind and soul. In the lead up to the book signing and talk that we will be hosting with the Hemsley’s July 3rd at CONTENT, we asked the sisters to let us in on how we too can master the art of eating well.
With the launch of your book and so many different types of ‘diets’ around at the moment, what is your food philosophy?
We believe that wellness begins from within. The Art Of Eating Well is all about eating real, delicious, nourishing food that makes you feel your best. Love what you eat and you will look and feel amazing.
How important is seasonal and local produce to your particular food philosophy?
It is very important with the two main reasons being flavour and price. Food is more flavourful when it ripens naturally and when food is abundant and in season, it’s always better value than choosing foods that are imported or grown elsewhere. Finding pesticide-free produce is key.
We can’t get enough of courgettes at the moment, they are cheap and plentiful at this time of year and we use them a lot in our cooking. Our favourite recipes are Courgetti (spaghetti made from strands of courgette) with Ragu and Quicker Than Toast – a simple, tasty snack or side dish that’s ready in minutes – people say it changes their lives!
If people want to change the way they eat what is the one thing they should start with first?
Two simple things you can easily start with today – change your salt to sea salt or Himalayan rock salt and swap vegetable cooking oils for organic coconut oil, butter and ghee.
Do you have a favourite kitchen to bathroom cabinet beauty product?
Virgin coconut oil is one of our top kitchen to bathroom cabinet essentials.’Virgin’ means it hasn’t been overly refined or bleached and being a saturated fat it is much more heat stable than other plant oils so it’s an excellent choice for cooking and baking with.
This tasty source of nutritious fat is not only wonderful for your health but also a great source of energy, it helps to control blood sugar levels and improve the body’s ability to absorb minerals. Enjoy a tablespoon for a more sustainable way to boost your energy – add to your smoothies and even herbal teas!
Coconut oil also has incredible immune- boosting properties too and is antibacterial, anti-fungal and antiviral so we also keep a jar in the bathroom for our skin and hair!
The Art Of Eating Well by Jasmine and Melissa Hemsley (Ebury Press, £25) Photography by Nick Hopper book signing and talk will take place at Content on July 3rd at 7pm. Ticket price includes a copy of the book to collect on the night for signing. Get the details.
