Food Truths

Eat more of these to boost your brain processing power and speed so that you feel younger and sharper Last year, the spring rains played havoc with my garden crops. This summer, though…. what a bonanza! Particularly the strawberries, which have flourished out at the front of our house. And very few slugs and snails got a look-in this year, too! I know you’re supposed to add them to complex desserts, Pimm’s cocktails or wholesome fruity breakfasts, but I’m way…
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I know the weather is relatively warm right now. And most people are tucking into salads, barbequed chicken and ice creams over the weekends. But I still love the occasional Sunday roast dinner, even in the height of summer. As long as the kitchen windows are wide open with some good music playing, I don’t mind the hot oven on a sunny afternoon – especially when it’s emitting wonderful, herby smells. We’ve got tonnes of rosemary growing in the garden…
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Are you descended from the Aztecs as well? Research suggests that I, Ray Collins, am a descendant of Montezuma II – Emperor of the Aztecs. Or maybe I was Montezuma in a past life. I can just see myself draped in gold and feathers, sitting on a throne with an army of maidens to do my bidding. And if Montezuma’s wife was forever telling him he should give his chariot a wash and clear out the garage – then my…
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Why it Pays to Read the Label – Don’t Buy Anything With These Ingredients Yesterday, Lara showed me an Instagram video clip made by a young USA foodie. He apparently loves British food and came over to taste our famous fayre (fish & chips, I think, mainly!) Although he ate loads of ‘rubbish’ here, he claims to have lost weight. Which came as a big surprise to him, bearing in mind all the fatty stodge he shoved in his face….
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Lara and I sat down this morning to a bowl of fresh strawberries from the garden. It’s been a cracking gardening year so far, I have to say, after last year’s spring washout, with everything growing nicely. We’ve already been tucking into baby courgettes and peppery radishes, while the broccoli, tomatoes and squashes are coming along nicely. Anyway, back to the strawberries. Today we ate them on rolled oats pancakes, with added oat bran, flaxseeds and chia seeds. This has…
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Let me ask you a question… Do you know what mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids are when they appear on a food label? Or what about polysorbate 80? Or carboxymethylcellulose? Chances are, you don’t… But these are part of a group of ingredients called emulsifiers found in almost every ultra-processed food (UPF) on the shelf. Emulsifiers are chemicals that keep oil and water from separating, which is handy if you’re a food manufacturer trying to make products that sit…
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