Win one of five organic Hemsley + Hemsley Riverford recipe boxes

Enter now to win a limited edition organic recipe box from Hemsley + Hemsley and Riverford Organic, and try their specially created range of organic meals for two.

Q&A with the Hemsley sisters

Jasmine and Melissa Hemsley, aka Hemsley+Hemsley, are hipster food bloggers-turned authors. Here they talk to HFG about their approach to food and their new partnership with Riverford Farm. We also asked them to tell us what we’ll all be eating in 2015…

The low-FODMAP diet

Many IBS sufferers and their practitioners swear by the elimination – under guidance – of certain carbs, known as FODMAPS (in the January issue of Healthy Food Guide, we’ve included some IBS-friendly recipes for you to try). If you want to know more about what these foods are and how to steer clear of them, read on…

Healthy New Year’s Eve canapés

Party bites don’t have to be a health hazard. See in the new year with this no-fuss recipe for no-stodge, vegetarian canapés that melt in the mouth...

How to enjoy sprouts beyond Christmas

By now we’ve all heard of kale, and it’s probably the current trend for the curly leaf we have to thank for putting brassicas and their benefits at the centre of the table. But riding on the coattails of kale is, surprisingly, the sprout. Loathed by many and over-boiled by plenty, sprouts are nonetheless increasingly sought after for meals besides the Christmas dinner.

Five ways with leftover turkey

Boxing Day and beyond sees the turkey sandwiches rolled out, which, frankly, doesn’t add up to the most exciting festive spread. So why not try these five tasty ideas instead – those leftovers will soon be polished off…

How to make a healthy festive starter

With the countdown to Christmas now in single figures and the prospect of cooking the big lunch soon to become a reality, we couldn’t have been happier to receive a preview of Abel & Cole’s festive recipe boxes. This smoked salmon starter went down a treat – a fresh and zingy prelude to the rich-tasting dishes that are to follow. Try it for yourself, then pick up a copy of the December issue of Healthy Food Guide for more festive inspiration.

Merry Christmas!

Why a Christmas pretox beats a detox

Are you a post-Christmas detoxer? Or are you in with the in crowd and giving healthy pretoxing a go? You’ve still got time to start – and you could be feeling the benefits well before you take your first bite of turkey…

Win a fabulous gluten-free hamper!

Whether you have a gluten allergy or have cut gluten from your diet by choice, you can look forward to a delicious Christmas by entering our competition with Knorr to win a hamper full of goodies.

How to have a Scandi-style Christmas

While we all look forward to the festivities, the thought of impending overindulgence can seem daunting – especially if you’ve been working hard to eat healthily. But we just may have happened upon the perfect alternative Christmas dinner at a recent event with Scandinavian chef and author Signe Johansen, who indulged us in Christmas the Scandi way.

At the heart of the menu was minimal fuss and prep, just laid-back entertaining and great food. And with the Christmas lunch usually being a source of stress, we were all ears…

How to eat well with diabetes

By HFG expert and dietitian Tracy Kelly, head of clinical care at Diabetes UK

Enjoying what you eat is one of life’s pleasures. But if you have diabetes, or cook for someone who does, it can be tricky at times to know what to choose.

That’s why today, on World Diabetes Day, Diabetes UK is launching Enjoy Food, a new online guide to help everyone affected by diabetes put the excitement back into cooking and enjoy a healthy diet. 

How to make gluten- and dairy-free banana bread

By Rebecca Almond

Here at HFG we love to tinker with recipes, both in the test kitchen and in our own homes – swapping out less healthy ingredients for nutrient-rich and allergy-or-intolerance-friendly alternatives. So when a friend with coeliac disease invited me to her new flat for coffee, I set about searching for a sweet treat I could bake to take along – one that everyone would enjoy.

How to make pumpkin hummus

By Melanie Leyshon

Now that Halloween trick and treaters have carved their pumpkins, healthy cooks can tuck into the leftovers. Make soup, pasta dishes, roasted wedges, or try this simple and satisfying pumpkin hummus. I tasted it at Central Market, a restaurant in Petaluma, California, where it’s served as a starter with a beetroot dip. Or you could serve it as a mash, topped with grilled chicken and a drizzle of pomegranate molasses, as they also do at Central Market.

How to make herby kale pesto

By Hannah Sherwood

Kale, the prized ‘superfood’ vegetable, is arguably the most talked about veg of 2014. Tesco has seen a 90% rise in sales in the past year alone! And who can blame the hype – kale is rich in essential vitamins A, C and K, as well as being a good source of calcium and folate. Plus, it’s affordable, versatile and available most of the year.

How to make a healthy layered breakfast pot

By Emily Morgan

Shop-bought breakfast pots are an enticing option when you’re on the move, but they’re quick and easy to make at home. Once you’ve chosen you’re fruits – I went for mango, strawberries and blueberries – and your container, the layers stack up as pretty as a picture. They taste delicious, too…

Enjoy the Great British Bake Off with a biscotti!

The nation’s favourite baking show draws to a close tonight. Each week we’ve watched with rumbling tummies and gaping mouths as the Great British Bake Off contestants create delectable goodies containing enough fat and sugar to supply Willy Wonka for a year. If, like us, you want to enjoy the final tonight with a plate of something sweet and delicious but prefer not to exceed your Healthy Food Guide boundaries (which are working very nicely, thank you), be your own star baker and whip up a batch of GBBO 2012 winner John Whaite’s pistachio and rosemary biscotti.

Hannah's cholesterol update...

By Hannah Sherwood

For those of you who read the cholesterol feature in September’s issue of HFG, you will have seen my mug shot alongside how I discovered that I have high cholesterol at the age of 23. Quite a shock, as I am generally in good health, have a healthy diet, am not overweight and exercise regularly. So what happened next?

Low-fat gluten-free pudding recipes

In the October issue of Healthy Food Guide (out today!) we give you the ultimate collection of guilt-free comfort puddings. Sounds too good to be true, right? Turn to page 63 and try the 10 recipes for yourself. But wait, there’s more… Here we can serve you an extra slice, as we’ve tweaked two of the recipes to make them gluten-free and still delicious. Plus, try our chef’s tips using some of our favourite free-from ingredients.

How to find your get up and go…

By Melanie Leyshon

Confession: I’ve become desk-bound. It's no fault but my own, but I've turned into a right desk potato. Lately, I’ve even started lunching al desko. And I’m not alone, as eight out of 10 office workers admit they barely leave their desks during the working day. The only time we stretch out our legs is when we take the few steps to and from the loo, or the kitchen when it’s our turn to make the tea round. But health experts agree that endless hours of sitting are playing havoc with our health, weight and state of mind, putting us at greater risk of lifestyle diseases such as type 2 diabetes.

Why free school meals are a good thing

By nutritionist Amanda Ursell

Pupils at Walnut Tree Walk Primary School in London sat down to lunch with Nick Clegg last December. But not everyone's so impressed with the School Food Plan…  

Free school meals for all infant school children in English primary schools became a reality with the start of the autumn term. So how come some people are against them?

How to tackle childhood obesity

By Amanda Ursell

On holiday in Italy this summer what struck me the most wasn’t the over-sized handbags and under-sized bikinis on the beach, but the size of the children.

While piccola toned mammas promenaded along the sand it was striking just how many weighty children, both young and older, were struggling along behind.

Quick and easy shellfish suppers

By Liz Atkins

Are you missing watching the waves rolling on to the beach as you sip a chilled white and look forward to the catch of the day? Well, there’s no reason we shouldn’t bring some of our better eating experiences home at the end of the summer holidays. 

How to make a gluten-free chocolate cake

A chocolate cherry loaf cake that’s low calorie and gluten and dairy free – we’ve found the ideal lighter treat for the bank holiday 

By Hannah Sherwood

How to make a cheap, healthy family supper

When ITV’s Tonight show visited the HFG test kitchen, recipe consultant Phil Mundy accepted the challenge to cook a homemade family meal that’s cheaper, healthier and quicker to make than heating up four ready meals. His dish was a clear winner for the HFG team (and the film crew happily tucked in, too!), but don’t let us sway your verdict – try the recipe below and see if you can be persuaded to swap pre-prepared for DIY dinners…

Cauliflower’s next chapter… Pizza

By Hannah Sherwood

First it was cauliflower rice, now it’s cauliflower-crust pizza – it seems the one-time wallflower vegetable is relishing its time in the spotlight.

Take yoga outside

By Rebecca Almond

With much of the country seeing temperatures soar to dizzying heights, sweating it out at the gym might not be top priority. But that’s not to say your exercise regime needs to fall completely by the wayside – there are plenty of enjoyable ways to get fit outdoors (and top up your tan while you’re at it).

Yoga is one of the most portable forms of exercise. ‘You can roll out your mat almost anywhere,’ says yoga instructor Leslie Saglio, ‘in the park, on the beach, in your garden…’ The sky is, quite literally, the limit, as I discover while in downward facing dog 80ft above London’s business district.

My take on a tasty new trend…

Chocolate and raspberry energy balls

By Emily Morgan

Another day, another celebrity food craze. And, yay, this one turns out to be super-tasty and nutritious. Edible energy balls are all the rage with model Daisy Lowe, TV star Millie Mackintosh, and health-food fan Gwyneth, et al. The HFG team was already smitten with ready-made, protein-packed Bounce balls, so I set about devising a tasty home-made version, taking inspiration from Snog (the frozen yogurt kind!). 

New energy-saving pans

By Melanie Leyshon

Q What do you get if you pair a leading kitchenware specialist with an Oxford University rocket scientist?

A Ovens in space, pouches of gastrofood for astronauts? Forget the fanciful, there’s a much more practical outcome: a set of breakthrough energy-saving pans. And that means saving time and money, too…

How to make courgetti

By Hannah Sherwood

Struggling to get your five-a-day? Try this nifty way of using cheap, cheerful and seasonal courgettes in place of pasta or noodles…

How to control those sugar urges

By Amanda Ursell

It can’t have missed anyone’s attention that sugar is grabbing the headlines on a regular basis. Today, both the Public Health England (PHE) report called Sugar Reduction: Responding to the Challenge and the brand new Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) Carbohydrates and Health Report have created a few more…

How to make cauliflower rice

By Hannah Sherwood

Cauliflower is having its moment in the sun – it’s the summer food trend that everyone’s talking about. Step aside cauli cheese and the few boiled florets accompanying your Sunday roast. Using it as a healthy ‘carb’ to replace pasta, rice or grains is now in vogue.

How we rate the top seeds

By the HFG experts

Andy Murray is one of the top seeds competing in this year’s Wimbledon – but what about the food kind? If you want some advice on which seeds are winners (and how to add them to meals and snacks to help make your diet healthier), here’s Healthy Food Guide’s top selection…

How to pack a lighter picnic

By Hannah Sherwood

Everyone has fond memories of picnicking as a child because, quite honestly, when the sun’s shining, what better way to spend an afternoon than packing up the hamper and heading to the park/seaside/back garden? Picnics do come with a health risk, though (high-fat sausage rolls, cakes, fizzy drinks…), so to celebrate National Picnic Week (16–22 June), we’ve put together some of our favourite tried and tested recipes for a healthier outdoor feast.

Is it worth trying high intensity interval training?

By Rebecca Almond

High intensity interval training (HIIT) – sounds tough, right? Well, that’s sort of the point. We caught up with Christian Thomson, manager of London’s HiiT Studios, to learn more about the calorie-blasting workout…

What’s the deal with… reformer pilates?

By Rebecca Almond

Think pilates won’t give you a heart-pounding, full-body workout? Think again. I went along to London’s Bootcamp Pilates to try out the exercise class that promises to give you a body like The Body.

How to make an easy kale salad

By Thomasina Miers

When I was in LA a few years ago, raw kale was all the rage. I’m not convinced by the superfood smoothie option they have over there, quite yet, but when kale leaves are young and sweet they are lovely in a salad like this, where the sweetness and softness of the cherry tomatoes contrasts so well with the fibrous, slightly minerally flavour of the greens. This is a delicious and healthy side that works with almost anything…

Will you take the veggie challenge?

By Hannah Sherwood

Today marks the beginning of National Vegetarian Week – will you be setting aside your carnivorous ways and going cold turkey for seven days? It may sound like a challenge, but meat-free eating has never been so accessible – or delicious. At this time of year, there’s an array of fresh fruit and veg at their seasonal best, and a trip to your local supermarket will reveal a great selection of protein-rich vegetarian options. But if you’re worried going meat-free will mean you're depriving yourself of vital nutrients, HFG nutrition consultant Juliette Kellow has this advice…

More choice for gluten-free products

By Norma McGough, HFG expert and dietitian at Coeliac UK

It may seem like the current hype about gluten-free diets and foods has come from nowhere. Some people see it is as yet another fad spurred on by diet-conscious celebrities who give up gluten to ‘beat the bloat’. But for people who have coeliac disease, a gluten-free diet isn’t a choice, it’s a necessity.

Is fruit juice really as bad as cola? HFG reports…

Sugar is currently being touted as public health enemy number one and has rarely been out of the news since campaign group Action on Sugar launched its attack on the white stuff earlier this year. But while limiting trips to the biscuit tin, stopping short of ordering a pud when out for dinner, and avoiding snacking on sweets, chocolate and cake are no-brainers, one area that’s left many of us confused is fruit juice.

How to eat beetroot – and love it!

By Heather Cupit

Once upon a time, beetroot was only to be seen – pickled in a jar – at the back of Granny’s pantry. But that was then… Now it’s seen as a superfood you can use far beyond the salad bowl. Why all the fuss?

Why should we increase our fibre intake?

By Gulshinder Johal, British Dietetic Association spokesperson

There was more positive news about fibre this week, with a new study revealing that a fibre-rich diet helps heart attack patients live longer. Why should the fibre we eat make such a difference?

Can coffee reduce your risk of diabetes?

By HFG expert Tracy Kelly, registered dietitian and clinical adviser at Diabetes UK

Coffee lovers will no doubt be rejoicing after being greeted with headlines such as ‘Drink more coffee to slash risk of diabetes’. But before you pour yourself a double espresso, let’s look more closely at the new study behind the news stories.

How to pick wild garlic

By Hannah Sherwood

If you’re a fan of pick-your-own, have you considered wild garlic as your veg of choice? You can find it growing in woodlands up and down the UK, often in amongst the bluebells, from April to June.

Wild garlic is quite different from the papery bulbs we’re used to seeing in the supermarket and tastes like a cross between garlic and chives. Its soft green leaves are similar in appearance to those of lily-of-the-valley and the pungent aroma draws you to the woodland areas where it grows in abundance.

It’s delicious eaten raw in salads as it doesn’t have the harsh kick of the domestic variety, or you can cook it alongside roast meats or include it in risotto for a subtle extra flavour dimension.

If you don’t want to track down your own wild garlic, order some as part of the Riverford home-delivered organic veg boxes (riverford.co.uk).

Yes, you could run the Marathon, too

By HFG fitness writer Hannah Ebelthite

Four words you need to know about the Marathon: you can do it. Injury or illness aside, I truly believe anyone can run 26.2 miles if they want to.

And that’s what I did yesterday, along with 36,000 other runners who lined up to start the 34^th London Marathon. It was my third marathon and I was proud to be representing my running club, Ranelagh Harriers, in my blue vest. Waiting in the warm spring sunshine at the start on Blackheath I felt a flutter of nerves, but was determined to channel them into energy. My goal was to come in under four hours, for which I’d need to run even splits of nine-minute miles.

Eat chickpeas to lower cholesterol

They’re an HFG staple, and with the news today that eating a daily serving of chickpeas could reduce levels of bad cholesterol and, therefore, the risk of heart disease, now there’s even more reason to keep your storecupboard stocked with this versatile pulse.

Should we raise our five-a-day?

By Melanie Leyshon

If it’s not a rude question to ask, how much did you get yesterday? Two bowls of carrot soup, a rice veg pot and seven strawberries meant I just about scraped my five-a-day. And I’m not alone – only a quarter of the UK population meets the five-a-day target, so the call to increase this to seven-a-day and potentially double it to a massive 10 daily servings might seem a fruit and veg step too far.

How to make lighter chicken korma

Put that takeaway menu down and make this easy curry instead – it’s got all the flavour but less fat and fewer calories. 

Prep 10 min Cook 25 min Serves 4

How to cut salt in children’s diets

By Hannah Sherwood

If UK adults are still consuming way too much salt, what about children? Their recommended maximum daily amount is even lower yet their consumption is ‘worrying’, say experts. What’s gone wrong, and what can we do about it in Salt Awareness Week?

Healthy green juices

By Hayley Kirton

They say the grass is always greener on the other side, so are green juices really all they’re cracked up to be? Read on for the nutrition facts, plus a special Healthy Food Guide recipe…

The sugar saga: is the food industry really to blame?

By Rebecca Almond

The issue seems deceptively simple: sugar is calorific, harmful to teeth and has no nutritional value, so manufacturers should remove it from their products – case closed. Well hang on just a minute Mr Prosecutor, this is far from a cut and shut case…