BLOG TOUR: The Slimming Foodie Easy Meals Every Day - Pip Payne

Say goodbye to dinner time dilemmas with more than 100 simple, healthy and tasty recipes from bestselling author The Slimming Foodie

Perfect for home cooks of all levels, this book will take the stress out of mealtimes, with recipes that are fuss-free and use everyday ingredients that won't break the bank. Including a chapter for each day of the week, plus four weekly meal plans and shopping lists, it has never been easier to eat well after a long day!

CONTENTS INCLUDE:

Meat-free Monday

Sweet potato & mozzarella sausage rolls; Gnocchi-topped veggie cottage pie; Cauliflower cheese & jalapeño soup

Trays-out Tuesday

Korean-style sweet chilli chicken; Miso-maple glazed salmon; Bacon, leek, potato & pea bake

Whip-it-up Wednesday

Creamy basil & sundried tomato chicken tagliatelle; Sausage & mushroom ragu; Philly cheesesteak-style orzo

Thrifty Thursday

Courgette pesto pasta; Crunchy Vietnamese-style chicken salad; Simple red lentil dal

Feasting Friday

Stir-fried char siu pork with udon noddles; Spiced lamb & aubergine rice with minty yogurt; Tamarind prawn curry

Sumptuous Saturday

Harissa & coconut braised chicken; Pork gyoza; Mac 'n' cheese lasagne

Staples Sunday

Eat-up Sunday curry; Slow-cooker mushroom bourguignon; Ultimate bolognese sauce

Something Sweet

Rustic profiteroles with caramelized biscuit topping; Watermelon fingers with honey-lime dip; Blueberry scones

Lucky Dip

Green beans with spring onions & garlic; Salt & vinegar roast potatoes; Everything seasoning

 

What did I think?

I'm so pleased that I joined this blog tour as I have now discovered the Slimming Foodie and after sampling a couple of the recipes, I definitely consider myself a fan.

I feel like I'm always on a diet but with The Slimming Foodie's recipes there's no need to go hungry and you can have delicious, tasty meals that will quickly become family favourites.  I love how the book is set out in sections and each recipe states the nutritional information as well as serving size, preparation and cooking time, introduction to the recipe and notes.

There are a lot of recipes I want to try in the book but I chose two to try for my review and I can't believe how well they turned out.  In the 'Trays-out Tuesday' section, I made the black bean & corn-loaded quesadillas and the sweet potato & black bean layer bake.

Black bean & corn-
loaded quesadillas

I have to say that I used to make quesadillas but they were just a bit too faffy and I always lost half the filling when I turned them over in the frying pan.  That didn't happen with The Slimming Foodie's black bean & corn-loaded quesadillas as you make them in the oven after folding the tortilla over.  This makes them so much easier to flip over and although an odd bean or sweetcorn tried to fall out, it was definitely less messy than flipping in the pan.  This recipe has already been made again. Thank you, Pip Payne!

Sweet potato & black
bean layer bake

I had never had black beans before I made the quesadillas but I liked them so much that I made the sweet potato & black bean layer bake next.  This was so easy to do and although it needs a good hour in the oven to cook, preparation time is only about 15 minutes and that's includes chopping onions and peeling sweet potatoes.  Pip's note on the bottom suggested adding jalapeños so I customised the recipe to include some extra spice.  The taste is amazing; it's so richly flavoured and smoky (thanks to the large helping of paprika) and the sweet potatoes work really well with all of the spices.  This recipe is already a firm favourite in my house and I can't wait to make it again.

So that was two recipes I tried and each one turned out perfectly, giving me the confidence to try a lot more of the recipes in the book.  The recipes are so easy to follow and every one I looked at had easy to source ingredients.  I love the notes at the bottom of a lot of the recipes with hints, tips, ingredient substitutions or customisation ideas - with Pip Payne's support, you don't have to be afraid to experiment a little.

Filled with tasty, filling and easy-to-follow recipes, The Slimming Foodie Easy Meals Every Day is already one of my favourite cookbooks and the first one I reach for when planning my next healthy and nutritious meal.  Very highly recommended.

I received an ARC to review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

About the author:

The Slimming Foodie is a firm believer that you don’t have to completely change your eating habits to lose weight. With Pip’s clever swaps and cooking techniques, you can slim down while still enjoying all your favourite foods – it’s a modern weight-loss method that puts flavour first.

Keeping a love of food at the fore, Pip’s approach is about bringing back convenient home cooking by making healthy and tasty recipes that are accessible to a new wave of home cooks. Creating great-tasting meals that are cooked from scratch and cut down on fat and sugar while following science-led nutrition advice.

Pip’s previous books, The Slimming Foodie, The Slimming Foodie in One and The Slimming Foodie in Minutes, all published by Octopus, were all Sunday Times bestsellers and together have sold more than 110,000 copies via Nielsen BookScan.

The Slimming Foodie has a combined social media reach of more than 450,000 followers.

Theslimmingfoodie.com

Facebook.com/slimmingfoodie

Instagram.com/the_slimming_foodie

Tiktok.com/@the_slimming_foodie

Pinterest.co.uk/theslimmingfoodie

X.com/slimmingfoodie (formerly Twitter)

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BLOG TOUR: Cooking the Books: A Killer Collection of Recipes to Die For - The Hobeck Team

If an army marches on its stomach, what do crime fiction authors do? Here’s your answer, an exclusive collection of recipes from the Hobeck Books authors team served with a dash of brilliant flash fiction too…

If you love a dribble of ketchup or a drizzle of raspberry jus with your fiction, then this is the cookery book for you.

Discover the delights of mouth-watering Maltese rabbit pasta and luscious lamb in coffee. Or dare to sample chicken wings more deadly than a game of chilli roulette.

Then there’s the story of how a midnight cheese, cucumber and salad cream sandwich helped launch Hobeck itself.

This collection guarantees stomach rumbles and belly roils, and all proceeds help others through the Trussell Trust and their network of foodbanks across the UK.

 

What did I think?

This is a wonderful charity anthology with an unusual twist: there aren't just fabulous short stories to discover when you open the book, there are also some mouthwatering recipes to try.

Hobeck publish outstanding books so it's no surprise that this anthology is of the highest quality as the authors I have come to know and love have contributed to it.  Even Adrian and Rebecca, Hobeck itself, have written stories and it was lovely of Rebecca to share the personal story about the sandwich that helped to launch Hobeck.

I was entertained from start to finish and I loved the format of the book with each part headed up by an imaginative recipe that describes the different genres that Hobeck publish.  It's perfectly balanced with stories and recipes; I loved every single story and there are so many recipes I want to try.

Proceeds from the sale of the book are being donated to The Trussell Trust and with cost of living rising so rapidly, supporting food banks is even more important now.  It really is a fabulous anthology - definitely put this one on your Christmas list.   Not to be missed and very highly recommended.

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

Visit Hobeck Books

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BLOG TOUR: Escape to the Hummingbird Hotel - Daisy James

 

Welcome to the Hummingbird Hotel!

When florist-to-the-stars Abbie Coleman catches a glimpse of her boyfriend through the window of Tiffany’s, she couldn’t be more excited. Keen to share her happiness, she organises a huge surprise party for all their family and friends… except things don’t quite work out as she expected, and instead of planning a flower-filled wedding, she finds herself single, and fired from a job she loves.

Desperate to escape her heartbreak, she jets off to her aunt’s quirky Hummingbird Hotel on the gorgeous island of Corfu. Little did she know that instead of spending her time lounging by the pool, drinking cocktails, and soaking up the sun, she’d be stepping into the role of the island’s newest hotelier.

The arrival of unexpected guests sends Abbie into a tailspin of panic, and she’s forced to turn to snippy, but charismatic, vineyard owner-turned-chef, Nikos Angelopoulos, for help. Why does the kitchen fill with smoke whenever she makes coffee? Why is there a naked man swimming in the pool? And why do the hotel’s toiletries turn their guests’ hair pink?

Despite all the chaos, the Hummingbird Hotel works its magic on Abbie, and she finds herself with a decision to make. Will she return home to the drizzly grey skies of London? Or will she take a leap of faith and embrace the new opportunities that little corner of paradise has to offer, and maybe, just maybe, discover a sprinkle of romance along the way?

What did I think?

Reading a Daisy James book is a real treat for the senses and I loved my visit to Corfu in her twentieth novel Escape to the Hummingbird Hotel.  You don't need any sunscreen or vaccine passports for this trip!

What an introduction to the wonderful character of Abbie Coleman!  Abbie is expecting a proposal from her boyfriend as all the signs are pointing in that direction but she couldn't be more wrong.  Although it's pretty hilarious, I did feel a bit mortified for Abbie when the proposal went horribly wrong but Dan is clearly not the man for her.  An invitation to visit Corfu couldn't come along at a better time but will it be more business than pleasure for Abbie?

Abbie soon forgets about the non-proposal from Dan as she suddenly has a hotel to run and she really has her work cut out with guests arriving any day.  With a little help from the locals, the visiting hen party have a wonderful time (apart from the hen ending up with pink hair!) and Abbie reconsiders her plan to sell the hotel and return home.  Home is indeed where the heart is and Abbie's heart is beating to the beat of Corfu.

Located inland away from the beaches (and the crowds), The Hummingbird Hotel sounds like my kind of place: a quiet and relaxing retreat a stones throw away from a vineyard.  Vineyard owner Nikos is quite the man of mystery, he's standoffish but charming and he's a dab hand in the kitchen, which is just as well as Abbie could burn water.  I couldn't stop my mouth from watering as Nikos rustled up some delicious treats in the kitchen and I think I might have to treat myself to some baklava soon.  

With a dash of mystery and a dollop of romance, Escape to the Hummingbird Hotel is a truly gorgeous novel.  It's a virtual hug in a book and a ray of sunshine escapes from every page to plant a firm smile on the face of every reader.  I can't wait for another virtual visit to Corfu and I don't have to wait at all as the next book in the series (Summer at the Hummingbird Hotel) is already out! 

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the author:

Daisy James loves writing stories with strong heroines and swift-flowing plotlines. She especially likes to create sunshine-filled settings in exotic locations - the Caribbean, Tuscany, Cornwall, Provence - so she can spend her time envisioning her characters enjoying the fabulous scenery and sampling the local food and drink.

When not scribbling away in her peppermint-and-green summerhouse (garden shed), she spends her time sifting flour and sprinkling sugar and edible glitter. She loves gossiping with friends over a glass of something fizzy or indulging in a spot of afternoon tea - china plates and teacups are a must.

Daisy would love to hear from readers via her Facebook page or you can follow her on Twitter @daisyjamesbooks or on Instagram @booksdaisyjames.

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BLOG TOUR: A Curious Cook - Bridget Morton

A comprehensive and supportive guide to vegetarian cooking for people with coeliac disease.

Bridget Morton puts her own personal experiences of living with coeliac to good use in the kitchen, whipping up nutritious, delicious and comforting dishes designed to help manage her symptoms.

What did I think?

I have to say from the start that I don't have coeliac disease, however, I am unable to eat certain foods (particularly white bread) without being crippled by stomach pains.  I try to keep my food as stomach-friendly as possible and I do enjoy cooking and creating tasty dishes in the kitchen.  It's sometimes a bit of lottery whether my slaving over a hot stove will cause stomach pain or not so A Curious Cook by Bridget Morton sounds like the perfect cookery book for me to reduce, if not alleviate, the risk of pain.

Over 95% of the book is dedicated to recipe pages, so there isn't a lot of annoying chat or pointless photos (like it's a photoshoot for Hello magazine) in the front of the book like you find with many other cook books.  The author's concise introduction discusses her cooking journey in a light and humourous way, mentioning her reasons for writing the book and offering snippets of advice.  

Following the introduction, there are handy conversion tables (to save you googling or having to ask Alexa) and a list of store cupboard basics before launching into the main event: the recipe section.  There are 104 recipes in total which are split into 7 sections: Savoury Tarts and Pies; Flatbread Dough; Pancakes, Crackers and Muffins; Small Savouries; Vegetables and Salads; Sugar; and Sauces, Preserves and Drinks.  A good proportion of the recipes are accompanied by a short introduction from the author and colour photos that show the finished product.

I would have liked to have made some of the recipes in advance of posting my review but unfortunately there wasn't enough time before my spot on the blog tour.  There are loads of recipes I want to try that look uncomplicated for novice cooks like me: winter squash and chilli tart (made with a variety of interesting flours); small savoury pies (made in a muffin tin and filled with tomato and feta); fennel seed tarallini (little twisty savoury biscuits); chickpea dal (this looks so easy to make and I love chickpeas) and courgettes with tomato and cumin (a delicious winter stew).  There are other recipes that sound lovely but they involve shallow frying in oil and that's a bit too advanced for me.

I was delighted to find that a lot of the recipes use courgettes.  Not only do I love courgettes but my uncle grows them on his allotment so our kitchen is always well stocked when courgettes are in season.  There are also a good number of chickpea recipes which are a store cupboard staple for me as I love them.  I can see A Curious Cook becoming a well-used and favourite cookbook in my house.

The only tiny gripe I have with the book is in the presentation; the paper in the book isn't coated like you find in a lot of cook books.  You will need to be careful when using it in the kitchen as if you're anything like me, it's sure to get splattered; an acrylic cookbook stand is a useful addition to the kitchen anyway and would be perfect to protect this book from splashes.

A Curious Cook is a fabulous cookbook for both coeliacs and vegetarians with a suspected gluten intolerance.  The recipes are clear and simple, with relatively easy to source ingredients, and they all sound tasty and comforting.  I suspect my stomach will thank Bridget Morton in due course.

I received an advance copy of the book from the publisher to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: Christmas Secrets at Villa Limoncello (Tuscan Dreams Book 3) - Daisy James

I was delighted to be offered a spot on the Christmas Secrets at Villa Limoncello blog tour by Rachel's Random Resources as I love supporting local North East authors.  There are no local landmarks to look out for in Daisy's books as she whisks us away to foreign climes so read on to find out all about my virtual trip to Italy.

Escape to Villa Limoncello... where dreams come true in the most unexpected ways.

With Christmas around the corner, Izzie Jenkins is ready to kickstart the new ‘Snowflakes and Christmas Cakes’ course at Villa Limoncello with chef and business partner, Luca Castelotti.

However, secrets are stirring with their latest guests and when nasty accidents keep befalling the group it looks like Izzie will have to turn detective once more to protect the Villa’s fledgling reputation. On top of all this, Izzie’s been offered the job of a lifetime – back home in Cornwall. Will she be coming home for Christmas, or will Tuscany work its magic to keep her at Villa Limoncello with Luca?

What did I think?

Firstly I have to say that I haven't read the first two books in the Tuscan Dreams series, but now I definitely want to.  Having enjoyed it immensely, I can most definitely say that you can read Christmas Secrets at Villa Limoncello as a standalone as Daisy James covers enough of Izzie's back story in this instalment.  What it did for me though, is made me want to find out more about Izzie and Luca.  I usually don't like jumping in mid-series but I might not have found the Tuscan Dreams series otherwise; reading book 3 has definitely made me more intrigued to go back to the start of the story.

Daisy James has an uncanny knack of bringing her locations to life in her books with sights, sounds and smells.  There is plenty of opportunity to get the reader's senses buzzing with Izzie running a fabulously named 'Snowflakes and Christmas Cakes' course at Villa Limoncello.  I think I had a few smell and taste hallucinations while reading this book; I could certainly not get the smell of lemons and the taste of limoncello out of my mind, that's for sure.

Izzie's guests are a community choir from York who have come to Tuscany to rehearse for a singing competition.  With such a colourful array of guests, there are quite a few secrets and whispering in corners as passions run high and tempers fray.  Izzie tries to keep everyone's spirits up but she has enough to contend with as she tries to work out how villa owner, Luca, feels about her.  Izzie has been offered a job back home in Cornwall, which holds both happy and sad memories for her, but she really wants to stay in Italy.  If only she could pin Luca down and talk to him; it seems like they are passing like ships in the night but Izzie might be setting sail for the horizon if Luca doesn't open up to her.

I was a bit worried about reading a Christmas book in October but it's not overly festive at all, which is great!  With gorgeous blue skies and the glorious scent of lemons, it got me in the mood for limoncello rather than egg nog.  You always get a bit more than you bargained for in a Daisy James book as she does like to add a bit of mystery, intrigue and skullduggery to her romantic fiction.  You just never know what to expect and that's what makes the book such a good read.  

Christmas Secrets at Villa Limoncello was the perfect book to be reading as the temperature dropped in October; it warmed my heart, left me with a smile on my face and an unmistakable thirst for limoncello.  Speaking of which, I also have to say that Daisy James includes several recipes at the end of the book, including a recipe to make your own limoncello - I almost dropped my kindle in excitement!!  I have to try this although I'm sure I'll have difficulty leaving it for 30 days without having sneaky little tasters.

You don't need a passport to escape to Tuscany this winter, pick up a copy of Christmas Secrets at Villa Limoncello and let Daisy James transport you to Italy from the comfort of your favourite chair with her fabulous sparkly (and mouthwatering) new book.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Purchase Links

Amazon UK 

Amazon US

About the author:

Daisy James is a Yorkshire girl transplanted to the north east of England. She loves writing stories with strong heroines and swift-flowing plotlines. When not scribbling away in her peppermint-and-green summerhouse (garden shed), she spends her time sifting flour and sprinkling sugar and edible glitter. She loves gossiping with friends over a glass of something pink and fizzy or indulging in a spot of afternoon tea - china plates and teacups are a must.

Daisy would love to hear from readers via her Facebook page or you can follow her on Twitter @daisyjamesbooks or on Instagram @daisyjamesstories.

Social Media Links

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/daisyjamesbooks/

Twitter @daisyjamesbooks

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daisyjamesstories/

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BLOG TOUR: Confetti & Confusion (Paradise Cookery School Book 2) - Daisy James

The Paradise Cookery School is officially open!

Stepping in for a celebrity chef, Millie Harper is feeling the pressure to make the first ever Paradise Cookery School classes a dazzling success and ensure that bride-to-be Imogen and friends have an unforgettable experience.

Meanwhile, Millie is trying to play it cool around handsome estate manager Zach Barker. But whenever he is near Millie cannot fail to notice the chemistry between them – until someone from Zach’s past arrives and any potential romance seems out of the question.

When disaster strikes and the wedding is in jeopardy, Millie realises she may have to go above and beyond to make sure the school is a success. Can Millie manage to create a day that dreams are made of, and will she find a way to tell Zach how she feels?

Allow yourself to be transported to the balmy St Lucian sunshine by his uplifting summer read – perfect for fans of Jenny Oliver and Sarah Morgan

What did I think?

Sunshine and Secrets was my first Daisy James book and I enjoyed it so much that I couldn’t wait to slap on my factor 50 and head back to St Lucia for another instalment of the Paradise Cookery School.  Although Confetti & Confusion is the second book in the series, it can definitely be read as a standalone as Daisy James makes sure to include superb colourful introductions to all of her fabulous characters.  As I have read the first book, Sunshine and Secrets, I greeted these warm and friendly characters like old friends.

Confetti & Confusion picks up right where Sunshine and Secrets left off as the shiny new kitchen of the Paradise Cookery School opens for business.  Amelia (Millie) Harper and St Lucian native, Ella, worked so hard to get the kitchen ready and now the fun can begin.  The first customer is a bridal party, and while Imogen and the hens are cooking up chocolatey creations in the kitchen, Alex and the stags partake in some testosterone fuelled events like quad-biking.  Anything can happen, and often does, with Mishap Millie around but luckily hunky estate manager Zach is around to pick Millie up when she falls (literally).

Millie’s feelings for Zach have become more intense in Confetti & Confusion and every day she spends with him mends her broken heart a little more.  Millie’s stay on the island is only temporary and she is adamant that she doesn’t want a holiday romance but maybe Zach doesn’t either, only Millie is too insecure to find out.  As they spend more time together it is clear to the reader, if not to Millie, that Zach has feelings for her too but just when you think ‘the moment’ is approaching, Zach’s ex appears on the scene.  Millie retreats at the speed of light when it appears that Zach is back with Chloe and my heart sank for her but sometimes appearances can be deceptive.

When a fire in the hotel kitchen destroys the wedding cake and the wedding planner is nowhere to be found, Millie is determined to make sure that Imogen and Alex’s dream wedding goes as planned.  Well I say dream wedding, but it’s more Imogen’s mum’s dream wedding as Imogen and Alex would have been happy to get married at home in their local parish church.  As more things go wrong for the couple it looks like someone is out to sabotage their wedding…but why? 

Although I would have liked a bit more scheming and intrigue around the mystery of the wedding sabotage, this unexpected addition does manage to add more depth and drama to the story and sets Confetti & Confusion apart from a twee hearts and flowers chick-lit book.  It’s testament to the way that Daisy James writes a book so full of heart without leaving an overly saccharine taste in your mouth and that’s no easy feat when there are delicious recipes being described so beautifully that I could almost smell the chocolate!  Thankfully, Millie's story is far from over so I can't wait to jet off to St Lucia again soon. 

Confetti & Confusion is a mouth-watering, sunny delight; definitely a book to pack in your suitcase for your summer holiday this year!

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy links:

Amazon (UK)

Kobo (UK)

Google Books (UK)

Apple Books (UK)




About the author:

Daisy James is a Yorkshire girl transplanted to the north east of England. She loves writing stories with strong heroines and swift-flowing plotlines. When not scribbling away in her summerhouse, she spends her time sifting flour and sprinkling sugar and edible glitter. She loves gossiping with friends over a glass of something pink and fizzy or indulging in a spot of afternoon tea – china plates and teacups are a must.

Twitter: @daisyjamesbooks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daisyjamesbooks/

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BLOG TOUR: Artful Eating - Karina Melvin

This book can change your life forever!

Rediscover the magic of eating for pleasure and enjoy a life of balance with the freedom to eat the foods you want without dieting.

Artful Eating will take you on a journey filled with stories, life lessons, practical tools and strategies all rooted in the most up to date scientific and psychological research. Learn how to reprogram your mind to lose weight and achieve the body you desire, by changing your thoughts, behaviours and approach to pleasure.

Successful weight loss is not about what you eat, it's about why and how you eat. We are missing the most vital ingredient in the weight loss battle: the mind. It is our mind that fuels every decision we make about food and by focusing solely on the symptom, the excess weight, we have lost sight of the cause.

There is no strenuous exercise regime, no food elimination, no strict meal plan, just powerful psychological tools and strategies which will create lasting change. You will be amazed at how easy it is to achieve the body you desire and truly deserve.

What did I think?

As a life long dieter, I am always looking for the next amazing diet book to be published.  I do always follow the plan and get varying results but one thing is constant: I always morph back into Miss Blobby as cutting out all my favourite food and drink just makes me want them more, resulting in the inevitable binge when I fall off the diet wagon.

So I opened Artful Eating feeling motivated and ready to try anything.  It wasn't long before I was nodding my head as everything Karina Melvin has written makes perfect sense.  Just making a simple conscious effort to eat half of everything is sure to make the pounds drop off.  As Karina says, the flavour and enjoyment is in the first few bites so if your body is crying out for a doughnut, simply have half of one and share the other half with a friend.  Your body will be satisfied and you'll feel good sharing too.

Any dieter will know that you have good days and bad days.  It's almost its own worst enemy; you have a good day so you reward yourself with a treat, meaning that you have a bad day.  This can sometimes result in falling off the wagon completely as you feel so bad that your diet has failed.  Karina doesn't encourage us to be good all the time, just good enough.  This completely removes the guilt out of eating so you can keep following the Artful Eating plan even when you have what traditional diets call a bad day.

I read Artful Eating with the purpose of reviewing it, so I didn't manage to complete all of the exercises which I think are pivotal to embedding this way of eating in your life.  I am definitely going to go back through the book to complete the exercises as Karina Melvin has completely inspired me to become an artful eater.  I have already begun trying to listen to my body and eat when I'm hungry - it's actually a lot harder than you think!

The hardest thing for me will be leaving food on my plate.  I think back to when we are young: as a baby being a 'good girl' or 'good boy' for eating everything and as a young child being rewarded with a pudding for clearing our plate.  We are taught from an early age to eat all of our food in order to get a treat, so no wonder so many people hoover up their meals as if it's a race.  This is going to be the hardest habit for me to break but I am absolutely determined to do it.

I love the way the book is set out in sections representing parts of a meal: starter, main course, dessert and digestif.  It really helped to instil the mindset that food is there to be enjoyed and therefore eating something you enjoy isn't bad.  Although she doesn't profess to be the greatest cook, Karina Melvin has included some amazing recipes in her book that I can't wait to try.  Some that caught my eye: four-bean chilli (I love beans and anything spicy), courgette cake (to satisfy my sweet tooth), kitchen sink brown bread (there's nothing better than fresh homemade bread) and mini scones (the perfect treat and super-quick to make).

For me the key things in Artful Eating are:

• Listen to your body and eat when you're hungry
• Respond to your body's cravings by eating what type of food you want
• Taste and savour all of the flavours in your food
• Halve anything you eat
• Always leave food on your plate
• Be 'good enough' and remove guilt from eating
• Think of quality over quantity when buying food

Artful Eating is not like any diet book I have ever read before; you really can have your cake and eat it.  It isn't so much a diet plan as a way of life that will change the way you eat forever.  Artful Eating is so inspirational and I have every confidence that this amazing book will change my life.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon



About the author:

Karina Melvin is a Psychologist, with an MSc in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy from the UCD School of Medicine, an MA in Addiction Studies and over ten years of formal training within the field of mental health, she has dedicated her work to helping people feel more at ease in themselves. She lectures in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy in University College Dublin and practices from her clinic in Sandymount. Her first book, Artful Eating: The Psychology of Lasting Weight Loss, became a bestseller in Ireland.

Karina currently runs an online program ‘Artful Eating: At The Table’ (www.artful-eating.com), and hosts the Artful Eating podcast which is available to download from itunes.

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BLOG TOUR: A Family Recipe - Veronica Henry

I adore Veronica Henry books; they are filled with family drama but ultimately envelop the reader in such a huge hug that I always find a smile on my face at the end.  I was thrilled to get a spot on the blog tour for A Family Recipe and I am delighted to share an extract along with my review to bring the tour to a close.  Do make sure you visit the other blogs on this delicious tour.

Click here to read an extract from Chapter 2 where Laura is preparing to send her youngest daughter, Willow, off to university in York.  Then come back and read my review below.

What's the secret ingredient to your happiness?

Laura Griffin is preparing for an empty nest. The thought of Number 11 Lark Hill falling silent - a home usually bustling with noise, people and the fragrant smells of something cooking on the Aga - seems impossible. Laura hopes it will mean more time for herself, and more time with her husband, Dom.

But when an exposed secret shakes their marriage, Laura suddenly feels as though her family is shrinking around her. Feeling lost, she turns to her greatest comfort: her grandmother's recipe box, a treasured collection dating back to the Second World War. Everyone has always adored Laura's jams and chutneys, piled their sandwiches high with her pickles . . . Inspired by a bit of the old Blitz spirit, Laura has an idea that gives her a fresh sense of purpose.

Full of fierce determination, Laura starts carving her own path. But even the bravest woman needs the people who love her. And now, they need her in return . . .

What did I think?

I think this is the best Veronica Henry book I have read to date.  With a dual timeline of 2017 and 1942, it's like two books in one and as I discovered the history behind 11 Lark Hill, my heart was warmed by the heat from the Aga, sitting in pride of place in the busy kitchen.

Laura has always been overprotective of her youngest daughter as Willow suffers from chronic asthma.  The thought of Willow going off to university in York is absolutely terrifying for Laura as she won't be able to keep such a close eye on her anymore.  When Laura and her husband, Dom, are driving back from dropping Willow off in York, Laura discovers a secret that Dom has been keeping from her.  Not only is her marriage under threat but also the home that has been in her family for generations.

Number 11 Lark Hill was a very different place in 1942 as the bombs fell on Bath and everyone had to keep up a stiff upper lip.  Jilly fell in love the night the bombs fell but, with Harry off to fly in the airforce and suddenly finding herself alone in her home, the future isn't quite what she dreamed of as she takes in a family whose home was destroyed in the blitz.  With the help of her exuberant friend, Ivy, Jilly is the perfect embodiment of wartime spirit, especially when the household is set to get a new addition.

I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved A Family Recipe.  The female characters are so strong that you can't help but admire them and the whole family unit brings a smile to my face just thinking about it.  The friendship between Jilly and Ivy is so heartwarming as they have been inseparable for decades.  Despite it being 2017, I felt Laura showed her wartime spirit as she kept calm and carried on.  Family is so important to both main characters as we discover the tears and laughter both in their past and present.

Filled with family drama across several decades, A Family Recipe is so deliciously moreish that I could have quite easily devoured it in one day, but instead I savoured every single exquisite page that I read.  A Family Recipe is a mouth-watering feast for the eyes and there's even a yummy recipe for apple and date chutney that I just have to try for myself.  A highly recommended read from the delectable pen of Veronica Henry.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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