Christmas is a time when we go into overdrive on our alcohol consumption. The run up to Christmas with an incredibly busy social scene right up until the day when we start on the Bucks Fizz at breakfast time …….then just continue.
If you are cutting out alcohol for any reason or if you just want to cut down do not let it spoil your Christmas. Especially if you are cooking the lunch !!! You can still join in and feel very naughty with three of my favourite non alcoholic Christmas cocktails. I don’t think anyone of us wants to feel inebriated on Christmas day ( well maybe there is a few of you !!) but even if you are having the mulled wine, the egg nog, the champagne and the wine it maybe a good idea to intersperse the alcohol for you and your guests with one of these. Also good for the children (well, it IS christmas )
Mulled ‘Cider’
1 glass of apple juice
4 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
star anise
orange zest
teaspoon of agave syrup
METHOD
Simmer gently all ingredients. Strain. Serve with a cinnamon stick.
Mulled ‘Cider’
APPLE SPARKLE
1 glass of cloudy apple juice
A tot of elderflower cordial
Mint
Sparkling water
Gold leaf for sprinkle and sparkle
METHOD
Half fill a glass with cloudy apple juice . Add a tot of elderflower cordial. Top up with sparkling water. Lots of crushed ice. Mix well with a mixing spoon. garnish with a sprig of mint and sprinkle with gold leaf.
Apple Sparkle
RASPBERRY ‘NOJITO’
Raspberries fresh or frozen
mint
coconut sugar
lime juice
sparkling water
METHOD
Muddle the raspberries, mint and sugar and lime juice. Top up with sparkling water.
Raspberry Nohito
As you can see all very simple and quicker to make then normal cocktails so time saving too. The raspberry mojito can be whizzed up and pureed in a blender and served in a martini glass as a fake cosmopolitan. It all depends what you normally drink so change the glass to suit your mood.
JOJOS STYLELIST TIP: THIS ADVICE IS NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMAS BUT FOR LIFE…..FOR EVERY ALCOHOLIC DRINK HAVE A NON ALCOHOLIC DRINK. MY ‘GO TO’ IS ELDERFLOWER CORDIAL AND SODA SERVED IN A CHAMPAGNE GLASS. SO YOU DONT APPEAR TO BE A PARTY POOPER AND PEOPLE DONT FORCE YOU TO EXCEED YOUR LIMITS. ADDED BONUS OF SAVING CALORIES TOO !!!
Herbs add flavour and enhance the blandest of meals but how many of you are aware that they have contain health and medicinal properties that can contribute a great deal to your daily wellness levels. Dried or fresh ! They are easy to add to EVERY meal whether in smoothies, salads, soups or sprinkled onto raw or cooked meals.
It is time to develop your own medicine cabinet in your own back yard with a highly nutritional herb garden to alleviate a wide range of symptoms.
So here are five herbs (out of a list of hundreds) but use this list as a basis to start or even start growing some in the garden. These ones I have selected are particularly easy to incorporate into your daily meals.
OREGANO
This herb is familiar to nearly everyone but actually has MORE flavour dried than fresh. So a great store cupboard essentials. Very easy to grow in a pot in your garden.
BENEFITS
Antibacterial defending the body against bacteria in the gut and the skin. A high content of manganese, calcium, vitamin k and fibre therefore an ideal herb to detoxify the body by assisting the liver function. Also excellent for bone health very useful in later life for protection against osteoporosis. A natural form of Omega 3 fatty acids can rebalance cholesterol and help prevent heart attacks and strokes.
DIET
Great with pasta particularly good with tomato based sauces in its dried form. Or incorporate into homemade burgers including vegan ones.
ASHWAGANDA
This ancient herb I take in the form of a powder EVERY morning in my smoothie. It has very powerful properties and is an important herb in Ayurvedic medIcine.
BENEFITS
There have been many studies that have proven that this herb substantially reduces anxiety and depression and is great for menopause symptoms. reduces cortisol levels if over stressed. Also reduces inflammation. I credit Ashwaganda to significantly alleviating my arthritis. Many studies also link this powerful herb with reducing cancerous tumours when taken regularly. Although I cannot personally lay claim to this it is worth adding this to your diet to see if it is of benefit to you.
DIET
I buy this in powder form and add to my smoothies and green juice every single day. Or add it to your soups.
MINT
This is so easy to grow even I can grow it . Right now I have an abundance of mint in my garden for my daily use.
BENEFITS
The benefits of mint are widely documented. It is uplifting and a fantastic aid to digestion and bloating. Can really help with IBS symptoms. Relieve congestion from colds and bronchitis. Mental clarity and of course mask bad breath.
DIET
Great with boiling water as a mint tea. Fresh leaves incorporated into salads both savoury or fruit salads. Try to introduce after meals. This leaf is more potent fresh and unbruised as opposed to dried but easily picked fresh straight from your herb garden you are now cultivating !
NUTMEG
Known as the sexy spice. Although considered a spice it actually is a seed from a herb the nutmeg tree that bears two fruit mace and nutmeg. Although a word of warning can be dangerous in large quantities as can be hallucinogenic and is actually banned in Saudi Arabia ! so we are just talking about a sprinkle here definitely no more than a teaspoonful. Great in a dried powder form and keeps for many months in the store cupboard.
BENEFITS
A nerve relaxant therefore excellent for inducing sleep and relaxation. Raises sexual libido and improves memory. swap the nightly glass of wine out for a sprinkle of nutmeg.
DIET
Perfect with spinach as an accompaniment to your evening meal. In a glass of hot milk before bed . Commonly used in the Ayurvedic ‘golden milk’. Sprinkle on coffee. Would tend to use this later in the day because of its relaxant properties.
PARSLEY
Native to the mediterranean light scented and fresh taste makes it very versatile and pretty much can be added to most dishes for maximum benefit raw or cooked. Also it is easy to grow in your own backyard. I have included it on this list for its ease of use and availability and its impressive nutritional value.
BENEFITS
Great source of vitamin A and C therefore making it high in anti oxidants so good for the blood and the skin. Helps protect the eyes and help prevent age related macular degeneration . Reduces water retention and neutralises bad breath.
DIET
Add to almost any food dried or fresh, raw or cooked. Add to green juice if suffering from puffiness or water retention or simmer with water then strain to make a tea. Or just chew on a fresh sprig for fresh breath and to neutralise odours such as garlic. This wonderful herb is often not given credit for its amazing nutritional value and is often overlook as just a piece of green garnish so do not push it to one side consume it.
WARNING: DUE TO THE HIGH POTENCY OF HERBS AND THEIR GENUINE EFFECTIVENESS DO NOT CONSUME IN LARGE QUANTITIES. LITTLE AND OFTEN IS THE KEY FOR MAXIMUM HEALTH BENEFITS.
MWAH MWAH XXXXXX
JOJO X
JOJOS STYLIST TIP: THERE ARE MANY MORE HERBS AND SPICES WITH INCREDIBLE HEALTH BENEFITS YOU HAVE TO SELECT WHAT YOUR BODY NEEDS RIGHT NOW. INSTEAD OF REACHING FOR THE MEDICINAL CABINET IN YOUR BATHROOM WHY NOT TRY THE ONE IN YOUR GARDEN AND SEE IF IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE !
I recently attended a Theta Brain Workshop as part of my on going development of my Sound Healing Therapist qualifications. I was astounded to discover that they advocated Spinach as a bad food. Now, as a spinach addict, I eat in EVERY day and in addition I make a green juice with it in the mornings to start the day with a pop of goodness.
If like me , you had spinach on the ‘superfood’ list read on. Still disbelieving I went home to research the subject for myself and could not believe that there has been so much written about the toxicity of cadmium in Spinach and that this just has not been communicated.
Health professionals are still telling us to consume large portions of spinach in our diets and the benefits of iron. But in fact no one has ever told me the dangers of high levels of cadmium that are found particularly in Spinach. Actually I had never even heard of cadmium !!
CADMIUM is the most dangerous among heavy metals as it is carcinogenic similar to that found in cigarette smoke . Tests proved that through passive smoking high levels were ingested which led to a ban in public places. But these heavy metals exist in many foods at acceptable levels but spinach exceeds these safe limits. It appear to accumulate in high levels in Spinach but not in other leafy vegetables e.g. Kale or cabbage. Heavy metals that are found in food represent one of the most important food risks for consumers.
CADMIUM is all around us in air, water, soil all around us but for some reason Spinach absorbs the most cadmium and boiling spinach does not show any reduction in the levels.
Exposure of such high levels over a long period of time can be toxic to kidney function this has been widely accepted but newer data shows an increased risk of some cancers e.g. lung, bladder and breast cancer.
Perhaps if there are any Nutritional/Medical experts reading this article I would love any further information you may like to add.
I am not a medical Doctor and this information and the data that exists shocked me that I thought I would like to share it with my readers as it has been kept well hidden from the general public. Many of us would have no reason to search this data . Of course it is your freedom of choice.
JOJOS STYLELIST TIP: PERHAPS ITS TIME TO SWAP YOUR SPINACH FOR KALE !
As many of you may still be self isolating and awaiting your vaccines or maybe you are anxious about having the vaccine. So give yourself the best chance by boosting your immunity, I am going to introduce you to three nutritional powerhouse soups. All can be made very quickly , and all can be made from frozen and store cupboard ingredients. The reason I chose these soups………
You may be on your own so very little prep required (no chopping and peeling)
When you are feeling poorly you sometimes only want soup
All the ingredients are good for the immune system and detoxifying the body
You can make one big pot for when you feel like a littel throughout the day
Soft food so good for sore throats
Many people are stockpiling tinned soups these contain high levels of salt and sugar which can cause inflammation. Important to cut down on sugars and dairy when you have flu symptoms as they can excacerbate mucus in the membranes and inflammation. You need plenty of protein to fight the infection. avoid acidic foods eg tomatoes if you are vomiting .
JAR OF FRESH GRATED GINGER/CHICKEN STOCK CUBES/TURMERIC POWDER/GHEE/ FRESH GARLIC BULBS(LAST UP TO 6 MONTHS)
ROAST GARLIC SOUP
Serves 3/4
4 whole garlic bulbs
cup of onions
Ghee
Chicken stock
Slice across top of each bulb, no need to peel . Drizzle with olive oil. Cover with foil and roast for 40 mins in oven 190 degrees.
Melt a tablespoon of ghee and saute the chopped onion
Pour in 850ml of chicken stock
When garlic nice and soft allow to cool a little then squeeze the garlic out of each bulb into the soup.
Add 4 blocks of leaf spinach (optional)
Add seasoning ( like WHITE pepper in this one)
Blend until smooth
NUTRITIONAL NOTE: I would use onions and garlic as much as possible they are nutritional power houses that fight inflammation. Garlic is good at detoxifying the body is anti bacterial/antibiotic as they contain a chemical called Allicin. It is better to roast the garlic than chop as if you don’t chop/blend finely enough and a piece gets lodged in your intestines you can get garlic poisoning and it is very unpleasant take it from me. I use ghee (clarified butter) as it is tastier than butter but also has the milk part taken out so no lactose.
CHICKEN AND BROAD (FAVA)BEAN SOUP
Serves 3/4
2 cups of frozen broad beans
1 cup of onions
ghee
1 chicken breast
chicken stock
Wrap chicken in foil with a little water and seasoning place in oven 180 degrees for 40 minutes. this way it keeps it nice and moist.
Saute onions in ghee
Add broad beans and saute for a few minutes
Add chicken stock and boil for 15 minutes
Blend until smooth.
Once chicken cooked ( ensure it is cooked thoroughly) flake it into the soup
Grind black peppercorns over the top.
NUTRITIONAL NOTES: Broad beans are LOADED with vitamins,minerals,fibre and protein. Impressive health benefits such as improved motor function and immunity. Chicken of course is great for protein and makes this soup more substantial. However if you need a real quick fix just omit the chicken . The Fava soup is great just how it is. Tastes amazing. I have it at least once a week.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH,TURMERIC AND GINGER SOUP
SERVES 3/4
2 Cups of butternut squash
1 tablespoon of ginger
2 teaspoons of turmeric powder
Chicken/veg stock
Add some onions and garlic too if you like and seeds if you want some crunch.
Just throw everything in a pot and boil for 15 minutes
Blend . Season. That simple.
NUTRITIONAL NOTES: Turmeric is anti inflammatory. Butternut Squash is good for ACE vitamins and B vitamins, calcium ( great if you have cut back on the dairy), magnesium and zinc. It supports the natural function of the immune system.
IF YOU PREFER YOUR SOUPS THICKER/THINNER JUST ADJUST THE STOCK ACCORDINGLY.
JOJS STYLELIST TIP: THESE SOUPS ARE SO GOOD FOR YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM DONT WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE ILL START BUILDING THEM INTO YOUR DIET TODAY. I REGULARLY BUILD THESE SOUPS INTO MY DIET AND I HAVE NOT HAD A COLD/FLU FOR 10 YEARS……..JUST SAYING.
Hi to all my fabulous and fifty + friends. These days being fifty has a whole new look think Elle, J-Lo,Halle. They look super stylish and lead an equally super stylish life surrounded by beauty. You can live like this too and I hope to take you on a style journey with my blog. Not a destination, a continuing evolvement. If you are not going to embrace a life of style now….then when? So I am looking forward to getting to know you all welcome to our club.
