Buy a book for Christmas and show them you care

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365 words, A Word for Every Day of The Year, Adam Kay, Aled Jones, Andrew Ridgeley, Anne Glenconner, apron, bold, book, bottle of wine, but perfectly formed, camp, care, cash, celebrity, celebrity autobiography, chocolate, Christmas, Christmas classic, Christmas must-buy, cooking, cool, cutting, educate, empowering women, extravagant, faint hearted, festive season, film, first book, Fleabag: The Scriptures, fresh new pages, friend, George and Andrew, giving, glass of wine, go, gorgeous scented candle, great stocking filler, health, hearts, hospital success, ideas, illustrated, inspiration, inspire, intrigue, It’s Going to Hurt, Kate Young, knowing your worth, Lady Glenconner, Lady in Waiting, local bookshop, love, love it, lush, Me: Elton John Official Autobiography, mince pies, mouth-watering meals, music, pages, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, practical exercises, Princess Margaret, Raymond Briggs., read, relationships, royal life, seasonal, Secret Santa, self-care, Slay in Your Lane: The Journal, small, Small but mighty, smile, socks, Steven Poole, stunning, success, summer, The Little Library Year, The Nightshift Before Christmas, the person who has everything, The Snowman, tips, TV series, unwrap, Wham! fans, Wham! George & Me, worksheets, Yomi Adegoke and Elizabeth Uviebinené

You can buy them socks, chocolate or a bottle of wine, but there is something special about giving a book as a gift at Christmas.

Think fresh new pages, lots of ideas and inspiration as well as the chance for them to escape from life for just a little while.

We have some great books to share with you that should be stocked in your local bookshop and will make someone smile this Christmas when they unwrap it.

The Nightshift Before Christmas, Adam Kay
This Is Going to Hurt was Adam’s first book and his bold, poignant look at life inside a hospital was a massive success. His small, but perfectly formed follow-up, The Nightshift Before Christmas is a great stocking filler and while not for the faint hearted, it’s worth a read.

Slay in Your Lane: The Journal, Yomi Adegoke and Elizabeth Uviebinené
This stunning illustrated book is all about empowering women and with practical exercises, worksheets, and easy to follow tips for success, it’s a Christmas must-buy. It gives readers all they need to get ahead in relationships, looks at how to start a successful side hustle, knowing your worth at work comes into play as well as info on cash, self-care, and good health. Sound good, no?

Me: Elton John Official Autobiography
You might have seen the film, but we think the book is even better. This celebrity autobiography is cool, cutting, camp, extravagant and packed with disco-dancing, football club buying stories intended to make the reader laugh and cry. Go on, they will love it and might let you borrow it too.

The Little Library Year, Kate Young
Food and books, what’s not to like? This gorgeous book takes recipes onto a whole new level as Kate shares seasonal, mouth-watering meals and treats that will make the reader want to put on an apron on and start cooking right away. Oh, and summer might seem a long time away, but she knows how to pack a picnic basket!

Fleabag: The Scriptures, Phoebe Waller-Bridge
If they loved the TV series, they will love this book. We couldn’t put it down and they won’t be able to either. Perfect for reading with a glass of wine, with a gorgeous scented candle burning, so you might want to buy those too?

A Word for Every Day of The Year, Steven Poole
Small but mighty – this is the book for the person who has everything. As the name suggests, inside the cover are 365 words to educate, intrigue and inspire. We will warn you, if you start to read, you won’t want to stop until the end so maybe buy two copies and keep one for yourself.

The Snowman, Raymond Briggs
We can’t leave the kids out, so why not introduce them to this Christmas classic? Yes, you can watch the film on TV and sing along with Aled Jones, but turning the pages of The Snowman is as much a part of the festive season as Secret Santa and mince pies. Go up in your mum’s loft and you never know, you might find an original gathering dust.

Lady in Waiting, Anne Glenconner
Glitz, glamour and drama, no we aren’t talking about the office party but this beauty of a book! Lady Glenconner was Princess Margaret’s lifelong friend and this is a lush, compelling read all about them and a real look at royal life. The rich and posh – it’s all here on these pages to read and we think it’s worth doing exactly that.

Wham! George & Me, Andrew Ridgeley
Before we go, go – sorry, not sorry! This is an emotional read and Wham! fans may well need to get their tissues ready when they dive into this belter of a book. George and Andrew might have met in 1975, but their music lives on in our hearts today, thank goodness.

Got a book you love, let us know, we are ready and waiting to hear from you.

Team Pure Beauty

Spring Produce – What Should You Be Eating?

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Alzheimer’s, bones, brain, cancer, diet, fibre, food, fruit, hair, health, minerals, nails, nutrition, prevention, produce, seasonal, skin, spring, vegetables, Vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamins

Spring is a fabulous time for year for new fruit and veg as there are a whole bunch of new things in season which are great for your health. Here’s a guide to what’s in season, how they can be eaten and, most importantly, how they benefit your health and beauty regime.

Sorrel

Sorrel is a leafy veg which doesn’t make it into many day-to-day dishes, but it’s actually packed with vitamins and minerals while being very low in calories. It has a unique flavour which is a little bit ‘love it or hate it’, but if it’s your cup of tea it’s great when added to a leafy salad, or can even be chopped finely and used more like a herb to flavour other dishes. It’s full of vitamin C, with half a cup fulfilling your daily needs and also contains many cancer-fighting compounds.

Spring Greens

Probably the most obvious ‘spring’ veg, spring greens (also known as Collard greens in other parts of the world) are similar to kale and are best when cooked down and eaten hot, especially with some lardons and a little red chilli. These are an essential part of your diet if you have any sort of dairy intolerance as they contain high levels of calcium without the need for milk. They are also a great source of dietary fibre, which will reduce the risk of bloating, as well as containing a whole host of other vitamins and minerals.

Radishes

Radishes are largely under-appreciated here in the UK, consigned to being the bit of the salad that no-one eats, but they’re actually a tasty, nutritious and fairly versatile veg. They’re actually used in a lot of ancient medicines for their ability to cool the body and and hydrate the skin and they’re also full of cancer-fighting phytonutrients.

Rhubarb

Rhubarb is a fruit which is best known for being used in crumbles and pies, which is largely because the fibrous fruit (which is technically a veg!) needs to be cooked down a lot to be made palatable, but once you’ve prepared it, it’s both delicious and good for you. Every serving of rhubarb provides 45% of the daily value in vitamin K, which supports healthy bone growth and can limit neuronal damage in the brain, even to the point of Alzheimer’s prevention.

Jersey Royal New Potatoes

Popular opinion of potatoes is largely negative – many people think that potatoes are just a ‘filler’ which contain very little nutrients but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Jersey Royals contain complex carbohydrates which are essential for energy and just 100g of them contain 25% of your daily RDA of vitamin C, which is essential in the diet for maintaining healthy skin, hair, bones, teeth and gums.

January’s Seasonal Foods

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amino acids, fruit, minerals, produce, seasonal, veg, vitamins

Although the supermarkets would have you believe that strawberries are readily available all year round, when we eat fruit and veg out of season, it usually means that it’s been grown in a hotter country and flown all the way around the world, which is obviously terrible for the environment. Opting for produce which is in season not only allows you to do your bit for the planet, it can also help you to discover foods that you may not necessarily usually eat and add a little variety to your plate. Here’s what you should be looking for in January and February:

Salsify

Salsify is a root vegetable which is actually a member of the sunflower family and although the tough, black skin is practically inedible, the flesh beneath is tasty and full of nutrition. As well as being a good source of dietary fibre, which will help combat bloat, it’s also packed with vitamin C and potassium.

Blood Orange

Blood oranges may sound a little unappealing but are, in fact, simply named because of their dark red flesh. The dark redness is actually caused by a compound called anthocyanin, which protects against a number of diseases, such as cancer and liver dysfunction. They are also less acidic than normal oranges and have a sweet, almost raspberry-like flavour, making them ideal for anyone who suffers from digestive issues whilst being packed with vitamin C.

Pomegranates

Pomegranates are a bit of a love/hate fruit because they are fairly expensive and are pretty tricky to eat, but their nutritional benefits and versatility make them something you should definitely be adding to your shopping list at this time of year. Pomegranates are fairly high in sugar, as are many fruits, but they also have a relatively high fibre content too, which means that they release their energy slower and won’t cause big spikes in your sugar levels, something which is important for diabetics and non-diabetics alike.

Truffles

Okay, so this may seem like a rather “lofty” suggestion as truffles are a notoriously expensive ingredient but one of the reasons that they are so prized is that they are probably the most nutritious mushroom on the planet! As well as being 8.6% protein (fab for anyone trying to build muscle) truffles are also rich in minerals such as phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, iron, sulphur, chlorine, silicone, AND amino acids!

Leeks

Leeks are often overlooked as a vegetable but they’re actually one of the most nutritious veg around! Part of the onion family, leeks contain a whole host of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and anti-oxidants. A 100g serving contains 39% of your RDA of vitamin K and 55% of your vitamin A, whilst only containing 61 calories!

There’s more to turkey than sandwiches

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almonds, carrots, Christmas, curry, drink, eat, eating, food, garlic, healthy, meals, noodles, olive oil, powder, seasonal, sesame, soy sauce, stir-fry, stock, tangine, turkey, wok

Once the roast dinner is done with, most people are left with mounds of turkey waiting to be made into sandwiches thick with mayo and mustard.

The thing is, if you only do this with your leftovers you are missing out on a healthy trick and some tasty treats. Turkey is a delicious, lean meat that is low in fat and an excellent source of protein, so don’t let it go to waste.

We have some easy recipes to help you make the most of that left over turkey you can enjoy with friends during the festive season.

Turkey Tangine

This is a delicious meal that is perfect for enjoying with family and friends between Christmas and New Year.

You will need
300g leftover turkey cut into chunks
1 teaspoon of olive oil
1 sliced onion
3 carrots
2 crushed cloves of garlic
500 ml of turkey stock
150ml of water
1 can of tomatoes (400g)
1 can of chickpeas (400g)
140g of dried apricots and prunes, roughly chopped
Clear honey
½ bunch coriander, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon flaked almonds

What to do:

Heat the oil in a pan and cook the onion under a gentle heat for about eight minutes or until they are soft.
Add the carrots and parsnips and then cook until they start to soften and go brown.
Stir in the garlic and cook for a further minute.
Add the stock, tomatoes, chickpeas, dried fruit and 150ml water.
Season, bring to a simmer and cook for 25-30 mins until the vegetables are tender.
Add the turkey and simmer for at least minutes to warm through.
Stir in the honey then add the coriander and almonds just before serving with couscous and a little Greek yogurt.

Turkey Noodles
Whilst curry is the traditional meal to make with leftover turkey, this fresh stir fry is a super-healthy alternative that the whole family will enjoy. Packed with low-fat, high protein meat and tasty vegetables this stir-fry brings the dish bang up to date.

You will need:

200g rice noodles
2 teaspoons sesame oil
250g of turkey cut into strips
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
A thumb sized piece of ginger
1 red chilli that will need to be chopped
2 red peppers that are deseeded and sliced thinly
Left over Christmas vegetables such as peas, shredded carrots and cabbage (maybe leave the sprouts out)
200g beansprouts
1 bunch of spring onions
3 tablespoons of curry powder or paste
1 teaspoon of turmeric
2 large tablespoons of soy sauce plus extra for serving

What to do:

Soak the noodles in boiling water until soft, then drain and toss in a teaspoon of sesame oil in a warm wok for an authentic, delicious flavour.
Place the wok back on the heat with the rest of the oil and gently but quickly fry the garlic, ginger and chilli together.
Add all the vegetables to the wok and fry for a minute before adding the turkey.
Put the noodles plus curry powder, turmeric and soy sauce and cook everything together for a couple of minutes, being careful not to burn, and then stir through the noodles.
Serve with coriander, sliced chilli and extra soy sauce and maybe have a glass of water handy.

Of course you can make salads and soups, curries and hot pots but whatever you do, enjoy your turkey and remember it isn’t just for Christmas.