Welcome to the first instalment of The Cultured Collective's new blog series Eat & Greet where we're talking all things food, health and wellness with some of our favourite people and sharing delicious recipes to inspire you to get experimenting with kimchi and sauerkraut.
Hello Eva! Please introduce yourself to our readers...
Hey, I'm Eva Humphries, a BANT registered nutritionist with a realistic view of healthy eating. Somewhere along the way, we managed to make nutrition super complicated so I do my best to debunk those diet myths and encourage individuals to eat more "whole", unprocessed, foods. I'm a firm believer that good nutrition just comes down to eating more nutrients and not cutting everything out that you ever enjoyed.
After spending a number of years in IT, I graduated as a nutritionist 4 years ago and haven't looked back since. You can mostly find me on Instagram @wholefoodwarrior or for healthy recipes check out www.wholefoodwarrior.co.uk.
Retreats which I'm genuinely super excited about. I've teamed up with an awesome yoga teacher (Debs from @d.o.yoga) to launch two yoga & nutrition retreats this year. We will be heading to Ibiza at the end of April then to the Peak District in October. Debs and I both share the same views when it comes to keeping things realistic so the emphasis is on relaxation, healthy food and the occasional glass of wine.
Sounds like a great opportunity for some quality R & R. How would you describe your own approach to health and wellness? Has this changed over time?
I'm going to overuse the word "realistic" but it's the most fitting one to answer this question. I will put emphasis on ticking a few boxes such adding in 10 portions of veg, sufficient protein, fermented foods and keeping hydrated but the rest is pretty flexible within reason. There are so many delicious foods out there, enjoy them in moderation, add the good stuff in (tonnes of veg) and the rest genuinely takes care of itself. If I had the chance to tell my early 20 something self this then I totally would. Back then it was all about excessive gym workouts, nothing but protein and veg then extreme cheat days of eating everything in the house. Luckily my knowledge improved with my qualification and with that I realised that there is no need to be so prescriptive about nutrition.
Wise words. I'm sure a lot of readers can relate to your story. What steps do you take these days to look after your gut - any top tips?
More fibre, fermented foods and spending some time outdoors are great steps.
1) Fibre - think a variety of different vegetables, beans, pulses, whole grains, nuts and seeds - the greater the variety, the more your gut microbes will lap them up
2) Fermented foods - this helps to top up those good bacteria and adds further nutrients
3) Getting outdoors - the latest research now shows that we pick up good bacteria when in nature. Those that spent more time indoors tended to have a less diverse mircobiome and those that spent more time outdoors had a more diverse one. Plus a lunchtime walk is decent enough exercise that comes with a host of other benefits. [if !supportLineBreakNewLine] Some great practical advice there. Who knew simply being outside could have a positive effect on our microbiomes? Wow! And finally .... what's your favourite The Cultured Collective product?
It has to be the Ginger & Turmeric Kimchi. Totally delicious.
The Wholefood Warrior's Duck Egg Bibimbap w White Miso & Turmeric Kimchi
Serves 2
You'll need...
- 2 Clarence Court duck eggs
- 2 TBS of The Cultured Collective White Miso & Turmeric Kimchi
- Rapeseed oil for cooking
- Salt & Pepper to taste
For the quinoa
- 150g of quinoa, cooked
- 1 large carrot, peeled & grated
- 2” piece of ginger, peeled & grated
- 2-3 spring onions, finely sliced
For the hot sauce
- 1 red pepper, deseeded, divided into four
- 2 red chillies, halved lengthways, deseeded
- 1 tsp of miso paste
- 4 tsp of tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
- 2 tsp of apple cider vinegar
- 1 clove of garlic, crushed
- 1 TBS of sesame seeds, toasted
- 1 TBS of rapeseed oil
- 1 TBS of water
Suggested toppings
- Sautéed mushrooms
- Wilted Spinach
Method
To make the hot sauce
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Preheat the grill to medium-high.
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Lie the sliced chilli and pepper pieces on a baking tray skin side up and grill until their skins start to blister and turn black - approximately 10 minutes.
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Set aside and cool until the pieces are comfortable to handle. Peel the skin off the pepper and discard.
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Roughly chop the peeled pepper and chilli and place in a food processor. Add the remaining hot sauce ingredients and blend until smooth.
To make the quinoa
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Heat the rapeseed oil in a pan on a medium heat.
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Add the ginger and grated carrot and cook for a couple of minutes until the carrot has softened.
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Tip in the cooked quinoa and sliced spring onion and cook for 1-2 minutes to warm through. Season to taste.
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Fry duck eggs to your liking – leave yoks runny for best results.
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To assemble, divide the quinoa between two bowls. Top with duck eggs, kimchi, and your other preferred toppings before drizzling with hot sauce and a few more sesame seeds to garnish. Enjoy!
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