Honestly Healthy

This little story takes my weird stalker tendencies to a new level but on a plus side for me I have discovered something new which I am going to share with you tonight.  A few weeks ago my friend and I went to a taster session at the new Pilates studio opened at my gym in Richmond.  As we were leaving, we noticed that  the well known interior designer Kelly Hoppen turned up with her daughter for a private session.  Being nosey as I am and already following Kelly on Twitter, I had a little look to see if she had tweeted about heading over to the Pilates studio and noticed a conversation with someone else (who turned out to be her daughter).  When I clicked on her daughter's Twitter I discovered Honestly Healthy which is what today's post is about.

Honestly Healthy is a new cookbook that has been written by Kelly Hoppen's daughter based upon the alkaline diet.  I clicked onto her website and started to read about how she had lost 2 stone and also felt so much healthier since she had started to follow the alkaline diet, a vegetarian diet based around eating foods that digest as alkaline in your stomach.  Impressed with what I saw I went onto Amazon and bought a copy of the cookbook for myself and my Mum (unfortunately it's been about 10 days since I ordered it now but it still hasn't arrived and if my Mum reads this before it's delivered her surprise will be spoilt!).

In the meantime, I am not the only person to have discovered Honestly Healthy as about 3 days after I first went on the website, Victoria Beckham herself tweeted that she was a fan of the cookbook and since then it has exploded with articles in the Daily Mail and an endorsement from self-titled food and fitness guru Gwynnie Paltrow.

So, whilst I am waiting for the full cookbook, I have had a little go at two of the recipes available on the website.  I don't know what has got into me recently, maybe my Nanna's constant chidings about me being the worst wife in the world have had an effect as I have cooked more in 2013 than I have in my whole entire life put together!

The first thing I had a go at were the Carrot and Halloumi Patties.

  I grated four large carrots and some red onion.

I then mixed it in a large bowl with grated halloumi cheese, rice flour, egg white, coriander, lemon, garlic and spring onions.

I then fried some fennel seeds in oil before adding it to the mixture above and blending it all together.

I took a handful of the mixture, squeezed out the moisture and made into patties.  At this point I was panicking, I am not the best cook in the world and it wasn't really sticking together or looking much like a patty! However I stuck with it and lashed it in the pan and 'seared' on both sides until golden brown.

I then closed my eyes and prayed that I could get the 'patty' from the pan into the oven tin! As you can see I just about managed it and then baked in the oven for 15 minutes until 'golden brown'.

I then served on a bed of spinach and watercress salad and added a dressing of olive oil, lime and agave honey nectar.

It tasted absolutely delicious but I was not fully satisfied after a pretty hefty session in the gym! Therefore I decided to treat myself to another recipe on the website aptly named 'Best Hot Chocolate Ever!'  I am so glad I have found this recipe as it has given me a yummy hot drink that sticks to me giving up dairy.

I blended some coconut milk, cashew nuts and cocoa powder so that it was smooth.  I then heated it in a pan and then 'voila'...enjoyed a nice hot chocolate as below!

If you want to check out the cookbook, learn more about the diet or just have a nosey at what all the celebs are going mad for, check it out at http://www.honestlyhealthyfood.com/