First, a bit of back story. This Soho restaurant has received various awards and accolades for its stripped-down, honest regional Italian cuisine.  If they can, they make everything themselves, from bread to pasta, sausage to salami – they are self-contained health.  The family run business have inspired me countless times and helped me to understand healthy, mediterranean cuisines at its finest.  Their menu makes health sound so glamorous: raw broad bean salad with sheep ricotta, lemon zest & mint… Home made wild fennel salame, raw broad beans & pecorino rosso…

My absolute favourite – and a constant source of contentment (both on the taste buds and hips) – is their Tagliata – grilled bone-in sirloin, served with rosemary, balsamic vinegar, rocket and parmesan.

Take your meat – sirloin, fillet, whatever red one suits – and rub a tiny bit of light olive oil over it, season it, and lightly cover both sides in fresh rosemary.

*rosemary and beef is a serious relationship*

Sear the meat (you want it as rare as you can take it) and let it rest.  A big bowl of rocket, a few shavings of parmesan with some sticky balsamic… Cut the meat into thin, rare strips and drop onto the salad, allowing the rosemary to blend with the rocket.  I sometimes add roasted tomato and fennel to the dish, the combined sweetness of savoury ingredients is healthy comfort food at its best.

This is a great one to do with dieting in mind, especially when cooking for others.  Chuck some cannellini beans at the non-dieters and everyone’s a winner.

The hugely popular Danish chain has weaved it’s nordic path of success all the way to London, debuting at Regent Street, and stopping at Carnaby Street and the King’s Road. How casual in your venue choices guys… Yeah, they mean business.

They just popped up in Chelsea a few weeks ago.  So, being Danish and all, I walked in with a smug little grin plastered on my face. Seriously – the Danes do style. Black crocodile skin upholstery, sexy lighting, minimal disco and an ambiance that you’d normally only find in a luxe members club. And you’re selling what again? Oh yes, coffee. Sweet.

Wandering downstairs to check out more of their interior design endowment, I managed to meet the founder of Joe & The Juice, Kasper Basse, who was over from Copenhagen having a meeting with his senior team. As fate would have it he offered me a coffee after he saw me snapping photos of his gaff on my iPhone.

Check out this interview taken in his hometown of Copenhagen:

The coffee is head and shoulders above the rest, the best latte I’ve had in forever.  Their juice menu is bold and pretty damn fresh. Secret ingredients: olive oil and lemon juice as binders. Too good.

If you live in the capital, or you’re just up for a visit, please check them out and have a juice.

Health and taste rolled into a beautiful setting. Diets aren’t that boring these days.

Kids at Christmas – don’t you wish it was that simple again?  All the excitement, the presents, the legitimate chocolate and sweets?  Those were the wonder years that are now a reality of our own parental engineering.  It can be tough on parents not to partake in the excessive side of Christmas that they so heavily lavish on their young ones. Snacking is what Christmas has become all about – the three meals a day becomes a distant memory and is instead replaced with absent minded fridge-opening as the new family sport.

But why not take control and add some creativity in the lead up to Christmas this year?  Quality Streets don’t just appear in bulk on the table as if from the North Pole. WE buy them for everyone when WE go to the supermarket.  I’m not promoting a Scroogey-little-Christmas by any means. But when we hit Sainsbury’s and it’s confectionery aisle 7, try and remember 2010 and how hyper the kids became and how sluggish and argumentative the adults were from all that sugar.  Of course get a few bits, but this year I’m thinking outside of the malteasers box.

5 Golden Things:

Waitrose Luxury Yoghurts, any 5 for £3: Madagascan Vanilla, Malayasian Coconut, Scottish Raspberry, Hazelnut, Honey & Stem Ginger, Lemon Curd, Clotted Cream Fudge, Champagne Rhubarb. At roughly 200 calories or 1 bite they are on the heavy side for personal snacks, but your kids won’t be charging around headbutting your backside all day from sugar.

Corn on the Cobs: Colourful and healthy snacks for everyone.  Boil a load up and chuck in a big Christmas bowl – dig in everyone, seconds and thirds welcome!

Melon wrapped in Prosciutto: Fresh, moorish and sophisticated. From the Kids to the Grannies, everyone will thank you for this healthy snack.  Yes, the prosciutto is a fatty meat but given it’s Christmas and has zero chocolate in it – winner.

M&S Luxury Fruit Juices, any 3 for £5: Make a bowl of kiddy punch instead of cokes and lemonades.  The best one is Pineapple, Peach & Passion fruit. Pour 3 into a big punch bowl, add a ladle and watch them help themselves to some 5 a day. Works just as well with a bit of vodka in for the adults, just remember which is which to avoid a very memorable Christmas this year.

A bowl of Almonds and Hazelnuts: The 2 healthiest and least fatty nuts!  A handful of them equates to about 166 calories or 0.7 bites.  Buy them separately rather than a mixed bag and you steer clear of the bad boys, Macadamia, Pecan and Cashew.

Fewer sugar lows, arguments and zoo animals – ENJOY

Like alchemy, the winning formula of success remains unknown for the new wave of concept eateries. Many food-fads try, few remain stuck to our branded hight-streets.  This one’s got a a rather left field take on the whole scenario: noodle soups and frozen yoghurt.

Mori is a bright concept in healthy Asian eating.  Using only the freshest ingredients we have created an inexpensive and delicious selection of sushi, bento boxes, salads, soups, noodles and frozen yoghurts.

There are quite a few of these chains on offer throughout cities, perhaps not as niche as Mori but heading that way.

Japanese food is notoriously healthy but when you start to Americanise it with cream cheese, mayonnaise and avocado you run into problems.  It ain’t called a california roll for nothing. Like spicy tuna rolls? Already around 250 calories – that’s 1.5 bites! Tuna sashimi however, is all goodness at 10% of a roll’s calorie count.  Chicken or salmon with udon noodles and crunchy vegetables in a clear soup is delicious, but the white carby noodles add up at the end.  A balanced meal nonetheless. (Just don’t add the teriyaki sauce and go for the chilli and lemon instead.)

Frozen yoghurt is a diet DREAM! With zero fat and 130-200 calories or 1.3-2 bites (depending on size) you can decorate away to your heart’s content with a choice of:

Strawberries/ Blueberries/ Pom seeds/ Kiwi/ Pineapple.

LOVE YOU MORI

Falafel with bulgar wheat, parsley and mint tabbouleh, Kalamata olives, suntouched tomatoes, cucumber and tomato salad, pitta bread and tzatziki.

At just under 2.5 bites this is the perfect lunch or dinner grab.  The chickpea falafel and pitta keeps you nicely full and the delicious selection of fresh dips, vegetables and salad add to your healthy 5 a day.  Great for you vegetarians out there. Vegan? Remove the tzatziki.

Well balanced in taste, this high protein and fibre meal is the best that Starbucks has to offer at the moment – and a snip at £4.

I really try to hide my excitement when I hear that I’m going to Côte. Mainly because it’s getting embarrassing for everyone now. Also, because I’m told that it’s ‘just a restaurant’. This may be true, but the guys behind Cote have got the formula bang on.

When I think ‘brasserie’ I think: independently owned, quintessentially French, extensive-all-day-menu kind of gaff. Côte has taken all of this and made a brand out of it, the only successful and modern British one to date.  They are everywhere. With 14 restaurants in London, (their 15th about to open in Islington) and others strategically scattered from Birmingham and Cambridge down to Brighton on the South Coast, they are the dominating this untapped market.  Cafe Rouge and Chez Gerard have nothing on them.  Tired, drab and over-priced, the two main competitors leave the crown open for grabs. Instead, a continentally clean and elegant eatery with robust french cuisine now takes the forefront. And, at their prices, you could eat out often and still feel flush.

So who do we trust? The Good Food Guide ovi:

“Robust French flavours, cheery continental vibes and brilliant value for money” 2011

Exactly what I was thinking.

Favourite deal has got be the weekender, with steak frites or roast chicken for £9.95. Good date territory? The food’s authenticity is exceptional with no excess (no overuse of cream and butter for that ‘french’ taste). Their salads are deliciously reasonable for the list of ingredients used. Top of the list being the Chicken and Walnut Salad: Chargrilled chicken with avocado, baby gem lettuce, baby spinach, shallots, French beans, walnuts, croutons and a mustard dressing. Remove croutons and request no mustard dressing, then dress yourself with a splash of oil and balsamic. Well within the diet boundaries. Another low cal banger is the Yellowfin Tuna Carpaccio with Sauce Vierge (olive oil, lemon juice, chopped tomatoes and basil) and black olives.  Just ask for a main size version or add green beans or tomato, shallot & basil salad to fill you up.  Don’t set yourself up for a fall by ordering nothing but a starter – you’re most likely to chuck your halo in when you get home. So think green accompaniments!

Just don’t forget to secure your ‘complimentary bottle of filtered water’ from your waitress. You’re good Côte, but milking it a bit there.

Western cooking prescribes a particular plate balance of food that should be taken with a pinch of salt (excuse the pun).  Normally we assume that half of our plate should be covered in protein and the rest split with vegetables and carbs. Having got a Yogi for a Mother, I’m told that just ain’t right: Reshuffle to half vegetables and quarter the protein and carbs. Lighter in body and mind and your stomach will soon adjust.

But what about when you visit a carbohydrate mecca?  I’m not talking Pizza Express, rather an authentic Italian restaurant or cooking Italian for a dinner party.  Literally, there is only pasta.  Errr dreamy.  Don’t freak out and tell everyone you’re washing your hair that night, or that you’ll just have to ruin the diet for ‘one night only’.

So, I went to Ziani’s the other night and I’m talking real Soprano-style Italiano. The guys were familia and the menu was rich.  If you’re going to hit it without guilt then go carpaccio, ravioli, pesce/carne – done.  If you’re hitting your diet then here’s the trick: starter size pasta dish with two sides of different vegetables (zucchini and mangetout are my favourite).  Your best pasta choice is probably a Spaghetti alle vongole (spaghetti, live clams, garlic, olive oil, parsley, salt and pepper). Steer clear of creamy dishes – tomato ones are primo.

Okay, so the plate balance isn’t perfect but at least your making an effort to readdress it.

Busaba Eathai is hands down the best Thai chain in London – a modern Thai eatery. It doesn’t matter if you can’t access these venues because my point is twofold…

Get inspired by their colour-popping salads and healthy online recipes (not many serious establishments would ever be so kind). And, start thinking about what Thai food can really offer you for a health-conscious night out (or in).

Its diverse but simple menu offers a flavoursome selection of Thai salads, noodles, curries and stir-fries with an authenticity and freshness that surpasses expectations.  Here’s my top picks with bites in mind:

Salads: Green papaya salad with dried shrimp and cherry tomatoes OR Chock Chai chicken with Thai celery, cucumber, cherry tomato, spring onion, chilli and lime leaves.

Noodle Soup: Prawn, squid and baby clam with vermicelli noodle in spicy sour soups.

Stir Fry: Cod fillet stir-fry with Thai garlic, krachai, kaffir lime and chillies.

Grilled: Chargrilled chicken with spicy cucumber salad and sticky rice.

Curry: Stargazer green monkfish curry with pea aubergine and corn.

Side: Pandan chicken with garlic and coriander root wrapped in pandan leaf.

Tip: Dinner Parties will inevitably swing in your home direction, even when dieting. Attending friends’ equals eventual DIY.  So why not try some Busaba Eathai recipes online?  Basically, everything is good.  For glazes or marinades, replace white sugar with brown sugar or manuka honey. And if coconut milk is staring you right in the scales, search for a light coconut milk at Waitrose or Sainsburys. A light evaporated milk with coconut essence added will chop off nearly all calories – that is a serious inside secret, sshhh!

*If you want to show off, hit people with the Pandan Chicken (remembering tips above)*

http://busaba.com/#recipes=/recipes/pandan-chicken/

But before I jump on the greasy bandwagon to Domino’s destruction, I will say this:  however hideous the calorie count, it’s all there in black and white.

http://takeafreshlook.co.uk/downloads/PizzasNutrition.pdf

So www.takeafreshlook.co.uk is supposed to help consumers become better informed about the food they use whilst showcasing nutritional information on site.  Great.  But please chill out on the ‘how to make Domino’s Pizza part of your balanced diet’ section. This has sweet nothing to do with Domino’s jump into the health lane. In fact, it’s just a copy and paste from the Department of Health on tips for eating well that actually negates the fast food ethos. Not so great.  Point 1 – eat wholemeal, point 2 – cut down on saturated fat and sugar.  Thanks for the tips but not so clever guys.

So what’s new?  They have a gourmet section.  Yes, you heard.  I’ve never been one for stuffed crusts and deep pans which is helpful when dieting.  Extra cheese, weird meatballs, tikka’d chicken, pineapples? Are you joking. Bring on some decent flavour combinations if we’re going to indulge. Like the sound of the Gourmet Florentine: Baby Spinach, Sun Blush Baby Plum Tomatoes and Greek Feta Cheese on a fresh thin crust base. Nice one. You  will be hitting nearly 3.5 bites with a personal pizza, so split it with a friend for 2 slices each and an easy conscience. If you want more quantity with less quality, then go for a margherita with diet mozzarella at 2.5 bites per personal pizza. (I love simple cheese and tomato so the quality stakes are still high for me.) The lowest biter in their whole range is the Piri Piri Pizza: Roast Chicken, Tandoori Chicken Green Peppers, Onions and a spicy Piri Piri sauce at 2.3 bites. FYI, Domino’s onions and peppers are on the thin side of fresh and juicy so don’t think you’re getting real veg here.

I would go for a half and half.  Half gourmet and half margherita (add double baby spinach to the marg).  I left a message with headquarters in Milton Keynes due to the lack of nutritional information for sides. They still haven’t got back to me but I can safely say, you don’t want them anyway.

baigan barta, aloo matar, vindaloo, sag aloo, dum aloo, daal.

Your local take away might not be as fragrant as the true flavour of India but it’s probably served you well over the years – in and out of house. Capitalising on this loyalty and predicting inevitable group curry sessions, I’ve decided I need to review my very own Indian Cottage (insert yours here) and whack out some do’s and don’ts.

The best tasting answer to a naughty creamy korma: chicken shashlik. Grilled chicken pieces with tomatoes, onions and bell peppers. Add some yoghurt sauce and basmati rice – pilau is offkey with all its oil – and you actually have a very healthy (rather than damage controlled) meal. But check this sizzler doesn’t get extra oil on the hotplate, it should have enough from the tandoor.

Steer clear of creamy curries and peanut sauces. Naan is a no no.  Instead, aim for tomato based dishes, tandoori chicken or lamb chop. Vegetarians should look out for spiced daals and chana masala (chickpeas in tomato).  If you’re used to a hot dish that’s now off the menu, just ask for some additional spice.

Watch out for the seemingly healthy saag (spinach) it’s a booby trap filled with cheese.

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