Amelia Freer’s first cookbook, Cook. Nourish. Glow., published by Michael Joseph, is all about enjoying delicious meals that nourish you from the inside out. We caught up with Amelia to find out if great cooking runs in the family and her top tips on eating well.
Can you tell us a bit about your book?
It is my first cookbook and is a follow on from my first book Eat. Nourish. Glow. that shared the most important aspects I had discovered through working with clients over the years on improving nutrition. Cook. Nourish. Glow. is different from most cookbooks as it isn’t broken down into breakfast, lunch and dinner because I think we need to get out of our comfort zones around food and embrace a little change. For example eating vegetables for breakfast, which a lot of people say they can’t face but that’s only because we have been told by the food industry that cereal is ‘normal’ to eat for breakfast. I have offered different themed chapters, there is one dedicated to improving digestive health, one embracing healthy fats and one for the less confident or time poor cook. I hope there is something for everyone in this book and it gets people to just make a few changes to how you shop and prepare food.
If you had to pick one recipe to show off what Cook. Nourish. Glow. is all about, which one would it be?
That is such a hard questions as there are 120 recipes and I love them all! Perhaps the Leeks with Steamed Egg, Tarragon and Tabasco as I make that at least once a week.
What advice would you give to someone looking to eat more healthily?
Start cooking, even if it’s just one meal a day. Try to use food in its most unprocessed form and make the entire meal from scratch.
Do you come from a long line of great cooks or are you the first passionate foodie in your family?
My mum is an excellent cook, she is great at throwing dinner parties, making up amazing salads and she always presents things beautifully. But she is more of a traditional cook. I am far less skilled and far lazier than her!
Here at The Happy Foodie, we’re somewhat obsessed with cookbooks. Can you tell us a bit about your favourites?
I’m also obsessed with cookbooks and it’s a dream come true that I actually have my own! I love Nigel Slater. The way he writes about food is exquisite and he always makes me want to stop whatever I’m doing and get in the kitchen. I also love Jamie Oliver.
Who would be your dream dinner party guest and what would you cook for him/her?
David Attenborough. Probably the mussels.
Is there an ingredient you are really enjoying cooking with at the moment?
Not so much to cook with but I’m a bit obsessed with kimchi at the moment and eat it at virtually every meal.
