Recipe: Turkey and Courgette Burgers

You know how every year some people start preparing for summer by getting "their summer bod" sorted? It tends to involve juice cleanses, fasts, copious amounts of tanning and possibly a spot of colonic irrigation if you're feeling particularly adventurous. And kale. Lots and lots of kale.

Yeah...that's not me. 

Instead, every year, my nod to the summer involves my inner hippy being set free to go crazy in maxi dresses, gypsy skirts, oversized sunglasses and a casual bag. And food. Plenty of food. For me, the summer is all about fresh, light flavours mixed in with some barbeques, sweet, juicy watermelon and ripe mangoes and lots of iced drinks. 

This recipe is a favourite of mine and as well as being gooey and delicious from the cheese, is also lean enough for weekday lunches or dinners. If you're having a cookout, throw the patties on the grill and you're good to go!

Ingredients
500g/1lb 2oz turkey mince
500g/1lb 2oz grated courgette
2 tsp dried Italian herbs
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp dried chilli flakes
2 tbsp drained capers, roughly chopped
olive oil spray
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the coleslaw
100g/3½oz red cabbage, finely shredded
200g/7oz white cabbage, finely shredded
1 tsp salt
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
1 tsp toasted fennel seeds, ground
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
60g/2¼oz 0% fat Greek-style yoghurt
2 tbsp half-fat mayonnaise

To serve
4 slices half-fat mozzarella (30g/1oz each)
4 large wholemeal burger buns, toasted (optional)
4 thick slices beef tomato
50g/1¾oz rocket leaves

Method
1. Put the turkey mince into a large bowl. Take the grated courgette in handfuls and squeeze well to remove excess water, before adding to the bowl. Toss in the dried herbs, bicarbonate of soda, chilli flakes and capers, season with salt and pepper and mix well.

2. Divide the mixture into four equal portions and shape into burgers. Place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment, cover and refrigerate while you make the slaw.

3. Put all the cabbage into a bowl, sprinkle with the salt and mix well. Leave to stand for 20 minutes, then rinse thoroughly and drain well. Mix in the other coleslaw ingredients.

4. Preheat the oven to 240C/220C Fan/Gas 7 Fan. Remove the burgers from the fridge and spray each one with a couple of sprays of oil. Cook on the top shelf of the oven for about 12 minutes, or until golden-brown and cooked through.

5. Lay a slice of mozzarella on each burger and cook for a further 4–5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.

6. Place a turkey burger inside each bun, if serving. Top with a slice of tomato and a handful of rocket leaves, then close the bun lids. Serve with the coleslaw on the side.

Anthony Bourdain: The Chef Who Brought the World to Our Door

The world found out on June 8th, 2018 that Anthony Bourdain had died due to suicide, just days after we had learned of the same fate for fashion designer Kate Spade. Already reeling with the loss of Spade, the world was shocked to find that such a fun loving, warm, and successful chef and foodie such as Bourdain had lost his battle with his demons. While his absence will certainly be felt for years to come, what he left behind is a legacy that has influenced people and food around the globe.

“Barbecue may not be the road to world peace, but it’s a start.”

Bourdain fell in love with the world of food on a family vacation to France when he was a child and enjoyed his first oyster aboard a fishing boat. That simple oyster sparked a career that would take Bourdain all over the world, and in turn bring that world right to the doorsteps of foodies and those with wanderlust. Once he decided to pursue cooking as a career, he dropped out of school and began his work in seafood restaurants in Massachusetts.

“Your body is not a temple. It’s an amusement park, enjoy the ride.”

 Bourdain’s love of people and his love of food spurred him to an education at the Culinary Institute of America which led him to the helm of numerous successful restaurants in New York City; Sullivan’s and Supper Club among them. His passion for good food spilled over into his beginnings as a writer and media presence. He truly felt that food is to be enjoyed, no matter what it is, and that people could live their lives to the fullest only by putting good food into their mouths and experiencing the joy that it brings.

“The journey is part of the experience - an expression of the seriousness of one’s intent. One doesn’t take the A train to Mecca.”

 And journey he did. After publishing several top selling cookbooks, including “Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly” and “Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook,” he began to appear on television, which is how much of the world was lucky enough to get to know him. Bourdain also published two non-fiction books, “A Cook’s Tour,” and “The Nasty Bits,” and was featured in Maxim, Esquire and the LA Times talking about food.

“Travel is not reward for working. It’s education for living.”

It was through his many televisions series that Bourdain really made a name for himself, showcasing his personable talent for interacting with the people he met all over the world. Through shows like A Cooks’ Tour, No Reservations and Parts Unknown, Bourdain demonstrated how willing he was to learn about the communities and people he visited and put the spotlight on them instead of making the show all about himself. He wanted his viewers to see less of him and more of the food and culture he was getting to see and experience. That was one of Bourdain’s great talents - making you feel like you were right there with him, wherever the wind happened to blow him on that episode.

“You learn a lot about someone when you share a meal together.”

Bourdain was also well known for the strange things he was always willing to eat on his travels. While filming his programs, he ate, among other things, sheep’s testicles in Morocco, an entire cobra in Vietnam, ant eggs in Mexico and a warthog rectum in Namibia. Despite having eaten fermented shark in Iceland and raw seal eyeball with the Inuits, he stills calls the Chicken McNugget the most disgusting thing he ever ate. Though he was a proponent of using the whole animal and gained his glory from proving that you can eat just about anything, his personal connections with people and his drive to keep commercialism out of the cooking industry was one of his great claims to fame.

“Meals make the society, hold the fabric together in lots of ways that were charming and interesting and intoxicating to me.”

Always frank in his opinions, Bourdain didn’t hold back on his criticism of other big names in the American food industry, including Guy Fieri, Bobby Flay and Rachael Ray, calling them out for a lack of authenticity and driving the commercialism of celebrity cooking. However, he was human enough to recognize the irony in that as he also became a celebrity chef and foodie. He wasn’t always well-liked as evidenced by his outspoken feelings about the vegan and vegetarian lifestyle - calling it rude to the people who lived in the many places he visited. However, he did also say that Americans eat too much meat, but that he admires those who can put aside their aversion to it as respect when visiting other countries.

“And in that unforgettably sweet moment in my personal history, that the one moment still more alive for me than so many on the other ‘firsts’ that followed, I attained glory.”

Bourdain has been called a bad boy and a rebel, something that he may have proved with his known drug use, his heavy smoking and his statement that “hardly a decision was made without drugs,” during his time as a chef in New York City in the early 1980s. Bourdain was married twice and had one daughter who was born in 2007 and who is the reason he finally gave up cigarettes for good.

"I’ll be right here until they drag me off the line. I’m not going anywhere. I hope. It’s been an adventure. We took some casualties over the years. Things got broken. Things got lost. But I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”

 Anthony Bourdain changed the world one plate of food at a time. Whether he was the chef, or he was sampling the delicacies prepared for him in parts unknown, he touched the lives of many. His untimely death was gut wrenching for so many who had lived a foodie life vicariously through him. The tragic end to his life doesn’t negate his influence on so many. Thank you, Anthony Bourdain - your fearless love of food will live on in us forever.

Kate Spade: The Loss of a Fashion Icon

I thought long and hard before deciding to commit words to this post. There was the feeling of having some things I wanted to say, coupled with whether it would be appropriate to say anything at all. After all, it's not as though I knew her. Like so many others, my only impression of Kate came through her work, her creations and the external veneer of her life.

Sadly, on June 5th, 2018, it was announced to the world that Kate Spade had died at the age of fifty-five. Found in her Manhattan home by a housekeeper, Spade’s tragic death was ruled a suicide, and with just a few short days until the similar death by suicide of celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, the worlds of fashion and food were both left reeling and mourning for two of their brightest stars. The death of a rich, famous individual always causes waves of remembrance and nostalgia in the immediate aftermath, and for a certain demographic of women, the name Kate Spade came to represent something that began in simple fashion but branched out in to a much wider aspect of life.

“I think that playing dress up begins at age five and never truly ends.”

From starting in the accessories department at Manhattan’s Mademoiselle magazine in 1986, to forming Kate Spade Handbags with husband Andy Spade in 1993, to launching the Kate Spade at Home range in 2004, the Kansas City born businesswoman always had a razor-sharp eye and mind when it came to tapping into the psyche and needs of young, impressionable women.

"I think the details and the quality are so important that it has to have an emotional tug. Even if it's the simplest shoe, it has to have something that says, 'Oh, I have to have you."

After noticing a niche in the market for handbags that were both stylish, sophisticated and functional, Kate set about filling it with her own designs, designs that would come to be regarded as nothing short of iconic. To own a Kate Spade handbag was more than just being able to buy a pretty thing for yourself. It marked a step up in maturity for the buyer and become almost a rite of passage for any aspiring young woman. Her designs succeeded in not only being fashionable and desirable to a young, impressionable demographic, but the price points at which they were pitched made them an achievable luxury to obtain.

“In order to lead a fascinating life, one brimming with art, music, intrigue, and romance; you must surround yourself with precisely those things.”

For any teenage girl or young woman, the prospect of a Chanel or Gucci bag is only realistic to a lucky few, but at a juicy but tangible $150 to $450 dollars, there was a sense of motivation and pride in being able to save up one’s allowance and weekend up job pay checks to be able to afford a Kate Spade original. What cannot be underestimated is the sense that she wasn’t just selling a well-made, fairly-priced handbag; she was selling a form of maturity and independence that is an important part of every young girl’s journey to womanhood. You might not think that a simple handbag could hold so much sway and power in a woman’s life, but you only need to consider the gargantuan prices of the truly high-end boutiques, and the fact they sell in their droves, to see that yes, fashion accessories do indeed have a bearing on a person’s identity.

“It’s a far, far better thing to be overdressed than under-dressed.”

And importantly, the identity that Kate Spade cultivated in her designs was one of respectable, sophisticated, stylish fashion that didn’t have to come at the price of four or five maxed out credit cards. As an introduction to the world of feminine fashion design and accessories, Kate Spade became almost the godmother of a generation of young girls and young women who were seeking to better themselves in an affordable and respectable way.

The legendary Vogue editor Anna Wintour once famously stated that “it was impossible to walk a block in the city without seeing” one of Kate’s trademark bags. The city in question, of course, being New York. To have such a monopolistic grasp of a such a diverse demographic is a true testament to the power and impact of Kate Spade. Whether you were a young girl in the Upper East Side or a young girl in Atlanta, Georgia, you wanted a Kate Spade bag.

“Think, Travel, Celebrate, Charm, Decorate, Dress, Live – colorfully”

There is absolutely no denying the influence that the ‘Kate Spade model’ has had on the fashion industry in the years since her meteoric rise to fame and fortune. Before her successful business model was shown to be effective, designer accessories were reserved for the rich, but thanks to her ability to see an opportunity in the market, the luxury and privilege of being able to save up and own your own collection of designer goods is no longer something that is seen as unachievable. Kate Spade was one of the first designers to make accessible luxury a real thing. It might seem insignificant to some, but to any teenage girl who dreamed of replicating the style of her favorite stars, it was a magical movement that brought her world and their world that little bit closer together.

"She looks for adventure around every corner."

Kate Spade was a design visionary. A genius whose talent for recognizing the needs of women will never be forgotten. A candle whose light burns so brightly and fiercely is always in danger of running out of wick too soon. A tragic conclusion to a brilliant, artistic life that we have sadly seen too many times before. Thank you, Kate, you will be missed, but your designs will live on forever.

In Kate’s own words “She who leaves a trail of glitter shall never be forgotten.”

Spotlight: Misha Nonoo

Misha Nonoo's eponymous label isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the new Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle. But some say that it was one of Misha's key pieces, the "Husband" shirt, that sealed the deal between Prince Harry and Meghan. (I'm sure there was a lot more to it...but hey, clothing can be very powerful ;) Meghan of course has proven to be a fan of smaller, niche labels that offer limited collections but who do what they do, very very well, and I'll be introducing you to more of them over the next few months. Key among them however, is the trailblazer that is Misha Nonoo.

Say Hi to Misha Nonoo

Born in Bahrain, raised in London and educated in Paris, Misha has used her multicultural experiences to inspire her design work. Always one step ahead of the game, she was among the first designers to use social media to display her collection. In 2016 she used Instagram to display her Spring /Summer collection and Snapchat for her Autumn collection in the same year.In 2013 she gained a name for herself after becoming a finalist for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund.

Misha was an early fan of the direct-to-consumer model, which meant she strengthened her relationship with her customers as well as being able to reduce her prices. The concept behind her collections is the bold, powerful, elegant, professional woman. Created for women who live life to the full, her clothing is smart yet adaptable and suitable for all occasions, both day and evening.

Misha’s clothing range is designed with the busy lifestyles of women in mind. Clothes enable us to feel strong, self-assured and can make us feel our best and she certainly delivers. Her pieces are adaptable yet timeless, but also contemporary and fun, ensuring that every modern woman can find something to suit every occasion.

Misha believes that clothing is not just something to fill your wardrobe with; our clothes should reflect who we are, in all aspects of our lives. She believes in sustainability – clothes need to have longevity, production methods should avoid wastage, always aim to create the highest quality items and ensure that ethical practices are in place. Misha's not a fan of fast fashion and aims to create clothing that you wouldn’t want to throw away and that lasts you for years.

The range is versatile and many looks can be created with each item. Additionally, each piece is created personally for you as there is an on-demand production model in place. This means that some items can even be personalised and items are tailored to suit you. As every order is produced on demand, there is little wastage, (a huge issue in the clothing industry as unsold items fill landfill sites).

6 Key Pieces for Your Wardrobe

1. Florence Blazer Dress

A dress that can be styled in many ways and can be personalised with your own initials (that personalised items cannot be returned however). This item can be worn as a casual jacket over an outfit and it has an oversized fit. Alternatively, fasten it up to resemble a stunning tailored mini dress. If you have a small frame then choose a size smaller than you would normally.

2. Austen Skirt

An A-line mini skirt which is suitable for any shape and sits just below your waist. Wear this with a shirt and a blazer for a smart look or with heels and a turtleneck for a more casual look. The buttons have no purpose other than to make the skirt look good and there’s a hidden zip to make this skirt easy to take on and off.

3. Hillary Jumpsuit

If you want to dress to impress then pick the Hilary jumpsuit. This jumpsuit is suitable as workwear as well as for evening wear. If you want to wear it as a casual piece then try it with a t-shirt or wear it with nothing if you want to look the part. The jumpsuit is figure hugging and flares a small amount down the leg.

4. The Husband Shirt

The perfect white shirt to wear to work when all fastened up and a few buttons undone for the evening. Worn by Megan Markle as well as plenty of other famous ladies!

5. Beatrice Turtleneck

If you’re looking for a turtleneck that you can wear with pretty much anything then the ribbed Beatrice turtleneck is a great option. This top can be worn on its own, under a blazer or with a jumpsuit. Alternatively try it with wide leg pants or a mini skirt. It’s an ideal top for layering and fits nice and close to the body.

6. Elena Dress

A dress that can be worn both casually and formally. If you plan to wear it formally, wear it over a shirt or a black top. Wear it alone for a more relaxed, cheeky look.

Shop the entire collection here

Muzungu Sisters: The Luxurious Hippy

On my travels of finding new ways of incorporating the hippy lifestyle, I came across Muzungu Sisters a few years ago. I think it was when they'd first set up and before they had a showroom, but oh my days, I loved everything about them. They've since grown significantly and you can also visit them at their showroom in London. But the thing I love most about them is their ethos rather than the items themselves (which are also fab by the way!). Muzungu Sisters is all about supporting small communities of traditional artisans all around the world and helping to keep these skills alive for the future.

Check out the latest pieces I'm loving below, and don't forget to pay them a visit at www.muzungusisters.com! You can shop all of these items here and here.

Skincare Secrets: Acids

Facial acids are the unsung hero of modern skincare. I started using acids around 3 years ago and they have transformed my skin. For context, I suffered with teenage acne including those horrible red bumps that come up under the skin but never seem to become a proper spot, as well as general bumpiness and uneven texture. I also lived my teenage years and early 20's by overstripping my skin with the products I was using - all I can say is thank goodness I made the changes I did, otherwise I'm pretty sure there wouldn't have been much left of my face by now. My skin nowadays is visibly clear, smooth, bright and I have a much more even complexion.

Here's the breakdown of what you need to know if you're thinking of trying acids.

Types

There are 4 main types of common face acids (there are others but these are the ones you're most likely to come across). Each acid will act as an exfoliant but they each have their own unique properties, so you'll want to choose one or two based on your concerns.

1. Salicylic - essentially it's the spot buster. If you tend to breakout, have blackheads or whiteheads or combination-oily skin, this is a good one for you. As well as the general exfoliating treatment of all acids, salicylic is good for pretty much cleaning out pores, so you don't get the build up of oil and dirt in the pore, and therefore no spots! If you currently have blackheads or whiteheads and you're thinking of starting to use salicylic, I'd suggest getting a good facial first and having your facialist do a full steam and extraction for you to give you a good headstart.

2. Glycolic - I call this one the all-rounder. It's pretty much the best one for evening out skin texture, gently resurfacing the skin and giving you that bright glow. Use it morning and evening for the best results.

3. Hyaluronic - hydration alert! Hyaluronic acid has become much more common in high street skincare in the last year or two. It is absolutely amazing for providing top level hydration to the skin. If you tend to have dry skin, or are worried about fine lines and wrinkles, this one will immediately help to plump out your skin, giving you a youthful glow.

4. Lactic - this is the barn door opener. Lactic acid essentially helps other products to penetrate the skin more deeply and effectively. Whereas the other three above have specific properties that make them great to use, this one is good if you don't have any specific skin concerns, but you have a serum that you want to get the full benefit of. Apply the acid first and follow with your serum for the best results.

Tips

• Acids are exfoliants. They will remove layers of dead skin so you shouldn't use a physical, grainy exfoliator as part of the same skin routine. Use either/or only.

• They come in different strengths starting from very mild to strong (you won't get the really strong stuff over the counter; a dermatologist would need to prescribe it for you). Start off mild and work your way up - most acids start at 2% and dermatologist prescribed ones are typically 50-60% acid. So don't worry that your face might fall off, I promise it won't.

• Don't use more than one acid per routine. I.e. incorporate one type of acid into your morning skincare, and one in the evening. You could use the same on for both but don't use more than one per routine.

• Most acids are available at affordable prices on the high street or at mid-price range. Check out the links below for some suggestions.

Clearasil Ultra Rapid Action Pads (salicylic) - £5.85 - available here  PIXI Glow Tonic (glycolic) - $29.00 - available here Superdrug Naturally Radiant Glycolic Acid Pads - £2.95 - available here Nip+Fab Teen Skin Fix Cleansing Pads (salicylic) - £6.66 - available here B. Hydrated Hyaluronic Acid - £3.95 - available here Makeup Revolution Hyaluronic Fixing Spray - £6.00 - available here Eucerin Dermopurifyer Oil Control Toner (lactic) - £9.49 - available here

Recipe: Chocolate Brownie Cake

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Sundays are for indulging, so here's one of my favourite recipes for a gorgeous chocolate brownie cake. Serve it warm with a scoop of ice cream!

You will need: 175g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing 225g dark chocolate, broken into pieces 200g caster sugar 3 medium eggs, separated 65g plain flour 50g chopped pecan nuts

Directions: 1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter a 20-25cm cake tin and line with greaseproof paper.

2. Place 175g/6oz of the chocolate, plus the butter and sugar in a heavy-based pan and heat gently until melted, stirring occasionally. Leave to cool.

3. Whisk the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture, then add the flour, nuts and the remaining chocolate.

4. Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks, then gently, but thoroughly, fold into the chocolate mixture.

5. Pour into the prepared tin and bake in the centre of the oven for about 35-40 mins until crusty on top. Leave to cool, then run a knife around the sides and remove from the tin. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm with custard or ice cream or cold with cream.

Enjoy!

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The Obsession with "Clean Eating"

Ah, clean eating—sounds healthy, doesn’t it? At its core, it’s about eating fresh, whole foods, avoiding processed items, and sometimes cutting out things like refined sugars, dairy, or gluten, whether or not you’re intolerant to them. It started off as a well-meaning idea—encouraging people to think about what they’re putting in their bodies. But, as with so many trends, it’s been taken to extremes, especially on social media.

You’ve probably seen those picture-perfect smoothie bowls or meal preps arranged like works of art. For young men and women who spend a lot of time on Instagram or TikTok, that’s their daily diet of content—pun intended. And here’s where it gets tricky: clean eating can spiral into something called orthorexia.

Orthorexia isn’t officially recognised as a medical condition yet, but it’s a form of disordered eating where people become obsessed with eating “pure” or “healthy” foods. It’s not about weight, like in anorexia—it’s about this relentless pursuit of perfection, health, or control through food. Sounds harmless? It’s not. It can lead to anxiety, social isolation (ever turned down dinner because the restaurant doesn’t meet your “standards”?), and even malnutrition if people restrict too much.

Social media fuels this. Young people, especially those who are vulnerable to comparison, are constantly bombarded with influencers posting their “clean” diets, often with pseudo-scientific claims about toxins or inflammation. It sets up this impossible standard that makes them feel guilty or “dirty” for eating a pizza or enjoying a pudding. And it’s not just women; young men are being drawn in too, thanks to fitness influencers and the rise of “clean bulking.”

The problem is that this obsession can erode their mental health and relationships. They’re so busy striving for this idealised version of health that they lose the balance that real well-being requires. Food should nourish not just your body, but also your soul and your social life. When it becomes a source of stress or shame, that’s when we’ve got a real problem.

So, what’s the answer? A more balanced narrative, both online and offline. Less “clean eating” and more “enjoy everything in moderation.” It’s about teaching young people that health isn’t just kale and quinoa—it’s also a cheeky takeaway with your mates or a slice of cake at your gran’s birthday.