Author: Healthy Diet Tips
A mandoline is by far the easiest and most efficient way to uniformly cut food. Depending on which blades are included, you can slice, crinkle and waffle cut, julienne, chip, grate and zest. Of course, you can always do these tasks by hand, but it’s extremely hard to do so with as much accuracy or speed.Mandolines are great for making soups, salads, slaws, pickled vegetables, potato and vegetable gratins. If you prefer a smart restaurant-style finish over the rustic look, this is definitely the gadget for you. Read on to find the mandolines worth investing in.The latest additions were tested…
If you only read one thingWant the most versatile hand blender we tested? Go for the Cuisinart Power Blend. It handled everything we threw at it, comes with a food processor attachment and costs under £50. On a tighter budget? The ProCook Hand Blender delivers solid everyday performance for £39 and is a strong pick if you only need the basics.A good hand blender is one of those kitchen tools you don’t realise you need until you have one. Unlike a traditional jug blender or food processor, a stick blender takes up far less space and can go straight into…
The Good Food podcastThis week on the Good Food podcast we’re joined by bestselling author and broadcaster Dawn O’Porter. Dawn chats to us about her new memoir Hungry Eyes which covers the meals that have shaped her life, and why bringing people together around the table means more to her than ever. She shares stories from her time in LA, her Celebrity MasterChef experience and reveals why a slow-cooked Sunday roast is hard to beat. Dawn takes on our quick-fire questions, confesses to her biggest kitchen disaster and tells us why good food to her is about so much more…
Whether you’re a novice or experienced cook, a set of sharp knives is essential to make your dicing, slicing, chopping and carving easier. You can buy individual knives, but the best kitchen knives often come as part of a set with storage included, which is a great way of looking after them.Prices for kitchen knives vary hugely and, at the top end, can get expensive. But they’re an investment that will last for years with proper care. As our tests show, buying on a budget doesn’t always mean you’re stuck with knives that perform poorly.Choose a set that suits the…
If staying hydrated is a chore, try a sparkling water maker. It’s an easy way to cut down on single-use plastics and your reliance on shop-bought fizzy drinks, making it more eco-friendly and cost-effective.Making your own sparkling water means reusing the provided container, with the additional benefit of not having to lug those heavy bottles home, and you may find that adding bubbles to your water intake also encourages you to stay on track with hydration.With the NHS recommendation that we drink at least six to eight glasses of water per day, it makes sense to fizz things up a…
The wok is a kitchen powerhouse. Its deep, bowl-shaped design heats quickly and evenly, with enough surface area to toss ingredients confidently, which is why it’s perfect for stir-fries. But I use mine for far more than that. A good wok can handle sautéing, braising, boiling, deep-frying and, if it comes with a lid, steaming too.Traditional carbon steel woks with rounded bottoms are brilliant for achieving that smoky ‘wok hei’ flavour, but they do need seasoning and a bit more care. Modern versions with flat bases and non-stick coatings are often better suited to home hobs. I’ve tested a wide…
It’s now easier than ever to brew espresso from the comfort of your own kitchen with some of the best espresso machines. While delicious on its own, espresso forms the basis of classic coffee drinks like americanos, cappuccinos, milky lattes, chocolatey mochas, flat whites, and even espresso martinis.Approximately 98 million cups of coffee are consumed every day in the UK according to the British Coffee Association, and there’s a host of home espresso machines designed to replicate the results of those used in commercial coffee shops.There’s also more than one type of home espresso machine for making barista-style coffee, so…
HIIT involves exercising at a high intensity for brief intervals with rest periods in between. Exercises might include burpees, really fast cycling on an exercise bike or sprinting. It has grown in popularity over the past decade or so after a 1996 study on elite athletes found that HIIT-style training burned more calories than steady state exercise at a lower intensity (without rest periods). Experts point out that the study results can’t necessarily be applied to the general population because the average person can’t reach the required intensity. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t achieve an effective full-body workout…
Our spine is crucial for supporting us across daily life, but if it’s not prepared for what it’s being asked to do, this can lead to an increasingly common condition: lower back pain. Activities such as increased heavy lifting, or even prolonged periods sitting can over time lead to irritation of the intervertebral discs, facet joints or surrounding musculature. Lower back pain is rarely due to a single injury that needs fixing, and factors such as stress, sleep quality and previous injury can all play a role.That doesn’t mean you need to fear, as back pain can be managed and…
Your brain age is worth thinking about. This organ ages along with the rest of us – but its rate of ageing could be either faster or slower than average, depending on a constellation of genetic, health and lifestyle factors.We spoke to Professor Tara Spires-Jones, group leader and research division lead at the UK Dementia Research Institute, at the University of Edinburgh and author of Fighting for our Minds. She confirms that some of the factors known to accelerate brain ageing may be within our control.“This is not to blame people for declining function, but there’s strong evidence to suggest…