The Self-Care Cookbook: Easy Healing Plant-based Recipes

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Invest in some new bedding. It doesn’t need to cost a fortune—you can get some on sale—but it really makes a difference. Gemma found her way to becoming a plant-based champion as founder and chef at Gem’s Wholesome Kitchen after a whirlwind career in travel, hospitality and welfare. She is a devoted mother of two children – who inspire her every day to work hard but maintain a healthy work and life balance. Partly due to hard work, but my first book has really helped. Penguin said The Self-Care Cookbook would never go out of fashion and it was right; I was on Saturday Kitchen recently and the book sold out everywhere. I do a lot of work with Soho House, including pop-up kitchens at Brighton Beach House. I share recipes with brands like Sweaty Betty and create energy-boosting menus for corporate meetings. I’m aware that there’s some scepticism around plant-based eating, so I developed a bean burger and a plant-based lasagne that are so good you don’t miss the meat. I’m not a fan of processed vegan food and I’m certainly not here to dictate what anyone should or shouldn’t eat. There are no rules.

Add the celery, onion, carrot and garlic and cook until it is all soft, approximately 5 minutes. Stir in the smoked paprika, butterbeans, tinned tomatoes and parsley, then add the greens and stir until they’re just wilted. Meanwhile, to make the chutney, heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the ginger and cloves and cook for 1 minute. Add the apple and cook for another 2 minutes over a low heat. As many of us know though, as much as we can have good intentions with self-care, so often busy schedules take over and we just seem to not have enough time. Gemma’s response to that? Prioritise it. Add the sugar, chilli powder and vinegar and stir. Add 100ml/3½fl oz water and cover with a lid. Cook over a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Diana Palmer 

No late-night scrolling! We all know the blue light emitted from electronics can affect sleep, but social media can sometimes spark negative thought processes, too. You want to go to bed feeling calm and content. I have always worked in bars, clubs and in front of the house but I’ve never done any formal training. Cooking wise I am self-taught and have learnt most things from my Mum – she was amazing in the kitchen!

Too many amazing women to mention in Brighton but I feel like there is a real sense of community and support among us. Who has inspired you along the way? Ogston, cofounder with her husband of Gem's Wholesome Kitchen, debuts with a guide that is intended to give a holistic approach to cooking. In particular, Ogston aims to help readers focus on self-through through food. The personable introduction includes a guide to pantry staples as well as a pantry cleanse that goes beyond food to philosophy. Recipes are uniquely organized into chapters, such as Restore, with meals including calming miso pasta and overnight oats, along with a section called Rebalance, featuring dishes like smoky stuffed eggplants and creamy sweet potato soup. Home cooks will enjoy the variety of meals, from breakfasts to mains to desserts. The photographs are colorful, bright, and beautifully displayed making even the humblest dish become mouthwatering. Interspersed throughout are sections on lifestyle intended to help readers embark on a self-care path. The index thoroughly covers the recipes, ingredients, and lifestyle sections. VERDICT This approachable book will appeal to self-care enthusiasts, vegan cooks, and many readers looking to start practicing a healthier lifestyle. —Dawn Lowe-Wincentsen, Oregon Inst. of Technology, Portland My kids were the reason I wanted to change careers all those years ago. Having them gave me a sense of drive to pursue what made me happy. It’s true that I cannot work as much and take opportunities as I am a mum but I would never change it. Recently my son was going through a really difficult time so I had to turn down work, as I needed to be around more. They always come first and are also quite involved in my work. I do a lot of family events and collaborations, the kids are always around and involved. It’s great as they often come with me when I go away to work at festivals or events. I have created that and it’s brilliant! Who have been your mentors? This is exactly why she wanted the recipes in her book to be both physically and mentally nourishing. She avoids using phrases like ‘guilt-free’ and tells me it’s more about taking care over the food you’re eating, and making it a pleasurable experience. Initially a word-of-mouth success, Gemma now works regularly with brands like Soho House and Sweaty Betty. She published her first book, The Self-Care Cookbook, in 2019 and has appeared on Saturday Kitchen. She also runs Gem’s Community Kitchen, creating low-cost recipes and running workshops for local schools.Gemma Ogston, together with her husband, run Gems Wholesome Kitchen ( @gemswholesomekitchen) a plant-based foodie business based in Brighton, UK. Her first book ,The SelfCare Cookbook was published last December and if she's not busy cooking she developing recipes,, working on projects with brands and delivering cooking workshops. With her good friend Aye, she has recently launched called Plant Stories, a community kitchen shared space for small and up and coming plant based food businesses. Her most important job of all though is being a mum to her 2 children Carmen and Hendrix. The juggle is really hard. Being a mum alongside also running a business can be incredibly challenging at times. It can also feel quite lonely. Sometimes you just want a day off when you have family stuff going on, but that just isn’t possible when you work for yourself. Is there a moment in your career that stands out above the rest? Place the sliced potatoes over the top of the stew and season well with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes until the potatoes are golden. Self-care isn’t selfish – it’s essential for life,” Gemma says. “You’re not selfish by taking some time out on your own. It’s something we should all do every day. But people don’t, and it’s a shame because we all deserve it – we all deserve to have five minutes of peace to ourselves, or whatever that may be. And to eat well, of course.” Nourishing and comforting plant-based recipes to boost your energy, help you sleep, and brighten your mood.

I left school at 16 went to art college and dropped out after about six months. Headed to London at 17 and got my first front of house job in the Oxo Tower London. I then went on to Virgin Atlantic where I worked in the cabin crew and basically partied my way around the world. That only lasted a few years and ended up working in various clubs and bars around Soho working on the door for clubs and also having a lot of fun! Add the tomatoes and 250ml/9fl oz hot water and cook for 1 minute. Add the rest of the veggies, apart from the spinach, stir and cover with a lid. Turn the heat down to low and cook for about 20 minutes until the veggies are softened. Add the Brazil nuts and spinach and cook for another few minutes. To help support the growth of healthy bacteria,” she continues, “we need to eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fermented foods.” The best part? A batch will keep up to three months when frozen, so you can always have some close at hand. I hope by the end of this chapter, you will have started to feel a little calmer, recharged, and more in control. Bringing a sense of calm to how you go about your day, however chaotic life may feel at times, will leave you better able to cope with whatever you are facing. What’s it about? A recipe and self-care book rolled into one, this is the first of its kind. With over 60 delicious recipes including fiery bean stew for the days we feel we need some comforting, calming miso pasta to give your gut a boost and indulgent chocolate pud for those days you need a treat. This is a recipe book for anyone who feels they need some good mood food to replenish and restore – the type of food that takes away guilt and makes you feel good inside and out.Be authentic. Never ever stop being you! What advice would you offer for women looking to embark on a similar career?

The gut plays a vital role in our health,” Ogston writes, “by helping control digestion and assisting our immune system. There is also a lot of recent research showing that our gut health has a direct link to our emotions and mood. Based in London, Adam teaches a robust schedule in one of the worlds top yoga studios, Triyoga, and world leading gym, Equinox. On top of this, Adam leads workshops, trainings and teaches festivals continuously around the world, leaving him with thousands of teaching hours under his belt and plenty of appearances in national and international media. Cooking and learning. The plant-based food scene is so exciting at the moment and I am learning every day. Plants are incredible and for me it isn’t just about cooking and recipes but learning all about the healing power of plants and how we can incorporate them into our diet. Am always reading and learning something new.Yes two. Has raising a family effected your career development? If so, how and why do you think that is? So many of us go about our busy lives without eating wholesome food. Yet without giving our body what it truly needs to fuel us through the day (and night), we get ill, feel low, and have trouble sleeping.