to be annoyed by Hemsley and Hemsley

[Eachpeachpearplum1985]

Just been watching 'eat well with hemsley and hemsley'. Their thing appears to be cooking healthy, gluten free food and being hip. Tonight they went to a mega fancy shop that stocked ridiculous ingredients like bee pollen at ridiculous prices. They also won't touch refined sugar, instead using maple syrup and date syrup. AIBU to think it would bankrupt you to eat like this and it's completely unnecessary? Sugar is sugar in whatever form no? What harm does gluten do to people who aren't ceoliacs?

Those slating Ella - do you know why she started her recipes? It was to help cope with a autonomic nervous system disorder for which diet does help. Yes she gets a bit evangelical about it but has found there's a market out there

She's certainly tapped into something so kudos to her for that. Hard to find new and lucrative markets.

Ella just doesn't know how to cook. She adds spices to swim around at the end of recipes and uses tubes and tubes of tomato purée.

Re: Ella, yes, I know her story. I also read a thread somewhere (possibly even here) where someone did the maths and based on the timeline she gave of when she was diagnosed to when she set up her blog/released a book etc something wasn't adding up. Not saying she's made it up or anything, just found it interesting. Wish I could remember where I read it.

re: dates - Medjool dates are really soft with delicate skin and taste like caramel (there was a time I was seriously addicted to them). But so so expensive, especially when the recipe calls for 500g of them as is the case with many of Ella's recipes.

She's never claimed to be a great cook. For people with her medical condition I know it works. Agree with others about the whole clean eating term. I thiink that applies to most things cooked from 'normal' ingredients. So Nigella recipes are fine.

I like their recipes! Fab ginger cake etc. If you're not eating too many carbs then they have some great options. Their books are better than the tells show.

I think Nigella is prettier

I haven't watched their show.

BUT

I do have both of their books, an Ella book, both Madeleine Shaw books and Natasha Corrett. I know that might make me a bit of a wanker to some of you especially as I have made bone broth but some of their food is AMAZING. I have never made a bad HH recipe, their lamb leg with kale and shepherds pie with leftovers was one of my favourites.

I think a lot is to be said for trying to cut down meat intake and I love meat but Ella's recipes are also fantastic for lunches or sides with meat, her sweet potato fishcakes are brilliant and when DH had some gastrointestinal problems I relied on her recipes.

Madeleine Shaw also has some brilliant recipes and is quite similar really to Joe Wicks just for someone who enjoys cooking with spices - the breakfast recipes in her books are brilliant and overnight bircher and oats taste lovely and are healthy.

I made some millionaire shortbread using medjool dates and cacao butter & powder with a nut base I found online from a similar healthy food person and although it tasted amazing it took a whole afternoon and cost a bomb so I think being selective is important with these recipes.

But don't knock the other recipes until you try them!

They remind of Rachel Khoo and her teenchy Parisian kitchen. But her food was quite nice so I didn't mind so much.

Madeleine Shaw's raspberry chia seed jam is also brilliant for a jam addict. It's nice to feel you can eat what you want even when you're trying to be a little more healthy.

On the other hand I'd like to snap Rachel Khoo's red lipstick and watch her sob pretty tears onto her shitty camp stove.

Oh dear Strawberry that Khoo directed anger makes me suspect you've been ingesting refined sugars. Tsk. Get thee to an overpriced chia seed salesman in North London and repent.

Haha, I'm just waiting for my pizza hut delivery whilst studying - it's the hanger talking.

And no fucker in the world will ever convince me that shredded courgette is just like spaghetti

That needs to be crosstiched onto some bunting for posterity squoosh

Pizza hut!

[anger

I might have it etched above my front door Paul, or maybe it will become the family motto

Excellent! Just excellent!

Oh dear Strawberry that Khoo directed anger makes me suspect you've been ingesting refined sugars. Tsk. Get thee to an overpriced chia seed salesman in North London and repent.

Oh bollocks, I meant to put quote in.....
Excellent to this....

I haven't tried any of their recipes. or indeed Ella's or the rest of the clean squad, but it's because I don't want to. I watched the show I at no point did I think "Oh, that might be nice".

It was just annoying.

I blame Madonna, and Axl Rose, and the Rolling Stones. They've made the rock n' roll lifestyle look so repellent that all the millennials have rebelled and turned into self-righteous, teetotal, health woo spouting puritans

is this the jam you're talking about?
madeleineshaw.com/recipes/coconut-macaroons-raspberry-chia-jam/

tha'ts not JAM!

That's just raspberry paste masquerading as jam

That's the one it's quite nice, honest I was such a wanker a few weeks ago I made flour free bread from HH to eat it with.

I've just had a wagon wheel.

You tosser!

and it does sound nice. but it's not jam!