Younger - Bella Youngers Deliciously Stella

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Viking is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies whose addresses can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com.

First published 2016

Copyright Bella Younger, 2016

Photography copyright Issy Croker, 2016

Designed by Couper Street Type Co.

The moral right of the copyright holders has been asserted

ISBN: 978-0-241-97685-2

TO MY FAMILY,

WHO HAVE

ENDURED ME

THE LONGEST.

Dear reader,

Thank you so much for buying my book. As you turn the pages, I ask you to inhale deeply and take in the papers smell; this is the smell of a more beautiful, radiant and energized you. This book brings together all the recipes and ingredients that I love, and the secrets to my beautiful life. I wrote this book with love, and if cooking these recipes gives you half as much joy as I take in sharing them with you, Ill be glowing on the inside and out.

People are always asking me how Im able to maintain my smoking-hot bod and radiant sparkle. I used to think it was down to genetics. My grandmother always said that I would age well because Ive had an easy life, but now I am sure that the real secret to my success is my unique diet and inspirational approach to health.

Now, I know what some of you might be thinking: who is this girl? How has she achieved such influence and what does she know about wellness? If Im honest with you, Im not sure. I am not a chef nor am I a nutritionist. All I know is that I have a story to tell and a larger-than-average following on Instagram. I often think that young, middle-class white women are under-represented in the health industry. With this book I hope to redress that balance and help you to nourish your body from the inside out.

My food journey began on a day when I had eaten a packet of Hula-Hoops for breakfast on the way to work and somebody had sneezed in my hair on the Underground. I was a vile, fat wretch who ate all the wrong food, all the time. My hair was dry, my skin was dull, I didnt look good in a gym kit. In short, I appeared to be a lost cause.

That day, I searched #inspo on Instagram for four solid hours and, just as I was walking to the fridge, I caught my reflection in a nearby mirror. I asked myself, What do you see? A pig in a wig stared back.

I knew then that something had to be done. I needed a lifestyle overhaul and fast. I also knew that I couldnt do it alone. I started my Instagram account, Deliciously Stella, in the hope that I could share my progress and the delicious food I found along the way with my close friends. I never imagined that so many of you would join me on my journey as I rediscovered the sugar highs of WKD Blue and the comforting warmth of melted cheese. I truly cannot express my gratitude that you did, and I know that with time and dedication, the results will speak for themselves. All things happen for a reason, and my reason, readers, is you.

I may not be a scientist, but I think I know enough about modern medicine to know that it is obsolete. From working closely with my mums nutritionist, who has a GCSE in science and has done a course, I have learned there is no illness that cant be cured by changing your diet. If cleansing your colon with a daily purple juice makes you feel good, then its likely that it can cure cancer as well.

The most important thing I have learned about sticking with dietary changes is not to focus on what youre giving up, but to instead fixate on all the exciting new ingredients that youll be arranging in bowls. Your followers are there to support you on this journey, but they are also there to judge you. Luckily social media is the perfect place to construct a seemingly perfect life, so you can strike the perfect balance between inspiring and smug.

Health foods can be expensive, but if youre really committed to this lifestyle you will find a way to afford it. If you are struggling to find the money to make positive food choices, I suggest robbing a bank or burning this book in shame.

Statistics have shown that people are more likely to stick to a diet (ugh, I hate that word) if they have a buddy. If you surround yourself with people who think exactly the same as you do then no one will question your teachings, or try to disrupt your new, healthy lifestyle.

When you first start on your journey, its likely that you will feel different, but this isnt a cause for concern. Common side effects of your new lifestyle may include: talking about yourself, trying to convert people to your new way of life, taking gym selfies, using inspirational quotes, constantly Instagramming the food you are about to consume, and a general sense of self-importance.

One of the first things people ask me when they hear about my lifestyle is, How did you learn to cook? You might be surprised to hear that the answer is, I didnt. The thing Im most proud of about this book is that the recipes require no discernible chef skills. As long as you can heat things up and arrange ingredients in bowls, then with a little practice you should soon become as talented a chef as I am. If you want to use a trial-and-error approach to these dishes, thats fine too. Even Im not sure if they work properly and I wrote them!

No one was more surprised than my friends when I said that I was writing a cookbook. Before I started on this journey I couldnt boil an egg, let alone devise a series of delicious pasta alternatives. I wasnt thinking about what I was putting in my body at all and I paid no attention to what was in my ingredients and where they were from. If I can make these dishes, anyone can!

My mantra has always been The closer it is to your kitchen, the better it is for your body, so I always make sure that I source my ingredients from shops as close to my front doorstep as possible. My nearest shop is a corner shop called Shop Express and it has an excellent sweet selection. The man who runs it is Turkish so theres the added bonus of exotic foods as well. Its good to develop a relationship with the owner of your corner shop. That way theyll let you know when the rarer ingredients are in stock. (Purple gummy bears are a favourite.)