Simpson Lily - The Detox Kitchen Bible

Lily For Mum and Dad

Rob For Adie and my sister Claire

LILY SIMPSON is a chef who takes her ideas from travels in France, Spain, Italy, Thailand, Morocco and India. In 2012 she founded The Detox Kitchen, a unique detox food delivery service, which launched to dazzling success. Having attracted a loyal following of clients, the Detox Kitchen now serves a range of delicious, healthy dishes from delis in Londons Kingly Street and Harvey Nichols.

ROB HOBSON is one of Britains most talented nutritionists. An obsessed foodie and skilled cook, his food and nutrition features have appeared in a wide range of publications. He runs two food and nutrition consultancies in London, and has worked with private clients, government agencies and the NHS.

K ITCHEN BASICS

by Lily Simpson

Food should be tempting and pleasurable to eat. That is at the heart of the way I cook. It makes no sense to me to prepare and serve food simply because it is good for you. To have wholesome, healthy food in your life, it is essential that you enjoy eating it.

This is why I created the Detox Kitchen, working with nutritionist Rob Hobson. I am a chef, so when devising a dish, my first aim is to please the tastebuds. But beyond that I want to let the ingredients work their magic on your health and well-being. At the Detox Kitchen we have a simple goal: to create delicious recipes that work with your body, not against it, giving it the best chance to do what it does naturally. In our dishes we limit those elements that can adversely affect health, and maximise the foods that nourish and nurture. Put simply, we believe that our food will make you feel better from the inside out.

But what exactly do we mean by detox? These days our bodies work harder than ever, using highly regulated processes to rid us of toxins and protect against the damage and stresses caused by modern life. With increased pollution, frenetic lifestyles and diets high in processed foods, it has become even more important to be mindful of what we are putting into our bodies, and to give them a break from the things that can cause unnecessary stress.

I have seen first-hand how a varied, nutrient-rich diet, free from processed foods, can have a transformative effect on the body, leaving it glowing with health. My life is very busy and I have in the past struggled with my stress levels, often reaching for quick fix foods to keep me going. As a result, I have suffered from the dreaded IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), stomach ulcers and poor skin, frequently having to endure their uncomfortable, energy-draining symptoms on a daily basis. I have also listened to countless friends who have turned to faddy diets to overcome weight issues, leading to poor energy levels and emotional struggles. These in turn often left them lacking in key nutrients, feeling even more tired and developing negative attitudes towards food.

All of this spurred me to start up a convenient detox delivery service (and later our delis in London), offering simple, tasty food that would tackle these kinds of problems. The detox plans were initially designed individually for our clients, many of whom suffered with digestive complaints, food intolerances, weight maintenance issues, fatigue and other health problems that affected their everyday lives. Now, though, our recipes can offer the perfect diet for anyone looking to improve their health through the food they eat. To achieve this, we put plant-based wholefoods, variety and flavour at the heart of our cooking, and we leave out wheat, dairy and refined sugar. This may sound restrictive, but it really isnt, and as soon as you start cooking from this book, youll see how simple it can be.

RECIPES & PLANS

I tend to dip in and out of our detox programmes, living by an 80/20 split: 80 per cent of the time I eat food that is free of wheat, dairy and refined sugar, and for the other 20 per cent I eat whatever I want. The recipes in this book can be used in the same way: you can dip in and out when you want or you can commit to a week plan. You can even grab the book on a Saturday morning after a Friday night that was a little too indulgent.

Each recipe notes the main nutrients it provides (see ) and highlights an area of health that it may be particularly useful for, which could include a specific condition such as high cholesterol or relieving symptoms associated with the menopause. You can either pick and choose from the recipes or turn to Robs detailed nutrition section at the back of the book and follow a detox plan. Each of these is tailored for a specific health area, and guides you to build up a targeted menu of recipes that will help you.

SHARING MEALS

The recipes in this book are not intended to be meals eaten alone we are big believers in the importance of eating with family and friends, sitting down together and taking time to share and appreciate what you have cooked. Its far easier to stick to a healthy eating plan if you do it with others. So most recipes are designed for two or four people, although they can very easily be adapted for one person.

In the pages that follow, Ill show you how to mix herbs, spices, seeds, nuts, wholegrains, pulses, fruit, vegetables, lean meat and fish so that eating healthily becomes one of your greatest pleasures in life food that you not only enjoy eating, but that you can feel is doing good for your whole body.

HOW WE COOK

Cooking without wheat, dairy or refined sugar may at first seem a little daunting, but what it has taught me to do is experiment with flavours by using fresh herbs and spices that really bring vegetables, pulses, fish and meat to life. I promise you that once you have mastered the art of cooking without wheat, dairy or refined sugar, you wont miss them at all.

WHEAT

Our daily diets have become heavily reliant on wheat, and most of what we consume is in a highly refined form that includes foods made from white flour, such as white bread, pasta and pastries. Foods like these are quickly digested, causing rapid spikes in blood sugar levels, which can lead to energy slumps and fatigue. Also, along with other refined carbohydrates such as sugar, these kinds of wheat-based foods have been linked to weight gain and other problems when eaten in excess.

Our recipes are not gluten-free (although we do use gluten- and wheat-free flour) because a diagnosed allergy to gluten is uncommon and avoidance is tricky and restrictive and it can result in nutrient deficiencies. A specific wheat allergy is rare. Yet many people experience a spectrum of digestive issues when they eat foods made with refined wheat in large amounts daily.

Its becoming more widely accepted that we should be eating a little less carbohydrate (starchy food) in our diets and that this should be coming from fibre-rich wholegrain foods (such as brown rice, oats, barley and quinoa), starchy vegetables (such as sweet potato and butternut squash) and pulses, commonly referred to as complex carbohydrates. These foods not only offer highly nutritious alternatives to refined wheat products but also provide a range of other beneficial nutrients.

At the Detox Kitchen, our love of food means its not all about nutrition our attitude is always live to eat and not the other way round. With this in mind, we want to show you the versatility of wholegrains and pulses, which are often at the core of our cooking, and suggest how you can combine their myriad flavours, textures and colours in new and exciting ways.