In The Kitchen With: Nourishing Jessica

On a mission to get her readers to fuelled by organic produce and superfoods, Nourishing Jessica can mostly be found sharing nutritious recipes and stunning photography on her self-titled website. But behind the lens, what does it really take to maintain her healthy lifestyle? We spoke to the self-confessed health nut to find out exactly how she keeps her kitchen and life in order.

So tell all, what’s really on the Nourishing Jessica shopping list?

It depends on my weekly plans. I used to do the whole big once a week shop, but now I am more of a two or three times a week shopper. My schedule has changed a lot since graduating and moving home and so have my shopping habits. On my list there are usually a lot of fresh fruit and vegetable products and I’ll accompany those with sweet potato or grains that I already have in my cupboard. I also love fish and eggs, which I eat most days. I’ve actually written up a list of food staples on my blog.

You sound organised, does this mean you’re a food prep queen or do you just make what you feel like when lunchtime swings around?

I’d like to be one of those people who prep their meals, but I am really not. My main food preparation tip is to just make time for your meals, don’t rush them they are an important part of your day. I tend to schedule my days so that I wake up early to enjoy a nice breakfast. I also free up some time in the evening to enjoy cooking and eating my meal. I’m quite lucky because I work from home at the moment, which means I have extra time on my hands, but I know that for those who work away or in an office prepping can be a real life-saver.

So are there certain foods you always make from scratch or do you tend to buy most of your products now that there’s such a huge range of healthy food available in stores?

I used to pretty much make everything from scratch (or at least I tried), but now my life has gotten a little more hectic I simply don’t have the time. It’s great that there are loads of new brands out there making products that are just as good as homemade. But two things I always make are granola and protein snacks/bars – even the health food brands aren’t appealing to me. I also love making pesto and salad dressings and I’m hoping to invest in a nut milk maker soon as I can’t eat dairy. I live on almond milk and other non-dairy milks.

Nourishing Jessica Granola
Image: @nourishingjessica

Do you think it’s important to buy all of your fruit and veg organic? Are there some that should be bought organic and others that are less likely to have harmful pesticides, please advise us!

This topic has always had a lot of unbalanced opinions. The main problem with organic is that it is so expensive, so it really depends on your budget. There are a few fruit and veggies that I always try to buy organic (those that have a thinner skin) e.g. apples, tomatoes and cucumber. But if they have a more robust outer skin such as avocado or mango they are usually fine to buy in regular form.

Does that mean you tend to purchase your basic and organic produce at different places then?

I feel like I should say that I shop at organic health food stores, but I don’t. I mean, once in a while when I run out of a specialist ingredient I might pop into Planet Organic, but I am quite lucky as I get a lot of products sent to me – I have a wealth of stock in my kitchen. Usually I hit the regular supermarkets, but I tend to stick to fresh produce, the grains and nuts section and the fishmonger counter, picking up any other bits and bobs along the way.

Whenever I’m near a farmer’s market I love to pop in and pick up a punnet of strawberries and a handful of kale (it’s so much cheaper and tastier) but where I live right now it just isn’t feasible. This makes me so excited to move to London!

How about those hard-to-find health products, where do you go for those?

Usually I have a stalk on Instagram to see if I can find a brand that sells them, if not Google is always the best option.

You’ve gotta love Google. It seems like everyone has their own superfood favourites, what are yours?

I am obsessed with the maca, spirulina and acai powders from Organic Burst. I also tend to top my food with hemp seeds from Creative Nature Superfoods and I always have a stock of chia seeds, flax seeds and various other green powders. I use these powders when I feel like I haven’t eaten enough greens that day.

So what are your favourite ways to get superfoods in your diet then?

I am a massive fan of oats in any form, so porridge, overnight oats, bircher or whizzed up into a smoothie. I always add a tsp of maca or baobab powder whenever I make oats, however smoothies are also a great addition to any diet if you own a blender. The great thing about superfoods are that they make your smoothies the most beautiful colours.

Nourishing Jessica smoothie
Image: @nourishingjessica

But what do you really think about the hype surrounding “superfoods”, has it all been over exaggerated?

I feel like there’s been a bit of confusion regarding the word superfood movement and what the label covers because there is no real definition. Some people place food like blueberries, kale and pomegranate under the superfood bracket, whereas others think maca, chlorella, spirulina, wheatgrass etc. are superfoods. In my opinion a superfood means a food that hosts a large dose of antioxidants, nutrients and vitamins.

I just think the whole concept has been hyped up in a way that makes people believe they can cancel out a bad diet with the addition of superfoods, which is not the case. Gradually incorporating superfoods into a well-rounded balanced diet is the most beneficial route.

Apart from lots of superfoods, what’s your go-to dish on a busy day when you’re low on groceries?

Stirfry – always a stirfry!

Ok, but in an ideal world do you plan all your meals for the week?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no – it really depends on my week and my plans. If I’ve done a big shop I tend to plan my meals just so I can make sure I use everything before it goes out of date. But otherwise I just go with the flow and see what I feel like after my spin session.

And do you stick to a particular plan when it comes to your portion sizes?

Not at all, I am a very greedy chef. I am aware of portion sizes, but I don’t tend to focus on them. My meals vary depending on how hungry I am and how active I am on that particular day. I usually go to the gym in the evening before dinner, which makes me extra hungry afterwards so my dinners are usually more substantial than my other meals.

Ok, so moving onto the fun stuff. Are you a buffet kinda girl or do you prefer a sit-down course by course set up?

It really depends on the situation. Buffet style meals are great because you can pick and choose what you want on your plate. As I have an allergy I can end up feeling bad with set meals if the chefs have to spend time making something different for me, so I guess with a buffet I don’t have that problem. Then again, I do love a sit-down meal – how can I not? I am a chef after all!

Exactly. In that case are you into canapés or do you save all your room for the main course?

Canapés scare me. I don’t like to ruin my appetite before my meal, but I do love guacamole with some crudités, like seriously love it. I also love bacon wrapped scallops – I suppose I love everything apart from beetroot, cauliflower, carrots and mushrooms. No no no!

Award Winning Blogger Nourishing Jessica shows us her kitchen
Image: @nourishingjessica

What about alcohol? Do you have a particular stance on it?

Alcohol is a difficult one. I stopped drinking about two years ago and now because I only drink maybe once or twice a month I am THE biggest lightweight. I mean you have never seen anything like it. I do love wine, but my stomach doesn’t so I tend to stick to one glass (well I try) or I go for a beer as a treat every now and then. I’m yet to try a superfood cocktail though – maybe I’ll give that a go!

To find out more about Nourishing Jessica or to check out her recipes head over to www.nourishingjessica.com