Farmacy Kitchen Cookbook was a Christmas gift from a member of my family. The book is from the founder of London’s Farmacy restaurant. It is a well-presented book with beautiful photography and very inspirational recipes (all plant-based.)
Encouraging new approaches to food and cooking can introduce healthier lifestyle habits. More and more people are keen to find out the provenance of their food and try as much as possible to buy and eat freshly prepared food (possibly leaning towards more plant-based alternatives).
Fresh approach to food and conscious eating
The chapter on Conscious Eating is particularly interesting in this day and age. We are all rushing around and eating – sometimes on the run – and not really aware of what we are eating and how we are eating. Quotes from the chapters: ‘Easy-to-adopt habits for conscious eating; Stay present and relaxed while you are eating’; ‘Eat with all your senses – look, smell, chew, touch and enjoy each mouthful’; Make time to eat properly’ and ‘Create a beautiful space in which to eat’. All good advice for a more relaxed attitude to eating.
This book is also an ideal reference book in the kitchen as it gives advice on buying store-cupboard essentials and kitchen equipment with lots of tips on preparation of nuts, seed, grains and beans.
And finally the last chapter is dedicated to Home and Beauty. This comprises of helpful hints how to keep your home clean and your body healthy without using harmful chemicals – body scrubs, face cleanser and a recipe for a general house cleaner.
The recipe for the Edible Body Butter is ideal to massage into the skin with a soft body brush. No chemicals and all natural ingredients.
- 225g cacao butter
- 200g coconut oil
- a few drops of your favourite essential oil, such as rose (optional)
- Put the cacao butter and coconut oil in a heatproof glass dish over a bowl of hot water to melt.
- Once melted, mix with any oil you like.
- Pour into a beautiful container.
- Lasts for 3 months stored in a cool place.
It’s not only an inspirational cookbook, but also a great reference book packed full of different food options and recipes. It’s a book to make you sit up and think about your habits and perhaps to take a fresh approach to your food choices and taking steps to eat more consciously.
This is a typical recipe from the book:
Fruit Chia Jam
No refined sugar. Ideal to use as a topping on natural yoghurt or as a traditional jam on sourdough toast.
Fruit chia jam: easy and natural.
Chia seeds are incredibly healthy, a great source of fibre, calcium, iron and omega 3 fatty acids (which protect your heart). They are even a great source of protein: three teaspoons of chia seeds contain 6 grams of protein! They can be consumed both raw or cooked, but do need to be soaked before eating.
- 100g fresh fruit, (choices can include raspberry, blackberry or mango)
- 2 tsp good quality honey or maple syrup
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp chia seeds
- Place the fruit in a blender with the honey or maple syrup and lemon juice. Blend until it reaches a soft jammy consistency.
- Stir in the chia seeds. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow the Chia seeds to expand.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to seven days.
Farmacy Kitchen Cookbook by Camilla Fayed
Farmacy Kitchen Cookbook is available from all good bookshops and from Amazon books.
Published by Octopus Publishing Ltd.
Great recipe loved by all, so simple to make and tasty.