Radiance - The Juice Cleanse Co.

In winter you want comfort food and nothing says comfort food like an Organic Chicken, Mushroom, and Leek pie! This delicious recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free so it's great for those with intolerances. We don't eat much meat, but when we do we opt for a lean protein like chicken, and always make sure we buy organic. Recipes like this show you can still enjoy a delicious pie occasionally even if you follow a free from diet! 

Ingredients:

• 1 onion diced
• 2/3 carrots sliced
• 3/4 steams of celery sliced
• 1 leek sliced 
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 bunch of tarragon, chopped 
• 3 cloves of garlic, diced 
• 250 g baby chestnut mushrooms, halved
• 8 organic chicken breasts, diced
• 50g gluten-free flour (we use Doves Farm)
• 250 ml chicken stock
• 150 ml cashew milk or alternative nut milk
• 1 pack DF and GF pastry (we use Doves Farm GF and DF shortcrust)
• 1 beaten egg to glaze 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Brown the chicken off in a pan and add the dijon mustard and salt and pepper after the chicken has some colour 
3. In a large pot, fry the onions, carrots and celery
4. Add the leeks, mushrooms, garlic, tarragon and the browned off chicken to the large pot
5. Add 50g flour and stir well to combine.
6. Add 250ml chicken stock and 150ml dairy-free cream alternative (we used our cashew milk) and cook out until thicken 
7. Pour the mixture into a pie dish.
8. Roll out the pastry and place on top of the pie.  Cut to fit with scissors - remember the pastry will shrink as it cooks so be generous.  Cut a cross or design in the middle and brush with the beaten egg.
9. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, until the pastry is golden.

It’s that time of year again. It’s cold and wet and it’s indoor season once more. This coupled with the encouragement from the government and health officials to stay indoors makes it the perfect time for a longer cleanse. It’s hibernation season for animals and we like to echo that. Taking some extra time to look inward and nourish ourselves. Rest is key, we want you to look at this as the ultimate recharge for mind, body and soul. Allow yourself to slow right down, without any guilt or agenda and take care of you.  

As the nights draw in and temperature drops we bring back our ever-popular Winter Cleanse! This is a seasonal adaptation on our Signature Cleanse making it much more suitable for the colder weather. With a Lemon Ginger Tonic replacing our Ginger Lemonade. This concentrated version is the perfect winter warmer intended to be diluted with hot water and sipped on throughout the day to keep you warm.  

Our classic Cashew Milk has also been spiced up… literally. Our Spiced Cashew Milk has the addition of comforting, festive spices such as cinnamon, clove and nutmeg to evoke feeling of chai lattes, gingerbread and mince pies. You can warm this up on the hob for a cosy treat. 

Our Winter Cleanse is available from Monday so get booking! 

N.B a hot water bottle, a blanket, and a bath are your best friends. 

Skin is such a personal thing, when your skin is great, you feel great. Your skin can be such a representation of your physical health, your diet, and even your emotional state. Some time ago, I noticed a lack of continuity in my lifestyle particularly when it came to my skincare. I am so careful and particular with what I eat and drink but that level of care and consideration never seemed to stretch to what products I used. I was happy to put a cocktail of toxic chemicals on my face with no regard to where it came from or what it did. Seduced by the glossy packaging and the Space NK sales assistant I spent a fortune on products that did nothing for me or for the planet. I decided to overhaul that and I have finally found products and brands that match my ethics, lifestyle, and health choices. That brings me to my latest find, facialist (and part-time counselor during your session) Saintly Skin! Regular facials are such a luxury but it’s astounding to see what a difference consistency makes to the look, feel, and texture of your skin. 

From the moment you walk in Frederica of Saintly Skin makes you feel entirely at home and begins to works her magic with all her advanced tools and gadgets she has on hand. That’s what I particularly loved about her, technology meets science meets nature meets ancient wisdom. She has both a holistic yet effective approach to skincare and its maintenance and with both of those values combined, you’ve got a winning combo.

We got started with a brief consultation about my lifestyle and what products are already in my routine. She didn’t shove some expensive 12 step routine in my face. In fact, she said that less is more and directed me towards an incredibly reasonable product that would replace my previous serum and moisturiser in one! Refreshingly as Freddie doesn't stock any products herself she has a wholly unbiased and unsalesy approach, making honest and effective recommendations to suit your personal skin. 

The treatment itself was incredible from start to finish, with some thorough extractions (much needed), LED light therapy, an incredible alginate mask which was definitely a highlight, finished off with some acupuncture.  

Freddie is an incredible acupuncture specialist which I was hesitant about at first as I’d had a weird experience last time but it was truly amazing. It didn’t hurt, I felt totally safe the whole time and I still feel so much better for it. Cosmetic acupuncture has really been hailed as natures answer to botox and for good reason. A quick google search of before and afters will really speak for themselves, it’s amazing how it can lift, tighten and smooth, whilst simultaneously treating any stress or other ailments in the body. I even had some needles administered in my ankles to help with my periods and hormones. It’s a total body, mind, spirit approach and the anti-aging effects are just a bonus. 

I really can’t recommend Freddie from Saintly Skin highly enough, it's a testament to her and her knowledge that I booked for 6 weeks' time whilst on my commute home. She can use me as a human pin cushion any time! Head on over to her website to read more and to book in.