Taken from the Autumn Newsletter
As the days become shorter and the air starts to feel cooler, autumn naturally invites us to slow down and turn towards warming, nourishing foods. It is a season for comforting soups, hearty roasts and delicious herbs and spices that can bring both flavour and nutritional value to our meals.
I love starting the day with a cup of fresh ginger tea. Simply slice a few pieces of root ginger, add hot water and let it infuse. Ginger can support digestion and circulation and has anti-inflammatory properties, making it a lovely way to begin a chilly autumn morning.
One of my favourite autumn dishes has to be pumpkin soup. There is something wonderfully comforting about the combination of pumpkin and a little curry powder, with those warming spices adding both flavour and nutritional goodness.
Rosemary is another autumn favourite of mine. If you are lucky enough to have it growing in your garden, why not use some fresh rosemary to make an infusion? Rosemary has traditionally been used to support digestion and may help with bile flow and fat digestion. It also contains compounds such as carnosol, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. There is also interesting research around rosemary and memory and cognitive function.
And then there is garlic—a staple in my kitchen. When making your Sunday roast, try making small cuts into the skin of the meat and adding fresh rosemary and slivers of garlic. There is a useful little tip when preparing garlic: once you have crushed or chopped it, leave it for around 10 minutes before cooking. This gives time for allicin, one of garlic’s key compounds, to be released.
So, as you start creating your autumn meals, think beyond the main ingredients and ask yourself: “What herbs and spices could I add?”
They are often the forgotten ingredients, but they can transform a simple meal, adding wonderful depth of flavour while also providing a variety of beneficial compounds that can support our health.
For me, autumn is all about making food feel nourishing, warming and enjoyable—and sometimes the smallest additions can make the biggest difference.
Hazel Ballantine –
Nutritional therapist for Health
Nutritional therapist and pharmacist
Specialising in digestion, skin concerns and metabolic health
www.hazelballantinenutrition.com
07594971702
