Mother’s Day: The healthy way

Are you looking for different ways to treat your Mum this Mother’s Day? With a little help from the Rewards Project, you can enjoy a healthy Mother’s Day that’s just as special!

Dining in

Even though all restaurants are currently closed during lockdown, there are still ways you can create an eventful low-sugar dining experience for Mother’s Day.

If you are in a support bubble with your Mum, you can try rustling up a healthy but delicious three-course meal. You could cook a start, main and dessert together using our Kick Sugar cookbook. There’s nothing better than a home-made feast at home with loved ones.

More low-sugar tips for dining in:

  • – Drink plenty of water
  • – Avoid alcohol or try low-sugar/alcohol free options.
  • – Try to avoid white bread/white rice/white potato/white pasta
  • – Keep an eye on dressings and sauces, you’ll be surprised by some of the ingredients!

The Kick Sugar cookbook is filled with easy, fuss-free recipes that will improve your health and re-calibrate your taste-buds. You’ll be spoilt for choice once you’ve seen the options.

Get your copy of Kick Sugar here.

Non-food gift ideas

It’s always nice to receive gifts that aren’t related to food. Here is a list of fun and meaningful gifts that will last longer than a box of chocolates:

  • – A Mother’s Day card.
  • – Tickets to their favourite show ready for when lockdown eases.
  • – Do the chores around the house if you live together or are in a support bubble.
  • – A personalised photo frame.
  • – Send a bouquet of her favourite flowers delivered straight to her doorstep.
  • – A meaningful hand-written letter, signed, sealed and delivered.
  • – Send them breakfast in bed.
  • – Make a memory photo book.
  • – Subscribe them to their favourite magazine.
  • – A book from their favourite author.
  • – A candle and a pair of cosy socks.
  • – Book a virtual yoga or meditation class.
  • – Create a birthday video from all of the family.
  • – Book a group fitness class together for when the gyms are re-open.
  • – A hygiene appointment at the dentists – (who doesn’t love sparkling clean teeth!?)
  • – A copy of the Kick Sugar cookbook.

 

If you decide to treat your Mother to a copy of the Kick Sugar cookbook, don’t forget to TAG us on Instagram using the handle @rewardsproject. We hope you all enjoy celebrating.

 

14-Day Sugar Challenge starts 7th September

The 14-Day Sugar Challenge is back…

Have you put on pounds since lockdown? We’re here to help you #KickSugar the easy way. No pills, shakes, powders or exercise required! Our next challenge starts on Monday 7th September, and we want you to join us!

Did you know? The 14-day sugar challenge has been put together to help you curb cravings and re-calibrate your taste buds whilst enjoying a wide variety of tasty food. The challenge has been put together by a professional team of nutritionists, dentists, TV chefs, GP’s and neuroscientists.

 

This challenge is for you if:

• You’ve tried to kick sugar in the past . . . and failed.

• You keep getting dental cavities.

• It seems you just can’t do it on your own.

 

14 Day Sugar Challenge

 

What can I expect from the 14-day sugar challenge??

• Preparation – How to prepare your home and kitchen for the 14-day sugar challenge.

• Exclusive Facebook Community to help keep you motivated and moving forward.

• Daily messages of support from the Rewards Project Team.

• Access – Experts to get all your sugar questions answered.

• You’ll start – Feeling healthier, have more energy.

• Reawaken – Your taste buds and start enjoying food with new enhanced flavours and experiences.

 

 

Here’s what you’ll get when you join the 14-day sugar challenge

•  Kick Sugar Cookbook with an RRP of £20.

•  Over 3.5 hours of unseen Video interviews with: Award winning Dentist James Goolnik being interviewed by Michael Collins for the annual Quit Sugar summit talking sugar and oral health.

•  TV Chef Giancarlo Caldesi talking about flavour, taste and how to cook without using sugar.

•  Nutritionist Jenny Phillips talking about what sugar does to our bodies and how to have fun again in the kitchen.

•  Personal trainer PMac talks about consistency and how to keep on track when you are coming off sugar.

•  GP Dr Joanne McCormack talking about Diabetes and how to prevent it. Get off medication and regain your health again.

•  Dr Lynda Shaw discussing habits, motivation and how to keep on track.

•  Daily videos for tips and encouragement.

•  Private Facebook community.

Cooking course success!

We would like to say a big thank you to everyone who attended our very first charity cooking course ‘Kick Sugar, Feel Great!’ which took place at La Cucina Caldesi on Monday 20th January.

Kick Sugar author James Goolnik set up the evening alongside TV chef Giancarlo Caldesi and nutritionist Jenny Phillips for an evening of delicious, low sugar recipes from the Kick Sugar cookbook, along with a Q&A session.

Italian chef Giancarlo Caldesi showed us seven ways to cook vegetables, along with healthy dishes such as Minestrone soup, aubergine parmigiana, tuna poke bowls, stir-fry vegetables, rice pudding and more.

Just a few of the recipes created on the night:

 

It was great to see so many of you asking questions about sugar and its effects on the body, healthier alternatives and cooking methods that will prevent your blood sugar from spiking.

 

Feedback from our first cooking course:

“I absolutely loved the practical and social element of this course. It was pitched at the right level for a mixed group.” – Sahil Patel

“We felt very lucky to have met the people behind the Kick Sugar cookbook. We also found it very interesting to see the different ways of cooking vegetables, especially the mushrooms and aubergines.” – Marian & Eileen

“A great venue, a fun evening and well hosted. It was very inspiring and I learnt a lot of useful tips.” – Dan Hegarty

 

Would you like to attend our Kick Sugar cooking demonstration in February and have dinner with James and Giancarlo?

TUTORS: Giancarlo Caldesi & James Goolnik

DATE: Monday 24th February 2020

TIME: 6.30pm – 9.30pm

LOCATION: La Cucina Caldesi – Marylebone, London

PRICE: £50

 

This intimate cooking demonstration guides you through how to cook a 3-course feast with recipes from the new Kick Sugar cookbook. Designed for the busy cook it will help and inspire you on the road to cooking with less sugar and give you confidence ahead of the 14-day Kick Sugar challenge!

Together with Giancarlo and James you will watch the meal being prepared, cooked and get tips from a professional chef. Then you sit down to eat!

 

What’s included?

.               Cooking demonstrations

.               A three-course meal (dishes prepared during the class)

.               Drinks with the meal (hot drinks, water and soft drinks in keeping with our low sugar focus)

.               A signed copy of the new Kick Sugar cookbook (RRP £20)

.               Answer your food and cooking questions with Giancarlo Caldesi and James Goolnik

Learn to cook a healthy feast with a celebrity chef

Want to learn to cook a healthy, delicious feast with a celebrity chef?

To celebrate the launch of our charity cookbook Kick Sugar, we’ve arranged a private cooking course where you’ll learn to cook with TV chef Giancarlo Caldesi and Kick Sugar author James Goolnik.

 

TUTORS: Giancarlo Caldesi & James Goolnik
DATE: Monday 20th January 2020
TIME: 6.00pm – 10.00pm
LOCATION: La Cucina Caldesi – 4 Cross Keys Cl, Marylebone, London W1U 2DG
PRICE: £80 per person

This intimate, hands-on course guides you through how to cook a three-course feast with recipes from the new Kick Sugar cookbook. Designed for the busy cook, it will help and inspire you on the road to cooking with less sugar. Not only this, it will give you confidence ahead of the 14-day Kick Sugar challenge! The Kick Sugar recipes are great fun for all the family too!

 

Together with Giancarlo and James you will cook starters, followed by a seasonal main course and a side vegetable dish, and a fabulous dessert. Think delicious minestrone soup, tuna poke bowl, Asian salad, lemon chicken and coconut rice pudding. You’ll also learn the seven ways to cook vegetables.

You’ll find with our full menus there is something for everyone. Be prepared to be surprised at the dishes you can create in no time at all thanks to the Kick Sugar cookbook!

 

What’s included?

  • A combination of hands-on cooking & demonstrations
  • A three-course meal (dishes prepared during the class)
  • 2 drinks per person with the meal (water and soft drinks in keeping with our low sugar focus)
  • A signed copy of the new Kick Sugar cookbook (RRP £20)
  • Answer your food and cooking questions with Giancarlo Caldesi and James Goolnik

 

Don’t forget, spaces are limited and going fast! Book in your space before it’s too late by emailing James at james@rewardsproject.org along with any allergies and intolerances.

Low Sugar Christmas Swaps

With the festive season so near, it’s a time where a lot of us are already starting to get ideas on what we want around the Christmas table, including after dinner snacks and what we can stock the cupboards with.

Take a look at some of your favourite high street Christmas snacks and see what healthy alternatives you can make that are still fun and festive for all the family.

 

Black Forest Gateau vs. Mixed Berries and Yoghurt

Black forest gateau is a popular desert choice at Christmas time, but it can be full of added sugars (not to mention the cream or ice cream that can be added to the serving). The popular black forest gateau cake from M&S contains 27.5g of sugar per 100g.

If you fancy a sweet, berry-inspired treat, why not prepare fresh mixed berries such as cherries, raspberries and strawberries and top with yummy Greek Yoghurt which contains just 5g sugar. That’s over 22g of LESS added sugar than the sugar-laden cake slice.

 

Yule Log vs. Chocolate Satsumas

This year’s Classic Yule Log from Tesco serves 10, but it is crammed with 35.2g of sugar per 100g. If you’re looking for something chocolatey, why not try Dark Chocolate covered satsuma slices.

Melt 25g of Lindt 70% Dark Chocolate and dip your satsuma slices in for a much healthier snack. This Christmas alternative will contain a much lower 15.7g sugar and still satisfy your sweet tooth.

 

Supermarket Cranberry Sauce vs. Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Shop bought Cranberry Sauce is loaded with added sugar and even artificial sweeteners.  For example, 1 teaspoon (15g) of the popular cranberry sauce from Ocean Spray packs a whopping 5g of sugar.

Cranberry Sauce

You can make a healthy, low-sugar cranberry sauce with just a couple of ingredients:

You’ll need:
  • 100ml orange juice, fresh or from a carton
  • 250g pack cranberries (frozen or fresh)
Method:

Firstly, pour orange juice into a pan, then bring to the boil. Stir in the cranberries, then simmer until they are tender but still holding their shape. This will take about 5 minutes if using frozen cranberries or 8-10 mins if using fresh ones. The sauce will thicken as it cools.

Note: The sauce will keep in the fridge for 1 week. On the day, bring to room temperature before serving

 

Cheese & Onion Crackers vs. Brie & Grapes

Now, these two might sound very similar, and in some ways, they are. But, it’s all about what you team with your Christmas cheese. With cheese crackers, many people forget that the crackers themselves contain added sugars as well as the sweet chutney you may slather on the top too.

We recommended opting for a healthier alternative which means choosing a piece of your favourite cheese from the cheese board and teaming it with delicious, healthy grapes. A few bites will leave you feeling satisfied and you’ll feel better in yourself too!

Let’s calculate the sugar intake using some high-street favourites to give you a better idea…

Cheese & Onion cracker (1 Serving)
  • 1 Jacobs Cracker
  • 1 tbsp classic onion chutney
  • 1 tbsp Boursin cheese (garlic and herb flavour)

Total sugars: 17g

 

Cheese & Grapes (1 Serving)
  • 1 large slice Brie (50g)
  • 4 green grapes (20g)

Total sugars: 17g

 

 

Spiced Latte vs. Herbal Tea

Love a spiced latte from your favourite high-street coffee chain? It can be shocking when you see how much sugar is in some of your festive favourites, with some weighing in at around 50g of sugar per cup!

Did you know the Christmas Mint Hot Chocolate from Pret et Manger contains a staggering 50.1g of sugar – the equivalent of TWENTY biscuits! Swap your hot chocolate for a flavoured Mint Choc herbal tea from Teapigs. The herbal tea only contains just sugar traces. The perfect alternative with the same flavour!

What low-sugar alternatives do you choose during the festive season? We would love to share your ideas with our supporters. Email us on info@rewardsproject.org 

 

Ready to KICK SUGAR?

Our charity cookbook Kick Sugar will be launching in January 2020 and you can find out more about what’s in the cookbook and the launch date by visiting www.kicksugar.co.uk.

 

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