Winter Blues

What’s remains of Rendlesham Hall sits on frosted grounds within a confusion of wintery arboreta. Some eyes might see this as a depressingly grey winter’s scene. Ours, see through the mists to the pleasing greens, whites and reds.

We can beat the winter blues together. After all, it’s simply natures rite of passage to spring.

VITAMINS: C & D are the two vitamins that often lose in the battle of the winter blues.

Vitamin C and vitamin D are both essential nutrients that work together to support your immune system.

To increase your vitamin D and C levels, you can eat a variety of foods and consider taking a supplement:

Vitamin C

Is found in many fruits and vegetables, including citrus fruits (very important to up these in winter months), peppers, strawberries (tricky in the winter – best wait for Wimbledon!!), blackcurrants, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and potatoes.

Vitamin D

Is found naturally in oily fish like salmon, herring, and mackerel, as well as egg yolks, red meat and offal, fortified cereals, soya products, and spreads.You’ll find great recipes and foodie tips below.

Sunlight: The sun is a great source of vitamin D, which is why it is also well known as the ‘sunshine vitamin‘. Exposing your skin to sunlight for 10 to 30 minutes three times a week can increase your body’s natural vitamin D production.

So, wrap up warm, and get out there for a lunchtime walk.

Supplements: You can take a vitamin D3 supplement or cod liver oil.

You can also improve your body’s absorption of vitamin D by pairing it with foods that contain healthy fats – avocado, whole eggs, fatty fish, nuts, extra virgin olive oil, or full-fat dairy.

As a vegetarian, natural sources of both C and D are easier to enjoy than vegan purists might find. See last week’s Food Lovers Club Newsletter to understand why – HERE.

Vegan alternatives:

Many brands of plant-based milk, such as almond, soy, rice, and cashew milk, are fortified with vitamin D2. 

A 100-gram serving of fortified tofu contains 100 IU of vitamin D, which is about 12% of the daily recommended intake.

Some mushrooms, like Shiitake and Morel, synthesize vitamin D3 when exposed to UV light.

Sunshine – again, the sun is there for everybody. A brisk winter’s walk 3 or 4 times a week works wonders.

Make Your Own.

This is a foolproof recipe (virtually) for Vegan Mayonnaise, and introduction to Aquafaba.

First – just what is Aquafaba and why is it so important?

Aquafaba is the liquid you find in cans of cooked legumes, most commonly chickpeas. Its viscous texture makes it a very useful vegan egg replacement. So…

Vegan Mayonnaise RECIPE

• 3 tbsp aquafaba (brine from a can of chickpeas):
• 2 tsp Stokes Dijon Mustard
• Pinch of Salt
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 250ml of light olive oil

METHOD: For the mayo, put all the ingredients in a jug and blend with a hand-blender until thick and creamy – about 10 seconds should do it. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Vegetarian Mayonnaise

• 1 Jar of Stokes Real Mayonnaise

METHOD: Open and serve.Meet our Mayo Family:

Have you tried ‘mayonnaising‘, the latest foodie trend for Food Lovers?

When ordinary mayo just isn’t enough, the real stuff becomes deliciously – amayonnaising.Sicilian Lemon & Dill Mayonnaise

Release the Sicilian sunshine with this superbly rich and fresh mayonnaise. It has Sicilian lemon juice, aromatic chopped dill and is made with British free-range eggs. Garlic Mayonnaise

A Real Mayonnaise made with British free-range whole egg and real garlic puree. Perfect for those who crave the flavour and richness of a quality aioli. Delicious mixed into mash potato or as a dip for hot prawns.Habanero Chilli Mayonnaise.

A hot and spicy mayonnaise with fermented red habanero chilli and fragrant coriander for a real depth of flavour. All this wrapped in velvet-smooth mayonnaise.

But there’s more. Meet our full Mayonnaise Family HERE.

Rustic Mushroom SoupMushrooms pack a powerful nutritional punch and are often pitched as a superfood – for good reason. They are a great source of Vit D; an incredible provider of selenium; and a good source of vitamins B2, B3, B5 and B9, essential for cell growth and formation. 

Get the Rustic Mushroom Soup RECIPE – HERE.Smashed Avocado & Poached Egg.

Avocados are an amazing source of a wealth of ‘healthy stuff‘. They’re a source of vitamins C, E, K, and B6, as well as riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, and potassium. They also provide lutein, beta carotene, and omega-3 fatty acids.

That’s why so many of us turn to them to break fast daily. Try adding our Chilli Jam (V & Vn) to the crushed mixture spread on toast, and let the Vitamin D rich egg yolk run creatively down the side and enjoy.Mushroom Omelette

This is the quickest and simplest way to combine the nutritional values of eggs and mushrooms.

But, what will you have with it? Our Real Tomato Ketchup or our Real Brown Sauce (both V & Vn).

Speaking of healthy recipes, in this video, Bentley’s Head Chef, Richard Corrigan shares his secrets, making buttered smoked haddock using Clarence Court free range eggs. Enjoy!