Sunshine & Wellness

02/08/2026

So we know the science is not absolute on collagen, but many of us still take it daily.

But did you know how you take it can matter to how well it works.

We’re all just there popping it in our morning coffee, jobs a good’un all done. But are we accidentally wasting much of our expensive supplement?

Knocking it back in a black coffee on an empty stomach first thing? This caffeine hit on an empty tum sends your digestion into overdrive. Everything passes through quickly and isn’t likely to be absorbed well. Even less so if you’ve got artificial sweeteners in the mix.

Small improvement: add to a white coffee - the milk slows things down a little

Better improvement: have it in your coffee after breakfast, stir it into your porridge or yogurt.

Other choices: collagen is brilliant for recovery after training so add it to a smoothie after a workout, but remember, if it’s packed with artificial sweeteners, you might be getting a rapid flush again. Keep the post-gym smoothie working with quality/homemade protein powder or Greek yoghurt.

Before bed: Another way could be in a milky evening drink. Our body repairs at night so an hour or two before bed will provide the body with the building blocks it needs to get to work overnight.

Your digestive system needs time to work its magic and absorb your supplement. Don’t rush it through!

How do you usually take your collagen?
Let me know your ideas in the comments! 👇

25/07/2026

Oh I nearly forgot, have plenty of water, especially when drinking alcohol. Go for the water first, then enjoy your wine/beer/cocktails 🥳🥳

I hope you all have wonderful memory filled holidays ☀️☀️☀️

06/07/2026

Well look no further, your new recipe!!

This is new way to cook tofu for you. Extra firm tofu crumbled with a flavour filled tomato Top it off the crispy kebabs with a lovely lemony tahini and you are going to love it!!

If you’re not a tofu fan, you should know, it helps to balance estrogen to reduce menopause symptoms, lowers cholesterol, has a great amount of fibre, complete protein and helps prevent many cancers including breast cancer and male cancers. Try this recipe and see what you think:

Ingredients​
2 x 200g firm tofu drained
Half a small red onion finely chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
1.5 tsp cumin
1.5 tsp coriander
1 tsp sumac
0.5 tsp turmeric
0.5 tsp chilli powder
0.5 tsp salt
0.5 tsp black pepper
3 tbsp tomato puree
65g plain flour/chickpea flour
15g fresh parsley finely chopped
3 fresh mint leaves
Cold pressed rapeseed oil for frying/spraying

To serve: warmed wholemeal pitta, salad leaves, chopped salad, lemony tahini sauce (my recipe in on my website on my falafel page) and a little hot Sauce

Instructions:
1. Pre heat oven to 180/160 fan.

2. Break up the tofu into very small pieces into a large bowl, then add the remaining ingredients.
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3. Use your hand to mash everything up together until you have a mixture that holds when shaping.
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4. Shape into small kebabs in the palm of your hand. You also have the option of shaping them into round patties. Don’t make them too big or they won’t hold together as well. I made mine with about 2 tbps in each little kebab.
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5. Space evenly on a baking sheet, spray with oil. Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 mins till nice and cripsy and a little browned. Can also be cooked in the air fryer for around 20 min.

03/07/2026

What a wonderful last day of teaching my first Level 2 Nutrition course I couldn’t have asked for better students to pilot the course with.

Thank you so much to all for your great hard work, supporting me in my observation for my assessor’s qualification, ironing out new course teething issues and of course for the yummy food to share today and lovely cards and presents.

I also received an award from the college today for taking the opportunity to run the new next level course and positive determination, nominated for by my wonderful line manager Nikki ❤️ Thank you!!

Feeling very grateful and appreciated today 🥰

28/06/2026

Would you agree?

Would you add anything?

Are surprised a Nutritionist is saying lift weights?

Did you know I’m also a trained Gym Instructor & Pre/post-natal trainer too? It’s all important.

It’s important in our life’s balance. And it is a balance, it’s not all about loosing weight, it’s about feeling healthy and enjoying life too. So don’t let a treat make you think you’ve ruined it all and give up.

22/06/2026

New book coming soon!!

What do you think, which one should I release?

Obvs created with Ai 😁

I quite like the idea of short succinct books with real easy to follow evidence based advice……probably not going to be releasing any of these under Ladybird! 😂

21/06/2026

Lots of women say they want to loose weight, very few say ‘I want to feel strong and healthy, I want to feel confident in my food choices and better about my relationship with food’. But that’s what most of my clients leave happy about. That and a lot of useful personalised recipes! And yes weight loss might and does happen, but it isn’t the only measure of health success with me.

So if you’re tired of chasing a number on the scales and want to chase health, strength and feeling good instead, get in touch. I have few spaces opening up in July as I finish teaching at the college, so be quick before they go.

13/06/2026

You probably need:

More self-compassion, life is hard
More sleep, that is hard
More time for yourself
More protein, especially at breakfast
More fibre, in every meal
More movement you really enjoy

Most of the women I work with think it’s an about less, but mostly it’s about focussing on the more, more of the better things and less about the restrictions.

We’re here to enjoy this life, to support our bodies, to be the best they can be with good food and movement, and I’m here to support you in that.

06/06/2026

☀️☀️ What a wonderful idea ☀️☀️

🏖️ CAN YOU HELP US FILL HASTINGS WITH HOPE THIS SUMMER? ☀️

We’re looking for local businesses, offices, shops, cafés, community groups and organisations to help us spread the word about our new “Help a Hastings Family Make Memories” campaign.

This summer we’re aiming to provide 1,000 Family Pack Lunches to local families who may otherwise struggle to afford a day out during the school holidays.

Each £10 pack contains sandwiches, crisps, drinks and cake for a family of four, helping children enjoy a trip to the beach or park without parents having to worry about the cost of food.

We’re asking local businesses if they would be willing to display one of our posters in a window, reception area, staff room or noticeboard.

It costs nothing, takes just a few seconds, and could help us reach someone who wants to sponsor a pack or a family who may need support.

Together we can show what makes Hastings special – a community that looks after one another.

If you’d be happy to display a poster, please send us a message and we’ll arrange to get one to you.

Thank you for helping us make sure more local children enjoy a summer filled with smiles, adventures and happy memories. ❤️

https://grumpycook.co.uk/shop/

The Grumpy Cook
1a Robertson Street, Hastings, TN34 1HL