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Finally here in the UK! Woo Hoo! What makes this so special? This nut-free, oat free breakfast granola provides a simple balance of good fats, protein, antioxidants, fibre, essential fatty acids and omega 3s to nourish you throughout your day. It makes a great healthy snack too! Grab a pack and run! Lightly toasted golden crunchy clusters of seeds, coconut, maple, cinnamon and hempseed butter - perfect for breakfast or lunch on the go or as a healthy additive-free snack for the kids after school - go on, give them a treat! To find out more or to place an order, follow this link to our low carb breakfast granola in the online bakery!

Life just tastes infinitely better with ketchup! It is no different on Whole30, just try this compliant recipe for healthy keto friendly tomato ketchup, tastes great on burgers, sausages, meatballs, and is the perfect replacement for high sugar shop-bought brands. You will need: 500g passata 200g water 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar 5 tbsp coconut aminos 1/4 tsp onion powder 1/2 tsp garlic powder pinch of allspice salt, to taste Method: Combine all ingredients in a pan, simmer for 20 mins until reduced to thickness required. Add salt to taste, cool, then transfer to jar and refrigerate. Enjoy!

Is your child a fussy eater?  Are you cooking different meals for different family members? Are you looking for new food ideas the whole family can sit down to and can enjoy together without compromise?  It can be done and here’s how! It was these challenges that prompted Burley-in-Wharfedale-based all-natural sausage makers, Michael & Kate Oliver to set up their business, Primal Cut in 2017.  “Our family has a mix of dietary requirements and we found it surprisingly difficult to find real food that the whole family could sit down to enjoy together without compromise.  We wanted to find a sausage that was naturally tasty that could meet simple standards for a healthy lifestyle and that was gluten-free, sugar-free and free from artificial preservatives. When we couldn’t find it on the market, we decided to find a solution, firmly believing that if we wanted 100% real and natural food for our family, others would want that too.” Michael set about researching the art of sausage making.  He went back to basics, working one-on-one with mentor Alex Chambers to perfect his craft.  In 2017 they began producing the UK’s first wheat-free, sugar-free low carb sausages, made entirely from 100% free-range Yorkshire pork and free from any artificial preservatives. “When the whole family including our children began asking for our sausages, we knew we were onto a winner!” The couple started to sell at local farmers markets around Yorkshire where they found a real appetite for their simple, naturally tasty sausages.  In 2018, with the range expanded to include nitrite-free and sugar-free bacon and deli meats, the American healthy eating plan, WHOLE30 approved the produce for use in their weight loss programme.  And in May, the company was certified by Coeliac UK and licensed to use the cross-grain symbol on their meat products. “We are delighted that customers including coeliacs, diabetics and those on whole food, low carb, keto, weight loss and weight training diets can sit down together and share a meal.  A simple thing maybe, but a meal which ticks every box for every person is something of which we are very proud!” This year the couple has added a new range of grain-free, sugar-free “breads”, pizzas, fruit toast, cookies, wraps and more to the online shop.  All the new products are paleo and remain true to the original brief to provide simple, honest real food to families who like to sit down at the table and share a meal together.  No compromise! A version of this post appeared in the Wharfedale Mumbler https://wharfedale.mumbler.co.uk/primal-cut-the-burley-in-wharfedale-based-all-natural-online-food-shop/

Here is a quick and easy grain free cracker recipe for your charcuterie & cheese boards at home... For the crackers: 1 ½ cups natural almond flour 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1 tablespoon chia seeds ½ teaspoon salt For the egg wash: 1 egg 1 teaspoon water Method: Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. In a bowl mix together the almond flour, egg, chia seeds and salt. You can use your hands to bring it all together into a wet sand texture that holds together well. Add the mixture to baking parchment, then top with another sheet of parchment to cover. Roll out dough between the two pieces of parchment so the dough fits your baking tray (dough should be very thin). Carefully transfer the rolled out dough on parchment paper your baking sheet that should be slightly bigger than the dough. You can also divide the dough in half and bake on two smaller baking sheets. It’s up to you, but please note that you do want the dough to be very thin. Remove the top piece of the parchment paper and cut crackers into squares. Whisk your second egg in a small bowl with 1 teaspoon of water to make an egg wash. Lightly brush all of the dough with the egg wash. You won’t need to use all the wash. Bake for 15-20 minutes until set and crackers are nice and golden brown. They need to be completely golden brown to be crispy crackers and to stay that way. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before carefully breaking the squares up into crackers. Divide into 8 servings. Mike's Tips: Why not try some added flavours in there? Simply add garlic powder for an extra kick, or try these below... Curry 1 tsp curry powder 1 tsp ground turmeric Italian 1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary ½ teaspoon dried oregano ½ tsp dried thyme Enjoy!

Our recipe for delicious gluten-free barbecue sauce is easy to make and lip-smackingly  tasty. And because this recipe does not use processed white sugar it is definitely a healthier option. We combine spices and a simple tomato sauce base to give a delicious indulgent barbecue smokey taste that makes a perfect accompaniment to our sausages. This is great sauce to have with sausages and wraps for an easy tea –  and kick that processed sauce into touch . It’s a real food family pleaser. BBQ Sauce Recipe. Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups of cooking juices from the ribs (or beef stock) 3 cloves fresh garlic, finely diced 6 oz can tomato paste (or passata) 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup prepared mustard 2 tablespoons honey 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper Season with black pepper to taste Method Combine the drippings (or stock) and the diced garlic and simmer in a medium saucepan for 5 minutes. Whisk in the remaining ingredients and simmer on medium-low heat for about 20 minutes or more if you like a thicker sauce. Add to your sausage tea and enjoy it! How long will barbecue sauce keep in the refrigerator? The sauce will keep in an airtight jar for a maximum of two days in the fridge  – although to be fair, this sauce tends to get eaten in one sitting at our house!

Ingredients 6 Primal Cut sausages 4 tbsp coconut aminos juice 1 large orange 2 tbsp coconut oil 2 garlic cloves 1 finger length piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped 2 red chillies, de-seeded and finely chopped 4 large carrots, cut into matchsticks 2 red peppers, de-seeded and thinly sliced 1 yellow pepper, de-seeded and thinly sliced 200g pack sugar snap peas 1 bunch spring onions, shredded length ways 2 tbsp sesame seeds (toasted) Method Firstly, heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.  Cook the sausages for 12-15 mins until golden and cooked through. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce and orange juice. Heat a large non-stick wok or frying pan and add the oil, garlic, ginger and chilli then fry for 1 min. Add the carrot and peppers, stir-fry for 3 mins, then add the sugar snaps and spring onions for the final min of cooking. Next the courgetti If using, drain the noodles, then add to the vegetables, along with the soy sauce mixture. Toss well, season, then scatter with the sesame seeds. Serve in warm bowls and top with the sausage pieces. So good – we had this twice!

Warming, delicious sauce of sausages, tomato and herbs served with simple celery root (celeriac) pasta. Serve it to a gluten-eater and they would be none the wiser. Promise. Ingredients For the Sausage and Tomato Sauce 1 tbsp olive oil 6 PRIMAL CUT gluten-free Yorkshire sausages 2 teaspoons ground fennel seeds a good pinch of dried chilli flakes fresh rosemary (a sprig, chopped) 5 cloves of garlic 1 x tin of chopped tomatoes Salt and freshly ground pepper For the Celery Root Pasta 1 large celery root, peeled 1 tbsp olive oil Salt and freshly ground pepper For the Celery Root Pasta 1 large celery root, peeled 1 tbsp olive oil Salt and freshly ground pepper Method Heat the oil in a large deep frying pan, take sausage meat out of the casing and crumble into the pan. Brown for a couple of minutes then push to one side. Add the crushed fennel seed, chilli flakes, rosemary and garlic.  Stir and cook for a minute then add the tomatoes and stir everything together Bring to a simmer and let cook over low heat for about 30 mins. Season well and toss with the celery root pasta To make the pasta Cut the celery root into very very thin slices – using a mandolin slicer if you have one. Cut each slice into strips about 3/4 inch wide – triangle shapes also work Drop the pieces into a large pan of boiling water for 3 minutes, drain well and toss with the olive oil. Season well. Toss with the pasta sauce Serve warm and enjoy!

Fantastic follow-up news that Shelby Donoghue from @Wander Foods completed her 100,000 tethered strokes challenge on 28th June! Shelby (powered by the Paleo diet) smashed her fundraising target for Macmillan Cancer - thank you for all the donations!! Inspirational stuff, not many would attempt to swim that far tethered to a washing pole in the back garden but we love how COVID-19 made us all step up and view things through a different smaller, more focussed lens! There's still time to donate to Shelby's fundraising at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Cirquedusorelegsx6 We would like to leave the last words to Shelby who writes: “100,000 tethered strokes swimmed/swam/swum (delete where applicable) and fundraising for @macmillancancer . I really love the structure of a heavyweight challenge and knowing you cannot swerve a session, just surrender to the fact you’ve got to swim at least 3000 strokes a day. Some days I was getting in for just 15 minutes to build the numbers. I am now looking forward to not having constantly soggy hair and a damp bum crack!" Couldn't have put it better myself! Huge congratulations from the whole team @Primal Cut! If you are embarking on a new challenge - let us know! We love to hear your stories of overcoming a health challenge and winning in whatever shape or form that looks! Get in touch at hello@primalcut.co.uk Until next time!

Primal Cut makes proper, award-winning , gluten-free sausages from delicious, fresh, free-range pork and hand-blended seasonings.   We produce all our sausages from our artisan kitchen in the village of Burley-in-Wharfedale on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales.  Michael Oliver founded Primal Cut in 2018.  Michael, an engineer turned sausage maker is passionate foodie with a mission to bring back proper sausages to Yorkshire and beyond - This is our story. About Michael – Beginnings Michael grew up in Doncaster with his family and parents, Bill and Doreen. Significant family events were always celebrated with gatherings and hot food and Michael has never forgotten his roots. In fact, if you are passing Jossey Lane on a Sunday, Doreen’s hot Sunday roast may still take your breath away!  Our business values are built on that simple, honest tradition and the shared pleasure that eating well can bring. Leaving School Michael left school at 15 and trained as an apprentice blacksmith at Bentley Colliery . He left shortly before the pit closures in 1989 and subsequently found work in a succession of roles. His work included welding, heavy fabrication, refurbishment of train carriages and later becoming a highly sought after track welder on the London Underground - all hot hungry work. Throughout his career he remained grounded by his love of good food, nature and wild animals. He has a deep passion for birds of prey and once took his pet ferruginous hawk to work, where for one glorious moment, it swooped down the length of the shop floor to the cheers of the workers before being chased out of the factory by his boss! A Second Chance In 2011, Michael married his wife Kate and settled in West Yorkshire with their three youngest children Poppy, Brad and Robbie, now all over 18. As before, food brought the family together.  A chance purchase of a sausage machine for a significant birthday saw the culmination of a life-long passion for great food with the beginnings of a new business idea. Don’t forget, the shared pleasure of eating is at the heart of all we do. We combined this with the chance to create really tasty, proper artisan sausages for the British public. And so, together around the kitchen table, the idea for Primal Cut was born.  We wanted to change conventional wisdom, one sausage at a time. Our goal, to bring back old-fashioned authentic sausages to the British table.  By that, we mean real sausages made simply from the best pork meat cuts, salt and seasonings…. and nothing else. Our story so far Michael went on to train with Alex Chambers at Squisito and found common ground with Alex in their shared love of artisan food,  tasty sausages, fresh local ingredients and slow food principles .  Alex has continued to act as a mentor for Michael as the business has grown from strength to strength.  In October, we won three awards at UK sausage week  after less than six months of trading.  Perhaps it’s a big ask for people to change their favourite sausage brands and try our real food sausages.  We truly believe however there’s a more discerning public. Consumers who want to eat real honest sausages secure in the knowledge of what they are eating and the simple ingredients that have gone to make up their food.  So far it’s been a great journey.  And the rest, we hope, is history! Our mission is simple As part of the real food movement, our mission is to help as many people as possible find and eat a proper sausage.  We love the shared pleasure that eating well can bring. We fully recognise the power that eating good, nutritious food can have on health and happiness. Where to Find Us Our unique range of award-winning , artisan crafted, gluten-free sausages never compromise on quality or taste. We are gaining a loyal following at local and real food farmers’ markets where we go to sell each week. You can keep up to date with all our attendances and events on Facebook .  It’s here on this market events calendar we list our next appearances each week on different markets.  We hope to meet you there soon! If you have enjoyed reading our story and would like to try our sausages – get in touch . We’d love to hear from you!  You can find our full range of nutritious all-natural sausages here and we are happy to arrange for free collection or local delivery simply email hello@primalcut.co.uk or call us now on 01943 511 564.

Want to meet an inspiring woman? Let me introduce Barnsley-based Shelby Donoghue, a great friend of Primal Cut! We met two years ago, as newbies - both determined to take our delicious paleo products to market in the UK and both determined to make a real difference to healthy eating. It is always good to chat with like-minded folk and Shelby is one interesting lady! Shelby runs “ Twisted Stitches ” knitting and yarn shop with her mum in the city centre – and that’s not all! As well as creating a very delicious instant paleo porridge (more of that later), did we mention that Shelby swam the English Channel in 2015?! Amazing :) A life in pain from endometriosis Life has not been completely pain-free for Shelby. Diagnosed with endometriosis in 2017, the condition caused high levels of inflammation and pain to rip through her body for at least 20 days out of every 30, each and every month. The condition which affects the lining of the womb, caused Shelby to experience crippling pain in her hips and legs, pain which was only ever alleviated by swimming in ice-cold water – mostly, says Shelby – because the overriding feeling when plunging into ice-cold water is “ I am going to die” and shortly thereafter the body responds by delivering a huge dose of endorphins which triggered some magical pain-free moments. Not for the faint-hearted, and not a long term cure! But it did set Shelby thinking. Aware that her hormones were completely out of whack, and facing some pretty depressing surgery which would leave the sports-mad Shelby out of action for 3- 4 months, she decided to try something different and to help herself. And the simplest starting point? Change her diet. The Paleo Diet But where to start? Her research suggested that going back to basics seemed key - so, buoyed up by the research from Chris Kesser and “ The Paleo Cure” , Shelby took a deep breath and went paleo - eliminating dairy, grains, gluten, sugar and processed food from her diet. All food was cooked from scratch using 100% real and natural produce and says Shelby “it absolutely transformed my life. Within 3 weeks my pain level had reduced markedly and after three months, I can honestly say that I had never felt so well in all my life.” Back to Basics “When you think about it, “says Shelby, “it makes good sense. You would not power a sports car with the wrong fuel – there is such a connection between what you eat and how your body performs. We are still only just beginning to realise the link between the gut and the brain and we just miss the obvious in our eating. I would so strongly advocate anyone suffering from poor health whatever ailment you might have to first take a look at diet – and get back to basics!” Up for a New Challenge! Every year, Shelby celebrates her good health by taking up a new challenge. This year was no different, fundraising for MacMillan Cancer Support (following a diagnosis of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma for her brother) and grateful as ever, for the enthusiastic support from the “ladies who knit” at “Twisted Stitches”. But this year, COVID-19 closed the “Swim 10 lakes in 24 hours” challenge in the Lake District and the Northumberland Coastal walk with MacMillan Cancer. Undeterred, Shelby has taken up her own 100,000 Tethered Strokes Challenge! 100,000 Tethered strokes challenge Using her inflatable pool (above) and tethered with a length of elastic to her washing line pole, every day Shelby swims 3 lots of two miles at 1000 strokes per mile, chalking up 100 miles in a month! Every 100 strokes she knocks off one of the 20 pebbles that sit on the side of the pool before continuing with the challenge! Now that’s dedication! And we’re so impressed, we are donating 10% of all our sales this week to her fundraising effort! You too can support Shelby and make a donation by following the link here to support a truly inspiring woman! https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Cirquedusorelegsx6 At last, instant Paleo Porridge! Wander Foods And here’s a sneak pre-launch preview of Shelby’s brand new instant porridge from Wander Foods. This porridge has quite a reputation in South Yorkshire! Missing cereals and wanting warming, paleo compliant, gluten-free, oat-free instant porridge for a quick and easy very early morning start, Shelby took up the challenge and created her own! Just the ticket for those early morning swims when bacon and eggs seems a tough choice before hitting the ice-cold water! Favourite Flavours The porridge mix is made out of a selection of super seeds and related ingredients. Sugar-free too! This fantastic product can be added to smoothies as well as eaten as a warming porridge and has a huge fan base for its ability to relieve “hormonal” constipation – ladies, you know what we mean! Available in a range of favourite flavours including lemon and ginger, double chocolate, banana and coconut and apple and raspberry, we are looking forward to stocking this product on our online shop in the not too distant future! And finally..... Huge thanks to Shelby for sharing her story with us - don’t forget the link above if you would like to support Shelby’s challenge! Do keep a lookout for this delicious new product in our online shop! If you would like to be notified when we start to stock, please sign up to our newsletter – you can find the link at the bottom of our homepage – and is the best way to keep updated on all our offers, discounts, new products and affiliated sales!

These delicious gluten-free, grain-free, sugar-free scones are so easy to make with our primal alternative grain-free dough! To make 6 good-sized scones you will need: 1 package of primal alternative grain-free dough 1/2 tspn of bicarbonate of soda 100g of unsalted butter Handful of sultanas (optional) Milk or egg to glaze Tapioca flour to dust To make the scones simply: Place the defrosted dough into a bowl Work the dough by hand to combine the bicarb of soda and butter in with the dough Shape the dough into a large round and wrap with baking paper Place in the fridge to chill Lightly dust your surface and the surface of the chilled buttery dough Roll out the dough to about 2 cm thickness Cut out 6 scone shapes with a pastry cutter Glaze the top of each scone with whisked egg Place the scones onto a baking paper-lined baking sheet and cook for 15-20 mins at 180C Great with jam and cream! Enjoy :)

This faff-free sweet potato soup is great for the whole family. It's an easy weekday tea, taking about 30 minutes to cook and a great meal to sit down to at the table, together. We recommend our nitrite-free pancetta bacon in this soup which is also sugar-free and artisan-made. These ingredients will make 4 servings. To make this filling soup you will need: 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 red onion chopped 2 garlic cloves peeled and crushed 60 g of nitrite-free Pancetta Bacon , finely chopped 750 ml vegetable stock (gluten-free) 400 g sweet potatoes peeled and cubed 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes 1 x 390g tin of green lentils, drained and rinsed well 2 head of broccoli, cut into small florets Fresh parsley Sea salt and fresh black pepper How to make your soup: Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, onion, garlic and pancetta bacon. Cook until the onion starts to soften - approx 5 minutes Next, add the stock, sweet potato, tomatoes, and the lentils and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the sweet potato is tender, stirring occasionally. Add the broccoli florets and simmer for an additional 5 minutes Serve across four warm bowls, season and top with chopped fresh parsley. Enjoy! PS. We added one of our low carb bagels for each super hungry person - no complaints! Mike's Tip! 👨‍🍳 This soup can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. When you are ready to eat, defrost and re-heat the remaining portions, season and serve across warm bowls. Perfect.

This satisfying, tasty low-carb pancetta bacon recipe is made using four simple ingredients. Even better, the pancetta is free-range, nitrite-free bacon ! Quick to prepare, the recipe works equally well as an evening meal or a Saturday morning brunch and is both nourishing and filling with a great natural taste. Serves 4: 500 g Brussels Sprouts 120 g Pancetta Bacon 40 g Butter 100 g Creme Fraiche Salt & Pepper to taste To make: Steam the Brussels Sprouts for up to 5 mins to soften (can also use the microwave) Saute the bacon in the butter til crisp Add the softened Brussels sprouts to the bacon and butter and toss to coat Warm through Season to taste Garnish with the creme fraiche before serving Chef's Tip: You can convert this easy recipe into a bake by simply turning the mixture out onto a tray and adding thick double cream. Place in the oven and cook for approximately one hour at 180C (Gas Mark 4)

The joy of sausage is this - regardless of the time of day or night, with a pack of our healthy low-carb sausages and nitrite-free bacon in the fridge, there's always a great meal to be had. And that means a meal that is 100% compliant to your diet be it gluten-free, low carb, keto, whole30 , paleo or any other combination that requires real food, no compromise. Just think, easy teas that everyone can enjoy and still be diet compliant - Heaven! This delicious low carb sausage and mash is no exception Using fresh cauliflower as a tasty mash substitute and other store cupboard staples, we think this dish will become a permanent fixture on your supper list! To serve 4, you will need 50g butter 6 low-carb pork sausages (we used our Sicilian sausage for additional authentic flavour) 100g Nitrite-free Bacon 2 red onions (sliced) 4 cloves of garlic 4 sprigs of rosemary 1 tin of plum tomatoes (cut into quarters) 1 cup of chicken stock For the mash 800g cauliflower florets 80g butter Sea Salt and fresh cracked black pepper Directions: Pre-heat the oven to 180C Melt the butter in the pan and fry the sausages and turn for that lovely caramel stripe down each side Set the sausages aside In the same pan, fry the bacon til crispy then add the onions, garlic and rosemary til the onion softens Add the quartered tomatoes and cook for about ten minutes Add the chicken stock, stir - then pour everything into a baking tray Place the sausages on top and bake in the oven for 20 mins To make the buttery cauliflower mash Steam the cauliflower til soft (or microwave) Puree til smooth and soft (use a stick blender or food processor) Add the butter to the mix as it purees Mix well until smooth and silky, season to taste. Michael's Tip: Turn this recipe into a bake by turning the sausage mixture into a baking dish and topping with the mash. Bake for 20 mins in the oven, as before - the mash will have a nice crispy topping.

There is nothing more delicious than fresh artisan-made Italian sausages - simple natural food - perfect for this easy "pasta" sauce. We served our sauce with Zoodles - thin strips of courgette boiled for 2 - 3 mins in salted water then fried in butter for texture and creamy taste then tipped them into the pasta sauce at the end of cooking. YUM! Easy teas Serves 4 You Will Need : 3 tbspn of coconut oil 2 onions finely chopped 2 tsp chopped garlic 3 small celery sticks. finely chopped 2 medium carrots 1 pack of Sicilian sausages from Primal Cu t (no MSG, gluten, sugar or grains) 2 x 400g cans of whole peeled tomatoes 150 of thickly sliced mozzarella A handful of basil leaves to serve How to make the "Pasta" sauce Heat 2 tbspn of the oil in a large ovenproof pan, add the onions and garlic and fry until soft and translucent Add the celery and carrots and fry for another 10 minutes. Move the veggies to the side of the pan and add some more coconut oil Pinch little bite-sized balls of the meat out of the sausage casings and drop into the pan. Brown the tiny meatballs in all sides in batches Discard the empty casings. Fry the meatballs and vegetables for a few more minutes before adding the canned tomatoes with the juice. Squash the tomatoes with a fork and allow the sauce to cook for about 10 minutes to thicken Pack the mozzarella slices onto the sauce and place int eh oven for 10 minutes until the cheese has melted (but not browned) Remove from the pan and top with the basil leaves. Serve hot with zoodles ...and enjoy!

Tart and tangy, this sugar-free lemon curd recipe is great for low carb desserts, keto cakes as well as possibly the best ever spread for gluten-free toast and no nut hemp wraps . Smart food - no sugar and no grains! Ingredients: 115g organic grass-fed butter 100g erythritol 125ml freshly squeezed lemon juice Grated zest of two lemons 6 egg yolks To make the lemon curd Melt the butter gently in a saucepan Remove from the heat and add the erythritol, lemon juice, zest, and egg yolks Return to medium-low heat and whisk continuously until the mixture starts to thicken. Set aside to cool down and then transfer to a sterilised jam jar. Keep in the fridge for 2- 3 days Stop Press! We already hand-bake and sell the most amazing no nut hemp wraps from online Keto and Low-carb Bakery - but keep a lookout for the new range of bake your own wraps coming soon to our online shop!

Base your diet on real, unprocessed food or eat real food! Simple. In fact, here at Primal Cut, we believe if you do this everyday, you won't go too far wrong. Mother Nature is very clever. And food in its natural state, unprocessed or very minimally processed, has a natural intrinsic integrity. How do we know this? Humans have been eating natural food for centuries and thriving! It's only now we seem to be struggling with soaring obesity rates, type 2 Diabetes diagnoses, ever increasing cancer rates, Alzheimers and a surge in food intolerance - we have to ask, what is going wrong with our food? While we don't yet fully understand the complex synergy between differing food groups, we do know that they compliment and enhance each other and support our bodies in growth and wellness. Together they support us as designed by nature. And who are we to interfere with that? And yet we do. Food as Science Who else remembers when home economics transformed into domestic science at school? Looking back , it does seem to have coincided with the growth in the processed food industry. Curious days of carrying jelly home in a basket on the school bus suddenly disappeared. May be that was part of growing up! The truth is that food is very different now and most of us have no clear understanding of mono or diglycerides of fatty acids. We don't store nitrites, guar gum, high fructose corn syrup, malto-dextrin or hydrogenated vegetable fat in our kitchen cupboards and we don't have a clear understanding of why they started to appear in our food - and yet we eat them every day! But is it food or is it science? At what cost? Perhaps the chemical cocktails poured into processed food are of benefit just not for you or me. They create artificial colours, taste and texture which are very appealing to the senses - and guess what, this helps to sell more and more product but is it good for us? And at what cost? It is after all the job of the food scientist to find ever more ways to sell more products at a higher mark up for the processed food industry. That's where the chemicals and artificial preservatives come in, but in the process (or processing) they cut through the very food stuffs Mother Nature designed to nurture us. And guess what - your health is not their priority. Your food addiction is. Food labelling For now, we say - keep it simple. Eat real food. it doesn't have to be complicated and it doesn't have to be big business. If you don't recognise the name or ingredient on the label - don't eat it! As artisan makers of naturally tasty certified gluten free pork sausages, we follow this first guiding principle every day. We keep our ingredients simple and sugar free and label every pack up front and in plain English so that every customer can see exactly what they are eating. And make their own choice based on real time information. As Britain's leading investigative food journalist Joanna Blythman writes in her delicious book " What to Eat " "If you choose mainly unprocessed or only minimally processed food and regularly eat a variety of different foods from all the major food groups, then you really don't need to worry too much about being healthy." And we couldn't agree more! Happy # realfoodday ! P.S. If you would like to find out more about real food and are looking for a stonking day out with the family at a food event that promises none of the vendors will sell products with any sugar or artificial preservatives present, then check out this brand new event in Ambleside, on the 20th July 2019 Real Food Rocks . We will be there and all profits from the festival will go to the Public Health Collaboration , a charity dedicated to improving the quality of public health information. Photo Credit: Pixabay

Serves 6 Made wi th a gluten-free sweet potato pastry crust, this nutritious tart is filled to the brim with healthy Quiche Lorraine filling: Caramelised onions, tiny sweet cherry tomatoes, spinach, and nitrite-free bacon . If you fancy a meat-free version, change out the bacon (or sausages ) for delicious wild mushrooms. Perfect served warm with a light green salad or as part of a packed lunch. It keeps well in the fridge and for up to three days! For the pastry case 1 pack of (defrosted) sweet potato pastry from Primal Cut For the Filling 250g of nitrite-free bacon or pancetta roughly chopped 1 large onion halved and sliced finely 2 garlic cloves finely diced 180 g of fresh baby spinach 5 eggs 250 ml of coconut milk 80g cherry tomatoes halved horizontally through the middle 1 tsp of dried thyme (or a tablespoon of fresh) 1 handful of fresh parsley finely chopped Sea salt and black pepper To make the Sweet Potato Pastry Tart Base 1. Roll the pastry into a 3 mm thick disc to line a 24 cm diameter loose-bottomed pastry case. Use two sheets of parchment paper to speed the process along. 2. Line the pastry case with the pastry trimming away the excess. 3. Place in the fridge to chill for 20 mins 4. Pre-heat the oven to 180C and bake the pastry case gently in the oven for approx ten minutes until lightly browned 5. Remove from the oven To make the filling 1. Fry t he bacon or pancetta ( or mushrooms) in a large dry frying pan for the bacon and a splash of oil for the mushrooms 2. Remove from the pan and set aside 3. Cook the onion in the bacon fat on a low heat until the onions have caramelised - about 10 - 12 minutes 4. Add the garlic to the pan during the last few minutes to let the fragrance and flavour infuse 5. Throw in the spinach and allow it to cook down until any excess liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat. 6. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs together in a large bowl and add the coconut milk 7. Add the bacon bits and the onion and spinach mix and season with salt and pepper 8. Pour the egg mixture into the pre-baked tart case. 9. Top with the half tomatoes which you can push just gently down into the mix so they are held in place. 10. Bake for 35 mins until the quiche is nicely golden brown on top and just set in the middle, make sure that it is not runny 11. Allow to cool for 15 minutes 12. Serve warm with salad and enjoy it.

This is a super simple recipe using Primal Cut gluten free meatballs, PC gluten-free pastry, cheese, and a creamy tomato sauce to make a traditional (but grain and gluten-free ) meatball sub. The deliciously versatile healthy pastry used in this recipe is perfect for flatbreads as well as making an ideal grain-free pastry crust for pies and quiches and works a treat for anyone avoiding wheat flour and pasta. You will need For the Flatbread: 1 pack of defrosted gluten-free pastry For the meatballs 1 pack of Primal Cut meatballs For the tomato sauce 2 teaspoons of coconut oil (or oil of your choice) 4 cloves of garlic 2 tins of chopped tomatoes 1 cup of coconut cream 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning fresh ground black pepper and sea salt To make a grain-free meatball sub Cut the pastry square in two and roll out to form flatbreads. Place to one side Fry the meatballs in a frying pan to take on colour on each side. Remove from the pan and set to one side Add a little more oil to the frying pan and gently fry the garlic until the fragrance is released. Add the chopped tomatoes, coconut cream and herbs and season well Bring to the boil and turn the heat down to simmer for 5 - 10 minutes, until the sauce, begins to thicken Add in the meatballs and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for a further 10 - 15 minutes, keep lifting the lid and stirring While this is cooking, place the flatbread dough shape into a warm, dry frying pan Warm gently until cooked through. Cut each flatbread in half to create two semi-circles Load the meatballs and sauce onto one semi-circle. Sprinkle cheese on the meatballs and sauce Top with the remaining semi-circle of flatbread. Enjoy!

Last week we looked at why, for some of us, anxiety causes a massive craving for cake (and feel free to insert whichever coping mechanism applies to you here too - be it chocolate, booze, cigarettes and more). Unfortunately, we are also beginning to learn of a connection between diabetes and pre-diabetic states and susceptibility to the coronavirus . So, if like me, cake has been calling, it appears we are all going to need to quickly raise our game! In last week's post, we took a quick look at the amygdala and how it takes immediate and unequivocal control when an awful crisis hits. So with the amygdala seemingly sat firmly in the driver's seat these days, what can we do to calm the anxiety and regain control? How do we take the power back? Well, we could pin several large pictures or our favourite fella - Dr Nowzaradan - and abide by his uncompromising advice. But personally, Dr Now makes me feel more anxious not less! Instead, why not try some of these ideas to help kick that amygdala back into touch. It can take a while to perfect these techniques but as Aristotle says We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." So keep calm and carry on! Here are 10 simple yet effective ways to dial down the stress 1. Breathe. Breathing exercises are simple and effective. They work in minutes and you can do them anywhere. Why do they work? Rapid breathing is the only one of all the physical reactions the amygdala triggers over which we can ever gain CONSCIOUS control. And if we can control our breathing, then we start to feel calmer and our body can start to pull back from flooding the system with all the hormones and chemicals that produce that jittery fight or flight feeling. Control our breathing and we are basically telling our body its OK there is no need to be afraid, there is no immediate danger. And no need to reach for comfort foods and cake to soothe us, we got this! There are many breathing exercises on google for you to discover. Used by top athletes, yogis and even the US military to combat stress levels, this is perhaps the number one technique to help us overcome our own self developed calming techniques which are not always as helpful! 2. Activate the vagus nerve The vagus nerve is a crucial part of the nervous system interconnecting the brain and the eyes, ears, heart, lungs, digestive and reproductive systems. It enables the brain to control a broad range of functions (blood pressure, digestion, blood glucose levels, inflammation) including anxiety and depression. By stimulating the vagus nerve we can help to treat anxiety. There are a number of ways to do this but perhaps the least invasive technique to use is that of gargling 3. Try the Havening technique The new kid on the block but proving to be very effective for self-soothing and calming anxiety. Here is a short clip of Paul MacKenna talking to Jeremy Vine and explaining the havening technique and why it works for anxiety 4. Laugh Maintain a sense of humour at all times. Tricky but laughter has a profound effect on anxiety and sadness, and really the sillier the better. Laughter is just a huge release of endorphins. Daft jokes, memes, videos on youtube, share in a watch party with friends and somehow you no longer feel so alone. This may help - still gets me every time! 5. Get creative – occupy your hands! Baking, making, sewing, drawing, painting, quilting, knitting, writing, drawing the list is endless and endlessly distracting. But in modern parlance, its called mindfulness and it surely works by bringing you out of your head and into the present moment. Try it! Here's one I made earlier. Keeping the ink pen on the paper is wonderfully mind occupying and freeing at the same time - you're welcome! 6. Eat healthy food and treat your body well Choose simple nutritious wholefood. Real food, no wheat, no grains, no white refined sugar, no nasties , respect what is going into your body and your body will respect you! We all hold so much stress in our bodies and it is important to let this go. Enjoy long indulgent hot baths, dress in clothes that make us feel good and feel nice against our skin Stretch, move, dance - my own personal favourite - put on some great music and move 7. Walk in the sunshine Hey, its springtime! The clocks went forward this weekend amidst all this horror and there will be more time to walk and feel the sun on our faces even if it is only for a short while each day. Get out and get those rays, inhale vitamin D and enjoy, fresh air - and sunshine will mostly always alter the mood and help us feel brighter. 8. Call a Friend Be honest, rant, vent, cry, ask for help but don't any of us suffer in silence. Reaching out can be half the battle and if you do get one of those phone calls - be prepared to listen! We really are in this together and will need each other to keep strong and hold the line together . And if you have kicked that amygdala into touch and your anxiety is under control, reach out and phone a friend and check in on them. Especially if they've gone silent. 9. Limit exposure to news Watching the news these days should carry a government health warning. It can cause all sorts of jittery and unwelcome feelings and re-awaken anxiety and fear. Choose to limit our exposure to the news. Once a day if you must. There is an update from the PM each day at 5 pm – although how much longer that will continue is now unknown. As I write, even Boris has succumbed to wretched coronavirus and is currently holed up in a flat above the shop at Number 11 Downing Street, enjoying we are told, only the occasional sandwich poked on a long stick through the door… 10. Be kind (especially to yourself) Move only as fast as the body allows you to move, absorb only what you can handle and be gentle with yourself. These are terrible times, the like of which we have never seen before. It is not surprising we need comfort and for many who struggle that comfort is often to be found in food. Be kind to yourself as you make those food choices. It's not easy out there! And finally... Now we've explored ten simple ways to tackle anxiety, we'd ask you to remember only this: that the sugar in ultra-processed junk food (that's in the cakes and the biscuits and the sweets) will only ever signal immediate danger (or RUN FAST NOW) to our hard wired brains because of the chemical response it triggers in our body. It is, if you like, a vicious circle. And if you can break this, you're halfway home! We hope that the 10 suggestions above will help! Hold the line folks. This is the toughest thing. Just keep putting it out there and talking to each other. This sense of togetherness and community is what is going to get us through. Til next time x

An easy to make gluten-free recipe, using our grain-free, gluten-free pastry, and a simple creamy home-made chicken pie filling. Looking up from my worktop this morning, I can see it has started to snow and hail - hard shards of frozen rain battering the pavement. There’s a seemingly never-ending chain of folk past my window, hoods up, gloves on and huddled against the bitterness - silent, walking, distant, disconnected. In these bleak times, it is surprising how much a friendly smile or nod can lift the mood and connect us to each other. Please do try it when you are out - social distancing does not mean emotional distancing - and it’s at times like these we need to feel the togetherness, the sense of community - because it is this, I'm sure, that will get us through these difficult coronavirus times. Stay safe folks and remember to hold the line! But if you are feeling on your own tonight and in need of a little inspiration for supper, here’s an easy-to-make recipe using our ready-made, grain-free, gluten-free pastry - and a simple creamy home-made free-range chicken pie filling. You really don’t have to do it all by yourself in isolation! We can help. You will need: For the pastry 1 pack of grain-free, gluten-free pastry (defrosted) For the Filling 1 onion, diced 2 carrots, diced 2 sticks of celery, diced 6 free-range chicken thighs 250ml Chicken stock 100ml Double cream 1 tbsp tapioca flour or arrowroot 50g Coconut Oil Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Extras 1 egg (for brushing the top of pastry) How to make: Grease your chosen pie dish then line with the rolled out gluten-free pastry, remembering to reserve enough to make the pie "lid" Bake the pie casing in the oven for approx, ten minutes and leave to cool. Meanwhile, chop the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and cook in the oil of your choice - coconut oil for me - when nicely browned and no more pink bits, remove from the pan and set aside. Add a touch more oil and fry the onion, carrot, and celery, gently until soft. Add the chicken back to the pan and add the chicken stock. Bring to the boil then turn the heat down and add the tapioca flour or arrowroot and stir to thicken the sauce. Stir in the cream, to your own personal taste and consistency. Tip the mixture into the pie dish. Cover with the rolled out pastry lid and don't forget to create a design on the top with any leftover pastry bits when you have trimmed the sides - I made a sun with mine! Brush the top with egg. Place pie in the oven and cook at 180C for at least 20 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy!

Brand new prize up for grabs! Want to win two packs of our great tasting all-natural Greek sausages? We're sure that's a yes - and if so, head over to our instagram @primalcut . To enter the Competition, entrants will need to: Follow @primalcut , like the competition image and tag two friends who might be interested in our 100% real and natural free range pork sausages - and that's it! The competition winner will be announced week commencing 19/8/19 and for more terms and conditions, please see below. Our Greek - Loukaniko sausage is made with high welfare100% free-range Yorkshire pork. A perfect blend of tasty Greek flavours for you to enjoy on your summer barbecue with friends and family. These gluten free sausages are naturally delicious paired with a light coleslaw and fresh green salad and dressing - yum! All our great-tasting sausages are certified gluten free (by Coeliac UK), sugar free, nitrite free, dairy free, soya free, rusk free and artificial preservative-free - that's simply real food - or as we like to say, Italian sausage style with a touch of Yorkshire class! Good luck! T&C's below Primal Cut Greek Sausage Giveaway - win two packs of Primal Cut Greek Sausages and free shipping direct to your door! Terms & conditions These Terms & Conditions prevail in the event of any conflict or inconsistency with any other communications, including advertising or promotional materials. Entry/claim instructions are deemed to form part of the Terms & Conditions and by participating, all claimants will be deemed to have accepted and be bound by the Terms & Conditions. Please retain a copy for your information. The Promoter: Primal Cut Ltd 25 Endor Crescent, Burley in Wharfedale, West Yorkshire LS29 7QH 1. How to Enter o This Competition will be running on Instagram only. To enter the Competition, entrants will need to: Follow @primalcut , like the competition image and tag two friends who might be interested in entering The winner will be selected at random after the closing date. There will be only one winner. 2. When to Enter and Who can Enter o The Competition will run from 13/08/19 to 19/08/19 o The winner will be announced during w/c 19/08/19 by reply to their entry on Instagram o Entrants can enter at any point between these dates o Entrants can only enter the Competition once but can like, share and comment, as many times as they like o The Competition is only open to people aged 18 or over, excluding employees and agents of Primal Cut Ltd and anyone professionally connected with the administration of the Competition o Competition is open to people living in the UK only o Primal Cut Ltd reserves the right to refuse any entry that is believed to be in breach of the Terms & Conditions. o There is no entry fee and no purchase is necessary. 3. Prize o ‘The Prize’ is two packs of our freshly made Greek (Loukaniko) sausages which will be couriered to your door. o There are no cash or other prize alternatives available in whole or in part except in the event of circumstances outside of Primal Cut's control. o Primal Cut reserves the right to substitute similar alternatives of equal or greater value. o In the event the claim for a prize is not received by Primal Cut within one week of the initial notification, they reserve the right to withdraw prize entitlement and award the prize to a reserve selected at the same time as the original. 4. Data Protection and Publicity o You consent to your surname, photograph and basic information about you being disclosed on Primal Cut's digital channels or other media if you win o Any personal data relating to participants will be used solely in accordance with current UK data protection legislation. By entering the Competition, you agree that Primal Cut may contact you in relation to the Competition o Primal Cut reserves the right to use the voice, image, photograph, name, and likeness of the winner for publicity and in advertising, marketing or promotional material without additional compensation or prior notice to the winners. In entering the Competition, all participants consent to such use of their voice, image, photograph, name, and likeness in the event that they win the competition 5. Competition Rules o The Competition will be run and Prizes will be awarded at Primal Cut's sole discretion. o Primal Cut reserves the right to change the Competition rules and these Terms & Conditions from time to time. If they do so, the most up to date Term & Conditions will be on primalcut.co.uk website and in the case of a discrepancy between these Terms & Conditions and those on the website, the website Terms & Conditions will apply. Your continued use of the website will constitute your acceptance of the new rules and/or Terms & Conditions. 6. Liability and Indemnities 6.1 Except in the case of death or personal injury arising from its negligence, or in respect of fraud, and so far as is permitted by law, Primal Cut exclude responsibility and all liabilities, whether direct or indirect, arising from: 6.1.1. any postponement or cancellation of the Competition; 6.1.2. any changes to, the supply of or use of the Prize; and 6.1.3. any act or default of any supplier, which are beyond Primal Cut's reasonable control. 6.2. Primal Cut does not accept responsibility for any liability arising from technical incompatibility, problems relating to the internet, or technical difficulties of any kind 6.3 This Competition is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by or associated with Instagram or Facebook

Sicilian Sausages - Italian flavour and that authentic Sicilian Style For our rather special Sicilian sausage we need to travel to Italy to evoke the flavours of the regions. Italy is a country famous for its pork sausages and its regional variations. To the North of Italy we will find pork sausages with a hint of cinnamon and to the South, fresh pork combined with spicy chilli or fresh cracked black pepper. And Sicily – well Sicily has a Sicilian sausage style all of its own. Sicilian pork sausages are characterised by the fresh light taste of coriander and fennel seed and it’s this flavour that we combine with garlic to make our fresh the Primal Cut wholly healthy Sicilian sausage. “It’s such a rich combination of Mediterranean flavours, it’s like you’re eating Aldo Zilli’s larder…Delicious” Rate my Sausage: Primal Cut Sicilian Sausage Made Fresh to Order and online All our sausages are made fresh to order for online and for our local markets. We hand butcher, mince and stuff our sausages and unlike butchers, supermarkets and other sausage producers, we use our own herbs and spice mixes. To make the sausages we re-interpret old family recipes using Italian cuts and methods so our unique sausages contain no additives, no artificial preservatives, no water, no gluten and absolutely no “nasties”. In fact, we are proud to say that they are the very antithesis of the great British sausage . Read more here “We love the filling of sausage to be big, thick, coarse, lumpy, describe it how you will, and these Sicilian specials match the ideal almost to perfection…the skins are good too but overshadowed by the filling,…these are some nice bangers” Rate my sausage: Primal Cut: Sicilian Sausage Free From Like all our sausages, the Sicilian sausage is free from: • sugar • sweeteners • dairy • chemicals • rusk • breadcrumbs • oats • fillers • artificial preservatives 100% certified gluten free sausages - order online! Healthy Lifestyles and Dietary Needs This means they are great for Paleo, Whole30, Low Carb, Keto, AIP and healthy eating plans as well as for coeliacs and diabetics. The simple fact is that our sausages are suitable for the whole family and can be enjoyed together around the table even if there are family members with allergies to consider. What’s not to love? What Next? Come and "try before you buy" our Sicilian sausages at one of our local market events . You can find us out and about throughout Yorkshire over the summer and track us through our brand new market events calendar . We hope to see you soon.

This gluten free Yorkshire Sausage and Mash Bake is a keeper and a delicious easy weekend supper for all the family all cooked in a single tray. Our Yorkshire sausages (in honour of Yorkshire day this week) and mash bake perfectly compliments the sweetness of multi-coloured cherry tomatoes.  Fresh herbs: thyme, rosemary, and bay really bring out the flavors in this dish. Ingredients Method Firstly, pre-heat the oven to 180 and find a large roasting tray – one that is big enough to take all the tomatoes – (half roasted and half stewed) the tomatoes will turn into a lovely rich and chunky sauce to pour over the sausages when cooked. Lay out the tomatoes in the tray and add the fresh herbs, the garlic, and the oregano.  Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar (to taste) and season with salt and pepper. Toss together on the tray - Yorkshire sausages b ack on top. Put the tray in the pre-heated oven for approximately 15 minutes. Next, carefully remove the tray from the oven and give it a bit of a shake and turn the sausages. Finally, then return the tray to the oven for another 15 – 25 minutes. Cooking times will vary depending on personal preference Once cooked you will have a rich tomato-ey sauce.  If the consistency is too thin, remove the sausages , and place the tray carefully on the hob to cook it down to your preferred consistency. Serve with a lovely herby mash.

Currywurst traybake is a delicious high tea and is great served to a group of friends who can tuck into the dish together – nothing better than shared food!  We recommend our delicious free-from, gluten-free Currywurst in this one – it brings a special uniqueness and extra dimension to the standard gluten free sausages . Lovely Family Tea Serves: 4-6 Ingredients 2 tsp (10 mL) cumin seeds 2 tsp (10 mL) coriander seeds 1 tbsp (15 mL) sweet paprika 2 tbsp (30 mL) pul biber chili flakes (see note) Approx. 1lb (400g) gluten free Currywurst sausage 3 tbsp (45 mL) garlic oil Maldon sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper 2 large potatoes, parboiled with skin on and cut into 1/2-inch- (1.25-cm-) thick slices 1/2 lb (227 g) small peppers or 1 large red and 1 large green pepper, cored, deseeded, cut lengthwise into 1-inch- (2.5-cm-) thick strips 2 large red onions, quartered and each quarter halved To serve: 3/4 cup (175 mL) thick Greek yogurt and Sriracha (hot sauce) Method Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add the cumin and coriander seeds, and toast for about a minute. shaking the pan until they release their aroma and begin to brown. Break the seeds using a grinder and transfer to a bowl to mix with paprika and chilli flakes. Using the same frying pan you used to toast the seeds, fry all the gluten free sausage until they just begin to colour on all sides, 4–5 minutes; you don’t need to fully cook them in the pan as they will finish cooking in the oven later. Remove from the heat and set aside. Preheat the oven to its highest temperature. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush the paper with 1 tablespoon of the garlic oil and season the base with salt and pepper. Lay the potato slices on the parchment paper and season again with salt and pepper and one-third of the spice mixture. Evenly distribute the sausages, peppers and onions among the potato slices. Reserve a little of the spice mix for sprinkling, then drizzle over the remaining garlic oil and spice mix and season generously with salt and pepper. Bake until the peppers are nicely browned and the gluten free currywurst are cooked through, 20–25 minutes. Serve with dollops of thick Greek yogurt, a good drizzle of Sriracha (or other chilli sauce), and a sprinkling of the reserved spice mix. For a treat, add fried eggs to the top.

Hello! We are chatting with our good friend Ally Houston from Paleo Canteen .  Ally is founder and head chef of Paleo Canteen where fresh and nutritious paleo and low carb meals are expertly prepared and delivered direct to your door each Thursday. Ally regularly shares lots of tips and inspiration in his podcast The Canteen Pod cast ( which he describes as the show for anyone who has feelings about food) and via his very own Ally Houston YouTube channel . We met Ally at Real Food Rocks 2019 in Ambleside last month and were so impressed not only with his deliciously nutritious paleo and low carb ready meals but also by his depth of knowledge, droll sense of humour, passionate enthusiasm and overall drive to make paleo and low carb food easily accessible to all. Hi Ally! Q. Can you tell us a little bit about Paleo Canteen? A. Hi! Paleo Canteen is the UK's quality online paleo and low carb shop. We are proud of what we offer, having launched UK wide in June this year, and are always looking for new and interesting high quality products to stock.  We are particularly known for our range of paleo and low carb ready meals which we cook fresh to send out each Thursday around most of the UK. Q. Can you tell us a bit about your health journey and how you came to start Paleo Canteen? A. I worked in high end restaurants when I left school, then went to uni and got a physics degree. Having spent a few years working as a laser engineer, I went back to uni to study for a PhD. My health had been shaky since childhood, including autoimmune and mental health conditions and I'd started to put on weight that I couldn't shift. I began dabbling with a paleo diet as a last resort, as my doctors had failed in resolving my health issues. Luckily, my physics PhD supervisor had healed his chronic fatigue syndrome / ME with a paleo/ low carbohydrate diet, and was able to point me towards papers and blogs that filled me in on the science. I doubled down on my diet and watched, amazed, as my weight melted away to a healthy level, and my autoimmune and mental health issues all cleared up. I was so amazed by the transformation that I left the PhD to start Paleo Canteen, to help spread the message and products that would allow others to benefit like I have. Q. Who are your role models and what do you most admire about them? A. I love the online nutrition and health community, particularly people like Dr David Unwin , Dr Aseem Malhotra , and Zoe Harcombe PhD who all got me interested in this scientific area. I love how they are all willing to look at the evidence and go against the grain if they have to. Q. You fed us all so well at Real Food Rocks (a delicious aromatic tagine I can still remember!) and your current menu includes lamb kofta and a wild fish laksa but what is your favourite dish from the menu at Paleo Canteen? A. My personal favourite is the Provencal Beef Stew, but the number one best seller is the Moroccan Chicken Tagine. Q What would be your  #1 piece of advice for anyone looking to follow a paleo or low carb diet diet? A. Don't over complicate it. It's about cutting out the bad stuff rather than adding weird and wacky foods in. Meat, fish, veg, eggs, and some fruit and nuts is a great place to start. Q. And finally, where can we find out more about Paleo Canteen? A. Everything is at www.paleocanteen.co.uk , Twitter  @paleocanteen , Instagram  @paleocanteen and Facebook at facebook.com/paleocanteen It was great chatting to Ally and finding out more about how eating a paleo and low carb diet helped him tackle his own personal health challenges on his journey back to good health. We hope that you will be inspired by these stories from our Primal Cut friends and cordially invite anyone to get in touch with us who has a story to share about food and their own personal journey back to good health. Get in touch at hello@primalcut.co.uk Until next time!

Ingredients Serves 4 Method Firstly, Pre-heat the oven to 180C Mix the clear honey and wholegrain mustard together with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste Using our Breakfast sausage , place on a baking tray or large roasting tin, big enough so the sausages don't touch ,but not too big as to cause the sauce to boil off and burn on the bottom – the sausages need enough space to be turned every now and then as they cook to give that burnished, sun-kissed look. Pour the honey mixture gently over the sausages to coat and then roast in the oven for about 25 minutes. Keep turning every so often. Meanwhile, prepare the coleslaw. Toast the caraway seeds for the dressing for about 20 seconds then place on a plate to cool Whisk together the maple syrup, mustard, cider vinegar and oil and add in the cooled seeds. Finely slice all the other coleslaw ingredients (bunch the baby spinach leaves to slice them finely too) and place into a bowl. Toss lightly with the dressing and serve with the sausages. Enjoy…delicious honey mustard sausages and blackberry coleslaw.

This is a versatile easy egg and sausage based recipe that works for breakfast, lunch or tea. We ate this hot with a side of butter roasted cauliflower for supper and finished it off for breakfast this morning with some sliced avocado to make up the good fats on our low carb adventure. To make this easy low carb bake you will need :- 8 eggs 1lb of sausage of choice , we recommend our fresh mexican chorizo 1 sweet potato 1 medium onion 2 small bell peppers 3 cloves of garlic 2 spring onions 1/3 cup of unsweetened almond milk Fresh sea salt and cracked black pepper How to make this tasty low carb bake Take the sausage out of its casing and crumble into the pan. Fry gently in a little coconut (or olive) oil until the sausage meat takes on a good colour. Transfer out of the pan. Add onions, garlic, pepper and cook for a further 4 - 5 minutes. Transfer out of the pan Cut up the sweet potato into small dice and fry in the same pan (add a little more oil as necessary) Remove from heat and stir into the sausage and vegetable mix Pour the mixture into a casserole dish and ensure everything is evenly spaced for a good mix. Whisk the eggs with the almond milk and season with salt and pepper. Pour egg mix to cover all the ingredients int he casserole dish Lift carefully and place in the oven to cook for approximately 20 minutes at 180C. Eat hot from the oven with some fresh buttery vegetables or serve cold with avocado slice for breakfast - its the dish that keeps on giving... Enjoy!

We are chatting with our new friend Amy Moring from Hunter & Gather Foods .  Amy is a lifelong Coeliac and Co-Founder of Hunter & Gather along with her partner Jeff Webster. Hunter & Gather are well-known for their sharing of lots of tips and inspiration in blogs on their website and social media. Their principles are Real Food, free from sugars, grains and harmful fats, quality, transparency and sustainability. Their principles mean that their products are low in carbs, Keto and Paleo friendly too. Plus their Hunter & Gather name is a nod to hunter and gatherer times as well as "Hunt" being Amy's grandparents surname and "Gathergood" being the surname of Jeff's paternal side. They say some things are just meant to be! Hi Amy! Q. Can you tell us a bit about your health journey and how you came to start Hunter and Gather Foods? A. I was diagnosed with coeliac at 18 months old, after 6 months of testing via the hospital. At the time this required food diaries, eating as much gluten laden food as possible, scopes pre and post the food trials and lots of hospital visits. When the diagnosis came in, my parents where horrified and back then gluten free products just didn't really exist in supermarkets. I spent my life always checking ingredients, looking at the back of pack, cooking food from scratch and also seeing the landscape of the food industry in the UK change.  Jeff and I met as teenagers and Jeff was eating a "conventional" western diet but was suffering with acne, bad stomach pains, hunger and fluctuating moods. It was only when Jeff started reflecting on his own diet after learning about coeliac that he started researching Paleo & Keto lifestyles. This lead to a journey of discovery for Jeff and over the next 7 years we began understanding the impact that not only gluten had on our wellbeing but also sugars, all grains and harmful fats. Linking what we eat with other factors such as movement, play, rest away from screens and good quality sleep - we felt incredible and we wanted to share our principles to help others.  We were making our own mayonnaise, condiments etc from home and thought this could be the perfect way to encourage people to learn more about this space. Mayonnaise in the UK is a category lacking in healthier innovation and many consumers are buying grass fed meats, organic veggies but then slathering their plates with chemical and sugar laden mayo (as there was no other choice than homemade). We wanted to provide others with superior choices with no compromise and that's where our first idea for our mayo range came from.   Q. You have won a whole raft of new product awards for your food but which award are you most proud of and for which product? A. Oo this is a tough one, we are so proud of all the awards we have won and the response to our range has been amazing. When we launched at Food Matters Live, we had no idea how far Hunter & Gather would go in a short space of time. We won our first and I have to say most beautiful award trophy at this event for the "Innovative Better For You Product Of the Year". Our family came along to watch and we even captured the moment live on social media - so it was definitely something to remember and we felt on cloud 9! Q. Which is your favourite product from your range? A. Oh gosh another tough question, it is like trying to choose between children haha! Our range is so versatile and each product has it's rightful place in the range. I think the classic Avocado Oil Mayonnaise will always be special as it was the product that started this whole journey - plus it was pure innovation at it's finest. It totally embodies the principles that we aim to live by and it is also blooming delicious and a great taste gold star winner too.  Q. Who are your role models and what do you most admire about them? A. I am not really a role model kind of person, there are so many people that do amazing things every day and you can take inspiration and learning from everyone. For me, every single person that makes the decisions to go against convention and take learning into their own hands is inspirational. It is very easy to be wrapped up in the day to day but those that stick their heads above the parapet for a cause, reason or just because they want to seek ways to be the best versions of themselves - that is a role model.  Q. If you could go back in time ten years, what piece of advice would you tell yourself? A. Well, Jeff and I are still well within our 20's so going back 10 years brings us into our teen years. I don't think I would have changed anything - I have always gone with my intuition even if it meant not following a crowd or my peers. I have also always been the "special" one when it comes to eating out or speaking with others and it has lead to me developing my skills around talking about Coeliac and Real Food with credibility and experience.  I think the only advice I would give my teen self, is that the corporate world and getting a job in the city is not the be all and end all - relax. I also had a very fixed mindset as a young teenager and it has taken me a long time to turn this into a growth mindset. I therefore would have pushed myself more out of my comfort zone as a teenager and had a go at things I new I wouldn't be good for the learning experience.  Q. What would be your  #1 piece of advice for anyone looking to follow a Paleo or LCHF diet? A. My one piece of advice would be, do not rush. We class Paleo and low carb as lifestyles rather than diets. Diets to us has negative connotations and is linked to loosing weight. While yes for many Paleo, Low Carb and Keto are great ways to loose weight but then what happens after you have reached your goal and what happens if you don't hit your goal weight in the time you want? Jeff and I are still learning and it has been a process over many years but we utilise Paleo and Real Food principles in our overall lifestyle.  Q. Where can we find out more about Hunter Gather Food? A. Please do follow us on social media at @hunterandgatheruk or check us out on Amazon or our website www.hunterandgatherfoods.com Photocredits: Tara Liondaris

We came up with the name Primal Cut after many sleepless nights deliberating …spurious sausage references, innuendoes, buzzwords, management speak and fancy acronym’s. Eventually, it was an out of the blue – eureka moment when someone –  can’t remember who! said: Let’s just say what we do: Free Range Meat. Primal and sub-primal cuts. Free from grains, sugar, legumes. Real-food, Slow-food and Paleo Natural preservation, Conservation and environment Good health and well being. Perfect on so many levels…highly nutritious, healthy sausage made from primal cuts of free-roaming animals… Tada! What are Primal Cuts? Primal Cuts are the primary cuts of meat taken during initial steps in butchery or processing of an animal carcass. The term is relevant to all animals butchered for food – wild or managed. The name of each particular cut may be used interchangeably and can apply to similar cuts of the different carcasses. Although, many are specific to species and may even vary by country definition. In Britain however, we tend to stick to the following: Pork: There are 5 Primary Cuts of Pork in the UK – Shoulder, Loin, Belly, Rump & Leg Beef (14): Topside, Thick/Thin Flank, Leg, Rump, Sirloin, Thin/Thick Rib, Fore Rib, Brisket, Chuck/Blade, Neck, Clod, Shin

These three basic ingredients are real food staples in a paleo or WHOLE30 diet. Moving to low carb or keto diet. simply swap out the potatoes for something else (like peppers or onion) which would work equally well - this recipe is very adaptable..use your food list and your imagination to create a perfect family tea. Serves 4 To make this dish you will need: 2 Chicken Breasts (cubed) 2 Sweet Potatoes (large cubes) 6 Rashers of thick cut Primal Bacon cut in half and sliced 6 Wooden or metal skewers For the sauce: 1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil 1 teaspoon of raw honey 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground allspice 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper How to make Chicken, Bacon and Sweet Potato Kebabs: Place the sweet potato cubes into a pan of water and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and cook for 4 or 5 mins Cool down the sweet potato with cold water. Meanwhile combine the olive oil, honey, cinnamon, allspice, cayenne and red pepper flakes in a bowl and season to taste. Thread the sweet potatoes, Primal Bacon and Chicken onto the skewers, alternating the ingredients. Grill, griddle or barbecue the kebabs for 10 - 12 minutes, turning frequently until the chicken is cooked through Remember to brush the kebabs with the sauce and grill griddle or barbecue for a further minute on each side to complete the flavour :) Enjoy! Michael's Tip! If using wooden skewers, leave to soak in a bowl of water for approx 30 mins. before threading on the meat and potatoes. This will make cooking easier on the barbecue or griddle as the sticks will not burn too ;)

Fundamentally it is about choice. Small scale producers, independent shops and food outlets or supermarkets. We need to consider what the future of food shopping will look like if we allow supermarkets to dominate. Supermarkets favour global sourcing, bulk buying and centralised distribution. They are systems based and process driven. Any commitment to local produce is skin deep at best. The reason for this is their operating model. It will always favour the big producers. Similarly, at a structural level, supermarkets are not equipped to deal with the short shelf life and fleeting availability of artisan produce. The reason for this is due to their distribution methods. Hence, smaller production runs also cause difficulties for supply chains. This means that if we only shop at supermarkets many if not all of our smaller scale food producers will disappear. This is because supermarkets deem their produce unreliable, inconsistent and trivial in terms of turnover. Rather, they favour the convenience of large scale production. What would it mean if there were no more small scale producers, independent shops and food outlets? First of all, we would lose our ability to choose. Furthermore our eating patterns would be dictated by the purchasing power of the supermarket giants. And that would be a very narrow focus. So, think! All that diversity gone similarly all that food tradition and heritage lost for future generations. Finally, all that local and seasonal bio diversity left behind. Celebrating Choice We love interesting food!  We like hand made gluten free sausages, dairy churned butter,  artisanal cheeses, rare breed meats, hot spicy home made biscuits , unusual varieties of fruit and vegetables.  And we like choice.  And if we want to preserve choice  then perhaps its time to make a conscious effort to buy some of more our shopping from the small scale producers, independent shops and food outlets that are equipped to provide the choice.  Let’s celebrate diversity! This is a way of lending support to food producers.  We can support those who want to maintain local knowledge and  traditions.  We can support those who want to offer something affordable and different to eat. Furthermore our towns will stay vibrant.  Choice will prevail.  We will be able to eat local and seasonal produce.  And keep the world turning! Keep bio diversity alive. Support your local small scale producers, farmers markets, independent shops and food outlets and  don’t lose your right to choice.

The name “Sundowners", harks back to Britain’s colonial past, but don’t let that put you off! It is the collective name for a range of long cool drinks typically served at sunset, marking that point between the end of a long hot day and sitting down to formal dinner.  It reminds me of my folks who used to drink a whiskey and soda (from a soda syphon –  remember? ) and a glass of sherry before supper.  Different times!  Here are three recipes for ice cold alcoholic refreshers that will go down a treat at any BBQ whilst you wait for your gourmet sausages to cook… Lime Rickey Ice-cold, crisp, refreshing Sundowner cocktails. Fill a glass with ice cubes Pour in 2 oz of gin and a squeeze of lime juice.  Top up with club soda. Stir and garnish with a wedge of lime.  Simple but deliciously refreshing. Here are two more for the Barbecue. Mint Julep In the bottom of the glass, mix together 3 oz of bourbon, 6 crushed in the glass Sprigs of fresh mint 2 tbspn of simple sugar syrup.  Add the ice and top up with club soda, stir and garnish with mint leaves Moscow Mule Fill your glass with ice and pour on 1 ½ oz vodka and 1oz of lime juice Top up with ginger beer, stir and garnish with a lime wedge. Have a taste while you finish off cooking your hot spicy sausages on the Barbecue.. Now, turn to the West, admire the sunset  – then go eat!