“We all know we need to slow down because every gadget we make and create isn’t making us any more time, is it? Mindfulness is a big word because we are so disconnected from our food and from our families.. I think being green and more earth conscious is coming back.” Jasmine H.
This week’s blog post is all about my experience at the Hemsley + Hemsley book signing! I gathered some information and I wanted to share it with you. Last Monday I got the exciting opportunity to attend the Q&A with Melissa and Jasmine Hemsley, which took place in Manchester. A very heartfelt thank you goes out to the team at Waterstones Deansgate for giving me this opportunity and informing me this was taking place, a true dream come true (thanks, Kim, you’re amazing)!
These two ladies have produced a book that is beautifully rich in colour, nutrients and happiness. Every part of them has been produced in book form to inspire every single one of you who purchases it. What I really loved was how beautiful their energies were, they radiate so much positivity!
The book contents –
“Part One: Getting started, simple recipes and essential ingredients
Part Two: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, salads, soups, snacks and sweets
Part Three: On-the-go, meal plans, shopping lists and lifestyle changes”
I usually edge towards the Internet when it comes to using recipes. However, this time, around I have understood the real investment behind cookbooks. I have began to realise that something like a cookbook never gets old or out of date. The Hemsley + Hemsley book is something I will use forever. Cookbooks are meant to be used and worn & are a great tool for creating some very special recipes which could be the heart of a good memory.
When listening to the Q&A I discovered lots about Melissa and Jasmine and their true ethos behind the cookbook. We sometimes forget how much hard work and knowledge goes into creating something so beautiful unless we have achieved something like this ourselves. I must say I am so impressed with their opinions and their hard work! They are true inspirations in all aspects of life.
Where did it all begin you might think? Melissa and Jasmine get referred to as ‘food bloggers’ however; previously to this nickname they were private chefs and started to write for Vogue, although, this is very niche. They were passionate about everything and wanted to share this with other people.
Melissa and Jasmine enjoyed helping people with their relationship with food and helping them cook, this is where they discovered the true beauty behind natural ingredients. They played the role of nutritionist come chef, however, they were neither! They were just two sisters, who cooked the food they wanted to eat and cooked food as if they were your sisters. At this stage in their life, they were referred to as the ‘food fairies’ as they were true miracle workers. The two sisters would cook the food, label the food and tidy up and then disappear just like = magic! At this point, they also didn’t have a social media following to speak of and people didn’t know who they were.
“The book went crazy because people were looking for the right answers and to step away from calorie counting.” Melissa H. I wish I discovered these two ladies when I was struggling with my weight and self-acceptance as they have the right mindset in order to be happy from the inside first.
Melissa Hemsley truly believes everyone can cook and I believe this too! Especially with the help from their stunning cookbook, things are made a lot easier. Their Philippino Mum has inspired their cooking a lot, as she came from a culture where meals were cooked from scratch, and the food was never wasted. Leftovers weren’t leftovers, leftovers were the next meal. (Natural goodness goes a long way).
Are the recipes easy to approach?
These ladies are the realists for the people who have a busy lifestyle and struggle to find time. Being healthy is made easy in just a few steps..
“No faffing around and no washing up in an ideal scenario. The method is no more than 5 steps long. We always talk about getting a big pan making loads of everything and freezing it. We are rough with our portions, a handful of this and a handful of that. We talk about swapping ingredients, we talk about using leftovers and adapting it for the next meal.” – Melissa H.
Since attending the Q&A I have become more aware of how important it is to look after our gut. “The main part of this was looking at the gut and how this is really our ‘second brain’ it determines everything, it determines, the way you think, your moods, your immunity & just learning how important the bacteria in our gut is. It is important to look after ourselves.” Jasmine H. It’s all about eating the foods we love and eating the foods that will nourish us from the inside, this will then shine on the outside!
When the Hemsley sisters pick recipes they have to be absolutely delicious, absolutely nourishing and they have got to be really easy to create, the book has got to give something back and this is how they do it.
“It is food to nourish you. Cant cook, won’t cook, this is the book for you! You don’t need to know how to cook. You can just pop it all in the slow cooker and put the lid on, it’s all about the balance of flavours and fat.” Melissa H.
“FAT IS YOUR FRIEND = Fat is 60% of our brain, it is good for our hormones and is a great way of getting sustainable energy. If you purchase low fat products they replace the essential fats with emulsifiers, sugars and other nasty ingredients.” Jasmine H.
Jasmine recommended the three best things you could do for yourself and I am willing to give them all a try, number 3 works!
- “if you are ever having a really rubbish day, a really crappy day and everything is going wrong. Be in bed by 9 pm and be asleep by 10 pm. It will change your life. There is something about the healing process that the body does between 10pm-12am and 12am-2am, it is very important.
- Start your day with a soup. If this makes you feel queasy you need to re-evaluate your diet and your life, because you have a hangover from your lifestyle. That can be because you ate so late, you ate the wrong food, and so your body was digesting when it should have been healing. If you wake up starving it means your body has been digesting throughout the night, not healing.
- Oh, & BUY THE BOOK!”
It was an amazing opportunity to meet the lovely ladies and I am so excited to re-create their recipes. Go and grab yourself a copy of the new book Good + Simple, it makes the bookshelf look gorgeous and chic and brings more nourishment into your life, the easy way.
Links
Follow the two sisters on their website and blog to keep up to date with all of their up and coming creations – Click here
Want to know more about the book Good + Simple? Click the link
Order your book here! – Click here
Follow Deansgate Waterstones on Facebook to keep up to date with all of their upcoming events – Click here
Hey! My name is Jess Ward – I was 15 when I first experienced bullying and depression. 10 years on and I am now a multi-award-winning mental health blogger. Positively Jessica Ward is a blog and location for all things positive. Magnetic colour, mouthwatering recipes and infectious positivity!
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