20 Aug 2025

What is Fibremaxxing? – The Gut-Health Trend You Need to Know About

by rebecca.farrington | posted in: Balance diet, Diet and Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Healthy Eating Blog, Plant Based, Uncategorized | 2

Forget carb-cutting or protein-packing — the new nutrition buzzword is fibremaxxing. While trends come and go, this one is backed by solid science. Fibre is the unsung hero of health, and most of us aren’t getting nearly enough. An the truth is, you can start to see the benefits of fibremaxxing quite quickly. In a recent blog I explored this in more detail. Read here

What is Fibremaxxing?

Fibremaxxing means consciously increasing your fibre intake to support gut health, digestion, energy levels, and long-term wellness. It’s not about supplements or fad diets — just eating more of the right plant-based foods.

A vibrant still life of fresh herbs on a rustic wooden cutting board, perfect for culinary inspiration.

Why Fibre Matters So Much

Gut health: Fibre feeds your gut microbiome, which controls everything from immunity to mood.
Heart health: Higher fibre diets are linked to lower cholesterol and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
Blood sugar: Fibre slows digestion, helping balance blood sugar and prevent energy dips.
Weight management: High-fibre foods are more filling, reducing cravings.
Longevity: Research connects fibre-rich diets to lower risks of chronic disease and healthier ageing.

How Much Do We Need?

NHS guidelines: 30g a day minimum
Average UK intake: 18g a day
That’s a huge gap — and fibremaxxing is about closing it.

How to Fibremaxx Your Diet (Simple Swaps & Tips)

Here are some simple everyday swaps that can make a huge difference:

Bread → Choose seeded or wholegrain instead of white
Rice → Swap white rice for brown rice, quinoa, or bulgur wheat
Pasta → Use wholewheat pasta or pulse-based pasta (like lentil or chickpea)
Breakfast cereal → Pick oats, Weetabix, or bran flakes over sugary cereals
Snacks → Try air-popped popcorn, nuts, or roasted chickpeas instead of crisps or biscuits
Fruit juice → Eat the whole fruit (apple, orange, berries) for fibre as well as vitamins
Potatoes → Keep the skin on, or try sweet potatoes for extra fibre
Dips → Swap creamy dips for hummus, guacamole, or bean dip
Dessert → Fresh fruit with yoghurt and seeds instead of cake or chocolate bars

Practical Example: A Fibremaxxed Day

Breakfast: Overnight oats with chia seeds, raspberries, and walnuts (12g fibre)

Lunch: Lentil and vegetable soup with wholegrain toast (10g fibre)

Snack: Apple with a tablespoon of peanut butter (5g fibre)

Dinner: Quinoa, roasted vegetables, and chickpeas (12g fibre)
Total = 39g fibre

Final Thoughts

Fibremaxxing isn’t about restriction — it’s about addition. By consciously building more fibre into your meals, you can transform your gut health, energy, and even your long-term future health.

A note of caution: If you have a digestive disorder such as IBS, Crohn’s, or ulcerative colitis, it’s important to seek medical advice before making big dietary changes. Fibre can be very beneficial, but certain types can also trigger symptoms in sensitive guts. And for everyone, the key is to increase fibre slowly and drink enough water — otherwise, you may experience bloating or discomfort.

26 Jan 2025

Cauliflower cheese tart

by rebecca.farrington | posted in: Balance diet, Diet and Nutrition, Healthy Eating, recipes | 0

Cauliflower Cheese: Comfort Food as part of a Balanced Diet

Who says comfort food can’t be part of a healthy lifestyle? Cauliflower cheese is a classic dish that I absolutely love, but it’s often viewed as an indulgence rather than a balanced meal. However, with a little thought and the right pairings, it can absolutely have a place in your diet.

The key to enjoying this dish while supporting your health goals lies in creating a balanced plate. A balanced plate includes a mix of carbohydrates, proteins, healthy fats, and plenty of vegetables for fibre, vitamins, and minerals. While my cauliflower cheese tart offers protein and fat from the cheese sauce and fibre from the cauliflower, it’s a bit lacking when it comes to variety. That’s where your sides come in!

Pair your cauliflower cheese with a vibrant selection of side vegetables or a fresh salad. Think roasted carrots, steamed green beans, crispy kale, or a crisp leafy salad with a zingy lemon dressing. This not only boosts the meal’s nutritional value but also creates a plate that’s colorful, filling, and satisfying. and it will help you towards your 30 a week!

Balance is all about enjoying the foods you love without sacrificing your health goals. It’s not about restrictions but more about making choices that nourish both your body and your soul. Cauliflower cheese tart may feel indulgent, but when combined with plenty of fresh vegetables, it becomes part of a meal that’s as nutritious as it is delicious.

Ready to try it yourself? My cauliflower cheese recipe is simple, comforting, and packed with flavour—scroll down to discover how to make it! Don’t forget to load up your plate with veggies to turn this classic dish into a healthy, balanced meal.

16 Apr 2024

Spicy Butterbean Stew

by rebecca.farrington | posted in: Diet and Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Plant Based, recipes, Uncategorized | 0

This is a hearty and comforting butter bean stew that can either be served it’s own or as an accompaniment for fish – it would be delicious served with pan-fried hake. I had mine with some feta cheese because I was being lazy! It’s a recipe that I’ve adapted from Bold Bean Co. It’s packed with protein rich beans and fibre and feel free to add different vegetables.

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped
Extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 jar of Bold Beans Co butterbeans
1 tablespoon Gochujang Red Pepper Paste
1 red pepper, chopped
1 fennel bulb, sliced
1 500g pack passatta
200ml vegetable stock
1 tbsp creme fraiche (optional)
1 tbsp chopped coriander (optional)

Method

Add a splash of extra virgin olive oil to a pan and stir in the onions. Cook for a couple of minutes then add the garlic and cook for a further 5 minutes until soft.

Once the onions and garlic have cooked down add the sliced fennel and the red pepper and cook for a further couple of minutes, then add the smoked paprika and the red pepper paste. When the fennel and red peppers have softened add the passatta and vegetable stock

Cook until it has reduced down and the tomato sauce has thickened. Finish of with the creme fraiche and herbs.

Notes

To increase the amount of veg in this Spicy Butter Bean Stew you could consider adding finely chopped celery or carrot when you are sweating down the onions. You could also add different coloured peppers.

13 Feb 2024

30 A Week

by rebecca.farrington | posted in: Diet and Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Healthy Eating Blog | 0

You may have heard this phrase recently. But what is it and why does it matter?

What is 30 a week?

Thirty a week is the most recent recommendations for eating fruit/vegetables/nuts and seeds and pulses. Old government guidelines suggested ‘5 a day‘ but that didn’t necessarily mean that you were getting a varied selection of plant based food. You could, for example, eat the same five things every day of the week and that wouldn’t be a varied or healthy diet.

What foods count?

Included in the things that you can include are perhaps some surprises. Coffee and tea can be included, as can dried herbs and spices. Each food can only be included once, so if you have tea each day you don’t log it every day, just the once! All fruit and vegetables count, as do chickpeas, lentils, bulgur wheat and quinoa……even dark chocolate over 70% counts as it’s plant based and contains polyphenols.

Quick hacks to 30 a week

It might seem quite daunting at first glance, but it’s actually much easier than you might think. Here are some great ways to help you get to the 30 a week

Nuts and Seeds

Sprinkling nuts and seeds on your food is an easy way to increase your 30 a week total. You can either buy a ready made selection (available in most supermarkets) or make your own. Add to breakfast cereals, salads and side dishes and use every day if you can. You’ll also be helping to improve your fibre intake as well as adding essential nutrients to your diet.

There are some great pre-made mixes that you can add to your food. Zoe do a great one that tastes lovely and will provide you with your 30 a week – Details here

Herbs and Spices

Herbs and spices each count towards your 30 a week, so you can see how easy it is to make a curry really count. Use ground spices and seeds to make your curry dishes from scratch and aim for at least five as your base. You also have your onion, garlic and fresh ginger that count, as does a tin of tomatoes and any extra veg that you put in your curry. Top it off with some fresh herbs and you can quite easily be heading to 20 ingredients in just one dish! Consider adding spices to other dishes too as many of them have some great anti-inflammatory properties too (I’m thinking turmeric for one).

Salads

It may seem like an obvious one, but there are some simple ways to make your salad really counts towards your 30 a week. Consider switching Iceberg lettuce (the nations favourite, but in terms of nutrition it’s not a great choice) for mixed leaves. Each different salad leaf counts as a separate choice, so it makes sense to vary them as much as you can. Different colour onions all count as an option too, as do different colour peppers, radish etc. Swap lettuce leaves for kale, Cavalo Nero or chard to really supercharge your salad bowl. And adding a salad dressing that includes fermented Cider apple vinegar and olive oil (which both count) will also help your gut health. Win-Win!

Soup

Soup is a fantastic way to increase your veg intake and a really nutritious dish to add to your weekly menu. Using tins of tomatoes, chickpeas and pulses can be a quick way of making soup, as are frozen vegetables. Both those options are equally as nutritious as fresh veg. So if you are strapped for time don’t feel guilty about taking the easy option. As well as a base of onions and garlic, try adding celery and chopped carrot to your base to increase veg in the dish without it affecting flavour too much. Again, think about adding some spices and topping off with fresh herbs. Have a look at my recipe page to get some recipe inspiration

For more information please email me on rebeccajfarrington@icloud.com

Plant Based