A Feast of Election Night Madness!

Will you be staying up into the wee small hours on Election Night to watch dear, dear David in his role as BBC 'anchor man' for the very last time and to keep a keen eye on Jeremy and his oh-so-addictive 'swingometer'? If so, a bit of snacking might be in order!

If things are going your way, it might with luck, mean 'healthy and happy snacking' but if it's all going horribly wrong, so could the snacks so a bit of pre-planning could be the saviour of your waistline (if not the saviour of your chosen party)!

You don't want to be continually bobbing up and down to prepare something when you are glued to the TV so here are a few dishes and snacks that can be thrown together earlier in the evening so you can simply grab them and get back to the sofa! 

roast a chicken and a bunch of vegetables earlier in the evening and pick at the leftovers later on - lots of great protein and energy-enhancing carbohydrates!

have a dip or two in the fridge and some crunchy raw vegetable sticks - they really take the edge off sugary and salty snack attacks!

midnight is the perfect time for half a creamy, fat-rich avocado - just stone it and spoon the flesh out of the shell or pile in some tuna or prawns!

switchel... a great alternative to alcohol as the night ploughs on! really tasty and great for the digestion. see my recipe page...

... and/or prepare a super green salad, sling some of the cold cooked chicken on top and smother with a Balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil dressing!

you can't beat a bowl of fresh fruit 'bites' at this time of the year - the more colourful the better and the choice out there is staggering!

my very quick tomato soup sharpens up the palate and is great in a mug! the added dollop of yoghurt is inspired! see my recipe page...

... or perhaps a pot of calming and refreshing herb tea? mint is especially good - just soak a bunch of fresh leaves in a pot for 10 minutes...

olives are a tasty and brilliant source of filling and brain-focusing fats - mixed, stuffed with anchovies or with feta cheese, they won't let you down!    

... and have a handful or two of nuts and seeds with your fruit for a bit of extra 'crunch', a few more good fats and to keep hunger at bay !

a fruit or vegetable smoothie (sipped not gulped) hits the spot as the night progresses! create your own or get one off the shelf...

chocolate works no matter how the voting is going - but make it small, very, very dark and perhaps with added chilli to spice things up!

Bare All with Confidence - Bone Broth

Bone Broth is Fabulous for Fat Loss!

And... it needn’t involve hours in the kitchen! Not only are animal bones super-rich in collagen - an essential protein which is vital for healthy bones and muscles and wrinkle-free skin but in combination with a few vegetables, herbs and spices, a good bone broth helps to keep inflammation (one of our major weight loss adversaries) at bay. It is also extremely nourishing whilst providing loads of energy-generating rather than waistline-expanding calories to our day.

My quickest and easiest bone broth involves putting 8 chicken wings (and a couple of chicken feet if you can get them!) into an oven-proof pot with an onion, a carrot, a couple of celery stalks, a few garlic cloves, a bouquet garni (or a bunch of fresh thyme, some parsley and a bay leaf), half a dozen black peppercorns, a teaspoon of sea salt crystals and a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, covering the whole lot with water, bringing slowly to the boil then transferring the pot to the oven on its lowest setting for as many hours as you can (overnight works well).

Next day, strain the broth into a bowl through a fine sieve, transfer to the fridge and leave until very cold (this results in the fat and any scum rising to the top, becoming hard and therefore super-simple to remove with a slotted spoon). Simply return the broth to a soup pot and simmer over a medium heat to reduce (the more reduced, the tastier), check the seasoning then bag in portions (small soup bags are great), refrigerate or freeze and heat one through thoroughly in a microwave or on the hob before devouring mid morning, mid afternoon or whenever you need a nourishing pick-me-up.

View all my Bare All This Summer Top Tips here.