Back in February of this year I was lucky enough to win a competition through Intu shopping centres to win this wonderful book by Elizabeth Peyton-Jones. As it says on the cover the author has cleverly created recipes that allow us to harness the power of food so that we may live healthier lives. There are lots of aspects of food that can provide the health benefits our bodies need. Making the most of things such as antioxidants and vitamins that foods such as tomatoes naturally provide.

The author of ‘Cook Yourself Young’ is a food and health expert as well as a naturopath. Elizabeth Peyton-Jones is helping people to make the necessary changes to their lifestyle and diet in order to increase their wellbeing and health. The title of the book stems from her belief in slowing the process of ageing by restoring balance within the human body. She promotes simple ways of eating good food that can allow for higher energy levels, encouragement of sleep and reducing body fat, to name but a few. Through the recipes and advice in her book Peyton-Jones hopes that people will feel the benefits of her expertise, allowing them to feel good about their bodies and look and feel more youthful.

The book not only has wonderful easy-to-cook recipes but also advice about what foods are natural medicines for your body. I found these facts fascinating to read about, my favourites include foods for tackling problems such as fatigue, digestive problems and also ingredients for boosting the immune system.

So having read through the book there was a recipe in particular that I kept coming back to, so that is the one I decided to try. Peyton-Jones’ ‘Cheesy’ Stuffed Tomatoes recipe didn’t just sound delicious it looks great on the authors photograph too. So I managed to get the ingredients that I needed and waited for a free afternoon where I could take my time and cook this recipe right.

This recipe was easy to follow and the instructions were very clear. I have always loved to cook so it was nice to try something different. The only thing I did change however was one ingredient, which was relating to nuts. My husband is very allergic so it’s not something that we even have in the house. ‘Cook Yourself Young’ contains many recipes which have nuts in, and although I won’t be able to include nuts in the ones I do try out, I either substitute them or leave the ingredient out completely.

So I readied the items for the meal and prepared them appropriately to E Peyton-Jones’ instructions. While my oven preheated I took some photographs, and once they were cooked I took some more. The smells of the sweet tomato mixing with the garlic, shallots and basil filled my kitchen and I couldn’t wait to try them.

The final result was a truly delicious tomato dish that I would most definitely make again. Great on their own or they go wonderfully as a side dish with a variety of different meals. We actually ate them on this occasion as a side dish with a chicken breast. The delicious sweetness of the tomato accompanied with strong garlic and basil was wonderful. The tomatoes keep their shape even after the stuffing and the cooking, they are soft and easy to eat, and this makes them all the more inviting. The sweetness and the strong taste of garlic and basil together are divine, and I enjoyed the smells that filled my kitchen all throughout the preparation and the cooking. The final look of the recipe was also very inviting. I always believe that you first get hungry from what you see with your eyes and if something looks delicious it usually is. The colours that are present in this tasty dish make it rather appetising.

So overall this is a wonderful and unique book filled with recipes and facts that will keep you entertained for months as you create these interesting and healthy dishes. Even if you have to substitute ingredients like I have done, the recipes are still fantastic and it’s well worth it for all the facts about your body and the way it reacts to food.
Through ‘Cook Yourself Young’ I have learned about the foods that can give me more strength, and the foods that can make my healthier, one dish at a time. If you suffer from an ailment sometimes foods can benefit you in other ways, and it was fascinating to read about the ways in which even some spices can make a difference in your life.
I can recommend this book if you enjoy cooking and learning about how what you can eat, can benefit you in lots of varied ways.