3 minute read
Everyday Eating
Chef, author and CEO of mymuybueno, Justine Murphy, on all things food and two recipes from her new cookbook
Interview CARLY GLENDINNING
Q How did you get into cooking, was it something you were always interested in growing up?
A I had a very unhappy and unhealthy childhood, and food was not an area of positivity for me. It was along my journey into adulthood that I recognised it as having the power to make me feel happy. I then started to fall in love with food and cooking, and the joy it brought, and the happiness it not only gave me, but would give others too. It became the very thing that healed me and is at the heart of my business and life.
Q What's it like raising a family in Mallorca?
A Amazing. It’s a quality of life here like no other. The beaches, the mountains, markets, the produce, it’s almost like stepping back in time. I split my time between London and Mallorca, and the differences are vast. I love the fast pace of London, but coming back to Mallorca and our sleeping village life, the community and people. It’s a much slower life moving at a different pace, and good for my children to enjoy the simple things that much more.
Q Do you cook with your boys?
A Yes, all the time. They love cooking and baking with me. They are so proud at what they make, and seeing their faces light up, the understanding how they can turn different ingredients into a finished dish or cake and be like "I made this" is massively rewarding for them, and for me. It’s time well spent together and it’s so important. It does require some major patience at times, but it’s worth it.
Q What are your favourite easy go-to meals when you're cooking for your family?
A A roast... I love, love, love making a roast chicken and all the trimmings, especially on a Sunday afternoon for a leisurely family lunch. Ramen – I make a ramen bowl once a week for dinner, it’s quick, easy, like a hug in a bowl, comforting and delicious. And then ‘pickies’ – I make a lot of sharing platters that everyone can tuck into, whether it’s with hummus and flatbreads, or chicken satays and making a Med style board or Asian.
Q Any tips for getting little ones to eat less sugar and more healthily? A Changing over to using coconut sugar, pure maple syrup, brown rice syrup is a start. Adapting their, and your tastes. Once you do so, when you try the processed refined sugar it is SO sweet and sickly, it hurts your teeth. With using pure ingredients such as cacao powder, again their palate adjusts to that because it tastes good, and when it tastes so good, and it’s healthy, you don’t want anything else. When you do have it – such as some ice cream or sweets, they really won’t want much, because it just simply isn’t as nice, it’s too sweet.
Q Any tips for getting little ones to eat less sugar and more healthily?
A Changing over to using coconut sugar, pure maple syrup, brown rice syrup is a start. Adapting their, and your tastes. Once you do so, when you try the processed refined sugar it is SO sweet and sickly, it hurts your teeth. With using pure ingredients such as cacao powder, again their palate adjusts to that because it tastes good, and when it
Q How do you juggle such a busy career and motherhood?
A Good organisation, getting my ducks in a row. As women and mothers especially, we juggle more now than we ever have, we have just so many expectations put upon us, and we are delivering on them. Being in control and planning your day properly, writing to do lists, and living a better quality of life with the people we choose to allow it. How we live each day, and then eating good food, having time together eating it, all makes a vast difference and enhances your quality of life. Constantly prioritising and re-prioritising in order to juggle all the balls, picking things up and putting them back down again. Looking after yourself and your family, and enjoying those moments that good food brings and quality family time, between the rest of the crazy and busy times that our day-to-day life brings.
