FORGET extreme fad diets... you’re more likely to stick to healthy eating with a simple, sustainable approach. The authors of The Detox Kitchen Bible tell KATE WHITING about their
down-to-earth philosophy

LILY Simpson and Rob Hobson are the best advert for their new cookbook, The Detox Kitchen Bible, arriving for our interview fresh-faced and sparkly eyed, while I’m nursing a chocolate hangover from leftover Easter Eggs (yes, in May).

But they’re not meeting me to preach about going wheat, dairy and sugar-free: they’re hoping to share the message that cutting down on those foods just 80% of the time will give you more energy – and help you to live healthily without the need for crash diets.

“Our detox is not as you’d imagine, it’s not a strict regime, it’s a lifestyle change,” says Lily, who’s multitasking as she speaks, breastfeeding her six-month-old son Finley and sipping on a hot chocolate (“half milk, half water”), while her dog Rudy sits obediently at her feet.

“We’re saying, ‘If you eat really well 80% of the time, then 20% of the time, you can go out and have some drinks, indulge and have whatever you want’.

"Once you understand that and listen to your body, you don’t need to worry, because you know what to cook that makes you feel good.”

“It’s really important that people become connected again with what they’re eating.”

The book is split roughly in two parts, with delicious, healthy recipes from Simpson making up the first half, which all come with a list of the health conditions they can be useful for, and the second part is nutrition advice from Hobson, with suggested detox plans designed to help your heart, bones, digestive system, mind, weight and immunity, among other things.

Nutritionist Hobson says the best approach is to embrace healthy eating as a whole lifestyle, rather than a diet, and go slowly.

“The way that people end up not doing anything is they just try and do it all at once. Take small steps. Take one recipe a night and start with cooking something fresh,” he says. “If you’re eating lots of sugar, don’t give it up straight away, just eat one biscuit instead of two.

“We’re not telling anyone to do anything we don’t do. I like a glass of wine in the evenings, but I know that most of the time, my food is spot on, I exercise, I try and get as much sleep as I can, You’ve got to try and find a balance and it’s different for everybody.”

Feeling inspired? Here is one of their recipes to get started with...

Mini frittatas (makes 12 frittatas to serve 4)

1 large red onion

2 garlic cloves

2 red peppers, seeded

1 courgette

1 ear of sweetcorn (corn on the cob), husks and silk removed

1 sprig of fresh thyme, leaves picked

9 eggs

100ml rice milk

Salt and pepper

Snipped fresh chives or micro rocket, to garnish

Preheat your oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Lightly oil a non-stick 12-hole muffin tin.

Finely dice the onion, garlic, red peppers and courgette and place in a large bowl.

Now cut the sweetcorn kernels from the cob. The easiest way to do this is to hold the cob at one end, upright at an angle, with the other end in the centre of a kitchen towel on your work surface, and then run a knife down the cob to remove the kernels. Do this all the way round. Discard the cob and tip the sweetcorn kernels into the bowl.

Add the thyme leaves to the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture into the holes in the muffin tin, distributing the vegetables equally. Place in the heated oven and cook for 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, crack the eggs into a large jug or bowl. Add the rice milk and a pinch of salt and whisk until well mixed.

Remove the tin from the oven and set it on a heatproof surface. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables so that each hole is three-quarters full. Bake for a further six minutes until the egg is completely set.

The mini frittatas should fall out of the holes easily. Place them on a large plate, garnish with chives or micro rocket and serve.