Madeleine Shaw is a wellness blogger and recipe creator based in London. She started in the wellness industry over 10 years ago as a nutritionist and home cook and later trained as a yoga and meditation instructor. Her book Get The Glow is a Sunday Times’ Bestseller, selling over 150,000 copies to date. Her holistic view on health considers what you eat, how you move and making time to focus on your mindset. As a mother to her 5 year old son Shay, Madeleine understands the importance of health and wellbeing not only for herself but for her family. Christmas can be a busy and stressful time of year, so we decided to catch up with Madeleine to find out how she stays calm over the festive season.
Christmas is a time that really calls for balance! With so much hype and excitement, how do you encourage a sense of calm for Shay?
“I try and keep to a normal routine as much as possible but getting Shay involved in the build-up of Christmas with the arrangements and decorating is a way to keep him calm too so he feels involved.”
What are some traditions that you do during this time of year, now you have a child?
“Shay and I love to bake together, so it’s especially fun to get creative and make themed treats at Christmas. He loves festive gingerbread cookies. We also love to paint together he’s so artistic and I find it very therapeutic.”
Your 10 Point Guide to Healthy Living is such a bible to live by! As mother to a super fussy child, do you have any tricks to encourage children to 'eat the rainbow'?
“You eat with your eyes, always try and make it as colourful and appetising as possible. Kids are also very aware of what you eat so make healthy snacks readily available or get them involved in the cooking process from the shopping to the creating.”
How do you encourage Shay to spend time outdoors in nature? What is your favourite outdoor activity to do together as a family?
“Shay loves the outdoors, so I am very fortunate I don’t have to encourage him to get outside. He loves to garden so we have our own little corner to grow herbs and fruits and he adores it.”
Any great life hacks you can share with us for time in nature or the kitchen?
“In the kitchen, as I spend a lot of time working and cooking there I think organisation is something I have always maintained. If you know what you have in the kitchen you can make a plan for your meals for the week, write a shopping list and stick to it, to ensure nothing goes to waste. I find having this preparation also reduces the takeaways and toast for dinner.”
Looking for a healthy snack to enjoy over the festive season? Try this Cinnamon and Chocolate Raw Christmas Balls recipe from Madeleine. They are loaded with cinnamon, which is great for fighting off sugar cravings. Cinnamon increases glucose metabolism which helps regulate our blood sugar levels. It slows the emptying of your stomach to reduce that sugar spike and improves the effectiveness of insulin. Not only this but it also enhances our antioxidant defences!
They have been bound using dates which are a great source of iron, potassium, manganese and calcium!
Cinnamon & Chocolate Raw Christmas Balls
Ingredients
- 100g dates
- 200g hazelnuts
- 30g of raw cocoa
- 3 TBSP of coconut oil
- 2 TSP of cinnamon (plus extra for dusting)
Directions
- Pulse the nuts until a nut flour is formed.
- Add in the rest of the ingredients and blend.
- Form into small balls with your hands, then place on a plate and dust with cinnamon.
- Pop in the fridge to harden…then enjoy!