The Sweet Spud on a Farm: Recent Episodes
The Sweet Spud
Learning about healthy living/eating on your own can be fun but after a while it's good to have some company. Join me on a journey through Ireland as I visit people who dedicate their life to helping the rest of us stay healthy - farmers, veggie chefs, nutritionists, organic and healthy food and drink producers, food writers, health coaches, nutritionists, herbalists and other veggie lovers. Learn how to stay healthy and sane, the tasty way.
In this episode we talk about the first ever co-housing project on the island of Ireland, the Portaferry Cohousing. Based on the cohousing community living developed in the 1970’s in Denmark, Heiko Vermeulen jump-started a community living project in Northern Ireland. This project is now in planning permission stage and we talk about what co-housing project is, what it means to live within a co-housing community, why it may be beneficial to one’s wellbeing and why it may not be for everyone. Check out www.portaferrycohousing.orgMusic by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.comArtwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
In this short and ‘light’ episode I visit a zero waste shop in Bangor and talk to one of its founders Paula.We talk about the young venture and the reasons why Paula and her two co-founders started Lightfoot. We chat about shopping and how it should be done to minimise the negative impact on our environment and as always, we talk a bit about food.https://lightfootzerowaste.com/about-us/Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.comArtwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
In this episode I visit Glenside Farm – a social enterprise run and developed by a lovely couple Malini and Ian who have decided to share their space with those who need some fresh air, space to think, breathe, be and reconnect with nature and themselves.Malini and I chat about the importance of nature, natural rhythms, connection with animals and Indian food. Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.comArtwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
In this episode we continue with our ‘zero waste’ series. This time I sit down with a sustainable chef Paul Cunningham, and we talk about sustainability, foraging, wasteless cooking, his secret dining events and plans to open up a sustainable hot food bar. Paul shares many tips for waste free cooking and a couple of plant based recipes.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
This episode is all about plant based cheese and good food. I chat to a local artisan vegan cheese maker Antonela who knows a thing, or two about good tasty plant based food. This has been a great chat with a talented foodie who produces the most amazing quality plant based cheese without any nasty ingredients.
Antonela shares with us not one, but two plant based recipes featuring courgettes.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
In this episode I talk to another farming couple - Terry and Judy Vaz, the founders of Hearty Growers, local mushrooms growers and suppliers.
We share a lot of laughs talking about being foreigners living in Northern Ireland, oyster mushrooms, starting up and running a business as a couple, sustainability, zero waste and food.
Judy shares a mouthwatering recipe for a simple Oyster Mushroom Pakora.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thank you for listening
In this episode I talk to Michael and Alex, a Northern Irish couple who decided to live sustainably and more in tune with nature by building their own tiny house and building a business growing organic vegetables.
Surrounded by blight tomatoes, overgrown courgettes and lot of positive energy with beautiful scent of basil in their polytunnel, we laugh a lot while talking about their tiny house, organic vegetables, food and sustainable living.
As always we share some plant based recipes at the end.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
This time I talk to a swim coach Colin McCard who runs year round open water swim coaching at Helen’s Bay in Northern Ireland - Swell Swimmers Open Water Coaching with Colin McCard.
We have a chat about Colin’s journey to swim coaching, his love for water and we share beach stories and the benefits we both found open water swimming has to offer. We discuss the difference between pool and sea swimming, the wet suit versus skins dilemma and the importance of water safety and we even get interrupted when Colin spots a rip current - something truly rare at Helen’s Bay. Colin offers a good laugh and a quick and simple recipe for a tasty veggie soup with parsnip – the perfect comfort food to warm up after a winter outdoor swim.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
In this episode I talk to my friend, a talented therapist Roisin Cairns from The Little House of Calm. Roisin specialises in treatments for trauma, tension and stress release and in this episode we talk about the stresses of the past 18 months, Roisin’s three months long self-directed retreat, benefits and importance of self-care and passing energies. We also talk about the impact of tension trapped in the body and benefits of aromatherapy. Since Roisin’s summer favourite food is guacamole and plain boiled new potatoes, which I’m sure everyone can make by now, I share a recipe for red lentil and rhubarb soup by Kimmy Murphy at One Green Planet.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
After a long break, we resumed the podcast on an organic farm with Hahu Organics founder Biruk Hailu. We talk about Biruk’s journey from teaching dairy science to growing and promoting organic veg, tomatoes, chard and the simplicity of growing your own if you have the passion for it. Biruk shares his love and passion for growing food and a simple wilted chard recipe.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
In Episode 63 I talk to Kirsty King, the founder of Shared Threads – a local community project full of volunteers who help tackle period poverty in NI and beyond by hand sowing thousands of reusable sanitary pads from repurposed fabric.
Kirsty also shares her recipe for a quick noodle soup with bok choi.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
In this episode we talk all things microgreens. The founder of Nufields, a former designer and a chef Denis Manzke joins me for another online episode to chat about growing and eating microgreens. If you want to grow some food indoors or were wondering about growing the little nutrition powerhouses that microgreen are, have a listen and get inspired. As always, there is a plant based recipe at the end.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
In Episode 61 I get online again to talk to a writer, lifestyle blogger, teacher, radio freelancer, mom of two and a fellow eco-enthusiast Helen McClements. We chat about all things eco, writing, food, IBS and running a household with two kids, a husband and a few pets in the middle of a pandemic. Helen shares some useful tips on using the timer for home schooling and writing, that increase productivity when lack of time or focus seem to be an issue and we talk about some of the eco-friendly household tips shared on her blog including an alternative to single use sanitary pads. As always, we also talk about food and Helen shares a couple of plant based recipes easy to make at home.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
In episode 60 I finally gave in and jumped onto the Zoom bandwagon to record a podcast with Peak District based nutritionist and the head of College of Living Nutrition John Jezewski.
We talked about nutrition, the fact that women have much stronger immune system than men, the importance of nature in health, cooking and handling the lockdown at college from the perspective of both a tutor and a student.
As always, we also talk about food and there is a nice plant based recipe for a nutritious watercress soup from John.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
The lockdown has been extended and while I’m prepared to finally give in and start recording new episodes online I have not given in just yet. This is the third compilation, this time of some of the bits I particularly like or find interesting from episodes you haven’t heard in the previous two compilation episodes. The recipe is an upgrade of my quinoa and sweet potato salad with seaweed from The Sweet Spud cookbook.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Enjoy
The lockdown continues and it is a little tricky to schedule recordings, so here’s to another compilation. This is the second mixture of some of your favourite bits, some of my favourite bits and some bits from the most popular episodes. The recipe is a healthy take on stuffed dumplings.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
This is a compilation of some of your favourite bits, some of my favourite bits and some of the most popular of the first fifty episodes. Some of our guests' wisdom of the past three years might just come handy in 2021.
Happy New Year!
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
In the final episode of the crazy 2020 I talk to probably the most optimistic and positive woman I’ve ever met, a fellow cold water lover, all year round sea swimmer, blogger and someone I consider my hero, inspiration and a role model – Tricia Roulston. When Tricia got her brain tumour diagnosis in 2017 she started Tricia’s Big Brain Blog (https://triciabigbrain.blogspot.com) - an account of her journey. She contributes her infectious positivity, her strength and eternal optimism partly to her regular dips in the North Atlantic, which make her feel invincible. Tricia’s positivity is infectious and her story is a great testament to the power of the sea. This episode is the perfect end to this year’s series – full of optimism, hope and lots of laughs by the cold and powerful North Atlantic.
Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
In this episode I talk to Jacqui Maxwell - a health food store owner who's been in the business for many years. We talk about health fads, the stresses and joys of running a health food store and health food shop tourism - yes, it is a thing! Jacqui shares some tips on how to stay healthy and as always, there is a plant based recipe for you at the end.
Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
In this episode I talk to Martina and Claire - two ladies who started a community pop-up cafe to connect their neigbhours and the whole community in order to support local charities.
We talk about baking, the importance of human connection and how a community event such as Harper's Yard can cope during lockdown. Their upcoming community baking recipe book is out now and girls talk about how their neighbourhood got involved in the making of it in order to support their local food bank.
The recipes shared this time are vegetarian chili and garlic roast veg.
Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Some of my favourite topics – herbal medicine and wild foods, is what we discuss in this episode. Luke Heron is local herbal medicine and nutrition student whose passions are foraging, wild crafting and traditional herb use. We talk about his journey to herbal medicine, wild foods, herbal walks and how herbs and seasonal wild foods can help us optimise our gut health and boost our immune system.
Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
In this episode I sit down, once again, with Scott, the founder of Causeway Living and we have a chat about breathwork meditation practice. Scott talks about the trouble with people pleasing, his healing journey, meditation in general, ayahuasca, breathing and cold water and how the meditation coaching he now offers can possibly replicate the benefits he experienced himself during and after his healing trip to Peru years ago. He also shares Hello Fresh inspired veggie recipe and some good news from his weekly free Dash & Splash event. Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
This is episode I've waited for some time to record. I talk to Emma Thompson, one half of the father/daughter team behind The Bee Haven Beekeepers and the founder of Bee Haven Bodycare.
We talk about the importance of bees, their habits, bee types and Emma's journey to becoming a beekeeper and bodycare maker. We chat in depth about her handmade products, have a little rant about the environment and a quick chat about gut health and fermented foods and drinks.
Emma shares a quick and simple ginger bug recipe.
Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
In this episode I talk to Northern Irish Olympic runner Kerry O'Flaherty. We talk about running, health and food.
Some of the important topics we touch on is how female athletes' performance is linked to the monthly cycles, how sleep and digestive issues can affect a training session and how difficult it can be to tread the waters of social media.
Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
In this episode we talk about recycling, waste and sustainable living.
No matter how much we recycle, our bins seem constantly full with packaging and other recyclable items. Susan and Danielle from East Belfast have decided to do something about it and signed up with an international company to co-ordinate extra recycling within their own community. Let's find out what our options are when we find that our local council recycles only portion of what falls under recyclable materials.
Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
In this episode I talk to Johanna Dahlman, an alopecia specialist who suffered and healed her alopecia with the help of nutrition and lifestyle changes. She is the founder of Alopecia Angel and the author of Secrets to hair Growth and Health as well as other publications dealing with the healing of hair loss.
We talk about Johanna's own experience with alopecia and the importance of lifestyle, nutrition and self accountability in healing of any kind.
Johanna also shares a couple of simple recipes and cooking tips.
Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In the second part of my interview with eating psychology specialist Claire Feldman we talk about the importance of self-care, food shaming and some of the obsessions around healthy eating.
Claire reveals what her own lifestyle is like and shares a recipe for stuffed aubergine.
Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
This episode is about food. Claire Feldman, a psychologist, nutrition professional and food disorder specialist, talks about the dangers of the dieting culture and food disorders. We will look at the possible causes, dangers and warning signs of anorexia, bulimia and binge eating.
In the second part of my interview with a holistic therapist Mary-Jane Burns we talk about her own experience with stress, about our instincts, traditions and knowledge of our predecessors we no longer use in our modern world. We talk about the techniques Mary-Jane uses in her holistic practice, what to do in times of stress if we cannot afford a holistic treatment, how stress stores in our bodies and the importance of eating real food.
Mary-Jane shares a vegetable soup recipe, which can also be downloaded from our social media.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
This episode is about stress. Mary-Jane Burns used to work in a high-pressure catering industry. Suffering with IBS, she didn’t realise, how much stress was stored in her body, causing her symptoms, she attributed to different foods. A scenario too many of us are familiar with. A dyslexic herself, the founder of The Holistic Health & Wellbeing Company, helps all kinds of people from all walks of life, including dyslexic children, deal with stress and stress triggers, we often don’t even recognise. We talk about Mary-Jane’s journey from stressed out chef to a holistic practitioner, stress triggers, the holistic approach and dyslexia. As always, we share a quick and simple plant-based recipe Enjoy Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com Thanks for listening
In the second part of my interview with a nutritional therapist Jane McClenaghan we talk about the microbiome and the importance of spending time outdoors, female health and diet shaming. We also briefly touch on functional medicine and NHS and Jane talks about her corporate workshops.
As always, we share a plant-based recipe, which you can find as downloadable pdf file on our social media.
Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
This episode is all about nutrition. Jane McClenaghan is a nutritional therapist based in Northern Ireland, who developed passion for nutrition and the power of food at the age of eleven. We talk about what nutrition means to Jane as a nutritionist, the challenges of ‘getting it right’ and the importance of enjoying and connecting to our food. Jane give us a few tips on how to make simple changes in our diets that will last and, as always, we share a plant based recipe – this time it’s a seasonal one.
Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In the second part of my interview with Karl Stephens, we talk about his garage bakery, Grain bakehouse products, sugar detox and chocolate.
Karl also shares his favourite recipe by Jamie Oliver and tells us what’s on the weekly Grain bakehouse menu.
Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
This episode is all about sourdough. I talk to Karl Stephens of Grain bakehouse about his journey from bricklayer to stay at home dad and self-employed baker making delicious sourdough bread.
We discuss the difference between real sourdough and commercially mass produced bread, the issues of labelling true sourdough and we have a little rant about food in general.
As always we share a plant based recipe.
Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
Meta Auden is a founder of Spectra Sensory Clothing - a Northern Irish company that brings clothing developed specifically for children on spectrum. We talk about autism, the importance of comfortable clothing for kids and Meta's experience as a parent of an autistic child.
As always, we share a plant based recipe.
Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
This is the second part of my chat with Lucy Scott, the herbalist, trained cancer care nurse, naturopath and a transformational breath facilitator.
This time we talk about Kinesiology, the energies of the body, sage and the power of our own thoughts. Lucy talks about her own lifestyle and shares a few tips on how to stay healthy. As always, we share a plant-based recipe. Enjoy Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
My guest this time is Lucy Scott – a nurse, a naturopathic herbalist and a transformational breathwork facilitator.
In this episode Lucy reveals how her own health condition forced her out of her comfort zone and into the world of holistic medicine, while she worked as a nurse at a local hospital. We talk about her passion for preventative healthcare, gut health, asthma and the importance of working with both – the traditional and alternative medicine. Lucy also tells us all about the transformational breathing and the impact of suppressed grief. As always, we share a plant-based recipe. Enjoy Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
This is the second part of my interview with of Ötzibrew founder, Tricia McNeilly. We talk about a supplement product development, the importance of eco friendly packaging, what claims you can make on a supplement product label, and why sourcing the best is so important. We also talk about Tricia’s desire to cultivate mushrooms in space and what steps she hast taken to make it a reality. Tricia shares a tip on how to eat mushrooms and a quick plant based recipe with her favourite vegetable.
Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In this episode the founder of Ötzibrew, Tricia McNeilly, talks about her interesting exciting career path and projects that lead her to setting up a mushroom supplement company. We talk about mushrooms, what biohacking offers in terms of preventative healthcare, mushroom expert Paul Stamets and Tricia gets a little philosophical about music and mycelium.
As always, we share a plant-based recipe.
Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In the second part of my interview with Dr Modestas Jarutis we talk about kinesiology, intermittent fasting and the importance of good real organic food.
Modestas shares his top tips on how to stay on top of your health and favourite plant based recipe.
Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
Modestas Jarutis is a cardio vascular surgeon who loves modern technology and practices functional medicine in the UK, Ireland and his home country Lithuania. In the first part of our interview we talk about bioresonance and other technologies he uses in his practice.
We also share a plant based curry recipe from The Sweet Spud cookbook.
Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In the second part of my interview with TRE Provider and Craniosacral Therapist Gareth Toner, we venture into the topic of Dr. Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal Theory, social engagement and the nervous system, the benefits of movement and being outdoors, the importance of reconnecting with ourselves and others and the importance of ‘feeling good’.
Gareth shares his ‘falling out of a moving bus’ story and a quick veggie stir-fry recipe with chillies.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com Thanks for listening
Gareth is a Newcastle, Co Down based TRE Practitioner and Craniosacral Therapist. A former PE teacher, Gareth studied Sports Science and has an extensive knowledge about how body works. Listen to what made him turn to Craniosacral Therapy and TRE and eventually leave teaching behind. We talk in depth these two body work methods, the natural response of our nervous system to stress and trauma and why we carry traumas locked within our bodies.
As always, we share a plant based recipe.
Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
This the second part of my interview with David Laughlin of Culmore Organic Farm in Kilrea, Coleraine in Northern Ireland. We talk about raw milk, modern technology in organic farming, the power of good organic food and bees.
David shares a simple recipe for roasted rainbow carrots with parsnips.
Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
Join me for a chat with David Laughlin from Culmore Organic Farm as we talk about intensive versus organic farming, processed versus real food, David's way of running his farm while reducing the carbon footprint and how farming projects can bring communities together. David also keeps bees on his farm and talks about the benefits of raw honey and propolis.
Recipe for this episode is a simple digestive aid - beetroot, ginger and lemon juice with apple cider vinegar.
Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
This is the second half of my interview with the magic Tone Floreal, the founder of the Magic Flow Bus and a certified Intelligent Microcurrent Technician.
We talk about modern technology, how to achieve the state of flow naturally and Tone's collaborative project the Magic Flow Bus.
Tone also share a super simple veggie recipe. Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
My guest in this episode is Tone Flore - the founder of the Magic Flow Bus and a certified Intelligent Microcurrent Technician.
We talk a about the state of 'flow', the electro-equiscope he uses to achieve such a state and his journey to becoming a certified technician, travelling the world and spreading the magic of flow.
As always, we share a plant based recipe, which you can download on our social media sites.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
This is the second half of my interview with Kate from Kama Hemp.
We talk a lot about food, the food industry, Kate's background and the lack of research on hemp juice and the cannabis plant in its raw state.
Kate shares a simple plant based recipe Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In this episode I chat to Kate, one half of the Kama Hemp duo - organic hemp juice producers in Ireland. We talk about their journey from small new farmers, learning about permaculture, to growing organic hemp and producing hemp juice for their customers in Ireland and the UK. Licensing, hemp growing regulations, organic certification and facing the food industry that likes to pasteurise everything - these are the challenges Kate and Marcus had to overcome in order to bring their organic hemp juice on the market.
This is the first part of our interview
Our recipe for this episode is a Spicy Cabbage Soup Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
If you ever wondered about self-development or personal development, Kaja and I can tell you all about it. Or not, because once again, we set out to talk about one thing and our conversation leads us to another. In this interview, Kaja and I talk about self-development, mindset, our relationship with money, Kaja's passion for psychology, the trouble with weightloss and avocados. If you're ready to accept that it all starts in your head, you're onto the right track.
This episode's recipe is Kaja's cream of broccoli.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In this episode I talk to Garreth about his herbal tea blends, herbalism, foraging and food. He shares his passion for all things natural and a wonderful vegan recipe for baked almond feta cheese.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In this episode I talk to the founder of 'Donaghadee Chunky Dunkers' Martin Strain. Martin started to swim in the open cold water a decade ago. It has brought him many health benefits and he's been joined by many from the area since. He opens up about his experience with the water, why it means so much to him and shares is knowledge on the history of swimming in and around Donaghadee.
The recipe for this episode is an easy 'vegan butter'.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In this episode I talk to Paul Best from Eatwell Wholefoods in Belfast about his journey from a teenager suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome to a healthy adult and a partner in a health food shop business.
We also talk a lot about food, the need for change in our education system, Paul's 'food communism theory' and seasonal eating. There are quite a few laughs and Paul shares a simple recipe for a jacket potato.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
If you think that Accountancy and Exam Coaching has nothing to do with health, think again. Stress has a great impact on our health in general and there are many ways to deal with it. When it comes to pre-exam stress, there are a few tricks James can teach you to calm down and pass your exams, whatever the subject, with flying colours.
In this episode, we talk about accounting, spirituality, meditation, stress, living the dream, James's shocking diet, potatoes, food and even drunk marriage. We also talk about James's latest adventure to Himalayas.
We share a plant based version of James's favourite stew and my spicy and vegan take on this typical Irish meal.
Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
This is the second part or my interview with Kerry Freud aka Keto Kerry. We talk some more about her journey from 'Fibro Kerry' to 'Keto Kerry' and Kerry shares some transformation stories, we cover dietitian versus nutritionist, anxiety that comes with an illness, vegetables and Kerry shares a simple keto recipe for broccoli fritters.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
Kerry Freud is a fellow nutrition enthusiast, who decided to get back to education and pursue a career in what she believes can fix many health issues of our modern 'civilisation'. We talk about inflammation, Kerry's fibromyalgia and how she managed to tackle it with ketogenic diet. We chat about nutrition, real food, NHS and have a rant about the processed foods and corn syrup.
This is only part one of my interview with Kerry and the second half of our chat will follow soon.
I share a plantbased keto adaptation of a recipe by thebigmansworld.com
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
This is the second half of my interview with Alicia. The incredibly funny and witty farmer, who produces artisan healthy products from diabetic friendly jams, syrups and preserves, vegan pestos and sauces, to fermented salads and drinks.
We talk about her trip to India, what it's like to be a market trader and Alicia shares a tasty plant based recipe for a Roasted Mediterranean Vegetable Sauce.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
After a long 'study' break, we're back with an interview with one funny, witty and lovely human being. Alicia Breslan came to NI from Poland, she fell in love, got married and stayed and found herself on an organic farm with a lot of potential. Listen to her talk about Amberline Preserves and the traditions influencing her products.
Part 2 also available.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In this episode we talk about cold water dipping, sea swimming and the potentially new Olympic discipline of 'ice water swimming' - it's the team Dash & Splash.
As always I share a plant based recipe - this time it's for a high energy keto chocolate treat.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
This is the second part of my interview with one of the founder of Mind Your Mate and Yourself charity, Ray Cunningham.
We talk about forgiveness and food among other things and Ray shares a recipe for one of his simple, nutritious and tasty soups.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In this episode I talk to Ray Cunningham - one of the founders of local mental health charity - MYMY. Ray talks about the reasons behind the charity's existence, how the organisation developed over the past decade and what services they provide for those in need. We also talk about early child development and the importance of self-care.
As always, we share a plant based recipe and you can find it in a downloadable form on our Facebook page or Instagram.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In the second half of my interview with Heiko Vermeulen, we talk about foraging, Heiko's book, the upcoming Ostara festival and food.
Heiko also shares a traditional Italian 'poor cuisine' recipe with wild beet and we have a little musical surprise in the end.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In this episode we talk about permaculture - a sustainable way of treating our land and growing produce the way nature intended. But first, we take a walk through my guest Heiko's wild garden and take a peek into his compost toilet. Seriously, that's a thing!
We learn the twelve principles of permaculture and I share a seasonal juice recipe.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In the second part of my interview with Nick we talk about mitochondria, the benefits of sauna and chocolate and Nick reveals some interesting information about magic mushrooms.
We share Nick's favourite recipe by The Body Coach and give you some tips on turning it fully plant-based.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
We're back at Rosetta Chiropractic in Belfast. After we wrap up on our Keto chat from last year, Nick talks about his newest passion - epigenetics and the 'Triage Theory' of macronutrients.
Imagine knowing what health issues you may be prone to based on your genetics. Imagine being able to act on such information and better your health as a preventative measure. Turns out, we all might be able to do exactly that.
This is just half of our interview, part 2 coming soon.
As always we share a plant based recipe :)
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
Join us for this episode to start the 2019 with some laughs.
Listen to Varin Marshall talking about the future of community farming, organic farm shop, zero waste market and vegetables. And bananas.
I share recipe for simple Baba Ganoush and Varin needs a volunteer to help him get over the fear of hummus.
Happy New Year
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
Christmas Special
My guest Ivelina is a vegan blogger who started her vegan way over six years ago knowing that eating real food and nutrition is important. As the only vegan in a family of six with Bulgarian, Greek and Irish heritage she developed dishes with abundance of simple mouth watering flavours.
Ivelina shares her take on veganism, some tips for those new to plant based diet and a few simple and tasty recipes for the Christmas holidays.
Her loving and positive personality shines through the whole interview and while we didn't have time to share all the recipes she'd like you to have you can find more of her food ideas on her blog Mother Nature Loves You.
Merry Christmas
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In the second part of my interview with the lovely founder of Modern Nature Vanessa Rollins we talk a lot about food. Bessie shares some tips on how to use the Modern Nature Stevia, gives us some tips on how to stay healthy while running a business and we touch on some of the interesting aspects of developing a new business - branding and packaging.
We learn what's next for Modern Nature and Bessie shares a simple savoury recipe of Sautéed Peppers.
If you haven't listened to the first part of this interview, go catch in now and learn about the benefits of replacing sugar with a natural stevia sweetener.
We also have a Christmas competition...
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
The young and beautiful founder of Modern Nature Vanessa Rollins explains the nature of benefits of stevia - the nature sweetener that literally stormed our markets in the past few years. But as Bessie says - no stevia sweeteners are equal :)
Both parts of our interesting and fun interview full of information are available now.
We also have a Christmas competition...
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In this episode we learn all about pilates as Neil tells me about the history, the basics and the benefits of this fitness discipline.
Neil is an engaging speaker and I'm sure you'll be wanting to try pilates before the podcast's over.
As always I share a plant based recipe.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In this episode I'm in Morocco talking to Monika - the boss lady of a health food concept store and cafe AYASO in the centre of Marrakesh.
Monika tells me about her connection to Ireland, we talk about the Moroccan agriculture, organic farming, olive oil, healthy fresh food and how she tries to educate the Moroccans about healthy eating habits.
We also talk about running a business with her husband and Monika shares a simple and quick seasonal vegan recipe.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In this episode I'm talking to Jason from Mercury Fitness NI. Jason uses his army training to provide a military style outdoor training to anyone who wants to get a bit fitter while filling their lungs with some fresh air.
We talk about fitness, running, outdoor training and why diet and nutrition are such an important part of any training in order to reach our goals.
As always, we share a plant based recipe.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In the second part of my interview with Paula we talk some more about her juices and Paula reveals their upcoming new products. We talk a lot about food and also the challenges one faces when setting up a new business.
Paula also shares a recipe for her Super Fast Carrot Salad.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In this episode I talk to Paula, the found of Skinny Malinkys Raw Cold Pressed Juice. Paula tells me what made her start a raw juice company in Belfast and what makes her juices so different to anything else currently on the UK market. We have a great rant about the amount of fruit and sugars in so called 'vegetable' juices and how food and drink labels can be deliberately misleading. We also touch on a diet and specifically carbs and share one of Paula's recipes - a quick Thai Green Curry.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In the second part of my interview with April we talk an awful lot about food and April shares a veggie curry pot recipes.
Catch the previous episode if you haven't done so already.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In this episode I talk to April - a nutritionist specialising in gut health. We talk about stress, balanced gut, FODMAPS and personalised diet - how we should eat to keep our gut healthy and happy.
As always we share a plant based recipe.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In the second part we talk about food, bad habits, hypnotherapy and how everything is linked with everything.
Liam shares some cool tips on how to overcome fears and common perceptions and a cracking sweet potato pancake recipe.
You'll also find out where to buy Liam's book.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In this episode I talk to Liam O'Neill - Omagh based martial artist, magician, hypnotist, speaker, personal coach and an author of 'Limitation Is a Mirage'.
We talk about barefoot walking, Liam's interesting life, his TED Talk, and how he uses and mixes all the techniques and tools he learned in order to help his clients (and himself) become whoever they want and achieve anything they like.
Prepare to be inspired.
Plant based recipe included as always.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In this episode we all get hypnotised by a wonderful storyteller and a professional hypnotist Turan Mirza of Feel Good Hypnosis.
Turan tells me all about hypnotism, the tricks, the misconceptions and the change work he uses to help his clients overcome variety of issues from fear of spiders to exam anxiety.
Simple plant based recipe included as always.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
Second part of our floating episode is all about the therapies Vivian offers at HydroEase. Vivian expands on some of her favourite forms of treatment, and talks about the benefits of using them together with flotation. We talk a bit about the NHS and Vivian's diet. Guess what her favourite is?
Plant based recipe shared by Vivian can be downloaded from The Sweet Spud social media too. Follow The Sweet Spud on Facebook and Instagram to learn about our future guests and download recipes from previous episodes.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In this episode I talk to Vivian from Hydro-Ease about the benefits of floating in half a ton of epsom salts.
We chat about her company logo, Vivian's journey through life to a floating tank and what led her to bring this wonderful treatment to Northern Ireland.
I also share a simple radish recipe and a little less simple recipe for raw crackers.
Tune in.
Follow The Sweet Spud on Facebook and Instagram to learn about our future guests and download recipes from previous episodes.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In the second part of my interview with Nick Mancuso, in which we talk about the KETO diet and lifestyle, we get to answer a couple of listeners' questions.
Find out why I'm so keen to learn more about the KETO diet, listen to Nick talking about his personal experience with it and discover why drinking a lot of water is especially important if you are getting into ketosis.
Find The Sweet Spud on a Farm on Facebook and Instagram to connect and download recipes...
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
Join me at the Rosetta Chiropractic for a chat with Nick Mancuso about what it means to be a chiropractor and his love for the KETO lifestyle.
We talk about the basics of KETO diet and whether it can or cannot work for plant based diets and fitness.
Whether you are plant based or not, whether you go to the gym or not, whatever your diet, lifestyle of fitness goals - this is one of the most interesting revelations that may change your perception of healthy carbohydrates and protein in relation to energy and muscle building.
While you can find all this information online, it is great to hear it from someone who is experiencing it first hand.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
Listen to Scott Riley talk about the Wim Hof Method, his journey from being very ill to being the healthy, positive, joyful person and the only Wim Hof Method instructor based in Northern Ireland, he is today.
Join our Facebook group The Sweet Spud on a Farm do download recipes from previous guests and learn who will be on the podcast next.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In this episode we go back to where we started - Helen's Bay Organic Gardens in Northern Ireland. John and I talk about the winter produce on a farm, the yearly cycle, the trouble with plastic and global warming and I ask John for his opinion on GMO.
I also share an easy salad recipe that's good for your liver.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thank you for listening
Listen to Trionna talk about health coaching, her journey to Paleo, the importance of breathing exercises, her love for her work and French tomatoes.
Trionna also shares a recipe at the end - her take on Muhammara dip.
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thank you for listening
In episode 8 I talk to John Jezewski, the head of College of Living Nutrition. We talk about John's take on healthy eating and living, about the College, functional medicine and John gives us his top tips on healthy eating and staying healthy in general.
Host Zuzana Klimova of The Sweet Spud Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios https://www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan http://www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thank you for listening
In this episode I talk to my friend Roisin - a natural therapist who is deeply passionate about her work. Using reflexology, aromatherapy, homeopathy, life coaching and more, Roisin helps to put her clients from all over Northern Ireland in touch with their own healing.
Find out why she is so passionate about her private work, but also what led her to work with various organisations across the country helping people of Northern Ireland to deal with their trauma.
As always, Roisin shares a healthy recipe at the end.
Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
Barbara Faibish from Eat Raw Feel Great tells us about her winter outdoor swimming, raw food, how she became an enthusiastic raw chef and why we should grow wild foods.
We share some great simple and delicious plant based recipes and tell you about a couple of events in Northern Ireland where you can catch up with both of us in the next couple of months.
Join The Sweet Spud on a Farm group on Facebook for more information. https://www.facebook.com/groups/138722063516854/
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
To say this pre-Christmas episode is light would be an understatement. My mad interview with as friend Varin Marshall turned into 20minutes of craziness and bursts of laughter. Listen to Varin talk about owning a health food shop, how he learned (or not) about healthy eating and why he thinks his pizza dinner is healthy. He shares a recipe too.
Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In this episode I'm talking to The Cultured Club queen, the 'fermentalist' of Northern Ireland Dearbhla Reynolds.
We talk about her trip to Prague, her journey to her current business, how she got her kids to love fermented foods and how the good bacteria 'makes' her do great things.
Join The Sweet Spud on a Farm Facebook group to download recipes and learn about future guests. https://www.facebook.com/TheSweetSpud/?ref=bookmarks
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In this episode I'm talking to Belfast based herbalist Danny O'Rawe. We talk about herbs (of course), the Ancient Greek physician Hippokrates, digestive enzymes and the healing power of nature.
For Danny's mysterious vegan chilli recipes, join our FB group The Sweet Spud on a Farm, where you will be able to download pdf of all the recipes shared by our guests.
Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
In the second episode we are in a vegan cafe in Belfast.
Michael and John, the two brothers and proud owners of The Honest Vegan, talk about veganism, their cafe, a little bit of business and a lot of food.
They also share their favourite vegan recipe at the end.
Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening
Learning about vegetables, the organic way and healthy living on your own is fun for a while, but after a while it's good to have company. Join me on a journey through Ireland as I visit people who dedicate their life to wellbeing and healthy living - farmers, veggie chefs, nutritionists, organic and healthy food and drink producers, food writers, health coaches, nutritionists, herbalists and other veggie lovers, and learn how to stay healthy and sane, the tasty way.
In the first episode you can join The Sweet Spud on a little trip to the Helen's Bay Organic Gardens to learn about organic farming from the farm's founder John McCormick.
John talks about his professional journey, organic farming, autumn at gardens and at the end, he shares a great curry recipe.
Enjoy
Music by Mark J Adair of Syncwood Studios www.syncwoodstudios.com Artwork by Gemma O'Hagan www.gemmaohagandesign.com
Thanks for listening