About Zoe

I thought it would be fitting to finally start my recipe blog. I’ve been so excited about it for so long, yet at the same time I keep putting it off. Worrying..that it won’t be good enough, not the right time, not enough recipes etc… Well it’s now 2015, I’m 41 and I’ve decided that I’m not going to worry anymore. I don’t care.

Hot Day, Cold Day is officially open for business.

If I don’t have any elaborate entertaining posts to accompany my recipes then I’ll just post and share anyway. I love eating and talking about food, I adore creating things in my kitchen and I really enjoy sharing them with friends – so, this makes it all easier for me. If I can inspire a few people along the way then that’s a bonus.

I’ve always adored food in general. I can remember keeping a journal as an 8-year-old which just ended up a food journal, recording my daily meals, writing about eating peas with chopsticks and rating the crunchiness of my jacket potato skins. In fact I remember many of my most defining moments in life by the food I was eating at the time. First I see the food, and then I see the memory.

It’s a passion.

A real passion that just keeps getting more and more interesting.

I wasn’t always the healthiest cook… My food life as I knew it took a massive turn 6 years ago when I was diagnosed with Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma – a relatively rare and relentless type of cancer that likes to run its course. This shocking news prompted me to explore every single avenue of opportunity in supporting my body to heal…and lucky for me I’ve enjoyed every moment of it. It felt natural for me to look towards food as potential medicine, particularly by choosing natural plant based food. Overall it helped me to turn a particularly overwhelming and negative time into a hugely positive and life changing experience.

It didn’t happen overnight; I slowly cut out meat, sugar and processed foods over a few months. During this time I explored raw food, juicing and read lots about nutrition in its many forms. After my 2nd operation I decided I’d eat a raw plant-based diet (with lots of raw vegetable juices) for 6 months. The transformation in my body and in my health was pretty incredible. I was hooked. I didn’t want to commit to raw only forever but I knew I wanted to keep it well and truly in my daily diet.

That’s where “Hot Day Cold Day” comes into the story. I eat a lot of raw food and cold pressed raw juices. But just to make sure I will often have a ‘Hot Day’ (still including some raw food in my diet) – and a “Cold Day” where I will eat 100% raw that day. It helps me focused and keeps my body pretty happy too.

I’m now a qualified Natural  Juice Therapist registered with the Complementary Medical Association – meaning I can also advise other people on a whole range of conditions from skin problems to ongoing issues with intolerance and other bodily dysfunctions. I juice almost every day and when I don’t juice I really miss it.

I cannot say I am 100% healthy – although my Cancer seems to be keeping at bay I do have severe Endometriosis. I’ve already had 2 major operations in relation to this and I really don’t want any more. So…. my next new challenge will involve eliminating all wheat and gluten based products from my diet. Luckily I love a challenge and I’ve read a lot of research and books on the subject, I’m now convinced enough to try this for 6 months and see if this has any impact on the disease. My partner also has Sjogrens syndrome, an autoimmune disorder that attacks a person’s healthy glands – so I’m hoping it may help this too and even reverse this condition. It has been known.

So, I’ll be busy and I can’t wait. I’m going to aim to post a recipe a week to start with, I’ll just see how it goes – I have a sneaky feeling it may be a little more. I love cooking for family and friends so they won’t all be gluten-free, they will however all be vegetarian.

By the way, although I’m mindful in relation to the food I buy and choose to eat, I’m not perfect. I don’t think I want to be. I love my fresh coffee in the morning, I enjoy socialising and I don’t want to feel so restricted that I’m not able to enjoy other people’s food choices. A glass of wine or a cold (possibly gluten-free) beer is also completely compulsory at weekend.

Basically, I’m just absolutely fascinated by the benefits that food can have on the body (and mind) and in helping to combat disease. I want to live a healthier, longer life and that’s what I truly believe sensible food choices can achieve.

I hope you enjoy the recipes…. (Let me know, I’d really love to hear from you.)