You've just GOT to eat some of this!

Here's a photo of something I made yesterday... Baked salmon with oyster sauce, salad aaaaaannnddd BULGAR WHEAT!

I've been eating this stuff ever since I was able to eat solid food as a baby and grew up with it, but only recently did I discover its amazing benefits.

Bulgar wheat (also called cracked wheat) is widely used in Greek and Middle Eastern cooking and is a great alternative to rice. I've cut right back on white rice as it's so bad for you.

Here are just some of the benefits of bulgar:

·         It's 100 percent whole wheat that’s specially prepared to decrease cooking time

·         It's a good source of fiber, protein, iron and vitamin B-6

·         Eating whole-grain foods, including bulgur, may lower the risk of developing cardiovascular disease 

·         It' a low-glycemic-index food, which is good for your insulin levels and blood glucose

·         It contributes to maintaining a healthy body weight

·         It's a good source of magnesium

·         It lowers the risk of developing type 2 diabetes

·         It protects against breast cancer (Pre-menopausal women who get enough fiber each day from sources like cracked wheat and other whole grains have a risk of breast cancer 52 percent lower than that of women who do not get enough fiber each day. )

Yep, definitely going to be eating more of the stuff. I've already had it 3 times this week. It's so easy to cook. Here's how I normally do mine.

Brown some chopped onions in a little olive oil

Add some vermicelli till it goes brown

Add a cup of bulgar wheat

Add enough hot veg or chicken stock to just cover the bulgar, season with salt and put the stove on very low

Check after 5 minutes as it should be done

Fluff with a fork and serve

Yes, it's THAT fast and simple. I have served it as a side dish to a few of my friends and they've really liked it. :-) I also add a little natural Greek yogurt to mine (it's a Greek thing) and eat olives too.

My healthy habits

If you follow me on Instagram you know how much I like food as I often post photos of what I’ve cooked or meals out that I’ve enjoyed.

I’ve always considered myself to be a healthy person. Here are just a few of the things I live by:

•  I only drink water with my meals and the rest of the time, herbal teas such as green tea and rooibos teas (and English breakfast tea in the morning for a little caffeine). No fizzy drinks in sight apart from sparkling water when I’m out for a meal, and no alcohol.
• I eat brown bread, rice and pasta
•  I eat a variety of unsalted nuts every day and also dried fruit and gogi berries (they are packed with vitamin C)
•  I eat loads of fruit and veg
•  I rarely eat fried food
•  I exercise regularly

But I started thinking more about my health lately, especially since my father died of cancer last month. Everyone was surprised when he got sick because he was really healthy too – apart from one thing. Us Greeks love our BBQs and I have to say, growing up, there were plenty of them – lots of red fatty meat along with our healthy olive oil and massive salads.

Although I don’t eat as much red meat as my father did, I think I eat a bit too much sometimes. I don’t think I’ve ever been out and had a vegetarian meal. I somehow think I’m not eating properly if I don’t eat something that was alive one day LOL!

So I’ve decided to change this mentality and cut down on red meat. I made a vegetarian curry the other day with sweet potato and it was really nice and my hubby liked it too. I’ve also decided to do a water challenge and drink two litres every day for a month and see how that improves my skin and general well-being.

If you’d like to join me in the water challenge from the 1^st June, do drop me a line on  chris@chrissybshow.tv. It would be great if you can take a before photo for us to compare and we may even feature it on my TV show. We once featured some news about a woman who did this for a while and at the end of the experiment, her skin appeared 10 years younger!

No matter how good we think we are at something, we can always improve right? So….who’s in?

He was SO rude...

Something I really love about the TV show I do is when I have guests on that have never been on TV. They are so excited and you can see that it's a huge deal for them - for some, it's one of their dreams come true. Most are really nervous and I sit with them for a while before the show in the green room to try and ease their nerves a bit, but a few minutes into the show, they're doing great and chatting away confidently.

I really wish everyone would be so nice and down-to-earth, but unfortunately, some seem to get corrupted when they get a bit of fame (or perhaps it was already there just waiting to 'shine' when they become successful). I remember once almost cancelling a show that was about to go live because of a guest that was quite well known who thought it was okay to be very rude to the staff, and yet was as sweet as pie when I walked into the room. I have a great team. They are hardworking, friendly, lovely to be around - so I got a bit protective I suppose. But in the end, the show went ahead but I didn't enjoy it as I do when there are guests that are nice. I would much prefer to interview the average Joe Blogs than an A-list celeb any day, unless of course that celeb has managed to remain grounded.

It's a very beautiful thing when someone is hugely successful, has lots of money but hasn't let that success or wealth corrupt them. They don't take what they have for granted, but are grateful and uphold their principles and values and treat others (even those that can do nothing for them) with respect. It's a rare thing nowadays. I am fortunate enough to know and to have met some of these people and I have the utmost respect for them, not because of the remarkable things that they have achieved, but because of the character they have upheld.