Eat Green In Essex

Melissa Hemsley is known for celebrating sustainable and feel-good food with minimal waste. Here she talks to Holly Louise Eells about Essex produce, living a green lifestyle and her vibrant new cook book

First things first, Melissa Hemsley is a food hero. Why? Perhaps because she is a bestselling cookbook author, a food columnist, half of the Hemsley and Hemsley sister power duo, and a food activist and sustainability champion – and that’s just for starters.

Already this year, as one of the country’s top home cooks, she has released her fourth highly anticipated, mouth-watering book, Eat Green – described as a cookbook for everyone who wants to enjoy delicious food which is good for you, simple to make and affordable to cook every day, but that also helps cut back on food waste in the kitchen.

In this super practical book, every one of the 100+ flexitarian recipes in Eat Green celebrates vegetables as the star ingredient and, where meat and fish are used, easy swaps are included so vegetarians can enjoy every recipe.

‘I’ve wanted to write this book for a long time,’ she says. ‘My mum was born in the Philippines and she and my army dad bought the family up on military bases, so between them one of the number one house rules was that food was always to be respected and never ever wasted!’

‘We would hear, don’t waste, don’t waste and don’t waste, which is a lot to take in as a child, even when you are old,’ she laughs. ‘I didn’t like this at all. I just wanted a takeaway or pizza like other children, but my parents always said we eat what’s in the house. However, I understand and appreciate how lucky I am now, that is how I was brought up.’