It’s been one of those weeks — lots of the domestic and none of the bliss! Three family fevers, a minor surgery, courses starting, e-mail exploding ... I wish I could click my heels and disappear to a far-flung corner of the globe.

Although, I want to be the one tending to the fevers. So there we have the mummy conundrum in a nutshell: as much as it sometimes feels overwhelming, I really wouldn’t have it any other way.

With one exception — my white coat. Miss Belle decorated that in highlighters for me when I wasn’t looking. I knew the silence was suspicious, yet I couldn’t be mad because you cannot be cross with a recovering little one who has been good as gold in your office for a few hours. There is always a breaking point!

So let’s do something short but sweet this week. Or rather short but savoury. This new hash brown recipe is a winner and will help put the healthy back into your weekend breakfasts.

They are great with poached eggs, bacon and roasted baby tomatoes and they are really simple to do. Keep the bacon Canadian or English cut (and preferably Niman Ranch, too) and you take this up another notch. Also, unless you have a fancy processor, you’ll get the benefit of a great arm workout with all the grating.

Using sweet potato as a base for hash browns bumps up your beta-carotene intake and increases the fibre (compared with white potato), while adding the zucchini decreases your carb ratio.

I am by no means anti-carb, but it’s a good idea to keep portion sizes modest. This way you can be more generous!

It’s a fabulous way to use up fading veg so there’s no reason you couldn’t add a few other bits and pieces. Experiment!

So that really is it from me. I’m off to bed, although before I go I’ll be testing out a natural tooth-whitening process using turmeric.

Please let this be legitimate and not a horrendous online mistake. If I am sporting bright yellow teeth next week, you will know what happened.

Sweet potato and zucchini hash browns:

Ingredients:

• 2 small zucchini, washed and grated

• ½ tsp sea salt

• 1 large or 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and grated

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 1 tbs olive or coconut oil

• Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Method:

• In a large colander, mix the grated zucchini with the sea salt. Place a plate underneath the colander and set aside for ten minutes. The salt draws most of the liquid from the zucchini so you don’t get soggy hash browns.

• Pop the prepared sweet potato and onion in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Using your hands, squeeze the excess liquid from the zucchini so it’s very dry and then add it to the mixing bowl. Combine well.

• Add a little seasoning and preheat a skillet to medium heat, being careful not to let the oil smoke. Once the pan is hot, add the grated veg and press it down into the pan. Allow to cook for about five minutes and then flip it over in sections. Cook for another three to five minutes, or until lightly golden and a bit crispy.

These are best served straight away. You can also make mini versions and flip them whole.

• The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION is the managing director of Natural Ltd and a fully qualified nutritional therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the UK. Please note that she is not a registered dietitian. For details, please go to www.natural.bm or call 236-7511. Join Catherine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nutrifitandnaturalnutritionbermuda.