One of my top tips has always been: “If you want to be more healthy, hang around with healthy people!”

It’s much easier to make consistently healthy choices if your environment is supportive. Working out with friends, going on walks together, having active social time and getting together for nutritious dinners, all help to build a healthy mindset.

It even helps to clean up your social media cues. If you follow lots of dessert-based accounts, then of course you’re going to crave cakes and chocolate. Try ditching these for now and instead follow healthy plant-based accounts for better inspiration – some of my favourites include deliciouslyella.com and mynewroots.org.

Last weekend I hosted a few girls for dinner, one of whom was doing a fairly intense cleanse. I thought it was brave of her to come along to girls’ drinks halfway through a detox so I wanted to see what we could come up with that would fit the bill. She was only allowed cruciferous veg, onions/garlic, olive/coconut oil, lemons and herbal teas – I did say it was intense! Anyway we managed to come up with a chilled rooibos tea cocktail (with lemon and mint) and a cruciferous stir-fry (Brussels sprouts, broccolini, bok choy, shallots with lemon, herbs and olive oil) for her.

I was a little more adventurous for everyone else! I’d also seen whole roasted cauliflowers on social media a lot lately and was determined to try that too – so we roasted one with truffle oil as an appetiser. The cauliflower was shared by everyone and was a total hit. It looks amazing when it comes out of the oven too.

Since then I have been experimenting with more ways to ditch the chips and have veg-based nibbles. I came up with this cucumber recipe too which has since been a big hit at home with the Irishman. Super Bowl is coming up next weekend – if it’s usually a carb-fest with a side of deep-fried everything for you, try adding these two options into the mix!

Whole-roasted truffle cauliflower with hummus

Ingredients:

1 whole cauliflower

Truffle infused olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 tub hummus

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 375F (350F convection)

• Remove the leaves and trim the stem so that the cauliflower will sit well in a baking dish

• Wash the cauliflower and dry well

• Place in your baking dish and drizzle/rub with the oil so that the cauliflower is completely coated.

• Sprinkle with salt and pepper

• Roast for 75 to 90 minutes. Check halfway through and cover with foil if the top is browning too much.

• Remove from the oven and allow to cool enough so you are able to handle it!

• Chop off the florets and place on a serving dish around a bowl of hummus. Serve while still warm! No double dipping because 1) Covid and 2) it’s gross ha!

(If you don’t like truffle oil you could just use plain olive oil and coat with any herbs and spices of your choice.)

Cucumber wedges with sesame, chilli, maple and lime

Ingredients:

Two whole cucumbers

Sesame oil (cold-pressed)

Maple syrup

Chilli flakes

1 fresh lime

Salt and pepper

Method:

• Chop the cucumber lengthways into 3in sections. Chop each section into four wedges.

• Place the wedges on a serving plate.

• Drizzle with a little sesame oil and maple syrup.

• Squeeze over a little lime.

• Sprinkle with salt, pepper and the chilli flakes. Enjoy!

Catherine Burns is a qualified nutritional therapist. For more details: www.natural.bm, 505-4725, Natural Nutrition Bermuda on Facebook and @naturalbda on Instagram