Today on Raising Healthy Mothers I'm talking to Kate Longden, also known as the Food Doula. Kate describes herself as Chef, Nurturer, Cooking Coach and Founder of the original food hug meal delivery service offering edible support across the UK, and I can vouch that her food looks incredible on Instagram! If you've been listening to my podcast for a while you know how much I love talking about food and cooking. I truly believe finding joy in cooking is the cornerstone to uncovering true healing and wellbeing. In fact I genuinely think you can have your cake AND eat it - as long as you cook it from scratch with love and true joy. Full fat, full gluten, full sugar and all. The world of nutrition and healthy, clean eating can seem daunting and confusing. And most of it is rubbish anyway. "Eating should be a source of explosive sensory joy, not merely functional. It punctuates our days and is medicine for the body and mind." I adored my interview with Kate in this week's episode of the podcast. We bonded over our shared love for cooking, for having the confidence to combine flavours in a way that makes food sing, and for the healing powers of sharing and gifting food. We stripped food and nutrition back to basics and indulged in the sheer sensory joy that cooking for loved ones can bring. In the episode we talk about: Why it's so hard to ask for help and yet why it's so important The best meal for a new parent who desperately needs a food hug Intuitive, confident cooking AKA modular meal prep - what it is and how it helps takes the pressure of cooking How cooking changes when you can become a parent and how to re-discover joy in cooking Why it's OK for chicken nuggets to make an appearance on the menuAfter her experience of a raging appetite postpartum that saw her prepared batchcook disappear in a flash, she began delivering home cooked meals across the UK, primarily for new parents but subsequently anyone wanting good food when they have little energy to cook. I loved this discussion because I resonated with so much of what Kate talked about when it comes to her love of food and cooking - and how disheartening it can be to cook for children! Find Kate: Website | Instagram Other episodes you'll enjoy: {8.2} Meal Planning Magic: Saving Time, Energy and Your Sanity with Claire Gillies of Delicious and Real {4.4} Postnatal Recovery with Sophie Messager {3.1} The First Three Weeks: Recovering from Birth {1.8} Postnatal Freezer Food with Milly Bagot of byRuby  Connect with me:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tashadcruz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tashadcruznutrition Website: https://tashadcruz.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave a review and rating on Apple Podcast. Want more energy and motivation? To get yourself on the way to springing out of bed in the mornings, download my free guide: Ten Things You're Doing Everyday to Sabotage Your Energy. #raisinghealthymothers DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on tashadcruz.com is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you may have heard on the podcast or on the website. I may earn commission on shopping links to external sites, e.g. Amazon. This doesn't change the price you pay but gives me a small commission which goes back into keeping the podcast running.