Natural Balance Kitchen

09/04/2026

Tempeh: The Original Plant Protein

Before tofu… there was tempeh.

Originating in Indonesia centuries ago, tempeh was created as a way to preserve soybeans and make them easier to digest. Through fermentation, whole beans are transformed into something far more powerful—binding together into a firm, nutty, protein-rich staple.

But here’s where it gets interesting…

Unlike tofu, tempeh uses the whole soybean. Nothing stripped away. Nothing refined. Just fermented.
Which means:
✨ more fibre
✨ more nutrients
✨ and natural support for your gut health

It’s one of those ingredients that doesn’t just fill you up… it actually supports you.

🍽️ How It Shows Up in the Kitchen

Tempeh is a quiet chameleon.

It soaks up flavour, crisps beautifully, and can:
→ replace bacon in a TLT
→ bulk out a stew or cassoulet
→ be tossed into stir fries
→ or take centre stage as a marinated main

Once you start using it, it tends to stay.

✨ Inside The Natural Balance Kitchen Collective
I share:
→ how to cook with tempeh
→ fermentation methods (yes, you can make your own)
→ recipes like my TLT (our take on the BLT)

🔗 Tap the link in bio to The Natural Balance Kitchen Collective to explore recipes + learn more

01/04/2026

There’s a reason juicing will always be the heartbeat of what I do…

It all began in a hospital bed.
A punctured lung.
A body crying out for nourishment…
and food that simply wasn’t meeting me there.

While I lay there wondering how healing was meant to happen on packaged meals and vending machine snacks…
Mickey was showing up daily 🚲
cycling in with fresh juices and real food
the kind that actually supports the body.

And I remember thinking…
why don’t we have health food cafes in hospitals?
Why is convenience valued over care?

My budget didn’t stretch to opening one there…
so I opened one in Whitley Bay instead.

And that little seed?
It grew… into everything I do today 🌱
Retreats, nourishment, community…
but my roots have always been here.

In the juice.
In the intention.
In supporting the body, simply and naturally.

And now… we’re bringing it back 🥤
Mickey is stepping back into the kitchen
and the juice flow is returning for my local people.

So if you’re new here, based in the North East,
and your body is calling for a little reset, a little lift, a little love…

Come and find me 💌
Drop me a DM and let’s get juicy.

Because sometimes…
it really is that simple.

A juice a day keeps the doctor away 😉

NourishToHeal JuiceCleanse EatTheRainbow

23/03/2026

Sun did shine in March… in every sense.

Two weeks, four retreats — my cup (and many plates) full. The kind of full that lights me up… and now it’s time to soften, put my feet up, and shift into the quieter part of my work.

Because while many know me as a retreat chef, that’s only one hat I wear as I’m also a community builder.

Over the last couple of years, alongside Nadia, I’ve been creating spaces that bring the retreat feeling into everyday life:

✨ The Kitchen Collective: recipes, nourishment, and understanding how food supports your body

✨ The Natural Balance Collective: wellbeing, Human Design, healing, and community

These spaces were born from those kitchen conversations and the question I hear time and time again… “how do I keep feeling like this when I get home?”

This is how.

A way to stay connected, keep learning, and live in that energy — not just visit it.

If you’re feeling the nudge, go click the link in the bio and explore our monthly memberships 🤍

Because this way of living isn’t just for retreats… it gets to be your everyday ✨

Paula xx

21/03/2026

Looking forward to supporting Nadia and Ronnie next weekend….. Royston and the surrounding areas are very lucky to have this on their doorstep… finding balance within our body is the first step to finding balance in our everyday life… happy body = happy mind = happy life

OPEN DAY | PRESSED & BLESSED

We’ve been quietly building something special…
and now we’re opening the doors.

Join us for our Pressed & Blessed Open Day
and come experience what we’re creating.

📍 Old School Hall, Royston
🗓 28th March
⏰ 10am – 2pm
✨ Free Entry

This isn’t just juices.
This is health, healing, and living differently.

On the day...

🍏Fresh cold-pressed juices available
🍋Our signature shots and blends
🌿Herbal apothecary teas to try and buy
🎨Kids fruit & veg fancy dress + activities
🧬Learn about test based nutrition and book a Balance test.

Meet us, ask questions, and explore your next step

Whether you’re just curious
or ready to reset your health

you’re welcome here.🥰

Come down, bring the kids, bring your friends
and be part of something new.🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒

Pressed & Blessed
Living by Design
Part of The Natural Balance Collective

10/03/2026

Sunrises and sunsets just hit different here.

This weekend I was back up on the Northumberland coast overlooking Lindisfarne, nourishing another beautiful retreat at Fenham Farm with Marta and Helen. Our third one together now… and it’s starting to feel like a little family.

Familiar faces returning.
New guests arriving.
Everyone showing up for themselves.

One of the things I love most about this venue is the kitchen. It’s the beating heart of the house. Guests wander in for chats, tea gets poured, snacks appear… and suddenly the kitchen becomes the social hub of the retreat.

My little perk of the job?

Parking up my campervan and opening the doors each morning to those big coastal skies… with the llamas grazing in the field next to me like my slightly fluffy neighbours.

Moments like this make the work feel pretty special.

And just like that… my last available retreat slot of the year quietly got booked.

If you feel the pull for a weekend like this, head over to FOM Yoga and take a look at their October / November retreats.

13/02/2026

Now Serving at The Horsebox Coffee Shop

Roasted Carrot & Ginger Soup

Slow roasted carrots.
Fresh warming ginger.
Whole plant ingredients.

This isn’t just soup.
It’s comfort without heaviness.
Warmth without cream.
Depth without additives.

We roast our carrots to bring out their natural sweetness, gently blend with fresh ginger to support digestion, and finish with a squeeze of lemon for brightness.

Plant based.
Gluten free recipe.
Cooked in small batches.

Perfect for colder days, busy mornings, or when your body just needs something grounding and real.

Available now at The Horsebox Coffee Shop.

Natural Balance Kitchen
Eat the Rainbow

03/02/2026

Today I’ve spent the day in the kitchen with Mickey, bringing him up to speed on my regular retreat prep. Batch cooking, freezer staples, and all the behind-the-scenes food that keeps retreats running smoothly.

His first task? Röstis.
120 of them, to be precise.

Mickey is no stranger to röstis. He’s made thousands over the years, from café days to country house kitchens. He’s always been one of the steady cogs in the background, and this year that little cog is stepping up again as I’ve taken on more work than ever before.

With back-to-back retreats, quick pit-stop restocks, and a lot of time on the road, Mickey will be back in the kitchen with me, earning his keep 😂 You may even spot him on retreat, especially over in the Lakes when I’m in for a few two-week stints.

We’ve worked together in kitchens for years. First running a country house hotel with walking holidays, where Mickey did most of the cooking while I was front of house and baking queen.

Then Pulp Fiction, where he was the master of batch cooking, röstis, burgers and we can’t forget his pie making mastery…. Maybe I can bring some pies to the retreat table?

So it feels good to have him back in his apron, supporting what’s shaping up to be a very busy year… because without that support I might just melt down 🫠

And why all the extra work?
Because this year is the launch of our Retreat Chef Academy.

By next January, our students will be trained, qualified, and ready to step into retreat kitchens with confidence. I’m building up a solid body of work now so they can quite literally step into my shoes and hit the road running.

Big things are cooking… and plenty of röstis too 🥔🔥

Comment retreat chef if your ready to build yourself a business that can literally take you around the world

15/01/2026

Ease into January with healing winter warmers.

We’ve partnered with HorseBox Coffee Shop to bring you nutritional, plant based soups designed to gently reset the body after the festive season.

Slow cooked.
Whole food.
Deeply nourishing.
These winter warmers support digestion, steady energy and immune balance, without restriction or overwhelm.

Real ingredients.
Cooked with care.
Food that warms from the inside out.

Carrot, Parsnip and Coriander Soup 🤍

Slow cooked roots, warming spices and gentle nourishment in every bowl.

This soup is naturally sweet, grounding and easy to digest, designed to support steady energy, gut comfort and immune balance without feeling heavy.

Made in small batches using whole plant ingredients, washed in ionised water and cooked with care.
No additives.
No preservatives.
Just real food doing what it does best.

You can enjoy this soup fresh this week at HorseBox Coffee Shop, or if this inspires you to explore plant based cooking and healing foods more deeply, you are warmly invited to join our Natural Kitchen Collective.
Link in the bio.

11/01/2026

Snow days call for bowls that hug you from the inside out.

I’m over in the Lakes on retreat with rain tapping the windows all day… while back home the North East is wrapped in snow. And suddenly all I could think about was the quiet power of porridge on winter mornings.

This is my golden porridge. Oats slow-simmered and stirred with my homemade golden paste made from turmeric, ginger and cinnamon blended with coconut oil. I add this golden blend to all sorts, but in porridge it really comes into its own. Warming, grounding, anti-inflammatory and gently energising without the crash.

Top it your way. Fresh fruit, a scatter of seeds and nuts, or a generous spoon of slow-cooked apples. Whatever your vibe, golden porridge will meet you there.

Little porridge facts to love:
• Oats release energy slowly, making them perfect for cold days when you want steady warmth, not spikes and dips.
• Beta-glucans in oats support gut health and help keep you feeling fuller for longer.
• Turmeric and ginger are natural inflammation tamers, supporting joints and immunity when winter tries to creep in.
• Cinnamon helps balance blood sugar, adding sweetness without the need for much else.

Basically… a bowl of sunshine for snowy days, even when the sky says otherwise ☀️❄️

If you’re wrapped in a blanket today, let this be your sign to put the kettle on and make something golden.






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