The celebrity nutritionist and GP nutrition founder, Gabriela Peacock, has already peeked inside the fridges of Dame Joan Collins and Amanda Wakeley as part of HELLO!'s Don't Judge Me series, but this week's guest, Leonora Bamford, certainly presents the tidiest culinary display.
The 44-year-old founder of parenting site My Baba, co-founder of children's probiotics brand Baba West and daughter-in-law of Lord and Lady Bamford – the dynasty behind the JCB and Daylesford Organic empires – welcomes Gabriela into the beautiful open-plan kitchen at the Cotswolds house that she shares with her husband, the Bamford Watch Department owner George Bamford and their three children.
© Danny CravenIt's almost impossible to keep a tidy fridge in a family home, but not for Leonora. "I do have OCD, so that's why everything is racked and stacked," she says, revealing shelves of fruit arranged in acrylic boxes. However, she insists her fridge only remains this neat on a Friday, when she stocks up for the week.
Healthy streak
That said, a meticulously arranged ramekin of chopped cucumber sticks, red pepper and sliced carrot, which Leonora prepares for her children’s daily after-school snack, instantly catches Gabriela's eye. "If you have raw veg prepared in your fridge, you will end up eating well," the nutritionist says. "[It's great] for the children when they come home with a bit of hummus, but also for adults."
Her crudite pairings, M&S organic hummus and Holy Moly guacamole, are also Gabriela-approved: "Avocado is really high in monounsaturated fatty acids, which is great for brain health, and hummus is high in protein."
© InstagramThe Bamfords continue their healthy streak with a sea moss drink by Omoss. Leonora jokes that she personally reserves the unflavoured "hardcore" version, but even her children will try it. Gabriella is impressed: "I love sea moss because it has really high levels of iodine, which supports thyroid function," adding that it’s particularly beneficial for women in their forties, who may experience a slower metabolism resulting from a sluggish thyroid.
In living close to the celebrity-favourite Daylesford Farm, naturally, Leonora prefers organic food, but balance is key – as her pantry shelves lined with fibre-rich brown rice and Candy Kittens sweets show. "I try to live with everything in moderation," she says. "I let the children have a bit of everything… my eldest is at boarding school and his house is right opposite the tuck shop and he's in there every day – I'm pulling my hair out. But what can you do?"
© InstagramMealtimes are when the family connect, enjoying a card game while they eat – whether that's Leonora's signature shepherd's pie or a pizza at their favourite pub, The Fox at Oddington in Moreton-in-Marsh. After mealtimes, Leonora, a self-proclaimed night owl, cosies up with a margarita – an indulgence that Gabriela can get behind.
"I always say low sugar and a lot of fresh lime," the nutritionist remarks. "Lime is so good for your liver – it really supports your detoxification processes. It helps whilst you're putting that tequila into your body to detoxify as you retoxify!"
Watch Gabriela Peacock talk food, health and friendship with her celebrity friends in the full YouTube series.
