Back from holiday and down to earth with a bump.

Although no one ever gives you sympathy when you tell them you’re going home to Bermuda, do they? And really, they’re right. We all live where most of the world would give anything to vacation. I point out the pink sand to the kids as it runs through our fingers, the colour of the water, the longtails flying by and I whisper, just occasionally, “this isn’t normal. Not everyone gets this. Do you know how incredibly lucky you are?”

When I was little and growing up in England, our summers were mainly spent in Wales or Hungary. There was a holiday cottage in Wales that belonged to friends of the family and it was an amazing place for adventures.

Loads of woodland to get lost in and a big muddy estuary to get wet in. We shared that with a few hundred cows. No parrot fish or turtles there.

In Hungary, my Dad’s family home is on the shore of Lake Balaton. It’s a refreshing place to swim and cool off from the baking heat. There’s also about four inches of muddy silt on the bottom and some little red water snakes to navigate. It was totally normal for us and I loved it — until I came here and Bermuda threw down the gauntlet.

But the thing is, no matter where you live, at some stage the reality of work and bills and day-to-day domestic challenges sinks in. Grocery shopping, lunch boxes, cleaning the bathroom — that all still happens whether you’re in Bermuda or Birmingham. Coming home at the end of the day to make dinner can feel like a massive chore. So let me give you something super simple to rustle up.

This Superfood on Toast recipe takes just a few minutes to make. It’s loaded with the right kind of healthy fats (grass-fed animal or plant-based options), chick peas for protein/energy/fibre and tomatoes for antioxidants/colour.

I’ve listed a store-bought pesto but you can upgrade your efforts and your antioxidant intake by making a chimichurri instead if you like. I’ll be posting a great recipe on Facebook over the weekend, so keep your eyes peeled there. This is a really flexible one for people with allergies too. I’ve made some notes to show you how to make accommodations for people who are dairy- and gluten-free.

Superfood on Toast

Ingredients (per person)

• One large slice toast — wholegrain or gluten-free. Looks best from a rustic loaf!

• 1-2 tbs organic ricotta/crème fraîche or Kite Hill “cream cheese” spread (made from almonds)

• ½ cup chickpeas/garbanzos (drained and rinsed)

• ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved

• ¼ cup chopped walnuts

• 1 heaped tsp pesto (dairy-free, or make the chimichurri recipe instead)

• And your choice of topping: diced avocado, crumbled goats cheese or toasted pine nuts.

Method:

1, Toast the bread, allow to cool

2, Mix the cherry tomatoes, chickpeas and walnuts in the pesto

3, Prep your topping

4, Spread the cooled toast with the ricotta, crème fraîche or Kite Hill spread

5, Spoon on the chickpea mix

6, Add your topping

And that’s it! Enjoy.

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 is 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: www.natural.bm, 236-7511 or, Facebook, Natural Nutrition Bermuda