Food Connections

This episode explores how a recent campaign helped get people full of beans by working with different groups and sectors of our food environment. From growing beans, learning about the impact of beans on our health and the planet, and trying delicious bean recipes - Riikka Gonzalez shares some learnings from the Full of Beans campaign in Glasgow. Useful links  Find out more about the Full of Beans Campaign Riikka talked about in this episode here:  Full of Beans Campaign – Good Food For All and learn more about the evaluation of the campaign here: Learnings and Stories – Good Food For All Here’s the link to Glasgow’s 10-year Food Plan (2021 to 2031) To find out more about the work Riikka and her colleagues do in the Glasgow Good Food Partnership, check out these links: Web: goodfoodforall.co.uk Social media: Facebook | Instagram| LinkedIn| BlueSky Subscribe to the Good Food for All newsletter   Also, check out the recently launched UK-wide campaign from Veg Power to ‘Bang in Some Beans’ - to get the UK eating more beans.   https://vegpower.org.uk/boosting-beans/    Intro/Outro music produced by James Mosaic James Mosaic | Free Listening on SoundCloud

This episode explores hemp with two great guests – Ali Easson and Professor Wendy Russell. Ali shares her experience of growing hemp in Scotland including the environmental benefits seen on the farm, and how to use hemp products in the kitchen. Wendy provides fascinating insights from her research at Aberdeen's Rowett Institute on hemp, including how it can be used to improve the nutrition of eggs, burgers and baked goods. Useful links  To find out more about Ali’s hemp products, check out the ‘Hemp it up’ website and find her on social media: Instagram and Facebook Find out more about Professor Wendy Russell at: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/people/w.russell And, if you want to read some recently published research on hemp from the Rowett Institute check out these papers below: Ramos-Sanchez et al (2025) Evaluation of protein solubility, lipid oxidative stability and physical properties of hemp seed-based foods and by-products. Food Science & Nutrition 13(9): e70954 Ramos-Sanchez et al (2025) Hemp Seed-Based Foods and Processing By-Products Are Sustainable Rich Sources of Nutrients and Plant Metabolites Supporting Dietary Biodiversity, Health, and Nutritional Needs. Foods 14(5): 875 Dogbe et al (2024) An analysis of the current and potential market opportunities for hempseed and fibre: the case of Scotland? Agriculture & Food Security 13(57).   ClimateXChange is hosting an event on ‘The economic potential of hemp in a changing Scottish climate’. Its on Monday 10th November at the Edinburgh Futures Institute. More details are on Eventbrite    Intro/Outro music produced by James Mosaic James Mosaic | Free Listening on SoundCloud

  We chat about the individuals behind your cup of tea, how tea is cultivated and processed, how to check if your tea is authentic and its impact on health and well-being. Make yourself a cuppa and have a listen! 🍵🫖 Useful links  To find out more about Sandra, check out her Chiya and Chai website - https://chiyaandchai.com/  and find Sandra on social media:   Instagram https://www.instagram.com/chiyaandchai/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ChiyaandChai and LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandrabenn/ Find out more about Susie and the tea grown in Scotland from: the Kinnettles Tea Garden website - https://www.kinnettlesteagarden.com/ and Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kinnettlesgold/?hl=en  the Tea Gardens of Scotland website - https://teagardensofscotland.co.uk/ and Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/p/BR-XpEyhzWH/ And to find Susie’s and other fab teas, check out the Edinburgh-based Pekoetea - https://www.pekoetea.co.uk/ Intro/Outro music produced by James Mosaic - https://soundcloud.com/user-227429154 James Mosaic | Free Listening on SoundCloud

Listen to learn more about the story of our food from field to fork. Learn more about eating sustainably, the importance of how we farm and get clear on the terms used like ‘regenerative farming’, nature-friendly farming’ and ‘grass-fed’ Follow Lucy on: https://www.instagram.com/lucywilliamsonnutrition/ https://www.facebook.com/lucywilliamsonnutrition/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucywilliamsonnutrition/ And check out Lucy’s website: https://lwnutrition.co.uk and her Gut Health course: https://lwnutrition.co.uk/guthealthguide/ Useful links mentioned in the episode: Six Inches of Soil film:  https://www.sixinchesofsoil.org/ Lucy's Chocolate Fridge Cake recipe:  https://lwnutrition.co.uk/not-naughty-chocolate-fridge-cake/ Intro/Outro music produced by James Mosaic James Mosaic | Free Listening on SoundCloud

Listen to find out about the story behind the Scottish Eatwell Guide and what makes it so distinct. We also talk about the different foods included in the Guide and ways in which the Scottish Eatwell Guide can be used.  Details of where to get your copy of the Scottish Eatwell Guide are in the notes below. Useful links:   Access the Scottish Eatwell Guide for FREE from the Nutrition Scotland webpage: https://www.nutritionscotland.org/resources/scottish-eatwell-guide/ We’d love you to share what your favourite Scottish food is from the guide on your social media channels using #ScottishEatwellGuide Follow us/Tag us on your Social Media too: Instagram: @drlaurwyness, @NutritionScot Twitter/X: @laura_wyness, @NutritionScot For more information on the Scottish Eatwell Guide check out The Nutrition Scotland website and Dr Laura Wyness website as we have a blog posts on: The story behind the Scottish Eatwell Guide and The differences between the UK Eatwell Guide and the Scottish Eatwell Guide and we will be adding more blog posts in the future that focus on different messages from the Scottish Eatwell Guide. 

Listen in to learn more about where chocolate comes from, how its processed and how to tell a good quality chocolate. We also chat about some of the innovative and quite unusual flavours Sebastian uses in his chocolate – including how to get the flavour of a Christmas tree into a chocolate!  Useful links: To find out more, check out the Sebastian Kobelt website and Instagram, Twitter (X), and Facebook The ‘Food Connections’ podcast is created and produced by Dr Laura Wyness, Nutrition Research and Communication (www.laurawyness.com) one of Scotland’s Regional Food Tourism Ambassadors - Regional Food Tourism Ambassadors | Scotland Food and Drink Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlaurawyness/ Website: https://www.laurawyness.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurawyness/ Intro/Outro music produced by James Mosaic James Mosaic | Free Listening on SoundCloud

Listen in to learn more about where oats are grown in Scotland and how oats are milled into different products such as pinhead oats, flaked oats or bran. Alan also answers some controversial questions about how to make the best porridge and shares some quirky porridge recipes. Useful links  To find out more, check out Hamlyn’s of Scotland website;  Follow on Instagram: @hamlynsoats or Twitter (X): @hamlynsoats Date for the diary - 7th Oct 2023 - Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championship For oat recipe ideas check out Hamlyn’s of Scotland – Recipes: Recipes Archive - Hamlyn's Of Scotland (hamlynsoats.co.uk) and...find out why oats are a useful food for menopause: 5 Scottish foods to support menopausal women (laurawyness.com) The ‘Food Connections’ podcast is created and produced by Dr Laura Wyness, Nutrition Research and Communication (www.laurawyness.com) one of Scotland’s Regional Food Tourism Ambassadors - Regional Food Tourism Ambassadors | Scotland Food and Drink Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlaurawyness/ Website: https://www.laurawyness.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurawyness/ Intro/Outro music produced by James Mosaic James Mosaic | Free Listening on SoundCloud

Listen in to learn more about the environmental and nutritional benefits of this plant food and find out about the development of Scottish baked beans as well as some recipe suggestions for including more beans in your diet.  Follow Pete on Twitter @AgroEcoAtJHI The James Hutton Institute  @JamesHuttonInst (Twitter) @jameshuttoninst (Instagram) Useful links  Beans, glorious beans - This is an interesting article from the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission where Dr Pete Iannetta talks about how legumes could provide a healthier, climate friendly vegan alternative to ultra-processed products.  The Food Programme on BBC Sounds – Beans (part 1): Are Legumes the Answer? Here more from Dr Pete Iannetta on why we should consider growing more beans in order to reap the benefits for our soils and health.  Plant Breeding Stories podcast episode (S1E5) where Pete talks more about his research on legumes and how his findings have helped produce a carbon-neutral Scottish gin, Nadar.  The United Nations has designated 10th February as World Pulses Day World Pulses Day | United Nations For tasty and nutritious recipes that include beans and pulses, check out the recipe books by Anita Bean Vegetarian Meals in 30 Minutes By Anita Bean | Used | 9781472960641 | World of Books (wob.com) – I often recommend Anita’s books to my clients. For lots of info and recipe ideas using pulses, check out Hodmedod - Recipes for British Pulses, Grains, Seeds and More Tagged "Pulses" - Hodmedod's British Wholefoods (hodmedods.co.uk) For information and practical resources, including colourful infographics for kids on legumes, check out the TRUE project website - Home - TRUE Project (hutton.ac.uk) If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please leave a short review - Thank you!

Nichola Fletcher has spent most of her life teaching people how to prepare and cook venison. She was awarded an MBE for her work! Useful links Website: www.nicholafletcher.com  Some of Nichola’s books: The Venison Bible, The Meat Cookbook, Venison Masterclass, and Nichola Fletcher’s Ultimate Venison Cookery Check out the Scottish Venison website for more info on both wild and farmed venison.  For more info on the nutrition of venison see my website article

Eve MacFarlane and Michael Hartley from Argyll Coffee Roasters provide all you need to know about coffee roasting. Useful links Website: argyllcoffee.co.uk Follow Argyll Coffee Roasters on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram And for Michaels photos of Argyll check out @secret_diary_argyll For coffee fans in Scotland some key events for you: Glasgow Coffee Festival – was held in May 2023 The first Moray Coffee Week was held in May 2023 Edinburgh Coffee Festival will be in October 2023

Useful links Website: Isle of Bute Smokehouse - The Finest Smoked Fish In Scotland  Instagram: @butesmokehouse Medical News Today article on “What is the difference between wild and farmed salmon?” by Cathleen Crichton-Stuart (2018) Wild vs. farmed salmon: What's the difference? (medicalnewstoday.com) Learn more about Bute: Bute Kitchen: www.butekitchen.co.uk Instagram: @butekitchen_ Bute Yard: www.buteyard.com Instagram: @buteyard The “Best place to live in Scotland” – The Times, 2022 Visit Bute: VisitBute

Useful links Find out more about Jump Ship Brewing:  https://jumpship.beer/   Instagram / Facebook / Twitter: @jumpshipbeer Learn more about Jump Ship Brewing’s crowdfunding: www.seedrs.com/jump-ship Food Connections Podcast The Food Connections podcast aims to help you learn more about the food you eat and connect with those who make it. The ‘Food Connections’ podcast is created and produced by Dr Laura Wyness, Nutrition Research and Communication (www.laurawyness.com) who is also one of Scotland’s Regional Food Tourism Ambassadors - Regional Food Tourism Ambassadors | Scotland Food and Drink #ScotFoodAmbassador Intro music produced by James Mosaic James Mosaic | Free Listening on SoundCloud

Useful links  To find out more about Macsween haggis: Macsween haggis Website,  Macsween haggis Facebook,  Macsween haggis Instagram,   https://twitter.com/MacsweenHaggis ‘The Macsween Haggis Bible’ by Jo Macsween book The Macsween Haggis Bible | Birlinn Ltd - Independent Scottish Publisher - buy books online The Macsween butchers shop in Edinburgh from 1953-1996: https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/old-edinburgh-ghost-sign-butcher-22506858  Some of Macsween’s awards: https://greattasteawards.co.uk Haggis beer: https://foodanddrink.scotsman.com/drink/craft-beer/edinburgh-businesses-team-up-to-launch-haggis-beer-in-time-for-burns-night/  Veggie haggis launch in the US: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/vegetarian-haggis-launches-in-the-us-for-burns-night More info on the nutritional content of haggis - Burns Supper - How healthy is haggis? (laurawyness.com) And remember haggis is not just for Burns night…. #NotJustForBurns  Food Connections Podcast The Food Connections podcast aims to help you learn more about the food you eat and connect with those who make it. The ‘Food Connections’ podcast is created and produced by Dr Laura Wyness, Nutrition Research and Communication (www.laurawyness.com) who is also one of Scotland’s Regional Food Tourism Ambassadors - Regional Food Tourism Ambassadors | Scotland Food and Drink #ScotFoodAmbassador Intro music produced by James Mosaic James Mosaic | Free Listening on SoundCloud

Anna Canning shares some of her vast knowledge of plants you may find whilst out for a walk in the Scottish countryside, or even on your doorstep.  Listen to learn more about foraging, and discover a new appreciation of nettles!  There’s so many fascinating uses and many amazing nutritional properties these plants have.  Relevant Links: To find out more about Anna and the work she does, find her on Facebook www.facebook.com/AnnaFloramedica, and on Twitter or Instagram @AnnaFloramedica  The courses Anna teaches on at the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh: Certificate in Herbology & Diploma in Herbology  Woodlands for All book – this is a fantastic starting point for foraging novices. Discover the plants and trees in the woods and forests on your doorstep.   Advice and links from Anna: First of all… be responsible! Always follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code (SOAC), which sets out our foraging rights - and responsibilities – e.g. Respect other site users, and respect plants and their environment. Many creatures depend on our plants for food or shelter, so always tread carefully, and leave plenty for wildlife to thrive. As a rule, it is legal to forage leaves, flowers, seeds, fruit, and nuts of common plants for your own use, but harvesting roots needs permission.  And… be safe! When foraging, proper identification is vital! Take along a book with clear images - or/and an expert! iSpot is a fantastic web resource for identifying wild plants and fungi.  There are several apps too: Pl@ntNet is the one I use. Top tip: always check the scientific name, as common names vary widely. If in doubt, leave well alone – many plants and fungi are toxic! More information on good foraging practice, training, inspiration - and recipes! – can be found from: Galloway Wild Foods – Mark Williams provides detailed info on plant, fungi and coastal species identification, safe and sustainable foraging in Scotland, including rights, risks and responsibilities – and innovative food and drink ideas.  Foragerium – Szymon Szyszczakiewicz is based in the Scotland’s Central Belt and provides lively courses in sustainable foraging & ecology, wild food preparation, preserving and fermentation. Monica Wilde – deep and extensive knowledge of wild edible and medicinal plants, fungi and seaweeds; lived for a year exclusively on wild food. Fascinating book and blog.  Eatweeds – Robin Harford, based in Devon, teaches and publishes on holistic foraging including medicinal properties of wild plants. Food Connections Podcast The Food Connections podcast aims to help you learn more about the food you eat and connect with those who make it. The ‘Food Connections’ podcast is created and produced by Dr Laura Wyness, Nutrition Research and Communication (www.laurawyness.com) who is also one of Scotland’s Regional Food Tourism Ambassadors - Regional Food Tourism Ambassadors | Scotland Food and Drink #ScotFoodAmbassador   Intro music produced by James Mosaic James Mosaic | Free Listening on SoundCloud

Kirstie points out that Sea Buckthorn grows along coastal regions in Scotland although its largely being overlooked.      Find out what Sea Buckthorn is, how it can be used, and some of the benefits of the plant. To find out more about Kirstie and the work she does, check out the Sea Buckthorn Scotland website: www.seabuckthornscotland.com and find her on Instagram: @seabuckthornscotland Useful links There are an abundance of research papers and journals on the wonders of Sea Buckthorn. A collection of abstracts can be found at the UK Sea Buckthorn Association site here: http://www.ukseabuckthorn.org.uk/ Here's a video of how to make Libyan mbakbaka mentioned by Kirstie: How to make Libyan Mbakbaka - A warmly spiced one pot pasta masterpiece - YouTube Food Connections Podcast The Food Connections podcast aims to help you learn more about the food you eat and connect with those who make it. The ‘Food Connections’ podcast is created and produced by Dr Laura Wyness, Nutrition Research and Communication (www.laurawyness.com) who is also one of Scotland’s Regional Food Tourism Ambassadors - Regional Food Tourism Ambassadors | Scotland Food and Drink #ScotFoodAmbassador Intro music produced by James Mosaic James Mosaic | Free Listening on SoundCloud  

In this episode, I’m joined by Liz and Ewan, from Udny Provender. A company based in Aberdeenshire in north east Scotland, near to the village of Methlick.  Liz and Ewan have a very productive small holding as well as a number of bee hives, from which they collect and sell some very tasty honey.   I was keen to learn more about their business, their bees and the best way to use honey.  

Cold-pressed rapeseed oil is a heart healthy oil with less than half the saturated fat compared to olive oil. Lynn Mann explains how rapeseed grows and how the oil is produced.  There's also lots of ways to use the oil.  Have a listen to find out Lynn's top suggestions for using cold-pressed rapeseed oil to make tasty dishes. Relevant links: Supernature cold pressed rapeseed oil Supernature cold pressed Premium Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil | Supernature Scottish cold pressed rapeseed oil - Is it healthier than extra-virgin olive oil?  Food Connections Podcast The Food Connections podcast aims to help you learn more about the food you eat and connect with those who make it. The ‘Food Connections’ podcast is created and produced by Dr Laura Wyness, Nutrition Research and Communication (www.laurawyness.com) Intro music produced by James Mosaic James Mosaic | Free Listening on SoundCloud Dr Laura Wyness – www.laurawyness.com Scotland’s Regional Food Tourism Ambassadors - Regional Food Tourism Ambassadors | Scotland Food and Drink #ScotFoodAmbassador

Fancy picking your own berries?  How about picking your own veg too?   John Sinclair from Craigie's Farm shares his passion for helping people connect with the field to fork journey.    We chat about the wide range of fruit and veg grown at Craigie's Farm and John's vital role in quality control - tasting the first of the strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cherries...  Listen to hear about the changes at the farm over the years, and the seasonality of fruit and veg grown in Scotland. Relevant links: Website: www.craigies.co.uk Instagram: @craigies_farm_shop and @craigieslittlefarmers Twitter: @craigiesfarm   Scotland Food and Drink seasonal calendar Seasonality calendar | Scotland Food and Drink VegPower, Seasonal Vegetables Report (2021) VegPower-Market-Insight-Report_Seasonal-Vegetables-Final.pdf (ifour-vegpower-uploads.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com) Food Connections Podcast The Food Connections podcast aims to help you learn more about the food you eat and connect with those who make it. The ‘Food Connections’ podcast is created and produced by Dr Laura Wyness, Nutrition Research and Communication (www.laurawyness.com) Intro music produced by James Mosaic James Mosaic | Free Listening on SoundCloud Dr Laura Wyness – www.laurawyness.com Scotland’s Regional Food Tourism Ambassadors - Regional Food Tourism Ambassadors | Scotland Food and Drink #ScotFoodAmbassador

Relevant links: Yesterfarm Dairies - YESTER FARM DAIRIES Instagram: @yester_farm_dairies Twitter: @yesterdairies Report from the Dairy Sector Climate Change Group, published July 2021 Dairy Sector Climate Change Group: report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) Scottish Dairy Sector’s plan published in 2021 Scotland’s Dairy Sector – Rising to the Top 2030 | Scotland Food and Drink Dr Laura Wyness blog post - Dairy and Nutrition: Why you should try cottage cheese Dairy and nutrition: why you should try cottage cheese (laurawyness.com) Royal Highland Education Trust - https://www.rhet.org.uk/  Royal Highland Show - Home | Royal Highland Show | Royal Highland Show Food Connections Podcast The Food Connections podcast aims to help you learn more about the food you eat and connect with those who make it. The ‘Food Connections’ podcast is created and produced by Dr Laura Wyness, Nutrition Research and Communication (www.laurawyness.com) Intro music produced by James Mosaic James Mosaic | Free Listening on SoundCloud Dr Laura Wyness – www.laurawyness.com Scotland’s Regional Food Tourism Ambassadors - Regional Food Tourism Ambassadors | Scotland Food and Drink #ScotFoodAmbassador

Relevant Links: Find out more about Nether Aden Farm and the other Climate Change Focus Farms around Scotland on the ‘Farming for a better climate’ website: Farming for a Better Climate - Farming for a Better Climate Scottish Beef Association: Scottish Beef Association Quality Meat Scotland: How much red meat can you eat to remain within government guidelines? - We Eat Balanced Quality Meat Scotland: Food, farming and welfare | Quality Meat Scotland (qmscotland.co.uk) National Farmers Union. Climate friendly farming - The facts about British meat: archive (nfuonline.com) Wyness L (2015) The role of red meat in the diet: nutrition and health benefits. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. The role of red meat in the diet: nutrition and health benefits | Proceedings of the Nutrition Society | Cambridge Core Food Connections Podcast The Food Connections podcast aims to help you learn more about the food you eat and connect with those who make it. The ‘Food Connections’ podcast is created and produced by Dr Laura Wyness, Nutrition Research and Communication (www.laurawyness.com) Intro music produced by James Mosaic James Mosaic | Free Listening on SoundCloud Dr Laura Wyness – www.laurawyness.com Scotland’s Regional Food Tourism Ambassadors - Regional Food Tourism Ambassadors | Scotland Food and Drink #ScotFoodAmbassador