Food for life breaks

A healthy way to get away from it all at this lovely Highlands retreat. It sounds too good to be true. Sarah Hanson finds out more

More often than not a weekend break is synonymous with rich food and over indulgence. But at Boath House, in the Scottish Highlands, you can get away from it all and improve your health at the same time. Owner Wendy Matheson, along with award-winning head chef Charlie Lockley and nutritionist Sara Kirkham, have come together to create “Food for life”—a short-break programme that teaches the benefits of so-called “superfoods”, such as beans and spinach and how you can incorporate them into your diet.

As Matheson explains: “With diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer still on the increase, more people are looking for alternative, more natural ways to treat health conditions and maximise health. These ‘Food for life’ breaks are complementary to our philosophy of working with the great natural larder that Scotland has to offer.”

After analysing your food diary and current eating habits, Kirkham will give you a nutrition consultation to help you adapt your current diet into a superfoods-rich diet with just a few simple changes (for example, swapping Cos lettuce for spinach). Meanwhile, a cookery demonstration by Lockley will show you how to prepare the foods and use them in your cooking. And to help you live healthily back home, you’ll take away recipes and a week-long eating plan.

Foodies who want to watch their waists will love the two-day menu with healthy dishes created by Lockley, using superfoods that are rich in health-enhancing phytonutrients. Many of the foods are grown in the kitchen garden at Boath House and during the summer, the restaurant is self-sufficient in vegetables and herbs. But what doesn’t come from the garden is never far away. Matheson is passionate about reducing food miles and sources all her meats and cheeses from local suppliers.

The Food for life programme costs £200 per person, per night, based on two people sharing a twin/double room, for a two-night stay with breakfast and dinner. For further information and reservations, contact Boath House on 01667 454896, or visit the website below.