Feeling Fresh and Fruity

Eleanor Richardson on 30 October 2021

The leaves are falling in Hyde Park and Morrisons is stocking Christmas decorations, so winter must be on its way. It can be difficult to maintain a fresh, balanced diet during the colder months. Food just doesn’t last as long, which as a result increases food waste. The statistics are sobering with households in the UK producing 4.5 million tonnes of food waste each year. That amounts to 10 billion edible meals being thrown away. 

This number is gradually falling with the average person wasting 7% less food this year than three years ago. Be a part of the change and take a gander at these quick tips.

  1. Use every last bit of freezer space.

Frozen berries are a godsend when making quick and easy smoothies; frozen vegetables often come pre-sliced and can be added to pasta, curries or whatever else takes your fancy. As they are picked at peak ripeness and frozen quickly afterwards, frozen fruit and vegetables retain the vast majority of their vitamins, minerals, and flavour. The long-lasting nature of frozen food helps to cut food waste.

  1. Get your bake on!

There’s more to life than banana bread. Try a quick and easy fruit bread (like this one) that’ll make any kitchen smell divine, or whip up a stir fry or casserole to use up your leftover vegetables.

  1. It’s ferment to be (get it?)

Gut health is very trendy right now, and nothing makes your gut happy like fermented food. The fermentation process enhances the natural, beneficial bacteria already in your food to aid digestion and turbocharge your immune system. All you need to get your ferment on is an airtight container and a few store cupboard ingredients. Why not try making kimchi?

  1. Eat seasonally

Next time you’re doing a big shop, choose foods that ripen during the cold months. Here are a few options to consider:

  • Cabbage. High in fibre, antioxidants and vitamins, fresh cabbage will be available throughout the cold months. Try roasting it in the oven for something a little different, like cabbage wedges.
  • Winter Squash. Squashes are a great source of Vitamin A, potassium and carotenoids (they’re the thing you find in carrots that make you see in the dark). They can last as long as 3 months if kept in the cupboard. 
  • Turnip. There’s a reason that turnips are a crucial part of the Animal Crossing economy: they last ages, they’re high in potassium, fibre and glucosinolates, and they’re oh-so versatile. Try subbing it for potato in this creamy mash.
  • Citrus fruits, pomegranate and dark leafy greens are flown in from warmer climes, such as Spain. Although we all want to keep our air miles down, these are always an option if you’re concerned about staying healthy and eating fresh through the winter months.

The Freshers Flu That Just Won’t Go

Harriet Purbrick on 30 October 2021

We are all sick right now. At least that’s what I’m telling myself to soften the FOMO as I make myself my sixth cup of Lemsip and cancel my plans all over again. 

But I’m not entirely wrong. As the normal Freshers bug sweeps its way across campus, reopening means we are also facing the consequences of “immunity debt”, aka everyone getting sick at the same time because we’ve spent the last year and a half limiting our social contact. 

Of course, if you’re experiencing any more serious or long lasting physical or mental health concerns, seek medical advice. It’s also worth saying that Covid cases are on the rise (again), so if you have any Covid symptoms, take a PCR test.

Nonetheless, here are some tips to look after yourself, whether you’re currently feeling under the weather or just trying to stay healthy!

Sleep

If you’ve got a recurring weekday alarm, give yourself a break and turn it off until you’re feeling better and allow that crucial immune response to kick in. You don’t need me to tell you that maintaining a healthy sleep schedule is also a great defence against infection. However, I really could have done with someone telling me as a Fresher that it’s always better to listen to your body than your flatmates trying to drag you on yet another night out. Re-sell your ticket on Leeds’ Students Group to soften the blow and have a quiet night in, safe in the knowledge that your Monzo account won’t be spammed by Uber receipts.

Diet

One of the now-confounding images that’s stuck with me from my first semester at Leeds was a collective effort to take as many Vitamin C supplements as possible, as if they were ordained with a Pfizer level defence against all sickness (in reality, a lot of the vitamin will come straight out in your pee). Whilst vitamins and minerals are undeniably good for you, you can’t ignore the basics like eating three meals a day and always eating before consuming alcohol! Maintaining a good diet at uni can seem daunting at first (not to mention time-consuming and expensive) but learning a few, balanced meals that you can batch cook and freeze for later, such as a chilli or curries will pay enormous dividends.

Time

As the end of lockdown means the return of pre-Covid expectations for assessment and (some) in-person teaching (meaning you can’t just hide behind a turned-off webcam and muted mic), you’re not alone if you’re feeling stressed. And on top of academic pressures, many of us are finding our diaries packed with Give It A Goes, Otley Run’s, and seeing those friends you’ve inexplicably still got after three lockdowns. In short, it’s a lot. Take time out for yourself and get acquainted with saying no to things before you start to feel overwhelmed.

Leeds Black History

Chloe-Nicole Arnold on 22 October 2021

It’s Black History Month in the UK, and this year The Gryphon is celebrating Black Liberation within its print issue. Black History Month is of course commemorated nationally, but it’s important to educate yourself on the history of your local community. Here’s a rundown on some of the important events and people within the city’s extensive Black history, using resources provided by Secret Library Leeds.

The Windrush Generation 

1948 marks the first arrival of economic migrants from the Caribbean Islands to Yorkshire. By the early 60’s, the Black population in Leeds was estimated to be 4,000; made up of skilled labourers, carpenters, teachers and tradesmen. The Windrush generation were promised work and a good life in the UK, and were instead met with poor living conditions, limited job prospects and outright racism. Despite these setbacks, the African-Caribbean community flourished in the local area, creating groups and organisations such as the Caribbean Cricket Club and the Aggrey Society.

Norma Hutchinson

A Trade Unionist and local councillor to Chapeltown, Jamaican-born Norma Hutchinson moved to Leeds in 1968 as a nurse. After being elected in 1991, Hutchinson went on to have a successful career in local politics and activism. Before sadly passing away in 2004, Hutchinson was an activist for women’s rights, as well as a chair for environmental health and housing committees. Hutchinson also did a lot of work for her home country, raising money for health campaigns back in Jamaica.

Rock Against Racism 

Leeds Beckett University was home to the second Rock Against Racism (RAR) concert in the UK, a series of gigs to raise awareness against prejudice and systemic violence. Fascism was sadly present in 1970’s Leeds, due to post-industrial decline and the rise of far-right groups such as the National Front. RAR directly opposed these views, organising gigs and clubs in support of anti-racism throughout the decade. In Leeds, the local RAR organisation was supported by musical acts such as Delta 5 and Gang of Four, and in 1981 the last RAR Carnival took place in Chapeltown.

Cedric Clarke

This pillar of local politics was elected as the first Black councillor in Leeds in 1980, and remained in his position for the Labour Party for a decade. Whilst holding his position, Clarke was part of the Education, Nursery, Industrial and Employment committees, as well as vice-chairman to the city’s Equal Opportunities sub-committee. Clarke’s main focus was to improve the lives of minorities living in his city, introducing 220 affordable new houses for the area and creating more diverse teaching within local schools.

Black Owned Eateries

Ruby Winter on 22 October 2021

Supporting Black-owned food businesses in Leeds.

One of the most direct and sustainable ways to support the Black community is with your money! Post-lockdown, this is even more important; it prevents the shutting down of independent businesses and also helps to get yourself back into the local community after being locked away for so long. In this article, we’ve highlighted some of the best local black-owned eateries for you to visit in the city.

SWEET TREATS

LoveStorm Cakes

LoveStorm Cakes is a custom cake company, whose name stems from a little kitchen in a desperate time in a single mother’s life. Renee Cottle’s knack for eye-catching cakes motivated her to open this business in 2015, which now has over four thousand followers on Instagram and nearly fourteen thousand likes on Facebook. Renee’s cakes and business ethos has rave reviews so be sure to check her out for your next special occasion. Renee’s business doesn’t end there though! She has raised an entire family of entrepreneurs, with her daughters owning goodie businesses of their own. 

LoveStorm Cupcakes by Leilani 

Renee’s daughter owns this custom cupcake start-up, and her products look both indulgent and beautiful. Recently Leilani has also started doing ‘smash hearts’, which are essentially edible pinatas, and I am desperate to try one. Avaiya, also Renee’s daughter, has followed her mother and sister’s footsteps and set up her own business, The Kookie Kid. She bakes and sells handsome sugar cookies and extravagant cake pops, and they look so delicious you’d be silly not to try them!

SAVOURY FOOD

Jerk Express

If you’re looking for some classic Caribbean street food, Jerk Express is the place to go. With native chefs Audley Ellis and Clarkey, this place is sure to give you the most authentic Jamaican food in Leeds. It’s located in Hyde Park, making it a student favourite.

PERSONAL FAVOURITES:

  • Mac and Cheese: if you’re expecting the classic English Mac and Cheese dish, you will be pleasantly surprised. The Jamaican version is a Mac and Cheese pie, and it is spiced to perfection.
  • Jerk Chicken with rice and peas meal: The Jerk seasoning has that distinctive hot and savoury flavour, with a warming kick, but not too spicy. The rice and peas had loads of flavour for a rice dish and is very authentic. All in all, it’s a mouth-watering meal.

Ryan’s Kitchen

If a lot of spice isn’t for you, then this restaurant is the perfect place to enjoy authentic Jamaican flavours without the heat. Their ethos is to make the dishes milder, without losing the traditional Caribbean flavours, and they succeed. This is most likely due to the fact that everything is cooked fresh, and sourced from local suppliers, with their main spices sourced from Jamaica. This restaurant opened up in 2017 and has hundreds of five-star reviews online. It performs mainly as a takeaway but they do have a small dining area for eating in.

PLANT-BASED

Soul Box

Sisters Maye and Monifa founded this plant-based takeaway in Leeds. Their menu changes every week, and they are soon hoping to start making vegan desserts. Both the sisters eat a plant-based diet and have been cooking for their large family since a young age. Their slogan – “Raises your Vibrations, Feeds the Soul” – comes from their desire to provide healthy but flavoursome food, and their food is exciting for vegans and non-vegans alike.

DRINK

The Assembly

This independent bar and bottle shop was established in 2018 by husband and wife duo Steph and Matt Cliffe. It now has two locations, Crossgates and Garforth, both of which have an intimate home-from-home feel. They serve craft beer, classic cocktails and a selected wine list to go with their locally sourced charcuterie and bar snacks.

Header Image Credit: Jerk Express on Facebook.

Lessons to Learn on your Journey Towards Allyship

Lauren Woodley on 22 October 2021

Allyship does not happen overnight. 

In fact, allyship is an ongoing process – a journey that I am still navigating. Yes, the journey can sometimes be uncomfortable but an important fundamental of allyship to remember is that although you may be feeling this way, as an ally, this conversation is not about you. 

Allyship can take on many forms. Everyone has their own meaning for the term ‘ally’. For example, your friends may be known as your ‘allies’. You choose to support your friends, you check in on your friends, and if someone has treated your friends incorrectly, you would hopefully step in and speak up. The same can be done as an ally against racism, or homophobia. Here, I shall specifically focus on allyship for the Black Lives Matter movement, but allyship towards all is just as important. 

The First Step

I accept that I have a white privilege. Accepting privilege can feel unpleasant, but all white people must acknowledge that this privilege does exist and cannot be ignored. Using this knowledge, an ally must take their privilege and use it to amplify the voices that are less heard before their own. 

Another important point of being an ally is recognising that you may not know how it feels to be oppressed but it is crucial to understand that there are many people out there who are marginalised every single day. The start of becoming an ally is making an effort to better understand the struggle and to educate yourself on the oppression faced.

Education

This will be an ongoing process of learning and unlearning. You need to unlearn the so-called ‘truths’ that previous generations believed in and actively go against what may, to you, be considered as the ‘norm’. During this, you must also accept that you will make mistakes and learn to take on criticism. This critique will help your learning process and will be a valuable lesson for the future. 

It is important that you self-educate. Do your own research and do not take credit for work that has been made before you, or made by those who are marginalised. If using work and guides made by the Black community, then remember you owe them for their invested time. It should not be their responsibility for your education. Make sure to contribute whenever a Paypal or funding page is made available. 

Reading 

A small personal way that I choose to show allyship is by reading authors who are primarily Black and female. Whilst this is only a small change in lifestyle, it can help you to start widening your horizons and surrounding yourself with culture outside of your immediate circle. Become aware of experiences that you have not lived. Further, supporting Black creators can help to amplify their voices. The same can be said with film directors, or music artists too.

Speaking out

Being an ally is mostly about listening. But, it is also important to speak out when the time is right. Speak out at home or with your friends if something said doesn’t sit quite right with you. If you witness discrimination, speak up! You could be in a position to protect someone who does not have that privilege. 

Showing support on social media can be an influential way of being an ally too. It is so easy to sign petitions, write to local charity groups and MPs for change, and share posts that are in support of BLM and other Black creators. However, it is important to remember that being an ally cannot just be for show. 

The viral trend ‘Blackout Tuesday’ that took place on Instagram to protest racism and police brutality shortly after the death of George Floyd gave an example of what some called performative allyship, with thousands of users posting a black square on their Instagram feed. Whilst the intention was seemingly pure, the action was seen as ‘empty’ and instead of promoting Black voices, feeds were instead full of empty space. Rather than staying silent in this case, to be a good ally, you need to be actively engaged.

The journey does not end here

This is just the tip of the iceberg of some of the lessons that I have gathered on my journey of trying to become a better ally. Please make sure to use other resources and never stop listening to podcasts, reading, and researching to continue to educate yourself!