From Banksy exhibitions to budgeting and our very first Banter Confession, Anu’s back with a full mix of real life and reflection.
Half-Term Highlights
Half-term fun with her daughter: a trip to the Banksy: Limitless exhibition and dinner at Temper (a true “meat central” experience). Then off to Heidelberg to visit her eldest son; sunshine, chats about budgeting and that bittersweet joy of seeing your kids find their way.
Money Matters at 50
Anu opens up about financial confidence - wishing she’d learned to invest earlier, inspired by Lise Thorne and Adrianne D’Souza. From discovering tools like Marcus and Chip to teaching her kids good money habits, it’s all about starting where you are and feeling empowered.
This Week’s Picks
🎭 Every Brilliant Thing with Minnie Driver - touching and unforgettable.
📺 Slow Horses (S3), The Iris Affair and Blue Lights - binge-worthy favourites.
📚 Still Life by Sarah Winman - warm, beautiful escapism after last week’s heavy read.
Banter Confessions
It’s here! Our very first Banter Confession! Funny, honest and perfectly imperfect - exactly what this new segment’s all about.
Recipe of the Week – Easy Asian Bowl with Thai Salmon
A quick, flavour-packed favourite to reset after a meat-filled week.
Ingredients:
Salmon fillets
Oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic & brown sugar
Broccoli (pan-fried in sesame oil)
Aubergine (miso, sesame oil & maple syrup)
Jasmine or sushi rice
Spring onions, seaweed strips & sriracha
Method:
Marinate salmon and cook in air fryer or oven.
Stir-fry broccoli, glaze aubergine.
Serve over rice, top with seaweed, onions & sriracha.
Fresh, easy, and full of flavour - exactly how we like it!
✨ Subscribe, rate & share Banter if you’re enjoying it so far and send in your confession for next week’s show!
banterrealtalk@gmail.com
From family drama you can’t choose to birthday chaos, half term plans and a brand new “Banter Confessions” segment. Anu gets real about life’s messy bits, one laugh (and sigh) at a time.
Welcome back to Banter - real talk, real life and just enough chaos to keep it interesting.
💬 Relationships You Can’t Choose
Anu dives into those tricky relationships we don’t get to pick: siblings, in-laws and all the emotional baggage that comes with them. From passive aggression to guilt and boundaries, she opens up about learning to protect your peace and why it’s okay to love someone but not actually like them.
🎂 Birthday Chaos and Gift Fails
With her husband away for his birthday and her daughter turning 12, Anu reflects on low-key celebrations, the half-eaten Toblerone disaster and how parent birthdays always seem to come last.
🎉 Keeping Kids’ Parties Simple
From being her own entertainer (“pirate lady”, “quiz master”, and “wicked witch”) to the power of pass the parcel and sandwiches, Anu shares her tried and true formula for stress-free fun.
🌧️ Half Term and Family Time
Plans for London exhibitions, a mother and daughter theatre trip and a reunion with her son in Heidelberg, Germany. Real talk on letting kids grow and giving them the spaceto thrive.
📺 TV Pick of the Week – “Film Club” on BBC iPlayer
A warm, quirky series about friendship, film nights and connection. Features Aimee Lou Wood and Suranne Jones.
📚 Book of the Week : “Nobody’s Girl” by Virginia Roberts Giuffre
A powerful, heartbreaking memoir from one of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims. An unflinching look at injustice, survival and the fight for truth.
😳 New Segment : Banter Confessions
Anu introduces a new listener segment inspired by Lockdown Secrets. Expect anonymous, hilarious and shocking real life confessions: starting with a wild “cat mix up” story that you won’t believe!
Do share your confessions with us: banterrealtalk@gmail.com
🥧 Recipe of the Week – Caramelised Butternut Squash, Blue Cheese & Pecan Tart
Ingredients:
1 puff pastry sheet
1 small butternut squash (roasted)
2 onions (caramelised or use jarred)
Blue cheese (like Stilton)
Handful of pecans (crushed)
1 egg (for wash)
Method:
Roast chopped butternut squash until golden.
Caramelise onions (or use a jar).
Layer onions on pastry, top with squash, blue cheese & pecans.
Brush with egg wash and bake for 20 mins until puffed and golden.
Serve with rocket & parmesan salad — simple, delicious, and a total crowd-pleaser.
👉 Follow Anu on Instagram @banter.pod for photos, confessions & more!
Anu gets real about her Mounjaro journey - from miracle weight loss to mystery side effects. Plus a mammogram mishap, a Vinted victory and aVictoria Beckham moment that'll make you laugh.
💉 Mounjaro and Anu's Weight Journey
Anu opens up about her Mounjaro experience; the highs, lows and what happens when the magic fades. Honest, funny and full of real talk about health, hormones and self-acceptance.
🩺 The Mammogram Moment
A mammogram story that’ll make you laugh (and remind you to always pack your AKT deodorant).
🧥 Vinted Find of the Week
From Erica Davies’s Instagram to Vinted. Anu’s dream Essential Antwerp coat finally found its way home! Proof that patience and a little scrolling magic pay off.
📺 TV Recommendations
Victoria Beckham: The Documentary (Netflix) chic, polished, fascinating and surprisingly funny. Plus, a real-life VB encounter from Anu’s Tennis Club days.
Frauds (ITV) Suranne Jones and Jodie Whittaker bring humour, heart and chaos to this clever, sun-soaked drama.
🎧 Podcast Pick
Coining It with Lewis Goodall: a gripping story of Bitcoin, luck and moral choices. Smart, surprising and totally bingeable.
🍽 Restaurant Recommendation
The Base (Barnes) : relaxed, stylish and home to one unforgettable Bakewell tart. A true local gem for brunch or a glass of wine.
🥘 Recipe of the Week
Baked chicken with cannellini beans, onions and garlic, served with miso-maple cabbage and roasted radish. Sweet, salty and even better the next day.
📸 See all the photos, finds and foodie moments on Instagram → @banter.pod
This week, Anu is back with more Banter: Real Talk. Real Life. reflecting on motherhood, milestones and the beautiful chaos of everyday life.
Here’s what’s inside:
👩👧👦 Life and Reflections → Anu shares an update on her eldest son (spoiler: Germany calls!), her daughter settling into secondary school and a big family moment - her mum’s 75th birthday.
From family dinners to small moments of gratitude, she opens up about navigating midlife, parenting teens and finding balance in the in-between.
📚 Book Corner → Anu pays tribute to Jilly Cooper and her classic "Rivals".
Anu dives into three compelling reads; autobiographies andmemoirs that explore resilience, creativity and the power of personal storytelling.
1. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
2. From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough
3. The Many Lives of Mama Love by Lara Love Hardin
🎭 Culture Spotlight → Theatre is back on the agenda! Anu reviews her trip to Shaftesbury Theatre where she treated her mum to watch Just For One Day: The Live Aid Musical.
📺 TV → Slow Horses on Amazon Prime
📱 Lifestyle Find → The app that’s changing the way she dines out (yes, you’ll want to download this one too): First Table - Anu was able to treat her family to a love meal at Red Farm Restaurant with 50% off!
🍴 Recipe of the Week → Natalie Chassay’s Miso Maple Chilli Sweet Potatoes with Coriander, Lime & Jalapeño Dressing — a vibrant, crowd-pleasing dish that Anu has already made twice (and counting!).
Here’s how to make it:
🥔 Ingredients
For the sweet potatoes:
2 - 3 medium sweet potatoes, chopped into bite size chunks
1 tbsp miso paste
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp chilli flakes (or chilli oil)
1 tsp sesame oil
For the dressing:
1 large handful fresh coriander
Juice of 1 lime
½ fresh jalapeño, roughly chopped
1 tbsp olive oil (optional)
Pinch of salt
🔪 Method
Preheat oven to 200°C (fan 180°C).
Mix miso, maple syrup, chilli flakes, sesame oil together and coat sweet potatoes well.
Roast for 25–30 mins until golden and crisp.
Blitz coriander, lime, jalapeño, olive oil, and salt for the dressing.
Serve by drizzling the green dressing on top or smearing it on the plate first for that restaurant-style look.
✨ Anu’s tip: “Simple, fresh and full of flavour — just how I like it.”
It’s warm, relatable, and full of those little slices of life that make you nod, smile, and think, “Yes, me too.”
Real talk, real life, and all the Banter in between.
New episodes every Monday 🎧
The Banter officially begins!
In this first episode, Anu - lawyer, mum and unapologetic pop culture lover introduces Banter: Real Talk. Real Life. with a mix of honest reflections and weekly recommendations.
Here’s what’s inside:
👩👧👦 Life & Reflections → Back to school, back to reality and a summer split between Austria and Portugal.
Anu shares the hilarious twist of booking a holiday in Albufeira with her 16 year old son and his friend, only to discover their accommodation was right on the party strip!
Shocking at first but fun in the end, proving sometimes it’s good to do something different. Meanwhile, her husband and daughter enjoyed a quieter Austrian getaway.
And now the family waits on news: her eldest son’s plans to study in Germany.
Anu also touches on being part of the sandwich generation where she cares for both her family and elderly parents.
📚 Book of the Week → My friends by Frederick Backman
📺 What I’m Watching → Department Q, Netflix
🎭 Culture Spotlight →Sing Street Musical, Lyric Theatre
🍽 Restaurant Picks → Jin Bao, Kew and Zazza Korean Noodles, New Malden
🍴 Recipe of the Week → Cauliflower Cheese
Ingredients: Cauliflower head
Gratted cheese
Paprika
Garlic Powder
Dry parsley
Salt and pepper
Red onions
2tsp brown sugar
Method: Cut cauliflower into steaks, pieces also fine.
Sprinkle garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper and dry parsley.
Roast for 20 mins.
Take out and add grated cheese.
In one pan, sauté one long sliced red onion. Add sugar, salt and pepper.
Once cauliflower is golden and crispy, sprinkle the onion mix and serve!
It’s honest, warm, and the perfect mix of lifestyle, culture, and real talk - like catching up with a friend over coffee or wine!
New episodes every Monday 🎧