Note:   I sometimes swop walnuts or sunflower seeds for the pine nuts and feta for the parmesan. Use your imagination ! :))

Makes 6 servings
 
Active Time  40 minutes    Total Time   40 minutes

Ingredients

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
2 pounds medium zucchini, trimmed
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
Small wedge of Parmesan cheese


Preparation

Whisk oil, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and crushed red pepper in small bowl to blend.

Set dressing aside.

Using vegetable peeler or V-slicer and working from top to bottom of each zucchini, slice zucchini into ribbons (about 1/16 inch thick).

Place ribbons in large bowl. Add basil and nuts, then dressing; toss to coat.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Using vegetable peeler, shave strips from Parmesan wedge over salad 

I have an obsession with tahini and believe it is a neglected Mediterranean superfood which people are not giving enough attention to.

These muffins are a healthy treat and make for a great addition to a breakfast, a snack or a low sugar dessert.

Makes 8-9 muffins

Ingredients

3 Spotty bananas
1/2 Cup Coconut flour
1/4 Cup tahini
2  Eggs
2 tsp Cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 175C , and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2. Combine bananas and tahini. You can use an electric mixer, but you can also manually mash together using a fork. Mix in eggs and vanilla.
3. Once all wet ingredients are combined, add cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt, slowly pour in coconut flour until combined.
4. Scoop batter into 8 or 9 cupcake lines. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
5. Allow to cool completely so that the muffins stay intact.

Note: You could add a few raisins, cranberries or dark chocolate chips to sweeten them up a bit if you wish.

Did you know ? Chickpeas are a good source of protein and fibre - plus they're low in calories, just 46 cals per 28g.

A one pot dish that works brilliantly for lunch or dinner. Leftovers can be served cold or as a side dish.

Serves 4.

1 Tbsp. Olive oil
1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes
250g brown basmati rice
600ml hot vegetable stock
400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 generous handful of spinach leaves
Juice of 1 un-waxed lemon
Generous handful of coriander leaves, finely choped
Generous pinch of sea salt or Himalayan pink salt

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat and cook the onion for 2 minutes until softened but not browned. Add the turmeric, cumin, garam masala and chili flakes and stir through for 1 minute.
   
2. Pour in the rice and vegetable stock, reduce the heat to medium, then simmer for 8 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid the rice sticking.
   
3. Add the chickpeas and spinach and cook for a further 2 minutes.
   
4. Remove from the heat and stir through the lemon juice and coriander. Season with salt.
   

Not a lot of people believe me when I say creating a healthy meal in 20 minutes or less is possible. So I decided to put together these three recipes to show just how easy it can be.

In the same amount of time it would take you to sit through a drive-thru line, you can whip up these nutrient-dense, flavor-packed meals.

Stuffed sweet potatoes with a pea and avocado smash
Servings: 1-2

Ingredients

• 2 medium sweet potatoes
  

For the pea and avocado smash:

• 1 cup green peas
• 1 avocado
• 1-2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
• ~ 1 tbsp. olive oil
• sea salt, black pepper, and chili flakes to taste
  

For the spiced chickpeas:

• 1 can (jar) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  
• ~ 1 tbsp. avocado oil (or oil of choice)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
• ~ 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne
• a pinch of chili flakes and salt to taste
  

For the maple tahini dressing:

• 4 tbsp. tahini 
• 1  tbsp. maple syrup (honey) - use less if you want it less sweet.
  
• 1 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• sea salt and black pepper

Directions

1. Poke holes in your sweet potatoes and cook in a steamer or boil them until tender, around 10-15 minutes depending on the size.
   
2. For the chickpeas: In a small pot over medium heat, add your avocado oil, garlic, onion, and spices and cook for around 1-3 minutes. Next, add your chickpeas and cook for 5-10 minutes until you’re ready to serve.
3. For the pea and avocado smash: In a blender or food processor, add all your ingredients and blend/pulse until you’ve reached your desired consistency.
4. For the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients until thoroughly combined.
5. Cut open your cooked sweet potatoes, stuff with the pea and avocado smash and chickpeas, and then drizzle with the maple tahini dressing. Serve with any other vegetables if desired.

Basil cashew pesto pasta
Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 8 oz. box of brown pasta
  
• 2 cups fresh basil
• 1/4 cup raw cashews
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup + 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/3 tbsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tbsp. black pepper

Directions

1. Add your box of pasta to salted boiling water and cook until al dente.
2. Using a blender or food processor, add in garlic, 3 tbsp. olive oil, cashews, and black pepper. Blend until smooth.
3. Add the nutritional yeast and salt to the blender. Pulse until combined.
4. Add the basil and the rest of the olive oil and blend again until everything is incorporated.
5. Pulse in the lemon juice.
6. Drain and rinse your cooked pasta, add back to the pot, and mix with your cashew pesto until everything is coated. You might have extra pesto (but that’s not a bad thing).

 
 
Easy spiced lentils
Servings: about 4

Ingredients

• 15 oz. can cooked lentils, drained and rinsed
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeds and stem removed
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 tbsp. maple syrup
  
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt and more to taste, if desired
• 1 tbsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. ginger, finely grated
• 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 3/4 cup fresh cilantro

Directions

1. In a blender or food processor, add in garlic, onion, bell pepper, tomato paste, maple syrup, sea salt, spices, ginger, and lemon juice. Blend thoroughly, then taste to see if you need to add anything.
2. To a large pan or pot over medium-low heat, add your drained lentils, fresh cilantro, and sauce. Stir until well-combined and heated all the way through.
3. Serve with brown rice, wholegrain noodles, or vegetables.
   

 

1 cup coconut flour
2 Tbsp. nut butter
1 scoop protein powder (good choices are chia, flax, pea)
1 cup almond milk
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. baking powder

Mix all ingredients well and add a tablespoon of mix in cupcake papers. Bake in the oven for about 15-20minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

These are great as a morning or afternoon snack.

These tasty muffins are the perfect brekkie, and sure to keep you feeling full till lunch.

Ingredients

• olive oil
• 600 g sweet potatoes or ½ a butternut squash
• 4 spring onions
• 1-2 fresh red chillies
• 6 large free-range eggs  ---> to reduce fat use 3 eggs and 3 egg whites (weight-loss)
  
• 3 tablespoons cottage cheese or unsalted anari cheese
  
• 250 g wholemeal self-raising flour or chickpea flour (gluten free / high protein)
  
• 50 g Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
  

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases or 15cm folded squares of greaseproof paper, then lightly wipe each one with oiled kitchen paper.
2. Peel the sweet potatoes or squash and coarsely grate into a large bowl. Trim the spring onions, then finely slice with the chilli and add to the bowl, reserving half the chilli to one side.
3. Crack in the eggs, add the cottage cheese and flour, then finely grate in most of the Parmesan and season with sea salt and black pepper. Mix until nicely combined.
4. Evenly divide the muffin mixture between the cases. Sprinkle over the sunflower and poppy seeds, then dot over the reserved slices of chilli.
5. Use the remaining Parmesan to give a light dusting of cheese over each one, then bake at the bottom of the oven for 45 to 50 minutes (if using squash, it’ll be a bit quicker – check after 35 minutes), or until golden and set.
6. These are amazing served warm 5 minutes after taking them out of the oven, and good kept in the fridge for a couple of days. Enjoy 2 muffins per portion.

TipsI like to make the muffin mixture and divide it up the night before, ready to bake fresh in the morning – that way you can even bake off portions as and when you want to eat them.

Adapted Recipe : Compliments: Jamie Oliver

Forbidden rice (Black rice) is an heirloom black rice that dates back to ancient China.  The legend behind this flavorful rice is that only Chinese Emperors and the Royal Family were allowed to eat it due to its rarity, high nutritional value, and healing qualities. Anyone else was “forbidden” to eat this rice!Black rice is rich in disease-fighting antioxidants, and contains dietary fiber, anti-inflammatory properties, and can help stop diabetes, ..."Just a spoonful of black rice bran contains more health promoting anthocyanin antioxidants than are found in a spoonful of blueberries, but with less sugar and more fiber and vitamin E antioxidants," Zhimin Xu, PhD, of Louisiana State University Agricultural Center.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup dry orzo (preferably brown)
• 1 cup forbidden rice
  
• 1 cup sweet onion diced fine
• ½ cup celery diced fine
• 1 cup carrots shredded on large holes of box grater
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced fine
• 440ml vegetable stock ( water + 1 tbsp powdered vegetable stock or cube)
• ¼ cup water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup currants
• ½ cup walnuts

Instructions

1. In a large pot with tight fitting cover, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add orzo and rice and toss and stir for five minutes until orzo has browned. Remove to a bowl and hold for later.
   
2. Add another 2 tablespoons olive oil to hot pan and add onions, celery, carrots and garlic and cook for five minutes.
   
3. Add reserved browned rice and orzo, stock, water, bay leaves, salt, pepper and currants. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to low heat.
4. Cook covered for 25 minutes on low. Remove from heat and let sit five minutes.
5. While rice is cooking, coarsely chop walnuts and toast in a dry sauté pan over medium heat for about five minutes to brown.
6. After the rice sits for five minutes, stir in toasted pecans and serve.

As winter is here we naturally lean towards hearty warmer, richer foods and take a little step back from salads.

Samfaina is a popular vegetable sauce, which may be served with chicken or pork, but in Catalunya most commonly accompanies bacallà (cod). As it is made leaving the vegetables quite chunky, similar to French ratatouille, samfaina can also be eaten alone or with cous-cous or crackers for a vegetarian option.

INGREDIENTS
- 100g/4oz smoked bacon or gammon (optional)

- 250g/8oz aubergine, without stalks
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 red peppers, seeded and cut into squares
- 175ml/6 fl oz dry white wine
- 1 bay leaf
- either 750g/1lb 6oz ripe tomatoes, without their skins or seeds or 600g/1 lb 4 oz canned tomatoes with their juice
- 1 large courgette, cubed with the skin left on
- 125ml/4 fl oz olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Cube the aubergine, sprinkle with salt and leave for about 30 minutes. Start the samfaina by heating two tablespoons of olive oil in a casserole pan. Fry the onion and bacon/gammon (if using) over a medium heat until the onion colours, then add the garlic. Add the tomato, peppers, wine and bay leaf and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the tomato has disintegrated into the sauce.
Rinse the salt off the aubergines and pat dry with kitchen paper. In a different pan, heat some oil and fry the aubergine and courgette cubes gently, turning them occasionally. When they are golden brown add them to the tomato sauce and simmer for about 15 minutes. Check seasoning.
If serving with bacallà then soak 500g/1lb of cod overnight (and longer if possible) in water, changing the water two to three times. The fish should not taste salty afterwards. When ready to use, coat the fish in flour, heat 4-5 tablespoons of oil and fry the fish pieces on both sides until well coloured and golden. Then remove from the pan and add to the samfaina.

Makes 12 muffins
Ingredients

• 10 eggs
• 5 cups (~1 lb.) mushrooms, sliced
• 4 cups (~1 lb.) broccoli, cut into small florets
• 1½ teaspoons thyme
• 1½ teaspoons sea salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
  
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
  
• 1/4 tsp black pepper,
  

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Add veggies to a large bowl, and mix with oil and other herbs and spices.   Saute veggies in a pan for about 6-7 minutes or until cooked. Alternatively you can also place veggies on a roasting tray, and roast for 20 minutes (rotate at 10 minutes).

2. Prep muffin pan with baking cups or liners. In the same bowl that the vegetables were prepped in, crack all the eggs and add the sea salt. Beat until well mixed. Remove veggies from oven and distribute evenly into muffin tray.
3. Pour eggs into cups with roasted veggies. (We pour the beaten eggs into a measuring cup for easy pouring.)
4. Bake muffins for 10 minutes, then rotate tray. Bake another 10 to 15 minutes, until the tops seem mostly set. Let rest, then enjoy. Don't worry — the muffins always deflate a bit when they cool off.
Muffins will store refrigerated for about 5 days.

Apple Walnut Porridge / Fruit Nut Porridge Combinations
The apple and walnut porridge is just an apple and some soaked walnuts (1/4  cup) – blended / chunky consistency. You can add a squeeze of orange / mandarin  juice and cinnamon and throw in the prunes (also soaked from night before and pip removed)… get imaginative ! A soaked apricot or two also works well.
 
Again this recipe is versatile and you can make different variations using different nut and fruits. In winter I love almonds, banana and raw cacao. In summer I love almonds + peaches or nectarines and clove powder. In winter also love a few cashews blended with pear.
 
These fruit and nut porridges are easy to make and quite filling. You can even turn them into smoothies by adding more liquid like some water or alternative milk.  I don’t usually add dried fruit as I feel they are already quite sweet on their own. But that is up to you in the end.