Teriyaki Salmon Bowl

If you're looking to add some healthy omega 3 fats to your diet, salmon is an excellent way to do it! And this salmon bowl is a quick and easy midweek dinner, that you'll be keen to add to your weekly rota. 

Feel free to switch up the veggies to what's in season over the year, and don't forget that frozen veggies are just as healthy.

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 salmon fillets

2 tbsp tamari (soy sauce)

2 tbsp mirin (rice vinegar)

2 tbsp sherry

1 tsp honey

1 tsp water

1 tsp cornflour

180g cooked quinoa

60g fresh spinach

1 avocado, sliced

40g edamame, shelled

1 carrot, grated

1 tsp sesame seeds

1 sheet Nori (or roasted seaweed snack) cut into thin slices

1 spring onion, sliced

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.  Prepare a baking sheet with greaseproof paper on top of foil.

2. In a small pan, combine tamari, mirin, sherry and honey and heat gently over a low-medium heat.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cornflour and water. Add to the tamari and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and stir until the teriyaki reaches desired consistency (about 2-3 mins).

4. Place the salmon skin side down on the prepared baking sheet, brush with teriyaki sauce. Reserve any unused teriyaki sauce. Place in the oven and cook for approx. 12-15 mins until pink.

5. While the salmon is cooking, heat a large pan, drizzle a small amount of water and cook the spinach until it wilts, season with salt and pepper.

6. To assemble, divide the cooked quinoa between bowls. Top with the almonds, spinach, carrot, edamame, avocado, sesame seeds, onions and Nori strips. Drizzle the remaining teriyaki

sauce over the bowls.

7. Enjoy!

Everyday Lentil and Vegetable Soup

If you’re looking for the perfect batch cook recipe, here it is! You can make several portions in one go and pop them in the freezer for near-instant lunches.

Plus, this delicious, warming soup is perfect for the dreary January recipe. 

Ingredients:

2 tbsp coconut oil

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 shallots, diced

4 celery stalks, sliced

4 large carrots, sliced

2 litres vegetable stock (homemade or using 2 stock cubes)

4 sprigs rosemary or thyme

200g uncooked green lentils - rinsed and drained

160g kale, sliced

Black pepper

Fresh parsley, to serve (optional)

Method:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic, shallots, celery and carrots. Sauté for 4-5 mins until slightly tender and golden brown.
• Add the vegetable stock and rosemary/thyme to the saucepan, increasing the heat to a medium-high. Add the lentils, stir and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the lentils uncovered for 20-25 mins until soft and tender. 
• Remove the rosemary/thyme stalks before adding the kale. Stir and cook for 3-4 mins until the kale wilts. 
• Add a little black pepper or more fresh herbs to taste.
• Serve scattered with fresh parsley (optional).
• Enjoy!

Low Carb Christmas Cake

This cake was devised for Christmas cake lovers who don't want to upset their energy balance - traditional cake is very heavy on dried fruit. 

Note that because the cake has a low sugar and alcohol content, it will not keep for more than a week but can be frozen.

Ingredients

• 170g pitted prunes
• 115g dried apple rings
• 115g dried apricots
• 50ml brandy or tea
• 1 small apple, washed and grated
• Zest and juice of 1 orange
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1⁄2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 170g soft butter
• 85g Stevia
• 4 medium eggs
• 85g ground almonds
• 85g rice flour
• 1 tsp gluten free baking powder

Method:

• The day before you make the cake, chop the dried fruit into a bowl and pour over the brandy / tea. Leave overnight, stirring as you are passing / when you can.
• Line a 20cm deep cake tin with a double layer of greaseproof paper. Set the oven to 160˚C (140˚C fan). Cream the butter and Stevia, then stir in the chopped fruit, orange zest and grated apple. Add the vanilla and spices and beat the eggs in, one at a time. Don’t worry if it looks a bit curdled.
• Stir in the ground almonds, rice flour and baking powder and mix thoroughly. Finally, stir in the juice from half the orange to start with, adding more, if necessary, to make a soft consistency.
• Pour into the cake tin and level the top. Tie a double thickness of baking paper around the outside with string.
• Bake for 1.5 – 2 hrs until a skewer comes out clean. If the top is getting too dark, put a piece of foil over it. As soon as it is cool enough to touch, put a piece of foil tightly over the top and leave until completely cold - this softens the top of the cake. Remove from the tin and wrap in a double thickness of foil to store.
• Enjoy!

Lamb and Spinach Curry

This one takes a while to cook due to the cut of meat, but it is well worth it for that Saturday night curry.

Alternatively cook on a Sunday, whilst prepping your breakfasts and lunches for the week.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 red onion

4 garlic cloves

600g lamb shoulder

2 tbsp coconut or oliveoil

1tsp cayenne

3tsp ground coriander

3tsp ground cumin

1tsp turmeric

1/2tsp ground cinnamon

2 cardamom pods

2 tins chopped tomatoes

1 tin coconut milk

200g fresh spinach

200g frozen peas

1 lemon

Seasoning to taste

Method:

1. Finely slice the onion, crush and finely chop the garlic and on a separate board, cut the lamb into cubes

2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat and cook the onion for 4-5 mins until browned. Then add the garlic, cayenne, coriander, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon and cardamom and a couple twists of black pepper. Add 4 tbsp of water and fry  for a few mins until fragrant.

3. Add the lamb to the saucepan with a big pinch of salt and brown for 3-4 mins, adding water if it gets dry to prevent the spices from burning.

4. Add the tomatoes and bring the curry to a simmer. Cook for  45 mins, stirring every 15 mins.

5. Add the coconut milk, stir well and cook for a further 45 mins, again stirring every 15 mins.

6. Add the spinach and the peas and stir again until the spinach wilts.

7. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Serve with cauliflower rice or a side of steamed vegetables.

8. Enjoy!

Sesame Salmon

When we’re looking to balance hormones, what we put into our bodies is extremely important. This is an excellent recipe to choose – salmon is high in anti-inflammatory omega 3 fats; broccoli is a source of sulforaphane which helps with oestrogen clearance; and sesame seeds are rich in phytoestrogens. Plus, it’s quick and delicious!

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil

2 salmon fillets

6 spring onions, trimmed and cut into 3 pieces

12 cherry tomatoes

Black pepper

200g long-stemmed broccoli, trimmed

1 tbsp tamari

1 tsp sesame oil

½ tsp crushed chilli flakes (optional)

2 tsp sesame seeds

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 200C. Drizzle a baking tray with olive oil.
• Place the salmon fillets onto the tray, skin side down. Add the spring onions and tomatoes and season with black pepper. Bake for 8 minutes.
• Steam the broccoli for 5 minutes.
• Remove the tray from the oven and add the broccoli. Drizzle the tamari and sesame oil over the fish, and sprinkle everything with the chilli flakes and sesame seeds.
• Return to the oven for 4-5 minutes, or until the salmon is just cooked.
• Enjoy!

OVEN-BAKED RATATOUILLE

This is a family favourite and a great way to use up a glut of courgettes if you have them! I tend to make multiple batches of this, as it freezes quite well and then you can bring it out a later date. 

It goes really nicely with chicken or white fish, or for a veggie option you can add some chickpeas or puy lentils. Yum!

Ingredients:

3 x aubergine, cut into bite-size chunks

6 x courgette (or one giant marrow of a courgette!), cut into bite-size chunks

8 x red onions, cut into 1/8s

3 x red peppers, sliced

1 bulb garlic, peeled and cloves left whole

1 jar olives

Herbes de Provence

Olive oil

Seasoning

Green beans, sliced diagonally

3 x tins chopped tomatoes

Method:

• Preheat oven to 200 degress celsius
• Prepare all veg (except for green beans) and divide evenly between 3 oven trays
• Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle Herbes de Provence liberally, and season well
• Pop in the oven to cook for 20 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the edges catching
• When 20 mins have elapsed, add the chopped tomatoes and the green beans
• Return to the oven for 10 minutes
• Voila! Simple oven-baked ratatouille ready to eat and some to be frozen for another day.
• Enjoy!