Want to start eating better but not sure where to start? Try some of
our "nutritious but delicious" ideas:
Breakfast Ideas
Oat Pancakes
Why are these good for me?
Egg contains protein, oats are a source of sustainable energy and B vitamins, plus their
fibre content keeps you fuller for longer, soya milk is a good source of calcium plus
phytoestrogens, which studies show may help balance hormone levels during the
menopause. Coconut oil is a source of “good” fats, which help promote efficient cell
functioning and healthy cholesterol balance
In a blender place:
-
An egg
-
A handful of oats
-
Half a mug of soya milk or wholegrain rice milk
-
A tsp of bicarb and a pinch of cinnamon
Whizz until smooth and gently fry spoonfuls in coconut oil. Serve with banana or berries,
a couple of tablespoons of natural bio yoghurt and a
drizzle of honey/agave syrup
Homemade Granola
Why is this good for me?
Oats are a good source of sustainable energy, fibre to keep you fuller for longer, plus
B vitamins for mood balance. Seeds and flax seed oil provide both protein and “good”
fats, which are needed for efficient cell functioning, brain health and food digestion.
Coconut contains anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. Studies show cinnamon can
help aid blood sugar balance
You will need:
500 grams porridge oats
100g dessicated coconut (unsweetened)
100g sesame seeds
100g pumpkin seeds
100g sunflower seeds
1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons honey (locally produced if possible)
2 tablespoons extra virgin coconut butter (available from healthfood stores and some
supermarkets) plus 6 tablespoons flax seed oil
Mix all dry ingredients together. Then gently heat the honey with the flax seed oil and
coconut butter, until honey has dissolved. Pour this over dry ingredients and mix
thoroughly. Put into flat baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and even out so it’s
not too thick. Bake at 160 degrees centigrade for 20 minutes; mix around with a wooden
spoon after 10 minutes to ensure even cooking. Cool tray on a wire rack. When cooled a
variety of chopped nuts can be mixed in. Serve with a handful of fresh berries/grated
apple. Stores well in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks
Fruit Smoothie
Why Is This Good for Me?
Fruit provides a range of health-promoting vitamins and minerals plus energy, as well as
an energy source the high fibre levels in oats help sustain energy levels, protein and “good”
fats in nuts/seeds promotes satiety and health cell functioning
You will need: Two pieces of fruit i.e. handful of raspberries and blueberries, add small
handful of oats (pre-soaked overnight in water), plus small handful of un-salted nuts or
seeds, plus a high ball glass of coconut milk drink
Process and drink (a small chunk of fresh ginger can also be grated and added, which is
a good digestive aid)
Pumpkin & Rosemary Muffins
Try these muffins, I was really impressed with them. My recipe is a slightly healthier
adaptation of Lorraine Pascal’s muffins and really delicious! They make a great start to
the day for breakfast, combined with scrambled egg or as a healthy snack
You will need:
250g spelt flour
60g organic plain white flour
2 rounded teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
3 sprigs of fresh rosemary, finely chopped
240g cooked butternut squash, peeled and cubed into 5mm dice
2 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
100ml plain organic bio yoghurt
275ml coconut milk drink or wholegrain rice milk drink
2 tablespoons organic honey
60ml rice brain oil
Handful of pumpkin seeds
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and rosemary and mix well. Combine all
the remaining ingredients (but save 1/3rd of squash dice) in a bowl and mix well. Add to
dry ingredients and mix with a large spoon, mixing upto 8 turns; don’t over-mix as this
toughens up the muffins. Spoon into greased muffin tin and leave to rest for 5 minutes.
Add remaining pumpkin dice on top as decoration.
Bake in 200 degrees C/400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes until well risen and skewer
inserted comes out clean. Gently push pumpkin seeds into top of each muffin for decoration
Why is this recipe good for me?
I’ve tweaked this recipe and made it more healthy by using the following alternatives:
Spelt flour: contains less gluten than wheat and tends to be easier to digest
Coconut milk or rice milk drink are dairy-free and easier to digest
Rice bran oil is rich in vitamin E and plant sterols, which may help balance cholesterol
levels. Pumpkin seeds are a good source of “good” fats but unfortunately they start
breaking down and oxidising at low temperatures, so putting raw seeds on after the muffins
are cooked avoids this and retains their nutritional benefit
The fresh rosemary contains anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties; great for helping any
coughs or colds! Butternut squash contains a good source of beta-carotene, needed for
good vision and skin health
These muffins are delicious and freeze well; I’d recommend trying them!
Lunch/Dinner ideas
Tuna & Avocado on Wholemeal Bread:
I created this sandwich in response to the following news item:
"Cheapest, most nutritious lunch a toast sandwich" http://bbc.in/rCpSv2; what a load of
rubbish; this gives way too much carbohydrates, little protein and no essential fats; eating
this regularly will increase obesity levels!!
Try out my cheap, nutritious lunch:
½ can of drained tuna in olive oil, mixed with squeeze of lemon juice & black pepper
spread on 2 slices of thick sliced wholemeal bread
Topped with ½ sliced avocado
Why is this sandwich good for me? Contains a good balance of protein (tuna and
wholemeal bread), complex carbohydrates (wholemeal bread) and essential fats (tuna
and avocado), plus a good level of fibre (wholemeal bread)
Nutrition info:
Carbohydrates: 30.4g
Protein: 35.4g
Fibre: 6.8g
Salt: 1.6g
Saturated fats: 5.6g
Kcals: 451
Smoked Mackerel Pate:
You will need:
2 to 3 medium sized smoked mackerel fillets, with skin removed
2 to 3 tablespoons natural bio yoghurt (thick yoghurt is best)
2 teaspoons horseradish sauce / freshly grated horseradish
small bunch of fresh parsley roughly chopped
a couple of small sprigs of fresh dill (optional)
juice of 1/2 lemon
Black pepper, to taste
Put all ingredients in a food processor and process for a short time to ensure an even
mix, longer if you prefer a smoother pate. Serve on oat cakes with cucumber. Keep in
airtight container in fridge for a couple of days
Why Is This Recipe Good For Me?
Mackerel is a good source of both easily digestible protein and essential fats. Fresh
parsley is a good source of both vitamin C and iron
Immune Supporting “Warming” Prawn Curry:
You will need:
2 medium-sized green chillis; 1 small red chilli; 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger; 2 crushed
garlic cloves; 2 finely chopped shallots; 1 tbsp coconut oil; 1 lemon grass stalk;
200ml coconut milk; 2 chopped kaffir lime leaves (fresh/frozen for best flavour);
1 tsp fish paste; 250g fresh/frozen raw king prawns); 2 tbsp natural bio yoghurt;
2 fresh tomatoes, chopped; brown rice (100g per person); 4 cardamon pods
Gently fry green and red chillis plus seeds, ginger, garlic and shallots in coconut oil in a
large frying pan/wok for a couple of minutes. Then bash 1 lemon grass stalk, double over
and tie with string into a small bundle, add to pan. Then add coconut milk, kaffir lime
leaves, fish paste and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add king prawns and simmer until
completely pink on both sides. Remove lemon grass bundle; finish off by stirring in
yoghurt and chopped fresh tomatoes. Serve with brown rice cooked with 1 teaspoon
ground or freshly grated turmeric plus 4 cardamon pods (remove before serving)
Serve with steamed purple sprouting broccoli & steamed kale
This curry has a warmth to it but is not overly hot; a great immune supporting & warming
meal
Why is this curry good for me?
Chillis, ginger and garlic possess protective antioxidant properties, ginger is a good
digestive aid; garlic also possesses anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. Coconut
contains “good fats” which are linked with anti-inflammatory properties. Brown rice
provides a good source of fibre to keep you fuller for longer. Studies show turmeric
contains anti-inflammatory properties and is a powerful antioxidant, to help support the
immune system. Brocolli and kale are now in season, providing good sources of calcium
and magnesium
Dairy-free strawberry Cheesecake:
Filling:
250g fresh strawberries
50ml runny honey
100g plain organic soya yoghurt
175g coconut milk yoghurt (available from health food stores and some branches of Waitrose)
Base:
100g brazil nuts
100g hazelnuts
100g sunflower seeds
20 organic dried apricots
2 tbsp coconut oil
Pinch of salt
Method: Mix nuts and seeds together and dry fry gently for a couple of minutes until light
golden (not brown). Put nuts and seeds into processor until broken down into large chunks.
Then add the apricots, coconut oil and salt and process further – don’t over-process, you
want a fairly crunchy base. Press this into a non-stick 20cm easy-release cake tin and put
in freezer. Next make the filling – clean processor and add strawberries (save a few for
decoration), honey and both yoghurts and process to a smooth puree. Pour onto base and
freeze for two hours. Remove from freezer just before serving and add sliced strawberries
and fresh mint leaves to garnish. Don’t leave out for too long before serving to avoid it
becoming too soft to serve. Delicious and nutritious!
Why is this good for me?
Coconut possesses anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. Nuts and
seeds are a good source of essential fats for efficient cell functioning, dried apricots are
a good source of iron, organic strawberries are packed with immune and skin-supporting
vitamin C
Snack ideas
Quinoa/Millet Crackers:
You will need:
50g quinoa (or millet) flour
2 teaspoons sunflower or rapeseed oil
3 tablespoons water
Sieve the flour. Add the oil and water and fold in to form a dough. Roll out, lay on baking
tray and score lines to create cracker shapes. Bake at 175 degrees centigrade for 8-10
minutes. Put onto a wire rack to cool. The crackers will crisp up as they cool. Once cool,
gently break crackers along scored lines. A delicious gluten-free cracker, great with
hummus/salsa/tahini dips. Store in an airtight container
Why are these good for me?
Both millet and quinoa contain good levels of fibre to keep you fuller for long and are
easily digestible, gluten-free alternative to wheat crackers:
Easy-to-make Almond Milk:
You will need:
125g raw, skin-on almonds
200ml filtered cold water
1 tsp honey
Simply soak almonds in water over night. Drain almonds and put in food processor, add
honey and start off with 100ml water. Process until a smooth paste is formed, then add
more water depending on the thickness you want. Finally, put almond mixture in double
muslin cloth and squeeze into jug. Keeps for a couple of days in airtight container in the
fridge. Great to drink, make porridge with or add to
breakfast cereal/smoothies
Why is this good for me?
Almonds contain more bone strengthening calcium and magnesium, which is better
absorbed than sources in dairy milk
