Want to start eating better but  not sure where to start? Try some of

our "nutritious but delicious" ideas:

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Breakfast Ideas

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Oat Pancakes

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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

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In a blender place:

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• 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

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Homemade Granola

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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

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Fruit Smoothie

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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)

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Pumpkin & Rosemary Muffins

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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:

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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

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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:

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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

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These muffins are delicious and freeze well; I’d recommend trying them!

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Lunch/Dinner ideas

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Tuna & Avocado on Wholemeal Bread:

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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!!

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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

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Smoked Mackerel Pate:

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You will need:

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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:

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You will need:

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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

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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:

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Filling:

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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)

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Base:

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100g brazil nuts

100g hazelnuts

100g sunflower seeds

20 organic dried apricots

2 tbsp coconut oil

Pinch of salt

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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!

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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

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Snack ideas

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Quinoa/Millet Crackers:

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You will need:

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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:

 

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Easy-to-make Almond Milk:

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You will need:

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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

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