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SUPERFOODSTheflexibleapproachtoeatingmoresuperfoods
JULIEMONTAGUTHEFLEXIFOODIEPhotographybyYukiSugiura
I’veregularlycomparedthesuperfoodsinthisbooktosuperheroes,andsoI’dliketodedicatethisbooktotherealsuperheroesinmylife:myfourchildren,Emma,Jack,WilliamandNestor.Youareeach,inyourownspectacularway,atruesuperhero.
CONTENTSTitlePage
Dedication
Superfoods,SuperYou!
TheGoldenRules
RestockingyourPantry
Breakfast
Fast-TrackSavers
PortableLunches
Mains
Sides
SweetTreats
Index
Acknowledgements
Copyright
SUPERFOODS,SUPERYOU!
ThereisNOdietonearththatwillyieldthesameresultsforeveryone.Solet’sthrowout theword‘diet’aswehavecometoknowitonceandforall.Feelbetteralready,right?!So,fromnowonlet’susetheproper,originaldefinitionof ‘diet’ when it passes through our lips. A diet is the kinds of food that aperson,animalorcommunityconsistentlyeats.Boom, thereyouhave it.Wearenot and shouldnot be looking to ever restrict ourselves to feelinggreat.However, there are some basic principles of eating that we can all benefitfrom.Inotherwords,yes,bybeingflexibleyoucanhaveyourcakeandeatit,too.Andthat’swhyIcallmyselfTheFlexiFoodie!
THISBOOKISFOREVERYONE
My‘FlexiFoodie’approachtomealtimesisnotoneofstrictrules;rememberwearenotdieting,thankgoodness!Instead,itdemonstrateshowitisbothsimpleandadvantageoustoembraceaplant-based,superfoodlifestyle–evenifonlyonapart-timebasis.Ialwaystellmychildrenthatiftheywereexactlyalikethenlifewouldbereallyboring.So,justaswith my children, no two people are identical in their preferences and nutritionalrequirements.Asaresult,thisbookiscompletelyinclusive–nomatterwhatyourcurrentdiet and lifestyle.Absolutely anyone and everyone can easily revolutionise their eatinghabits and take a giant leap down the path to long-lasting health. Instead of being aninstantprocess, thisbookdetailshowtomakeincrementalchangestoyour lifestyle thatservetoeradicatethebadandintroducethegood.
WHEREITWENTWRONG
But let’s start at the beginning.What causes us to gainweight andwhat are the healthissues that go hand in hand?Why are somany people getting heavier and heavier andsickerandsicker?Fortunately,studieshavebeenexaminingthesequestionsandwenowfinallyhavesomeanswers.
Over the past 100 years our consumption of meat, dairy, sugar and processed andpackagedfoodshaveskyrocketed.Thatinturnhasledtoanincreaseinobesityratesandhealthissues.ButthegoodnewsisthatyoucanchangeallthisveryeasilyandI’mgoingtoshowyouhow!
OUTWITHTHEBAD,INWITHTHEGOOD
Throughout thisbookanditsrecipes,wewillfocusonthefoodsthataremostpowerfulforhealth and reduceandeveneliminate theones that aren’t.Butwhat really counts iswhatworksforyouandthisisasuper-easyandfunwaytoexperimentwithanewwayofeating.Byaddingmoresuperfoodsintoyourdiet,youwillnaturallystarttocrowdoutthebadones.Ihaveseensomanypeoplebecomeslimmer,healthierandfeelsomuchbetterbysimplyincreasingthegoodanddecreasingthebad.Whenpeoplestarttocommentonhowamazingyoulook,andwhenyoustarttofeelbetterandbetterdaybyday,you’llbespurredon.Forme, the extrabonusof thiswayof life is the abundanceof energy thatcomeswithit.Youwillsoonnoticethatthistranslatesintofeelinggreat,everysingleday.
So,let’sbeginrevolutionisingyoureatinghabitssowecangetstartedonthejourneytoallthetremendousbenefits.Thefoodsthatyou’llwanttostartaddingtoyourplatearegreenleafyvegetables,wholegrains,legumes,vegetables,fruitsandnaturalsweeteners;manyofthese I term ‘superfoods’ because they’re SO jam-packedwith the nutrients your bodythriveson.Thefoodsthatwearegoingtodecreaseandmaybeeliminatecompletely,areanimalproducts(thisincludesdairy),refinedsugar,wheatandrefinedoils.Studieshaveshown that when you start to cut back on these food groups and increase yourconsumptionofwholesomeplant-basedfoods,yourhealthimproves–alot!
Somepeoplethinkthataplant-baseddietmightlackthenutritiontheyneedwheninfacttheoppositeis true.Whenyoureplacemeatwiththeseplant-basedfoods,youeliminatetheanimalfatsandotherthingsthatcanbedetrimentaltoyourhealth.Butthat’snotall.You’re also getting the fibre you need to keep thingsmoving,which in turn keeps youslim.Ontopofthat,you’rekeepingbadcholesterolatbayandallowingalltheincredibleantioxidantsandvitaminstobeabsorbedintoyourcellsandprotectyouagainstdisease.You can also rest assured that plant-based foods are not lacking in protein.When youincorporatewholefoodsintoyourdiet–dark,leafygreenveg,otherveggies,fruit,seedsandnuts–youwillgetyournecessaryquotaofprotein.
THEBOTTOMLINE:A PLANT-BASED DIET IS NUTRIENT-RICH – AN ANIMAL ONE ISNUTRIENTSTRIPPED.
MEAT
ButthisbookisNOTaboutcuttingalltheanimalproductsout.It’spossibletobeflexibleand have that piece of meat if you want to while combining it with an antioxidant,nutrient-densesidedishorpudding.Butlet’sexplorethisalittlebitmore–inparticular,oxidation,freeradicalsandantioxidants.
The process of oxidation within the human body damages cells. When oxygen ismetabolisedinthebody,freeradicalsarecreated.Thesefreeradicalsstealelectronsfromother molecules, which in turn causes damage. In today’s day and age, we are beingbombarded with free radicals and this overload has been linked to a whole host ofdiseases.Oxidationgainsmomentumthroughstress,smoking,alcohol,pollutionandotherfactors including digestion. For example, when you eatmeat it causes the digestion toworkincrediblyhardtobreakdownthefood.Simplyput, it takesabout twiceas longtodigestmeatcomparedtoplant-basedfoods.
Modernsciencebelieves80percentormoreofthedamagetothebodyiscausedbyfreeradicals.Thisiswherethepowerofincorporatingmoreplant-basedsuperfoodsintoyourdietbecomesyoursuperhero.Eatingarangeofgreenleafyvegetables,fruits,wholegrains,legumesandotherveggiesprovidesyouwithaplethoraofantioxidants.Notonlydotheseantioxidantsneutralisefreeradicals,buttheyremovethefreeradicalsfromthecellswhichinturnwillpreventorreducethedamagecausedbyoxidation.
DAIRY
DairyisanotheronethatIfeelneedstobecutrightbackorcutrightout.Wearetheonlyspeciesontheplanetthatstillconsumesmilkpasttheinfancystage.And,infact,humansaretheonlyspeciesthatconsumesmilkfromanotheranimal.Thousandsofstudieshavebeenconductedon theharmfuleffectsofdairy.But twobigproblemsstandout:mucusandinflammation.Dairycausesthebodytosecretetoomuchmucusandinturn,thebodythentriestogetridofthemucusthroughphlegmoracne.Thisover-abundanceofmucusleads to inflammation within the body, which then leads to low energy, poor sleep,irregulardigestion–and itcanevencausediseases. Ifcuttingbackoreliminatingdairyfromyourdietflagsthequestionaboutgettingenoughcalciumthenconsidereatingmoredark, leafygreenvegetables.Afterall, this iswherecowsget theircalcium.Statisticallyspeaking,osteoporosisandhipfracturesareactuallylowerandpracticallynon-existentincountrieswiththelowestrateofdairyconsumption.
Ontheplusside,therearesomeamazingplant-basedmilksouttherefinally.Thevariety,which ranges from almond to quinoa to oat to coconut, is amazing and they are farhealthier thananimal-basedmilk.WhenI first switchedmyentire family toplant-basedalternatives,IboughteveryvarietyIcouldgetmyhandsonanddidatastetesttofindoutwhopreferredwhat.Tryit,itworks!
PROCESSEDANDPACKAGEDFOODS
Justlikerefinedsugar,processedandpackagedfoodsaredangerouslyaddictive.Andjust
likesugaranddairy,these‘junk’foodscauseinflammation.Butthereallyunfortunatefactisthatthesefoodsarepumpedwithnastyadditivesinordertoboosttasteandshelf-life.Remember,additivesarechemicalsandchemicalsarefreeradicals.Aswealreadyknow,freeradicalsdamagecells.Processedfoodshavebeenstrippedoftheirenzymes,vitaminsand natural fibres in order for them to stay on the shelf longer, but in turn theywreakhavoc in your body. Real, whole foods rot and decompose over time unlike processed‘junk’foodsthatremainunalteredwhilelivingonashelfformonthsorevenyears!
Whatwewanttodoisbeflexible.I totallygetit thatwewillgrabthatjaroftomatoorcurrysaucewhenwe’reinarushorexhaustedandneedsomethingquick.Wejustneedtobalanceitoutwithfoodsthatarerealandwholeandmakeusfeelgreat.
SUGAR
Refinedsugarisinpracticallyeveryprocessedandpackagedfoodoutthere.Itisaddictiveandcreatescravings,lowenergyandbadmoods.Atfirstbiteitspikesourbloodsugarandwefeelhappyandalive.Butjustasquickly,itleavesusexhausted,ravenousandgloomy.So,whatdowedo?Weendupeatingmoreofitandthecyclecontinues.
Refinedsugaralsotriggerstheproductionofexcessinsulin,whichdrivesourcellstostorefat. If that’s not enough to put you off sugar, then consider that it causes inflammationwithinthebody.Inflammationhasbeenshowntocontributetoanumberofdiseasessuchascancer,diabetesanddigestionproblems.Wewillbeintroducinganumberofamazingsugar alternatives that are not only sweet to taste and help kick that addictive sugarcraving,butarealsofilledwithamazingnutrientstopleaseyourbodyandkeepyourmindbalanced.
DON’TFRET!
Don’tberateyourselfifyoudoconsumethatsteak,milkshake,meringueorbagofcrispsoccasionally.Whenyoudo,youknowyoucancounteractthatwithfoodsthatourbodiestrulywantandneed.Vegetablesandfruitscontainthousandsofnutrientswithsuperherohealthpowers.Thesevegetablesand fruitsalongwithwholegrains, legumesandnaturalsweetenersarefulloffibre,protein,ironandcalcium,tonamejustafew.Bydecreasingourintakeofmeat,dairy,sugarandprocessedfoods,wecanreachanewlevelofhealthandwell-beingthatweneverexpectedwecouldenjoy.
REMEMBERTHATBY INTRODUCINGMORESUPERFOODS,YOUWILLNATURALLYCROWDOUTTHEBADSTUFF.
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THEGOLDENRULESThereare75trillioncellswithinthebodyandtheyallworkveryhardtokeepusgoing.Thenutrientsfromthefoodweeatisabsorbedbyeverysingleoneofthesecells.Inordertomaximiseourhealth,wemustmaximisewhatnutrientsgetabsorbedsothatwecanfeelgreateveryday.Youdonotneedtogoonsomecrazydiettostartfeelinggreat.Infact,I’mnotsureifthereisafaddietouttherethatactuallymakesyoufeelgood–itseemstomethatmostofthemmakeyoufeelprettygloomy.I’vecomeupwithsomeGoldenRulestofeelinggreateveryday.Startfollowingtheseandthere’snoreasonwhyyoucan’tkeephavingthosechocolatebiscuitseverysooften.
IncreasewholegrainsFrom quinoa to bulghur wheat to brown rice to wholewheat pasta to soba noodles – get it in your everyday diet.Wholegrainsareawonderfulsourceofnutrition.Thebodyabsorbswholegrainsslowlyandthereforetheydeliverslow-releasingenergy.Andbecausewholegrainscontainfibre,theyhelptocontrolbloodsugarandbloodcholesterol,makeyoufeelfullsoyoueatless,andaidinthepreventionofconstipation.
IncreasesweetvegetablesFromcorntocarrotstobeetroottosquashtosweetpotatoes–theseguysreallydohelptocrowdoutthenot-so-healthyfoods in your diet. If you’re somewhat dependent on refined sugar to sate your sugar cravings, not only are sweetvegetablespackedwithasuperhighwayofnutrients,buttheyappealtothatsweettooth,too.
Increasedark,leafygreenvegetablesFromkaletospinachtoromainelettucetopakchoi,darkleafygreenvegetablesarecrammedwithgoodness.Yetwhat’sthefoodthat’smostmissinginthemoderndaydiet?Bingo!It’sdark,leafygreens.Frombloodpurificationtoimprovedcirculationtoastrengthenedimmunesystemtoelevatedmoods,thebenefitsofthesegreensaretoovaluabletoignore.Whetheryouconsumethemthroughjuicingtosmoothies,ormains,sidedishesorsnacks,makeapointtoincludethemeverysingleday.
IncreasegoodfatsFromavocados tococonuts tonutsandseeds– thesefatsareyour friends.Weneed theseparticular friendsforbrainfunction, joint protection andenergy.Evenmore so than carbohydratesorproteins, good fats are thegreatest energysourceandmoreenergyhelpstoboostthemetabolism.
IncreaselegumesandbeansFromchickpeastomungbeanstolentilstoblackbeans–thisfoodgroupisasuperiorplant-basedproteinsource.Therearesomanyvarietiesoutthereandtheyaresoversatilethatyouwillnevertireofthem.Icertainlyhaven’t!
DecreaseyourrefinedsugarFrom starving the brain to fuelling inflammation to ageing the skin to upsetting hormones, refined sugar has beenchemicallyprocessedandliterallystrippedofallbeneficialnutrients.Yuck.Checkoutdates,coconutpalmsugar,honeyandmaplesyrupinsteadtogetawholesome,nutrient-richdoseofthesweetstuff.
DecreaserefinedoilTheprocessofrefiningoilisequivalenttotherefiningofsugarandwholewheatintowhitefoods.Thinkofitthisway–it’stakingaperfectlygoodfoodchock-fullofitsnaturaloccurringvitamins,mineralsandenzymesandstrippingthosegoodiesout.Banishthevegetableoil,saffloweroilandsunfloweroilonceandforall.
Experimentwithnon-dairyalternativesPlant-basedmilksareagreatalternativetocows’milk.Freefromallcholesterolandlactose(thesugarinanimalmilk),thesenon-dairyalternativesareplentiful in fattyacidsandburstingwithvitaminsandminerals.Nowadays, there isa
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hugevarietyincludingalmond,quinoa,coconut,rice,oatandhazelnuttonameafew.Goon,taketheplunge!
ExperimentwiththesuperfoodsuperheroesCertainsuperfoodsuperheroesarethemostimpressive,almighty,super-condensedandnutrient-richfoodsintheworld.Fromimprovingoverallwell-beingtoreducinginflammationtoboostingthe immunesystemandalkalisingthebody,these superheroes nourish us deep within. Unleash your inner superhero by experimenting with cacao, goji berries,baobab,spirulina,beepollenandyes,evenseavegetables.
Eatlessmeat,dairy,sugarandpackagedorprocessedfoodsThesefoodsarecleverlydesignedtoswitchontheindulgentheadquartersinourbrainandbrainwashusintomakingbadfoodchoices.So,what’s thesimplesolution?Eatmoreplants. Iknowthatmaysounddaunting,but the tenthGoldenRuleisnotabouttakingitallaway–it’saboutawillingnesstocomeaboardanewadventureandexperiment,diginandbringbackwholefoodsintheirnaturalstate.Amen.
RESTOCKINGYOURPANTRY
Iwanttomakesurethatyouhavehealthyandnutritiousfoodsonhandatalltimes so thatyounevercomehomeand say, ‘there’snothing toeat’.Whichoftenmeans thatyougrab something incrediblyunhealthyandusuallydon’tfeel so great afterwards. I don’twant you to feel daunted by the amount ofingredientstohaveinyourpantry,becauseinrealitythelistisn’texhaustive.Infact,I’vemadeitmanageablesothatyoucanchoosewhichoftheseitemsyou want to get. If you need guidance, I’ve dropped them into threecategories:
MUST translatesas: ‘Yes,youshoulddefinitelyhave this inyourpantry,sogooutandgetit!’
SHOULDtranslatesas:‘Well,Idoadviseitasitisagoodie!’
AndCOULDtranslatesas:‘I’mnotinsisting–it’sjustanotherhealthyoptiontohaveonhand.’
Havingmostoftheseitemsinstockwillhelpsupportyournew-foundhealthyeating habits and reduce the guilty temptations. Not only have I organisedthem into lists, but there is also a short explanation for each of them,explainingtheirhealthyadvantage.
MUST
WHOLEGRAINS
It’s great to have a variety of wholegrains on hand because not only is their shelf lifeanywherefromsixtoninemonths,buttheseguysmakesomesuper-filling,nutrient-richandenergy-boostingmeals.BROWNRICE
Becauseitstillhasitsbranlayerunharmed(asopposedtostrippedlikewhiterice),brownriceretainsallitsnaturallyoccurringnutrients,suchasiron,manganese,selenium,magnesiumandfibre.Outofallthegrains,brownricecontainsthehighestamountofBvitamins.Andasabonus,brownriceisalsoglutenfree.
QUINOA
Outofallthewholegrains(infact,it’saseed),quinoahasthegreatestnutritionalrésumé.Anditcooksthefastestoutofall the grains, too.Butwhat’s sowonderful about quinoa is that it contains all eight amino acids,whichmakes it acompleteprotein.
ROLLEDOATS
Theseguysaresoeasytoignore,buttheyboastahugenutritionalprofile.Just90gofthesepale,smallgrainsprovide6gproteinand4gfibre.Andmanganese–amineralthathelpstocreateenzymesforbonebuilding–isfoundinabundanceinthislittlegrain.It’satotallyaffordableandnutrient-densegrainthatcanbeusedinsomanydifferentways.
WHOLEGRAINFLOURS
Here’smyadvice:gothroughyourpantryrightnowandthroughawayallwhiteflour.Ipromiseyou,youdon’tneediteveragain.Whitewheatflourishighlyrefined,thereforeithas been stripped of its fibre, fatty acids, minerals and vitamins. You can still makeamazing, delicious andmore interesting treats by usingwholegrain flours,which aren’tdevoidoftheirnaturalnutrients.WHOLEMEAL/WHOLEGRAINFLOUR
This formofwheat flour contains the entirekernel of thegrain, from thebran to the endosperm to thegerm,whichmeanswekeepallthevitaminsandfibreinourbaking.
OATFLOUR
Here’syourtotallyaffordablegraininflourform.Itissoversatileandpackedwithhealth,whichmakesitawinnerforbakingwith.
BEANS
Beans are full of protein and very filling, making them a great substitute for meat inmeals. They are low in fat and high in dietary fibre, and come in amassive variety ofshapes,texturesandflavours.CHICKPEAS
Chickpeasaregreatfordigestivehealth.Consumingasmallamounteachdaycanalsolowerlevelsofbadcholesterolandimprovehearthealth.Theantioxidantcompositionofchickpeasiscomplexandvaluable,providingaseriousboostofgoodness.
LENTILS(RED,BROWNANDPUY)
Thereareseveraldifferentvarietiesoflentilsavailable,withthemostcommonbeingred,brownandPuy.Lentilsarean
amazing source of protein and carbohydrates, and also contain impressive levels of calcium, iron, phosphorous andmanyBvitamins.
SEEDSANDNUTS
There’ssomuchtowriteaboutnutsandseedsbecausetheyarehighineverything!Fromproteintocalciumtoironandfolicacid,theselittlepowerhousespackanutritionalpunch.However,youdon’tneedalottoreapthebenefits–asmallhandfulisideal.WALNUTS
Possiblymyfavouritenutbecausetheycontainhighamountsofomega3fattyacids.Infact,a32gservingofwalnutscontains over 90 percent of the recommended daily allowance of these fatty acids. In addition, walnuts are specialbecausethefatsinthemarepredominantlypolyunsaturated,whereasmostothernutstypicallycontainhighamountsofmonounsaturatedfats.
ALMONDS
Almonds are actually the seed of a stone fruit, related to apricots and peaches.Out of all the nuts, almonds are thehighest in calcium and fibre. Countless studies have shown that eating these wonderful nuts regulates blood sugar,lowerscholesterolandcanevenassistwithweightloss.
PUMPKINSEEDS
Theseedofourfriendthepumpkin,theyareafantasticsourceoftheaminoacidtryptophan,whichisconvertedintoserotonin– and remember, serotonin isnature’s sleepingaid.So,perhaps it’s agood idea tohave ahandfulof thesebeforeyouheadofftobedatnight.
CHIASEEDS
Handsdownmyfavouriteseedandhere’swhy:simplyconsume1 tablespoonofchiaseedsadayandyou’ve treatedyourbody tomorecalciumthanacupofmilk,moreomega3s thanapieceofsalmon,andmoreantioxidants thanahandfulofblueberries.
BUTTERS
Choosing dairy-free alternatives to butter is not only simple because of the range ofoptionstochoosefrom,but isalsoanincrediblechoiceforoptimumhealth.Plant-basedbuttersarehighinnutrients,whereasdairy-basedalternativesarehighinsaturatedfatandcholesterol.ALMONDBUTTER
Almondbuttercontainshighlevelsofunsaturatedfat,whichisgreatforthehearthealth.Thehighomega-3countalsocontributestotheoptimumhealthofyourheart,andwillalsohelptoprotectyouagainststrokesandcertaindiseases.When you eat almond butter, you are supplying your body with a wealth of potassium, magnesium, iron, calcium,phosphorousandalsoageneroushelpingofvitaminE!
SEAVEGETABLES
Consideredthesinglemostnutritiousfoodontheplanet,seavegetablesarepackedwithall the minerals we need for good health. Even though it is one of the world’s mostplentiful foods, it is one of the most wasted and underused. So let’s get more seavegetablesintoourdietsbysimplyincorporatingtheminsoups,saladsandstir-fries.NORI
Outofalltheseaweeds,notonlyisnoritheeasiesttodigest,italsocontainsthehighestamountofprotein.
DULSEFLAKES
Incrediblyhighiniron,dulseflakesarealsoafantasticsubstitutefortablesaltforthoselookingtocutdownorcutout,asdulseenhancestheflavourandsaltinessofyourmeals.Thisflakeisyourfriend.
DRIEDFRUITANDNATURALSWEETENERS
Whyrestockyourpantrywithnaturalsweeteners?Well,ifyouhaven’theard,whitesugar(and even brown sugar) has prettymuch all its built-in vitamins andminerals strippedaway.When these vitamins andminerals are removed, it wreaks havoc on your bloodsugarlevelsandcauses‘sugarblues’becauseyourbodyneedstheseverynutrientstohelpmetabolisethesugaryoueat.RAISINS
Theselittlegemsareagreatboostofenergywhenyou’refeelingsluggishbecauseoftheirnaturalsugars,andarealsoahigh sourceofdietary fibre tokeep thingsmoving in thedigestive tract.Plus, they are super-high in a tracemineralcalledboron,whichisimportantforhealthybonesasitconvertsvitaminDtoitsactiveform,andwithoutvitaminD,wecan’tabsorbcalciumeffectively.
DATES
Datescontaintoomanyvitamins,mineralsandphytonutrientstolist,solet’sjustsaythateventhoughtheyaren’ttheprettiestfoodstolookat,theyaredefinitelywortheatingforoverallwell-being.
COCONUTPALMSUGAR
Offeringmore vitamins,minerals and phytonutrients than refined sugar, coconut palm sugar is also very low on theglycemicindex–rankingat35comparedtosugar,whichranksbetween60and75.Itiseasytoreplacesugarinyourcooking,ascoconutpalmsugarcanbesubstituted,gramforgram,forrefinedsugar.
CONDIMENTS
The things we add to our meals have the potential to either add extra nutrition or tocompromise the healthy status of a dish.By choosing condiments that are beneficial tooptimumhealth,weareabletoaddflavourtomealtimeswhilstalsodoingthebestforour
bodies.APPLECIDERVINEGAR
Thepotentiallong-termbenefitsofincludingapplecidervinegarinyourdietrangefromweightlosstopreventingheartdisease.Itisalsogreatforcontrollingbloodsugarlevels.
MUSTARD
Thispopularcondimentisthecombinationofmustardseeds,water,vinegarandaselectionofspicesandflavourings.Itislowincaloriesandhighinselenium,whichhasantioxidantpropertiesthatprotectthecellsfromdamage.Mustardisalsoagoodsourceofomega-3fattyacids,whichareessentialforthehealthofyourbraintissue.
FRESHGINGER
Thisimmune-boostingfoodismostcommonlyknownforitsabilitytofightcoldsandflu.Gingeralsohaseffectiveanti-inflammatorypropertiesandwill addanaromatic flavourwhenused incooking.VitaminsB6,EandCare themostprominentvitaminsfoundinginger,alongsidealonglistofminerals.Duetoitsstrongmedicinalqualities,ithasbeenusedinChinaforover2,000yearstotreatvariousailments.
FRESHGARLIC
In largedoses,garliccanprovidesomeserioushealthbenefits to thecirculatorysystem,aswellasprotectingagainstcertaincancers.However,whenconsumedinsmall,regulardoses,garlicwillstillcontributetoall-roundgoodhealth.Itislowinfat,completelyfreeofcholesterolandwillhelpyourbodytoabsorbcalciumfromothersources.
VANILLAEXTRACT
Vanilla extract is the liquid form of the vanilla bean and is used both in cooking and for medicinal purposes. It isrumouredtohaveaphrodisiacpropertiesandismostpopularlyusedtoflavouravarietyofdrinksandbakedgoods.Itcontainstraceamountsofessentialmineralsandisespeciallyhighinpotassium,whichhelpstocontrolbloodpressureandheartrate.
OILS
I’mafraid thatnotalloilsarecreatedequal.So it’sessential toget ridofanyunrefinedoils and replace themwitha fewhealthy, refinedoils. I’veonly listeda few,as franklyonly a few oils are needed for all your cooking needs. The oils I’ve listed help ourmetabolismtofunctioneffectivelyandfeedourskin,hairandnails.COCONUTOIL
Frommaintainingahealthyheart and fighting infection, to improvingdigestionandmetabolismandevenpromotinghealthy skin and hair, coconut oil is the mother of all oils in my book. Because it doesn’t breakdown at hightemperatures,it’sfantasticformostofyourcookingneeds.
OLIVEOIL
Make sure you buy unfiltered, first cold-pressed olive oil (extra-virgin), as it retainsmore nutrients than the filteredvariety.Oliveoilcontainsheart-healthyantioxidants,butifitgetsheatedtoohigh,thesebeneficialcompoundsstarttodeteriorate.So,it’sbesttouseoliveoilinasaladdressing,oronlycookwithitoveralowtomediumheat.
SPICESANDHERBS
Incorporatingspicesintocookingisthebestwaytoaddflavourandnutritiontoamealatthesametime.Justadashofspicecanmakeadulldishmoreexcitingforthetastebudsandmorebeneficialforthebody.TURMERIC
Thisspicehasabitterbutwarmflavourandismostcommonlyusedtomakecurry.Ithaslongbeenusedmedicinallyforitsanti-inflammatoryproperties,andinChinesemedicinetotreatdepression.Recentresearchhasalsoshownittobeastrongantioxidantthatcanhelptocontrolcholesterollevels.
CINNAMON
This sweet spice boasts one of the highest known antioxidant strengths and is an excellent source of vitamins andminerals.Oneteaspoonofgroundcinnamonhasasmuchantioxidantstrengthasacupofpomegranatejuiceorhalfacupofblueberries.Ithasstronganti-inflammatoryandantisepticpropertiesandcanhelpwithdigestivehealth.
CAYENNEPEPPER
Cayennepepperhasbeenused throughouthistory fordetoxing regimes, as it stimulates thecirculatoryanddigestivesystemsandneutralizesacidityinthebody.
CUMIN
Cookingwithgroundcuminisafantasticwaytogetmagnesiumintoyourbody.Magnesiumisessentialforoptimumhearthealthaswellashelpfulforcontrollingbloodpressure.Cuminisalsoarichsourceofiron,whichyourbodyneedstocarryoxygentothecells.
PAPRIKA
Paprikawilladdavibrantredtinttoadish.Itisloadedwithcarotenoids,whicharefantasticforeyehealth.ItisalsoextremelyhighinvitaminA,whichisessentialforahealthyimmunesystemandcellgrowth.
SUPERFOODSUPERHEROES
These are possibly my favourite foods to write and talk about. Granted, I could list awholebunchmore,butfortherecipesincludedinthisbook,thesuperheroeslistedbelowhave thewinning combinationof being easier to find, easier to incorporate into recipesandyetstillaresupernutrient-dense.Atfirstglance,superfoodsmightseemquitepricey,butbearinmindthatyouonlyneedapinchtogetahugeshotofnutrients.GOJIBERRIES
Knownas the secret to longevity and strengthening the immune system inChinesemedicine,gojiberries contain18aminoacids,includingtheeightessentialones,andanincredibleamountofantioxidants.
CACAOPOWDER
Chocolate – we all love it. But cacao is KING as it has not been toasted, roasted or cooked, like cocoa, thereforeretainingalltheoriginalhealthbenefits.Cacaoisoneofthemostantioxidant-richfoodsontheplanet,aswellasbeingoneofthebestplant-basedsourcesofmagnesium,whichhelpstokeepusrelaxed.
BAOBABPOWDER
ThenewestsuperfoodfromAfricatohit themarket isbaobab.It isdenserinironthanredmeat,denserinvitaminCthanoranges,andisagreatsourceofcalcium,potassiumandmagnesium.
SPIRULINA
Touted as the original ‘superfood’, this blue-green algae is so nutrient denseyou could surviveon just spirulina andwateralone.Tonsofstudieshavebeencarriedouttoprovespirulina’sstatusasTHEnutrientpowerhouse.Itcontainsabout 60 percent protein and all the eight essential amino acids, plus a high chlorophyll content, making it a greatdetoxifier.Simplyput,spirulinaisoneofthemostnutritiousfoodsourcesintheworld.
BEEPOLLEN
Beepollenisnowbeingrecognisedasoneoftheworld’smostcompletefoodsasitcontainsnearlyallthenutrientsyouneed.Itismoreabundantinproteinsthananyotheranimalsourceand,gramforgram,itcontainsmoreaminoacidsthanbeef,eggsorcheese.
AÇAÍBERRY
Theredgrapesusedtomakewineconsistofacompoundcalledanthocyanin,whichishighinantioxidants.Theaçaíberryincludestheseparticularantioxidantsbuthasupto30timesthatamount.
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WHOLEGRAINSPEARLBARLEY
Thisispackedwithfibre,soit’swonderfultouseinplaceofarborioricewhenmakingrisotto,asitabsorbsflavoursjustasreadilyasrice.It’salsocholesterolfreeandhaslessthan1gfatperserving.
BUCKWHEATANDSOBANOODLES
Buckwheatstaysinthedigestivetractthelongestoutofallwholegrains(infact,it’saseed),makingitthemostfilling.Thisgrainisactuallyarelativeofrhubarbandisfamouslyknownforstabilisingbloodsugar–itisthereforeaverygoodgrainfordiabetics.Sobanoodlesaremadefrombuckwheatflour,whichmakesboththegrainandthenoodleglutenfree.
WHOLEGRAINFLOURSCOCONUTFLOUR
Madefromdriedcoconutmeat,thisflourisagreatsourceoflauricacid,whichsupportstheimmunesystemandthyroid,aswellaspromotinghealthyskin.
BEANSBLACKBEANS
Research has shown that the colon benefits from a diet rich in black beans because of their effect on good bacteriagrowth.Theyarealsoincrediblylowcalorie,whilstalsobeinghighinfibreandcarbohydrates,makingthemtheperfectenergisingfood.
EDAMAME
Edamamearemadefromsoyabeansthathaven’treachedfullmaturityyet.Theyareafantasticsourceofdietaryfibre,protein,omegafattyacidsandcarbohydrates,aswellascontainingmanyothervitaminsandminerals.Theyareoneofthefewplant-basedfoodsthatcontainallnineessentialaminoacidsandmakeagreatsnackbetweenmeals.
SEEDSANDNUTSPINENUTS
Yetanotherseedthat’scalledanut,pinenutsareactuallytheseedofthepinecone.Theyarerichinmagnesiumandinafattyacidcalledpinoelicacid,whichhasbeenproventoaidinweightloss.Again,thereisnoneedtooverindulgeasasmallhandfulisenoughtogetabignutritionalboost.
SESAMESEEDS
Anexcellentsourceofcopper,whichisessentialtothefunctioningofourorgansandefficientmetabolism,sesameseedsalsocontaintwodistinctivesubstances:sesaminandsesamolin,bothofwhichhelptolowercholesterol.
FLAXSEEDS
A truly extraordinary source of omega-3 fatty acids, which, amongst a host of other benefits, help to calm anyinflammationinthebody.However,thebodycanonlytakeadvantageofthesefatswhentheseedsareground.Somyadvice is to buy ground flaxseeds to save the hassle of grinding them yourself. As they are so high in these fats,flaxseedsneedtobestoredinthefridgeorfreezer,ortheywillspoilveryquickly.
HEMPSEEDS
Justlikeflaxseeds,hempseedscontainahighamountofomega-3fattyacids,butforthosewhoavoidanimalproducts,hempseedsareagreatalternative,astheycontainaveryhighamountofqualityprotein,too.
BUTTERS
TAHINI
Tahiniismadefromgroundsesameseedsandcomesintwoforms,eitherhulled(light)orunhulled(dark).Hulledtahinilosesmanyof its nutrients during the production processwhereas the seeds in unhulled tahini aremostly left intact.Unhulled tahini is rich inminerals, suchasphosphorous, lecithinandmagnesium,aswell asbeingagreat sourceofmethionine,whichhelpstodetoxifytheliver.
NON-DAIRYMILKS
There are several reasons people opt for non-dairy alternatives to regular milk. Thesedays, there is such an incredible range available and most are packed with essentialnutrients,vitaminsandminerals.Aswellasbeingmuchbetterforhealththandairymilk,thesealternativesalsohaveamuchlongershelflifeandcomeinavarietyofflavours.OATMILK
Oatmilkisahighfolic-acid,high-fibrealternativetodairymilkthatwillreducebadcholesterollevels.Oatsareknowntoenhancetheimmunesystem,whilstalsoprotectingagainstcardiovasculardiseases.Theymakeforatastydrinkinthisform,too.
COCONUTMILK
Thisamazinglynutritiousdairyalternativeismadefromthefleshofthecoconut.ItcontainsanabundanceofvitaminsB,CandE,aswellasbeingrichiniron,phosphorous,potassiumandmagnesium.
ALMONDMILK
Thisisafantasticdairy-freeoptionforthosewhoareallergictosoy.Ithasanutty,creamyflavourandisquitesimpletomakeathome.Almondmilkistheperfectchoiceforthosewhoarelookingaftertheirheart,asitcontainsabsolutelynocholesterolorsaturatedfat.
DRIEDFRUITANDNATURALSWEETENERSAPRICOTS
Oftenoverlooked,apricotsareoneofmyfavouritedriedfruitsastheyarelowincalories,andhighinfibre,vitaminCandvitaminA,which,amongstotherbenefits,isgoodforyoureyesight.
MAPLESYRUP
Lowerontheglycemicindexthanrefinedsugar,maplesyrupboastsupto54differentantioxidants–doubletheamountpreviouslythought.Replace200gsugarwithabout120mlmaplesyrup.
RAWHONEY
Mosthoneyisheatedthusdestroyingsomeofitsenzymes,antioxidantsandantibacterialproperties.Rawhoneyhasanimpressiveandexceptionalnutritionalvalue.Replace200gsugarwithabout120mlor160ghoney.
CONDIMENTSSAUERKRAUT
ThistraditionalGermandish,madefromcabbage,boastssomeserioushealthbenefitsduetothegoodbacteriathatareproducedasitismade.Ascabbageferments,live,friendlybacteriagrowandcombatanybadbacteriaasitentersyourdigestivesystem.ItisalsofulloffibreandawealthofvitaminsKandC.However,itisfairlyhighinsodium,soenjoyinmoderation.
OLIVES
Olivesarenaturallydeliciousandhavesuchavarietyofhealthbenefitsthateatingthemeverydayisagreatidea.Theycanstimulate thedigestivesystem,reducebadcholesterol in thebodyandhelptocontrolbloodsugar.Addedtothis,they are a good source of dietary fibre and antioxidants, plus a range of essential minerals. They are incrediblyaffordable,especiallywhenboughtinbulk.
OILS
FLAXSEEDOIL
The‘3’inomega-3fattyacidsreferstothe3bighittersthatareabsorbedfromfoods.Flaxseedoil,inparticular,containsa high amount of one of these: alpha-linoleic acid (ALA). For years, ALAwas overlooked, but the health benefitsassociatedwithALAarefinallybringingit,andflaxseed,intothespotlight.
SPICESANDHERBSBASIL
Basilisburstingwithphytonutrients,whichnourishthebodyandhelptocombatdisease.ItcontainsexceptionallyhighamountsofvitaminAandbeta-carotene,whicharebotheffectiveatfightingfreeradicalsinthebody.
MUSTARDSEEDS
Mustardseedsareagreatsourceofbothseleniumandmagnesium,making themuseful in reducing thesymptomsofconditionslikeasthmaandarthritis.Theyareperfectforuseasacondimentandacookingingredient.
BAYLEAF
This herb is a tasty way to season curry and soup dishes, but also has powerful medicinal properties that combatinfectionandhealwounds.Bayleavescanbeusedinfresh,driedorpowderedform,butaremostcommonlyusedasdriedwholeleaves.
TAMARI
Madefromfermentedsoyabeans,tamariissimilarinflavourandtexturetosoysauce.However,itisgenerallyricherandthicker,andcontainslesssaltthansoysaucedoes.Furthermore,itisusuallyglutenfree,unlikesoysauce.Tamariisadelicioussourceofniacin,protein,manganeseandalsotryptophan,makingitahealthyadditiontothediningtable.
COULD
WHOLEGRAINSMILLET
Super-highinmagnesium,potassium,iron,fibreandprotein,thisancientgrainhasbeenaroundforthousandsofyears.Personally,Ilikeitbecauseitcontainssilica–whichhelpstostrengthenskin,hairandnails.Andit’sglutenfree,too.
BULGHURWHEAT
Bulghurwheatismadebypar-cookingandcoarselygrindingwheatberries.Itisrichinproteinandmineralsandservesasagreatalternativetoriceorpasta.
WHOLEGRAINFLOURSBUCKWHEATFLOUR
Youalreadyknowthatbuckwheatisgoodforyouasagrain.Butasflour,Iloveitevenmoreasitcanbeusedtomakeamazingpancakes,cupcakesandbreads.
SPELTFLOUR
Speltisanancientgrainandadistantcousinofwheatthatiseasiertodigestthatwheatitself.Itboastsanexceptionalmineralcontent,includingironandmagnesium,andspeltflourcanbeeasilysubstitutedforwheatinmanyrecipes.
QUINOAFLOUR
Justlikethequinoagrain,thisflourcontainsmoreproteinthananyoftheotherflours.Itisagluten-freeflourthathasaslightlynuttyflavourandisgreatforbiscuits,cakes,pastaandbread.
BEANSADZUKI
Thesebeans are a reddishbrown colour andhave a sweet, nut-like flavour.They aremost commonlyused inAsiancuisineandareespeciallypopularinJapanfortheirhealth-boostingproperties.Theyarehighinsolublefibreaswellasarangeofnutrients,suchasriboflavin,niacin,thiamineandpotassium.
CANNELLINI
Cannellini beans are an excellent high-fibre, low-calorie source of protein, and they supply the bodywith beneficialcomplexcarbohydrates.Thesebeansarealsopackedwithpotassium,zinc,ironandmanyotheressentialvitaminsandminerals.
TOFU
Tofuisagreatwayforvegetariansandveganstogettheirfillofproteinandit’stheperfectaccompanimenttoalow-fat,low-caloriediet.Tofuitselfdoesn’thavemuchflavour,butitwilleasilyabsorbtheflavoursofthefoods,spicesorherbsthatyoucookitwith.
SEEDSANDNUTSCASHEWS
Thesenutsareburstingwithvitamins,mineralsandfibre,butareespeciallyhighintheheart-healthymonounsaturatedfat, oleic acid. This essential fatty acid helps to lower badLDL cholesterol and increase the goodHDL cholesterol.Bewarenottooverindulgethough,as100gcashewsequals550calories.
BRAZILNUTS
WhatmakesBrazil nuts stand out, is the incredibly high amount of selenium they contain. Selenium increases yourbody’s ability to fight off free radicals, as well asmaintaining a healthy thyroid. Just one to two Brazil nuts a daysuppliesyourbodywithenoughofthistraceelement.
SUNFLOWERSEEDS
ThesuperstarinthesesmallseedsisnodoubtvitaminEwithitsantioxidantproperties.NotonlydoesvitaminEhelpwitharthriticpainbutitalsokeepsyourskinyouthfulasvitaminEprotectsagainstUVrays.
BUTTERSHAZELNUTBUTTER
Madefromcrushedandblendedhazelnuts,thisbutterishighinnaturalfatsaswellasessentialvitaminsandminerals.Italsocontainshighlevelsofphytosterols,whichareoneofthemostpowerfulantioxidanttypes.Althoughitishighincalories,asmallamountofhazelnutbutterwillsoonhaveyoufeelingfull.
CACAOBUTTER
Thisbuttercomesdirectlyfromchocolate!It’sthepure,cold-pressedoilthatcomesfromthecacaobean,whichisthesourceofallcocoaproducts.Awonderfulingredienttouseforahealthychocolatesauce.
SEAVEGETABLESWAKAME
Thisistheseaweedmostcommonlyusedinmisosoup.Notonlyiswakamehighonthenutritioncharts,butit’salsoincrediblylowcalorieandissaidtoactuallyhelpburnfat.
KOMBU
Ifyoucookyourbeans,ratherthanbuytheminatin,thenkombuistheperfectseaweedtoaidinthedigestionofbeans.Kombucontainsglutamicacid,whichhelpstobreakdownthehard-to-digestsugarsinbeans.
NON-DAIRYMILKSSOYMILK
Thisisdefinitelythemostpopularalternativetodairymilk,asit’sveryhighinprotein.SoymilkisoftenfortifiedwithB12,whichisavitaminthatonlyoccursnaturallyinanimalproducts.Drinkingthiskindofmilkwillprovidethebodywithavarietyofessentialnutrientsandantioxidants.
RICEMILK
Thisisthemosthypoallergenicofthemilksmentionedandisthebestalternativeforthosewhohavetoavoiddairy,soyand nuts. Similarly to almondmilk, it also contains no saturated fat or cholesterol, and it is also a great source ofessentialBvitamins.Ricemilkalsoboastsagreatantioxidantcountandcandowondersfortheimmunesystem.
DRIEDFRUITANDNATURALSWEETENERSCURRANTS
Arelativeoftheraisin,currantshaveaverysimilarantioxidantandnutrientprofile.Remember,antioxidantshelpfightoffandpreventfree-radicaldamageinthebody.
CRANBERRIES
Asidefromblueberries,cranberriestrumpnearlyeveryfruitandvegetableintheantioxidantdepartment–thatincludesstrawberries,raspberries,cherriesandevenspinachandbroccoli!TheyareveryhighinvitaminC,too.
BROWNRICESYRUP
Yes,itisactuallymadefrombrownricethathasbeensoaked,thensproutedandcookedwithanenzymetohelpbreakitdown.Ilikeitbecauseitsfructosefreeandlowontheglycemicindex,andthereforewon’tspikeyourbloodsugarlikerefinedwhiteandbrownsugardoes.Replace200gsugarwith240–315mlbrownricesyrup.
CONDIMENTS
UMEBOSHIPLUMS
These pickled Japanese plums have a host ofmedicinal qualities. Consuming themwill stimulate digestion, combatfatigue and also help to eliminate toxins. They are also said to be an effective hangover cure and one of the bestpreventativemedicinefoodsavailable.
CAPERS
CapersarethepickledflowerbudsfromtheMediterraneancaperbush.Theyarepickedfresh,thenpreservedineitherbrine,saltorwinevinegar.Eventhoughtheyaresmall, theyarehugelyflavourfulandnutritious.Theyareespeciallygoodforredbloodcellhealthduetotheirhighironcount.
SUN-DRIEDTOMATOES
Lowincaloriesandfatbuthighinnutrients, thesearea tastyadditiontomeals.Inthisform,tomatoesareespeciallyhighindietaryfibre,potassium,copperandvitaminC.
NUTRITIONALYEAST
Ifyoudon’teatanyanimalproducts, thenonecrucialnutrientyouneed togetelsewhere isvitaminB12and luckilynutritionalyeastcontainsalotofit.Infact,1tablespoonadayprovidesyouwiththeRDAofB12.
MATCHAGREENTEA
Apowderedversionofgreentea,butmuchmorepotent;1cupofmatchateahastentimestheamountofantioxidantsingreenorblack tea and, gram forgram,has ten to20 times the amountof antioxidants inblueberries, açaí berriesorpomegranates.
HIMALAYANSEASALT
ThisisahealthypinksaltfromtheHimalayanmountainrangeandthoughttobethepurestsaltonearth.Itscolourisindicativeofitshighcountofatleast80minerals.Amazingly,itisknowntoincreasehydration,lowerbloodpressureandimprovecirculation.
GARLICPOWDER
Thisismadebydehydratingandgrindingupgarliccloves.Ithasacomparablenutritionalcompositiontorawgarlicandhasbeenusedthroughouthistorybothmedicinallyandincooking.
SPICESANDHERBSMARJORAM
ThisisoneofthemostpopularoftheMediterraneanherbsandhasbeenutilisedincookingandmedicineforthousandsofyears.IthasamildlyspicybutsweetflavourandcontainshighlevelsofvitaminC.
CARAWAYSEEDS
Thesearomaticseedscontainahugerangeofhealthbenefitingminerals,nutrients,antioxidantsandminerals.Theyaregreatfordigestivehealthdue,totheirhighdietaryfibrecount,andalsohaveanti-flatulentproperties.
FENNELSEEDS
Fennelseedscanbepurchasedwholeorgroundtoapowderandhavebeenusedmedicinallytoaiddigestion.It’salwaysbest to store fennel seeds inanairtight container in the fridgeas theycanquickly lose their flavourotherwise.TheycontainanabundanceofvitalBvitamins,aswellasvitaminsA,EandC.
ROSEMARY
Rosemary isaherb that isparticularly rich inBvitamins,suchas riboflavinandfolicacid. Italsohashigh levelsoffolates,whicharegreatforpregnantwomenastheyhelptopreventneuraltubedefectsforming.VitaminsAandCarealsoprevalentinrosemary,alongsideaselectionofmineralsandiron.
SAGE
This herb is widely acknowledged as a natural remedy. It is used medicinally to treat a range of ailments, and isespeciallyusefulforthosesufferingfromfeversorirregularsleepingpatterns.Sagecanbeusedincooking,inteasandalsoincapsuleformasasupplement.
THYME
Thyme is one of the most popular herbs for cooking with and has numerous health boosting properties. Selenium,manganese,magnesium,calcium,ironandpotassiumcanallbefoundinthymeleaves.Aswithmostherbs,it’sbestto
cookwithfreshthymeandyoucaneasilygrowitathome.
OREGANO
Oregano isaherb that featuresprominently in theheart-healthyMediterraneandiet.The leaveshaveanaromaticbutslightlybittertaste,whichaddsacomplexflavourwhenusedincooking.OreganoisanexcellentsourceofvitaminC,potassium,magnesiumandcalcium.
CUMINSEEDS
This spice has a slightly nutty flavour and is particularly fragrant in whole seed form, rather than ready ground. ItfeaturesinIndianandMiddleEasterncookingforitstasteaswellasitsnutritionalperks.Itcontainsanabundanceofironandisknowntosupportthedigestivesystem.Studiesalsosuggestthatithasanti-carcinogenicproperties.
SUPERFOODSUPERHEROESLUCUMA
Agreatalternativesweetener,lucumapowderismadefromthefruitofthelucumatreeinSouthAmerica.Unlikemostartificialsweetenersthatoffernonutritionalvalue,lucumaisawonderfulnaturalsweetenerrichinfibre,andcrucially,itdoesnotspikeyourbloodsugarlevels.
BREAKFAST
Theword‘breakfast’literallymeanstotakeabreakfromyourfast,asit’sthefirst meal taken after a night’s sleep. It is incredibly important to nourishyourself in themorning after a night of fasting – youwill havemuchmoreenergyandperformmuchbetterthroughouttheday.Ifyouwanttoboostyourmetabolism,theneatingbreakfastisoneofthebestandfastestwaystodoso.Andremember,skippingmeals,especiallybreakfast,oftenleadstoover-eatinglaterintheday.Agreatwaytogetintothehabitofeatingahealthy,nutritiousand energy-boosting breakfast is to plan yourmeal before you go to bed atnight.Forexample,when IknowIwantagreensmoothie in themorning, Iputalltheingredientsinmyblenderthenightbefore.Thefollowingday,I’musuallywokenbythesoundoftheblenderasmy16-year-olddaughter,Emma,hasalreadyturneditonandisdrinkingitherself.Shelovesgreensmoothies,too!
SIMPLEGRANOLAWITHPUMPKINSEEDSANDGOJIBERRIES
Sadly,most shop-boughtgranola ispackedwith sugar. In fact, ifyou lookon thepack,youwillusuallyseethatsugariseitherthesecondorthirdingredientlistedontheback.Whenyoumakeyourowngranolaathome,you’reincontroloftheamountofgoodnessthat goes in and you can experiment with different nuts, seeds and flavours. (Seephotograph)
90grolledoats
170gbuckwheatgroats
60gwalnuts,chopped
35gpumpkinseeds
55ggojiberries
2tablespoonsrawhoney
2tablespoonscoconutpalmsugar
2tablespoonscoconutoil
Serves4–6
Preheattheovento180°C/Gas4.Meltthecoconutoilinasaucepanoveralowheatandlet it cool.Oncecooled,mixall the ingredients inabowlusingyourhands.Spread themixture thinlyonabaking trayandbake in thepreheatedoven for10minutes,oruntillightlytoasted.Coolbeforeservingorstoringinacontainerinacool,dryplace.JUST35GPUMPKINSEEDSCONTAINSNEARLYHALFOFTHEDAILYRECOMMENDEDDOSEOFMAGNESIUM,WHICHHELPSOURBODYTORELAX.
GREENAÇAÍBERRYBOWL
Inthelastfewyears,greensmoothieshavebeenalltherageandIdostilllovethem,butthere’sanewgangintowncalledtheBOWL.It’smuchprettierandit’seasytoaddsomedelicioustoppings.
1banana(frozenifyouwantacoldbowl)
120mlcoconutwater
3dates,pitted
Largehandfulofspinach
1kiwi,peeled
1teaspoonaçaípowder(ormoreifyoufancy!)
Forthetoppings
Raspberries
Coconutflakes
Beepollen
Serves1
Putalltheingredientsinablenderorfoodprocessorandwhizzaway.
Topwithraspberries,coconutflakesandbeepollen.NOTONLY ISTHEAÇAÍBERRYHIGH INANTIOXIDANTSTHATHELPTOFIGHTFREERADICALS,BUTIT’SFANTASTICFORYOURDIGESTION,TOO.
BUCKWHEATPORRIDGEWITHPAPAYATOPPING
Atfirstglance,youmightthinkthisisgoingtobeatrickyrecipe,butinrealityit’squiteeasy–especiallywhenitcomestomakingthebuckwheatporridge.Youcangetmostofthis ready the night before,which is a bonus, particularly if you’re rushing towork ordoingtheschoolrun.
170gbuckwheatgroats
480mlwater
120mlalmondmilk(oranyplant-basedmilk)
1teaspoonvanillaextract
1tablespoonlimejuice
Forthepapayatopping
1largepapaya
Zestof1lime
½teaspoongroundcinnamon
¼teaspoongroundginger
¼teaspoongroundnutmeg
2tablespoonsrawhoney
2tablespoonspumpkinseeds
Serves2
Soak the buckwheat groats in the 480ml water for at least 1 hour or overnight. Aftersoaking,strainandrinsewell.Putthesoakedgroats,almondmilk,vanillaextractandlimejuiceinablenderorfoodprocessorandblitzwell.
Tomakethetopping,peel thepapaya, thencut it intochunksandplaceinalargejarorcontainer.Addtheremainingingredientsandmashtogetherwithalargespoon–thiswillreleasethejuicesfromthepapaya,butbesuretoleaveafewgoodchunks.Coveryourjaror container with an airtight lid and place in the fridge to marinate if you have time.(Again,agreatonetogetreadythenightbefore.)
Once marinated and ready to go, put your porridge in a bowl and spoon the papayatoppingallover.IN ADDITION TO BEING HIGH IN VITAMINS A AND C, PAPAYA CONTAINS PAPAIN, A DIGESTIVEENZYME THAT IS USED TO TREAT DIGESTIVE DISORDERS. IT IS ALSO EXCELLENT FOR SKINCONDITIONS,SUCHASACNE.
CHIAANDCOCONUTFLOURPANCAKESWITHBLUEBERRYBAOBABSAUCE
Iwantedanew twiston thesameoldwholewheatpancakes that Ihadbeenmaking foryears,soIdecidedtoexperiment.Thisrecipeisamixtureoftwonutritiousflours:coconutflourandbuckwheatflour.Thatmeansyouarelookingatsomegluten-freepancakesthatareburstingwithhealth.
6tablespoonschiaseeds
270mlwater
60gcoconutoil,melted,plusextraforgreasing
300mlalmondmilk
1teaspoonvanillaextract
50gcoconutpalmsugar
100gcoconutflour
100gbuckwheatflour
1½teaspoonsbakingpowder
Maplesyrup,fordrizzling(optional)
Fortheblueberrybaobabsauce
150gblueberries
100gcoconutpalmsugar
120mlwater
2tablespoonslemonjuice
1tablespoonxanthangum
1tablespoonbaobabpowder
Makesabout12smallpancakes
Tomake the blueberry baobab sauce, heat the blueberries, coconut palm sugar, 120mlwaterandlemonjuiceinasmallsaucepan.Stirfrequently,thenbringtoalowboil.Useaforktomashtheblueberriestohelpreleasesomeofthejuices.Slowlystirinthexanthungum – this helps to thicken the sauce – and the baobab powder, then simmer until theblueberrysauceisthickenough.Leavetocool.
Combinethechiaseedswiththe270mlwaterinabowlandleavetosoakfor20minutes.Putthecoconutoil,almondmilk,vanillaandcoconutpalmsugarinalargebowlandaddthechiaseedmixture.Stirinthecoconutflour,buckwheatflourandbakingpowder.
Greaseanon-stick fryingpanwithcoconutoilandheatoveramediumheat.Pourone-quarterofacupofbatterintothepanforeachpancakeandcookfor2minutesonthefirstside and1minute on theother, until they are goldenbrown.Don’t be alarmedbyhowthickthebatteris–thisisduetothecoconutflour.
To serve, stack thepancakes and smotherwith theblueberry sauce.Drizzlewithmaplesyrup,ifusing.CHIASEEDSAREGREATASANEGGREPLACEMENT,AND,BECAUSETHEYSWELLTOUPTO10TIMESTHEIRSIZEWHENMIXEDWITHLIQUID,YOUFEELFULLERFORLONGER.
CREAMYBREAKFASTBOWLWITHBASILANDBLUEBERRIES
Don’tworry; thisonedoesnot taste likeasalad! Ithassomesupergreenshidden in it,alongwithavocadotogiveitthatcreamytexture.Theblueberriescreatealovelycolourandhelptomaskthe‘green’,whichisespeciallycleverifyouwanttogetyourkidstoeatthis.Andtrustme,theywilldiverightinjustlikeallmykidsdoastheysimplyloveit.
Handfulofchopped,freshcoconut
½banana
½avocado,peeled,pittedandchopped
¼cucumber
Handfulofblueberries,plusextratoserve,ifliked
2dates,pitted
8freshbasilleaves
Juiceof1lime
2.5cmpieceoffreshginger
240mlcoconutwater
Desiccatedcoconut,toserve
Optionaltoppings
Beepollen
Chiaseeds
Gojiberries
Serves1
Tossalltheingredientsinablenderorfoodprocessorandwhizzaway.
Serveinabowl,topwithmoreblueberriesandasprinkleofdesiccatedcoconut.Forarealsuperfoodboost,addtheotheroptionaltoppings.
If you put all the ingredients in the blender or food processor the night before,whenyouwakeup,youjusthavetoswitchitonandvoilà…breakfastisserved!BASILCOMESFROMTHESAMEFAMILYASMINTANDISTOUTEDASONEOFTHEHEALTHIESTHERBSDUETOITSIMPRESSIVEVITAMINKCOUNT,WHICHISESSENTIALFORBLOODCLOTTING.
COCONUTANDALMONDQUINOAWITHSTEWEDPLUMS.
Igetthesamequestionallthetime…quinoaforbreakfast?AndtheanswerisYES!It’ssodeliciousand,justlikeporridge,itkeepsyoufullforhoursandenergisedthroughoutyourmorning. This combination of ingredients packs in the protein as well, due to thecombinationofquinoaandalmondbutter.I’vemadeitniceandsweet,thehealthyway,togetthatsweet-toothfix.
170gquinoa
600mlcoconutmilk(oranyplant-basedmilk)
2teaspoonsgroundcinnamon
1teaspoonvanillaextract
Forthestewedplums
4tablespoonsalmondbutter(oranyothernutbutteryouhavetohand)
6mediumplums
100gcoconutpalmsugar
240mlwater
1cinnamonstick
Toserve
Rawhoney,fordrizzling
Desiccatedcoconut,forsprinkling
Serves4
Combine the quinoa and coconutmilk together in amedium saucepan andbring to theboil.Add the cinnamonandvanilla extract, cover and simmerona lowheat for15–20minutes.
Meanwhile,makethestewedplums.Cuttheplumsinhalf,removethepits,thencuttheplumhalves into chunks.Combine the coconut palm sugar, 240mlwater and cinnamonstick in saucepanoveramedium tohighheatandbring to theboil.Add theplumsandcontinuetocookuntiltheplumsaretender.
Oncetender,useaforktoslightlymash.Oncethequinoaiscookedbutstillabitrunny,putitin4bowlsandstirin1tablespoonofalmondbutterperbowl.Topwiththestewedplums,adrizzleofhoneyandasprinkleofdesiccatedcoconut.PLUMS ARE JUST AS HIGH IN ANTIOXIDANTS AND PHYTONUTRIENTS AS BLUEBERRIES. THEIMPORTANT THING IS TO NEVER PEEL YOUR PLUMS AS THE SKIN IS WHERE MANY OF THEANTIOXIDANTSANDPHYTONUTRIENTSAREHIDING.
BANANAFRENCHTOASTWITHCOCONUTCREAM
IremembermanySaturdayswakinguptomymum’sperfectFrenchtoastintheStates.Ievenpreferred it toherperfectpancakes! Itwas suchawinner thatwe’d sometimesbeallowedtohaveitforsupper,too.Here’sahealthytwistonthisyummytreat–perfectasabreakfastinbedforsomeonespecial.
300mlcoconutmilk(oranyplant-basedmilk)
2veryripebananas,plusextra,sliced,toserve
1tablespoonchiaseeds
1tablespoongroundflaxseed
½teaspoongroundcinnamon
½teaspoongroundnutmeg
½teaspoonvanillaextract
Coconutoil,forgreasing
8–10slicesofspeltbread
Forthecoconutcream
1x400mltinofcoconutmilk
1tablespoonmaplesyrup,plusextratoserve
½vanillapod
Serves4–6
Placethetinofcoconutmilkinthefridgethenightbeforeyoumakethisrecipe.
Tomakethecoconutcream,scoopthecreamoutofthechilledtinofcoconutmilkandusetheleftoverwaterinasmoothieorsoup.Placethecoconutcreamintoamixingbowlandaddthemaplesyrup.Scrapetheseedsfromthevanillapodintothemixture.Usingahand-heldwhisk,whipthecreamuntilsuperfluffy.
TomaketheFrenchtoast,putthebananasinafoodprocessorwiththecoconutmilk,chiaseeds,groundflaxseed,cinnamon,nutmegandvanillaextractandblitztoabatter.
Coatafryingpanwithcoconutoilandsetoveramediumheat.Workinginbatches,diptheslicesofspeltbreadintothebatterandletthemsoakfor5–10secondsoneitherside.Usingafork,transferthebatteredbreadtoyourheatedpanandcookfor3–4minutesoneachside,oruntilgoldenbrown.
Serve immediatelywith the coconut cream topping,maple syrup and somemore slicedbanana.WEALL KNOWBANANAS ARE HIGH IN POTASSIUM, BUT ADDITIONALLY, THEY CONTAIN HIGHLEVELSOFTRYPTOPHAN,WHICHISCONVERTEDINTOSEROTONINANDMAKESUSHAPPY!
WILDMUSHROOMSONSPELTTOAST
ThisrecipeisincrediblyflexiblebecausethemushroomsI’velistedarejustexamplesofthemany differentmushrooms you could use. So be adventurous andmaybe try someotherinterestingvarieties,astherearesomanytochoosefrom.(Seephotograph)
250gmixedfreshmushrooms(tryoyster,shiitakeorreishi)
2tablespoonscoconutoil
1smallonion,chopped
35galmonds,roughlychopped
2garliccloves,chopped
Handfulofspinach
½teaspooncayennepepper
½teaspoongroundturmeric
2slicesofspeltbread,toasted
1lemon,halved
Balsamicvinegar,fordrizzling
Serves4–6
Makesureyougiveyourmushroomsagoodcleanfirst.Sliceany largemushroomsbutkeepthesmalloneswhole.
Heatthecoconutoilinafryingpanuntilitmelts,thenaddthechoppedonion.Cookoveramediumheatuntiltheonionbecomestranslucent.
Add themushrooms,coat them in thecoconutoil andcook for3minutes,oruntil theybegintosoften.
Add the almonds, garlic, spinach, cayenne pepper and turmeric and fry for severalminutes.Remove from the heat and pile themushroommixture on top of toasted speltbread.
Squeezeyourlemonoverthemushroomsanddrizzlesomebalsamicvinegaroverthetopbeforeserving.MUSHROOMS ARE THE ONLY VEGETARIAN FOOD TO CONTAIN VITAMIN D. VITAMIN DDEFICIENCYISONTHERISEINBRITAIN.AMONGSTAHOSTOFOTHERBENEFITS,WENEEDITTOEFFECTIVELYABSORBCALCIUM.
CHILLIAVOCADOMASHANDCOCONUTOILONRYE
Thisispossiblymyfavouritebreakfastofalltime.Butthegreatthingaboutthisrecipeisthatit’sperfectasasnacktoo.I lovetoslathercoconutoilandavocadoonprettymucheverything.Thisrecipecombinesthembothandaddssomebonusingredientstomakeitsuperhealthy,superfillingandsuper-energising.
2ripeavocados,peeled,pittedandchopped
2springonions,chopped
1garlicclove,crushed
½teaspoonseasalt
1teaspoondriedchilliflakes
Juiceof1lime
4slicesofryebread
4tablespoonscoconutoil
Freshlygroundblackpepper
Serves4
Combinetheripeavocados,springonions,garlic,seasalt,chilliflakesandlimejuiceinasmallbowlandmashwellusingafork.
Toasttheryebreadand,whileitisstillwarm,spreadeachpiecewith1tablespooncoconutoil.
Spoontheavocadomashevenlyoneachpieceoftoastandseasonwithblackpepper.MOST PEOPLE THINK THAT THE HIGH-IN-FAT AND CALORIFIC AVOCADO WOULDN’T BECONSIDERED GOOD FOR WEIGHT LOSS. RESEARCH IS NOW SUGGESTING THATMONOUNSATURATEDFATTYACIDS,SUCHASTHOSEFOUND INAVOCADOS,ARELESSLIKELYTOBESTOREDASFATANDMORELIKELYTOBEUSEDASENERGY.
CHOCOLATECHIABREAKFASTPUDDING
Chocolateforbreakfast?Well,ofcourse!It’sallowedbecauseinthisrecipeweareusingthe real deal, cacao.And cacao is jam-packedwith antioxidants and awhole bunch ofothergoodstuff foryourbodyandmind.Myyoungestchild,Nestor, isachocoholicsowhenthisveryspecialbreakfastpuddingisonoffer,hesaysI’mthebestmummyinthewholewideworld.MaybeIshouldmakeitmoreoften!
360mlunsweetenedalmondmilk
5dates,pitted
½teaspooncacaopowder
½teaspoongroundcinnamon
Pinchofgroundcloves
Pinchofgroundnutmeg
Pinchofgroundginger
40gchiaseeds
Serves2
Combinethealmondmilk,dates,cacaopowder,cinnamon,cloves,nutmegandgingerinablenderorfoodprocessorandblitzuntilsmooth.Pourthisintoamixingbowlandstirinthechiaseeds.
Divide themixture into 4 small bowls orMason jars and place in the fridge for a fewhoursorovernight.Thiswillallowthechiaseeds toswellup to10 times theirsizeandmakeadelicious,jelly-likebreakfast.JUSTA28GSERVINGOFCHIASEEDSCONTAINS 18 PERCENTOF THERECOMMENDEDDAILYALLOWANCEOFCALCIUM.
FAST-TRACKSAVERS
Combine four kids and their hectic scheduleswithmy schedule andwell, Iadmit it, I used to sometimes forget to eat and thenwonderedwhy I felt sosluggishduringtheday.So,afewyearsago,IdecidedtocreatesomeupliftingtreatsinmykitchenthatIcouldpackwithmeonthoseforgetfuldays.Mostofthemarejam-packedwithoneortwodifferentsuperfoods,which,inmybook,equatestoatreasuretroveofeverythingandanythinggoodformybody.
So,ifyou’vehadanunhealthylunch,skippedbreakfastorhaveanindulgentdinnerplanned,thesesnacks,treats,juicesandsmoothiesarejustthethingtopickyouupwhenyourenergylevelsareflaggingoryousimplyneedtoinjectsomeconcentratedgoodnessintoyourday.
PARSLEYGREEN-GLOWSMOOTHIE
Ispentalotoftimeperfectingasmoothiethatnotonlygivesmeloadsofenergy,butalsomakesmyskin,hairandeyesglow!Thus,theParsleyGreen-Glowwasborn.
Largehandfulofchard,spinachorkale
Smallhandfuloffreshflat-leafparsley
Smallhandfulofrocket
½banana
½pear
½papaya
180mlcoconutwater
Serves1
Shove everything into a blender or food processor and whizz until smooth. Drinkimmediatelyorpourintoyouron-the-gocontainertoenjoylater.PARSLEYCANACTUALLYBOOSTYOURINTAKEOFIRONANDVITAMINK,BOTHOFWHICHARENUTRIENTSVITALFORHEALTHYBLOOD. JUST 2 TABLESPOONSCHOPPEDPARSLEYCONTAIN153PERCENTOFTHERDAFORVITAMINK.
BLUEBERRYANDSPINACHSMOOTHIE
IuseMasonjarsformysmoothiesonthego,astheyhavegreatlidstostopanyleaking.Thisisoneofmyfavouritesmoothiesbecauseitcontainsbeepollenandbaobab,whichinturnequatetoprotein,enzymesandantioxidants.
120mlcoconutmilk(oranyotherplant-basedmilk)
90gfrozenblueberries
½banana(frozenisgood,too)
Handfulofspinach,chardorkale
1date,pitted
1tablespoonbeepollen
1tablespoonbaobabpowder
Serves1
Throweverythingintoablenderorfoodprocessorandgiveitagoodwhizzuntilsmooth.Drinkimmediatelyorpourintoyouron-the-gocontainertoenjoylater.STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT CONSUMING SPINACH IN SMOOTHIE OR JUICE FORM IS THEHEALTHIESTWAYTOGETITSAMAZINGBENEFITSINTOYOURBODY.
CARROT,PEARANDGINGERJUICE
When I make this juice, I like to put the kale in the juicer first, before the otheringredients,asithelpstoextractmorekalegoodness.
2handfulsofkale(optional)
4carrots
1pear
½lemon,peeled
2.5cmpieceoffreshginger
Juicer
Serves1
Pushalltheingredientsthroughajuiceroneatatimeandenjoy.ASFARASFRUITSARECONCERNED,PEARSARELOW INSUGARANDTHEREFOREAGREATWAYTOSATIATEYOURSWEETTOOTHWITHOUTTERRORISINGYOURBLOODSUGAR.
MATCHAANDOATTRUFFLES
IcalltheselittleguysmycupofcoffeeormyshotofespressobecausetheywakemeupinstantlyandareSOmuchbetterformethanthatlatte,cappuccinoorespresso.Eattheseamazingtrufflesonthedaysfollowingabadnight’ssleep,orwhenyouarefallingasleepatyourdesk.Theywilljoltyoubacktolifeinaflash.
100ggroundalmonds
130goatflour(orgrindyourownfromrolledoats)
2tablespoonsrawhoney
2tablespoonscoconutoil,melted
50gmacadamianuts
4teaspoonsmatcha(greentea)powder
Makesabout16
Putthegroundalmonds,oatflour,honey,meltedcoconutoil,macadamianutsandonly2teaspoonsofthematchapowderinamixingbowlandmixuntilyouhaveasticky,green
dough.Rollthemixtureintobite-sizedballs.
Puttheremainingmatchapowderinaplasticbagand,onebyone,dropeachballinsidethebagandshakeuntilthoroughlycoatedinmatchapowder.
Storeinanairtightcontainerinthefridgeforupto1week.MATCHAISAPOWDEREDGREENTEATHATCANACTUALLYRELAXYOUWHILEALSOKEEPINGYOU ALERT. THIS IS DUE TO THE AMINO ACID L-THEANINE FOUND IN THE LEAVES USED TOMAKEMATCHA.
CARROT-CAKEENERGYBALLSWITHGOJIGOODNESS
My favourite cake, hands down, has always been carrot cake. Even as a young girl, Iwould choose that flavour formybirthday cake. I’mobsessed!So Iwanted to create asmaller,healthierversionthatIcouldjustpopinmymouthwhenexhaustionstruck.Notonlydothesesmall-but-mightybitestasteincredible,buttheyalsotakemedownmemorylaneandgivemeaninstantbodyANDmindboost.
30ggojiberries
135grolledoats
25ggroundalmonds
2tablespoonschiaseeds
60ghazelnutbutter
4tablespoonsmaplesyrup
½teaspoonvanillaextract
½teaspoongroundcinnamon
¼teaspoongroundginger
¼teaspoongroundnutmeg
65ggratedcarrots
30goatflour(orgrindyourownfromrolledoats)
Makes12–16
Beginbysoakingthegojiberriesinacupofwaterandsetasideforabout10minutes,thendrain.
Combine the oats, ground almonds and chia seeds in amixing bowl.Add the hazelnutbutter,maplesyrup,vanillaextract,groundcinnamon,gingerandnutmeg,gratedcarrotsandthesoakedgojiberriesandmixwell.
Scoopthedoughoutatablespoonatatimeanduseyourhandstorolleachoneintobite-sizedballs.
Storeinanairtightcontainerinthefridgeforupto1week.GRAMFORGRAM,THELITTLEGOJIBERRYHASABOUT500TIMESMOREVITAMINCTHANANORANGEANDCONSIDERABLYMOREBETA-CAROTENETHANCARROTS.
CHOCOLATEANDLUCUMATRUFFLES
Seriouslyshortontime,orknowyouhavetheworld’sbusiestweekahead?Wellthesebadboystakelessthan5minutestomakeandtastesochocolateyandnaughtythatyoumightthink they’re bad for you. NOT the case! Instead, these bite-sized, perfect-on-the-gotrufflesaretrulyworthyoftheirsuperherosuperfooddesignation.
15dates,pitted
60gcacaopowder,plus2teaspoonsfordusting
30gcarobpowder
20glucumapowder
1teaspoonvanillaextract
25ggojiberries
4tablespoonscoconutoil,melted
Makesabout12
Blendthedates,cacao,carob,lucuma,vanillaextract,gojiberriesandmeltedcoconutoilinablenderorfoodprocessor.Oncemixed,rollintobite-sizedballs.
Puttheremaining2teaspoonscacaopowderinaplasticbagand,onebyone,dropeachballinsidethebagandshakeuntilthoroughlycoatedincacao.
Storeinanairtightcontainerinthefridgeforupto1week.
Thesecanbefrozenforupto3monthsandtakenouttodefrostforthatcrazydayorweekahead.LUCUMAISREFERREDTOASTHE‘GOLDOFTHEINCAS’:THEINCASPRIZEDTHELUCUMAFRUITASAHEALTHYSOURCEOFSUGAR,AND IT’SALSOFULLOFFIBRE,VITAMINS,MINERALSANDANTIOXIDANTS.
NUTSANDBANANASCOVEREDINCINNAMONANDCACAOBUTTER
Theseareslightlymessy,butworthkeeping inacontainer thatyoucanhave tohandatyouroffice,orinyourbriefcaseorhandbag.Youonlyneedtodevouracoupleatatimetofeelan instantboost. Ifyou’remaking these foryourkids,makesure tohaveplentyofnapkinstowipethosecinnamonandchocolatefingers!
170gmixednuts(suchasbrazilnuts,walnuts,almondsandcashews)
50gcacaobutter
3tablespoonscacaopowder
2tablespoonsrawhoney
2bananas,cutinto2cmrounds
3–4teaspoonsgroundcinnamon
Bakingtraylinedwithparchmentpaper
Serves2–3
Preheat theoven to150°C/Gas2and spread thenutsoutonabaking tray.Toast in thepreheatedovenfor15–20minutes.Removefromtheovenandleavetocoolcompletely.
Meanwhile,melt thecacaobutter inasaucepan.Oncemelted,mix in thecacaopowderandhoneyandstiruntilfullydissolved.Removefromtheheatandtransferthesaucetoamixingbowl.
Dip the nuts and banana slices into themelted chocolate, a couple at a time. Place thechocolate-coverednutsandbananasonthepreparedbakingtrayandplaceinthefridgeforthechocolatetoset.
Onceset,putthecinnamoninaplasticbag,addthenutsandbananas,afewatatime,andgentlyshakeuntiltheyarethoroughlycoatedincinnamon.
Storeinanairtightcontainerinthefridgeforupto3days,orfreezeforupto1month.CACAO BUTTER IS A GREAT INGREDIENT TO USE TO MAKE A HEALTHY AND DELICIOUSCHOCOLATE SAUCE IN MINUTES. IT’S ONE OF NATURE’S SUPERFOODS, WITH FANTASTICANTIOXIDANTPROPERTIES.
‘CHEESY’KALECRISPSWITHLIME
Kingkale isbeinghailedas theveggie lover’sbeef,asgramforgram, ithasmore ironthanbeef.Butmorethanthat,kaleislowcalorie,highinfibreandhaszerofat.Andkaleisn’tjustforsmoothiesorsaladsanymore…YouCANhaveyourcrispsandeatthemtoo,albeitamuchhealthierversion!
150gkale
2tablespoonscoconutoil,melted
1teaspooncoconutpalmsugar
1teaspoongroundflaxseed
½teaspoonseasalt
Juiceof½lime
50gnutritionalyeast
Serves2
Preheattheovento180°C/Gas4.Removethestalksandthickveinsfromthekaleandtear
themintosmallpieces.Putthekaleinabowlanddrizzleoverthemeltedcoconutoil.Mixwell,thenuseyourhandstomassagetheoilintothekaleforafewminutestotenderisetheleaves.
Add thecoconutpalmsugar, flaxseed,seasalt, lime juiceandnutritionalyeastandmixwell.
Transferthekaletoalargebakingtrayandbakeinthepreheatedovenfor30minutesoruntilgoldenandslightlycrispy.Takeoutoftheovenandloosenthekalewithaspatula.Turn theovenoff and stick the trayback in for another 20minutes,which allows it tobecomeevencrispier.
My kale crisps usually get eaten straightaway but you can store them in an airtightcontainerforupto1week.NOT ONLY DO LIMES CONTAIN A HIGH AMOUNT OF VITAMIN C, THEY ALSO CONTAINFLAVONOIDSTHATHELPTOPROTECTTHEEYESFROMAGINGANDFROMINFECTIONS.
BEET-THE-BLUESRAINBOWJUICE
Juicesarepracticallylikegettinganinjectionofnutrientsdirectlyintoyourbloodstream.Thinkofthemasnature’sliquidmedicine,andthebestyoucangiveyourbody.Theyre-charge, revive and re-fuel you within minutes. I particularly like this colourful juicebecauseit’salmostasifyou’redrinkingarainbowofhealth.
1beetroot
1cucumber
4carrots
150gblueberries
2.5cmpieceoffreshginger
Juicer
Serves2
Withthisjuice,thereisnoneedtopeelawayanyskin.Simplycutthebeetroot,cucumberandcarrotsintoquartersandaddalltheingredientstoyourjuicer.
This juice is bestwhendrunk immediately, however, if youwant to drink it on the go,squeezehalfalemonintothebottomofyouron-the-gocontainerbeforeaddingthejuice.Thishelpstoslowdowntheoxidationprocess(i.e.duringwhichnutrientsarelostandthejuiceturnsbrown).IFYOUNEEDASTAMINABOOSTFORYOURNEXTGYMSESSION,BEETROOTHASBEENSHOWNTO IMPROVE ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE. THE JUICE CAN HELP YOURMUSCLESWORKMOREEFFICIENTLYANDLOWERTHEOXYGENUPTAKEINTHEMUSCLESASWELL.
POWERPROTEINBARSWITHHEMP
Ifyoureallywantmoreproteininyourdiet,butwouldrathernotrelysomuchonanimalprotein,thispowerbarhasbeenmadeespeciallyforyou.Believeitornot,wecangetsomuchprotein fromplant-based sources. I know thatwhen Iwas growingup, I actuallythoughtproteinonlycamefromanimals.AsIlaterdiscovered,thereisactuallyaplethoraofproteininplants,soeatup!
3tablespoonschiaseeds
135mlwater
135grolledoats
65ghazelnuts,chopped
65gwalnuts,chopped
80gcoconutoil
3tablespoonsrawhoney
2teaspoonsvanillaextract
2tablespoonscacaopowder
2teaspoonscarobpowder
175gdates,pittedandchopped
160gshelledhempseeds
20cmsquarebakingtinlinedwithparchmentpaperoverlappingthesides
Makesabout12
Beginbysoakingthechiaseedsinthe135mlwaterinabowlandputtooneside.Preheattheovento150°C/Gas2andspreadtherolledoatsandchoppednutsoutonabakingtray.Lightly toast in the preheated oven for 10–15minutes, stirring every so often.Removefromtheoven,leavetocool,thentransfertoamixingbowl.
Meanwhile, melt the coconut oil with the honey, vanilla extract, and cacao and carobpowdersinasmallsaucepan.Pourthisovertheoatsandnutsandstirinthedates,hempseedsandsoakedchiaseeds.
Increase theoven temperature to180°C/Gas4.Pour thepowerproteinmixture into thepreparedtin,pressdownfirmly,thenbakefor20minutesoruntilgolden.Removefromtheovenandleavetocoolinthetin.
Oncecooled,liftthesidesoftheparchmentpapertoremovethebarsfromthetinandcut
intosquaresorbars.Storeinanairtightcontainerinthefridgeforupto2weeks.THEPROTEINANDFIBREFOUNDINHEMPHELPSTOSLOWDOWNDIGESTION,WHICHINTURNPREVENTS A BLOOD SUGAR SPIKE AND THEREFORE SUSTAINS OUR ENERGY FOR LONGERPERIODS.
DREAMYFIGANDSPIRULINABITES
Ohalgae,youarethenewkidontheblock.Well,actuallyyouareoneoftheoldestlifeformson theplanet,butwe’veonlyrecentlydiscoveredyouare incrediblybeneficial toourhealth.Spirulinaisanalgaepowerhouseofnutrientsunlikeanygrain,plantorfruit.That’swhyIlovetoincorporateit,notonlyinmysmoothies,butalsointhesegood-to-gobite-sizedburstsofhealth.
45grolledoats
75gcashews
150gdriedfigs
2tablespoonsdesiccatedcoconut
½teaspoonvanillaextract
Gratedzestof1lemon
4tablespoonslemonjuice
2teaspoonsspirulinapowder
2tablespoonstahini
2tablespoonswater
Makes12–15
Puttheoatsinablenderorfoodprocessorandblitzintofinecrumbs.Addtheremainingingredientsandblenduntilsmooth.
Transferthemixturetoamixingbowlanduseyourhandstorollintowalnut-sizedballs.
Storeinanairtightcontainerinthefridgeforupto2weeks.FIGSCONTAINMORECALCIUMTHANMOSTOTHERFRUITS. INFACT,ONESERVINGOFDRIEDFIGSEQUALS12PERCENTOFYOURRDAFORCALCIUM.
SUPER-HEALTHYGRANOLAANDCRANBERRYBARS
There are so many incredibly unhealthy granola bars out there that are seeping withrefinedsugar,andthat’ssomethingIdidn’twantmykidseatingormeeither!Thesebarsarequiteaheartysnackandtheywillkeepyoufullforhoursandpackinahealthyamountoffibre,proteinandomega3s.
350gdates,pitted
270grolledoats
80galmonds
35gpumpkinseeds
60gdriedcranberries
120mlmaplesyrup
120ghazelnutbutter
20cmsquarebakingtinlinedwithparchmentpaper
Makesabout10
Putthedates,oatsandalmondsinablenderorfoodprocessorandblitzuntilonlysmallbitsremain.Transfertoamixingbowl.Addthepumpkinseedsandcranberriesandmixwell.
Mixthemaplesyrupandhazelnutbuttertogetherinasmallbowl.Drizzleitoverthedatemixtureandmixwell.Ifindusingmyhandsworksbestasyouwant toget it toa thickdough.Transferthedoughtothepreparedbakingtinandpressdownuntilitisflatandhascoveredtheentiretin.Placeinthefridgefor20minutestoset.
Removethechilledslabfromthetinandcutintoabout10squaresorbars.
Storeinanairtightcontainerinthefridgeforupto1week.
Madeinaflash,thesebarswillkeepforseveraldayssoyouwillhaveahearty,sustainingsnacktoseeyouthroughtheweek.CRANBERRIESAREN’TJUSTFORCHRISTMASANDTHANKSGIVING!THESESMALLBUTMIGHTYBERRIESAREGREATFORTHEHEALTHOFYOURMOUTH.THEYCANPREVENTBADBACTERIAFROMDOINGDAMAGETOYOURMOUTHANDTEETH.
PORTABLELUNCHES
Justlikewithalotofthebreakfastrecipes,alittleplanninggoesalongwaytofeeling great throughout your day. If you’re out and about and want toguaranteethatyouareeating‘therightstuff’foryourlunch,thenthischapterisforyou!Therecipesaresimple tomake,butyouareguaranteedashotof‘real’energywitheverybite.
Asabonus,mydefinitionofportable lunchesexpands to theword ‘picnic’!It’s so easy towhip up several of these recipes andbring themout onyourpicnicrugtoreallyimpressyourguests.
SUSHI-STYLESPINACHANDBEANSPROUTBOWLWITHAGINGERDRESSING
Thisisbasicallyveggiesushibutwithouthavingtoputintheefforttocreateperfectrolls,whichmakesitmuchquickertoassemble.
480mlwater
190gbrownrice
25ggojiberries
100gshellededamame
1norisheet
1avocado,peeled,pittedandsliced
Largehandfulofspinach
Largehandfulofbeansprouts
2teaspoonssesameseeds
Dulseflakes,toserve
Forthegingerdressing
60mlapplecidervinegar
2.5cmpieceoffreshginger,minced
1date,pitted
1tablespoonumeboshipaste
1teaspoontamari
Serves2
Bringthe480mlwatertotheboilinasaucepan,thenaddthebrownrice.Reducetheheattolow,coverandsimmerfor45–60minutes.Oncecooked,rinseincoldwater.
Soakthegojiberriesinwaterfor10minutes,thendrain.
Meanwhile,bringanothersaucepanofwatertotheboil,addtheedamameandcookfor5minutes,thendrainandrinseincoldwater.Chopthenorisheetintosmallpieces.
Divide the cooked rice between 2 bowls and top with the sliced avocado, edamame,soakedgojiberries,andthespinach,beansproutsandsesameseeds.
Tomake the ginger dressing, put all the ingredients in a blender or foodprocessor andblitzuntilsmooth.Pourthedressingoverthe2bowlsandgarnishwithasprinkleofdulseflakes.BEANSPROUTS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, ARE A NUTRITIONAL POWERHOUSE. THEY ARE RICH INVITAMINCANDAGOODSOURCEOF6OUTOFTHE8BVITAMINS.
MOROCCANCHICKPEA,CARROTANDDATESALADWITHPAPRIKADRESSING
Just likeMorocco itself, this salad is incredibly colourful and the flavours really shinethrough.Thisismygo-tolunchwhenI’mfeelingreallyrundown,asitincorporatessomeveg,darkgreen leaves,proteinfromthechickpeasandanaturalsweetener–dates–allmarinatedinadeliciousspicedressing.(Seephotographonpage71.)
1x400gtinchickpeas,drainedandrinsed
1smallredonion,chopped
2smallcarrots,grated
2largehandfulsofspinach
6dates,pittedandchopped
Forthepaprikadressing
2tablespoonsoliveoil
1tablespoontamari
1teaspoongroundcumin
1teaspoonpaprika
Juiceof1lemon
Serves2
Put thechickpeas,onion,carrots, spinachanddates ina largebowland tosseverythingtogether.
Whiskallthedressingingredientstogetherinasmallbowl.
Drizzlethedressingoverthechickpeasaladandleavetomarinateforatleast1hour.
Pourthedressingoverthesaladinthemorningbeforework,andbylunchtimethesaladwillbeperfectlymarinated.GRINDINGDRIEDREDPEPPERS INTOAFINEPOWDERMAKESPAPRIKA. JUST1TABLESPOONPROVIDESANAMPLEAMOUNTOFCAROTENOIDS (THUS ITSRICHREDCOLOUR),THEFAMILYTHATINCLUDESVITAMINA,WHICHISGREATFOROUREYESIGHT.
WILDRICE,BEETROOTANDGRAPESALADWITHAHONEY,MAPLEANDMUSTARDDRESSING
Wild rice is gluten free and is brimmingwith antioxidants – about 30 timesmore thanwhiterice.Althoughittakesaboutanhourtocook,it’sworthit,asthisricehasadeliciousnuttyflavour.(Seephotograph)
480mlwater
130gwildrice
2small(raw)beetroots
20redgrapes,halved
Largehandfuloffreshflat-leafparsley,chopped
2tablespoonssunflowerseeds
2springonions,chopped
Forthehoney,mapleandmustarddressing
1tablespoonoliveoil
½tablespoonapplecidervinegar
½teaspoonmaplesyrup
½teaspoonrawhoney
½teaspoonEnglishmustard
1tablespoonfreshlemonjuice
Seasaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper
Serves2
Putthe480mlwaterinasaucepanandbringittotheboil.Addthewildrice,reducetheheattolow,coverandsimmerfor1hour.
Meanwhile,peeltherawbeetrootsandslicethemintoverythinrounds.Oncethericeiscooked,drainoffanyremainingwaterandleavethericetocool.
Put the cooked rice in a large bowl and add the sliced beetroot, red grapes, parsley,sunflowerseedsandspringonions.
Whiskallthedressingingredients,plusapinchofsaltandpepper,togetherinabowl,thenpouroverthericesalad.Tosseverythingtogetherbeforeserving.
BEETROOTCONTAINSNATURALLYOCCURRINGNITRATES,WHICHTHEBODYCONVERTS INTONITRIC OXIDE. THIS HELPS TO RELAX YOUR BLOOD VESSELS, WHICH IN TURN IMPROVESBLOODFLOWANDHELPSTOLOWERBLOODPRESSURE.
SQUASH,MUSHROOMANDKALESALADWITHPUMPKINANDPOMEGRANATE
Kalemaynotbethefirstthingthatcomestomindwhenyouthinkofasalad.However,the trick tousingkale inyour saladsandmaking it so tasty is tomassage the leaves. Ittakesnotimeatallandit’sdefinitelyworthit!
1smallbutternutsquash,peeled,deseededanddiced
3tablespoonscoconutoil,melted
2teaspoonsgroundcumin
1shallot,chopped
200gportabellinimushrooms,thinlysliced
Bunchofkale
3tablespoonspumpkinseeds
Seedsfrom1pomegranate
2tablespoonsoliveoil
1tablespoonapplecidervinegar
Seasaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper
Serves4
Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Put the squash in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of themeltedcoconutoilandthecuminandseasonwithsaltandpepper.Mixwell,thentransfertoaroastingtinandbakein thepreheatedovenforabout40minutes, flippingevery15minutes.Oncecooked,removefromtheovenandleavetocool.
Meanwhile, coat a fryingpanwith the remainingcoconutoil and setover amedium tohigh heat. Add the chopped shallot and mushrooms and season with salt and pepper.Gentlyfryfor10minutes,oruntilsoft,thenputtooneside.
Removethestalksfromthekale,stacktheleavesontopofeachotherandrolluplikeacigarshape,thensliceintoribbons.Putthekaleinalargebowlwith1teaspoonseasaltandmassagetheleaveswithyourhandsfor3–5minutes.Youwillbegintoseethekalesoften as themoisture starts to seep out.Add the roasted squash, friedmushrooms andshallotandthepumpkinseedsandpomegranateseeds.Drizzleovertheoliveoilandapplecidervinegarbeforeserving.HIGH IN FIBRE, VITAMINS AND PHYTOCHEMICALS, POMEGRANATE IS MAGICAL! PERFECT INBREAKFAST CEREALS, SALADS AND SOUPS – GET POMEGRANATE SEEDS IN YOUR DIETWHENEVERYOUCAN.
MARINATEDTOFUWITHANALMOND-BUTTERSAUCE,WRAPPEDINWHOLEWHEATTORTILLAS
I’vecreatedthisrecipewithtofu,butyoucaneasilyswapthetofuforprawnsandstillusethesamesweetandspicymarinade.
450gfirmtofu
2wholewheattortillas
1carrot,grated
¼cucumber,grated
2leavesofromainelettuce,shredded
½redonion,thinlysliced
Handfuloffreshcoriander,chopped
Sesameseeds,forsprinkling
Forthemarinade
4tablespoonsoliveoil
2garliccloves,crushed
2tablespoonstamari
1tablespoonmaplesyrup
1teaspoondriedchilliflakes
Forthealmond-buttersauce
2tablespoonsalmondbutter
½tablespoonrawhoney
½tablespoontamari
1tablespoonoliveoil
Serves2
Patthetofudrywithsomekitchenroll.Lineaplatewithsomekitchenrollandplacethetofu on top. Place another small plate on top of the tofu and weight it down withsomethingheavy(atinofbeansalwaysworksforme).Leaveforabout15minutesfortheexcesswatertoseepoutofthetofu.
Meanwhile,whiskallthemarinadeingredientstogetherinasmallbowl.
Slicethepressedtofuintostrips,tossthestripsinthemarinadeuntilcoated,thentransfertothefridgetomarinateforatleast30minutes.Mixthealmond-buttersauceingredientstogetherinasmallbowl.
Oncemarinated,dividethetofustripsbetweenthetortillas,placingtheminthecentreanddrizzlewithsomeofthesauce.Topwiththecarrots,cucumber,romainelettuce,redonionandcoriander.Drizzleabitmoreofthesauceoverandsprinklewithsesameseeds.Rollupeachtortillaintoawrap,wraptightlyinfoilorclingfilm,popinacontainerandyouaregoodtogo!WHOLEWHEAT TORTILLAS ARE NUTRITIONALLY SUPERIOR TO THE MORE COMMON WHITE-FLOURVARIETY,ASPRODUCTSMADEFROMWHITEFLOURHAVEBEENSTRIPPEDOFPRETTYMUCHALLTHEIRESSENTIALNUTRIENTS.
SWEETPOTATOANDPARSLEYFALAFELCABBAGEWRAPS
Ilovesweetpotatoes,soI’vebeenlookingforinterestingwaystocookthem.Thisrecipecombinessweetpotatowithagreatdairy-free toppingandanextraspicysalsa. Iusedacabbage leaf to wrap the falafels in, but you can use whatever leaves you have in thefridge.
200gsweetpotatoes
Smallhandfuloffreshflat-leafparsley
Smallhandfuloffreshcoriander
75gwalnuts
1garlicclove
½onion,chopped
1½tablespoonscoconutoil
½teaspoongroundcumin
½tablespoonwholegrainflour(e.g.buckwheat,speltoroat)
5–6cabbageleaves
Forthedairy-freecream
125mlcoconutorsoyyogurt
½smallcucumber,peeled,deseededandshredded
Smallhandfuloffreshmint,leavesonly,finelychopped
½teaspoondriedchilliflakes
1garlicclove,crushed
½teaspoongroundcumin
Forthesalsa
125gcherrytomatoes,diced
¼redchilli,deseededandfinelychopped
½garlicclove,crushed
Smallhandfuloffreshcoriander,chopped
½tablespoonoliveoil
Seasaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper
Bakingtraylinedwithparchmentpaper
Makes5–6wraps
Preheat theoven to200°C/Gas6 andprick the sweetpotatoes a few timeswith a fork.Bakeinthepreheatedovenforabout30minutesoruntilsoft.Leavetocoolcompletely,thenscoopthefleshintoalargebowl.Leavetheovenontobakethefalafel.
Tomakethedairy-freecream,putalltheingredientsinabowl,mixwellandstickinthefridgeforabout30minutes.Tomakethesalsa,mixalltheingredientstogetherinabowl.
For the falafels, blend the parsley, coriander and walnuts in a food processor untilcombined, thenslowlyadd thegarlic,onion,coconutoil, cumin, flourandsweetpotatoflesh,blendinguntilthemixturebecomeslikeapaste.Useyourhandstorollthemixtureinto10–12smallfalafelsandplacethemonthepreparedbakingtray.Bakefor20minutes,turningevery5minutes,oruntiltheyarealovelybrowncolour.
Topeachcabbageleafwith2falafels.Spoonsomedairy-freecreamandsalsaontop,wrapitallupandtakeabigbite!PARSLEYCONTAINSANARSENALOFANTIOXIDANTSANDINCLUDESAPARTICULARFLAVONOID,LUTEOLIN,THATHELPSTOERADICATEFREERADICALS.
BEETROOT,BLACKRICEANDPEARWRAPS
Iespeciallylovethisrecipebecausenotonlyisittastyineverywaypossible,butalsoit’sabighitwithmychildren. It’s incredibly easy to ‘hide’ really amazing foods that yourchildrenmightnotnormallyeat–andhere’show!
4wholewheattortillas
2largeromainelettuceleaves,torninhalf
1largepear,grated
Seasalt
Forthebeetrootpaste
2cookedbeetroots,roughlychopped
1garlicclove,crushed
Smallhandfuloffreshcoriander
Smallhandfuloffreshflat-leafparsley
35gwalnuts
1teaspooncoconutoil
2teaspoonsapplecidervinegar
Fortheblackrice
240mlwater
100gblackrice
½teaspooncarawayseeds
Finelygratedzestandjuiceof½lime
35gsultanas
35gflakedalmonds,toasted
Makes4
Tomakethebeetrootpaste,throweverythingintoafoodprocessor,addapinchofseasalttotaste,andblitzuntilalovelypastehasformed.Transfertoabowlforlater.
Tomaketheblackrice,putthe240mlwaterinasaucepanandbringtotheboil.Addtherice, caraway seeds and apinchof sea salt.Reduce theheat to low, cover and leave tosimmer for 20–25minutes, or until all thewater is absorbed, then leave to cool.Oncecooled,transferthericetoabowlandaddthelimezestandjuice,sultanasandalmonds.Stirwell.
Place2tablespoonsofthebeetrootpasteinthemiddleofeachtortillaandcoverwithoneofthelettuceleafhalves.Topwithacoupleofheapedspoonfulsoftheblackricefilling.Sprinklewiththegratedpearandfoldorrollthetortillastocreateawrap.BROWNRICEISGOODFORYOU,BUTBLACKRICEISEVENBETTER. ITMAYTAKELONGERTOCOOK,BUTIFYOUHAVETHETIMETHENGOFORIT.THEBRANHULLINBLACKRICECONTAINSSIGNIFICANTLYHIGHERAMOUNTSOFVITAMINE,WHICHHELPSTOPROTECTTHECELLSFROMTHOSEFREERADICALS.
ROASTEDCHICKPEAANDSUN-DRIEDTOMATOSALADWITHHERBDRESSING
Notonlyis thisrecipechock-fullofgreensforyourhealth,but theflavourreallyshinesthrough,too.Iusesun-driedtomatoesalotwhenIcookbecauseoftheiramazingflavour.Luckily,evenafterbeingdriedinthesun,theystillkeeptheirnutritionalvalue–theyarejustlosingmostoftheirwatercontent.Youdon’thavetoaddalotofthesetoyourrecipestogetthatburstofflavour;justafewwilldo.
1x400gtinchickpeas,drainedandrinsed
1tablespoonoliveoil
½teaspoongroundcumin
¼teaspoonpaprika
¼teaspoongroundturmeric
Largehandfuloffreshflat-leafparsley,chopped
35gpinenuts
25gsun-driedtomatoes,thinlysliced
2springonions,chopped
90gblackolives
Seasaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper
Fortheherbdressing
2tablespoonsoliveoil
1garlicclove
Juiceof1lemon
1tablespoonapplecidervinegar
1tablespoonmaplesyrup
Smallhandfuloffreshcoriander
Smallhandfuloffreshmint
Bakingtraylinedwithaluminiumfoil
Serves2
Preheattheovento180°C/Gas4.
Combinethechickpeas,oliveoil,cumin,paprikaandturmericinabowl.Seasontotastewithsaltandpepper.Spreadthechickpeamixtureoutoverthethepreparedbakingtray.Placethetrayontheupperrackofthepreheatedovenandroastforabout1hour.Removefromtheovenandleavetocool.
Tomaketheherbdressing,putalltheingredientsinablenderorfoodprocessorandwhizzuntilmixed.
Combine theparsley, pinenuts, sun-dried tomatoes, springonions, blackolives and thecooled chickpeas in a salad bowl. Drizzle over the herb dressing and toss everythingtogetherbeforeserving.CHICKPEASARESUPER-HIGHINFIBREANDPROTEIN,PLUSTHEYARELOWONTHEGLYCEMICINDEX,WHICHMEANSTHESELITTLEBEANSCANREALLYHELPKEEPYOUFEELINGFULLERFORLONGER. CHICKPEAS ALSO CONTAIN A HEALTHY DOES OF PHOSPHORUS, WHICH IS A KEYPLAYERINBONEHEALTH.
GREENGODDESSSALADWITHBLOOD-ORANGEDRESSING
I’vebeenmakingthissaladfornearlytwoyearsnow.Itissonutritiousandtastythatevenafterhaving itat leastonceaweek, Istill love it.Partof thereason it issodelicious isthanks to its yummy dressing. You may never have thought of putting avocado in adressingbefore,butitmakesitlovelyandcreamy(andit’saperfectlyeffortlesswaytogetyourchildrentoeattheirgreens).
1headoflettuce(thedarkerincolourthebetter),leavesseparated
1smallcucumber,chopped
3vinetomatoes,chopped
2springonions,chopped
Largehandfulofblackolives
1redonion,sliced
1avocado,peeled,pittedanddiced
20gpinenuts,toasted
Fortheblood-orangedressing
Juiceof½bloodorange
120mlapplecidervinegar
2tablespoonstamari
Handfuloffreshcoriander
Handfuloffreshflat-leafparsley
Handfuloffreshmint
1smallgarlicclove
1tablespoonrawhoneyor1date,pitted
Seasaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper
Serves2
Combinethelettuceleaves,cucumber,tomatoes,springonions,olives,redonion,halftheavocadoandthepinenutsinalargesaladbowl.
Putallthedressingingredientsinablenderorfoodprocessorwiththeremainingavocado
and blitz until smooth. This is a thick dressing, so if you’d like it thinner, add 1–2tablespoonswater.Seasontotastewithsaltandpepper.
Smotheryoursaladwiththedressingandwatchitbedevoured.NOTONLYDOBLOODORANGESHAVETHEBENEFITOFAHUGEAMOUNTOFVITAMINC,THEYALSOCONTAINANTHOCYANINS,ANTIOXIDANTSFOUNDINBERRIESANDREDWINE.
PUYLENTIL,ARTICHOKEANDSUN-DRIEDTOMATOSALADWITHRASPBERRYDRESSING
Thisisagoodcombooffruit,veggieandlegumesinonesalad,andthereforeagoodall-roundnutritionhit.It’squickandeasytoput together,ensuringthissaladwillkeepyoucomingbackformore.(Seephotograph)
1.2litreswater
200gPuylentils
2largehandfulsofkale,tornintobite-sizedpieces
1smallredonion,finelychopped
25gsun-driedtomatoes,roughlychopped
1x400gtinartichokeheartsinwater,drainedandchopped
Fortheraspberrydressing
50graspberries
1teaspoonlemonjuice
2teaspoonsapplecidervinegar
2tablespoonsmaplesyrup
1tablespoonoliveoil
2tablespoonswater
Serves2
Put480mlofthewaterinasaucepan,bringtotheboil,thenaddthelentils.Bringbacktotheboil,thensimmerfor10–15minutesuntilallofthewaterhasbeenabsorbed,stirringeverynowandthen.Oncecooked,rinsethelentilsundercoolwaterandtransfertoalargebowl.
Meanwhile,put theremaining720mlwater inaseparatesaucepan,bringtotheboilandaddthekale.Cookfor5minutes,thendrain,rinsewithcoolwaterandaddtothelentils,alongwiththeredonion,sun-driedtomatoesandartichokes.
Putallthedressingingredientsinablenderorfoodprocessorandblitzuntilsmoothandcombined.
Yourlovelysaladisnowreadytobeserved!Drizzlethedressingoverthelentilsalad,tosseverything together and you are ready to tuck in right away or transfer to a portable
containerandtakeittogo.EATINGARTICHOKESHASSHOWNTOHELPWITHDIGESTIVE ISSUES,SUCHASAN IRRITABLESTOMACHORBOWEL.
RADISHANDAVOCADOSALADWITHCHIATAHINIDRESSING
Radishesmaynotbeyourfirstchoicetoputintoyourlunch,buttrustme–they’reworthit.Peoplethinkthatthey’renotthetastiestofvegetables,butcombinethemwithakillersaladdressingliketheoneinthisrecipeandyou’reinforanutritiousburstofatreat.
About24radishes,roughlychopped
2smallredpeppers,deseededandchopped
Largehandfulofblackorkalamataolives
Largehandfuloffreshcoriander,roughlychopped
1smallavocado,peeled,pittedanddiced
½redonion,thinlysliced
1springonion,chopped
Forthechiatahinidressing
2tablespoonschiaseeds
2tablespoonstahini
½tablespooncuminseeds
Juiceof1lemon
1tablespoonchoppedfreshflat-leafparsley
½teaspoontamari
1tablespoonrawhoney
Pinchofseasalt
Pinchofchillipowder
Serves2–4
Putallthesaladingredientsinalargesaladorservingbowl.
Putallthedressingingredientsinablenderorfoodprocessorandblitzuntilsmooth.Thedressingwillbequitethickbutasyoumixitthroughthesalad,itwillcoattheingredientsnicely.
Pourthedressingoverthesalad,tosstogetheruntilwellcombinedandserve.STARTPAYINGMOREATTENTIONTORADISHES.NOTONLYDO4RADISHESMAKEUPABOUT14PERCENT OF THE RDA OF VITAMIN C, BUT RESEARCH HAS ALSO SHOWN THAT THEANTIOXIDANTSFOUNDINTHEMMAYHELPPREVENTCANCER.
BAKEDTOFUANDAPPLEONMIXEDGREENSANDWAKAME
Thisisadishthatevenmykidshonestly,whole-heartedlylove.Addingflavourtofoodsliketofu,whichstartoutquitebland,reallyhelpstospicethingsup.Withminimumeffort,youcanturnasimplemixedgreensaladintosomethingsuper.
450gfirmtofu
1tablespoonoliveoil
1tablespoontamari
1tablespoonapplecidervinegar
1tablespoonlemonjuice
10gdriedwakame
100gmixedsaladgreens
1apple,coredandthinlysliced
2springonions,chopped
2tablespoonssesameseeds
1tablespoonoliveoil
1teaspoondriedchilliflakes
Bakingtraylinedwithparchmentpaper
Serves2
Patthetofudrywithsomekitchenroll.Lineaplatewithsomekitchenrollandplacethetofu on top. Place another small plate on top of the tofu and weight it down withsomethingheavy(atinofbeansalwaysworksforme).Leavefor15–30minutesfortheliquidtoseepout.Removetheplateandcutthepressedtofuintocubes.Mixtheoliveoil,tamari,applecidervinegarand lemon juice together inasmallbowl.Pour thisover thetofuandleaveittomarinatefor30minutes.Preheattheovento180°C/Gas4.
Arrange the tofuon thepreparedbaking tray ina single layer.Dependingonhow largeyourcubesare,bakethetofuinthepreheatedovenfor25–40minutesuntilgolden.
Meanwhile,soakthedriedwakameintepidwaterfor10–20minutes.Patdrywithateatowelorkitchenrollandcoarselychop.Putthesaladgreens,apple,springonions,sesameseedsandwakameinalargebowlandtosswiththeoliveoilandchilliflakes.Topwiththebakedtofuandserve.MANY OF US ARE PROBABLY LACKING IN IODINE AND THAT’S EXACTLYWHATWAKAME IS AGOOD SOURCE OF. IODINE IS NEEDED TO HELP CONVERT FOOD INTO ENERGY, BUT ALSOHELPSTOKEEPTHETHYROIDGLANDINBALANCE.
LEMONSWEETPOTATOSALADWITHEDAMAMEANDSUNFLOWERSEEDS
Sweet potatoes have become a real staple in our house and definitely trump the whiteones. From sweet potato chips to soups and even in puddings, the sweet potato is asuperstarwhenitcomestocreatinginterestingandtastyrecipes.Everyonelovesapotatosalad,butthisonecouldknocksocksoffatyournextpicnic.Andwhywaitforapicnictoenjoyapotatosalad?Aheartyandhealthylunchiswhatyouwillgetwiththisrecipe!
250gsweetpotatoes
125gshellededamame
45gsunflowerseeds
Smallhandfuloffreshmint,chopped
Forthelemondressing
2tablespoonsoliveoil
1tablespoonlemonjuice
Gratedzestof½lemon
Smallgarlicclove,crushed
1tablespoonmaplesyrup
Serves2
Cut the sweet potato into chunks (keep the skins on, they’re good for you!) Bring asaucepan of water to the boil and add the potatoes. Cook for 15–20 minutes, or untiltender,thendrainandsetasidetocool.
Meanwhile,bringapanofwater to theboil, add theedamameandcook for5minutes.Drainandrinse.
Once the sweet potatoes are cool, put them in a large bowl and add the edamame,sunflowerseedsandchoppedmint.
Mix all the dressing ingredients together in a bowl, then drizzle over the sweet potatosaladandserve.TRYTOALWAYSKEEPTHESKINSONSWEETPOTATOES AS THAT’SWHEREMUCHOF THEIRGOODNESSISFOUND,SUCHASVITAMINC,VITAMINAANDCALCIUM.
LENTILANDCOUSCOUSSALADWITHALMONDSANDASPARAGUS
Thisisanall-roundgreatmeal,especiallywhenasparagusisinseason.Saladsnowadayshavesuchabroaddefinition.Whereastheyusedtomeanlettuceleavestoppedwithsomedressing, I find I can just throw some good, wholesome legumes, nuts and veggiestogetherand,forme,thatisamightysupersalad.Here’soneofthem.
50gbrownlentils
180mlwater
50gIsraelicouscous
8asparagusspears
1smallredonion,sliced
45gcapers
45gsultanas
2largehandfulsofwatercress
40galmonds
16cherrytomatoes,halved
Forthevinaigrette
3tablespoonsoliveoil
2tablespoonsapplecidervinegar
1tablespoonlemonjuice
Serves2
Putthelentilsand180mlwaterinasaucepanoveramediumheat,bringtotheboil,thenreducetoasimmerfor20–25minutesuntilcooked.Ifneeded,drainthelentils,thenrunthemundercoolwater.Transfertoalargebowl.
Meanwhile,putthecouscousinasaucepanandcoverwithwater.Bringtotheboil,reducetoasimmerandcookfor5–8minutesuntilitistender.Removefromtheheat,drainandrinseundercoolwater.Addthecouscoustothelentils.
Fillasmallsaucepanhalfwaywithwater.Bringtotheboil,thenaddtheasparagus.Cookfor2–3minutesonly, thendrainandrinseundercoldwater.Cut theasparagusinto3cmlengthsandaddtothelentilsandcouscous.
Addtheredonion,capers,sultanas,watercress,almondsandcherrytomatoestothebowl.Whiskthevinaigretteingredientstogetherinasmallbowlanddrizzleoverthesalad.Tosstogetherandserve.ASPARAGUS IS PARTICULARLY HIGH IN A DETOXIFYING COMPOUND CALLED GLUTATHIONEWHICHHELPSBREAKDOWNFREERADICALSANDCARCINOGENSINTHEBODY.
CAULIFLOWER,GOJIBERRYANDALMONDSALADWITHTURMERICDRESSING
Asbizarreasthisdishsounds,itisunbelievablygoodandpossiblyoneofmyfavourites!Iurgeyoutomakeitassoonaspossible.Thedressingissuper-versatileandcanbeusedtodrizzleoveraloadofsteamedorroastedvegetablesaswell.
35ggojiberries
1cauliflower,cutintosmallflorets
2tablespoonscoconutoil,melted
2smallredonions,sliced
35gflakedalmonds
Seasaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper
Fortheturmericdressing
4tablespoonsapplecidervinegar
Finelygratedzestandjuiceof2lemons
1garlicclove,crushed
¼large,ripeavocado,peeledandpitted
1tablespoongroundturmeric
1tablespoonrawhoney
Pinchofseasalt
Serves2
Put thegojiberries inabowlofwaterandsetaside tosoakfor10minutes.Preheat theovento180˚C/Gas4.
Toss the cauliflower in the coconut oil – really rub theoil into it. Seasonwith salt andblack pepper, place on a baking tray and roast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.Remove the tray from the oven, add the sliced red onions and roast for another 15–20minutesuntiltender.Transfertheroastedvegetablestoalargebowl.
Toasttheflakedalmondsonabakingtrayinthehotovenfor3–5minutes.Drainthegojiberriesandaddtotheroastedveggies,alongwiththetoastedalmonds.
Combineallthedressingingredientsinablenderorfoodprocessorandblitzuntilyougeta bright orange dressing. It’s wonderful to look at and taste. Serve the salad with thedressinganddevour!TURMERICISANATURALANDPOTENTANTIINFLAMMATORYTHATHASBEENSHOWNTOWORKJUST AS WELL AS MANY ANTI INFLAMMATORY DRUGS, BUT WITHOUT THE SIDE EFFECTS.STUDIES ARE EVEN SUGGESTING THAT TURMERIC COULD SLOW THE PROGRESSION OFALZHEIMER’SDISEASEBYREMOVINGAMYLOIDPLAQUEBUILD-UPINTHEBRAIN.
COURGETTISPAGHETTIWITHASUN-DRIEDTOMATO,BASILANDAVOCADOSAUCE
Havingarawmealonceadayisafantasticwaytogiveyourbodyarestandallowittosimplyabsorballofthegoodnessfromtheingredients.Whenwecookfood,welosequitealotofthenutrientsthatwewanttobeconsuming.Thisdishisabrilliantentryintorawfood!Firstandforemost,ifyoudon’thaveaspiraliser,don’tworry!Youcaneasilyuseamandolinorjulienneslicerinstead.
1redpepper,deseededandsliced
3½tablespoonsapplecidervinegar
3½tablespoonstamari
2largecourgettes
Forthesun-driedtomato,basilandavocadosauce
100gsun-driedtomatoes,soaked
½avocado,peeled,pittedandchopped
60gpinenuts
5freshbasilleaves
1garlicclove
2tablespoonsoliveoil
Gratedzestandjuiceof1lemon
Seasaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper
Serves2–3
Puttheslicedredpeppersinabowlandaddthetamariandapplecidervinegar.Coverandsetasidetomarinate.
Grabyourspiraliser,mandolinorjulienneslicerandgettoworkonthecourgettes.Youraimistocreatespaghetti-ortagliatelle-likestrips.Putyourstripsintoabowlreadyforthesauce.
Putallthesauceingredientsinafoodprocessorandwhizzaway.Youwillgetapaste-likesauce,butifit’stoothickforyou,simplyaddabitofwatertothinitout.
Pourthesauceoverthecourgetti,mixwell,topwiththemarinatedpeppersandserve.COURGETTESAREEXTREMELYLOWINCALORIES–ABOUT19CALORIESPER120G–ANDAREMOSTLYWATER,WHICHMAKESTHEMADIETER’SFRIEND.
MAINS
I’vebeentoldbeforethat‘supper’actuallymeans‘supplemental’…i.e.wearenotsupposedtoeathugemealsbeforebed,justasmall,supplementalamount.Thatway,ourbodiescanrestanddigest somethingmanageablewhilewe’resleepingandwhenwewake,wearerechargedandreadytonourishourbodieswith a healthy and hearty breakfast. When we eat something heavy in theevenings, it affects our sleep and we wake up feeling lethargic. The maindishes that I’ve created are light but filling, so you don’t go to bed feelinghungry,andyouwakeupinthemorningfeelinggreat.
AUBERGINE,TOMATOANDALMONDPASTAWITHQUINOALEMON‘MEATBALLS’
A healthier version of classic spaghetti with meatballs, this dish is still packed withprotein,butitskipsthesaturatedfatandcholesterol.
2largeaubergines
2tablespoonscoconutoil,melted
200galmonds,soakedinwaterfor3–4hours(optional)
100gsun-driedtomatoes,drained(or,ifnotfromajar,soakinwaterfor10minutesanddrain)
Largehandfuloffreshflat-leafparsley
90gblackolives,pitted
100mloliveoil
1tablespoonrawhoney
500gwholegrainpasta
Seasalt
Forthe‘meatballs’
240mlwater
170gquinoa
1tablespooncoconutoil
½onion,finelychopped,
150gchestnutmushrooms,finelychopped
Smallhandfuloffreshflat-leafparsley,finelychopped
Smallhandfuloffreshbasil,finelychopped
Smallhandfuloffreshcoriander,finelychopped
1teaspoondriedchilliflakes
Gratedzestandjuiceof2lemons
2tablespoonsnutritionalyeast
6tablespoonsoatflour(oranyotherwholewheatflour)
2tablespoonsoliveoil
Serves4–6
Preheattheovento180°C/Gas4.Slicetheauberginesinto1cm-thickroundsandplaceonabakingtray.Coat theauberginewith thecoconutoilandagoodsprinklingofseasalt.Roast in thepreheatedoven for30–35minutes,oruntil softandgolden.Leave tocool,thenputtheroastedaubergine,soakedalmonds,sun-driedtomatoes,parsley,olives,oliveoilandhoneyinafoodprocessorandblitztoalovelypaste.
For the ‘meatballs’, put the 240mlwater in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add thequinoa,bringbacktotheboil,coverandsimmerforabout20minutesuntilcooked.Leavetocool.Preheattheovenagainto180°C/Gas4ifitisn’tstillon.
Heatthecoconutoilinafryingpanoveramediumheat.Addtheonionandmushroomsandcook for5–7minutes, oruntil theonion is translucent and soft.Transfer to abowlwiththecooledquinoaandtherestofthe‘meatball’ingredients.Mixwell,thenshapeintogolfball-sized‘meatballs’.Placeonabakingtrayandbakeinthehotovenfor30minutes,oruntilbrowned,flippinghalfwaythrough.Leavetocool.
Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, until al dente. Drain and dividebetweenbowls.Pouroverthepesto,mixwellandtopwiththe‘meatballs’.AUBERGINESARERICHINANTIOXIDANTS,PARTICULARLYNASUNIN,WHICHISPREDOMINANTLYFOUNDINTHESKINOFAUBERGINES–SODON’TPEELITOFF!
BUTTERNUTBARLEYSTEWWITHCAVOLONERO
Everynowandagain,youneedsomewarming,comfortingfood.Unfortunately,‘comfort’food isn’t always very healthy or nutritious! So, I’ve createdmy own comforting stewthat’sfullofgoodstuff,makingyoufeelnourishedbothinsideandout.
1tablespooncoconutoil
1onion,finelychopped
2smallredchillies,deseededandchopped
2garliccloves,crushed
1teaspoongroundcumin
200gpearlbarley
1butternutsquash,peeledandcutintochunks
1litrevegetablestock
1x400gtincannellinibeans,drainedandrinsed
2largehandfulsofcavolonero,tornintosmallpieces
Smallhandfuloffreshflat-leafparsley,chopped
Seasaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper
Serves4
Heatthecoconutoilinalargefryingpanoveramediumheatandfrytheonionfor5–7minutesuntilsoft.Addtheredchillies,garlicandcuminandfryforanother1–2minutes.
Add the pearl barley, butternut squash and the vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, thenreduce the heat to lowand simmer for about 45minutes.Add the cannellini beans andcavoloneroforthelast5minutes,makingsurethecavoloneroissoftbeforeyouserve.
Serveinsoupbowlsandtopwiththechoppedparsleyandsomesaltandblackpepper.CAVOLONERO, ALSO KNOWS AS TUSCAN BLACK KALE, IS AMONG THEMOST ANTIOXIDANT-RICHFOODSONEARTH.
REDPEPPERSSTUFFEDWITHBULGHURWHEATANDPISTACHIOS
Ilikeallthecoloursinthisdish–themorecolours,themoreantioxidants,andthereforethe more nutritious for you. And this one’s a great option when you’re entertainingfriends,too!
8redpeppers
3tablespoonscoconutoil,melted
500mlvegetablestock
250gbulghurwheat
1onion,finelychopped
1teaspoongroundcumin
2garliccloves,crushed
3portobellomushrooms
100gcherrytomatoes,cutintoquarters
2carrots,grated
2largehandfulsofspinach
100gpistachionuts,roughlychopped
Serves8
Preheat theoven to180°C/Gas4.Cut the topsoff thepeppers, scoopout the seedsandplacethepeppersinaroastingtin.Brushthemlightlywith1tablespoonofthecoconutoilandbakeinthepreheatedovenfor20minutes,oruntillightlybrowned.Leavetocool,butleavetheovenon.
Bringthevegetablestocktotheboilinasaucepanandaddthebulghurwheat.Reducetheheat to a simmer, cover and cook for 15–20 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the remainingcoconutoilinalargefryingpanandfrytheonionfor5–7minutesuntiltranslucent.Addthe cumin and garlic and continue to fry for 2moreminutes.Add themushrooms andcookforafurther10–15minutes,oruntilsoft.
Oncethebulghurwheatiscookedandhasabsorbedallthestock,addittothefryingpan,alongwith the tomatoes, grated carrot and spinach, and cook for another 2–3minutes,stirring,untilthespinachissoft.
Fill the peppers with the bulghur mixture, then place them back in the roasting tin,standingup.Bakeforafurther10minutes, thenremovefromtheovenandseasonwith
saltandblackpepper.Topwiththechoppedpistachiosbeforeserving.PISTACHIOSCONTAINPHYTOCHEMICALSANDOTHERANTIOXIDANTS,SUCHASVITAMINEANDSELENIUMWHICHHELPTODESTROYTISSUE-DAMAGINGFREERADICALSWITHINTHEBODY.
BEETROOT,QUINOA,BLACKBEANANDFLAXSEEDBURGERS
Thinkyourregularall-beefburgerhasalotofproteininit?Well,thisveggiealternativeisaseriouscontendernotonlyfromthebeans,butfromthequinoa,too.Andthecolourfromthebeetrootmakesitafeastfortheeyes!
180mlwater
90gquinoa
200gtinnedblackbeans,drainedandrinsed
2cookedbeetroots
1shallot,finelychopped
2garliccloves,crushed
Smallhandfuloffreshcoriander,chopped
2tablespoonsapplecidervinegar
Juiceof1lime
2tablespoonsoatflour(orgrindyourownfromrolledoats)
2tablespoonsgroundflaxseed
2tablespoonscoconutoil
Seasaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper
Toserve
6wholewheatbuns,toasted
Tahini
Driedchilliflakes,toseason
2avocados,peeled,pittedandsliced(optional)
Serves6
Putthe180mlwaterandquinoainasaucepan,bringtotheboil, thenreducetheheat tolowandsimmerfor15–20minutes,oruntilallthewaterhasbeenabsorbedandthequinoaistender.Leavetocool.
Oncethequinoahascooled,putitinafoodprocessorandaddtheblackbeans,beetroots,shallot,garlic,coriander,applecidervinegarandlimejuice.Blitzuntilsmooth.Transferthemixturetoalargebowlandstirintheoatflourandflaxseed.Seasontotaste.Dividethemixtureinto6equalportionsandflattenintofatdiscstocreateyourburgers.
Meltthecoconutoilinafryingpanoveramediumtohighheat.Cookeachburgerfor2–3minutesoneachside.
Serveontoastedwholewheatbunsspreadwithtahiniandsprinkledwithchilliflakes.Addslicedavocadoforarealtreat.FLAXSEEDGIVESYOUADOUBLE-WHAMMYOFFIBREBECAUSEITCONTAINSBOTHINSOLUBLEANDSOLUBLEFIBRE.
BROCCOLIANDSHIITAKESOBANOODLEBOWL
Soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour, so they are an interesting alternative tothosemadefromwheatflour.Andasanaddedbonus,theyarealsoglutenfree(butchecktheingredientsonthepackagingtoensuretheyarenotmadefromamixtureofwheatandbuckwheat).IalwayshavesobanoodlesonhandsothatwhenIdon’thavealotoftimetocook,Icanwhipupthisbowlinaflashandfeelgoodaboutit.Foraheartiermeal,addcookedchicken,prawnsortofu.
250gsobanoodles
250gTenderstembroccoli
2tablespoonscoconutoil
300gshiitakemushrooms,sliced
2tablespoonsmirin
2.5cmpieceoffreshginger,grated
2garliccloves,crushed
1teaspoondriedchilliflakes
4tablespoonstamari
1tablespoonapplecidervinegar
2tablespoonssesameseeds
Dulseflakes,totaste
Serves4
Cookthenoodlesaccordingtothepacketinstructions.Oncecooked,putthenoodlesinalargebowl.
Steamorboilthebroccolifor3minutes,thenaddittothenoodlebowl.
Heat a frying pan over a medium to high heat and melt the coconut oil. Fry themushroomsforabout5–7minutesuntilsoft,thenaddtothenoodles.
Whisktogetherthemirin,ginger,garlic,chilliflakes,tamariandapplecidervinegarinasmallbowl.Pouritoverthenoodlesandstirtocoatthenoodles,broccoliandmushroomswith the dressing. Sprinklewith sesame seeds and dulse flakes and serve.Yes, it’s thatsimple!SOME SAY SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS HAVE BAGS MORE FLAVOUR THAN STANDARD WHITEMUSHROOMS.THEYCONTAIN65PERCENTCOPPER,WHICHISESSENTIALTOTHEHEALTHOFOURIMMUNESYSTEM,BLOODVESSELSANDNERVES.
ADZUKIANDQUINOATEX-MEXCASSEROLE
Growingup in theStates,we’re accustomed to tex-mexcuisine.Unfortunately,mostofthetex-mexrecipesareloadedwithfat,cheeseandcream.Sure,itmighttastegoodatthetime, but the aftermath is low energy and heaviness. This tex-mex-inspired casserolerecipetakesthefatandheavinessoutandputsthegoodnessandlightnessbackin.
1tablespooncoconutoil,plusalittleextraforbrushing
2garliccloves,crushed
1onion,finelychopped
2jalapeños,deseededandchopped
240mlvegetablestock
2x400gtinsadzukibeans,drainedandrinsed
240mlwater
170gquinoa
2springonions,sliced
1teaspoonchillipowder
2teaspoonsgroundcumin
½teaspooncayennepepper
2redpeppers,deseededandchopped
2yellowpeppers,deseededandchopped
2tablespoonsnutritionalyeast
Largehandfuloffreshcoriander,chopped
Serves6
Heatthecoconutoilinafryingpanoveramediumtohighheatandaddthegarlic,onionandjalapeños.Cookforabout5minutes,oruntil theonionbecomes translucent.Stir inthevegetablestockandadzukibeans.Useaforktolightlymashthebeans,butleavesomewholetocreateachunkytexture.
Putthe240mlwaterinasmallsaucepanandbringtotheboil.Addthequinoa,bringbackto theboil, cover and simmer for about20minutesuntil thequinoa is cooked.Drain ifneeded.Oncecooked,stirinthespringonions,chillipowder,cuminandcayennepepper.Preheattheovento180°C/Gas4.
Brushacasserolewithalittlecoconutoilandspoontheblackbeanmixtureoverthebaseofthedish.Topwiththequinoaandthentheredandyellowpeppers.Coverwithfoiloralidandbakeinthepreheatedovenforabout20minutes.Takethefoilorlidoffandcookforafurther5minutesuntilthepeppersareslightlybrowned.Removefromtheovenand,whilestillhot,sprinklethenutritionalyeastandcorianderoverthetopbeforeserving.JUST A SMALL HANDFUL OF ADZUKI BEANS CONTAINS 100 PERCENT OF THE RDA FOR THETRACEMINERALMOLYBDENUM,WHICHAIDSLIVERDETOXIFICATION.
DOUBLE-SPROUTSUPERFOODBOWLS
Ifyou’re feelingabit low in energyandperhapshaven’tbeenexactlyhealthy recently,then this bowl is for you. It contains nutrient-packed fruit, veg andwholegrains to re-nourishyourbodywhenyouneedthatsuper-charge.
2largebeetroots,peeledandcutintochunks
1largesweetpotato,peeledandcutintochunks
100gBrusselssprouts,halved
1smallheadofcauliflower,cutintosmallflorets
3–4tablespoonscoconutoil,melted
1teaspoongroundcumin
35ggojiberries
480mlwater
190gbrownrice
1x400gtinchickpeas,drainedandrinsed
4smallhandfulsofspinach
Largehandfulofalfalfasprouts
50gwalnuts,roughlychopped
1pear,grated
Seasaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper
Forthedressing
½avocado,peeled,pittedandchopped
Juiceof1lime
2tablespoonsapplecidervinegar
1garlicclove
1tablespoonrawhoney
¼teaspoongroundcumin
1tablespoontamari
2tablespoonswater
Largebakingtraylinedwithaluminiumfoil
Serves4
Preheat theovento200°C/Gas6.Coat thebeetroots,sweetpotato,Brusselssproutsandcauliflowerinthemeltedcoconutoilandseasonwiththecuminandsomesaltandblackpepper.Putthevegetablesonthepreparedbakingtrayandroastinthepreheatedovenfor30–40minutesuntiltenderandcooked.
Soakthegojiberriesinwaterfor10minutes,thendrainandsetaside.
Meanwhile, bring the 480mlwater to the boil in a saucepan, then add the brown rice.Reducetheheattolow,coverandsimmerfor45–60minutesuntilallthewaterhasbeenabsorbed.Oncecooked,leavethericetocool.
Putallthedressingingredientsinablenderorfoodprocessorandblitzuntilsmooth.
Evenlydistributetherice,roastedvegetables,chickpeas,spinach,alfalfasprouts,walnuts,gratedpearandsoakedgojiberriesbetweenservingbowls.Drizzlethedressingoverthetopandtuckin!BRUSSELSSPROUTSAREACRUCIFEROUSVEGETABLERELATEDTOTHECABBAGE.SMALLBUTMIGHTY,AQUARTEROFTHEIRCALORIESCOMESFROMPROTEIN.
MUNGBEAN,SWEETPOTATOANDPOMEGRANATECASSEROLE
Ilikecookingwithmungbeansbecausetheyareparticularlyaffordablecomparedtootherbeans,andtheyareanutritionalpowerhousepackedwithvitaminsA,B,CandEaswellasmineralssuchaspotassium,magnesium,ironandcalcium.
1tablespooncoconutoil
1teaspoonfenugreekseeds
1teaspooncuminseeds
3garliccloves,crushed
3cmpieceoffreshginger,grated
2largegreenchillies,sliced
2smallonions,diced
2redpeppers,deseededandchopped
2sweetpotatoes,cutintochunks
1teaspoongroundturmeric
250gmungbeans
1litrevegetablestock
2largehandfulsofspinach
3largetomatoes,cutintochunks
Juiceof1lime
Seedsfrom1pomegranate
Seasaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper
Serves6
Heatthecoconutoilinalargesaucepan,thenaddthefenugreekandcuminseedsandcookforabout2minutesuntilyousmellthelovelyfragranceofthespices.
Addthegarlic,ginger,chillies,onionsandredpeppersandsautéfor5–7minutes.Tossinthesweetpotatoesandturmericandcookforabout2minutes.
Stir in themungbeansandvegetablestock.Bringto theboil, thensimmerforabout45minutes,oruntilthebeansarecooked.
Lastly,addthespinachandtomatoesandcookforabout7–10minutesuntilbotharesoft.
Squeezethelimejuiceoverthecasseroleandtopwiththepomegranateseeds.Seasonwithsomesaltandblackpepperandserve.
Mung beans are a good source of isoflavones, which are a class of phytoestrogen thathelpstoregulatehormonalactivity.MUNG BEANS ARE A GOOD SOURCE OF ISOFLAVONES, WHICH ARE A CLASS OFPHYTOESTROGENTHATHELPSTOREGULATEHORMONALACTIVITY.
SWEETRHUBARB,APRICOTANDQUINOASTEW
Whenrhubarb is inseason,well– it’sdelicious!Andrhubarbdoesn’thave tobeput injustpuddingsandcakeseither. Itcanbeused inmainmeals, too. Iparticularly like thisdishwhen I’mcravingsomethingsweet.Squash isawonderful sweetvegetable tohelpcurbthosesugarcravings,andcombinethatwiththeapricotsandhoneyandyou’vegotonehealthysugarfix!
1tablespooncuminseeds
1tablespooncardamompods
2tablespoonscoconutoil
1largeonion,finelychopped
3garliccloves,crushed
5cmpieceoffreshginger,grated
5sticksofrhubarb,sliced
1smallbutternutsquash,cutinto2–3cmcubes(noneedtopeel)
15–20driedapricots
200gquinoa
900mlwater
3tablespoonsrawhoney
Handfuloffreshflat-leafparsley,chopped,togarnish
Seasaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper
Serves6
Grind the spices with a pestle and mortar to release the fragrance, then pick out thecardamomshells.Heatthecoconutoilinalargesaucepanorfryingpan.Whenmelted,stirinthegroundspicesandcookforabout5minutes.Addtheonion,garlicandgingerandstirintothespicesforabout2minutes.Addtherhubarb,butternutsquashandapricotsandmixwell.
Add the quinoa and 900mlwater, cover and simmer for about 25minutes, or until thequinoaiscookedandthesquashissoft.Seasonwithsomesaltandblackpepperandstirinthehoney.Topwiththeparsleybeforeserving,anddigin.ONESERVINGOFCOOKEDRHUBARBCONTAINSJUSTASMUCHCALCIUMASONESERVINGOFMILK.
CASHEWANDCORNSOUPWITHBROCCOLIALMONDPURÉE
As odd as might sound to have a nut-based soup, it is delicious, creamy and totallyrefuelling.Plus, I love that italso includessomeall-importantgreens in theformof thebroccolipurée.Makingabigbatchofitisenoughtorefuelmeatlunchtimeandfillupallfourkidsintheevening.
2tablespoonscoconutoil
2onions,chopped
4largegarliccloves,chopped
1teaspoonsgroundturmeric
1teaspoonpaprika
1teaspoongroundcumin
170gcashews,soakedinwaterfor4–5hours
500gsweetcorn
2litresvegetablestock
Seasaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper
Forthebroccolialmondpurée
2smallheadsofbroccoli,cutintoflorets
60mlalmondmilk,plusextraifneeded
2tablespoonsoliveoil
Serves6–8
Forthepurée,bringalargesaucepanofwatertotheboilandblanchthebroccolifor2–3minutes.Strain thewater from thebroccoli and run coolwaterover the florets.Put theblanchedbroccoli,almondmilkandoliveoilinablenderorfoodprocessorandblitzuntilsmooth.Addmorealmondmilkasneeded.Puttooneside.
Heatalargesouppotoveramediumheatandmeltthecoconutoil.Addtheonionsandgarlicandfryfor5minutes.Addtheturmeric,paprikaandcumin,stirringwelltocoattheonionandgarlic.Addthesoakedcashews,sweetcornandvegetablestockandbringtotheboil,thenreducetheheattolowandsimmerfor1hour.
Use a hand-held blender (or a blender or food processor) to blend the soup until it issmooth,thenseasontotaste.Pourintobowlsandgarnishwiththebroccolialmondpurée.CHOLESTEROL-FREE CASHEWS ARE PARTICULARLY RICH IN MAGNESIUM,WHICH, JUST LIKECALCIUM,ISNECESSARYFORSTRONGBONES.
BULGHUR-WHEATANDNORISUSHIWITHCREAMYWASABIDIPPINGSAUCE
Remember, white rice has a lot of its nutritional profile stripped away, so wheneverpossible,I trytosubstitutewhitericewithanywholegrain.Ifyouwouldprefer touseagluten-freegrainforthisrecipe,thenquinoaisagreatalternative,too.
200gbulghurwheat
400mlwater
4norisheets
2babygemlettuces
1smallcucumber,slicedinto5cm-longmatchsticks
4radishes,thinlysliced
1carrot,grated
1largeavocado,peeled,pittedandthinlysliced
Toastedsesameseeds,forsprinkling
Seasalt,totaste
Forthecreamywasabidippingsauce
½teaspoonwasabipowder
1½tablespoonsbrownricevinegar
1½tablespoonstamari
1½tablespoonstahini
½teaspoonseasalt
Sushimat
Serves4–6
Put the bulghurwheat in a saucepan and add the 400mlwater. Bring to the boil, thenreduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 15–20 minutes until all the water has beenabsorbedandthebulghuristender.Transfertoabowlandleavetocool.
Placeanorisheet,mattsideup,onasushimat.Usingwethands,spreadaquarterofthebulghurwheat over the nori sheet in a thin, even layer, butmake sure to leave a 5cmborderatthetop.
Arrangeaquarterofthevegetableslengthways,startingwiththebabygemlettuce,acrossthecentreof thebulghurwheatandsprinklewithsesameseeds.Pickuptheedgeof thematclosesttoyouandstarttorollitawayfromyouwhileholdingontothefilling.Pullthematgentlywhilerolling,inordertogetafirmroll.Keeprollinguntilyouhaveaniceneat,tight roll. Use a wet and very sharp knife to neatly cut the nori roll into pieces, thenarrangeonaplatter.Repeatwiththeremainingnorisheetsandvegetables.
Whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and serve with the sushi fordipping.BY EATING 2 SHEETS OF NORI SEAWEED, YOU GET AS MUCH IRON AS YOU WOULD FROM
DRINKING1GLASSOFMILKOREATING1EGG.
MACADAMIAPESTOONWHOLEGRAINPASTA
Homemadepesto is sodelicious!My13-year-old son, Jack, is obsessedwithpesto andwouldbevery,veryhappyifhecouldhaveiteverynightforsupper!So,thistwistonthesameoldbasil,pinenutandoliveoilcombinationbroughtahugesmiletohisfaceandIthinkitwillbringonetoyours,too.
500gwholegrainpasta
Forthepesto
2largehandfulsoffreshbasil,leavesonly
100gmacadamianuts
1tablespoonnutritionalyeast
1garlicclove
100mloliveoil
Largehandfuloffreshflat-leafparsley,leavesonly
Serves4
Putallthepestoingredientsinafoodprocessorandwhizztogetheruntilyouachievetheconsistencyofyourchoice.
Cook thewholewheat pasta according to the packet instructions until al dente. Stir thepestothroughandserveimmediately.ALTHOUGH THEY ARE ONE OF THE MOST CALORIFIC NUTS, MACADAMIAS CONTAIN THEHIGHESTAMOUNTOFHEART-HEALTHYMONOUNSATURATEDFATPERSERVING,WHICHHELPSTOLOWERBAD‘LDL’CHOLESTEROL.
KALE,FIGANDWALNUTRISOTTO
IcreatedthisrecipebecauseIgotboredofmushroomrisotto.Makeitona‘datenight’ordoubleandtripleitforadinnerparty.(Seephotograph)
1tablespooncoconutoil
1onion,chopped
1garlicclove,crushed
170gbuckwheatgroats
500mlvegetablestock,plusextraifneeded
100gwalnuts
2tablespoonsnutritionalyeast
2largehandfulsofkale,stemsremovedandroughlychopped
5figs,quartered
Serves2
Meltthecoconutoilalargesaucepanoveramediumheatandfrytheonionandgarlicfor5minutes,oruntiltheonionistranslucent.Addthebuckwheatandsautéforacoupleofminutesuntilwell coated, stirring.Add the stock andbring to theboil, then reduce theheatandsimmerfor25–30minutes.Addmorestockiflookingdry.
Dryroastthewalnutsinasmallpanforafewminutesoveramediumheat.
Addtheyeast,kaleandtoastedwalnutstothecookedbuckwheatmixtureandstir.Garnishwiththefigsandserve.HIGH-FIBREFIGSACTASANATURALLAXATIVEANDHELPTONOURISHTHEINTESTINES.
THAICOCONUTNOODLEBOWLWITHPAKCHOIANDMUSHROOMS
Asianfoodiscookedwithfantasticallyaromaticflavours.Althoughthereistraditionallyaheavy emphasis on fish andmeat, you can create an amazing Thai dish, like this one,withoutusingany.However,feelfreetoaddinsomeprawnsorcookedchickenifyoufeeltheneed.
2x400mltinscoconutmilk
240mlvegetablestock
1tablespoondriedcoriander
6lemongrassstalks
1largeonion,thinlysliced
2–3garliccloves,crushed
1tablespoonshreddedkaffirlimeleaves,plusextratogarnish(optional)
50gcoconutpalmsugar
Largehandfulofportabellinimushrooms,sliced
3tablespoonstamari
Juiceof2limes
Juiceof1lemon
100gpakchoi,roughlychopped
50gthinriceorsobanoodles
1redchilli,sliced,togarnish
Freshcoriander,togarnish
Serves4
Pour the coconut milk and stock into a large saucepan and stir in the dried coriander,lemongrass,onion,garlic,kaffirlimeleavesandcoconutpalmsugar.Bringthecontentsofthe pan to a simmer and cook for 15–20 minutes. Strain through a sieve into a cleansaucepananddiscardtheingredientsleftinthesieve.
Addtheslicedmushrooms, tamari, limeandlemonjuice,pakchoiandricenoodlesandbringtoasimmeragain.After3–4minutes,yoursoupisready.
Serveinsoupbowlsandgarnishwithfreshcorianderleaves,redchilliandmaybesomemorechoppedkaffirlimeleaves.PAK CHOI IS A TYPE OF CHINESE CABBAGE THAT IS EXTREMELY LOW IN CALORIES, HASHARDLYATRACEOFFAT,YETDELIVERSALMOSTALLTHEESSENTIALVITAMINSANDMINERALS.
SPICYTOFUCURRYWITHCOCONUTANDCARDAMOM
Althoughthisrecipewasoriginallyintendedtohaveprawnsinit,I’veusedtofuinstead,but you can, of course, add whichever you would prefer – they’re both extremelysatisfying.
3tablespoonscoconutoil
2onions,finelychopped
3cmpieceoffreshginger,grated
1teaspoongroundcumin
¼teaspoongroundcardamom
2teaspoonsgroundcoriander
2teaspoonsgroundturmeric
2teaspoonschillipowder
450gfirmtofu,cutintosmallchunks
100g(block)coconutcream
475mlboilingwater
Limejuice,totaste
Seasaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper
Brownriceorsobanoodles,toserve
Serves4
Meltthecoconutoilinalargefryingpanoveramediumheat.Addtheonionandgingerand fry for 2–3minutes.While continuing to fry, add the cumin, cardamom, coriander,turmericandchillipowder.Stirthecontentsofthepanwell,thenaddthetofu.Reducetheheattolowandleavetocookgentlywhileyoucreatethecoconutmilk.
Mixtheblockofcoconutcreamwiththe475mlboilingwaterinajug.Stirwell,thenpourthisintothefryingpan.Turntheheatbackuptoamediumandalloweverythingtocooktogetherfor5–10minutes.Squeezeoverthelimejuiceandseasontotaste.
Serveoverbrownriceorsobanoodles–bothareequallydelicious!
Thisisthekindofmealyouneedwhenyou’repoorlyandyourbodycravesstrongflavoursaccompaniedbysustainingriceornoodles.CARDAMOMISFANTASTICFORINDIGESTIONANDHEARTBURNRELIEF.YOUCANEVENCHEWA
FEWSEEDSTOHELPASWELL!
REDVELVETLENTILSONBROWNRICE
My10-year-oldson,William,callsthisdishhis‘favouritemealinthewholewideworld’andhecanactuallypolishitoffinnotime,andthengoontosecondsandeventhirdsifthere’sanyleft!
2tablespoonscoconutoil
1½teaspoonsblackmustardseeds
1½teaspoonscuminseeds
1onion,chopped
2.5cmpieceoffreshginger,grated
2teaspoonsgroundturmeric
2teaspoonsgroundcumin
1x400gtinchoppedtomatoes
400gredlentils
2litresvegetablestock
1cinnamonstick
480mlwater
190gbrownrice
Juiceof1lime
1tablespoonrawhoney
Smallhandfuloffreshcoriander,chopped,togarnish
Serves4
Melt the coconut oil in a large saucepan over amediumheat and add themustard andcuminseeds.Fryuntiltheseedsbegintopop,thenquicklyaddtheonion,ginger,turmericandcumin.Continuetosautéforafurther2–3minutes, thenaddthechoppedtomatoes.Cookfor2minutes,thenaddthelentils,vegetablestockandcinnamonstick.Bringtotheboil,thenlowertheheat,coverandsimmerforagood30minutes.
Meanwhile, bring the water to the boil in another saucepan and add the brown rice.Reducetheheat,coverandsimmerfor45–60minutes,untilthericeistender.
After30minutes,thelentilsshouldbetender.Removethecinnamonstickandstirinthelimejuiceandhoney.
Spoon the rice into serving bowls and top with the lentil mixture. Garnish with the
corianderandserve.OUTOFALLLEGUMESANDNUTS,LENTILSCONTAINTHETHIRDHIGHESTAMOUNTOFPROTEIN.
MUSHROOM,BROCCOLIANDCOCONUTCURRY
Everyonelovesacurryandthisisatwistontheclassicveggievariety.I’veincludedthedarkgreenleafyveg–broccoli,spinachANDkale–thatweideallywanttohaveeveryday, as well as some mushrooms and tomatoes, which provide a different texture andcolourtothedish.
2tablespoonscoconutoil
1teaspooncuminseeds
1onion,chopped
2garliccloves,finelychopped
3cmpieceoffreshginger,grated
2redchillies,finelychopped
1teaspoongroundturmeric
1teaspoongroundcumin
1teaspooncurrypowder
250gbuttonmushrooms,sliced
1headofbroccoli,cutintoflorets
4largetomatoes,finelychopped
1x400mltincoconutmilk
400mlwater
4largehandfulsofspinach
2largehandfulsofkale,roughlytornandstemsremoved
Handfuloffreshcoriander,chopped,togarnish
50gtoastedalmonds,roughlychopped,togarnish
Seasaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper
Brownriceorsobanoodles,toserve
Serves4
Meltthecoconutoilinalargesaucepanoveramediumheatandaddthecuminseeds.Fryuntil the seeds begin to pop and become fragrant, then quickly add the onion, garlic,gingerandredchilliesandfryfor1–2minutes.
Addallthegroundspicesandcookfor5–7minutes,oruntiltheonionistranslucent.Addthemushrooms,broccoli,tomatoes,coconutmilkand400mlwaterandcookforafurther10–15minutesuntilthemushroomsaresoft.
Gentlystirinthespinachandkaleandallowtowilt.
Serveoverbrownriceorsobanoodlesandgarnishwiththechoppedcorianderandtoastedalmonds.BROCCOLISTANDSOUTFROMALLTHECRUCIFEROUSVEGETABLESASHAVINGTHEHIGHESTCONCENTRATIONOFVITAMINC.
BUTTERNUTSQUASHANDCHILLISOUPWITHSPELT
Here’sagreatrecipeifyou’relookingforamealtocheeryouuponacoldday.Notonlywill the warming soup feel good in your body, your body will welcome the fantasticnutritioninthissoup,too!
2tablespoonscoconutoil
2onions,chopped
2–3garliccloves,crushed
1teaspoongroundturmeric
½teaspoondriedchilliflakes
1teaspoongroundcinnamon
1kgbutternutsquash,peeledandcutintochunks(reservingtheseeds)
1litrevegetablestock
175gpearledspelt
Handfuloffreshcoriander,chopped,togarnish
Serves3–4
Meltthecoconutoilinalargesaucepanoveramediumheatandaddthechoppedonions.Fryfor2–3minutes,thenaddthegarlic,turmeric,chilliflakesandcinnamon.Stirtocoattheonionandgarlicwiththespicesforafewminutes.
Addthebutternutsquash,stiragain,thenaddthevegetablestockandspelt.Bringtotheboil,thenreducetheheatandsimmerfor30minutes.
Meanwhile,preheattheovento180°C/Gas4.Putthereservedbutternutsquashseedsonabakingtrayandtoastinthepreheatedovenfor10minutes.Oncetoasted,puttooneside.
Whenthespeltandsquasharecookedthrough,useahand-heldblender(orablenderorfoodprocessor)towhizzuntilthesoupispuréedbutstillabitchunky.Garnishwithfreshcorianderandthetoastedsquashseedstoserve.CHILLIFLAKESCANHELPBOOSTYOURMETABOLISMANDDECREASEHUNGER.
SIDES
Ilovesidedishes,andInevergotoarestaurantwithoutorderingatleasttwo.AndImakesuretoalwayshaveanutritionalpowerhouseofasideathome.Itcanbeassimpleassteamedspinach,butIalwaystrytogetitin.It’sespeciallyimportant, ifyouarehavingmeatasyourmaindish, toaccompanyitwithanutritious side inorder to fight the free radicals that form in thebodywheneatingmeat. Stocking up on some of the dishes in this chapterwill help toeradicatethosefreeradicals,onceandforall.
THREETYPESOFHUMMOUS
Ilovehummous,butitdoesn’talwayshavetobemadethesameol’way!Yes,chickpeasarewonderful,butifyouwanttospiceitupabitanddosomethingdifferent,thenwhipupthesethreevariationsforsomethingthat’syummyand,ofcourse,healthy.Dunkanyrawveggies intoyourhummousor spread it over apieceofwholegrainbread– I love rye!And, if youwant tomake it evenmore interesting, topwith red pepper strips or blackolives.Youcanalsotryspreadingyourhummousoverapieceofgrilledchickentojazzitup.AVOCADOHUMMOUS
1x400gtinchickpeas,drained
2ripeavocados,peeled,pittedandchopped
Juiceof1lime
Juiceof1lemon
Largehandfuloffreshcoriander
4garliccloves,crushed
2tablespoonsoliveoil
2tablespoonstahini
1teaspoonseasalt
GREENPEAHUMMOUS
500gpeas(orfrozenarefine)
Juiceof2lemons
3garliccloves,crushed
1tablespoonoliveoil
Smallhandfuloffreshcoriander
2tablespoonstahini
1teaspoongroundcumin
½teaspooncayennepepper
1teaspoonseasalt
SMOKEDPAPRIKAHUMMOUS
1x400gtinchickpeas,drained
3garliccloves,crushed
Juiceof½lemon
2teaspoonssmokedpaprika
2tablespoonsoliveoil
2tablespoonstahini
Smallhandfuloffreshflat-leafparsley
1tablespoonapplecidervinegar
1teaspoonseasalt
Allserve4
Ifusingchickpeasinanyoftheserecipes,rinsethemwellinwaterfirst.
Tomakeanyof the threevariations, throwall the ingredients intoa foodprocessorandwhizzuntilsmooth.Servewithfresh,colourfulcrudités.TAHINIISONEOFTHEBESTSOURCESOFCALCIUMOUTTHERE,ANDISAHIGHERSOURCEOFPROTEINTHANMOSTNUTS!
BLACKRICE,KALE,SEEDANDREDGRAPEPILAF
Youcanmakethisrecipewithanywholegrainthatyouhavetohandinyourpantry,suchas brown rice, quinoa, bulghur wheat, etc. However, I love the stunning colour of theblackricewiththedarkgreenkaleandredgrapes.It’saveryprettysidedish!Itmarrieswellwithasimplepieceofsteamedfish,or tryitwithmyCashewandCornSoupwithBroccoliAlmondPurée.
1litrevegetablestock
380gblackrice
1tablespooncoconutoil
1onion,chopped
2garliccloves,finelychopped
1teaspoongroundcumin
1½teaspoonspaprika
½teaspoongroundturmeric
120mlapplecidervinegar
2largehandfulsofkale,roughlychoppedandstemsremoved
200gredseedlessgrapes,halved
55gsunflowerseeds
Seasaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper
Serves4–6
Bringthevegetablestocktotheboil,thenaddtheblackrice.Reducetheheattolow,thencoverandsimmerfor45–60minutesuntiltender.
Meanwhile,melt the coconut oil in a large fryingpanover amediumheat and add theonionandgarlic.Fryfor5–7minutes,oruntiltheonionistranslucent.
Add the cumin, paprika, turmeric and apple cider vinegar to the onions and garlic,combineandstirfor1–2minutes.Addthekaleandstirthrough.Oncethekaleissoftandtheliquidhasbeenabsorbed,removethepanfromtheheat.
Mixthemushroomandkalemixturewiththecookedrice,grapesandsunflowerseedsinalargebowl.Seasonwithsaltandpepper,tosswellandserve.RED GRAPES ARE FULL OF VITAMIN K, WHICH IS A FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMIN STORED IN OURBODY’SFATTISSUEANDLIVER.ITPLAYSAKEYROLEINBLOODCLOTTING.
WARMMILLET,BEETROOTANDBROCCOLISALAD
Milletisanothergluten-freegrainthatisoftenoverlooked.It’sbeenaroundforcenturies,butnotuntil recentlyhas itstarted togainpopularityasanutritiousbutalsogluten-freealternative to wheat. This tasty salad goes perfectly withmyMushroom, Broccoli andCoconutCurry,orwithsalmon.(Seephotograph)
2mediumbeetroots,peeledandcutintochunks
1headofbroccoli,cutintoflorets
1tablespooncoconutoil,melted
2tablespoonstamari
1teaspoongroundcumin
200gtinnedblackbeans,drainedandrinsed
480mlvegetablestock
200gmillet
35gpumpkinorsunflowerseeds
Seasaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper
Forthedressing
2tablespoonstamari
1tablespoontahini
1tablespoonrawhoney
2tablespoonsapplecidervinegar
Squeezeoflemonjuice
1teaspoongroundcumin
Serves4
Preheattheovento180°C/Gas4.Putthebeetrootsandbroccolionabakingtrayandcoatwiththemeltedcoconutoil, tamariandcumin.Addsomesaltandblackpeppertotaste,thenroastinthepreheatedovenfor20minutes.
Removethetrayfromtheoven,addtheblackbeansandreturntotheovenforanother10minutes.
Meanwhile,bring thevegetable stock to theboil, thenadd themillet.Bringback to the
boil,reducetheheattolowandcoverandsimmerfor25–30minutesuntilthewaterhasbeenabsorbedandthemilletistender.
Transfer thecookedmillet toa largebowlandmix in theroastedbroccoli,beetrootandblackbeans.
Combineallthedressingingredientsinabowlandwhisktogether.Coatthesaladwiththedressingandtopwithpumpkinorsunflowerseeds.NOTONLYISMILLETALKALINEANDEASILYDIGESTIBLE,BUTITCONTAINSSERATONIN,WHICHHELPSYOURMOOD.
GINGERANDUMEBOSHIAUBERGINESWITHMANGO
TheideaforthisinterestingcombinationcametomeasIwasstaringblanklyattheinsideofmyfridgewithnotawholelotofchoice!It’sanincrediblydeliciousaccompanimenttomy Broccoli and Mushroom Soba Noodle Bowl, or in fact any lamb dish. (Seephotograph)
500gaubergines
About5tablespoonscoconutoil
2smallonions,chopped
2garliccloves,finelychopped
1redchilli,finelychopped
2cmpieceoffreshginger,peeledandgrated
¾teaspoongroundcinnamon
Pinchofgroundnutmeg
2tablespoonsumeboshipaste
2teaspoonscoconutpalmsugar
75mlwater
2smallmangoes,peeled,pittedandchopped
Seasalt
Serves4
Cut theaubergines into1.5cm-thickslicesandplace theminaglassdish.Sprinklewithseasaltandleavethemtositandsweatfor30minutes.Towardstheendofthistime,melt2tablespoonsofthecoconutoilinalargefryingpanoveramediumheat.Addtheonions,garlic,chilliandgingerandfryfor5–7minutes.Addthecinnamonandnutmegandfryforanadditional2minutes.
Usingacleanteatowelorsomekitchenroll,wipethesaltedauberginesuntiltheyaredry.Melt3tablespoonsofthecoconutoilinanotherfryingpanoveramediumheat,thenfrytheauberginesforabout10minutesuntiltheyaregoldenonbothsides.Addmorecoconutoil ifneeded.Turntheovenonto its lowestsetting,put theaubergines inabakingdishandplaceintheoventokeepwarm.
Reheattheonionmixtureoveramediumheat,thenaddtheumeboshipaste,coconutpalmsugarand75mlwater.Stirwellandleavethemixturetosimmerfor5minutes.Transferthe mixture to a blender or food processor, add the mango and whizz until smooth.
Arrange theauberginesonaplatteranddrizzle theumeboshiandmangosauceover thetop.AUBERGINESARERICHINANANTIOXIDANTCALLEDCHLOROGENICACID,ADEPTATFIGHTINGFREERADICALS.
COCONUT,CORNANDHAZELNUTSALAD
IgrewupinIllinois,soIwassurroundedbycornfieldsthroughoutmychildhood.Inthissalad,Iusecornfreshfromthecob,asnothingtastesbetter.However,ifyouareinarealrush, it’s fine to use tinned corn.This Illinois-style side dish is very tastywith burgersduring those barbecuemonths. Or try it withmy Sweet Rhubarb, Apricot and QuinoaStew.
3tablespoonscoconutoil
4earsofcorn,shucked
1smallredonion,thinlysliced
40gcoconutflakes
75ghazelnuts,toasted
75gsultanas
Smallhandfuloffreshflat-leafparsley,chopped
Juiceof2limes
Seasaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper
Serves4
Meltthecoconutoilinalargefryingpanoveramediumheat.Addthecorn,redonionandcoconut flakes and stir to coatwellwith theoil.Cook for 5minutes, then transfer to aservingbowl.
Addthetoastedhazelnuts,sultanas,parsleyandlimejuice.Stirwellandseasonwithsaltandblackpepper.CORN IS PACKEDWITH LUTEIN AND ZEAXANTHINWHICH ARE TWO PHYTOCHEMICALS THATHELPPROMOTEHEALTHYVISION.
CABBAGE,CARROTANDFLAXSEEDCOLESLAW
Therearesomanywaystomakecoleslaw,andoftentheshop-boughtonesareextremelyfatty.Makingityourselfisagreatwaytoensurethatitstayshealthy.Althoughcoleslawistraditionallyservedwithmeatdishes,it’salsogreattohavewithpizzaorpasta.Pairthislovely, light slawwith somechickenor lambkebabs,orwithmyKale,FigandWalnutRisotto.
1smallsavoycabbage
1smallpurplecabbage
Largehandfulofmangetout
2carrots,grated
2smallredonions,thinlysliced
2tablespoonsflaxseeds
Forthedressing
4tablespoonsoliveoil
2garliccloves,crushed
Largehandfuloffreshdill
1tablespoonDijonmustard
2tablespoonsapplecidervinegar
Juiceof1lemon
Serves4–6
Thinlyslicebothofthecabbagesandthemangetout.Putinalargebowlwiththegratedcarrotandredonionsandmixwell.
Combine all the dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pouroverthecoleslawandmixwell.Sprinklewiththeflaxseeds.CABBAGECONTAINSANABUNDANCEOFVITAMINC.INFACT,IT’SRICHERINTHISVITAMINTHANORANGESARE.VITAMINCISONEOFTHEBESTANTIOXIDANTSTOREDUCEFREERADICALSINTHEBODY.
QUINOAANDSAUTÉEDREDCABBAGEWITHORANGES
Youcan’t logon toahealthfoodwebsitewithoutreadingabout thebenefitsofquinoa–it’severywhere!However,youmightnotbesofamiliarwiththebenefitsofredcabbage.This variety of cabbage actually contains a great deal more phytonutrients than greencabbage… so eat up! This dish is perfect as a Sunday lunch accompaniment to roastchicken, or try itwithmyMungBean, Sweet Potato and Pomegranate Casserole for aplant-basedSundaylunch.
1litrevegetablestock
400gmixedredandwhitequinoa
2bayleaves
2tablespoonscoconutoil
½tablespoonblackmustardseeds
1tablespoonfennelseeds
2onions,chopped
4garliccloves,finelychopped
½redcabbage,thinlysliced
2tablespoonsapplecidervinegar
4oranges
Smallhandfuloffreshflat-leafparsley,chopped
Seasaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper
Serves4–6
Bring the vegetable stock to the boil in a large saucepan and add the quinoa and bayleaves.Reduce the heat to lowand simmer for 20–25minutes until thewater has beenabsorbedandthequinoaistender.
Meltthecoconutoilinafryingpanandfrytheblackmustardseedswiththefennelseeds.After 3minutes, add the onions and garlic and fry for 5–7minutes until the onion hassoftened. Add the cabbage and apple cider vinegar and continue to fry for another 5minutes.
Meanwhile,juice3oftheorangesandsegmentthelastone.Strainthejuiceintothepanwiththeredcabbage.Stirwellandseasonwithsaltandpepper.
Put thequinoa ina largebowland topwith thecabbage,orangesegmentsandchoppedparsley.REDCABBAGE HAS A HIGH CONTENT OF ANTHOCYANINS, A TYPE OF FLAVONOID THAT HASBEENLINKEDTOCANCERPREVENTION.
ULTIMATESUPERFOODSALADWITHHEMPANDBLUEBERRIES
Herewehaveasuper-serioussaladwithasuper-seriousdressing. Ialwayswant tostartmyweekoutontherightfoot,andthissaladeatenonMondayalwayshelpsmetostayfocusedwithwhat I’m putting inmy body during the rest of theweek. It is especiallygoodwithasteakorsimplegrilledpieceofmeat,orpairitwithmyMacadamiaPestoonWholegrainPasta.
4largehandfulsofbabyspinach
1headofbroccoli,cutintosmallflorets
1cookedbeetroot,thinlysliced
1carrot,grated
1avocado,peeled,pittedandsliced
Smallhandfuloffreshmint,roughlychopped
Largehandfulofblueberries
1tablespoonflaxseeds
1tablespoonchiaseeds
1tablespoonhempseeds
Optional:formoreOmegamadness,addasmallhandfulofpumpkinandsunflowerseedstoo!
Fortheblueberrydressing
Largehandfulofblueberries
Juiceof1lime
2tablespoonsapplecidervinegar
1tablespoonrawhoney
1tablespoonoliveoil
Seasaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper
Serves4
Lightlytossthespinach,broccoli,beetroot,carrot,avocado,mintandblueberriestogetherinabowl.
Combine all the dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor and whizz untilsmooth.Drizzlethedressingoverthesalad,thensprinkleoveralltheseeds.Seasonwithsaltandblackpepperandserve.HEMP SEEDS BREATHE LIFE INTO ANY DISH. THEY ARE AN EXPLOSION OF OMEGA-6 ANDOMEGA-3FATTYACIDSTOAIDINHEALTHYHEARTANDBRAINFUNCTION.
TENDERSTEMBROCCOLI,SUN-DRIEDTOMATO,GARLICANDWALNUTSALAD
If youhaven’t pickedupon it yet, I’mobsessedwithdarkgreen, leafyvegetables, andfindingsomethingdifferenttodowiththemissuper-fun.ThisrecipecametomeasIwasstaringatmybroccolioneday,tryingtothinkofanewwaytoprepareit.Italsomakesagreatportablelunch.Getthisgreensideinwithasteakor,fortheall-veggieoption,tryitwithmyButternutSquashandChilliSoupwithSpelt.
3tablespoonscoconutoil
6garliccloves,thinlysliced
2largebunchesofTenderstembroccoli
110gsun-driedtomatoes,drained(orifnotfromajar,soakinwaterfor10minutesanddrain)
2teaspoonsdriedchilliflakes
100gwalnuts,roughlychopped
Seasaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper
Serves4–6
Meltthecoconutoilinalargefryingpanoveramediumheat,addthegarlicandfryfor30seconds.Becarefulthatthegarlicdoesn’tbegintogobrown.
Addthebroccoliandsautéfor2minutesbeforeaddingthesun-driedtomatoes.Sprinklethe chilli flakes over the broccoli and lower the heat slightly. Continue to sauté for anadditional3minutes,thentransfertoabowl.
Inaseparatedrypan, toast thewalnuts for just1–2minutesso that theybrowneversoslightly.Combinewiththebroccoli,seasonwithsaltandpepperandserveimmediately.INTHEWINTER,GARLIC ISAGREATFOODFORBOOSTINGYOUR IMMUNESYSTEMTOFIGHTOFFCOLDSANDFLU.
MIXEDBEAN,AVOCADOANDCLEMENTINESALADWITHTAHINIDRESSING
TahiniisoneofmyfavouriteingredientstousewhenI’mmakingadressing.Itprovidesacreamytextureandsweet,nuttyflavourandisgreatoveranyroastedvegetablesorsalad.This protein-packed side dish goes perfectly with an oily fish like tuna, salmon ormackerel, or with my Red Peppers Stuffed with Bulghur Wheat and Pistachios. (Seephotograph)
Forthebeansalad
1x400gtinmixedbeans,drainedandrinsed
100ggreenbeans,cooked
2handfulsofflakedalmonds,lightlytoasted
1headofromainelettuce,chopped
1largeavocado,peeled,pittedandsliced
2clementines,peeledandsegmented
1yellowpepper,chopped
Largehandfuloffreshcoriander,chopped
Forthetahinidressing
2tablespoonstahini
2tablespoonsapplecidervinegar
2tablespoonstamari
2tablespoonslemonjuice
1tablespoonrawhoney
Serves4
Forthesalad,simplycombinealltheingredientsinalargebowl.
Thedressingisjustaseasy!Combineallthedressingingredientsinasmallmixingbowlandwhisk together by hand. Pour the dressing over the bean salad and tosswell, thenserve.GREENBEANSCONTAINEXCELLENTLEVELSOFVITAMINA,WHICHISKNOWNTOHELPCOMBATWRINKLES,FINELINESANDAGESPOTS.
POMEGRANATE,CUCUMBERANDTOMATOSALAD
Thisisabrilliantlyeasyrecipethatyoucanwhipupinnotime.It’scompletelyraw,whichmeansthatallthecrucialenzymesthatweneedarekeptintactandgreatlyappreciatedbyourbodies.Topsomesteamedfishwiththissaladforsometextureandyumminess,oruseitasasalsaandpairitwithmyAdzukiandQuinoaTex-MexCasserole.
1largepomegranate
1smallcucumber,chopped
4largetomatoes,cutintochunks
1hotredchilli,deseededandthinlysliced
1redpepper,chopped
Largehandfuloffreshmint,roughlychopped
Largehandfuloffreshcoriander,roughlychopped
Juiceof1lime
Drizzleofoliveoil
Serves4
Cut the pomegranate in half andget your fingers in there to prise all of the seeds free.Ensurethatyoupullawayanddiscardallthepithasyougo.
Mixthecucumber,tomato,chilli,redpepper,mintandcoriandertogetherinabowl.Addthepomegranateseeds, thenadd the juiceof the limeandadrizzleofoliveoiland tosseverythingtogether.Yes,it’sthatsimpleandit’ssuper-yummy.
Thissostraightforward;theonlythinglikelytotaketimeisgettingtheseedsoutofthepomegranate!Whenyou’vecutitinhalf,hitthefruitwithautensiltodislodgetheseeds.CUCUMBERSARE95PERCENTWATER,WHICHHELPSTOKEEPOURBODIESHYDRATEDWHILEATTHESAMETIMEELIMINATINGTOXINS.
BEETROOT,CELERIACANDFIGSALAD
WhenI’mcravingsomethingthat’shealthyandlighttosatisfymytastebuds,sometimesIfind thatamundanesaladdoesn’tcut it.Keeping things interesting in thekitchen is thekeytostickingtoahealthydietandthisisthekindofsaladthatwillhelpyoudojustthat.Thisisanothergoodsidetoservewithsteamedfish–seabassorbreamareperfect.Or,tokeepitplant-basedandcolourful,serveitwithmyThaiCoconutNoodleBowlwithPakChoiandMushrooms.Itisanabsolutelystunningsaladinbothappearanceandflavour!
3largebeetroots,peeledandcutintochunks
½celeriac,trimmedandcutintochunks
Largehandfuloffreshflat-leafparsley,roughlychopped
Largehandfuloffreshcoriander,roughlychopped
5figs,quartered
Seasaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper
Forthelimedressing
Juiceandzestof1lime
3cmpieceoffreshginger,peeledandminced
¼teaspoongroundcumin
¼teaspoongroundcinnamon
2tablespoonsoliveoil
2tablespoonsapplecidervinegar
Serves4
Fillalargesaucepanwithabout2cmwaterandheatoveramediumheat.Addthebeetrootandcookforabout20minutes.Drainandputinalargebowl.
Addanother2cmwatertotheemptypanandheatoveramediumheat.Addtheceleriacandcookforabout15minutes.Drainandleavetocoolinaseparatebowl.
Oncethebeetrootandceleriachavecooled,addtheparsley,corianderandfigstothelargebowl,alongwiththeceleriac.
Whisktogetherallthedressingingredientsinasmallbowl.Drizzleoverthebeetrootandceleriacsaladandseasonwithsaltandpepperbeforeserving.BEETROOT IS FANTASTIC FOR INCREASING YOUR STAMINA AND HELPING YOUR MUSCLESWORKHARDERFORLONGER.
ASPARAGUS,BROCCOLIANDCORIANDERSALADWITHWALNUTS
I liketochopupmyasparagustomakeamoremanageablesalad,butyoucankeeptheasparagusspearswholeifyou’reaftersomethingmoreelegant.ServethiswithsausagesormyRedVelvetLentilsonBrownRice.
2tablespoonscoconutoil
12spearsofasparagus,slicedinto2cmlengths
½headofbroccoli,cutintosmallflorets
55gwalnuts,chopped
90gblackolives
Handfuloffreshcoriander,chopped
Gratedzestandjuiceof
1lemon
1shallot,finelychopped
Seasalt
Serves4
Meltthecoconutoilinalargefryingpanoveramediumtohighheat.Addtheasparagusand broccoli florets with a pinch of sea salt. Coat the asparagus and broccoli with thecoconutoil,coverthepanwithalidandcookfor2minutes.Removethevegetablesfromthepanandplacetheminalargebowl.Addthewalnuts,olivesandcoriandertothebowl.
Combinethelemonjuiceandzestwiththeshallotsinasmallbowlandwhiskwell.Pourthedressingoverthesaladandserve.ASPARAGUSISAWONDERFULSOURCEOFVITAMINB6,CALCIUM,ZINCANDMAGNESIUM.
PAPRIKAPARSNIPANDSWEETPOTATOCHIPS
Ahealthierversionofthetypicalchips.Notonlyareparsnipsandsweetpotatoespackedwith goodness, but baking chips in coconut oil rather than frying them in refinedoil ismuchbetterforyourheartandyourhealth!ThesechipsaresooooogoodwithbeefburgersorwithmyBeetroot,Quinoa,BlackBeanandFlaxseedBurgers.
3largesweetpotatoes,cutinto7cmbatons
3largeparsnips,cutinto7cmbatons
1largegarlicclove,crushed
3tablespoonscoconutoil,melted
2teaspoonspaprika
Seasaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper
Serves4–6
Preheattheovento200°C/Gas6.
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl andmix together so that the parsnips and sweetpotatoesarecompletelycoated.
Spreadthechipsoutinasinglelayeronabakingtray.Roastinthepreheatedovenfor10minutesuntilthechipsarelightlybrowned.Flipthemoverandroastforanadditional10–15minutesontheotherside.Seasonwithsaltandpepperandserve.A RELATIVE OF CARROTS AND PARSLEY, PARSNIPS ARE PACKED WITH POTASSIUM ANDFOLATES,BOTHOFWHICHAREIMPORTANTNUTRIENTSFORCARDIOVASCULARHEALTH.
SPICEDCOCONUTKALEWITHAVOCADO
Thekeytomakingaproperkalesaladtastegoodisnottocookthekale!Youjustneedtogiveitsomeloveandsoftenitwithanacidicingredientordressing.Inmyview,thissideisperfectforanymeatorfishdish.OrtryitwithmySpicyTofuCurrywithCoconutandCardamom.
Bunchofkale,tornintopiecesandchunkystemsremoved
40gcoconutflakes
1avocado,peeled,pittedanddiced
Largehandfulofflakedalmonds,toasted
Forthedressing
1shallot,finelychopped
Juiceof1lemon
2tablespoonsoliveoil
1tablespoonapplecidervinegar
1teaspoondriedchilliflakes
1teaspoonmaplesyrup
Serves4
Whiskthedressingingredientstogetherinasmallbowl.Oncecombined,putthekaleinalargeservingbowlandpourhalfthedressingoverthetop.Useyourhandstomassagethedressingintothekaleforafewminutesinordertosoftenit.
Addthecoconutflakes,avocadoandflakedalmondsandmixtogetherwell.Pour in therestofthedressingandserve.MANYPEOPLEAVOIDEATINGAVOCADO,ASTHEYTHINKITWILLMAKETHEMPUTONWEIGHT.HOWEVER, RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THE MONOUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS FOUND INAVOCADOAREMORELIKELYTOBEUSEDASSLOW-BURNINGENERGYTHANSTOREDASBODYFAT.
CANTALOUPEMELONANDBLUEBERRYSALADWITHAVOCADOLIMEDRESSING
Hereisagreatsummersaladtoeatwhenthesunisshining.Lookingatthissaladwillnodoubtbringasmile toyour face,asnotonly is itdelicious,butsomethingabouta fruitsaladthat’slightandrefreshingalwaysmakesmefeelgood!ThisisalightsidethatgoesamazinglywellwithsteamedfishormyDouble-SproutSuperfoodBowls.
1cantaloupemelon,cubed
200gblueberries
Largehandfuloffreshmint,chopped
Pinchofgroundcinnamon
Fortheavocadolimedressing
½avocado,peeled,pittedandchopped
1tablespoonrawhoney
Juiceof1lime
Smallhandfuloffreshmint
2tablespoonswater
Serves4
Combinethecantaloupe,blueberries,mintandcinnamoninalargeservingbowl.
Putall thedressing ingredients ina foodprocessorandblenduntil smooth.Thoroughlycoatthesaladwiththedressingandserve.100GCANTALOUPEMELONCONTAINS110PERCENTOFTHERDAFORVITAMINAWHICH,ASWEKNOW,ISAPOWERFULANTIOXIDANTFORMAINTAININGHEALTHYVISION,MUCUSMEMBRANESANDSKIN.
SWEETTREATS
Of course, this ismy favourite chapter and that’s perhapswhy sweet treats,puddings,desserts–whateveryouwanttocallthem–arealwaysinthebackofthebook;becausewesavethebestforlast.Allmyrecipesaremadewithnaturalsweeteners,wholegrains,fruitsandevensomevegetables, too.Sweettreatsdonothavetobemadewithrefinedsugar,butterandwhiteflourtotastegood.Thoseingredientszapyourenergyand,personally,Iwantatreatthat’sgoingtogivemeenergy,nottakeitaway.Ithinkyou’llseewhatImeanafteryoutryafewoftheserecipes.
SUPERNUT-BUTTERCUPSWITHMACAANDLUCUMA
Growingup inAmerica,myhands-down top treatwasReese’speanutbuttercups; theyare sogood.However, theyarealsounhealthy ineveryway.So, I setout to inventmyownsuper-healthyversionthat,inmymind,tastesjustasgood,ifnotbetter,thanwhatIateasakid.
Forthechocolatesauce
200gcacaobutter
150–180gcacaopowder
4tablespoonsrawhoney
1½tablespoonslucumapowder
1½tablespoonscarobpowder
1teaspoonmacapowder
¼teaspoonseasalt
Forthealmondbutterfilling
120galmondbutter
1tablespoonrawhoney
1tablespoonlucumapowder
Cupcaketray(s)linedwith12–16papercupcakecases
Makes12–16
Melt the cacao butter in a saucepan over a low to medium heat. Add the rest of thechocolatesauceingredientsandmixuntilcombined.
Spoon in enough chocolate sauce to cover the bottom of each cupcake case set in thecupcake tray. You will only need to use about one-third of the sauce for this. Set theremaining sauce aside.Transfer the tray to the fridge for about15minutes, oruntil thesaucehassolidified.
For the almond filling, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl until it looks like adough. Take good heaped teaspoons of dough and roll them into balls. Then, use yourhandstoflattentheballsintodiscstojustlessthanthediameterofthebaseofthecupcakecases. Add these almond-butter discs to the cases and spoon the remainder of thechocolatesauceoverthetop,coveringthealmondbutterfillingscompletely.
Returnthetraytothefridgefor1hourtoset.Onceset,youcanremovethecasesfromthetrayandstoreinanairtightcontainerinthefridgefor3to4days.AROOTGROWNINTHEMOUNTAINSOFPERU,MACAISKNOWNFORINCREASINGSTAMINAANDENERGYLEVELS.
MATCHACOCONUTICECREAM
Thisisalovely,richandcreamyicecreamwithoutthedairyorrefinedsugar.Greentea(i.e.matcha)icecreamisactuallyaratherpopularpuddingatAsianrestaurants,butnowyoucaneasilymakeitathomeandknowthatit’spackedwithgoodness.
1x400mltincoconutmilk
2frozenbananas
2tablespoonsmatcha(greentea)powder
4dates,pitted
4tablespoonsmaplesyrup
6icecubes
½teaspoonxanthangum
Serves2–3
Combinealltheingredientsinablenderorfoodprocessor,thenpourintoafreezerproofcontainerwithalid.Cover,thenfreezeforafewhoursuntilsolid.MATCHA BOOSTSMETABOLISM AND BURNSCALORIES ASWELL ASWORKING TOCALM AND
RELAXYOU.
MINTCOCOCHIPICECREAM
Iabsolutelylovemint–onmypotatoes,intea,inmysmoothiesandsoups,andnowinmyicecream!Idareyoutomakethisfordinnerwhenyou’vegotfriendscominground–andthen tell themhow it’smadewithoutdairyor refinedsugar.Theywill loveyou foreverandbegfortherecipe!
2frozenbananas
1x400mltincoconutmilk
½teaspoonvanillaextract
2avocados,peeled,pittedandchopped
8dropsofpeppermintessentialoil
Smallhandfulofspinach
Largehandfulofcacaonibs
8largefreshmintleaves
4dates,pitted
6icecubes
Serves4
Combinealltheingredientsinablenderorfoodprocessor,thenpourintoafreezerproofcontainerwithalid.Foldinthecacaonibs.Freezeforacoupleofhoursuntilsolid,thenserve.MINTISFANTASTICFORPROMOTINGHEALTHYDIGESTIONANDSOOTHINGYOURSTOMACH.ITHELPSREDUCEINFLAMMATIONINTHEBODY.
KALE-BERRYICECREAM
Notonlyisthisayummy,refreshing,healthytreatforadults,it’salsoagreatwaytogetyourkids toeatadairy-free, sugar-free icecream thatevenhasadark,green leafyveginsideit–whichtheycan’tsee!
2frozenbananas
240mlcoconutmilk
Handfulofkale
4dates,pitted
250gfrozenblueberries
2teaspoonsvanillaextract
6icecubes
Serves4
Combineall theingredientsinablenderorfoodprocessorandwatchhowquicklytheseingredientsmorphintoanincredible,nutrient-denseicecream.
Pourintoafreezerproofcontainerwithalidandfreezeforacoupleofhoursuntilsolid.
Dependingonyourmoodandwhatyouhavetohand,youcouldtopabowlofthisicecreamwithfreshfruit,chiaseedsorbeepollen.IF YOU’RE DETOXING, THEN KALE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND. IT’S FILLED WITH FIBRE ANDSULPHUR,WHICHAREBOTHGREATFORKEEPINGYOURLIVERHEALTHY.
FIGBARS
I adore figs and thosemoreish figgybiscuits you canbuy.But this is amuchhealthiertwistonthosebiscuits,whicharefilledwithwhiteflour,whitesugar,eggsandbutter.I’veoptedforcoconutpalmsugar,oatflour,andalsousechiaseedsinplaceofeggs.Ithinkyou’llfindthesejustastasty,ifnotmore,thantheshop-boughtkind!
2tablespoonschiaseeds
6tablespoonswater
180goatflour(orgrindyourownfromrolledoats)
70gcoconutpalmsugar
1teaspoonbakingpowder
½teaspoongroundcinnamon
60gcoconutoil,melted
1teaspoonvanillaextract
4tablespoonsalmondmilk
Forthefigfilling
15driedfigs
2tablespoonscoconutpalmsugar
Dashofwater
bakingtraylinedwithparchmentpaper
Makes12–16
Soakthechiaseedsinthe60mlwaterinasmallbowlfor10minutes.Preheattheovento180°C/Gas4.
Combine the oat flour, coconut palm sugar, baking powder and cinnamon in a largemixingbowl.
Combinethesoakedchiaseeds,coconutoil,vanillaextractandalmondmilkinaseparatebowl.
Pour thewetmixture into thedry ingredients and stirwell, creatingaball.Place in thefridgeforabout1hourtofirmup.
Forthefilling,putthefigs,coconutpalmsugaranddashofwaterinafoodprocessorandblitztoapaste.
Onaflouredsurface,rollthedoughoutabout5mmthickandintoasmuchofasquareaspossible.Spreadthefigfillingoverhalfthedoughandcarefullyfoldtheotherhalfoverthe filling.Cut into12–16squares,arrangeon thepreparedbaking trayandbake in thepreheatedovenfor12–15minutesuntilgolden.STUDIESHAVESHOWNTHATEATINGFIGSINCREASESTHEANTIOXIDANTCAPACITYWITHINTHEBODYFORASUSTAINEDPERIODOFUPTO4HOURS.
BLACKBEANBROWNIESWITHCHIASEEDS
Blackbeans inchocolatebrownies?!Absolutely!And theyare incrediblyeasy tomake,too–not tomention tasty andgood foryou.A ‘no-guilt’ brownie is onedessert recipeeveryonewantsintheirrepertoire.
2tablespoonschiaseeds
6tablespoonswater,plus2tablespoonsextra,ifneeded
1x400gtinblackbeans,drainedandrinsed
90gcacaopowder
45gcoconutoil,melted
1teaspoonvanillaextract
1½teaspoonsbakingpowder
100gcoconutpalmsugar
23x30cmbakingtinlightlygreasedwithcoconutoil
Makes12
Soakthechiaseedsinthe6tablespoonswaterinasmallbowlfor10minutes.
Preheattheovento180°C/Gas4.
Puttheblackbeans,soakedchiaseeds,cacaopowder,coconutoil,vanillaextract,bakingpowder and coconut palm sugar in a food processor and blitz together. If the doughappearsabittoothick,addacoupleoftablespoonsofwaterandmixagain.
Evenlyspreadthedoughintothepreparedbakingtinandbakeinthepreheatedovenfor20–25minutes.Removefromtheovenandleavetocoolbeforeyoucutintosquares.Theyaremeanttobegooeyandmeltinyourmouth.BLACK BEANS ARE PARTICULARLY HIGH IN FOLATE AND IRON – ESPECIALLY GREAT FORPREGNANTWOMEN.
AVOCADO,CHOCOLATEANDLUCUMAMOUSSE
Whenyou’rerunningoutoftimebutneedadinner-partydessertorsomethingtowhipupforthekids’pudding,thenthisisyourgo-tosmashhit.Yourguestswillbeshockedthatthisscrumptiousdishisactuallyfilledwithfabulouslyhealthyingredients.
2avocados,peeled,pittedandchopped
6dates,pittedandroughlychopped
80gcacaopowder
160mlcoconutmilk(oraplant-basedmilkofyourchoice)
1teaspoonvanillaextract
1tablespoonlucumapowder
Pinchofseasalt
Raspberries,toserve(optional)
Serves4
Simply combine all the ingredients in a foodprocessor andwhizz to a creamymousse.Scoopoutintoaservingbowl,chillinthefridgeforatleast1hour.Serveinlovelysmall
bowlsorcupstoppedwithraspberries,ifusing.LUCUMA IS A GREAT SWEETENER THAT IS LOW ON THE GLYCEMIC SCALE AND FULL OFNUTRIENTS,SUCHASIRON,ZINC,BETA-CAROTENEANDCALCIUM.
RAWCHOCOLATEMELTAWAYSWITHCHIASEEDS
Ifyou’reafterachocolatefix, looknofurther.Thegreatthingaboutthesemeltawaysisthattheytakejustminutestomakeandthere’snobakinginvolved.Theyareawonderful,energy-sustainingsnack.
20dates,pitted
3tablespoonsrawcacaopowder
1teaspoonlucumapowder
2tablespoonscoconutoil,melted
1teaspoonvanillaextract
Todecorate
Chiaseeds
Gojiberries
Beepollen
Makes15bite-sizedballs
Put all the ingredients in a foodprocessor.Blitzuntilwell combined, then scoop into abowl.Usingyourhands,mouldthemixtureinto15balls,thenrolleachbowlineitherchiaseeds,gojiberriesorbeepollentocoat.Storeinanairtightcontainerinthefridgeforupto2weeks.CHIASEEDSAREAGREATSOURCEOFOMEGA-3FATTYACIDS–THEYACTUALLYHAVEMOREOMEGA3THANSALMON!
KEYLIMEPIE
This is quite possibly one the greatest desserts ever.Whenever I see recipes for pies, IthinkIcan’tmakethembecausetheywilltakeforever.Butthisrecipeistotallydifferent,as there is no baking involved. It’s just a lot of good, wholesome ingredients mixedtogetherovertwolayerstomakeanourishingandeye-catchingdessert!
90grolledoats
45ggroundflaxseed
40ghazelnuts
2–3dates,pitted
2tablespoonscoconutoil,melted
2tablespoonslimejuice
Optional: For an even ‘greener’ Key lime pie, add 1 teaspoon spirulina powder whilemixingthefilling
Forthefilling
2x400mltinscoconutmilk
2avocados,peeled,pittedandchopped
Juiceof2limes
3tablespoonsrawhoney
45gcoconutflakes
23cmpiedishgreasedwithcoconutoil
Serves8
Placethe2tinsofcoconutmilkinthefridgethenightbeforeyoumakethepie.
Combine the rolled oats, flaxseed, hazelnuts and dates in a food processor until finelychopped. Add the coconut oil and lime juice and pulse again until the mixture iscombined.Pressthemixtureintothebaseofthepreparedpiedish.
Washthefoodprocessorreadytomakethefilling.Removejustthecreamfromthetinsofcoconutmilk(savethewaterforasmoothieorsoup)andblendwiththeavocados, limejuice,honeyandcoconutflakesuntilsmooth.Ifyou’reusingspirulina,additnow.Pourthefillingoverthebaseandfreezefor1hour.
Serverightawayorplaceinthefridgeuntilneeded.LIMES MAY HELP PREVENT KIDNEY STONES, AS THEY CONTAIN MORE CITRIC ACID THANORANGESORGRAPEFRUITS.CITRICACIDISANATURALINHIBITOROFKIDNEYSTONES.
PUMPKINSEED,QUINOAANDOATMUFFINS
Sweetbutwholesomesnacksareagreatway tosatisfycravingsbetweenoraftermealsand these oatmuffins are just the trick. They are crammedwith goodness and great tobringtoapicnic.
6tablespoonschiaseeds
270mlwater
180goatflour(orgrindyourownfromrolledoats)
70gwholewheatflour
1tablespoonbakingpowder
1teaspoonbicarbonateofsoda
130gpumpkinseeds
370gcookedquinoa
480mloatmilk
60gcoconutoil,melted
2tablespoonsrawhoney
2tablespoonscoconutpalmsugar
Muffintraylinedwith12papermuffincases
Makes12
Preheattheovento180°C/Gas4.
Soakthechiaseedsinthe270mlwaterfor10minutes.
Combine the oat flour, wholewheat flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda andpumpkinseedsinalargemixingbowlandstirwell.Addthecookedquinoatothebowl.
Combine theoatmilk,coconutoil,honey,coconutpalmsugarandsoakedchiaseeds inanotherbowlandwhisktogether.
Pourthewetingredientsintothedryingredientsandstirwell.Dividethebatterbetweenthepapermuffincases.Bakeinthepreheatedovenforabout40minutes,oruntilgoldenbrown.JUSTAHANDFULADAYOFPUMPKINSEEDSISALLYOUNEEDTOGET10GOFPROTEINANDASLEWOFMINERALS.
MINICHEESECAKESWITHCASHEWSANDBLUEBERRIES
Who doesn’t love cheesecake? Baked or chilled, traditional or with a twist, there’ssomethingso temptingabout thiscreamydessert.But the ingredients!There’snotmuchhealth there, unfortunately. So, here’s a twist on anAmerican staple that is now super-healthyandsuper-yummy.(Seephotograph)
Forthebase
12dates,pitted
50galmonds
90ggroundflaxseed
1teaspoonvanillaextract
Forthefilling
250gcashews,soaked
Juiceof1lemon
60gcoconutoil,melted
120mlrawhoney
200mlcoconutmilk
150gblueberries
Cupcaketraylinedwith12papercupcakecases
Makes12
Startbysoakingyourcashewsinwaterfor3–4hours.
Meanwhile, make the base. Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blitz tocombine.Dividethebaseevenlybetweeneachofthecupcakecases,pressingdownwithyourfingers.
Washthefoodprocessor.Afterthecashewshavebeensoaked,drainandrinsethemandadd them to the food processor with the lemon juice. Add the coconut oil, honey andcoconutmilk and process until smooth.Transfer the filling to a largemixing bowl andslowlystir in theblueberries.Spoonthefillingover thecrusts,coverwithclingfilmandfreezefor3hours.
Removetheminicheesecakesfromthefreezer1–2hoursbeforeserving.EACH OUNCE OF CASHEWS CONTAINS 21 PERCENT OF YOUR RDA OF MAGNESIUM.MAGNESIUM ISONEOFTHEMOSTOVERLOOKEDMINERALS. IT’SVITALFORMORETHAN300CHEMICALREACTIONSINTHEBODY,INCLUDINGENERGYLEVELSANDRELAXATION.
HEALTHYCRISPYRICEBARS
Theseareanotherfavouriteofmine,buttheyarealwaysmadewithsugarycerealandlotsof butter andmarshmallow. Iwanted to comeupwith amuchhealthier alternative, notonlyformykidstoenjoybutforme,too.TheresultwassosatisfyingthatIrecommendtakingalittlesquarewithyouonthegoforwhenyouneedasweetpick-me-up.
180galmondbutter
180mlbrownricesyrup
2tablespoonsvanillaextract
150gpuffedrice(orcrispyricecereal)
20cmsquarebakingtinlinedwithparchmentpaper
Makes12–16
Heata largesaucepanovera lowheatandadd thealmondbutter,brownricesyrupandvanillaextract.Stirwelluntilthoroughlycombined,thentransfertoalargemixingbowl.Stirinthecrispyriceuntilwellcoatedandmixed.
Transfer the coated crispy rice to the prepared tin and press down to distribute evenly.Leavetosetinthefridgefor10minutes,thensliceintosquaresorbars.BROWNRICESYRUP DOES RAISE YOUR BLOOD SUGAR, BUT IT DOESN’TMAKE YOUCRASHLIKEREFINEDSUGARDOESBECAUSEIT’SACOMPLEXCARBOHYDRATE.
MANGO,BANANAANDBLUEBERRYICELOLLIES
Thesearesoprettyandcanbemadeinaflash.They’regreatforthosehotdayswhenyouneed something refreshing that’s also jam-packedwith goodness. This goodness comesnotonlyfromthefruit,butalsofromthespinachandchiaseedsthatI’veadded…andnoonewilleverknow!
2bananas
2mangoes,peeled,pittedandchopped
Handfulofspinach
190gblueberries
360mlcoconutmilk
80gchiaseeds
8ice-lollymoulds(andsticks,ifneeded)
Makes8icelollies
Putalltheingredientsinablenderorfoodprocessorandmixuntilsmooth.
Pourthemixtureintotheice-lollymoulds.Ifyourmouldsdidn’tcomewithsticks,pushyoursticksin,thenfreezefor3–4hoursandenjoy!MANGOMAYJUSTBETHEKINGOFFRUITSASIT’SPACKEDWITHLOADSOFANTIOXIDANTSANDSUPER-HIGHINVITAMINSCANDA.
INDEX
Aaçaíberries1
greenaçaíberrybowl1
adzukibeans1
adzukibeanandquinoaTexMexcasserole1
almondbutter1
almondmilk1
almonds1
supernut-buttercups1
antioxidants1
apples:
bakedtofuandapple1
applecidervinegar1
apricots,dried1
artichokes:
Puylentil,artichokeandsun-driedtomatosalad1
asparagus:
asparagus,broccoliandcoriandersalad1
lentilandcouscoussalad1
aubergines:
aubergine,tomatoandalmondpasta1
gingerandumeboshiaubergines1
avocados:
avocado,chocolateandlucumamousse1
avocadohummous1
chilliavocadomashandcoconutoilonrye1
radishandavocadosalad1
spicedcoconutkale1
Bbananas:
bananaFrenchtoast1
mango,bananaandblueberryicelollies1
nutsandbananas1
baobabpowder1
basil1
bayleaves1
beans1,2,3,4
mixedbean,avocadoandclementinesalad1
beansprouts:
sushi-stylespinachandbeansproutbowl1
beepollen1
beetroot:
beet-the-bluesrainbowjuice1
beetroot,blackriceandpearwraps1
beetroot,celeriacandfigsalad1
beetroot,quinoa,blackbeanandflaxseedburgers1
warmmilletandbeetrootbroccolisalad1
wildrice,beetrootandgrapesalad1
blackbeans1
beetroot,quinoa,blackbeanandflaxseedburgers1
blackbeanbrownies1
blood-orangedressing1
blueberries:
beet-the-bluesrainbowjuice1
blueberryandspinachsmoothie1
blueberrybaobabsauce1
cantaloupemelonandblueberrysalad1
creamybreakfastbowlwithbasilandblueberries1
kale-berryicecream1
mango,bananaandblueberryicelollies1
minicheesecakeswithcashewsandblueberries1
Brazilnuts1
broccoli:
broccoliandshiitakesobanoodlebowl1
mushroom,broccoliandcoconutcurry1
Tenderstembroccoli,sun-driedtomato,garlic,walnutsalad1
warmmilletandbeetrootbroccolisalad1
brownricesyrup1,2
brownies,blackbean1
Brusselssprouts:
double-sproutsuperfoodbowls1
buckwheatgroats:
buckwheatporridge1
granola1
buckwheatflour1
buckwheatnoodles1
bulghurwheat1
bulghurwheatandnorisushi1
redpeppersstuffedwith1
burgers1
butters1,2,3
Ccabbage,carrotandflaxseedcoleslaw1
cacao1,2
avocado,chocolateandlucumamousse1
chocolateandlucumatruffles1
chocolatechiabreakfastpudding1
mintcocochipicecream1
nutsandbananascoveredincinnamonandcacaobutter1
rawchocolatemeltaways1
supernut-buttercups1
cakes1,2
cannellinibeans1
cantaloupemelonandblueberrysalad1
capers1
carawayseeds1
cardamom1
carrot-cakeenergyballs1
cashews1
cashewandcornsoup1
minicheesecakeswithcashewsandblueberries1
cauliflower,gojiberryandalmondsalad1
cavolonero,butternutbarleystewwith1
cayennepepper1
cheesecakes,mini1
‘cheesy’kalecrisps1
chiaseeds1
chiaandcoconutflourpancakes1
chocolatechiabreakfastpudding1
powerproteinbars1
chickpeas1
hummous1
Moroccanchickpea,carrotanddatesalad1
roastedchickpeaandsun-driedtomatosalad1
chilli:
butternutsquashandchillisoup1
chilliavocadomash1
chips1
chocolateseecacaocidervinegar1
cinnamon1
coconutflour1
coconutmilk1
coconutandalmondquinoa1
coconutcream1
matchacoconuticecream1
mintcocochipicecream1
coconutoil1
coconutpalmsugar1
coleslaw1
condiments1,2,3
corn,coconutandhazelnutsalad1
courgettispaghetti1
couscousandlentilsalad1
cranberries1
granolaandcranberrybars1
creamybreakfastbowl1
crispyricebars1
cucumber,pomegranate,andtomatosalad1
cumin1,2
currants1
curry1,2
Ddairyproduce1
dates1
granolaandcranberrybars1
rawchocolatemeltaways1
double-sproutsuperfoodbowls1
driedfruit1,2,3
dulseflakes1
Eedamamebeans1
energyballs1
Ffalafels1
fats1
fennelseeds1
figs:
dreamyfigandspirulinabites1
figbars1
kale,figandwalnutrisotto1
flaxseedoil1
flaxseeds1,2
flours1,2,3
freeradicals1
Frenchtoast,banana1
Ggarlic1,2,3
ginger1
gingerandumeboshiaubergines1
gojiberries1
carrot-cakeenergyballs1
granolaandcranberrybars1
grapes1
greenbeans:
mixedbean,avocadoandclementinesalad1
greengoddesssalad1
Hhazelnutbutter1
hempseeds1,2
powerproteinbars1
herbs1,2,3
honey,raw1
hummous1
Iicecream1
icelollies1
Kkale:
‘cheesy’kalecrisps1
kaleberryicecream1
kale,carrot,pearandgingerjuice1
kale,figandwalnutrisotto1
spicedcoconutkale1
squash,mushroomandkalesalad1
keylimepie1
kombu1
Llegumes1
lentils1
lentilandcouscoussalad1
Puylentil,artichokeandsun-driedtomatosalad1
redvelvetlentils1
lime:
‘cheesy’kalecrispswithlime1
keylimepie1
lucuma1
avocado,chocolateandlucumamousse1
chocolateandlucumatruffles1
Mmaca1
macadamiapesto1
mango,bananaandblueberryicelollies1
maplesyrup1
marjoram1
matchagreentea1
matchaandoattruffles1
matchacoconuticecream1
meat1
melonandblueberrysalad1
milk1,2,3
millet1
warmmilletandbeetrootbroccolisalad1
mint
ultimatesuperfoodsaladwithhempandblueberries1
mintcocochipicecream1
Moroccanchickpea,carrotanddatesalad1
muffins1
mungbean,sweetpotatoandpomegranatecasserole1
mushrooms:
blackrice,kale,seedandredgrapepilaf1
broccoliandshiitakesobanoodlebowl1
mushroom,broccoliandcoconutcurry1
squash,mushroomandkalesalad1
wildmushroomsonspelttoast1
mustard1,2
Nnoodles1
broccoliandshiitakesobanoodlebowl1
Thaicoconutnoodlebowl1
nori1
bulghurwheatandnorisushi1
nuts1,2,3
nutsandbananas1
Ooatmilk1
oats1
figbars1
granolaandcranberrybars1
matchaandoattruffles1
powerproteinbars1
oils1,2
oliveoil1
olives1
orange:
blood-orangedressing1
oregano1
oxidation1
Ppakchoi:
Thaicoconutnoodlebowl1
pancakes,chiaandcoconutflour1
papaya1
paprika1,2
parsley1
parsleygreenglowsmoothie1
parsnipandsweetpotatochips1
pasta:
aubergine,tomatoandalmondpasta1
macadamiapestoonwholegrainpasta1
pearlbarley1
butternutbarleystew1
pears:
beetroot,blackriceandpearwraps1
kale,carrot,pearandgingerjuice1
peas:
greenpeahummous1
peppersstuffedwithbulghurwheatandpistachios1
pesto1
pilaf1
pinenuts1
pistachios,redpeppersstuffedwithbulghurwheatand1
plums,coconutandalmondquinoawith1
pomegranate1
pomegranate,cucumberandtomatosalad1
powerproteinbars1
processedfoods1
pumpkinseeds1
granolawithpumpkinseedsandgojiberries1
pumpkinseed,quinoaandoatmuffins1
Qquinoa1
adzukibeanandquinoaTexMexcasserole1
coconutandalmondquinoa1
pumpkinseed,quinoaandoatmuffins1
quinoaandsautéedredcabbage1
sweetrhubarb,apricotandquinoastew1
quinoaflour1
Rradishandavocadosalad1
raisins1
redcabbage,quinoaand1
redvelvetlentils1
rhubarb,apricotandquinoastew1
rice1
beetroot,blackriceandpearwraps1
blackrice,kale,seedandredgrapepilaf1
sushi-stylespinachandbeansproutbowl1
ricemilk1
risotto:
kale,figandwalnut1
rosemary1
Ssage1
salads1,2,3,4,5,6,7
salt1
sauerkraut1
seavegetables1,2
seeds1,2,3
sesameseeds1
shiitakemushrooms1
smoothies1
sobanoodles1
soups1,2
soymilk1
spices1,2,3
spinach:
blueberryandspinachsmoothie1
sushi-stylespinachandbeansproutbowl1
spirulina1
dreamyfigandspirulinabites1
squash:
butternutbarleystew1
butternutsquashandchillisoup1
squash,mushroomandkalesalad1
sweetrhubarb,apricotandquinoastew1
sugar1
sunflowerseeds1
supernut-buttercups1
superfoodsuperheroes1,2
sushi1,2
sweetpotatoes:
lemonsweetpotatosalad1
paprikaparsnipandsweetpotatochips1
sweetpotatoandfalafelcabbagewraps1
sweeteners1,2,3
Ttahini1
tamari1
teaseematchagreenteaTexMexcasserole1
Thaicoconutnoodlebowl1
thyme1
toast1
tofu1
bakedtofuandapple1
marinatedtofuwrappedinwholewheattortillas1
spicytofucurry1
tomatoes1
sun-driedtomato,basilandavocadosauce1
tortillas1,2
truffles1,2
turmeric1,2
UVultimatesuperfoodsalad1
umeboshiplums1
vanilla1
vegetables1
vinegar1
Wwakame1,2
walnuts1
wholegrains1,2,3,4
wildrice,beetrootandgrapesalad1
yeast1
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThiswholethinghadtostartsomewhere,right?!Andthejourneytoherebeganwiththestartofmyfoodblogandsomeveryamateurphotos!Andsomybelovedhusband,Luke,mustbeacknowledgedfornotonlytakingoverthecameraandmakingthephotosSOmuchbetter,butforhispatienceovertheyearswithmeandmy‘crazyideas’.
ToJohnandCarolineSandwich,myin-laws,fortheunfalteringsupport,generosityandlovetheyhaveshowntotheirveryAmericandaughter-in-law.
It’s sometimes toughnothavingyour realmother around (she lives in theUS), so I alsowant to thankSusanBenn,whomIsometimesrefertoasmysurrogatemother.Maybeit’sbecausewebothcamefromtheAmericanMidwestthatourbondbegan,butitcontinuestogrowwitheachmargaritaandeveryhugtellingme:‘Youcandothis!’
ToSarahThompson,BrionyNewmanandAndreaUrquidi–myyoginis.Yogameans ‘union’andunitedweare,notonlyinyogabutalsoinfriendship.
Andthenthereisthefriendthat’sbeentherefromthebeginning.Theonethat’sseenitalland–eightcombinedkidslater–isstillthere.Thankyou,RuthSturgeon,forbeingthebestdateonour‘datenights’togetherwherefourhoursatEightoverEightstillisn’tenoughtimetocatchup.
AndI’mnotevensurethisbookwouldbehererightnowifIhadn’tmetyou,MarissaHermer,onthecrazyrollercoasterridewearecurrentlyontogether.Sothankyoufortheintroductiontomywonderfulagent,CharlotteRobertson,whoinourfirstmeetingtogethersaid‘yes–you’vegotsomething,let’sgooutandgetit’…andwedid.WefoundCélineandJane at Quadrille who ‘got it’. From that firstmeeting together, you both believed inme and for that I am forevergrateful.
ThisbookiseverythingIimaginedittobe–it’sexactlyhowIwantedittolookandforthatIthankNikkiEllisfortheperfectdesign,YukiSugiuraforthegorgeousphotosandIrisBrometforfindingexactlytherightpropstostylethefoodwith.
Thisbookbeginswithadedicationtomyfourchildrenandsoitseemsonlyfittingtoenditwiththem.Emma,Jack,WilliamandNestor–allIeverhavetodoisthinkaboutyouandasmileisguaranteedtocomeacrossmyface.
CopyrightPublishingDirector:JaneO’SheaCreativeDirector:HelenLewisSeniorEditor:CélineHughesDesigner:NicolaEllisDesignAssistant:EmilyLapworthPhotographer:YukiSugiuraPropStylist:IrisBrometProduction:VincentSmith,StephenLang
Firstpublishedin2015byQuadrillePublishingLimitedPentagonHouse52–54SouthwarkStreetLondonSE11UNwww.quadrille.co.uk
Text©2015JulieMontaguAllphotography©2015YukiSugiuraDesignandlayout©2015QuadrillePublishingLimited
Therightsoftheauthorhavebeenasserted.Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthisbookshallbereproduced,storedinaretrievalsystem,ortransmittedbyanymeans–electronic,mechanical,photocopying,recording,orotherwise–withoutwrittenpermissionfromthepublisher.
CataloguinginPublicationData:acataloguerecordforthisbookisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary.
ISBN:9781849495820
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