YOUR NUTRITION

My aim for every recipe, especially midweek, is to be hassle free, super quick, tasty and also good for you!  It helps SO MUCH to have a well-stocked kitchen so you can get creative and make meals when it seems like you have no food in the house.

Here are the essentials I like to keep at home:

Dry Goods

Almonds, cashews, brazils, pistachios, pine nuts, pecans & hazelnuts

Mixed seeds

Flour – spelt or buckwheat

Coconut Milk

Oats

Tinned tomatoes

Quinoa

Pearl Barley

Freekeh

Medjool Dates

Tinned beans – cannellini, chick peas, black beans

Fridge Essentials

Any milk

Butter (dairy & nut – peanut butter yum)

Eggs

Tahini

Vegetables – loads

Greek Yoghurt

Capers

Kimchi

Harissa

Smoked salmon

Freezer

Bananas

Mixed berries

Spinach

Peas

Lots of space to cook batch cooked meals

Pantry

Olive oil

Coconut oil

Apple cider vinegar

Red wine vinegar

Balsamic vinegar

Maple syrup / honey

Fish sauce

Pomegranate molasses

Sea salt – Malden!

Fresh herbs – coriander, dill, parsley, rosemary & thyme

Herbs & Spices

Cinnamon

Cumin

Turmeric

Garam masala

Mustard seeds

Coriander

Fennel seeds

Chili powder

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Mornings are obviously crazy busy for everyone so I always have a kilner jar of goodies – nuts, seeds, desiccated coconut, cinnamon all mixed together in a jar!

You can then spoon this over some porridge or if you’re really time poor then just some oats mixed with milk of your choice and Greek yoghurt on top.

My love for breakfast cereal is HUGE! I look forward to eating when I go to sleep!! For me, shop bought granola is way too sweet so here is what I do instead!!

Ingredients:

75g chopped almonds

50g chopped pecans

100g mixed seeds

300g oats

150g quinoa

100g buckwheat (optional)

1tsp sea salt

2tbsp coconut oil

1tbsp maple syrup

1/2tsp vanilla essence

1 banana

cinammon

Mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl – chopped mixed nuts, seeds, oats, buckwheat, quinoa (useful store cupboard ingredients).

Mix together wet ingredients – coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla essence, 1 mashed banana (gently heat in a small pan to melt the coconut oil).

Combine wet and dry ingredients and add loads of cinnamon (2tbsp).  It is better to mix with your hands to really combine everything.

Then place on a baking sheet (or maybe 2 baking sheets so that there is a thin single layer of mixture) on a low heat of 150* for approx. 30 minutes making sure not to burn (give it a little stir now and then).

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Takes minutes to prepare and uses up lots of cheap tins from the store cupboard which I love!

Sauté a chopped red onion for 6 minutes on a low heat then add 2 crushed cloves of garlic.

Add the spices – 1tsp cumin, 1tsp paprika, 1tsp cinnamon

Add 1tbps tomato puree

Keep stirring then add chopped veg (1 red pepper & 1 yellow pepper chopped).

Now add 500 ml stock /bone broth, 1 tin chopped tomatoes, 1 cup of lentils, 1 tins of beans (I like black beans), season well.

Simmer on a low heat for 20 minutes.

To serve: sprinkle fresh coriander, a spoonful of Greek yoghurt, some fresh chilli and lime zest.

For extra wow!! Add some roasted sweet potato chunks.

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Having some fab store cupboard essentials really helps when you have hardly any food in the fridge and are time poor.  You only need to have a few bits of veg and then with the help of some lovely tins and jars and nuts, you can have a fast delicious and nutritious meal.  Remember your gut loves variety so the more you can add to your meal the better!

How to make a fast tray bake:

Roughly chop whatever veg you’re going to use for your tray bake.  I used an aubergine, half a butternut squash (no need to peel) and a cauliflower then spread out on a baking tray with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper.

Then you need to add your ‘flavour bursts’ – such as roasted red peppers from a jar, a tin of butter/cannellini/black beans or chick peas, a dollop of harissa.

If you have any bread that needs using up then tear up some chunks and add in too.

Place everything in a large roasting tray at approx. 180* for 30/40 minutes or until all the veg is cooked.  Stirring a few times as it cooks.

Final flourishes – you can whizz up a handful of fresh herbs with whatever nuts or seeds you have to hand, lemon zest, sea salt & olive oil then add to the top of your tray bake once it comes out of the oven.

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Perfect for a kids meal that they will actually eat and it has some goodness in it!!

Make a cheese sauce:

Gently melt 25g butter and then add 25g flour whisking until combined.  Slowly pour in 400 ml milk – to avoid lumps slowly whisk in a few ladles at a time.  Once you have a smooth sauce then you can add a good chunk of grated cheddar (I use approx. 100g)

In a blender, mix the cheese sauce with whatever cooked greens you have – broccoli, leeks, peas, spinach.

Then combine this green cheesy sauce with your cooked pasta, add some more grated cheese then top with some breadcrumbs for crunch and bake in the over for 10 minutes or until brown and crispy on top.

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Curry Paste

A curry paste is so useful to have at the ready for a fast tasty homecooked meal.

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Ingredients:

1 red chili

Thumbsized piece of ginger

1 lemongrass stalk

1 lime zest and juice

2 garlic cloves

1 bunch of fresh coriander

1 red onion

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

Method:

Simply place all the ingredients in a blender and whizz to a chunky paste and store in the fridge for when you need it.

To make a speedy curry, simply fry up 2bsp of the paste on a medium heat in a large saucepan.  Add whatever chopped veg you want (courgette, aubergine) then after 5 minutes or so, add a tin of coconut milk and turn down the heat to a simmer.  Add 1tbsp of fish sauce or miso paste for some umami flavour then let simmer until all the veg cooks.  You can always add 1tsp of turmeric and lots of fresh or frozen spinach to finish.  I like to top it off with some fresh coriander and maybe some chopped nuts for texture (brazils, almonds or cashews)

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and cooked
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. In a bowl, combine quinoa, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and parsley.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
3. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Serve chilled.

Health Benefits:

• Quinoa is a complete protein, containing all nine essential amino acids, making it an excellent plant-based protein source.
• High in fiber, quinoa aids in digestion and helps maintain a healthy weight.
• Loaded with antioxidants and minerals, quinoa supports overall well-being and boosts the immune system.

Interesting Fact:

‍Quinoa is not a grain but a seed. It's known as a pseudo cereal and is related to beets, spinach, and Swiss chard.