Category: Recipes

salmon2

Simple Salmon with Green Vegetable Broth

salmonThis recipe emerged when I arrived home hungry and opened the fridge to find a salmon fillet and a drawer full of green vegetables! It’s fast (10 minutes), it’s fresh and you’ll score 3 serves of veggies. Simple double up the quantities to serve 2.

This is a low carb dish, so if you’re coming back from the gym or a training session, or you want to make it more substantial, add in 50 grams of rice noodles when the vegetable stock starts simmering. The salmon is a great source of omega-3, which helps regulate inflammation in the body, and can even help with muscle soreness.

Ingredients

  • 1 salmon fillet
  • 2 tsp olive oil or butter (about 10 grams)
  • 1 leek, top and tail removed, thinly sliced
  • 2 giant handfuls of spinach
  • 2 big handfuls of kale, chopped (roll the kale into a ball and chop)
  • ~40 grams of frozen peas
  • 1 cup vegetable stock – around 300ml
  • 0.5 red chili, thinly sliced
  • handful of mint, thinly sliced and a few extra for serving
  • juice from quarter of a lemon
  • drizzle soy sauce (gluten free if necessary)
  • black pepper to taste
  • chilli oil and extra mint to serve

How to

  1. Heat your grill and place the salmon on a foil lined tray. Pop it under the grill and stick a timer on – it’ll take around 8-10 minutes maximum.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil or butter in a medium pan and sweat off the leek for a few minutes until it’s wilted.
  3. Add the vegetable stock, chilli, kale, lemon juice and soy sauce and bring to a simmer. Cook for around 2 minutes, then add in the peas and spinach – adding these last should help keep their colour. Cook for another 60 seconds the take off the heat and season with black pepper
  4. When the salmon is cooked through, pour the broth into a large bowl and place your salmon fillet on top. Serve with chilli oil and a little extra mint.

Nutrition info

Kcals: 368   Carbs:  8g    Protein: 31g    Fat: 22g

hummus

5-minute Roasted Pepper Hummus

hummusOk, I confess – it’s a slight cheat because you’re going to be using ready-roasted peppers but I’m all for time saving if it helps you to eat well. If you make a batch of this hummus at the start of the week (5 mins is literally all it takes) you can use it to slather over oatcakes or veggies for an instant snack, or to top salads, making lunch a bit more interesting.

Why hummus? Chickpeas are a great source of protein and fibre, both of which keep you feeling fuller longer. Fibre also feeds the healthy bacteria in the gut, which support immune function.

Another plus – you can make this hummus in a nutribullet, although a normal food processor or a hand blender will work too. If using a hand blender you’ll just need a tall container or measuring jug to blend in. This hummus is also made without oil – a trick I learnt from Ottolenghi.

Ingredients – makes a reasonable sized tub, about 4 serves

  • juice of one lemon
  • 50 grams light tahini (sesame seed paste – you can buy from a supermarket or health food store)
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 2 jarred roasted peppers, drained and roughly chopped (most big supermarkets will sell these)
  • 50ml cold water
  • salt and pepper to taste

How to

  1.  Pour the lemon juice and tahini into your blender and pulse for about 20 seconds then scrape down the sides. This will whip the tahini and lemon into a thin ‘sauce’, helping the other ingredients to blend.
  2. Tip in the garlic, half the chickpeas, red peppers, then the other half of the chickpeas on top. Finally pour over the water – this will help everything to blend more
  3. Blend for about 10- 20 seconds – then stop and scrape down the sides. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper then blend again until you have a smooth consistency.
  4. Transfer to a tub and refrigerate until ready to eat (although a quick dollop on a piece of sourdough is highly recommended).

Nutrition – per quarter tub

Cals 165      Protein 7g     Fat 9g     Carbs 12g   Fibre 4g

 

 

savoury_porridge2

Turmeric Spiked Savoury Porridge

savoury_porridge2Over the summer I visited 26 Grains in Covent Garden and tried a bowl of savoury porridge – though it seemed strange when the oats arrived with sautéed kale and an egg perched on top, it was delicious. And why wouldn’t it be?  We eat rice as a sweet or savoury dish, and in many cusines, pasta and other grains are used for both sweet and savoury means.

I’ve since started making savoury porridge at home and am sold on the sheer simplicity. It can be ready in under 15 minutes – less faff than rice, or even pasta, and it works as a blank canvas to add veggies, cheese, whatever takes your fancy. Plus if nothing else, it’s very cheap, and if you have oats in the cupboard and some leftover veg, you have a meal.

This recipe was inspired after reading news that a daily teaspoon of turmeric added to your food can positively influence genes linked to cancer and low mood.

The addition of black pepper or dietary fat with turmeric boosts the absorption of curcumin, the anti-inflammatory agent in the spice, so this recipe a great way to get maximum benefit, plus the gorgeous bright hue adds a brilliant colour.

Ingredients – serves one

  • 1-2 tsp coconut oil
  • 0.5 white onion, finely sliced
  • 1 fat garlic clove, grated
  • 1 thumb size piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
  • 1 large carrot, grated
  • 50 grams old fashioned (steel cut) porridge oats
  • 250ml / 1 cup vegetable stock (half a cube is enough) – a little extra water may be needed
  • 1 tsp powdered dried turmeric
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 egg
  • handful chopped coriander

How to

  1. Heat the oil in a deep sided frying pan and then add the onion and garlic and fry for 1-2 minutes until starting to colour
  2. Add the grated ginger and carrot and cook for another couple of minutes until the carrot has wilted down
  3. Tip in the oats, turmeric and vegetable stock and stir. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to stop it sticking. The oats will start to release their starch towards the end of the cooking time so the liquid becomes more like a sauce. You may need to add a little more water.
  4. A few minutes before the oats are almost done, bring a small pan of water to a simmer and add a pinch of salt to poach your egg. Stir the water with a spoon so it starts swirling and then break in your egg – leave to poach in the water for 3-4 minutes or until the white is set. If you prefer, you can fry the egg.
  5. Season the porridge with plenty of black pepper and a pinch of salt to taste. Spoon the porridge into a bowl and then top with the poached egg and a handful of coriander. A good sprinkle of Parmesan is also delicious.

 

corn_salad

Griddled Sweetcorn Salsa

corn_saladThis salsa is my go-to when I want a tasty (and FAST) side dish – it goes brilliantly with grilled chicken or fish, but I also love it with a wedge of frittata and salad greens.

It was inspired by a recipe from delicious magazine with a few tweaks – grilling the corn makes a big difference to the taste of the salsa so if you can, do it!

Ingredients

  • 4 corn on the cob (if you can’t buy these, a 320g can of sweetcorn will work)
  • 1 tbsp of olive oil
  • salt and ground black pepper
  • half a red onion
  • 50g almonds (again if you can get roasted, great) – can use peanuts or cashews if preferred
  • 100g / bunch of coriander
  • juice of 2 limes
  • half a red chilli (optional)

How to

  1. Pre-heat your grill (oven) or grill pan
  2. Measure the olive oil onto a dinner plate and add a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Roll each of the cobs in the seasoned oil. (If you’re skipping this step because you’re using tinned corn, drain and rinse the corn, then pat dry and tip into a mixing bowl, then head to step 4).
  3. Place the cobs onto the grill pan or underneath the grill on a foil lined tray. Grill, turning every 2-3 minutes until slightly charred on each side. The kernels will look juicy, bright yellow and fat when they’re done
  4. While the cobs are cooking, finely dice the red onion and place in a mixing bowl
  5. Chop the almonds with a knife until you have tiny pieces and add to the onion
  6. Finely chop the coriander and chilli (if using) and add to the onion and nuts.
  7. Once the corn is cooked, take off the heat and set to one side for a few minutes to allow it to cook slightly. When you’re able to, pick up a cob, and using a sharp knife cut from top to bottom, slicing off the kernels. Twist the cob around, repeating until it’s empty, then repeat with the remaining three cobs.
  8. Add the sweetcorn to the bowl with the juice of two limes, season and mix well to combine all the ingredients
  9. Pile into a big serving dish and get stuck in!

 

 

 

cake_long

Chocolate Orange Olive Oil Cake

cakeThis is an adaptation of Nigella’s classic chocolate olive oil cake – made with less sugar and olive oil, and an orange and hazelnut twist.

This recipe calls for a hand mixer, but I actually made it in a nutribullet and it worked perfectly and the whole thing was mixed and ready in under 5 minutes!

If you haven’t got either, some elbow grease, a large bowl and a whisk should work fine.

Ingredients

  • 130 millilitres regular olive oil (plus more for greasing)
  • 50 grams good-quality cocoa powder – I used a Green and Blacks
  • 125 millilitres boiling water
  • 1 teaspoon good quality vanilla extract
  • zest of one orange
  • 100 grams ground almonds
  • 50 grams ground hazelnuts (also ground in the Nutribullet – you can do 150 grams of ground almonds if you prefer)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 100 grams caster sugar or honey
  • 50 grams Sweet Freedom chocolate orange shot (or increase the sugar / honey by 50g)
  • 3 free range eggs

Method

  1. Preheat your oven to 170°C/gas mark 3/325ºF. Grease an 8 inch springform tin with a little oil and cut a circle of greaseproof to line the bottom of the tin.
  2. Measure out the cocoa powder and place in a bowl. Pour in the boiling water and whisk together until you have a smooth liquid. Whisk in the vanilla extract, then set aside.
  3. Put the sugar, sweet freedom olive oil and eggs into a mixer or a large nutribullet cup and whisk or blend together until you have a smooth thickened cream – should take a few minutes in a mixer, or a minute in the nutribullet. Add the cocoa mix and blend again briefly until all of the mix in combined.
  4. In a large mixing bowl combine the ground almonds, hazelnuts, salt, orange zest and baking powder with a wooden spoon. Gradually pour in the chocolate mix and stir until all the ingredients are combined.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for around 40 minutes or until the sides are set – the top will look a little bit wet still.
  6. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan. Cool completely and decorate with fruits, or serve warm – it’s great with Greek yoghurt.

 

Orange_watercress_2

Watercress, Orange and Pomegranate Salad

This is a very simple Nigel Slater inspired salad which I tried during a seaside break – perfect for summer.

The citrus flavours are deliciously sweet but tangy, and pair great with peppery watercress. Try with fish or chicken – or grilled halloumi and mushrooms for a vegetarian alternative.

Ingredients

  • 2 large oranges
  • 1 bag watercress (around 170 grams)
  • 1 pomegranate (can use 80-100g ready prepped seeds)
  • 50 grams pumpkin seeds
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • sea salt and pepper
  • juice of 1 lemon

Method

  1. Wash and pat dry the watercress. Roughly break apart the big stems into manageable pieces with your hands and place in a large bowl.
  2. Slice the top and bottom from each orange, and then sit onto a chopping board. Using a sharp knife remove the peel by slicing from the top to bottom around the curve of the orange. Remove any white pith remaining so that you’re just left with the fruit. Cut into thin slices – about 6-8 for each orange – pour any juice from the board into the watercress bowl and set the orange slices to one side.
  3. Cut the pomegranate  in half. Fill a medium bowl with water – submerge the pomegranate under the water then break each half into pieces and remove the seeds with your hands. The water should help separate the pith from the seeds. Once the seeds are out, drain the bowl and remove any pith. Pat the seeds dry and add to the watercress.
  4. Toast the pumpkin seeds under a hot grill or in a non-stick pan for a few minutes until they have popped. Add to the watercress with 1 tbsp olive oil, the juice of a lemon and a good pinch of salt and black pepper.
  5. Toss the salad together to coat everything with the oil then add the orange slices last and toss again lightly to avoid breaking up the pieces. Transfer to a bowl before serving.
Fennel_salad

Fennel, Cabbage & Orange Salad

fennel_salad_2This is one of those throw it all together salads that was inspired by my weekly veg box  when I had a head of cabbage and fennel that needed using . Make a big dish and serve with roasted chicken or some salmon fillets – if you have leftovers, they’re brilliant for lunch tossed with mackerel strips.

Ingredients

  • half a head of white cabbage
  • 1 large bulb of fennel
  • 2 large oranges
  • 1.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • good pinch of salt and black pepper
  • half bunch of fresh coriander, stalks removed
  • 50 grams grilled / toasted almonds (you can buy these online, or simply toast for a few minutes in a pan)
  1. Wash all your vegetables, then remove the fronds, top and tail and outer shell from the fennel. Cut the bulb in half lengthways and slice very thinly. Put into a large bowl.
  2. Peel the outer leaves from the cabbage and remove the stalk by cutting around it. Slice the cabbage finely and add to the fennel.
  3. Remove the top and bottom from each orange orange and slice off the peel off by cutting top to bottom, in downward strokes. Holding the orange over the bowl, segment the pieces into the bowl, by cutting between the membranes so you avoid the pith. After the whole orange has been segmented, give the remaining flesh a good squeeze to get all the juice out. Repeat with the second orange.
  4. Roughly chop the almonds with a knife and add to the bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper and chopped coriander (remove the stalks before chopping)
  5. Toss all the ingredients together and then transfer to a bowl for serving.