Recipes

Need a little inspiration for healthy eating? Our recipes are all tasty, healthy and low in fat

Chicken and mango salad

Chopped cooked chicken with celery, watercress and chickpeas and a mango dressing (Add pureed mango to olive oil and lemon juice with a pinch of salt and pepper).

Stir fried tofu or chicken

Cook cubed marinated tofu or chicken breast with broccoli, spring onions and mangetout with 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of honey, serve with brown rice, chopped coriander and a sprinkle of cashew nuts.

Vegetarian Kebabs

Thread hallumi cheese squares or mozzarella balls with cherry tomatoes, courgette slices and basil leaves, drizzle with olive oil and barb-b-q or grill.

Quinoa and mint salad

Mix cooked quinoa, grated carrot and courgettes with toasted pine nuts, parsley, mint and a lemon and honey dressing** (Quinoa is a grain similar to cous cous which is cooked the same way as rice, but is wheat free and higher in protein).

Seafood risotto

Slowly cook the risotto rice according to the packet, and add a glass of white wine in place of some of the water. Add peas, onion and leeks to cook with the mixture. Add chopped garlic towards the end along with prawns, scallops and a dash of fish sauce.

Bean and raisin rice salad

Add chopped red onion, kidney beans, sweet corn and raisins to cooked brown rice and finish with a soy dressing*.

Sweet potato with feta or goats cheese

Scrub a sweet potato and bake for around 45 minutes. When cooked add toasted walnuts or pine nuts and feta cheese, serve with watercress and rocket.

Thai Fish curry

Poach monkfish or cod, onions, red pepper and chopped courgette in half reduced fat coconut cream and half water. Add 2 teaspoons of red thai paste and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with quinoa or brown rice cooked with 2 teaspoons of tumeric and ground coriander.

Grilled trout

Bake trout or salmon with flaked almonds and olive oil for 14 minutes at 180. Serve with orange slices, green beans and asparagus (and baked sweet potato or new potatoes if needed).

Healthy chilli

Half the normal amount of beef and double the mushroom and kidney beans. Add peppers and sweet corn. Cook with tomato pasta mix and add glass red wine and a few shakes of Worcester sauce. Serve with wholemeal rice and chopped fresh coriander.

Chinese Stir Fry

Add a tablespoon of oil to a pan and lightly stir fry chicken, tofu or seafood with baby corn, peppers, sugar snap peas and broccoli, for 10 minutes. When the oil gets dry add water to steam it. Make the stir fry sauce with 1 spoon of sherry, 1 spoon of soy sauce, 1 spoon of honey and a two teaspoons of 5 spice paste. Serve with rice or noodles.

Chicken or Lamb stew with red wine

Brown chicken or lamb chunks and then put in casserole dish with onions, garlic and mushrooms. Pour over two or three cups of red wine, two cups of passata, a couple of shakes of Worcester sauce, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and rosemary and cook on 170 for one hour. Meanwhile part cook carrots and then roast in a little olive oil and salt with some corgettes for 20 minutes turning half way. Serve with jacket potato, sweet potato or basmati rice.

Healthy shepherds pie

Cook half minced turkey and half tinned lentils with bolognaise sauce. Top with sweet potato mash and grated cheese and grill for 5 minutes. Serve with roasted vegetables (aubergines, peppers, corgettes and onions).

Tuna, horseradish and beetroot

Wash and then roast whole beetroot for about an hour. When ready, grill fresh tuna for 3 minutes each side under hot grill and serve with peeled and sliced beetroot and horseradish sauce. A green salad would go well with this.

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Desserts

Most of the desserts below are fruit based. Please leave a gap of at least an hour after your main meal before eating fruit, otherwise it can ferment in the stomach and cause bloating.

Pears poached in red wine and cinamon

Peel and poach for about 12 mins.

Orange segments and fresh

With a little liquor for special occasions, sprinkle with flaked almonds when serving.

Fruit fool

Any soft fruit blended equally with live natural yoghurt or low fat crème fraiche.

Four Brazil nuts dipped in high cocoa chocolate

70% to 85% cocoa needed.

Fruit compote

Winter based - simmered fruit such as plums, pears and figs with diluted apple juice or dash of sherry or port for special occasions. Summer based - with simmered berries and apple juice and splash of pimms.

Baked apple

Cored and baked in oven with 2 prunes stuffed inside.

Smoothie

Ready bought smoothie made into lollies.

Figs

Fresh figs with grated choc and toasted hazelnuts.

Yoghurt and Granola

Natural live yoghurt with homemade granola. To make granola, take 3 cups of oats, Half cup of flaked almonds, Half cup of pumpkin seeds, Half cup of desiccated coconut Quarter cup of sunflower oil, Quarter cup of honey.

Warm the honey and oil together, then mix in all dry ingredients. Spread on greased baking tray and cook at 160 for 20 mins. When cool break up to make a crunchy cereal.

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Healthier Cakes

No cook wheat free Brownies

Makes 12 pieces, will keep in fridge for up to 5 days:

- 300g pitted dates
- 200g soaked raisins (in water or juice)
- 4 tbsp cocoa powder
- 500g brazil nuts (pre-soaked overnight in cold water)
- 100g ground flax seeds
- 100g sunflower seeds
- 125g chopped walnuts
- Sprinkle of sesame seeds (optional)

Place the dates, raisins, cocoa powder, brazil nuts and 500 ml of water in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Mix in the seeds and walnuts.

Spread the mixture on a 10 x 20 cm baking tray lined with cling film. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired and freeze for one hour.

Cut in 12 pieces and serve.

Chocolate Crispy Cakes

Makes about 6 (if you want 12, use a whole bar of chocolate). Melt half a bar of 75% or 85% cocoa dark chocolate and mix in a healthy cereal such a Millet Rice Flakes (wheat free, low sugar - available from health food shops) or Oati flakes (wheat free - which has raisins) or bran flakes. Keep adding enough cereal so that the chocolate coats it all but not too much.

Spoon into cake cases and refrigerate.

Keeps for about 5 days in air tight container, preferably in the fridge.

Coconut and seed flapjack

Makes about 8 slices

- 150g porridge oats
- 2 tbsp desiccated coconut
- 1 tbsp pumpkins seeds chopped
- 1 tbsp linseeds(flaxseeds)
- 25g chopped dates (optional)
- 3 tbsp brown rice syrup (from health food shops) or Agave Nectar available from Waitrose or health food shops
- 5 tbsp walnut oil or sunflower oil

Heat oven to 180.

Mix dry ingredients together. Add the syrup and oil and mix well.

Press into 14 x 14 greased tin and bake for 25-30 mins. Cut into fingers and leave to cool in tin.

Oat Cookies

Makes about 12

- 3oz Xylitol Sweetener (available from Waitrose)
- 3oz Butter
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 6 oz oats
- 1 oz raisins or dark choc chips (optional)
- 1 oz ground almonds
- Half tsp bicarb soda
- Heat oven to 190
- Mix sugar and butter until soft.
- Add egg and vanilla essence and beat.
- Add other ingredients.

Spoon onto greased baking tray, leaving room for spreading. Bake for 12 - 15 mins.

Bought Cereal bars

The one I would recommend is Fruitus bar by Lyme Regis. It has no added sugar and is available in most supermarkets.