Recipes for success

Recipe: Ingredients: 2 cooking apples, 2 tbsp coconut sugar, ½ tbsp honey, one cup oats, 20g butter, cinnamon to taste.

Method: Peel and chop the apples into bite sized pieces and place in a pan with a splash of cold water. (Do it in two batched if the pan looks crowded). Turn the pan on a high heat and let the apples cook for a few minutes. When they are beginning to soften sprinkle over the honey and one tbsp of the coconut sugar. (You might want to add a little more if you have a real sweet tooth but generally the apples make it sweet too.) Leave the mixture to cook for around 5 mins on a medium high heat and then distribute into two ramekins so that they are filled ¾ way up. Then store the rest of the mixture in another container for later use.

While that is cooling combine the rest of the ingredients and work them all together with your fingers, keep at it, it will all come together to create a nice crumbly mixture but if you’re really struggling add a tiny bit more butter. Once the mixture is combined distribute it evenly over the apples
.

When you’re almost ready to eat it, place it in a 180degree oven for 20 mins maximum.

Enjoy!  

Fish Tacos - Ingredients: The Tacos: 100g flour, 60ml water, pinch of salt. 

For the filling: 240g white fish, half a green pepper, half an orange pepper, 3-4 spring onions. 

For the dressing: 100g of plain yoghurt, zest of one lime, juice of half the lime, one chilli (or however much you can handle) and a handful or coriander. 

Method: Mix the flour with the water but add the water slowly as flour absorbs water differently every time. Sometimes you may find you need a little more, sometimes a little less. Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes and in the meantime chop the peppers and fish up into nice chunks. 

Split the dough into four balls and roll each one out as thinly as possible. Get a non stick pan piping hot and then lay one of the tortillas on. Once it starts to bubble slightly flip it over and do the same on the other side. Repeat until all tortillas are cooked. 

Then fry the fish, peppers and spring onions on a high heat in a splash of oil so they char slightly. Don't leave it for long as you don't want overcooked fish. Use your judgement but probably 3-4 minutes is enough. 

Meanwhile, mix all the dressing ingredients together ready for dolloping on the tortilla. Once it is all cooked, take a little bit of everything and construct your taco. Squeeze over some additional fresh lime, chilli and coriander (if you want). Then enjoy! 

Overnight Oats - 30-50g Oats, one banana, 60-100ml milk of choice, any additional fruit or sweetener or even chia seeds.

Mash the banana up into a mush, I often add honey in here and mash it up together. Sometimes at this point I add a tablespoon of chia seeds (add a little more liquid if using) and mix it up. I also mash in any additional berries at this point too. Tip in the oats and stir it up. Pour in the liquid of choice - water is also find but it won't be as creamy. Mix everything together well and leave in the fridge overnight. Viola!  

Tomato Baked Eggs - Ingredients: Four eggs, one 400g tin of chopped tomatoes, one small onion, one large clove of garlic, small sprinkling of cheese (your choice) any additions you choose eg. mushrooms, peppers, bacon, spinach etc...


Slice the onions and slowly fry them in a pan with your choice of fat (I used coconut oil). Now add any extras you have opted for and when everything is almost cooked, add the garlic and cook for a further minute. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and leave to simmer for five minutes or so then the sauce can thicken and some of the watery liquid can steam off.

Once you're happy with the sauce and seasoned it t your taste with any salt/pepper/herbs, make four wells in it. Crack the eggs in and leave to cook through.

When the eggs are almost fully cooked sprinkle on the cheese and let it melt in. If you like your cheese grilled put the pan under the grill now that way the eggs will not over cook.

Serve (there is no elegant way to do this) and enjoy!


Chocolate dipped peanut protein balls  - Ingredients: One cup of peanut butter, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 scoops of protein powder (unflavoured or vanilla) 2 tbsp of honey, 1 cup of chocolate chips (your choice, dark, milk, white, dairy free - whatever), 1 tbsp of coconut oil melted.

In a blender combine all the ingredients except for the chocolate and coconut oil until it looks crumbly like this.

Line a tray with baking paper and roll the mixture into 12 -16 balls and then place in the fridge or freezer to set.

While they chill, melt the chocolate and mix in the coconut. I microwaved my chocolate for 30 seconds at a time but do it however you prefer. Once the mixture is complete dip the balls half way in.

Place back on the baking paper and place in the fridge to set. Be careful how you place them, I learnt the hard way that it can look very messy if you don't think this through. These are best eaten straight from the fridge as they get soft and gooey.

Messy but delicious

Super stuffed peppers  - Ingredients: Two peppers, pack of turkey mince, one cup of cous cous prepared to your liking, half an onion diced, tbsp tomato puree, half tbsp oregano and one/two garlic cloves depending on your liking.

Fresh from the oven

Hollow out and de-seed the peppers and put in a pre heated oven at 180 degrees with the lids back on.

While they cook, fry off the onions and then add the turkey mince. Once golden and cooked through add the tomato puree, oregano and garlic. Stir well and take off the heat. Mix the turkey mix in with the cous cous. I added in some spinach and let it wilt in the heat.

I then stuffed the pepper with the filling and put it back in the over for 10 minutes to make sure it was all piping hot and all the flavours had combined.

Enjoy served on a bed of salad. mmm.


Cinnamonutty granola - Ingredients: one and half cup of oats, one cup of pecans, one cup of almonds, half a cup of flax seed, one cup of sunflower seeds, one cup of pumpkin seeds, one tbsp honey, two tbsp of agave nectar, three tsp of cinnamon, three tbsp of coconut oil.

The finished product

• Put the nuts and seeds in a blender and wizz it up to your desired texture. I wanted big chunks so I literally held it for a couple of seconds.
• Melt together in a pan the oil, honey, agave and cinnamon. 
• Mix all the dry ingredients together and then pour on the melted ingredients.
• Stir together until everything is evenly coated. 
• Lay everything out flat on a baking sheet and bake in a pre-heated oven at 160 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Enjoy on yoghurt or with milk! 

Super simple winter chicken and veg soup - Ingredients: Two large cooked chicken breasts,300g sweet potato, four carrots, one onion, one clove of garlic, 50g uncooked pearl barley, 800ml chicken stock (preferably homemade), one cup of peas.

A yummy supersoup 

• Cube all the root veg and slice the onions. 
• Shred the chicken 
• Put everything in one pot and boil it for 20 minutes or until the pearl barley is cooked and tender. 
• Season to your liking with salt and pepper!

Minty pesto courgette spaghetti - Ingredients: Two courgettes, one avocado, 10 Brazil nuts, handful of mint leaves, two tablespoons of olive oil and half a lime/lemon.

The spiraliser

• I have a spiraliser but if you don't you can use a knife and slice the courgettes thinly. Otherwise, spiralise your courgettes into noodles.
• Put the Brazil nuts in a blender and blend until creamy. Then add all the other ingredients except for courgettes. Slowly add water until you get a consistency you want. I tend to go for quite a thick, creamy sauce.
• Meanwhile slice some mushrooms and fry them however you would normally.

  

  Ready to throw in the pan

• Once they are almost cooked add in the noodles to warm through and the sauce. 
• Serve warmed through with any protein of your choice or as is if you prefer, which I often do. 

Pasta - ravioli - Ingredients: 400g 00' flour, pinch of salt, 4 eggs. (one egg per 100g of flour). Makes between 5/6 servings.

The rolled out pasta ready to close up

• Put all the ingredients into a food processor and pulse until a fine breadcrumbs
• Tip out and knead to a smooth dough ball. Knead strongly for one minute
• Wrap in clingfilm and leave to rest for one hour
• Split the pasta up into portions, roll out and stretch. 
• I filled it with mashed, roast butternut squash, used a dab of water around the edges to stick the top on and pushed down in between to ensure no air bubbles were in the pasta. 
• Drop in boiling water and cook for 2 minutes.

The ravioli once it had been sealed and tidied up

Pancakes - Ingredients: Two and half scoops of protein powder of your choice, 3 egg whites, teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda and 100ml of Koko dairy free milk. Makes six pancakes (depending on size).

• Put all the ingredients in a blender and whiz up until at the desired consistency. I like it medium thickness. 
• Heat a non-stick pan and spray with low cal cooking spray.
• Pour a portion of the mix into the pan and cook for one minute on each side.

Serve with any filling of your choice, honey is a great option and helps keep it moist.


Sushi  - Ingredients: 125g sushi rice, 15ml rice wine vinegar, tsp of sugar or sweetener, seaweed wraps.

Ham and cucumber rolls

• Cook the rice for 10 minutes in boiling water and then leave to simmer for 20. Use a fork to stir the rice and keep a close eye on it, sometimes it burns. 
• Mix in the vinegar and sugar/sweetener and leave to cool.
• Once cool lay the seaweed on a rolling mat. Spread the rice about half to one centimeter thick on the seaweed. 
• Fill with your choice of filling, it can literally be anything! 
• Roll and cut into bite size chunks. 

Serve with a drizzle of soy sauce or tamari and enjoy.


Tomato and basil soup - Ingredients: 20 tomatoes quartered (depending on size - cherry may need more and only halved.), two small onions, tablespoon of tomato puree, handful of fresh basil, one litre stock, tablespoon of dried oregano, teaspoon of olive oil and salt and pepper.


Mix the tomatoes with the olive oil, dried basil, salt and pepper. Add two cloves of garlic still in the skin in. Bake in a pre heated oven at 160 for one and half hours.

• Dice the onion and sweat for 10 minutes, add finely sliced garlic and the roasted garlic. Mix well.
• Stir in the tomato puree then the roasted tomatoes.
• After a good mix add the stock and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Once that is done, blend the mixture however you can and serve. I had one bowl, saved one in the fridge for another day and froze two servings. Makes four servings by the way.

Beetroot and orange soup - Ingredients: 500g beetroot, two small onions, two sticks of celery, three large cloves of garlic and 1.5 litres of stock.

• Sweet the onions and celery off then add the garlic. Once they are all soft stir in the cinnamon and then the chunks off beetroot. 
• Cover and simmer for one hour.
• Meanwhile strain some oranges for fresh orange just (some to drink some to add) also grate the zest of an orange. 
• Blend the soup in the machine until smooth, add the juice and the lemon. 

Tastes great and is only an underwhelming 116 calories. Again it was four and I have some saved for next weeks lunches.