Basic side salad

A basic side salad works with any protein (esp. leftover from last night’s dinner) which makes a good option for a quick meal. ‘Basic’ means that you don’t need anything fancy. Just get a few favourites, arrange them on a plate in any order and dress. You can sprinkle some seeds or almond flakes on top, if you like. If you are having just a protein with the salad, make sure the salad is large - preferably a big bowl.

My favourite vegetables for a basic salad include:

• Lettuce leaves, assorted or one type e.g. lamb’s lettuce, rocket or romaine

• Avocado

• Cucumber

• Bell pepper

• Grated carrot

• Red onions

• Olives

A basic dressing:

• 2 table spoons of olive oil

• 1 table spoon of white wine vinegar

• 1 tea spoon of Dijon mustard, or 1 heaped tea spoon of green or red pesto

• Salt and pepper

  Shake in a small jar and dress the salad

Chicken Caprese

Ingredients:

• 120-130g of chicken breast(s) per person, whole or sliced thinner

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1/2 tea spoon of sea salt

• A big pinch of each, dried oregano and dried basil, or Italian seasoning (it should already have garlic powder so don’t add any extra)

• 1/3 tsp garlic powder

• Fresh mozzarella (preferably bufala), cut into 1 cm slices; 3 slices per 1 piece of chicken

• 2 small tomatoes

• 4 basil leaves but it’s ok without too as the chicken has already been marinated in dried basil

• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Instructions:

1. Heat the oven to 200 Celcius degrees

2. Heat an ovenproof skillet or griddle pan

3. Combine the oil, herbs, salt and garlic powder

4. Coat the chicken in the marinade

5. Place the chicken in the hot skillet or griddle pan and cook for 3 minutes on each side

6. Take the chicken off heat and place mozzarella and tomato slices on top. Transfer to the oven for the next 3 minutes

7. Plate up and garnish with a splash of balsamic vinegar, extra olive oil and fresh basil

Caponata

Slightly modified recipe of a Sicilian classic. It makes a wonderful side dish for meat or fish, and a base for shakshuka style eggs. Also nice with grilled halloumi or crumbled feta on top.

Perfect for batch cooking. Put it in clean jars when it’s still hot and close the lid. Cool down and store in the fridge. You can also freeze it in zip lock bags.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 aubergines

• 1-2 courgettes (optional)

• 1 red bell pepper and if you want, you can add a yellow one too (optional)

• 1 onion (red / white / yellow - whatever you’ve got)

• 2 cloves of garlic

• 2 tablespoons of capers

• 1 handful of green or black olives, whole or halved

• 150ml of tomato passata

• 3 table spoons of olive oil

• 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar or 1 table spoon of balsamic glaze

• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a pot. Add aubergines and a a some salt. Cook until golden, stirring occasionally.

2. Add the peppers, courgettes, onion and garlic. Saute for additional 5 minutes.

3. Add the passata, vinegar, capers and olives. Cook until all veg are soft and the sauce has reduced and feels sticky. Season with salt and pepper.

Creamed spinach two ways

Ingredients:

• 500g frozen spinach

• 1/2 cup of dairy or oat cream or 2 table spoons of mascarpone or 100 ml of the thick part of coconut milk

• 1 clove of garlic, minced or chopped, or 1/4 tea spoon of garlic powder

• 1 table spoon of butter or ghee or a splash of olive oil

• Salt and pepper to season

• Optionally: 1/4 tea spoon of nutmeg powder (goes very well with spinach)

Instructions:

1. Heat the fat of choice and add garlic. Sauté for a minute.

1. Add frozen spinach and cover. Once defrosted, cook for 5 minutes. You can also take the spinach out of the freezer 2 hours earlier.

2. Add the cream of choice or mascarpone, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Indian style variation:

Add 2 cm of freshly grated ginger and 1 tea spoon of curry powder.

Creamed spinach serving suggestions:

• You can serve it with fish and 2-3 boiled baby potatoes.

• You can spread it evenly in a frying pan, crumble in some feta or paneer and place eggs on top. Cover the lid and cook until the eggs are done. It will be like a shakshuka style dish - a great any time meal.

• You can have it with fried or pached eggs on the side, optionally 2-3 baby potatoes and a glass of kefir / yoghurt.

• You can place grilled halloumi on top.

Energising smoothie

Maca root is one of my favourite medicinal plants. It is known for its ability to increase energy, improve cognitive function, support the adrenal glands, boost athletic performance and libido. It pairs well with cacao or cocoa for an enhanced function but this is not a must.

A smoothie that is supposed to replace a meal, such as breakfast, should always contain ample amounts of complete protein, quality fats and fibre. A well composed smoothie will support blood glucose balance throughout the day, which will positively impact your stress response, weight loss hormones, metabolic performance and energy.

Smoothies are also a convenient way to include many functional foods in one meal, from good fats and collagen to raw egg yolks.

Ingredients:

• 1 small ripe banana or 1/2 large

• 1 heaped table spoon of almond butter, alternatively you can use peanut butter

• Optional: 2 tea spoons of cocoa or cacao powder

• 1 tea spoon of maca root powder (supermarkets, health food stores)

• 1 serving of protein powder like whey isolate or vegan, ideally together with 1 serving of collagen

• 2 tea spoons of chia seeds

• 1 egg yolk (read here why I recommend raw egg yolks)

• Almond or full fat coconut milk, to achieve a desired consistency

• A pinch of unrefined salt (anything but table salt)

Instructions:

Blend and enjoy.

To feel fuller for longer, use crunchy toppings like almond flakes, toasted coconut chips and cacao nibs (or just one of them). This will stimulate chewing, which plays a big role in satiety signalling and smooth digestion.

Broccoli and leftover chicken salad

Ingredients:

• Raw broccoli, green parts only, cut into little pieces (you can leave the stems for a cream of broccoli soup); if you have digestive issues you can cook the broccoli first and let it cool down

• Diced or shredded leftover chicken

• Diced or crumbled feta (skip if dairy free)

• A handful or almond flakes

• For the sauce: 1 heaped table spoon of mayonnaise, 1/2 tea spoon of Dijon mustard, 1 table spoon of water, 1/2 minced clove of garlic or garlic powder which is easier to digest

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients and enjoy. If you’re hungry, you can have 2 eggs on the side in any form of preference.

Salad with strawberries, peach or figs

Ingredients:

• Salad leaves of choice

• 100g of Serrano, Iberico or Parma ham (often the whole packet)

• 2 fresh figs, cut into wedges, or a couple of strawberries, or 1 peach / nectarine, also cut into wedges

• Cupped handful of soft goat’s cheese, cut into pieces or crumbled

• Nuts of choice: walnuts / pecans / almond flakes

• Olive oil and vinegar to dress

Instructions:

Arrange all components on a plate and dress with olive oil and vinegar.

Millet pudding

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup of millet

• 1 and 1/2 cups of plant based milk of choice

• 1 table spoon of ghee or coconut oil (fat will make it creamier as millet it pretty dry and powdery)

• optional: whey protein powder, 1 banana, 1 tablespoon of nut butter or tahini, cinnamon, toppings of choice

Instructions:

1. Rinse the millet groats thoroughly in a sieve under warm water and place in a pot with 1 glass of milk. Cook over low heat, covered, until the liquid is completely absorbed and the groats are soft (about 15-20minutes).

2. Place the soft millet in the blender, add the rest of the milk, a fat of choice and alternatively protein powder. It is best if the milk has been preheated. Optionally, you can add 1/2 ripe banana and/or nut butter or tahini. Blend until perfectly smooth.

3. Place in individual dishes like ramekins or bowls and store in the fridge for a couple of days.

   It can be topped with a sweetener of choice and cooked fruit like berries.

Cooked beetroot slaw

Ingredients:

• 4 vac packed beets, you can also cook fresh beets and cool them down

• 1 apple

• 2 table spoons of olive oil

• 2 table spoons of lemon juice

• Salt and pepper to season

Instructions:

1. With a hand grater, grate the beets and apple (coarse blades)

2. Add the remaining ingredients, stir and serve

Tuna salad with pineapple

Igredients:

• Salad leaves of choice

• 140g of tinned tuna, drained of brine or oil

• Red bell pepper

• 1/2 avocado

• 3 slices of pineapple, fresh or tinned without added sugar

• Optional: fresh coriander

  For the dressing:

• 1 table spoon of mayonnaise

• 1 table spoon of water

• Squeeze of lime or lemon juice

• 1/2 clove of garlic, minced

Instructions:

Arrange ingredients on a plate in a preferred order, dress and enjoy.

Jazzing up tinned tuna

In my opinion, tinned tuna and mayonnaise are a match made in heaven. Mayonnaise beautifully moistens the fish and helps to hold it together. Its acidity and the presence of lecithin from egg yolks help to digest the fats in tuna better as some people find it nauseating or burpy.

Here are my favourite ways how to quickly transform a boring can of tuna into a tasty meal. Tuna in brine (water and salt) will work better than tuna in oil because mayonnaise is already oily.

Ingredients:

• 1-2 tins of tuna, drained of the liquid

• 1 heaped tea spoon of mayonnaise, can be vegan (use less if you like)

• One of the following in any amount that you like: green pesto / Frank’s Hot Sauce / Tabasco / harissa (paste or dry)

Instructions:

Mash up with a fork, that’s it!

Serving suggestions: on sourdough bread incl. sourdough crisp bread, on lettuce leaves instead of bread like in the photo, over a salad, in a poke bowl, on cucumber slices or used as a dip for celery sticks.

You can further mix it or top it up with the likes of fresh herbs, grated cheese, chopped bell pepper, finely chopped onion, chives, tomato or chilli flakes. For example, rocket and tomato pair well with the pesto version. Fresh coriander is great with harissa. Bell pepper and onion are good with Frank’s Hot Sauce and Tabasco.

Root vegetable fries

These won´t be as crispy as traditional chips but they are loaded with nutrients as opposed to white potatoes which are mostly starch.

You can use an air fryer, too.

Ingredients:

• Root vegetables of choice, e.g. sweet potato, beetroot, carrot, parsnip, celeriac

• Fat of choice, e.g. odourless coconut oil, oliver oil, lard, goose or duck fat

• Salt

• Optional herbs and spices, e.g. garlic powder, sweet paprika, smoked paprika

Instructions:

1. Turn the oven on 180 degrees, fan.

2. Cut the vegetables into ´fries´ and pat them dry with a paper kitchen towel.

3. Place the chips in an oven proof dish (I recommend using baking paper too) and coat in the fat of choice. If using a hard oil like coconut oil, you can melt it first or put little chunks of it on the vegetables and wait until it melts before coating the veg evenly.

4. Sprinkle with salt and other herbs and spices that you may like.

5. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring twice in between.

Cottage pie

Ingredients:

• Basic mince sauce or follow the same steps but use 2 finely diced carrots and 2 celery sticks

• 1 small cup of broth

• If using the ready made basic mince sauce, use additional carrot, celery stick and a large onion, all finely diced

• A handful of frozen green peas

• 2 table spoons of Worcestershire sauce

• Leftover mashed potato (to create a thin layer, max 2 cm) or cauliflower mash

• A handful of grated cheddar or Parmesan

• 1 table spoon of olive oil

• 1 bay leaf

• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Saute the vegetables in olive oil.

2. Add the basic mince sauce, broth, bay leaf and Worcestershire sauce, cook until it has reduced.

3. Grease an oven proof dish and add the mince mix.

4. Top with mashed potato or cauliflower mash, mixed with cheese.

5. Place in the oven for 30 minutes.

   Serving suggestion: with assorted cooked vegetables rather than additional potato or starch of any sort.

Cottage cheese bowls

1. Cottage cheese bowl with fruit

Ingredients:

• 200g pot of cottage cheese

• 100% peanut butter, unsweteened; if too thick, mix it with a little boiled water

• Berries of choice

• Almond flakes

Instructions:

Place all ingredients in a bowl in any order and enjoy.

2. Mediterranean style cottage cheese bowl

Ingredients:

• 200g pot of cottage cheese

• Diced vegetables: 1 ripe tomato, a piece of bell pepper and cucumber

• Handful of olives

• Salt, pepper to season

• Optional: drizzle of pesto dressing (mix pesto with olive oil)

Instructions:

Place cottage cheese in a bowl, add toppings in any order, drizzle with olive oil, season to taste and enjoy.

You can have a slice of low carb bread with it if you feel the bowl won’t fill you up.

3. Spring veg cottage cheese bowl

Ingredients:

• 200g pot of cottage cheese

• Diced vegetables: 1 ripe tomato, 2 radishes, chives or spring onion, piece of cucumber

• 1 hard boiled egg, diced

• Seed mix

• Olive oil

• Salt, pepper to season

Instructions:

Place cottage cheese in a bowl, add toppings in any order, drizzle with olive oil, season to taste and enjoy.

You can have a slice of low carb bread with it if you feel the bowl won’t fill you up.

Pizza omelette

Ingredients per 1 omelette:

• 2 eggs,

• Salt and pepper

• 1 tea spoon of olive oil

• A little passata or 2 tea spoons of tomato puree thinned down with a little water

• Dry oregano

• Grated cheese of choice (e.g. mozarella / cheddar / Edam / Gouda / Manchego)

• Toppings of choice: cooked ham / salami / pepperoni / buffalo mozarella / mushrooms / rocket

Instructions:

1. Beat the eggs, season to taste.

2. Heat up a non-stick frying pan and add olive oil. You can brush it around for an even coat.

3. Pour in the eggs and cook on one side. When the eggs are solid enough to flip but still a little runny on top, turn it over and spread the passata and sprinkle with cheese and a little oregano. Cover with a lid until the cheese has melted.

4. Take off the heat, arrange the toppings of choice and enjoy.

First photo: buffalo mozarella, rocket, garlic oil

Second photo: ham, sliced cooked mushrooms, parmesan, rocket, garlic oil

Basic mince sauce with variations

This simple sauce can be enjoyed in the basic form or used as a base for chili con carne, Bolognese (recipes below), my pasta-free lasagne, cottage pie or moussaka. Great to cook large batches as it keeps well in the fridge and freezes well too. You can just pour the sauce over any cooked veggies for a quick, comforting meal.

Ingredients:

• 500g of mince of choice (beef, turkey, chicken or lamb)

• 500-800 ml of tomato passata (depending on your preferred consistency)

• 1 carrot, finely grated

• 1 stalk of celery, very finely chopped

• 1 large onion, finely diced

• 2 cloves of garlic, minced

• 2 table spoons of olive oil

• Salt and pepper to season

Instructions:

1. In a large pan, heat the oil on medium heat and add vegetables except for garlic. Saute until soft.

2. Add garilc and cook for 2 minutes.

3. Add mince, cook for 10 minutes

4. Add passata, season to taste and cook for 30 minutes on slow heat.

Variations:

To make Bolognese sauce (this is almost it but you can further jazz it up), add 150ml of red wine, 1 bay leaf and a tea spoon of oregano. Cook until alcohol has evaporated.

You can serve it with regular pasta or ‘courgetti’, pictured below, or just over any cooked vegetables. This way you still get to enjoy the ultimate comfort food with less carbs.

To make simple chili con carne, add 1 tea spoon of ground cumin, 1 tea spoon of sweet paprika, 1/2 tea spoon of chili or / and smoked paprika and 1/4 tea spoon of cinnamon. 1 tea spoon of cacao or cocoa really lifts the flavour. You can also add a small tin of red kidney beans.

You can serve it with regular rice but cauliflower ‘rice’ is a nice low carb alternative. You can also have it in baby gem lettuce leaves used as taco shells. Top with fresh veggies like sliced bell pepper and avocado or a dollop of guacamole. Cheese, sour cream or yoghurt, a squeeze of lime juice and fresh coriander are also a nice bonus. PIck what you like the most and keep it simple.

Peach and mango sorbet pops

Ingredients:

• 500ml peach juice without added sugar (it is naturally very sweet)

• 1 ripe mango, peeled and roughly chopped (frozen is also fine, most supermarkets have it)

• Optionally, juice of 1/2 lime - it will help to balance the flavour

Instructions:

1. Process the juice and mango using a high speed blender.

2. Place in ice cream moulds (i.e. Ikea or Amazon) and freeze for 3 hours before serving.

Frozen yoghurt two ways

Ingredients for forest fruit frozen yoghurt:

• 350g frozen forest fruit mix (most supermarkets)

• 2500g full fat Greek yoghurt (you can use plant based if you like)

• xylitol / erythritol / stevia / monkfruit sweetener (honey or maple syrup will change the flavour)

• optional: 2 servings of collagen protein powder

Instructions:

1. Put the berries in a pot, defrost and cook on low heat until most water has evaporated. You can also skip this step but your ice cream will contain more ice crystals.

2. Place the fruit puree with the remaining ingredients in a high speed blender and process until smooth.

3. Pour into ice cream moulds (e.g. Ikea, Amazon) or a container like a Pyrex dish or an old ice cream box.

4. Freeze for a minimum of 3 hours before serving.

   If you used a container, wait for a couple of minutes until the ice cream softens before serving.

Ingredients for raspberry-rose frozen yoghurt:

• 300g of frozen raspberries

• 300g of Greek yoghurt

• xylitol / erythritol / stevia / monkfruit sweetener (honey or maple syrup will change the flavour)

• 5 drops of rose water (selected food shops and online, e.g. Amazon)

• optional: 2 servings of collagen protein powder - for more satiety and nutritional value

Instructions:

1. Put the raspberries in a pot, defrost and cook on low heat until most water has evaporated. You can also skip this step but your ice cream will contain more ice crystals.

2. Place the raspberry puree with the remaining ingredients in a high speed blender and process until smooth.

3. Pour into ice cream moulds (e.g. Ikea, Amazon) or a container like a Pyrex dish or an old ice cream box.

4. Freeze for a minimum of 3 hours before serving.

   If you used a container, wait for a couple of minutes until the ice cream softens before serving.

Peanut butter ice cream two ways

Ingredients:

• 3 small or 2 big bananas, very ripe (brown skin)

• 2 heaped table spoons of peanut butter

• 2 egg yolks (egg yolks, next to cream, is the key ingredient in classic ice cream. They make it creamy due to the presence of lecithin which is a fat emulsifier) but you can skip them if you´re not convinced

• Splash of full fat coconut milk - enough to make the ingredients combine well without getting stuck, using a high speed blender

• pinch of salt

• maple syrup, to your liking (ice cream taste less sweet after freezing it so keep that in mind) but it is optional, especially if you are watching your waist line

• optional: 2 servings of collagen protein powder - for more satiety and nutritional value

• for the chocolate variety, add 2 table spoons of cacao or cocoa powder. Once blended, you can stir in cacao nibs for for some crunch

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients using a high speed blender.

2. Pour into ice cream moulds (e.g. Ikea, Amazon) or a container like a Pyrex dish or an old ice cream box.

3. Freeze for a minimum of 3 hours.

   If you used a container, wait for a couple of minutes until the ice cream softens before serving. Scoop out and sprinkle with chopped toasted peanuts.

Basic Thai curry

Ingredients:

• 1 tin of thick coconut milk, min. 90% coconut (e.g. Lidl’s)

• 2 table spoons of green or red curry paste

• Fish sauce or soy sauce, amount to your preference (try 2 tea spoons)

• 1 flat table spoon of coconut or peanut oil

• 1 tea spoon of sugar, preferably coconut or palm but any unrefined will do. If you are on a low carb diet, you can try xylitol or erythritol

• Protein of choice, e.g. chicken, prawns or tofu

• Vegetables of choice, e.g. diced courgette, mushrooms, pan fried aubergine, green beans, red bell pepper (only one veg of choice is also fine - pick what works for you)

• Optional: chopped peanuts, fresh chilli, 5 basil leaves, wedge of lime, coriander

Method:

1. Heat up the oil and add curry paste. Heating it up will liberate the aroma.

2. Add coconut milk, fish or soy sauce and sugar.

3. Add protein, vegetables of choice and optionally basil leaves and cook just until the protein has set (chicken will turn white and prawns will be pink)

4. Plate the curry and optionally squeeze a wedge of lime and garnish with chopped peanuts, fresh chilli and basil leaves.

5. Serve with jasmine rice or ‘caulliflower rice’ or have it on its own.