Active Nutrition

Lunch, Uncategorized

Sweet Potato and Chickpea Salad

I find it can be hard to think of things to have for lunch especially if like me you’re not a big fan of sandwiches. Many of my clients also struggle with what to eat at lunch time.

I’m a big fan of leftovers and often I advise people to make more of their evening meal and have it for lunch the next day. However this dish is good if you are working from home or maybe on a weekend when you have a little bit more time but don’t want to spend to long doing prep work.

For a long time I wasn’t a fan of roasted chickpeas, I just didn’t get it! However, I tried again recently and realised why everyone raves about them! I think the trick is to roast them on a high heat so that they go super crispy.

So why do chickpeas feature so heavily in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes?

Chickpeas are cheap, versatile and have many health benefits too. As well as being a good source of plant-based protein they are a great source of fibre which means they are great option for diabetics as they may help to improve blood sugar, insulin and lipid levels.

According to some research the high levels of fibre may also help to reduce cholesterol and are therefore a good option for people who are at risk of heart problems, however, they should be consumed in moderation by people taking beta-blockers.

Due to the high levels of protein chickpeas are great to add to vegetarian and vegan dishes.

Ingredients

Serves 2

  • 2 sweet potatoes
  • 1 avocado
  • 1 courgette
  • 150g button mushrooms
  • 1 tin chickpeas
  • 3 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • pinch chili flakes
  • 3 large handfuls of spinach
  • 1 lime
  • chili oil or olive oil

Method:

  1. Heat the oven to 200C/ gas mark 6. Put the oil on to two oven trays and heat in the oven
  2. Cut the sweet potato, mushrooms and courgette into large chunks
  3. Rinse and drain the chickpeas
  4. On one tray place the sweet potatoes and chickpeas, on the other place the courgettes and mushrooms. Sprinkle both with chili flakes and seasoning and shake well. NB I found that putting them on separate trays helps the chickpeas to go crispy
  5. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes until the potatoes, courgette and mushrooms are soft and the chickpeas are crispy
  6. Cut the avocado into bite size pieces
  7. Place the spinach onto plates and then top with the remaining ingredients, drizzle with lime juice and chili oil, to taste

If you’d like more tailored information on how to fit healthy eating into your life then why not email me for a consultation?

Snack

Delicious Banana Bread

I love this delicious banana bread, it is great when I feel like I want a piece of cake but not a sugar high. It’s also great for toddlers too!

Due to my M.E. I’m very sensitive to sugar so when I eat something sugary I get a real high followed by a crash that makes me need to sleep.

This delicious banana bread is great as it is free for refined sugar, and the wholemeal flour provides slow release carbs alongside the walnuts which provide both protein and omega 3.

The original recipe came from The Baby-Led Weaning Cookbook by Gill Rapley and I amended it slightly to make it dairy-free.

I first started making this recipe as my little girl would eat any vegetable, fruit, carbohydrate and even lentils that you put in front of her but she wasn’t keen on protein other than yoghurt and cheese. This recipe was a great way for me to get her to eat some egg and walnuts.

Ingredients for the Banana Bread:

Makes 12 mini loaves or one big one

  • 100g whole meal self-raising flour
  • ½ tsp ground mixed spice
  • 40g melted coconut oil
  • 50g raisins
  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 50g walnuts
  • 1 egg

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4
  2. Line a loaf tin or mini tins with grease proof paper. I like to use silicone mini loaf tins as they don’t need to be lined
  3. Sift the flour and spices into a bowl
  4. Melt the coconut oil in a pan and add it to the flour, stir well
  5. Stir in the raisins
  6. In a hand blender blitz up the walnuts until they look a bit like bread crumbs
  7. In a separate bowl mash the bananas, stir in the egg, until well combined and then add the walnuts
  8. Fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients
  9. Spoon into the tin/s and bake, big loaf for 45 mins, small loaves 20 mins or until a skewer comes out clean
  10. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy

Store in an airtight container or the banana bread can be frozen. If you are making a large loaf slice it before placing it into the freezer.

If you’ve enjoyed this recipe then why not check out more of my toddler friendly snacks I’d love to hear how you get on, so add a photo and comment below.

Snack

Classic Houmous Recipe

I love houmous, I think I could eat it until it came out of my ears! This houmous recipe is quick and easy to make and is super versatile. It can be made with different beans or you can add spices to change the flavour.

I have to confess I don’t tend to make houmous very often, I usually buy it, I’m not organised enough to remember to make it in advance! It is a great snack to have in the fridge for all the family. My little girl loves it so when I need a quick snack for her I grab it out of the fridge and give it to her with some breadsticks. I aim is to get more organised and make houmous more often as the shop bought brands are quite high in salt.

Variations

I’ve played around a lot with houmous recipes to try and get a consistency and taste that I like. I have found the best way to get a smooth consistency is to add a splash of water, especially as personally I prefer it not to be too oily. I’ve recently experimented with cooking the garlic first so that it isn’t as bitter as raw garlic and this works really well.

The garlic can be roasted in the oven but if the oven isn’t on then I find the easiest way to do it is in a pan. Leave the garlic cloves whole and crush them with the skin on. Place them in a frying pan with a splash of olive oil and toss them regularly until they are soft. Remove the skin and then add to the food processor.

Most of my clients don’t have tahini in their homes and if they do it often goes off before they have had a chance to use it. Therefore this version of houmous uses toasted sesame oil instead.

Houmous Ingredients:

  • 1 x 400g tin of chickpeas
  • 2 gloves of garlic
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 2-3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil (or 1 tbsp of tahini)
  • 1 small handful of parsley
  • splash of water

Method:

  1. Roast the garlic in a little olive oil, either in the oven or in a pan (as above)
  2. Add all the ingredients to a blender and blitz until well combined
  3. Add more water if the consistency isn’t smooth enough for your liking

If you’ve enjoyed this recipe then why not check out more of my healthy snack ideas

Snack

Vegan Guacamole

This vegan guacamole recipe is super easy to make and tastes delicious. During our baby yoga sessions we talk about weaning and the importance of encouraging children to try lots of different flavours from a young age.

This guacamole is perfect as the avocado makes it nice and creamy whilst the basil and lime give it flavour. I love to add a couple of drops of tabasco sauce to mine which goes down a treat with my one year old!

However, when I made it for my baby yoga class to try I omitted the tabasco so as not too put any of the children off!

Avocados are fantastic for babies (over 6 months) and toddlers as they are very nutrient dense and have a high fat content which will help to fill them up. In addition the cream texture is usually a hit with most babies. I like my guacamole to be smooth but you can make it chunky which is a great way to encourage your baby to try new textures if you have started with purees.

You can buy guacamole from most supermarkets, however they often include preservatives and are filled out with other ingredients such as rice flour and salt. Personally I think it is so easy to make that I would never bother buying it, especially as most brands include milk based ingredients and vegan versions seem to be more expensive.

Guacamole isn’t just for babies either it works fantastically with my chicken fajitas recipe too.

Guacamole Ingredients:

  • 1 avocado
  • 1/2 lime (juice)
  • 6 cherry tomatoes
  • Small handful fresh basil
  • Few drops Tabasco sauce (optional)

Method:

  1. Remove the skin and pip of the avocado
  2. Place the avocado in a blender with the tomatoes,basil and lime juice
  3. Blend until combined

If you’ve enjoyed my guacamole recipe then why not check out more toddler friendly recipes or more of my vegan recipes.

Lunch

Cold Busting Chinese Broth

I often hear people complaining at this time of year that they are feeling more run down and getting more colds and winter bugs. Because of this I recommend this cold busting broth to my clients as it’s a fantastic way to give your immune system a boost.

It is packed full of anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties, is quick and easy to make and tastes delicious! My friends often request that I make it when they come to visit.

It can be made with tofu for a vegan version or chicken, if you prefer. Alternatively, I like to make it with left over roast chicken.

The soya sauce can be replaced with tamari to make the dish gluten-free. I recently made this cold busting dish with a large pinch of grated fresh turmeric instead of powder, I love how versatile this dish is.

Cold Busting Broth Ingredients:

Serves 4

  • 900ml of vegetable stock (I use reduced salt bouillon powder)
  • 220g of firm tofu, cubed or cooked chicken
  • 1cm piece of ginger, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 chilli, finely chopped (optional)
  • 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
  • 100g rice noodles
  • 1 large handful sweetcorn (frozen or canned)
  • 1 large handful frozen peas
  • 200g mix of shiitake and button mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 spring onions, chopped
  • 2 tbsp soya sauce
  • Small handful of fresh mint or basil
  • Sesame oil
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds (optional)

Method:

  1. Put the stock, ginger, garlic, half the chilli and tofu/chicken into a pan and simmer for 5 minutes
  2. Add the sweetcorn, peas, mushrooms, 2 spring onions, rice noodles and soya sauce. Simmer until the noodles are cooked
  3. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with the remaining chilli, spring onion and mint/basil and drizzle a tiny bit of sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds to finish
Cold busting broth made with chicken or tofu

If you’d like more tailored information on who to support your immune system during the winter months then why not email me for a consultation?

Snack

Chocolate Fudge Drops

I created this recipe for healthy chocolate fudge drops as I frequently get asked for ideas to help people with sugar cravings. More often than not sugar cravings in the evening are due to habits that we have formed. This can be due to a number of things from feeling like we deserve a treat after a stressful day to not eating enough and still being hungry.

As a result, these delicious chocolate fudge drops are packed full of protein and healthy fats to give you an energy boost and a sweet treat in one go.

I’m happy for my toddler to eat them too as they have no added sugar. They are quick and easy to make and don’t require any baking! Making them perfect to make whilst keeping an eye on my toddler!

Not only are they tasty they are fantastic if you are breastfeeding to keep your energy levels up or in the early days of long nights with your baby!

Ingredients for Chocolate Fudge Drops:

Makes 20 (depending on size)

  • 9 Medjool dates
  • 3 tbsp Coconut milk
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp cashew butter
  • 2 tbsp cacao

Method:

  1. Put the dates into a small hand mixer and blend until they are finely chopped
  2. Melt the coconut oil, then leave to cool a little bit
  3. Add all the remaining ingredients to the blender and mix until combined
  4. Roll the mixture in to small balls and place on a lined baking tray
  5. Refrigerate for an hour to allow the balls to set

Variation:

I like to mix these up a bit and a great way to do this is to make with peanut butter instead. Simply add an extra tbsp of coconut milk and replace the cashew butter with peanut butter.

I’d love to hear how you get on with this recipe so leave a comment below. Alternatively click here for more of my healthy treats.

Vegan Chocolate Fudge Drops, packed full of protein with no added sugar
Lunch

Warm Grain Salad – Vegan

I’ve recently embarked on an Ayurvedic journey, looking at tweaking my diet and yoga practice to balance my doshas. Ayurveda is an ancient Indian holistic healing system that focuses on bringing your body, mind and spirit into balance in order to maintain and promote good health. Since having my daughter my health has been better than it has been for a long time, however, the underlying fatigue is hard to manage when I can’t guarantee the length and quality of my sleep in the same way I used to. I therefore felt that it was time to make some changes and get a fresh pair of eyes to look at my body as a whole. As a result of this I am currently working on eating a pitta reducing diet, I am making these changes slowly as I’m fitting it around being a mum and so it’s not as simple as throwing myself into it full throttle. It’s been a fantastic chance for me to experience what my clients do when they have a consultation with me. Why they ask the questions they do and what additional support I can offer.

Anyway, enough of me waffling on. Changing the way I eat has given me an excuse to play around with some new recipes and this recipe makes a delicious lunch or evening meal. For the grains I used a bought mix of different grains, but you can use whatever you have in the house.

Ingredients:

Serves 2

  • 125g mixed grains
  • 1 tsp vegetable stock powder
  • 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
  • 2 tbsp sunflower seeds
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1tsp ground coriander
  • ¼ tsp ground turmeric
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 2 courgettes
  • 4 large handfuls of spinach
  • 2 spring onions

Dressing:

  • 1 avocado
  • Juice of 1 lime

Method:

  1. Cook your choice of grains in stock as per the instructions on the packet
  2. Whilst the grains are cooking dry roast the seeds in a frying pan until they are lightly toasted, then set to one side
  3. To make the dressing blitz the avocado and lime with a hand blender and set aside
  4. 5 minutes before the grains are finished going heat 1 tbsp of coconut oil in a frying pan, add the cumin, coriander and turmeric and heat for about a minute stirring constantly
  5. Slice the courgettes and add fry them in the spices until they are tender
  6. Slice the spring onions and add them to the frying pan
  7. Add the spinach to the frying pan and allow to wilt
  8. Drain the grains and stir the dressing through them, serve with the greens and enjoy
Dinner

Moroccan Chickpea & Sweet Potato Stew

This stew is a great winter warmer. It is jammed packed full of anti-inflammatory ingredients to help keep colds at bay! You can make it on the hob or it works equally well in a slow cooker.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 2 medium onions, diced
  • 2 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 tsp curry powder
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon
  • 3 small sweet potatoes
  • ½ cauliflower
  • 1 tins chickpeas, rinsed
  • 1 tins tomatoes
  • 250ml vegetable stock
  • Large bunch of fresh coriander, chopped
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice

Method:

  1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté for about 2-3 minutes
  2. Add spices and toss to coat. Sauté until onions become soft
  3. Peel and chop the sweet potato into 2” cubes. Add to the pan and stir well to coat with the seasoning
  4. Add chickpeas, tomatoes, and stock. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes
  5. Chop cauliflower into large florets. Add cauliflower to the pot and stir well
  6. Cook for a further 10 mins until the cauliflower is fork-tender
  7. Turn off the heat and add lemon juice
  8. Serve into bowls and top with fresh, chopped coriander
  9. If desired, serve with cooked brown rice or quinoa
Dessert

Healthy Vegan Apple Crumble

It’s autumn and who doesn’t love an apple crumble?! This recipe replaces butter with coconut oil so that is vegan and uses Xylitol instead of sugar. I’m not a fan of sweeteners, however, in this recipe I’ve used xylitol as it is very sweet so you need far less of it than sugar. However,I would not recommend consuming large amounts of it.

Antioxidant rich apples can help to prevent heart disease, weight gain and reduce cholesterol

Ingredients:

Apple Compote:

  • 10 small cooking apples
  • 1 tsp of cinnamon

Oat Topping:

  • 230g oats
  • 50g chopped almonds
  • 55g xylitol
  • 85g coconut oil

Method:

To make the Apple Compote:

1.Place the apples and cinnamon into a pan with a little water and cook until softened and starting to break up

To make the Oat Topping:

1.In a large bowl mix together the oats, almonds, xylitol and coconut oil with your hands until it looks like breadcrumbs

2.Put the apples into the bottom of a heat proof dish, cover with the crumble mix and bake for 25mins at gas mark 4 / 180 or 160 if fan

Lunch

Pumpkin, Red Pepper and Tomato Soup – Vegan & Gluten-Free

This is a great autumn soup, hearty and healthy. Pumpkin is in season and we are just coming to the end of British tomato season, this is a great way to use up and left over tomatoes. Pumpkins contain Vitamin A which aids vision, beta-carotene which plays a role in fighting cancer , fibre which can help you lose weight and help your skin and Vitamin C to help ward off colds.

Ingredients:

Makes 6 portions

  • 1 small pumpkin (or butternut squash)
  • 3 red peppers
  • 10 tomatoes
  • 5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 1tbsp Coconut oil
  • 1tsp smoked paprika
  • 1tsp ground cumin
  • 1tsp coriander seeds
  • 1 litre vegetable stock
  • 2tbsp tomato puree
  • 2 tins chickpeas (or any beans you fancy)
  • 3 large handfuls of spinach

Method:

  1. Cut the pumpkin into chunks, about 2” in size, cut the peppers and tomatoes into quarters
  2. Place the pumpkin, pepper, tomatoes, spices and coconut oil into a large saucepan. Put a lid on the pan and heat the vegetables to allow them to caramelise slightly
  3. Add the stock and tomato puree and boil until the pumpkin is soft
  4. Using a hand blender roughly blend the soup so that there are still some chunky bits in it
  5. Add the chickpeas and heat them through
  6. Serve the soup and place a small handful of spinach on top of each bowl