SPEEDY GLOW WELLNESS BOWLS WITH STICKY PEANUT CARROT SLAW
This quick, easy rice-bowl meal is packed full of nutrition and ready in 15 minutes. It keeps really well and is perfect for lunch the next day. High in skin-supporting fats and vitamins C and E, the bowl is designed to support a dish from the inside out. Make it plant-based by simply swapping the fish for tofu.
SERVES 2
Under 640kcal, 28g protein per serving
- 2 trout or salmon fillets (or any protein you like)
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- 1 tsp honey
- pinch of dried chilli flakes
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 medium-ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander or parsley
- zest and juice of 1 lime
- 250g cooked rice, to serve
- salt and pepper
For the slaw
- 1 heaped tsp peanut butter
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- 1 scant tsp honey
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 carrot, julienned
- ¼ cucumber, deseeded and julienned
- 2 spring onions, julienned
1 Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7, or the air fryer to 190C. For the slaw, mix together the peanut butter, vinegar, garlic paste, honey and soy sauce in a bowl. Stir in the carrot, cucumber and spring onions and leave to marinate.
2 Put the fish fillets in an oven dish and season with the garlic granules, honey, chilli flakes, sesame seeds and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Bake in the oven or air fryer for 7-10 minutes, until just cooked through.
3 In a bowl, chunkily mash the avocado with the herbs, half the lime juice and some of the zest. Season with salt and pepper.
4 Serve a base of warm rice. Top with the baked fish, the slaw, a dollop of avocado and the remaining lime zest and juice.
SIMPLE SUPER GREENS PASTA
This is one of those recipes that packs in all the goodness in my favourite form – a big bowl of pasta. It has the silkiest, most vibrant green sauce with lots of fresh basil, parmesan, kale, protein-packed peas and, of course, garlic. If you like, serve with extra protein, such as two grilled fish fillets.
SERVES 2
Under 500kcal, 22g protein per serving
- 150g dried pasta
- olive oil, for cooking
- 1 shallot, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 leek, trimmed, cleaned and finely sliced
- ½ tsp chopped rosemary leaves
- 3 large handfuls of kale
- 120g frozen peas
- 1 chicken stock cube, crumbled
- 75ml/5 tbsp semi-skimmed milk
- 40g parmesan, grated
- 20g basil leaves
- salt and pepper
1 Cook the pasta in a pan of salted boiling water until al dente, according to the packet instructions. Drain, reserving a cup of the cooking water.
2 Meanwhile, add a little olive oil to a pan over a low to medium heat and sweat the shallot, garlic, leek and rosemary, with a pinch of salt, until translucent. Add the kale and frozen peas, mix well and cover with a lid to steam slightly for 5 minutes, or until the kale is cooked.
3 Tip the mixture into a powerful blender and add the stock cube, milk, parmesan, basil and a pinch of pepper. Blend until smooth and vibrant, adding a little more milk if it needs loosening further.
4 Mix the sauce into the drained pasta. If the sauce seems too thick, add a little of the reserved pasta water to achieve the desired consistency. Serve immediately, topped with your protein of choice, if using.
SPICY CHICKEN CRUNCH BAGELS
One of my most popular lunch recipes, these chicken crunch bagels have become a staple for many and I can totally understand why. Not only are they delicious, they’re also packed full of protein, fibre and energising nutrition, and are ready in under 10 minutes.
SERVES 2
Under 400kcal, 30g protein per serving
- ½ red pepper, deseeded and diced
- ¼ red onion, finely diced
- 160-200g cooked chicken breast, shredded
- 2 heaped tbsp Greek yogurt (0% or full fat)
- 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
- handful of chopped dill
- ½ jalapeño pepper from a jar, diced
- few dashes of Tabasco
- 2 wholegrain bagels
- 50g feta cheese, crumbled
- salt and pepper
1 Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 on the grill setting, or your air fryer to 200C. Put the diced red pepper and red onion in a mixing bowl. Add the shredded chicken, yogurt, mustard, dill, jalapeño and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well to combine and taste, adding a few dashes of Tabasco and adjusting the seasoning if needed.
2 Slice each bagel in half horizontally, evenly spread the chicken mixture on each side and top with the crumbled feta. Either cook in the oven for 6-8 minutes or air fry for 6 minutes, until the feta is golden.
CHOPPED WALDORF SALAD
Anyone who thinks salads are dull needs to try this; it’s a perfect combination of creamy, tangy, crunchy, sweet and salty. The salad base contains fresh apple, celery and smashed cucumber, which cling to the gorgeous dressing. The latter, made with blue cheese, honey, yogurt, mustard and lemon, brings everything together beautifully. Toss with toasted walnuts and add your choice of protein, such as 200g shredded roast chicken.
SERVES 2
Under 393kcal, 13g protein per serving
- 30g walnut halves
- ½ cucumber
- 80g blue cheese
- 1 heaped tsp wholegrain mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 heaped tbsp yogurt
- juice of 1 lemon, plus extra if needed
- 1 green apple, cored and finely sliced (skin on)
- 2 celery sticks, finely sliced
- ½ red onion, finely sliced
- salt and pepper
1 Crush the walnuts roughly using your hands and toast them in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes until aromatic, tossing regularly and watching they don’t burn.
2 Cut the cucumber in half lengthways. Use a rolling pin to bash each half, then cut into segments.
3 Crumble the blue cheese into a large bowl. Add the mustard, honey, yogurt and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Mix to form the dressing.
4 Toss the walnuts, cucumber, apple, celery, red onion and protein of your choice into the dressing until well coated. Season to taste with extra lemon juice, salt and pepper if necessary. This salad will keep really well, making it a great prep-friendly dish you can take to the office for lunch.
FLUFFY CINNAMON PROTEIN FRENCH TOAST
This is a healthier take on a classic and perfect for a sweet start to the day. It has an antioxidant-rich compote and a protein-boosted custard. High in fibre and protein, it will keep you balanced, energised and ready for the day.
SERVES 1
Under 345kcal, 32g protein per serving
- 1 large free-range egg, plus 1 egg white
- 60ml semi-skimmed milk
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp honey or sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 1 slice of bread (seeded or wholegrain)
- butter or oil, for cooking (optional)
For the blueberry chia compote
- 500g frozen blueberries
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- honey or sugar, to taste
To serve
- generous dollop of yogurt
- 1 tsp nut butter of choice
1 For the compote, cook the frozen blueberries in a saucepan over a medium heat until they release their juices, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chia seeds and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the mixture thickens. Sweeten to taste with honey or a sugar of your choice. Leave to cool.
2 In a shallow bowl, whisk together the egg, egg white, milk, cinnamon, honey or sugar and vanilla extract, if using. Dip the bread slice in the mixture, flip, leave for a minute, then flip again and leave for another minute to soak up all the liquid.
3 Heat a nonstick frying pan over a medium heat and add a little butter or oil if needed. Put in the soaked bread and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown.
4 To serve, put the French toast on a plate, top with 2 tablespoons of blueberry chia compote and a dollop of yogurt, and drizzle with nut butter. Enjoy warm.
MANGO UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE WITH ALMOND, YOGURT AND MISO CARAMEL
This upside-down cake is a showstopper dessert that combines the sweetness of fresh mangos with a rich miso caramel glaze. The almond and yogurt cake batter ensures a moist and tender crumb, while the optional Greek yogurt to serve adds a boost of protein. Perfect for any special occasion.
SERVES 10
Under 437kcal, 8g protein per serving
- 2 ripe mangos, peeled, pitted and sliced, plus extra (optional) to serve
- 150g self-raising flour
- 100g ground almonds
- 165g unsalted butter
- 75g natural yogurt
- 200g golden caster sugar
- 3 large free-range eggs
- zest of 1 lime
- olive oil, for greasing
- Greek yogurt, to serve (optional)
For the miso caramel
- 100g light brown sugar
- 60g unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp white miso paste
- 2 tbsp water
1 Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease a 23cm round cake tin with a little oil.
2 In a small saucepan, combine the miso caramel ingredients. Cook over a low to medium heat for 5-10 minutes, until bubbling and slightly thickened, then stir occasionally until smooth and the sugar has dissolved.
3 Pour the miso caramel into the prepared cake tin, spreading it evenly across the base. Arrange the mango slices on top of the caramel in an even layer.
4 In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and ground almonds. In another bowl, whisk together the butter, yogurt, sugar, eggs and lime zest until smooth and well combined. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to over-mix. Pour the batter over the mango slices, smoothing the top.
5 Bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then carefully invert on to a serving plate. Let the cake cool completely before serving.
6 Slice and serve the cake with additional fresh mango slices and a dollop of Greek yogurt, if desired.
PRAWN SAGANAKI ORZO
Prawn saganaki is one of my favourite things to eat in Greece. This is my hybrid of those flavours but in a one-pot orzo form. It makes great meal prep and heats up really well, too. If you don’t like prawns, substitute them for any protein you like.
SERVES 2
Under 515kcal, 32.5g protein per serving
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 1 red chilli, finely chopped (deseeded if you like)
- 1 red pepper, deseeded and diced
- 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 150g orzo
- 1 chicken (or veg) stock cube
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 60g spinach, roughly chopped
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 200g raw prawns, peeled and deveined
- salt and pepper
To serve
- 80g feta cheese, crumbled
- fresh dill and parsley leaves
1 Heat the olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic, shallots and chilli and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant and translucent.
2 Add the red pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until they start to soften and release their juices, about 3-4 minutes.
3 Stir in the canned tomatoes, then half-fill the empty can with water and add this too. Add the orzo, stock cube and oregano, and season with salt and pepper. Let it simmer for about 15 minutes until the orzo is cooked, topping up with a splash of water if needed and stirring often to stop the orzo sticking.
4 Stir in the spinach and the lemon zest and juice. Once the spinach has wilted, gently fold in the prawns. Allow to simmer gently for 5 minutes to cook the prawns through. Sprinkle the crumbled feta and fresh herbs over the top to serve.
SMOKY MEXICAN WHITE BEAN CHILLI
This Mexican white bean chilli is one of my new favourite meals to eat when I want to sit down with a big bowl of something comforting. It’s smoky, creamy, packed full of nutrition and everything you want to eat. Simply sauté it all in a big pot until bubbling and gorgeous, add in a dollop of sour cream and serve with coriander, avocado, feta and lots of lime.
SERVES 2
Under 366kcal, 35g protein per serving
- olive oil, for cooking
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, diced (use 2 if you like more heat)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 green pepper, cored, deseeded and finely diced
- 400g can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 chicken stock cube
- 100g frozen sweetcorn
- 200g cooked chicken breast, shredded
- 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water, to make a slurry
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- juice of ½ lime, plus extra (optional) to serve
- salt and pepper
To serve
- chopped coriander leaves
- crumbled feta cheese
- sliced avocado
1 Heat a little olive oil in a deep pan over a medium heat, then sweat the onion with a pinch of salt for a few minutes, until softened. Add the jalapeno and garlic and sauté for 3 more minutes.
2 Add the smoked paprika, dried oregano and green pepper. Stir to combine, then tip in the cannellini beans, crumble in the stock cube and cover with just enough water to submerge everything. Add the frozen sweetcorn and shredded chicken and bring to gentle simmer.
3 Add the cornflour slurry to the simmering mixture and stir, allowing it to gently thicken for 4-5 minutes.
4 Stir in the sour cream and lime juice, then season with more salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bowls. If desired, top with coriander, extra lime, crumbled feta and sliced avocado.
NOW BUY THE BOOK
Our recipes are from Live To Eat by Emily English, with photographs by Clare Winfield, published on 8 May by Seven Dials, £25. To order a copy for £21.25 until 18 May, go to mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937. Free UK delivery on orders over £25.
