All tagged lunch box

Cinnamon, plum & blackberry baked oats

For the oats lovers out there, this is a must try baked oats recipe. Great to make on Sunday and you have at least 2-3 days of breakfast covered. Always top up with a good portion of greek yoghurt (enough to make up 20g protein) and maybe a drizzle of almond butter and you’ve got a perfect all season breakfast. If you have kids needing a refuel in between school, sports etc, it makes a great snack too.

Cashew, lemon & coconut bliss balls

These new raw healthy bliss balls are so so refreshing. The lemon coconut classic combo gets a new life with that hint of turmeric. They are nutrient dense and feel like a fab treat. They are also pretty, do not need baking and set in the fridge quickly, so what's not to like!

Oats & greek yoghurt berry bake

This bake is pretty much a breakfast bowl! Goodness and fibre of the oats, greek yoghurt for the protein and all the berries because we love them so much! It is super simple and can be eaten cold or slightly warmed up with an extra spoonful of yoghurt, almond butter and seeds! You must give it a try! Perfect for a lunch box too.

10 quick & healthy courgette/zucchini recipes

For anyone that grows their own or has family that grows their own vegetables you will be very familiar with how quickly you can suddenly have far too many courgettes (or zucchini as it's known in the States and Australia) to deal with! A couple of years ago I planted for too many courgette plants and I was making everything with courgettes in from cakes to hummus to curries and salads. Well you'll be pleased to know that lots of our recipes contain courgette and here we've compiled them all in one place just for you. The only thing that's missing from the recipes below is a courgette cake - but don't worry we're working on one!!

Top tips for creating the perfect salad

During the warm spring and summer months we look at salads as a delicious way of packing in the vegetables. However there’s a real difference between a salad that consists of some iceberg lettuce and a piece of tomato and a Health Boost salad. We use salads as a way of packing in lots of nutrients and making them nutrition powerhouses.

Coconut & berry bliss balls

These raw healthy snacks were inspired by the arrival of all the gorgeous summer fruits. Raw, nut-free, vegan, naturally gluten free, light and fresh they are the perfect pick-me up, on-the-go refuel for the longer days, late outdoors training session or delayed never-ending cricket matches! They are pretty, do not need baking and set in the freezer quickly, so what's not to like!

red pepper, parsley and feta omelette

Omelettes or frittatas are your friends! They can be breakfast, brunch, lunch and can be eaten hot or cold! Eggs are a great natural, simple, complete and affordable source of protein teamed up with any seasonal vegetable you may have to hand. An omelette takes 5 minutes to make for a quick lunch at home. Made ahead, they are ideal cold in a wrap with extra salad leaves.

Spinach, tapenade and feta baked filo triangles

I used to make those as a kid with my Jewish grandma in the South of France. Now I have passed this on to my 15yr old. If you have made my tapenade before and enjoyed it, this simple delicious recipe makes great use of it. It is so so quick to make. It’s a perfect starter or ideal with summer drinks or for a picnic. Spinach, black olives and feta are a classic greek combo I adore. You could swap the tapenade for a pesto and generally be creative with flavours. Great finger food for the little ones too!

No fuss marinated chicken chorizo skewers

Kat and I pride ourselves with how simplicity is the key to eating well and creating healthy habits for the long term. That is why, sometimes, as is the case for this recipe, it barely feels like a recipe! A marinade doesn’t have to be “chef” like or complicated with loads of ingredients. Just 2 staples here :plain yoghurt and a good quality harissa paste! In the summer, this is perfect for a BBQ and for the rest of the year, I grill those in the oven. Add to a wrap with hummus for a delicious picnic or lunch at work.

roasted red pepper & tomato pesto

When my kids were little, as most toddlers do, they went through a phase of refusing everything green added to their plate. Shock horror! My way round it was to add Green Pesto to their pasta. From then on, pesto, was always going to be homemade. Over the years, I have made green pesto and red pesto alike. It is so easy and delicious. Pick and choose the vegetables you enjoy, pick and mix the nuts and have fun creating....and eating of course! This is my favourite Mediterranean combination.

Quick and easy French asparagus soup

When you love asparagus, the season is not really long enough, so I really try and come up with new recipes to include them at least a couple of times a week. This new recipe could very quickly become a seasonal staple for my family. It is quick to prepare, nutritionally balanced, can be adapted, can be eaten hot or cold, makes a perfect picnic or lunchbox item and when cut into squares it's a great finger food for the younger ones. What are you waiting for? 

Portobello no bun vegetarian burger

With BBQ season kicking off soon and 2 teens looking forward to make up for lost social time, weekend gathering around food will hopefully be regular occurrence. There seem to be more and more vegetarians amongst my teens’ friends so I am busy creating, planning and testing some new recipes to suit all dietary requirements. This is so so tasty with a nod to my home country with French goats cheese and caramelised red onions! And no processed fake meat in sight!

Spicy turkey and harissa meatballs

When trying to get clever and time efficient with meal planning and food prep, we often go for the simple crowd pleasing classics that you can batch cook and freeze. And what better than a batch of meatballs. Turkey mince is very affordable too. The beauty of meatballs is that they are so so versatile: added to a lunchbox, to comforting pasta bowl, served with simple mediterranean roasted veggies, one pan meal. Leftovers are perfect sliced in a wrap with salad and avocado for lunch!

Harissa, chickpea and apricot lamb koftas

When it’s all about meal planning, food prep and making sure you have good nutritious home cooked food ready when you need it, these are perfect to make all year round. Very quick and easy to assemble with no blender or processor, those lamb koftas can be served with a side salad or some quinoa and steamed greens. I like to serve them with a side of cumin and parsley yoghurt.

Lemon & ginger energy snack

Not another snack requiring NO BAKING… said no-one ever! Whenever we are invited to talk at an event, be it a wellness event, nutrition talk or workshop at a school it seems most families struggle with choosing healthy snacks. They are not always necessary or even recommended, but when trying to manage a busy schedule and aspiring to a healthier regime it is really important to have the right balance of nutritious and flavoursome ingredients to keep us going. These snacks taste just like lemon drizzle cake!

Easy slow cooked moroccan lamb

With a busy hectic family life, managing time and meal planning is tricky. That's where your AGA or like me a “Crockpot” slow-cooker is a saviour several times a week. This shoulder of lamb is quick and easy to prepare first thing in the morning and will welcome you in the evening with warming spiced aromas and a healthy hearty family meal ready to serve, and hopefully leftovers for lunch the next day.

a week of healthy snacks

Kat and I are not really snackers, but with 5 children between us and busy schedules we know that they are often a necessity to keep us all going, mums and children alike. However, with so many supermarkets and health shops increasing their range of so called "healthier option" snacks, it is easy to get confused with the often misleading claim on the front of the packets.The nutritional labels at the back are so often just as confusing. The solution to ensure you know exactly what you eat? Make your own snacks and get the kids involved with flavours. Many of the snack bars sold in the supermarkets or health shops as "healthy" are often still very high in sugar due to the dried fruit content or sugar alternatives used. We have so many great options on the website, baked snacks, raw options, all gluten free and mostly nut-free for a school policy compliant lunch box. We believe that a good nourishing snack should always include protein.

lemon, honey & oat bars

With so many supermarkets and health shops increasing their range of so called "healthier option" snacks, it is easy to get confused with the often misleading claim on the front of the packets! The nutritional labels at the back are so often just as confusing. The solution to ensure you know exactly what you eat? Make your own snacks and get the kids involved with flavours! This lemon honey and poppy seed is a classic favourite in our family. 

pea & sweetcorn fritters

As you know, at The health Boost,  we are passionate about encouraging the whole family to eat real food together. This recipe is tasty, only takes a few minutes to make and will be loved by all, from toddlers to grown-ups and everyone in between. It is a great vegetarian or meat free day option that you can spice up with extra chilly! 

asparagus, pea & feta wrap

Do you love asparagus but struggle with ideas? Try this fresh and lovely summery wrap. When entertaining over the summer months, we're always after new ideas for salads and easy healthy foods that we are able to prepare ahead to offer a wide selection of colourful, balanced sides for picnic and barbecues. This can be prepared ahead, presented as a salad, or served as a topping for a summery tart. The flavours will transport you to a sunny mediterranean destination!