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All by Val Simpson
Who else loves a pretty smoothie? We love a colourful smoothie but especially when mornings get brighter and warmer. This berry smoothie is very simple and versatile and makes a prefect pre or post-workout fuel. It can be dairy-free, made from fresh or frozen berries, and even turned into healthy ice cream. What's not to love?
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.
Winter may not seem the time you fancy a smoothie, but they are so handy for packing so much goodness.
When I set out to create a new smoothie recipe, I was aiming for at least one vegetable, high fibre content, high in vitamin C, a good morning boost, a light textured and a pretty colour! Oh and why not include that daily dose of flaxseed (really helps with the hot flushes). I think I managed to tick all the boxes and it’s delicious! Give it a try and let me know!
Good habits start with breakfast. Making ahead is one of the best advice we can give. Those overnight flaxseed and chia breakfast pots take 10 minutes to prepare the day before and keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. Ideal to make on a Sunday afternoon and that’s Monday and Tuesday’s breakfast sorted. They are balanced, high in protein to keep you full until lunchtime and just delicious.
Great option for those short on time but wanting flavour! Packed full of goodness with chickpeas, tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms and spinach this is a vegetarian option but you could add any leftover roast chicken. This takes very little prep, especially if you decided to go for ready chopped frozen vegetables. As always, make extra and save yourself portion for lunch the next day!
Soups are a wonderful way to pack essential nutrients into a delicious meal. One of my favourite taste combo is chilli and ginger anti teams up perfectly with all the winter root vegetables. This is a treaty soup you can happily eat on it’s own or with a nice slice of garlic grated toasted sourdough. I always add a little crunch with lots of seeds to serve. Leave out the chilli if you have young kids who don’t fancy it. Oh and that little bit of bacon, if you chose to use it, makes such a difference.
Declining muscle mass is part of ageing, but you can do something about it!
Age-related muscle loss, also called sarcopenia, is a totally natural part of ageing. From the age of 30, you begin to lose as much as 3% to 5% per decade. Less muscle means greater weakness, less mobility, more daily struggles and aches and less balance / stability therefore leading to an increased risk of falls and fractures.
For women over 40, with the added risk of loss of bone density through hormonal changes associated with peri menopause and menopause, this paints a pretty bleak picture for those not engaging in some form of strength training exercises.
The breakfast debate ( to have or not to have, what and when) is still going strong! The other question is whether you prefer sweet or savoury!
My answer for now is that I love a breakfast that’s made ahead, balanced delicious and nourishing. So here’s another overnight recipe to help you out! Making ahead is one of the best advice I can give if you want to ensure you fuel properly! Use any seasonal fresh fruit to top up or your go to handy frozen fruits!
Dark chocolate, nut butter and medjool dates! 3 wholesome simple ingredients only and this fudge is unreal! Of course it is high in sugar (the dates) and calorie dense (nut butter) but if you’re going to treat yourself, do it with real food ingredients you know and recognise!
My tip? Cut into small squares. Go on, have a go and let me know!
This slow cooked miso pork and butter bean is super easy and the meat can easily be swapped for chicken or lamb. Who doesn't like a one pot recipe? Even better when prep is minimal and it all cooks while you’re at work to come back to your own homemade “ready meal”! I love my slow cooker all year round but especially in autumn winter. Perfect recipe to cook once and eat twice!
This super tasty salmon stir fry recipe is a perfect quick and easy midweek or friday night dinner. The miso marinade can be made ahead and also used with chicken. Stir fries are a quick delicious way to add a large variety or vegetables, colours and nutrients in your diet. This marinated salmon is also delicious served with steamed veggies and even eaten cold for lunch the next day with this asian style slaw.
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!
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.
Mango and raspberries are always in my freezer. Fab ingredients for smoothies, but in the summer we make ice lollies and iced desserts! Based on a classic mango lassi recipe, the cardamom brings these flavours together beautifully. This recipe is made using Greek yoghurt but also works with non-dairy alternatives such as coconut milk/cream or almond milk. Once the ice moulds are full, enjoy the leftover as a smoothie.
At the Health Boost we are not vegetarian but we encourage everyone to increase the consumption of mostly plant based meals a couple of days a week if possible. With some pulses providing some good quality protein such as the quinoa and chickpeas in this salad and the added halloumi we make sure to provide a balance of all macro nutrients. We also get asked often what to do with aubergines as they are a good source of fibre, vitamins and minerals and low in calories for those counting.
Who does not like a smoothie? But sometimes if you’re at home it’s nice to actually enjoy it in a bowl. I find it easier to eat mindfully when sitting at a table, and using a spoon, rather than just sipping! This smoothie bowl is a total crowd pleaser at home with eaters of all ages! We always keep fruit in our freezer so we can enjoy colourful smoothie bowls all year round.
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.
A Tian is a classic dish from my beloved childhood southern France. It is perfect served alongside grilled meat or fish, or just aside salad for a light lunch. It is perfect to use up all of your summer vegetables. I like to use mixed provencal herbs and garlic for the seasoning but dried oregano works brilliantly too. A super easy one to make vegan by simply skipping the cheese. It’s a bit like a structured ratatouille!
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?
Sometime, a beautiful purple, green or yellow smoothie is not going to do the job! So, back in the days of taking my son to rugby, I embarked on a fairly long journey to convince a then pre-teen Rugby mad son that I could make him a healthy, nutritious and energy boosting shake he would be proud to take to rugby training. The aim of the game was to avoid him bowing down to the peer pressure of gulping a fluorescent blue or orange energy drink! Today, I can happily report that this shake is fab for my own post workout refuel too.
