Our recipes are specially created to be healthy, nutritious and family friendly. Tuck in!
Regular readers of our blog and social media pages will know that we love a salad even in the colder months. However the key is to add warm elements. There’s nothing worse than a cold crisp iceberg lettuce in the winter! This salad is warm with roasted vegetables, warm lentils and then a punch harissa spicy dressing. So easy to rustle up on a cold winter day. If I am going to roast vegetables then I make a large tray full to be enjoyed over the coming days.
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.
This is the perfect soup when you have leftover chicken. Often when we cook a whole chicken or some individual portions we add either another chicken or some extra portions for leftovers. This is such an easy win in meal prep as it takes no extra time and provides you with a great protein source for the next day. This curried chicken soup is a heart warming bowl of goodness that makes a heart lunch or evening meal. To make it vegetarian see notes below.
This is a perfect blood sugar stabilising breakfast/brunch or lunch. Hey you could even rustle it up for an evening meal as well. Eggs work so well as stabilising blood sugar levels as they are full of protein with some fat too.
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.
A beautiful and vibrant red salad that’s like a slaw in texture - but packs a little more nutrition. With the quinoa, edamame beans and avocado there’s plenty of protein to keep you full until the next meal. However if you are active or having a higher protein need you might want to add some halloumi or feta as well. The ginger and tahini dressing provides a delicious taste as well as providing some calcium from the tahini.
This dressing is an excellent addition to salads and veggie platters. It’s creamy with the earthy and nuttiness of tahini - accentuated by the ginger and lime. It’s great for vegans and post-menopausal women worried about their calcium intake as tahini is a good source of calcium.
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.
Taking your own food into work is the best way of staying on track and hitting your health goals. You are in control of what to pack and ensure that it contains lots of protein, fibre and nutrients to fill you up and keep you going until the next meal without making you feel sleepy or needing to reach for a sugary snack or caffeine to keep you going.
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.
The digestive tract is home to a complex microbial community. Keeping this community diverse, inflammation low and the mucosal lining strong is key to a healthy digestive system. Symptoms that your digestive health is not optimal include bloating, pain, constipation, diarrhoea and excessive wind.
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.
