4 Nutritional Spring Recipes
Spring recipes 1 per week for the month of April
Lentil, chickpea, avocado and goats cheese salad.
Serves 2
1 pouch of Merchant Gourmet Puy Lentils
1 can of chickpeas, drained and patted dry with kitchen paper
Half cucumber
1 x red pepper, diced into bite size chunks
½ red onion sliced into half moons
½ packet fresh mint, chopped
½ packet fresh coriander, chopped
Handful olives
Handful pine nuts (toasted)
1 x log of soft goats cheese (or replace with feta)
½ bag fresh rocket
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), juice of 1 lemon, salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
Method:
Heat oven to 170 degrees fan
Drain chickpeas, pat dry and place on a baking tray. Season with salt and pepper, a drizzle of EVOO and 1 teaspoon of paprika.
Place in the oven for 15 mins, shaking the tray periodically until chickpeas are hot and crispy.
Open the pouch of lentils into a bowl, add in the onion, cucumber, olives, fresh herbs (parsley also works well here), pine nuts and rocket.
Crumble over the goats cheese, sprinkle with the crispy chickpeas.
Mix 3 parts EVOO to 1 part fresh lemon juice (eg 3tbsp EVOO, 1tbsp lemon) with a grind of salt and pepper. Dress the salad.
For an extra protein hit, serve with a piece of grilled salmon, some leftover chicken or some griddled tofu.
Roasted Lebanese cauliflower and new potatoes with homemade sweet potato houmous
(you will need a food processor or NutriBullet).
Serves 2.
Houmous
1 can / packet / jar chickpeas, drained
1 sweet potato – skin on and diced
2 tbsp tahini
1 garlic clove
3 tbsp EVOO
1 x lemon
Warm water from the tap if too thick
1 x cauliflower
1 x pack of new potatoes
1 tsp chilli flakes, 1 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tbsp cornflour, drizzle EVOO, 1 tsp sumac, 2 tsp sesame seeds, salt&pepper to taste.
½ pack fresh parsley
Method:
Preheat oven to 170 degrees fan
Pour a generous glug of extra virgin olive oil on 2 separate baking trays and pop in the oven until hot.
Floret a cauliflower and cut new potatoes in half (skin on)
Put in a mixing bowl and add: chilli flakes, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, cornflour, sumac, sesame seeds and salt&pepper. Mix well.
Cube the sweet potato into bite size chunks.
Tip the cauliflower and new potato mix onto one of the preheated baking trays, space out evenly and coat well in the oil.
Tip the sweet potato chunks onto the other preheated tray, season with salt & pepper.
Cook both trays in the oven for 30 - 40 mins or until both types of potato and cauliflower are cooked and toasty brown.
Houmous:
Drain the chickpeas. Add to the bowl of a food processor (or Nutribullet) with the roasted sweet potato, EVOO, tahini, garlic and lemon juice and blend. Add a little warm water to thin to the consistency that you like.
Spread over the bottom of a large serving dish, pile on the veggies and serve with fresh parsley, EVOO, extra lemon wedges and a dusting of paprika.
Crumble over some feta and fresh pomegranate for added deliciousness!
Chicken thigh, sweet pepper and cherry tomato traybake.
Serves 4
8 x chicken thighs (buy the best you can afford)
3 x red / yellow / orange peppers
2 x red onions
6 fat garlic cloves
1 punnet cherry tomatoes
2 packs of tenderstem broccoli
1 pack new potatoes (skin on, chopped in half)
1 tbsp sweet smoked paprika
3 sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary
Drizzle EVOO, salt and pepper to taste.
Method:
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees fan.
Halve the new potatoes (the smaller the chunks, the quicker they will cook), drizzle with EVOO, season with salt and pepper and pop into the oven for 20 mins whilst you prep the rest of the ingredients.
Rub the chicken thighs all over with EVOO, 1 tbsp smoked paprika, salt, pepper. Strip the leaves from half of the herbs, chop and add to the chicken. Leave to one side whilst you prep the veggies.
Deseed the peppers and chop into chunks. Chop the red onion into quarters. Peel and smash the garlic leaving it whole. Prep the tenderstem, taking off any woody ends. Don’t forget your cherry toms!
Add all the ingredients to the baking tray alongside the potatoes – if the tray looks crowded, split the ingredients equally between 2 trays. The pan should be big enough for all the ingredients to sit in a single layer.
Drizzle with a little more EVOO, sprinkle over the rest of the paprika and place the rest of the herbs in and about the chicken and veggies. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add a few chilli flakes if you like it a little spicy.
Cook in the oven for 30 - 35mins or until the juices from the chicken run clear and the potatoes are cooked and roasted
Serve with a simple green salad (watercress, rocket and spinach) AND some extra steamed greens.
This is also great served with a lemon wedge and a dollop of harissa swirled through some natural yoghurt.
Spicy cashew, prawn / chicken / tofu salad.
Serves 2
Spicy cashews
250g cashews
2 tsp EVOO
2 tsp sesame oil
½ tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp sriracha
1 tbsp honey
Pepper to taste
Ginger lime dressing
6 tbsp EVOO
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
4 tbsp tamari soy sauce
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp sriracha
1 inch ginger, grated
1 clove garlic minced
Black pepper
Salad
½ small green cabbage, ½ small red cabbage, shredded
1 x red pepper cut into strips
250g edamame beans
2 x grated carrot
1 x pack of king prawns or one block of tofu ( I use The Tofuu Company) OR 4 chicken thighs / 2 chicken breasts, roasted and shredded.
1 x packet Merchant Gourmet quinoa
Half sachet of fresh chicken stock or bone broth (I like Borough Bone broth)
½ packet fresh coriander, chopped
½ packet fresh spinach or rocket
¾ spring onions
Method
Preheat oven to 175degrees. Add quinoa and bone broth to a pan and bring to the boil. Cook for 2 mins or until moisture has absorbed – fluff with a fork
Toss your cashews in with their ingredients then roast on a parchment lined tray for 20 mins turning half way through.
Toss all prepared salad ingredients in a bowl with the ginger lime dressing. Add the cashews, chicken, prawns or tofu and serve.
Let’s talk leftovers….
All recipes can be increased to feed more mouths or to create leftovers and are designed to be eaten hot or cold. Great for lunch at the office or when time pressures get the better of you.
As the slower, darker and longer days of Winter have passed into the brighter, fresher days of Spring, I thought I’d take the time to share 4 easy recipes.
Food has a unique way of bringing people together, creating memorable experiences, and fostering bonds between family and friends. The act of preparing a meal with care and sharing it with others goes beyond simple sustenance; it becomes a form of expression, creativity, and ultimately love!
For those who love to cook, continue to embrace the joy of cooking and sharing meals, for those that are just starting out on their culinary journey, I hope to provide you with some inspiration! In the words of Virginia Woolf "One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well." Happy eating!
Book your free health consultation here.
