Tuesday 4 March 2014

Homemade Roasted Mediterranean Vegetable Soup

This is honestly one of the nicest soups I have ever tastiest and it's so simple to make, I definitely recommend you trying it! 


For the basis of the soup you will need:

  • One sweet potato 
  • 2 carrots 
  • One courgette 
  • One large red pepper
  • 2 parsnips 
  • Half a swede 
  • One red onion 
  • Baby plum tomatoes 
  • Vegetable stock 
  • Garlic 
  • Basil 
  • Mixed herbs
  • Olive oil 
  • Salt and Pepper


Firstly peel and chop and the root vegetables (parsnips, carrots, swede, sweet potato) ready to part-boil. Turn on oven to 200C


Pop them in a boiling pot with hot water and leave on a medium heat to part-boil.


Meanwhile, roughly chop the red onion, courgette and pepper ready for roasting.
Line your baking try with olive oil, balsamic syrup, crushed garlic, basil, mixed herbs, salt, and pepper.
Place your baking tray in the oven for a few minutes to heat the olive oil.



Remove the baking tray and add in all the vegetables (except tomatoes!)
Mix together all the vegetables using your handed to coat them in the olive oil.


Place in the oven for 25 minutes. After 15 minutes make sure you turn the vegetables. 
Remove from the oven after 25 minutes and add tomatoes. Place the tray back in the oven for a further 5-10 minutes.


One you have removed the vegetables, add a small portion to your bowl to add texture to the soup. Put the rest back in the boiling pot.


Add vegetable stock (add as much or as little as you like depending on your preferred consistency) 
Blend the vegetables and stock using a either a food processor or a blender. 

Pour the blended soup over your vegetables and voila, you have a warm and tasty soup! And there should be plenty left over that you can store in the fridge for tomorrows lunch! 

Thursday 20 February 2014

Rice noodle, butternut squash and bean salad with roasted chicken breast

For the base of the salad I boiled rice noodles, rinsed them in cold water and left them to drain. I then tossed the noodles in a mixing bowl with salad leaves, mixed beans and raw pepper. Next, I drizzled this in a mix of olive oil, crushed mint and garlic. 

On gas mark 6, I roasted the chicken breast and butternut squash in coconut oil, a pinch of turmeric, garlic, salt, and pepper for 25-30 minutes. 

Meanwhile, I sautéed some broccoli, brussel sprouts and chopped onion in coconut oil over a medium heat. I added crushed garlic, grated ginger, salt, and pepper for flavour. Once this is done, plate it up and it is ready for you to enjoy! :)



Beans are high in anti-oxidants that will help to fight against disease and aging. They are also a great source of both protein and fibre, making them great for your waist-line. On top of this, Beans are low in sugar and are digested slowly, leaving you feeling satisfied for much longer! 

Tuesday 18 February 2014

Zesty Crayfish Salad

This Zesty Crayfish Salad is a refreshing dish that is perfect for either lunch or dinner! 

For the basis of the salad I used mixed salad leaves, red pepper, tomatoes and cucumber. I bought the crayfish from Lidl (they do perfect snack size packs) and then I crumbled feta on top.

For the dressing, I blended the juice of half a wedge of lemon, a baby plum tomato, a dash of white wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic, ginger, salt and pepper. 


Additionally, I made some home-made guacamole using one small avocado, a handful of coriander, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper! :) 





Lemons are a fantastic source of vitamin C during the winter months! Lemons have a powerful antiviral, antibacterial, and immune-boosting effect on the body. They also have strong liver cleansing powers, so they are useful in helping hangovers!

Monday 17 February 2014

Prawn, Pesto and Mozzarella Salad Lunchbox

Monday Lunchbox 

Start your week with this decilous prawn, pesto and mozzarella salad!

Prawns are not only very tasty to eat but are very healthy too, they are a rich source of protein yet they are low in fat and calories. Notably, Prawns are a fantastic source of Selenium which helps to prevent the growth of cancer cells in the body! 

Ingredients 


- Cooked prawns 
- mixed salad leaves
- mozorella 
- basil pesto 
- tomatoes 
- spring onions 
- avodaco 
- pepper 

For the Pesto dressing you can either buy a shop bought one or try making your own! 
To make pesto from scratch you will need to heat about 50g of pine nuts in a frying pan until golden. Then place them in to a blender with a large bunch of basil, 2 cloves of garlic, 50g of parmesan and 150ml of olive oil. Once blended, simply drizzle over the salad. There should be plenty spare that you can store in the fridge for another meal! :)

Cinnamon, Flax and Goji berry Porridge

Warming Winter Breakfast 


For breakfast I always like something substantial and filling that will give me energy for the day. Having a bowl of porridge oats in the morning is a great way to start your day because they contain Carbohydrates, which are a macronutrients needed for brain function and energy. Porridge contains complex carbohydrates, which unlike simple carbs, get digested at a much slower rate and will give you lasting energy throughout the day. I've opted for gluten-free oats, these are slightly pricier but I find they leave me feeling much less bloated.

I like to add ground cinnamon to my porridge, not only because I love the taste, but cinnamon also helps to regulate your blood sugar levels and reduce cravings. Finally, I have sprinkled on some ground flaxseed and goji berries. These Superfoods have vast nutritional benefits and also add additional flavour to the mix. 

If (like me) you like your porridge sweet, try adding some Stevia. This is a natural sweetener that will not affect your blood sugar levels. 

Thursday 13 February 2014

Powerhouse Avocado and Pepper Salad


This savoury, leafy salad is nestled with goodness and will give you an automatic boost of energy! The ingredients for it are pretty simple, I used left-over salad bits I had in my fridge to throw this together.. 

You will need: 

  • Salad leaves 
  • One Sweet Red Pepper 
  • One small Avocado 
  • Tomatoes 
  • Cucumber 
  • Feta 
  • Flaxseed (optional) 
  • Half a lemon]
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and Pepper 
For the dressing, squeeze half a lemon, a dash of olive oil, salt, and pepper into a mixing bowl and drizzle on top! 

Top 3 benefits of eating Avocados..
  1. Improve your skinThe monounsaturated fats in avocado are perfect for improving your skin tone and they are vital for maintaining moisture levels in your skin that make it look and feel soft and healthy. 
  2. Improve Cardiovascular Health - Avocados also contain a variety of heart nutrients including vitamin E for preventing cholesterol oxidization, folate for reducing dangerous homocystenine levels in the blood, potassium for regulating blood pressure and phytosterols for reducing cholesterol absorption. 
  3. Reduces hunger to help weight loss This slow burning energy leaves you feeling satisfied and full which is one of the reasons they are known for reducing hunger and appetite.




Tuesday 11 February 2014

Chicken and stir fry veg with feta

Quick and easy dinner idea? 

This is a quick and easy dinner I whipped up last night...

I began by placing the chicken fillet in tin foil (keeps in some of the moisture) then dusting it with rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper, and coconut oil. I then placed this in the oven (gas mark 6) for 25-30 minutes. 

Meanwhile, I heated broccoli, butternut squash, spring onions and leafy greens in a pan with some coconut oil, garlic, ginger, salt and pepper. These should take 6-9 minutes. 

Once everything had finished cooking I plated it up and sprinkled some feta over. This meal is flavoursome and contains a combination of carbohydrates, lean protein and healthy fats!