These are my top five recipes of all time, these are a staple of my monthly repertoire and dishes that I think everyone should try! For experiments and favourites of the month, keep up with my blog and sign up for more info!
Healthy Asparagus and Chicken Pizza
Perfect for a light spring or summer lunch, the girls love this and they consider it their junk food (they never have to know it’s got barely any added sugar or excess fat!).
Ingredients
3 tablespoons of olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
Smashed avocado
200g asparagus
150g chargrilled chicken
Handful of spinach
½ cup of fresh chives
Salt and pepper
450g whole-wheat pizza dough
Pecorino cheese
Method
Combine two tablespoons of oil and garlic in a bowl and save for later.
Trim the asparagus to about 6 inches and slice thicker ones in half lengthwise, then toss with the remaining oil, half the chives and salt and pepper.
Roll out the dough on a floured surface to your preferred shape.
Place the dough on a preheated oven tray and brush with the oil and garlic oil mix. Spread the smashed avocado to form the base and arrange the asparagus and spinach how you want. Top with the cheese and remaining chives.
Pop everything into the oven and bake on a low rack for around 15 minutes, and until the pizza base is crispy and golden.
Raisin Granola Bars
These are a godsend in the morning and are perfect for grabbing on the go when a full-scale breakfast just isn’t feasible. What’s even better is, they can be frozen for up to a month! Don’t feel overwhelmed by the amount of ingredients, the recipe can’t be easier.
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray
700g oats
150g honey
100ml vegetable oil
2 tablespoons water
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1.2 teaspoon salt
280g Wheat germ
280g chopped walnuts
280g dried fruit (cranberries, grapes, apricots – whatever you’d like!)
Method
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius and spray a baking pan with the non-stick spray. Line the baking pan with foil that extends two centimetres over the top.
Spread the oats onto a plate and microwave in one-minute intervals and stir occasionally for around 5 minutes, or until they are golden. Let them cool.
In a large bowl whisk the honey, oil, water, egg whites, sugar, cinnamon and salt together until they are all completely blended together.
Fold in the oats and wheat germ before adding in the walnuts and cranberries. Transfer everything to the pan and press it into an even layer.
Bake the granola for 28 to 30 minutes or until it is a lovely golden brown and smells delicious. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool completely before transferring to a chopping board (using the foil overhang!) and cut into the size and shape that you want.
I like to add little bows and decoration to mine so the girls can treat them as little morning presents, so cute!
Pasta Primavera
Pasta Primavera is great for a quick mid-week meal, and it keeps really well so can be made in batches and saved for lunch throughout the week!
Ingredients
300g pasta (white or whole wheat)
Salt and pepper
Italian seasoning
Olive oil
½ medium onion
2 cloves thinly sliced garlic
50g chopped aubergine
80g broccoli
50g sliced cherry tomatoes
30g edamame beans
Handful of spinach
Lemon juice
Nob of butter
100g parmesan cheese
Method
Preheat the oven to 230 degrees Celsius and line a baking tray with foil while boiling the pasta in salted water until al dente.
Toss all the vegetable together with olive oil, salt and pepper and Italian seasoning and line them on the baking tray. Roast them in the oven for around 15 minutes.
Heat the remaining olive oil and butter in a pan and cook the garlic and onion until tender. Mix in the cooked pasta and lemon juice until the pasta is heated through, add in the roasted vegetables and Parmesan cheese and dish it up with a sprig of fresh parsley to garnish.
Brown Rice Turkey Bowl
Not just for the lean eaters and muscles builders of the world, turkey and brown rice is a firm favourite in our household and can be just as exciting as any other mouth-watering dinner. The dish serves up around a quarter of the daily recommendation of vitamin B6, which can help keep your immune system healthy.
Ingredients
450g brown rice
½ teaspoon salt
750ml low salt chicken broth
700g turkey breast
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
800g spinach
100g scallions
1 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Method
Preheat the oven to 230 degrees Celsius.
On a medium heat, add rice, ¼ teaspoon of salt, 500ml chicken broth and 280ml water in a medium sized pan. Cover and bring to the boil before reducing to a simmer and cooking (while covered) until tender – this should take about 45 minutes.
While the rice is cooking, line a baking tray with foil and place the turkey breasts on it with a coating of oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper and brush with soy sauce. Roast the turkey in the oven, turning halfway through, until fully cooked.
Stir the spinach and scallions into the rice with the remaining soy sauce with the remaining broth. Make sure the turkey is thinly sliced and dish up the rice with the turkey on top. Drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
