Read
Jump to it: seven days of healthy eating
Recipes for three days of breakfasts, lunch and dinner follow, and tomorrow we
will continue with a seven-day menu plan. You do not have to stick to our
combination on any given day, but it is better to try to include as many of
them as you can over the three-day period so as to maximise the variety of
nutrients and super-nutrients. However, if you do decide to make a lunch or
dinner last for two days, remember to double all the ingredients.
BREAKFAST
Try to avoid coffee if you can help it (if you can't, stick to decaff), and
try to substitute every other cup of tea you would have with a glass of
water. That way you reduce your caffeine intake but avoid having withdrawal
headaches.
All breakfasts can be accompanied with a glass of low-sugar cranberry juice if
you enjoy it. Alternatively, you could make yourself a beetroot and orange
juice, as follows:
Beetroot and orange juice
Place 1 medium-sized, cooked, peeled beetroot and 1 large peeled orange in a
blender and blend until smooth. Add ice if you wish and serve.
DAY ONE
Berry smoothie
Serves 1
150g of frozen mixed berries
75g low-fat plain yoghurt or soya yoghurt
200ml skimmed milk or soya milk
Pinch of mixed spice (optional)
2tsp clear, runny honey or agave nectar
METHOD
Put all of the ingredients into a blender and blitz until you have a smooth,
velvety consistency. Pour into a large glass and feel the super-nutrients
surge through your system. Accompany with a slice of rye, sourdough or
multigrain toast and butter.
DAY TWO
Muesli with grated apple
Serve yourself a bowl of around 50g. I particularly like the Rude Health
Ultimate muesli brand because it is an organic blend of 26 ingredients
including slowly-digested oats, rye and barley flakes. It is full of
vitamins, minerals and omega-3 nuts and seeds plus berries, including
blueberries and goji berries which are rich in the energy-boosting mineral
iron. Because it is wheat-free, it will help to give your digestive system a
bit of a break. Alternatively, choose a good-quality, sugar-free brand from
your local supermarket and simply serve with a grated or chopped apple with
milk or juice.
DAY THREE
Porridge with goji berries
Make up porridge according to packet instructions. The larger the oat flake
the lower the GI of the porridge and the longer it will keep you feeling
full during the morning ahead.
Add a handful of dried goji berries if you can get hold of them. Most
supermarkets now stock them. They are especially rich in energy-boosting
iron. Alternatively, choose other dried fruits such as chopped, dried
apricots or sultanas.
Agave nectar is liquid fruit sugar from a Mexican cactus. It is available at
Tesco and health stores (a 250ml bottle costs Pounds 2.95 and is also
available from the Groovy Food Company; call 0845 3459686 or visit
www.groovyfood.co.uk). The dark variety is delicious and is low GI.
Otherwise have a swirl of honey.
LUNCH
DAY ONE
Avocado and tomato wrap
Serves 2
2 tortilla wraps
120g chopped avocado
2 desertspoons of hoummos
4 chopped tomatoes
2 handfuls of watercress
40g red kidney beans
1/2 a small cucumber
Sea salt and black pepper
METHOD
Spread the wraps with the hoummos and then add the watercress and the
remainder of the ingredients and season with a little sea salt and black
pepper.
Fold in two sides and roll to finish making your tortilla wrap.
DAY TWO
Tabbouleh salad
Serves 2
120g bulgur wheat
200g cannellini
1 small finely chopped red onion
20ml extra virgin olive oil
2tbsp lemon juice
1/2 small cucumber deseeded and finely diced
4 small tomatoes, middles scooped and finely diced
4tbsp fresh chopped parsley
2tbsp fresh chopped mint
6 romaine lettuce leaves
Sea salt and black pepper
METHOD
Cook the bulgur wheat according to packet instruction and rinse in cold water
half an hour before preparing the tabbouleh. Add the bulgur wheat, drained
and rinsed chickpeas, onion, cucumber, tomatoes, parsley and mint into a
mixing bowl and slowly add the olive oil and lemon juice, mixing together as
you go along. Season with a little sea salt and black pepper. Serve in a
bowl with the lettuce leaves arranged around the side.
DAY THREE
Rice and almond salad
Serves 2
100g red delicious apples, cored and diced, unpeeled
100ml pineapple juice or apple juice
120g uncooked brown basmati rice
2 peeled and chopped celery sticks
16 chopped almonds
15g sultanas
1tbsp shredded carrots
2tbsp low-fat vanilla yoghurt
Sea salt to taste
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1tbsp freshly chopped parsley
METHOD
In mixing bowl, combine apples and juice. Add rice, once cooked according to
the packet instructions, celery, almonds, sultanas and carrots. Mix the
ingredients thoroughly. In separate bowl, combine yoghurt, salt and
cinnamon. Mix together, then add to ingredients and serve garnished with the
parsley.
Puddings/snacks
Citrus fruits: rich in vitamin C to support your liver, plus hesperidin, a
super-nutrient known to help to lower blood cholesterol.
Pomegranate seeds: help to lower blood cholesterol and break down fatty
plaques on artery walls.
Berries: great for ellagic acid and vitamin C to support your liver.
Pears, apples: good for sol-uble fibre to help to lower blood cholesterol.
Nuts: a 30g handful. Almonds are good for vitamin E to help to repair your
liver and give you plant sterols that help to lower cholesterol. Walnuts are
rich in omega-3 oils which, again, help to lower cholesterol.
For the first three days, do try really hard not to eat anything with refined
sugar to give your body maximum rest, and then for the following seven days
we will advise the least damaging sweet pudding or snack.
DINNER
DAY ONE
Roasted chicken thighs with new potatoes and roasted beetroot
Serves 2
4 skinless chicken thighs seasoned with a little sea salt, black pepper and
brushed with a little olive oil
Extra virgin olive oil
300g new potatoes
3 large beetroot
2 tablespoons of fresh chopped chives or fennel Garlic
Sea salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon of freshly chopped parsley
METHOD
Heat the oven to 180C/gas 5. Place the beetroot on a baking tray in the oven,
along with the chicken thighs, and cook for 35 minutes or until cooked
through. Once cooked, remove from the oven and set aside.
In a pan of salted boiling water, cook the potatoes until done. They need to
be almost soft in texture. Drain and steam-dry by placing a lid over the
colander.
Put the potatoes in a bowl with a tablespoon of olive oil and crush using a
fork.
Add the chopped chives or fennel herb. Season with sea salt and black pepper
and set aside.
Peel and slice the beetroot, saute for a few minutes over a high heat in a
little olive oil and a clove of garlic. Season with sea salt and black
pepper. Add the parsley and serve with the chicken and crushed potatoes.
DAY TWO
Cod fillet with tenderstem broccoli**
2 cod fillets
6 slices of lemons
300g tinned chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
1 garlic clove
300ml vegetable or chicken stock
1tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2tbsp chopped parsley
1 sprig of rosemary
Sea salt and black pepper
(**You can swap broccoli for another vegetable of your choice if you prefer.)
METHOD
Season the cod with a little salt and black pepper and top with lemon slices.
Wrap the fish in tin foil and place the parcel into a steamer. Cover with
lid and steam for 10 minutes or until cooked to your liking.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan heat the oil with the garlic until the garlic starts
to colour, then add half the chickpeas and the rosemary and saute for 5
minutes, add the heated stock and simmer briskly. Once the stock has been
reduced by half remove the chickpeas and blend together until you have a
rough puree consistency, then return to the pan, add the remainder of the
chickpeas, season with a little sea salt and black pepper and simmer gently.
Serve by spooning the chickpeas on a plate topped with the cod.
DAY THREE
Oriental noodle broth
Pan of salted boiling water
140g noodles, uncooked
600ml vegetable stock
2 slices fresh ginger
180g shitake mushrooms, wiped
120g steamed broccoli florets
2 carrots, peeled and cut into fine sticks
150g mangetout
150g pressed tofu***
2tbsp freshly chopped coriander
1tbsp freshly chopped parsley
3 spring onions, finely sliced
A little soy sauce
(***If you do not like the sound of tofu, you can replace it with cooked
pieces of white fish, chicken or extra lean lamb.)
METHOD
Cook noodles in water according to packet instructions. Heat vegetable stock
and ginger and simmer. Add mushrooms and carrots. Once the carrots are
almost cooked, add the mangetout, broccoli and tofu slices. Drain noodles
and put into a bowl. Add the coriander, parsley, spring onions, and tofu to
the broth.
Ladle this on to hot noodles. Drizzle over a little soy sauce and serve.
