Quick and easy recipes - soup, salad and snacks

Image by Rosanna Faraci

No doubt about it, COVID-19 has had a significant impact on our lives and livelihoods. All of us have different experiences and have been effected in different ways. For many, it has provided an opportunity to consider our own health and well-being and take a closer look at our nutrition choices and habits. This has resulted in a significant increase in home-cooking (including a contagious interest in sourdough baking!) as well as cooking on a budget.

You may have already been searching your favourite recipe sites, or flicking through old recipe books for meal inspiration. If you are looking for more ideas, I have linked in below a few winter-friendly options that are quick and easy to make, and will help to keep your body and brain nourished and content.

These, along with other recipes, are here on my website, or if you are looking for more ideas you will find over 140 meal and snack ideas in Super Food for Performance - currently discounted.

Pumpkin and Pinenut Spinach Salad
Yes, a salad for winter - you can serve it while the sweet potato is still warm. Great with lamb or chicken, or roast some chickpeas with the sweet potato for a vegetarian option.

Dahl

Perfect for a warming lunch or savoury snack. High in fibre and a tasty way to eat lentils!

Image by Bec Doyle Photography

Salmon and Ricotta Frittata

Works well for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack - high in protein and a terrific source of calcium.

Image by Bec Doyle Photography

Mexican-Style Beef with Sweet Corn Salad

More salad! But you can serve it while the corn is still warm. Mix in some black beans for a plant-based lunch bowl on it’s own.

Banana Bread

One of the most searched recipes right now - a great way to use up extra bananas, and lower in sugar and additives than the standard store-bought varieties.

Image by Bec Doyle Photography

Recovery Smoothie

A great recovery option post-training, especially with more of us training from home right now. Mix it up with your favourite fresh or frozen fruits.

Happy cooking and stay safe. I would love to see your creations, so if you post any of your cooking on your social media please tag me in - (these recipes or your own healthy favourites!). You can find me on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Why I joined the team at Chris Hemsworth’s 'Centr' fitness app

Image courtesy of Centr

You would not be alone if on first impressions you thought Chris Hemsworth’s new Centr health and fitness program was just another celebrity program with plenty of hype but not necessarily substance.  Celebrity programs have received much criticism for their lack of evidence-based content, however not all online health and well-being programs are the same…..some take their nutrition seriously - and they do it well.

That’s why when they asked me to join the team of experts, to provide dietary advice, I decided to say yes. And for all of my friends, no I didn’t get to meet Chris…yet.

Centr for example uses a range of experts to provide exercise, nutrition and lifestyle advice.  I know first hand that all of their nutrition content, which includes recipes, articles, nutrition tips and meal plans, are carefully planned, created and reviewed by the nutrition experts and the team at Loup (a complete digital business that produces online health and fitness programs) which includes an Advanced Sports Dietitian (me!).   Loup are super passionate about health, nutrition, food (and food enjoyment), and provide ongoing support and expertise to the Centr program (in addition to other programs such as Tiffany Hall’s TiffXO and Emily Skye Fit). Great care is taken to provide nutrition content that is based on science, and anything that needs clarity gets checked off by me prior to publishing.    

Centr DOES provide meal plans, but with significant flexibility built in, and a focus on food enjoyment and listening to your body rather than counting calories and macros. Recipes incorporate seasonal, nutrient-dense wholefoods, to help nourish our bodies and brain rather than promoting a  ‘diet’ approach.  Yes, there are some issues with prescriptive meal plans in general, but Centr provides meal plans as a starting guide - in fact many, if not most, members do not follow the meal plans to the letter, but use them for recipe ideas to suit their food preferences and lifestyle.  The overall nutrition program aims to educate and empower individuals to actively change habits for a positive impact on both physical and mental health and well-being.    Clear recommendations are provided to seek individualized advice from an Accredited Dietitian for those with specific needs.

Online programs and meal plans are often criticized, and I admit a few years back I was one of those criticizing, but the feedback from Centr speaks for itself – individuals making better lifestyle choices and creating new habits leading to improvements in health, well-being, body composition, energy levels, confidence and happiness.  Thousands of individuals, from vegans (Centr has the most amazing vegan recipes!), to pescatarians to those who enjoy all foods.  The potential benefits for participants seem to far outweigh any perceived negatives.

Of course online programs are not for everybody – there will always be an important role for individualized advice and private consultation with dietitians like myself.  But if an online program can have a positive impact on individuals by providing credible and accurate nutrition information, delicious recipes, and practical meal ideas, this can only be a positive.

I am also available for individual consults online, regardless of where you are in the world - head to the Get in Touch or Book an Appointment page if you think your nutrition could do with an upgrade. Or check out my book Super Food for Performance in Work, Sport and Life for nutrition tips, snack and meal ideas, and recipes.

Chicken and Avocado Salad

Image by Bec Doyle Photography

An easy salad rich in protein, healthy fats, probiotics and green goodness. This recipe is low in carbohydrate, but could be adapted for training needs by adding some cooked quinoa or brown rice. Leftover salad also makes a tasty lunch option or sandwich/wrap filling.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 continental cucumber, thinly sliced

2 stick of celery, finely chopped

200g mixed lettuce leaves

1 roast chicken, skin removed OR 800g lean chicken breast,grilled/BBQ’ed

3 tbsp mayonnaise

3 tbsp Greek yoghurt

2 spring onions, finely sliced

Pepper

Method

Combine cucumber, celery, 1 of the spring onions and lettuce leaves in a large bowl. Remove chicken from the bones and chop roughly, or slice pre-cooked chicken breast.  Mix through salad.  Combine mayonnaise and yoghurt, mix well and dollop on top of salad.  Sprinkle with remaining chopped spring onion.

Fresh Tip

For a portable lunch on the go, use leftover salad as a delicious filling for a wholegrain sandwich, roll or wrap. Line the bread with lettuce leaves that have been washed and dried to create a barrier between the filling and bread to avoid a soggy lunch.

Recipe from Super Food for Performance in Work, Sport and Life

Salmon and Ricotta Frittata

Image by Bec Doyle Photography, from the book Eat Right For Your Life, Wilkinson Publishing

Looking for a protein-packed lunch or easy dinner?  Eggs can be prepared in so many ways and this delicious frittata combines the protein from eggs, salmon, cheese and milk to make a filling dish.   The salmon adds healthy omega-3 fats plus calcium, so along with the cheese and milk, this dish will help you to meet your calcium requirements.  If you don't tolerate lactose well, use a lactose-free milk and mix in some tasty cheese instead of the ricotta.  You could also add some leftover roast vegetables, or serve with a delicious big green salad.  Leftover frittata is great for breakfast or snacks the next day too!

Salmon and Ricotta Frittata

Serves 4

 Ingredients:

2 tsp oil

2 spring onions (scallions), sliced

100g/3.5 oz baby spinach leaves

400g/14 oz tin of salmon, drained and flaked

100g/3.5 oz low-fat ricotta cheese, crumbled

6 eggs, whisked

1/3 cup (80ml) low-fat milk

1 tbsp chopped dill

½ cup/50g low-fat cheese, grated

 Method:

1. Heat the oil over a low heat in a non-stick fry pan with a heatproof handle, add the spring onions and spinach and cook until the spinach wilts.  Remove the pan from the heat and add the drained salmon and crumbled ricotta, stir gently so it is evenly spread over the bottom of the pan. 

2. Whisk the eggs lightly, combine with the low-fat milk pour into the pan and continue to heat on low until the eggs are almost cooked, being careful not to burn the base of the frittata.

3. Sprinkle with chopped dill, grated low-fat cheese and salt/pepper to taste then place under a pre-heated grill until the cheese is melted and the frittata is cooked through. Serve with a green salad.

This recipe is from my book Eat Right For Your Life.  If you love healthy recipes, I have a new book due for release later this year also, all about performance nutrition.  Plus don't forget to leave your details here on my blog page so I can send you more recipes and performance nutrition info in the meantime.  You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram, where I put lots of photos of dishes eaten at home and out and about.