Basic Lemon Infused Sweet Potato Dip

My friend and I recently went to eat at The Good Life Eatery on 59 Sloane Avenue in London for lunch and I had their sweet potato dip. It was obviously so simple to make but tasted absolutely d e v i n e! I wanted to make my own so I've started by making a basic recipe which only requires a few ingredients. I've said it before and I'm not ashamed to say again that I'm completely obsessed with sweet potatoes and I'll choose them over ordinary potatoes any day of the week. This dip is perfect appetizer for dinner parties or a fantastic addition to any healthy lunch or salad.

Sweet potatoes: eating your ABC's as easy as 1,2,3. What on earth is she on about you may ask?! Well, just one cup of sweet potato packs an incredible 769% of your daily needs of vitamin A, along with fantastic doses of vitamins C and B, especially B6. These orange beauties are also a complex carb, which means they take longer to be broken down into glucose into your blood, making them a prolonged energy source that will stabilise your blood sugar levels without you craving highly sugary foods. 

Makes 1 small bowl (as pictured)

1 medium sweet potato

1/2 a fresh lemon

a pinch of salt 

paprika or chilli flakes to serve

chopped coriander to decorate

Method

- Peel then chop the sweet potato into small pieces. Steam for about 15/20 minutes or until really soft so you can mash with a fork. 

- Remove the sweet potatoes from the steamer, add the salt and lemon juice into the sweet potato and mash with a fork or a potato masher until smooth. Put into a presentable bowl and serve warm or cold with a sprinkling of paprika or chilli flakes. 

Quick. Simple. Delicious.

Crispy Polenta Chicken with Sweet Potato Mash

Chicken is one of my favourite meats, and after the success of the crispy polenta chicken in my the caesar salad, I just had to make it again. I wanted to make a delicious post-workout meal that would satisfy my hunger cravings and be healthy and nutritious. This meal combines all of my favourite ingredients that I'm loving at the moment. It's full of incredibly nourishing ingredients that work together to boost your health. The creamy, smooth sweet potato mash blends perfectly with the steamed kale and courgettes. They all perfectly combine together to compliment the succulent chicken with a delicious polenta coated crispy outer that has a fantastic paprika kick. 

Serves 4 

4 organic chicken breasts

1 1/2 large sweet potatoes, peeled & diced

dash of milk

4 handfuls of kale

1 courgette, sliced

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp of polenta 

2 tsp paprika 

salt & pepper

2 spring onions

Method

- Peel and dice the sweet potatoes. Boil a full kettle and cover the sweet potatoes with boiling water in a large pan.  Leave for about 7 minutes, then add the kale on top to steam. 

- Whilst the sweet potatoes are cooking, cover the chicken breast in the polenta and paprika and season well. You should add the kale to steam about now. Put the chicken into a frying pan with 2 tbsp of olive oil, turning after 4-5 minutes or until golden and cooked through. 

- After you've turned the chicken, add the sliced courgettes to the kale and steam until the chicken is cooked. Take off the heat.

- Strain the sweet potatoes, add a dash of milk, season well and mash until smooth. Then add a drizzle of olive oil and seasoning to the kale and courgettes. Slice the spring onions. Put the mash, courgette & kale mix and spring onions onto a plate then add the chicken on top to serve. 

Top tip: To ensure the chicken is cooked properly, pierce a hole into the thickest part of one of the breasts and make sure it's white all the way through and any juices run clear. 

Enjoy!

Blueberry Pancakes

I think it's fair to say that I am a huge pancake lover. They are the perfect weekend guilt-free treat that will keep you going throughout the morning. I've been wanting to make blueberry pancakes for a while now, but every time I buy them, they're the first item I pick out of the shopping bag to snack on and before I know it, they're all gone. This week, I resisted the temptation and was able to make these little pancake beauties.  Blueberries  have one of the highest antioxidant levels of any food on the planet which are essential for good health and supporting your nervous system. They also have a low glycaemic index (G.I), which helps to maintain balanced blood sugar levels. They've also been proven to lower fat levels and just one serving contains 25% of your daily required vitamin C intake. 

The blend of the bananas with the oats and flax makes each pancake deliciously thick and squishy in the middle. Every now and then you'll get a blueberry explode with its juicy goodness in your mouth that combines beautifully with the warm cinnamon and the sweet maple syrup. They're quick and super easy to make and topped with a generous dollop of natural yoghurt, they'll be devoured in minutes.

Makes 1 batch of 5 pancakes

1/2 cup of organic oats

2 heaped dessert spoons of milled flaxseed

1 ripe banana

1 handful of blueberries

1/4 cup water 

1/4 cup milk 

1 dessert spoon of pure maple syrup 

1 heaped teaspoon ground cinnamon

small knob of butter (or coconut oil) for frying

Toppings

Natural yoghurt (I like alpro soya) 

Handful of blueberries

Pure maple syrup

Sliced strawberries

Sliced Banana

Method 

- Put all the ingredients apart from the blueberries into a blender and blend until smooth.

- Once the mixture is smooth, stir in the blueberries. The mixture should turn out thick, not too runny. Add a dash of water if it's too thick. 

- Place a large saucepan onto the heath for a minute of two until really hot then grease with the butter. 

- Then place 5 heaped dessert spoons of the mix into the pan in pancake shapes, using the spoon to shape them. After about a minute, check the bottom of the pancake, if it has turned brown, flip it over and allow the other side to cook for another minute. If your pan isn't large enough to do them all at once, just cook them separately.

- Stack the pancakes with some blueberries in between each layer.

Have a wonderful day!

Salmon with Summer Veg

Delicious simplicity. This salmon dish is just about as healthy as you're going to get and what's better, it only takes 15 minutes to make. I'm obsessed with kale and courgettes at the moment. I've had them nearly every day this week because they go so well together and are also quick to make as you can steam them together to save time. In my steamy salad recipe, I talked about the amazing health benefits of kale and it really does blow me away! It contains more iron than beef and more calcium than milk per calorie. Just one cup of kale gives more than 1,000% of your daily intake of vitamin K which supports good blood regulation. It also contains nearly four times your recommended intake of vitamin A and 100% of your vitamin C that together support bone and skin health and strengthen the immune system. Courgettes are also super healthy too! Not only are they low in calories, but they're rich in nutrients like magnesium and potassium which help to normalise blood pressure. The vitamin C content along with carotenoids stops the oxidation of bad cholesterol in the blood, thus preventing the occurrence of strokes and heart attacks. This is quick and cheap to make with a high nutritional value, so really is the perfect student meal to make. 

Serves 2

2 salmon fillets

1 tbsp of olive oil

1/2 pepper

1/2 tin chopped tomatoes

1 spring onion, finely chopped

2 handfuls of kale

1/2 a large courgette, sliced

1/2 onion, diced

salt & pepper to taste

Method

- Put a large frying pan on over a high heat and add the olive oil and the diced onion and fry for 6 minutes. 

- Put a pan on half filled with water and bring to the boil. Steam the kale for 5 minutes then add the sliced courgettes and steam for a further 3 minutes.

- Add the sliced pepper to the onions and fry for 3 minutes. Season the salmon and add to the same frying pan and fry for 2 minutes each side or until a pale pink throughout with a golden, crisp outer. Once the salmon is cooked remove from the pan. Add the chopped tomatoes and seasoning to the frying pan and stir for a couple of minutes until the tomato starts to boil. Then add the salmon again.

- Put the tomato sauce onto a plate then add the courgette and kale on top (as above) and season well. Place the salmon on top and scatter the chopped spring onions over the salmon. Drizzle with olive oil and enjoy!

The Ultimate Caesar Salad

I found this recipe in Jamie Oliver's 15 minute meals book. Granted, it will not take you 15 minutes to make - I would say 30 minutes minimum but nevertheless, it's certainly worth it. The succulent chicken combined with the crispy bacon and the crunchy ciabatta croutons makes for the perfect Caesar salad. What makes this salad however, is the beautiful dressing. It's without a doubt the best salad dressing I've had in a long time and compliments the dish perfectly. If you have time, why not go all out and show off to your friends by making your own ciabatta bread?!

Ingredients

For the chicken

2x200g skinless chicken breasts

½ tsp smoked paprika

2 tbsp polenta

Salt & pepper

olive oil

For the salad

1 loaf of bread ciabatta bread

4 slices bacon

Lettuce

10 cherry tomatoes

2 large jarred red peppers

Alfalfa sprouts

For the dressing

2 tsp garlic-infused olive oil or 1/4 clove of garlic, peeled

2 lemons

40g parmesan cheese

4 anchovy filets

4 tbsp fat-free natural yoghurt

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp red vinegar

1 tsp mustard

½ bunch fresh coriander

Method

For the chicken

- Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally and coat with the other ingredients except the oil.

-Heat the oil in a pan and fry the breasts for 3-4 minutes on either side and remove from the heat.

For the dressing

Squeeze the juice from the lemons and place everything in a food processor and process.

For the salad

Wash and break up the lettuce and place on a large platter.
Halve the tomatoes and scatter on top.
Slice up the red peppers and layer on top.
Slice the chicken and spread about on the salad.
Fry the bacon and slice up and scatter on the salad.
Sprinkle the top with the sprouts.
Drizzle over the dressing.

Enjoy!

Poached Apricots

For me, these beautifully golden orange coloured fruits truly mark the start of summer. Walking into the supermarket or visiting the local market, I can't help but pick up a punnet of the golden orange delights, encasing a smooth and sweet flesh within their velvety outer body. I love them because they're so delicious and can provide numerous health benefits. They're also rich in many plant antioxidants and are extremely low in calories. Unfortunately, I haven't seen many recipes take advantage of these gorgeous fruits. They're great in a crumble or a tarte tatin, but I think they're delicious poached and served with some natural yoghurt for pudding or granola at breakfast. They're perfectly sweet and unbelieveably quick and simple to make. 

Makes 1 large bowl

640g of apricots (I used 2 punnets)

200ml of water 

1 dessert spoon of vanilla extract 

2 tbsp caster sugar or runny honey

Method

- De-stone the apricots by chopping them into halves. 

- Put the apricots, water, vanilla extract and caster sugar into a large pan and leave to simmer over a medium-low heat with the lid on for 8-10 minutes. 

- Put into a large serving bowl. Either serve hot or cover with cling film and put into the fridge once cooled. 

Top tip: If you want to make the apricots slightly 'posher,' add a small splash of Cointreau, the beautiful orange-flavoured liqueur whilst the apricots are simmering and serve with good quality vanilla ice cream. 

Enjoy!

Summer Spaghetti with Anchovies & Capers

I was shocked to read that in the UK, adult obesity levels have almost quadrupled in the last twenty five years. One excuse we've heard time and time again is that healthy foods are much more expensive than unhealthy foods. This excuse is completely wrong. You can make healthy meals as cheap as you want them to be! This summer spaghetti is a fantastic example of how you can eat healthy for less. I calculated that this delicious and nutritious meal pictured above costs £1.16 to make and if you have a very large appetite, £2.32. A singular Big Mac from McDonalds would set you back £2.59, not to mention the 24g of fat and 2.1g of salt. I know what I would rather have. I believe the real reason people would opt for the Big Mac is because of it's convenience. If you want to be healthy, it's as simple as having a positive attitude about healthy food and not being lazy. Meals like this take no more then 15 minutes to make and are a million times better for our waistlines. Now I know that my opinion is never going to solve the UK's obesity problems, but I'm just trying to put across my point that healthy eating is not expensive, just requires a tiny little bit more time and effort. 

Anchovies have many nutritional benefits. They're bursting full of vitamin A, which is essential for bone growth, reproduction and cell division. They're also a rich source of vitamin C, that vitamin we're all told about when we're younger that's important for the development of strong bones and teeth. 

Capers are also a great low calorie addition to a meal or dish. They're bursting with flavour and also give this dish a modest nutritional boost with no added fat. 

Serves 2

1 tin chopped tomatoes 

10 anchovy fillets

2 dessert spoons of drained capers

pepper to taste

150g wholeweat spaghetti

Method

- Put the spaghetti into a pan of boiling water and leave the pasta to simmer for 8-10 minutes. 

- Put the chopped tomatoes, pepper, anchovies and capers into a separate pan. Leave to simmer over a medium-low heat for 5 minutes.

- Drain the pasta and stir into the tomato sauce. 

Serve and enjoy! 

Coriander & Chilli Sweet Potato Cakes

You probably know by now about my worrying obsession with fishcakes, I really do love them. I spent the day craving my fishy fishcakes but there was one tiny problem; I had no fish. Therefore I had to find an alternative way to fulfil my bazaar cravings. This was perfect opportunity to make use one of my favourite orange foods, the sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are packed full of vitamin A which is essential for strengthening your bodies immunity against infection. They also help regulate blood sugar levels and are jam-packed full of fibre, with nearly seven grams per serving - twice the amount of normal potatoes! Not only are they super healthy, but they're wonderfully tasty too. They have a delicious creamy texture and a sweet-spicy flavour which makes them the perfect component to a savoury dish. 

These sweet potato cakes are the perfect replacement to that fishcake craving, with the same mouth-watering crispy outer and squishy inner of my fishy fishcakes. To all you meat eaters out there that scowl at the sight of this vegan dish - stop right there! The chilli kick combined with a good seasoning completely transforms these sweet potatoes and stops you from missing any meat on your plate. Trust me, I'm a meat lover but would have them every day of the week if I could. The crushed coriander seeds and tomato puree brings the cakes to the next level. I like to enjoy these squishy orange delights on a bed of homegrown salad with juicy tomatoes and sliced avocado.

Makes 2 cakes

2 sweet potatoes

1 tsp hot chilli powder

juice of 1 lemon

2 tsp coriander seeds

2 dessert spoons tomato puree

1 tablespoon quinoa flour (or wholemeal flour/ brown rice flour/buckweat)

salt & pepper to taste

olive oil

Method

- Preheat oven to 200C/ Gas mark 6

- Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into equal sized chunks. Steam the chunks for about 10-15 minutes or until they're soft and easily pierced with a fork. 

- In a large bowl, mash the sweet potatoes with a fork until they're nearly smooth but still a bit lumpy. Grind the coriander seeds with a pestle and mortar. Stir in the crushed coriander, chilli powder, seasoning, juice of 1 lemon and tomato puree. 

- Mould the mixture into 2 even sized cakes. 

- To ensure a crispy outer, dust the cakes with flour, place in a baking tray and cook for about 7 minutes at 200C. Then place them flour side down in a frying pan over a high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Leave for about 5-7 minutes or until brown and crisp. Do the same with the other side and flip the cakes over until brown and crisp. 

Serve on a bed of fresh salad and enjoy!

Diced Lamb with Creamy Tomato Sauce & Quinoa

This lamb dish is beautifully simple and fantastically creamy, with a punchy paprika kick. It's certainly a dish to make when time and an endless supply of ingredients aren't on your side, but you still want something super light, healthy and nutritious to eat. Students, take note! 

I am a big meat eater and absolutely adore lamb. For me, there is nothing better than enjoying a roast leg of lamb, stuffed with apricots and a good serving of rosemary roast potatoes. However, when you are pushed for time, I'm sure roasting a leg of lamb wouldn't be top of your 'to do' list. This recipe is a creamy meaty delight and you will love it.  Don't be scared off by the term 'creamy'. It suggests that the recipe is highly calorific and high in fat, but this is certainly not the case. The secret behind it's creaminess is thanks to Total 0% plain greek yoghurt. It's thickening and fat free so therefore a great addition to any tomato sauce. 

Serves 2 

1 tin of chopped tomatoes 

1/4 of a freshly grounded nutmeg 

1 1/2 tsp paprika 

1 tsp ground cumin

300g diced lamb

salt & pepper to taste 

olive oil

1 spring onion, finely sliced.

3 dessert spoons total 0% plain yoghurt

2 cups quinoa, 4 cups water

Method

- Put a pan of water onto boil over high heat. Add the quinoa and a pinch of salt. Allow to simmer for 10-12 minutes. If it starts to boil dry, add a little more water. 

- In a large bowl, stir in the nutmeg, paprika, cumin & seasoning to the diced lamb. Put a pan onto high heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and cook the lamb for about 3 minutes or starting to turn golden brown. Stir in the tomato sauce and the yoghurt to the lamb. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes and until the lamb is golden brown. Taste and add more spices/ seasoning accordingly. 

- Whilst the lamb is simmering on a low heat, finely slice the spring onions. Once the quinoa is cooked, remove from the heat and stir in the spring onions.

Serve and enjoy! 

10 Minute Banana & Blueberry Pancakes

After the great success of my coconut, maple and chai seed pancakes, I've been craving pancakes ever since. I was listening to Jack Johnson's album and one of my favourite songs of his came on, 'banana pancakes'. I've always thought it was such a ridiculous thing to sing about and that he had gone slightly mad…but how wrong I was. Let's have a look at some of the lyrics to his song: 

' waking up to early, maybe we could sleep in, make you banana pancakes, pretend that it's the weekend now.' 

Oh JJ, marry me?! He has just got it completely right. Wake up early, make banana pancakes and forget about the rest of the world. That is exactly what I did and how I came up with this recipe. Never did I think I would get recipe inspiration from a song. 

Banana's are a great source of energy, fibre, vitamins and minerals. Did you know that just one banana supplies 35% of  your daily vitamin B-6 requirement that is essential for the production of new cells?! Blueberries are also a great superfood. Not only are they packed with fibre, vitamins and minerals but they also contain several phytochemicals that we never hear about which give blueberries a load of heath benefits. This recipe is simple, quick and easy to make and requires so few ingredients. All you need are oats, nut butter, a banana, blueberries and water. It's the definition of simple goodness. 

Makes 5 small pancakes (serves 1)

1 ripe banana

30g blueberries

50g organic oats

1/4 cup of water

2 teaspoons of nut butter (I used almond butter)

1 dessert spoon flaxseed (optional)

pinch of salt

knob of butter or a little coconut oil to grease

Method

- Set aside 20g of the blueberries and 1/2 a banana. Put the oats, 1/2 banana, 10g of blueberries, water, nut butter and salt into a food processor and blend for about a minute until smooth. Stir in the 20g of blueberries and leave for a couple of minutes to allow the oats to absorb some of the moisture. 

- Heat up a non-stick frying pan until really hot and grease with the butter or coconut oil. Using a dessert spoon, place the mixture into the pan. You may have to do a couple of batches. Cook each side for about 1-2 minutes or until brown. You can tell the first side is done when you can start to see the mixture bubble. It's really important you don't flip the mixture too early. 

- Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup and the remaining 1/2 banana. 

Enjoy!

Banana & Cinnamon Breakfast Smoothie

Smoothies are one of the best ways to start the day for 3 main reasons: 

1) Fantastically fulfilling being packed with vitamins, minerals & fibre

2) Quick & easy to make with limited washing up

3) Absolutely delicious

I've realised that I've been making a lot of smoothies with strawberries and raspberries in and not one banana based recipe - such a crime! . Bananas are one of my favourite fruits as they're rich in nutrients, fibre and vitamins. One banana contains 3g of fibre, which is 12% of your daily dietary requirement that will help to improve bowel movement and prevent constipation. Although low in protein, they contain 30g of carbohydrate so therefore perfect of that quick morning energy boost. Their high potassium content also makes them the ideal fruit for athletes as they improve muscle functioning and prevent cramp. Just one medium banana contains almost 10% of your daily intake of potassium. 

I would say the ultimate breakfast smoothie will simply have to contain a banana in it. I have decided that I will be experimenting and sharing with you with many new smoothie recipes, to then eventually culminate in the ultimate breakfast smoothie which I hope you will enjoy. However, let's start with this beautiful banana, oat & cinnamon smoothie. It's thick, quick and extremely energising to keep you satisfied throughout the morning. 

Serves 2 

1 banana 

2 table spoons natural yoghurt

2 table spoons organic rolled oats

1 tsp cinnamon

1 - 2 teaspoons maple syrup

1 large cup milk

Method

Put all the ingredients together and blend until smooth. Job done.

Top tip: Add the maple syrup accordingly - start with 1 teaspoon and if you prefer a sweeter taste, then add another teaspoon.

Enjoy!

Mango, Flaxseed & Strawberry Yoghurt

I don't think I can go a day with out eating yoghurt. There are so many available in supermarkets and my mouth literally waters when I see Rachel's Organic Greek Style Coconut Yoghurt - if you haven't tried it yet please do, it's an absolute must! However, it is quite expensive and high in sugar, so I wanted to make my own yoghurt for a change. 

You'll notice that I've used flaxseed. Now, I'm not one to use these fancy health food products, as they're expensive and hard to get hold of, but I wanted to give it a go to see what it's really all about. The flaxseed I used here is Milled Flaxseed with Bio Cultures & Vitamin D (£5.79). It's health benefits include:

Vitamin D – This helps the body absorb calcium and contributes to the maintenance of normal bones and teeth. Omega 3 (ALA) – which are essential fatty acids that contribute to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels. Finally, minerals that provide calcium, iron and zinc. However, if you (like the majority of the population) don't have flaxseed spare in your cupboard, don't worry as you can just leave it out!

Serves 1

- 1/4 ripe mango

- 100g strawberries

- 4 dessert spoons natural probiotic yoghurt

- 1 dessert spoon flaxseed 

Method

Simply blend all the ingredients together until smooth and serve in a dessert dish. 

Enjoy! 

15 Minute Tuna, Red Pepper & Quinoa Salad

This is one of my favourite dishes to make at the moment. It's particularly satisfying for a post-work out meal, when you are craving something filling, healthy and quick to make. 

Quinoa (pronounced: keen-wah) is amazingly versatile and can be added to any meal as a nutritious side or, in this case, as the foundation for the whole dish. It's packed with dietary fibre, phosphorus, magnesium and iron. It is also gluten-free and easy to digest. People who know me know that I love tuna. Nothing fancy, just the tuna you get out of a tin but guess what, it's another superfood! Not only can improve blood vessel function for weight loss, it contains high-quality protein, selenium and potassium as well as essential omega-3 fatty acids and B vitamins. The red bell peppers give the dish a beautiful crunch, whilst packing it with valuable nutrients, fiber and antioxidants. 

I could go on about how super healthy and delicious this dish is, but I think I've said enough. Put 15 minutes on the clock, let's get cooking. 

Serves 2

100g quinoa

30g red (or green)  jalapeño peppers

1 red bell pepper

2 cans of tuna

2 dessert spoons of ketchup

1 can red kidney beans

60g sun-dried tomatoes

salt & pepper to taste

Method

- Add 2 cups of water to the quinoa in a pan and bring to boil. Then simmer for 12-14 minutes

- Dice the red bell pepper and pan fry for 8-10 minutes. Whilst this is cooking, chop up the jalapeño peppers and sun-dried tomatoes then strain the tuna & kidney beans. Then add the jalapeño peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, (drained) kidney beans, ketchup and tuna to the bell peppers. Continue to fry for 5 minutes  on a medium-low heat and season. 

- To finish, serve the quinoa on a plate or shallow bowl with the veg on top. Garnish with chopped coriander or parsley.

Serve and enjoy!