My Summer Recipes Post-Lockdown

What’s your diet been like the last 5 months? I found the uncertainty and anxiety of the pandemic situation made me crave chocolate and cake which obviously took its toll.

And whilst exercise is excellent for health, we all know it’s not a substitute for a bad diet. A fact that is becoming all the more apparent as I approach my 50’s. However, I have been experimenting a bit more with healthy cooking and some of the recipes that came out of the #quarantinerecipeexchange have become family favourites.

As I write this, we in London have experienced ridiculously hot weather 🥵 and perhaps lighter, healthier meals seem more attractive in this heat than stodgy feel-good foods as we try to lose the lockdown pounds and feel a little lighter and healthier. With this in mind I’m sharing super simple, healthy and delicious breakfast, lunch and dinner recipes that are part of my repertoire. All can be gluten and dairy free. Enjoy and let me know what you think!

BREAKFAST

My Favourite – Healthy Crunchy Granola

I make this recipe every few weeks and I pretty much eat it every morning with some dried cranberries, fresh berries and oat milk or coconut yogurt. Shop-bought granola is so expensive and often laden with sugar or too much honey and oil. I like a bit of crunch and the mix of nuts, seeds and oats are very nutritious and full of healthy fats, fibre, minerals and vitamins. It sets me up for a morning of teaching and keeps me full until lunch. It is a Thermomix recipe but just as easy to do without one. I’ve also suggested brands that I use. I try and use organic where possible.

Ingredients
100g mixed nuts (I like almonds, walnuts, pecans & cashews)
250g rolled oats (Flanagan’s gluten-free oats)
100g spelt flakes (Rude Health)
50g quinoa flakes (amisa)
15g puffed brown rice (Rude Health)
90g mixed seeds (I use a mixture of pumpkin, sunflower & linseed)
80-100g of honey or maple syrup (the recipe says 200g but I think you can get away with much less)
40g coconut oil
1tsp ground cinnamon (I love cinnamon, so I use a lot more or try cardamom or vanilla)
1 pinch fine sea salt

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees and line a large baking paper with greaseproof paper
2. Finely chop nuts for a few seconds in a blender but be careful it doesn’t end up like mush (cooking tip – place the nuts in a bowl & press down on them carefully with the back of a metal measuring cup). I like to keep the cashews whole or semi chopped.
3. Place the nuts in a large bowl and weigh in the oats, spelt flakes, puffed rice, mixed seeds. Mix together.
4. Melt the coconut oil with the honey/maple syrup in a small pan over a low heat for a few minutes and add a generous spoon of cinnamon and salt. Pour into dry mixture and mix well. Transfer to baking tray and spread out evenly. You may need to do 2 or 3 batches.
5. Bake for 25 mins and turn mixture over a few times so it is evenly browned. Yum! 😋

LUNCH

Super-easy Summer Salad

Salads are easy to assemble but need a nice dressing to make them tasty. I love mine mixed with a fruit such as a few dates, dried cranberries or pomegranate seeds. This is my go-to summer salad with 2 easy salad dressing recipes that I’ve adapted from Sabrina Ghayour’s cookbooks, but use in moderation.

Method
– Assemble a mix of green leaves (i.e. spinach, watercress, rocket)
– Add 50g of a carb of your choice such as cooked quinoa, couscous, bulgur wheat
– Add a protein – cooked chicken, tofu, prawns (or Halloumi in moderation)
– Chop up a couple of dates if using salad dressing 1 or a sprinkling of pomegranates with dressing 2
– Add ½ a chopped avocado if desired

Salad Dressing 2

• 4 tbsp light tahini
• 6 tbsp coconut or dairy-free yogurt (or Greek yogurt if using dairy)
• Squeeze of lemon juice
• Maldon sea salt flakes & freshly ground pepper

Mix the tahini with the yogurt, lemon juice and salt, then stir in a little lukewarm water, 1 tbsp at a time until mixture has a sauce-like consistency.

DINNER

Honey Glazed Salmon

This recipe was sent to me from my friend Miranda on the #quarantinerecipeexchange and it’s such an easy way to make a piece of salmon (with its amazing health benefits) tasty. A family favourite that I serve with steamed broccoli.

Combine 2/3 tablespoons *soya sauce, 1 tablespoon *oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice. Stir and brush over the surface of your salmon fillets.
* use gluten free soya or tamari sauce and oyster sauce if on a gluten free diet

Bake in the oven for 20 mins or until the salmon is cooked. Sprinkle with black or white sesame seeds and serve with sticky basmati rice… sometimes I add saffron to my rice.

Let me know if you give any a try and how you get on.

Happy, healthy eating!

N💋