Salad leaves of choice
140g of tinned tuna, drained of brine or oil
Red bell pepper
1/2 avocado
3 slices of pineapple, fresh or tinned without added sugar
Optional: fresh coriander
For the dressing:
1 table spoon of mayonnaise
1 table spoon of water
Squeeze of lime or lemon juice
1/2 clove of garlic, minced
Arrange ingredients on a plate in a preferred order, dress and enjoy.
In my opinion, tinned tuna and mayonnaise are a match made in heaven. Mayonnaise beautifully moistens the fish and helps to hold it together. Its acidity and the presence of lecithin from egg yolks help to digest the fats in tuna better as some people find it nauseating or burpy.
Here are my favourite ways how to quickly transform a boring can of tuna into a tasty meal. Tuna in brine (water and salt) will work better than tuna in oil because mayonnaise is already oily.
1-2 tins of tuna, drained of the liquid
1 heaped tea spoon of mayonnaise, can be vegan (use less if you like)
One of the following in any amount that you like: green pesto / Frank’s Hot Sauce / Tabasco / harissa (paste or dry)
Mash up with a fork, that’s it!
Serving suggestions: on sourdough bread incl. sourdough crisp bread, on lettuce leaves instead of bread like in the photo, over a salad, in a poke bowl, on cucumber slices or used as a dip for celery sticks.
You can further mix it or top it up with the likes of fresh herbs, grated cheese, chopped bell pepper, finely chopped onion, chives, tomato or chilli flakes. For example, rocket and tomato pair well with the pesto version. Fresh coriander is great with harissa. Bell pepper and onion are good with Frank’s Hot Sauce and Tabasco.
Basic mince sauce or follow the same steps but use 2 finely diced carrots and 2 celery sticks
1 small cup of broth
If using the ready made basic mince sauce, use additional carrot, celery stick and a large onion, all finely diced
A handful of frozen green peas
2 table spoons of Worcestershire sauce
Leftover mashed potato (to create a thin layer, max 2 cm) or cauliflower mash
A handful of grated cheddar or Parmesan
1 table spoon of olive oil
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper
Saute the vegetables in olive oil.
Add the basic mince sauce, broth, bay leaf and Worcestershire sauce, cook until it has reduced.
Grease an oven proof dish and add the mince mix.
Top with mashed potato or cauliflower mash, mixed with cheese.
Place in the oven for 30 minutes.
Serving suggestion: with assorted cooked vegetables rather than additional potato or starch of any sort.
2 eggs,
Salt and pepper
1 tea spoon of olive oil
A little passata or 2 tea spoons of tomato puree thinned down with a little water
Dry oregano
Grated cheese of choice (e.g. mozarella / cheddar / Edam / Gouda / Manchego)
Toppings of choice: cooked ham / salami / pepperoni / buffalo mozarella / mushrooms / rocket
Beat the eggs, season to taste.
Heat up a non-stick frying pan and add olive oil. You can brush it around for an even coat.
Pour in the eggs and cook on one side. When the eggs are solid enough to flip but still a little runny on top, turn it over and spread the passata and sprinkle with cheese and a little oregano. Cover with a lid until the cheese has melted.
Take off the heat, arrange the toppings of choice and enjoy.
First photo: buffalo mozarella, rocket, garlic oil
Second photo: ham, sliced cooked mushrooms, parmesan, rocket, garlic oil
500g of mince of choice (beef, turkey, chicken or lamb)
500-800 ml of tomato passata (depending on your preferred consistency)
1 carrot, finely grated
1 stalk of celery, very finely chopped
1 large onion, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 table spoons of olive oil
Salt and pepper to season
In a large pan, heat the oil on medium heat and add vegetables except for garlic. Saute until soft.
Add garilc and cook for 2 minutes.
Add mince, cook for 10 minutes
Add passata, season to taste and cook for 30 minutes on slow heat.
To make Bolognese sauce (this is almost it but you can further jazz it up), add 150ml of red wine, 1 bay leaf and a tea spoon of oregano. Cook until alcohol has evaporated.
You can serve it with regular pasta or ‘courgetti’, pictured below, or just over any cooked vegetables. This way you still get to enjoy the ultimate comfort food with less carbs.
To make simple chili con carne, add 1 tea spoon of ground cumin, 1 tea spoon of sweet paprika, 1/2 tea spoon of chili or / and smoked paprika and 1/4 tea spoon of cinnamon. 1 tea spoon of cacao or cocoa really lifts the flavour. You can also add a small tin of red kidney beans.
You can serve it with regular rice but cauliflower ‘rice’ is a nice low carb alternative. You can also have it in baby gem lettuce leaves used as taco shells. Top with fresh veggies like sliced bell pepper and avocado or a dollop of guacamole. Cheese, sour cream or yoghurt, a squeeze of lime juice and fresh coriander are also a nice bonus. PIck what you like the most and keep it simple.
500ml peach juice without added sugar (it is naturally very sweet)
1 ripe mango, peeled and roughly chopped (frozen is also fine, most supermarkets have it)
Optionally, juice of 1/2 lime - it will help to balance the flavour
Process the juice and mango using a high speed blender.
Place in ice cream moulds (i.e. Ikea or Amazon) and freeze for 3 hours before serving.
350g frozen forest fruit mix (most supermarkets)
2500g full fat Greek yoghurt (you can use plant based if you like)
xylitol / erythritol / stevia / monkfruit sweetener (honey or maple syrup will change the flavour)
optional: 2 servings of collagen protein powder
Put the berries in a pot, defrost and cook on low heat until most water has evaporated. You can also skip this step but your ice cream will contain more ice crystals.
Place the fruit puree with the remaining ingredients in a high speed blender and process until smooth.
Pour into ice cream moulds (e.g. Ikea, Amazon) or a container like a Pyrex dish or an old ice cream box.
Freeze for a minimum of 3 hours before serving.
If you used a container, wait for a couple of minutes until the ice cream softens before serving.
300g of frozen raspberries
300g of Greek yoghurt
xylitol / erythritol / stevia / monkfruit sweetener (honey or maple syrup will change the flavour)
5 drops of rose water (selected food shops and online, e.g. Amazon)
optional: 2 servings of collagen protein powder - for more satiety and nutritional value
Put the raspberries in a pot, defrost and cook on low heat until most water has evaporated. You can also skip this step but your ice cream will contain more ice crystals.
Place the raspberry puree with the remaining ingredients in a high speed blender and process until smooth.
Pour into ice cream moulds (e.g. Ikea, Amazon) or a container like a Pyrex dish or an old ice cream box.
Freeze for a minimum of 3 hours before serving.
If you used a container, wait for a couple of minutes until the ice cream softens before serving.
3 small or 2 big bananas, very ripe (brown skin)
2 heaped table spoons of peanut butter
2 egg yolks (egg yolks, next to cream, is the key ingredient in classic ice cream. They make it creamy due to the presence of lecithin which is a fat emulsifier) but you can skip them if you´re not convinced
Splash of full fat coconut milk - enough to make the ingredients combine well without getting stuck, using a high speed blender
pinch of salt
maple syrup, to your liking (ice cream taste less sweet after freezing it so keep that in mind) but it is optional, especially if you are watching your waist line
optional: 2 servings of collagen protein powder - for more satiety and nutritional value
for the chocolate variety, add 2 table spoons of cacao or cocoa powder. Once blended, you can stir in cacao nibs for for some crunch
Combine all ingredients using a high speed blender.
Pour into ice cream moulds (e.g. Ikea, Amazon) or a container like a Pyrex dish or an old ice cream box.
Freeze for a minimum of 3 hours.
If you used a container, wait for a couple of minutes until the ice cream softens before serving. Scoop out and sprinkle with chopped toasted peanuts.
1 tin of thick coconut milk, min. 90% coconut (e.g. Lidl’s)
2 table spoons of green or red curry paste
Fish sauce or soy sauce, amount to your preference (try 2 tea spoons)
1 flat table spoon of coconut or peanut oil
1 tea spoon of sugar, preferably coconut or palm but any unrefined will do. If you are on a low carb diet, you can try xylitol or erythritol
Protein of choice, e.g. chicken, prawns or tofu
Vegetables of choice, e.g. diced courgette, mushrooms, pan fried aubergine, green beans, red bell pepper (only one veg of choice is also fine - pick what works for you)
Optional: chopped peanuts, fresh chilli, 5 basil leaves, wedge of lime, coriander
Heat up the oil and add curry paste. Heating it up will liberate the aroma.
Add coconut milk, fish or soy sauce and sugar.
Add protein, vegetables of choice and optionally basil leaves and cook just until the protein has set (chicken will turn white and prawns will be pink)
Plate the curry and optionally squeeze a wedge of lime and garnish with chopped peanuts, fresh chilli and basil leaves.
Serve with jasmine rice or ‘caulliflower rice’ or have it on its own.
2-3 eggs
1 large tomato or two small ones, skin off
Spinach (If fresh, use a large handful. If frozen, use a small handful)
1/4 onion, finely chopped
1/2 clove of garlic, minced
1 flat table spoon of clarified butter / ghee or coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon of each, cumin and turmeric
Salt
Soft goat´s cheese or protein dense yoghurt (like Fage) to serve
Optional: chilli powder, fresh coriander, wedge of lime
In a pot or pan, melt the butter and add the onion. Saute until soft but not brown.
Add tomatoes, garlic, spinach, spices and stir. Cook for 5 minutes.
Add the eggs, season with salt and cook to your liking (runny or more set).
Optionally, sprinkle with chilli powder, fresh coriander and a little lime juice.
Protein of choice, e.g. entrecote steak, burger, chicken breast cut into half, fish fillet, sardines, prawns, squid, lamb, pork or turkey chops, Halloumi cheese)
Olive oil, preferably refined
Salt and pepper
Griddle pan - if you haven´t got one yet, get it asap as it is one of the fastest ways to cook protein that tastes delicious
Method:
Heat up the pan on medium to high heat. When you see it smoke, it´s the time to start cooking. Best if your protein is at room temperature.
Rub a little olive oil all around the protein which will create a protective film. Do not put oil on the pan.
Place the protein on the pan and sear for 2-4 minutes on each side, depending on thickness.
Take off the heat and sprinkle with salt and pepper. You can use herbs of choice too, or make salsa verde.
Serving suggestion: with sauteed greens of choice / stir fried veggies / ratatouille / frozen boiled veggies / simple salad
Always dress your veggies, even after they have been cooked. A dressing made of olive oil, melted butter, a squeeze of lemon juice and a little salt is always a good fit. You can add powdered garlic and herbs of choice, too.
Baby gem or romaine lettuce
Protein of choice: chicken, turkey or prawns (you can use leftover meat, e.g. from a roast or ready made rotisserie chicken); vegetarians can use chickpeas
Hard boiled egg
Parmesan or Grana Padano or hard sheep´s chees like Manchego or similar
Optional: crispy bacon, a few anchovies
Salad dressing, lazy version:
2 table spoons of quality mayonnaise, preferably made with olive oil
1 tea spoon of Dijon mustard
2 table spoons of freshly boiled water
1/2 small clove of garlic, skip if sensitive
Combine dressing ingredients with a fork.
Roughly tear the leaves and place on a plate. Add dressing and coat the leaves with your hand.
Arrange toppings: spread the protein, bacon, eggs and anchovies and sprinkle with shaved cheese.
Fantastic side that goes well with any source or protein (meat, fish, eggs, cheese - e.g. grilled Halloumi) and is so versatile that you can use leftovers to make soup or shakshuka for breakfast or lunch.
1 red and 1 yellow pepper
2 small to medium courgettes
2 small aubergines or 1 large
2 red onions and 1 white
5 tomatoes (take skin off by dipping in boiled water for a minute) or 400ml tin of chopped tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
3 table spoons of olive oil
Optional: 1 bulb of fresh fennel, 1 clove of garlic, favourite herb(s): dry oregano, thyme, rosemary or basil
Dice all vegetables, finely slice or mince the optional garlic.
Heat up oil over medium heat, add vegetables except tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time. This will release sugar from the veg and slightly carmelise them.
Add tomatoes and optional herbs, cover with a lid and cook for 30 minutes.
Season to taste.
If you´ve just had a meal and feel like something sweet, wait for 15 minutes and see how you feel then. By this time, glucose from food should reach your cells and the craving often goes away. If still craving a dessert (perhaps because of insulin resistance), try the options below. The fat in peanut butter will make you want less sugar. Do not have these as a replacement for a snack or meal. This can be used as dessert replacement only.
Max. 2 dates stuffed with a flat tea spoon of peanut butter, can be topped with an additional nut. Alternatively, you can stuff the date with ghee and top with a nut.
Max. 2 pieces of dark chocolate (min. 70% cocoa) topped with a flat tea spoon of peanut butter.
The options below make wonderful snacks if you get peckish between meals. It´s better to eat rather than letting glucose drop too low as this stimulates inflammation.
Apple quarters with 1/2 tea spoon of peanut butter on each.
Celery stick cut into three and filled with peanut butter. You can also top it up with hard cheese like cheddar.
For the base, you need eggs (between 2 - 10, with 2 being one portion) and salt. Beat the eggs and season to taste. Now you can add the ‘toppings’:
Mediterranean version: bell pepper, red onion, tomato, courgette, feta or goat’s cheese, finely chopped herbs of choice, e.g. basil, mint
Spinach version: defrosted spinach cubes (leaves are better than fine), diced cold potatoes, feta, minced clove or garlic, a pinch of nutmeg is a nice bonus
Bacon version: diced back or streaky bacon, diced onion, grated cheddar
Tuna version: tinned tuna drained of liquid or oil, finely chopped onion, diced tomato, grated cheddar
Mushroom version: sliced mushrooms (e.g. button or portbello), finely chopped onion, ham, grated cheddar
Feel free to skip or replace ingredients. These can get very creative!
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
Grease an ovenproof dish (frying pan, ceramic or Pyrex style) or use a greased muffin tray. Pour in the egg base and add the selected toppings.
Place in the oven until the top is solid and golden. You can pierce it with a knife and if runny egg comes out, it needs more time in the oven.
Cool down and store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Serving suggestion: with a salad.
photo: www.truorganicbeef.com
No supplement will help to build iron, ferritin and provide active B vitamins like these magic ´pills´.
Fresh liver, preferably pasture raised. Lamb´s liver is always a safe bet.
Rinse the liver well and pat dry.
Cut into pill-size bites that will be comfortable to swallow.
Spread the liver pieces on a piece baking / parchment paper. This will prevent them from sticking together..
The next day (after they freeze), place the liver pieces from the paper into a tupperware box. Keep them in the freezer for 14 days before you start taking them. This period of time ensures that the raw liver will be perfectly safe for consumption.
Take your frozen liver supplement with water before or with each meal.
2 ripe avocados, the hass variety
2 egg yolks
5 table spoons of cacao or cocoa
6-8 table spoons of maple syrup
1/8 tea spoon of unrefined salt
optional toppings: pomegranate seeds, fresh berries, cacao nibs, toasted nuts, salted peanut butter cream (2 table spoons of peanut butter, 4 table spoons of freshly boiled water, pinch of salt - blend until smooth. Keeps well in the fridge)
Place all ingredients in a food processor or high speed blender and blend until smooth.
Makes 4 small portions but you can make it visually bigger by adding toppings. I don’t recommend more because after all, it’s fat mixed with sugar. 1/2 avocado per serving is sufficient.
2 eggs
2 table spoons of almond milk
2 cubes of frozen spinach or 2 large handfuls of fresh baby spinach
A handful of button mushrooms
50g of soft and crumbly goat´s cheese
4 tea spoons of butter or ghee
Salt and pepper
Beat the eggs with almond milk and a good pinch of salt.
Cut the mushrooms into little wedges or slice them. Sauté in 2 tea spoons of butter for 10 minutes.
Place frozen spinach in a pot with a little bit of water and cook until hot. If using fresh spinach, place it in a pan with a little water and cook until wilted.
Heat a frying pan, melt 2 tea spoons of butter or ghee and pour in the eggs. It should not be too thick so use a pan that is large enough. When the eggs are starting to set at the bottom, you can gently lift the edges and pour in the wet batter underneath. This way it won´t be overdone at the bottom and undercooked on top.
Once almost set (omelettes should not be overdone and dry), place the cooked spinach, mushrooms and crumbled cheese.
Fold in half, slide on a plate and enjoy on its own or with a side salad.
I know that you can buy tea bags of masala chai but fresh spices are more warming. You will feel a big difference!
750 ml of water
1 tea bag of black tea or 2 tea bags of rooibos tea
4-5 (or all) of of the below spices, as per liking:
1 cinnamon stick or 1/2 tea spoon of ground cinnamon
3 cardamom pods or 1/4 tea spoon of ground cardamom
2-3 cloves
1-2 star anise
1/2 tea spoon of fennel seeds (bonus: digestive support)
3 black peppercorns
a large pinch of nutmeg
3 slices of fresh ginger
optional: plant based milk of choice, natural sweetener
Place spices in water and boil for 15 minutes. The heat will release the aroma and warming properties of the spices.
Take off the heat and add tea of choice, steep for 3 minutes.
Strain and pour into a large thermal flask so that you can keep drinking the hot tea all day long. You can also reheat any leftovers.
Pour into a cup and you can add milk of choice and sweeten with honey, maple syrup, molasses or coconut sugar.
2 cups of roughly chopped assorted nuts (you can use food processor); if having digestive issues, soak nuts overnight and dry with a paper towel
1 cup of unsweetened coconut flakes or desiccated coconut
1/2 cup of sunflower seeds
1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup of sesame seeds
1-2 tea spoon of ground cinnamon
7 table spoons of melted coconut oil
Optional: vanilla essence
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees. Line large baking tray with parchment paper
Mix nuts, seeds and cinnamon and coconut oil in a big bowl
Place granola on the baking tray and spread out evenly
Bake for 20 minutes and add coconut (if you add it at the beginning, it will burn)
Bake for another 5-10 minutes or until it’s golden brown.
Let it cool completely before putting it in an airtight container. It lasts for ages so it’s worth making more in one go
Enjoy with full fat yoghurt (e.g. probiotic coconut yoghurt) and berries.