Pesto Basa Fillet and Greens

Whenever I want a healthy meal I always aim to include some greens onto my plate, some frozen or fresh vegetables are great for steaming as a side to ensure you are meeting your 5 a day. Courgettes are also great vegetables they are super low on calories and 100grams of courgettes only holds 17 calories! Although white fish has not got such high levels of omega 3 like salmon it is still low in calories and beneficial to include into your diet.  Swapping red meat for white fish is a great way to start off your journey to a healthy lifestyle.  Use any white fish of your choice and any green vegetables of your choice.

Cooking time: 15-25 minutes

Ingredients:

·         Basa fish fillet

·         Courgette

·         Peas

·         Green beans

·         Pesto

·         Black pepper

·         Lemon

Cooking:

1. Heat your pan with some olive oil, once heated add some washed and sliced courgettes to your pan and fry for about 6-10 minutes, once cooked set aside.
2. At this point you may need to add a little more olive oil to your pan before frying your fish fillet.
3. Ensure your pan is hot, once hot add your fish fillet to the pan and sprinkle some black pepper.
4. Cook your fish fillet for 6-8 minutes of each side. Once your fish is cooked drizzle some pesto sauce on top.
5. In an additional pot with a little bit of water steam some green vegetables, once steamed serve these with your fish and courgettes.
6. Add a slice of lemon to your plate and sprinkle with parsley to finish.
7. Optional: if you prefer not to fry your fish and want to cook your fillet from frozen; place your fillet in the oven with some foil wrapped around and cook this with your oven on 200c for about 20-25 minutes. 

Prawn and courgette pesto pasta

I have never really known what to do with pesto sauce and have always been curious to include it into one of my evening meals. You can make your own pesto from scratch by blending; pine nuts, basil, garlic, virgin olive oil, parmesan cheese, black pepper and salt. If making pesto sauce from scratch is not you, supermarkets do sell equally good pesto sauce so shop around. Courgettes are a great vegetable to include into your diet; they are high in magnesium and zinc so they are a good selection for normalising blood pressure. Plus Courgettes are a great source of dietary fiber.  This mid- week meal is quick, easy changes up your regular pasta dish.

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

·         Cooked and peeled prawns

·         Tagliatelle

·         Courgette

·         Pesto

·         Onion

·         Black pepper

·         Salt

·         Parsley

Cooking:

1. Start by boiling your tagliatelle/pasta in a pot with some water and salt. Follow the instructions on the back of your packet for cooking time. 
2. Tip: In a rush? Boil your kettle before and pour this into your pot with your tagliatelle to speed up the cooking time.
3. Wash and slice your courgettes into thin slices along with your onion.
4. Add a little olive oil to a pan on a medium heat, once your pan is hot add the courgettes and onions to your pan and sprinkle a little black pepper over them.
5. Allow this fry for about 5-8 minutes, then add your prawns  and cook for a further 5 minutes.
6. Once the Pasta/ Tagliatelle is cooked, drain and add this to your frying pan.
7. You will then need to add 3-4 scoops of pesto to your pan, stir this well and cook for a further 3-6 minutes.
8. Finish by topping with parsley and black pepper. 

Smoked Salmon and Eggs Panini

This is a great quick breakfast/lunch that I like to make on those days where I want something filling, yet relatively healthy.  Eggs are popular known as the ‘super food’ as it contains many of the beneficial vitamins that our body needs. 1 single egg contains 6 grams of protein; so making eggs a fundamental part of your diet is great if you want to build muscle. Adding smoked salmon to your eggs gives your breakfast boosts your protein intake plus adds flavour.

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

·         Panini bread

·         3 eggs

·         Smoked salmon

·         Milk

·         Butter

·         Black pepper

·         Optional: watercress

·         Parsley

Cooking:

1. Start by breaking 3 eggs and milk into a bowl and whisk well.
2. Once whisked, heat your pan with some butter and pour your egg mixture into your pan.
3. To create the scrambled eggs continue to fold or stir the eggs in your pan till they separate, in about 3-5 minutes your scrambled eggs should be cooked.
4. To finish, toast your Panini and arrange the eggs and smoked salmon. (Optional; use some low fat butter spread after toasting your Panini)
5. Sprinkle with black pepper, parsley and decorate with watercress to finish.

Asparagus Spears and Salmon

Salmon is one of my favourite fish dishes to cook its easy, quick and works well in most meals. Roast some asparagus as a side and get your daily source of fiber. Along with your avocado and kale asparagus is a great vegetable for detoxifying and helps your body breakdown harmful compounds. For pregnant women asparagus is great as it contains a large amount of folate which is proven to decrease the risk of neural defects within the foetus, so get plenty of asparagus mothers to be!

Cooking Time: 25-30 minutes

Ingredients:

·         Salmon fillet

·         Asparagus spears

·         Lemon

·         Olive oil

·         Black pepper

·         1 spring onion

·         Thyme

·         1 garlic glove

·         Dill

·         Butter

·         Baby Potatoes

·         Parsley

Cooking:

1. Start by washing your baby potatoes, once washed place them into a pot with some water and salt and boil for approximately 20 minutes till partially soft.
2. Once your potatoes are cooked drain the water then add some butter and parsley to the pot and cook on a low heat for 2 minutes. Set aside and be prepared to add this to your meal.
3. Wash your asparagus spears and place them on a baking dish with some olive oil.
4. Season your salmon with; black pepper, thyme, diced spring onion and a garlic glove.
5. Once seasoned place this on top of your asparagus spears, slice some lemon and place this in your baking tray drizzling the remaining part of the lemon over your salmon.
6. Cook your salmon in the oven at 200c for 20 minutes.
7. Optional serve your salmon with some diced dill. 

Afternoon Omelette

I love frying an omelette on an afternoon when I have come back from the gym or I’m just having a lazy day in. The best thing about making omelettes is that you can rummage through your fridge and chuck in whatever is there. Use some spinach in your omelette to get some much need iron and vitamins in your diet and some chorizo for a bit of spice.

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

·         2 eggs

·         Milk

·         Black pepper

·         Spinach

·         Chorizo

·         Cheese

·         Cherry tomatoes

·         Wild rocket

·         Olive oil

Cooking

1. In a bowl whisk together your eggs, ½ a cup of milk and black pepper. Whisk these ingredients together well.
2. Heat your pan with a tiny bit of olive oil, once heated pour your whisked mixture into the pan.
3. Leave this to cook on a medium to low heat for 5-8 minutes.
4. On one half of the omelette place your cheese, chopped spinach and chorizo slices and leave to cook for a further 2 minutes.  
5. Fold your omelette in half then fold again if you wish and cook for another 2-5 minutes.
6. Optional: Grill some tomatoes on the side and add some wild rocket.
7. Sprinkle with parsley to finish. 

Kale and Banana Smoothie

I know people have their doubts about kale as It has a bitter taste but this smoothie is far from bitter, the blended banana sweetens this smoothie making it great for breakfast or lunch.

What you get from this smoothie:

·       Banana is packed with potassium which is great for your heart

·       Banana is known to help lower moods and depression

·       Energizes you throughout the day

·       Great for digestion

·       Kale is high in Iron

·       Kale is high in antioxidants and is a great anti-inflammatory food

·       Kale is low in calories and high in fiber

·       Eating Kale can help lower cholesterol

Ingredients:

·       1 banana

·       Handful of kale

·       4-5 spoons of low fat yoghurt

·       ½ tsp Of cinnamon

Making:

Blend all ingredients together add cinnamon to sweeten and yoghurt to thicken.

Egg Spinach Muffins

Poaching your eggs is one of the healthiest ways to serve your eggs, however the method of making perfect poached eggs is not the easiest.  But mastering how to poach your eggs pays off, as it is significantly low in calories and high in protein. Serve them with some cooked spinach and hot toasted muffins for a healthy protein filled breakfast.

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

·       Muffin

·       2 eggs

·       Vinegar

·       Spinach

·       Parsley

Cooking

1. In a pan of simmering water add a spoon of vinegar and swirl the water.
2. As soon as the water is swirled crack one egg into the pan (try to crack the egg close to the water as possible)
3. Watch the time and cook your eggs for no longer than 3 minutes! 
4. Remove the egg with a ladle and set aside.
5. In a pan with a little boiling water add your spinach and steam for 1-2 minutes.
6. Split and toast your muffin
7. Serve with some parsley and wild rocket.  

Salmon Fish cakes

If you love salmon you should try making these delicious fishcakes, you will have to test your patty making skills however I found it quite fun spending time prepping these fish cakes. I also love this meal for dinner as it means I can indulge in some tasty tartar sauce with my fishcakes. You also gain the much needed omega 3 from salmon which is vital for your body's growth and development. 

Cooking time 30-40 minutes

Ingredients:

·         Smoked Salmon fillet

·         Breadcrumbs

·         Plain flour

·         Baby potatoes

·         Butter

·         1 egg

·         Spring onion

·         Red chilli

·         Black pepper

·         Olive oil

·         Spinach

·         Wild rocket 

·         Cherry tomatoes

Cooking:

Fishcakes:

1. Start by washing and peeling your baby potatoes, you will then need to boil these for 20 minutes until they are soft.
2. Once your potatoes are soft mash them in to a bowl and set aside. (Use butter to help soften your potatoes)
3. In a pan with a little bit of olive oil fry your salmon fillet on a medium heat for about 10 minutes until you see your salmon fillet starting to brown.
4. Once browned brake your salmon fillet into small pieces and set aside.
5. Dice your spring onion and red chilli and add to a bowl with black pepper and 1 cup of flour.
6. Once your potato and salmon has cooled add this to your bowl and stir.
7. Create a patty shape with your mixture then dip it into a bowl with one well whisked egg.
8. You will then need to dip your fishcake patty into bread crumbs. Place these onto a pan with some olive oil and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden.

Spinach bed salad:

1. In a pot with a tiny amount of water add your spinach to the pot and cook for less than a minute.
2. Once you see the spinach is starting to shrink in size; drain and remove it from the pot then serve with some wild rocket and chopped cherry tomatoes.
3. To finish your meal top with some parsley and some tartar sauce.