One Pot Red Lentil Pasta

This is my go to recipe on a busy day, it only takes 5-10mins to make and is a nutritionally balanced meal.

Lentil pasta is an excellent alternative as it’s high in fiber and protein. Lentils are aslo loaded with folate, iron, phosphorus and potassium. Lentil pasta is rich in fiber. Fiber intake helps reduce the risk of developing heart disease, diabetes and stroke.

Ingredients

1 can of tomato tin

1 small bowl of pasta

I small bowl of diced onion

5 cloves of minced garlic

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp oregano

500 ml veg broth

Salt and pepper to tatse

Fresh Basil

Chesse (optional)

In a large pan add in the red lentil pasta, tin tomato, diced onion and minced garlic, spices and the veg broth. Mix together, then add in salt and pepper.

Let it simmer on a slow gas till most of the liquid is absorbed.

Then add in fresh basil and mix well. After a few minutes turn of the heat.

Place is a serving bowl, add more fresh basil, chesse and enjoy.

Roasted Chickpea & Tortilla chips Salad

Chickpeas is superfood, as well as being an excellent source of plant-based protein and high in fiber. Chikpeas are filling and very beneficial for digestion and gut health.

A cooked cup of chickpeas contains 12.5 grams of fiber and 14.5 grams of protein. With only 268 calories.

Adding a rainbow salad salad to your diet help to decreases inflammation in prevent cancer. Keeps our immune system strong and our skin healthy, as well as good vision.• Keeps our bones, teeth and nails strong and also prevents blood clots.

Tortilla chips adds a crunch to the sald and thry are low in fat.

Ingredients

1 can of chickpeas

Half bag of Tortilla chips

1 tsp red chilli

Cilantro

1 tsp oinion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp salt

2 tbs lemon juice

2 tbs olive oil

Romaine lettuce

Red cabbage,

Tomatos

Sweetcorn

Avocado

Method

Drain the can of chickpeas, wash and dry them. Then place thr chikpeas in a large mixing bowl.

In a small bowl add all the spices, lemon juice and olive oil and mix together to make a smooth paste.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Add the spice paste to the chickpea bowl and mix well. Place the coated chickpeas in to a baking tray and roast in thr oven.

How to make the dressing:

In a blender add 1 chopped shallot, bunch of cilantro, pinch of salt, black pepper, 2 minced garlic cloves, half a lemon jucice and olive oil. Blitz till smooth and pour into a serving cup.

In a serving bowl place Romaine lettuce, red cabbage, tomatoes, sweetcorn, avocado, cilantro. Then add in the roasted chickpeas and strips of tortillas chips.

Drizzle the the dressing and mix well and serve.

Fermented Food

Let’s talk about Fermented Foods.

What is Fermented Food?

Fermented foods undergone controlled microbial growth and fermentation. Fermentation is an anaerobic process in which microorganisms like yeast and bacteria break down food components (e.g. sugars such as glucose) into other products (e.g. organic acids, gases or alcohol). This gives fermented foods their unique and desirable taste, aroma, texture and appearance.

Vegetarian & Vegan friendly fermented foods

👉 Sauerkraut.

👉 Plain Yogurt.

👉 Dry Curd Cottage Cheese or Farmer’s Cheese, or fermented cottage cheese.

👉 Certain aged cheeses (check label for live and active cultures)

👉 Kimchi.

👉 Pickled vegetables – cucumbers, carrots, radishes, green beans, cauliflower,

👉 Kombucha.

👉 Water kefir.

👉 Tempeh.

👉 Sourdough bread.

👉 Miso.

👉 Mangos.

👉 Apples.

👉 Blueberries.

👉 Strawberries.

👉 Raspberries.

👉 Blackberries.

👉 Peaches.

👉 Fortified dairy alternatives

👉 Supplements

Health benefits:

💪🏽 Improved Gut Health: Fermented foods contain probiotics, which are beneficial b bacteria that help improve the balance of good bacteria in the gut. This can help improve digestive health and boost immunity.

💪🏽 Better Absorption of Nutrients: Fermented foods are often easier to digest, which can help improve the absorption of essential vitamins and minerals from food.

💪🏽 Boosted Immune System: Probiotics can help strengthen the immune system and reduce the risk of illness.

💪🏽 Reduced Inflammation: Some fermented foods contain anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce inflammation in the body and protect against chronic diseases.

💪🏽 Improved Mental Health: Probiotics have been linked to improved mood and cognitive function, making fermented foods a great option for those looking to maintain good mental health.

💪🏽 Increased Antioxidant Content: Fermented foods often contain higher levels of antioxidants, which help protect the body from harmful free radicals and oxidative stress.

💪🏽 Better Weight Management: Some fermented foods have been linked to improved weight management, including increased feelings of fullness and reduced calorie intake.

💪🏽 Reduced Risk of Certain Diseases: Fermented foods have been linked to a reduced risk of certain diseases, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

Roasted Spiced Chickpeas are so simple to make and full of taste. They make an excellent snack.

Chickpeas is superfood, as well as being an excellent source of plant-based protein and high in fiber. Chikpeas are filling and very beneficial for digestion and gut health.

A cooked cup of chickpeas contains 12.5 grams of fiber and 14.5 grams of protein. With only 268 calories.

Ingredients

Serves 1

1 Chickpea can, drained and rinsed.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon chilli powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon coriander powder

Method

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Drain, rinse and dry the chickpeas.

More drier the chickpeas are the more crunchier they will become once cooked.

Spread the chickpeas out on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

Add olive oil, cumin, turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder and salt to the chickpeas and toss well till coated evenly.

Roast the chickpeas for 20-25 minutes for oruntil browned.

Let then to cool for 5 minutes and serve.

Vitamin B12

Lets’s talk about Vitamin B12

What does the B12 vitamin do?

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin, also known as cobalamin. t is needed to form red blood cells and DNA. It also is a key player in the function and development of brain and nerve cells. Vit B12 binds to the protein in the foods consumed. In the stomach, hydrochloric acid and enzymes unbind vitamin B12 into its free form.

Symptoms of vit B12 deficiency

👉 Pale yellow tinge to your skin.

👉 A sore and red tongue.

👉 Mouth ulcers.

👉 Pins and needles

👉 changes walking & moving

👉 Disturb vision.

👉 irritability & depression

👉 neurological symptoms

👉 Feeling very tired or weak.

👉Experiencing nausea & vomiting.

Following a vegan diet, can cause a higher chance of a vitamin B12 deficiency in people. Reliable vegan sources are foods that are fortified with B12

Here is a list of vegan sources that are high in vitamin B12.

👇🏻 👇🏻 👇🏻 👇🏻 👇🏻

Nutritional Yeast
Fortified Plant-Based Milk
Fortified Breakfast Cereal
White butyon mushrooms
Fortified Rice
Supplements
Tempeh.
Chlorella.
Nori Seaweed.

Chia pudding Bowl.

Chia pudding blowl is a dense and filling breakfast. Chia seeds is a super food. They are high in fibre, antioxidants,, protien and omega3 fatty acids.

Ingredients

200ml plant base milk

2 tbsp Chia seeds

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp maple syrup

A dash of cinnamon

Method

Toppings

Blueberries

Kiwi

Seeds

Method

Place all the ingredients into a mason jar, close it tightly and shake it.

Place thr jar in the refrigerator overnight.

Next day, emptty the puddibg into a bowl and stir well as the chia seeds will expand.

Add toppings of your choice and enjoy.

Healthy Berry Jam

Strawberries and raspberries are high in:
Antioxidants nutrients
Fibre
Helps with weight loss
High in folate
High in micronutrients
Lowers Cholesterol

Ingredients

2 cups of strawberries

3 cups of raspberries

4 tbs chia seeds

1 lemon

2 tbs of maple syrup

Method

Start by adding all the ingredients in a large pan.

Cook the over a low to medium heat for around 10-12 mins.

Once cooked remove from heat.

If there are any big chunks, use a fork to mash them down.

Pour the jam into a jar and let it cool down.

Once cooled, close the jar and place it in the fridge..

Let’s talk about the macronutrient FAT

Fat breaks down into fatty acids to provide the body with energy. Apart from being a rich source of energy, it has many of the essential roles in the body:

Provides the body with essential fatty acids.

structural compounds, which body is unable to produce itself and can only get from food.

absorb fat-soluble vitamins.

Creates hormones.

promotes healthy skin and hair.

Essential for brain health, as the brain is composed of 60% fat.

Fats found in the following foods:

Oils – olive, canola, sunflower, vegetable, soybean, sesame, peanut, etc

Dairy: Butter, margarine,
Full fat and 2% dairy &
Eggs.

Meat, poultry and
fish.
Nuts & seeds
Avocado

Trans fats should be cut out or reduced from thr diet. They mostly come from hydrogenating or adding hydrogen molecules to unsaturated fats. It can be found in margarine, shortening, baked goods, doughs, and fried foods.

Large quantities of saturated fat caused high cholesterol levels and increase risk of heart disease. It’s very
beneficial to reduce the amount of saturated fat in diet. Saturated fat is found mainly in animal sources like, fatty beef, lamb, pork, poultry with skin, lard, cream, butter, full fat cheese, and dairy.

Unsaturated fats are healthy fats and can help with decreasing thr risk of heart disease. They originate from plant sources; avocados, nuts and nut butters, seeds, olives, and oils (olive, canola, safflower etc.). Also found animal products like, fatty fish including salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna, and herring.

Importance of Carbohydrates

Let’s talk about carbs

There is a wde perception that carbs are the enemy when it come to weight loss peopletend to cut out carbs from their diet to achieve weight loss and follow low carb diet.

Let me start by dismissing this notion.. carbs are not the Enemy. Of course you should reduce processed and sugary carbohydrates from the diet, for weigh loss and to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

The healthier sources of carbs such as wholegrains, fruit, vegetables and pulses are an important integral part of a healthy, balanced diet and ones that will help with weight loss.

Another important point to make is that Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy: They fuel the brain, kidneys, heart muscles, and central nervous system.

Priary functions of carbohydrates

💪 Energy production.

💪 Energy storage.
Building

💪 macromolecules.

💪 Sparing protein.

💪 Assit with lipid metabolism.

Side effects of not eat enough carbs. Limiting Carbs from the diet can cause the body to break down fat into ketones for energy. This is called ketosis. Ketosis can cause side effects such as bad breath, headache, fatigue and weakness