Five recipes for a healthy new lifestyle instead of a diet

'Dieting supports an illusion that weight loss leads to happiness and health. Honestly, for most people, weight loss just tends to lead to more worry about weight re-gain'

(Re-Nourish/Tamin Jones)

It’s that time of year again - after the indulgences of the Christmas period when we’re all feeling a little more sluggish and heavier than we did at the beginning of December, we inevitably feel the desire to focus on our health.

Gym memberships are bought, the fridge is stocked with greens, and detox juice cleanses are embarked upon.

But this diet culture actually does us no favours.

By going on a quick-blitz diet you may lose a few pounds, but it’s not sustainable. And it’s also contributing to an unhealthy binge and purge relationship with food, which isn’t good for us.

“What faddy diet peddlers don’t share is that the true measure of a diet isn’t how you feel hours, days or even weeks later; it’s how you feel after months and years,” says Harley Street nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert.

“There are a lot of non-evidence-based ‘diets’ or fads out there that try (and often succeed) to convince you that you will lose weight healthily when, in fact, the opposite is true.”

Lambert believes that rather than going on a “diet”, we should try and change our approach to food and think of eating as a chance to nourish our bodies.

“Every year, people as diverse as obese and lean, teenagers and adults, the sedentary and elite athletes all attempt to lose weight on some form of diet,” she told The Independent.

“We’re tempted by all of a hope-filled media that say it can be different this time. Sadly, it’s likely that it won’t be different this time, and this isn’t your fault.

“Diets fail because they do not work sustainably over time. They give rise to perfectionism and promote unrealistic expectations with generally the rule being one-third to two-thirds of the weight lost being regained within one year and almost all is regained within five years.

“Dieting supports an illusion that weight loss leads to happiness and health. Honestly, for most people, weight loss just tends to lead to more worry about weight re-gain. We have lost sight of weight loss for health.”

So instead of starting the new year by undertaking some gruelling juice cleanse or diet that sees you eating only broccoli and grilled chicken, simply incorporate more healthy but delicious meals into your lifestyle.

That way you’ll help develop a healthy relationship with food, nourish your body and likely drop a few of those Christmas pounds along the way.

Here are some of Lambert’s best recipes from her new best-selling healthy eating and recipe book, Re-Nourish: A Simple Way to Eat Well.

The Full Healthy

(Re-Nourish/Tamin Jones)

“I am a big fan of a healthy fry-up and I often mix up the ingredients, from vegetarian sausages to smoked salmon or tofu, so you can adapt this to suit all tastes,” Lambert says.

“Broccoli contains many nutrients, including fibre, vitamins C and K, iron and potassium. It also contains more protein than most other vegetables so it’s a good to include wherever possible!”

SERVES 2

Ingredients

• olive oil, for frying
• 80g tenderstem broccoli
• pinch of chilli flakes
• 100g spinach
• 1 lemon, quartered
• 220g firm tofu, drained, patted dry with kitchen paper and crumbled (or use 120g smoked salmon)
• 160g halloumi, cut into 0.5cm thick slices
• pinch of ground turmeric
• pinch of paprika
• 1 slice of rye bread per person (optional)
• salt and black pepper

Method

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a wok or a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the broccoli and fry for 2–3 minutes, or until starting to soften, then stir in the chilli flakes.

Next add the spinach, the juice from 1 lemon quarter and a pinch of salt to the pan and cook for 1–2 minutes until the spinach has wilted and the broccoli is tender. Move the veg to one side of the pan to make way for the tofu. (If you are using smoked salmon instead of tofu, skip the following step.)

Add a dash more olive oil to the pan and add the tofu with a pinch of salt and the turmeric. Cook, stirring, until lightly golden, which should take 3–4 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small non-stick frying or griddle pan, warm a tablespoon of olive oil over a medium heat. Add the halloumi to the pan, sprinkle over the paprika and cook for 1–2 minutes on each side, or until browned. Meanwhile, toast the rye bread, if using.

Divide the cooked vegetables between two plates. Add the sliced smoked salmon, if using, and the fried halloumi slices. Season with a further sprinkle of chilli flakes and some black pepper and serve each plate with a wedge of lemon.

Rainbow pizza omelette

“This has to be one of my signature breakfasts; it’s honestly super-easy and so satisfying,” Lambert says. “You can really get creative here and turn this into your own favourite healthy breakfast.

“Boost the nutritional value by making your rainbow omelette as colourful as possible and don’t be scared to try new toppings.”

SERVES 2

Ingredients

• 5 medium eggs
• ¼ tsp ground turmeric (optional)
• ½ tsp chilli flakes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 80g roasted vegetables (about 1 aubergine or 1 courgette or 1–2 peppers)
• 60g tuna or salmon, flaked (fresh or tinned)
• 30g mozzarella, torn
• handful of cooked kale or raw spinach leaves
• 4 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• salt and black pepper 

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.

Whisk the eggs in a small bowl with the turmeric and chilli flakes and season with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in a medium ovenproof frying pan over a low heat. Pour in the eggs, swirl around the pan, and then leave to cook over a low heat for 5 minutes. Transfer to the preheated oven and cook for 2–3 minutes until the top starts to brown.

Remove from the oven, scatter over your toppings and return to the oven for another 3 minutes until the cheese has melted and the top of the omelette is set.

Quinoa-crusted mac and cheese

(Re-Nourish/Tamin Jones (Re-Nourish/Tamin Jones)

“I am sure I am not alone when I say mac ‘n’ cheese was a childhood favourite,” says Lambert “With a few tweaks, this old classic has been reworked to contain more fibre and protein and, if portioned correctly, can be a stand-alone dish or a small side dish.”

SERVES 4

Ingredients

• 90g quinoa
• 30g butter (or use lactose-free butter or olive oil)
• 30g plain flour (or use gluten-free brown rice flour)
• 500ml milk of choice
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole and lightly crushed
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 80g Cheddar, grated (or use a vegan or dairy-free version)
• 35g Parmesan, grated (or use a vegetarian/vegan or dairy-free version)
• pinch of grated nutmeg
• 300g brown rice pasta (I like elbow macaroni)
• 90g breadcrumbs (or use gluten-free breadcrumbs)
• salt and black pepper 

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C/425°F/gas mark 7. First cook your quinoa following the instructions on the packet (usually around 15 minutes). If not all the water has been absorbed, drain well and put to one side.

Next make the béchamel sauce. Melt the butter or oil in a medium pan over a low heat, add the flour and stir constantly for about 3 minutes. Slowly add the milk, stirring all the time. Add the garlic and mustard and bring to a simmer. Cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, for about 15 minutes, or until thickened. The sauce is ready when it coats the back of a spoon.

Take the pan off the heat, remove the garlic and stir in the Cheddar and half of the Parmesan. Add a grating of nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, cook your pasta following the instructions on the packet. When the pasta is cooked, drain and add it to the béchamel sauce. Stir well and pour into an oven dish.

To make the quinoa crust, combine the cooked quinoa, breadcrumbs, remaining Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper. Scatter this mixture over the mac ‘n’ cheese and then bake for 20–24 minutes, or until golden and crispy on top.

Apple crumble

(Re-Nourish/Tamin Jones (Re-Nourish/Tamin Jones)

“I would always go for a crumble over a pie; it is one of my all-time favourites,” says Lambert. “I’ve tweaked the recipe and made a flourless topping with oats and almonds to give an extra protein punch.

“Cinnamon and apple work well together but if you have other firm fruit that needs using up, such as peaches or plums, you can always use those instead. Serve with a scoop of ice cream or yoghurt.”

SERVES 4–6

Ingredients

For the apple base

• 600g eating apples (e.g. Braeburn or Gala), peeled, cored and cut into chunks
• 60g berries of your choice
• juice of 1 orange
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

For the crumble topping

• 100g rolled oats
• 40g ground almonds
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 4 tbsp butter or coconut oil (cold)
• 2 tbsp honey

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.

Put the apples, berries, orange juice, honey and cinnamon into a baking dish and pour over 3 tablespoons of water. Stir gently to combine.

To make the topping, put half the oats into a food processor and blitz to a flour. Tip into a bowl and stir in the rest of the oats, the ground almonds and cinnamon. Rub the butter (or solid coconut oil) into the mixture with your fingertips, then mix in the honey too.

Spread the crumble on top of the apple base and bake in the oven for 30–40 minutes, or until the crumble is golden brown on top.

Chocolate protein pancakes

(Re-Nourish/Tamin Jones (Re-Nourish/Tamin Jones)

“I’ve used buckwheat flour and chocolate protein powder but you can use any flour you like, and vanilla protein powder would work just as well,” says Lambert.

“These pancakes are a healthy dessert item and can also act as a great breakfast option – they are high in protein and will leave you full and satisfied.”

SERVES 2

Ingredients

• 1 small banana
• 1 medium egg (omit for vegan pancakes, as long as you include the banana)
• 140ml milk of choice
• 1 tsp honey (optional)
• 20g chocolate protein powder
• 20g buckwheat flour 
• 1 tbsp 100 per cent unsweetened cocoa powder or raw cacao powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• coconut or olive oil, for frying

To serve

• yoghurt, berries, nut butter, maple syrup, honey, chopped nuts or chocolate

Method

Put the banana into a bowl and mash with a fork. Whisk in the egg, milk and honey, if using. Then add all the dry ingredients and whisk again. (Alternatively you can just whizz everything together in a blender.)

Warm a large frying pan over a medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl it around the pan. Dollop in around 1 heaped tablespoon of the batter mixture to make an American-style thicker pancake, then continue to add 2 or 3 to the pan (don’t overcrowd the pan as it makes them difficult to flip). Cook for 2–3 minutes each side, only flipping when the underside is browned and has formed a light crust.

Remove from the pan when done on both sides and continue with the rest of the batter.

Plate the pancakes up in a stack and serve with your favourite toppings.

Re-Nourish: A Simple Way to Eat Well is out now.