Nutritious Recipes for Healthy Eating
Explore a variety of wholesome dishes designed to boost your nutrition and delight your taste buds. From vibrant salads to hearty mains, these recipes focus on high-fibre, protein-rich ingredients that support a balanced diet.
Halloumi Salad with Pomegranate Salsa
This Middle Eastern-inspired salad features freekeh, a young green durum wheat that is roasted to remove its outer layer, offering a mild, smoky flavour. Freekeh is rich in fibre and protein, making it a superior healthy carbohydrate choice. Paired with salty halloumi and a sweet pomegranate salsa, this dish is a perfect blend of textures and tastes. For alternatives, you can substitute freekeh with bulgur wheat or quinoa.
Ingredients:
- 100g dried freekeh (or 200g cooked)
- Sea salt, vegetable stock powder, or bouillon
- Extra virgin olive oil (optional)
- 400g halloumi, sliced
- Pomegranate seeds, red onion, cucumber, red chilli, lime, herbs for salsa
- Rocket leaves, orange, beetroot, red onion for salad
- Extra virgin olive oil and apple cider vinegar for dressing
- Pomegranate molasses or balsamic vinegar for serving
Instructions:
- Cook freekeh in seasoned water for 15-20 minutes, then drain and cool.
- Fry halloumi slices in a dry or oiled pan until golden.
- Combine salsa ingredients and season.
- Whisk dressing ingredients together.
- Arrange salad components, drizzle with dressing, top with halloumi and salsa, and finish with molasses.
Storage: Salsa keeps for 2 days in the fridge; freekeh for up to 3 days.
Pork Loin with Smoky Beans
Lean pork tenderloin is seasoned with smoked paprika, cumin, and garlic, then seared and roasted to perfection. Served on a bed of creamy white beans with carrots and tomatoes, this dish is topped with fresh apple for added fibre and anti-inflammatory benefits. The recipe emphasises keeping vegetable skins on to retain nutrients.
Ingredients:
- Smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, sea salt
- 450g pork tenderloin
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Onion, garlic, carrots, cherry tomatoes, white beans, parsley, apple cider vinegar for beans
- Tenderstem broccoli or savoy cabbage and red apples for serving
Instructions:
- Mix spices and rub onto pork, then sear and roast in the oven.
- Sauté vegetables, add beans and spices, simmer until creamy.
- Steam greens and prepare apple.
- Serve sliced pork with beans, apple, and greens.
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; reheat separately.
Sweet Potato and Feta Frittata
Ideal for brunch or lunch, this frittata combines sweet potato, peas, eggs, and Greek yogurt with feta and parmesan. It's easy to make ahead and transport, offering a protein-packed meal that serves 6 for breakfast or 4 for lunch.
Ingredients:
- Red onion, extra virgin olive oil, sweet potato, frozen peas
- Eggs, Greek yogurt, feta, parmesan
- Mixed seeds, kimchi, salad for serving
Instructions:
- Sauté onion until caramelised.
- Boil sweet potato and peas, then drain.
- Whisk eggs and yogurt, mix in cheeses and vegetables, then bake.
- Serve with seeds, kimchi, and salad.
Storage: Frittata keeps for 3 days in the fridge; reheat in oven or air fryer.
Rustic Butter Bean 'Gnocchi'
This dish swaps traditional gnocchi for butter beans, providing more soluble fibre and protein. Cooked with vegetables and tomatoes, it's a comforting meal topped with Greek yogurt and parmesan, suitable for quick weeknight dinners.
Ingredients:
- Extra virgin olive oil, red onion, garlic, carrot, courgette
- Butter beans, tinned tomatoes, tomato purée, spinach, parsley, lemon juice
- Greek yogurt and parmesan for serving
Instructions:
- Sauté vegetables until tender.
- Add beans, tomatoes, and purée, simmer.
- Stir in spinach, parsley, and lemon juice.
- Serve with yogurt and parmesan.
Storage: Best eaten fresh; leftovers keep for 2 days in the fridge.
Two-Ingredient Chocolate Fudge
Made with dark chocolate and tahini, this fudge is rich in calcium from sesame seeds. It's a simple, dairy-free treat that sets in the fridge, perfect for a healthy dessert or snack.
Ingredients:
- 100g dark chocolate (70-85% cocoa)
- 120g tahini
- Extra tahini and sea salt for topping
Instructions:
- Melt chocolate, mix with tahini, pour into tin.
- Swirl in extra tahini, refrigerate until set, then cut into squares.
Storage: Keep in fridge for up to 5 days.
Crispy Edamame Beans
A high-protein, high-fibre snack, these roasted edamame beans are seasoned with tamari, sesame oil, and chilli. They offer a healthier alternative to crisps and can be customised with various spices.
Ingredients:
- Tamari or soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, garlic, chilli flakes
- 200g frozen edamame beans
Instructions:
- Combine seasonings, coat edamame, then bake or air fry until crispy.
Storage: Best eaten fresh.
Carrot and Courgette Yogurt Loaf
This no-knead loaf is packed with grated vegetables, oats, and seeds, offering a moist texture and high fibre content. It's quick to prepare and ideal for incorporating more veggies into your diet.
Ingredients:
- Grated courgette and carrot, rolled oats, Greek yogurt
- Flaxseeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, parmesan, eggs, baking powder, dried herbs
Instructions:
- Squeeze liquid from courgette, mix all ingredients, form into loaf, and bake.
Storage: Keeps for 2-3 days at room temperature; freezes well.
Jewelled Granola
A colourful granola made with oats, seeds, and orange zest, topped with pistachios, cranberries, and freeze-dried raspberries. It's designed to balance energy levels and curb cravings when paired with yogurt.
Ingredients:
- Rolled oats, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, orange zest and juice, extra virgin olive oil
- Pistachio nuts, chia seeds, dried cranberries, freeze-dried raspberries
Instructions:
- Mix base ingredients, bake until golden, cool in oven, then stir in toppings.
Storage: Store in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Get the Book
These recipes are from No-Nonsense Nutrition by Dominique Ludwig, with photography by Smith & Gilmour. Available for purchase through various retailers, offering a comprehensive guide to healthy eating.
