Get the Glow (13 page)

thai chicken soup with toasted peanuts

This soup has a great kick from the curry paste, which teams well with the creamy coconut milk. Sugarsnap peas have to be one of my favourite veggies, and they give this soup some sweetness and a nice crunch.

serves 2

1 tbsp coconut oil

4 chicken thighs, skin on and bone in

1 tsp freshly grated ginger

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes

2 tbsp red curry paste

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 x 400ml can coconut milk

300ml chicken stock or water

1 tbsp gluten-free tamari, soy sauce or Liquid Aminos

juice of 1 lime

1 handful peanuts

200g sugarsnap peas, halved

salt and pepper

Heat the coconut oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the chicken, and rub in the ginger and garlic. Throw the chicken into the pan and cook for 10 minutes, turning so it browns on all sides, then remove it from the pan and put it to one side.

Put the sweet potato into the same pan, and cook for 10 minutes, adding more coconut oil if you need to. Add the curry paste and smoked paprika, and cook while stirring for a further minute.

Pour over the coconut milk and stock or water, and bring to a simmer. Pop the chicken back into the pan and add the soy sauce, tamari or Liquid Aminos. Simmer for 10–15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked, then squeeze in the lime juice.

In a dry frying pan, toast the peanuts until lightly browned. Serve the soup with the toasted peanuts sprinkled over, and sugarsnap peas thrown in.

four amazing jam jar salad dressings

A dressing is what gives life to a salad. And when you do it healthily, you have all the nutritious benefits, too. Cider vinegar is amazing for digestion, and really gives your skin the glow. For all the dressings, simply put the ingredients in a jam jar, shake it with the lid on, and pour over your salad.

each dressing serves 8

classic lemon dressing

8 tbsp olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

pinch salt

cider vinegar dressing

8 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp cider vinegar

pinch salt

pinch ground pepper

French dressing

8 tbsp olive oil

½ garlic clove, crushed

pinch salt

1 tsp Dijon mustard

2 tbsp cider vinegar

honey and mustard dressing

8 tbsp olive oil

pinch salt

1 tsp English mustard

1 tbsp runny honey

green goddess bowl

This is a bowl of total green goodness. Inspired by lazy breakfasts in Bondi Beach, this dish will instantly transform you into a goddess. Thanks to the vitamin-packed kale and the skin-saving avocado, you will be bouncing out the door after this number.

serves 2

50g kale, thinly shredded

1 tbsp coconut oil

100g spinach

4 eggs

3 tbsp sesame seeds

1 avocado

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp cider vinegar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve

salt and pepper

Heat the coconut oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the shredded kale with a pinch of salt and sauté for 4 minutes.

Put the spinach in a bowl and pour just-boiled water from a kettle over it to cover, then strain through a sieve. Mix this through the kale, and set aside.

Half-fill a pan with boiling water, and gently drop in the eggs one by one (make sure the water covers them). Boil the eggs for 5 minutes (for runny) and up to 9 minutes (for hard-boiled). Remove the eggs from the pan, and run them under cold water to cool. Crack the shell all around gently with a spoon, and keep the egg under a little cold running water while you peel off the shell.

Spread the sesame seeds out on a plate, mixed with a pinch of salt. Rub the eggs evenly in the sesame seed mixture.

Cut open the avocado, scoop out the flesh and cut it into chunks. Shake the olive oil, vinegar and mustard in a jam jar.

Divide all the components between two bowls, squeeze over the lime wedges and drizzle over the dressing from the jam jar.

halloumi salad with kale and strawberry vinaigrette

I massage the kale before using it, as it can be quite a robust leaf, and this makes it easier to digest the iron and vitamins it contains. The saltiness of the halloumi perfectly complements the sweet acidity of strawberry, and bulks up the salad amazingly.

serves 2

2 tbsp coconut oil

½ red onion, thinly sliced

1 bunch kale, leaves massaged and sliced lengthways into strips

pinch salt

6 strawberries, hulled and cut into tiny chunks

2 tbsp water

juice of 1 lemon

1 tbsp cider vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

200g halloumi, cut into 1cm slices

2 tbsp sesame seeds, to serve

Heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil in a large wok over a high heat for 1 minute. Add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes, then add the kale and a pinch of salt, and stir-fry for another 3 minutes. Set aside.

Put the strawberries in a pan with the water, lemon juice, vinegar and olive oil and heat over a low heat. Mash down the berries to form a purée, and put this in a small jam jar to cool.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of coconut oil in a frying pan over a high heat, then fry the halloumi for 1 minute on each side.

Grab two serving plates and pop the kale and halloumi on top, then pour over the dressing and scatter with sesame seeds.

superfood crispy broccoli

This side salad is not your typical steamed broccoli. No, it has a lot of crunch and a whole host of superfoods piled in. We all know broccoli is good for us, but this salad takes it to another level with antioxidant-packed goji berries, vitamin C–rich chilli and essential fatty acids from the trusty coconut.

serves 4 as a side

200ml water

300g tenderstem broccoli

1 tbsp coconut oil

3 tbsp olive oil

zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp chilli flakes

3 tbsp pumpkin seeds

3 tbsp goji berries

salt and pepper

Boil the water in the kettle. Put the broccoli florets into a large saucepan, and pour over the boiling water and add a pinch of salt. Put a lid on the pan, and keep it at a simmer over a low heat. Allow to steam for 4 minutes, then drain and immediately run the broccoli under ice-cold water.

Heat a griddle pan over a high heat with ½ tablespoon coconut oil. Grill the broccoli for 4 minutes, turning every minute or so to ensure that it cooks evenly.

Put the broccoli in a bowl with the olive oil, a pinch of salt and a good grind of pepper. Add the lemon zest and juice, and give everything a good stir.

Heat the remaining coconut oil in a frying pan and toast the chilli flakes with the pumpkin seeds for 2 minutes, then toss this over the broccoli with the goji berries.

thai beef salad with salt and pepper cashews

This salad was created for my mum, and without a doubt this is the only dish she will order when we go for Thai. Creamy tahini teamed with the salt and pepper cashews gives this salad an exhilarating flavour. I like to keep my beef raw in the middle, for a bit of a modern twist on a conventional Thai salad.

serves 2

2 rib-eye steaks (or other favourite cut)

1 tsp coconut oil

50g cashew nuts

zest and juice of 1 lime

1 large clove garlic, crushed

1 tbsp freshly grated ginger

2 tbsp tahini

1 red chilli, chopped, and deseeded if you like it less spicy

2 tsp gluten-free tamari, soy sauce or Liquid Aminos

50g kale, cut into ½cm strips

1 red pepper, cut into ½cm strips

2 carrots, grated

50g beansprouts

1 tbsp sesame seeds

10g fresh basil

10g fresh coriander

salt and pepper

Grind some salt and pepper over the steaks and leave on one side.

In a medium frying pan heat 1 teaspoon coconut oil with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper. Throw in the cashew nuts, toss well and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir the lime zest into the nuts and set aside.