Hot Chilli Salmon and Bean Salad

I love this time of year when the weather warms up and we start adding more varieties of salads to the weekly menu. This hot chilli salmon and bean salad is healthy, delicious and filling. There’s nothing more depressing than a salad made up of just lettuce, tomato and cucumber so that’s why I like mixing it up and adding rakes of other ingredients to jazz them up a bit. Not one to chop out food groups the addition of Jersey Royals add a bit of carbs to keep everyone happy.

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 hot chilli salmon fillets – ready cooked

8 small Jersey Royal potatoes

Small tub of mixed beans – I like edamame and borlotti

Bag of mixed leaves

Sprinkle of sweetcorn

A few cherry tomatoes on the vine

1/4 cucumber – cut into rounds and halved

Knob of butter to coat the Jersey Royals

Dressing

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil,

Squeeze of lemon

Salt and cracked black pepper to season

Teaspoon dijon mustard

Clove of garlic minced

Method

Start by boiling your Jersey Royals until tender in a pan of boiling salty water. ( Usually 10-15 mins until tender).

Meanwhile, chop your cucumber and tomatoes add to a large salad bowl along with the rest of your salad items.

Mix up your dressing in a small bowl. You can make up a dressing and use a smaller amount if you are trying to keep things a little lighter.

Shred up your salmon fillets into bite sized pieces leaving the skin aside and add to the bowl.

When your Jersey Royals are ready drain, tip back in the saucepan and add a little butter to coat them. Allow to cool slightly, then chop in half and add to the salad bowl.

Add your dressing and serve immediately.

Tip: Feel free to add your herb of choice. Chives work perfectly.

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Fruit Smoothie

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Getting the day off to a great start, this fruity smoothie is bursting with vitamins. Strawberry, pineapple, melon and orange.

Great for breakfast on the go when you’re short on time or a post work out energy boost.

Serves 2

Ingredients

5 strawberries

2 slices of pineapple (round)

1/4 small honeydew melon

Juice of an orange

A few cubes of ice

Method

Simply chop all your fruit except your orange and blitz with a few cubes of ice in your blender. Squeeze in your orange, stir and enjoy.

Berry Smoothie

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This has to be the easiest smoothie to make on the planet but also the most delicious.

Full of immune boosting vitamins. If you try it I promise you will love it!

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh strawberries

1/2 cup frozen blueberries

Juice of 1/4 of a lemon

Ice and fresh mint leaves to serve

Method

Simply pop all the ingredients apart from the ice and mint leaves into your blender and whizz until smooth.

Pour over ice and garnish with mint.

Berry and Walnut Energy Bars

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Weaning myself off the Christmas chocolate! Think my body will go into shock if I suddenly withdraw it completely. These energy bars are full of healthy fats, crunchy nuts, fruity berry goodness and just the tiniest bit of dark chocolate.

Great as an on the go breakfast or a post work out snack.

Ingredients

100g butter

200g porridge oats

50g walnuts

3 tablespoons honey

100g light soft brown sugar

50g blueberries

50g cranberries

50g dark chocolate – snapped into small pieces

Method

Pre heat oven to 170C / 150C fan

Grease and line your baking tin. I use a 28 x 19cm tin.

Mix to combine your oats, walnuts, berries and chocolate.

Warm your butter, honey and sugar in a pan over a low heat, stirring until fully melted.

Add the oat, nut, berry and chocolate mix, making sure all the ingredients are coated in the buttery liquid.

Transfer to your baking tin, press down to flatten and bake in the centre of the oven for 25 minutes.

Allow to cool but while still slightly warm transfer to a work surface and cut into 12 portions.

Eat one and feel gloriously full of energy.

Yoghurt with Honey, Figs and Raspberries

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What could be simpler and more healthy than a lovely bowl of natural yoghurt with raspberries, chopped figs and drizzled with honey. So simple you can’t even go as far as to call it a recipe.

Breakfast Bowl

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This is such a healthy breakfast to start the week off. Packed full of vitamins and minerals. I literally spoon the yoghurt into the bowl, add the chopped kiwi, scatter on some berries for a superfood boost and shake on a bit of granola and desiccated coconut. It feels like a treat but it’s so good for you. Love this for a post work out brunch too.

Mushroom And Cream Cheese Omelette

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It’s such a worry for Mum’s, thinking about what our teens are going to eat when they’re at Uni. That’s why I’ve added a section on the blog for ‘Uni Cooking’. This section is especially for students who need to cook something quick, easy, nutritious but also cost effective.

I’ll be adding to this section over time so don’t forget to check back for new recipes.

The simple omelette. Perfect as a brunch, post work-out fuel or a light evening meal accompanied with a fresh salad or that Uni favourite baked beans. You can vary it up in endless ways, mature cheddar and onion, ham and tomato, peppers onion and potato for a Spanish twist.

I like mushroom, cream cheese, a few ripe mini tomatoes on the vine with some basil and lots of salt and cracked black pepper.

Serves 1

Ingredients

3 large free range eggs

Knob of butter

2 tablespoons cream cheese

4 mushrooms of choice – sliced

Salt and cracked black pepper

Optional – herbs of choice and a few tomatoes

Method

Crack your eggs into a large mixing bowl and whisk them up. Add a grind of salt and cracked black pepper.

Now heat your butter in a small frying pan and swirl about so the butter coats the surface of the pan fully.

Add your sliced mushrooms and pan fry for a minute or two.

Add your whisked egg mixture and allow to bubble in the pan until almost firm. Once the mix is no longer runny quickly add your cream cheese and flip in half with a pan slice.

Once it looks lightly golden you’re done! Quick as anything with at least one of your five a day to keep Mum happy.

Serve with whatever takes your fancy.

Yoghurt with Berries and Granola

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When I’m in a rush yoghurt with fresh berries or greek yoghurt with a sprinkle of granola and a drizzle of honey is so quick and easy and a great alternative to bread.

It’s great for post-workout, for the kids when you’re in a rush before the school run or even as something sweet and healthy after a light meal. Best of all the combinations of yoghurts and fruits are endless.

Fact: Yoghurt provides almost every nutrient your body needs. It’s high in calcium and B vitamins. Great for bones, teeth and digestion.

Ham, Egg and Edamame Bean Salad

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Let’s whack the oven up to a bazillion degrees and cook a roast in a heatwave …said no-one ever! When it’s too hot outside sometimes a salad is all that I want. This one is delicious and packed full of protein. Wiltshire ham, boiled egg and edamame beans are the main features. Perfect for a post workout snack too.

Serves 2

Ingredients

4 slices of Wiltshire ham

2 eggs – boiled

Half bag of salad leaves and rocket

4 spring onions

4 vine tomatoes

A few slices of cucumber

100g mixed edamame beans and adzuki beans ( I buy a mixed tub of these from Waitrose)

Salad Dressing

One part vinegar, three parts extra virgin olive oil, a teaspoon of dijon mustard, little squeeze of lemon and salt and pepper to season. Shake it all up and drench and toss the salad.

Strawberry and Raspberry Summer Smoothie

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When it’s hot outside there’s nothing nicer than an ice cold fruit smoothie. The perfect post-workout breakfast.

Packed full of fresh strawberries and raspberries, bursting with vitamins and tastes like Summer.

Serves 2

Ingredients

6 medium strawberries

7 raspberries

1/2 cup raspberry yoghurt

1/2 cup semi skimmed milk

1 teaspoon honey

1/2 cup ice

Method

Simply put all the ingredients including the ice into the blender. If I can’t be bothered to get the blender out I just use a hand blender and put sunglasses on in case any ice chips fly out!! Weird!

Literally whizz all the ingredients up in your desired way until you have a lovely smooth, icy, frothy smoothie.

Decorate with a strawberry and sip though a candy cane coloured straw to be all retro.