The Low Back Pain Diet
Nutrition
- Sleep
- Track with sleep cycle, try to average 8hrs
- Less sleep increases sensitivity to painful stimuli and is associated with the onset of chronic pain problems.
- Most people start to move towards a more “pro-inflammatory” state at less than 7hrs sleep
- Aim for a 1g of protein a day for each kg of healthy body weight.
- 100g of meat, fish or nuts will give you approx 20g of protein as a rough guide.
- Look to get this from animal sources where possible. Nuts are an acceptable substitute for 1 portion a day.
- 3 eggs will provide approx 21grams
- Ideally you would split this across 3 smaller portions throughout the day.
- Increase fruit and vegetable intake to 8 portions a day
- Studies have shown that averaging 8 portions of fruit and vegetables can reduce all cause mortality and reduce inflammatory markers.
- A portion is roughly a handful
- Try 2 portions of fruit with breakfast
- Look for 2 types of leaves, 1 portion fruit e.g. pomegranate seeds or grated apple and couple more veg in salad for lunch
- Then you only need one more with dinner.
- Get 1g of omega 3’s in each day. Get this from fish 3 days a week and via chia or flax seeds on the other 4 days
- Chia seeds are an easy option, 1 small chia pot will provide up to 5grams
- Otherwise 100g of salmon will give you 2 grams
- 1 tablespoon of milled flax seeds provides over 2g of omega 3s. This can be added to yoghurt and in conjunction with a teaspoon of manuka makes a very useful and tasty addition to the diet.
- Consume probiotic foods
- A healthy gut flora reduces levels of systemic inflammation
- 100g a day of natural yoghurt/ kefir
- 200ml kombucha is another great option
- Sauerkraut, fermented salsa, kimchi
- Pickles/ cornichons/ pickled cucumbers (not made with vinegar as this kills the probiotic bacteria)
- Consume enough carbohydrate to make sure your energy levels are good.
- Add more bulk carbohydrates from sources such as brown rice, wild rice, oats, lentils and sweet potato until your energy levels are ideal.
- Limiting carbohydrate intake has been shown to reduce level of inflammatory markers that increase pain perception.
- As body fat produces inflammatory mediators that lead to increased pain sensation, and offers an additional load we will look to decrease your body fat levels. Reducing bulk carbohydrate intake is one of the simplest ways to achieve this.
- 30grams of dark 70% cocoa chocolate per day is associated with lower levels of inflammation
- Track your diet using an app like myfitnesspal
- On there go to more in the bottom right of the main screen, then goals, then calorie & macronutrient goals
- Fibre
- Add more fibre to your diet until your bowel movements try to float
- When to eat
- Again the timing of eating is quite variable. Generally speaking its best to get as many calories as possible in earlier in the day. I would suggest just generally keeping this in mind and aiming to eat more earlier in the day and lighter at the end of the day.
- Once you have all this in place CALORIES MATTERS
- Try not operate at more than a 10% calorie deficit each day if trying to lose weight
- Body fat produces pro-inflammatory cells, which increase the sensitivity of your threat detectors that contribute to us feeling mechanical pain.
- Below I’ve included my most frequently recommended videos for people interested in weight loss.
- This lecture is 1 hour and 15 minutes long. In it Christopher Gardener talks about the research he did comparing the different spectrum of diets from high carb to low carb. He discusses how well people actually follow the diets and how much weight people lost. He then links it back in with the interesting concepts of relative density and water content. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eREuZEdMAVo
- In this excellent 1 hour 10 minute presentation Gary Taubes explains why loosing weight is not just about calories in and calories out. Gary explains that having excess fat is not caused by eating too much or exercising too little. But by a dysfunction in the body’s fat storing mechanism. Fat storage is stimulated by the level of insulin in the system and this is raised when carbohydrates are consumed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTUspjZG-wc&feature=related
Liquids and Hydration
- Stay adequately hydrated
- A good rough guide is 0.333litres x your body weight in kg, e.g. 100kg =3.3 litres per day
- The key is to make sure your urine is clear
- Feel free to have 1 Cup of coffee per day at least 8 hours before bed
- Up to 4 shots of espresso per day appears to reduce levels of systemic inflammation
- Green Tea can reduce inflammation
Dietary Supplements
- Sun Warrior Vegan Protein – if needed
- Omega 3’s if deficient or not consuming dietary sources. Get these via Eskimo fish oil capsules 8/ day with food
- 1 gram per day Turmeric, taken with black pepper and food
- 400mg White willow bark (if on no medications) 1/ day
- 100mg Devils claw (if on no medications) 1/ day
Ointments
- Arnica – applied to sites of pain up to every 4 hours.
- CBD oil – applied to sites of pain up to every 4 hours.
Menu
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday- vegetarian day | Thursday- vegan day | Friday- fish | Saturday | Sunday | |
| Breakfast | Spicy scrambled eggs with 4 veg and 2 fruit | Smoked salmon on toast strawberries & fresh squeezed orange juice | Protein, chia pancakes with yoghurt and blueberries | Overnight mango coconut yoatie | Smoked mackerel on toast | Porridge, chia, cocoa nibs, protein powder, banana, manuka, cinnamon | Boiled eggs on gluten free toast, smoked salmon |
| Juice | Anti-inflammatory carrot, apple & ginger | Blueberry and cherry blast | Spinach, celery and cucumber | Nutty, blueberry & cherry blast | Blueberry & hemp seed smoothie | Pineapple, turmeric and cucumber | Kale, grape, ginger and lemon |
| Lunch | Super quick chicken, & veggie lentils with sauerkraut. | Chicken salad with sauerkraut | Lentil pasta passata with kimchi | Tai green tofu curry with ramen and kimchi | Salmon, and dill pickle | Steamed cod with kimchi | Roast chicken, veg and sauerkraut |
| Snack | Humus & carrots | Skyr yoghurt, Blueberries, raspberries/ strawberries | Apple & nut butter | Salted caramel bliss balls | Cottage cheese with tomato & basil | Devilled eggs with humus | Flap jack |
| Dinner | Turkey and tray baked vegetables | Chicken and yoghurt tenders | Crock pot beans Bolognese | Rice & beans burrito | Salmon and Cauliflower rice bowl | Mediterranean Turmeric and Fennel Chicken | Chinese chicken salad |
| Dessert | Skyr yoghurt, honey & flax seeds | Chocolate flax yoatie | Avocado, cocoa & chia mousse | Chocolate cherry chia pudding | Berry Flax Freezer pops | Chocolate flax seed, banana bites | Hot chocolate |
Using The Menu
You could eat the whole menu above as laid out. However, most likely you’ll like the sound of some meals and have specific dietary requirements, which will choose you to exclude some meals.
Thus most likely you might have one breakfast 3-4 times per week and another on the other days. Whilst using the grab and go do as a guideline for those times when you cannot prepare food at all.
When cooking it is often easier to cook a double portion for dinner and then have the left overs for lunch the following day.
Eating Out Grab & Go’s
| Monday- Tesco | Tuesday- Sainsbury’s | Wednesday- Marks & Spencer | Thursday- Pret | Friday- Leon | Saturday- Waitrose | Sunday-
Whole foods |
|
| Breakfast | Skyr yoghurt, Blueberries, raspberries | Alpro coconut yoghurt with strawberries & cherries | Natural yoghurt & blueberries & raspberries | Egg, mushroom, beans power pot + coconut bowl | Smoked salmon and avocado pot | Unearthed Spanish omlette | Qnola, almond and vanilla with plenish nut milk |
| Juice | Green machine juice | Innocent energise/ invigorate smoothie | Apple & ginger juice | Loads of good options! Almond protein, green juice etc | Kombucha | Wow Chia drink | Nourish kefir |
| Lunch | Cooked chicken breast, beetroot salad | Cooked chicken breast, 4 bean salad | Cooked chicken +kimchi coleslaw, waldorf salad | Tuna nicoise salad | Chicken satay hot box | Ranoch smoked chicken breast, deli beetroot salad, | Cosi organic chicken, BOL salad jar & beetroot salad, Laurie’s saurkrout |
| Snack | Carrots & humus | Apple & walnuts | Dried mango & cashews | Apple & almond butter bowl | Cardamon and cranberry PaLeon bar | Goldenberries & unsalted nuts | Raw health zesty lemon chia balls |
| Dinner | Pre-cooked Salmon fillet, spiced cauliflower & chickpea salad | Deli roast turkey, organic salad & organic guacamole | Cooked prawns & beetroot skinny slaw, super nutty whole food salad | Sesame salmon and black rice | Brazillian black bean | Unearthed prawns, mixed bean salad | Cosi organic Turkey, Mrs Renfro’s salsa, mixed leaves, bean salad |
| Pudding | Fullfil bar | Trek oat protein flapjack | Hazelnut millionaire shortbread | Mango chia pot | Vegan billionaire shortbread | Booja booja ice cream | Raw health hemp protein balls |
Grocery Delivery
Riverford Organics
Excellent organic meat, fruit, veg and more
Ready to Eat Meal Delivery Options
Soulmate food
Approx £23/ day+ , hello10 for a 10% discount
Good basic food, geared to support training, I recommend the snacks as well.
Note there admin can be bad and mistakes are quite common, just complain straight away and they will correct things very quickly.
PurePackage
Approx £40/ day+
Higher end and excellent quality meals delivered to you.
Snacks & Bars
UK
Organic Biltong
https://www.coombefarmorganic.co.uk/products/207-organic-beef-biltong
Organic food bar with added greens and good protein
Macrobiotic bars
https://www.gomacro.com/shop/protein-bars/
US
Epic Bars
https://www.amazon.com/Epic-Natural-Bison-Uncured-Cranberry/dp/B00ET7LPK4?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_4&th=1
RXBAR bars
https://www.amazon.com/RXBAR-Whole-Food-Protein-Blueberry/dp/B0143NQW2E?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_8&th=1
Breakfasts
Spicy Scrambled Eggs with 4 veg and 2 fruit
Preparation time: 0 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins
Ingredients:
- 3 eggs
- 50g smoked salmon
- Tablespoon olive oil/ butter/ coconut oil
- ½ red onion
- 1 chilli- to suit your taste
- 50g tomatoes
- 1 huge handful of Spinach
- Salt
- Pepper
- Cumin
- Paprika
- Follow with 2 good handfuls of bluebberies & raspberries
Directions:
- Heat a little butter or other quality fat on a low heat so it lightly melts but does not burn.
- Chop the onion and chilli and sauté in the oil over a low heat .
- While the onion and chilli sauté chop the tomatoes and add these once the onion has gone slightly translucent.
- Let these gently sauté as well and then add the spinach.
- Stir the spinach around in the pan whilst whisking the eggs.
- Once the spinach has wilted season with salt, pepper, paprika and cumin, then add the whisked eggs.
- Let the eggs cook and mix around to ensure everything is combined. Leave to cook to suit your taste in terms of how cooked through you like your eggs.
- Serve with the smoked salmon.
Smoked salmon on toast followed by strawberries & fresh squeezed orange juice
Preparation time: 2 mins
Cooking time: 2 mins
Ingredients:
- 1 slice gluten free bread
- 50g smoked salmon
- 1 large orange
- Handful strawberries
Directions:
- Toast the bread
- Place the smoked salmon on top
- Season with pepper and possibly a little Himalayan salt, and chives to taste
- Follow with 1 good handful of strawberries and a freshly squeezed orange juice
Protein Pancakes (2 pancakes, good for 1 person)
Preparation time: 5 mins +10 mins wait
Cooking time: 3-12 minutes
Calories: 300
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup coconut flour.
- 1 scoop vanilla vegan protein powder
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds.
- 1 large egg.
- 1/3 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk.
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt (any flavour)
- 1/2 cup blueberries.
Directions:
- Mix together coconut flour and protein powder.
- Add in almond milk, egg, vanilla and chia seeds.
- Set mixture aside for 10 mins.
- Place a non-stick skillet (or skillet greased with coconut oil) over medium heat.
- Cook each pancake for 2-3 minutes per side. Do not overcrowd skillet.
- Top with Greek yogurt and blueberries.
Overnight Mango Coconut Yoatie
Preparation time: 5 mins
Cooking time: Leave overnight in fridge
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
- 3/4 cup Coconut Milk
- 1/2 cup gluten free oats
- 1 tbsp Chia Seeds
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 tsp Manuka Honey
- 1/2 cup Mango Peeled and Cubed
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, cover and leave overnight.
Smoked Mackerel on Toast
Preparation time: 1 min
Cooking time: 5 mins
Ingredients:
- 1 fillet smoked mackerel
- Handful of tomatoes or 1 good big one
- Basil (handful fresh if possible)
- Oregano dired)
- 1 slice gluten free toast
Directions:
- Warm up the mackerel for 5 mins in the oven.
- Toast the bread.
- Slice the tomatoes on to the toast and cover with the herbs.
- Flake the mackerel on top and enjoy.
Porridge, Chia, Cocoa Nibs, Protein Powder, Banana, Manuka, Cinnamon
Preparation time: 5 mins
Cooking time: Leave overnight in fridge
Ingredients:
- 1 cup gluten free oats
- 1 tbsp Chia Seeds
- 2 tsp Manuka Honey
- 2 scoops or 20g of protein equivalent in protein powder
- 1 banana
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Directions:
Put 1 cup of oats and 1.5 cups of water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Poached Eggs on Gluten Free Toast with Smoked Salmon
Preparation time: 2 mins
Cooking time: 10 mins
Ingredients:
- 1 slice gluten free toast
- 2 eggs
- 50g smoked salmon
- Optional, serve with sauted spinach, tomatoes and mushrooms
Directions:
- Bring water to the boil, with a dash of vinegar
- Place bread in toaster
- Once water boils, stir water to create a vortex/ whirpool effect, then crack an egg in to the middle of the vortex and continue stiring. Remove egg was clearly cooked on the outside. Repeat for the other egg.
- Place eggs on the toast and serve with smoked salmon.
Juices
Apple, carrot, ginger & turmeric smoothie
Preparation time: 2 mins
Cooking time: 1 min
Ingredients:
1 Apple
1 carrot medium
½ thumb of ginger
2 teaspoons turmeric
black pepper
1 cup water
Directions:
Core the apple, chop the carrot in to 3-4 pieces and cut the skin off the ginger.
Add all ingredients to a nutribullet or food processor and blend/ blast for 1 min or until all ingredients are combined.
Blueberries & Cherry Blast
Preparation time: 2 mins
Cooking time: 30 secs
Ingredients:
1 Cup Kale
½ Cup Frozen Blueberries
½ Cup Frozen Cherries
1 Tablespoon Flax Seeds
½ Inch Turmeric
1 ½ Cups Coconut Water
Directions:
Place all ingredients in a nutribullet or similar and “blast” for 30 seconds.
Spinach, Celery and Cucumber Blast
Preparation time: 2 mins
Cooking time: 30 secs
Ingredients:
1 Cup Spinach
1 Stalk Celery
1 Cup Cucumber
½ Cup Pineapple
½ Lime
2 Tablespoons Flax Seeds
3 Ice Cubes *
1 ½ Cups Coconut Water
Directions:
Blast for 30 seconds.
Nutty Blueberry & Cherry Blast
Preparation time: 2 mins
Cooking time: 30 secs
Ingredients:
2 Cups Kale
½ Cup Blueberries
½ Cup Cherries
1 Tablespoon Flax Seeds
3 Walnuts
½ Teaspoon Turmeric
1 ½ Cups Water
Directions:
Blast for 30 seconds.
Blueberry & Hemp Seed Smoothie
Preparation time: 2 mins
Cooking time: 30 secs
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup (140 g) frozen blueberries (or other frozen berry of choice)
2 tbsp (22 g) hemp seeds
1 serving (30 g) vanilla plant-based protein powder
1/2 cup packed (30 g), fresh spinach or kale
1 tsp spirulina or chlorella powder
1 1/4 unsweetened plant-based milk of choice
Directions:
Blend all together till smooth and serve
Pineapple, turmeric and cucumber
Preparation time: 2 mins
Cooking time: 30 secs
Ingredients:
Handful of pineapple
½ cucumbers
2 three-inch pieces of fresh turmeric root or
1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon
Black pepper
Directions:
- Juice the pineapple, cucumber and fresh turmeric and pour into a glass.
- Stir in the cinnamon and black pepper enjoy!
Kale, grape, ginger and lemon
Preparation time: 2 mins
Cooking time: 30 secs
Ingredients:
1 bunch kale
1 cup grapes
1 slice ginger, optional
Juice of one lemon wedge
Directions:
- Juice the kale, grapes and ginger and pour into a glass.
- Squeeze in the lemon juice and serve.
Lunches
Super Quick Smoked Chicken & Veggie Lentils with Saurkraut
Preparation time: <5 mins
Cooking time: 5-10 mins (30 mins if cooking the chicken)
Ingredients:
1 chicken breast – pre cooked e.g. Ranoch smoked chicken breast from Waitrose or cook a raw breast as below
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion
1 big handful of spinach
50g tomatoes
1 pack lentils, e.g. Merchant gormet Mediterranean lentils
Dried basil and oregano desert spoon each (even better fresh basil and oregano)
Directions:
If using a raw chicken breast heat oven to 190 degrees and choose an option below;
Cover chicken breast in chopped garlic, oregano, basil and olive oil
Rub 2 dessert spoons of paprika and olive, salt and pepper in to the breast
The chicken can be left plane.
Typically a breast will perfectly cooked if placed in the oven for 30 mins from heating up, or 25mins if the oven is preheated.
Heat the olive oil over a low heat.
While the oil heats chop the onion and then add.
As these sauté chop the tomatoes and then add these and the spinach.
Let the spinach wilt and then add the lentils with basil and oregano.
Chop the chicken up and emerse in the veggies and lentils.
Can be served with hummus or a basic lettuce based salad, but tasty, nutritious and easy as it is.
Large chicken salad with sauerkraut
Preparation time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 0 (30 mins if cooking the chicken)
Ingredients:
1 chicken breast – pre cooked e.g. Ranoch smoked chicken breast from Waitrose or cook a raw breast as per the recipe above.
1/2 grated red onion
1 grated carrot
1 grated apple
2 big handfuls of leaves
1 pepper chopped
50g tomatoes chopped
1 tablespoon sauerkraut
Vinaigrette
½ cup each of cyder vinegar and olive oil
Teaspoon manuka honey
Teaspoon mustard
1 clove of garlic crushed
Directions:
Mix all the salad ingredients together in a bowl, pour the vinaigrette over and serve with the sauerkraut on the side.
Lentil Pasta Passata with Kimchi
Preparation time: <5 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins to properly sauté the veg and let sauce sit
Ingredients:
100-200g lentil pasta e.g. https://groceries.asda.com/product/pasta-noodles-cous-cous/explore-cuisine-organic-green-lentil-penne/910002512341
1 Onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-3 cloves garlic depending on preference
200g tinned tomatoes
1 chilli if desired
1 yellow pepper
1 large handful + of spinach
1 tablespoon kimchi
Directions:
Heat a large pan of water with a little salt and oil and cook the pasta as per the instructions. (With non-gluten pastas you will not get the same al dente feel, it just wants to be cooked through).
Lightly heat the olive oil over a low heat and sauté the onion, and garlic lightly till translucent.
Then chop and add chilli and pepper to the pan. As this gets within a couple of minutes of being done, e.g. the peppers are lightly sautéed but still quite firm, add the tomatoes and spinach.
Stir the spinach till it is thoroughly immersed in the sauce and turn the heat down so that the sauce just lightly bubbles.
Tai Green Curry Tofu with Ramen and Kimchi (serves 2)
Preparation time: 5 mins max
Cooking time: 10 mins
Ingredients:
Ramen
- 100g rice ramen
- 1 cups red cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup vegan kimchi
- 80 grams tofu
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Tai Green Curry Sauce
- 1 tablespoons cashew butter
- 1/2 tablespoon green curry paste
- 3 garlic cloves, pressed
- Splash of water to thin
Directions:
- Prepare the Thai green curry sauce by combining the cashew butter, curry paste and water, then add the garlic to it. Take 3 tablespoons of the sauce to marinate the tofu. You can either fry the tofu or bake it for around 10 minutes at 200°C.
- While the tofu is frying or baking thinly slice the red cabbage and cook your rice ramen according the manufactures directions.
- Assemble by mixing rice ramen noodles, red cabbage, tofu, and Thai green curry sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
Salmon and Dill Pickle
Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 10 mins
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup finely diced dill pickles (not made with vinegar as this kills the probiotic bacteria)
- 1 teaspoon minced tarragon
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 salmon fillets, with skin
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for rubbing
Directions:
- Light a grill. In a small bowl, blend the butter with the diced pickles, tarragon and mustard and season with salt and pepper.
- Rub the salmon with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over moderately high heat, skin side down, until the skin is lightly charred and crisp, about 3 minutes. Using a metal spatula, turn the fillets and grill until barely done in the center, about 4 minutes longer. Transfer the salmon to plates. Top with the dill pickle butter and serve.
Steamed Cod with Kimchi
Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins
Ingredients:
- cod fillet(150g)
- Saltand pepper to taste
- ½inchginger(peeled and julienned) (45g)
- 4cupnapa cabbage kimchi(sliced) (100g)
- 1clove1garlic(minced)
- 1tbspvegetable oil
- 1tbsp tamari
- 1green onion(finely sliced)
Directions:
- Place cod on a shallow bowl. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and ginger all over the cod. Place sliced kimchi on the top.
- Fill a large pot with about an inch of water. Place in a metal rack or stand in the middle of the pot. Bring the water to a boil. Place the dish with the fish on the metal rack then place lid on the pot. Reduce heat to medium and allow fish to steam for 12 to 15 minutes. When cod is done, it should flake easily.
- Place minced garlic and vegetable oil in a small microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute 30 seconds. Remove and mix in soy sauce. Set aside.
- Remove fish from the pot and drain off some of the liquid. Drizzle garlic oil over the fish. Garnish with sliced green onions.
- Serve immediately.
Roasted Chicken and Sauerkraut
Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 90 mins
Ingredients:
- 1 x 1.6 kg higher-welfare chicken
- 2 medium onions
- 2 carrots
- 2 sticks of celery
- 1 bulb of garlic
- Olive oil
- 1 lemon
- 1 bunch of mixed fresh herbs , such as, thyme, rosemary, bay
- Sauerkraut
Directions:
- Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before you want to cook it, to let it come up to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 240°C/475°F/gas 9.
- Wash and roughly chop the vegetables – there’s no need to peel them. Break the garlic bulb into cloves, leaving them unpeeled.
- Pile all the veg, garlic and herbs into the middle of a large roasting tray and drizzle with oil.
- Drizzle the chicken with oil and season well with sea salt and black pepper, then rub all over the bird. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables.
- Carefully prick the lemon all over, using the tip of a sharp knife (if you have a microwave, you could pop the lemon in these for 40 seconds at this point as this will really bring out the flavour). Put the lemon inside the chicken’s cavity, with the bunch of herbs.
- Place the tray in the oven, then turn the heat down immediately to 200°C/400°F/gas 6 and cook for 1 hour 20 minutes.
- If you’re doing roast potatoes and veggies, this is the time to crack on with them – get them into the oven for the last 45 minutes of cooking.
- Baste the chicken halfway through cooking and if the veg look dry, add a splash of water to the tray to stop them from burning.
- When the chicken is cooked, take the tray out of the oven and transfer the chicken to a board to rest for 15 minutes or so. Cover it with a layer of tin foil and a tea towel and leave aside while you make your gravy.
- To carve your chicken, remove any string and take off the wings (break them up and add to your gravy, along with the veg trivet, for mega flavour). Carefully cut down between the leg and the breast. Cut through the joint and pull the leg off.
- Repeat on the other side, then cut each leg between the thigh and the drumstick so you end up with four portions of dark meat. Place these on a serving platter.
- You should now have a clear space to carve the rest of your chicken. Angle the knife along the breastbone and carve one side off, then the other.
- When you get down to the fussy bits, just use your fingers to pull all the meat off, and turn the chicken over to get all the tasty, juicy bits from underneath. You should be left with a stripped carcass, and a platter full of lovely meat that you can serve with your piping hot gravy and some delicious roast veg and sauerkraut.
Snacks
Humus & Carrots
Preparation time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 0 mins
Ingredients:
- 1 can chickpeas
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Juice of 3 lemons
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1 teaspoon Himalayan salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients EXCEPT the paprika in a food processor.
- Serve with the paprika on top, and a bag of raw carrots to dunk in.
Skyr yoghurt, Blueberries, raspberries/ strawberries
Preparation time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 0 mins
Ingredients:
- 150g Skyr yoghurt- chosen for it’s higher protein content compared with other yoghurts.
- Handful of blueberries
- Handful of either raspberries or strawberries
Directions:
- Pop the berries on top of the yoghurt.
- Devour at your leisure.
Apple & Cashew Nut Butter
Preparation time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 0 mins
Ingredients:
- 2 cups (240g) roasted lightly salted cashews
- ½ tsp salt, or to taste
Directions:
- Add the cashews to a high-speed blender, and blend on low for 8-10 minutes or until creamy, scraping down the sides with a spatula as necessary. Add the salt, and blend for 20-30 seconds. Transfer to a jar or airtight container, and store in the refrigerator.
Salted Caramel Bliss Balls
Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 1 hour in freezer to set
Ingredients
- Dates
- Tamarind
- Tahini
- Ground almonds
- Cashew nuts
- Coconut flour
- Cinnamon
- Sesame seeds or desiccated coconut to roll in
Directions
Mix ingredients 1-7 in a food processor for 3-5 minutes until fully combined. If not binding fully then add a little extra coconut flour.
Roll in either sesame seeds or dessicated coconut to coat the outside and then place in container in the freezer for 1 hr to set.
Tomato and Basil Cottage Cheese
Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 1 hour in freezer to set
Ingredients
10 Cherry Tomatoes (quartered)
- 1/4 cup Low-Fat Cottage Cheese
- 1/4 tsp Dried Basil
- 1/4 tsp Pepper
- 2 1/2 Tbsp Olives (sliced)
Directions
- Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
- Put the cottage cheese in a small bowl and stir in the basil and pepper.
- Gently stir in the sliced olives and tomatoes.
Devilled Eggs with Hummus
Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 8 mins
Ingredients
- 2 Eggs
- 4 tbsps Hummus
- Paprika – to taste
Directions
- Boil 2 eggs
- Slice the eggs in half, discard yolks, and fill each egg white half with one-fourth of the hummus.
- Top with paprika to taste.
Flapjack
Preparation time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 25 mins
Ingredients
225g Gluten Free Oats
100g Manuka honey
150g Coconut Oil
Pinch of salt
75g Dates, roughly chopped
50g Dried Cherries
50g Whole Blanched Almonds, toasted and roughly chopped
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a 7inch loose bottom square tin with greaseproof paper and set to one side until later.
- Usually you’d put a lot of butter into a flapjack but I use coconut oil as a substitute and works brilliantly.
- Before you’re ready to use the coconut oil you just need to melt 150g of it in a saucepan with 50g of honey because it comes in a solid form.
- After you’ve toasted 50g of almonds – roughly chop them all up and put them into a mixing bowl. Then add 225g of gluten free oats – make sure that they’re the gluten free and not the normal version, they can be found in every supermarket.
- Add a pinch of salt, 75g of dates, 50g of dried cherries and 100g of brown sugar into the bowl. Then give it a good mix before adding the honey and coconut oil.
- Mix thoroughly again until evenly combined and make sure that you cover all your oats with the liquid. Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin and press the mixture into all the corners evenly and bake in the oven for 25 minutes, until golden brown.
- Leave in the tin to cool completely before cutting into pieces. Store in an air-tight container and eat within 5 days.
Dinners
Lazy Turkey Breasts
Preparation time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 30mins
Ingredients
- 200g turkey
- 2 Garlic cloves
- 1 courgette
- 1 large carrot
- Handful of brocolli
- 1 large beetroot
- Handful baby sweetcorn
- Approx 5 sprigs of thyme
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- Salt & pepper to season
Directions
Preheat oven to 200 degrees C/ Gas mark 6.
Chop all the vegetables in to chunks the size of half a golf ball.
Stab the sprigs of thyme in the turkey, and place the garlic in the folds of the turkey, if there’s no folds chop the garlic in pieces and stab them in to the turkey as well.
Place the chopped vegetables in to a tray with the turkey and 3 tablespoons of coconut oil, and season with salt and pepper.
Leave for 30 mins.
Harissa & Yogurt Marinated Chicken Tenders (Serves 2)
Preparation time: 5 mins + overnight marinate
Cooking time: 30mins
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons harissa paste
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 4 chicken breasts
Directions
- Mix together the harissa, yogurt, and wine. Place the chicken tenders in a shallow baking dish, and top with the yogurt mixture. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Marinate for at least two hours, up to overnight.
- To cook the chicken: Fire up your grill! Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing any excess to drip off. Place the chicken on the hot grill, and cook for approximately 5 minutes on each side.
- Serving ideas: with a side salad, rice or quinoa, topped with sliced vegetables and fresh herbs.
Crock Pot Bean Bolognese (serves 2-4)
Preparation time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 4-6 hours
Ingredients
- 1 medium-size onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 400g can white beans (such as Cannellini)
- 800g crushed tomatoes
- Gluten free pasta
Directions
- Place all ingredients in a crock pot set on low. Cook for approximately 4-6 hours until all ingredients are tender. Serve as a chunky stew (add a ½ cup water to the mix if you prefer a looser consistency!) or as a sauce on top of cooked pasta.
Burrito
Preparation time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 30 mins
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole grain brown/ wild Rice
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (11 oz) whole kernel corn with red and green bell peppers
- 8 (8-inch each) gluten free tortillas
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup light sour cream
- 1/2 cup salsa
Directions
Prepare rice according to package directions, probably 30 mins. While rice is cooking, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, chili powder, and cumin. Sauté 3 to 5 minutes until onion is tender. Add cooked rice, beans and corn; cook stirring 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture is thoroughly heated. Remove from heat. Spread 1/2 cup rice, beans and corn mixture in the middle of each tortilla. Top each with 2 tablespoons shredded cheese, 1 tablespoon green onion and sour cream. Roll up and top each with salsa.
Salmon and Cauliflower Rice Bowl
Preparation time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 60 mins
Ingredients
- 10 to 12 Brussels sprouts, chopped in half
- 1 bunch kale, washed and shredded
- ½ head cauliflower, pulsed into cauliflower rice (you can use a whole cauliflower head if you wish)
- 3 tablespoons olive or coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- Himalayan salt
For marinade
- ¼ cup tamari sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup (optional)
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Directions
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Line a baking tray and add chopped Brussels sprouts. Coat with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt. Add to oven and roast for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make marinade by combining all ingredients in a bowl and whisking until combined.
- Remove Brussels sprouts after 20 minutes and add salmon fillets to the baking tray. Spoon marinade over salmon fillets and return to oven for a further 13 to 15 minutes, or until salmon is cooked to your liking.
- While salmon is cooking, heat a pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon oil. Add kale and sauté until wilted (2 to 3 minutes). Remove from pan and set aside.
- Heat remaining oil in pan and add cauliflower rice. Season with 1 teaspoon curry powder and salt and sauté until cooked (2 to 3 minutes).
- Remove salmon and Brussels sprouts from oven and divide into two bowls. Add sautéed kale and cauliflower rice to bowls.
Mediterranean Turmeric and Fennel Chicken (Serves 4-6)
Preparation time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 45 mins
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 lime, juice of
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard
- 3 tbsp brown sugar, more for later
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tbsp ground turmeric spice
- 1 tsp ground corriander
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 large fennel bulb, cored, sliced
- 1 large sweet onion, sliced into half moons
- 6 pieces bone in, skin on chicken (chicken legs or breasts, or a combination)
- 2 Oranges, unpeeled, sliced
- 1 lime, thinly sliced (optional)
Directions
- Make the marinade. In a large bowl or deep dish, mix together the first six ingredients: olive oil, white wine, orange juice, lime juice, mustard and brown sugar.
- In a small bowl, mix together the spices: turmeric, garlic powder, coriander, paprika , salt and pepper. Now, add about half of the spice mix to the liquid marinade. Mix to combine.
- Pat the chicken pieces dry and generously season with the remainder of the spice mix. Be sure to lift the chicken skins slightly and apply some of the spice mix underneath the skin.
- Add the seasoned chicken and the remaining ingredients to the large bowl of marinade. Work the chicken well into the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours (if you don’t have time, you can skip the marinating).
- When ready, preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Transfer the chicken along with the marinade and everything else to a large baking pan so that everything is comfortably arranged in one layer. Be sure the chicken skin is facing up. Sprinkle with a dash or salt and more brown sugar, if you like.
- Roast for 40-45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the chicken skin has nicely browned. Internal chicken temperature should be 170 degrees F.
Chinese Chicken Salad (serves 2-4)
Preparation time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 30mins
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup unseasoned rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼-inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
- Pinch of salt
Directions
- Place all of the dressing ingredients in a blender, and pulse until smooth. Set aside.
- Combine all of the salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Toss with the dressing. Top with wonton strips, if desired.
Desserts
Skyr yoghurt, honey & flax seeds
Preparation time: 1 min
Cooking time: 0
Ingredients
- 150g Skyr yoghurt (it has the highest protein content, but other yoghurt is fine)
- Teaspoon Manuka honey
- Tablespoon milled flax seeds
Directions
Mix ingredients in a bowl with a spoon and serve.
Chocolate Hazlenut Yoatie
Preparation time: 5 mins
Cooking time: Leave overnight in fridge
Ingredients:
1/4 cup Greek Yogurt
1 cup apple juice
1 cup gluten free oats
15g (1.5 squares Lindt)
handful hazelnuts
Directions:
Mix the yoghurt, apple juice and oats together in a bowl, cover and leave overnight, or at least 2 hours.
Mash the hazelnuts up with a pestle and mortar, and then melt the chocolate with the hazelnuts either in a microwave or over alow heat on the hob. Leave to set and store in fridge.
Mash the chocolate and hazlenuts back up with a knife and
Vegan Chia Chocolate Mousse
Preparation time: 5 mins
Cooking time: Leave overnight in fridge
Ingredients:
Makes 2 portions
1 large ripe avocado
¼ cup cocoa powder
¼ cup coconut milk
1 tspn vanilla extract
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon chia seeds
Directions:
Halve and stone the avocado and puree the flesh in a processor
Mix the milk and cocoa powder and mix with the avocado, and the other ingredients and process.
Leave in bowls/ ramakins to set over night.
Chocolate Cherry Chia Pudding (Serves 4)
Preparation time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 4hrs+ in fridge
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup non-dairy milk (almond/ coconut/ hemp are my favourites)
1/4 cup chia seeds (look for powdered chia seeds if you want a smooth texture)
4 teaspoons raw cacao powder
2-3 tablespoons pure maple syrup or honey
1/2 cup cherries, pitted and sliced + extra for plating
additional toppings : extra cherries, raw cacao nibs, dark chocolate shavings (use 70% dark chocolate or higher)
Directions:
In a bowl or mason jar, stir together the first 4 ingredients: milk, chia seeds, raw cacao and maple syrup and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. (If using a Mason Jar, simply close the lid and shake!)
Just before serving, separate into 4 serving dishes, top with sliced cherries and garnish with raw cacao chips, dark chocolate shavings and extra whole cherries and enjoy!
Berry Freezer pops
Preparation time: 5 mins + overnight
Cooking time: 0
Ingredients
- 1 cup strawberries
- 1 tbsp milled flax seeds
- ½ tbsp almonds
- 3 cups plain low flat yoghurt
Directions
- Put strawberries, flax seeds and almonds in a food processor and mix until very small pieces.
- Add yogurt and pulse a few times.
- Equally divide yogurt mixture in 6 small paper cups.
- Place a Popsicle stick in the middle of the yogurt.
- Put in the freezer and freeze overnight.
- Before eating, peel off the paper cup.
Berry Freezer pops (serves 3)
Preparation time: 10 mins + overnight
Cooking time: 0
Ingredients
- 100g 70% dark chocolate
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 3 large bananas, cut into thirds
- Popsicle sticks
- Milled flax seeds
- Cocoa nibs
Directions
Melt chocolate over a double boiler (or in the microwave, if you prefer) with the coconut oil. Stir until smooth, glossy, and entirely melted.
Insert a popsicle stick into one end of each banana piece.
Dip each banana into the warm melted chocolate. Shake off excess chocolate as best you can.
Place dipped bananas on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Sprinkle generously with milled flax seeds, or cocoa nibs.
Place in the freezer to harden and set.
When frozen through wrap individually or enjoy immediately.
Hot Chocolate
Preparation time: 2 mins
Cooking time: 3-5 mins max
Ingredients
- 1 cup non-dairy milk of choice (I use coconut but hemp or almond are great)
- 1 teaspoon raw cacao
- 1 tsp maca powder*
- 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/4 tsp of ground cinnamon
- 1 desert spoon manuka honey
- 1 desert spoon coconut oil
Directions
- Add milk of choice to a medium-sized sauce pot and bring to a boil.
- Lower to a simmer and add cacao powder and stir.
- Add in maca powder, turmeric and cinnamon and continue to stir.
- Stir in honey until well combined.
- Add coconut oil and whip in until all chunks are melted and mixture becomes thick.
- Serve immediately.
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