Just the tonic: Healthy meal recipes by The Medicinal Chef
FOOD writer Dale Pinnock – dubbed The Medicinal Chef – rustles up super-healthy meals that are full of goodness.
Food writer Dale Pinnock – dubbed The Medicinal Chef – rustles up super-healthy meals
Red-curry chicken burgers with apple and ginger slaw
These make an awesome lunch or barbecue option. Packed with flavour, the apple and ginger slaw takes it to another level, not to mention adding in more potent nutrients.
Serves: 2-3
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, roughly chopped
2 tbsps Thai red curry paste
1 large garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
¼ red onion, peeled and finely chopped
A small bunch coriander, roughly chopped
Sea salt
Olive oil, for frying
Little Gem lettuce leaves, to serve
For the slaw:
1 Cox apple, cored and cut into matchsticks
2½cm (1in) root ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
½ tsp caraway seeds
1 tbsp mayonnaise
Juice of ¼ lime
Place the chicken breast, curry paste, garlic, chopped onion, coriander and a generous pinch of the salt in a food processor then whizz until minced. Form into small burger patties and set aside.
Combine all the slaw ingredients, with a pinch of salt added, and mix well.
Heat a little of the oil in a frying pan until hot, add the burgers and fry for 4-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through. Place each burger on a lettuce leaf, top with the slaw and serve with a side salad.
Stuffed chicken breast
This is a great-looking dish that is gently cut into slices to reveal its vibrant centre. Serve with some roasted root vegetables or a simple salad.
Serves: 1
2 handfuls of baby spinach
1 tbsp full-fat cream cheese
A small sprig of dill, roughly chopped
Sea salt and cracked black pepper 1 large skinless, boneless chicken breast
Put the spinach into a small bowl, place the bowl in the steamer and steam for 2-3 minutes until it wilts. l Remove the spinach, squeeze to remove as much moisture as possible, then cut into shreds and put into the (dried out) bowl.
Add the cream cheese, dill and some salt and pepper to the bowl then mix well.
Cut a slice along the side of the chicken breast but not all the way through, to create a pocket. Stuff the spinach mixture into the pocket, then seal the breast closed using cocktail sticks. Put the stuffed breast on a small plate and place in a steamer. Steam for 20 minutes.
Remove the cocktail sticks and allow to cool slightly before gently slicing and serving.
Tuna carpaccio with orange dressing
This is a great little starter but a note of caution: check with your fishmonger that the tuna is very fresh.
Serves: 1
1 ripe avocado
6 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper
1 extremely fresh tuna steak
Juice of ½ orange
Roughly dice the avocado flesh and put it into a small bowl. Mix 2 tablespoons of oil with salt and pepper to taste.
Mix using a fork to produce a creamier texture.
Very finely slice the tuna then cut into small dice.
Put the orange juice and the remaining oil in a small bowl, with salt and pepper to taste, then whisk well. Add the diced tuna to the orange dressing and stir gently to coat.
Place a 10cm (4in) round metal pastry cutter on a plate and spoon ½ of the avocado mixture into the bottom, pushing it down to create the first layer. Then use a fork to remove the diced tuna from the dressing, allowing the excess dressing to drip back into the bowl, and place the tuna dice on top of the avocado layer. Top with the other ½ of the avocado.
Push down firmly then gently pull the pastry cutter away to reveal a round, 3-tiered dish.
Nutty southeast Asian turkey hotpot
This is such a tasty little number. Rich, well spiced, fragrant and creamy, it works well with chicken and duck, too. It’s an excellent way of using up leftovers.
Serves: 2
½ tbsp coconut oil
1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 small green chilli, finely chopped
2 lemongrass stalks, bashed with a rolling pin
Sea salt or pink crystal salt
400ml (14fl oz) coconut milk
1 heaped tbsp crunchy peanut butter
½ tsp ground turmeric
2 turkey breast fillets, diced
A large handful of spinach
Juice of ½ lime
Melt the coconut oil in a pan, add the chopped onion, garlic, chilli, lemongrass and a generous pinch of salt then sauté until the onion is nice and soft.
Add the coconut milk, stir in the peanut butter and turmeric then simmer for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens and the flavour of the lemongrass is really starting to come through.
Add the diced turkey and continue to simmer for at least 10 minutes to ensure the meat is fully cooked. Add the spinach and stir until it wilts.
Squeeze in the lime juice, check the seasoning and serve.
Black and blue parfaits
This is a super-speedy dessert that can be thrown together easily and provides you with plenty of antioxidants. The berries and a spoonful of honey should provide sufficient sweetness.
Serves: 2
75g (2¾oz) blueberries
75g (2¾oz) blackberries
8 tbsps plain yoghurt
2 tsps honey
Spoon a layer of berries into 2 tall glasses, then a layer of yoghurt, then berries, then yoghurt and so on until you reach the top of the glass.
Drizzle a teaspoon of honey over the top of each and serve.
All recipes are from How To Cook Healthily by Dale Pinnock (Quadrille, £20), with photography by Issy Croker. To order, see Express Bookshop at expressbookshop.co.uk.