EAT LIKE A CAVEWOMAN…
My main priority has always been great-tasting food that’s simple and healthy. When I create recipes, I want them to be ones you will love and share with family and friends. Also, as an added bonus, meals that will help you lose weight and feel happy and healthier.
I know a lot about diets. As an overweight young adult, I lost 4½ stone and, in the 20 years since then, I’ve never put the weight back on. I’ve managed this by cutting out all junk and processed foods and eating fresh fruit, vegetables, fish, meats, seeds and nuts – following the Paleo diet even before the name was well known.
The problem is, the way we eat now is wrong. We’ve become dependent on synthetic and processed foods that are leading to health problems and obesity. But there’s a better way to eat and live. Also known as the Caveman diet, ‘Paleo’ refers to the Paleolithic Age, about 2.5 million years ago, when our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate a diet based on meat, fish, nuts, seeds, fruit and vegetables – and thrived. There’s no need to see it as restrictive, as there’s so much you can eat. In fact, it doesn’t feel like a sacrifice at all, as these recipes prove.
The Paleo Diet by Daniel Green; photography by Clare Winfield (Kyle Books, £14.99).
Per serving: calories, 673; fat, 37.4g; saturates, 5.6g; sugar, 1.4g; salt, 0.7g; protein, 82.4g; fibre, 3.4g
Place the almond our, sesame seeds, sesame oil, macadamia nuts, wasabi and egg in a food processor and blend until smooth.
Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and steam the pak choi for 5 mins. Drain and then plunge the leaves into a bowl of iced water to stop the cooking process and keep them green.
Transfer the wasabi mix to a shallow dish and press the halibut fillets into the mixture so they are thoroughly coated on both sides. Heat the oil in a heavy, non-stick sauté pan and sear the halibut for 2-3 mins on each side.
Serve the halibut over the pak choi and drizzle with a little sesame oil. Add a squeeze of lime, a twist of pepper and a scattering of coriander.
Serves 6
Per serving: calories, 182; fat, 10g; saturates, 1.6g; sugar, 1.4g; salt, 1.8g; protein, 20.3g; fibre, 0.4g
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and fry the garlic for 30 seconds. Add the stock and tomato pastes and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid and simmer gently for 15 mins.
Add all the fish and seafood and cook, uncovered, for 4-5 mins, or until the fish is cooked and the clams and mussels have opened. Discard any shells that remain closed.
Serve with a scattering of chives and a twist of black pepper.
TIP Scallops are almost 80% protein, plus they’re a rich source of vitamin B12, magnesium, potassium and many other nutrients.
Serves 4
Per serving: calories, 364; fat, 15.6g; saturates, 2.4g; sugar, 18.1g; salt, 0.3g; protein, 38.3g; fibre, 5.7g
Place the orange slices in a large mixing bowl. Add 3 tbsp of the olive oil, plus the lemon juice, coriander and pomegranate seeds. Toss well to combine and set aside to marinate while you cook the chicken.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a non-stick grill pan and sear the chicken over a high heat for about 3 mins on each side, or until cooked through. Turn o the heat and set aside to rest for a few minutes.
To serve, divide the salad between 4 serving plates, top with the warm chicken slices and finish with a few grinds of black pepper.
TIP Pomegranate seeds are bursting with health benefits – vitamins A, B and C, folic acid, bre, potassium and calcium.
Serves 4
Per serving: calories, 150; fat, 9.1g; saturates, 1.2g; sugar, 9.6g; salt, 0.2g; protein, 4g; fibre, 3.3g
In a large cast-iron casserole dish or saucepan, heat the oil over a low heat and gently cook the onion and thyme until the onion is softened but not browned – about 20 mins. Increase the heat slightly and cook for 15 mins, until the onion becomes dark golden, sticky and caramelised, stirring now and again to stop it catching.
Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for a few minutes. Add the bay leaf and stock and bring to the boil. Season and simmer for 15 mins. Serve with a scattering of fresh parsley and a twist of black pepper.
TIP Make sure you have a good-quality vegetable stock as it will make all the difference to the soup’s depth of flavour.
Serves 4
Per serving: calories, 171; fat, 8.8g; saturates, 1.3g; sugar, 22.3g; salt, 0.3g; protein, 1.6g; fibre, 2g
For the vinaigrette
Preheat the grill to 180C/gas mark 4. Arrange the figs on a baking tray, cut-side up. Whisk together the truffle oil, honey and basil in a small bowl and pour this dressing over the figs, reserving a little for later.
Place the figs under the grill and cook for 3-5 mins, until the sauce starts to bubble up and the figs caramelise. Pour off the cooking juices into the bowl with the reserved truffe dressing and whisk in the ingredients for the vinaigrette. Serve the figs on a bed of rocket leaves, dressed with the honey-mustard vinaigrette.
TIP Figs contain more fibre than almost any other fruit or vegetable. This is a benefit when you’re on a diet, as their slow-release energy will keep you feeling full for longer.
I know a lot about diets. As an overweight young adult, I lost 4½ stone and, in the 20 years since then, I’ve never put the weight back on. I’ve managed this by cutting out all junk and processed foods and eating fresh fruit, vegetables, fish, meats, seeds and nuts – following the Paleo diet even before the name was well known.
The problem is, the way we eat now is wrong. We’ve become dependent on synthetic and processed foods that are leading to health problems and obesity. But there’s a better way to eat and live. Also known as the Caveman diet, ‘Paleo’ refers to the Paleolithic Age, about 2.5 million years ago, when our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate a diet based on meat, fish, nuts, seeds, fruit and vegetables – and thrived. There’s no need to see it as restrictive, as there’s so much you can eat. In fact, it doesn’t feel like a sacrifice at all, as these recipes prove.
The Paleo Diet by Daniel Green; photography by Clare Winfield (Kyle Books, £14.99).
WASABI CRUSTED HALIBUT ON PAK CHOI (pictured top)
Serves 4Per serving: calories, 673; fat, 37.4g; saturates, 5.6g; sugar, 1.4g; salt, 0.7g; protein, 82.4g; fibre, 3.4g
- 2 tbsp almond flour
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp sesame oil, plus extra to drizzle
- 80g macadamia nuts
- 2 tsp wasabi powder or paste
- 1 egg
- 4 large pak choi
- 4 x 350g halibut fillets
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lime, quartered
- freshly ground black pepper
- a handful of fresh coriander, chopped
Place the almond our, sesame seeds, sesame oil, macadamia nuts, wasabi and egg in a food processor and blend until smooth.
Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and steam the pak choi for 5 mins. Drain and then plunge the leaves into a bowl of iced water to stop the cooking process and keep them green.
Transfer the wasabi mix to a shallow dish and press the halibut fillets into the mixture so they are thoroughly coated on both sides. Heat the oil in a heavy, non-stick sauté pan and sear the halibut for 2-3 mins on each side.
Serve the halibut over the pak choi and drizzle with a little sesame oil. Add a squeeze of lime, a twist of pepper and a scattering of coriander.
FISH SOUP OR FRENCH BOUILLABAISSE
Serves 6Per serving: calories, 182; fat, 10g; saturates, 1.6g; sugar, 1.4g; salt, 1.8g; protein, 20.3g; fibre, 0.4g
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 900ml fish stock
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 4 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste
- 200g skinless salmon fillet, cut into chunks
- 200g skinless monkfish fillet, cut into chunks
- 15 small scallops
- 16 tiger shrimp, peeled
- 20 clams
- 20 mussels
- a handful of chives, chopped
- freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and fry the garlic for 30 seconds. Add the stock and tomato pastes and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid and simmer gently for 15 mins.
Add all the fish and seafood and cook, uncovered, for 4-5 mins, or until the fish is cooked and the clams and mussels have opened. Discard any shells that remain closed.
Serve with a scattering of chives and a twist of black pepper.
TIP Scallops are almost 80% protein, plus they’re a rich source of vitamin B12, magnesium, potassium and many other nutrients.
CHICKEN, ORANGE AND POMEGRANATE SALAD
Serves 4Per serving: calories, 364; fat, 15.6g; saturates, 2.4g; sugar, 18.1g; salt, 0.3g; protein, 38.3g; fibre, 5.7g
- 4 large oranges, peeled and thinly sliced
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- juice of ¼ lemon
- a handful of coriander, chopped
- 200g pomegranate seeds
- 4 skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
- freshly ground black pepper
Place the orange slices in a large mixing bowl. Add 3 tbsp of the olive oil, plus the lemon juice, coriander and pomegranate seeds. Toss well to combine and set aside to marinate while you cook the chicken.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a non-stick grill pan and sear the chicken over a high heat for about 3 mins on each side, or until cooked through. Turn o the heat and set aside to rest for a few minutes.
To serve, divide the salad between 4 serving plates, top with the warm chicken slices and finish with a few grinds of black pepper.
TIP Pomegranate seeds are bursting with health benefits – vitamins A, B and C, folic acid, bre, potassium and calcium.
ONION AND THYME SOUP
Serves 4Per serving: calories, 150; fat, 9.1g; saturates, 1.2g; sugar, 9.6g; salt, 0.2g; protein, 4g; fibre, 3.3g
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 large onions, peeled and finely sliced
- approx 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 litre good-quality vegetable stock
- chopped flat-leaf parsley, to garnish
- freshly ground black pepper
In a large cast-iron casserole dish or saucepan, heat the oil over a low heat and gently cook the onion and thyme until the onion is softened but not browned – about 20 mins. Increase the heat slightly and cook for 15 mins, until the onion becomes dark golden, sticky and caramelised, stirring now and again to stop it catching.
Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for a few minutes. Add the bay leaf and stock and bring to the boil. Season and simmer for 15 mins. Serve with a scattering of fresh parsley and a twist of black pepper.
TIP Make sure you have a good-quality vegetable stock as it will make all the difference to the soup’s depth of flavour.
ROASTED FIGS IN TRUFFLE OIL AND HONEY
Serves 4Per serving: calories, 171; fat, 8.8g; saturates, 1.3g; sugar, 22.3g; salt, 0.3g; protein, 1.6g; fibre, 2g
- 12 ripe figs, cut in half
- 3 tbsp white truffle oil
- 3 tbsp raw honey, melted
- 3 tbsp chopped basil
- 150g rocket leaves
For the vinaigrette
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp raw honey, melted
- juice of 1 lemon
- olive oil, to taste (optional)
Preheat the grill to 180C/gas mark 4. Arrange the figs on a baking tray, cut-side up. Whisk together the truffle oil, honey and basil in a small bowl and pour this dressing over the figs, reserving a little for later.
Place the figs under the grill and cook for 3-5 mins, until the sauce starts to bubble up and the figs caramelise. Pour off the cooking juices into the bowl with the reserved truffe dressing and whisk in the ingredients for the vinaigrette. Serve the figs on a bed of rocket leaves, dressed with the honey-mustard vinaigrette.
TIP Figs contain more fibre than almost any other fruit or vegetable. This is a benefit when you’re on a diet, as their slow-release energy will keep you feeling full for longer.