Health » Healthy Eating Menus » More daily menu ideas
Here are some more health eating daily menu samples to inspire you, boost your energy levels
and enjoy optimum nutritional health for your pregnancy & your developing baby....
Menu 1:
Brekkie:
2 slices of wholemeal or granary bread
Spread with honey, jam etc
Try a herb tea such as lemon & ginger to wake up your metabolism
Snack 1:
Small bowl of fresh mangoe and kiwi fruit to super charge your vitamin c levels.
Add a small-palmfull of sunflower/pumpkin/sesame/linseed seeds
Lunch Time:
Omlette made with organic eggs
Add ham/ cheese or mushrooms
Serve with a crunchy raw vegetables salad of chopped peppers, celery, cucumber and grated carrot. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar to add flavour.
1 small bottle of Innocent soothie.
Better still make your own.
Snack 2:
1 pot of Bio- yoghurt
Small palm-full Apricots mixed with almond and brazil nuts. (It is advised to avoid peanuts when pregnant due to a possible link with peanut allergy)
Dinner:
Chicken with lime & Ginger ( see Recipe below)
Recipe:
Serves 2 generous portions.
2 chicken breasts (organic if your budget can stretch to it). Otherwise use a good local butcher
Vegetarian option is to use smoked Tofu
Fresh ginger
juice of 1 lime and grate the zest
1tsp soy sauce
4 spring onions
Big handfull spinach leaves
Small tub of low fat bio yoghurt
3ozs (uncooked weight) brown rice
- Score the chicken with a sharp knife
- Mix the ginger, soy and lime juice and zest and spread over the chicken. Cover and leave to marinate for at least an hour in the fridge.
- Heat a small drop of olive oil into a non stick pan. Brown the chicken on both sides.
- Turn the heat down and pour in the marinade along with 50ml of water.
- Cover and simmer for for 10 mins or until the chicken is cooked throughout.
- Add the spinach for the last minute of cooking.
- Stir and serve with brown rice with a spoonful of yoghurt on the top.
- Serve up and enjoy
Menu 2:
Brekkie:
2 Weetabix with milk for slow release energy throughout the morning
I chopped banana (babanas are high in potassium which in hot weather we sweat out!
Top with some honey to sweeten
Try leaving a fruit or herb tea to cool. Then serve it with ice cubes for a refreshing drink.
Snack 1:
A bowl of fresh pinneaple which helps to boost your radiant complexion.
Add a palmfull of almond nuts which are rich in protein, plus omega 9 'good' fats.
Lunch Time:
Chilled brown rice with chopped pear, apple, cucumber and peppers.
Top with grated firm cheese such as Cheddar or Parmesan for a mediteranean flavour.
1 small pure fresh juice or for ease buy a bottle of Innocent soothie.
Better still make your own.
Snack 2:
In the melting heat treat yourself to some frozen yoghurt or organic ice cream.
Add a large portion of mixed berries ( and for complete indulgence grate some organic/ 70% solid chocolate on top)
Dinner:
Salmon with chive, coriander parcels and new potatoes. ( see Recipe below)
The salmon is rich in essential fatty acids vital for healthy development in pregnancy.
However Health guidelines advise that you limit your intake os farmed salmon to 1 portion per week due to the possible mercury in the farmed fishing methods.
Recipe:
Serves 2 generous portions.
2 Salmon fillets/ steaks (fresh water organic salmon is reccomended)
Vegetarian option is to use smoked Tofu
Fresh chives & coriander
juice of 1 lemon and grate the zest
150g of sugar snap peas
2 corn on the cob
new potatoes (buy & boil extra and make a cold potatoe salad tomorrow)
- Make a foil parcel with the salmon, coriander, chives and lemon juice.
- Cook on a medium heat for 20 minutes until the salmon skin flakes easily.
- Boil the potatoes and the corn in the same pan (saves time and washing up)
- Drain and cover with a splash of olive oil and chives.
- Steam the sugar snap peas in a covered shallow water pan to preserve the vitamin content
- Serve up and enjoy
Menu 3:
Brekkie:
Replace a fat laden croissant with a wholemeal seeded bagel.
Toast and spread it with a little pure butter and some Manuka honey.
Not only will this boost your fibre intake (less chance of haemorrhoids!)
but it will also release slow energy throughout the morning.
1 small pure fresh juice or for ease buy a bottle of Innocent soothie.
Better still make your own.
Snack 1:
A carton or bowl of bio-active yoghurt to boost your calcium.
Add a handful of blueberries to boost your vitamin stores & immune sysy
Lunch Time:
Tuck into a bowl of comfort warming soup.
There are lots of convenience soups on the supermarket shelves today, which are high in nutrition and low in salt & sugar.
'Covent Garden' range, also 'Seeds of Change' are both organic soups of quality.
If you have time, make your own vat of soup and freeze some for another day.
Snack 2:
Experiment with a new flavour of herbal tea such as Ginger & Apple, Peppermint & lemon,
Honey & Cammomile. Theses are just a few of the fantastic variety of flavours on sale.
Go on and be adventurous.
Dunk a couple of wholemeal biscuits ( not the packet!)
Dinner:
Omega Boost on Toast!
This easy & quick meal provides bags of nutrients abd takes minutes to prepare.
The oily fish is full of magnesium, iodine and the wonderful omega 3 fats. This boosts a healthy heart and immune system and has shown to have beneficial health implications for your develpoing baby.
Recipe:
Serves 2 generous portions.
2 portions of oily fish (these can be tinned for ease)
e.g. sardines, mackerel, pilchards. Some already come in a tomato based sauce.
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 onion
8 mushrooms
1 red/ orange pepper
2 - 4 slices of wholemeal bread
- Saute the onion in a splash of olive oil for 3-4 mins.
- Add the chopped pepper and mushrooms and cook for another 2 mins.
- Stir in the tin of tomatoes and oily fish and cook until the tomato mixture is hot.
- Serve on 1-2 slices of wholemeal toast.
- Tuck in!
Menu 4:
Brekkie:
A small bowl of unsweetened muesli
Add in a palmful of apricots to boost your iron levels
Soak overnight with fresh apple/ orange juice
Add a dollop of bio- yoghurt just prior to eating
Snack 1:
A palmful of almonds and 2 juicy satsumas
Lunch Time:
Construct an open tuna sandwich
Top 1 slice of granary/ wholemeal bread
with a small tin of tuna mixed with lemon juice.
Cover with copious amounts of stress reducing lettuce
(yes lettuce does contain natural calming enzymes!)
add cucumber, tomato, red pepper and a few fresh basil leaves.
Snack 2:
Choose a home grown apple (not flown in from outer mongolia... think of the carbon footprint!)
Munch with a matchbox size sqaure of full boddied hard cheese.
Dinner:
Super quick spaghetti bolognese.
You can use red meat, quorn or soya mince.
Alternatively just fill it with loads of veggies.
This ultra quick meal provides a nutritious and filling dinner with the minimum of effort.
Recipe:
Size up as required
Approx 3oz mince/ soya/ quorn per person
Wholewheat spaghetti
For super ease buy a jar of ready made pasta sauce.
There are lots of organic ones on the shelves.
Or use tinned tomatoes and add in some garlic and pesto paste
mushrooms
Oinion
- Saute the onion in a splash of olive oil for 2 mins.
- Add the mince to brown gently.
- Stir in the jar of sauce or tin of tomatoes adding the garlic and pesto.
- Add the mushrooms, cover and simmer for 10 - 15 mins
- Boil the spaghetti in a large pan as per instructions.
- Serve with a twist of fresh basil leaves.
- Talk Italian to add authenticity and enjoy.
Menu 5:
Brekkie:
2 slices og wholemeal/ grain toast
Spread with locally produced honey.
The fibre will keep you regular whilst the local honey will support rural business.
Snack 1:
A pot of bio yoghurt to keep your internal flora happy
Add a juicy ripe plum.
Lunch Time:
A medium baked or sweet potato
Fill with philadelphia light cheese and stack with cucumber & chopped celery.
Snack 2:
An oat based Cereal Bar or make your own flapjack bar with oats.
This will help reduce that afternoon 'slump' in energy.
Dinner:
Spanish Red pepper Soup.
In the heat of the summer sun (what sun?) we loose the trace mineral potassium.
This soup is packed full of the potassium rich tomatoes & red peppers.
It can also be made in advance and served chilled....refreshing.
Recipe:
Serves 4 people
4 shallots sliced
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 tsp paprika
1 large can (or mug if frozen) of sweetcorn
2 red peppers seeded and chopped
1 pint / 600ml vegetable stock
1 x 440g can tomatoes
100g / 40oz new potatoes diced.
- Dry fry the shaoolot, garlic & paprika for 2 mins
- Add the peppers, tomatoes, sweetcorn & stock
- Bring to the boil then simmer
- Add the diced potatoes and simmer until cooked
- Season and serve with a garnish of parsley
Menu 6:
Brekkie:
A bowl of warm porridge made with milk
Add a handfull of blackberries (still lots around on the hedgerows to pick your own)
(The low glycaemic index porridge oats will keep you full until lunchtime
& the berries are packed with vitamin & Antioxidants to warn off any early colds)
Snack 1:
A small handful of brazil nuts
(These contain Selenium which is associated with raising our mood).
Excellent snack for those who suffer from 'winter blues'
Lunch Time:
A warming soup
Either make your own or for ease buy one of the many fantastic wholesome
ready soups available in all supermarkets. Go for natural ingredients and organic
range if you can afford it.
Try to steer clear of tinned processed soups which usually have a high salt content.
Snack 2:
Boost your vitamins with 2 peices of fruit of your choice.
Try to chose local in season stuff!
Dinner:
Super easy no fuss 'nibble Dinner'
Every now an then treat yourself to a no fuss, virtually no washing up dinner.
Recipe:
On a large plate simply arrange the following:
1 tub of humous (or another dip of your choice)
carrot sticks
celery sticks
sliced apple
bread sticks, sesame style crackers or a pitta bread
1/2 dozen olives
cubes of Feta cheese (or cheddar)
Follow with a tub of Muller Rice Pot (these can be warmed for extra comfort)
or 1/2 tin of creamy Rice Pudding
Enjoy!
Menu 7:
Energy Boost Menu
Brekkie:
Small tin of baked beans on wholemeal toast
(The amino proteins in the beans complement the fibre in the wholemeal bread.
Together they make the perfect low G.I, sustained energy and complete protein meal)
Snack 1:
An apple to boost vitamin levels.
Lunch Time:
A small sweet baked potatoe (sweet potatoe's are lower G.I. than white ones so they keep
your blood sugar stable for longer giving you a sustained energy release)
Top it with hummous, cottage cheese, ham or tuna
Plus a some salad of rocket, spinach, grated carrot and tomatoes.
Snack 2:
A palmful of energising seeds such as pumpkin, sunflower and linseed.
Dinner:
Simple Stir Fry
Easy and perfect for a simple dinner that takes no time to cook.
Recipe:
Either you can buy a mixture of beansprout, mange tout, peppers, onions, water chestnut, mini sweetcorn, chinese leaf, white cabbage.....
Or you can take the easy option and buy a ready prepared stir fry pack?
Trukey breast (thinly sliced) or cubes to stir fry
(Quorn or soya as vegetarian option)
Soy sauce
1x fresh lime
A few slices of fresh ginger
- Simply warm some olive oil in a wok or large frying pan
- Add the ginger and 1/2 the lime juice with some of the grated lime skin & a splash of soy sauce
- Add the turkey and cook for 5 mins until brown
- Add all the other ingredients and cook for a further 3-5 mins constanty moving them around the wok
- Serve with the remaining lime juice squeezed on top
- Enjoy!
Menu 8:
Low Gi Menu
This menu will keep you feeling fuller longer, boost your brain energy & increase your stamina!
Brekkie:
A bowl of porridge oats.
Add a palmful of sultanas and a grated apple
Snack 1:
A handful of brazil, almond and walnuts
Lunch Time:
Smoked mackeral or tinned sarsdines on 2 slices of granary toast
Top with sliced tomato and spinach & rocket leaves.
Snack 2:
A small pot of bio yoghurt
Dinner:
Vegetable Curry
Warming and tasty for the cold evenings.
Recipe:
Serves 4:
1 onion few
1 crushed garlic clove
2 tablespoons of curry paste (you choose how hot!!)
1 can chopped tomatoes
A mixture of vegetables (such as peppers, courgettes, sqush, green beans, mushrooms)
400g can of coconut milk
1 can of lentils or mixed beans
Basmati rice
- SiHeat the oil and fry the onion, garlic & curry paste for 3 mins.
- Add the vegetables and fry for another 3 mins.
- Add the tomatoes, coconut & lentils. Stir well and bring to the boil.
- Immediately lower to a simmer for 15 mins or until the vegetables are cooked.
- Serve with a portion of basmati rice (lower GI than all other rice)
- Sprinkle on some fresh coriander and tuck in!
Menu 9:
Energy Zing Menu
This menu contains a high amount of raw food in its natural state.
It is super nutritious because it hasn't had the goodness burnt, processed, squeezed or been drowned in chemicals!
It is just as mother nature intended for us.
Brekkie:
Homemade super smoothie:
A banana (or any soft fruit), a handful of goji berries, a spoonful of sesame seeds.
Add about 200mls of soya or rice milk. For extra thickness add less liquid and add
a spoonful of bio yoghurt.
Whizz in a blender and drink straight away.
Snack 1:
A handful of brazil nuts, almonds & sunflower seeds (these contain tryptophan which help in the production of the happy hormone 'serotonon)
Lunch Time:
A super salad of romaine lettuce, rocket, chervil leaves, parsley, spinch leaves, watercress (if it's green and leafy bung it in!)
Add carrot sticks, celery, tomatoes..... and scatter over some chick peas, lentils, adzuki beans or borlotti beans (all of these can be easily bought in tins. Organic is best and not a lot more in price)
Make a dressing with fresh lemon juice and a dash of extra vigin olive oil and maybe a teaspoon of honey!
Snack 2:
A piece of fresh fruit of your choice
Dinner:
Quick cook stir fry.
Recipe:
Serves 4:
1 onion
A few slithers of fresh ginger
beansprouts
Red & orange peppers
mushrooms
Finely shredded green cabbage/ spinach or pak choi leaves
Finely shredded leeks
green beans or mange tout
Turkey cut into thin strips or tofu alternative
Tamari sauce (made from soya beans)
Juice & grated rind 2 large oranges
- Heat a small amount of oil and fry the onion & ginger 1 min in a wok or large frying pan.
- Add the turkey or tofu and constantly turn until cooked on the outside
- Add the vegetables, orange juice & rind & tamari sauce and cook for another 3 mins.
- The vegetables should be crisp and not soggy!
- Serve and sprinkle with fresh coriander
Menu 10:
Lazy ' too much trouble to cook' menu
This menu is perfect for those days when it's just too much trouble to make a big effort!
However it does contain all the goodness and nutrients to pep up your energy, keep your blood sugar stable and fill your body with nutrients. Fast food doesn't have to be 'bad' food!
Brekkie:
A bowl full of sugar free muesli ( or a low sugar cereal such as shredded wheat, bran flakes or weetabix)
Add a chopped bannana or some fresh english strawberries bursting with vitamin C.
Snack 1:
A small handfull of dried apricots, dates, figs, raisins
These will boost your energy, add fibre to your diet and is easy to have handy in your bag.
Lunch Time:
A wholemeal/ granary roll filled with tuna/ chicken/ hummous.(Homemade or shop bought)
Add a green side salad or some raw carrot sticks.
Snack 2:
A piece of fresh fruit of your choice
Dinner:
Pork & Pineapple Kebabs
This dinner is so easy to prepare and can be cooked in a grill or over a barbeque
Recipe:
Serves 4:
Approx 500g free range pork or use tofu as an alternative
1 medium pineapple cubed (fresh or tinned in natural juice)
2 red or orange sweet peppers
Cherry tomatoes
agave syrup or honey
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- Cut pork into bite sized pieces
- thread alternate pieces pork with pineapple, pepper and tomatoes
- Mix garlice and a few tablespoons of honey and drizzle over the kebabs
- Cook under a hot grill for 25 mins until the pork is cooked throughout
- Scatter with some frsh rosemary and serve with wild rice or noodles!
Menu 11:
This menu is perfect for when the sun shines and you want 'cool & light' food.Yet it has all the nutrients to keep your blood sugar stable and fill your body with nutrients with not a soggy bit of lettuce in sight!
Brekkie:
A big bowl of fresh fruit (go mad with melon, berries, banana, kiwi...)
Add a big dollop of bio yoghurt to help you intestinal flora
Top with some crushed nuts and seeds for extra protein and nutrients.
Snack 1:
A chilled glass of fresh (not concentred) juice.
Apple juice with a sprig of mint leaves is refreshing and aids digestion.
Lunch Time:
Take a wholemeal wrap and fill it with tuna, cheese or ham
Add in some tomato, cucumber, watercress, rocket and sliced red pepper
Add a splode of sour cream or greek yoghurt
Wrap it up and tuck in!
Snack 2:
A piece of refreshing fruit of your choice with a palmful of nuts
Dinner:
Chicken & chilli chickpea salad
This dinner is so versataile and can be eaten hot or cold. It keeps well in an airtight container, so if you make too much for dinner, you can have it the next day for lunch.
Recipe:
Serves 4:
400g canned chickpeas
100g can red kidney beans
1 red onion chopped
250g cooked chicken breast chopped
250g cherry tomatoes halved
2 red chillies deseeded and chopped finely
Cucumber chopped
Basil, parsley and chives to add flavour
Dressing:
mix some olive oil, balsamic vinegar, 2-3 crushed garlic cloves and a teaspoon of mustard
- Add all the ingredients the a bowl except the chicken, tomatoes and cucumber
- Add the dressing, cover and leave in the fridge for 1-2 hours for the flavours to infuse
- When ready to serve, add the chicken, tomatoes and cucumber
- Sprinkle with some shavings of parmesan cheese
- Serve with some warmed pitta bread and enjoy
Menu 12:
Easy Energy menu
This menu is great for boosting your energy & lifting your mood with natural foods.
Brekkie:
A fresh home made smoothie.
Take 1 banana, a handfull of berries (your choice) and add a small carton size of bio yoghurt.
Blend/ whizz together and serve over some ice cubes.
This smoothie is packed with potassium, vitamin C and anti oxidants
Plus the yoghurt helps keep the friendly bacteria in your good happy.
Snack 1:
A handful of brazil nuts and raisins
Brazil nuts are packed with natural selenium which is known to lift your mood.
Lunch Time:
TRye crispbread topped with low fat cream cheese or humous
Add some sliced tomatoes, cucumber and red pepper
Some find the wheat in bread can cause 'bloating'
Rye crispbreads offer an easy and nutritious alternative.
Check out the varieties that 'Ryveta' offer (multi grain, sesame, muesli)
Snack 2:
A few squres of 70% solid chocolate
Green & Blacks do some yummy flavours.
Good chocolate contains iron so you don't have to feel too guilty!
Dinner:
Spaghetti with Bolognese sauce
This classic dinner offers complex carbs for energy, plus protein and vegetables.
Easy, tasty and great to share.
Recipe:
Serves 4:
4Lean minced beef/ turkey or Tofu
1 tinned tomatoes and 2 tbs tomato puree
OR a jar of ready made bolognese sauce for ease
1 onion chopped
2 garlic cloves
4 large carrots finely chopped
2 courgettes finely chopped
Basil and oregano to flavour
Wholewheat spaghetti
- Brown the mince in a large pan
- Add the onion and garlic and cook for 2-3 mins
- Add the carrots, cougettes and tomatoes (or jar)
- Add the oregano and basil to flavour
- Place the lid on and simmer for 20 mins
- Whilst the sauce is cooking, boil the pasta
- Serve with some chopped olives and shavings of parmessan cheese
Menu 13:
Winter warmer menu
Warm, nourishing food to nurture your body & soul
Brekkie:
A bowl of warming porridge to keep your blood sugar levels steady for many hours
Add a palmful of raisins, fresh berries or a bannana & sweeten with a dollop of honey
Snack 1:
A handful of brazil nuts which are packed with natural selenium which is known to lift your mood.
Lunch Time:
A medium baked potato filled with melted cheese
Serve with some grilled tomatoes to boost lycopene (antioxidant) levels
Snack 2:
Two peices of fresh fruit of your choice
Dinner:
Mushroom & Lentil Bake
This low cost, easy to bake one pot dish is full of filling fabulous food.
Recipe:
Serves 4:
1 tsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves crushed
2 shallots or 1 onion chopped
75g green lentils (tinned are easy)
500g mushrooms
500mls vegetable staock
625g potatoes
paprika powder
- BHeat the oven to 160*C/ Gas 3
- Gently cook shallots & garlic in olive oil until soft
- Slice the mushrooms and add to cook for 5 minutes gently
- Add paprika, lentils and stock and bring to a simmer
- finely slice potatoes and arrange in a layer over the top
- Cover dish with foil and cook for 30 mins
- Remove foil and cook for a further 20 mins until the potatoes are golden
- Serve from the oven and enjoy!
Menu 14:
Fresh Start New Year
Scrumptious and light food to combat the excess of Christmas!
Brekkie:
A bowl of fresh fruit of your choice
Add a handful of chopped nuts and a spoonful of bio yoghurt to help restore your digestive enzymes
Snack 1:
3- 4 dried apricots which contain loads of fibre to keep your bowel healthy!
Lunch Time:
A large small bowl of vegetable soup (homemade) or buy one of the many good organic cartons in the supermarket for ease.
If hungry eat some more soup than fill up with lots of bread.
Snack 2:
One peice of fresh fruit of your choice
Dinner:
Salmon with spinach & sweet potato
This meal is full of powerful anti oxidant nutrients and brain boosting Omega 3
Recipe:
Serves 2:
1 tsp olive oil
2cm cube ginger
2 spring onions chopped
1 clove garlic chopped
sprigs of fresh dill (or 1 tsp dried)
zest & juice of a lime
2 salmon fillets
2 medium sized sweet potato
250g spinach leaves washed (150c cloves crushed
- Heat the oven to 160*C/ Gas 3
- Mix the ginger, spring onions, lime and dill or blitz in a processor
- Brush the salmon with oil and top with mixture. Wrap in foil and cook for 15 mins
- Meanwhile peel sweet potato and cut into fine ribbons using a potato peeler
- Shred the spinach
- Heat some oil in a pan and gently stir fry the sweet potato for about 5 mins
- Then add the spinach and cook for a further 3 mins
- Serve the salmon on top of the bed of spinach and sweet potato
Menu 15:
Springtime super foods
Bright & colourful packed with nutrients
Brekkie:
Wholegrain toast topped with honey or fruity jam
Add a small bowl of chopped Kiwi and melon to boost vitamins
Snack 1:
A small palmful of nuts and raisins to boost protein levels
Lunch Time:
A baked sweet potato (they are part of the 'yam' family and have a lower
glycaemic index than white potatoes despite their name)
Add some crumbled feta cheese, cooked beetroot and some crunchy lettuce
Snack 2:
A bio yoghurt of your choice to boost calcium and intestinal flora.
Add a piece of fresh fruit
Dinner:
Green bean & chick pea salad
Chick peas have loads of fibre, protein, folate and zinc.
Plus with the green beans this meal is high in Vitamin C which helps your body
absorb iron.
Recipe:
Serves 2:
450g green beans
1 tsp sesame/ olive oil
A splash of japenese soy sauce
40g toasted sesame seeds
410g tin of chick peas
Couscous
4 dried/ 2 fresh apricots
- Cook the green beans until tender but still crisp to bite
- Add the chick peas and chopped up apricots
- Mix the oil and soy sauce and pour over
- Scatter with toasted sesame seeds
- Serve with couscous and a sprinkling of mint
Menu 16:
Bold & Bright bursting with goodness
Brekkie:
A bowl full of cruchy muesli (most supermarkets stock organic, no sugar varieties)
Top with some delicious fresh english strawberries which are just coming into season or some other fresh friut of your choice
Snack 1:
Chop some carrots, red/ orange pepper and celery into strips and nibble away.
(poshly known as 'crudites')
Lunch Time:
Top some oat cakes with mashed avocado and sliced tomato.
Add some crumbled feta cheese and drizzle with a tiny splash of good olive oil.
(the oat cakes are wheat free and contain protein. Avocado provides you with the perfect balance of essential fatty acids and Vitamin E which is great for glowing summer skin)
Snack 2:
An apple or even two if you are peckish!
(The humble apple oozes goodness. They help cleanse the body by boosting the liver & kidneys and help keep the skin hydrated).
Dinner:
Tuna Pasta & Pesto Salad
Super quick, nutritiouis and low cost makes this dish a great choice.
Extra portions can be made and served cold the next day in a packed lunch. Ingenious!
Recipe:
Serves 4:
800g Fusilli pasta (wheat free pasta can be used)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Large bunch of fresh coriander
1 small red onion chopped finely
2 x 185g tuna flakes drained
6-8 small tomatoes
Alternatively you can buy ready made pesto in which case leave out the coriander & olive oil.
- Boil the pasta for 10mins until tender. Drain and set aside.
- To make the pesto whizz the coriander & olive oil in a food processor until a paste forms. Add a little hot water if too thick.
- Stir the pesto into the pasta, and add the tuna, onion and tomatoes.
- Sprinkle some black pepper on top and dig in.
2 slices of wholemeal or granary bread
Spread with honey, jam etc
Try a herb tea such as lemon & ginger to wake up your metabolism
Small bowl of fresh mangoe and kiwi fruit to super charge your vitamin c levels.
Add a small-palmfull of sunflower/pumpkin/sesame/linseed seeds
Omlette made with organic eggs
Add ham/ cheese or mushrooms
Serve with a crunchy raw vegetables salad of chopped peppers, celery, cucumber and grated carrot. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar to add flavour.
Better still make your own.
1 pot of Bio- yoghurt
Small palm-full Apricots mixed with almond and brazil nuts. (It is advised to avoid peanuts when pregnant due to a possible link with peanut allergy)
Chicken with lime & Ginger ( see Recipe below)
Vegetarian option is to use smoked Tofu
Fresh ginger
juice of 1 lime and grate the zest
1tsp soy sauce
4 spring onions
Big handfull spinach leaves
Small tub of low fat bio yoghurt
3ozs (uncooked weight) brown rice
2 Weetabix with milk for slow release energy throughout the morning
I chopped banana (babanas are high in potassium which in hot weather we sweat out!
Top with some honey to sweeten
Try leaving a fruit or herb tea to cool. Then serve it with ice cubes for a refreshing drink.
A bowl of fresh pinneaple which helps to boost your radiant complexion.
Add a palmfull of almond nuts which are rich in protein, plus omega 9 'good' fats.
Chilled brown rice with chopped pear, apple, cucumber and peppers.
Top with grated firm cheese such as Cheddar or Parmesan for a mediteranean flavour.
Better still make your own.
In the melting heat treat yourself to some frozen yoghurt or organic ice cream.
Add a large portion of mixed berries ( and for complete indulgence grate some organic/ 70% solid chocolate on top)
Salmon with chive, coriander parcels and new potatoes. ( see Recipe below)
However Health guidelines advise that you limit your intake os farmed salmon to 1 portion per week due to the possible mercury in the farmed fishing methods.
Vegetarian option is to use smoked Tofu
Fresh chives & coriander
juice of 1 lemon and grate the zest
150g of sugar snap peas
2 corn on the cob
new potatoes (buy & boil extra and make a cold potatoe salad tomorrow)
Replace a fat laden croissant with a wholemeal seeded bagel.
Toast and spread it with a little pure butter and some Manuka honey.
Not only will this boost your fibre intake (less chance of haemorrhoids!)
but it will also release slow energy throughout the morning.
Better still make your own.
A carton or bowl of bio-active yoghurt to boost your calcium.
Add a handful of blueberries to boost your vitamin stores & immune sysy
Tuck into a bowl of comfort warming soup.
There are lots of convenience soups on the supermarket shelves today, which are high in nutrition and low in salt & sugar.
'Covent Garden' range, also 'Seeds of Change' are both organic soups of quality.
If you have time, make your own vat of soup and freeze some for another day.
Experiment with a new flavour of herbal tea such as Ginger & Apple, Peppermint & lemon,
Honey & Cammomile. Theses are just a few of the fantastic variety of flavours on sale.
Go on and be adventurous.
Dunk a couple of wholemeal biscuits ( not the packet!)
Omega Boost on Toast!
The oily fish is full of magnesium, iodine and the wonderful omega 3 fats. This boosts a healthy heart and immune system and has shown to have beneficial health implications for your develpoing baby.
e.g. sardines, mackerel, pilchards. Some already come in a tomato based sauce.
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 onion
8 mushrooms
1 red/ orange pepper
2 - 4 slices of wholemeal bread
A small bowl of unsweetened muesli
Add in a palmful of apricots to boost your iron levels
Soak overnight with fresh apple/ orange juice
Add a dollop of bio- yoghurt just prior to eating
A palmful of almonds and 2 juicy satsumas
Construct an open tuna sandwich
Top 1 slice of granary/ wholemeal bread
with a small tin of tuna mixed with lemon juice.
Cover with copious amounts of stress reducing lettuce
(yes lettuce does contain natural calming enzymes!)
add cucumber, tomato, red pepper and a few fresh basil leaves.
Choose a home grown apple (not flown in from outer mongolia... think of the carbon footprint!)
Munch with a matchbox size sqaure of full boddied hard cheese.
Super quick spaghetti bolognese.
Alternatively just fill it with loads of veggies.
This ultra quick meal provides a nutritious and filling dinner with the minimum of effort.
Wholewheat spaghetti
For super ease buy a jar of ready made pasta sauce.
There are lots of organic ones on the shelves.
Or use tinned tomatoes and add in some garlic and pesto paste
mushrooms
Oinion
2 slices og wholemeal/ grain toast
Spread with locally produced honey.
The fibre will keep you regular whilst the local honey will support rural business.
A pot of bio yoghurt to keep your internal flora happy
Add a juicy ripe plum.
A medium baked or sweet potato
Fill with philadelphia light cheese and stack with cucumber & chopped celery.
An oat based Cereal Bar or make your own flapjack bar with oats.
This will help reduce that afternoon 'slump' in energy.
Spanish Red pepper Soup.
This soup is packed full of the potassium rich tomatoes & red peppers.
It can also be made in advance and served chilled....refreshing.
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 tsp paprika
1 large can (or mug if frozen) of sweetcorn
2 red peppers seeded and chopped
1 pint / 600ml vegetable stock
1 x 440g can tomatoes
100g / 40oz new potatoes diced.
A bowl of warm porridge made with milk
Add a handfull of blackberries (still lots around on the hedgerows to pick your own)
(The low glycaemic index porridge oats will keep you full until lunchtime
& the berries are packed with vitamin & Antioxidants to warn off any early colds)
A small handful of brazil nuts
(These contain Selenium which is associated with raising our mood).
Excellent snack for those who suffer from 'winter blues'
A warming soup
Either make your own or for ease buy one of the many fantastic wholesome
ready soups available in all supermarkets. Go for natural ingredients and organic
range if you can afford it.
Try to steer clear of tinned processed soups which usually have a high salt content.
Boost your vitamins with 2 peices of fruit of your choice.
Try to chose local in season stuff!
Super easy no fuss 'nibble Dinner'
1 tub of humous (or another dip of your choice)
carrot sticks
celery sticks
sliced apple
bread sticks, sesame style crackers or a pitta bread
1/2 dozen olives
cubes of Feta cheese (or cheddar)
or 1/2 tin of creamy Rice Pudding
Small tin of baked beans on wholemeal toast
(The amino proteins in the beans complement the fibre in the wholemeal bread.
Together they make the perfect low G.I, sustained energy and complete protein meal)
An apple to boost vitamin levels.
A small sweet baked potatoe (sweet potatoe's are lower G.I. than white ones so they keep
your blood sugar stable for longer giving you a sustained energy release)
Top it with hummous, cottage cheese, ham or tuna
Plus a some salad of rocket, spinach, grated carrot and tomatoes.
A palmful of energising seeds such as pumpkin, sunflower and linseed.
Simple Stir Fry
(Quorn or soya as vegetarian option)
Soy sauce
1x fresh lime
A few slices of fresh ginger
A bowl of porridge oats.
Add a palmful of sultanas and a grated apple
A handful of brazil, almond and walnuts
Smoked mackeral or tinned sarsdines on 2 slices of granary toast
Top with sliced tomato and spinach & rocket leaves.
A small pot of bio yoghurt
Vegetable Curry
1 crushed garlic clove
2 tablespoons of curry paste (you choose how hot!!)
1 can chopped tomatoes
A mixture of vegetables (such as peppers, courgettes, sqush, green beans, mushrooms)
400g can of coconut milk
1 can of lentils or mixed beans
Basmati rice
It is super nutritious because it hasn't had the goodness burnt, processed, squeezed or been drowned in chemicals!
It is just as mother nature intended for us.
Homemade super smoothie:
A banana (or any soft fruit), a handful of goji berries, a spoonful of sesame seeds.
Add about 200mls of soya or rice milk. For extra thickness add less liquid and add
a spoonful of bio yoghurt.
Whizz in a blender and drink straight away.
A handful of brazil nuts, almonds & sunflower seeds (these contain tryptophan which help in the production of the happy hormone 'serotonon)
A super salad of romaine lettuce, rocket, chervil leaves, parsley, spinch leaves, watercress (if it's green and leafy bung it in!)
Add carrot sticks, celery, tomatoes..... and scatter over some chick peas, lentils, adzuki beans or borlotti beans (all of these can be easily bought in tins. Organic is best and not a lot more in price)
Make a dressing with fresh lemon juice and a dash of extra vigin olive oil and maybe a teaspoon of honey!
A piece of fresh fruit of your choice
Quick cook stir fry.
A few slithers of fresh ginger
beansprouts
Red & orange peppers
mushrooms
Finely shredded green cabbage/ spinach or pak choi leaves
Finely shredded leeks
green beans or mange tout
Turkey cut into thin strips or tofu alternative
Tamari sauce (made from soya beans)
Juice & grated rind 2 large oranges
However it does contain all the goodness and nutrients to pep up your energy, keep your blood sugar stable and fill your body with nutrients. Fast food doesn't have to be 'bad' food!
A bowl full of sugar free muesli ( or a low sugar cereal such as shredded wheat, bran flakes or weetabix)
Add a chopped bannana or some fresh english strawberries bursting with vitamin C.
A small handfull of dried apricots, dates, figs, raisins
These will boost your energy, add fibre to your diet and is easy to have handy in your bag.
A wholemeal/ granary roll filled with tuna/ chicken/ hummous.(Homemade or shop bought)
Add a green side salad or some raw carrot sticks.
A piece of fresh fruit of your choice
Pork & Pineapple Kebabs
1 medium pineapple cubed (fresh or tinned in natural juice)
2 red or orange sweet peppers
Cherry tomatoes
agave syrup or honey
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
A big bowl of fresh fruit (go mad with melon, berries, banana, kiwi...)
Add a big dollop of bio yoghurt to help you intestinal flora
Top with some crushed nuts and seeds for extra protein and nutrients.
A chilled glass of fresh (not concentred) juice.
Apple juice with a sprig of mint leaves is refreshing and aids digestion.
Take a wholemeal wrap and fill it with tuna, cheese or ham
Add in some tomato, cucumber, watercress, rocket and sliced red pepper
Add a splode of sour cream or greek yoghurt
Wrap it up and tuck in!
A piece of refreshing fruit of your choice with a palmful of nuts
Chicken & chilli chickpea salad
100g can red kidney beans
1 red onion chopped
250g cooked chicken breast chopped
250g cherry tomatoes halved
2 red chillies deseeded and chopped finely
Cucumber chopped
Basil, parsley and chives to add flavour
mix some olive oil, balsamic vinegar, 2-3 crushed garlic cloves and a teaspoon of mustard
A fresh home made smoothie.
Take 1 banana, a handfull of berries (your choice) and add a small carton size of bio yoghurt.
Blend/ whizz together and serve over some ice cubes.
Plus the yoghurt helps keep the friendly bacteria in your good happy.
A handful of brazil nuts and raisins
Brazil nuts are packed with natural selenium which is known to lift your mood.
TRye crispbread topped with low fat cream cheese or humous
Add some sliced tomatoes, cucumber and red pepper
Rye crispbreads offer an easy and nutritious alternative.
Check out the varieties that 'Ryveta' offer (multi grain, sesame, muesli)
A few squres of 70% solid chocolate
Green & Blacks do some yummy flavours.
Good chocolate contains iron so you don't have to feel too guilty!
Spaghetti with Bolognese sauce
Easy, tasty and great to share.
1 tinned tomatoes and 2 tbs tomato puree
OR a jar of ready made bolognese sauce for ease
1 onion chopped
2 garlic cloves
4 large carrots finely chopped
2 courgettes finely chopped
Basil and oregano to flavour
Wholewheat spaghetti
A bowl of warming porridge to keep your blood sugar levels steady for many hours
Add a palmful of raisins, fresh berries or a bannana & sweeten with a dollop of honey
A handful of brazil nuts which are packed with natural selenium which is known to lift your mood.
A medium baked potato filled with melted cheese
Serve with some grilled tomatoes to boost lycopene (antioxidant) levels
Two peices of fresh fruit of your choice
Mushroom & Lentil Bake
2 garlic cloves crushed
2 shallots or 1 onion chopped
75g green lentils (tinned are easy)
500g mushrooms
500mls vegetable staock
625g potatoes
paprika powder
A bowl of fresh fruit of your choice
Add a handful of chopped nuts and a spoonful of bio yoghurt to help restore your digestive enzymes
3- 4 dried apricots which contain loads of fibre to keep your bowel healthy!
A large small bowl of vegetable soup (homemade) or buy one of the many good organic cartons in the supermarket for ease.
If hungry eat some more soup than fill up with lots of bread.
One peice of fresh fruit of your choice
Salmon with spinach & sweet potato
2cm cube ginger
2 spring onions chopped
1 clove garlic chopped
sprigs of fresh dill (or 1 tsp dried)
zest & juice of a lime
2 salmon fillets
2 medium sized sweet potato
250g spinach leaves washed (150c cloves crushed
Wholegrain toast topped with honey or fruity jam
Add a small bowl of chopped Kiwi and melon to boost vitamins
A small palmful of nuts and raisins to boost protein levels
A baked sweet potato (they are part of the 'yam' family and have a lower
glycaemic index than white potatoes despite their name)
Add some crumbled feta cheese, cooked beetroot and some crunchy lettuce
A bio yoghurt of your choice to boost calcium and intestinal flora.
Add a piece of fresh fruit
Green bean & chick pea salad
Plus with the green beans this meal is high in Vitamin C which helps your body
absorb iron.
1 tsp sesame/ olive oil
A splash of japenese soy sauce
40g toasted sesame seeds
410g tin of chick peas
Couscous
4 dried/ 2 fresh apricots
A bowl full of cruchy muesli (most supermarkets stock organic, no sugar varieties)
Top with some delicious fresh english strawberries which are just coming into season or some other fresh friut of your choice
Chop some carrots, red/ orange pepper and celery into strips and nibble away.
(poshly known as 'crudites')
Top some oat cakes with mashed avocado and sliced tomato.
Add some crumbled feta cheese and drizzle with a tiny splash of good olive oil.
(the oat cakes are wheat free and contain protein. Avocado provides you with the perfect balance of essential fatty acids and Vitamin E which is great for glowing summer skin)
An apple or even two if you are peckish!
(The humble apple oozes goodness. They help cleanse the body by boosting the liver & kidneys and help keep the skin hydrated).
Tuna Pasta & Pesto Salad
Extra portions can be made and served cold the next day in a packed lunch. Ingenious!
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Large bunch of fresh coriander
1 small red onion chopped finely
2 x 185g tuna flakes drained
6-8 small tomatoes