05 Jun Naked Recipes for Healthy Eating
If you are of a certain age, then you’ll remember when Jamie Oliver burst onto our screens back in 1999 with the series, The Naked Chef. In the introduction to that show, Jamie explained that “naked” cooking involves “stripping back the recipe to its bare essentials,” and that’s what we have done here with these recipes. If you attended our Come Dine event back in march, then you may recognise a few of these recipes!
Berrylicious Breakfast Superfood Smoothie (Vegan)
Handful of frozen berries
Handful of spinach leaves
Handful of nuts/seeds
Fresh basil
2 scoops Arbonne vanilla protein powder
Non-dairy milk (coconut, almond, oat etc.)
This smoothie is packed full of ingredients that will give you a hit of nutrients and will keep you feeling full until lunch. Blend all of the above ingredients together until you reach your preferred consistency. The great thing about this recipe is that you can mix and match different flavours by choosing different berries and nuts. Strawberries, blackberries, cherries, raspberries and blueberries all work well, as do hazelnuts, almonds, cashews, hemp seeds, chia seeds. Experiment and see what you like best!
Spiced Roast Tomato Soup (Vegan)
12 vine tomatoes
2 red onions, roughly chopped
Vegetable stock
400ml tin of coconut milk
knob of ginger
5 garlic cloves
1 red chilli (Optional)
Coriander
White wine vinegar
Olive oil, salt & pepper
Crusty bread, to serve.
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Cut the tomatoes in half, sprinkle with salt and olive oil, and place face-up on a baking tray. Add the ginger and garlic (whole with skin on) to the tray also. Bake for 20 minutes, then add the chopped onions and whole red chilli. Return to the oven for a further 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and add to a saucepan, squeezing the garlic from the skin and peeling the skin from the ginger. Add the coconut milk, a splash of white wine vinegar, and blend until smooth, adding vegetable stock until you reach the right consistency. Serve sprinkled with fresh coriander, and with plenty of crusty bread.
“Undressed” Prawn & Avocado Salad
1 bag of frozen king prawns (defrosted) or fresh king prawns, shelled, deveined and cooked.
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 avocados
Iceberg lettuce, finely shredded
Juice of 1 lime
Tomato ketchup
Mayonnaise
Pinch of paprika
Olive oil, salt and pepper
The prawns should be cooked and “undressed” in advance, and should be firm and juicy and an attractive nude colour. Take your avocados and cut in half, carefully removing the stones. Scoop out the flesh, and roughly mash leaving a chunky texture. Add chopped shallots, lime juice, olive oil and salt and pepper.
In a separate bowl, mix ketchup and mayonnaise until you have a classic cocktail sauce.
Layer the lettuce, avocados and prawns on a plate or in a serving bowl and top with the sauce and paprika, for a modern twist on a classic recipe.
Mediterranean Traybake (Vegetarian/Vegan)
1 Ciabatta
Pack of cherry vine tomatoes
2 red onions
2 red peppers
Bunch of asparagus
Entire bulb of garlic
Jar of Kalamata olives (stoned)
Ball of Mozzarella cheese (optional, rough chunks)
Dried oregano
Olive oil, salt & pepper
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Chop the peppers, asparagus, onions and bread into large chunks, and add to a roasting tray along with the olives, tomatoes and garlic cloves (skin on). Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 45 minutes, taking them out halfway through to stir around. At the halfway point, add the mozzarella (if using) and oregano. Drizzle with more olive oil and lemon juice to serve. Simple!
Chicken or Salmon “Au Naturel”
2 fillets of free-range chicken or salmon
Bunch of asparagus
Selection of root vegetables (butternut squash, suede, turnip, pumpkin, carrot, potato etc)
Handful of chopped dill
Butter
Milk
Olive oil, salt & pepper
Your vegetables should be prepared in advance – chop into rough chunks and simmer with a lid on until squeezably soft. Drain, add a splash of milk, season and mash until smooth.
Add a splash of olive oil to a pan, and add your chicken or salmon, skin side down. Sear on one side, before flipping over and adding your asparagus and a generous knob of butter to the pan. At the last minute, add chopped dill to the pan which will combine with the butter and juices, creating a deliciously dreamy sauce to drizzle over your meat and veg.
Baked Pears with Amaretti (Vegetarian)
4 ripe pears
1 tub Ricotta
Amaretti biscuits (roughly crushed into chunks)
Cinnamon
Honey
Cut the pears in half and scoop out the core with a spoon, leaving an indent. Place on a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes until soft. Top each pear with a scoop of ricotta, a drizzle of honey, a sprinkling of cinnamon and some crushed biscuits. Simple yet delicious, and reasonably healthy too!