When the ‘problem’ has been removed, it is tempting to go back to eating a similar diet to the one that got you into trouble in the first place. But really, it’s best not to. For a start (you know what I’m going to say), go easy on the fat because you can no longer deliver large amounts of bile to digest it. In particular:
The goal is to re-introduce healthy fats back into your diet, but you should still be aware of fat, sugar and carb content.
My favourite recipes
Now that I am not terrified of fat, I have adapted my diet to include meals containing healthy fats; see a few examples in the following pages.
• 6 medium beetroot, cut into quarters
• 3 tbsp (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp white-wine vinegar
• ½ tsp Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp honey
• ½ tsp salt
• freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/400°F.
Divide the beetroot between two pieces of foil; bring the edges together and crimp to make packets. Roast until the beetroots are is just tender when pierced with the point of a knife – about 1¼ hours.
Unwrap the beetroot and allow to cool.
Meanwhile, whisk the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, salt and pepper in a small bowl to make a dressing.
When the beetroots are cool enough to handle, slip off the skins.
Cut them into small cubes and place in a large bowl.
Add the shallots, celery and dressing; toss to coat well.
Serve at room temperature or chilled.
• 225 grams (1¼ cups) short-grain brown rice or long-grain brown rice, rinsed
• 200 grams (1½ cups) frozen shelled edamame, preferably organic
• 200 grams (1½ cups) trimmed and roughly chopped snap peas or snow peas, or thinly sliced broccoli florets
• 1 to 2 tbsp reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce, to taste
• 280 grams (4 cups) of any of the following: chopped red cabbage, spinach, romaine lettuce or kale (ribs removed)
• 2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted and thinly sliced into long strips (slice just before serving)
Garnish with all or some of:
• 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
• thinly sliced spring onion (green onion) – about ½ small bunch)
• lime wedges
• toasted sesame oil, for drizzling
• sesame seeds
• sea salt and pepper
Bring a large pot of water to the boil.
Once the water is boiling, add the rice and continue boiling for 25 minutes.
Add the edamame and cook for 3 more minutes (it’s okay if the water doesn’t reach a rapid boil again), then add the snap peas and cook for 2 more minutes.
Drain well, and return the rice and veg to the pot.
Season to taste with 1 to 2 tablespoons of tamari or soy sauce, and stir to combine.
Divide the rice/veg mixture and raw veg into 4 bowls.
Arrange cucumber slices along the edges of the bowls.
Drizzle lightly with a dressing of your choice and top with sliced spring (green) onion.
Place a lime wedge or two in each bowl.
When you’re ready to serve, divide the avocado into the bowls.
Lightly drizzle sesame oil over the avocado, followed by a generous sprinkling of sesame seeds and sea salt.
Serve immediately.
• 1 piece of salmon fillet
• ½ avocado, cubed
• ¼ cucumber, cubed
• ½ head of lettuce
• 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp chopped chives
• salt and pepper
Season the salmon and grill for 5 minutes, until cooked.
Put the avocado and cucumber into a bowl and add the lettuce.
Peel the lemon and squeeze half of its juice onto the salad, then add a couple of lemon slices.
Peel the skin from the salmon and flake it onto the salad.
Sprinkle on the chives and squeeze on more lemon to taste.
• 1 salmon fillet
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• ½ lemon
• salt and pepper
• olive oil cooking spray
For the crumb topping:
• ¾ cup Panko bread crumbs
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
• zest from one lemon
• 2 tbsp parmesan cheese, shredded
• 3 tbsp melted butter
Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/400°F.
Combine all the ingredients for the crumb topping in a small bowl.
Line a pan with foil and lightly spray with cooking oil spray.
Place the salmon in the pan and brush with the melted butter.
Season with salt and pepper and squeeze the lemon over the top.
Sprinkle the crumb topping mixture over the salmon.
Bake uncovered for around 15 minutes or until the salmon flakes easily and is cooked through.
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced into half-moons
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 cm (1 inch) piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• sea salt (pinch)
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 red chilli, thinly sliced into rings
• juice ½ lemon
• 4 rotis, warmed
• ½ small red onion, chopped
• 4 tbsp mango chutney or lime pickle
• 4 tbsp yoghurt
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat.
Add the chicken, brown on all sides, then remove.
Add the onion, garlic, ginger and a pinch of salt, then cook for 5 minutes or until softened.
Increase the heat to high.
Return the chicken to the pan with the spices, tomato purée, chilli and lemon juice, then season well and cook for 10 minutes or until the chicken is tender.
Divide the chicken, red onion, chutney, herbs and yoghurt between the four warm rotis.
Roll up and serve.
• 220 grams (½ lb) lemon sole fillets
• olive oil cooking spray
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp chipotle paste
• 6 tbsp mayonnaise
• 4 soft corn tortillas
• 175 grams (1¾ cups) white cabbage, shredded
• handful coriander (cilantro), chopped
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• juice of 1 small lime, plus lime wedges to serve (optional)
Heat the oven to 200°C/400°F.
Space the sole fillets apart on a baking sheet, spray with a littleolive oil spray, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for 12-15 minutes
Meanwhile, mix the chipotle paste into the mayo and warm the tortillas.
To make the salad, toss the cabbage, coriander (cilantro) and onion with the lime juice and some salt.
Spread the tortillas with a little of the spicy mayo, then place the salad and fish down the centre.
Top with a little more mayo, then fold and eat with your fingers.
Serve with lime wedges.
For the burgers:
• 170 grams (1 cup) quinoa
• 2 medium-sweet potatoes, halved lengthwise
• olive oil spray
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• ¼ tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 x 400 gram (14 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• wholegrain burger buns or lettuce wraps
• lettuce, tomatoes, avocados
For the chilli lime mayo:
• 230 grams (¼ cup) mayonnaise
• 1 tsp chilli garlic sauce
Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/400°F.
Cook the quinoa according to the instructions on the package. Cover and set aside.
Place the sweet potato halves on a baking tray, cut side down, coat lightly with olive oil spray and roast for 30 minutes.
While the sweet potatoes are baking, make the chilli lime mayo: in a small bowl, mix together the mayo, chilli garlic sauce and lime juice; set aside.
In another small bowl, mix together salt, onion powder, garlic powder, chilli powder, oregano, cumin powder and black pepper, then set aside.
In a large bowl, add the black beans and cooked sweet potatoes and mash until the consistency is slightly chunky – some beans will be completely mashed and others will not, creating a nice texture.
Add in the cooked quinoa and spices, mix together with your hands and form into 8 burger patties – about 1/3 cup of mixture each.
Place the burger patties on a large baking sheet covered in parchment paper, then spray with olive oil and bake for 20 minutes.
Flip over, spray the other side with olive oil spray and bake for a further 10 minutes.
Serve with a wholegrain burger bun and salad, or wrapped in a lettuce leaf.
• 3 sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
• 225 grams (1 cup) spinach
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 8 chicken thighs, skinless and boneless
• 500 ml (2¼ cups) chicken stock
For the spice paste:
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 red chilli, chopped
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 small piece of fresh ginger, grated
• 1 x 400 gram (14 oz) can tomatoes
• 2 lemons, deseeded and chopped
To serve:
• pumpkin seeds, toasted
• 2-3 lemons, de-seeded and chopped
Steam the sweet potatoes: Place a steamer basket in a wide, shallow pan with a lid; place washed sweet potatoes into the steamer basket; fill the pan with water up to the bottom of the steamer basket; season the sweet potatoes: cover the pan and bring the water to a boil; reduce the heat slightly and let the potatoes steam for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on their size. This works best with smaller potatoes.
Meanwhile, put all the paste ingredients in a food processor and blend until very finely chopped; set aside.
Put the spinach in a large colander in the sink and pour the water from the steamer pan over it to wilt the spinach; leave to steamdry.
Return the pan to the heat, add the oil followed by the spice paste, then fry the paste for about 5 minutes until thickened.
Add the chicken and fry for 8-10 minutes until the chicken starts to colour.
Pour over the stock, bring to the boil and leave to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Check the chicken is cooked by cutting into one of the thighs and making sure it’s white throughout with no signs of pink.
Season with black pepper, then add the sweet potato.
Leave to simmer for a further 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, roughly chop the spinach and add it to the stew.
Scatter over the pumpkin seeds and lemons, and serve with warm naan.
• 170 grams (1 cup) uncooked quinoa
• 1 Romaine lettuce, whole leaves torn off
• 1 x 400 gram (14 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 x 400 gram (14 oz) can sweetcorn, drained and rinsed
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika powder
• 15 grams (½ cup) fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 spring (green) onions, sliced
• 250 grams (1 cup) white bean spread or hummus
• sea salt
• black pepper
• red pepper flakes
• hot sauce (optional)
Cook the quinoa according to the instructions on the package.
In a bowl, combine the black beans and the corn with the quinoa, lime juice, cumin, paprika powder and chopped parsley.
Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Equally apportion the quinoa mixture to the lettuce leaves and top them with some hummus, spring (green) onions, and hot sauce if you fancy.
Add cooked chicken if you so desire.
• 2 aubergines, cut into slices lengthways
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 140 grams (5/8 cup) Puy lentils
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 300 grams (1½ cups) cooked butternut squash
• 1 x 400 gram (14 oz) can chopped tomatoes
• handful basil leaves
• salt and pepper
• 125 gram (1 cup) mozzarella, torn
Heat the oven to 200°C/400°F.
Brush both sides of the aubergine slices with 2 tbsp of the olive oil, lay on a baking sheet, season and bake for 15-20 minutes until tender, turning once.
Cook the lentils following the instructions on the packet.
Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan.
Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft.
Stir through the squash and tomatoes, plus ½ can of water.
Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
Stir in the lentils, basil and seasoning.
Spoon a layer of lentils into a small baking dish.
Top with some of the aubergine slices and repeat, finishing with a layer of aubergine.
Scatter with the pieces of mozzarella and bake for a further 15 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling.