* 2 tbsp coconut oil or butter
* 3 garlic cloves peeled and finely chopped
* 1 leek, finely chopped
* ¾ pound (375g) white potatoes, chopped
* 1-¾ cup (400ml) chicken stock
* ¾ cup (150-200ml) cream
* Large handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
* 4 salmon fillets
1 Heat the coconut oil in a saucepan on medium heat before adding the garlic, leek and potatoes and cooking for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2 Preheat the oven to 350°F.
3 Add the chicken stock to the saucepan with the potatoes and leeks, stir well, bring to a boil and cook for around 15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
4 Add the cream and then use a hand blender or food processor to blend all the ingredients into a smooth sauce. Make sure there are no lumps remaining. Stir in the parsley.
5 Place the salmon fillets into a baking dish and pour over the sauce, ensuring each fillet is fully coated. Keep any leftover sauce for other dishes–it’s the best!
6 Place in the oven to cook for 20–25 minutes.
SERVES: 4
PREP TIME 5 Minutes
COOKING TIME 40-45 Minutes
“This recipe is dedicated to my sister Christine. It was one of the last meals I cooked for her before she lost her battle with cancer. I have fond memories of our last moments together, sharing delicious food and laughter.” CHRIS MARSDEN
* ¾ cup (200g) ground almonds
* 1½ tsp baking soda
* 4 eggs
* 5 tbsp (75g) butter
* 200g xylitol
* ¾ cup (200g) sweet potato, cooked & peeled
* ⅓ cup (75g) walnuts, chopped
* ½ cup (100g) dried cranberries
1 Line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper and grease with butter.
2 Preheat the oven to 350°F.
3 Place the sweet potato, almonds, baking soda and butter in a bowl and mash together. Stir in the walnuts and cranberries.
4 In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and xylitol until light and fluffy.
5 Fold the eggs into the potato mixture and combine thoroughly.
6 Pour into the prepared pan and bake for around 40–50 minutes. Check the cake after 40 minutes by inserting a clean knife. If the knife comes out dry, the cake is ready.
7 Remove from the oven and allow to cool before slicing and serving.
SERVES: 8-10
PREP TIME 35 Minutes
COOKING TIME 50–60 Minutes
(check after 50 minutes)
“I’m always looking for creative cake recipes with different combinations of fruits, nuts, vegetables and spices that mean you can cut back on the sugar. We spend our summers in Portugal, and the Portuguese often use sweet potatoes in cakes, pies and even ice cream, so I thought I’d give it a go. This one worked a treat!” CELINE MARSDEN
* 4 eggs
* ¾ cup (200g) tapioca flour
* ¾ cup (200ml) almond milk)
* ½ tsp baking soda
* Olive oil, butter or coconut oil for greasing the tray
1 Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2 Crack the eggs into a measuring cup and make a note of the fluid level. Place the eggs in a blender. Add milk to the blender to the same level that the eggs reached when measured in the cup.
3 Now measure the same amount of flour (dry the measuring cup first so the flour doesn’t stick) and add to the blender. Finally, add the baking soda and blend into a smooth batter.
4 Place ½ teaspoon of oil into each muffin cup in the tin. Heat the muffin tray on a stove until the oil is smoking. You can do this in a hot oven but for best results use the stove. Pour the mixture into each muffin cup, filling up to ¾ full. Place in the oven for 12 minutes until risen, then reduce the temperature to 400°F and cook for another 10 minutes.
MAKES: 6 Yorkshire Puddings
PREP TIME 15 Minutes
COOKING TIME 20-22 Minutes
TIP
If your oven is too hot, the puddings will burn, so it’s best to start with a higher temperature and gradually reduce so the puddings brown but don’t burn.
“We love following Fitter Food principles daily, but Meg is particularly proud of her Yorkshire roots and found herself missing that northern Sunday staple: the Yorkshire Pudding. So we came up with this gem of a recipe.” TOM AND MEG (KERIS’S BROTHER AND HIS GIRLFRIEND)
* 1 pound (500g) ground beef or lamb
* 2 slices bacon, diced (optional)
* 2 tbsp xylitol
* 3 tbsp tamari
* 1 tbsp sesame oil
* 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
* ½ tsp ground ginger
* 3 cloves garlic, crushed
* 1 large onion, finely chopped
* 1 carrot, diced
* Half a savoy cabbage, shredded
This Korean-inspired dish is something we have when we fancy something different from the usual burgers, bolognese or chili.
1 Heat the sesame oil in a pan, add the garlic and fry for one minute. Add the onion and carrot and cook until soft. Set the vegetables to one side.
2 Fry the meat and bacon until brown and drain off any excess fat. Add the vegetables back into the pan.
3 In a bowl, mix 2–3 tablespoons of boiling water with the xylitol and stir until it dissolves. Add the tamari, sesame oil, pepper flakes and ginger, and mix. Add to the meat and vegetables in the pan and simmer for 5 minutes.
5 Season to taste and serve with coconut rice (page 189) and steamed savoy cabbage.
SERVES: 2-4
PREP TIME 15 Minutes
COOKING TIME 20 Minutes
* 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut in half
* 1 large egg
* ¼ cup of coconut or almond flour
* 1 heaping tsp smoked paprika
* 1 heaping tsp garlic powder
* ½ tsp Himalayan Pink or Celtic Sea salt
* Olive oil for cooking (if using Method 1)
1 Boil the sweet potato for 3–5 minutes.
NOTE It shouldn’t be too soft, as it needs to be grated. Rinse in cold water and allow to cool.
2 Beat the egg in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients together. Grate the sweet potato into the beaten egg and mix. It’s easiest to mix little-by-little so that you don’t mash the sweet potato too much.
3 Add the dry ingredients into the egg and grated sweet potato. Once everything is all mixed up, roll into small balls (of greatness) around 1 inch in diameter. There are two ways they can be cooked:
METHOD 1–FRYING
Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a pan and place the balls in the oil. They do burn quickly, so they will need to be turned a lot. They can fall apart sometimes too, so care needs to be taken when turning them. Using a tablespoon works well. Keep turning until they are crispy and brown on the outside (around 3–5 minutes).
METHOD 2–BAKING
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the balls on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15–20 minutes.
MAKES: 12–15 Balls
PREP TIME 15 Minutes
COOKING TIME 3–5 minutes frying or 15–20 minutes baking
“We met Keris and Matt in our shop and were intrigued with Fitter Food. We started one of their plans in March 2015 and haven’t looked back since. We are both healthier, happier, more energized, have lost weight and never felt better! We really enjoy cooking (and eating!), and the variety of dishes that Matt and Keris share have opened up a whole new world of eating awesome food. Their recipes are easy, tasty and healthy! Being a part of the Fitter Food family has been a great journey and is now a huge part of our lives. We can’t ever see that changing!” CYNNETH AND KERRY BONANOS
* 2 large sweet potatoes
* 1 tsp paprika
* 1 tsp dried rosemary
* 1 tbsp coconut oil or olive oil for cooking
TOPPING
* 1 avocado
* Juice of 1 lime
* 1 tbsp olive oil
* Celtic Sea or Himalayan Pink salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 can tuna
* Handful of cherry tomatoes
* Handful of spinach
We came up with this recipe after a crazy, stressful week where we had been working late most evenings. We were just too tired to cook and couldn’t face spending too long in the kitchen. I’d seen a picture of potato toast on Instagram so decided to have a go. This is the perfect quick meal for those extra-long working days. We’ve also had it topped with eggs for breakfast.
1 Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2 Slice a sweet potato lengthways into slices around ⅓-inch thick. Sprinkle with the paprika and rosemary (or use any of your favorite herbs). Place on a baking sheet and spoon over some coconut oil or drizzle over olive oil. Allow to cook for 30–35 minutes.
3 Make a quick guacamole by mashing the avocado with lime juice, olive oil and seasoning.
4 Once the sweet potato slices are cooked to your liking, remove from the oven and top with the guacamole, tuna, tomatoes and spinach.
SERVES: 6–8 Slices of Toast
PREP TIME 10 Minutes
COOKING TIME 30-35 Minutes
* 3 tbsp (50g) butter (ghee or coconut oil can be substituted)
* 1 pound (500g) ground lamb
* 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, steamed and mashed
* 1 large onion, finely chopped
* 6 cloves garlic
* 1 handful fresh rosemary
* 1 handful fresh thyme
* 1 tbsp turmeric
* 1 pinch of Celtic Sea or Himalayan Pink salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 packet spring roll wrappers
This is one of our favorite family recipes that gives everyone a thrill! The bonus with these is that the kids absolutely love making them, and they’re perfect as party food or to pop in to a school lunch.
1 Melt the butter in a frying pan and brown the onions, garlic and ground lamb. Add the herbs, salt and pepper. Mix in the sweet potato, then set aside to cool.
2 Once cooled, place 2 teaspoons of the mixture into the spring roll wrapper and seal into a long sausage shape. (Fold from the bottom first, then both sides, rolling up to the top.)
3 Place sealed edge down onto a baking tray and bake in an oven at 400°F until brown and crispy.
4 Serve with kefir, chive and garlic dip and tarty nomato relish... and enjoy!
MAKES: 16
PREP TIME 10 Minutes
COOKING TIME 30–40 Minutes
Kefir Garlic and Chive Dip
A great simple way to get some probiotics into you.
1 tsp raw honey
2-½ ounces kefir (ferment for a slightly longer period if needed to thicken)
1 handful chopped chives
2 cloves garlic
Celtic Sea or Himalayan Pink salt and freshly ground black pepper
Mix together the honey, kefir and garlic. Add the chives and seasoning. Serve chilled with some “Big Dippers.”
SERVES: 4
PREP TIME 5 Minutes
* 1 tsp butter (ghee or coconut oil can be substituted)
* 2 medium sized beets, chopped
* 1 gem squash
* 1 large onion, finely chopped
* 2 carrots, chopped
* 5 cloves garlic
* 1 handful fresh rosemary
* 1 handful fresh thyme
* ½ tsp dried basil
* ½ tsp oregano
* ½ tsp sage
* ¾ cup (200ml) water
* 1-¾ tbsp (25ml) balsamic vinegar
* 1-¾ tbsp (25ml) apple cider vinegar
* Juice of 1 lemon
* Celtic Sea or Himalayan Pink salt and freshly ground black pepper
I have to follow an autoimmune diet which eliminates nightshades, and gosh do I miss tomatoes! This is an alternative to a tangy tomato relish. Discovering this was life changing and made the lack of nightshades in my nutrition much more bearable.
1 Steam the beets, squash and carrots until soft. Fry the onion and garlic in some butter or ghee until soft and slightly browned.
2 In a separate bowl, blend together the vinegars, water and lemon juice. Place the vegetables, onion, garlic and vinegar mixture in a food processor or blender and blend.
3 Pour into a saucepan, add in the herbs and seasoning and simmer for around 20 minutes or until the liquid has reduced down.
4 Serve chilled with some “Big Dippers” and enjoy.
“I’m part of the Fitter Food team and mentor their online programs. I follow an autoimmune diet, so many of my recipes include fermented foods and eliminate nightshades, grains and dairy. I’m always looking for ways to inspire other parents to cook healthy, nutritious food for the whole family.” CLAIRE HARDING
MAKES: 17 oz (enough to serve 8)
PREP TIME 10 Minutes
COOKING TIME 30-40 Minutes
* 1 orange
* 4 eggs
* 1 cup (220g) ground almonds
* ¾ cup (170g) raw honey, maple syrup, coconut palm sugar or cane sugar
* 1 tsp baking soda
FOR THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE
* 5 ounces (150g) 70–85% cacao
* 7 tbsp (100ml) double cream
1 Bring a saucepan of water to boil and place the orange in the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook for around 60 minutes until soft. Remove from the water and allow to cool.
2 Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a cake pan with parchment paper and a little butter or olive oil, or use baking/muffin cups. (Grease these a little too to prevent them from sticking.)
3 Whisk the eggs and sweetener of your choice in a food processor until thick and pale. Add the ground almonds, cooked orange (the whole orange, peel included) and baking soda to the processor and mix again until the ingredients have blended thoroughly and there are no large lumps of orange.
4 Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared cake tray. If making muffins, bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes. If making a cake, bake for 50 minutes. Check by inserting a clean knife. If the knife comes out dry, the cakes are ready. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Once cooled, remove from the pan/cups.
5 To make the ganache, melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of boiling water, then add the cream and mix thoroughly. Pour the ganache over the cooled cake and then place in the fridge to allow the ganache to set.
“This is one of the most popular cakes on our Fitter Food website, and we have to credit Keris’s grandma Audrey with the recipe. She served up this cake at a family party long before the paleo diet was even thought of.” KERIS’S GRANDMA, AUDREY
MAKES: 14 muffins, or the cake serves 10
PREP TIME 1 hour (to boil the orange) 15 minutes
COOKING TIME Muffins 25-30 minutes Cake 50 minutes
* 4 tbsp (50g) ground almonds
* 3 tbsp (40g) xylitol
* 10 drops of almond extract
* 1 egg white
* ½ cup (120g) ice cubes
1 Place the almonds, xylitol, almond extract and egg whites in a food processor and blend until it forms a paste.
2 Blend the almond paste with ½ cup (120g) ice cubes or crushed ice to make an iced drink.
SERVES: 1
PREP TIME 10 Minutes
I’m a naturopath and owner of Emma Mihill Nutrition. I often collaborate with Fitter Food on nutrition education projects. We’ve also become great friends and just love hanging out and eating great food together. I’ve just returned from Sicily where I came across Mandorla Granite, a traditional dish made with almonds. I gave it a healthy twist!” EMMA
“I’m Italian and traditionally this sauce would be made a day in advance for pasta and the leftovers used to bake eggs. However, since my wife Emma is a naturopath and always on about this gluten-free malarkey I mainly just have the eggs ’n’ sauce bit. I served it to Keris and Matt for brunch topped with Parma ham. They loved it and asked me to share the recipe.” DAN
* 4 eggs
* 2 tbsp olive oil
* 1 small to medium onion, finely chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
* 1 can chopped tomatoes
* 1-1/4 cup (300ml) sauce
* 3 tbsp tomato purée
* 3 tbsp xylitol or coconut palm sugar (this takes away the acidity of the tomatoes, so my Nonna used to say)
* Celtic Sea or Himalayan Pink salt and freshly ground black pepper
THE ITALIAN SAUCE 1
Heat the olive oil in a pan on medium heat before adding the onion and garlic, stirring and cooking for about 5 minutes until the onions soften.
2 Add the canned tomatoes, sauce, tomato purée and mix together; then add the xylitol or sugar, salt and pepper. Stir again, then bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes or so, stirring occasionally. The longer the sauce cooks, the better, as it develops more flavor that way. If the sauce dries out, add a little water and stir. Taste at this point, and add a little more salt/pepper/sugar if you think it’s necessary. Tasting at this point is key–your tongue won’t lie!
THE EGGS & SAUCE
1 Add the desired amount of sauce to cover the base of a small-to-medium frying pan and warm the sauce on a low heat.
2 Make small wells in the sauce and crack the desired amount of eggs into the sauce. Don’t break the yolk.
3 Poach the egg in the sauce and carefully spoon the hot sauce on top of the egg. This helps to cook the yolk at the same time as the egg white is being cooked beneath. Top with fresh herbs of your choice and enjoy.
SERVES: 6
PREP TIME 10 Minutes
COOKING TIME 20 Minutes
* 6 large medjool dates
* 1/4 cup (50g) pistachios, unshelled, unsalted
* Grated rind of 1 orange
* 1 tbsp orange juice
* 2 tsp raw honey
* ½ tsp cinnamon
* ½ tsp nutmeg
* 1 pinch ground cloves
* 1 pinch Celtic Sea or Himalayan Pink salt
1 Make a slice lengthways in each date and remove the stone (but don’t cut all the way through!)
2 Add all remaining ingredients to food processor and process until blended and the nuts are finely chopped.
3 Stuff some pistachio mixture into each date.
4 Enjoy with a cup of tea.
“We are close friends of Keris and Matt and share a passion for great tasting, healthy food. I also lost my sister, Anita, to cancer two years ago, and this has really encouraged me to understand the power of nutrition when it comes to health. Matt is also a high-level endurance athlete who follows Fitter Food principles to aid his performance and recovery.” KATE AND MATT
SERVES: 6
PREP TIME 10 Minutes
COCONUT SHRIMP CAKES
* 2 shallots, roughly chopped
* 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
* 1 pound (400g) raw peeled shrimp
* 1 tbsp coconut flour
* 1 tbsp desiccated coconut
* 1 pinch nutmeg
* 1 egg
* Celtic Sea or Himalayan Pink salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 small green chili, roughly chopped (optional)
* Small handful cilantro leaves (optional)
* Coconut oil (for frying)
CILANTRO SAUCE
* 1 green chili, de-seeded and roughly chopped
* 1 green pepper, de-seeded and roughly chopped
* Half a thumb of ginger, peeled and chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
* Large handful cilantro, stalks removed, roughly chopped
* 1 tsp coconut palm sugar
* 2 tsp white rice vinegar
* Juice of a lemon
* Celtic Sea or Himalayan Pink salt and freshly ground black pepper
A great dinner party starter, as it can be prepped ahead and takes just a couple of minutes to cook.
1 If shrimp is frozen, defrost in cool water for 15 minutes before using. Blend shrimp cake ingredients in a food processor until well mixed. Shape into 10–12 cakes and chill for a couple of hours or overnight.
2 When ready to use, heat coconut oil in a pan and fry for around 5 minutes on each side until browned and fully cooked.
3 While the shrimp cakes are chilling, make the sauce by blending all the ingredients together in a food processor. Place in a bowl and chill until ready to serve.
MAKES: 4 Fishcakes
PREP TIME 15 Minutes
COOKING TIME 10 Minutes
2 medium/large eggplant
2 tbsp ground turmeric
1 tsp chili powder
2 red chilis, de-seeded and roughly chopped
5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
6 shallots, roughly chopped
Thumb of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp Thai fish sauce
1 tbsp coconut palm sugar
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 can coconut milk
¾ cup (200ml) vegetable stock
Celtic Sea or Himalayan Pink salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh cilantro to serve
1 Quarter the eggplant lengthways and chop each in half again (crossways). Mix the turmeric and chili powder in a bowl. Coat the eggplant pieces on all sides with the turmeric and chili mixture.
2 Put the chili, garlic, ginger, shallots, fish sauce and palm sugar in a food processor and blend into a finely chopped, rough paste.
3 Heat the coconut oil in a frying pan, add the eggplant pieces and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate. Now add the chili, garlic, ginger and shallot mixture to the pan and fry for a couple of minutes.
4 Add the eggplant pieces back into the pan, along with the coconut milk and stock. Mix and bring to a boil. Then simmer for around 15 minutes. The dish is ready when the eggplant is soft but still holds its shape.
5 Season to taste and serve with a sprinkling of chopped fresh cilantro.
SERVES: 4
PREP TIME 20 Minutes
COOKING TIME 15-20 Minutes
We’d like to thank you for buying our book. It really means the world to us and we’re grateful you chose to invest in a taste of Fitter Food.
We genuinely hope this becomes your kitchen bible and you enjoy cooking the recipes for yourself and your friends and family on a regular basis.
BOSH!
Keris, Matt and Hamish
