When you eat the right foods in the right quantities, your body will respond positively and you will thrive both physically and mentally. This is the message Nicci Robertson wants to send with her new book, Thrive. The book includes over 80 mouthwatering family-friendly recipes that are packed with flavour and nutritionally balanced. Whether your goal is weight-loss or improved health, Nicci’s recipes will have you rethinking the concept of ‘diet food’ and heading for the kitchen with enthusiasm!
Apple, Celery and Cottage Cheese Salad
‘This combination of tastes and textures works really well together. Best of all, it is quick to make, quick to eat and full of fibre. For an on-the-go lunch, you might prefer to put the nuts in a separate container and add them at the last minute.’
1 large green apple, sliced or chopped
250 g chunky cottage cheese
½ cup chopped celery
¼ cup pecans or walnuts, whole or roughly chopped
Combine everything in a small bowl. Eat immediately or place in a sealed container in the fridge for 3–4 hours.
Lamb and Feta Burgers
Makes 4 burger patties
1 kg lamb mince, at room temperature
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large egg
1 large red onion, finely chopped
1 disk (± 80 g) feta, crumbled
¼ cup breadcrumbs
3–4 fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
1 tsp dried origanum
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix by hand until well incorporated.
Divide the mixture into four and use your hands to roughly form equal-sized balls. Place the balls on a baking sheet and gently flatten into patties. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes, to firm up.
Cook the patties in a preheated oven at 200°C for 10 minutes on each side for medium rare, then turn on the grill and cook for 1–2 minutes, turning halfway, until browned on each side.
Serve on a bed of lettuce with sliced avo and tomato and garnish with pickled red onions and/or microherbs.
Baked Fish
with Tomatoes, Olives and Capers
Serves 2
500 g white fish fillets
Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
¼ cup olive oil
1 Tbsp finely chopped red onion
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
¼ cup chopped black olives
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp capers, chopped
½ tsp dried origanum
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Place the fish on a baking sheet lined with greased baking paper or foil. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle lightly with oilve oil.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 15–20 minutes, until just done. (Take care not to overcook it; the amount of cooking time will depend on the thickness of the fillets.)
While the fish is cooking, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and fry until soft, then add the tomatoes. As soon as the tomatoes begin to soften, add the olives, garlic, capers, dried origanum and balsamic vinegar. Toss gently to combine, then remove from the heat. Spoon the tapenade over the cooked fish and serve immediately.
Salmon Ceviche
‘Ceviche is a fresh dish made from raw fish marinated in citrus juices, herbs and spices.’
Serves 2
250 g fresh salmon or rainbow trout
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup lime juice
¼ cup lemon juice
2 Tbsp soy sauce
4 spring onions, finely chopped
1 fresh chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
1 avocado, sliced or cubed
½ English cucumber, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
Fresh mint and/or coriander leaves, finely chopped
Rinse the fish and pat dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, cut the fish into cubes (± 1-cm square).
Combine the olive oil, lime juice, lemon juice, soy sauce, spring onions and chilli in a serving bowl. Season to taste. Add the diced salmon and mix gently until well coated. Chill in the fridge for an hour.
Before serving, add the avocado and cucumber and toss gently. Garnish with sesame seeds and fresh herbs. Serve with sourdough or rye bread, to mop up the juices, and wedges of lemon or lime for squeezing.
Quinoa and Chicken Bowl
Serves 2
1 cup dried quinoa
2 tsp salt
Olive oil, for cooking
1 small onion, chopped
½ tsp dried origanum
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
1 can (400 g) chopped tomato
1 clove fresh garlic, crushed
4 chicken breast fillets, sliced into strips
200 g feta, for serving
Cherry tomatoes, for serving
Bring a litre of water to a boil in a pot. Add the quinoa and salt, lower the heat and simmer for about 45 minutes, until the quinoa is soft. (Use ± 2 cups water for each cup of quinoa.)
While the quinoa is cooking, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan. Add the chopped onion, origanum and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring, until the onions are golden.
Add the tomato and garlic and simmer for 5 minutes.
Heat a little olive oil in a separate pan. Season the chicken with salt and fry until just browned.
Drain the quinoa and divide between two bowls. Add the tomato and chicken and top with crumbled feta and halved or sliced cherry tomatoes. If preferred, add the cooked chicken to the tomato mixture, stir to combine, and cook for a further 1–2 minutes before serving.
Baked Chicken with Chorizo
‘The entire family will love this dish and, best of all, it tastes even better the next day, so make enough for leftovers. Serve with a green salad or steamed green beans drizzled with butter.’
Serves 6
6 free-range or organic chicken breasts on the bone
100 g chorizo or pepperoni sausage, thickly sliced
6 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 large red pepper, sliced
1 can (400 g) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic, crushed or finely chopped
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp dried tarragon
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
3 Tbsp olive oil
Place everything in a large roasting pan, season to taste, drizzle with olive oil and toss until well coated.
Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
Chicken and Sage Meatballs
Makes ± 12 meatballs
500 g chicken mince, at room temperature
1 large egg
½ cup grated hard cheese
¼ cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp celery salt
½ tsp cayenne pepper
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Olive oil, for cooking
Place all ingredients, except the olive oil, in a bowl and mix by hand until well incorporated.
Form golfball-size balls and place on a baking sheet. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes, to firm up.
Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a pan and cook the meatballs, turning often, until lightly browned on all sides.
Place the meatballs on a clean baking sheet and transfer to a preheated oven at 180°C for 10–15 minutes, or until cooked though.
Moroccan-inspired Chicken Casserole
‘I often prepare this in a slow cooker (one of my favourite kitchen gadgets), but it can also be made in a wok or pan on the stovetop or in a tagine or casserole dish in the oven. Searing the chicken pieces first is the key to locking in flavour and moisture. Enjoy with utter abandon.’
Serves 4
12 chicken thighs (deboned, skin-on)
4 Tbsp Moroccan spice paste
Flour, for dusting
4 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp Moroccan spice blend,
1 large onion, finely chopped
500 ml chicken stock
1 can (400 g) tomato puree
1 can (400 g) lentils, drained
200 g dried apricots, chopped
½ preserved lemon (2 segments), finely sliced
Fresh parsley, finely chopped
200 g blanched almonds, for serving
Fresh coriander or parsley, for serving
Place the chicken thighs in a resealable bag together with the spice paste and massage the paste into the meat until well coated. (Doing it this way prevents the turmeric in the paste from turning your fingers yellow!) Place the bag in the fridge for at least 3–4 hours, or overnight. Remove the chicken from the marinade an hour or so before cooking, to come to room temperature.
Lightly dust the chicken with flour (this helps to retain the flavour). Heat the oil in a large pan or wok and add the spice blend, stirring until the oil is warm but not smoking. You want the fragrance before adding the meat. Add the chicken and cook, turning frequently, until both sides are lightly browned (don’t let it burn). Once browned, place the chicken into the slow cooker or an ovenproof casserole dish. If cooking in a pan or wok, set the chicken aside.
Add the chopped onion to the pan and fry until soft. Deglaze the pan with the chicken stock, then stir in the tomato puree before pouring the contents of the pan over the chicken. (If cooking on the stovetop, return the chicken to the pan.)
Set the slow cooker to auto and cook the chicken for at least 4 hours, but no longer than 6 hours. For oven cooking, place in a preheated oven at 150°C for a total of 4 hours. For stovetop cooking, or cover the wok or pan with a lid and lower the heat to a gentle simmer.
After about 3 hours, add the drained lentils, dried apricots, preserved lemon and some chopped parsley. Stir through and continue cooking for 1 hour. When ready to serve, garnish with blanched almonds and fresh coriander or parsley leaves.
Protein-packed Berry Ice Cream
‘Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and cherries all make delicious ice cream. The deep red, purple and blue pigments of berries are often associated with increased levels of antioxidants and the promise of healthy ageing.’
Makes ± 1.5 litres
or 12 lollies
300 g fresh or frozen berries
2 cups (500 g) double cream plain yoghurt
½ cup coconut cream
2 scoops (4 Tbsp) vanilla whey protein powder
Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth. (If you prefer some texture, roughly chop half the berries and stir them in after you have processed the rest of the ingredients.)
Scoop the mixture into a metal loaf pan or 12 lolly moulds and freeze for 2–3 hours, until set. (If using a loaf pan, remove it from the freezer every 40 minutes and use a fork to stir the mixture to prevent ice crystals from forming.) If using an ice cream maker, follow the instructions. (You may need to freeze the bowl for 24 hours beforehand.)
Note For chocolate ice cream, use 1 large banana instead of the berries, and chocolate-flavoured whey protein powder.
Recipes extracted from Thrive by Nicci Robertson, out now.
YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY
Recipes: Simply Seven Colours by Zola Nene