I’m currently experimenting with 5/2 intermittent fasting, for a number of reasons…the Covid 5kg the only physical part of Covid i’ve suffered with so far :), improving energy, digestion, sleep, mental clarity and peri menopause sysmptoms…i’ll let you know how I go.
In short for 2 days a week you reduce your calories to 500 a day (600 for men), eating wholesome great quality food, on the remaining 5 days you continue to eat great food clean proteins, masses of veg and reinvigorating your commitment to eating well.
My challenge is cooking for a family, I really don’t want to cook 2 different meals. This recipe has been a success and is pretty easy, I have it on Zucchini noodles whilst the rest of the family have it on creamy polenta, you could also serve it on sourdough bread, baked sweet potato, gnocchi or spelt penne.
The recipe calls for Chestnut mushrooms, I’ve used Portobello with success

Serves 2

1 tablespoon coconut oil
600g Chestnut mushrooms (or any other firm mushroom)
4 garlic cloves thinly sliced or minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon raw cacao powder
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika (I’ve used smoked or a different taste profile)
300ml vegetable stock
5 sprigs thyme
sea salt and freashly cracked pepper

Heat coconut oil in a large frying pan and saute the mushrooms and garlic over a medium to high heat until golden brown and beginning to collapse.
In a small bowl, mix together tomato paste, cacao, and paprika and add to the mushrooms, reduce the heat to low and stir to coat all the mushrooms best you can.
Turn heat up a little add the stock and thyme, stir and allow to bubble and reduce for approx ten minutes
Season to taste and remove the thyme and serve.

recipe adapted from The Yoga Kitchen by Kimberly Parsons

Autumn is here and winter just around the corner, we tend to go for heavier meals. This is a beautifully nourishing and comforting meal with a few nutritional boosting twists.

Shepherd’s Pie with Cauliflower Mash
Serves 4

150g (2/3cup) green lentils
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 spring onion chopped
10g (1/3 cup) chopped parsley
2 tsp dried basil
2 tsp dried oregano
500g minced lamb (veg replace 1 cup cannellini beans)
2 carrots thinly sliced
250ml Passata (pureed tomatoes)
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp Tamari
1 tbsp brown rice miso
250 ml (1cup) hotish water
45g brown rice flour
4 bay leaves
1 large kale leaf or a handful of spinach

Rinse lentils, soak if time allows overnight or for a few hours
Place in a saucepan with lightly salted water. Bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15mins or until tender, drain and set aside

Preheat oven to 180c

Heat the olive oil in a fry pan or oven proof pan
Add the onion, spring onion, parsley, basil and oregano stir for a few mins and then add garlic
Increase heat add lamb, breaking up chunks with wooden spoon, cook until evenly browned
Add carrot, passata, paprika and tamari stir to combine
In a small bowl dissolve miso into hottish water and add to pan
Add rice flour, bay leaves and lentils
Reduce heat and cook for 20mins stirring often
Stir in kale or spinach and remove from heat

Cauli and Pea Topping

500g Cauliflower, chopped into florets, don’t worry to much its going to be wizzed
280g (2 cups peas) fresh or frozen
Handful fresh mint leaves
130g (1/2 cup) Greek style/thick yoghurt (omit for dairy free use coconut yoghurt or double olive oil)
2 tbsp olive oil
50g (1/2cup) Parmesan optional

Steam Cauliflower florets over boiling water till they are not soft, remove steamer basket and add peas to boiling water and cook for a few mins. Transfer to a blender or food processor, add mint leaves, yoghurt, olive oil. Blend to a consistency of your liking maybe chunky or smooth.

Pop topping on your lamb and lentil mixture, after transferring to a casserole dish if necessary.
Scraping a fork over top for a fancy pants look or leave rustic.
Bake 30mins
Sprinkle with parmesan if using and freshly ground black pepper
Cook for up to another 15mins until top if goldenish and bubbling

Serve with baby spinach or a simple green salad for added veg.

Mushroom Ragu

Shepherd's Pie with Cauliflower and Pea Mash