Summer just became simpler! Five easy and nutritious dishes to fuel your summer

July 12, 2022July 8, 2022 / feelaliveuk / Leave a comment

Healthy,Diet,Eating.,African,American,Young,Female,Preparing,Salad,In

When it comes to food and meal planning, it’s easy to forget that dishes don’t have to be complicated to be nourishing and, importantly, delicious.

We all want to enjoy the warmer weather rather than spend hours in the kitchen and there are some great dishes that don’t take too long to prepare that will keep your energy up this season.

This National Simplicity Day, Nutritionist Suzie Sawyer shares five simple, but nutritious dishes to help you enjoy summer even more!

Summer salmon with spicy noodles

Salmon is an oily fish, loaded with the essential omega-3 fats. They’re essential because the body can’t make them but also because they’re needed for the health of the hormones, joints, eyes, brain, and heart.

Somen,Noodle,With,Teriyaki,Salmon,Sprinkle,With,Scallions,And,Sesame

Simply mix up some miso sauce (great for gut health), balsamic vinegar and paprika, spread over the salmon and grill for around six minutes. Meanwhile, stir fry some chopped ginger and garlic, and quickly cook the noodles in boiling water. The drained noodles can then be tossed in the garlic and ginger with some sweet chilli sauce and served with the salmon. Add some steamed broccoli and you’ve got a perfect meal in around 10 minute

Tasty mushroom pasta

You can use crème fraiche in this recipe as a protein source or oat crème fraiche as a vegan option. Always try to use wholemeal pasta because its nutrient content is far higher than white pasta, especially when it comes to the energising B-vitamins.

Farfalle,Pasta,With,Champignon,Mushrooms,And,Garlic,Creamy,Sauce,On

Fry some onions and garlic, which are loaded with fibre and antioxidants, with mushrooms (a good source of vitamin D). Once soft, then add either form of crème fraiche with some fresh baby spinach and cook until wilted (about one minute). Spinach is a rich source of iron and folate, essential for DNA repair.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta, combine it all together and you’ve got a delicious meal in around 15 minutes.

Quick beetroot salad

Summer is of course synonymous with salads. However, it’s always worth bearing in mind that salad vegetables tend to naturally have lots of water and are not as nutrient dense as vegetables. Therefore, try to add some ‘heavy weights’ into the mix! Enter beetroot!

Baked,Beetroot,Salad,With,Blue,Cheese,And,Avocado,,Closeup Beetroot delivers so many amazing health benefits especially for the liver and brain health too, down to its betaine content. You can mix and match with this salad but add cooked chopped beetroot to some rocket, with sliced pear, soft goat’s cheese, and a dressing of your choice. Anything with an olive oil base is going to be great for heart and joint health too. Even better, this dish will only take around 10 minutes to prepare from start to finish.

Posh beans on toast

Certainly not the normal ‘beans on toast’ you’d expect, this one contains plenty more nutrients. Use ready-podded broad beans (ones that are free from the tough outer coating) and which are easily bought frozen. These are then cooked with some green beans. The beans can then be tossed with some pesto and added to toasted ciabatta, spread with either cream cheese or almond nut cream butter (either are great). Finish off with some lightly dressed rocket leaves.

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This dish really is a nourishing and super quick summer meal. Beans are a great protein source, are packed with fibre and immune-boosting vitamin C. However, some slices of prosciutto add even more flavour and protein.

Quinoa and pomegranate salad

This dish is actually much more than a salad, providing plenty of protein and much more besides. I talked about beetroot being a heavy weight vegetable; this dish really brings in the full cavalry!

Quinoa is not actually a grain, but a seed and therefore doesn’t upset those of you how may have issues with gluten. Plus, it’s very high in fibre and protein and quick to boil up with a stock cube. It takes the same time as rice. However, when you add plenty of pomegranate seeds, it steps up a level. Pomegranate is great for heart health but also feeds the beneficial gut bacteria.

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Simply add these with some chopped coriander, lemon juice, raisins and chopped red onion to the quinoa. Onions also work as a prebiotic fibre, providing great benefits to gut health.

After that, it’s up to you! Feta, pine nuts, goat’s cheese and walnuts will all provide excellent additions.

Summer cooking has never been so easy and nutritious – enjoy!

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Fabulous ‘sides’ to make your barbecue sizzle!

July 4, 2022July 1, 2022 / feelaliveuk / Leave a comment

In,Summer.,A,Nice,Couple,Prepares,A,Bbq,To,Welcome

It’s no secret that barbecue season is here – fantastic news for most of us! However, it’s very easy to get stuck in a rut when it comes to deciding what side dishes to have with the main event.

Bearing in mind that it’s still important to try and make every meal count from a nutritional perspective, then these sides can really pack a punch on that front too.

Clinical nutritionist Suzie Sawyer shares her five favourite sides for your barbecue this summer.

Delicious summer salad

It’s time to think beyond a few green leaves for a summer salad. Leaves are great and certainly rocket and watercress have many health benefits, both being high in energising folate. However, this one really brings great taste and nutrition too.

Black,Beans,Corn,Avocado,Cucumber,Tomato,Salad,With,Lime,Dressing.

At this salad’s heart are black beans (tinned are easily accessible). Beans are an often-forgotten protein, and they also contain lots of antioxidants. Add some avocado which is rich in vitamin E, another powerful antioxidant and great for the skin. Include delicious vine ripened tomatoes, sliced red onion (a rich source of health-giving plant flavonoids), cucumber and crumbled feta. Just pour over some dressing of your choice, and if it’s got olive oil as a base, you’ll be getting some benefits for the heart too. This salad is nourishing, filling, and energising.

Griddled vegetables

Get the taste and feel of the Mediterranean with griddled aubergine, red peppers, onions, courgettes, and tomatoes. If ever a salad was competing to be colourful whilst packing a nutrient punch, it would win hands down! Once griddled, the veggies can be sprinkled with herbs of your choice but dried or fresh thyme, olive oil, lemon and chopped parsley work really well.

Grilled,Vegetables,In,A,Cast,Iron,Grilling,Pan,,View,From

We know from lots of research that the people who live in Mediterranean countries, or follow the same diet, tend to live longer, and generally suffer with less disease. The Mediterranean diet is rich in antioxidants which helps to protect the body from damaging free radicals and this salad certainly delivers on this aspect.

Spicy cauliflower

If you like tempura vegetables, you’ll love this recipe. Many people avoid cauliflower because it can be tasteless and have a soggy texture if over-cooked. However, cauliflower belongs to the super-healthy cruciferous vegetable family, which all contain amazing compounds that help with liver detoxification and hormone balance.

Moroccan,Tempura-style,Fried,Cauliflower,Florets,Served,On,A,Black,Plate

Whisk up some batter using flour and milk, and add some garlic, which is great for the digestion and heart. Coat the cauliflower florets in the batter and then some breadcrumbs (homemade or shop-bought) bake in the oven, and then serve with chopped spring onions and some chilli sauce. You don’t even need a barbecue to serve this one up!

Protein kicker salad

This is another dish that can stand alone but also makes a great side to the barbecue, providing plenty of protein (around 20 grams per serving). Many people would traditionally use rice in this one, as it’s a twist on a curried rice salad, but by using quinoa, you’re upping the protein and fibre content.

Quinoa,Salad,With,Cauliflower,And,Boiled,Eggs,On,A,Vintage

Simply cook the quinoa in some stock, whilst hard-boiling some eggs and frying some onion. Bring everything together with some raisins, chopped coriander, curry paste and ground turmeric. This dish not only provides some powerful tastes, but the combination of foods is a balanced meal on its own too.

Potato salad Plus

Potato salad can’t really be left off the menu when it comes to planning barbecue sides. And it doesn’t need to be! Potatoes are a rich source of immune-boosting vitamin C and fibre, plus they’ll provide loads of sustainable energy too.

Potato,Salad,With,Mayonnaise,And,Spring,Onion,,Selective,Focus

Why not reduce the amount of mayonnaise and add some natural yoghurt instead? Natural yoghurt is a great source of probiotics which help feed the gut bacteria and support overall health and wellness, not just in the digestive tract. Plus, adding some spring onions which are packed with antioxidants and work as a natural antihistamine, provide extra support if you happen to be a hay fever sufferer.

So, why not try one or all five of these super salads? Your barbecue just got a whole lot healthier and tastier!

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Eating seasonally this May: discover what’s in season and their nutritional benefits

May 23, 2022May 20, 2022 / feelaliveuk / Leave a comment

Summer,Salad,With,Potatoes,,Green,Beans,,Asparagus,,Peas,And,Radishes

Eating with the seasons is something we nutritionists talk about all the time! However, whilst we know this to be the best time to eat foods, and as nature intended, we do get used to eating what we want all year-round.

It’s easy to forget, or not even realise now what’s in season and when. So, here’s a helpful reminder from Clinical Nutritionist, Suzie Sawyer as to what is in season right now.

Asparagus

Whilst this vegetable provides plenty of nutrients, asparagus is really worth eating when in season and grown in the UK. For the rest of the year, it often has a woodier and string-like texture. This is also the reason that you tend to see asparagus on restaurant menus much more during May, but the season is short, so grab some quickly.

Grilled,Green,Asparagus,With,Parmesan,Cheese

Asparagus is especially rich in folate, which is important for many different functions throughout the body including red blood cell formation. Folate is rich in most green vegetables and including as much of this nutrient in your diet as possible is the way to go!

Asparagus is also a mild diuretic meaning it’s great if you struggle with water retention, especially ladies with PMS.

Enjoy it’s taste, texture, and health benefits this May!

Radishes

Radishes are part of the super-healthy cruciferous vegetable family. They are rich in antioxidant minerals such as calcium and potassium which together help lower blood pressure and contribute to reducing risk of many diseases.

Fresh,Summer,Fennel,Salad,With,Pea,Shoots,And,Radishes.,Top

Radishes are often popular with dieters as a snack because they are low in calories and fat and have a really delicious peppery taste. They are also great with a plate of crudites and hummus or in an easy summer salad. If you’ve not ventured to trying them yet, make this month the time!

Sea trout

If you can find some locally to you, you’ll be well rewarded with its taste, texture, and nutritional goodness. Generally, you’ll need to go to the fresh fishmonger’s outlet to find the wild sea trout. It will be pinker in colour than the farmed variety, because wild trout and, indeed, salmon, naturally eat the algae, astaxanthin, which turns them pink, but also provides amazing antioxidants.

Trout fish fillet with salad

Trout is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids which are essential for overall health, especially the brain, heart, joints, eyes, hormones, and skin. Sea trout is delicious barbecued or simply grilled with a little butter.

Spring onions

If you’re struggling with allergies right now, then eating some spring onions could really help. Onions contain a flavonoid called quercetin which works as a natural antihistamine in the body. Onions also provide benefits to the heart, helping reduce cholesterol levels and keeping blood thin, reducing risk of blockages in the arteries.

Potato,Salad,With,Mayonnaise,And,Spring,Onion,,Selective,Focus

Enjoy them in a potato salad, in fish dishes or stir fries. They’re the perfect ‘easy’ vegetable to rev up your health.

Watercress

Another peppery-tasting salad vegetable, this member of the cruciferous vegetable family is equally nutritious. Watercress is a rich source of folate and is great for liver detoxification. It also helps to support kidney function, so you can really uprate the health benefits by adding this to salads and sandwich fillings.

Ricotta,Cheese,,Green,Peas,,Watercress,And,Dates,Salad

In addition, watercress is rich in immune-boosting beta-carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E. It’s definitely a summer vegetable to enjoy, so grab some whilst you can when it’s crisp, fresh, tasty, and nutritious.

Seasonal eating is always best when it comes to flavour and nutritional content. Try to reward the body as much as possible by eating with the seasons this May and indeed throughout the year.

FOR MORE GREAT NUTRITION AND LIFESTYLE ADVICE:

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Five foods to feed your brain

May 16, 2022May 13, 2022 / feelaliveuk / Leave a comment

A range of vegetables to represent fibre in the diet

It’s no secret that I talk about vegetables a lot! In fact, I frequently talk about them in terms of their varied and beautiful colours providing the amazing array of nutrients the body needs to stay healthy.

They are actually some of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet, gifted to us from nature, packed with vitamins and minerals, plenty of antioxidants and many other beneficial plant compounds too.

There are so many to choose from but this National Vegetarian Week I have picked my top five:

Broccoli

Did you know that one cup of broccoli has as much vitamin C as an orange? Which is great but it’s not the main reason why I rate broccoli’s health benefits so highly. Broccoli is part of the healthy family of cruciferous vegetables which contain a sulphur compound called sulforaphane. Essentially, sulforaphane helps the liver to detoxify, is great for supporting brain health and importantly, is known to help protect the body from degenerative diseases.

Broccoli florets on a plate

Broccoli is also rich in folate, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12. These three nutrients work as a triad in many key biochemical reactions throughout the body, especially when it comes to the brain, hormone, and energy levels. The list of positives goes on and on with broccoli; try to eat some at least two or three times a week.

Sweet potatoes

Available in both orange and purple varieties, the purple type has even more antioxidants than its orange counterpart.

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If you are trying to lose weight but feel the need for some carbs, then sweet potatoes are a great option as they don’t have such an impact on blood sugar balance. Even better, whatever their colour, sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, which is an antioxidant, and is also turned into immune-boosting vitamin A in the body, as needed.

Sweet potato wedges are a real go-to veggie for me!

Brussels sprouts

I know they’re not enjoyed by everyone, but I genuinely love them! If you’re not a fan of Brussels sprouts, have you tried them with some bacon bits which helps to reduce some of their slightly bitter taste?

Just like broccoli, being part of the cruciferous vegetable family, Brussels’ health benefits are far-reaching. They are high in vitamin K which is essential for the bones and heart, vitamin C and folate, and are especially rich in fibre.

shutterstock_179527487 basket of sprouts Nov15

The daily recommended amount for fibre intake is around 30g; most people manage only about 8 grams, which can have an impact on your digestive system not working as efficiently as it could. Many of the plant compounds in Brussels sprouts also help manage pain and inflammation throughout the body which can be caused by many different health issues. Go on, give them another try!

Onions

Onions are fairly easy to include in the daily diet because they add so much flavour to so many dishes. They’re especially helpful at this time of year because onions are high in quercetin which helps reduce histamine levels. Hay fever sufferers, take note!

Red,Onions,On,Rustic,Wood

Onions are also rich in flavonoids – powerful antioxidants which have so many beneficial effects on health and are especially protective against heart disease.

Don’t hold back with onions; add them to stir fries (spring onions have the same benefits), soups, curries, pasta dishes or with other roasted vegetables.

Carrots

Whilst carrots don’t quite contain all the pizazz of the cruciferous veggies, they’re certainly in my top five because they do have great health benefits and they’re so versatile too! Interestingly, although carrots are often eaten raw, their beta-carotene content is better released when they’re cooked.

shutterstock_250834906 carrots July16

Whether you eat them raw or cooked, carrots still contain loads of fibre, heart-loving potassium, and immune-boosting vitamin C. If your kids love raw carrots, you’ll still be providing them with some great nutrients.

I love all vegetables and try to eat as much variety as possible. And always remember – colour = nutrients. Enjoy!

FORE MORE GREAT DIET AND LIFESTYLE ADVICE:

Sign up to receive our blog and get a weekly dose of the latest nutrition, health and wellness advice direct to your inbox.

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Follow and Chat with Suzie on Twitter @nutritionsuzie

For everything you need to know about vitamins, minerals and herbs visit our sister site Herbfacts

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Seasonal eating: what to eat in April and May

April 25, 2022April 22, 2022 / feelaliveuk / Leave a comment

Fresh,Green,Asparagus,Pattern,,Top,View.,Isolated,Over,Green.,Food

Many of us like to know what’s on trend. Likewise, keeping up with what’s in season when it comes to food can have a great impact on our diet and health.

Unlike other consumer goods, these foods come back into season year after year so that nature can provide the body with what it needs at the right time of year.

Clinical nutritionist, Suzie Sawyer, shares her five favourite in-season foods this Spring.