By Nick Wall Nutritional Expert at GoVida - The Employee Wellbeing Platform

GoVida nutritionist, Nick Wall, has created 10 healthy meals and snacks designed to provide you with the balance of nutrients to keep you feeling energised and ready to take on the day.

Pancake Berry Stack (Serves 1)

Who does not love a pancake? Whether its the weekend and you have a little more time to cook breakfast or its Pancake Day itself, here is an amazing, nutritious treat that’s easy to make. In this recipe we have used porridge oats as – they are great for lowering cholesterol, blood pressure and controlling blood glucose levels. Plus you get a hit of calcium from the milk to maintain strong bones and nerves, and the bananas help with digestion amongst many other things coming from all its nutrients.

Ingredients

Low Calorie Spray Oil

80g / 2.8oz Porridge Oats

Banana (optional)

100ml / ½cup Milk

Tsp Baking Powder

Handful of Berries

Method

Blend the porridge, banana, milk and baking powder for 20 seconds.

Heat the cooking spray in a pan then pour the mix to the pancake size of your choice. Cook on one side for 1 minute then flip and cook on the other side for a minute. Each fresh pancake spray a couple of sprays of oil before adding the mix to the pan.

Stack them up and serve with a handful of berries. It really is that simple.

Pad Thai (serves 4)

Did you know that Pad Thai follows a Thai culinary tradition of using all 5 tastes, salt, sweet, sour, bitter and spicy? which is why it feels so great on your taste buds, it fires them all. Did you also know that the Pad Thai is often served alongside Hua Prees which are baby bananas?

Ingredients

500g / 1.1lbs Prawns/Chicken/Tofu

Tbsp Syrup

Onion

Garlic

Chilli Powder

Mange Tout

2 tbsp Peanut Butter

Handful Crushed Peanuts

200g / 7oz Fat Free Yoghurt

Rice Noodles

Method

Heat your pan with spray oil or tsp olive oil and fry your onion and garlic. If using chicken add that too and cook for 5-10 minutes. Throw the mange tout and the noodles in for a couple of minutes then add the peanut butter, syrup and spices.

Right at the end add in the yoghurt stir and serve. Finish with a sprinkle of crushed peanuts on top.

Tikka Masala (serves 5)

I mean who doesn’t love a good curry and are there any more popular than a good old tikka masala? This dish is bursting with flavours, watches the waistline and is light on the pocket. A great source of protein to keep those muscles strong if using chicken or fish, with an added boost from the yoghurt adding a nice bit of calcium in there too. Then we have the mighty spinach loaded with nutrients including:

Vitamin C – promotes immune function.

K1 – essential for blood clotting.

Folic acid – vital for pregnant women and for cell function and tissue growth.

Iron – helps create haemoglobin that delivers oxygen to your body’s tissues plus calcium just to name a few. It really is a super food!

Ingredients

4 Chicken Breasts, Fish, Meat Substitute

1 Onion

Garlic

Ginger

400g / 14oz Tinned Tomatoes

Spinach

6 tbsp Natural Yoghurt

Tikka Spice Powder

Cayenne Pepper

Rice

Method

Chop onion, garlic and grate ginger then blend up. Cook the chicken in a pan for 5 minutes then add the blended mix. Stir in the tomatoes and spices with ½ cup of water and simmer for 2 minutes. Finally add the spinach, stir in the yoghurt and serve with rice.

This is a fantastic dish that feels like a take away and is really quick and simple for those nights you are on the go. Did you know garlic and onions not only make meals taste great but could help lower blood pressure and cholesterol as well as supporting immune function?

Ingredients

1.5 Onion Diced

Garlic

5 Chicken Breasts OR 500g / 1.1lbs Tofu

2 tbsp Curry Powder

2 tbsp Light Soft Cheese

Tenderstem Broccoli

Mixed Peppers

Rice OR Rice Noodles

Spray Oil OR 1 tbsp Olive Oil

Method

Slice chicken or tofu into strips and stir fry in pan. Once cooked set aside and then for the sauce, lightly fry the diced onions and garlic, add the curry powder and salt to taste and simmer for 2 mins. Blend the sauce using a hand blend or nutri bullet style blender.

Add the sauce back to the pan stirring in the light soft cheese. Then add the chicken back serving with tenderstem broccoli on a bed of rice or noodles.

Mexican Chicken Stew (Serves 5)

This is the perfect warming dish for those cold dark nights. Many of the ingredients are fantastic for the body. Firstly we have a good hit of veg in the dish as well as the beans which are full of fibre. This helps us feel fuller for longer and improves our heart and gut health amongst much more. Protein is an important part of our diet and key to building and maintaining many types of body tissue including muscle. With the addition of quinoa and beans even without the meat for the vegetarian and vegan population it’s a great dish. Adding tofu or more beans is also a great way to increase the protein of the dish if you don’t eat meat.

Ingredients

1 tbsp Olive Oil

1 Onion

2 Red Peppers

3 tbsp Chipotle Paste

2 x 400g / 14oz Tinned Tomatoes

5 Chicken Breast

140g / 5oz Quinoa

1 x Chicken Stock

1 x 400g / 14oz Tin Beans (Black, Mixed, Pinto)

Coriander

Juice of 1 Lime

Natural Yoghurt

Method

Fry the chicken for 5 minutes then add the onions and peppers until softened. Stir in the chipotle paste, followed by the tomatoes and half cup of water and simmer for 15 minutes

Boil a pan of water with the stock cubes and add the quinoa. Cook for 15 mins until tender, adding the beans for the final minute. Drain well and stir in the coriander and lime juice, then season.

Lift the chicken out onto a board and shred each breast using two forks. Stir back into the tomato sauce and season. Serve with the quinoa, scattering the stew with some coriander leaves and a dollop of yogurt on the side.

Mediterranean Pasta (Serves 5)

This is a fantastic dish to have after a workout. The carbohydrates from the pasta will really help your body recover quicker to keep energy levels high. Choosing wholegrain pasta has almost double the fibre as white with a serving providing a third of the daily recommended fibre intake. Then we add in all the goodness of the garlic and vegetables and we have a real winner.

Ingredients

2 tsp Olive Oil

1 Large Onion

3-4 Garlic Cloves

Chargrilled Mediterranean Veg 

Handful Cherry Tomatoes Halved

2 tbsp Raisins

300g / 10.5oz Fusilli or another short pasta shape

Basil leaves

Parmesan grated

Method

Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the onion for 8-10 mins until starting to caramelise. Add the garlic for the final 2 mins of cooking time.

Add the mixed veg, tomatoes and raisins. Season well and simmer, uncovered, for 10 mins.

Bring pan of water with a little salt to the boil. Add the pasta and cook until tender, then drain.

Tip the pasta into the sauce. Scatter with the basil leaves and parmesan and serve straight from the pan.

Sticky BBQ Beef Strips (serves 4)

Beef is a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals. Red meat provides us with iron, B vitamins and zinc. Did you know that the department of Health and Social Care in the UK advises approximately 500g / 1.1lbs cooked weight red meat per week?

Ingredients

500g / 1.1lbs Beef

Peppers

Onions

Garlic

Sesame Seeds

100ml / ½ cup Passata

4 tsp Honey

Paprika

4tsp Worcester Sauce

4tsp Balsamic Vinegar

Method

Slice the beef into strips with the peppers, garlic and onions and flash fry.

Move the mix to an oven proof dish and mix in all the other ingredients so that it evenly covers the meat and veg. We don’t want the sauce runny, we want it to be able to become sticky.

Put the mix in the oven for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with rice.

Baked Pork with Lentils (serves 4)

Lentils are a real powerhouse. They are known for so many benefits including lowering cholesterol, stabilizing blood sugars, increasing energy, super protein source, great for digestive and heart health and really help you keep fuller for longer. Add that to hitting a few of your 5 a day in this dish and it’s a real winner.

Ingredients

500g / 1.1lbs Lean Pork Loin or 4 Pork Chops

500g / 1.1lbs Lentils

1 x 400g / 14oz Tinned Tomatoes

2 Carrots

Onion

Garlic

1 x Stock Pot

2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

Thyme

Orange

Method

Firstly put the thyme on the pork and place in the oven. Next boil a pan of water and add the lentils and simmer for 20 minutes.

In a separate pan fry the onion, garlic and carrots. Then drain the lentils add tomatoes and stock pot and simmer for 5 minutes and add the balsamic. Add the lentils to your pan and place pork on top. Serve with vegetables of your choice and garnish with a slice of orange.

Banana Bread (makes 6-7)

This is fantastic as a snack, great with a cup of tea or coffee or tasty as a dessert with some yogurt. The porridge is fantastic for lowering cholesterol, blood pressure and controlling blood glucose levels. It really is one of my favourites. You get the calcium from the milk (if using a milk substitute make sure it has calcium) to maintain strong bones and nerves. Then the bananas can help with digestion, regulate heart function, lower blood pressure and are a great source of potassium, Vitamin B6 and C.

Ingredients

120g / 4.2oz Plain Porridge Oats

2 x Bananas

½ tsp Cinnamon

Milk- Half Cup

Pinch of Salt

Tsp Baking Powder

Berries – Handful

Method

This really is very simple. Add all ingredients (not berries) to a blender and blitz. We want the mix quite thick. Add the mix to a baking dish then drop in the berries and heat at 180 degrees for 30-35 mins.

Healthy Cheesecakes (Serves 4)

The cholesterol lowering positives of porridge oats, the calcium from the yoghurt and the nutrition content of the fruits make this a perfect snack or pudding after a meal. It is low in sugar, low in fat and light.

Ingredients

For the base

80g / 2.8oz Porridge Oats

2 Digestive Biscuits

For the filling

400g / 14oz Fat Free Greek Yoghurt

90g / 3.1oz Reduced Fat Soft Cheese

1 tbsp Granulated Sugar

To decorate

Crushed Almonds OR

Berries

Method

For the base blend the porridge and digestives with 100ml / ½ cup of water. Add to a baking tray and cook for 20 mins, split into 4 pots then leave to cool.

For the filling mix up the Greek yoghurt, soft cheese and sweetener.

Once the base has cooled add the filling to the pots and smooth over. Leave for 5 minutes then sprinkle with crushed nuts and/or your favourite fruit.