Food & recipes

Eat Yourself Healthy

Optimise your gut with these easily digestible and oh-so-simple recipes from Dr Megan Rossi

Banana, fig and courgette breakfast loaf

Serves 8

For the base:

• 100g teff grain

• 120g wholewheat spelt flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 2 tsp cinnamon

• A pinch of salt

• 40ml olive oil

• 3 large eggs

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 3 extra-ripe bananas, mashed

• 70g dried figs, diced

• ½ a small courgette, grated

• 1 large carrot, grated

• 50g walnuts, roughly chopped For the topping:

• 1 banana, sliced

• 10g coconut flakes (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/375°F/Gas 5.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the teff, spelt, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, eggs and vanilla extract, with an electric beater before adding the bananas, figs, courgette, carrot and walnuts. Fold in the dry mixture.

4. Line a loaf tin (approx. 23 x 13cm) with baking paper, then pour in the cake mixture. Top with the banana slices and coconut flakes, if using.

5. Pop in the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until cooked through. Cover with foil after 30 minutes of cooking to prevent burning the coconut. Cool for 5 minutes in the tin, before lifting out with the baking paper on to a wire rack to cool before cutting.

Chargrilled miso aubergine with sweet potato wedges

Serves 2

For the base:

• Olive oil for grilling

• 1 large aubergine, sliced into 4 fillets lengthways

For the miso marinade:

• 1½ tbsp miso paste

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• 2 tsp sesame oil

• ½ a Medjool date, stirred into a paste with 1 tbsp hot water

For the tahini dressing:

• 1 tbsp tahini

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• Juice of ½ a lemon

• ½ garlic clove, crushed

• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the roast vegetables:

• 1 large sweet potato, cut into thin wedges

• 2 tsp olive oil

• 150g cherry tomatoes

• Salt and pepper to taste

Extras:

• Side salad of rocket or leaves

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/375°F/ Gas 5. Place an oiled griddle pan on a high heat and chargrill the aubergine for 2 minutes on each side, or until brown char lines are formed.

2. Place the miso marinade ingredients with 1 tbsp of water into a bowl and mix. Place the tahini dressing ingredients into another bowl with 1 tbsp of water and combine.

3. Transfer the aubergine to an oven tray lined with baking paper and pour over the miso marinade. Massage into the flesh and bake for 10 minutes.

4. Place the sweet potato wedges in a microwave-safe dish with a little water in the bottom, put the lid on and cook on high for 4 minutes to soften.

5. Pat the wedges dry, then toss in oil with the tomatoes and season.

6. Turn up the oven 170°C/375°F/Gas 5, add the wedges and tomatoes to the aubergine and cook for 15-20 minutes.

7. Serve the aubergine fillets with the wedges, tomatoes and rocket. Drizzle with the tahini dressing before diving in.

Creamy pistachio and spinach pesto pasta

Serves 4

For the base:

• 200g wholegrain pasta of choice For the pesto:

• 80g spinach leaves

• 20g fresh basil leaves

• 65g pistachios

• ½ avocado, destoned and peeled

• 2 tsp lemon juice

• 1 garlic clove

• 3 tbsp nutritional yeast/35g freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese.

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 100g live thick yoghurt

• A pinch of salt, or to taste

Extras:

• 1 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved

• 2 tbsp pine nuts (optional)

• Cracked pepper, to taste

1. Place all the pesto ingredients into a blender along with 2 tbsp of water. Blitz roughly. You may need to scrape any mixture that has risen up the sides a few times.

2. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, then coat with the pesto and leave for 5 minutes to infuse.

3. Serve topped with cherry tomatoes and pine nuts and cracked pepper.