Surprise suckers, you thought this was about health and body composition. Wrong this is all about saving the animals, we are going PETA all up in here.

If you take a quick look below you’ll notice that the recipes below are all veggie ones. The reasons for this is quite simple. I rarely eat meat anymore and the guys who tested this out for me are similarly inclined. Do not worry though we will be including some meat based meals but……. well I kinda left those recipes on my laptop and now I’m in Ireland and won’t get back to it till Sunday so uhm sorry.

Feel free to throw some chicken or whatever into the meals below but honestly they don’t really need it. One thing all diets tend to agree on is this “eat a crap tonne of veg”.

In general I eat that egg burrito (meal 1) every day as it’s amazing, for lunch it’s a soup (meal 2) based meal and for dinner it’s a stew, chilli kind of deal (meal 3). Soups and stews are ace as they are filling and don’t have a huge carbohydrate content. Combine that with an ingredient list rich in vegetables and healthy stuff and your onto a winner. They also stay pretty good in the fridge and don’t go weird by day 2 which is nice.

Here ares some recipes that I have stolen from many wonderful places. Including Green Kitchen Stories, Jamie Oliver and big Hugh from River Cottage.

Meal 1

Option 1. Breakfast burrito thingy

Ingredients
3 eggs
Tomatoes, red onion, broccoli, jalapeños, chillis anything else you like the look off.
Tortilla

How to make it.

Cook the vegetables add the eggs and scramble them. Bung them in a tortillaand roll it.

Option 2.Green Mango smoothie

Ingredients
1 cup mango
1/2 cup of parsley
1/2 cup of spinach or kale
1/2 banana
1tbsp lemon juice
1cup of water

Throw everything in a blender for 30sec

Option 3. Chocolate and coffee protein shake

Ingredients
1 scoop choclate protein
Milk or milk substitute
1tbsp of ground coffee
1 Banana

Throw everything in a blender for 30sec

Snacks

1xProtein shake and 1 apple used whenever you get hungry.

Option 4 new

Over night Bircher

SERVES 2
100g oats
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
350ml milk of your choice (I used almond or coconut)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
a dash of all- natural vanilla extract
a little squeeze of lemon juice
2 ripe peaches

SERVE WITH Winter • a couple of handfuls of chopped dried peaches or pears Spring • chopped strawberries Summer • peaches, as recipe Autumn • chopped sweet, ripe pear

The night before, put the oats, chia seeds and pumpkin seeds into a bowl or container, pour over the milk, and add the maple syrup, vanilla and lemon juice. Mix well, then cover and pop into the fridge overnight. In the morning, chop the peaches into little chunks, squeeze over a little more lemon and either layer them up with the oats and seeds in a glass or bowl, or just run out of the door with everything in a little container.

Lunch

Option 1.Pea and herb soup.

Ingredients
15g butter
1 onion
2 small potatoes
800ml vegetable stock
300g frozen peas
400g spinach
12 Mint leaves
Chopped coriander

How to make it.

Fry onion and potato in butter for a few minutes then add the stock. Simmer for 15mins.

Add peas until they are tender then add the spinach and herbs and remove from the heat

Blend the crap out of it.

Add the yoghurt to individual portions after heading as and when you eat it.

Option 2. Provençal vegetable soup with paprika

Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 diced red onion
2 garlic cloves chopped
1/2 courgette chopped
1 carrot chopped
2 celery sticks chopped
1 small leek chopped
800ml vegetable stock
400g tin chopped tomatoes
3.5 Tbsp of tomato purée
1/2 Tsp smoked paprika
200g tin mixed beans
A handful of green beans thinly sliced
Some chopped basil and parsley if you could be arsed.

How to make it
Heat the oil and add the onion, garlic, courgette, carrot, celery and leek. Cook on a medium heat for about 5mins

Add the stock, the tomatoes, the green beans and the tomato purée and simmer it all for 15-20mims.

Add the mixed beans, paprika and herbs and heat for about a minute.

Season with salt and pepper and eat the crap out of it.

Option 3. Indian Lentil Soup

Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion chopped
3gloves of garlic chopped
1tbsp of fresh ginger chopped
3 potatoes chopped into small pieces
2 carrots diced
1 apple chopped
200g yellow lentils
1L vegetable stock
2 tomatoes diced
2tbsp roast pumpkin seeds

Spices
2tbsp curry powder
1tsp Turmeric
1 small red chilli
3tbsp of chopped coriander

How to make it
Heat olive oil and add the onion, garlic and spices. Cook for 1min.

Add the potato, carrot, apple and lentils. Stir about a bit before adding the stock.

Simmer for 30 minutes

Add the tomatoes and boil for 5-10 minutes

Throw the coriander and toasted pumpkin seeds on the top and eat it.

Option 4 Berry and fennel smoothie

75g frozen blueberries
75g frozen raspberries
1/2 avocado
1/4 fennel bulb
1 orange peeled
1 1/2cm fresh ginger
2tsp acai powder (optional)
250ml milk, coconut milk or other plant milk

Fire it all in a blender and drink it.

Meal 3

Sweet Potato Chilli

Ingredients
2 Sweet potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
Cayenne pepper
Cumin
Cinnamon
Olive oil
1 onion chopped
1red pepper chopped
1 yellow pepper chopped
Fresh coriander. Pull off the leaves and set to one side. Finely chop the stalks.
1 red chilli chopped
1 green chilli chopped
2 cloves of garlic chopped
2 400g tins of beans. Any will do kidney,chickpea, cannellini, not baked.
2 400g tins of chopped tomatoes

How to make it.
1.Fire oven on to 200/gas mark 6

2. Sprinkle the sweet potato with the olive oil (don’t go mental with this) add some of each of the spices and toss to coat everything.

3. Throw them on a tray and cook for 40mins until they are soft and golden.

4. Put a big pan with some olive oil on a medium heat and add the onion garlic and peppers. Cook for 5 minutes.

5. Add the coriander stalks, chillis and 1tsp each of cayenne pepper, cumin and cinnamon. Cook for another 10mins.

6. Chuck the drained beans in along with the tins of tomatoes, bring to the boil then cook on a medium heat for 25-30mins.

7. When they are ready add the sweet potato and stir fry with most of the coriander leaves, saving some as a garnish.

North African squash and chickpea stew

Ingredients
2 tablespoons of olive oil/coconut oil
2 large onions diced
2 cloves of garlic chopped
1 celery stalk chopped
1teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
1teaspoon of turmeric
0.5 teaspoon of cinnamon
0.5 teaspoon of ground ginger
100g red lentils
400g tin chickpeas drained
8 saffron strands
500ml passatta
Bunch of parsley chopped
Bunch of coriander chopped
300g butternut squash chopped into chunks
1L veg stock
50g orzo
1 bay leaf

How to make it

Heat the oil and add the garlic and onion. Cook for 2 minutes
Add the celery and all the spices and cook for 2minutes
Now add the lentils, chickpeas, saffron, passatta, parsley and half the coriander. Cook for 15mins
Add the butternut squash, bay leaf and the stock. Cover and simmer for 30 mins
Add the orzo and cook until the pasta is ready. Usually about 7-8mins but keep an eye on it.

Potato and Cauliflower curry

Ingredients
2tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
large piece ginger, grated
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ tsp turmeric
1tsp ground cumin
1tsp curry powder, or to taste
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 cauliflower, cut into florets
2 potatoes, cut into chunks
1 small green chilli, halved lengthways
squeeze lemon juice
handful coriander

How to make it.
1. Heat the oil in a saucepan.
2. Cook the onion for 10 mins until soft, then add the ginger, garlic, turmeric, cumin and curry powder.
3. Cook for 1 min more.
4. Stir in the tomatoes and sugar.
5. Add the cauliflower, potatoes and split chilli, seasoning to taste.
6. Cover with a lid and gently cook for a good 30 mins, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are cooked.
7. When the vegetables are cooked, remove the chilli, if you like, stir in a squeeze of lemon juice and scatter with coriander.

New Dhal with sweet potato

SERVES 4
FOR THE SWEET POTATOES
2 sweet potatoes, skins on, washed and roughly chopped into 1.5cm cubes
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon fennel seeds olive oil

FOR THE DHAL
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
a thumb- size piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 green chilli, finely chopped
1 red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
200g red lentils
1 × 400ml tin of coconut milk
400ml vegetable stock
2 large handfuls of spinach
a bunch of fresh coriander, roughly chopped, stalks and all
juice of 1 lemon

FOR THE COCONUT CHUTNEY
50g unsweetened desiccated coconut
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
10 curry leaves
a little vegetable or coconut oil
a 20g piece of fresh ginger, grated
1 red chilli, finely chopped

Preheat your oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/gas 7.
Pour 150ml of boiling water over the coconut and leave to soak.
Put your sweet potatoes on a roasting tray and add a good pinch of salt and pepper, the cumin and fennel seeds and a drizzle of olive oil. Roast in the oven for 20–25 minutes, until soft and sweet in the middle and crispy brown on the outside.

In a large saucepan, sizzle the garlic, ginger, chilli and red onion in a little oil for about 10 minutes, until soft and sweet. Grind the cumin and coriander seeds in a pestle and mortar, then add to the pan with the other spices and cook for a couple of minutes to toast and release the oils.

Add the lentils, coconut milk and stock to the pan and bring to a simmer, then turn the heat down and bubble away for 25–30 minutes.

While that is cooking make your chutney. Drain the coconut and put it into a bowl.

Fry the mustard seeds and curry leaves in a little oil until they begin to crackle, then pour the mixture over the coconut. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the ginger and chilli and give it a good mix.

To finish your dhal, take it off the heat, then stir in the spinach and allow it to wilt a little, stirring in half the chopped coriander and the lemon juice too. Pile into bowls and top with the crispy sweet potatoes, spoonfuls of the coconut chutney and the remaining coriander. I serve this with charred chapattis or roti, and if you are really hungry you can have some fluffed brown basmati rice too.

Another Chilli new

SERVES 8–10

FOR THE CHILLI
olive or rapeseed oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
a thumb- size piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 red or green chilli, finely chopped
1 tablespoon good chilli powder
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, bashed
1 tablespoon chipotle paste
3 × 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
300g Puy lentils
100g bulgur wheat
100g quinoa
1 × 400g tin of small beans (haricot, black or black- eyed)
1–2 litres vegetable stock
1 heaped tablespoon good cocoa powder
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

TO SERVE
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 green or red chillies, finely chopped a
small bunch of fresh thyme
natural yoghurt
warmed corn tortillas

First get out your biggest pot and place it on a medium heat.
Add a splash of olive or rapeseed oil and cook the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli for 10 minutes, until soft and sweet.

Now add the chilli powder and cumin seeds and stir around in the pan for a minute or two. Then add all the other chilli ingredients, stirring and mixing as you go – add 1 litre of the stock to start with, and keep the rest on hand to add as needed if the chilli starts to look a bit dry.

Bring to a gentle boil, then turn the heat down to low and leave to simmer and blip away for 30–35 minutes, until the lentils are cooked and the chilli is deep and flavoursome.

Make a thyme oil by mixing the olive oil, chopped chillies and thyme with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Taste your chilli and add a little more salt and pepper if you like. Serve in bowls, topped with a little yoghurt, a drizzle of thyme oil and some warmed corn tortillas for scooping.