Eat Better Not Less: Healthy recipes to get you through January

Getting healthy does not necessarily have to mean eating less, it’s more about eating right. Nadia Damaso shares some of the nutritious recipes that get her through January

Sweet toast three ways

Whenever you’re in a hurry in the morning but still want to eat something filling and nutritious without losing too much time, these toasts are exactly what you’re looking for.

The choice of bread is yours, simply make sure it’s wholewheat and has no added sugar. To make a lighter version, replace the bread with brown rice cakes or wholewheat crackers.

Serves 1

Almond and raspberry

2-3tsp almond butter
2tsp sugar-free or home-made berry jam
1tbsp raspberries

Greek yoghurt and honey

1tbsp Greek yoghurt
2tsp honey
2-3tsp crushed pistachios
1tbsp blueberries

Peanut butter and banana

2-3tsp peanut butter
1tsp honey
½ ripe banana
2-3tsp crushed nuts of choice
3 slices wholewheat bread or brown rice cakes

If you use bread for the base, toast the slices until golden brown and lay them out on a kitchen board. Spread each slice of toast or rice cake with the nut butter or yoghurt. Then drizzle over the jam or honey, and sprinkle the different fruits and nuts on top.

TIP: Two of these toasts are perfect for a simple, quick and nutritious breakfast. If you are really hungry, three toasts should be enough. As a snack one toast is ample. Let your creativity run wild – try out new combinations and find out what you like best.

Warm banana squash dream

Discovered in Thailand, reinvented in Switzerland.

When I was in Thailand, I went to a night food market in Chiang Mai. It was full of delicious curries and traditional Thai dishes, but I wasn’t too keen on trying any of the desserts. However, I decided to give the cooked banana and squash in coconut milk a try. And I think I had it almost every night after that as well. Such a simple and delightful dessert, made with only a few nourishing and wholesome ingredients. They also make the same dessert with banana and sweet potato, durian or mango. I personally like the banana and squash combination the best.

Serves 2

Banana and squash

6-8 baby bananas or 2 large bananas
400g butternut squash
250ml coconut water
250ml coconut milk
1tbsp almond or coconut butter
1-2tbsp coconut sugar, coconut nectar or rice syrup
pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped

Toppings

almonds, crushed
Sesame coconut chips
unsweetened cranberries
drizzle of coconut nectar (optional)

Peel the bananas and squash, and cut into 2-3cm chunks. In a large saucepan, bring the coconut water and coconut milk to the boil. Add the banana and butternut squash, reduce the heat, then add the remaining ingredients. Cook over a medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Stir carefully from time to time to avoid it burning at the bottom of the pan.

If the mixture gets too thick, add another splash of coconut water or coconut milk and turn down the heat a bit. The banana and squash should soften to the point where they almost melt in your mouth when you eat them. Spoon the mixture into bowls, top with nuts, coconut chips and cranberries, and drizzle a bit of coconut nectar on top if desired. Serve and enjoy.

TIP: Don’t forget to add the pinch of salt as it enhances the sweetness as well as other flavours.

Wholewheat spaghetti with lemony goat’s cheese sauce

If you like goat’s cheese and spaghetti, this dish is made just for you. Being Swiss and growing up with cheese, I prefer full-fat over low-fat, but you can also use low-fat goat’s cheese for this recipe. The lemon balances out the different flavours really well and gives this spaghetti dish, together with the grilled vegetables, a fresh taste.

Serves 4-5

400g wholewheat spaghetti
4tbsp flaked (slivered) almonds, roasted
lemon juice, to serve
fresh chives, to garnish

For the vegetables

2 courgettes
10-14 artichoke hearts in salted water
2tsp lemon juice
1tbsp olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1tsp onion powder
1 large broccoli
1tsp vegetable stock (broth) powder or 1 stock cube

Goat’s cheese sauce

4tbsp fresh goat’s cheese
zest and juice of 1 lemon
2tsp garlic powder
½tsp sea salt
½tsp ground pepper
1tsp maple syrup or sweetener of choice
250-300ml milk of choice, e.g. soy, almond, rice milk
1 spring onion, chopped
bunch of fresh chives, chopped
6-8 kaffir lime leaves, crumbled

Heat up a griddle pan or preheat the oven to 180C (350F/Gas 4). Slice the courgettes diagonally and drain and quarter the artichoke hearts. Season the vegetables with salt, pepper and onion powder, and drizzle the olive oil and lemon juice on top.

Place the vegetables onto the griddle and cook until you can see the grill marks. If you don’t have a griddle pan, spread out the vegetables in a single layer on the baking tray and roast in the oven for about 20 minutes. Make up the stock according to the packet instructions. Cut the stem off the broccoli and tear it into florets. Cook in the stock for 3-4 minutes so that the broccoli keeps a slight crunch. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, add the spaghetti and cook until al dente.

While the spaghetti is cooking, prepare the goat’s cheese sauce. Add the cheese, lemon, garlic powder, salt and pepper, maple syrup and milk to a saucepan over a medium heat. Cook for 5-6 minutes, reduce the heat and add the spring onion, chives and kaffir lime leaves. Stir again and turn off the heat. Put the almonds into a dry frying pan (skillet) and toast over a medium heat until golden brown. Take off the heat and let them cool completely.

Drain the spaghetti, transfer it back into the pan and pour the sauce over the pasta. Stir well over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Serve into bowls, top with the vegetables and roasted almond slices and if desired, add another splash of lemon juice for some extra freshness. Garnish with chives.

Eat better, Not Less by Nadia Damaso (Hardie Grant £15) Photography by Nadia Damaso