Category: Recipes

 In the days leading up to a big and long session or a race, you want to make sure that you are eating plenty of easily digestible carbohydrates to make sure you are going into the effort with full glycogen stores. Glycogen is our body’s way of storing carbohydrates and when those stores are not full when we start a big session or race, we are leaving a lot on the table in terms of performance. 

This simple and easy pesto pasta recipe ticks all the boxes for a great meal that will fuel your body well. It contains easily digestible carbohydrates, protein and of course our veg-because we can’t skip out on our colourful foods! 

You will need (4 servings) 

• Pasta of choice 
• Protein of choice eg chicken breasts or lean bacon 
• 1-2 Tbsp pesto pasta 
• 100g cherry tomatoes diced 
• 1 onion diced 
• 1 punnet of mushrooms sliced 

Method:

1. Cook your pasta 
2. Cook your protein 
3. Fry your onion, tomatoes and mushrooms in a bit of oil until nice and soft 
4.  Add all ingredients together in a bowl and mix in the pesto 
5.  Season with salt and pepper 
6. Enjoy! 

Well, technically, you can make these whenever you want, because they take super quick to make and only contain 3 ingredients!

Who doesn’t love a steaming plate of flapjacks? Topped with some seasonal fruit, a little nut butter and a hint of maple syrup or honey and you’re set for a tasty breakfast treat! Here, we show you how to make sure you’re also getting a good balance of macronutrients and fibre all in one serving. Plus, these flapjacks are also easy to pack away in the fridge and will last up to 3 days easily. Simply reheat, add your toppings and enjoy!
This recipe provides natural sweetness thanks to the ripe bananas, protein thanks to the eggs and oats and fibre – also thanks to the oats. This recipe will make two portions.

What You Need:
2 large, ripe bananas, mashed
3 eggs
½ gluten-free rolled oats

Extras:
Pinch of salt
Pinch of cinnamon
¼ tsp vanilla essence
Add some fruit into the flapjack mix, like frozen blueberries.

Method:
1/ Mash the banana with a fork. Whisk in the eggs and stir in the oats (you could also add all ingredients to a blender or a food processor and blitz quickly to combine, although this will change the texture slightly).
2/ Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat, spray with spray-and-cook or add a little neutral oil of your choice (like avocado or coconut), to grease the pan.

Toppings Suggestions:
– A drizzle of almond butter (or nut butter of your choice)
– 1 Tbsp maple syrup or heated honey
– Sliced fresh berries for Spring / Summer
– Sliced figs or apples for Autumn / Winter
– Sprig of mint
– Finely chopped raw nuts or seeds
– Small sprinkle of granola
– Scoop of Greek yoghurt

Ever heard of the healthy-eating advice: “eat the rainbow?” Different colours of veggies and salad ingredients carry different nutrients, so making sure you eat a mix of differently coloured produce is a great way to ensure you’re getting a good mix of vitamins and minerals. All you need? Some mason or Consol jars and your salad ingredients and you’re ready to get going! (Hint: you can also recycle old coffee jars or any sealable glass jar container.)
Try these combinations for successful rainbow salad jars!

Salad Jar 1: The Mediterranean Jar

What You Need:
1 tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
100g rosa tomatoes, sliced into 1cm pieces
½ cucumber, sliced into 1cm pieces
1 bell pepper, sliced into 1cm pieces
Shredded crunchy lettuce (about 2 handfuls)
2 tbsp chopped olives
1 round of feta, sliced into 1cm pieces
¼ red onion, very finely chopped

Method:
Divide the ingredients among 2 Consol Jars, starting with the chickpeas at the bottom and layering up as you go down the list. Pack a smaller container with 1 tsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar and add dressing to the salad jar, give it a good shake and enjoy!

Salad Jar 1: The Slaw Jar

What You Need:
100-120g edamame beans
2 large carrots, peeled and grated grated
1 cooked mealie, kernels sliced off
1 red bell pepper, sliced into 1cm pieces
Shredded red (purple) cabbage (about 2 handfuls)
2 spring onions, finely chopped
⅓ cup coriander
2 Tbsp chopped cashew nuts
2 tsp toast sesame seeds

Method:
Divide the ingredients among 2 Consol Jars, starting with the edamame at the bottom and layering up as you go down the list. Pack a smaller container with 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp low-sodium soy sauce, juice of 1 lime and 1 tsp honey mixed together. Add dressing to the salad jar, give it a good shake and enjoy!

Salad Jar 1: Roast Veg Jar

What You Need:
1 cup chopped roast beetroot (1-2cm pieces)
1 cup chopped roast butternut (1-2cm pieces)
1.5 cups cooked quinoa (or couscous or millet)
1 cup chopped roast baby marrows (courgettes) (1-2cm pieces)
2 handfuls rocket
2 Tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds

2 Tbps toasted sunflower seeds

Method:
Divide the ingredients among 2 Consol Jars, starting with the beetroot at the bottom (because you don’t want the colour to bleed down into other ingredients) and layering up as you go down the list. Pack a smaller container with 1 tsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar and add dressing to the salad jar, give it a good shake and enjoy!

Make your fave Italian takeaways at home in a healthier way with these recipes tips! Get the kids involved and make this a fun family weekend meal together.

It’s rare to come across someone who doesn’t like pizza. And we get it! Delicious carbs, covered in cheese – what’s not to like? But if you’re trying to follow a healthier meal plan or are weight-loss programme, we bring you some recipe tips and guidelines for making pizza at home that’s tasty and packed with great veggies and lower in calories, salt and fat than what you’d get from your local takeaway spot.

Easy Wins:
– Make your bases from scratch, so you know exactly what’s in them.
– If you’re having cheese, add a smaller amount of good-quality mozzarella so that you still get the flavour, but less calories.
– Pack your pizzas with delicious, nutritious veggies so that you’re upping the nutrient count. Classics are: tomato, basil, baby spinach, olives, artichokes, mushrooms, peppers, chilli or leftover roast veg like aubergine, baby marrows or even butternut can all work.
– For an easy tomato base, we recommend using passata.
– You can use a pizza stoneware plate for your braai (like this from Le Creuset) or a pizza tray in your oven to create perfectly crispy pizzas or invest in an Ooni gas pizza oven.

Bases:

Regular Pizza Base:

Combine 1 cup warm water, 1 Tbsp yeast and 1 Tbsp sugar in a large bowl and stir to combine. Set aside until frothy. Stir in 1 Tbsp olive oil then add 2 cups of good-quality 00 flour and 1 tsp salt. Gently mix until a ball forms, adding a little more flour if needed. Start kneading, adding more flour as you go, until smooth. Set aside in a bowl, covered with a damp cloth, for 1 hour. Roll out into pizza shapes, add toppings and cook on a heated pizza pan until crispy (10-15 minutes).

Gluten-Free Pizza Base:

Use the same recipe as above, but sub normal flour with a gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum (or a gluten-free flour of your choice plus 1.5 tsp of xanthan gum).

Low-Carb Pizza Base:

650-700g cauliflower florets blitzed in a food processor to make “cauli rice”. Heat in a microwave for 5 minutes to soften (or heat in a large pan). Drain out the moisture in a nut bag. Place the drained cauli rice in a large mixing bowl with ⅓ cup soft cheese like ricotta or cottage cheese, 1 egg and salt and pepper to taste. Mix it together to form a rough dough and spread out on a baking paper lined tray or stone. Press it down to even out the thickness. Bake at 200 degrees Celsius for 20-25 minutes and then add your toppings and return to the oven.

Putting together a well balanced lunch does not have to be complicated. Our main goal should be to keep it well balanced ie do we have our wholesome carbs, lean proteins and our colour (veg), while limiting things like sauces that are high in saturated fats and sugar, as well as overall saturated fat content of the meal.

Cooking extra at dinner time and taking the leftovers to the office is one option, but you can also stock up on some basics, to quickly put together a nutrient dense lunch that will give you what your body needs to get through the second half of the work day.

Here are some examples!

Pick one from each column and assemble to your liking!

Mix and match!

As you can see, putting together a well balanced, nutrient dense lunch does not have to be difficult.

Tip: Buy some of the above ingredients and keep them in the office to make your life easy around lunch time.

Lastly don’t forget to stay hydrated! We want to aim for 250ml of water per every 10kg of body weight!

Keeping packers of tins of tuna in the pantry cupboard is a great hack for meal planning and ensures you get quick lean, healthy protein into your meals. But tuna on its own can be quite… boring! So we’re here to help you make five amazing meals with tuna.

Let’s take your tinned tuna to the next level with these five recipe ideas!

1. Tuna Panzella
This quick version of an Italian classic yields a filling meal!
Simply mix together 1 tin of drained tuna with 3 chopped tomatoes, day-old Ciabatta slices (tossed in olive oil and heated in a pan to make croutons), a handful of basil, one small shallot chopped finely and a good drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season to taste and enjoy!

2. Tuna Fishcakes & Salad
   Combine drained tuna, chopped spring onion, handful bread crumbs, 2 eggs, seasoning of your choice and 2 tbsp mayonnaise in a bowl. Divide into 6-8 portions, coat in flour and then fry in a little olive oil. Serve with a green salad!
3. Tuna Caesar Salad
   Combine drained tuna with 1 head of romaine lettuce (chopped), anchovies (optional), shaved parmesan, olive oil, lemon juice or balsamic and seasoning. Add toast croutons or a slice of toast (optional).
4. Basic Nicoise
   Mix together 1 tin of tuna (drained), with 1 handful of chopped fine green beans, ¼ cup kalamata olives, ½ cup chopped red rosa tomatoes, 2 baby radishes (finely sliced), 2 boiled eggs, quartered, chopped lettuce and anchovies (optional). Season and dress with olive oil and balsamic.
5. Tuna Garden Salad Sarmie
   Combine drained tuna with ½ granny smith apple (finely chopped), ¼ cup mayonnaise, ½ cup chopped fennel, herbs and seasoning of your choice and divide among sandwiches using wholegrain bread and soft buttery lettuce leaves. Works well in a wrap or pita too!

What’s your favourite way to eat tuna? Share your recipes with us and tag @medshieldsa and #MedshieldMovement on social media! Explore our resources for more options!

Meal-planning is a great way to make sure that you set yourself up for nutritional success! This “foundation” salad works as a great base for a number of dishes with quick add-ons.

You’ll want to aim for chopping the salad ingredients into approximately 1 cm square shapes, rather use this as a sizing guide than for perfection. You’ll want to remove the seeds of the cucumber to make sure that the salad stays fresher for longer. Season all to taste.

Foundation Salad Recipe:

 What You Need:

• 3 peppers, deseeded and chopped (red, green and yellow)
• 5-6 large carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 large English cucumber, seeded and chopped
  2 tins of drained, rinsed and towel-dried chickpeas
• Small purple cabbage, finely shredded

  Method:
  Place together in a large sealable container and place in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Mix it up:

1. Super Greek Salad
Portion out one fifth, and simply add some chopped tomatoes, feta, lettuce and olives to your mix with some olive oil and balsamic (red onion optional) and you have a superfood Greek style salad.

2. Wrap it up
Portion out one fifth and make a delicious wrap by adding some shredded lettuce and a little smashed avocado to hold it together nicely.

3. Chickless mayo toastie
Portion out one fifth, mash it up slightly and mix with a tablespoon of mayonnaise (optional: add a couple finely chopped pickles and red onion) and top of whole grain toasted bread for “chickless mayo” toasties.

4. Pita Party

Portion out one fifth and pack your pitas with this filling and a little hummus or tzatziki and extra shredded lettuce (optional).

5. Make it mediterranean
For the chopped salad of dreams, portion out one fifth and add some finely chopped tomato, finely chopped red onion, lemon juice, parsley and mint and seasoning and enjoy!

We can all benefit from including more plant based foods in our diet. Plant based foods contain an abundance of nutrients such as fibre, which is immensely beneficial for gut health! This chickpea curry is a great way to do so! This recipe alone contains five different plants!

Recipe (serves 4)

____

Ingredients

• 4 skinless chicken breasts diced
• 1 tin of chickpeas drained
• 1 tin of tomato and onion mix
• 1 tin of reduced fat coconut milk
• 1 diced onion
• 250g mushrooms sliced
• 200g fresh spinach
• 2 Tbsp mild yellow curry powder (or more if you like it spicy!)

Method

1. Fry your onion in 1 Tbsp of oil until translucent
2. Add in your sliced mushrooms
3. Cook until soft
4. Stir in the curry powder
5. Add your diced chicken and sear for 1 min on each side
6. Add all your tinned ingredients
7. Add the spinach leaves
8. Reduce the heat and let your curry simmer until your chicken is cooked and spinach is wilted
9. Serve with rice and a sprinkle of feta.

Looking for a healthy recipe to add into your braai rotation? Try these homemade chicken sosaties! Following a plant-based diet or wanting to add some more vegetarian meals into your meal plan? Simply swap out the chicken for blocks of firm tofu or thick slices of aubergine.

Homemade sosaties contain less salt (you can leave the salt out altogether if you like) and are free from preservatives. These are so fun and easy to make – rope in the family to help you! The peppers are packed with Vitamin C and A and the  pineapple gives a naturally sweet touch!
If you’re using wooden skewers, make sure to pre-soak them in water for a few hours or simply do this the night before.

What You Need:

• 500g chicken breasts (or tofu or aubergine), cut into 2cm cubes1 red pepper, cut into squares of a similar size
• 1 yellow pepper, cut into squares of a similar size
• 1 red onion, cut into squares of a similar size
• 1 Pineapple, cut into squares of a similar size

For the Marinade:

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp each: smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, turmeric, chilli flakes (optional)
• Pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper

  Method:
  1/ Whisk all the marinade ingredients together and add your protein into the mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

          2/ Assemble the sosasties by threading the protein with the vegetables and pineapple, creating a colourful sosatie.

          3/ Grill over a medium-high heat on the braai for about 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally to make sure all sides are cooked.

        4/ Serve with a salad of your choice!

Looking for another easy chicken dish to feed the family? Try this one Greek-style on-tray oven dish! Looking for some more plant-based alternatives? Read how to make easy vegan food swaps here!

Oyster mushrooms are a great vegetarian substitute for chicken, especially when pulled with a fork to make the texture like shredded chicken breast. Give this fun tasty recipe a try this summer!

Tacos are such a fun way to build meals and snacks and they’re great for dinner parties too! You can pack them with fresh salad ingredients to make them healthier and get the kids involved in making their own.

Mushrooms are also great sources of Vitamin B and D and minerals like potassium and iron. Mushrooms are also low in calories and high in flavour, making them a great food for those following a weight-loss or management programme.

What You Need:

• 250g oyster mushrooms
• Olive oil
• 1 tsp each: smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, chilli flakes (optional)
• Pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 corn tortillas
• 1 cup shredded lettuce
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• ½ cup cooked mealies (or leftover mealies from a braai), removed from the cob
• ½ cup of guacamole
• ¼ cup fresh coriander leaves
• Lime wedges for garnishing

Method:

1/ Pull the oyster mushrooms apart using a fork, to create a shredded texture. Coat the mushrooms in the spices and toss to combine.

2/ Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and add the spiced mushrooms. Saute for 8-10 minutes until cooked and slightly golden.

3/ Warm the tortillas according to package instructions and lay out all your ingredients for assembling and enjoy!
Want to add a healthy, protein-packed and vegan creamy texture? Add some whipped tofu to your tacos! Find the recipe and another great dish for #veganuary here: https://medshieldmovement.co.za/roast-beetroot-salad-with-whipped-tofu-nuts-and-mint/