My Week On A Plate: Jennifer Medhurst
MONDAY
Breakfast: Overnight oats are a great way to get organised and start the day on the right note. I have a variation on overnight oats most mornings. This morning, it’s a combination of whole rolled oats for fibre, natural yoghurt for protein and a dose of probiotic goodness, blueberries for vitamins and antioxidants, and flaxseeds and walnuts for omega-3 fats. When buying yoghurt, look for unflavoured options with ‘live cultures’. Quite often, the good bacteria we are looking for is killed off in the manufacturing process, so it’s important to make sure you are buying a yoghurt that still has it in. Try to mix up the brand or type of yoghurt you buy, as different yoghurts contain different strains of bacteria. I also have homemade celery, ginger and lemon juice for added nutrients.
Lunch: I’m working from the office today so take a pot of soup with me. Today, it’s a green soup – onion, garlic, broccoli, peas, spinach, lots of freshly chopped herbs and chicken stock. I top the soup with cottage cheese for extra flavour and protein and have some tinned mackerel on a few oatcakes for an added boost of omega-3 fats, protein and fibre.
Supper: On a Monday evening, I like to batch cook something I can then easily reheat later in the week. Tonight, I make a vegetable chicken curry, a staple in my house, with lots of aubergine, curry powder, cardamom pods and coconut milk. I have a bowl of this on a bed of brown rice, a great complex carb to keep me full and my gut happy.
TUESDAY
Breakfast: I fancy a savoury breakfast this morning and have a little more time on my hands, so I make a vegetarian breakfast tortilla. I scramble a couple of eggs and serve them in a wholegrain wrap along with salad for extra vitamins, antioxidants and nutrients. Sneaking a portion of vegetables into your breakfast is a handy way to add more diversity into your diet. Plus, we should all be aiming for seven to ten portions of fruit and veg daily.
Lunch: When I’m working from home, I love to take the time to make a nutritious salad for lunch. Today, it’s lentil, rocket and avocado. Lentils are a great source of fibre and protein as well as being low in fat. Rocket is a cruciferous vegetable, which means it’ll support liver health. The tomatoes add colour to the plate, offering additional nutrients, and I top it with an egg for protein and extra selenium and vitamin B12.
Supper: Roast salmon is one of my go-to dinners. Not only is it quick and simple, but salmon is also a rich source of healthy omega-3s and protein, and it’s versatile. I’m a big believer in adding things to the diet, as opposed to taking things away, so I take the opportunity to add flavour in the form of spices and herbs where I can. I roast the salmon in a dressing made with lime zest and juice, honey, extra virgin olive oil, soy sauce and chilli, and serve it with steamed tenderstem broccoli, spinach and cherry tomatoes. I also have a portion of quinoa, a less refined alternative to couscous.
WEDNESDAY
Breakfast: I have a busy day of meetings today so I’m glad I prepped some overnight oats last night. This morning, I also have a large portion of raspberries. The gut thrives on diversity, so it’s important to regularly switch up the fruit and vegetables you eat. Time and again, I see people in my clinic who eat only from a restricted repertoire of foods, unaware of how they could be limiting their health. The truth is that if you don’t mix things up, your gut bugs won’t be as diverse, making you more susceptible to viruses and infections. I make another serving of celery, ginger and lemon juice, too.
Lunch: I made a lot of soup on Monday, so I have a bowl of that with a slice of sourdough topped with cottage cheese, avocado and rocket leaves for a cruciferous hit.
Supper: I don’t get home until late after a day of meetings, so I heat up a portion of my vegetable and chicken curry – it’s just what the doctor ordered.
THURSDAY
Breakfast: It’s another bowl of my breakfast oats, although today I sprinkle over my favourite granola. Leaving a jar of your favourite granola, or a nut and seed mix, on your counter is a great way to diversify the diet. You can then use it as a topping for everything from breakfast to soups and salads.
Lunch: I fancy a warm salad today, so throw sweet potatoes, carrots and brussels sprouts into a large roasting tin along with with chilli flakes, ground cumin, extra virgin olive oil, maple syrup and salt and pepper. I roast it all for 45 minutes and then add chickpeas and cumin seeds, and cook for a further 15 minutes. When the veg and chickpeas are cooked, I transfer them into a bowl to cool, stir through chopped rocket and add a dressing made with extra virgin olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey and pumpkin seeds. There are plenty of leftovers, too.
Supper: I have the leftover salmon fillet from last night and cook some fresh wholegrain noodles to go with it. I also steam tenderstem broccoli, sweetcorn and spinach.
FRIDAY
Breakfast: Before I went to bed last night, I prepped some banana and walnut oats. In a bowl, I combined rolled oats, almond milk, chia seeds, one mashed banana, ground cinnamon, blueberries and walnuts. When I take it out of the fridge this morning, it’s the perfect consistency.
Lunch: I am going out for dinner this evening so I have a lighter lunch – a bowl of the green soup with sourdough toast, tinned sardines, cottage cheese and a generous amount of my favourite hot sauce.
Supper: I head to the pub this evening for dinner with friends. I have a couple of pints of Guinness as well as some delicious oysters and a bowl of incredible crab linguine.
SATURDAY
Breakfast: Lazy Saturday mornings are made for brunch. Instead of the ubiquitous avocado on toast, I mix things up. I toast a dark sourdough and spread it with goat’s cheese, harissa, avocado, grilled mushrooms and watercress, and top it with a couple of poached eggs and lots of lemon juice, salt and pepper. It’s such a delicious combination.
Supper: I have a couple of friends coming over for dinner this evening, and make another of my go-to recipes, chicken Marbella, a delicious combination of chicken thighs and drumsticks, garlic, capers, dates and olives. I love the fact it can be prepped in advance, too, and as it’s a one-tray recipe, it couldn’t be simpler. I serve it with jacket potatoes and a big, green salad.
SUNDAY
Breakfast: Every Sunday morning, I love going to my local market on Portobello Road and picking up fresh fruit and veg from the market stalls for the week ahead. You never know what you’ll find. Today, I pick up a load of fresh figs and when I get home, I use them to make a fruit salad, which I serve with yoghurt and honeycomb honey. I also have a runny boiled egg with buttered sourdough toast soldiers, and another slice of toast with marmalade.
Supper: After a late breakfast, I skip lunch and wait until early evening for my main meal. Sundays are made for roast chicken – there’s something so comforting and wholesome about it. While the chicken is cooking, I put on Pride & Prejudice – I love a period drama – and sort myself out for the week ahead.
Jennifer’s new book, The 7 Principles Of Healthy Eating, is out now. For more from Jennifer, visit JenniferMedhurst.com and follow her on Instagram @JenniferMedhurst.
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