Incase you haven’t learnt by now, here at Sporteluxe, we love turning to health experts and picking their brains about what they do to live a healthy, balanced life so that we can share these tips with you (so you too can live a healthy, balanced life!).
Here, one of our go-to nutritionists, Jessica Sepel of JSHealth, shares the foods that you’ll always find in her kitchen (and grocery list). Oh, and keep on scrolling for an exclusive recipe straight from her new app.
1. Eggs
Who doesn’t love eggs? You can poach them, boil them, fry them or even make a healthy, flavoursome shakshuka.
2. Legumes
If you have legumes on hand, you can whip up a main meal in no time. Opt for lentils, black beans and chickpeas.
3. Greens
It’s so important to eat your daily dose of greens. I recommend filling half of your plate with greens for lunch and dinner. Some of my favourites are spinach, rocket, broccolini, zucchini, Brussels sprouts, kalettes and kale.
4. Wholegrains
I always stock my pantry with quinoa, brown rice and oats. They’re quick to cook and provide the body with slow-releasing, which keeps you satiated and energetic.
5. Herbs and spices
I always like to have fresh herbs such as mint, coriander, basil and parsley, plus spices such as cumin, paprika, curry powder, nutmeg and cinnamon. They make the most basic meal ultra delicious!
6. The essentials
Last but definitely not least, I always have my essential flavour enhancers on hand. No savoury meal is complete without olive oil, garlic and fresh lemons (I love a squeeze of lemon juice over my salads).
Image: JSHealth
Recipe: Moroccan Eggplant, Zucchini & Lentils
This is such a quick, easy and delicious dinner option that’s a new exclusive from the JSHealth App. Best of all, it has many of my pantry essentials.
Serves: 2 as a main, or 4 as a side
Ingredients
- 3 small eggplants
- 2 zucchinis
- 2 bunches of vine tomatoes or a punnet of cherry tomatoes
- olive oil
- sea salt
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 can lentils, drained and rinsed
- 1 cucumber, diced
- chopped parsley, to serve
- chopped almonds to serve (optional)
For the dressing
- 1–2 tsp cumin
- 4 tbsp Greek yoghurt (can use coconut yoghurt for vegan version!)
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Slice the eggplants and zucchinis lengthways and place them on the baking tray. Add the tomatoes to the tray. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and a sprinkle of cumin.
3. Place in oven for 20–25 minutes, or until the veggies are soft and have started to brown.
4. Remove the tray from the oven and place the lentils over the veggies. Drizzle with a touch more olive oil, then place back in over for a further 10 minutes or until the eggplants are golden and zucchinis are soft.
5. To make the dressing, mix the cumin and yoghurt until they’re well combined.
6. Remove tray from the oven and serve the dish topped with the yoghurt dressing, diced cucumber and fresh parsley. The chopped almonds are a great way of adding extra texture and nutrients.
Notes:
You can add 100-150g of your favourite animal protein to this recipe or choose one of the following options:
- ½ cup chickpeas or beans (or a mix)
- 3 tbsp of goat’s cheese or ricotta (for vegetarians) or cashew cheese (for vegans)
- 100 g of tempeh or tofu (1–2 times a week)
- For a plant-based option, swap the Greek yoghurt for coconut yoghurt or a dairy-free alternative
Jessica Sepel is a clinical nutritionist, best-selling author, international health blogger and the beloved voice behind JSHealth and @jshealth. She is passionate about helping people overcome fad dieting and disordered eating, having gone through her own struggles with food. Her philosophy is focused around balance, rest and building a healthy relationship with food. She recently launched the JSHealth App, which features a world-first nutrition clinic, hundreds of healthy recipes, a daily meal planner, health guides, body love support and much more.