Cold days call for healthy comfort food 
Success in both fitness and nutrition relies upon realistic goals and expectations. Unless you really love cold salads (I mean REALLY LOVE cold salads), it is unlikely that you will want to tuck into one on a cold January lunch time! If you prefer HOT food then try to have hot lunches most days. My diet has seen so much improvement since I waved goodbye to my sandwich lunch and instead look to pasta, potatoes, rice, veggies and good protein options to fill my hungry belly instead.Â
I wanted to share with you here one of my favourites that is really delicious over rice, with sourdough or even by itself. Shakshuka literally means “a mixture” so you can add any additions you fancy! It is excellent for using up any veggies that you have or leftovers that you want to throw in.
Remember to be mindful of your portion size of your bread/rice if you want to lose weight. Better to have slightly less carbs and more of the protein and veggies if you are super hungry!Â
This yummy dish only takes 30 mins to prepare and cook. The mixture also keeps well for the next day so you can heat it up and have two lunches for the effort of one 🙂 The next day I will often add two boiled eggs to the veggie mix for ease. With only 340kcal per serving (without rice or bread) and a fantastic 21 grams of protein, this one can become a firm fitness favourite.Â
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Ingredients
2 red onions
1 red pepper
1 garlic clove
Fresh corianderÂ
1 small chilli or half teaspoon chilli flakes
2 cans of cherry tomatoes
tablespoon olive oilÂ
4 eggs
1 tsp caster sugar
salt and pepper to season
Method for Shakshuka(serves two) 20 minutes cooking time 🙂
Fry your chopped onion, garlic and peppers in the olive oil (chilli too if using raw). Add in your tomatoes with the sugar and chilli flakes. Leave to simmer and thicken for 10 minutes.
- Â Make 4 little wells in the tomato mixture and drop one egg in each. Cover dish with a lid and cook for a further 8 mins. Add coriander and black pepper before serving.
Comfort food and healthy food need not be separate things. I like to think that comfort food comes in two forms:
1) the nutritious variety (veggie stews, warm soups, chilli, lentil bolognese…) – I try to cook these as much as I can through the colder months of the year.
2) the delicious but not so nutritious kind – can be enjoyed occasionally and in smaller proportions!
Victoria xx
