Reverse Your Bio Age Lunch Recipes 4

Lunch is an opportunity to refuel without slowing the rest of your day.

The recipes in this collection are built around salads and light, nourishing plates that deliver maximum micronutrients, fibre, and healthy fats — the combination that supports stable blood sugar, healthy DNA methylation, and reduced inflammatory load.

Eat colourfully. Eat calmly. Let your cells do the rest.

Chicken Salad

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 100 g raw baby spinach
• 2 cooked chicken breasts or leftover roast chicken, cut into pieces
• 100 g cherry tomatoes, halved
• ½ cucumber, diced
• ½ tsp unrefined sea salt
• ½ garlic clove
• Large handful of fresh basil
• Extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. Place the raw spinach into two bowls. Add the chicken, tomatoes and cucumber.
2. In a pestle and mortar, grind the salt and garlic together until it forms a paste. Add the basil and grind down, then add olive oil to make a loose dressing.
3. Dress the salad with the basil oil dressing before serving.

Courgette Pancakes

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1 courgette, grated (squeeze out any moisture after grating — or swap for carrot, or use a mixture)
• Optional: 1 chopped spring onion
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp coconut flour
• Salt and pepper
• Optional: 1 tbsp chopped mixed seeds (sunflower, sesame, pumpkin etc.)

Method

1. Add all the ingredients to a bowl and beat together.
2. Heat some olive oil in a frying pan.
3. Add about 1 tbsp of the mixture per pancake, fry for a couple of minutes until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and cook on the other side.
4. Serve with bacon, ham or chopped tomatoes and avocado.

Niçoise Salad

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 4 small new potatoes (or 2 white potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks)
• 100 g asparagus
• 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 little gem lettuce
• 1 tin of tuna in spring water, brine or olive oil (avoid sunflower oil)
• Optional: handful of pitted kalamata olives, tinned anchovies
• Fresh parsley and cress to garnish

For the dressing

• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ clove garlic
• ½ teaspoon English mustard powder
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. Place the potatoes into a pan of boiling water and set a timer for 3 minutes.
2. After 3 minutes add the eggs (make sure the water covers them) and set a timer for a further 3 minutes.
3. After the 3 minutes, add the asparagus and cook everything for a further 5 minutes. Drain and leave to cool.
4. In a pestle and mortar, crush the sea salt with the garlic to form a paste. Add the mustard powder, black pepper, vinegar and olive oil. Mix until well combined. Stir in a little chopped fresh parsley.
5. Once cool, assemble the salad. Peel the eggs and cut in half. Place the lettuce, tomatoes, asparagus, tuna, eggs and potatoes into 2 bowls. Add the olives and anchovies.
6. Drizzle over the dressing and serve, garnishing with fresh parsley and cress.

Smoked Salmon Salad

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 120 g smoked salmon
• 6 salad radishes
• 1 ripe avocado
• 80 g wild rocket / lamb’s lettuce / watercress (or a mixture)
• 1 lemon
• 1–2 tsp capers
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Cut the avocado around its length, peel and slice the flesh into 2–3 mm thick lengths. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the slices to prevent browning.
2. Top-and-tail the radishes and thinly slice each.
3. Wash the salad leaves in cold water and drain well. Drizzle with a little olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss gently.
4. Divide the leaves between plates and arrange the radishes and avocado slices over each. Divide the salmon and arrange on top. Top with capers and shallots. Season with black pepper and a little more lemon juice.

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Chorizo

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 2 sweet potatoes
• Cooking fat of your choice
• Cooking chorizo
• 2 spring onions
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp butter
• Fresh coriander and parsley, finely chopped

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Rub the sweet potatoes with a little olive oil and salt. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Reduce to 180°C and bake for a further 30 minutes until cooked through.
2. Slice the spring onions and chorizo, crush or slice the garlic clove.
3. Heat 1 tbsp fat in a frying pan and add the chorizo and spring onions. Cook until the chorizo starts to release its oil and crisp up, then add the garlic. Cook for a minute, then remove from the heat.
4. Once the potatoes are cooked, slice each one in half. Scoop out a couple of spoonfuls of the inside and add to the chorizo mixture with 1 tbsp butter. Stir well.
5. Spoon back into the potatoes and return to the oven for 10 minutes to warm through. Sprinkle with fresh coriander and parsley before serving.

Spinach, Kale & Watercress Soup

Serves: 2–4  |  Prep time: 10 minutes  |  Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 head of cavolo nero or kale
• 150–200 g young spinach, washed
• Bunch of watercress
• 2 medium onions, finely diced
• 1 clove of garlic, finely sliced
• 1 litre vegetable or chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch of nutmeg, freshly grated

Method

1. Remove the outer leaves of the kale and discard. Cut out the thick central stalks, roll and finely shred. Chop the spinach and watercress.
2. Heat olive oil in a deep pan. Add the onion and sweat for 2–3 minutes, then add the garlic and sweat for a further 2 minutes.
3. Add most of the spinach, watercress and kale, reserving a small amount of each. Gently sauté until the leaves begin to cook down, then add the stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Add the reserved raw leaves and blend again — this gives a brighter, more vibrant colour.
5. Return to the pan to reheat. Season well with salt, pepper and a pinch of fresh nutmeg before serving.

No-Bake Chocolate Energy Balls

Makes: around 12 balls

Ingredients

• 1 cup cashew nuts
• 1 cup Medjool dates
• 2 tablespoons cacao or cocoa powder
• 1 orange, zested and juiced

Method

1. Add all the ingredients to a food processor and blend until you have a sticky mixture.
2. Place the mixture in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm slightly.
3. Roll into balls about 2–3 cm in diameter. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.