Rainbow Recipe ideas for week 1

Here are four tasty and healthy recipes to use in week one of your introduction to the rainbow diet; a breakfast, a lunch, a dinner, and a snack. All from our nutritionist Chef Barbara Cox.

People come to the Rainbow Diet and wonder where to start. But it’s not hard, nourishing foods, whole foods not refined, quality ingredients, good oils not refined, vegetables, fruits and grains – The Mediterranean Diet as nature intended. Here are four suggestions for week 1 of your introduction:

Week 1

Breakfast

Fresh Cherry & Cranberry Bircher Muesli

Serves 3 portions

Prep Time = approx 15 minutes

Ingredients

90g Jumbo Oats

30g Dried cranberries

1 large apple (peeled and grated)

100g dairy-free yogurt

85ml non-dairy milk or apple juice

90g fresh cherries (deseeded and chopped)

50g flakes almonds (for the garnish)

Method

1. In a large bowl, add all the ingredients, except the flakes almonds. If the mixture is too dry, then add a touch of water.
2. Mix really well.
3. Separate into 3 portions and garnish with flaked almonds

Note: If cooking for 1 person, this keeps in the fridge for 5 days and it freezes well too.

Week 1

Lunch

Rainbow Vegetable Salad

Serves 5 portions

Prep Time = approx 15 minutes

Ingredients

½ red onion – sliced

100g red radishes – sliced

75g cooked beetroot – sliced (not the pickled beetroot)

2 small carrots – grated

50g raw cauliflower- chopped

50g raw broccoli- chopped

100g Pea-shoots or Rocket

50g cashews – as a garnish

Dressing Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Twist black pepper

Twist of Himalayan crystal salt

Method

1. In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients for the salad, except the cashew nuts.
2. Combine all the ingredients for the dressing and whisk well.
3. Portion out 5 portions – top with the dressing and cashew nuts

Week 1

Dinner

Loaded Sweet Potato Skins

Serves 4

Prep Time = approx 20 minutes

Ingredients

4 small sweet potatoes (about 150g each)

1 X 400g tin of adzuki beans (or kidney beans)

1 bunch (100g) spring onions – thinly chopped

50g frozen sweet corn

75g grated cheddar cheese

Twist of Himalayan crystal salt

Twist of black pepper

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp turmeric

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 180C. Prick sweet potatoes with fork and put on MICROWAVE tray.
2. Microwave for 8 minutes on full power and set aside. Half the sweet potatoes and scoop out the flash leaving the skin intact.
3. Cut the flesh into small cubes and put in a bowl. Mix the sweet potato cubes with the beans, spring onion, sweet corn and season with salt, pepper, paprika and turmeric.
4. Put the skins on a baking tray. Divide the mixture between each of the skins and top with grated cheese.
5. Place in oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden.

NOTE: This should be enough for dinner, but if you wanted to bulk it out with a side salad of lettuce, tomato, cucumber, radishes and a simple drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, then please go ahead.

Week 1

Snack

Raw Cranberry & Coconut Date Bar

Makes 1 large baking tray – cut into about 18 smaller squares.

Prep Time = approx 15 minutes

Ingredients

500g dried dates

280g chopped nuts

200g ground almonds

160g coconut chips (flakes)(desiccated coconut will do, but with added sugar)

160g dried cranberries – chopped

Method

1. Steam 500g of the dates for 4 minutes, over a double boiler of water and colander.
2. Blend mixed nuts and ground almonds until fine.
3. Add the steam dates and blend until a dark paste.
4. By hand kneed in the coconut and chopped cranberries.
5. Press into a baking tray and leave to chill for at least 3 hours or over night.

Go to: Rainbow Recipe ideas for week 2

Barbara Cox is a highly regarded nutritionist, health article author and businesswoman. She became passionate about the importance of eating healthily during a ten-year stay in Japan, a country renowned for its low levels of obesity, cancer and heart disease. On her return to the UK, Barbara founded Nutrichef, a company that produces high quality healthy meals and delivers them to customers’ homes. Through her consultations with Nutrichef customers across the UK, Barbara advises people with a range of concerns, including people wishing to lose weight, athletes training for sports events or people who simply want to know what it means to eat healthily.  

In 2008 Barbara was awarded the National Title of Entrepreneur of the Year by the British Chambers of Commerce. She is a former Canadian national junior skating champion, a contributor to the book Fit for Motorsport, Kitchen Table Tycoon and the nutrition chapters in Teach yourself Aromatherapy. Launched Rainbow Recipes cookbook and continues to educate and inspire on healthy eating and entrepreneurship.  

In Barbara’s spare time, she is an Ambassador for the Cancer Active and a keen charity fund-raiser who trekked 100 miles across the Sahara Desert for Help for Heroes.   

In 2013 Barbara partnered with Super Vitality as Nutritional Director and is responsible for product research and development of protein powders and sports supplements. 

In March 2015, Barbara sold Nutrichef in a 2 year buy out.

Barbara is now a representative on the Global Wellness Council and Corporate Wellness expert and has created the online courses 7 Day Mind &Body cleanse, Bloom Your Business, The 4 Keys to Weight Loss and Become a Wellness Ambassador.