Healthy Recipes

Here you'll find healthy, nutritious recipes you and your family can enjoy. Tonic is about encouraging simple, healthy, delicious cooking that tastes great and is genuinely good for you. If you have healthy recipes you'd like to share, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us here.

Also be sure to check out our Minus the Meat and Food Fix pages where you'll find loads more recipes.

• MINESTRONE SOUP

• WINTER PORRIDGE WITH STEWED FRUITS

• RED WINE POACHED PEARS

• CHINESE SPICED DUCK BREAST WITH ASIAN GREENS

• ROAST VEGETABLE MASH

MINESTRONE SOUP 
(Serves 6 - 8) 

By Nikki Heyder

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 large celery stalk, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped into small cubes
½ small butternut pumpkin, chopped into small cubes
1 cauliflower, cut into small flowerets
2 potatoes, peeled and halved
1 tbsp tomato paste
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
400g tin of Borlotti beans
1 bay leaf
2 litres water
Handful of chopped parsley
Salt and pepper
 

METHOD

1. In a large pot heat olive oil and cook onions and garlic until translucent but not browned

2. Add tomato paste and cook for a further 2 minutes

3. Add all remaining ingredients and top with water

4. Bring to the boil then reduce to simmer and cook for 30 minutes

5. Remove potato halves and mash in a separate bowl before pouring back into soup (this will thicken the broth)

6. Season with salt and pepper

7. Turn off heat and stir through chopped parsley

8. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese

 WINTER PORRIDGE WITH STEWED FRUITS 
(Serves 6)

By Nikki Heyder

INGREDIENTS

250g of mixed dried fruits (apricots, dates, figs, apples)
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
2 star anise
2 cloves
1 nutmeg flower (or 1 tsp grated nutmeg)
Water
2 cups organic rolled oats
4 cups milk (or water)
Brown sugar
Flaked almonds

METHOD

1. For the stewed fruits, combine fruits, spices and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil

2. Reduce to simmer and cook for 1 hour or until fruits are soft and water has reduced to a syrup consistency

3. Take off heat and put aside whilst making porridge

4. In a small saucepan combine porridge and milk and cook on medium to low heat for 15 minutes or until most of the milk has absorbed and the porridge is soft

5. Assemble the dish by placing porridge in a bowl and topping with stewed fruits – sprinkle with brown sugar and decorate with flaked almonds

RED WINE POACHED PEARS 
(Serves 4)

By Nikki Heyder

INGREDIENTS

4 pears, peeled
1 bottle of dry red wine
1/3 cup caster sugar
1 large cinnamon quill
3 cloves
2 star anise
1 vanilla bean, split lengthways

METHOD

1. In a large pot bring red wine to the boil with sugar, spices and vanilla

2. Add pears and allow to simmer for 1 hour, turning the pears every 15 minutes or so to ensure that they are cooked evenly

3. Remove pears from pot and serve with vanilla custard or ice-cream

CHINESE SPICED DUCK BREAST WITH ASIAN GREENS 
(Serves 4)

By Nikki Heyder

INGREDIENTS

4 duck breasts, skin on2 tbsp Chinese five spice powder
1 tbsp salt
2 garlic clove, crushed
8 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2 large bunch pak choy (or another leafy Asian green), roughly chopped
Sugar snap peas
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

METHOD

1. To prepare the duck breasts slice the skin in horizontal incisions being sure not to cut through to the flesh

2. Combine the five spice and salt and rub into the skin of the breast

3. Heat a frypan (with no oil) on a medium flame and place the duck breasts skin side down

4. The duck will slowly release all of its fat until no fat remains between the crispy skin and the flesh

5. Remove duck from pan, drain excess fat and return to pan skin side up for 5 minutes or until flesh is cooked to your liking – take off heat and allow to rest

6. To make the vegetables, heat a small amount of vegetable oil in a pan and combine the garlic with the mushrooms, pak choy and sugar snap peas

7. Add sesame oil and soy sauce and cook until leaves of pak choy are just wilted

8. Take off heat and stir in sesame seeds

9. Slice the duck and serve on bed of cooked vegetables

ROAST VEGETABLE MASH 
(Serves 4)

By Nikki Heyder

INGREDIENTS

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium sized sweet potato, cut into cubes
¼ butternut pumpkin, cut into cubes
2 parsnips, cut into cubes
2 large potatoes, cut into cubes
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 sprig rosemary
1 sprig thyme
Salt and pepper
¼ cup low fat milk (optional)
Bunch of fresh parsley, chopped

METHOD

1. Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees Celsius

2. In a large roasting tin, combine oil, vegetables, herbs, onion, garlic and salt and pepper

3. Cover with aluminium foil and bake for 45 minutes or until vegetables are very tender

4. Remove tray from oven and discard foil

5. Using a potato masher mash all vegetables together until smooth and creamy (add milk here if desired to make the mash smoother)

6. Serve as an accompaniment with fresh parsley