The Complete Self-Love Menu for Self-Love-Valentine's -By Avril McManus

One of the things that I most cherish when I spend time with my favourite Nutritional Therapist Avril McManus either in London or when she comes to stay with me in France, is that she is the queen of making the best, mouth-watering, fancy, quick dishes and then she tells me with a glow in her eyes all the macro and micro nutrients our body is celebrating with each bite. Avril put together for you a easy and decadent menu, to tell yourself "I love you" and she added a gorgeous immune boosting drink.

 

Entree:

Sweet potato wedges & mixed salad:

Ingredients

2 sweet potatoes washed and cut into chunky chips

2 tablespoon (tbsp) olive oil

Pinch of sea salt

Handful of mixed salad leaves washed and dried

1 tomato washed and sliced

1 spring onion washed and finely chopped

½ carrot washed, peeled, and grated

Cooking method

Preheat the oven to 200C/ 400F

Place sweet potato chips onto baking tray and toss well with olive oil and sea salt.

Cook for 25-30 minutes and serve with mixed salad and guacamole dip.

Guacamole Dip:

Ingredients (makes 125ml)

2 large ripe avocados, stoned, peeled and chopped

2 small onions, peeled and chopped

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

1 fresh sprig of chopped coriander

Juice of 2 limes

Method

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Serve at once or place in an airtight container and put into fridge should be eaten within 2 days.

 

 

Main Dish:

Baked salmon with spinach and leeks:

Ingredients

1 leek washed, trimmed and sliced

50g of fresh baby spinach leaves

100g wild Atlantic salmon fillet

1 tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped

1 tbsp grated fresh root ginger

Juice of half lemon

1 fresh sprig of chopped coriander 

Cooking Method (20minutes)

Preheat oven to 200C/400F

Gently steam leeks for 5minutes to soften

Place the spinach leaves in a medium-sized baking tin and top with leek. Place the salmon on top.

Mix together the oil, garlic, ginger and liberally brush over the salmon using a pastry brush. Pour over the lemon juice.

Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and allow resting for 5 minutes. 

Garnish with coriander and serve with boiled baby potatoes.

Immune boosting drink 

Ginger and Cinnamon Tea 

Ingredients:

6 slices of fresh root ginger 

1 cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon of manuka honey 

Water

Method:

Put in 6 slices of fresh root ginger into a thermos

Add in 1 cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon of manuka honey

Pour in boiling water

Simmer for 5 minutes and serve

This tea is good for sore throats, fighting off colds as well as relieving upset stomachs.

Desert

For desert just melt some of your favourite dark chocolate in a bowl over a boiling casserole (Green & Black's makes a great 70%) and dip some strawberries, pear slices or your favourite fruit, for some Valentine's Day indulgence. Enjoy!

 

Let us know if you tried any of Avril's recipes and connect with her on Instagram @soul.self.care  and https://www.soulution-nutrition.com