Health & Fitness UK – September 2019

recipes

A

s a busy NHS doctor, Ranj Singh knows it

can be a challenge to eat well all the time.

His sweet tooth aside, he’s seen a stream of

patients struggling with weight issues, but

also has first-hand proof that you can take

back control. ‘I’ve seen how lives can be transformed

by making some very simple, affordable changes to diet

and lifestyle,’ says Singh. In his ITV series, Save Money,

Lose Weight, Singh assessed diet-plans and products

marketed for weight loss, and now his new book Save Money

Lose Weight: Spend Less and Reduce your Waistline with my

28-day Plan (Bantam Press, £14.99) synthesises all the

knowledge he’s accumulated.

The book is brimming with practical advice to help you get

your weight under control. Handy charts list the calorie count

of everyday treats and the time it will take to walk or run off the

calories – for example, a chicken and bacon sandwich (445

calories) equates to a 43-minute run or 1 hour 23-minute walk.

It also shows you what 100 calories looks like on your plate –

½ avocado, 1 banana, 400g raspberries, a slice of bread or

tablespoon of peanut butter – and there’s handy advice on how to

reduce saturated fat, sugar and salt.

If you’re watching your pennies, the dishes, devised by chef

and recipe writer Georgina Davies, list their cost as well as

calories, and Singh offers great diet hacks along with savvy

shopping tips to help you make informed choices. So whether

you’re in the mood for a Quick Mushroom & Tomato Breakfast

Scramble (199 cals; 60p), Homemade Spinach Wraps (128 cals;

12p) or a Strawberry, Lime & Basil Sorbet (80 cals; 60p), the book

has plenty to get you started. As Singh says, ‘My role is not just

to cure physical ailments, but also to help people feel better

physically and mentally – and taking control of your diet and

weight can work wonders for your self-esteem and confidence.’

Here’s to a healthier, more confident you...

SUPER EASY FISH TRAY BAKE

This is an ideal midweek dinner when

you are time-poor, but want something

healthy and filling. You can use any

firm white fish, fresh or frozen.

355 calories, 10g fat (2g saturated fat),

29g protein, 8g fibre, 33g carbohydrate

(7g sugar), 0.6g salt

Serves: 4

●●700g new potatoes, halved if big

●●200g green beans

●●30g fresh basil, finely chopped

●●50g capers, finely chopped

●●Juice of 1 lemon

●●3 tbsp olive oil

●●2 courgettes, grated

●●300g cherry tomatoes, halved

●●150g fresh spinach

●●4 cod fillets (approx 120g)

●●Black pepper

1

Pre-heat the oven to 220 ̊C/gas mark 7

and line a large baking tray with a layer

of foil, with enough overhang to wrap it

up into a parcel.

2

Bring a large pan of water to the boil

and cook the potatoes for 10 minutes.

Add the green beans for the final 4 minutes

of the cooking time. Drain and set aside.

3

In a large bowl, combine the basil,

capers, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons

of the olive oil. Add the courgettes, cherry

tomatoes, spinach, cooked potatoes and

beans. Mix, and season with black pepper.

4

Tip the vegetable mixture on to the tray

and spread out evenly, leaving enough

space at the edges to fold the foil over and

close. Lay the cod fillets on top of the

vegetables and drizzle with the remaining

olive oil. Season with black pepper, bring

the edges of the foil together to seal into

a parcel and bake in the oven for 15-25

minutes, depending on whether the fish is

fresh or frozen.

5

Divide the vegetables between four

plates and top with a cod fillet to serve.

Eat well

FOR LESS

Save your waistline and your wallet with

Dr Ranj Singh’s easy recipe ideas and tips

WORDS: Eve Boggenpoel P

HOTOGRAPHY:

ITV Studios, Colin Bell and Twofour Broadcast

‘Aim for the best you can be; even if you don’t achieve it,

you’ll be in a better place than when you started.’