Bring a little bit of summer into your home with these delicious recipe ideas from nutritionist, Elly Ling, using her tried and tested Fab5 method to ensure they are nourishing and balanced. 

Fab5 is a simple system to ensure you’re eating an abundance of whole foods and plant-based ingredients. A diet abundant in plants provides a rich source of phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre that protect your cells, keep you satiated and support digestion and energy stabilisation.

This system incorporates five components:

– Fruit and vegetables (1)
– Starchy carbohydrates (2)
– Protein (3)
– Fats (4)
– Flavour (5)

Each of the recipes below includes all of the components that make up the Fab5 system…

Recipe 1: Miso salmon burgers

Perfect for a BBQ, these salmon burgers are bursting with flavour and hit all the right notes on the satisfaction scale. Salmon is a nutrient-dense food providing a great source of protein and omega 3, an essential fatty acid that is very important for the body and brain. Salmon ticks off both the protein and healthy fat components. The wholemeal bread buns balance this protein-heavy meal with starchy carbohydrates and there are an abundance of spices and sauces to give this meal an explosion of flavour. Enjoy this burger on its own or pair with more vegetables, salad or whole grains. 

You will need – serves 4

• 480g salmon, without skin (3 & 4)
• 2 tablespoons white miso (5)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce (5)
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger (5)
• 50g Panko bread crumbs (2)
• 400g cucumber  (1)
• A pinch of salt (5)
• 2 garlic cloves (1 & 5)
• 2 tablespoons sriracha hot sauce (5)
• 1 lime, freshly squeezed (1 & 5)
• 1 teaspoon sugar (5)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil (4)
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, reduced fat (4)
• 4 wholemeal bread buns (2)

Instructions

1. Chop salmon into chunks and put half into a blender with the miso paste, half the soy sauce and the ginger 
2. Combine in a bowl with the other half of the salmon and the breadcrumbs 
3. Shape into burgers and chill for 20 minutes in the fridge
4. Smash chopped cucumber and add a pinch of salt
5. Combine garlic, half the sriracha, the other half of soy sauce, lime juice, sugar and olive oil into the sauce. Pour over the cucumber and let sit for 10 minutes 
6. Mix remaining 1 tablespoon of sriracha with mayonnaise
7. Using a little oil, fry the burgers for 3 minutes on each side with medium heat 
8. Serve with lightly toasted wholemeal burger buns, spicy mayonnaise and cucumber piled on top of the salmon 

Recipe 2: Carrot, Beetroot, Kale & Potato Salad

This is a superfood salad which so happens to be meal-prep and take-to-the-park friendly. All the ingredients can be cooked and prepared beforehand and dressed right before serving. Kale is a nutrient powerhouse, just 1 cup provides over the daily requirement of vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin K. Like other green leafy vegetables it’s also loaded with antioxidants, helping to fight free radicals in the body. It may also come as a surprise that carrots are more than 82% water content, making it a great hydrating food. The protein and fats in this meal come from the dressing and topping of sunflower seeds which is a great hack for most meals when using the Fab5 method. 

You will need – serves 2

• 200g potatoes, with skin (2)
• Salt and pepper (5)
• 30g tahini (3, 4 & 5)
• 6g maple syrup (5)
• 1 lemon, freshly squeezed (1 & 5)
• 100g kale (1)
• 1/2 teaspoon olive oil (4)
• 70g beetroot (1)
• 100g carrots, chopped (1)
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (3 & 4)

Instructions

1. Clean potatoes thoroughly and chop into large chunks, season with salt and pepper and roast in the oven for 30 minutes at 175C or until golden brown 
2. To make the tahini sauce, whisk all the ingredients (tahini, maple syrup, lemon juice and a splash of water) together in a bowl and stir well 
3. Prepare the kale by de-stemming and finely chop. Add olive oil and massage into the kale to soften the texture 
4. Prepare the beetroot and carrots by grating or finely slice 
5. Combine the baked potato, kale, beetroot and carrot to a bowl, top with sesame seeds and dress with sauce

Recipe 3: Cucumber, tomato and bean salad 

Refreshing, light and vibrant – this salad takes very little time to prepare and its versatility allows it to be the star of the show, as well as an accompaniment (think picnics and BBQs). Cucumbers and cherry tomatoes are 95% and 94% water content respectively, therefore not only is this dish refreshing but it is quite literally hydrating. Butter beans, also known as lima beans are both a protein and starchy carbohydrate, ticking off two of the five Fab5 components. Although it’s not necessary to combine fruit and vegetables together, here we have tomatoes and lemon juice alongside cucumber and onions, lemon also serves on the flavour factor, too.  

You will need – serves 2 to 4 

• 1 large cucumber (1)
• 150g cherry tomatoes (1)
• 70g red onion (1)
• 250g butter beans, drained  (2 & 3)
• 1 teaspoon dried/fresh parsley(5)
• A pinch of salt and pepper (5)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (4)
• 1 lemon, freshly squeezed (1 & 5)

Instructions

1. Chop the cucumber into small pieces, halve the cherry tomatoes and finely chop red onion
2. Rinse and drain butter beans and mix with vegetables 
3. Add dried or fresh herbs, salt, pepper and drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice 
4. Keep in the fridge and served chilled
   

Elly Ling is a Nutrition Coach based in London and founder of EL Nutrition. Elly’s mission is to help you achieve a healthy and balanced lifestyle, practice mindful eating and create long-lasting habits. Her coaching program is designed to give you personalised plans that are unique to your body and your health goals.