Here’s six meals which will help you get in shape…and they only take 15mins, says Joe Wicks as he launches health plan
HE might be the nation’s favourite PE teacher, but even health and fitness guru Joe Wicks lets himself go at Christmas.
And with the big day behind us, now he’s here to help you get back into shape for the new year with exclusive recipes and exercises.
As we serialise his latest bestselling book Feel Good In 15, The Body Coach insists he does not hold back on the festive feasting.
But Joe says there is no better time than January 1 to get back on track and start afresh.
He said: “I’m always overindulging at Christmas.
“This time of year is all about the food – Christmas dinner, the cheese, the chocolate, the Twiglets – and vegging out on the sofa.
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“So I always say, eat what you want, enjoy it – then look at the new year as an opportunity to reset.
“Today is a chance to think positively about what you might want to do differently this year.”
Each of the six delicious and healthy recipes featured here take no more than 15 minutes to whip up.
They can also be batch-cooked to give you a second meal and save time on preparation.
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Joe, 38, said: “I’ve gone back to the principle of 15-minute meals because people are time poor and busier than ever.
‘Better, calmer, happier’
“I wanted to get back to those old school ‘lean in 15’ recipes with lots of shortcuts, it’s realistic cooking for real people.
“I’d never say go on a diet, my books are never about that.
“It’s about nice, easy and quick recipes which are going to leave you feeling energised and mean you are not relying on fast food.”
As well as recipes and workout plans, Joe’s new book also explores ways to make small but beneficial lifestyle changes such as how to increase sleep and reduce social media use.
The proud dad, who has three children with pin-up wife Rosie Jones, 33, said: “Committing to getting into bed a bit earlier each night can make a huge difference.
“The knock-on effect might be that you have more energy, and then exercise comes more easily the next day.
“And after exercise, you always feel better, calmer, happier and less stressed.”
Joe also revealed that his New Year’s resolution is to read more books.
He said: “When I read I feel really calm and I’m not looking at my phone, which is my only source of stress and anxiety.
“I love reading true stories, autobiographies, self-development and anything that can help you live a better life.”
- Extracted from Feel Good In 15, published by HQ, £22. © Joe Wicks 2023
HARVEST GRAIN BOWL
EATING your five-a-day has never been easier.
Heaped with vegetables and smothered in a herby souredcream ranch dressing, this is the perfect all-year-round salad.
It makes great use of those bags of pre-chopped squash or sweet potato you find in the supermarket – of course you can chop your own but buying them ready-prepped is a real time saver on busy days.
(Serves 2)
YOU NEED:
½ red onion, thinly sliced
Juice of 2 lemons
100g (3½oz) kale, finely shredded
100g (3½oz) Brussels sprouts, finely shredded
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
400g (14oz) packet of pre-cut butternut squash
300g (10½oz) soured cream
½ bunch of fresh chives
½ bunch of fresh parsley
½ bunch of fresh dill
1 garlic clove
250g (9oz) grain pouch of your choice
1 apple, cored and diced
30g (1oz) pecans, roughly chopped
30g (1oz) dried cranberries
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
METHOD: Add the onion to a small bowl with the juice of half a lemon and a big pinch of salt.
Scrunch the slices in your hands to coat them in the juice, then set aside to lightly pickle.
Toss the shredded kale and Brussels sprouts with the juice of one lemon, the oil and plenty of salt and pepper.
Massage with your hands for one minute to tenderise the leaves, then set aside.
Put the butternut squash into a microwave-safe bowl, cover with clingfilm and microwave on high for five minutes or until tender.
In the meantime, add the remaining lemon juice to a blender with the soured cream, chives, parsley, dill and garlic. Blitz until smooth and season to taste.
To assemble the salad, divide the grain pouch among two bowls and top with the steamed butternut squash, a large handful of the shredded greens, the apple chunks, chopped pecans and dried cranberries.
Drizzle with the dressing and enjoy.
TIP: A little bit of crumbled blue cheese or goat’s cheese over the top would go so well.
SPRING VEGETABLE PASTA
IF health is wealth, then get this recipe off the shelf, you elf.
The crisp asparagus, the sweet burst of peas, the super-soft broccoli that coats the pasta almost like a pesto – this dish is absolutely banging.
The trick is to cut the broccoli quite small, because you’re going to intentionally overcook it – you will love it when it all mixes in with the pasta.
(Serves 4)
YOU NEED:
1 head of broccoli, finely chopped, stalk discarded
300g (10oz) penne pasta
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
200g (7oz) asparagus, cut into 2-3cm (¾–1¼in) chunks
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4-5 sprigs of fresh rosemary, finely chopped
140g (5oz) frozen peas
Zest and juice of 1-2 lemons
60g (2oz) Parmesan, finely grated, plus extra to serve
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
METHOD: Stick the kettle on, then pour the boiling water into a large pot.
Add the chopped broccoli and penne and boil until the pasta is al dente and the broccoli is very soft – around nine minutes.
In the meantime, in a large frying pan, heat the oil and fry the asparagus until deeply golden and slightly crisp.
Throw in the garlic and rosemary and fry for one minute until fragrant.
Once the pasta and broccoli are cooked, use a slotted spoon to transfer the pasta and broccoli straight into the asparagus pan and toss vigorously with a bit of the pasta water to combine.
Add the frozen peas, zest and juice from one lemon and the Parmesan and continue to toss vigorously until a glossy sauce clings to the pasta.
Plate up with extra Parmesan for sprinkling.
LARB SALAD
THIS salad is quick, easy and bursting with flavour. Absolutely anyone you make this for is going to love it.
My kids really enjoy it, too.
The dressing is so yummy and will work with chicken, turkey, pork or beef – any kind of mince is delicious.
(Serves 4)
YOU NEED:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
500g (1lb 2oz) chicken mince
4 tbsp lime juice
3 tbsp soy sauce
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 lemongrass sticks, finely sliced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
4 lime leaves, thinly shredded
2 heads of Little Gem lettuce, leaves separated
1 carrot, julienned (or very thinly sliced into batons)
1 cucumber, julienned (or very thinly sliced into batons)
5 radishes, thinly sliced
15g (½oz) fresh mint leaves
15g (½oz) fresh coriander leaves
For the tamarind dressing
3 tbsp tamarind sauce
3 tbsp lime juice
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 chilli, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
METHOD: Start by gathering your ingredients and doing your chopping so everything is ready to toss in.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan, add the chicken mince and break it apart well with a wooden spoon so it is in very small, crumb-like pieces.
Once the chicken has turned white and begun to gain a little bit of golden colour, splash in the lime juice and soy sauce with the chopped garlic.
Fry for one minute until little liquid remains in the pan.
Turn off the heat and stir through the lemongrass, sliced shallots and lime leaves.
Mix together the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl – season to taste.
Shred or rip the lettuce leaves into the bottom of a serving bowl, top with the julienned carrot and cucumber.
Spoon over the chicken mixture and top with the radish slices and lots of herbs, then drizzle over the dressing.
HARISSA PRAWN COUSCOUS
THIS is a beautiful Mediterranean take on a poke bowl.
Lots of fresh flavours with a hit of spicy harissa paste on the prawns.
This is a dream lunch and can be enjoyed hot or cold, so is perfect for when on the go.
(Serves 2)
YOU NEED:
150g (5oz) cherry tomatoes
120g (4¼oz) couscous
165g (5¼oz) raw king prawns
1 tbsp harissa paste
4 tbsp olive oil
5 sprigs of fresh tarragon, plus extra to garnish
3 sprigs of fresh mint, plus extra to garnish
2 sprigs of fresh oregano, plus extra to garnish
Juice of 1 lemon, divided
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
100g (3½oz) fresh edamame beans
¼ cucumber, sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
METHOD: Pop the tomatoes into a dry non-stick frying pan and cook for ten to 12 minutes, until charred and bursting.
Get the kettle on, then pour the couscous into a bowl and cover with boiling water.
Throw a tea towel on top, or use clingfilm to cover, and set aside for ten minutes.
In the meantime, marinate the prawns with the harissa paste, one tablespoon of the oil and a pinch of salt.
Finely chop all of the herbs and add half of them to a small bowl with the remaining olive oil, half the lemon juice and the balsamic vinegar.
When the couscous is tender, add the remaining chopped herbs and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
Remove the tomatoes from the pan and fry off the prawns while the pan is hot – they should get a lovely char and turn pink through by cooking for one minute on each side.
Serve the prawns and tomatoes on a bed of herby couscous with the edamame and cucumber slices.
Pour over the dressing, garnish with your herbs and enjoy.
BLACK BEAN TACOS
FULL of protein, full of flavour, full of beans!
This quick avocado crema is so easy – just blitzing together avocado with lime juice and coriander makes an amazing condiment to have on hand.
Store it in the fridge covered with clingfilm (make sure the clingfilm is directly touching the surface of the cream to stop it from going brown).
(Serves 2)
YOU NEED:
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 limes
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, grated or finely chopped
1 tbsp chipotle paste
1 tbsp ground cumin
400g (14oz) tin of black beans
6 small corn tacos
2 avocados, peeled and stone removed
Small handful of fresh coriander
200g (7oz) tin of sweetcorn, drained
2 tbsp pickled jalapenos (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
METHOD: Put half of the onion into a bowl with the juice of half of one of the limes and a big pinch of salt.
Scrunch the slices to coat them in the juice and set aside to lightly pickle.
Put the remaining onion into a frying pan with the olive oil and fry for two minutes until softened.
Add the garlic, chipotle paste and cumin and cook for one minute until fragrant.
Add the black beans along with the liquid from the tin – this will help the sauce to thicken up fast, but if you don’t like the idea of the bean liquid, just add a big splash of water instead.
While the beans are bubbling away, warm the corn tacos in the microwave or over the gas flame directly, using tongs to get them a bit charred.
Scoop the avocado flesh into a blender with most of the coriander, the juice of one lime and a pinch of salt. Blitz until smooth.
To serve, add a heaped tablespoon of black beans to the taco, and top with corn, the pickled onions, avocado crema and some pickled jalapenos, if you like things spicy.
Slice up the remaining lime half and serve the wedges alongside for an extra-tangy hit.
TIP: You can dry-fry the corn in a pan to char it for an extra flavour dimension if you like – or just eat it as is.
CHICKPEA AND TOMATO STEW
THIS Mediterranean-style stew is so comforting and insanely quick to rustle up.
Grated halloumi is a game-changer – it’s sharp and tangy and melts beautifully on top of the stew. You are going to enjoy!
(Serves 2)
YOU NEED:
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 leek, finely sliced
2 courgettes, cut into 2cm (¾in) dice
1 large baking potato, cut into 1cm (½in) dice
3 garlic cloves, finely grated
2 tsp dried oregano 400g (14oz) tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
400g (14oz) tin of chopped tomatoes
500ml (18fl oz) vegetable stock
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
100g (3½oz) halloumi, grated
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
METHOD: Heat a large saucepan or casserole dish over a medium heat.
Add the oil, leek, courgettes and potato and fry for two to three minutes until the leek starts to soften.
Add the garlic and the oregano and fry for one minute or until fragrant.
Pour in the chickpeas, chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock and season well.
Bring up to the boil, then reduce to a medium simmer for 12 minutes or until the potatoes and courgettes are tender.
Season with lemon zest and juice.
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Spoon into bowls and top with the grated halloumi.
SWAP: Without the halloumi, this is a fantastic vegan dish.