I love food (if that isn’t obvious already)!

I also love spending time in the kitchen experimenting or simply whipping up classic favourites.

However … there are times when I’m just not in the mood to cook (I can be very impatient when I’m hungry) and just want something fast and delicious.

That is where I love serving suggestions. Not in the sense of processed packaged pseudo-foods or microwave dinners, but rather where you just combine a few, fresh, tasty ingredients to create the most amazing flavour combinations with impressive nutritional profiles.

Let me share with you some of the ‘serving suggestions’ that I have been loving lately.

Creamy Coconut Soup (chilled)

Lately I have been enjoying this simple dish every day, sometimes twice (it’s that good!). It has only three ingredients, is ultra hydrating and uber refreshing! Super high in potassium, essential electrolytes and easily digestible fibre, this concoction is definitely worth opening a fresh coconut for!

All you need is …

1 young coconut (the pale coloured wooden shells with the pointy shaven top – available in the fresh produce section of most supermarkets or at local markets and green grocers)

10 filtered water ice cubes – once you’ve made this a few times you can adjust this number to get the consistency to your own level of perfection (sometimes I add more or less depending on the amount of meat and water that comes out of the coconut)

Then just …

Using a meat cleaver (don’t be scared) whack all around the top of the coconut in a circular rotation until the ‘lid’ comes free – there are heaps of youtube videos that demonstrate how to do this (or you can often head down to your local organic market and watch the hunky coconut vendors do it for you with their chiselled muscles – well actually I can’’t promise the spunky coconut dude but there will probably be someone there selling coconuts and offering to open them for you, take note of how they do it!)

From here pour the coconut water into a blender – a high-speed blender like a Vitamix works a real treat but if you don’t have one I’m sure a regular blender would be cool too – do your best with what you have available. Then scoop the creamy, white flesh out with a spoon and tip into the blender. Add your ice and blitz on high for about a minute or until thick and creamy.

I like to pour this into a tall glass and eat with a soup spoon. It makes about two tall glasses worth and I savour every creamy, sweet, nourishing slurp.

Variations
Skip the ice and blend the water and flesh together, pour into a bowl and chill in the fridge for an hour or so. Eat as a pudding with sliced banana on top, for a quick and filling meal. (I got this idea from Megan over at her blog Detoxinista)

To the original soup recipe add a tablespoon of raw cacao powder and two Medjool dates (or sweetener of choice) for the ultimate chocolate milkshake (I reckon this beats the classic syrup and ice-cream version any day!)

Banana and Avocado Bowl

This is the most simple but surprisingly delicious fast food. Bananas are bursting full of potassium and B vitamins, whist avocados boast an even denser nutritional profile, containing loads of monounsaturated fats, chlorophyll and vitamin E – I could go on and write a thesis on the benefits of the avocado but to save us both time just trust me, they are one nifty fruit!

All you need is …

1 perfectly ripe banana (golden yellow with brown sugar spots – not a dark brown banana! This will be too sickly and is best saved for baking purposes)

1 whole avocado (to tell whether the avocado is ripe push down softly on the nose of the avocado with your thumb – a ripe avocado will be soft, rock hard avocados need to sit in a brown paper bag with a few bananas for a few days)

Then just …

Slice the banana into think coins and chop the avocado into hefty chunks (skin removed of coarse) and toss together in a bowl. That’s it! The soft, creamy texture of both fruits is luscious and the natural sweetness of the banana tastes almost indulgent. More recently I have been mashing the avocado up with a teaspoon of organic vanilla bean powder or alternatively; a whole heap of organic cinnamon! Coming into summer this is one of the most hydrating and nourishing combinations and just seconds away when you need something fast.

Variations

• Blend the banana and avocado together in a food processor for an instant mousse – you could even add some coconut cream (additive free – I love the Ayam brand) for extra creaminess or some raw cacao for chocolate mousse
• Dollop your favourite nut or seed butter over the chopped banana and avocado for a rich treat that adds even more therapeutic fats, fibre and minerals
• Toss the banana and avocado into a blender with a cup of homemade coconut or nut milk and about 12 filtered water ice cubes – THIS IS LIQUID GOLD!

Roast Pumpkin

I love me some leftover roast pumpkin (or sweet spud). Whilst there’s no denying that fresh, out-of-the-oven roasted pumpkin that is warm, sweet and deliciously crisp is something very special, whatever is left the next day is extremely sensational too (as a bonus leftover roast pumpkin often develops a caramelised flavour – winning!). I love butternut pumpkin (butternut squash for the American readers) the most, as it gives the softest, sweetest and creamiest texture when roasted. The thing I love most about having some leftover roast pumpkin on hand is that it is so versatile and therefore can form the base of many different meals.

All you need …

½ a butternut pumpkin, washed and diced (remove the seeds and peel if you like, it depends on whether you like the texture of the skin or not – I go between peeling and not peeling depending on my mood and how lazy I’m feeling)

2 heaped tablespoons of coconut oil, melted (to melt just line the baking tray that you will be using with baking paper and place the coconut oil on top, put tray into a preheated oven of 170 (degrees Celsius) until oil has melted – in summer this won’t be necessary as the coconut oil should be liquid but in winter you really need to melt it first)

Then just …

Toss the pumpkin chunks in the coconut oil and cook in the oven for about 45 minutes (cooking times will vary from oven to oven and also depending on how crisp you like your pumpkin – have a play around with the timing until you get it just right for you).

Ways to use it …

My favourite combo and the easiest meal ever; just add 2 chopped hard-boiled eggs and the flesh of one whole avocado mashed with loads of chopped fresh chives. I often add black pepper on top and sometimes some chilli flakes for extra flavour.

On top of a quick salad – After Christmas I love combining leftover turkey with spinach, avocado, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and chives and then tossing through my pumpkin (it’s so good that no dressing is needed – especially if you mash the pumpkin and avocado into the greens)
If you have leftover slow cooked or roasted meat just shred that up and toss through a bowl of the pumpkin – serve with a side of steamed greens tossed in olive oil, sea salt and pepper

For a quick dessert or sweet breakfast dip pumpkin in homemade sour cream and sprinkle with ground cinnamon

Mash up and use for pumpkin pancakes

Addictive Vegetables

I love my veggies! They make me feel so energetic and nourished. I think innately we all love vegetables it’s just that we aren’t always preparing them in the most flavoursome and appetising ways. I find it funny how steamed pumpkin bores me, but make it into pumpkin custard, roast pumpkin or a creamy soup and it’s my favourite food. I love spinach but prefer it in smoothies or salad rather than sautéed. The freshness of the vegetable is also important (limp lettuce and soggy tomatoes are very unappealing). Prepared with love and creativity, vegetables form the basis of many quick and delicious meals. Try some of the options below for some inspiration …

Loads of broccoli and cauliflower steamed and drizzled with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, herbamare (a seasoned natural sea salt) and black pepper – this is my favourite side dish paired with baked salmon, slow cooked ox tail or roasted chicken thighs/legs, but is also lovely on its own as a light meal
Mash an avocado with freshly chopped chives and use as a dip for carrot sticks or as a salad dressing for your luscious salad greens (build a great salad by adding roast pumpkin, cherry tomatoes, leftover roast chicken and sliced raw mushrooms – get even more creative if you like, but this exact combo never disappoints)

My Signature Green Smoothie

You will need …

• 1-2 cups organic baby spinach
• 500-520ml of young coconut water
• 1 tablespoon of raw cacao powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of green leaf stevia powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons organic spirulina powder
• As many filtered water ice cubes as you like (I like to use 12 as this makes it thick without diluting the flavour)

Then just … blend together until velvety and smooth*. The best part about green smoothies is that they taste like indulgent milkshakes but you’re getting 1-2 cups of raw green goodness in every batch. You can put whatever you like in your smoothie (so don’t ever feel limited – go nuts and add in whatever fruits, liquid bases, greens and natural powders that you like) and if you’re just starting out, I recommend gradually building up the amount of greens that you use. Start small and increase quantity as your taste-buds grow more accustomed to the subtle ‘green’ flavour.

*I really recommend investing in a Vitamix (or other reputable high-speed blender) if you plan on regularly making yourself smoothies. They are expensive, but they make the smoothest, most luscious smoothies ever and don’t leave you with any ‘bits’. They are versatile and can also be used to make nut milks, nut butters, raw desserts, soups, purees, flour, porridge and juices – with the fiber still intact. If you don’t own a high speed blender then blend all ingredients together for about a minutes and then slowly add the ice – before I owned my beloved Vitamix I destroyed our old blender in the process of making green smoothies (whoops!).

Vegetable soup – It’s as easy as cooking your favourite vegetable, or combination of vegetables, in homemade bone broth and blending the lot in a high-speed blender. Try my cauliflower soup or just plain pumpkin with rich, fatty bone marrow broth. Okay, so technically you cooked this one, but provided you already had the broth on hand, it was still super simple.

Fruit (or Hard-boiled Eggs) and Nut Butter

If all else fails and you really need something instant, look no further than pairing your favourite fruit (I can’t go past organic banana), or alternatively, for those of you that want to/need to steer clear of sugars, you can use hard boiled eggs with your favourite homemade nut butter**.

Try these nut butter varieties with delicious boiled eggs  …

Activated almond with a touch of Himalayan salt blended through – rich and delicious

Raw Macadamia Butter (just raw macadamias blended with a tiny amount of macadamia oil)

Homemade cashew and pecan butter mixed with coconut oil – this is very sweet, despite being virtually sugar-free. I tend to use 1-2 Tablespoons of soft coconut oil, mixed in a small dish with 1-2 Tablespoons of the nut butter.

However… if fresh fruit agrees with you, below are some of my favourite tried and true combinations!

• Apple and almond butter (my homemade almond butter is thick enough to roll into balls so usually I have a massive almond butter ball alongside organic apple wedges)
• Pear and hazelnut butter 
• Blueberries with cashew, pecan and walnut butter
• Strawberries with macadamia butter (add some cinnamon and vanilla bean if you have them – sooooooooooo good)
• Medjool dates with Brazil nut and Linseed butter (Melrose make an excellent blend of Brazil nuts and linseed meal – I’m sure you could recreate it at home)

• Banana with Macadamia butter and lots of cinnamon this is decadent!

• Blueberries with Tahini, I prefer unhulled (mixed with a tiny amount of honey) – it’s a beautiful combo, and has a lovely texture thanks to the creamy Tahini and juicy berries. I love sprinkling chia seeds on top for crunch
• Dried figs with coconut yoghurt (not technically a “butter” but this combination really is something special and as a bonus you get some probiotics)
• Raspberries with cashew butter (mix the cashew butter with a little coconut oil first … heaven)
• Banana with Inca Inchi Butter (hands down my absolute fave)

**if using store bought nut butter just make sure that the only ingredient is nuts, 100% – no nasty oils, sweeteners or salt – you can add your own coconut oil, Himalayan or sea salt and honey/rapadura sugar/maple syrup, rice malt syrup etc. (respectively) at home for a similar effect.

Of course this only scratches the surface of what I do when I need food fast. Every week I seem to come up with new faves that are quick and easy.

Sure, some of these suggestions call for some prior preparation, however, for the most part, all of the above meals are quick and hardly require any effort to assemble (except maybe opening the fresh coconut – but trust me it’s totally worth it!).

What are your go to ‘serving suggestions’ when you need something nourishing, fast and satisfying?