Feed your body and soul with one-dish recipes packed with flavour and nourishment

While cooking may bring joy, fulfilment and even transport us to a feeling of zen, the thought of piles of washing up can be somewhat off putting when it comes to trying out a new recipe. Luckily, however, Melissa Delport has proved that creating dishes that are bursting with flavour needn’t mean using up every bowl or baking tray in the kitchen.

In her book Wholesome Bowls: Food for Mind, Body and Soul, Melissa whips up a series of one dish recipes that don’t just save on the washing up but are also nourishing and flavourful. From smoothie bowls to chocolate tarts, here’s three recipes that are sure to tingle your taste buds…

Strawberry and açaí smoothie bowl

Serves one

Smoothie bowls are a great way to have breakfast on the run. Prepare them the night before or portion out your smoothie ingredients and freeze them, ready for the blender in the morning.

Ingredients

• 1 banana
• 165g strawberries
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 2 tbsp açaí berry powder
• 1∕3 cup desiccated coconut
• 125ml almond milk
• 3 ice cubes

Method

1. Just blend all the ingredients together and decorate with fresh fruit and seeds to your liking.

Nutrition note: Açaí is a berry you can buy in powder or liquid form. It has a beautiful deep purple colour. As a superfood it has immune-boosting and anti-ageing properties and is very high in antioxidants.

Mushroom, croutons and fried egg

Serves two

This is a decadent, creamy and crunchy breakfast. you can prepare the eggs in different ways – scrambled, poached or boiled – to pair with this bowl.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp coconut oil
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2-3 tsp fresh rosemary leaves
• 2-3 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 400g mixed mushrooms
• 2 tbsp mascarpone
• 25g finely grated parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper
• 2 eggs
• 1 handful baby spinach
• Croutons (a few per bowl)
• Zest of 1 lemon

Method

1. In a medium-sized frying pan over a medium heat, add the coconut oil and onion and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and herbs and fry for another 5 minutes.
2. Remove the onion mixture from the pan and set aside in a bowl.
3. Turn the heat up to high and add the mushrooms, about a quarter at a time, frying for about 5 minutes with each addition. once all the mushrooms are golden brown, return the onion mixture to the frying pan and turn the heat down to low.
4. Add the mascarpone and parmesan and fold through. season and remove from the heat.
5. For the eggs, cook them to your liking. Fried eggs work well but if you’re wanting something less decadent, add poached eggs.
6. Build your bowl by layering your ingredients, starting with the spinach, then the mushrooms, eggs and croutons, and finish with fresh lemon zest.

Nutrition note: eggs contain vitamin B6, aiding your nervous system, and produce melatonin and serotonin, which are fundamental for sleeping patterns and mood stability.

Vegan chocolate tart

Serves six

This is a great example of how dark chocolate can upstage milk chocolate in any dessert. Aim for 80% dark chocolate for this recipe.

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 145g raw almonds
• 7 Medjool dates, pitted
• 3 tbsp desiccated/dried shredded coconut
• 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted

For the filling:

• 175g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
• 250ml coconut milk
• 3 tbsp agave syrup
• Berries to decorate or crushed sea salt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4.
2. Grease a 24cm flan tin. To make the crust, place the almonds, dates and coconut in a food processor and blend until it forms fine crumbs. Add the coconut oil and blend until the mixture is sticky. Spoon the mixture into the tin and flatten it with your fingers, packing it down evenly.
3. Bake in the oven for 8 minutes. Once ready, set aside to cool.
4. For the filling, mix the chocolate and coconut milk in a heatproof bowl over a simmering saucepan of water. As soon as the chocolate is half melted, remove from the heat and allow the residual heat to melt the rest.
5. Add the agave and mix until all is combined. Pour the filling into the crust. Gently tap the tin on the counter to knock out the bubbles.
6. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
7. Decorate with the berries just before you serve the tart, or sprinkle over some sea salt.

Nutrition note: Try to replace milk chocolate with healthier dark chocolate. You will reap the benefits that cocoa has to offer and feel better in body and mind.

Wholesome Bowls Food For Mind, Body And Soul by Melissa Delport (Nourish, £20) is out now

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