420 health recipes

Dry your beans well before cooking. To get the traditional ‘blistered’ look of the beans you will need to shallow-fry them for 5-6 minutes and stir constantly to avoid burning.

The secret to making the cucumbers crunchy is to salt them first and let the salt draw out excess moisture before use.

Thick, creamy goji berry and strawberry smoothie with soaked flax seeds and almond milk. A naturally gluten-free, nutrient-packed blend with a gorgeous pink hue.

Oats are a great source of soluble fibre and have been shown to help lower cholesterol levels. Cinnamon is well regarded for its ability to balance sugar levels, thus keeping hunger at bay for longer. Adding flaxseeds or chia seeds boosts the omega-3 oils and adds even more fibre to the dish. The dish can be assembled the night before and left in the fridge for the oats to soften. All that is required the next morning is to add hot milk.

Very simple cookies made with an almond-meal base. Almonds are high in monounsaturated fats, which have been associated with a reduced risk of heart disease. They are also very high in vitamin E (a powerful anti-oxidant), magnesium and potassium (important for maintaining healthy blood pressure).

These are not only delicious and reminiscent of your favourite carrot cake, they are also good for you! With no added sweeteners and completely gluten and dairy free, these are as tasty as they are good for you and make the perfect Sunday brunch or dessert.

As we age our bodies' ability to produce digestive enzymes diminishes. Similarly, cooking foods destroys the majority of digestive enzymes found naturally in foods, compromising our ability to absorb nutrients from the foods we consume. This salad contains papaya and pineapple, which are both loaded with powerful digestive enzymes. Kiwi fruit is a very rich source of vitamin C to boost immunity. Adding organic yoghurt (or coconut yoghurt) to the salad is a great way to take in probiotics and further boost the digestion-enhancing properties of this salad.

Mung beans are a great source of plant protein, fiber and minerals such as iron, zinc and potassium (needed to regulate blood pressure).

Keep these in the freezer and enjoy anytime you feel like having something sweet. Perfect with an afternoon cup of tea or coffee.

This smoothie packs a real superfood punch with a combination of wolfberries, hemp seeds, chia seeds, maca and spirulina. Wolfberries, hemp seeds, chia seeds and spirulina are all complete proteins. In addition, chia seeds and hemp seeds are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Maca is a great hormone regulator and has traditionally been used to enhance fertility. Spirulina is one of nature's wonder foods and its GLA content (gamma linolenic acid, an important fatty acid) is second only to mother's milk.

Salted caramel ice-cream and desserts have become standard on many restaurant menus in Singapore – as delicious as they are, they are not always the healthiest and are usually loaded with refined sugar and questionable fats. This very easy dessert will satisfy your sweet tooth, while giving you a boost of antioxidants, and magnesium. And the best part is that it can be ready in under 45 minutes (including freezing time).

If you cannot find fresh peaches, use frozen ones (they will further thicken the smoothie). Peaches were first cultivated in China where they are considered a symbol of immortality and friendship. Nutritionally, they are a good source of selenium and vitamins A and C. Chia seeds are not only a complete protein, but supply the much needed omega-3 fatty acids missing from so many modern diets.

In Japan, miso soup is a traditional breakfast food–sipped hot, directly from the bowl. It is incredibly simple to prepare and can be put together in roughly the same amount of time it takes to brew a cup of tea. You can transfer the soup to a wide-neck thermos and take it to work for a nourishing mid-morning break as well. Miso has numerous health benefits, but is especially renowned for its probiotics properties, which help balance intestinal flora. It also contains good amounts of vitamin B12.

Ginger is a well-known anti-inflammatory that can help manage arthritis pain and help combat oxidative joint damage. To boost the healing properties of this juice, add a small knob of fresh turmeric.

This is a wonderful detoxifying and blood cleansing juice. Beetroots are a wonder vegetable and have recently been shown in clinical trials to lower blood pressure. They are also loaded with folic acid (critical during pregnancy) and the mineral silica, which helps the body use calcium more efficiently, thus preventing osteoporosis.

The ultimate health-boosting juice. Beets have been shown to effectively lower blood pressure and are a good liver detoxifier. Carrots are packed with beta-carotene and ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory.