I have been all about high protein recipes lately, but the problem is if you over-focus on one goal only, you often forget something simple that is really important – that food is nourishing, delicious and should be enjoyed deeply!

Lately, when we were on our IVF adventure, we stayed with my old school friend Emily, in Colorado.

There was something about those trips that was deeply restorative.

Despite the medications, needles and procedures, we also had the chance to immerse ourselves completely in nature.

To wander the trails, get lost in the woods, breathe in mountain air … you get the picture.

We would come home starving from a day outside and Emily would have created a feast. She is a diehard faster and generally only eats once a day.

She makes that once a day count with an abundance of home-cooked food — everything made from scratch and everything completely delicious.

Emily has what I call a “cooking in reverse” approach to food.

Rather than finding a recipe and shopping for it, she tends to find a perfect ingredient and then build the meal around that.

She is fastidious about anti-waste. Crusts from sandwiches become bread pudding, a harvest of garden tomatoes becomes marinara, an orange about to go off becomes dehydrated into slices and used to decorate cocktails … she is a wonder.

When you just eat once a day and everything you eat is largely clean, wholesome and made from scratch, you probably do not need to apply any rules to quantity or carb/protein ratios (health outcomes depending).

Emily enjoys how fasting makes her feel and her health is vibrant.

That’s good enough for me. I don’t generally do fasting myself because I really do love eating regularly, and personally I find I need that to get through a crazy work day.

Plus at the moment, regular doses of high protein are working for me as I chase higher muscle mass, which is important for everyday strength, longevity and bone density.

This is a good example of how different things work for different people at different times in their lives.

A photo from Emily popped up on my timeline today. It was of her amazing Middle Eastern Toasts, created when she found a perfect bunch of beets at a farmers’ market.

My first thought was “that’s delicious” and my second was “it’s not enough protein”.

My third thought was “don’t be an idiot … make it anyway — and have some scrambled eggs on the side if you must!”.

I love the earthy, tangy, delicious taste of this beet spread. It can also be used as a dip with crudités.

Either way, thanks to the rich, natural pigment in beets, it is absolutely packed with antioxidants – nourishing for your skin and supportive of your detoxification pathways.

This is definitely one to add to the list this weekend. It’s so, so simple. Make it and enjoy!

Middle Eastern Beet Toasts

(can be gluten free and dairy free/vegan)

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch beets, washed and tops trimmed but not peeled.

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

• ½ to 1 cup organic Greek yoghurt or CoYo/Coconut Collab plain, unsweetened coconut yoghurt

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• salt to taste

To serve:

• Toasted gluten free bread or sourdough (or dipping chips & fresh veg crudités if using as a dip)

• 1 bunch spring onions, sliced thin

• Mixed seeds for sprinkling (pumpkin, poppy, sesame, sunflower, hemp)

• Extra yoghurt (optional)

• Olive oil for drizzling

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 400F.

• Cut the beets into quarters and roast until tender (approximately 35 mins).

• Cool, and then pop the beets in a food processor with the yoghurt, garlic, olive oil and salt. Blend until smooth, scraping down sides as needed.

• Spread on toast and garnish with a dollop of extra yoghurt, sliced spring onions, a sprinkle of mixed seeds and a drizzle of olive oil.

• The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION, BNTA is a fully qualified Nutritional Therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in Britain. Join Catherine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nutrifitandnaturalnutritionbermuda or instagram @naturalbda