Jamie Oliver’s latest book is about filling up people’s plates, not taking things away as he encourages people to eat healthier.
The book Eat Yourself Healthy has come about as part of Oliver’s own health journey as he turned 50 last year. The British chef, who has campaigned against childhood obesity and is nutritionally trained by the Royal Society of Public Health, has been in the public eye for four decades.
“I truly believe that our health is the most important thing we have. I turn 50 ... and that shift from one decade to another really has given me a moment to pause and reflect on my own health, on what I need to do to get myself in the best shape for the future.
"And in turn, it inspired me to write this book, to share all the knowledge and insights I’ve garnered over the years, and to help you on your own health journey in the most authentic way I can, which is through delicious, abundant, joyous, beautiful food.”
For the recipes, Oliver worked within a simple framework of nutritional parameters for each meal - breakfasts have at least one portion of a person’s seven-a day fruit and vege requirements, and come in under 400 calories.
Lunch and dinners have at least two portions of a person’s seven-a-day requirements and sit under 600 calories and sweet treats have under 250 calories and 2.5g of saturated fat.
‘‘Creating this book, and pouring everything I’ve learnt into these pages, has been a helpful and cathartic process and, I’ll be honest, a fantastic reminder for me of the power of food to make us feel good.’’
He has continued to make the recipes quick and easy to give people plenty of convenient choices.
‘‘I want to prove you can cook healthy, even when you are short on time.’’
Oliver has also included some healthy hacks which can be easily worked into people’s lives to take positive steps toward healing, fuelling and protecting their bodies.
With convenience trumping all motivations for the way people shop and eat, this book aims to show people can make a choice toward cooking something better, quicker, cheaper or tastier, he says.
‘‘It’s all about the bigger picture - lots of little changes add up and will have a positive impact on your health.’’
The hacks range from embracing batch cooking, using a smaller dinner plate or investing in an oil spritzer to drinking more water and going for a walk after eating.
He has also included a two-week kickstarter plan which suggests three recipes a day from the book promoting healthy eating and good ingredients in the hope by the end of it people will realise they have more energy, they have given their immune system a boost and they are sleeping better.
‘‘I hope you’ll also learn or remind yourself of little swaps and tweaks you can make on a regular basis for a healthier outlook.’’
THE BOOK
Eat Yourself Healthy by Jamie Oliver is published by Penguin Michael Joseph © Jamie Oliver Enterprises Ltd (2025, Eat Yourself Healthy). Recipe photography: © David Loftus, 2025
Lemon tahini chicken and grains
Here we are, jazzing up a handy grain packet, meaning you get big flavour, fast.
Serves 2
Total time 13 min
Fruit & vege 3 of 7-a-day
Ingredients
160g tenderstem broccoli
2 x 150g free-range skinless chicken breasts
olive oil
1 x 460g jar of roasted red peppers
2 cloves of garlic
½ a bunch of basil (15g)
30g black olives, stone in
1 lemon
2 Tbsp tahini
1 x 250g packet of cooked mixed grains
1 x 400g tin of cannellini beans
Method
1. Put a large shallow non-stick casserole pan on a high heat. Trim the broccoli, halve any thicker stalks lengthways, and dry fry while you score deeply across the chicken breasts at 1cm intervals.
Spritz with olive oil, rub with sea salt and black pepper and cook for 3 minutes on each side, or until the chicken is golden and cooked through and the broccoli is lightly charred.
2. Meanwhile, tip the peppers into a blender, juice and all, then peel and add the garlic. Add the basil, stalks and all, reserving a few nice leaves, and blitz until smooth.
Squash, de-stone and finely chop the olives. Finely grate and reserve the lemon zest. Squeeze the juice into a bowl with the tahini, which will thicken it, then loosen with splashes of water and season to perfection.
3. Move the chicken to a board to rest with the broccoli. Pour the pepper sauce into the pan with the grains.
Drain and add the beans, mix together, boil for a couple of minutes, or until reduced, then season to perfection and divide between plates.
Scatter over the broccoli, slice and add the chicken, spoon over the lemon tahini sauce, then sprinkle with the olives, lemon zest and reserved basil leaves.
Chickpea arrabbiata
Fast, spicy and delicious, this is the perfect midweek meal to put a smile on your face.
Serves 1
Total time 13 min
Fruit & vege 2 of 7-a-day
Ingredients
olive oil
1 clove of garlic
1 fresh red chilli
200g passata
½ x 400g tin of chickpeas
125g fresh lasagne sheets
30g rocket
20g Parmesan cheese
optional: extra virgin olive oil
Method
1. Boil the kettle. Put a 28cm frying pan on a medium-high heat with half a tablespoon of olive oil. Peel the garlic and finely slice with the chilli, reserving a little chilli for garnish, then add to the pan and fry until lightly golden.
2. Tip in the passata, add the chickpeas and half the juice from the tin, and let it bubble for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, while you slice the lasagne sheets into 2cm strips. Roughly chop most of the rocket, reserving a few leaves.
3. Scatter the chopped rocket and the pasta into the pan, then pour in enough boiling kettle water to just cover the pasta - about 300ml. Let it bubble away for 4 minutes, or until the pasta has absorbed most of the water and you’ve got a nice sauce, stirring regularly. Turn the heat off and season to perfection.
4. Scatter over the reserved rocket and chilli, finely grate over the Parmesan and finish with a kiss of extra virgin olive oil, if you like.
Golden cheese and jammy berries
In the Mediterranean, fried cheese is often served with fresh or jammy fruits – a magical combo.
Serves 2
Total time: 12 min
Fruit & vege: 2 of 7-a-day
Ingredients
olive oil
80g halloumi or paneer cheese
320g mixed berries, such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 sprigs of basil
2 slices of wholemeal sourdough bread
1 tsp runny honey
Method
1. Put a non-stick frying pan on a medium heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Slice and add the cheese, cook until golden on both sides, then remove.
2. Hull and halve any strawberries, then put all the berries into the pan. Cook for 3 minutes, or until soft, gently stirring occasionally. Drizzle over the balsamic, pick in most of the basil leaves, and stir gently until just wilted.
3. Toast the bread and divide between your plates, then spoon the jammy fruit on top. Pick over the remaining basil leaves, add the golden cheese, drizzle over the honey, and tuck right in.
