The Energy Guide covers how what people eat affects their energy levels, the importance of sleep, the role of movement, the impact of stress and some of the health challenges people can face.
Low energy can often be the result of the interplay between people's biochemistry, their nutrition and their emotions, the nutritional biochemist and author says.
Then Weaver, aka Dr Libby, provides more than 100 recipes featuring wholefoods to give people energy and sustain them.
The idea is that by eating well, reducing stress and negative emotions and looking at how they sleep and move, people can replenish their energy levels.
Photos by Jeremy Simons.
Chicken dhal, corn and coconut soup
This cross between a dhal and chicken-and-corn soup is fresh, creamy and quite simply delicious. Legumes are an excellent source of fibre and are high in protein, while the coconut cream is rich in dietary fat - a combination that will keep you feeling sustained for hours. This soup can be frozen in an airtight container - just make sure you leave a little room at the top for the soup to expand as it freezes.
Serves 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Prep ahead of time:
Remove kernels from corn cobs
Chop lemongrass
make coriander coconut cream mix
Ingredients
1 cup (210g) split mung dhal or red lentils
4 organic chicken thigh fillets (400g), skin removed, cut into thin slices
2 corncobs, kernels removed (2 cups/400 g)
4 spring onions, chopped
1 Tbsp grated ginger
8 kaffir lime leaves, torn
1 Tbsp finely chopped lemongrass stalk, white part only
1.5 litres good-quality chicken stock
1 Tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
100g baby spinach leaves, shredded
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
½ cup (125 ml) coconut cream
2 Tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1 large green chilli, halved, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
1 Tbsp finely grated lime zest
Method
Place the dhal or lentils, chicken, corn, spring onion, ginger, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, stock and coconut oil in a large saucepan.
Bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes or until the dhal is soft and creamy.
Remove from the heat and stir in the spinach and lime juice.
Cover and set aside for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the coconut cream, coriander and chilli, if using, in a bowl and mix to combine.
Ladle the soup into four bowls, top with a spoonful of coriander coconut cream and finish with a sprinkling of lime zest.
Pumpkin, miso and leek risotto with tamari seed sprinkle
Sometimes supporting better energy means embracing versatile meals that can be adapted and used again. This risotto is a fantastic example.
Leftovers can be taken for lunch the next day or you can turn them into arancini. Simply shape the cooled risotto into balls, coat them with seeds and brush with oil, then bake in the oven until golden.
Serves 4
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Prep ahead:
grate pumpkin
make tamari seed sprinkle
Ingredients
1.5 litres good-quality chicken stock (or vegetable stock if you want to make this vegetarian)
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced
2 cups (400g) arborio rice
3 cups (360g) grated pumpkin
2 tsp shiro miso or genmai miso2 Tbsp ghee
3 Tbsp picked flat-leaf parsley,
dill and oregano
Tamari seed sprinkle
½ cup (75 g) mixed seeds (such as pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds)\
1 Tbsp finely grated ginger
2 Tbsp tamari
Method
Pour the stock into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and keep it at a low simmer.
Heat the olive oil in a large deep frying pan over medium heat, add the leek and cook for 10 minutes or until soft and golden.
Add the rice and cook for 2 minutes or until it is coated with the oil. Add the pumpkin and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the pumpkin starts to soften.
Add 1 cup (250ml) of the simmering stock to the rice and cook, stirring, until all of the stock has been absorbed. Continue adding the stock 1 cup at a time, allowing each cup to be fully absorbed before adding the next.
Once all the stock has been absorbed and the rice is soft and creamy, stir in the miso and ghee. Remove from the heat and cover while you prepare the seeds.
To make the tamari seed sprinkle, place the seeds in a small frying pan over medium heat and cook until they start to colour.
Add the ginger and tamari, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 3-5 minutes until the tamari has been absorbed by the seeds.
Ladle the risotto into shallow bowls and top with the tamari.
Salmon and quinoa fish cakes
Fish cakes are a great healthy staple. These have extra protein from the quinoa, meaning they're particularly satiating. Serve them with additional greens or one of the salad recipes in this book. The fish cakes can be frozen (cooked or uncooked) in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
Serves 4
Cooking time; 45 minutes
Prep time: 20 minutes
Prep ahead
steam sweet potato and salmon
cook quinoa
Ingredients
300g sweet potato, peeled and chopped
500g skinless salmon fillet
½ cup (100g) tricolour quinoa, rinsed well
1 cup (120g) almond meal
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp red curry paste
100g green beans, trimmed and thinly sliced
4 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
2 Tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
To serve
salad greens and lime wedges (optional)
Method
Steam the sweet potato for 20 minutes or until soft. Remove from the heat and mash.
Steam the salmon for 10-15 minutes until it flakes easily. Remove from the heat and flake the salmon, discarding any bones.
Meanwhile, cook half the quinoa in a saucepan of boiling water for 20 minutes or until soft. Rinse and drain well.
Place the sweet potato, salmon, cooked quinoa, almond meal, egg, curry paste, beans, kaffir lime leaves and lime zest and juice in a bowl and mix well to combine.
Divide the mixture into four portions and form into patties.
Sprinkle both sides of the patties with the remaining quinoa to lightly coat.
Melt the coconut oil in a large deep frying pan over medium heat and cook the fish cakes (in batches if necessary) for 5 minutes on each side or until golden and cooked through. Serve the fish cakes on salad leaves with lime wedges, if you like.
