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Maria Collins Nutritional Therapy, City Centre, Cork (2026)

07/08/2021

In season: Cavolo Nero

Not heard of cavolo nero? It’s Tuscan kale, often used in Italian dishes. You’ll definitely have see it in minestrone soup.
It’s packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, has a delicate, slightly bitter, flavour with a sweet aftertaste.
This recipe is fantastic – a real crowd pleaser – and goes well with meat or fish, veggie protein sources as well as casseroles and stews of all kinds.

2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
400g cavolo nero
¼ teaspoon sea salt
75ml cup water
Zest of half a lemon
METHOD
Rinse the leaves and pat dry with kitchen paper. Cut away the tough central stalk. You could use the stalk later in a smoothie or soup. Place the two sides of the remaining leaf on top of each other and slice into strips about ½ cm wide.
Add oil and garlic and cook on a low heat until the garlic softens.
Add the cavolo nero, salt and water. Turn heat to medium and cover with a lid, stirring occasionally (add a little more water if required).
Cook until the Cavolo Nero is tender and the liquid has evaporated, remove from the heat and stir through the lemon zest.

07/08/2021

JERK PRAWNS WITH QUINOA
This spicy dish serves up a real flavour of summer nights.

INGREDIENTS
450g raw shelled tiger prawns (jumbo shrimp)
200g quinoa
480ml vegetable stock (broth)
1 large ripe avocado
3 tbsp olive oil
6 spring onions (scallions), diced
Juice of 1 lemon
Handful of parsley, chopped
A few chives, snipped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve

JERK MARINADE:
2 tsp allspice berries, crushed
2 tsp black peppercorns, crushed
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cinnamon
Leaves from 4 sprigs thyme
¼ onion diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2.5 cms fresh root ginger, peeled and diced
2 medium heat chillies, diced
1 tsp stevia as required
1 tbsp Tamari (soy) sauce
Juice of 1 lime

METHOD
Make the jerk marinade by blitzing all the ingredients in a blender to form a paste. Transfer to a bowl then add the prawns. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Rinse the quinoa. Bring the stock to the boil and add the quinoa. Reduce the heat. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes (or until most water is absorbed). Leave to stand for 6-8 minutes, then drain off any excess liquid. Fluff up with a fork.
Cut the avocado in half and dice. Mix with 2 tbsp of olive oil, onions, lemon juice and herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Heat the remaining oil in frying pan. Cook prawns for 1-2 minutes on each side.
Toss the quinoa with the avocado mixture, divide quinoa into 4 portions and place prawns on top. Serve with lime wedges.

25/05/2021

LAMB’S LETTUCE & GORGONZOLA SALAD

Serves 2
Ingredients:
4 small beetroots
1 tbsp olive oil sea salt/black pepper
2 bags lamb’s lettuce (60 g each)
1/2 small red onion
100g gorgonzola
1 slice streaky bacon (optional)
1 handful walnuts
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 5. Peel the
beetroot and cut into wedges. Drizzle with olive
oil, season and put on a baking tray. Roast
for 35 minutes. While the beetroot is roasting,
wash the lettuce, slice the onion and cube the
gorgonzola.
2. Cut the bacon into lardons, if using. Chop the
walnuts and toast in a dry frying pan for a few
minutes until fragrant, set aside. Tip the lardons
into the pan and fry until crisp.
3. Take the beetroot out of the oven and leave
to cool for 5 minutes, then mix everything in a
salad bowl. Drizzle with a little more olive oil
and the balsamic vinegar.

17/04/2021

SALMON & ASPARAGUS SALAD
Serves 2
1. Arrange the salad leaves and sliced
tomatoes on 2 plates whilst steaming the
asparagus spears for 2 minutes.
2. Place the strips of smoked salmon
on top of the salad, top with warm
asparagus and drizzle with the dressing.
Serve immediately.
This is delicious, especially with
the asparagus still warm.
Ingredients:
1 bag of rocket leaves
8 cherry tomatoes, sliced
4 slices smoked salmon, sliced into thin
strips
14 asparagus spears
Olive oil & balsamic vinegar.

11/04/2021

Habits follow a predictable pattern. Firstly, you experience a trigger for example the 3pm workday energy slump. Next you act on that trigger by reaching for the chocolate in your desk drawer. Lastly, you experience a reward, in this case you get an energy boost from the chocolate. Identifying what your triggers are helps you take control of them and change the outcome.

For more more information on Nutrition Programmes, book your Health and Energy Review on 0863999855.

10/04/2021

PEA & SPINACH SOUP
Serves
4
Ingredients:
150g quinoa
1 tbsp coconut oil
3 shallots or 1 onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, sliced
Salt and pepper
1 litre of vegetable bouillon stock
500g peas
300g spinach, roughly chopped
1⁄2 tbsp ginger, crushed
1 garlic clove, crushed
Handful of mint leaves
Handful of basil leaves
1. Cook the quinoa, drain and set aside.
2. Melt the coconut oil in a frying pan.
3. Add the onion or shallots and celery.
4. Salt and pepper lightly, then toss
and stir for 5 minutes, until the onions
are transparent. Pour in the vegetable
bouillon stock and bring to the boil.
5. Add the peas, spinach, ginger, garlic
and cooked quinoa and simmer for 2
minutes. Remove from the heat before
adding the mint and basil.
6. Blend to a smooth consistency or
leave some texture if you prefer. Enjoy

07/03/2021

Self-care tips:
For many, a spa day is the perfect way to relieve stress and feel special.
Those hours of pure pampering are the ultimate indulgence, but when a spa trip is not possible at the moment,
there are plenty of easy ways you can recreate a relaxing spa-like experience at home
Lemon water invigorates the body and can help stimulate the digestive system. Peppermint is well known for being a
good digestive tonic.
Try to incorporate some homemade veg-based juices, and avoid those foods you know make
you feel lethargic or bloated. Many people feel better reducing dairy and gluten, and starchy carbs like potatoes, pasta and rice.
When you walk into a spa it always smells delicious – not overwhelming but just enough scent so your brain picks up it's time to relax. Scented candles fit the bill perfectly, while
also bringing in (especially after dark), a cosy atmosphere.
The ideal scents for a spa day include lavender, chamomile, rose, sandalwood and ylang ylang.
Add in plenty of fruit, vegetables and other liver-boosting foods to your diet. This includes:
Sulphur-rich foods like garlic, onions, and cruciferous veggies (cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale).
Fore more information on Nutrition Programmes, contact 0863999855.

06/03/2021

Get your complimentary e book at http://bit.ly/39LdHg0

06/03/2021

Fruit and Nut Chocolate Bars:
Ingredients:
350g dark chocolate
125g blanched almonds,
toasted and chopped
100g unsweetened dried fruit
(e.g. cranberries or mango)
pinch of sea salt
METHOD
Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Melt the dark chocolate by filling the bottom
of a saucepan with a couple of centimetres of
water and bring to a simmer over a
medium-high heat. Put the chocolate in a
glass bowl and set over the simmering water,
stirring occasionally.
Once melted, tip into the prepared tin and
smooth with a spatula, so the chocolate is
evenly distributed. Scatter over the remaining
ingredients (you can add a pinch of dried
chillies if you’re feeling brave) and chill in the
fridge until the chocolate sets (about 30 mins).
Peel off the parchment and break into pieces.
Store in an airtight container for up to a
month (if it lasts that long).

14/02/2021

Thai red curry mussels – courtesy of Olive Magazine
INGREDIENTS
Mussels 2 kg
Oil
Spring onions 3, finely chopped
Kaffir lime leaves 2, torn in half
Thai red curry paste 2-4 tbsp
Coconut milk 400ml
Fish sauce 2 tbsp
Lime 1, juiced
Red chilli 1, finely sliced
Thai basil ¼ bunch, leaves picked (optional)
Basmati rice, to serve

METHOD
Clean the mussels by scrubbing them and pulling off any beards. Throw away any mussels that don’t close during the cleaning process or when tapped on the sink, these are dead.
Heat a little oil in a large pan, add the spring onions and cook for a minute, then add the lime leaves and red curry paste and cook for a minute. Add the coconut milk and bring to a simmer, cook for 2-3 minutes, tip in the mussels and put on a lid.
Cook for 3-5 minutes more, shaking the pan to help the mussels open. Once they are open add the fish sauce, lime juice, chilli and basil and shake the pan. Serve in deep bowls with some steamed rice on the side, once you’ve eaten the mussels tip any remaining sauce onto the rice.

13/02/2021

Brussels sprouts mash
The passion for ‘faux carbs’ gathers pace. You may have already tried cauliflower or broccoli mash. Brussels are in season now – please don’t wait till Christmas to enjoy them again!

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS
500g Brussels sprouts
25g butter, plus extra to serve
75ml double cream
Fresh herbs (eg sage) to garnish

METHOD
Prepare the sprouts by discarding any tough, coarse outer leaves. Using a sharp knife, cut a deep cross in the base of each sprout. This allows the centre to cook without overdoing the outside.
Put the prepared sprouts in a large pan of salted water, bring to the boil and cook for 5-6 mins until the sprouts are tender.
In a separate pan, melt the butter and warm the cream together over a low heat. Remove from the heat when the butter has completely melted.
Drain the sprouts after cooking, then whizz in a food processor with the butter and cream and a pinch of pepper. Season further to taste.
Spoon into a dish, adding an extra k**b of butter and garnishing with sage, to serve.

07/02/2021

Lack of sleep has a big effect on how you feel, and finding out how to sleep through the night and wake up refreshed, could be the missing piece in getting you to feel a whole lot better.

The amino acid tryptophan is not only the raw material for serotonin but also for melatonin, a brain chemical that helps you sleep by controlling the sleep/wake cycle.

Provide more of the building blocks that make serotonin – tryptophan, an amino acid present in most protein-rich foods like chicken, tofu, eggs, nuts, seeds and milk.

Make an effort to relax for at least 5 minutes before going to bed - a warm bath, massage, meditation.

To get tips on how to improve energy, book your Free Health and Energy Review on 0863999855.

Maria Collins Nutritional Therapy

07/08/2021

07/08/2021

25/05/2021

17/04/2021

11/04/2021

10/04/2021

07/03/2021

06/03/2021

06/03/2021

14/02/2021

13/02/2021

07/02/2021

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