In 2021, Michelin-starred chef Sat Bains suffered a heart attack shortly after turning 50. This triggered him to overhaul his diet, with the help of friend and nutritionist Dr Neil Williams, who supported Sat on the road to recovery. Together, they produced a cookbook, Eat to Your Heart’s Content: a selection of heart-healthy recipes which don’t compromise on flavour, complete with expert nutritional advice. We’ve shared three of our favourites below.

Heart-Healthy Meal Ideas From Sat Bains’ Cookbook

‘Sat-Shuka’ Baked Eggs with Stewed Leeks and Chilli

I have this a couple of times a month as a brunch, and I find that the more you make it, the more confident you become, then you can start experimenting with switching in different vegetables and spices. Amanda’s favourite vegetable is leek and her best ever dish is a French classic called étuvée of leeks, which is basically braised leeks that are sliced very thinly and cooked with a splash of water and a knob of butter in a pan with a lid on, so this dish was inspired by that. You can add kale, pak choi or any other greens you like to replace the spinach, if you prefer.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 50ml (2fl oz) extra virgin
• Olive oil
• 50g (2oz) butter
• 200g (7oz) leeks, finely sliced, washed and drained
• 1 teaspoon toasted cumin seeds
• 100g (3½oz) baby spinach, washed
• 4 large organic eggs, cracked individually into small bowls or cups
• ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
• Flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Equipment: 18cm x 8cm (7in x 3in) casserole pot with a lid

Method:

1. Pour the olive oil and butter into the casserole pot and place on a medium heat. Add the leeks and the cumin seeds and season with salt and pepper, then cover with the lid and cook until the leeks are soft, 5–7 minutes.
2. Remove the lid and add the spinach, then stir over the heat until wilted. Make a well in the mix and gently drop in the eggs one by one. Replace the lid and cook for 3–5 minutes or until the eggs are gently cooked – you want to make sure these are soft-poached.
3. Remove the lid and season the eggs with salt and pepper and sprinkle over the chilli flakes.

Nutrition notes: Like other members of the onion family, leeks are packed with nutrients and contain high amounts of flavonoid antioxidants, minerals and vitamins. They are a particularly good source of kaempferol, a polyphenol antioxidant that, in some laboratory studies, has been shown to support our cardiovascular system by protecting the lining of our blood vessels. The elongated stem of the leek is also an excellent source of soluble and insoluble fibre, making this vegetable a great choice to improve gut health and support the community of good bugs in our guts.

Sat’s ‘Fishcakes’

Remember, we are only sealing the fishcakes and colouring them, not cooking them fully, as they will be completely cooked in the oven. Buying natural smoked cod means no artificial additives are added.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 300ml (10fl oz) milk
• 250g (9oz) natural smoked cod
• 400g (14oz) red potatoes peeled, boiled and drained as you would make mash (kept warm)
• 15g (½oz) chopped parsley
• 3 large organic eggs,whisked
• Olive oil, for frying
• Flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the coating

• 300g (10oz) panko breadcrumbs
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 large organic eggs, whisked

Method:

1. Pour the milk into a pan, season and gently bring to a very light simmer, then remove from the heat. Add the smoked cod to the hot milk, put the lid on and leave to poach. When cool enough to handle, flake the cooked cod into a bowl, add the warm potatoes and parsley and gently mix together.
2. Add the eggs and mix everything together, season with salt and pepper. Mould your fishcake mix into 6 equalballs and press down gently to slightly flatten, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until firm enough to handle.
3. Mix the lemon zest and panko breadcrumbs in one bowl and the egg wash in a separate bowl. Dip each fishcake into the egg until well coated, then shake off the excess and then dip into the breadcrumbs until evenly coated. Chill again for at least 20 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
5. Heat a splash of oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Cook each fishcake until the breadcrumbs have turned golden brown, then turn and repeat. You will need to do these 2 or 3 at a time to not overcrowd the pan.
6. Once browned, place them all on greaseproof paper on an oven tray and place in the oven for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before you eat.

Nutrition notes: Although not as high as oily fish (salmon and mackerel), cod still provides a source of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are heart healthy fatty acids thanks to their ability to reduce inflammation and bad LDL cholesterol levels in the blood. Cod also contains a high amount of phosphorus – roughly 20 per cent of our recommended daily intake can be obtained from this dish – and it is important for the health of our bones and teeth. It is also an excellent source of selenium, with roughly 40 per cent of our recommended daily intake coming from this dish, which is essential for making and protecting our DNA. So it really does help to make you, you!

Chocolate Protein Cookies

We all need something sweet in our life, and I am no exception, so if we are going eat something sweet, let’s make it delicious and healthy too. These are my protein cookies; they last up to a week in the fridge and I use either Huel or PhD as a protein source.

Makes 12 cookies

Ingredients: 

• 250g (9oz) chunky peanut butter
• 75g (3oz) honey
• 1 large egg
• 75g (3oz) chocolate whey protein powder
• 100ml (31/2fl oz) milk
• 40g (1 ½ oz) white chocolate drops

Equipment: 2 x 30cm x 22cm x 2.5cm (12in x 9in x 1in) baking trays

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Line the baking trays with greaseproof paper.
2. Place all the ingredients except the chocolate drops into a mixing bowl. Mix to a dough, then add in the chocolate drops. Divide the mixture into 12 balls and place on the baking trays. Bake for 12 minutes.
3. Remove from the oven and use the back of a fork to gently press the cookies down. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool. Store in an airtight container until ready to eat.

Eat to Your Heart’s Content by Sat Bains (Kyle Books, £26)