IF there is one thing everyone knows about Tom Daley, it’s that he has one of the hottest bodies in sport.
And thanks to the event he is famous for — diving — he has to show it off a lot in his trunks.
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One of the lesser-known things about Tom is how much he likes to cook.
And now, with his debut recipe book, you have a chance of getting a body a little more like his, by making his healthy, nutritious meals.
Tom, 22, says: “I’m really passionate about health and fitness.
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“When I started thinking about writing a book, I knew it had to be about food because when I’m not diving or sleeping, I’m eating.
“I didn’t want it to be a book where you eat a piece of boiled chicken and steamed broccoli and that’s it.
“I wanted it to be a book with recipes you’d actually want to make and eat.
“You can eat well, feel nourished and perform well.”
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Tom’s Daily Plan combines recipes with workouts and lifestyle hacks.
He adds: “I’ve been cooking for as long as I remember — making cakes with my nan and grandad or learning to make my mum’s classics.
“It’s those memories that are all in the book but with a healthy twist.”
Here, Tom reveals his five favourite recipes.
- Extract from Tom’s Daily Plan by Tom Daley, out now (HQ, £16.99) ©Tom Daley 2016
Blueberry, banana and seed pancakes
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Who doesn’t love pancakes? This is a change from the traditional recipe and is packed with fibre and vitamins.
It satisfies my sweet tooth too!
YOU NEED
1 banana, chopped
1 medium egg
100ml whole milk
2 tbsp oat bran or protein powde
A pinch of cinnamon
100g blueberries
1 tsp chia seeds or linseeds
1 tsp butter or coconut oil
To serve:
Greek yoghurt, extra blueberries, honey and cinnamon
METHOD
Put the chopped banana in a bowl and mash it with a fork. Add the egg, milk, oat bran or protein powder and the cinnamon, then beat everything together until smooth.
Set the mixture aside for five minutes to allow the oat bran or protein powder to be absorbed, then fold in the blueberries and seeds.
Heat a frying pan over a medium heat for a minute or so. Add the butter or coconut oil and as soon as it is melted, drop spoonfuls of the batter into the pan – three or four will probably be enough, as the pancakes expand as they cook.
Once the pancakes are golden underneath, flip them over and cook them on the other side, again until golden.
Remove them from the pan, put them on a plate and keep them warm while you make the rest.
Serve the pancakes with a dollop of yoghurt, extra blueberries, a drizzle of honey (a teaspoonful is plenty) and a pinch of cinnamon.
Salmon parcels
(serves 2, 485 calories per serving)
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Salmon, sweet potato and other veggies – all gathered into a parcel and steamed in the oven. Job done!
One thing I find – the sweet potato does need to be chopped quite small otherwise it won’t cook in the time.
YOU NEED
2 tsp olive oil
Zest of ½ lemon (cut the zested lemon in half)
½ tsp coriander seeds, roughly crushed
¼ tsp fennel seeds, roughly crushed
1 small courgette, sliced
4 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small corn on the cob, kernels sliced off
1 small sweet potato (about 165g), cut into 1cm dice
2 x 150g salmon fillets
Small handful of coriander, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
METHOD
Cut out two large pieces of baking paper (about 38cm square) and set them aside. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
Put the oil, lemon zest and coriander and fennel seeds in a large bowl, season well and stir. Add the courgette, tomatoes, corn and sweet potato and toss well to coat everything in the oil.
Divide the vegetables between the two pieces of paper, placing some in the middle of each one. Top with the salmon, season with salt and pepper.
Take a parcel, bring two sides of the paper together and twist the ends to secure, leaving a gap in the centre.
Spoon two tablespoons of cold water into the gap, then fold the paper over a couple of times to secure it.
Repeat with the second parcel, then put both on a baking tray. Put the wedges of lemon on the baking tray too.
Bake the parcels in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the sweet potato is tender. Serve sprinkled with chopped coriander and the cooked lemon wedges to squeeze over the salmon.
Hot cheesecakes with a naughty topping
(serves 2, 474 calories per serving)
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Cheesecake is my all-time favourite dessert – I love it and will eat any kind.
With these mini versions, you have just one portion, rather than cutting into a large cheesecake and having a massive slice . . . and then another!
YOU NEED
45g digestives
20g melted butter
1 large egg, separated
115g full-fat cream cheese
1 tbsp runny honey
1 tsp cornflour
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the topping
Fresh raspberries, 28g Daim bar, smashed, or 15g dark chocolate
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 170C/150C Fan/Gas 3. Whizz the digestive biscuits in a food processor to make fine crumbs.
Tip them into a bowl, then stir in the melted butter and mix well. Divide the mixture between two 150ml ramekins.
Put the egg white in a clean bowl and whisk with an electric hand whisk or a balloon whisk until the egg white just holds its shape. The balloon whisk takes a little longer than the electric but is great upper-arm exercise!
In a separate bowl, whisk the cream cheese, honey, egg yolk, cornflour and vanilla extract, using the same whisk – no need to wash it – until smooth.
Add a spoonful of the egg white to the cream cheese mixture and fold together. Add the remaining egg white and fold it in until smooth.
Divide the cream cheese mixture between the ramekins. Put them on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 30 minutes until the cheesecake has cooked.
Take them out of the oven and leave to cool for ten minutes before serving.
Serve topped with raspberries and pieces of Daim bar or dark chocolate.
Lance's scotch eggs
(serves 2, 469 calories per serving)
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This is my fiancé Lance’s healthier take on a Scotch egg. There is no breadcrumb coating or deep-frying but these are still really good to eat.
YOU NEED
2 medium eggs
250g pork or beef mince
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 large sprig of rosemary, finely chopped
A little oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
METHOD
Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil and cook the eggs for eight minutes. Put them in a bowl of cold water and leave to cool, then peel off the shells.
Put the mince in a bowl, add the shallot and rosemary then season and mix well. Wet your hands and take half the mixture. Spread it out to a thickness of about half a centimetre.
Season the meat well and place an egg on top, then wrap the mince around it, squeezing it at the join to seal the seam.
Do the same with the other portion of mince and egg. Rub a little oil over each ball and season again.
Heat a dry frying pan over a medium heat until just hot. Fry the balls for 15-20 minutes, turning them frequently until they are golden brown all over. They are ready when they feel firm.
You can take a peek inside one to see if the mince is done and continue to cook if you need to. Serve with a big crisp salad.
Tom's fabulous fajitas
(serves 2, 669 calories per serving)
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My famous fajitas always go down brilliantly when my friends come over. I love adding lots of different salad bits to sprinkle over the top.
YOU NEED:
For the marinated chicken:
½ tsp cayenne
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Grating of nutmeg
250g skinless, boneless chicken (thighs or breasts), sliced into thin strips
1 small red onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the bean, sweetcorn and pepper salad:
1 corn on the cob, husk removed
½ red pepper, diced
½ can of beans (use black, kidney or cannellini), drained
½ quantity of salsa
For the guacamole:
½ avocado, flesh chopped
Zest and juice of ½ lime
½ red chilli, chopped
To serve:
4 wholemeal tortilla wraps
½ cos lettuce, cut into wedges
Small handful of chopped fresh coriander
Extra chilli, finely sliced (optional)
2 tbsp soured cream (optional)
METHOD
Start by marinating the chicken – you can do this up to eight hours ahead. Put the cayenne, oregano, paprika, coriander, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl.
Add the chicken, onion, garlic and a teaspoon of olive oil, then season well and toss everything together.
Bring a medium pan of water to the boil and cook the corn on the cob for about three minutes until the corn is cooked.
Add the pepper to the pan to blanch it, then drain well. Leave the corn cob until it’s cool enough to handle, then carefully slice the kernels from the cob.
Put the corn, pepper and beans in a bowl, add the salsa and season the salad well.
To make the guacamole, mash the avocado in a bowl until smooth. Stir in the lime zest, juice and the chilli and season. Set it aside.
Cook the chicken. Heat the remaining oil in a pan and stir-fry the chicken for 13-15 minutes until golden and cooked through.
Put two wraps on each plate, then spoon on the chicken, bean salad, guacamole, lettuce, coriander, chilli and soured cream. Roll the wraps up and enjoy.
TOM’S TIP: If you want to use a ready-made fajita spice blend, use 1-2 teaspoons instead of the spices listed above.
