Chef Sat Bains had just turned 50, was outwardly fit and healthy and felt he’d achieved the perfect work-life balance when he found himself being blue-lighted to hospital after a heart attack. “I’ve held a gym membership for as long as I can remember,” he says, “so it was a shock to find myself in an ambulance being taken to A&E.”
He had been working out with his personal trainer when he felt a pain in the left side of his chest. “I thought it was muscular, as I was doing heavy weights, so I pushed through, thinking no more of it.” Later that day, though, he felt tired and listless and noticed a pain creeping along his left jawline, behind his eye and slowly working down his shoulders. “Classic signs of a heart attack, I now realise.”
Doctors identified a severe narrowing at the top of his left artery and within days he was undergoing an open-heart triple bypass, followed by lengthy recuperation in hospital and then at home being looked after by his wife, Amanda.
Sat Bains at his restaurant in Nottingham
JAMES GLOSSOP
“My appetite was gone. All I wanted to eat were very small portions of bland, boring but ‘healthy’ food. I’d lost 17kg and looked gaunt. I had to improve — and vary — my nutrition. My thoughts went straight to Mediterranean and Japanese diets. I already knew the healthy benefits of lots of fish, lean meats, vegetables, yams, dashi, seaweed and green teas and thought this could be the way forward.”
So, with the help of Dr Neil Williams, a senior lecturer in exercise physiology and nutrition, he devised weekly heart-healthy menus, measuring all his foods to the last gram but still putting the onus on flavour. Flavour, he says, has been an obsession for his entire career, during which he has earned two Michelin stars at his eponymous restaurant near Nottingham, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
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His diet now, as laid out in his book Eat to Your Heart’s Content, consists of lean protein and a mix of legumes, vegetables and fruits, as well as healthy fats such as avocado, nuts and olive oil. “I’ve learnt to ‘eat the rainbow’: as many different colours of fruits and vegetables as I can,” he says. “It’s a diet that anyone can follow as there’s lots of room to manoeuvre. You can change the main protein source to one that suits you. The whole point is moderation and balance.”
Nearly four years on, he believes he is as fit as he was before the heart attack and is doing workouts, Tabata (a form of high-intensity interval training) and jujitsu, as well as taking brisk 5km walks. His new recipes have been crucial for his health, he says. “Without the diet changes, I think I would probably have popped my clogs sooner.” Tony Turnbull
JODI HINDS
1. Momma Bains’s chickpea curry
When we were in lockdown, we started a company with my mum called Momma Bains — we got Mum to cook her curries, then we made them, step by step, with her writing down the recipes. This is one of my favourites.
Serves 2
Ingredients
• 30ml extra virgin olive oil
• 2 shallots, finely diced
• 15g grated garlic
• 1 tbsp toasted cumin seeds
• 200g tinned chopped tomatoes
• 15g grated ginger
• 1 green chilli, sliced
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 200g tinned chickpeas, drained
• 20g fresh coriander, chopped
• Flaked sea salt, to taste
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Method
1. Place a saucepan on a medium heat and add the olive oil. When hot, add the shallots, garlic and cumin seeds and cook until the veg is slightly golden, about 20 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer, then add the ginger, chilli and turmeric. Carry on cooking until the oil splits and the mixture takes on a puree texture. Add the chickpeas and bring to a simmer. Pour in 200ml water, bring back to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, then add the coriander and season with salt.
Nutrition notes
Chickpeas are an excellent source of carbohydrate, protein, fibre and B vitamins. They have a low glycaemic index and low glycaemic load.
JODI HINDS
2. Mussels in white wine and coriander
As soon as the mussels open, take them off the heat. You can also use dill, parsley or chives in this recipe.
Serves 2
Ingredients
• 500g mussels
• 175ml white wine
• 1 large shallot, finely sliced
• 1 red chilli, finely sliced
• Large handful of chopped fresh coriander, stalks and leaves
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Method
1. Tip the mussels into a colander and wash them in cold running water. Remove any barnacles from the shells using a knife. If the mussels have a beard, gently pull it out and discard. If any of the mussels are open, tap them on a solid surface — if they don’t close, they are dead and should not be eaten. Rinse the mussels again in fresh cold water to remove any bits of shell or barnacle and drain.
2. Set a saucepan on a high heat and add the white wine, shallot and chilli. When the mixture comes to the boil, add the mussels and place the lid on the pan. Cook the mussels for 3-4 minutes, shaking the pan from time to time to ensure they cook evenly. They are ready when the shells have opened.
3. Remove the pan from the heat, discard any mussels that are still closed and sprinkle over the coriander. Divide the mussels and the juice between two bowls.
Nutrition notes
Mussels offer levels of protein and iron that challenge any red meat option.
JODI HINDS
3. Sirloin steak with anchovy dressing
The anchovy accompaniment is a brilliant addition to the steak, bringing a salty, fresh, almost salsa-like sauce, while the nuts add a lovely textural contrast.
Serves 2
Ingredients
• 2 x 300g sirloin steaks
• Extra virgin olive oil, for frying
• Flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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For the dressing
• 4 anchovy fillets
• 15g pecan nuts, chopped
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp flaked salt
• 1 tsp crushed black pepper
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 50ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp capers, chopped
• 20g chopped parsley
Method
1. Remove the steaks from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking.
2. Add all the dressing ingredients, except the lemon juice, oil, capers and parsley, to a mortar and grind to a smooth paste using a pestle. Add the capers, lemon juice and olive oil and fold in the chopped parsley to create a thick, unctuous dressing.
3. Drizzle the steaks with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy-duty cast-iron pan until smoking hot. Add the steaks and lower the heat to medium-high. Cook the steaks for 1 minute, then turn over. Repeat this for 6-8 minutes to cook the steak to your liking. As a rough guide, the temperature of the steak on a meat thermometer should be 40C for rare, 50C for medium rare, 58C for medium and 68C-plus for well done.
4. When cooked, remove from the heat and place on a warm plate. Drizzle over the cooking juices from the pan and leave to rest for 10 minutes in a low oven at 90C fan/gas ¼ before serving.
5. When ready to serve, pour over the dressing, which should baste and cover the steaks, the heat of the meat releasing all those incredible flavours.
Nutrition notes
Sirloin steak is rich in iron.
JODI HINDS
4. Broccoli with spring onions, chilli, soy and sesame seeds
I eat broccoli most days and try to find ways to keep it exciting — boredom is the reason we go back to our old ways and then we start eating rubbish.
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Serves 2
Ingredients
• 250g long-stem broccoli
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced, to serve
For the dressing
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• ½ tsp toasted black sesame seeds
• ½ tsp toasted white sesame seeds
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
Method
1. Combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a large bowl and set aside.
2. Cook the broccoli in a pan of boiling water for 3-4 minutes or until tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. When cooked, drain and transfer to the bowl with the dressing. Mix well and tip into a serving bowl. Scatter over the spring onions and serve.
Nutrition notes
It is thought that eating steamed broccoli on a regular basis may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease due to its ability to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.
JODI HINDS
5. Cod in baking parchment
This recipe is a great one for preparing up to a couple of hours before required. You can also experiment with other fish, such as salmon, haddock and even scallops.
Serves 2
Ingredients
• 2 x 200g skinless cod fillets
• 1 garlic clove
• 10g ginger
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 red bird’s eye chilli, finely sliced
• 5g fresh coriander, finely chopped
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C fan/gas 6.
2. Place a piece of foil onto an oven tray followed by a piece of greaseproof paper. Lay the cod in the middle of the paper.
3. Using a fine microplane, grate the garlic and ginger into a bowl. Add the oil, soy sauce and lemon juice and mix well. Pour this mixture over the cod. Place another piece of foil on top and fold around the edges to seal and create a pouch.
4. When ready to cook, place the tray in the centre of the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes. Remove the pouch from the oven and leave to rest for 5 minutes before breaking the foil seal. Add the sliced chilli and coriander. Pour all the juices collected in the foil parcel over the fish to serve.
Nutrition notes
Cod is a lean protein source that’s full of essential vitamins and minerals.
JODI HINDS
6. Affogato with vanilla ice cream and olive oil
The drizzle of olive oil here gives it an incredibly creamy mouthfeel. I use good-quality shop-bought ice cream.
Serves 2
Ingredients
• 2 shots of espresso
• 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream
• A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Method
Pour the espresso into warm coffee cups, add a ball of soft ice cream and drizzle with olive oil.
Nutrition notes
Coffee is a significant source of polyphenols — a type of antioxidant that can help look after the beneficial bacteria in the gut.
Eat to Your Heart’s Content by Sat Bains (Kyle Books, £26). Order at timesbookshop.co.uk or call 020 3176 2935. Special discount for Times+ members