A chef shares 3 nourishing recipes to help you cut down on ultra-processed food in 2025

• Melissa Hemsley’s cookbook includes recipes to reduce your intake of ultra-processed foods.

• Ultra-processed foods are associated with health risks such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.

• Hemsley’s recipes include white chicken chili, noodle salad, and no-bake peanut bars.

If cutting down on ultra-processed foods is on your list of goals for 2025, finding delicious new recipes can be a big help.

Melissa Hemsley is the author of her latest cookbook, “real health” is designed to help people “not process” their meals.

This recipe is packed with vegetables, so it’s also recommended for those who don’t have much time.

Ultra-processed foods have been at the forefront of public health awareness in recent years, with research increasingly pointing to their potential. UPF health risksinclude cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Hemsley’s favorite dishes include white chicken chili with peppers and beans, a zesty vegetarian noodle salad, and no-bake peanut butter chocolate oat bars.

white chicken chili

Hemsley explains, “It’s a chili pepper without tomatoes, hence the name ‘white chili pepper.’ We use yellow chili peppers here to keep the chili ‘white,’ but we use every color we can find. I like to serve the toppings separately so everyone can eat as they like.” As for beans, use your favorite white beans, like cannellini or butter beans. Sweet corn is always worth keeping in the freezer, but if you have canned corn, drain it. Rinse and add at the end. ”

service: 4

time: 1 hour 10 minutes

material

• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, more as needed

• 2 onions (chopped)

• 2 yellow bell peppers (diced)

• 4 cloves garlic (finely sliced)

• 2 teaspoons cumin powder

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or chili flakes (optional)

• 1.2 liters vegetable or chicken soup

• 2 400g cans of white kidney beans, drained and washed

• 200g frozen corn

• Juice of 1 lime, optionally with a little zest

• sea ​​salt and black pepper

optional toppings

• sour cream or yogurt

• fresh coriander and/or green onion, sliced

• sliced ​​avocado

• radish or cucumber slices

• lime wedge

• Jarred Jalapeno Slices or Chili Flakes

method

1. Sprinkle salt on both sides of the chicken thighs. Heat the olive oil in a large pot, and once it’s hot, add the chicken thighs, skin side down. Cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown, then flip and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on the other side. Remove from the pot and place on a large plate.

2. The chicken should have plenty of fat, but if not, add some olive oil to the pan and, once hot, add the onion, bell pepper, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Fry over medium heat until very tender, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute, then add the cumin, oregano, and cayenne or chili flakes and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring regularly.

3. Return the chicken thighs to the pot and pour in the stock. Simmer for 25 minutes, then add the beans and simmer for another 10 minutes.

4. Once cooked, remove the chicken thighs, remove the bones and cut into thin pieces. If desired, discard chicken skin and set aside. Using a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon, mash about a third of the beans (this will help thicken the chili).

5. Add frozen corn and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the chicken, lime juice, and a little rind to taste, to taste.

6. Pour into a bowl, add your favorite toppings, and it’s done.

Large vegetable noodle salad with lime, ginger and peanut dressing

Hemsley says, “I think a hearty noodle salad is a great addition to any time of the year, even in the colder months.In the middle of winter, between cheesy roasts and hearty soups and stews, I love the freshness. This kind of tangy and crunchy salad makes me want to eat it. Use your favorite noodles for the salad. If you have soba noodles, you can use spaghetti. If you like, use peanut butter instead of cashews or almonds. Roll it on the kitchen counter to release more juice.”

service: two

time: 15 minutes

material

• 2 noodles

• 2 teaspoons roasted sesame oil

• 2 large handfuls of raw peanuts

• 1 large carrot, cut into ribbons with a peeler or into thin strips with a knife

• 1/4 sweetheart cabbage (sliced ​​very thinly)

• Core one small apple or pear and cut into matchsticks.

• 1/2 small cucumber (diced)

About dressing:

• 2 tablespoons smooth or crunchy peanut butter

• 2 large limes: zest of 1 and juice of both

• 2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce or soy sauce

• Thumb of fresh ginger, finely grated

• A pinch of chili flakes

• 2 teaspoons maple syrup

• sea ​​salt and black pepper

method

1. For the dressing, whisk all ingredients in a small bowl or shake in a jam jar. Taste for seasoning.

2. Boil the noodles according to package instructions, drain, and immediately rinse with cold water. Toss the noodles with sesame oil and set aside.

3. Toast the peanuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, shaking the skillet occasionally, until golden brown.

4. In a large bowl, combine the noodles, carrots, cabbage, apple or pear, and about half of the dressing. If desired, slowly add dressing, stirring until well coated. Top with cucumber and peanuts.

Chocolate peanut butter (no bake) bars

“It’s a favorite no-bake family snack,” says Hemsley. “It’s very tempting, but if you don’t eat it for a few days, it will keep for up to a week in an airtight container. In warmer weather, store it in the fridge. If you have a nut allergy, replace almond flour with oatmeal and use nut butter. If you have a favorite nut butter, try it. I love cashew butter, but stick to the smooth kind. Note the minimum cocoa solids content of 60%.

Make: 16

time: 20 minutes + setting time

material

• 250 grams smooth peanut butter

• 100g almond powder

• 100g oat porridge

• 6 tablespoons maple syrup

• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

• a pinch of sea salt

For the chocolate layer,

• 180g dark chocolate (roughly chopped)

• 1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter

• Flaked sea salt for sprinkling

optional toppings

method

1. Line a small baking pan or dish (approximately 15 x 8cm or square equivalent) with greaseproof paper, making sure the sides are high enough so that you can lift the mixture out of the mold once it has set.

2. Combine peanut butter, almond flour, oats, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt in a bowl. Transfer to a lined mold and press with the back of a spoon or spatula to make it even and compact.

3. For the chocolate layer, melt the chocolate in a double boiler (place a heatproof bowl over a pot of slightly boiling water, being careful not to let the bottom of the bowl touch the water). Once melted, stir in the peanut butter and pour this evenly over the base. If you want to top with whole peanuts, sprinkle the peanuts on top of the chocolate layer. Add a pinch of flaky sea salt.

4. Chill in the refrigerator for about an hour, then cut into 16 equal pieces and enjoy.

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