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 [Recipes](/life/food-drink/recipes) 

 



 /  12 February 2025  

#  A 2-Michelin-Starred Chef Shares 4 Healthy Recipes  


 Sat Bains is one of the country’s best chefs – his eponymous restaurant in Nottingham has two Michelin stars. Four years ago, he had a heart attack that led to triple bypass surgery. Prompted to overhaul his diet, Sat’s worked out how healthy eating can be delicious, and his new cookbook is full of heart-healthy dishes and practical tips. Here, he shares his experience – as well as four of his favourite dishes for home cooks.  
 

 



 

 



 

 

 

 

**Having a heart attack four years ago was a massive shock.** I’ve been training since I was 14 – weight training, martial arts, long walks, you name it. I knew I had high cholesterol, but my annual check-ups never suggested anything serious. Then, in 2021, I had a heart attack. It was a complete shock. I thought I was just going into the hospital for a check-up, maybe staying a night or two, but the doctors quickly realised things were more severe than anyone expected. I had a blockage in one of my arteries and ended up having open-heart surgery. What started as a double bypass became a triple once they were in there.

**The whole experience was surreal.** The roads were empty and the hospital was quiet during lockdown. They did an angiogram and saw a massive blood clot blocking one of my arteries. The cardiologist, Dr Richard Varco, called it a 'brown trouser moment', meaning it was really touch and go. The clot was so bad they had to dissolve it slowly to avoid the risk of stroke. Eventually, I had beating heart surgery, where they don’t stop your heart, which gives you a better chance of recovery. Thankfully, I had one of the best surgeons, Mr Naik.

**Before the illness, my lifestyle felt balanced.** In 2015, I made the decision to close my restaurant an extra day each week, so we only operated four days. That gave me time to focus on myself – cooking at home, training, spending time with family. I wasn’t eating junk food, I had a great work-life balance, and I stayed fit with regular training. But when you’re in your 50s, particularly with my Asian heritage and genetic predispositions, that just wasn’t enough.

**Post-surgery recovery was tougher than I expected.** Mentally, I felt strong. I wanted to get up, get moving, but physically my body just couldn’t keep up. The doctors told me to walk every hour, but there were times I could barely get up from the sofa. I lost 21kg in the first four weeks. I’d go to the supermarket with my wife, Amanda, thinking I could manage, only to realise halfway through that I wasn’t strong enough. I had to sit down and wait for her. It’s strange – your mind wants to push, but your body just won’t cooperate. That’s when you really face your own mortality.

**As a chef, flavour has always been my focus,** but after the heart bypass surgery, I knew I had to make some serious changes to ensure I’d be around for many more years. My experience recovering, particularly the food I encountered in the hospital, took me aback. I had expected nutritious, healthy meals, but what I got was frozen chips and sad-looking veg. I just couldn’t eat it. I knew then that if I was going to improve my health, I had to take control of my diet at home.

**With the help of Dr Neil Williams,** a nutritionist from Nottingham Trent University, I began to rethink how I approached food. He gave me fantastic advice, ‘Eat the rainbow’, which meant incorporating a diverse range of foods into my diet. I started viewing my meals like the Amazon jungle or a coral reef, full of vibrant, diverse ingredients that would nourish my body.

 

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@JodiHinds

 

 

 

 

**When people think of a heart-healthy diet,** they often imagine bland food, but that’s not how it has to be. You can use a bit of salt, or replace it with soy sauce. You don’t have to give up meat – just trim the fat. It’s all about balance. The biggest misconception is that a healthy diet means boring, flavourless food, but that’s not sustainable, especially for someone like me, whose life revolves around flavour.

**One of the key lessons I’ve learnt** is that everyone’s body is different, and one diet doesn’t fit all. I did a methanation test, which helped me understand what my body needed, and I tailored my diet accordingly. One of the biggest takeaways from my journey was realising how much ultra-processed food we eat. All these low-fat, low-sugar options are often more harmful because they’ve been tampered with so much. When you look back to post-war times, when people grew their own food, there weren’t as many health issues. We’ve lost touch with wholesome, home-cooked meals.

**I’m not interested in becoming a diet guru.** I just want to help people get back into the kitchen, cooking real food. You don’t need to go on an extreme diet. Sometimes it’s as simple as roasting a chicken with some braised vegetables. You know exactly what’s in it, it’s nourishing, and it’s something everyone can enjoy together. It’s not about me becoming an expert on heart health – I'm a chef and my expertise is flavour.

**For those wanting to eat healthier on a budget,** I always recommend buying ‘wonky’ veg. It might not look perfect, but it’s just as nutritious and usually cheaper. Batch cooking is another great tip – make a big batch of chilli or stew, and freeze some for later. That way, you’ve got your own food ready to go, but it’s wholesome and homemade with care.

**I’m a huge fan of an air fryer**. You can make crispy sautéed potatoes with barely any oil. I also love slow cooking – a casserole in the oven is one of my favourite things to make. Pressure cookers are also great – you can cook a whole chicken with vegetables in 30 minutes, and it comes out moist and flavourful.

**Some of my favourite recipes in the book** include a minced beef dish, where I use 10% fat beef and dry fry it to caramelise the meat. I add a load of vegetables, equal to the amount of meat, for extra flavour and nutrition. I serve it in crisp lettuce cups with yogurt and coriander – it’s fresh, flavourful and substantial. Another favourite is the lamb koftas. You can make them in advance, freeze them, then cook them on the barbecue in five minutes.

**My experience has completely changed the way I think about food and health.** I still love cooking, but now it’s about making food that nourishes my body without sacrificing flavour. My cookbook is full of healthy recipes that are delicious and satisfying. I’m living proof that you can eat well and still take care of your body. Ultimately, I want people to feel confident in the kitchen again. It’s easy to grab a ready-made meal from the supermarket, but that convenience comes at a cost to your health. It’s time for a bit of a rebellion. Let's get back to cooking real food.

 

 

 

 

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 [Recipes](/life/food-drink/recipes) 

 



 [##  2 Recipes To Try From BiBi’s Chet Sharma  


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## Here, Sat shares four healthy recipes to try at home… 

 

 

 

 [ ![](https://media.slman.com/LwPoRKfZEV0llWd8Qw2xn81UHJQ=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsw18.sheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fslman%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2025%2F02%2Fsl-man-sat-bains-baked-carrots_0.jpg?itok=qKlCbS4_)

 

 ](https://amzn.to/4hPAau1) 

 

 

 

##  Oven Baked Carrots 

 

Carrots are a go-to veg for me, and this recipe brings out their sweetness by adding spices and cooking them slowly, so the sugars caramelise and the juices amalgamate. You can do this with other roots too, such as beetroot and parsnips – give them a try and pair them with your favourite meats. I love these with lamb chops or kebabs.



Serves

 Serves: 2 

 



 

 

Ingredients

   1 tsp of garam masala  

   1 tsp of toasted cumin seeds  

   1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil  

   Pinch of flaked sea salt  

   250g of medium carrots, trimmed  

   10g of toasted &amp; chopped cashew nuts, to serve  

 



 

For The Dressing  


   150g of natural yoghurt  

   5g of mint leaves, finely chopped  

   5g of coriander leaves, finely chopped  

   Zest &amp; juice of 1 lime  

 



 

 



Method

 Step 1 

Make a paste in a small bowl by combining the garam masala, cumin seeds, olive oil and salt. Transfer to a sealable freezer bag, add the whole carrots and massage the paste all over to evenly coat. Leave for 3 hours to marinate.

 Step 2 

Mix together all the ingredients for the dressing and leave in the fridge until needed.

 Step 3 

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 6.

 Step 4 

Place the carrots in a roasting tray and cook in the oven until tender and golden brown, for around 30-45 minutes. Remove from the oven and place the carrots on a serving plate. Spoon over the dressing and top with the toasted cashews.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 [ ![](https://media.slman.com/dS3smLiZjApUVsNSShoY5bf1RRA=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsw18.sheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fslman%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2025%2F02%2Fsl-man-sat-bains-chicken-escalope_0.jpg?itok=EXIPhcHg)

 

 ](https://amzn.to/4hPAau1) 

 

 

 

##  Nut &amp; Seed Crispy Chicken Escalope 

 

I love this mix for my chicken escalope. I make more than I need and use some for however many chicken breasts I am using, and save the rest in a freezer bag or an airtight container in the cupboard, where it will last for several weeks. The seeded mix adds an incredible texture to the chicken, and it is definitely something you will come back to again and again.



Serves

 2 

 



 

 

Ingredients

   2 eggs  

   1 tsp of dried harissa powder  

   2 chicken breasts, cut in half &amp; slightly flattened  

   Extra virgin olive oil spray  

 



 

For the crumb coating:  


   100g of panko breadcrumbs  

   1 tbsp of toasted cumin seeds, crushed  

   1 tbsp of toasted coriander seeds, crushed  

   1 tbsp of pumpkin seeds  

   1 tbsp of sunflower seeds  

   1 tbsp of chia seeds  

   1 tbsp of poppy seeds  

   1 tbsp of black sesame seeds  

   50g of pine nuts, chopped  

   50g of nibbed almonds  

   Pinch of flaked sea salt &amp; freshly ground black pepper  

 



 

 



Method

 Step 1 

Combine all the crumb coating ingredients in a bowl and spread some of the crumb coating over a plate (store the rest for another time). In another bowl, whisk the eggs with the harissa and some salt and pepper.

 Step 2 

Place the chicken in the egg wash, making sure it’s coated all over, then shake off any excess and press the chicken into the crumb coating, making sure it is completely covered. Set aside for 30 minutes.

 Step 3 

Preheat your air fryer to 190°C/gas mark 5. Place the chicken breasts on a piece of foil, spray with oil, then add them to the air fryer and cook for 8 minutes. Once cooked, rest for 2 minutes and then serve.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 [ ![](https://media.slman.com/HI3r17MkDIKjCBTswtRWtph3F8c=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsw18.sheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fslman%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2025%2F02%2Fsl-man-sat-bains-chocolate-cookies.jpg?itok=VKYxHY94)

 

 ](https://amzn.to/4hPAau1) 

 

 

 

##  Chocolate Protein Cookies 

 

We all need something sweet in our life, and I am no exception, so if we are going to 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.



Serves

 12 

 



 

 

Ingredients

   250g of chunky peanut butter  

   75g of honey  

   1 large egg  

   75g of chocolate whey protein powder  

   100ml of milk  

   40g of white chocolate drops  

 



 

 



Method

 Step 1 

Preheat the oven to 180°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Line the baking trays with greaseproof paper.

 Step 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.

 Step 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.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 [ ![](https://media.slman.com/AiHkelXYEWhNckbyY7Q7rhp7DiM=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsw18.sheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fslman%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2025%2F02%2Fsl-man-sat-bains-lamp-chop-bains.jpg?itok=gjvhnCCY)

 

 ](https://amzn.to/4hPAau1) 

 

 

 

##  Lamb Chops With Harissa 

 

This recipe blows my mind because it is the easiest thing in the world – you just need a freezer bag, a jar of harissa and some olive oil, then seal and shake the bag and leave to chill for 3-4 hours. When you cook this, make sure you include some gnarly caramelised, charred bits, as they really add flavour. Make sure you ask your butcher to French trim the lamb chops for you, unless you are confident in doing this.



Serves

 2 

 



 

 

Ingredients

   75g of rose harissa (I like Belazu)  

   25g of extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve  

   6 lamb chops, French trimmed  

   Zest &amp; juice of 1 lemon  

   Small handful of mint leaves, torn  

 



 

 



Method

 Step 1 

Place the harissa and olive oil in the freezer bag, add the lamb chops, seal and massage to coat the lamb. Transfer to the fridge to marinate for 3 hours.

 Step 2 

Get your barbecue ready when you take the lamb out of the fridge; this will allow the lamb to come up to temperature while the barbecue is heating up. Remove the chops from the bag and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side.

 Step 3 

Remove from the heat and drizzle with more olive oil and the lemon juice, and scatter over the lemon zest and torn mint.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 [ ![](https://media.slman.com/N57bsayf7UBFPCWRRAunH92-QBU=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsw18.sheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fslman%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2025%2F02%2Fsat-bain-eat-till-your-hearts-content.jpg?itok=XhsZNzb_)

 

 ](https://amzn.to/4hPAau1) 

 

 

 

 

*Eat to Your Heart's Content* by Sat Bains (Kyle Books, £12.95) is available to buy now. Visit [Amazon.co.uk](https://amzn.to/4hK43Mo)

 

 

 

 

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