Dr Rupy Aujla: 'My three protein-packed recipes to help your meet your goals'

“The walnut, tempeh, puy lentil blend in this recipe delivers on the protein and fibre needs for your gut wellbeing, and the texture and flavour of this combination are phenomenal,” says Dr Rupy Aujla.

“With red wine and mixed herbs plus a bit of time, you get a gorgeous bowl of food that is nourishing and delicious. Try it with different pasta varieties if you wish and, for more protein, use a lentil or bean-based pasta.”

Serves 4. Ingredients: 2tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve; 100g onion, finely chopped; 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 3tsp dried mixed herbs; 2tbsp tomato purée; 100ml red wine; 100g walnuts, roughly chopped or pulsed into a coarse crumb; 200g tempeh, roughly chopped or pulsed into a coarse crumb; 200ml vegetable stock; 200ml passata; 1tbsp balsamic vinegar; 200g cooked puy lentils; 100g cavolo nero, stalks removed, and leaves massaged and roughly chopped; 150g dried rigatoni pasta; 20g Parmesan, finely grated, to serve. Protein: 56.7g/fibre: 22.1g.

Heat the olive oil in a large lidded casserole pan over a medium heat, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until softened and starting to turn golden. Add the garlic and plenty of seasoning and cook for another minute before adding the mixed herbs and tomato purée. You want to cook the purée for three to four minutes to intensify the flavour.

Pour the red wine into the pan and cook for another three minutes until there is no smell of alcohol and the mixture becomes thick and sticky. Add the walnuts and tempeh and stir to coat them in the sticky mixture. Cook for two minutes, stirring, then pour in the stock, passata and vinegar and add the lentils. Reduce the heat to low-medium, stir until combined and simmer, part-covered with the lid, for 15 minutes.

Toss in the massaged cavolo nero for the last two minutes of cooking. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions. Drain, reserving a mugful of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the sauce with enough of the pasta cooking water to loosen.

Serve in bowls, drizzled with olive oil and with the Parmesan scattered over.

Protein boost: Add more tempeh or walnuts. You can also use lean beef mince instead of tempeh, just add 150g mince to the onions, garlic, tomato purée and herbs, and cook for five minutes before adding the red wine.

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Salmon tikka bowls with quick fennel and cabbage pickle

“Every Tuesday in the Doctor’s Kitchen household, it’s salmon bowl night,” says Dr Aujla. “In this recipe we use a single tray to make the most delicious and easy bowls, packed with vegetables, grains and high-protein oily fish. It’s something I always look forward to. You can easily use an air fryer to cook the salmon instead in half the time.

“The brassica vegetables with spices, fruity Kashmiri chilli and sharp red cabbage pickle are a delicious combination of contrasting flavours that work harmoniously for your health and taste buds.”

Serves 2. Ingredients: 2tbsp tikka masala paste or mild curry paste; 300g salmon, skin on, cut into thick 4cm chunks; 300g cauliflower, broken into 2cm florets; 1tsp mustard seeds; ½tsp ground turmeric; ½tsp Kashmiri chilli or sweet paprika; 1tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle. For the fennel and cabbage pickle: 100g red cabbage, finely shredded with a mandoline; 2tsp fennel seeds; 4tsp red wine vinegar; 4tsp apple juice or 1tsp sugar; ½tsp salt. To serve: 150g cooked short-grain brown rice, warmed; 2tbsp Greek yoghurt; 100g rocket leaves. Protein: 46.9g/fibre: 7.4g

Preheat the oven to 200°C fan.

Smother the salmon in the curry paste and cover with foil in a bowl. Leave to marinate in the fridge for 20 minutes (it’s even better overnight).

Add the cauliflower to a baking tray, sprinkle over the spices and drizzle over the olive oil and mix well. Then season well and bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the cabbage, fennel seeds, vinegar, apple juice or sugar and salt to a mixing bowl and scrunch everything together with your hands for 30 seconds. Set aside.

Remove the tray from the oven, toss the cauliflower florets and turn up the heat to 220°C fan.

Nestle the salmon, skin-side up, between the cauliflower florets and bake for another 10-12 minutes until the salmon is cooked through and golden coloured with some charring.

Build your bowls with the warmed rice, fennel and cabbage pickle, dollops of yoghurt, salmon and cauliflower, and rocket leaves with a drizzle of oil.

Protein boost: Add more salmon.

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Overnight protein porridge with cinnamon, turmeric and cacao

“I pack my overnight oats with two key anti-inflammatory spices, cinnamon and turmeric,” says TV’s Dr Aujla. “Soaking increases the digestibility of the oats and the cacao and hemp seeds provide a nice dose of protein.

“Have fun with this one. You can make a few jars at a time and they’ll keep nicely in the fridge for a high-fibre, high-protein grab-and-go breakfast.”

Serves 1. Ingredients: 30g shelled hemp seeds; 20g jumbo rolled oats; 20g cacao powder; ½tsp ground cinnamon; ¼tsp ground turmeric; 15g flaked almonds; 15g walnuts, crumbled; 10g desiccated coconut; 100ml whole milk or plant-based alternative; 2 prunes, roughly chopped. To serve: 80g mixed berries; 20g pumpkin seeds or nut butter of choice; 1tbsp thick natural yoghurt. Protein: 36g/fibre: 13.1g

Add all the dry ingredients together to a large glass jar. Screw the lid on and shake vigorously to mix all the components together.

Remove the lid and stir in the milk, 50ml water and the prunes. Replace the lid and place in the fridge overnight.

In the morning, add a splash more milk if needed, and serve topped with the berries, pumpkin seeds or nut butter and yoghurt.

Protein boost: Add more cacao powder; pumpkin seeds or nut butter.

Healthy High Protein by Dr Rupy Aujla is published by Ebury Press, priced £26. Photography by Andrew Burton. Available now