As I write this, I?m sitting at home amongst piles of washing and feeling fairly exasperated about my lack of domesticity! This is made worse by the fact I am surrounded by clothes, and yet unsurprisingly have nothing to wear. But at the same time, I am also feeling proud and happy ? because despite my washing/clothes crisis, I have managed to re-start my exercise regime.

A good thing too, because as I already have people investigating my shopping trolley when they see me at Lindos, I can imagine how bad it will be come the summer months and the onset of the bikini season. It?s obviously important that I practise what I preach, but this doesn?t just require willpower when it comes to food, I also need to exercise as well.

My main challenge, is not that I don?t like exercise, but rather how to fit it in. I do walk the dog every day, but it?s not much of a work-out as he stops so often to sniff the grass, eat sticks or roll in something horrendous! However, today I found an empty field and let him off the leash to explore on his own. Then I ran eight laps, did 50 sit ups and 2 and a half push-ups ? which was all I could manage but it has to be better than nothing and leaves lots of room for improvement! So the moral of this very random story is that if you think you don?t have time to exercise, take a look at your routine again and see if there?s any way you can squeeze it in.

The tricky thing with squeezing just one more thing into your life ? as if you weren?t already busy enough ? is that this may leave even less time to cook. However, as I showed you last week, cooking nutritious meals really doesn?t have to take long ? last week?s recipe was literally a 10 minute quick fix. This week, I have a recipe that will take you a tiny bit longer to prepare the first time, but after that will be just as quick.

The main component of this pasta dish is the Cilantro Pesto. Cilantro is the same as Coriander for anyone English out there! Cilantro is rich in antioxidants and makes a really tasty alternative to basil based pesto. And, as it has such a rich flavour, there?s no need to add parmesan ? making it nice and healthy too! This quantity makes enough for 6 servings so you can refrigerate or freeze the rest. Try it out as I?ve shown you below, but this pesto is also a quick and healthy way to add flavour to fish and chicken ? simply layer on top and bake!

Cilantro Pesto Pasta

Pesto Ingredients (makes 6 servings):

2 compact cups of cilantro (remove the thick stalks)

? cup pine nuts

? red onion, chopped

1 serrano chili (small green chili), de-seeded and chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

1 clove garlic, pressed

? cup olive oil

Pinch of salt

Black pepper to taste

Other Ingredients:

1 handful wholewheat pasta per person

1 small chicken breasts per person

Salad leaves

Cherry tomatoes

Method:

1. Slice the chicken into strips and grill till cooked, then dice

2. Cook the pasta

3. Put all the pesto ingredients into a bowl and blend with a handheld mixer. Alternatively use a food processor

4. Add the chicken to the pasta, add 2 tbsps pesto (one per person ? refrigerate or freeze the rest) stir in and heat all the way through.

5. Serve with green salad leaves and cheery tomatoes

NB. You can replace the chicken with diced tofu if you are vegetarian, but I suggest you marinade the tofu in the pesto for at least an hour, to let the flavour really soak in!

The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns is a fully qualified Clinical Nutritionist. She can be contacted at 291 4725 orclinicalnutritiongmail.com