In his latest book, The Medicinal Chef: The Power of Three, Pinnock features 80 simple recipes based around three principles – increasing nutrient density, managing blood sugar, and balancing fatty acid levels – to help minimise the risk of diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity and cancer.

Complemented by beautiful photographs of each dish by Martin Poole, this book offers inspiration for changing your daily diet and making long-term changes to boost health and wellbeing.

Here Pinnock shares his recipe for nutrient-rich seafood paella.

Slow-burn paella

This is a very
 low-GI version of the Spanish classic. I’m obsessed with shellfish, especially squid, and this is a great way to introduce people to these ingredients. This dish encompasses every principle in this book: it’s nutrient-dense, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and it will drip-feed blood sugar for hours. I have added turmeric here in place of saffron, just for an additional antioxidant kick, but feel free to stick to saffron if you like.

Recipe and images from ‘The Power of Three’ by Dale Pinnock, $39.95, Hardie Grant Books.

Ingredients

olive oil, for cooking
1⁄2 red onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
25g cooking chorizo, sliced
1⁄2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1⁄4 teaspoon paprika
60g short-grain brown rice
300ml vegetable stock
2 fresh squid tubes, sliced into rings or strips, plus baby squid if you like
6 raw king prawns
1⁄4 red pepper, diced
sea salt

Method

Heat a little olive oil in a pan, add the onion and garlic with a pinch of salt, and sauté until the onion softens. Add the chorizo and sauté for 3–4 minutes, until it begins to crisp around the edges.

Add the turmeric, paprika and rice and stir well. Pour in half the stock and simmer until almost absorbed, stirring regularly. Add nearly all the remaining stock and simmer until the mixture is drying out a little. Test the rice to check texture: if almost cooked, add the seafood and pepper, but if still a little firm, add some more vegetable stock and continue cooking. Once the seafood and pepper have been added, cook for 5–8 minutes to cook through, stirring often to prevent sticking.

Serves 1