![\"Joe](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/\/f74e626b-ec6b-4100-a75f-cfd15a77d5fb.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhenever Joe Wicks meets anybody, they want to talk to him about a chicken pie. \u201cThey always say, \u2018Oh, I\u2019ve had your pie this week,\u2019 \u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s from the first book but people still want to make that recipe.\u201d<\/p>\n
That first book was Lean in 15, published in 2015 when Wicks was just another fitness influencer with a YouTube channel. It sold 77,000 copies in its first week \u2014 breaking the record for a cookbook, previously held by Delia Smith. These days, the 40-year-old has 4.7 million Instagram followers on his @thebodycoach account, 2.9 million YouTube subscribers and has produced a shelf\u2019s worth of bestselling cookbooks. During the 2020 Covid lockdown his virtual workouts were beamed around the world. This year he has guest-starred on Dragons\u2019 Den and launched a cartoon workout series for kids \u2014 Activate with Joe Wicks. Now there is another cookbook: Protein in 15 is made up of 80 recipes, of which 17 are vegetarian and four vegan. Everything is easy and quick: a beefburger with sweetcorn relish takes 15 minutes to prepare and 15 to cook. The focus this time is on higher protein. <\/p>\n
With his long hair and the sunshine pouring through the tall windows of the Surrey home he shares with his wife, Rosie, a former model, and their four children, Wicks looks vaguely saint-like. There is a sense of mission about how he speaks too. \u201cIt changes how you feel when you\u2019re putting good food in your body. It really, really makes your life feel much more positive.\u201d<\/p>\n
His children \u2014 Indie, seven, Marley, five, Leni, three, and Dusty, one, whom he and Rosie home school \u2014 get lots of wholegrains, proteins and good fats. The family eat together at about 6pm. \u201cI love things that you can build yourself on the table, things like tacos, burritos. The kids can build their own and it\u2019s fun. <\/p>\n
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Wicks with three of his four children: from left, Leni, Marley and Indie<\/p>\n
MIKE ENGLISH<\/p>\n
\u201cMy two older kids get involved in the kitchen,\u201d he adds. \u201cIt\u2019s stressful, it\u2019s messy, it\u2019s chaotic, it\u2019s not as easy as when I was on my own. But I think it\u2019s an important life skill and they\u2019re more adventurous around the foods they\u2019ve made themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
Things were a bit different when he was a child. \u201cI had a very unhealthy diet,\u201d he says. (He still loves sugar: \u201cI really struggle to eat in moderation.\u201d) Wicks grew up in Epsom in Surrey with his mother, Raquela \u2014 a social worker who suffered from OCD and eating disorders \u2014 and his brothers, Nikki and George. Their father, Gary, a roofer, was a heroin addict who was in and out of rehab and their lives. Family meals were usually \u201cjust thrown in the oven, thrown in the microwave\u201d. He has called his childhood chaotic but said that both his parents always made him feel loved, and has spoken of the compassion he has for his father. In 2020 he told Desert Island Discs that \u201cbecause of my dad\u2019s life, I didn\u2019t go near [drugs]. I was scared of it and I got into exercise and fitness, and so his mistake changed my life.\u201d<\/p>\n
We need protein for building muscle, supporting our immune systems and maintaining healthy bones. But Big Protein has pulled off a marketing masterclass and Wicks is out to challenge it. Scan food shop shelves and you\u2019ll see protein added to everything from cereal to tomato soup. Searching for \u201cprotein\u201d on the Tesco website pulls up more than 200 results including bagels, Babybels and even \u201chigh protein noodles\u201d. Wicks calls the protein label a \u201chealth halo\u201d that confers the sense that \u201cif you add protein, it\u2019s good for you\u201d. In fact, these are mostly ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and often not very good for you at all. <\/p>\n
\u2022 Joe Wicks: My fight against UPFs and why fat jabs aren\u2019t the answer<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cProtein crisps, protein bars, protein cereal, protein chocolate bars\u2026 There\u2019s nothing wrong with that now and again, but I wouldn\u2019t rely on it as your main protein source. Nothing beats whole ingredients, real food, a complete amino acid profile. The body uses it better.\u201d <\/p>\n He believes we\u2019ve \u201clost touch with cooking\u201d and are paralysed by our confusing modern food system. He does not demonise any parents. \u201cPeople are busier and probably more stressed than ever, and that\u2019s why convenience foods win. All parents care about what we give our kids, but when you\u2019re both working and you\u2019re in and out of the house, these products they\u2019re very easy to make and feel like the right solution.\u201d <\/p>\n Nor does it help that we\u2019re in an era of rising food prices. \u201cEverything\u2019s mad expensive,\u201d he says. But \u201cI think people have sort of tricked themselves into believing that you cannot eat well on a budget\u201d. You can, he believes, especially if you put the money normally spent on meal deals, snacks, coffees, croissants and takeaways into ingredients for a meal plan for the week.<\/p>\n Wicks doesn\u2019t track his calories and swears he doesn\u2019t stick to a \u201cfixed\u201d diet. \u201cI\u2019m not zero-UPF, I\u2019m not zero-carb, I\u2019m not pure meat and veg,\u201d he says. \u201cI just have a bit of a balance. I think that is the most important thing.\u201d \u2022 Joe Wicks: \u2018We had a chaotic childhood \u2014 Dad was a heroin addict\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n Lentil, chickpeas and broccoli with halloumi This makes the ultimate healthy veggie lunch on the go. <\/p>\n Protein 40g Serves 4<\/p>\n Ingredients<\/p>\n \u2022 300g Tenderstem broccoli For the legume mix <\/p>\n \u2022 1 tbsp olive oil For the dressing <\/p>\n \u2022 1 tbsp red wine vinegar Method<\/p>\n 1. Heat the oven to 180C fan\/gas 6 and line a large baking tray with baking paper. <\/p>\n 2. Toss the broccoli with a drizzle of olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Spread it out evenly on the lined tray and roast in the oven for 10-12 min, until tender. Remove and set aside. <\/p>\n 3. While the broccoli is in the oven, fry the halloumi. Heat a drizzle of the olive oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add half of the halloumi slices \u2014 frying is best done in batches so they\u2019ve got space to crisp up nicely \u2014 and cook for about 4 min (2 min on each side), until golden all over. Repeat with the remaining halloumi slices. Season with pepper and sprinkle with the lemon zest. Set aside. <\/p>\n 4. For the legume mix, heat the oil in the same pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 1-2 min, stirring regularly, until soft and caramelised. Squeeze in the juice of your zested lemon to deglaze the pan, then add the lentils, chickpeas and red peppers, stirring well to combine, and gently warm through. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm. <\/p>\n 5. Make the dressing by whisking together the vinegar and oil in a small bowl. <\/p>\n 6. Serve the legume mix with the roasted broccoli. Drizzle the dressing over and top with the lemony halloumi. Serve with lemon wedges alongside for an extra squeeze of zing.<\/p>\n Pork chops with mash, beans and greens If you haven\u2019t cooked pork chops in a while, give this recipe a go. The creamy mash alongside the buttered beans and greens is spot-on. <\/p>\n Protein 73g Serves 4<\/p>\n Ingredients<\/p>\n \u2022 4 pork chops (about 1.2kg total) For the quick-pickled red onion <\/p>\n \u2022 \u00bc red onion, very thinly sliced For the mash <\/p>\n \u2022 3-4 floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper (about 600g peeled weight), peeled and cut into 2cm dice For the buttered beans and greens <\/p>\n \u2022 200ml chicken stock (made with \u00bd stock cube) Method<\/p>\n 1. Lay out the thin slices of red onion in a large shallow bowl. Drizzle over the vinegar, toss to coat and leave to pickle for 20-25 min, stirring every now and again. <\/p>\n 2. Meanwhile, make the mash. Put the diced potatoes in a large saucepan of water and bring to the boil, then cook for about 25 min until tender. Drain in a colander, then transfer to a large bowl and mash well. Stir in the Dijon mustard and cr\u00e8me fra\u00eeche and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm. <\/p>\n 3. At the same time, cook the pork chops and greens. Sprinkle the pork chops with the dried sage and garlic powder and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over a little olive oil and brush to evenly coat. Heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, then cook the chops for 4-5 min on each side. Keep warm. <\/p>\n 4. For the buttered greens, heat the chicken stock in a large saucepan or frying pan over a high heat. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2-3 min until it has reduced by half. Reduce the heat to low, add the butter, beans and petits pois, then cook for 2-3 min. Remove the pan from the heat and tip in all the rocket, stirring well to wilt. <\/p>\n 5. Serve the buttered greens (and pan juices) with the pork chops on top and the mash alongside. Drain the red onion and scatter it over the pork for a delicious, acidic bite with every forkful. Season with more salt and pepper, if needed.<\/p>\n Thai-style seafood broth with egg noodles If you love hot, spicy and sour food, then this one is for you. <\/p>\n Protein 49g Serves 4<\/p>\n Ingredients <\/p>\n \u2022 1 tbsp olive oil For the broth infusion<\/p>\n \u2022 1\u00bc litres fish stock (made with 2\u00bd fish stock cubes or pots) Method<\/p>\n 1. Start with the broth, as it needs time to infuse. Pour the fish stock into a large saucepan, add the garlic, ginger, lemongrass, lime leaves and chilli, then bring to a rapid boil for 2 min. Remove the pan completely from the heat and set aside for 10 min to infuse. <\/p>\n 2. While the broth is infusing, heat the olive oil in a large, high-sided frying pan or wok over a medium-high heat, then add the sliced bok choy and cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 min until slightly softened. Strain the infused broth through a sieve directly into the pan of bok choy, discarding the contents of the sieve. Stir the fish sauce, soy sauce, tamarind paste and lime juice into the pan. <\/p>\n 3. When it starts to simmer, turn the heat down to medium and tip in all the prawns and fish chunks. Poach gently for 5-6 min until the fish is cooked through and the prawns have turned pink, stirring occasionally to ensure everything cooks evenly. <\/p>\n 4. In the last 4-5 min, cook the egg noodles according to the packet instructions \u2014 usually placing the nests in a large heatproof bowl, pouring over boiling-hot kettle water and leaving for 4-5 min, or cooking in a saucepan of simmering water for about 4 min: check the packaging as brands differ. <\/p>\n 5. Drain the noodles and divide among four bowls. Ladle over the broth and seafood and top with coriander and sliced chilli. <\/p>\n Meatballs, minty lentils and feta Shop-bought meatballs are a great time-saver. <\/p>\n Protein 58g Serves 2<\/p>\n Ingredients <\/p>\n \u2022 12 beef meatballs For the dressing <\/p>\n \u2022 2 tbsp olive oil To serve (optional) <\/p>\n \u2022 2 tbsp plain yoghurt, preferably Greek Method<\/p>\n 1. Heat the oven to 200C fan\/gas 7 and line a baking tray with baking paper. <\/p>\n 2. Spread the meatballs out on the lined tray, drizzle with the olive oil, toss to coat and cook in the oven for 15-18 min, until cooked through. <\/p>\n 3. Combine the lentils, cucumber, spinach and feta in a bowl. Divide between two serving bowls or plates and top with the meatballs. <\/p>\n 4. Make the dressing by whisking together all the ingredients in a small bowl and seasoning to taste. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and finish with a spoonful of yoghurt (if using), along with a scattering of pomegranate seeds (if using) and some extra mint.<\/p>\n
By Phoebe Luckhurst<\/p>\n![\"Halloumi](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/\/016accce-2ea6-43a7-8ea9-de39e54b06d5.jpg\")
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Prep 10 min
Cook 15 min <\/p>\n
\u2022 3 tbsp olive oil
\u2022 Salt and pepper
\u2022 450g halloumi cheese, cut into 1cm slices and patted dry
\u2022 Finely grated zest of 1 lemon <\/p>\n
\u2022 1 red onion, finely chopped
\u2022 2 garlic cloves, crushed
\u2022 Juice of 1 lemon
\u2022 235g ready-cooked lentils (drained weight)
\u2022 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
\u2022 100g chargrilled red peppers (from a jar), drained and chopped
\u2022 Lemon wedges, to serve <\/p>\n
\u2022 3 tbsp olive oil <\/p>\n![\"Plates](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/\/3b4d9b9f-f31a-49b1-83f9-62c75dd29c57.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Prep 15 min
Cook 25 min <\/p>\n
\u2022 1 tsp dried sage
\u2022 1 tsp garlic powder
\u2022 Salt and freshly ground black pepper
\u2022 Drizzle of olive oil<\/p>\n
\u2022 3 tbsp red wine vinegar <\/p>\n
\u2022 2 tsp Dijon mustard
\u2022 60g cr\u00e8me fra\u00eeche<\/p>\n
\u2022 10g butter
\u2022 1 x 400g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
\u2022 150g frozen petits pois
\u2022 50g wild rocket<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/\/a187a84f-7ec1-4c7f-8523-5fd9fd282081.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Prep 10 min
Cook 10 min, plus infusing <\/p>\n
\u2022 200g bok choy, thinly sliced
\u2022 2 tbsp fish sauce
\u2022 1 tbsp soy sauce
\u2022 2 tbsp tamarind paste
\u2022 Juice of 2 limes (about 1 tbsp)
\u2022 450g raw, shelled king prawns, defrosted if frozen
\u2022 250g skinless white fish fillets, cut into 2cm chunks
\u2022 4 nests of dried egg noodles
\u2022 A generous handful of coriander leaves, to serve <\/p>\n
\u2022 4 garlic cloves (no need to peel), smashed with the back of a knife
\u2022 30g fresh ginger (no need to peel), roughly sliced
\u2022 2 lemongrass stalks, halved lengthways and smashed once or twice with a pestle
\u2022 3 fresh lime leaves (or 2 dried)
\u2022 1 large red chilli, halved lengthways, plus extra thinly sliced chilli to serve <\/p>\n![\"Meatball](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/\/41eb1f26-c7ab-419b-8846-556c3473d7d6.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Prep 15 min
Cook 20 min <\/p>\n
\u2022 1 tbsp olive oil
\u2022 235g ready-cooked lentils (drained, if using tinned)
\u2022 1 baby cucumber, diced
\u2022 50g baby spinach
\u2022 30g feta cheese, crumbled <\/p>\n
\u2022 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
\u2022 1 garlic clove, crushed
\u2022 Handful of mint leaves, finely chopped, plus extra to serve
\u2022 Salt and pepper <\/p>\n
\u2022 30g pomegranate seeds <\/p>\n
![\"Smoky](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/\/042c0e49-cefc-46a8-8780-f0e61fbfe7db.jpg\")
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