recipes to – Eating well can get pushed aside during a packed workday, but a new cookbook argues that smarter choices—more protein and complex carbs—can prevent the blood-sugar crash that leaves people hungry and tired. It offers four practical recipes for quick, sustained
By mid-morning, the same pattern can repeat: a quick bite that feels satisfying at first, then—soon after—hunger returns and energy slips. The cookbook “Executive Eats: The Cookbook for a Better Working Life” puts a name to that feeling and points to a common cause.
The authors say grabbing something like a slice of pizza that’s high in refined carbs but low in protein. fiber. or healthy fats can raise blood sugar and leave you hungry and tired soon after. They argue that a more balanced meal—one that includes protein and complex carbs such as beans or oats—keeps you feeling full for longer and supports more consistent energy levels during the working day.
Adam Kingl and Jakub Radzikowski, both Cordon Bleu-trained chefs, write from the intersection of professional cooking and practical science. Their research projects at respected institutions—including Imperial College London—focus on how excelling at work connects to the real mechanics of what people eat when they’re busy.
The book’s recipes are built for time pressure. It includes oat and banana pancakes for 15 minutes of cooking time, a coffee smoothie that takes 5 to 10 minutes, savoury porridge that cooks in 15 minutes, and a tuna melt designed for 20 minutes.
Oat and banana pancakes are presented as a quick breakfast option for 1 to 2 servings. The ingredients are 1 ripe banana, 2 eggs, 30 grams of oats (about 5 tablespoons), one pinch of salt, and ¼ teaspoon baking powder. Butter is used for frying and serving, with maple syrup for serving. The method starts by blending the banana and eggs in a blender. then adding the oats. salt. and baking powder and blending again until well mixed. Butter is melted in a pan; pancakes cook on one side until bubbles appear on the uncooked surface. then are flipped and cooked for one to two minutes until browned. They’re served warm with butter and maple syrup.
For a different kind of morning boost. the cookbook offers a coffee smoothie for 1 serving with a 5 to 10 minute cooking time. Ingredients include 1 banana (peeled), 120 ml cold coffee, and 60 ml milk. For extra protein, the instructions say to substitute 30 ml Greek yogurt for half the milk. The smoothie also calls for 2 tablespoons peanut butter (or almond butter). 2 teaspoons honey (or agave syrup). and a few ice cubes. Everything goes into a blender, then is blended until smooth and poured into a glass. The authors add that the recipe can be easily doubled or tripled by adjusting the volume of ingredients.
Savoury porridge is another 15-minute option for 1 serving, built around steady, slow-digesting fuel. The ingredients list is specific: 50 g rye flakes (or oat flakes or other grain flakes). 100 ml water. 1 teaspoon butter (or coconut oil / another fat). and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard. It’s finished with freshly ground black pepper and flaky salt. The method begins by adding the water and rye flakes to a small pot. bringing them to a boil. and cooking for 2 to 3 minutes while stirring constantly until thickened. Once cooked, butter and mustard are mixed in, then seasoned with black pepper and salt. The porridge is served warm with a poached or soft-boiled egg and a few more flakes of salt on top.
For a more substantial working meal, the cookbook includes tuna melt, serving 2 people with 20 minutes of cooking time. The recipe uses 4 slices of white bread, with a note to use whole wheat, rye, or sourdough for more fiber. It calls for 1 can of tuna in olive oil. 4 tablespoons sweetcorn kernels. 1 rib celery diced. 1 tablespoon capers in brine drained. 2 tablespoons mayonnaise. 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard. and 1 small red bell pepper seeded and diced. The tuna melt is held together with ½ cup grated Gruyère cheese (100—150 g). plus a little butter or oil for toasting. Ketchup is optional.
The method starts with dicing the celery and the red bell pepper finely, and chopping the capers. In a bowl, the drained tuna, sweetcorn, celery, capers, red bell pepper, mayo, mustard, and cheese are mixed together. The mixture is spread evenly over two slices of the white bread. then closed with another slice of bread for each melt. The tuna melts are toasted by frying in a pan on both sides with a little butter or oil. until the outside is golden and the inside is melted; the recipe also says they can be made using a panini press. Ketchup can be served if you wish.
The point tying all of these recipes together is straightforward: meals designed around protein and complex carbs are meant to keep people fuller for longer—so the workday doesn’t end up running on refined carbs that fade too quickly.
Executive Eats Adam Kingl Jakub Radzikowski nutrition for work energy and focus oat and banana pancakes coffee smoothie savoury porridge tuna melt protein complex carbs Imperial College London
So you’re telling me pizza is the problem? I mean… yeah, probably. I just want something that works without doing all this cooking.
I feel like this is just “eat healthy” with extra steps. But the blood sugar crash thing sounds real though. Like if I just grab a quick carb snack I’m starving again in like an hour. Still, pancakes in 15 minutes?? That’s not my life lol.
Wait is this cookbook saying tuna melt is like a magic fix for being tired at work? Because I already eat tuna and I still have meetings that drain me. Maybe it’s the coffee smoothie part?? Not sure. Also “complex carbs” sounds like beans and oats but what if you hate beans.
This reads like those influencer diet books. Pizza makes you tired because refined carbs but low fiber? They didn’t mention sleep or stress at all. Also 1 banana 2 eggs pancakes… who measures 30 grams of oats, seriously? I’ll just eat whatever is in the break room and call it a day.