“What’s the point? Are you going to maintain that forever? I don’t count calories, I don’t want to encourage my daughters to do it,” she says. “Really, we can all tell when we feel full, or if we overeat.”

Instead, the 53-year-old wants to teach them not to “judge themselves too harshly”.

“I was an awkward and gangly teenager, I’d run down to the beach holding the lilo in front of me, because I felt embarrassed in a swimsuit,” she says. “Then I entered a world where people were not eating food because they were being told their weight might be an issue.

Now Daly has released her first health and cookery book, 4 Steps To A Happier, Healthier You. In it, she shares the affordable and accessible hacks that help her feel good, from nutrition and exercise, to breathing and sleeping.


Fill-me-up Funky Frittata

(Prep 15 mins, cook 40 mins)

Credits: PA;

Ingredients

(Serves 4)

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 green pepper (or another red pepper), diced

2 red onions, cut into wedges

1 courgette, diced

2tbsp olive oil

15g butter

1 red chilli, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

½tsp ground turmeric

A few sprigs of soft herbs (basil, coriander, mint, tarragon, anything you like), shredded

75g frozen peas, defrosted

6 eggs, well beaten

200g feta, cubed

Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C/gas 6. Put the sweet potato, peppers, onion and courgette in a roasting tin and drizzle over half the oil. Season with salt and pepper, then cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and check the vegetables are tender, then continue to cook, uncovered, for a further 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil and butter in a large non-stick frying pan or well-seasoned skillet. Add the chilli and garlic and sauté for two to three minutes, just to take away the harsh raw flavour from the garlic. Stir in the turmeric.

3. Add the roast vegetables, the herbs and the peas, and stir to coat in the oil. Season the eggs with salt and pepper, then pour this around the vegetables. Top with the cheese.

4. Preheat your grill to medium-high. Cook the frittata over a high heat until you can see the underside has set and browned, then transfer to the grill and continue to cook until the eggs are set and have puffed up slightly. The cheese will be soft and creamy.

5. Leave to stand for a few minutes, then carefully cut into wedges. Good hot or cold.


Potato Pesto Pasta – Perfection

(Prep 10 mins, cook 10 mins)

Credits: PA;

Ingredients

(Serves 4)

300g pasta

300g salad or new potatoes, sliced

1 leek, sliced into 5mm rounds

150g asparagus tips, sliced on the diagonal or 1 courgette, thinly sliced

Salt

For the pesto:

50g basil leaves

½ garlic clove

25g pine nuts

25g Parmesan or vegetarian alternative

A pinch of salt

50ml olive oil

To finish:

A squeeze of lemon juice

Freshly grated Parmesan

Method

1. First, make the pesto. Put the basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts and Parmesan in a food processor with a pinch of salt. Pulse, pushing down regularly, until the basil starts to break down, then drizzle in the oil until you have a bright green, slightly textured paste.

2. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and add a heaped teaspoon of salt. Add the pasta and potatoes and cook for around eight minutes, then add the leek.

3. Continue to cook until the pasta and potatoes are just al dente, then add the asparagus or courgette and cook just for another minute. Drain the pasta and vegetables, and return to the saucepan.

4. Stir in the pesto, then taste. Add a squeeze of lemon, if you like, then serve with more Parmesan sprinkled over.


Tess’s Tremendous Turkey Burgers

(Prep 20 mins plus chilling, cook 20 mins)

Credits: PA;

Ingredients

(Serves 4)

For the burgers:

2tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, very finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, crushed

500g turkey mince

50g frozen sweetcorn, defrosted

50g frozen peas, defrosted

A few sprigs of coriander, very finely chopped

50g breadcrumbs (preferably wholemeal)

25g thick live yogurt

1 egg

Salt and black pepper

To assemble:

50g Cheddar cheese or similar, grated (optional)

1 large avocado, peeled and sliced

Juice of 1 lime

4 burger buns or large lettuce leaves

2tbsp pickled jalapeños

A few salad leaves

1 large tomato, thinly sliced

Method

1. First, make the burgers. Heat half the oil in a frying pan and add the onion. Sauté on a medium-low heat until the onion is soft and translucent, then add the garlic. Stir for another minute or two, then remove from the heat and leave to cool.

2. Put the turkey mince in a bowl with the onion and garlic mixture, and all the remaining burger ingredients. Season well and mix thoroughly. The easiest way to do this is with your hands. The mixture will feel very soft to start with – keep turning it over in your hands and lightly kneading it until it starts to feel firmer.

3. Divide the mixture into four and shape into large patties. Chill in the fridge for an hour, if possible – this will make them easier to handle when you cook them.

4. When you’re ready to cook the burgers, remove them from the fridge. Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan and add the burgers, well-spaced out. Fry for several minutes on each side – you will know when they are ready to flip as they will look cooked up the sides and will come away cleanly from the pan. Make sure they are completely cooked through. If you have a probe thermometer, they should read 72°C, or if you insert the tip of a knife, it should be almost too hot to press between your fingers for longer than a second.

5. If adding the cheese, arrange over the burgers and cover with a lid to help it melt.

6. To assemble, toss the avocado with the lime juice. Place a burger on the bottom half of a bun, then top with the avocado, jalapeños, salad leaves and tomato. Serve with any other condiments you like.

Credits: PA;

4 Steps To A Happier, Healthier You by Tess Daly is published by Bantam. Available now.