4 Healthy Recipes From American Model Turned British Aristocrat Dawn Russell (2024)

Dawn Russell’s life changed dramatically when she was diagnosed with stage 3 (out of 4) lymphatic cancer at the age of 25. After noticing an itchy spot in the shower one day, she went to the dermatologist for a routine office visit and had the mole removed for a biopsy. The results returned with the unfortunate news of a malignant melanoma. “I wouldn’t say I was blasé,” Russell told Rebecca Johnson for the March 2006 issue of Vogue, “but at the time, I in no way thought I was going to die or that I needed to make a will, as I was eventually advised to do.” After multiple surgeries that involved the removal of a cancerous mole and at least 30 lymph nodes, she was declared cancer-free, but her troubles didn’t stop there.

During her fourth surgery, Russell contracted a bone infection that compromised her immune system, preventing her from receiving any form of chemotherapy. Countless doctors visits and attempts at trying alternative forms of medicine led to fruitless results, but she soon realized that what she chose to include in her diet greatly affected how she felt. Greens proved to be the most beneficial, particularly the combination of spinach, spirulina, aloe vera, wheatgrass, blue-green algae, barley grass, chlorella, and kale, which is what her effervescent 8Greens tablet is made out of. It took a total of five years and 263 prototypes (in which her husband, Lord James Russell, tried all of them) before coming up with the final end product.

To find more ways to include this dissolvable disk in her family’s meals, she began cooking with it. And with the stamp of approval from her husband and two beautiful young boys, the former Donna Karan and Ralph Lauren model came up with her latest endeavor, The 8Greens Cookbook. While the majority of these recipes are Russell’s own, she has also teamed up with some incredible talents, like friend Gwyneth Paltrow, nutritionist Kelly LeVeque (who has celebrity clients such as Jessica Alba and Emmy Rossum), and restaurateur Juan Santa Cruz (of London’s Casa Cruz). Below, four exclusive recipes from Russell’s forthcoming book that are not only healthy, but delicious, too.

Gwyneth’s Turkey Meatballs

My boys love to help roll and make the meatballs. However, it can quickly become a sticky mess so please put a little olive oil on the tips of their fingers to prevent a total kitchen disaster.Serves 4

Ingredients:1 beaten egg1 8Greens tablet dissolved in 2 tablespoons almond milk2–3 slices gluten-free bread4 cups turkey mince – or fresh salmon mince1⁄2 onion, finely chopped1⁄2 zucchini, grated or finely chopped1 corn on the cob, kernels sliced off1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder1⁄2 teaspoon Himalayan salt2 medium tomatoes, choppedGluten-free flour, for dustingOlive oil, for frying

Method:Stir together beaten egg and 8Greens milk in a shallow bowl. Add bread slices, turn them around to coat, then leave to soak for a minute or two until bread has softened.

Mix all remaining ingredients except tomatoes together and add soaked bread. Stir everything together until combined, then shape into small balls. Place balls into a bowl of gluten-free flour and roll them around to coat.

Put a little olive oil into a large pan over medium heat and fry meatballs for 10 minutes until browned.

Add chopped tomatoes and cook slowly for 45 minutes until tomatoes have broken down into a thick sauce.

Be Well × 8Greens Spa Smoothie

Be Well is nutritionist Kelly LeVeque. While her list of Hollywood clients include Jessica Alba and Molly Sims, I was most interested in her because she understands the danger of sugar in our bodies. When you first see her, Kelly encourages clients to test their blood throughout the day, like diabetics, so they can better see their insulin swings.Serves 1

Ingredients:1 8Greens tablet dissolved in 1 cup water1 cup coconut milk1 heaping tablespoon vanilla pea protein powder1⁄4 avocado1⁄2 cup peeled and roughly chopped cucumber2 tablespoons chia seedsJuice of 1 lemon1 cup ice

Method:Add all ingredients to a high-powered blender and blend until combined.

Serve.

Paleo 8Greens Blueberry Muffins

Paleo is an amazing way to eat; a diet full of nuts, meat, vegetables and fruits. One must avoid dairy, starches, sugars and alcohol, leaving it very tricky for most to adhere to long-term. Me included. So when my trainer gave me this paleo recipe, both my kids and I loved it. We add manuka honey for moistness. So much better than any store- bought muffin and so easy to make, I promise. I am kitchen challenged and I can make them in no time. A perfect Sunday activity with your kids.Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:3 eggs1 8Greens tablet dissolved in 1⁄2 cup almond milk3 tablespoons coconut oil 2 cups ground almonds1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1 cup blueberries (I use 1 cup in mixture and an extra 1⁄2 cup on top as we like a lot of blueberries)Honey, to serve

Method:Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large mixing bowl, using a hand-held blender, mix together eggs, 8Greens milk and coconut oil. Slowly stir in rest of ingredients until well combined. Divide mixture into a 12-hole muffin pan. I add more blueberries on top.

Bake in oven for 25 minutes.

Transfer muffins in pan to a wire rack to cool.

Once cool, remove from pan and drizzle honey on top for extra flavor. Serve.

8Greens Bloody Mary

Being healthy and taking care of what we put into our body is very important. But constant perfection is an impossible goal: kicking back is just as important. With this in mind I teamed up with Juan Santa Cruz at Casa Cruz in London to see how we could use 8Greens to add some virtuous fizz to a few of my favorite co*cktails.Serves 1

Ingredients1 8Greens tablet3 tablespoons vodka1 teaspoon lemon juice1 tablespoon Worcestershire saucePinch of celery saltPinch of ground pepperDash of tabasco sauce1⁄2 cup tomato juiceIce cubesCelery stalk, olives and cherry tomatoes, to serve

MethodDissolve 8Greens tablet in vodka.

Stir all ingredients together well over ice cubes in a glass.

Garnish with celery stalk, olives and cherry tomatoes – whatever you prefer.

From the book The 8Greens Cookbook: The Simple Way to Get Your Greens by Dawn Russell, copyright © 2017 by Dawn Russell. Reprinted by permission of Penguin Random House UK, a Penguin Random House company.