Sweet & Spicy Popcorn

Ready in under 10 minutes, this snack is great eaten warm or stored as a snack to stave off hunger between meals

• Cooking Time Prep 5 mins
  Cook 2 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 2

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  275

• Protein

  3.8g

• Carbs

  35.1g

• Fat

  13.6g

• Saturates

  6g

• Fibre

  5g

• Sugar

  9g

• Salt

  0.9g

Ingredients

• 100g bag salted microwave popcorn
• ¼ tsp chilli powder
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp agave syrup

Directions

1. Cook the microwave popcorn according to the packet instructions. Tip into a large bowl. Sprinkle over the spices, then pour over the agave syrup. Stir and serve warm or pour into a bag and take to work as an afternoon snack.

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Smashed Bean Dip

Dip vegetable crudits into this low-fat, moreish dip for a superhealthy snack fix

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 4 portions

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  172

• Protein

  11g

• Carbs

  22g

• Fat

  5g

• Saturates

  1g

• Fibre

  6g

• Sugar

  3g

• Salt

  1.04g

Ingredients

• 400g can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• juice 2 lemons, zest 1
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 100ml Greek yogurt

Directions

1. Put half the beans and chickpeas into a food processor with the lemon juice, garlic, cumin and yogurt, then whizz until smooth. Tip in the rest of the beans and pulse once to get a very chunky dip. Stir in the lemon zest and plenty of seasoning, then divide between 4 containers and store in the fridge.

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Chipotle Black Bean Soup With Lime-Pickled Onions

Use storecupboard pulses in this healthy, Mexican-inspired soup - freshen it up with sweet onions, coriander and soured cream

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 25 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 2

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  190

• Protein

  9g

• Carbs

  26g

• Fat

  5g

• Saturates

  1g

• Fibre

  10g

• Sugar

  6g

• Salt

  0.8g

Ingredients

• juice 2 limes
• 2 small red onions, thinly sliced
• ½ tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ½ tbsp ground cumin
• ½ tbsp smoked paprika
• ½ tbsp chipotle paste, or Tabasco, to taste
• 400g can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 400ml vegetable stock
• half-fat soured cream, to serve
• coriander leaves, to serve
• crisp tortilla chips, to serve

Directions

1. To make the lime-pickled onions, combine ½ the lime juice and ½ the onions in a small bowl, and season. Leave to pickle for 30 mins.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the garlic and remaining onions, and season. Cook for 8 mins or until the onions are translucent. Add the spices and chipotle purée, cook for 1 min, then add the beans, stock and remaining lime juice. Simmer for 15 mins, then purée in a blender.
3. Pour the soup into a clean pan to reheat. Serve with a little of the drained pickled onions, topped with a small drizzle of soured cream and some coriander, and the tortillas on the side.

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Springtime Minestrone

This simple soup makes the most of Spring veg and will become a favourite standby for a quick lunch or supper

• Cooking Time Prep 5 mins
  Cook 5 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  125

• Protein

  8g

• Carbs

  16g

• Fat

  4g

• Saturates

  1g

• Fibre

  4g

• Sugar

  3g

• Salt

  0.7g

Ingredients

• 200g mixed green vegetables (we used asparagus, broad beans and spring onions)
• 700ml hot vegetable stock
• 140g cooked pasta (spaghetti works well, chopped into small pieces)
• 215g can butter beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 tbsp green pesto

Directions

1. Place the green vegetables in a medium-size saucepan, then pour over the stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are cooked through, about 3 mins. Stir in the cooked pasta, beans and 1 tbsp of pesto. Warm through, then ladle into bowls and top each with another drizzle of pesto.

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Pea & Artichoke Houmous

Impress your friends with this fresh summery twist on houmous

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  69

• Protein

  2g

• Carbs

  3g

• Fat

  6g

• Saturates

  1g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  1g

• Salt

  0.05g

Ingredients

• 140g frozen petits pois
• 100g artichoke hearts from a jar or can
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• small handful mint leaves

Directions

1. Tip the peas into a bowl and pour over boiling water to cover. Leave for 5 mins, then drain well and tip into a food processor with all the other ingredients and seasoning. Pulse to make a rough purée, then spoon into a small bowl. Cover with cling film, chill until ready to serve.

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Minestrone In Minutes

Whip up a main-meal soup in next to no time, perfect for a quick lunch and ready in just 10 minutes

• Cooking Time Prep 2 mins
  
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  162

• Protein

  8g

• Carbs

  30g

• Fat

  2g

• Saturates

  0g

• Fibre

  6g

• Sugar

  8g

• Salt

  0.54g

Ingredients

• 1l hot vegetable stock
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 100g thin spaghetti, broken into short lengths
• 350g frozen mixed vegetables
• 4 tbsp pesto
• drizzle of olive oil
• coarsely grated vegetarian parmesan-style cheese, to serve

Directions

1. Bring the stock to the boil with the tomatoes, then add the spaghetti and cook for 6 mins or until done. A few minutes before the pasta is ready, add the vegetables and bring back to the boil. Simmer for 2 mins until everything is cooked.
2. Serve in bowls drizzled with pesto and oil, sprinkled with parmesan.

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Steak Roasted Pepper & Pearl Barley Salad

A vibrant salad packed with yellow and red peppers, colourful onion, beef cooked to your liking and healthy grains

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 2

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  498

• Protein

  38g

• Carbs

  48g

• Fat

  17g

• Saturates

  5g

• Fibre

  6g

• Sugar

  13g

• Salt

  0.2g

Ingredients

• 85g pearl barley, rinsed
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into strips
• 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and cut into strips
• 1 red onion, cut into 8 wedges, leaving root intact
• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra
• 1 large lean steak, around 300g, trimmed of any excess fat
• ½ x 100g bag watercress, roughly chopped
• juice ½ lemon, plus wedges to serve (optional)

Directions

1. Put the pearl barley in a large pan of water. Bring to the boil and cook vigorously for 25-30 mins or until tender. Drain thoroughly and transfer to a bowl.
2. Meanwhile, heat oven to 200C/ 180C fan/gas 6. Put the peppers on a baking tray with the onion wedges, toss in 1 tbsp olive oil and roast for about 20 mins until tender.
3. While the peppers are roasting, rub the steak with a little bit of oil and season. Cook in a non-stick frying pan for 3-4 mins each side, or to your liking. Set aside to rest for a few mins. Mix the cooked peppers and onions into the barley. Stir though the watercress, lemon juice and some seasoning. Thinly slice the steaks, place on top of the salad and serve with lemon wedges, if you like.

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Cannellini Bean & Egg Salad With Crispy Crumbs

This healthy salad has lots of textures - soft beans, crunchy breadcrumbs, creamy egg and crispy Little Gem lettuce

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 10 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 2

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  333

• Protein

  20g

• Carbs

  26g

• Fat

  17g

• Saturates

  4g

• Fibre

  10g

• Sugar

  6g

• Salt

  0.7g

Ingredients

• 2 medium eggs
• 8 spring onions, trimmed (remove the root and half of the dark green part)
• 1½ tbsp olive oil
• 1 slice wholemeal bread, broken into chunky breadcrumbs
• 400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• juice ½ lemon
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• ½ small red onion, finely chopped
• handful parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 Little Gem lettuce, roughly chopped

Directions

1. Cook the eggs in boiling water for 6 mins, or longer if you prefer them hard-boiled. Add the spring onions for the final 3 mins of cooking. Remove and run both under cold water. When cool enough to handle, pat the spring onions dry and peel the eggs.
2. Meanwhile, heat ½ tbsp of the oil in a non-stick frying pan. Tip in breadcrumbs and season. Fry for 3-4 mins until crisp and golden, then set aside.
3. Toss the spring onions with the beans, lemon juice, mustard, red onion, parsley, remaining oil and lettuce. Season and arrange halved boiled eggs on top. Sprinkle with the crumbs and eat straight away.

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Hot Chickpeas With Spinach & Bacon

Bored with the same old sandwich at lunchtime? Try this quick and easy low fat snack

• Cooking Time Ready in 7 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 1

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  97

• Protein

  9g

• Carbs

  9g

• Fat

  3g

• Saturates

  1g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  0g

• Salt

  1.54g

Ingredients

• 1 rasher lean back bacon
• 1 thinly sliced garlic clove
• 1 tbsp wine vinegar
• 2-3 tbsp canned chickpeas, drained and washed
• ½ bag baby leaf spinach

Directions

1. Cut the bacon rasher into shreds and cook in a hot non-stick pan with the garlic clove. Stir in the wine vinegar and chickpeas. Toss in the baby leaf spinach, stirring until wilted. Season if you want to, then serve hot.

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Broad Beans With Tomatoes & Anchovies

Gloriously colourful broad beans with tomatoes and anchovies, perfect with spring lamb

• Cooking Time Ready in 20-25 minutes
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  161

• Protein

  7g

• Carbs

  11g

• Fat

  10g

• Saturates

  1g

• Fibre

  7g

• Sugar

  0g

• Salt

  0.34g

Ingredients

• 1.3kg young broad beans in the pod (to give about 350g/12oz shelled beans)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 450g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 6 spring onions, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 4-6 anchovy fillets, chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh marjoram or parsley

Directions

1. Blanch the shelled beans in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain into a sieve and hold under running cold water to cool them down quickly. Drain again and peel off the outer hard skins-make a nick in the tops and pop the beans out.
2. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan until very hot, add the tomatoes and sauté over a high heat until the juices begin to run and caramelise. Tip in the spring onions and garlic and cook over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes until the onions just begin to soften and the garlic begins to turn golden. Now add the beans and sauté for 1-2 minutes until heated through. Stir in the anchovies so they break up, season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then stir in the marjoram or parsley and serve.

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