Sweet Potato & Lentil Soup

Satisfying and simple to make, homemade soup is a great supper or take-to-work lunch

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 25 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  287

• Protein

  9g

• Carbs

  49g

• Fat

  8g

• Saturates

  2g

• Fibre

  6g

• Sugar

  17g

• Salt

  0.71g

Ingredients

• 2 tsp medium curry powder
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions, grated
• 1 eating apple, peeled, cored and grated
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 20g pack coriander, stalks chopped
• thumb-size piece fresh root ginger, grated
• 800g sweet potatoes
• 1.2l vegetable stock
• 100g red lentils
• 300ml milk
• juice 1 lime

Directions

1. Put the curry powder into a large saucepan, then toast over a medium heat for 2 mins. Add the olive oil, stirring as the spice sizzles in the pan. Tip in the onions, apple, garlic, coriander stalks and ginger, season, then gently cook for 5 mins, stirring every so often.
2. Meanwhile, peel, then grate the sweet potatoes. Tip into the pan with the stock, lentils, milk and seasoning, then simmer, covered, for 20 mins. Blend until smooth using a stick blender. Stir in the lime juice, check the seasoning and serve, topped with roughly-chopped coriander leaves.

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Hot-Smoked Salmon Lentil & Pomegranate Salad

No-cook, no-effort, but you won't miss out on flavour with this vibrant supper for two

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

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  382

• Protein

  27g

• Carbs

  31g

• Fat

  18g

• Saturates

  3g

• Fibre

  11g

• Sugar

  13g

• Salt

  3.19g

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• juice ½ lemon
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp roughly chopped tarragon
• 1 tsp clear honey
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 400g can Puy lentils, rinsed and drained
• 140g hot-smoked salmon
• 20g pack flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked
• 1 pomegranate, seeds removed
• toasted pitta bread, to serve

Directions

1. Combine the oil, lemon juice, garlic, tarragon and honey in a large bowl and season. Toss in the red onion and lentils and set aside to marinate for 10 mins.
2. Break the salmon into large flakes and fold into the salad with the parsley and pomegranate. Serve with toasted pitta.

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Prawn Sweet Chilli Noodle Salad

This low-fat salad is is great for a picnic, lunchbox or even a buffet

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 5 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4 - 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  267

• Protein

  20g

• Carbs

  39g

• Fat

  5g

• Saturates

  1g

• Fibre

  5g

• Sugar

  12g

• Salt

  2.18g

Ingredients

• 3 nests medium egg noodles
• ½ large cucumber
• bunch spring onions, finely sliced
• 100g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 green chilli, deseeded, finely chopped
• 200g cooked king prawns, defrosted if frozen
• zest and juice 2 limes
• 4 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
• 100g baby spinach leaves
• 25g roasted cashews

Directions

1. Boil the noodles for 4 mins, then drain. Cool under running water, then drain again. Put into a large bowl, then using scissors, cut into shorter lengths.
2. Halve cucumber lengthways, then scoop out the seeds. Slice into halfmoons and add to the noodles with the onions, tomatoes, chilli and prawns.
3. Mix the lime zest, juice and chilli sauce to make a dressing and fold through noodles. Put a handful of spinach onto each serving plate, top with the noodles and cashews.

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Roasted Veg & Couscous Salad

Throw together a filling and fragrant couscous salad for a vegetarian lunchbox meal, or double it for a buffet

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 40 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  399

• Protein

  11g

• Carbs

  58g

• Fat

  18g

• Saturates

  2g

• Fibre

  5g

• Sugar

  14g

• Salt

  0.86g

Ingredients

• 1 red and 1 yellow pepper, halved and deseeded
• ½ butternut squash
• 2 courgettes, thickly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, leave skin on
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 red onion, thickly sliced
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp harissa paste
• 50g whole blanched almonds
• 250g couscous
• 300ml hot vegetable stock
• zest and juice 1 lemon
• 20g pack mint, roughly chopped

Directions

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cut peppers and squash into bite-size pieces (leave skin on the squash). Tip all the veg into a baking tray, add garlic, 2 tbsp oil and seasoning, then mix and roast for 20 mins. Add onion, cumin, harissa and almonds. Roast for another 20 mins, then cool.
2. Put couscous into a large bowl, pour over the stock, cover, then set aside for 10 mins. Fluff up with a fork.
3. In a bowl, mix zest, juice and remaining oil. Squeeze garlic pulp from skins into the bowl, mash well and fold in the mint. Pour over the veg, then toss with the couscous.

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Smoky Beef Stew

Enjoy this simple stew for dinner, then pack into boxes to keep you going for lunches

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 3 hrs
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 6-8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  341

• Protein

  42g

• Carbs

  18g

• Fat

  12g

• Saturates

  5g

• Fibre

  4g

• Sugar

  11g

• Salt

  0.92g

Ingredients

• 1kg stewing beef, cut into large chunks
• 2 onions, chopped
• 800g (2 cans) chopped tomatoes
• 2 tsp each sweet paprika, ground cumin and mild chilli powder
• 2 tbsp red or white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 400g can butter beans, rinsed and drained

Directions

1. Heat oven to 160C/ 140C fan/gas 3. Mix the beef, onions, tomatoes, spices, vinegar and sugar in a casserole dish. Cover and bake for 2½ hrs. Stir in the beans and bake for 30 mins more (with the lid off if the casserole is a little wet or lid on if good consistency), until the beef is tender.
2. Cool, then freeze in 6-8 portions in small food bags or plastic containers. Defrost in microwave or overnight in fridge, then heat in the morning and transfer to a thermos container, or heat in the microwave at lunchtime.

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Favourite Pasta Salad

A low-fat, zesty salad, perfect for a summer lunchbox - vary with your favourite ingredients

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 12 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 4 portions

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  292

• Protein

  10g

• Carbs

  51g

• Fat

  7g

• Saturates

  1g

• Fibre

  4g

• Sugar

  3g

• Salt

  0.02g

Ingredients

• 250g pasta shapes
• 140g frozen peas
• pack parsley, chopped
• small pack chives, snipped
• zest and juice 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• extra ingredients (see ideas below)

Directions

1. Cook the pasta, adding the peas for final 2 mins cooking time. Drain, rinse with cold water to cool, then drain again. Tip into a bowl with the chopped herbs, lemon zest and juice, olive oil and plenty of seasoning and mix well. Cover and chill, spooning out portions as and when. If you're making this for one person, by days 3 and 4 you'll need to stir in a little olive oil or something creamy to loosen the pasta.

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Chicken Sweetcorn & Noodle Soup

This superhealthy bowl can be made ahead and frozen, ready to be defrosted and used when you need it most

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 1 hr, 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  288

• Protein

  25g

• Carbs

  28g

• Fat

  9g

• Saturates

  3g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  5g

• Salt

  0.71g

Ingredients

• 2 large carrots, chopped
• 2 large leeks, trimmed and finely sliced
• 2 corn on the cobs, corn kernels cut off
• 200g vermicelli noodles
• small bunch parsley, finely chopped
• For the stock
• 2 onions, quartered
• 1 leek, cut into chunks
• 2 carrots, thickly sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 black peppercorns
• parsley stalks
• 4 celery sticks, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp vegetable bouillon or 1 vegetable stock cube
• 1.3kg chicken

Directions

1. Put all the stock ingredients and the chicken in a very large saucepan, then cover everything with about 3 litres cold water. Bring to the boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for 1 hr-1½ hrs, until the chicken is cooked through. Skim off any froth every 20 mins or so. Remove the chicken to a plate to cool. Strain the stock through a sieve, skimming off as much fat as you can.
2. Rinse out the pan and put the stock back in, then simmer on a high heat until reduced a little-you need about 2 litres in total. Add the carrots and leeks, then simmer for 10 mins.
3. Meanwhile, shred the meat from the chicken, discarding the skin and bones. Add to the pan with the sweetcorn. Add the vermicelli noodles, unless you want to freeze the soup, and simmer for about 7 mins more, until the corn and pasta is cooked. Ladle into bowls, sprinkled with the parsley. To freeze, allow the soup to cool completely before freezing (see tip), and when you're ready to eat, allow the soup to defrost before bringing it back to a gentle simmer in a pan. Add the noodles and simmer until cooked.

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Courgette Broccoli & Gremolata Pasta

Lovely, light and perfect for warmer evenings - use up leftovers in a summery salad

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 15 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  390

• Protein

  16g

• Carbs

  79g

• Fat

  4g

• Saturates

  1g

• Fibre

  5g

• Sugar

  4g

• Salt

  0.04g

Ingredients

• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• zest 2 lemons, plus a squeeze of juice
• small bunch parsley, finely chopped
• 200g broccoli, broken into florets
• 400g pasta bows or other shapes
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 courgettes, chopped

Directions

1. To make the gremolata, mix the garlic, lemon zest and juice with the parsley and some seasoning.
2. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, add the broccoli and cook for 2-3 mins until just tender. Use a slotted spoon to remove, then set aside. Bring the water back to the boil, add the pasta and cook following pack instructions.
3. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, add the courgettes and cook over a high heat for 3-4 mins until starting to turn golden, tip in the broccoli and continue to cook for 1 min until warmed through.
4. Drain the pasta, reserving about 2 tbsp of the cooking water, then add pasta and cooking water to the pan with the vegetables and the gremolata. Mix well and serve.

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The Ultimate Makeover Salmon En Crote

Angela Nilsen makes a super healthy version of the classic pastry wrapped fish parcel without losing the wow factor

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  Cook 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  331

• Protein

  26.6g

• Carbs

  11.6g

• Fat

  20.2g

• Saturates

  4.1g

• Fibre

  1.1g

• Sugar

  1g

• Salt

  0.47g

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 large shallots, finely chopped
• 140g chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• juice ½ lemon
• 100g packet watercress, chopped
• 2 tbsp snipped dill
• 1 tbsp snipped chive
• 2½ tbsp half fat crème fraîche
• 6 sheets filo pastry each about 38 x 30cm (125g total weight)
• 2 x 350g skinned salmon fillets

Directions

1. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Tip in the shallots and fry for 2-3 mins to soften, then add the mushrooms and garlic, and stir-fry over a high heat for another 3-4 mins, or until the mushrooms and shallots are golden and any liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated. Pour in the lemon juice-after a few seconds, that should have evaporated too. Remove from the heat, then stir in the watercress so it wilts in the warmth from the pan (see step 1). Stir in the dill and chives, and season with a little salt and pepper. Leave to cool.
2. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. When the mushroom mix is cool, stir in the crème fraîche. Lay one of the filo sheets on the worktop with the short end facing you. Brush all over with a little of the remaining oil. Layer up 4 more of the filo sheets in the same way, brushing each with a little of the oil.
3. Lay one of the salmon fillets, skin-side up, across the width of the filo, positioning it about one-third of the way up. Season it with pepper. Spoon and spread the cooled mushroom mix over the top of the fillet (see step 2). Lay the other salmon fillet on top, skin-side down. Season again. Fold the short end of pastry nearest to you over the salmon, then bring the other end over to completely enclose the salmon (see step 3), lifting it so the join can tuck under it. Fold both pastry ends over as neatly as you can.
4. Brush the outside with a bit more of the remaining oil. Scrunch up the last sheet of filo, pressing it lightly on top in big folds (see step 4), then carefully brush with the last of the oil. Can be prepared 3-4 hrs ahead up to this point and chilled. Transfer the salmon parcel to the baking sheet. Bake for 25 mins until the pastry is crisp and golden. Check while it cooks and if the top starts to brown too quickly, lay a sheet of foil very loosely over it. Remove from the oven and let the salmon sit for 2-3 mins before slicing.

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Light Chicken Korma

If you want a curry without the calories try replacing cream with yogurt for a diet-friendly treat

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 25 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  376

• Protein

  40g

• Carbs

  28g

• Fat

  11g

• Saturates

  1g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  26g

• Salt

  1.1g

Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• thumb-sized piece ginger, roughly chopped
• 4 tbsp korma paste
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 50g ground almonds, plus extra to serve (optional)
• 4 tbsp sultanas
• 400ml chicken stock
• ¼ tsp golden caster sugar
• 150g pot 0% fat Greek yogurt
• small bunch coriander, chopped

Directions

1. Put the onion, garlic and ginger in a food processor and whizz to a paste. Tip the paste into a large high-sided frying pan with 3 tbsp water and cook for 5 mins. Add the korma paste and cook for a further 2 mins until aromatic.
2. Stir the chicken into the sauce, then add the ground almonds, sultanas, stock and sugar. Give everything a good mix, then cover and simmer for 10 mins or until the chicken is cooked through.
3. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the yogurt and some seasoning, then scatter over the coriander and flaked almonds, if using. Serve with brown or white basmati rice.

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