Speedy Meatball Stew

Serve beef meatballs in a tomato casserole with garlic and rosemary and eat with pasta or crusty bread

• Cooking Time Prep 5 mins
  Cook 15 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 4 lunches

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  286

• Protein

  20g

• Carbs

  28g

• Fat

  11g

• Saturates

  4g

• Fibre

  4g

• Sugar

  9g

• Salt

  1.68g

Ingredients

• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size cubes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 250g small lean beef meatballs
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped rosemary
• 560ml jar passata
• 200g frozen peas
• few parmesan shavings, to serve (optional)

Directions

1. Boil the potatoes for 10 mins until tender. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan. Season the meatballs, then brown them all over for about 5 mins. Remove from the pan, drain off any excess fat, then add the onion, garlic and rosemary. Fry gently for 5 mins.
2. Add passata to the pan, bring to a simmer, then add the meatballs. Simmer for 5 mins or until everything is cooked through. Add the potatoes and peas, then simmer for 1 min. Pack into a flask or reheat at work, add Parmesan, if using, and eat with good crusty bread.

Read More

Smoked Trout & Cucumber Open Sandwiches

This fresh and healthy lunchtime filler is ready in a flash

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

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  268

• Protein

  29g

• Carbs

  25g

• Fat

  7g

• Saturates

  2g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  5g

• Salt

  1.3g

Ingredients

• 125g pack skinless hot-smoked trout fillets
• ½ a 250g tub Quark
• ½-1 tsp horseradish sauce
• squeeze lemon juice
• 2 thick slices granary bread
• ¼ cucumber, sliced
• 25g watercress
• 2 handfuls cherry tomatoes, to serve

Directions

1. Flake the fish into a large bowl, then stir in the quark and horseradish sauce to taste. Season with black pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.
2. Toast the bread, then top each piece with cucumber slices and watercress. Spoon half the trout pâté on top of each and serve with halved cherry tomatoes on the side.

Read More

Potato Spring Onion Dill & Cheese Frittata

The perfect stress-free summer lunch. For a non-veggie option, add a couple of slices of ham

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 20 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  244

• Protein

  11g

• Carbs

  18g

• Fat

  15g

• Saturates

  4g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  1g

• Salt

  0.4g

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 400g leftover cooked new potatoes, sliced
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 4 spring onions, finely sliced
• 1 bunch dill, roughly chopped
• 25g cheddar, grated

Directions

1. In a small non-stick frying pan, heat oil over a medium heat. Add potatoes, then fry until beginning to crisp, about 8 mins. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, spring onions, dill and some seasoning. Heat the grill.
2. Tip the eggs into frying pan, mix quickly, lower the heat, then sprinkle over cheese. After about 8 mins, once the top side has almost set, pop under the grill for 2-3 mins or until firm and golden. Slide out of the pan. Eat straight away with mayo or ketchup or cool quickly and chill.

Read More

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.

Read More

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.

Read More

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.

Read More

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.

Read More

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.

Read More

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.

Read More

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.

Read More