7/22/2014

Falafel Burgers


A healthy burger that's filling too. These are great for anyone who craves a big bite but doesn't want the calories

  • Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
    Cook 6 mins
  • Skill Level Easy
  • Servings Serves 4
Nutrition per serving
  • Kcalories

    161

  • Protein

    6g

  • Carbs

    18g

  • Fat

    8g

  • Saturates

    1g

  • Fibre

    3g

  • Sugar

    1g

  • Salt

    0.36g

Ingredients
  • 400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • garlic clove, chopped
  • handful of flat-leaf parsley or curly parsley
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1?2 tsp harissa paste or chilli powder
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 2 tbsp sunflower oil
  • toasted pitta bread
  • 200g tub tomato salsa, to serve
  • green salad, to serve
  • 1 small red onion, roughly chopped
Directions
  1. Pat the chickpeas dry with kitchen paper. Tip into a food processor along with the onion, garlic, parsley, spices, flour and a little salt. Blend until fairly smooth, then shape into four patties with your hands.
  2. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan, add the burgers, then quickly fry for 3 mins on each side until lightly golden. Serve with toasted pittas, tomato salsa and a green salad.

Spring Green Fattoush


Savour all the flavours of spring in every bite with this elegant, seasonal salad

  • Cooking Time Prep 40 mins
    Cook 10 mins
  • Skill Level Easy
  • Servings Serves 6-8 as a starter or side
Nutrition per serving
  • Kcalories

    264

  • Protein

    13g

  • Carbs

    22g

  • Fat

    15g

  • Saturates

    5g

  • Fibre

    7g

  • Sugar

    4g

  • Salt

    1.12g

Ingredients
  • 500g broad beans, frozen or fresh
  • 1 cucumber
  • 3 wholemeal pitta breads
  • zest and juice 1 lemon
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 20g bunch mint, smaller leaves picked, rest very roughly chopped
  • 20g bunch flat-leaf parsley, very roughly chopped
  • small bunch chives, snipped
  • 170g feta cheese, crumbled
Directions
  1. First get all the ingredients ready. Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the beans and boil for 2-3 mins until just tender. Drain, rinse with cold water to cool, then drain again. Pod the beans from their skins into a large mixing bowl, discard the skins. Halve cucumber lengthways, scrap out the seeds using a teaspoon, then slice into half-moons and throw in with the beans. Split the pittas so you have 6 thin circles of bread, then toast.
  2. Whisk together lemon zest, juice, olive oil and sugar with plenty of seasoning. Pour over the beans and cucumber, add all the herbs and toss together. Tear the toasted pitta into pieces and add this to the salad with the crumbled feta. Toss together very gently-hands are best-then pile onto a platter to serve.

7/21/2014

Aubergine & Black Bean Stir-Fry


This super-quick veggie stir-fry has just five ingredients

  • Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
    Cook 20 mins
  • Skill Level Easy
  • Servings Serves 4
Nutrition per serving
  • Kcalories

    411

  • Protein

    11g

  • Carbs

    65g

  • Fat

    14g

  • Saturates

    2g

  • Fibre

    7g

  • Sugar

    14g

  • Salt

    3.53g

Ingredients
  • 250g basmati rice
  • 2 large aubergines, cut into quarters and then wedges
  • 2 red peppers, cut into thin strips
  • 8 spring onions, 7 quartered lengthways, 1 finely sliced
  • 220g jar black bean sauce
  • PLUS 4 tbsp groundnut or vegetable oil
Directions
  1. Cook the rice according to pack instructions. Meanwhile, heat a wok and add the oil. When hot, stir-fry aubergines for 10-12 mins until golden and cooked through. Add peppers and spring onions, and stir-fry for about 6 mins until just tender.
  2. Add the black bean sauce and 2 tbsp water and warm through. Serve with the basmati rice, scattered with finely sliced spring onion.

Veggie Shepherd's Pie With Sweet Potato Mash


The secret to this shepherd's pie's filling is to choose big carrots so they don't lose their texture when cooked

  • Cooking Time Prep 25 mins
  • Skill Level Easy
  • Servings Serves 4
Nutrition per serving
  • Kcalories

    531

  • Protein

    16g

  • Carbs

    79.6g

  • Fat

    17g

  • Saturates

    8g

  • Fibre

    12g

  • Sugar

    31g

  • Salt

    3.95g

Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion, halved and sliced
  • 2 large carrots (500g/1lb 2oz in total), cut into sugar-cube size pieces
  • 2 tbsp thyme chopped
  • 200ml red wine
  • 400g can chopped tomatoes
  • 2 vegetable stock cubes
  • 410g can green lentils
  • 950g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 25g butter
  • 85g vegetarian mature cheddar, grated
Directions
  1. Heat the oil in a frying pan, then fry the onion until golden. Add the carrots and all but a sprinkling of thyme. Pour in the wine, 150ml water and the tomatoes, then sprinkle in the stock cubes and simmer for 10 mins. Tip in the can of lentils, including their juice, then cover and simmer for another 10 mins until the carrots still have a bit of bite and the lentils are pulpy.
  2. Meanwhile, boil the sweet potatoes for 15 mins until tender, drain well, then mash with the butter and season to taste. Pile the lentil mixture into a pie dish, spoon the mash on top, then sprinkle over the cheese and remaining thyme. The pie can now be covered and chilled for 2 days, or frozen for up to a month.
  3. Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Cook for 20 mins if cooking straight away, or for 40 mins from chilled, until golden and hot all the way through. Serve with broccoli.

Chard Sweet Potato & Peanut Stew


Use whatever greens you have for this nutty, sweet stew. Serve on its own in bowls, or with rice

  • Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
    Cook 45 mins
  • Skill Level Easy
  • Servings Serves 4
Nutrition per serving
  • Kcalories

    398

  • Protein

    13g

  • Carbs

    33g

  • Fat

    25g

  • Saturates

    4g

  • Fibre

    6g

  • Sugar

    12g

  • Salt

    0.93g

Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 400g sweet potatoes, cut into medium chunks
  • � tsp crushed chilli flakes
  • 400g can chopped tomatoes
  • 140g salted, roasted peanuts
  • 250g chard, leaves and stems, washed and roughly chopped
Directions
  1. Heat a large saucepan with a lid over a medium heat and add the oil. Add the onion and fry until light golden. Stir in the cumin seeds until fragrant, about 1 min, then add the sweet potato, chilli flakes, tomatoes and 750ml water. Stir, cover and bring to the boil, then uncover and simmer for 15 mins.
  2. Meanwhile, whizz the peanuts in a food processor until finely ground, but stop before you end up with peanut butter. Add them to the stew, stir and taste for seasoning-you may want to add a pinch more salt. Simmer for a further 15 mins, stirring frequently.
  3. Finally, stir in the chard. Return to the boil and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 mins or until the chard is cooked. Serve piping hot with plenty of freshly ground black pepper.

Sautéed Asparagus Toasted Almonds & Manchego Cheese


This springtime starter is a simple but effective combination of just five ingredients

  • Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
    Cook 15 mins
  • Skill Level Easy
  • Servings Serves 6
Nutrition per serving
  • Kcalories

    340

  • Protein

    10g

  • Carbs

    4g

  • Fat

    32g

  • Saturates

    15g

  • Fibre

    3g

  • Sugar

    3g

  • Salt

    0.15g

Ingredients
  • 36 asparagus spears
  • 140g unsalted butter
  • 100g whole blanched almonds
  • juice 1 lemon
  • 50g best-quality Manchego cheese (or vegetarian hard cheese)
Directions
  1. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and plunge in the asparagus. Cook for 2-3 mins, drain, then leave them to sit somewhere warm.
  2. Next, put the butter into a cold pan with the almonds. Carefully heat it up, watching that the butter doesn't get too dark. When it just turns golden brown and is beginning to foam, remove from the heat and pour in the lemon juice to stop the cooking.
  3. Arrange the asparagus onto 6 serving plates and spoon over some of the brown butter and almonds. Shave the cheese with a peeler, scatter over and serve.

Potato Taleggio & Spinach Tart


This hearty tart is ideal for feeding a hungry crowd. It reheats really well, so you can bake it earlier in the day

  • Cooking Time Prep 45 mins
    Cook 25 mins
  • Skill Level Moderately easy
  • Servings Serves 6 - 8
Nutrition per serving
  • Kcalories

    370

  • Protein

    16g

  • Carbs

    46g

  • Fat

    14g

  • Saturates

    7g

  • Fibre

    3g

  • Sugar

    2g

  • Salt

    1.43g

Ingredients
  • For the base
  • 300g white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 1 sachet easy-blend yeast
  • 1 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra
  • For the topping
  • 300g salad potatoes (no need to peel them)
  • 200g baby spinach leaves
  • 200g taleggio cheese (or vegetarian alternative), thinly sliced
  • few rosemary sprigs
  • 4 tbsp freshly grated parmesan (or vegetarian alternative)
Directions
  1. Tip the flour and the yeast into a bowl and mix well. Stir in � tsp salt, then make a well in the centre and add 200ml hand-hot water and the oil and mix to a soft dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 mins until the dough is smooth and silky. Return to the bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise for 1 hr.
  2. Meanwhile, boil the potatoes, then drain. Leave until cool enough to handle, then peel and cut into thin slices.
  3. Put the spinach into a metal colander and pour over boiling water from a kettle to just wilt the leaves. Press out excess water using the edge of a saucer.
  4. Knead the risen dough and roll out to line a 30 x 36cm shallow rectangular tin. Arrange the spinach over the pastry to within 2cm of the edges. Arrange the potatoes and Taleggio alternately over the top and scatter with rosemary. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the filling and the pastry edges and drizzle with a little olive oil. Leave to rise again for 20 mins. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Bake for 20-25 mins until the pastry is golden and the topping melted and golden brown. Serve cut into squares.

Slow-Roasted Tomato & Gruyère Tart


Slow-roasting tomatoes will intensify their flavour and sweetness. Serve warm for best results

  • Cooking Time Prep 35 mins
    Cook 50 mins
  • Skill Level Moderately easy
  • Servings Serves 6
Nutrition per serving
  • Kcalories

    496

  • Protein

    17g

  • Carbs

    30g

  • Fat

    35g

  • Saturates

    18g

  • Fibre

    2g

  • Sugar

    5g

  • Salt

    1g

Ingredients
  • For the pastry
  • 200g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 100g butter, cut into small pieces
  • 50g grated Gruy�re (or vegetarian alternative)
  • For the filling
  • 500g smallish vine tomatoes, halved
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • handful basil leaves, torn
  • 3 tbsp pesto (choose a vegetarian one)
  • 2 eggs
  • 150ml single cream
  • 150ml milk
  • 100g grated Gruy�re (or vegetarian alternative)
  • handful black olives
Directions
  1. Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Arrange the tomatoes over a baking sheet, cut-sides up. Brush lightly with oil and put a little basil on top of each. Bake for 1� hrs until tomatoes are semi-dried. Remove from the oven and increase the heat to 190C/170C fan/gas 5.
  2. To make the pastry, tip the flour into a food processor with the butter and whizz until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add cheese and 2-3 tbsp cold water and pulse until the dough comes together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and briefly knead.
  3. Roll out the pastry and line a 25cm flan tin, there's no need to trim off the excess at this stage. Line the pastry with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans. Bake for 15 mins, then remove the paper and beans and continue cooking until crisp and light golden. Using a small, sharp knife, carefully trim off excess pastry.
  4. Spread the pesto over the base of the pastry case. Lightly whisk the eggs, then whisk in the cream and milk. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the grated cheese. Pour into the pastry case and arrange the tomatoes over the top, cut-sides up. Scatter with olives and bake for 25-30 mins until puffed and golden, then leave to cool slightly before serving.

Smoky Butter Beans & Greens


This reassuringly simple dish is packed full of wholesome, smoky flavours

  • Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
    Cook 25 mins
  • Skill Level Easy
  • Servings Serves 4
Nutrition per serving
  • Kcalories

    321

  • Protein

    9g

  • Carbs

    51g

  • Fat

    11g

  • Saturates

    1g

  • Fibre

    5g

  • Sugar

    3g

  • Salt

    0.67g

Ingredients
  • 200g brown rice
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin rapeseed or olive oil
  • 200g spring greens or chard (trimmed weight), washed and roughly chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
  • 400g can butter beans, rinsed and drained
  • � tsp cumin seed
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • natural yogurt, to serve (optional)
Directions
  1. Rinse the rice in cold running water until it runs clear. Bring a large pan of water to the boil, cook the rice for 20-25 mins, then drain.
  2. Place a wide, lidded pan over a medium heat with 2 tbsp oil. Add the greens, salt and pepper and cook, with the lid on, stirring frequently, until the greens are lightly steamed and wilted, about 4-5 mins. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, then add the butter beans and cook, stirring, until heated through. Add the remaining oil, then the cumin seeds and smoked paprika. Stir until evenly combined and serve over the cooked rice with a dollop of yogurt, if you like.

Pea Risotto


This risotto makes the most of peas with a pea pure, pea shoots and cooked sweet little peas

  • Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
    Cook 40 mins
  • Skill Level Easy
  • Servings Serves 4 or 6 as a starter
Nutrition per serving
  • Kcalories

    274

  • Protein

    15g

  • Carbs

    17g

  • Fat

    15g

  • Saturates

    8g

  • Fibre

    11g

  • Sugar

    10g

  • Salt

    1.91g

Ingredients
  • 50g butter
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 300g frozen or cooked fresh peas
  • 1.7l hot vegetable stock
  • 350g risotto rice
  • 200ml white wine
  • 25g parmesan, or vegetarian alternative, grated
  • 2 good handfuls pea shoots
  • extra-virgin olive oil, to drizzle (optional)
Directions
  1. Melt the butter in a large pan, add the onion and gently sweat for about 10 mins until really soft. Meanwhile, put 100g peas into a food processor with a ladleful of stock and whizz until completely pur�ed.
  2. Stir the rice into the onion, increase heat to medium and sizzle the rice for 1 min. Pour in the wine, then bubble and stir until completely absorbed. Continue cooking like this, adding a ladleful of stock at a time, and stirring continuously until the rice is tender and has a good creamy consistency-this will take 20-30 mins.
  3. Stir in the pur�ed peas, remaining peas, Parmesan and some seasoning, then turn off the heat and leave to stand for a few mins. Give the risotto a final stir, spoon into shallow bowls and top with some pea shoots and a drizzle of olive oil, if you like.