TENDER LAMB WITH BLACK LENTILS, ROAST TOMATOES, MINT AND PARSLEY
Serves 4 • Ready in 55 mins
This dish can be prepped ahead, then simply cook the lamb just before serving. Delicious with meltingly tender slices of pink lamb, however, the lentil vegetable base goes just as well with other meats, such as chicken breasts and fish fillets. For a veggie version, griddle a few slices of halloumi cheese instead.
INGREDIENTS
➤ 300g cherry tomatoes, on the vine
➤ 2 orange or yellow peppers, cut into rings
➤ 6 sprays olive oil
➤ 400g can black beluga lentils, drained
➤ 300g lamb rump steaks
➤ 25g bunch of fresh mint,roughly chopped
➤ 25g bunch flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
METHOD
➤ Heat the oven to 150C/Gas Mark 2. Poke a hole into each tomato and put into an ovenproof dish with the peppers and 1tbsp water. Spray with olive oil (4 sprays) and season generously with sea salt. Bake for 25 mins, tossing the tomatoes halfway through cooking.
➤ Add the lentils to the dish and continue cooking for 5 mins.
➤ Meanwhile, heat a frying pan over a high heat with the remaining oil. Season and sear the lamb quickly on each side until just browned, then add to the dish. Increase the heat to 180C/Gas Mark 4 and return to the oven for 15 mins, until the lamb is cooked but still pink inside.
➤ Remove from the oven, slice the lamb pieces and spread over the dish.
➤ Mix through the chopped mint and parsley, and serve.
Per serving: Cals 250, Fat 8g, Sat fat 3g, Carbs 16g
POLENTA WITH SWEET PEPPERS AND HERBS
Serves 2 • Ready in 15 mins
This rich Italian comfort food makes a quick and easy dinner, and works with a variety of oozy toppings. Fabulous with beef stew too.
INGREDIENTS
For the peppers:
➤ 100g roasted peppers from a jar, cut into strips
➤ 25g capers
➤ 1 garlic clove, finely sliced
➤ ½tbsp thick balsamic vinegar
➤ 1tbsp olive oil
➤ 6 large basil leaves, roughly torn
For the polenta:
➤ 1 stock cube
➤ 100g instant polenta
➤ ½tsp nutritional yeast
➤ 15g toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped, to serve handful each of basil and parsley, torn, to serve
METHOD
➤ For the pepper mixture, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
➤ For the polenta, pour 550ml water into a saucepan, crumble in the stock cube and bring to a boil. Gradually add the polenta, reduce the temperature to a simmer and whisk all the time, for about 8 mins, until you have a thick, smooth paste. Stir through the nutritional yeast and season to taste.
➤ Serve the polenta with the pepper mixture and scatter over the hazelnuts, basil and parsley.
Per serving: Cals 300, Fat 12g, Sat fat 1g, Carbs 39g
ASIAN AUBERGINES WITH CRUNCHY GREEN RICE
Serves 4 • Ready in 35 mins
A soulful bowlful of sticky, spicy roasted vegetables. So delicious, they could convert even the hardiest of meat eaters.
INGREDIENTS
➤ 2 aubergines, cut into 3cm cubes
➤ 2tbsp white miso paste
➤ 2tbsp vegetable oil
➤ 1½tbsp sesame oil
➤ 1tbsp soy sauce
➤ 1tbsp maple syrup
For the rice:
➤ 1tbsp olive oil
➤ 2tbsp peeled and grated ginger
➤ 2 garlic cloves, crushed
➤ 250g spinach
➤ 100ml chicken or vegetable stock
➤ 2 packs ready-cooked basmati rice
➤ 2tbsp crispy onions, to serve
➤ 2 spring onions, finely sliced, to serve
➤ 2tbsp sesame seeds, to serve
METHOD
➤ Heat the oven to 200C/Gas Mark 6. Score the cubes of aubergine slightly so they can absorb more marinade. In a large bowl, toss together the aubergines, miso paste and vegetable oil. Place on a roasting tin and roast for 20 mins, until charred on the outside and cooked through.
➤ Remove, and toss through the sesame oil, soy sauce and maple syrup, and add a few tbsp water to toss.
➤ Meanwhile, for the rice, heat the oil in a pan and fry the ginger and garlic for 2 mins. Add the spinach and wilt down. Spoon the mixture into a jug and, using a blender, blitz until smooth. Pour the
stock and spinach mixture into the pan and stir in the rice. Cook for a few mins.
➤ Serve bowls of the rice with the aubergines, topped with crispy onions, spring onions and sesame seeds.
Per serving: Cals 326, Fat 9g, Sat fat 2g, Carbs 51g
TROPICAL FISHCAKES WITH CRISPY KALE CHIPS
Serves 4 • Ready in 1 hr
Make these tasty fishcakes in advance for the perfect midweek high-protein meal for family and friends.
INGREDIENTS
For the kale chips:
➤ 200g bag kale
➤ 2 sprays olive oil
for the fishcakes:
➤ 1 stick lemongrass, peeled
➤ 5cm ginger, peeled and finely grated
➤ small bunch coriander, roughly chopped
➤ small bunch Thai basil, roughly chopped
➤ 250g white fish, roughly cubed
➤ 2tbsp soy sauce
➤ 1tsp sugar
➤ 250g salmon fillets, finely diced zest and juice of 2 limes a few sprays olive oil
For the salsa:
➤ 2 mangoes, peeled and finely diced
➤ small bunch coriander, roughly chopped
➤ 2 spring onions, finely chopped
➤ ½ red chilli, finely sliced
➤ 1tbsp fish sauce
➤ 1tbsp soy sauce
➤ juice of 1 lime
➤ sweet chilli sauce, to serve (optional)
METHOD
➤ For the kale chips, heat the oven to 110C/Gas Mark ¼, toss the kale in the oil and season well. Bake for 15 mins, turning halfway. Once crisp, remove from the oven and set aside. Turn the oven up to 230C/Gas Mark 8.
➤ For the fishcakes, in a processor, pulse the lemongrass, ginger, coriander, basil, white fish, soy sauce and sugar. Blitz to just combine but keep the mixture a bit chunky, then remove and mix in the salmon, and lime zest and juice. Season well and roll into 8 x 5cm diameter balls. Place on a baking tray and spray with olive oil. Bake for 25 mins until cooked through.
➤ For the salsa, mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.
➤ Serve the fishcakes with salsa and sweet chilli sauce, if you like.
Per serving: Cals 270, Fat 11g, Sat fat 2g, Carbs 14g
COURGETTI PUTTANESCA
Serves 2 • Ready in 20 mins
The anchovies provide a health hit and give this dish that lovely salty tang.
INGREDIENTS
➤ 200g passata
➤ 150g cherry tomatoes, halved
➤ 2 garlic cloves, chopped
➤ 25g (about 7) anchovies
➤ 2tsp capers, chopped
➤ 40g black olives
➤ 450g (3-4) courgettes, spiralised or
➤ thinly sliced on a mandolin
➤ 2tsp toasted pine nuts few basil leaves, shredded, to serve
DIRECTIONS
➤ Heat the passata in a small saucepan until it comes to a gentle simmer.
➤ Reduce the heat and add the tomatoes, garlic, anchovies and capers with a generous grind of black pepper. Cook for 5 mins, stirring to mash up the anchovies. Stir through the olives.
➤ Blanch the courgettes until just tender – 1-2 mins is fine. Drain and toss through the sauce. Serve topped with basil.
Per serving: Cals 170, Fat 7g, Sat fat 1g, Carbs 11g
BLACKBERRY FILO NESTS
Serves 4 • Ready in 25 mins, plus cooling
Crunch meets cream in this super-quick and luscious summer dessert that’s packed with the berry best.
INGREDIENTS
➤ 3 sheets filo pastry
➤ 2tbsp butter, melted
➤ 4tbsp low-fat yogurt
➤ 250g blackberries
➤ 2tbsp maple syrup dusting of icing sugar, to serve
You will need:
4 x 9cm diameter individual tart tins, greased with butter
METHOD
➤ Heat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4. Cut the pastry into 15x15cm squares, brush each side with the melted butter and layer 2-3 pieces in each tin. Bake for 12-15 mins until golden brown and cooked through.
➤ Remove and allow to cool completely, then remove the cases from the tins.
➤ To serve, divide the yogurt between the tart shells and scatter over the blackberries. Drizzle with maple syrup and dust with icing sugar to serve.
Per serving: Cals 180, Fat 7g, Sat fat 4g, Carbs 23g
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