Recipes

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Recipes

BREAKFAST
Fruit and Nut Muesli
Dried Fruit Medley

LUNCH
Carrot and Coriander Soup

DINNER
Butter Bean Risotto
Salmon and Broccoli Bake
Low Fat Chicken Rogan Josh

DESSERTS
Orange Delight

SNACKS
Oat and Date Squares

DRINKS
Honey and Lemon Drink




BREAKFAST

Fruit and Nut Muesli
This recipe is so quick and easy to make and will keep you going all week for breakfast or a healthy snack. The brilliant thing about nuts, seeds, and oats are that they are low GI and release energy steadily allowing you to keep going for longer and avoid carbohydrate and sugar cravings. Dried apricots and dates are a great source of fibre to keep your digestive system healthy and help to maintain healthy levels of cholesterol.

This amount makes 4 servings. Why not double the ingredients and make enough on a Sunday to last you all week. It takes less than 5 minutes to prepare, you can even do it whilst waiting for the kettle to boil if you're quick!

Ingredients
25g porridge oats
25g ready-to-eat dried dates (chopped)
25g ready-to-eat dried apricots (chopped)
25g sultanas
25g sunflower seeds
25g walnuts

Method
Chop the dates and apricots into small pieces.
Combine the ingredients listed above in a bowl and stir them together.
Store in a container, and serve with soya or skimmed or goats milk. It can't get easier than that!

Ideas for variation
As an alternative to milk, add a small chopped apple and serve with apple juice.
Try adding a different type of fresh fruit everyday.

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Dried Fruit Medley
This selection of fruits gives you a real 'get up and go' start to the day. The huge range of vitamins and nutrients is a fantastic start to the day and serving it with low fat yogurt makes the perfect breakfast.

Ingredients
500g dried fruit
1 herbal teabag
Cinnamon (half a cinnamon stick or a tsp of ground cinnamon)
Low-fat natural yogurt

Method
Place the fruit, teabag and cinnamon in a bowl with just enough hot water to cover them. Leave over night.
In the morning remove teabag and cinnamon stick.
Serve with a spoonful of Low Fat Natural Yogurt.

Ideas for Variation
This recipe is wide open for inspiration and experimentation. You could use any dried fruits you fancy, the larger the range the better. Try apple rings, peaches, dates, figs, pears, prunes, apricots, sultans and raisins. You can also try varying the type of tea bag. Green tea is a good place to start, but try different herbal or fruit teas.

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LUNCH

Carrot and Coriander Soup
The vegetables in this soup give it high nutritional value and the herbs make it incredibly tasty. It also freezes well and can be defrosted for a quick and easy lunch.

Ingredients
650g carrots (peeled and sliced)
1 onion (finely chopped)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bay leaf
860ml (1 ½ pts) chicken stock or water
1 tablespoon fresh coriander (chopped)
1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)

Method
Place the carrots, onion and oil into a large saucepan and cook for about 5 mins.
Add the bay leaf, stock and seasoning to taste.
Bring to the boil and simmer as slowly as possible for about 2 minutes, or until the carrots and onion are cooked.
Remove the bay leaf.
Liquidise the soup with the parsley and coriander in a blender or food processor.
Check the consistency. If it is a little thin reduce by rapid boiling. If it is a little thick, add extra water or milk.

Ideas for variations
The soup could be served with a spoonful of crème fraiche or natural yogurt swirled on top.

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DINNER

Butter Bean Risotto
The basmati rice in this meal is a low GI food, giving your slow release energy. This recipe also incorporates a wide range of fruit and vegetables providing lots of nutritional value. The optional chicken or prawns provide a good portion of lean protein.

Ingredients (serves 2)
1 tablespoon olive oil
100g basmati rice
1 small onion (chopped)
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
200g canned chopped tomatoes
1 small or ½ large red pepper (deseeded and finely chopped)
1 clove garlic
250ml chicken stock
200g tinned butter beans (drained and rinsed)
60g frozen peas (defrosted)
1 red chilli (deseeded and finely sliced)
2 tablespoons coriander (roughly chopped)

Method
Heat the oil in a large non-stick saucepan. Add the rice, onion and turmeric powder and cook for two minutes over a medium heat, stirring constantly.
Add the tomatoes, pepper, garlic and stock. Season to taste.
Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes. Most of the stock will now have been absorbed by the rice.
Stir the butter beans, peas and chilli into the pan and replace the lid.
Simmer for 2-3 minutes, or until the stock has been fully absorbed.
Stir in the coriander, serve and enjoy!

Ideas for variations
Try adding some meat to your risotto. 250g cooked peeled prawns or 250g cooked chicken could be added with the butter beans. Cook for 3-4 minutes making sure the meat is thoroughly heated through.

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Salmon and Broccoli Bake
The salmon provides valuable fish oils of which many of us don't get sufficient supplies in our diet. Broccoli is high in vitamin C and folic acid and is known as a 'super' food. Parmesan is strong tasting cheese so you don't need too much, adding flavour without compromising on the nutritional value of the dish.

Ingredients(serves 2)
213g tinned red salmon
200g potato (cooked and sliced thinly or mashed)
200g broccoli
2 eggs
¼ pt. skimmed milk
50g parmesan cheese (grated)
Parsley to garnish

Method
Skin and bone the salmon. Divide into large flakes and place in a greased ovenproof dish.
Cut broccoli into small florets. Boil or steam for about 10 minutes and place on top of the salmon.
Layer or spread the potatoes on top of the broccoli.
Beat the eggs with the milk and pour over the other ingredients.
Season with black pepper and sprinkle cheese on top.
Cook for 20-25 mins at Gas Mark 5, 190°C, Fan Oven 170-180°C.
Garnish with Parsley.

Ideas for variations
Try adding in different vegetables, such as peas and sweetcorn, cauliflower or spinach as an alternative to broccoli.

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Low Fat Chicken Rogan Josh

Serves 4

This recipe is useful for busy families as it can be prepared & put in the oven beforehand. Alternatively it can be cooked (simmering) in a pan on the hob, but you may need to add more liquid to ensure that it doesn't become too dry.

If you don't like your curries too spicy use less Rogan Josh or try a milder spice blend.

4 Chicken Breasts cut into small pieces
I tbsp sunflower oil
I large onion
4 cm (approx) fresh root ginger peeled & finely chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp Rogan Josh spice
400g tin chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato puree
200ml hot chicken stock (made with a cube) 1 tbsp cornflour

Preheat oven to gas mark 3 (170C)
Heat oil in a large pan & cook onion gently until soft.
Add ginger & garlic & cook for a further minute.
Stir in the rogan Josh spice & cook whilst stirring for 1 minute.
Add the chicken making sure it's completely covered in the spice mix and cook whilst stirring for 5 minutes.
Add chopped tomatoes, tomato puree & stock.
When simmering transfer to an oven proof dish, cover and cook in the oven for approx 1 hour.
Mix cornflour with some cold water, stir into the curry and cook for further 10-15 minutes.
Serve with Basmati rice.
Garnish with coriander and enjoy!

DESSERTS

Orange Delight
This is a quick and delicious dessert that can be served hot or cold. In this recipe clementines and apple juice give you a boost of nutrients. Two clementines count as one portion of your 5-a-day.
Crème fraiche is a low fat cream, especially if you opt for a reduced fat version. Natural flavourings make this dish very tasty, without any additives which are often found in shop-bought desserts.

Ingredients
6 clementines
Half a pint apple juice (not from concentrate)
25g caster sugar
4 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
Half a tsp mixed spice
Crème Fraiche

Method
Peel the clementines carefully and remove as much pith (the white stringy bits) as possible.
Pour the apple juice, sugar and spices in to a saucepan and bring to boil.
Add the clementines, reduce the heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes.
Serve hot or cold, with crème fraiche.

Ideas for variation
This recipe has very little sugar in it anyway, but you could try it without any in, or put a teaspoon of honey on top of the crème fraiche when serving. Honey is a natural sweetener and it has less calories than sugar because you need to use less of it.

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SNACKS

Oat and Date Squares
This is a great energy boosting snack, with the nuts and seeds providing slow release energy to keep you going and the fruits contributing vital nutrients to your diet. Honey is a natural sugar and you need much less of it than if you used granulated sugar. Therefore, it is a healthy alternative sweetner.

Ingredients
60g low fat margarine
2 tablespoons honey
260g porridge oats
100g muesli
60g pumpkin seeds
60g sunflower seeds
200ml apple juice (not from concentrate)
8-9 (40g) dates (chopped)
8-9 (40g) dried apricots (chopped)

Method
Line a tin with baking paper or margarine. A square tin of 25cm x 25cm will make approximately 25 squares.
Place the dried fruit in a saucepan with the fruit juice and warm through. Leave to soak for a while until soft.
Melt the margarine and honey. Stir in the oats, muesli, and seeds.
Add the dates, apricots and juice and mix well. The mixture will be quite soft at this stage.
Place the mixture in the tin, spreading evenly. Cook at Gas Mark 6, 200°c, Fan Oven 180°C, for 25 -30 minutes.
Cut into squares and leave in the baking tin until cold.

Ideas for variations
If muesli is not in your store cupboard, just add an extra 100g of oats.
The pumpkin and sunflower seeds can be substituted with any nuts or seeds of your choice. Try walnuts or cashew nuts for extra crunch.
For a different fruity flavour, change the fruit juice you use. Instead of apple juice, try orange juice for a sweeter taste, or cranberry juice for more of a tang. Similarly, why not substitute the dates or apricots with another fruit, such as raisins or blueberries. You will need 40g of each of the fruits.
For a Dutch flavour, add some cinnamon, sultanas and apple pieces for an authentic taste.
Add some natural yogurt to a bowl full of crumbled squares for a great energy boosting snack.

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DRINKS


Honey and Lemon Drink
This is a traditional remedy for a sore throat or tickly cough. The lemons are a good source of nutrients. Honey is a natural sweetener, which is much better for you than sugars or man-made sweeteners. To ease a sore throat drink a wine glass full of this drink twice a day or dilute with hot water to make a lemon drink.

Ingredients
2 Lemons
2 Tablespoons Cider Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Honey
1 Pint of Water
Method
Roughly chop the lemons, skin and all. Place in a saucepan with the water, vinegar and honey.
Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
When cool, liquidize, strain and bottle.

Ideas for variations
Try adding oranges with the lemon, for a sweeter taste, or limes for a more tangy drink.

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