Spicy butternut pasta

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
1 Tblsp vegetable oil
1 red onion, chopped
1 large butternut, cut in chunks
1 Tblsp brown sugar
1 Tblsp Patak’s Rogan Josh curry paste

1 sm. can ‘lite’ evaporated milk
1 Tblsp Patak’s lime pickle
1 – 2 tsp grated ginger

2 Tblsp chopped coriander

240gm spaghetti

Method

Fry the onion in the oil until it softens.
Add the brown sugar and curry paste and stir for 2 minutes.
Now add the butternut, the evaporated milk, lime pickle and ginger.
Give everything a good stir.
Simmer for 20 minutes until the butternut is soft but still firm.

Meanwhile cook the spaghetti in lightly salted boiling water until al dente.
Drain well.

Divide the spaghetti between 4 warmed pasta bowls.
Top with the spicy butternut and garnish with freshly chopped coriander.

Jambo veg

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quickish

Ingredients
2 red onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
6 spring onions, sliced
½ red pepper, chopped
½ yellow pepper, chopped
3 parsnips, sliced
6 courgettes, sliced
10 baby sweetcorn, sliced
240gm rice
50gm lentils
4 large tomatoes, chopped
1 Tblsp tomato paste
750ml vegetable stock
1 tsp each dried thyme and oregano
½ tsp cayenne pepper
12 black olives, pitted and sliced

Method
Spray a large pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Stir fry the onions, spring onions and peppers for about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic, cayenne, oregano and thyme.

Add the rice, lentils, tomatoes and tomato paste and stir well.
Pour in the stock and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, covered.

Add the baby corn, parsnips, courgettes and olives.
Simmer for another 5 minutes until the rice and lentils are cooked.

Serve on warmed plates.


You may need more stock, but don’t add too much or everything will go soggy.
Sweet chilli sauce goes well with this dish.

Polenta cake with salsa

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick but needs extra time for cooling

Ingredients
4 cups vegetable stock
1 ½ cups polenta
4 Tblsp chopped basil

Salsa: combine these ingredients
500gm cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 small avocado, cubed
1 small tin sweetcorn kernels
1 small red onion, chopped
2 Tblsp chopped coriander
2 Tblsp thick mint sauce
60ml lemon juice

Method

Bring the veg stock to a boil
Mix the polenta to a thin paste with extra water.
Pour the polenta paste into the stock while stirring continuously.
Add the basil and stir well.
Cook for 5 minutes.
Spray a shallow, wide pyrex dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Put the cooked polenta into the pyrex dish and spread it evenly.
Leave to cool.

Once cool, turn the polenta out onto a board.
Cut into squares, or use a cookie cutter, and spray with cooking spray.

Spray a ridged pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the polenta cakes for about 5 minutes per side.
They should be lightly browned and crispy on the outside.

Serve the polenta cakes with the salsa and a fresh green salad.

Spinach and beans

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
±400gm tin cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 slice bread, crumbed
4 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
45ml water
30gm small seedless raisins
500gm baby spinach
2 Tblsp pumpkin seeds
4 herb muffins

Method
Spray a large lidded frying pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Gently dry fry the onions and garlic until the onion softens.
Add the cumin and paprika and fry until fragrant.

Stir in the beans, tomatoes, raisins and bread crumbs.
Add the water.
Pile the spinach on top, cover with a lid and simmer until the spinach has wilted.
Fold the spinach through the bean mixture.

Divide between 4 warmed bowls and top with the pumpkin seeda.
Serve with herby muffins.

Spicy veg

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
1 tsp oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 Tblsp tomato paste
1 cup veg stock
300gm cauliflower florets
300gm carrots, thick julienne
200gm courgettes, sliced
1 yellow pepper. sliced
4 tomatoes , chopped
1 x 400gm butter beans, rinsed and drained
3 Tblsp chopped coriander

Method
Fry the onion and garlic in the oil until the onion softens.
Add the spices and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
Tip in the carrots, cauli and pepper.
Stir well to coat in the spices.
Pour in the stock.
Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

Now add the courgettes, tomatoes and butter beans and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Stir through the chopped coriander.

Serve garnished with coriander sprigs.

You can use any beans in this recipe – cannellini beans, chickpeas.
I served mine with warmed naan breads, but you could use rice, quinoa or couscous.

 

Tomato and mushroom penne

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
1 x 400gm tin chopped tomato and onion
250gm button mushrooms, sliced
1 – 2 Tblsp sweet chilli sauce (optional)
2 Tblsp finely chopped basil

320gm penne pasta

Method
Cook the pasta in plenty of lightly salted boiling water until al dente.
Drain and keep warm.

Place the tomato/onion mix in a small pan.
Add the sliced mushrooms and simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes.
Stir the basil and sweet chilli sauce through the tomatoes and mushrooms.

Toss the pasta and sauce together.

Serve with plenty of fresh salad and grated parmesan if desired.

This is another very quick, very easy emergency meal, requiring minimal attention.

All-in-one salad meal

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
3 large handfuls mixed salad leaves
2 handfuls watercress & rocket
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
5cm cucumber, sliced
1 yellow pepper, cut in strips
6 white mushrooms, sliced
12 green olives
Small handful croutons
±40gm low fat feta cheese, crumbled
2 Tblsp pumpkin seeds
2 Tblsp sunflower seeds
2 Tblsp broken cashew nuts
2 Tblsp slivered almonds

Method

Arrange everything in layers, using a large, wide bowl.

Serve with a simple dressing of balsamic vinegar and olive oil, or a low fat commercial salad dressing, and crusty bread or rolls.

Mini falafels

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
1 x 400gm can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 Tblsp fresh chopped parsley
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chilli paste
2 Tblsp plain flour

2 large tomatoes, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 avocado, chopped
100gm baby spinach
4 sweetcorn cobs

Method
Combine the chickpeas, garlic, parsley, spices and flour.
Blitz with a hand blender or food processor.
Take dessertspoons full of the paste, and shape into patties. (about 20)

Make the salsa by combining the tomato, onion and avo.
(Dress the salsa with 1 Tblsp each of balsamic vinegar and olive oil, if you like.)
Boil, steam or microwave the sweetcorn in lightly salted boiling water.
Drain and keep warm.

Spray a large frying pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the falafels until lightly browned and heated through.

Serve the falafels with the sweetcorn, raw baby spinach and salsa.


Sweet chilli sauce is good with this, for dipping.

Stuffed aubergines

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quickish

Ingredients
2 large aubergines
180gm potatoes
150gm chickpeas
1 onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup fat free milk
Pinch paprika

2 Tblsp fresh breadcrumbs
30gm grated parmesan

Method
Boil the aubergines, in their skins, in plenty of water, for 5 minutes.
Remove from the pan and set aside to cool slightly.
Add the potatoes to the pan and cook for 10 minutes.
Throw in the chickpeas and continue cooking for another 5 – 10 minutes or until the potatoes are well cooked.
Drain and mash roughly.

Slice the aubergines in half lengthways.
Scoop out the flesh, leaving a shell about ½ - 1 cm thick.
Chop the scooped out flesh coarsely.

Heat the oven to 200ºC.

Spray a pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the onion and garlic until the onion softens.
Add the chopped aubergine flesh and continue cooking for about 10 minutes.
Add this mixture to the mash, along with the milk, paprika and half the parmesan.

Arrange the aubergine halves in an oven-proof dish in a single layer.
Spoon the mash mixture into the aubergine shells.
Scatter the breadcrumbs and remaining parmesan over the top.
Bake for 30 minutes or until the top begins to brown

Serve one half-shell per person with a green salad on the side.

Western curry

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
6 eggs, hard boiled and shelled
400gm new potatoes cut in medium pieces
1 tsp ea. coriander seeds and cumin seeds
4 cardamom pods
½ tsp ea. ground turmeric and ground ginger
1 tsp chilli paste
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 onions, chopped
2 sticks celery, sliced
150gm green beans, chopped
3 Tblsp tomato paste
250ml fat free yoghurt

Method
Cook the potato and green bean pieces in boiling water for about 10 minutes.
Drain and set aside.

Grind all the spices together in a pestle.
Spray a pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the onion, garlic and celery until they start to soften.
Add the spices and fry for another minute or two.
Now add the chilli paste, tomato paste, the potatoes and green beans.
Allow everything to heat through for a few minutes.
Quarter the hard boiled eggs and gently fold through.

Remove the pan from the heat before stirring in the yoghurt.

Serve with sambaals of chopped tomato and onion, slices of mango or lemon and chutney.

Carrot patties

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quickish

Ingredients
750gm carrots, grated
1 ±400gm can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 onion, quartered
2 Tblsp peanut butter
1 tsp ground cumin
1 egg
3 Tblsp sesame seeds
±80gm dry breadcrumbs

Grated rind from 1 lemon
1 Tblsp lemon juice
3 Tblsp low fat mayo

4 wholewheat rolls

Method
Beat the mayo, lemon juice and rind together.
Set aside.

Put half the grated carrot, the onion, chickpeas, peanut butter, egg and cumin into a food processor.
Blitz to a thick paste.
Stir in the remaining grated carrot and the sesame seeds.
Shape the mixture into 8 patties and coat with the breadcrumbs.

Spray a large frying pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Cook the patties for 5 minutes each side.

Serve 2 patties per person with a wholewheat roll, the lemon mayo and mixed salads.
 

Fast food fix

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
240gm rice

1 egg, beaten
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp grated ginger
150gm mushrooms
2 courgettes, julienne
½ red pepper, cut in strips
200gm spinach, roughly chopped
150gm frozen peas
1 Tblsp soy sauce

Method
Cook the rice in lightly salted boiling water until tender.
Drain well and keep warm.

Spray a wok or large frying pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Pour the beaten egg into the wok and allow to set.
Turn out the omelette, roll it up and slice into strips.

Heat the wok.
Dry fry the garlic and ginger, the mushrooms, courgettes and red pepper.
Add 1-2 Tblsps of water.
Stir fry for about 5 minutes, until the courgettes begin to soften.
Tip in the cooked rice and the frozen peas and mix well.
Pile the spinach on top, cover with a plate or lid, and steam for a further 5 minutes.
Fold the spinach through the rice and sprinkle over the soy sauce.
Fold in the sliced omelette.

Serve with extra soy or teriyaki sauce to taste.

Good pizza crust

Serves 4-6 : Very easy : Takes longer because of rising time

Ingredients
3 tsp instant dried yeast
½ tsp sugar
80ml warm water
2 cups plain white flour
1 cup nutty wheat flour
½ tsp salt
1 cup warm water
Toppings of your choice. I used:
1 large onion, sliced
2 x 400gm whole peeled tomatoes, drained
2 Tblsp chopped basil
2 Tblsp balsamic vinegar
1 red or yellow pepper, deseeded and cut in strips
150gm low fat mozzarella cheese

Method
Place the yeast, sugar and 80ml warm water in a small jug.
Allow to stand for about 10 minutes while you:

Sieve the flours and salt into a bowl.
Add the cup of warm water and the yeast mix.
Mix well with the dough hooks on your hand beater.
Knead lightly and set in a warm place to rise for an hour or so.

Chopped the drained tomatoes and place in a saucepan with the basil and vinegar.
Simmer for about 10 minutes to allow the juices to reduce.

Heat the oven to 220ºC.
Spray 2 x 25cm pizza pans with non stick cooking spray.
Knock down the dough and knead briefly.
Roll out the dough or use your hands to press it into the pans.
Spread with the tomato mix.
Scatter the onion and pepper slices over.
Cut, tear or grate the cheese and place on the top of each pizza.

Bake for 25 – 30 minutes and serve with a salad on the side.

This is great a pizza crust. If you use lots of tomato, as I do, you may need to cook it an extra 5-10 mins. I have yet to find a restaurant or pizza place that uses enough tomato for my tastes. I even put extra halved cocktail tomatoes on mine.

Veg moussaka

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
500gm aubergine, peeled and thickly sliced
200gm mixed cauli and broccoli florets
150gm green beans, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
400gm can chopped tomatoes
1 tsp dried oregano

500ml fat free milk
2 Tblsp grated parmesan
2 Tblsp corn flour

Method
Heat oven to 200ºC.

Boil, steam or microwave the aubergine slices until they are almost transparent.

Combine the remaining vegetables with the tinned tomatoes.
Cook, uncovered, over a medium heat until the tomato juice is reduced by about half and the vegetables are almost cooked, but still crunchy.

Make a cheese sauce with the milk, corn flour and half the cheese.

Spray 4 individual baking dishes (500ml capacity) with non-stick cooking spray.
Spoon the tomato vegetables into the dishes.
Lay aubergine slices down the centre of each dish.
Top with the cheese sauce.
Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan.
Bake at 200ºC for 15 – 20 minutes until lightly browned.

Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.

Crustless quiche

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 leeks, sliced
150gm button mushrooms, sliced
150gm baby spinach, coarsely chopped
6 eggs
125ml fat free milk
60gm grated fat reduced cheese

Crusty bread to serve

Method
Heat the oven 160ºC.

Spray a frying pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the leeks and garlic until the leeks start to soften.
Add the mushrooms and stir fry for 5 minutes more.
Pile the spinach into the pan, cover with a lid and allow the spinach to wilt.

Beat the eggs, cheese and milk together.
Spray an oven-proof pie dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Tip the vegetables into the prepared pie dish.
Pour over the beaten eggs.

Bake at 160ºC for 25 – 30 minutes, turning on the grill for the last 5 minutes so that the top browns.

Serve with a fresh mixed salad and some crusty bread.