Aubergine pasta

Serves 4 : Very easy : Very quick

Ingredients
240gm pasta twirls

1 onion, sliced
1 – 2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large aubergine, cubed
2 red peppers, sliced
1 x 400gm tin chopped tomatoes
½ tsp salt
Good grind of black pepper
1 Tblsp balsamic vinegar
4 Tblsp chopped basil
1 – 2 tsp sugar (optional)
60gm pecorino cheese, grated

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

Spray a large pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the onion and garlic until the onion starts to soften.
Add the aubergine and cook until it starts to brown and soften, stirring often.
Stir in the peppers, tomatoes, salt, pepper and vinegar.
Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
Stir through the sugar, if required.

Tip the pasta into the sauce along with the grated pecorino.
Stir well to combine.

Serve with extra grated pecorino if desired.

Vegetable combo

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 Tblsp grated fresh ginger
1 red pepper, sliced
100gm green beans, sliced
100gms baby corn, quartered lengthways
150gm broccoli florets
50gm sugar snap peas, halved diagonally
1 x 300gm tin broad (fava) beans

1 Tblsp soy sauce
1 Tblsp hoisin sauce
6 spring onions, sliced

Method
Spray a wok or large frying pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the onion, garlic and ginger until the onion starts to soften.

Add the vegetables and stir fry for 3 – 4 minutes.
Add ¼ cup of water.
Cover and cook for another 3 – 4 minutes.

Now stir in the soy and hoisin sauces and the spring onion.
Toss well to combine.

Season with freshly ground black pepper.

Serve with rice and sweet chilli sauce or mango chutney.

Vegetable calzone

Serves 4 : Very easy : Very quick

Ingredients
300gm whole meal pizza dough
4 Tblsp tomato paste

Small head broccoli, broken into florets
3 courgettes, sliced
100gm mushrooms, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
6 spring onions, chopped
2 large tomatoes, sliced

80gm low fat feta cheese
2 tsp dried oregano

Method
Heat oven to 220ºc.
Spray a baking tray with non-stick cooking spray.

Steam the broccoli, courgettes, mushrooms, pepper, onion and tomato for 5 mins.
Allow to cool slightly while you:

Cut the pizza dough into four and roll each piece into a circle about 20cm diameter.
Spread generously with tomato paste to within 1cm of the edge.

Pile ¼ of the mixed steamed vegetables onto ½ of each pizza crust.
Top with crumbled feta cheese and sprinkle with oregano.

Carefully fold over the pizzas and seal the edge with a fork.

Brush each calzone with milk.
Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until the crust is nicely browned and crisp.

Red pepper pasta

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
240gm penne pasta
40gm low fat feta cheese

1 x 400gm tin chopped tomatoes
1 onion, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
½ tsp dried thyme
1 Tblsp red wine vinegar
1 Tblsp lemon juice
12 cherry tomatoes, halved

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

Spray a pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the onion and red pepper until they begin to soften.
Add ½ the tinned tomatoes, the thyme, vinegar and lemon juice.
Simmer for 15 minutes then part-blitz with a hand-held blitz stick.
Return to the heat and add the remaining tomatoes (tinned and cherry halves).
Simmer for another 5 minutes.

Tip the pasta into the sauce and turn well to combine.
Serve with a crumbling of feta cheese and a green salad on the side.

You can blitz the first half of the sauce to a smooth texture if you like. I did about 3 bursts with the blitz stick to leave it a bit chunky.

Tofu and red coleslaw

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
400gm firm tofu
Salad:
1 small red cabbage, shredded
1 small green cabbage, shredded
3 large carrots, grated
1 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
120gm bean sprouts
8 spring onions, sliced diagonally
Dressing:
3 Tblsp Rose’s lime cordial
1 Tblsp lemon juice
1 Tblsp light soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp grated root ginger
2 Tblsp chopped coriander

Method
Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small jug.

Put all the salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss well.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss again.

Cut the tofu into fingers and pat dry with kitchen paper.
Spray the tofu sticks with non-stick cooking spray.

Spray a ridged pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the tofu for about 4 minutes each side, until it is crispy on the outside and heated through.

Pile the slaw salad into 4 bowls and top with the tofu fingers.
Serve with extra soy sauce.

Bean and tomato stew

Serves 4 : Very easy : Very quick

Ingredients
4 large carrots, diced
1 large onion, chopped
2 sticks celery, sliced

1 x 400gm can chopped tomatoes
2 x 400gm cans butter beans, rinsed and drained
2 – 3 Tblsp sweet chilli sauce (opt.)
4 Tblsp chopped parsley

Extra chopped parsley to garnish

Method
Spray a large pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry-fry the onion, carrots and celery for 5 - 10 minutes, or until the onion is soft.
Add the tomatoes.
Bring to the boil and then simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

Gently stir in the butter beans, chilli sauce and parsley.
Allow to heat through.

Pile onto warmed plates and garnish with extra parsley and chilli sauce or chutney.

Pasta shells

Serves 4 : Very easy : Very quick

Ingredients
240gm pasta shells
12 cocktail tomatoes, quartered
½ small cucumber, chopped
6 – 8 spring onions, sliced
1 small can sweetcorn kernels, rinsed and drained
½ cup thawed frozen peas
½ yellow pepper, chopped
1 cup bean sprouts
Lettuce leaves
For the dressing:
2 Tblsp Helman’s low fat mayo
½ cup fat free plain yoghurt
¼ cup fat free milk
1 tsp Dijon mustard

Method
Cook the pasta shells in lightly salted water until al dente.
Drain and rinse with cold water.

Measure the dressing ingredients into a small jug or bowl.
Whisk well to combine.
Set aside.

Place the tomatoes, cucumber, onions, sweetcorn, peas, pepper and bean sprouts in a large bowl.
Add the pasta and toss well.
Just before serving, stir the dressing through the pasta mix.

Place some lettuce leaves on each of 4 dinner plates or bowls.
Pile on the pasta and serve.