Couscous with charred vegetables

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
2 aubergines, peeled & cut into wedges
4 courgettes, thickly sliced on the diagonal
16 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 red pepper, cut in squares
2 Tblsp vegetable oil
1 Tblsp chilli paste (or mild curry paste)
2 Tblsp honey

240gm couscous
3 Tblsp Colman’s classic mint sauce

Method
Combine the oil, honey and chilli paste.
Put all the prepared vegetables in a bowl.
Pour the oil mixture over the vegetables.
Turn the veg to coat with the oil mix.

Measure the couscous into a bowl.
Pour over 250ml boiling water.
Cover with a plate or cling film, and stand for 10 minutes.
Fluff up the grains with a fork and stir through the mint sauce.

Spray a ridged pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Heat the pan and tip in the vegetables.
Cook for 10 – 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until the vegetables are cooked through and slightly charred.

Serve the vegetables over the couscous.

Milanese style pasta

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
240gm penne

1 onion, chopped
1 stick celery, sliced
½ tsp crushed garlic
1 red pepper, chopped
1 x 400gm can chopped tomatoes
1 Tblsp tomato puree
1 tsp oregano
120gm button mushrooms
¼ cup white wine
Fresh parsley, chopped

Method
Cook the penne according to the instructions on the packet.
Once al dente, drain and keep warm.

Spray a large sauce pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry-fry the onion, celery, garlic and red pepper over a medium heat, until the onion starts to soften.
Add the mushrooms and wine and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, puree and oregano.
Simmer the sauce for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve the sauce over the pasta, garnished with parsley.

Polenta bake

Serves 4 : Very easy : Very quick

Ingredients
250gm polenta
5 cups vegetable stock

2 x 400gm cans chopped tomato & onion
2 tsp crushed garlic
300gm baby spinach, finely shredded
100gm fresh basil, finely shredded

100gm fat reduced feta cheese

Method
Spray a baking tray with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large sauce pan, bring the veg stock to the boil.
Pour in the polenta, stirring all the time.
Keep stirring until the polenta is smooth and creamy.
Cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Spoon onto the baking tray and spread out evenly.
Allow to cool.
Cut the polenta into squares.

Heat the oven to 220ºC.

Spray an oven-proof dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Pour in the chopped tomatoes and stir through the garlic.
Pile the spinach over the tomato, top with the basil.
Arrange the polenta squares across the top, overlapping them slightly.

Bake for 15 minutes.
Crumble the feta cheese over the top.
Bake for another 5 - 10 minutes until the cheese starts to brown.

Serve with a mixed salad, if desired.

Veggie wok

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
300gms firm tofu, cut into sticks
1 onion, finely chopped
4 courgettes, sliced
100gm broccoli florets
150gm mushrooms, sliced
2 sticks celery, sliced
50gms radish, cut into matchsticks
1 baby cabbage, finely shredded
8 asparagus spears, chopped
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
200gm broad beans (tinned)

200gm brown rice

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

Spray a small frying pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the tofu sticks over a medium heat until they are browned all over.
Keep warm.

Spray a wok with non-stick cooking spray and place over a low to medium heat.

Dry fry the onion, celery, mushrooms and broccoli for 2 – 3 minutes.
Add a ¼ cup of water, the courgettes, and asparagus.
Cover and allow to steam for another 5 minutes.
Now toss in the peppers, beans and cabbage and stir fry until the cabbage wilts.

Serve the tofu sticks stacked on top of the vegetables, with the rice underneath.

A stir-fry is a good way to use up the veg in your fridge at the end of the week. You can use almost any vegetables in a stir-fry. The ones I used are just what happened to be in the crisper.

Ratatouille pancakes

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
100gm nutty wheat flour
1 egg
350 -400 ml milk
Small pinch of salt

1 garlic clove, crushed
1 aubergine, peeled and chopped
3 courgettes, sliced
1 red pepper, chopped
100gm mushrooms, chopped
1 x 400gm tin chopped tomatoes
2 tsp cornflour

Method
Measure the flour into a bowl and add the salt.
Make a well in the centre and drop in the egg.
Add half the milk and mix to a batter.
Stir in the remaining milk.
Cover and leave to stand while you prepare the vegetables.

Spray a small (±18cm) heavy based frying pan with non-stick cooking spray and heat the pan.
Pour in enough batter to just cover the bottom of the pan.
Cook for about three minutes and then turn and cook for another two minutes.
Slide the pancake out onto a clean dish cloth and cover to keep warm.
Repeat until you have made 8 pancakes.

Put the garlic, aubergine, courgettes, red pepper and mushrooms into a sauce pan.
Add the tomatoes.
Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Mix the cornflour to a paste with a little water and add to the vegetables.
Simmer for another couple of minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.

Serve two pancakes per person.
Garnish with grated cheese, if desired.