naamahsservant

Preperation and cooking times

Prep 10 mins

Cook 20 mins

Vegetarian

Freeze for up to 2 months

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 leeks , sliced
• 200g mushrooms , sliced
• 2 large carrots , peeled and coarsely grated
• 1 tbsp seasoning , we used Schwartz Moroccan
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 300g can beans , try kidney or pinto, drained and rinsed
• 100g cheddar , coarsely grated
• 200g (about 4 slices) granary bread torn into pieces
• burger buns , lettuce, tomato and other favourites, to serve

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a shallow saucepan over a medium flame. Tip in vegetables, seasoning and soy sauce, then cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 mins until soft. Tip veg into a food processor with the beans, cheese and bread, season, then pulse to a thick paste.
2. With wet hands, mould mix into 8 burgers. These can be kept in the fridge for 2 days or frozen, stacked between greaseproof sheets for up to 2 months.
3. To cook, heat oil in a frying pan and fry 2-3 mins on each side until crispy. Serve with toasted buns, salad, ketchup and mayo.

More quick ideas

Finely chop vegetables and use as the base for a pasta sauce. Incorporate root veg into mashed potatoes and use to top pies.

Preperation and cooking times

Per serving

249 kcalories, protein 7.9g, carbohydrate 40.1g, fat 7.5 g, saturated fat 1g, fibre 7.5g, salt 0.75 g

Preperation and cooking times

Prep 10 15 mins

Cook 1 hr min 1 hr 15 mins
Ingredients

• 4 baking potatoes
• 250g tub 'virtually fat-free' cottage cheese with onions and chives
• 200g can tuna in water, drained
• 1 celery stick, sliced
• 3 spring onions , trimmed and sliced
• green salad and Tabasco sauce , to serve

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4/fan oven 160C. Prick the potatoes several times with a fork and put them straight onto a shelf in the hottest part of the oven. Bake for 1-11⁄4 hours, or until they are soft inside.
2. Meanwhile, put the cottage cheese in a bowl with the tuna, celery, spring onions and some salt and pepper, and mix together thoroughly.
3. To serve, cut a cross in each baked potato and open it out slightly. Spoon the filling on top, sprinkle a couple of drops of Tabasco sauce over each one and serve with a green salad.

Preperation and cooking times

Prep 10 mins

Cook 45 mins

• 2 small butternut squashes , halved lengthways and seeds scraped out
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion , chopped
• 2 red chillies , deseeded and finely chopped
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 250g lean beef mince
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 410g can kidney beans , drained and rinsed
• half 20g bunch coriander , leaves chopped
• 50g spinach leaves
   

1. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Rub the squash with a little oil, then roast them on a baking tray for 45 mins until soft.
2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan, then fry the onion for a few mins until soft. Stir in the chilli and cumin, fry for 1 min more, then add the mince, browning for 3-4 mins. Stir in the purée and beans with a splash of water and season. Warm through and keep warm. Or cool, freeze for up to 1 month, then defrost and reheat.
3. Scoop a little of the soft squash flesh out to make a hollow, then stir this into the chilli with half the coriander. Fill the cavity of each squash with a quarter of the mix, then scatter with the remaining coriander. Dress the spinach with a drop more olive oil, season and serve alongside the squash.

Per serving

199 kcalories, protein 10.2g, carbohydrate 13g, fat 12.2 g, saturated fat 2.6g, fibre 6.3g, salt 3.28 g

Preperation and cooking times

Prep 40 45 mins

Cook 20 mins

• 2 beef tomatoes
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 50g risotto rice
• 2 spring onions , chopped
• 1 small courgette , chopped
• 50g chestnut mushrooms , wiped and sliced
• 250ml vegetable stock (such as Marigold)
• ½ tsp dried mixed Italian herbs
• 6 fresh basil leaves
• 1 tbsp finely grated parmesan
• handful of rocket leaves
   

1. Slice the tops off the tomatoes and set aside. Scoop out the seeds and pulp from the tomatoes with a teaspoon, but be careful not to cut through to the base. Chop the pulp and keep the seeds, but discard the hard, central cores.
2. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan and tip in the rice. Fry gently over a low heat for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to stop the rice from browning, then add the spring onions, courgette and mushrooms and fry gently for 2 more minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to fan 170C/conventional 190C/gas 5. Pour in the stock then stir in the dried herbs, tomato pulp and seeds - the seeds will add fibre, and won't be noticeable in the finished dish. Cook gently for about 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently until the rice is tender and the stock has been absorbed - add extra stock or water if necessary. Turn off the heat, tear the basil leaves into the pan and scatter with parmesan. Season with salt and pepper and stir well.
4. Put the tomatoes in an ovenproof dish and fill each one generously with the risotto. Replace tomato tops and bake, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes until the tomatoes are tender. Cool for 5 minutes, then serve with a few rocket leaves on top.

Per serving

173 calories, protein 6.4g, carbohydrate 26g, fat 5.4 g, saturated fat 1.4g, fibre 2.8g, salt 0.57 g

Preperation and cooking times

Prep 10 mins

Cook 20 mins

Low-fat

Can be frozen

Ingredients

• 300g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 100g light muscovado sugar
• 50g porridge oats , plus 1 tbsp for topping
• 2 medium bananas , the riper the better
• 284ml carton buttermilk
• 5 tbsp light olive oil
• 2 egg whites
• 150g punnet blueberries

1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper muffin cases. Tip the flour and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl. Hold back 1 tbsp of the sugar, then mix the remainder with the flour and 50g oats. Make a well in the centre. In a separate bowl, mash the bananas until nearly smooth. Stir the buttermilk, oil and egg whites into the mashed banana until evenly combined.
2. Pour the liquid mixture into the well and stir quickly and sparingly with a wooden spoon. The mix will look lumpy and may have the odd fleck of flour still visible, but don't be tempted to over-mix. Tip in the blueberries and give it just one more stir. Divide the mix between the muffin cases - they will be quite full - then sprinkle the tops with the final tbsp of the oats and the rest of he sugar. Bake for 18-20 mins until risen and dark golden. Cool for 5 mins in the tray before lifting out onto a rack to cool completely.
    

Using yogurt

Buttermilk's natural acidity helps to lighten muffin mixes and increases the rise. It's usually available in the dairy section of supermarkets, but if you can't find it, use low-fat plain yogurt instead (a mild bio yogurt is best) or skimmed milk with a splash of lemon juice.

Preperation and cooking times

Prep 15 25 mins

Super healthy

Making it meaty or Indian

Fry 4 chopped chicken breasts or thighs with the onion. Or add shredded cooked chicken 5 mins before you're ready to serve. Or, switch the Thai curry paste for Indian curry paste and serve with rice.

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the leeks to the pan, then cook for 3 mins until starting to soften. Add the carrots, honey, chilli (if using) and bay leaf, then cook for 2 mins.
2. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 mins. Blend the soup in batches, return to a clean pan, then season to taste. When ready to serve, bring back to a simmer, then ladle into mugs. Add a swirl of soured cream or yogurt and serve with garlic bread or bacon butties.