Ingredients:
6 shallots - peeled and quartered
1 leek - sliced
1 clove of garlic - crushed
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp cumin seeds - ground
2 tsp paprika
1 tin chickpeas - drained and rinsed
1 tin chopped tomatoes
4 chicken thighs - skinned
250 ml hot water
15 dried apricots - halved
1 tbsp sunflower oil
Method:
Soften the shallots, leek and garlic in the sunflower oil
Add in the cayenne pepper, cumin and paprika and cook for a minute
Stir in the tinned tomatoes and hot water
Add in the chick thighs and chickpeas and bring up to the boil
Cover and cook in the oven at 180 degrees for 25 minutes
Remove from the oven and stir in the apricot halves
Return to the oven and continue to cook for another 20 minutes
Serves 2
Served with wholewheat couscous
Ingredients:
For the white sauce:
1 oz olive oil spread
1 oz plain flour
3/4 pt semi skimmed milk
1/4 of a nutmeg - freshly grated
salt and pepper
For the filling:
1/4 of a very large butternut squash - prepared, cooked and mashed
2 salmon fillets - cooked, skinned and flaked
2 tbsp sliced black olives
2 handfuls of spinach leaves
6 sheets of lasagne - soak in boiling water for a couple of minutes to soften
Method:
To make the sauce:
Melt the olive oil spread in a pan
Stir in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes
Very slowly add in the milk, a little at a time, and stir into the paste
When all the milk is added bring the sauce up to the boil, stirring all the time
Simmer for 3-4 minutes whilst continuing to stir
Add in salt, pepper and grated nutmeg
Once the sauce is made, place a spoonful in the bottom of a lasagne dish to coat the base
Place 2 sheets of pasta in the bottom
Spread half of the mashed butternut squash over the pasta sheets
Spinkle over half the olives
Add on half of the salmon
Cover with half of the spinach leaves
Cover with 3-4 spoons of the white sauce
Add on 2 more lasagne sheets and repeat the layering with the remaining ingredients
Add on the last 2 pasta sheets and cover with all the remaining white sauce
Cook at 180 degrees for 25 minutes
Serves 2
Served with chilli bread
Ingredients:
3 oz porridge oats
250 ml semi skimmed milk
1/2 tsp chia seeds
2 tbsp fat free natural goats yoghurt
1 handful of mixed frozen berries
Method:
Mix all the ingredients together in a sealable container (I used a mason/kilner jar)
Place in fridge overnight
Stir and eat
Serves 2
My berries were a mix of blackberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants and strawberries
Ingredients:
3 oz porridge oats
250 ml semi skimmed milk
1/2 tsp chia seeds
2 tbsp fat free natural goats yoghurt
1 eating apple - cored, peeled and chopped
1/2 tsp mixed spice
Method:
Mix all the ingredients together in a sealable container (I used a mason/kilner jar)
Place in fridge overnight
Stir and eat
Serves 2
I used a granny smiths apple and it was still firm and crunchy the following morning
Ingredients:
1 tin chickpeas - drained and rinsed
1 small avocado - peeled, stoned and chopped
1 oz sultanas
1 tsp mild madras curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
Low fat mayonnaise
Method:
Mix together the chickpeas, avocado and sultanas
Sprinkle over the curry powder and turmeric and stir through
Add in enough mayonnaise to lightly coat the chickpeas when mixed
Serves 2 - 3
Served with a salad
I have a squeezy bottle of mayonnaise and used 3 big squeezes, this seemed enough.
Ingredients:
2 medium sized potatoes - peeled and cut into cubes
1/4 of a small cauliflower - cut into florets
1/4 of a small butternut squash - peeled, de-seeded and cut into cubes
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp mild madras curry powder
1 tsp cumin seeds - lightly pounded in a pestle and mortar
2 tbsp sunflower oil
Method:
Par boil the potatoes, butternut squash and cauliflower until just starting to become tender, but are still firm. Drain
(I cooked the potatoes for about 12 minutes, cauliflower and butternut squash for about 5-6 minutes)
Heat the oil in a frying pan and tip in the vegetables. Stir around to coat with the oil
Add in the turmeric and curry powder and stir to coat the vegetables with the spices and cook for 2 minutes
Add in the cumin, stir and continue to cook for a minute - do not let the vegetables become too soft
Serves two
Served with grilled salmon fillets and broccoli florets
This dish could also be served alongside a curry
Ingredients:
6 shallots - chopped
1 chilli - chopped
1 clove of garlic - crushed
1 pepper - de-seeded and chopped
1 tin chilli beans
1 tin chopped or cherry tomatoes
1 tin mixed beans - drained and rinsed if in water
1 tbsp dark chocolate powder
splash of oil
Method:
Soften the shallots, garlic, chilli and pepper in a small amount of oil - add a bit of water if needed so that it doesn't burn or stick
Add in the chilli beans, mixed beans and tomatoes
Stir well and bring up to the boil
Turn down the heat, stir in the dark chocolate powder, cook for a further minute to two as the sauce thickens
Serves 4
Serve with rice, couscous or jacket potato
I used a tin of mixed red kidney, haricot, pinto, borlotti and cannellini beans.
My dark chocolate was Green and Black's organic cocoa powder - this thickens and darkens the sauce and adds depth of flavour.
Using tinned beans this chilli can be made in just over 10 minutes. If using dried beans they will need to be pre-soaked and cooked for longer (as per the instructions on the pack).
Ingredients:
