5 WAYS

5 healthy ways

tahini

Made from toasted, ground sesame seeds, tahini is a source of antioxidants, manganese and iron. Plus, it adds a distinctly savoury, nutty flavour to a variety of dishes – try it in these good-for-you recipes

Courgette & tahini dip

SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins plus cooling COOK 20 mins EASY V

Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Wrap 2 large courgettes in foil and roast for 20 mins until soft – they should be tender enough to be easily pierced with a fork. Leave to cool completely. Tip the courgettes into a food processor along with 1 small crushed garlic clove and blitz until fluffy. Add 1 tbsp tahini and the juice of 1/2 lemon. Season and blitz again. Transfer to a bowl, then stir through 1 tbsp Greek yogurt and a few chopped mint leaves. Drizzle with 1/2 tsp olive oil and scatter over some more chopped mint to serve.

GOOD TO KNOW healthy • folate • vit c • 1 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING 121 kcals • fat 7g • saturates 2g • carbs 5g • sugars 4g • fibre 3g • protein 7g • salt 0.2g

Veggie tahini lentils

SERVES 4 PREP 10 mins COOK 10 mins EASY V ❄

Mix 50g tahini with the zest and juice of 1 lemon and 50ml cold water in a jug. Season to taste, then set aside. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a wok or large frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry 1 thinly sliced red onion with a pinch of salt for 2 mins until starting to soften and colour. Add 1 crushed garlic clove, 1 thinly sliced yellow pepper, 200g halved green beans and 1 sliced courgette and fry for 5 mins, stirring frequently. Tip in 100g shredded kale, 250g cooked puy lentils and the tahini dressing. Warm through for a couple of minutes, stirring everything together until the kale has wilted and all the veg and lentils are coated in the dressing.

GOOD TO KNOW vegan • healthy • low cal • folate • fibre • vit c • 3 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING 293 kcals • fat 14g • saturates 2g • carbs 23g • sugars 7g • fibre 10g • protein 13g • salt 0.7g Banana & tahini porridge

SERVES 2 PREP 5 mins COOK 5 mins EASY V

Mix 1 tbsp tahini with 1 tbsp milk and 1 tbsp water. Cook 100g porridge oats, 1 sliced banana, 2 cardamom pods, crushed, 100ml milk and 300ml water over a medium heat for 5 mins, stirring until creamy. Spoon into bowls. Top with another 50ml milk, 1 sliced banana, the tahini mixture and 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds.

GOOD TO KNOW healthy • calcium • fibre • iron • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 431 kcals • fat 17g • saturates 3g • carbs 53g • sugars 18g • fibre 7g • protein 14g • salt 0.3g

Coleslaw with tahini yogurt

SERVES 6 as a side PREP 15 mins NO COOK EASY V

Mix 11/2 tbsp tahini paste, 5 tbsp Greek-style natural yogurt, 1/2 crushed garlic clove and some seasoning in a large bowl until smooth. The dressing will thicken, so add 2-3 tbsp cold water to loosen it. Toss 1 small red cabbage, finely sliced, 3 small carrots, cut into matchsticks, and 1 small onion, finely sliced, in the dressing until everything is well coated.

GOOD TO KNOW healthy • low fat • vit c • 2 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING 109 kcals • fat 5g • saturates 2g • carbs 10g • sugars 8g • fibre 6g • protein 4g • salt 0.1g Egg salad with borlotti beans & tahini dressing

SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 5 mins EASY V

Cook 2 large eggs in a pan of boiling water for 8 mins. Drain and rinse under cold running water to cool, then peel and halve. While the eggs cook, mix 1 tbsp lemon juice with 3 tbsp water and 1 tbsp tahini to make a dressing. Heat 1 tbsp rapeseed oil in a pan and fry 1 chopped red onion and 3 finely chopped garlic cloves for 5 mins until softened. Add 1 tsp ground cumin and 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, stir briefly, then add a 400g can borlotti or fava beans and the juice from the can. Warm through, lightly crushing some of the beans as you do. Taste and add the juice of 1 lemon and a little seasoning, if needed. Spoon the beans onto plates, then add 2 Little Gem lettuces, cut into wedges, the eggs and 2 tomatoes, cut into wedges. Drizzle with the tahini dressing and scatter with some chilli flakes and roughly chopped parsley, if you like.

GOOD TO KNOW healthy • low cal • low fat • folate • fibre • 3 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING 260 kcals • fat 12g • saturates 2g • carbs 17g • sugars 7g • fibre 10g • protein 16g • salt 0.3g