GOOD FOOD MADE SIMPLE HEALTHY RECIPES TO EAT WELL AND FEEL INCREDIBLE LEAH ITSINES
Introduction 6 Food fundamentals 8 Mix it up! 10 Love your freezer 12 Meal prepping 14 Pantry 19 Spice your life 22 MAKE-IT-SIMPLE MARINADES 24 VEGGIES 4 WAYS 36 THE LIGHTER SIDE 48 EASY & DELICIOUS 100 ITSINES FAMILY FAVOURITES 152 THE ENTERTAINER 194 Acknowledgements 235 Index 236 CONTENTS 1 3 4 2
14 introduction
Meal prepping
I’m sure you’ve had a conversation with either your partner or yourself along these lines: ‘What do you want for dinner? … No, I don’t feel like that … Okay, well you choose!’ It may go on that way for an hour or so before you finally settle on something, by which time you’re rushing and dinner becomes more of a stressful chore than a time to relax and enjoy.
When people hear ‘meal prep’ they often think of boring prepared meals (like plain chicken, rice and broccoli) and having to prepare your entire weekly menu from scratch – but for me, this isn’t the case. It just means being better prepared in the kitchen so that it’s easier to whip up dinner.
Meal prepping is an effective strategy if you are time poor or you simply don’t enjoy cooking every day. If you haven’t tried meal prepping before, welcome to this incredible world! I’ve broken it down for you over the next couple of pages to help you get started. Meal prep is makeYOUwhatit!
I prefer to cook ‘fresh’ every night (with a little help from meal prep!), and that works well for me, but you need to find what works for you. That could be organising your pantry so it’s easier to find what you’re looking for, writing a meal plan, rearranging your fridge, checking what you have in the freezer, chopping up ingredients and/or cooking some components of meals (such as sauces, marinades, stocks, broths, etc.).
Meal prepping has been a game changer for me, and I encourage you to try it, too. It’s something I choose to do every week (and have for a couple of years) because it makes my life much easier throughout the week. That means I can prioritise other things, such as my family and wellbeing, instead of having to rush home to cook dinner. Meal prepping is not essential when you’re reaching for healthy change, but it does make life a lot easier and, in my opinion, is pivotal.
Chillitofulime Teriyaki tomatoGarlic Chicken marinades
RECIPES OVER PAGE andSweetsmokybarbecue Greek (see page 34)
Serves 4 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 avocado, halved 1 tablespoon lemon juice
PANGRATTATO
Cook time: 20 minutes
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
4 Meanwhile, to make the pangrattato, heat the garlic oil in a frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the breadcrumbs and lemon zest and cook, stirring regularly, for a few minutes or until crisp and golden. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
t he Lighter Side 55
3/4 cup (100 g) frozen baby peas 4 garlic cloves, crushed 1 cup (250 ml) vegetable stock 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) pasta shells
Green pasta with pangrattato
Prep time: 15 minutes
1 brown onion, chopped 3 cups (120 g) chopped kale
1 bunch basil, leaves picked 200 g (7 oz) Danish feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon garlic-infused olive oil
1/2 cup (30 g) panko breadcrumbs
2 Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium–high heat. Cook the onion for a couple of minutes, then add the kale and cook for a few more minutes. Add the peas and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, then pour in the stock and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
You have to try this! It’s simple, but so flavoursome. You could easily make it vegan by using vegan feta cheese. For a glutenfree meal, use gluten-free pasta and breadcrumbs.
3 Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the packet instructions. Drain the pasta well, reserving 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the water, and return to the pan.
5 Pour the vegetable mixture into a blender and add the pasta water, avocado flesh, lemon juice and basil, reserving a few leaves for garnishing. Season with salt and pepper and blend until smooth.
6 Stir the sauce through the pasta. Serve topped with the feta, pangrattato and reserved basil leaves.
1 Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil.
3 Combine the rice flour, turmeric, onion powder, white pepper and a little salt in a large bowl.
5 Whisk the egg whites in a bowl until foamy. Add half of the fish and toss to coat, then dredge the fish pieces in the rice flour mixture. Cook the fish for a few minutes until crisp and cooked through. Drain on paper towel. Repeat with the remaining fish pieces.
6 Lay a lettuce leaf on each tortilla and top with the crispy fish and the salsa. Serve immediately.
2 Cut the fish into thick strips.
4 Pour enough peanut oil into a large frying pan to come about 1 cm (1/2 inch) up the side of the pan and place the pan over medium–high heat.
1
1
2 tablespoons lime juice avocados, diced Lebanese (short) cucumber, quartered lengthways, sliced spring onions (scallions), chopped handful coriander (cilantro), chopped
1–2
Use gluten-free tortillas for a gluten-free version. You can replace the fish with firm tofu for a vegetarian meal. I love tofu cooked in the air fryer – it has such a good crunch!
t he Lighter Side 87 Crispy fish tacos with sweet chilli avocado salsa Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Serves 4 600 g (1 lb 5 oz) firm white skinless fish fillets, such as snapper 1/2 cup (110 g) rice flour 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 2 teaspoons onion powder Ground white pepper, to taste Peanut oil, for frying 2 egg whites 8–10 butter lettuce leaves 8–10 mini tortillas SWEET AVOCADOCHILLISALSA
1 To make the salsa, stir the sweet chilli sauce and lime juice together in a bowl. Add the avocado, cucumber, spring onion and coriander and toss to coat. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside while you prepare the fish.
11/2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
2
ITSINESFavour FAVOURITESFAMILYITSINES
3 FAMILYites Our family dinners are a bit special ... and you’re invited!
158 it S ine S FAM i LY FAV ourite S
4 Stir in the stock, crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
1 Remove the excess fat from the chicken thighs.
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves 4 4 boneless, skinless chicken Olivethighsoil, for cooking 1 brown onion, finely diced 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 small red chilli, thinly sliced 4 large potatoes, peeled and 500quarteredg(1lb2 oz) string beans, topped and tailed 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, plus extra parsley leaves to serve 2 cups (500 ml) chicken stock 400 g (14 oz) tin crushed tomatoes 2 tablespoons tomato paste (concentrated purée) Crumbled feta cheese, to serve
2 Heat a splash of olive oil in a large deep saucepan over medium heat and cook the onion, garlic and chilli for 3–4 minutes or until softened.
Greek fasolakia with chicken
Prep time: 15 minutes
3 Add the chicken thighs and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Lightly brown for 2–3 minutes. Add the potato, beans and parsley and season again, then cook for another 2–3 minutes or until the vegetables begin to soften.
5 Serve the chicken and vegetables topped with crumbled feta cheese and extra parsley.
This can be served with some basmati rice or toasted bread. My yiayia always serves this with a fresh lettuce and spring onion (scallion) salad.
