Gina’s 120 Budget Favourites by Zahra Media Group

cookbook

s ’ a n i G 120 Budget Favourites Including • Smart shopping and meal planning tips • Cooking with 5 ingredients or less • Freezing to save time and money • Crafty kids’ cooking • Using value cuts • Leftover makeovers and Budget baking and desserts EC1_COVER_Budget_Favourites.indd 79

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Contents Smart shopping and meal planning tips 4 Take 5 Tasty things you can make with 5 ingredients or less, proving that less really can be more 6

From the Larder Ever so easy meal ideas using larder ingredients plus a definitive list of what to keep in your kitchen cupboards so that you’re always prepared for any cooking occasion 20

Easy Freezy Revisit the lost art of freezing to save time and money 36

Hearty Value Cuts Tips and recipes to make the most of cheaper cuts of meat and fish 52

Leftover Makeovers Nifty ideas for loving your leftovers 70

Crafty Kids’ Cooking Our readers have always been brilliant at telling us exactly what they want to see in Easy Food. And what they’re telling us now is that they want quick and easy recipes that are friendly on the pocket. So what I’ve done is created a collection of all of our favourite budget-friendly recipes that have appeared in Easy Food over the past five years. This cookbook is jam packed with ever so easy, hearty meals plus clever ideas for loving your leftovers and making your food go further. From recipes using five ingredients or less, to re-learning the lost art of freezing to save you time and money…there is something for everybody. And because no cookbook is complete without a chapter on desserts, I’ve included ‘Cheap Thrills’ – some mouth watering inspiration for satisfying your sweet tooth on a shoestring, all with handy calorie counts of course, to help you balance you and your family’s diets.

Simple ways to reduce wastage plus yummy recipes to turn your little tyke into a little chef 84

Thanks Veggie Much Discover an exciting (and cheaper) culinary life beyond meat and two veg with these fresh and fast veggie meal ideas 100

Cheap Thrills Because everybody needs them 116

Subscription offer and acknowledgements 130 Recipe Index 131

Remember, good tastes don’t have to come with a hefty price tag. So pop on your apron and make a resolution to ‘comfort cook’ in these tough times. Whether you’re new to the kitchen or making a long overdue return, know that much joy awaits you. Enjoy!

Gina Budget Favourites

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Smart Shopping and Meal Planning Tips 1

Make meat go further by

‘stretching’ it with other foods, for example by adding dried beans, lentils, potatoes or other vegetables to stews and casseroles.

Tinned fish, eg. sardines or tuna

are great for making economical and nutritious meals such as fish cakes and pasta bakes.

Shop for less expensive cuts of meat and use them in casseroles,

stews and soups.

Stop buying ready meals. They can

cost you a fortune in the long term and

Use flavoured yoghurt, condensed milk and evaporated milk sparingly, as these

items can be quite expensive. Buying a large tub of natural yoghurt often works out cheaper than buying small containers.

don’t offer much value for money.

Don’t cut down on fruit and vegetable intake. These are ‘protective foods’

that guard against disease. Rather save money by buying more vegetables (fruit is generally more expensive). Frozen vegetables can sometimes work out cheaper than fresh ones and they are just as good for you.

Buy fruit and vegetables in season and cook them in different ways for variety.

Limit the purchasing of expensive vegetables such as asparagus or bean sprouts.

Try to have at least one

meat-free day a week. Meat, chicken and fish make up the biggest part of our grocery bills, Buy unrefined foods whenever possible.

so cutting back can make a big

Refining makes a product more expensive and the

difference. Start with well loved

process strips it of fibre, vitamins and minerals. For

meals like macaroni and cheese

example, standard brown bread is often cheaper

and steadily become more

than white bread rolls and loaves, and generally

adventurous.

much cheaper than special breads and rolls. 4

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Change your mindset. Non-western cultures rely a lot on vegetables,

grains and spices to keep costs down, so have fun trying out different cuisines.

Keep a look out for

sales and special offers. But don’t

Decide what you’re going to eat for

be tempted by ‘2 for 1’ offers on

the week – taking inspiration from what’s in season

perishable items that you’ll never

and any specials at the supermarket that you know

get through. Only stock up on things

of – then make a shopping list and stick to it.

that you can freeze and use a lot of and essential pantry items.

Buying in bulk can save you

money but don’t always assume that it’s cheaper. Keep a calculator in your bag and

Track the days on which your local

supermarket reduces items. This is normally

compare costs per gram or kilogram.

done once per week to make space for new stock and clear stock before their used by dates.

Take your own bags. Keep

a stash in your car. If you do have to buy bags, recycle them for either more shopping or use them as rubbish bags.

Budget

supermarkets have really upped their game in terms of quality and variety of produce on offer. They’re also great for stocking up on non-perishables, eg. toilet paper and cleaning products and usually have fantastic offers on wine.

Avoid pre-packaged food.

It costs more and you’ll have more to

Sometimes the best food deals

recycle. Instead, buy veggies loose

aren’t at supermarkets. €2 stores often stock

and meat from the meat counter. This

name brand snack foods and juices.

also means that you can buy exactly as much as you want.

Don’t buy everything at one

shop. Prices can vary greatly between stores.

Try shopping

on-line. You can do it when it suits you and it reduces impulse buys.

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Take 5

Take 5 It’s hard to believe that it’s possible to create fantastic meals in a flash, using only five ingredients. And it follows that the less ingredients you use, the cheaper the meal will be – providing one of your ingredients isn’t caviar of course! Have a think about what your five ‘desert island ingredients’ would be, then make sure you always have them in your larder so that you can whip up a meal in minutes. Here are some ideas to get you started.

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Spaghetti with garlic and chilli

Burst tomatoes and melted mozzarella over potatoes

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Take 5

Spaghetti with garlic and chilli Serves 4 400g spaghetti 3 garlic cloves 2tbsp olive oil 1-2 pinches of red chilli flakes or 1 fresh chilli, seeded and finely chopped Â˝ cup chopped flat leaf parsley black pepper

Serves 4 4 large baking potatoes 1tbsp olive oil 2 cups ripe cherry tomatoes or chopped beef tomatoes 100g spinach, roughly chopped 200g mozzarella cheese, grated salt and pepper

1 Cook the spaghetti as directed on the package until al dente. Reserve about 3 tablespoons of the pasta water, drain and set aside. 2 Meanwhile peel and thinly slice the garlic. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the garlic and chilli for about 3 minutes. 3 Add the spaghetti to the garlic and chilli, moisten with 2 or 3 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. Stir in the parsley and black pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Note that larder staples like olive oil and salt and pepper are not counted as making up the five ingredients in each of the recipes in this chapter.

Per Serving Fat Protein 11g Sodium

6g Sat. Fat 0g Fibre

Burst tomatoes and melted mozzarella over potatoes

1g Energy 326kcal 2g Carbs 61g

1 Preheat the oven to 200Â°C/gas mark 6. 2 Prick the potatoes all over and place them in the hot oven. They should take about an hour to cook. 3 When cooked, cut a cross in the centre and use a fork to prick the potato so the steam escapes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; do this quickly to ensure that the flesh stays fluffy. 4 Heat the olive oil, add the tomatoes and spinach and cook for a few minutes, until the tomatoes burst and their juices run and the spinach has wilted. 5 Add the cheese and toss through. Season and spoon the tomato mixture over the steaming potatoes. Serve immediately.

Cherry tomatoes contain higher levels of flavanols than normal-size varieties of tomato. Flavanols are a group of antioxidants believed to help protect against heart disease, stroke and cancer.

Per Serving Fat Protein 16g Sodium

16g Sat. Fat .3g Fibre

7g Energy 342kcal 5g Carbs 41g

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Teriyaki salmon with spicy noodles

Creamy mustard chicken Serves 4 500g chicken pieces eg. thighs, drumsticks salt and freshly ground black pepper 5tbsp mayonnaise 150g plain yoghurt 4tsp wholegrain mustard

Serves 4 4tbsp teriyaki sauce 1tbsp brown sugar 4 salmon darnes 1 packet egg noodles 3tbsp sweet chilli sauce 1 Mix the teriyaki sauce and brown sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Marinate the salmon darnes in the teriyaki sauce for at least 15 minutes. 2 Place under a hot grill or pan-fry for 3 to 4 minutes until cooked. 3 Meanwhile, cook the noodles as per the packetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s instructions. Mix the chilli sauce with the noodles and serve alongside the salmon. Pour any remaining sauce over the salmon and serve with stir-fried vegetables.

1 Preheat the oven to 180Â°C/gas mark 4. Place the chicken pieces in a greased ovenproof dish and season to taste. 2 Mix the mayonnaise, yoghurt and mustard and pour over the chicken. Bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until the top is bubbling and brown, and the chicken is cooked. Serve with a green salad.

Sauces like teriyaki and sweet chilli, have a long shelf life and are great for pepping up the simplest ingredients. Per Serving Fat Protein 25g Sodium

14g Sat. Fat .7g Fibre

2g Energy 314kcal 1g Carbs 25g

Per Serving Fat Protein 33g Sodium

18g Sat. Fat .3g Fibre

3g Energy 309kcal 0g Carbs 3g

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Take 5

Tomato and pepper soup Serves 2 5 red peppers, halved and seeded 4 whole garlic cloves, peeled olive oil, for drizzling 300g baby vine tomatoes 125ml cream salt and pepper Parmesan shavings, to garnish 1 Preheat the oven to 200Ë&#x161;C/gas mark 6. Place the peppers, garlic cloves and tomatoes on a baking tray. Drizzle over some olive oil and roast in the oven for 45 minutes. Remove the tomatoes after 10-15 minutes or when the skins start to burst. Continue roasting the garlic and peppers for the remaining 30 to 35 minutes. 2 Set the garlic aside. Allow the peppers to cool slightly then put them in a plastic bag. Seal and leave the peppers to sweat for 15 minutes. Remove the peppers from the plastic bag and carefully peel off the skin. 3 Reserve a few of the roasted vine tomatoes for garnishing, then place the peppers, tomatoes and garlic in a blender and pulse until the mixture is smooth. Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and heat gently. Stir in the cream. 4 Season, garnish with Parmesan shavings, a sprig of basil and reserved tomatoes and serve with brown bread.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 8g Sodium

19g Sat. Fat .1g Fibre

10g Energy 248kcal 1g Carbs 13g

Pasta with cherry tomatoes, garlic, feta and rocket Serves 4-5 3tbsp olive oil 15 garlic cloves, peeled and halved 500g cherry tomatoes handful of rocket leaves, torn 250g feta cheese, crumbled salt and pepper 500g cooked pasta 1 Heat the oil and fry the garlic over a moderate heat for about 6 minutes, or until golden brown and soft. Add the tomatoes and stir-fry until the skins begin to tear. 2 Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the rocket leaves and feta cheese. 3 Season with salt and pepper and mix with the cooked pasta. Serve immediately with crusty bread and a salad.

Per Serving Fat Protein 16g Sodium

19g Sat. Fat .7g Fibre

8g Energy 376kcal 1g Carbs 38g

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Lamb koftas with tzatziki Serves 4 400g minced lamb 1 onion, finely chopped 1tsp lemon rind, grated 1 egg, beaten oil, for frying seasoned flour ready-made Tzatziki 1 Mix the mince, onion and lemon rind with the beaten egg to bind to a firm mixture. 2 Shape into oval sausage shapes using wetted hands then insert a wooden skewer into each one. 3 Lightly roll in seasoned flour. 4 Fry the lamb pieces until they are browned and cooked through. Remove from the pan and drain on kitchen paper. 5 Serve the skewered lamb koftas with pitta bread, lettuce and Tzatziki on the side.

Make your own tzatziki by mixing 125ml Greek yoghurt with 1 crushed garlic clove and 1 small peeled and grated cucumber.

Per Serving Fat Protein 25g Sodium

25g Sat. Fat .5g Fibre

10g Energy 343kcal .1g Carbs 5g

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Take 5

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Sausage kebabs and rice Serves 2 4 sausages, chopped into bite-sized pieces 1 red pepper, seeded and chopped into bite-sized pieces 1 courgette, sliced into bite-sized pieces flat leaf parsley, to garnish 100g wild rice 1 Cook the rice as directed on the packet. 2 In the meantime, thread all the ingredients except the parsley, onto four skewers. 3 Place the kebabs under a heated grill or on the barbecue until the sausages are cooked through. 4 Garnish with flat leaf parsley and serve with the wild rice.

Per Serving Fat Protein 13g Sodium

28g Sat. Fat .9g Fibre

10g Energy 346kcal 1g Carbs 11g

Honey chicken and brown rice stir-fry Serves 4 200g brown rice 4 chicken breast fillets 4tsp oil 3tbsp wholegrain mustard 4tbsp honey 4tbsp red wine vinegar 1 Cook the rice as directed on the packet. Drain when ready. 2 Skin the chicken fillet if necessary and slice into strips. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan and stir-fry the chicken in two batches until golden and just cooked through. Set aside and keep warm. 3 When the rice is cooked, combine it with the chicken in the wok or pan, and heat up if necessary. 4 Combine the mustard, honey and vinegar and stir into the rice and chicken. 5 Serve at once with steamed vegetables.

Per Serving Fat Protein 31g Sodium

7g Sat. Fat .3g Fibre

1g Energy 390kcal 0g Carbs 53g

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Take 5

Stuffed sweet potatoes

Whiting with baby spinach and mini tomatoes

Serves 1 1 large sweet potato 1 small tin of baked beans 1tbsp grated cheddar cheese 1 Preheat the oven to 200Â°C/gas mark 6. Prick the potato all over and bake for 1 to 1Âź hours until tender. 2 Split the sweet potatoes and open up to make a pocket. Fill with the baked beans, sprinkle with grated cheese and serve immediately with cooked vegetables or a salad.

Sweet potatoes make a nice change from ordinary potatoes and are healthier too. Your body digests them more slowly and you get a small, steady rise in blood sugar levels which is better for your health and helps keep hunger at bay. Per Serving Protein

Fat 8g Sodium

4g Sat. Fat .6g Fibre

2g Energy 220kcal 9g Carbs 40g

Serves 4 8tsp olive oil 500g whiting or other white fish, chopped into large chunks salt and pepper 4 handfuls baby spinach 200g couscous, cooked 100g baby tomatoes, roasted 2-3tsp white wine vinegar chopped fresh parsley, to garnish (optional) 1 Heat 4tsp of the oil in a large frying pan. Gently fry the fish until it begins to turn golden. Season to taste. Remove from the pan and keep warm. 2 Wash the spinach thoroughly under cold running water, drain and shake dry. Put the spinach into a serving bowl and mix with the cooked couscous. 3 Toss in the roasted tomatoes and arrange the fish on top of the couscous mixture. Mix the white wine vinegar and remaining olive oil in a small bowl and drizzle over everything. 4 Garnish with fresh parsley, if using and serve immediately.

Per Serving Fat Protein 27g Sodium

8g Sat. Fat .1g Fibre

1g Energy 283kcal 0g Carbs 27g

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Mini cornbreads

Fruity yoghurt and muesli drink

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Take 5

Fruity yoghurt and muesli drink

Mini cornbreads Makes 20 500ml buttermilk 500g self-raising flour 1 x 410g tin sweet corn 1 Preheat the oven to 180Â°C/gas mark 4 and grease 20 mini loaf or muffin tins. Mix the buttermilk, flour and sweet corn together in a large mixing bowl. 2 Pour the mixture into the tins and bake for approximately 30-40 minutes until golden brown or a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Serves 3 3 ripe bananas, chopped 1tbsp honey 250ml natural yoghurt 125ml milk 3tbsp muesli, plus extra for sprinkling 1 Process all the ingredients in a food processor until thick and creamy. 2 Pour into tall glasses, sprinkle with extra muesli and serve as an energising breakfast drink or afternoon pick-me-up.

These adorable mini loaf tins are available to buy on-line and from specialist kitchen shops. If you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find them, then muffin tins would work just as well.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 4g Sodium

0g Sat. Fat .3g Fibre

0g Energy 0g Carbs

95kcal 20g

Per Serving Protein

Fat 9g Sodium

5g Sat. Fat .1g Fibre

3g Energy 262kcal 3g Carbs 47g

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Coconut fruit squares

Chocolate truffles

Makes 24 1 x 397g tin condensed milk 75g butter or margarine, melted 150g dried apricots, finely chopped 330g rich tea biscuits, crushed 70g desiccated coconut, toasted

Makes 24 200g dark chocolate, broken into squares 200g thick cream 50g butter 30ml brandy or sherry cocoa powder

1 Place the unopened tin of condensed milk in a pot of water and simmer for 2 hours making sure the water does not boil off. Remove from the water and allow to cool. 2 Grease an 18cm x 28cm shallow baking tray and line with baking paper. 3 Mix the cooked condensed milk, melted butter or margarine, apricots and biscuits. Press the mixture into the prepared tray and sprinkle with toasted coconut. Chill until firm, then cut into squares.

1 Heat the chocolate, cream and butter in a glass bowl over a saucepan of simmering water until the chocolate has melted. Stir occasionally. 2 Cool slightly then stir in the brandy or sherry. Cover and leave to cool. 3 When completely cooled, sieve a small heap of cocoa powder on to a plate. Drop teaspoonfuls of the chocolate mixture in the cocoa powder and gently roll into balls. 4 Place each ball in a mini paper cup and chill for 12 hours. Serve with coffee.

To save time, you can use a 250ml ready-made caramel instead of cooking the condensed milk.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 3g Sodium

9g Sat. Fat .1g Fibre

5g Energy 168kcal 1g Carbs 21g

Per Serving Protein

Fat 1g Sodium

9g Sat. Fat 0g Fibre

5g Energy 104kcal 0g Carbs 6g

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Take 5

Raspberry trifle

Fast banana tarts

Serves 4-6 300ml chocolate ice cream, slightly thawed 150g caramel or shortbread biscuits, roughly crumbled 350ml whipped cream 300g fresh raspberries

Makes 6 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed 1 egg, beaten 6 bananas, sliced 6 tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp icing sugar

1 Put half of the ice cream into a large glass bowl and smooth the top. 2 Spoon half of the biscuits over the top and press in slightly. Then add half the whipped cream and half the raspberries. 3 Next add the rest of the ice cream and the rest of the biscuits and finish with a layer of cream. 4 Scatter the remaining raspberries on top and put into the freezer for about 10 minutes before serving.

1 Preheat the oven to 200Â°C/ gas mark 6 . 2 Cut six circles out of the pastry, using a large cookie cutter. 3 Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper and arrange the pastry circles on the tray. Brush beaten egg over each pastry circle. 4 Using one banana per pastry circle, arrange the slices on each circle and sprinkle the brown sugar over the top. 5 Bake for about 30 minutes until crisp and golden brown. Sieve icing sugar over the top and serve warm with cream or ice cream.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 6g Sodium

41g Sat. Fat .1g Fibre

26g Energy 542kcal 4g Carbs 38g

Per Serving Protein

Fat 3g Sodium

2g Sat. Fat 0g Fibre

0g Energy 211kcal 3g Carbs 49g

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From the Larder

From the Larder A well-stocked larder and freezer means that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be able to pull together a meal in no time, even if you havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t had time to do the groceries (again!). It also reduces costly trips to convenience stores that are more expensive than larger supermarket chains and are also more tempting. Did you know that on average, a person leaves a convenience store with at least three items, even if they only came in for one! Imagine how that adds up over the period of a month. Here are 14 inspiring recipes all using larder staples; a definitive list of all the store cupboard ingredients used in all the recipes in this book; plus a Food Substitutes chart which shows you what to use as an alternative when you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a particular ingredient called for in a recipe. With this kind of preparation, get ready to dazzle your family with your kitchen prowess and unflappable attitude.

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Here is a list of all the non-perishable larder staples, and ingredients that can be frozen, that have been used in the recipes throughout this book. In fact they are probably all the staples that you are ever likely to need. Buy the ones you think you’ll use, or collect them all over time because most have a very long shelf life. The list is colour coded according to the ingredients you are likely to use most often (Green ●) and less often (Purple ●) for everyday cooking.

For the freezer ● Chicken pieces: breasts, legs, thighs ● Sausages ● Minced beef ●F ish fillets: salmon; a white fish

(eg. Cod) and smoked fish (eg. Haddock) ● Smoked mackerel ● Lamb cubes ● Streaky bacon ● Stewing beef ● Stewing lamb ● Grated parmesan cheese ● Grated cheddar cheese ● Grated mozzarella cheese ● Frozen mixed vegetables

Larder List

● Frozen peas ● Frozen baby spinach ● Frozen sweetcorn kernels

Oils/ Sauces/ Vinegars ● Olive oil ● Sunflower oil ● Worcestershire sauce ● Tomato ketchup ● Sweet chilli sauce ● Balsamic vinegar ● White wine vinegar ● Mayonnaise ● Whole grain mustard ● Honey ● Soy sauce ● Lemon juice ● Peanut oil ● Teriyaki sauce ● Red wine vinegar ● Barbecue sauce ● Fruit chutney ● Lime juice ● Chilli sauce

● Ground ginger

● Mixed berries

● Ground nutmeg

● Dried breadcrumbs

● Ground cumin

●F rench bread (baguette) – sliced

Jars / Preserves ● Sun-dried tomatoes ● Stoned black olives ● Roasted peppers ● Piquanté peppers

Ready-made ● Thin pizza bases ● Ready-made white sauce ● Ready-made tomato pasta sauce ● Ready-made custard ● Pesto ● Puff pastry ● Short-crust pastry ● Filo pastry ● Falafels

● Ground cinnamon

before freezing

● Curry powder

● Sliced white bread

● Paprika

● Burger buns

● Ground cloves

● Sliced brown/ wholemeal bread

● Ground mixed spice

● Flour tortillas

● Bouquet garni

● Pitta breads

● Cardamom pods

● Minced lamb

● Dried chilli flakes & powder

● Tub of seafood chowder

● Whole black peppercorns

●S houlder of lamb, deboned,

● Whole cloves ● Whole nutmeg

rolled & tied ● Stewing pork

● Cumin seeds ● Fennel seeds

Pasta/ Grains

● Turmeric

●P asta: spaghetti, penne, pasta shells,

● Garam masala

macaroni, lasagne sheets

● Dried mint

● Dried egg noodles

● Cinnamon sticks

● Rice: white, basmati and brown rice ● Rice noodles

Seasonings/ Herbs/ Spices ● Sea salt ● Cracked black pepper ● Stock cubes: vegetable, chicken and beef ● Tomato purée ● Dried basil ● Dried parsley ● Dried rosemary ● Dried thyme ● Dried oregano ● Dried bay leaves ● Dried mixed herbs ● Ground coriander

● Cannelloni tubes ● Wild rice ● Dried white beans

Tins ● Baked beans ● Sweetcorn ● Whole and chopped tomatoes ● Salmon ● Tuna ● Condensed milk

Essential herbs for your herb garden / window box ● Rosemary ● Thyme ● Basil ● Coriander ● Parsley ● Mint

● Evaporated milk ● Heinz alphabetti spaghetti ●P ulses: butter beans, kidney beans,

chickpeas, red and brown lentils ● Corned beef ● Black-eyed beans ● Tinned raspberries or strawberries ● Tinned peach slices

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From the Larder

Food Substitutes Baking / Desserts / Spreads / Jams ● Baking powder ●S ugars: white, soft brown, dark brown, white caster sugar, golden caster sugar and icing sugar ● Flours: cream and self-raising ● Cornflour ● Baking soda ● Vanilla essence ● Cream of tartar ● Ground almonds ● Chopped nuts ● Raspberry jam ● Instant coffee granules ● Rich tea biscuits ● Cocoa powder ● Raisins ● Vanilla ice cream ● Jelly tablets: lime, strawberry, raspberry ● Food colouring: Red/ Green ● Dark cooking chocolate ● Dried apricots ● Desiccated coconut ● White chocolate ● Chocolate spread ● Peanut butter ● Shortbread biscuits ● Peanut brittle ● Golden syrup ● Peanuts ● Pine nuts ● Walnuts ● Pistachio nuts ● Orange rind ● Lemon rind ● Smarties ● Small chocolate eggs Equipment / Tools ● Wooden skewers

Cereals ● Cornflakes ● Oatflakes ● Rice crispies Other ● Tofu ● Dry red wine ● Dry white wine

Ever run out of an ingredient right in the middle of cooking? Then you know how frustrating this can be. But all needn’t be lost with the help of our handy food substitutes If you don’t have: Use: Self-raising flour

1tsp baking powder for every 150g of plain flour

Buttermilk

Natural yoghurt or milk + 1tbsp lemon juice or vinegar

Baking powder

½ quantity each cream of tartar + baking soda

Caster sugar

Finely ground granulated sugar

Cornflour

Double quantity of plain flour

Crème fraîche

Plain yoghurt

1tsp mixed spice

tsp ground cinnamon + pinch each of ground ginger 1 and cloves

200ml honey

270g sugar + 65ml liquid, eg. water or orange juice

Pecan nuts

Walnuts

Pine kernels

Sunflower seeds

Sour cream

lain yoghurt or cream + 1tsp lemon juice or ½tsp wine P vinegar

Tomato purée

½ quantity fresh tomatoes, skinned, seeded and cooked 1 till soft

Wholewheat flour

Brown bread flour + rolled / crushed wheat to taste

Herbs, 1tbsp fresh

1tsp dried herbs

Lemon juice, 1tsp

½tsp vinegar

Mustard, 1tsp dry

½tbsp prepared mustard

Orange, 1 medium

125ml orange juice

1 tin tomatoes

500ml chopped fresh tomato

Yoghurt, plain

Buttermilk, sour cream or cottage cheese + 1tsp lemon juice

Bread crumbs

Cracker crumbs

Carrots

Parsnips or turnips

290ml tomato juice

5tbsp tomato purée + 250ml water

Curry powder

urmeric + ground cardamom, ginger and cumin T (equal quantities)

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Fish with peanut sauce

Easy Cornish pie

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From the Larder

Fish with peanut sauce

Easy Cornish pie

Serves 4-6 500g fillets firm white fish, cut into bite-sized pieces 4tbsp plain flour 4tbsp sunflower oil 1 onion, thinly sliced 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1-3 chillies, seeded and finely chopped 1tsp ground coriander ½tsp ground ginger pinch grated nutmeg 6tbsp smooth peanut butter 250ml fish or chicken stock

Serves 4 2tsp oil 1 large onion, chopped 450g lean beef mince 1 tin chopped tomatoes ½tsp dried thyme 1½bsp Worcestershire sauce 1 cup frozen vegetables 400g ready-made frozen puff pastry, defrosted 1 large egg, beaten

1 Dust the fish with sieved flour and shake off any surplus. Heat half the oil in a frying pan. Add the fish and sauté until it is golden on all sides. Take the fish from the pan and set aside on kitchen paper to drain. 2 Wipe out the pan, add the remaining oil and cook the onion and garlic until golden. Add the chillies and spices and sauté for a further minute, stirring. 3 Stir in the peanut butter and stock. Bring to boiling point. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the fish and simmer for 5 minutes or until the fish is cooked through. 4 Garnish with parsley sprigs – or if you have a passion for fierce hot flavours, with thin slices of chilli peppers. Serve with cooked rice and sliced bananas, if desired.

Per Serving Fat Protein 27g Sodium

26g Sat. Fat .4g Fibre

5g Energy 413kcal 0g Carbs 19g

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Heat the oil in a large saucepan Add the onion and sauté until soft. Add the mince and stir over a high heat for three minutes. 2 Reduce the heat and add the tomatoes, thyme and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer, uncovered, for five minutes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and add the vegetables straight from the freezer. Simmer for a further five minutes. 3 Spoon into a greased pie dish. Roll out the pastry and cover the pie dish with it. Make two small holes on the top to allow steam to escape. Brush with beaten egg and bake in the oven, for 25-30 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and golden. 4 Serve with rice.

Frozen vegetables are as nutritious (and sometimes even more nutritious) as fresh vegetables, because they are frozen very soon after picking, rather than losing valuable nutrients in transit. So they’re a handy standby to keep in the freezer to help you get to your ‘5 a day’.

Per Serving Fat Protein 35g Sodium

38g Sat. Fat .6g Fibre

5g Energy 659kcal 3g Carbs 48g

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03/02/2009 17:50:31

Vegetable and lentil soup

Chickpea soup

Serves 4 2tsp olive or vegetable oil 1 onion, chopped 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped 4 small sticks of celery, chopped 400ml vegetable or chicken stock 1 cup cooked red lentils 1 tin chopped tomatoes 2tsp tomato purĂŠe salt and pepper pinch of sugar

Serves 5-6 60ml olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 3tsp ground coriander 2tsp ground cumin 2 tins chickpeas, drained 1.5 litres chicken or vegetable stock 1 large potato, peeled and diced 2 carrots, peeled and sliced 3 tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped salt and pepper

1 Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onion, carrots and celery. Cook over a moderate heat until the onion is tender but not coloured. 2 Stir in the stock, lentils, tomatoes and tomato purĂŠe. 3 Bring to boiling point, stir well and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes. Check occasionally, stirring and adding a little water if necessary. 4 Season to taste with salt, black pepper and a pinch of sugar. 5 Serve with crusty bread.

Per Serving Fat Protein 14g Sodium

3g Sat. Fat .4g Fibre

0g Energy 228kcal 6g Carbs 39g

1 Heat the oil in a large saucepan and gently fry the onion for five minutes over a medium heat. 2 Add the garlic and spices and sautĂŠ for another three minutes. Add the chickpeas and stock and bring to the boil. Cover the saucepan, reduce the heat and simmer for 40 minutes. 3 Add the potato, carrots and tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil once more, reduce the heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. 4 Blend small batches of the soup in a food processor until smooth. Adjust the seasoning if necessary and serve warm with brown bread.

Per Serving Fat Protein 12g Sodium

12g Sat. Fat .5g Fibre

2g Energy 277kcal 1g Carbs 33g

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03/02/2009 17:50:46

From the Larder

Pasta with ham, peas and cream

Tuna and fresh tomato pasta

Serves 4 500g pasta, eg. penne or bow-ties 200g frozen peas 250ml cream 300g ham, cut into cubes 2tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated black pepper

Serves 4 500g pasta shells 2tbsp olive oil 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 red chilli, chopped 8 tomatoes, quartered 1 cup vegetable stock 2x185g tins of tuna, drained salt and pepper

1 Cook the pasta in salted, boiling water according to the directions on the packet. 2 Pour the peas into the saucepan during the last few minutes of the pastaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cooking time and cook them together until done. Drain and set aside. 3 Return the saucepan (without the pasta and peas) to the stove and add the cream, ham and cheese. Add the pasta and the peas and stir until warmed through. Season with black pepper and serve with a green salad.

Per Serving Fat Protein 39g Sodium

22g Sat. Fat .9g Fibre

11g Energy 637kcal 3g Carbs 76g

1 Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Drain and set aside. 2 Heat the oil in a pan and gently cook the garlic and chilli until soft. 3 Add the tomatoes and stock and cook for 15 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft. 4 Add the tuna and pasta and warm through. 5 Serve with a mixed green salad and crusty bread.

Per Serving Fat Protein 41g Sodium

18g Sat. Fat .6g Fibre

2g Energy 604kcal 0g Carbs 75g

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03/02/2009 17:50:58

Tuna melt

Sweet corn and corned beef frittata

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03/02/2009 17:51:15

From the Larder

Tuna melt

Sweet corn and corned beef frittata

Serves 2 1 small tin tuna 1tbsp sweet corn few basil leaves 1tbsp mayonnaise 2tbsp grated cheese 2 slices nice crusty bread salt and pepper ¼ cucumber, sliced ½tbsp light dressing 1 Preheat the grill. Mix the tuna, sweet corn, basil and mayonnaise in a bowl. 2 Then pile the tuna mixture and the cheese onto the slices of bread. Place them under the grill for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. 3 Season to taste and serve with sliced cucumber and a light dressing.

Serves 4 30g butter 1 large potato, peeled and diced 1 onion, finely chopped 1 tin corned beef, cubed ½ cup sweet corn 1tbsp chopped fresh herbs 75g grated cheddar or mozzarella cheese 6 large eggs salt and pepper 1 Heat the butter in a medium-sized frying pan. When the butter is hot, add the potato and fry for three or four minutes, turning to colour evenly. Add the onion and fry for two minutes more. Stir in the corned beef, sweet corn and herbs. Cook for two minutes more. 2 Sprinkle half the cheese over the contents of the pan and allow to melt slightly. 3 Beat the eggs until well mixed and season. Pour evenly over the corned beef, potato and onion mixture. Lift the mixture from the outside and allow the liquid egg to flow underneath the set mixture until it is cooked underneath and no liquid egg remains on top. 4 Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top of the frittata and place the pan under a hot grill for two or three minutes until the cheese has melted and the top has just set. 5 Slide the frittata out of the pan and serve cut in wedges with vegetables or salad.

If a recipe calls for fresh herbs and you don’t have any, you can use half the quantity of dried herbs instead.

Per Serving Fat Protein 23g Sodium

26g Sat. Fat .5g Fibre

7g Energy 393kcal 2g Carbs 18g

Per Serving Fat Protein 36g Sodium

29g Sat. Fat 1g Fibre

14g Energy 464kcal 1g Carbs 17g

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03/02/2009 17:51:26

Salmon and tomato pie

Salmon cakes

Serves 4 250ml ready-made white sauce 125ml ready-made tomato pasta sauce 1tsp dried thyme 150g cherry tomatoes, washed 2 medium potatoes, cooked, peeled and diced salt and pepper 1 x 418g tin salmon, drained 1 sheet ready-made puff pastry, thawed 1 egg, beaten to glaze (optional)

Makes about 8 1 x 418g tin salmon, drained 5tbsp spring onion, finely chopped 5tbsp tomato ketchup 150g white breadcrumbs salt and pepper 50g plain flour 2 eggs, lightly beaten 4tbsp vegetable oil

1 Preheat the oven to 200Â°C/gas mark 6. 2 Combine the white sauce with the tomato pasta sauce. Add the dried thyme. Stir in the tomatoes and potatoes. Season with salt and black pepper. 3 Flake the salmon and stir into the sauce gently. 4 Divide the mixture between four ramekins. Roll out enough puff pastry to cover all four ramekins generously. 5 Using the base of the ramekins as a guide, cut out four rounds of pastry a little larger than the ramekins. Press a round of pastry on top of each ramekin and prick well all over to let steam escape. Brush with beaten egg, if desired, to glaze. Place on a baking sheet. 6 Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the pies are well-risen and golden brown. Serve with a salad.

1 Use a fork to flake the salmon into a mixing bowl. 2 In the bowl, combine the salmon, spring onion, tomato ketchup, 50g of the breadcrumbs and season to taste. 3 Form the mixture into fishcakes and coat first in flour, then beaten egg and then in the remaining breadcrumbs. 4 Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the fishcakes for about two minutes each side, or until golden. Serve with rocket leaves and a mayonnaise and chive dip on the side.

Making breadcrumbs is a great way to use up stale bread. Simply put the bread into a blender and pulse for a minute or two. They keep very well in a zip lock bag in the freezer and are excellent for crumbing fish cakes, or schnitzels or even sprinkling on top of a bake to give extra crunch. You can use them directly from the freezer and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to defrost them first. Per Serving Fat Protein 35g Sodium

24g Sat. Fat .9g Fibre

6g Energy 478kcal 3g Carbs 32g

Per Serving Fat Protein 33g Sodium

26g Sat. Fat 1g Fibre

4g Energy 540kcal 2g Carbs 47g

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04/02/2009 16:04:07

From the Larder

Salmon and tomato pie

Salmon cakes

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03/02/2009 17:51:53

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03/02/2009 17:52:06

From the Larder

Cornflake tart Serves 8-10 Crust 150g sugar 1tsp ground cinnamon 150g cornflakes, crushed 150g butter, melted Filling 4tbsp plain flour 150g sugar 750ml milk 30g butter 4 eggs, separated 1 Preheat the oven to 160Â°C/gas mark 3. 2 Make the crust first. In a bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon together, then mix in the cornflakes and the melted butter. Fill the base and sides of a 25cm square dish with the cornflake mixture. Set aside. 3 Now make the filling. Mix the flour and sugar in a bowl, then add enough of the milk to make a smooth paste. Set aside. Heat the rest of the milk in a saucepan over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Gradually pour the hot milk into the flour paste, whisking constantly. 4 Transfer the milk mixture back into the saucepan and add the butter. Whisk constantly over a low heat until the mixture thickens. Set aside to cool, laying a sheet of cllingfilm on the surface to prevent a skin forming. 5 Once the mixture reaches room temperature, beat the egg yolks lightly and whisk them into the batter. Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl and fold into the batter. Pour into the prepared cornflake crust and spread evenly. 6 Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until set. Serve warm or cold.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 8g Sodium

23g Sat. Fat .4g Fibre

13g Energy 477kcal 0g Carbs 65g

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03/02/2009 17:52:28

Apple bundles Serves 4 4 small apples 2tsp oil 2tsp icing sugar, plus extra for dusting 1tsp cinnamon 4 sheets of frozen filo pastry, thawed 1 Preheat the oven to 225°C/gas mark 6½. Core the apples and cut into small pieces. Sauté the apples in a little oil for a minute or two. 2 Add the sugar and cinnamon and sauté for a minute more. 3 Lay the pastry sheets on top of each other, on a clean, damp tea towel. Then cut into four squares and place a quarter of the apple mixture in the middle of each square of pastry. 4 With a pastry brush, moisten edges with water. Pinch together tightly to form a bundle and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for eight to 10 minutes. 5 Dust with a little icing sugar, garnish with a mint leaf and serve with cream or ice cream.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 1g Sodium

8g Sat. Fat 2g Fibre

2g Energy 156kcal 4g Carbs 21g

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04/02/2009 16:05:13

From the Larder

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03/02/2009 17:53:03

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03/02/2009 18:24:32

Easy Freezy

Easy Freezy Most of us have freezers, but very few of us make the most of this handy appliance. Freezing food properly seems like a mysterious science, so we mostly stick to freezing pre-packaged foods and the occasional leftover, which we can never quite identify six months later. Well prepare to change all of that! By following our simple advice, you are guaranteed to never fear your freezer again.

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The freezer really can make a big difference to your budget. It is useful both for people with families and for singles - because with a bit of preparation it is easy to have a meal ready in minutes. It’s also a great time saving device, because less time is spent shopping and cooking, as food can be bought in bulk, cooked and then divided into suitable portions and frozen. And most importantly from a budget point of view, a freezer minimises wastage, because leftovers can be frozen for future meals.

What you need for freezing

How to defrost ●P erishable items (eg. meat / poultry / seafood / dairy) or

pre-cooked foods high in moisture content (eg. soup) and /or containing dairy or egg products, should be thawed in the fridge and never outside, in a cold room or on the kitchen counter. ●F or fast defrosting, place frozen packages in a watertight,

zip lock bag and cover with cold water. Change water every 30 minutes until food is completely thawed.

Keep a selection of the following items at hand, to make freezing a no-brainer:

●T o defrost in the microwave, remove food from its shop

wrapping (eg. foam trays/ plastic wrapping) first and place in a suitable container, because they may release chemicals into the foods.

●H eavy duty foil and plastic wrap - handy for wrapping frozen foods such

as bread, cakes and muffins. ●G reaseproof paper - great for placing between pancakes, hamburgers

and raw meats like chops. ●R e-sealable freezer bags in different sizes - good to have on hand for freezing muffins, fritters, pancakes and vegetables. Even soup and liquids can be stored in these because they take up less space. ●P lastic airtight, freezerproof containers for freezing liquid-based dishes, such as soups and casseroles. Plastic leftover containers and empty margarine tubs are particularly useful for this. ●F reezerproof, ovenproof dishes (eg. foil trays with lids) are needed for when you’re cooking and freezing bakes that you want to pop straight into the oven. ●L abels are essential for making frozen food identifiable. ●P ermanent markers are useful for labelling foods with the food name, portion size, use-by date and any special cooking or reheating instructions. ● I ce trays – great for freezing baby and toddler food eg. purées and pasta sauces.

Foods that don’t freeze well These are all safe to freeze, but they don’t retain their quality if frozen for too long: ●F ruits and vegetables with a high water content or delicate

cell structure eg. Cabbage, celery, cress, cucumbers, endives, lettuce, parsley, radishes, watermelon, tomatoes and citrus fruits ●C heese or crumb toppings ●C ream or custard fillings, milk sauces, yoghurt and sour cream ●S auces and gravies thickened with flour ●C ooked egg whites and icings made from egg whites ●F ried foods ●F ruit jelly or other gelatinous foods ●C ooked pasta or rice

●P re-cooked foods that are low in moisture content

(eg. breads, cakes, cookies) can be thawed at room temperature.

& QA

What happens if there is a power cut or my freezer breaks down? Firstly keep the door closed, so that no warm air is able to enter. A full freezer will stay cold for 48 hours and a half full freezer will stay cold for 24 hours. When the power comes back on or your freezer is repaired, check the food packages and if there are still ice crystals on them or the food is partially thawed, then they should still be safe to eat or refreeze. If they are completely thawed, do not refreeze and try to consume in three days. Discard any melted ice cream. What is freezer burn? Freezer burn happens when air touches the surface of food in your freezer because foods haven’t been wrapped or sealed properly. The food toughens up and looses some flavour and looks frosty and grey. Food is still safe to eat, but the freezer-burned areas will be dried out and tasteless. For best results cut away the freezer-burned portions before cooking. How often should I defrost my freezer? Although many freezers in newer fridge-freezers don’t need to be defrosted manually, they should still be cleaned out every six months, to get rid of any unwanted odours, food residues and dirt. All types of chest freezers must be defrosted manually and this should be done at least once a year. Generally, your freezer should be defrosted as soon as there is an accumulation of about 5cm of frost on the sides, top or bottom of your freezer. This will help your freezer run more efficiently and lower your electricity bill in the long term.

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03/02/2009 18:24:55

Easy Freezy

How to freeze various things: For soft things, like berries, meatballs and cooked ravioli: Spread out on a tray and freeze for 2 – 3 hours until solid, then transfer into a freezer bag or other suitable container. This prevents things from sticking together and you can take out a handful at a time. Note that defrosted fruit will be softer than fresh fruit, so they’re best used in pies and cakes where they don’t need to look good. Berries will keep for up to one year in the freezer. Cooked ravioli will keep in the freezer for up to two months, but will freeze better if undercooked first. Cooked meatballs can be frozen for two months, while raw uncooked meatballs will keep for three months.

Pancakes: Let them cool, separate with wax paper to prevent sticking, then freeze in resealable plastic bags. This method also works for potato cakes, waffles, omelettes and tortillas – in fact anything that is thin and pancake like. Pancakes can be frozen for up to six weeks.

Baby weaning and toddler meals: Batch cook baby weaning and toddler foods and freeze in the same way, just in smaller portions. It’s particularly handy and time efficient to freeze purées in ice cube trays first, then pop them into freezer bags or plastic pots suitable for microwave use. Use within a month.

Raw meat, poultry and fish: Wrap in freezer paper then put into a freezer bag. It’s okay to keep in the store packaging, but it’s best to wrap the whole package in plastic wrap or place in a freezer bag for extra protection. Fresh meat will keep for up to one year in the freezer. Cooked meat will keep in the freezer for two months, while cured meats will keep for one month. Fish will keep for up to three months. Bread: Slice bread and halve bagels or baps before freezing in re-sealable freezer bags, so you can easily remove the number of servings you need once frozen. Also, slip bagel and bap halves into the freezer bag, back-to-back so that they don’t stick together. Bread and muffins can be frozen for up to three months.

Dairy products: Fresh butter, cheese and milk should all be divided into portions before freezing. Cheese can be grated, so that you can use a handful at a time. Single cream and soft cheeses do not freeze well. Salted butter will keep for three months, while unsalted can be frozen for six months. Milk and cream can be stored in the freezer for up to two months. Vegetables: if you have more vegetables than you’re able to use, then blanche and freeze them, rather than let them go to waste. Peel and chop vegetables as required then drop into boiling water for 2 – 4 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces. Drain in a colander, then rinse under cold water, drain again and dry on kitchen paper. When cool, place in a freezer bag, seal and label. It’s a good idea to chop them up into the sizes that you’re most likely to use them, because then you can just throw them straight into the pot. Vegetables can be frozen for up to six months, however raw onions are not suitable for freezing.

Liquids: Freeze soups, sauces and other liquids flat in resealable freezer bags, then stand them up sideways for storage, like files in a filing cabinet. Not only will they take up less space in the freezer, they will thaw much faster when you’re ready to use - the greater the surface area, the faster the thaw. Most sauces will keep for up to four months, but those made with eggs/cream will keep for one month.

Cakes: You can freeze cakes with icing on, by first placing them on a plate, uncovered in the freezer and freezing until solid for about 2 – 3 hours. Then wrap in tin foil and freeze. When you want to defrost, simply unwrap the foil and create a tent around the cake with it, and place in the fridge to defrost. I find it works better to freeze an un-iced cake and then ice it after it’s been defrosted. Iced cakes will keep for up to two months, while un-iced cakes can be frozen for up to four months.

Casseroles and stews: There is no need to keep your casserole dish in the freezer until you’re ready to eat its contents. Line the dish with foil and then assemble the uncooked dish in it. Cook then allow to cool, and wrap and freeze until solid. Lift out the foil and the contents, fold closed and transfer the block to the freezer until you’re ready to thaw and cook. Casseroles and stews can be frozen for four to six months.

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04/02/2009 16:06:24

Spicy tomato sauce

Simple fish pie

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03/02/2009 18:25:37

Easy Freezy

Spicy tomato sauce

Simple fish pie

Makes 750ml 2tbsp olive oil 3 onions, chopped 6 garlic cloves, chopped 2 red chillies, seeded and finely chopped 4 tins chopped tomatoes 2tbsp tomato purée 2tbsp sugar 2tbsp Italian parsley, chopped salt and freshly ground black pepper

Serves 4 6 medium potatoes, peeled 1tsp butter salt and pepper a little oil, for frying 1 onion, roughly chopped 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 1 leek, roughly chopped 1 tub of seafood chowder 50ml cream 100g cheddar cheese, grated

1 Heat the oil in a large pot and add the onions, garlic and chillies. Gently fry until onions are translucent, then add the tins of chopped tomatoes and the purée. 2 Sprinkle the sugar over the mixture, but do not stir through. Leave to simmer for 10 minutes. Add the parsley and season. Freezing instructions This is great standby sauce that is perfect for batch cooking. It can be used on it’s own over pasta or you could add tinned tuna, fresh fish or chicken and serve over couscous or rice. To freeze, allow to cool, then divide into batches in suitable containers, leaving a little head space for expansion, label and freeze. You can even freeze this sauce in ice cube trays, then once frozen, pop into a zip lock bag. Two ice cubes of sauce are an ideal toddler portion of sauce over pasta. The sauce can be frozen for four to six months.

Cool freezing facts and tips ●K eep a list of everything that is in the freezer and the date it

was frozen, taped to your freezer or somewhere in your kitchen. Cross items off as you use them and that way you can keep track of what is in it. ●U se square not round containers. It makes it easier to fill every corner of your freezer. ●F reezing foods doesn’t lessen their nutritional value. In fact more nutrients are lost transporting fruits and vegetables over long distances, than if they were frozen soon after picking. ●S upermarket wrappings are fine for freezing most foods (eg. meat) for 1 – 2 months, but if you plan to keep it longer and for the best quality, overwrap and repackage.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 5g Sodium

4g Sat. Fat .1g Fibre

1g Energy 142kcal 1g Carbs 23g

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Boil the potatoes until cooked. Once they are ready, mash and add a little butter. Season to taste and set aside. 2 Heat a little oil in a saucepan and gently fry the onion, garlic and leek. Add the chowder and cream and allow to simmer for about five minutes. 3 Spoon the mixture into a casserole dish, and sprinkle the grated cheese over the top. 4 Gently spoon over the mashed potato and smooth over the top with a fork. 5 Place the pie in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the potato topping is lightly browned. Freezing instructions There are three stages at which you can freeze Fish Pie. 1. You can freeze the fish mixture. Then when you want to eat it, defrost, add fresh mashed potato to the top and bake as usual. 2. You can freeze it at the stage where you have spread the mash and sprinkled the cheese over the top, but haven’t baked it yet. 3. After you’ve baked it. To freeze before baking: Assemble your pie and tray-freeze, then wrap and label. Freeze for up to three months. When ready to serve, remove from freezer, unwrap and bake frozen at 180°C/gas mark 4, adding 10 – 20 minutes extra time. To freeze after baking: Allow to cool, then divide into individual portions. Place in suitable containers, label and freeze for up to three months. To reheat, bake unthawed, in preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until heated through. You can also thaw in the fridge overnight and bake the next day.

Per Serving Fat Protein 19g Sodium

22g Sat. Fat .3g Fibre

10g Energy 482kcal 5g Carbs 58g

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03/02/2009 18:25:58

Italian chicken with peppers

Rogan josh

Serves 4 4 chicken breasts, skinned salt and freshly ground black pepper 2tsp olive oil 1 onion, halved and thickly sliced 1 red pepper, seeded and sliced 1 yellow pepper, seeded and sliced 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 175g courgettes, trimmed and sliced 1 tin chopped tomatoes handful of basil leaves, shredded 1tsp soft brown sugar

Serves 6 2tbsp butter 800g lamb cubes 3 bay leaves 2 cardamom pods, bruised 4 cloves 6 black peppercorns 1tsp cumin seeds 2 sticks cinnamon Curry paste 1 onion, grated 6 garlic cloves, crushed 2tsp ground coriander ¼tsp fennel seeds 3tsp fresh ginger, grated 1tsp chilli powder 1tsp paprika 1tsp turmeric 1tsp garam masala Tomato sauce 2tbsp butter 1 large onion, chopped 4 cardamom pods, crushed 100ml tomato purée salt and pepper 250ml natural yoghurt

1 Season the chicken breasts lightly with salt and pepper. 2 Heat about 1tsp of the oil in a large frying pan and brown the chicken quickly on both sides. (Please note they will not be cooked through at this stage.) Lift them out of the pan and set aside on a plate. 3 Add the rest of the oil to the pan, heat up and sauté the onion and peppers until softened. Add the garlic and courgettes, cover and cook over a moderate heat for 3 - 4 minutes, stirring once or twice. 4 Add the tomatoes, half the basil and the sugar. Bring the sauce to boiling point, return the chicken breasts to the pan and simmer, uncovered, for 15 - 20 minutes over a low heat. Turn the chicken over halfway through the cooking time and add a little water if the sauce is becoming too thick. 5 Check the seasoning, and sprinkle with the remaining basil. Serve with brown rice. Freezing instructions Set aside until completely cooled. Place in an airtight container, leaving some headspace, label, date and freeze. Use within three months. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight or until thawed, and to reheat, place in a large saucepan and stir over a low heat until piping hot.

1 Heat half of the butter in a large saucepan and fry half the lamb with half the spices until browned. Remove from the pan and repeat with the other half. Set aside. 2 To make the curry paste, grind all the curry paste ingredients (except the garam masala), with a pestle and mortar or blend all the ingredients in a food processor to make a paste. 3 For the tomato sauce, heat the butter in a saucepan and add the onion and cardamom. Stir over a medium heat until golden. 4 Add the tomato purée and seasoning and then the yoghurt, a spoonful at a time, stirring well after each addition. 5 Add the curry paste to the tomato mixture and simmer for five minutes. 6 Add the lamb mixture to the saucepan. Add 600ml of hot water to the mixture, cover and leave to simmer for 2½ hours until the lamb is very tender. Sprinkle with garam masala, stir well and season with salt and pepper to taste. Freezing instructions Spoon cooled curry into a shallow air tight container. Seal and label and freeze for up to three months. Thaw in the microwave or in the fridge overnight, then reheat in a large saucepan over medium heat until piping hot.

Per Serving Fat Protein 29g Sodium

2g Sat. Fat .1g Fibre

0g Energy 170kcal 1g Carbs 9g

Per Serving Fat Protein 31g Sodium

20g Sat. Fat .1g Fibre

6g Energy 347kcal .1g Carbs 11g

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04/02/2009 16:06:42

Easy Freezy

Italian chicken with peppers

Rogan josh

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03/02/2009 18:26:51

Feta cheese and tomato quiche

Cottage pie

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03/02/2009 18:27:05

Easy Freezy

Feta cheese and tomato quiche

Cottage pie

Serves 4-6 225g frozen short crust pastry, thawed 20 cherry tomatoes 10 slices of salami, chopped 200g feta cheese, crumbled 2 eggs 1 egg yolk 250ml cream salt and pepper 2tsp fresh thyme leaves

Serves 4 1tbsp oil 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped 1tsp curry powder 1tsp ground coriander ½tsp paprika 500g minced beef 4tbsp tomato purée 200ml beef stock 2 carrots, peeled and grated 1tsp cornflour, mixed with a little water 150g frozen peas Topping 5 large potatoes, peeled and chopped 1½tsp butter or margarine 80ml milk salt and pepper 50g Cheddar cheese, grated

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface, thinly. Grease a large pie dish or quiche dish and line with the pastry. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. 2 Trim the edges of the pastry and prick the base all over with a fork. Scatter the tomatoes, salami and feta cheese over the pastry. Beat the eggs and egg yolk with the cream. Season to taste with salt, pepper and thyme and pour this mixture over the filling. 3 Bake in the preheated oven for 30 - 35 minutes or until a knife-point inserted into the centre of the filling comes out clean. Serve hot or cold with a salad. Freezing instructions Quiches can be frozen before or after baking, though baking it first makes it much easier to manoeuvre. It’s handy to freeze cooked quiche in individual portions, for a quick lunch or dinner. To freeze quiche before baking: Make quiche up in a freezer-safe or tinfoil container and place on a baking tray. Freeze until firm (this is called tray-freezing), then wrap with freezer paper or heavy-duty aluminium foil. You could also slide quiche into a freezer bag, seal and label. Freeze for up to one month. Then when you’re ready to eat it, unwrap and bake (un-thawed) as per recipe, adding 10 - 20 minutes extra time. To freeze quiche after baking: Proceed as above, and freeze for up to two months. Do not thaw before reheating. Remove wrap and bake in a preheated 180°C/gas mark 4 oven for about 25 minutes, or until heated through.

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4 and line and grease a 1-litre casserole dish. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion until soft and translucent. Add the spices and cook until fragrant. Add the mince and fry until browned and crumbly. Mix in the tomato purée and then stir in the beef stock. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. 2 Add the carrots to the mince. Mix well and cook for about 10 minutes. Then add the cornflour paste to the mince and cook until thickened. Stir in the peas, transfer to the casserole dish and set aside. 3 To make the topping, boil the potatoes in a saucepan of salted water until soft. Drain and mash. Add the butter or margarine and a little milk. Mix until smooth, adding milk as needed to get the right consistency. Season to taste. 4 Spread the mash over the mince using a fork. Sprinkle the cheese evenly on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is golden brown. Serve warm with a green salad. Freezing instructions There are three stages at which you can freeze Cottage pie. 1. You can freeze the meat mixture. Then when you want to eat it, defrost, add fresh mashed potato to the top and bake as usual. 2. You can freeze it at the stage where you have spread the mash and sprinkled the cheese over the top, but haven’t baked it yet. 3. After you’ve baked it. I find it tastes best if you use method one, but if you’re going to freeze the whole pie or leftovers, then it’s best to reheat it in the oven rather than the microwave, which tends to make it soggy. To freeze before baking: Assemble your pie and tray-freeze, then wrap and label. Freeze for up to three months. When ready to serve, remove from freezer, unwrap and bake frozen at 180˚C/gas mark 4, adding 10 – 20 minutes extra time. To freeze after baking: Allow to cool, then divide into individual portions. Place in suitable containers, label and freeze for up to three months. To reheat, bake unthawed, in preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until heated through. You can also thaw in the fridge overnight and bake the next day.

Per Serving Fat Protein 15g Sodium

36g Sat. Fat .9g Fibre

14g Energy 468kcal 1g Carbs 22g

Per Serving Fat Protein 39g Sodium

33g Sat. Fat .5g Fibre

14g Energy 668kcal 8g Carbs 60g

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Lamb mince meatballs in tomato sauce Serves 8 1 thick slice of white bread, crust removed 1kg minced lamb 1 onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1tsp mixed spice 1tsp ground cumin salt and pepper 1tbsp chopped fresh basil, plus extra to garnish a little flour, for dusting olive oil, for frying Tomato sauce 1 onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 3tbsp olive oil 2tbsp tomato purée 1 big handful of basil, chopped 1 tin chopped tomatoes 150ml red wine 30ml red wine vinegar salt and pepper pinch of sugar 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4 and grease a large ovenproof dish. 2 Put the bread into a food processor and pulse to make crumbs. 3 Combine the breadcrumbs with the minced lamb, onion and garlic in a large bowl. Add the spices and herbs and mix well with floured hands. 4 Shape into small balls and fry in some oil over a medium heat until brown on each side. Set aside. 5 To make the tomato sauce, fry the onion and garlic in the olive oil in a saucepan until soft and translucent. 6 Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Season to taste and add a little sugar. 7 Pour the tomato sauce into the dish and put the meatballs on top. Place in the hot oven and bake for 30 minutes. 8 Garnish with basil and serve with mashed potato or spaghetti. Freezing instructions Meatballs are handy to keep in the freezer, because they can form the basis of many other meals. They can be added to almost any sauce and served over pasta, rice or couscous, or they can be popped into a lunch box straight from the freezer. They’re also great for parties, served with a dip. You can either freeze the meatballs in this recipe at step 5, ie. before they go into the sauce, or at the end of step 8. To freeze at step 5, allow to cool, then put into an air tight container, label and freeze for up to two months. To reheat thaw in the fridge overnight and use as required. To freeze once they’re in a sauce, allow to cool, then spoon into single-serve airtight containers. Freeze for up to 8 weeks. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat in a large saucepan over medium heat until piping hot.

Per Serving Fat Protein 25g Sodium

20g Sat. Fat .1g Fibre

8g Energy 300kcal 2g Carbs 44g

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Easy Freezy

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Fish in tomato sauce

Roast sweet potato and red onion soup

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Easy Freezy

Fish in tomato sauce

Roast sweet potato and red onion soup

Serves 4 1 onion, finely chopped 1-2 garlic cloves, chopped 1tbsp oil 1 tin chopped tomatoes 1 leek, sliced 1tsp oregano or basil 1tbsp tomato purée ½tsp sugar or honey salt and pepper 300g white fish fillets, eg. cod watercress, to garnish

Serves 4 300g sweet potato, peeled and finely chopped 1 red onion, finely chopped 2tbsp olive oil 1tsp ground cumin salt and freshly ground pepper 700ml chicken stock 2tbsp natural yoghurt

1 Sauté the onion and garlic in oil for approximately 5 minutes. 2 Add the tinned tomatoes and leeks. Add the basil or oregano, tomato purée, a little honey or sugar and salt and pepper. 3 Allow the sauce to cook uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes. Stir from time to time. 4 Add the fish and cook for approximately 10 minutes until it has turned white and opaque. Serve with boiled potatoes and broccoli and garnish with watercress. Freezing instructions The sauce that this fish is cooked in is highly versatile. Substitute chicken for fish or serve alone over pasta. Why not make double the quantity and freeze half for other meals? For this recipe, cook the sauce until the end of step 3, then allow to cool. Place in a suitable container (I prefer zip lock bags), label and freeze. To defrost, place in the microwave, allow to thaw in the fridge, or place in hot water - then reheat and add the fish. Continue recipe at step 4. The sauce can be frozen for up to four months.

Per Serving Fat Protein 17g Sodium

4g Sat. Fat .4g Fibre

0g Energy 131kcal 1g Carbs 9g

1 Preheat the oven to 220°C/gas mark 7. Place the sweet potato and red onion on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Combine the oil, cumin, salt and pepper and spoon over the vegetables. Toss to coat. 2 Roast the vegetables for 10-15 minutes or until the potato is tender and golden. Place the stock in a medium saucepan over a high heat and bring to the boil. 3 Add the roast vegetables and use a hand-held blender to blend the soup until smooth. 4 To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top each with a dollop yoghurt. Freezing instructions Ladle cooled soup into single serve containers or zip lock bags. If using zip lock bags, fill, seal and lay flat on a tray in the freezer until frozen, then store stacked on top of each other or side by side, like files in a filing cabinet. Freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw in the fridge, then heat in a medium saucepan over a medium heat until piping hot.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 2g Sodium

6g Sat. Fat .3g Fibre

1g Energy 132kcal 1g Carbs 19g

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Drop scones

Apple muffins

Makes 10 200g self-raising flour 25g caster sugar pinch of salt 1 egg 250ml milk To serve Butter and jam

Makes 12 300g plain flour 1tbsp baking powder ¼tsp salt ½tsp cinnamon ½ cup sugar 60ml oil 125ml milk 1 egg, beaten 1 cup grated apple

1 Put the dry ingredients into a bowl and stir together. 2 Make a well in the centre and drop in the egg and milk. 3 Whisk everything together thoroughly. The batter should be a creamy consistency. Add a little more milk, if necessary. Leave to rest for 30 minutes. 4 Heat a little butter in a frying pan and fry tablespoons of the batter, turning them once when set. Serve with butter and jam. Freezing instructions Stack uneaten Drop scones, separated with greaseproof paper. Wrap stack in foil and place in a sealed freezer bag, label and date. Thaw in the fridge. To reheat, wrap stacks of 8 greaseproof paper-separated Drop scones in foil and place on a baking tray. Heat in a preheated oven (180°C/gas mark 4) for 10 minutes or until heated through. Alternatively defrost uncovered in the microwave for 1 – 2 minutes or until almost thawed. Leave to stand for 2 minutes. Then to reheat a single portion, cover with a damp paper towel and heat for 1 – 1½ minutes or until warm to the touch.

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with large paper bun cases. 2 Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a bowl. Mix the sugar, oil, milk and egg together in another bowl. 3 Add the liquid and grated apple to the dry ingredients. Divide the batter between the 12 paper cases and bake for 20 - 25 minutes until golden brown. Freezing instructions Muffins or scones will keep in an airtight container for 2 – 3 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Set muffins aside in pans to cool completely before freezing. Wrap each in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container. Allow to thaw before freezing overnight.

11 Golden rules of freezing 1 Only freeze fresh or freshly cooked (and cooled) foods. 2 After cooking, cool the food quickly (within one to two hours), then freeze. 3 Package food in serving-sized portions. 4 Use the appropriate packaging and / or container. 5 Try to get rid of as much excess air from packaging as possible, before freezing. 6 Always label the package so you know what you have frozen and how long it has been in the freezer. 7 When freezing liquids or semi-liquid items (eg. stew) always leave about 3cm room at the top of the container to allow for expansion during freezing. 8 Make sure you reheat defrosted, previously cooked food until it’s piping hot all the way through. 9 Eat previously cooked and frozen foods within 24 hours of removing from the freezer. 10 Don’t re-freeze any leftovers that have been previously cooked and frozen. 11 Don’t return any defrosted raw meats or fish to the freezer.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 3g Sodium

2g Sat. Fat .2g Fibre

1g Energy 100kcal 0g Carbs 19g

Per Serving Protein

Fat 3g Sodium

6g Sat. Fat .2g Fibre

1g Energy 184kcal .1g Carbs 31g

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Easy Freezy

Drop scones

Apple muffins

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Hearty Value Cuts

Hearty Value Cuts Using cheaper cuts of meat and certain types of fish can really help butcher your bills. Why not have a bit of fun and try a new thrift cut per week? Speak to your butcher or fishmonger about one that you might try and how you should prepare it. For additional inspiration trawl through past issues of Easy Food and try to get your hands on old War-time and Home Economics cookbooks which are a fascinating source of all things useful. In the meantime, here are a few ideas to get you started.

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Where do cheaper cuts of meat come from? Value cuts generally come from the parts of an animal that are used the most, and are therefore packed with muscle, eg. the front and hind quarters. So, as a general rule, the further from the head and feet of the animal – the more tender the meat, and therefore the more expensive.

Ideas for value cuts 1 Think low and slow – cook at a low temperature for a long time. 2 Use a pressure cooker. 3 Marinate to tenderise and add flavour. 4 Invest in a meat tenderizer. This punches holes through the meat, allowing the meat to soak up the marinade. 5 Use in soups. 6 Pop into stews and casseroles with lots of vegetables. 7 Learn to use interesting spices. 8 Serve with a spectacular side dish. 9 Add a nice sauce.

Use your butcher and fishmonger Whether you’re lucky enough to have a friendly local butcher or fishmonger in a striped navy apron in your neighbourhood, or are limited to the meat and fish counters at your local supermarket, good advice is close at hand. They can often point you to cuts of meat or certain types of fish that are on promotion, or can suggest cheaper ways to cook old favourites. To find a craft butcher near you, visit www.craftbutchers.ie or call +353 (0)1 296 1400. For fishy ideas visit www.bim.ie

5 Cheapest cuts of Beef • Rib steak/ Chuck roll • Shin beef • Shoulder beef • Minced beef • Pot Roast

5 Cheapest cuts of Lamb • Neck of Lamb (generally sold as diced or stewing lamb) • Gigot lamb chops • Rack of lamb • Shoulder of lamb • Lamb shanks

Lamb casserole Serves 6-8 2tbsp olive oil 2kg stewing lamb, cubed 3 or 4 bay leaves ½tsp ground cinnamon ½tsp grated nutmeg ½tsp ground cloves ½tsp ground cumin 3 garlic cloves, crushed 3tbsp red wine vinegar 400g tin of tomatoes 2tbsp tomato purée 100ml dry red wine about 500ml hot water salt and pepper 50g butter, chopped up 500g baby onions, peeled 3tbsp flat leaf parsley or chives, chopped 1 Preheat the oven to 160°C/gas mark 3. 2 Heat the olive oil and brown the lamb cubes in batches. Return all the meat to the saucepan and add the bay leaves, spices and garlic. Stir over a low heat for 2 minutes. 3 Add the vinegar, tomatoes and their juice, tomato purée, red wine and enough hot water to cover the meat. Add a little salt and pepper. Bring to boiling point. 4 Transfer the meat, vegetables and liquids to a large oven-proof casserole. Dot with the pieces of butter, and arrange the onions on top. Cover the casserole with aluminium foil and a lid and bake in the oven for 2 to 2½ hours until the lamb is tender. 5 Check the seasoning, sprinkle with the parsley or chives and serve with broccoli and wild rice.

5 Cheapest cuts of Pork • Belly pork • Shoulder pork • Pork mince • Gigot pork chops • Diced pork

3 Cheapest parts of the Chicken • Legs and thighs • Wings • Whole chicken – buy a whole chicken and get your butcher to divide into eight pieces. Use the bones to make stock.

Per Serving Fat Protein 78g Sodium

53g Sat. Fat .3g Fibre

25g Energy 832kcal 2g Carbs 7g

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Hearty Value Cuts

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03/02/2009 19:21:09

Thai chicken bake

Easy home-made burgers

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Hearty Value Cuts

Thai chicken bake

Easy home-made burgers

Serves 6-8 15 chicken thigh fillets, skinned 350g Thai red curry sauce 1 tin coconut milk chopped coriander leaves, to garnish

Serves 4 450g lamb or pork mince 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2tbsp BBQ Sauce 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 small onion, finely chopped 2 spring onions, sliced handful basil leaves, chopped 8 burger buns 60g white cheddar cheese, grated 2 tomatoes, sliced 1 small butterhead lettuce, washed and leaves separated

1 Preheat the oven to 190Ë&#x161;C/ gas mark 5. Arrange the chicken pieces on a lightly greased roasting tin. 2 Mix the sauce into the coconut milk in a large bowl. Pour this mixture over the chicken. 3 Roast in the oven basting the chicken occasionally as it cooks. Allow it to cook for about 35 minutes, or until the chicken is completely cooked through. 4 Serve on a bed of freshly cooked rice, garnished with fresh coriander.

Per Serving Fat Protein 33g Sodium

5g Sat. Fat .7g Fibre

1g Energy 202kcal 0g Carbs 8g

1 In a large bowl, mix together the mince, garlic, BBQ Sauce, egg and onion until well combined. 2 Add the spring onions and basil to the mixture and divide into four patties. 3 Barbecue or grill the burgers until cooked through. Turn them once only, cooking for about five to six minutes on each side. 4 Toast the burger buns. Top four of the halves with grated cheese and sliced tomatoes. 5 Place a burger on each bun, top with lettuce and remaining bun halves and serve.

Per Serving Fat Protein 42g Sodium

24g Sat. Fat 1g Fibre

9g Energy 628kcal 1g Carbs 66g

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03/02/2009 19:21:36

Chicken baked in spicy yoghurt

Baked pork chops

Serves 4 6 to 8 small chicken thighs 125ml natural yoghurt 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 fresh chilli, seeded and chopped 2tsp fresh ginger, grated 3tbsp fruity chutney 2tsp grated lemon rind

Serves 4 30ml olive oil 2 garlic cloves, crushed 5ml dried thyme 80ml balsamic vinegar 4 pork loin chops, trimmed 8 tomatoes, halved

1 Preheat the oven to 180Â°C/gas mark 4. 2 Slash the chicken thighs diagonally and arrange them in a small roasting tin or shallow casserole dish. 3 Mix all the remaining ingredients and spread the mixture over the chicken, working it into the slashes. Leave the chicken to marinate for half an hour or so. 4 Bake the chicken for 35 - 45 minutes until cooked through. 5 Serve hot with long grain rice and seasonal vegetables.

Per Serving Fat Protein 38g Sodium

2g Sat. Fat .3g Fibre

1g Energy 218kcal .0g Carbs 13g

1 Mix together the olive oil, garlic, thyme and half the balsamic vinegar. Pour over the chops and leave to marinate for 10 to 15 minutes. 2 Transfer to an ovenproof dish and add the tomato halves. Drizzle with the remaining balsamic vinegar and bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through. Serve the chops hot with baked potatoes and vegetables.

Per Serving Fat Protein 35g Sodium

29g Sat. Fat .1g Fibre

9g Energy 419kcal 0g Carbs 3g

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03/02/2009 19:21:48

Hearty Value Cuts

Beef mince and potato bake

Sticky sesame seed chicken

Serves 4-6 6 large potatoes, peeled 2tbsp oil 1 onion, chopped 500g beef mince 1dsp tomato purée 1 tin chopped tomatoes 125ml beef stock salt and pepper 1 cup grated cheese

Serves 4 4 chicken drumsticks 4 chicken wings salt and pepper 3tbsp honey 2tbsp apricot jam 60ml soy sauce orange, juice lemon, juice 1tsp mustard powder 3tbsp sesame seeds

1 Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and leave to cool. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark4. 2 Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onion until soft. Add the mince and fry until browned. Add the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes and beef stock and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10-15 minutes and season with salt and pepper. 3 Cut the potatoes into thin slices. Spoon a layer of mince into an ovenproof dish. Arrange a layer of potatoes on top and cover with a layer of mince. Repeat until everything is used and end with a layer of potato. 4 Sprinkle grated cheese on top and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown. Serve with salad.

Per Serving Fat Protein 34g Sodium

21g Sat. Fat .5g Fibre

9g Energy 517kcal 5g Carbs 50g

1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/gas mark 4. 2 Wash the chicken pieces and pat dry. Blend the remaining ingredients and add to the chicken pieces, mixing so the pieces are well coated. 3 Marinade in the refrigerator for one to two hours. Place the chicken pieces in an ovenproof dish and pour over the extra marinade. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes, turning the pieces at five minute intervals and basting them with the cooking juices.

Per Serving Fat Protein 35g Sodium

22g Sat. Fat 1.2g Fibre

5g Energy 413kcal 0g Carbs 20g

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Hearty Value Cuts

Pastitsio Serves 8-10 125g streaky bacon, chopped 2tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, roughly chopped 2 carrots, grated 3 sticks of celery, roughly chopped 2 fat garlic cloves, crushed 1kg minced beef or lamb salt and freshly ground pepper 1 bay leaf 1tsp ground cinnamon 125ml dry white wine 1 tin chopped tomatoes 3tbsp chopped fresh parsley 250ml water Béchamel sauce 125g butter 125g cream flour 1 litre milk freshly grated nutmeg 500g macaroni 30g butter ½ tsp dried mint, plus extra for sprinkling 1tbsp dried breadcrumbs 1 Fry the bacon over a low heat until lightly browned. Add a little olive oil if necessary and fry the onion until soft. Add the carrot and celery. Fry until soft. Stir in the garlic and then the minced beef or lamb. 2 Continue stirring with a wooden spoon to break down any lumps. Fry until all the liquid has evaporated and the meat begins to brown. Season with salt and black pepper. Add the bay leaf and cinnamon. 3 Add the wine. Stir and cook until the wine has disappeared, then add the tinned tomatoes, the parsley and water. Bring to boiling point, then lower the heat and simmer gently for about 30 minutes until it has thickened. 4 Then make the béchamel sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and cook until well blended. Stir in the milk gradually and continue stirring until the sauce thickens and begins to boil. Take off the heat and season with salt, black pepper and nutmeg. 5 Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Cook the macaroni as directed on the package until just tender. Drain off the water and stir in the butter and mint. Put half the macaroni into a large ovenproof dish or divide between two smaller casserole dishes. 6 Spoon the meat sauce over the macaroni and top with the remaining macaroni. Pour the Béchamel sauce over the macaroni. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and extra mint and bake in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown on top. Serve warm with a green salad.

Per Serving Fat Protein 40g Sodium

36g Sat. Fat .5g Fibre

18g Energy 736kcal 1g Carbs 65g

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03/02/2009 19:26:25

Lamb and lentil curry

Beef and mushroom pie

Serves 6-8 oil, for frying 8 whole cardamom pods ½tsp whole coriander seeds 2 cinnamon sticks 2 onions, chopped 6 garlic cloves, crushed 2tsp dried chili flakes 1 bunch fresh coriander leaves 2tbsp grated fresh ginger 2tsp ground tumeric 1.5kg lamb shanks salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 tin chopped tomatoes 3 potatoes, peeled and cubed 250g brown lentils, washed 500ml chicken stock few ginger strips, fried, to garnish

Serves 4 6 beef stewing steaks, cubed 2tbsp plain flour 2tbsp olive oil 1 onion, sliced 2 garlic cloves, crushed 250g button mushrooms, halved 250ml red wine or beef stock 2tbsp Worcestershire sauce salt and pepper 200g frozen flaky or puff pastry, thawed 1 egg, beaten

1 Heat some oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Add the cardamom, coriander and cinnamon, and stir-fry for one to two minutes to allow the flavours to develop. 2 Add the onions and stir-fry until soft and transparent. Add the garlic and stir-fry for another minute. 3 Add the remaining herbs and spices and stir to combine. Remove the onion and spice mixture from the pan and set aside on a plate. 4 Cut each lamb shank off the bone and into four pieces, and fry in small batches. 5 Season and add the onion mixture, tomatoes, potatoes and lentils to the saucepan. Stir to mix well. 6 Add the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer over a low heat for about 1½ hours, or until the lamb is completely tender, adding hot water if the stew becomes too dry. 7 Check the seasoning and remove the cinnamon sticks. Garnish with strips of fried ginger and serve with poppadums and naan bread.

Per Serving Fat Protein 41g Sodium

27g Sat. Fat .5g Fibre

10g Energy 723kcal 1g Carbs 85g

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Lightly dust the beef cubes with flour, shake off any excess and reserve. Lightly grease four small casserole dishes. 2 Heat half the olive oil in a pan and brown the beef in batches. Set aside. Add the remainder of the oil to the pan and cook the onion and garlic until soft. Stir in the leftover flour and cook until it colours slightly. 3 Stir in the mushrooms and cook for a minute. Add the wine or stock and the Worcestershire sauce. Stir in the browned beef cubes. Bring to boiling point, stirring. Season and simmer until the beef is tender, adding water if the gravy boils down. 4 Roll out the thawed pastry into four round or square shapes. Moisten the rims of each pie dish, spoon the filling into the dishes and cover with the prepared pastry, pressing firmly onto the edge. Trim neatly if necessary. 5 Prick the top and make a small hole in the centre to allow steam to escape. Brush over with the beaten egg and bake for about 20 minutes until the pastry is well risen and browned. Serve warm with boiled potatoes and vegetables.

Per Serving Fat Protein 58g Sodium

27g Sat. Fat .7g Fibre

4g Energy 592kcal 3g Carbs 31g

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Hearty Value Cuts

Lamb and lentil curry

Beef and mushroom pie

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03/02/2009 19:26:48

Pot-roasted shoulder of lamb with beans in red wine

Mince loaf

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Hearty Value Cuts

Pot-roasted shoulder of lamb with beans in red wine Serves 6-8 500g dried white beans, soaked overnight 1 carrot, quartered 1 stalk of celery, chopped 1 onion, quartered salt and pepper 1.5kg de-boned leg or shoulder of lamb, rolled and tied 30g butter 2tbsp olive oil 2 large onions, chopped 2 carrots, diced 4 garlic cloves, crushed 300ml dry red wine 1 bouquet garni 250ml beef or lamb stock 1 Wash the beans under cold running water in a colander. Place them into a bowl, cover generously with cold water and leave to soak overnight, then rinse and drain again. 2 Place the beans into a large saucepan, cover with water and add the pieces of carrot, celery and onion. Bring to boiling point. Cover and simmer for one hour or until the beans are tender, adding more water to the pan if necessary. Drain the beans and vegetables and set aside. 3 Season the lamb with salt and black pepper. Melt the butter with the oil in a heavy-based saucepan and brown the lamb all over. Remove the lamb from the saucepan and add the onion and carrots. Fry over a moderate heat until they begin to soften. Stir in the crushed garlic and the wine. Add the bouquet garni and bring to the boil. Scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits, then put the lamb back into the saucepan and add the stock. Cover and simmer for one and a half hours, turning the meat over several times and adding a little hot water if necessary. 4 Then stir in the beans and cook for another 30 minutes more. Lift the lamb out onto a plate, cover with foil and leave to rest for 10 minutes before removing the strings and cutting the meat into thick slices. 5 Discard the bouquet garni and lift out the beans and vegetables into a warm serving dish using a slotted spoon. 6 Boil down the liquid in the saucepan to thicken it slightly, tasting it and adding seasoning if required. Serve the slices of meat on top of the beans and vegetables, accompanied by the thickened juices and cooked potatoes or rice.

Per Serving Fat Protein 38g Sodium

41g Sat. Fat .3g Fibre

18g Energy 581kcal 1g Carbs 10g

Mince loaf Serves 4 125g brown rice, cooked 1 onion, grated 400g minced beef 1 large carrot, grated 4 piquantĂŠ peppers, finely chopped 150g feta cheese, crumbed 2tbsp tomato ketchup 2tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 large egg, whisked 2tbsp freshly chopped parsley 500g cherry tomatoes 1tbsp olive oil, for frying salt and pepper 1 Preheat the oven to 200Â°C/ gas mark 6 and grease a 10cm x 18cm loaf tin, line with baking paper and let the ends of the paper hang over the sides of the tin. 2 In a bowl, thoroughly mix the cooked rice, onion, mince, carrot, piquantĂŠ peppers, feta cheese, tomato ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, egg and parsley. 3 Scoop into the loaf tin and press down. 4 Cover with foil and bake in the hot oven for 60 minutes until firm. Leave to cool down for 10 minutes. 5 While the loaf is cooling down, fry the cherry tomatoes in a little olive oil in a frying pan or saucepan until they burst open. Season to taste. 6 Remove the mince loaf from the tin and spoon the tomatoes over it. Serve with green vegetables and couscous.

Per Serving Fat Protein 18g Sodium

17g Sat. Fat .5g Fibre

8g Energy 274kcal 2g Carbs 14g

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Smoked mackerel tortilla Serves 2-4 4 medium-sized potatoes a little oil, for frying 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 1 red pepper, finely chopped into dices 200g smoked mackerel, chopped 6 medium eggs, lightly whisked Tomato salsa 2-3 spring onions, chopped 4 tomatoes, chopped 2tbsp olive oil 1tbsp white wine vinegar 1 Preheat the oven to 180Â°C/gas mark 4. Cut the potatoes into thin slices. 2 Heat a little oil in a heavy-based oven-proof frying pan and fry the potato slices over a medium heat until lightly browned on each side. 3 Remove the potatoes from the pan and drain on kitchen paper to remove excess oil. 4 Heat a little more oil in the pan and add the onion, garlic and red pepper and cook gently. Return the potatoes to the pan and gently mix in the mackerel. 5 Pour the eggs into the frying pan and stir. 6 Put the frying pan into the oven, and allow the tortilla to cook for 15 minutes. 7 Meanwhile, prepare the salsa. Mix the spring onions, tomatoes, olive oil and white wine vinegar in a bowl. 8 When the tortilla is ready, remove it from the pan and cut it into quarters. 9 Serve immediately with the tomato salsa.

Per Serving Fat Protein 31g Sodium

50g Sat. Fat .7g Fibre

10g Energy 744kcal 4g Carbs 47g

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Hearty Value Cuts

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03/02/2009 19:27:48

Pork Vindaloo

Smoked haddock with wholegrain mustard sauce and poached egg

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Hearty Value Cuts

Pork Vindaloo

Smoked haddock with wholegrain mustard sauce, and poached egg

Serves 4-6 1 cardamom pod 1tsp black peppercorns 1tsp ground cloves 1tsp ground cinnamon 1tsp cumin seeds Â˝tsp turmeric Â˝tsp ground coriander 5tbsp vinegar 1kg stewing pork, cubed 4tbsp oil 2 onions, finely sliced 10 garlic cloves, finely sliced 2 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated 3 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped 4 dried chillies 250ml water 1tbsp soft brown sugar 1 cup mixed frozen vegetables

Serves 4 600g smoked fish, eg, haddock, coley, cod 3 large potatoes, peeled 4 thinly sliced spring onions or small bunch chives salt and pepper 150ml double cream 1tbsp honey 1tbsp Dijon mustard or wholegrain mustard 4 eggs

1 Split open the cardamoms and remove the seeds. Add them to a bowl and mix together with all the other spices and the vinegar. Add the pork and thoroughly coat it with the spices. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for three hours or overnight. 2 Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a low heat. Add the onions and fry until lightly browned. Add the garlic, ginger, tomato and chillies. Stir well. 3 Add the marinated pork, increase the heat until high and fry for three to five minutes until the pork is browned. 4 Add the water and the reserved marinade. Bring back to boiling point, then lower the heat and add the sugar. 5 Cover the pan and simmer for about an hour, checking the pan from time to time, stirring and adding a little more water if necessary. 6 When the pork is very tender, stir in the mixed vegetables and simmer for two minutes more. Taste and add more seasoning if necessary. 7 Serve with pilau rice and plain yoghurt.

Per Serving Fat Protein 46g Sodium

17g Sat. Fat .2g Fibre

4g Energy 399kcal .1g Carbs 15g

1 Make sure all the pin bones are removed from the fish. 2 Cut fish into four equal-sized portions. Place fish into a saucepan and add enough cold water to cover. 3 Bring to a simmer over a low heat and poach for about four minutes or until fish is cooked. Remove and keep warm. 4 Boil potatoes until soft, and mash. Add spring onions/chives to the mash and mix. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm. 5 Heat the cream in a small saucepan and add in the honey and mustard, whisk gently to combine. Remove from heat. 6 Poach the four eggs by bringing a shallow pan of water to a simmer and carefully cracking the eggs into the water, one at a time. Continue to barely simmer until the white has set around the yolk. Lift out and drain on a paper towel. 7 To serve, place a spoonful of mash in the centre of each plate, gently place fish on top, finish with a poached egg and the honey mustard sauce.

Clean tweezers are handy for removing any bones from fish before cooking.

Per Serving Fat Protein 38g Sodium

27g Sat. Fat 2g Fibre

14g Energy 523kcal 3g Carbs 34g

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03/02/2009 19:29:06

Leftover Makeovers

Leftover Makeovers You know the deal… There’s food leftover from dinner, so you put it in the fridge with great intentions to either have it for lunch the next day or turn it into something fabulous for dinner. You congratulate yourself for being so resourceful and thrifty. But days pass and either you can’t face the food or can’t think of a single thing to make with it, so they end up in the bin. If this sounds familiar, then the following recipes might inspire you to makeover your leftovers.

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Potato cakes

Chicken pizzas

Serves 6 50g plain flour ¼tsp salt ¼tsp baking powder 250g leftover mashed potato pepper 2tsp margarine, melted oil, for frying

Serves 4 5tbsp tomato purée 1tsp dried mixed herbs 2 garlic cloves, crushed salt and pepper 4 medium ready-made pizza bases 150g mozzarella cheese, grated 3 cooked chicken breasts, thinly sliced 30g fresh rocket (optional) olive oil and balsamic vinegar, for drizzling

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1 Sieve the flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl. Mix in the mashed potato and season with pepper. Add the margarine and blend in well. 2 Turn the dough out onto a floured board, knead lightly and divide into two pieces. 3 Roll each piece into a round, about ½cm thick. Cut into six or eight triangles and fry in hot oil until golden brown on each side. Drain on kitchen towel. Serve with butter, garnished with parsley.

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1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. 2 Mix the tomato purée with the herbs and garlic. Season with salt and black pepper. Divide this mixture evenly between the four bases, leaving a margin of about 5cm uncovered round the edges. 3 Place the bases on baking sheets. Sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese. Bake until the cheese has melted, for about 15- 20 minutes. 4 Take the pizzas from the oven and top with the strips of chicken and the rocket, if desired. Serve lightly drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Note – leftover cooked lamb or beef would work too.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 2g Sodium

4g Sat. Fat .2g Fibre

1g Energy 1g Carbs

94kcal 13g

Per Serving Fat Protein 17g Sodium

13g Sat. Fat .2g Fibre

4g Energy 213kcal 0g Carbs 10g

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03/02/2009 19:33:05

Leftover Makeovers

Crunchy coated fish cakes

Chicken au champagne

Serves 2 125g leftover fish, deboned and flaked 4tbsp breadcrumbs 1 small onion, chopped 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1 cup uncooked couscous salt and pepper ½ cup mayonnaise 2tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley or coriander oil, for frying extra parsley, to garnish

Serves 4 4 chicken breasts 1 large onion, cut into 8 wedges 250ml champagne, sparkling wine or white wine salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked

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fish

1 Mash the fish and stir in the breadcrumbs, onion and half of the beaten egg. 2 Put the remaining egg into a bowl and the couscous into another bowl. Make up the sauce by combining the mayonnaise and parsley or coriander. Set aside. 3 Wet your hands, divide the fish mixture into four portions and shape into flat patties. Dip these one at a time into the egg and then roll gently in the couscous to coat them evenly all over. 4 Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry the fish cakes until golden brown on both sides. Drain on kitchen paper and top with a spoonful of mayonnaise. Serve on a bap or with baked potatoes and a salad. Garnish with flatleaf parsley.

Per Serving Fat Protein 27g Sodium

44g Sat. Fat .3g Fibre

6g Energy 754kcal 3g Carbs 67g

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wine

1 Preheat the grill. Cut a slit in the top of each chicken breast and insert an onion wedge into each one. Scatter the rest of the onion in the baking dish. 2 Place the chicken breasts in a roasting dish and pour the champagne, sparkling wine or wine over. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and add the thyme. 3 Place the chicken under the grill and cook, skin-side up, for five minutes. 4 Remove the chicken, baste with the juices and place the dish in the oven. Cook for 30 minutes at 220°C/gas mark 7. 5 Allow to cool for a few minutes. Spoon the juices over and serve with brown rice. Note – don’t mind the snobs who say “if you wouldn’t drink it, you shouldn’t cook with it”. As long as the wine hasn’t gone off (it will taste like vinegar) you can use leftover wine or any cheap bottle. A great thrifty tip is that you can freeze leftover wine in an ice cube tray. Once frozen pop the cubes into a zip lock bag and use as required. One frozen wine cube is approximately 30ml. Per Serving Fat Protein 27g Sodium

1g Sat. Fat .70g Fibre

0g Energy 172kcal 1g Carbs 3g

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03/02/2009 19:33:33

Thai turkey and green bean curry

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Serves 8 200ml coconut cream 400ml coconut milk 100g green beans 400g leftover cooked turkey or chicken, sliced 1tbsp sugar 3tbsp fish sauce 3 tomatoes, quartered 20 coriander leaves Paste ½tsp ground cumin ½tsp ground coriander ¼tsp turmeric 6 long green chillies, seeded 2 lemon grass stalks, chopped 1tbsp fresh ginger, grated ½ small onion, peeled and chopped 5 garlic cloves 2tbsp coriander stalks, chopped 2 limes, rind and juice

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1 First make the paste. Prepare all of the ingredients, place them in a pestle and mortar and grind, or tip them into a food processor and whiz until they form a paste. The paste can be stored in the fridge for up to seven days, or make double the batch and freeze half. 2 To make the curry, heat the coconut cream in a saucepan for two to three minutes until it begins to separate and looks a bit oily. Stir in all the curry paste – it may look like a lot but you’ll need more than if you were using a commercial curry paste. 3 Cook over a medium heat for five minutes. Pour in the coconut milk and add the green beans. Cook for three minutes until the beans are tender. Add the turkey or chicken, sugar, fish sauce and tomatoes. 4 Bring back to the boil and heat through, then transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle with the coriander leaves and serve immediately with rice.

Per Serving Fat Protein 18g Sodium

11g Sat. Fat .3g Fibre

8g Energy 206kcal 0g Carbs 9g

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03/02/2009 19:30:05

Leftover Makeovers

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03/02/2009 19:30:18

Roast vegetable and cheese pie

Chicken and broccoli pies

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03/02/2009 19:30:38

Leftover Makeovers

Chicken and broccoli pies

Serves 4-6 300g leftover roasted vegetables (eg. peppers, onions , courgettes) Pastry 500g frozen short-crust pastry, thawed Filling 4tbsp pesto 200g cheese of your choice, cubed or crumbled 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Serves 4 50g butter 400g leftover cooked chicken, cut into small chunks 250g broccoli florets 500ml ready-made parsley or cheese sauce ½tsp chopped fresh thyme 1 large egg, lightly beaten 500g ready-made puff pastry

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. 2 Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface into a large round. Roll it up around the rolling pin, then carefully unroll it on to a greased baking sheet. 3 Put the roasted vegetables into a mixing bowl and stir in the pesto, then add the cubed or crumbled cheese. Toss to mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 4 Spread the filling out on the pastry leaving a 3cm margin right round the edge. Fold the edges of the pastry up over the vegetables and brush the pastry with the beaten egg. Bake in the centre of the oven for 30 - 40 minutes, until the pastry is golden and crisp.

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Roast vegetable and cheese pie

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1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. 2 Heat half of the butter in a saucepan and fry the chicken and broccoli for about two minutes until warmed through. 3 Stir in the ready-made sauce and the thyme. Season. 4 Divide the mixture between four ramekins or one medium pie dish. Allow to cool slightly. 5 Roll out the pastry to 1cm thick. Cut into four small squares or one large square. 6 Brush the outside rim of the ramekins or pie dish with beaten egg. Top with the pastry, pushing it firmly on to the edge of the bowls. Brush the top of the pastry with beaten egg, and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes. Note – you could use leftover fish for this recipe too.

Put food straight into the fridge after a meal, so that it doesn’t spoil. Store or freeze in one portion sizes for quick and easy meals.

Per Serving Fat Protein 18g Sodium

42g Sat. Fat .5g Fibre

9g Energy 604kcal 2g Carbs 40g

Per Serving Fat Protein 54g Sodium

63g Sat. Fat 1.1g Fibre

17g Energy 1000kcal 3g Carbs 58g

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03/02/2009 19:34:01

Chicken and sun-dried tomato cannelloni

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Serves 6-8 300g leftover cooked chicken, or beef 60g bacon rashers, chopped 1 onion 1tbsp olive oil 1 small jar sun-dried tomatoes, drained and halved 100g Cheddar cheese, grated 2 eggs 125ml crème fraîche salt and pepper pinch of nutmeg 1 packet cannelloni tubes 60g Parmesan cheese, grated 600ml ready-made tomato pasta sauce

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1 Make the stuffing first. Chop the chicken or beef, bacon and onion as finely as possible. Heat the oil in a large pan and gently fry the meat mixture over a low heat until the bacon is cooked. Remove from the heat and stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and cheese. 2 Lightly beat the eggs and crème fraîche together and mix with the meat mixture. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. 3 Grease a shallow oven proof dish. Spoon the filling into the cannelloni tubes and arrange them in the greased dish. 4 Pour over the tomato sauce so the tubes are covered. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese evenly over the top and bake for 20-25 minutes until the canneloni tubes are cooked through and the top is golden brown.

Per Serving Fat Protein 29g Sodium

25g Sat. Fat .7g Fibre

11g Energy 432kcal 1g Carbs 25g

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4/2/09 17:56:27

Leftover Makeovers

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03/02/2009 19:34:37

Banana cake

Easy nutty lamingtons

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Leftover Makeovers

Banana cake

Easy nutty lamingtons

Makes 1 loaf 120g butter, softened, plus a little extra for greasing 3-4 very ripe bananas (the ones with black spots are best) 120g light brown soft sugar 2 large eggs 240g self-raising flour pinch of ground cinnamon 60g walnuts, chopped

Serves 4 250g leftover sponge cake 2tbsp honey 1tsp lemon juice 100g mixed nuts, toasted and chopped

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1 Preheat the oven to 190°C/gas mark 5 and grease a loaf tin with butter. 2 Put the bananas into a bowl and mash them with a fork . 3 Put the butter and sugar into a large bowl and beat together with a wooden spoon or an electric whisk until soft and smooth. 4 Carefully break the eggs into the mixture and beat well. 5 Sieve the flour and cinnamon into the bowl and mix in. Add the bananas and walnuts and mix to combine. 6 Spoon the mixture into the tin and bake for 50 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted in the loaf comes out clean. 7 Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before turning out and slicing up. Store in an airtight container.

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ong 1 Cut the cake into bite-sized cubes. 2 Mix the honey and lemon juice in a bowl and dip each cube into the mixture. Place on a wire rack set over a tray to allow any excess mixture to drip off. 3 Spread the chopped nuts on a baking tray and roll the squares of cake in the nuts to coat. 4 Serve with fresh fruit and cream.

Quick leftover ideas: • Put it on pasta – make a sauce with leftovers by adding a tin

of tomatoes or a ready-made pasta sauce and chopped herbs. Wrap it in pastry – make a pie by popping leftovers onto or under a sheet of pastry. Pop it onto a ready-made pizza base – with some tomato paste and cheese. Roll it in breadcrumbs – good for mashed leftover fish or vegetables, mixed with a chopped onion, beaten egg, herbs and cheese. Turn it into a curry – by simply adding curry paste and coconut milk. Turn it into a soup – add stock and seasoning to leftover vegetables and liquidise. Stir-fry – add crunchy chopped vegetables to strips of leftover meat, add soy sauce and sweet chilli sauce and stir-fry for a few minutes. Put it into a wrap – combine leftover meats with crunchy salad ingredients, some hummus and wrap. Make a frittata – put your chopped leftovers into a pan, pour over 2 beaten eggs and grated cheese, allow to set then finish off under the grill. Put it in a sandwich – combine leftover meat, chicken or fish with some lettuce and relish on gorgeous bread. Make a casserole - add chopped root vegetables, a tin of tomatoes and stock to leftover meat or chicken and cook at 180°C/gas mark 4 for 35 - 40 minutes.

• • • • • • • • • •

Per Serving Protein

Fat 5g Sodium

16g Sat. Fat .2g Fibre

7g Energy 1g Carbs

306kcal 40g

Per Serving Protein

Fat 8g Sodium

23g Sat. Fat .3g Fibre

2g Energy 378kcal 3g Carbs 35g

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04/02/2009 16:21:55

Chocolate and cola cake

Rice pudding

Serves 12 175g self-raising flour 50g cocoa Â˝tsp baking soda 330g caster sugar 200g butter 250ml cola 100ml milk 1tsp vanilla essence 2 eggs, beaten Icing 250g icing sugar, sieved 3tbsp cocoa, sieved 150g butter 50ml cola chopped almonds, to garnish

Serves 2-3 600ml milk 265g cooked white rice pinch of salt 1 egg 50g dark brown sugar 1tsp vanilla essence 40g raisins Âźtsp ground cinnamon

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cola

1 Preheat the oven to 180Â°C/gas mark 4. Grease and line 2 x 20cm sponge cake tins. 2 Sieve together the flour, cocoa and baking soda. Mix well with the sugar and set aside. 3 Heat the butter with the cola, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts. 4 Gradually add the butter mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring gently until smoothly blended. 5 Stir in the milk, vanilla and beaten eggs. Mix until smooth. Turn the batter into the prepared tins. Please note that it is a very liquid batter. 6 Bake for about 40 minutes until cooked through and slightly shrunken from the sides of the tins. 7 Allow to cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely. 8 To make the icing, sieve the icing sugar and cocoa into a bowl. Heat the butter and cola over a low heat until the butter has melted. 9 Gradually stir into the icing sugar and beat until smooth. Use as a filling and/or icing for the cake and sprinkle with chopped almonds.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 5g Sodium

28g Sat. Fat 4g Fibre

17g Energy 519kcal 0g Carbs 66g

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rice

1 Combine the milk, rice and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil over a high heat. 2 Reduce the heat to low and simmer, for about 10 minutes. Stir frequently with a wooden spoon to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat and set aside. 3 In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the egg and brown sugar until well mixed. 4 Add the egg mixture back into the saucepan of rice and milk and stir, over a low heat, for 10 minutes, or until thickened. Be careful not to have the mixture come to the boil at this point. 5 Stir in the vanilla essence. Remove from the heat and stir in the raisins and cinnamon. 6 Divide between individual serving bowls and eat warm.

Per Serving Fat Protein 18g Sodium

15g Sat. Fat .5g Fibre

8g Energy 708kcal 1g Carbs 133g

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03/02/2009 19:35:30

Leftover Makeovers

Chocolate and cola cake

Rice pudding

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03/02/2009 19:35:50

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3/2/09 20:46:43

Crafty Kids’ Cooking

Crafty Kids’ Cooking Getting kids into the kitchen and involved with food, is a great opportunity to start a life-time appreciation of food. Sometimes, it might seem like it’s more trouble than it’s worth (who needs more mess?) but it’s proven that kids are more likely to eat foods that they have helped choose and prepare – leading to less wastage and tears at dinner time. So choose a recipe a week, get them to make a shopping list and if you have the energy, take them to the shops to help with the shopping. Then prepare it together and make a big deal about eating their creation. In no time, they’ll be begging to cook you dinner (in your dreams anyway!)

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4/2/09 16:21:45

Lunch on a stick

Mini meatballs

Serves 2 chicken breasts, chopped into bite-size pieces 2tbsp BBQ Sauce 6 cherry tomatoes, halved ½ cucumber, sliced and chopped in half

Serves 4 2tsp olive oil 1 small onion, peeled and very finely chopped 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed 1 small carrot, peeled and finely grated 115g minced beef, lamb or pork 55g fresh white breadcrumbs 1tbsp freshly chopped parsley 1tbsp tomato ketchup 2 small eggs, beaten

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. 2 Mix the chopped chicken breasts with the BBQ Sauce in a bowl. 3 Place the chicken pieces into an oven proof baking dish and cook the chicken for 30 minutes. Stir the chicken a couple of times while it is cooking to prevent it from sticking together. 4 When the chicken is cooked, set it aside to cool. Then thread two pieces of chicken, tomato and cucumber onto each skewer. 5 Store the kebab sticks in a covered container in the refrigerator until you need them.

Per Serving Fat Protein 14g Sodium

1g Sat. Fat .2g Fibre

0g Energy 1g Carbs

82kcal 5g

1 Preheat the oven to 190°C/gas mark 5. Heat the oil in a small frying pan, add the onion and garlic and gently fry for two to three minutes or until softened. 2 Mix the carrot, mince, breadcrumbs, parsley and tomato ketchup. Then add just enough beaten egg to bind together. 3 Divide the mixture into 16 equal amounts and roll each into small balls. Place on a lightly greased baking tray and cook in the preheated oven for eight to ten minutes or until cooked through, turning over halfway through cooking. 4 Serve with a dip, like ketchup.

Per Serving Fat Protein 12g Sodium

8g Sat. Fat .2g Fibre

2g Energy 171kcal 1g Carbs 16g

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03/02/2009 19:57:09

Crafty Kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Cooking

Makes 1 small square 375g flour 375ml boiling water 125g salt 3tbsp oil a couple of drops of food colouring

Serves 4 2 bananas, sliced 200ml milk 2tbsp honey 4 scoops vanilla ice cream

Banana slush

Home-made play dough

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1 Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. 2 Use your hands to knead the dough together until it becomes smooth and elastic. Chill in the refrigerator until required.

1 Put the bananas and milk into a blender, and process until smooth. Or mash the bananas with a fork and combine with the milk. 2 Whisk in the ice cream and honey. Pour into individual cups and serve immediately.

Note - Remember to always cover the dough when it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t in use to prevent if from drying out. If it becomes too moist, add a little flour.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 4g Sodium

6g Sat. Fat 0g Fibre

4g Energy 228kcal 3g Carbs 41g

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03/02/2009 19:57:26

Cheese omelette

Yummy mini pies

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03/02/2009 19:57:58

Crafty Kids’ Cooking

Cheese omelette

Yummy mini pies

Serves 1 2 medium eggs a pinch of freshly ground black pepper 1tbsp cold water a knob of butter 1tsp olive oil 1tbsp grated cheddar cheese

Serves 4 2tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 500g minced beef 2tbsp tomato ketchup 1 x 415g tin baked beans ½ cup frozen peas salt and pepper frozen puff pastry, thawed 1 egg, beaten

1 Crack an egg into a medium bowl by tapping the egg firmly against the side of the bowl, pushing your thumbs into the crack, and carefully pulling the shell apart, letting the egg drop into the bowl. Do the same with the second egg. Add the pepper and then the water. This makes the omelette lighter. 2 Use a fork to gently beat the eggs. Don’t whisk them, just mix the yolk and white together. 3 Melt the butter and oil together in a frying pan over a medium heat. 4 Turn up the heat and, as soon as the butter starts to foam, pour in the beaten eggs. Quickly tilt the pan so that the egg mixture covers the base evenly. 5 Count to ten, then use a wooden spoon to pull the set egg from the sides of the pan, towards the middle. Doing this allows the runny egg to move to the edge of the pan, so that the omelette cooks evenly. This will take about a minute. 6 When the bottom is cooked but there is still some runny egg on top, sprinkle over the grated cheese. 7 Slide a fish slice under one side of the omelette and quickly fold it over. Slide the omelette on to your plate.

Saving on school lunches

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/ gas mark 4. 2 Heat the olive oil in a large pan and gently fry the onion for two minutes. 3 Add the minced beef, and cook until the meat changes colour from pink to light brown. 4 Add the tomato ketchup and stir. 5 Add the baked beans to the pan, give it a good stir, then add the frozen peas straight from the freezer. 6 Cover with a lid and cook gently for 20 minutes. Taste it and add a little salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Be careful not to burn yourself! 7 While the meat sauce is cooking, decide which bowls you’re going to serve your pies in. Either use one big bowl or four small bowls, but they must be able to go into the oven. 8 Put some flour on a chopping board and roll out a piece of dough slightly bigger than your dish or dishes. Put the meat sauce into the dish or dishes and place the pastry over the top of it. 9 Cut some shapes out of the dough (maybe the first letter of your name or an animal shape) and put that on top of the pastry ‘lid’. Brush with the beaten egg and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until puffed up and golden brown.

●B uy big bags of things for lunch boxes (eg. popcorn, raisins, etc.)

and separate them into smaller portions yourself. ● I nvest in quality containers. Having a range of containers in

different sizes as well as a small thermos for soup, will make packing lunch a lot easier. An insulated lunch box is also handy, although including a frozen drink in a lunch tin, does the same job. ●C ut sandwiches into fun shapes. Christmas trees are an all-year favourite in our house, for some reason! ● Involve kids in the selection of what goes into their lunch tins if possible, so that it doesn’t end up in the rubbish bin. ●D on’t pack more than they can eat. Remember they have much smaller tummies than yours.

Per Serving Fat Protein 18g Sodium

31g Sat. Fat .3g Fibre

10g Energy 349kcal 0g Carbs 0g

Per Serving Fat Protein 35g Sodium

36g Sat. Fat .9g Fibre

10g Energy 598kcal 9g Carbs 36g

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03/02/2009 19:58:13

Orangey chicken drumsticks

Alphabetti minestrone soup

Serves 4 8 chicken drumsticks Marinade 2tbsp honey 1 orange, juice and rind 1Â˝tbsp soy sauce

Serves 6 1tbsp oil 1 medium onion, chopped into small pieces 1 leek, sliced into rings 1 carrot, chopped 1 potato, peeled and cut into small squares 1 stick celery, sliced 100g green beans, chopped into 1cm pieces 1 tin chopped tomatoes 2 litres vegetable or chicken stock 1tbsp sugar 3tbsp Heinz Alphabetti Spaghetti

1 Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl and add the chicken drumsticks. Coat well and marinate for at least 30 minutes. 2 Place the chicken on a baking tray and grill for about five minutes on each side, brushing well with marinade until the chicken is cooked and nicely browned.

1 Heat the oil in a large pan and gently fry the onion and leek for two minutes. 2 Add the carrot, potato, celery and beans and fry gently for four minutes. 3 Add the tinned tomatoes, chicken or vegetable stock and sugar and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. 4 Add the Alphabetti Spaghetti and continue to cook for 10 minutes. 5 Pour carefully into bowls and serve immediately.

Per Serving Fat Protein 27g Sodium

1g Sat. Fat .4g Fibre

0g Energy 161kcal 1g Carbs 11g

Per Serving Protein

Fat 4g Sodium

3g Sat. Fat .2g Fibre

0g Energy 126kcal 1g Carbs 22g

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4/2/09 16:22:55

Crafty Kids’ Cooking

Fish goujons with sweet potato chips

Banana and honey crunchers

Serves 4 450g gurnard fillets (or other white fish fillets), skinned and cut into 5-7cm strips 2 large sweet potatoes 1tbsp olive oil lemon juice, sliced salt and pepper 2tbsp runny honey few handfuls fresh breadcrumbs or oat bran 1 Preheat the oven to 190°C/gas mark 5. 2 Cut the sweet potato into chips, cook in the microwave for 2 minutes on a high setting. 3 Remove from the microwave and toss in olive oil, then roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes. 4 Place the fish into a large bowl, and add the lemon and seasoning. Add honey and stir gently to coat the fish pieces. 5 Toss the fish in the breadcrumbs or oat bran. Place onto a lightly oiled ovenproof tray, and bake for 8-10 minutes until golden brown. 6 Serve with the sweet potato chips, salad and tomato ketchup dip. Note - You can also use cod, haddock, dogfish or pollock fillets for this recipe.

Per Serving Fat Protein 23g Sodium

4g Sat. Fat .1g Fibre

1g Energy 241kcal 1g Carbs 34g

Serves 2 2 slices wholemeal bread butter, for spreading 1 banana, sliced 1tbsp honey chopped nuts, to garnish (optional) 1 Spread the two slices of bread with butter. Place the bananas on both slices of bread. 2 Drizzle some honey over both slices. Sprinkle with some chopped nuts.

money-saving tips

1 Control portions to minimise waste – start small. You can always give them more, rather than throw out half a plate of uneaten food. 2 Cut the crusts off their bread before you make a sandwich and save them for breadcrumbs and croutons. 3 Cut things into dinky sizes. Remember their hands are small and if food is more manageable, it’s less likely to be wasted. 4 Feed them your leftovers. Those two tablespoons of mashed potato that normally get chucked, is the perfect amount for a toddler.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 5g Sodium

12g Sat. Fat .2g Fibre

3g Energy 251kcal 4g Carbs 32g

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EC1_pg84-99_kids recipes.indd 92

03/02/2009 19:59:23

Crafty Kids’ Cooking

Apple crumble Serves 4 115g butter, chilled, plus extra for greasing 170g plain flour ½tsp cinnamon 75g light soft brown sugar Filling 6 medium cooking apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced 1 small orange, juice and rind 3tbsp light soft brown sugar 1tsp plain flour 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Rub a little butter all over a medium ovenproof dish or four small ovenproof serving dishes. 2 Hold the sieve above a large mixing bowl and sieve the flour and cinnamon into it. 3 Cut the butter into small pieces and stir into the flour. Dip your fingertips into the flour and gently rub the pieces of butter between the tips of your thumbs and fingers so they flatten and gradually mix into the flour. Keep lifting your hands above the rim of the bowl, as this will let air get to the flour. 4 Gently shake the bowl occasionally to make bits of butter come to the surface so you can rub them in. Keep rubbing until you can’t see any more chunks of butter and the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs, Do this as quickly as possible, because the longer you touch the butter, the hotter it will become and your mixture may become greasy. If this happens, put it in the refrigerator for five minutes and then continue. Then stir in the sugar and mix well. 5 Put the apples into a large bowl. Sprinkle over the orange juice, sugar and flour and mix gently with a wooden spoon. Tip everything into the buttered dish or dishes and spread evenly. 6 Using your hands, sprinkle the crumble mixture over the fruit and spread it out so all the fruit is covered. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is crispy and the juices are bubbling up around the edges. 7 Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 5g Sodium

24g Sat. Fat .2g Fibre

15g Energy 522kcal 5g Carbs 76g

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Zesty lemon cookies

Smartie buns

Makes about 24 1 lemon 110g butter, plus a little extra for greasing 50g caster sugar 150g self-raising flour, plus a little extra for rolling the cookies icing sugar, for sprinkling

Makes 8-10 100g butter 100g caster sugar 2 medium eggs 150g self-raising flour, sieved few drops vanilla essence 125g white chocolate 1 box Smarties

1 Preheat oven to 180Â°C/gas mark 4 and grease your baking tray. 2 Using the side of the grater, grate the skin off the lemon. This is called the zest. 3 Beat the butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the lemon zest and flour to the bowl and mix. 4 Put a tiny bit of flour on your hands, and roll a small piece of dough to form a ball. Space them evenly on the baking tray, then use your fingers to flatten each ball gently. 5 Bake for five to 10 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown. Remove from the oven with oven gloves and leave to cool. When theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve cooled completely, sprinkle a little icing sugar over the cookies with a sieve.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 1g Sodium

4g Sat. Fat .1g Fibre

2g Energy 0g Carbs

63kcal 7g

1 Preheat the oven to 190Â°C/gas mark 5. Line a bun tin with paper cases. 2 Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs and flour and beat well. Add the vanilla essence and beat for a further three minutes. 3 Using two dessert spoons, fill each of the paper cases, to two thirds full. 4 Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. 5 Allow to cool on a wire tray. Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl over a saucepan of boiling water. Spread the buns with the melted chocolate and decorate with Smarties.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 4g Sodium

16g Sat. Fat .2g Fibre

9g Energy 290kcal 0g Carbs 35g

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03/02/2009 19:59:57

Crafty Kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Cooking

Chocolate nests

Banana chimichangas

Makes 12 200g cooking chocolate, chopped up 300g rice crispies 36 small chocolate eggs

Serves 6 100g butter 4 firm bananas, sliced 160g brown sugar 6 flour tortillas

1 Place the chocolate into a large bowl and melt in the microwave for 1 minute. 2 Stir the rice crispies into the bowl and mix really well so that the crispies are well coated with chocolate. 3 Put paper or foil cases on a tray and spoon some of the chocolate mixture into each case. Make sure you put equal amounts into each one so that the nests are roughly the same size. 4 Make a little hollow on top of each nest and pop three chocolate eggs on top. Allow to set for about 30 minutes.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 2g Sodium

9g Sat. Fat .1g Fibre

6g Energy 206kcal 0g Carbs 30g

1 Melt half of the butter over a low heat in a frying pan. Stir in the bananas and sugar, and fry until the sugar is dissolved. Spoon the banana mixture onto the centre of each flour tortilla. Fold in the sides and then the top and bottom ends of the tortilla and press down firmly. 2 Heat the rest of the butter in a frying pan. Fry the chimichangas until golden on both sides. Serve with ice cream.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 2g Sodium

14g Sat. Fat .2g Fibre

9g Energy 336kcal 4g Carbs 54g

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03/02/2009 20:00:11

Easy peasy pizza Makes 4 small pizzas small knob of butter, for greasing 200g self-raising flour, plus a little extra for the work surface 100ml milk 50ml olive oil 4tsp tomato ketchup or tomato purée topping of your choice eg. ham, cheese and tomatoes 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Lightly grease a baking sheet with butter. 2 Put the flour into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour in the milk and olive oil and use a wooden spoon to mix it together to form a dough. 3 Lightly flour a clean work surface and scrape the dough out onto it using your hands. Knead lightly for a moment so that it is smooth, then divide into four pieces. 4 Use your hands to roll each piece into a ball. Take one ball and pat it flat, then use your fingers or a rolling pin to gently stretch it out into a flat, round pizza shape about 10cm in diameter. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. 5 Place each pizza base onto a greased baking sheet. Spread a teaspoon of tomato ketchup or tomato purée onto each circle of dough and top with a topping of your choice. Ham, cheese and tomatoes are a favourite in our house. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the dough is cooked through and the cheese is melted.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 5g Sodium

16g Sat. Fat .4g Fibre

4g Energy 326kcal 0g Carbs 42g

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04/02/2009 16:41:35

Crafty Kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Cooking

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Crafty Kids’ Cooking

Home-made baby foods Make your baby’s first foods as nutritious as possible with these quick and easy meal ideas. The bonus is that it’s cheaper to make your own too. Carrot purée Peel, chop and boil carrots until tender. Blend to a smooth consistency. The sweet taste of carrots appeals to babies. Carrots help to boost mental and physical development.They are a great source of beta carotene which is responsible for the red, orange and yellow pigments in fruit and vegetables. Mashed Avocado Avocado and bananas are convenient foods to have in the kitchen as a snack for babies. Simply mash and serve. Avocados are an excellent source of vitamin A, C, B1 and B2. They are high in potassium and magnesium. Bananas are a good source of Vitamins A, B6 and B3 and are also rich in potassium, magnesium and phosphorous. Sweet potato purée Peel and cube the sweet potatoes, place in a saucepan, adding just enough water to cover. Simmer until soft and mash to a fine consistency. Over-cooking diminishes the nutrition content. Sweet potatoes help the digestive tract and help maintain bowel health. They are high in vitamin A, beta carotene and potassium. Cereal When mixed with breastmilk or formula, its mild flavour makes a good transition from your baby’s liquid diet. Its fine texture makes it easy to digest. Cereal is recommended as your baby’s first taste of solids. Preferably, start your baby on rice cereal as maize is an allergen. Apple purée Core, peel and cut into small squares. Place in a saucepan adding just enough water to cover. Simmer until soft and mash to a fine consistency. Freeze whatever you’re not going to immediately use. Apples are rich in potassium and are a good source of Vitamin C and dietary fibre. Mashed peas Steam and mash fresh or frozen peas for a quick and nutritious meal. Mix in some very smooth mashed potato to give the pea mixture more texture. Peas are a very good source of vitamin A and contain niacin, foliate, vitamins B5 and B1. Pear purée Prepare pear purée in the same way as apples but add less water and don’t cook as long. This will help to retain more nutrients. Pears are rich in potassium. This mineral is an important electolyte needed for proper heart, nerve and muscle function. It helps maintain carbohydrate and protein metabolism.

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Thanks Veggie Much

Thanks Veggie Much Changing your mindset when it comes to food can make a big difference to your health and pocket. Meat, chicken and fish make up the biggest part of our grocery bills, so cutting back can make a big difference! This month, why not have a bit of fun exploring cuisines from non-western cultures, which rely on vegetables, grains and spices to keep costs down? Leaf through the following recipes and commit to having at least one vegetarian meal per week and before long you might realise that there is an exciting (and cheaper) life beyond â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;meat and two veg.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

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In Season - Fruit and Vegetables

FRUITS HERBS

V E G E TA B L E S

Plan meals around fruit and vegetables that are in season. They are generally cheaper at that time and are better for you and the environment because they havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t travelled thousands of miles to satisfy out-of-season demands.

Asparagus Aubergines Beetroot Broad Beans Broccoli Brussel Sprouts Butterhead Lettuce Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Celery Courgettes Cucumbers Fennel French Beans Iceberg Lettuce Kale Leeks Mangetout Marrows Mushrooms Onions Parsnips Peas Peppers Potatoes Radish Rhubarb Runner Beans Spring onions Shallots Spinach Swedes Sweetcorn Tomatoes Turnips Basil Chives Coriander Dill Mint Parsley Sage Thyme Apples: Cooking Apples: Eating Blackberries Blackcurrants Blueberries Gooseberries Loganberries Raspberries Strawberries

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Thanks Veggie Much

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Noodle salad with crispy tofu and hot honey dressing

Cheesy vegetarian pizza with a thin crust

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Thanks Veggie Much

Noodle salad with crispy tofu and hot honey dressing Serves 4 ¼ cup peanut oil 2 cups tofu, sliced Dressing 6tbsp balsamic vinegar 6tbsp olive oil 1 red chilli, seeded and chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed 1tbsp lime juice 3tbsp honey Salad 1½ cups rice noodles, soaked in warm water 2 carrots, peeled and grated 1 cucumber, grated ½ cup fresh coriander leaves ½ cup peanuts, roasted

Cheesy vegetarian pizza Serves 1-2 1 x 30cm pizza base 1 red pepper, sliced into rings 2 courgettes, thinly sliced 1 goat’s cheese log, cut into slices firm mozzarella grated, for sprinkling 2 mushrooms, sliced freshly ground black pepper 1 Preheat the oven to 240°C/gas mark 9. Arrange all the ingredients on the prepared base, and sprinkle some mozzarella over. Bake in the oven for ten minutes. 2 Sprinkle freshly ground black pepper over the pizza as soon as it comes out of the oven and serve while hot.

1 Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the tofu over a high heat for five minutes, or until crisp. Drain and set aside. 2 To make the dressing, put all the ingredients in a screw-top jar and mix well. 3 Then, combine the salad ingredients with the tofu in a bowl and pour the dressing over. Serve immediately.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 9g Sodium

42g Sat. Fat 0g Fibre

7g Energy 518kcal 1g Carbs 26g

Per Serving Fat Protein 16g Sodium

16g Sat. Fat .3g Fibre

11g Energy 226kcal 1g Carbs 4g

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Vegetable stew

Vegetarian Jambalaya

Serves 4 4tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, thinly sliced 4 garlic cloves, crushed 350g courgettes, thickly sliced 300g carrots, pared and sliced 450g cauliflower florets 1 tin chopped tomatoes 250ml vegetable stock 1 tin butter beans, drained and rinsed

Serves 4 10 plum tomatoes 250g vegetable stock 250g mixed white and wild rice 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2tsp dried mixed herbs dash of chilli sauce to taste 2 green peppers, seeded and chopped 1 tin black-eyed beans, drained and rinsed spring onions, chopped, to garnish

1 Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onions and cook over a low heat until soft and golden. Stir the garlic, courgettes, carrots and cauliflower. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. 2 Add the tomatoes and vegetable stock and bring to boiling point. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are almost tender. 3 Add the beans and heat through. Serve hot with long grain rice, potatoes or couscous.

1 Heat the tomatoes and vegetable stock in a large saucepan and bring to boiling point. 2 Stir in the white and wild rice, garlic, herbs and chilli sauce. Bring back to the boil, and then simmer for about 10 minutes or until the rice is almost soft. 3 Stir in the peppers and beans and cook for five minutes more, stirring. Season and add more chilli sauce if necessary. By this stage, the rice should have absorbed the tomato juice and stock. Add a little boiling water if it starts to stick. 4 Garnish with chopped spring onions and serve with a salad.

Per Serving Fat Protein 14g Sodium

13g Sat. Fat .7g Fibre

2g Energy 303kcal 3g Carbs 33g

Per Serving Fat Protein 13g Sodium

2g Sat. Fat .7g Fibre

0g Energy 350kcal 0g Carbs 71g

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Thanks Veggie Much

Tomato and butterbean soup

Courgette omelette

Serves 4 1tsp vegetable oil 2 onions, chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tins chopped tomatoes 500ml vegetable stock 1tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2 tins butterbeans, drained and rinsed pinch of sugar salt and pepper

Serves 4 3tbsp olive or sunflower oil 2 large courgettes, trimmed and sliced lengthwise 8 eggs, well beaten 70ml milk salt and pepper 3tbsp finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Parmesan 3-4tbsp basil leaves 3-4tbsp flat leaf parsley leaves

1 Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onions. Cover with a lid and cook until the onions are soft. 2 Remove the lid, add the garlic and continue frying for a minute or two. Add the tomatoes, stock and Worcestershire sauce. 3 Bring to the boil, stirring. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. 4 Stir in the beans, bring to the boil again, add sugar, season to taste and serve.

1 Heat 2tbsp oil in a frying pan and fry the courgette slices on both sides until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper and keep warm. 2 In a large bowl, mix the eggs with the milk, salt, pepper and cheese. Put 1tbsp oil into a medium frying pan and use the mixture to make four omelettes. Keep them warm as you finish making them. Add a few drops of oil to the pan between each one if necessary. 3 Transfer the omelettes onto four serving plates and top with the courgette slices. Sprinkle basil and parsley leaves over and serve immediately.

Per Serving Fat Protein 14g Sodium

2g Sat. Fat 1.2g Fibre

0g Energy 217kcal 1g Carbs 37g

Per Serving Fat Protein 20g Sodium

22g Sat. Fat .2g Fibre

7g Energy 292kcal 0g Carbs 3g

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Roasted vegetables

Butternut and red onion lasagne

Serves 4-6 6 shallots, peeled 1 red onion, peeled and cut into wedges 4 small turnips, peeled and sliced 1 red pepper, seeded and sliced 450g butternut squash, peeled and cubed 2tbsp olive oil salt and pepper 1tbsp chopped fresh rosemary 2tsp chopped fresh thyme fresh coriander, to garnish

Serves 4 500g butternut squash, peeled and seeded 1tbsp olive oil, for frying 2 red onions, cut in wedges 1 garlic clove, crushed 500ml tomato pasta sauce salt and pepper 500ml white sauce 8 sheets of lasagne 100g mozzarella cheese, grated

1 Preheat the oven to 230Â°C/gas mark 8 and grease a large ovenproof dish. 2 Arrange the shallots, onion, turnips, red pepper and squash evenly in the dish. 3 Drizzle the olive oil over and toss lightly to coat all the vegetables. Season to taste and sprinkle rosemary and thyme over. Place in the oven and roast for 25 minutes, then turn the vegetables with a spatula for even browning. Cook until the vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife, for a further 15 to 25 minutes. 4 Garnish with coriander before serving and serve alongside a main dish of your choice.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 2g Sodium

4g Sat. Fat 0g Fibre

1g Energy 3g Carbs

97kcal 13g

1 Preheat the oven to 180Ë&#x161;C/gas mark 4. Cut the butternut squash into cubes. 2 Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the red onions and fry gently for three minutes, then add the garlic. Cook for a minute more, then add the butternut cubes and tomato sauce. 3 Stir over a high heat for two minutes. Check the seasoning. Set aside. 4 Pour one-third of the white sauce into the bottom of an ovenproof square or oblong dish. Arrange a layer of lasagne sheets on top of the layer of sauce. 5 Spoon half of the tomato and butternut mixture over the pasta and repeat the layers until all of the ingredients are used up. Top with grated cheese. 6 Bake in the oven for about 20-30 minutes, or until the lasagne is cooked through. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving with a salad. Per Serving Fat Protein 22g Sodium

24g Sat. Fat 0g Fibre

12g Energy 480kcal 4g Carbs 45g

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Thanks Veggie Much

Spiced potatoes in chapatis

Toasted tortillas

Serves 2 2 large potatoes, peeled and diced ½tsp turmeric ½tsp ground cumin 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely grated 1 lemon, juice 1tbsp sunflower oil salt and pepper 4 chapatis or tortilla breads 2tbsp Greek-style yoghurt 2tbsp fresh coriander 4 lemon wedges

Serves 4 4 roasted peppers, sliced 2 cups baby spinach leaves 12 basil leaves ½ cup coriander 12 olives, finely chopped 200g mozzarella cheese, grated 8 tortillas olive oil, for brushing

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Toss the potatoes with the spices, ginger, lemon juice, oil and seasoning. 2 Spread in an ovenproof dish. Bake in the oven on the middle rack for about 35 minutes or until tender. 3 In the meantime, warm up the chapatis or tortillas, according to the packet instructions. 4 Spoon some potatoes into the centre of a warmed chapati, or tortilla bread, top with some yoghurt and fresh coriander and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.

Per Serving Fat Protein 17g Sodium

13g Sat. Fat .2g Fibre

4g Energy 565kcal 4g Carbs 100g

1 Divide all the ingredients between four tortillas. Top with the remaining tortillas and brush with oil. 2 Heat a non-stick pan over a medium heat and cook each side until golden brown and the cheese has melted. Cut into quarters and serve straight away.

Per Serving Fat Protein 13g Sodium

15g Sat. Fat .6g Fibre

8g Energy 284kcal 2g Carbs 26g

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Red onion and goat’s cheese tarts Serves 4 1 packet frozen puff pastry, thawed and rolled out 4tbsp olive oil 4tsp butter 4 large red onions, sliced thinly 1tsp brown sugar 3tsp balsamic vinegar 3tsp soy sauce salt and pepper 200g mushrooms, sliced 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 2tbsp finely chopped parsley 100g soft goat’s cheese 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Line 4 greased 15cm flan tins with pastry. 2 Heat 1tbsp of the olive oil and half of the butter in a saucepan. 3 Add the onions and cover with a lid. Leave to cook for 15 minutes over a low heat, stirring occasionally. 4 Add the sugar and allow to cook until the onions begin to caramalise. 5 Add the vinegar and soy sauce, stir and leave to cook until the onions begin to sweat. Season to taste. 6 Heat 2tbsp of the olive oil and the remaining butter in another saucepan. Add the mushrooms and garlic and fry until the mushrooms are golden brown. Add the mushrooms to the onion mixture, along with the parsley. 7 Fill the pastry cases with the filling and place two slices of goat’s cheese over each tart. Sprinkle the remaining olive oil over each. 8 Bake the tarts for 5 - 8 minutes until the cheese starts to brown and the pastry is cooked. Serve with a rocket salad.

Per Serving Fat Protein 23g Sodium

21g Sat. Fat .9g Fibre

14g Energy 473kcal 0g Carbs 52g

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Thanks Veggie Much

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Zesty dhal

Pasta with crushed tomatoes, olives and chilli

Serves 4 2tbsp sunflower oil 1 onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves, crushed 2tsp grated fresh ginger 1tsp crushed dried chillies 1tsp ground cumin 250g red lentils, washed and drained 750ml vegetable stock 2tsp grated lemon rind salt and pepper fresh coriander, to garnish

Serves 4-6 500g pasta shapes of your choice oil, for frying 250g baby tomatoes 2 garlic cloves, chopped 4tbsp black olives, halved and pips removed 1 chilli, chopped salt and pepper 2tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped

1 Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onion over a moderate heat for one minute. Add the garlic, ginger, chilli and cumin and stir for three minutes. 2 Add the lentils and the stock to the pan. Bring to boiling point, lower the heat and simmer with the lid on, for 15 minutes or until the lentils are soft, stirring occasionally. Add a little more stock or boiling water if the mixture is too thick. Stir in the lemon rind and season to taste. 3 Serve garnished with coriander, with naan bread or rice.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 6g Sodium

6g Sat. Fat .3g Fibre

1g Energy 134kcal 1g Carbs 15g

1 Cook the pasta according to packet instructions. 2 In the meantime, heat a little oil in a frying pan and toss the tomatoes, garlic, olives and chilli in the pan until the tomatoes begin to burst. Season with salt and pepper. 3 Drain the pasta and add to the tomatoes, tossing them together. Sprinkle the parsley over and serve.

Per Serving Fat Protein 18g Sodium

13g Sat. Fat .3g Fibre

2g Energy 481kcal 10g Carbs 78g

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Thanks Veggie Much

Tzatziki falafel pittas

Carrot and butternut soup

Serves 4 2 garlic cloves, crushed 30ml olive oil 15ml lemon juice 1 small cucumber 1tsp salt 600ml thick Greek yoghurt freshly chopped mint salt and freshly ground black pepper 16 ready-made falafels 4 pitta breads

Serves 4-6 40g butter 1 small onion, peeled and chopped 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed 6 medium carrots, peeled and chopped 1 large potato, peeled and chopped 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped 1 litre vegetable stock Â˝ orange, juice hot water (optional)

1 Place the garlic, olive oil and lemon juice in a mixing bowl and set it aside. 2 Peel the cucumber, grate it coarsely and place it in a sieve in the sink to drain. Sprinkle salt on top and leave to stand for half an hour to drain, then use your hands to squeeze out the rest of the juice. The cucumber should be as dry as possible to prevent the tzatziki from becoming watery. 3 Place the yoghurt in a mixing bowl and stir in the mint and cucumber. Add the garlic, olive oil and lemon juice mixture. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Store in the fridge until needed. 4 Place the falafels under a heated grill for 10 minutes and toast the pitta breads. Fill the pittas with the tzatziki and falafels and serve immediately.

1 Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a low heat. Add the onion, garlic and carrots and cook for about five minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the onion is soft and transparent. 2 Add the potato and cook for a few more minutes, stirring often. Add the butternut squash and cook for a few more minutes, stirring often to make sure the vegetables donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stick to the base of the pan. 3 Add the stock and orange juice to the saucepan and increase the heat. Stir well and bring the soup to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes until the vegetables are soft. 4 Let it cool for a few minutes then ladle the mixture into a food processor or blender and purĂŠe until the soup is smooth. 5 Add some hot water to thin it out if you like. Return to the saucepan and reheat until almost boiling, then serve with toasted bread.

Per Serving Fat Protein 19g Sodium

29g Sat. Fat .8g Fibre

12g Energy 555kcal 3g Carbs 58g

Per Serving Protein

Fat 2g Sodium

6g Sat. Fat .2g Fibre

4g Energy 131kcal 1g Carbs 18g

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Kidney bean burgers with tomato salad Serves 3-4 Kidney bean burgers 1tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra for brushing ½ red onion, finely chopped 1 small garlic clove, crushed 1 tin kidney beans, drained and rinsed 30g wholemeal breadcrumbs 1½tbsp tomato purée pinch dried rosemary salt and pepper Tomato salad 4 tomatoes, diced 60g sweet corn kernels ½ red chilli, seeded and fi nely sliced 1 squeeze lime or lemon juice (optional) 1 spring onion, finely sliced salt and pepper 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6 and lightly grease a baking tray. 2 Heat the oil in a medium frying pan and fry the onion and garlic until soft and translucent. Remove from the heat and set aside. 3 Put the kidney beans in a bowl with the onion mixture and the remaining ingredients and mash or pulse in a blender until coarsely crumbled. 4 Form the mixture into patties and place on the prepared baking tray. Brush with a little olive oil and cook in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until the patties have browned. 5 In the meantime, prepare the tomato salad by mixing all the ingredients together in a large bowl. 6 Divide the salad into individual serving bowls and serve with the kidney bean burgers.

Per Serving Fat Protein 10g Sodium

7g Sat. Fat .5g Fibre

1g Energy 219kcal 1g Carbs 32g

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Thanks Veggie Much

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Cheap Thrills

Cheap Thrills Comfort cooking is the perfect antidote to tough times and nothing is more comforting to cook and share, than delicious bakes, treats and desserts. So pop on your apron, dig out your rolling pin and try some of these recipes that are guaranteed to delight.

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Saucy chocolate sponge puddings Serves 6 250g dark chocolate 225g butter 6 eggs 250g caster sugar ½tsp vanilla essence (optional) 100g plain flour 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Grease 6 large ramekins thoroughly and arrange on a baking sheet. Set aside. 2 Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Cut the butter into pieces and stir into the chocolate. Set aside and leave the butter to melt, stirring occasionally. Heat gently if necessary. 3 Whisk the eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy. Fold in the lukewarm chocolate and butter mixture. Add ½tsp vanilla if desired. Sieve in the flour and mix lightly. 4 Divide the mixture between the prepared moulds. You may need extra moulds if you are using small ramekins. 5 Chill them in the fridge for 30 minutes, remove and bake for about 10 12 minutes until just firm on the top. 6 Run a knife carefully round the edges of the moulds and turn out on to dessert plates. Serve at once with ice cream or whipped cream.

Per Serving Fat Protein 10g Sodium

49g Sat. Fat .3g Fibre

28g Energy 784kcal 0g Carbs 83g

Easy as pie chocolate tart Serves 4 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed 100g bar of dark chocolate 1 orange, grated rind 2tbsp unsalted pistachio nuts, chopped 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Unroll the pastry sheet onto a greased baking tray. 2 Place the chocolate on one side of the pastry and sprinkle with the orange rind. 3 Brush the edges of the pastry with water and fold over the pastry into an oblong. Press the edges of the pastry together and flute if desired. Bake for 30 minutes or until puffed up and golden brown and the chocolate is melted. 4 Slice the pastry across into four servings and sprinkle with the nuts. Serve with cream or ice cream while the chocolate is still warm.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 6g Sodium

24g Sat. Fat .2g Fibre

5g Energy 387kcal 2g Carbs 38g

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Cheap Thrills

The ultimate fudge

Baked apple pie

Makes 750g 1 x 397g tin condensed milk 150ml milk 450g light golden sugar 115g butter

Serves 8 750g cooking apples, peeled, cored and cooked 160g dark brown sugar Batter 240g plain flour 2tsp baking powder pinch of salt 25g butter 2tsp sugar 1 egg 160ml milk 1tsp cinnamon 1Â˝tsp caster sugar

1 Grease and line the base of an 18cm square tin with baking paper. 2 Heat all the ingredients in a large, non-stick saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves. 3 Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, stirring continuously, until a temperature of 116Â°C is reached on a sugar thermometer. Alternatively, test the fudge by dropping a little into a jug of cold water. If a soft ball is formed, the fudge is ready. 4 Remove from the heat. Beat until thick and grainy for about 10 minutes. Pour into the prepared tin and leave to cool. Once cooled, slice into squares.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 6g Sodium

20g Sat. Fat 2g Fibre

13g Energy 0g Carbs

558cal 98g

1 Preheat the oven to 200Â°C/gas mark 6. Spread the cooked apples in a flan dish about 23cm in diameter. Sprinkle with the brown sugar. 2 Sieve the flour, baking powder and salt together. Cut and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and mix well. 3 Whisk the egg and milk together and add to the flour mixture slowly, beating to make a smooth batter. 4 Spoon the batter over the apples. Mix the cinnamon and the remaining sugar together and sprinkle over the batter. 5 Bake in the preheated oven until risen and browned, about 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm with custard or cream. Per Serving Protein

Fat 5g Sodium

5g Sat. Fat .2g Fibre

2g Energy 253kcal 2g Carbs 53g

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Oat crunchies

Banana praline pots

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Cheap Thrills

Oat crunchies

Banana praline pots

Makes 40 125g butter 40ml golden syrup ½tsp baking soda 20ml boiling water 100g porridge oatflakes 150g plain flour 225g sugar 70g coconut

Serves 4-6 125ml cream, whipped 350ml ready-made custard 15ml rum (optional) 2 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced 100g peanut brittle, crushed

1 Preheat the oven to 160°C/gas mark 2½. 2 Melt the butter and golden syrup. Dissolve the baking soda in the boiling water and add to the butter mixture. Remove from the heat and stir in the oats, plain flour, sugar and coconut. 3 Drop teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto a greased baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes.

1 Mix the whipped cream and custard together with the rum, setting aside a little of the cream for decoration. 2 Fold the bananas and 25g of the crushed peanut brittle into the creamy custard mixture. 3 Divide the mixture between four individual ramekins or small glasses. Top with a little of the reserved cream and sprinkle with the remaining peanut brittle. 4 Chill for at least half an hour before serving.

You can substitute orange juice for rum or sherry when it is called for in a recipe.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 1g Sodium

4g Sat. Fat 0g Fibre

3g Energy 0g Carbs

81kcal 12g

Per Serving Protein

Fat 5g Sodium

11g Sat. Fat .1g Fibre

4g Energy 251kcal 2g Carbs 36g

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Victoria sponge

Lime jelly custard trifles

Serves 12 200g butter 200g caster sugar 4 eggs, beaten 200g self-raising flour 6tbsp raspberry jam 100ml whipped cream icing sugar, to sieve over the top

Serves 6 lime jelly tablet (or flavour of your choice) ½ pint boiling water ½ pint cold water 1 tin of sliced peaches, drained (or fruit of your choice) 250ml ready-made custard 100g shortbread biscuits, broken up

1 Preheat the oven to 190°C/gas mark 5. Grease 2 x 26cm sandwich tins and line the base of each with a round of greaseproof paper. 2 Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the beaten eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in half the flour, using a metal spoon, then fold in the rest. 3 Divide the mixture between the tins and level with a knife. Bake both cakes for about 35 minutes, or until they are well-risen, golden, firm to the touch and beginning to shrink away from the sides of the tins. Turn out and cool on a wire rack. 4 When the cakes are cool, sandwich them together with a layer of jam and whipped cream and sieve some icing sugar over the top.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 4g Sodium

19g Sat. Fat .2g Fibre

11g Energy 333kcal 0g Carbs 39g

1 Add the jelly tablet to the boiling water. Stir the mixture to help the jelly tablet to dissolve in the water. Then make up to one pint with cold water. 2 Pour into a glass bowl and leave in the refrigerator to set. 3 Layer the set jelly, tinned fruit and custard into individual glasses and top with shortbread biscuits. Serve chilled.

Puff pastry, shortbread biscuits, tinned fruit, jelly tablets, ready-made custard, and condensed milk are all good standby ingredients for making a quick dessert.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 3g Sodium

6g Sat. Fat .1g Fibre

3g Energy 154kcal 0g Carbs 25g

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Cheap Thrills

Berry mousseline

Fruity biscuit towers

Serves 4 1 tin raspberries or strawberries 1 tablet of raspberry or strawberry jelly 1 tin evaporated milk, chilled few black or red berries, to garnish whipped cream, to decorate

Serves 4 12 shortbread biscuits or plain biscuits of your choice 300ml freshly whipped cream 100g strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced 2 peaches, stoned and thinly sliced mint leaves, to garnish

1 Drain the strawberries or raspberries into a measuring jug and make up the juice to 250ml with water. 2 Transfer the liquid to a saucepan and bring this liquid to the boil. Add the jelly tablet and stir until it dissolves. 3 Mash the raspberries or strawberries and stir into the melted jelly. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. 4 Whisk the evaporated milk until it doubles in quantity. Combine with the jellied fruit mixture and divide between four glasses. 5 Chill in the fridge until set and decorate with whipped cream and a few berries. Serve immediately.

1 Place a couple of strawberry and peach slices onto one biscuit. Top with a small dollop of freshly whipped cream, another biscuit and some more fruit and cream. 2 Finish off with another biscuit and a spoonful of cream and a piece of peach. 3 Use up the remainder of the ingredients to make three more biscuit towers. Garnish each with mint leaves and serve immediately.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 5g Sodium

7g Sat. Fat .1g Fibre

4g Energy 123kcal 4g Carbs 24g

Per Serving Protein

Fat 6g Sodium

43g Sat. Fat .2g Fibre

25g Energy 583kcal 1g Carbs 45g

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Homemade strawberry jam Makes 6 jars 2kg firm strawberries 3 lemons, juice 2kg jam sugar 1 Hull and wash the strawberries. Place them into a large saucepan with the sugar and lemon juice. 2 Use a wooden spoon to stir over a very low heat until the sugar has dissolved and there are no gritty bits. 3 Bring to the boil, stirring continuously. Take the pot off the heat and remove the ‘sudsy’ looking bubbles that have formed on the top. 4 To test if your jam is cooked, lift up the wooden spoon and see if the jam falls off it in drips or sheets. If it falls off in sheets, drip a little on to a plate, leave it to cool for about 5 minutes and push a spoon through it. If it wrinkles up as you push, it’s cooked. If it’s not cooked yet, return to the boil for five minutes, then re-test. 5 Allow to cool a little and then spoon into sterilised jam jars, seal and label.

Sterilise jars and lids by putting them through a hot dishwasher cycle. Once dried, place upside down in a cold oven. Heat for 10-15 minutes at 150°C/gas mark 2. Set the jars and lids top sides down on a clean cloth until you need to use them. Per Serving Protein

Fat 0g Sodium

0g Sat. Fat .4g Fibre

0g Energy 140kcal 1g Carbs 37g

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Cheap Thrills

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Lemon meringue cups

Tea time scones

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Cheap Thrills

Lemon meringue cups

Tea time scones

Serves 6 Lemon curd 4 egg yolks 150g sugar 65g flour 2 lemons, grated rind and juice 100ml water 30g butter 80ml thick cream Meringue topping 3 egg whites pinch of cream of tartar 80g caster sugar

Makes 8 small knob of butter, for greasing 225g self-raising flour, plus extra for kneading 1 level tsp baking powder 40g chilled butter, cut into cubes 1½tbsp caster sugar pinch of salt 150ml milk

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6 and line a baking sheet. Grease six ovenproof ramekins or small cups. 2 Prepare the lemon curd first. Blend the egg yolks, sugar, flour and lemon rind in the top of a double boiler and gradually stir in the lemon juice and water. Stir continuously over boiling water until the mixture thickens and is smooth. 3 Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and cream. Divide the mixture among the ramekins or cups and place them on the baking sheet. 4 Then make the meringue. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the caster sugar, one tablespoon at a time, ensuring the sugar has dissolved before adding the next spoon. 5 Gently spoon the meringue over the lemon curd layer, spreading it evenly and ensuring the lemon curd is completely covered. 6 Bake for about five minutes or until the meringue has browned lightly. Serve with shortbread fingers on the side.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 5g Sodium

15g Sat. Fat .1g Fibre

8g Energy 341kcal 0g Carbs 49g

1 Preheat the oven to 220˚C/gas mark 7. Grease a baking sheet with a little butter. 2 Sieve the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Rub in the butter using your fingertips, until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and salt with a wooden spoon. 3 Use a knife to mix in the milk, a little at a time, until the mixture starts to come together into a dough. 4 Sprinkle a little flour onto a clean work surface then tip the dough out of the bowl. Put a little flour on your hands and very lightly knead the mixture for half a minute until it is smooth. 5 Form the mixture into a ball and use your hands to lightly pat it out to about 3cm thick. Dip a round cutter into a little flour and cut out scones from the dough. Put the scones on to the baking tray, spaced a little apart and brush the tops with a little milk. 6 Bake for eight to 10 minutes until risen and golden. Cool on a wire rack then serve with jam and butter or cream.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 3g Sodium

6g Sat. Fat .3g Fibre

4g Energy 166kcal 0g Carbs 26g

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Crunchy peanut butter cookies

Yoghurt ice cream

Makes 12-14 8tbsp flour, plus little extra for flouring 2tbsp caster sugar 2tbsp crunchy peanut butter 1 egg yolk 50g butter, softened

Makes 1.75 litres/ Serves 10 500ml fresh whipping cream 1 litre yoghurt (any flavour) 1 tin condensed milk

1 Preheat the oven to 180Â°C/gas mark 4. 2 Place the flour, sugar, peanut butter, egg yolk and butter into a large bowl and use a wooden spoon to beat the mixture until combined to a smooth dough. 3 With lightly floured hands, break off evenly sized pieces of the dough and roll into walnut-sized balls. 4 Place the dough balls onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper and gently press each ball with the back of a fork to flatten slightly. 5 Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until just turning golden-brown. 6 Leave to cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.

Per Serving Protein

Fat 3g Sodium

6g Sat. Fat 0g Fibre

3g Energy 115kcal 0g Carbs 13g

1 Whip the cream in a bowl until soft peaks form. 2 Gently fold the yoghurt into the whipped cream using a whisk or spoon. 3 Add the condensed milk and fold it in too. 4 Pour the mixture into a plastic container, cover and freeze for several hours until it is firm. 5 Serve in ice cream cones or bowls.

Per Serving Fat Protein 10g Sodium

27g Sat. Fat .1g Fibre

17g Energy 403kcal 0g Carbs 31g

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Cheap Thrills

Cheese muffins

Brown bread ice cream

Serves 6 240g self-raising flour, sieved ½tsp salt 2tsp baking powder, sieved 3 eggs 225ml milk 50g melted butter 250g strong cheddar cheese, grated

Serves 8-10 10 slices of day old brown bread 200g brown sugar 2 litres vanilla ice cream, softened slightly

1 Preheat the oven to 220°C/ gas mark 7. 2 Put the flour, salt and baking powder into a mixing bowl. 3 Beat the eggs and milk together, then add to the flour along with the melted butter. Stir to combine, but don’t overmix. 4 Add the grated cheese and mix through. 5 Spoon into a greased muffin tin and bake for 15-20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Per Serving Fat Protein 17g Sodium

24g Sat. Fat .9g Fibre

13g Energy 398kcal 0g Carbs 30g

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/ gas mark 4 and line and grease a baking sheet. 2 Put the brown bread into a food processor and blend to coarse crumbs. Evenly spread the breadcrumbs on the baking sheet and sprinkle with the brown sugar. Bake until caramelised, turning occasionally. 3 Leave to cool, mix into the ice cream and freeze until ready to serve.

This is a great way to pep up cheap vanilla ice cream. Crumbled honeycomb or chopped nuts and chocolate would be delicious too.

Per Serving Fat Protein 10g Sodium

20g Sat. Fat .3g Fibre

12g Energy 503kcal 2g Carbs 75g

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Recipe Index 72 73 74 78 86 90

Chicken pizzas Chicken au champagne Thai turkey and green bean curry Chicken and sun-dried tomato cannelloni Lunch on a stick Orangey chicken drumsticks

Meat

Vegetables and vegetarian 9 9 11 15 72 77 77 89 96 105 105 106 106 107 108 108 109 109 110 112 112 113 113 114

Burst tomatoes and melted mozzarella over potatoes Spaghetti with garlic and chilli Pasta with cherry tomatoes,garlic, feta and rocket Stuffed sweet potatoes Potato cakes Roast vegetable and cheese pie Chicken and broccoli pies Cheese omelette Easy peasy pizza Noodle salad with crispy tofu and hot honey dressing Cheesy vegetarian pizza Vegetable stew Vegetarian Jambalaya Courgette omelette Roasted vegetables Butternut and red onion lasagne Spiced potatoes in chapatis Toasted tortillas Red onion and goatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cheese tarts Zesty dhal Pasta with crushed tomatoes, olives and chilli Tzatziki falafel pittas Carrot and butternut soup Kidney bean burgers with tomato salad

Soups 11 26 26 49 90 107

Tomato and pepper soup Vegetable and lentil soup Chickpea soup Roast sweet potato and red onion soup Alphabetti minestrone soup Tomato and butterbean soup

Poultry 10 14 42 57 58 59

Creamy mustard chicken Honey chicken and brown rice stir-fry Italian chicken with peppers Thai chicken bake Chicken baked in spicy yoghurt Sticky sesame seed chicken

12 14 25 27 29 42 45 45 46 54 57 58 59 61 62 62 65 65 69 86 89

Lamb koftas with tzatziki Sausage kebabs and rice Easy Cornish pie Pasta with ham, peas and cream Sweet corn and corned beef frittata Rogan josh Feta cheese and tomato quiche Cottage pie Lamb mince meatballs in tomato sauce Lamb casserole Easy home-made burgers Baked pork chops Beef mince and potato bake Pastitsio Lamb and lentil curry Beef and mushroom pie Pot-roasted shoulder of lamb with beans in red wine Mince loaf Pork Vindaloo Mini meatballs Yummy mini pies

Seafood 10 15 25 27 29 30 30 41 49 66 69 73 91

Teriyaki salmon with spicy noodles Whiting with baby spinach and mini tomatoes Fish with peanut sauce Tuna and fresh tomato pasta Tuna melt Salmon and tomato pie Salmon cakes Simple fish pie Fish in tomato sauce Smoked mackerel tortilla Smoked haddock with wholegrain mustard sauce, and poached egg Crunchy coated fish cakes Fish goujons with sweet potato chips

Desserts and baking 18 18 19 19 33 34 50 50 81 82 82 87 91 93 94 94 95 95 118 118 119 119 121 121 122 122 123 123 124 127 127 128 128 129

Coconut fruit squares Chocolate truffles Raspberry trifle Fast banana tarts Cornflake tart Apple bundles Drop scones Apple muffins Easy nutty lamingtons Chocolate and cola cake Rice pudding Banana slush Banana and honey crunchers Apple crumble Zesty lemon cookies Smartie buns Chocolate Nests Banana chimichangas Saucy chocolate sponge puddings Easy as pie chocolate tart The ultimate fudge Baked apple pie Oat crunchies Banana praline pots Victoria sponge Lime jelly custard trifles Berry mousseline Fruity biscuit towers Homemade strawberry jam Lemon meringue cups Tea time scones Crunchy peanut butter cookies Yoghurt ice cream Brown bread ice cream

Beverages 17 Fruity yoghurt and muesli drink

Miscellaneous 87 Home-made play dough

Savoury baking 17 Mini cornbreads 129 Cheese muffins

Condiments, dressings and sauces 41 Spicy tomato sauce

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Gina Mullins is the Publisher and Co-founder of Easy Food and Easy Health magazines – both Ireland’s number one magazine in their categories. Launched five years ago, Easy Food is the original budget cooking magazine, providing quick and easy recipe ideas for budget conscious, time poor and nutritionally aware home cooks. Gina, describes herself as a “self-taught Monday to Friday cook”, who faces the same challenges as most other working mothers around the world, ie. not enough time, limited budget and the challenge of making sure that everyone in the family is getting enough nutrients. In her view, these women are the unsung culinary heroes of our time. Gina is a frequent guest on TV3’s Ireland AM and is also the author of ‘Eating to Win – Irish Rugby Players’ Recipes Revealed’ which appeared on the Best Sellers List.

publishing www.z a hra pub l i s h i n g . c o m

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