Category: Main Meals

Short Rib Ragu

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Pasta is my comfort food, so when Ninja asked me to create an autumn comfort meal using the 8-in-1 Foodie Possible cooker, I knew it had to be pasta-based as that’s the equivalent of a big cosy hug in a bowl for me.

What you might not realise is that there are recommendations for red meat intakes, with health bodies recommending no more than 70g cooked weight per day, or 350-500g cooked weight per week if you eat red meat. So, is it possible to make a meat sauce which complies with these guidelines whilst still making it taste delicious? Absolutely! And here is my Short Rib Ragu which has all the rich flavour of the meat, but is cleverly padded out with plant-based protein from lentils. This additionally provides extra fibre (resulting in 11g of fibre per serving with pasta) as well as making it more sustainable through the use of plant-based proteins.

This recipe also makes a whopping 15 portions, which is great for a big get together, but also perfect for batch cooking and freezing down so you can have easy meals on hand when you need them in the future. Store in Tupperware or freezer bags in suitable portion sizes for up to 6 months, keeping you going throughout all these dark nights!

Makes 15 portions

Ingredients

  • 1kg short ribs, excess fat trimmed off
  • 3 large onions (350g), diced
  • 4 large carrots (380g), diced
  • 3 sticks of celery (200g), diced
  • 250g mushrooms, diced
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 10 sprigs of thyme
  • 10 sprigs of oregano
  • 3 sprigs of rosemary
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 10g of sage leaves, roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 1 beef stock cube
  • 100g red lentils
  • 100g brown lentils
  • 100g green (puy) lentils
  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes
  • 350ml red wine
  • 10g dried porcini mushrooms
  • 1 parmesan rind
  • 20g basil

To serve

  • 15 portions of cooked pasta
  • 150g parmesan
  • Extra basil

Method

  • Set your Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker* to Saute High setting and brown the short ribs on each side for around 12 minutes. Remove from the pan.
  • Add the onions, carrots, celery, mushrooms, and olive oil to the same pan and cook for 10 minutes until soft, then add the garlic and cook for a further 5 minutes.
  • Return the ribs to the pan along with the herbs, tomato puree, crumbled stock cube, lentils, tomatoes, and red wine, topping up with water until the pan is full. Add your optional flavour enhancers of dried porcini mushrooms and parmesan rind. Set your Foodi Possible Cooker to Slow Cook on High for 6 hours, covering with the lid.
  • After 5-6 hours the meat should be extremely tender and falling off the bone. Remove the ribs from the pan and separate the meat from the bone before shredding. Remove the herb stems and parmesan rind before returning the shredded meat to the pan with the basil.
  • Serve with freshly cooked pasta, using a little of the pasta water to loosen the ragu if needed, and serve topped with parmesan and extra basil.
Short Rib Ragu

Per serving: 622kcal/ 15g fat/ 6.0g saturated fat/ 84g carbohydrates/ 11g fibre/ 32g protein

*Gifted product

Udon Carbonara

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A super quick meal to make with plenty of umami flavours in addition to also providing you with your daily vitamin K requirements, needed to maintaining strong and healthy bones.

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 180g smoked tofu, very thinly sliced
  • 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp white miso paste
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 30g parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 2 packets of udon noodles
  • 200g sprouting broccoli (or Asian greens such as choi sum or gai lan)

Method

  • Pan-fry the tofu with the olive oil for 8-10 minutes till golden brown and crispy.
  • Meanwhile cook the udon noodles according to the packet instructions, adding the broccoli in for the last minute of cooking.
  • While the noodles are cooking make the sauce by combining the miso paste, egg yolks, parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper together, mixing well.
  • Using a little of the cooking water, temper the sauce to get the same consistency as double cream. Add the hot noodles and mix well till each noodle is coated with a glossy and smooth sauce.
  • Plate up and enjoy straight away.
Udon Carbonara

Per serving: 488kcal/ 20g fat/ 5.7g saturated fat/ 43g carbohydrates/ 7.8g fibre/ 29g protein

Pasta alla Norma con Ricotta Salata

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My friend bought me back some lovely Italian gifts, including this handmade orecchiette made by an actual nonna, and a local cheese called ricotta salata which is a salty and sharp cheese. So, I wanted to make something worthy of these ingredients, and my friend suggested pasta alla norma, which is an aubergine and tomato pasta, and something I absolutely love.

I probably haven’t made this the traditional way, but roasting the vegetables in the oven means hands-free cooking for the best part as well as making a really creamy sauce that even my friend was admiring from through her phone!

Serves 3

Ingredients

  • 500g tomatoes, cut up into 1″ chunks
  • 2 large red onions, cut up into 1″ chunks
  • 4 garlic cloves, skin left on
  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 aubergines, cut into 1″ cubes
  • 300g pasta shape of choice
  • A big handful of fresh basil
  • Ricotta salata to serve – if you can’t find this cheese, Parmigiana would work well.

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C convection
  • Add the tomatoes, onion and garlic to a large roasting pan with half the olive oil and mix well, ensuring the garlic cloves are closer to the centre so they don’t burn. Roast for around 45 minutes, mixing half way through.
  • In a separate baking tin, add the aubergine and remaining olive oil and roast for 30 minutes, till crispy on the edges but soft on the inside.
  • When the vegetables are almost finished roasting, boil the pasta for 2 minutes shorter than the cooking time, reserving some pasta water.
  • Blend half the tomato mixture with all the garlic cloves, removing the skin, before adding it back to the roasting tin with the cooked pasta, aubergines, and basil. Add a little pasta water if needed to get the desired sauce consistency.
  • Serve hot and fresh with grated ricotta salata over the top and enjoy!
Pasta alla Norma

Per serving: 676kcal/ 24g fat/ 5.8g saturated fat/ 86g carbohydrates/ 11g fibre/ 21g protein

Kuri Squash Frittata

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Serves 6 as a lighter meal that is still high in protein.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large red onion, sliced
  • 1/2 Kuri squash (350g), skin on and thinly sliced
  • 100g baby leaf spinach
  • 9 eggs
  • 100ml milk
  • 150g reduced fat feta cheese

Method

  • In a frying pan cook the onion for 2 minutes with the olive oil before adding in the squash and cooking for 5 minutes.
  • Add the spinach and allow it to wilt.
  • Whisk the eggs and milk, adding two-thirds of the feta before seasoning with pepper to taste.
  • Line a baking tin with parchment paper and add the cooked vegetables.
  • Pour over the egg mixture and scatter the remaining feta over the top.
  • Bake in a preheated oven set to 180°C fan/ 200°C convection for 22-25 minutes till golden brown and set.
  • Delicious served with a side salad.
Squash Frittata

Per serving: 241kcal/ 15g fat/ 4.8g saturated fat/ 7.9g carbohydrates/ 1.6*g fibre/ 18g protein

*Analysis completed with peeled butternut squash. Leaving the skin on the squash will help to increase the fibre content of this dish.

Roasted Squash & Beetroot Wholegrain Cous Cous Salad

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Any squash variety will work here, I’ve used Kuri and Crown Prince, but Butternut, Table or Delicia would also work well here. If you can’t find giant wholegrain cous cous you can use standard wholegrain cous cous which only require rehydrating in 110% boiling water.

Serves 3

Ingredients

  • 400g squash, skin on, cubed
  • 1 large onion, sliced into wedges
  • 2-3 beetroot (300g), peeled and cut into cubes
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 150g giant wholegrain cous cous
  • 1 heaped tablespoon djion mustard
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 200g salad leaves e.g. rocket, baby leaf spinach or watercress
  • 90g goats cheese

Method

  1. Mix the squash, onion and beetroot together with 1 tbsp olive oil. Roast in a preheated oven set to 180°C fan.
  2. Meanwhile cook the giant cous cous according to the packet instructions, drain, and add 1/2 tbsp olive oil to stop the grains from sticking together.
  3. Mix the dijon mustard, red wine vinegar and remaining olive oil and pour onto the cous cous while hot and mix to combine.
  4. Add the roasted vegetables, deglazing the pan with a little boiling water, before adding the spinach.
  5. Plate up and top with goats cheese.
Roasted Squash & Beetroot Salad

Per serving: 434kcal/ 24g fat/ 7.7g saturated fat/ 34g carbohydrates/ 9.1g fibre/ 15g protein

Spiced Butternut Squash & Lentil Soup

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My friend doesn’t like thick soups, which is often the case when using curcubits. This, however, is a very thin soup, which still packs a punch.

Each serving provides you with a third of your daily fibre requirements, making it a great meal choice on cold winter days.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1 large red onion, roughly chopped
  • 2.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp cumin seeds
  • 650g pumpkin, skin on and roughly diced, seeds reserved
  • 100g red lentils
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp white pepper
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 15g fresh coriander

Method

  • Gently fry the onion and 2 tbsp oil in a large pan till soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.
  • Add the cumin seeds and cook till fragrant before adding in the butternut squash and lentils with 1 litre of boiling water.
  • Allow to simmer for 20 minutes till the lentils and squash are cooked through and soft.
  • Meanwhile, coat the squash seeds with the remaining 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and roast in an oven set to 180°C fan for 12 minutes, or 6-8 minutes in an air fryer.
  • Blend till smooth, seasoning with the remaining spice and serve with the crispy seeds and coriander leaves.
Spiced Butternut Squash and Lentil Soup

Per serving: 302kcal/ 13g fat/ 2.0g saturated fat/ 29g carbohydrates/ 10g fibre/ 13g protein

Parmigiana Beans

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This whole dish could very easily be made completely in the oven, making it more hands-free.

I used Isle of Wight tomatoes and aubergines which are currently in season, and are more locally produced with fewer air miles, making them more sustainable as part of Sustainable September.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 2-3 red onions (300g), diced
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 aubergine, diced
  • 5 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
  • 1kg tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • 30g basil
  • 570g butterbeans in stock
  • 125g mozzarella
  • 50g Parmigiano Reggiano

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/ 200°C convection.
  • In a large ovenproof dish, cook the onions in the olive oil for 5 minutes over a medium heat before adding the aubergine. Cook for a further 5 minutes before adding the garlic*.
  • Add the tomatoes and transfer to the oven to cook for 30 minutes till the tomatoes have softened.
  • Add the beans with their stock and most of the basil, stir to combine and return to the oven, cooking for a further 10 minutes till the sauce thickens.
  • Scatter the mozzarella over the top with half the Parmigiano Reggiano and return to the oven for 10-15 minutes when the cheese has melted and is golden brown. Scatter with the remaining basil and Parmigiano before serving straight away with thick slices of bread.

*Option to do this step in the oven

Parmigiana Beans

Per serving (excluding bread): 422kcal/ 21g fat/ 8.8g saturated fat/ 28g carbohydrates/ 15g fibre/ 20g protein

Bulgar Wheat Salad with Chickpeas

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Did you know that the average Brit spends £1000 buying lunch at work over the course of the year? This cost, coupled with the single-use packaging and missed opportunity for added nutrition is why I’ve teamed up with MyNutriWeb as part of Sustainable September to help you be more sustainable when it comes to lunch. It is estimated that 28% of people look to social media to influence their lunch choices, so let me influence you with my sustainable bulgar wheat salad with chickpeas which costs less than a meal deal, is packed full of fibre, and provides 20g of plant-based protein. You can read the full blog on MyNutriWeb’s webpage.

Serves 2 but can easily be doubled up to make more lunches

  • 100g bulgar wheat
  • 20g chives, finely chopped
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 6 sundried tomatoes, chopped, with
  • 200g cucumber, diced
  • 100g flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • 1 tin of chickpeas, drained (look for those with no added salt)

Method

  1. Add the bulgar wheat and chives to a large mixing bowl and pour 120ml boiling water over the top. Cover and leave to steam for 10 minutes till all the water has been absorbed.
  2. Once cooked, fluff the bulgar wheat and stir in the remaining ingredients.

Substitutions:

  • Bulgar wheat for couscous, quinoa, or orzo
  • Chives for spring onions or finely diced red onion
  • Sun-dried tomatoes for fresh, or roasted peppers, or artichokes
  • Cucumber for courgettes, or leftover roast vegetables
  • Flat leaf parsley for lettuce, rocket, watercress, spinach or any other leafy green
  • Chickpeas for any other beans e.g. butter beans, kidney beans, haricot beans
Bulgar Wheat Salad with Chickpeas

Per serving: 448kcal/ 8g fat/ 1.1g saturated fat/ 65g carbohydrates/ 18g fibre/ 20g protein

Gut Loving Chickpea Caesar Salad

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My Gut Loving Crispy Chickpea Caesar Salad is a delicious way to increase diversity as well as pack in pre- and probiotics whilst delivering 13g of fibre and 30g of protein per serving!

Did you know that the bacteria found in Parmigiano Reggiano can survive and help to colonise our gut making it a delicious probiotic if eaten raw? And this paired with the live bacteria in the yoghurt (more probiotics) and plenty of prebiotics (chickpeas, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, rocket, spinach and watercress all being sources) and fibre diversity and quantity make this the perfect salad for both your tastebuds and gut microbiota.

Serves 2 as a main

  • 1 tin of chickpeas, drained and dried
  • 2.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 180g stale sourdough bread, torn into bite-sized chunks
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 100g live yoghurt (I used a 0% fat variety)
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 3 anchovies in oil (12g)
  • 60g Parmigiano Reggiano
  • 2 baby gem lettuce heads
  • 100g mixed rocket, spinach and watercress

Method

  • Mix the chickpeas with 1/2 tbsp olive oil and cook in an air fryer set to 200°C for 20 minutes
  • Mix the sourdough chunks with 1 tbsp olive oil and add to the chickpeas after 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, make the dressing by combining the lemon juice, yoghurt, garlic and anchovies together and blending till smooth. Add half the parmesan.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add the leaves and the dressing and mix well before adding most of the crispy chickpeas and croutons.
  • Serve in a large bowl and top with any leftover chickpeas and croutons, and the remaining parmesan. Eat straight away.
Gut Loving Chickpea Caesar Salad

Per serving: 663kcal/ 28g fat/ 4.1g saturated fat/ 65g carbohydrates/ 13g fibre/ 30g protein

One Pan Chipotle Chicken Rice

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It’s back to school time, so you’re looking for a super simple recipe which doesn’t take any time, but delivers on flavour and nutrition. Here’s my one-pan chipotle chicken rice dish, with minimal fuss and washing up leaving you with more time to do your other tasks. We’re using onion, peppers and tomatoes for fibre and micronutrients, wholegrain rice for energy, beans and chicken for protein, extra virgin olive oil and avocado for healthy fats, plenty of herbs, spices and lime for flavour, and something to make the food fun which could be tortilla chips or grated cheese, but for me it’s soured cream, because nutrition is about inclusion, rather than exclusion. And, bonus fact about this dish, all this gives you a total of 9 plant points towards your weekly target of 30 which helps to feed the diversity of your gut microbiome. 

Ingredients

  • 3 peppers (300g), sliced
  • 3 red onions (300g), cut into wedges
  • 3 large tomatoes (250g), diced
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 packets of cooked wholegrain rice
  • 1 tin of black beans, drained
  • 400g boneless chicken thighs (option to use tofu to make plant-based)
  • 2 tbsp chipotle flakes (option to reduce if you don’t like spice)
  • 2 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp white pepper
  • 1.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt (option to leave out if cooking for young babies)

To serve

  • 2 avocados, diced
  • 2 limes, one juiced and one cut into quarters
  • Fresh coriander
  • Soured cream
  • Grated cheese
  • Tortilla chips

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 225°C fan/ 250°C convection.
  • Mix the peppers, onion and tomatoes in a large bowl with the olive oil.
  • In a large shallow ovenproof dish, add the rice and beans and mix to evenly distribute. Layer the pepper mix over the top and bake for 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, marinate the chicken thighs in the dry herbs and spices. Once the veg is partially cooked, make slight indentations in the veg and nestle the chicken in. Bake for a further 20 minutes.
  • While the chicken cooks, mix the avocado and lime juice together.
  • Once cooked layer the avocado, coriander and soured cream over the top and serve hot with optional extras to make the meal more satifsying.

Per serving: 618kcal/ 24g fat/ 5.1g saturated fat/ 55g carbohydrates/ 16g fibre/ 35g protein

Courgette Pasta Bake 3 Ways

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I was asked for a recipe that could be batch-cooked and frozen down for a baby as part of weaning using a courgette. So here is my Courgette Pasta Bake which can be used 3 different ways: either cook and eat straight away, as meal prep either in the fridge for a few days or the freezer for a few months, or as mini individual pasta muffins which are great for weaning and can be frozen down as individual portions.

I’ve used semi-skimmed milk and a 30% less fat cheddar-style cheese to help keep the saturated fats down, but if you are making food for babies aged 2 and under use full-fat varieties.

I’ve also used a higher-fibre white pasta for extra fibre to help me reach my 30g recommendation for the day.

Makes 6 adult portions

Ingredients

  • 50g butter
  • 60g plain flour
  • 1l milk
  • 1.5tsp English mustard
  • 300g cheddar cheese, grated
  • 4 courgettes (550g total), grated
  • 450g pasta of choice – I used an added fibre variety
  • 2-3 large tomatoes (optional), sliced

Method

  • Set the oven to 180°C fan/ 200°C convection.
  • Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute before adding the milk a little at a time, stirring constantly till thick. Add the mustard and half the cheddar cheese and season with pepper to taste.
  • Meanwhile, cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the packet instructions.
  • Off the heat add the courgette to the sauce and mix in, and once the pasta is cooked, drain, and add to the courgette sauce and mix.
  • Option 1: Pour everything into an ovenproof dish, top with the tomato slices and remaining cheese and cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes till the top is golden brown and bubbling.
  • Option 2: Pour into an ovenproof dish, allow to cool and top with cheese when you are ready to cook. This can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
  • Option 3: Divide the mixture into muffin cases, top with the remaining cheese and bake 15-20 minutes till the top is golden brown and bubbling. You can freeze these as individual portions for a baby – make sure they are piping hot in the middle when reheating in either the oven, air fryer or microwave.

Per serving: 478kcal/ 22g fat/ 13g saturated fat/ 42g carbohydrates/ 4.7g fibre/ 26g protein

Courgette Risotto

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Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 4 courgettes, 2 sliced and 2 grated
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2-3 red onions, finely diced
  • 5 garlic cloves roughly chopped
  • 20g butter
  • 250g risotto rice
  • 250ml dry white wine (optional)
  • 1 vegetable stock cube made up in 600ml boiling water
  • 60g parmesan

Method

  • Fry the sliced courgettes in the olive oil for around 10 minutes, till soft and golden. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  • In the same pan add the onions with a splash of water and cook over a low heat till soft and translucent. Add the garlic in and cook for a further 5 minutes.
  • Add the butter and rice and toast for a few minutes till fragrant before adding the wine and stirring continuously.
  • Add hot stock a few ladles at a time, stirring till the liquid is absorbed before adding more stock in.
  • When the rice is almost cooked al dente, add the grated courgettes in and allow to soften as the risotto finishes cooking.
  • Remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan, and serve topped with the fried courgettes.
Courgette Risotto

Per serving: 486kcal/ 20g fat/ 7.2g saturated fat/ 61g carbohydrates/ 2.9g fibre/ 14g protein