Tag: easy recipe

3 Ingredient Snickers Bars (aka Reindeer Poops)

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As someone who is allergic to most nuts, I’ve never had a Snickers bar, but I have heard they are filled with crunchy peanuts, sweet caramel and coated in chocolate. I’ve not got a very sweet tooth, so I’m subbing in dark chocolate for milk, adding extra plant polyphenols which my gut will love. It’s also got the benefit of fibre from the naturally sweet and caramel-like date, and the crunchy almond butter has been blended with the skins on for even more fibre benefit, as these are the nuts I’m not allergic to.

All in all, this is a really easy recipe which will help to satisfy your sweet tooth when you might normally reach for a shop-bought version. Make a larger batch and keep them in an airtight container, if they last that long!

Serves 5

Ingredients

  • 5 Medjool dates, pitted and split down one side
  • 5 tsp crunchy almond butter (or any other nut butter of choice)
  • 100g dark chocolate, melted

Method

  • Add a teaspoon of nut butter to the middle of the date and close as best you can
  • Roll the stuffed date in the melted chocolate, getting an even coating over the whole surface
  • Allow to set on baking parchment for around 30 minutes
  • Enjoy straight away, or store in an airtight Tupperware for up to 2 weeks
Reindeer Poops

Per serving: 257kcal/ 15g fat/ 5.5g saturated fat/ 24g carbohydrates/ 4.4g fibre/ 4.6g protein

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

Prawn Dumplings

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Makes around 18 dumplings

Ingredients

  • 100g bamboo shoots, finely sliced
  • 2 spring onions, finely sliced
  • 300g prawns, deveined and chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • 1/4″ ginger, grated
  • 1/4 tsp white pepper
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 18 rice paper sheets, each cut into 4

Method

  • Mix all the filling ingredients together
  • Soak 4 small squares of rice paper in cold water for 1 minute before layering 2 as a square and 2 as a diamond.
  • Place 1 heaped teaspoon of mixture into the middle of the rice paper and fold the diamond corners in followed by the square corners in. Pinch at the top to seal.
  • Place in a lined steamer and cooker for 10-12 minutes.
  • Enjoy hot with your favourite chilli oil or sauce.
Prawn Dumplings

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

Blackberry & Brie Sourdough Toastie

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A really easy toastie recipe with the added nutrition from chia seeds to make the quickest jam ever! The chia seeds soak up any liquid from the crushed blackberries, helping to thicken the juices so it works as a spread for the toastie, whilst adding a little extra fibre and healthy polyunsaturated fats. The sweet sharpness of the seasonal blackberries contrasts perfectly with the creamy brie, and the crunch of the sourdough.

Serves 1

Ingredients

  • 100g blackberries
  • 1 tsp chia seeds
  • 60g brie
  • 2 slices of seeded sourdough
  • 1 tsp honey (optional if the berries are too tart)
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

  • Mash the blackberries and chia seed together and leave for 5-10 minutes to thicken.
  • Once the jam is “set” spread it onto slices of sourdough, and top with slices of brie and honey if needed. Sandwich the second piece of bread over the top.
  • Heat a skillet over a low-medium heat and add 1/2 tbsp olive oil. Cook the toastie on one side for 3-5 minutes till golden brown. Brush the second side of bread with the remaining oil before flipping and cooking.
  • Serve immediately.
Blackberry & Brie Toastie

Per serving: 764kcal/ 41g fat/ 14g saturated fat/ 66g carbohydrates/ 9.3g fibre/ 27g 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