Tag: Pasta

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

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

One Pan Courgette Pasta

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Minimal washing up whilst creating a really delicious and balanced meal in 15 minutes! It’s using courgettes, kale, basil and nasturtium all from the allotment. If you haven’t tried nasturtium before, it has a slightly peppery taste that reminds me of rocket – both the flowers and leaves are edible, plus they act as a pollinator for bees which attracts them into the allotments to pollinate my fruits and veggies!

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 300g pasta
  • 150g kale, roughly chopped, stems separate to the leaves
  • 2 medium-sized courgettes
  • 1 tub of garlic and herb cream cheese (135g) – I used Paysan & Breton
  • 1 tin of butterbeans
  • 1 lemon, zest and juice
  • 10g basil leaves
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Nasturtium (optional)

Method

  • Cook the pasta for 4 minutes less than the packet instructions, adding the kale stems in too. Meanwhile, grate the courgettes.
  • Once the pasta is cooked, reserve a mug of pasta water and add the kale leaves in before draining.
  • Return to a low heat and add the grated courgettes, cream cheese, butterbeans, lemon zest and juice, basil leaves and olive oil. Cook for 2 minutes, adding extra pasta water if needed.
  • Season to taste with pepper before serving up and topping with extra basil and optional nasturtium.
One Pan Courgette Pasta

Per serving: 464kcal/ 14g fat/ 6.2g saturated fat/ 62g carbohydrates/ 11g fibre/ 17g protein

Tofu Pasta Bake

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The Summer holidays are upon us, and I’m sure we’ll all be in need of inspiration for family friendly recipes! 

I created this recipe for baby and child nutritionist Charlotte Stirling-Reed and it is an absolute winner. It’s really easy to prepare – all in one dish, filled with nutrition and flavour with no added salt making it the perfect family-friendly recipe!

Serves a family of 4

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp mixed chopped fresh or frozen herbs e.g. basil, sage, oregano, thyme OR 1.5 tsp dried mixed herbs
  • 3 garlic cloves, grated OR 1 tsp dried garlic powder
  • 250g orzo or other short pasta with a cooking time of around 12 minutes
  • 400g chopped cherry tomatoes* OR 1 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
  • 1 red onion sliced** OR 120g frozen chopped onion
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 block of soft set (silken) tofu (350g)
  • 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp basil (fresh or frozen)

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 160°C fan/180°C convection.
  2. Mix the onion and olive oil together in a separate bowl.
  3. Add the mixed herbs, garlic and orzo to a large ovenproof dish with 500ml boiling water and mix to evenly distribute.
  4. Add the tomatoes over the top, the tofu in the centre and spread the onions out around the tofu.
  5. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes.
  6. Once cooked through add the nutritional yeast, extra basil and mix everything together before serving.
Tofu Pasta Bake

*For small babies and children cut the tomatoes into quarters

**For small babies and children cut the onion into small squares 

15 Minute Salmon Pasta

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15 minute salmon pasta

This is the easiest bowl of comforting food you can make which is packed with beneficial nutrients such as omega-3 fats, protein, vitamins C, D, iron, folate and a portion of veg as one of you 5-a-day.

I’m using hot smoked salmon, which means I only need to cook the pasta and then stir everything together, using just one pan making it a really easy-to-make (and clean up after) meal.

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 150g spaghetti
  • 140g baby leaf spinach
  • 80g cream cheese
  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 20g chives, finely chopped
  • 280g hot smoked salmon

Method

  • Cook the pasta for 3 minutes less than the packet instructions, saving some of the pasta cooking water before draining.
  • Over a low heat, add the spinach to the almost cooked-through pasta and allow to wilt before adding the cream cheese, lemon zest and juice, chives, smoked salmon, and season to taste with pepper. Add more pasta cooking water if needed to loosen the sauce and enjoy!
15 minute salmon pasta
15 minute salmon pasta

Lemon Orzo with Quick Pickled Onions

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I made these quick pickled onions for some friends when I recently visited them in Portugal; they absolutely loved them! This is a really easy and quick way to take the edge off raw onions, something I personally don’t always enjoy. I also love the pop of hot pink colour they add to the dish; the longer you leave the onions in the lemon juice, the brighter the pink.

This is the perfect meal you can double up the batch to make once but eat twice. It’s great as a cold pasta salad the next day, which, in addition, will allow resistant starch to form as it cools down.

Each serving provides you with 2.5 of your 5-A-Day, including 13g of fibre and 31g a protein. To make vegan or dairy free switch the feta for a vegan feta or use some crumbled tofu.

Lemon Orzo Pasta

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 1 red onion, finely sliced
  • Zest and juice of 1.5-2 lemons
  • 150g orzo
  • 150g prepared asparagus tips
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Herbs – I have used mint, oregano and flat-leaf parsley
  • 75g feta
  • 1 tin of drained and rinsed chickpeas
  • 80g rocket

Method

  • Start by pickling the onions by blanching in boiled water for 30 seconds before draining and covering in the lemon juice.
  • Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling water for 1 minute less than the cooking instructions. Add the asparagus for the last minute before draining.
  • Add the onions along with all the lemon juice to the hot pasta and stir to combine, followed by the lemon zest, olive oil, herbs and season with pepper to taste.
  • Crumble in the feta, along with the chickpeas and rocket and stir to combine.
  • Delicious served hot or cold.

Roasted Tomato & Mascarpone Pasta

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If you find yourself short on time, but still want a homemade dinner, this pasta sauce is so easy, and completely adaptable to your schedule. If you need to have a longer gap, reduce the oven temperature and increase the time, the end result will be almost identical, whilst giving you the flexibility you need to do your work, or exercise, or pick the kids up from school or in my case, walk the dog.

Cooking tomatoes in this way actually increases their lycopene content as the cells in the walls of the tomatoes have time to break down and release the lycopene, making it more bioavailable to our bodies. Lycopene is a type of antioxidant that can help protect our bodies from oxidative damage. Pairing it with a healthy fat, such as extra virgin olive oil as I have done here, can again help improve absorption rates as it’s fat soluble. Therefore, this is a delicious way to get some extra lycopene in your diet to help benefit your body.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 300g tomatoes, any size but larger ones will need to be cut into large chunks about cherry tomato sized
  • 1 head of garlic, top sliced off to expose the cloves
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 125g mascarpone
  • 300g pasta of choice
  • 240g baby leaf spinach*
  • 15g basil
  • Parmesan to serve

Method

  • Add the tomatoes and garlic to an ovenproof dish where it all fits snugly, and drizzle over the olive oil. Cook in an oven set to 150°C fan for 1.5 hours.
  • Once cooked, squeeze the garlic out of the skins and mash into the tomatoes with the mascarpone and season to taste with pepper.
  • Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook your pasta for 4 minutes less than the cooking time.
  • Drain, reserving a large mug of pasta water and return to the pan with a little pasta water, but not all. Add the spinach and stir in, cooking over a low heat for 2 minutes till the spinach has wilted. Remove from the heat.
  • Add the pasta sauce and basil and stir to combine, using a little extra pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
  • Serve with parmesan over the top.

*other suitable veg include swiss chard, broccoli, kale, or try roasting other veg at the same time as the tomatoes such as courgettes, peppers or aubergine.

Roasted Tomato & Mascarpone Pasta

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If you find yourself short on time, but still want a homemade dinner, this pasta sauce is so easy, and completely adaptable to your schedule. If you need to have a longer gap, reduce the oven temperature and increase the time, the end result will be almost identical, whilst giving you the flexibility you need to do your work, or exercise, or pick the kids up from school or in my case, walk the dog.

Cooking tomatoes in this way actually increases their lycopene content as the cells in the walls of the tomatoes have time to break down and release the lycopene, making it more bioavailable to our bodies. Lycopene is a type of antioxidant that can help protect our bodies from oxidative damage. Pairing it with a healthy fat, such as extra virgin olive oil as I have done here, can again help improve absorption rates as it’s fat soluble. Therefore, this is a delicious way to get some extra lycopene in your diet to help benefit your body.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 300g tomatoes, any size but larger ones will need to be cut into large chunks about cherry tomato sized
  • 1 head of garlic, top sliced off to expose the cloves
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 125g mascarpone
  • 300g pasta of choice
  • 240g baby leaf spinach*
  • 15g basil
  • Parmesan to serve

Method

  • Add the tomatoes and garlic to an ovenproof dish where it all fits snugly, and drizzle over the olive oil. Cook in an oven set to 150°C fan for 1.5 hours.
  • Once cooked, squeeze the garlic out of the skins and mash into the tomatoes with the mascarpone and season to taste with pepper.
  • Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook your pasta for 4 minutes less than the cooking time.
  • Drain, reserving a large mug of pasta water and return to the pan with a little pasta water, but not all. Add the spinach and stir in, cooking over a low heat for 2 minutes till the spinach has wilted. Remove from the heat.
  • Add the pasta sauce and basil and stir to combine, using a little extra pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
  • Serve with parmesan over the top.
Roasted Tomato and Mascarpone Pasta

*other suitable veg include swiss chard, broccoli, kale, or try roasting other veg at the same time as the tomatoes such as courgettes, peppers or aubergine.

Leek and Gruyère Cheese Pasta

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I love a warm and comforting bowl of pasta when it’s cold and grey outside. It really helps to brighten my mood. I also want it to be seasonal, so I’ve used leeks in this dish, which adds flavour as well as some prebiotics.

Feel free to swap for any other cheese you have in the fridge. The sweet leeks will go well with most cheeses. I just love the cheese pull of melted Gruyère.

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 1 leek, approximately 200g, washed and sliced
  • 40g butter
  • 35g plain flour
  • 450ml semi-skimmed milk
  • 1 tsp mustard
  • 100g Gruyère cheese, grated
  • 150g pasta shape of choice

Method

  • Gently cook the leek in the butter till soft, before adding in the flour. Mix to create a paste and slowly add the milk, stirring continuously to create a smooth sauce.
  • Once all the milk is added, stir in the mustard and half the Gruyère.
  • Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, drain, and then stir the sauce through.
  • Pour the pasta into an ovenproof dish, top with the remaining cheese, and bake at 180°C fan/ 200°C convection for 15-20 minutes till golden brown and bubbling.

Per serving: 816kcal/ 39g fat/ 24g saturated fat/ 79g carbohydrates/ 7.2g fibre/ 34g protein

Burrella and Kale Pesto Pasta

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It’s World Pasta Day and here’s my vegan version of burrata and pesto pasta – you could of course make it vegetarian if you aren’t 100% plant-based.

Serves 5

Ingredients

  • 325g kale, roughly chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 75g pine nuts, toasted (other nuts would also work well here)
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 100ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 500g pasta shape of choice
  • 1 ball of Burella (for a vegan version)

Method

  • Bring a large pan of water to the boil and blanch the kale with the garlic for 1 minute before removing.
  • Blend the kale and garlic with the pine nuts, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, olive oil and a large pinch of salt till smooth – you will need a powerful blender to get a smooth sauce.
  • Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, saving some pasta cooking water.
  • Once the pasta is cooked, drain and toss the kale pesto through, using a little pasta cooking water to loosen the sauce if needed.
  • Serve piled up high topped with the Burella
Vegan Kale Pesto Pasta

Per serving: 678kcal/ 33g fat/ 4.0g saturated fat/ 71g carbohydrates/ 9g fibre/ 19g protein