Main

Contents

1. Middle eastern chicken with green beans and citrus couscous
2. Quinoa salad with herbs, feta and pomegranate
3. Mexican salad
   
4. Lamb chops with pesto and beans
5. Garlic and chilli mushrooms, served with spinach and couscous
6. Chickpea curry with brown rice
7. Roasted peppers with couscous and almonds
8. Curried chicken casserole
9. Mushroom risotto
10. Virtuous veggie chilli
11. Cod and miso mushroom
12. Cauliflower crust pizza

Middle eastern chicken with green beans and citrus couscous

serves 4

Ingredients

1and a half - 2 tbsp olive oil

4 chicken breasts/fillets

300g couscous

1 lemon

6 - 8 dried apricots

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground cumin

2 tins tinned tomatoes

I chicken stock cube

handful green beans

Boil 500ml of water for couscous. Top and tail the green beans. Cut chicken into bite size pieces. Zest the lemon using a fine grater and squeeze the juice into a bowl. Put the couscous into 250ml of the water, half the lemon juice and zest and a pinch of salt. Cover with clingfilm and leave it to absorb fluid for 10 minutes. Heat 1 and a half to 2 tbsp olive oil in a non-stick pan on medium heat. Cook the chicken until brown. Add the cinnamon, cumin, tinned tomatoes, stock cube and the remaining lemon juice and zest. Stir and then add beans and chopped up apricots, cook uncovered for @ 10 minutes or until the beans are cooked. To serve, fluff up couscous with a fork and top it with the chicken mix.

 Quinoa salad with herbs, feta and pomegranate

serves 4

Ingredients

300 g quinoa

1 red onion finely chopped

100g feta cheese crumbled

200 g pomegranate seeds

85g dried apricots finely chopped 

85g toasted pine nuts or toasted flaked almonds

3 tbsps lemon juice

small pack each coriander, flat leaf parsley and mint, roughly chopped black pepper

Cook the quinoa following pack instructions – it should be tender but with a little bite @ 10 minutes. Leave for 5-6 minutes in the pan with the lid on. Drain well and spread out wide to cool quickly and steam dry. When the quinoa is just about cool stir through all of the remaining ingredients with plenty of seasoning. Can also be served as a light lunch or for snacking.

Mexican salad

serves 4

Ingredients

juice of I lime

1 avocado stoned, peeled and diced

1 red pepper diced

1 carrot grated

spinach

100g feta cheese

200g edamame/cannelloni/kidney beans

small tin (200g) sweetcorn, drained

black pepper

Toss all salad ingredients in a large bowl, pour over lime juice and toss again. Season to taste. Can also be used as a dip. 

Lamb chops with pesto and beans

serves 2

Ingredients

4 lamb chops trimmed of fat

1 tsp olive oil

400g tin borlotti beans rinsed and drained

2 tbsp pesto 

black pepper

optional: cannellini/flageolet beans

Heat a griddle pan or heavy frying pan. Brush the chops with the oil and season. Griddle for 2 minutes on each side, then leave to rest for 5 minutes under foil. Heat the beans in a small pan then stir 1 tablespoon of the pesto through . Serve with the rest of the pesto spooned over the beans.

Garlic and chilli mushrooms with spinach and couscous

serves 2

Ingredients

1 small box of mushrooms (250g) - sliced

1 tsp of coconut oil

2 cloves of garlic diced

1/4 of a red/green chilli

thumb sized piece of fresh ginger grated/finely diced

120g couscous (make as directed in main recipe 1)

2 handfuls of spinach

Heat the coconut oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat and sauté the garlic, chilli and ginger for a minute until you can smell the garlic. Add the mushrooms and stir for 5-7 minutes until the mushrooms are golden. Lay the spinach on the plate, top with couscous and then the mushrooms. Enjoy!

Garlic has been proven to reduce and prevent colds and flu! It is definitely a super food in our book! Packed full of vitamins and minerals including vitamin C and B6, garlic  has long been used for its health benefits throughout the world.

Chickpea curry with brown rice

serves 4

Ingredients

400g chickpeas

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves of garlic diced

1/4 chilli diced

1 medium red onion diced

2 tsp garam masala

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp of ground coriander

black pepper and a pinch of salt

400g tin of coconut milk 

optional: fresh coriander

200g brown rice

Boil the rice in a pan of water as per pack instructions (boil for 15-20 minutes). Heat the oil in a pan, sauté the onion, chilli and garlic until the onions are softened and starting to brown. Add the spices - mix then add the chickpeas and coconut milk. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with the rice.

Roasted peppers with couscous and almonds
 serves 2 

Ingredients

1 red and 1 yellow/orange pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, peeled and chopped

1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped

125g couscous

large pinch cinnamon

30g flaked almonds

black pepper and a pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees/gas mark 5. Toast the flaked almonds in a frying pan for a few minutes until they start to turn golden brown. Cut the peppers in half lengthways, keeping the stalks attached, and remove the seeds. Brush the outsides with a little of the olive oil, then place them, skin side down, in a roasting tin, packing quite tightly so they don't roll over. Pour 1tbsp of the oil into the frying pan and fry the onion and garlic.

Put the couscous into a large bowl and pour over 200ml of boiling water. Cover and leave for 10 minutes. Stir in the cinnamon and fluff up with a fork. Add the remaining olive oil, onion, garlic, most of the toasted almonds and seasoning. Mix well, then spoon the mixture into the pepper halves.

Cover the roasting tin tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the peppers are tender. Sprinkle over the rest of the almonds. Can be served with rocket if desired.

Curried chicken casserole

serves 4

Ingredients

2 large chicken breasts - chopped into bite size chunks

1 large onion

pumpkin/butternut squash

1 small/medium aubergine diced

2 large tomatoes

4 spring onions

1/4 red chilli

1 tbsp coriander

1 tbsp garam masala

1 tbsp cumin

1 tsp turmeric

olive/avocado oil

sea salt

400g coconut milk

options: use any vegetables you have, garlic and more chilli to taste - fresh coriander to add before serving.

Mix the chicken in a bowl with a little oil and the spices - mix, cover and keep in fridge until needed. Dice the onion and add to the wok/large pan with a tbsp of oil. Add a pinch of sea salt. Whilst onion is sautéing, chop all the other vegetables. Add the squash and aubergines next, cook for a few minutes. Next add the chicken - keep moving around the pan to cook chicken well for approximately 6-8 minutes. Add the coconut milk, tomatoes and spring onions. Simmer for 10 minutes - sprinkle fresh coriander over and serve - If you prefer a thickened sauce you can sprinkle in flour and stir (gluten free if keeping dish GF).

Mushroom risotto
serves 4

Ingredients

50g dried porcini mushrooms

1 vegetable stock cube

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

250g pack chestnut mushrooms, sliced and washed

300g risotto rice

1 x 175ml glass white wine (optional)

25g butter

handful parsley leaves, chopped

50g parmesan or grana padano, freshly grated
squeeze lemon


optional: fresh porcini or oyster mushrooms; any vegetable can be added, though roasted butternut squash works well

Soak the dried mushrooms in a large bowl with 1 litre boiling water for 20 mins, drain but retain the liquid for making the stock. Crumble the stock cube into the mushroom liquid, then squeeze the mushrooms gently to remove any liquid. Chop the mushrooms. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium flame. Add the onions and garlic, then fry for about 5 mins until soft. Stir in the fresh and dried mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and continue to cook for 8 mins until the fresh mushrooms have softened. Tip the rice into the pan and cook for 1 min. Pour over the wine and let it bubble to nothing so the alcohol evaporates. Keep the pan over a medium heat and pour in a quarter of the mushroom stock. Simmer the rice, stirring often, until the rice has absorbed all the liquid. Add about the same amount of stock again and continue to simmer and stir - it should start to become creamy, plump and tender. Continue stirring until the rice is cooked. If the rice is still undercooked, add a splash of water. Take the pan off the heat, add the butter and scatter over half the cheese, parsley and the lemon. Cover and leave for a few mins so that the rice can take up any excess liquid as it cools a bit.  Spoon into bowls and scatter with the remaining cheese and parsley.

Mushrooms are a great source of protein, copper, potassium, zinc, selenium and B vitamins. Also a great source of dietary fibre and low in both saturated and unsaturated fat.

Virtuous veggie chilli

serves 4-6

Ingredients

4 garlic cloves
1 onion (red/white or spring onions)
1 carrot (chopped small)
1/2 pepper
1/4 red chilli
1 tsp cumin
1 chipotle pepper (or chipotle paste)
4 tbsp green lentils (rinsed)
800g chopped tomatoes/passata
pinch of sea salt optional

Fry off the garlic, onion, carrots until the onions are softened. Then add cumin and chilli, stir and then add all of the ingredients. You may want to add a cup of water or two if the liquid is reduced too much for your liking. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20/30 minutes, or until the lentils are softened. Enjoy with sour cream and coriander - optional.


Cod and miso mushroom
serves 4

Ingredients

4 cod fillets - bake in the oven

150/200g mushrooms

1/2 head of broccoli - chopped and broken into florets

1 tomato

2 cloves of garlic

1/4 green chilli

1 tbsp of tamari

1/2 tbsp of miso paste

Whilst the cod is baking, prepare all the vegetables and add the garlic into the pan with the broccoli, tomato, chilli. After a few seconds add the tamari then stir. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for 5-10 minutes or until the mushrooms are softened - you may need to add a little water if the ingredients are starting to stick. Enjoy with brown rice.

This dish is so quick and full of flavour and goodness. Miso is in itself a fermented food, wonderful for your digestive health and packed with vitamins and minerals for optimal health.

Cauliflower crust pizza

serves 2

Ingredients

half a cauliflower broken into florets

1 egg beaten

50g grated parmesan 

olive oil

half a clove garlic

pinch of chilli flakes

250ml passata

handful torn basil

half a ball mozzarella thinly sliced

Heat the oven to 180 deg C fan, 200 deg C or gas mark 6. Cook the cauliflower for 4 minutes in boiling water and drain well. Dry completely with kitchen paper. Place in a food processor, blitz until it resembles couscous. Place in a bowl, season and stir in the egg and parmesan. Spread onto a lined baking sheet brushed with oil and press into a pizza base shape using a spatula. Bake for 15-20 minutes until it is golden and feels firm. Meanwhile, fry the garlic and chilli in olive oil for a minute before adding the passata. Simmer and reduce until thick and spreadable. Add the basil and season. Spread the tomato sauce over the base then add the slices of mozzarrella. Place back in the oven for 10 minutes until the cheese has melted and golden. Scatter with torn basil leaves and serve.