Crunchy noodle salad

 

Ingredients

• 1 nest of dried egg noodles (about 60g)
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• ½ tbsp reduced-salt soy sauce
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1 mandarin, segmented
• 2 carrots, grated
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• 1 avocado, peeled, halved, destoned and diced
• 100g mixed salad leaves
• ¼ small red cabbage, finely sliced

Directions

• Break up the noodles into small pieces and tip into a dry frying pan over a medium heat. Toast for 1-2 mins until slightly golden. Remove from the heat and set aside.

• Combine both oils, the vinegar, soy sauce and maple syrup in a large bowl and season. Toss in the rest of the salad ingredients, along with the toasted noodles. Serve immediately.

Healthy gnocchi

 

Ingredients

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 400g can white beans (we used butter beans)
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 100g frozen spinach
• 400g pack fresh gnocchi
• 2 tbsp reduced-fat crème fraîche
• 25g parmesan, finely grated
• small handful of fresh parsley, to serve

Directions

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium-low heat and cook the onion for 8-10 mins until soft but not coloured. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 min until fragrant.

• Add the tomato purée and the beans, along with their liquid, then pour in the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, season well, then stir in the spinach. Stir and cook for 2-3 mins until the spinach has loosened.

• Add the gnocchi, cover and cook for another 2-3 mins, then uncover and stir in the crème fraîche. Simmer for another 5 mins, adding a splash of boiling water if needed, until the gnocchi is cooked through. Serve in bowls sprinkled with the parmesan, fresh parsley and a little black pepper to finish.

Speedy lentil coconut curry

 

Ingredients

• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 red or green chilli, roughly chopped
• 1 carrot, roughly chopped
• 10g piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 ½ tbsp tikka masala curry paste
• 400g can cooked green lentils
• 220ml light coconut milk
• 200g frozen peas
• 10g coriander, roughly chopped
• 200g cooked brown rice
• 4 tbsp light coconut or natural yogurt, to serve

Directions

• Put the onion, garlic, chilli, carrot and ginger in a food processor and blitz to a smooth paste.

• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat and cook the veg paste for 4-5 mins until fragrant and starting to soften. Add the curry paste and cook for 1 min more, then add the lentils and stir to combine.

• Pour in the coconut milk and 150ml water, and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 mins until thickened and creamy. Add the peas in the final 5 mins, and season well.

• Stir in most of the coriander, then divide the curry between four bowls along with the rice. Sprinkle over the remaining coriander and top with the yogurt to serve.

Healthy chicken stir-fry

 

Ingredients

• 65g brown basmati rice
• 2 tsp rapeseed oil
• 15g ginger, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
• 2 small red onions (160g), cut into wedges
• 160g broccoli, broken into florets, stem finely chopped
• 2 carrots (160g), halved lengthways, then cut into diagonal slices
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped (optional)
• 200g chicken breast, cut into thin strips
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
• 1 tbsp wheat-free tamari
• 1 tbsp brown rice vinegar

Directions

• Cook the rice following pack instructions, then drain. Heat the oil in a non-stick wok over a high heat and fry the ginger and red onions for 2 mins. Add the broccoli stem, carrots and chilli, if using, and cook for 1 min.

• Tip in the chicken and cumin, stir-fry briefly, then add the broccoli florets and 3 tbsp water. Cover and leave to steam for 3-4 mins, or until the broccoli florets are just tender and the chicken is cooked through.

• Meanwhile, mix the peanut butter with the tamari and vinegar. Stir the sauce into the veg and chicken, then serve over the cooked rice.

Healthy pesto eggs on toast

 

Ingredients

• 2-4 thin slices rye sourdough (about 70g total, depending on the size of the loaf)
• 2 eggs
• 170g tomatoes on-the-vine
• 160g baby spinach
• pinch of chilli flakes (optional)

For the pesto

• 1 garlic clove
• 10g basil
• 1 tbsp pine nuts
• 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 1 tbsp finely grated parmesan or vegetarian alternative

Directions

• To make the pesto, peel the garlic clove and put in a small food processor along with the basil, pine nuts, oil and 2 tbsp water. Blitz until smooth, then stir in the cheese. Or, blitz using a hand blender. 

• Toast the bread and divide between two plates. Cook the pesto in a frying pan over a medium heat for 30 seconds, stirring. Crack the eggs into one side of the pan, put the tomatoes in the other, and fry in the pesto until the eggs are cooked to your liking.

• Lift out the eggs and put each one on a slice of toast. Add the spinach to the pan with the tomatoes, turn the heat up to high and cook until wilted, about 2-3 mins. The tomatoes should be soft. Spoon the veg onto the other toast slice and sprinkle with the chilli flakes, if you like.

Ponzu tofu poke bowl

 

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp ponzu sauce
• ½ tbsp rice vinegar
• 5g ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 300g silken tofu
• 100g edamame beans
• 250g pouch cooked quinoa
• 100g radishes, sliced
• 2 carrots, peeled into ribbons
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• 2 small seaweed thins, crumbled
• 1 tsp sesame seeds

Directions

• Combine the ponzu, vinegar, ginger and sesame oil in a bowl. Pat the tofu dry using kitchen paper and tear into chunks, then gently toss in the ponzu mixture.

• Pour some boiling water over the edamame and set aside for 2 mins before draining thoroughly and seasoning with salt.

• Divide the quinoa between bowls and top with the edamame, radishes and carrots. Spoon over the tofu and drizzle over the remaining dressing before scattering over the spring onions, seaweed and sesame seeds.

Healthy salmon pasta

Ingredients

• 350g penne
• 2 salmon steaks, about 175g/6oz each
• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• 2 tbsp pine nut
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
• 300g mushroom, sliced
• handful basil leaves 
• 
  
• Directions
• 
  

  Cook the pasta following pack instructions, adding the salmon to the water 6 mins before the end of the cooking time.

• Heat the oil in a pan, then cook the pine nuts until toasted. Add the pepper and fry until softened. Tip in the mushrooms and stir until they start to soften, then add a ladleful of the pasta water.

• When the pasta is cooked, remove the salmon to a plate, then drain the pasta. Fork the salmon into flakes and add to the vegetables along with the pasta and the basil leaves. Season with pepper and lightly toss together before serving

 

Garlic Hummus

 

Ingredients

• 1 (15 ounce) can no-salt-added chickpeas

• ¼ cup tahini

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• ¼ cup lemon juice

• 1 clove garlic

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• ½ teaspoon chili powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

• Directions

  1. Drain chickpeas, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid. Transfer the chickpeas and the reserved liquid to a food processor. Add tahini, oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, chili powder and salt. Puree until very smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.

  2. 
     

Crispy Parmesan Chicken Bites

 

Ingredients

• 1 large egg

• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

• 1/4 cup rice flour

• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided

• 12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided

• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

• Marinara sauce, warmed, for serving (optional)

• Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. Lightly beat egg in a medium bowl. Combine 2/3 cup Parmesan, rice flour, Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a separate medium bowl.

  3. Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Add half the chicken to the egg and toss to coat; let excess egg drip off. Transfer the chicken to the Parmesan mixture; toss to fully coat and pat to lightly adhere. Arrange the chicken pieces on the  prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Discard any remaining egg and Parmesan mixture. Drizzle the chicken pieces with 1 tablespoon oil and turn to coat. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil.

  4. Bake, flipping the pieces once, until golden brown, crispy and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest portion registers 165°F, 16 to 18 minutes. Remove and immediately sprinkle with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese and parsley. Serve with marinara sauce, if desired.