Читать книгу The Secret Ingredient: Family Cookbook - Sally Bee - Страница 16

Meal matching is a great way to enhance your health. If you are having a quiet afternoon, or planning a larger evening meal, a light lunch is perfect.

In this chapter you’ll find soups, salads, enchiladas and eggs amongst lots of other speedy and light delights. Eggs are fabulous as a quick and healthy light meal and you do not absorb the cholesterol from them. Doctors now recommend one a day for a healthy diet!

Mexican Butter Bean Hash

This is a very simple, fun and filling weekend brunch dish – with a bit of a kick!

Serves 4

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

4 lean rashers of bacon, all visible fat cut off and chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

2 x 400g (14oz) tins chopped tomatoes

1 x 400g (14oz) tin butter beans, drained

freshly ground black pepper

4 preserved jalapeños, chopped

slurp of Tabasco sauce, to taste

4 fresh eggs

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6.

2 Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the chopped onion and fry for 4–5 minutes.

3 Next, add the bacon, garlic, chopped tomatoes and butter beans. Season with freshly ground black pepper, the chopped jalapeños and Tabasco sauce and stir together to combine. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10–15 minutes.

4 Now transfer the mixture to a shallow baking dish and pop in the oven for 20 minutes until bubbling and all the flavours have fused together. Take out of the oven and make 4 scooped holes in the mixture.

5 Break in the eggs and pop back into the oven for a further 6–7 minutes or until the eggs are cooked. Serve for breakfast with a big chunk of nutty bread. Delicious!

Chunky Salmon Chowder

I am such a huge fan of soups. They are an easy way to boost your vegetable intake and it’s so easy to get children to try different flavours if they are dunking a lovely chunk of nutty bread into a bowl of soup… usually mine!

This is a delicious warming soup that is full of flavour yet very light. Salmon provides the protein, while the potato gives you a ready source of vitamin C, and the lentils make this heart-healthy and filling.

I really like adding lentils to soup, not only because of the health properties but also because it makes them much more filling – crucial when feeding hungry teenagers!

Serves 4

2 skinless salmon fillets

500ml (18fl oz) low-salt vegetable stock

700ml (1¼ pints) skimmed milk

2 sprigs of thyme

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 leeks, sliced

2 tbsp plain flour

1 large white potato, peeled and diced

75g (3oz) red lentils

80g (3oz) bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

freshly ground black pepper

1 Place the salmon in a large saucepan and pour over the stock and milk, drop in the sprigs of thyme, and bring the liquid to the boil. Cook for 2–4 minutes.

2 Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large heavy-based frying pan, add the leeks and cook until softened. Stir them occasionally and don’t let them brown, as this is a pale-coloured chowder. Stir in the plain flour.

3 Remove the salmon from the stock and set aside. Add the stock and milk mixture to the leeks and stir in to blend in the liquid, then add the potato and lentils. Leave to cook for 30 minutes or until the potato is tender and the lentils are soft. Remove the thyme sprigs.

4 Finally, flake the salmon into meaty chunks and gently stir into the chowder, not letting them break up, along with the parsley and freshly ground black pepper and serve.

Spicy Sweet Potato Soup

Butternut squash and sweet potatoes are roasted with a blend of delicious spices. This is a superfood superhuman soup with a high-octane flavour. Healthy eating has never tasted so good.

Serves 6

1 tbsp fennel seeds

2 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp coriander seeds

2 tsp dried oregano

½ tsp dried crushed chillies

½ tsp whole black peppercorns

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

4 sweet potatoes

1 medium butternut squash, washed

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

1.5 litres (2½ pints) low-salt chicken stock

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6.

2 Put the fennel, cumin, coriander, oregano, chillies and black peppercorns into a mortar and with the pestle crush the flavourings to a coarse powder. Add the crushed garlic and 1 tablespoon olive oil and blend everything to a paste.

3 Peel the potatoes and chop into 2cm (¾in) chunks, and do the same with the butternut squash (there’s no need to peel it). Now tip the squash and potatoes into a shallow baking dish and, using your hands, smear the spice paste over the vegetables to evenly coat. Cook in the oven for 30–40 minutes until nice and tender and just beginning to colour.

4 While the vegetables are roasting, in a large saucepan set over a medium heat, heat the remaining oil and sauté the onion for 3–4 minutes until softened and translucent. Do not allow to colour.

5 Once the butternut squash and potatoes are done, put them into a blender or food processor along with half of the chicken stock and whiz until smooth. Put the remaining stock in the baking dish and use it to de-glaze the tin. Pour these juices and the stock into the soup to ensure you have every last scrap of flavour. Stir well and serve.

A Note on Spices

Because healthy eating means we can’t rely on fat, salt and sugar to flavour our food, spices are hugely important. Take a look at your spice rack and throw away any that are out of date. Replace them with delicious aromatic new ones and never be afraid to be experimental!

Pale Courgette and Mint Soup

The onions and ginger along with the watercress add an extra layer of nutrition with their antioxidant properties. The watercress also gives a peppery flavour that makes this soup one of my favourites.

If you can get hold of courgette flowers, float one on top of each bowl of soup – it looks wonderful as a dinner party starter!

Serves 2–4

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 mild Spanish onion, peeled and finely chopped

1cm (½in) fresh ginger, peeled and grated

3 large courgettes, diced into 1cm (½in) squares

1 litre (1¾ pints) low-salt vegetable stock

1 handful of fresh mint leaves

1 large handful of watercress

freshly ground black pepper

1 Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick pan and sauté the onion for 3–4 minutes until starting to soften. Add the grated ginger and cook for a further 2 minutes.

2 Now add the diced courgettes and the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 4–5 minutes or until the courgettes are tender.

3 Remove from the heat and ladle two-thirds of the soup into a blender. Add the mint and watercress and blend until totally smooth.

4 Return the smooth soup to the pan with the still-chunky soup, return to the heat and season with freshly ground black pepper. Serve in large soup bowls with a courgette flower floating on the top. Edible when washed!

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Red peppers, tomatoes, shallots, garlic and chilli are all heart-healthy ingredients, especially when they are heated in a little olive oil. They taste pretty good too!

Serves 4–6

4 large red peppers, cut into quarters and deseeded

4 large tomatoes, halved

4 shallots, peeled and cut in half

3 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp dried thyme

750ml (1¼ pints) low-salt vegetable stock

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6.

2 Place the peppers, tomatoes, shallots and garlic into a roasting tin and scatter with the chopped chilli. Drizzle with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar then sprinkle with the thyme. Roast for 30–40 minutes or until the vegetables are softened and lightly charred, turning halfway through cooking. Remove the peppers from the roasting tin, put them into a large saucepan and set aside.

3 Next, pour half of the vegetable stock into the roasting tin and set over a low heat. Stir and scrape with a wooden spoon to remove all the roasted scrummy bits from the base of the tin.

4 Now pour this mixture and the rest of the vegetable stock into the pan with the peppers. Set over a medium heat, bring to a gentle simmer then take off the heat and, using a hand blender, whiz the soup until lovely and smooth. Reheat and serve.

Sally’s tip

If you want to make this into a creamy soup, feel free to add a swirl of low-fat crème fraîche.

Baked Potato with Healthy Toppings

If I was stuck on a desert island, the one food I would choose to take with me would be a potato.

Potatoes have certainly had a bad press of late thanks to the low-carb craze. Well, as much as I agree with cutting down on carbohydrates at some points in the day, I do not agree with cutting them out altogether. Carbohydrates are essential to our growth and wellbeing, especially when feeding a family. Potatoes are, in my opinion, the perfect source of healthy carbs as they are rich in vitamin C (good for keeping your immune system healthy), potassium (good for healthy blood pressure) and offer good fibre, especially when eaten with the skin on – and eating good fibre positively promotes weight loss. They are also not too expensive, so why wouldn’t you fill up on a delicious, nutritious spud?

One of the easiest and healthiest quick meals or light bites is a jacket potato. This is great for all ages, affordable and if you take care with your toppings, it’s seriously healthy too.

To prepare your baked potato, preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6. Wash your potato and prick it 2 or 3 times with a fork. Bake in the oven for 50–60 minutes depending on the size. You can tell when the baked potato is cooked as the skin will be lovely and crisp but the inside soft when you squeeze it.

If you’re in a hurry, you could start the cooking off in the microwave following the manufacturer’s instructions and then crisp up in the oven for 10 minutes. Don’t be tempted to lather huge globs of butter or cream onto your baked potato, as this is obviously NOT a healthy way to eat.

Overleaf are some delicious examples of my favourite toppings, feel free to swap and change and be as imaginative as you like. Keep everything low fat and always serve with veggies or salad to make a balanced meal.

Enjoy!

Each of these mini recipes serves 1

Curry-spiced Topping

1 tablespoon fat-free natural yogurt mixed with 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley and ½ teaspoon mild curry powder.

Tomato Pesto Topping

1 tablespoon shop-bought green pesto mixed with 1 chopped plum tomato.

Creamy Horseradish Topping

1 tablespoon reduced-fat sour cream mixed with ½ teaspoon prepared horseradish.

Creamy Chive Topping

1 tablespoon low-fat cottage cheese and 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives.

Tex-Mex Topping

1 tablespoon refried beans, 1 tablespoon prepared tomato salsa and 1 teaspoon chopped fresh coriander.

Coleslaw Topping

Mix together 6 tablespoons fat-free crème fraîche, ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise, ½ white cabbage, shredded, 2 carrots and ½ onion, both finely sliced.

Fruity Booty Topping

Mix together fresh pineapple chunks, a diced apple with 1 tablespoon raisins and 2 tablespoons fat-free crème fraîche.

Butter Beans and Tuna Topping

Mix together half a 185g can of drained tuna fish in spring water, a 215g can of butter beans, drained with the juice of 1 lemon and 2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise.

Roasted New Potato and Beetroot Salad

Beetroot is a rich source of potent antioxidants and nutrients that are crucial for cardiovascular health, helping to keep the muscles strong and to build stamina, so perfect encouragement for busy teenagers to eat it. Beetroot doesn’t lose its health benefits when cooked and pickled, so add a beetroot to a dish whenever you get the chance!

Serves 4–6

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

500g (1lb 2oz) new potatoes, cut in half

½ tsp celery salt

1 tsp garlic powder

3 sprigs of rosemary or 1 tsp dried rosemary

100g (3½oz) rocket leaves

1 handful of toasted walnuts, roughly chopped

400g (14oz) pickled baby beetroot, cut in half

seeds from 1 pomegranate (optional – don’t be put off making this salad if you haven’t got a pomegranate – this is really just for garnish, it makes it look very posh!)

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6.

2 Drizzle half the olive oil over the new potatoes in a roasting tray, rub them with your hands to evenly coat, then sprinkle over the celery salt and garlic powder. Top the potatoes with the rosemary and roast in the oven for 35–40 minutes until crisp and golden, turning them halfway through cooking.

3 Meanwhile, simply combine all the other ingredients in a large shallow serving bowl. When the potatoes are done, tip them into the salad and toss everything together. Serve warm.

Juicy Prawn and Watermelon Salad

I find watermelon addictive in the summer months and I also find that it’s perfect for keeping the children going when tea is on the way but not quite ready yet! Speaking of the kids, this is a great one to get them in the kitchen. It’s very quick and easy, but teaches them about gorgeous flavour mixing. Remember that you don’t absorb the cholesterol from the prawns into your bloodstream.

Serves 4–6

1 medium watermelon, cut in half and flesh removed

350g (12oz) cooked tiger prawns