From the monthly archives:

December 2009

Spicy Chickpeas with Rich Tomato Dressing

December 27, 2009

in Uncategorized

Like the Butter Bean Salad, this dish can start as a hot meal we've included it among the baked potato Easy Meal suggestions.

The remainder, with crunchy celery and sweetcorn added, can be stored in the fridge as a stand-by salad.

yoga mat chickpeas are a great source of fibre, and this salad, in its own spicy low-fat tomato sauce, needs no added dressing.

1. Chop the onion into quite small dice. Heat the oil in a non stick pan then sauté the onion on a gentle heat for 5 minutes, until softened. Stir in the curry powder and cook gently for 5 minutes more, taking care not to allow the powder to burn.

2. Add the passata to the pan with the chutney and lemon juice. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, add the chickpeas and cook gently for 10 minutes. One portion could be served hot with a baked potato and green veg as a main meal.

3. To make a stand-by salad simply allow the remainder to cool, then mix in the sliced celery and sweetcorn. Cover and keep chilled. Lemonade diet is also useful for better health.

MAKES 4 PORTIONS

• 1 medium onion

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

• 1 tbsp mild or medium curry powder

• 700g jar passata

• 1tbsp mango chutney

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 400g can chickpeas, drained

• 2-3 celery sticks

• 200g can sweetcorn, drained

Acai diet on Rachel ray is also useful.

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Bean, Sweetcorn and Red Pepper Salad

December 26, 2009

in Uncategorized

This excellent and 'moreish' salad is packed with veg of outstanding value for positive health. It calls out for vinaigrette (French) dressing, so choose one of the options. The fat units in a serving will depend on your choice the veg are virtually fat-free. Lemonade diet is also a useful for better health.

1. Drain the beans and sweetcorn. Tip into a large bowl or lidded plastic container.

2. Peel and finely chop the onion. Halve the pepper, remove seeds and membranes, then dice. Mix all ingredients.

3. Drizzle over the dressing and toss well, then add the coriander and toss again.

Variation For a spicy note you can add a fresh red chilli to this salad. Cut it in half and remove the seeds, taking care not to touch your face. Finely chop the chilli and add to the salad with the pepper. Wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.

MAKES 4-6 PORTIONS

• 300g can cannellini or red kidney beans

• 340g can sweetcorn

• Half a medium-sized onion

• 1 large red pepper

• 3-4 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped

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Butter Bean Salad with Spring Onions and Maple Mustard Dressing

December 26, 2009 Uncategorized

This delicious and very easy salad is adapted from one of our favorite cookery articles, Vegetarian Express (Cassell). We’ve included it by kind permission of queen of the veggie cooks, Rose Elliot. Rose serves it warm on a heap of green salad leaves. That way it makes a wonderful and ‘very F2, light lunch, maybe after a bowl of F2 soup.

You can also enjoy it cold as a stand-by salad. The dressing is relatively low in fat compared to most. If this becomes one of your regular favorites, we suggest you make sufficient dressing for four servings and store in a jar in the fridge. The salad is put together so quickly that it’s hardly worth pre-preparing.

1. Place the butter beans and their liquid in a saucepan and warm over a moderate heat for about 5 minutes until heated through.

2. Meanwhile mix together the maple syrup, mustard, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

3. Drain the beans and mix gently with the maple-syrup dressing, the spring onions and the chopped coriander. Spoon half the quantity on to a base of salad leaves and serve.

4. Store the remaining half in a covered container in the fridge to be eaten cold, heaped on to crisp green salad leaves, as a stand-by salad.    

MAKES 2 GENEROUS PORTIONS

• 425g can butter beans

• 2 tbsp maple syrup

• 1tbsp Dijon mustard

• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 6 spring onions, chopped

• 2-3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (optional)

• Salad leaves

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F2 Stand-by Salads

December 25, 2009 Uncategorized

Select and prepare any two of the following. All these salads keep well in covered containers in the fridge for several days. They give a major boost to fibre and resistant starch intake, stimulating healthy bio-action, helping to speed weight loss and keep blood sugar levels on an even keel.

Aim to keep two salads on stand-by in the fridge. They can be used as side salads with meals or as a meal in themselves, perhaps with 'a little something' from our Easy Meal suggestions.

Dressings: Most of these recipes include fat-free or low-fat dressings for which fat units are included in the total. Where a vinaigrette (French) dressing is indicated, either choose a 'low-fat' or 'fat-free' shop bought product, make your own 'two-to-one' (two tablespoons of oil to one of vinegar)

The oils used ill salad dressings are the beneficial kind. But curtail the quantity and steer clear of very oily dressings because of their high calorie content. With some salads you might find that a splash of balsamic vinegar, less sharp that other vinegars, is acceptable on its own as a fat-free dressing.

Carrot, Almond and Raisin Salad: Make this salad your first choice. It has the advantages of being remarkably easy to make, lasting well in the fridge and perfectly partnering any of the other essential salads. Big bonus: it needs no dressing other than GI-lowering lemon juice and offers a remarkable range of health benefits. Almonds have been named by scientists as among those foods 'most likely to prolong life'. No need to count the fat units for the small quantity in this otherwise fat-free dish. Carrots and lemon juice contain some of the most powerful cancer-preventing nutrients.

1. Peel and coarsely grate the carrots. Tip into a bowl or lidded plastic container.

2. Flaked almonds can be bought ready· toasted. but if you need to toast your own scatter them on the base of a grill pan or balling sheet and toast under a hot grill until golden. This only takes about 30 seconds so keep an eye on them or they will burn. It saves time to toast a whole packet in one go and store the surplus in an airtight jar.

3. Add the toasted almonds and raisins/currants to the carrots, sprinkle over the lemon juice and toss well. Cover and keep in the fridge.

Variation: If you have time to peel and pith an orange and chop the segments into chunky pieces (after removing any tough membranes) it makes a lovely fruity addition to this salad.

MAKES 4-6 PORTIONS

• 5 medium-sized carrots

• 25g/1 oz toasted flaked almonds

• 25gl1oz currants or raisins

• juice of 1 small lemon

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Tex-Mex Chilli Bean Soup

December 25, 2009 Uncategorized

A colorful soup, full of the best do-you-good veg, inspired by the flavors of chilli con carne, but without the meat.

1. Peel and finely chop the onion and celery. Cut the red pepper in half, remove the seeds and cut out the white membrane, then dice the flesh. Peel and crush the garlic, if using. (It's best not to add garlic if you plan to freeze the soup for any length of time.)

2. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook gently for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the celery, red pepper and garlic and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the herbs and spices, then pour in the stock and add the tomato puree and canned tomatoes with their juice. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

4. Drain and rinse the kidney beans and the sweetcorn then tip them both into the pan. Simmer for 5-10 minutes (they don't need cooking) just heating through.

5. No need to blend the soup but if you choose to do so blend for just a few seconds in the pan using an electric hand blender, so that it is lightly thickened but most of the beans and vegetables are still in chunks. Season to taste if you like but you will probably find this unnecessary.

MAKES 6-8 PORTIONS

• 1 large onion

• 2 celery sticks

• 1 large red pepper

• 2 garlic cloves (optional)

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1tsp ground cumin

• 1tsp dried oregano

• ½ tsp chilli powder

• 1.5 litres-2 ¾ pints vegetable stock, hot

. 4 tbsp tomato puree

• 400g can of chopped tomatoes

  • 400g can of red kidney beans
  • 340g can of sweetcorn niblets

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Green Pea Soup

December 24, 2009 Uncategorized

All the comforting thickness of a dried-pea soup with the added fresh green of frozen peas in this bio-active and filling soup.

1. Put the dried split green peas in a bowl, cover with 1.15 Iitres/2 pints cold water and soak for 6 hours or overnight.

2. Peel and chop the onion. Saute in the oil in a large saucepan for 5 minutes until soft.

3. Trim and roughly chop the celery and peel and roughly chop the carrots. Add to the pan, stir well, then add the dried split green peas and their soaking liquid and the stock.

4. Bring to the boil. Simmer uncovered, for an hour or until the peas are tender, skimming off the scum that rises to the surface with a large metal spoon from time to time.

5. Add the frozen peas and mint and bring back to the boil. Simmer for about

5 minutes until the frozen peas are cooked.

6. Blend the soup in the pan using an electric hand blender.

7. Season to taste if necessary

MAKES 6-6 PORTIONS

• 350g/12oz dried split green peas

• 1 large onion

• 1tbsp olive oil

• 2 sticks celery

  •  2 carrots

• 850ml /1 ½ pints vegetable stock

• 400g/14oz frozen peas

• 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint or 1 tsp dried mint

• Salt and freshly ground Pepper

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Spiced Carrot and Orange Soup

December 22, 2009 Uncategorized

Carrots, a good source of vegetable fibre, and onions, the favorite food of ultra good bifid bacteria, are the healthy basis of this delicious soup.

1. Peel and slice the onions and carrots. (Choose large carrots so there’s less peeling and chopping to do.) Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and sauté the onions on a moderate heat for 5 minutes until they have softened.    

2. Stir in the spices and the carrots. Pour in the hot stock. If you like a spicy flavor you can increase the quantity of spices to 2 tsp each of cumin and coriander.

3. Grate the zest from the oranges, taking care not to remove the white pith as this tastes bitter. Squeeze the juice from both oranges. Add the orange juice and zest to the soup. Season with pepper and salt if necessary, then bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the carrots are tender.

4. Blend the soup in the pan using an electric hand blender.

5. Stir in the chopped fresh coriander and taste to check seasoning. (If freezing the soup, add the fresh coriander when you come to eat the soup, for the best flavor.)

MAKES 6-8 PORTIONS

• 2 large onions

• 1 kg/2lb 40z carrots

• 1tbsp olive oil

• 1tsp ground cumin 1tsp ground coriander

• 2 litres/3 ½ pints vegetable stock, hot

• 2 large juicy oranges salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

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Spinach Soup With Minted Peas

December 21, 2009 Uncategorized

Healthy young leaf spinach makes a fabulous, vibrant green soup that cooks in no time at all. Adding minted peas not only boosts fibre content and gives substance to the soup but also cleverly provides a subtle mint flavor. This soup couldn’t be simpler or healthier. You’ll almost feel it doing you good.

1. Peel the onion then roughly chop both the onion and celery.

2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and celery and sauté gently for 10-15 minutes, until softened.

3. Pour in the hot stock, bring to the boil, then add the peas and bring back to the boil again.

4. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 2-3 minutes. Add the spinach to the pan in big handfuls, adding more as it almost immediately wilts down. Raw spinach leaves are very bulky, but quickly cook down to a small quantity, so don’t be alarmed if you initially think that you are cooking far too much!

5. As soon as all the spinach is in the pan, remove the pan from the heat the spinach hardly needs to cook at al l. Blend the soup in the pan using an electric hand blender.

6. Stir in the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.

MAKES 6-8 PORTIONS

• 1 large onion

• 2 celery sticks

• 500g/1Ib 20z fresh leaf spinach, ready washed

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 .5 Iitres/ 2 ¾ pints vegetable stock, hot

• 300g/11 oz frozen minted peas

  • juice of half a lemon
  • salt and freshly ground pepper

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Red Lentil and Tomato Soup

December 19, 2009 Uncategorized

Unlike some other dried pulses, lentils, which top the fibre table, do not need to be soaked before cooking. The carrots give a sweet edge to this thick, smooth soup.

1. Peel the onion and carrots and roughly chop them along with the celery sticks. Size isn’t important as the soup is going to be pureed when the vegetables are cooked.

2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the vegetables and sauté them gently for 5 minutes until lightly colored.

3. Stir in the lentils, then add the tomatoes with their juice, the vegetable stock and the tomato puree. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 35-40 minutes until the lentils are soft.

4. Blend the soup in the pan using an electric hand blender.

5. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.


MAKES 6-8 PORTIONS

. 1 onion

• 2 medium-sized carrots

• 2 celery sticks

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

• 200g/7oz red split lentils

• 400g can of tomatoes

• 2 Iitres/3 ½ pints of vegetable stock, hot

• 1 tbsp tomato puree

• Juice of half a lemon salt and freshly ground pepper

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Spicy Sweet Potato Soup

December 18, 2009 Uncategorized

You can make this vegetable soup as spicy as you like by using just the curry powder, or just the ginger, or both. It is packed with bioactive veg, and even tastes delicious if you use the fast-track version below to make just about the easiest, healthy soup we know.

1. Peel and roughly chop the onion and sweet potatoes. Peel the ginger (if used) and finely chop into small pieces.

2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and ginger and sauté gently for 5 minutes until the onion is softened.

3. Stir in the curry powder and cook gently for 2 minutes. Be very careful not to let the mixture burn.

4. Add the sweet potatoes to the pan and stir to coat with the spicy onion mixture.

5. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender.

6. Blend the soup in the pan using an electric hand blender.

7. Add the grated zest and juice from the lemon and season to taste. Stir in the cannellini beans and warm through for 5 minutes.

8. Roughly chop the coriander, if liked, and stir into the soup.

MAKES 6-8 PORTIONS

• 1 large onion

• 1 kg/21b 40z orange fleshed sweet potatoes

• 25g/1oz fresh root ginger (optional)

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

• 1tbsp mild curry powder

• 2 litres/3 ½ pts of vegetable stock, hot Two 410g cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 1 lemon

• salt and freshly ground black pepper

• bunch of fresh coriander (optional)

Fast track Version: When in a hurry there’s a very fast version of this soup which still tastes really good. Omit the onion, oil, ginger and coriander. Just peel the sweet potatoes, cut into small cubes and put straight into a large pan with the hot stock. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are soft. Add half the beans and the curry powder, then whiz until smooth. Add the remaining drained whole beans and cook gently for another 15 minutes. Taste for curry powder and add seasoning if needed. That’s it!

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