Fresh start: Light and healthy recipes
BEGIN 2017 the lighter way with these delicious recipes.
Begin 2017 the lighter way with these delicious recipes
Sweet potato, black bean and quinoa cakes with winter slaw
Makes: 12 cakes
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 60 minutes
2 sweet potatoes
100g (3½oz) quinoa
Salt
300g (10½oz) black beans, drained
Zest and juice of 1 lime
100g (3½oz) flour, plus extra for dusting
300ml (10½fl oz) yoghurt
2 tbsps tahini paste
¼ celeriac
1 raw beetroot
2 carrots
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
A handful of parsley, roughly chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
100g (3½oz) cracked quinoa seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tbsps coconut oil
Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F/gas mark 4.
Roast the sweet potatoes for 45-60 minutes or until soft in the middle. Allow them to cool a little then peel and discard the skin. Put the flesh in a bowl and mash lightly.
Rinse the quinoa under running, cold water then cook in a saucepan over a medium heat with 200ml (7fl oz) of salted water for 10 minutes or until the liquid is fully absorbed.
When the quinoa has cooled a little, mix it into the sweet potato with the black beans, lime zest and flour. Season with salt, to taste, then allow to cool.
Mix the yoghurt and tahini until smooth.
Peel the celeriac, beetroot and carrots then coarsely grate into a large bowl.
Mix with the molasses, lime juice, parsley and a good pinch of salt.
Place the extra flour and eggs in 2 different bowls. Mix the quinoa and cumin in a third bowl.
Make 12 equal-sized cakes, roll them in flour then dip in the egg. Finally, coat the cakes in the quinoa and cumin.
Put a large frying pan over a medium heat with the coconut oil and fry the cakes for 2 minutes on each side until golden and crispy.
Drain the cakes a little on kitchen paper then serve on top of the slaw.
Tender-stem broccoli, halloumi and lentils
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
200g (7oz) puy lentils
2 tbsps vinegar
2 tbsps olive oil
1 tbsp runny honey
Zest of 1 lemon
30g (1oz) parsley, chopped
30g (1oz) mint, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
200g (7oz) tender-stem broccoli
4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1 red chilli, thinly sliced
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 packs halloumi cheese, diced into 1cm (½in) cubes
Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F/gas mark 4.
Put the lentils in a saucepan, cover with twice as much water, boil for 15-20 minutes until tender and drain.
Mix the lentils with the vinegar, half the oil, honey and lemon zest. Add the parsley and mint. Season.
Trim the bottom of the broccoli and blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and steam-dry for 2 minutes.
Heat a large frying pan over a high heat with the rest of the olive oil. Fry the garlic, chilli and cumin seeds for 10-20 seconds, being careful not to let them burn.
Add the halloumi and broccoli to the pan and sauté for 2 minutes. Mix with the lentils and serve
Maple and miso salmon with buckwheat noodles
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes plus overnight to marinade
Cooking time: 15 minutes
4 skinless salmon fillets
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsps mirin
3 tbsps miso
100g (3½oz) buckwheat noodles
2 carrots, peeled and spiralised
100g (3½oz) mangetout
100g (3½oz) beansprouts
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 tsp finely chopped ginger
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1 red chilli, deseeded and sliced
2 spring onions, sliced
For the pickled cucumber:
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp water
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 red chilli, halved and deseeded
1 cucumber, peeled, halved, deseeded and sliced ½cm (¼in) thick
Place the salmon fillets into a zip-lock bag.
Mix the maple syrup, mirin and miso until they form a smooth paste. Spoon the mixture into the zip-lock bag and fully coat the salmon. Seal the bag and refrigerate overnight.
For the pickled cucumber, put the vinegar, sugar, water, coriander, mustard and chilli in a pan. Simmer for 2 minutes until the sugar has dissolved then cool. Put the cucumber in a bowl and pour over the pickling liquid. Put in the fridge and chill overnight.
Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 425°F/gas mark 7 and line a roasting tray with parchment paper.
Remove the salmon from the bag and scrape off the excess marinade. Place on the roasting tray and roast for 8-10 minutes depending on the size of the salmon.
Boil the noodles in a large saucepan of salted water as per the cooking instructions – usually about 6-8 minutes – and drain.
Sauté the carrots with the mangetout, beansprouts, garlic and ginger in coconut oil for 2 minutes. Add the noodles and sesame oil then toss. Serve with red chilli and spring onions.
Baked spiced agave figs
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15-20 minutes
8 figs
1 vanilla pod
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
4 tsps agave syrup
2 oranges
200ml (7fl oz) crème fraîche
Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F/gas mark 4.
Halve the figs and place in an ovenproof baking dish.
Split the vanilla pod down the middle and place it in the baking dish with the star anise and cinnamon.
Spoon the agave evenly over the figs then squeeze over the juice of 1 orange.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, basting every 5 minutes to coat the figs.
Serve with the crème fraîche and segments of the other orange then drizzle with the baking juices.
Teriyaki chicken and crushed edamame beans
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes plus marinating overnight
Cooking time: 50 minutes
8 skinless and boneless chicken thighs
200g (7oz) edamame beans
1 mango, peeled and cut into ½cm (¼in) cubes
1 red chilli, finely sliced
4 spring onions, finely sliced
10g (¹/³oz) mint, roughly chopped
10g (¹/³oz) coriander, roughly chopped
Juice of 1 lime
150g (5¼oz) brown rice
1 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
For the teriyaki sauce:
150ml (5¼fl oz) soy sauce
1 tbsp rice-wine vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
2 star anise
1 tbsp szechuan pepper
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 cinnamon stick
Put all the teriyaki sauce ingredients into a saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes then allow to cool fully. Place the chicken in a metal bowl and pour over the cooled sauce. Cover with clingfilm and marinate overnight.
Boil the edamame beans for 5 minutes until tender, drain and cool under running cold water.
Mix the mango, chilli, spring onions, mint, coriander, edamame beans and lime juice.
Cook the brown rice as per the instructions on the packet.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/ gas mark 4 and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry.
Place a heavy-based frying pan over a high heat with the coconut oil and fry the chicken for 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to the baking tray and cook in the oven for 10 minutes or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked through.
Serve the sliced chicken on top of the brown rice with the mango salsa then sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Styling by Victoria Gray
Photographs by Winfried Heinze
Recipes written by home economist Dominic Hoile