HEALTHY-CHEF

Really good food...that's really good for you!

Curried Carrot and Red Lentil Soup

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Curried Carrot and Red Lentil Soup
 
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Packed with beta-carotenes, vitamin K and protein this bowl of goodness if filling and nourishing not to mention delicious. Mop it up with a slice of sourdough or naan.
Recipe type: Soup
Serves: 8 people
Ingredients
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 celery stick
  • 1 thumb-sized portion of fresh ginger
  • 2 tsp heaped cumin seeds
  • 2 heaped tsp curry powder
  • 1 kg organic carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 200g red lentils
  • 750ml good-quality or homemade stock
  • 3 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp fresh coriander, to serve, optional
Instructions
  1. Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan
  2. Sweat the onion and carrots with a pinch of salt, for 5-6 minutes, or until softened
  3. Toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan until fragrant
  4. Add the toasted cumin seeds and curry powder to the vegetables
  5. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes
  6. Add the stock and 500ml/18fl oz of water and bring to the boil
  7. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes
  8. Blend the soup in a food processor until smooth
  9. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper
  10. To serve, ladle the soup into serving bowls and sprinkle with coriander if you want to

 

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Quesadilla

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Quesadillas
 
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I have just returned from a wonderful week in Mexico, great weather, great people and great food. One simple, healthy and very versatile dish is the Quesadilla. It literally takes 5 minutes, you can use any filling ingredients you fancy (have in stock!) and they're a winner with children too!
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Mexican
Serves: 1 portion
Ingredients
  • 50g grated good quality cheese
  • 1 spring onions
  • ¼ organic red pepper, sliced thinly
  • Sprinkle of diced organic lean ham (optional)
  • tsp deseeded chilli, diced finely (optional)
  • 2 tortillas
  • soured cream , to serve
Instructions
  1. Mix the grated cheese, onion, red pepper and ,if using, the ham and chilli in a bowl
  2. Heat a dry frying pan over a high heat for approximately 1 minute or until smoking hot
  3. Add one of the tortillas and pour over the mixed ingredients, spread evenly over the tortilla place the other tortilla on top.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium and fry for ½ minutes on either side till the tortilla is crisp and browned and the cheese is fully melted.
  5. Carefully tip onto a chopping board/plates and slice into quarters
  6. Enjoy with a fresh salad and dollop of sour cream

 

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Omelette

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Omelette
 
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Omelettes are so versatile you can literally make them with as many or few ingredients as you like! If you are really keen on egg white omelette you can make this recipe purely with egg whites, I recommend a minimum of 6 to make a decent sized omelette.
Recipe type: Main
Serves: 1 person
Ingredients
  • 4 egg whites
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 50g grated cheese, your preference
  • Sea salt and freshly milled pepper
  • Optional extras:-
  • ½ a small red onion,grated
  • handful of organic spinach leaves
Instructions
  1. Whisk the egg whites and yolks in a bowl and season
  2. Heat a non-stick heavy boomed frying pan/omelette pan over a high flame and add ½ tbsp of coconut oil
  3. Pour in the egg batter and reduce the heat to medium
  4. Allow the omelette to cook for approximately 1 min, then sprinkle the cheese, and any other choose toppings, evenly over the omelette.
  5. Transfer to a pre-heated grill (broil) and grill the topside of the omelette for approximately 1 minute, until the omelette has set and the cheese is bubbling.
  6. Turn out onto a warmed serving plate.

 

 

 

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Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Chocolate Chip Cookies
 
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Cookies as a concept are not that bad for you, its just the copious amounts of unnecessary sugar manufactures and recipes call for that has given them such a bad press. Try this really simple, loved by young and old recipe and use it as a basis for loads of excellent cookie combinations such as apricot and cinnamon, cranberry or orange and hazelnut.
Serves: 16 cookies
Ingredients
  • Basic cookie dough ingredients:
  • 100g/31/2oz organic butter, at room temperature
  • 1 free range gg
  • 100g stevia, xylitol
  • ½ vanilla essence/extract or if you'd prefer the vanilla seeds from ½ a vanilla pod
  • 150g/51/2oz unrefined flour, I used coconut flour. For a flourless version use 150g/51/2oz rolled oats and ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 75g dark 70% minimum cocoa chocolate chips/broken chocolate
Instructions
  1. preheat oven to 180C/350F
  2. line two trays with greaseproof paper
  3. in a large bowl whisk together the butter and egg then add the sugar and vanilla
  4. using a wooden spoon fold in the flour/oats & bicarbonate of soda until you have a soft dough, lastly fold though the chocolate chips.
  5. roll the dough into 16 even balls, space evenly on the prepared trays
  6. cover with cling film and refrigerate for 30mins
  7. bake for 15 mins in the preheated oven
  8. cool on a rack

 

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Leggera Superfood Salad

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Leggera Superfood Salad
 
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My daughters persuaded me to dine in a popular pizzeria chain recently, I opted for their 'healthy option salad'. I could not have been more pleasantly surprised at what I received! A plate of rainbow loveliness, fresh, brimming with goodness and genuinely delicious, even my daughters thought so! I quickly noted the ingredients and eh voila here is my version.
Recipe type: Salad
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 1 or 6 persons
Ingredients
  • NB The quantities in brackets are for a 6 person serving
  • 1 good handful (1 bag)salad leaves
  • 1 good handful (1 small bag) baby spinach
  • ¼ (1 whole)cucumber, sliced
  • ½ avocado (3 avocados) , chopped
  • 1 tsp (100g) lentils , cooked
  • 50g (300g) mozzarella , torn/goats cheese cubed
  • 60g (350g) butternut squash , roasted
  • 50g (300g) beetroot , cooked and sliced
  • 2 (12) radish, finely sliced
  • 1 pinch (50g) fresh basil leaves
  • 1 drizzle (large glug)balsamic glaze
  • 1 drizzle (large plug) extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp (6 tbsp) pine kernels
Instructions
  1. Start by laying the plate with the salad leaves and baby spinach. Sprinkle on the cucumber, chopped avocado, lentils and then toss in the torn mozzarella/goats cheese, butternut squash, beetroot and radish.
  2. Finally, top with the basil leaves and pine kernels and drizzle on the balsamic glaze and extra virgin olive oil.
Notes
NB The quantities in brackets are for a 6 person serving

 

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Carrot & Coriander Soup

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Carrot & Coriander Soup
 
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I love the vibrant colour of this soup it gives me energy just looking at it!
Recipe type: Soup
Serves: 6 bowls
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 450g/1lb carrots, sliced
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1.2 litresl/2 pints vegetable stock
  • zest of 1 large orange
  • large bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Heat the oil in a large pan and add the onions and the carrots. Cook for 3-4 minutes until starting to soften.
  2. Stir in the ground coriander and season well. Cook for 1 minute.
  3. Add the vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, approximately 20-25 minutes.
  4. Whizz with a hand blender or in a blender until smooth. Reheat in a clean pan, stir in the fresh coriander and zest of orange.
  5. Serve with warm garlic & corridor naan.

 

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Sugar-free Scones

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Sugar-free Scones
 
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There are certain recipes where you really really really don't need sugar, and scones is one of them. Clearly if you have a sweet tooth the addition of dried fruit gives you a natural fructose kick, and if you really must a smudge of good quality/homemade conserve will provide all the sweetness you need to make this a super filling, tasty, moorish treat.
Recipe type: Cakes & Bakes
Serves: 12 scones
Ingredients
  • 450g/16oz self raising unrefined flour (i used wholemeal)
  • 100g/4oz chopped apricots (you can used any dried fruit you like or leave plain)
  • 150g/6oz organic butter
  • 2 free range eggs, beaten
  • 6-8 tablespoons almond milk (you can use organic milk if you prefer)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 425f/220C
  2. Sieve the flour into a large mixing bowl and rub the butter into the flour until you have coarse breadcrumbs
  3. sprinkle in the dried fruit
  4. pour in the beaten egg and milk and stir to combine
  5. form the dough into a ball and turn onto a lightly floured work surface
  6. press into a rectangle about 1inch (2cm) thick
  7. either cut into 10/12 squares/triangles or use a pastry cutter to cut out 10/12 scones
  8. place on a greased baking sheet
  9. bake in the top of your preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until golden brown
  10. Leave to cool on a cooling tray
  11. Serve with good conserve or homemade jam.
Notes
You can substitute the 100g of dried fruit for 100g of grated cheese for a tasty savoury option.

 

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Be My Valentine Cake

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Be My Valentine Cake
 
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Dark chocolate and raspberries are the perfect marriage. I've kept this cake light by using a genoise sponge base, try different berries and/or boozy combinations morello cherries and kirsch work really well.
Serves: 8-10 slices
Ingredients
  • For the Genoise Sponge
  • 15g unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 free range eggs
  • 60g stevia/xylitol
  • 50g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 10g cocoa powder
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • 20ml brandy (optional)
  • For the mousse
  • 175g 70% minimum organic dark chocolate
  • 4 eggs, separated
  • 100g stevia/xylitol (natural sugar substitutes)
  • 3tbs strong coffee (add 1 tbs of strong coffee granules to 2 tbs of boiling water)
  • 175g organic butter, diced
  • 60ml brandy (optional)
  • 150ml double cream
  • 1tbs organic cocoa powder
  • To decorate
  • 2 punnets fresh organic raspberries
Instructions
  1. For the Genoise Sponge:
  2. preheat your oven to 180°C. Grease and line 20cm sandwich tin
  3. put the eggs and sugar into a heatproof bowl and place over a pan of simmering water. Whisk, using an electric hand-held whisk, for at least 7 minutes until the mixture is trebled in bulk, very pale and thick enough to hold a trail when the beaters are lifted.
  4. sift the flour, cocoa powder and salt together over the mixture and fold in gently, keeping in as much air as you can. Finally, very carefully fold in the melted butter.
  5. spoon the mixture into the prepared sandwich tin and bake for 25 minutes until golden and slightly shrunk from the sides of the tin.
  6. leave the sponge to cool in the tin
  7. For the mousse:
  8. break the chocolate into a heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan of boiling water,add the coffee melt and then remove from the heat and stir in the diced butter until melted.
  9. beat the egg yolks and 90g of xylitol together
  10. pour in the melted chocolate mixture and combine
  11. in a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form then add the remaining 10g of xylitol and continue to whisk until stiff peaks form (please make sure they are stiff, for the brave tip the bowl upside down, the egg whites should stay in the bowl!)
  12. Carefully fold the whites into the egg yolk mixture until all the white has disappeared, be careful not to beat the air out of your mousse
  13. To construct the cake: (see notes)
  14. Leaving the cake in the tin brush the surface with 20ml of brandy
  15. Carefully spoon over the chocolate mousse levelling it off with a palette knife
  16. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours
  17. To unfold slide a warmed palette knife (dip in hot water) around the edge of the sandwich tin and carefully release the cake from the pan.
  18. Place on a serving plate and decorate with the raspberries
  19. Serve with a splash of double cream or spoon of creme fraiche
Notes
I have used the standard method of chilling and unmoulding in this recipe but if you prefer you can remove the sponge once cooked and cooled and place on your serving plate, if you are using it brush with the brandy. Using the original sandwich tin ring, wrap in cling film and carefully replace around your sponge. Next spoon the mousse on top of the cake cover with cling film and refrigerate for a minimum of two hours. Carefully release the sandwich tin ring and decorate with the raspberries.

 

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Brown Lentil & Tomato Soup

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I like hearty thick stew like soups, and this is my new favourite! If you prefer your soup more liquid simply add more stock to suit.
Recipe type: Soup
Serves: 6 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 leek (pale part only), thinly sliced
  • 2 carrots, finely chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 300g green or brown lentils, rinsed, drained
  • 1 Litre vegetable stock (homemade/best quality you can get)
  • 400g can chopped tomatoes
  • 400g can cannellini beans, rinsed, drained
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • sea salt and pepper to taste
  • ⅓ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
  1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the leek, carrot and celery, then cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes until softened.
  2. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
  3. Add the lentils and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 1 hour, until the lentils are tender.
  4. Add the tomato, cannellini beans, coriander, paprika, cumin and sea salt and pepper to the pan, then cook, stirring occasionally, for a further 20 minutes or until soup is thick. Taste for spices and seasoning, then stir in half the parsley.
  5. Serve in soup bowls and top with remaining parsley

 

 

 

 

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Victoria Sponge

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Victoria Sponge
 
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The classics are often the best and I have spent a long time finding and perfecting the ideal recipe to ensure a well risen, beautifully light and fluffy Victoria Sponge. I adapt this recipe throughout the year to include fresh berries, various flavours of jam or lemon curd.
Author:
Recipe type: Cakes & Bakes
Serves: 12 slices
Ingredients
  • 4 free-range eggs
  • 225g/8oz stevia/xylitol sugar
  • 225g/8oz wholemeal/unrefined self-raising flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 225g/8oz soft organic butter at room temperature, plus a little extra to grease the tins
  • To serve
  • good-quality/homemade strawberry or raspberry jam
  • whipped double cream (optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
  2. Grease and line 2 x 20cm/8in sandwich tins: use a piece of baking or silicone paper to rub a little baking spread or butter around the inside of the tins until the sides and base are lightly coated. Line the bottom of the tins with a circle of baking or silicone paper (to do this, draw around the base of the tin onto the paper and cut out).
  3. Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl, then add the xylitol, flour, baking powder and butter
  4. Mix everything together until well combined. The easiest way to do this is with an electric hand mixer, but you can use a wooden spoon. Put a damp cloth under your bowl when you’re mixing to stop it moving around. Be careful not to over-mix – as soon as everything is blended you should stop. The finished mixture should be of a soft ‘dropping’ consistency – it should fall off a spoon easily.
  5. Divide the mixture evenly between the tins: this doesn’t need to be exact, but you can weigh the filled tins if you want to check. Use a spatula to remove all of the mixture from the bowl and gently smooth the surface of the cakes.
  6. Place the tins on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Don't be tempted to open the door while they're cooking, but after 20 minutes do look through the door to check them.
  7. The cakes are done when they’re golden-brown and coming away from the edge of the tins. Press them gently to check – they should be springy to the touch. Remove them from the oven and set aside to cool in their tins for five minutes. Then run a palette or rounded butter knife around the inside edge of the tin and carefully turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack.
  8. To take your cakes out of the tins without leaving a wire rack mark on the top, put the clean tea towel over the tin, put your hand onto the tea towel and turn the tin upside-down. The cake should come out onto your hand and the tea towel – then you can turn it from your hand onto the wire rack.
  9. Set aside to cool completely.
  10. To assemble the cake, place one cake upside down onto a plate and spread it with plenty of jam. If you want to, you can spread over whipped cream too.
  11. Top with the second cake, top-side up.

 

 

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