Mexican chicken with black beans (prep 10 mins, cook 25 mins, serves 2)

Authentic-tasing Mexican bake. You can use as much or little chicken as you like.

Ingredients
2 x large chicken breasts
1 tin of black beans
1 red pepper (sliced finely)
1/2 tin chopped tomatoes or 200g passata
2-3 spring onions, sliced finely
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp chipotle paste

To serve: a handful of fresh coriander, sliced avocado and a twist of lime

Method
Bake the chicken breasts in the oven at 180 degrees until cooked (approx 25 mins)
Place all the other ingredients (i.e. the red pepper, spring onions, chopped tomatoes, drained black beans, cumin and chipotle paste) in an ovenproof dish and mix well. Bake in the oven alongside the chicken breasts for 15 minutes.
When cooked, shred the chicken with two forks and place the pulled chicken into the ovenproof dish with the tomato, red pepper and bean mix.

Red Pesto butter bean salad (serves 2; prep 10 mins, cooking 10 mins)

this is very filling and tasty, with a nice creamy texture.

Ingredients:
1 x 400g tin butter beans, drained
120g green beans
1 avocado, sliced
40g rocket
40g sundried tomatoes (about 8 pieces)
80g artichoke hearts (about 8 pieces)
2 tbsp red pesto


Method:
First, prep the ingredients as follows:
- trim and halve the green beans.
- cut the sundried tomatoes in half
- cut the artichoke hearts into quarters
- drain the butter beans and rinse.
- peel and de-stone the avocado and slice into small sections.

In a small suacepan, boil or steam the green beans for 3 minutes until tender. Drain and set to one side.
Heat a non stick frying pan with 1 tsp olive oil on a medium heat. Add the butter beans and red pesto for 2 minutes. Then add the sundried tomatoes and artichokes and continue to cook for 3 minutes.

Place the rocket on two plates, top with the green beans, avocado and red pesto bean mixture.

Greek meatball bake [serves 6, 25 mins prep, 45 mins cooking]

This delicious recipe is easy to make and super tasty. the saltiness of the Halloumi cheese works well with the creamy yoghurt and rich tomato sauce.

Ingredients

Aubergine:
2 aubergines cut into 1cm slices
(or 1 x aubergine and 1 x courgette)

Meatballs:
500 - 750g minced beef or lamb
400g tin of beluga lentils (optional)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
650g jar of passata / tomato ragu

Sauce:
400g no fat greek natural yoghurt
2 medium eggs, beaten
200g halloumi, grated


Method
Pre heat oven to 190 degrees.  lay the aubergine on a baking tray, and bake for 25 minutes, turning halfway through.

Whilst that's in the oven, mix together all the meatball ingredients except the passata. form into small balls the size of a walnut. 
Fry the meatballs in a  non stick frying pan until coloured all over.
Mix in the passata.

In a 30cm oval oven dish, put the meatball and passata mixture in the base.
Layer the aubergine on top.

Blend together the yoghurt, eggs and half the halloumi. Pour this on top of the aubergine. Top with the remaining grated halloumi.
Bake for 40-45 minutes.

dark chocolate sauce

This uses the American 'cup' measurements - a cup is about 250ml.

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup agave nectar

35g raw cacao powder

30g dark cooking chocolate

In a small saucepan whisk together the water, sugar, agave nectar and raw cacao powder. 

Warm over a medium heat and whisk frequently. once almost boiling, stir in the cooking chocolate until it melts. 

Turkey meatballs and curry cauliflower [serves 4, 10-15 minutes prep, 25 minutes cooking]

Ingredients for meatballs

500 g turkey mince

3 garlic cloves (minced)

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger (grated)

3 spring onions (sliced finely)

small handful of coriander (finely chopped)

1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons chia seeds

Ingredients for meatball glaze:

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 lime

½ tablespoon agarve nectar

1 tablespoon sriracha sauce

ingredients for cauliflower 

1 head cauliflower (cut into florets / bite size pieces)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons curry powder

4 tablespoons natural yoghurt

juice of 1/2 lime

small handful of  chopped coriander

Put all the ingredients for the meatballs in a medium bowl.  Use your hands to mix together.  Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.  This gives the chia seeds time to bind everything together.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. 

Whilst the meatballs are binding, chop up the cauliflower. Put the cauliflower on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil, curry, and salt. 

Take the meatballs out of the fridge, with damp hands gently roll into balls.  Don’t squeeze the meat too much.  Arrange them on the baking sheet.  

Roast both the meatballs and the cauliflower together for 20 minutes.

Whilst they're in the oven...

Mix yoghurt and lime juice in a large bowl.  When cauliflower is done toss it in this mixture.  Add coriander and mix all together.

In a large frying pan, whisk together ingredients for the meatball glaze.  Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook about 1 minute or until it slightly thickens.  Add meatballs to a frying pan and shake to gently coat with the glaze.

unstuffed cabbage [serves 5, prep 5-10 mins, cooking 30 mins]

this is super simple with very few ingredients but it tastes really good. 

ingredients
1tbspn olive oil
500g turkey mince
1 onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced in the mincer
1 tspn dried oregano
1 tin chopped tomatoes
450ml chicken stock
100ml white wine
1 savoy cabbage, diced
1/2 teaspoon paprika
salt and pepper, a pinch each

Method
In a pan with the olive oil, brown the mince for about 5 minutes until it's broken up.
Add all the other ingredients and simmer for 25 minutes.

simples!

Chicken Schwarma and cauliflower: (serves 4, prep 5-10 mins, cooking 40 mins)

a family crowd pleaser, stolen from The Five O'Clock Apron...

Ingredients
chicken mini fillets (or thighs, but my family prefers mini fillets)
4 tablespoons of natural yoghurt
1 tsp ground ginger (tastes better than fresh for some reason)
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled and whole

1 large cauliflower
olive oil
1 garlic clove minced
2 teaspoons of fennel seeds

Method
CHICKEN: 2-4 hours before cooking, marinade the chicken in the yoghurt and spices. When ready to cook, lay flat on a baking tray covered in the marinade and oven cook for about 35 mins on 180 C

CAULIFLOWER: dice it then boil for 2 mins. drain. heat the olive oil in a pan and on the lowest possible heat, slow fry the cauliflower and garlic with the lid on for 20 mins. Add the fennel seeds and continue for another 20 mins. then serve.