Baked Beans

INGREDIENTS
Serves 4

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, finely diced or minced
1 handful fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
1 tbsp. wholegrain mustard e.g. Lakeshore
500ml vegetable or chicken stock
125g tomato paste
2 x 400g tins white beans (haricot, butter beans or cannellini), rinsed and drained

 METHOD

• Heat the oil in a non-stick saucepan over medium heat
• Fri the onion and garlic for 5mins, or until soft and browned
• Add the thyme, mustard, stock, tomato paste and beans. Season with salt and pepper, and bring to the boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 30mins, or until the liquid has reduced by half. The sauce should be fairly thick.

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Chickpea and Bean Chilli 

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4
3tbsp olive oil
1 large onion
1tsp ground turmeric
1tsp ground cardamom
1tsp ground cumin
1 yellow (bell) pepper, deseeded and diced
1 red (bell) pepper, deseeded and diced
2 celery sticks, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1tsp dried chilli (red pepper) flakes
2 x 400g cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1 x 400g can kidney beans
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

• Gently heat the olive oil in a saucepan over a low heat.
• Add the onion and sweat for 5 minutes, or until softened.
• Stir in the turmeric, cardamom and cumin, then add the peppers and celery, and cook for 8-10 minutes.
• Stir in the garlic, chilli flakes, chickpeas, kidney beans and tomatoes, and simmer for a further 10 minutes.
• Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste, and serve with brown basmati rice.

Pulses are high in protein, low in fat and low in calories, and they are also a super source of folate and fibre. Chickpeas (garbanzo beans) have also been shown to help reduce blood sugar and cholesterol, and improve gut health.

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Fish Stew

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 carrots, diced
2 celery sticks, diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 leeks, thinly sliced
400g can chopped tomatoes
500ml hot fish stock, heated to a simmer
250g mixed fresh fish, cut into bite size pieces
85g raw shelled king prawns

METHOD

• Heat the oil in a large pan, add the fennel seeds, carrots, celery and garlic, and cook for 5 mins until starting to soften.
• Tip in the leeks, tomatoes and stock, season and bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 15-20 mins until the vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened and reduced slightly.
• Add the fish, scatter over the prawns and cook for 2 mins more until lightly cooked. Ladle into bowls and serve with a spoon.

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Butternut and Bean Curry (from Derval O’Rourke)

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4
1 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 onion, finely chopped
1 thumb sized piece of fresh ginger, grated
2 cardamon pods
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp star anise
1 butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and diced
400 g tin of chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp honey
400g tin mixed beans, drained and washed
a handful of coriander leaves
4 tbsp flaked almonds
4 tbsp natural yoghurt (optional)

METHOD

• Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, chilli and ginger and cook for about 5 minutes.
• Stir frequently and add a splash of water if the pan gets dry.
• Stir in the spices and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the butternut and aubergine and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add the tomatoes, soy sauce and honey and stir well.
• Cover the pan and simmer for about 30 minutes, stir occasionally.
• When the vegetables are tender, stir in the beans and heat through.
• Divide the stew between serving bowls. Sprinkle over the coriander and flaked almonds. Top with a dollop of yoghurt and serve with brown basmati rice.

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Sea Bass with Butterbeans (from Cavistons)

INGREDIENTS

Serves 2

2 sea bass fillets
fresh dill or rosemary, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed⠀
1 1/2tsp smoked paprika⠀
1 tbsp tomato paste⠀
100g chorizo, chopped
1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped⠀
1 can of butter beans, drained and rinsed
200ml chicken or vegetable stock

 METHOD

• Heat a tablespoon of olive oil or butter in a pan, add the herbs, garlic, smoked paprika, chorizo and pepper and cook until chorizo has browned.
• Add the tomato paste, stock and butter beans.
• Simmer for 5 min and fry the fish in the meantime 1-2 min a side. ⠀
• Spoon the bean stew on plates and serve the bass on top of it. Enjoy!

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Vegetarian Tagine (from The Happy Pear)

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4

1 red onion
2 cloves garlic
½ red chilli
1 carrot
1 courgette
1 yellow pepper
1 sweet potato
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground coriander
¼-½ tsp cinnamon
¼-½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 tin of chopped tomato
400ml veg stock
1 tin of chickpea
3 tbsp raisins
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp tamari
1 tbsp maple syrup (optional)

 METHOD

• Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic.
• Finely slice the chilli, carrot, yellow pepper, courgette and the sweet potato (or use 1.2kg of a combination of similar vegetables).
• Drain and rinse the tin of chickpeas.
• Put a wide bottom pan on a high heat and add 1 tbsp coconut oil.
• Once hot add the onion, carrot, chilli with a pinch of salt and cook for 2-3 minutes stirring regularly. Add the garlic last as it cooks faster.
• Add the yellow pepper, sweet potato and courgette with a pinch of salt, add half of the veg stock and give it a good stir, put the heat down to medium and cover with a lid and leave to cook (steam) for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
• Add your spices – ground cumin, cumin seeds, ground coriander, black pepper, smoked paprika and the cinnamon along with the tin of chopped tomatoes, the tamari, maple syrup, the rest of the veg stock, the chickpeas and the raisins and mix it all well.
• Put the lid on and cook (steam) for a further 10 minutes.

Garnish your tagine with some yoghurt, a sprinkle of sesame seeds or some finely chopped mint leaves and enjoy with some flat breads or brown rice!

This keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days and also freezes well.

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Baked Sea Bass (from Domini Kemp)

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4
4 seabass fillets, skin on
1 knob (thumb-sized) ginger, peeled and grated or chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp tamari/soy sauce
1 bunch spring onion, finely sliced

METHOD

• Take all the ingredients except the fish and mix well together in a bowl. Get a gratin dish and sprinkle four piles of the mixture in a thinness layer and top each one with a fillet, skin-side up.
• Top each fillet with more of the mixture and bake in the oven at 200 degrees for 12-15 minutes.
• Alternatively, you can grill it, though keep it slow so you don’t char the topping, which will make it bitter. If you want to, sprinkle with a smidge more sesame oil after cooking.

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Cauliflower Curry (from Paul Flynn)

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 large 3cm knob ginger, peeled and grated
2 tsp curry powder
1 onion, finely chopped
½ small red chilli, finely diced
200g red lentils
1 carrot, chopped into slices
1 cauliflower, broken into florets
1 veg stock cube
700mls water
1 x 400g can low fat coconut milk
Bunch coriander, chopped

METHOD

• Put the oil, grated ginger and garlic into a casserole dish and fry gently for one minute.
• Add the onion, chilli, lentils and curry powder and mix together and cook over low heat for three minutes.
• Add the carrot and cauliflower, stock cube and water.
• Bring to boil and simmer for 20 minutes until the vegetables are cooked.
• Turn off heat, add the coconut milk and stir through.
• Season and serve with plenty of chopped coriander.

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Chickpea Curry (from The Happy Pear)

INGREDIENTS
Serves 4

½ red onion
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove of garlic
½ thumb-sized piece of ginger
½ a red chilli
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground paprika
1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 400g tin coconut milk
1 400g tin of chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
small bunch of coriander
zest of ½ lime
juice of ½ lime
1 avocado (optional)

METHOD

• Heat the oil on a medium heat.
• Thinly slice the onion and garlic and add to the pan.
• Grate the ginger into the pan. No need to remove the skin!
• Thinly slice the chilli and add to the pan.
• Add the spices and cook for 30 seconds.
• Add the chopped tomatoes, coconut milk and chickpeas.
• Add the salt and pepper.
• Chop the coriander and add to the pan along with the lime zest.
• Add the lime juice, season to taste and serve with avocado and the grain of your choice. Lovely!

Butternut and Sweet potato Curry (from Nigella Lawson)

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4-6

Red onion – 1 (approx 150g), peeled and cut into chunks
Red chillies – 2–3 (adjust for more/less spicy), stalks removed and cut into three
Fresh ginger – 50g, peeled and cut into thick coins
Garlic – 2 cloves, peeled and halved
Fresh turmeric – 15g, peeled and roughly chopped or 1tsp of ground turmeric
Ground coriander – 1tsp
Ground cinnamon – ½tsp
Sea salt flakes – 1tsp, or to taste
Coconut oil or vegetable oil – 2 x 15ml tablespoons
Coconut milk – 1 x 400ml tin
Vegetable stock – 350ml
Tinned chopped tomatoes – 1 x 400g tin
Sweet potatoes – 500g, peeled and cut into large bite-sized pieces
Butternut squash – 1 (1-1.25kg), peeled, deseeded and cut into bite-sized pieces

TO SERVE
Rice
Coriander and limes

METHOD

• Blitz the prepared onion, chillies, ginger, garlic, turmeric, ground coriander, cinnamon and salt to a paste with a stick blender.
• Heat the coconut or vegetable oil in a wide, heavy-based casserole that has a lid, and then fry the paste for about a minute or so, stirring well. Don’t use a wooden spoon unless you don’t mind it being stained by the turmeric.
• Open the tin of coconut milk carefully and then scrape off the creamy top into the paste, stirring everything together over the heat for another minute or so before adding the rest of the tin of coconut milk, followed by the stock, tinned tomatoes, then the chunked sweet potato and butternut.
• Give a good stir, bring to the boil and, once bubbling, turn down the heat, and when everything is gently simmering, clamp on the lid and cook for 40–50 minutes (though start checking at 30) until the sweet potatoes are soft and the squash cooked through. Check for seasoning, then leave to stand off the heat for 10 minutes or so before serving.
• Eat with the rice and put chopped coriander and lime wedges on the table alongside, for sprinkling and spritzing respectively

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