Breakfast

Traditionally the most important meal of the day – yet just as often forgotten or rushed!!!

It does not need to be 5-star cooking to be counted as a healthy breakfast. Keep it simple and tasty. Try some of the following:

• Fresh fruit juice – orange, grapefruit, pineapple
• Cereal like bran flakes, porridge or muesli with semi-skimmed milk
• Low fat yoghurts
• Eggs: boiled, scrambled or poached – sorry not fried!!
• Try adding fruit (dried or fresh) to sweeten up your cereal e.g. chopped banana or dried apricots
• If your weakness is a traditional fry up, don’t panic, follow these tips to make it healthier: grill lean bacon with all visible fat trimmed;
• Use wholemeal bread for your toast.

Lunch and Light Snacks

Snacking between meals is becoming more popular due to today’s busy lifestyles. This doesn’t mean we should give into temptation and choose less healthy foods like burgers, chips or other fast foods as the easier option.

Healthy snacks can be just as quickly prepared and while they are better for you, they are also tastier!!

Why not try:

• Home made soups, which can be frozen in individual portions for convenient re-heating
• A bowl of cereal with semi or skimmed milk as a nutritious snack through the day
• Or if you are out and about, a baked potato – readily available, and with a wide range of fillings to suit every taste
• Or the old favorite – sandwiches! Quick, easy and something which can be prepared beforehand, but see that the filling is low-fat.

Healthy Menus

Quick Pizza

Ingredients

• 4 wholemeal rolls or wholemeal soda bread split open.
• 1 small tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
• 4 mushrooms, sliced
• 85g half-fat cheddar cheese, sliced or grated
• A small pinch of pepper
  
  (Serves 4, quantities may be halved for two people).

Method

1. Preheat grill.
2. Toast the rolls lightly on both sides.
3. Spread the tomatoes over the top of the toasted bread.
4. Scatter the remaining ingredients, divided equally between the 4 portions.
5. Place under grill & cook until cheese is bubbling.
6. Serve immediately with a salad.

Alternatives

Replace the cheddar with half-fat mozzarella cheese & add a few olives, slices of red or green pepper & onion.

Toppings

Add a small tin of tuna in water (drained) & a small tin of sweetcorn (drained).
Add a small tin of sardines or 4 slices of cooked ham.

Preparation time: 5 minutes. Cooking time 5 minutes

Leek, Potato & Ham Soup

Ingredients

• 450g (1lb) leeks, sliced
• 450g (1lb) potatoes, cubed
• 900ml (1 ½) chicken stock (or 2 chicken stock cubes dissolved in water)
• 150g (5oz) smoked ham sliced and cubed
• 300ml (1/2pt) semi or skimmed milk
• Freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Boil the vegetables for 30 minutes in the chicken stock.
2. Puree in a liquidiser or food processor (or use a masher) return to a clean pan.
3. Add the cubes of ham, milk and black pepper. Heat to just below boiling point, but do not boil.

Tip
Serve with fresh crusty brown, wholemeal or granary bread or rolls for an even more filling snack.

Cream of Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 large carrot, sliced
• 1 celery stick, sliced
• 1 potato, sliced
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 small turnips sliced
• 100gm (4 oz) split lentils
• 1 tblespn olive oil (or sunflower oil)
• 600 ml (1pt) milk
• 2 chicken stock cubes dissolved in 300 ml (1/2pt) water
• Pinch nutmeg
• Parsley

Method

1. Fry vegetables in oil
2. Add lentils, parsley, milk and stock to the above.
3. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 1 hour.
4. Liquidise if preferred. Add nutmeg and season.
5. Reheat gently.

Tip
For an extra special-creamy taste, try adding a swirl of natural yoghurt (once the soup is served in a bowl) to give a healthy alternative to cream!

Cod Steaks With Mustard Crust

Ingredients

• 90gm (3oz) low fat margarine, at room temperature
• 1 tablspn mustard
• Small onion, finely chopped
• Salt and Pepper
• 4 x tablspn olive oil (or sunflower oil)

Method

1. Combine margarine, mustard and onion in a bowl, beat to mix and season with a little salt and pepper.
2. Brush fish with 1 tblspn of oil. Use remaining oil to brush grill tray.
3. Cook fish under a pre-heated grill for 6 minutes or until cooked, turning once.
4. Place a quarter of the mustard mixture on each fish steak and return briefly to grill until butter is bubbling.

Tip
For a different flavour crust, try substituting the mustard for garlic granules, or even crushed peppercorns.

Spicy Apple Bread Pudding

Ingredients

• 225g (8oz) wholemeal bread, crusts removed
• 300 ml (1/2pt) semi or skimmed milk
• Grated rind of 1 lemon
• Grated rind of 1 orange
• 2 dessert apples, peeled, cored and grated
• 50g (2oz) low fat margarine, melted
• 50g (2oz) soft brown sugar
• 2 tblspn dried mixed fruit

Method

1. Break the bread into pieces and place in a bowl, pour over the milk and leave to soak for 30 minutes.
2. Add all the remaining ingredients to the bread mixture and stir well.
3. Spread the mixture into a greased 1.5 litre (2pt) deep ovenproof dish. Bake in the oven for 1 hour. Serve hot or cold

Tip
For an extra treat, serve low fat ice cream with the hot apple pudding.

Strawberry Crunch

Ingredients

• 50g (2oz) strawberries, washed and halved
• 100g tub of low fat plain fromage frais
• 1 tablspn of muesli

Method

1. Put the strawberries on the bottom of a pudding bowl
2. Spoon over the fromage frais
3. Sprinkle the muesli on top. Serve

Tip
For an extra fruity pudding, use a low fat fruit fromage frais!

Spicy Bean Bake

Ingredients

• 2 tblpsn olive oil (or sunflower oil)
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 courgettes, sliced
• 1 potato, peeled and chopped
• 440g can spicy mixed beans in tomato sauce
• 150ml vegetable stock
• 150g (5oz) carton natural yoghurt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 25gm (1oz) half fat cheddar cheese, grated

Method

1. Preheat oven to 190/375 Gas mark 5
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Cook the onion and the garlic for 3-4 minutes
3. Stir in the courgettes and potato, cook for a further 2-3 minutes
4. Add the beans in spicy sauce and sweetcorn, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add stock and simmer for a further 2 minutes.
   Place the vegetables in an ovenproof dish.
5. Beat the yoghurt and eggs together. Top the vegetable mix with the yoghurt and egg, and sprinkle with low fat cheese.
6. Bake in the centre of the oven for 40 minutes until the topping is firm and golden.

Super – Simple Meat Loaf

Ingredients

• 30g (1oz) low fat margarine
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1kg (21bs) lean minced beef
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tblspn mustard
• 60g (2oz) fresh breadcrumbs
• salt
• freshly ground pepper
• grated nutmeg
• 2tblspns mixed herbs

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160C (325, Gas 3). Melt margarine in a small frying pan, add onion and cautE for about 5 minutes until golden brown.
2. Place mince in a mixing bowl, add onion, eggs, mixed herbs, mustard and breadcrumbs. Mix well. Season to taste with a little salt, pepper and nutmeg.
3. Place mixture in a slightly greased 1kg (2lb) loaf pan, pressing down firmly. Bake in oven for about 1 hour until cooked through.
4. Turn meatloaf out onto a serving plate, slice and serve.

Tip
Don’t discard leftovers!!! It is just as delicious cold and is an excellent alternative for packed lunches.

Tasty Risotto

Ingredients

• 125g (5oz) 1 cup long grain brown rice
• 225g (8oz) tin of tomatoes
• small bag/tin frozen peas
• 100g (4oz) mushrooms
• 1 medium onions
• 1 small green pepper
• 1 small can kidney beans
• 50g (1oz) low fat margarine
• black pepper
• 2 tblspns dried mixed herbs

Method

1. Cook the rice in boiling water until just going soft. Drain.
2. Fry the chopped onion, mushrooms, green pepper and garlic in the margarine until starting to go soft.
3. Add the pepper, mixed herbs, tinned beans and tinned tomatoes with their juice to the vegetables and heat gently.
4. Stir in the cooked rice and peas. Cook for 10 minutes.
5. Serve with bread.

Tip
For some extra bite, add a dash of Worcestershire, or even Chilli sauce!!

Enjoy!