Food And Nutrition
Rice salad
Ingredients
- 125g/4½oz basmati rice
- 75g/75g/2⅔oz red rice
- 25g/1oz flaked almonds
- 25g/1oz pecans, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
- 100g/3½oz podded peas
- 100g/3½oz podded broad beans
- 125g/4½oz cherry tomatoes
- 1 small ridged cucumber
- 12 breakfast radishes, trimmed
- 6 spring onions, trimmed
- 1 large roasted red pepper from a jar, drained
- ½ small bunch mint, roughly chopped
- 1 small bunch dill, roughly chopped
- 1 small bunch flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 1 handful wild rocket leaves
- 200g/7oz feta, crumbled (optional)
For the dressing
- 1 large garlic clove, crushed
- 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
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Bring two small saucepans of salted water to the boil. Cook the rice in the boiling water according to the packet instructions – usually the basmati rice will take 10–12 minutes and the red rice about 30 minutes. Drain into a sieve and refresh under cold running water; when the rice is completely cold, leave to drain in the sieve in the fridge for 1 hour.
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Toast the nuts and seeds in a dry frying pan over a low–medium heat for 2 minutes until crisp; leave to cool.
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Bring a small pan of salted water to the boil and cook the peas and broad beans for 2 minutes or until just tender. Drain and cool under cold running water; when cold, drain well.
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Meanwhile, quarter the cherry tomatoes and tip into a large bowl. Cut the cucumber in half lengthways, scoop out the seeds, cut the cucumber into 1cm/½in cubes and add to the bowl. Finely slice the radishes and spring onions and add to the bowl.
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Cut the roasted red pepper into 1cm/½in wide strips and add to the bowl with the chopped herbs and rocket leaves.
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Add the rice, peas, beans and toasted nuts and seeds to the bowl and mix to combine.
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To make the dressing, in a small bowl combine the crushed garlic with the pomegranate molasses and lemon juice. Add the olive oil, season well with salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Pour the dressing over the salad, stir well, cover and chill for 1 hour before serving.
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Just before serving, sprinkle the crumbled feta, if using, over the salad.
Homemade Popcorn Trail Mix with Blueberries, Walnuts, Seeds and Chocolate
This red cabbage salad is a colourful variation on a classic coleslaw. It includes zingy flavours of grapefruit, ginger, fresh mint and coriander. Serve at summer barbecues, picnics with burgers or as an irresistible addition to a festive winter buffet.
Each serving provides 193kcal, 4g protein, 20g carbohydrate (of which 20g sugars), 9g fat (of which 1g saturates), 9g fibre and 0.2g salt.
Ingredients
- ½ red cabbage, cored and finely shredded
- ¼ Savoy cabbage, cored and finely shredded
- 1 large carrot, finely shredded
- 1 red grapefruit, peeled and segmented
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint leaves, plus extra to garnish
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander, plus extra to garnish
- 4 tbsp natural yoghurt
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted
- 2 limes, juice only
- 1 tsp finely grated fresh root ginger
- 1 red chilli, finely chopped
- 2 tsp clear honey
- sea salt
- 1 tsp nigella seeds, to garnish
Method
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Put all the cabbage in a wide bowl and add the carrot, grapefruit, mint and coriander.
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Whisk together the yoghurt, mayonnaise, cumin, lime juice, ginger, chilli and honey and season with salt to taste. Pour this mixture over the salad and mix well.
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Leave to stand for 30 minutes at room temperature.
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Just before serving, mix again, then scatter over the nigella seeds and extra chopped herbs.
This delicious recipe for vegetarian bolognese sauce with lentils from Eat Well for Less makes enough for 2 meals. Brilliant with spaghetti or in a lasagne.
Each serving provides 296 kcal, 13g protein, 48g carbohydrates (of which 10g sugars), 4g fat (of which 2g saturates), 8.5g fibre and 0.3g salt.
Ingredients
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 2 stems celery, chopped
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, or 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 500g/1lb 2oz Puy lentils, rinsed and drained
- 1 x 400g tin tomatoes
- 1½ litres/2½ pints vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 300g/10½oz dried pasta
- vegetarian cheese, to serve
- green salad, to serve
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
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Heat a large sauté pan or casserole dish until medium hot. Add the olive oil, onions, carrots and celery and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes. You want them to soften but not colour – you can put a lid onto the pan to help keep the moisture in and steam the vegetables at the same time.
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Add the thyme and garlic and cook for another minute then add the tomato purée and turn the heat up. Stir well so that the tomato purée goes all through the vegetables then add the Puy lentils and mix once more.
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Tip in the tinned tomatoes and the vegetable stock, stir well and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes until the lentils are tender and the sauce reduced slightly. Add the balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
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When the sauce has only 15 minutes left to cook, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook to al dente according to packet instructions, then drain, reserving some of the cooking water.
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You have enough sauce to serve 8 people. To serve 4, set aside half the sauce at this point. (See the “tips” section for ideas.)
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Tip the drained pasta into the sauté pan with the sauce and mix well, adding the reserved pasta water if necessary to coat all the pasta in sauce. Serve straightaway with a green salad and a grating of cheese.
