Feel good food
Recipes to please your heart and blood pressure
Zesty Mediterranean chicken
A fuss-free midweek meal that is packed with fibre-rich vegetables.
Serves 4 • Ready in 40 mins 6 chicken thighs
2tsp chicken seasoning
400g pack ready-to-roast Mediterranean vegetables (including onions, courgettes, peppers and cherry tomatoes)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Juice of 2 lemons
2 tbsp olive oil
Thyme sprigs, to serve (optional) Extra or salad or vegetables, to serve
1 Heat the oven to 200C/Gas 6.
Put the chicken thighs in a large roasting tin and season with freshly ground black pepper and the chicken seasoning.
2 Add the Mediterranean vegetables and crushed garlic and pour over the lemon juice and olive oil.
3 Roast in the oven for 30-35 mins until the chicken is golden and cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Scatter with thyme sprigs, to serve.
Per serving: 345 cals, 19g fat,
4g sat fats, 7g carbs
Beetroot and fennel houmous
Beetroot is a bright choice in all ways – for colour, flavour and with nitrates for lowering blood pressure.
Serve 4 • Ready in 50 mins
4 small beetroot
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and tops reserved for garnish olive oil
1 tin organic chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 fat garlic clove, peeled and crushed
1tsp fennel seeds, plus extra to garnish
1tbsp tahini
Generous squeeze of lemon juice 100-125ml extra virgin olive oil 1 Heat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. Wrap each beetroot individually in foil and put in a roasting tin. Slice the fennel and toss with a little oil in a separate small roasting tin, then season with freshly ground black pepper.
2 Put both tins in the oven and roast for 40 mins, until the fennel is softened and the beetroot is tender to the tip of a knife.
3 Once the beetroot are cool, peel them and put into a food processor with the roasted fennel, chickpeas, garlic, fennel seeds, tahini and lemon juice. Blitz to form a smooth paste, drizzling in the extra virgin olive oil as you go. Loosen with a little cold water if it is too thick. Garnish with fennel tops and fennel seeds.
Per serving: 254 cals, 21g fat,
3g sat fat, 14g carbs
Mixed mushrooms and spelt
Spelt is an ancient grain that is high in fibre and nutrients linked to a reduced risk of heart disease.
Serves 6 • Ready in 40 mins 2tbsp olive oil, plus extra
1 large onion, chopped
1 stick celery, chopped
1 carrot peeled and chopped 2 garlic cloves
200g chestnut mushrooms, chopped
350g spelt
200ml red wine
1.2 litres low-salt hot beef stock 100g pack wild mushrooms Parmesan shavings and chopped parsley, to garnish
1 Heat the oil and cook the onion, celery, carrot and garlic for 10 mins. Add the chestnut mushrooms and cook for a further 2 mins. Stir in the spelt, then add the wine. Cook until the wine has absorbed. Add the stock and simmer for 25 mins, or until the spelt is tender.
2 Fry the wild mushrooms in a little oil and add to the spelt mixture, along with the Parmesan shavings and the fresh parsley.
Per serving 191 cals per serving,
5g fat, 1g sat fat, 23g carbs
Sweet potato, squash and lentil casserole
A delicious, subtly spiced low-fat but hearty meat-free dinner.
Serves 4 • Ready in 45 mins
1tbsp olive oil
2 celery sticks, thinly sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 350g mix of sweet potato and butternut squash, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped
1tbsp medium curry powder
100g red lentils, rinsed
1 vegetable stock cube
1tbsp tomato purée
1tbsp mango chutney
Fresh coriander leaves, to garnish 1 Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the celery, onion and garlic for 8-10 mins, until beginning to soften.
2 Add the sweet potato and butternut squash to the pan along with the apple, curry powder and lentils. Cook, stirring, for a further 2 mins. Add 650ml hot water to the pan with the stock cube, tomato purée and mango chutney. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for around 25 mins, until the vegetables and lentils are tender. Serve ladled into deep bowls, garnished with coriander leaves.
Per serving: 219 cals, 4g fat,
0.5g saturated, 36g carbs