Heart's desire: Nourishing and delicious dishes
EATING beautiful, nourishing food doesn’t mean you have to compromise on flavour, as cookery writer Dannii Martin shows.
VEGETARIAN AND GLUTEN FREE
Peach yoghurt
Serves 1
Plain Greek yoghurt is protein packed and so easy to add in flavour, without too many extra calories. Shop-bought flavoured yoghurts often contain added sweeteners, so adding your own fruit is a great way to control exactly what you’re putting into your body.
1 ripe peach, peeled, de-stoned and diced
1 tsp runny honey
100g (3½oz) fat-free Greek yoghurt
A pinch ground cinnamon (optional)
Place the diced peach, honey and 4 tablespoons of water in a small non-stick pan then cook over a gentle heat for 10 minutes or until the water has evaporated.
Place the yoghurt into a serving bowl and spoon the cooked peach over the top. Sprinkle with the cinnamon, if using, and serve.
Per serving:
Fat 0.1g (of which saturates 0g)
Carbohydrates 18g (of which sugars 18g)
Protein 11.7g
Fibre 2.6g
Sodium 0.1g
Energy 127kcal
GLUTEN FREE
Chicken tikka masala
Serves 4
It’s easy to see why this is such a popular curry. It’s creamy and full of flavour, but not too spicy.
This healthier version has ditched the cream and replaced it with fat-free yoghurt, cutting the calories but keeping all the aromatic flavours.
For the curry paste:
4 tsps garam masala
4 tsps garlic powder
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Sea salt and black pepper
For the chicken:
2 skinless chicken breasts, cut into small cubes
Juice of ½ lemon
3 tbsps fat-free Greek yoghurt
For the sauce:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 tbsp fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1x400g (14oz) tin chopped tomatoes
Juice of 1 lemon
100ml (3½fl oz) chicken stock
2 tbsps fat-free Greek yoghurt
4 tbsps chopped fresh coriander
To make the curry paste, combine all the ingredients in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of water and stir to form a thick paste. Set aside.
Place the diced chicken into a bowl with 2 tablespoons of the curry paste, lemon juice and yoghurt then stir to combine, ensuring the chicken is well coated in the sauce. Cover and transfer to the fridge for 30 minutes.
Preheat the grill to medium. Thread the marinated chicken on to skewers, keeping the curry paste for use in the sauce (if using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes to prevent them from burning), and cook under the grill for 20 minutes, turning halfway through cooking.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the sliced onion, crushed garlic and chopped ginger then cook over a gentle heat for 5 minutes, stirring continuously.
Add the remaining curry paste, tomatoes, lemon juice and stock then simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the skewers and stir into the curry sauce along with the yoghurt and chopped coriander. Serve hot with brown rice.
Per serving (without rice):
Fat 2g (of which saturates 0.3g)
Carbohydrates 12.4g (of which sugars 7.9g)
Protein 24g
Fibre 1.9g
Sodium 0.6g
Energy 167kcal
From left:
VEGETARIAN
Breakfast burritos
Serves 4
These moreish burritos make a brilliant Sunday brunch, especially if you have lots of family and friends over. Pinto beans are high in protein and virtually fat free, so are a great way to set yourself up for the day.
1 tsp olive oil
2 red peppers, stalks and seeds removed then diced
1 red onion, peeled and diced
8 eggs, beaten
4 large wholemeal tortilla wraps
1x200g (7oz) tin pinto beans, drained
1x300g (10½oz) jar tomato salsa
50g (1¾oz) mature Cheddar cheese, grated
For the guacamole:
Flesh of 1 avocado, mashed
2 tbsps finely chopped fresh coriander
Juice of ½ lime
1 red chilli, chopped, to taste
To make the guacamole, put all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Set aside until needed.
Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat, add the diced red pepper and onion then cook gently for 3 minutes. Pour the eggs into the pan and scramble for 2-3 minutes, until only just firm. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Divide the wraps between 4 plates and spoon some of the egg mixture into the centre of each. Spoon over some drained pinto beans, salsa, guacamole and grated cheese then fold each wrap over itself to form a burrito. Serve while the eggs are still warm.
Per serving:
Fat 17.7g (of which saturates 6.4g)
Carbohydrates 13.3g (of which sugars 7.2g)
Protein 21g
Fibre 4.4g
Sodium 0.3g
Energy 306kcal
GLUTEN FREE AND DAIRY FREE
Pad Thai
Serves 2
Pad Thai is one of the best-known dishes from Thailand and my version is made lighter by using fresh and vibrant-tasting vegetable noodles.
1 tsp olive oil
300g (10½oz) cooked rice noodles
1 courgette, peeled with a julienne peeler to make noodles
1 carrot, peeled with a julienne peeler to make noodles
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
200g (7oz) king prawns, defrosted if frozen
100g (3½oz) bean sprouts
4 spring onions, topped, tailed and sliced lengthways
2 eggs
Juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp runny honey
1 tbsp rice vinegar
Chilli flakes (optional)
2 tbsps chopped fresh coriander, to garnish
Heat the oil in a large pan, add the cooked noodles and julienned courgette and carrot then cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add the crushed garlic, prawns, bean sprouts and sliced spring onions to the pan then cook for a further 2 minutes. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, push the mixture to one side of the pan and crack the eggs into the other side. Mix the eggs well for 1 minute, then break them up and combine with the noodle mixture.
Add the remaining ingredients to the pan, stir well and cook for 1 more minute.
Divide the pad Thai between
2 plates, garnish with the chopped fresh coriander and serve hot.
Per serving:
Fat 6.3g (of which saturates 1.7g)
Carbohydrates 86g (of which
sugars 13.3g)
Protein 25g
Fibre 5.7g
Sodium 0.6g
Energy 516kcal
VEGETARIAN AND GLUTEN FREE
Spring vegetables frittata
Serves 6
Make the most of spring veg with this light and fresh dish. It’s easily transportable if you want to make it ahead and take it to a picnic, garden party or even work.
6 eggs
A splash of skimmed milk
2 tbsps chopped fresh dill
Salt and pepper
1 tsp olive oil
½ courgette, peeled lengthways into strips
8 asparagus spears, woody stems removed
4 tbsps peas, cooked
1 tomato, diced
2 spring onions, topped, tailed and thinly sliced
30g (1oz) light feta cheese
Preheat the grill to low.
In a jug or bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and half the chopped dill. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large ovenproof frying pan or skillet over a medium heat. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and add the courgette strips, trimmed asparagus, cooked peas, diced tomato and sliced spring onions. Crumble over the feta, sprinkle over the remaining dill and cook over a gentle heat for 3 minutes.
Place the pan under the grill and leave to cook for 15 minutes.
Tip the frittata on to a board, slice into six portions and serve hot.
Per serving:
Fat 7.5g (of which saturates 2.3g)
Carbohydrates 3.2g (of which sugars 1.8g)
Protein 10.6g
Fibre 1g
Sodium 0.2g
Energy 125kcal
All recipes are taken from Hungry Healthy Happy: How To Nourish Your Body Without Giving Up The Foods You Love by Dannii Martin (Jacqui Small, £20), which is published on Thursday. To order, call the Express Bookshop on 01872 562310 with your credit/debit card details, send a cheque or postal order made payable to the Express Bookshop to Hungry Healthy Happy Offer, PO Box 200, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 4WJ or visit expressbookshop.com. Mainland UK delivery is free.