Lentil Jalapeño Tofu Stew

A quick and easy stew using lentils, tofu and vegetables. The jalapeño sauce used in this recipe is easy to make - just boil up a load of whole jalapeños with a quarter of onion. Once softened, drain the water, remove the seeds and stems from the cooked jalapeños and blend in a food processor. Store the sauce in an air-tight container in the fridge. It's great to stir into a stew or a stir fry, or blend into a hummus/dip. I also like to add a spoonful on top of scrambled eggs for an extra spicy kick!

Lentil Jalapeño Tofu Stew
Makes 4

Ingredients:
- 170g / 6oz lentils, dry
- 110g / 4oz onions, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 85g / 3oz celery, chopped
- 85g / 3 oz green pepper, chopped
- 800g / 29oz / 2 cans chopped tomatoes, petite diced
- 33g / 2tbsp tomato paste
- 50g / 2oz jalapeño sauce (boiled and blended jalapeños)
- 450g / 16oz tofu, firm, chopped

Method:

• Boil the lentils in water until soft, about 30 minutes, then drain.
• In a pan, sprayed with cooking spray, cook the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes, additing a splash of water if necessary.
• Add the celery, pepper, chopped tomatoes and tomato paste and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Add the jalapeño sauce, tofu and cooked lentils and simmer gently for 10 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
• Serve with brown rice, quinoa or courgette noodles. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Cashew and Date Bars

These simple two ingredient snack bars are great for energy on the go. As much as I love chocolate, when it's 100F outside and I'm riding my bike, the last thing I need is a chocolate snack bar. I really like the cashew cookie Lara Bar. It's just cashews and dates blended together to form a sticky and delicious paste! Therefore, I decided to make my own!

An all natural energy boost with just over 200 calories, 12.5g fats, 5g protein, 19g sugars, no cholesterol and very little sodium.

I used dry roasted cashews as the smell and taste is heavenly. I usually buy a 5lb bag of whole raw cashews and roast half of them. Simply lay the nuts on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 10 minutes at 175C / 350F, being careful not to burn. Allow the cashews to cool completely before storing them in an air tight container.

Cashew and Date Bars
Makes 8

Ingredients:
- 200g / 7oz dates, pitted
- 240ml / 8floz hot water
- 200g / 7oz cashews, dry roasted

Method:

• Soak the dates in 1cup boiling water (240ml) to soften for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, blend the cashews in a food processor until finely chopped - not ground completely.
• Transfer the chopped nuts to a bowl.
• Drain the dates, and then blend in a food processor, until a smooth paste is formed.
• Thoroughly combine the date paste and cashews and then spoon into baking pan.
• Freeze for a few hours and then slice into bars. Store in the fridge. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Tomato Sauce with Black Beans

This is a really simple and quick sauce that has a sweet vinegar flavour. I use two kinds of tomatoes to give some additional texture - diced and petite diced - but any canned tomatoes and/or fresh ones will be fine. The sugars are all natural, from the tomatoes, and the black beans give a great serving of fiber - 8g in total.

Try it with my Sweet Potato Gnocchi:

Tomato Sauce with Black Beans
Makes 4

Ingredients:
- 400g / 14oz diced tomatoes, no salt added
- 800g / 28oz petite diced tomatoes, no salt added
- 425g / 15oz black beans, no salt added
- 66g / 4tbsp tomato paste
- 30ml / 2tbsp soy sauce, light
- 60ml / 4 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Method:

• In a large saucepan, add all ingredients and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and gently simmer for 10 minutes, until sauce has thickened.
• Serve with pasta, gnocchi or courgette noodles. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

It was my first time making gnocchi but I'll definitely be making these again. They are super tasty, perfect to freeze and easy and quick to cook - even straight from frozen. I doubled the recipe quantity below to make extra for the freezer.

I ate my first batch alongside my Poached Egg Ratatouille.

Gnocchi are Italian soft dough dumplings, traditionally made from semolina, flour, egg, cheese, potato, or breadcrumbs. They are often eaten as a first course, as an alternative to soups or pasta in Italian dining. They are a great source of carbohydrates - flour, potatoes etc. plus the eggs and cottage cheese in my version below provides 10g protein.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi
Makes 4 (32 gnocchi per serving)

Ingredients:
- 500g / 18oz sweet potato
- 112g / 4oz cottage cheese, lowfat
- 1 egg
- 120g / 4.5oz flour (I use whole wheat), plus extra for rolling
- 1/8tsp nutmeg (optional)

Method:
Bake the sweet potato in the skins, either in the oven or microwave and then scoop out the flesh. Set the skins aside.
Blend the flesh in a food processor.
Add the cottage cheese and egg to the food processor and blend to combine.
Transfer to a bowl and add the flour and nutmeg (if desired) to form a sticky dough.
Chill the dough in the fridge for 2 hours.
Generously sprinkle flour on parchment paper...

Roll out portions of the chilled dough into long ropes, about 1-inch thick, and then cut the dough into bite-size pieces.
Place the gnocchi on to the floured parchment paper and chill in the fridge for 5 minutes.
At this point the uncooked gnocchi can be frozen. Place the whole tray into the freezer for about 2 hours and then transfer individual frozen pieces into a freezable bag or container...

To cook the gnocchi, boil a pan of water and then add the gnocchi and cook for 3-5 minutes. Frozen gnocchi can be cooked immediately from frozen but may need a few extra minutes. Once the gnocchi rise to the surface of the boiling water, they'll be done.
Drain the gnocchi and serve with sauce or as a side dish. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Red Bean and Rice Soup

A healthy and hearty soup based on Mardi Gras and Louisiana cuisine: red kidney beans and Cajun flavours, combined with tomatoes, rice and leafy greens. I used kale but other dark leafy greens, such as collard greens, mustard greens, Swiss chard etc. can also be substituted/added.

I also made my own Cajun spice seasoning basing the recipe below on this version from the allrecipes.com site, omitting the salt. The recipe makes 4tbsp so I will keep the spare seasoning and use it when cooking chicken or fish.

Red Bean and Rice Soup
Makes 4

Ingredients:
- 140g / 5oz onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 150ml / 5floz white wine
- 420g / 15oz / 1 can chopped tomatoes, no salt added
- 450g / 16oz / 1 can red kidney beans, drained
- 90g / 3oz brown rice, uncooked and rinsed
- 1tbsp cajun spice seasoning (see below)
- 960ml / 32floz broth, reduced sodium (chicken OR vegetable)
- 960ml / 32floz boiling water
- 200g / 7oz / 4 stalks celery, chopped
- 300g / 11oz kale, chopped
- 140g / 5oz green pepper, chopped
- 1tbsp dried parsley OR 1/4cup fresh parsley

Cajun Spice Seasoning
Makes 4tbsp

- 2tsp garlic powder
- 2.5tsp paprika
- 1tsp ground black pepper
- 1tsp onion powder
- 1tsp cayenne pepper
- 1.25tsp dried oregano
- 1.25tsp dried thyme
- 1/2tsp red pepper flakes

Stir all ingredients together and store in an airtight container.

Method:
Cook the onion and garlic until softened, about 5 mins.
Add the wine until almost absorbed, another 3 mins.
Add the tomatoes, kidney beans, uncooked rice, Cajun seasoning, 2 cups (480ml) broth and 2 cups (480ml) water.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. cover and simmer for 20 minutes
Add the greens (celery, kale, pepper) and the remaining broth and water (2 cups / 240ml each).
Cook for another 10 mins until rice is tender.
Stir in the parsley and serve. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Soups

During the cold winter months, there's nothing more I love than a big bowl of homemade soup. Partly because it's so filling and nutritious. Partly because a really big bowl has less than 400 calories!

It's also really easy to make - mainly just boiling a pot of vegetables, adding some carbs like lentils or potatoes (both white and sweet), a few spices and herbs, plus broth for flavour and protein, in the form of fish, chicken or tofu. None of the soups I make have cream or added salt. I always ensure I use reduced sodium broth and no-salt-added canned tomatoes. Natural sugars from carrots, apple and sweet potato are perfect sweeteners. Some of the soups below are thickened with a cup of almond milk or some cashew cream (blended cashews in water).

When making soup at home, a hand-held stick blender is an essential tool. Once cooled, the soup can be bagged up and frozen for future meals.

Soups

Broccoli and Dill Soup

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Butternut Squash Soup

Carrot and Coriander Soup

Cauliflower and Chickpea Soup

Chicken and Potato Chili Soup

Indian Spiced Lentil and Vegetable Soup

Kale and Apple Soup

Miso Green Tea and Ginger Tofu Soup

Miso Soup

Moroccan Lentil Chicken Soup

Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup

White Bean Soup

Butternut Squash Tart with Hazelnuts

This hearty vegetarian tart has some great textures and flavours: Sweet butternut squash, crunchy hazelnuts, and cheesy nutritional yeast all served on top of a fibrous, nutty pie base.

I like the combination of hazelnuts and butternut squash but I guess cashews or walnuts could also be used as an alternative. Dry roasted hazelnuts can be bought in bulk which saves time, but it's also relatively easy to do at home simply by toasting the hazelnuts in the oven for about 10 minutes at 190C / 375F. Remove shells by rubbing nuts between palms.

Once cooled, individual slices can be wrapped in cling film and frozen for future meals. I've also doubled the ingredients for this dish and made the tart in a 9inch pie dish with a deeper base, and then cut into 8.

Butternut Squash Tart with Hazelnuts
Makes 4
Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Ingredients:
- 13g / 2tbsp flaxseed meal
- 120ml / 4floz water
- 56g / 2oz almonds
- 40g / 1.4oz oats
- 60g / 2oz flour
- 450g / 16oz / 1 small butternut squash, cubed
- 85g / 3oz onion, chopped
- 30g / 1oz hazelnuts, roasted and chopped
- 1 egg, beaten
- 16g / 2tbsp nutritional yeast
- ground black pepper

Method:
Combine flaxseed with water.
Grind almonds in a food processor along with oats and flour. Add the flax mixture and pulse until into a dough. Press the dough into a pie/tart pan lined with parchment.

Bake in the oven at 190C / 375F for 10-12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Lightly spray the butternut squash cubes with cooking spray and ground a little black pepper (if desired) and then roast in the oven at 200C / 400F for 30 minutes, until tender and golden brown.

Meanwhile, cook the onions in a pan sprayed with cooking spray. Add 1tbsp water to the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes until onions are browned.

Transfer onions and roasted squash to a large bowl and add hazelnuts, egg, and nutritional yeast. Gently stir to combine, grinding a little black pepper.

Spoon mixture into pie base and pat down gently. Bake in the oven at 200C / 400F for 30-40 minutes, until the filling is hot.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing into quarters. Serve with green vegetables. ENJOY!

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Nutritional Information:

Ratatouille with Poached Eggs

In addition to the 2007 Disney movie about a rat who can cook, Ratatouille is a traditional French stewed vegetable dish, originating from Nice.

Whilst ratatouille is usually served as a side dish, my version below includes poached eggs that make a more substantial meal if accompanied with rice or pasta. Key ingredients are tomatoes, aubergine/eggplant and green vegetables - such as peppers, celery and courgette/zucchini - not to mention onion, garlic and herbs.

I cooked my veg in one large pot, but ratatouille can be baked in the oven, like a casserole. I also added a little cornstarch to thicken the liquid just before poaching the eggs. Some versions strain the liquid with a colander and then add one or two tablespoons back into the vegetables. In order not to over cook the veg, I did this. It's an extra step in the cooking process but I thought it best to reduce the tomato liquid - keeping the flavour - without ending up with soggy veg!

With all the chopped vegetables, this dish gave me an excuse to use my fruit and veg chopper. It reminds me of the French guillotine - quite appropriate when making this French dish!

Ratatouille with Poached Eggs
Makes 4

Ingredients:

- 180g / 6.5oz onion, chopped

- 160g / 6oz pepper, sliced

- 2 cloves garlic, chopped

- 150g / 5.5oz / 3 stalks celery

- 1tsp rosemary, dried

- 325g / 11.5oz aubergine, chopped

- 400g / 14.5oz / courgette, chopped

- 800g  / 29oz diced tomatoes, no salt added

- 480ml / 16floz water

- 15ml / 1tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 8g / 1tbsp corn starch

- 4 eggs
- ground black pepper

- sprinkle basil, dried or fresh

Method:

• In a large pan sprayed with cooking spray, cook the onion, pepper, garlic, celery and rosemary for 5 minutes, adding a splash of water to stop the veg sticking.
• Add the aubergine, courgettes and tomatoes, along with 2 cups (480ml) water.
• Bring to boil, then simmer for 20 minutes, until the vegetables have softened.
• Strain the veg then place the tomato liquid back on the stove top and boil for 5 minutes, allowing the liquid to reduce.
• Add the corn starch to thicken liquid and stir in the vinegar.
• Transfer the veg back to the pan.
• Make a small space for each of the eggs. 
• Crack an egg into each hole and season with black pepper. Cover and cook for 2-5 minutes.
• Scatter basil over the top and serve. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Almond Apricot Balls

These Almond apricot light bites are packed with natural fruit sugars for energy and nuts for protein. Coconut oil helps regulate metabolism and hemp seeds provide healthy fatty acids like omega-3. They are quick and easy to make (no cooking involved) and provide an energy boost when needed.

If chocolate is required, these Almond Cocoa Balls are just the ticket!

Almond Apricot Balls

Makes 6

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Ingredients:

- 56g / 2oz almonds

- 56g / 2oz apricots, dried

- 20g / 2tbsp hemp seeds, shelled

- 21ml / 1.5tbsp coconut oil

- 1tsp vanilla extract

Method:

Grind almonds in a food processor. Set aside.

Process the dried apricots into a paste.

Add the ground almonds, hemp seeds, coconut oil and vanilla extract to the food processor. Pulse to combine.

Divide mixture into 6 and roll into balls.
Freeze the balls for 15 minutes and then store in the fridge in an airtight container. ENJOY!

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Nutritional Information: