Healthy Recipes Blog

Lentil Curry
Posted on 04.26.05 by Administrator @ 10:10 pm Edit This

As I’m sure I told you before, I just LOVE beans and pulses, and lentils are one of my favourites. Just call me an old hippy if you like, but that’s the way it is. And this is one of my favourite lentil recipes - we eat this all the time at home, often with variations of different vegetables, depending on what I’ve got in the fridge at the time. As my husband can’t tolerate spicy food very well, I usually chop up some cucumber, cut some mint and mix it with yogurt and cumin for a cool accompaniament, and serve the whole thing with brown rice, some mango chutney and sometimes chappatis, pitta bread or poppadoms…

Lentil Curry - serves 4

225 g (8 oz) whole brown lentils
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
575 ml (1 pint) vegetable stock
1 small cauliflower, cut into small florets
2 tbsp oil
4 celery sticks, sliced
2 tsp curry powder (or paste or garam masala)
2 apples cored and seeded
1 tbsp lemon juice
0.5 tsp salt
1 tbsp chopped parsley

Put the lentils in a pan with half the onion, 1 clove garlic and the stock. Simmer for 45 minutes until lentils are tender and have absorbed the stock.

Boil or steam the cauliflower florets until tender and drain.

Heat oil in a pan and fry the rest of the onion and celery for 4 minutes until osft. Add rest of garlic and curry spices and cook for a further 2 minutes while stirring. Add the cauliflower, apple, lemon juice and salt. Add the lentils and most of the parsley and serve, sprinkled with reserved parsley.


Filed under: Vegetarian and High-fibre
Comments: None

Brown Rice Salad
Posted on 04.23.05 by Administrator @ 4:46 pm Edit This

It’s nearly the end of April and it finally feels like spring is really here. It’s a glorious sunny day, warm with blue skies, so I thought it was the perfect day to share another healthy, tasty salad recipe with you…

Brown Rice Salad - serves 4

225 g (8 oz) brown rice
salt
2 spring onions
1 sliced red pepper
2 sliced celery sticks
50 g (2 oz) chopped stoned dates
25 g (1 oz) toasted almonds
25 g (1 oz) sunflower seeds
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp apples juice
2 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tsp bran
1 tsp curry powder
1 crushed clove garlic
black pepper

Cook the rice in boiling salted water for 40 minutes until tender. Drain through sieve and rinse with cold water. Leave to cool.

Mix the rice with all the vegetables, dates, almonds and sunflower seeds.

Mix the oil, apple juice, vinegar, bran, curry powder and garlic and add salt and pepper to taste.

Pour dressing over salad, toss it and serve immediately.


Filed under: Vegetarian and High-fibre and Rice Dishes and Salads
Comments: None

Lentil & Mushroom Au Gratin
Posted on 04.18.05 by Administrator @ 6:32 pm Edit This

Here’s another favourite recipe of mine using lentils (you know how much I love them!). This makes a great dinner, served with some salad and bread…

Lentil & Mushroom Gratin - serves 4

    Lentil mixture

2 tbsp oil
1 chopped onion
1 chopped carrot
1 crushed clove garlic
250g (8oz) red lentils
600 ml (1 pint) water
2 tbsp soy sauce
salt & pepper

    Mushroom filling

25 g (1 oz) margarine
250 g (8 oz) sliced flat mushrooms
2 crushed cloves garlic
3 tbsp chopped parsley

75 g (3 oz) grated cheese (fat-reduced)

Heat oil in pan and fry onions, carrot and celery for 10 minutes until soft. Add remaining ingredients for the lentil mixture plus salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer for about an hour, until lentils are tender.

Prepare mushroom filling by melting margarine in a frying pan. Add mushrooms and fry for 2 minutes while stirring. Mix in the garlic, parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

Place half the lentil mixture in an oiled ovenproof dish. Spread the mushrooms over the top, then the remainder of the lentil mixture on top of that. Sprinkle on the grated cheese and bake in a pre-heated oven 190°C (375°F, Gas Mark 5) for 20 to 25 minutes untilo the top is golden and bubbling.

Serve with salad and crusty bread.


Filed under: Vegetarian and High-fibre
Comments: None

Mung Bean Risotto
Posted on 04.14.05 by Administrator @ 3:26 pm Edit This

I’ve been a big fan of beans ever since I became a vegetarian when I was fifteen. I have occasionally eaten meat since, I must confess, but I still love dishes based on pulses. Here’s a great recipe based on the humble mung bean - cheap, nutricious and delicious…

Mung Bean Risotto - serves 4

350 g (12 oz) mung beans, soaked in water overnight
2 tbsp olive oil
2 chopped onions
450 g (1lb) brown rice
1.4 litres (2.5 pints) vegetable stock
6 tbsp mixed fresh herbs (I use parsley, thyme, basil and mint)
salt & pepper
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds

Drain the beans and rinse them. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large suacepan and fry the onions until soft. Add the drained beans and rice and stir in. Pour in the vegetable stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 40 minutes until water has been absorbed and rice and beans are tender.

Add the herbs and salt and pepper to taste and mix gently.

Fry the pumpkin seeds in the remaining oil, serve the risotto with the seeds sprinkled on top.


Filed under: Vegetarian and High-fibre and Low-fat and Rice Dishes
Comments: None

Walnut & Lentil Roast
Posted on 04.13.05 by Administrator @ 6:30 pm Edit This

Here’s a recipe for a really tasty nut roast that we had on Christmas Day last Christmas. It was very successful and popular with everyone, served with roast potatoes, steamed vegetables and a mushroom and brandy sauce…

Walnut & Lentil Roast - serves 6

1 tbsp oil
1 chopped onion
1 clove crushed garlic
2 sliced celery sticks
175 g (6 oz) green lentils
450 ml (0.75 pint) water
125 g (4 oz) ground walnuts
50 g (2 oz) wholewheat breadcrumbs
2 tbsp parsley
1 tabsp soy sauce
1 beaten egg
salt & pepper

Heat oil in a pan, fry onion until soft. Add garlic, celery, lentils and water and bring to boil. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Remove lid at the end if necessary to allow excess water to evaporate.

Mix in the walnuts, breadcrumbs, parsley, soy sauce, egg and season to taste. Mix thoroughly.

Line a loaf tin (500g/1lb) with foil and brush with oil. Spoon the mixture into tin, cover with foil and bake in pre-heated oven 190°C (375°F, Gas Mark 5) for about 50 minutes.


Filed under: Vegetarian and High-fibre
Comments: None

Pea Soup
Posted on 04.09.05 by Administrator @ 9:39 pm Edit This

I make and eat soup throughout most of the year, except the middle of the summer (I guess it comes from growing up in chilly England!) and this is a favourite soup recipe of mine.. It’s great for lunches and suppers, served with wholemeal bread..

Pea Soup - serves 4

225g (8oz) dried split peas
1.15 litres (2 pints) vegetable stock
2 medium onions, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 small turnip, chopped
salt & pepper
sprig of mint
1 teaspoon sugar

Soak split peas in water overnight. Drain and place in a large saucepan with the stock, onions, carrot, turnip, mint and salt and pepper to taste.

Bring to the boil and simmer one and a half hours until the peas are soft. Cool, then blend in a liquidiser or push through a sieve until smooth. Add sugar to taste and reheat; serve hot.


Filed under: Vegetarian and High-fibre and Low-fat and Soups
Comments: None

Fresh Fruit Salad
Posted on 04.07.05 by Administrator @ 4:01 pm Edit This

Here’s a fruity little number for you, and just the thing for springtime! I’ve made and eaten a lot of different types of fruit salad and this is my firm favourite (I think it might be down to the wine)…

Fresh Fruit Salad - serves 4

150 ml (5 fl oz) white wine
150 ml (5 fl oz) orange juice
15 ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice
225 g (8oz) seedless grapes
225 g (8oz) black grapes, seeded
2 oranges, segemented
2 apples cored and sliced
2 bananas, sliced
25 g (1 oz) shelled brazil nuts, halved

Mix the wine, orange juice and lemon juice together. Put all the fruit in a bowl, pour on the liquid and chill for an hour or so. Stir in the nuts and serve with plain yogurt if desired.


Filed under: Vegetarian and High-fibre and Salads
Comments: None

Lentil & Cheese Wedges
Posted on 04.05.05 by Administrator @ 3:30 pm Edit This

I cook this quite regularly as it’s great served hot or cold and makes a good light supper or lunch.

Lentil & Cheese Wedges - serves 6

225g (8oz) red lentils
450ml (0.75 pint) water
1 tbsp oil
100g (4oz) grated cheese (fat-reduced cheese is a good choice)
1 tsp mixed herbs
1 egg
25g (1 oz) wholemeal breadcrumbs
Salt & pepper to taste

Cooks the lentils in the water until soft and all the liquid has been absorbed. Chop onion and fry in oil until soft. Combine all ingredients together and press into a greased sandwich tin (23cm/9″). Bake in pre-heated oven 190°C (375°F, Gas Mark 5) for 30 minutes.

Cut in wedges and serve hot or cold with a green salad and crusty bread.


Filed under: Vegetarian
Comments: None

Potato Triangles
Posted on 04.04.05 by Administrator @ 7:41 pm Edit This

Here’s a handy little recipe for light lunches and suppers. I think it was supposed to be a breakfast dish originally but, as I’m a light eater in the morning, I’ve never tried it at that time of day. Let me know if you do! :-)

Potato Triangles - serves 4

500g (1 lb) peeled potatoes
salt
15g (0.5 oz) margarine (low-fat spread works fine)
30 ml (2 tbsp) milk
ground black pepper
100g (4oz) can of sweetcorn
100g (4oz) rolled oats

grilled tomatoes and mushrooms

Boil the potatoes in salted water for 20 minutes until tender. Drain and mash with margarine and milk, season with salt and pepper. Stir in the drained sweetcorn and oats and knead into a dough. Roll out on a floured surface to 6mm (0.25 inch) thickness and cut into triangles.

Use a heavy non-stick frying pan, lightly oiled if necessary, and fry triangles on a high heat, turning to brown both sides. Serve with the grilled tomatoes and mushrooms.

You can also add garlic and onions for a good variation of this recipe.


Filed under: Vegetarian
Comments: None

Mushroom Gougère
Posted on 04.03.05 by Administrator @ 4:12 pm Edit This

Here’s a great vegetarian dish using choux pastry, mushrooms and nuts. The first time I made it, I wasn’t sure if it would work with the pastry just pushed to the edges of the dish, but it comes out of the oven looking and tasting good :-)

Mushroom Gougère - serves four

50g (2oz) margarine

150 ml (0.25 pint) water

65 g (2.5 oz) wholewheat flour

2 eggs

50g (2oz) grated Cheddar cheese (fat-reduced versions works fine)

2 tbsp oil

1 chopped onion

250 g (8oz) sliced mushrooms

2 crushed cloves garlic

1 tbsp wholewheat flour

150ml (0.25 pint) vegetable stock

75g (3oz) roughly chopped walnuts

2 tbsp chopped parsley

salt and pepper

Melt margarine in a pan, add water and bring to boil. All flour all at once and beat it until mixture leaves the sides of the pan. Allow to cool, add eggs one at a time. Beat vigorously until mixture is “glossy”. Add cheese and beat. Spoon the mixture around the edge of a greased 1.2 litre (2 pint) ovenproof dish.

Heat oil in pan, fry onions until soft. Add mushrooms and garlic and fry for 2 minutes. Stir in flour, then stock and bring to boil while stirring. Cook for 3 minutes, until thickened. Reserve 2 tablespoons of walnuts - stir in the rest with the mixture and add parsley, salt and pepper to taste.

Pour this mixture into the centre of the ovenproof dish - sprinkle remainder off walnuts on top.

Bake in preheated oven 200°C (400°C, Gas Mark 6) for 40-45 minutes until pastry is golden brown and serve immediately.


Filed under: Vegetarian
Comments: None

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Hi! My name's Emily and welcome to my healthy recipes blog where you'll find loads of tempting ideas for tasty meals, suppers, snacks and much much more!

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