Falafel in Pitta

225g/8oz dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in water
1 tbsp tahini
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 crushed garlic clove
100g chopped watercress
juice half a lemon
2 tbsp vegetable oil

To serve:
100g watercress
150g natural yogurt
1 crushed garlic clove
4 wholemeal pitta bread

Drain the chickpeas and place in a food processor with the tahini, salt, baking powder, cumin, coriander, cayenne, garlic, watercress and lemon juice. Whizz until very finely chopped but not puréed.

Preheat the oven to 220C/Gas Mark 6. Place a large roasting tin in the oven to heat up. Shape the mixture into 16 balls, then flatten slightly into patties.

Add the oil to the roasting tin, return to the oven for 2 mins, then carefully add the falafel, tossing to coat in hot oil. Bake for 20 mins, turning once until crisp and golden.

Whilst they cook, roughly chop half the remaining watercress and stir it into the yogurt with the garlic and season to taste. Lightly toast the pittas on each side, cut each in half and open up each half to make a pocket. Fill the pitta pockets with falafel, remaining watercress and the yogurt sauce. Serve whilst warm.

Artichoke & Pine Nut Risotto

600ml/ 1pt vegetable stock
50g/2oz fine green beans
15 ml/ 1tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove crushed garlic
175g/6oz arborio rice
100-200ml dry white wine
2.5ml/ 1/2 tsp dried oregano
40g/ 1,1/2 oz pine nut kernels, toasted
200g/7oz canned artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
handful flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
handful fresh basil, roughly chopped
50g/2oz Parmesan cheese, optional
salt and black pepper

Heat the stock to a bare simmer and keep simmering over a very low heat.

Bring a pan of water to the boil and add the green beans for three minutes. Remove from the water, drain and set aside.

In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil and add the onion. Cook for 2 minutes then add the garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add the rice and cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Begin adding the stock a ladle at a time, allowing the rice to absorb all the stock before adding more and continue stirring.

When half the stock has been used, add the wine and oregano, stirring constantly. Continue adding the remaining stock for about 20 minutes until cooked.

When the last ladle of stock has been added, add the beans, pine nuts, artichoke hearts and herbs. Cook for an additional few minutes until the rice is the texture you like.

When cooked, remove the pan from the heat, stir in the Parmesan if using, season to taste and serve immediately.

Turkey Burgers

These tasty burgers can also be eaten sandwiched between a bun and layered with salad and tomato ketchup.

450g/1lb turkey breast, chopped roughly or minced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 apple, peeled and grated
50g/2oz fresh white breadcrumbs
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 chicken stock cube dissolved in 1½ tbsp boiling water
50g/2oz plain flour
2 eggs, beaten lightly
75g/3oz fresh white breadcrumbs
vegetable oil

Mix together the turkey, onion, herbs and apple. Chop for a few seconds in a food processor. Return the mixture to a large bowl and stir in the breadcrumbs, stock and Worcestershire sauce and season to taste. Using your hands form the mixture into 12 burgers.

Dip the burgers in the flour, then in the egg and coat with the breadcrumbs. Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan and sauté the burgers for about 4 minutes on each side or until golden and cooked through.

Balsamic Beetroot Salad

500 g whole beets, cooked, peeled and diced
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
2 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs olive oil, extra virgin
1 large tsp seeded mustard
salt and pepper

Season the beetroot with salt and black pepper. Whisk the vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice and mustard together in a bowl. Toss with the beetroot and leave to marinate for at least one hour, or overnight.

Red Pesto Turkey - serves 4

1 tbsp olive oil
4 turkey breast steaks
1 large sliced courgette
1 chopped yellow pepper
150ml (1/4pt) dry white wine
300ml (1/2pt) chicken stock
2 tbsp tomato puree
2 tbsp red pesto
4 tbsp light (low fat) crème fraiche
12 black olives

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the turkey steaks on both sides until brown, then remove them from the pan and set to one side. Add the sliced courgette and chopped pepper to the pan and fry for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the wine, allow to simmer for 1 minute, then add the stock, tomato puree and red pesto. Return the turkey to the pan, cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes.

Stir in the crème fraiche, bring the sauce back to simmering point and scatter over the olives. Serve with pasta, rice or sauté potatoes.

Carrot Cake

85g plain flour
75g whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg
2 large egg whites
60ml vegetable oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
165g runny honey

350g carrots, peeled and grated

Preheat oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4. Line a 20cm (8 inch) cake tin with baking parchment then mix all the dry ingredients in a small bowl.

In a large bowl, beat the wet ingredients until smooth then stir in the grated carrots and add the dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, smooth the top and bake for 35-40 minutes until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool in tin for ten minutes, then removing the parchment and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Baked Potatoes With Tuna, Cheese and Watercress - serves 4

4 baking potatoes (wash the skins)
25g/ 1oz butter
100g/ 4oz grated cheese
85g chopped watercress
1 can (185g) tuna, drained
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ Gas Mark 7 and bake the potatoes or about 1 hour or until tender.

Cut the potatoes in half lengthways and use a spoon to scoop the flesh out of the skins into a bowl. Mash the potato with the butter and half the cheese. Add the watercress and tuna, then mix well and add salt and pepper to taste.

Stuffthe potato skins with this mixture and place them on a baking tray. Sprinkle on the remaining grated cheese and return to the oven for a further 10 -15mins or until the tops are golden.

Turkey and Aubergine Rolls - serves 4

2 large aubergines trimmed and thinly sliced lengthways
4tbsp olive oil

Filling -

450g/1lb turkey mince
1 red onion finely chopped
4tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
2tsp ground coriander
1tsp ground cumin
Salt and pepper

Sauce-

2 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
1tsp paprika
2 x 400g/14oz cans chopped tomatoes
2tbsp tomato puree

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Brush two baking sheets with a little olive oil and spread out the aubergine slices on them. Brush the slices with the rest of the oil and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden.

For the filling, mix the turkey mince, onion, breadcrumbs, coriander, cumin and seasoning in a large bowl.

For the sauce, heat the oil in a pan, add the onion and fry for 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the paprika, cook for one minute, add the tomatoes and puree and simmer for ten minutes.

Spoon a thin layer of the tomato sauce over the base of a large shallow ovenproof dish or roasting tin. Take one aubergine slice, spoon a little filling at one end and roll up. Place in the dish with the end of the aubergine slice tucked underneath. Repeat with the remaining aubergine slices and filling, placing the rolls close together so they do not unroll.

Spoon over the remaining sauce, lower the oven temperature to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4 and cover the dish with foil. Bake for 30 minutes and serve hot with vegetables.

Watercress, Feta and Red Salad

125g red/ brown rice
2 medium oranges, segmented
80g feta cheese, crumbled
4 large handfuls watercress

Empty red/ brown rice into a pan and pour in 1pt of boiling water. Cover and simmer for 25 minsthen pour rice into a colander, drain and rinse under the cold tap.

Mix cooked rice with the orange segments, feta and watercress. Serve.

Orange Chicken - serves 2

10ml / 2 teaspoon sunflower oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 chicken fillets
2 dessertspoon plain flour
1 red pepper, sliced
juice of 2 oranges, or 150ml orange juice plus 50ml water
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
10 baby potatoes or 4 medium potatoes, cut into chunks
Chopped parsley (optional)
salt & pepper, season to taste

Heat the oil in a pan and brown the onions over a low heat. Cut the chicken fillet into large pieces and toss in the flour to coat each piece. Add the chicken to the pan and brown for 2 minutes, stirring all the time to make sure it doesn’t stick.
Add all the other ingredients and place a lid on the pan and simmer over a low heat for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and the chicken is no longer pink in the centre. Check the pot whilst it is cooking to make sure there is enough liquid, adding a little extra water if required.