Beef bulgogi stir-fry
Nutrition: per serving
kcal494
fat17g
saturates6g
carbs56g
sugars27g
fibre3g
protein29g
salt2.4g
Ingredients
4cm/1 ½ in piece of ginger
4 tbsp soy sauce
4 tbsp mirin
3 garlic cloves
2 tbsp chopped pineapple
2 tsp red chilli flakes or Korean chilli powder
3 tbsp golden caster sugar
3 tsp sesame oil
500g sirloin or rump steak
, trimmed of fat and sliced
1 large onion
, cut into half moons
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
200g cooked basmati rice
chopped spring onions
, to serve
Method
1. Put the ginger, soy, mirin, garlic, pineapple, chilli flakes, sugar and 1 tsp of the sesame
oil in a food processor and blend until fine. Pour the marinade into a bowl, add the meat,
mix well and leave to sit while you prepare the onion.
2. Heat the remaining sesame oil in a large wok or frying pan until very hot. Add the onion
and stir-fry for a few mins. Add the beef and the marinade, stirring constantly until it’s
cooked through, about 5 mins. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and serve with rice and
chopped spring onions.
Next level steak & ale pie
Nutrition: Per serving (8)
kcal939
fat49g
saturates22g
carbs80g
sugars7g
fibre6g
protein38g
salt1.1g
Ingredients
1 tbsp vegetable oil
100g smoked bacon lardons or smoked bacon, chopped
1kg beef shin, cut into large chunks
2 onions, roughly chopped
3 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
3 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 tsp malt or red wine vinegar
1 tsp brown miso paste (optional)
400ml sweet brown ale
600ml beef stock made from 2 stock cubes
few thyme sprigs, stalks and leaves separated
2 bay leaves
For the pastry
700g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tsp English mustard powder
150g lard
150g butter, plus extra for the dish
2 egg yolks, beaten
Method
1. Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Heat the vegetable oil in a large casserole dish
and gently fry the bacon for 5 mins until lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon
and set aside. In the same pan, brown the beef well in batches for 5-8 mins, adding a
drizzle more oil if you need to, then set aside.
2. Add the onions and carrots to the pan and cook on a low heat for 5 mins. Stir in the flour,
then add the tomato purée, vinegar and miso, if using. Tip the beef and bacon, along with
any juices, back into the pan and give it all a good stir. Pour in the ale and stock, and
nestle in the thyme stalks and bay. Season generously and bring to a simmer. Cover with
a lid and cook in the oven for about 2 hrs or until the meat is really tender. Leave
everything to cool slightly, then strain off about half the braising liquid into another
container. Leave to cool completely. Can be made up to two days ahead and kept chilled
in the fridge – the pie will be better if the filling is fridge-cold when added. Can also be
frozen for up to three months.
3. To make the pastry, mix the flour, mustard powder, lard and butter with a generous pinch
of sea salt until completely combined, then gradually add up to 250ml ice-cold water to
make a soft dough. This can be done in a food processor if you prefer. Knead the thyme
leaves into the pastry, then cover and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 1 hr. Can be
made up to two days ahead and kept chilled, or frozen for up to a month.
4. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and put a baking tray in the oven. Heavily butter a
26-28cm pie dish and dust well with flour. Cut off a third of the pastry and set aside. Roll
out the remaining pastry to a thick round that will easily line the pie dish with an
overhang, then line the tin. Tip in the beef mixture. You want the filling to be slightly
higher than the rim of the dish. Brush the edges with egg yolk. Roll out the remaining
pastry to a thick round, big enough to cover the pie, then lift onto the pie dish. Trim the
edges, crimp together, then re-roll the trimmings and cut into decorative shapes, such as
leaves. Brush the top with more yolk. Make a hole in the centre of the pie with a knife,
and put it on the hot baking tray.
5. Bake for 20 mins, remove, brush again with yolk, scatter with sea salt and bake for 20-25
mins until golden. Leave to rest for 10 mins while you heat up the extra gravy.
Crispy chilli beef
Nutrition: per serrving
kcal454
fat23g
saturates5g
carbs32g
sugars15g
fibre2g
protein26g
salt2.2g
Ingredients
350g thin-cut minute steak, very thinly sliced into strips
3 tbsp cornflour
2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
100ml vegetable oil
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 red chilli, thinly sliced
4 spring onions, sliced, green and white parts separated
2 garlic cloves, crushed
thumb-sized piece ginger, cut into matchsticks
4 tbsp rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
cooked noodles, to serve (optional)
prawn crackers, to serve (optional)
Method
1. Put 350g thin-cut minute steak strips in a bowl and toss in 3 tbsp cornflour and 2 tsp
Chinese five-spice powder.
2. Heat 100ml vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan until hot, then add the beef and fry
until golden and crisp.
3. Scoop out the beef and drain on kitchen paper. Pour away all but 1 tbsp oil.
4. Add 1 thinly sliced red pepper, ½ thinly sliced red chilli, sliced white ends of 4 spring
onions, 2 crushed garlic cloves and thumb-sized piece ginger, cut into matchsticks, to the
pan. Stir-fry for 3 mins to soften, but don’t let the garlic and ginger burn.
5. Mix the 4 tbsp rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp sweet
chilli sauce and 2 tbsp tomato ketchup in a jug with 2 tbsp water, then pour over the veg.
6. Bubble for 2 mins, then add the beef back to the pan and toss well to coat.
7. Serve the beef on noodles with prawn crackers, if you like, scattered with the remaining
½ sliced red chilli and sliced green parts of the spring
Oriental beef skewers with cucumber salad
Nutrition: per serving
kcal228
fat8g
saturates3g
carbs8g
sugars8g
fibre1g
protein32g
salt2.21g
Ingredients
4 thin-cut sirloin steaks
or minute steaks, trimmed of any fat and each cut into 3 long strips
100ml sachet stir-fry sauce (we used oyster and spring onion)
1 tbsp sesame seeds
For the salad
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp light soy sauce
1 cucumber, cut into small chunks
3 spring onions
, sliced
½ red chilli
, deseeded and finely chopped
handful coriander leaves, chopped
Method
1. Heat grill to high. In a bowl, mix the steak strips with the stir-fry sauce and sesame seeds.
Thread onto 12 skewers, then grill for 12 mins, turning halfway through, until golden and
sticky.
2. For the salad, mix the vinegar and soy together, then toss with the cucumber, spring
onions, chilli and coriander. Serve with the beef skewers and some boiled basmati rice.
Banana & tahini porridge
Nutrition: Per serving
kcal431
fat17g
saturates3g
carbs53g
sugars18g
fibre7g
protein14g
salt
Ingredients
1 tbsp tahini
150ml milk
of your choice, plus 1 tbsp
100g porridge oats
2 small bananas
, sliced
seeds from 2 cardamom pods, crushed
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Method
1. Mix the tahini with 1 tbsp milk and 1 tbsp water. Put the oats, 1 sliced banana,
cardamom, 100ml milk and 300ml water in a pan with a pinch of salt. Cook over a
medium heat for 5 mins, stirring, until creamy and hot.
2. Divide between two bowls. Pour over the remaining milk, then top with the remaining
sliced banana. Drizzle over the tahini mixture and sprinkle over the toasted sesame seeds.
Slow cooker bio yogurt
Nutrition: Per serving
kcal120
fat5g
saturates3g
carbs11g
sugars11g
fibre0g
protein8g
salt0.3g
Ingredients
2l whole milk
100ml live yogurt, either shop bought or from a previous homemade batch
Method
1. Tip the milk into the slow cooker. Cover and heat on High until the temperature of the
milk reaches 82C, this will take a couple of hours. Turn off the slow cooker and allow the
temperature to drop to 43C for a further 2-3 hours. Take a mugful of the warm milk and
mix it with the yogurt then pour the mixture back into the slow cooker and stir really
well. Cover, wrap the slow cooker in a big towel and then leave undisturbed for 9-12
hours until the mixture has set.
2. Eat on top of cereal or porridge, topped with fresh fruit, in marinades or drink in
smoothies. If you want it thicker, for dips for example, line a large sieve with muslin and
place it over a bowl, tip in the yogurt and allow some of the whey to strain off until you
get the consistency of yogurt that you like. The longer you leave it, the thicker it will
become. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Carrot cake overnight oats
Nutrition: per serving
kcal319
fat9g
saturates4g
carbs48g
sugars14g
fibre6g
protein9g
salt0.6g
Ingredients
40g grated carrot
a big pinch of mixed spice
¼ tsp cinnamon
50g rolled porridge oats
1 tsp honey
1 tsp sultanas
1 tbsp Greek yogurt
Method
1. Mix the grated carrot, mixed spice and cinnamon with the oats, 150ml water and a pinch
of salt, then cover and chill in the fridge overnight.
2. The next day, stir in the honey and sultanas then top with Greek yogurt.
Breakfast burrito
Nutrition: Per wrap
kcal366
fat21g
saturates4g
carbs26g
sugars4g
fibre5g
protein16g
salt0.9g
Ingredients
1 tsp chipotle paste
1 egg
1 tsp rapeseed oil
50g kale
7 cherry tomatoes, halved
½ small avocado
, sliced
1 wholemeal tortilla wrap, warmed
Method
1. Whisk the chipotle paste with the egg and some seasoning in a jug. Heat the oil in a large
frying pan, add the kale and tomatoes.
2. Cook until the kale is wilted and the tomatoes have softened, then push everything to the
side of the pan. Pour the beaten egg into the cleared half of the pan and scramble. Layer
everything into the centre of your wrap, topping with the avocado, then wrap up and eat
immediately.
Pink barley porridge with vanilla yogurt
Nutrition:
kcal371
fat10g
saturates4g
carbs52g
sugars18g
fibre4g
protein15g
salt0.3g
Ingredients
100g pearl barley
75g traditional oats
4 large or 8 small ripe red plums
, stoned and chopped
½ tsp vanilla extract
4 x 150ml bio yogurt
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
Method
1. Tip the barley and oats into a bowl, pour over 1 litre boiling water and stir well. Cover
and leave to soak overnight.
2. The next morning, tip the mixture into a pan and stir in the plums. Simmer for 15 mins,
stirring frequently and adding a little water if necessary to get a consistency you like.
3. Stir the vanilla into the yogurt and serve on top of the porridge with the seeds sprinkled
over.
Breakfast muffins
Nutrition: per serving
kcal179
fat7g
saturates1g
carbs23g
sugars10g
fibre3g
protein5g
salt0.6g
Ingredients
2 large eggs
150ml pot natural low-fat yogurt
50ml rapeseed oil
100g apple sauce or pureed apples (find with the baby food)
1 ripe banana
, mashed
4 tbsp clear honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
200g wholemeal flour
50g rolled oats
, plus extra for sprinkling
1½ tsp baking powder
1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1½ tsp cinnamon
100g blueberry
2 tbsp mixed seed (we used pumpkin, sunflower and flaxseed)
Method
1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with 12 large muffin cases.
In a jug, mix the eggs, yogurt, oil, apple sauce, banana, honey and vanilla. Tip the
remaining ingredients, except the seeds, into a large bowl, add a pinch of salt and mix to
combine.
2. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix briefly until you have a smooth batter –
don’t overmix as this will make the muffins heavy. Divide the batter between the cases.
Sprinkle the muffins with the extra oats and the seeds. Bake for 25-30 mins until golden
and well risen, and a skewer inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean. Remove
from the oven, transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool. Can be stored in a sealed
container for up to 3 days.
Breakfast naans
Nutrition: Per serving
kcal503
fat30g
saturates7g
carbs35g
sugars11g
fibre5g
protein20g
salt1.6g
Ingredients
1 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil
2 eggs
2 small naan breads
4 tbsp low-fat cream cheese
2 tbsp mango chutney
1 avocado
, halved and sliced
½ lime
, juiced
1 green chilli
small handful coriander, leaves picked
Method
1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Heat the oil in a pan, then fry the eggs. Warm the
naan breads in the oven while the eggs are cooking.
2. Spread the warm naans with the cream cheese, then drizzle with the chutney. Add a fried
egg to each naan and top with the avocado, lime juice, chilli and coriander. Season and
tuck in.
