Serves 1

Ingredients:

• Quarter cucumber - chopped into large pieces
• 2 tomatoes - sliced and chopped into pieces
• 50g red onion - finely sliced
• Half green pepper - deseeded and sliced
• 5 olives deseeded - in their brine
• 50g fat reduced feta cheese
• Splash of balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp oregano
• Salt & pepper

Method:

1. Simply add all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well
2. Gently pour into a serving dish and sprinkle with salt, pepper and oregano

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 800g butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded and diced finely
• 6 medium eggs
• 150ml skimmed milk
• 1 tsp mustard (preferably Dijon)
• 1 tsp light oil (try calorie-controlled light oil)
• 150g baby spinach leaves, washed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, add the squash and cook for 10–15 minutes, until tender. Drain.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat together the eggs, milk and mustard and season.

3. Heat a large (20 cm/8 inch) nonstick frying pan and spray with the cooking spray. Add the squash and stir fry for a few minutes, until it turns golden. Add the spinach and stir fry for a further few minutes, until wilted. Tip the egg mixture into the pan.

4. Stir gently together and then cook over the lowest heat, without stirring, for 10–12 minutes or until the bottom is golden and the tortilla is nearly set. Preheat the grill to medium.

5. Slide the pan under the preheated grill for a few minutes, until the top is golden and puffy and the egg is completely set. Cut into four wedges and serve.

Serves 3 people

Ingredients:

• 400g white fish fillet (e.g. cod or hake)
• 5 tbsp of chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp capers - rinsed
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Salt & pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• a little flour

Method:

1. Finely chop the fish or put it in a food processor and whizz briefly, so that it’s still chunky. Add the parsley, capers, lemon zest and seasoning. Squeeze the mixture well in your hand to drain out any water, then shape into 3 burgers about 9cm (3½in) in diameter. Chill to firm, if you have time.
2. Heat the oil in a pan, sprinkle a little flour on burgers. Cook them over a low to medium heat for about 3 mins each side, until browned and just cooked.
3. Serve with a fresh side salad

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 red onions - chopped & diced
• 3 pack of mixed pepper - deseeded and diced
• 2 courgettes - diced
• 1 large aubergine - diced
• 5 tsp cajun/ chilli con carne spice mix
• 2 x 400g tins of cherry tomatoes in juice
• 400g of kidney beans - drained
• 250g of young baby leaf spinach - washed

Method:

1. Put olive oil, diced red onions, mixed peppers, courgettes, large aubergine and spice mix in a large saucepan.
2. Cook over a medium heat for about 10 mins. Add tins of cherry tomatoes in juice and kidney beans and simmer for a further 15 mins.
3. Finally, stir through the spinach and serve.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 small red onion finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, mashed
• 1 small red chilli - finely chopped
• 1 lime - juiced
• 1 tbsp rice or white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1 watermelon wedge, seeded and sliced
• 1 avocado sliced
• small bunch of coriander leaves, chopped
• 200g cooked tiger prawns - defrosted if frozen

Method:

1. Put the onion in a medium bowl with the garlic, chilli, lime juice, vinegar, sugar and some seasoning. Leave to marinate for 10 mins.
2. Add the watermelon, avocado, coriander and prawns, then toss gently to serve.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove - mashed
• 500g courgettes - cubed
• 200g frozen peas
• 400g cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 L hot vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp green pesto

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Cook the garlic for a few seconds, then add the courgettes and cook for 3 mins until they start to soften. Stir in the peas and cannellini beans, pour on the hot stock and cook for a further 3 mins.
2. Stir the pesto through the soup with some seasoning, then ladle into bowls and serve. Or pop in a flask and save for later :)

Serves 4-6 Adults

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions - chopped
• 2 celery sticks - chopped
• 300g carrots - chopped
• 500g potato - diced
• 4 bay leaves
• 5tbsp tomato puree
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp red or white wine vinegar
• 4 x 400g cans of chopped tomatoes
• 500g passata
• 3 vegetable stock cubes
• 400ml whole milk

Method:

1. Put the oil, onions, celery, carrots, potatoes and bay leaves in a big casserole dish, or two saucepans. Fry gently until the onions are softened – about 10-15 mins. Fill the kettle and boil it.
2. Stir in the tomato purée, sugar, vinegar, chopped tomatoes and passata, then crumble in the stock cubes. Add 1 litre boiling water and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 mins until the potato is tender, then remove the bay leaves. Purée with a stick blender (or ladle into a blender in batches) until very smooth. Season to taste and add a pinch more sugar if it needs it. The soup can now be cooled and chilled for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
3. To serve, reheat the soup, stirring in the milk – try not to let it boil. Serve.

Makes 8 Delicious Cups

Ingredients:

• 100g smooth peanut butter
• 140g full fat coconut yoghurt
• 2 tsp sweet chilli sauce
• 2 tsp soya sauce
• 2-3 spring onions - finely shredded
• 3 cooked skinless chicken breasts - shredded
• 2 baby gem lettuces, big leaves seperated
• Half cucumber, shredded into matchsticks
• Toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Method:

1. In a small pan, gently warm the peanut butter, yogurt, 3 tbsp water, sweet chilli and soy sauce until melted together into a smooth sauce. Set aside and allow to cool.
2. Mix the spring onions and chicken into the sauce and season. Chill until the party – keep the lettuce leaves and cucumber under damp kitchen paper.
3. To assemble, add a bundle of cucumber to each lettuce leaf cup, plus a spoon of the chicken mixture. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Or simply serve a pile of lettuce leaves alongside bowls of chicken and cucumber.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 6 boneless chicken thighs
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• Zest and juice 2 lemons
• 6 sprigs thyme (or 2tsp dried)
• 2tbsp olive oil
• 100g baby spinach leaves
• ½ red cabbage. Shredded
• 4 carrots, cut into ribbons
• 1tbsp balsamic vinegar
• New potatoes, to serve

Method:

1. Pull off the skin from the chicken thighs. Put one between 2 sheets of baking parchment and bash with a rolling pin or meat tenderizer to flatten. Repeat with the other chicken thighs.
2. Put the chicken into a shallow dish, season generously with salt and ground black pepper. Add all the lemon zest and half the juice, then sprinkle on the thyme.
3. Heat a griddle or heavy-based pan. Fry for 15 mins,  turning as needed until golden brown and cooked through.
4. Mix together the spinach, red cabbage, and carrots.
5. Divide the salad between the plates, top with the chicken, then squeeze on the remaining lemon juices on the chicken, drizzle balsamic vinegar on the salad and pour over any cooking juices. Serve with new potatoes.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 3 tbsp balti curry paste
• 2 parsnips, peeled and cubed
• 500g (1lb) butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 500ml (16fl oz) vegetable stock
• 8 small cauliflower florets
• 60g (2oz) French beans

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a wok or balti pan, add the onion and cook for a few mins. Add the balti curry paste and cook for a min.
2. Add the parsnip, squash, tomatoes and stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 mins.
3. Add the cauliflower and cook for 5 mins, then add the French beans and cook for 5 more mins, until all the vegetables are tender. Serve.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2tbsp groundnut or vegetable oil
• 125g packet oyster mushrooms, sliced
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced
• 125g packet tenderstem broccoli, cut into pieces
• 1 carrot, peeled and sliced
• 1tbsp soy sauce
• 1tbsp rice vinegar
• 1-2tbsp oyster sauce
• 300g ready-to-use medium egg noodles (try Zero Noodles for an extra health kick)
• 1 lime, to serve

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add the veg and cook for 2-3 mins. Pour in the soy sauce, vinegar and oyster sauce. Add the noodles to the pan and heat through.
2. Serve immediately with some lime squeezed over the top.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• Sunflower oil spray
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 lemongrass sticks, trimmed and chopped
• 1-2 green chillies, deseeded and sliced
• 1-2tbsp curry powder
• 200ml semi-skimmed milk
• 1tsp sugar
• 1tbsp fish sauce
• 1tsp chicken stock (use vegetable if preferred)
• 200g raw prawns
• 150g pak choi

Method:

1. Spray a little oil into a pan and gently cook the onion, lemongrass, chilli and curry powder for about 5 minutes, until softened and fragrant.
2. Add the milk, sugar, fish sauce, stock and prawns, then bring to a simmer. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the prawns are just turning pink, then add the pak choi for 1-2 minutes. Serve straight away with extra chillies.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1tbsp light olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 stick each carrot and celery, finely chopped
• 500g mixed mushrooms, finely chopped or blitzed
• 300g Quorn mince
• 2tbsp tomato puree
• 250ml vegetable stock
• 700g passata
  
  
• For the Courgetti
• 4 courgettes, cut into long noodles
• 1tsp olive oil
• fresh basil or fresh oregano, optional
  
  

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a sauté pan or deep frying pan. Gently cook the onion, carrot and celery for 10mins, until softened. Remove to a plate. Turn up the heat and add the mushrooms to the pan and fry until any water has evaporated. Add the Quorn mince, stir, then add back the vegetables, along with the tomato puree, stock and passata. Simmer for 20mins.
2. Add the stock to a pan of boiling water and cook the courgette noodles for 1-2 mins, until just tender. Toss with a little olive oil and divide between 4 serving plates. Top with a generous portion of ragu and serve.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp reduced-salt soya sauce 
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp clear honey 
• 4 sirloin or rump steaks, trimmed of all visible fat, each about 125g
  
  
• For healthy slaw
• 1 large carrot, coarsely grated
• 1 fennel bulb, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• handful of coriander leaves
• juice 1 lime

Method:

1. Mix the soy, vinegar and honey, add the steaks, then marinate for 10-15 mins.
2. Toss together the carrot, fennel, onion and coriander, then chill until ready to serve.
3. Cook the steaks in a griddle pan for a few mins on each side, depending on the thickness and how well done you like them. Set the meat aside to rest on a plate, then add the remaining marinade to the pan. Bubble the marinade until it reduces a little to make a sticky sauce.
4. Dress the salad with the lime juice, then pile onto plates and serve with the steaks. Spoon the sauce over the meat.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp Olive Oil 
• 250g lean lamb fillet, trimmed of any fat and thinly sliced
• 140g shallot, halved
• 2 large courgettes, cut into chunks
• ½ tsp each ground cumin, paprika and ground coriander
• 1 red, 1 orange and 1 green pepper, cut into chunks
• 1 garlic clove, sliced
• 150ml vegetable stock
• 250g cherry tomatoes
• handful coriander leaves, roughly chopped

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan. Cook the lamb and shallots over high heat for 2-3 mins until golden. Add the courgettes and stir-fry for 3-4 mins until beginning to soften
2. Add the spices and toss well, then add the peppers and garlic. Reduce the heat and cook over a moderate heat for 4-5 mins until they start to soften.
3. Pour in the stock and stir to coat. Add the tomatoes, season, then cover with a lid and simmer for 15 mins, stirring occasionally until the veg are tender. Stir through the coriander to serve.

Makes 15

Ingredients:

• soft dates 160g, chopped
• smooth peanut or almond butter 60g
• agave syrup 40g, (use honey for a non-vegan version)
• sunflower seeds 4 tbsp
• chia seeds 4 tbsp
• porridge oats 100g
• roasted peanuts or almonds 50g, roughly chopped

Method:

1. Blitz the dates in a food processor until finely chopped and they’ve come together into a ball/paste. Add 1 tbsp boiling water if they aren’t sticking. Heat the nut butter and honey very gently in a pan until it becomes a smooth, pourable mix.
2. Stir all the remaining ingredients and the dates in a large bowl, then pour over the nut butter and honey mix. Mix really well (kneading with your hands to break up the dates) until everything is evenly distributed.
3. Line a 20cm square tin or container with baking parchment, and tip the mix in. Press the mixture into the sides and pack down with the back of a spoon. Cover and chill for 20 minutes, before cutting into bars. Keep the bars in the fridge or in an airtight container for 3 days, or freeze and thaw overnight at room temperature if you want to keep them longer.

This healthy snack comes adds up to only 157 calories, yet packs a punch of protein and fiber. “Fresh fruits like apples have lots of vitamins and minerals in addition to natural sugars to boost your energy. Half an apple has 63 calories, and one tablespoon of natural peanut butter has 94 calories and 8 grams of fat.

When your salty-crunchy cravings hit, reach for two 100-calorie bags of air-popped popcorn. Microwave popcorn can vary widely, so go for a plain popcorn that’s free of trans fat and low in saturated fat.

Choosing baked, not fried, tortilla chips and make your own fresh salsa to create this healthy snack . Ten tortilla chips have about 120 calories, while a half-cup of homemade salsa contains about 42. A word to the wise: Store-bought salsa can be high in sodium, so read food labels carefully

Serves 5

Ingredients:

• 140g strawberries 
• ½ x 405g can light condensed milk
• 500g tub 0%-fat Greek yogurt

Method:

1. Roughly chop half the strawberries and whizz the rest in a food processor or with a stick blender to a purée.
2. In a big bowl, stir the condensed milk into the puréed strawberries then gently stir in the yogurt until well mixed. Fold through the chopped strawberries.
3. Scrape the mixture into a loaf tin or container, pop on the lid or wrap well in cling film and freeze overnight, until solid. Remove from the freezer about 10-15 mins before you want to serve the frozen yogurt. Can be frozen for up to 1 month.