No need for high fat butter or syrup with these flavourful courgette pancakes with smoked salmon. Pair them with a tossed salad for a heart healthy brunch or light lunch.

Ingredients
2 eggs
1-1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup skim milk
1-1/2 cups self-rising flour
2 oz smoked salmon, chopped
2 large courgette, roughly grated
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill plus sprigs for garnish
black pepper
1/4 cup fat free sour cream for garnish

Preparation
In a large bowl, combine eggs, olive oil and milk, and stir until blended. Add flour and whisk until smooth. Stir in smoked salmon, courgette, dill and pepper (to taste).
Coat a large frying pan with nonstick cooking spray or wipe with a little light olive oil and heat over medium heat.
Pour batter by rounded tablespoonfuls onto skillet and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until bubbles appear on top.
With a spatula, flip pancakes and cook another 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from frying pan and keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter, coating frying pan with nonstick cooking spray/ light olive oil between each batch.

Serve warm garnished with a dollop of creme fraise and dill sprig.

MIDDLE EASTERN BAKED CHICKEN:

There’s plenty of flavor, thanks to the Middle-Eastern-style spices, which add a slight sweetness to the dish. Enjoy this with a green salad, some wholemeal couscous, or brown or red rice .

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

4 5-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dried coriander
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamom
2 garlic cloves, slivered
1 15 ounce can chick peas/garbanzo beans, well rinsed and drained
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup freshly chopped coriander

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken breasts in a glass baking dish large enough to accommodate the chicken in one layer. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Combine spices in a small bowl and sprinkle over chicken, followed by garlic slivers.
Pour can of chickpeas over chicken followed by the tomatoes. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes.

Serves 4

Yummy Quick Greek Style Lunch:

Ingredients:
1/2 (500g) pack wholewheat spaghetti
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 punnet crimini mushrooms (or any other that you might have to hand), sliced
2 small courgettes, sliced
oregano to taste (fresh is better, but dried will do)
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
12 Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
50g (2 oz) feta cheese, crumbled

Method:
Cook spaghetti according to package instructions; drain.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat, and sauté the garlic 2 minutes. Mix in mushrooms and courgette. Season with oregano, salt and pepper. Stir in olives, and cook until heated through. Place pasta in the frying pan, toss to coat, and continue cooking about 2 minutes. Toss with feta cheese to serve.

Chicken Livers

Serves 4

1/2 kg chicken livers washed and cut into cubes
1 big onion sliced
1 tsp paprika
2 tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. mixed spices
3 tbs. oil or butter
1/4 tsp. chilli powder
Salt & pepper

Heat oil or butter in a pan. Add the chicken liver, with spices and fry for 8 - 10 minutes or until brown from all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and leave aside. Using the same oil and pan, fry the onions for a few minutes or until soft. Add the chicken liver, chilli, lemon juice,paprika, spices, salt and pepper to the onion, and cook for a further 5 minutes. Serve with salad and whole meal pitta bread.

Chicory, Stilton and Walnut Salad

Ingredients:
60g Stilton, at room temperature, crumbled
2 tbsp crème fraîche
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 chicory heads
2 celery sticks
180g bag mixed salad leaves the greater the variety the better,
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
60g walnut halves, broken into
large pieces

Method
1. In a small bowl, beat 15g Stilton with the crème fraîche and lemon juice until smooth, and season to taste. Set aside.
2. Rinse the chicory and pat dry. Slice each lengthways into eighths and put in a large salad bowl. Chop the celery into 2mm slices, reserving the tops to garnish. Add to the bowl.
3. Wash the salad leaves and dry thoroughly. Add to the bowl. Toss in the oil, walnuts and remaining cheese and divide between 4 large plates. Spoon over the Stilton dressing and serve. Garnish with the celery tops.