Posts Tagged ‘depression and diet’

Roast Squash with Feta, Pumpkin Seeds and Sprouting Broccoli

Thursday, March 28th, 2013

Roast squash with feta, pumpkin seeds and sprouting broccoli. If not feta fan try goats cheese.

Perfect served with grilled meat or oily fish!

Serves 4

1 large butternut squash
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp cumin seeds
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
200g purple sprouting broccoli
100g pumpkin seeds - toasted
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
400g feta cheese

Preheat oven to 200c / 400 f/ gas 6
Peel and cut squash into wedges or large chunks, then toss in the olive oil, chilli, cumin seeds and salt & pepper
Transfer to a roasting tin and roast in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes or until slightly golden and cooked through
Meanwhile, blanch the broccoli in salted boiling water for about 4 minutes, or until al dente. Once cooked toss with the squash and pumpkin seeds.
Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and the feta crumbled over the top.

Mushroom and Tomato Frittata - 10 minutes

Friday, March 22nd, 2013

1 tablespoon Olive oil
More or less 75g (2.5 oz) mushrooms sliced
4 eggs
2 Tablespoons natural yogurt
freshly ground black pepper
1-2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 medium tomatoes chopped

Heat the olive oil in an omelette pan, add mushrooms and soften over gentle heat.
In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs and add yogurt, pepper and parsley. Gently stir in chopped tomatoes and mix well.

Pour mixture over mushrooms in pan, spreading evenly to cover base. Cook over a gentle heat until bottom of omelette is firm.

Either slide pan under a hot grill to cook top, or tip omelette onto a plate (carefully) and then place back into pan to cook other side.

Divide frittata in two and serve with wholemeal bread.

PESTOS -useful for any meal

Friday, March 22nd, 2013

Pesto is a wonderful easy way to add flavour to other dishes. Here are a few variations to use as a sauce for grilled fish, as a marinade, as a dip, as a stir in to wholemeal pasta, spread over chicken breasts etc.

WALNUT & BASIL PESTO

30g (1OZ) walnuts
handful basil
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
a drizzle of walnut oil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blitz until thick paste. Add more oil if too thick.

REGULAR ITALIAN PESTO:
2 bunches basil leaves
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
4oz grated parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

In food processor, blitz the garlic and nuts until finely chopped and gritty, but not paste
By hand, chop basil finely, and in a bowl mix with the nuts & garlic, parmesan cheese and salt
Stir in the oil adding just enough to make a smooth mixture. All ingredients should be identifiable, as the pesto should not resemble mayonnaise.

You could make pesto with parsley, coriander (leaf type), almonds or hazelnuts

Asparagus and Zucchini Frittata

Friday, March 22nd, 2013
SERVES 8 - so lots for lunch box or breakfast tomorrow too.

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray
12 ounces fresh asparagus
1 small yellow sweet pepper, cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips
1/2 of a small zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 1/2 cup)
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped bottled roasted red sweet peppers, drained
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese (2 ounces)
8 eggs
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1 tablespoon snipped fresh dill or 1/2 teaspoon dried
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoonsall-purpose flour
3 to 4 tablespoonsfinely shredded Parmesan cheese
Fresh dill sprigs (optional)
A pinch of dried chilli (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 2-quart rectangular baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
2. If using fresh asparagus, snap off and discard woody bases. If desired, scrape off scales. Cut into 1-inch-long pieces.
3. In a large saucepan, bring about 1 inch water to boiling. Add asparagus, yellow sweet pepper strips, zucchini, and onion. Return just to boiling; reduce heat slightly. Cover and boil about 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain well. Stir in roasted red sweet peppers. Spread asparagus-pepper mixture evenly in baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella cheese.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together egg product, milk, snipped or dried dill, salt, black pepper and optional pinch of dried chilli until well mixed. Whisk in flour, making sure it is completely combined. Pour over vegetables in baking dish. Bake, uncovered, about 35 minutes or until slightly puffed and top shakes set. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. If desired, garnish individual servings with dill sprigs.

Middle Eastern Baked Chicken

Friday, March 15th, 2013
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