EATING FOR A HEALTHY HEART
Main meals
Many of the traditional dishes you cook can be easily adapted to come into
line with the current healthy eating recommendations, as our recipe for
Shepherd's Pie shows.
How many of your own favourite recipes can you adapt?
You may also wish to try out some new dishes which have been included to
tempt your appetite and help contribute to a healthy balanced diet.
Soups
A good soup can make a nutritious meal. By preparing your own you can get
real taste which suits you. It is also quick and easy to do. Alternatively, if
using bought soups, try adding potatoes, pasta, rice or beans and extra
vegetables to make a main course, rather than a starter.
Use this recipe for a soup base and flavour it with one of the ideas shown
on the next page, or make you own variations.
Soup Base
15g (1/2oz) Flora sunflower spread
1 large onion, chopped
225g (1/21b) potatoes, peeled and diced
275ml (1/2 pint) skimmed milk
575ml (1 pint) chicken, beef or vegetable stock
Chosen flavour
Melt Flora sunflower spread and cook the onion until soft but not brown.
(Add ingredients from chosen flavour.) Add all other ingredients and cook for
15-20 minutes until vegetables are tender. Liquidise or sieve unless stated
otherwise. Add extra milk, stock or water if you prefer a thinner soup.
Soup Flavours
Carrot and Orange
450g (1lb) carrots, peeled and chopped
Grated rind and juice of 2 oranges
Leek and Potato
450g (1lb) leeks, lightly trimmed, chopped and washed
Minestrone
450g (1lb) assorted vegetables, including peas, diced carrots, chopped tomatoes
and shredded cabbage
Do not liquidise.
Chicken and Sweetcorn
Make soup base, liquidise or sieve and then add
125g (4oz) skinned cooked chicken, diced
125-175g (4-6oz) sweetcorn. Re-heat.
Tomato
1 X 400g (14oz) can tomatoes or 450g (llb) fresh tomatoes, skinned
1 X 5ml spoon (1 tsp) sugar, or pinch mixed herbs
1 X 15ml spoon (1 tbsp) tomato puree
Serves 4
Main Courses
Chicken with Lemon and Herbs
An easy way to produce a low fat chicken dish with lots of taste.
4 chicken portions, skinned
2 X 15ml spoons (2 tbsps) fresh, or 2 X 5ml (2 tsps) dried chopped herbs -
sage, marjoram, chives
150ml (1/4pt) chicken stock
Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper
Parsley, to garnish (optional)
Score the chicken, place in ovenproof dish, sprinkle over herbs, pour over
stock, lemon juice and rind. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil or a
lid.
Bake in pre-heated oven 150°C, 350°F, Gas No 4 for 45 minutes to 1
hour until cooked, basting 2 or 3 times.
Alternatively, sprinkle with the stock, herbs and lemon juice, place under
pre-heated medium grill for 20-25 minutes, basting frequently and turning once.
Serve garnished with parsley.
Serves 4
Bean Goulash
This tempting vegetarian dish provides plenty of fibre and has very little
saturated fat.
4 X 15ml spoons (4 tbsps) Flora oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
450g (llb) onions, peeled and sliced
2 large green peppers, sliced
350g (12oz) courgettes, sliced
1 X 400g (14oz) can kidney, baked or other beans
1 X 800g (llb 12oz) can tomatoes in juice
2-3 X 15ml spoons (2-3 tbsps) tomato puree
1 X 175g (6oz) can sweetcorn, drained
1 X 15ml spoon (1 tbsp) paprika
Salt and pepper
Plain yogurt to serve (optional)
Heat Flora oil and cook onion and garlic until soft. Add green pepper and
cook for 2 minutes. Stir in courgettes and cook for a further 2 minutes. Drain
and rinse beans, stir in with remaining ingredients, except yogurt. Season to
taste. Simmer mixture uncovered for about 15 minutes until vegetables are soft.
Serve piping hot, with plain yogurt, if liked, and green salad.
Serves 4-5
Fish Bake
This tasty low fat recipe using fish makes a very nutritious meal.
450g (1lb) cod, haddock or other white fish, skinned and boned
425ml (1/4 pint) skimmed milk
Bayleaf
1 onion, peeled and chopped
25g (loz) Flora sunflower spread
25g (loz) plain flour
2 X 15ml spoons (2 tbsps) parsley, chopped
50g (2oz) mushrooms, sliced
2 sticks celery, finely diced
Topping
450g (1lb) potatoes, roughly diced and boiled for 2-3 minutes
50g (2oz) Edam cheese or Cheddar alternative made with sunflower oil,
grated
2 x 15ml spoons (2 tbsps) wholemeal breadcrumbs.
Poach fish in milk with bayleaf and onion for 8-10 minutes. Strain milk into
saucepan; add Flora sunflower spread and flour, bring to the boil whisking
continuously and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add flaked fish, parsley, mushrooms and
celery and mix carefully together. Place in ovenproof dish. Pile potato on top
of fish mixture and sprinkle with cheese and breadcrumbs. Place in pre-heated
oven 190'C, 375'F, Gas No 5 for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
Serve with a green vegetable such as broccoli, peas, beans or broad beans.
Serves 4
Chilli con Carne
This recipe uses a small quantity of lean meat and a lot of vegetables to
reduce saturated fat and increase fibre content. An economical way to make a
main meal.
25g (1oz),Flora sunflower spread
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
Half a green pepper, chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
125g (4oz) carrots, peeled and chopped
350g (12oz) lean, raw minced beef
1 X 213g (8oz) can tomatoes
8 prunes soaked overnight, stoned and chopped (optional)
275ml (1/2 pint) stock or water
1 X 2.5ml spoon (1/2 tsp) Worcestershire sauce
1 x 15ml spoon (1 level tbsp) chilli powder
1 x 15ml spoon (1 tbsp) tomato puree
1 x 40Og (14oz) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Chopped parsley, to garnish (optional)
Melt Flora sunflower spread and cook onion, pepper, celery, garlic and
carrot for 10 minutes. Add meat and cook a further 5 minutes, then add all
remaining ingredients except kidney beans and parsley. Cover and cook over
gentle heat for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more water if
necessary. When meat and vegetables are cooked, add kidney beans, return to the
boil and simmer a few minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley, and serve with
brown or long grain white rice.
Serves 4-5
Variations
Shepherd's Pie
Omit chilli powder, turn mixture into ovenproof dish, cover with 450g (1 lb)
potatoes cooked and mashed with a little skimmed milk and knob of Flora
sunflower spread. Cook in pre-heated oven 190°C, 375°F, Gas No 5 for
15-20 minutes.
Spaghetti Bolognaise
Omit chilli powder. Serve with 350g (12oz) Wholewheat or plain spaghetti
cooked according to instructions, Add 1 x 5ml spoon (1 tsp)Flora oil to water
while cooking. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.
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