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Wednesday
Pork ‘n’ beans
Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick
Ingredients
½ tsp crushed garlic
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, finely sliced
1 tsp ground coriander
400gm pork fillet, cut in chunks
1 x 400gm tin chopped tomatoes
2 Tblsp tomato paste
1 x 400gm tin mixed beans, rinsed and drained
1 green pepper, chopped
4 naan breads, toasted and cut in fingers
Method
Spray a large pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the onion, garlic and celery for 5 minutes.
Add the coriander and meat.
Cook, stirring, until the meat is sealed and the onion is beginning to brown.
Now add the tomatoes and paste.
Stir well, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the beans and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Serve with the naan fingers.
½ tsp crushed garlic
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, finely sliced
1 tsp ground coriander
400gm pork fillet, cut in chunks
1 x 400gm tin chopped tomatoes
2 Tblsp tomato paste
1 x 400gm tin mixed beans, rinsed and drained
1 green pepper, chopped
4 naan breads, toasted and cut in fingers
Method
Spray a large pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the onion, garlic and celery for 5 minutes.
Add the coriander and meat.
Cook, stirring, until the meat is sealed and the onion is beginning to brown.
Now add the tomatoes and paste.
Stir well, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the beans and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Serve with the naan fingers.
.
Stuffed pork fillet
Serves 4 : Easy : Quickish
Ingredients
400gm pork fillet, trimmed
8 ready-to-eat prunes
8 ready-to-eat apricots
¼ cup port, sherry or brandy (optional)
2 – 3 tsp Dijon mustard
Fresh chopped parsley
Ground black pepper, to taste
1 red onion, cut in segments
400gm baby potatoes
2 large carrots, julienne
1 head broccoli, broken into florets
Method
Soak the apricots and prunes in the port for at least 8 hours.
This step is not essential but just makes the dish a little bit special.
Heat the oven to 200ºC.
Spray an oven-proof dish with non-stick cooking spray.
‘Butterfly’ the pork fillet and place between two sheets of plastic wrap.
Hammer gently to about 1 ½ - 2 times the original width.
Spread the cut side of the fillet with Dijon mustard.
Stack the (soaked) prunes and apricots in pairs down the length of the pork.
Roll the pork to enclose the fruit and place the roll on the prepared oven dish, cut side down.
Press chopped parsley over the top and sides of the roll.
Grind pepper all over the pork.
Place the segmented onion around the pork.
Cover with tin foil and bake for 30 – 35 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before cutting into thick slices.
Meanwhile, boil, steam or microwave the potatoes, carrots and broccoli until tender.
Serve as shown in the photograph.
400gm pork fillet, trimmed
8 ready-to-eat prunes
8 ready-to-eat apricots
¼ cup port, sherry or brandy (optional)
2 – 3 tsp Dijon mustard
Fresh chopped parsley
Ground black pepper, to taste
1 red onion, cut in segments
400gm baby potatoes
2 large carrots, julienne
1 head broccoli, broken into florets
Method
Soak the apricots and prunes in the port for at least 8 hours.
This step is not essential but just makes the dish a little bit special.
Heat the oven to 200ºC.
Spray an oven-proof dish with non-stick cooking spray.
‘Butterfly’ the pork fillet and place between two sheets of plastic wrap.
Hammer gently to about 1 ½ - 2 times the original width.
Spread the cut side of the fillet with Dijon mustard.
Stack the (soaked) prunes and apricots in pairs down the length of the pork.
Roll the pork to enclose the fruit and place the roll on the prepared oven dish, cut side down.
Press chopped parsley over the top and sides of the roll.
Grind pepper all over the pork.
Place the segmented onion around the pork.
Cover with tin foil and bake for 30 – 35 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before cutting into thick slices.
Meanwhile, boil, steam or microwave the potatoes, carrots and broccoli until tender.
Serve as shown in the photograph.
.
Monday
Steak and pea puree
.
Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick
320gm oven chips
6 tomatoes, halved
4 tsp balsamic vinegar
4 cups frozen peas
2 Tblsp chopped mint
12 Tblsp Hellmann’s low fat mayo
400gm lean beef steak (fillet)
4 tsp Dijon mustard
Method
Heat the oven to 220ºC.
Spray two baking trays with non-stick cooking spray.
Place the tomato halves on one baking tray.
Sprinkle the balsamic over the tomatoes.
Spread the oven chips over the second baking tray.
Bake the tomatoes (middle to low shelf) and chips (top shelf) for 30 minutes,
or until the chips are nicely browned.
Boil the peas for 5 minutes.
Drain well.
Add the mint to the peas and blitz to a puree.
Beat in the mayo.
Keep warm.
Spray a ridged pan with non-stick cooking spray and place on the heat.
Spread the mustard over the steak.
Dry fry the steak for 5 minutes each side – or until cooked to your liking.
Allow the steak to rest for 5 minutes, then cut into thick fingers.
Serve the steak fingers on a bed of pea puree, alongside the tomatoes and chips.
.
Bacon & cannellini bean pizza
.
4 rasher lean low fat bacon
4 small naan breads
4-5 tblsp tomato paste
1 red onion, sliced
1 red/green capsicum, sliced
1 x 400gm can cannellini beans,
rinsed and drained
dried oreganum
120gm low fat mozzarella, grated
Method
Loosely wrap the bacon in grease-proof paper and microwave for 2 minutes.
Chop the bacon.
Roughly mash the cannellini beans.
Heat the oven to 200ºC.
Spray a baking tray with non-stick cooking spray.
Spread each naan bread with the tomato paste.
Place the naan breads on the prepared baking tray.
Top with the onion, bacon, beans, capsicum and oreganum.
Scatter over the mozzarella.
Sprinkle generously with oreganum.
Bake for 10 - 15 mins, or until the cheese is golden and the base is crispy.
Serve with a fresh green salad and oil free salad dressing, if desired.
.
Lamb and apricot meatballs
.
Serves 4 : Very easy : Very quick
400gm lean lamb
8 Turkish apricots
2 Tblsp good mint sauce
4 slices brown bread
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 tsp crushed garlic
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1 x 400gm can chopped tomatoes
Pillow pack Woolworth’s beetroot and cranberry leaf salad
1 large carrot, grated
½ cucumber, sliced
4 Tblsp fat free natural yoghurt
4 pitta pockets
Method
Spray a pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the onion, garlic and spices until the onion starts to soften.
Remove ½ the onion mix from the pan and allow it to cool slightly.
Add the chopped tomatoes to the remaining onion.
Simmer gently while you:
Put the lamb into a food processor and pulse until minced.
Add the bread, apricots, mint sauce and cooled onions to the processor bowl.
Pulse again until everything is well combined.
Use a teaspoon to portion and shape the minced mixture into balls.
Gently fry the meatballs and brown all over.
Drop them into the pan of tomato sauce and leave to simmer while you:
Plate up the salad and scatter the grated carrot over the top.
Arrange the cucumber slices to one side of the salad.
Measure the yoghurt into mini-bowls.
Share the meat balls and tomato sauce between the plates.
Serve with the warmed pitta pockets.
.
Thursday
Basil’s bacon pasta
Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick
Ingredients
240gm pasta twirls
1 small onion, thinly sliced
½ punnet button mushrooms, sliced
100gm x-lean bacon, chopped
80gm sugar snap peas, sliced
80gm baby corn, sliced
125gm fat free smooth cottage cheese
125ml skim milk
1 Tblsp cornflour
Handful fresh basil leaves, chopped
Method
Cook the pasta, in plenty of lightly salted boiling water, until al dente.
Drain and set aside.
In a jug, mix the cornflour, milk and cottage cheese.
Set aside.
Spray a large pan with non-stick cooking spray, and place over medium-high heat.
Dry fry the bacon, onion and mushrooms until the onion starts to soften.
Add the sugar snaps and baby corn.
Cover with a lid and simmer for 5 minutes.
Pour the milky mix into the saucepan with the bacon and veg.
Raise the heat and cook, while stirring, until the sauce thickens.
Check the seasoning – you may want to add a little salt and some black pepper.
Tip the pasta and the basil into the sauce and stir well to combine.
Serve with a mixed green salad, if desired.
240gm pasta twirls
1 small onion, thinly sliced
½ punnet button mushrooms, sliced
100gm x-lean bacon, chopped
80gm sugar snap peas, sliced
80gm baby corn, sliced
125gm fat free smooth cottage cheese
125ml skim milk
1 Tblsp cornflour
Handful fresh basil leaves, chopped
Method
Cook the pasta, in plenty of lightly salted boiling water, until al dente.
Drain and set aside.
In a jug, mix the cornflour, milk and cottage cheese.
Set aside.
Spray a large pan with non-stick cooking spray, and place over medium-high heat.
Dry fry the bacon, onion and mushrooms until the onion starts to soften.
Add the sugar snaps and baby corn.
Cover with a lid and simmer for 5 minutes.
Pour the milky mix into the saucepan with the bacon and veg.
Raise the heat and cook, while stirring, until the sauce thickens.
Check the seasoning – you may want to add a little salt and some black pepper.
Tip the pasta and the basil into the sauce and stir well to combine.
Serve with a mixed green salad, if desired.
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