Recipes

QUICK-AND-EASY LUNCHES AND SNACKS

As you know by now, part of any successful training effort takes place in the kitchen. What follows is a selection of recipes that will complement any one of the exercise programmes in this book. It also cancels out any excuses you may have prepared. These simple-to-prepare lunches or snack-type meals are satisfying and make a welcome change to feeling completely helpless in the kitchen. In other words, they are options for all you unadventurous Old Farts who feel that opening a can of tuna is already stretching your culinary borders. Relax! Most only require the ability to open a can and boil an egg, but if boiling an egg is a leap too far, leave it out. Each recipe is designed to serve one (unless otherwise stated), so if you don’t want to, you won’t have to share your meal.

Avo à la Tim

This is one of my favourite lunch or munch meals – simple, quick and well within the capabilities of any Old Fart who can still use a knife and fork. It’s light, satisfying and you can actually feel the healthy goodness of nutrients and oils enriching you with every bite.

  1. Mix together the avocado (I hope you removed the pip and peel, otherwise it might be a bit lumpy!), lemon juice and salt. Spread over the bread, then top with the spring onions and sprouts. Serve with the cucumber, lettuce and tomatoes to complete the meal.

Pilchard and Avo Open Sandwiches

Using the same basic mashed avocado on low-GI bread as in Avo à la Tim (see page 145) this tasty variation has a twist of a pilchard and a tang of chutney for a variation in the taste sensation department.

  1. Mix together the avocado, lemon juice and salt. Spread over the bread, then top with the pilchard and drizzle over the chutney. Serve with a salad of the lettuce, watercress, cucumber, sprouts, tomatoes and dressing on the side.

Baked Beans on Toast

This is a truly challenging meal to prepare. Follow the steps with great care …

  1. Open a can of baked beans without cutting yourself.
  2. Pour the contents into a pot and warm the beans on the stovetop until the beans are hot, OR place the beans in a microwaveable bowl and warm in a microwave on high for 30 seconds.
  3. Place 2 slices of low-GI bread in the toaster and toast; avoid burning yourself when taking the bread out of the toaster.
  4. Spread a Scottish amount of margarine on the toast.
  5. Spoon the hot baked beans onto the toast and add salt to taste.
  6. Eat.
  7. Sleep in the lounge if you have a partner.

Bombay Beans

Baked beans on toast can be very boring. I mean, it is easy but any Old Fart worth his beans likes variety. Here is a bean recipe that proves that variety is the spice of life, especially when it comes to beans. I know Bombay’s new name is Mumbai but ‘Bombay’ sounds better with ‘bean’, more explosive, especially if you like them really hot.

  1. Heat the oil in a saucepan, then sauté the onion and apple. Stir in the curry powder and cook for 1 minute. Mix the vegetable stock powder with the boiling water, add to the saucepan and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the beans and boil until the sauce has thickened.
  2. Sprinkle the parsley or herbs over the beans and serve on toasted low-GI bread or even a baked potato.

Grilled Cheese and Tomato on Low-GI Bread

For all Old Farts who need a map to find the kitchen, you will need the assistance of someone who knows how to turn on the oven grill before attempting the assembly of this snack. Personally, I like to fry the tomato slices separately in a frying pan and then add them to the top of the grilled cheese, but you can grill them in the oven under the cheese if you prefer.

  1. Other than the ability to slice cheese (use low-fat Edam or Gouda for best results), you will not be technically challenged by this lunchtime snack. Place slices of cheese and tomato on a slice of low-GI bread then grill in the oven until the cheese has melted. You might like to add a teaspoon of lite (low-fat) chutney after grilling.
  2. On its own this grilled sandwich makes an ideal snack, but add a simple salad or cup of soup, and it becomes a full lunch or supper. All in all, it beats the heck out of plain cheese on bread.

Old Faithful

This is a staple for Old Farts who have not worked out how to turn on the oven.

  1. On a bed of crisp lettuce and low-GI bread (spread with margarine), add tuna, mayo and a hard-boiled egg topped with a slice of fresh tomato and a spring onion.
  2. At a push, you could add a cup of instant vegetable soup for a complete meal. Remember to use only lite mayonnaise in the mix. For those Old Farts who think I’ve lost my spelling marbles as well as weight, ‘lite’ is a term used by food companies to indicate products that contain fewer kilojoules than the standard product.

Egg Salad Open Sandwiches

This is amazingly tasty and satisfying for such a simple, old fashioned lunch that went out of style along with cucumber sandwiches and picnics on a long car trip to the coast. However, being an old-fashioned Old Fart myself, this has now become a regular part of my culinary repetoire. For those of you who like simple and tasty and don’t think that everything from the past is bad, it’s bound to become a firm favourite for you, too. For all the Old Farts who have a cholesterol problem, remove the egg yolks first and give them to your dog. Your dog will love you and so will your arteries.

  1. Arrange the egg slices on the toast, top with the mayonnaise and tomato. Serve with a salad of lettuce, cucumber, sprouts and spring onion.

Kidney Bean Salad

High in protein and full of all the nutrients you need to keep you going (not to mention all the fibre you need to keep you going) …

  1. Dice the egg. Add the beans to a bowl then mix with the mayonnaise and egg. Scoop half the egg and bean mix onto a bed of the salad. If you like add the cottage cheese on the side for extra flavour. Serve with the Provita biscuits.
  2. Put the rest of the egg and bean mix in the fridge for another day or share it with your wife. Even I can fix this!

The Basic Salad

  1. Start with a selection of greens, e.g. lettuce (various types), baby spinach, basil, rocket and watercress.
  2. Add ‘substantials’ such as cucumber and sprouts.
  3. And anything else you like in the salad line, for instance chopped carrot, celery, radish, beetroot, even avocado.
  4. Throw it all into a large bowl and mix, before adding the naming ingredient that will change the dish from an ordinary salad into … say a cheese salad.
  5. Simply take three types of low-fat cheese – Edam, Gouda, Mozzarella – or even a reduced-fat Camembert, which you cut into thumb-nail sized cubes and toss into the salad.
  6. Add a light vinaigrette dressing.
  7. Hey presto! A cheese salad is born. The alternatives are endless …
  8. If you substitute the naming ingredient, you change the name of the salad. This way you can fool everyone into thinking you know what you are doing when it comes to salad. So, simply by substituting sliced grilled chicken breast for cheese, you have miraculously created a chicken salad.
  9. Stun your family with a tasty smoked salmon salad (that’s right, the basic plus smoked salmon). Enjoy their amazement when you produce a sardine and calamari salad (the basic plus a can of sardines and a packet of cooked calamari, get it?). Leave them speechless with your Sunday salad surprise (the basic salad plus any leftovers you can find in the fridge. If you chop them up small enough and add a tablespoon of lite mayonnaise to the mix, no one will know.)
  10. Basically, that’s it.

MAIN MEALS

I personally watched each and every recipe in this book being prepared and cooked by my wife, Cathy. On the odd occasion I even helped in some small way, like chopping up an onion or taking out the garbage. When we were compiling the recipes Cathy said, ‘… even you could have cooked this.’ So there you have it, if I could do it so can you. Now get cooking.

Mustard-glazed Baked Salmon

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 200 °C. Spray a baking tray with the oil.
  2. In a bowl, combine the low-oil mayonnaise, mustard, dill, lemon juice and sugar to make a glaze. Place the salmon on the prepared tray and spread the glaze mixture over the fish. Bake for 15 minutes, or until done. Season to taste and serve with boiled baby potatoes and green vegetables of your choice.

Serves 4

Baked Fish Fillets

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 °C. Grease an ovenproof dish with half the oil.
  2. Arrange the fish fillets in the prepared dish, then spoon the remaining oil over them. Season with the salt and paprika. Sprinkle the soy sauce, followed by the onion, parsley and almonds or sunflower seeds over each fillet. Bake for 25 minutes.
  3. Serve with baked potatoes and your choice of green vegetables.

Serves 4

Cliffie’s Baked Salmon

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 200 °C.
  2. Place the salmon in an ovenproof dish. Combine the lemon juice, white wine, chives, salt and pepper, then pour over the salmon. Bake for 15 minutes.
  3. In a saucepan, bring the vegetable stock to the boil. Add the rice and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to steam for 5 minutes. Sauté the mushrooms in the olive oil. Drain the rice and stir through the mushrooms.
  4. In another saucepan, cook the tomatoes, green pepper and garlic over a medium heat until soft. Add the baby marrows and cook for 3 minutes.
  5. Serve while hot.

Serves 2

Mussel and Baby Marrow Spaghetti

  1. In a saucepan, cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water until al dente.
  2. Heat the oil in another saucepan and sauté the garlic and red pepper for 2 minutes. Add the mussels and wine, cover and cook for 2–3 minutes. Discard any mussel that does not open.
  3. Add the marrows and tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Toss in the spaghetti and serve garnished with the parsley.

Serves 4

Cliffie’s Fish Curry

  1. In a large saucepan or wok, dry-fry the onion and garlic until soft. Stir in the tomatoes, wine and stock, and bring to the boil. Add the potatoes, carrots, spices and seasoning, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
  2. Add the fish, prawns and chickpeas, then simmer for another 10 minutes. If the sauce needs thickening, mix the cornflour with a little water into a paste and stir into the curry. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the yoghurt.
  3. Serve with basmati rice and a cucumber salad.

Serves 4

Cederberg Citrus Fish Braai

  1. Scale, gut and clean the fish, leaving the head and tail in place.
  2. Cut 4 slices into each side of the fish, evenly distributed between the head and tail. Alternately stuff a wedge of orange and lemon into the slices. Sprinkle both sides of the fish liberally with sea salt.
  3. Chop up the remaining lemon and orange wedges and mix with the onion, then stuff the mixture into the fish cavity.
  4. Paint the shiny side of aluminium foil with olive oil and wrap the fish in the foil, sealing completely. Place on the grill and braai approximately 10 minutes on each side.
  5. Serve with potatoes baked on the braai and your favourite salad.

Serves 4–6

Prawn Pasta

  1. In a saucepan, cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente.
  2. In a large frying pan, heat the oil, add the prawns and red pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, wine, lemon juice and salt, then cook for 1 minute. Finally, add the spinach and parsley and cook for another 1 minute.
  3. Pour the prawn mixture over the pasta, sprinkle the Parmesan over the top and serve.

Serves 4

Chicken with Curried Couscous

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 °C.
  2. Place the chicken breasts in a dish (with a lid) and season with lemon juice. Cover and bake for 30–35 minutes.
  3. In the meanwhile, heat half the oil in saucepan or wok on medium heat. Sauté the onion, add the large tomato or cherry tomatoes and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the stock, curry powder, cinnamon and salt, then bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and add the couscous. Cover the saucepan and leave it to stand for 10 minutes.
  4. Heat the remaining oil in a small frying pan, add the sunflower seeds and scallions and sauté until brown. Set aside.
  5. Fluff up the couscous with a fork. Slice the chicken and place on top of the couscous. Garnish with the sunflower seeds and scallions, then serve with vegetables of your choice.

Serves 2

Herbed Chicken and Vegetables

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 200 °C.
  2. Toss the sweet potatoes in the oil and arrange in a rectangular ovenproof dish. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 180 °C. Add the chicken breasts, tomatoes, green beans, corn, onion, celery, wine, lemon juice, herbs, stock and salt and pepper. Cover and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for a further 10 minutes.
  3. Serve with herb couscous or brown rice.

Serves 4

Sticky Chicken Wings with Asparagus and Sweet Potatoes

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 200 °C.
  2. Combine the soy sauce, honey, lemon juice and garlic, then spread half the mixture over the chicken.
  3. Toss the sweet potatoes in the oil in an ovenproof dish and roast with the chicken for 20 minutes. Turn the chicken and spread the remaining sauce mixture over the chicken. Roast for another 15 minutes.
  4. Add the asparagus to the dish and roast all for a further 5–10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Serves 2

Crumbed Roast Chicken with Rice

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 °C.
  2. Rub the chicken with the salt and pepper. Mix together the curry powder or barbeque spice and yoghurt. Cover the chicken in the mixture then roll in the bread crumbs. Arrange in an ovenproof dish and bake for 45–50 minutes.
  3. Cook the rice in water with the vegetable stock, tomato and onion.
  4. Serve with a fresh basil salad with vinaigrette.

Serves 4

Chicken and Sweet Potato Stir-fry

  1. Cook the quinoa or couscous in a cup of boiling water for 12–15 minutes, then drain.
  2. Boil the sweet potato in water for 3–4 minutes, then drain.
  3. In a large wok or frying pan, sauté the chicken pieces in 2 teaspoons of the oil until brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  4. Add the remaining oil to the same pan and sauté the onion and chilli for 1 minute, then add the garlic, green pepper and cumin and cook for 2–3 minutes. Stir in the peas, chicken and sweet potato and cook for 3 minutes. Finally, add the quinoa or couscous, salt and paprika. Cook for 1 minute and serve.

Serves 4

Chicken and Pea Curry

  1. Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onion, red pepper, garlic and chicken and cook for approximately 5 minutes. Add the sweet potato, carrot, ginger, curry powder and salt, then cook for a further 4 minutes.
  2. Finally, add the peas, coconut milk and water. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the lime or lemon juice.
  3. Serve on a bed of basmati rice.

Serves 4

Ostrich Chilli

  1. In a wok or large frying pan, sauté the garlic, onion and green pepper in half of the olive oil. Remove from heat and set aside.
  2. Brown the ostrich mince in the remaining oil. Stir in the salt, cumin, paprika and chilli powder or peri peri. Cook for 1 minute. Add the green pepper mixture, the tomatoes (with the juice), tomato sauce, stock and liquid from both types of beans. Cook for 15 minutes.
  3. Add all the beans and cook until the sauce is the desired consistency, then serve with a slice of low-GI bread.

Serves 4

Ostrich Burgers

  1. Mix together the mince, onion, parsley, marjoram, mustard and salt and pepper. Divide the mixture into three and shape into burger patties.
  2. Spray a baking tray with olive oil, place the patties and grill for 20 minutes at 200 °C, turning once.
  3. Serve on rolls with any, or all, of the serving ingredients. As a variation, place cheese slices on top of the patties for the last minute of grilling so that they melt on the burgers. Serve with a salad of your choice, e.g. a traditional three-bean salad.

Serves 3

Ostrich and Lentil Breyani

  1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onion, garlic and spices. Add the mince and cook until browned. Mix in the lentils, salt, lemon juice, tomato sauce and stock, then simmer for 45 minutes until the liquid has thickened.
  2. In the meanwhile, boil the rice with the turmeric in a covered saucepan for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, leave to stand, covered, for a further 5 minutes, then drain.
  3. Mix the rice into the lentil mixture and serve.

Serves 4

Ostrich Bobotie

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 °C. Spray an ovenproof dish with cooking spray.
  2. Sauté the onion in the oil, stir in the curry powder and cook for 1 minute. Add the mince, salt, sugar and vinegar. Mix well and cook until brown. Remove from the heat.
  3. Soak the break in the milk, then drain, reserving the milk. Mash the bread with a fork and add to the mince mixture with the chutney, sultanas or raisins and half of the beaten egg. Mix well.
  4. Turn all into the prepared dish and smooth the top. Mix the remaining egg with the reserved milk, season with salt and stir in the half a teaspoon of sugar. Pour over the mince mixture and sprinkle some nutmeg over the top. Stand the dish in a roasting pan half-filled with hot water and bake for 40–50 minutes.
  5. Serve with yellow rice (add 2 teaspoons of tumeric to the cooking water), but use a healthier unpolished brown rice, rather than a traditional white rice.

Serves 2

Ostrich Spaghetti Bolognese

  1. In a saucepan or wok, heat the 2 teaspoons of oil, then sauté the onion, green pepper and garlic until the onion is transparent. Add the mushrooms and brown, then remove from the saucepan and set aside.
  2. To the same saucepan, add another teaspoon of oil and brown the mince. Add the onion mixture, tomatoes, cumin, tomato sauce, salt and pepper and stock. Cook until the sauce has reduced to your preferred consistency.
  3. While the sauce is cooking, cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water until al dente. Pour the sauce over the spaghetti and serve with a side salad.

Serves 4

Venison Potjie

This recipe requires some preparation. If braaing in a potjie pot, heat the pot first, but if cooking on a stove top, remember to use a large pot.

  1. Heat half the oil in the pot. Sauté the pickled onions until brown, then remove and set aside. Sauté the mushrooms in the same pot, then remove and set aside.
  2. Dust the venison with the flour. In the same pot, heat the remaining oil and brown the venison on all sides. Remove from the pot and set aside.
  3. In the same pot, fry the bacon for 1 min, then add the carrots and celery and cook for 3 minutes. Return the venision to the pot, along with the herbs and spices and mix well. Arrange the potatoes in a layer over the meat mixture, followed by the onions and mushrooms on top. Pour the wine and stock over and bring all to the boil. Cover, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 11⁄2 hours, unless using ostrich, in which case cook for 1 hour.
  4. This dish is ideal on its own or served with pumpkin, butternut or gem squash.

Serves 4

KZN Midlands Vegetable Dahl

  1. In a saucepan, cover the lentils with the water and boil for 40 minutes, then drain.
  2. In the meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onions, garlic and spices for 2–3 minutes. Stir in the chopped vegetables and stir-fry for 5 minutes. Add the stock and salt, and cook for a further 2 minutes. Finally, add the lentils and coconut milk and allow to boil down to a thick consistency.
  3. Serve on a bed of brown rice.

Serves 4

Cabbage Rolls

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 °C.
  2. Cook the rice for 20 minutes then let it steam for an extra 5 minutes. Drain.
  3. Sauté the onions in the oil, add the mince and brown. Remove from the heat. Mix in the celery, cooked rice, horseradish sauce, mustard and egg. Set aside.
  4. Boil the cabbage leaves in salted water for 3 minutes then drain.
  5. Spoon some of the meat mixture into the centre of each cabbage leaf, fold the sides to form a parcel and secure with a toothpick. Place in an ovenproof dish, toothpick-side down.
  6. Mix the tomato purée and water then pour over the cabbage rolls. Bake for 30 minutes, then arrange in a serving dish and reserve the leftover tomato liquid.
  7. Combine the yoghurt or sour cream) with the leftover tomato liquid in the ovenproof dish and pour over the cabbage rolls. Serve with a yellow vegetable of your choice.

Serves 6

HINT: To make your own reduced-fat sour cream, mix 2 tablespoons of lemon juice with reduced-fat cream.