All these dishes make delicious accompaniments to the main courses in this book. They are also a wonderful way of turning a simple grilled steak, chicken breast or fish fillet into a gourmet meal.
Savoury Potato Cake
Serves 4
very low saturated fat – no cholesterol – fairly high fibre
450 g/1 lb potatoes, scrubbed and grated
1 small onion, grated
A pinch of salt
Freshly ground black pepper
15 ml/1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 Squeeze the grated potato to remove excess moisture. Mix with the grated onion and season with the salt and lots of pepper.
2 Heat half the oil in a medium non-stick frying pan (skillet).
3 Add the potato mixture and press down well. Cover with a lid and cook over a moderate heat for 30 minutes until tender and the base is golden brown.
4 Loosen the potato cake with a spatula. Turn out on to a plate.
5 Heat the remaining oil in the pan, slide the potato cake back in and cook for a further 5–10 minutes over a fairly high heat until browned on the base. Slide out on to a plate and serve cut into wedges.
Jacket-baked Potatoes with Yoghurt and Chives
Serves 4
very low saturated fat – very low cholesterol – high fibre
You can cook these in a high or low oven to suit what else you are cooking. Simply adjust the cooking time accordingly. If your main course is not going to take as long as the potatoes, pop them in the oven before starting to prepare the rest of the meal.
4 fairly large potatoes, scrubbed
5 ml/1 tsp olive oil
90 ml/6 tbsp low-fat plain yoghurt
30 ml/2 tbsp snipped chives
A pinch of salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Paprika for dusting
1 Prick the potatoes all over. Brush with oil.
2 Place on a baking (cookie) sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 180ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4 for about 1½ hours or until really tender when squeezed. Alternatively, bake in the microwave according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
3 Meanwhile, mix the yoghurt with the chives and season with the salt and some pepper. Chill until ready to serve.
4 When the potatoes are cooked, make a cross-cut in the top of each potato and squeeze gently on either side to open up slightly. Transfer to serving plates, spoon the yoghurt and chive mixture over and dust with paprika before serving. Don’t forget to eat the skins!
Pan-scalloped Potatoes
Serves 4
Very low saturated fat – very low cholesterol – high fibre
450 g/1 lb potatoes, thickly sliced
15 g/½ oz/1 tbsp sunflower or olive oil spread
A pinch of salt
Freshly ground black pepper
30 ml/2 tbsp chopped parsley
150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup skimmed milk
1 Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water for 3 minutes. Drain.
2 Grease a flameproof casserole (Dutch oven) with the spread. Lay the potatoes in the casserole, seasoning each layer and sprinkling with parsley.
3 Pour over the milk. Cover with the lid and cook over a very gentle heat for about 40 minutes until cooked through. Serve straight from the pan.
Fluffy Mashed Potatoes
Serves 4
very low saturated fat – almost no cholesterol – low fibre
450 g/1 lb potatoes
Salt
15 g/½ oz/1 tbsp sunflower or olive oil spread
A pinch of ground nutmeg
Freshly ground black pepper
30 ml/2 tbsp skimmed milk
1 Peel the potatoes and cut into even-sized pieces.
2 Cook in boiling, lightly salted water until tender. Drain thoroughly.
3 Add the spread, nutmeg, some pepper and the milk. Using an electric beater, beat the mixture thoroughly until smooth and fluffy. Serve straight away.
Seeded Roast Potatoes
Serves 4
very low saturated fat – no cholesterol – high fibre
4 fairly large potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
15 ml/1 tbsp sunflower or olive oil
15 ml/1 tbsp sesame seeds
15 ml/1 tbsp poppy seeds
A pinch of salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Put the potatoes in a small roasting tin (pan). Add the oil and toss gently until each piece is coated.
2 Sprinkle with the seeds and a pinch of salt.
3 Bake towards the top of a preheated oven at 200ºC/400ºF/gas mark 6 for about 1 hour or until golden and cooked through. Sprinkle with pepper and serve hot.
Yellow Rice with Bay Leaves
Serves 4
almost no saturated fat – no cholesterol – high fibre
75 g/3 oz/1/3 cup brown long-grain rice
75 g/3 oz/1/3 cup basmati rice
10 ml/2 tsp turmeric
1 vegetable stock cube, crumbled
1 large bay leaf, torn in half
Freshly ground black pepper
1 yellow (bell) pepper, finely chopped
1 Rinse the brown rice thoroughly, drain well and place in a large non-stick saucepan. Cover with boiling water. Bring back to the boil, cover and cook over a moderate heat for 15 minutes.
2 Meanwhile, rinse the basmati rice and drain well. Add to the brown rice and, again, just cover with boiling water. Stir in the remaining ingredients, cover and cook for a further 10 minutes or until both types of rice are just tender, topping up with a little more boiling water, if necessary.
3 Remove the lid and boil rapidly, if necessary, to remove any excess liquid and serve hot as a moist risotto. Alternatively, to make a pilau, turn the cooked rice into a colander, rinse thoroughly with boiling water, drain and fluff up with a fork. Discard the bay leaf before serving.
Perfect Brown Rice
Serves 4–6
almost no saturated fat – no cholesterol – high fibre
225 g/8 oz/1 cup brown long-grain rice
300 ml/½ pt/1¼ cups water
A pinch of salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Paprika, to garnish
1 Rinse the rice thoroughly and drain well.
2 Put the water in a non-stick saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the rice, stir well, reduce the heat, cover and simmer very gently for 30 minutes.
3 Season well with the salt and lots of pepper and fluff up with a fork. Serve sprinkled with a fine dusting of paprika.
Almond Wild Rice
Serves 4
almost no saturated fat – no cholesterol – high fibre
175 g/6 oz/¾ cup wild rice mix
50 g/2 oz frozen peas
45 ml/3 tbsp flaked (slivered) almonds
30 ml/2 tbsp currants
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Cook the rice according to the packet directions, adding the peas for the last 5 minutes’ cooking time. Drain thoroughly.
2 Meanwhile, dry-fry the almonds in a non-stick frying pan (skillet) until golden, stirring all the time to prevent burning. Remove from the pan as soon as they are brown.
3 Add to the rice with the currants and season well with pepper. Toss and serve.
Broccoli and Sesame Seed Noodles
Serves 4
very low saturated fat – no cholesterol – high fibre
225 g/8 oz wholewheat tagliatelle
175 g/6 oz broccoli, cut into tiny florets
45 ml/3 tbsp sesame seeds
15 ml/1 tbsp olive or sesame oil
1 Cook the tagliatelle according to the packet directions, adding the broccoli for the last 4 minutes of cooking time. Drain and return to the saucepan.
2 Meanwhile, dry-fry the sesame seeds in a non-stick frying pan (skillet) until golden.
3 Add to the pasta with the oil, toss and serve.
Tomato Spaghetti
Serves 4
almost No saturated fat – no cholesterol – high fibre
225 g/8 oz wholewheat spaghetti
300 ml/½ pt/1¼ cups passata (sieved tomatoes)
30 ml/2 tbsp chopped basil
Freshly ground black pepper
A few basil leaves, to garnish
1 Cook the spaghetti according to the packet directions. Drain and return to the saucepan.
2 Add the passata, basil and some pepper and toss over a gentle heat until hot through.
3 Serve straight away, garnished with a few extra basil leaves.
West Country Carrots
Serves 4
no saturated fat – no cholesterol – some fibre
450 g/1 lb carrots, cut into matchsticks
300 ml/½ pt/1¼ cups medium cider
15 ml/1 tbsp clear honey
A pinch of salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Put the carrots in a saucepan with the cider, honey and salt.
2 Bring to the boil, cover, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes until the carrots are just tender and the liquid has evaporated, removing the lid for the last 3 minutes of cooking time.
3 Add a good grinding of pepper and serve hot.
Courgettes à la Provençale
Serves 4
very low saturated fat – no cholesterol
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
15 ml/1 tbsp sunflower or olive oil
400 g/14 oz/1 large can of chopped tomatoes
4 courgettes (zucchini), sliced
2.5 ml/½ tsp dried mixed herbs
A pinch of salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Fry (sauté) the onion and garlic in the oil in a saucepan for 2 minutes, stirring.
2 Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the courgettes are just tender and bathed in a rich tomato sauce.
3 Taste and re-season, if necessary.
Caraway Cabbage
Serves 4
almost no saturated fat – no cholesterol – high fibre
150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup chicken or vegetable stock, made with ½ stock cube
450 g/1 lb green cabbage, very finely shredded
15 ml/1 tbsp caraway seeds
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Put the stock in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
2 Add the cabbage and stir well.
3 Cover tightly and boil for 5 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the cabbage is still bright green and just tender but has some ‘bite’.
4 Season with the caraway seeds and pepper and serve straight away.
Citrus Chinese Leaf Salad
Serves 4
very low saturated fat – no cholesterol – some fibre
½ small head of Chinese leaves (stem lettuce)
1 pink grapefruit
2 oranges
15 ml/1 tbsp olive or sunflower oil
A few drops of reduced-salt soy sauce
10 ml/2 tsp lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper
15 ml/1 tbsp snipped chives, to garnish
1 Cut the Chinese leaves into chunks and place in a shallow dish.
2 Holding the fruit over a bowl to catch the juice, cut off all the skin and pith from the grapefruit and oranges. Cut the grapefruit in segments away from the sides of each membrane. Lay the fruit over the Chinese leaves. Squeeze the membranes over the bowl to catch any remaining juice. Slice the oranges and cut the slices into halves, if liked. Arrange over the leaves.
3 Add the oil, soy sauce and lemon juice to the juices in the bowl and whisk well. Season with pepper.
4 Drizzle over the salad and sprinkle with chives before serving.
Dressed Green Salad
Serves 4
very low saturated fat – no cholesterol – some fibre
1 Little Gem lettuce
1 small avocado
Lemon juice
5 cm/2 in piece of cucumber, sliced
1 green (bell) pepper, cut into thin strips
4 spring onions (scallions), cut into short lengths
A few small sprigs of coriander (cilantro), torn into pieces
A few small sprigs of parsley, torn into pieces
1 quantity of Lo-French Dressing
1 Separate the lettuce into leaves, tear into pieces and place in a salad bowl
2 Halve the avocado, remove the stone (pit), peel and slice. Toss gently in lemon juice to prevent browning. Scatter over the lettuce.
3 Scatter the remaining salad ingredients over, then drizzle with the dressing.
4 Toss gently and serve.
Flat Bean Salad
Serves 4
very low saturated fat – no cholesterol – some fibre
175 g/6 oz flat green beans
A pinch of salt
1 small red onion, very finely chopped
15 ml/1 tbsp olive oil
10 ml/2 tsp red wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
15 ml/1 tbsp chopped parsley, to garnish
1 Cut the beans into 2.5 cm/1 in lengths.
2 Cook in boiling, lightly salted water for 5 minutes until just tender. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again.
3 Place in a shallow dish. Sprinkle with the chopped onion.
4 Drizzle the oil and vinegar over and add a good grinding of pepper. Toss gently and chill for at least30 minutes to allow the flavours to develop. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.
Green Pepper and Onion Salad
Serves 4
very low saturated fat – no cholesterol – some fibre
2 large green (bell) peppers, sliced into rings
1 white onion, sliced into rings
1 red onion, sliced into rings
5 ml/1 tsp chopped sage
Freshly ground black pepper
1 quantity of Honey Nut Dressing
1 small sprig of sage, to garnish
1 Plunge the pepper rings into boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again. Place in a salad bowl.
2 Add the onion rings and sprinkle with the sage and lots of pepper.
3 Drizzle the dressing over, toss gently and chill for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavours to develop.
4 Garnish with a small sprig of sage before serving.
English Mixed Salad
Serves 4
very low saturated fat – very low cholesterol – some fibre
½ round lettuce
5 cm/2 in piece of cucumber, sliced
2 tomatoes, cut into small wedges
2 spring onions (scallions), chopped
1 small bunch of radishes, trimmed and halved
2 celery sticks, sliced
1 quantity of Gran’s Light Dressing
1 Tear the lettuce leaves into bite-sized pieces and place in a salad bowl.
2 Scatter the remaining ingredients over and serve with the dressing handed separately.
Warm Courgette and Carrot Salad
Serves 4
very low saturated fat – no cholesterol – some fibre
2 courgettes (zucchini)
2 carrots
30 ml/2 tbsp sunflower oil
30 ml/2 tbsp black mustard seeds
15 ml/1 tbsp lemon juice
5 ml/1 tsp clear honey
1 Coarsely grate the courgettes and carrots into a salad bowl. Mix well.
2 When ready to serve, heat the oil in a frying pan (skillet). Add the seeds and cook until they start to pop.
3 Quickly stir in the lemon juice and honey and drizzle over the vegetables. Toss and serve straight away.
Tomato and Spring Onion Salad
Serves 4
very low saturated fat – very low cholesterol – some fibre
2–3 beefsteak tomatoes, halved and sliced
6 spring onions (scallions), finely chopped
15 ml/1 tbsp cider or wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
1 quantity of Light Cheese Dressing
1 Arrange the tomatoes attractively in four small salad bowls.
2 Sprinkle the spring onions over and drizzle with the vinegar. Season with pepper.
3 Just before serving spoon the Light Cheese Dressing over and serve.
Blushing Leaf Salad
Serves 4
very low saturated fat – very low cholesterol – some fibre
1 small head of radicchio
½ lollo rosso lettuce
2 small cooked beetroot (red beets), diced
4 cherry tomatoes, halved
8 radishes, sliced
1 red onion, finely chopped
15 ml/1 tbsp red wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
1 quantity of Rosy Dressing, to serve
1 Separate the radicchio and lollo rosso into leaves. Tear into neat pieces and lay on a flat platter.
2 Arrange the remaining ingredients in neat piles on the leaves and sprinkle with the vinegar and pepper.
3 Serve with the dressing handed separately.