Blue cheese pasta : Wk52/5

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
240gms linguine

400gm broccoli florets
3 leeks, sliced

2 cups/500ml fat free milk
I Tblsp cornflour (maizena)
45gm Danish blue cheese
100gm fat free plain yoghurt

Method

Precook the broccoli and leeks until just tender (or use frozen that you have thawed).

Cook the linguine in a large pan with plenty of lightly salted boiling water until al dente.
(If you’re using frozen veg, add them to the pasta for the last 5 minutes to heat through.)
Drain and keep warm.

Mix the cornflour into the milk and pour into the pan.
Bring to the boil, stirring all the time.
Add the cheese and yoghurt and continue stirring over a low heat until the cheese melts.
Tip the pasta and veg into the sauce and turn and stir well to combine.

Serve with grated parmesan, if desired.
This recipe needs no additional salt – the blue cheese is already salty enough.

Review (13)

In case you want to look back, here are the links for recipes and shopping lists for weeks 49 - 52:
Week 49

Week 50

Week 51

Week 52

Pawpaw salad : Wk52/4

Serves 4 : Very easy : Very quick

Ingredients
65gm 2-minute noodles
1 small pawpaw (papino), sliced
6 spring onions, sliced diagonally
200gm bean sprouts
½ cucumber, cut in thick matchsticks
2 large carrots, grated
Small bunch of fresh mint, chopped
Small bunch coriander, chopped
3 smoked chicken breasts, sliced
Dressing
1 Tblsp sesame oil
2 Tblsp lemon juice
1 Tblsp Roses lime cordial
1 Tblsp soy sauce
1 tsp grated ginger
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Garnish
Lemon wedges
2 Tblsp sesame seeds

Method
Don’t be dismayed by the long list of ingredients.
This is so quick and easy.

Break the noodles into a bowl.
Cover with boiling water and allow to stand for 5 minutes while you make the dressing.

Mix together all the dressing ingredients in a small jug or screw-top jar.

Rinse the noodles in cold water and drain.
Peel, de-seed and slice the pawpaw.
Place in a large bowl, along with the onions, sprouts, cucumber, carrots, mint and coriander.
Add the noodles and chicken and toss well.

Pile onto 4 dinner plates or bowls.
Garnish with lemon wedges and sesame seeds.
Let everyone serve their own dressing.
I used smoked chicken breasts, but you could use left-over chicken or turkey – in which case you will need about 400gms of meat, chopped or shredded.

Updated

I have updated all the recipe collections, up to and including Week 52.
Click on the links to the right of your screen.

Fish and raita : Wk52/3

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
480gm new potatoes, halved
1 large bunch spinach ±400gm

4 cooked beetroot, diced
4 Tblsp fat free plain yoghurt
2 tsp black mustard seeds
1 – 2 cloves garlic, crushed

4 skinless hake fillets
4 Tblsp cornflour
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp fish seasoning
1 Tblsp vegetable oil

Method
Cook the potatoes in lightly salted water for about 15 minutes.
Drain and keep warm.

Steam the spinach, just until it has wilted and heated through.
Keep warm.

Combine the yoghurt, garlic and mustard seeds.
Pour over the diced beetroot, but only stir it through as you serve the raita.

Mix together the cornflour, coriander, cumin and fish seasoning and place in a long, shallow dish.
Pat the fish dry with absorbent kitchen paper then lightly coat with the cornflour and spices.

Spray the coated fillets and a large frying pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Pour the oil into the pan and place over a medium heat.

Fry the fish about 5 minutes each side until the flesh flakes easily.

Make a bed of spinach on each of 4 dinner plates.
Lay a fish fillet on top of each pile of spinach.
Spoon the raita on top of the fish.
Serve with the plain boiled potatoes.

Noodle salad : Wk52/2

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
300gm cooked chicken breast, shredded or sliced
200gm egg noodles
1 red pepper, sliced
1 small cucumber, sliced lengthways (use a potato peeler)
3 large carrots, coarsely grated
200gm rocket, spinach and watercress leaves, roughly chopped
For the dressing:
1 Tblsp fish sauce
1 Tblsp light soy sauce
1 – 2 Tblsp lemon juice
1 – 2 garlic cloves, crushed
½ - 1 tsp crushed fresh ginger

Method
Break up the noodles into a bowl.
Pour in sufficient boiling water to just cover.
Allow to stand for 5 minutes.
Test for doneness, then drain and rinse with cold water.

Make the dressing by combining all the dressing ingredients.
Set aside.

Once the noodles are cool, add the remaining ingredients and toss well.

Pile onto 4 dinner plates or bowls, with the dressing on the side.

Haloumi stack : Wk52/1

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
200gm haloumi, sliced

100ml fat free plain yoghurt
2 tsp harrief (chilli) paste

200gm whole wheat couscous
1 tsp vegetable stock powder

Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
4 Tblsp Colman’s Classic mint sauce
1 x 400gm tin chickpeas, rinsed and drained
½ cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
200gm cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 red onion, chopped

Method
Dry fry the haloumi slices in a small pan until golden.
Drain on absorbent kitchen paper.

Combine the yoghurt and chilli paste and divide between 4 sauce bowls.

Measure the couscous and stock powder into a large bowl.
Add 200ml boiling water and stir.
Cover with a plate or clingfilm and stand for 10 minutes.
Fluff up the grains with a fork.

Now add all the remaining ingredients to the couscous and turn well to combine.

Pile the couscous salad onto 4 dinner plates and top each pile with haloumi slices.
Serve with the yoghurt dressing.
Haloumi is high in saturated fats. To halve the calories of this meal, skip the cheese!
You could substitute tofu slices instead.