Lunch Ideas

​

Ingredients

• 400g wholemeal penne

• 3 tbsp rapeseed oil

• 500g savoy cabbage, shredded

• 2-3 chillies, deseeded and finely chopped

• 6 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 30g walnuts (about 12 halves), chopped

• ½-1 lemon, zested and juiced

Method

• STEP 1

  Cook the penne in a pan of boiling water for 12 mins until tender. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat and fry the cabbage for 8-10 mins until softened. Add the chilli and garlic and cook for 3-4 mins more until the garlic is starting to colour. Add the nuts and cook for 1 min more. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest.

• STEP 2

  Drain the penne, reserving the cooking water. Add the drained pasta to the cabbage mixture along with the lemon juice and two ladlefuls of the reserved water (if needed, to loosen), and toss everything well to combine. Serve half between two people. Cool and chill the rest to eat another day. To serve, reheat in a pan over a low heat with a splash of water until piping hot – don’t allow the penne to go soft. Will keep chilled for up to three days.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 250g chicken breast, thinly sliced

• 100g chorizo, chopped

• 1 leek, halved lengthways and finely sliced

• 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped

• 80g kale, any tough stalks removed, leaves roughly chopped

• 1 tbsp low salt soy sauce

• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

• 2 x 250g pouches microwave wholegrain rice

Method

• STEP 1

  Heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat and fry the chicken for 3 mins. Stir in the chorizo and cook for 2 mins more until the chicken is light golden and the chorizo has released its fat. Scoop the chicken and chorizo into a bowl using a slotted spoon, leaving as much oil in the pan as you can. Set aside.

• STEP 2

  Tip the leek and red pepper into the pan and cook for 2 mins, stirring frequently until slightly softened. Add the kale and fry for 1 min more until the leaves have just started to wilt at the edges.

• STEP 3

  Drizzle in the soy sauce and vinegar and scatter in the rice, breaking up any large chunks with a wooden spoon. Stir the chicken and chorizo back into the pan and toss everything together to combine. Cook for 3 mins until the rice is heated through, then serve.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp single soured cream

• 2 tbsp lemon juice

• ½ pack dill, finely chopped

• 250g pouch ready-to-eat quinoa 

• ½ cucumber, halved and sliced

• 4 radishes, finely sliced

• 100g smoked salmon, torn into strips

Method

• STEP 1

  First, make the dressing. Mix the soured cream and lemon juice together in a bowl, then add most of the dill, reserving a quarter for serving.

• STEP 2

  In another bowl, combine the quinoa with the cucumber and radishes, and stir through half the dressing. Season and top with the salmon and the rest of the dill.

• STEP 3

  Put the other half of the dressing in a small pot and drizzle over the quinoa just before serving.

Ingredients

• 2 baking potatoes either baked yourself or bought ones for speed

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil

• ½ tsp cumin seeds

• ½ tsp black mustard seeds

• ½ tsp turmeric

• 1 onion, thinly sliced

• 3 garlic cloves, sliced

• 1 red chilli, deseeded and sliced

• 85g red lentils

• 1 tomato, chopped

• 400ml vegetable stock

• 210g can chickpeas, drained

• good handful chopped coriander

• chutney or lime pickle, to serve

Method

• STEP 1

  Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the potatoes in the oven and bake for 1 hr until tender and the skin is crispy.

• Or microwave for 10 mins and brown off in the oven as above for speed

• Or ready made bought are fine too

• STEP 2

  To make the filling. Heat the oil in a medium pan and fry the spices to release their flavours. As soon as they start to crackle, tip in the onion, garlic and chilli, with a splash of water to stop the spices from burning. Cook for 5 mins until the onion softens.

• STEP 3

  Add the lentils, tomato and stock, then cover and cook for 10 mins. Tip in the chickpeas, cover and cook for 10 mins more until the lentils are tender. Season to taste, stir in the coriander and spoon onto the jacket potatoes. Serve with chutney or lime pickle.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 150g baby mushrooms, halved

• 150g tagliatelle

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 200g low-fat crème fraîche

• 15g parmesan or vegetarian alternative, grated

• 120g baby spinach

• ½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)

Method

• STEP 1

  Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat and fry the onion and mushrooms for 10 mins, or until softened and browned slightly. Meanwhile, cook the pasta following pack instructions.

• STEP 2

  Add the garlic to the pan with the mushrooms and cook for 2 mins more. Tip in the crème fraîche and parmesan, stir to combine, then add the baby spinach. Set aside.

• STEP 3

  Remove the pasta from the heat and drain, reserving 25ml of the water. Toss the pasta in the creamy mushroom sauce, put back on the heat and cook over a low heat until the spinach wilts, about 5 mins. Pour in enough of the reserved water to loosen slightly. Season with black pepper and finish with a sprinkle of chilli flakes, if desired

Ingredients

• 9 dried lasagne sheets

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 700g courgette (about 6), coarsely grated

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 250g tub ricotta

• 50g cheddar

• 350g jar tomato sauce for pasta

Method

• STEP 1

  Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Put a pan of water on to boil, then cook the lasagne sheets for about 5 mins until softened, but not cooked through. Rinse in cold water, then drizzle with a little oil to stop them sticking together.

• STEP 2

  Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan, then fry the onion. After 3 mins, add the courgettes and garlic and continue to fry until the courgette has softened and turned bright green. Stir in 2/3 of both the ricotta and the cheddar, then season to taste. Heat the tomato sauce in the microwave for 2 mins on High until hot.

• STEP 3

  In a large baking dish, layer up the lasagne, starting with half the courgette mix, then pasta, then tomato sauce. Repeat, top with blobs of the remaining ricotta, then scatter with the rest of the cheddar. Bake on the top shelf for about 10 mins until the pasta is tender and the cheese is golden.