Fruit smoothie

The easy way of getting some fruit in your diet. This recipe comes courtesy of Viv Woodward.

Ingredients
Small bag of frozen mixed summer fruits
1 banana
½ pint of orange juice (depending on how thick you want the smoothie, you can add more or less)
Fresh or frozen blueberries

Method

1. Just blend all the above ingredients together. No need for ice as the summer fruits are frozen. You can also leave out the banana if you wish, just means the smoothie is a little less thick in consistency.

Guacamole bruschetta

Ingredients
1 avocado
1 large tomato
50g/2oz soya yoghurt
pinch chilli powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 slices crusty white bread, drizzled with olive oil and griddled both sides, to serve

Method

1. Remove the seeds from the tomato and chop into small pieces
2. Place the avocado, soya yoghurt, chilli powder, chopped tomatoes and seasoning into a mini blender and blitz until almost smooth. If you prefer a chunkier version, do not blend but mix together with a spoon, having chopped the avocado into small pieces
3. To serve, spoon into a bowl with the griddled bread on the side.
4. This can also be an easy starter if you are having dinner guests - you can cut a French loaf into diagonal slices, instead of using a slice of bread and drizzle and grill.

Miso soup

In the Western world, soup is eaten with dinner or lunch, but in Japan, miso soup is most often eaten at breakfast.

Ingredients
1 cake tofu
8 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 large carrot - stemmed, peeled and thinly sliced
3 ½ cups vegetable stock
1 head bok choy - rinsed, thick stems removed and greens thinly sliced
pepper and salt to taste
2 green onions - sliced thinly
4 tbsp. red or brown miso paste (this contains soybeans)
Tablespoon roasted sesame oil

Method

1. Cut the tofu into 1/2-inch-thick slices and stack between two paper towels. Place the stack between two plates and weight the top plate with a heavy pot or cast-iron skillet. Allow to drain for 10 minutes and then cut the tofu into small cubes.
2. Bring a pan with water in to a simmer and add the shiitakes to it.
3. Allow the mushrooms to simmer for 2 minutes and then remove from heat. Let the shiitakes soak in the water for a further 10 minutes.
4. Bring the carrots and stock to a boil in a large pot. Simmer for 9 minutes.
5. Remove the shiitakes from the soaking water. Put the left over water and juice from the shitake mushrooms in with the carrots and stock.
6. Slice the shiitakes into thin strips and add to soup.
7. Add the bok choy and seasoning to the pot and cook for 4 minutes.
8. Take a cup of the broth and mix in the miso, until smooth. Add this mixture back to the soup along with the tofu and reduce the heat.
9. Cook for another 3 minutes and then serve, garnished with the green onion and the sesame oil.

Salmon and ginger fishcakes

A new take on a favourite - salmon and ginger compliment each other in this simple recipe for fishcakes, accompanied by a healthy thai inspired sweet and sour salad guaranteed to get your taste buds racing.

Ingredients (serves 4)
For the fish cakes:
500g skinned salmon fillet
4 spring onions, finely chopped
4cm piece ginger, very finely chopped
1 tsp sunflower oil

For the salad:
1 medium-hot red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
2 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp Thai fish sauce
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 cucumber
1 small yellow pepper, deseeded and cut into long, thin strips
1 small carrot, cut into thin strips
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
Handful of fresh coriander leaves

Method
1. Place the chilli, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and vinegar into a screw-top jar and shake well until thoroughly mixed. Slice the cucumber into long, thin strips. Toss the cucumber, carrot, tomatoes and peppers together in a bowl.
2. Chop the salmon until you have a coarse mixture. Put into another bowl with the onions and ginger and season. Mix together and using slightly wet hands, shape into 8 fishcakes.
3. Heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the fishcakes for a few minutes on each side or until lightly golden and cooked through.
4. Finally, mix the dressing and coriander leaves with the salad. Serve the salad onto the plates and top with 2 fishcakes each

Vegetarian Cottage Pie

This recipe is Courtesy of Quorn^TM. Quorn^TM is made with mycoprotein, is low in fat, contains very few calories and is cholesterol free. What more could you ask for!

Ingredients
700g (1½ lb) potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
30ml (2 tablespoons) semi-skimmed milk
15ml (1 tablespoon) olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
250g (9oz) Quorn^TM mince
175ml (7fl oz) vegetable stock
10ml (1 dessertspoon) Worcestershire Sauce or soy sauce
salt and freshly ground pepper

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180ºc , 350ºF, Gas Mark 4
1. Boil the potatoes until tender. Drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile heat the oil in another pan, add the onion and the carrot and fry gently until the onions are soft.
3. Add the Quorn^TM mince, vegetable stock, Worcestershire sauce and seasoning. Place into an oven proof dish.
4. Mash the potatoes with the milk until smooth, season to taste with the salt and pepper. Place the topping over the Quorn^TM filling and fluff up with a fork.
5. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the topping is crisp.
6. Serve immediately with a selection of fresh vegetables. Perfect for cold winter nights!