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How to use these recipes for each plan

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  • Each recipe  tells you what 44U's and little extras in the title to help you select recipes easily
  • please use low fat- and try to cook fat free - UNLESS you are using things such as Olive oil as your HEALTHY FAT .

Your Christmas Day Special

These are all recipes that you can use on Christmas day ..

The idea being you can have a delicous meal, that isnt too far off plan that you can dress up a bit for the rest of the family so they dont think they are missing out

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Lets face it your soup will be just as lovely with a little spoonful of quark  on it rather than a spoonful of double cream!

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But If you go full hog with the rest of the family - DONT FEEL GUILTY - remember this is a lifestyle not a diet

Breakfast

Birchers are fantastic breakfasts and this one is very Christmassy -

perfect as you can make it the day before - leaving you with less to do on the "The Day"

Apple & Clementine Bircher-1HO 1F

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 200g porridge oats

  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon

  • 500ml apple juice

  • 4 Apples grated

  • Clementine, segmented

  • 1 tbsp flaked almonds, toasted

  • 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds

 

 

  1. The night before, mix the oats with the cinnamon in a large bowl.

  2. Stir in the apple juice and grated apple, cover with cling film and leave overnight in the fridge.

  3. In the morning, stir through the Clementine segments,

  4. Divide between four bowls, then scatter over the almonds and pomegranate seeds.

Christmas Lunch

Starters

Curried Parsnip and Apple Soup with Parsnip Crisps (1HO)

Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 1½ lb (700 g) young parsnips

  • 1 heaped teaspoon turmeric

  • 1 heaped teaspoon ground ginger

  • 2 pints (1.2 litres) good-flavoured vegetable or chicken stock

  • salt and freshly milled black pepper

  • 1 medium Bramley apple (6oz/175g)

  • 1 heaped teaspoon coriander seeds

  • 1 heaped teaspoon cumin seeds

  • 6 whole cardamom pods (seeds only)

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 2 medium onions, chopped

  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped

For the parsnip crisps:

  • 1 medium to large parsnip

  • Olive oil

 

Method

  1. Begin by heating a small frying pan and dry roasting the coriander, cumin and cardamom seeds – this is to toast them and draw out their flavour.

  2. After 2-3 minutes they will change colour and start to jump in the pan.

  3. Remove them from the pan and crush them finely with a pestle and mortar.

  4. Heat the oil in a saucepan, then add the onions and gently soften for about 5 minutes before adding the garlic. Let that cook, along with the onions, for another 2 minutes,

  5. Add all the crushed spices, along with the turmeric and ginger, stir and let it all continue to cook gently for a few more minutes while you peel and chop the parsnips into 1 inch (2.5 cm) dice.

  6. Add the parsnips to the , stirring well, then pour in the stock, add some seasoning and let the soup simmer as gently as possible for 1 hour without putting on a lid.

  7. To make the parsnip crisps, peel the parsnip and then slice it into rounds as thinly as you possibly can, using a sharp knife. In a bowl toss in a little oil.

  8. Spread on a baking sheet and cook in a hot oven until crispy -

  9. When the soup has been simmering for an hour, remove it from the heat, then liquidise it if possible. If not, use a processor and then a sieve – or even just a sieve, squashing the ingredients through using the bowl of a ladle.

  10. After the soup has been puréed, return it to the saucepan, taste to check the seasoning, then, when you're ready to serve, re-heat very gently.

  11. Peel the apple and, as the soup just reaches simmering point, grate the apple into it. Be careful to let the soup barely simmer for only 3-4 minutes.

  12. Serve in hot soup bowls garnished with the crisps.

 

To prepare in a soup maker add all ingredients except the apple (no oil needed)

Cook on puree – when finished add the grated apple and blitz for a couple of seconds to mix

 

CHRISTMAS IT UP!

Add a swirl of crème fraiche and some crumbled crispy bacon to make this a special Christmas starter

The Main Event

The Turkey

Personally I am a huge fan of the roasting bag and I cook my turkey in one every year.

It orevents it from drying out and means ther is no need for added oils or fats.

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Cooking your turkey in a roasting bag

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Fill the cavity with onions and herbs - sprinkle salt pepper and paprika over the bird and tie into the bag.

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Roast for the correct time using the chart above -180 C / Gas 4 oven.

30 mins before the end of cooking time - carefully take the bird from the over anf slice the bag along the top . lay 6 rashers of bacon over the top and turn oven up to 200 gas 6 to brown the bird

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when finished cooking ( I always use a cooking thermometer, make sure your bird is at 75°C to 80°C in its thickest part)

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carefully remove the bird from the bag take out the onions from the cavity.. use these along with the juices as a fantastic base for your gravy

Or Fish

Braised sea bass with spinach

(1HO 1P ½ LE)

 

Serves 4

  • 2 red pepper, halved, deseeded

  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

  • 2

  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

  • 250g cherry or baby plum tomato, halved

  • small handful capers

  • 12 large black olives, stoned and roughly chopped

  • 20 basil leaf

  • 50ml white wine

  • 100ml/3½ fl oz tomato juice

  • 2 whole sea bass, about 600-700g/1lb 5oz-1lb-9oz each, gutted, scaled and cleaned (get your fishmonger to do this)

  • 250g bag spinach

 

 

  1. Heat the grill to high. Put the peppers, skin side up, on a baking tray, then pop them under the hot grill for about 10 mins until the skins blister and blacken. Drop them into a bowl, cover with some cling film and leave until cool enough to handle. Peel away and discard the skins, then roughly chop the peppers.

  2. Heat the oil over a low-ish heat in a sturdy roasting tin or in a shallow pan that has a lid and is large enough to fit both fish. Throw in the shallots and garlic and sweat briefly until soft. Stir in the tomatoes, peppers, capers, olives and half the basil leaves, then sweat for a few mins until the tomatoes soften. Pour in the wine and tomato juice. Stir and gently simmer for 10-15 mins, adding a splash of water if the sauce becomes a bit dry.

  3. While the sauce is simmering, slash each side of the fish a few times. When the sauce is ready lay the fish on top, season if you want to and cover with a lid (cover with foil if you are using a roasting tray). Leave to cook on a low heat for 12-15 mins until the flesh feels firm when pressed.

  4. While the fish is cooking, put alittle oil into a large frying pan, then fry the spinach until wilted, season if you like and divide the spinach between two serving dishes. Lift the fish carefully from the pan and place on top of the spinach, neatly drizzle some of the sauce round the fish, scatter the remaining basil on top with the remaining sauce in a bowl or side dish.

Cranberry & pistachio nut roast 1P 1HE

Serves 8–10

Ingredients

  • 1 small handful of dried porcini

  • 2 sticks of celery

  • 2 red onions

  • 2 cloves of garlic

  • olive oil

  • 150 g risotto rice or pearl barley

  • 100 ml white wine

  • 500 ml hot organic vegetable stock

  • 200 g mixed wild mushrooms

  • 100 g pistachios

  • 100 g almonds

  • 125 g vegetarian Cheddar cheese , (omit to make vegan nut roast)

  • 1 fresh red chilli

  • 1 lemon

  • 2 sprigs of fresh sage

  • 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

  • 2 sprigs of fresh thyme

  • 2 large free-range eggs , (omit to make vegan nut roast)

  • 1 handful of sourdough or ciabatta breadcrumbs

  • 2 tablespoons soft light brown sugar

  • 200 g fresh cranberries

 

Method

  1. Make the risotto base first. Soak the dried porcini in a little boiling water. Trim and finely chop the celery, and peel and finely chop the onions and garlic.

  2. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over a low heat. Add the celery and onion and cook for 10 minutes, until soft and sweet. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two.

  3. Turn up the heat and add the rice. Cook for a minute or so until you hear it snap, crackle and pop, then add the wine and stir until absorbed.

  4. Drain the porcini, sieve and discard any grit from the liquid and add to the risotto pan, stirring until absorbed. Finely chop the porcini and add to the pan.

  5. Add the hot stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring each one in until it has been completely absorbed, about 20 minutes. Stir as much as you can – this is what will make it creamy. Once the rice is al dente (when you break into a grain, it should be almost cooked through but still have a white fleck in the middle), transfer to a bowl to cool.

  6. Preheat the oven to 190ºC/gas 5.

  7. Fry the wild mushrooms in a little oil over a medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until they are just starting to crisp.

  8. Toast, then bash the nuts into coarse pieces, or quickly pulse in a food processor.

    Coarsely grate the Cheddar, finely chop the chilli and finely grate the lemon zest. Pick and roughly chop all the herb leaves. In a small bowl, beat the eggs.

  9. Once the risotto has cooled, add the breadcrumbs, Cheddar, chilli, lemon zest, eggs and chopped herbs, season, and mix well.

  10. grease 20cm loaf tin and line the bottom with greaseproof paper. Cook the sugar and the cranberries in a pan over a medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, then tip into the tin and spread evenly. Pile on the nut-roast mixture and pack it down with the back of a spoon.

  11. Cover the whole thing with foil and bake for 45 minutes, then remove the foil and cook for a further 15 minutes. Once it’s golden brown on top, remove the nut roast from the oven and leave to settle for 10 minutes.

  12. Use a knife to loosen the tin, then place your serving platter or board on top. Cover your hand with a tea towel and courageously flip the whole lot over, then carefully lift the tin off. Serve with all the trimmings.

For The Vegetarians

The Trimmings

Balsamic-Baked Potatoes with Onions (1HO 1F)

Servings 6

  • 2 kg  medium waxy potatoes, peeled and quartered lengthwise (all purpose)

  • olive oil

  • 15g fresh thyme

  • 1 whole bulb of garlic, quartered and smashed

  • 4 medium red onions, peeled and quartered

  • 200 ml cheap balsamic vinegar

  • sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

 

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 180/160fan/gas 4

  2. Peel and cut potatoes into even sized chucky wedges.

  3. Parboil in a large pan of boiling salted water for 10mins drain in a colander and leave to stem dry

  4. Pour on to a large baking tray and drizzle with 2 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

  5. Toss and spread out into  a single layer

  6. Roast for 435mins until the potatoes are lightly golden

  7. Whilst they are roasting peel and roughly chop the onion and peel and slice the garlic

  8. When time up on potatoes scatter over the onions and garlic m and pour over most of all the balsamic vinegar leaving about 3 tablespoons

  9. Roast in oven for about another hour until the balsamic is sticky and yummy, turn the potatoes occasionally with a fish slice being careful not to break them up.

  10. For the last 10 mins drizzle the rest of the balsamic and scatter over the thyme

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Grapes -1HO

Don’t knock it try it!

Serves 8

Ingredients

  • 1½ pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

  • 1 pound red seedless grapes

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 2 cloves garlic, sliced

  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

  • salt and black pepper

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 190/170 fan/Gas 5 On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the Brussels sprouts and grapes with the oil, garlic, thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

  2. Turn the Brussels sprouts cut-side down and roast until golden brown and tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

 

Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Pecans -1 HO

Serves 8

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

  • 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

  • salt and black pepper

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 200.180fan/Gas 6. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the Brussels sprouts, pecans, oil, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Turn the Brussels sprouts cut-side down.

  2. Roast until golden and tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

 

 

Hustle Brussels-1HO  ½ LE

Serves 8

Ingredients

  • 500 g Brussel sprouts

  • olive oil

  • 4 rashers quality smoked streaky bacon , finely sliced

  • 2 sprigs of sage , leaves picked

  • sea salt

  • freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

  • 2 cloves of garlic

Method

  1. Push the Brussel sprouts through the fine slicing attachment of a food processor, then fill the processor bowl with water and leave to one side.

  2. Add a splash of olive oil to a large pan over a medium heat. Add the bacon, sage leaves and a pinch of salt and pepper and fry for 5 to 10 minutes, or until lovely and crispy. Quickly drain the sprouts and add them straight to the pan and turn the heat right up – it doesn’t matter if they’re still a bit wet, this will help them steam. Pop the lid on and fry for around 10 minutes, or until soft, adding a splash of water as you go, if needed.

  3. Add the Worcestershire sauce, toss everything together then turn the heat off. chuck in the garlic – you really want that hum of raw garlic – then give it another good stir and serve straight away.

 

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Agave and Mustard- 1HO ½ LE

6 servings 

 

  • 2bls Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise

  • 2 tbsp olive oil, or as needed

  • 1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste

  • 2 tbsp agave nectar

  • 2tbsp wholegrainmustard

  1. Preheat oven to 190 /170fan/gas 5

  2. Drizzle olive oil over Brussels sprouts in a large mixing bowl; toss to coat. Spread sprouts onto a baking sheet; season with salt and pepper.

  3. Roast in preheated oven until hot in the middle, about 15 minutes.

  4. Whisk agave nectar and mustard together in a large mixing bowl; add sprouts and toss to coat. Spread onto baking sheet.

  5. Roast sprouts until tender, about 20 minutes more.

Serve with lots of other vegetables - Carrots. braised red cabbage - and ofcourse dont forget you Stuffing!

Dessert

A Lighter alternative to the traditional Christmas pudding

Poached pears in spiced tea (1 LE)

Serves 4

 

  • 1 tbsp clear honey

  • 1 tbsp redcurrant or cranberry jelly

  • 2 spiced fruit tea bags (such as apple & cinnamon)

  • 4 firm pears, peeled, halved and core scooped out with a spoon

  • Handful fresh cranberries

  • Yogurt or crème fraîche with a little orange juice or zest, to serve

Method

  1. Put the honey, jelly and tea bags into a big saucepan with 600ml water and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

  2. Add the pear halves, then cover and simmer for 12-15 mins until the pears are just tender – poke them with a skewer or the tip of a knife.

  3. Lift out the pears, then turn up the heat, throw in the cranberries and boil for a few mins until syrupy. Discard the tea bags. Serve the pears with the warm sauce, pored over and a spoonful of crème fraîche or yogurt

Cake & Mince Pies

Sugar Free Christmas Fruit Cake- 2LE per slice

Makes one cake

Ingredients:

  • 200 g almond meal

  • 50 g walnuts chopped

  • 650 g mixed dried fruit of your choice, such as currants, cranberries, blueberries, raisins, figs, apricot, sultanas, cherries, dates

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/2 tsp allspice

  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger

  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg

  • 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder

  • 1/2 tsp bicarb of soda

  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

  • 1tsp Sea Salt

  • 1 TBS lemon zest grated

  • 3 TBS lemon juice

  • 4 TBS coconut milk

  • 3 TBS walnut oil (or almond or light olive oil) 3 eggs lightly beaten

  • 1/2 cup blanched almonds for decorating

 

Method:

Preheat your oven to 160 C/140fan /Gas 3 and line an 18 cm cake tin with baking paper. In a mixing bowl combine almond meal, chopped walnuts, dried fruit, spices, baking powder, bicarb of soda, vanilla, sea salt and lemon zest.

In a separate bowl, place lemon juice, coconut milk, oil and eggs and whisk together. Add the dry ingredients to wet and fold through with a wooden spoon. Spoon the mixture into prepared tin then press the mixture down into the tin using your hands so that it is compact and tightly packed.

Bake for 1 hour on the middle shelf of the oven.

Open oven and placed blanched almonds on top and return to oven for 30 min.

Check cake with a skewer and remove the cake from the oven when the skewer comes out clean.

Let cool and then carefully remove from tin.

Stored in sealed container in fridge.

Time to put on The jumper Granny Knitted and break out the Not so Naughties

Mince Pies (1LE 1HO)

Makes 12 mince pies

For the crust

  • 400g of ground almonds

  • 6 tablespoons of coconut oil

  • 4 tablespoons of water

  • 20 medjool dates (400g)

For the mince

  • 2 apples (200g)

  • 1 vanilla pod

  • 100g raisins

  • 100g sultanas

  • 100g dried cranberries

  • the juice of 2 oranges

  • 1 tablespoon of coconut oil

  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

  • 1 teaspoon of ginger

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Start by making the mince. Chop the apples into small pieces (discarding the core) and place them into a saucepan

Slice the vanilla pod in half and scrape the seeds into the pan. Then add in all the remaining ingredients and stir it together

Let the mince simmer for about 30 minutes, until the apples are nice and soft

While the mince cooks make the crust. Place all the crust ingredients together in a food processor and blend for a minute or so until everything has mixed together and the dates are totally broken down. Then sprinkle flour over a surface and roll the mix out so that it’s about half a cm thick

Heat the oven to 180C

Grease muffin tins with coconut oil and then mould the mix into the individual tins, once you’ve done this cut the remaining mixture into shapes (I normally do stars), these will go on top of the pies. Then place the tray of crusts in the oven for 8 minutes, until they start to turn golden brown – at which point take them out and allow them to cool while the mince mix finishes cooking

Once the mince has cooked start assembling the pies. Simply add two heaped teaspoons of mince into each pie before placing a star over the middle of the mince. Bake the pies again for 8 minutes

Once they’ve baked leave for twenty minutes to cool and finish setting before enjoying!

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