It's the third week of Jan, we've almost made it to the end of the most miserable month of the year! This week's meals feel fun enough to get you through a week of no booze (props to you if you're still sticking to that) without chucking your healthy eating resolutions totally out of the water. And none of these meals take less than 45 minutes to make, because who's got time for that when it's freezing outside and there are boxsets to be watched?
Shopping list:
2 skinless chicken breast fillets
200g smoked salmon
200g diced pork shoulder
6 eggs
2-4 tomatoes
Salad leaves
3 lemons
2 avocados
1 very small courgette
250g mushrooms
Small pack tenderstem broccoli
1 carrot
Garlic
Dill
2 shallots
200g potatoes
Flour
White wine vinegar
Arborio rice
Porcini mushrooms
Walnuts
1 tin tomatoes
Dried thyme
Cornflakes
Ground cumin
Dried oregano
Dried thyme
Smoked paprika
Basmati rice
Dijon mustard
Red or white wine (optional)
Butter
Olive oil
Monday – Mushroom and walnut ragu, 45 mins
A hearty, warming meatless ragu that can be left to bubble away until you’re ready to eat
Boil the kettle and pour about 50ml of the water over a few porcini mushrooms in a small bowl to soak. Finely chop one shallot, the carrot and three cloves of garlic then saute in a wide frying pan on a medium heat with a tablespoon of olive oil until soft (about 10 mins). Roughly chop the mushrooms and add to the pan along with a handful of chopped walnuts and a teaspoon of thyme. Once the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated, add the tin of tomatoes and a splash of wine if using. Chop the rehydrated porcini mushrooms and add to the pan, then sieve the water they were soaking in to get rid of any grit and add to the pan too. Bring to the boil then turn down to a simmer while you make the mash, then season and serve together, adding parmesan if you’re not vegan or veggie.
NOTE: If you don’t like nuts you could swap for cooked lentils, or just leave them out. Try serving with pappardelle or polenta instead of mash for a change.
Tuesday – Green mimosa eggs and salmon, 25 mins
This is an adaptation of Anna Jones’ Green Mimosa Salad from A Modern Way to Cook (a brilliant brilliant veggie-centric book) but we’ve simplified it a bit and added salmon for extra protein and fats
Boil four eggs for seven minutes then plunge into cold water to cool. Once they’re cool enough, peel and grate them then set aside.
Make the dressing by mixing together half a finely chopped shallot with a teaspoon of Dijon mustard, two tablespoons of olive oil and a teaspoon of white wine vinegar. Taste it and adjust the quantities to your own preference. Set aside.
Using the tenderstem broccoli, chop the florets off then finely chop the stems. Boil the florets for three minutes and add the stems for the last minute, drain then pop in a large bowl. Add half the bag of salad leaves, one sliced avocado then pour the dressing over it all. Add the eggs to the bowl, then a few slices of salmon per person (about 2/3 of the pack for two people). Finely chop half the dill and scatter over the bowl with the zest of one lemon and plenty of seasoning.
NOTE: Anna suggests making this vegan by leaving out the salmon and swapping the eggs for grated cooked potato.
Wednesday – Cornflake chicken, 30 mins
Preheat the oven to 200C.
Take three bowls. Half fill the first with flour seasoned with a pinch of salt, pepper and smoked paprika, the second with two beaten eggs and the third with a mugful of cornflakes. Bash the cornflakes up a bit with a rolling pin. Flatten the chicken breasts using the rolling pin, then dredge each one first in the flour, then the egg and finally coating with the cornflakes. Place on a baking tray and bake for about 25 minutes until the cornflakes are browned and the juices run clear.
Assemble a green salad of the remaining leaves, avocado and any leftover broccoli very finely chopped. Mix a tablespoon of mayo with the juice of the lemon you zested yesterday, mix well and serve.
NOTE: Unsurprisingly, kids love this – cut the chicken into goujons or nuggets for little ones.
Thursday – Smoked salmon and courgette risotto, 35 mins
This feels like a really luxurious recipe but in reality it’s just a great way of using up a lot of leftover ingredients.
Finely chop the last half shallot and a garlic clove or two and saute gently in a saucepan using a tablespoon of olive oi. Take care not to let it brown. Once it’s beginning to look translucent add half a mugful of arborio rice and stir, ensuring that every grain is coated in the oil. Fill the same mug with boiling water or stock (I used water) and ladle a small amount in to the rice every so often, stirring regularly. Wait for each ladle of stock to be absorbed before adding the next (this will take about 20-25 mins on a low heat). While you’re doing this, grate the courgette. Once all the water is gone, add the courgette to the pan and stir well. This will make the risotto more liquid as courgette contains a lot of water. Keep stirring for around five minutes. Tear up the remaining salmon and add to the pan then stir. Add the juice of half a lemon, a generous knob of butter and plenty of pepper, stir then leave to sit with the heat turned off for a further five minutes to relax (really!). Sprinkle over a few fronds of dill to serve.
NOTE: If you don’t like salmon, you could swap for tiny cooked prawns.
Friday – Pork souvlaki and dill rice, 20 mins
A lightened-up flavour-packed Greek style grilled pork dish that’s ready no time
Mix together a crushed garlic clove with the juice of the last half lemon, a tablespoon of olive oil, a dash or red wine vinegar, a tablespoon of oregano, a teaspoon of smoked paprika and lots of salt and pepper. Pour over the pork and leave to marinate for as long as you can (overnight is ideal if you’re organised enough).
Preheat the grill.
Boil the rice according to packet instructions.
Place the pork on a baking tray with the tomatoes. Grill as close to the flame or element as you can so you get the pork nicely charred without drying it out. Turn after four or five minutes then leave to rest for a minute while you finish the rice.
Chop the rest of the dill and stir it into the rice with a knob of butter, then serve with the pork on top and the tomatoes on the side. Some tzatkiki on the side is delicious too.
NOTE: Not into pork? Chicken thighs or lamb leg steak works just as well and veggies could opt for halloumi.