Re-Fried Beans

Serves: 4; Cals per portion: 413; Prep time: 5 mins; Cook time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
15oz (430g) can borlotti beans, drained
15oz (430g) can black-eye beans, drained
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
1 tsp hot chilli powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
salt and ground black pepper

Step One – Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, then add the beans, chopped onion and crushed garlic, and mash well with a fork.
Step Two – Stir in chilli powder, ground cumin and chopped parsley, and season well with salt and ground black pepper. Mash again, then cook, stirring frequently, for 5 mins. Serve.

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Guacamole

Serves: 4; Cals per portion: 177; Prep time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

1 small onion, peeled and chopped
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 green chilli, chopped
2 large ripe avocados, peeled, halved and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil

Step One – Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend for 30 secs. NB: If you don’t own a food processor, finely chop the ingredients and mash with a fork.

Step Two – Transfer to a serving bowl, cover and chill until required.

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Mexican Rice

Serves: 4; Cals per portion: 415; Prep time: 15 mins; Cook time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, peeled and sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
10oz (300g) long-grain rice
1 red chilli, chopped
1 green pepper, deseeded and chopped
1 ½ pt (900ml) chicken stock
8oz (225g) canned sweetcorn kernels, drained
4 tomatoes, chopped
salt and ground black pepper

Step One – Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and sauté the onion and garlic for 3 mins. Add the rice and continue to cook for 3 mins.
Step Two – Stir in chilli, green pepper, stock, sweetcorn and tomatoes. Season well. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 mins, or until liquid is absorbed. Serve.

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Chicken Fajitas

Serves: 4; Cals per portion: 300; Prep time: 20 mins; Cook time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
2 lb (900g) boneless chicken breast, skinned and finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 onion, peeled and sliced
2 tsp hot chilli powder
1 tsp onion salt
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp lemon juice
salt and ground black pepper
1 yellow pepper, deseeded and sliced
1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced

Step One – Heat the oil in a large pan. Add chicken slices, garlic, onion slices, chilli powder, onion salt, ground cumin, dried oregano and lemon juice. Season well. Cook, stirring frequently for 10 mins.

Step Two – Add the peppers to the pan and continue to cook for 5 mins. Serve with wheat tortillas, mixed salad leaves, salsa and soured cream sprinkled with parsley.
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Chilli Con Carne

Serves: 4; Cals per portion: 392; Prep time: 10 mins; Cook time: 55 mins

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 ½ lb (675g) lean minced beef
2 tsp hot chilli powder
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp tomato puree
¾ pt (450ml) beef stock
397g can chopped tomatoes
430g can red kidney beans, drained
1 green chilli, chopped
salt and ground black pepper
soured cream and freshly chopped parsley to garnish.

Step One – Heat the oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onion and garlic for 3 mins. Stir in the minced beef and chilli powder and continue to cook, stirring frequently, for 5 mins, or until sealed.

Step Two – Stir in the flour and tomato puree, cook for a further 1 min, then add the stock, tomatoes, beans and chilli. Season well. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 40 mins. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with soured cream sprinkled with chopped parsley.

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Corn Soup

Serves: 4; Cals per portion: 189; Prep time: 10 mins; Cook time: 55 mins

Ingredients:

1oz (25g) butter
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
12oz (350g) sweeetcorn kernels
2 pt (1.2 litres) chicken stock
salt and ground black pepper
¼ pt (150ml) single cream
2 tbsp freshly chopped chives

Step One – Melt the butter in a large saucepan, then add onion and garlic, and sauté for 3 mins. Add the sweetcorn and stock to the pan. Season well. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 40 mins.
Step Two – Blend soup in a processor for 30 secs. Return to pan and stir in cream and chives. Continue to cook for 5 mins, without boiling, until soup is piping hot. Serve with crusty bread.
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Nachos

Serves: 4; Cals per portion: 324; Prep time: 10 mins; Cook time: 7 mins

Ingredients:

4oz (100g) tortilla chips
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
4oz (100g) cheddar cheese, grated
¼ pt (150ml) soured cream
2 green chillis, sliced

Step One – Place a layer of tortilla chips in an ovenproof dish. Top with onion, cheese, soured cream and chillis. Repeat layering process twice more.

Step Two – Heat the grill to medium and cook dish under grill for 5-7 mins. Serve.

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Raw Tacos

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (September 2017)

Psychologies Nutrition Editor Eve Kalinik has written Be Good to Your Gut: The ultimate guide to gut health – with 80 delicious recipes to feed your body and mind

This taco recipe was inspired by Eve’s vegan friend who is obsessed with Mexican food but wanted an alternative to beef tacos. To create the ‘mince’, walnuts with sun-dried tomatoes and spices have been used. Walnuts are one of the best sources of polyphenols, and it’s good to be mindful of our meat consumption in general. This is a great light lunch but possibly double or treble the quantities to entertain friends or family.

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

8 small romaine lettuce leaves
1 avocado, cut into 8 slices
Fresh limes, cut into wedges

For the Cashew Sour Cream

30g cashews, soaked for 2 hours
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Pinch of mineral-rich salt
50ml filtered water

For the Taco Filling

50g walnuts
40g sun-dried tomatoes in oil (drained weight)
1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes (chipotle recommended)
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Pinch of mineral-rich salt

Step one: For the cashew cream, drain the nuts and rinse well. Put all of the ingredients into a blender and pulse until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and place in the fridge.

Step Two: To make the taco filling, place all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until they have a texture resembling minced meat.

Step Three: Wash the lettuce leaves and pat dry. Divide the avocado slices and the taco mix among the lettuce leaves and drizzle with the cashew cream. Serve with fresh lime wedges.

Sizzling Beef Fajitas with Salsa

Mexican food can be high in fat, but this dish uses extra-lean rump steak, half-fat creme fraiche and only a little oil. The tortillas aren’t brushed with an oil as is usual either. You’ll notice the great taste, but you only been eating half the fat.

Serves: 4; Cals per portion: 495; Total fat per portion: 17g

Ingredients Salsa: 1 beef tomato, skinned, deseeded and finely chopped; 4cm (1 1/2in) piece of cucumber, finely chopped; 1 small red onion, finely chopped; 30ml (2tbsp) fresh chopped coriander; juice of 1 lime; freshly ground black pepper

Fajitas: 325g (12oz) extra-lean rump steak, cut into thin strips; 1-2 fresh red chillies, deseeded and chopped; 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped; juice of 1 lime; 30ml (2 tbsp) fresh chopped coriander; 325 (12oz) pack, 8 ready made wheat tortillas; 15ml (1 tbsp) corn oil; 1 medium spanish onion, halved and thinly sliced; 1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced; 1 green pepper, deseeded and sliced; 5ml (1tsp) taco seasoning; 100ml (3 1/2fl oz) half-fat creme fraiche

Mix all the salsa ingredients together and spoon into a serving bowl. Cover and leave in the fridge.
Put the beef strips in a shall bowl with the chillies, garlic, line juice and coriander. Mix well, cover and leave to marinate for 1 hour.
When you’re ready to cook the beef, wrap the tortillas in tin foil and put them in the oven at 170oC/375oF/Gas 3 to warm them through (or seal them in microwave ffilm and heat them in a microwave oven according to the packet instructions).
Remove the beef from the bowl, reserving the marinade. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and brown the beef over a high heat, turn once, for 1 min. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm on a plate.
Stir-fry the onion and peppers over a high heat, until starting to char. Return beef to the pan and add any reserved marinade. Add taco seasoning and sizzle for 1-2 mins. Serve with tortillas, salsa and the creme fraiche drizzled over each portion.

Mexican Kebabs

You can cook these spicy kebabs on the barbecue or grill – just turn them often to prevent burning.

Serves: 4; Cals per portion: 250

Ingredients: 4 chicken breast fillets, skinned; 30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil; juice of 1 lime; 5ml (1 tsp) each ground black pepper, chilli powder and paprika; 10ml (2 tsp) dried oregano; 1 large onion, cut into pieces; 1/2 green pepper, cut into pieces; 8 small tomatoes; lime wedges and oregano to garnish.

Cut the chicken fillets into even-sized pieces and place in a sealable non-metallic container. Mix together the oil, lime juice, spices and oregano, then pour over the chicken. Leave to marinate for 2 hours at room temperature.
Thread the chicken on to 4 metal skewers with the onion and pepper pieces, placing a tomato at each end of a skewer.
Cook under a medium grill for 20-25 mins. Turn occasionally until chicken is cooked through and slightly charred.
Garnish with lime wedges and fresh oregano, then serve with warmed tortilla pancakes, soured cream and salad.