Courgette, Feta and Mint Salad

Recipe taken from Balance Magazine, published by Diabetes.org

4-Ingredient Lunches – simple, delicious meals you can throw together in minutes …

Serves: 2 Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 12 mins

Per Serving 146g:

Carbs: 1.7g Cals: 69 Sugars: 1.1g Fat: 4.5g Sat Fat: 2g Salt: 0.49g
Protein: 4.7g Fibre: 1.3g

1 portion of fruit and veg

Ingredients:
1 small courgette
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tsp sunflower oil
2 large handfuls rocket
25g feta cheese, cubed
Mint leaves, chopped (25g)

Method:

Preheat grill to medium-high
Cut the courgette into 0.5cm slices, toss in a bowl with the lemon juice and oil
Grill for 4-6 mins each side, until lightly browned.
Mix the courgette through the rocket, add the feta, season with black pepper and serve.

Fruit and Nut Couscous with Fresh Herbs

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (August 2019) and taken from Summer Every Day by Acland Geddes and Pedro Da Silva.

Fruit and Nut couscous

Serves : 6 – 8

Ingredients :
500g couscous
Olive oil, for frying and drizzling
50g whole almonds
50g whole cashews
50g whole pecans
1 pomegranate
2 tblsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tblsp chopped fresh mint
2 tblsp chopped fresh basil
50g dried apricots, chopped into small pieces
50g raisins

Step One : Put the couscous in a serving bowl and add cold water until it is covered by about 2 cm of water. Leave until all the water is absorbed (about 10 minutes), then fluff it up with your hands.

Step Two : Put all the nuts in a pan with a splash of olive oil and toast over medium heat until they are nicely browned. Set aside to cool.

Step Three : Remove the pomegranate seeds by cutting the fruit in half, holding it over a bowl and bashing the outside with the back of a wooden spoon so that the seeds fall into the bowl.

Step Four : Stir the herbs, nuts, pomegranate seeds and dried apricots into the couscous. Add a little olive oil, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve.

Grilled Courgettes with Basil, Mint and Lemon

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine and taken from Summer Every Day by Acland Geddes and Pedro Da Silva.

Grilled courgettes

Serves : 4

Ingredients:
4 courgettes, sliced lengthwise
Olive oil, for brushing
1 garlic clove, crushed
Grated zest and freshly squeezed juice of 1 unwaxed lemon
2-3 sprigs fresh mint leaves, chopped
Small bunch of fresh basil, chopped
A handful of roasted hazelnuts

Step One : Warm a ridged grill pan or barbecue until it’s smoking hot. Brush the courgette slices with olive oil and cook on both sides until nicely charred. Remove from the pan.

Step Two : Mix together the crushed garlic, lemon juice, mint, half the basil and a good glug of olive oil. Pour over the grilled courgettes. Scatter with the remaining basil, roasted hazelnuts and the lemon zest. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve.

Rich Chocolate Mint Whip

Serves : 4
Prep time : 15 mins, plus chilling time

This scrummy dessert can be made with orange zest instead of the peppermint.

Ingredients:
7oz (200g) milk chocolate
7oz (200g) white chocolate
9oz (250g) fromage frais
2 drops peppermint flavouring
3 egg whites
Mint leaves, to decorate

Step One : Melt 6oz (175g) of the milk chocolate and 6oz (175g) of the white chocolate separately over pans of simmering water. Grate the remaining chocolate and set aside. Remove the chocolate from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Divide the fromage frais in half and stir one half into each bowl of chocolate then beat well.

Step Two : Add peppermint essence to the white chocolate mixture. Whisk the egg whites until they just hold their shape. Stir a spoonful into each bowl to lighten the mixture. Divide the remaining egg white between the two mixtures and fold in.

Step Three : Place alternate spoonfuls of the mixtures in four tall glasses. Or if you want to serve six, put it in six ramekins.

Step Four : Decorate with remaining grated chocolate and mint leaves. Place in fridge to set.

Tip: For a lower calorie pud, replace the full fat fromage frais with a low fat version.