Tag: Pulses

Lunch box salmon couscous

Recipe taken from Balance Magazine, published by Diabetes.org

On the pulse – Pulses contain protein and fibre and, compared to other carb-containing foods, don’t give sharp rises to blood glucose levels. So if you have diabetes, there’s never ‘bean’ a better time to cook with them …

Serves: 2 Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 30 mins

Per Serving 567g:

Carbs: 56.2g Cals: 663 Sugars: 21.8g Fat: 28.4g Sat Fat: 5.7g Salt: 0.41g
Protein: 40.1g Fibre: 11.1g

2 portions of fruit and veg

Ingredients:
80g wholewheat gian couscous
400ml low-salt vegetable stock
1 small red onion, roughly chopped
100g frozen edamame or peas
30g dried apricots, chopped
75g grated carrot
2 x 125g skinless salmon fillets
1 tsp runny honey
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sesame seeds
15g chopped pistachios
2 spring onions, finely sliced, or a little coriander

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 190C/Gas 6. In a small roasting tin, stir the couscous, veg stock, red onion, edamame or peas, and apricots. Bake for 18 mins.
  2. Stir in the carrot, sit the salmon on top, drizzle the fish with the honey and sesame oil, sprinkle over the seeds and roast for 12 mins.
  3. Scatter with pistachios and spring onions. Enjoy hot or chilled.

Merguez Turkey Meatballs with lentils and beetroot

Recipe taken from Balance Magazine, published by Diabetes.org

On the pulse – Pulses contain protein and fibre and, compared to other carb-containing foods, don’t give sharp rises to blood glucose levels. So if you have diabetes, there’s never ‘bean’ a better time to cook with them …

Serves: 2 Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 26 mins

Per Serving 584g:

Carbs: 39.9g Cals: 457 Sugars: 14.6g Fat: 7.5g Sat Fat: 1.6g Salt: 0.66g
Protein: 49.7g Fibre: 15.7g

3 portions of fruit and veg

Ingredients:
1 tsp whole cumin
1 tsp whole coriander
1 tsp whole fennel seeds
2 tsp paprika
3 garlic cloves, crushed
50g carrot, finely chopped
200g lean turkey mince
1 tsp rapeseed oil
1 stick celery, chopped
200g cooked plain beetroot, diced
1 orange – grated rind of half and remainder sliced
200g cooked Puy lentils
350ml low-salt vegetable stock
1 tblsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Method:

  1. Oil a medium roasting tin. Dry-fry the cumin, coriander and fennel on a medium heat until fragrant. Grind to a fine powder.
  2. Stir the powder, paprika, 2 cloves garlic, carrot and 1tsp onion into the mince and season. Divide and roll into 10 balls.
  3. Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the remaining onion until softened. Add the celery and remaining garlic and cook for 1-2 mins. Add the beetroot and orange rind and cook for 3-4 mins.
  4. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, add the meatballs, cover and cook for 5 mins, turning occasionally. Meanwhile, fry the orange slices with 2 pumps of 1kcal spray until browning on each side. Set aside.
  5. Add the lentils to the sauce and simmer for 5-10 mins until thickened, and the meatballs are cooked. Serve with green vegetables and the glazed orange.

Chicken with Bacon Dal

Serves : 4

Prep time: 10 mins;    Cook time: 40 mins

Delicately spiced with Indian flavourings, these red lentils make a truly wonderful sauce to serve with chicken.

Ingredients:
2 tblsp (30ml) oil
4 chicken portions
8oz (225g) onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
4oz (125g) streaky bacon, finely chopped
1 in (2.5cm) fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
8oz (225g) split red lentils
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 tsp (5ml) turmeric
2 tsp (10ml) ground cumin
1 tblsp (15ml) ground coriander
1 pint (600ml) chicken stock
2oz (50g) creamed coconut
1 tblsp (15ml) lemon juice
Salt and pepper
2 tblsp (30ml) chopped fresh coriander

Step One : Heat the oil in a large non-stick sauté pan and brown the chicken well. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.

Step Two : Cook the chopped onion and crushed garlic for 5 mins. Add the streaky bacon and cook for a further 3 mins.

Step Three : Stir in the ginger, lentils, chilli, turmeric, cumin and ground coriander and cook for a further 2 mins. Add the stock and bring to the boil.

Step Four : Add the chicken, cover and simmer gently for 25 mins, stirring occasionally and adding a little more stock if necessary, until the chicken and lentils are tender.

Step Five : Grate the creamed coconut and stir into the lentil mixture together with the lemon juice. Adjust the seasoning, heat through and stir in the fresh coriander just before serving.

Other Dal recipes can be found here …

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.

Other Mexican Food recipes can be found in