EAT HAPPY, EAT HEALTHY
I’ve never been a fan of diets and I don’t even like the idea of anyone being on a diet. For me, it’s always been about balance, and my new recipes are my answer to my own best efforts at juggling for that perfect balance. They’re about a flavour-packed, yet lighter touch, leaving room for the little indulgences in life.
With a focus on vegetables, grains and proteins, I’ve used ingredients such as wholewheat flour and whole grains that you might need to track down in a health-food store, but with good reason. It’s all about flavour and eating well.
We all have our guilty pleasures and this book isn’t about denying them. It lets you enjoy them and is for the times you’re seeking something a little more virtuous. That’s really the best kind of indulgence of all – the one with balance. I hope these recipes help you find yours.
Fresh And Light by Donna Hay, with photography by William Meppem, is published by Hardie Grant Books, priced £18.99.
For basic quinoa
For the yoghurt cheese
Roughly mash half the peas. Place the quinoa and stock in a saucepan over a medium-high heat and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 12-14 mins, or until stock has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender – you will need 240g quinoa.
Place peas in a bowl with the quinoa, egg white, rice flour, oil, salt and pepper and mix well to combine. Shape about 55g of the mixture into thin patties. Heat the extra oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and cook, in batches, for 3-4 mins each side until golden. Drain on absorbent paper.
To make the yoghurt cheese, mix the yoghurt with the sea salt flakes. Place in clean muslin, gather to enclose, tie with string and hang over a bowl in the fridge to drain overnight, until firm. You will need 185g yoghurt cheese.
Toss the remaining peas with the zucchini, lemon juice and mint and serve with the fritters, yoghurt cheese and lemon slices.
Serves 4
Squeeze the excess moisture from the spinach and place in a bowl with the ricotta, Parmesan, lemon rind, flour and eggs. Mix well to form a soft dough. Place on a lightly floured surface and divide the dough into 2 pieces. Roll each piece into a 40cm-long rope and cut into 3cm pieces. Place on a lightly floured tray until ready to cook.
Cook the gnocchi in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for 5 mins, or until cooked through. Divide the tomato slices and gnocchi between serving plates, top with the basil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan to serve.
Preheat oven to 160C/325F/ gas 3. Place the ricotta, cream cheese, eggs, lemon juice, vanilla, rice flour and sugar in a food processor and process until smooth. Spoon the mixture into a 20cm x 30cm shallow baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Bake for 20 mins or until firm. Refrigerate until cold. To serve, top with fresh berries.
With a focus on vegetables, grains and proteins, I’ve used ingredients such as wholewheat flour and whole grains that you might need to track down in a health-food store, but with good reason. It’s all about flavour and eating well.
We all have our guilty pleasures and this book isn’t about denying them. It lets you enjoy them and is for the times you’re seeking something a little more virtuous. That’s really the best kind of indulgence of all – the one with balance. I hope these recipes help you find yours.
Fresh And Light by Donna Hay, with photography by William Meppem, is published by Hardie Grant Books, priced £18.99.
QUINOA PEA FRITTERS WITH ZUCCHINI (pictured top)
Serves 4- 240g cooked peas
- 240g cooked white quinoa (see below for ingredients)
- 1 egg white
- 2 tbsp rice flour, for thickening
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- sea salt and cracked black pepper
- 2 tsp vegetable oil, extra
- 2 zucchinis (courgettes), shredded with a julienne peeler
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- a handful of mint leaves
- 185g yoghurt cheese
- lemon slices, cut lengthways, to serve
For basic quinoa
- 300g white quinoa, rinsed
- 500ml chicken or vegetable stock
For the yoghurt cheese
- 1kg thick, plain yoghurt
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
Roughly mash half the peas. Place the quinoa and stock in a saucepan over a medium-high heat and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 12-14 mins, or until stock has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender – you will need 240g quinoa.
Place peas in a bowl with the quinoa, egg white, rice flour, oil, salt and pepper and mix well to combine. Shape about 55g of the mixture into thin patties. Heat the extra oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and cook, in batches, for 3-4 mins each side until golden. Drain on absorbent paper.
To make the yoghurt cheese, mix the yoghurt with the sea salt flakes. Place in clean muslin, gather to enclose, tie with string and hang over a bowl in the fridge to drain overnight, until firm. You will need 185g yoghurt cheese.
Toss the remaining peas with the zucchini, lemon juice and mint and serve with the fritters, yoghurt cheese and lemon slices.
SPINACH AND RICOTTA GNOCCHI
Serves 4
- 450g frozen spinach, thawed
- 300g ricotta
- 40g finely grated Parmesan
- 1 tbsp finely grated lemon rind
- 190g plain flour
- 2 eggs
- 4-6 heirloom tomatoes, sliced
- a handful of basil leaves
- sea salt and cracked black pepper
- olive oil and finely grated Parmesan, to serve
Squeeze the excess moisture from the spinach and place in a bowl with the ricotta, Parmesan, lemon rind, flour and eggs. Mix well to form a soft dough. Place on a lightly floured surface and divide the dough into 2 pieces. Roll each piece into a 40cm-long rope and cut into 3cm pieces. Place on a lightly floured tray until ready to cook.
Cook the gnocchi in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for 5 mins, or until cooked through. Divide the tomato slices and gnocchi between serving plates, top with the basil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan to serve.
BERRY AND RICOTTA SLICE
Serves 12- 400g ricotta
- 125g reduced-fat cream cheese
- 2 eggs
- 60ml lemon juice
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp rice flour, for thickening
- 110g caster sugar
- fresh berries, to serve
Preheat oven to 160C/325F/ gas 3. Place the ricotta, cream cheese, eggs, lemon juice, vanilla, rice flour and sugar in a food processor and process until smooth. Spoon the mixture into a 20cm x 30cm shallow baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Bake for 20 mins or until firm. Refrigerate until cold. To serve, top with fresh berries.