Chicken Stir-Fry

Takes: 25 mins
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 skinless chicken breasts, diced
• 1.5 tbsp Chinese five-spice powder
• half tsp sea salt, dissolved in 2 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 inch piece root ginger, sliced
• 3 peppers, deseeded and diced
• 150g green beans, sliced into 2 parts each
• 100g beansprouts
• 1 tbsp honey
• 4 spring onions, shredded
• 2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander leaves
• half tbsp sesame seeds

Method:

1. Season the chicken with 1 tbsp of Chinese five-spice powder and 1 tbsp of salt water.
2. Heat the sesame oil in a wok over high heat and stir-fry the chicken for 5 minutes until golden.  Add the garlic, ginger, peppers, remaining Chinese five-spice powder and stir-fry for 2 minutes more.  Add the green beans and beansprouts, remaining salt water and honey; stir-fry for 1 minute.
3. Stir through the spring onions and coriander.  Serve scattered with sesame seeds.

 

Chicken Salad with Kiwi Fruit and Cashews

Takes: 15 mins
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 pieces of chicken breasts, grilled then thinly sliced
• 4 kiwi fruit, peeled, halved and sliced
• 4 spring onions, sliced
• 100g watercress
• 50g cashews, toasted

Method:

1. Arrange the chicken, kiwi slices, spring onions and watercress in a large bowl.  Sprinkle over the cashews.
2. Mix the ingredients together and serve.

Stir-Fried Chicken with Vegetables

Takes: 15 mins
Serves 4

Ingredients:

FOR THE MARINADE

• 1 tsp tapioca flour
• half tsp sea salt, dissolved in 1 tsp hot water

FOR THE STIR-FRY

• 350g chicken fillets, sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 100g green beans
• 2 spring onions, sliced, whites and greens separated
• 100g beansprouts
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 tsp ginger, grated
• 1 tsp honey
• 2 tbsp water

Method:

1. In a large bowl, mix together the marinade.  Add the chicken and toss until well coated.  Set aside while you prepare the vegetable.
2. Place a large wok over a high heat.  When the wok is hot, add 1 tbsp of oil and swirl around the pan.  Add the chicken fillets to the wok.
3. Keep the chicken moving around the wok, until it is cooked through and no pink meat remains.  Remove from the wok and set aside.
4. Pour the remaining oil into the wok and swirl around, as before.  Add the red pepper and cook for a minute.  Add the green beans and cook for 2 minutes more until just tender, stirring all the time.  Add the spring onion whites and the beansprouts and cook for another minute.  Stir in the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
5. Add the chicken back to the wok.  Pour the 2 tbsp water and 1 tsp honey in, and continue to cook, stirring often, until the chicken are heated through.  Sprinkle over the spring onion greens and serve straightaway.

Mexican Bean Burgers with Guacamole

Takes: 25 mins
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1x400g tin mixed beans, drained and rinsed
• 15g fresh corinader
• 2 spring onions, trimmed
• 1 duck egg
• 250g cooked rice
• 1 tbsp brown rice flour
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 ripe avocado
• 2 tbsp goat's yogurt
• 1 tbsp lime juice

TO SERVE

• Iceberg lettuce leaves
• Tomato slices

Method:

1. Place the beans, corinader, spring onions, and egg into a food processor and blitz until roughly chopped.  Stir in the rice and season.
2. Divide and shaped into palm-sized burgers with damp hands.  Sprinkle the flour onto a plate and lightly coat each burger.  Heat the oil on high in a large nonstick frying pan.  Add the burgers to the pan then reduce heat to medium.  Cook for 3-5 minutes on each side, or until golden and piping hot.
3. Scoop the avocado into a bowl, mash with a fork, then mix in the yogurt and lime juice.  Season to taste.

 

Tomato, Red Pepper, and Butternut Squash Soup

Takes: 1 hour
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
• 2 red peppers, deseeded, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 6 tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground corinader
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 750ml water
• 100g kale
• 4 tbsp goat's yogurt
• handful fresh coriander

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.  Place the butternut squash, peppers, tomatoes, and garlic into a large roasting tin.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle over the spices.  Season well and cover the tin with aluminum foil.  Cook in the oven for 20 minutes.  Remove the lid and return to the oven for a further 20 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft and beginning to caramelise.
2. Transfer the tin of vegetables to a large pan on the hob.  Add the water and kale.  Bring to the boil.  Simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Place all the vegetables in a food processor until roughly mashed.  Return to the pan and stir in the yogurt.  Serve with fresh coriander.

Mixed Vegetable Salad with Chinese Dressing

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves 6

Ingredients:

• half head Chinese leaves
• 1 yellow pepper, cored and seeded
• 1 red pepper, cored and seeded
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

FOR THE DRESSING

• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• quarter teaspoon honey
• 4 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil

Method:

1. Remove and discard any tough outer parts of the Chinese leaves, then cut the head into thick slices.  Cut the yellow and red peppers diagonally into thin slices.
2. Heat the oil in a wok until hot and fry the peppers for 2 minutes.  Then add the Chinese leaves and fry until slightly wilted.
3. Mix all the ingredients for the dressing together and pour it into the wok.  Stir-fry with the vegetables for 30 seconds.  Serve hot.

 

Stir-Fried Beansprouts and Green Beans

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 2 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 450g fresh bean sprouts
• 225g green beans
• 4 extra virgin olive oil
• 1 spring onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• quarter teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Method:

1. Wash and rinse the beansprouts in a basin of cold water, discarding the husks and other particles that float to the surface.  Drain well.  Top, tail and halve the French beans.
2. Heat the oil in a wok until it is smoking.  Add the spring onion to flavour the oil, then add teh beans and stir a few times.
3. Add the beansprouts and stir-fry for 30 seconds.  Add the sea salt and honey and stir-fry for 1 minute more.
4. Serve hot, sprinkled with sesame oil.

White-Cooked Cabbage

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 savoy cabbage
• 300ml water
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 25g goats butter
• quarter teaspoon honey
• pepper
• 1.5 tablespoons cooked chopped meat

Method:

1. Remove the tough central stem from the cabbage, quarter it lengthways and cut each section in half.  Bring the water to the boil in a woke or saucepan.  Stir in the sea salt, butter, and honey.  Simmer, stirring, for 3 minutes.
2. Add the cabbage to the pan, turning the pieces to ensure they are coated with the sauce.  Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 4 minutes.  Toss the cabbage in the sauce, cover and simmer gently for a further 12 minutes.
3. Transfer the cabbage to a serving dish using a slotted spoon.  Season the sauce with sea salt and pepper to taste and pour over the cabbage.  Sprinkle with the cooked meat and serve hot.

Chinese Vegetables

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 4 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 4 spring onions, chopped
• 225g mangetout
• 225g asparagus, cut into small pieces
• 1 tin of canned water chestnuts, drained and sliced
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a wok or deep frying pan over moderate heat and stir-fry the spring onions for 3 seconds.  Add the managetout, asparagus and water chestnuts, toss well in the oil and cook for 1 minute.  Add the remaining ingredients and stir-fry for a further 3 minutes.
2. Transfer to a warmed serving dish and serve at once.

Hot and Sour Cabbage

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 3 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon flake chilli
• 12 peppercorns
• 1 white cabbage, thinly shredded
• 1 green pepper, cored, seeded and thinly shredded
• 1 red pepper, cored, seeded and thinly shredded
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

FOR THE SAUCE

• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons organic ginger wine
• half teaspoon honey

Method:

1. To make the sauce, mix together the sea salt, wine, and honey.
2. Heat the oil in a wok or lrage frying pan over moderate heat and add the flake chilli and peppercorns.  After 15 seconds, add the cabbage and the peppers.  Stir-fry for 1.5 minutes, then pour in the sauce mixture and continue to cook, stirring, until well blended.
3. Serve either hot or cold, sprinkled with sesame oil.

Fried Pak Choi

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 2 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 large cos lettuce
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• quarter teaspoon honey

 

 Method:

1. Discard the tough outer leaves of the lettuce.  Separate the leaves, wash them well and shake off any excess water.  Cut the leaves into 3 pieces each.
2. Heat the oil in a wok or large saucepan over a moderate heat.  When it is hot, add the sea salt followed by the lettuce leaves and stir them vigorously in the oil as though tossing a salad.  Add the honey and continue stirring.  As soon as the leaves become slightly limp transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately.

Celery Salad

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 2 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 celery stick, thinly sliced diagonally
• 1 red pepeer, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced
• 1 slice fresh root ginger, peeled and finely shredded, to garnish

FOR THE DRESSING

• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon sesame see oil

Method:

1. Place the sliced celery and red pepper in a large pan of boiling salted water for 2 minutes only.  Drain, rinse in cold water until cool and drain again.  Arrange on a serving plate.
2. Mix together the ingredients for the dressing.  Pour over the celery and red pepper and toss lightly.  Garnish with shredded ginger and serve. 

Crispy Vegetables

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 100g gram flour
• pinch of sea salt
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 150ml water
• 2 duck eggs, beaten
• 450g mixed vegetables (e.g. strips of courgette, green beans, mangetout)
• oil for deep-frying

Method:

1. To make the batter, sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Gradually beat in the oil and water, then fold in the eggs.
2. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan until hot.  Dip the vegetables in the batter, then deep-fry in batches for 2-3 minutes, until golden.  Make sure the oil comes back to full heat after each batch.
3. Drain the vegetables on absorbent kitchen paper and serve warm.

Steamed Cabbage

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1 savoy cabbage
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 stalks of spring onions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 teaspoons tapioca flour
• 2 teaspoons water

Method:

1. Discard the tough outer leaves of the cabbage, separate the stalks, wash and cut into 4x6 inch pieces.
2. Heat the oil in a wok, add the cabbage and stir-fry lightly.  Sprinkle in the spring onions.  Add the sea salt and cover for 30 minutes.
3. Drain the juice from the wok into a pan.  Mix the tapioca flour with the water to make a thin paste and add this to the juice.  Simmer, stirring, until the sauce has thickened.  Pour the sauce over the cabbage and serve hot.