Top Lunch/Dinner Ideas For Those Beautiful Summer Days PLUS A Treat Or Two!
Greek Mezze Bowl
250g pouch cooked mixed grains
2½ tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp dried oregano
100g baby spinach
4-6 chargrilled artichokes, drained and sliced
125g light halloumi
2 mini pittas
Basil or coriander leaves, to serve
For the Greek salad
Small handful of pitted Kalamata olives
½ cucumber, seeded and diced
100g tomatoes, diced
For the red pepper houmous
2 large roasted red peppers from a jar, drained, plus extra, sliced, to serve
400g tin chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp tahini
1 tsp paprika
To make the houmous, put everything in a blender with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and some seasoning and blitz until smooth. Scrape into a bowl, cover and chill until ready to serve.
Heat the mixed grains in the microwave for 2 minutes, or pour a kettleful of boiling water over the grains in a sieve and leave to drain.
Whisk together 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the red wine vinegar, ½ teaspoon of oregano and some seasoning in a mixing bowl. Tip in the grains, spinach and artichokes and toss together. Mix together the Greek salad ingredients with the remaining oregano and some seasoning in another bowl.
Heat a chargrill pan to high, and cut the halloumi into thick ‘chip’ shapes. Brush with ½ tablespoon of olive oil, season with pepper, and sprinkle over a little more dried oregano. Char the halloumi until golden on all sides, turning with tongs. Toast the pitta breads on the chargrill pan, then cut into strips.
Divide the dressed grains between 2 bowls, top with a spoonful of houmous, the halloumi, Greek salad, some sliced peppers, the pittas and basil or coriander leaves.
Chipotle Turkey Steaks With Corn Salsa
juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp chipotle chilli paste
1 tbsp honey
4 turkey steaks
2 tsp vegetable oil
cooked quinoa and green salad, to serve
1 green chilli, thinly sliced
For the grilled corn salsa
4 corn on the cob
1 tbsp low-fat mayonnaise
juice of 2 limes
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
3 spring onions, finely chopped
40g feta cheese, finely crumbled
2 tbsp chopped coriander, plus extra to serve
100g cherry tomatoes, halved
Preheat your outdoor barbecue (you can also use a griddle pan but you can heat this up closer to the cooking time). Combine the lime juice, chipotle paste and honey in a shallow baking dish, season well and turn the turkey steaks in the mixture. Cover and chill until just before cooking.
Rub the corn cobs with the mayonnaise and season well. Grill the corn on all sides until golden yellow with charred grill marks. This will take about 20-25 minutes. Use a sharp knife to cut off the kernels and place in a bowl.
Add the remaining salsa ingredients and taste for additional seasoning.
Drizzle the vegetable oil on the turkey steaks and barbecue or griddle for 2-3 minutes each side until cooked through. Remove and serve with the salsa, quinoa and salad if you like. Sprinkle everything with green chilli and extra coriander
Summer Dreaming Chia Ice Pops
125ml light coconut milk
125ml milk (dairy alternatives can be used)
3 tbsp agave syrup/honey
2 tbsp black chia seeds
zest of ½ lime
1 tbsp desiccated coconut
100g raspberries
Ice lolly mould
Lightly whisk together the coconut milk, milk and agave syrup/or honey with the chia seeds.
Stir in the lime zest, mixing with the coconut and raspberries. Cover and chill the mixture for 4 hours, to allow the chia seeds to swell.
Pour the mixture into your mould, dividing the raspberries evenly between each. Add the sticks. Freeze for 4-5 hours or until solid. Dip the mould briefly in hot water to release.
Ginger Noodles With Miso Salmon Fillets
2 nests wholemeal noodles (100g)
1½ tsp brown miso 2 tsp balsamic vinegar ½ tsp smoked paprika
2 skinless wild salmon fillets (230g)
1 tbsp rapeseed oil 30g ginger , cut into matchsticks
1 green pepper, deseeded and cut into strips
2 leeks (165g), thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely grated
160g baby spinach
Preheat the oven to 180
Put the noodles in a bowl, cover with boiling water and set aside to soften.
Mix 1 tsp of the miso with the vinegar, paprika and 1 tbsp water. Spread over the salmon and place lightly wrapped in foil on a baking tray in the oven for 20-25 mins until flaky and cooked.
Heat the oil in a wok and stir-fry the ginger, pepper and leeks over a high heat for a few mins until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 min more. Drain the noodles, reserve 2 tbsp water and mix with the remaining miso.
Add the drained noodles, miso liquid and spinach to the wok and toss over the heat until the spinach wilts. Pile onto plates, top with the salmon and any juices and serve.
Re-Fresh Your Memory Watermelon Lemonade
1 large / 2 small watermelons 250ml lemon juice (fresh is best but bottled is fine)
100g golden caster sugar
1 Litre soda water
1 lime , cut into slices
small handful mint crushed ice
Cut the top off the watermelon and hollow it out using a large spoon, removing any pips as you go.
Mash the flesh through a sieve into a bowl. Put the flesh in a blender with the lemon juice and sugar, blitzing to a purée, then stir in the soda.
Heap some ice into the hollowed-out watermelon and fill with the lemonade mixture.
Serve the rest in a jug with the lime slices, mint and extra ice
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