Tag Archive for: recipe review

Healthy Speedy Suppers, by food writer and Leith’s trained chef Katriona MacGregor, is a collection of fresh and vibrant recipes that don’t take long to rustle up. With nutritious veggie, seafood and meat offerings throughout the book, most recipes take less than 30 minutes with some 15 minute gems in there too.

The philosophy is ‘healthy eating for the time poor’, so as a young professional couple who start cooking after 6pm this sounded perfect. We’re a foodie couple too and love to cook everything from scratch, so that ticked yet another box.

I was drawn to the Lime and Coriander Crusted Tuna with Bean Salsa, which promised a zesty lime crust, refreshing bean salsa and fresh but spicy seasoning in under 15 minutes. Yes please! With tuna steaks in the freezer, avocado ripening at home and a stock cupboard of tinned beans, garlic and onions, I just had to grab some fresh tomatoes and coriander to make this dish.

You begin by simply seasoning the tuna with crushed peppercorns and coriander seeds and then throwing together the chopped salsa ingredients. Lastly you sear the tuna steaks (I did 3-4 minutes a side rather than the suggested 1) and bring together with the colourful salsa. With the tuna, black eyed beans and avocado having the most calories (all good fats of course) I estimated this dish at just under 500. So it would be great for the 5:2 or low GI diets too. Suffice to say, we ate it up just as fast as it was made.

Next up we want to try the Moroccan Fish Tagine, Spicy Prawn & Tomato Spaghetti and Mushroom and Wild Rice Pilaf.

 

Seared Tuna Steak - Emily CoatesEmily Coates

 

Emily Coates is a food blogger at recipesandreviews.co.uk. Emily is a food writer and online copywriter from the East Midlands. She loves nothing more than creating new recipes, making macarons and trying her hand at homemade pasta. Find her on Twitter and Instagram @emily_etc.
 

HealthySpeedySuppers_WEL_Cover

Katriona MacGregor
Healthy Speedy Suppers
£16.99, available from May 2016

Nourish books are full of recipes ideas, some of them require a dedicated time, some others are quick to make during a working day evening, and if you can combine them with the company of a good friend, then it is even better. After pondering awhile over Jo Pratt’s In the Mood for Healthy Food, our Associate Publicist Jillian and her friend decided to go for the Lemon and Garlic Griddled Chicken with Green Mash recipe. They definitely had a lot of fun and enjoyed the making of this delicious recipe with a glass (or two) of red wine.

Jo Pratt’s In the Mood for Healthy Food is chock-full of gorgeous recipes, so picking one for dinner was both easy and difficult. Easy because you can’t really go wrong, and difficult because it took ages to settle on one thing!

We finally decided on Lemon and Garlic Griddled Chicken and Green Mash, due to its short list of ingredients and simple preparation, as well as the tantalising promise of hot creamy mash on the very gloomy first night of February.

As the chicken has to marinate for at least half an hour we set about doing that right away, and it took only a few moments to zest and juice the lemon, grate in some garlic, and sprinkle in seasoning. With that poured over the chicken and popped into the fridge, we had the time to sit down with a glass of wine before needing to start on the mash.

After a glass (or two), we chopped the leek and courgette, and got those simmering away. Mixed with the scent of garlicky lemon already floating around, the kitchen started smelling wonderful.

Lemon and Garlic Griddled Chicken and Green Mash cutting

Next went in a can of cannellini, some chicken stock, and frozen peas, and as they all cozied up together in the pot we chopped some basil and grated the parmesan, getting everything ready at the same time.

Lemon and Garlic Griddled Chicken and Green Mash cooking

Half an hour passed quickly, and the chicken came out of the fridge and into the pan. As soon as the lemon-garlic marinade hit the heat there was a delicious sizzling sound and smell. A few minutes on either side and the chicken was done at the same time as the mash.

In went the fragrant basil and the sharp cheese, and it was time to eat.

The chicken was deliciously flavourful, and the mash was creamy and moreish. Knowing that it was comprised of beans and veggies made us have no qualms about having multiple helpings.

This meal is easy to prepare, quick to make, and everything comes together simultaneously, giving you a warm, nutritious, and totally delicious meal. We were too full for dessert, but were tempted by the Blackberry and Honey soufflés! There’s always next time…

Lemon and Garlic Griddled Chicken and Green Mash final

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus at least 30 minutes marinating
Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast fillets
juice and zest of 1 large lemon
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
sea salt and freshly
ground black pepper

For the mash:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large leek, finely diced
2 courgettes/zucchini, finely diced
800g/1lb 12oz canned cannellini beans, drained
150g/5.oz/1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
125ml/4fl oz/. cup hot chicken stock
1 bunch of basil, leaves and stalks finely chopped
50g/1.oz/. cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp extra virgin olive
oil

Get in touch! If you want to review one of our recipes, you can write to nourishbooks.community@gmail.com.

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Jo Pratt
In the Mood for Healthy Food
£ 20.00, available from Nourish Books

 

 

 

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