Everyone loves spaghetti, but why not try adding a little pizazz to your regular old spaghetti recipe? If you like seafood then you will love this seafood spaghetti recipe, and it really adds a cool twist onto plain old spaghetti.

The nutritional value here is increased significantly, especially if you add some fresh vegetables into the mix as well. Celery, tarragon, mussels, prawns, and you can even add some crab or baby squid. The best thing is that you can pick and choose between the ingredients so if there are some you would like to include or omit you can do so without ruining the recipe.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 small red onion, chopped finely
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 sticks celery, chopped finely
• 150 ml fresh fish stock
• 150 ml dry white wine
• small bunch fresh tarragon
• 450 g fresh mussels, prepared
• 225 g fresh prawns, peeled and deveined
• 225 g baby squid, cleaned, trimmed and sliced into rings
• 8 small cooked crab claws, cracked and peeled
• 225 g spaghetti
• salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon, to garnish

1. Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onion with the lemon juice, garlic and celery for 3 to 4 minutes until just softened.
2. Pour in the stock and wine. Bring to the boil and add the tarragon and mussels. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the prawn, squid and crab claws to the pan, mix and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the mussels have opened, the prawns are pink and the squid is opaque. Discard any mussels that have not opened and the tarragon.
3. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a saucepan of boiling water according to the instructions on the packet. Drain well.
4. Add the spaghetti to the shellfish mixture and toss together. Season.
5. Transfer to warm serving plates and spoon over the cooking juices. Serve garnished with freshly chopped tarragon.

“Crab claws contain lean crab meat. Ask your fishmonger to crack the claws for you, leaving the pincers intact, because the shell is very tough”.

Beef is one of the healthiest meats that you can eat, and the beef and tomato gratin recipe combines the health of beef with that of tomatoes and other fresh vegetables. You will just want to make sure that you use the leanest beef you can in order to ensure you are getting as little fat as possible.

You will also want an array of fresh herbs and beef stock and some egg yolk. One of the best parts to this recipe is that you can save the leftover portions and then reheat them at a later date, making this dish ideal for families.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 350 g lean beef, minced
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 300 ml beef stock
• 1tbsp tomato puree
• 2 large tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 4 medium courgettes (zucchini), thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 300 ml skimmed milk
• 150 ml low fat natural fromage frais
• 1 medium egg yolk
• 4 tbsp Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• Salt and pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C. In a large pan, dry fry the beef and onion for 4 to 5 minutes until browned.
2. Stir in the herbs, flour, stock and tomato puree, and season. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes until thickened.
3. Transfer the beef mixture to an ovenproof gratin dish. Cover with a layer of the sliced tomatoes and then add a layer of sliced courgettes. Set aside until required.
4. Blend the cornflour with a little milk in a small bowl. Pour the remaining milk into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the cornflour mixture and cook, stirring for 1 to 2 minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat and beat in the fromage frais and egg yolk. Season well.
5. Place the dish on to a baking sheet and spread the white sauce over the layer of courgettes. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Fish soup is perhaps one of the healthiest meals you can ever make. It contains many very nutritious ingredients, including fish fillets, tomatoes, prawns, and lemon wedges. The best part of all is that it is so easy to make, and not only that but you can actually freeze the leftovers and keep them for later use.

There are basic spices that you should include such as salt and pepper, bay leaf, onion, and cloves, but you can also personalize this recipe and really make it your own by adding spices and ingredients of your own choice.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 425 ml fresh fish stock
• 150 ml dry white wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig each fresh thyme, rosemary and oregano
• 450 g firm white fish fillets, skinned and cut into 2.5 cm cubes
• 450 g fresh mussels, prepared
• 400 g chopped tomatoes
• 225 g peeled prawns, thawed if frozen
• Salt and pepper
• Sprigs of thyme, to garnish
• Lemon wedges and 4 slices of toasted garlic bread, to serve

1. Heat the oil in a large pan and gently fry the onion and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes until just softened.
2. Pour in the stock and wine and bring to the boil. Tie the bay leaf and herbs together with clean string and add to the saucepan together with the fish and mussels. Stir well, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomatoes and prawns and continue to cook for further 3 to 4 minutes until piping hot and the fish is cooked through.
4. Discard the herbs and any mussels that have not opened. Season and ladle into warm bowls. Garnish with sprigs of thyme and serve with lemon wedges and toasted garlic bread.

“Traditionally, the toasted bread is placed at the bottom of the bowl and the soup spooned over the top. For convenience, look out for prepared, cooked shellfish mixtures, which you could use instead of fresh fish. Simply add to the soup with the tomatoes in step 3″.