They taste heaven!

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 4 baking potatoes, each 225 g
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 2 tsp coarse sea salt
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp paprika pepper
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• 8 chicken drumsticks, skin removed
• 1 medium egg, beaten
• 2 tbsp cold water
• 6 tbsp white breadcrumbs
• salt and pepper
• low fat coleslaw salad, to serve
• sweetcorn relish, to serve

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Wash and scrub the potatoes and cut each into8 equal portions. Place in a clean plastic bag and add the oil. Seal and shake well to coat.
2. Arrange the potato wedges, skin side down, on a non-stick baking sheet, sprinkle over the sea salt and bake in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes until they are tender and golden brown.
3. Meanwhile, mix the flour, cayenne, paprika, thyme and salt and pepper to taste together on a plate. Press the chicken drumsticks into the seasoned flour to lightly coat all over.
4. On one plate mix together the egg and water. On another plate sprinkle the breadcrumbs. Dip the chicken drumsticks first in the egg and then in the breadcrumbs. Place on a non-stick baking sheet.
5. Bake the chicken drumsticks alongside the potato wedges for 30 minutes, turning after 15 minutes, until they are tender and cooked through.
6. Drain the potato wedges thoroughly on absorbent kitchen paper to remove any excess fat. Serve the potato wedges with the chicken, accompanied by low fat coleslaw and sweetcorn relish, if wished.

Original recipe from Healthy Cooking Recipes

• 1.75 liters chicken stock
• 150 ml medium sherry
• 4 eggs whites plus egg shells
• 125 g cooked chicken, sliced thinly
• salt and pepper

1. Place the chicken stock and sherry in a large saucepan and heat gently for 5 minutes.
2. Add the egg whites and the egg shells to the chicken stock and whisk until the mixture begins to boil.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to subside for 10 minutes. Repeat this process three times. This allows the egg white to trap the sediments in the chicken stock to clarify the soup. Let the consomme cool for 5 minutes.
4. Carefully place a piece of fine muslin over a clean saucepan. Ladle the soup over the muslin and strain into the saucepan.
5. Repeat this process twice, then gently reheat the consomme. Season with salt and pepper to taste then add the cooked chicken slices. Pour the soup into a warm serving dish or individual bowls.

Tips: Consomme is usually garnished with freshly cooked pasta shapes, noodles, rice or lightly cooked vegetables. Alternatively, you could garnish it with omelet strips, drained first on paper towels.

Original recipe from Healthy Cooking Recipes

Look out for half-fat creams, in single and double (light and heavy) varieties. They are good substitutes for occasional use. Alternatively, in this recipe, omit the cream and double the quantity of fromage frais for a lower fat version.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 450 g prepared, assorted summer fruits (such as strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants and cherries) thawed if frozen
• 150 ml half-fat double cream
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 4 tbsp demerara sugar (brown crystal)

1. Divide up each of the fruits evenly among 4 small heatproof ramekin dishes.
2. Mix together the half-fat cream and vanilla essence. Generously spoon the mixture over the fruit.
3. Preheat the grill to hot. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon demerara sugar and grill the deserts for 2 to 3 minutes, until the sugar melts and begins to caramelize. Serve hot.

Variation: If you are making this dessert for a special occasion, soak the fruits in 2 to 3 tbsp fruit liqueur before topping with the cream mixture.

Original recipe from Healthy Cooking Recipes

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1 carrot, cut into batons
• 1 fennel bulb, sliced
• 100 g courgettes, sliced
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 4 small onions, halved
• 8 tbsp vermouth
• 4 tbsp lime juice
• zest of 1 lime
• pinch of paprika
• 4 sprigs tarragon
• salt and pepper
• fresh tarragon sprigs, to garnish

1. Place all the vegetables in a large bowl and mix well.
2. Cut 4 large squares of baking parchment and place a quarter of the vegetables in the center of each. Bring the sides of the paper up and pinch together to make an open parcel.
3. Mix together the vermouth, lime juice, lime zest and paprika and pour a quarter of the mixture into each parcel. Season with salt and pepper and add a tarragon sprig to each. Pinch the tops of the parcels together to seal.
4. Place the parcels in a steamer, cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Garnish and serve.

Tips: Seal the parcels well to prevent them from opening during cooking and causing the juices to evaporate.

Original recipe from Healthy Cooking Recipes

• 4 white fish steaks
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp freshly ground white pepper
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground allspice
• 50 g unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp sunflower oil

1. Rinse the fish steaks and pat them dry with absorbent kitchen paper.
2. Mix together the paprika, thyme, cayenne peppers, black and white peppers, salt and allspice in a shallow dish.
3. Place the butter and oil in a small saucepan and heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts.
4. Brush the butter mixture liberally all over the fish steaks, on both sides.
5. Dip the fish into the spicy mix until well coated on both sides.
6. Barbecue the fish over hot coals for about 10 minutes on each sides, turning once. Continue to baste the blackened fish with the remaining butter mixture during the cooking time.

Tips: Basting the fish with the butter mixture will ensure that the fish remains moist during cooking.

Variation: A whole fish – red mullet for example, rather than steaks, is also delicious cooked this way. The spicy seasoning can also be used to coat chicken portions, if you prefer.

Original recipe from Healthy Cooking Recipes

• 2 bulbs fennel
• 2 medium red onions, shredded
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 125 g button mushrooms
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 225 g penne (quills)
• 60 g raisins
• 225 g lean, boneless cooked chicken, skinned and shredded
• 375 g low fat soft cheese with garlic and herbs
• 125 g low fat Mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
• salt and pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Trim the fennel, reserving the green fronds for garnishing, and slice the bulbs thinly. Coat the onions in the lemon juice. Quarter the mushrooms.
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the fennel, onion and mushrooms for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, until just softened. Season and transfer the vegetable mixture to a large bowl.
3. Bring a pan of lightly salted water to the boil and cook the penne according to the instructions on the packet until ‘al dente’. Drain and mix the pasta with the vegetables.
4. Stir the raisins and chicken into the pasta mixture. Soften the soft cheese by beating it, then mix into the pasta and chicken – the heat from the pasta should make the cheese melt slightly.
5. Put the mixture into an ovenproof dish and transfer to a baking sheet. Arrange the Mozzarella on top and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden. Garnish with fennel fronds and serve.

Original recipe from Healthy Cooking Recipes

• 1 sheet of dried egg noodles from a 250 g pack
• 1 tbsp oil
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, diced
• 1 bunch spring onions, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 cm piece fresh ginger root, finely chopped
• 850 ml chicken stock
• 20 ml coconut milk
• 3 tsp red Thai curry paste
• 3 tbsp peanut butter
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 small red pepper, chopped
• 60 g frozen peas
• salt and pepper

1. Put the noodles in a shallow dish and soak in boiling water following the instructions on the packet.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or wok, add the chicken, and fry for 5 minutes, stirring until lightly browned. Add the white part of the spring onions, the garlic and ginger and fry for 2 minutes, stirring. Add the stock, coconut milk, curry paste, peanut butter and soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to the boil, stirring, then simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the red pepper, peas and green spring onion tops and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add the drained noodles and heat through. Spoon into individual bowls and serve with a spoon and fork.

Variation: Green Thai curry paste can be used instead of red curry paste for a less fiery flavor.

Original recipe from Healthy Cooking Recipes

• 4 eating apples
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 40 g low fat spread
• 60 g light muscovado sugar
• 1 small orange
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken
• 150 ml red wine
• 225 g raspberries, hulled and thawed if frozen
• sprigs of fresh mint, to decorate

1. Peel and core the apples, then cut them into thick wedges. Place the apples in a bowl and toss in the lemon juice to prevent the fruit from discoloring.
2. In a frying pan, gently melt the low fat spread over a low heat, add the sugar and stir to form a paste.
3. Stir the apple wedges into the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes until well coated in the sugar paste.
4. Using a vegetable peeler, pare off a few strips of orange rind. Add the orange rind to the pan along with the cinnamon pieces. Extract the juice from the orange and pour into the pan with the red wine. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes, stirring.
5. Add the raspberries to the pan and cook for 5 minutes until the apples are tender.
6. Discard the orange rind and cinnamon pieces. Transfer the apple and raspberry mixture to a serving plate together with the wine sauce. Decorate with a sprig of fresh mint and serve hot.

Variation: For other fruity combination, cook the apples with blackberries, blackcurrants or redcurrants. You may need to add more sugar if you use currants as they are not as sweet as raspberries.

Original recipe from Healthy Cooking Recipes

• 2 baby cauliflowers
• 225 g broccoli
• salt and pepper

Sauce:

• 8 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp butter or vegetarian margarine
• 2 tbsp grated root ginger
• juice and rind of 2 lemons
• 5 tbsp chopped coriander
• 5 tbsp grated Cheddar

1. Using sharp knife, cut the cauliflowers in half and the broccoli into very large florets.
2. Cook the cauliflower and broccoli in a saucepan of boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Drain well, transfer to a shallow ovenproof dish and keep warm until required.
3. To make the sauce, put the oil and butter in a pan and heat gently until the butter melts. Add the grated root ginger, lemon juice, lemon rind and coriander and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste, then pour over the vegetables in the dish and sprinkle the cheese on top.
5. Cook under a preheated hot grill for 2 to 3 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and golden. Leave to cool for 1 to 2 minutes and then serve.

Variation: Lime or orange could be used instead of the lemon for a fruity and refreshing sauce.

Original recipe from Healthy Cooking Recipes

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 285 g packet of tofu, drained
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 1 tbsp sweet chili sauce
• 1 tbsp clear honey
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 3 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 carrots, scraped and cut into matchsticks
• 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
• 175 g broccoli florets
• 125 g chestnut mushrooms, wiped and quartered
• 6 spring onions, sliced
• 125 g sugar snap peas, topped and tailed
• Toasted sesame seeds, to garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/450°F. Cut the tofu into 2.5 cm cubes and put in a shallow roasting tin. Mix together the garlic, hoisin sauce, dark soy sauce, sherry vinegar, sweet chili sauce, honey and sesame oil. Pour two-thirds over the tofu and toss well to coat. Roast for 25 minutes or until the tofu is deep golden and glazed, turning half way through the cooking time.
2. Meanwhile, heat the sunflower oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add the onion, carrots, red pepper, broccoli and mushrooms and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
3. Add 2 tbsp of water to the reserved glaze and pour over the stir-fried vegetables. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the vegetables are just tender. Stir in the tofu and sprinkle over the toasted sesame seeds.

Original recipe from Healthy Cooking Recipes