If you are looking for a bit of an eclectic recipe, then the beef and orange curry recipe is a great option. High in nutritional value, this curry will not only get your taste buds going but also is going to make sure you are getting the nutrition that you need to strive.

This recipe is especially good for heart disease, and although it originated in India it is quickly becoming a favorite around the world.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 225 g shallots, halved
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 450 g lean rump or sirloin beef, trimmed and cut into 2 cm cubes
• 3 tbsp curry paste
• 450 ml fresh beef stock
• 4 medium oranges
• 2 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
• salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped to garnish
• basmati rice, freshly boiled, to serve

Raita

• 1/2 cucumber, finely diced
• 3 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
• 150 ml low fat natural yogurt

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Gently fry the shallots, garlic and the cubes of beef for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is evenly browned all over.
2. Blend together the curry paste and stock. Add the mixture to the beef and stir to mix. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 1 hour or until the meat is tender.
3. Meanwhile, grate the rind of one orange. Extract the juice from the orange and from a second orange. Peel the 2 remaining oranges, removing as much pith as possible. Slice between each segment and remove the flesh.
4. Blend the cornflour with the orange juice. At the end of the cooking time, stir the orange rind into the beef along with the orange and cornflour mixture. Bring to the boil and simmer, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce thickens. Season and stir in the orange segments.
5. To make the raita, mix the cucumber with the mint and stir in the yogurt. Season. Garnish the curry and serve with rice and the raita.

“Raita is a South Asian/Indian condiment based on yogurt and used as a sauce or dip. Raita has a cooling effect on the palate which makes it a good foil for spicy Indian dishes”.

Most soups have high nutritional value, but if you are really looking for a soup that is going to be hearty and good for you, then you will want to try the beef, water chestnut and rice soup recipe. Although it turns out tasting like a gourmet meal, you only need a few basic ingredients and a couple hours to prepare this dish.

The nutritional value of this soup is very high, especially if you use fresh ingredients. It is a great soup to serve for lunch or dinner.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 350 g lean beef
• 1 liter fresh beef stock
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken
• 2 star anise
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp dry sherry
• 3 tbsp tomato puree
• 115 g water chestnuts, drained and sliced
• 175 g cooked white rice
• 1 tsp zested orange rind
• 6 tbsp orange juice
• salt and pepper
• strips of orange rind and 2 tbsp snipped chives to garnish

1. Carefully trim away any fat from the beef. Cut the beef into thin strips and then place into a large saucepan.
2. Pour over the stock and add the cinnamon, star anise, soy sauce, sherry, tomato puree and water chestnuts. Bring to the boil, skimming away any surface scum with a flat ladle. Cover the pan and simmer gently for about 20 minutes or until the beef is tender.
3. Skim the soup with a flat ladle to remove any scum again. Remove and discard the cinnamon and star anise. Blot the surface with absorbent kitchen paper to remove any fat.
4. Stir in the rise, orange rind and juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat through for 2 to 3 minutes before ladling into warm bowls. Serve the soup garnished with strips of orange rind and snipped chives.

“Omit the rice for a lighter soup that is ideal starter for an Oriental meal of many courses. For a more substantial soup that would be a meal in its own right, add diced vegetables such as carrots, bell pepper, sweetcorn or courgette”.

Fruit pies are not only delicious but are healthy for you too. They give you a great way to get the nutrition of fruit but with the sweetness of a pie. A lot of fruit pies are boring, but paper thin fruit pies are definitely not and they are small enough that you can eat them as a snack throughout the day.

You can basically include whatever types of fruits you want in these pies, but for the basic paper thin fruit pie recipe you will need an apple, pear, lemon juice, apricot jam, orange juice, and a few other ingredients to prepare.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1 medium apple
• 1 medium ripe pear
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 60 g low fat spread
• 4 rectangular sheets of filo pastry, thawed if frozen
• 2 tbsp low sugar apricot jam
• 1 tbsp unsweetened orange juice
• 2 tsp icing sugar for dusting
• low fat custard to serve

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Core and thinly slice the apple and pear and toss them in the lemon juice to prevent discoloration.
2. Melt the low fat spread over a gentle heat.
3. Cut the sheets of pastry into four and cover with a clean, damp tea towel (dish cloth). Brush 4 non stick Yorkshire pudding tins (large muffin pans), measuring 10 cm across, with a little of the low fat spread.
4. Working on each pie separately, brush 4 sheets of pastry with the melted low fat spread. Press a small sheet of pastry into the base of one tin (pan). Arrange the other sheets of pastry on top at slightly different angles. Repeat with the other sheets of pastry to make another 3 pies.
5. Arrange the apple and pear slices alternately in the center of each pastry case and lightly crimp the edges of the pastry of each pie.
6. Mix the apricot jam and orange juice together until smooth and generously brush over the fruit. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Dust with icing sugar and serve hot with low fat custard.

“Other combinations of fruit are equally delicious. Try peach and apricot, raspberry and apple or pineapple and mango. Yummy!”