Left Over Vegetables

Roasted Vegetables
Kcal per Serving: 191
Serves 4

 This is a great way of getting your 5 a day whilst using up stray vegetables that are sitting around in the veg wrack or fridge  - and once you’ve taken a few minutes to throw them all together in a roasting tray you can forget about them for 20 to 30 minutes while the heat of the oven brings out all the fabulous flavours.  Once they’re cooked eat them on their own, in wraps, mixed with pasta or noodles or stirred into couscous as a quick and easy ‘take anywhere’ lunch. 

• 1 onion, cut into wedges
• 150g courgettes, thickly sliced
• 150g carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
• 200g sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
• 200g aubergine, cut into chunks
• 1 small red pepper, seeded and cut into large dice
• 1 small yellow pepper, seeded and cut into large dice
• 16 cherry tomatoes
• 2-4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• 1 tbsp freshly chopped rosemary

Place all the vegetables and garlic in a large non-stick roasting tin so that they are in a single layer and mix together.  Add the oil and seasoning and toss together until the vegetables are lightly coated in oil. (Don’t be tempted to add any more oil at this stage as the vegetable will release plenty of juices when cooking too).  Bake in a preheated oven at 220 C/425F/gas mark 7 for 30-40 minutes until brown at the edges, stirring once or twice.  Sprinkle with the herbs and toss together to mix.  Finish with a light sprinkling of balsamic vinegar.

Variation: Add 200g chopped grilled lean bacon or ham to the dish once cooked.  (This will add an extra 80 calories and 2g fat per serving)
Try using flavoured oil such as chilli oil or herb oil to add a different flavour.  Experiment with different herbs to vary the flavour too such as parsley or chives.

Left Over Bread

Creamy Banana and Maple Syrup Topped French Toast
Serves 4
Kcal per serving: 318

This quick and easy version of French toast topped with bananas, maple syrup, blueberries and creamy Greek Yogurt that tastes every bit as good eaten for breakfast as it does for desert.

• 4 slices of day old bread
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  
• Maple syrup
• 2 bananas
• 4 tbsp blueberries
• 200g Greek Style Yogurt
• 20g butter

Dip a slice of bread in the egg until completely submerged then turn the bread over until it has fully absorbed the egg.  Melt 5g of butter in non-stick frying pan then add the egg soaked bread, cook until crisp and golden, turn the bread over and repeat on the other side.  Remove from the pan, place on a warmed plate, top with 50g of Greek Style Yogurt, half a sliced banana, a tbsp of blueberries and a light drizzle of olive oil.
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Low fat Croutons
Serves 4
Kcal per serving: 52

Get all the taste and crunch minus the fat with these super simple, practically fat free croutons.

• 3 slices of day-old bread, crusts removed and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1 tbsp of dried herbs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Place the bread cubes in a bowl, sprinkle with the dried herbs and toss well.  Coat a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray and place bread cubes in a single layer on baking sheet   Bake until croutons are crisp and golden, about 10-15 minutes, turning once half way through. 

Left Over Fruit

Chocolate Topped Orange and Mango ‘Ice-cream’
Serves 4
Kcal per serving: 191

Transform ageing oranges, mangoes and pots of half used yogurt or crème fraiche into a mouthwatering desert that feels far naughtier than it is ….

• 4 large oranges
• 2 large mangoes
• 2 tbsp finely grated orange rind
• 3 tbsp of low fat natural yoghurt
• 3 tbsp of low fat crème fraiche
• 2 squares of plain chocolate                   
                                                                        
  Set freezer to rapid freeze at least 30 minutes before required and remember to return to it’s normal setting afterwards.  Slice the oranges in half and scoop out the flesh leaving the skins in tact.  If necessary, cut a small slice off the base of each half so that they stand upright on a plate.  Peel the mangos, slice, discarding the stone and place the flesh of the mangos and oranges along with the yoghurt and crème fraiche in a blender.  Blend for a few minutes until smooth then spoon the mixture into a freezeable container.  Freeze for two hours, stirring occasionally to break up the crystals.  Spoon into the orange halves, swirling the mixture to give it a decoration on top.  Return to the freezer and leave for at least a further hour or until frozen solid.  Allow to soften in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.  Serve two orange halves per person topped with freshly grated chocolate. 

Past Their Peak Pears?

Sweet Pear and Stilton Melt
Serves 4
Kcal per serving: 222

Get your dinner party off to a flying start with this fantastic combination of sweet, juicy pears and creamy, salty stilton.  It looks great, is bursting with flavour and because you are only using a small amount of cheese the overall fat content remains low.

• 4 ripe but firm pears
• 2 tbsp orange juice
• 70g blue stilton cheese, crumbled
• 1 tbsp dried cranberries ( or use sultanas)
• 1 tbsp toasted chopped hazelnuts
• 2 tsp finely grated orange rind
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 50g assorted bitter salad leaves to serve

Preheat the grill just before serving and line the grill rack  with tin foil. Cut the pears in half lengthwise and using a teaspoon remove and discard the core. Brush with a little of the orange juice.
Place the stilton in a bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until creamy. Stir in the cranberries, hazelnuts and orange rind with sufficient orange juice to moisten. Use to fill the pear hollows and place on the grill rack.
Blend the olive oil with the remaining orange juice and seasoning and toss the salad leaves in the mixture and arrange on 4 individual serving plates.
Grill the pears under the preheated grill on a medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until the cheese just begins to melt. Place on the salad leaves and serve.