Tonia Buxton’s warming Greek recipes for winter nights

In our Winter issue, TV chef Tonia Buxton explains why the traditional Greek diet is one of the healthiest in the Mediterranean. Here is one of her favourite Greek recipes…

‘Healthy cooking is something that comes very naturally to me, because I‘ve been cooking since I was 10,’ says Tonia. ‘In Greek culture you learn to cook when you’re very young, so we never develop this fear some people have of putting together a healthy meal. I never cease to be amazed that people get to university and don’t know how to cook anything other than toast! Here, I want to share with you a recipe that proves healthy cooking doesn’t have to be complicated.’ 

Chickpea and cumin soup

Prep 10 min

Cook 20 min

Serves 5

3 tsp cumin soup

Chilli flakes, to taste                                                                                        

3 tbsp olive oil

1 red onion, chopped

850ml reduced-salt vegetable stock

2 x 400g tins plum tomatoes

1 x 400g tin chickpeas drained

Bunch of fresh coriander, chopped, to garnish

6tbsp 2% fat Greek yogurt, to serve

1. In a large saucepan, dry fry the cumin and chilli flakes until they start to jump. Add the oil and onion and gently fry until translucent but not browned.

2. Add the tomatoes, followed by 3/4 of the chickpeas and the stock. Simmer for 20 min.

3. Use a stick blender to whiz the soup to a smooth texture. Add the reserved chickpeas, then season to taste.

4. Serve in bowls, topped with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkling of coriander.

Per serving: 200kcal, 11g protein, 9.6g fat, 2g saturates, 18.8g carbs, 8.6g sugar, 4.5g fibre, 1.2g salt, 117mg calcium, 2.8mg iron

This recipe is: LOW CAL, LOW FAT, LOW SAT FAT, LOW SUGAR, LOW SALT, HIGH PROTEIN, VEGETARIAN, 3 OF 5-A-DAY

Pick up a copy of Healthy Food Guide’s Winter issue and enjoy an exclusive reader offer of 15% off your food bill at The Real Greek restaurants.

Ceviche masterclass

By Ellen Wallwork

Ceviche is having a bit of a moment and is appearing at an increasing number of restaurants. But while this Peruvian delicacy looks a la carte, it’s surprisingly easy to make in your own kitchen – and you don’t even need to turn on the oven! In its simplest form, ceviche is chunks of raw fish ‘cooked’ in citrus juice –it’s the acid in the juice that denatures the proteins in the fish, similar to traditional cooking methods, turning them opaque.

So, with curing raw fish making it into Kenwood’s top 50 food experiences to try in a lifetime, we decided to try our hand at making ceviche. We sought out the expertise of Fernando Trocca, executive chef of the Gaucho restaurant chain where ceviche has been on the menu for more than 11 years. He shared his simple six-step guide to preparing the dish…

 1. Cut the fish into small chunks

‘Make sure you select quality fish,’ says Fernando. ‘Fresh, locally and responsibly sourced fish is always best. The fresher the fish, the better the taste.’ Cutting the fish correctly is essential, too. ‘If the chunks are too big, the cure won’t reach the middle so the fish will still be raw.’

2. Season (optional)

Traditionally, ceviche is seasoned with salt. But the good news for healthy foodies is this is very much down to taste preference, so you can use as little salt as you want, or none at all. However, if you don’t add salt you’ll need to cure the fish for a little longer.

3. ‘Cook’

‘When preparing ceviche we refer to cooking, but it is actually curing,’ explains Fernando. ‘The citrus juices marinate the fish and seep through to the middle.’

Cure the fish in lime juice, then drain. The cure time depends on the type of fish and the size of the pieces you use. It can take from 30 sec (for thinly sliced tuna, scallops, lobster and sole) up to 5–7 min (for prawns). Cod and octopus need around 3 min.

4. Prepare the vegetables

Thinly slice red onions and cut vegetables into bite-size cubes. Popular veg choices include avocado, tomatoes and steamed sweet potatoes.

5. Make the marinade

Chilli, coriander and garlic are typically used in ceviche marinades, but spicy red pepper and tomato sauce also works well. ‘Spice is incredibly important,’ advises Trocca. ‘You want the dish to pack a punch with every mouthful.’

6. Assemble

Gently combine the cured fish with the sliced onion and the marinade. Serve topped with the sliced vegetables, with a grinding of black pepper and a sprig of fresh coriander.

Enjoy!

‘Tis the season for a HFG makeover

As part of our mission to Fight the Fads: Make Every Meal Healthier, we regularly feature healthy recipe makeovers in Healthy Food Guide and on our Facebook page. And with the party season drawing ever closer, we thought we’d share a recipe with you so you can indulge in a festive treat or two without overdoing it. Our healthier sausage rolls are made with reduced-fat puff pastry and lean pork mince bulked-up with fibre-boosting wholemeal breadcrumbs – and they taste delicious…

Healthy Food Guide sausage rolls

Prep 15 min

Cook 20 min

Makes 20

Cooking oil spray, to grease

300g lean pork mince

2 wholemeal bread slices, made into breadcrumbs

1 onion, finely chopped

1tbsp chopped fresh thyme

½tsp ground mixed spice

1tbsp reduced-salt soy sauce

1 ready-rolled light puff pastry sheet (320g)

1 egg, beaten

1Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/gas 7. Lightly spray a non-stick baking tray with oil.

2 In a large bowl, combine the mince, breadcrumbs, onion, thyme, mixed spice and soy.

3 Cut the pastry sheet in half lengthways into 2 long rectangles. Divide the meat mixture in half, then put one half along the middle of one pastry strip to form a long sausage. Brush one long edge of the pastry with the egg, then roll the pastry over the filling and seal it together to form a long roll. Repeat with the remaining pastry and filling.

4 Cut each large roll into 10 pieces, then put them seam-side down on the prepared tray. Slash the top of each roll a few times with a knife, then brush lightly with the beaten egg. Bake for 20–25 min until dark golden.

5 Serve warm or set aside to cool, then freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly and reheat in a moderate oven until piping hot.

Healthy Food Guide sausage rolls

Per sausage roll: 96kcal, 6.4g protein, 4.1g fat, 1.8g saturates, 8.6g carbs, 0.8g sugar, 0.8g fibre, 0.3g salt, 20mg calcium, 0.5mg iron

Break the diet cycle

Diet is a four-letter word that often spells failure. In the November issue of Healthy Food Guide, our experts explain how you can lose weight for good by breaking free of the vicious cycle of deprivation and disappointment caused by fad diets.

Successful weight loss is all about creating healthy relationships with food and your body. We asked nutritionist Zoe Wilson for her top tips for healthy eating…

1 It’s OK to have an ‘imperfect’ meal or snack

You eat three meals a day, seven days a week – so if one or two of these meals aren’t great, it’s no big deal!

2 Before you eat ask yourself, ‘Am I actually hungry?’

That’s the grumbling, empty tummy hungry — not the ‘I don’t want to sit at my desk anymore’ hungry. If you’re not really hungry, is there something else you could do? Maybe you could step outside for some fresh air or make that phone call you’ve been putting off for a while.

3 Turn off the TV, computer or phone to enjoy food
By eating with distractions such as these you won’t register you’ve had your meal or snack, leaving you wanting more when you don’t need it. Take time out and sit at a table so you can concentrate on what you’re eating.

4 Have what you really want

There’s no point in choosing a yogurt or piece of fruit if you really want a piece of chocolate — you’ll feel cheated! Have that piece of chocolate (but not the whole bar) and savour every moment of it.

5 Take note of the ‘sigh moment’
There comes a point, when eating a meal, when our stomach says it’s full – we will often pause and take a deep breath. But many of us miss this cue because there’s still food on our plate. Be mindful of this cue, then put down your knife and fork.

6 Eat slowly!

Try to take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal. This gives your stomach enough time to tell your brain it’s full. Put your knife and fork down between mouthfuls, cut your food into smaller pieces and focus on tasting your food.

7 Don’t deprive yourself in social settings

Food is at the centre of many social occasions, and it’s fine to join in. But if you’re not hungry, don’t feel pressured to go to the buffet table or to take that canapé. And in restaurants, order a starter instead of a main or share something with a friend.

8 Leave the table satisfied but not full

There’s a difference between not feeling hungry anymore and feeling stuffed to the brim. Listen to your stomach as you eat and try to finish on a hunger scale of about 7/10 — with 0/10 being starving and 10/10 being full-to-bursting.

9 Pretend you’re a critic

Think about the flavour and texture of each mouthful, and assess how appealing the meal is to your eye. By appreciating the elements of your food you will feel more satisfied.

10 Use smaller crockery and glassware

This makes a smaller portion look bigger, helping you eat less but still feel satisfied. Replace dinner plates with starter-sized plates, and swap 500ml wine glasses with 250ml glasses. 

For more advice on breaking the diet cycle, check out the November issue of Healthy Food Guide magazine.

Get all your five-a-day in one dish!

By Harry Eastwood

This salad is a deconstructed version of ratatouille, which makes for a delicious, fresh and full-flavoured alternative to the traditional vegetable stew. It can be made ahead – and, in fact, tastes even better. It ticks plenty of health boxes as it’s high in fibre and low in calories, fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt. Most people can enjoy it, as it’s vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free. And the best thing about it? One serving counts as a full five portions of your five-a-day.

Ratatouille salad with anchovies and lemon

Serves 4

1 large aubergine, cut into small cubes

2 medium courgettes, topped, tailed and cut into very small cubes

4tbsp olive oil

1 large Spanish onion, peeled and finely diced

1 medium yellow pepper, cored and chopped into small cubes

1 medium orange pepper, cored and chopped into small cubes

2 garlic cloves, crushed to a paste

3 anchovies, very finely chopped

10 medium ripe tomatoes on the vine

Freshly squeezed juice of ½ lemon

Handful of basil leaves, torn from the stem

1. Heat a large frying pan until very hot.

2. Toss the aubergine and courgette cubes in the olive oil until evenly coated. Add them to the hot frying pan and cook over a high heat for 5 min, until the edges have turned a golden colour. You may find that you need to do this stage in two batches.

3. Tip the hot vegetables into a large bowl with the onion, peppers, garlic and anchovies. Season generously with pepper, then cover with clingfilm. Set aside for 10 min, while you prepare the tomatoes.

4. Chop the tomatoes in half and scoop out the seeds and centre with the help of a spoon. Finely chop the flesh, then add to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients.

5. Finally, squeeze the lemon juice over the salad. Set aside (wrapped in clingfilm) for 1 hr in the ambient temperature of your kitchen to let the flavours mingle and develop. Scatter the basil leaves over just before serving and add more pepper if needed. Serve with crusty bread, if you like.

SWAP IN/SWAP OUT

I love the savoury flavour the anchovies bring, but you don’t have to add them – this ratatouille is delicious without. You could include pine nuts if you want the salad to be a little more hearty and reduced-fat feta or mozzarella chunks are lovely thrown in at the last minute, too.

Per serving: 210kcal, 6g protein, 12.8g fat, 2g saturates, 19.2g carbs, 17.1g sugar, 9g fibre, 0.3g salt, 77mg calcium, 2.7mg iron

 

Harry’s supporting our mission to Fight the Fads – Make Every Meal Healthier. To find out why she’s rallying against the fad diet industry, pick up our October issue.

For more substantial salad recipes, check out Harry Eastwood’s A Salad For All Seasons (Bantam Press, £20).