Vegetable Frittatas

Frittatas are a traditional baked egg dish that originated in Spain. Great as a filling lunch or even as a starter, they are beefier than an omelette and can be served hot or cold.

You can add additional blanched veg or even throw in some cooked chicken or prawns to make them go a bit further. 

Lamb Tagine

Lamb Tagine on the menu today. A tagine is the name given to an earthenware dish that is used in North African cookery and the meals made in them. This take on a tagine is done on the the hob with lamb and vegetables simmered gently, spiced with cinnamon, cumin and chili powder, then sweetened slightly with a little honey.

This dish is great served with Brown Rice or Lemon & Coriander Couscous. 

Kofta Kebabs

Kofta kebabs are a traditional Persian dish made with minced meat, delicately spiced and served in warmed pitta bread. They are usually made using a mix of minced beef and lamb, this recipe uses turkey mince to keep the calories down.

The kebabs are served with whole meal pitta breads and can be topped with low fat mayo, fat free yoghurt, sweet chili sauce or even a little ketchup. The meat mixture can be prepared and shaped in advance, then refrigerated and grilled when you need them. They would also work well served with some rice or couscous if you wanted to make a more substantial meal.

Spicy Roasted Vegetable Couscous

I am a committed carnivore! Or at least I was, before the weight loss. One of the biggest changes I've made to our menu is trying to have at least one vegetarian meal each week and we've pretty much stuck to it.

My approach was to make complete meals in their own right, rather than regular recipes omitting meat, where you feel slightly deprived while chomping through the veg.

This recipe uses the great combo of  butternut squash, peppers and red onion, slowly roasted together in delicious spices. It's great as a main course although I've served smaller portions as a starter to rave reviews.

Chicken Kebabs

These chicken kebabs are a super-healthy, aromatic, tasty midweek dish. Onion, peppers and marinated chicken are combined then grilled/baked together. The chicken and peppers char gently  when cooking to release a slight sweetness that's delicious. The skewers can be baked in the oven or grilled in a regular or slanted grill (like a George Forman or similar).

Lemon & Coriander Couscous

This dish combines the complimentary flavours of lemon and coriander and it goes great with grilled meats and fish. Despite it's Italian pedigree, the dish is also great accompaniment to oriental foods.