Pesto fusilli with courgettes
Aromatic basil (used to make the pesto) is
believed to calm the nervous system.
Preparation
time: 10 minutes
Cooking
time: 10 minutes
Serves 4
(with pesto leftovers)
Easy/prepare
ahead
Pesto fusilli with
courgettes
300g (10oz)
fusilli
1 potato,
peeled
2
courgettes, sliced
85g (31/2oz)
frozen peas
For the pesto
85g (31/2oz)
basil, leaves only
50g (2oz)
pine nuts, toasted
50g (2oz)
Parmesan, plus extra to serve
Juice 1/2
lemon
1 garlic
clove, roughly chopped
6tbsp olive
oil
- To make the pesto, whizz all the pesto ingredients with 21/2tbsp
water in a food processor until you have a thick paste. Depending on how
thick it is, you may want to add an additional 21/2tbsp water.
Season well and set aside. - Cook the pasta according to the pack instructions (with the potato
in the water – the starch from the potato helps the pesto to cling) until
al dente. - Meanwhile, steam the courgettes for 5 to 8 minutes. Add the peas
and cook for another couple of minutes. Drain the pasta (discarding the
potato) and toss through with 6tbsp pesto (or a little more depending on
how you like it), and the courgettes and peas. Serve with extra Parmesan
grated over.
Per
serving: 611 calories, 31g fat (6g saturated), 69g carbohydrate
Thai-Style Quorn mince with lettuce “cups”
This is a really quick supper, and makes an
excellent low-fat alternative to meat.
Preparation
time: 10 minutes
Cooking
time: 5 minutes
Serves 3 to
4
Easy
Thai-Style Quorn mince
with lettuce “cups”
2tbsp oil
2 garlic
cloves, crushed
1
lemongrass stalk, bashed and finely chopped
Thumb-sized
piece root ginger
350g (12oz)
Quorn mince
2tbsp sweet
chili sauce
4tsp soy
sauce
1tbsp Thai
fish sauce
1tbsp rice
vinegar
Juice 1
lime, plus extra wedges to serve
2 red
chilies, deseeded and finely chopped
Small
handful each chopped mint and coriander, plus sprigs, to decorate
4 spring
onions, finely sliced
Cooked
basmati or jasmine rice, to serve
3 little
gem lettuces, leaves separated
- Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the garlic, lemongrass and
ginger. Fry for a couple of minutes on a medium heat until they are
fragrant. Turn the heat up and add the Quorn, along with the chili, soy
and fish sauces, the rice vinegar and lime juice, and fry for a couple of
minutes, until the Quorn is cooked through. Stir through the chilies,
herbs and spring onions, and allow everything to wilt slightly. - Serve the Quorn on the cooked rice with the lettuce cups (to scoop
up everything), and the lime wedges, for squeezing over, on the side.
Decorate with a few sprigs of coriander.
Per
serving: 214-161 calories, 10-7.5g fat (1.5-1g saturated), 8-6g carbohydrate