Winter Warmers

Veggie Chilli

• 1 lge onion, finely chopped
  
• 1 carrot & 1 courgette finely diced
• 1 red and 1 yellow pepper, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp fresh root ginger
• 1 level Tbsp chipotle chilli paste
• 100g dried red lentils
• 4 Tbsp tomato puree
• 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
• 198g can sweetcorn drained
• 2 x 400g cans red kidney beans in chilli sauce

Spray wide pan with low calorie cooking spray over medium heat. Add onion, courgette, carrot, peppers, garlic and ginger and fry for 5 mins til softened. Add chipotle paste and fry for 1-2 mins.

Stir in lentils, tomato puree, tomatoes and 250 ml water, bring to boil and cook for 15-20 mins. Add sweetcorn and beans and cook for further 10 mins.

Moroccan Chicken

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 tin chickpeas rinsed
• 1 courgette
• 1 tin tomatoes 400g
• 1 small red onion thinly sliced
  
• 8 dried apricots cut into dice
• few chopped olives
  
• 1 tspn crushed garlic
• 1 Tbspn ras el hanout spice mix + 1/2 teaspoon
  
• salt and pepper
  

Place chickpeas, apricots, olives, courgette, onion, tomatoes, garlic and 1 Tbspn spice mix into a baking dish and mix well. Season to taste. Sprinkle the additional half teaspoon of spice mix onto the chicken and place on top of vegetable mix.  Spray with low fat cooking spray and bake for 30-35 minutes at 170 C. Serve with rice or vegetables of your choice.

NB This is my version of the fabulous Pinch of Nom recipe Ras El Hanout Chicken. There are only 2 of us and I freeze the other half which comes out perfectly.

Tomato & Red Pepper Dahl

• 1 quite large onion
  
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 large red pepper chopped small
  
• little oil or low calorie spray
• 1 Tbs curry paste or curry powder
• 175g red lentils
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 16 fl oz vegetable stock
• juice 1/2 lemon
• chopped coriander to serve if liked

Heat oil in large pan, add onion and cook gently on low heat for 5 minutes til soft. Stir in the garlic and curry and cook for a further 2 minutes so onions are covered with mixture. Don't have the heat to high or it will burn and spoil the flavor.

Stir in lentils, red pepper, tin of tomatoes and stock. Bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes.  Stir in lemon juice and coriander, season to taste. This is very versatile and kidney beans or sweetcorn can be added for bulk.

NB I've been making this very useful spicy, winter warmer for years as an accompaniment to curry although it can be served alone with rice or baked potatoes. I freeze it in small pots for a quick hot lunch microwaved from frozen - I even like it cold!