Beef bulgogi stir-fry

Nutrition: per serving

 kcal494
 fat17g
 saturates6g
 carbs56g
 sugars27g
 fibre3g
 protein29g
 salt2.4g

Ingredients

 4cm/1 ½ in piece of ginger

 4 tbsp soy sauce

 4 tbsp mirin
 3 garlic cloves
 2 tbsp chopped pineapple

 2 tsp red chilli flakes or Korean chilli powder

 3 tbsp golden caster sugar
 3 tsp sesame oil
  500g sirloin or rump steak

, trimmed of fat and sliced

 1 large onion

, cut into half moons

 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

 200g cooked basmati rice
 chopped spring onions

, to serve

Method

1. Put the ginger, soy, mirin, garlic, pineapple, chilli flakes, sugar and 1 tsp of the sesame
oil in a food processor and blend until fine. Pour the marinade into a bowl, add the meat,
mix well and leave to sit while you prepare the onion.

2. Heat the remaining sesame oil in a large wok or frying pan until very hot. Add the onion
and stir-fry for a few mins. Add the beef and the marinade, stirring constantly until it’s
cooked through, about 5 mins. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and serve with rice and
chopped spring onions.
Next level steak & ale pie

Nutrition: Per serving (8)

 kcal939
 fat49g
 saturates22g
 carbs80g
 sugars7g
 fibre6g
 protein38g
 salt1.1g

Ingredients

 1 tbsp vegetable oil

 100g smoked bacon lardons or smoked bacon, chopped
 1kg beef shin, cut into large chunks
 2 onions, roughly chopped
 3 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
 3 tbsp plain flour
 1 tbsp tomato purée
 1 tbsp tomato purée
 1 tsp malt or red wine vinegar
 1 tsp brown miso paste (optional)
 400ml sweet brown ale
 600ml beef stock made from 2 stock cubes
 few thyme sprigs, stalks and leaves separated
 2 bay leaves

For the pastry

 700g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

 2 tsp English mustard powder
 150g lard
 150g butter, plus extra for the dish
 2 egg yolks, beaten

Method

1. Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Heat the vegetable oil in a large casserole dish
and gently fry the bacon for 5 mins until lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon
and set aside. In the same pan, brown the beef well in batches for 5-8 mins, adding a
drizzle more oil if you need to, then set aside. 
2. Add the onions and carrots to the pan and cook on a low heat for 5 mins. Stir in the flour,
then add the tomato purée, vinegar and miso, if using. Tip the beef and bacon, along with
any juices, back into the pan and give it all a good stir. Pour in the ale and stock, and
nestle in the thyme stalks and bay. Season generously and bring to a simmer. Cover with
a lid and cook in the oven for about 2 hrs or until the meat is really tender. Leave
everything to cool slightly, then strain off about half the braising liquid into another
container. Leave to cool completely. Can be made up to two days ahead and kept chilled
in the fridge – the pie will be better if the filling is fridge-cold when added. Can also be
frozen for up to three months.

3. To make the pastry, mix the flour, mustard powder, lard and butter with a generous pinch
of sea salt until completely combined, then gradually add up to 250ml ice-cold water to
make a soft dough. This can be done in a food processor if you prefer. Knead the thyme
leaves into the pastry, then cover and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 1 hr. Can be
made up to two days ahead and kept chilled, or frozen for up to a month.
4. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and put a baking tray in the oven. Heavily butter a
26-28cm pie dish and dust well with flour. Cut off a third of the pastry and set aside. Roll
out the remaining pastry to a thick round that will easily line the pie dish with an
overhang, then line the tin. Tip in the beef mixture. You want the filling to be slightly
higher than the rim of the dish. Brush the edges with egg yolk. Roll out the remaining
pastry to a thick round, big enough to cover the pie, then lift onto the pie dish. Trim the
edges, crimp together, then re-roll the trimmings and cut into decorative shapes, such as
leaves. Brush the top with more yolk. Make a hole in the centre of the pie with a knife,
and put it on the hot baking tray.
5. Bake for 20 mins, remove, brush again with yolk, scatter with sea salt and bake for 20-25
mins until golden. Leave to rest for 10 mins while you heat up the extra gravy.
Crispy chilli beef
Nutrition: per serrving

 kcal454
 fat23g
 saturates5g
 carbs32g
 sugars15g
 fibre2g
 protein26g
 salt2.2g

Ingredients

 350g thin-cut minute steak, very thinly sliced into strips

 3 tbsp cornflour
 2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
 100ml vegetable oil
 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
 1 red chilli, thinly sliced
 4 spring onions, sliced, green and white parts separated
 2 garlic cloves, crushed
 thumb-sized piece ginger, cut into matchsticks
 4 tbsp rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
 1 tbsp soy sauce
 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
 cooked noodles, to serve (optional)
 prawn crackers, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Put 350g thin-cut minute steak strips in a bowl and toss in 3 tbsp cornflour and 2 tsp
Chinese five-spice powder.

2. Heat 100ml vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan until hot, then add the beef and fry
until golden and crisp.

3. Scoop out the beef and drain on kitchen paper. Pour away all but 1 tbsp oil.

4. Add 1 thinly sliced red pepper, ½ thinly sliced red chilli, sliced white ends of 4 spring
onions, 2 crushed garlic cloves and thumb-sized piece ginger, cut into matchsticks, to the
pan. Stir-fry for 3 mins to soften, but don’t let the garlic and ginger burn.
5. Mix the 4 tbsp rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp sweet
chilli sauce and 2 tbsp tomato ketchup in a jug with 2 tbsp water, then pour over the veg.

6. Bubble for 2 mins, then add the beef back to the pan and toss well to coat.

7. Serve the beef on noodles with prawn crackers, if you like, scattered with the remaining
½ sliced red chilli and sliced green parts of the spring
Oriental beef skewers with cucumber salad

Nutrition: per serving

 kcal228
 fat8g
 saturates3g
 carbs8g
 sugars8g
 fibre1g
 protein32g
 salt2.21g

Ingredients

 4 thin-cut sirloin steaks

or minute steaks, trimmed of any fat and each cut into 3 long strips

 100ml sachet stir-fry sauce (we used oyster and spring onion)
 1 tbsp sesame seeds

For the salad

 1 tsp white wine vinegar

 1 tsp light soy sauce
  1 cucumber, cut into small chunks
 3 spring onions

, sliced

 ½ red chilli

, deseeded and finely chopped

 handful coriander leaves, chopped

Method

1. Heat grill to high. In a bowl, mix the steak strips with the stir-fry sauce and sesame seeds.
Thread onto 12 skewers, then grill for 12 mins, turning halfway through, until golden and
sticky.

2. For the salad, mix the vinegar and soy together, then toss with the cucumber, spring
onions, chilli and coriander. Serve with the beef skewers and some boiled basmati rice.
Banana & tahini porridge
Nutrition: Per serving

 kcal431
 fat17g
 saturates3g
 carbs53g
 sugars18g
 fibre7g
 protein14g
 salt

Ingredients

 1 tbsp tahini

 150ml milk

of your choice, plus 1 tbsp

 100g porridge oats

  2 small bananas

, sliced

 seeds from 2 cardamom pods, crushed

 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Method

1. Mix the tahini with 1 tbsp milk and 1 tbsp water. Put the oats, 1 sliced banana,
cardamom, 100ml milk and 300ml water in a pan with a pinch of salt. Cook over a
medium heat for 5 mins, stirring, until creamy and hot.

2. Divide between two bowls. Pour over the remaining milk, then top with the remaining
sliced banana. Drizzle over the tahini mixture and sprinkle over the toasted sesame seeds.
Slow cooker bio yogurt
Nutrition: Per serving

 kcal120
 fat5g
 saturates3g
 carbs11g
 sugars11g
 fibre0g
 protein8g
 salt0.3g

Ingredients

 2l whole milk

 100ml live yogurt, either shop bought or from a previous homemade batch

Method

1. Tip the milk into the slow cooker. Cover and heat on High until the temperature of the
milk reaches 82C, this will take a couple of hours. Turn off the slow cooker and allow the
temperature to drop to 43C for a further 2-3 hours. Take a mugful of the warm milk and
mix it with the yogurt then pour the mixture back into the slow cooker and stir really
well. Cover, wrap the slow cooker in a big towel and then leave undisturbed for 9-12
hours until the mixture has set.
 2. Eat on top of cereal or porridge, topped with fresh fruit, in marinades or drink in
smoothies. If you want it thicker, for dips for example, line a large sieve with muslin and
place it over a bowl, tip in the yogurt and allow some of the whey to strain off until you
get the consistency of yogurt that you like. The longer you leave it, the thicker it will
become. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Carrot cake overnight oats

Nutrition: per serving

 kcal319
 fat9g
 saturates4g
 carbs48g
 sugars14g
 fibre6g
 protein9g
 salt0.6g

Ingredients

 40g grated carrot

 a big pinch of mixed spice
 ¼ tsp cinnamon
 50g rolled porridge oats
 1 tsp honey
 1 tsp sultanas
 1 tbsp Greek yogurt

Method

1. Mix the grated carrot, mixed spice and cinnamon with the oats, 150ml water and a pinch
of salt, then cover and chill in the fridge overnight.

2. The next day, stir in the honey and sultanas then top with Greek yogurt.
Breakfast burrito
Nutrition: Per wrap

 kcal366
 fat21g
 saturates4g
 carbs26g
 sugars4g
 fibre5g
 protein16g
 salt0.9g

Ingredients

 1 tsp chipotle paste

 1 egg

 1 tsp rapeseed oil

  50g kale

 7 cherry tomatoes, halved

 ½ small avocado

, sliced

 1 wholemeal tortilla wrap, warmed

Method

1. Whisk the chipotle paste with the egg and some seasoning in a jug. Heat the oil in a large
frying pan, add the kale and tomatoes.

2. Cook until the kale is wilted and the tomatoes have softened, then push everything to the
side of the pan. Pour the beaten egg into the cleared half of the pan and scramble. Layer
everything into the centre of your wrap, topping with the avocado, then wrap up and eat
immediately.
Pink barley porridge with vanilla yogurt
Nutrition:

 kcal371
 fat10g
 saturates4g
 carbs52g
 sugars18g
 fibre4g
 protein15g
 salt0.3g

Ingredients

 100g pearl barley

 75g traditional oats

 4 large or 8 small ripe red plums

 , stoned and chopped

 ½ tsp vanilla extract

 4 x 150ml bio yogurt
 2 tbsp sunflower seeds

Method

1. Tip the barley and oats into a bowl, pour over 1 litre boiling water and stir well. Cover
and leave to soak overnight.

2. The next morning, tip the mixture into a pan and stir in the plums. Simmer for 15 mins,
stirring frequently and adding a little water if necessary to get a consistency you like.

3. Stir the vanilla into the yogurt and serve on top of the porridge with the seeds sprinkled
over.
Breakfast muffins
Nutrition: per serving

 kcal179
 fat7g
 saturates1g
 carbs23g
 sugars10g
 fibre3g
 protein5g
 salt0.6g

Ingredients

 2 large eggs
 150ml pot natural low-fat yogurt
 50ml rapeseed oil

 100g apple sauce or pureed apples (find with the baby food)
 1 ripe banana

, mashed

 4 tbsp clear honey

 1 tsp vanilla extract
 200g wholemeal flour
 50g rolled oats

, plus extra for sprinkling

 1½ tsp baking powder

  1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

 1½ tsp cinnamon

 100g blueberry

 2 tbsp mixed seed (we used pumpkin, sunflower and flaxseed)

Method

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with 12 large muffin cases.
In a jug, mix the eggs, yogurt, oil, apple sauce, banana, honey and vanilla. Tip the
remaining ingredients, except the seeds, into a large bowl, add a pinch of salt and mix to
combine.

2. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix briefly until you have a smooth batter –
don’t overmix as this will make the muffins heavy. Divide the batter between the cases.
Sprinkle the muffins with the extra oats and the seeds. Bake for 25-30 mins until golden
and well risen, and a skewer inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean. Remove
 from the oven, transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool. Can be stored in a sealed
container for up to 3 days.

Breakfast naans
Nutrition: Per serving

 kcal503
 fat30g
 saturates7g
 carbs35g
 sugars11g
 fibre5g
  protein20g
 salt1.6g

Ingredients

 1 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil

 2 eggs

 2 small naan breads

 4 tbsp low-fat cream cheese
 2 tbsp mango chutney
 1 avocado

, halved and sliced

 ½ lime

, juiced
  1 green chilli
 small handful coriander, leaves picked

Method

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Heat the oil in a pan, then fry the eggs. Warm the
naan breads in the oven while the eggs are cooking. 

2. Spread the warm naans with the cream cheese, then drizzle with the chutney. Add a fried
egg to each naan and top with the avocado, lime juice, chilli and coriander. Season and
tuck in.