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Cold weather can certainly challenge our commitment to healthy eating. For many people, fresh salads may not be as enticing during the colder winter months. But you can enjoy heartwarming winter meals that are friendly to both your heart and tastebuds, according to the National Heart Foundation of Australia.
PREP TIME 20 minutes COOKING TIME 40 minutes • 2 teaspoons canola oil • 100g ditalini (tiny pasta pieces for soup) • 2 leeks, thinly sliced • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives pinch saffron • 1kg orange sweet potato, peeled and Lavash crisps chopped • 2 sheets lavash bread • 1 litre reduced salt chicken stock • 1 tablespoon olive oil • 1 cinnamon stick • 2 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese • 1 bouquet garni (flavouring herbs) 1 Heat the oil in a large pot, add the leeks and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes or until the leeks are soft and golden. Add the saffron and sweet potato and stir for about 5 minutes or until the sweet potato begins to soften. 2 Stir in the stock, cinnamon stick and bouquet garni. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the sweet potato is very soft. Remove the cinnamon stick and bouquet garni. 3 Cook the pasta in a large pot of rapidly boiling water until al dente (cooked, but still with a bite to it). Drain well. 4 Puree the soup in batches until smooth then return to the pot along with the pasta and reheat gently. If it is too thick add a little water. 5 To make lavash crisps use a star-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes from the bread, brush lightly with oil, sprinkle with parmesan and place another star on top. Grill until crisp and golden. 6 To serve, ladle the soup into bowls, float lavash stars on top and sprinkle with chives. Serves 6 NUTRIENTS per serve Energy 1442kJ Lamb Racks with Broad Bean and Pea Puree
Heart Foundation Nutrition Program Manager Barbara Eden says: “There are so many simple ways to make winter meals delicious and healthy. For example, use margarine spreads instead of butter on wholegrain bread rolls to dunk into your soup. Or add legumes to lean meat and vegetables in traditional meat-based dishes, such as casseroles and stews. PREP TIME 40 minutes COOKING TIME 45 minutes • 4 x 4 cutlet racks of lamb (about 750g) • Broad bean and pea puree • 2 cloves garlic, sliced • 500g fresh or frozen broad beans, • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, torn thawed and peeled • 1/2 cup mint jelly • 1 cup frozen mint peas • 2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard • 125ml reduced salt chicken stock • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 Preheat oven to 200°C. Trim any excess fat from the rack and any sinew away from the bones using a small sharp knife. Cut small slits in the lamb and put slices of garlic and torn sprigs of rosemary into each hole. 2 Put the mint jelly, mustard and balsamic vinegar into a small pot and bring to the boil. Brush the lamb racks with the glaze and put into a baking dish. 3 Roast the racks for 35-40 minutes for medium rare. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before cutting into cutlets. 4 To make the broad bean and pea puree while the lamb roasts, put the broad beans, peas and stock in a pot, bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer until the broad beans are soft and most of the liquid is absorbed. Mash until very smooth or put in a food processor and blend until smooth. 5 Serve the cutlets on a mound of broad bean puree, drizzle with the warmed glaze and serve with steamed or roasted baby potatoes. Serves 4. (The puree will discolour on standing so do not make it too far in advance.) NUTRIENTS per serve Energy 1331kJ Rhubarb and Apple Pie With Custard
PREP TIME 20 minutes COOKING TIME 45 minutes • 1kg Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored and cut into think slices • 1 cinnamon stick • 1 cup castor sugar • 1kg rhubarb, cut into 5cm lengths • 1 sheet canola puff pastry, defrosted • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar • Vanilla bean custard • 1 tablespoon custard powder • 500ml low or reduced fat milk • 1 cup caster sugar • 1 vanilla bean, cut in half lengthwise 1 Preheat oven to 200°C 2 Put the apples, cinnamon stick and half the caster sugar in a pot. Add 60ml water, cover and cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes or until the apples are soft. Remove the cinnamon stick. 3 Put the rhubarb in a clean pot, add the remaining sugar and 60ml water and cook over a medium heat for 5-10 minutes or until the rhubarb is soft. Do not overcook or it will lose its colour and collapse. 4 Combine the rhubarb and apple and pile into a 23cm pie dish. Brush the edges of the pie dish with a little water. 5 Cover the pie with the puff pastry, trim off any excess and press the edges to seal the pie. Cut a few steam holes in the top, brush the pastry with water and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake on a heated tray for 20 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and golden. 6 To make the custard blend the custard powder with a little of the milk to form a smooth paste. Transfer to a pot, add the remaining milk, sugar and vanilla bean and cook, stirring occasionally, over a medium heat until the custard boils and thickens. Remove the vanilla bean before serving. Serves 8 NUTRIENTS per serve Energy 1371kJ To purchase a copy of Deliciously Healthy ($24.95 plus P&H) or for more healthy eating tips, contact the Heart Foun dation’s national information service Heartline on 1300 36 27 87 or visit Heartsite at www.heartfoundation.com.au |
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