The Secret Ingredient: Family Cookbook

3 large courgettes, diced into 1cm (½in) squares

1 litre (1¾ pints) low-salt vegetable stock

1 handful of fresh mint leaves

1 large handful of watercress

freshly ground black pepper

1 Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick pan and sauté the onion for 3–4 minutes until starting to soften. Add the grated ginger and cook for a further 2 minutes.

2 Now add the diced courgettes and the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 4–5 minutes or until the courgettes are tender.

3 Remove from the heat and ladle two-thirds of the soup into a blender. Add the mint and watercress and blend until totally smooth.

4 Return the smooth soup to the pan with the still-chunky soup, return to the heat and season with freshly ground black pepper. Serve in large soup bowls with a courgette flower floating on the top. Edible when washed!

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Red peppers, tomatoes, shallots, garlic and chilli are all heart-healthy ingredients, especially when they are heated in a little olive oil. They taste pretty good too!

Serves 4–6

4 large red peppers, cut into quarters and deseeded

4 large tomatoes, halved

4 shallots, peeled and cut in half

3 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp dried thyme

750ml (1¼ pints) low-salt vegetable stock

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6.

2 Place the peppers, tomatoes, shallots and garlic into a roasting tin and scatter with the chopped chilli. Drizzle with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar then sprinkle with the thyme. Roast for 30–40 minutes or until the vegetables are softened and lightly charred, turning halfway through cooking. Remove the peppers from the roasting tin, put them into a large saucepan and set aside.

3 Next, pour half of the vegetable stock into the roasting tin and set over a low heat. Stir and scrape with a wooden spoon to remove all the roasted scrummy bits from the base of the tin.

4 Now pour this mixture and the rest of the vegetable stock into the pan with the peppers. Set over a medium heat, bring to a gentle simmer then take off the heat and, using a hand blender, whiz the soup until lovely and smooth. Reheat and serve.

Sally’s tip

If you want to make this into a creamy soup, feel free to add a swirl of low-fat crème fraîche.

Baked Potato with Healthy Toppings

If I was stuck on a desert island, the one food I would choose to take with me would be a potato.

Potatoes have certainly had a bad press of late thanks to the low-carb craze. Well, as much as I agree with cutting down on carbohydrates at some points in the day, I do not agree with cutting them out altogether. Carbohydrates are essential to our growth and wellbeing, especially when feeding a family. Potatoes are, in my opinion, the perfect source of healthy carbs as they are rich in vitamin C (good for keeping your immune system healthy), potassium (good for healthy blood pressure) and offer good fibre, especially when eaten with the skin on – and eating good fibre positively promotes weight loss. They are also not too expensive, so why wouldn’t you fill up on a delicious, nutritious spud?

One of the easiest and healthiest quick meals or light bites is a jacket potato. This is great for all ages, affordable and if you take care with your toppings, it’s seriously healthy too.

To prepare your baked potato, preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6. Wash your potato and prick it 2 or 3 times with a fork. Bake in the oven for 50–60 minutes depending on the size. You can tell when the baked potato is cooked as the skin will be lovely and crisp but the inside soft when you squeeze it.

If you’re in a hurry, you could start the cooking off in the microwave following the manufacturer’s instructions and then crisp up in the oven for 10 minutes. Don’t be tempted to lather huge globs of butter or cream onto your baked potato, as this is obviously NOT a healthy way to eat.

Overleaf are some delicious examples of my favourite toppings, feel free to swap and change and be as imaginative as you like. Keep everything low fat and always serve with veggies or salad to make a balanced meal.

Enjoy!

Each of these mini recipes serves 1

Curry-spiced Topping

1 tablespoon fat-free natural yogurt mixed with 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley and ½ teaspoon mild curry powder.

Tomato Pesto Topping

1 tablespoon shop-bought green pesto mixed with 1 chopped plum tomato.

Creamy Horseradish Topping

1 tablespoon reduced-fat sour cream mixed with ½ teaspoon prepared horseradish.

Creamy Chive Topping

1 tablespoon low-fat cottage cheese and 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives.

Tex-Mex Topping

1 tablespoon refried beans, 1 tablespoon prepared tomato salsa and 1 teaspoon chopped fresh coriander.

Coleslaw Topping

Mix together 6 tablespoons fat-free crème fraîche, ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise, ½ white cabbage, shredded, 2 carrots and ½ onion, both finely sliced.

Fruity Booty Topping

Mix together fresh pineapple chunks, a diced apple with 1 tablespoon raisins and 2 tablespoons fat-free crème fraîche.