The Hairy Dieters: How to Love Food and Lose Weight (14 page)

Dip a pastry brush in the oil and brush over the base of a large non-stick frying pan. Place the pan over a medium heat, add the chicken and cook for 2 minutes. Turn the breasts over and cook for 2–3 minutes on the other side until nicely browned and cooked through. Remove from the heat and leave the chicken in the warm pan to rest.

While the chicken is cooking, make the salad. Separate the lettuce leaves and wash and drain them well. Tear any large leaves into smaller pieces. Arrange the lettuce in a large serving dish and scatter over the tomatoes. Toast the slices of ciabatta and tear them into bite-sized pieces.

Put the cooked chicken breasts on a board and cut them into thick strips. Scatter these over the lettuce and tomatoes and toss everything together lightly. Spoon over half the dressing and serve while the chicken is warm. Fantastic!

CHILLI SALAD BOWLS

This is one of the gutsiest salads we’ve come up with – packed with beef and flavour. A proper Hairy Dieters’ feast. If you like, you can also make this with ready-made taco shells which are even lower in calories than tortillas so you can eat more filling!

SERVES 4

300g lean minced beef (less than 10% fat)

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp hot chilli powder

2 tbsp tomato purée

½ tsp caster sugar

300ml beef stock, made with 1 beef stock cube

4 large flour tortillas

1 tsp sunflower oil

1 romaine lettuce or 3 baby gem lettuces, leaves thickly shredded

3 ripe vine tomatoes, sliced

15cm piece of cucumber, sliced

4 spring onions, trimmed and sliced

freshly squeezed juice of ½ lime

40g mature Cheddar cheese

4 tbsp half-fat crème fraiche

4 tbsp fresh tomato salsa sauce

flaked sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

397 calories per portion

Put the minced beef, onion and garlic in a medium non-stick saucepan and cook over a high heat for 5 minutes, stirring with 2 wooden spoons to break up any clumps of meat. Stir in the cumin, coriander and chilli and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring constantly.

Add the tomato purée, sugar and beef stock and bring to a simmer. Cover the pan and leave to simmer gently over a low heat for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and stir the chilli mixture occasionally.

While the beef is cooking, prepare the tortilla bowls. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Take a sheet of foil about 1 metre long and scrunch it up into a ball about 10cm in diameter. Place it in the centre of a large baking sheet.

Take a tortilla and brush the centre on 1 side with a little of the oil – this will help prevent it sticking to the foil. Drape the tortilla over the ball of foil, oil-side down, pinching and loosely pleating it to create a bowl shape. Bake for 5 minutes until the bowl shape is set and the tortilla is lightly crisped.

Take the tortilla out of the oven and carefully remove it from the foil – it should be just cool enough to handle. Place the tortilla on an upturned tumbler and press to create a flat base on which to turn the tortilla once cold. The tortilla should still be warm enough to mould to the shape of the glass. Leave to cool while you make the next bowl in the same way. Put each upturned tortilla on a plate as soon as it is ready.

Remove the lid from the pan of beef and turn the heat up high. Cook for a further 4–5 minutes, stirring constantly, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the beef is looking fairly dry. Take the pan off the heat.

Toss the lettuce with the tomatoes, cucumber, spring onions and lime juice. Divide the salad between the tortilla bowls and season with black pepper, then top with the hot mince. Coarsely grate some Cheddar over each serving and add some crème fraiche and salsa. Tuck in while the beef is warm.

CUMIN-CRUSTED VEGETABLES

This is a lovely spicy variation on your classic roasties, using a small amount of oil and lots of tantalising tastes. Goes beautifully with our masala-marinated chicken, which you’ll find on page 50, or with plain grilled meat.

SERVES 4–5

600g medium potatoes, preferably Maris Pipers

1 tsp black mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 tbsp sunflower oil

1 tsp garam masala

½ tsp turmeric

1 medium red onion, halved and cut into thin wedges

1 yellow pepper, deseeded and cut into 4cm chunks

1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into 4cm chunks

1 orange pepper, deseeded and cut into 4cm chunks

2 medium courgettes, cut into 1cm slices

freshly ground black pepper

199 calories per portion (if serving 4)160 calories per portion (if serving 5)

Preheat the oven to 210°C/Fan 190°C/Gas 6½. Half fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Peel the potatoes, cut them into quarters and lower them carefully into the water. Bring the water back to the boil and cook for 5 minutes – just enough to parboil the spuds as though you’re making them to go with your usual Sunday roast.

While the potatoes are boiling, place a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add the mustard and cumin seeds. Toast for about 30 seconds, then stir in the oil, garam masala and turmeric. Sizzle for a few seconds and add the onion. Fry the onion in the spices for 1–2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Drain the potatoes in a large colander and toss several times to roughen up the surface of each potato. Tip them into the pan with the onion and spices, season with a few twists of ground black pepper and toss together until the potatoes are lightly coated. Tip everything on to a large baking tray and roast for 30 minutes.

Take the tray out of the oven and add the remaining vegetables. Toss lightly together and return to the oven for another 25–30 minutes until the potatoes are crisp and golden brown and the vegetables have softened.

GOOD BASIC MIXED SALAD

A crisp mixed salad is a fantastic partner for so many dishes when you’re watching your weight. It looks good, tastes good and takes a while to eat, which is always helpful when you’re cutting down on calories and portions. Try some of our special dressings too.

SERVES 4–6

1 romaine lettuce

1 chicory

3 ripe tomatoes

small handful of radishes

¼ cucumber

1 yellow pepper

½ red onion or 4 spring onions, trimmed

29 calories per portion (if serving 4)44 calories per portion (if serving 6)

Separate the lettuce and chicory leaves and chuck away any that look wilted or damaged. Cut the larger chicory leaves in half lengthways. Rinse all the leaves in a colander under running water and drain well.

Cut the tomatoes into quarters and slice the radishes and cucumber, then cut the stalk off the pepper and scoop out and discard the seeds. Cut the pepper into rings or slices. Slice the onion or spring onions into very thin rings.

Scatter the leaves into a large serving bowl. Add the tomatoes and cucumber and toss lightly together, then scatter the radishes on top. Finish the salad with rings of pepper and red onion. Serve with one of the dressings below or a bought low-calorie dressing.

VINAIGRETTE

Put 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar, ½ crushed garlic clove, ¼ teaspoon of Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon of caster sugar, a pinch of flaked sea salt and a couple of twists of black pepper in a small bowl and whisk with a metal balloon whisk until well combined. Gradually add 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and whisk hard until the dressing thickens. Slowly whisk in 1 tablespoon of cold water. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
SERVES 6
(20 calories per portion)

ZINGY YOGHURT DRESSING

Mix 4 tablespoons low-fat natural yoghurt, 2 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of runny honey in a small bowl until well combined. Stir in some finely chopped mint or coriander leaves if you like.
SERVES 6
(8 calories per portion)

LIGHT HERBY DRESSING

Mix 3 tablespoons of light mayonnaise, ½ crushed garlic clove and a pinch of mixed dried herbs in a small bowl until well combined. Gradually add 3 tablespoons cold water, stirring well between each addition. Season with black pepper.
SERVES 6
(22 calories per portion)

BEETROOT SALAD WITH YOGHURT AND CUMIN SEEDS

Beetroots are nutritious and have a lovely meaty texture. Cooked beets keep well in the fridge so cook a few to serve with other salads or warm with a little soft goat’s cheese and snipped chives. They’re good roasted too so if you have your oven on for another dish, wrap some beetroot in foil and cook at the same time. Ready-prepared beetroots are available in most supermarkets if you prefer – you’ll need five or six of the baby ones for this dish. If you don’t want purple fingers, wear clean rubber gloves when handling beetroots.