Recipes Under 600 Calories

Avocado and Tuna

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Avocado-and-Tuna
Nice Light Snack.

Avocado and Tuna

Jill Knight
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Ingredients
  

  • 2 avocados
  • 1 can albacore tuna packed in water drained and rinsed
  • Lemon juice
  • ½ cup cooked quinoa or ½ cup sweet potato/yam

Instructions
 

  • Cut open and pit avocados.
  • Spoon a heap of tuna into avocado crater.
  • Drizzle with lemon juice.
  • Serve. Pair with cooked quinoa or sweet potato/yam.

Salmon Fillet with Vegetable Pasta in Tomato Sauce

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Low-fat and delicious, these salmon fillets with vegetable pasta are great for slimmers.

Salmon Fillet with Vegetable Pasta in Tomato Sauce

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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 25 mins
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 100 g pasta shapes such as rigatoni
  • Pinch of salt
  • 150 g broccoli broken into small florets
  • 100 g fine green beans trimmed and halved
  • 1 leek trimmed and sliced
  • 4 x 100g salmon fillets
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
  • 100 g frozen garden peas thawed
  • 500 g jar original tomato pasta sauce

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat the grill.
  • Cook the pasta shapes in a large saucepan of lightly salted boiling water for 8-10 mins, or according to pack instructions. At the same time, cook the broccoli, green beans and leek in a little boiling water until just tender, for about 5 mins.
  • Meanwhile, arrange the salmon fillets on the grill rack. Sprinkle them with lemon juice, season with black pepper and sprinkle with half the chopped chives.
  • Grill for 6-8 mins, or until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily when tested with a fork.
  • Drain the pasta and vegetables then return them to the saucepan with the peas. Stir in the jar of pasta sauce and heat, stirring gently for 2-3 mins.
  • Share the pasta between 4 warmed serving plates or bowls and top with a fillet of salmon. Sprinkle with the remaining chives and serve immediately.

Notes

Swap the lemon juice in this recipe for orange juice to give the salmon a different flavour.

Baked Vegetable Polenta

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Polenta is an Italian store-cupboard staple. Typically a peasant ingredient it still remains a cheap but versatile grain. Recognised for its rich, yellow colour, it has a sweet taste to it and be found ranging from coarse to fine. It can be cooked to be creamy and thick, or griddled, baked and fried. It can even replace flour in gluten-free baking and comes in handy as a coating to meat and fish. This recipe makes a great vegetarian main meal or great as a side dish. Swap the feta cheese with any that you fancy. Try, cheddar, swiss, gouda or even stinky gorgonzola!

Baked Vegetable Polenta

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Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 50 mins
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 300 g quick-cook polenta
  • 1 garlic clove peeled and crushed
  • Small handful of fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 leeks
  • 200 g mushrooms
  • 300 g cherry tomatoes
  • Feta cheese cubed
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6. Mix the dry polenta grains with the garlic and parsley. Into a saucepan, pour the polenta mix into the required amount of boiling water as stated on the cooking packet. Cook polenta until a smooth consistency is achieved. Then pour into a baking tray. Set aside to cool.
  • In a frying pan, heat the oil and fry the leeks and mushrooms until tender.
  • Top the polenta with the fried vegetables and add the feta and tomatoes. Bake in the oven for 20mins until the polenta has risen and the cheese has started to melt. Serve immediately.

Notes

For extra flavour, use stock to cook the polenta in instead of water.

Quinoa, Feta & Broccoli Salad

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Celeb chef Jo adds quinoa, a super-healthy South American protein, to this tasty salad with feta cheese, broccoli and pomegranate.

Quinoa, Feta & Broccoli Salad

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Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 300 g quinoa
  • 200 g pack broccoli
  • 200 g feta cheese crumbled
  • 1 large handful of pumpkin seeds
  • Seeds from 1 pomegranate
  • 1 large handful of mint leaves roughly chopped
  • 1 large handful of flatleaf parsley roughly chopped
  • 3-4 ripe tomatoes deseeded and chopped
  • 1 bunch spring onions finely sliced
  • 3 tbsp extravirgin olive oil
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions
 

  • Cook the quinoa according to the packet instructions. Leave to cool in a large mixing bowl.
  • Meanwhile, the broccoli can be cut into small bite-size pieces and either lightly steamed or boiled, until just tender (4-5 mins will be about right) and also left to cool.
  • Heat a small frying pan and lightly toast the pumpkin seeds until they are slightly crunchy. Remove from the pan and leave to cool.
  • Once the quinoa and broccoli are cool, stir together along with the feta, pomegranate seeds, herbs, tomato, spring onions, olive oil and lemon juice. Season with a little salt, (the feta cheese will add a salty flavour) and a good twist of black pepper. Toss together until everything is combined and either serve straight away or keep in the fridge.

Notes

Jo says: 'I've used quinoa as a super healthy substitute to couscous or bulgur wheat. Not only is this a lovely midweek masterpiece, it's also fantastic to eat al fresco as part of a picnic or 'al desko' as part of your working lunch.'

Cheese and Spinach Baked Mushrooms

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Make delicious cheesy mushrooms as a vegetarian starter or turn them into a filling main served with brown rice and a side salad

Cheese and Spinach Baked Mushrooms

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Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 35 mins
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 30 ml/2 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ medium onion finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove finely chopped
  • 75 g basmati rice cooked
  • 150 g fresh baby spinach blanched, drained & chopped
  • Pinch nutmeg
  • 25 g Dolcelatte or any vegetarian blue cheese, crumbled
  • 4 flat mushrooms or portabello mushrooms stalks trimmed

To serve

  • Tomato and lettuce for the salad

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 190º C/375º F/Gas Mark 5.
  • Heat half the oil in a pan and gently sauté the onion and garlic until golden, then place in a medium sized mixing bowl.
  • Add the next four ingredients and mix well together to create the stuffing. Divide into four and fill the mushroom caps.
  • Use the remaining oil to grease the base of a roasting tin. Place the mushrooms in the tin and bake in a pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes until cooked.

Notes

Serve with a tomato and lettuce salad - we've got a great three tomato salad you could do and just add lettuce to it

Sweet Potato and Chickpea Balti

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At just £1.09 per serving, this vegetarian curry makes a lovely mid week meal. Quick and easy, it’s a great way of getting more veg into your family’s diet

Sweet Potato and Chickpea Balti

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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 35 mins
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 onion peeled and cut into thin wedges
  • 3 tbsp balti paste or more if you like it spicy
  • 500 g 1lb sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 400 g can chopped tomatoes
  • 400 g can chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • 125 g 4 oz frozen spinach chunks
  • Naan breads or rice to serve

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and fry 3-4 mins. Stir in the balti paste and sweet potato chunks and cook for a couple of mins.
  • Add the tomatoes, 300ml (½ pint) hot water and the chickpeas. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 10-15 mins. Check the seasoning.
  • Microwave the frozen spinach for a few mins and spoon on top of the balti (or add to the balti for the last 5 mins of cooking). Spoon curry into bowls. Serve with hot naan bread or rice.

Notes

You can add chicken to this dinner to make it a little meatier

Pepper and Mozzarella Strudel

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This mouthwatering vegetable and cheese strudel makes a hearty, flavour-filled vegetarian main meal

Pepper and Mozzarella Strudel

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Cook Time 45 mins
Total Time 45 mins
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 2 red peppers deseeded and thickly sliced
  • 2 yellow peppers deseeded and thickly sliced
  • 1 aubergine thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 200 g 7oz filo pastry
  • 100 g 3½ oz butter, melted
  • 2 x 125g packets mozzarella torn
  • Small bunch basil torn
  • Crisp salad and new potatoes to serve

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F, gas mark 6). Combine the peppers and aubergine with the oil and season well. Cook under a preheated grill for 10 mins or until softened and lightly charred.
  • Place a sheet of filo pastry on greaseproof paper and brush with butter. Arrange three sheets of pastry on top, overlapping, creating a rectangle 40 x 30cm (16 x 12in).
  • Brush with butter and top with another layer of filo. Place the aubergine slices down the centre of the filo and layer up with the peppers and mozzarella, finishing with the basil.
  • Fold the ends of the filo over the vegetables. Using greaseproof paper, roll the filo up. Put on a baking sheet, brush with more butter and season well. Bake for 25 mins or until golden brown. Serve with a crisp salad and new potatoes.

Notes

Orange peppers work just as well in this recipe - so you can ring the changes if you prefer.

Vegetable Lasagne

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This quick and easy veggie lasagne has been created by celeb chef James Martin to celebrate National Vegetarian Week.

Vegetable Lasagne

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Cook Time 1 hr
Total Time 1 hr
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 6-8 sheets lasagne
  • 2 283g cans creamed mushrooms
  • 2 390g tin ratatouille
  • 50 g mature Cheddar cheese grated
  • 50 g Gruyere cheese grated
  • 50 g Parmesan cheese grated
  • Pinch of fresh nutmeg
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 600 ml 1 pint milk
  • 25 g 1oz plain flour
  • 25 g 1oz butter

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F, gas mark 6).
  • Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 mins.
  • Take the pan off the heat and gradually stir in the milk to get a smooth cheese sauce. Return to the heat, continue stirring. Bring to the boil then simmer for 8-10 mins.
  • Add half the grated cheese and heat gently for 1 min, whisking until the cheeses have melted, season with nutmeg, salt and black pepper.
  • Put the creamed mushrooms into a bowl and combine with half the cheese.
  • Put half the cheese and mushrooms sauce in the bottom of an oven proof dish and pour over 1 can of ratatouille. Lay 3-4 pasta sheets over the top then repeat.
  • Pour the remainder of the cheese sauce over the top of the lasagne, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere and Parmesan.
  • Bake in the oven for 30-40 mins. Allow to stand for 10 mins before serving.
  • Celebrate National Vegetarian Week from 18th-24th May 2009 www.cannedfood.co.uk www.vegsoc.org

Notes

Lasagne is the perfect stress-free dinner. Make it in advance and keep in the fridge until you want to bake it.
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Tikka Masala

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Tikka Masala is a famous Indian dish usually served with chicken, but for a twist on this classic dish it can be adapted for vegetarians by using cheese.

Tikka Masala

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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 50 mins
Total Time 1 hr
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 packet Paneer cheese eg. Clawson, boiled for 20 minutes and cut into 2cm cubes
  • 5 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 6 green cardamom pods
  • 1 ” cinnamon shard
  • 1 medium onion made into a paste
  • 3 garlic cloves peeled and made into a paste (Anjum uses a fine microplane grater)
  • 1¼ ”ginger peeled, made into a paste (Anjum uses a fine microplane grater)
  • 3 medium-large tomatoes pureed
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1¼ tsp garam masala
  • Salt to taste
  • ¼-1/2 tsp red chilli powder or to taste
  • 6 tbsp double cream
  • 3 good tbsp butter
  • 15 cashew nuts blended with some water

Instructions
 

  • Blend the onion until smooth.
  • Boil paneer in plenty of water on a low flame for 20 minutes.
  • Heat the oil and 1 tbsp of the butter until hot, add the cardamom and cinnamon stick and follow, 10 seconds later with the onions. Cook on a moderate flame until the excess water has dried off and the onions have turned golden.
  • Add the ginger and garlic pastes and sauté, over a gentle flame, for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, powdered spices and salt. Cook, over a moderate flame, for 20-25 minutes or until well reduced and you can see oil coming out of the sauce. Turn the heat up and fry this paste for a further 3-4 minutes. Add the paneer, butter and cream and 400ml water. Bring to a boil and simmer for another 5-7 minutes. You may want to add a little more water, depending on how thick you like your sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning and serve.

Notes

Garnish your tikka masala with a swirl of cream and a little fresh coriander.