THE end of summer is nigh and we are looking at our bronzed and bulging bellies after a summer of over indulgence, but hey, there’s no judgment here!
All those lunches with the kids on day trips or at cafes at attractions, long and late dinners on sun-drenched terraces with maybe one glass of chilled rosé wine too many have all taken their toll.
So, while we try to find our treadmills under the washing that has gone untouched or at least unfolded for months, I thought I would share some fantastic low-fat yet really nutritious and delicious recipes to get you back on track.
The fruit and nut bar is a really popular healthy snack for breakfast or elevenses, regardless of age, while the ratatouille is a great lunchtime meal or as an accompaniment to a chicken or fish dinner.
RATATOUILLE
(Serves 4)
1 aubergine
2 courgettes
1 red pepper, deseeded
1 yellow pepper, deseeded
1 onion, peeled
2 large tomatoes
olive oil
1 garlic bulb
1 sprig thyme
2 bay leaves
2 tblsp tomato paste
salt
black pepper
Start by chopping up the aubergine, courgettes, pepper, onion and tomatoes into small dice, keeping them separate as they will cook at different times. I prefer this dish when the ingredients are chopped up small as you get a better grouping of flavours with each mouthful. Preheat the oven to 200C.
Heat a little oil in a pot on a high heat, cooking and colouring the aubergine; remove from the pot, then do the same with the courgette; remove it from the pot; repeat with the pepper and onion. You want the vegetables to get a little colour so try not to 'caramelise' too much.
Place all the ingredients into a casserole dish with the tomatoes and all the herbs and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and place lid on top and cook for about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.
FRUIT AND NUT BAR
(Makes 8 Bars)
200g pitted dates
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
3 tblsp honey
125g oats, ground
120g hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
2 tblsp oat bran
3 tblsp ground flaxseed
120g pistachios, toasted and chopped
50g each of dried cranberries, dried blueberries
½ tsp coarse salt
vegetable oil cooking spray
Start by pre-heating the oven to 180C. Place the dates in a small pan and cover with water, place on the hob on a gentle simmer and cook until the dates are tender. Once tender, drain away the water and blend with a stick blender until puree.
Next you want to grease a baking tray. These are great, low-fat, nutritious bars so the best way to grease the tray is using a vegetable oil spray.
Mix the rest of the dry ingredients together and fold in the date puree and honey. The mixture will bind but should still be a little loose.
Press all the ingredients into the baking dish and bake for 20 minutes or until the mix feels firm on the sides and it is golden in colour. Remove from the baking tray and leave to cool then cut into eight bars.
