Righteous Recipes

Protein Bars

FeaturedLeave a comment

Like everyone else I’m trying to improve how I eat by eating more protein and fibre and less ultra processed foods.

I buy protein bars occasionally if I’m on the go and am always shocked at how expensive they are and how many unhealthy ingredients they actually have.

These cost a fraction of the price and are a lot healthier.  Yes there is sugar in these but it’s natural sugar in the form of honey/maple syrup and not something cooked up in a lab that none of us can pronounce.

I have made these into bars but you could also make these into protein balls and dip them in chocolate or roll then cocoa powder or crushed nuts if you prefer.

Makes 8

1 Can of Black beans (400ml), drained

80 Grams Rolled oats

3 Tbsp Peanut butter

30 Grams Cocoa powder

1 Tsp Cinnamon (optional)

2-3 Tbsp Maple syrup (I didn’t have this, so I used honey instead, add more or less depending on how sweet you like things)

Tor the topping

100 Grams Dark chocolate (melted)

Sprinkle of sea salt (optional)

Method

  • Add the beans to a food processor and whiz for 1-2 minutes until the beans have broken down.
  • Place the rest of the ingredients in the blender and whiz again for another minute.  Check if you want to adjust the taste by adding more cinnamon or maple syrup.
  • The mix should start to form a ball in the food processor.  Transfer it to a shallow dish lined with baking paper and place another sheet on top.  Gently press down on the top sheet of paper (I used a cup to roll across the mix and smooth it until the mix was 2-3cm deep.
  • Cover a place in a fridge to set for at least 1 hour
  • When the bars come out of the fridge, melt your chocolate in a bowl in the microwave (give blasts of 30-40 seconds at a time to make sure it doesn’t burn).  Spread evenly across the bar mix and sprinkle with salt or nuts. 
  • Allow the chocolate to set before cutting into bars.  Keep in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. 

Waiting for Payday Chicken

FeaturedLeave a comment

I had a lot of expenses this month, so until I get paid I want to use up stuff I have in my cupboards  and fridge/freezer to avoid over spending.  Most of us are at least a little bit of food hoarding.  So make the most of what’s already in your house and you’ll have a delicious, healthy, budget friendly one pot meal.

This recipe could be adapted to whatever you have, but the basics were some defrosted chicken thighs, dried rice, frozen vegetables and a tin of coconut milk.

I know I go on sometimes about having a good store cupboard but it can take humble ingredients to the next level.  This tastes even better the next day.

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 Large chicken thighs or 8 small (bone in)

1.5 Cups of rice

1 x 400ml Can of Coconut milk

1 Tbsp Oil

3-4 Large handfuls of frozen vegetables, I used a mixture of green beans, peppers and edamame beans, but you can use whatever is in your freezer

1 x Chicken stock cube

1 x Onion (finely sliced)

1 x Red chili (finely chopped), or 1-2 teaspoons of chilli powder

1 x Thumb sized piece of ginger (peeled and finely chopped), or 1 heaped teaspoon of dried ginger)

3 Cloves of garlic (finely chopped), or 1-2 teaspoons of garlic granules

2 Tablespoons of chopped coriander (I had a little  pot of this on my window sill that I have somehow been able to keep alive but you can use whichever herbs you might have

2 Spring onions/Scallions (optional, I had some hanging about the fridge)

Juice of half a lime or lemon

Salt to taste

Method

  • Heat the oil in a high sided pan with a lid
  • Add the chicken to the pan and seal on both sides over a medium/high heat
  • Remove the chicken from the pan and fry the onion until it starts to brown before adding frozen vegetables
  • Cook for a couple of minutes until the vegetables soften, then add the ginger, garlic and chilli
  • Add the rice to the vegetables and stir well
  • Crumble the stock cube in the pan and add the can of coconut milk, fill up the empty can with water and pour into the pan
  • Place the chicken back in the pan, just before it comes to the boil, cover with the lid and reduce the heat
  • Cook for 15 minutes (or until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is soft).  Squeeze the lime juice over the rice and stir well.  Sprinkle with scallions and coriander

Autumn Chicken and Lentil Tray Bake

FeaturedLeave a comment

After a morning walk and seeing the leaves changing colours,  I was inspired to make this because the colours looked so good together (it also tastes fantastic).

With the days getting colder and shorter this is proper comfort food but still pretty healthy with all your brightly coloured vegetables and plenty of protein from the chicken and lentils.  What makes it even better is that it’s a one pan dish meal.  

I used tinned lentils but you could boil your own if that’s what you have.  Mop up all the yummy juices with some crusty bread or spoon this over some buttery mashed potatoes and greens for the perfect Autumn comfort meal.

Serves 4

1kg Chicken thigh (bone in, I removed the skin but you can keep it on if you prefer)

3 Smallish sweet potatoes (washed, but skin left on, cut into 2cm cubes)

4 Carrots (washed but skin left on, cut into 2cm cubes)

150 Grams Butternut squash  (cut into 2cm cubes)

1 Onion (peeled and cut into 6)

100 Grams Cherry tomatoes  (cut in half)

1 Large red pepper (cut into 2cm cubes)

1 Tsp Salt

1 Tsp Smoked paprika

1 Tsp Dried Thyme

1 Tsp Garlic powder

1 Tsp Chilli powder

2 Tbsp Oil

1 Tbsp Balsamic or cider vinegar

1   x 400 Gram Tin of Green lentils

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 180 degrees
  • In a large oven proof dish add the oil sweet potatoes, carrots, and butternut squash and bake for 20 minutes
  • Add everything else to the tray except the balsamic vinegar and lentils.  Mix well and bake for 30 minutes
  • Add the lentils and balsamic vinegar to the baking tray, mix again and bake for a further 10 minutes (check the chicken is full cooked), and serve with crusty bread

Ginger and Turmeric Shots

FeaturedLeave a comment

If you haven’t been buying ginger shots already, you’ve probably spotted these little shots of goodness in many shops.

Both turmeric and ginger have powerful anti inflammatory and anti oxidant qualities, and can boost your immune system. So these are great if you are feeling a little bit under the weather, fighting of a colds or flu, and also help if you’re suffering with a hangover.

The little shots you buy cost at least £2 each. I made 4 shots, enough for 4 days in 5 minutes and about a quarter of the cost of buying them in a shop.

You’ll also see some odd ingredients like black pepper. Peperine found in black pepper helps activate some off the anti oxidant chemicals in the turmeric. I promise you won’t taste it, and you can swap it out for cayenne pepper if you prefer this.

A little oil is added as well. The fat helps your body absorb all the good stuff in the ginger and turmeric. You can substitute it for coconut oil if you prefer. Finally, honey is there for a little sweetness, but to be honest I’ll maybe leave it out next time as the oranges I had were really sweet, so maybe check on the sweetness of your oranges before adding. You can also swap the honey for agave or maple syrup if you are vegan.

Most importantly, these taste really good. Next time I make them, I might even go a little heavier on the ginger. I quite enjoy the heat, but it’s purely up to personal preference. The shots are healthy and delicious. They are quick and easy to make if you have a blender. They also cost a fraction of what you’ll pay outside.

Make 4-5 shots (this can live in your refrigerator for 5-6 days)

Ingredients

2 Oranges (peeled and roughly chopped

Thumb sized pieces of ginger (scrape the skin off with a spoon and then roughly chop)

3-4 cm Piece of Turmeric root (scrape the skin off with a spoon and then roughly chop. If you can’t find turmeric root, then replace this with 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder)

1 Teaspoon Honey or maple syrup

2-3 Grinds of black pepper if using a pepper mill or quarter teaspoon of ground black pepper

1 Teaspoon Olive oil

250 Ml Water

Method

  • Add all the ingredients to a blender or food processor and whiz for 1-2 minutes, or until there are no more lumps
  • Pour the mixture in to a mesh sieve with container below and strain (you can also use muslin or clean tea towel if you don’t have a sieve, the turmeric will stain it yellow)
  • When you have strained the liquid you can transfer the liquid to a bottle/s and chill, or enjoy a little shot of sunshine right away

Cabbage Wedges with Miso Butter

FeaturedLeave a comment

Cabbage is a much maligned vegetable, with many of us having unpleasant memories of watery over cooked soggy cabbage. Cooked with a little care, cabbage is yummy and very good for you. According to nutritionists, we should all be eating more of it. Its nutrient dense, packed with fibre, and generally good for your gut health.

This is really tasty, and fairly easy to prepare with the oven doing the work. The cabbage goes sweet and slightly charred at the edges and the miso butter adds a salty richness to it. I had this along with some chicken I roasted in the oven at the same time. (I’m such a cheapskate I never turn the oven on just to cook one thing). If you don’t eat meat this is also delicious served on a bed of rich creamy hummus.

What’s even better it has only 3 ingredients, and is almost too good to be described as just a side dish. I used a sweetheart cabbage, and because of its shape, it made more sense to cut it into wedges. You can make this with other types of cabbage. Cut them into steaks if you prefer.

Serve 4 (but if using a large cabbage, up the ratio of butter and miso paste)

Ingredients

1 Sweetheart cabbage (tough/damaged outer leaves removed if necessary and cut into quarters with the core parred back but not removed completely as this with help the wedges stay in one piece)

40 Grams Butter (melted)

1 Tbsp Miso Paste

Method

  • Preheat your oven to 180 degrees (Celsius), and prepare a baking sheet (I usually line mine with foil because I’m lazy and it cuts down on washing up)
  • Melt the butter in a bowl in the microwave (or in a pot if you don’t have one), and then stir in the miso paste until thoroughly combined
  • Lay your cabbage wedges on the tray and brush evenly with the miso butter, before baking for 15-20 minutes (depending on the size of the wedges) until the cabbage has softened
  • Serve immediately

Crispy Rice Salad

FeaturedLeave a comment

One of my many faults is a total inability to judge the amount of rice I need to cook, which usually results in making enough rice to feed a small island nation.

As I hate food waste I was left with some leftover brown rice and decided to try a version of a dish I had once when travelling in Asia.  The results were yummy and I keep making this as it’s really versatile and you can swap around the veggies/herbs and protein to stop yourself getting bored with this.

If you’re  vegetarian/vegan you can swap animal protein for tempeh, nuts or tofu. I used a tahini dressing but again you swap this for a yoghurt dressing or just a plain vinaigrette if you prefer.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

For the crispy rice

200 Grams Cooked brown rice

1/2 Tbsp Soy sauce

1 Tsp Sesame oil

1 Tsp Chilli powder (less if you prefer it less spicy)

Large pinch of garlic or onion powder

For the salad

150 Grams Edamame (soy) beans (I buy these frozen from the supermarket and just defrost them as I need them)

100 Grams Red Cabbage (shredded)

250 Grams Prawns (I used pre cooked frozen ones that I defrosted)

Spinach

1-2 Carrots (grated)

For the dressing

1-2 Tbsp Tahini

1 Clove of garlic (minced)

1/2 Lemon

Method

  • Pre heat your oven to 180 degrees (Celsius)
  • Line a baking sheet with foil (I do this to save on washing up)
  • Add the ingredients for the crispy rice to a bowl and stir well to make sure all the grains are coated. 
  • Transfer the rice to the baking sheet and smooth out evenly and bake for 20 mins.  Stir once or twice (the rice at edges of the sheet will crisp up faster).  The texture should be crispy but with a bit of chew to it (it shouldn’t  be so crisp you feel like you’re eating uncooked rice).  Once cooked, allow to cool before adding to the salad
  • To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl.  I usually add a couple of tablespoons of warm water to loosen the dressing, but it’s up to you, how thick you want the dressing
  • Add all the ingredients to a large bowl, and toss the dressing through and serve immediately

Rice Paper Dumplings

FeaturedLeave a comment

Everyone loves a dumpling and these are quick and easy.  They are a little fiddly to make at first, but once you’ve made a couple you’ll get the hang of it.

I used pork mince these but you can swap this for crumbled tofu if you’re vegetarian or vegan.  I also used shop bought stir fry vegetable mix, which makes this even quicker and easier.  The filling can also be used for rice bowls, and wraps

Ingredients

For the filling

250 Grammes Pork Mince

250 Grammes Stir fry vegetable mix

1 Red chilli (finely chopped)

2 Cloves of garlic (finely chopped

2 Teaspoons Grated ginger

2 Teaspoons Soy sauce

2 Teaspoons Rice wine vinegar (white wine vinegar will do if you don’t have this)

2 Teaspoons Sesame oil

For the dipping sauce

2 Tablespoons peanut butter

1 Teaspoon Honey or maple syrup

1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

1 Tablespoon Siraccha

For the dumplings

Rice paper sheets

Method

  • Heat a large wok or non stick frying pan and add the pork to the pan, use a spatula to break down and crumble the pork, stirring until its brown
  • Add the pre chopped vegetables and cook for 2-3 minutes, before adding the rest of the ingredients (except to the sesame oil, add this at the very end), cook for another 2-3 minutes.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool
  • To make the dipping sauce, add the peanut butter and honey/ syrup to a bowl and pour in 2-3 tablespoons of boiling water and stir until you have a smooth sauce.  Add the other ingredients a little at a time (taste as you go to check you’re happy with the flavour)
  • To make the dumplings soak rice paper sheets in water.  I soak them one at a time in a flat wide dish and as I lift out one sheet to fill, I add another sheet to the water so it can soften while you’re making the dumpling.
  • Soak the sheet for about a minute, I think it works best when it’s the consistency of cellophane.  If you soak the rice paper for too long it will get too soft and be difficult to use.
  • When you lift out the sheet, put a dessert spoon of the cooled filling  in the centre of the rice paper.  Fold the two sides of rice paper together and then fold the top and bottom of the rice paper towards the centre (the rice paper should stick to itself).  This will create a little square dumpling
  • Heat a light drizzle of oil in a large frying pan. Cook the dumplings in batches, being careful to leave space between them or else will be assholes and stick to each other
  • Fry for 2-3 minutes each side, and serve immediately along with dipping sauce

Creamy Red Pepper and Tomato Soup (with extra protein)

Featured4 Comments

Apparently most of us don’t eat enough protein and it can be hard to squeeze enough into your  diet (especially if you’re not a meat eater).

This soup is rich and filling and the protein comes from cottage cheese.  I know a lot of people don’t like it, due to its texture.  In this soup it’s blended until smooth and adds a nice creaminess to the soup

Ingredients

500 Grams Tomatoes (I used some cherry tomatoes and chopped a couple of large tomatoes that were getting past their best)

2 Red Peppers (cut into chunks)

2 Red onions (cut into quarters)

1 Bulb of Garlic

2 Tbsp Oil

300 Gram Tub of cottage cheese

500ml Vegetable stock

2 Tbsp Basil

Salt and pepper

Method

  • Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees (Celsius)
  • Add 1 tablespoon of oil to an oven proof dish, add the vegetable to the dish.  Wrap the garlic bulb with aluminum foil.  Leave a little opening at the top and drizzle in a little oil .  Bake for 25-30 minutes until the edges of the peppers start to blacken a little
  • Transfer the roasted vegetables to a large pot.  When the aluminum is cool enough to handle,  squeeze out the softened garlic, and add to the pot
  • Add the vegetable stock and begin to heat.  Add the cottage cheese and basil (be careful not to let the soup come to the boil).  Using a stick blender (or transfer to a regular blender) and whizz up until the soup is smooth and creamy.  Check and add salt and pepper if you think it needs it

Pork and Cabbage Stir Fry

Featured1 Comment

Quick, tasty and easy weeknight night dinners are the best and this is ready in 15 minutes.  It’s also pretty healthy and is packed with vegetables (especially if you’re trying to “eat the rainbow” which is essential for good nutrition).

Pork sometimes gets a bad reputation, but lean pork mince is full of protein and has a good amount of iron.

Serves 4

500 Grams Lean pork mince

1 Red pepper (finely sliced)

1 yellow pepper (finely sliced)

1 Red onion (finely sliced)

Half a small white cabbage (finely sliced)

Handful of sugar snap peas or mange tout

2-3 Cloves of garlic (finely sliced)

4-5 Tbsp Hoi Sin Sauce

Method

  • Heat a large wok or high sided frying pan over a high heat
  • Add the pork mince to the pan (there should be enough fat in the meant to stop it sticking even though it’s lean, but you can add a tablespoon of oil if you think you need to). Stir the meat quick to break it up until it’s mainly brown
  • Add all the veggies to the pan and stir often for 2-3 minutes
  • Stir in the garlic, and Hoi Sin sauce and half a cup of boiling water.  Stir well and let the sauce thicken for another minute until everything is well coated
  • Serve with rice or noodles

Creamy Canellini Beans with Sundried Tomatoes

Featured1 Comment

It’s comfort food weather, and if like most of us you’re trying to increase the amount of protein you’re eating these are perfect.

I can eat a big bowl of these on their own with some crusty bread, but they also make a tasty side dish.

This is quick and easy to make, using tinned beans but you can use dried beans but these usually need soaked overnight and should be cooked according to the instructions on the packaging.

Ingredients

2 x 400ml Cannelloni beans (drained)

1 Tbsp Tomato puree

125ml Vegetable stock

2 x Cloves of garlic (finely chopped

1 Large sprig of rosemary or 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary

1 Tbsp Oil

1 Onion (finely chopped)

4-5 Sun dried tomatoes

Salt and pepper

Method

  • Heat the oil in a large pan and fry onion gently until it starts to caramelise, stirring occasionally.
  • Stir the tomato puree into the pan and cook for another 2 minutes before adding the beans and vegetable stock.  Stir well and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • With a fork or potato masher gently mash about a third of the beans.  This will release the starch in the beans that will help thicken the beans and give the beans a creamy texture.
  • Stir in the sundried tomatoes and rosemary, and simmer for 5 minutes.  Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if you think it needs it.