The Hairy Dieters: How to Love Food and Lose Weight (7 page)

MEDITERRANEAN BEEF BURGERS

Everyone loves a burger and you can still eat these when on a diet. Bulking the meat out with some grated onion and courgette makes the burgers feel more generous with few extra calories, and you’ll find no one will notice the difference. They’ll be too busy enjoying the succulent combination of beef, basil and mozzarella, all packed into crusty ciabatta.

SERVES 4

1 small courgette

1 medium onion

400g lean beef steak mince

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

1 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste or tomato purée

1 tsp sunflower oil

4 ciabatta rolls

100g reduced-fat (light) mozzarella, well drained and cut into 4 slices

2 large ripe vine tomatoes, sliced

fresh basil leaves

balsamic vinegar, for drizzling

fine sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

413 calories per portion

Trim the courgette and grate it coarsely on to a board, then tip it into a large mixing bowl. Peel the onion and grate it coarsely, then add this to the bowl with the courgette. Put the minced beef, garlic, oregano, basil and tomato paste or purée into the same bowl and season well with salt and pepper. Mix with clean hands until everything is thoroughly combined.

Divide the mince mixture into 4 evenly sized balls and flatten each into a patty shape about 2cm thick. Brush the oil over a large non-stick frying pan and place over a low heat. Fry the burgers gently for about 10 minutes or until nicely browned and cooked through, turning them halfway through the cooking time. Preheat the grill to its hottest setting.

While the burgers are cooking, cut the ciabatta rolls in half horizontally and place them on a grill pan, cut side up. Cook under the preheated grill until lightly toasted. Remove from the heat and take the bread off the tray and put it to one side.

Place the hot burgers on the tray and top each one with a slice of mozzarella. Put the tray back under the grill for another 1–2 minutes or until the mozzarella has melted.

Put the bottom half of each roll on a plate and top with sliced tomatoes and basil leaves. Add a dribble of balsamic vinegar and some black pepper. Add a sizzling hot burger, top with the remaining bread and serve right away. Fantastic!

Top tip:

If you want to reduce the calorie count further, use 2 rolls and serve topless burgers. Calorie count will be just 332 for each
.

LEMONY LAMB KEBABS

There’s nothing better than the scent of lemony, herby lamb cooking on the barbecue. It’s a healthy way of cooking too, as much of the fat drips away. We like to eat these kebabs tucked into warm pitta bread, but you can also enjoy them with just a side salad or some vegetables.

MAKES 8 KEBABS

700g lean lamb leg (or leg steaks)

2 small yellow peppers

2 small red peppers

2 small red onions

150ml low-fat natural yoghurt

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint or 1 tsp mint sauce

6 pitta breads

1 romaine lettuce heart, shredded

1 medium carrot, finely grated

3 ripe vine tomatoes, sliced

15cm piece of cucumber, thinly sliced

flaked sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

lemon wedges and hot chilli sauce, to serve

Marinade

2 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

finely grated zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp fine sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

203 calories per portion381 calories per portion (with pitta)

To make the marinade, put the cumin, coriander and fennel seeds in a pestle and mortar and pound to a coarse powder. You can use 1½ teaspoon each of ground cumin and coriander if you prefer, but the flavour won’t be quite as good as freshly ground spices. Add the thyme leaves and crush them into the spices for a few seconds.

Tip the spices and thyme into a large non-metallic bowl and stir in the lemon zest and juice, garlic, oil, salt and lots of black pepper.

Trim as much fat as possible off the lamb, then cut the meat into rough 3cm chunks – you should have about 40 chunks. Add the lamb to the marinade and toss until well coated. Cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes before cooking.

While the lamb is marinating, prepare the vegetables for the kebabs. Deseed the peppers and cut them into 3cm chunks. Cut each onion into 8 wedges with the root intact.

Remove the lamb from the fridge and thread the meat on to 8 metal skewers – these should be about 25cm long – alternating with the pieces of pepper and onion. Season with a little more salt and pepper.

Cook over a hot barbecue or under a preheated hot grill (close to the element) for 6–8 minutes. Turn once or twice until the lamb and vegetables are lightly charred – the meat should be pink in the middle. Mix the yoghurt, garlic and chopped mint or mint sauce together in a small bowl to make the yoghurt sauce.

Warm the pitta bread on the barbecue, in the toaster or under a grill and carefully cut down one side with a sharp knife. Pull the bread open and stuff with shredded lettuce leaves, grated carrot, tomatoes and cucumber. Slide the meat and vegetables off the skewers and into the pittas using a fork. Drizzle a little of the minty yoghurt sauce and serve with some chilli sauce and lemon wedges too if you fancy.

ROAST PORK WITH APPLE GRAVY

This pork is flavoured with a delicious lemon, garlic and herb rub. Okay, we know the crackling isn’t for anyone watching their weight, but it really does keep the pork beautifully moist as it cooks and you can let the others eat it. Serve with our special apple gravy and lots of roasted peppers, courgettes and onions.

SERVES 6

1.25kg loin of pork with deeply scored rind

10g fresh sage leaves

15g flat-leaf parsley

finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp flaked sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

Apple gravy

200ml apple juice (preferably the cloudy type)

125ml cold water

2 tsp cornflour

freshly ground black pepper

263 calories per portion (without crackling)

Put the pork on a board and cut off the string if your pork has been rolled and tied. Slide a large sharp knife under the pork rind and fat, then lift it off completely. Set it to one side. Cut a hole about 4cm wide through the thickest part of the loin, or eye, of the pork. Preheat the oven to 190°C/Fan 170°C/Gas 5.

Finely chop the sage and parsley leaves and put them in a bowl. Add the lemon zest, garlic, salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Press some of this herby mix into the hole in the pork and then spread the rest over the surface of the pork until well covered.

Cover the meat with the pork rind – this will protect the pork and keep it moist as it cooks. Tie the joint at 2cm intervals with kitchen string to keep it together and place in a small sturdy roasting tin. Roast for 30 minutes per 500g, plus 20 minutes. A 1.25kg joint should take 1 hour 35 minutes, but check it is cooked throughout.

When the pork is ready, move it to a warmed board ready to carve and cover it with foil and a couple of dry tea towels to keep it warm. Holding the roasting tin carefully with an oven cloth, tilt all the juices to one corner and skim off as much of that naughty fat as possible with a spoon and throw it out.

To make the gravy, put the roasting tin on the hob over a medium heat and add the apple juice and 50ml of the cold water. Stir well to lift the juices and sediment from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for a couple of minutes. Carefully strain the gravy through a sieve into a small saucepan and bring it back to a simmer. Mix the cornflour and the remaining cold water to make a thin paste. Stir this into the gravy and cook for 1–2 minutes more until thickened, stirring occasionally. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

Remove the string from the pork and lift off the crackling and cut it up separately. Carve the pork and serve it without the crackling for anyone watching their weight! Pour the gravy into a jug to serve with the pork.

PEPPERED STEAK WITH MUSHROOMS

What could be better than a good steak with creamy mushrooms? And despite the rich taste the sauce isn’t too high in fat. We like rump steak, but use fillet if you prefer and cook for 3–4 minutes on each side. If you don’t have a pestle and mortar, use a pepper grinder for the peppercorns.

SERVES 2

1 lean rump steak (about 325g), 2cm thick

1 tbsp black peppercorns, plus extra to season

½ tsp flaked sea salt, plus extra to season

1 tbsp sunflower oil

2 large ripe vine tomatoes

75g small chestnut mushrooms, wiped and halved (or quartered if large)

¼ beef stock cube

150ml just-boiled water

3 tbsp half-fat crème fraiche

½ tsp Dijon mustard

2 tbsp white wine (optional)

308 calories per portion

Put the steak on a board and cut off all the hard fat. Cut the steak in half to give 2 portions – each should weigh about 140g by the time you’ve trimmed off the fat. Put the peppercorns in a pestle and mortar and pound until coarsely ground. Stir in the salt.

Pour a teaspoon of the oil into a small dish or eggcup, dip the end of a pastry brush in the oil and brush the steaks on both sides. Coat the steaks generously with the pepper and salt mixture.