Healthy meals ready in 30 minutes

Ready in 30

Get dinner on the table in less than half an hour with dishes that are low-fat or Gi-rated

Reproduced from the January 07 issue of Olive magazine. August 07 issue on sale now. Subscribe now and save 40%.

Recipes: Lulu Grimes
Photographs: Jean Cazals

Chickpea and tomato tagine

low fat
low gi

30 minutes
*Easy*

Olive oil
Ground cumin 1/2 tsp
Paprika 1/2 tsp
Ground ginger 1/2 tsp
Spanish onion 1, roughly chopped
Red pepper 1, cut into cubes
Pumpkin 250g, cut into cubes
Saffron a pinch, optional
Tomatoes 5, roughly chopped or
Chopped tomatoes 400g tin
Chickpeas 400g tin, rinsed and drained

Brilliant wine match
Tesco Finest Beyers Truter Pinotage (£7.99) is expertly made and is rich enough to balance the spices in the tagine.

Heat a little oil in a large saucepan or casserole and add the cumin, paprika and ginger and stir. Add the vegetables and fry for 5 minutes, keeping them moving so they brown evenly. Add 250ml water, the saffron (if using), tomatoes and some seasoning, then bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, then stir in the chickpeas and cook uncovered for a further 10 minutes until the veg is tender. Serves 2

Kcals 294, protein 13.2g, carbohydrate 42.2g, fat 9.2g, saturated fat 0.7g

Gi assessment Eat chickpeas and you get a nice low-blood glucose curve. Mixed with the peppers, pumpkin and tomatoes, it helps you avoid sugar peaks and troughs.

Warm beef salad with sweet and sour cucumber

30 minutes
*Easy*

Sirloin steak 1 large or 2 small, about 250g in total, trimmed of all fat
Oil
Rice vinegar or cider vinegar 2 tbsp
Golden caster sugar 2 tsp
Chilli flakes a pinch
Coriander a bunch, chopped
Cucumber 1/2, cut into strips with a potato peeler
Cherry tomatoes a handful, halved
Steamed basmati rice to serve

Brilliant wine match
Jacob's Creek Shiraz Rose 2005 (£5.99, widely available) has character to counter the chilli.

Rub the steak with a little oil. Heat a non-stick pan and cook for 2 minutes each side for rare, 3 for medium. Leave to rest for 5 minutes. In a small saucepan, heat the vinegar and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Add the chilli flakes and coriander and pour over the cucumber and tomatoes. When the steak has rested, slice and serve on top of the cucumber with basmati rice. Serves 2

Kcals 242, protein 30.6g, carbohydrate 8g, fat 10g, saturated fat 2.9g

Pea and feta tortilla

low gi

20 minutes
*Easy*

Frozen peas 1 cupful
Onion 1, chopped
Oil
Feta 1/2 a block, cut into cubes
Tarragon a small bunch, chopped
Eggs 3, lightly beaten
Salad leaves and sourdough toast to serve

Cook the peas in simmering water for 3 minutes or until tender, drain. Meanwhile, fry the onion in a little oil in a small frying pan until tender, season. Add the peas, feta and tarragon and quickly pour the eggs over. Cook for a couple of minutes until the underside is set. Grill the top until it is set, then cut into 2 and slide onto plates. Serve with salad and toast. Serves 2

Brilliant wine match
M&S Gold Label Chardonnay 2005 (£5.49) is an ideal mid-week glugger to keep in the fridge till the tortilla moment strikes.

Kcals 371, protein 24.2g, carbohydrate 13g, fat 25g, saturated fat 9.8g

Gi assessment The acidity of the sourdough helps to slow a rise in blood glucose and the fibrous skin of the peas takes time to be broken down, lowering the Gi of the meal.

Chicken with garlic and lemon

low fat

15 minutes
*Easy*

skinless chicken breast fillets 2
Garlic 1 clove, crushed
Thyme leaves from 2 sprigs
Olive oil
Lemon 11/2, 1 juiced, 1/2 cut into wedges
Crusty bread 2 slices, toasted
Rocket to serve

Brilliant wine match
Gaia Notios White 2005 (£7.19, Oddbins) from the Peloponnese will bring back happy memories of sunny Greek holidays.

Make a deep cut into one side of each chicken breast and open it out like a book. Put a layer of clingfilm on top, then press down to flatten them further. Mix the garlic and thyme leaves with 2 tsp olive oil and spread over the chicken. Heat a non-stick frying pan and fry the chicken for 1-2 minutes on each side until cooked through (you shouldn't need any more oil). Pour over the lemon juice and season well. Put each chicken breast on a slice of toast and top with the rocket. Serve with a lemon wedge and drizzle over any pan juices. Serves 2

Kcals 180, protein 33.9g, carbohydrate 0.8g, fat 4.6g, saturated fat 0.9g

Harissa chicken with herbed couscous

low fat

low gi

20 minutes
*Easy*

Harissa 2 tsp, you'll find it with the spices
Lemon 1, juiced
Coriander a small bunch, chopped
Skinless chicken thigh fillets 4
Couscous 1 small cupful
Mint a small bunch, chopped
Butter beans 200g tin, rinsed and drained

Brilliant wine match
Danie de Wet Unoaked Chardonnay South 2005 Africa (£4.98, Tesco) has the right amount of pineapple and citrus character for this chicken dish.

Mix the harissa with half the lemon juice, 1 tbsp coriander and some salt and rub it all over the chicken. Lay it flat on a baking sheet and grill for 4-5 minutes on each side or until cooked through.

Meanwhile, put the couscous in a bowl, add a cupful of boiling water, cover and leave for 5 minutes. Mix in some seasoning, the rest of the lemon juice and coriander, the mint and the butter beans. Serve the chicken with the couscous. Serves 2

Kcals 418, protein 45.7g, carbohydrate 46.7g, fat 6.8g, saturated fat 2.1g

Gi assessment Couscous and butter beans make a winning low-Gi combination. Couscous scores medium and the beans are incredibly low Gi, even though tinned.

Quick Thai red fish curry

low gi

15 minutes
*Easy*

Thai red curry paste 1-2 tbsp
Light coconut milk 200ml
New or salad potatoes 6, halved if large
Cherry tomatoes a handful
Skinless white fish fillets (from a sustainable source) about 250g, left in big pieces or cubed
Coriander a handful of leaves
Lime 2, 1 juiced, 1 cut into wedges

Brilliant wine match
Tim Adams Clare Valley Riesling 2005 (£7.99, Tesco) has tingling intensity to add a dash of lime zest to the curry.

Heat the red curry paste with the coconut milk in a saucepan. Add the potatoes and cook for 8 minutes or until just tender, then add the tomatoes and fish and cook for 3 minutes or until cooked through. Stir in the coriander and lime juice and serve with wedges of lime to squeeze over. Serves 2

Kcals 277, protein 25.7g, carbohydrate 15.4g, fat 13.3g, saturated fat 9.1g

Gi assessment Choose new potatoes in their skins to keep the Gi low. Cold, cooked potatoes have a lower Gi than hot ones, so serve them on the side if you want a lower Gi.

Lamb burger pittas

low gi

30 minutes
*Easy*

Bulgar wheat 4 tbsp
Lamb mince 150g
Ground cumin 1 tsp
Oil
Onion 1, cut into thick slices
Wholemeal pitta 2 toasted
Houmous or tzatziki to serve
Green salad leaves to serve

Cook the bulgar wheat in simmering water for 5 minutes or until tender. Rinse in cold water and drain. Mix with the lamb mince and ground cumin and season well. Shape into 4 large or 8 small patties. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and cook the patties and onion rounds in a single layer. The lamb will need about 4-5 minutes on each side but the onion may cook a little quicker. Stuff the pitta with the lamb burgers and onions and serve with houmous or tzatziki and a few salad leaves. Serves 2

Kcals 467, protein 25g, carbohydrate 58.9g, fat 16.3g, saturated fat 5.9g

Gi assessment Houmous scores extremely low on the Gi scale and bulgar wheat does very well, too. They will help slow down the blood glucose rise from the other carbs.

Brilliant wine match
Cotes Du Rhone reds are ideal for rustic bites such as these burgers; L'Amandine 2004 (£5.99, Oddbins) is lightly peppery with ripe fruits.

Smoked salmon, watercress and horseradish pasta