Midweek Meals: Five comforting dinner recipes perfect for a rainy day
Why not try a new recipe this week?
Pinch of Nom’s chilli mac ‘n’ cheese recipe
A one-pot version of everyone’s favourite comfort food.
Servings
6Preparation Time
14 minsCooking Time
34 minsTotal Time
48 minsCourse
MainIngredients
Low-calorie cooking spray
2 onions, peeled and finely diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
500g 5%-fat minced beef
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2tsp mild chilli powder
1tsp ground cumin
1tsp dried oregano
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
2 peppers, any colour, deseeded and diced
2tbsp tomato puree
2tbsp Henderson’s Relish
600ml beef stock (2 beef stock cubes dissolved in 600ml boiling water)
300g dried macaroni
1 x 400g tin kidney beans, drained and rinsed
180g reduced-fat mature Cheddar, grated
Small handful of fresh coriander, chopped (optional)
Method
Spray a large saucepan with low-calorie cooking spray and place over a medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and sauté for five minutes until softened.
Add the mince and cook for a further five minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up any lumps, until the mince is no longer pink.
Add the garlic, chilli powder, cumin and oregano and stir in for one minute until the spices become fragrant. Add the chopped tomatoes, peppers, tomato puree, Henderson’s Relish and stock, and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat to medium-low, cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 20 minutes, until the carrots are soft.
Add the macaroni to the pan, stir well and replace the lid. Allow to cook for a further 10–12 minutes, until the pasta is just cooked.
Stir in the beans and cheese, reserving a little cheese to garnish if you wish, allowing two minutes for the beans to heat through and the cheese to melt.
Stir in the coriander, if using, and serve!
10 minute lentil dahl
Who needs convenience food when you can make this Indian classic in just ten minutes?
Servings
6Cooking Time
10 minsTotal Time
10 minsCourse
MainCuisine
IndianIngredients
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp red chilli flakes
1 onion, diced
2 tomatoes, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, grated
1 thumb-sized piece of turmeric, grated or
2 tins cooked lentils
2 tins coconut milk
Salt
bunch fresh coriander, chopped
To serve:
Naan bread, rice or quinoa
Method
On a high heat, melt the coconut oil in a heavy-based pan.
Add the spices and the onions and cook, stirring, for three minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic, chilli and ginger and cook for a further two minutes until they are fragrant.
Add the drained lentils and coconut milk to the pan, stir and bring to a gentle simmer.
Cook for five minutes, taste and season generously with salt.
Before serving, stir in some freshly chopped coriander and serve with naan bread, quinoa or rice.
You can use dried red lentils instead of tinned ones, but make sure to rinse well before adding to the pot, topping up the liquid with an extra tin of water.
Adjust the cooking time by adding ten minutes and whisk well before serving.
Recipe note: To add more protein to this dahl, add a tin of mixed beans or chickpeas with your lentils.
Method
Put the noodles into boiling water and cook until they have softened but still have bite. Toss in a little sesame oil and set aside.
Heat another dash of sesame oil in a large pan or a wok until it is hot. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli to the pan. It will start to colour quite quickly so add in the strips of beef and carrot and toss them.
Add in the soya sauce, hoisin sauce and stock. Serve on top the noodles. You can add a little more stock if the sauce evaporates too quickly.
