Tuna and Bean Salad

We have had a heat wave this week and it has been far too hot to spend much time in the kitchen. This salad is ideal for times like this. It is very easy to prepare but full of healthy nutrients too.

Ingredients

100g green beans, chopped
410g can butter beans, rinsed and drained *
2 cans tuna chunks in springwater (about 400g in total), drained
200g cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 red onion, thinly sliced
Mixed salad leaves

Dressing

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon or 4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Method

1. Steam the green beans until tender, rinse under cold water and drain.
2. Place the green beans, butter beans, tuna, tomatoes and onion in a bowl, and toss well.
3. Whisk all the dressing ingredients together and pour over the tuna mixture, cover and place in the fridge for ten minutes to chill.
4. Arrange the salad leaves on a plate and top with the tuna mixture.

Serves 4

235 calories per portion

* I think butter beans are better known as lima beans in the USA.

Lamb Stir-fry

Love It Or Hate It, Spinach Is Great!

We are in good company in our quest for health! Michelle Obama is on the same journey!

The New York Times tells us in its report Michelle Obama’s Agenda Includes Healthful Eating, that Michelle and her family have ditched processed foods and are actively supporting healthy eating and one of her favourite meals is creamless creamed spinach prepared by White House chefs. This is great news as it gives healthy eating a greater profile but it got me thinking about spinach.

I am not too keen on spinach, probably due to too many soggy spinach served with meals when I was a child. However, it is one of the most nutritious foods available as it is full of iron, vitamins and minerals. If you are interested in finding out exactly what goodness is in it, the WHFoods website gives a detailed analysis of the nutrients in spinach and the positive value it has for health.

I wish I liked spinach more because of its health value and also because of its reported benefits to eyesight. A while ago I watched an interesting programme on TV about research in the UK which showed that when elderly people ate a half a bag of spinach a day they found a significant improvement in their eyesight. You can find out more about this study on the BBC website. Be sure to also watch the Can spinach save your eyesight? video too.

While I do not like spinach, I love eggs so when I came across a recipe for spinach and cheese frittatas I gave it a try. A frittata is rather like a cross between an omelette and a quiche without the pastry and this recipe provides me with the goodness from the spinach and satisfies my love for eggs. I now keep frozen spinach in the freezer especially for this recipe.

Spinach and Cheese Frittatas

Ingredients

• 150 g (5 oz) spinach leaves or the same quantity of frozen spinach
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) skimmed milk
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to moderately hot 200C (400F/Gas 6).
2. Place the washed spinach leaves and garlic in a saucepan, cover and steam for 2-3 minutes or until the spinach has wilted.
3. Drain the spinach in a colander and squeeze out the excess water and then roughly chop the leaves.
4. Place the eggs, egg whites, skimmed milk and Parmesan cheese in a bowl and whisk to combine. Stir in the spinach and season with freshly ground black pepper.
5. Spoon the mixture into a muffin tin, filling each of the holes about three quarters full. You should be able to fill about six holes with the mixture.
6. Bake for about 15 minutes until the Frittatas are golden brown and set. Serve immediately.

Serves 6

Are you a spinach lover like Michelle Obama or do you, like me, only eat it because of its health benefits?

Photo from stock.xchng