There has been a great deal written in the press lately about the increasing girth of the British population. Apparently many of us need to discover healthy eating and exercise.
One of the ways we can eat healthier is by cutting down on our meat consumption (apologies to farmers and butchers!). The following recipes use beans and lentils which are an excellent source of low fat protein.
Place the lentils in a pan of about 1 pint of boiling water, cover and simmer until the lentils are mushy and the liquid has all been absorbed. This will take about 40 minutes. Meanwhile heat the oil or butter in a pan and fry the onion, garlic and carrot for about 5 minutes. Add the chopped pepper and cook for a further 5 minutes or so. Season the lentils then mash them with a fork. Add all the other ingredients and mix well. Shape the mixture into about 12 small rounds. Dip the rounds into beaten egg then breadcrumbs. Shallow fry them on both sides until golden. Drain and serve with salad.
Cook the chick peas in boiling water for about 45 minutes or until just tender. Mash or process. Add the remaining ingredients and process again or mix until smooth . Rest in the ‘fridge for 30 minutes. Divide the mixture into eight and shape into rounds. Roll in the flour to stop them being sticky. Fry on both sides for a couple of minutes in a little hot oil. Serve dusted with paprika.
Drain the beans and sweetcorn and rinse. Put in a large bowl with the red pepper, the green chilli, the onion, garlic and coriander. Mix well. Make the dressing by combining the lime juice, oregano, oil and seasoning in a bowl. Beat it until it becomes creamy. Pour it over the bean mixture at least ten minutes before serving to allow the flavours to develop.
Happy Eating!