Fast cook recipes
The Fast (or 5:2) diet continues to grow in popularity. Michael Mosely shared the benefits with us in his Q&A and then his webchat, and we've already brought you some great ideas for food for Fast days.
Now there's a brand-new collection of low calorie recipes in Fast Cook by Mimi Spencer.
We're delighted to be able to share some of our favourites hot off the presses (as it were). Delicious food that's fast to cook - and perfect to sustain you through Fast days. And don't forget, you can find plenty of diet support from fellow gransnetters on our forums.
Skinny spag bol | Fast fish pie | Veg tagine with herbed couscous | Fatoush salad | Prawn laksa
Skinny spag bol
Calorie count per portion: 180
Serves 4
A family classic, but here the GI count has been lowered and the fibre has been raised by bumping up the veg. Add mixed spices to your bolognaise sauce, if you'd like an authentic Italian touch.
Ingredients
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Method
- Spray a large pan with a little oil, then fry off the meat until browed and set aside in a separate bowl. This is an important stage as the sugars from the meat will lend your bolognaise colour and flavour.
- Add onion, celery and pepper to the pan and cook gently for 2-3 minutes until softened.
- Add mushrooms, herbs, mixed spice, tomatoes and tomato purée and cook for a further 3 minutes.
- Add browned mince and courgette, together with the stock and Marmite.
- Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes - longer if possible to enrich the sauce. Check seasoning and servce.
Suggestion: instead of pasta, serve with steamed broccoli and cauliflower florests (+30-35 cals per 100g) or veg 'noodles', stir-fried ribbons of courgette, carrot and leek (+35 cals per 100g).
Fast fish pie
Calorie count per portion: 233
Serves 4
Swap dense mash for light-weight filo - you'll get a tasty, filling fish pie that comes in well under the Fast Day calorie count.
Ingredients
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Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly spray an oven proof dish with oil.
- Pierce spinach bag and microwave on full power for 90 seconds. Remove from bag and squeeze out as much moisture as possible (press it between kitchen paper), and use the dry spinach to line the ovenproof dish.
- Mix the créme fraîche with herbs, mustard, lemon juice, fish and prawns. Season and spoon over the layer of spinach.
- Spray filo sheets with a little oil, then scrunch them and place on top of the fish mix.
- Bake for 25-40 minutes until filo is crisp.
- Add your own recipes to our recipe section.
- Read our guest blog on the 5:2 diet.
- Chat about food in our forums.
Suggestion: add a couple of halved hard-boiled eggs for an extra bump of protein (+40 cals per portion). You can also add chopped watercress to the fish mixture, or a handful of frozen peas.
Fast Day tip: filo pastry generally demands a liberal brushing with melted butter. Here I've used cooking oil instead to cut down on calories - use sparingly and work fast; filo has a habit of drying out if you hang around.
Veg tagine with herbed couscous
Calorie count per portion: 311
Serves 4
Swap dense mash for light-weight filo - you'll get a tasty, filling fish pie that comes in well under the Fast Day calorie count.
Ingredients for the tagine
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Ingredients for the couscous
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Method
- Heat oil in a tagine or large flame-proof casserole, add onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
- Add the spices and garlic and cook for a further minute.
- Add harissa and vegetables, season, and stir well.
- Pour over the stock, add the apricots and lemon juice and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
- Add chickpeas and continue cooking for 10 minuets more.
- Prepare couscous as per packet instructions, leaving to stand for 10 minutes, and then fluffing up with a fork and adding pine nuts and chopped herbs.
- Serve tagine and couscous in a deep bowl, scattered with coriander and lemon zest.
Fatoush salad
Calorie count per portion: 242
Serves 4 as a side dish
Ingredients for the salad
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Ingredients for the dressing
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Ingredients for the lemon-yoghurt sauce
Method
- Place the salad ingredients in a large bowl.
- Prepare the dressing by combining all the ingredients and whisking well to emulsify.
- In a separate bowl, mix the ingredients for the yoghurt sauce.
- Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients, toss well, then drizzle the yoghurt sauce on top. Add a scatter of seeds and serve with a final flourish of chopped herbs.
Prawn laksa
Calorie count per portion: 400
Serves 2
This spiced Malaysian noodle soup is a proper meal in a bowl and has a fairly generous number of calories to match (but it's worth every last one of them).
Ingredients
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Method
- Prepare noodles according to packet instructions and set aside.
- Heat a large pan, add the laksa paste and 1 tbsp coconut milk. Fry for 3 minutes to release the paste's flavour, then add the rest of the coconut milk, stock, spring onions and chilli. Stir, and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Add the prawns, beansprouts and pak choi and simmer for a further 3 minutes untl the prawns and vegetables are just cooked. Check seasoning.
- Place the prepared noodles in bowls, and cover with the hot soup. Garnish with delicate strips of cucumber, a little more finely sliced spring onion and coriander leaves.