Categories: healthy-eating-recipies
Date: 03 March 2013 15:50:21
Ok, so I have previously talked about the need to get more healthy and to step up a gear on the diet stuff. Today I took inspiration from what I'd seen on the Hairy Bikers Diet Club shows over Christmas and tried a skinny beef lasagne, but with my own Susan Harper take on things going on.
To give some background to this I am not a veg type person and I am wary of trying new things. This meal involved a whole new vegtable - leek. Whilst lots of other bits of the meal can be amended, as I'll illustrate the leek is key because it is what takes the place of the pasta.
The link above gives the official version, what follows is my own Susan Harper style take on it - for the fussy eater who has to get this evenings sermon finished and order of service typed up because the week has been a tad busy.
Ingredients:
One packet of organic lean beef mince that you got as part of a 3 for £10 deal in Sainsbury's or similar (or bought seperately if appropriate). That said any mince will do - it's just what I had in the freezer.
One leek
Some peas which came out of a bag of frozen peas (although it could be fresh). Don't ask me how much, I go for put the right amount in the saucepan for the number of people eating it approach.
Some cauliflower and broccoli florets (again frozen, although could be fresh). And again don't know how much you should put in, I put in a couple of each type of veg.
4 desert spoons of Bisto Cheese Sauce Granuals
250 ml boiling water
Tub of Sainsbury's Basil and Tomatoe pasta sauce (or whatever brand happens to be on special that week)
A bit of cheese you have left over in the fridge.
A bit of oil (going for healthy we are using good quality rape seed at the moment) - aim at about 10ml, but you know what's right for your pan
A smidgen of classic cyder vinegar - a tiny bit about 5ml, but just a tiny tip is more how I measure.
Method
Boil the peas and florets together for about 6 minutes
Heat the oil and cyder vinegar and then throw the mince in with it to brown. When browned throw in the tub of pasta sauce and heat for a couple of minutes.
Mix up the cheese sauce granuals using the boiling water and then stir the sauce into the mince and tomatoe sauce mix to thicken.
Drain the veg and put in with the mince for a couple of minutes to mix it all together, mash down the florets during this process - or cut into bits with knife whilst draining. Basically florets end up as small as peas
While mince is cooking prepare leek leaves. You unpeel the leek and lay the leaves out ready.
I didn't cook the leeks in advance but will do so next time.
Put your first layer of the mince mixture in the baking dish
Put a layer of leek leaves on top
Put in another layer of mince
Put in another layer of leek leaves
Grate the bit of cheese and sprinkle over
Cook at 180 degrees in a heated oven for 45 minutes.
Verdict
Ok so the top leek leaves were crispy, but Karl liked those. Rest of it was really lovely and all done with no pasta of potatoes involved. Could also we worked out be done with Quorn and so will be a dish we can offer in both meat eater and veggie form.
Result :)