FRUGAL ARCHIVE FAV: CHUNKY LENTIL SOUP WITH SPINACH & MINI MEATBALLS

 Lentil Soup from 2016 that always has them coming back for more...

updated 11.25; first published 2023

Not just a load of ol' hippy lentils -- fabulously delicious comfort food for all! 

Everything seems to be rising in price at supermarkets and greengrocers, and not just a little every now and again but by huge leaps and bounds.

Many people have been forced to look to hearty soups with pulses and root vegetables supplemented with a little protein of choice for meals.  It's a sensible move.

Lentil soups have been a staple of the 67 diet for ages -- they're wonderfully waming and soothing.  They can have a reputation for being dull and hippy'ish.  

This recipe  (and 67's other lentil soups) howevwer, alters that image forever.  It's colourful and full of exciting flavours but still remains within most budgets.  

For carnivores, it contains small amounts of beef but is equally good with shredded ham hock or pastrami or salt beef. 

Or you can forgo animal protein altogether and serve it with cheese and walnut soda bread,  unforgettable flaky cheese biscuits or sliced vegetarian/vegan sausages.   

The spinach adds a lovely hit of colour, texture and flavour.

Cost: min £4.25'ish (11/25) but rises and falls depending on protein 
Serves: 6-8 (recipe halves easily)

Ingred:
   2 med onions or equivalent well-cleaned fennel, in med dice
   2  large sticks celery, peeled with the inner canal wiped clean & in med dice
   2 carrots, med dice
   1 large potato, in med dice, peeled if you like
   olive oil
  
   1 cup red lentils, 
   1-2 tsp veg granules (opt)
   1 fresh red chilli, top & tailed & with seeds removed, in tiny dice OR 1/4-1/3 tsp chilli flakes (opt)
   1 bay leaf
   2 pints good stock or water
   pepper & salt
   1 tbsp finely chopped parsley

   couple of handfuls washed spinach, stems removed

   150 gm 90% fat-free beef mince, in rough teaspoons-full, pre-poached in boiling water 5 mins; OR 150 gms cooked shredded ham hock or pastrami OR 150 gms vegetarian frankfurters (67 likes Tivali) in med chunks

Method:

BEST BAKED BEANS ON A BUDGET AND LOW-SUGAR, TOO! Triple Duty: vegan, vegetarian, carnivores

Totally worth the (small) effort... 

Home-made baked beans are a revelation; they just need a bit of planning

67 knows that you can get a singleton tin of own-brand baked beans for all of 30p.  Depending on the supermarket, they'll be decent and made even better with a shot of mustard, ketchup and a slick of hot sauce.

But honestly, making your own from scratch provides a much better product...and at even less than 30p per serving.  There will almost certainly be leftovers and they freeze well in individual portions.

Kids love home-made baked beans even though - unlike tinned -  levels of sugar are almost Nil.

Given the straightened times we are in, 67 makes no apologies for repeating this post from 2016.

Cooking with dried beans and pulses is simple.  Yes, there is soaking overnight.  Yes, there is boiling and draining.  Twice. 

But the results - tender beans with just a touch of resistance - are worth every minute. The beans absorb the juices they're cooked in and are so tasty and satisfying, you'll cook them again and again.  

Boston Baked Beans - sweet & salty with an undercurrent of heat - are a classic American dish.  67's version makes it more tomato-y and moderates the heat.  The base recipe is Vegan but there's a great variation for carnivores and a less spicy kids' versions that can be sweetened without sugar.   

They're pretty versatile: add vegan cheese or ham/bacon for carnivores.  67's favourite?  Adding thickly sliced vegetarian frankfurters*.

The beans freeze well.

Cost: minimum £2 (cut costs by making your own sun-blush tomato bombs)
Feeds: a crowd; leftovers freeze well

Ingred:
   450 gm/16 oz dried haricot beans (the best you can afford)
   2 cloves garlic, grated 
   1 lge onion, thinly sliced
   1 small red chilli, deseeded & cut into fine strips, or 1/3 tsp chilli flakes 
   1 bay leaf
   2-3 tbsp molasses or black treacle or brown sugar

   2-3 tbsp tomato ketchup
   1 tsp dry mustard or 1.5  tsp Dijon or wholegrain mustard

   1/2 tsp dried ginger or 2-3 med slices of fresh ginger 
   1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
   1/3 tsp salt
   350 gm sun-blush tomatoes (sun-dried will be too salty) (note: making your own is cheaper than buying)
    
Carnivore version:
    350 gm/12 oz shredded cooked ham hock (Frugal Food: Ham Hock) plus the ham bone OR (for those without cholesterol issues) raw unsmoked back bacon
   
Kids' version:
   No chilli or ginger and only half the mustard

   unsweetened tomato juice (opt)

   generous handful cooked sliced sausages or vegetarian frankfurters* 

Method:

STUFFED POTATO SALAD WITH BACON, CHEESE & VEG: butter & egg-free, high fibre, lower fat, healthier carbs

Take the stuffing from twice baked potatoes, cool it, serve it cold and you have...

Festive Stuffed Potato Salad 
'Exceptionally tasty and interesting; not your run-of-the-mill tater salad' 

At around this point in the summer, potato salads become a little dull.  Mixing it up with rice or pasta or Chinese noodles - all of which pique the interest when al fresco dining - is one solution.

Or you can try this terrific amalgam of potatoes and tasty bits and pieces that was created for an elderly potato-loving friend.  

This salad is actually a cold version of the mix that goes into Skinnier Double Baked Potato Skins.

It pretty much knocks the socks off other recipes for potato salad lovers - especially when it is served very cold in a heat wave!

It contains baby chunks of reduced fat-cheese, crumbled streaky bacon and fresh & crunchy and/or roasted cooked vegetables.  67's usual low-cal mix of yoghurt mayo, reduced-fat cream cheese and a bit of milk bind it together.  

The result is a creamy mash full of flavour and texture contrasts.  And people love it!

Give it a try.  Potatoes are one of our good value foods.  When  cooked and cooled they score highly on the healthy meter; carbs are reduced and resistant starches are a gift for the gut. 

Cost: £2.50'ish

Feeds: 6-8'ish

Ingreds:

   4 good-sized baking potatoes 
   1-2 tbsp olive oil
   pepper & a little salt
   
   2-4 tbsp butter (opt)
   1/4 cup strained 0-fat yoghurt plus 1/4 cup fat-reduced cream cheese OR 1/2 cup yoghurt-mayo
   2 spring onions or 3-4 tbsp chives, finely chopped
   1/3-1/2 cup reduced-fat cheese, in fine dice or grated (67 uses M&S reduced fat Davidstow or Cathedral City) 
   4 slices streaky bacon, baked 20 mins in a 180c/350f oven, blotted with paper towels & coarsely chopped (opt )
   4-5 tbsp corn niblets OR finely diced fresh (de-seeded) OR sun-blush tomatoes
   4-5 tbsp finely diced bell peppers OR peeled celery 

   2 -4 tbsp milk 

   juice & zest of half a lemon

   pepper and a bit of salt

Method:

SENSATIONAL SARDINE SALAD, low-cal, easy, budget friendly

Delightful imaginative low-cal combo of sardines, salad and a zippy dressing... 

first posted 2019; updated 5/23

Surprising - in a great way - Sardine Salad a la Downton Abbey
'I thought I didn't like sardines but you could serve this to anyone' Taster

This very tasty salad came from the Downton Abbey cookbook, apparently created in the 1920's when fresher, lighter dishes were the vogue following the rich food of the Edwardian era.

67 has adapted it, replacing or dropping some ingredients. The recipe offers several options but you do need a slightly bitter salad leaf as well as the crunchy; otherwise you risk blandness.  Don't stint on the dressing; it turns the salad into something magnificent.   

The salad is very healthy.  Sardines are one of the most nutritous, tastiest foods and extremely good value.  A 90gm 3oz tin will set you back well under a pound, depending on the variety, and provides:

• 23 gms of protein
• loads of heart-friendly omega-3 fatty acids
• good levels of important-for-health calcium, iron & potassium

Sardines are also...

• low in salt
• near the bottom of the ocean food chain and relatively free of damaging levels of mercury & other sea toxins
• sustainably fished

Nutritionists recommend that sardines be eaten, bones and all, straight from the tin.  But many people - the Blogger included - prefer removing the bones and liver and the top layer of scales for a cleaner, clearer flavour.

Cost: £2-3, depending on choice of leaves & flavouring

Serves: 2 packed lunches/mains; 4 sides

Ingreds:

   

2 heads baby gem lettuce or other crunchy lettuce (probably not iceberg) base removed, separated into individual leaves

plus Either: 90g/3.25oz watercress or rocket (or spinach, kale, radicchio) +1.5tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

  OR: pre-packed 100g/3.5oz pkt chive, parsley & sorrel* 

   2 tbsp capers (or olives & lemon zest OR artichoke hearts, OR deli/home-made sun-blush tomatoes OR 1tbsp fresh or 1 tsp dried thyme) 

   90g/3.25 oz drained sardines 

Dressing

   2 cooked egg yolks

   2 tsp Dijon mustard

   1/2 tsp cayenne
   1/2 tsp Sumac (opt)
   generous pinch 67 Savoury spice mix (opt)

   pepper & salt

   3 tbsp olive oil

   2 tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice

Method:

HEALTHIER SPICY CHINESE MEAT RUB: minimal sugar/fat, dairy-free, wallet-friendly, easy, make-ahead

Healthier rub for that Chinese ribs effect - without a gloopy sugar laden sauce!

updated 2025; original 2015

Healthier Chinese Spicy Belly Pork Strips/Ribs ' 

(option for beef/lamb ribs, chicken thighs/wings and other cuts of meat )

' ...lovely and juicy; I usually avoid ribs because they're so messy!' Taster

                                                                                      

Here's a spiced marinade that will give any cut of pork, beef or chicken the quintessential flavour of  Chinese Spare Rib. 

The great thing about the rub is that it's low-almost-no-sugar.  And because the meat is barbecued, roasted, or grilled on a rack, excess fat is released and drained away.   

There's no gloopy sauce and it's so much healthier than take-aways.  The effect though, is the same -- the meat is tender, exotically flavoured; it chars slightly, leaving lovely crunchy burnished bits.

Use the marinade on any cut of pork, beef or poultry. It's perfect during a heat wave: prep the meat the night before and it'll be ready by dinnertime.  

Some less expensive cuts may need to be poached beforehand to produce meat that is toothsome but falls off the bone.  Pre-cooking also reduces fat. 

The recipe has been in 67's cookbook for ages but may have been adapted from  the (London) Times.

Prep starts the night before.

Feeds: 6-8 (as part if a 3-4 course meal) 
Cost: depends on the meat; £5-10'ish?? (Jan 24)

Ingred:
1 kilo/2 pounds meat (pork ribs, chops, tenderloin, belly, shoulder or pork butt; beef ribs, flank or other from-the-belly steak; strips of rump steak; chicken breasts, legs, wings) 

4 tbsp dry sherry or white wine or grape juice
4 tbsp reduced-salt (not low-salt) soy sauce (if there are blood-pressure issues, replace half the soy sauce with good stock)
1 tbsp sugar (opt)
4 cloves garlic, grated or minced (opt)
1/2 tsp each dried cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves
1/2 tsp salt
2 rounded tbsp Dijon or other mild mustard

Method: 

1. Pre-tenderise the day before: Pre-tenderising is a good step for ribs, shoulder, flank, belly but usually not chicken unless using wings or drumsticks (and especially not kosher chicken which is already very tender). Bring a large pan of water to a boil with a couple of onions and carrots (opt)  Immerse meat in the water.  Bring to  the boil again, lower heat to med-low; the water should bubble gently.  Simmer 30 mins or until meat is tender; drain; cool
2. Mix sherry, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, mustard and spices in a glass dish or a freezer bag large enough for the meat. Marinade preferably overnight or min 2 hours, turning the meat or mushing it around at least once.  When meat has marinaded, pour juices into a bowl
3. If using the oven, preheat to 160C, 325F, gas 3. Place meat on a rack in a roasting pan. Bake 45mins-1hr, basting frequently with marinade juices, turn halfway through cooking time 
4. If using air fryer, use oven setting at 160C, 325F, bake 35-45 mins, basting frequently with marinade juices, turn halfway through cooking time  
5. Or BBQ/grill, according to manufacturer's cooking times
6. (Inner temperature of meart should be 70C/150F) 
7. Serve with hot mustard

Comment: 
'The ribs are lovely - I've never eaten ribs before as they always look so messy. Very juicy; soaked into my bread -- grand!' Political Agent

Tips:   

• 67's recommended reduced-salt soy sauce include Amoy 25% reduced salt. 25-35% salt reduced is about right - anything above that percentage suffers from lack of 'body' and taste
• Save time and effort by halving and baking potatoes at the same time or preparing 5-minute Asian noodles.  A quick layered spinach salad makes a well-rounded meal.
• If you love Chinese food but worry about salt and sugar, try Guilt-free Oriental Chicken with Chilli & Pineapple 

Please leave a comment in the box below

This recipes has been developed by B Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.

SENSATIONAL SMASHED POTATO SALAD

Outstanding potato salad that's quick, easy and frugal...

Doesn't look like much but it's utterly fabulous.  And quick!
'I love potato salad; this was outstanding with great crunchy bits' 'Incredible.'  Tasters 

When life's really busy or too darned hot, this frugal potato salad will make life easier.  From start to finish, it's ready in minutes and - even better -  the kids will love to help make it.

It can sit in the fridge for a day or so, deepening its flavours; doubling or tripling the recipe won't be a problem.

To make it a main course salad, at the last minute, mix in hard boiled egg or cubes of cold meat/fish. Other salad ingredients like finely chopped celery, cooked green beans or asparagus (!) and finely sliced radish add colour and texture. 

Cost: £2.25
Feeds: 6-8 as a side

Ingred:
   1 kilo/2 pounds small potatoes, halved OR potatoes chopped in 2inch/4cm cubes
   4-5 trimmed spring onions, white & green bits, thinly sliced 
   at least 1 cup yoghurt-mayonnaise
    pepper & salt

Method:

1. Cook potatoes 10 mins in boiling salted water or until a knife inserted into the centre meets little resistance (they will continue to cook off the heat)
2. Drain, run cold water over the potatoes then return to the sieve in the pot with the heat off; cool; peel if preferred
3. Put into a large bowl and, using a potato basher or fork, squash some of the potatoes - it doesn't matter if some of the potatoes stay whole
4. Mix in spring onions
5. Stir in yoghurt-mayo, mixing well 
6. Refrigerate until needed

Comments:
'I love potato salad and this was outstanding - firm and moist with great crunchy bits in it.' Political Agent 
'The salad was incredible!'  Mature housewife

More salads on Nav Bar:Recipes 11/Salads 

Please leave a Comment in the box below                                          

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.  

SALMON NICOISE PLATTER, lower salt & fat, high fibre, wallet-friendly

Beguiling on the plate: a lighter, subtler lower-salt version of Tuna Nicoise but no less tasty ...

                                                                                                                                          updated July 2022; first posted 2016

Summer's Delight: Salmon Nicoise Salad, diet friendly

Salmon Nicoise Salad is is lower in salt than Tuna Nicoise.  It has no olives (unless you want them) or anchovies, but delicious marinated bell peppers, sun-blush tomatoes and artichoke hearts add a sassy piquancy.  Creamy low-fat dressing perfectly complements the dense, moist flakes of salmon.

As well as being healthy, the salad can be wallet-friendly.  67 used frozen wild salmon* but when pockets are deep will splurge on conservation-grade farmed salmon from Norway**.

67 made the marinaded bell peppers from scratch - quite easily (See no. 2 in method) - but M&S now includes them in their 3 for £8 deli offers.   Jarred pepper (not tested by 67) will do but will cost more.  The artichoke hearts and sun-blush  tomatoes were purchased on the 3-fer deal at M&S (usually £3+ each) but making your own roasted tomatoes is easy and inexpensive. 

If serving at a picnic, either pack the ingredients separately and assemble on site, or prepare the platter in advance, wrap well in clingfilm and put the dressing in an airtight container.

Cost:  min £6
Feeds: 2-3 but easily multiplies

Ingred:
   2 salmon fillets
   200 gm/8 oz new, or waxy, potato
   1 bell pepper, red or orange OR half of each colour
   2 hard boiled eggs
   8 raw baby tomatoes or 3 large
   100 gm/4 oz green beans
   2 generous tablespoons artichoke hearts
   2 generous tablespoons sun-blush  tomatoes

Method:

1. Make dressing; set aside
2. Grill whole pepper, turning frequently, until blackened. (The 67 grill took nearly half an hour; the 67 air fryer the same time.)  Place in a deep bowl, cover with cling film.  Leave for half an hour.  When cool, remove skin, stem and seeds.  Cut in 1/4 inch/1/2 cm slices.  Pour over 2-3 tbsp of dressing; cover and set aside
3. Steam or poach salmon for 10-15 minutes; allow to cool, loosely cover with foil; break into large flakes; set aside
4. Bring a large pot of water to the boils; add new potatoes, cook 10-15 mins until a sharp knife meets a little resistance in the middle (the potatoes carry on cooking) for al dente; or until cooked through
5. Have a bowl of cold/iced water ready.  Take tops off green beans; drop into boiling water for 3-5 mins; remove; place in iced water
6. Place eggs in a pan of water; bring to a boil; turn off heat, cover; leave 6-8 minutes.  Run under cold water.   Roll on a flat surface, pressing down lightly until shells crack and peel easily. Cut eggs into vertical quarters.
7. If using artichoke hearts, cut off fronds bits; store-bought sun-blush tomatoes are improved by removing the skins; if using olives, rinse in cold water to remove some of the salt. 
8. Arrange everything nicely on a platter with raw tomatoes; either serve naked with dressing alongside or drizzle a little dressing over the platter.   

  Creamy Dill Vinaigrette  
     4 tbsp good olive oil  
     1 tbsp lemon juice 
     good pinch salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, pref. coarsely ground
     2 rounded tsp finely chopped dill or 1/2 tsp dried (opt)
     1/2 tsp sugar, honey or maple syrup (opt)
     2-3 tablespoons strained 0-fat yoghurt
     1 tbsp mayo

OR

Creamy Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing

3 parts good olive oil

1 part lemon juice

1 generous tablespoon wholegrain mustard

1 small clove garlic, grated

good pinch salt; 1/4 tsp pepper

2-3 tablespoons Greek 0-fat yoghurt
1 tbsp mayo (opt)

Pour all ingredients into a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake until thick and blended. Check seasoning.

Marvellous Croutons

You might think croutons are easy but it's the ratio of oil to bread that turns something ordinary into something memorable!

*Iceland or Waitrose

**Whole Foods, Kensington

Comment:

'I love this salad's freshness and the way the individual flavours combine. Today, in - and in between - Lockdown, it's a treat to add wonderful sourdough croutons and amp up the flavour with a few rinsed olives (to remove some of the salt).' (as below)

Olives and memorable croutons
replace artichoke hearts & sun-blush tomatoes

                                                           More fish on NavBar: Recipes 1/Fish 

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This recipe  has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.   

HEALTHIER HOT DOG PICNIC WITH NO-SUGAR, LOW PRESERVATIVE RELISH, Triple Duty; budget friendly, child friendly

American hot dogs are a favourite English picnic food...

first published 2016; updated June 2025

A hot dog picnic with Make-ahead Easy No/low Sugar Homemade Relish
Photo shows Tivali veggie dogs in Light wholemeal Spelt rolls. 

...and 67goingon50 has developed various strategies to enhance the experience.   

Nowadays popular frankfurters include high-meat beef or pork, lower-fat chicken or increasingly, vegan dogs.  If you're going the no-meat route, vegetarian franks* which the blogger discovered in Israel are recommended.  

In the west we also have high-end vegan frankfurters, developed alongside meatless burgers.

Whatever their origin, frankfurters/hot dogs are best eaten warm.  If you're travelling to a picnic site, try these methods:  

• place the dogs in wide-mouthed thermoses and cover with hot - not boiling - water; drain at the picnic site OR
• wrap the frankfurters in buns  (but without dressing and sauces) and then in foil packets.  Wrap them well in tea towels and place them or near the car engine while travelling to the picnic site.  If you smell burning, move them away or turn them over.  (At the site, don't turn your back on them or they could be nicked!)
• cook over a campfire; load a young strong branch with the dogs and grill over the flames (it's probably best to have jumbo dogs for this)

Traditionally, hot dogs are served with a strip of mustard, a strip of ketchup, some relish and maybe some onions fried in butter.  If travelling, fill a squeezy bottle (from Nisbetts & department stores) with mustard and another with ketchup; before screwing on the lid, cover the tops with a double layer of cling film. Trasport in a plastic bag or container (Try not to tear the cling film or the ketchup/mustard will end up all over the container and people will not be happy!) 

HOT DOG RELISH: Many varieties of hot dog relish - red or green - are available at various prices but most are high in sugar and additives.   67goingon50's easy, colourful hot dog relish is not.  

Crunchy and zippily flavoured, it's a healthy treat.  There's no or very low sugar and it's almost preservative-free.  The relish is easy to put together; an older child with good knife skills could do it under supervision. (Always have a first aid kit in the kitchen!)  

The recipe does use store-bought pickles** but not in huge quantities.  To make your own, go to Faff-free Dill Pickles, which take only a few minutes to make and 3 days to 'cook'.    

67's relish will satisfy sophisticated adults. For kids being weaned off high levels of sugar, it's ok to add half a tablespoon of maple syrup; the chillis and mustard could also be reduced.  The recipe makes 1.5 cups; preparing two batches won't be a burden.  

Any leftovers can be teamed with chicken or cheese with a little yoghurt-mayo for a great sandwich filling.

The relish can be made in advance and keeps 3-5 days in the fridge.   

Cost: £2.50'ish (June 2025) does not include cost of frankfurters

Makes1.5 cups

Ingred:
   5 cherry tomatoes or equiv, in small dice
   3/4 tsp tomato puree, pref low-salt
   small red chilli, top & tailed, de-seeded, finely diced OR 1/2 tsp chilli flakes  
   1/2 cup bell pepper, pref green or yellow, in small dice
   1/3 cup dill pickle  (2 med) in small dice)
   1/3 cup drained corn niblets
   1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

PLUS Hot dogs (cost varies according to choice): meat, vegetarian, vegan 

Method:

1. Mix all ingredients apart from dogs thoroughly; add cracked black pepper to taste 
2. Store in a wide-mouthed air-tight container in the fridge 3-5 days

*Tivali

**Mrs Elswood Dill Pickles

Tips:

• Hot dog buns/finger rolls are sold at most UK supermarkets at good prices; pick up more than you need when  on offer - they freeze well
• Or save money and make your own easy-peasy Light wholemeal Spelt rolls

Please leave a Comment in the box below

This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and can not be reproduced without the author's written permission. 

CABBAGE & VEG SALAD WITH LIME & PEANUT DRESSING, Vegan

Pretty and nutritious Vegan side, Asian-style...

Cabbage & vegetable Salad with Lime & Peanut Dressing
with or without noodles 

There's something about peanuts in Asian cooking that appeals tremendously to most palates. Originally ground and slackened with liquid, the nuts now are more often found as some variant of peanut butter.  

They appear everywhere in worldwide cuisine: as a sauce for meat, a dressing for salad and vegetables and as a dip.

This lovely salad hails from the Orient.  It is crunchy, pretty, versatile, with raw and cooked vegetables; enveloped in a rich peanut dressing, it delights and satisfies.  

It was adapted from one of the blog's favourite Twitter sources, Cooking Light.  (See Tip, below)

The salad sits well in the fridge overnight; double the recipe and take the leftovers to work.  The cabbage, carrot, green onion mix forms the base but replacing or adding other veg won't be a problem. 

The blogger prefers to omit the noodles; the dressing and veg mix are really what makes this salad fabulous.  (Or, if carbs are a problem, use 'glass' noodles made of green bean starch). 

Cost:£1.75

Feeds: 4-6

Ingreds

   4 oz cooked noodles, brown if you can get them  or 'glass noodles' (opt)

   4 cups thinly sliced cabbage

   1.5 cups shaved carrot

   1 cup cucumber

   1/2 cup sliced green onions

   handful quick cook veg like tendersteam broccoli, fine green beans or mange tout dropped ito boiling water 3 mins & submerged in ice water (one or all) (opt)

   bean sprouts (pour boiling water over to soften, drain quickly) (opt)
   radishes sliced thinly (opt)

Dressing

   1/4 cup peanut butter

   1/4 cup water

   1//2 tsp grated ginger

   1/2 tsp grated garlic (opt)

   tbsp red wine vinegar

   tbsp soy sauce

   tbsp toasted sesame oil

   3 tbsp lime juice 

   tsp lime zest
Note: this dressing is so lovely you might want to double the ingredients and keep the leftovers in the fridge

Garnish

    coarsely chopped salted peanuts

    parsley, cilantro or chives

Method:

1. Mix noodles, if using,  & veg, distributing ingredients evenly
2. Whisk dressing ingred together; pour over noodle-veg mix

Tip:

The Twitter feed @Cooking Light has been producing lots of appealing low-fat recipes of late, many of them aimed at the young, busy working person.  Whatever your age or occupation, the feed is well worth keeping an eye on. 

Non-meat dishes on NavBar: Recipes II/Vegan...

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This recipe has been adapted by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.  

SWEET'N SOUR EXOTIC CUCUMBER, frugal vegan, simple but sensational

Tangy, sweet crunchy side dish to pep up mains on any table...

Sweet & Sour Exotic Pickled Cucumber, quick & easy'
'Yum!  Bright taste with nice subtle chilli kick.' Taster

Simple but super, exotic pickled cucumber will be a delightful dish for a potluck Bonfire Night or anytime buffet table.   It goes well with cooked meat, cheeses and salads.

67's recipe* needs hardly any prep time (though there is some waiting time) but the results are a treat.  Crisp, slightly salty & slightly sweet, the cucumber have a definite Oriental bent. They'll be popular and friends will beg for the recipe.

Sugar and salt are kept to a minimum.

Cost: £1'ish
Makes: enough for several but recipe multiplies easily

Ingred:
    1 cucumber, thinly sliced
  Dressing  
    1 tbsp white wine vinegar
    1 tsp maple syrup or caster sugar
    1tbsp toasted sesame oil  
    1 tsp reduced-salt soy sauce
    1 tbsp chopped parsley or cilantro
    half small fresh chilli, finely diced (pref) or generous pinch chilli flakes
    2 tsp light veg oil
    2-3 grated cloves garlic

Garnish (opt)
      toasted sesame seeds

Method:

1. If cucumber is not organic, soak 20mins in a 9-1 solution of water and vinegar; drain & rinse
2. Slice cucumber thinly (a mandolin is useful here). salt lightly; leave 10 mins; rinse well, drain  
3. In a separate bowl, mix vinegar, sugar and other aromatics; stir 
4. Press cucumber slices between layers of kitchen paper to remove excess moisture; add to dressing, tossing until all are coated 
5. Pour cucumber & dressing into a sealable plastic bag; slosh the contents around a bit.  Refrigerate for at least 4 hours,  turning now and again until ready to serve.   

Comments:
'Bright taste that goes great with the Camembert I'm having.  The cucumber softened nicely and the chilli gives a nice subtle kick.' Political Agent

*adapted from Waitrose magazine

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This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.