Chickpea and Cous Cous Filled Capsicum

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 2 large (600g) red capsicums, halved, deseeded
• 3 tsp olive oil
• 140g (2/3 cup) couscous
• 310ml (1 1/4 cups) boiling water
• 1 brown onion, chopped
• 1 300g can chickpeas, rinsed, drained
• 85g (1/2 cup) chopped dried pitted dates
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup loosely packed chopped fresh continental parsley
• 1 200g container natural set yoghurt, 99.8% fat free

Method

1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Brush capsicums with 1 tsp of oil. Place, cut-side up, in roasting pan lined with foil. Roast for 10 minutes or until tender.
2. Meanwhile, place couscous in a heatproof bowl and pour over boiling water, stirring with a fork. Cover, set aside for 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with fork. Heat remaining oil in a non-stick frying pan over high heat. Cook onion, stirring, for 5-6 minutes or until brown. Reduce heat to medium, add couscous, chickpeas, dates, ginger, pepper and salt. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until combined. Add parsley.
3. Remove capsicum from oven. Spoon couscous mixture into each half. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until brown. Serve with the yoghurt.

Lamb Souvlaki

Ingredients:

500 grams lean lamb, cubed
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lemon (juice and zest)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon oregano (dried or fresh)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preparation:
1. Combine all the ingredients and let the meat marinate in the fridge, from 30 minutes to overnight. The longer you marinate it, the more tender the meat will become.
2. Remove the lamb from the marinade and skewer. Use wooden skewers soaked in cold water for 30 minutes to prevent burning, or steel skewers.
3. Grill the skewers for about 3 to 4 minutes each side, until medium rare.

Food tip 1: Serve with a salad of cubed tomato, cucumber and feta cheese, a bowl of low-fat Greek yoghurt and a platter of warmed wholemeal pita bread.

Food tip 2: Keep a plastic bag of soaked wooden skewers in your freezer, so you can repeat this recipe without having to wait for the skewers to soak for 30 minutes.

Tuscan Chicken

Chicken breast for each person
Tuscan seasoning (masterfoods)
Chicken stock approx 1 cup
Cream approx 1 cup


Brown chicken breasts in a little oil, then shake seasoning liberally over each piece. Turn and repeat seasoning. Continue to brown for another minute or so.

Pour in stock. Cook chicken, turning occasionally until stock is almost completely reduced (leaving lovely brown liquid coating bottom of pan).

Remove chicken, cover with foil. Set aside.

Add cream to pan, scrap up all brown bits off bottom and edges to add flavour. Bring to boil, then simmer til reduced by half. It goes all lovely and creamy, it thickens but not too much.

Plate up and serve the sauce over chicken.