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Paprika mushrooms on toast with a great big salad

You haven't lived until you've tasted this dish! It's truly delicious. Trust us!

CALORIES PER PORTION just for the mushrooms: 335 kCals; just for the salad: 150 kCals (125 kCals without the olives) serves 1 2 small individual ciabattas, about 75 g (3 oz) each 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 500 g (1 lb) b.u.t.ton mushrooms, sliced a sprig of fresh thyme 12 teaspoon paprika, or more to taste a squeeze of lemon juice 2 tablespoons low-fat creme fraiche salt and freshly ground black pepper for the salad: 1 large bag of strongly flavoured salad leaves 3 large ripe tomatoes, quartered 1 red pepper, deseeded and finely sliced half a cuc.u.mber, sliced 10 black olives, pitted and halved (optional) 6 spring onions, chopped (optional) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon lemon juice salt and freshly ground black pepper Make up the salad first, as the mushrooms are quick to cook. Wash and dry the leaves and put them in a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, pepper slices, cuc.u.mber, olives and spring onions, if using. Put the oil and lemon juice in a small jar with a pinch of salt and some black pepper, seal - making sure it is firmly closed - then shake until the oil and lemon are combined. Pour over the salad and mix everything together. Cover and set aside.

Cut the two ciabattas in half horizontally and and preheat the grill to high. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and gently fry the onion for 5 minutes, then add the garlic. As soon as the garlic begins to take on colour, add the mushrooms to the pan. Remove the leaves from the sprig of thyme and add them too. Cook gently, until the mushroom juices begin to run, then add the paprika and a little lemon juice, plus some salt and black pepper.

Put the ciabattas under the hot grill to warm though and slightly toast the cut surfaces.

Increase the heat under the frying pan and fry the mushrooms until the liquid has almost all gone and they are beginning to crisp up. Turn off the heat and add the creme fraiche, stirring it in well. Put two pieces of ciabatta on each plate and top with the creamy mushrooms. Serve the salad on the side.

B.

Use another 2 tablespoons of creme fraiche and cook the mushrooms gently for a couple of minutes more over a very low heat, concentrating the creamy liquid (this adds 25 calories)

C.

Add more creme fraiche, as for B, and dry-fry a bacon rasher to crumble on top as well (this adds 75 calories)

D.

Add more creme fraiche, as for B, and dry-fry 2 bacon rashers to crumble on top and add another 250 g (8 oz) mushrooms as well (this adds 160 calories)

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Spring vegetable risotto

Risotto is easy to make - you just keep stirring, then adding more liquid, then stirring again until it's ready.

CALORIES PER PORTION 425 kCals serves 2 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 sliver of b.u.t.ter, not more than 10 g (12 oz) 1 small white onion or 2 shallots 1 garlic clove, very finely chopped 175 g (6 oz) risotto rice (arborio) 350-400 ml (10-14 fl oz) boiling water or hot vegetable stock 50 g (2 oz) peas (defrosted, if frozen) 50 g (2 oz) baby broad beans (defrosted, if frozen) 2 small courgettes, finely sliced salt and freshly ground black pepper serve with: a mixed green salad Put the oil and b.u.t.ter in a large frying pan, and melt over a medium heat. When the b.u.t.ter begins to bubble a little, add the onion and garlic, and cook them very gently for 5 minutes until the onion is just transparent. Add the risotto rice and stir it around so that it is evenly coated.

Add about 100 ml (312 fl oz) of the boiling water or hot stock, and let it bubble for a couple of minutes, stirring. Add the peas and broad beans, then add a little more liquid as soon as the first has been absorbed. Continue cooking the risotto, stirring regularly and adding more liquid every time it looks like drying out, until there is only about 100 ml (312 fl oz) liquid left. Then add the courgettes and carry on.

When almost all the liquid has been absorbed and all the vegetables are tender, take the pan off the heat. Add some salt and pepper to taste, stir it thoroughly, and then serve immediately. Accompany with a green salad.

B.

Add a dressing to the salad (2 teaspoons olive oil and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar) as well (this adds 90 calories)

C.

Make the risotto with 200 g (7 oz) arborio rice, plus add a salad dressing as for B, and sprinkle 10 g (34 oz) grated Parmesan over the risotto (this ads 175 calories)

D.

As for C, but use 225 g (734 oz) risotto rice (this adds 220 calories)

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Tomato & coriander soup with yogurt; Carrot & red pepper soup; b.u.t.ternut squash soup; Sweet potato & sweetcorn soup; Creamy mushroom soup; Watercress soup; Pea soup with mint; Beetroot soup with yogurt; Smooth leek & potato soup; Cauliflower soup with a choice of toppings; Italian winter bean soup; Black bean soup with celery; Refreshing Chinese vegetable soup with prawns; Dhal with chapatti and raita; South Indian potato curry; Ratatouille with roast chicken breast; Greek bean stew; Tunisian fish stew with couscous; Chicken, bacon & mushroom stew

SOUPS & STEWS.

Tomato & coriander soup with yogurt

Swirl in some yogurt if you wish, but remember that all spoon measurements are level rather than heaped.

CALORIES PER PORTION 110 kCals (with 2 tablespoons yogurt, 140 kCals) serves 4 1 tablespoon olive oil 10 spring onions (or one bunch, if large), chopped 1 potato, about 100 g (312 oz), peeled and chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed a good handful of coriander, leaves only, finely chopped 1 kg (2 lb) ripe tomatoes, chopped about 750 ml (114 pints) water salt and freshly ground black pepper 8 tablespoons low-fat natural yogurt, to garnish (optional) Put the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and warm it through. Add the spring onions and cook them for 5 minutes, stirring so that they do not catch. Add the potato and the garlic, stir them around and let them cook for a minute or so, and then add the coriander leaves and the tomatoes.

Stir everything together for another minute or so, and then add the water. Bring the soup to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes or so, until all the ingredients are very soft.

Put a sieve over a clean pan and ladle the soup into it, pressing it through the sieve with the back of the ladle or a wooden spoon.

When all the soup has been pa.s.sed though the sieve, sc.r.a.pe anything remaining on the underside into the pan and discard the remains of the vegetables left in the sieve.

Put the pan over a gentle heat, and reheat the soup. Adjust the thickness, if necessary, by adding a little water, and season with salt and pepper. Serve, garnished with a swirl of low-fat natural yogurt, if using.

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Carrot & red pepper soup

The sweet flavours of carrots and peppers combine to make an elegant and attractive soup.

CALORIES PER PORTION 135 kCals serves 4 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 800 g (1 lb 10 oz) carrots, chopped 2 red peppers, deseeded and chopped 1 potato, chopped salt and freshly ground black pepper Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and fry until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring to make sure it doesn't catch. Add the garlic after the first couple of minutes.

Add the carrots, peppers, potato and enough water to cover the vegetables. Simmer for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are soft.

Leave the soup to cool slightly, then transfer to a food processor or blender and whizz until smooth. Check for seasoning, add salt and pepper to taste, reheat and serve.

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b.u.t.ternut squash soup

b.u.t.ternut squash used to appear in the 'exotic' section of the vegetable aisle in the supermarket, but they are becoming more common as people discover how yummy they are!

CALORIES PER PORTION 100 kCals serves 4 half a b.u.t.ternut squash, weighing about 300-400 g (10-13 oz) 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 1 garlic clove, finely chopped a pinch of paprika salt 8 tablespoons natural yogurt, to garnish Prepare the squash first. Cut it into sections, pull away the seeds and cut off the skin. Chop any large pieces into smaller chunks.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and garlic and cook gently for 5 minutes; don't allow them to burn. Add the pieces of squash to the pan and stir well, then add a pinch of paprika. Stir again and add enough water to cover.

Cook for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Leave the soup to cool slightly, then transfer to a food processor or blender and whizz until smooth. You can adjust the thickness of the soup by adding a little more liquid if necessary. Check for seasoning, adding salt if necessary. Reheat gently and serve, swirling with natural yogurt just beforehand.

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