Ryvita’s Party Fit Plan

Suggested Soup Recipes

Soup recipe ideas – quick, easy and cost-effective to make! Just make a batch and re-heat as required.

Nice ‘n’ Spicy Lentil Soup

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large pan and fry a small piece of grated ginger, 1 tsp cumin seeds and a pinch of chilli flakes for a couple of minutes. Add 1 finely chopped onion and 2 large peeled and grated carrots, and cook for 5 minutes. Add 150g red lentils and 1 litre of vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the lentils are tender. Blend until smooth. Stir through a squeeze of lime juice and serve with fresh coriander.

Wild Mushroom Soup

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large, lidded non-stick frying pan and sauté 300g chestnut mushrooms (sliced) and 200g wild mushrooms (shredded) until the oil has been absorbed, stirring all the time. Add a little chicken stock when the oil has disappeared, reduce the heat and stir for one minute. Season well and transfer the mushrooms to a bowl.

Heat another 1/2 tbsp of olive oil in the pan and sauté 1 large sliced red onion and 2 chopped garlic cloves over a medium heat for 10 minutes or until softened. Add 250ml dry white wine and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer over a medium-low heat for several minutes until everything has softened. Return the mushrooms to the pan, add 800ml of chicken stock, 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves and simmer, covered for 10 minutes. Season to taste.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Place 1 litre of chicken stock and 1 large skinless chicken breast in a saucepan and bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the chicken and shred into thin strips; return to the pan. Add 150g oyster or shitake mushrooms and 150g pak choi and simmer again for 5 minutes. Combine 1 1/2 tbsp miso paste with a little of the hot stock and add this to the pan; stir well. Add 1 tbsp sherry, 100g rice noodles and 1 tbsp soy sauce and simmer for a few minutes.

Hot Sweet Potato and Leek Soup

Preheat the oven to 170C/Gas 3. Roughly chop 2 carrots, 2 sweet potatoes and 2 leeks and place them in a large flameproof casserole dish with 1 large chopped onion, 1 large garlic clove, 1/2 chilli, 2 chopped celery stalks, 1.6 litres of vegetable stock and a bay leaf. Bring slowly to the boil. Cover and transfer to the oven for 2 hours, or until the vegetables are soft. Remove the bay leaf and season to taste. Liquidise until smooth.

Suggested Evening Meal

All recipes given serve 4 people and are suitable for the whole family to enjoy.

Mediterranean baked chicken and rice

Heat a non-stick flameproof casserole with 1/2 tbsp of olive oil and sauté 4 skinless chicken breast fillets (halved) over a high heat until browned. Remove and reserve. Sauté 1 large thinly sliced onion and 2 sliced red peppers in 1/2 tbsp olive oil over a medium heat for 5 minutes to soften. Add 2 crushed cloves of garlic for the final minute of cooking, add 1 peeled and segmented orange, 8 black stoned olives (halved), a dash of Tabasco, 6 finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes, 1 tbsp of tomato puree, 1 tbsp of dried mixed herbs, season and stir well. Add 225g long-grain rice and stir again.

Pour in 400ml of chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Cover and transfer to a pre-heated oven (170C/337F/Gas 3 1/2) for 45-50 minutes until the chicken and rice are cooked and the rice is almost completely absorbed.

Lamb meatballs with spaghetti

Place 400g raw lamb mince, 3 tbsp chopped fresh mint, 2 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste, 25g grated Parmesan cheese and 1 small beaten egg in a bowl and mix together with your hands. Season with salt and pepper and shape into 20 small balls. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan and add 2 crushed garlic cloves and a 1-inch piece of fresh ginger (grated) and fry for 1 minute. Add 1/4 pint of red wine, a 400g can of chopped tomatoes, 1/2 tsp of caster sugar and 1 tbsp of sun-dried tomato paste and bring to the boil.

Add the meatballs to the sauce, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through. Meanwhile cook 250g spaghetti in boiling water according to packet instructions. Add a further 2 tbsp of fresh chopped mint to the sauce and check the seasoning. Pour the meatballs and sauce over the cooked, drained spaghetti and serve.

Fish Bake

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5. Cut 350g skinned haddock fillet into bite-sized pieces and toss in 2 tbsp cornflour to coat evenly. Place the fish along with 115g cooked and peeled prawns, 198g can of drained sweetcorn and 75g frozen peas in an ovenproof dish. Beat together 150ml skimmed milk with 150g low fat fromage frais and season well. Pour over the fish and vegetables. Mix together 75g wholemeal breadcrumbs and 40g grated reduced fat Cheddar cheese and spoon evenly over the top of the dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.

Chinese Oven-barbecued Pork

Place 450g pork tenderloin fillet in a single layer in the base of a shallow, non-metallic dish. Mix together 60ml hoisin sauce, 30ml soy sauce, 2 tbsp runny honey, 2 tbsp sake or dry sherry, 1 tsp Chinese five spice, 1 tsp wholegrain mustard and 1 tbsp groundnut oil. Pour the mixture over the pork and marinate, covered in the fridge, for a few hours or overnight. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

Put the pork and some of the marinade in a small roasting pan and roast for 25 minutes, basting once or twice. Towards the end of cooking heat a wok or non-stick frying pan with 1/2 tbsp olive oil (or sesame oil if you have it) and stir fry 8 finely sliced spring onions, 1 finely sliced carrot, 1 small sliced leek, 50g mange tout and 100g fresh beansprouts for 3 minutes. Add one tbsp of the pork marinade and cook for a further minute.

Chicken Chasseur

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Brown 8 skinless chicken thigh fillets in a non-stick flameproof casserole dish with 1/2 tbsp of olive oil. Remove and reserve. Add 1 crushed clove of garlic, 1 large sliced onion and 100g sliced button mushrooms to the pan and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes, or until softened.

Return the chicken to the dish and add 1 tsp thyme and a 400g can of chopped tomatoes. Combine 60ml of chicken stock with 60ml of dry white wine and 1 tbsp of tomato puree and pour over the chicken. Cover and bake for 1 ¼ hours or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.

Salmon Pasta with Parsley Sauce

Cut 450g skinned salmon fillet into bite-sized pieces and steam for 10-12 minutes until cooked. Cook 225g penne pasta according to packet instructions. Drain the pasta and toss with the salmon and 175g halved cherry tomatoes. In a separate bowl mix together 150ml of low fat crème fraiche, 3 tbsp finely chopped parsley, the finely grated rind of one orange and pepper to taste. Toss together with the salmon and pasta and serve warm.

Vegetarian alternatives

Brown lentil chilli

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and fry 1 chopped onion and 2 cloves crushed garlic until quite soft. Add 1 tsp cumin seed and 1 tsp coriander seeds and cook until the seeds begin to pop. Add 2 sticks chopped celery, 2 diced carrots, 1 chopped red pepper, 225g diced courgettes and 225g chopped mushrooms, and sweat for about 10 minutes. Add 125g brown lentils, 3 whole fresh chillies and 2 tsp chilli powder.

Stir in well and cook for 2 minutes. Pour over a 400g tin of chopped tomatoes and 300ml of vegetable stock. Stir in 1 tbsp of tomato puree and boil. Simmer for 1 hour. Add more stock if necessary. Add 1/2 tsp ground cumin, season to taste and cook for a further 10 minutes. Remove the whole chillis prior to serving! Delicious served with baked potato or rice.

Winter Root Vegetable Bake

Place 2 quartered red onions, 2 large carrots, 2 parsnips, 1 butternut squash and 250g potatoes, each peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks into a large roasting pan with 6 unpeeled garlic cloves and 1 tbsp olive oil. Toss and season well and sprinkle over 1 heaped tsp of dried mixed herbs. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 190C/375F/Gas 5 for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are almost tender. Turn once during cooking. Meanwhile mix together 100g ricotta cheese, 200g Greek yoghurt, 1 beaten egg, 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese and some seasoning. Remove the cooked vegetables from the oven and pour over a 400g can chopped tomatoes. Pour over the yoghurt mixture (it won’t completely cover everything but that does not matter) and return the pan to the oven reducing the heat to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Cook for a further 20 minutes or until the topping is set and golden and all the vegetables are tender.

Penne with broccoli and chilli

Cook 350g penne pasta according to packet instructions. Steam 450g small broccoli florets for 10 minutes until tender. Heat 30ml of vegetable stock and add 1 crushed garlic clove and 1 small sliced red chilli pepper. Stir over a low heat for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the broccoli, pasta and 4 tbsp of natural low fat yoghurt. Adjust the seasoning, sprinkle with 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts and serve.

Quick Chickpea Curry

Gently fry 3 cloves of chopped garlic, 1 small piece of root ginger (finely chopped), 2 tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp ground coriander in 1/2 tbsp of olive oil for 3 minutes. Add 2 whole chopped tomatoes and 150ml of vegetable stock and cook for a further minute. Blend the ingredients in a liquidiser or food processor until smooth. In the original pan, fry 2 small chopped onions in 1/2 tbsp olive oil for 3 minutes, add 225g sliced mushrooms add cook for a further 3 minutes. Pour the curry paste over the onions and mushrooms, add 425g can of chick peas (drained) and 3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander. Heat gently for 10 minutes. Stir in 25g creamed coconut and season to taste. Serve with boiled rice or couscous.

Speedy wrap pizzas

Preheat the oven to 220C/fan200C/gas 7. Lay 4 flour tortilla wraps on baking sheets and spread each with 1 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste. Scatter the four pizzas with 400g halved cherry tomatoes, 4 handfuls of fresh salad spinach and 250g ball of reduced fat mozzarella, drained and torn into pieces. Drizzle each pizza with a little olive oil and scatter with dried oregano. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Lentil Shepherds Pie

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. In a large mixing bowl thoroughly mash 225g of cooked and drained lentils. Add 1 small chopped onion, 1/2 tsp of crumbled sage, 1/2 tsp minced garlic, a pinch of dried oregano and ¼ tsp cayenne pepper. Place the lentil mixture in a lightly oiled 4 pint/2.5L casserole dish. In a separate bowl, mash 300g cooked potatoes, adding 50ml of semi-skimmed or soya milk, and 10g low fat spread. Season to taste. Spread the mashed potatoes on top of the lentil mixture and bake for 20 minutes. Place the pie under the grill to brown on top.