The Magic Of A Family Meal

B.The family Lunch:
The family lunch on weekends is a lavish affair with soup, main course, salads, appetisers, side dishes, and a healthy low-calorie dessert to complete the picture.However For weekdays, lunch is grab and bite where healthy stuffed sandwiches, burgers and pizzas are the main favourites.

Soups:
Golden Butternut Soup(serves 4): This soup can be stored in the refrigerator for upto 3 days and reheated as required in a saucepan or in the microwave.In the microwave reheat the soup in the serving mugs.One serving will take 2-3 minutes to reheat on HIGH(100%)- depending on the serving size.
Ingredients:
1 onion(chopped); 1 clove garlic(crushed); 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock; 750g butternut pumpkin(peeled and sliced); 2 potatoes(peeled and sliced; 1/2 tsp dried marjoram; 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg; freshly ground black pepper; 3 tbsp buttermilk;
Method:
Place onion, garlic and 2 tbsp stock in a saucepan over a medium heat and cook for 2-3 minutes or until onion is soft.Add remaining stock, pumpkin, potatoes, marjoram, nutmeg and black pepper to taste and cook, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes, or until pumpkin and potato are tender.Stir in buttermilk.Cool slightly.Puree soup, in batches, in a food processor or blender.Return soup to a clean saucepan and heat gently, do not allow to boil or soup will curdle.Pour soup into large mugs or warm bowls, sprinkle with snipped fresh chives and serve with wholegrain bread rolls.

Minestrone Soup(Serves 4):
Ingredients:
1 onion(chopped); 3 cloves garlic(crushed); 2 * 440g canned no-added-salt totatoes(undrained and chopped); 2 zucchini(courgettes, diced); 2 carrots(peeled and diced); 1 large potato(diced); 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp dried basil; freshly ground black pepper; 4 cups vegetable stock; 315g canned red kidney beans(rinsed and drained); 155g macaroni(cooked and drained); 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley; 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese;
Method:
Place onion garlic and 2 tbsp of juice from tomatoes in a saucepan over a medium flame and cook for 2-3 minutes or until onion is soft.Add zucchini, carrots, potato, oregano, basil and black pepper to taste and cook, stirring for 5 minutes.Stir in tomatoes and stock and bring to the boil.Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.Add red kidney beans, macaroni and parsley and cook over a low heat for 5 minutes or until heated through.Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.Serve soup in warm bowls with crusty wholemeal bread rolls and a crisp green salad.

More Soups

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Salads:
Fresh green salads can increase one's appetite and for those watching their weights, lunch is a healthy salad with lots of greens combined with wholemeal breads and fresh vegetables and maybe low-fat tofu / tuna / pasta or maybe mushrooms.

Caesar Salad(Serves 2):
Ingredients:
15g parmesan or other hard cheese(grated); 100g low-fat yoghurt; 2 tbsp lemon juice; salt to taste; 2 crushed garlic cloves; 8 anchovies or olives(optional); 2 thick slices of bread; freshly ground black pepper to taste; 1 head of crisp lettuce.
Method:
To make dressing, grate Parmesan cheese into salad bowl.Add yoghurt, lemon juice, salt, garlic and 6 chopped anchovies(if using).Whisk together, then season with pepper.Cut bread into cubes and grill until golden.Add to bowl with remaining anchovies, halved , and lettuce leaves.Toss all ingredients together.
Green Salad With Lime Dressing Salad(Serves 6):
Ingredients:
4 little lettuces(leaves separated); 1/2 cucumber(cut into ribbons with a vegetable peeler or thinly sliced); 1 bunch spring onions(shredded lengthwise and left in iced water until they curl); small handful mint leaves(torn); small handful basil leaves(torn);
For The Dressing:
2 tbsp olive oil; juice of 1 lime; 1 tbsp fish sauce; 1 tbsp soya sauce; pinch sugar;
Method:
Put all the salad ingredients in a large bowl.Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing.Add the dressing to the salad and toss.