Tweet Yourself Thin @ocadouk
With celebrity chef @sophiemichell
Online supermarket Ocado is launching the UK’s first ever summer-eating plan in 140 characters.Between Monday August 8th and Sunday August 14th, Ocado will tweet three super-healthy, appetite-whetting meals a day – everything from simple ‘brekkies’ like bircher muesli with almonds and agave to light lunches of tuna teriyaki burgers with red radish sprouts and cucumber ribbon salad, and delectable dinners including spiced pollock, squash and chickpea.
The simple, healthy-eating plan has been created by celebrity chef Sophie Michell, best known for her Channel 4 ‘Cook Yourself Thin’ and ‘Fit Farm’ series. Sophie really does know her quinoa from her quesadillas and like Ocado is passionate about delivering top quality, great value food in time-saving, no-fuss fashion, so ‘tweet yourself thin’ and tuck in with nutritious, easy-to-cook dishes that won’t pile on the pounds.
Follow @ocadouk for details on all of the recipes, and tips and tricks to make the most of al fresco eating this summer. Cook up a storm!
Monday’s recipe below
MONDAY
Bircher muesli with Almonds and Agave syrup
Serves 4
Prep time 10 minutes, plus overnight soaking
200g rolled oats
400ml apple juice
100g natural yoghurt
1 green apple
1 tbsp Agave syrup
Handful of Almonds (that have been soaked overnight in water, as well then washed clean)
Handful of raspberries
1. Mix the oats and the apple juice together, then cover in Clingfilm and leave over night.
2. When you are ready to eat it, coarsely grate the apple and mix in along with the yoghurt. Add more apple juice at this point if you want the mix looser.
3. Then spoon into individual serving bowls and top with the raspberries, almonds and a little drizzle of agave syrup.
N.B I have soaked the almonds overnight, this neutralised the enzyme inhibitors, making the nuts easier to digest and the nutrients easier to absorb.
Char-grilled Halloumi, aubergine and courgettes with Tomato Vinaigrette
Serves 4 – Prep time 10 minutes – Cooking time 15 minutes
250g halloumi
2 courgettes
2 medium aubergines
2 tbsp olive oil
Dressing;
2 ripe plum tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
75ml extra virgin olive oil
25ml white balsamic
1 pinch of caster sugar
1 tsbp of chopped fresh mint
1. Slice the halloumi, Aubergine and courgettes into ½ cm slices. Then switch the oven on at 180C.
Heat up a large frying pan and add some of the oil (approx a tbsp full) and then season the aubergine and courgettes. When the oil is very hot, fry the aubergine and courgettes off, until golden brown in batches, make sure the Aubergine in particular are cooked well. Then take out of the oil and place on a baking tray in the oven while you cook the rest.
2. While the veggies are cooking, make the dressing. To do this add the garlic, tomatoes, olive oil, vinegar, mint, sugar and seasoning to a blender and blitz until quite smooth, but with a little texture.
3. Then heat up a griddle pan and oil the halloumi on both sides. When the pan is smoking hot, lay the halloumi slices on the griddle and cook for 3 minutes each side. Then plate the courgettes, Aubergine and halloumi on to 4 plates and drizzle with the dressing.
Parmesan, paprika and cornmeal chicken escalope’s with French bean,avocado and cherry tomato salad
Serves 4 – Prep time 30 minutes – Cooking time 15 minutes
4 chicken breasts (approx 180g per breast)
250g fine cornmeal or semolina
50g finely grated parmesan
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp dried oregano
2 eggs
20ml milk
100g flour
Salad;
300g trimmed French beans
250g cherry tomatoes
4 spring onions
1 hass avocado
1 clove of garlic, minced
Small handful of de-stalked fresh coriander
1 juicy lime
1 tsbp olive oil
Sea salt and pepper
1. Take the chicken breasts and cut in half width ways. Then take two large bowls. Mix the egg and milk in one bowl and the cornmeal, parmesan, paprika, celery salt and oregano in the second one.
2. Dredge the chicken through the egg wash, dropping off any excess and then through the cornmeal, patting the extra on to the chicken. Than place them on a plate and repeat with all the pieces of chicken. Preheat the oven to 180C.
3. Place a saucepan of water on to boil, when boiling rapidly add the French beans and cook for 4 minutes, then drain off and refresh under cold water. Pat dry, then adds to a large bowl. Halve the cherry tomatoes and add to the same bowl, along with sliced spring onions, and the peeled and diced avocado. Then add the minced garlic, whole coriander leaves, squeeze in the lime and season. Trim the little gem lettuce and break into its natural leaves and arrange on a platter, arrange the French bean salad in the middle.
4. Heat up about 2 tsbp of olive oil in a large frying pan and then fry the chicken breasts off in batches, for about 4 minutes each side or until crisp and golden. When done pop in the oven for 5 minutes, and then serve. I often serve this with sweet potato wedges and chilli cornbread for a more substantial meal.
TUESDAY
Coconut, Mango and banana smoothies
Makes 4 – Prep time 5 minutes
300ml of natural coconut juice (like Vita coconut)
1 ripe mango
3 ripe bananas
1 lime
1. Peel and roughly chop the mango and bananas.
2. Place the fruit and the coconut juice into a blender and blitz until smooth, then add the lime to taste and serve!
Sweet chilli and soy chicken wrap
Prep time 10 minutes – Cooking time 1o minutes
3 chicken breasts (approx 180g each)
1 tsp soy sauce
2 step sweet chilli sauce
½ cucumbers
2 spring onions
2 carrots
Handful of rocket
4 flour tortillas
1. Cut the chicken breasts into strips and then mix with the soy sauce and a table spoon of the chilli sauce. Leave while you prep the veggies.
2. Cut the cucumber into strips, and then do the same with the spring onions and the carrots.
3. Heat up a frying pan and then pan fry the chicken strips for about 10 minutes, turningoccasionally. Make sure the chicken is cooked throughout.
4. Then build the wraps, by piling up some veggies, chicken strips and rocket, in a tortilla with an extra drizzle of chilli sauce if wanted.
Pecorino, Pear and watercress salad with char grilled turkey breasts
Serves 4 – Prep time 10 minutes – Cooking time 15 minutes
4 turkey breast steaks (approx 180g per steak)
4 ripe pears
2 celery sticks
150g pecorino cheese
150g watercress leaves
50ml olive oil
Squeeze of lemon
Sea salt and pepper
2 tsp thick balsamic
1. Heat a griddle pan up very hot and then oil and season the turkey steaks. Then lay each steak down on the griddle and cook for about 5 minutes each side.
2. Finely slice the pears and the celery (on an extreme diagonal looks great) then using a peeler add shavings of the cheese and add the watercress. Mix with the lemon and the olive oil, and then season.
3. Pile up the turkey breast and salad on the plates then drizzle with a little balsamic
WEDNESDAY
Smoked salmon and avocado rye toasts
Prep time 5 minutes
Cooking time 5 minutes
Serves 4
4 slices of rye bread
2 avocadoes
4/8 slices of salmon
1 lemon
Black pepper
1. Toast the bread and then top with the slices of avocado and smoked salmon.
2. Finish off with a squeeze of lemon and black pepper
Beetroot, goats cheese and mint Quesadillas
Serves 4 – Prep time 10 minutes – Cooking time 20 minutes
200g cooked chicken breast (optional for meat eaters)
4 spring onions
200g goat’s cheese
150g cooked beetroot
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
4 soft tortillas (I love the wholemeal ones or seeded kind)
250g salad leaves (rocket is great here)
Lemon juice
1 tsp olive oil
1. Shred the chicken and finely slice the spring onions and beetroot. Lay a tortilla flat on a board or clean surface, and spread half of each tortilla with some of the goat’s cheese (divide between the four)
2. Then sprinkle with mint and spring onions, and lay on the sliced beetroot, chicken and fold over.
3. Heat a frying pan up to a medium heat and lay a tortilla in the pan, with no oil. Cook slowly until it’s golden and crisp, and then flip over. Repeat with all of the tortillas, and keep warm in the oven if wanted.
4. To serve cut the Quesadilla in half, dress the rocket with the lemon and oil and then plate.
King prawn and Asparagus rice
Serves 4 – Prep time 10 minutes – Cooking time 20 minutes
400g cooked wild and basmati rice mix
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion
3 cloves of garlic
300g cooked king prawns
1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed
25g butter
1 lemon
Sea salt and pepper
1. Cook the rice according to the instruction on the packet. As a rule I cook rice with one and half times the liquid, covered until the water has evaporated, but wild rice can take longer (so therefore needs more water) and can vary more.
2. When the rice is cooked, cool it. Bring a pan of water up to the boil and then blanch the asparagus for 3 minutes, and refresh under cold water.
4. Dice the onion and mince the garlic, fry both off in the olive oil, you can get colour at this stage, but do not burn. This should take about 8 minutes. Then add the prawns and the asparagus and cook for 4 more minutes.
4. Add the butter, melt, then add the rice, cook until warmed through. Finish by adding a squeeze of lemon and seasoning. Stir well and then serve!
THURSDAY
Pomegranate, Papaya, Raspberry and mint yoghurt bowl
Serves 4 – Prep time 5 minutes
500ml 0% Fat Greek yoghurt
250g raspberries
1 papaya peeled, de-seeded and diced
Small handful of fresh mint leaves
1 tsbp of agave syrup
Squeeze of lime
200g pomegranate seeds
100g pistachios
1. Chop the mint leaves and mix with the raspberries, lime juice and the agave syrup.
2. Take four bowls and divide the raspberries between each bowl, then add a layer of papaya, then top with the Greek yoghurt and sprinkle over the pomegranate and pistachios.
Duck, lentil flat leaf parsley and apricot salad
Serves 4 – Prep time 15 minutes – Cooking time 30 minutes
200g puy lentils
400ml vegetable or chicken stock
4 duck breasts scored
1 red onion
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
25ml white wine vinegar
57ml olive oil
1 small handful of flat leaf parsley
2 ripe apricots
1. Place the lentils and the stock in a saucepan, bring to the boil and then turn down and simmer for 30 minutes or until cooked. then drain and cool.
2. Heat a frying pan up to medium heat and the season the duck breasts on both sides. Lay the breasts, skin side down in the pan and slowly cook. You don’t want to cook them too quickly; you want to render the fat out. So cook them skin side down for about 10 minutes. Draining the fat off as you go along. For the last 2 minutes turn up the heat to crisp the skin up. Then flip over and brown the flesh side, cook for 5 to 8 minutes this side then take off the heat and rest.
3. When then the lentils are cool, mix in the mustard, vinegar, olive oil and parsley, season and stir well. Then de core the apricots and slice.
4. To serve pile up the lentils on four plates then add the sliced duck and apricots.
Quinoa, broad bean, pea and radish salad with pan-fried lamb fillet
Serves 4 – Prep time 20 minutes – Cooking time 30 minutes
200g Quinoa
400ml water
4 lamb fillets (approx 6oz per person)
3 cloves garlic
1 lemon
150g frozen peas, de frosted
4 spring onions
150g pink radishes
2 tsbp olive oil
Juice of one lemon
Small handful of mint
1. Pour the quinoa and the water into a saucepan and then bring to the boil and cook for about 30 minutes, or until cooked according to the packet instructions. The water should be evaporated, but if not cook off the rest and then cool.
2. When the quinoa is cool, slice the spring onions and radishes, then add along with the peas, mint, lemon and olive oil. Mix well and season.
3. Then heat up a frying pan and add some oil, season the lamb fillets and then add to the pan along with the garlic cloves, squashed. Cook for about 10 minutes on all sides until golden brown, add a squeeze of lemon then take out of the pan and rest for 20 minutes.
4. Slice the lamb and serve with the quinoa salad.
FRIDAY
Pancetta, cherry tomato and ricotta frittatas
Prep time 10 minutes – Cooking time 10 minutes
Makes 12 mini frittatas
12 slices of pancetta
6 cherry tomatoes
200g ricotta
25g watercress
10 eggs
100ml milk
Sea salt and black pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Oil a 12 cup mini muffin tray or a 6 cup larger one.
2. Line each muffin cup with a slice of pancetta. Then halve the cherry tomatoes and add one half to each cup. Divide the ricotta between the cups as well.
3. Whisk the eggs and milk together, then season. Roughly chop the watercress and mix in with the eggs. Pour the mix between the muffin cup and pop in the oven 10 minutes, until just set.
4. Then cool slightly, remove from the tray and serve.
Wholemeal linguine with crab, chilli and white wine
Serves 4 – Prep time 10 minutes – Cooking time 20 minutes
400g wholemeal linguine
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1 dried chilli
2 lemon, zest and juice
Small handful of chopped flat leaf parsley
400g of white crab meat
1. Place a large pan of water on to boil, when at a rapid boil, add salt and then the pasta.
2. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil up in a large frying pan. Add the garlic, then crumble in the chilli, fry for a couple of minutes, but do not get any colour on the garlic.
3. Add the crab, lemon and parsley then season well.
4. When the pasta is done (this should take about 20 minutes, but read the individual packet instructions and cook al’dente) Then drain off the pasta, retaining about 1 tsbp of pasta water and add both to the frying pan. Cook for another 5 minutes and then serve with an extra drizzle of olive oil.
Pan Fried Salmon with fennel shavings and saffron aioli
Serves 4 – Prep time 15 minutes – Cooking time 10 minutes
4 skinless salmon steaks (about 200g each)
2 bulbs of fennel
1 tbsp capers
1 red onion, sliced
Juice of lemon
2 tsp olive oil
Saffron aioli;
1 clove of garlic
Juice of 1 lemon
1 free range egg yolk
1 pinch of saffron
100ml olive oil
1. Firstly trim the fennel and then cut it as thinly as possible (I use a mandolin for this) then mix with the lemon juice, capers and onions finally add the olive oil and season. Do this about 1 hour beforehand if possible.
2. Then make the aioli, place the garlic in a blender with the egg yolk and saffron, then blitz for 2 minutes. Then very gradually pour the olive oil, while the machine is still on. It should become pale and thicker. Season and add some lemon juice.
3. Heat griddle pan or a frying pan up hot and then add a little oil, season the salmon and cook for about 4 minutes each side then serve up with the salad and a drizzle of aioli.
SATURDAY
Rye crepes with super fruit salsa and Greek yoghurt (weekend)
Serves 4 – Prep time 10 minutes + 30 minutes resting time – Cooking time 8 minutes each crepe
200g rye flour
50g plain flour
2 eggs
500ml milk
Pinch of salt
150g blueberries
100g raspberries
100g pomegranate seeds
½ grapefruit
250ml Greek yoghurt
2 tbsp of runny honey
1. Pour the flours in a bowl, add the salt and mix. Whisk the milk and eggs together and they mix into the flours, stirring at the same time, to make a lump free batter. Then cover and leave in the fridge. This can be made the night before too.
2. Segment the grapefruit and mix with the berries and pomegranate.
3. Heat up a large non-stick frying pan and add a little oil, then when hot enough add a ladle of the batter bad spread thinly. Cook for 2 minutes then flip over, repeat with all the batter and then serve with the fruit, yoghurt and honey.
Tuna Teriyaki burgers with red radish sprouts and cucumber
ribbon salad
Serves 4
Prep time 20 minutes
Cooking time 10 minutes
800g of fresh tuna steaks
4 spring onions
1 tbsp pink sushi ginger
2 tsp teriyaki sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
Sea salt and pepper
Splash of veggie or sunflower oil
For the salad;
2 cucumbers
1 red chilli
200g red radish sprouts
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp sesame seeds
1. Cube the tuna into medium sized cubes and place in a blender. Then slice the spring onion, roughly chop the ginger and add with the rest of the burger ingredients. Blitz until fine, with a little texture. Then take out and shape into 8 patties of equal size.
2. Finely chop the chilli and mix in a bowl with the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and sesame seeds. Then using a peeler, peel the cucumber into strips into the bowl, finally add the radish sprouts and mix well.
3. Heat a frying pan up and add a splash of oil, then cook the tuna burgers for 4 minutes on each side, season as you are cooking.
4. Then serve the burgers and salad together. This is also great with steamed rice and for a more indulgent dish mix some wasabi and mayonnaise together and serve on the side as well.
Chicken, peanut and sugar snap and basil stir-fry
Serves 4 – Prep time 15 minutes – Cooking time 20 minutes
1 tsp of natural oil (like veggie oil, but peanut oil is great here too)
4 chicken breasts (approx 180g per breast)
4 spring onions, roughly sliced
1 red pepper, cubed
1 tsbp un-salted peanuts
250g sugar snap peas
200g tender stem broccoli, cut into 2” pieces
Small handful of basil
Stir-fry sauce;
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp fruit sugar
Pinch of chilli powder
Juice of 1 lime
1. Cube the chicken and the peppers and then heat up the oil. Add the chicken and fry for 5 minutes on a high heat, and then add the peppers, the peanuts, the sugar snap peas and the broccoli.
2. Cook on a high heat stirring occasionally for 8/10 minutes, it is fine to get a good colour on the ingredients.
3. Mix all the sauce ingredients together and pour over the stir-fry, along with a tbsp of water. Continue cooking till the sauce is thick (about 5 minutes) then add the basil and serve with some steamed jasmine rice
SUNDAY
Best breakfast burritos (weekend)
Prep time 10 minutes – Cooking time 5 minutes – Serves 4
Small handful of fresh coriander leaves
3 spring onions
1 tbsp of pickled jalapenos
2 tomatoes
100g tinned beans (like pinto or borlotti)
8 eggs
100g grated cheddar
4 wholemeal or seeded tortillas
Chilli sauce to serve with
1. Firstly add the coriander leaves, jalapenos and spring onions to a blender and blitz until fine. Then transfer the mix to a bowl.
2. Lay the tortillas on a clean work surface and spread a spoonful of the coriander mix on each one. Then sprinkle over the cheese.
3. Whisk the eggs together and season. Dice the tomatoes, then heat up a frying pan and add the tomatoes and beans, cook for 5 minutes in a little olive oil, then add the eggs, stirring occasionally cook the eggs for about 5 minutes, do not overcook them.
4. Divide the eggs between each tortilla and then roll up the tortilla. Heat a large frying pan up and fry on each side, then serve.
Barbecued lemon and oregano chicken legs with green olive and basil salad
Serves 4 – Prep time 20 minutes – Cooking time 20 minutes
5 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 lemons
100ml white wine
1 tsp dried oregano
8 chicken legs and thighs
Salad;
1 tin of artichoke hearts
100g pitted green olives
2 heads little gem lettuce
Small handful of shredded basil
Dressing;
75ml olive oil
25ml white wine vinegar
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp honey
Sea salt and pepper
1. Mix the white wine, garlic, oregano, olive oil and then mince the garlic and also add. Cut the lemons in half, squeeze in the juice and chuck in the lemon skins as well. Mix then adds the chicken legs. Cover and leave for at least 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 220C or get the BBQ ready.
2. Pour the chicken marinade and the lemon pieces in a roasting tray, season and place in the oven. If barbecuing season the legs and thighs and then place on the barbecue, brush with some extra marinade occasionally. They will take about 30 minutes in the oven (or basically just cook until golden brown with clear juices) on the Barbecue they should take about 20/30 minutes, just make sure you turn them.
3. While they are cooking make the salad. Drain the artichokes off and pat dry with some kitchen towel. Then cut in half and add to a large bowl, then cut the olive in half and add. Take the little gem and trim the base, then break into the natural leaves. Mix together with the olives and artichokes.
4. To make the dressing simply whisk all of the dressing ingredients together, then drizzle to personal taste over the salad.
5. When the chicken pieces are cooked, pile up on plates with some of the lovely salad on the side.
Spiced Pollock, roasted butternut squash and chickpea salad
Prep time 15 minutes – Cooking 10 minutes
4 fillets of OCADO Pollock
1 tbsp tikka masala paste
1 tbsp olive oil
1 packet of Waitrose butternut squash peeled slices (350g)
250g rocket leaves
1 lemon
150g chickpeas
1 tsp mango chutney
100ml natural yoghurt
1 tsbp of chopped fresh mint
1. Firstly place the fillets of Pollock into a bowl and spread in the spice mix, make sure it gets all over the fish on both sides, then preheat the oven to 250C
2. Pop the butternut squash on to a tray, drizzle with oil, season and roast for 20 minutes, until golden round the edges.
3. While the squash is cooking mix the chickpeas, mango chutney, yoghurt and mint together and season.
4. Heat the grill up and place the fillets on a baking tray, season and then grill for about 6/8 minutes, depending on the thickness, until cooked throughout.
5. Pile up the squash, salad, and then fish, top with a big scoop of the chickpea mix and serve.
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