♥︎Quiche without pastry

For ➍

2 sweet potatoes, finely mandoline sliced

bag baby spinach

4 eggs

2 tbs Greek yoghurt or whipped cottage cheese

1 clove garlic, crushed

100 g smoked salmon

100 g fresh goat cheese or 1 goat cheese slice

olive oil

salt & pepper

Spread thin slices of sweet potato in a pie dish to make a good base. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place in a preheated oven at 200°C for 10-15 min until edges are lightly golden.

Whisk the yoghurt, garlic, salt and pepper

Pour over the sweet potato. Divide the spinach over the dish. Add pieces of smoked salmon and crumbled goat cheese. Place in a preheated oven at 200°C for 30 min.

Serve with green salad.

Couscous with halloumi & fried red pepper

For ➍

4 red peppers, cut into strips

335 g whole grain couscous

40 g raisins

40 g almonds, roughly chopped

2 cloves of garlic, pressed or finely chopped

20 sprigs fresh cilantro, finely chopped

2 limes

250 g halloumi, cut into 1-2 cm cubes

125 g fat yogurt

70 cl vegetable stock

3 tbs olive oil

4 tbs extra virgin olive oil

pepper & salt

Grate the zest of the lime. Squeeze the lime.

In a salad bowl, mix the couscous and raisins with the stock and allow to soak, covered, for 10 m. Then stir with a fork.

Heat ½ of the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the pepper strips 7 - 9 m. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in another frying pan over medium heat and fry the lime zest and garlic for 30 s.

Add the cubes of halloumi, fry for 3 - 4 m until crispy. Then remove them from the pan.

Fry the soaked couscous 1 - 2 m in the same pan in the lime-garlic oil.

Mix the coriander with the couscous and season with the extra virgin olive oil, pepper and salt.

Divide the couscous over the plates and scoop the bell pepper strips on the side. Drizzle the couscous with the lime juice and garnish with the halloumi and almonds. Serve the yogurt separately, so that everyone can add it to their own taste.

Avocado banana bread

For ➍

250 g flour 

100 g sugar 

1 ts baking powder 

1 ts baking soda/sodium bicarbonate

½ tsp salt 

3 small bananas, very ripe 

120 g low-fat Greek yogurt 

2 ts vanilla extract 

2 eggs 

1 avocado, peeled & pitted

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Line a cake tin (23 x 13 cm) with baking paper.

In a large bowl, mix the flour with the sugar, baking powder, baking soda/sodium bicarbonate and salt.

Mash the bananas with a fork in a medium bowl. Beat in the yogurt, vanilla extract and eggs. Mash the avocado until smooth and make sure there are no chunks left.

Beat the avocado into the banana mixture, add to the flour mixture and stir well to form a thick batter. Pour the batter into the cake tin. (Add sliced banana for decoration).

Bake in the oven for 65 m, until a skewer in the center comes out clean. Let cool on a rack.

When using not ripe enough bananas, bake them 20 m on a baking tray lined with baking paper in the oven at 150 ° C if you want them very ripe, or 30-40 m if they need to be overripe.

Lemon tart with goat yogurt & speculaas

For ➑
6 gelatin sheets
150 g speculaas / gingerbread
150 g pecans
1 tbs lemon zest
80 g butter
lemon juice from ½ lemon
1 l goat yogurt
200 g lemon jam or lemon marmalade

Soak the gelatin sheets in cold water for 10 m.
Put the biscuits in a bowl and grind finely with a mixer or mortar. Do the same with the pecans. Combine gingerbread and nuts. Add 1 tbs of lemon zest and toss again.
Melt the butter in the saucepan and add the speculaas & nut mixture. Stir together.
Place baking paper on the bottom of the baking tin. Grease or spray the baking rim with butter and stick a strip of baking paper against it. Spoon in the gingerbread nut bottom and press evenly.
Put the lemon juice in a saucepan and place the gelatin leaves in it. Heat this on low heat and let the gelatin leaves dissolve.
Now stir the mixture into the goat yogurt. Stir well and pour this mixture into the pie tin.
Leave to set in the refrigerator for at least 2 h.
Take the tart out of the fridge and spoon the lemon jam or lemon marmalade on it.
Serve for breakfast or as a fresh snack

Low calories chicken skewers

For ➍
1 medium-sized zucchini
1 medium-sized bell pepper, all colors
1 medium-sized red onion
400 g chicken fillet, raw
½ non-coated lemon
1 tsp olive oil *
250 g tzatziki

Wash the zucchini, halve in length and cut into slices. Wash the bell pepper, remove the seeds and cut into pieces. Peel the onion and cut into slices. Grate the lemon zest and squeeze the lemon. Cut the chicken into cubes and string alternated with the zucchini, pepper and onion on 12 skewers. Mix the lemon juice with oil, pepper and salt and brush the skewers with this. Bake the skewers 12-15 m all around on the barbecue or in the oven at the top.
Serve the skewers with the tzatziki

Low-fat tzatziki

For ➍
½ non-coated lemon
pepper & salt
1 medium-sized cucumber
1 sprig dill
1 clove garlic
250 g low-fat yogurt,

Wash and grate the cucumber, mix with ½ teaspoon of salt and leave to draw for about 10 m. Spoon into a kitchen towel and squeeze out the excess moisture. Wash the dill, shake dry and chop finely.
Press the garlic and mix with yogurt, grated cucumber, dill, lemon juice, pepper and saltGrate the lemon zest and squeeze the lemon.
Wash the dill, shake dry and chop finely.
Press the garlic and mix with yogurt, grated cucumber, dill, lemon juice, pepper and salt.
Serve the tzatziki with chicken skewers f.i.

Salade niçoise with maatjes

For ➍ 

4 maatjes (marinated herring fillets)
4 eggs
200 g extra fine princess green beans
250 g cherry tomatoes (or sun-dried tomatoes)
1 yellow pepper
1 red pepper
1 bunch scallions
600 g new potatoes
100 g black olives
1 tbs fine sugar*
4 tbp olive oil
4 sprigs fresh thyme
pistou with 4 sprigs of basil**
salt and pepper
dressing:
250 g natural yogurt
2 tbs old-fashioned mustard
5 tbs olive oil
⅓ bunch flat parsley**
pepper & salt
4 sprigs oregano

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Clean the spring onions and cut the baby potatoes into 2. Peel the peppers and cut them into strips.
Cover the oven plate with baking paper and arrange the potatoes on top, with the cutting edge down. Prick holes in the cherry tomatoes with a knife and add them, together with the spring onions, the olives and the bell peppers. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, dust with sugar and sprinkle with thyme and oregano. Bake for 25 m and allow to cool.
Remove the tops of the beans and boil them for 5 m in salted boiling water. Scare them in ice cold water.
Dip the eggs in boiling water. Depending on their size, drain them after 7 to 8 m of cooking time and let them scare in cold water.
Make the dressing: mix the finely chopped parsley** with the other ingredients.
Peel the eggs and cut into 2. Arrange the grilled vegetables and beans on the plates or in a large bowl. Add the eggs, the maatjes and the basil.
Sprinkle with a little dressing and serve.

*Optional.
**Or mix the parsley and the yogurt with the hand blender, instead of chopping finely.

Great green goddess salad

For ➍
1 clove garlic
1 small anchovy*
½ handful lightly packed fresh parsley
2 medium scallions, white & green parts separated
½ ts dried tarragon
6 cl plain Greek yogurt
2 tbs mayonnaise
1 tbs white wine vinegar
½ ts salt
2 tbs olive oil
125 g baby spinach, washed & dried
1 medium cucumber, peeled & sliced
1 medium avocado, sliced

In the food processor, combine the garlic, anchovy (if using), parsley and the white parts of the scallions. Process to mince very finely. Scrape down and process again. Add the tarragon, yogurt, mayonnaise, vinegar and salt and process until smooth. With the machine running, drizzle in the olive oil until well mixed. Transfer to a pouring cup or jar; keeps for 4 days, tightly covered, in the refrigerator.
Spread the spinach on a platter or 4 small dinner plates. Cover with cucumber and avocado, and drizzle with dressing, then chop and sprinkle the scallion greens over the salads. Serve immediately. Top with cooked chicken or ham for a main course salad, or serve alongside grilled shrimp.

*The classic green goddess dressing has a hint of anchovy for umami, but if you want to leave it out, you can. Double the amounts in the dressing ingredients to make extra for salads throughout the week.

Chickpea salad with hummus dressing

For ➍
500 g dried chickpeas
2 garlic cloves
some bay leaves
a few sprigs of thyme
salt
cayenne pepper
cumin powder
turmeric
1 red onion
red wine vinegar
1 red pepper
1 cucumber
2 avocados
6 lettuce hearts
olive oil
pepper
400 g feta cheese
½ bunch chervil
½ bunch parsley
½ bunch coriander
200 g black olives
3 ts tahini (sesame paste)
2 egg yolks
2 ts mustard
2 cup peanut oil
3 tbs yogurt
½ lemon
3 tbs

Let the chickpeas overnight soak in water.
Drain the chickpeas. Put them in a saucepan with water. Top with the crushed and peeled garlic, a few bay leaves and thyme sprigs on. Season with salt, cayenne pepper, cumin and turmeric. Bring to boil.
Meanwhile, make the salad. Peel and halve the red onion. Cut into half rings. Make the rings apart and put them in a large bowl.
Sprinkle the onions with red wine vinegar. Let marinate while you cut the rest of the vegetables.
Peel the peppers and remove seeds and seeds. Cut the flesh into strips.
Cut the cucumber into cubes.
Peel the avocados and cut the flesh into cubes.
Add the bell pepper, cucumber and avocado red onion.
Heat a grill pan over high heat.
Clean the lettuce hearts clean and halve them. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill them in the hot pan. The lettuce hearts must be undercooked. Add them to the rest of the vegetables.
Spoon ¾ of the al dente cooked chickpeas out of the water and rinse immediately under cold running water. Drain in a colander. Let the remaining chickpeas continue cooking until they are cooked through.
Mix the cooled chickpeas with the rest of the vegetables. Crumble in the feta. Pull the leaves of the coriander, chervil and parsley. Put the herbs together with the olives from the rest of the vegetables.
Drain the rest of the chickpeas. Catch the cooking liquid. Fish the thyme and bay between the chickpeas.
Put the chickpeas with the garlic in the blender. Add a few tbs of cooking water and tahini to it. Season with salt, cayenne, turmeric and cumin powder. Mix until hummus and allow full
cooling down.
Put the egg yolks in a cup with mustard and a dash of water. Pour into a fine stream the oil and mix with a hand blender until mayonnaise.
Mix the yogurt, lemon juice and a portion of the home-made by hummus. Flavour* with tahini or extra cumin.
Serve the salad with hummus dressing.

*Optional

Cinnamon-braised lamb shanks

For ➍
4 cm piece of ginger
4 garlic cloves
100 g golden raisins
1 tbs ground cinnamon
2 red chillies
2 ts ground coriander
20 cl natural yogurt
6 lamb shanks
groundnut or vegetable oil
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise
1 bay leaf
8 shallots
50 cl chicken stock
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

Peel and roughly chop the garlic and ginger. Blitz along with the raisins, ground cinnamon, chillies and ground coriander in a food processor. Add the yogurt, and a good pinch of salt and pepper and pulse until just mixed. Make incisions in the lamb shanks and place in a bowl. Rub the marinade into the meat, cover and marinate for a few h or even for a day if possible.
When you are ready to cook the meat, peel and finely slice the shallots. Add a drizzle of groundnut oil to a deep, heavy-based casserole - large enough to hold all the shanks, and fry the cinnamon stick, star anise and bay leaf for a minute. Add the shallots, then turn the heat right down and sauté for 10 m until soft and sticky. Spoon the mixture into a bowl and leave to one side.
Drizzle in a little more oil and turn up the heat. Brown the lamb shanks in batches, reserving any marinade left in the bowl. When the meat is brown on all sides, return it all to the pan with the softened shallots and any reserved marinade. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Carefully cover with foil, then cook over a low heat for 3 h, turning the shanks regularly and adding more stock if it gets too dry. The lamb should be tender and falling off the bone.
Remove the shanks from the pan and cover with tinfoil to keep warm. Turn up the heat and let the sauce bubble away for around 10 m until you have a lovely, thick sauce.
Return the lamb shanks to the pot and serve. Perfect with mashed potato or creamed cauliflower and greens, or even steaming basmati rice.

Spicy yogurt marinated chicken legs

For ➍
1 tbs olive oil
10 cl plain Greek yogurt
1 lemon, zested & juiced
1 tbs chilli powder
2 ts cumin
1 tbs garlic powder
½ ts curry powder
1 ts salt
½ ts freshly ground black pepper
4 whole chicken legs (legs & thighs together)

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and grease it with nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk the olive oil with the yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, chilli powder, cumin, garlic powder, curry powder, salt and pepper to combine.
Place the chicken legs on the prepared baking sheet and rub each piece generously with the yogurt mixture.
Roast until the chicken is evenly golden and cooked through, 35 to 40 m.
Serve warm.

Fish burgers with fennel & quinoa salad

For ➍
600 g pollack (or white seasonal fish, skinned)
3 scallions
1/2 red chilli
a few sprigs of coriander
1/2 lime or lemon
1 egg
60 g breadcrumbs (or panko)
4 tbs flour
dash bland cooking oil (eg. canola or peanut oil)
salt
quinoa & fennel salad
yogurt vinaigrette

Cut the fish into bite-size pieces. Mash in the food processor.
Separate the egg and add the egg whites, along with a splash of lime or lemon juice. Grind everything fine into a chunky puree.
Spoon the ground fish in a mixing bowl.
Clean the scallions and cut them into thin rounds. Cut the red chilli in tiny pieces, chop the coriander leaves and mix everything with the fish, with a pinch of salt.
Sprinkle ground breadcrumbs (or coarser panko) in a bowl.
Rinse your hands clean and dusted with a little flour.
Knead servings of fish mixture into equal patties (150 g a piece). Roll in the breadcrumbs and press gently.
Heat a splash of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the fish burgers patiently. Give them time to yarn to the core, without burning the outside.
Pour the quinoa & fennel salad. Spoon some of the yogurt vinaigrette over the fruity green and serve the remaining sauce in a separate container.
Place the freshly fried fish burgers on top and garnish the dish with coriander. Serve immediately.

Yogurt vinaigrette dressing

For ➍
1.5 dl (full) natural yogurt
1 tbs white wine vinegar
1 tbs honey
 saved grapefruit juice
 pepper &  salt

Put yogurt in a jar. Add the saved grapefruit juice from the salad.
Add some honey and wine vinegar, freshly ground pepper and a little salt.
Mix the yogurt vinaigrette.
Add to a fennel & quinoa salad.

Gâteau au yaourt (French yogurt cake)

For ➑
2 large eggs
25 cl whole milk plain unsweetened yogurt
160 g sugar
8 cl vegetable oil
250 g all-purpose flour
1½ ts baking powder
½ ts baking soda
a good pinch of salt
1 ts pure vanilla extract
1 tbs dark rum

Preheat the oven to 180° C  and line a round 25 cm cake pan with parchment paper.
In a large mixing-bowl, gently combine the yogurt, eggs, sugar, vanilla, oil and rum.
In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Fold the flour mixture into the yogurt mixture, mixing just until all traces of flour disappear.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, and bake for 30 to 35 m, until the top is golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean.
Let stand for 10 m, then transfer to a rack to cool.

Pasta salad with grilled halloumi & asparagus

For ➍
500 g penne
400 g halloumi cheese
250 g cherry tomatoes
500 g white asparagus
6 spring onions, sliced finely
80 g rucola
a bunch of basil
50 g sun-dried tomatoes
pepper & coarse salt
tomated cold sauce:
10 cl yogurt
100 g Parmigiano cheese, grated
2 eggs
1 clove of garlic, peeled
juice of ½ lemon
40 g tomato paste
1 tbs (sharp ) mustard
1.5 dl peanut oil
a dash of Worcester sauce
few drops of Tabasco
salt

Bring a large quantity of water to a boil in a large pot. Add a pinch of salt.
Cook the penne al dente. [Read tip]. Drain. Plunge in a colander and cool under running cold water.
Put the pasta in a large mixing bowl.
Peel the asparagus. Remove ends.
Fill a pot with enough cold water and add a pinch of salt.
Place the asparagus in cold water. Heat the pot over medium heat and bring the water up to boiling point. When the water bubbles, put the fire out. Keep the asparagus in the warm water for 5-10 m. [Or use microwave].
Drain the vegetables to drain on a clean cloth or paper towel. set aside.
Separate the eggs and put the yolks in a tall mixing cup. Discard the egg whites.  Add a little spicy mustard, and a  clove of garlic.
Add the lemon juice and a tiny splash of water.
Blend the ingredients with a mixer. Trickle the oil in until you are left with a hefty amount of bound mayonnaise.
Add the yogurt and mix. Add the tomato puree, with a dash of English and a few drops of Tabasco sauce. Add the Parmigiano and mix.
Spoon some of the dressing over the cold pasta and mix to cover all pasta.
Wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half. Add the finely diced onion and tomato wedges into the bowl with pasta and sauce.
Cut the drained sun-dried tomatoes into thin strips.
Rinse the rucola and basilicum.  Sprinkle the torn basil and sun-dried tomato pieces on top of the pasta salad. Add some pepper from the mill and some coarse salt.
Mix the pasta salad and put them in a large serving bowl.
Drizzle a little olive oil over the asparagus.
Cut the solid halloumi into slices about 1 cm wide. Move the asparagus and halloumi to the hot  BBQ grill of grill pan. Turn the slices of halloumi after 1 m. Remove the asparagus when they have some colour.
Cut the grilled asparagus in 3-4equal pieces. Divide the grilled halloumi into bite-sized chunks.
Arrange the pieces of grilled cheese and asparagus pieces on top of the pasta salad and serve immediately. Put the rest of the sauce on the table.

Turkish kofta kebabs with minted yogurt & kohlrabi & carrot salad

For ➍
900 g minced lamb
2 onions, finely grated
6 garlic cloves, crushed
2 ts dried chilli flakes
1 small bunch of flatleaf parsley, chopped
oil for brushing
2 vine-ripened tomatoes, thinly sliced
salt & freshly ground black pepper
carrot & kohlrabbi salad with minted yogurt

Preheat a charcoal barbecue 40 m ahead of cooking or a gas barbecue 10 m ahead of cooking. If using a cast-iron griddle pan, heat it over a high heat, then lower the heat slightly before cooking.
Cover 8 bamboo skewers with cold water and leave them to soak.
Put the minced lamb into a bowl with the onions, garlic, chilli flakes, parsley, 1 ts of salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Mix together with your hands until bound together.
Divide the mixture into 8 and mould it into long sausage shapes around the drained bamboo skewers.
Brush the kofta generously with oil and lightly oil the bars of the barbecue or griddle. Cook for 5 m, turning occasionally, until browned all over and cooked through.
Spread the minted yogurt over 1 large or 4 individual serving plates. Lay the kofta on top, garnish with the sliced tomatoes and serve with the salad.

Carrot & kohlrabbi salad with minted yogurt

For ➍
for the minted yogurt:
200 g Greek natural yoghurt
2 tbs chopped mint
for the carrot salad:
2 large carrots, peeled & halved
2 kohlrabi, peeled
2 tbs sunflower oil
4 ts cumin seeds
4 ts lemon juice

Mix the yoghurt with the mint, ½ ts of salt and some pepper. Set aside.
Finely shred the carrots and kohlrabi, on a mandolin or on the coleslaw setting of your food processor so you get nice long, thin, crunchy strips.
Put these in a bowl with a large pinch of salt and mix together well.
Heat the sunflower oil in a small pan, add the cumin seeds and, as soon as they start to sizzle, add them to the vegetables with the lemon juice and toss together.
Add 1 or 2 sliced tomatoes. Serve with kofta kebabs or as a salad with a chunk of flat bread.

Roast beef with yogurt sauce

For ➍
1 kg beef
shichimi togarashi
salt
for the yogurt sauce:
125 g sunflower oil
45 g egg white
30 g sushi vinegar
5 g yuzu (or lime) juice
50 g yogurt
10 chives

Sprinkle the beef with the shichimi spices and salt. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 h.
Fry the meat nicely brown in a little oil.
Cook the roast in the oven at 120°C until it has a core temperature of 46°C. Use a thermometer. Allow it to cool.
When the roast beef is cold, cut into thin slices.
For the yoghurt sauce, in a blender mix the egg white with the sushi vinegar, yuzu juice and yogurt.
Then pour in a thin stream oil there, so you get a thick cream.
Cut the chives very finely and mix it with the yoghurt sauce.
Serve the meat with yogurt sauce.

The shichimi togarashi ('seven flavours pepper') originates from Japan. It was created in the 17th century by herb dealers in Tokyo. It is also called nana-iro tõgarashi or yagenbori, as with most spice mixes everyone has there own version and the ingredients may vary. It might include red chillies, orange peel, black sesame seeds, white sesame seeds, sansho pepper, ginger and nori. It might be used as a rub marinate, as in this recipe, or added to stews and noodles.

Potato salad with yogurt & dill

For ➏
700 g fingerling potatoes, halved
18 cl non-fat plain Greek yogurt
2 ts Dijon mustard
2 ts minced fresh dill
1 tbs lemon juice

Combine yogurt, mustard, dill and lemon juice in a medium bowl.
Steam potatoes for 10-12 m, or until tender. Allow to cool
Add potatoes and toss well.
Chill until ready to serve.

Falafel balls

For ➍
1 jar (400 g) chickpeas [or 400 g dried chickpeas]
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 tabs of fresh parsley, chopped
1 ts coriander
1 ts cumin
2 tbs flour
salt & pepper
oil for frying
yogurt sauce

[Place dried chickpeas in a bowl, covering with cold water. Allow to soak overnight.]
Drain chickpeas, and place in pan with fresh water, and bring to a boil.
Allow to boil for 5 m, then let simmer on low for about 1 h.
Drain and allow to cool for 15 m.
Combine chickpeas, garlic, onion, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper (to taste) in medium bowl. Add flour.
Mash chickpeas, ensuring to mix ingredients together. You can also combine ingredients in a food processor. You want the result to be a thick paste.
Form the mixture into small balls, about the size of a ping pong ball. Slightly flatten.
Fry in 5 cm of oil until golden brown (5-7 m).
Serve hot with with hummus and tahini as an appetizer with hummus and tahini. As a main course. stuff pita bread with falafel, lettuce, tomatoes, tahini, salt and pepper. Or use a yogurt sauce.