Banish Boring Veg
Mood:  hungry
Topic: Fruit and Vegetables
Banish Boring Veg Simple, quick fixes to jazz up greens Herb butter Finely chop fresh herbs such as basil, mint or parsley and mix into softened butter or low-fat spread, adding a squeeze of lemon juice if you fancy, and pepper. Put on clingfilm and roll up into a sausage. Chill until firm, then slice and use to top steamed or boiled veg. To turn up the heat, add a deseeded and chopped fresh chilli to the herbs. Italian-style spinach Toast 50g Asda pine nuts in a pan until golden, then set aside. Wash and drain a 250g bag Asda spinach, put in a large pan, season and cover. Gently cook for 2 to 3 minutes until wilted, drain and press out excess liquid. Toss with 2tbsp olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, 2tsp balsamic vinegar and the pine nuts. Serves 2 Runner beans with almonds Bring a pan of lightly salted water to the boil, then simmer 250g runner beans for 2 to 3 minutes, until just tender; drain. Meanwhile, melt 15g butter in a frying pan and fry 50g flaked almonds until golden. Add the beans and a squeeze of lemon juice and toss. Serve at once. Serves 4 Pesto peas Cook 330g frozen peas according to the packet instructions. Drain, return to the pan and stir in 4 finely chopped spring onions with 11/2tbsp Asda pesto sauce, and serve straight away. Serves 4 (If you're a pesto fan - and some of us can't get enough of the stuff! - try this with red tomato pesto instead of the usual green variety. Children love its tomatoey taste.) Crunchy, sweet coleslaw is always popular with kids Winter coleslaw Serves: 6 Preparation: 15 mins Price per serving: 36p 150ml Asda Good for you! mayonnaise 4tbsp Asda Good for you! virtually fat free natural yogurt 1tsp wholegrain mustard 1tbsp white wine vinegar 1tbsp lemon juice 250g celeriac, peeled and finely shredded 225g white cabbage, finely shredded 1large carrot, peeled and grated 1 bunch spring onions, chopped 2 red apples, cored and cut into chunks 1.Mix together the mayonnaise, yogurt, wholegrain mustard, vinegar and lemon juice. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. 2.Toss all the vegetables and apple together, then pour the mayonnaise dressing over them. Mix everything thoroughly and serve chilled. PER SERVING Calories 130; carbs 11g; fat 8g; saturated fat 1g

Liven up your salad
Mood:  hungry
Topic: Fruit and Vegetables
Salad days If you thought that salad was just for rabbits, try out these great recipes for delicious, vitamin-packed main-course treats that the whole family will enjoy. Salads make an ideal summer meal-quick to prepare, full of healthy ingredients, pretty to look at, and they taste fresh and fabulous -just the kind of light meal you want when it's hot outside. There's so much wonderful fresh produce on the shelves at Asda, and with a choice of ready-to-eat salad leaves, you don't have to restrict your creations to one kind of lettuce. Well dressed Pouring over a ready-made salad dressing is another easy way to add flavour, but don't overdo it with creamy varieties that will also add extra calories-lower-fat versions are available in Asda to help you keep it healthy. Or throw in some freshly chopped herbs such as basil or mint to boost the taste. And go easy on fat-laden croutons-try our tasty, lower-fat, wholemeal garlic pitta croutons from the Caesar salad recipe, or scatter on toasted pine nuts or pumpkin and sesame seeds to add crunch. Prawn and mango salad A ripe mango will be slightly soft to the touch and have a full aroma at the stem end. Serves: 2 Preparation: 10 mins Price per serving: #3.43 100g trimmed mangetout, 1 ripe mango, peeled, stoned and cut into chunks, 4 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped, 1 red chilli, deseeded andfinely chopped, 2tbsp chopped fresh coriander, 2tbsp Asda Good for you! lemon and pepper dressing,100g pack Asda watercress,spinach and rocket salad,150g jumbo tiger prawns. 1. Cook the mangetout in boiling salted water for 1 minute. Drain then refresh in cold water. Drain again. 2. Put the mango and spring onions in a large bowl. Add the chilli, fresh coriander and dressing. Mix these all together and leave to infuse for 5 minutes. 3. Add the mangetout, salad leaves and jumbo tiger prawns, and gently toss together. Serve at once. PER SERVING Calories 224; carbs 31g; fat 3g; saturated fat 0.5g AND FIBRE Classic Caesar salad Cos lettuce, also called romaine, is essential in a Caesar salad. It has a firm texture and a slightly nutty taste. We've made croutons from wholemeal pitta bread - this way they contain much less fat than conventional croutons. These croutons can be made in advance and kept in an airtight container for up to a week. For a bigger meal, add a 140g pack of Asda Good for you! plain chicken breast slices or slices of avocado-or both! Serves: 2 Preparation: 10 mins Price per serving: 87p 1 wholemeal pitta, split in half, 2tsp olive oil, 1 garlic clove, halved, 1 cos lettuce, trimmed and washed, 2 anchovy fi llets, drained and finely chopped 2tbsp Asda Good for you! Caesar dressing, 1tbsp Parmesan shavings. 1. Heat the grill to hot. Drizzle each pitta half with the oil. Grill on both sides until golden brown. Rub the pitta all over with the garlic. 2. Tear the lettuce into bite-sized pieces and put in a large salad bowl. Add the anchovies and toss with the salad dressing. Garnish with Parmesan shavings and the garlic pitta croutons. Serve at once. PER SERVING Calories 200; carbs 30g; fat 7g; saturated fat 1g Greek feta and watermelon salad Onions contain allicin, thought to lower blood cholesterol levels and stimulate the immune system. Eat them raw to preserve vitamin C that's lost when they're cooked. Serves: 4 Preparation: 10 mins Price per serving: #1.14 1 green pepper, deseeded and cut into chunks, 1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced, 1/2 cucumber, deseeded and diced into large chunks, 3tbsp Asda Good for you! garlic and herb dressing, 1/2 small watermelon, peeled and cut into chunks, 200g feta cheese, crumbled into chunks, 110g black olives 1. Put the green pepper, onion and cucumber in a large bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of the garlic and herb dressing. 2. Divide the salad between four plates and arrange the watermelon and feta cheese on top. Scatter the olives over each plate. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and serve at once. If you want a larger meal, serve with wholemeal pitta bread, lightly toasted. PER SERVING Calories 293; carbs 32g; fat 15g; saturated fat 8g Pea and ricotta pasta salad Serves: 2 Preparation: 15 mins Price per serving: 88p 200g farfalle pasta 150g frozen peas, 110g ricotta cheese, 2tbsp fresh mint finely chopped, Parmesan, grated, to serve. Few mint sprigs, to garnish. 1. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Add the peas for the last 4 minutes of cooking time. Drain and return to the pan. 2. Stir in the ricotta cheese and chopped mint. Divide between two bowls and garnish with the grated Parmesan and mint sprigs. PER SERVING Calories 490; carbs 37g; fat 9g; saturated fat 4g Nicoise salad Add different coloured peppers to this salad for an array of colour and flavour. The softness of the egg and crunchiness of the peppers makes an interesting variety of textures. Serves: 6 Preparation: 20 mins plus cooling time Price per serving: 84p 18 new potatoes, 3 eggs, 150g green beans, trimmed, 6 tomatoes, quartered, 2 peppers, deseeded and sliced, 85g bag Asda herb salad, 6tbsp Asda Good for you! French dressing 110g black olives. Few basil leaves, roughly torn, to garnish. French bread, to serve 1. Cook the potatoes in lightly salted boiling water for 15 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, hard-boil the eggs, then cool, peel and quarter. 2. Cook the beans in lightly salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and refresh in cold water. Put aside in a bowl of iced water to keep green. 3. Put the potatoes, drained beans, tomatoes, peppersand salad leaves into a large bowl. Add the dressing and gently toss together. Arrange on six serving plates. 4. Arrange the eggs on top. Scatter over the olives and basil. Serve with French bread to mop up the juices. PER SERVING Calories 187; carbs 25g; fat 8g; saturated fat 1.5g For a more filling meal, add two fresh Asda Chilli And Lime Tuna Steaks, #1.48 each (90g; #1.64/100g; fish chiller): cook for 3 minutes each side, then cut into strips and scatter over the salad. Or toss in 2 x 185g cans tuna chunks in spring water, drained. Classic Vinaigrette Also known as French dressing-perfect with a green salad. Put 3tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1tbsp white wine vinegar and 2tsp Dijon mustard into a jar. Put the lid on and shake until blended. The dressing will separate-just shake again before serving. Don't dress a salad too soon-it'll wilt if left to sit. Prepare then put it in the fridge, and add the dressing at the last moment. Mediterranean salad secrets The Mediterranean diet attracts interest because people from countries such as Greece seem less prone to heart disease than other Westerners. Their traditional diet is based around lots of fresh fruit and veg, fresh fish and olive oil-perfect salad ingredients! Get into healthy habits now and you can carry on your good work through the colder winter months. Try adding these health-giving ingredients to your diet: Tomatoes-eaten regularly, the lycopene in tomatoes can help cut the risk of heart attack, and may protect men from prostate cancer. Dark salad leaves-varieties such as spinach, watercress and rocket are packed with vitamins C and E; eat a few portions weekly. Oily fish-the omega 3 in fish such as sardines, mackerel and fresh tuna can help to protect against heart disease and stroke, and improve brain function. Olive oil-high in good monounsaturated fats that help lower bad cholesterol. Drizzle it over your vegetables instead of butter. Red wine-it's thought that in moderation (a glass or two a day) red wine may protect against heart disease and Alzheimer's.

5 a day
Mood:  hungry
5 a day What is 5 a day? 5 A DAY is simply eating at least five portions of a variety of fruit and or vegetables each day as recommended by the Department of Health. Variety is especially important as different fruits and veg offer different benefits. Why is it so important to have '5 a day'? Eating at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables each day is essential for vitamins, minerals, fibre, antioxidants and substances that may have health benefits. Fruit and veg provide a good source of fibre and are generally low in fat (except avocados) and Calories, making them great for between-meal snacks and accompaniments for meals at any time of the day. Children too need '5 a day', so it's a great idea to start giving babies a variety of fruit and veg when they have started weaning. This helps to develop their liking for different tastes so that by five years of age five (smaller than adult) portions of fruit and veg are eaten daily. What is included? All fruits and vegetables count wherever they appear in your diet! The best fruit and vegetables to choose are however those where no fat, salt or sugar has been added, e.g. canned fruit in natural juices. The fruit and vegetables contained in convenience foods - such as ready meals, pasta sauces, soups and puddings - can contribute to your 5 a day. But convenience foods can also be high in added salt, sugar or fat - which should only be eaten in moderation. 5 a day fruit and veg includes fresh, canned, dried fruit, beans and pulses, frozen and 100% juice - all these count towards your 5 a day intake. What is a portion? An 80g portion of most fruit or vegetables counts as one of your 5 A DAY portions. Check out the lists from the links below to find out how much of your favourite fruit or vegetable you need to eat for one portion. (Unfortunately you cannot include potatoes, yam, cassava or similar 'starchy' items as they count as 'starchy foods' not 'fruit and veg'. They are however still an important part of the diet.) Fruit Portion equivalent to 80g (As eaten. Edible portion, and drained if canned.) Apple, dried rings 4 rings Apple, fresh 1 medium apple Apple, puree 2 heaped tablespoons Apricot, canned 6 halves Apricot, dried 3 whole Apricot, fresh 3 apricots Apricot, ready to eat 3 whole Avocado Half an avocado Banana chips 1 handful Banana, fresh 1 medium banana Blackberries 1 handful (9 to 10 blackberries) Blackcurrants 4 heaped tablespoons Blueberries 2 handfuls (4 heaped tablespoons) Cherries, canned 11 cherries (3 heaped tablespoons) Cherries, dried 1 heaped tablespoon Cherries, fresh 14 cherries Clementines 2 clementines Currants, dried 1 heaped tablespoon Damsons 5 to 6 damsons Dates, fresh 3 dates Fig, dried 2 figs Fig, fresh 2 figs Fruit juice 1 x 150ml Fruit salad, canned 3 heaped tablespoons Fruit salad, fresh 3 heaped tablespoons Fruit smoothie 1 x 150ml Gooseberries 1 handful Grapefruit segments, canned 3 heaped tablespoons (8 segments) Grapefruit, fresh Half a grapefruit Grapes 1 handful Kiwi fruit 2 Kiwi fruit Kumquat 6-8 kumquats Lychee, canned 6 lychees Lychee, fresh 6 lychees Mandarin orange, canned 3 heaped tablespoons Mandarin orange, fresh 1 medium orange Mango 2 slices (2-inch slice) Melon 1 slice (2-inch slice) Mixed fruit, dried 1 heaped tablespoon Nectarine 1 nectarine Orange 1 orange Passion fruit 5 to 6 fruit Paw paw (papaya), fresh 1 slice Peach, canned 2 halves or 7 slices Peach, dried 2 halves Peach, fresh 1 medium peach Peach, ready to eat 2 halves Pear, canned 2 halves or 7 slices Pear, dried 2 halves Pear, fresh 1 medium pear Pear, ready to eat 2 halves Pineapple, canned 2 rings or 12 chunks Pineapple, crushed 3 tablespoons Pineapple, dried 1 heaped tablespoon Pineapple, fresh 1 large slice Plum 2 medium plums Prune, canned 6 prunes Prune, dried 3 prunes Prune, ready to eat 3 prunes Raisins 1 tablespoon Raspberries, canned 20 raspberries Raspberries, fresh 2 handfuls Rhubarb, canned chunks 5 chunks Rhubarb, cooked 2 heaped tablespoons Satsuma 2 small satsumas Sharon fruit 1 sharon fruit Strawberry, canned 9 strawberries Strawberry, fresh 7 strawberries Sultanas 1 heaped tablespoon Tangerine 2 small tangerines Vegetables Portion equivalent to 80g (As eaten. Edible portion, and drained if canned.) Apple, dried rings 4 rings Ackee, canned 3 heaped tablespoons Artichoke 2 globe hearts Asparagus, canned 7 spears Asparagus, fresh 5 spears Aubergine 1/3rd aubergine Beans, black eye, cooked 3 heaped tablespoons Beans, broad, cooked 3 heaped tablespoons Beans, butter, cooked 3 heaped tablespoons Beans, cannelloni, cooked 3 heaped tablespoons Beans, French, cooked 4 heaped tablespoons Beans, kidney, cooked 3 heaped tablespoons Beans, runner, cooked 4 heaped tablespoons Beansprouts, fresh 2 handfuls Beetroot, bottled 3 'baby' whole, or 7 slices Broccoli 2 spears Brussel sprouts 8 Brussel sprouts Cabbage 1/6th small cabbage or 2 handfuls sliced Cabbage, shredded 3 heaped tablespoons Carrots, canned 3 heaped tablespoons Carrots, fresh, slices 3 heaped tablespoons Carrots, shredded 1/3 cereal bowl Cauliflower 8 florets Celery 3 sticks Chick peas 3 heaped tablespoons Chinese leaves 1/5th 'head Chinese leaves Courgettes Half a large courgette Cucumber 2-inch piece Curly kale, cooked 4 heaped tablespoons Karela Half a karela Leeks 1 leek (white portion only) Lentils 3 tablespoons Lettuce (mixed leaves) 1 cereal bowl Mangetout 1 handful Mixed vegetables, frozen 3 tablespoons Mushrooms, button 14 button or 3 handfuls of slices, 3-4 heaped tablespoons Mushrooms, dried 2 tablespoons or handful porcini Okra 16 medium Onion, dried 1 heaped tablespoon Onion, fresh 1 medium onion Parsnips 1 large Peas, canned 3 heaped tablespoons Peas, fresh 3 heaped tablespoons Peas, frozen 3 heaped tablespoons Pepper, canned Half a pepper Pepper, fresh Half a pepper Pigeon peas, canned 3 heaped tablespoons Radish 10 radishes Spinach, cooked 2 heaped tablespoons Spinach, fresh 1 cereal bowl Spring greens, cooked 4 heaped tablespoons Spring onion 8 onions Sugarsnap peas 1 handful Swede, diced and cooked 3 heaped tablespoons Sweetcorn, baby 6 baby corn Sweetcorn, canned 3 heaped tablespoons Sweetcorn, on the cob 1 cob Tomato puree 1 heaped tablespoon Tomato, canned plum 2 whole Tomato, fresh 1 medium, or 7 cherry Tomato, sundried 4 pieces Most of us have heard of 5 A Day, but aren?t sure why it is important. Ever since our mums told us if we ate our carrots we could see in the dark, we?ve known we should eat more fruit and vegetables. And now thanks to the government?s 5 A Day programme, we know that we should eat at least five portions of fruit and veg a day. But do we really know? We all know it?s supposed to make us healthy, but what does that really mean? Fruit and veg contain many complex components, including antioxidants, which destroy the free radicals that attack the body, making it "rust" inside. This means that, as well as providing you with essential vitamins and minerals, eating your greens can help reduce the risk of heart disease, strokes and cancer, and help lower blood pressure. It can also help with other health problems, such as delaying the development of cataracts, reducing symptoms of asthma and helping to manage diabetes. And it will increase your fibre intake, helping you to maintain a healthy weight. So as you can see, there are many advantages to eating your 5 A Day! What?s a portion? Your 5 A day can be made up from fresh, frozen, canned or dried fruit and veg. A portion is around 80g, but it?s easy to work out what you should eat without having to weigh food. We?ve shown lots of examples on this page: for a full list, visit www.dh.gov.uk/fiveaday. But I only eat apples So how do we know what to eat? If you only like apples, for instance, what?s wrong with just eating five of those a day? Or why can?t you take a vitamin supplement instead? Well, fruit and vegetables contain and amazing number of different nutrients and antioxidants, which work better together. To make sure you get all the vitamins, minerals and fibre, you need to eat a variety-if you take a supplement, or only eat one kind of fruit or veg, you won?t be getting the whole range of nutrients your body needs. Easy ways to get your 5 A day For a really fresh start to the day, wake up with a glass of juice instead of a cup of tea. Make a fruity breakfast: slice a banana over your cereal or into a natural or fruit yogurt Instead of hitting the biscuit tin, have a handful of cherries or dried fruits as you mid-morning snack. Grate a fresh carrot on top of your lunchtime salad to add colour and crunch. Switch to vegetables crisps instead of potato- they?re delicious and much better for (remember, potatoes don?t count as 5 A day). Try crunchy carrot, celery and cucumber sticks instead of crisps or breadsticks with your dips before dinner. Instead of tinned sweetcorn for dinner try corn on the cob- kids love it, its messy and more fun to eat. Add fresh or frozen veg to you pasta, soups and noodles. Top frozen pizza with extra freshly cooked veg such as onions, green peppers or mushrooms, or slices of fresh tomato. To get fussy children to eat fruit, try topping cakes with strawberries and adding tinned fruit to jelly. Make ice-lollies for the kids by pouring fruit smoothies, fruit juice or pureed fresh fruit into ice-lolly moulds and freezing. The 5 A Day Indicator The 5 A Day indicators are used on food packets to show how many portions of fruit and vegetables a typical serving of that food contains. Look for them in Asda stores. In Scotland look for the Choose Change logo. My kids only want chips? Potatoes don?t count as a 5 A day food because they?re starchy- although you do need some starch, as it?s a good source of energy. Beans and other pulses only count as one portion no matter how much you eat because they don?t have the same blend of nutrients as other veg. Fruit and veg in ready meals do count, but these foods can also be high in salt, sugar and fat, so it?s best not to eat too much of them. The truth about juice A glass of 100 per cent juice, fruit or vegetable, counts as one portion, whether you drink five glasses a day or one. Take it easy If you know your fruit and veg intake is nowhere near what it should be , boost it gradually so as to let your digestive system get used to the change. Otherwise, if you suddenly start eating lots of fibre or soft fruit, you may end up rushing to the loo five times a days.

Strengthen your immune system with fruit and veg
Mood:  hungry
Topic: Fruit and Vegetables
Take Five

Feel good by strengthening your immune system with plenty of health-boosting fruit and vegetables.

Eating at least five portions of different fruit and vegetables every day helps protect against heart disease and cancer. Full of vitamins and minerals, they also help to maintain energy levels and a healthy weight.


Size matters
Your daily quota is five 80g-portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables. One banana, a medium-size apple, two clementines, or three heaped tablespoons of cooked carrots would each equal one portion. Frozen, canned and dried fruit and veg also count.

At breakfast chop an apple into your cereal or have a banana sandwich. Drink a 150ml glass of smoothie or fruit juice - this only counts as one portion, however much you have.

Eat lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber with your lunchtime sandwich or take a salad or fruit salad to work.

In the evening have at least two types of veg with your chosen portion of protein.


Eat by colour
Choose different coloured fruit and veg so you get a wide range of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients (beneficial plant compounds) and antioxidants, which fight free radicals - they are the bad guys that accelerate the ageing process. Eat across the colour spectrum - blueberries and red cabbage, avocados, apples, broccoli and lettuce. Or brighten up meals with oranges, carrots, cranberries, red peppers and tomatoes.


Banana and Mango Smoothie
Smoothies are simple to make and this recipe also has bone-strengthening calcium in the milk. Peel and slice 1 small mango, 1 banana and whizz in a blender with 300ml cold Asda Semi Skimmed or Skimmed Milk until smooth. Makes 2 servings.


Fresh start
Drinking a chilled smoothie in the morning is an easy way of getting one of your five portions. Innocent smoothies contain 100 per cent fresh crushed fruits.
Innocent Pure Fruit Smoothie, #2.98 (1 litre; 29.8p/100ml; chiller)