Recipes: Yelling for yogurt
Creamy Kale and Basil Pesto Sauce with Linguine
The recipe makes double the quantity of this quick and healthy pesto, so cover the remainder and store in your fridge for up to a week.Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
75g sunflower seeds
1 garlic clove, peeled and roughly chopped
100g kale, chopped and stalks removed
25g basil leaves, a few reserved for garnish
60g Parmesan cheese, grated
4tbsp olive oil
1-2tsp lemon juice to taste
Salt and pepper, to season
200g linguine or other dried pasta
250g Onken Natural Set yogurt
Olive oil to serve
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Method
1. To make the pesto, toast the sunflower seeds in a pan for a few minutes until they start to pop and turn a light golden colour. Place the seeds in a food processor and blitz until fine, add the garlic clove and kale and blend until it's all finely chopped.
2. Add the basil and cheese to the pesto mix, blend again then drizzle in olive oil with the motor running. Taste the pesto and add lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.
3. Cook the linguine in a large pan of boiling water according to the packet instructions. Drain well.
4. In a small pan, combine half the pesto with the yogurt and gently warm through, stirring all the time.
5. Add the yogurt pesto to the pasta, cover the pan and let it sit for 1-2 minutes. This allows the flavours to be absorbed into the pasta. Serve with extra olive oil, grated parmesan cheese and basil leaves.
Moroccan Meatballs in a Creamy Spinach Sauce
The yogurt in the spinach sauce really accentuates the fresh green colour and adds a lovely creaminess.Serves: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 small red pepper, seeded and diced
500g lamb mince
1/2 tsp ground cumin, ¼ tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp cinnamon (or use a tsp of a premixed Moroccan blend)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 dried ready to eat apricots, diced
For the sauce:
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thinly
200g spinach, roughly chopped
Lemon juice, to taste
200g Onken Natural Set yogurt
Cooked rice and pomegranate seeds, to serve
Method
1. Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onions and peppers gently for around 10 minutes until softened. Place in a bowl. Add the lamb mince, spices, garlic and apricots and squeeze together to make 20 balls.
2. Reheat the pan and cook the meatballs for around 10 minutes until brown and cooked through. Keep warm.
3. For the sauce, place the oil in a pan, add the garlic cloves and heat gently for 3-5 minutes until golden and aromatic. Remove from the heat.
4. Add the spinach to the sauce mix and use a hand blender to blitz it into the oil, or transfer to food processor. Once the spinach begins to pulverise, add the yogurt to create a thick creamy sauce.
5. Season with plenty of salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. Gently warm the sauce in a pan and stir.
6. Serve the meatballs with the sauce, rice and pomegranate seeds to garnish.
Strawberry Wholegrain Chia Pudding with Orange Roasted Strawberries
This can be made and served within 20 minutes, but can also be prepared the night before for breakfast. If made the night before, leave the yogurt mix covered in the fridge with the strawberries in a separate dish.Serves: 4
Prep time: 5 minutes plus soaking time
Cook time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
450g tub Onken Strawberry Wholegrain yogurt
60g chia seeds
120ml coconut milk
For the strawberries:
450g strawberries, hulled and sliced
Finely grated zest and juice from 1 orange
2 tbsp toasted almonds flakes
Honey to serve (optional)
Method
1. For the strawberries, preheat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Place the sliced strawberries in an ovenproof dish, sprinkle over the grated orange zest and drizzle over the juice.
2. Roast for 15-20 minutes until softened and juicy and beginning to char. Set aside to cool.
3. Whilst the strawberries are roasting, combine the Onken Strawberry Wholegrain yogurt with the chia seeds and coconut milk. Set aside for 20 minutes, or overnight, so the seeds swell and absorb the flavours.
4. Spoon the yogurt mix into serving bowls and top with the strawberries and their juices. Scatter with the toasted almonds and add honey if you like it a little sweeter.
Roasted Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Salad
A substantial main course salad which makes a great packed lunch too. Combining the creamy yogurt with the tahini gives it a great savoury flavour that goes particularly well with the sweetness of the potatoes.Serves: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
560g sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into small cube
1 cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets
45g coconut oil
2tsp smoked paprika plus extra to dust
2 tsp sesame seeds
60g quinoa
Half a red onion, thinly sliced
2 tsp lemon juice
200g spinach leaves
For the dressing:
100g Onken Natural Set yogurt
2 tbsp tahini
Finely grated zest of half a lemon and 2 tsp juice
1 tbsp snipped chives
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/fan180C/gas 6. Place the sweet potatoes and cauliflower in a large roasting pan.
2. Warm the coconut oil in a pan, combine with the smoked paprika and drizzle over the sweet potatoes and cauliflower. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and stir well to coat. Roast for 25 minutes until just tender and beginning to brown.
3. Place the quinoa in an ovenproof dish alongside the vegetables to roast for 5 minutes.
4. Remove the quinoa from the oven and place in a small pan with 200ml water. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes until tender and the water has been absorbed. Cook with the lid off for 1 minute until all the water has evaporated. Set aside to cool slightly.
5. Toss the onion in the lemon juice and set aside until required.
6. Combine all ingredients for the dressing.
7. Place the roasted vegetables in a large serving dish, toss with the spinache, scatter with the quinoa, onion and any juices.
8. Dollop on the dressing and dust with extra smoked paprika. Serve warm or cool completely.
Tropical Frangipane Cake with Lime and Passionfruit Drizzle
This is a lovely moist and crumbly cake with tropical flavours. Serve warm in wedges and extra yogurt for pudding or eat straight with a cup of tea.Serves: 8
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30-40 minutes
Ingredients
125g butter, at room temperature
110g soft brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
125g ground almonds
75g self-raising flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Finely grated zest of 1 lime
100g Onken Mango, Papaya and Passionfruit yogurt
1 large mango, peeled and sliced thinly
2 tbsp coconut flakes
For the drizzle:
2 passionfruit
1 lime, juiced
2 tbsp granulated sugar
2-3 tbsp Onken Mango, Papaya and Passionfruit yogurt, to serve
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Grease and line a 20cm loose bottomed or spring form tin.
2. Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar together until soft and smooth.
3. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff. Beat the egg yolks gradually into the butter mix.
4. Combine the almonds, flour and bicarbonate of soda and fold into the mixture with the Onken Mango, Papaya and Passionfruit yogurt and lime zest using a large spatula.
5. Spoon the yogurt mix into the tin and arrange the mango slices on top. Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden on top or when an inserted skewer is clean.
6. Whilst the cake is cooking, dry fry the coconut flakes in a pan for a few minutes, shaking them around until evenly golden.
7. Halve the passionfruits, scoop out the seeds and juices. Sieve to separate into bowls. Combine the passionfruit and lime juice with the sugar and drizzle over the cake whilst till warm. Leave to cool in the tin.
8. Top with a few passionfruit seeds to add crunch if liked. Scatter over the coconut flakes and serve warm or cold with extra yogurt for spooning over.
9. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.