A Feel-Good Fruit Wholefood Meal

Maybe, like me, you’re trying to keep or stay on track after a few festive meals (yes, Thanksgiving you’re in the mix here!) or just want to eat in a satisfying and wholesome way (who doesn’t?). Whatever the reason I have a delicious recipe for you that has a combination of great good-for-you foods. I know we don’t label foods good or bad but some do just sing with great nutrition – and this dish has loads of them.

It’s a fabulous dish making the most of all the new season South African plums, peaches, nectarine or apricots that are now available. Mixed and matched with couscous and quinoa, edamame beans or petits pois, butternut squash, and dressed with a chilli peanut dressing, it certainly delivers sunshine on a plate.

It’s also suitable for vegans and vegetarians, and if you wish to use sweet potato instead of butternut squash then go ahead, it works really well.

On the other hand you could add a little left-over turkey if you have some hanging around!

FEEL-GOOD FRUIT WHOLEFOOD MEAL

Ingredients

METRIC/US

6 plums

2 peaches, nectarine or apricots

400 g/14 oz butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks

low-fat cooking spray or mist

100 g/4 oz giant couscous

100 g/4 oz quinoa

75 g/3 oz frozen edamame beans or petits pois, defrosted

Dressing:

2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

3 tbsp reduced-fat, no-added-sugar peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)

½ tsp ground turmeric

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 200 C/400 F/gas 6.
Halve and stone the plums and peaches, nectarines or apricots, then slice them thickly.
Place the squash in a roasting pan and spritz generously with low-fat cooking spray or mist. Roast for 20-25 minutes until tender.
Meanwhile, cook the couscous and quinoa according to the packet instructions (you can cook them together) then drain. Add to the roasting pan with the edamame beans or petits pois and prepared fruit, stirring gently to mix. Roast for a further 5 minutes.
To make the dressing, mix the chilli sauce with the peanut butter, turmeric and 2-3 tbsp warm water and season to taste.
To serve, spoon the prepared fruit and grain mixture between serving plates and sprinkle with the dressing. Serve at once.

SERVES 4

WLS PORTION: ½

V suitable for Vegans and Vegetarians

CALORIES PER PORTION: 375

PROTEIN: 12.9 g

CARBOHYDRATE: 64.1 g

FAT: 7.8 g

Image courtesy of http://www.beautifulcountrybeautifulfruit.com