Chickpea And Sweet Potato Koftas Reduced Fat Food

CHICKPEA AND SWEET POTATO KOFTAS (REDUCED FAT)

Steps:

• Peel and dice the sweet potato or yam, and cook it in boiling water until soft (about 10 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces). Drain well. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of cooked sweet potato. Transfer to a food processor.
• Add all other ingredients, except the flour, peas, and oil. Purée until fairly smooth. (The mixture might be very thick, depending on the sweet potato or yam, so be patient with this process.) Transfer to a bowl.
• Stir in the flour until thoroughly incorporated, then gently stir in the peas. Form into large or small patties. To make them really uniform and professional looking, use a 1/4-cup-capacity ice cream scoop or a 1/4-cup measure to scoop up portions of the mixture, then pat each one down until it is about 1/2-inch thick and 2 1/2 inches in diameter.
• Place a skillet over medium heat and add a little bit of oil. When the oil is really hot, add the patties, and sauté for about 8 to 10 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned and heated through. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

CRISPY SWEET POTATOES WITH CHICKPEAS & TAHINI YOGURT

Steps:

• Wrap each potato in foil and put directly on the hot coals of a barbecue for 35-45 mins, depending on the size of the potatoes. Insert a skewer into each one to check that they're cooked. (Alternatively, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and put the foil-wrapped potatoes on a large baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 45 mins-1 hr or until the centre is soft. Once cooked, put under a hot grill for 3 mins until the skin is blackened and crispy.)
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and shallot and fry for 2-3 mins or until softened, then stir the chickpeas into the mixture. Gently warm through for 1 min or so, then add the spinach and leave to wilt. Add the dill.
• Whisk together the lemon juice, zest and remaining olive oil in a small bowl. Season to taste and stir into the chickpea mixture. Gently mash with a potato masher until the chickpeas are slightly crushed. Mix together the yogurt and tahini in another small bowl, and season to taste with salt.
• Split the potatoes open lengthways. Fill with the bean mixture, drizzle over the tahini yogurt and top with the pine nuts and pomegranate seeds.

VEGGIE KOFTA PITTAS WITH PICK & MIX SIDES

Steps:

• Soften the onions and garlic with a few sprays of 1 Cal cooking spray and a splash of water in a non-stick pan. Once really soft, tip into a food processor with the chickpeas, breadcrumbs, egg, spices, lemon zest and juice, and plenty of seasoning. Pulse until fairly smooth, then add 30g of the spinach and pulse until finely chopped. Shape the mixture into 12 sausage-shaped koftas and put on a baking-parchment-lined baking tray. Chill while you heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Spray the koftas a few times more with cooking spray, then bake for 20-25 mins until crisp and golden.
• Meanwhile, mix together all the carrot salad ingredients with some seasoning. Put the remaining spinach in a bowl and warm the pittas following pack instructions.
• Serve the koftas with warm pittas, extra spinach, carrot salad, fat-free yogurt and pickled chillies, if you like.