Try a two-course meal from Gillian McKeith

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Gillian McKeith's aduki bean bake

Makes 2 generous servings. Absolutely delicious

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 45 minutes approx

1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 medium parsnip or squash peeled and diced

1 large carrot, peeled and diced

1 celery stick, trimmed and sliced

500ml just-boiled water

1 tsp organic vegetable bouillon (stock) powder

1 medium leek, trimmed and sliced

165g cooked aduki beans or 1 can aduki beans (rinse well)

2 tsp cornflour blended with 1 tbsp cold water to make a smooth paste

1 medium sweet potato, cut into 5mm slices (around 250g prepared weight)

1 Heat the oil in a large saucepan and gently fry the onion and garlic for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened but not coloured. Add the parsnip, carrot and celery. Cook with the onion and garlic for 2 minutes, stirring regularly.

2 Pour the water over and stir in the bouillon powder. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Stir the sliced leek and aduki beans into the vegetable mixture. Return to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3 Add the cornflour mixture and cook for about 1 minute until the sauce thickens, stirring. Remove from the heat and transfer carefully into a 900ml ovenproof dish.

4 Arrange slices of the sweet potato on top of the bean and vegetable mixture. Brush with a little of the oil and bake for about 30 minutes until the potato is soft. Serve with freshly cooked Savoy cabbage, green beans or broccoli and some salad leaves.

© Copyright 2009 Gillian McKeith

Gillian McKeith's Spiced rice pudding

Serves 2-3

Ready in 35 minutes

25g pudding rice

50 brown rice, rinsed

600-800ml rice milk

6 cardamom pods

1 cinnamon stick, broken

finely grated zest ½ orange

2 tbsp shelled hemp seeds(optional)

1 Mix the pudding and brown rice in a saucepan with 650ml of the rice milk. Crush the cardamom pods lightly in a pestle and mortar or with the side of a knife to release the flavour. Stir into the rice mixture and add the cinnamon and orange zest.

2 Cook on the hob over a low heat for around 30 minutes or until the rice is soft and the milk rich and creamy. Stir frequently towards the end of the cooking time and add more soya milk if the pudding thickens too much.

3 Serve warm or remove the cinnamon and divide the rice between dessert dishes or ramekins. Cover and leave to cool for 30 minutes, then chill in the fridge for 3-4 hours or until set. When cold, turn out onto small plates before sprinkling with shelled hemp seeds to serve.

© Copyright Gillian McKeith 2009