Rice & easy

Smoky spiced veggie rice

Try this vegan take on a jambalaya – it’s full of fiery, smoky flavours and bursting with vegetables. It’s also healthy and low in fat and calories, but big on flavour.

SERVES 6 PREP 15 mins COOK 1 hr EASY V

25g cashews

4 tbsp olive oil

1 corn cob

250g rainbow baby carrots, halved lengthways

2 red onions, finely chopped

2 celery sticks, finely chopped

2 large red peppers, finely sliced

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tbsp Cajun-style seasoning

1½ tbsp smoked paprika

1 tsp chipotle paste

2 tbsp tomato purée

200g heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved

400g can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

400g can cherry tomatoes

300g long-grain rice, rinsed

400ml vegetable or vegan stock

1 tbsp red wine vinegar (vegan, if needed)

2 tbsp caster sugar

2 spring onions, finely sliced

1 Toast the cashews in a large, dry saucepan or flameproof casserole dish over a medium heat until golden brown. Remove from the heat, leave to cool, then roughly chop. Heat 1 tbsp oil in the same pan over a high heat, then fry the corn cob for 20 seconds on each side to char. Remove from the pan and set aside, then tip in the carrots and fry for 5 mins. Remove from the pan and set aside.

2 Heat the rest of the oil in the same pan over a medium heat and fry the onions and celery for 10 mins until soft and slightly coloured. Add the peppers and garlic, then fry for another 5 mins before adding the Cajun-style seasoning, smoked paprika, chipotle paste and tomato purée. Fry for 1 min until the spices are fragrant, then add the cherry tomatoes and fry for another 2 mins.

3 Stir in the kidney beans, canned tomatoes, rice, stock, vinegar and sugar, and stir until everything is combined. Bring to the boil, then cover with a lid and simmer for 35-40 mins over a medium-low heat, stirring halfway through, until the rice is cooked and liquid absorbed.

4 Slice the corn off the cob and mix it through the rice along with the carrots. Season and sprinkle over the spring onions and cashews.

PER SERVING 447 kcals • fat 11g • saturates 2g • carbs 69g • sugars 20g • fibre 11g • protein 11g • salt 0.6g

Chicken & chorizo one-pan

Make this low-calorie dish when you’re craving the flavours of paella midweek, when you don’t have time to make a traditional