Getting together to celebrate big events such as having a street party or a community picnic is a great way to share a laugh with your neighbours, get out of your usual social bubble and, of course, share great food!
If you’re looking for inspiration about healthy and delicious treats to make to bring to a local celebration (for the Platinum Jubliee, or any big occasion) then check out these mouth-watering recipes from our graduate Jo Sardella:
For more of Jo’s delicious recipes, check out her site here.
“Here’s my healthier pasty recipe… this recipe has a savoury filling but you can be creative a try out some different, sweet flavours, perhaps lemon, honey, ricotta and sultana?”
Ingredients
For the Pastry:
150g wholemeal flour
50g self-raising flour
25g vegetable oil (olive or sunflower)
75ml cold water
For the Olive & Feta Filling:
50g cherry tomatoes (finely chopped)
1 teaspoon of tomato purée
4 black, de-stoned olives, finely sliced
50g crumbled feta
pinch ground pepper and a pinch of dried oregano
Equipment: Baking tray lined with baking parchment, rolling pin, pastry cutters (10cm diameter)
Oven Temperature: 180°C (Fan)/200°C/400°C F Gas Mark 6
Makes approximately: 10
Method
Put the flours in a mixing bowl, add the oil and mix with a fork, Add the water a little at a time, mix with a fork, and add enough to form the mixture into a soft (not sticky) dough. Wrap the dough balls in greaseproof paper and place them in the fridge for 30 mins to rest.
For the Olive and Feta Filling; place the chopped tomatoes in a bowl and place in the microwave on full power for about 2 minutes until cooked and thickened. Stir in the tomato purée, pepper and oregano and leave to cool.
Remove the pastry balls from the fridge and leave them at room temperature for 30 minutes. Unwrap the balls and place them on a lightly floured surface. With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a disc approximately 2mm thick. Cut into 10cm diameter circles with a pastry cutter.
Place a dessert spoon of the tomato mixture into the centre of each circle, and sprinkle with a few olive slices and crumbled feta. Leave a 3 cm margin around the edge.
Wet the margin with a little milk, fold the pastry over to make a semi-circle and press down well to seal. Repeat until all circles are filled.
Place the pasties well-spaced on a large baking tray lined with baking parchment, and brush the tops with a little more milk.
Cook the pasties in a preheated oven, for approx. 30 minutes until golden.
Summer Berry Trifle
“The recipe is a healthier version of the English Trifle, with a summer berry base, layered with zesty and creamy ricotta, cream cheese and cottage cheese and a nutty breadcrumb layer.”
Ingredients
300g summer berries such as strawberries, raspberries, and cherries (reserve some whole berries for decoration)
grated zest of 1 lemon
juice and grated zest of 2 oranges (reserve some zest for decoration)
1/4 plain ciabatta loaf (this should make about 40g breadcrumbs)
10g cacao nibs
30g pistachios (reserve some for decoration)
110g cottage cheese
150g ricotta cheese
70g cream cheese
45g ground almonds
20g clear honey
Equipment: Medium-sized, shallow serving dish
Serves: 6
Method
Remove any stalks and chop the berries (de-stone cherries if using), stir in the orange juice and put aside.
Slice the ciabatta thinly and toast under a low grill until crispy.
Break the toasted ciabatta into small pieces and place in a food processor (fitted with a blade) and pulse until fine.
Weigh out 40g of the ciabatta breadcrumbs for use in this recipe and reserve the rest for another time.
Chop the pistachios coarsely, and stir into the breadcrumbs with the orange zest and cacao nibs (reserve some pistachios and zest for decorating).
Halve and de-stone the berries where appropriate and place them with the orange juice into a serving dish.
Spread the breadcrumb mixture over the berries.
In a food processor, blender or using an electric hand mixer; whizz the cheeses together then transfer into a mixing bowl and stir in the ground almonds, lemon zest and honey, mixing well.
Place spoonsful of the creamy mixture on top of the berries and breadcrumbs then smooth evenly using the back of a spoon or palette knife.
Scatter with the reserved whole berries, pistachios and orange zest.
Lemon & Coconut Flapjacks
“These quick and easy oaty bars taste summery and fresh. They are an ideal healthy snack and just right with a cup of tea any time of day.”
Ingredients
1 & 1/2 small apples grated
2 egg whites lightly beaten
80g sultanas
100g fresh coconut grated or 80g desiccated coconut
40g oatmeal
150g rolled oats (N.B if using desiccated coconut use 120g rolled oats only)
30g plain flour
zest of 1 large lemon (reserve some to decorate)
juice of half a lemon
50g honey
40 g coconut oil
To Decorate:
20g honey
grated lemon rind (reserved from lemon under main ingredients)
1 tablespoon of desiccated or flaked coconut
Oven temperature: 150 °C (Fan) 170°C / 325°F or gas mark 3
Equipment: 19cm x 30cm rectangular baking tray (lined with baking parchment)
Makes: 12 squares
Method
Melt the coconut oil and the honey together in a bowl in a microwave or warm gently in a pan on the hob (if using sunflower or rapeseed oil as an alternative, warm gently with the honey).
Stir in the sultanas and grated apple.
Mix in the coconut and other dry ingredients.
Add the egg whites, lemon juice and rind.
Mix well and spread evenly into the prepared baking tray, pressing down with the back of a cold spoon.
Bake in the centre of a preheated oven for 20-25 mins until lightly golden in colour.
Whilst the flapjack is warm, drizzle with honey then sprinkle with lemon rind and coconut to decorate.
Cool completely and cut into 12 pieces.
Alternative Ingredients
Instead of coconut oil use 4 tablespoons of sunflower or rapeseed oil.
Did these tickle your tastebuds? You can check out more of Jo’s recipes on her website here.
If you would like to learn more about nutrition and be able to create your own healthy recipes, check out our Nutrition and Weight Management Course here.
