Sausages and beans with kale

Very quick to make and quite healthy (if you use good quality sausages).  Serves about four (assuming two sausages each) but you can stretch it out by adding another can of beans and some crusty bread on the side.

Extra virgin olive oil - a little for frying and some for drizzling
8 sausages, chopped into pieces a few centimetres long.  Any flavour but I tend to use pork-based ones.
Big bunch of kale, trimmed and chopped
2 or 3 cans of cannellini beans, chickpeas or borlotti beans
Zest and juice of 1 lime (you can use lemon but I prefer lime)
Salt and pepper

In a large frypan, saute the chopped sausages in a dash of oil, over medium heat, until lightly browned. Add the kale - it will seem like a mountain, but don't worry, it wilts down.  Cover the frypan for a few minutes to steam the kale.  Add the beans and a drizzle of oil and stir.  Pop the lid back on again until everything is cooked through - it won't take long.  Add the lime zest and juice, stir through and serve well seasoned.

Recipe adapted by me from the many online recipes featuring these staple ingredients.  You could adapt this further by using spinach or some other greens instead of kale and adding a sprinkling of chopped nuts just before serving.

Chicken and mushroom special

This recipe makes a big meal for one, but you can easily increase the quantities or split between two with a side salad.  It's low-fat and one-pot.  PIE doesn't eat chicken, so this is my go-to recipe when I am cooking for one.  It's spicy but not too hot so good for older kids too.

Ingredients

Quarter of a cup of basmati rice
Quarter of a red onion, sliced
Dash of lite olive oil
Two mushrooms, more or less
Half a teaspoon of cumin
Half a teaspoon of ground coriander
Half a teaspoon of curry powder
One teaspoon of chicken or vegetable stock powder (or a cube)
Half a cup of water
One medium skinless chicken breast
A couple of tablespoons of fruit chutney

Put the rice and onion in a medium saucepan and toss around with the olive oil for a minute or two - don't let it burn.  Put in the spices and the mushrooms and stir around for another half a minute.  Add the stock and half a cup of water (or twice the measure of rice if you want to increase quantities).  It will quickly be bubbling so turn down the heat to low.

Lay the chicken breast on top of the rice mixture and slather some fruit chutney (or pesto, or even tomato sauce in a pinch) over the top.  Put the lid on the saucepan and leave it for 20-25 minutes (depending on the size of the chicken breast).  Test the rice and if it's cooked then turn off the heat and leave it to steam for five minutes before serving.

Adapted by me from a Weight Watchers recipe circa 2000.