meat-free mains

healthy diet plan

meat-free mains

Enjoy a wide array of filling vegetarian dishes

One-pot five-spice rice

Shoot director EMMA WINCHESTER | Food stylist KATY GILHOOLY | Stylist MAX ROBINSON

Start with 1/2 tsp of five-spice here as it’s quite a strong flavour, but you may want to add more. There’s also ginger in this, which is thought to up the rate at which food travels through the system, potentially easing bloating and pain. (Swap cashews for water chestnuts if you don’t eat nuts.)

SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins COOK 40 mins EASY V

1 tbsp rapeseed oil

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

25g ginger, peeled and finely shredded

½-1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder

1 fresh chilli, deseeded and sliced

2 red peppers, deseeded and diced

200g easy-cook brown rice

650ml vegetable stock, made with

2 tsp bouillon powder

320g frozen mixed beans (broad beans, peas and French beans)

½ pack spring onions (about 8), trimmed and sliced

2 tsp sesame oil

75g roasted cashews

1 Heat the rapeseed oil in a large pan over a medium heat and fry the garlic and ginger for 5 mins. Add the five-spice, chilli, peppers and rice, then pour in the stock, cover tightly and cook for 15 mins.

2 Stir in the frozen beans and spring onions, then cover and cook for 10 mins. Check the rice is tender; if not, leave for 5 mins more. Turn off the heat, stir in the sesame oil and leave to stand, covered, for 5 mins.

3 Divide the rice between two bowls and scatter over half the cashews. Leave the remainder to cool completely for another day. Will keep chilled in an airtight container for up to three days. Reheat in a microwave until piping hot, then add the cashews.