With the holy month of Ramadan just around the corner, we've put together some recipe ideas for a delicious and colourful Iftar to help keep your Ramadan healthy and nutritious.
Please also refer to our article on staying healthy this Ramadan, which you can find here.
Starter
Lentil soup (see recipe below) - Vegan
On the table
Warm lamb salad (see Second Nature recipe)
Chicken tikka skewers (see Second Nature recipe)
Halloumi skewers (see recipe below) - Vegetarian
Roasted stuffed Middle Eastern peppers (see recipe below) - Vegetarian
Roasted aubergine with fennel and labneh (see recipe below) - Vegetarian
Roasted vegetables and spiced yoghurt (see Second Nature recipe) - Vegetarian
Babaganoush (see Second Nature recipe) - Vegan
Moutabal (see recipe below) - Vegetarian
Tabbouleh (see recipe below) - Vegan
Recipes
Lentil soup
Ingredients:
150g red lentils
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 litres stock (chicken or vegetable)
Seasoning
Wedge of lemon to serve
Method:
Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add in the onion and sauté for 5 minutes until soft
Add in lentils and carrots and sauté for a further 5 minutes
Add stock, cover, and bring to the boil
Lower heat and simmer for 1 hour
Remove from the heat, cool and blend using a hand-blender
Season to taste
Serve with 1 wedge of lemon
Halloumi skewers with tahini yogurt dip
Ingredients:
2 x haloumi blocks, cubed (2cm x 2cm)
2 courgettes (2cm x 2cm)
1 tub cherry tomatoes
2 red onions, cubed (2cm x 2cm)
1 tbsp olive oil
8 skewers
For the dip:
Small handful of mint, chopped
1 tbsp tahini
200g yogurt
Sprinkling sumac (optional)
Method:
Chop the halloumi and vegetables and place on skewers
Brush with olive oil and grill or place on the BBQ for 15-20 minutes, until charred
Serve with dip
Roasted stuffed Middle Eastern peppers
Ingredients:
4 peppers, whole
1 tbsp olive oil
Falafel (see Second Nature recipe)
Moutabal (see recipe)
Rocket leaves (1 cup)
Make the falafel according to the Nature recipe
Make the hummus as per the method below
Remove the top, scrape the seeds from the pepper, pop the lid back on, brush with olive oil and and roast in a medium heat oven for 30 minutes
To serve, place the roasted peppers on a serving plate. Place a spoonful of hummus into each pepper, topped with 2-3 falafels, topped with a spoonful of moutabal, and finished off with some rocket leaves.
Lemon garlic hummus (total recipe 2 carbs):
Method: Blend the following:
1 can chick peas
2 garlic cloves
¼ lemon, squeezed
Seasoning as required
Roasted aubergine with labneh, fennel, and pomegranate
Ingredients:
2 large aubergines
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp fennel seeds
300g labneh
1 red chilli, finely chopped
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 handful chopped coriander leaves
Method:
Slice aubergines in half lengthways, coat with oil, sprinkle with fennel seeds and roast, cut side up for 40 minutes
Place on a serving plate, and serve warm, topped with labneh, a sprinkling of chilli, spring onion, coriander and pomegranate seeds
Moutabal
Ingredients:
2 medium aubergines
4 cloves garlic
¼ cup (50 ml) extra virgin olive oil
½ cup (100 ml) labneh
2 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp pomegranate seeds (to garnish)
1 tbsp mint (to garnish)
Method:
Pierce the aubergines, and then flame roast or cook on a BBQ until charred on the outside and soft on the inside. Slice open and leave to cool.
Cook the garlic cloves on a low heat in the oil for 10-15 minutes. Remove the cloves and keep the oil to one side. Once cool, mince or finely chop the garlic cloves.
Scrape the flesh of the aubergines into a mixing bowl, removing any clumps of seeds. Add the garlic infused olive oil and the garlic cloves, labneh, tahini, and lemon juice. Season to taste.
Place in a bowl to serve. Top with mint and pomegranate, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Tabbouleh (total recipe 4 carbs)
Ingredients:
80g bulgar wheat
3 spring onions, finely chopped
4 medium tomatoes, diced
1 lemon, juiced
1 large bunch flat leaf parsley, removed from stems and finely chopped
½ large bunch mint, removed from stems and finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
Method:
Prepare bulgar according to the guidance on the product label. Set aside to cool.
Plate the tomato, lemon juice, spring onions and cooled bulgar into a bowl and mix. Season with a little salt.
Add in parsley, mint and olive oil, and mix together
Here are some suggested protein and vegetable-rich additions to your Iftar meal, to support you as you continue to make a healthy balanced choice
