fit as a
fiddle
Cookbook
Welcome!
From warming and hearty stews to summery
coolers, this selection of healthy recipes has been
tried and tested – by various fit as a fiddle groups.
Each recipe takes into account healthy levels
of fat and sugar, and the government guideline of
five fruit and veg a day. Full details about ingredients
and preparation instructions are provided, along
with cooking times and nutritional tips.
The mouthwatering pictures for every recipe mean
that you’ll be heading for the kitchen in no time.
Winter warmer
Age UK Newham’s community
health engagement project has been
making this delicious recipe with its
fit as a fiddle lunch clubs.
Winter warmer
Preparation time
10 minutes
Cooking time
30 minutes
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1–2 garlic cloves
1 small onion
finely chopped
2 handfuls of diced
vegetables (e.g. carrots,
swede, peas, cabbage)
1 small tin of either
cannellini beans, borlotti
beans, butter beans
or chickpeas (drained)
2 chopped tomatoes or
a small tin of tomatoes
½–1½ litres/1–3 pints
of vegetable stock
(depending on how
thick you would like it)
1 handful of dried pasta
of your choice
2 pinches of dried
or fresh herbs
Black pepper and chillies
or pepper sauce to taste
This is a low-calorie, healthy vegetarian dish
that can be thick like a stew or thinner like a soup.
It contains beans, which provide a low-fat source
of protein, pasta for energy-giving carbohydrates,
and vegetables for vitamins and minerals, giving
you a balanced meal in a dish!
Method
In a frying pan heat the olive oil and add the
onion, garlic and chillies and cook until softened.
Add herbs and cook for 30 seconds.
In a saucepan, boil the diced vegetables in a small
amount of water until nearly soft.
Add the contents of the frying pan to the saucepan,
and then add the dried pasta and beans.
Gradually add the stock while the pasta cooks.
Cook until the pasta goes soft.
Allow to cool slightly then serve for lunch or tea.
Chinese walnut chicken stir-fry
Older people working with Age UK Harrow’s
healthy-eating project love to eat this meal.
Chinese walnut chicken stir-fry
Preparation time
5–10 minutes
Cooking time
15 minutes
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 tbsp cornflour
2 tbsp light soy sauce
¼ tsp ground ginger
2 boneless chicken
breast fillets chopped
into cubes
3 tbsp olive oil
This quick recipe is low in unhealthy saturated fats
but contains walnuts, which are rich in the good
omega-3 fats that can help protect your heart
and lower your cholesterol.
Use lean chicken breasts – a good source of protein
to help the body heal and repair. The vegetables
should not be overcooked, in order to retain a lot
of vitamins and minerals. A wok is best to use,
but a large frying pan will do.
Method
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the cornflour,
soy sauce and the ginger. Add the chicken pieces,
mix well and leave to marinade.
1 cup walnuts,
shelled and crushed
Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of oil and fry the walnuts
until golden brown.
2 spring onions
cut into pieces
of 2.5cm/1in
Put walnuts in a bowl.
1 clove garlic,
finely chopped
1 small pack of
mangetout peas,
or a fresh stir-fry
vegetable pack
Heat 1 tbsp oil and stir-fry the onions, garlic
and vegetables in the wok for 5 minutes.
Add to the bowl with the walnuts.
Heat the last tbsp of oil and stir-fry the chicken
until cooked through.
Add the walnuts and vegetables and stir together
for 2 minutes.
Serve immediately with rice or noodles and
a few prawn crackers.
Fairly fat-free fruit loaf
This cake is from a tried-and-tested recipe
from fit as a fiddle Barnsley’s lunch clubs.
Fairly fat-free fruit loaf
Preparation time
5–10 minutes
(excluding overnight
soak of some
ingredients)
Cooking time
1½ hours
Ingredients
340g/12oz mixed
dried fruit
170g/6oz
chopped dates
2 oranges
A mug of hot
brewed tea
340g/12oz
wholemeal flour
1 egg
Natural fruit sugars are present in the dried fruit,
so there is no need to add any other sugars or
sweeteners. No fat is needed as the dates keep
it nice and moist. Along with the wholemeal flour,
the ingredients provide a slow release of energy
and even some vitamins and minerals.
Remember – this is still a cake and a small slice
is all you need.
Method
In a mixing bowl, stir the fruit with the zest and
juice of both oranges. Pour in the hot tea and leave
covered overnight to soak in a cool, dry place.
The next day add in all the other ingredients and
mix together. Pour into a greased/lined loaf tin.
Turn your oven on to gas mark 2/150°C/300°F and
bake the cake in the middle of the oven for about
1½ hours until the sides start to shrink from the
side of the tin and a knife comes out clean from
the centre of the cake.
Leave to cool and slice like a loaf.
Fruit kebabs with raspberry puree
Age UK Harrow’s fit as a fiddle healthy-eating
project made these refreshing desserts with
their community groups.
Fruit kebabs with raspberry puree
Preparation time
5–10 minutes
Cooking time
0 minutes
Ingredients
Sliced banana
A punnet
of strawberries
Raspberries
Blueberries
Kiwi fruit peeled
and cut into chunks
Pineapple chunks
Satsuma chunks
Grapes
1 small pot of natural
probiotic yoghurt
Wooden kebab skewers
Fruits contain different vitamins and minerals
that the body needs every day and using fruits
of different colours will provide lots of these.
Probiotic yoghurt can help to support digestion.
Method
Mash most of the raspberries together into a puree
and add a small amount of yoghurt to taste.
Thread an assortment of fruit on to the skewers.
Place two or three skewers on to a plate
and drizzle with the puree mix.
Fruit smoothies
Groups enjoyed making and drinking
these with Julia from Age UK Croydon’s
fit as a fiddle healthy-eating project.
Fruit smoothies
Preparation time
5–10 minutes
Cooking time
0 minutes
Serves 2
Ingredients
The amount of fruit
you use is optional
and will affect how
thick you want your
smoothie to be.
They are a really good way to get some of your
‘five a day’. Berries are full of vitamins, minerals
and antioxidants. You can use fresh berries when
they are cheaper in the shops or buy a frozen
pack of mixed berries and use them as and when
you need them. Smoothies taste best chilled.
Use probiotic yoghurt, which contains healthy
bacteria to help keep your digestive system healthy.
You will need a blender to mix the ingredients.
A hand-held stick one is easily used with your own
jug and saves on the washing up.
1 medium banana
Method
6 large or 10 medium
strawberries
Put the chopped-up fruit and the yoghurt
in a blender or a 2-pint jug.
2–4 tbsp blueberries/
raspberries/berries
of your choice
Pour the apple juice over the fruit until it just
covers it.
A small carton
of plain probiotic
yoghurt (150g)
1 litre of apple juice
Mix until smooth.
Add more juice if too thick to drink, or more fruit
if too runny.
Keep in the fridge for 24 hours.
Gladys’s beef stew
This recipe was donated by Gladys
from fit as a fiddle’s Carry On Cooking
project in Cambridgeshire.
Gladys’s beef stew
Preparation time
5–10 minutes
Cooking time
95 minutes
Serves 2
Ingredients
340g/12oz cubed
stewing beef
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
85g/3oz pearl barley
(You will need to boil
the pearl barley in
a saucepan of water,
according to the
package’s cooking
instructions. It usually
takes about 1 hour.)
1 heaped tbsp
plain flour
900ml/1½ pints stock
225g/8oz carrots,
peeled and sliced
225g/8oz potatoes,
sliced in medium-sized
chunks
1 finely shredded
small cabbage
Ground pepper
to taste
‘ For best results, use stewing beef, but
any leftover meat will be fine. If the meat
is already cooked, this will cut down how
long the recipe takes by half.’ Gladys
This recipe is a traditional stew, in which the meat
juices flavour the dish. It contains protein from the
meat, and lots of vegetables that add vitamins
and minerals, while the potatoes provide energy.
A whole balanced meal is in one pot, so eat some
today and save some for tomorrow, or freeze
portions (once cool) for a later date.
Method
Using a large pan, fry the meat in the oil to seal
in most of the juices, and then add the onion
for a few minutes until soft.
Sprinkle the flour over the meat and then
add the stock and stir well until boiling.
Add the carrots and potatoes and leave to
simmer on a low heat for 1½ hours, adding more
stock if necessary so that there is always a gravy
in the stew.
Cook the pearl barley according to the instructions,
so that it will be ready to add at the end.
Add the cabbage in the last 20 minutes. The meat
will become more tender the longer it is cooked.
Just before serving, gently mix in the pearl barley.
Healthier chips
Everyone in Julia’s lunchtime groups
at Age UK Croydon’s fit as a fiddle
project were amazed at how tasty
and quick these were to make.
Healthier chips
Preparation time
5 minutes
Cooking time
30–40 minutes
Serves 1
Traditional chips need a lot of fat for deep frying.
These chips use fresh potatoes, plus a little olive oil,
which contains unsaturated fat, and are full of
vitamin C. You can also use some seasoning to
jazz them up.
Ingredients
Method
1 medium-sized baking
potato with skin
1 tbsp olive oil
A sprinkling of black
pepper, Cajun powder,
curry powder or
jerk powder
Cut the potato into 6 even wedges.
Put in a bowl and mix with the oil and
optional spices.
Place on a non-stick baking tray in a hot oven,
gas mark 6/200°C/400°F for about 30–40 minutes,
turning occasionally until crispy.
Serve with baked salmon or trout and frozen
peas for a low-calorie Friday night treat.
Lentil curry
Dorothy, who lives in Cambridgeshire
and was part of fit as a fiddle’s Carry
On Cooking project, loves this recipe,
which reminds her of her childhood.
Lentil curry
Preparation time
5–10 minutes
(excluding soaking
of lentils as per
pack instructions)
Lentils are a good low-fat source of protein.
They are easy to cook and can be stored in the
cupboard to be used again. This can be a main
meal for two with some salad or bread, or a side
dish for four.
Cooking time
25–30 minutes
Method
Serves 2–4
Ingredients
170g/6oz lentils
1 bay leaf
Wash and soak the lentils as per instructions
on the packaging.
Add the bay leaf to the lentils and boil in water
until tender, then drain.
1 small apple
Heat up the baked beans in a pan.
1 garlic clove, crushed
Peel and chop the onion and apple, and add to
the crushed garlic and curry powder and fry in
olive oil for 15 minutes until soft and browning.
1½ tbsp olive oil
1 tsp curry powder
1 squeeze lemon juice
1 small tin
baked beans
8cm/3in
chopped cucumber
Add the lentils, baked beans and lemon juice
to taste, and accompany with cucumber pieces.
Sheila’s soup
This recipe was donated by staff
member Sheila from Cambridgeshire’s
Lyons Court and Tuesday Club.
Sheila’s soup
Preparation time
10 minutes
Cooking time
15 minutes
Serves 4–6
Ingredients
1 sweet potato,
peeled and diced
1 butternut squash,
peeled, deseeded
and cubed
1 red pepper,
deseeded
and chopped
1 orange or yellow
pepper, deseeded
and cubed
Fresh or dried
coriander or basil
Black pepper
‘M
y husband loves this soup. It’s so tasty
and makes enough for a week. You’ll need
to freeze some of it.’ Sheila
This is a fresh colourful soup which, once cooled,
can be kept in the fridge until the next day or frozen
in portions. It’s quick to prepare and only needs
a chopping board and a large saucepan.
Sweet potato and butternut squash are good
alternatives to normal potatoes, having less
starch but the same thickening action. Along with
the peppers, butternut squash contains a variety
of vitamins and minerals. They can be difficult
to peel and chop, but you can buy them readily
cubed in most supermarkets.
Method
Cover the vegetables with boiling water in
the saucepan and simmer until soft.
Add a pinch of herbs and black pepper to taste.
When cooled, blend until smooth. A stick hand
blender is great for this as you can leave it in the
pan, but be careful that you don’t get splashed.
Serve with a granary roll or sprinkle some
sesame seeds on top.
Spicy fish
This recipe is a favourite of Sandra
from Age UK Newham.
Spicy fish
Preparation time
5–10 minutes
Cooking time
15–30 minutes
Serves 2
Ingredients
280g/10oz (split into
2 portions) of white fish
Half a lemon
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp olive oil
This is a protein-rich dish that can be made quickly
in a pan. If you want to slow-cook it, it can be baked
in the oven. Any firm white fish, such as cod or coley,
can be used. For more of the good essential fats
we all need, try using fresh tuna. The dish contains
lemon, garlic and spices, which may help to improve
digestion and circulation, and strengthen immunity.
Method
Place the fish on a glass dish (heat-resistant if using
the oven) and rub in the turmeric (or half the curry
powder). Place a couple of slices of lemon on top.
1–2 crushed garlic cloves Squeeze the juice from the rest of the lemon over
the fish and leave to infuse.
Black pepper to taste
In a frying pan heat the olive oil on a low heat
1 small onion
and fry the onions, garlic and chillies (if using).
finely chopped
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp paprika
Add the ground coriander, paprika and cayenne
(or the other half of the curry powder) and stir
for 1 minute.
1 tsp tamarind
or other curry paste
Add the curry paste, the water and the pieces of
coconut cream and mix until the coconut is dissolved.
½ tsp cayenne pepper
40g/1½oz low-fat
creamed coconut,
cut into pieces
150ml/5fl oz
warm water
1–2 tsp curry powder
(if not using
individual spices)
Chopped chilli
Either add the fish and juices to the pan and simmer
gently until fish is tender for about 10 minutes, or
pour contents of pan into the glass dish, cover with
a lid or foil and bake at gas mark 6/200°C/400°F
for 30 minutes.
Serve with brown basmati rice, which is a good
source of fibre and slow-energy-release
carbohydrate.
Tasty snacks on toast
Carol from Age UK York’s fit as a fiddle
project tried out these ideas with members
of York’s day clubs. They enjoyed making
and eating them together.
Tasty snacks on toast
Preparation time
5–10 minutes
Cooking time
0–5 minutes
Something on toast has always been a good
idea when you need a quick and nutritious snack.
Wholemeal toast is a good source of fibre and
slow-energy-release carbohydrates.
Topping suggestions
Scrambled eggs – Eggs are their own self-contained
little nutrition pack containing many vitamins and
minerals as well as protein, which all of us need
a small amount of each day.
Tinned sardines/pilchards/mackerel/salmon –
These are full of omega-3 oils, which support
a healthy heart and may even have an antiinflammatory effect on the rest of the body,
helping to relieve aching joints.
Cheese and tomato – Although cheese is high
in saturated fat, it is also rich in calcium for strong
bones. Have a little grated on toast with slices
of tomato.
Prawns in seafood sauce – Prawns contain zinc,
which we often have low levels of as we age.
Lack of zinc affects the appetite and sense of taste.
Avocado and hummus – For a Mediterranean
taste, why not mix some sliced avocado, which
contains good cholesterol-lowering fats, with
some hummus? Hummus is made from chickpeas,
which are a good low-fat source of protein, and
garlic, which can support the immune system.
Tuna pasta
Age UK York’s day club tried out this
recipe for a quick, nutritious lunch or tea.
Tuna pasta
Preparation time
5–10 minutes
Cooking time
25–30 minutes
Serves 1
Ingredients
340g/12oz
pasta shapes
1 medium onion
Half a tin
of condensed
tomato soup
1 small tin
of tuna (drained)
1 tbsp grated
cheddar cheese
This quick and easy meal contains tinned tuna
fish, a low-saturated-fat source of protein, which
you need to help with repair after illness or injury.
Pasta is a good source of slow-energy-release
carbohydrates, to give you energy until your
next meal.
Method
Cook the pasta in a pan of boiling water until soft.
Drain and leave.
Chop the onion and fry in a teaspoon of olive oil
until soft.
Add the soup and tuna.
Stir well and cook for 2 minutes.
Put the pasta in an ovenproof dish, pour the
tuna mix in, and sprinkle with cheese.
Crisp off in a medium-heat oven for 15 minutes.
Serve with a mixed salad or vegetables to provide
a balanced meal.
Vegetable patties
Bromley’s fit as a fiddle community
engagement project enjoyed this recipe.
Vegetable patties
Preparation time
15–20 minutes
Cooking time
15 minutes
(excluding pre-cooking
of potatoes)
Serves 4–6
Ingredients
340g/12oz potatoes,
boiled and mashed
55g/2oz each of peas,
corn, green beans,
carrots, cut into very
small pieces and boiled
55g/2oz unsalted
mixed nuts, such
as almonds, brazils,
cashews, walnuts,
coarsely crushed
115g/4oz onion
255g/9oz wholemeal
breadcrumbs
1 tsp chopped
coriander or parsley
(can used dried)
1 tsp ginger powder
(optional)
1 small green chilli
crushed (optional)
2 tbsp olive oil
This recipe contains a lot of vegetables, giving you
some of your ‘five a day’ and providing vitamins,
minerals, and anti-oxidants to support good health.
There are nuts for protein and some carbohydrates
for energy.
It takes a little preparation but makes 4–6 patties,
depending on what size you would like. You can
freeze any leftovers before frying and defrost and
cook on another day.
Method
Mix all the vegetables, nuts, herbs and spices
together in a large bowl, and add a few spoons
of breadcrumbs to help bind the mixture together.
When cool, shape the mixture into 2.5cm (1in) thick
patties and dip into the rest of the breadcrumbs to
coat them.
Heat the oil and then add the patties, cooking
for a few minutes on each side until light brown.
Serve with a crisp salad and some tomato relish
or ketchup.
Vegetable patch carrot cake
Inspired by the local schoolchildren’s vegetable
patch, Age UK South Lakeland’s The Way We Were
intergenerational project helped Langdale community
members make this tasty carrot cake.
Vegetable patch carrot cake
Preparation time
10 minutes
Cooking time
60–70 minutes
Cake ingredients
225g/8oz
self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
140g/5oz light
brown sugar
55g/2oz chopped
walnuts
115g/4oz grated carrots
2 ripe bananas
2 eggs
150ml/5fl oz
sunflower oil
1 tsp cinnamon and
½ tsp nutmeg (or use
1½ tsp mixed spice)
Topping ingredients
(optional, as sugar
content is high)
170g/6oz low-fat
cream cheese
55g/2oz low-fat
margarine
115g/4oz icing sugar
2–3 drops
vanilla essence
Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which converts
in the body to vitamin A. This has an anti-oxidant
effect, boosts immunity, and may slow down
the development of macular degeneration
and cataracts.
Method
Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/180°C/350°F.
Grease and line a deep 20cm/8in cake tin.
Mix all the cake ingredients together in a large
mixing bowl until smooth and creamy and put
into a cake tin.
Cook for about 1 hour until the cake is well risen
and shrinking away from the sides.
Allow to cool in the tin for a few minutes.
Remove cake carefully from the tin and place
it on a wire rack to cool down completely.
If requiring topping, beat together the ingredients
and smooth over the cooled cake.
Store in the fridge.