Spiced Vegetable Strudel

Some veggies and a good hit of spice all wrapped up in filo pastry- this is a real treat.

Serves 4

278 calories per serving        

1 tsp vegetable or coconut oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp nigella seeds

2 turnip, finely diced  (swede to geordies)

2 carrots, finely diced

200 g cauliflower, broken into small florets

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

10 g fresh root ginger, finely chopped

1 tbsp curry powder

100 g chickpeas, from a can, lightly crushed

Small bunch of coriander, finely choppedost

25 g reduced-calorie hard cheese, grated

5 large sheets of filo pastry

Low-cal oil spray

Heat the oil in a large frying pan.  Add the onion, mustard seeds and nigella seeds and fry for several minutes until the onion has softened.  Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and add the turnips and carrots.  Simmer them for 3 minutes, then add the cauliflower florets.  Cook for a further minute, then drain all the veg thoroughly and set them aside.

Add the garlic, ginger and curry powder to the onions in the frying pan and cook for a couple of minutes.  Add the blanched vegetables, along with the chickpeas and coriander.  Pour over 250 ml and simmer until most of the water has evaporated.  Add the grated cheese and stir until it has melted.  Remove the pan from the heat and leave the mixture to cool.

Preheat the oven to 200c/180c fan/gas 6.

Lay a sheet of filo on a large baking tray.  Spray it with low-cal oil, then place another sheet of filo on top.  Continue until you have a pile of 5 sheets, spraying with oil in between each one.  Spoon the cooled mixture down the length of the filo, just to one side of the middle.  Wet the borders and turn in the short sides.  Turn in the smallest of the long borders, then roll the filo up, leaving it seam-side down.

Spray with the low-cal oil again to help the filo brown in the oven.  Bake the strudel in the oven for about 30 minutes until it’s crisp and a light golden brown.

Hairy Biker Dieters Go Veggie