Celebrate summer with 3 international bites from beef satay to posh chicken and chips

When it comes to eating healthily, Very Hungry Greek proves that nutritious food doesn’t have to skimp on flavour and can truly make the soul sing.

Written by social media influencer and talented cook Christina Kynigos, the cookery book showcases 100 soul-satisfying dishes from across the globe.

With each recipe taking 30 minutes or less to create, they’re simply a breeze to rustle up in the kitchen, all going from preparation to plate in the time it would take to wait for a takeaway.

From beef skewers to salt and pepper chips and oat breakfast cookies, here are three easy-to-follow recipes to sink your teeth into.

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Satay beef skewers

SERVES 2

Ingredients

• 1 rump steak
• Low-calorie cooking spray

For the marinade

• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp cornflour

For the satay sauce

• 40ml water
• 25g peanut butter powder
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp sweetener
• 1⁄2 tsp fish sauce

Method

1. If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in hot water for a few minutes while you prepare the ingredients.
2. For the marinade, combine all the ingredients in a shallow bowl until well mixed.
3. Tenderise the rump steak by hitting it with a rolling pin, then cut into wide strips against the grain.
4. Add the beef strips to the marinade and leave for at least 10 minutes.
5. While the beef marinates, prepare the satay sauce by mixing all the ingredients together in a small saucepan.
6. Thread the beef strips onto the skewers. Spray a frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray and place on a high heat. Add the beef skewers to the pan and fry them for 2 minutes on each side.
7. Meanwhile, cook the satay sauce over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Add more water to loosen the sauce if required, and then pour it over the skewers. Serve as they are or accompanied by rice, salad and a sprinkling of chopped peanuts.

Salt and pepper chips

SERVES 2

Ingredients

• 3 chicken thigh fillets, diced
• 1 egg, beaten
• 20g cornflour
• Low-calorie cooking spray
• 1⁄2 onion, finely diced
• 1 red pepper, finely diced
• 1 green pepper, finely diced
• 1⁄2 yellow pepper, finely diced
• 1 tsp sweetener
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1⁄2 tsp Chinese five spice
• Salt and pepper
• 200g homemade chips
• 1 spring onion, sliced

Method

1. Coat the diced chicken in the beaten egg, then in the cornflour. Spray a pan with low-calorie cooking spray and then fry the chicken for 6-7 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. Using the same pan, fry the diced onion for 2-3 minutes until softened, and then add the peppers. Fry for a further few minutes, then stir in the sweetener, soy sauce, five spice and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
3. Return the chicken to the pan along with your homemade chips, making sure everything is well coated. Serve your salt and pepper chicken and chips garnished with the sliced spring onion.

Oat breakfast cookies

MAKES 4

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 medium banana
• 40g oats
• 10g chocolate chips
• 15g smooth peanut butter
• 15g syrup-style sweetener
• 1⁄4 tsp baking powder

Method

1. Mash the banana in a bowl with a fork, then mix in the rest of the ingredients.
2. Form the dough into 4 small cookies on a lined baking tray and bake in the oven at 180°C/ fan 160°C/gas mark 4 for 8-10 minutes. Let them rest until they’ve firmed up before enjoying.

Very Hungry Greek by Christina Kynigos (Meze Publishing, £20) is out now.

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