Ok, we’re getting a bit fancy here! We wanted to come up with another protein packed option using cottage cheese that was suitable for a lunch box and could be eaten hot or cold… well, we did it, here they are!

Quantity:

Makes 6 Tartlets

Cost:

€12.21 in total or €2.04 per tart

Ingredients:

For the tarts:

• 1.5 Cups of Cooked Quinoa (you will need to cook approx. 0.75 cup dry quinoa, to get 1.5 cups cooked!)
• 5 Chicken Fillets
• 1 Large Aubergine
• 1 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 400g Cottage Cheese
• 1 Large Egg
• ¼ Cup of Pine Nuts- toasted
• 10 Black Olives- stones removed and finely chopped
• 1 Pack of fresh basil
• Freshly ground pepper

For the Sauce:

• 1 Red Pepper
• ½ an Onion
• 1 Carton of Passata (500g)
• 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil

Method:

1. Heat the Oven to 175c
2. Heat up a griddle pan on a high heat
3. Put your cooked quinoa into a large mixing bowl along with your chopped olives.
4. Chop up your aubergine into small cubes and place on the griddle pan for 10-15 minutes until lightly charred. Then add to the bowl with the quinoa in it.
5. Meanwhile, place your pine nuts on a tray in the oven for 5-10 minutes until lightly toasted, then add them to the bowl with the quinoa.
6. Now place the chicken fillets on the griddle pan and cook for 10 minutes each side until charred, remove, chop into chunks and add to the bowl with the quinoa.
7. Chop up your basil and add to the bowl with the quinoa
8. Add to your blender- the egg, the cottage cheese and half of the Parmesan, plus a few grinds of pepper and blend until smooth.
9. Add your cheese sauce to the quinoa bowl and mix everything together well.
10. Now spoon the mixture between your 6 tart moulds & sprinkle the remaining Parmesan on the top.
11. Place the tarts on an oven tray and cook for 30-35 minutes until they are lightly golden on the top.
12. Whilst you are waiting for the tarts to cook, make your sauce.
13. Heat the coconut oil in a frying pan on a high heat
14. Chop your onion and pepper and add to the pan. Cook for around 10 minutes until they are soft
15. Now add in all of the passata, give it a stir, remove from the heat and allow to cool down for 10-15 minutes.
16. Add the onions, peppers and passata to your food processor/blender and blend until the sauce is smooth. This sauce should be served alongside the tarts.
17. Once the tarts are done, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool before removing them from their containers if you are using them for packed lunches… or eat straight away!

Nutritional Info:

Per tart and Sauce

Tips:

• If you don’t have silicone tart moulds like I do, you could probably make this as a ‘bake’ in a large glass dish, just make sure you grease the dish with coconut oil first, and again, allow it to cool before dividing it into portions and removing it.  I’ve not made it in a big dish myself though, so don’t blame me if it doesn’t work out!!