Delicious Watercress Recipes Packed with Fibre and Nutrients

Over the last few years, protein has been top dog, but now there’s a new ‘must have’ ingredient on the block and it’s something we’re all familiar with – fibre!

Fibre-rich foods have their own health credentials including reduced risk of heart disease and stroke, but interest in fibre is being driven by something more: the continued consumer fascination with gut health and the remarkable impact of GLP-1 weight loss drugs.  While protein intake at each meal is important when taking GLP1-RA drugs, ensuring your plate is nutrient rich with varied sources of fibre is also important, especially for its impact on your gut health.

Officially an adult should eat 30g of fibre a day but very few of us are meeting that fibre target.  To help change this, The Watercress Company are sharing a range of fibre-rich dishes to help, and the key ingredient is, of course, watercress.  Watercress is a source of fibre but is also the most nutrient dense vegetable available according to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. In their score card of nutrient density, watercress scores an impressive perfect 100. Worldwide it is being cited as the healthiest veg you can eat.

By combining watercress with a raft of other ingredients that are truly fibrous (wholegrains, vegetables, nuts, seeds, pulses & legumes) you can boost your fibre intake and make sure your meals are nutrient dense too. Just what the doctor ordered!

Slow Cooker Chunky Chilli with Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes in their skins are rich in fibre as are kidney beans and watercress, but combined with protein rich beef, you have a deliciously nutritious dish.

Serves 2

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: Hours – unattended!

(serving size 925g)	100g	Serving
Protein (g)	5.6	52
Fibre (g)	2.6	24

Ingredients

• 250g Diced Beef or Beef Strips
• 2 tins chopped Tomatoes
• 2tbsp BBQ Sauce
• 1tbsp Oregano
• 1tsp Paprika
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 1 tin Kidney Beans
• 1tsp Chilli Flakes
• 80g Watercress
• 2 Sweet Potatoes
• Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper

Method

1. In a small frying pan, brown the beef and onions quickly. Add them to the slow cooker along with the tomatoes, BBQ sauce, kidney beans and spices. Leave on a low heat all day while you get on with other things.
2. In the evening, heat the oven to 200° and rub the potatoes in a little oil with salt and pepper. Bake them for around 45mins, until they are cooked through (this can be done in the microwave in about 10 minutes, but you don’t get the crispy skins!)
3. Before serving, add the watercress to the chilli and stir through. Serve the chilli over the baked potatoes.

You can top this chilli with your favourites, we love sour cream and chives, but you could also add some avocado for extra nutrients!

Italian Bean Salad with Basil, Watercress, Carrot, Croutons and lashings of Olive Oil

Fibrous beans, watercress and carrot (clean the carrot, don’t peel as the skin is packed with nutrition) are deliciously combined in this fresh and crunchy salad

Serves 2

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 0 minutes

(serving size 343g)	100g	Serving
Protein (g)	6	21
Fibre (g)	5.1	18

Ingredients

• 1 tin beans such as borlotti, butter or cannellini
• 85g watercress
• Fresh basil leaves
• 1 large carrot
• Croutons (either half bag store bought or make your own)
• Olive oil
• Sea Salt
• Cracked Black Pepper
• Grated hard cheese, like Grana Padano

If making your own croutons, chop some slightly stale bread into small chunks and put them on a baking tray – drizzle with olive oil and any seasoning you like. Bake in a medium oven for around 10 minutes, or until golden & crispy.

Method

1. Drain and rinse the beans.
2. Cut the carrot in half to make two shorter lengths, then using a vegetable peeler cut it into ribbons.
3. Roughly chop the basil leaves. Toss them with the beans, carrot and watercress to combine.
4. Scatter the croutons on top, drizzle everything with a good amount of olive oil, sprinkle on some grated hard cheese and plenty of salt and pepper.

Lentils are renowned for their fibre content so with them and watercress, rocket and spinach as the key ingredients, you’ll be well on your way to achieving the 30g target – especially if you change the white rice to brown’ or even mix brown rice with quinoa to really increase the taste, protein quotient and fibre variety!

Serves 4

Prep time:        10 mins

Cooking time: 25mins

(serving size 440g)		100g		Serving
Protein (g)		4.8		21
Fibre (g)		2.6		11

Ingredients

• 250g Lentils
• 400g Chopped Tomatoes
• 400ml Coconut Milk
• 80g bag Watercress, Spinach & Rocket, chopped
• 300g White Rice
• 2tbsp Curry Powder
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 125g cashew nuts, finely chopped
• Oil

This recipe can be adapted to taste – if you prefer things a little spicier, use a hot curry powder or add some chilli flakes.

Method

1. In a deep-frying pan, gently fry the red onion in a little oil until soft. Add the curry powder and the lentils, allowing them to soak up any leftover oil and plenty of flavour.
2. Add the chopped tomatoes and coconut milk and allow to simmer for about 15 mins.
3. Meanwhile cook your rice as you usually would.
4. Add the chopped salad leaves to the dhal and allow to wilt while you plate your rice, finally mix in the chopped cashews for added crunch, then serve and enjoy!

This can be frozen and reheated to enjoy later – whether you are saving leftovers or batch cooking.

Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower with Puy Lentils, Halloumi and Watercress

Broccoli, cauliflower, lentils, tomatoes and watercress provide a fibrous punch with delicious salty halloumi to finish off with a protein-rich kick.

Serves 6

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

(serving size 457g)	100g	Serving
Protein (g)	6.8	31
Fibre (g)	2.3	11

Ingredients

• 1 head broccoli
• 1 head cauliflower
• 2 tsp Moroccan spice mix
• 2 x 85g bags watercress
• 2 packs halloumi
• 1 punnet cherry tomatoes
• 1 pouch cooked puy lentils
• 1 lemon
• 100g walnuts
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 bunch chopped parsley
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.  Cut the broccoli and cauliflower into chunky florets and discard the leaves and any woody stalks.  Place into a large roasting tray, then sprinkle with the Moroccan spice mix, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.  Place into the oven and roast for 15 minutes, or until the veg is slightly charred around the edges.
2. Cut the halloumi into thick slices, then place a frying pan over a medium-high heat and add in a drizzle of olive oil.  Once the pan is hot, fry the halloumi for a minute or two on either side, cooking in batches if necessary.  Set aside the cooked halloumi on a plate covered with foil to keep warm until you are ready to serve.  In the same pan, throw in the walnuts and toasted for a few minutes.  Pour in the honey and cook together with the nuts until caramelised.  Be careful not to burn the honey!
3. Halve the cherry tomatoes.  Remove the broccoli and cauliflower from the oven and squeeze over the juice of a whole lemon, using your hand to catch any pips. 
4. Get a large bowl and toss together the watercress, tomatoes, parsley, lentils and roasted veg before piling onto a large serving platter or onto individual plates.  Arrange the fried halloumi on top, then dot over the caramelised walnuts and drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle over some salt and black pepper and serve!

Za’atar Charred Broccoli & Watercress Salad with Pomegranate and Roasted Buckwheat (VEGAN)

With two powerhouses of fibre buckwheat and lentils combined with watercress and broccoli, this dish is high in fibre and flavour complimented by the spiced pomegranate dressing – delicious!

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 30mins

Cooking Time: 30mins

(serving size 272g)		100g		Serving
Protein (g)		6.5		18
Fibre (g)		3.8		10

Ingredients:

Spiced Pomegranate Dressing:

• 3tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1 tbsp Pomegranate Molasses
• 1/8 tsp Cinnamon, ground
• 1/8 tsp Cardamom, ground
• Salt & Pepper to season

Roasted Buckwheat:

• 50g Buckwheat Groats (available online or large supermarkets)

Salad:

• 200g Watercress
• 125g Pomegranate Seeds
• 200g Tenderstem Broccoli
• 1 red Onion, cut into chunks
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 tsp Za’atar
• 2 tsp Chilli Flakes
• 1 tsp Malden Salt Flakes
• 1 Lemon, zest
• ½ Bunch Chopped Parsley
• 200g Cooked Brown Lentils (available in a pouch)

Method:

1. Preheat oven 160C. Spread the buckwheat in a single layer on a baking tray and roast for 15-20 minutes or until nutty and golden. Remove and allow to cool. Increase the oven 200C
2. Lay the broccoli on a lined baking tray with the onion. Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with the za’atar, lemon, chili and salt. Roast for 15-20 minutes or until beginning to char. Set aside.
3. Combine all the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well to combine.
4. Tumble the broccoli and all the cooking juices into a bowl. Mix in the lentils and parsley.
5. Lay the watercress on a platter and drizzle with a little dressing. Top with the lentil mixture and drizzle with some more of the dressing. Finally, top with the pomegranate and roasted buckwheat. Serve at room temperature with extra dressing on the side.

Cabbage Medley Salad with Watercress, Carrot, Creamy Mustard Dressing and Sunflower Seeds

Fibre rich cabbage, watercress, carrot and sunflower seeds – your gut will love you!

Serves 2

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 0 minutes

(serving size 680g)	100g	Serving
Protein (g)	1.3	9
Fibre (g)	2.7	18

Ingredients

• ½ each red & white cabbage
• 85g watercress
• 1 carrot
• Sunflower seeds

For the dressing:

• 4tbsp olive oil
• 2tbs mayo
• 1tbsp mustard
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Method

1. Roughly chop your cabbage. Using a vegetable peeler, cut the carrot into ribbons.
2. Mix the ingredients for the dressing – season to taste
3. Toss the watercress, cabbage and carrot together, assemble on a plate before drizzling with dressing and sprinkling with sunflower seeds.

Try to hit that illusive 30g/day fibre target with these delicious recipes, fibre rich with the added impact of watercress for nutrient density.

To find out more about watercress and its health benefits visit www.thewatercresscompany.co.uk or view this great video.  For more inspiring recipes, visit www.watercress.co.uk or join us at the Alresford Watercress Festival on Sunday 17 May and help us celebrate the start of the UK watercress season.

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