Recipes for diabetes: 'My two diabetes-friendly air fryer recipes perfect for a health kick'

“This beautiful dish is perfect for a light lunch or would serve four as a starter,” says food writer and restaurateur Katie Caldesi. “To bump up the protein, serve this with low-carb bread rolls or finish your meal with some Greek yogurt and berries. These also make a summery and delightful meal with the Roast Tomato Sauce below.”

Serves 2. Ingredients: 2 courgettes (approx. 400g), halved lengthways; 150g ricotta cheese; 1 egg, beaten; 20g Cheddar or other hard cheese, finely grated; 15-20 mint leaves, chopped, or 1 heaped tsp dried mint, plus extra chopped leaves to garnish; 25g pinenuts or other nuts, roughly chopped; 1tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling; 1 small onion, finely chopped; 10 cherry tomatoes, halved; Salt and pepper

Use a spoon to carefully scoop out the insides of the courgettes (keep the insides for later) leaving a boat-shaped shell of just under one centimetre thick, being careful not to make any holes. Put the courgette halves on a crisper in the drawer and air fry at 200°C for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the ricotta, egg, cheese, mint and some seasoning together in a bowl. When the courgettes are just tender and starting to lightly brown, remove them from the drawer and divide the filling between them.

Put the crisper into the drawer and place the courgettes on top, packed together. Drop the pine nuts evenly on top. Brush with two teaspoons of oil. Air fry for eight to 10 minutes until lightly browned, then set the stuffed courgettes aside and keep warm.

Finely chop the courgette insides and mix these in a bowl with the remaining teaspoon of the oil, the onion, tomatoes and some seasoning. Remove the crisper from the air fryer, then tip the mixture into the drawer, or into an ovenproof dish, and air fry at 200°C for 10 minutes until soft. Toss twice during the cooking time.

Divide the chopped courgette mixture between two plates, or one large serving plate, and arrange the stuffed courgette halves on top. Garnish with mint leaves and a swirl of olive oil.

Per serving: 362kcal/ NET CARBS 13g/ FIBRE 4g/ PROTEIN 16g/ FAT 27g

For the roast tomato sauce: “When tomatoes are in season, ripe and bursting with flavour, it’s worth making your own sauce in around 30 minutes in small batches in the air fryer. At other times, canned Italian plum tomatoes are ideal. This sauce can be made with large, small or cherry tomatoes or a mix of them all. Serve the sauce with the Stuffed Courgettes with Ricotta and Mint above, just like a tomato passata (sieved tomatoes), with eggs or tofu for a protein-packed meal.

Ingredients: 1kg ripe and very red tomatoes, quartered; 4 basil sprigs (10 leaves); 1 small onion, quartered and separated into petals; 4tbsps extra-virgin olive oil; 2 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed using the flat of a knife; Salt and pepper

Put the tomatoes, two of the basil sprigs and the onion into the air fryer drawer (with no rack) or into a silicone dish with no holes. Air fry at 170°C for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the tomatoes have released their juices and softened, shaking the drawer twice during the cooking time and making sure the onion and basil are under the tomatoes, so they don’t burn.

When the tomatoes are soft, remove the basil sprigs, then use a stick blender in the drawer, or transfer the mixture to a blender, and whizz up the tomatoes, skins and all, until you have a smooth sauce.

Put the olive oil and garlic cloves together in a clean drawer or silicone dish, then air fry at 200°C for a couple of minutes until you smell garlic. Add the tomato mixture, the remaining basil and a splash of water to dilute the sauce to a thick pouring consistency. Cook for five minutes until the mixture is hot.

Taste and season accordingly. Now it is ready to use straight away or decant into a container, then cool and store in the refrigerator for up to five days or freeze for up to three months. Defrost before use.

Air fryer Scotch eggs

“Scotch eggs were invented by Fortnum and Mason in 1738 for travellers heading west from London on train journeys,” says food writer and cookery school owner Katie Caldesi. “Scotch eggs still make the perfect food-to-go today as they are robust and filling. I love to eat them with mustard, so I try to take this along with me, too. Add herbs if your sausagemeat doesn’t already contain them.”

Makes 4. Ingredients: Extra-virgin olive oil; 400g high-meat-content sausages or sausagemeat; 2tsps finely chopped fresh or dried rosemary; 60g finely grated Parmesan, Grana Padano or Italian-style hard cheese; 60g sesame seeds; Pinch of chilli flakes (optional); 1 egg; 4 soft-boiled eggs, cooled and peeled;

Spray or brush a crisper in the drawer generously with oil. Score a line down the sausages, if using, and peel away the skins. Put the sausages or sausagemeat into a bowl and roughly divide into four portions.

To prepare the coating, mix all the dry ingredients together in another bowl. Crack and beat the egg in another bowl.

Take one portion of the sausagemeat and flatten it in your hand to just larger than your palm. Take a boiled egg and put it on the meat. Curl your hand around it and press it into a ball shape so that the egg is evenly covered with the meat. Repeat with the other portions of sausagemeat and boiled eggs. Wash and dry your hands.

Using one hand, dip each sausage-covered egg into the beaten egg to coat and then drop it into the dry mixture. Use the other hand to tip the bowl from side to side to coat the wet ball. Use the same dry hand to roll it around so that it is evenly coated. Lay the Scotch egg on a large plate and then repeat with the remaining sausage-covered eggs.

The Scotch eggs are best double-dipped to create a thicker, crisper coating, so take each one and repeat the process above, returning them to the plate.

Spray with oil from the top and put them, spaced apart, oil-side down, on the crisper. Spray the tops with oil.

Air fry at 200°C for seven minutes, or until richly golden brown. Turn the eggs and continue to cook for five to seven minutes until richly golden brown all over.

Remove from the drawer and serve straight away or allow to cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator for up to two days.