Ingredients
1 ripe banana, mashed
2 tbsp nut butter
2 tbsp golden syrup
Vanilla essence
(Optional, 1 tsp cinnamon)
1 cup trim milk
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup allbran
1/2 cup sultanas
Method
Mix nut butter, banana, milk, golden syrup and vanilla essence together.
Add in oats, allbran, and sultanas and stir to coat
Spoon into greased muffin tin (makes 10 muffins)
Bake in a moderate oven (170oC) for 20 mins.
Each muffin is approx 150 cal or 630 kj
Serves 1
Ingredients
I egg
1 cup baby rocket
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Seasoning to taste, I used Tuscan seasoning, a little black pepper is just as good.
Method
In a small non stick pan, wilt the rocket with the Worcestershire sauce.
Add the egg and stir briefly to break it up and coat the rocket
After a minute, flip the eggy rocket, it is a bit like a pancake at this stage, and turn the pan off.
Spread a tsp of lite mayonnaise on your favourite toast instead of margarine to give it an eggs benedict twist. Top with the egg and rocket and season to taste.
Cooked breakfast in less than 10 minutes.
930 kj
Yum!
Inspired by Healthy Food Guide, issue April 2011
Serves 1
Ingredients
1 small skinless chicken breast 130-150g
20 g lite cheese
1/2 tomato sliced
Fresh Herbs. The recipe calls for basil, I used coriander which was delicious.
2 cups stir fry vegetables of your choice. I used 1 portobello mushroom, 2 large cauliflower florets and three large silver beet leaves
Cooking spray
1/2 tsp curry powder or other seasoning to compliment the herb you are using.
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp soy sauce ( with curry and coriander or Worcestershire sauce if using basil and Tuscan seasoning )
1/4 cup water
Method
Preheat oven to 180C
Slice chicken breast length wise and stuff with tomato slices, cheese and herb leaves. Hold the chicken together with toothpicks. In a non stick pan spray a little cooking spray and brown the chicken for 1-2 minutes on each side. Put the chicken in a small baking dish and cook for 20-25 mins or until juices run clear.
While chicken is baking cut up garlic and vegetables. Spray the pan with cooking spray and start cooking the vegetables, adding from hardest to softest and keeping the pan fairly hot. Add in the seasoning, sauce and water you are using and cook vegetables until desired tenderness is achieved. The water should have reduced to a nice glaze on the vegetables.
Serve the chicken and vegetables on a warmed plate and enjoy.
For the meal pictured, chicken portion, 1190 kj
Complete meal, 1479 kj
I always have trouble using my cucumbers fast enough. Especially in the winter when I'm not so keen on salad every day. Here is a way to extend the life of your fresh cucumber. I learnt it from a dear friend many years ago. She told me it is a traditional Hungarian dish.
Ingredients
Cucumber, preferable telegraph so you don't have to peel it, but any kind you have works well.
Vinegar, my favourite is cider vinegar but I have used malt, white, and red wine vinegars too.
Crushed garlic, pre made or fresh squeezed
Sugar.
Water
Method
In a suitable sized jar mix vinegar and water. I like a one third to two thirds ratio, eg I cup vinegar to 2 cups water, but juggle it to a taste you like.
Stir in some garlic and sugar. My friend used equal measures but I find that too sweet. I would use 2 tsp minced garlic to one tsp sugar. Again juggle it to find out which mix you like best.
Prepare the cucumber by peeling, if required, and scoring down the length of the cucumber with a fork. This allows the pickle to penetrate easily. Then slice. The thickness depends on your taste and the intended use. Sandwich cucumbers thinner, salads, a little thicker, to add to a snack tray... Chunky is nice.
Put the cucumber slices into the jar with the pickling juice. Store in the fridge and use whenever you are ready. Always put a lid on them though to prevent the fragrance tainting other food in the fridge. They will keep for several days, but because they are not heat treated they will not last for as long as cooked pickles.
My children liked to eat them out of the jar after school. A healthy treat.
Some delicious pickled cucumber with my salad.
Ingredients
1 large onion, chopped
5-6 button mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp Tuscan seasoning
5-6 marinated pepper dew peppers or a red chilli, chopped
350 g smoked fish, flaked (I used some beautiful smoked marlin that we had been given)
3 cups of pumpkin, cut into chunky cubes
Dressing
100 ml natural unsweetened yoghurt
1 tbsp lite mayonnaise
2 tbsp lemon juice
Black pepper
Method
Boil pumpkin for 10-15 mins until tender
Meanwhile make the dressing by combining the four ingredients and leaving to stand.
In a deep non stick pan sauté onion and mushrooms in the oil until they begin to soften.
Add the Tuscan seasoning and pepper dews.
Once mixed, add the smoked fish, stir frequently.
Drain the pumpkin and stir into the fish mixture.
Remove from heat. Either stir the dressing through the mix or drizzle over once the meal is served.
Serve with a lettuce and tomato salad.
Serves 4
Approx 1200 kj for a serving of the fish with dressing. Add 130-150 kj per serving of salad.
1340kj for the meal pictured above.
Ingredients
100g Pumpkin
1 small or half a medium beet root
3 tsp reduced fat basil pesto
100g of other stir fry style vegetables, fresh or frozen
1 tsp oil or oil spray
120-150g fresh salmon. I used salmon loins which have the bones removed
Dressing
Juice from 1/2 small lemon
1 tbsp natural unsweetened yoghurt
1 tsp lite mayonnaise
Freshly ground black pepper
Method
Preheat oven to 180C
Chop pumpkin and beetroot into cubes and rub with 2 tsp of the basil pesto. Bake for 10-15 minutes.
Next lay the stir fry vegetables over the partially cooked vegetables and sprinkle with oil or spray. Lay the salmon on top of that and spread the last tsp of basil pesto over the fish.
Bake for a further 30 minutes.
Prepare the dressing by combining the four ingredients in a small bowl and leave for the flavours to develop.
Prepare a steamed green vegetable to accompany, I cooked two small wedges of baby cabbage ( about 100g ) for two minutes in the microwave.
Put the vegetables and fish on a warmed plate and drizzle the dressing over. Add more lemon and black pepper if desired but I found the balance quite good without the extra.
This makes one generous dinner for 2150kg
I have done this previously with potatoes, kumara and yams as the base which tastes fabulous but they are higher in calories.
It also works well with a white fish instead of salmon, but add it a little later as the baking time is less.
Initially inspired by a Healthy food guide recipe issue, February 2012.
Ingredients
1 large leek, finely chopped
2 tsp oil
2 tsp smoked garlic seasoning
2 large celery stalks, sliced
3 beef oxo cubes
2 carrots, chopped
5-6 portobello mushrooms, chopped
3-4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Method
Sauté leek and garlic in the oil until they begin to soften.
Add 2 litres of water, stock cubes, celery, carrots and mushrooms.
Bring to the boil then simmer for 30-40 minutes
Makes 6 servings (approx 2 cups per serve)
220kj per serve
Based on the healthy food guide recipe, issue July 2013. So fast, so delicious and deceptively filling.
To serve 1
Ingredients
1 tsp oil
1 tsp minced ginger
1 red chilli or 2 marinated pepper dews finely sliced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 large celery stalk, sliced
1 1/2 cups shredded silverbeet
1 20g packet of cashew nuts
1/2 tsp Chinese five spice
1-2 tsp soy sauce
Method
Heat oil in a non stick pan. Add ginger chilli mushrooms and celery. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add silver beet and cook for 2-3 minutes
Add cashews, five spice and soy sauce. Toss until heated through and flavours mixed.
Serve immediately. 950 kj
Add a serving of rice or noodles if desired.
I bought some smoked garlic seasoning at a food and craft fare today and thought I would give it a go with the cabbage I had left in my vegetable box this week. I didn't take a photo but it tasted so good I had to jot down the recipe
Ingredients
1 large red onion sliced into half rings
4-5 mushrooms sliced
1 tsp smoked garlic seasoning
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 large wedge of cabbage chopped
1 bunch of kale, spinach or silver beet chopped
1 400g tin of tomatoes
Method
In a non stick pan start cooking onion, mushrooms and garlic seasoning with a little oil or stock.
Add Worcestershire sauce, cabbage and kale, stir to blend flavours
Add tomatoes and simmer until the vegetables reach your preferred tenderness.
Serves 2 generously. 1012 kj or 241 cal per serve
Ingredients
1 egg
Half tomato
Half - 1 cup mung bean sprouts
Seasoning, I used Tuscan herbs and black pepper
Method
In a small bowl beat the egg with the seasoning. Stir the mung beans into the egg mix.
In a small non stick pan, spray lightly with cooking spray. Put in thick slices of tomato. Spoon the mung beans into 3-4 little piles in the hot pan and share any remaining egg mix between them.
Flip the tomatoes and mung bean nests after a few minutes. Cook until the egg has set, another few minutes should do it. Serve on whole grain toast.
Yum! Serves 1
304 cal or 1277 kj ( with 10 g olivani lite spread on toast )
This takes a little longer to cook but it is so delicious it is worth the effort. It is adapted from a recipe found in Healthy Food Guide magazine, June 2013 issue.
Ingredients
1 carrot, chopped into chunky slices
1 medium red onion, in wedges
1 or 2 capsicums in large pieces with seeds removed
1 or 2 courgettes or a small eggplant chopped into chunky pieces
150 ml vegetable stock
2 large tomatoes quartered
6 - 8 brussel sprouts halved and blanched for 3-4 minutes
Seasoning ....
2 kaffir lime leaves
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 chilli or 1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes
1 tsp green curry paste
1 tsp minced ginger or grated ginger root
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp oil ( optional )
Method
Preheat the oven to 160 C
Place carrot, capsicum, onion and courgette in a single layer in a shallow casserole dish or small oven dish.
Pour stock over the vegetables and place in the centre of the oven for 40 minutes, turning vegetables half way through.
Meanwhile prepare the tomatoes and brussel sprouts. Blend the seasoning ingredients either in a small processor, mortar and pestle, or the way I did it, chopping and mixing by hand.
Add the tomatoes, sprouts and seasoning to the roasting pan turning until the vegetables are thoroughly coated. Pop back into the oven and roast for a further 10-15 minutes.
Serves two
Calories without oil 125 cal or 525 kj
Add an extra 40 cal or 168 kj with the oil included.
Ingredients
4-6 Portobello mushrooms
Medium carrot
Half of a red onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 tomato
3-4 pepper dew peppers (they are marinated in vinegar)
Tuscan seasoning
Method
Pre-heat oven to 160 C
Put all of the ingredients except the mushrooms into a food processor. Blend into a chunky pulp.
Spray cooking spray into a low sided casserole dish. Place the mushrooms cup side up into the dish.
Spoon the carrot mix into the mushroom caps and press into a patty shape.
Bake for 40 minutes
Serve with your choice of green vegetable if you are not keen on Brussels sprouts. If you want to give them a shot, here a few tips to have them tasting fantastic instead of soggy and bitter like you remember from childhood.
Prepare the Brussels sprouts by trimming the stem and tough or damaged outer leaves ( usually just 2 or 3 leaves need to be removed.) Cross the stem end of the sprout with a sharp knife, at least a third of the way down, as pictured.
Bring some water to the boil in a small pan then add the sprouts. Do not over cook!!! Boil for about 5 minutes. The sprouts should still be bright green outside. The deep crosses allow the inside of the sprouts to also cook quickly keeping them tender but crisp and tasting slightly nutty not bitter.
When serving the vegetables, dribble the mushroom liquid over the greens.
Two stuffed mushrooms and five Brussels sprouts is approximately 140 calories or 588 kj
Left over Asian style greens. Approximately 100 kj
Lite flavoured tuna. 330kj
1 slice of whole grain toast. 390kj
Total breakfast 820 kj
This recipe only takes 15-20 minutes from start to finish. If you are fast with the knife, you can chop and add the vegetables as you go making it even faster.
Ingredients
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
2 celery stalks
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
A wedge of cabbage roughly chopped
1 cup water
1 oxo chicken stock cube
2-3 shanghai Pak choy or similar roughly chopped
1-2 tsp sweet chili sauce
Method
Add onion, garlic, celery, ginger and oil to a wok or non-stick pan. Sauté for two or three minutes.
Add soy sauce and stir briefly to coat vegetables.
Add water, stock cube and cabbage. Cook for a further five minutes stirring frequently.
Add the roughly chopped Pak choi and cook for a further three or four minutes, until the green tops begin to wilt.
If using, stir in the sweet chili sauce.
Serve immediately. Serves 2
If you keep the vegetables fairly chunky, this meal is fun to eat with chopsticks. Slows you down a bit and helps to appreciate the flavours.
I didn't take a photo of this one but it tasted so good I thought I would throw it in.
I don't like celery that much so this was a great way to 'hide' them.
Ingredients
1 onion, finely chopped
2 large celery sticks, finely chopped
1tsp garlic pulp
Half a head of broccoli, thinly sliced, including the stems
1 chicken stock cube ( I used massels stock as they are gluten and dairy free but they are stronger tasting than oxo cubes)
Dried chili flakes to taste
500-600 mls water
Method
Sauté onion, garlic and celery until they begin to soften
Add stock, chili, water and broccoli. Simmer until vegetables reach the required softness.
Serves 2-3
Very low calorie
Ingredients
1 onion, sliced
1 wedge of cabbage, shredded
1-2 tsp Moroccan seasoning
1 can Moroccan flavoured tomatoes
Method
In a nonstick pan sauté onions.
Add seasoning and heat through. 1-2 minutes
Add chopped cabbage and stir to coat with the seasoning.
Add tinned tomatoes and simmer until the cabbage reaches your preferred level of softness
2 generous servings
This would also taste nice as a filling for baked mushrooms.
Ingredients
Large wedge of cabbage shredded
One onion
One carrot
Extra greens such as spring onions, spinach, silver beet etc
3-4 mushrooms
1 small capsicum
1-2 tsp hot curry powder
1 vegetable stock cube
1 cup water
Method
Sauté onion and carrot, either in a non stick pan or with a little oil. Add the curry powder and heat through, 1-2 minutes. Add stock and water keeping the heat fairly high. Add the rest of the vegetables in order of hardness for cooking time, eg cabbage then capsicum then silver beet etc.
Keep simmering at a high heat to reduce the liquid. Once the extra liquid has evaporated serve immediately. For an extra flavour hit sprinkle fresh, finely chopped coriander leaves on top before serving.
I used red cabbage for this attempt, it needs longer to cook than white or green cabbage but I think the flavours will work equally well with either.
I found the recipe for these on Pinterest, thanks to Rosemarried from Portland.
Ingredients
15-20 Brussels sprouts
1 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp olive oil
Black pepper to taste
Method
Put the sprouts untrimmed into boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Drain and then quickly cool with cold water.
Combine the other four ingredients to make the marinade.
Trim the stalk and any outer leaves that are blemished then toss the Brussels sprouts through the marinade until thoroughly coated. The original recipe called for a 30 minute standing time which I did, but I'm not sure how much it added to the flavour.
Thread onto bamboo skewers and grill on a BBQ or under the grill for 3-5 minutes. It was a rainy day today so I went with the indoor grill.
I estimate there are approximately 31 cal (130kj) for each skewer with 4 sprouts per skewer.
My husband loved these but I found the mustard too strong for the sprouts. The sprouts were cooked perfectly, crunchy yet tender, not over cooked and bitter. I will definitely be trying this again but I will try a different marinade next time. I'll keep you posted.
I had a go at the lettuce roll ups as a change from the everyday salad. They were delicious and more fun to eat than a bowl full.
I mixed a tsp of lite mayonnaise and a tsp of chili sauce. I spread a bit of this inside four iceberg lettuce leaves.
I prepared the vegetables by making ribbons with a potato peeler. It makes them easier to bite in the roll up.
I used a zucchini, carrot, a little finely sliced red onion, and a few cherry tomatoes sliced into 3-4 pieces.
I piled the vegetables into the lettuce leaves. Two lettuce cups is about two cups of vegetables.
Roll the lettuce up and enjoy! Easy to eat and no fork required.
If you didn't want to use mayonnaise you could toss some lite dressing through the vegetable ribbons before piling them into the lettuce cups.
Roasties
Cut up vegetables like beetroot, carrot, swede or capsicum.
Put 1 tsp oil and seasoning such as tuscan in a plastic bag. Put the chopped vegetables in the bag, altogether or in separate lots if you want to dish them separately.
Spread the vegetables on a baking tray and bake at 150 degrees for 30-40 minutes.
Greens
1 small onion
Wedge of cabbage, chopped
Baby spinach, torn
Garlic to taste
1 tbsp chow chow
In a non stick pan, start with the onion and garlic. When half cooked add the cabbage, then a little after that the spinach. When the spinach has wilted stir through the chow chow.
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 cup shredded lettuce
4 slices telegraph cucumber
1/4 cup capsicum
4 cherry tomatoes
1tbsp finely sliced red onion
5 slices beetroot
1 tsp lite mayonnaise
I purposely chop or slice vegetables quite small so that you can have 2 or 3 items in a small bite. If the vegetables are chopped too finely I find I tend to scoop it up and eat faster.
Combine ingredients in a bowl and enjoy.
Serves 1
100 cal
420 kj
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