Archive for Recipes
Lower Fat Chicken Caesar Salad
Posted by: | CommentsWhen eating out, most of us are surprised at how rich Caesar salad dressing can be (and it is often high in calories).
I make this low fat version which is much lighter and healthier, but still delivers all the great flavours of a classic Caesars salad.
Ingredients
(serves two)
- 2 boneless chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 slices of wholemeal bread
- 3 heads of little gem lettuce
- 1 tin (125g) anchovy fillets in olive oil (optional)
For the dressing
- 1 small garlic clove, peeled and grated
- 2 anchovy fillets (optional – taken from tin above)
- Pepper to season
- 2 tbsp low fat natural organic yoghurt
- A squeeze of lemon juice
- 250g/1 ½ ozs freshly grated parmesan
Method
- Flatten your chicken breasts by placing them side-by-side on a chopping board and then cover with Clingfilm and hit with the bottom of a saucepan until flattened out.
- Heat a griddle pan on a high heat. Baste the chicken breasts with the olive oil and season with pepper.
- Place onto the griddle and turn down the heat. Cook for 5-10 minutes, turn over and repeat for 5-10 more minutes, or until cooked through.
- Remove from the heat and leave to rest for 5 minutes. Next, cut into slices widthways.
- Preheat a conventional oven to 200ºC (or a fan-assisted oven to 180ºC).
- To make healthy ‘croutons’, toast the bread until golden. Cut off the crusts and slice through the bread horizontally so that you are left with two sides of bread, each with one toasted side and one soft side.
- Next, place toast on a baking tray, soft-side-up, and bake for 5 minutes or until the bread has curled up and dried.
- Place the garlic, anchovy and some salt and pepper in a pestle and mortar and pound until broken into a smooth paste.
- Add the yoghurt and lemon juice gradually until combined. Stir in the parmesan and season again to taste. (Alternatively, if you don’t own a pestle and mortar, add some more lemon juice to moisten the mixture and blend in a blender).
- Drop the lettuce leaves into a bowl and mix together with the dressing. Place on a plate and top with the chicken breast and any additional anchovies.
- Break the ‘croutons’ into the salad and adds some more parmesan shavings to serve.
Warm Salad Nicoise
Posted by: | CommentsSalad nicoise, whether made at home or eaten out in a restaurant, is one of my staples.
It’s satisfying and very high in protein which will balance blood sugar levels, meaning you’re less likely to snack on unhealthy foods during the day.
Ingredients
(serves 2)
- 6 new potatoes
- 50g/2ozs green beans, trimmed
- 1 small bag (85g/3-4ozs) mixed salad leaves
- 1 can tuna (185g/7ozs), drained
- 2 hard-boiled eggs
- Small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 6 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 black olives, halved and pitted
- 20g/1oz fresh parmesan shavings
For the dressing
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp olive oil
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- Pinch of black pepper to season
Method
- Simmer the new potatoes for 5 minutes, then add the green beans and simmer for a further 4 minutes, until just tender.
- Remove new potatoes from water, allow to cool and then transfer to a refrigerator.
- Next, remove green beans from the water and chill in cold water to stop them cooking further and getting too soft, then drain well and put to one side.
- Meanwhile, prepare the dressing by blending the vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, shallots and Dijon mustard together in a small mixing bowl. Season with black pepper.
- Toss the salad leaves in the dressing, leaving a teaspoon of dressing to one side, and then split between two plates. Flake the tuna on top of the leaves.
- In a frying pan, sauté the red onion and garlic and lightly cook the tomatoes. Then add the remaining dressing and remove the mixture from the heat. Place the vegetables and the eggs on top of the salad leaves on the plate.
- Halve the potatoes and arrange them on the plate with the green beans. Add the olives to the top, sprinkle with the parmesan shavings and serve immediately.
Colourful Cous Cous Salad
Posted by: | CommentsCous cous is a wonderful grain to experiment with…and it’s so easy to make.
This salad is one of my favourites as it takes just a few minutes (with no cooking involved) and I especially love the kidney beans for a change (full of iron and cholesterol lowering fibre too!).
Ingredients
(serves 2)
- 100g/3 ½ ozs cous cous (uncooked weight)
- 150ml/5fl oz boiling water
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 small knob unsalted butter
- 1 can (400g) red kidney beans, drained
- 1 red pepper, sliced into 1 inch pieces
- 2 spring onions, chopped
- 2 plum tomatoes, diced
- 8 black olives, chopped
- 100g/3 ½ ozs raisins
- 50g/1 ¾ ozs Feta cheese, cubed
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Method
- Place cous cous in a saucepan, then add the boiling water, followed by the olive oil. Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes (without heating).
- Use a fork to separate the grains once cooled and drain off any excess water.
- Next, add the sliced peppers, spring onions, tomatoes and black olives to the cous cous and mix gently.
- Sprinkle in the raisins and then crumble the Feta cheese into the dish.
- Pour the lemon juice on top, mix all together and serve.
Warming Soups for Winter Days
Posted by: | CommentsThe following soups are very low in calories, full of nourishment and goodness. They are ideal low calorie fillers for this cold spell – recipes include Carrot, Orange and Coriander Soup, Tomato Soup, Chicken and Mushroom Soup, Vegetable Consommé and Cauliflower and Leek Soup.
Carrot, Orange and Coriander Soup
- 3 medium carrots (360g) chopped
- 1 medium onion (120g) finely chopped
- 1 chicken stock cube crumbled
- 1 orange
- 1 tablesp tomato puree
- 450 ml water
- 2 tablesp fresh coriander chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
1. Combine carrots, onion, water and stock cube in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
2. Add the grated rind and juice of 1 orange and tomato puree. Blend until smooth.
3. Return to saucepan, reheated without boiling and add chopped coriander.
Recipe of the Month – Grilled Salmon with Mango Salsa
Posted by: | CommentsThis recipe is fresh and satisfying, and is high in protein and antioxidants thanks to the three ‘superfoods’ included, namely salmon, spinach and mango.
Each portion provides just 260 Kcals and 14 g fat.
Ingredients (serves 6):
- 1 large ripe mango, peeled and cubed
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp virgin olive oil
- 2 small chillies, chopped (red for mild; g reen for extra hot!)
- Juice of half a lime
- 2 tbsp chopped watercress (plus 4 sprigs for decoration)
- Pinch of black pepper
- 4 medium salmon fi llets
- Half a lemon
- 8 handfuls of (uncooked) spinach
Roasted Winter Vegetables
Posted by: | CommentsElaine’s recipe this month is bursting with flavour and immune-boosting antioxidants.
It is an excellent source of beta-carotene and also a good source of vitamin C and fibre.
It is also extremely low in calories and will help to keep you full for longer.
Ingredients (serves 4):
- 6 garlic cloves (no need to remove outer skin)
- 3 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 9 small button mushrooms
- 9 Brussels sprouts
- 1 medium sweet potato, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tbsp olive oil or a few sprays of lo-cal spray
- Half a pint of vegetable stock
- Pinch of thyme (fresh or dried)
- Pinch of pepper, to taste
Elaine’s Recipe of the Month – Broccoli & Cannellini Bean Soup
Posted by: | CommentsElaine’s recipe this month uses broccoli, which is high in vitamin C (see above for more on vitamin C) and cannellini beans which are a great source of fibre.
This heartwarming soup will keep you full for longer while delivering plenty of nutritional benefits, including the immune boosting benefits of garlic.
Ingredients (serves 6):
- 210 g (7 oz) dried cannellini (white) beans, washed and soaked overnight
- 750 g (1 1/2 lb) broccoli, washed and chopped (use florets and stems)
- 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 120 g (4 oz) bacon, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, chopped
- Lo-salt and pepper
Method
- Drain the soaking beans and put into a saucepan with approximately 2 litres of water and slowly bring to the boil.
- Cook beans for 1 1/2 hours, then add the broccoli stems and florets and cook for about 10 minutes.
- Next, pass everything else through a foodmill (do not blend in a processor as the texture will become too thick) or, if you don’t have a foodmill in your kitchen, simply mash the ingredients with a potato masher.
- Reheat the purée and add lo-salt to taste.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan and fry the bacon and garlic until slightly golden.
- Pour the bacon and garlic into the saucepan with broccoli puree and mix well.
- Sprinkle with pepper and add a splash of cream to serve.