Asparagus & Chicken Soup - 133 Calories per serve

Asparagus & Chicken Soup - 133 Calories per serve

Serves: 8 ( 144 Calories per serve - Approx 2 cups per serve)
Total calories per recipe: 1064

Preparation Time: 10 minutes. 

INGREDIENTS

Light spray Coconut or olive oil - 10 calories

100g large onions - 27 calories

3 garlic cloves - 15 calories

440g chicken breast fillets (all skin & fat removed) - 462 calories

3 x 340g tins asparagus spears (drained) - 117 calories

200g grated carrot - 60 calories

4 Massel chicken stock cubes - 120 calories

220g can sliced mushroom in butter sauce - 70 calories

70g pearl barley - 223 calories

30g dried grated Parmesan cheese - 141 calories

100g Low Fat Ricotta - 34 calories

14 cups water

Freshly ground salt and pepper (to taste)

1 teaspoon. Olive oil - 45 calories

1 1/2 teaspoons (5g) Guar gum (Xanthan gum) - 10 calories

METHOD

• Dice onion or use frozen diced onion.
• Finely dice chicken breasts and set aside. Grate carrot and place in heat proof bowl and add stock cubes.
• Finely chop asparagus and add to carrots.
• Boil 4 cups of water and add to grated carrot to dissolve the stock cubes.
• Combine olive oil and Guar gum well in small bowl and set aside.
• Lightly spray large saucepan with coconut or olive oil. Add garlic and onion and cook I minute.
• Add chicken to onion mix and cook stirring until meat is sealed.
• On medium heat add stock and carrot asparagus mixture to saucepan and stir.
• Boil remaining 10 cups of water and pour into saucepan.
• Add mushrooms, barley, Parmesan and ricotta and stir well.
• Bring to the boil then lower the heat to simmer for 20 minutes.
• Add oil and Guar gum mixture, slowly drizzling it into the mixture as you stir to thicken.
• Cook for a further 5-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve with fresh herbs if desired.

Tuna & Cheese Bake - Under 300 Calories

Tuna & Cheese Bake (Ignore the garlic toast at the back. That was for hubby)

Serves: 3-4 (197-263 Calories per serve)

Preparation Time: 15 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

60g Light Ricotta - 61 calories

185g tin Tuna in springwater (drained) - 144 calories

40g Mushrooms - 10 calories

100g Carrots - 30 calories

25g onion - 7 calories

400g Zucchini - 48 calories

25g Potato flour - 80 calories

50g corn kennels - 105 calories

4 egg whites - 60 calories

30g Ground almonds - 174 calories

10g Parmesan cheese - 39 Calories

Coconut or olive oil spray - 30 calories

METHOD

• Prepare baking tray with light spray of coconut or olive oil.
• Dice mushrooms and grate carrot and zucchini.
• Add all ingredients except for almonds in bowl and mix throughly.
• Sprinkle with ground almonds.
• Bake in moderate oven 30 minutes or until cooked through.
  
  NOTES:
  This is a high protein dish. Serve it on a bed of light green salad and tomatoes. (add calories)

Sunny Chickpea Salad - 167 Calories per serve

Sunny Chickpea Salad - 167 Calories per serve

Serves: 4 (167 Calories per serve )
Total calories per recipe: 667

INGREDIENTS
200g Seafood salad extender - 190 calories
400g Canned Chickpeas (drained) - 328 calories
4 Cups Asian lettuce Salad Mix - 40 calories
50g Yellow capsicum - 10 calories
200g Continental cucumber (skin on) - 20 calories

DRESSING:
50g Low-Fat Yogurt - 44 calories
20g Dijon Mustard - 25 calories
1/2 lemon - 10 calories

METHOD
Wash Asian mix and divide onto plates.
Roughly chop seafood salad and place into large bowl.
Slice cucumber on angle and cut slices in half. Seed and chop capsicum.
In a mug or small container mix together yogurt and mustard until well combined.
Place seafood, chickpeas, capsicum and cucumber in a bowl and stir through dressing.
Divided mixture onto Asian lettuce and add a squeeze of lemon juice to serve.

NOTES:

I recommend you don’t skip the last step. The lemon juice is important for the taste of this dish.
Remember to drink water!

SEAFOOD STIR-FRY WITH LENTILS - 308 Calories

SEAFOOD STIR-FRY WITH LENTILS - 308 Calories

SEAFOOD STIR-FRY WITH LENTILS - 308 Calories

Serves: 6 (308 Calories per serve - approximately 79 Calories per 100g)
Total calories per recipe: 1911

Preparation Time: 10 minutes.

INGREDIENTS
420g Yellow capsicum & or yellow peppers - 90 calories
200g Carrots - 10 calories
300g Zucchini - 36 calories
820g Seafood salad extender - 805 calories
400g Can of brown lentils (drained) - 292 calories
400g Can of corn kernels (drained) - 292 calories
300g Frozen sliced beans - 120 calories
60g Fish sauce - 34 calories
60g Oyster sauce - 90 calories
1 teaspoon Sesame oil - 45 calories
1 tbsp. Grated fresh ginger - 5 calories

METHOD
Wash and roughly chop peppers, carrots and zucchini into small pieces. Add beans, stir and set aside.
Roughly chop seafood salad and place into large bowl.
Drain lentils and corn and add to seafood.
In a mug or small container mix together sauces and oil.
Heat no-stick wok or fry-pan and add vegetables, frying until cooked.
Add seafood, lentils and corn and heat through.
Lastly add sauce mixture and stir though. Divided mixture into 6 potions and serve.

NOTES:
SEAFOOD SALAD:
I buy the blank label 1kg packets of Seafood Salad in the frozen section of the supermarket and keep in the freezer for convenience.

LEMON POPPY SEED MUFFINS – 87 Calories each

LEMON POPPY SEED MUFFINS
Great for a sweet treat or the kid's lunch box. Only 87 Calories each!

87 calories each. Makes 43 small muffins.
Total recipe = 3747 calories (Halve recipe for a smaller batch)

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups S.R flour – 1110 calories
2 cups Wholemeal Pain flour – 980 calories
4 tsp. baking powder – 20 calories
4 tbsps. poppy seeds – 180 calories
¹/₂ cup brown sugar – 480 calories
4 heaped tsp. No egg (egg replacer) – 20 calories (if using real eggs add extra cals)
2 tsp. vanilla extract – 10 calories
2 cups low-fat milk – 260 calories 
¹/₄ cup canola oil – 550 calories
200ml freshly squeezed lemon juice – 52 calories
Ground cinnamon
Baking spray – 85 calorie allowance for oiling – omit if you use paper patty pans.
 

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 160 degrees on fan forced setting. Sparingly spray non-stick muffin baking tins or lay out paper pans.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together both flours, baking powder, and add poppy seeds.

In another mixing bowl, whisk together brown sugar, no-eggs, vanilla, milk, oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice.

Using a rubber spatula, fold the wet ingredients into the dry, just enough to combine. The batter will be very fluffy.

Divide the batter among the muffin cups with a heaped dessert spoon and dust with cinnamon. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out dry. Cool on a wire rack.
 

RECIPE TIPS:

• Reduce calories by replacing flour with stoneground flour. Stoneground = 280 Calories per 140g (cup) compared to wholemeal at 490 calories. 
• If you like a stronger lemon flavour add 1 tsp. lemon essence. (We prefer more natural ingredients) 
• Replace lemon zest and juice with orange for a change. 
• Freeze small batches to avoid picking at these yummy treats. 
• They are ideal for kid’s lunch boxes. 
• Replace oil with butter if you don’t want to use trans fats at all. Try near equivalent calories – 75g butter. (I plan to do this in future)

CHEESY RYE SNACK - 70-98 Calories per snack

Use sheets of mountain bread or pita bread as savoury snacks with a light dip. Mountain bread is the lightest. 1/2 sheet sprinkled with garlic powder, baked in the oven until crisp on baking paper and no oil will give you a treat at around 70 Calories. I use Rye mountains bread.

• A light sprinkle of grated parmesan is very tasty. Add 10 grams per ½ sheet for a snack of 98 Calories. 
• Try a thin layer of tomato paste and herbs for a pizza style chips and low calories. 
• Hot and spicey: A light spray with water and dust with chilli powder (don't breath it in!)
•  Use plain nacho chips in this recipe: Mild Spinach Nacho Treat Meal

See how the kids can get in volved HERE

BIG FILLING CHOC FRUIT MUFFINS - 200 Calories each

BIG FILLING CHOC FRUIT MUFFINS
I created these to substitute my hubby's choc muffin fetish. He would stop off to grab a 600-700 Calorie muffin 3 days a week. As he is training I made these after some "sweetness" tweaking and he is happier and healthier. It is not the same as a double choc giant muffin but they are pretty tasty and an easy swap. Sorry the dark chocolate pictured on the plate is not included. Eat that and you can add another 50 calories per square.


200 Calories each (Makes 26 x 85g muffins)
Total recipe: 5189 Calories

INGREDIENTS
2 cups Wholemeal S.R Flour – 980 Calories2 cups Plain S.R Flour – 980 Calories
1 Tbsp. baking powder – 15 calories
120G Instant Oats – 460 Calories
100g Choc Bits (1/2 cup) – 511Calories
270g Fruit Medley – 736 Calories
50g Sunflower Kernels – 286 Calories
1 ½ cups unprocessed bran – 150 Calories
¼ cup Lemon jest (grated rind) – 15 Calories
I Tbsps. Cinnamon
1 Tbsp. Nutmeg
370g grated carrot – 110 Calories
100g Molasses – 282 Calories
70g Canola Omega 3 Spread – 404 Calories
2 cup low-fat milk – 250 Calories
3 tsp. No Egg (natural egg replacer) – 27 Calories
1 cup water


 METHOD

1.    Prepare muffin trays with light spray of oil. Preheat oven to 180 degrees (fan-forced preferred)

2.    Sift flour and baking powder together into a large bowl.

3.    Stir in all the dry ingredients. Add grated carrot and mix well. Make well in centre of mixture.

4.    Melt butter in microwave for 25 seconds in a cereal bowl.

5.    Add milk, molasses and prepared No Egg to melted spread and pour into dry mix.

6.    Lightly fold mix adding enough of the water to make a thick but wet muffin mix. DO NOT OVER MIX. Mix only until just combines and spoon into muffin trays dividing into 26 portions.

7.    Sprinkle with a dusting of extra cinnamon if desired and bake for approximately 20-30 minutes

8.      Bake in hot over 200 degrees until cooked and golden. Cool on tray. Store in airtight container or freeze

TIP: No Egg is replacing 3 egg whites. If you want to use egg whites just adjust the calories – approx. 15 calories per egg. Use whatever dried fruit you like instead of the fruit medley. Keep refrigerated or freeze what you don't need as they don't have preservatives in them and are best fresh.

Sweet Greek Yogurt Cream - 79 Calories per serve

Greek yogurt is great as a low-calorie, low-fat substitute for sour cream. We also use it on salads, flavouring it with seeded mustard as a dressing - yum! It can also be used to make a sweet creamy yogurt for a healthy and filling topping on fresh fruit. Greek yogurt can be used as an all-rounder saving you money, space in the refrigerator and waste.

I like to use Natvia instead of artificial sweeteners. Natvia is a Stevia plant product. Any sweeteners should be kept to a minimum if you want to be in control of that sweet tooth or carb addiction but we all love a little sweetness in our nutrition menu. Here is my recipe for Sweet Greek Yogurt Cream.

SWEET GREEK YOGURT CREAM

79 Calories / 75g per serve (serves 4)

INDREDIENTS
300g Low-Fat Greek Yogurt (I use Farmers Union 50% less fat) – 303 Calories
1 heaped teaspoon Natvia – 12 Calories
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence – neg Calories

METHOD: Mix together well. Use immediately or refrigerate for later.

SERVING SUGESTIONS:
Add 90g washed & cut strawberries to 100g yogurt (Approx. 121 Calories)
Add 100g thawed frozen mixed berries of any sort to 100g yogurt (Approx. 150 Calories)
Cut one medium banana, add 100g yogurt. Sprinkle 25g low-fat natural fruit muesli on top for a breakfast or dessert (Approx. 309 Calories)