Rice Cracker Bites

Just a quick post tonight to give you an idea for a super healthy but cute-looking snack idea.  I made these as part of a high tea for some friends this week - they are so easy and basic, but look fancy enough to serve on a nice platter!

All it is:  rice crackers, fresh basil, low-fat cottage cheese and cherry tomatoes.  Easy!  Delicious!  Healthy!

Frozen Mango Delight

You won't believe this one is low in calories!  It is soooo tasty and comes in at just 110 calories!  I adapted it from this recipe - it was super easy and really delicious.  It was pretty hard & icy when frozen (which I quite like!), but if you have an ice-cream maker, I'm sure it would come out nice & smooth & creamy.  I still can't believe it's only just over 100 calories!

Ingredients
1/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup water
2 x 425g cans sliced mangoes, drained
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 cup light coconut milk

Method
Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan.  Stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved.

Bring to the boil and boil for about 5 minutes, or until syrup thickens slightly.  Cool to room temperature.

Reserve one mango cheek for garnishing.  Blend or process remaining mangoes, sugar syrup and lemon juice until smooth.

Combine 1/2 cup of mango mixture with cream.

Pour mango cream mixture into 6 silicone cupcake moulds.  Freeze until firm.

Pour remaining mango mixture over frozen mango cream in pan.  Freeze until firm.

Turn out onto plates and garnish with reserved mango.

Chickpea, pumpkin & fetta salad

This recipe is from a Women's Weekly "Salads" book and it really exceeded my expectations!  It was tasty and filling and really easy to make.  The original recipe was higher in calories, but I made a few little changes and cut it down to 320 calories per serve.  Also, I didn't do the roast chillies for the dressing, but instead just used a chilli-infused olive oil I had in the pantry and it was so good.  I gave the toddler and baby the pumpkin, fetta and chickpeas and they both loved it too - bonus!

Ingredients (serves 4)             

800g butternut pumpkin, cut into 1cm pieces

Olive oil spray

2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly

1 x 400g can chickpeas, rinsed, drained

200g low-fat fetta cheese, crumbled

1 cup firmly packed fresh coriander leaves

1/3 cup pepitas

Roasted chilli dressing

4 fresh long red chillies, halved lengthways

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

Method 

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

Combine pumpkin, oil and garlic in large shallow baking dish.  Roast, uncovered, turning occasionally, about 30 minutes or until pumpkin is tender.

Make dressing: cook chilli, skin-side up, under hot grill until skin blackens.  Cover chilli pieces for 5 minutes; peek then chop finely.   Place chilli and remaining ingredients in a screw-top jar; shake well.

Place pumpkin in large bowl with remaining ingredients and dressing; toss gently to combine.

Gingerbread Men

I'm just sneaking another little treat into the blog - but this one's for the kids!  I made these for the party bags at my little one's birthday and they were a hit!  Another one courtesy of www.taste.com.au.

Makes 20

Ingredients
Melted butter, to grease
125g butter, at room temperature
100g (1/2 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
125ml (1/2 cup) golden syrup
1 egg, separated
375g (2 1/2 cups) plain flour
1 tbs ground ginger
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Plain flour, to dust
150g (1 cup) pure icing sugar, sifted

Food colouring

Smarties, to decorate

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush 2 baking trays with melted butter to lightly grease.

Use an electric beater to beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add the golden syrup and egg yolk and beat until combined. Stir in the flour, ginger, mixed spice and bicarbonate of soda. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Press dough into a disc. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.

Meanwhile, place egg white in a clean, dry bowl. Use an electric beater to beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add icing sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Colour as desired. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge.

Place the dough between 2 sheets of baking paper and roll out until about 4mm thick. Use a 9cm gingerbread man cutter to cut out shapes. Place on trays about 3cm apart. Repeat with any excess dough.

Bake in oven for 10 minutes or until brown. Remove from oven. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Place prepared icings in small plastic bags. Cut a small hole in a corner of each bag. Pipe icing over gingerbread men to decorate. Finish with Smarties.

Broccoli and Sweet Potato Couscous

This is another Sanitarium recipe - it's so easy, very tasty, and one of those recipes that you can use whatever veges you have on hand.  It comes in at 380 calories per serve, but it worked out less as I didn't use avocado.  It's another one that's very filling, so you really get a lot of bang for your calories!

Ingredients (serves 4)
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 2cm chunks
Olive oil spray
400g broccoli
100g fresh baby corn kernels
2 cups low salt vegetable stock
1 cup couscous
5 tablespoons pine nuts
1 avocado
1 bunch fresh mint
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon, juiced

Method
Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees celsius.  Place sweet potato into baking tray.  Spray with oil and bake for 15-20 minutes.

Cut the broccoli into small florets.  Steam broccoli and corn kernels.

In a saucepan, bring stock to the boil.  Place couscous in a large bowl and pour 1 cup of heated stock over the couscous and rake with fork.  Let couscous sit for 5 minutes then rake again.

Mix in broccoli, corn kernels, sweet potato and pine nuts.  Peel and cut the avocado into 2cm chunks and mix.  Hand-pick mint leaves and scatter them through the couscous.

Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice and serve.

Ginger Mustard Pork

Here's a recipe sent in by a lovely reader, Leigh.  She got this recipe from a Weight Watchers cookbook. For some reason, I hardly ever cook pork - I think I have in my mind that it tastes too fatty or something! Anyway, I was keen to try this out and I have successfully opened my mind to pork - it was delicious!  The pictured meal came in right on 300 calories - very tasty and filling!

Ingredients
4 x 150 gram lean pork loin medallions (or pork chops)
Olive oil spray
1 small red onion
2 garlic cloves crushed
2 tsp grated ginger
2/3 cup chicken stock
2 tsp whole grain mustard
2 tbs maple syrup

Lightly spray oil in pan and heat over medium-high heat.  Cook pork for 2-3 mins per side.  Put aside on a plate

Spray a little more oil in the same pan.  Add onion, garlic and ginger.  Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until softened.  Add stock, maple syrup & mustard.  Bring to boil.  Return pork to pan.  Cook, turning occasionally for 5 minutes.

Serve with steamed rice and veges.

Asian Market Noodles

This recipe has got to be one of the tastiest low-calorie meals I've had!  It's a Sanitarium recipe that is so quick and easy to make, and it truly is delicious, coming in at 340 calories per serve!  It makes heaps too, so you could even cut down the calories even more by serving it up for 5 or 6.  Loving the memory of eating this one too - we packed it up into some Tupperware and ate it by the waterfront on a perfect Friday evening...bliss!

Ingredients (serves 4)
500g fresh thick rice noodles
2 teaspoons peanut oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced
125g fresh baby corn, thickly sliced diagonally
1 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
1/4 Chinese cabbage, finely shredded (about 3 cups)
1/2 cup light soy sauce
2 eggs, lightly beaten
100g bean sprouts, trimmed
2 tablespoons chopped roasted unsalted peanuts
1 green onion, thinly sliced diagonally, to serve

Method
Place noodles in a heatproof bowl.  Cover with boiling water.  Stand for 1-3 minutes until almost tender. Drain and separate noodles.  Set aside.

Heat a wok over high heat.  Add oil and heat until hot.  Add onion.  Stir-fry for 2 minutes or until onion is just soft.  Add garlic, carrot, corn and chilli.  Stir-fry for 2 minutes.  Add cabbage.  Stir-fry until combined.

Toss through soy sauce and noodles.  Swirl eggs over noodle mixture.  Toss for 1 minute or until eggs set slightly.  Spoon into serving bowls.  Top with bean sprouts, chopped peanuts, green onion and serve immediately.

Caramel & Coconut Slice

Just taking a quick break from my usual programming (that is, HEALTHY FOOD) for something that is quite the opposite - oops!  Michelle Bridges, if you are reading this - I promise you I did not eat this slice!  I made it for a recent women's event (hey, they needed to be spoiled!) and it went like hotcakes, so it must have been good.  (I'm being honest, I didn't even try a little bit!)  Anyway, this was really quick and easy to make and certainly smelt delicious - I got it from the trusty www.taste.com.au.  Great for a little sweet treat...not so great for those on the 12 week body transformation!  Healthy recipes resume tomorrow :-)

Ingredients
1/2 cup (75g) plain flour
1/2 cup (75g) self-raising flour
1/2 cup (45g) desiccated coconut
1/2 cup (110) caster sugar
100g butter, melted
395g can sweetened condensed milk
2 tbs golden syrup
1/4 cup (55g) brown sugar
60g butter, melted, extra
2 eggs, lightly whisked
1/3 cup (75g) caster sugar, extra
2 cups (180g) desiccated coconut, extra

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a slice pan. Line base and two opposite sides with baking paper, extending paper 5cm over edge of pan.

Combine sifted flours, coconut, caster sugar and butter in a medium bowl. Press mixture evenly over base of prepared pan. Cook for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool slightly.

Combine sweetened condensed milk, golden syrup, brown sugar and extra butter in a medium bowl. Spread mixture evenly over base.

Combine eggs, extra sugar and extra coconut in a medium bowl and sprinkle evenly over filling. Cook for further 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool in pan. Cut slice into squares or triangles to serve.

Basa Fish Cakes

This is a Coles recipe courtesy of Curtis Stone.  What's great is that it's one of his "under $10" meals, and as a super added bonus, they worked out at under 300 calories as well! (but I did my own salad - I think his salad with the avocado would tip it over 300 calories, but not by too much - and another note, I just used a light spray of olive oil to cook them, rather than the vegetable oil in the recipe.)  I really enjoyed these and they were a big hit with the kids too!

Ingredients (Serves 4)

For the fish cakes
500g basa fillets
Zest of 1 lemon plus 2 tsp juice
2 tsp olive oil, for drizzling
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp roughly chopped
fresh coriander
1 tbsp Coles Brand mayonnaise
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp Masterfoods paprika
1/2 tsp Masterfoods cayenne pepper
1/2 cup Smart Buy dried breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil, for frying

For the salad
1 large tomato, cored and cut into thick slices
1/2 avocado, peeled and cut into wedges
80g four leaf lettuce mix
1 spring onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp fresh mint leaves
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar

Method
Preheat oven to 180° C (160° C fan forced).

Place basa fillets on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Sprinkle with half the lemon zest and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and cook in the oven for 10-12 minutes, until opaque and just cooked through, depending on the thickness of the fillet. Remove from oven and cool.

In a large bowl, combine red onion, coriander, mayonnaise, egg, the remaining lemon zest and juice, paprika and cayenne pepper. Mix until well combined. Break the basa fillet into large flakes and add to the bowl. Add the breadcrumbs and season with salt and pepper. Mix gently until well combined.

Roll the mixture into 8 balls, press into 1 1/2 cm patties and place on a tray lined with baking paper. Cover and chill for at least one hour.

Heat enough oil to come up to 3mm in a large heavy based frying pan over high heat. Working in 2 batches, fry cakes for 4 minutes on each side, or until browned. Drain on paper towels and keep covered with foil while cooking the second batch.

For the salad, gently toss all ingredients in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Serve with the fish cakes and drizzle with any remaining dressing.

Moroccan chickpea, carrot and spinach salad

This is a recipe passed on by my mum, which she got from the Sanitarium "Food for Health and Happiness" book.  A really delicious fast, fresh & filling salad that comes it an only 295 calories.

Ingredients (serves 4)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons ground cumin

400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/2 cup orange juice

1/3 cup currants

2 carrots, shredded or coarsely grated

3 green onions (shallots), sliced diagonally

100g baby spinach leaves

1/3 cup coriander leaves, chopped

1/4 cup tahini

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (or sunflower)

Method

Heat oil in a medium non-stick frying pan over medium heat.  Add cumin, chickpeas and garlic.  Cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Combine orange juice and currants in a tea-cup.  Microwave for 1 minute until hot.  Drain, reserve orange juice.  Combine currants, chickpea mixture, carrots, green onions, spinach and coriander in a large bowl.

To make dressing, combine tahini and reserved orange juice in a small bowl.  Season to taste.  Whisk to combine.  Drizzle dressing over salad.  Gently toss to combine.  Sprinkle with seeds and serve.

Baked Fish Fillets with Tomatoes

This is another delicious recipe sent in by a wonderful fellow mum in the kitchen, Gabrielle. It uses such basic ingredients, but the flavours were really "wow"! I worked it out to be just 160 calories for a serving of the fish (with the tomatoes), which still leaves plenty for salad or veges on the side. Simple, tasty, and definitely healthy - enjoy!

Ingredients (Serves 4)
250g Cherry Tomatoes
1 tablespoon shredded lemon zest
8 cloves garlic, bruised
1 1/2 tablespoons salted capers, rinsed well (optional)
Olive oil spray
4 x 120g firm white fish fillets, such as snapper
lemon juice
sea salt and cracked black pepper

Method
Preheat oven to 180C. Place the tomatoes, lemon zest, garlic and capers in a baking dish. Spray lightly with olive oil and bake for 20 minutes.

Add the fish fillets to the baking tray, spray with a little more oil and cook for a further 15-20 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

Drizzle with lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Serve fish with the tomatoes and a green salad or vegetables.

Kidney Bean & Mushroom Hotpot

This tasty recipe is from a Sanitarium booklet called "Eat Well & Stay Well".  I couldn't believe how substantial and hearty it is, for just 205 calories per serve!  I added half a cup of rice to bump it up to 300.  Full of veges, yummy, filling & healthy - this one, I definitely recommend!

Ingredients (Serves 6)
500g mince
1 tablespoon oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 medium green capsicum, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped
2 cups sliced mushrooms
310 can kidney beans
425g can tomato puree
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 small bay leaf

Heat oil in a frying pan and saute onion until tender.  Add mince and cook until browned.

Add garlic, celery, capsicum and carrot and stir-fry for 3 minutes.

Stir in mushrooms and cook a further 2 minutes.  Add kidney beans, puree, oregano, basil, parsley and bay leaf.  Cover, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are cooked.  Remove bay leaf.  Serve.

Mustard Chicken

This is the first of the Reader Recipes - family favourite healthy dishes, sent in by you! A big thanks to Jacquelyn Mann for this one - she adapted it from a Jamie Oliver Recipe and boy is it delicious! It's hard to believe it comes in under 300 calories!

Serves 4 (290 calories per serve)

Ingredients
600 Chicken Breast Fillets, halved
1 Tbsp light cooking cream for cooking
1 x Leek, washed and finely sliced
1 Tbsp wholegrain mustard
2-3 tsp Mustard Powder
1 Clove Garlic, crushed
1/3 glass dry white wine (or chicken stock)
1 Tbsp good quality Olive Oil
Sea Salt and Pepper, to season

Method
Pour olive oil over Chicken Breasts, season with salt and pepper and with even amounts of Mustard Powder on each piece. Use hands to spread ingredients over all of the chicken.

Heat frying pan with a little olive oil (or a little oil spray such as vegetable oil as a healthier option) and add seasoned chicken, cooking at a medium - high heat until browned on each side.

Add leaks to pan, stirring, until softened. Then add garlic, wholegrain mustard and white wine, mix well and bring to boil.

Turn down to a simmer, add the spoonful of cooking cream and mix well. Then frying pan with lid (if yours has one) otherwise aluminium foil will suffice.

Simmer for around 15 minutes or until chicken is completely cooked through and sauce has slightly thickened.

Serve with fresh steamed greens.

Eggplant, Zucchini & Basil Ricotta Parmigiana

I eyed this recipe off in a book I borrowed from my mum that was put out by Sanitarium, called "Food for Health and Happiness".  Since hubby is not so keen on eggplant, I waited until he went on a work trip and made it.  It was super tasty, packed full of veges and comes in at only 265 calories per serve!  If you're making it for kids, it's probably best to chop the zucchini and eggplant into smaller pieces - my toddler struggled a bit with the large chunks.  I love that it makes plenty for leftovers too!

Ingredients (serves 6)
750g eggplants, trimmed and cut into 1cm-thick slices
500g zucchini, thinly sliced lengthways
olive oil cooking spray
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
500g jar tomato pasta sauce
350g low fat ricotta cheese, crumbled
1 cup basil leaves, chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts
50g low fat fetta cheese, crumbled

Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius.  Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat.  Spray eggplant and zucchini on both sides with oil.  Cook, in batches, for 2-3 minutes on each side, spraying with oil during cooking, until golden and just tender.  Transfer to plate.

Heat oil in the pan over medium-high heat.  Add onion and garlic.  Cook, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes until tender.  Add tomato sauce.  Simmer for 2 minutes.  Set aside.

Combine ricotta and basil in a bowl.  Arrange half the eggplant and zucchini in a large greased baking dish.  Sprinkle with half the ricotta mixture and pine nuts.  Spoon over half the tomato sauce.

Repeat layering, reserving some pine nuts for the top.  Sprinkle with fetta cheese and finish with pine nuts.  Cover with foil.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for a further 15-20 minutes until hot and bubbling and serve.

Ricotta Corn Fritters

This is another recipe from "Healthy Cooking - A Commonsense Guide" (can you tell it's my current fav?!?) - it's actually from the breakfast section, but I made it for dinner (so versatile!).  Kids love fritters, so you know it'll be great for the whole family.  I especially love the tomato chutney on top :-)  AND it's only 311 calories per serve!

Ingredients (serves 4)
200g low-fat ricotta
1 egg
1 egg white
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup wholemeal self-raising flour
420g can corn kernels, drained
3 spring onions, chopped
2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
cooking oil spray
100g low-fat ricotta, extra
1/3 cup tomato chutney

Method
Place the ricotta, egg, egg white and milk in a bowl and beat together until smooth.  Stir in the flour, corn kernels, spring onion and chives.  Season well with salt and pepper.

Spray a non-stick frying pan with oil.  Add heaped tablespoons of the mixture to the pan, four at a time, and flatten to about 1.5 cm thick.  Cook for 3-4 minutes each side.

Drain on paper towels.  Serve the fritters in a stack of three and top with a tablespoon of ricotta and a tablespoon of tomato chutney.

Hokkien Noodle Salad

This recipe is from a book called "Healthy Cooking - A Commonsense Guide" and it's great!  I love how fresh and crisp it is, and the Asian flavours of the dressing really make it.  It comes in at only 265 calories, but is very satisfying - a perfect weeknight meal!

Ingredients (serves 4)
450g Hokkien noodles
200g broccoli, cut into florets
4 spring onions, sliced
1 red capsicum, thinly sliced
1 green capsicum, thinly sliced
1 carrot, diagonally sliced
100g snow peas, sliced
100g fresh baby corn, halved lengthways
1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 cup sweet chilli sauce
1/4 cup light soy sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice

Method
Gently separate the noodles, place in a  heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water.  Leave to stand for 2 minutes, then rinse under cold water and drain well.

Boil or steam the broccoli for 3 minutes, or until bright green and tender.  Rinse under cold water and drain.

Place the noodles, vegetables and coriander in a large bowl and mix well.

Combine the sesame oil, sweet chilli sauce, soy sauce and lime juice.  Pour over the salad and toss to coat.