Food: Celeriac Patas Bravas Recipe

Patas Bravas are just delicious, most people don't bother making this well loved Spanish dish at home. I do get it's more of a dish that's ate when people eat out - or on holiday. They are so, so easy to make though, so I thought I would share my recipe. 

I have made this version a hell of a lot lower in fat, due to substituting potatoes for celeriac.

Food: The Low-Fat Pizza Tip

Currently my little boys favourite meal. I love that he loves pizza as we always make our own, and I sneak grated carrot, tomatoes under all the cheese and he is non the wiser.

Food: Feta, Fig and Balsamic Tarts

One thing I love, and miss so much when following any healthy eating plan is PIE.  

I am all over the fact that filo pastry has a lot less fat in, compared to shortcrust and puff pastry. 

Filo pastry filled with lots of veggies can be a low-fat and very tasty meal - so give me all the filo.

Food: Banana, Almond & Chocolate Chip Loaf

Is it just my house, or is there always a mound of left over bananas? 

I hate throwing any type of food away, so always try and incorporate them into a recipe. 

This is the best one yet. It is just gorgeous. 

As usual, low-fat, low sugar and so, so tasty.

Food: Bean & Vegetable Tacos

Mexican food is on another level, the ingredients and spices they use are just on point. I recreated a famous dish that everyone knows, made it low-fat and packed it full of nutritious and tasty ingredients. Please feel free to add meat if you want, but for me it really isn't needed.

Food: Spinach and Carrot Tortilla

I eat porridge every day through the week for my breakfast, it's quick, low-fat and filling, and I can shovel it in whenever I get a break in work.

So at the weekend I really do love to try different recipes, and well these tasty tortillas are quick, tasty, easy and low-fat. 

Food: Tex Mex Turkey Chilli Bowl

For me, this type of meal ticks all the boxes, and has all the foods I love in one place. A jumble of pure loveliness all over ma plate,  - that is of course- did you guess?

 Low fat.

The main recipe on this dish, is "my turkey chilli" and you can serve with whatever you like, rice, wraps, wedges, salad, or all the latter! 

Well it is the weekend.

Something I have done over the years, and now love is just adding half the tin of beans to the chilli, and keep the other half to one side in a bowl with some seasoning, lemon, parsley, freshly chopped baby tomatoes, mix and add to plates when serving. It adds a much welcomed fresh flavour to the dish, and the mixture of cooked and uncooked bean textures works so well. 

Food: Low Fat Turkey & Sundried Tomato Burgers

You hungry? Hope so!

Who doesn't love burgers? Veggie or meat filled -well they hit the spot.

These burgers have a dollop of harissa in which gives a lovely spicy flavour to them, (don't worry not spicy, spicy mouth on fire) there is also some sundried tomatoes thrown into the mix, to add a lovely sweet flavour - this combo makes these burgers perfect for any palette.

As usual, low fat, low sugar - and great taste.

 Turkey & Sundried Tomato Burgers

Ingredients:

125g lean turkey mince 

3 tablespoons of sundried tomatoes

2 pieces wholegrain bread

Half a bunch of parsley

1 egg

Red onion

Mixed herbs (tablespoon)

Harissa 

Salt & Pepper 

Olive oil

Food: Bootea Review

Ah January you little rascal. Time to start afresh, and for the majority of us, to try and eat a little more healthier. 

Food: Low-Fat Thai Tuna Fishcakes

Oh I love a good fishcake. Especially the Thai versions found in some Malaysian restaurants. I wanted to try and give them a whirl - low-fat stylie, and well it was a huge success.

These are so, so gorgeous. Crispy on the outside, packed full of flavour in the inside.

Egg & Bacon Cups.

What can be better than a bank holiday lie in and a full English Breakfast? Unfortunately I got neither, I need to have my mouth sewn up or try and cut back on the grub, so mooching about looking for a tasty, healthy alternative to the typical "English Brecko" I came up with this. Now I get it`s simple, but cooking something a bit different to usual and presenting it also a bit different than usual makes it feel just that extra bit special, and you don't miss the bread or other bits and bobs "as much".

Food || Greek Inspired Prawns!

I tried a really similar dish at my favourite Greek restaurant, it was 100% my inspiration when creating this dish.

This is a rustic and hearty dish,  low in fat and simple to make. A great dish to stick in the centre of the table and let people help themselves to.

My Nan and Granddad grow their own fruit and vegetables and gave me a load of fresh tomatoes, and well I could think of a better way to use them.

Salmon and Bean Bake

Sometimes after a heavy weekend of pigging, I think everyone wants to make themselves 

feel a little better by eating something that looks healthy, tastes healthy, and gives you that kick-start that you need to get back in the zone! 

 

This is it! 

I also love this type of meal before a big night out, as it's fills a hole,  but doesn't leave you feeling bloated. 

Salmon and Bean Bake 

Granola, banana and chocolate breakfast muffins!

The meal I most get stuck in a rut with is breakfast. It's either porridge or granola! These muffins are so easy, very low fat, low sugar and super tasty. There is 6 ingredients, and they take 2 minutes to prepare. It's just a load of cracking, pouring, squeezing and mixing really.

Ingredients

150g mixed nut granola

2 tablespoons of choc shot (Tesco or Holland and Barrat sell it) 

2 eggs

2 small mashed bananas

2 strawberries 

1 tablespoon of mixed spice

Method

1) Mash the banana in a large glass bowl, and add the granola, eggs and choc shot. Mix all together and add a tablespoon of mixed spice.

2) Ladle into 12 cupcake cases in a muffin tray, and bake on 170 degrees for 30 minutes.

3) Leave to cool for 45 minutes, and add a thinly sliced piece of strawberry to add some colour and fruit flavour. These taste so much better the next day as they are a lot firmer. You can freeze the batch, and take out night before you plan to eat them.

Boom all done!

I served with coconut yoghurt, sliced grapes, and a sprinkle of mixed spice . 

These are 2 points each on Weight Watchers, and make for a great low point breakfast or snack. 

Do you think you will try? 

 

 

Fake burgers!

 

The season of BBQs is upon us, YES! 

The beautiful men in our lives start thinking they are Heston Blumenthal for the summer, and start shoving burgers, and beers in our face all the live long day! 

Why do they do that??

An action plan has to be formed, and well we cant refuse the burger can we?  That`s just rude!

So picture this- a guilt free burger, the sun beaming down, and a cold glass of beer is in ones hand!  Yes you can still have all that - I promise.

 

.

I made these as a low carb, and low fat alternative to the typical burger, solely because I don't want to be rolling into the winter months a couple of stone heavier.

Yes always about fighting the podge!

 

Portobello Turkey Mushroom Burgers with Halloumi Skewers

 

Burgers

120g Turkey Mince

1 egg

Tablespoon of mixed herbs

1 teaspoon of chilli flakes (optional)

Salt and Pepper

 

Portobello mushrooms

4 Portobello mushrooms

1 tablespoon of Philadelphia

1 teaspoon of sweet chilli sauce

 

Halloumi Skewers

Mixed peppers

Courgette

60g Halloumi

 

Method

 

1) Wash hands, and combine turkey mince, egg, herbs, chilli and salt and pepper and mix together.

 

2) Form burger shaped patties with your hand. Four small ones or two large ones.

 

3) Add to a frying pan with a teaspoon of olive oil and fry on a low heat. Flipping occasionally.

 

4) Skewer cubed halloumi, peppers and courgettes onto three skewers and place in a Pyrex dish, to be grilled.

 

5) Place mushrooms in the same Pyrex dish as the skewers and cook on a medium grill. Five minutes into the cooking time, flip over the mushrooms so the stalk is facing up, and smear Philadelphia and sweet chilli sauce in the mushroom, and place under grill for another 2 minutes.

 

6) At this point the turkey burgers should be golden brown, and cooked through. To check and be sure, place a skewer through the middle, the juices will run clear if cooked.

 

7) Take the Pyrex dish from grill, and plate up mushrooms and skewers

 

8) Place the turkey burger on one mushroom and add another mushroom on top, to form a fake burger.

 

9) Serve with a salad of your choice, and any condiments. I added some wilted spinach.

 

What do you think? Will you try?
 

 

Pimp your pasta!

As the summer approaches, quick, easy, tasty, and light food vibes is the way I go.

But also filling, in my opinion life is to god damn short to battling with them hunger pangs.

This meal is becoming a firm favourite in our house ,and one I just had to share.

So everyone loves tuna pasta right? Of course if you are a vegetarian, leave the tuna out, the basis of this dish and the ultimate star, is the dressing.

Ingredients

Pasta 120g

Tin of Tuna

2 eggs

1 red onion

1 carrot
1 tin of sweetcorn and peas

70g of diced cucumber

Half a bag of mixed lettuce leaves

40g of light mayonnaise

20g of English mustard

Juice from a full lemon

Teaspoon of chilli flakes (optional)

Method

1) Pour pasta and diced carrot into pan, and cook as stated on packaging. ( I turn heat off one minute before recommended cooking time).

2) In another pan boil 2 eggs for around 4 minutes on a medium heat

3) Slice red onion finely, dice cucumber into bite sized chunks and shred lettuce leaves.

4) Drain pasta and carrots, and transfer back to pan.

5) Add all the salad, tin of sweetcorn and peas, and tuna to the pan and mix through.

6) Add the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice and chilli flakes.

7) Season the dish with salt and pepper.

8) Run the boiled eggs through cool water, and peel shells, and dice into quarters.

9) Plate up, and tuck in!

Such a simple, store cupboard meal, that's super quick and easy, the mustard and lemon juice pimps the whole thing up, and adds a super tasty, distinct flavour .

Food || Eggs and Avocado - again.

Ok, I am an egg and avocado fiend. If I don't have them BOTH in, well things can get ugly.

But why would you change something when it works so well?

How you make this beauty:

1) Slice half an avocado into chunks.

2) Dice some red onions, cherry tomatoes and cucumber.

3) Toss in a little olive oil, lemon and oregano.

4) Poach an egg for 4 minutes, pop on top of the avocado and salad then season with salt and cracked black pepper. 

5) Lightly sprinkle some paprika over.

Simple, but pretty damn good.

Fruit and Nut Frozen Yogurt Slices Recipe!

I seen this on Pinterest (what a place, soooo addicted to it )and just had to try. It was just a picture, so I kind of guessed what to do and it worked! I have tweaked the ingredients a little, and I am so impressed with the outcome. It's so simple to make, low fat and tasty. How perfect would it be, munching on one of these in the garden whilst the sun is shining? 

What you will need:

Low fat vanilla yogurt. (I used Yeo Valley)

Frozen small berries or dried fruits.

Seeds or nuts.

Method:

• On saucers scatter the fruit and then pour the yogurt over.

• Scatter some more fruit over the top and then the seeds or the nuts, or both.

• Freeze on the saucers for 4-8 hours.

• Boil kettle and pour water into a bowl. Then place the saucers on top to loosen the discs from the saucer.

• Then cut Into chunks and eat ASAP before they melt.

Such a fabulous low fat snack, perfect in the Summer months. Do you think you will try?