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Posted on 03.31.05 by Administrator @ 4:13 pm
Okay, before you all write and tell me, I admit that this is not the healthiest recipe in the world! It has quite a lot of cheese and butter in it, which is what makes it taste delicious, and makes it rather fatty. I have given you the original recipe but have written in some notes on a healthier variation which I usually use Spinach & Mushroom Risotto - serves 4 100g (4oz) butter (omit this completely for a lower fat version) 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, crushed 100g (4oz) mushrooms, sliced 450g (1lb) Arborio rice 1.5 litres (2.75 pints) hot vegetable stock salt & pepper 225g (8oz) cooked spinach, chopped 1 teaspoon dried oregano 75g (3oz) grated parmesan cheese (use less, or substitute with a fat-reduced cheese for a lower fat version of the dish) lemon wedges to garnish melba toast Heat the oil and half the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook for a few minutes until onions are slightly golden brown. Add rice and cook while stirring for 5 minutes. Add the stock, spinach, oregano, garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Stir and cook for 25 minutes (or until rice has absorbed all the water and is tender). Stir in remaining butter and cheese. Serve with lemon wedges and melba toast. Filed under: Vegetarian and Rice Dishes Comments: None |
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Posted on 03.25.05 by Administrator @ 4:05 am
Well, it’s Good Friday so I hope you’re having a good time. I’m visiting my family for the weekend and staying with my brother tonight. I found this recipe in a folder of recipes I found this morning while hunting for my suitcase. I haven’t made this for ages - in fact the last time I ate it, my husband cooked it for me. It was very good, so I hope you like it too Prawn Risotto - serves 4 1 onion, chopped 2 tablespoons oil 1 clove garlic 1 red pepper, cored, seeded & diced 225g (8oz) brown rice 750 ml (1.25 pints) water salt & pepper 100g (4oz) green beans (frozen work fine) 225g (8oz) peeled cooked prawns 4 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese Heat the oil and cook the onion and garlic until soft. Add the pepper and rice and cook for 3 minutes while stirring. Pour in the water and add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the beans and prawns but don’t stir. Cover and cook for 5-10 minutes. Once most of liquid has been absorbed and the beans are just cooked, stir in the parmesan and serve. Filed under: Fish & seafood and Rice Dishes Comments: None |
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Posted on 03.24.05 by Administrator @ 11:21 pm
Thanks to everyone who has e-mailed me - I’m thrilled you’re enjoying my recipes so much! I wanted to start adding in some nutritional tips too, so here’s the first of those and it’s about green tea. I really recommend anyone who has an interest in their health to enjoy at least a cup or two of green tea every day. Green tea is said to have many health benefits, including lowering your cholesterol, having cancer-fighting properties, boosting your immune system and helping to prevent cavities and tooth decay. Green tea is steamed rather than fermented, thus keeping in the powerful antioxidants that are lost in the fermenting process of other teas. Filed under: Nutritional tips Comments: None |
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Posted on 03.23.05 by Administrator @ 5:35 pm
I’ve got a delicious pasta recipe for you today that’s so quick and simple that anyone can cook it! I’ve added some not-so-low-fat variations at the end which are great for a special occasion, but the standard recipe is really tasty just as it is.. Fresh Tagliatelle with Tuna & Pesto - serves four 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 large onion 2 cloves garlic, crushed 200g (7oz) tin of tuna in brine, drained & flaked 500g/1lb fresh tagliatelle 125g (4oz) plain low-fat yogurt 1-2 tablespoons green pesto salt & black pepper fresh basil & pitted black olives to garnish Heat oil in saucepan, add garlic and onions and fry for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook pasta according to packet instructions. Drain pasta and add to garlic and onions. Stir in yogurt, pesto and tuna, add salt and pepper to taste. Warm gently in pan - do not boil as yogurt will curdle. Garnish with basil and olive and serve with a fresh green salad. Variations: add some fresh sliced mushrooms and peppers with the onion and garlic and/or use red pesto instead of green. For a special occasion, use creme fraiche instead of yogurt and sprinkle with grated parmesan. Filed under: Pasta and Fish & seafood Comments: None |
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Posted on 03.22.05 by Administrator @ 5:47 pm
Tofu with Stir-Fried Vegetables - serves 4 3 tablespoon soy sauce 3 tablespsoons dry sherry 1 cm (0.5 inch) piece root ginger, peeled and finely diced 250g (8oz) firm tofu, cut into cubes 1-2 tablespoons sesame oil (use a little water if pan sticks) 1 large onion, sliced 2 cloves garlic, crushed 175g (6oz) mangetouts 1 red pepper, cored seeded and sliced 175g (6oz) mushrooms, sliced 500g (1lb) beanshoots 2 tablespsoons toasted sesame seeds Mix soy sauce, sherry, ginger and garlic together in a bowl. Add tofu and leave to marinate for an hour. Drain and reserve sauce. Heat oil in wok, add tofu and stir-fry for 2 minutes until golden brown. Remove with slotted spoon and keep warm. Reheat oil, add onion and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add mangetoouts and red pepper - stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, beanshoots and reserved sauce and stir-fry for 2 minutes until hot. Gently stir in tofu and serve sprinkled with sesame seeds. Can be served with cashew nuts, noodles or brown rice to make a more substantial meal. Filed under: Vegetarian and Low-fat Comments: None |
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Posted on 03.21.05 by Administrator @ 5:23 pm
Yes, another vegetarian wonder! I haven’t made this for ages actually, but it used to be a favourite of my husband’s and I just found the piece of paper with it on. You can substitute any vegetables you like into this, but I recommend keeping the sweetcorn in as it gives it a good taste, texture and colour… The cheese and margarine make it not as low-fat as it might be (use fat-reduced cheese if you can), but there are lots of healthy vegetables in there to boost your vitamin intake Vegetable Crumble - serves four 1 cauliflower in small florets 2 tablespoons oil 4 tablespoons wholewheat flour 350ml (12floz) milk (skimmed milk and soya milk both work fine) 1 x 326g (11.5oz) can sweetcorn, rinsed 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 125g (4oz) grated Cheddar cheese (I also use fat-reduced cheese, Edam, Gouda or Emmental) For the crumble: 50g (2oz) wholewheat flour 25g (1oz) margarine 25g (1oz) porridge oats 25g (1oz) chopped almonds Cook cauliflower in boiling water for five minutes. Drain and reserve the water. Heat oil in same pan, stir in flour. Remove from heat, add milk and stir until smooth. Add 150 ml (0.25 pint) of reserved water, bring to the boil and cook for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Stir in sweetcorn, parsley and half the cheese. Carefully fold in the cauliflower and turn mixture into a 1.5 litre (3 pint) ovenproof dish. For the crumble topping, put flour in a bowl, rub in margarine until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the oats, almonds and rest of the cheese. Sprinkle over the vegetable mixture and bake in pre-heated oven 190°C (375°F), Gas Mark 5, for 30 minutes until the topping is golden brown and crisp. Filed under: Vegetarian Comments: None |
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Posted on 03.20.05 by Administrator @ 7:43 pm
Here’s a great recipe - vegetarian too! This has been a favourite of mine since I was fifteen - I turned vegetarian and started cooking for myself at that time, although I now eat meat occasionally. I’m thirty six now and still cook this recipe regularly. Even my family, who are all meat eaters, always enjoy this risotto when they come round for a meal Vegetarian Risotto - serves four 2 tablespoons oil (I use olive oil - add a little water if it starts to stick in the pan) 1 large onion, finely chopped 175g (6oz) brown rice 3 cloves garlic, chopped 1 teaspoon salt (use less if you’re on a low salt diet, or substitute with low sodium salt) 2 sticks celery, thinly sliced 2 peppers (red, yellow or orange) cored, seeded and diced 250g (8oz) mushrooms, sliced 1 x 425g (15oz) can red kidney beans 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, rough chopped 2 tablespoons soy sauce 50g (2oz) grilled cashew nuts (if they’re salted, rinse them in a seive) Heat one tablespoon of oil in a saucepan, addonion and fry until soft. Add rice and 2 cloves of garlic. Cook for 2 minutes then add water and salt. Bring to the boil then cover and simmer for 35 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a frying pan, add celery and peppers, fry for five minutes until soft. Add mushrooms and the rest of the garlic and fry for three minutes. Add the cooked rice, kideny beans, parsley, soy sauce and cashwew nuts. Heat it through until the beans are hot, then serve garnished with parsley. Filed under: Vegetarian and Rice Dishes Comments: None |
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Posted on 03.19.05 by Administrator @ 5:45 pm
This one of my favourite cake recipes - it’s low-fat, high-fibre and therefore totally guilt-free Low-Fat Fruit Cake 100g (4oz) All-Bran 100g (4oz brown sugar (I often leave the sugar out completely and it still tastes great) 100g (4oz) sultanas 100g (4oz) currants 100g (4oz) seedless raisins 275ml (0.5 pint) milk (soya milk works really well) 100g (4oz) wholewheat self-raising flour Pre-heat oven to 180°C (350°C, Gas Mark 4) and grease a 900g/2lb loaf tin. Soak All-Bran, sugar and dried fruit in the milk in a mixing bowl for 30 minutes until milk is absorbed. Stir in flour and turn mixture into loaf tin. Bake for about an hour. Filed under: Desserts, cakes, bread & biscuits and High-fibre and Low-fat Comments: None |
As an added bonus, it’s easy to make! If you feel like a change you can always add up to 50g/2oz of chopped nuts, or substitute dates and figs for some of the other dried fruits…|
Posted on 03.18.05 by Administrator @ 6:04 pm
This one of those low-fat recipes that tastes really “naughty”! Serve it with a salad and you’ve got a healthy tasty meal in about twenty minutes… 225g (8oz) Quorn pieces (if you can’t get Quorn then cooked turkey or chicken cubes work fine) 1 vegetable stock cube 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion sliced 1 garlic clove, crushed 225g (8oz) mushrooms, sliced 300g can reduced fat mushroom soup 1 tablespoon brandy 3 tablespoons half-fat creme fraiche (optional, but tastes wonderful!) Salt and freshly ground black pepper Place the Quorn in a bowl, sprinkle with the stock cubde and add 2 tablespoons of boiling water. Stir well and leave to stand for 10 mins. Heat the olive oil in a pan and cook the onions, garlic and mushrooms until softened. Add the Quorn and cook for a further two minutes. Stir in the soup, brandy and seasoning and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the creme fraiche and heat through without boiling. Serve with a green salad. Filed under: Vegetarian and Chicken & Poultry and Low-fat Comments: None |