More meals under 250 calories

Egg and green Bean Salad - Total of 229 calories
1 hard boiled egg, peeled and quartered
80g green beans, blanched and sliced
1/2 baby cos lettuce, washed and torn
4 baby roma tomatoes, quartered
3 radishes, sliced
25g reduced fat cheese (30%), cubed
1/2 lebanese cucumber, sliced
Drizzle with citrus dressing (see recipe below)


Chicken and Avocado Salad - Total of 239 calories
60g Skinless chicken breast, cooked and sliced
1/4 small avocado, sliced
1/2 lebanese cucumber, peeled into strips
1 tomato, cut into thin wedges
1 cup baby rocket leaves
4 snow peas, shredded
2 asparagus spears, steamed and sliced
1/2 cup of cooked pasta (any shape)
Drizzle with apple and balsamic dressing (see recipe below)


Lean beef, chickpea and sweet potato salad - Total of 233 calories
1/2 red capsicum, cut into strips
125g can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves
1 cup mixed asian salad leaves
50g lean beef, cooked and sliced
80g sweet potato, peeled, cubed and cooked (boil or steam)
(this goes well with the apple balsamic dressing, but the calories from dressing have not been included above)


Citrus Dressing - total calories per serve 37.5 calories
Whisk together 1 teaspoon orange zest (fine), 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed orange juice, 1 tablespoon fresh sqeezed lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon EVOO, 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard and 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley.


Apple and Balsamic Dressing - total calories per serve 27 calories
Whisk together 1 tablespoon 100% apple juice, 1 tablespoon balsamic viegar and 1 teaspoon dijon mustard.


Salmon and cream cheese crackers - Total of 242 calories (halve serve for half the calories)
4 vita-weat crackers (original) (90 calories)
2 tablespoons Philadelphia extra light cream cheese (52 calories)
50g smoked Tasmanian salmon (100 calories)
fresh dill sprigs


Breakfasts


Special K with strawberry and nut - Total of 250 calories
3/4 cup of Special K
1/3 cup of skim milk
2 large strawberries, sliced
1 tablespoon low fat ricotta
1 tablespoon pistachios, unsalted and chopped


Special K with mango and passionfruit - total of 228 calories
3/4 cup of special K
1/3 cup of skim milk
1 mango cheek, sliced
Pulp of 1 passionfruit

Ungingerbread House

This is super easy and a good Christmas craft to do with the kids...

My eldest made this one

Then we made a heap more a few days later for all the kids coming to the Christmas Party.

Ingredients
2 100s and 1000s biscuits
3 Tina wafers, any colours
2 Iced Vovo biscuits
2 Mint Leaves
2 Liquorice Allsorts
Icing sugar
A little water
12cm piece of card covered in Christmas paper/Aluminium Foil.


Make the icing by putting some icing sugar in a  bowl and adding water a bit at a time until you have the right consistency (thick, but very slightly runny paste). Put into a small ziploc bag and seal. Then snip off one small section of the corner.


Place the 100s and 1000s biscuits pink side down and ice along their short edges. Attach 2 wafers to one biscuit and then press the other biscuit onto the wafers to make the four walls.
Allow the icing to set.


Ice along the bottom edges of the walls and press onto the cardboard base.
Cut the last wafer in half, making two triangles, ice the long edge and press onto the top of the back and front walls.
Allow the icing to set.


Place the Iced Vovo biscuits pink side down and ice along the short edges. Press iced sides onto the triangle wafers and make the roof.
Allow the icing to set.


Then, basically, stick whatever lollies and sweets you want onto the board/surrounds. And then dust with icing sugar for 'snow'.

Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD). 15 snacks/meals under 250 calories!

So, For the next month I am supposed to be doing a VLCD in order to reduce the size of my massive liver (I have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease NAFLD).
I am supposed to be doing it on 2 optifasts a day (they average out at around 150-200 per shake), and one meal of up to 250 calories.
Groan. I hate the word DIET!
So, to help me in my endeavours, I have made a list of 15 snacks/meals under 250 calories!


Meals under 250 calories
* 1 poached egg (80 cal), 1 slice of wholemeal toast (91 cal), 1 cup of fresh strawberry halves (39 cal), and a cup of coffee with skim milk (15 cal). 
Tot = 225 calories

* Cream of mushroom instant soup (103 cal), 1 slice wholemeal toast (91 cal). 
Tot = 194 calories

* 2 cups cucumber (32 calories), Saidoun pita pocket (121 cal), philidelphia extra light 20g (26 cal), 1 cup cherry tomatoes (27 cal). 
Tot = 206 calories

* 4 Saos (157 cal), 10g lurpak lighter (54 cal), vegemite (11 cal). 
Tot = 222 calories

* 1 tub Bulla low fat cottage cheese (170 cal), 1 125g serve of pineapple in natural juice (71 cal). 
Tot = 241 calories

* 1 tub Bulla gherkin cottage cheese (186 cal), 5 captains table water crackers (64 calories). Tot = 250 calories

* 2 Ryvita (70 cal), 4 Laughing Cow light cheese pieces (114 cal), 1 small apple (45 calories). Tot = 229 calories

* 100g Black Swan skinny hommus (183 cal), 2 small carrots (64 cal). 
Tot = 247 calories

* 1 avocado (125 cal), 1 slice wholemeal toast (91 cal). 
Tot = 216 calories

* 3 bocconcini (185 cal), 1 large tomato (36 cal). 
Tot = 221 calories

* 1 x 95g can Sirena tuna, drained (113 cal), 225g sliced beetroot (137 cal). 
Tot = 250 calories

* 4 thin style rice cakes (94 cal), 75g old el paso roast capsicum salsa (56 cal), 1 medium banana (99 cal). 
Tot = 249 calories

* 1 tub mini tzatziki Copperpot (71 cal), Saidoun pita pocket (121 cal), 1 small apple (45 cal). 
Tot = 237 calories

* 3 Weetbix Kids (159 cal), 200ml Pura Light start (88 cal). 
Tot = 247 calories

* 2 cups Campbells tomato soup (180 cal), 1 coles bake at home mini roll (53 cal). 
Tot = 233 calories


Please note that individual calorie counts may vary from brand to brand. Ones provided here are general (unless brand is stated).

Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup

Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup

Ingredients
1 litre (4 cups) beef stock
1 litre (4 cups) water
4cm fresh ginger, peeled, grated
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons kecap manis
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
6 green spring onions
2 cups fresh coriander leaves
200g bean sprouts
400g packet rice vermicelli noodles
250g beef eye fillet, thinly sliced
1 brown onion, thinly sliced
2 fresh long red chillies, finely sliced
Crispy fried shallots (garnish)


Method
Place stock, water, ginger, sauce, juice, star anise, cinnamon, in stock pot and bring to boil. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Strain into a heatproof bowl. Return stock to pan with half the spring onions, coriander and sprouts.
Place noodles in a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water. Stand for 10 minutes. Loosen with a fork. Drain, rinse and drain well.Divide among serving bowls.
Place beef and brown onion on top of noodles in bowls. Bring stock to boil again. Ladle over beef and onion.
Combine remaining spring onions, coriander and bean sprouts in a medium bowl. Add chilli and fried shallots. Divide over top of soup before serving.

Baked fish in a bag

Baked Fish in a bag

Ingredients
250g English Spinach, washed and drained
4 medium sized white fish fillets (like cod, snapper etc)
sea salt
200g grape tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons EVOO
2 garlic cloves, cut into slivers
1 lemon, quatered


Method
Preheat oven to 220C (200C fan forced).
Cut 4 sheets of aluminium foil (38cm square). You don't have to, but I also do an inner lining of baking paper.
Divide the spinach between the 4 sheets (centred).
Season fish with salt and pepper to taste (I use paprika instead of pepper). Place one fillet on top of each pile of spinach.
In a small bowl, toss together tomatoes, garlic and oil. Season to taste.
Spoon an equal portion onto the top of each fillet.
Taking one square at a time, take opposite side and bring together and crimp the foil tightly from the middle to the outer edge. Make sure sides are crimped closed. Fold the crimped edge over and over again and secure so no air escapes the parcel.
Place parcels onto a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes (until parcels are puffed up).
Remove from oven and snip parcel open and slide content out onto plate.


Delicious. Though more so if you have a bit of everything in together.

Zucchini "Bread"

Zucchini Bread


Ingredients
2 eggs
1 cup raw sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I use Rice Bran Oil)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1.5 cups plain flour
1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon bicarbonnate of soda
0.5 teaspoon baking powder
1 small- medium zucchini, grated
0.5 cup chopped walnuts (I use crumbed walnuts)


Method
Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan forced). Line a Loaf tin with baking paper.
Beat eggs with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Then add sugar, oil and vanilla. Beat until thick and pale (approx 5 minutes).
Sift together flour, cinnamon, bicarb of soda and baking powder. Fold into the egg mixture and then add in the zucchini and walnuts.
Pour/spoon into loaf tin and bake for 55-60 minutes.

Armenian Rice

One from the vaults! A cheapo side dish/meal.
Now, food snobs will turn their nose up. Pfffft. Many a Uni student has eaten this and survived (and even liked it).

Armenian Rice

Ingredients

4 Tbsp (50 g)butter

1 cup rice (uncooked white)

1 packet of 2 minute noodles (Chicken Flavour), broken up

2.5 cups chicken stock(add the chicken noodles flavour satchet to this)

basil (optional) 

Method

Melt butter in large saucepan, add noodles, and cook until browned.

Add rice, stir to coat with butter. Cook on medium high heat for 1 minute.

Add chicken stock, and optional basil, and stir to mix.

Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 25-30 minutes until rice is done. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes before serving.

Chewy Coconut Macaroons

Chewy Coconut Macaroons

I love Coconut Macaroons. So when I stumbled across this recipe late last night I had to try it. Really very easy to do!
1 250gram packet Fine desiccated coconut (I used a mix of dessicated and shredded)
1 tin 395g Sweetened Condensed Milk.
Glace Cherries (quartered) for decoration.

Add ingredients into bowl and mix until all coconut is mixed into milk spoon heaped teaspoons* onto lined baking try and bake in 160degree oven for 15 minutes.

*I rolled them into balls, placed cherry on top and squashed them a bit. I also found that the temp was better at 150 as I have a fan forced oven.

Gugelhupf

Gugelhupf - finished result,

When I came across a recipe for Gugelhupf the other day, I just knew that I had to give it a whirl! Gugelhupf is one of those nostalgia cakes for me. I have fond memories of my father buying it occasioanlly from a local patisserie. I have fond memories of buying it from the same patisserie for my husband when we first started dating. It is a fond memory cake :)

Ingredients

Melted butter, to grease

1 + 3/4 cups icing sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla sugar

3 eggs, separated

2 cups self-raising flour

1/2 cup milk

2 tbs cocoa powder

1 tbs milk, extra

Icing sugar, to dust

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush a gugelhupf pan (Fluted Ring Tin) with melted butter (I use Rice Bran oil spray) to lightly grease.
Use an electric beater to beat the icing sugar, oil and vanilla sugar until smooth. Add the egg yolks and mix until just combined. Mix in half the flour, then half the milk. Repeat with the remaining flour and milk, and mix until well combined.
Use an electric beater to whisk the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until soft peaks form. Gently fold half the egg white into the cake mixture. Fold in the remaining egg white until just combined.
Spoon half the cake mixture into the prepared pan. Combine cocoa and extra milk in a small bowl. Stir into remaining cake mixture until combined. Spoon into pan. Use a round-bladed knife to fold together cake mixtures until marbled.
Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean (50 minutes at 160 fan forced was perfect for me). Remove from oven and turn onto a wire rack to cool slightly. Dust with icing sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Luscious Lemon Cake

Luscious lemon cake 

I couldn't find my fluted ring pan. I also iced and cut it when cake was still hot because I was dying to try it!

Ingredients

Melted butter or margarine, for greasing

4 large eggs

1 + 1/4 cups caster sugar

180g butter, melted, cooled

3 lemons, rind finely grated, juiced (1/3 cup)

1 + 1/4 cups self-raising flour

Lemon icing

6 tbs fresh lemon juice

50g butter, melted and cooled

360g (2 1/4 cups) pure icing sugar, sifted

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C (160 fan forced). Lightly brush a 24cm (3-litre/12-cup) fluted ring pan with the melted butter or margarine to grease.

Beat the eggs and caster sugar in a large mixing bowl with electric beaters until very pale and thick and a ribbon forms when beaters are lifted. 

Combine the cooled butter with the lemon rind and 80mls (1/3 cup) of the lemon juice (reserve the remaining juice to make the icing). 

Sift half of the self- raising flour over the top of the egg mixture and fold in very gently with a large metal spoon until just combined. Add the butter and lemon mixture and fold in gently. Sift over the remaining self-raising flour and fold in very gently to combine.
Pour the mixture into the greased pan and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean**. 

Stand cake in pan for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool. 

To make the lemon icing, combine the reserved lemon juice and butter in a saucepan and stir over medium heat until butter is melted. Place the icing sugar in a bowl and stir in the lemon juice mixture with a wooden spoon until the icing is smooth.

Place the cake on the wire rack over a tray and pour the icing evenly over the cake in a steady stream, allowing the icing to run down the sides (the excess icing will drip onto the tray). Allow the icing to set.

**different cooking time will be required if you use a 'solid' pan, ie square, round or rectangle. The donut shaped ring tin will take half the time of a 'solid' tin. Also note that if you use a 'solid' tin, there is a very good chance that it will sink in the middle.