Diet recipes

Cherry Tomato Couscous    The health benefits of including more whole grains in our diets are many, particularly for those of us with weight loss goals. Couscous is a whole grain which is very simple to prepare and is a perfect substitute for white rice in curries, stews and casseroles. This dish can be served on its own for lunch or in a pita bread wrap if you have some left overs!    Serves: This Recipe Serves 2.   Ingredients: 200g couscous 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/2 punnet cherry tomatoes, sliced into halves 1/2 red capsicum, finely diced 1/2 small cucumber, deseeded and finely diced 1/2 large carrot, peeled and grated 2 tablespoons sliced spring onions 1 tablespoon chopped mint Sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste   Method:  Bring 200ml water to the boil, add Couscous and stir through. Cook over low heat for 1-2 minutes until the Couscous is swollen and looks fluffy. Add the olive oil and lemon juice and mix through Couscous. Stir through cherry tomatoes, capsicum, cucumber, carrot, spring onions and mint. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Chicken, Baby Spinach and Brie Focaccia    Grilled skinless chicken can be a best friend to those of us with weight loss goals because it is low in fat, high in protein and keeps us feeling full long after we've eaten it. This dish is very quick and easy to prepare and makes a tasty lunch or healthy snack. If you are not a fan of Brie, simply substitute it for your favorite cheese, perhaps a low-fat tasty or even Swiss cheese.  Serves: This Recipe Serves 4.   Ingredients: 4 small focaccia or 8 pieces Turkish bread 3 large chicken breasts 2 tomatoes, finely sliced 1 Cup baby spinach leaves 100g Brie, sliced finely   Method:  Slice focaccia in half and arrange on plate or platter Grill chicken breast under griller for 10 min or until cooked through. Slice thinly Place spinach leaves on bottom of focaccia, then tomato, chicken slices and brie Serve immediately or on a cold winters day, put into a sandwich press / maker and cook until golden brown.

Cottage Cheese and Salad Roll    We all know salad rolls are good for us and make a low-fat option for lunch, but they can get boring. This recipe combines the goodness of a salad roll with the extra zing provided by cottage cheese. Enjoy this recipe on your own or share it with friends, family or work colleagues.    Serves: This Recipe Serves 1. Ingredients: 1 tub of Bulla Origina Cottage Cheese. 1 Crusty fresh Bread Roll. 2 Slices of Thinly liced Ham. 1 serve of your favourite salad mix.   Method:  Slice the bread roll in half, length ways. Grill both halves of the roll until golden brown. Spread the bottom half of the roll with the Cottage Cheese. Add the sliced ham and salad mix. Add the top half of the bread roll and enjoy.

Field Mushroom with Chickpeas & Tomato    Low GI recipes are a good choice for those of us who are dieting to lose weight because they release energy slowly and keep us feeling fuller longer. This low GI recipe includes four superfoods, Field Mushrooms, Chickpeas, Tomatoes and Onions. This recipe is very low in fat, high in fibre and protein, and contains many valuable nutrients.    Serves: This Recipe Serves 4. Ingredients: 4 large field mushrooms ½ teaspoon crushed garlic 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 400g can chick peas, drained 1 roma tomato, diced 1 small onion, diced Method:  Preheat non stick frying pan over low - medium heat. Method. Mix olive oil and garlic together and brush all over mushrooms. Place mushrooms in pan and cook each side until golden brown (about 2 minutes each side). Set aside. In the same pan, add onion, cook until golden brown, add roma tomato and chickpeas and cook for about 2 minutes. Serve chickpea mixture on top of mushrooms and serve immediately.

Tuna and Tomato Pasta Salad    Tuna is very low in fat and high in protein so it is perfect for anyone wanting to lose weight. This is a very quick and delicious salad. Feel free to add a flavor tuna if you would like, or just a tuna in brine or oil. If you would like to use penne pasta in this recipe feel free to use this instead of the spinal pasta. Enjoy it on your own or with family and friends.  Serves: This Recipe Serves 4 to 6. Ingredients: 500g dried spiral pasta, cooked al dente. 1 x 425g tin tuna drained. 1 small green capsicum, chopped. 1 large tomatoes, chopped. 100g green beans, blanched. Balsamic vinegar, to drizzle.   Method:  Drain cooked pasta. Place into large bowl and add tuna, capsicum, tomato, beans and mix well to combine. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve immediately.

Brown Rice and Lentil Salad Ingredients: 2 cups cooked brown rice 1 cup cooked brown lentils 3/4 cup chopped seeded plum tomato (about 3 medium) 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions Dressing 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon salt Directions Place the rice, lentils, tomato, and scallions in a medium-sized bowl, and toss to mix well. Place the dressing ingredients in a small bowl, and stir to mix. Pour the dressing over the salad, and toss to mix well. Cover the salad, and chill for 2 to 5 hours before serving. Yield: 6 servings Nutritional Information (per 2/3-cup serving) Calories: 141 Carbohydrate: 23 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Fat: 3.2 g Fiber: 4.6 g Protein: 5 9

Veggie Cabbage Rolls Recipe Makes 8 servings INGREDIENTS: 1 large head cabbage 1 1/2 cups bulgar wheat 1 8-ounce can of garbanzo beans, drained 2 chopped tomatoes or 8 oz. tomato sauce If sauce desired, 1 can of tomato sauce 1 bunch of parsley, chopped 1 chopped medium onion 4 lemons 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 teaspoon salt Dash pepper 2 cloves garlic, minced (use 1 for sauce) 1 tablespoon dried mint PREPARATION: • Preparing the cabbage leaves: Salt some water and begin it boiling in a bot large enough to hold the cabbage. • Core the cabbage and place it in salted boiling water. • Parboil briefly to soften the cabbage. • Separate the leaves and cut each leaf in half, removing the vein. • Wash the bulgar, squeeze out the water. • Mix bulgar, garbanzo beans, tomatoes, parsley, onion, juice of 3 lemons, oil, salt, and pepper. • Place 1 tablespoon of the mixture on a cabbage leaf and roll it.

Aloo Mutter (spiced peas and potatoes) Serves: 6 Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes 2 1/2 medium yellow onions 3 cloves garlic 2 tablespoons water, if needed 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1 tomato, chopped 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes 1 pound shelled peas, fresh or frozen 3 cups water 1/2 teaspoon garam masala Salt to taste 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves In a food processor, processes the onions and garlic until they reach a pulp-like mash. You may need to add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water for the mixture to reach this consistency, but take care that not to over-process or the mixture will be too liquid. Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the onion and garlic mixture, stirring constantly over medium heat until the mixture becomes caramel-brown. Add chicken stock by the tablespoon, as needed, to keep the mixture from drying out and sticking to the pan. Add the ginger, chili powder, turmeric, chopped tomato, tomato paste and salt and stir to combine thoroughly. Add the potatoes and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the peas and water and bring to a boil over high heat. Once the mixture is boiling, reduce heat to medium and cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Finally, stir in the garam masala and more salt to taste, if desired. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Traditionally, this dish is served with rice and plain yogurt on the side. It's also good with grilled lamb or chicken.

Grilled Lemon Chicken This zesty chicken is low in calories and delicious when served steaming straight from the grill or out of a picnic basket at room temperature. It's great for sandwiches and salads, too. 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp. tomato paste 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped salt and black pepper to taste 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat (about one pound)   In a large bowl, combine the lemon juice, garlic, oregano, cinnamon, tomato paste and jalapeno. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the marinade and turn to coat well. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for three to eight hours, turning occasionally. Prepare your grill. Drain the chicken and discard the marinade. Grill the chicken until no longer pink inside, approximately 5 to 6 minutes per side.

Heart-Healthy Vegetable Pasta Eating healthier isn't hard to do, as long as you can still enjoy the taste of what you eat. This Italian-inspired recipe is a great tasting dish you and your family are sure to love. 1 cup broccoli (cut into bite-size pieces) 1 cup carrots (cut into bite-size pieces) 1/4 cup chopped green onions 1/2 Tbsp. Italian seasoning 1 can (14 1/2 oz.) stewed tomatoes, not drained 2 cups spaghetti noodles, eggless 2 Tbsp. dry sherry wine 2 cloves minced garlic 2 tsp. parmesan cheese   Cook spaghetti according to package instructions (do not add oil or salt) and drain well. Coat a pan with non-stick cooking spray and cook broccoli, carrots and onions for 3-4 minutes. Add wine, garlic, seasoning and tomatoes and cook until thoroughly heated. Pour vegetable sauce over noodles and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.