Cauliflower Soup

surprisingly popular with children
2 points per serve

serves 6

Ingredients:
1/2 of a good sized cauliflower
2 and 1/2 cups of skimmed milk'
2 and 1/2 cups of water
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/3 cup of plain flour
2 teaspoons of stock powder or 2 stock cubes
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Chop cauliflower into large florets. Place in large saucepan with the milk and the water. Gently boil until cauliflower is cooked. Drain cauliflower and keep the liquid. Melt butter in a pan, stir in the flour and cook for about a minute stirring constantly. Take the pan off the heat and very gradually stir in the liquid. Return to the stove and gently bring back to the boil stirring constantly. If your mixture has turned lumpy don't panic. Just bamix (process) the liquid until it is smooth. Add the stock powder, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Chop up the cauliflower into smaller pieces and add back to the soup. Heat through gently as this soup may stick to the bottom of the pan.

Bacon and Chickpea Soup

serves 8
core
3 points per serve

Ingredients:

1 cup of dried chickpeas, soaked over-night
125g of lean bacon or ww bacon
2 brown onions, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
8 cups of water
1/4 cup of finely chopped parsley
1 zucchini, chopped small (remove seeds)
4 teaspoons of stock powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Drain chickpeas and set them aside. Throw the waste water onto your garden. Cook bacon, onion and garlic in a large non-stick pan for 4 - 5 minutes. If you don't have a non-stick pan then use 1 teaspoon of oil to sautee the bacon, onions and garlic in.
Add soaked chickpeas, water, bay leaves and stock powder. Simmer for about an hour.
If you decide to use tinned chickpeas then use two tins, each about 400 gm in size. They need to be drained and rinsed. Decrease the simmering time to about 15 minutes.
Add parsley, zucchini, salt and pepper. Boil for a further 10 minutes and serve.

Balsamic chicken and bean salad

Ingredients (serves 4)

6 points per serve

core add 1 point per serve or leave feta out!

600g skinless chicken thigh fillets, trimmed
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
olive oil cooking spray
400g can cannellini beans, drained
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup low-fat feta cheese, crumbled
50g rocket leaves
1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve
Method
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Whisk garlic, mustard and vinegar in a ceramic dish. Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
Preheat a barbecue plate on high heat. Remove chicken from marinade. Lightly spray chicken with oil. Cook for 1 minute each side or until golden. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook chicken for 6 to 8 minutes each side or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate. Cover and stand for 5 minutes.
Slice chicken. Combine beans, tomato, feta, rocket and chicken in a large bowl. Toss gently. Spoon onto plates. Season with pepper. Serve with lemon.

Chips or wedges

Ingredients (serves 4)

2.0 points per serve or core!
750g pontiac or desiree potatoes, peeled, cut into 1cm-thick batons or wedge style shape
Extra light olive oil spray

Method
Preheat oven to 230°C. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Place potato, in a single layer, on prepared tray. Spray with oil to lightly coat. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately

you can also use your 2 tspns of oil to cook these. i put it in a small dish and use a silicone pastry brush to paint the lined up chips/wedges while on the tray. i also sprinkle them with salt, season all or moroccan seasoning before cooking sometimes.

Mediterranean Tuna Patties with Lemon Fettuccine

serves 4
3.5 points for tuna patties
4 points for the pasta
7.5 for both
core 1.5 extra combined serve


425 gram can tuna in brine, drained
2 teaspoons garlic
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup sliced black olives
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon oil
2 cups mash potatoes
plain flour to coat
2 tbsp oil to fry
1/2 red capsicum, diced

Lemon Fettuccine:
300 grams fettuccine or spagetti if desired
1 teaspoon garlic slat and pepper
1 tablespoon oil
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Tuna Patties:
Heat oil in frying pan, over a low heat. Add garlic and red pepper and fry until soft. Put into a bowl with tuna, mash potatoes, tomato paste, black olives and oregano. Mix well and mould into 12 patties. Refrigerate for 30 mins or until desired. To cook, coat patties with a little flour and gently fry in hot oil until golden brown. Serve with lemon fettuccine.
Lemon fettuccine: Cook fettuccine according to packet instructions until al dente. Drain well. Heat oil in a large saucepan over a low heat. Add garlic and fry for 1-2 minutes. Add poppy seeds, lemon juice, fettuccine and salt pepper, and toss over heat until ingredients are well mixed and hot.

Lemon Tuna couscous

Lotsa Fruit Smoothie

Get the family eating fruit!

2 points per serve

serves 4

2 bananas
4 peaches, sliced
1 cup strawberries
500 mls apple juice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup icecubes

Combine ingredients. Blend in blender until smooth.serves 4

Peach and Watermelon Smoothie

Serves 2
1.5 points or core

Ingredients

1 cup of chopped watermelon , chilled

1 peach, quartered

1 1/4 cup of skim milk

3 ice cubes

Blend all together well

Kiwi coconut smoothie

Serves 2

2 points per serve/core

3 kiwi fruit

1 1/2 cups skim milk

1/4 teaspoon coconut essence

Peel and cut the kiwi fruit in half. I blend all this is a stainless steel milkshake cup with a hand held blender but in a blender is good. Cooking essences can be a great way to change the flavour of smoothies, you only need the tiniest amount and they come in range of flavours. I made this as I am on a diet and detox so it had to be low fat, no dairy or wheat.

Vegetable Lasagne

Ingredients (serves 6)

4.5 per serve/core count breadcrumbs and butter 1.5 per serve

4 Roma tomatoes
450g eggplant, sliced lengthways
500g red capsicum
olive oil cooking spray
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
800g English spinach, leaves washed
250g low-fat fresh ricotta
2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
9 sheets dried instant lasagne
2 cups fresh white breadcrumbs
20g butter, melted
1 tablespoon olive oil
Method
Preheat oven to 200°C. Line 3 baking trays with baking paper. Cut tomatoes into 3cm-thick slices. Place onto a baking tray. Place eggplant onto another tray. Cut capsicum into quarters lengthways. Remove seeds and membrane. Place, skin-side up, onto third tray. Spray all vegetables with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle vinegar over tomatoes. Roast vegetables for 35 minutes, or until tender. Cool.
Shred spinach leaves. Place into a heat-proof bowl. Cover with boiling water. Stand for 2 minutes. Drain. Refresh in cold water. Squeeze spinach to remove excess liquid.
Combine ricotta, basil, and salt and pepper. Arrange half the spinach in a greased, 5cm-deep, 26cm x 17cm heat-proof dish. Top with 3 sheets of lasagne. Spread with half the ricotta mixture. Top with half the vegetables. Repeat lasagne, ricotta and vegetable layers. Top with spinach and lasagne.
Combine breadcrumbs, butter and oil. Sprinkle over lasagne. Cover with foil. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 15 minutes, until tender and golden. Serve.

Skinny Cheese Sauce

2 points per serve, serves 6

Ingredients
50g reduced-fat marg
1/4 cup plain flour
1 1/4 cups skim milk
100g low-fat ricotta cheese
1 eggwhite
50g reduced fat tasty cheese
Method
Melt marg in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in milk. Return to heat and cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes or until sauce comes to the boil. Cool.
Using an electric mixer, beat ricotta until smooth. Clean blades and, in a separate bowl, beat eggwhite to soft peaks. Stir ricotta and tasty cheeses into sauce. Fold eggwhite through sauce.

Penne with pumpkin and ricotta

A really nice light meal with 5.5 points per serve or totally core!

Ingredients (serves 4)
500g peeled pumpkin, cut into 1-2cm cubes
2 tbs olive oil
300g penne
1 leek (white part only), cleaned, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
150g baby spinach leaves
125g low-fat ricotta
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C.
Toss pumpkin and 1 tablespoon oil in a bowl and place on a baking tray. Roast for 15 minutes or until tinged golden.
Meanwhile, cook the penne in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water until al dente.
Heat remaining oil in a large frypan over medium-low heat, add leek and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until soft.
Add garlic and cook for a further minute, then add spinach and remove from heat. Drain pasta and add to pan with leek mixture. Add pumpkin and toss to combine.
Serve sprinkled with ricotta and freshly cracked black pepper.

Apple and cinnamon pancakes

These are 5.5 points per serve and you could make them less of course but i like them like this for a sometimes food.

Cooking Time
16 minutes
Ingredients (serves 4)
1 1/4 cups wholemeal self-raising flour
1 tablespoon caster sugar*
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup reduced-fat milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
olive oil cooking spray
2 pink lady apples, quartered, cored, thinly sliced
4 scoops low-fat vanilla ice-cream, to serve
Method
Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon into a bowl (add husks left in sieve to bowl). Make a well in the centre.
Using a fork, whisk together milk, eggs and vanilla in a jug. Pour into well and mix lightly with a fork until just combined (do not overmix).
Heat a large, non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Spray lightly with oil. Pour 1/4 cup batter into pan and gently spread to about 12cm diameter. Working quickly, top batter with 1 layer apple slices. Cook 2 pancakes at a time for 2 minutes. Carefully turn and cook for a further 2 minutes or until firm to touch. Place on a plate. Cover to keep warm while cooking remaining pancakes. Serve warm sprinkled with a little of the remaining cinnamon and a scoop of ice-cream

Vegetable and bacon frittata

Ingredients (serves 6) 3.5 points per serve/core without the cheese or count 1.5 per serve
1 tablespoon olive oil
200g button mushrooms, sliced
1 red onion, cut into thin wedges
1 green capsicum, deseeded, chopped
125g 97% fat-free bacon, chopped
4 green onions, thinly sliced
8 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/2 cup grated low-fat tasty cheese
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line base and sides of a 4cm deep, 16cm x 26cm (base) slab pan.
Heat oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, capsicum and bacon. Cook, stirring often, for 5 to 6 minutes or until vegetables are just tender. Add green onion. Cook for 1 minute. Spread over base of pan.
Using a fork, whisk eggs, milk and salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir in cheese. Pour over vegetables, shaking pan to allow egg mixture to run to base of pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until set. Stand in pan for 20 minutes. Cut into pieces. Serve warm or at room temperature with salad, if desired.

Low-fat baked custard

Ingredients (serves 4) 2 points per serve
2 eggs
1 eggwhite
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup caster sugar
2 cups skim milk
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Method
Preheat oven to 160°C. Using a balloon whisk, whisk eggs, eggwhite, vanilla and sugar in a bowl until well combined but not frothy.
Heat milk in a saucepan over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until hot (do not boil). Pour milk in a thin, steady stream over egg mixture, whisking constantly until well combined. Strain custard through a fine sieve (this is to prevent strands of egg forming in the custard).
Pour strained custard into four 3/4-cup capacity ceramic ramekins. Place in a baking dish. Sprinkle nutmeg over top of custards. Pour enough boiling water into baking dish so it comes halfway up sides of ramekins (this is known as a water bath). Bake custards, uncovered, for 1 hour or until set. Serve warm or cold.
Notes & tips
Tip: To test if your ramekins are 3/4-cup capacity, measure 3/4 cup water and pour into ramekin. The water should reach the top of the ramekin.