The healthy BBQ!

Recipe of the week 22nd August 2011

Well this week as next weekend is the August bank holiday weekend (in England anyway) I have decided to do BBQ food.  I made pork and apple burgers, chicken and chorizo sticks and a paprika pasta bake, for this BBQ.  All of these together, its less than 550 calories.

Pork and Apple Burgers

Ingredients 

400g minced pork

2 tbsp vegetable stock powder

2 eating apples, grated

1 tbsp chopped fresh sage

1 red onion, finely diced

1 red pepper, finely diced

Black pepper

Method

1. Put all the ingredients in a bowl, mix well, season with black pepper, and combine.  Divide into 4, and mould into burgers.

2. Cook on a hot BBQ, regularly turned, till throughly cooked.  To test the are cooked by, inserting a knife into the centre, if the bade comes out clean, they are cooked.

Notes

Serves 4.

Calorie content 180.

Fat content 4.8g.

These can also be grilled under a hot grill, if the weather isnt good enough!

Chicken and Chorizo sticks

Ingredients

1 chicken breast, chopped

1 lime, zest and juice.

2 tbsp light soy sauce

Thin chroizo slices

Method

1. Mix the lime zest, juice and soy sauce together.  Then add the chicken and marinade for at least 10 minutes, but ideally as long as possible.

2. Thread alternate pieces of chicken and chorizo onto the sticks.

3. Place on the BBQ and cook, until chicken cooked through.

Notes 

Serves 4.

Calorie content 89.

Fat content 3.8g.

If using wooden skewers remember to soak in water for at least 1hr to help prevent the wood burning.

If the weather isnt good enough for a BBQ, Cook in under the grill for 2-4 minutes turning frequently.

Paprika Pasta Salad

Ingredients 

350g pasta shapes

2 vegetable stock cubes

2 red peppers, cut into large slices

2 yellow peppers, cut into large slices

150ml virtually fa free fromage frais

1 tbsp paprika

1-2 tbsp of dried herbs

Method

1. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, with the 2 stock cubes for added flavour.

2. Place the pepper on the BBQ for 5-6minutes, until the peppers start to change colour.  Allow them to cool, and peel the skins off.

3. Mix the cooked pasta and peppers in a bowl.

4.  In another bowl mix the fromage frais and dried herbs, before adding to the pasta and peppers.  Mix until well combined.

5. Sprinkle the paprika over the top and serve.

Notes

Serve 6.

Calorie content 250

Fat content 2.2g

If the weather doesnt allow a BBQ, grill the peppers until the colour changes

Spicy Cottage Pie

Recipe of the week: 1st August 2011

This recipe is a combination of our own cottage pie and a rosemary conley recipe, as the together we think they make THE best cottage pie!

Ingredients 

600g potatoes, peeled & chopped

1 white onion, cut into quarters

400g extra lean mince beef

1 red onion, diced

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 carrot, peeled and sliced

200g mushrooms, sliced

1 tbsp balti curry paste

1 beef knorr stock pot

1tsp of gravy granules

2 tbsp skimmed milk

300mls water

salt and black pepper

Method

1. Pre heat the oven to 200C, 400F or gas mark 6.  Pre heat a large non-stick frying pan.

2. Boil the potatoes with the white onion until soft.

3. Meanwhile, dry fry the mince in the non-stick pan until lightly browned.  Then tip the mince into a sieve and drain off the excess fat.

4. Return the mince to the pan, add the red onion, garlic, carrots and mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring in the balti paste while they are cooking.

5. Add water and bring to a gentle simmer, then add the gravy granules, stock pot and seasoning.  Simmer the mixture gently for 20 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.

6.  Transfer the mixture to an ovenproof dish.

7.  Drain the potatoes, mash well, adding the skimmed milk and seasoning.

8.  Spread the mixture over the top of the meat, and rough it up with a fork.

9.  Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown.

Notes

Calorie content 338.

Fat content 6g.

You can add cheese to the top of the mash before placing in the oven, however this will increase the calories and fat content.

We serve ours with seasonal veggies.

It serves 4.

Tomato Risotto

Recipe of the week: 25th July 2011

Ingredients 

1 red onion, diced

1 garlic clove crushed

100g arborio risotto rice

750ml vegetable stock

100g tomato passata

150g cherry tomatoes, halved

black pepper, and if you like salt

Method

1. Pre heat a non stick pan and dry fry the onion and garlic until soft.  Add the rice and gradually stir in the stock and passata until all the stock has been absorbed.

2.  Add the tomatoes and season to taste and cook for a further 5 minutes.

3.  Serve, we choose to served it with sugar snap peas, but it also works well with a salad.

Notes

Calorie content 266.

Fat content 3.2g.

You can add 2 tbsp low fat fromage frais to make the risotto more creamy, although this will increase the calories and fat content.

It serves 2.

Spicy mexican beef

Recipe of the week: 18th July 2011

Spicy Mexican Beef

.

Ingredients

400g rump steak, sliced (visible fat removed)

1 medium onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 green pepper, diced

200g mushrooms, sliced

2tbsp fajita spice mix

1tbsp mixed herbs

1tbsp light soy sauce

200g cherry tomatoes

100g cooked new potatoes, sliced

chilli sauce, for drizzling

Method

1. Pre heat a non stick pan, then dry fry onion, garlic and green pepper until soft.

2. Add the beef and lightly seal, then stir in the mushrooms, spice mix, herbs and soy sauce.

3.  Toss together, then add the cherry tomatoes and potatoes and heat through.

4. Serve drizzled with chilli sauce.

Notes

Calorie content: 192 (we served ours with 55g of rice, per person, and that increases the calories to 397)

Fat content: 1.6%

It serves 4.