Carrie Brown’s – Almond Pear Porridge

So I stumbled across this recipe of Carrie’s about a week ago.  I was going on a printing frenzy (testing out my new mono laser printer), and printing off heaps of stuff, a lot of this ‘stuff’ was SANE recipes by Carrie.

I already knew the Strawberry Seed porridge was a winner, cause I’ve made it a few times.  Mostly with mixed berries (just as good), and the other day with blueberries (use only a 1/3 of the suggested amount, I just found it ultra blueberry sweet).

Since I had all the ingredients for this particular recipe in my pantry already I thought I would give it a go.

I wont lie, I did make a mess. I have  tiny little food processor, so I had to do it in two lots.  At least I know I can easily half this recipe if I ever want a single serve.

Source: marmaladeandmileposts.com via Matilda on Pinterest

This breakfast is seriously filling.  It has a blend of flavours.  Yeah it’s very almondy, but I was surprised the coconut milk wasn’t overpowering (as I found in the strawberry seed porridge, where I had to sub normal light milk instead as the coconut milk was just too much). The almonds meal give it a really great texture too.  And the pears, yum!

I’d love to try this warm, I might have to give it a go when the weather cools down.

Two-Ingredient Banana Peanut Butter Ice Cream Recipe | Two Peas & Their Pod

So I came across this recipe on Pinterest, I thought I would give it a go.  I had 3 huge (like 9″ long) banana’s, that were getting brown.  Normally I would make Banana Bread, or Cake, or biscuits, but then I saw this recipe, thought it looked easy, so I would give it a go.

Two-Ingredient Banana Peanut Butter Ice Cream Recipe | Two Peas & Their Pod.

Um wow! Who would have thought that you could have banana icecream just from banana’s!

So my daughter is allergic to peanuts, so I didn’t add peanut butter, but you could sub it with sunflower seed butter, or almond butter.  Or you could just use a bit of yoghurt like I did.

Seriously really easy, and so good for you.

Try it you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Roast Turkey Casserole

So I’m a fan of Carrie Brown on Facebook (because of the Smarter Science of Slim).

Well one particular day she posted that she had made this particular recipe.  I looked it up and was like, well this looks super easy, I will have to put this on the list to try out.

Source: marmaladeandmileposts.com via Matilda on Pinterest

 

Well O M G!!!!!!!!!!!!! This recipe is just AH-MAZING.

Not only is it so super easy, it is so super yummy.  The kids loved it too.

Will definitely be making this one again.

Cheesy Omlette

I have a new love of eggs.

In fact one of my goals for the year is to have a chicken coop, so I can have free range eggs at my finger tips.

Egg whites are high in protein, and when you are trying to increase your protein intake then egg whites make it a little bit easier.

So this recipe is so super easy, and really low in calories.

Ingrediants

1 whole egg
1 egg white
50g of low fat cottage cheese (I use the Bulla Brand)
25g of frozen peas (optional)

Method

1. Whisk the eggs and the cottage cheese together in a bowl. 
2. Coat a small (non stick) fry pan with cooking spray (i use canola).
3. On medium heat (for me it’s in-between gas mark 3-4 even though I have an electric oven), poor mix into pan.
4. Add peas if using.
5. Flip or fold when top of mix becomes solid.
6. Serve

Macro’s – 133 calories, 4g carbs, 6g fat, 15g protein
(based on no peas)

Muesli

I love a good muesli.  This is the muesli that I make that I like to use as a topper on my weetbix or convert it into Bircher Muesli in the slow cooker during winter.

This particular recipe will make 8 cups worth of muesli.

Ingredients

• 360g Rolled Oats
• 110g Bran Cereal (or Processed Bran aka All Bran)
• 80g Pepitas/Pumpkin Seeds
• 80g Sunflower Seeds
• 125g of Almonds
• 170g of Sultana’s/Cranberries (or approx 80g each of sultana’s & Cranberries)
• 2 tsp cinnamon

Mix together in a bowl, and store in an air tight container.

8 Cups = 3818 calories
1 Cup = 477.25 calories
1/2 Cup = 238 calories
1/4 Cup = 119 calories

Sane/Paleo Lasagne

We all love Lasagne.  Well I know I do.  The only problem with lasagne is that it’s quite fattening.  It has a lot of carbs, and well not really great for the waist line.

So what if you could have it and know that what you are cooking is really great for you.

Well I came across this SANE / Paleo recipe from Carrie Brown over at Marmalade and Mileposts.  I found out about Carrie Brown from a podcast that I listen too called The Smarter Science of Slim.  Carrie is also a Chef.  So she turns everyday recipes into Saner / healthier alternatives. One of those recipes happens to have been good old Lasagne. You can find the recipe here.

 

I slightly modified the recipe to feed 4.  I also added puree carrot and I slow cooked the mince in the slow cooker for about 6 hours (totally worth it in my opinion). I didn’t use xanthan gum cause I couldn’t find it and being Christmas Eve, I doubt I would find it in my small country town grocery store.

Either way, wow.  Seriously so totally worth it.  I can’t wait to make this again! A really simple and fantastic recipe.

Chickpea Salad

Chickpea Salad
Serves 4 (you can half the ingredients to serve 2)

2 large tins chickpeas
3 tomatoes (you can use a punnet of cherry tomatoes as an alternative
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 small red capsicum cut into strips (you can use green or yellow if you don’t have red).
4 spring onions, cut into thin strips
1 cup chopped parsley
2-3 tablespoons chopped mint leaves

Dressing
2 tbls tahini
2 tbls lemon juice
1 tbls olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

* Drain the chickpeas and rinse well.
* Cut the tomatoes in half and remove the seeds (if using cherry tomatoes just cut them in half)
* Dice the flesh of the tomatoes
* mix the red onion, tomato, capsicum and spring onion in a bowl
* Add the parsley chickpeas and mint

To make the dressing, put all the ingredients in a screw top jar with 2 tbls water, season well and shake vigorously to make a creamy liquid. Pour over the salad and toss.

A really refreshing summer (or any other time of the year) salad.

Cauliflower Curry

I found this recipe while cleaning out my old blog.  I love this recipe.  So easy and very yummy, and clean and SANE!

 

Ingrediants
500g cauliflower (about 1/2 a large cauliflower), cut into large chunks
300g sweet potato (you can use pumpkin if you don’t have enough or don’t have any), cut up into 1cm cubs
2 large potatoes, sliced or cubed
1 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed (you can use jar if you don’t have fresh)
1tsp fresh ginger (if you don’t like it leave it out)
1tbls curry powder (if you want different flavour try, the yellow/green/red curry paste)
2tsp ground cumin (if you don’t have it you can leave it out)
400g can of diced tomatoes
1 cup of vegetable stock
1/3 cup frozen peas
cooking spray.

1. Heat oil in a stock pot/pressure cooker, over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger and cook for approx 2 mins. Stir in curry powder and cumin and cook for a further min. 
2. Add tomatoes and stock and bring to the boil.
3. Add prepared vegetables, reduce heat to simmer for 20-30 mins until tender.

If you are using a pressure cooker, add all ingredients at step 2. Once pressure is reached, reduce heat, and leave for 10 minutes, then turn off heat and let steam escape.

4. add peas and cook for a further 5 mins until peas cooked.

Serve with rice or couscous.

Make sure you have all your vegetables prepared beforehand.

NB: sorry it’s late, but this one is a winner in our house, I just love it.

Vanilla Chocolate Chip Muffins

I love to bake.  Which can be a bit of a problem with weight loss.  However I do like to have my cake and eat it too.
I just am a lot more concious of what I bake.  This particular recipe is dead easy, and is only 155cals per muffin (when making 12), or 75 when you are making mini cup cakes (30 mini cup cakes at 25g each). Yes I did work out the calorie content.

To make 12 muffins (30 mini cup cakes) you will need:

• 300g self-raising flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 50g of butter/margarine (calorie content is based of marg)
• 80g of caster sugar
• 150g of chocolate chips (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 eggs
• 225ml milk (I used lite)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 200c/400f/Gas Mark 6. Grease a muffin pan, or line with cases.
2. Mix all the ingredients but the chocolate chips in a bowl. When the batter is mixed, add the chocolate chips.
3. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups.
4. Bake in the oven for approx 15 mins for the mini cup cakes 18-20 for muffins.
5. Cool in tin for approx 10 mins before turning onto a wire rack.

You can ice them, but I don’t bother, they are sweet enough.