Healthy Recipes

[scorch]

Hi everyone.

I thought it might be nice to have a thread where we can swap healthy, tasty and easy recipes. I'm trying to increase my palette while decreasing my dress size, and I thought, 'I bet the awesome people on BB have some recipes to share.'

Do you have a favourite dish?  Have you got a special recipe that's been in the family for generations?  Or did you manage to whip up a gastronomical miracle one night with the random ingredients floating around your fridge?

I made a lean beef & sweet potato pie last night, the husband said it was delish.  Here's how I made it:

First I peeled, cut up and set to boil a large sweet potato and 2 regular potatoes.  While that was boiling I cut the fat off 2 rump steaks and diced the meat. 

I then skinned 6 tomatoes, cut them into cubes and put them in a pan on the stovetop at a low heat.  I crushed a couple cloves of garlic and tore up a handful of herbs from the garden and stirred it in with the tomato.  I also added a sprinkle of chili flakes.

After the contents of the pan had cooked for about 5 minutes, I put them in a baking dish.  I then used the pan to brown off the diced beef which I then also added to the baking dish.

I added about half a cup of frozen peas to the mix and stirred it well, evenly distributing everything across the bottom of the baking dish.

I then took the potatoes off heat and mashed them all up together.  I used the potato/sweet potato mash to cover the beef/tomato mix, flattened it off with a fork and sprinkled a touch of light, grated cheese on top.

I then put the dish in the oven on a medium heat for about 35 minutes.  

This made enough for 6 decent sized portions.  It freezes and reheats well.

I hope you like my recipe.  It's nothing fancy, but my hubby liked it so it can't have been all bad.  Please, I'd love to read some of your recipes and try them out!  🙂 

[Neil_1]

Scorch

That's a really good idea and a great thread to have here.

Some positive things with regard to the kitchen and our dinner plates.

Right at this present moment in time nothing is jumping out at me;  I'm a creature of habit and prepare my meals on a weekend so I don't have to cook during the week;  same old, day in day out.

But I hope that others jump on board this and I hope it gets some good "air-play" on here.  🙂

Cheers

Neil

[scorch]

I'm thinking of making home made pizzas over the weekend.  I plan on using pita bread or something similar as the base - does anyone have hints for some healthy, tasty toppings?

Also - is light cheese any better for you than regular cheese?  Trying to decide whether to skip the cheese altogether.

[scorch]

Got a question.  Is banana bread any good for us?  I made some on the weekend, it was a really easy recipe and tasted delicious.  As I'm no longer eating chocolate or biscuits, my sweet tooth has become sad.  I had a bit of a meltdown on the weekend, ate a big unhealthy desert at a restaurant, then went to the movies and bought some lollies.  So I thought the banana bread might be a decent substitute.

I cut it up and froze the slices, and am having one a day as morning tea... although I may sneak another one after dinner sometimes.  Can anyone tell me, have I just replaced one bad food with another?

The recipe contains 2 cups self raising flour, 1/2 cup caster sugar, bicarb soda, 3 bananas, eggs.... um, I think that's about it, can't remember what else it has off the top of my head.  Is this ok for someone who is trying to lose weight and get in shape?

[Vera55]

I think your recipes are great. Good on you for cooking and baking! 

As you know everything in moderation is fine. 

I think it was Neil who encouraged water and more water. I am a big fan of filtered water and I have a bottle with me at all times.

Also what's not negotiable when trying to lose weight is exercise. Sorry but true.

i limit my carbs in meals so I can break out by having occasional chocolate and ice cream. My favourite. 

Also when I bake I halve the sugar. The less you have the less you crave.

time for a cuppa now. I wish I had some banana bread too!

[scorch]

Thanks Vera.  Good idea about the water bottle, I might start carrying one around with me too.  I didn't know that the less sugar we have the less we crave it, whenever I bake from now on I will definitely drop the sugar levels.  That helps a lot, thank you!  🙂

I'm doing ok with the exercise part of weight loss, Neil is encouraging me and giving me tips in another thread...Now that I'm into a routine I find I can stick to my exercises.  So now I'm just looking for foods that encourage health.  I want this to be a long term life change, so I need to learn how to cook good food.

[Neil_1]

Hey Scorch

Sorry, I've been a bit quiet on this part of the site for a day or so.  Have only just caught up.

Ok, banana bread - IS ok IF you're eating pretty much healthy with every other aspect of your food intake.  There's no harm in a slice of banana bread if that's your only sweet thing you're taking in.  If you're still sneaking in other things, then perhaps this will add to the bad carb intake.  But hey, I know how hard you're going with your exercise regime, so if you're having just one slice a day, then Scorch, that's fine.  We can't be boring and bland all the way through, now can we?

Having said that, I spoke to my partner about this and she's given me an alternative recommendation for you - instead of the banana bread.

It requires the purchase of 3 things.  (1)  aeroplane jelly LITE - and there's different varieties, so choose one that your taste buds might like (my partner likes the mango/orange combo);  (2)  a tub of organic yoghurt, sugar free and no fruit included - the variety she's got has "five-am"on the front of the tub;  and (3) a punnet of blueberries (if you like them) or strawberries.

Then it's a matter of just combining the above as you wish - and voila (pronounced wa laa) you've got a pretty tasty dessert treat that is very low in calories and tastes (from all reports) pretty good.

I hope I described that ok enough

Neil

[scorch]

Sounds pretty tasty Neil, I'll give it a go

[Stitch]

Hi Scorch,

Have you tried making almond bread?  It only has 4 ingredients, contains very little sugar and uses only egg whites so there's much less fat.  

You can also vary the nuts - pistachios are great.

I usually make two loaves and put one in the fridge or freezer.  The biscuits also keep really well in an air tight jar.

I can send you the recipe if you're interested.

[sandy74]

Hi Scorch, I worked in a pizza shop for 10 years and we made all types.

Spinach, Ricotta and a little sweet potato with leek.

Blanch spinach, slightly cook sliced sweet potato and leek. 

Make your pizza base or what I do at home is get 

1. 2 flat Lebanese breads

2. get one bread then spread with pizza sauce/paste, a very little cheese (Just to stick the next bread). 

3. put another Lebanese bread on top (more for the thickness)

4. spoon on and spread pizza sauce and a little cheese. then go for it with the spinach ricotta and little bit of cooked sweet potato and leek

5. sprinkle with light bread crumbs as this will absorb liquid and oils out of cheese, silver beet/spinach

6. finish off with a light layer of cheese and bake in the oven till cooked

I have also done the above at home with left over veggies and have turned out great

Good luck with your pizza