Weight Loss Box Set: More Than 70 Delicious Cookie and Fast Making Recipes for Weight Loss + Good Gut Diet for Improving Your Health (5 2 Diet, Slow Cooker Meals, Slow Cooker Recipes) (2 page)

Read Weight Loss Box Set: More Than 70 Delicious Cookie and Fast Making Recipes for Weight Loss + Good Gut Diet for Improving Your Health (5 2 Diet, Slow Cooker Meals, Slow Cooker Recipes) Online

Authors: Sara Hughes,Heather Klein,Eunice Hines,Una Soto

Tags: #Cookbooks; Food & Wine, #Baking, #Cookies, #Kitchen Appliances, #Slow Cookers, #Health; Fitness & Dieting, #Diets & Weight Loss, #Other Diets, #Diets

BOOK: Weight Loss Box Set: More Than 70 Delicious Cookie and Fast Making Recipes for Weight Loss + Good Gut Diet for Improving Your Health (5 2 Diet, Slow Cooker Meals, Slow Cooker Recipes)
12.65Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub

Chapter 1 - Breakfast

 

1. Carrot Pancakes

 

Pancakes are the classic indulgent breakfast item - the one where we feel as though we've gotten away with having desert at 8am. The meal we use to celebrate the best days and make the best of the worst. One problem with the typical approach to healthy eating is that we demonize treats because they're generally so bad for us; or rather we worship them because they're so good. If we learn how to make the same treats but in a relatively healthy manner, one that can be easily enjoyed in a healthy diet, then we won't always be looking glumly at what we are eating and waiting for that next holiday.

 

Carrot pancakes are delicious and offer a very light alternative to the traditional pancake. To really make them healthy consider grilling them and make sure to use a low-fat cooking spray or margarine.

 

Makes 6 pancakes.

Ingredients:

 

  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • Handful of chopped walnuts
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • Pinch of cinnamon
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • Pinch of ginger
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
  • 1 egg (yolk optional)
  • 1 cup grated carrot

 

Method:

 

  • Combine the flour, walnuts, baking powder and spice in a bowl and mix together well.
  • Combine the sugar, buttermilk and egg. Combine the dry and sugar mixture together and mix in carrot.
  • Heat a frying pan to a medium temperature. Use your chosen oil or margarine to coat the pan. Divide the batter into 6 mounds and placed on the heated pan and spread the mixture out. Cook on each side until lightly browned.
  • Serve with a topping of your choice (lemon and a small amount of sugar will work nicely).

2. Breakfast Omelet

 

Omelets are another fairly luxurious breakfast but they are a fantastic save if you've forgot to buy anything in and you can customize them with any tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers or even ham that you would like. This recipe will just be for the basic omelet and you will decide what to go with it. The key to being healthy is reducing the number of egg yolks.

 

Serves 2

Ingredients:

 

  • 2 eggs and 3 egg whites
  • 1 oz Reduced-fat cheese (whichever type you desire)
  • Spring onions (chopped)

 

Method:

 

  • Mix the eggs together in a bowl. Heat a frying pan to a medium temperature and cook spring onions.
  • Pour egg mixture into pan. Spread it around and tilt pan slightly for 30 seconds so that one side is thicker than the other.
  • Sprinkle in the cheese and your topping of choice on the thick side of the omelet.
  • D. Use some kind of spatula to fold the thin part of the omelet over the thick and cook until the egg has set and the cheese has melted.

3. Muesli

 

Store bought muesli is often filled with sugar even though it is branded as healthy - this is because making it tasty and healthy can be a bit pricey. However if you make it yourself you will can make large portions that will work out cheaper, just make as much as you have room to store. Remember to serve it with some skim milk.

 

Ingredients:

 

  • 5 cups rolled oats
  • 1 cup walnuts
  • 1 cup desiccated coconut
  • 1/2 cup oat bran
  • 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon

 

Method:

 

A. Simply mix the ingredients together thoroughly and place in a container. Have some with milk the next morning. You may wish to toast the oats by placing them in a shallow tray at 400 degrees until they begin to brown. Allow to cool before putting in the container. You could also add some dried fruit if you would like or serve it with fresh fruit in the morning.

4. Apple Porridge

 

Porridge is very healthy but the line between porridge and gruel can sometime seem quite thin. Without your standard dash of syrup it can especially be tiresome. Adding fruit is a good way to spruce up this traditional breakfast but with this recipe you go further and infuse the meal with an apple and cinnamon flavor.

 

Serves 1

Ingredients:

 

  • 2 oz porridge oats
  • 7 fl. oz Apple Juice (no added sugar)
  • 3 fl. oz skim milk
  • 1 apple (chopped)
  • Pinch of cinnamon

 

Method:

 

  • Place all ingredients in a saucepan over a medium heat.
  • Heat until boiled and then reduce to a simmer and leave for 5 minutes.
  • Serve with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Chapter 2 - Lunch

 

5. Pea and Mint Soup

 

Soup is a great way to have a healthy lunch and it can break up the monotony of the same old sandwiches with amazing flavor combinations. This particular soup is fantastic because it can be enjoyed cold at work or piping hot at home. It's also super healthy so you can enjoy it with some brown bread or a cracker. 

 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

 

  • 1 bunch spring onions (chopped)
  • 1 medium potato (peeled and chopped)
  • Garlic glove (crushed)
  • 30 fl. oz vegetable stock (reduced salt)
  • 9 oz peas
  • Handful of fresh chopped mint
  • Pinch of caster sugar
  • Splash of lemon juice
  • 5 fl. oz low-fat buttermilk

 

Method:

 

  • Put the onions and potatoes in a large pan and bring to the boil then simmer until the potato is soft. Add the peas and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Add the mint, sugar and lemon. Wait until the soup has cooled and then blitz the ingredients together until it is smooth. Then add the buttermilk and allow it to cool down if not eating immediately.
  • To reheat simply place in a pan until it is warmed through.

6. Carrot Salad

 

This is a really simple and delicious salad that is amazingly healthy and really brings out the flavor of a forgotten vegetable. It's very fresh and zingy without any of the bitterness found in leafy salads. This is a salad that can be prepared in advance for several days (carrots keep well) and can also be used as a great side dish for steak or chicken.

 

Serves 3

Ingredients:

 

  • 5 large carrots (peeled and grated with a wide-holed grater or a mandolin)
  • Handful of raw pumpkin seeds
  • Zest and juice of one orange (use the zest to taste)
  • Small handful of sultanas
  • Splash of olive oil
  • Pinch of salt
  • Fresh cilantro leaves to taste

Method:

 

  • Combine the ingredients together thoroughly and store in the fridge until to you are ready to eat. If you are leaving it to be eaten the next day or week, then do not add the oil or cilantro until serving.

7.  Moroccan Chickpea Soup

 

This is another fantastic soup recipe that is easy and delicious.  It is surprisingly cheap to make and contains all kinds of different and aromatic spices. The flavors give it quite a meaty flavor and hide just how healthy it really is.

 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

 

  • 1 medium onion (chopped)
  • 2 celery sticks (chopped)
  • 2 tsp dried cumin
  • 21 fl. oz vegetable stock
  • 1 tin chopped tomato
  • 1 large tin of chickpeas (drained)
  • 3 oz broad beans
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • Cilantro to taste

Method:

 

  • Fry the onion and celery until soft over a medium heat in a large pan. Heat the cumin in the pan quickly.
  • Add the tomato, stock and chickpeas and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and season.

8. Mixed vegetable and cashew salad

 

Salad can be boring and something that is hidden away or eaten quickly with a plugged nose. At best we put a self-defeating dressing on it. This is a phenomenally healthy salad with a very light but tasty dressing. This salad really shines on its own and is super filling but it can also be paired with noodles for an even more substantial meal.

 

Serves 6

Ingredients:

 

  • 3 large carrots (peeled and grated or sliced with a mandolin)
  • 3 raw beetroots (peeled and grated or sliced with a mandolin)
  • 1/4 of a small red cabbage (shredded or cut finely)
  • 1/4 of a small white cabbage (shredded or cut finely)
  • 1 small red pepper (thinly sliced)
  • Small bunch of fresh mint and cilantro (chopped)
  • Handful of cashew nuts (lightly toasted)
  • 1/4 cup dark soy sauce
  • 4 large limes
  • Tsp. chili powder
  • Tbs. honey

 

Method:

 

  • Combine the vegetables.
  • Mix together the soy sauce, juice of the limes, chili powder and honey.
  • Drizzle the dressing over the salad when ready to eat. Consume within 3 - 4 days to ensure the salad remains crunchy, colorful and fresh.

9. Satay Chicken Wraps

 

One of the biggest problems with finding a healthy lunch is getting around the bread factor which fills out a lot of the lunchtime classics. Tortilla style wraps are a fantastic way of getting around this as they can be anywhere from half to a quarter of the calories found in white bread. Bread can sometimes be one of the forgotten unhealthy foods where we think what is inside it is the real problem. Low-fat tortilla wraps still taste excellent and really bring down the calorie level while also giving a lighter lunch. This recipe makes a brilliant Asian inspired wrap but it acts a good base for a lot of other ingredients.

 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

 

  • 2 chicken breast (cooked and shredded or diced)
  • 1 small cucumber (cut into medallions)
  • 2 large carrots (shredded or grated)
  • 1 large pepper (chopped)
  • 1 tsp. honey
  • 1 tsp. dried ginger
  • 1 tbs. lime juice
  • 1 tsp. reduced salt soy sauce
  • 1 garlic clove (minced)
  • 1 tbs. reduced far peanut butter
  • 1 tbs. water
  • A small bunch of cilantro
  • 4 low-fat whole-wheat flour tortillas
  • 4 large lettuce leaves

 

Method:

 

  • Mix the honey, ginger, lime, soy sauce, peanut butter, water and mix together until very smooth.
  • Combine the carrots, pepper, cucumber and chicken into a bowl and cover in the dressing made in the last step.
  • Place a lettuce leaf on the wrap and fill with the mixture. Roll up the wrap and serve.

Other books

In McGillivray's Bed by Anne McAllister
Side Effects by Michael Palmer
Playing with Water by James Hamilton-Paterson
Emerald Aisle by Ralph M. McInerny