How I kept the weight off

Recipes……… How I Kept the Weight Off

WEIGHT WATCHERS PHENOMENON, ANNA VAN DYKEN LOST 70 KILOGRAMS - HALF HER BODY WEIGHT - IN 2016, ACHIEVING HER GOAL WEIGHT OVER A REMARKABLE FOUR-YEAR JOURNEY.

Fast-forward to 2021 and Anna has maintained her goal weight for five years. Now she shares her tips and tricks for weight-loss maintenance, as well as more than 90 new recipes for long-term success. Inspiring us to invest in our health for life, Anna shares her sustainable habits for keeping the weight off, including: Anna's top habits for maintaining weight-loss; The 10 truths to weight maintenance success; Anna's go-to foods; Anna's kitchen hacks and quick breakfast and snack ideas for busy lives. WW is a global leader in weight-loss and has been awarded the #1 best diet for weight-loss 11 years in a row. There is no better time to discover the WW program and learn how you too can start your own journey to weight-loss and wellness. weightwatchers.com/au

By Anna Van Dyken How I Kept the Weight Off by Anna Van Dyken, Published by Macmillan Australia, RRP $39.99. Photography by Jeremy Simons.

INGREDIENTS

SERVES: 6 PREP: 15 MINS | COOK: 35 MINS

• 6 large flat mushrooms, stalks removed • 200g reduced-fat fresh ricotta cheese • ¼ cup (20g) grated parmesan cheese • 1 egg • 30g short-cut bacon, fat trimmed, finely chopped • 2 cups (40g) baby spinach, finely chopped • 3 green shallots, finely chopped • ½ cup (30g) semi-dried tomatoes (not in oil), finely chopped • ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley SPINACH & • • 1 teaspoon Tuscan seasoning 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest RICOTTA STUFFED ANNA’S TIP

For the best result, use reduced-fat

MUSHROOMS ricotta cheese from the fresh deli

section in major supermarkets.

FETTUCCINE MARINARA

There’s nothing I love more than a meal prepped and cooked in just 30 minutes, especially a tasty pasta dish I can make midweek. Minimum effort, with maximum flavour!

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

SERVES: 4 PREP: 10 MINS | COOK: 20 MINS

• 1 teaspoon garlic-infused olive oil • 1 red onion, finely chopped • 2 garlic cloves, finely grated • 1 cup (250ml) dry white wine • 2 x 400g cans cherry tomatoes • ½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, • plus extra to serve • 500g seafood marinara mix • 200g black bean fettuccine 1. Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook onion, stirring, for 2–3 minutes until tender. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. 2. Add wine and simmer for 1 minute, then stir in tomatoes, chilli and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in seafood, simmer for a further 5 minutes, or until seafood is cooked.

3. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water following packet instructions. Drain. Serve seafood marinara sauce over pasta, and sprinkle with extra parsley.

METHOD

1. Preheat oven 180°C. Place mushrooms stalk-side-up on a baking paper-lined baking tray. 2. Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Spoon evenly onto mushrooms, lightly spray with oil and cover with foil. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake for a further 15–20 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Serve

My delicious mushrooms are the perfect option for a light lunch, either served with a crispy side salad, or simply on their own. Omit the bacon and you have a vegetarian alternative, just as flavoursome.

ANNA’S TIP

• You’ll find seafood marinara mix in the fresh fish section in major supermarkets. • Black bean fettuccine is available from the health food aisle in some supermarkets and from health food stores. Replace it with 200g of your favourite pasta variety (contains gluten), if preferred.

INGREDIENTS

SERVES: 4 PREP: 10 MINS | COOK: 20 MINS

• 1 teaspoon olive oil • 1 red onion, finely chopped • 1 red capsicum, cut into 2cm pieces • 1 yellow capsicum, cut into 2cm pieces • 3 garlic cloves, finely grated • 2 teaspoons dried mixed herbs • ½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika • 375g cup mushrooms, sliced • 400g can diced tomatoes • 1 cup (200g) basmati rice • 2 cups (500ml) chicken stock • 500g raw peeled prawns, tails intact • 1 cup (120g) frozen peas, thawed • 1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley • Lemon wedges, to serve

ANNA’S TIP

If liquid evaporates before rice is cooked, add some extra water.

GINGER MAPLE CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS

SERVES: 4 PREP: 15 MINS | COOK: 45 MINS

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup • 2 teaspoons garlic-infused olive oil • 2 garlic cloves, finely grated • 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger • 500g butternut pumpkin, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces • 300g brussels sprouts, halved • 1 red onion, cut into thin wedges • 4 x 150g skinless chicken thigh cutlets, bone in, fat trimmed • 1/3 cup (35g) pecans, coarsely chopped

ANNA’S TIP

Chicken is cooked if the juices run clear when you pierce the thickest part with the tip of a sharp knife. If the juices are pink, return to the oven for a further 10 minutes, then retest. METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. 2. Mix soy sauce, syrup, oil, garlic and ginger in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. 3. Place pumpkin, brussels sprouts and onion in a large bowl. Add half the sauce mixture and toss well.

4. Place chicken in a shallow dish. Pour over remaining sauce mixture and massage into chicken to coat well. Transfer chicken to baking tray. Add vegetables to tray and arrange around chicken. Bake for 35 minutes. Scatter with pecans and bake for a further 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and lightly browned.

If you enjoy one-pot wonders and delicious, fresh seafood, then this recipe is for you. This is the type of meal I love for dinner: simple and tasty.

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook onion and capsicums, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir in garlic, dried herbs and spices and cook for a further 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. 2. Stir in tomatoes, rice, stock and ½ cup (125ml) water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice is just tender.

3. Stir in prawns and peas and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until prawns are cooked through. Stir in parsley. Divide among 4 bowls and serve with lemon wedges.