NUTRITIONAL PLAN
RECIPE GUIDELINES:
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THE EASY DIET FOR A BUSY LIFE
With such busy lifestyles, many of us find it hard to eat healthy and get into bad habits picking up a quick high calorie sandwich, a processed meal or a chocolate bar loaded with sugar.
It’s also true that you don’t need to spend countless hours cooking dishes in order to stick to a diet. Here you are going to read how eating healthy really can be just simple adjustments to your busy life’s styles.
But the truth is you can eat well and lose weight without having to worry about counting calories, follow complicated menus or eating tasteless meals.
When I’ve asking people to describe the word diet and its meaning, these are the associated words people tend to think off …. ‘Staving’ ‘boring’ ‘crave certain foods’ ‘restrictive’, ‘short term’ ‘not practical ‘ strict regime’ ‘ridge plan.’. No wonder our society finds it so difficult to diet and stick to the plans longterm, resulting in us becoming susceptible to obesity and its associated chronic illnesses such as diabetes and poor cardiovascular health.
THE EASY DIET FOR A BUSY LIFE The problem about diets is that they tend to be ‘short lived’ because of these negative reasons, people go from one diet to another and the so call yoyo dieting tends to not to be successful long-term; so why are we forever searching for the next best diet. Calorie counting, portion weighing it all becomes so complicated that most of us give up on the word diet and end up binge eating. Well let me tell you a secret… diets don’t work long term but a healthy eating plan does. A plan that you can implement into your life which is easy, non-calorie counting, no weighing foods, an ‘effortless plan’! It’s simple, eat natural wholesome foods low in sugar with normal size portions that are visual to your eye and you will have positive results. Go back to the hunter-gatherer ethos, exercise and you will lose weight without even thinking about calorie counting.
THE EASY DIET FOR A BUSY LIFE
Controlling blood sugar levels is one of the most important aspects one can take to improve your weight and overall health. Unfortunately with today’s busy I’m going to teach you why hectic lifestyles and that we high blood sugar levels can be have been conditioned to believe all fats are bad, we have the internal switch to weight gain and how to balance your blood tuned ourselves to a high sugar levels, although diet is one of carbohydrate diet. the most important keys to losing weight. In summary, this document is an overview of how to eat a ‘low carb’ diet that doesn’t negatively affect your blood sugar levels, this in turn will have a positive effect on your well being and weight loss without being as restrictive or as difficult as you can imagine.
Carbohydrates such as grains (bread, pasta and rice), fruits and vegetables break down into glucose for the body to use as fuel to make energy. The problem is that today’s typical western diet we tend to eat too many refined carbohydrates or high fructose foods which release sugar much too quickly into our blood stream. This is where the problem arises because when we have excessive blood sugar levels the body produces a hormone called insulin.
THE EASY DIET FOR A BUSY LIFE Sugar is erosive and if left in our delicate blood capillaries this would be too damaging to our health. Insulin’s job is to protect the body and move the excess sugar and store it as fat, hence weight gain. This response is very quick and the response can make ones blood sugars too low which can result in one craving even more sugar, become tired and lethargic so you crave another ‘pick me up food’ and then you enter a rollercoaster of high and low blood sugar control.
The solution is to eat foods that release sugars slowly into your blood stream, aim for more complex carbohydrates such as wholegrain brown breads, brown rice, buckwheat or rye. Generally foods that are high in fibre will normally have a positive effect on your weight, how you feel and more than likely result in fewer cravings for sweets and chocolate. You want to stay away from refined carbohydrates such as white bread, white rice, pasta or bagels as they are all processed which results in the removal of the fibre which in turn makes them quick to release sugars.
THE EASY DIET FOR A BUSY LIFE
What about vegetables? Aren’t they are carbohydrates? Most contain very little sugar to effect blood sugar levels and they have many other health benefits such as antioxidants. As a general rule, all “above-the-ground” vegetables-broccoli, lettuce, cabbage, and the like-have a low effect on blood sugar levels. All vegetable grown below or ‘root vegetables’ potatoes, carrots, yams etc tend to have a higher effect so limit your portion size.
Fruit juices affect blood sugar quickly as all the fibre has been removed from the fruit juice, so make your smoothie with all the fruit and its pulp and even add in some grounded flax seed or oatmeal to make the smoothie more complex to breakdown. Stay away from high sugar fruits such as bananas, grapes or dried fruit and always eat fruit with some protein.
THE EASY DIET FOR A BUSY LIFE
You also want to make sure you have a high protein diet. Protein can be found in meat, poultry, seafood, beans and peas, eggs, soy, nuts, and seeds. The reason you want to eat a high protein diet is for a couple of reasons, firstly protein breaks down into amino acids which help develop muscle.
The more muscle one has the higher their metabolic rate will be, which means you can burn more calories per day, even when resting! This is because muscle contains more mitochondria which are cells responsible to release glucose’s as energy for our body to function.
The second reason is that eating protein with carbohydrates will help to slow down the rate that sugar is being released into the bloodstream. Another added benefit of protein consumption is that it helps with the Other key questions production of glucagon, the revolve around fats. hormone that promotes the Are they all bad? The surprising mobilisation and utilisation of answer is no. Do we need them to lose fat for energy, so overall weight? The other surprising answer is eating a high protein yes we do. We need some fat in our diet diet has manybenefits because it helps the body absorb certain for weight loss. nutrients. Fat is a vital source of energy, and provides essential fatty acids that the body can’t make itself. Fat can be divided into two main groups - saturated and unsaturated. Saturated fat is generally solid at room temperature and is usually from animal sources. It’s found in lard, butter, hard margarine, cheese, whole milk and anything that contains these ingredients, such as cakes, chocolate, biscuits, pies and pastries. It’s also the white fat you can see on red meat and underneath poultry skin. We tend to eat more of the saturated fats, those that are high in calories which are responsible for weight gain and as such a minimum consumption is recommended.
THE EASY DIET FOR A BUSY LIFE The really bad fats are ‘Trans fats’, also known as hydrogenated unsaturated fats, they can be found in highly processed foods. These fats are increasingly being recognised as being unhealthy and recommended to stay away from this type of fat in your diet.
But not all fats are bad and some are necessary for life, where possible you should ensure the fat you eat is unsaturated particularly Omega 3 fats which have been shown to have many health benefits. Unsaturated fat is usually liquid at room temperature and generally comes from vegetable sources. They include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
Unsaturated vegetable oils are generally a healthier alternative to saturated fat and can be found in sesame, sunflower, soya, olive and rapeseed oil. A particular fat that is favourable for health is the Omega 3, this fat is found in foods such as oily fish such as mackerel, sardines, pilchards and salmon, it is recommended to eat fish 3 times a week. These fats are also used in energy production and are the building blocks for cell wall and this a person low in efa may not have optiomal cell energy production
The principle aim when seeking weight loss is to consume natural wholesome foods, choosing the right combination and quantities of protein, carbohydrates and fats when eating a meal or snacking will place you on the right road to losing weight. We will now look in more detail at the food plan considering each meal of the day to help you make the right choice for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack. Also to give you some ideas for the up coming month.
BREAKFAST:
MAKE BREAKFAST THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY
1
Porridge oats are a good breakfast as long as they are the rolled oats (not the powdered oats); add cinnamon which has been known to lower your blood sugar levels. Eggs are a great breakfast choice as they are high in protein and help you feel fuller so you feel less peckish around that 11am spot. Try boiled, pouched, scrambled, omelette or even add some vegetables and make a fritter.
Make sure you have protein in your breakfast – i.e. yogurt, eggs, milk, nuts or seeds
2 Never skip breakfast
3 Use Xylitol instead of sugar
Breakfast Ideas: Which 1 in 5 do you want to start your day? • Rolled porridge oats with half water/milk with nuts and seeds and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon • Plain bio yogurt , blueberries, toasted pumpkins seeds and almonds • Boiled or poached eggs on 1 slice of rye bread • Baked vegetable tortilla • Morning glory brekkie shake
BREAKFAST:
MORNING GLORY BREKKIE SHAKE
This is a great alternative for mornings when I just don’t feel like a big breakfast and I find it keeps me feeling full to my mid morning snack. INGREDIENTS / EQUIPMENT • 1 tbsp of grounded seeds (pumpkin, sunflower or linseeds) • 2 tbsp of grounded flax seeds • 150g of organic natural yogurt • Xml of rice milk • ½ banana • 1 punnet of berries (can be frozen) or an apple or pear • xml of apple juice
SERVES 1 IN 5 MINUTES
Method: Blend the ingredients until it becomes smooth, to change the consistence to your taste just add a little apple juice, rice milk or water.
BREAKFAST:
BAKED VEGETABLE TORTILLA
This is such a yummy breakfast and very high in protein. For mornings when I’m in a rush I just glad a slice and put it in my tucker box. INGREDIENTS / EQUIPMENT • 4 eggs • Left over vegetables (Courgette, aubergine, onions, peppers) • Tomato • Salt, pepper • Olive oil • Thyme • Rosemary
SERVES 4 PREPARE IN 5 MINUTES. COOK IN 30 MINUTES.
Method: Beat the eggs and season with salt and pepper. Place last night’s vegetables in an oven dish. Carefully add the beaten eggs then add the thyme and rosemary. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes at 150-180°C (Gas Mark 5-6). Keep an eye on it whilst it’s cooking. Let cool down and place in the fridge, you then you can take slices for on the run breakfast.
LUNCH:
ON THE RUN MUNCH BOX
Lunches can be a challenge as you maybe out and about and time is always a barrier. Thankfully the supermarkets are now getting into the healthy snack alternatives. Marks and Spencer’s have healthy snacks such as: Edamame Bean Salad, Quinoa salads, Buckwheat salads, Tuna or Salmon salads. Now Tesco’s , Sainsbury’s and Waitrose have all followed M & S so look around your local store and see what you can purchase to prepare for you to take as your lunch box for the week ahead. If you want something warm, why not make a soup or a stew. Make a large amount and freeze in tucker boxes. The night before you go to work you can defrost your soup/stew and in the morning when you are getting ready heat up on the stove, transfer to a flask and you now have a healthy snack ready to go. Alternately you can cheat and purchase a good brand soup such as Covent Garden Soups and follow the same process, but steer away from tinned or packet soups and try and buy organic as they tend to have less salt and preservatives. Another hint and tip is to always cook extra at dinner time and then take the left overs’ the next day. I used to be the envy of my colleagues when they saw my lunch box!! I would have left over stir-fry or chicken and brown rice or some protein with a quinoa salad. I would always cook an extra piece of salmon or tuna then add this to a side salad and put it in a tucker box. This way I was never spending more than 5 minutes preparing my lunch box. If you do get caught out you can buy sandwiches on the go, but always choose brown wholegrain breads and wraps. I would aim only to have bread once or twice a week, especially if you are trying to lose weight.
1 Use left overs from dinner time
2 Make sure you have a portion of protein
3 Always be prepared
Munch box Ideas: Which 1 in 5 do you want to munch your afternoon away with? • • • • •
Salmon/chicken or tuna lentil salad Tuscan bean soup Salad Nicoise Smoked mackerel and brown rice salad Sandwich wrap – use brown tortilla wraps with a filling of your choice
LUNCH:
TUSCAN BEAN SOUP
A very delicious soup made quickly from store cupboard ingredients. I tend to make this and store it in the freezer for other occasions when time is at the essence. It is very healthy and low in fat, as well as hearty and filling. INGREDIENTS / EQUIPMENT • 1 chopped medium leek • 2 chopped celery sticks • 1 chopped medium carrot • 1 (400g) tin of chopped tomatoes • 1 (400g) tin of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed • 1 1/2 pints XX vegetable stock • 2 tbsp. red currant jelly • 2 tbsp. tomato puree (tomato paste) • 4 tbsp. fresh brown bread crumbs • Salt and pepper • Chopped fresh flat leaf parsley to garnish
SERVES 4 PREPARE IN 5 MINUTES. COOK IN 30 MINUTES.
Method: Place the prepared vegetables into a large saucepan. Add the chopped tomatoes and the stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the rinsed beans, red currant jelly and tomato puree. Simmer for a further 10 to 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add the breadcrumbs and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring back to the boil, and then reduce to a simmer for a couple of minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve or put in a flask to take out and about whilst on the run. Delicious!
LUNCH:
ON THE RUN MUNCH BOX
‘Snacks a bit’: which 1 in 5 nibble will fuel you up?
1. Roasted red pepper hummus (recipe) and oak cakes 2. Nuts and seeds protein bar 3. Piece of fruit – apple, pear, berries or cherries 4. Edamame beans 5. Handful of nuts and seeds
SNACK:
RED PEPPER HUMMUS
I love hummus, it’s easy to make and is such a fantastic snack that tends to stop me craving those sweets as snacks. I find it irresistible with Nairn’s Oak Cakes or good old chopped veggie sticks. INGREDIENTS / EQUIPMENT • 1 can chick peas, washed and drained • 1 (4 ounce) jar roasted red peppers • 3 tablespoons lemon juice • 1 1/2 tablespoons tahini • 1 clove garlic, minced • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
SERVES 4 PREPARE IN 5 MINUTES.
Method: Put all the ingredients in a blender apart from the parsley and blend till smooth. Transfer to a dish and put in the fridge for 1 hour to set. Sprinkle with chopped parsley then ready to eat with some oak biscuits or veggie sticks.
SNACK:
NUTS & SEEDS PROTEIN BAR
These are great for those that need a high protein snack on the go
INGREDIENTS / EQUIPMENT • ½ cup oatmeal • ½ cup oat bran or flax seed powder • 6 scoops vanilla protein powder • 1 cup non-fat dry milk • 2 tbsp flaxseeds • 2 tbsp sunflower seeds • ¼ cup mixed nuts • ¼ cup dried fruit • 1/3 cup natural peanut butter • 2 tsp vanilla • ½ cup water
SERVES 4 PREPARE IN 4 MINUTES.
Method: Combine oatmeal, oat bran, protein powder, dry milk powder, seeds, nuts, and dried fruit in a bowl. Stir in natural peanut butter, vanilla and water until moist and spread with a wooden spoon or spatula into a non-stick baking dish. Place in the fridge for an hour until firm, then cut to your requirement.
LUNCH:
6PM LOW CARB AFTER DINNER MEAL DEAL
It’s best to try and stay away from pre-packed foods and eat as if a hunter gatherer!!! If time is a factor then here are some hints and tips to make sure you can cook a healthy meal with little effort or time!!! Buy pre-prepared vegetables packs – they do have fewer nutrients but if it means you will eat vegetables if you don’t have to prepare them, then it will be worth the sacrifice. If you do need to buy a sauce make sure it’s organic – the organic brands will contain more natural ingredients without preservatives, additives, salt or sugar. Cook fish – ask the fishmongers to prepare the fish – you can keep some in the freezer as it only last a couple of days. Fish only takes 10-15 min’s to cook so is very easy and full of essential nutrients and EFAS. Purchase organic tinned beans or lentils- you can make a bean chilli in 5 minutes this way. They are great to add bulk to stews or soups. Buy a slow cooker – you can add some prepared chopped meat, a tin of beans or lentils, prepared vegetables and a organic stock and a tin of tomatoes, leave it on all day and come home to a lovely warm dinner and have some left to freeze for lunches or dinners letter in the month. Use your freezer- when making curries, chilli’s or any home made food- cook more and freeze ready for that rainy day when you have no energy or time to cook. Always plan for the week ahead!!! You want to make sure you have less carb’s for your dinner. This can be a challenge to most people as they feel it’s the carbohydrate potatoes or rice that makes them feel fuller. Here’s some hint and tips to make you feel full at dinner time whilst reducing your carbohydrate intake. Try quonia – it’s a seed its high in protein and low in carbs, it tastes really yummy if you cook it in an chicken or vegetable organic stock cube and mix in some chopped fresh herbs when it has cooked. It is a great alternative to rice and I don’t know one person who doesn’t like it as long as you cook it with flavour. Use sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes. Add beans, lentils or chick peas to your dinner. Make an alternative mash – use cauliflower, cannellini beans or butter beans. If you want rice –then cook brown rice add some turmeric to colour it yellow and make it appear more appetising If you really have to have potatoes then have new potatoes, but only have 2 or maximum 3. Stay away from mash potatoes and chips.
Which 1 in 5 banquet will complete your appetite for the day? • Tuna steak and sesame quinoa • Chicken curry with brown turmeric rice • Pesto baked salmon on a bed of greens with side of roasted butternut • Venison sausage and cannellini mash • Turkey burgers & sweet potato chips
LUNCH:
CHICKEN CURRY WITH BROWN TURMERIC RICE
They say a curry from the curry house is most probably one of the most fattening meals you can have, but if you cook your curry right it can be such a healthy dish as the spices tend to have many health benefits. As long as you don’t cook this in lots of oil, use lean chicken and change your rice to brown rice then you have a good healthy meal.
INGREDIENTS / EQUIPMENT
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
3 tablespoons coconut oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 (2cm) cube root ginger, finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 teaspoon ground cumin 2 teaspoons curry powder 1 teaspoon paprika 400g chopped tomatoes 2 green or red chillies, finely chopped ground black pepper 4 skinless chicken breast fillets, diced 150ml water 1 tablespoon low fat yoghurt 300g basmati brown rice, cooked + ½ 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric Handful fresh coriander, finely chopped, to garnish
SERVES 4 PREPARE IN 4 MINUTES. COOKING TIME 30 MINUTES
Method: Heat the coconut oil in a large wok and add a tablespoon of water then the chopped onions. Gently fry them for 10 minutes until browned and softened. Add the garlic and ginger and continue to cook for further 2 minutes. Next, stir in the turmeric, cumin, curry powder and paprika and combine the mixture well. Add the chopped tomatoes and chillies mix well and let the contents of the pan simmer over a medium heat for approximately 15 minutes. Season with black pepper; add the chicken, water and yoghurt. Allow the mixture to simmer for a further 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Wash the brown rice and rinse well, put 1 cup of brown rice to 2 cups of water and add 1 tbsp of turmeric, bring water to the boil and simmer for 35 minutes until water is soaked up and rice is soft and nice and yellow in colour. Drizzle in a little olive oil Serve the rice with the chicken curry with sprinkled chopped fresh coriander on top
LUNCH:
PASTO BAKED SALMON ON A BED OF GREENS WITH SIDE OF ROASTED BUTTERNUT
It’s so important to eat oily fish 3 times a week which is not the reason why I regularly eat this dish, I love this dish for its taste not just only the nutritional benefits. The pesto really does give the salmon the finishing desirable taste and the butternut squash provides fullness feeling that I require at the end of the day.
INGREDIENTS / EQUIPMENT • 2 pieces of salmon • 1 tbsp pesto • Packet of prepared diced butternut squash • 1 leak and packet of prepared greens • 1 clove garlic
SERVES 2 PREPARE IN 5 MINUTES. COOK IN 30 MINUTES.
Method: Add the butternut squash in a bowl and add 1 tbsp of chilli olive oil and season with some pepper and mix then put on roasting tin and 180c/350f/Gasmark 4 and cook for 30 minutes. Place your salmon in foil pockets and spread over pesto on to top of each fillet. Bake for 18 minutes on gas mark 180c/350f/gas 4 at top of the oven until the flesh easily flakes when pressed. 8 minutes before your salmon is ready in a large pan gently heat chopped garlic in some olive oil, then add 3 tbsp of water heat and then add the finely chopped leeks and gentle cook. In the meantime add the greens into some boiled water and blanch for 2 minutes, drain then add to the leeks and mix. Serve the salmon on the bed of greens with the roasted butternut squash.
LUNCH:
TUNA STEAK AND SESAME QUINOA
INGREDIENTS / EQUIPMENT • 140g quinoa • 360l boiling water • 1 tsp marigold reduced salt vegetable bouillon powder • 4 tbsp. frozen petit pois peas • 2 tsp sesame oil • 1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce • 2 tsp lemon juice • 5 spring onions chopped • fresh black pepper • 2 fresh tuna steaks. • Fresh parsle
SERVES 2 PREPARE IN 5 MINUTES. COOK IN 15 MINUTES.
Method: Place the quinoa in water and bouillon stock powder and bring to the boil. Then cover for 12 minutes until all the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is soft and fluffy. Meanwhile grill your tuna steaks under the grill for 10 minutes tuning half way.Once the quinoa is cooked add the peas stir and then remove from the heat, add all the other ingredients toss thoroughly then leave with the lid tightly closed until your tuna is cooked. Add the tuna on top of the quinoa and add so fresh parley on top.
LUNCH:
LOW CARB SWEET POTATO FRIES
INGREDIENTS / EQUIPMENT • 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch-thick strips • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil • 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning.
SERVES 4 PREPARE IN 10 MINUTES. COOK IN 30 MINUTES.
Method: Preheat oven to 375 F, lightly oiled or sprayed baking sheet, spread potatoes, sprinkle with oil and Cajun seasoning, and toss to coat. Bake in lower oven for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
LUNCH:
THE HEALTHY TURKEY BURGER
INGREDIENTS / EQUIPMENT • 250g of lean turkey mince • 1 beaten egg yolk • 4 chopped spring onions • 1 deseeded red chilli • 2 crushed clove of garlic • ½ tsp grounded cumin • ½ tsp. of ground coriander • Ground fresh pepper to taste.
SERVES 4 PREPARE IN 5 MINUTES. COOK IN 17 MINUTES.
Method: Mix well all the ingredients in a big bowl then leave to marinade in the fridge for 1 hour. Shape the burgers with you hands and then grill under medium heat for 10 minutes, turn and carry on grilling for a further 7 minutes.
LUNCH:
VENISON SAUSAGE AND CANNELLINI MASH
INGREDIENTS / EQUIPMENT • 6-8 good quality venison sausages from a butcher • Olive oil • 1 large onions, peeled and diced • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed • Handful of fresh thyme • 100g mushrooms • 1/2 tin of chopped tomatoes • 450mls vegetable stock • 1 tbsp redcurrant jelly • Handful of flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
SERVES 4 PREPARE IN 5 MINUTES. COOK IN 45 MINUTES.
Method: Heat a large ovenproof casserole pan – add olive oil together with the onions and garlic, and cook until softened. Sprinkle in the thyme and stir well. Add the sausages turning frequently until they are lightly browned – approximately 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook for a further 5 minutesAdd tomatoes followed by the stock. Then finally stir in the redcurrant jelly place the lid on and reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 45 minutes. The last 10 minutes take the lid of and let the sauce reduce down. Just before serving sprinkle the chopped parsley and serve with the cannellini mash and broccoli.
LUNCH:
CANNELLINI MASH
INGREDIENTS / EQUIPMENT • 2 tin cannellini beans • 3 cloves garlic • Olive oil • Salt and pepper for seasoning
SERVES 4 PREPARE IN 5 MINUTES. COOK IN 5 MINUTES.
Method: In a saucepan add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and gently fry the garlic. Once the garlic begins to soften, tip in the drained & rinsed cannellini beans and heat gently, the beans will start to break down with the heat and you can gently mash with a folk. Finish with seasoning to your taste.
DESSERT:
HEALTHY AND YUMMY DESSERTS
Choosing a desert that is healthy is a big challenge as most are loaded with sugar and cream, however you can satisfy you cravings with some healthy low carbohydrate desserts that taste yummy and are quick and simple to make.
Low sugar Sweet piece: which 1 in 5 after delight will you indulge in ?
• Chocolate dipped nuts • Blueberry Coconut Muffins • Fruit crumble • Crunch oats, yogurt and berry Cranach an Tasty melon ices • Cinnamon Oranges
DESSERT:
CHOCOLATE DIPPED NUTS
What can I say except these are delicious and really simple to make and fantastic to quench the tempted mind for a chocolate nibble INGREDIENTS / EQUIPMENT • 15g good quality dark chocolate • Mixed nuts
SERVES 4 PREPARE IN 5 MINUTES. COOK IN 5 MINUTES.
Method: Line a baking tray with non stick paper. Gently melt the chocolate by placing a heat proof bowl over boiling water ad allow the chocolate to melt, stirring occasionally. Tip the nuts in the chocolate and coat well. Place the nuts on a baking tray making sure they are not touching each other. Place tray in fridge to let harden and then ready to eat.
DESSERT:
BLUEBERRY COCONUT MUFFINS
Coconut is a good healthy fat so using it to make these muffins gives it a fantastic flavour and is a great dessert or a sweet snack to bit on. INGREDIENTS / EQUIPMENT • ¼ cup Organic Coconut Flour • 3 tablespoons Organic Virgin Coconut Oil or butter, melted • 3 eggs • 3 tablespoons Xylitol • ¼ teaspoon vanilla • 1/8 teaspoon almond extract • ¼ teaspoon baking powder • ½ cup fresh blueberries
SERVES 6 PREPARE IN 5 MINUTES. COOK IN 18 MINUTES.
Method: Blend together eggs, butter, Xylitol and vanilla. Combine coconut flour with baking powder and thoroughly mix until there are no lumps. Fold blueberries into mixture. Blueberries should be dry. If rinsed, dry them off before adding to batter. Pour mixture into greased muffin cups. Bake at 205 Degree C (400F) for 16-18 minutes. Makes 6 muffins
DESSERT:
FRUIT CRUMBLE
This is a great dessert for those winter months when you want something sweet and warming INGREDIENTS / EQUIPMENT • 3 plums or apricots • 1 pear • 100 g rhubarb • 1-2 tbsp Xylitol • 50g whole oat flakes • 4 tbsp of grounded almonds
SERVES 2 PREPARE IN 5 MINUTES. COOK IN 10 MINUTES.
Method: Place fruit in a saucepan of water, cover and stew gently until the fruit is softened, stir from time to time. Add the xylitol to sweeten to taste To make the crumble, gently heat some coconut oil with 1 tbsp. of xylitol add the oats and toast for 3 minutes until they start to colour. Sir in the almonds flakes and then remove from heat Spoon the stewed fruit into a brown and cover with the crumble and serve
DESSERT:
CRUNCH OATS, YOGURT AND BERRY CRANACHAN
This looks like a dessert you would get in a restaurant but is healthy and tasteful but low in calories and sugar. INGREDIENTS / EQUIPMENT • 75g crunch oats – try Lizzi’s Granola original • 600ml of Greek plain yogurt • 250g berries- raspberries, blackberries or strawberries
SERVES 2 PREPARE IN 5 MINUTES. COOK IN 4 MINUTES.
Method: Spread the oats on a baking sheet and place under a hot grill for 3-4 minutes until lightly toasted, set aside and cool down. Fold the oaks into the yogurt , then gently fold the berries into the mixture. Spoon the yogurt mixture into glass dishes and serve with a few berries on top of the mixture
DESSERT:
TASTY MELON ICES
Fantastic for a warm Sunny day
INGREDIENTS / EQUIPMENT • Melon SERVES 4 PREPARE IN 5 MINUTES.
Method: 1. Chop up a melon into large chunks and place in a small bag or container. Pop into the freezer. Take out when you fancy a sweet nibble
DESSERT:
CINNAMON ORANGES
This simple dessert works any time of the year, but its flavours will be the best and brightest in the winter when oranges are at their peak. INGREDIENTS / EQUIPMENT • 4 navel oranges • 2 tablespoons orange juice • 2 tablespoons lemon juice • 1 tablespoon xylitol sugar • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
SERVES 4 PREPARE IN 10 MINUTES.
Method: With a sharp knife, remove rind and white pith from oranges. Cut each into 5 or 6 slices and arrange on 4 plates. Whisk together orange juice and lemon juice, xylitol and cinnamon. Spoon over the orange slices.
In summery I hope you now have an understanding of eating healthy and can now cook and indulge with some delicious healthy foods. Don’t fall into the trap of becoming a yoyo dieter, being on and off diets can in fact make you fatter (in the long run) as each time you diet you could be losing muscle and in the long-term you can end up regaining weight. Luckily this food plan isn’t so much a diet it’s a way of eating healthy long-term so it becomes a way of life and so start to enjoy foods in their natural state and balance those blood sugar levels and you won’t just lose weight you will look and feel a lot better have less cravings and likely to have more energy. I wish you all good luck on your quest to good health and manageable weight control. Heidi Bohrn