Posted on 28/02/2017 22:36
I have devised some low calorie meals. OH gas lost over 69 stones gradually over two years. As I do nearly all evening meals I have worked up some low calorie ones. I will try and post one every couple of days if folk are interested. I have calorie counted them all but have not allowed for a drop of oil in cooking if not in the ingredient list
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Posted on 28/02/2017 22:47
Fish or Seafood Pie. Serves 2 - 400 cals/ portion
Ingredients
250g of plain white fish
250g smoked fish
80g thinly sliced onion
100g sliced Mushroom
270g potatoes for mash
80g Fat free fromage frais
30ml Skimmed milk
Fish stock
30ml white wine
½ teaspoon of dried parsley
Optional V small pinch tarragon
2 tsp cornflour
Seasoning
clove of garlic sliced and cooked with onions for last few mins of their cooking
60g green beans cut in half
0r 60g leaf and tom salad
If available I use a 3 fish pie mix of salmon, white fish and smoked fish from ASDA which made 380 cals instead of listed fish but add 45g raw prawns. Prawns are low calorie and more would be nice maybe 90g.
The cornflour in the fish stock is important as is cooling in the method. It means that when the white wine is stirred in it will not split and the quark (I use a seasoned one) will not split either.
Preparation method
Remove fromage frais from fridge. Start the potato for 25 mins
Heat splash of oil in a sauté pan and gently fry the onion for a 7 or so mins, until soft.. Add garlic and mushrooms part way through. Remove from pan and set aside.
Season fish on each side with pepper and steam in covered sauté pan for 8mins in mix of water and a little milk. Set fish aside and clean pan. Break into chunks when cool.
In a saucepan add a little boiling water stir in ¼ of fish stock cube, dissolve stock cube and add milk. Heat slowly. When hot but not boiling, add 2 tsp cornflour mixed with a little milk, heat stirring until thickened – do not boil. Leave to cool for 10 mins.
Mash potatoes after seasoning with pepper or or pinch of nutmeg or other spice and a teaspoon of butter and Parsley. (I used dried for this)
Put onions etc and fish in small oven proof dish.
Add white wine to cooled sauce and then Quark or fromage frais, stirring well. Pour over fish and onions and top with potato mash.
Bake at 200 for 40 or 45 mins. About 5 mins before the end of cooking time turn oven down to 110C and put green beans to cook on the hob in boiling water. Remove bake and set aside whilst warming plates. When beans have been in for 10 mins dish up.
Posted on 01/03/2017 10:02
I see that I have referred to Fromage Frais in the above ingredients. I actually use Quark Cooking Cheese with Garlic and Herb. I prefer Quark for cooking and find it easy to use. Could also have used low fat ricotta.
If doing an omelette A generous teaspoon of quark per egg makes for a fluffy omelette.
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Posted on 02/03/2017 09:11
Chicken and Vegetable Tray Bake. Serves 2 400 cals/ portion
Ingredients
240g large salad potatoes
2 large ripe tomatoes 200g
120g red onions
120g pepper
100 g mushrooms thickly sliced
300g skinless chicken breast
2 cloves of garlic
¼ bunch of fresh thyme
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Tbsp olive oil
Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Could use chicken thighs. If leaving skin on reduce oil to 6ml, add a splash of water and reduce potatoes to 160g.
Preparation method
Cut the Chicken into thick chunks and marinade in a little oil along with any preferred additions for 30 mins to help prevent it drying out during baking.
Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.
Parboil potatoes for 10 - 15 mins. Cool and slice.
Quarter the tomatoes or maybe in eighths and place them in a large 10’’ base baking dish or roasting tray (roughly 25cm x 285cm) and add mushroom.
Peel the onions and cut into large wedges, then deseed and roughly chop the peppers. Add all these to the tray along with the chicken but not marinade oil .
Squash and peel garlic cloves, rough chop and add to the tray, then pick over the thyme leaves, sprinkle over with the paprika.
Add Tbsp Balsamic and Tblsp oil, a good pinch of sea salt if desired and black pepper. Toss everything together really well to coat, then spread across the tray, making sure the chicken isn't covered by the vegetables and push potatoes to bottom.
Roast for around 35-40 mins or until the chicken is golden and cooked through, turning and basting it a few times during cooking with the juices from the tray. Time depends on oven.
