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Aubergine Involtini

Posted by Carrot on Mar 9, 2012 in Recipes | 0 comments

This is a tasty vegetarian/vegan dish, ideal as a canapé, lunch or first course, and can be served hot or cold.

Brush the aubergine slices with a little oil and season with salt and pepper.  Heat a non-stick pan over a high heat and fry the aubergine slices on one side for about 3 to 4 minutes or until they are browned.  Turn them over and cook until browned on that side. Remove from the heat and leave to cool, piled on top of each other.  The steam from the cooling aubergine will continue to soften each slice.

While the aubergine is cooling, place the sultanas in the orange juice and leave to soak for about 30 minutes. When the raisins are soaked, add the remaining ingredients and blitz partially in a food processor to form a coarse paste.  Divide the mixture between the cooled aubergine slices and roll, securing with a cocktail stick if necessary.  The involtini will keep in the refrigerator for two days, or can be frozen.  Serve cold with a salad, or reheat and serve with some tomato sauce.

Lunch Wraps – Moroccan Chicken

Posted by Carrot on Mar 9, 2012 in Food Facts, Recipes | 0 comments

Trying to improve the ratio of protein and vegetables in your diet while reducing the starchy carbohydrates can be difficult, especially at lunchtimes when we tend to grab a sandwich.

Now I’m not saying that sandwiches are a bad thing, especially if they are made with wholegrain bread or sourdough, but if you are trying to reduce your starch intake, bread isn’t really the best choice you could make. So, try making a wrap made with flaxseeds as a substitute for bread, giving you the convenience of a sandwich but without the starch.

Here is the comparison of the typical nutritional values of one wrap compared to two 50g slices of wholemeal bread for a sandwich:

As you can see, there is virtually no carbohydrate in the wrap compared to the wholemeal bread.  You will also notice that there is more fibre in the wrap too.  However, you may be concerned about the level of fat. There is no need to be.  Flaxseeds are approximately 46% fat BUT most of this fat comprises Omega 3 fats and a little Omega 6 and 9.  Most of us don’t have sufficient Omega 3 in our diet, so this is a great way of increasing your intake.

Here is the basic recipe for the wrap.  It is quite bland so you can spice it up with your own selection of powdered spice or herb, depending upon the filling you will use.  The wraps will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days, or you could make a batch and freeze them unfilled, separating each with a sheet of greaseproof paper.

Place all of the ingredients in a bowl and whisk together to form a batter. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat, and when hot, spray with a little cooking oil.  Pour in the mixture and spread evenly over the pan.  Leave to cook for a couple of minutes until the edges are cooked and will lift easily from the side of the pan.  Loosen the wrap all round the pan and flip it over.  Cook for another couple of minutes and turn out onto a plate to cool.

You can fill your wraps in the same way as a sandwich, or try this simple recipe for Moroccan chicken:

Mix the oil and spice in a bowl.  Chop the chicken breast into a small dice and mix thoroughly with the oil and spice.  Heat a non-stick pan and fry the chicken over a gentle heat for about 5 minutes, until cooked.  Remove from the heat and leave to cool.  When cool, add the remaining ingredients and mix well.  Divide the mixture into 4 portions and spread each portion over a flaxseed wrap, about 1cm from the edges.  Roll up the wrap, wrap in cling film and chill for at least an hour before slicing.  This mixture will keep in the refrigerator for 2 days, but does not freeze well.

Salmon and Smoked Salmon Fishcakes

Posted by Carrot on Mar 9, 2012 in Recipes | 0 comments

There are many recipes for fishcakes, and this one is simplicity itself.  Delicious hot or cold, they make a great snack, or a more substantial meal.

Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl.  Divide the mixture into the desired portion size and form into patties, firming the fish mixture in your hands.  Place on a plate or tray and chill for an hour to firm up.  When ready, heat a little oil in a non-stick pan and fry the cakes until golden.

Fish – Back to Basics Cookery Course

Posted by Carrot on Mar 1, 2012 in Cookery School | 0 comments

Another fun and mucky session on the Fish Course last night.  Everyone went home a little tired, but definitely not hungry, and had plenty of dishes to show off to friends and family.  The fish we prepare and cook differs from session to session, depending upon availability and freshness.  After getting to grips with filleting and gutting both flat and round fish, we took a break for dinner, with halibut for the first course, and organic salmon for the main course.  We had a good mix of white and oily fish,  and here is a complete list of the dishes we prepared, cooked and tasted last night.

If you would like to learn how to prepare and cook fish dishes like the mackerel above or halibut ceviche on the right, then reserve your place on the next Fish course by calling me on 07836 245921 or emailing liz@delizzimo.co.uk

Venison Chilli

Posted by Carrot on Feb 1, 2012 in Recipes | 0 comments

What’s in your chilli?  I like to make mine with venison mince which has all the benefits of red meat but with much less saturated fat.  The next question is, what spices do you like to use?  I have put my chilli mix in the recipe below.  Ideally I would buy whole spices, toast them in a dry frying pan and then grind them; this gives the best flavour.  However, most of us use powdered spices for convenience which is fine.  Just make sure they are fresh (they lose their pungency very quickly) and dry fry them in your method.

My recipe below is a great balance of protein, vegetables and a little starchy carbohydrate and makes a great ‘one pot’ meal.  If you are training hard, you might want to have this with a little rice (preferably brown) post workout – great for recovery.  It’s ideal for a family meal, or great in a flask to take to work for lunch.

Heat a little oil in the pan, add the onion, celery and carrot and fry until soft (this will take about 20 to 30 minutes).  Add the garlic and spices and mix well.  Fry over a gentle heat for a couple of minutes until the aromas from the spices are released, then add the venison.  Mix everything well and turn the heat up to brown the mince.  This gives colour and flavour.  When the meat is brown, add the peppers and mix well.  Finally add the kidney beans and tomatoes.  Place a lid on the pan and either simmer gently on the hob or cook in a low oven until done.  I usually allow about 45 minutes for the flavours to develop, but you can leave it a little longer if you wish.

You will find there will be quite a bit of water in the pan, which comes mostly from the vegetables.  Remove the lid from the pan and turn the heat up so that the water will evaporate and the sauce will become thicker.  Once you have reduced the sauce to the desired consistency, taste the dish.  If you find the spices are a little tame, make sure you season the chilli with salt and pepper before adding more spice.  If you still think it needs more chilli then go ahead.  Chillis vary considerably in strength, as do our tastes.  When cool, this will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of days, or will freeze well.

Snacks and Dips

Posted by Carrot on Jan 28, 2012 in Recipes | 0 comments

Looking for some variety in your food intake? Here are some ideas for snacks you might like to try – great for those looking to increase vegetables and good fats in their diet.

Beetroot houmous on potato slices, chicken saté on Little Gem lettuce, smoked mackerel sushi and Romano pepper rolls (the recipe for the rolls in on another entry in the blog).

Remove the stone and skin from the avocado.  Place all of the ingredients into a food processor, except the chives, and blend to a paste. Add the chives and season to taste.  Use in a seaweed wrap or as a dip with sticks of vegetables.

Beetroot Hummous

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4 and roast the beetroot until tender usually about 45 minutes.  Remove from the oven and leave to cool, then place in a blender with the houmous and blitz.  Remove from the blender and stir in the walnuts.  Houmous is a lovely snack on its own, but adding the beetroot will increase the vegetable intake, add some fantastic anti oxidants, and lower the carbohydrate and fat ratios.  Serve as a dip with vegetable sticks or on endive leaves.

Smoked Mackerel Sushi

Flake the mackerel into a bowl and mix with the remaining ingredients.  Lay out the seaweed on a board and place a line of the mixture along the bottom of each sheet.  Roll up and place in the refrigerator to firm up for an hour then cut into bit sized pieces.

Chicken Saté

Heat some oil in a pan and fry the shallots until tender.  Add the ginger and garlic and cook for a further minute then add the chicken. Cook over a medium heat until the chicken is just cooked then add the remaining ingredients (except the salad onion) and stir well. Allow the mixture to reduce slightly then remove from the heat and leave to cool.  Add the chopped salad onion and season to taste. Serve, wrapped in lettuce or blanched cabbage leaves.

Have Your Cake & Eat It!

Posted by Carrot on Jan 27, 2012 in Recipes | 0 comments

If you are following the fat loss lifestyle it may be difficult to find a sweet treat that doesn’t derail your progress. Here is a tasty dessert made from an alternative orange and almond cake, with some natural yoghurt and fruit.

Cake:

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.  Line an 8″ cake tin with baking parchment on the bottom and lightly grease the sides.  Whisk the eggs and Xylitol together until doubled in volume.  The traditional version of this cake is made with caster sugar and this could be whisked to the ribbon stage, but this is not possible with the Xytlitol and egg combination.  Meantime, melt the butter and mix with the orange zest and juice, and allow to cool a little before using.  Mix the ground almonds, coconut flour, salt and bicarb together in a separate bowl.  When the eggs and Xylitol are whisked add the butter and dry ingredients to it and fold in with a metal spoon until just incorporated. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake in the oven for approximately 30 minutes.  The cake will shrink from the sides of the tin when ready.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.  When cool, cut circles from the cake and sandwich with natural yoghurt and fruit of your choice.  A little grated orange or lemon zest mixed with the yoghurt works well, or some seeds from a passion fruit.

Brussel Sprout Soup

Posted by Carrot on Jan 26, 2012 in Recipes | 0 comments

I know not everyone loves sprouts (me included), but in a soup they are delicious!  Full of vitamins and minerals; just one hearty portion will give you your vitamin C for the day. I have added mushrooms and chestnuts to it, giving a good protein content for those following a vegetarian or vegan diet, and the sweetness from the chestnuts will help to balance the taste of the sprouts.  It freezes well, so make a big batch.

Heat a little oil in a large pan and cook the onions on a low heat until they are really soft.  Most recipes will suggest you soften onions for about 5 to 10 minutes.  This really isn’t long enough!  You should be able to squash a piece easily between your fingers, and this will take about 30 minutes.  This helps to remove the strong onion flavour and bring out their natural sweetness.  When the onions are really soft, add the prepared sprouts and stock and bring to s simmer.  Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the sprouts are just tender, then place the contents in a food processor or blender and blitz.  You will probably need to do this in batches, taking care as the liquid is hot.

In a separate pan, heat a little more oil and fry the mushrooms until just tender then season with a little salt. Remove the chestnuts from the pack and chop.  I like to have some really small pieces and some a little larger, which will give a good texture to the soup. Add these to the soup with the mushrooms.  Initially, the soup may taste a little bitter, but leave if for a few hours and the chestnuts will infuse some sweetness to it.  At this point, taste and season with a little salt and pepper.

The soup will keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator, or can be frozen.

12 Days of Christmas Workout

Posted by markjdolan on Jan 6, 2012 in Workouts | 0 comments

Today is the 12th day of Christmas, and to celebrate I have a great workout based on the song with 12 exercises done in the same format as the song. You perform exercise 1, then perform exercise 2 and exercise 1. Next perform exercise 3 then 2 then 1 and so on. You get the picture, don’t you?  After a quick warm-up, this should take approximately 30 minutes, depending upon how much rest you take.  Remember, push yourself hard and force yourself to rest, rest completely then continue with the workout.  You’ll need some water (of course) and a set of dumbbells. Don’t forget to cool down and stretch afterwards.  Enjoy!

Accelerated Fat Loss – End of Week 3

Posted by markjdolan on Dec 15, 2011 in Food Facts, Workouts | 0 comments

Week three is over with one more left to go, on my first experiment to accelerate my fat loss. The workouts have been going to plan, although I have had to lower my weights for the upper body work as I have a shoulder problem. It’s a niggling issue I have had for several years and flares up if I push a bit too hard. Apart from that, I’m really enjoying my early morning workouts. My food choices don’t really vary too much, but I spent a few hours making a large batch of beef stew and an enormous pot of braised red cabbage for the freezer.

Although I haven’t weighed myself this week, I did go shopping for some new jeans and was delighted to find that I am now a size smaller! Here is my food diary for last week: