Easy leek and potato soup

Ingredients:
4 leeks chopped roughly
1 medium potato chopped into small chunks
3 spring onions chopped into small pieces
1 clove of garlic grated or cut into small pieces
1 tbsp olive oil
Cream to garnish and serve


Heat the oil. Add the garlic and spring onions. Stir for about a minute. Then add the leek and potato pieces. Cook for about 4 minutes till everything is well coated with oil. Then add water and cook for about a half hour or till everything is soft. Then blend in a food processor till the mixture is smooth. Pour in a bowl and garnish with cream before serving.

It is a very filling soup and goes extremely well with garlic bread. Try it, you will thank me.

"Body for life" by Bill Philips

Body for life by Bill Philips 
This book came to my attention in the year 2001 when I was sitting in Borders in Chicago drinking coffee loaded with sugar and cake on the side while looking through the book. The first thing that struck me on this book that I have not come across in other nutrition and fitness publications was the amount of space dedicated to the images and stories of people who transformed their health and bodies by the eating and exercise plans described here, which were really inspirational and pulled me right into the book. While this program is designed for 12 weeks (used by some brave ones to compete for a prize based on amount of progress and physical transformation), in reality it is meant to encourage a life time commitment to yourself and your well-being.
    The basis of the exercise plan is only 20 min of aerobic first thing in the morning for 3 days and weight training 3 times per week. The instructions for the exercises are very clear and mostly could be done with variety of dumbbells in the comfort of your own home especially for beginners and ladies who would not need to work with heavy weights in the beginning. The eating plan is very simple and clearly described with "all you want to eat Sundays". Over the years I have read many books on fitness and nutrition but the "Body for Life" stands the test of time with its common sense approach, clarity in the description on plans and instructions and the sheer motivational power it conveys through the true stories of people that actually executed the program with great results.
    My only issue with Body for Life at the time was the outright advertisement of the nutritional supplement products by the author's company - At another time I would like to review various supplements including the products advertised in this book - so stay tuned!

O.S.

New age spotted dick

Ingredients:
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup corn oil
1/2 cup demerara sugar
1/4 cup ground almonds
2 eggs beaten
11/2 cup self rising flour

For the sauce:
1/3 cup pistachios
1/2 cup ground almonds
3/4th cup semi skimmed milk
4 tbsp light brown sugar

Pre-heat the oven to 170 c.Soak the raisins in hot water for an hour. Drain and keep aside.Whisk the oil, sugar and ground almonds until thick. Add the eggs and beat. Then add the flour and raisins.Mix well. Line a baking dish with parchment and pour the mixture into it. Bake in pre-heated oven for about 35 minutes. The cool it and serve with the sauce.

Chop the pistachios roughly in a food processor. Then add to the other ingredients and bring to boil. Cook for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and serve on the side.

Stuffed Aubergine

Ingredients:
2 big aubergines
100 gm puy lentils, soaked overnight
1 medium red onion chopped
1 big red pepper chopped into small pieces
150 gm chestnut mushrooms chopped
200 gm chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped herbs
salt and black pepper to taste

Boil the lentils for about 30 minutes or until they are cooked. Meanwhile cut the aubergines in half and scoop out the insides. Sprinkle salt both on the inside as well as the flesh of the aubergine.Leave it for about a half hour.

Pre-heat the oven to about 160c. Heat oil in a pan.Add the onion and cook till they are translucent. Add the aubergine core, chopped pepper and the mushrooms. Cook for about 6-7 minutes.Season with salt and pepper. Then add the chopped tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes.Then add the lentils and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the chopped herbs and remove from heat.

Put the aubergine shells in the oven for about 5 minutes. then take them out and fill them with the lentil mix. and put them back in the oven for about 45-50 minutes. You have to ensure that the aubergine is very well cooked.Remove from heat and serve with boiled new potatoes.

Easiest stir-fry ever

Ingredients:
150 gm basmati or long grain rice
300 gm frozen stir-fry vegetable mix (available in any supermarket eg. Sainsbury's)
4 spring onions
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp sesame seeds (roasted)
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil (optional)
Cook the rice according to instructions on the pack. Drain and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan and add the spring onions. Then add the frozen vegetable mix. Cook until the vegetable are cooked and there is no liquid at the bottom of the pan. Once they are done , add them to the rice. Season to taste.Then add lemon juice, soy sauce and sesame seeds. Then add the sesame oil and serve hot.

Butter Vs. margarine (low-fat spreads)

I'm starting a series of short posts about food and nutrition. They will contain all the information you need to know but not drown you in it. This is the first one.

As many of us know, butter is a saturated fat. But unless you are trying to lose weight that is not necessarily a bad thing. In moderate quantities butter can be beneficial for your health. Butter contains about 80 percent fat. The thing that most people ignore is that your body needs fat. It is a rich source of calories for energy. If you are at regular weight range for your age, feel free to choose butter in moderation. But if you are overweight or have a heart condition, think again.

Margarine or other low-fat spreads have one thing in common. They started out liquid. They go through a process of industrial hardening which makes them the block that we see. Because of this process these spreads can sometimes contain trans-fat which is not good for you as they increase bad cholesterol in your body.Having said that low-fat spreads might contain some poly saturated fat which is good for you. They contain about 70 percent fat.

The bottom line is that butter which has a little more fat, is a natural product and does not go through a lot of chemical processing. Margarine on the other hand goes through essential chemical processes that make it what it is. Margarine might also contain trans fat which we all know is bad for us. You choose.

Spicy butternut squash soup

Ingredients:

1 medium sized butternut squash (about 750 gm) peeled and chopped into chunks
3 spring onions
1 large potato peeled and chopped
4 cloves of garlic chopped finely
1 small onion chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
500 ml vegetable stock
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander seeds

Dry roast the cumin and the coriander and grind them.Heat olive oil in a pan deep enough to hold all the vegetables.Add the cumin and coriander powder and let the flavours develop for about half a minute.Add the garlic, onions and spring onions.Then add all the vegetable and toss till they are all coated with olive oil. Add the vegetable stock. Cover and cook for about a half hour. When the vegetables are tender, take it out of the heat and blend. Garnish with Spanish paprika and serve.

Ultimate no flour sweet potato cake

The  fantastic thing about this cake is that there is no flour and it is made up entirely of a vegetable and eggs and still ends up tasting like a great cheesecake. So go ahead and indulge guilt-free girls.

Ingredients:
650 gm Sweet potatoes, cut into small pieces
1 tbsp butter
125 gm demerara (brown sugar)
3 free-range eggs
3 tbsp skimmed milk
Zest of 1 lemon
juice of the same lemon
1 tbsp sultanas
2 tsp baking powder

Cook the sweet potatoes in boiling water for about 12 minutes. Or until they are tender.Drain and mash until smooth.Transfer the sweet potatoes to a bowl while they are still hot and add the butter and the sugar. Mix till both are dissolved. Beat the eggs with a whisk and add it to the sweet potato mixture. Add the lemon juice and zest.Mix well. Then add the sultanas and baking powder and mix well. Pour the mixture into a cake tin lined with baking parchment.

Cook in a pre-heated over at 160c for about 45 minutes. Or until a knife comes out clean when you dip it into the center of the cake. Cool it on a wire rack. Cut it into slices to serve.

Skinny Bitch

Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin
Overall rating:***

I have mixed feelings about this book.The style of writing is great. The crisp,no-nonsense way of talking about food and nutrition is spot-on.It's snappy and clever. Until you come to a chapter named"The dead, rotting, decomposing flesh diet".Ooookaay. They write about animal cruelty and abuse. In all the gory detail. So they are trying to sell veganism.Very hard. Alright. I'm on board. But you know what's a shocker? The cookbook they came up with "Skinny bitch in the kitch" has recipes with beef, chicken and pork. Not good, girls. You have to walk the talk. This is definitely a letdown.

The next chapter is entitled "The dairy disaster". This describes how milk, butter and cheese are as bad for us as meat. If not worse. This is again well-written and descriptive. This is more impressive because their cookbook has no dairy ingredients in them and they come off as consistent dairy-haters.

It's one of the books people feel strongly about. I think that is sort of the idea behind the book. So they achieve their goal. Do I think that "Skinny Bitch" changed my life? Not so much. But "A" for effort.

Chick-pea and tomato soup

Ingredients:
2tbsp olive oil
4 spring onions
2 Courgettes (Zucchinis)
2 celery stalks
100 gm chestnut mushrooms chopped
2 garlic cloves crushed
400 gm chopped tomatoes
400 gm chick-peas
5 cubes of frozen spinach
1 tsp single cream(per serving) for garnish.

Heat the olive oil.Add the spring onions and garlic. Fry for about a minute and then add courgettes, celery and mushrooms and cook for about 3 minutes.Add the tomato and cook for 2 minutes and then add the chick-peas.Add the frozen spinach and cook for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and serve warm with a little single cream for garnish.

Rosmary Conley's low fat cookbook

Rosmary Conley's low fat cookbook
Overall rating: ****1/2
I like Rosmary Conley. She usually has practical and easy to implement ideas about fitness and weight loss.But recipes are a different genre altogether. So I was cautious and hopeful before i opened this book. After reading the book, I think she nailed it. Almost all the recipes in this book are so doable. And they taste fantastic.From soups to main courses to desserts. You can actually cook all of the dishes! This book actually exceeded all my expectations. Ms. Conley writes that she had a chef (Dean Simpole-Clarke) working with her on this book.And believe me, it shows. Some of the recipes are so simple and elegant that it has to be a good chef who created them.


The only thing I would change about this book is have a picture of the finished product next to each dish.I like to see what the finished product would look like before i make it.About 2/3rd of the recipes do not have a picture of  the finished product. That's about the only thing that's missing.Also the section on food groups, nutrition etc at the beginning of the book is informative and well-written. The "secrets of successful dieting" chapter is full of useful information.

I just saw that its on sale on Amazon for about 12 pounds. It's total value for money and more. Go for it.

Apple,berries & almond crumble

Ingredients:
40gm chilled butter
75gm  self rising flour
50gm whole almonds
50gm unrefined demerara sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
300gm apple (peeled and chopped)
150 gm frozen berries
11/2 tbsp unrefined demerara sugar

Pre-heat the oven to 200c.Place the butter (cut into chunks) in the mini-chopper with the flour and whiz the two together to the fine crumb stage.Empty the mixture into the bowl.Now put the almonds in the mini-chopper and  pulse-chop until they are roughly chopped. Make sure the pieces are not too small.Stir in the sugar and cinnamon.

Place the apple slices in a round dish about 16 cm in diameter and add the frozen berries on top. Sprinkle the sugar on top of the fruit.Now pour the crumble mixture to top of the fruit packing it firmly together. Bake for 45 minutes or until the crumble is well-browned and crisp on top.

Cool and serve.

This recipe is from 'Delia's how to cheat at cooking' book.

Thai chicken and coconut curry

Ingredients:
2 raw chicken breasts
300 ml coconut milk
1 heaped teaspoon cumin seeds
1 dessertspoon coriander seeds
1 medium onion ,peeled and cut into chunks
3 cloves garlic peeled
1 dessertspoon Thai Taste shredded kafir lime leaves(from a jar)
12 blanched(peeled) almonds
1 hot red pepper deseeded
1 dessertspoon groundnut or other flavourless oil
To garnish:
lime wedges
fresh coriander leaves

Roast the cumin and coriander seeds and grind them in a food processor roughly.Next chop the onion, garlic, hot red pepper, lime leaves and almonds in a mini chopper.Heat oil in a small frying pan and add the ground cumin and coriander. After roasting them for a minute until their fragrance is released. Add the chopped ingredients and cook for about 3-4 minutes.Then add the chicken pieces and coconut milk, reduce heat and cook gently without a lid for about 25 minutes.Garnish with lime wedges and coriander and serve hot with jasmine rice.

Spanish style stuffed peppers

Ingredients:
4 tbsp Olive oil
2 Onions finely chopped
2 Garlic cloves finely chopped
140 gm Spanish short grain rice
1tsp raisins
50gm Pine nuts
40gm Fresh Parsley finely chopped
1 tbsp Tomato puree dissolved in 750 ml hot water
4-6 Red and yellow peppers

Preheat the oven to 200c.Heat oil in a pan and add the onions and cook for 3 minutes.Add the garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes or until the onion is soft but not brown.Stir in the rice , raisin and pine nuts until they are all coated in oil.Then add half the parsley and salt and pepper to taste.Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes or until the rice is tender. Keep stirring to ensure that the rice does not stick to the bottom.Once all the water is absorbed, the rice will be soft. Add the remaining parsley and cool slightly.

While the rice is simmering, cut the top of each pepper and reserve. Remove the core and seeds off each pepper.Divide the stuffing equally among the pepper. Use cocktails to ensure that the tops of the pepper stay in place.Rub each pepper with olive oil and bake for about 20 minutes or until the peppers ate soft but not burnt.

The stuffed peppers are ready to be eaten.
Recipe copyright Parragon 2006(Terry Jeavons &co)

Apple and oat cupcakes

Ingredients:
Apples 5(eating apples like cox's)
Oatmeal 3 tbsp
Apple juice 1/2 cup
Goji berries 1 tbsp
Cinnamon powder 1/2 tsp

Preheat the oven to 150c. Cook the apples on medium heat with the apple juice until they are soft. Remove from heat and add the oatmeal and the goji berries. Then add the Cinnamon powder and mix well.Spoon the mixture into the cupcake moulds and bake in the oven and cook for about 20 minutes or until the cupcake is done. Serve with a cup of hot tea.

Very Healthy Lemony Cheesecake

Ingredients:

For the base:
Butter 25gm
Xylitol or similar sweetner 15gm
Chopped almonds 50gm
Chopped hazelnuts 25gm
Sunflower seed 25 gm
Pumbkin seed 25 gm
Nairn's rough organic oatcakes 25gm(ground in a blender)
Ginger 2tsp(Grated)
For the filling:
Eggs 4 medium sized
7 tbsp xylitol or similar sweetner
Low fat cream cheese 275gms
Natural yogurt 125gms
Zest of 5 lemons
Juice of 1 lemon
Vanilla extract 1/2 tsp
Cornflour 4 tbsp

Pre-heat the oven to 150c and line a medium sized cake tin with baking parchment. Heat a pan and add the butter very gently to it taking care not to make it bubble. Add the sweetener. Keep the heat low and stir gently to make sure that it does not bubble. Once they are mixed remove from heat and add other ingredients for the base and blend them together to form a rough mixture.Press the mixture firmly into the cake tin to form the base of the cheesecake. Bake this in the oven for about 10 minutes.

Increase the oven temperature to 170 c.Blend all the ingredients for the filling together till smooth.Pour this filling into the cake tin over the base. Bake this in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until the filling is set. Allow it to cool and then cut and serve yourself ;-)

Microbiotic Lentil Soup

Ingredients:
Green lentils 1 cup
Celery stalks 2 diced
Carrot 1 medium diced
2 Bay leaves
1 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp cumin
5 fresh shiitake mushrooms
3 small spring onions diced
Juice of 1 lemon
4 lemon slices to garnish

Soak lentils overnight. Boil the lentils in a covered pot till they are about halfway through(30 minutes). Add the celery ,carrot and bay leaves.Add salt and boil till everything is soft.Heat the oil in a pan.Add cumin and turmeric.Then add mushrooms and spring onions and saute for about a minute.After the mushrooms are soft add the mixture in the pan to the soup and boil for 2 minutes. Add the juice of a lemon to the soup.
Garnish with slices of lemon/lime.
This soup is extremely high in anti-oxidants.
The more you eat this soup, the more you will love it.

Top ten steps for a healthier lifestyle

Step 1:Eat 6 small meals a day. Its a classic for a reason. When you are hungry you will reach for the wrong things to eat.
Step 2:Drink Plenty of water. There really is no substitute to it.
Step 3:Stock the cupboards and fridge with healthy foods like fruits, veggies, nuts and dried fruits. You will find yourself reaching for the right things if they are easily available.
Step 4:Drink green tea. It has so many benifits. Its high in anti oxidants, its supposed to be slimming , really benifits are endless.
Step 5:Exercise. Really guys drag yourself to the gym. You will feel so much better for it. I know its hard but its so worth it.
Step 6:Do not cut anything from your diet completely. You will end up craving it too much. Everything in moderation. That's the key.
Step 7:Be informed. Read about health and fitness. I don't mean get obsessed but try to understand what you are doing and why you are doing it.
Step 8:Try to cook as often as you can.Choose good ingredients. Always read the label on the packet. It contains most of the required information.
Step 9:Give yourself a reasonable deadline. And review your progress regularly.
Step 10:Try to get at least 7 hours of sleep every night.

Lean Mean Meatballs

Ingredients:

Lean minced Lamb meat 250gms
Cornflour 1 tbsp
Red Pepper 1 big
Single cream 2 tbsp
Tomato paste 150 gms
Ginger 1 tbsp(grated)
Garlic 4 cloves(crushed)
Red onion 1 sliced thinly
Olive oil 1 tbsp
Cardamom pods 6(crushed)
Coriander/parsley to garnish(Chopped)

Grill the pepper at 175c for about 30 minutes till the skin falls off. Remove the skin and seeds from the pepper and mix with the meat.Add half the crushed garlic.Then add the cornflour. Add salt and pepper to taste. Make sure that you Can make the meatballs easily. If not keep adding a little more cornflour till the paste is consistent enough. Each meatball should be about the size of a strawberry.

Grill the meatballs in a pre heated oven for about half an hour at 175 c. Once they are done, remove from oven and keep on a cooling rack. Heat a medium sized pan on stove. Add the olive oil and the onions. Once the onions become translucent, add the ginger and the garlic. Add the tomato paste after a minute. After the tomato is cooked for about 2 minutes, add the meatballs. Do not cook the meatballs for more than a minute on heat. We don't want them to become hard. Add the cream and stir gently. Add the crushed cardamom and remove from heat. Garnish by adding the chopped coriander.

These meatballs go very well with Lemon Rice. Check out the recipe for Lemon Rice on this blog.

Lemon Rice

Ingredients:

Basmati rice 150 gms
Curry leaves 20 individual leaves
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Peanuts 3 tbsp
Juice of 1 lime (You can use lemon instead of lime in a pinch)
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Vegetable oil 1 tbsp

Boil 1 litre of water in a deep pan.Once the water starts boiling add the rice and remove the lid from the pan. Cook the rice for about 7 minutes. The idea is to almost cook the rice but not quite. Once the rice is done, drain and cool.

Meanwhile heat a pan and add the oil to the pan. Once the oil is hot add the mustard seeds. While the mustard seeds pop be careful not to get too close to the pan as they tend to jump up when the pop.Add the curry leaves and peanuts. Add the turmeric powder and cook for about 2 minutes.And that's it.
Add the contents of the pan to the rice.Add salt to taste. Finish by adding the lemon juice.

This dish goes very well with the Mean meatballs (look for the recipe on this blog).

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