Breakfast / Brunch Recipes…

Scrambled Eggs with Chives and Sour Cream

Ingredients:
3 large eggs
5 egg whites
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons non-fat sour cream

Cooking Instructions
1. Whisk the eggs, egg whites, salt and pepper together in a mixing bowl until well blended.

2. Heat the oil in an 8″ nonstick frying pan over medium heat.

3. Pour the egg mixture into the frying pan and stir constantly over low heat with a rubber spatula. When the eggs begin to get firm, add the chives and sour cream and continue stirring.

4. When the eggs have reached the desired degree of doneness, put them on warm plates or a platter and serve immediately.

Fruit Salad

Ingredients
2 tangelos, peeled, pitted and sectioned
1/2 pineapple, cored and cut into chunks
1 medium banana, sliced
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon chopped, fresh mint

Instructions
1. Mix the fruit in a bowl.
2. Sprinkle with the orange juice and chopped mint.

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Entree / Appetizer Recipes…

Barbecued prawns

Preparation Time 30 minutes

Cooking Time 6 minutes

Ingredients (serves 6)
24 (about 1kg) green king prawns, peeled leaving tails intact, deveined
Olive oil, for greasing
2 lemons, juiced
Salt & ground black pepper
1 quantity sweet chilli & mango mayonnaise (use a low fat brand – Mandy)

Method
Soak the skewers in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain.
Carefully thread the prawns onto the skewers. Place in a large airtight container and keep in the fridge until needed. Brush a barbecue plate with the oil to grease and preheat on medium-high. Drizzle the prawns with the lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook prawns on preheated barbecue for 2-3 minutes each side or until they change colour and are just cooked through. Serve immediately with sweet chilli & mango mayonnaise.
prep: 30 mins (+ 30 mins soaking time)
You will need 24 bamboo skewers for this recipe.

Source
Australian Good Taste – December 1999 , Page 13

Caramelised onion and goat’s cheese mini pizzas

Makes 24

Ingredients
2 large low fat pizza bases
2 tablespoons black olive tapenade (I used the option at the bottom of the recipe – Mandy)
olive oil cooking spray
50g goat’s cheese, crumbled (I used a really low fat ricotta cheese – Mandy)
thyme sprigs and extra-virgin olive oil, to serve

Caramelised onion
20g butter (I didn’t use ANY butter for this – Mandy)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 brown onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon thyme leaves

Method
Make caramelised onion: Melt butter (I didn’t use ANY butter for this – Mandy) and oil in a large frying pan over low heat. Add onion and stir to coat. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until light golden. Stir in thyme. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 25 to 30 minutes or until caramelised. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat oven to 240°C. Using a 5cm round biscuit cutter, cut 12 rounds out of each pizza base. Spread mini pizza bases thinly with tapenade. Lightly spray with oil. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake pizza bases for 6 to 8 minutes or until crisp. Spoon warm caramelised onion over pizza bases. Top with goat’s cheese (I used a really low fat ricotta cheese – Mandy) and a small sprig of thyme. Sprinkle with cracked black pepper. Lightly drizzle with oil and serve.
Notes & tips
Variations: You could spread pizza bases with tomato, basil or rocket pesto instead of tapenade. Feta or fresh ricotta are suitable alternatives for goat’s cheese.

Source
Super Food Ideas – December 2005 , Page 58

Tomato and pesto tartins

Makes 24

Ingredients
6 small, ripe Roma tomatoes
1 1/2 sheets frozen ready-rolled puff pastry, partially thawed (I used low fat pastry for this – Mandy)
1 eggwhite, lightly beaten
1/3 cup good-quality basil or rocket pesto

Method
Preheat oven to 220°C. Lightly grease two 12-hole, flat-based patty pans. Cut out twenty-four 4cm rounds from a large sheet of baking paper. Use rounds to line patty pan bases.
Trim ends from tomatoes. Cut each tomato into four 0.5cm-thick slices. Place 1 tomato slice in each patty pan.
Using a 5cm round biscuit cutter, cut 24 rounds out of pastry sheets. Brush 1 side of pastry rounds with eggwhite. Place 1 pastry round, eggwhite side down, over each tomato slice. Bake for 12 minutes or until pastry is golden.

Slip a flat-bladed knife under each tartin to loosen. Place, tomato side up, on a plate. Remove baking paper. Top with pesto. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve.
Notes & tips
Note: These tartins are best made just before serving.

Source
Super Food Ideas – December 2005 , Page 57

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Main Christmas Meal 1 – Summer Recipes

Lime and macadamia glazed ham

Ingredients (serves 12)
7 to 8kg leg of ham (I found a large quantity of lean ham – Mandy)
350g jar ginger, lemon and lime marmalade (You can use a diet / low calorie one if you prefer – Mandy)
2/3 cup brown sugar (I used about half of this sugar – Mandy)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
1 cup macadamia nuts, chopped

Method
Position oven shelf in lowest shelf position of oven. Preheat oven to 150°C.
Line a roasting pan (large enough to comfortably hold ham) with 2 sheets of baking paper. Remove rind from ham. Use a sharp knife to score ham fat in a diamond pattern. Make sure you cut no deeper than 5mm. Place ham into roasting pan. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl. Spoon half the mixture over surface of ham. Cook for 45 minutes. Remove from oven. Carefully spoon over remaining glaze. Cook a further 45 minutes, or until golden. Slice. Serve hot, cold, or at room temperature.
Source
Super Food Ideas – December 2003 , Page 36

Crispy garlic potatoes

Ingredients (serves 12)
10 (2kg) desiree potatoes
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (I used less oil than this – Mandy)
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bunch lemon thyme
Method
Cut potatoes into quarters. Place into a large saucepan. Cover with cold water. Bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium. Partially cover. Boil gently for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are almost tender. Drain. Preheat oven to 220°C. Line a large roasting pan with baking paper. Spread potatoes over roasting pan. Combine oil, garlic, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Drizzle over potatoes, making sure they are well coated. Add thyme. Roast, turning occasionally, for 45 minutes, or until tender, golden and crisp.
Source
Super Food Ideas – December 2003 , Page 36

Marinated mushroom salad

Ingredients (serves 12)
1 cup walnuts
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (I used less oil with this – Mandy)
1/3 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar (I halved the sugar – Mandy)
800g button mushrooms, sliced
3 large avocadoes

Method
Preheat oven to 200°C. Place walnuts onto a baking tray. Cook for 10 minutes, or until toasted. Transfer to a wooden board. Roughly chop. Shake oil, juice, sweet chilli sauce, sugar, and salt and pepper in a screw-top jar until well combined. Place mushrooms into a serving bowl. Pour over three-quarters of dressing. Toss to coat. Cover. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or until mushrooms are tender. Just before serving, peel avocadoes and dice flesh. Add to mushrooms with walnuts and remaining dressing. Toss gently to combine. Serve immediately.
Source
Super Food Ideas – December 2003 , Page 39

Carrot and pineapple salad

Ingredients (serves 12)
1 x 2.2kg pineapple, peeled, quartered
6 large (1.2kg) carrots, peeled, grated
Method
Remove core from pineapple. Cut each quarter into 3, lengthways. Thinly slice. Place into a large serving bowl.
Add carrot to pineapple. Season with salt and pepper. Toss until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve.
Notes & tips
Shortcut: Grate the carrots with your food processor to save time.

Source
Super Food Ideas – December 2003 , Page 39

Spinach and capsicum salad

Ingredients (serves 12)
2 red capsicums, quartered, deseeded
2 yellow capsicums, quartered, deseeded
350g jar marinated feta cheese (I used low fat feta and sprinkled my favourtie seasonings on it – Mandy)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
300g baby spinach leaves

Method
Preheat grill on high. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place capsicums, skin side up, onto tray. Grill for 10 minutes, or until skin blackens. Remove to a plastic bag. Stand for 10 minutes. Peel away skin. Slice flesh.
Drain and crumble feta, reserving 1/4 cup of oil. Shake oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a screw-top jar until well combined.
Combine spinach, capsicums and crumbled feta in a large serving bowl. Pour over dressing. Toss gently. Serve.
Source
Super Food Ideas – December 2003 , Page 39

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Main Christmas Meal 2 – Winter Recipes…

Classic Roast Tenderloin of Beef
Ingredients
1 trimmed beef sirloin, about 3 pounds
1 tablespoon olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
salt to taste

Cooking Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

2. Rub the tenderloin with olive oil and sprinkle it with a generous amount of black pepper. Place the tenderloin
on a rack in a shallow roasting pan or baking sheet.

3. Roast the tenderloin for 30 minutes before sprinkling it with a generous amount of salt. Return it to the oven and continue to cook for 10 to 20 minutes more, depending on the exact size and the desired degree of doneness.

4. Remove it from the oven and let rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Serve the beef warm, at room temperature or cold.

(If you plan to serve the beef cold, you can prepare it in advance and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)

Horseradish-Mustard Sauce
Ingredients
1/2 cup freshly shredded horseradish
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 cup non-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon sugar
salt to taste

Cooking Instructions
1. Mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl.
Chill well before serving. Serve with beef.

(This can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)

Creamy Herbed Potatoes

Ingredients
12 small new red potatoes
2 tablespoons low-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons minced red onions
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped, fresh dill or parsley

Cooking Instructions
1. Scrub the potatoes and place in a saucepan. Cover the potatoes with water and bring to a boil.

2. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Drain the potatoes well.

4. Place the potatoes in a bowl and add the sour cream and onion. Stir gently and add the salt and pepper. Serve warm with a sprinkle of chopped dill or other fresh herb.

Sautéed Green Beans with Mushrooms and Pearl Onions
Ingredients
2 cups green beans
1/2 cup pearl onions, peeled
splash peanut oil
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup quartered mushrooms

Cooking Instructions
1. Bring 1/2 gallon of salted water to a boil. Cook green beans and pearl onions separately in the boiling water until just tender, about 4 minutes for the beans and 8 minutes for the onions.

2. Cut the onions in half.

3. Heat oil over high heat. Add the onions, salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the green beans and cook 2 more minutes.

4. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

The above recipes “Main Christmas Meal 2 – Winter” are from

http://www.foodfit.com/cooking/cooking.asp

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Dessert…

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Prep and cook time: 50 to 55 minutes, plus at least 21/2
hours to chill

Makes: 10 servings

2/3 cup (about 3 oz.) reduced-fat chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
1-1/2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
3 packages (8 oz. each) nonfat cream cheese
1 can (14 oz.) nonfat sweetened condensed milk
3 large egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips

1. Combine crumbs and melted butter. Pat evenly over bottom and about 3/4 inch up the side of a removable-rim 8-inch cheesecake or cake pan (at least 13/4 in. deep).

2. In a food processor or bowl, whirl or beat cream cheese, milk, egg whites, and vanilla until very smooth. Stir in 1/4 cup chocolate chips.

3. Scrape batter into prepared pan. Evenly sprinkle batter with remaining chocolate chips.

4. Bake in a 350° oven until cake jiggles only slightly in the center when gently shaken, about 30 minutes.

5. Run a thin-bladed knife between cake and pan rim. Refrigerate cake, uncovered, until cool, at least 21/2 hours. Serve, or if making ahead, wrap airtight when cool and chill up to 2 days. Remove pan rim and cut cake into wedges.

From the site…

http://www.sunset.com/

Baked maple syrup pears with pecans

Preparation Time 10 minutes

Cooking Time 20 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)
2 just ripe Beurre Bosc pears, peeled, cored, halved lengthways, leaving stems intact
160ml (2/3 cup) maple flavoured syrup
45g (1/3 cup) pecans
4 low-fat ice-cream slices
Method
Preheat oven to 230°C. Cut four 50cm-long sheets of non-stick baking paper. Place each pear half lengthways down the centre of each piece of baking paper.
Drizzle each pear with 1 tbs of maple flavoured syrup. Gather up the ends of the baking paper around the pear to enclose and form a bag. Tie firmly with unwaxed white string to secure. Place on a baking tray and bake in preheated oven for 17 minutes. Add pecans to tray and cook for a further 3 minutes or until the pears are soft and the pecans are toasted.
Untie each bundle and serve each pear on an ice-cream slice. Drizzle with remaining maple flavoured syrup. Scatter over the pecans.
Notes & tips
leftovers: Use the maple flavoured syrup on grilled bananas and pancakes. Use the pecans in low-fat muffins and cakes. Use the ice-cream squares topped with fresh fruit.

Source
Australian Good Taste – August 2002 , Page 96

Apricot custard tarts

Ingredients (serves 4)
450g can apricot halves in natural juice, drained
1 sheet reduced-fat puff pastry, partially thawed
1/3 cup low-fat custard
1 eggwhite, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon raw sugar
Method
Preheat oven to 200ºC. Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Pat apricot halves dry with paper towels. Cut each apricot piece in half.
Cut 4 x 11cm circles from pastry. Place onto prepared tray. Working with 1 pastry circle at a time, fold edge in and pinch to form a small case. Spoon 1 tablespoonful of custard into centre of each pastry case. Arrange apricot pieces over custard.
Brush pastry with eggwhite. Sprinkle sugar over tarts. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
Notes & tips
Variation: Apricots can be replaced with 450g can pears or plum halves or fresh fruit.

Source
Super Food Ideas – December 2003 , Page 27