When it’s ready, put the whole parcel on the plate and very carefully, using scissors, snip open the bag and take in the aromas, and the most AMAZING melt in your mouth fish ever.

You can serve it at the table for dramatic effect, or lift it out of the bag carefully and preserve every last drop of that precious yummy sauce! Chuck on some more freshly chopped parsley to serve.

I seriously can’t emphasise just how easy it was to make this dish. And the best bit is that if you’re careful, the only thing you’ll need to wash is your plate!  It’s certainly something you can incorporate into your weeknight dinner repertoire – or dare I say – a weeknight dinner PARTY repertoire?

http://blogs.smh.com.au/entertainment/tabletalk/jilldupleix/2009/06/10/itspostcarbworld.html

Some very good ideas I totally agree with. I just had a vege soup for lunch to which I added lentils and a tiny bit of pasta to create that full feeling.  And I certainly was full!  But since it’s just been SO COLD lately – as soon as I stepped outside for a walk – I immediately imagined myself to be hungry. I don’t think it’s possible to deny a body’s craving for more calories to burn to stay warm!  But I definitely like the idea of having the carbs in moderation and having them at lunch.  Thanks alot to Dr Atkins for creating the solution to weight gain, but no thanks for making my favourite comfort food group the baddie!

This is my interpretation of a pumpkin and leek lasagna from Australian Good Taste magazine.  I never would have thought that something with no meat could be SO tasty, such that I even relished leftovers!  It makes a great work lunch too.

Ingredients

• A wedge of pumpkin, chopped into 1.5cm cubes
• 250g of baby spinach
• Clove of garlic, finely chopped
• 6 free range eggs
• 200g sliced mushrooms.
• 1/3 cup of cream
• 1 handful of chopped mixed fresh herbs (I used parsley, basil and oregano)
• A handful of vintage cheddar cheese, grated

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. 
2. Microwave the pumpkin until cooked through.
3. In a non stick frypan, heat up a tablespoon of olive oil; then saute the garlic until fragrant, but not brown
4. Add the mushrooms, saute for a few minutes; then add spinach (washed) and saute until limp.
5. Line a baking tray with nonstick baking paper (otherwise the egg will be baked into it and very hard to clean – if you can at all!).
6. Lay the pumpkin over the paper; then scatter over the mushroom and spinach mix.
7. Beat the eggs, add the cream, mix in the herbs and season generously with salt and pepper.
8. Pour the egg mix over the veges; and scatter over the cheese.
9. Bake for 40 – 50 minutes until set.
10. Serve warm with a side salad, or cold with your lunch the next day.

Ingredients (serves 4 for meal with salad)

• 1 eggplant, sliced into 5mm thick slices
• 2 zucchini, sliced lengthways into 5mm thick slices
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and sliced into 5mm thick slices
• 300g sliced mushrooms
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 6 free range eggs
• half cup of skim milk
• 1 cup grated (low fat) cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley and/or basil; or pesto

Method

1. Grease a grill pan with olive oil and grill eggplant, zucchini and sweet potato and set aside (sweet potato may need to be parboiled first if you’re time poor)
2. In a wok or frypan, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, and on a medium heat, saute garlic and onion, until onion is caramelised and softened.  Add mushrooms and cook until soft.
3. Line a square cake tin with baking paper; and layer eggplant, followed by zucchini, then sweet potato.
4. Pour mushroom/onion mixture on top.
5. Beat eggs and herbs in a bowl. Add milk
6. Slowly pour egg mixture onto vegetables, allowing to seep in between.
7. Bake in a 180 degree oven for 25 mins until set.
8. Slice into wedges and serve warm or cold – perfect for a picnic!

So I would use around 200mL of skim milk; a few chunks of mango or half a banana; and a few spoons of frozen berries; and three large tablespoons of FRESH yoghurt that is low cal.  Add three ice cubes to thicken; and ONE small scoop of frozen yoghurt if you want it even thicker. Whiz and voila!

Recently, I discovered an even better trick to get rid of the high calorie frozen yoghurt altogether! Freeze your fresh yoghurt in a handy zip lock bag in individual serves with your berries.  It saves even more time in the morning, because all you have to do is rip open the bag, and pour in the  milk and pulse and whizz – so you don’t need ice even!  And it is even thicker in consistency! (if that’s what you like) It’s great in summer with all the wonderful fruits available to freeze some – chopped up mango, strawberries, bananas.  Home made smoothies always at hand and great for people like me who hate milk!

What are your favourite smoothie flavours/recipes?

This is a favourite dish of chinese and non-chinese alike. It’s so versatile. This recipe uses chicken mince, however you can substitute it with diced barbeque duck, pork mince, add in some prawns and omit the bamboo or water chestnuts. It’s great to cook for groups as you can make the filling ahead of time and prepare the lettuce - your food processor is your best friend. I made it as part of a 3 course meal for 90 people, as well as part of an 8 course chinese banquet for 8.

 Ingredients (serves 8 as an entree)

• 1 head of iceberg lettuce
• 500g chicken mince
• small can of water chestnuts
• half a 440g can of bamboo shoots
• Half a cup of oyster sauce
• 1/4 cup sherry or chinese cooking wine
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 3 cloves of crushed garlic
• 8 dried shitake mushrooms, soaked for 3 hrs in water
• 2 stalks of spring onions
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Method

1. With a sharp knife, carefully remove the core from the lettuce.  Under a running tap of cold water, place the upturned lettuce under the tap so that the water goes into the hole, and you can carefully peel a leaf away, one at a time. Repeat for each person.
2. Finely dice mushrooms, bamboo and water chestnuts and spring onions.
3. In a wok, heat 1 tablespoon of oil, and sautee garlic and ginger until fragrant.
4. Cook the chicken mince, and then add all the other ingredients, stirring. Add seasonings.
5. Spoon filling into lettuce cups and serve with hoisin sauce.

Ingredients

• 2 – 3 field mushrooms per person
• Olive Oil
• Shaved parmesan
• Rocket
• Balsamic vinegar
• Butter

Method

1. Clean or peel mushrooms and place in a single layer on an oven tray.
2. Place half a teaspoon (or more if you can spare it!) of butter in the centre of each mushroom. I’ve seen Jamie Oliver use flavoured butter to do this – mixing herbs and chilli into it.
3. Bake in 200 degree oven for 20 mins or until the mushrooms soften and start releasing their juices
4. Meanwhile, wash the rocket leaves and toss with the parmesan. Then dress with the olive oil and balsamic. Toss.
5. Just before serving, stack the mushrooms on top of each other on a plate. Layer some rocket salad on top.
6. Drizzle extra balsamic around the plate if desired. Season with salt and pepper.