Salmon & Prawn Cakes

31 07 2012

Fish cakes are delicious and this is a different twist on the normal version. You can use whatever fish you like, tinned or fresh. These freeze really well and are a great high protein dinner, lunch or snack. You could definitely sneak in some grated carrot, zucchini or puréed broccoli if you need to stealthily get some veggies in someone.

400g raw prawns
415g tin salmon (you can use fresh salmon or any other fish if you prefer)
1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped
1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped
1 long red chilli, finely chopped
3cm square fresh ginger, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 eggs
1 tbs coconut oil, for cooking

In your food processor pulse the prawns, chilli, garlic, ginger and herbs until the prawns are minced. Transfer to a bowl with the tinned salmon and mix together. Add eggs and mix well. Use your hands to form small patties. Heat your frypan and add coconut oil. Cook patties for about 5 mins each side over a medium heat or seal on each side for a few minutes until about half cooked and place on a baking paper lined tray in the oven on 180C to finish cooking and stay warm while you cook the rest. You can add the extra patties as you go so they all stay warm and don’t dry out. We had ours with some fresh steamed veggies and a drizzle of flaxseed oil.

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Spicy Chicken in Eggplant Boats

30 07 2012

So my obsession lately has moved from coconut in all it’s forms to stuffing any veggies I can get my hands on! This was so delicious and hearty but not heavy and stodgy.
Eggplants contain chlorogenic acid which is a plant compound that is known for its high antioxidant activity. It has a great capacity to fight free radicals, it can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, it is antimutagenic (which means it can protect cells from mutating into cancer cells), and antiviral. Eggplant is also an excellent source of fiber, vitamin A, B vitamins, folate and vitamin C. Eggplant is also rich in minerals, boasting a large quantity of potassium, magnesium, calcium and phosphorous. Add the chicken and you now protein too.

1 eggplant- halved
2 chicken breasts- minced (use your food processor or just chop with a knife until it’s fine enough)
1 tbs Mammoth Kitchen Taco Seasoning
1 tbs tomato paste
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 red onion- diced
3 stems eshallots- chopped
2 cloves garlic- crushed
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup parsley- chopped
1-2 handfuls baby spinach
1 tsp coconut oil

Preheat oven to 180C. Scoop out the inside of the eggplant leaving about 2 cm flesh all the way around the inside and place these “boats” on some baking paper on a baking tray.

In a frypan, heat coconut oil and add taco seasoning, Garlic, onion, eshallots and cook until onions are soft. Add tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add water and mix well. When water starts to simmer add chicken mince, spinach and mushrooms and cook until the chicken is just cooked. It will continue to cook in the oven so don’t overcook it now! Stir through parsley then spoon the chicken mix into the eggplant.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until eggplant is cooked. I forgot about mine so they ended up a little crispier than I intended ;) We had ours with some fresh steamed veggies and a drizzle of flaxseed oil.

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“Rice” Stuffed Capsicums

25 07 2012

These are a delicious accompaniment to your dinner, lunch or a great low carbohydrate snack that is still packed with flavour. The health benefits of capsicums start with vitamins A & C, which are responsible for the antioxidant fighting beta-carotene that gives them their different colours (green, yellow or red). These antioxidants can reduce the swelling in the arteries that leads to heart disease, diabetes and cholesterol build up. The folate and vitamin B6 contained in capsicums also help fight against heart disease.

2 cups chopped mushrooms
1/2 head cauliflower, chopped into big chunks
1 red onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bunch basil, leaves chopped roughly, stems chopped finely
4 capsicum, tops removed and seeds pulled out
1 long red chilli, finely chopped and seeds removed (leave the seeds in if you like it hot)
1 tbs tomato paste
Handful baby spinach leaves
1 tsp Garam Marsala
1 tsp cumin
1 heaped tsp coconut oil or oil of your choice

Preheat oven to 180C (or 160c fan forced). In a food processor, pulse the raw cauliflower until it has the consistency of rice and set aside. In a hot frypan (no oil yet), add the cumin and Garam Marsala and cook until fragrant (about 2 mins). Add the tomato paste, onion, garlic, chilli and basil stems and coconut oil and cook until the onions are soft. You can add a dash of water if it gets too dry. Add spinach and basil leaves and cook until they start to wilt. Add cauliflower rice and cook for a few minutes until all ingredients are combined well and ‘rice’ is just starting to soften. Better to be a bit undercooked than overcooked as it will finish cooking in the oven. Remove from heat. Place hollowed out capsicums on a baking paper lined oven tray and spoon in rice mixture, pressing down and making sure they are full. Bake for about 30mins or until tops are browning and capsicums are cooked.

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Muscle Fuel Pancakes

23 07 2012

I love pancakes….. Not as much as coconut obviously, but a fair bit. OMG! Coconut pancakes!?!? How did this not occur to me until now…. Next Sunday, it will happen, stay tuned. Sorry, back on track, pancakes are delicious but usually loaded with sugar and white flour which we know is like eating kindergarten grade glue. These ones I adapted from a recipe I saw on Fitness in the City and thought it looked pretty special! Very high in protein, sugar free and the carrot makes them taste a little bit like carrot cake! Delicious and useful because Carrots are full of beta-carotene which helps to reduce the risk of cancer, low in carbohydrates and full of vitamins C, K and B6. Health-promoting minerals found in carrots include potassium, calcium and manganese. Leaving the skins on ensures you get all the great nutrients found in the skin as well.

1 grated carrot
3 eggs
1/2 cup almond meal
1 cup coconut milk (or milk of your choice)
1/2 cup flavourless protein powder
2 tbsp coconut oil
4 tbsp coconut flour (you could use more almond meal instead)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
Pinch salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
OPTIONAL- stevia or honey to taste

Topping-
1 cup frozen mixed berries
1 cup coconut milk (or milk of your choice)
1 tbs nut butter
Stevia or honey to taste – optional

Mix all pancake ingredients together well and spoon into a hot pan. Cook as you would regular pancakes. Add all the topping ingredients to a small saucepan and heat gently over a low heat until all combined and berries are warm. You can add more milk if you need to. Spoon berry sauce over the pancake stack and eat while they are hot!

Seriously, look at these and tell me you don’t want to eat them right now!!

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Not-Nutella

21 07 2012

Did you know that Nutella contains 54g sugar/100g? To put that in perspective, Coke has 11g/100g and we know how crap Coke is for us. How then, is Nutella “a nutritious breakfast food”? How about a packet of party mix lollies, some fairy floss and a 2L Fanta for breakfast too?!? I’m not saying it isn’t delicious, it is, but it is NOT good for you! Here’s a much better version, without all the sugar. You can sweeten it with a tablespoon or so of maple syrup or agave if you prefer that to stevia.

200g shredded coconut
200g roasted hazlenuts
2 tbs raw cacao
1 tbs cinnamon
Pinch stevia (optional)

In your food processor blend the coconut until it starts to form a paste. Add the hazlenuts and continue to blend until it all comes together like the consistency of nut-butter. Add cacao, cinnamon & stevia and blend for about another minute. Done! I spread mine on my protein muffins, pancakes or pour into a dish, allow to set in the fridge and you have Not-Nutella Bark!

Here’s the spread

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And some Not-Nutella Bark

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