Ultra-FIT magazine

Each Friday we will be publishing a recipe for you to try over the weekend.

Sweet and sour is an oriental favourite and this version is so much better than any shop bought sauce in a jar as it contains very little sugar and no artificial colours or preservatives. Using cauliflower rice also means this meal contains far fewer carbs than if you made it with rice.

Sweet and Sour Turkey and pepper stir fry with cauliflower rice – Serves two

Ingredients

300 grams diced turkey breast
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped finely
3 medium bell peppers – one red, one green and one yellow – thinly sliced
1 medium diced onion
10 lm white wine vinegar
50 ml water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ tablespoon fructose
1 teaspoon tomato puree
1 medium cauliflower – cut into florets and hard stalks discarded
4 spring onions, finely shredded

Directions

Heat two tablespoons of the oil in a pan or wok and cook the meat over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove and set aside. Heat the last of the oil in a separate pan and sauté the peppers, onion and garlic for 3 minutes. Add the turkey to the vegetables and then stir in the fructose, white wine vinegar, water, tomato puree and soy sauce. Simmer for 3-5 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the cauliflower in a pan of boiling water for 5 minutes until it becomes slightly soft. Drain thoroughly and then put the florets in a food processer and whizz up until the cauliflower resembles coarse rice. If you don’t have a food processor, you can also grate the cauliflower but this can be a bit messy and you’ll have to be careful not to burn your fingers.

Spoon the cauliflower rice into bowls and serve the turkey and vegetables on top. Sprinkle with the shredded spring onions.

Nutritional Values per Serving

Calories 506, Protein 39 grams, Carbohydrates 40 grams, Fibre 10 grams, Fat 22 grams

Each Friday we will be publishing a recipe for you to try over the weekend.

Chocolate chip oat muffins – makes eight muffins

As a post-training carb snack or a healthy treat, these easy-to-make muffins are hard to beat! (Hey – that rhymes!)

Ingredients

200 grams of raw, organic porridge oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon  vanilla essence
3 large organic free-range eggs
50 grams of light brown sugar
100 grams of dark chocolate cut into small chunks

Directions

Place the eggs, oats, baking powder, sugar and vanilla into a food processer and whizz up to form a batter. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand and then spoon the mixture into eight paper casings on a lightly greased muffin tray. Place on the middle shelf of a pre-heated oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until slightly browned. Place the muffins on a wire frame and allow to cool.

Nutritional Values per Muffin

Calories 228, Protein 11 grams, Carbohydrates 34 grams, Fibre 3 grams, Fat 5 grams

Each Friday we will be publishing a recipe for you to try over the weekend.

This low carb, high protein meal is packed with protein, vitamins, fibre and taste! Taking no more than 15 minutes to prepare, it makes a great meal when time is against you but you don’t want to resort to an unhealthy ready-meal or takeaway.

Spicy beef stuffed peppers with courgette noodles – Serves two

Ingredients

4 medium-sized bell peppers – any colour
300 grams of lean minced beef
1 medium onion – finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
chilli flakes/chopped chilli to taste
1 beef stock cube – crushed
1 clove of crushed garlic
4 medium/large courgettes
25 grams of butter

Directions

Carefully remove the tops from the peppers and remove any pips and white flesh. Place the peppers open-end up in a baking tray and keep the tops for later. If your peppers fall over because they have a rounded bottom, place them in individual ramekins for stability.

Heat the olive oil and fry the onion until soft and then add the mince. Stir in the garlic, the crushed stock cube and the chilli. Cook until the mince is browned but not burnt!

Spoon the meat mixture equally into the four peppers and then put the tops back on. Place on the middle shelf of a pre-heated oven set to 200 degrees centigrade. Bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, top and tail the courgettes and then cut into quarters lengthways.  Cut each quarter into fine strips until they resemble noodles or thick spaghetti.

Melt the butter in the pan you used for the meat and onions (saving on washing up!) and add the courgette noodles. Cook over a medium heat until the courgettes begin to soften – around seven minutes.

Put the sliced courgettes in a shallow dish and place the peppers on top. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Values per Serving

Calories 475, Protein 32 grams, Carbohydrates 6 grams, Fibre 6 grams, Fat 35 grams

Each Friday we will be publishing a recipe for you to try over the weekend.

High Protein Cheesecake – serves 2

While not especially weight-loss friendly, this lovely dessert makes a great treat and is far better for you than most shop-bought cheesecakes. And it’s gluten free!

Ingredients

For the base
¼ cup of dates – pitted
¼ cup of pecans – shelled
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

For the topping
200 grams low fat soft cheese
2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder
50 grams white chocolate
2 gelatine leaves
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
2 tablespoon agave or fructose syrup
1 tablespoon of chopped cranberries

Directions

Put the dates, pecans and coconut oil in a food processor and blend into a rough paste. Spoon the mixture into two individual ramekins and then pop them in the fridge for an hour.

Meanwhile, melt the white chocolate by placing it in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Once melted, add the gelatine leaves and stir until they are completely dissolved. Slowly add the rest of the ingredients, stirring all the time. If the mixture becomes too thick, add a few teaspoons of coconut milk. Continue stirring until you are left with a smooth and lump-free mixture.

Pour the mixture into the ramekins over the pecan and date bases and then sprinkle with the cranberries. Return the pots to the fridge and chill for two to four hours.

Nutritional Values per Serving

Calories 742, Protein 43 grams, Carbohydrate 73 grams, Fibre 6 grams, Fat 31 grams

Each Friday we will be publishing a recipe for you to try over the weekend.

Avocado Chocolate Protein Pudding – serves two

Ingredients

1 large ripe avocado
2 tablespoons plain cocoa powder
2 tablespoons of maple or agave syrup
2 scoops chocolate whey protein powder
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
50 grams dark plain chocolate – melted
¼ cup of coconut milk

Directions

Peel the avocado and place in a bowl. Mash it into a smooth paste. Add the coconut milk, syrup, vanilla essence and melted chocolate. Once the mixture is well blended, gradually add the dry ingredients. Keep stirring to avoid any lumps forming. Once all the ingredients are combined, pour/spoon the mixture into individual ramekins and then chill for three hours minimum. Dust with a little cocoa powder before serving.

Nutritional Value per Serving

Calories: 512, Protein: 30, Carbohydrate: 43 grams, Fibre: 4.5 grams, Fat: 25 grams (mostly monounsaturated)

Each Friday we will be publishing a recipe for you to try over the weekend.

Cauliflower Cottage Pie – serves four

Ingredients

400 grams lean minced beef
1 medium onion
1 clove garlic – crushed
1 beef stock cube
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1 medium-large cauliflower
1 vegetable stock cube
2 tablespoons butter
50 grams grated tasty cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan and add the mince, onion and garlic. Cook until the meat is browned and the onion is soft. Crumble and add the beef stock cube and the frozen vegetables. Cook on a low heat until the vegetables are thawed. Meanwhile, roughly chop the cauliflower and place in a pan of boiling water. Add the vegetable stock cube. Cook until the cauliflower is soft – 10 minutes or so. Thoroughly drain the cauliflower in a colander, put it back in the pan and then mash it into a pulp with the butter. Place the meat mixture in the bottom of a suitable baking dish and press down flat. Spread the cauliflower evenly over the top and sprinkle with the grated cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bake in the oven at 175 degrees centigrade for 35 to 45 minutes or until the top of your pie is golden brown and crispy. Serve with gravy.

Nutritional Value per Serving

Calories: 440, Protein 32 grams, Carbohydrate: 20 grams, Fibre: 6 grams, Fat: 23 grams

Enjoy and let us know if you liked it!

 

 

Each Friday we will be publishing a recipe for you to try over the weekend.

Nice Rice Pudding – makes four servings

Ingredients

½ cup pudding rice
½ cup sultanas
1 cup water
3 cups low fat milk
4 tablespoons sugar – adjust to taste
2 tablespoons corn starch
2 tablespoons rose water (optional)
Ground cinnamon to taste

Directions

Place the rice and water in a heavy bottomed pan and heat until the rice begins to soften. Add the rest of the ingredients except the cinnamon. Simmer the mixture for 2- to 30 minutes – until the pudding reaches a nice thick consistency.

Pour the rice pudding into four individual serving dishes and sprinkle with cinnamon to taste. Eat immediately or allow to cool and then refrigerate. Nice rice pudding makes a great post-exercise meal or breakfast.

Nutritional Value per Serving

285 calories, 2 grams fat, 45 grams carbohydrate, 1 gram fibre, 9 grams protein

Enjoy and let us know if you liked it!

Each Friday we will be publishing a recipe for you to try over the weekend.

Courgette and Turkey Curry – makes two servings

Ingredients

400 grams turkey breast
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium courgettes (around 600 grams in total)
1 large onion
1 tin coconut milk
2 tablespoons mild/medium curry powder
1 clove garlic

Directions

Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan – preferably one with a lid. Roughly chop the courgettes, onion and pepper and add to the turkey. Crush the garlic and add to the pan. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften. Pour the coconut milk over the turkey and vegetables and then stir in the curry powder – adjusting the quantity of curry powder to taste. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until most of the liquid has reduced. If your curry is still a bit liquid, remove the lid and allow the water to evaporate until the sauce is the desired consistency.

Serve with rice, naan bread or, for a lower carb option, salad.

Nutritional Value per Serving

641 calories, 32 grams fat, 26 grams carbohydrate, 8 grams fibre, 61 grams protein.

Enjoy and let us know if you liked it!

 

Each Friday we will be publishing a recipe for you to try over the weekend.

Baked Coconut Milk Custards – Makes Four

Ingredients

1 400 millilitre can coconut milk – organic, full fat
3 large free range eggs
3 level tablespoons Dutch processed coco powder
3 tablespoons maple or agave syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 servings chocolate or vanilla whey protein powder

Directions

Place all the ingredients into a blender and mix until smooth. Pour the mixture into four ramekins and then stand the ramekins in a deep-sided baking dish of boiling water. The water should come three quarters of the way up the side of the ramekins.  Carefully place the baking dish in an oven pre-heated to 200 degrees for 30 minutes or until a knife poked into the custards can be removed cleanly. The custards can be eaten hot or are also great chilled. For an extra decadent treat, mix in 50 grams of melted dark chocolate to make this dessert richer.

Nutritional Value per serving

Calories 370, 25 grams fat, 17 grams carbohydrate, 19 grams protein, 1.7 grams fibre.

Enjoy and let us know if you liked it!