Cous Cous, bean and corn salad

This is very fast and easy...a great last minute, low-fat Vegetarian lunch idea. This serves 2 for lunch, or 4 as a side to accompany a main meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cous cous (I used cous cous in a box which you just add boiled water to and let set for 5mins)
• 400g tin of kidney beans or chick peas
• 400g tin corn kernels
• 2-3 tablespoons salsa
• 6-8 sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
• 1/4 cup black sliced pitted olives
• 1/2 red or green capsicum

Optional:

• 1 tsp basil, chopped
• 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
• Salt, pepper and chilli flakes to taste

Method:

1. Cook the cous cous as per instructions
2. When cous cous has cooled to your liking, to a bowl add all ingredients and stir
3. Serve either warm or cold...D-E-L-icious  XD

Home-made Nachos

With tortillas, cheese, avocado and Greek yoghurt

With tortillas and cheese

This recipe has been modified from a Weight Watchers recipe and serves 4. It is quite versatile because you can omit the mince for a totally vegetarian meal, or include it for a Mexican feel. You can garnish with a range of different elements: grated tasty cheese, crumbled fetta, sour cream or Greek yoghurt, chopped chives, chopped coriander, chilli flakes, sliced avocado or guacamole.

Ingredients:

• 1 tblsp olive oil
• 500g heart-smart beef mince (omit for a vegetarian version)
• 1 brown onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 red or green capsicum, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 red chilli, seeds removed
• 400g can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 380g corn kernels, drained
• 1 x 400g tinned tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 x 45g corn tortillas
• 1/4 tsp dried coriander (or 1/4 cup of fresh)
• Garnishing of your choice.

Method:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat
2. Add onion and capsicum and cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes
3. Add garlic and chilli and cook for another minute
4. If using beef - add it now and let it brown
5. Stir in kidney beans, corn, tomatoes and coriander
6. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes
7. Preheat oven to 170 degrees fan-forced
8. Spoon bean mixture into a 6 cup (1/5L) capacity oven-proof dish
9. Cut tortillas in half, then cut halves into small triangles
10. Arrange triangles over bean mixture and bake for 20 minutes or until tortillas are golden and crisp
11. Serve into bowls and garnish as you like

D-E-L-icious XD

 The mince, beans, corn, onion, garlic, chilli and tomatoes before going into the oven

The nachos when they come out of the oven. The tortillas will be nice and crispy

Spicy Beans

Well it's the day before shopping day, there wasn't much in my pantry and fridge so I was stuck for lunch ideas. I found a 400g tin of 3 bean mix and a jar of salsa in the pantry and I had some low-fat ricotta cheese spread that was nearing it's best-by date. Those three elements plus some fresh coriander from my herb garden and I was good to go...


Method:

1. Drain and rinse the beans and place into a bowl
2. Spoon 2 tablespoons of salsa over the beans and mix through
3. Dollop some ricotta spread on top
4. Garnish with coriander

I was quite surprised with how tasty and filling it was.  D-E-L-icious  XD

Low-fat Bean Salad

This bean salad has very little oil, is fast, easy and tasty. It serves 4 as a side, or 2 as a main...a nice lunch idea for Vegans and/or Vegetarians =)

Ingredients:

• 750g tin of 4 bean mix
• 2 large sticks celery, finely chopped
• 1/4 green capsicum, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup uncooked cous cous (prepare as per packet instructions)

Dressing:

• 1 tsp good quality olive oil
• Juice from half a lemon
• 1/4 tsp caster sugar
• 1/2 garlic clove, crushed

Note: You can double the dressing if you like, but the quantities in the recipe results in a very lean salad. These quantities are just enough to moisten the beans and cous cous and stirs through nicely.

Method:

1. Cook the cous cous as per packet directions and let cool to room temperature (it only takes a few minutes)
2. Place the beans in a medium sized bowl, add the cous cous and the chopped vegetables
3. Add the oil, sugar, garlic & lemon juice
4. Stir well and serve.  D-E-L-icious  XD

Note: This salad is also nice with tuna stirred through - just ensure you drain the tuna really well to keep it low-fat.

Spicy Lamb Cutlets with Seasoned Wedges and Garlic Beans

These cutlets are to die for. They are tender, tasty, easy to prepare and absolutely beautiful. I serve them with seasoned wedges and vegetables. This recipe has string beans with garlic. It serves 4 and is D-E-L-icious  XD.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
• 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
• 8 lamb cutlets or lamb chops
• 4 large potatoes, cut into wedges
• 2 handfuls of green string beans, ends removed
• Spray oil
• Very small amount of low-fat butter
• Salt, garlic powder and dried thyme

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees celcius
2. Combine all sauces, honey and the mustard in a bowl and mix well
3. Remove fat and arrange the cutlets in an ovenproof dish and cover with the sauce mixture
4. Cook for approximately 35 mins, turning after 20mins
5. On a separate tray arrange the wedges, spray with spray oil, sprinkle with garlic powder, thyme and salt and cook for 30mins (same temperature as cutlets) turning after 15mins
6. Cook the string beans any way you prefer (I steam them in a tablespoon of water in the microwave). Before serving stir through a smidgen of low-fat butter and garlic powder (or crushed garlic to taste).

Tony's Chilli

This recipe is my husband's speciality. It is delicious and easy, but will need between 2 and 4 hours. The longer it simmers - the better. This serves 6 with rice or 4 without rice.

Ingredients:

• 500g lean mince beef (I used heart-smart)
• 2 potatoes, cut into 1cm cubes
• 400g tin of mixed beans (like 3 bean mix or 4 bean mix) - don't discard the juice
• 400g tin of kidney beans (don't discard the juice)
• 2 x 400g tins diced tomatoes
• 1 onion, peeled and diced
• 1 cup water
• Chilli to taste. It doesn't matter whether you used chilli powder, minced chilli, chilli flakes or fresh chilli - just add as much as you want for a spicy 'kick'.
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
• 1 tablespoon good quality olive oil
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• Salt & pepper
• Fresh basil to garnish

Method:

• In a large pan, heat the oil, add onion and cook until clear
• Add the mince, garlic, chilli, salt & pepper, break up and stir. If the mince is lean enough - it should not produce extra oil. However if you haven't used lean mince - scoop out the extra oil and discard it
• Once the mince is brown, add the beans (with the juice), potatoes, tomatoes, water, soy sauce and stir well
• Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer
• It's best if you leave it long enough to break down the beans which requires about 4hrs, however it's so yummy and often too hard to wait the required 4hrs. We've eaten it after 2hrs
• Serve in bowls with or without rice and garnish with torn basil leaves

D-E-L-icious  XD