Banana and Walnut Cake - fast, easy and healthy

This cake was made by accident when I forgot to add eggs. So if you're out of eggs...no worries! If you're out of oil...no worries! If you're out of butter...no worries! And if you're out of milk...still no worries. This cake takes all traditional cake ingredients of butter, oil, milk and eggs and throws them out the window. Buy yourself some low-fat natural Greek yoghurt - it is versatile and is an excellent substitute for cake mixes. This cake is low-fat, simple to make and moist as!

Ingredients:

• 2 small or 1 large very ripe banana, mashed
• 4 tablespoons low-fat natural Greek yoghurt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 and 1/2 cups self raising flour
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla essence

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees celsius
2. Throw all ingredients into a medium sized bowl and mix with a wooden spoon
3. Pour into a cake pan or loaf tin
4. Cook for 30 mins or until a skewer comes out clean

Could it be any easier? No way!  D-E-L-icious  XD

Nell's healthy snack

When I am in a rush or can’t be bothered going to any effort making a meal - I grab a handful of raw nuts and seeds, a tub of yogurt and a tub of Goulburn Valley fruit and throw it all in a bowl. It’s quick, healthy and very tasty. It’s a great breakfast, morning tea, lunch or afternoon tea idea…D-E-L-icious  XD

Note: If you don’t like mixing the juice from the fruit tub in with the yogurt, simply drain off the juice, or drink it like it do :)

Sugar-free, butter-free carrot cake

This recipe has been adapted from several carrot cake recipes I have on hand. I made it for the first time day and we were all surprised by the taste and texture - considering it has no butter or sugar. It is very healthy, easy and relatively quick.

Ingredients:

•  1 teaspoon vanilla flavouring
•  2 eggs
•  1 tablespoon good quality olive oil
•  1 large carrot, peeled and grated
•  1 apple, peeled and grated
•  4 tablespoons low-fat natural Greek yoghurt
•  1 cup self-raising white flour
•  1 cup wholemeal flour
•  2 teaspoons baking powder

Method:

1. In a bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla flavouring
2. Add the grated carrot and apple and stir
3. Add the oil, yoghurt, both the flours (sifted) and baking powder
4. Stir with a wooden spoon
5. Pour into a loaf tin and bake at 180 degrees celsius for 30-40mins

Lovely served warm with a light sprinkle of icing sugar and a hot cuppa. D-E-L-icious  XD

Greek Lamb Salad

This recipe has been adapted from a Weight Watchers recipe. It serves 4, is fast, very easy and delicious. You will need at least 30mins for the lamb to marinate, but you can make the marinade (dressing) hours in advance and leave it in the fridge until ready to cook.

Ingredients:

• 150g low fat natural Greek yoghurt
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
• 1/2 teaspoonground cumin
• Sprinkle of salt
• 450g lean lamb loin chop, bones removed (I used lean lamb steaks)
• 2 tablespoons fresh mint, shredded
• 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
• 4 sticks celery, thinly sliced
• 2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• Handful of sliced capsicums (I used a mixture of colours)
• 100g lettuce (I used baby cos lettuce)

Method:

1. Combine the yoghurt, lemon juice, garlic, cumin and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Pour 1/4 of this dressing into a pres-seal bag and add the lamb. Seal the bag and toss to mix the dressing through the lamb
2. Cover the remaining dressing with glad wrap and leave in the fridge. Refrigerate the lamb for a minimum of 30mins, overnight is fine.
3. Preheat a griddle pan on high. Remove the lamb from the pres-seal bags and place on grill to cook
4. Cook 4mins both sides, remove and set aside for 5mins. Slice thinly.
5. Meanwhile stir half the mint into the dressing
6. Arrange lettuce and salad vegetables on plates. Top with lamb, drizzle the dressing over and garnish with the remaining mint.

D-E-L-icious  XD

Low-fat Vegetable Curry

This recipe is extremely healthy, tasty, fast with a bit of a kick to it. It only uses 1 tablespoon of oil and is loaded with vegetables.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon good quality olive oil
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp ginger, grated
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 2 tsps cumin powder
• 1 x 400g can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 500g cauliflower florets
• 300g sweet potato, peeled and chopped
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1/3 cup frozen peas
• 1 tablespoon natural Greek yoghurt
• 2 tablespoons coriander leaves, chopped

Method:

1. Heat oil in a medium pan, sauté onion, garlic and ginger over a medium heat for 2 minutes
2. Stir in curry powder and cumin powder and cook for 1 minute
3. Add tomatoes and stock and bring to the boil
4. Add prepared vegetables, reduce heat and simmer for 20mins or until tender
5. Stir in frozen peas and cook for a further 5 minutes
6. Spoon into serving bowls and top with a little natural Greek yoghurt and sprinkle of chopped coriander

Nice served alone or on a bed of rice.  D-E-L-icious  XD

Fat-free Carrot Muffins

I used 3 separate recipes to create these healthy muffins so I consider them my own invention. They are quick, very healthy, moist and tasty with NO oil or butter. This recipe makes 12 muffins in a 12 muffin silicone baking tray.

Ingredients:

• 1 carrot, peeled and grated
• 1 apple, peeled and grated (I used Pink Lady)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 4 level tablespoons natural Greek yoghurt
• 2 cups sifted self raising flour (alternatively you could replace 1 cup with wholemeal flour if you have it)

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees celsius
2. Using spray oil, spray your muffin tray
3. In a large bowl, whisk the 2 eggs
4. Add the grated carrot and apple and whisk together
5. Add the sugar, natural Greek yoghurt and vanilla essence and whisk again
6. Add the sifted flour and whisk all together (it looks runny, but it's OK)
7. Spoon the mixture into the muffin tray
8. Bake at 180 degrees celsius for 22 minutes.

Nice served alone or sprinkled with a small amount of icing sugar.  D-E-L-icious  XD