How I Eat!

I’m a lazy cook.  I want food I LOVE that keeps my body lookin how I want it to look and feelin how I want it to feel.  Simple. 

If you’re after fancy dancy cookery, yeah well… that’s. not. me.

However I’m ALSO going to share lots of links to recipes that I would eat (if someone else cooked them for me!)  Yumbo recipes beyond my personal commitment to cooking, that perhaps you’re up for trying?

Either way, lazy cook or not, this is the space where I’m going to share just how quick and easy it can be to fuel your body to choose your curves.

Let’s check out a salad full of good fats to help you get lean.

 Picnic Perfect Salad

 1 juicy mango

 3 nectarines

 50gm dry roasted Almonds

 100-200gm rocket

 100-200gm baby spinach

 1 Avocado

 ½ red onion

 200gm firm ricotta cheese 

Assemble salad leaves, and finely sliced red onion.  Add chunkily cut mango (including juice) and avocado.  Cut each nectarine in about 8 slices and dry fry (fry pan with no oil!) till it’s golden and caramelized on each side.  Add nectarine and crumbled chunks of ricotta then top with roughly chopped dry roasted almonds.

The juice from the fruit will spread over the salad when you lightly toss it, however add balsamic vinegar to dress if desired.

=> Almonds yes almonds have a high Caloric Density meaning they pack a high amount of energy (calories!) into a small space, however they are quality fuel and when partnered with low caloric density salad greens they can help your fat blasting.  Here’s how…fats are satiating, meaning they keep you satisfied for longer, AND they also help stabilize your blood sugar levels by slowing the rate at which carbs are broken down and released into the blood stream.

=> Avocado although this fruit does have a large amount of fat, it’s good fat beneficial to your body.  The main source of fat is Oliec acid, which helps with fat absorption and also helps to lower the risk for developing heart disease.  Additionally avocado can help keep inflammation in your body under control…AND as we just covered fats are satiating, so embrace portion control and go the green love!

Time to get your egg on…

 Omega Mega Yum Omelette

 1-2 Free Range Organic Omega-3 enriched eggs

 1-2 extra egg whites

 1 cup of Cruciferous veggies (Cauliflower, Broccoli, Cabbage)

 2 button mushrooms

 2 cherry tomatoes

1 heaped tablespoon of cottage cheese

Pinch of mixed dried herbs (or fresh like coriander or oregano even better!)

Pinch of smoked Paprika

Chop all veggies and then mix all ingredients together. * this can be done the night before for speed in the morning.*

Heat 1/2 teaspoon of Coconut oil in a frypan & then lightly wipe off again with paper towel. (or just use the coconut oil spray)  Cook omelette with lid on pan till first side golden – turn – repeat on second side with lid removed.

=> Stress, Toxins & even TOFU in our day to day life mimic the effect of estrogen in our bodies & can lead to extra fat storage in estrogen sensitive areas (the hips & thighs 4 ladies – the belly 4 men!)  Super veggies, otherwise known as Cruciferous veggies have the ability to balance out our estrogen levels again.  Our cruciferous friends are broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale AND even brussel sprouts!

=> Coconut oil is a healthy source of saturated fat made up of medium chain fatty acids, which which do not get stored in the body as fat. It’s also very stable under high heat.

=> Paprika Capsaicin, a natural substance sourced from chili peppers, supports fat loss by speeding up your metabolism as well as curbing overeating by suppressing your appetite.

Did I mention I do eggs 101 ways?

 Kate’s Favourite Zero Carb Anytime Dessert

 4 Eggs Whites (zero hints of yolk for stiffness)

 1 generous serve any flavour Protein Powder

 1/2 sachet of stevia/natvia (or low carb sweetener of your choice)

Beat egg whites till SUPER stiff like meringue.  Add powder and sweetener and re-beat.

YUM!

…and Veg On MASS!

 20+ Super Salad

 150gm mix of lettuce, rocket, baby spinach, Kale

 1 cup of pre-packaged, washed and ready-to-go (dressing free) ‘Cal-slaw’ or ‘Asian Salad’ or ‘Stir-fry’ which will have a  combination like; Wombok, Carrot, Broccoli Stem, White cabbage, Red Cabbage, Shallots.

 1/2 tomato, 1/4 avocado, 6 olives, cucumber, mushroom – sliced

 1-2 cups of broccoli and cauliflower – steamed or microwaved

* for ease at work put cruciferous super veggies in a bowl and top with boiling water (they will soften enough to eat)

1/2-1 cup of baked veggies

* cook baked veggie once a week on mass and freeze as portions.  Include; eggplant, red onion, brown onion, cauliflower, red and green capsicum, sweet potato, leek, zucchini – cook with olive oil, garlic, chili and mixed herbs.

30ml Balsamic Vinegar

125gm Cottage Cheese OR a tablespoon or 2 of your fav seeds.

Assemble all veggies except for baked.  Dress with Balsamic vinegar.  Add heated baked veggies.  Top with 125gm of cottage cheese or seeds for a complete vego meal.

=> Balsamic Vinegar when used as a substitute for oily salad dressing or mayonnaise will reduce overall fat and calorie intake without sacrificing flavour.  Additionally when balsamic vinegar is consumed with carbohydrates it will limit blood sugar levels from spiking and prevent a hunger-producing “sugar crash”.  Instead it encourages stable blood sugar levels that facilitate fat burning.

=> Cottage Cheese is low in fat, low in carbohydrates and high in protein….this is a unique trifecta!  It is also: Low in calories compared to other dairy products and rich in riboflavin (Vitamin B2) that is important for healthy eyes and skin.  Finally it contains phosphorous that is essential for strong bones and teeth.

=> Kale, White cabbage, Red Cabbage 3 more cruciferous super veggies containing bountiful antioxidants, vitamins and fiber (Fiber helps fill you up, keeps digestion smooth and prevents bloating and water retention that can affect the numbers on the scale)

…’whenever you want’ 100% guilt free pancakes.

 No Carb Protein Pancake

 2-3 Egg Whites

 1 serve Vanilla Protein Powder

 Decent Sprinkle of Cinnamon

 Coconut Oil cooking spray

 1/2 tbsp Natural Nut Butter of your choice (I like Almond… and LOVE Almond-cashew-brazil enough to not be able to keep it in the house!)

Spray a nonstick pan with cooking spray and place on medium heat to preheat pan.  Meanwhile, combine the egg whites, protein powder, nut butter and cinnamon in a mixing bowl, stirring with a fork or whisk until well-blended (though it will still look lumpy).

Pour mixture into the pan, gently spreading it to a pancake shape.  Cook on one side until bubbles begin to appear and burst on the top of the batter.  Using a spatula, carefully flip over and cook for a little less time.

Optional additions;

1/3 cup dry Old-fashioned Oatmeal (if you want this to count as a carb meal)

1/2 grated Apple or Pear 

Handful of Berries

50gm Cottage or Ricotta Cheese.

PANCAKE UPGRADE!!! 

OMG so I just tried beating my protein pancake mixture (both just the egg whites and then again after the other ingredients have been added) and they go all fluffy and AMAZING!

 

 

 

HA, because I needed another egg addiction…

Some Salad finishers…

 Crispy Brussel Sprouts

 Up to 250gm Brussel Sprouts per serve

 Coconut oil 

 Chili flakes

 Mixed fresh/dried herbs (rosemary is great)

I use frozen brussels because they are so much quicker and just as good.  I keep them in the fridge if I’m using them in the next day or two so I don’t even have to defrost… yep, Lazy Cook.

To make the crispy brussel sprouts; slice each sprout length ways into 3-4 rounds.  Cover an oven tray with a spray of coconut oil and spread the sprouts out evenly in one layer.  Sprinkle with chili and mixed herbs to taste and cook in a hot 250 degrees oven turning frequently.  Watch closely to ensure they don’t brown beyond your desired crispiness (around 30mins)!

Top your salad with brussels… if they make it that far!

…

OR… Spaghetti Sauce and Ratatouille are awesome made ON MASS and frozen… AND they don’t have to be served over a mass of carbie pasta.  Either are great over a bed of steamed greens (like asparagus, green beans and snow peas) OR over a hearty salad (I  add avocado, mushroom, broccoli and/or cauli to my leafy salad and then top with cottage cheese or ricotta).  The 1st picture is ratatouille over salad and here’s your third option: Cauli-Mash (bottom pic)….

 

 Cauli-mash with Ratatouille & Crispy Brussel Sprouts

 1/4 of a cauliflower per serve

 1 heaped dessert spoon of light ricotta per serve

 Celtic sea salt & pepper to taste

1 eggplant / 1 red capsicum / 1 green capsicum / 2 zucchini / 2 onions (red or brown)

2 cloves of garlic

1 400g can of tomatoes in juice

1 tablespoon of basil pesto

fresh herbs to taste

6 large or more smaller brussel sprouts per serve

coconut oil (or olive oil if you prefer)

chili flakes

mixed dried herbs

To make the ratatouille; it is optional but recommended to bake without oil capsicums till skin is charred (at that point remove the skin) and chop the now sweeter capsicum.

As capsicums bake, in a large heavy lidded pot or pan heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil with garlic and onions.  When onions are lightly browned and transparent add chopped eggplant and canned tomatoes.  As eggplant begins to soften add chopped zucchini.  Next add chopped roasted capsicums and optional harder herbs like oregano.  Cooking time is dependent on how you like your ratatouille – 30 min is a good starting point. Near end of cooking add pesto, fresh softer herbs like basil and season to taste.

To make the crispy brussel sprouts; slice length ways each sprout into 4-5 rounds.  Cover an oven tray with spray of coconut oil and spread the sprouts out evenly in one layer.  Sprinkle with chili and mixed herbs to taste and cook in a hot 250 degrees oven turning frequently.  Watch closely to ensure they don’t brown beyond your desired crispiness!

To make the mash, steam of microwave cauliflower until fairly soft.  Add salt and pepper to taste and light ricotta and mash with potato masher.

To assemble cover a plate with a generous serving of hot mash, covered in ratatouille (the above will make several serves to freeze and reheat) and finally top with crispy brussel sprouts.

 Cauli-mash

Stuff surviving on salad when the main meal doesn’t fit your nutritional guidelines…

As a vego I have a few quick to prepare ahead of time options to amp up the protein in that meal that doesn’t fit my lean bod guidelines… there are times fam and friends are chowing down on the pasta or the nacho’s or whatever it may be (that happens more frequently than your weekly cheat day!)  where you need to come prepared.  When I wasn’t prepared I resorted to the sad lil hard boiled egg in super-scrumbo-mums-roast-veg-cauil-cheese-stuffing-ball-carb-fest as pictured bottom right! #NotAChooseYourCurvesMeal #AOkAsACheat

 Stuffed Eggs

 

 4 eggs hard boiled, peeled and halved (serves 2 people)

 filling;

 1/4 small red onion finely sliced

 clove garlic

 fresh coriander finely chopped or any herb you love, thyme works well.

8 Kalamata olives sliced 

6 sun-dried tomatoes sliced

1/4 avocado diced

chili – any works well, fresh/dried to taste or around a teaspoon of your fav sweet chili chutney.

Scoop out the yolks and mix in a bowl with all other ingredients.

Heap the mix back into eggs.

Optional additions;

Limitless (!) …top of my list would be 50g cottage or goats cheese.

Alternative base;

This filling works great in mushrooms too.  I chop the stalk into the rest of the mix.

Heap the mix back into mushies and bake for around 10mins medium heat.

And lastly …take your 4 eggs (raw for now) + the filling mix + 50g cottage cheese.  Add 4-6 mushies sliced and turn it into an omelette for 2.  Delicious!

My blender is broken right now 🙁 and I’m missing my smoothies. If you think a toasted cheese sandwich is a ‘light dinner’ after a big lunch out then please instead meet your ultra-versatile-super-fast-food friends…

 Sweet Smoothie Magic

 1 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk (for a lighter option replace with water 

 & an egg white)

 1 serve Vanilla Protein Powder (aim for at least 20gm Protein and only 2-3gm of Carbohydrate and Fat per serve)

 1 tbsp Ground Flaxseed 

75gm frozen unsweetened raspberries or strawberries

½ cup raw frozen Spinach (you won’t taste it!)

1 tbsp Natural Peanut or Almond Butter

3 ice cubes

Easy – dump all ingredients in the blender and Blend!

=> Next, experiment with your fav ingredients, the possibilities are limitless and I’m fairly certain you can come up with something even better than my yumbo combo… when you do, please let me know in the comments below!

Often I ‘throw’ rather then cook or even cut…

I’m not sure if it’s a matter of me becoming more aware of fast & fresh options now easily avail or whether they’re becoming more prevalent?  Either way it’s all good!  In the spirit of time-saving & fat shaving here’s a couple of favs:

 1) Throwing Together A Salad

Every supermarket bag of goodness now seems to come ‘washed & ready to use’

 Coles ‘Asian Salad or Stir-fry’ has Wombok, Carrot, Broccoli Stem, White cabbage, Red Cabbage, Shallots.

 Coles ‘Rocket Salad Mix’ has Baby Rocket, Spinach, Tatsoi.

That’s 9 veggies in around 20 seconds prep!  Add some avocado, tomato, steamed cauliflower/broccoli (can never have enough cruciferous super veggie!) & a small tin of 4 beans – dash of balsamic & finally some cottage cheese (or hemp / pumpkin seeds)

2) Making More Of Your Bought Salad

Choose a veggie rich & pref sauce free cafe salad then split it in 2.  Half for lunch today & half later for dinner or lunch tomoz.  Pad it out with aforementioned supermarket bag of fresh salad mix and also a cruciferous rich frozen veg mix then bulk it up lean protein of choice… such as a couple of boiled eggs or hemp / pumpkin seeds.

I’m just back from a stunning long weekend with the fam in Noosa… now a lot of the food I consumed (or less often avoided) came under ‘treat’ rather than fat-loss-fuel-to-choose your-curves (!) although this one i’m going to pass as indulgent yet A-ok! 

 Eggplant Roll-ups

Quantities are completely to taste – you really can’t get it wrong!  We used 1 large eggplant, sliced, brushed with olive oil and grilled on  the BBQ.  I LOVE veg on the barbie, but the oven will work just fine.

Now to make the filling:

Mix your cheese of choice, I recommend half cottage and half reduced fat feta.

Add 2 tablespoons of toasted pine nuts and a generous amount of chopped fresh basil.

Season with salt and pepper.  Chili or smoked paprika would be a good addition here too.

Assemble a big dollop of cheese mix on each eggplant slice.  Top with baby spinach leaves.  Roll and stab with a toothpick!

Ok, so these scrumbo fritters are not every-day-fat-loss-fuel!  They are great on occasion as a pass around nibble with drinks – and of course if you have a vego near and dear to you then make extra for their main meal as these tasty lil numbers keep and reheat well.

 Haloumi Mushie Capsicum Fritters

 1 red capsicum

 200g button mushrooms sliced

 180g haloumi grated

 1/3 cup plain flour (we used gluten free, though it does make the frying a lil more sticky)

2 egg whites lightly beaten

pinch of smoked paprika

salt and pepper

75ml light olive oil

In a small frypan saute mushies and capsicum in 1 tablespoon olive oil over a high heat until tender and slightly charred (5-6 mins).

Allow to cool.

Place cooked capsicum and mushie mix in a bowl with haloumi, egg whites, flour and mix well.  Season with salt and pepper and add paprika to taste.  Rest mix for 10 mins.

Heat remaining oil in small fry-pan at med-high.  Spoon in 1 tablespoon of batter per fritter and cook for 1 minute before flattening slightly.  Turn and cook till golden brown (another minute or so).  Drain excess oil from fritters over paper towel before serving warm.

If you, like myself are ultra focused on providing your body with natural unprocessed food, if you don’t add salt and if you don’t eat plenty of seafood… then there is a very real chance you too are iodine deficient.

Seaweed is my new found food LOVE and here’s a good way to disguise the taste if seaweed is not yet yumbo for you.

Green Energy PLUS Omelette

2 free range organic eggs

1 cup of green veggies (I used; spinach, asparagus and spring onion)

3 button mushrooms

1/2-1 sheet of ROASTED SEAWEED.

Pinch of mixed dried herbs (or fresh like coriander or oregano even better!)

Pinch of smoked paprika or chilli

Chop all veggies (seaweed is easier to chop if you wet it first) then mix all ingredients together.

=> this can be done the night before for speed in the morning.

Heat 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil in a frypan & then lightly wipe off again with paper towel. (or just use the coconut oil spray)

Cook omelette with lid on pan till first side golden – turn – repeat on second side with lid removed.

Craving something crispy, salty, greasy AND Guilt-Free?

 Kale Crisps

1/2 bunch of kale

1 teaspoon of great quality extra virgin olive oil

A generous pinch of Celtic sea salt

Place washed (and patted dry with paper towel) kale into a plastic bag with oil.  Shake well to coat. Transfer kale onto a baking sheet in a thin layer (use multiple pans if making lots and cover baking sheets with cooking paper for easy clean-up).

Season with salt, pepper – or really whatever you like…chili, paprika, herbs…

Place in an unheated oven. Heat oven with kale in it to 300 degrees.

Now, watch carefully till it starts to brown and crisp up. The time varies depending on your oven and the amount of kale – but it’ll be around 20 minutes.

Munch by the handful or use to top other foods…soup, salad, stir-fry.

Apparently these store well in an air-tight container… I’ve never had the will-power to test that theory!