SWISS BROWN MUSHROOM AND WARM PANCETTA SALAD

PREPARATION TIME 10 MINUTES

COOKING TIME 10 MINUTES SERVES 6

200g swiss brown mushrooms, quartered

¼ cup (60ml) balsamic vinegar

8 slices pancetta (120g)

100g baby spinach leaves, trimmed

2 tablespoons drained baby capers, rinsed

2 green onions, chopped finely

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove garlic, crushed

 1)    Combine mushrooms with 2 tablespoons of the vinegar in small bowl.

2)    Cook pancetta in medium oiled frying pan until crisp; chop coarsely.

3)    Drain mushrooms; discard vinegar. Cook mushrooms in same pan until tender.

4)    Combine remaining ingredients in large bowl with pancetta, mushrooms and remaining vinegar.

 Per serving 6g total fat (1.5g saturated fat); 360kJ (86 cal); 1.3g carbohydrate; 5.6g protein; 1.6g fibre

SHAVED FENNEL AND APPLE SALAD WITH BRIE AND PECANS

PREPARATION TIME 20 MINUTES

SERVES 6

2 baby fennel (260g)

2 medium green apples (300g)

1 cup (120g) roasted pecans

150g brie, sliced thinly

1 red coral lettuce, trimmed, chopped coarsely

 MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE

1/3 cup (80ml) olive oil

¼ cup (60ml) lemon juice

1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard

 1)    Combine ingredients for mustard vinaigrette in screw-top jar; shake well.

2)    Trim and halve fennel; reserve 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped frond-tips. Halve and core unpeeled apples. Using a very sharp knife, mandoline or V-slicer, slice fennel and apple thinly.

3)    Combine fennel and apple in large bowl with frond tips, nuts, cheese and dressing; serve on top of lettuce.

 Per serving 33.3g total fat (6.8g saturated fat); 1496kJ (358 cal); 6.6g carbohydrate; 7.4g protein; 3.5g fibre

SMOKED SALMON AND CREAM CHEESE CROQUE MONSIEUR

Serves 1

2 slices of square brioche

50g cream cheese

A very small bunch of fresh chives, chopped

Seas salt and freshly ground black bell pepper

Juice of ¼ of a lemon

2 slices of Gruyere cheese

4 good slices of smoked salmon

10g caviar (optional)

Toast one side of the brioche slices. Mix the cream cheese and chives together and season with black pepper and lemon juice. Spread half the cream cheese on the toasted side of the bread, and cover with two slices of smoked salmon. Then lay a piece of Gruyere on top, followed by a couple more salmon slices. Spread the remaining cream cheese on top of the salmon and spoon over a little caviar, if using. Press the two halves gently together and toast the untoasted sides. Remove the crusts with a sharp knife and then cut in half diagonally.

TABBOULEH

PREPARATION TIME 30 MINUTES (Plus Refrigerator time)

SERVES 4

¼ cup (40g) burghul

3 medium tomatoes (450g)

3 cups coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

3 green onions, chopped finely

¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh mint

¼ cup (60ml) lemon juice

¼ cup (60ml) olive oil

 1)    Place burghul in medium shallow bowl. Halves tomatoes, scoop pulp from tomato over burghul. Chop tomato flesh finely; spread over burghul. Cover; refrigerate 1 hour.

2)    Combine burghul mixture in large bowl wit remaining ingredients.

 Per serving 14.1g total fat (2g saturated fat); 790kJ (189 cal); 9.2g carbohydrate; 3.4g protein; 5.6g fibre

THAI HERB AND MANGO SALAD

PREPARATION TIME 25 MINUTES

SERVES 4

2 medium mangoes (860g)

10cm stick (20g) fresh lemon grass, sliced thinly

2 fresh long red chillies, cut into thin strips

150g snow peas, trimmed, sliced thinly

6 green onions, sliced thinly

1 cu (80g) bean sprouts

½ cup loosely packed fresh coriander leaves

¼ cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves

¼ cup loosely packed Vietnamese mint leaves

1 tablespoon coarsely shredded thai basil

 PALM SUGAR AND LINE DRESSING

 ½ cup (60ml) lime juice

1 tablespoon fish sauce

2 tablespoons grated palm sugar

2 cloves garlic, crushed

 1)    Place ingredients for palm sugar and lime dressing in screw-top jar; shake well.

2)    Slice cheeks from mangoes; cut each cheek into thin stripes.

3)    Combine mango in large bowl with remaining ingredients and dressing.

 Per serving 0.6g total fat (0g saturated fat); 631kJ (151 cal); 29.3g carbohydrate; 4.5g protein; 5g fibre

TOMATO BAKED EGGS

SUPER HEALTHY, NUT-FREE

COOKING TIME 1 HOUR INCLUDES 45-50 MINUTES IN THE OVEN SERVES 4

900g ripe vine tomatoes

3 garlic cloves

3 tbsp olive oil

4 large free range eggs

2 tbsp chopped parsley and/or chives

 1)    Preheat the oven to fan 180C/ conventional 200C/gas 6. Cut the tomatoes into quarters or thick wedges, depending on their size, then spread them over a fairly shallow 1.5 litre ovenproof dish. Peel the garlic, slice thinly and sprinkle over the tomatoes. Drizzle with the olive oil, season well with salt and pepper and stir everything together until the tomatoes are glistening.

2)    Slide the dish into the oven and bake for 40 minutes until the tomatoes have softened and are tinged with brown.

3)    Make four gaps among the tomatoes, break an egg into each gap and cover the dish with a sheet of foil. Return it to the oven for 5-10 minutes until the eggs are set to your liking. Scatter over the herbs and serve piping hot with thick slices of toast or warm ciabatta and a green salad on the side.

 Per serving 204 kcalories, protein 9g, carbohydrate 7g, fat 16g, saturated fat 3g, fibre 3g, salt 0.27g

TURKISH HALOUMI and POMEGRANATE SALAD

PREPARATION TIME 15 MINUTES

COOKING TIME 5 MINUTES SERVES 4

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons light olive oil

1/3 cup (80ml) pomegranate pulp

¼ cup firmly packed fresh mint leaves

2 green onions, sliced thinly

125g mizuna

1 medium fennel (300g), trimmed, sliced thinly

360g haloumi cheese, sliced thickly

 1)    Combine juice, oil, pulp, mint, onion, mizuna and fennel in large bowl.

2)    Brown cheese, both sides, in large oiled frying pan. Serve salad topped with cheese.

 Per serving 24.7g total fat (11.2g saturated fat); 1400kJ (335 cal); 6.5g carbohydrate; 20.6g protein; 3.5g fibre

WATERMELON, MINT AND FETTA SALAD

PREPARATION TIME 10 MINUTES

SERVES 4

2 teaspoons white sugar

¼ cup (60ml) lime juice

½ cup (100ml) crumbled fetta

½ small red onion (50g), sliced thinly

½ cup coarsely chopped fresh mint

850g seedless watermelon, cut into wedges

 1)    Dissolve sugar in small jug with juice.

2)    Combine juice in large bowl with cheese, onion and mint; spoon over watermelon.

 Per serving 6.2g total fat (3.8g saturated fat); 506kJ (121 cal); 10.1g carbohydrate; 5.4g protein; 1.5g fibre

Tabbouleh and hummus Potatoes

 Soak 45 g (1/4 cup) burghul (bulgar) in 60 ml (1/4 cup) water for 15 minutes, or until all the water for 15 minutes, or until all the water has been absorbed. Place in a bowl with 30 g (1/2 cup) chopped parsley, 25 g (1/2 cup) chopped mint, 2 finely sliced spring onions (scallions), 1 finely chopped tomato, 2 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoon lemon juice. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dollop 1-2 tablespoons low –fat hummus onto each potato and top with the tabbouleh.

Smoked Tuna and White Bean Salsa

Drain 100 g (31 oz) can smoked tuna, reserving 1 tablespoon of its oil. Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook 3 finely chopped spring onions (scallions) and 2 crushed garlic cloves over low heat for 1 minute, or until softened. Add 400 g (14 oz) can cannellini beans (rinsed and drained) and cook for a further 3-4 minutes, or until the beans are warmed through. Remove from the heat and add 2 tablespoon chopped basil, 2 tablespoons chopped mint, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 seeded and chopped vine-ripened tomato and combine well. Add the tuna and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Spoon the mixture onto each potato. Garnish with low-fat sour cream and chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley.