Creamy

Ingredients

1 can (19 oz.) canned chickpeas (drained and washed twice)
1 cup chicken stock
2 tbsp. olive oil
¼ tsp. sesame oil
½ tsp. salt

Directions
1. Place the chickpeas in a food processor and add the chicken stock, olive oil,sesame oil, and salt.
2. Process until smooth.
3. Add chicken stock as needed.
4. Serve cold with toast points, oven-toasted corn chips, or small wedges of flatbread.

Fettuccine with broccoli,garlic,oliveoil and sun dried tomato

Serves 4 as starter. Double quantities for main course.
What you need:
225g/8oz fresh fettuccine
225g/8oz fresh broccoli
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
110g/4oz parmesan cheese
Crushed black pepper
What you do:
Cut broccoli into florets and dice stalk. Blanch in boiling water 3-4 minutes. Drop fresh pasta into boiling water, return to boil and cook for 2-3 minutes until al dente. On a pan sauté chopped garlic, olive oil, pepper and chopped sun-dried tomatoes, for 1 minute. Add broccoli. Drain pasta and add to oil and broccoli. Mix, toss and serve. Garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Carrot & Coriander Soup

A favourite combination – coriander brings out the carrot flavour in this soup.  Carrots are rich in carotene (vitamin A) and have important antioxidant benefits that help protect against heart disease – so eat plenty!
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
What you need:   

• 8 large carrots, chopped    
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 medium potato, peeled and chopped  Freezing:  yes(10 days approx)
• 10-12 coriander seeds, crushed
• 500ml/12 fl oz vegetable stock   
• 4 sprays frying oil spray
• Freshly chopped parsley for garnish
• A little salt and freshly ground black pepper

What you do:
Heat a heavy saucepan, spray 4 times with oil spray and add the onion and coriander seeds.  Season with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper, cover and cook gently for about 3-4 minutes.  Add the vegetable stock, carrots and potatoes, cover and bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 minutes.  Liquidise and return to the saucepan and heat through.  Serve with freshly chopped parsley.
Noted:  ‘Frying oil sprays’ coat saucepans with a very fine misting of oil, making meals low in fat and calories.
Per Serving
Calories: 142 kcal
Fat: 1g
Saturated Fat: 0.2g
Fibre: 7.8g

Getting back on track with weight loss

This is a group of the coaches I trained with when I was a weight loss challenge coach.  The reason I set up this blog originally was to assist clients in my weight loss class.  However having left that business for over a year now, I am still very health conscious and have found my love of cooking again.  When something becomes a job we often get taken away from the reason we loved it in the first place.  I recently decided to become a vegetarian and a month into the process I know I need to get back into the practice of adapting recipes and making sure I get the 'good' stuff into my food.  Often it can be hidden such as sprinkling in some seeds to a stir fry or using brown pasta if you are using a sauce and it tastes the same anyways.  If we trick our minds for the first while to get back into a healthy habit, soon our body starts craving healthy food as it is what is becomes accustomed to.  It's our job to look after ourselves, no one else will do it for us.

So I am back at stage one rediscovering food and trying to think of cooking as a delight rather than a chore. I think the fact I don't know the healthy section in the supermarket off by heart makes it a challenge.  My lack of time and energy doesn't help but really it's habit.  I made it second nature to myself once so I can do it again.  I'll keep you updated on my progress and add the recipes as I find them out for myself.