Apple and Blueberry Strudel

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Ingredients:

• 3 granny smith apples
• 1/4 cup dried apricot chopped
• 1 tablespoon custard powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice
• 1/2 cup blueberries fresh or frozen
• 6 phyllo pastry sheets
• 1 tablespoon milk
• icing sugar to dust

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180C Grate apples
• Add chopped apricots custard powder cinnamon and mixed spice Stir to combine Add blueberries Stir again
• Lay filo pastry in a baking dish Fold in half Spread filling mix down one side Carefully fold the strudel Lightly brush the top of pastry with milk Bake for 15-15 minutes or until golden brown If pastry begins to brown too fast lower the heat a little
• Remove from oven and dust with icing sugar Serve with yoghurt or reduced-fat ice cream

Blueberry and Nut Baklava Spirals

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Ingredients:

• 425 g john west blueberries well drained and placed onto absorbent paper towelling
• 100 g ground almond meal
• 50 g hazelnuts chopped
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 10 sheets phyllo pastry
• olive oil spray
• icing sugar for dusting

Steps:

• Drain the blueberries thoroughly in a colander add a bit of pressure by pressing down on them with the palm of your hand to release excess moisture and leave standing on absorbent paper towelling for a few minutes while you proceed with step two Then pat dry with the paper towelling
• In a medium bowl combine the nuts sugar and cinnamon
• Gently fold in the thoroughly drained John West Blueberries
• Place the pastry sheet onto the bench with the longest edges horizontally in front of you spray 1 sheet of pastry with cooking spray arrange 2 tablespoons of the blueberry nut filling along the longest edge fold over and roll up
• Spray the rolled pastry with more oil coil it around and gently ease it into a greased 12 x 1/2 cup muffin pan Repeat with the remaining pastry and filling
• Spray the baklava with a little extra oil and bake in a preheated oven at 200C for 15 minutes
• Dust with icing sugar and serve
• SERVING OPTIONS Serve with honey maple syrup or a berry sauce

Bulgar With Peas and Mint

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup Bulgar wheat before soaking
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water
• 1 garlic clove finely chopped
• 2 cups lightly packed mint leaves chopped from about 1 bunch
• 1 cup parsley leaves lightly packed chopped
• 1 cup fresh peas or frozen and thawed
• 1 lemon zest of
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Steps:

• In a large bowl combine bulgur and water cover and set aside until water is absorbed about 30 minutes
• Add garlic mint parsley peas zest juice oil and salt and toss until combined Serve cold or at room temperature

Butternut Pumpkin Soup With Ginger and Coconut

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Ingredients:

• 600 g diced butternut pumpkin You'll need a 1 kg pumpkin
• 1 large onion chopped
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons grated or minced gingerroot I used the bottled type
• 400 ml vegetable stock good quality
• 150 ml coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Steps:

• Saute pumpkin garlic ginger and onion lightly in vegetable oil
• Add stock it should just cover the pumpkin Bring to boil and cook gently for 15 minutes
• Let cool slightly and puree in blender or food processor or use your stick blender straight in the pot
• Return to heat add coconut cream lemon juice tomato paste and sugar
• Simmer another five minutes
• Season to taste with salt and pepper
• Serve with lots of fresh crusty bread

Crunchy Yoghurt and Raspberry Pears

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Ingredients:

• 2 medium pears peeled halved and cored
• 1/2 cup muesli
• 100 g Greek yogurt
• 100 g raspberries
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Steps:

• Place the pears in a pan cover with water and simmer for 20 minutes or until soft
• Divide the pear halves among four bowls top with muesli yoghurt and raspberries and drizzle with maple syrup

Fettucine With Rosy Mushroom Sauce

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Ingredients:

• 500 g fresh mushrooms diced 1lb
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
• salt and pepper freshly ground to taste
• 1/2 cup tomato puree 4 fl oz
• 1/2 cup cream
• hot pepper sauce a dash
• 500 g fettuccine pasta
• 2 teaspoons cornflour
• 2 tablespoons cold water

Steps:

• Heat olive oil amp; butter in a heavy-based saucepan on gentle heat until butter is soft
• Add garlic amp; mushrooms cook coating the mushrooms in the hot oil for 5 minutes
• Add salt amp; pepper tomato puree cream amp; hot sauce and simmer for 10 minutes
• Meanwhile cook the pasta according to packet directions then drain when cooked
• Mix the cornflour amp; water together then add to the simmering sauce stirring until it thickens slightly and serve

Maggie Beer's Caponata

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Ingredients:

• 1 stalk celery leaves washed and chopped
• 1 small onion chopped
• 1 eggplant cubed approx 2cm x 2cm
• 2 ripe roma tomatoes seeded diced
• 4 large green olives pitted roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons capers packed in salt rinsed drained
• 1/3 cup basil leaves roughly shredded
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons raw sugar
• 5 g dark chocolate good quality
• sea salt to taste
• fresh ground black pepper to taste
• extra virgin olive oil to taste

Steps:

• Saut the onion and celery in a frying pan with a splash of olive oil until the onion colours a little and the celery retains a crunchy firmness
• Add the sugar and mix well to combine deglaze with the vinegar and continue to cook until a little syrupy Remove from the pan and set aside
• Add a good splash of extra virgin olive oil evoo to the pan and fry off the eggplant you may need to do this in batches if your pan isnt big enough adding a little more oil if needed and a little salt
• When the eggplant is almost cooked all the way through with a rich golden colour add the diced tomatoes Reduce the heat and continue to cook until the tomato has softened a little
• Add the onion and celery mixture along with all the liquid back into the pan with the eggplant Mix well and then add the olives capers sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• While the mixture is still warm add the chocolate so that it melts and stir in gently Then add the basil and adjust the seasoning if necessary
• Serve

Mayonnaise by June

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Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2-1 teaspoon dry mustard
• salt and pepper

Steps:

• Beat all ingredients together with a whisk
• Place into saucepan and heat stirring at all times until boils

Onions and Thyme

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Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 large onions sliced
• 250 ml dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 4 sprigs thyme

Steps:

• Place butter and oil in large frypan over medium heat
• When butter has melted add onions and cook stirring occasionally for 4-5 minutes until onions have softened but not coloured
• Add wine honey and thyme and stir to combine
• Cook for 20 minutes stirring occasionally until onions are soft and tender
• Season to taste with salt and pepper

Otaki Potatoes

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Ingredients:

• 4 large potatoes
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 4 tablespoons clarified butter
• 1 1/4 cups tomato sauce
• salt and pepper
• 3/4 cup water

Steps:

• Peel potatoes
• if desired
• and slice 1/2 thick
• Heat butter in a saucepan Add onion and cook until golden brown
• Add potatoes
• tomato sauce and water Season to taste
• Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender
• about 30 minutes

Pumpkin Rice Bread

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Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups brown rice flour
• 3/4 cup buckwheat flour
• 3 tablespoons rolled millet
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 1/2 cups almond milk
• 1/4 cup mashed pumpkin
• 1 -2 tablespoon honey

Steps:

• Combine dry imgredients in a bowl
• Blend liquid ingredients and mix into dry ingredients
• Stirring well
• Pour into lightly greased loat tin and bake in moderate oven 350 degrees C for approximately 35- 40 minutes or until the bread comes away from the tin
• Cool on a wire rack
• Wait until the bread is cold before slicing

Roast Red Capsicum Bell Pepper and Tomato Soup

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Ingredients:

• 2 red capsicums halved seeded bell peppers
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion finely sliced
• 2 garlic cloves crushed
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 750 g tomatoes roughly chopped
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 handful basil torn
• 1 tablet Equal sugar substitute

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180C 350F
• Place capsicums in a shallow baking dish skin side up drizzle with half the oil and roast for 25 mins or until softened
• Remove from the oven amp; cover with foil and allow to cool slightly
• Peel off the skin and roughly chop the flesh
• Heat remaining oil in a large saucepan over medium heat
• Add onion and saut until soft then add garlic and tomato paste amp; cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly
• Add capsicum tomato amp; stock then cover amp; simmer for 15 minutes
• Allow to cool slightly then puree using a blender/ stick blender
• Season to taste- for a sweeter soup add Equal
• Reheat soup amp; serve sprinkled with basil

Scrambled Eggs amp; Asparagus 21 Day Wonder Diet Day 14

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Ingredients:

• 170 g asparagus trimmed
• cooking spray
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 2 tablespoons skim milk
• 1 small tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley coarsely chopped

Steps:

• Boil steam or microwave asparagus until tender; drain
• Meanwhile spray medium frying pan with cooking oil Whisk eggs egg whites and milk in medium jug Cook egg mixture in pan over low heat stirring until almost set
• Serve asparagus and scrambled eggs sprinkled with tomato and parsley

Spinach and Pear Summer Salad

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Ingredients:

• 1 punch fresh spinach leaves
• 2 ripe Anjou pears
• 5 table spoons pine nuts
• 4 ounces feta cheese crumbled
• 1 red onion thinly sliced
• 2 lemons juice of fresh
• balsamic vinaigrette to serve

Steps:

• Gently wash spinach leaved under cold water
• Drain spinach leaves
• Cut pear in half and remove core and seeds
• Thinly slice pears and sprinkle with lemon juice to avoid turning brown
• Peel and very thinly slice onions
• Crumble feta cheese
• In a large bowl place torn spinach leaves
• Arrange thin pear slices and onion ontop of the spinach
• Gently crumble feta cheese over spinach pears and onion rings
• Finally toss pine nuts over the entire salad
• Serve with a good quality balsamic vinaigrette
• Delicious with fresh fish or simply as an entree

Sweet Corn Cakes by Bill Granger

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Ingredients:

• 525 g fresh corn kernels cut from 3 large corn cobs
• 1 small red onion chopped
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves cilantro
• 125 g plain all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• sea salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• vegetable oil for frying

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 120C/250F/Gas 1
• Place three-quarters of the sweetcorn kernels the onion eggs coriander flour baking powder salt and pepper in a food processor and process until combined
• Transfer to a large bowl add the remaining sweetcorn kernels and stir to combine
• Heat one tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium to high When the oil is hot drop two heaped tablespoons of mixture per sweetcorn cake into the pan and cook in batches of three for one minute on each side
• Drain on paper towels and keep warm in the oven while you are making the rest of the cakes

Veggie Burgers Low Fat and Low Cholesterol

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Ingredients:

• 115 g mushrooms finely chopped
• 1 small onion chopped
• 1 small courgette chopped
• 1 carrot chopped
• 25 g unsalted peanuts or 25 g cashew nuts
• 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
• 1 teaspoon yeast extract
• salt and black pepper
• flour for shaping

Steps:

• Cook the mushrooms in a non stick frying pan without oil stirring for 8-10 minutes to drive off all the moisture
• Whizz together the onion courgette carrot and nuts in a processor until they are beginning to bind together
• Stir in the mushrooms breadcrumbs parsley yeast extract and seasoning to taste Shape into burgers with lightly floured hands and chill
• Cook the burgers in a non stick frying pan with very little oil or under a hot grill for about 8-10 minutes turning once until they are cooked and golden brown

Zucchini and Ricotta Frittata

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Ingredients:

• 4 eggs lightly whisked
• 2 garlic cloves crushed
• 2 zucchini ends trimmed coarsely grated
• 125 g low-fat ricotta cheese coarsely crumbled
• salt freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 250 g cherry tomatoes halved
• 1/2 cup loosely packed small fresh basil leaf

Steps:

• Preheat grill on medium-high Whisk the egg and garlic together in a large bowl Gently fold in the zucchini and ricotta and season with salt and pepper
• Heat the oil in a 20cm-diameter non-stick frying pan over medium heat Pour in the zucchini mixture and cook for 5-6 minutes or until frittata is set around the edge but still runny in the centre
• Cook under preheated grill about 6cm from the heat source for 2 minutes or until golden brown and just set Remove from grill and cut the frittata into 8 wedges and place on serving plates
• Divide tomatoes among serving plates and sprinkle with basil Serve immediately