Enchilada Cups

Makes 9 individual enchilada cups

(Recipe provided by Nutrition For Weight Loss Surgery - www.nfwls.com)

Ingredients

• 1 onion, diced
• Olive oil
• 500g lean chicken mince
• Corn kernels, from 1 cob of corn
• 425g tin of black beans, drained
• 1 jar enchilada sauce
• 8 mini corn tortillas
• 80g cheese, grated
• Avocado, diced tomato, jalapeños and Greek yoghurt, to serve

Method

1. Sauté onion until cooked in a drizzle of olive oil.
2. Add chicken mince and brown.
3. Add corn, black beans and enchilada sauce and mix through.
4. Place corn tortillas into a muffin tray and top with chicken mixture.
5. Sprinkle with cheese and bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes
   at 180°C, or until cooked through.
6. Remove from muffin tray and top with diced avocado,
   tomato, jalapeños and Greek yoghurt.

Pork and Strawberry Salad

Serves 4-6

(Recipe adapted from www.taste.com.au)

Ingredients

400g free-range pork fillet
2 tablespoons olive oil
Freshly cracked black pepper
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
250g fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
80g fresh salad leaves
50g fetta, crumbled
1 tablespoon sunflower seeds

Method

1. Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle pork with half of the oil. Sprinkle with pepper and rub to coat.
2. Cook pork, turning for 12-15 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate. Stand covered for 5 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to low. Add balsamic vinegar to pan. Simmer for 5 minutes or until reduced by half.
4. Place strawberries, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice in a bowl. Toss to combine.
5. Slice pork. Place salad leaves on a platter. Top with pork, strawberry mixture, cheese and seeds. Serve.

White Bean and Vegetable Soup

Serves 8 

(Recipe adapted from www.taste.com.au)

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
2 zucchinis, chopped
1 ½ cups reduced-salt vegetable stock
1 ½ cups water
2 cans butter beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper to serve

Method

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery. Cook, stirring for 5 minutes until vegetables soften. Add zucchini and cook for a further 2-3 minutes or until soft.
2. Add stock and water. Simmer, partially covered for 15 minutes. Stir in butter beans. Cook over a low heat for 5 minutes or until warmed through.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in parsley.
4. Serve in individual serving bowls topped with extra fresh parsley and cracked black pepper.

Bacon, Mushroom, Tomato & Egg Muffins

Makes 6 muffins

(Recipe provided by Nutrition For Weight Loss Surgery - www.nfwls.com)

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 1⁄4 cup milk
• 60g cheese, grated
• 2 rashers bacon, finely diced
• 3 button mushrooms, finely diced
• 1 tomato, finely diced

Method

1. Whisk together eggs and milk, season to taste and set aside.
2. Divide remaining ingredients between a six well muffin pan.
3. Pour egg mixture over cheese, bacon, mushroom and tomato.
4. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for 20 minutes, or until cooked through and golden.

Turkey and Avocado Salad with Cranberry Dressing

Serves 4 (Recipe adapted from www.taste.com.au)

Ingredients

120g baby spinach, washed
400g cooked, cooled turkey meat (free-range where possible), sliced or shredded
¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted
2 celery stalks, finely sliced
1 avocado, halved and sliced
2 tablespoons whole berry cranberry sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

Method

1. For the dressing, place the vinegar, cranberry sauce and the olive oil in a bowl. Season and whisk to combine.
2. To serve, assemble the remaining ingredients on a platter. Drizzle with cranberry dressing to serve.

Salmon Skewers

Makes 8 skewers

(Recipe adapted from Donna Hay Light and Fresh)

Ingredients

¼ cup white miso paste
2 teaspoons grated ginger
2 gloves garlic, crushed
1/3 cup water
800g skinless salmon fillet, cut into 5cm pieces
4 green onions, cut into 4cm lengths
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
Micro purple basil, for sprinkling
¼ cup pickled ginger
Wasabi paste, to serve

Method

1. Preheat a char-grill pan or barbecue to medium heat. Place the miso, ginger and water in a large bowl and mix to combine.
2. Thread the salmon and onion onto 8 skewers, and brush both sides with the miso marinade.
3. Brush the grill with the oil and cook the skewers, turning, for 3-4 minutes or until charred.
4. Sprinkle the skewers with sesame seeds and basil. Serve with pickled ginger and wasabi.

Almond Crusted Chicken Schnitzel

Serves 4

(Recipe adapted from The Healthy Chef)

Ingredients

2 free-range chicken breast fillets, sliced in half widthways
1 cup ground almonds or almond flour
2 lemons
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon arrowroot or corn flour
1 free-range egg, beaten
1 tablespoon olive oil

Method

1. Combine almonds, the zest of 1 lemon and parsley in a bowl.
2. Lightly coat the chicken breast in the flour then dip into the beaten egg, followed by the almond mix – you should have 4 pieces of lean chicken, coated in a lovely almond crumb.
3. Cook over a low to medium heat in a pan using 1 tablespoon olive oil until chicken is cooked through and lightly golden.
4. Serve with steamed green vegetables.

Grilled Chicken with braised eggplant, tomato and rocket

Serves 4-6

(Recipe adapted from Australian Healthy Food Guide)

Ingredients

500g eggplant, trimmed, cut into 2-3cm cubes
1 yellow capsicum, diced
1 small red onion, finely chopped
750g Roma tomatoes, diced
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 x 300g free-range chicken breast fillets, halved lengthways
1 cup baby rocket

Method

1. Spray a large non-stick frying pan with olive oil spray and set over medium-high heat. Add diced eggplant and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes, or until golden and soft. Add capsicum and onion; cook stirring often, for 3-4 minutes.
2. Add tomatoes with ¼ cup water, stir and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pan and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 12-15 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
3. Stir balsamic vinegar through vegies and season with cracked black pepper.
4. Meanwhile, put chicken fillets between 2 sheets of baking paper on a work surface. Flatten chicken gently with a meat mallet. Spray chicken with olive oil and season with cracked black pepper.
5. Spray a chargrill pan (or large non-stick frying pan) with olive oil and set over medium-high heat. Add chicken fillets to pan and grill for 3-4 minutes per side, or until cooked through.
6. Toss rocket through vegies and divide among plates. Top vegies with grilled chicken, season with pepper. 

Almond and Mixed Seed Porridge

Serves 4 

(Recipe adapted from Australian Healthy Food Guide )

Ingredients

½ cup quick oats (preferably organic)
¾ cup almond milk
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoon mixed seeds (such as chia seeds and sunflower seeds)

Method

1. Place oats, milk and cinnamon in a sauce pan on low heat.
2. Stir until smooth and creamy.
3. Sprinkle with mixed seeds and serve. 

Choc Cranberry Bliss Balls

Makes 12 balls
(Recipe from Australian Healthy Food Guide)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon natural nut butter
½ cup pitted dates
2 tablespoons pure cocoa powder
½ cup sultanas
½ cup dried cranberries (Craisins)
½ cup unsalted raw almonds

Method

1. Put all ingredients in a food processor with 2 tablespoons warm water. Blend until mixture is well combines, but retains some visible texture.
2. Wet hands and form mixture into 12 small, even balls.
3. Place bliss balls in fridge to chill for 1 hour. Serve.