Chicken & Mushroom Salad

Heyyyyyy,

This meal is as good as it looks! Creamy chicken and mushroom in my opinion is the best combination. Along with your protein this meal is also low in calories and provides you with greens and vegetables.
This is beautiful on both a hot and cold day.

Give it a go!

N.




Calroies: 330
Protein: 47gms

Grilled Chicken
50gms of diced chicken
Cup of sliced Mushroom
1 teaspoon Light Sour Creme
1 tbl spoon Tomato Salsa

Salad Ingredients
1/4 sliced Red Onion
1/2 x Carrot
1/4 sliced Green cabbage
1/4 cup Chengs Crunchy noodles
Spring Onion
1 stick sliced Celery


Method

1. Grill chicken pieces on 160 degrees Celsius for 15 mins (fan forced) and season with salt and pepper 
2. Caramelise mushrooms 
3. Prepare salad ingredients 
4. Take out chicken and mix with sour cream, mushroom and tomato salsa in bowl 
5. Mix salad and Chicken together (or eat separately) 

Pizza with no set topping

Homemade Pizza with as many toppings

How's it going wisefoodies? Reena here :)

The one thing I reckon we would both agree on it that pizza is a food for all! I mean you can put whatever topping you like on it, to suit you and if your friend doesn't like it, then they can put whatever topping they like on theirs'. No complaints and everyone is happy :) 

However takeaway pizza can be full of fat, sugar and salt.... I know it tastes great, and the whole point of it is when your lazy and can't be bothered to cook, just order and get it home delivered. Even I get lazy at times, so when I feel like eating pizza, just buy the base :) and the toppings well probs going to be in your kitchen anyway :)

TIME: 25 minutes

CALORIES: 165

Ingredients:

1 pizza base (I bought mine at the supermarket, the brand 'Mission")

500ml of tomato paste

A bunch of spinach chopped finely

1 Capsicum chopped finely

1 red onion chopped finely

A handful of mushrooms chopped finely

1 large broccoli chopped finely 

2 slices of ham chopped finely

A handful of sun-dried tomatoes chopped finely

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Here's how to make:

1) Preheat oven at 150 degrees Celsius

2) Spray a pizza oven tray with Canola Oil (or any Oil you have)

3) Spread tomato paste on the pizza base

4) Add all the ingredients onto the pizza with cheese being the last ingredient

5) Put in the oven to bake for 10-15mins, depending on how you like the cheese (I like it golden)

If you don't like any ingredients I have mentioned just replace it with what you like :) it's that easy!

Sorry wise foodies, I ate it all before I could take another pic :)

Teriyaki Chicken Hokkien Noodles

Teriyaki Chicken Hokkien Noodles

Hey Guys! Steph here :)

SO I have a love affair with hokkien noodles! It's one of my favourite asian dishes and a light teriyaki sauce really makes it something special! Not only is this super easy to make but its so healthy too. Have you guys been to Japan before? I've been lucky enough to go not once, but twice because I love it so much. And teriyaki chicken or sushi was always on my menu! If you haven't been before I highly recommend it!!

TIME: 10 minutes
CALORIES:  312

Here's what you'll need:

• 500g chicken fillet sliced thinly
• 2 tablespoons sake
• 4 tablespoons mirin
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 2 stalks bok choy, cut into quarters
• Half a red capsicum
• 400g hokkien noodles

Here's how you make it:

1. Combine sake, mirin, sugar, soy sauce and ginger in a bowl and add chicken. Allow to marinade.
2. Heat oil in a wok and cook chicken until brown. Add the hokkien noodles, bok choy and capsicum and mix well. And voila!

Enjoy!!

Sweet Chilli Chicken Stir fry with Cashews

Stir fry

Hey guys! Steph here.

So it's been a few days since my last post. It's been a busy time! Who's been watching the Australian Open?
I can't get enough of it. In fact whenever its on every year I turn into a tennis fanatic and play heaps in the park behind my house.

Anywayyyy back to the topic, I've spent the past few days thinking about what I was going to cook next and was reading through our 'sensational stir-fries' recipe book, when I came across this delicious looking stir fry that I just HAD to try. I was actually really surprised by how it turned out. It was a great balance between sweet and sour! Not to mention healthy :)

TIME: 3 hours to marinate (if you can) + 10 minutes actual cooking
CALORIES: 363

NOTE: I like to serve this with white rice but of course you can substitute it with brown rice.

Here's what you need:

• 700g chicken breast fillets, sliced thinly
• 1/4 cup coriander leaves, chopped
• 2 red chillies
• 1 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup sweet chilli sauce
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 3/4 cup raw cashews, roasted
• 1 cup broccoli or snow pea sprouts

Here's how you make it:

1. Combine chicken, coriander, chilli, sesame oil and garlic in large bowl. Cover and refrigerate 3 hours (or however long) or overnight.
2. To cook- heat peanut oil in wok; stir-fry chicken mixture until brown and cooked through.
3. Add vinegar, sauce and juice- stir fry until sauce boils.
4. Add broccoli and then serve with the cashews on top. And Voila!

Enjoy wisefoodies! :)

Modified San Choy Bow

San Choy Bow 

Heyy All,

Running out of time to prepare food for the family? How about a meal where most of the ingredients are already in your pantry, only thing you have to buy is the seasoning?
This is a really quick and easy Asian meal, great for when you’re on the go or don’t have time to prepare a big meal. Only takes 20 mins to prepare and cook!!
I was actuallly first introduced this meal when I went travelling to China. Being curious of the food in a new country and also cautious I was suggested to start of with this simple meal, where all the ingredients are familiar. It tasted greaaaatt !!

To make this meal more healthy I modified the usual San Choy Bow recipe by adding mushrooms, capsicums, coriander and tomatoes.

Hope you all enjoy

N. 

Time: 15 - 20 mins 

Serves: 4 

Calories: 421

Ingredients

Lettuce Leaves 

500gms chicken mince 

Lettuce 

San Choy Bow seasoning (found at local supermarket)

2 cloves Garlic 

1 hot Chilli (optional)

1/2 Capsicum 

cup of Mushroom 

4 x Spring onion 

cup of dicedTomatoes 

1 small diced onion 

cup of Chestnuts (optional)

bunch of Coriander 

Method 

1. Cook your diced onions until brown along with the crushed chili and garlic 
2. Add chicken mince and cook until brown
3. Add the san choy bow seasoning or sauce (depending on what you bought)
4. Add the sliced mushrooms, spring onion and small capsicum pieces to the mince 
5. Once cooked, take it off the heat 
6. Arrange your lettuce leaves like the picture shown
7. Add the mince on to the leaves 
8. Add freshly diced tomatoes, chestnuts and coriander on top 

(n.b. add vegetable amount to your desire)

Specially Marinated Grilled Lamb Chops



Grilled Lamb Chops

Heyy food lovers,

I'm just going to briefly introduce how my journey of healthy eating all began. The truth is my mum is my inspiration. She walks 6km to work most days in the morning and on top of that she goes to the gym during her lunch breaks. She reads books at night about healthy food and exercising, how to moviate yourself. By changing her dietary habits and slowly incorporating this in the way she cooks for the family she managed to lose 10kg in 3 months. That's where it all began, I decided to join my mum and eat healthy.

Well today surprisingly didn’t reach the forecasted temperature of 40 degrees. I thought it would be a lovely day for grilled juicy lamb chops.

This meal is for one of those days you feel like a big, hearty, warm meal.
There's always healthy ways to enjoy your favourite foods.

For a healthy lamb chop meal it is essential to trim all fat, and grill not pan fry to avoid excess fat and oils building up in the food.

The secret in this recipe is the marinade, which brings out beautiful, aromatic flavours. This is a great and tasty way to cook your source of protein.

This is best accompanied by a fresh salad or yogurt and mint sauce.

Nikki

Calorie Count: 1 x lamb chop (113gms) = 47 Calories

Marination time: 2hrs - 24 hours 
Cooking time: 40 mins

Marinade: 

2-3 cloves crushed garlic 

2 tablespoons Portuguese seasoning 

1 teaspoon lemon juice 

2 tablespoons rosemary (or mixed herbs)

1 teaspoon masala (optional)

Sprinkle chilli flakes (optional)

1 teaspoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon chilli sauce 

1 teaspoon light soy sauce  

Lamb Chops (600gms)

Method

1. Trim the fat off lamb chops 
2. Prepare the marinade and mix it well with lamb chops. Keep in fridge as long as possible. (usually overnight or atleast 2 hours)
3. Heat your grill to 180 degrees Celsius 
4. Use aluminum foil over you baking tray or grill (to avoid the lamb sticking to it.) 
5. Grill for 40 mins (keep changing sides)

Salad to go with the Lamb Chops

Dosa with Lentil&Vegetable Soup and Fresh Chilli sauce

Dosa with Lentil&Vegetable Soup and Fresh Chilli sauce freshly made

Hey All! :) Reena talking... or typing..literally.

How many times do you go to a food court and smell all the fantastic array of food aromas?? I love Chinese, Japanese, Lebanese, Mexican....and the list goes on and on (pretty much, I love food!). Coming from an Indian background, I have had the opportunity to taste some of the wonderful dishes from each part of India. Now how many of you love Butter chicken? Tandoori Chicken? Lamb Vandaloo? C'mon, these dishes are hard to resist! But they can be rich in butter, coconut cream and thickened cream, which isn't exactly great for the waist or the hips. But that doesn't mean we can't enjoy these dishes!

Today, I would like to share one of my favorite South Indian dishes, Dosa with Lentil&Vege Soup and fresh chilli sauce. If you are like me and can't eat too much chilli, just minus it, trust me it still tastes great! I know I'm Indian, chilli is suppose to be in my blood, but... I guess I am a little sensitive myself.

The best part about this dish is all of it is sooo good for the body and you don't feel like you are eating healthy, rather indulging in one of the finest dishes in the South Indian cuisine!

TIME: 40 Minutes
CALORIES: 373

Ingredients required for Dosa: 
1 cup rice
1/3 cup split black lentils

Ingredients required for Dosa mixture:
1/2 cup of fresh peas
1 boiled potato
1 onion chopped finely
1/2 chilli chopped finely (for a little heat)
1 teaspoon of poppy seeds
1 teaspoon of turmeric

Ingredients required for Lentil&Vegetable soup:
1 cup Tuvar Dal
1/4 kg Vegetables( Peas,Carrot,Corn,Eggplant,Okra)
1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds
Curry leaves
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Mustard
1/4 tsp Tamarind paste
4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive oil

Ingredients required for the fresh Chilli sauce:

(only if you like mild-to-hot food)

2 chillies

1 crushed tomato

a pinch of salt

1 fresh squeeze of lemon

Starting with the Lentil&Vegetable soup:

1) Wash and dice all the vegetables

2) Boil water and cook the dal with turmeric and salt

3) Separate the cooked dal and water, and keep them aside.

4) In the dal water cook the vegetables.

5) After the veggies are cooked, add tamarind paste.

6) Now add the cooked thuvar dal and simmer for a few more minutes

7) Heat some oil in a pan, splutter mustard, and then curry leaves, turmeric, and fenugreek seeds and keep frying for a few minutes.

8) Season the dal with the above prepared in 7.

Followed by the Dosa Mixture:

1) Fry the chopped onion with chilli, poppy seeds and turmeric. 

2) Add, the peas, potato and the pinch of salt and mix

Time for the Dosa:

1) Blend the lentils,rice, fenugreek seeds together in a mixer till smooth and frothy ( add water little by little as required ). Remove and keep aside.

2) Heat a non-stick pan and sprinkle a little water on it. It should steam immediately.

3)Lightly put a few drops of Olive Oil, and then pour a ladeful of the batter on the pan, spread in a circular motion to make approx. 125mm in width.

4)Smear a liitle oil along the sides, cook till the dosa turns brown and crispy and fold over to make a semi-circle.

5) Add the potato mixture before folding the Dosa and taking it of the pan.

And finally for the Chilli lovers....Just blend the tomato and chillies with lemon and a pinch of salt.

Bon Appetit my wise foodies :)

Dosa is served...

Tasty Snapper with Brown Rice & Salad

Snapper after cooking

Hi everyone, Steph here. 

Now I'll be the first to admit that eating healthy isn't easy, in fact most of the time it's a damn chore. But before all you naysayers say 'Healthy food is boring.. and doesn't taste good' I say it doesn't have to be. In fact, one of the aims of this blog is to change your perception. I'm definately not perfect and my love sweet treats every now and then (Cherry Ripe, come at me!) - but I just don't like to constantly fill my body with junk! 

For our first blog post I chose to make Snapper with this UH-mazing yet very simple sauce. Snapper is a great fish because its so succulent, juicy and tender unlike say Mackerel which can be very dry.This is an excellent dish because not only is it very low in calories but it is super tasty! It is my very own go-to recipe for Snapper, and is so quick and easy to make. Fish is great for the heart, and brown rice is better than white because it hasn't been stripped of its fiber, protein and other goodness unlike white rice, which has been refined.

Trust me- after eating this you will feel so proud of yourself. You can even impress your loved ones with this dish and it's a great way to start yourself on your healthy eating :)

TIME: 20 Minutes
CALORIES: 452

Here's what you'll need:

• 1 small Snapper fish (Make sure you leave it whole and ask for it to be scaled!)
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon lemon rind
• 1/4 cup corriander finely chopped, extra for garnish
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 handful mixed salad leaves

Here's how to make it:

1. Pre-heat fan oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Combine the soy sauce, chilli, garlic, lemon and corriander in a bowl. Pour mixture over fish and stuff some inside the fish. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cooked.
3. Meanwhile, boil the rice and prepare the salad. I like to dress the salad with balsamic vinegar instead of dressing. And voila!

Bon Apetit my wise foodies :)

Snapper before cooking

Served with brown rice and mixed salad