A low calorie lasagne? You’ve got to be kidding, right…? Actually, no! A fairly generous serving of this tasty lasagne comes in at a measly 269 calories and is also great for the kids, as it boasts ‘hidden vegetables’!

Sure, it may lack the oozy layers of the traditional meat and béchamel version, but it’s flavoursome, filling and fits the bill in terms of winter comfort food.

Serves 6: 269 cals per serve

INGREDIENTS

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 small onion, finely diced

1 small carrot, coarsely grated

1 small zucchini, coarsely grated

300g ‘premium’ beef mince

50 g tomato paste

500ml jar of pasta sauce (I just used a plain Black & Gold type – 180kj per 100g according to the nutritional info)

3 lasagne sheets

250g low fat ricotta

30g finely grated parmesan

olive oil spray

sea salt and black pepper

PROCESS

Preheat oven to 180C.

Lightly spray a large non-stick frying pan with olive oil and place over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and a pinch of salt and fry for 2-3 mins or until the onion is translucent. Add the carrot and zucchini and fry for another 3 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.

Add the beef mince to the pan and cook until browned, breaking up any lumps with the back of a wooden spoon. Add the tomato paste and cook for another couple of minutes, then add the pasta sauce. Lower the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

Place 200g of the ricotta in a medium bowl and add a couple of spoonfuls of the meat sauce – mix well. Then add to the remainder of the meat sauce and fold in until well combined.

Cover the base of a baking tray with one-third of the meat & ricotta sauce and then place lasagne sheet on top (the size of my baking tray meant that I used 1 ½ lasagne sheets per layer). Repeat, finishing with a layer of the meat and ricotta sauce.

Scatter the parmesan over the top of the lasagne, and dot with the remaining ricotta (each “dot” should be about the size of a 20c coin). Place in the oven for around 30 minutes or until the crust is golden.

Rest for about five minutes, then cut into six portions and serve with plenty of green salad.

TIP

If you have leftovers, great! It’s one of those dishes that tastes even better the next day…or you can freeze for a rainy day…

Did I say the run of illness had abated here? Spoke too soon…I am now on my third case of tonsillitis in a little over three weeks. So, unless you are a fan of purees, I don’t have much to offer in the way of recipes this week.

However, my fave food mag, Delicious, has come to the rescue in the form of Jill Dupleix. Her feature boasts some robust and mouthwatering winter recipes which are pretty much all under 350 calories!

What are you waiting for? Get thee to a newsagents (but try and ignore that amazing looking lamb ragu on the cover…no good can come of that…sigh)

You may have noticed I’m a bit of a pumpkin fan…so far this blog has featured three recipes with pumpkin as the (to coin a Masterchef phrase) core ingredient.

Well, Liss from wonderful blog “Frills in the Hills” has recently started a “Season Savvy” challenge, where every week bloggers share recipes using a nominated seasonal fruit or vegetable. This week, pumpkin is the star…

As Liss says, “Seasonal produce is great to use whilst it’s at its best, is plentiful and is cheap!”, so why not hop on over to Frills in the Hills for some more scrummy pumpkin ideas… And remember, Season Savvy is a weekly feature, so it’s worth bookmarking for great seasonal produce ideas.

Apologies for the gap between posts…what can I say? This has been the House of Neverending Illness, so concocting gourmet creations hasn’t been at the top of my priority list…but the sniffles have at last abated and I’m back!

Today’s recipe is a delicious vegetarian risotto, adapted from a recipe from Delicious magazine (my all time fave food mag) circa 2006. If you want to indulge your inner carnivore, a tip for adding some porky goodness is at the end…

Serves 6: 340 calories per serve

INGREDIENTS

20g unsalted butter

1 large leek (white part only), finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

500g pumpkin, peeled, diced into 1cm pieces

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tbs chopped thyme leaves

100ml dry white wine

900ml chicken or vegetable stock

250g arborio rice

1/2 cup (60g) frozen peas

100g soft goat’s cheese, crumbled

6 slices pancetta (optional), to serve

PROCESS

Preheat oven to 180^oC. Place pumpkin in a non-stick baking tray, spray lightly with olive oil and toss to coat. Roast for 20 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, bring stock to the boil in a pan. Reduce heat to very low and simmer.

While the stock is heating, melt butter in a deep frypan over low heat. Cook leek for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add garlic, half the zest and half the thyme, then stir to coat.

Add the rice and cook for 1-2 minutes to coat the grains. Add the wine and then the stock, 1 ladleful at a time, allowing each to be absorbed before adding the next. Continue, stirring constantly, until stock is absorbed and rice is cooked but firm to the bite. Season to taste.

Stir in peas, half the cheese and the roasted pumpkin. Serve topped with the remaining zest, thyme, cheese and rocket.

TIP

If you have calories to spare, serve with some crispy pancetta. Simply place pancetta under a hot grill until crispy and serve atop the risotto, either as a whole piece, or crumbled.

The other night I had a hankering  for some hearty tomato flavours, so I combed the pantry and freezer for inspiration.  The result? This tomato risotto with garlic chilli prawns, a lower fat version of a Bill Granger classic. The creamy texture of the risotto contrasts beautifully with the crunch of the prawns, and you only need a small serve to fill you up.

An added benefit? I got 20 child-free minutes ‘stirring time’ (I may have stretched it to 40…sssh, don’t tell my husband!) Who’d have thought risotto making could be classed as ‘alone time’?

Serves 8: 330 calories per serve

INGREDIENTS

5 cups chicken stock

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small brown onion, finely diced

1 tsp sea salt

25g butter

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

1 cup white win

freshly ground black pepper

olive oil spray

800g green prawns

2 small red chillis, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

handful of roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

PROCESS

Place the stock in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and keep at simmering point.

Place a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat and add olive oil, onion, salt and half the butter. Stir until the onion is translucent then add tomato paste and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring.

Add the rice and stir for 1-2 minutes, or until the rice is well coated. Add the wine, stirring constantly until absorbed. Gradually add the simmering stock, one cup at a time, stirring continuously until the liquid is fully absorbed before adding the next cup. This should take 20 minutes and the rice should be al dente and creamy.

Remove the saucepan from the heat, then season to taste. Cover the saucepan and leave to stand for 3 minutes to allow the flavours to develop.

Meanwhile, place a frying pan over a high heat and spray with olive oil. Season the prawns with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, shaking the pan, until the prawns are just opaque, then add the chilli and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Stir the risotto and divide between four bowls. Toss the prawns with the parsley then place on top of the risotto.

Serve with lemon wedges.

I’ve been trying to think of some nice vegetarian meals since starting this blog…my problem is, I’m a carnivore at heart! But yesterday I had a craving for Thai (it’s a cuisine I’ve been avoiding because of my weakness for rather fattening curries) and remembered this recipe I made years ago. Yes, it uses (light) coconut cream so still has a bit of fat in it, but because there is none elsewhere in the recipe, it’s still not too bad for the butt. And the flavours are divine…

Serves 4: 290 calories per serve

INGREDIENTS

600g peeled and seeded pumpkin, cut into 3cm cubes

olive oil spray

1tbs red curry paste

400ml light coconut cream

200g green beans, cut into 3cm lengths

2 kaffir lime leaves, shredded finely

1tbs brown sugar

1tbs fish sauce

1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves

1 tbs lime juice

PROCESS

Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan forced).

Place the pumpkin on a baking dish, spray lightly with olive oil, and toss to coat. Bake for 40 minutes or until tender.

Place a heavy based pan over medium heat and add the curry paste. Cook off for a minute or so, until aromatic. Then add the coconut cream 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well with a wooden spoon between each addition.

Add the pumpkins, beans and kaffir lime leaves. I like to blanch my beans in a little boiling water before adding them to the curry, so they’re not quite so crunchy – but that’s a personal taste thing.

Reduce the heat to low and cook for five minutes.

Stir in the brown sugar, fish sauce, basil and lime juice.

Serve with jasmine rice if you have some calories to spare.

Miss Nearly 4 is right into baking at the moment…and it’s a lovely activity that we can do together. Yesterday morning, we whipped up these fabulous muffins to use up some of the overripe bananas that are currently languishing in our fruit bowl! As far as muffins go, they’re pretty healthy…and they’re absolutely delicious…but try to limit yourself to one if you’re counting calories!

Serves 12 : 235 calories per serve

INGREDIENTS

50 g unsalted butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup self raising wholemeal flour

2 large ripe bananas, halved lengthwise and cut into 1cm slices

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 cup dates, diced

PROCESS

Pre heat oven to 180C

Cream butter, sugar & cinnamon together. Add eggs and mix well.

Add 1 cup rolled oats & 1 cup wholemeal flour. Add dates, banana & maple syrup gently combine.

Spoon mixture into muffin cases and sprinkle with a few extra oats.

Bake in oven for approx 20- 25 minutes, until golden brown.

Serve warm.

Until Sunday, I was saying rather smugly how I’d survived two weeks of my kids being sick without so much as a sniffle…then it all went rather pear-shaped. Thank goodness for Neil Perry and his Chicken, Leek and Pasta soup…delicious, simple and clean tasting…just what the doctor ordered. And the fact that it’s incredibly low in calories made me feel slightly better about the fact I couldn’t do anything more strenuous than croak orders to my lovely husband… Even if you’re not sick, give this soup a go – it’s perfect rainy day fare.

Serves 4: 195 calories per serve

INGREDIENTS

200g chicken breasts

100g orzo or risoni (I substituted small circular pasta)

Olive oil spray

2 leeks, white part only, washed and finely sliced into rounds

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

sea salt

1 litre chicken stock

1/2 tsp grated lemon zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

1 fresh bay leaf

2 flat-leaf parsley sprigs, roughly chopped

freshly ground black pepper

PROCESS

Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to the boil. Turn off heat.

Add a couple of whole cloves of garlic, some whole black peppercorns and some parsley stalks to the water and allow to infuse for 10 minutes with the lid on. Add the chicken breasts to the water and allow them to poach for two hours (yes, that’s right, with the heat off.)

Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente. Set aside.

Remove the chicken from the water and cut into 1cm thick slices.

Spray a large heavy-based pan with olive oil spray and sweat the leek, garlic and a little sea salt until soft. Do not brown the leek. Add the chicken stock, lemon zest and juice and the bay leaf.

Bring to the boil, then reduce the broth to a simmer and gently cook for 10 minutes. Check the seasoning, then add the sliced chicken and pasta and stir to heat through.

Divide the soup among four soup bowls and add the chopped parsley and some freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with a little lemon zest.

NOTE: This recipe is taken from Neil Perry’s “The Food I Love“. It is, hands down, my favourite cook book (and I have quite a few!) Make it one of your kitchen staples…

Ok, so I can’t take the credit for this one – pretty much all I’ve done is minimised the naughtiness and calculated the calories. This one belongs to Masterchef’s Gary Mehigan, and it looked so good when he made it on a recent Masterclass, I just had to give it a go. And I must say, it tastes as good as it looks!

Serves 4: 307 calories per serve

INGREDIENTS

500g veal steaks

20 sage leaves

4 slices of prosciutto

2tbs plain flour, for dusting

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

2 tbs baby capers, rinsed and drained

40g unsalted butters

1 punnet cherry tomatoes

¼ cup white wine

1 bag of baby spinach

PROCESS

Press 2 sage leaves onto each veal piece. Lay prosciutto slices onto a clean work surface and place veal, sage-side down onto each slice of prosciutto (ensuring the sage is wrapped under prosciutto).

Place flour in a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. Add wrapped veal pieces to the flour and toss to coat, shaking off any excess.

Spray a large frying pan with olive oil and place over medium-high heat. Add veal to the pan, sage- side down, then add the garlic, capers and butter.

Once the butter is foaming add the cherry tomatoes and turn the veal over to cook for a further minute. Add remaining sage to the pan and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until cherry tomatoes start to soften. Remove veal from the pan, set aside and keep warm.

Add white wine to the pan. Using a fork, carefully squash half the tomatoes into the sauce. Add the spinach and cook until just wilted. Season to taste.

Spoon sauce with the squashed tomatoes onto serving plate and top with veal.  Buon appetito!

As the title might give away, this is my absolute favourite pizza – it’s so quick and easy and tastes light, fresh and divine.  This size is perfect for lunch, but if you want to treat yourself, upsize to a larger flatbread base and add more topping!

Serves 1: 324 calories

INGREDIENTS

1 pita bread

olive oil spray

40g bocconcini – torn or sliced into smallish pieces

2 slices of prosciutto

a handful of baby rocket

½ tsp extra Virgin Olive Oil

a squeeze of lemon

freshly ground black pepper

PROCESS

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees C (230 degrees fan forced)

Spray the pita bread with some olive oil spray and season with freshly ground black pepper.

Arrange the bocconcini on the pizza base, and pop in the oven  for around 8 minutes, or until the base is golden and cheese is melted.

Tear the prosciutto into smaller (more easily biteable!) pieces.

Place the rocket in a small bowl and drizzle with oil. Add a squeeze of lemon and some freshly ground black pepper. Toss to combine.

Take the pizza out of the oven and cut into four. Top with prosciutto and rocket.

Eat… Enjoy… Yum!

Adapted from a recipe by Karen Martini for Mr Wolf.