Mexican Style Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with homemade guacamole, soured cream and coriander – 372 calories

IMG_1477This week I discovered a wonderful array of recipes on a website aimed at students. All I can say is that these recipes are probably a million miles away from the sort of cooking that my student daughter describes! Mob Kitchen

However – there are many lovely dishes on the website that will be tried and tested by me very soon. Take a look at their “Fakeaways”

Tonight’s dinner was a variation of their Mexican Style Stuffed Sweet potatoes. But no way was I going to be able to eat the quantities they’ve prepared, so this is my slightly pared down recipe. I’ve simplified it by creating a recipe just for the filling. And rather than scoop out the potato flesh, mix with the bean mixture and stuff back into the potato skin, I made life much easier for myself by serving it on TOP of the baked potato!

Here’s the Chilli Bean mixture – I sed kidney beans rather than the black beans suggested in the recipe.

Mexican Style Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (filling only)

Serves: 4

Calories per serving: 70.5

Ingredients

Oil, Olive – 1 Tsp/5ml

Peppers, Red, Raw – 1 Med/160g

Coriander, Leaves – 10g

Chilli, Red, Dried – 1 Av Chilli/5g

Onions, Brown – ½ Onion/50g

Garlic, Raw – 1 Clove/3g

Paprika – 1 Tsp/2g

Cumin, Ground – 1 Tsp/5g

Kidney Beans, Canned, in Water, Drained – 1 Can/240g

Preparation:

Peel and finely dice the garlic and the onion.

Finely chop the peppers.

Add the olive oil to a saucepan or frying pan. Add the onion and pepper and fry over a medium heat until softened. Add the finely chopped garlic, a teaspoon of cumin, and a teaspoon of paprika. Continue to cook for a further minute.

Continue to fry until soft, on a medium to low heat. Add a bit of water if it starts catching on the pan. This should take about 10-15 minutes.

Once softened, add your kidney beans.

Nutrition Data Per Serving (for the Mexican bean topping)

Calories (kcal) 70.5

Protein (g) 3.7

Carbohydrate (g) 7.6

Fat (g) 2.1

Fruit & Veg 1.3

Fibre (g) 4.6

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Separately oven bake the sweet potatoes (see below).

Remove your sweet potatoes from the oven. Score the tops and open up. Add the bean mixture over the top.

Add the guacamole. Top with a generous blob of soured cream and a generous sprinkling of fresh chopped coriander. Enjoy!

I love the recipe for the guacamole, which I made using just one avocado (100g of flesh), mashed with the juice from half a lime and a large pinch of chilli seeds. Serves 2 = 97 calories a portion.

For my baked potato, I used a 150g sweet potato, pricked it all over and baked in a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees for 45 minutes. 150g sweet potato = 126 calories

30ml of soured cream = 77 cals

WHOLE MEAL, including 10g fresh coriander = 372 calories

Tuna steak with tomatoey beans – 347 calories

IMG_1471Tuna steaks feature often in our household – they have a lovely meaty texture. We usually marinade them, but today they were simply pan fried with some sesame oil. The flavour came from the beans we served with them:

Beans, Kidney or Cannellini, White, Canned -1 Can/240g

Oil, Olive – 8ml

Onions, Red – 27g

Garlic, Raw – 1 Clove/3g

Rosemary, Dried – ½ Tsp/0.5g

Water – 30ml

Method

Peel and finely chop onion and garlic. Place oil in a pan and heat over a medium heat. Add onions and fry until softened – don’t allow to brown. Add garlic and continue to cook for a further minute. Add water and rosemary, plus drained beans. At this point I add my gummy tomatoes recipe (2 portions) and continue to heat over a low heat for 15 minutes.

Nutrition Data Per Serving (cannellini beans only)

Calories (kcal) 111.0

Protein (g) 5.1

Carbohydrate (g) 10.4

Fat (g) 4.1

Fruit & Veg 1.8

Fibre (g) 6.1

I added to the beans a portion of my “wine gummy tomatoes” – 66 calories

100g tuna steak – 100 cals

100g Green beans – 25 cals

1tsp Sesame oil – 45 cals

Beans with wine gummy tomatoes – 177 cals

Whole meal shown – 347 calories

Lots of protein and fibre here!

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Chicken with a creamy mustard and tarragon sauce – 281 calories

IMG_1468This dish – and slight variations, has become an instant hit in our household – mainly because it is quick and easy to make, but more importantly, it tastes delicious! One would never guess that it was so low calorie. The Vermouth can easily be omitted and the flavour is still wonderful without it.  You can use dry sherry if you don’t have Vermouth.

Chicken with a creamy mustard and tarragon sauce – 281 calories

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 30 mins

Serves: 2

Calories per serving: 281.1

Ingredients

Chicken, Breast – 2 x 100g

Creme Fraiche, Half Fat – 100ml

Mustard, Dijon – 1 Tsp/5g

Mustard, Whole Grain – 1 Tsp/6g

Oil, Olive – 6ml

Garlic, Raw – 1 Clove/3g

Onions, Red, Raw – Half an onion / 45g

Vermouth, Dry – 1 Shot/50ml

Tarragon, Dried – 1 Tsp/2g

Preparation: Peel and finely dice the garlic. Peel and dice the onion.

Method:

Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Heat the oil in an ovenproof pan. Season the chicken breasts, then brown for 1 min on each side. Remove from the pan, then set aside.

Add the onion to the pan (leave the oil remaining from the chicken) and fry over a medium heat, stirring until translucent and soft – do not allow to brown. Add the garlic and continue to cook for a further minute.

Add the creme fraiche, Vermouth, tarragon and mustards to the pan, stirring to combine everything. Bring to a simmer, then return the chicken to the pan, spooning some of the sauce over the fillets. Lift into the oven, then bake for 20-25 mins until the chicken is cooked through and sauce bubbling.

Great with green beans and rice or any other vegetables. Here I’ve served it with 100g of Jersey Royals (75 cals), a portion of mashed swede and carrot (36 cals) and a portion of my favourite versatile stir-fried cabbage and leek (74 cals). No butter needed with the veg as the sauce from the chicken provides plenty of succulent creaminess….

Total calorie count for the meal = 466 calories.

Nutrition Data Per Serving

Calories (kcal) 281.1

Protein (g) 29.5

Carbohydrate (g) 6.3

Fat (g) 12.7

Fruit & Veg 0.3

Fibre (g) 0.6

Alcohol 3.5

Spaghetti Caponata – 335 calories

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This is very healthy, easy and quick to prepare Sicilian pasta dish…. and not too bad on the calories either. The sweetness of the roasted aubergine and raisins add a nice balance counteracted by the saltiness of the olives and capers.

Spaghetti Caponata

Serves:  4

Calories per serving:  335.2

Ingredients

Aubergine, Raw – 600g

Olive Oil – 30ml

Red Onion, peeled and diced – Half an onion/65g

Celery, Raw – 2 sticks/71g

Garlic, Raw, peeled and finely diced – 2 Cloves/6g

Oregano, Dried – 1 Tsp/1g

Tomatoes, Chopped, in Rich Tomato Juice – 1 Can/400g

Raisins – 40g

Olives, Kalamata, Pitted – 30g

Vinegar, Red Wine – 2 Tbsps/30ml

Parsley, Dried – 2 Tsps/2g

Capers, in Brine  – 1 Hpd Tsp/10g

Spaghetti, Whole Wheat, Dry Weight – 200g

Method

Preparation: Remove stalk from aubergine and cut into 3cm cubes. Peel and dice onion and garlic.

Trim and slice celery stalks. Chop the olives into quarters.

STEP 1   Heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Toss the aubergine with half the oil and a little seasoning, and tip onto a large non-stick baking tray. Roast for 20-30 minutes stirring half way through until charred and soft.

STEP 2   Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large pan and cook the red onion and celery with a large pinch of salt for 10 minutes or until softening and a little caramelised. Add the garlic and oregano, and cook for a minute before adding the tomatoes and 100ml of water.

Tip in the roasted aubergine and simmer for 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the aubergine is very soft. Add the raisins, capers, olives and red wine vinegar, and season. Keep on a low heat.

STEP 3    Cook the pasta following pack instructions, then drain. Tip the drained pasta into the caponata with the parsley. Stir well, then serve.

Nutrition Data Per Serving

Calories (kcal) 335.2

Protein (g)  9.9

Carbohydrate (g) 47.2

Fat (g)  11.5

Fruit & Veg  4.0

Fibre (g)  9.6

Venison steak with cauliflower cheese and stir-fried cabbage and leek – 450 calories

IMG_1331

Venison is a very lean and therefore fairly low calorie meat. We bought a steak of 240g but cut in it half. It also doesn’t shrink much as it cooks. The steak shown in the picture (120g) was just 129 calories (plus 43 cals for the olive oil it was brushed with ahead of cooking).

Stir-fried cabbage and leek – can’t get enough! Low calorie, tasty and filling – 74 calories a portion and we often have it in place of rice or pasta.

This cauliflower cheese was a little experiment. I went light on the cheese and added 2 tsps of Dijon mustard and soured cream, cream cheese, Parmesan and grated Cheddar and breadcrumbs on the top. 204 calories a portion.

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Cauliflower Cheese with Dijon Mustard

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time:

25 minutes

Serves: 4

Calories per serving: 203.9

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Ingredients

Cauliflower, Raw – 850g

Soured Cream – 50ml

Soft cream Cheese – 30g

Dijon Mustard, Dijon – 2 Tsps/20g

Cheddar Cheese, Mature – 40g

Parmesan Cheese – 20g

Panko Breadcrumbs -3 0g

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees. Grate the Cheddar and the Parmesan but keep the two cheese separate.

Chop just the head of the cauliflower roughly and evenly with a large knife. Place into a steamer and cook for around 10 minutes until the thickest parts of the stems are softened.

Remove, drain and leave to cool.

When tepid, add the soured cream, soft cheese, mustard and parmesan to the cauliflower and stir thoroughly to combined.

Place the cauliflower into a shallow large oven proof dish. Sprinkle over the grated Cheddar and the Panko breadcrumbs. Place in the oven for around 25 minutes until golden brown and crispy on top.

Nutrition Data Per Serving

Calories (kcal) 203.9

Protein (g) 13.5

Carbohydrate (g) 12.0

Fat (g). 11.5

Fruit & Veg 2.8

Fibre (g) 3.4

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Chicken Breast Stuffed with Spinach & Cream Cheese – 348 calories

IMG_1324Chicken Breast Stuffed with Spinach & Cream Cheese

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 25 mins

Serves: 2

Calories per serving: 348.3

Ingredients

Chicken, Breast, Fillets – 2 x 144g each

Spinach, Babyleaf – 80g

Soft Cream Cheese – 50g

Garlic, Raw – 1 Clove/3g

Fresh Lemon Juice – 2 Tsps/10ml

Paprika – 1 Tsp/2g

Olive Oil – 3 Tsps/15ml

Creme Fraiche – 15g

Chilli Peppers, Dried, Flakes – ¼ Tsp/0.75g

Shallots, Echalion – 50g

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Wash and finely slice/shred spinach. Peel and finely dice garlic and shallot.

Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board and using a sharp knife to cut a pocket into the side of each chicken breast.

Mix the soft cheese, creme fraiche, lemon juice, chilli flakes, onion, garlic in a small bowl until combined.

Spoon the spinach mixture into each chicken breast evenly and secure with wooden tooth picks or skewers. Place the two filled chicken breasts into a suitably sized baking dish.

Brush the surface of the chicken breast with the olive oil using a brush. Sprinkle with the paprika.

Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Data Per Serving

Calories (kcal) 348.3

Protein (g) 41.7

Carbohydrate (g) 3.1

Fat (g) 18.7

Fruit & Veg 1.0

Fibre (g) 1.3

IMG_1325
Served with 50g (dry weight) brown rice and griddled asparagus spears.