Fennel & Lemon Risotto (with added prawns) – 518 calories

IMG_5450Oh my this was good! My husband is the risotto maker in the house – he has patience!

This can be a vegetarian meal, or you can add prawns.

Preparation Time:  10 mins

Cooking Time:  40 mins

Serves:  2

Calories per serving:  518.6

Ingredients

Fennel bulb – 160g

Butter, Salted – 5g

Oil, Olive, Average – 8ml

Onions – 125g

Garlic – 1 Clove/3g

Rice, Arborio, Dry – 140g

White Wine, Dry – 175ml

Stock Pot, Vegetable, As Sold – 1 Pot/28g

Water – 750ml

Lemon, Zest – 1 Av Lemon/5g

Cheese, Grana Padano or Parmesan – 25g

Prawns, King, Cooked & Peeled – 170g

Method

Chop any green leafy fennel fronds and set aside.

Cut off the stalk-like fennel top, remove the outer layers and finely chop. Slice remaining fennel. Heat the butter and olive oil in a frying pan and cook the onion, garlic and chopped fennel until soft but not coloured.

Add the rice and stir for 1 min. Pour over most of the wine and simmer until evaporated. Make the stock with the stock pot and boiling water. Add the hot stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring between each addition until it is absorbed.

When the rice is cooked, stir in the lemon zest, Parmesan and some seasoning. Take off the heat and set aside, covered, for 2 mins.

Serve in bowls, topped with the fennel fronds (stirring the prawns through if using).

Nutrition Data Per Serving

Calories (kcal)518.6

Protein (g) 24.9

Carbohydrate (g) 63.6

Fat (g) 11.7

Fruit & Veg 1.9

Fibre (g) 3.9

Alcohol 8.0

Oh, and desert was caramelised banana with custard (slice banana, roll in sugar, fry in butter turning slices over once and being careful not to burn!)

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The nutritional benefits of celeriac

IMG_5389Celeriac makes such a lovely change from pasta, rice and potatoes and has many nutritional qualities (now here’s the technical part…)

  • Celeriac is very low in calories. 100g root holds just 42 calories.
  • Contains many health benefiting plant-nutrients, minerals, vitamins, and dietary fibre.
  • Similar to carrot and other members of Apiaceae family vegetables, celeriac too contains many poly-acetylene anti-oxidants.
  • Several research studies from scientists at the University of Newcastle at Tyne found that these compounds possess anti-cancer properties and, thereby, may offer protection from colon cancer and acute lymphoblastic leukemia amongst other diseases.
  • Celeriac is a splendid source of vitamin-K. 100g root provides about 41 µg or 34% of recommended daily intake. Vitamin-K improves bone mineralization by promoting osteoblastic activity in the bones. Research studies suggest that it also has an established role for patients affected by Alzheimer’s by limiting neuronal damage in the brain.
  • The root is an excellent source of some of the essential minerals such as phosphorus, iron, calcium, copper, and manganese. Phosphorus is required for cell metabolism, maintaining blood buffer system, bone, and teeth formation. Copper helps restore immunity, prevents anaemia, and is essential for bone metabolism.
  • It contains some of the valuable B-complex vitamins such as pyridoxine, pantothenic acid, niacin, riboflavin, and thiamin. Fresh root also provides moderate amounts of vitamin C (8mg/100g).

What’s more, it has a really awesome flavour!  Of course, not to everyones taste, but I love it.  This lovely, healthy and low calorie meal contains just 315 calories!

250g of celeriac dusted with paprika and roasted with 5g of avocado oil (92 calories).  Pan fried sea bass fillet with another 5g of avocado oil (150 calories) and home-made ratatouille (75 calories).

Oh, and 5 calories for the paprika! = 322 calories for the meal.