harissa falafel

I've been trying to rustle up tasty treats to keep my diet interesting since starting back at Weight Watchers over a week ago. There's a lot of food on the Healthy and Filling/Simple Start list at Weight Watchers that you can eat without weighing or counting and everything in this falafel recipe is on the Simple Start shopping list making it perfect for those just starting the plan like me or anyone looking for a healthy veggie dinner.

Serves: 2-3
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 6 minutes

Ingredients
1 x 400g can cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
Handful of parsley, finely chopped
1 small red onion, finely diced
1 tsp harissa paste
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
Salt to season

To serve:
Tomatoes, green salad and pitta bread/wraps

Method
1. Add all the ingredients to a food processor and then blend until you have a paste like consistency.

2. Remove from the processor bowl and shape into six to eight patties and transfer to a plate.

3. Warm a non-stick pan to a medium – high heat. Add the patties and cook for three minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked all the way through.

4. Serve in toasted pitta bread with tomato and green salad.

This was my Friday night meal so I served it with Weight Watchers wraps, paprika wedges and chicken to make it more satisfying. These would be great for a packed lunch too and keep well in a tub. I have to admit that even though the falafel was tasty I was very jealous of my boyfriends burgers but no pain no gain, ey?

Stuffed butternut squash with Quorn

I could not believe that that recipe was only 4 pro points per serving. Lots of the things in the Members' favourites cookbook are tasty but lower in points than some of the recipes written by the people at Weight Watchers. Us members want as much tasty food for our daily budget as we can get! You can pick the cookbook up in class or from the Weight Watchers website.

Look at all of this...

4 points!!

Stuffed Butternut Squash with Quorn
Vegetarian
9 ProPoints per recipe
Serves 2

You will need:
1 butternut squash
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 garlic clove, crushed
calorie controlled cooking spray
1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, de-seeded and chopped
1 courgette, chopped
100g Quorn mince
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
50g feta cheese
freshly ground pepper


1. Preheat the oven to 180 or 160 fan oven.

2. Cut the butternut squash in half length ways, scoop out the seeds. Put in a large roasting tin. Mix together the olive oil, chilli flakes, rosemary and garlic and brush over the top of the squash. Bake for about an hour until tender.

3. Meanwhile, make the filling, Spray a large non stick pan with cooking spray and cook the onion until softened. Add the pepper and courgette and continue to cook for 5 minutes.

4. Add the mince and chopped tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Once the squash is cooked, spoon the mix on to each half and crumble the feta cheese on top. Return to the oven and cook for ten minutes until the cheese is just starting to turn golden. Serve, garnished with parsley sprigs.

A Day in the Life of Jenny Craig - Vegetarian #1

A lot of people have been saying that the thing they'd like to know most about the Jenny Craig diet is whether or not the food tastes nice, so I thought I'd do a couple of posts sharing what I'd eat on a typical day and let you know what I think of some of the dishes.



Here's my food for today. I've got Jenny Craig packaged food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I then have 3 other snacks throughout the day which I've chosen as a pear, a yoghurt and one of the Jenny Craig cereal bars. It doesn't look like much on it's own, but lunch is bulked up with at least 1 cup of salad, and dinner is bulked up with at least 1 cup of veg. Lunch and dinner both have additional nutrients that I need to add (eg 1 protein, 1 starch or 1 fat).

TODAYS MENU

Breakfast:
Chocolate coated wheat flakes
1/2 cup of milk, 1 banana.

Snack: 1 low fat yoghurt

Lunch:
Noodles in sweet & sour sauce
Salad, min 1 cup
Add 2 protein (I chose 1 slice of quorn bacon & 1/4 cup cheese for my salad)
* Also used 1 "limited" portion which was 1tsp of chilli sauce in my salad

Snack: 1/2 cup milk, 1 pear

Dinner:
Thai vegetable curry with rice
Add 1 protein (I chose my 1 left over slice of quorn bacon)
Cooked veg, min 1 cup (random mix of my favourites!)

Snack - Jenny Craig cereal bar.





So far the food has mostly been good. I'd say that I don't get that excited over the dinner meals to be honest. None of those have really wow-ed me. I had pearl barley and asparagus risotto for dinner last night and couldn't eat it because it tasted quite meaty, even though there was no meat in it. I know that's a bit of an odd description but it just didn't taste right and was a bit mushy and bland. Apart from that (and a mushroom stroganoff - but I don't like stroganoff anyway), I've enjoyed everything I've ate so far. I enjoy having my veg as a 'starter' and then having my dinner separately as a 'main' course!

I really love the lunches in particular - the soups are brilliant (and filling!) and there's a little pot of mashed potato with croutons and rosemary that is so stodgy and satisfying and feels like such a treat! The pasta pots do taste a bit pre-packed but are still nice. The sweet and sour noodles I had today had an amazing chilli kick to them and were packed full of flavour!

I feel like I'm eating constantly, and I'm definitely eating more often than before however I've noticed that I do get hungry at meal times whereas before the diet I was snacking, on unhealthy foods, so often that I wasn't hungry at mealtime. I definitely think this is something to do with correct portion sizes. I've been getting really bad chocolate/sugar cravings at night because that's when I'd usually sit down and snack, so I've decided to swap my after lunch snack (chocolate biscuit, cereal bar or potato bites/crisps) with my after dinner snack (fruit or a yoghurt) which has really helped.

I've stuck to the diet religiously and I haven't eaten anything from the "limited" foods (I can eat up to 3 portions of these a day if I want) apart from 1tsp of chilli sauce in my salads so I'm crossing my fingers for a loss when I weigh myself on Sunday!

If you have any questions, or anything you'd like me to cover in a post let me know!

The Jenny Craig programme explained

I think one of the things I struggle with the most when sticking to a diet is the fact that it's not me who decides what we eat at home and it's not me who does the food shopping either, so I don't have complete control over what I eat and how healthy (or not) it is. Being on a diet plan is something I've thought about for a while. I think it would make me feel more in control of what I was eating, which would be a big help.

When Jenny Craig contacted me asking if I would like to try their programme for a month I said yes! Jenny Craig was founded in 1983 and upon doing my research I've found a lot of positive weightloss stories. They don't just send you the food required for the diet but they guide, support and motivate you throughout the programme in the form of weekly phone call consultations with your own personal consultant.

Sounds good so far, right? Not only that but their food looks tasty (see some of their dishes for yourself here) and they even have menus to cater for vegetarian, vegan and kosher diets. I must admit, I'm a bit sceptical about how such 'normal' dishes (pasta, cheese, and there's even chocolate) opposed to 'rabbit food' will help me lose weight but a chat with the Jenny Craig team has taught me about portion sizes and the amount of faith they have in the programme has almost reassured me that it will work for me!





I received my delivery of food for the month this morning and my first thought was that everything looked quite clinical and ready meal like but on closer inspection I do actually like the sound of the meals. Each morning I start off with a cereal or porridge, followed by a snack (eg. fruit or yoghurt), lunch is a selection of yummy sounding soups or noodle dishes. I then get yet another snack which I can pick from potato bites (crisps!), chocolate biscuit bars or a cereal bar. Dinner comes next and there are 7 different meals available including pastas, thai curry and risotto and I get another snack (again, fruit or yoghurt are recommended) before bed. All of the food can either be microwaved or cooked on the hob and is really quick to make.

It seems like such a lot of food but the portions look smaller than what I'm used to so I'm feeling positive so far. I've just ate lunch (pot of noodles [which turned out to be pasta!] in a cream sauce with salad) and has filled me right up! The good news is that non-starchy vegetables (brocolli, courgette, salad and my favourite.. mushrooms!) are all free foods which I can add to my meals to bulk them up.



I didn't get a clear photo of my whole menu, but here's a snippet of what this weeks menu looks like. As you can see there are extra foods to add on to lunch and dinner which are simply labelled as '1 protein, 1 fat' which gives you some freedom to pick and choose. The shopping list of things I need to buy is minimal, only including items like salad, fresh fruit and veg, yoghurts, cheese (yes, really!) and bread.

So... here goes! Wish me luck! I'm hoping to lose a healthy 1-2lbs per week and kickstart my weightloss for 2012! I plan on doing a few more posts on my progress throughout the month - please let me know if there's anything in particular you want to know!

* Jenny Craig has provided me with a free 1 month trial however all opinions about my experience with the programme are my own and are completely honest.

Guest Post - Laura at The Smile Is Fake

Todays guest post was written by Laura from The Smile Is Fake

Vegetarian Falafels
Serves 4

Shopping List:
400g can of chickpeas
A handful of curly parsley
Half an onion
1 small garlic clove
1/2 tsp curry powder
1tsp ground cumin
1tsp ground coriander leaves
2tbsp plain flour



To keep a flowing routine in the kitchen, I find it super handy to have everything laid out in correct measurements before starting and then it's way easier to prep.

1. Firstly drain the chickpeas from the can, rinse with water and pat dry using kitchen paper to remove excess water. Place the chickpeas into your food processor.

2. Roughly chop the garlic clove and onion and add to the chickpeas, throw in your handful of curly parsley (roughly chop first and remove any unwanted stalks), curry powder, cumin, ground coriander and flour.

3. Now for the fun - depending on what food processor you use mix away as much as required until the ingredients become a thick paste. Note that if there are any lumps or bumps remaining this is fine it simply adds texture



4. Place enough mixture in your hand to create a small round ball (roughly the size of a small satsuma) pat the ball into a flat round 'pattie' style thick pancake repeat until you have 12.  If you are wanting to serve the Falafels straight away simply add 2tsp of olive oil to a frying pan and cook on each side for 3-4 minutes, over a medium heat until each pattie is golden brown.  Failing that place them in a bowl, cover with clingfilm and pop in the fridge until ready to cook but don't leave in the fridge uncooked for more than 24hrs

5. Serve with toasted pitta bread, salad and dips of your choice (salsa and low-fat soured cream are always a hit). If this is a weekend treat why not add a bowl of chunky homemade wedges.

So that's my super healthy recipe shared. I know it's a veggie option, but you'll be amazed at how many 'meat lovers' are left wanting more!!!  For those (like myself) concerned about calorie content, each serving averages at 280kcal (that's including pitta bread, salad and dips) just remember if you do sneak a few wedges onto your plate be sure to take their nutritional value into account!

ENJOY!!

Vegetarian nutrition

I've been a vegetarian since I was 14, but it's only been the past year or so that I've actually paid any attention to what nutrients are needed. I think for myself, iron is the big one to watch (I would always get turned away at blood donor session as I was anaemic) but there are 5 essential nutrients that any vegetarian should try and incorporate into their diet. People who eat a lot of meat and fish are usually not deficient in these nutrients, but vegetarians are because the nutrients are either not found within vegetables or it's just easier to absorb them from meat and fish.





Vitamin D
Vitamin D is what you need to keep your teeth and bones healthy, it helps to absorb calcium. Now the good news is that a lot of your vitamin D can be sourced simply by just sitting out in the garden and soaking up the rays. However for those of us stuck in the office all day, or for throughout the winter months, there are other ways of making sure you get enough Vitamin D. Whilst carnivores can eat oily fish, vegetarians are advised to eat eggs, margarine and breakfast cereals. Kellogg's are great at labelling their cereals and a lot of them, such as Bran Flakes and Corn Flakes, are great for vitamin D.

Vitamins B12 and B2
Vitamin B12 is what you need to create red blood cells and help keep your nervous system healthy. It also plays a big part in releasing energy from the food we eat, and if you don't get enough vitamin B12 you could be suffering from vitamin B12 deficiency, which makes you tired all the time. Vitamin B12 isn't found in foods such as fruit, vegetables and grains so it's usually vegans who struggle to get enough. Virtually all meat products have a source of vitamin B12, but again fortified breakfast cereals, eggs, milk and cheese are all good sources for vegetarians.

Vitamin B2 is also needed to keep your nervous system healthy, aswell as keeping your skin and eyes in tip top condition. Yep, you guessed it - breakfast cereals prove to be a good source, aswell as dairy products like eggs and milk. Love them or hate them, mushrooms are also packed full of B2. Sunlight actually destroys vitamin B2 so it's advised to keep these products out of direct sunlight.

Iron
Iron is the big one that everyone always goes on about. If you don't get enough iron in your bloodstream, you'll develop anaemia. Most vegetarians (myself included) probably have anaemia and aren't even aware of it. To get enough iron you should be eating a lot of green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, spinach and kale. The bad news is that tea stops you absorbing iron, so it's important that you don't drink tea around the same time you eat if you want to benefit from all those vegetables. Instead, you should have some vitamin C, such as a glass of orange juice, at the same time as eating because this actually helps your body absorb iron.



Selenium
I'm going to be honest and say that selenium is something I had never heard of before I started reading up on nutrition. It's what helps you have a strong immune system - something which I definitely don't have. Selenium can be found in nuts, mainly brazil nuts, so I've requested more nuts in my Graze boxes. Bread and eggs also provide some selenium, but from what I've heard nuts are the best thing to be eating.

Omega-3 fatty acids
It is said that omega-3 reduces the risk of heart disease, aswell as helping with depression. It also helps your brain perform efficiently. I'm sure you've all been told that "fish makes you smarter" at some point, and this is where that quote originates from. For people like me, who really don't want to eat fish but would still like a healthy brain, things like avocado, walnuts, tofu and pumpkin seeds are just what we need.

Now I am obviously not a doctor or a nutrionist but this is just some basic information that I've found useful in making sure I have a healthy diet. I also take Vegetarian Multivitamins (and have noticed a real different in the condition of my nails, and quite possibly higher energy levels sine starting to take them a few weeks ago) but you should always try and get as much of your nutritional intake from your diet as possible.

Crispy greek pie (vegetarian)

I'm a bit of a pastry fiend. I love the crunchy texture and the way it flakes when you bite into it but it's not the healthiest of food to eat so usually when I'm dieting I try my best to stay away. However, I found this tasty recipe which has pastry AND cheese and is not so bad for you. It feel like a treat. It also contains spinach, which as a vegetarian who struggles with eating enough iron, is always good!

Oh, and it tastes bloody amazing!! I tried to describe how it tastes but I honestly can't do it justice. Imagine the most amazing tomatoey pizza topping you've ever had, mix it with crunchy pastry… something like that. Nomnomnom.

INGREDIENTS:
makes 4 servings

200g spinach leaves
175g jar of sun dried tomatoes in oil
100g feta cheese
2 eggs
1 pack of filo pasty (you won't use it all - I used 3 sheets)

I actually just made half of the recipe which made two servings, although I think this would be the perfect thing to take into work for lunch and just eating a quarter of it along with some salad would give you a filling lunch. It tastes good cold, but when you re-heat it, it goes extra crispy mmmm.


1. Put your spinach into a large pan and pour a few spoonfuls of water over it and cook on a low heat until it just begins to wilt. Make sure you don't let it wilt fully as it will wilt even more when baking and you'll be left with nothing.


2. Chop up your sun dried tomatoes and crumble your feta whilst waiting on your spinach to wilt. You don't have to follow the suggested amounts by all means. I used less cheese and more tomatoes.


3. Put everything into a bowl, crack your eggs over it and mix until everything is all gooey and coated in egg. It really doesn't look that appealing at this point, but don't let that put you off! You actually don't taste the egg at all once it's cooked.


4. Unwrap your filo pastry and (gently, it's very delicate!) take one piece out and lay it to the side. Cover the un-used pastry with a few damp pieces of kitchen towel to stop it drying out. Now using a pastry brush, brush some of the oil from your sundried tomatoes over the pastry. Oil side down, drape the pastry in to your tin, leaving pieces overhanging at the sides. Repeat this step a few times until you have around 3 layers of pastry. (Please notice my nasty burn scar - This is why you should always use oven gloves and never use a flimsy towel instead!)


5. Almost finished! Spoon in your filling, spread it out and fold the pastry in and give it a final brush with some sundried tomato oil on top. Now put it in the oven, at gas mark 4, for 30 minutes or until golden on top. Et voila - delicious dinner which feels really naughty but actually isn't that bad!



Per serving:
250 kcalories, protein 13g, carbohydrate 23g, fat 13 g, saturated fat 5g, fibre 3g, sugar 5g, salt 0.3 g
7 pro points on the Weight Watchers plan.

Tip: Take iron and vitamin C together. The presence of vitamin C can increase iron's absorption by as much as 30 percent. A glass of orange juice is the perfect drink to have along with this meal.