27/02/2017

Low fat, low calorie and healthier macaroni and cheese.


Macaroni and cheese is a paradise for cheese gourmets. It is made from pasta and cheese sauce, baked in the oven. Cheese and bechamel sauce makes this dish quite fat and heavy. It contains no vegetable and a very small amount of fiber, and everybody knows that is not the greatest choice when it comes to healthy dinner or lunch. I prepared my healthier version of macaroni cheese with chick peas. Instead of béchamel sauce I used cream of chick peas, seasoned with mustard and nutmeg. Almost did not feel the difference compared with the standard macaroni cheese!!!

Ingredients for 2 servings:

  • 100g of pasta
  • chickpeas (250g)
  • teaspoon of mustard
  • onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • nutmeg, salt, pepper
  • cheese (50g)

Method:
Fry chopped onion and garlic in small soucepan. Add chickpeas from a can with 2 tablespoons of water from the can. Blend it all together and season with mustard, nutmeg, salt, pepper and half the grated cheese. Cook the pasta. Mix it with cheese sauce and put into the baking tray or bowl greased with butter. Put the rest of grated cheese on the top and bake until cheese is nicely browned.



21/02/2017

Healthy, low fat peanut butter cheesecake with chocolate base.



Why healthy? Instead of buttery biscuit base I used pearl barley cooked with turmeric. This helped to increased the amount of fibre and mineral content.Then cocoa powder which is wealth of magnesium, chromium, iron, and zinc. The fat in the cake is only from peanut butter and mascarpone cheese (instead of butter or oil)!!!

Ingredients for the chocolate base:

  • cup of pearl barley
  • teaspoon of turmeric
  • 4 tablespoons of stevia
  • half a cup of cocoa powder
  • 3 eggs
  • 200ml natural yoghurt

Ingredients for the cheesecake:
  • 400g of mascarpone cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons stevia
  • 2 heaped tablespoons of peanut butter
  • 200ml natural yoghurt
Dark chocolate and peanut butter to decorate cake

Method:
Cook pearl barley in 2 cups of water with turmeric. Set aside to cool. Add the eggs, yogurt and stevia. Blend until smooth. Mix with cocoa powder. Grease baking tray with oil or butter, put baking paper and then the chocolate dough.

Mix mascarpone cheese with the eggs, stevia, peanut butter and yoghurt. put it on the top of chocolate base.

Put in the preheated oven (180 ° C) and bake for 40 minutes. At the end put some peanut butter on the top and sprinkle with grated dark chocolate.




15/02/2017

Dried cranberries and coconut bars, healthy sweet snack.


Urinary tract infections are one of the most frequent woman bacterial infections. Most often caused by the bacterium Escherichia coli. Cranberry contains proanthocyanidins - very unique nutrient which will prevent E. coli to locate in the urinary bladder, reducing the risk of developing this type of infection. Cranberry is also a wealth of vitamin C, fiber and manganese. It taste sour and a little bit of sweet in the end. Together with a hint of coconut is a delicious idea for a sweet snack.

Ingredients (7 servings):

  • 250g dried cranberries
  • 2 flat tablespoons of coconut oil
  • 2 tablespoons of desiccated coconut
  • 4 tablespoons of oat bran


Method:
Melt coconut oil and mix it with dried cranberries. Blend it to make a smooth mixture. Stir in desiccated coconut and bran. Wrap in cling film to form a flat rectangle. Put in the fridge for about 3 hours. Then cut up into bars. 




08/02/2017

Baked grapefruit with dessicated coconut, delicious, low-calorie dessert.


Why it is better to eat a grapefruit instead of drinking juice from it? The answer is very simple. Grapefruit contains fiber (pectin especially). Thanks to pectin we might feel full for longer and it will prevent snacking. Also it won't increase sugar in blood as much. So grapefruit with desiccated coconut is low-calorie dessert which reduce the risk of later snacking.

Ingredients:

  • 2 grapefruits
  • teaspoon of honey
  • heaped tbsp of desiccated coconut

Method:

Cut grapefruit in half then with knife cut it inside (next to skin) so it will be easier to eat. Pour honey and put in the oven in 180°C for 20 minutes until the skin begins to get dark. In the end sprinkle with desiccated coconut.



06/02/2017

Low fat chocolate ginger cookies.


Instead of the usual fat (margarine, butter, oil) I used avocado, this is a good solution for people who want to use less fat in their diets. Additionally, cookies contain a lot of fiber and cinnamon which will result in aligned level of sugar in blood.

Ingredients:

  • avocado
  • tablespoon of cocoa powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cm ginger
  • teaspoon cinnamon
  • teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons stevia
  • half a cup of whole-wheat flour
  • half a cup of oatmeal

Method:

Mash avocado using fork. Peel and grate ginger. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl: avocado, cocoa, eggs, ginger, baking powder, stevia, flour and oatmeal. Put the cookie dough portions on baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake 10-15 minutes at 180 ° C.



05/02/2017

Garlic and parmesan chickpeas, healthy snack.


Often, when it comes to healthy snacks we do not know what to prepare. Roast chickpeas with herbs, garlic and parmesan cheese is one of those small things that we can eat while watching TV or at party and have no regrets.

Ingredients:
  • 250g canned chickpeas
  • 20g parmesan
  • garlic clove
  • chilli, pepper, oregano

Method:

Drain chickpeas by putting it on paper towel and leave for at least half an hour. You can even slightly dry it with paper. Mix with grated parmesan cheese and spices. Turn it out on a baking paper and put in the preheated oven (180 ° C) for 40 minutes. Mix from time to time.