CORE Curried Lentil and Pumpkin Soup

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 teaspoons Madras curry powder
• 1 1/2 cups dried red lentils
• 1.75kg butternut pumpkin, peeled, seeds removed, and chopped
• 5 cups vegetable stock
• natural low fat yoghurt, to serve

Method:

Heat oil, add onion and garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until soft.
Stir in curry powder and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
Add lentils, pumpkin, and stock.
Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes until pumpkin is just tender.
Serve immediately, topped with a dollop of natural yoghurt if desired.

Not on Core? The total for this recipe is 24 points

CORE Raita (Coriander & mint yoghurt)

What is Raita?

Raita is an Indian condiment based on yogurt used as a sauce or dip. Raita has a cooling effect on the palate which makes it a good foil for spicy Indian dishes.

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 Lebanese cucumber, ends trimmed, coarsely grated
• 1 cup low fat natural yoghurt
• 1/4 cup finely shredded fresh mint
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh coriander

Method:

Use your hands to squeeze excess moisture from the cucumber.
Mix cucumber, yoghurt, mint and coriander in a medium bowl

Not on Core? The total for this recipe is 1 - 1.5 points, depending on yoghurt used

CORE Carbonara Pasta

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 350g dry pasta
• 200g rindless bacon, fat removed, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3/4 cup frozen corn
• 3/4 cup frozen peas
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 c skim milk powder
• basil, chopped (and/or dried Italian herbs)

Method:

In a nonstick pan, "fry" onion and bacon in a few TB of water.
When bacon begins to brown, add frozen vegies and a little more water, cook for 3 or 4 mins and put aside.
Boil water and add pasta, cook to al dente.
Meanwhile, mix milk powder with 1/2 cup water and the eggs.
When pasta is cooked, drain well and return to the pan. Add bacon and vegie mix and the egg mixture over medium-low heat until the egg mixture is almost set.
Stir in the basil and pepper.
Serve immediately

CORE Tuna (or Chicken) Mornay

Based on CORE Corn & White Bean Chowder

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp Olive Oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• 1 x 425 g corn kernels
• 2 x 425g cannellini beans
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 x 425g Tuna in springwater (or 400g left over skinless chicken, chopped)
• 3 cups steamed or frozen vegies of your choice
• 2 TB parsley
• ground or cracked pepper to taste

Optional - stir through 2TB flour to thicken

Method:

Heat oil in a 2 l+ saucepan and fry onions over medium heat for 5 mins until softened.
Add garlic and cook another minute
Add corn - reserve about 1/4
Add beans and stock.
Cover, bring to boil, then simmer for 10 mins.
Blend, then add the reserved corn and tuna/chicken and vegetables
Warm and serve with parsley and salt and pepper

Would also be nice with seafood (I'm allergic)

CORE Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup

Based on CORE Corn & White Bean Chowder

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp Olive Oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• 1 x 425 g corn kernels
• 2 x 425g cannellini beans
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 150 - 200g left over skinless chicken, chopped (or cook a chicken breast)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Method:

Heat oil in a 2 l+ saucepan and fry onions over medium heat for 5 mins until softened.
Add garlic and cook another minute
Add corn - reserve about 1/4
Add beans and stock.
Cover, bring to boil, then simmer for 10 mins.
Blend, then add the reserved corn and chicken
Warm until it bubbles and turn off heat
Slowly pour in the beaten egg and stir gently and quickly so it forms ribbons
Serve straight away

CORE Corn & White Bean Chowder

Based on the Core Cook Book

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp Olive Oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• 1 x 425 g corn kernels
• 2 x 425g cannellini beans
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 2 TB parsley

Method:

Heat oil in a 2 l+ saucepan and fry onions over medium heat for 5 mins until softened.
Add garlic and cook another minute
Add corn - reserve about 1/4
Add beans and stock.
Cover, bring to boil, then simmer for 10 mins.
Blend, then add the reserved corn
Season with cayenne, parsley, salt and pepper and serve

CORE Kedgeree (Indian Rice and Fish)

What is kedgeree?

Kedgeree is a dish consisting of flaked fish (usually smoked haddock), boiled rice and eggs. It originated amongst the British colonials in India hence was introduced to the United Kingdom as a popular breakfast dish in Victorian times, part of the then fashionable Anglo-Indian cuisine. During that time, fish was often served for colonial breakfasts so that fish caught in the early morning could be eaten while it was still fresh. It is rarely eaten for breakfast now, but is still a popular dish.

Traditional kedgeree does not have vegies, but I have modified “tradition” to bulk out the recipe.

Great to use up that left over rice!

If you have left over kedgeree, it makes a great cold rice salad.

Serves: 1 (generous - for less generous, take 1/2 cups down to 1/3 cup)

Difficulty: Easy - One dish microwave dinner

Ingredients:

• ½ cup white/brown rice (or 1 ½ cups left over cooked rice)


• 1 x 95g can of Tuna in Spring Water (or 100g smoked white fish, flaked)


• 1 egg, boiled and chopped or scrambled


• ½ cup frozen corn (or tinned)


• ½ cup frozen beans


• ½ cup frozen peas


• Curry powder - 2tsp for mild, 3tsp medium, 4+ tsp if you like it hot


• ground pepper to taste

Optional
3TB natural skim yoghurt
1TB chopped coriander
1TB parsley chopped
spring onion

Method

Cook rice using absorbtion method in microwave (ie ½ cup dry rice to 1 cup water. Microwave uncovered until water absorbs.)
If using cooked rice, put in microwave dish and start here
Add frozen vegies and microwave for another 3 minutes until vegies are warm.
Drain tuna and add
Add chopped/scrambled egg
Add curry and optional herbs
Cook about 2 mins – COVERED - both egg and tuna can “explode” making a mess of your micro :)

Serve, with yoghurt or sliced tomato or cucumber if you wish