Almost Core Tasty White Sauce - use like Bechamel

Tonight I was asked my recipe for making white sauce. Since I was typing it up, I thought I'll post it here too. Picture coming when I make it again.

This is a light version of White Sauce or Bechamel Sauce which doesn't use butter, but uses mustard or chives to stop it from being bland glue paste :)

Serves: 2 (multiply as needed)
Makes a little more than 1/2 a cup. A 1/4 cup serve is plently to drizzle over silverside and a huge serve of vegies

Difficulty: Easy but needs watching and stirring for a couple minutes. Do not leave unattended.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup non fat milk
• 2 TB of cornflour
• Add 1-2 tsp of grainy mustard
• 20g of grated reduced fat cheddar cheese *
• Optional - chopped chives or spring onion greens with or instead of mustard.

Method:
Warm  milk gently on stove.
Mix cornflour with some water to make a paste (thinner than cream).
Whisk about 1/4 of the cornflour mix through the warm milk and wait about 1 minute for it to thicken. Repeat until you get to desired consistency (you won't need all the flour mix - add about 1/4 at a time).
Add grainy mustard and stir through cheese until it melts.
Note - Once flour is in the milk - do not walk away, just whisk and whisk on low heat or you can get serious lumps and burnt saucepan.

Often I add finely chopped chives or spring onion greens with or instead of mustard.

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 2 pts using 50% reduced cheese, or 1 pt for a generous serve
On Core, just count the cheese for 1/2 pt using 50% reduced cheese

Almost Core Lamb Tagine with Prunes and Apricot - Moroccan Cooking School

Dried fruit and cinnamon make a wonderfully sweet tagine.

Serves: 6 -8

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 2 onions, sliced
• cooking spray
• 1kg of lean diced lamb
• * 100g dried apricots, cut into 4 or 6 pieces each
• * 200g dried prunes, cut into 4 or 6 pieces each
• lemon juice
• 1tsp cinnamon
  Note - cinnamon goes stale in a few months. Take a sniff and if smell is not very strong, go get some fresh cinnamon as it will have no flavour.
• 1 heaped TB of Moroccan spice mix
• fresh parsley, about 3 TB chopped
• fresh coriander, about 3 TB chopped
• * 2 TB sugar (you can also use honey)
• saffron or artificial saffron colour (Hoyts in the refill bags)
• salt
• pepper

Method:

Heat a large soup saucepan to medium-high
Spray with oil and add onions and diced lamb and stir for about 2 or 3 mins.
Turn heat down to low and add 2 cups of water, parsley, coriander and moroccan spices.
Also add a few strands of saffron or about 1/8 tsp of the colouring.
Note - through this recipe you will need to monitor the liquid level and add more water as needed. You need somewhere between enough so it doesn't stick on the bottom and to just covering the contents, depending on how wet you like your "stews". I prefer mine to be thicker, while others prefer very waterey so the rice can soak up the fragrant sauce. Your choice, but keep adding water as needed.
Keep simmering for about 30-40 mins, stirring and checking water level.
Add salt and pepper, a good squeeze of lemon (about 1/4 cup) and dried fruit and simmer for a few minutes.

Serve on rice or couscous (points do not include)

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 39.5 pts, or 5pts serving 8

On Core you need to add the points for the starred ingredients, totalling 9.5 pts for the recipe or 1 pt each serving 8.

Core Lemon Grass Drink (tasty and medicinal) - Thai Cooking School

Lemon grass has been used in Asian medicine for thousands of years.

It is well known for:

• settling all digestive ailments
• recovering from colds and flu
• reducing fever, cramps
• "gas" (yes the polite word for farting)
• relieving aches and pains (great for 'girl pains')
• relieving any sort of cramps
• relieving athritis symptoms

And it is also apparently good as an antifungal. If you have athletes foot, don't tell me about it, but try soaking your tootsies in a diluted solution.

Lemon grass also makes a tasty beverage which is particularly refreshing on hot muggy days.

Serve icy cold with heaps of ice cubes.

Also can be drank hot as a "tea" if you prefer.

This was my favourite drink in Phuket - the drinking water is icky and I avoid all artificial sweetners (I react to them).
OK - my favourite drink was cocktails, but I didn't drink them all day :)

Serves: 10+ glasses

Difficulty: Super Easy - chop and boil

Ingredients:

• 3 stalks lemongrass, chopped to approx m]5mm rounds (about 1 cup worth)
• 2 1/2 litres cold water
• your choice of sweetener - sugar (pts), Equal, Stevia or Xylotil

Method:
Put cold water and lemongrass into a large pot and slowly bring to boil with lid on
Allow to simmer for about 10 mins, until the lemon grass is vaguely green and the water is tinged yellow.
Turn off heat, strain and allow to cool.

This makes a concentrate which you have about 1/2 and 1/2 with cold water, according to your tastes. Try with soda or mineral water too!

Sweetening - sweeten according to your tastes. If using a liquid or a powder which dissolves quickly, you may prefer top do this in the glass rather than sweetening the concentrate.

If you want to sample the drink straight away, add about 1/2 cup to a small jug and add 3 or 4 large ice cubes, stir until ice cubes stop melting. Then serve with more ice cubes and stir in your sweetener.

Store in a airtight jug or bottle in the fridge for up to a week. I prefer to store as concentrate to save room, but you may prefer to store as ready to drink.

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 0 if you don't use sweeteners with points.

Core Khao Tom - Thai Rice Soup - Thai Cooking School (Core + 1pt)

I learnt this authentic recipe at Thai cooking school in Patong, Phuket in January.

If using chicken, it's called Khao Tom Gai
Beef = Khao Tom Nua, Pork = Khao Tom Moo, Prawns = Khao Tom Goong

Serves: 1

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• cooked rice, 60g or 1/3 cup
• 500ml water
• meat - handful of meat of choice, sliced thin (for Pointing, 80g chicken breast or lean steak, you can also use 2 pts of pork or seafood if you wish)
• * 1 TB brown sugar or palm sugar (*1pt)
• 3 TB light soy sauce
• 2-3 pinches ground white pepper (note black pepper may be used for taste, but it looks like burnt flecks)
• 4 baby corns, cut to 2cm
• 1 handful cabbage, cut to 2-3cm square
• 1/3 small carrot, sliced thin

Method:
In a small pot bring the water to the boil.
Add meat and keep boiling until meat is cooked.
Add cooked rice and remaining ingredients.
Cook for 3-4 minutes, being careful not to over cook the vegies.
Serve and enjoy.

This is traditionally served with 2 garnishes - 2 pinches of pickled radish and a pinch of fried garlic.

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 4pts for a large bowl

On Core you need to allow 1 pt for the sugar

Me in cooking school serving Khao Tom. Yes I am very sunburnt from snorkelling the day before.

Dee Mess (healthy version of Eton Mess) Core +1 pt

This is a deliciously healthy version of the Eton Mess classic which is cream, berries and meringue.
If you like pavalova, you must try this!

Photo coming when I get a glass serving dish :)

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Very Easy

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of thick nonfat yoghurt, plain or flavoured
• 4 passionfruit
• 1 1/2 cup frozen berries
• Powdered Sweetener (like Splenda)
• cinnamon
• * 4 mini meringue nests (0.5-1pt each depending on brand).
  Alternatively, use meringue kisses.
• 1/2 punet of strawberries to decorate

Method:

Put about a cup of yoghurt in glass bowl, top with good handful of frozen berries, pulp of 2 passionfruit and some powdered sweetner to equivilent sweetness of a few TB, sprinkle with cinnamon.
Repeat yoghurt and fruit layer.
Cover and fridge for about 20-30 mins to let flavours develop and berries thaw.
Put a mini meringue shell in serving bowl and smash, top with spoonfuls of the yoghurt and fruit mix.
Top with a sliced strawberry.

On Core you'll need to count the meringue at 0.5-1 pt each depending on brand

Core Faux Fried Rice (Cauliflower)

A healthy, tasty and low fat alternative to fried rice.

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Variations: This is a throw together meal. Use what you have handy.

Vegies: You can add your favourite vegetables as long as they are diced fine or grated. Suggestions - mushrooms, spinach leaves, capsicum, bok choy, chilli, bean sprouts etc

Meat: Try turkey mince, chicken mince, very lean beef mince, pork mince, finelely diced chicken fillets, rindless bacon, seafood or left over grilled or roast meats. Tofu can be used for vegos. I used turkey mince.

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, diced
• 500 g lean mince (your choice)
• 2 TB olive oil
• 1 cauliflower, grated on coarse
• 2 carrots, grated
• 1/8th cabbage, shredded fine
• 1 cup beans, fresh or frozen and defrosted
• 1/2 cup corn kernels
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 TB Chinese 5 spice
• 3 spring onions, cut to 3 cm

Method:

Heat oil in a wok or large nonstick frypan.
Add onions and fry until translucent.
Add mince and fry until lightly browned.
Add cauli and carrot and stirfry for 2 or 3 minutes before adding soy sauce, corn and beans.
Stir fry a further couple of minutes, add 5 spice and cabbage, mix thoroughly and serve (the cabbage adds a nice crunchy texture)

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 20.5 pts, or 5 pts per serve serving 4 using either:

• 500g chicken mince
• 500g very lean beef mince
• 500g lean pork mince
• 250g rindless bacon

Nutritional data (per serve):
Very lean beef mince = 395 cals, 1649 kj, 16g fat, 4g sat fat, 34g protein, 29g carbs
Chicken mince = 395 cals, 1649 kj, 16g fat, 4g sat fat, 34g protein, 29g carbs

Base recipe credit goes to my Core buddy "Sundays"

Tortilla Stacks - Core +1.5pts/serve

An interesting twist to conventional burritos that is sure to become a family favorite.

Serves: 6

Difficulty: Easy

Equipment: a 20cm Springform Cake pan.
If you don't have one, you can still make the stack, spreading the filling to 5mm of edges.

Ingredients:

• 500 g Very Lean Beef Mince
• 1 large Onion, diced to 5mm
• 1 large or 2 small Red Capsicums, deseeded and diced to 5mm
• 2 clove Garlic, crushed (or 2 tsp garlic paste)
• 1 x 400g can Diced Tomato
• 1 cup (150 g) Frozen Corn Kernels (or 125g can, drained)
• 1 cup Canned Mixed Beans or Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 Light Tortilla Wraps (I suggest Old El Paso Light Tortilla Wraps
• 200 g of Low-Fat Cottage Cheese, blended smooth
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1 tsp Dried Coriander
• 2 tsp Cumin powder

Method:

Fry onion, garlic and capsium with 3TB water in a non-stick pan until onion becomes translucent.
Add mince and cook until browned, breaking up any clumps.
Add tomatoes, corn, tinned beans and spices.
Simmer for about 15 minutes until juices evaporate and it becomes thick.
Lightly spray a 20cm spring form pan with oil. Place pan on baking tray (to collect any leaks).

Place 1 tortilla in pan, top with 1/3 mince mix.
Repeat layers twice, ending with a tortilla on top.
Cover top cortilla with the blended cottage cheese, sprinkle with a little paprika.
Bake at 180-200*C for 25-30 mins

Allow to stand for 5 mins before slicing.
Serve with a green salad.

On Core you need to count only the Tortillas - 7.5 pts in whole recipe, or 1.5 pts each serving 6

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 29.5 pts, or 5 pts each serving 6

Nutritional data (per serve):

318 cals, 1328 kj, 7.5g fat, 3.4g sat fat, 29.2g protein, 31.8g carbs

Chocolate Fudge Cake ~ 1.5pt/slice (not Core)

This is a moist, fudgy chocolate cake.
Sharon's recipe.

Sorry, no picture. It disappeared too quickly :)

Serves: 8

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup SR flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 2/3 cup spoon-for-spoon artificial sweetener (Splenda or Equal)
• 1 egg
• 1 x 200g nonfat diet vanilla yoghurt
• 3 TB apple sauce

Method:

Mix everything with a wooden spoon
Spray oil into small loaf tin
Bake at 180*C for 25-30 mins.
Serve cold

Keep left overs in fridge if you have any

Each Slice (1/8th) = 1.5 pt

Whole recipe = 11.5 pts

Apple and Orange Cakes ~ 1 pt each (not Core)

These are not Core, but they are quick and easy to make,

very yummy and are only 1 pt each.

So enjoy without guilt.

Serves: 10 cakes

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup SR flour
• 2/3 cup spoon-for-spoon artificial sweetener (Splenda or Equal)
• 3TB apple sauce
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• rind of one small orange, finely grated
• 1/2 can Ardmona pie apples
• 200g nonfat natural yoghurt (or diet vanilla), I used Jalna Fat Free Natural

Method:
Mix everything apart from apples with a wooden spoon
Spray oil into 10 1/2 cup muffin cups.
Divide mixture into the 10 holes.
Put 1 or 2 pieces of the pie apple on top of each mound of batter (you may need to cut big pieces in half)
Gently push the apple down into the batter so it is only slighly higher than the batter (try not to hit the bottom).
Sprinkle with cinnamon.
Bake at 180*C for 25-30 mins.
Serve hot, plain or with ice cream or custard (low fat of course)

Each Cake = 1 pt

Whole recipe = 11.5 pts

Almost Core Country Chicken Casserole (Slow Cooker)

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 600g chicken thigh fillets, cut chunky
• 1 packet McCormick Slow Cookers Country Chicken Casserole (1.5pts)
• 1/3 cup water
• 1-2 carrots, chopped
• 1/3 cup non fat milk (I use Pura Tone)
• 1 cup of defrosted frozen peas

Method:
Add chicken, sauce mix, water, milk and carrot into slow cooker on low for 8 hours.
Stir through the peas about 20 or 30 minutes before serving (ie when you start cooking the potatoes or rice)

Serve with mashed potatoes (or rice) and your favourite steamed vegies.

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is (not pointed yet)

On Core, you'll need to allocate 1/2 pt for the sachet

Core Open Beef Kofta Topped with Salad

Inspired by MasterChef George

Serves: 6

Difficulty: Easy, but need to watch timing

Ingredients:

• 1 garlic clove, finely sliced
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 550g lean beef mince
• 3 TB chopped parsley
• rind of 1 lemon finely grated
• 1 egg
• 1 TB seeded mustard
• 3 TB finely chopped coriander
• 1 TB cumin powder
• 30g wholegrain breadcrumbs (1 thin slice bread in food processer)
• 6 mini pitas, I usually use rye (Core) but pictured with Wholemeal

To serve:

• 200g Fat Free Natural Yoghurt
• handful coriander with roots removed
• handful spinach leaves
• carrot ribbons (use peeler)
• cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1-2 Lebanese cucumbers or 1/3 continental, sliced thin
• red onion, sliced thin
• 1/2 a red capsium sliced thin

Method:
Put a medium sized non stick pan on to warm at medium with the olive oil.
Fry the garlic and onion until wilted and translucent, then cool the mix.
In a large bowl mix the mince, parsley, lemon rind, egg, breadcrumbs, mustard, chilled onion/garlic mixture, spices. Add salt and pepper if desired.
Divide the meat mix into 6 balls.
Put each ball on 1 pita bread and squish down evenly to edges.
Heat fry pan, spray with a little oil and fry the kofta base down for 2 minutes to ensure a crunchy base.
Transfer to griller and grill for 6 minutes.
Top pita/meat with a big dollop of yoghurt and the salad.

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 37.5 pts, or 6 pts each
(calculations assume pitas are 2.5 pts each, please check your brand as they vary greatly)

Core Slow Cooker Chicken Green Curry

This is a fragrant green curry, it is not hot at all!

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 4 TB (50g) green curry paste (I used True Thai @ 31kj, 0 fat for 50g = 0pts)
• 650 g chicken thigh fillets, cut to approx 2 cm chunks
• 3 tsp coriander paste (or fresh in food processor)
• 3 tsp basil paste (or fresh in food processor)
• 1 cup non fat milk (I used Pura Tone)
• 1 tsp coconut essence
  (milk+essence = healthy coconut milk alternative)
• 3 TB cornflour for thickening

Method:

I put all except flour in slow cooker in the morning, turned onto auto setting (4 hours high, then switches to low).
After 10 hours I removed about 1/3 cup juices, made a paste with cornflour and stirred back though.
High for an hour to thicken.

There is no reason the cornflour couldn't be added at the start and it doesn't "need" 11 hours cooking - but I like curry meat fall-apart tender and wasn't home to supervise. I think it would be fine on high for 4 or 5 hours.

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 15.5 pts, or 4 pts each for 4 servings

Add 2 pts for or 3/4 cup cooked rice (2.5pts for 1/4c raw rice)

Since it has only a few ingredients, I even worked out the kj’s – 1100kj per serve, or 264cals without rice

CORE Best Roast Beef Ever - Slow Cooker

This was voted best ever roast from hubby. High praise indeed!
It was moist, tender and full of flavour and the small amount of left overs made awesome sandwiches with corn relish.

Best of all, it requires about 1 minute of preparation, only 2 ingredients and cooks while you get on with your day!

Serve with mashed potato, gravy and vegies

Serves: adjustable

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• Boneless beef roast, fat removed - a 1kg roast will do 4-6 people
  
• 1/2 packet french onion soup mix
  

Method:
Well, two ingredients and a slow cooker - do I really need to write the method? OK...

Sprinkle dry French Onion Soup Mix over the roast and put in Slow Cooker on low with no moisture.

I cooked mine on low all day from 7am to 7pm while I was at work and at the gym.
It would probably only need about 8 hours to be 'done', but the extra time makes it extra tender. Alternatively, 4+ hours on high would do it too.

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe depends on how much meat you eat
100g raw weight = 2pts, 150g = 3pts etc

Core Quick Beef Keema Curry

A Pakistani dish which is full of flavour

Pictured: Beef Keema Curry on left and Slow Cooker Spicy Lentils on right

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 400g extra lean mince
• 1 onion
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 capsicum, diced
• 1 tsp crushed ginger
• 1 tsp tumeric
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp beef stock powder
• 1 x 400g tin diced tomatoes
• 2 cups green beans
• 1/2 tsp chilli

Method:

Cook mince, onion, capsicum, garlic in a few TB of water until meat browned.
Add everything else and simmer for 5 minutes

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 11 pts

CORE Asian Noodle Soup - Vegetarian or Chicken

Options to suit meat eaters, Vegans and Lacto Vegetarians

Serves: 1

Difficulty: Very easy - no cooking

Ingredients:

Optional: 100g firm tofu, diced to 1cm or 100g cooked chicken, diced or shredded

• 75g thin hokkien noodles, chopped to about 3cm
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups of thinly sliced or grated vegies
  suggestions: spinach, cabbage, grated carrot, corn kernels, peas, beans, beansprouts, bok choy
  I used beans sprouts, grated cabbage and a couble of TB of frozen beans and peas
• 1 spring onion, white chopped fine, green chopped to 2cm
• 2 tsp of vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 TB skim milk powder (omit for Vegans)
• 1-2 tsp each of basil and coriander
• crushed chili - start with 1/4 tsp - omit if you don't tolerate spicy
• 1/2 tsp coconut essense

Method:

Put the the tofu or chicken (if using) into the bottom of a large noodle bowl (3-4 cup capacity).
Layer the raw vegetables on top
In a heat proof bowl or jug, mix stock powder and milk powder.
Stir in 2 cups boiling water and herbs, then add coconut.
Pour into noodle bowl, leave to sit for 3 mins, then enjoy

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 2 pts as Vegetarian, no tofu with free vegies (1.5 for Vegan)
Add 2 pts for tofu, 3 pts for chicken

CORE Lentil Bolognaise Sauce (V or L)

Suitable for Vegan Vegetarians (no cheese) or Lacto Vegetarians (with Parmesan)

Pictured 75 g bow tie pasta mixed with 1 cup beans, 1 cup lentil bolgnaise, topped with 2 tsp parmesan (L V)

Also nice as a side dish, or served with rice

Serves: 4 - 6 (makes about 5 cups)

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 large carrot, grated
• 1 medium zucchini, grated
• 1 red capsicum, diced
• 2 cubes frozen spinach, thawed
• 2/3 cup dry lentils, rinsed
  (either split lentils or whole if you can find them)
• 2 vegetable stock cubes
• 2 cups water
• 1 400g tin of diced tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 2 tsp Italian herbs
• 1 tsp dried basil

Method:

Heat a nonstick pan and add 1/4 cup of water (if you don't have non-stick add a few tsp of oil)
Sautee the onion, garlic, carrot, zucchini, capsicum, spinach for 5 minutes.
Add everything else and simmer for about 20 minutes until nice and thick.

Serve lentil bolognaise sauce over your favourite pasta. I prefer to add 1 cup of green beans to my pasta to bulk out

Optional - add 2 tsp of parmesan for 0.5pts

Not on Core? The total of this recipe is approx 5.5 pts, or about 1 pt a serve

Pasta is 3.5 pts for 75g dry weight
So, bolognaise sauce (1) + 75g pasta (3.5) + beans (0) = 4.5 pts or 5 pts with parmesan

Notes:

• Lentils - should always be rinsed before cooking as they often have dust and sometimes will have small stones. Split lentils reduce down to mush, which is not a bad thing, but I prefer the chewier texture of whole lentils which I get in a bulk bin from an organics shop for about $4 a kilo.
• Tinned cherry tomatoes - are a great alternative to diced tomatoes. I use Woolworth/Safeway Select brand, I have not seen them in Coles. Please note that the insides of cooked cherry tomatoes are hotter when you bite itno them than you may expect.

Recipe thanks to Fran, aka 10-12AGAIN

CORE Frozen Fruit Salad

An excellent way of dealing with fruit which ripes quickly in the heat.

And very refresing on a hot day

Serves: 1+ depending on amount of fruit used

Difficulty: Very Easy, but needs some lead time

Fruit which is great frozen:

• ripe banana/s - peeled and cut into slices about 1.5cm thick
  
• ripe stone fruit, like nectarines (leave skin on) or peaches (peel) - chop into slices/pieces, no more than 1cm thick, sprinke with lemon juice
  
• seedless grapes - stalk removed
  
• oranges - cut into slices/wedges no more than 1-1.5cm thick

Method:
Lay fruit out flat on a tray and freeze. When frozen you can put into a dry tub in the freezer.

Arrange as many peices and types of fruit as needed on a plate and eat with your fingers

Notes -

• If your freezer makes icecream rock hard, I'd suggest letting it sit for a few minutes before eating, otherwise eat straight away
  
• For kids or for some pizazz, thread fruit on a skewer and freeze
  
• You can also stick pop sticks into banana to make creamy "ice cream"

Core Chicken, Spinach and Ricotta Pasta

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red capsicum, chopped
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 cup cold roast chicken, skin removed and chopped
• 4 cubes frozen spinach
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1/2 cup frozen mint peas
• 1 cup frozen beans
• 10 large basil leaves, shredded
• 1/4 cup loosely packed parsley, shredded
• 2 tsp seeded mustard
• 1 x 250g tub Perfect Italiano Extra Light Ricotta
• 1/3 cup nonfat milk
• 200g dry pasta shells

Method:

Saute onion and capsicum in olive oil in a lage pan.
Add frozen vegies, and chicken and stir until warmed through.
Add rest of ingredients except pasta and stir through.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in pan of boiling water, drain, and add to the chicken ricotta mix.
Stir through and serve.

Optional - top with 1 tsp Parmesan cheese and 1 tsp almond flakes

Not on Core? The total of this recipe is 23 points (5.5 points per serve)

CORE Mango Frozen Yoghurt

I made this last week when had a Core friend over and she licked the bowl (see bottom)

Serves: 2 large servings of around 1 cup

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe mangos, chopped - 1 in freezer, 1 in fridge
• 1 x 200g/175g tub mango (or vanilla) diet yoghurt, frozen

Note - you could try frozen mango and unfrozen yoghurt - all depends on blender power

18 November - I tried 2/3 cup frozen berries and unfrozen yoghurt - yummy too, but a slightly gritty texture

Method:

Take frozen bits out of freezer and leave on bench for about 10-20 mins to soften.
In blender, blend unfrozen mango with frozen mango, then with frozen yoghurt.
You may need to add a few TB of fluid to get it moving, depending on power of your blender.
The object is to end up with a semi solid liquid like soft gelato

The crowning touch
Not Core, but totally lifts this into *extraordinary* for only half a point

Top with 1 tsp of flaked almonds and 1 tsp of Tia Maria or Grand Marnier (coffee or orange liquer) and a sprinkle with teeny pinch of cocoa or drinking chocolate (for colour)

This easy dessert gets Dr Lisa's stamp of approval!

Not on Core? The total of this recipe is approx 4.5 points (without toppings)

CORE Frappes

What's a Frappe?

It's a fancy word for grown up slushies :)

Below are a few of my favourite Frappe recipes - all are Core and for the Pointers, they max out at 1 to 1.5pts for the non-booze ones

Email me your favourite Frappe on dazeydee@adam.com.au and I'll add it

Serves: recipes serve 1-2

Difficulty: Very Easy

Method: add ingredients and blend until you can't hear ice rattling around.


COFFEE FRAPPE (base for other flavours)

• 2/3 cup Tone milk (or other nonfat milk)
• 6-8 ice cubes
• 1 - 1.5 tsp instant coffee
• sweetener to taste
• sprinkle of mixed spice or cinnamon (1/4-1/2tsp)
• 1 tsp vanilla essense

They came out so thick we couldn't suck through straws and ate with long spoons

MOCHA FRAPPE

• add 1 tsp cocoa to Coffee recipe

CHOCOLATE FRAPPE

• use 1-2 tsp cocoa instead of coffee

CHOCOLATE MINT FRAPPE

• use 1-2 tsp cocoa instead of coffee
• add about 6 mint leaves

VANILLA FRAPPE

• 2-3tsp vanilla essence instead of coffee
• use nutmeg instead of other spices

COFFEE AND BANANA FRAPPE

• add a banana (or a frozen banana) to the coffee recipe

MANGO FRAPPE

• 1 ripe mango (or tinned in juice, drained)
• ice
• you may need a dribble of water or juice to get the right consistency

APRICOT FRAPPE

• 6 pieces of tinned apricot in juice, drained
• ice
• you may need a dribble of water or juice to get the right consistency

SMOOTHIES

• omit coffee and add bananas, berries etc
• optional - add part yoghurt, part milk

ZERO POINT SLUSHIES

• ice
• 1/3 cup diet cordial
• 1/3 cup water
  

ZERO POINT FIZZY MOCKTAIL SLUSHIES

• ice
• 1/3 cup diet cordial
• 1/3 cup diet lemonade of other flavour

Blend ice and cordial, pour into glass and top with fizzy

MANGO DREAM FIZZY MOCKTAIL

• ice
• 1 ripe mango (or tinned in juice, drained)
• 1/3 cup diet lemonade

Blend ice and mango, pour into glass and top with fizzy. A little mint is lovely in this too.

BOOZE FRAPPES

More Points in these ones :)

TIPSY FRUIT FRAPPES #1

• ice
• 1 ripe mango (or tinned in juice, drained), or 6 pieces tinned apricots
• sparkling white wine

Blend ice and mango, pour into glass and top with fizzy. A little mint is lovely in this too.

TIPSY FRUIT FRAPPES #2

• ice
• 1 ripe mango (or tinned in juice, drained), or 6 pieces tinned apricots
• 1 nip vodka
• 1/3 cup diet lemonade (or try berry fizz)

Blend ice, vodka and mango, pour into glass and top with fizzy. A little mint is lovely in this too.

COFFEE FRAPPE COCKTAIL

• 2/3 cup Tone milk (or other nonfat milk)
• 6-8 ice cubes
• 1 - 1.5 tsp instant coffee
• sweetener to taste
• sprinkle of mixed spice or cinnamon (1/4-1/2tsp)
• 1 tsp vanilla essense
• 1 nip of vodka or clear chocolate/coffee liquer (the creamy ones like Baileys are more Points)

FIZZY COFFEE COCKTAIL (Black or White Russian)

• 6-8 ice cubes
• 1 nip of coffee liquer (not cream based)
• sweetener to taste
• sprinkle of mixed spice or cinnamon (1/4-1/2tsp)
• 1 tsp vanilla essense
• 1/3 cup diet lemonade or diet cola

Blend all except diet soda, pour into glass and top with fizzy.