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

Core Chicken Paella

Serves: 6-8

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1 large red capsicum, diced
• 1TB olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 500g chicken mince
• 1 1/2 cups brown rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 x 400g tin diced tomatos
• 6 saffron threads (optional)
• 3 chicken stock cubes
• 1 tsp paprika
• 3 cups cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 cup frozen beans
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 2 carrots, grated
• 1/8 cabbage shredded

Optional: chilli to taste

Method:

Heat a large non-stick pan, add oil, then onions, garlic, capsicums and fry for 3 minutes.
Add chicken mince and fry until chicken is no longer pink.
Add rice, water, tomatoes, saffron, paprika and stock.
Bring to boil, cover and reduce heat to low, simmering for 40 minutes until almost all the stock is absorbed.
Optional - add chilli (I used 1/2 tsp dried chilli for a mild 'tang')
Add cauliflower and frozen vegies and simmer for 5 mins.
Stir through carrot and cabbage. Turn heat off and allow to sit for a few minutes until wilted.

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 31pts. Serving 6 = 5pts/serve, serving 8 = 4pts

Core Slow Cooker Mexican Turkey

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 450g diced turkey, frozen or thawed
• 2 TB dried onion (or 2 small onions diced - I ran out of onions)
• 1 tsp chilli flakes (note - adjusted down to mild-medium heat. You could taste 1hr before serving and add a bit more if needed)
• 1 tsp coarse ground black pepper
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp dried chicken stock/ 2 stock cubes
• * 1/2 cup dry kidney beans (or 1 cup tinned, drained and rinsed)
• 2 tins tomato (I used 1 tin of diced and 1 of cherry tomatoes)

Method:
* Pre-work: dry kidney beans should not be put into the slow cooker dry as temperature doesn't reach 100*C needed to degrade a natural toxin which can cause severe gastric upset. They need to be preboiled for at least 10 minutes to ensure food safety. I boil for 20 minutes, then leave covered on the stove overnight. If you can't be bothered, you can use canned which have been boiled.

In the morning, throw all into the crockpot and turn on low.
Frozen turkey - cook for 10+ hours, defrosted 6+

Serve over rice wide a side of steamed vegies

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 12.5pts or 3 pts per serve

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

CORE Mexican Beef & Bean Pies

A lovely alternative to Tacos or burritos. They look good enough for company, are very tasty and 100% Core using Rye Mountain bread.
I've also included instructions for family friendly versions using tortillas and tasty cheese.

Serves: 6+ people, 12 pies (suggest serve 2 for adults, 1 for children)

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 500g premium beef mince (or savoury mince from freezer)
• 2 onions, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 tins 4 bean mix, or 1 of kidney beans and 1 of bean mix
• 2 tin crushed tomatoes
• 4 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp paprika
• 20 - 30 drops Tabasco (30 was quite mild - we poured hot chili sauce over the top for some "kick")
• 1 cup frozen corn
• Rye Mountain bread to keep Core (Corn Tortillas for the family) - 1 or 2 each person
• shredded lettuce, about 2 cups
• 3 tomatoes, cut into wedges
• cottage cheese for Core (grated tasty cheese for the family)
• Optional - grated carrot

Method:
In a large pan, heat the oil and fry mince, onions and garlic until brown.
Add beans, tomatoes, spices, corn and 1 can worth of water. Add 10 drops of Tabasco sauce to start. Simmer for 10-15 mins until most fluid is absorbed. Test "heat" and add more Tabasco if needed.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180*C
Drape mountain bread or tortillas inside cup oven proof bowls. I used pasta/noodle bowls.
Bake for 10 mins until golden (15 for tortillas).
Put the shells onto plates, line with shredded lettuce and carrot.
Spoon beef and bean mix in middle, top with cheese and tomato.
Optional - if you like it hot, drizzle hot chilli sauce over the top

Not on Core? Each pie is approx 3.5 points

Baking the shells

CORE Chilli Carne Soup

Serves: 8 as starter course, 4-6 as mains

This bulks out well with vegies if you need it to stretch out. Fresh, frozen or leftover vegies, throw them in...

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 250g premium mince
• 1 garlic clove, chopped/grated/pressed
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 6 cup beef stock
• small sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes (approx 300g)
• 1 x 400g mixed beans or kidney beans, rinsed
• 1 x 400g tin crushes/diced tomatoes
• 2 cubes frozen spinach (100g)
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper *
• 1 cup frozen beans
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels (or tin)

*Go easy with cayenne pepper, it's powerful stuff! You can always add more, but you can't take any out! At 1/2 tsp, it is quite mild, so try this first.
I use 1 1/2 tsp cayenne as I like a bit of spice

Method:
Brown beef, onions and garlic in 3 TB of water.
Add tomatoes, tinned beans, frozen spinach, stock and sweet potato and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add rest of ingredients and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

Not on Core? The total for this recipe is 17 points.

CORE One Pot Chilli with Barley

It's a bigger serve than it looks - about 2 cups worth (serving 4)

Serves: 4 - 6

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 500 g lean beef mince
• 3 tsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 cups crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup pearl barley (or brown/white rice)
• 2-3 cups of mixed vegies, chopped to 1cm cubes
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1 can kidney beans or mixed 4 beans, drained and rinsed (or baked beans)
• 3 tsp cumin
• 2 beef stock cubes
• chilli - amount depends on your taste - start with 1 tsp for mild, more for wild

Method:
Fry mince, onion and garlic with oil.
Add tomato and barley, stock cube and 1 cup water. Cook at medium (covered to stop the tomato volcano mess) for 25 mins, stirring occassionally and adding more water if necessary
Add vegies, including tinned beans, and stock and cook for 5 mins until tender.
Add chilli to your strength (I use 3 tsp crushed chilli for medium) and cumin and cook for another 5 mins

Optional - serve on a bed of bean sprouts or baby spinach

Not on Core? This recipe total is 23 points
(assuming the 2-3 cups vegies are "free vegies")

Serving idea (great for kids)
Get a bread roll (grain of course for Core peoples) and make a hole in the side towards the top with a knife or apple corer. Pull out some of the bread, fill with warm chilli mix and put plug back in (use a toothpick to hold in if needed). Put in hot oven for a few minutes until crunchy and serve on a paper towel/serviette.
PS - A great way to "hide" the vegies for kids
PPS - Great for party finger food, using dinner size rolls
PPSS - Freeze the bread gizzards for next time you need breadcrumbs