Core Chicken and Roast Capsicum Bread Scrolls (Multigrain)

This little scrolls go nicely with a bowl of winter vegetable soup.

Also great for party nibblies (this size or smaller)

Note: You can also substitute white bread mix instead of multigrain, but it won't be Core. Points will be about the same

Makes: 24 small scrolls (about 6-8cm), or make larger if you prefer
Difficulty: Medium
Cooking time: 25 mins + 2+ hours preparation time

Ingredients:

• 500g multigrain bread mix
• water and dry yeast ** 20 ml LESS water than instructions and 1/2 tsp MORE yeast **
• 120g baked/grilled chicken breast, diced small
• 2/3 a 300g jar of El Paso Roast Capsicum Salsa
• 30g extra sharp grated shredded parmesan (you want the one in 'sticks' not like powder - Milel and Perfect Italiano brands are good)
• Optional - 1 TB dried onion flakes

Method:
Follow instructions on bread premix to make dough and rise once -  BUT use 20 ml LESS water than instructions and 1/2 tsp MORE yeast. (If using a bread maker, put on dough setting which takes about 1.5 hours).
Option - If using onion flakes, mix into the dough with other dry ingredients
Meanwhile combine chicken and salsa.
Line a baking tray or lamington/swiss roll tray with baking paper.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface and cut in half.
Roll out one piece of dough to a rectangle about 20cm wide.
Spread half of the chicken mix onto the dough, leaving 1cm on one long side, and 4cm on the other.
Sprinkle with 1/3 of the parmesan,
Starting from the long side with the 1cm border, gently start rolling the dough up like a swiss roll.
Using a very sharp knife or dough cutter, cut into 3 pieces, then cut each piece into 4, making 12 pices, probably 1.5-2cm high.
To make large scrolls, cut only into 6 or 8 taller pieces.
Place onto tray so that there is barely half centimeter between each piece. This is important so the scrolls rise up instead of out. In a swiss roll tray, I packed 4 x 6.
Repeat with the other piece of dough.
Put a pinch of the remaining parmesan on the top of each scroll.
Put somewhere warm to rise until they are at least half as big again. They should be touching now.
Bake at 200*C for 20-25 minutes until golden brown

On Core? The parmesan is only 2.5 pts for the whole receipe , so no need to count. 2-3 of the small size scrolls= 2 bread allowance.

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe depends on the bread mix used

CORE Roast Vegetable Frittata (LO)

Suitable for Lacto Ovo Vegetarians

Lovely served hot or cold
Note - Pictured with only 2/3 covered with tomato as hubby doesn't like tomato

Serves: 6 - 8

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 200 g Potato (1 large or 2 small), diced to 1cm
• 200 g Sweet Potato (1/2 large or 2 small), diced to 1cm
• 400 g Carrot (3-4 medium or 2 large), diced to 1cm
• 3 medium red capsicums, deseeded, diced to 1.5cm
• 2 small zucchini, grated
• 1 bunch of spinach, chopped fine (or 200 g frozen spinach, defrosted)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 100 g frozen corn kernels (2/3 cup)
• 4 Eggs
• 200 g fat free natural yoghurt (I used Jalna)
• * 60 g Light Mozzarella (3/4 cup loosely packed), grated (3.5 pts)
• 3 ripe tomatoes, sliced
• herbs - parsley, Italian herbs, basil, oregeno
  (I used 2tsp dry parsley, 2tsp dry basil and cracked pepper)

Method:

Line 2 baking trays with baking paper, spay lightly with oil
Spread chopped potato, sweet potato, capsicum and carrot into single layer.
Spray lightly with oil and bake at 180*C for 25-30 mins until lightly golden. Allow to partially cool (so it doesn't set the egg)
In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs, yoghurt and herbs.
Add the onion, grated zucchini, spinach and corn and stir well with a wooden spoon.
Add the roasted vegies and mix well.
Put in a large baking dish (lasagna tray size) and gently press down with a spoon or potato masher, until there is a thin wet egg layer on top.
Top with sliced tomatoes and sprinkle with cheese.
Bake at 180*C for 30 to 35 minutes or until egg mixture is set and top golden.
Stand for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.
Serve with a crisp green salad

On Core? You need to count the cheese 3.5 pts/6 or 8 servings = 0.5 pts per serve
Without the cheese on the top, it is totally Core

Not on Core? The total of this recipe is 17 pts.
6 servings = 3 pts per serve, 8 servings = 2 pts per serve

Almost CORE Zucchini Slice (LO)

Suitable for Lacto Ovo Vegetarians (eggs and cheese)

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• * 1/2 cup self-raising white flour (3 pt)
• 3 egg
• * 60 g grated Light Mozzarella (3.5pt)
• 1 cup Pura No Fat Tone Milk
• 50 g Corn Kernels, defrosted
• 1 cube frozen spinach, defrosted
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 1 cup zucchini, grated
• 6 basil leaves chopped
• pepper

NonVegetarian Optional - add 50g diced bacon

Method:

Mix egg, milk, flour until smooth
Mix through other ingredients with a fork.
Pour into a baking dish spayed with oil and bake at 180* for 30-40 mins (or into large 1 cup muffin trays and bake 25 mins

Total recipe = 13.5 pts serving 3.5 pts per serve

Core/Simply Filling = 6.5 pts/4 servings = 1.5 pts each

CORE Savoury Beef & Veg Crepes

Pictured with optional light mozarella topping (+1 pt)

Serves: 14-ish crepes depending on size (I ate 4)

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• Basic crepe recipe cooked as per recipe
• 200g premium mince fried with half an onion (aka savoury mince mix)
• 1 cup vegies chopped small (I used frozen mixed veg)
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 1 cube frozen spinach
• 1/2 cup plain tomato pasta sauce (like Sugo Bello)
• Italian herbs mix
• 1 Spring onion

Method:
Microwave the mixed vegies, spinach and corn.
Add the beef mince, tomato sauce, spring onion and herbs and mix. Allow to cool as hot filling and fingers don't mix.
Spoon 2-3 heaped teaspoons of the beef mince in a line down the center of the crepe, roll up and place on serving plate, 4 or 5 to a serve.

Optional - sprinkle with 20g shaved light mozzarella (+1 pt) and 1-2 TB of the tomato sauce.

Microwave for 1:30 - 2:00 minutes and serve

Not on Core? The total of the beef mix is approx 8 points + the total of the crepes 9 = 17 points to make 14 crepes (2.5pts for 2)

CORE - The Perfect Omelette

Serves: 1
Instructions are for 1 x 2 egg omelette in a bread and butter plate skillet. Double for a 4 egg omelette in a dinner plate sized pan.

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• olive oil or spray

Method:
There are 2 keys to the perfect omelette:
(1) use a non stick pan
(2) for every egg you use a half egg shell of water - thank you year 9 Home Ec teacher! This works for any type or size of egg (I've done with duck eggs)

Spray pan with oil (or use paper towel).
Heat pan on high (eg 8/10 setting) until pan is very hot.
Add 2 eggs and 2 half eggshells of water to a bowl and whisk (or blender or shake) until very fluffy.
Pour into pan, gently rolling the pan to give good coverage (it should look like a weird cappacino).
Turn down to medium-low (eg 2/10) and cook without a lid until only the top 1mm or so isn't set (the fluff will still be there).
Sprinkle with salt/pepper/herbs and spread "filling" on half of the omellet (warm it a little if you are putting heaps in)
Cook a further couple of minutes until egg is set and doesn't look "wet"
With a big spatula (try 2 spatulas for large omelettes), fold in half and slide onto plate.
Serve immediately! Omelettes lose their fluffiness if they sit.

Filling suggestions:

• grated low fat cheese (family friendly). You could also add bacon or ham
• ricotta/cottage cheese, tomatoes (deseed), Italian herbs, bacon
• asparagus, corn, capsicum and salsa
• cooked mushrooms
• mince, salsa, baked beans
• ham, mushrooms, olives, tomato, pineapple, touch of grated cheese, Italian herbs (think like calzone - your favourite pizza flavour is great!)
• left over roast chicken, and chopped vegies with cottage cheese
• have a half serve of "left overs"? Many leftovers can be used in omelettes (ask, "would I put it in a toasted sandwich?")
• MY FAVE - cottage cheese, smoked chicken breast, asparagus, corn, capsicum, spring onion, basil

If you put a decent filling in, you probably won't want toast with it.

Not on Core? The basic omelette is approx 3 points for 2 eggs, plus whatever you use as filling

CORE Ricotta Pizza

Pictured with light wholemeal pita (1.5 pts)

Serves: 1 - 2 (2 small pizzas)

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 50 g rindless shortcut bacon (3 slices), sliced
• 2 small rye pita bread (or white or wholemeal - Points)
• 1/4 jar mild salsa
• 75g Perfect Italiano Light Ricotta (1/3 a 250g tub)
• 1 tsp crushed garlic
• 1 spring onion
• 2 small Roma tomatoes, sliced
• 1/4 small onion, sliced
• 1/4 capsicum, sliced (or grilled capsicum)
• 1/2 tsp rosemary ground
• 1 tsp Italian herbs
• other points-free vegies like olives, mushrooms, asparagus etc

Method:
Put pita on oven tray and spread thickly with salsa
Mix ricotta, garlic and rosemary and dollop over pita bases.
Sprinkle ham, onion, spring onions, capsicums and other vegies.
Add tomato and sprinle with herbs.
Bake on high for about 10 mins.

Not on Core? Each pizza is approx 3 pts

CORE Toasted Ham and Cheese Wrap

Serves: 1

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 rye mountain bread
• 30 g shaved ham
• 1/4 cup corn kernels
• 5 asparagus spears (or 15 asparagus tips), dried on paper towel
• 3 TB low fat cottage cheese
• 1/2 tomato, chopped
• 4 basil leaves
• 1/2 spring onion, chopped
• 4 olives, sliced, dried on paper towel
• capsicum strips
• Italian herbs mix, sprinkle

Method:
Lay mountain bread out flat.
Arrange all in layers through the middle third of the wrap, finishing with the ham.
Gently roll up and place on a baking tray so the bottom is 2 layers of wrap, then the ham. This stops it going soggy. (Yes, ham is pictured on top and yes it was a tad soggy).
Bake at 180*C for 10-15 minutes until crispy.

CORE Ricotta Quiches

Serves: 10 mini quiche

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 x 250g Perfect Italiano Light Ricotta
• 10 slices of smoked leg Ham - see note
• 1 carrot grated
• 1 zucchini grated
• 1/2 cup corn kernels
• 3 TB chopped parsley
• 1 spring onion, chopped
• ground pepper
• 1 tsp dried Italian herb mix
• 5 cherry tomatoes, halved

Optional - you could also add finely chopped capsicum, mushroom, aparagus etc.

Note re ham
To get a nice scalloped shaped shell for the quiche, I recommend using small round ham. I used a 100g packet of Don's Honey Ham from the dairy cabinet.

Method:
Spray 1/2 cup muffin tins with oil spray and place a slice of ham in 10 holes
Mix eggs and ricotta well, then add all ingredients apart from cherry tomatoes and mix.
With a soup spoon, distribute mix into ham shells.
Top with half a cherry tomato sprinkle a few flakes of Italian herbs on the tomato.
Push the tomato down into the ricotta mix with the back of the spoon.
Lightly spray top with oil.
Bake at 180*C for 35-40 mins.
Put under griller if you want more golden colour

Any left over mixture can be baked in a greased muffin tray without the ham for a yummy patty.

Not on Core? The total of this recipe is 9 points, or 1 pt per quiche

Work Day Lunches in 2 mins

You know how it is - you wake late, or wake on time but have something which delays = no time to pack a "real" lunch to take to work.

What do you do when you:

• have 2 minutes at home to grab what you need
• have a few minutes to prepare at work with a limited kitchen - microwave, kettle and toaster with limited implements

The following suggestions come from the Core boards.

If you have a suggestion, please email dazeydee@adam.com.au and I'll add it in

• Soup
  Grab a can of vegie soup and a wholegrain roll or bread to warm up in microwave
  
• Leftovers
  Grab last night's leftovers to warm up in microwave
  
• Core brick
  When you cook, cook extra and freeze up
  
• CousCous and Tuna (hot)
  Grab 1/3 cup couscous and put in a tub. Grab a small can of tuna in springwater and a bag of the steamfresh vegies. At work - add 1/3 cup boiling water to couscous, microwave vegies, drain tuna, mix up and eat
  
• Tuna/Salmon sandwich
  Grab can of fish and 2 slices of bread (or equiv crispbread), and a tomato
  
• Chick pea salad
  Open and drain a can of chick peas - throw into medium size container with sliced up salad vegies and sprinkle sliced olives on the top.
  
• Banana hot/cold sandwich
  Grab 2 slices of bread and a banana. Mash/slice the banana onto the bread/toast or put in toastie / jaffle machine (if available)
  
• Baked Beans on toast
  Grab small tin of baked beans and 2 slices of bread. Toast bread, warm beans
  
• Miso soup
  Grab packet of miso soup. Grab rice if you have some left over, otherwise bread. Add boiled water to soup mix, nuke rice or make toast
  
• Noodle soup with toast
  Grab packet of Continental "Lots a noodles oriental beef", 2 slices MG bread, 2 tbsp low fat cottage cheese, Marmite. Add boiling water to soup mix. Toast MG bread and spread with marmite then cottage cheese
  

Thanks to the following for their suggestions: JW2008, CATHERINEJ, NZMUM1, LORANCE