Core Baked Egg, Vegies and Rocket

Serves: 1

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 30g rindless short cut bacon, sliced
• 1/4 onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup corn kernels
• 1 cube frozen spinach, defrosted
• handful rocket
• 1/2 small red capsicum, chopped
• oil spray
• 1 egg
• 2 roma tomatoes, chopped

If you have some beansprouts, chop them up a bit and throw in 1/2 cup for the "crunchy factor"

Method:
Spray frypan with oil spray and heat. Cook bacon, onion and capsicum until bacon browns, then take off heat.
Mix corn, spinach, tomatoes and rocket into bacon mix. Add pepper and salt.
Pour into ovenproof small baking dish (about 2 cup capacity), pushing down firmly with back of spoon.
Make a shallow depression in the middle and crack an egg into it.
Bake until egg white is cooked (15 - 30 m)

Not on Core? The total of this recipe is approx 2.5 points

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 Chicken, Ricotta & Rocket Pasta

This colourful pasta tastes as good as it looks.
Mild "creamy" ricotta sauce gets its flavour from the rocket

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 300 g chicken mince
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1/2 red capsicum, cut in strips
• 2 tsp crushed garlic
• 3 tsp olive oil
• 250 g pasta (spiral or penne)
• 1 large carrot (at lest 2cm thick), peeled
• 2 small/1 large zucchini
• 1/2 cup mint peas, frozen
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup frozen beans
• 1/2 bag rocket (about 50g)
• 1/2 a 250 g tub Perfect Italiano Light Ricotta
• 2 small or 1 large spring onion, sliced
• 2 tsp seeded mustard
• 3 tsp finely chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 c non-fat milk

Method:
Using a vegetable peeler, make ribbons of carrot and zucchini, ensuring some green skin is visible on each zucchini ribbon. Put ribbons in base of strainer/colander.
Heat a large frypan with the olive oil.
Fry the onion, garlic and capsicum until the onions go clear, then add chicken mince.
Meanwhile, boil a large pot of water and add pasta.
When chicken is cooked (chicken mince does not brown, it will still be white), add frozen vegies and a few TB of water to steam them.
When pasta is al dente (around 9 mins), pour into strainer over vegie ribbons, give a good shake and straight back to pan. Stir through rocket and set aside for a couple of minutes while you make the pasta sauce.
Add ricotta, milk, mustard, basil, spring onion and some cracked pepper to the chicken/veg mix and stir through.
Add sauce to pasta and stir through.
Serve immediately.

Optional - add 2 tsp of parmesan cheese for 0.5 pts (well worth it)

Not on Core? The total for this recipe is approx 25 points

CORE Quick Noodles - 10 mins - No preparation

This is a throw together meal using my favourites from the freezer.

No preparation. You can of course use fresh vegies etc.

Some of you girls know one of my lifesavers is cooking mince up with onion and garlic and freezing it in meal size portions. Another is frozen chopped onions and frozen bacon.

Serves: 2

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 packet of "savoury mince" (or 200g premium mince cooked in garlic and onion)
• 50 g frozen bacon pieces
• 100g frozen onions (or chopped fresh)
• 80g rice noodles
• 1 egg
• chinese 5 spice mix
• soy sauce
• frozen veg
• 1 tsp crushed garlic
• 1 tsp crushed ginger

Method:
Soak rice noodles in boiling water while your big frypan/wok is getting hot.
Scramble one egg in a little olive oil and put aside.
Add a couple of tsp olive oil and fry onion for a few mins, then add bacon (I add while still frozen), garlic and ginger.
If it starts to stick, add a few TB of water
Meanwhile microwave frozen mince for 1 min to defrost, then add to pan.
Microwave frozen vegies until just defrosted. I used approx 1 cup beans, 1/2 c corn, 1/2 c mint peas.
Sprinkle the mince/onion/bacon mix with Chinese 5 spice mix (a good couple of tsp) and add a splash of soy and a splash of water.
Add vegies and stirfry for a few mins.
Drain noodles. I cut mine up a bit with scissors. Add to pan, add scrambled egg mix, cook a min or 2 and serve (optional - drizzle of soy)

Not on Core? The total of this recipe is 13.5 pts, plus points for corn or peas if used

CORE Fruit Salad Chicken Curry

Ok, this sounds totally weird, but is only Apricot Chicken with pineapple and orange.
A sweet and mild curry

Serves: 4-6

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 500g chicken thigh fillets, diced
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 x 410 g tin of apricots in juice
• 1 x 225 g tin of pineapple pieces in juice
• 2 small oranged, peeled and diced
• 3 tsp mild curry powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1 1/5 tsp cummin powder
• 3 cups stir fry vegies
• Optional - splenda

Method:
Cook chicken and onion in olive oil.
Add fruit and cook for 5-10 mins with lid off.
Add spices and vegies and cook for a further 10 mins.
Optional - add a few tsp of Splenda

Serve on a bed of rice

CORE Morrocan Pumpkin & Roast Capsicum Soup

Serves: 4+ as mains (lunch), 6+ as starter course.

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 750 g butternut pumpkin
• 350 g carrot
• 350 g sweet potato, peeled
• 1/2 onion
• 4 chicken stock cubes (vegetarians - use vegetable stock)
  
• Morrocan spice mix
• cracked pepper
• parsley, chopped or dried
• 1 large red capsicum or 2 small ones
• oil spray

Method:
Deseed pumpkin and chop into 1 inch chunks, leaving skin on.
Chop other vegies to about an inch
Add to pot with stock and 6 cups boiling water
Simmer with lid on for about an hour, then take off heat and cool

Meanwhile, deseed the capsicum and cut into wide strips. Put in one layer on baking tray and spray lightly with oil. Bake for close to an hour, until there is some blackening around the edges.

Blend all and put in another pot or bowl.
Add cracked pepper, some parsley (for colour mainly) and Moroccan spice. The amount of Moroccan spice will depend on brand, mine was 6 tsp. Add 3 tsp and taste before adding more.

Note - it is important for the soup to have cooled somewhat before putting in the blender as hot air rises, blowing the top off the blender and decorating your roof. If in a hurry, seperate vegies and broth and it cools quicker (about 10-15 mins, instead of about an hour)

Not on Core? The total for this recipe is approx 8 pts

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 Nicoise Style Tuna Salad

Serves: 1

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 cup lettuce, shredded
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1 100g tuna in springwater, drained
• 1/2 cup frozen beans, defrosted
• 1/4 cup frozen corn, defrosted
• 6 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 boiled egg, cut into wedges
• Your favourite Core dressing

Dressing ideas:

• 1 TB olive oil, juice from 1 lemon
• low fat natural yoghurt, garlic, pepper
• Kraft 99% fat free Caesar or Ranch Dressing - 2 TB is 0.5 pts

Method:
Mix beans, corn, lettuce and carrot in bottom of bowl.

Top with the cherry tomatoes, egg and drizzle with dressing

Not on Core? The total for this recipe is approx 2.5 - 3.0 pts, plus dressing

CORE Breakfast Mousse

This is similar to Oats and Yoghurt Slice but has been blended for a smooth consistency.

Serves: 2

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 packet diet apricot and peach jelly
• 1 200 g tub vanilla Nestle Diet yoghurt
• 1 snack pack size tub/can peaches in juice
• 100g quick oats
• 3 tsp Splenda
• Optional - chopped fruit to top

Method:
Dissolve jelly in 1 cup boiling water, mix with stab mixer.
Add peaches and oats and blend. Add yoghurt and Splenda and blend again.
Pour into 2 glasses and set in fridge overnight.

Not on Core? The total of this recipe is approx 7 points or 3.5 points per serve

Alternatives: Mix up your flavours.
I used peach and apricot because that's what I had.
Try raspberry jelly and strawberry yoghurt, melon jelly and vanilla yoghurt, port wine and vanilla yoghurt, orange-mango jelly with mango yoghurt, lemon jelly and vanilla yoghurt (it's "almost" a lemon cheesecake)
I don't recommend lime - bright green food is so wrong if you are out of junior primary school!

CORE Chicken Stirfry w Orange & Cori

The nest of lettuce and carrot is very filling and crunchy and a nice textural change to the noodles with the orange and coriander flavour

Serves: 6 in nest, 4 without

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 400g chicken breast, sliced thin
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 small oranges, peeled and segmented
• 1/2 cup coriander, chopped
• 150g rice vermicelli noodles
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1 TB olive oil
• 4 cups stir fry vegetables (I used broccoli, cauliflower, capsicum, brussell sprouts and 1/2 cup frozen corn)
• 3 spring onions, chopped
• Optional - 1 tsp chilli flakes
• lettuce shredded, about 2 cups (for nest)
• carrot, grated, about 1 1/2 cups (for nest)

Method:
Add oil to wok and heat.
Stirfry chicken, onion, garlic and oranges until chicken is cooked.
Add vegies, soy sauce and herbs and stir fry for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile put the noodles into a bowl and cover with boiling water for 5 mins, then drain.
Line a bowl with shredded lettuce like a nest, then line with the carrot (this half fills the bowl so you have a much smaller serve of stirfry)
Add the noodles to the strifry and warm through (add chilli if using - is very mild).
Serve stir fry in lettuce and carrot nest.

Not on Core? The total points for this recipe is 23
(with 1/2 cup corn and free point vegies)

CORE Risotto with Chargrilled Capsicums

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 250 g premium beef mince
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
• 1 tin diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1/2 cup frozen peas (try mint)
• 1-2 cups frozen or grated vegies
• Italian herbs mix
• 4 beef stock cubes
• 4 tsp olive oil
• 2 TB tomato paste
• chargrilled capsicums, sliced into strips (about 1 1/2 capsicums)

Method:
Fry beef, onion and garlic in large nonstick pot with 1tsp oil and put aside.
Using same pan, turn down to medium, add the remaining oil and the dry rice.
Stir to coat with oil, and fry for about 3 or 4 minutes.
Add 2 cups of water and beef stock and simmer for 10 minues until most water has absorbed.
Add tomatoes and tomato paste and cook for another 5-10 minutes, adding a splash more water if it looks a little dry.
Add frozen or grated vegies, beef mix, capsicums and a good sprinkle of italian herbs mix and cook for 5 minutes, stirring.
Again, add a little water if it starts to stick.

Not on Core? The total for this recipe is approx 26 points

CORE Chargrilled Capsicums

I do big batches in the Foreman grill or the oven.
This is ideal when capsicums are out cheap.

These capsicums are great in salads, anti-pasto platters, sandwiches (my fave is roast beef, capsicum, cottage cheese and salad) and add lovely flavour to Italian style meals like risotto, pastas and pizza.

Hint - I do a big batch, and freeze in small portions.

Serves: n/a

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 kg red capsicums
• spray oil
• 1 pack french onion soup mix

Method:
Core and seed capsicums.
Cut into long strips, trying to cut down the ribs so you have about 4 semi flat strips per capsicum

Foreman Grill:
Heat the Foreman, and spray with oil.
Spray capsicum strips with oil on skin side, place skin down on the Foreman, spray inside and sprinkle inside/top with some French Onion soup mix.
Grill each batch for 9-12 minutes until there are some black stripes on the skin.

Oven:
Line an baking tray with alfoil.
Spray capsicum strips with oil on skin side, place skin down on the tray, spray inside and sprinkle inside/top with some French Onion soup mix. Bake for 45 - 50 mins at 200*C.

Both:
Put 2 layers of paper towel onto a dinner plate and put batch 1 on this.
Cover with another 2 layers and gently press down.
Repeat until all capsicums are done, and layered on plate between paper towel.
Cool, cover with plastic wrap and fridge.

Keeps well in fridge for about a week. Freezes very well (I use those tiny 100mltubs that aren't good for much else)

Not on Core? These are virtually point free.
A pack of F O Soup is 2.0 pts, plus a little oil spray

CORE Shepherds Pie

Instructions are for individual bowls, but you can make one to share

Pictured with optional cheese

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 500g premium mince (or savoury mince mix with garlic and onion from the freezer)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic
• 5 cups frozen or chopped fresh vegies
• 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
• 4 TB tomato paste
• 2 TB gravy powder
• 500g potato, peeled, chopped into 1cm cubes
• nonfat milk
• mixed herbs/Italian herbs 1 tsp
• cracked pepper
• Optional - sprinkle top of each bowl with 15g Coon Light and Tasty Cheese (1.5 pts)

Method:
Put potato onto boil. When done, drain and mash with a drizzle of nonfat milk.
Meanwhile, cook mince with garlic and onion until brown.
Steam vegies in a large microwave bowl.
Add mince mix to warm vegies, add tomato paste, gravy and herbs and microwave for a few minutes. note - if vegies were fairly dry, add a few TB of water to allow the gravy to form.
Spoon vegies and mince into 4 bowls. Top with mashed potato and smooth down.
Using a fork, draw lines or squiggles on top of potato.
Top with cheese if using.
Place under hot grill for a few minutes to brown the potato/cheese.
Remove with oven mitts and serve.

Not on Core? The total of this recipe is approx 23 points (5.5 pts each)
You can reduce points value by using a bit less less mince or potato

Tip 7 - Thin sliced meat for stirfry

It is much easier to cut meats really thin by cutting when still half frozen.

Tip 6 - Onions

I hate cutting onions. My hands absorb the smell and stink for days.

So I buy chopped onion from the freezer. I also keep a pack of French Onion soup around too.

Tip 5 - Olive oil sprayer

Invest in an oil sprayer. I have an aluminium one that you pump up for pressure. It was about $15 from a kitchen shop. The cheap plastic ones don't work so well.

I prefer using pure olive oil than using spray cans.

Tip 4 - Sliced ham

While I prefer freshly shaved ham, I also keep a packet of the packaged sliced ham (dairy cabinet) in the fridge. It usually keeps a month or so. It's good for sandwiches, core pizza, cooking etc.

Tip 3 - Frozen bacon pieces

I buy a "handful" of premium bacon strips from the deli and freeze them. If you don't squish it, you can easily break of a section for your eggs, risotto etc

Tip 2 - Frozen Savoury Mince

Cook up a few kilos of premium beef mince with garlic and onions.
Portion into snaplock bags and freeze in meal sized serves (eg 100-150g per family member). For a household of 2, I usually package in 250-300g bags

You can make dozens of meals in a real hurry when you have savoury mince.

Some ideas:

• Spaghetti Bolognaise
• "Hamburgers" - defrost beef on low, stir through a egg or 2 and fry in egg rings
• Hokkien noodles (use frozen vegies and soy sauce - yum)
• Wraps - warm mince, cottage cheese (low fat cheddar if you're happy to use some points), salad.
• Beef Yiros (souvlaki, donner, gyro etc) lettuce, tomato and Hommus or fat free ranch dressing (0.5pt for 2 TB Kraft 99% FF)
• Minestrone soup
• Chilli con carne
• Cottage / Shepherds pie
• Pastie slices - 2 rye mountain breads on top of each other for strength - diced canned tomatoes, defrosted frozen vegies and roll it up like a swiss roll (a little water to seal). Bake or nuke.
• Out of sandwich meat for the family? This makes awesome sandwiches, but needs "something" to stick to the bread (cottage cheese, marg, BBQ/tomato sauce, relishes, mayo etc)
• Tacos / burritos / tortillas. Mix in a can of 3 bean mix, cumin, chilli, some tomato, lettuce, salsa and cheese. (I use rye mountain bread and cottage to stay pure Core)

From HIGHSCHOOLTEACHER

• With a little tomato paste, savoury mince is greta in jaffles (mg bread of course)
• Add some curry poweder or curry paste and serve with rice - good for the nights you're in a hurry but want something a little spicy.
• Meatballs (to add to pasta and tomato sauce) - by adding some cooked rice and an egg to the mix, shaping into balls and broning in a frypan.
• Cooking up portions of minced lamb or even chicken (ask the butcher to run a couple of trimmed chicken breasts through the mincer) makes a nice change. The lamb is lovely with tomatoes, sliced eggplant and LF ricotta ( a sort of moussaka) while the chicken makes tasty patties etc.

Tip 1 - Core Bricks

A Core brick is a frozen tub of leftovers. Freeze in rectangular tubs and they look like bricks (hurt like them if they fall out the freezer too).

Cook a little extra and freeze a brick or 2 for the night you can't be stuffed cooking, or the family is having pizza. Or you just want a hot lunch on a cold day. Really, any of the "wet" dishes brick up nicely like casseroles, soups, curry, pasta etc