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

CORE Curried Cauliflower and Lentil Soup

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1TB curry powder
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1 TB rolled oats
• 1TB cumin
• 1/4 cup red lentils
• 700g cauliflower

Method:

Heat oil and cook onion for 5 mins until softened
Add garlic and curry, stir for 30 secs
Add stock, cauli, oats, lentils and cumin
Simmer for 30 mins
Blend and serve with parsley and salt and pepper

Optional: This is really nice with a little grated low fat cheese (10g Coon Extra Light and tasty = 0.5pts)

CORE Roast Vegetables with Sea Salt and Rosemary

Serves: depends on quantity made

Hint: Make double (or triple) then tomorrow all you need to do is grill up some meat and dinner is done!

Freezes well

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

Whatever roast vegetables your family likes - great with just potatoes, or a mix of all

• Any or all of these vegies: Potato, Pumpkin, Carrots, Parsnip, Onion, Capsicum, Sweet potato
• Olive oil (or oil spray)
• Sea salt
• Twig of rosemary (or dried Mixed/Italian herbs)

Method:

Peel vegies which need peeling, and cut into cubes about 2-3cm. (I prefer skin on pumpkin for that lovely nutty flavour, but depends on your family). Capsicum should be deseeded and cut into chunks. Onions should be peeled and whole if small, or quartered.
Get out a large flat lasagna style dish (not metal if possible) and spray the base with oil.
Add vegies in one layer if possible.
Sprinkle with rosemary or dried herbs and about 2 TB salt.
Bake at 200*C until golden (30-40 mins for 2-3 cm cubes, more if chunkier)

Note
For a nice treat, spray and sprinkle some cherry tomatoes.

CORE Peach / Apricot Mousse

This is a great recipe when you have visitors, as it separates into 3 layers and looks like you've spent all day making a fancy layered dessert. It doesn't tend to layer well in wide glass bowls, so if for dessert, I suggest using plain el cheapo juice glasses (like the ones jam come in). You can use champagne glasses if you like, but they don't fit well in my fridge.

Is is also Core for snacks - put in plastic containers or disposable plastic glasses.

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 2 x 200 g Yoplait ForMe yoghurt in apricot, peach or vanilla flavour
• 2 x sachets Aeroplane Peach Apricot Diet Jelly
• 1 x 400g can (or half a big can) of peaches or apricots in juice

Optional - a few drops of sweetener

Method:

Empty the jelly crystals into a heatproof mixing bowl with a capacity of at least 2l.
Add 1 cup of boiling water and use stab mixer to mix.
Add 1 cup of cold water.
Optional - if using sweetener, add here. I only use if having regular people for dinner who expects sweets to be ummm......sweet :)
Leave on bench and allow to cool to room temp (1 hour or so)
Meanwhile, drain the canned peaches/apricots. Slice half and arrange at the bottom of the glasses. It is OK for a little juice to be pooled around them - for some strange reason it seems to cause a layer.
When the jelly mix is cool, add the rest of the tinned peaches/apricots and blend.
Add the yoghurt and blend. Tilt the blender at an angle to it breaks the surface of the mix to add air to the mix. It needs bubbles on the top. (You can put in fridge for 30 mins and blend if you don't get bubbles).
Pour into the glasses with fruit and put in fridge to set for a few hours.

Notes:
You can use whatever flavour canned fruit, jelly or yoghurt you have to hand to make interesting flavour combos, however, I do not recommend using lime jelly (green colour is way too weird). If using a strong flavoured jelly, go for vanilla flavoured yoghurt to tone down a bit.

I also do not recommend using berries as you get that gritty seeds messing up the smooth texture (like in smoothies).
I also do not recommended any type of acidic fresh fruit like oranges or kiwi as it might make the yoghurt separate (and they have enzymes which can break down the setting power of gelatine).
You could use fresh stoned fruit which has been peeled and steamed.

Not on Core? The total of this recipe is approx 4 points

CORE Sweet Breakfast Couscous

Serves: 3-4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry couscous
• 1 cup hot really strong diet cordial (double strength)
• fruit
• nonfat yoghurt

Method:

Mix, water and couscous and cover for 5 mins.
Optional - add sweetener and/or cinnamon
Serve with fresh, canned or stewed fruit and 100g - 200g yoghurt

You can get some great combinations. Some of my faves:

• Diet pine/lime cordial, vanilla yoghurt and tinned pineapple
• Berries cordial, cherry or berry yoghurt and frozen berries or stewed plums
• Fruit cup cordial, peach/mango yoghurt and oranges

Not on Core? The couscous in diet cordial is 9 points (all of it), plus your yoghurt and fruit.
eg 1/4 of the couscous mix PLUS 100g YoplaitForMe AND a small banana is 4 points

CORE Bircher Muesli

Serves: 3-4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 100 g rolled oats
• 200 g non fat flavoured yoghurt (I use Yoplait ForMe)
• 1 cup nonfat milk
• fruit - frozen berries, fresh, stewed or canned fruit

Optional - add sweetner to equivilent of 3 tsp (or sprinkle the spoon-for-spoon type over top when serving)

Method:

Mix all except fruit together in a airtight plastic container and put in fridge overnight. (If using timmed fruit, can mix through)
Serve into bowls and top with fruit.

Not on Core? The total of this recipe is 9 points

CORE Scrambled Eggs with Vegies

Serves: 1

Difficulty: Very Easy

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 40 g bacon diced
• 1/4 onion diced
• 1 1/2 cup frozen vegetables (Also vegie left overs are good for this)
• herbs - dried mixed herbs, Italian herbs or fresh basil or parsley
• 1/2 capsicum (optional)
• Oil spray

Method:

Heat a reasonable size non stick frypan coated with cooking spray (I usually use frozen bacon and frozen onion, so use 3 TB water instead)
Cook bacon, onion and capsicum.
Add frozen vegies and a few TB of water to steam them (or left over veg, no water).
When vegies are cooked, add herbs and salt pepper.
Crack eggs directly into pan and stir quickly.
Cook until egg is set and serve in a bowl.
I usually find this is filling enough without using bread.

Optional - top with cottage cheese or salsa (Core) or a small amount of *low fat cheddar or *parmesan (*Points)

Not on Core? This recipe is 3.5 points (using "free vegies")
If using peas, corn or cheese, you'll need to add those points

CORE Tuna Cottage / Shepherds Pie

Serves: 1

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 2 cups frozen vegetables (the Steamfresh sachets with broccoli are great)
• small tin tuna in springwater
• 1/4 cup salsa or tinned diced cooked tomatoes
• 100 g potato
• sprinkle dry mixed italian herbs, or fresh basil
• pepper

Method:

Peel and cook potato. Mash with fork without butter.
Add frozen vegies to a 3 cup microwave safe bowl and cook 2-3 mins.
Drain tuna and add to top of vegies. Pour over tomato/salsa and add herbs. I do not stir so there is a layer thing happening.
Top with mashed potato and micowave for another 3 minutes.
Allow to sit before eating - it gets hot

Optional - add 20g grated *low fat cheddar and grill until golden (*Points)

CORE Evaporated / Condensed milk

Mix 2/3c powder skim milk powder and 1 c water.

CORE Coconut Milk

Use in curries for Core alternative to points-heavy Coconut milk

Mix 2/3c powder skim milk powder and 1 c water. Add coconut essence

CORE Hommus Dip

Serves: 4-ish

Difficulty: Very Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 400g can chickpeas
• 1 TB lemon juice
• 1 TB yogurt no fat
• 1 clove of garlic crushed
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1/2 teaspoon vegetable stock powder

Optional:
* 1/2 point 1 tb maple syrup (there is a sugar free brand Queen which has no Points at this volume)

Method:

Blend all together
Serve as a dip or with lamb/pita in yiros (giro, doner kebabs, souvlaki)

CORE Dahl Dip / Side Dish (Indian)

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 3/4 cup dried red lentils
• 1 onion
• 3 tsp ginger (grated/jar)
• 2 tsp garlic
• 1 TB Indian curry powder

Method:

Heat oil and fry onion until soft and slightly golden.
Add garlic, ginger and curry powder and stir for about a minute.
Add 2 cups boiling water and lentils.
Simmer until lentils are very soft (20 minutes or so).
Add salt or pepper to taste

Side - serve as is

Dip - Blend with stick blender or food processor.

CORE Broccoli Soup

Serves: ?

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 kg brocolli, including stalk
• 1/2 cup dried green lentils
• 3 l water
• 1 TB vegetable stock
• 1 TB chicken stock
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 can canneloni beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 onion
• 150 g spinach
• 2 tsp garlic

Method:

Throw all into large saucepan, simmer for 20mins.
Cool slightly and blend.

It is a slightly bland soup - dress up with a swirl of natural yoghurt and spring onions or chives. Also good with *low fat sour cream (* Points)

CORE Creamed Rice / Rice Pudding

Serves: 3 - 4 (depends on whether you add fruit or prefer a large serve)

Difficulty: Easy - Just make sure you stir it - makes a mess if boils over or catches on bottom.

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup white rice
• 600ml nonfat milk
• 150ml water - if needed

Optional

• vanilla essense
• sweetener
• cinnamon/nutmeg
• stewed fruit (Core) or sultanas (not Core)

Method:

Add rice and milk to a nonstick saucepan.
Warm milk until it starts to bubble, then turn to lowest heat and let simmer, stirring regularly so it doesn't stick.
Optional - add sultanas here
Optional - add vanilla and sweetener while simmering.
The milk will absorb into the rice. If it looks dry and in danger of sticking and the rice is not yet tender, add a little water. It should be simmering for around 20-30mins.
Optional - If adding fruit, add in the last 5 minutes just to warm through. Stewed or canned apples, peaches, apricots and pears are great, so is 2 fruits.

This is great hot or cold and also makes a great breakfast when you are bored with cereal.

Non-dieters might like to top with brown sugar, maple/golden syrup, honey or jam
(WWers can do this too, but don't forget to add the points though)

Notes:

I've been told this works fine in the oven and has a golden skin
Bake at 165°C (325°F) for 1 hour or until rice is cooked, stirring occasionally.

I don't see why it wouldn't work in the microwave too - it's essentially just the "absorption method" with milk instead of water. Just use a tall container.

Also works well in slow cooker - allow about 4 hours

Not on Core? The total for this recipe is 10 points without fruit