CORE Lamb & Rosemary Mini Meatloaf

Tasty mini lamb meatloaf or terrines are cooked in muffin trays or friand trays (oval muffin trays) and wrapped in ham

Hot = mini meatloaf
Cold = terinne, "a luxurious cold meatloaf"

Serves: 4 people (2 mini meatloaf / terrines each)

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 500g of premium lamb mince (5% fat)
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup quick oats
• 2 tsp dried rosemary (fine)
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 125 g frozen spinach, thawed
• 8 slices thin smoked ham (approx 200g), needs to approx 20 cm long - eg Virginian
• salt and pepper
• 1 tsp crushed garlic

Method:

Mix all apart from ham together in a large bowl with your hands
(Hint - try leaving the mince out of the fridge for awhile first. Trust me, mince straight from the fridge is cold, especially on your knuckles)
Get out your half cup capacity muffin / friand tins (or ramekins) and drape a slice of ham across each one. (I do not grease as the shrink back from the 5% fat means they will pop out easily)
Divide the meat mix into the 8 trays, push into the tin with the back of a spoon and fold ham over the top.
Cover tray with alfoil and put a baking tray on top to weigh down any bits of ham which don't want to stay flat.
Slide into a cold oven and put a tray of boiling water in the bottom of the oven.
Turn oven on to 180*C and cook for 1 hour (including the preheat time). Remove alfoil and bake another 15 minutes
If having hot as meatloaf, why not throw some potatoes in to roast? 100g potatoes (whole) will cook in the same time as the meatloaf (ie 1 h 15m)

Not on Core? The total for this recipe is 20 points

Options:

Prefer beef?
Change lamb for beef (I bet you couldn't guess that) and rosemary for mixed herbs or basil.

Hate spinach?
Change spinach for 2 medium grated carrots

Hate ham?
With no ham the total for this recipe is 16 points

CORE Laksa Soup (Thai)

Serves: 3-4 as lunch (4-6 as starter course)

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 cup left over vegies or frozen vegies
• 1/2 cup corn kernels
• 1 tsp coconut essence
• 1/4 cup skim milk powder
• 75 g rice stick noodles (vermicelli)
• 100-150 g left over chicken (or beef), or 1 small grilled chicken breast, chopped
• 4 cups of chicken stock (or beef if using beef)
• handful of beansprouts (if you have them)
• 1-2 tsp dry Thai herb mix (I use crushed herbs from fridge section of f+v - 1 tsp basil, 1 tsp coriander and 1/4 tsp lemongrass)

Method:

Bring stock to boil. Add noodles and vegies, cook 2-3 mins, add chicken and herbs. Turn off heat and stir through the coconut essence, skim milk powder and bean sprouts (if using)

Optional - serve with a little chilli

Not on Core? The total for the recipe is 7.5 pts
(assuming 150g roast chicken breast no skin, Trident rice stick noodles and all veg except corn is point free)

Core Apricot and Pineapple Cake / Muffins

Serves: 12+
This mix makes enough for :

1 x 20cm square/round tin or
1 loaf tin and 6 American muffins (the 1 cup type) or
12 large American muffins
24+ regular muffins

These keep well in the fridge, as the fruit keeps them lovely and moist. 30 - 45 secs in the microwave and brekkie is ready.
I double bagged the muffins in freezer bags as rough edges of the oats can snag the cheap freezer bags (OK, it was a medium bag, twisted, pulled back over and tied - for some reason I can't buy homebrand small freezer bags and mediums are cheaper than the small namebrands?!?)
Also freezes well - thaw on bench for an hour or 2, or microwave on LOW or DEFROST (high setting will make the fruit too hot and you might burn yourself)

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 200g oats
• 200g All bran
• 1 x 410 g tin apricots in juice
• 1 225 g tin pineapple pieces in juice
• 1 3/4 cups skim milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 TB baking powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 TB vanilla essence
• sweetener, equivalent of 1/4 cup sugar

Method:
In a large bowl, combine the oats, All bran, milk and juice from the cans and leave to sit for 20 mins to soak
Meanwhile, turn on the oven to preheat at 180*C and cut the fruit pieces into quarters
Add the eggs to the bran/oats mix and stir with a wooden spoon, then add other ingredients.
Spoon mix into oiled tin(s)
Cook at 180*C for approx:
35 mins for muffins
45 min for loaf
50-60 mins for large tin

Two "are they ready" tests - (1) stick a skewer/toothpick in, should come out clean (2) if you press gently on the top with your finger, it should bounce back.

Not on Core? The entire recipe is worth 30 points (1 "serve" = 2.5 pts)

Almost CORE Cheesy Pepper Chicken CousCous

A tasty meal ready in 5 minutes!

NB - this recipe uses a small amount of low fat Cheddar cheese, which is not Core (1.5 pts)

Serves: 1

Difficulty: Easy - ready in 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 125 g chopped Smoked chicken breast fillet (or strongly smoked lean ham/bacon)
• 2/3 cup skim milk
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup dry couscous
• NOT CORE * 20g grated low fat cheddar (eg Coon Light and Tasty 1.5pts)
• 1 1/2 cups of left over vegies or frozen vegies (I used frozen spinach and mixed veg)
• 1 spring onion
• ground pepper (coarse)

Method:
In a nonstick pan, warm the milk and milk, add vegies and simmer for 2 minutes before adding the chicken/ham. Simmer another minute, then add the couscous and as much pepper as you can take. After 2-3 minutes, the couscous should have absorbed the milk. Turn stove off and stur though the cheese and spring onion.

On Core? This is 1.5 pts for the cheese

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

CORE Smoked Chicken and Broccoli Pasta

This colourful pasta has a very subtle flavour. If you don't have smoked chicken, try with bacon for a stronger flavour, it's still nice.

Leftovers are great cold as a salad

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 250g Smoked Chicken Breast Fillet, skinless, sliced thin
• 250g dry pasta
• 2 heads of broccoli, cut into florets
• 200g green beans
• handful of baby spinach
• 150g low fat creamed style cottage cheese (I use WW)
• 1/4 cup skim milk
• 1tsp wholegrain mustard
• 8 basil leaves shredded (or dried)
• 2 spring onions
• can of asparagus cuts
• Coloured vegies - some bright vegies are needed to break up the green. I used 100g frozen corn and a grated carrot. You could use red capsicum, halved cherry tomatoes etc.

Optional - Parmesan

Method:

Boil water in a large saucepan, add pasta (note - I assume pasta is 9/10 minute to cook pasta, adjust timing if is the quick 6 minute type)
After 6 minutes, add broccoli, corn and beans and cook for 3-4 mins
Pour vegies and pasta into a strainer, rinse with a kettle-full of boining water (stops sticking together) and leave to drain.
In same (now empty) pot, add cottage, milk, and mustard and stir over low heat.
Add chicken, spring onions, basil and cracked pepper to season.
Add pasta back to pan and stir vigourously to mix, then add asparagus and stir gently for 2 mins.
Turn heat off and stir through the spinach and grated carrot just prior to serving.

Optional - serve with 2 tsp Parmesan for 0.5pts

Not on Core? The total for this recipe is 21 pts, or 5 per serve.

Core Chocolate and Berry Cheesecake

By request, I have Cored up a cheesecake! It's not as creamy as a regular cheesecake, because funnily enough there's no cream cheese in it. However, it is sweet with a nice smooth texture.

Serves: depends on how big a piece of cake you want!
At least 4 decent sized serves - I made it square, approx 12 x 12cm and 4cm high

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

Cheese layer:

• 1 sachet diet raspberry jelly (or try orange flavour for Jaffa fans)
• 100 g Yoplait ForMe Vanilla (1/2 tub single serve tub)
• 250g low fat Ricotta (I used Perfect Italiano Light)
• 2 TB cocoa
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• artificial sweetener, equivilant of 2TB sugar (if you like it sweet, double this)

Base Layer:

• 2 cup Weeties
• 1 1/2 tsp gelatin
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• artificial sweetener, equivilant of 2TB sugar

OK, first thing to know - I moved house recently to co-hab with almost-hubby. 2 kitchens' worth of stuff into 1 kitchen meant many boxes haven't been opened. So I haven't found my cake tins, so I made this upside-down in a sandwich size lunch box so the rounded corners would be on the top. If you have a cake tin, then by all means, please do the conventional way with the base on the ummm....base :)

Second thing - this makes a very small cheesecake (a-h not fond of, so only made as much as I was happy to eat). You may wish to double it as this makes one about 12cm square and about 4cm high.

Method:

Cheese layer:
Mix jelly with 60ml boiling water with a stab mixer.
Add rest of ingredients and blend.
Pour into a plastic tub, or cake tin and fridge for a couple of hours

Base layer:
In a tall narrow container, use stab mixer to reduce Weeties to crumbs (big bowl = mess!)
In a bowl, mix gelatin with 1/3 cup boiling water, add vanilla and sweetener.
Stir in the Weeties crumbs.
Top the cheese layer with the crumbs layer and smooth down (hint - do this with wet fingertips!)
Fridge until base is set.
Loosen from container (I use a butter knife around edge, then flip onto a plate and tap base. I find it easier to get jelly stuff out of flexible plastic rather than the dip-in-hot-water method used with metal moulds/tins)

Optional - Garnish with some berries

Alternatives:

• Jaffa
  Substitute orange jelly for raspberry jelly
• Chocolate
  Substitute 2 tsp gelatine for raspberry jelly and increase cocoa
• Mocha
  Substitute 2 tsp gelatine for raspberry jelly. Mix with a 60ml shot of espresso instead of water (or 2 tsp instant coffee in 60ml boiling water)
• Berry
  Omit cocoa, mix through 1/4 cup of crushed/chopped berries.

Not on Core? The total for this whole recipe is 7.5

CORE Hedgehogs (Meatballs)

Hedgehogs are beef meatballs with raw rice mixed in. As they cook, the rice absorbs fluids and puff up so they look like hedgehogs :)

These are great for kids and parties (For finger food - drain off the tomato soup and cook for a couple of minutes extra to "dry out")

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 carrot, grated
• 1 onion, grated (or 1tsp French Onion Soup powder)
• 1/2 cup uncooked rice
• 2 eggs
• 500g extra lean mince
• 1/4tsp nutmeg
• 1 can tomato soup
• 1 cup water

Optional - use a tin of crushed tomatoes, 1/4 can water and basil/Italian mixed herbs instead of the 1 can water. For kids, best to stick to the soup. For adults, a little chilli or Tobasco sauce in the sauce adds a zing!

Optional 2 - Add potato to the sauce for lovely Italian style potatoes in tomato. In picture is 1 can soup, 1 can crushed tomatoes, 1/4 can water, Italian herbs mix and a 100g potato each, cut in half.

Method:

Mix above ingredients excluding water & soup.
With wet hands, shape into golf ball sized balls and put in casserole dish.
Mix water & tomato soup together and pour over meatballs
Bake covered at 200*C for 1 hour to 1h 15m.

Serving hint - serve on a bed of garlic mashed potato, drizzled with the tomato sauce and lots of vegies.

Not on Core? The total for this recipe is 24 points (without potato), and it makes about 24 golf ball sized meatballs

CORE Pasta Bolognaise Bake / Mock Lasagna

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Fairly easy

Points on Core: some for the white sauce, but minimal

This dish is best served as individual servings in ramekins or soup bowls holding 2 cups. If making a large dish, please let cool for 5-10 mins before serving.

Ingredients:

Base

• 300g of small size roundish or flatish pasta. eg elbows, penne raviolini. Large pasta like shells do not work, there is too much room for air.
• 2 eggs

Sauce

• 600g lean beef mince
• 1 onion
• garlic - 1tsp
• tomato based pasta sauce
• 2 tsp olive oil

Topping - 2 Options (both have some Points)

Option 1 - white sauce

• 1 cup Skim milk
• 3 TB of flour (1.5 point - you won't need it all)
• 1 tsp wholegrain mustard

Option 2 - grated tasty cheese

• 20g Coon Extra Light Tasty Cheese (1.5pt) for WWers, can add more for others.

Method:

Boil water and cook pasta until firm and not quite cooked (about 2 mins from al dente)
Drain and rinse well in cold water until pasta is cold. (This stops pasta sticking together) Leave to drain for at least 15 minutes
Meat layer
Heat your olive oil, add onion, garlic and mince and cook well.
Add pasta sauce and stir through. You may need to cook off some moisture - with lid off, have pasta sauce simmering away and stirring until the liquid drops a little below the solids and little bumps of meat stick make it look lumpy. Put aside to cool.
Option 1 - white sauce
If you don't have a nonstick saucepan, I suggest you do this in the microwave.
Mix flour with a few TB of water until it makes a thick paste which is more liquid than solid.
Heat the milk until it bubbles, then turn down low. Add about 3/4 of the flour paste and the mustard to the warm milk and whisk through. Simmer milk mix, strirring often until it starts to thicken - we want it to get to a consistency like cream. If after simmering for about 5 mins, it isn't thick enough, add the last bit of the flour paste and stir as it thickens.
Building the bake:
If making a large dish, you need eggs to bind the pasta (for individual serves I skip this). Whisk eggs in large bowl and toss (cold) pasta through. Pour into casserole or ramekins and push down gently with a spatula (potato mashers are great in round ramekins).
Pour over the meat layer, smoothing across the pasta
Add final layer - the white sauce or grated cheese (or both for something truly special)
Bake at 180*C for 20-30 mins until top is browned.
Allow so sit and serve with salad.

CORE Roast Leg of Lamb with Garlic and Rosemary

This recipe was given to me by a friend almost 20 years ago who was an apprentice butcher.

Serves: 4-6 depending on size of roast

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1.5kg leg of lamb (or whatever size to suit your family)
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• Rosemary, fresh or dried

Method:

With a sharp thin knife, pierce the lamb about 10 times.
Using a skewer, push a slice of garlic into each slit with a leaf or 2 of rosemary (if using dried rosemary, spray the garliced lamb with oil and rub rosemary in)
Cook at 180*C
How long?
For every 500g of roast, 20-25 mins for rare, 25-30 mins for medium, or 30-35 mins for well done
ie a 1.5 kg roast 1 - 1/4 hours for rare, 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 for medium or 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 for well done

In the last 45 - 60 minutes, add vegies to pan or a seperate pan.
My Roast Vegetables with Sea Salt and Rosemary is lovely with this recipe

Dietary Guidelines and Serving Sizes

These are the minimum suggested daily requirements. Each dot point equals 1 serve in that category.

Fruit
2 serves

• 1 medium piece of fruit
• 2-3 small pieces of fruit eg 2-3 apricots
• small bunch of grapes
• 1 cup chopped fruit or tinned in juice

Vegetables
5 serves

• ½ cup cooked vegetables
• 1 medium potato
• 1 cup salad vegetables
• ½ cup cooked legumes (chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans)

Cereals
5 serves

• 1 slice of brown or grainy bread
• 1 medium bowl (45g) high fibre cereal
• 30g raw rolled oats
• 1/2 cup cooked pasta, noodles or rice

Meat, Poultry and Eggs
1 serve

• 95 – 150g raw meat or poultry
• 120 - 180g raw fish
• 2 small eggs
• 100g raw tofu
• 1/3 cup nuts
• 1/4 cup raw seeds

Dairy
2 serves

• 1 cup skim, non-fat or low-fat milk
• 1/2 cup low-fat evaporated milk
• 200g diet, non-fat or low-fat yoghurt
• 30g reduced fat cheese
• 100g low-fat cottage or ricotta cheese

Why Drink 8 glasses of water a day?

• Water naturally suppresses the appetite
• Water helps the body to metabolise or burn stored fat
  The kidneys need sufficient water to function properly. When kidneys aren't working at full capacity, some of the kidney's load is shifted to the liver. The liver's primary function is to covert (metabolise) the fat stored in the body into usable energy (this is how you lose excess fat). If the liver is doing some of the kidney's work, it can't work efficiently to convert as much stored fat, so more fat remains stored in the body, and weight loss slows or stops. For this reason, apparently an overweight person actually needs more water than a slimmer person (approx 200ml extra per 10 kg overweight).
• Water helps the body to eliminate waste
  While losing weight, there is more waste to get rid of (where do you think that metabolised fat goes?)
• Adequate water can prevent or relive constipation
  When the body doesn't get enough water, it gets what it needs from internal sources, including the colon, which leads to constipation. Normal movements return when the body has enough water.
• Water also helps prevent saggy skin that often follows weight loss.
  Shrinking cells are filled with water, making the skin clear, healthy and “plump”.

CORE Oats and Yoghurt Slice

This is similar to those yoghurt slices - Alaskan Slice??

Serves: 2 for breakfast or dessert

Difficulty: Easy

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 is so wrong if you are out of junior primary school!

Ingredients:

• 1 peach apricot diet jelly sachet
• 1 x 175g tub Yoplait Forme Apricot (or 3/4 cup of Core yoghurt)
• 75g Rolled oats
• 1 cup water
• liquid sweetener (or powder), equiv 2tsp sugar

Method:

Dissolve jelly in 1 cup boiling water
Add oats and sweetener
Microwave on high for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes to cook oats
Add yoghurt (is OK if still hot) and stir
Pour into a rectangular tub.
Set in fridge overnight
Run a blunt knife around edge to loosen, tap out onto a plate.
Cut in half and eat.

This sets quite firm, you could wrap in Gladwrap and eat in hand, rather than on a plate

Not on Core? The total Points for this is 5, or 2.5 per serve

CORE Berry Pancake

Serves: 1 for breakfast
This is a very filling breakfast, the equivalent of a big bowl of porrige for brekkie

You could make in egg rings as a dessert and serve with low fat ice cream (points)
NB - Cereal is limited to once per day. If you've already eaten cereal, you'll need to count the oats

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• rolled oats or quick oats - 1 x 34g sachet or 1/3 cup
• 1/2 cup diet berry fizzy (I use DietRite Cranberry Boysenberry) or 100ml diet lemonade and 25ml diet cordial (maybe a splash of the diet Ribena?)
• 1/3 cup frozen berries
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1tsp olive oil
• 100g Yoplait Forme Vanilla to serve

Method:

Mix egg, soft drink, baking powder and oats with a stab mixer.
Add the berries, still frozen, reserving a spoonful or 2.
Mix with Spoon - do not blend the berries!
Put pancake mixture in fridge overnight, same for remaining berries.

In the morning:
Heat a small nonstick skillet to medium high, add the oil and turn back to medium.
(I use a skillet about the size of my hand with the fingers spread)
Stir the pancake mixture and pour in
NB - these are moist pancakes (not stodgy) and take longer to cook than normal pancakes. The batter is also "heavier", so turning them too early will break them.
It's time to turn when there is a 2cm "ring" around the outside, and when you tilt the pan, the batter moves very little. (You'll see what I mean)
Use a wide egg flip, slide it gently under to make sure it's not caught, then flip quickly and cook the other side. It will not take as much time as the first which cooks about 75%. Second side will also not be as brown.
Serve onto a plate, add the reserved berries (including the berry juice), 1/2 tub vanilla yoghurt.

Optional - sprinkle with artificial sweetener (1 tsp equivalent) to tone down the tartness of the berries

Feedback from Almost Hubby:
"Mmmmm.....doesn't taste like diet food. You could feed this to my nephew [9 years old] and he'd love it."

Not on Core? The total Points for this is 5

This recipe is based on a lemonade pancake recipe posted by MTHERESEN

CORE Asian Noodle "Nest" / Salad

A fantastic "twist" to the Asian lettuce cups. The nest of lettuce and carrot is very filling and crunchy and a nice textural change to the noodles with the lime - soy flavour

Serves: 4 - 6

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 500g slimmers beef mince (or pork or chicken mince)
• 2tsp olive oil
• 1 onion
• 2 tsp crushed garlic
• 1.5 tsp ginger
• 2 TB soy sauce
• 2 tb lime / lemon juice
• 1 small iceberg lettuce, shredded
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and grated
• 150g rice stick noodles
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1 cup frozen peas (try mint peas)
• 2 cup frozen beans
• 2 cup broccoli (or cauliflower), cut into very small pieces like grated
• 2-3 tsp Chinese five spice
• 2-4 TB of chopped coriander (I buy tubes of crushed cori from the fridge in f+v section)

Vegie options - add any "normal" stir fry vegies in as long as diced fine - bok choy, cabbage, capsicum, spinach, bean sprouts etc. If no fresh vegies, increase the frozen vegies.

Salad options - any watery crunchy vegies can be added. Pictured is baby spinach leaves, iceberg lettuce and carrot. You could try rocket etc too.

Method:

In a large non-stick pan, heat oil, add mince, onion, garlic, ginger and fry until meat is browned (if white meat, until cooked.)
In a bowl, cover the rice noodles with boiling water for 5 mins, then rinse in cold water
Add soy and lime juice to the pan, the frozen vegies and cauliflower, and herbs and strifry until vegies soften.
Cut noodles into 5cm lengths and add to pan and stir for a few minutes until noodles warmed through.

To serve:

Arange a nest of lettuce in a wide bowl (like a pasta bowl) and line nest with carrot. Drizzle with a little extra lime juice if desired
Serve the noodle mixture into the center of the nest and drizzle with a little more soy if desired.

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 21

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