HELP PLEASE!

Chickpea and Spinach Curry

My family loves it when I cook this! There are 3 servings because I eat it on its own as a meal, but if you have it with rice, or pilau bulgur as I occasionally do, you can half the portion size. This is so incredibly low calorie for a huge portion and one of the meals I tend to make in bulk and keep in the freezer for a while. It really is delicious! Don't be daunted by all the herbs and spices, they are all great for using with other things.

Chickpea and Spinach Curry
Serves: 3
240g chick peas, canned, drained weight (basically one tin)
400g tomatoes, canned
100g spinach
8 mushrooms
1 onion
2g yellow mustard seeds
5g paprika
5g cumin
2g ginger
2g garam masala
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1g pepper
1 small red pepper
1 small green pepper
2 small yellow pepper

Heat the oil in the bottom of a large pan.
Add the mustard seeds on low temperature
When the mustard seeds start to pop add in the sliced onions garlic and ginger with a little water.
When the onions soften add in the mushrooms and peppers.
Add in the spices and herbs and cover for 5 mins until all the veg is soft.
Add in the chickpeas and cover for 5 more mins.
Add in the chopped tomatoes and stir well.
After 5 or so mins add the spinach (about 6/7 lumps frozen).
Mix the spinach in so its covered by the sauce.
Cover it up but keep stirring every few mins.
It can be served as soon as the spinach is cooked (i.e. not frozen in big lumps, but flavour intensifies the longer you simmer it for.
It may need simmering without the lid to reduce the wateriness of the sauce.

240 calories per serving, 7.4g F, 0.9g SF, 38.2 C, 8g S, 9.5 Fb, 9.8g P


Butternut Squash and Lentil Casserole

Ok, this is one of my absolute favourites. It has a great balance of protein to carbs, and is low in fat and - even better - low in calories. I should add that I lost weight through a combination of educating myself about nutrition and the phenomenon of calorie counting. The way our body works is far too complicated to ignorantly assume that even accurate calorie counting is a sure-fire method of ensuring that we lose weight, but it is a fantastic guideline to ensure you are eating at a defecit.

I found this recipe on CC and it sounded crazy! Butternut squash, garlic and cranberries!? But I was curious so I had to try it. Sure enough, with a little tweaking, it was a taste-bud sensation!

Butternut Squash and Lentil Casserole
Serves: 6
500g Butternut Squash
1 1/2 cups green lentils
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 cloves garlic
3g thyme
400g tomatoes, tinned
100g dried cranberries
1 tsp olive oil
1 onion
1 chicken stock cube
400 ml water

Boil the lentils in the chicken stock cube and water for 1 hour.
Roast the squash in chunks in the oven for 30 mins.
Warm the oil and add finely chopped garlic and coarsley chopped onion.
Add the squash and any fluids which may have come off during roasting.
Drain the lentils, reserving the stock and adding it to the pan.
When the squash begings to break up a little, add the lentils and tin of tomatoes.
Simmer for 20 mins then add cinnamon,nutmeg, thyme & cranberries.
Mix well and leave to simmer for 30-45 minutes, or until the squash has almost completely broken down and the sauce has thickened.

227 calories per serving, 0.2g F, 0.0g SF, 44.2g C, 6.9g S, 10.1g Fb, 11.9g P

This freezes well and refridgerates for up to 3 days. I know the combination of flavours sounds crazy, I was skeptical too, but it really tastes delicious! I eat it on its own, its quite a large portion. Would perhaps go well with a small green salad, and maybe some bulgur wheat or brown rice if you fancy some starchy carbs/grains.

I really must shop tomorrow. How about, salads consisting of lettuce, rocket, tomato, cucumber, raw broccilli, raw cauliflower, corn, carrotts, cottage cheese, hommus and sunflower seeds. Big Mushrooms, stuffed with cottage cheese and fresh herbs of your choice, and Bake for about 40mins, serve with salad or steam veg. Make a vegeatable curry and dahl serve with brown rice. Eggplant lasagne, Make a big pot of vegetable soup and freeze in meal size portions, always great to grab when stuck for an idea, have it with a slice of grain toast. Bake a tray of mixed vegetables, sweet potato, pumpkin, carrots, asparagus, brussel sprouts, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, bake with sprigs of fresh rosemary and maybe serve with Quorn sausages. Mountain Bread with boiled egg, rocket and mustard.
Great that has helped me organise my shopping list for morning.

I really must shop tomorrow. How about, salads consisting of lettuce, rocket, tomato, cucumber, raw broccilli, raw cauliflower, corn, carrotts, cottage cheese, hommus and sunflower seeds. Big Mushrooms, stuffed with cottage cheese and fresh herbs of your choice, and Bake for about 40mins, serve with salad or steam veg. Make a vegeatable curry and dahl serve with brown rice. Eggplant lasagne, Make a big pot of vegetable soup and freeze in meal size portions, always great to grab when stuck for an idea, have it with a slice of grain toast. Bake a tray of mixed vegetables, sweet potato, pumpkin, carrots, asparagus, brussel sprouts, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, bake with sprigs of fresh rosemary and maybe serve with Quorn sausages. Mountain Bread with boiled egg, rocket and mustard.
Great that has helped me organise my shopping list for morning.

Rocket is a type of green like lettuce, with a bit of a kick and quorn is basically vegetarian equivilant to meat, like morning star! fake meat.

What's rocket? Also, Quorn sausages? Please help the clueless Yankee.