I choose Life

Things have been a bit rough the last few weeks- I think with the amount of stress that has been going on with me this year- we have had death in the family, very sick terminal close family members, my beloved cat died recently, stress with work, and my own health problems this year with gallstones and emergency surgery- it has really caught up with me and has affected my wellbeing the last few weeks- I have felt very tired and run down and drepressed at times, the exercise has suffered as a result of my mental and emotional state and the healthy food has suffered too (which of course just makes you feel worse and worse) So today I cam to a point where enough is enough....
I realised this morning when I was at the gymm- every choice you make when it comes to your health and vitality comes down to the choice of life, or  the choice of death.
It sounds a bit dramatic, I know, but Ive realised everytime I go to the gym, when I dont feel like it- I am choosing life and the path towards health and vitality. If I sit on my bum and watch tv instead- I am choosing the path to being unfit, unhappy and unhealthy- death.
The same goes with food- if I choose to eat super healthy foods- fruit, vegies- the more raw the better- then I am choosing the path of life. I will loose the rest of my excess  weight, feel more positive, have more energy- get closer to the goal I want for myself, however if I choose poorly- I make a choice for the opposite of all those things......
And so with all those things in mind- I look forward to making healthy choices for myself which will bring more energy and "life" into my life. Going to the gym, eating healthy food, going to tai chi and Wing Chun classes, experimenting with alternative therapies- reiki, accupressure- until I find what works well for me, all these choices turn me to the path of life and thats definately when I want to stay :-)

Cheesy Vegetarian Stuffed Eggplant

Serves 2

Ingredients

2tsp coconut or olive oil

1 Medium Eggplant

1 onion, finely chopped

1 large clove garlic, crushed

3 Vegie Delights vegetarian Bacon Style rashes, chopped

2 tomatos, diced

3/4 cup cooked brown rice

1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives

1/2 cup grated cheese (I use Mini chol soy cheese)

2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Vegie salt

Method

Preheat oven to 180C

Slice Eggplant in half lengthways, scoop out flesh leaving a 1-2 cm shell.

Sprinkle shell and flesh with regular table salt and leave for 30mins (this will draw out the bitterness)

Rinse under water to remove salt- drain on absorbent towels

Chop eggplant flesh roughly.

Heat oil in saucepan and saute garlic, onion until soft. Add bacon style rashers, tomato, eggplant flesh and cook until soft. Season with vegie salt to taste.

Mix in 1/4 cup of the rice and then fill up egpant halves, pushing down well.

In a seperate bowl mix cheese, parmesan, chives and the rest of the rice. Combine well and spoon on to eggplants.

Bake on a tray (lined with baking paper) in the oven for 20mins or until tender.

Serve with steamed vegetables or a salad.

Enjoy!

Vegetarian Pita Pizza

Vegetarian Pita Pizzas

(serves 2)

Ingredients

4 small wholemeal pita bread

3TBs tomato paste

½ Tsp Crushed Garlic

1 Tsp mixed Italian herbs

Pinch vegie salt

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

½ red capsicum, diced

½ green capsicum, diced

3 button mushrooms, thinly slice

3 spring onions sliced finely

100g low fat cheese (or Mini Chol soy cheese is my favourite)

160g 97% fat free Old El Paso Refried beans (in a can from the taco section of your supermarket)

1)      In a small bowl mix  tomato paste, Italian herbs and vegie salt- set aside

2)      In a small frypan, heat olive oil- cook onions, capsicum and mushroom until tender. (precooking them stops the pita bread from going soggy) Set aside to cool.

3)      Spread Pita bread with tomato paste mixture

4)      Top with cooked vegetables, spoon on small teaspoons of refried beans over the pizzas and sprinkle with cheese.

5)      Cook in oven at 180C on a baking tray lined with baking paper until cheese is melted and base is crunchy.

6)      Served with a side salad YUM YUM

Roast Vegetable Canneloni

Roast Vegetable Cannelloni

Canelloni stuffed with roasted vegetables including capsicum, red onion, eggplant, cherry tomatos and garlic. Baked with a tomato and basil sauce and topped with low fat riccotta and fetta and baked in the oven. Served with salad of raw baby spinach, carrots, snow pea sprouts with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar :-)YUM

Ingredients

1 Teaspoon of crushed garlic

2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 baby eggplants, diced

½ large red capsicum, diced

½ large green capsicum, diced

½ punnet cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half

1-2tsp mixed Italian herbs or to taste

2 Tins of crushed tomatoes

100g low fat ricotta cheese

100g low fat creamed cottage cheese

50g low fat Fetta (crumbled)

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 packet of Cannelloni tubes

Method

1)      Place eggplant, capsicum, garlic, mixed herbs and cherry tomatoes in a baking dish with olive oil, mix well  and bake in a 180C oven until tender. (Alternatively- you can cook these in a non stick frypan on the stove until tender.)

2)      Allow to cool slightly

3)      In another baking dish, pour out 1 tin of crushed tomatoes, sprinkle with a little Italian Herb mix

4)      With a teaspoon, fill the cannelloni tubes with the roast vegetable mix and arrange in baking dish on top of the crushed tomatoes.

5)      When all tubes are filled, pour over the other tin of crushed tomatoes.

6)      In a mixing bowl, mix the ricotta, cottage and fetta chesses together with the egg until well combined.

7)      Spoon mixture over the cannelloni and spread to cover.

8)      Bake in the oven for approx 30mins or until the cannelloni is soft.

9)      Serve hot with a green salad with a sprinkle of balsamic vinegar

Breakfaat Egg With Spinach and Tomato

This is a great light meal or snack- it takes about 5 minutes to make, tastes great, and perfect if you only have 5 minutes before you have to madly run out the door. Good for Breakfast too :-)

Ingredients

1 Slice Rye Toast (I used normal Rye here but I would normally use Dark Rye which will keep you going for longer.)
1Tbsp extra light (less than 5%fat ) Cream cheese
Raw Baby spinach

grape tomatos, halved
I free range egg for on top (plus you could cook some extra eggwhite/s if your REALLY hungry)
Served with a sliced chinese gooseberry (aka Kiwifruit!)

Method

Pretty self explanatory!

1)      cook the toast in your toaster

2)      fry your egg in a fry pan with a little olive oil or olive oil spray.

3)      Spread toast with cream cheese, then layer spinach, tomatoes and top with the egg

4)      Sprinkle with a little pinch of vegie salt if desired

Mixed Vegetable Frittata

Mixed Vegetable Frittata

This fritatta is made with vegetables, some free range eggs and a bunch of egg whites (kind like a quiche but without the pastry) The topping is made with low fat cottage cheese and a little bit of low fat chedder to make it able to go brown on top. Tastes SO SO SO Good- heaps lower in Fat than just putting cheese on top- Lots of protein.

Vegetables can be substituted for whatever you have available/ prefer. This is also good cold for lunch with a salad, the day after.

Yum Yum J

Ingredients

Liquid vegetable stock

2tsp Olive oil

1 heaped tsp crushed garlic

½ Red Onion, finely diced

½ Medium sweet potato, peeled and diced

1 medium potato, washed and diced (skin on)

1 cup of frozen corn kernels

1 medium red capsicum, diced

½- 1 cup of frozen peas

4 large whole free range eggs plus 4-5 extra egg white

¼ cup low fat or skimmed milk

200g low fat creamed cottage cheese

50g grated low fat tasty or cheddar cheese

Good Pinch of Vegie Salt (mix of vegetable seasoning and sea salt from the herb section of your supermarket)

Extra virgin olive oil spray

Method

1)      Preheat oven to 180C

2)      Heat Olive oil in large non-stick frypan.

3)      Sauté Onion and garlic on medium heat until onion goes clear.

4)      Toss in rest of the vegetables, add a good slurp of vegetable stock (this adds flavour as well as stopping the vegetables from sticking to the pan as we haven’t used a lot of oil) and cover so the vegetables can steam. Keep a eye on the vegetables and make sure to keep adding slurps of stock as it dries out.

5)      Once vegetables are almost cooked- remove the lid and let any extra stock evaporate so the vegetables are tender and no longer in liquid.

6)      In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, egg whites, milk and a pink of  vegie salt together.

7)      Spread vegetables in a baking  dish that you have given a spray with the olive oil.

8)      Pour eggs over the top and smooth vegetables down.

9)      Bake in oven approx 30-45 minutes until eggs have set, remove from oven.

10)  Spread over cottage cheese and then sprinkle on top grated cheese, then return to the oven until golden

11)  Serve with a fresh garden salad or steamed vegetables

Ginger and Sesame Broccolini on a bed of stirfy vegetables

Ingredients

Vegetable stock

2 tsp sesame oil

2 tsp crushed garlic

1 Tbsp minced ginger

1 red onion, sliced

2 Carrots, cut into thin strips

Large handful Green beans, topped and tailed

1 Red Capsicum, cut into thin strips

1 Green Capsicum, cut into thin strips

Bunch of Brocollini

Handful of sugar snap peas if available

Cashew nuts, sesame seeds and copped chives for serving

Method

1)  Heat oil in Wok or fry pan

2) Stirfry  garlic, ginger and onion until soft

3) Add carrots and a splash of vegie stock and stirfry for a few minutes.

4) Add capsicum, green beans and sugar snap peas. Top up with a little stock as the pan drys out.

5) sit brocollini on top and cover with a lid to catch the steam. Let vegetables steam for a few minutes until just cooked.

6)Serve with cashew, sesame seeds and chopped chives.

Tofu and Vegetables on Brown Rice

Tofu and Vegetables on Brown rice

Quick, easy and tasty!

Ingredients

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Liquid Vegetable Stock

1 tsp crushed garlic

1 red onion finely diced

2 small zucchinis, sliced

2 baby eggplant, diced

1 red capsicum, cut into strips

1 green capsicum, cut into strips

1 packet of soyco flavoured tofu (I like “Thai and Koran BBQ”) from the vegetarian  fridge section of your local supermarket (they have this in coles), cut into strips

Flaked almonds, toasted to serve

Chopped chives to serve

Cooked Brown rice or to serve

Method

1)      Saute onions and garlic in olive oil until translucent and tender

2)      Add vegetables, tofu and a splash of  vegetable stock (which will help the vegies to steam) and stirfry until vegetables are lightly cooked

3)      Serve on a bed of brown rice with flaked almonds and chives sprinkled over the top

Meal 4 Chickpea and Spirulina Patties (made into a burger)

Chickpea and Spirulina Patties on Dark Rye

(Makes approx 8  Patties)

Ingredients

2 cups Dry chickpeas

½ bunch Parsley Chopped

½ cup onion chopped

1tsp- 1tbs spirulina powder depending on taste

½ tsp vegie salt

1 egg (optional- see below)

1 heaped tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic crushed

2 tsp baking powder

Extra virgin Olive oil Spray

Burgen Dark Rye bread- toasted, avocado and salad for serving

Method

Soak chickpeas in plenty of water in the fridge over night.

Chickpeas can alternatively be sprouted before you prepare this recipe if desired (see sprouting section at end) or you could use organic in a can if you are in a big rush.

Next day drain chickpeas and rinse well.

Place in food processor with parsley, onion, spirilina salt, cumin, and garlic and mix until smooth.

You can add a egg at this point if you like to help keep the patties together but this is optional and not essential at all.

Once smooth add baking powder and mix until combined.

Cook patties in a non stick fry pan with a little oil, or olive oil spray. Cook for 5 min or so on each side until slightly golden. Be careful not to over cook as this will make the patties dry.

Serve on toasted rye bread with salad (I used baby spinach, vine ripened tomatos and snow pea sprouts) with a little avocado or low fat mayonnaise. I like to serve with a few pieces of fruit at the side for a delicious and healthy meal.

Patties can be frozen in a sealed container (put baking paper between layers to stop them sticking to each other) and then reheated for quick burgers for lunches or dinners on the run. The patties are also good crumbled up and sprinkled on a salad for a protein boost.

Meal 3 Tomato and Fetta Tart (with Brown Rice Crust)- Vegetarian

This is a great, tasty tart made with brown rice for the crust instead of high fat (nutitionally void) regular pastry. This recipe was adapted from a recipe from "The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook" but I have changed the ingredients to make it much lower in fat for those of us looking to loose a few pounds

Brown Rice and tomato tart. Seves 6

Ingredients

Base

1 cup brown rice

1 egg

½ cup low fat tasty cheese

Filling

Olive Oil spray

4 ripe tomatos cut into wedges

4 garlic cloves

3 eggs

50g low fat Fetta Cheese (from the deli at the supermarket) cut into cubes

½ cup low fat milk

Pinch vegie salt (and pepper if desired)

Bunch of your favourite herbs- I like Thyme lemon, Thyme, or oregano for this recipe

½ cup low fat tasty cheese

Method

Preheat oven to 200C

Bring a saucepan of water (or you can use vegetable stock for more flavour) to the boil- add brown rice and cook for 30min until tender. Drain and allow to cool.

In a mixing bowl, mix rice, 1 egg and low fat cheese. Spread on base of Quiche/ flan baking dish which has been sprayed with olive oil- press down and up the sides of the flan dish.

Bake in oven for 15 minutes- remove.

Reduce oven to 180C

Filling- Cut tomatos into wedges and place cut side up with garlic cloves on a baking tray lined with baking paper.

Sprinkle with vegie salt (and pepper if desired) spray lightly with olive oil and roast in oven for 3o minutes until tender.

After roasting, allow to cool slightly- squeeze the garlic onto the rice and smooth over to cover. Arrange roast tomatos and fetta  evenly on rice base.

In a mixing bowl, mix remaining eggs, milk, chopped herbs and a pinch of vegie salt.

Pour over filling and return to oven

Cook for 50-60min or until set.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with ½ cup low fat cheese, you can also arrange herb sprigs on top of the flan if you like for presentation. Cool for another 10 min or until cheese has melted and is golden.

Serve cut into wedges with a garden salad or lightly steamed vegies (I used green beans, baby aparagus and sugar snap peas)

Warm and Yummy- straight from the oven! :-)