Notes:
Per Serving: 230 calories, protein 30g, carbohydrate 5g, fat 5g of which saturated fat 2g, fibre 4g, salt 0.7g
This is the basis of multiple dishes including a filler for Spicy Wraps, Cottage Pie, Spaghetti Bolognese, Lasagne, etc (recipes are all listed below) or a recipe of your own, using a four portion serving or half the first listed quantity). You can double or even triple the recipe. Divide it up and freeze for up to 3 months. It is worth using fresh herbs and the Worcestershire sauce. The bacon adds a fantastic flavour as well. If you don’t have a garden, grow some herbs on your window sill or buy them fresh. Worcestershire sauce is a great store cupboard staple, goes a very long way, lasts for years and it adds depth of flavour to many dishes, but if you don’t have it, you can omit it.
This can also be made with lean lamb mince/ground lamb, but whatever you do, use good lean mince/ground meat, even if it means mincing it yourself (or asking the butcher to mince) some chuck/skirt/stewing steak. Fatty mince/ground meat will add calories and the cheaper mince is often full of water as well as fat, so will shrivel up when you cook it,so you get a lot less for your money.
Servings: 8 or 16
Ingredients:
Basic quantity - 8 portions/servings – divide into two before using/freezing
3 -4 of squirts of 1 cal olive oil
1kg (2¼lb) lean minced/ground beef
3 large onions, finely chopped
2-3 rashers lean back bacon – do not include any fat or rind
2 fat cloves garlic, crushed/finely chopped
150ml (½ cup) red wine* if possible use wine, otherwise, increase the stock by 150ml
500ml (2 cups) beef stock (from granules/cube is okay)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
3 large carrots, finely chopped
2 sticks/ribs celery, finely chopped (optional)
Leaves from 2-3 sprigs thyme or quarter teaspoon dried thyme (fresh is much better)
2 large sprigs of fresh parsley, chopped. Include the finely chopped stalks
Double quantity - 16 portions/servings – divide into four for using in the following recipes
6-8 of squirts of 1 cal olive oil
2kg (4½lb) lean minced/ground beef (this can also be made with lamb mince/ground lamb)
6 large onions, finely chopped
4-6 rashers lean back bacon – do not include any fat or rind
4 fat cloves garlic, crushed/finely chopped
300ml (1 cup) red wine* it’s preferable to use wine, otherwise, increase the stock by 300ml
1 litre (4¼ cups) beef stock (from granules/cube is okay)
4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
6 large carrots, finely chopped
4 sticks/ribs celery, finely chopped (optional)
Leaves from 4-6 sprigs thyme or quarter teaspoon dried thyme (fresh is much better)
4 large sprigs of fresh parsley, chopped. Include the finely chopped stalks
Directions:
1. Spray a large non-stick frying pan/skillet with 1 calorie olive oil. When it is hot, add the meat and cook in 3 or 4 batches, each for ten minutes. The beef should lightly browned, rather than steamed. Don’t worry if it isn’t cooked through as it will cook later. You will have to keep the meat moving in the pan to ensure even cooking and stop it sticking. The size of the frying pan will determine the size of the batch. Break up any lumps so the meat is crumbly rather than lumpy when cooked. If your frying pan isn’t big enough for all the meat, put it into a large saucepan when cooked.
2. Chop the bacon, removing any fat. If you don’t have bacon, don’t worry, but it definitely does improve the flavour of the dish.
3. Into any fat left in the frying pan add the bacon, chopped onions and garlic and cook for 5-7 minutes until the onion has softened. The bacon shouldn’t be crispy, but softly cooked. Note: If there is no fat left in the frying pan, before cooking the bacon, onion and garlic, give the pan a good squirt of 1 cal olive oil.
4. Return the mince to the pan or if the pan isn’t big enough, add the onion, bacon and garlic mixture to the saucepan instead.
5. Add the stock, red wine and herbs.
6. Bring up to a boil, then simmer at a gentle heat, uncovered for 30 minutes until the sauce has reduced down, stirring occasionally to stop it sticking.
Divide into and refrigerate or freeze as this will form the basis of multiple dishes. Don’t add salt to the basic mixture as it will be added, if required , to the other dishes.
*If you ever have wine left over that you are not going to drink, freeze it in ice cube containers and then thaw and add into recipes to add richness and flavour without having to open a bottle.
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Cottage Pie
½ recipe (4 person serving) Basic mince/ground beef recipe
750gm (1¾ lbs) potatoes
75ml (⅓ cup) skimmed milk or buttermilk
2 tablespoons toasted breadcrumbs (optional)
200gm (½lb) fresh mushrooms) optional
1 calorie oil (optional)
1 tablespoon flour (optional)
Handful chives or 2-3 scallions/spring onions (optional)
1.
Peel the potatoes and put on to boil, cooking until soft (about 15-20 minutes).
Meanwhile:
2. If including mushrooms in the recipe, clean and slice them. Put them in a pan over medium of heat with a couple of squirts of the 1cal olive oil and cook for 5-7 minutes until softened, reducing the heat as necessary. Add the flour and stir into any juice that has come out of the mushrooms.
3. Add the mince mixture and cook until heated through and the sauce has thickened slightly.
4. Season to taste, using fresh black pepper and salt if necessary.
5. Put this mixture into an ovenproof dish with room for the potato topping.
6. When the potatoes are cooked, drain and put them back on the hob/stove and add the milk so it has time to heat up slightly.
7. Remove from the heat and mash, seasoning as required. The mash should be fluffy and lump free. You can also add a handful of finely chopped chives or spring onions/scallions if you wish.
8. Lay this over the meat mixture and mark it in ridges with a fork, then, if using, sprinkle over the toasted breadcrumbs.
9. Put in a preheated oven, 200C/400F for 15-20 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.
10. Serve with green vegetables such as broccoli, peas, green beans, and maybe a big spoonful of Tomato Fill-Me-Up for a healthy and filling meal.
360 calories, protein 36g, carbohydrate 40g, fat 6g, saturated fat 1g, fibre 3g, salt 0.8 g
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Spicy Wraps or Tortillas
4 x 20cm/8” wraps or tortilla shells
Squirt of 1 cal olive oil spray
½ teaspoon crushed/ground chili or fresh chili to taste
1 pepper/capsicum/bell pepper (any colour)
Half quantity basic mince/ground beef recipe (four servings)
1 cup drained corn kernels (can be fresh, canned or thawed from frozen)
1 cup diced fresh tomato
Low Fat Sour cream or Crème Fraiche for garnish
Shredded lettuce
Pepper and salt as required
1. Put a squirt of 1 cal olive oil into a frying pan/skillet. Add chopped pepper, and when softened add corn kernels. If these are fresh, cook for a few minutes, otherwise just warm through.
2. Add mince mixture and chili to taste and cook until thoroughly heated through.
3. Check and adjust seasoning.
4. Either spoon into wraps, or tortilla shells.
5. Top with diced tomato, shredded lettuce and low fat sour cream and wrap as appropriate.
6. Variation: If using wraps, you can also omit the lettuce, tomato sour cream. Lay the wraps into a dish, cover with half a cup of grated low-fat strong, strong cheddar cheese and put under the grill for a few minutes. Serve the lettuce, tomato alongside the wrap. You shouldn’t need the sour cream.
Serve with green salad, and maybe a bowl of grated carrots and a dish of sliced tomatoes and cucumber.
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Spaghetti Bolognese
Uses a half quantity (4 serving) recipe of the basic sauce/mixture listed separately. Takes about 15-20 minutes to both prep and cook, including time to cook spaghetti. Serves 4-6. Most of the calories are from the pasta.
Based on 4 generous servings - per serving: 580 calories, protein 43g, carbohydrate 52g, fat 2g, saturated fat 1g, fibre 9g, salt 0.8 g. If you serve six rather than four, multiple nutritional value by four, then divide by six to get individual nutritional value.
If you can, always get whole wheat spaghetti/pasta rather than the standard white pasta as whole grains provide slow releasing carbohydrates that give sustained energy and prevent you feeling hungry. Also ,studies show that people who eat whole grains have been found to be slimmer than those eating refined products. This is probably due the satiating effects of whole grains.
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
Squirt of 1 cal olive oil (optional)
1-2 cloves garlic (optional)
600gm/20oz can plum peeled tomatoes in juice (chopped/diced are easiest) or equivalent quantity (1½-2 cups of Tomato Fill-Me up (recipe also on BuddySlim)
2 tablespoons tomato paste (optional)
Large handful of fresh basil, plus extra leaves, to serve
½ recipe (4 person serving) Basic mince
400gm (14lb) whole wheat spaghetti (much healthier for you than the white spaghetti)
25gm (1oz) toasted brown breadcrumbs or grated, strong mature cheese (both are optional)
Directions:
1. Gently cook the garlic in the olive oil spray in a saucepan for a couple of minutes. You can omit this if you don’t want extra garlic in the sauce, but I like my spag bol with plenty of garlic.
2. Add the tomatoes, and tomato paste if using, and cook until heated through, about five minutes.
3. Add the basil and any remaining tomato juice and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. If you want the sauce smooth, which I think is nicer, blitz it in a food processor or use a stick/wand blender once the sauce is off the heat and put to one side.
5. Put the spaghetti on to cook, according to the packet instructions, taking it off the heat as soon as it is al dente and reserving a little of the cooking water.
6. Heat a four person serving (half recipe) of the Basic Minced Beef/Ground Beef recipe separately, using either the microwave or a saucepan/frying pan. Make sure it is properly heated through.
7. Mix the meat and tomato sauces together.
8. Toss the spaghetti and meat/tomato sauce together.
9. Season to taste
10. If required, add a tablespoon or two of the pasta cooking water to thin it slightly.
11. Sprinkle with toasted breadcrumbs and top with fresh basil leaves before serving.
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Lasagne (aka Lasagna in US) using Basic Mince Mixture
Takes about 15 minutes to make sauce and assemble and 20-30 minutes to cook.
Requires a half quantity basic mince/ground beef recipe and makes 4-6 servings.
Based on 4 generous servings - per serving: 550 calories, protein 43g, carbohydrate 62g, fat 6g, saturated fat 2g, fibre 6g, salt 0.8 g
This is a very healthy lasagne as it has no cheese, but the exact calorie and nutrition count will depend on what you add. You can top with a little grated, mature/strong cheese before cooking but this will add calories and fat, and I don’t think it is necessary as it is great without the cheese.
If you can, always get whole wheat lasagne pasta rather than the standard white pasta as whole grains provide slow releasing carbohydrates that give sustained energy and prevent you feeling hungry. Also, studies show that people who eat whole grains have been found to be slimmer than those eating refined products. This is probably due the satiating effects of whole grains.
Serve with a big green salad.
Servings: 4 generous
Ingredients:
2 x 400gm (2 x 14oz) cans diced tomatoes (preferably the type with herbs) or 3½ cups Tomato Fill-Me-Up
1-2 cups of thawed or cooked spinach (optional)
60 gm (2¼ oz) low-fat spread
60g (2¼ oz) plain flour
700ml (3 cups) semi-skimmed milk or 2% milk)
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg (grate from a nutmeg for best flavour)
250gm (9oz) lasagne sheets note: fresh lasagne from the chiller cabinet are best, and I particularly like the spinach wholewheat type, but any dried lasagne pasta will be okay
Salt and fresh black pepper
Directions:
1. Melt the low-fat spread in a pan, add the flour and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly.
2. Slowly add the milk and stir until you have a thick sauce. Season with nutmeg and take off the heat.
3. Spray a little 1 cal olive oil into an oven proof dish.
4. Put a layer of lasagne, and then a layer of the tomato mixture, then a layer of meat mixture, then a layer of spinach (if using), then a layer of milk sauce, then repeat until all ingredients have been used up, finishing with white sauce on the top.
5. I generally season with a little freshly ground black pepper and salt on the spinach layer, but seasoning will be to your personal preference. Don't worry if the tomato and meat layers look a bit sloppy, as the lasagne will soak up the extra moisture. The tomato mixture also adds bulk and flavour with very low calories and no fat.
6. Put in a pre-heated oven at 180°C/350°F and cook for 20-30 mins. Check after 20 minutes, and if necessary cover with some aluminium foil to prevent it getting too brown. If you are using dry lasagne (the kind you keep in your store cupboard), then I would suggest you cook it an extra 10 minutes.
Serve with a big green salad.
This is a very healthy lasagne as it has no cheese, but the exact calorie and nutrition count will depend on what you add. You can top with a little grated, mature/strong cheese before cooking but this will add calories and fat, and I don’t think it is necessary as it is great without.
Per serving: 281calories, 14.9g fat (2.6g saturated),26.8g protein, 9.9g carbs, 8.8g sugar, 0.4g salt
