Well folks, it’s been a while since I blogged and for that I’m really sorry. I’ve been so busy with work that I’ve tended to avoid anything computery in the evenings! Time to get this blog going again now eh?
Here’s one of the dinners I’ve been enjoying on my Fast days over the last month. It’s a simple recipe which I batch cook it and freeze in portions. The recipe is based on one from the Good Housekeeping cookbook, but adjusted a bit to lower the calories and bulk it out.
Ratatouille
- 60ml olive oil (492kcal)
- 240g white onion (96kcal)
- 10g crushed garlic (14kcal)
- 250g aubergine (63kcal)
- 370g courgette [zucchini] (63kcal)
- 290g mixed peppers (60kcal)
- 400g tinned tomatoes (148kcal)
- 2tbsp tomato puree (30kcal)
- 2tbsp chopped parsley
- 1tbsp chopped basil
- 1tsp thyme
Method
Chop the aubergine, courgette and peppers into chunks (I like to vary mine in shape and size!). Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion & garlic gently for a few minutes. Add the aubergine, courgette & peppers and fry for a few minutes. Add the tinned tomatoes, puree and add some salt & pepper. Cover the pan and leave to simmer for around 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the lid add the herbs and allow the sauce to reduce as desired.
I find the above makes 6 good portions of 160kcal each.
At such a low calorie count there are plenty of possibilities for sides with this dish! My preference is for Tesco meat-free sausages in the Mediterranean flavour, they are just 174kcal a pair if shallow fried, so I like to think they’re a little less when brushed with a tiny amount of olive oil and cooked in the oven! So, that’s about 330 calories, now what else to have with it? You could have cous cous, 170kcal will get you a rather large portion of it! Or you could have…
Garlic & Herb Potato Wedges
- 5g from a packet of Garlic & Herb Wedges Seasoning or you could make your own with breadcrumbs & garlic powder (15kcal)
- 160g baby potatoes (135kcal)
- A few drops of olive oil (20kcal)
These are also a quick and easy (but tasty & filling) side dish. I know, I know, carbs aren’t a great idea for a fasting day – but this way of life has to be sustainable in the long term & I like my carbs. I don’t have them every fast though. Just chop the baby potatoes into quarters to make your wedges, brush with a tiny amount of olive oil and toss in the 5g of seasoning (believe me 5g is plenty, it goes further than you’d think). Put on a pre-heated baking tray in the oven at around 180° for 25-30 minutes depending on the thickness of your wedges. I usually cook my sausages alongside them to save on washing up 😉
So there you go, 160kcal ratatouille, 170kcal sausages and 170kcal of potato wedges making yet another yummy 500kcal fasting day dinner, which doesn’t feel at all like diet food – enjoy!
Wish I was having this tonight now, but I’ve run out. Fasting day Fry-up for me again tonight, with extra beans!