Veggie Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

I had never tried Spaghetti Squash before! I'm impressed! Really loved it.

To make the Sauce:

Berry Tomatoes  - approx 20, these were fresh from my garden

Fresh Basil - couple of handfuls

Fresh Garlic - 2 cloves sliced

Brown Sugar - approx 2 tablespoons

Balsamic Vinegar - approx 4 tablespoons

It turns out different every time as I never really measure the quantities. You can adjust to your own tastes after you make it a few times.

Combine and roast in the oven until caramelised. Blend until smooth.

How to cook the Spaghetti Squash:

Simple... Roast it in a 180 degree C oven until cooked, this will depend on the size of the squash.

 This one was approx 600 grams and I cooked it for around an hour.

What to do next:

Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. 

Use a fork to fluff up the flesh which creates the noodles! 

Keep the skin to use as a bowl.

For the rest of the filling..

1 Onion diced

1/4 Red Capsicum diced

3 Button Mushrooms sliced

1/2 Zucchini diced

2 Tablespoons of Chilli infused Olive Oil

Saute until soft, add the sauce and the spaghetti squash. Mix to combine. Pop it all back into the skins and top with some Parmesan and Tasty cheese of your choice and throw it under the grill until the cheese melts.

Mustard Slow Cooker Pork Chops

I LOVE Slow Cooker Pork Chops and decided to do something different with them. We all loved them! Simple with few ingredients, Gluten Free and melt in the mouth!

Ingredients:

3 Pork Chops

1/4 Cup Gluten Free Plain Flour

1 Teas Mustard Powder

1 Teas Garlic Powder

2 Teas Chicken Stock Powder

600 ml of Water

1 Onion Sliced

3 Button Mushrooms Sliced

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

Cracked Pepper

What to do:

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C. Mix half the flour with the mustard & garlic powder. Coat the chops. Mix the other half of the flour with the chicken stock and water. Heat a Dutch oven on the stove top and add the oil. Leave the oil for a few minutes to heat up and then brown the pork chops on either side. Set aside and sauté the onions and mushrooms. Return the chops to the pan and cover with the mix of flour, water & stock. Stir to combine and deglaze the pan. Put the lid on and put the Dutch oven into the oven for approx 4 hours. Give it a stir every hour or so. Serve with mashed potatoes and steamed veggies!

ENJOY!!

Grilled Portabello with Dijon & Thyme Scrambled Eggs..

Grilled Portabello with Dijon & Thyme Scrambled Eggs..

2 Free Range eggs

1 Teas Dijon Mustard

1 Tablespoon of Low Fat Cottage Cheese

1 Sprig of Thyme

1 Portabello Mushroom 

Slices of Zucchini 

Brush the mushroom and zucchini with Olive Oil and place into a large ramekin or ceramic dish. Grill on each side for approx. 8 - 10 minutes or until tender. 

Whisk together in a microwave proof bowl, I use a coffee cup. Cook for 2 mins in the microwave stirring every 30 seconds. Top the Mushroom with the eggs and sprinkle with some more fresh thyme. 

Creamy delicious low fat breakfast... YUM!

ೋღღೋ ೋღღೋ ೋღღೋ ೋღღೋೋღღೋ

ღ Join Our Exclusive Cooking Group on Facebook for healthier alternatives, 

daily recipes and weight loss support ~ Invite your friends who love recipes too! ღ

www.facebook.com/groups/healthychoiceswithljsgourmetkitchen/

Lj's Skinny Chicken & Bacon Pasta Sauce

Quick & Easy weeknight dinner with leftovers for lunches.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

500 Grams Chicken Diced

2 Rashers of Short Cut Bacon Diced

6 Button Portabello Mushrooms Sliced

1/4 Cup White Wine

1 Shallot Sliced

300ml Skim Milk

1 Teas Dijon Mustard

1 Teas Chicken Stock Powder

1 Tablespoon of Cornflour

125 Grams of Dry Gluten Free Pasta

I used Garlic & Parsley from Aldi

(Cooked to packet instructions)

Himalayan Salt and Cracked Pepper to season

What to do:

Heat a nonstick frypan. Saute the bacon and mushrooms, then brown the chicken. Add the shallot, then the white wine. Stir to combine and let the wine reduce a little. Whisk together the Milk, cornflour, chicken stock powder and dijon mustard. Add to the pan and stir to combine. Keep stirring while cooking until the sauce thickens. Add then add the cooked Pasta. Season with the salt and pepper and top with a sprinkle of Parmesan when serving. 

ೋღღೋ ೋღღೋ ೋღღೋ ೋღღೋೋღღೋ

ღ Join Our Exclusive Cooking Group on Facebook for healthier alternatives, 

daily recipes and weight loss support ~ Invite your friends who love recipes too! ღ

www.facebook.com/groups/healthychoiceswithljsgourmetkitchen/

Lj's Gluten Free Zucchini Slice

Ingredients:

2 Rashers of diced Bacon

1 Large Shallot sliced

1 Large Zucchini grated

4 Button Yellow Squash grated

`1 Carrot grated

150 Grams of Baby Spinach

6 Free Range Eggs

1/4 Cup Gluten Free Plain Flour

1/4 Cup Freshly grated Parmesan

1/4 Cup of freshly grated Live Free Kraft Cheese

What to do:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.

Brown the diced bacon and let it cool. Mix all of the other ingredients

in a large bowl until well combined, then add the bacon and give it a mix.

Pour into a lined slice tray with baking paper.

30cm x 20cm or 12 x 8 Inch.

Bake for approx 30 mins until set and golden.

Gluten Free Lime Cupcakes

Gluten Free Lime Cupcakes..

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Butter Melted or Grapeseed Oil

1/2 Cup Flannery's Own Organic Honey

6 Free Range Eggs

1/2 Cup firmly packed Almond Flour ( I used homemade almond meal)

1/2 Cup Flannery's Own Organic Coconut Flour

1 Teas Baking Powder 

Zest and Juice of 1 Lime (You could use Lemon or orange)

What To Do:

Preheat the oven to 170 - 180 C.

In a medium bowl whisk the melted butter, eggs and the honey until smooth. In another bowl mix the almond flour, coconut flour and baking powder. Add the zest and the juice and mix until well combined.

Place the mix evenly into a lined muffin tray. Makes 12. As the mix is very runny I used a bowl you can pour the mixture straight into the muffin tins. Bake for 20 min minutes or until golden and a skewer comes out clean.

These are honestly the best Gluten Free Cupcakes I have ever tried..

Enjoy!!

Brown Rice & Quinoa Sushi

This would have to be the best Sushi I have ever made at home!

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup of Brown Rice & Red Quinoa Mix (Sunrise) cooked to packet instructions

(I use the absorption method.. just cover the rice with water, bring to the boil then pop the lid on and turn off the heat. Add a teas of Rice Wine Vinegar and combine. Let the rice cool)

Yaki Nori

For the filling:

200g Tuna in Spring water drained

1/2 Ripe Avocado

1 Teas Lemon Juice

Cracked Pepper to taste

Mix it all together until combined.

Here is a guide on different styles of Sushi Rolling.

http://sushinow.com/rolling.htm

Using a Sushi rolling mat

Choc Chip Jam & Cream Log

The easier dessert you will ever make!

Inspired by the back of an Arnott's biscuits packet I decided to make this homemade dessert from some Chocolate Chip  Biscuits I made over the weekend.

Here is the biscuit recipe:

http://ljsgourmetkitchen.blogspot.com.au/2011/09/choc-chip-moments-made-from-nannys-choc.html

For the Jam & Cream Log... really simple acutally. Whip 500ml of Cream, add a layer of cream to the bottom of a baking dish. Sandwich the biscuits together by spreading with Jam and then Cream. Put them side by side and continue along the baking dish. Cover with the remaining cream, cover and leave to set in the fridge overnight or for at least 6 hours.

The biscuits will soften and the cream will set.. oh my gosh.... YUM!

Hungarian Beef Goulash

Ingredients:

500 grams of Beef Bolar Blade diced

1 Tablespoons of Plain Flour

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

1 Large Onion Diced

2 Carrots peeled and sliced

2 Cloves of Fresh Garlic finely diced

1 Tablespoon of Sweet Paprika

1 Teaspoon of Cumin

1 Tin of diced Roma Tomatoes

1 Whole Red Capsicum

250 ml of Beef Stock

2 Tablespoons of Tomato Paste

1/2 Cup of Extra Light Sour Cream

What to do:

Add the diced beef and flour to a freezer bag and toss to coat. Heat a dutch oven on the stove top and add a tablespoon of the oil. Brown in batches and remove.

Slice the capsicum, remove the seeds and roast under the griller until black. Cover with alfoil for 5 minutes to let the skins sweat. Remove the skins and dice.

Add the other tablespoon of oil to the dutch oven and add the onions, garlic, paprika and cumin. Give it a good stir to combine, then pop on the lid and turn to low and cook for 5 mins.

Return the meat to the dutch oven, add the tomato's, carrots, beef stock and tomato paste. Stir to combine. Pop the lid back on and cook on low for approx 2 hours. Add the sour cream and stir to combine. You can serve with Mash, Noodles, or boiled whole baby spuds with garlic butter! I've served with sweet potato and pumpkin mash on this occasion.

Lj's Skinny Chicken Stir fry with Slim Noodles

Serves 2

Ingredients:

150 grams Chicken Breast 

1 Tablespoon of Balsamic Vinegar

1 Table Spoon of ABC Soy Sauce

1 Clove of fresh Garlic finely diced

4 Button Mushrooms 

1 Medium Carrot 

1/2 Small Zucchini 

2 Yellow button Squash

1/4 Leek 

1/4 Red Capsicum 

1 Packet of Slim Noodles (250 grams)

What to do:

Slice the Chicken and add to bowl, add the Balsamic Vinegar, Soy Sauce and garlic.

Leave in the fridge to marinate for a few hours if possible. Slice all the veges and Saute in a preheated non stick pan with a splash of Olive Oil. Be your own chef here and cook the veggies the way you like them. I prefer them with a little bit of crunch. Remove from the pan and brown the Chicken. Add the veggies back into the pan and stir to combine. Rinse and soak the noodles in hot water for 2 mins, drain and add to the pan. Stir to combine. If you are like me and like it a little saucier add some more soy sauce :-)

Enjoy!

PS You can use whatever veggies you like, I just used what I already had in the fridge

Lj's Mango & Banana Chutney

So many fresh Mango's off my tree this year! 

Whipped up this Chutney for myself and to share with some friends!

Ingredients:

6 fresh mangoes medium sized - skin and seed removed and cubed

2 Bananas sliced

1 cup of Raisins

1 large white onion diced 

3 cups of vinegar ( I usually use apple cider but ran out and used white today)

2 cups of sugar 

1 teas curry powder

1 teas chilli powder

1 teas cinnamon

1 teas yellow mustard seeds

3/4 cup sweet sherry ( you could use port)

What to do:

I've used an electric pot I have that is like an electric frypan but a pot. I add the vinegar and sugar and stir to dissolve the sugar a bit. Add everything else and bring to the boil, then let it simmer until thickened, took approx 4 hours but I cooked it slow. Bottle in sterilised jars while hot. 

Lj's Creamy Honey Mustard Chicken With Wild Rice

Here is my little creation from last night. My daughter had a friend over and asked for Mustard Chicken. I usually use Chicken Breast for this recipe, however I had taken out Chicken Legs to Roast for an easy dinner! Here is how it all turned out.

Ingredients:

6 Chicken Drumsticks Skin removed

2 Tablespoons of Black Swan No Fat Yoghurt

2 Tablespoons of Taylors Honey Mustard Marinade

2 Portabello Mushrooms finely sliced

1 White Onion diced

1 Tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

250 ml of Extra Light Cream

1/2 Cup of Basmati Rice

1 Tablespoon of Wild Rice

1 Teaspoon of Vegeta Chicken Stock Powder

mixed with 1 Cup of Water

Cracked Pepper to Season

(Tip: You can make your own by replacing the yoghurt and marinade in this  recipe with 4 Tbs of Yoghurt, 1 Tablespoon of Honey & 1 Tbs of Seeded Mustard which is what I would normally do, I got the Taylors in a gift basket over Christmas)

What to do: Mix together the Marinade and the Yogurt and coast the Chicken. If you have time you can let this sit and marinade in the fridge for the day. I usually do this is the morning before work. However today it wasn't the plan so I marinated and left for an hour. 

Preheat the oven to 200 Degrees C. Bake the Chicken for approx an hour or until cooked through.

 Heat a non stick fry pan with a lid and add the Olive Oil. Saute the Mushrooms and Onion and then add the rice and give it a good stir. Cook until the onion is almost soft and the rice is translucent.

Add the Chicken Stock and bring to the boil, then let it simmer until the rice is tender. Meanwhile take the Chicken from the bones and dice. Add the cream to the pan and let it simmer until it thickens, then add the chicken.  Season with Cracked Black Pepper and then your Dinner is served! Enjoy!

Lj's Homemade Spiced Tomato Ketchup

I love the smell of the house while making home made sauces! Here's a Tomato Ketchup recipe I have been making for years. I generally change it up every time! Here is the version I made over the weekend :-)

Ingredients:

2 Kg of Ripe Truss Tomatoes Diced

4 Small White Onions Finely Chopped

4 Cloves of Fresh Garlic Crushed

2 Granny Smith Apples Diced

1 1/2 Cups of Brown Sugar

1 1/2 Cups of White Vinegar

1/2 Cup of Balsamic Vinegar

1 Teaspoon of Black Peppercorns

6 Cloves

1/2 a Cinnamon Stick

1 Fresh Bay Leaf

1 Tablespoon of Curry Powder

What to do:

In a piece of cheesecloth add the Cinnamon Stick, Bay Leaf, Cloves and Peppercorns and tie to secure. Add all of the other ingredients in a large saucepan or non stick frypan. Stir to combine. Bring it to the boil and then let it simmer until all of the ingredients are very tender. Discard the cheesecloth bag and use a stick mixer or blender to puree the sauce. Sometimes I strain it through a fine sieve to remove the seeds but this time I decided to leave it as it. I find that when you don't strain it and leave it sit in a dark spot for a few months it intensifies the flavour. In saying that it never lasts that long in this house.

Cooks tips: Replace the Vinegar's with 2 cups of Malt Vinegar, today I just used what I had as I had run out of Malt Vinegar. Try it with Apple Cider Vinegar its LUSH!

This morning I served some of this luscious sauce with some Breakfast fritters.

You can find the recipe here:

http://ljsgourmetkitchen.blogspot.com.au/2014/01/ljs-corn-beef-breakfast-fritters.html

Lj's Corn Beef Breakfast Fritters

Lots of goodness in these lovely Corn Beef Breakfast Fritters! Great way to start the day!

Ingredients:

2 Free Range Eggs

1/2 Cup diced Corn Beef

1/2 Small Grated Zucchini

1 Large Portabello Mushroom

1 Heaped Tablespoon of finely diced Red Capsicum

1 Heaped Tablespoon of finely diced Red Onion

1 Tablespoon of SF Flour

1 Heaped Tablespoon of Low Fat Cottage Cheese

What to do:

In a non stick pan saute the mushroom and zucchini and let it cool. Mix together all of the other ingredients until well combine and then add the veggies. Spray your non stick pan with cooking spray and cook just like you would pancakes!

Yum Yum Yum!!!!!

Lj's Pan Fried Ranch Chicken

I've marinated a chicken breast in my homemade ranch mix and no fat Greek yoghurt overnight and pan fried in a non stick pan with Portabello mushrooms, capsicum, zucchini, red onion and carrot. 

Delicious and HEALTHY!

Ingredients for the Dry Ranch Dressing Mix:

1 Tsp dried Chives

2 Tbs dried Parsley

1 1/2 Tsp Dried Dill

2 Tsp Garlic Powder

4 Tsp Onion Flakes

1 Tsp each of Salt & Ground Black Pepper

Add approx 1 heaped teaspoon to 3/4 of a Cup of No Fat Yoghurt. 

(My preference is Black Swan No Fat Greek Yoghurt)

This is enough for around 4 Chicken Breasts. You just want enough to coat it.

In a large snap lock bag add the Yoghurt and the Dry Ranch Mix. Add the Chicken Breasts and marinate over night or if in a hurry a few hours in the afternoon is fine.

Heat a non stick pan and cook until golden on each side and cooked through.

This is also lovely crumbed and cooked in the oven. Dip the Yoghurt covered Chicken straight into breadcrumbs and onto a tray lined with baking paper. Cook in a preheated oven at 200 degrees C. Times will be approximate depending on the size of the Chicken. 

You may also like my Ranch Dressing:

http://ljsgourmetkitchen.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/ljs-skinny-ranch-dressing.html

Lj's Healthy Frittata ~ Great for Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner

Man of the house decided he would love this for lunch.. Not long got him to even 

try eggs and now all he wants are my Frittata's! This is a great Breakfast or Lunch Recipe!

This one has the following Ingredients to serve 2 :

4 Free Range Eggs

 Fresh Parsley & Chives chopped

(SO lucky my herb garden is plentiful!)

1/2 Cup of Skim Milk

100g Diced Lean Ham off the Bone

Veggies: 

(However much you like really and whatever you like

 I add enough to almost cover the bottom of the pan)

Capsicum (approx 1/4 small)

Shallots (1 Large)

Portabello Mushroom (1 Large)

Grated Zucchini (1/2 a small one)

60g of Finely grated Live Free Kraft Tasty Cheese

What to do:

Heat a non stick pan (that is suitable to go under the grill) and spray with cooking spray. Add the veggies and cook until tender. Add the diced Ham. Give it a good mix to combine. Using a Stick Mixer whisk the Eggs and the milk, then add the chopped herbs, Sea Salt and Cracked Pepper. I find that if you give it a really good whisk the end result is so light and fluffy! Pour the egg mix over the ham and veggies and let it cook until about half way through. Top with the Cheese.  Heat up the grill and put your pan under it until your Frittata is golden brown and cooked through the center. If you don't have a pan that you can put under the grill you can carefully turn it over in the pan to brown the other side.

No Fat Yoghurt Cheese..

Fat free Yoghurt Cheese! The easiest yummiest thing you will ever make and all it is is drained No Fat Black Swan Greek yoghurt. I've made this one plain but you could add flavours while draining. Using a piece of cheesecloth (you could use a unused chux) add the yogurt to the centre and pull up around the sides and tie up with string. I used a plastic jar with a lid to hang it over and tie up. Let the yoghurt drain in the fridge for 24 hours. It should be semi firm after this. You can roll it into balls and coat with herbs or add flavours like nuts and dried apricots if you like, great for cheese platters when entertaining! A great gift added to a Jar and top with herb, garlic or chilli infused Olive Oils, use in place of Cream Cheese to stuff Chicken Breasts. Great base for a stuffed Portabello mushroom! Idea's are endless. Let it drain a bit longer and crumble it over salads like you would fetta.

Healthy Ham & Egg on Turkish and an update on my 90 Day Challenge

I'm getting a little boring arn't I and ever so predictable when it comes to Breakfast! But a girl wants what a girl wants and after my morning work out I need to refuel!  I've toasted a turkish, topped with a small amount of Avo, Live Free Kraft low fat cheese, a slice of ham off the bone grilled and a free range egg.. YUMMO!!!!  Almost at the end of my Skinny Body Care 90 Day Challenge 8 kg and 46 cm gone, so proud of myself for sticking to it and for starting to enjoy exercise again. If you need to lose a few kg's and need some motivation join us on Facebook for weight loss support, recipes, health tips, humour, inspiration and motivation, helping to change one life at a time...join us by clicking here and invite your friends who love recipes too! --->>> https://www.facebook.com/groups/healthychoiceswithljsgourmetkitchen/

*´¨)

¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)

(¸.•´ (¸.•` ¤ Healthy Choices with Lj’s Gourmet Kitchen*´¨)

To learn more about Skinny Fiber and how it could work for you click on the link below and watch this short video. I wish I had found it sooner. Never felt so fantastic, the weight loss is just a bonus!

Please feel free to follow me on Facebook or send me a message if you have any questions, I'd be more than happy to answer them for you.

♪ღ♪*•.¸¸¸.•*¨¨*•.¸¸¸.•*•♪ღ♪¸.•*¨¨*•.¸¸¸.•*•♪ღ♪•* ♪ღ♪
░H░A░P░P░Y░♪░2░0░1░4░!░!░!░!░!
░♪ღ♪ *•♪ღ♪*•.¸¸¸.•*¨¨*•.¸¸¸.•*•♪¸.•*¨¨*•.¸¸¸.•*•♪ღ♪•*

Lj's Homemade Pickled Gold Beetroot

I found this gorgeous looking Gold Beetroot at my local fruit shop yesterday morning. I've never seen one and picked it up with a new recipe in mind.

Ingredients:

1 Large Gold Beetroot

1 Birds eye Chilli

1 Clove of fresh Garlic sliced

1 1/2 Cups of Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Cup of filtered water

1 Tablespoon of Brown Sugar

1/2 Teaspoon of Yellow Mustard Seeds

1/2 Teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon

(I would usually use some Cinnamon Stick but ran out)

1/2 Teaspoon of Pink Peppercorns

1/2 Teaspoon of Black Peppercorns

What to do:

Generally when pickling Beetroot I cook them whole in water, let them cook and then cut them up. Today I decided to peel and dice and do it a little bit differently.

 Add all of the ingredients to a Saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for approx half an hour or until the beetroot is tender. Add to a sterilised glass jar and seal. You can store in a dry cool place but I'd prefer to just rip into it :-)

Healthy Banana Icecream

OMG!!!! Delicious!!!!! Forgot to share the Healthy Banana Ice Cream with you yesterday. I saw the recipe on 5 Ingredient Fix but it was loaded with extra calories from honey and peanut butter. Add these if you like, I decided to go almost ah la natural!!!

Ok here's what to do..

Slice 2 Bananas and freeze on a tray lined with baking paper. I cut mine about 3cm thick so they are easy to blend. Once frozen throw them in the blender with 1 Tablespoon of Organic Agave Syrup and blend until smooth. That's it's!!! I've popped it back into the freezer for a bit, although I'm not sure i can wait that long! So easy so delicious and creamy! Who would have thought you could make icecream with just 2 ingredients. 

Next time I'm going to add some low fat yoghurt before I re freeze it. You can find more healthy recipes in my group!

Join us here for weight loss support, recipes, health tips, humour, inspiration and motivation, helping to change one life at a time...join us by clicking here and invite your friends who love recipes too! --->>> https://www.facebook.com/groups/healthychoiceswithljsgourmetkitchen/

*´¨)

¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)

(¸.•´ (¸.•` ¤ Healthy Choices with Lj’s Gourmet Kitchen*´¨)