Get on Track recipes

Week beginning 6 September

Fluffy blueberry pancakes

Serves four

4 egg whites
1 and a half cups plain flour
half cup oat bran
3 tsp bicarbonate of soda, sifted
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
three quarter cup buttermilk
a quarter cup milk
20g margarine or butter, melted
1 cup blueberries

Method:
Whisk the egg whites in a bowl until soft peaks form.
Place the flour, oat bran, bicarbonate of soda and sugar in a large bowl. Place the vanilla, buttermilk, milk and margarine (or butter) in a bowl and whisk to combine. Gradually whisk together the milk and flour mixtures.
Heat a lightly greased non-stick frying pan over low heat.
Cook two tbsp of mixture for two minutes on each side or until puffed and golden.
Repeat with the remaining mixture.

Minestrone soup

Serves four

One third cup macaroni
1 tbsp olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled, finely chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 x 425g can chunky crushed tomatoes
1 cup vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 x 400g can cannellini beans, rinsed, drained
25g green beans, topped, diagonally cut into 3cm lengths
1 tbsp finely grated parmesan

Method:
Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water following packet directions until al dente. Drain. Meanwhile, heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add celery, onion and carrot and cook, stirring for three minutes or until onion softens. Add zucchini and cook for an additional minute.
Add tomato and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally for six to seven minutes or until carrot is tender. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Add pasta, cannellini and green beans. Cook for three minutes or until green beans are bright green and tender crisp.
Ladle among bowls, sprinkle with parmesan and serve.

Mediterranean chicken

Serves four

2 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp plain flour
3-4 skinless chicken breast fillets, each cut into 3 diagonal slices
1 onion, cut into wedges
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp fresh red chilli
1 zucchini, sliced
1 red capsicum, cut into diagonal pieces
16 baby green beans
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
400g can Italian tomatoes
300g can butter beans, undrained
1 cup baby spinach leaves
fresh parsley for garnish

Method:
Coat chicken lightly in flour. Heat oil in a non-stick frypan, add chicken and cook for three to four minutes or until well browned. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
Add onion, garlic, chilli, zucchini, capsicum, green beans, parsley and basil to pan and cook for two to three minutes.
Stir in tomatoes and butter beans. Return chicken to pan, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add spinach leaves and heat until leaves begin to wilt.
Serve with fresh steamed vegetables and rice.

Low fat but creamy pasta carbonara

Serves four

375g fettuccine
1 tsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp garlic or 1 crushed garlic clove
200g low fat shredded ham or pastrami or 2 rasher lean reduced salt bacon, trimmed of visible fat
375ml evaporated skim milk
60g mushrooms, sliced
3 shallots, chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
1 tsp seeded mustard
one quarter of a cup grated low fat cheese
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tsp grated parmesan cheese.

Method:
Cook fettuccine according to directions on packet, drain, keep warm.
In a large frypan, sauté olive oil, onion, garlic and lean meat.
Add evaporated skim milk and stir. Add chopped shallots, seeded mustard, cooked pasta and cook for a further five minutes.
Add a quarter cup low fat grated cheese and stir through.
Add freshly ground pepper to taste, Top with parmesan cheese to serve.
Serve with garden salad.

Note: If you have difficulty thickening the pasta sauce, add one tbsp cornflour blended with adequate water to help thicken.

Note: When preparing the pasta, boil a little extra pasta so that some plain cooked pasta can be put aside to use for the pasta salad the following day.

Beef and vegetable oriental stir fry

Serves four

Marinade for beef:
2 tsp chopped or grated ginger
2 tbsp chopped coriander (or basil if preferred)
1 tbsp chopped mint leaves
2 tbsp salt-reduced soy sauce
2 tbsp plum sauce
1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

Other ingredients for stir fry:
500g lean rump steak, trimmed of visible fat, cut into 5cm strips
2 tsp olive oil
1 onion, wedged
1 clove garlic, crushed
250g snow peas, with trimmed ends
1 red capsicum, seeded and cut into thin strips
3 bunches baby bok choy
3 zucchini, cut into strips

Method:
Mix marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add beef strips to marinade, tossing to coat and allow to stand for approximately 30 minutes (or up to two hours).
After this time drain the marinade (reserving marinade juices) and set meat aside.
Heat oil in wok or stir fry pan until hot. Add marinated beef and cook for about three to five minutes or until meat is browned. Remove beef from pan and set aside.
Add garlic and onion to the pan and cook for a few minutes or until onion becomes transparent. Add snow peas, capsicum, bok choy and zucchini. Stir fry for three to five minutes.
Return meat to pan and allow to heat through, stir frying for approximately two minutes. If you wish to slightly thicken the sauce, add a little cornflour (two tsp) blended with a little water to the reserved marinade and add to the stir fry pan. Stir through until sauce thickens slightly. Serve stir fry on a bed of noodles or rice.

Baked frenched rack of lamb

Serves four

2 frenched racks of lamb, trimmed of visible fat
2 cloves garlic, crushed
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp (1 tbsp fresh) dried oregano or rosemary

Method:
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Rub the garlic, pepper, oil and herbs over the trimmed meat.
Place the lamb on roasting rack and place in baking dish into heated oven.
Cook for approximately 30 minutes or until meat is well-browned. (Note: cooking time may vary depending on how well-done or rare you prefer your lamb). Remove from heat and allow to rest for about five minutes. Divide the lamb racks into individual cutlets using a filleting knife and serve meat on plate (approximately three to four cutlets per person) with steamed vegetables.

Spinach pie

Serves six

1.5kg English spinach or 2 pkts frozen spinach (thawed and well-drained)
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
4 spring onions, chopped
250g low fat cottage cheese
500g continental style cottage cheese
2 eggs, beaten
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Pinch of ground nutmeg
A quarter cup chopped fresh mint
8 sheets filo pastry
30g margarine, melted
half cup fresh breadcrumbs
Oil spray for baking dish

Method:
Preheat oven to a moderate 180°C.
Lightly spray a square tin 1.5 litre capacity ovenproof dish with oil.
Trim and wash the spinach, then place in a large pan. Cover and cook for two to three minutes, until the spinach is just wilted. Drain, cool then squeeze dry and chop.
Heat the oil in a small pan. Add the onion and spring onion and cook for two to three minutes or until softened
Stir in Low Fat and Continental Style cottage cheeses, egg, garlic, nutmeg and mint. Season and mix thoroughly.
Brush a sheet of filo pastry with a little margarine. Fold in half width ways and line the base and sides of the dish. Repeat with three more sheets. Keep the unused sheets moist by covering with a damp tea towel.
Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the pastry. Spread the filling into the dish. Fold over any overlapping pastry. Brush and fold another sheet and place on top. Repeat with three more sheets. Tuck the pastry in at the sides, brush the top with any remaining margarine. Score squares or diamonds on top using a sharp knife.
Bake for 40 minutes, or until golden. Cut into squares and serve with Mediterranean salad.

Note: a serving of this meal can be kept for lunch the next couple of days.

Prawn and spring vegetable risotto

Serves four

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup dry white wine
2 tsp margarine
2 tsp olive oil.
1 large brown onion, chopped finely
2 green shallots, sliced thinly
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 and a half cups arborio rice
*1 kg green prawns, peeled and de-veined
250g asparagus, trimmed, sliced thickly
100g snow peas halved
100g sugar snap peas
2 tbsp finely chopped chives
2 tsp lemon juice
a quarter cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives, extra

*If you don’t like prawns you could substitute with 500g chicken breast instead.

Method:
Combine stock and wine in a medium saucepan; bring to boil, then simmer. Meanwhile, heat margarine and oil in a large saucepan; cook both onion, spring onions, and garlic, stirring until onion softens. Add rice, stir to coat in oil mixture. Stir in one cup of hot stock mixture and cook, stirring over low heat until liquid is fully absorbed. Continue adding stock mixture in one cup batches, stirring until absorbed between each addition. Total cooking time should be about 35 minutes or until rice is tender.
Gently stir in prawns and allow to cook for two minutes. Stir in asparagus, snow peas, sugar snap peas, chives and cheese. When combined stir through the lemon juice.
Stand covered for five minutes.
Sprinkle risotto with extra chives.
Serve immediately.

Beef and vegetable casserole

Serves four

400g lean round steak
cooking oil spray
1 onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
400g can chopped tomatoes
300g sweet potato or potato
2 small carrots, sliced
2 zucchini, sliced
200g can chickpeas, juice drained
200g mushrooms, halved or quartered
200g yellow squash, halved
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 litre well-flavoured beef stock, warmed
freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp chopped parsley

Method:
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Remove excess fat and sinew from meat and cut into 3cm cubes. Spray a non-stick frypan with cooking spray and dry fry the meat in batches until brown. Remove from pan.
Spray the pan again, add the onion and cook until lightly golden. Add the garlic, thyme and bay leaf and stir for one minute.
Place meat and onion mixture to a large casserole dish. Add chopped vegetables, warmed beef stock, canned tomatoes, canned chickpeas.
Bake covered for one hour. Stir well, then uncover and bake for 20 minutes. Season, remove bay leaf and stir in parsley.
Serve with cooked pasta or rice and a steamed green vegetable such as broccoli.