Author Archives: Belinda Berry

Amazing low calorie desserts!!!

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Just for fun really, I thought I would see what is possible…. what kind of lovely dessert could I create with less than 100 calories?

Raspberry Cinnamon Meringue

 

This is based on Nigel Slater’s Raspberry Cinnamon Meringue recipe on the BBC Good Food website

I used 2 egg whites and only 30g golden sugar, making 4 sticky meringues (I don’t think you can make a crisp meringue with so little sugar). I followed Nigel’s method for making the meringues. Topped with fromage frais and defrosted raspberries and sprinkled with grated chocolate. ONLY 75 calories each!!!  Yummy.

or how about this, a recipe I found in Australian Women’s Weekly Healthy Heart cookbook :-  Mini Eclairs with Vanilla Cream

Mini Eclairs with Vanilla Cream

Basically a very light choux pastry, filled with low-fat vanilla flavoured yogurt that has been thickened up using gelatine.  Dusted with icing sugar. Less than 50 calories each!  (You would want to eat at least 2….).

So you really can eat dessert completely guilt-free! 

Mini Eclairs with Vanilla Cream
Yields 12
Light and delightful puffs filled with vanilla yogurt
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Prep Time
2 hr
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
2 hr
Prep Time
2 hr
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
2 hr
For the eclairs
  1. 5g unsalted butter
  2. 125ml water
  3. 50g self-raising flour
  4. 2 egg whites
  5. 1 tblsp icing sugar
For the Vanilla Cream
  1. 200g low-fat plain yogurt
  2. 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
  3. 3 tsp light brown sugar
  4. 2 leaves gelatine
  5. 2 tsp water
For the Eclairs
  1. Heat oven to 180c.
  2. Put the butter and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
  3. Add the sifted flour all at once and stir vigorously until smooth.
  4. Transfer to a mixing bowl and leave to cool for a few minutes.
  5. Gradually beat in the egg whites and beat until it holds together.
  6. Spoon into a piping bag with a plain 1cm nozzle and pipe lengths of about 5cm onto a non-stick baking tray, making 12 in all.
  7. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 160c and cook for a further 15 minutes, until nicely browned.
  8. Allow to cool, then just before serving, cut in half and fill with the vanilla cream.
  9. Dust with icing sugar.
For the Vanilla Cream
  1. Put the gelatine leaves to soak in a bowl of cold water.
  2. Mix the vanilla essence and sugar with the yogurt (or use ready made vanilla yogurt) in a bowl.
  3. Put 2 teaspoons of boiling water in a small jug and add the drained gelatine, stirring well to dissolve, then pour in to the yogurt.
  4. Mix well, then refrigerate for an hour or so until set.
Notes
  1. Serve with fresh mixed berries. Unfilled eclairs may be frozen.
Adapted from The Australian Women's Weekly Healthy Heart Cookbook
Adapted from The Australian Women's Weekly Healthy Heart Cookbook
Focus on Flavour https://www.focusonflavour.com/

5:2 My Flavourful Meal Plan for week 9

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This week I went to the market in Montaigu-de-Quercy. Lots of lovely fresh seasonal local produce to choose from!

 Montaigu de Quercy _MG_0370 

_MG_0399

I came home with my bags laden :-

lettuces, endive, bean shoots, swiss chard, leeks, brown mushrooms, young turnips, carrots, jerusalem artichokes, watercress, beetroot, radishes, goats cheese, pears, apples and satsumas – and the first asparagus (from Spain).

 

Each week I am trying to feature seasonal produce, but I’m also trying to use up food that I have stored in my freezer, much of which is home-grown.

So my actual plan for the week, updated with calorie counts, designed with flavour in mind for healthy, satisfying  well-balanced meals, which will work for an intermittent fasting and weight loss lifestyle. I’m not showing cups of tea or my standard breakfast, but numbers are included in the daily totala:-

_MG_0375 Sunday ~ 1300 kcals 

  • lunch: leftovers – Pizza and Spanakopitta, Veg Stir Fry with Satay sauce (370); satsuma (30)
  • dinner: Herby Roast Chicken (Alain Ducasse) with Roasted Roots, Braised Turnips and Peas (410);
    Raspberry Cinnamon Meringue (75)
    + 200 kcal of treats (wine and chocolate)!

 

_MG_0368 Monday ~ Fast Day 490 kcals

  • breakfast: Scrambled Egg with Smoked Trout – (140)
  • dinner: Watercress Soup (60); Tuna Steak with ginger and garlic, steamed Asparagus, Beanshoot, Mushroom and Radish Salad (200)
    Baked Pear with Amaretti (100)

 

_MG_0386

Tuesday ~ 1185 kcals

  • lunch: Watercress Soup (60) with cracker (30); 2 Chipolata Sausages with Cauliflower Mash and leftover braised vegetables (360); Satsuma (30)
  • supper: Asparagus Filo Pastries (150); Coronation Chicken Salad (260); Roquefort and digestive biscuit (150); Raspberry Cinnamon Meringue (75)

 

_MG_0387 Wednesday ~ 1275 kcals

 

 

_MG_0388 Thursday ~ Fast Day – 500 kcal

 

 

_MG_0381 Friday: tbd!

    

I’ve updated last week’s meal plan with what we actually ate and the calorie counts. You’ll find my recipes here

I hope you find some of my ideas inspirational and useful.

As always, if you have any questions, please ask. 

Spanakopitta – Spinach and Feta Filo Pastries

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These spinach and feta pastries are a delicious treat for any day of the week!

Spanakopitta is a Greek name for spinach and cheese pastries.

Spanakopitta and Salad

Because filo pastry is fat free, you can get the lovely crispness of pastry without loads of calories.

Spanakopitta

They are not difficult to make as individual triangles, but if you prefer you could make one large pie using the four sheets of pastry overlapping each other.

_MG_0317_MG_0306_MG_0331_MG_0332 _MG_0335 _MG_0336 

Spanakopitta - Spinach and Feta Filo Pastries
Serves 4
Filo triangles stuffed with spinach and feta cheese
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Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
40 min
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
40 min
Ingredients
  1. 4 sheets filo pastry
  2. 2 cups spinach leaves
  3. 2 shallots or 1 small onion, finely chopped
  4. 100g feta cheese, chopped or crumbled
  5. 1 tblsp coriander leaves, chopped
  6. 1 egg, beaten
  7. Pinch of nutmeg
  8. Freshly ground black pepper
  9. 1 tblsp olive oil
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 200c.
  2. Heat 1/2 tblsp oil in a frying pan and gently sauté the shallots or onion until softened but not coloured.
  3. Wash the spinach well and put into a saucepan with the water that clings to it.
  4. Cover and cook gently until tender.
  5. Strain through a sieve, pressing out all the liquid, then turn out onto a board and chop roughly.
  6. Add the shallots, feta cheese, beaten egg, coriander leaves, freshly grated nutmeg and black pepper and mix well.
  7. Work with one single sheet of filo pastry at a time, keeping the remainder wrapped up.
  8. Cut the sheet of pastry into 4 equal strips.
  9. Add a spoonful of spinach mixture at one end and turn into triangles.
  10. Put onto a lightly oiled baking sheet.
  11. Continue until the mixture is used up - should make 16.
  12. Brush the outside of the pastries very lightly with olive oil.
  13. Bake for about 10 minutes until golden.
Notes
  1. Serve with a mixed salad with black olives.
  2. Each Spanakopitta is 50 calories (kcals). A serving of 4 with mixed salad and a balsamic dressing would be under 250 kcals.
Focus on Flavour https://www.focusonflavour.com/

 

Mixed Salad with Olives

Made with Love Mondays, hosted by Javelin Warrior

5:2 Fast Day Dinner – Vegetable Soup, Smoked Haddock, Mocha Dessert

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Smoked Haddock with Poached Egg and wilted Spinach

I just recently noticed that the fish counter in a local supermarket had smoked haddock. Something of a treat for us here in South West France!
Mocha Dessert
It makes a very satisfying evening meal on a fast day.  We started with Simple Vegetable Soup then Smoked Haddock with Poached Egg and wilted Spinach, and finished up with Mocha Fromage Blanc. Total for dinner 385 ~woman or 465 ~man Calories (kcals). Very filling and tasty. 

Here’s how:

Simple Vegetable Soup
Serves 1
Quick and easy, using frozen prepared vegetables and bouillon powder
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
20 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
20 min
Per person
  1. 100g frozen mixed vegetables
  2. 1 tsp marigold bouillon powder
  3. 250ml water
Instructions
  1. Put the veg in a saucepan and add the water and bouillon powder.
  2. Bring to the boil then simmer for 10 minutes.
  3. Whizz with a stick blender to desired texture, or leave as a broth with veggie pieces.
Notes
  1. Per serving: 70 Calories (kcals)
Focus on Flavour https://www.focusonflavour.com/
Smoked Haddock with Poached Egg and Wilted Spinach
Serves 1
an easy and quick to prepare, protein-rich, fast day main course.
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
3 min
Total Time
13 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
3 min
Total Time
13 min
Ingredients
  1. 100g smoked haddock fillet
  2. 1 egg
  3. 1 cup spinach leaves
  4. pinch grated nutmeg
  5. freshly ground black pepper
For the spinach
  1. Wash the spinach and put into a saucepan with the water that clings to it.
  2. Season with grated nutmeg and black pepper.
  3. Cook gently over a low heat until wilted.
For the smoked haddock
  1. Remove the skin from the fish, if necessary.
  2. Put enough water to cover the fish into a pan and bring to the boil.
  3. Add the fish and cook at a gentle simmer for 3-4 minutes, depending on thickness of the fillet.
  4. Meanwhile, poach your egg.
Notes
  1. Per serving: 210 Calories (kcals) with 1 egg, 285 Calories (kcals) with 2 eggs
Focus on Flavour https://www.focusonflavour.com/
 

Mocha Fromage Blanc
Serves 1
A quick and tasty dessert to round off your meal, with a hit of coffee and a dusting of grated chocolate to satisfy your cravings
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Prep Time
5 min
Total Time
5 min
Prep Time
5 min
Total Time
5 min
Ingredients
  1. 100g fromage blanc or fromage frais
  2. 1 tsp instant coffee granules
  3. 1 tsp water
  4. 1 tsp acacia honey
  5. 1 tsp grated 100% pure chocolate
Instructions
  1. Mix the coffee with a little water to dissolve, then add to the fromage blanc.
  2. Stir in the honey and mix well.
  3. Spoon into a serving dish and grate over some chocolate.
Notes
  1. I use a solid block of 100% Venezuelan Cocoa, if you can't get that use the highest percentage chocolate you can find.
  2. Per serving: 105 Calories (kcals)
Focus on Flavour https://www.focusonflavour.com/

I hope you enjoy something similar!  

Guacamole

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Ooh I’m excited about my new recipe cards, this is my first one to try it out!

Here’s my recipe for Guacamole, which I prepared as part of a group of accompaniments for my Turkey Chilli

Turkey Chilli

Guacamole
Serves 2
Essential Avocado dip or addition for chilli, tacos or tortillas
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Ingredients
  1. 1 small avocado
  2. 1 lemon, juiced
  3. 1 tblsp coriander leaves, chopped
  4. 1 clove garlic, crushed
  5. 1/2 tsp Maldon Sea Salt
Instructions
  1. Mash the garlic with the sea salt and coriander leaves, ideally in a pestle and mortar (alternatively, blitz everything together).
  2. Add the lemon juice.
  3. Cut the avocado in half and scoop out the flesh with a spoon.
  4. Mix all together.
Notes
  1. Optional: you can add skinned chopped tomato, or a spoonful of salsa for variation
Focus on Flavour https://www.focusonflavour.com/

How to calculate your BMI

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How do you know what a healthy weight is for you? Well apart from your own sense of what weight you should be to look good and feel good, you can use a BMI (Body Mass Index) calculator. Given your sex, age, height and weight, this will give you an estimate of your current body mass. BMI will only give you a range of healthy weights for your age and height, it’s up to you to decide where you need to be in that range for your body frame.

You can check your BMI here:-

BMI healthy weight calculator

Go to NHS Choices homepage