Ginger Mango Detox Smoothie

Confession time... I don't like fruit very much. I'll reluctantly eat a banana or apple when I feel like I should be healthy but it would not be my preferred choice. Luckily I love veggies, so hopefully I'm covered. This year I am hoping to get some more fruit into my diet and smoothies are a great way to do that!

After all the indulgence of the holidays I thought a nice detox smoothie would be a good way to start the morning. I'm also dying of the flu and ginger is a great bug fighter, so it seemed to make sense. I doubled the ginger in the original recipe.

I was pleasantly surprised with this smoothie, it's zingy and delicious and not too fruity at all. Definitely a great start to the morning!



Ingredients:

• 1 banana
• 4-5 slices frozen mango
• 1 inch knob of ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 oz orange juice
• 2 oz water
• 5-6 ice cubes

Blend all ingredients in a blender and drink! <3

Adapted from here.

Now I'm going to sip my smoothie and sit down with my 2014 Create an Amazing Year workbook and get a start on 2014! 

Healthy Asian Veggie Soup

Well 2013 has been off to a good start. I’m down 5 pounds which makes me one happy mama!

I wouldn’t have been able to do that without this ridiculously delicious but very healthy soup. You can doctor it up with whatever vegetables you have on hand, but I definitely find the Chinese Cabbage gives it an almost noodle soup type feel.  There's no added fats so if you're on a WW or Unislim type program, it's more than likely free.  It's full of goodness and fibre and will fill you up for ages!

If you've got a few extra calories to spare, throw in a pack of those "straight to wok" noodles and cook through, spaghetti works too in a pinch!If you like it spicy go wild with the sriracha sauce, we've all been sick here lately and this has been a lifesaver cold remedy!


Healthy Asian Vegetable Soup

• 3-4 cups vegetable chicken stock
• 1 carrot, peeled and julienned
• 1 onion, thinly sliced vertically
• 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• handful mange tout, julienned
• 5-6 button mushrooms, sliced thinly
• pinch five spice powder
• pinch white pepper
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 large handful shredded Chinese cabbage
• small handful of beansprouts
• coriander, chopped
• pinch sweetener (optional)
• Sriracha or chilli sauce, to taste

Bring the stock to a simmer and add all the ingredients save the cabbage, beansprouts and coriander.  Simmer until vegetables are done to your desired level of crunch.  Stir in cabbage, add sriracha sauce to taste and garnish with beansprouts and coriander.

Easy as pie! <3

Onion Bhajees

Oh YES, you heard me right... onion bhajees, a dieter's nemesis.  Not these onion bhajees though.  These bhajees are crispy on the outside and moist and flavourful on the inside, they are full of flavour and spice with just a hint of caramel sweetness.  The ultimate challenge here, turning a greasy, fattening and oh-so-delicious takeaway favourite into something homemade and unrivalled in delciousness that it ultimately fat-free!  This entire recipe weighs in at a mere 4 weight watchers points.  I made twelve small bhajees, so you can eat three for a one point snack.  This is so simple that I suspect they will become a regular healthy snack around here!

WW Onion Bhajees

(makes 12)

1 large onion, roughly chopped

3-4 tbsp chicken stock

4 tbsp flour

4 tbsp water

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp tandoori curry powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp tumeric

pinch Splenda/sugar/sugar substitute

pinch ground coriander

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp fresh coriander stalks, finely chopped

Cooking Spray

Pre-heat oven to 200C/400F.

Sauté the onions in the chicken stock until the stock is gone and they are just barely browning.  Remove from heat.

Mix flour, water, spices and coriander to form a smooth paste. Add onions and season.

Spray a mini muffin tin with cooking spray and spoon the onion mixture into the twelve muffin cups.  Bake for 10-15 minutes until beginning to crisp.  Flip over bhajees and bake for a further five minutes until golden brown and crisp on the outside.  Garnish with torn coriander leaves.  Serve as is or with raita and mango chutney.

WW Points: 1 per 3 bhajees.