Good Healthy Recipe I live by
By Paul Hainsworth
So going from having all the "Good" foods to having all the food you "should" be eating can be hard.
Going from all the "Good" food to Stage 1 Vegetables and Diet Jelly is F***** hard.
I have how ever made over the last few weeks some amazing fresh serves of food that I am proud of, I have trained myself and it's paid off with the weight loss. I enjoy making and eating this food and really wish I had done it sooner.
In stage 1 Optifast, you aren't allowed much, mainly vegetables (Non starch) , no dairy etc, it's basically a clean out.
Most people in the weight loss groups I am apart of struggle, I have through getting crafty at winging it, made a rough recipe and it turned out pretty good.
The recipe below is probably the best I have made since starting so I thought i would share.
What you need
1x Wok
2x Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Pepper & Salt to taste
Soy sauce to taste
Chilli sauce to taste
Tomato Paste
Garlic Crushed to taste
500gm Mushroom (17Oz)
1 Capsicum (Red Pepper)
1/2 Head of Cauliflower
2 Onions (Brown or red)
500gm Mince (Lean Turkey or Chicken)
2 Carrots
20 Snow Peas
20 Green Beans
400gm Zucchini (Into spaghetti like) (You can buy this usually pre done)
What to do?
This is what I do, you can really do it anyway you want.
I chop up the Capsicum into small strips
Break the Cauliflower down to small stalks (popcorn size)
Cut the 2 onions into small pieces
Leave the skin on and cut the carrots (I use a slicer and make them thing so they cook)
Cut the snow peas in half (remove any stalk)
Cut the green beans in half
Mushrooms I usually buy in a punnet already cut, but you can buy them yourself and cut
I then fire up the wok, I start to cook the onion first
Then add Mince Meat
After a couple of mins I chuck all the veggies in.
I then add a few splashes of soy sauce
Add in the salt, pepper and Chilli sauce to taste and then let cook for 5-7 mins.
Once this time has passed, I taste how the broth at the bottom is coming along, it's great to make sure it's not too salty (and if you don't like salty, just take out the salt, the soy sauce is enough ( I Personally literally use a small sprinkling) (I cake on the pepper)
Add the tomato paste, mix it all through and let cook another 3-4 mins, a great indication is to try a snow pea, you really want to serve this fresh first time having crunch in your snow peas still.
When using a wok, rotate your vegetables and meat off the bottom and it will cook perfect every time.
Once you are happy with it, it's just simply service.
It's a great very low calorie meal, I have to admit that pre this diet I hated chili and while I am only using Sriracha sauce now, it's a great entry into the chili world.
It should make 10 (250ml) portions, but if you eat more which most people do while warm, you can likely get 5 portion to freeze (I have been getting 6-8 to freeze and then it's simple just to reheat.
You can also add Konjac Noodles (Splendier is the name of them in Australia, they only have 10gm carbs per box and a brilliant alternative to pasta and alternative to Zucchini noodles if you hate it (like my wife does)
You can substitute and add things like cabbage broccoli etc, stay away from peas, corn, potatoes and pumpkin and any other sort of starchy vegetable.
You can add or subtract what ever you like in above, if you want 3 onions, have 3 onions. I have my portion down to about 130-150 calories per serve (250g) (Most of which is in the meat). if you wish to beef it up, you can also add sweet chili sauce, but this does add a fair bit of calories per spoonful, so be careful.
Anyways, this mix (and variations are what have kept me on the straight and narrow, if you make it, drop me some pics below)
Enjoy
Paul
(As usual, this is only an account of what I do, you should NOT take this as any form of medical advice.
If weightloss PRE surgery, you should consult your DR as some do not allow certain things to be eaten (such as Konjac Noodles**)