Courgette and Feta Bake

Since Easter I have lost nearly a whole stone and have now reached a rather healthy plateau bang smack in the middle of my recommended BMI range, WOOHOO! Unfortunately for me, both high blood pressure and high cholesterol run down the female line in my family. Despite only being at the top of the healthy BMI range for her height, my Mum was recently told she needs to keep her weight down to reduce her chances of suffering a stroke like her Mum did. Understandably, now that I’ve reached this weight I want to stay here so that I don't suffer the same fate as other women in my family. As a result, I have come up with even more delicious but low-calorie recipes.

Mum and Dad are also on diets and this has become one of their firm favourites! It’s incredibly simple with just 5 ingredients (including the 1 cal spray!)

If you haven’t come across one cal sprays yet, where have you been? You can get all sorts, from olive oil and sunflower oil to even balsamic and ceaser salad dressings. By turning the oil (or dressing) into spray form you can much more easily control the amount of oil you use. If you don’t want to keep buying the sprays another alternative is to get an oil pump spray – unfortunately mine is currently in a box labelled “Emma’s House”...I don’t have any plans for moving for over a year yet but that’s another story! Anyway, I digress...

I wasn’t entirely sure what to call this recipe it to begin with – essentially it is finely sliced courgette, crumbled low-fat feta (I actually use "Be Good To Yourself Salad Cheese from Sainsburys), egg, Italian herbs and the one cal spray all baked in an oven. Spanish omelettes and frittatas traditionally contain potatoes, but the only veg inside this eggy-bake is courgette. But it’s not cooked in a pan either so it can’t be an omelette? If anyone has any insight into what this should really be called, do leave a comment!

For now I will simply call it a courgette and feta bake! I think the name of a dish should explain what it is and hopefully that does the trick.

Turkey and Sweet Potato Pie

Calling everyone on a diet everywhere! Unless you are doing a crazy diet that cuts out a whole food group, this is one healthy recipe you can’t afford to leave out of your repertoire!

This recipe is low in fat – thanks to the lean turkey mince! Is jam-packed full of vegetables, making sure you get your five-a-day. And most of all it is full of flavour! It really is proof you never have to go bored or hungry on a diet ever again.

The turkey mince I have used is the best of British and can be bought fresh from all good supermarkets, and I’ve also used a slightly more unusual ingredient, Peppadew peppers! Very tasty, sweet little preserved peppers which give you a bit more of a kick than normal fresh red peppers would.

Also sweet peppers are coming into season so if you can get your hands on some they'd also go really well in this.