Fast Diet Recipe: Green Pea Hummus

I thought I would provide a slightly healthy relief from my recent Bunny Party recipes with a Fast Diet recipe idea... 

Green Pea Hummus. 

After the past few weeks/months of indulging a little too much, travelling and trying new foods, and working my butt off with wholesale orders, I've kind of let my eating habits suffer a little. 

And I have felt the impact on my hips!! So, hello Fast Diet, I am back! 

If you read A Cup of Jo you would have seen this one listed a few months back, and I pinned it and have basically waited for a rainy day! Well, that rainy day was yesterday. 

Zucchini, Sweet Potato & Polenta Slice (Gluten Free)

This recipe is an adaptation of a Zucchini Slice recipe that I used to love growing up. 

I have reduced the amount of butter and cheese (both by half!), and substituted creamed corn for regular corn and polenta for flour, and yet to me, it tastes every bit as good as the original! 

I played around with this recipe a few times, but have finally settled with one that I love. 

It has the right texture and right balance of flavours. 

I used to use gluten free four but then thought I would give polenta a go and I love it! It gives it a great spongy texture and is more wholesome than flour so you get a few extra slow burning calories. 

Homemade Chickpea Falafel Wraps (GF)

I made my first chickpea falafel years ago when we were living in Melbourne and they've been on regular rotation ever since.

My funniest memory of them though was two years ago just after my daughter was born. I had a doula for the few weeks who was very healthy, a little alternative and VERY surprised that "I" had made falafel (not even "she" made them herself!).

I was as much insulted as I was pleased for surprising her!

The Fast Diet Recipe Files - Thai Pumpkin Soup (with carrot and sweet potato)

Happy Tuesday!!! I hope your week is off to a great start! The sun is shining in London, so everything is automatically much brighter, without even trying!!!

I have been trying out lots of new recipe ideas for the Fast Diet lately and some have been rather bland but others just bursting with flavour. This soup is of course the latter, I'm not going to share the rubbish ones that will make you want to feast instead!!! Whilst things are starting to warm up in London, I am still sneaking some soups in before the salad season really begins. 

Pumpkin soup was always my go-to meal when I was sick, it was like a hug from the inside. I still love it so much, but pumpkin is not as readily available in the UK as Australia so I don't tend to make it so often. 

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This Thai Pumpkin soup is perfect for the Fast Diet because it is low calorie but intensely flavourful! I was expecting red curry paste to be high in calories, but when you are only adding 1 tablespoon, the mere 17 calories are exceptionally effective. Stay tuned for a world of curries coming to the Fast Diet Recipe Files!!

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With only 195 calories per serve, it is chocked full with vegetables and being nice and thick it is perfectly filling. I made this for lunch and then had it for dinner I loved it so much!!! 

Psst!! If you are looking for a little more meg-made, I'd LOVE for you to follow along!

A little poke around Artichoke

It dawned on me the other day that without trying, there are certain things we do each weekend without fail, and spending about an hour in one fruit & veg store is one of them! Ever since Artichoke came to Hampstead we just love buying more fresh produce! I can't send my husband in unattended or he goes rogue and we end up with more parsley than we have vases (yes I have to store mine as though they are flowers, he seriously comes home with bouquets of the stuff!!). 

I never used to appreciate fruit and veg for anything other than something to accompany meat, but between Artichoke and my husband, I now actually love looking at new fruits and veg and am so intrigued by the different options available!  

I just love the decor of Artichoke! I love the crates and rustic feel and think it works well for a produce store, very earthy!! 

I love how all the produce has little bits of of dirt on them - they have actually come from the ground!! Everything has a strong smell of the vegetable that it is and makes cooking such a pleasure! And the variety is wonderful and seasonal. Because all the produce is locally sourced, there are actual seasons again, and I for one am embracing it!

I just thought I'd show you a little bit of every day life in Hampstead!

Psst!! If you are looking for a little more meg-made, I'd LOVE for you to follow along!

Shakshuka Recipe for the Fast Diet

Goodness me I feel like I have been hiding stuck under a rock somewhere because I only just "discovered" Shakshuka. Have you had Shakshuka? Do you love Shakshuka? Have you trekked from miles around to have Shakshuka at NOPI? Or am I speaking an entirely foreign language to you too and Shakshuka sounds more like something you wrap around your hair to keep it neat in the wind?! 

Well, whether you know and love Shakshuka (and scroll straight past this highly irrelevant post) or have never heard of it before, I can't sing its' praises enough. 

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When I first stumbled across a recipe for it in the Fast Diet Recipe Book I thought it sounded great! I then included it briefly in a Lose Day Tuesday post and have had friends/readers very casually mention that it was nice to see that I tried Shakshuka, as though its something everyone secretly goes home and makes every weekend but never mentions it to a soul. Oh yes and I think if I type it more, I will be able to stumble less when saying it! Shakshuka shakshuka shakshuka. 

Yotam Ottolenghi's restaurant NOPI is apparently famous for their Shakshuka, which I can't wait to go and sample for myself, and being so low calorie, it makes for an awesome Fast Day dinner (or breakfast if you structure your calories to be top-heavy).

Ingredients (for two)

1 1/2 tsp olive oil

1/2 medium onion, diced

1 garlic clove, crushed

400g tin of chopped tomatoes

1 medium red pepper, chopped

1 tbsp tomato puree

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp ground cumin

pinch of cayenne pepper

salt and pepper

2 eggs (I did three, one for Husband and two for me)

1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Method:

1. Heat oil and sauté onion for a few minutes until they have softened slightly. 

2. Add garlic and red pepper and cook for 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the tomatoes and tomato puree, along with the spices and simmer for another 5 minutes. 

4. Season and then crack the eggs directly over the tomato mix and cover with foil. 

5. Cook for about 7 minutes (I did mine for the suggested 10 and one egg was far too overcooked. All you need is for the whites to be solid, so check it a few times, you really want the yolks runny!

6. Garnish with chopped parsley and enjoy hot! 

PMI

Plus = Healthy, low calorie, spicy, filling, delicious
Minus = Overcooking the eggs is very easy to do!
Interesting = the egg tastes almost sweet in this dish (which I happen to love)

I will definitely report back when I find my way to NOPI and let you know how their Shakshuka compares!!



Psst!! If you are looking for a little more meg-made, I'd LOVE for you to follow along!

Carrot and Ginger Soup with Orange - Fast Diet Recipe

This Carrot and Ginger soup with Orange is chock-a-block with fruit and vegetables and without any cream mixed through is a great low-calorie meal to have on the Fast Diet.

Soup is such a funny thing, I think you either love it or are just a bit meh about it. I happen to love it. To me a bowl of soup can settle an upset tummy; can warm you from the inside out on a cold day; and in some cases, provide the biggest hit of vegetables that you need to cure a cold! 

I made this for a lunch one Fast Day and then had it the following day, mixed with a little cream and it was delicious both ways (although obviously, one was a little more indulgent!).

meg-made: Carrot and ginger soup with Orange

Ingredients (4 serves)

8 large carrots, topped and tailed and chopped into large pieces

1 large onion, chopped

2 tsp freshly grated ginger

2 oranges, freshly squeezed

500ml chicken or vegetable stock

500ml water

Instructions:

1. Spray a few squirts of oil spray in a heavy based pot and sautee the onion for a few minutes until it just starts to brown slightly. 

2. Add the carrots, ginger and oranges and simmer for a few minutes. 

meg-made: Carrot and ginger soup with Orange

3. Add the stock and enough water to fully cover the vegetables and let it bubble away for about half an hour or until the carrot has softened and the liquid reduced and thicker.

4. Puree the soup with a stick blender or in a food processor until completely smooth.

Serve with parsley and cream (optional) on a non-Fast Day.

meg-made: Carrot and ginger soup with Orange

PMI

Plus = loaded with veggies, filling, uber healthy, the ginger goes beautifully with the carrot

Minus = The soup does taste more delicious with cream

Interesting = The orange is a subtle flavour, so you could add another orange into the mix

Psst!! If you are looking for a little more meg-made, I'd LOVE for you to follow along!