BUCKWHEAT PASTA WITH BUTTERNUT PUMPKIN AND CORN

INGREDIENTS:
2 fresh corn cobs
2 medium (300g) onions, sliced
1/4 cup (60ml) water
1/2 cup (100g) red lentils
400g butternut pumpkin, chopped
1+1/2 cups (375ml) water, extra
300g can Tomato Supreme
250g buckwheat pasta
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

METHOD:
Cut kernels from corn.
Combine onions and water in medium pan, cook covered, over low heat about 5 minutes or until tender.
Add corn, lentils, pumpkin, extra water and Tomato Supreme, bring to boil, simmer covered, about 15 minutes or until pumpkin and lentils are tender.
Add pasta to large pan of boiling water, boil uncovered about 2 minutes or until just tender, drain.
Serve topped with pumpkin and corn mixture, sprinkled with parsley.


Serves 4.
Per serve: 4.6g fat.
Calories: 425.
Suitable if you have diabetes.

BAKED FISH WITH PARSLEY CAPER DRESSING

INGREDIENTS:
4 (600g) white fish fillets
2 tablespoons plain flour
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon low-fat milk
1+1/2 cups (105g) breadcrumbs
1/4 cup (40g) oat bran
1/4 cup (40g) ground maize
cooking oil spray

PARSLEY CAPER DRESSING:
1 small (80g) onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon drained capers, finely chopped
1 cup (250ml) low-fat yogurt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

METHOD:
Toss fish in flour, shake away excess flour.
Dip fish into combined egg whites and milk, then combined breadcrumbs, oat bran and ground maize .
Place on oven tray which has been coated with cooking oil spray, bake in moderately hot oven about 20 minutes or until tender.
Serve with parsley caper dressing.
PARSLEY CAPER DRESSING:
Combine all ingredients in bowl, mix well.


Serves 4.
Per serve: 9.1g fat.
Calories: 422.
Additional carbohydrate required if you have diabetes.

LENTIL PATTIES WITH SPICY EGGPLANT SAUCE

INGREDIENTS:
2 medium (400g) old potatoes, chopped
2/3 cup (130g) red lentils
1 medium (200g) red pepper
1 medium (150g) onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
cooking oil spray
2 tablespoons water
1 stick celery, finely chopped
2 (160g) chard, finely chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted, chopped
1+1/2 cups (105g) breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons chopped fresh coriander
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup (50g) breadcrumbs, extra
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

SPICY EGGPLANT SAUCE:
1 large (500g) eggplant
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon mild sweet chilli sauce
1/4 cup (60ml) low-fat yogurt

METHOD:
Boil, steam or microwave potatoes until tender.
Drain potatoes, mash well.
Add lentils to pan of boiling water, boil, uncovered, about 8 minutes or until tender, drain.
Quarter pepper, remove seeds and membranes.
Grill pepper, skin side up, until skin blisters and blackens.
Peel skin, chop pepper.
Coat non-stick pan with cooking oil spray, add onion and garlic, cook, stirring, 1 minute.
Add water and celery, cook, stirring, until almost all the water has evaporated.
Add chard , cook, stirring, until wilted.
Combine mashed potatoes, lentils, pepper, onion mixture, pine nuts, 1+1/2 cups breadcrumbs and herbs in bowl, mix well.
Shape mixture into 6 patties.
Toss patties in extra breadcrumbs, press crumbs on firmly, cover, refrigerate 1 hour.
Heat oil in non-stick pan, cook patties until browned on both sides.
Serve with spicy eggplant sauce.

SPICY EGGPLANT SAUCE:
Cut eggplant in lengthways, place cut side down on oven tray coated with cooking oil spray.
Coat eggplant with cooking oil spray.
Bake, uncovered, in moderate oven about 45 minutes or until eggplant is soft, cool.
Scoop out flesh, discard skin.
Blend or process eggplant with remaining ingredients until combined.


Serves 6.
Per serve: 7.9g fat.
Calories: 258.
Suitable if you have diabetes.

Fish With Baby Vegetables

INGREDIENTS:
8 baby (200g) beetroot
1 bunch (20) baby carrots
2 small (180g) zucchini, sliced
8 baby (320g) new potatoes, halved
4 baby (100g) onions
800g white fish fillets

TARRAGON LEMON SAUCE:
20g butter or margarine
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 small (80g) onion, chopped
1 tablespoon plain flour
3/4 cup (180ml) low fat milk
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon lemon juice

METHOD:
Boil, steam or microwave unpeeled beetroot until just tender, drain. Cool 5 minutes, peel beetroot.
Boil, steam or microwave remaining vegetables separately until tender.
Cut 4x30cm squares of baking paper, place a piece of fish on each square. Bring paper around fish to form parcels, seal by folding edges over securely.
Place parcels on oven tray, bake in very slow oven about 20 minutes or until fish is tender.
Remove fish from parcels, peel away skin.
Serve fish with vegetables and tarragon lemon sauce.

TARRAGON LEMON SAUCE:
Heat butter in pan, add garlic and onion, cook, stirring, until onion is soft.
Add flour, cook, stirring, until bubbling.
Remove from heat, gradually stir in milk.
Stir over heat until mixture boils and thickens.
Stir in tarragon, rind and juice.


Serves 4.
Per serve: 11.1g fat.
Calories: 345.
Additional carbohydrate required if you have diabetes.

TRANS FATS

Trans fatty acids are polyunsaturated or mono-unsaturated fatty acids that can raise LDL-cholesterol (the bad form of cholesterol). And they raise it to the same degree as do saturated fats.
Although chemically they are unsaturated, trans fats have a different configuration of atoms and so behave biologically as if they were saturated.
Humans have been consuming trans fatty acids for centuries, as they occur in butter, milk, beef and lamb.
They are also formed during the manufacture of margarine, when liquid vegetable oils are hydrogenated (hardened) to turn them into a solid spread.
Although still under research, most authorities consider trans fats similar to saturated fats and recommend limiting their intake.