5:2 Black Bean Salad

This is a filling lunch that is quick to prepare and comes in at just under 100 calories:

25g celery (1 calorie)
50g cucumber (5 calories)
50g orange pepper (18 calories)
50g cherry tomatoes (9 calories)
50g drained black beans (50 calories)
20g low calorie balsamic dressing (14 calories)

Chop vegetables,  mix everything together, season well and add some fresh basil.


 

5:2 Chicken Cous Cous

On fast days, I have to admit that some evenings it is a bit of a struggle to come up with a dinner that looks like it is enough for an average person to eat and not designed to leave Thumbelina feeling a bit peckish.  Yes, I am missing carbs and this meal goes some way to address that yearning.

 

Fry:
50g chicken breast (55 calories)
100g finely diced onion (24 calories)
100g cherry tomatoes (18 calories)
in
1 teaspoon olive oil (40 calories)
 

 

Meanwhile prepare 25g uncooked cous cous (95 calories) with boiled water and add about 10g sultanas (30 calories)
 

 

When the chicken and veg are cooked as you like them, add to the cous cous and season well.  Sprinkle with plenty of fresh coriander. 
Total calories = 262

If the craving for carbs is still too much to bear go to bed early and dream of toast, potatoes and pasta.  After all, you can eat plenty tomorrow!

 

Smoked Salmon Risotto

A few weeks ago we went to a local restaurant for dinner, and for my starter I had Leek and Hot Smoked Salmon Risotto. 

It was heaven in a bowl - each mouthful was creamy and lemony and just delicious.
I thought I would try to recreate it at home:

Smoked Salmon *
Leek
Arborio Rice
Garlic
Chicken stock
White wine
Lemon

 

Finely chop the leek and saute in a little olive oil with the garlic.  When soft add the rice and give it a good stir to coat well. Let it cook for a couple of minutes and then add about half a glass of white wine.  I usually inhale deeply at this point as the smell is SO GOOD.
 

 

Add most of the stock and stir. 
I really can't be doing with keeping the stock hot and adding only one tablespoon at a time and stirring continuously through the whole process.  I think the results are fine if you do it my way and just bung it in.

Add more stock if required.
Season well and add in lemon zest.
Take off the heat and add in the smoked salmon - it semi-cooks in the residual heat,
 

 

A squeeze of lemon was all that was needed to finish off

*I love the fact that Waitrose call it 'essential', as much as I like smoked salmon, I don't believe it is a staple food?!