More About CHEEKYCHOOK
Recipes I've Shared:
erve with rice.
Ideally, use Shaohsing rice wine instead of dry sherry.
Serve with Jasmine rice, or with vegetables such as wok cooked mushrooms, pak choy, etc
Ser4ve with rice, or noodles etc.
Also serve with a side dish of baby corn, pak choy, mushrooms etc for the vegetables and fibre!
In Sri Lanka, cashew nuts are sold fresh, still tender and creamy-soft. They make a fabulous curry. Over here, you will need to soak, then simmer the cashew nuts to get them back to something close to their original state. It’s definitely worth the bother.
Preparation time :20 minutes, plus 2 hours soaking
This is a great way to tart up peas and sweetcorn, s...o simple, no water, all taste!!
Ideal with Thai recipes, I serve this rice with the Monkfish Curry with lemongrass and lime leaves.
Optional addition; 12 rashers pancetta or Bacon (but don't forget to add the additional calories as well.)
Make in a moment of weakness! But still only 134cals per piece. There are lots of varies you can do, walnuts on top, caramelised icing etc, but these calories are not included in this version!
Make this comforting pie in bulk and freeze in separate servings, so you can defrost only what you need. Make 5 x the recipe to freeze.
You can also add some rice or noodles (not forgetting to add those calories if you do!), to make it a more substantial meal.
Poached monkfish in a cream and saffron reduction for a very sophisticated pasta sauce!
This is the perfect way to use up blackberries, should you find yourself with a glut of ripe fruit from your back garden. A parfait consists of whisked egg yolks and cream, so there is no need for churning – ideal if you do not have an ice-cream machine at home.
NB. Prep time does not include the 8 hrs freezing time!
I use whatever fish I fancy, in this calculation I have used 2 tilapia fillets, but you can use any fish you like, such as sea-bass which is also very good, or lemon sole and so on.
Serve with some new potatoes, asparagus, broccoli, salad or whatever takes your fancy – the ultimate fast food!
Serve with some chapatis and extra natural yogurt.
NB Time to prepare doesn't include the marinading time of 1 hour.
The raspberries can be interchanged with blackberries, strawberries or blueberries if preferred.
If the chocolate is omitted, you will save an additional 23 calories!
You can also divide the mixture between 4 instead of 6 ramekin dishes, in which case the calories are 186 per pot rather than 124.
Substitute various fruits like plums, peaches, blueberries, raspberries or cranberries for a totally different taste treat.
The clafouti is best when served warm and dusted with a very light dusting of splenda if you like.
This can be served with a scoop of low fat ice-cream of your choice.
NB; I serve it with a scoop of banana 'ice-cream' and have included the calories as such from that.
During cooking the chocolate sponge rises to the top, and a chocolate fudge sauce forms underneath.
After experimenting each time I make hummus, I have found that this seems to be the most popular with everyone, and it just happens to have less calories!
This can be prepared well in advance and needs no more than putting into the oven at the appropriate time!
If you like, it can be 'spiced up' a bit by adding some chopped fresh chilli along with the garlic.
This is the same recipe as in my Lunch cookbook, only increased quantities for dinner!
You can of course use other seafood etc, but this is just a basic, simple recipe, but please feel free to interchange ingredients!
This cod dish is very colourful, hence the 'floral' name! It is delicious, but healthy and low in calories.
A complete meal, although you can add some additional vegetables to serve with it, as I do.
For a quick sauce; Folding lemon juice, capers and chopped parsley through crème fraîche makes a quick sauce for salmon, trout and white fish.
Frozen methi makes preparing these rotis EASY at ANYTIME- no cleaning or chopping required. Just thaw the required amount in a microwave!
This is a healthier version of an old-fashioned dessert recipe, which layers fresh breadcrumbs, jam and meringue.
This recipe uses much less fat and sugar and has 170 calories per serving.
Leave uncovered for the last part of cooking, if cooking in the oven, for a skin to form if desired.
(NB. This can also be made on the stove top, wash and drain the rice and continue as per recipe, only instead of pouring it all into an oven proof dish, cook in saucepan. It will need continuious attention, stirring occasionally this way though, so as to ensure it doesn't burn or stick to base of pan.)
For serving size, divide the pakoras up into 4 portions! It makes approx 32, so a serving size would be 4. The portion size depends on how big or small you make each spoonful!
Khaman Dhokla is a steamed savoury cake made from gram flour. It is a traditional Gujarati snack, typically a tea time treat. Typically, chana dal (split Bengal gram) is soaked, ground with spices and fermented. The fermented batter is then steamed, cut into bite sized pieces and garnished with tempered mustard seeds and coriander.
Chana dal or gram flour is a food with a low glycaemic index and therefore extremely good for diabetics and those on a GI diet. Besides, it has all the goodness of lentils - protein and fibre.
The picture is not of the finished dish!! It is of how it should look just before adding the final tomato sauce and baking it so you know how it is meant to be assembled!!
Basil can be substituted with parsley or coriander. If you want it to be more garlicky, add more garlic, crushed, into the onions when cooking them.
Serve with couscous or quinoa and a little dollop of natural yogurt, adding the additional calories of course!
Serve over pasta, or chicken, or with vegetables or anything you want!.
A traditional South African dish with a mild curry flavour
Great served with freshly cooked vegetables, such as fine green beans.
This is a very moveable feast! Any veg, including left overscan be used and therefore cooking time may also vary, but you get the general idea!
Note: about the olives, you can also use 50% black olives and 50% green olives
Can be made without the anchovies too if you don't like them.
This easy pasta supper is an Italian speciality from Sicily. Picchi-pacchi simply means a fresh, raw or barely cooked sauce, so this tastes really fresh. Optional, is to add some lemon juice at the end to give it a little more zing!
Preparation is simple,but does ideally require the rice to soak for 3 or more hours before cooking.
Ideal served with chicken or lamb kababs.
A typical Persian dish, serve with whole roasted tomatoes and some warm pitta bread (depending on your calorie allowance) and maybe some salad (lettuce, coriander, white cabbage & onions etc)
Serve with oven roasted tomatoes, fresh mushy peas and crushed new potatoes. (Recipes in cookbook)
Soaking the rice is not absolutely necessary, but does improve the texture of the cooked rice.
(1 serving = 1 cup, approx 130g)
This is so tasty and is easy to make. Serve with a Thai Green Curry, or with Goan Chicken Curry. (see recipe in my recipe book).
I like this with the lamb and potatoes recipe.
(Tastes even better with a liitle more butter, but, alas, too many calories!!)
Very simple to make and low calorie. The addition of the low fat cream cheese makes it creamier, without tasting of cheese or adding lots of calories!!!
Serve with rice or flatbreads.
If using fresh instaed of frozen okra, it needs to be dried before cutting. Frozen can be added as it is.
Adjust spices to suit personal tastes.
If you prefer plain scones, leave out the raisins, each scone is then only 157 cals instead of 184 cals each.
best eaten day they are made. If you wish to split them and add butter or jam etc then the extra calories have to be added of course!
Low fat, high fibre. Versatile!
Can be frozen before adding pasta.
Can also be made into a bake!
I mash the potato, then take the correct amount (400g, approx 2 cups) out for the pie, adding in the low fat butter. For those not trying to watch their weight I serve it with the additional mash potato with extra butter!!
Prep time doesn't include the overnight soaking of the chickpeas.
Serve with rice.
This is an Indonesian method of serving basa fish which can be served with noodles or try it with cumin potatoes.
Great as a side dish or indeed as a main course, served with Indian flatbreads.
Although there are a lot of ingredients, this is easy to make and very worth the while!
This is one of my favourite recipes adapted for less calories!
It is particulary nice served with Thai Rice (see recipe)
This is great as a main supper dish, or a smaller portion willprovide a lovely lunch!
Cornflour can be replaced by arrowroot if unavailable and canned sweetcorn instead of frozen.
Can be used in all sorts of Indian cooking and curries. It can be frozen in tbsp portions in an ice cube tray.
This is a very quick, easy and delicious meal that could be for lunch or dinner. You can add some hot chillies from a jar to spice it up.
Can be served either wth a Greek salad or with rice. Or yoiu can mix the salsa with some beans, making sure you add the additional calories!
The lamb is cooked with garlic and lemon and then served with salad in a wholemeal pitta bread pocket.
A quick, tasty and easy meal to prepare in minutes as almost everything is available in jars!
