Recipes With a Twist
400 calories or less
Basil Pesto and Tomato Sandwich
Nov 12th
Basil Pesto and Tomato Sandwich
Here is an easy to put together lunch-ready in less than 5 minutes and can be prepared ahead and packed to go. It is a no brainer if you have some Pesto on hand. I usually prepare a big batch of Pesto and keep some frozen. The sandwich when combined with a healthy side qualifies for the ’400 calories or less’ lunch category.You need:
2 slices of bread, I used white bread 1 tbsp Basil Pesto 1/2 medium tomato 1/2 tbsp butter (I used I can’t believe its not Butter spread) salt and pepper to taste
1. Spread Pesto More >
Brown Lentils and Collard Greens Soup
Jul 26th
Brown Lentils and Collard Greens Soup
This post is long overdue. Last few days it was little hard to keep up with things. Even though it is getting late at night, I decided today I will make an effort to get back on track .I made this soup few weeks ago as I experimented with these two ingredients: Brown Lentils and Collard Greens. I had tried both of them in separate recipes and my son enjoyed them all. This time I wanted to make something with both greens and lentils with a mild flavor that my son will enjoy as well. It More >
Moroccan Style Red lentil and Garbanzo Soup (Low Calorie)
May 31st
Moroccan Style Red lentil and Garbanzo Soup
Today I tried Moroccan Lentil and Garbanzo soup at Sweet Tomatoes. The soup was great- light, chunky, flavorful and apparently low calorie just the way I like my soups. I guess I liked it so much that I came home, looked up a few recipes and decided to make a batch for dinner (while I was cooking Mint Chicken Biryani for my husband!). The soup I tried had brown lentils but I did not have any on hand, so I decided to go with Red lentils. The mint aroma from the chicken biryani was More >
Mediterranean Red Lentil and Pumpkin Soup
May 9th
Mediterranean Red Lentil and Pumpkin Soup
Couple of weeks ago I tried red lentils soup at a local Mediterranean restaurant. It was light and flavorful and perfect for lunch. Although it did resemble a bit like Indian red lentils dish and we call it ‘lal masoor dal’ and it is commonly served as a main dish with rice or Indian flatbreads for dinner. I tried to make a similar soup but decided to add fresh pumpkin as well. It added nice sweetness to otherwise meaty flavored red lentils. My two year old son liked it as well so I am tagging it More >
Baby spinach salad with carrot and cucumber ribbons
May 2nd
Baby Spinach Salad with carrot and cucumber spinach ribbons
With days warming up a bit, I prefer having salads for lunch or as a side (sometimes bigger than a side portion) for dinner. I am big fan of low calorie salsa based Mexican style salads-which one of these days I will put together for my blog as well. However, these days I am experimenting with baby spinach and carrots and I am loving it. Here is a low calorie salad with a light home made dressing made with buttermilk. I use carrot and cucumber shavings that add lot of crunch to the More >
Mexican style vegetable soup with black beans and rice
Mar 20th
Mexican style Vegetable soup with black beans and rice
Here (more…)SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Mexican style vegetable soup with black beans and rice", url: "http://chefinmaking.com/mexican-style-vegetable-soup-with-black-beans-and-rice" });
Low Fat Chicken Noodle Soup
Mar 11th
Chicken Noodle Soup
On cold winter evenings, I love having a big bowl of chicken noodle soup for dinner. It is a nutritious, hearty and low fat meal that does not need too many ingredients. Moreover, this is one of the dishes my entire family enjoys including my 2 year old son. I thought I should make one more batch while it is still little chilly in my part of the world. I have experimented with different types of noodles and pasta shapes. This time I mixed tri color egg ribbon pasta with some spiral pasta (my son loves both!). However, please More >
Hawaiian Toast
Feb 23rd
Recipe by Heidemarie Swanepoel
Hawaiian Toast
Today we visited Gran, and she dished up my childhood favourite treat. When we came home from school, on a cold or wet day, she would be standing by with a delicious slice of Hawaiian Toast. My kids love it now, just as much as I loved it then (and still do!)Ingredients: (per slice of toast)
1 slice of toasted bread 1 slice sandwich ham 1 pineapple ring (canned) 2 – 4 slices cheddar cheese Butter (optional)
Pre-heat your grill. Toast your bread, and butter it. Start off by placing your ham on the toast. Place the pineapple ring More >
Toasted Avocado Sandwich
Jan 31st
By Heidemarie Swanepoel
Avocado Sandwich
I found a few yummy looking Avocados in the supermarket today, and my mouth literally watered for them. So when I got home I made these toasted sandwiches. I prefer sweet and my hubby prefers salty, so I made two variations. Let me know which one you prefer.
Ingredients: (per person)
- 2 slices of toasted bread
- 1 Avocado (small), or ½ if it is large.
- Sweet Variation:2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar
- Salty variation:Salt and pepper to taste
- A good swirl of sweet chilli sauce, or regular chilli sauce
Method:
- Pre-heat your grill.
- Toast your bread, and butter it.
- Mash the avocado, and spread generously on the toast.
- For the More >
Mediterranean Style Bean Wrap
Jan 12th
Mediterranean Style Bean Wrap
I am a big fan of Fitness magazine’s 400 calorie lunches. Basically their mantra is 300 calories breakfast,400 calories lunch, 500 calories dinner and 2 snacks 150 calorie each. A sensible diet on this calorie plan and moderate work out and you will lose pounds without losing on taste! Here is my attempt for a 400 calorie lunch where I wanted to have Taco Bell style burrito lunch but with less fat. I switched the cheese with ‘good fat’ and filling hummus, regular tortilla with whole wheat tortilla, added some whole beans and salsa. I did not leave More >
