Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and gives you a chance to fuel up for later activity, or refuel from it earlier on. Look after your body and make sure this meal is included every day without fail. The key to a good breakfast is a balanced breakfast combining protein, carbohydrates, fibre and a  small amount of fat.  Try my tasty Berry and Yoghurt Breakfast Sundae recipe to give you the energy you need each morning.

BERRY YOGHURT BREAKFAST SUNDAE

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
2 x 250g punnets berries of choice, hulled and halved
2 vanilla beans, split
2 cups low fat vanilla yoghurt
1 cup of your favourite toasted muesli
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Place berries in a small saucepan with vanilla bean and cook over low heat until softened. Remove vanilla bean and leave to cool.
2. Spoon half of the berry mixture into four serving glasses.
3. Mix together muesli and cinnamon and set aside.
4. Top berries with yoghurt, then remaining berry mixture and finish with muesli and cinnamon mixture.

Serves 4

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Easter has come around again so fast and I can’t believe it’s already April. Here’s a great tasty prawn recipe for you all to try on Good Friday and it has a lovely Thai twist. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do and have a safe Easter everybody and don’t forget- only eat those choccy eggs in moderation!!!

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THAI PRAWNS & NOODLES

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 stalk lemongrass, finely chopped
600g prawns, peeled and deveined
¼ cup water
5 yellow squash, thinly sliced
¼ cup sweet chilli sauce
375g thick rice noodles, soaked in boiling water & drained
½ cup mint, chopped
1/3 cup coriander, chopped

1. Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add garlic, lemongrass and prawns and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add water and squash and cook a further 2 minutes or until prawns are just cooked.
2. Stir through sweet chilli sauce, noodles and herbs and cook until heated through. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Note: Only use the soft bottom part of the lemongrass. Discard the tough top part.

I haven’t posted a recipe for a while and this one was in my plan last week and I have had great feedback, so I thought I’d share it with you all. It’s one of my favourites. I also like to use the sea salt and lime on my everyday salads for a nice fresh and healthy dressing. Hope you all love it!!! As spring is approaching fast- there will be plenty more fresh and healthy salad style recipes coming soon. ENJOY.

SPICED CHICKEN SALAD

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
500g chicken breast fillets
2 tablespoons red curry paste
2 carrots, julienned
2 lebanese cucumbers, thinly sliced
200g snow peas, thinly sliced
½ cup mint leaves, roughly torn
juice of 1 lime
sea salt, to taste
¼ cup low fat coconut milk

1. Cut chicken fillets into 4 equal sized pieces. Spread with curry paste then place into a non-stick frying pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes each side or until just cooked through. Set aside.
2. Mix together carrot, cucumber, snow peas and mint. Squeeze with half of the lime juice and sprinkle with sea salt. Toss to combine then divide between 4 plates.
3. Squeeze remaining lime juice over chicken and thinly slice. Divide between each plate then drizzle with a little coconut milk and serve.

Serves 4

Nutrition information/ Per serve
Calories: 303 Fat: 5.20g Carbs: 15.14g Fibre: 3.73g Sugars: 6.82g Protein: 30.96g

HONEY PORK SKEWERS

This one’s a great summer one for the whole family and fits into the theme of my latest plan to be released this Thursday- Egg-free, Dairy-free, Gluten-free and Nut-free. ENJOY!!!

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 8 minutes (+ cooking of rice)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
400g pork fillet or leg steak, cut into 2cm dice
½ red capsicum, cubed
½ green capsicum, cubed
½ small pineapple, cut into wedges
8 skewers, soaked in water
cooked rice, for serving

1.     Mix together soy sauce and honey. Add pork and stir to coat.

2.     Thread pork and vegetables alternately onto skewers then place on a pre-heated char-grill or BBQ.

3.     Cook for approximately 2-3 minutes each side or until pork is cooked through. Serve with rice.

Serves 4

This recipe is one of my favourites and is a great fresh version of the good old hamburger and chips.

CHICKEN BURGERS WITH ONION JAM AND SALSA

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced into 2cm cubes
olive oil spray
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
¼ cup water
2 single chicken breast fillets, each cut in half *See note
salt and pepper, to taste
1 avocado, diced
1 large tomato, diced
juice of 1 lemon
¼ cup parsley, chopped
4 crusty bread rolls of choice, toasted
30g baby spinach leaves

1. Pre-heat oven to 200ºC. Place sweet potato on a large baking tray, spray with oil and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan. Add onions and cook for 4-5 minutes or until soft and golden. Add sugar and water and cook a further 4-5 minutes. Set aside.
3. Heat remaining oil in the frying pan. Add chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes each side or until cooked. (Cooking time will depend on thickness of the chicken breast.)
4. Mix together avocado, tomato, lemon juice and parsley. Divide spinach leaves between each roll, top with onion and then chicken breast. Finish with avocado salsa. Serve with sweet potato chips.

Serves 4
Note: You can make a small cut in the thicker side of the chicken breast and fold the flap over to make it even all over.

One of my fantastic members just shared this coconut bread recipe with me. It is SOOOOO easy and delicious. I changed it slightly as I wanted to add blueberries but it is just great!! Here it is:

COCONUT BREAD (Submitted by Amanda Britten)

1 cup self-raising flour
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 cup dessicated coconut
1 cup milk

(If you want to add blueberries like me, just add 3/4 cup milk and 75g frozen blueberries.)

You just mix all ingredients together, place in lined loaf pan and bake for 30 minutes at 180 degress Celcius. (I found that it needed about 40 minutes with the blueberries.)

A great sticky, yummy bread with no preservatives. Thanks Amanda!!

I thought I’d share this recipe with everyone as it’s one of my family’s favourites. If your kids don’t like beans, just mash them up and they’ll never know they are there!!

CORN, RICE AND BEAN ENCHILADAS

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
200g beef mince
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 large red chili, sliced (optional)
1 cup cooked white or brown rice
270g can corn kernels, drained
small can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
¼ cup water
¼ cup fresh coriander, chopped
8 multigrain tortillas
690g jar passata or pureed tomatoes
1/4 cup grated tasty cheese

1. Pre-heat oven to 190ºC. Heat a non-stick frying pan and add mince, garlic, cumin and chilli. Saute until brown then add rice, corn, beans and water. Cook for 5 minutes then stir through coriander.
2. Place tortillas on a flat surface and add 2 heaped tablespoons of mixture along one edge. (You want to have a fairly large amount of filling in each one.) Roll up then place seam side down in a large casserole dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
3. Pour passata over enchiladas then top with cheese and bake for 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Serves 4

Note: Any remaining enchiladas can be refrigerated, then re-heated in a microwave.

Sorry, just had to show you this one!! (Recipe can be found in the desserts section of my recipe collection.)

This week I have some great recipes for you all. Here’s what’s on the menu:

Pizza Burgers- a great healthy alternative to a traditional burger with pizza flavours.
Corned Beef Silverside- Done in the slow cooker- so tender and served with a fantastic sauce made from the cooking stock.
Mediterranean Lamb Parcels- Another one of my fantastic super quick and tasty meals cooked wrapped in baking paper so no mess!!
Parmesan Crumbed Fish- A delicate and tasty baked fish with a yummy crust.
Chicken Saag- A tasty Indian chicken and spinach dish.

Hope you enjoy all of these fabulous recipes as much as I did!! They will be uploaded to Week 1 tomorrow!

I am a strong believer in eating healthy food constantly but rewarding yourself with special treats. This one fits into the special treats category. It’s a great dessert for a cold rainy day. The kids will LOVE it and enjoying helping too like my daughter did when I made it. Have fun cooking this one (and licking the bowl!)

CHOCOLATE BROWNIES WITH FUDGE SAUCE

150g dark cooking chocolate
100g butter
1/2 cup caster suagr
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 cup prunes, finely diced
2 eggs
1 cup self-raising flour
Fudge Sauce
150g dark cooking chocolate
60g butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cream

1. Pre-heat oven to 170ºC. Line a lamington tray with baking paper. For the brownies, place the chocolate, butter, sugar, vanilla essence and prunes in a saucepan and heat over medium heat until melted.



2. Leave to cool slightly, then stir in eggs, one at a time until well combined.



3. Stir in flour then place into prepared tin and bake for 8-10 minutes. (You want it to still be gooey in the middle.)




4. For the sauce, place chocolate, butter and sugar in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until dissolved. Stir in cream and set aside.



5. Serve brownies with sauce and custard or ice-cream if desired.

Serves 4-6