Cheese sauce

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Wheat-free option

Cheese sauce is one of the few recipes that I remember learning to make in school, under the supervision of a very mardy nun. A good cheese sauce is something that I struggled to make when we made a move to clean eating. When l came up with a clean version of a traditional recipe, my aim is always to make it as close as possible to the real thing as l can. For some reason, the most simple recipes always seem to be the hardest to get right. This cheese sauce was no exception. After a lot of trial and error, I discovered that buckwheat is the best option.

Buckwheat isn’t wheat

It is strange, but it is true, buckwheat is not a grain. It is actually related to rhubarb, of all things. I’ve been cooking with buckwheat groats and buckwheat flour for a while now. ‘love how diverse it is, and I’m a big fan of the favour buckwheat adds to dishes. While working on this recipe, I discovered that a little bit of buckwheat four goes a very long way. Buckwheat is great to thicken sauces and gravies as it doesn’t clump the way tapioca does. The bonus with buckwheat is you use a lot less than you would with wheat flours.

Put it on anything

If you ask me, there are no rules for cheese sauce; it is excellent over the top of most steamed vegetables and that special topping on a lasagne.

Cheese sauce
Cheese sauce

Cheese sauce recipe

Ingredients 

  • 500ml milk 
  • 4 tbsp. buckwheat flour 
  • 50g butter 
  • 100g cheese, grated 
Cheese sauce ingredients
Cheese sauce ingredients
Take a large saucepan.
Take a large saucepan.
Add the butter to a saucepan.
Add the butter to a saucepan.
Wait for the butter to melt. 
Wait for the butter to melt. 
Whisk the flour into the butter to form a paste. 
Whisk the flour into the butter to form a paste. 
Whisk the flour into the butter to form a paste. 
Whisk the flour into the butter to form a paste. 
Whisk the flour into the butter to form a paste. 
Whisk the flour into the butter to form a paste. 
Slowly whisk in the milk.
Slowly whisk in the milk.
Slowly whisk in the milk.
Slowly whisk in the milk.
Continue whisking until you end up with a sauce consistency. 
Continue whisking until you end up with a sauce consistency. 
Turn off the heat and stir in the cheese.
Turn off the heat and stir in the cheese.
When the cheese has all melted it is ready to serve.
When the cheese has all melted it is ready to serve.

Cheese sauce

  • Servings: 8
  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

There are no rules for cheese sauce; it is excellent over the top of most steamed vegetables and that special topping on a lasagne.



Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

  • 500ml milk 
  • 4 tbsp. buckwheat flour 
  • 50g butter 
  • 100g cheese, grated 

Directions

  1. Take a large saucepan.
  2. Add the butter to a saucepan, wait for the butter to melt. 
  3. Whisk the flour into the butter to form a paste. 
  4. Slowly whisk in the milk.
  5. Continue whisking until you end up with a sauce consistency. 
  6. Turn off the heat.
  7. Stir in the cheese.
  8. When the cheese has all melted it is ready to serve.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 149 calories; 10.5 g fat; 8.5 g carbohydrates; 6 g protein

Equipment

  • Measuring spoons
  • Scales
  • Saucepan
  • Whisk
  • Grater 

Nutritional disclaimer

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients used and available in my area (New Zealand). The nutritional information is here to help you understand the recipe; I use MyFitnessPal to generate my estimates. For more accurate nutritional information, please use a nutritional calculator with the ingredients in your area.

Biscotti

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First time for everything

I was unfortunate when I went to Italy, I didn’t get to enjoy a coffee with a Biscotti. Having a nut allergy means missing out on many experiences. I was happy to enjoy the coffee without the almond based treat at the time, but I don’t like to miss out things forever.

What is it?

Biscotti are the Italian almond biscuits you often find served with coffee. The biscotti is a twice baked, oblong, crunchy biscuit perfect for dipping into a hot drink. The traditional recipe uses flour, sugar, eggs, pine nuts and almonds, so basically all the things we don’t or can’t eat. I could give up and say it’s too hard to even try to eat biscotti, but I love a challenge.

Think I made it better

Creating a recipe that aims to deliver the same texture and flavours of the original recipe isn’t always easy. When you add the complication of you have never tasted the original recipe things can get interesting. This recipe was challenging but also exciting. I wanted to get the texture right while keeping the protein and fat content reasonably high. I used a mix of protein powder and oat flour to replace the wheat flour and used coconut milk and maple syrup to replace the sugar. I used blueberries to replace the almond that you would usually find scattered through a biscotti. Each biscuit is crunchy, filling and goes well with a nice mid-morning cup of coffee. 

Biscotti recipe

Biscotti ingredients

Ingredient

  • 4 scoops protein powder
  • 1 cup oat flour
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
  • 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. ginger
  • 1/2 cup blueberries
Biscotti ready to eat

Biscotti 

  • Servings: 12
  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

This biscotti recipe is grain and sugar free and jam packed in with protein.



Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

  • 4 scoops protein powder
  • 1 cup oat flour
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
  • 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. ginger
  • 1/2 cup blueberries

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/ 350 degrees F
  2. Grease a cake pan and dust it with protein powder
  3. In a bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients
  4. In another bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, maple syrup, and vanilla bean paste.
  5. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together then fold in the blueberries
  6. Pour the batter into the cake pan
  7. Bake for 30 minutes
  8. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool completelyRemove from the oven and allow the cake to cool completely
  9. Cut the cake into 12 slices
  10. Line a large baking tray with baking paper or a silicone liner. 
  11. Place the biscotti slices on the baking tray.
  12. Bake the slices for 20 minutes on each side until they are golden brown.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 178 calories; 5 g fat; 23.6 g carbohydrates; 11 g protein

Equipment

  • Cake pan
  • Mixing bowl
  • Whisk
  • Spatula
  • Cooling rack
  • Baking tray 
  • Baking paper or a silicone liner
  • Measuring cups

Nutritional disclaimer

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients used and available in my area (New Zealand). The nutritional information is here to help you understand the recipe; I use MyFitnessPal to generate my estimates. For more accurate nutritional information, please use a nutritional calculator with the ingredients in your area.

Protein cheesecake

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Just because I love you

Every now and then my partner in crime comes to me with a recipe he likes the sound of and asks if there is a way to make a clean eating version, this recipe comes from one of those requests. While Jaime was reading Ross Edgley’s book The world’s fittest book and man crushing on this website, he came across a recipe for a chocolate protein cheesecake always up for a challenge I gave the recipe some development time.

Easy Swaps

Sometimes I can look at a recipe and know what ingredients are easy to swap out for alternative-ingredients, other recipes take some trial and error before you have something close to what the recipe would get you. Thankfully, this was one of the easy swap recipes that end up giving me a finished cheesecake that didn’t last very long (3 days).  I switched out the quark for some creme fraiche and sour cream to increase the fat content, to make the base nut-free I used my nut-free breakfast crunch with some extra honey and coconut oil to bind the base together.

Protein cheesecake

Protein cheesecake ingredients
Protein cheesecake ingredients

Ingredients

  • 250g creme fraiche
  • 250g sour cream
  • 250g yoghurt
  • 60g protein powder
  • 3 tsp. cacao powder
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla powder
  • 2 egg whites
  • 2 tbsp. gelatine
  • 200ml milk
  • 200g nut-free breakfast crunch
  • 2 tsp honey
  • 1 tsp coconut oil, melted
Mix the nut-free breakfast crunch with the honey and the melted coconut oil together
Mix the nut-free breakfast crunch with the honey and the melted coconut oil together
Spread the crunch mixture out in the bottom of a spring form cake tin
Spread the crunch mixture out in the bottom of a spring form cake tin
Spread the crunch mixture out
Spread the crunch mixture out
press it gently into the tin
Press it gently into the tin
Take a stand mixer.
Take a stand mixer.
Whisk the egg white.
Whisk the egg white.
In another bowl whisk the creme fraiche, sour cream and yoghurt.
In another bowl whisk the creme fraiche, sour cream and yoghurt.
Whisk in the protein powder.
Whisk in the protein powder.
Mix well.
Mix well.
Bloom the gelatine as the packet instructs
Bloom the gelatine as the packet instructs
Heat the milk and chocolate with the gelatine.
Heat the milk and chocolate with the gelatine.
Fold the egg whites into the cheese mix
Fold the egg whites into the cheese mix
Fold in the chocolate mixture.
Fold in the chocolate mixture.
Pour the cheesecake mix into the cake pan.
Pour the cheesecake mix into the cake pan.
Put the cheesecake in the fridge to set up.
Put the cheesecake in the fridge to set up.
Cheesecake set in the fridge.
Cheesecake set in the fridge.
Slice the cheesecake
Slice the cheesecake
Protein cheesecake ready to eat. Enjoy
Protein cheesecake ready to eat. Enjoy

Protein cheesecake

  • Servings: 12
  • Rating: ★★★★★
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Every now and then my partner in crime comes to me with a recipe he likes the sound of and asks if there is a way to make a clean eating version, this recipe comes from one of those requests.


Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

  • 250g crème fraiche
  • 250g sour cream
  • 250g yoghurt
  • 60g protein powder
  • 3 tsp. Cacao powder
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla bean powder
  • 2 egg whites
  • 2 tbsp. Gelatine
  • 200ml milk
  • 200g breakfast crunch
  • 2 tsp. honey
  • 1 tsp. coconut oil, melted

Directions

  1. Mix the nut-free breakfast crunch with the honey and the melted coconut oil together, making sure that the crunch is fully coated.
  2. Spread the crunch mixture out in the bottom of a spring form cake tin, press it gently into the tin.
  3. Put the tin in the fridge to firm up.
  4. Bloom the gelatine as the packet instructs.
  5. In a large bowl mix the crème fraiche, sour cream and yoghurt together with the protein powder.
  6. Gently heat the milk and whisk in the cacao powder and the gelatine.
  7. In another bowl whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.
  8. Slowly fold the egg whites into the protein and yoghurt, be careful not to overwork the mixture, you want to keep as much are in the mixture as possible.
  9. Whisk the gelatine and milk into the protein and yoghurt mixture.
  10. Pour the mixture into the spring form tin and smooth the top.
  11. Put the cheesecake in the fridge for 4 to 8 hours for it to set.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 177 calories; 12.2 g fat; 7.3 g carbohydrates; 6.8 g protein.

Equipment  

  • Bowl x2  
  • Spatula x2  
  • Whisk  
  • Spring form cake tin  
  • Saucepan  
  • Measuring spoons
  • Scales
  • Measuring jug

Nutritional disclaimer

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients used and available in my area (New Zealand). The nutritional information is here to help you understand the recipe; I use MyFitnessPal to generate my estimates. For more accurate nutritional information, please use a nutritional calculator with the ingredients in your area.

Taco style salad

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Things are changing

Not long ago if I had suggested we have a salad for dinner, that suggestion would have been met with grumbles, groans and complaints. Thankfully that is no longer the case. The first time I made this salad for dinner, I did get the grumbles and groans, then the kids tried some. The next week when I asked the question ‘what do we want for dinner?’ I got two requests for ‘that salad we had last week’. That has been the greatest endorsement of a recipe if you ask me. It is a sign that things are changing on the food front in our house.

Taco style salad

More spicy flavours

This salad is a little bit Mexican in flavour; I wanted something that was basically a taco in a bowl. We eat a lot of tacos so I wanted something that would be taco in flavour but without the tortilla wraps. This salad delivers on the flavour of tacos, but with a tasty and creamy dressing that brings everything together. It is easy to make, and the recipe is enough to feed a hungry family and still leave you with some leftovers.

Taco style salad

Taco style salad ingredients

Ingredients 

  • 6 cups cos lettuce, chopped
  • 6 cups chicken, cooked and cubed 
  • 1 can corn
  • 1 can black beans
  • 2 tomatoes, diced
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1 cup tortilla chips, crushed 
  • 1 handful fresh coriander, chopped
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 3 tbsp. avocado oil 
  • 2 tsp. honey
  • 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp. garlic, minced 
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1/2 jalapeño, finely diced
  • 2 tsp. taco seasoning 
Take the ingredients for the dressing
Add the ingredients to a bowl.
Add the ingredients to a bowl.
Add the jalapenos and whisk.
Take a large bowl.
Add the lettuce and chicken to the bowl.
Add the corn and beans.
Add the tomatoes and avocado.
Add the red onion.
Mix well.
Add the dressing.
Mix well.
Add the crushed corn chips
Serve

Taco style salad

  • Servings: 10
  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

Not long ago if I had suggested we have a salad for dinner, that suggestion would have been met with grumbles, groans and complaints. Thankfully that is no longer the case. The first time I made this salad for dinner, I did get the grumbles and groans, then the kids tried some.


Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

  • 6 cups cos lettuce, chopped
  • 6 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
  • 1 can corn
  • 1 can black beans
  • 2 tomatoes, diced
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1 cup tortilla chips, crushed
  • 1 handful fresh coriander, chopped
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 3 tbsp. avocado oil
  • 2 tsp. honey
  • 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp. garlic, minced
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1/2 jalapeño, finely diced
  • 2 tsp. taco seasoning

Directions

  1. In a large bowl mix together the lettuce, corn, beans, tomatoes, avocado, onion and cheese.
  2. Set the bowl to one side.
  3. In another bowl whisk together the yoghurt, oil, honey, apple cider vinegar, garlic, lime juice, jalapeno and taco seasoning.
  4. When you are ready to serve the salad, add the dressing to the bowl with the salad.
  5. Toss the salad to coat everything with the dressing.
  6. To serve top with the crushed chips and coriander.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 287 calories; 12 g fat; 18 g carbohydrates; 26 g protein.

Equipment

  • Chopping board
  • Knife
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Small mixing bowl
  • Whisk
  • Spoon
  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Scales

Nutritional disclaimer

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients used and available in my area (New Zealand). The nutritional information is here to help you understand the recipe; I use MyFitnessPal to generate my estimates. For more accurate nutritional information, please use a nutritional calculator with the ingredients in your area.

Primal fudge

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Something naughty but nice 

Fudge, yes, it is an excellent replacement word when you are around the kids, but I have another fudge alternative for you to enjoy. 

Fudge is one of those fantastic sweet treats I remember from childhood, my Dandy often had fudge and toffee for Christmas, and I loved to share it with him. 

In the past I probably could have happily munched a packet of fudge easily, nowadays I do not think I could deal with the sugar coma.  

Sweet without the sugar 

This recipe was born from a desire to enjoy the flavour of fudge without the truckload of sugar. When we made a move to remove sugar from our lives as much as possible, I noticed a change in my taste buds. What once was just a sweet treat is now so sickly sweet, I can’t eat it. 

I like to look for alternatives that mean I get all the flavour without any of the adverse effects of ingredients that don’t agree with me. For this recipe I swapped out the sugar for honey, this created a delicate balance of sweet but not too sweet with all the rich flavour you get with original fudge. 

Kid approved 

The final hurdle I usually have any new recipe is if the kids will like it. Sometimes they like a recipe, but the response can be lukewarm, they eat what I have made, but it takes a few days for them to work their way through everything. 

This is not one of those recipes. This fudge didn’t last the weekend; the fudge was nabbed out of the fridge after lunch, as a refuel when they got back from the play park and after dinner. These treats are little boy (and big boy) approved. 

Primal fudge recipe 

Primal fudge ingredients
Primal fudge ingredients

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup coconut oil 
  • 1/2 cup cacao powder 
  • 1/2 cup seed butter 
  • 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup 
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla bean powder 
Place the cacao powder in a large bowl.
Place the cacao powder in a large bowl.
Add the melted coconut oil and honey to the bowl.
Add the melted coconut oil and honey to the bowl.
Mix well with a spatula.
Mix well with a spatula.
Add the seed butter to the bowl.
Add the seed butter to the bowl.
Mix well.
Mix well.
Take a silicone cupcake pan.
Take a silicone cupcake pan.
Pour the mix into the cupcake pan.
Pour the mix into the cupcake pan.
If you want to add something for some crunch put it in the bottom of the cupcake pan.
If you want to add something for some crunch put it in the bottom of the cupcake pan.
Primal fudge ready for eating.
Primal fudge ready for eating.

Primal fudge

  • Servings: 24
  • Rating: ★★★★★
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Fudge, yes it is an excellent replacement word when you are around the kids, but I have another fudge alternative for you to enjoy.



Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup coconut oil 
  • 1/2 cup cacao powder 
  • 1/2 cup seed butter 
  • 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup 
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla bean powder 

Directions

  1. Melt coconut oil either in the microwave or in a saucepan. 
  2. Don’t overheat the coconut oil, it should be liquid not bubbling. 
  3. Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend them together.
  4. Alternatively you can mix by hand.
  5. Add the cacao powder in a large mixing bowl
  6. Add the melted coconut oil and mix with a spatula.
  7. Add the seed butter to the bowl.
  8. Mix well.Mix well.
  9. Pour the mix into paper-lined muffin tin cups /silicone muffin cups.
  10. Fill each cup halfway.
  11. Place the muffin cups in the fridge for 30 minutes or freeze for 10 minutes. 
  12. Pop the fudge out once it is set.
  13. Store in a sealed container in the fridge. 

Nutrition

Per Serving: 89 calories; 7 g fat; 5 g carbohydrates; g protein

Equipment 

  • Saucepan 
  • Food processor 
  • Muffin tin or silicone muffin cups
  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Spoon

Nutritional disclaimer

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients used and available in my area (New Zealand). The nutritional information is here to help you understand the recipe; I use MyFitnessPal to generate my estimates. For more accurate nutritional information, please use a nutritional calculator with the ingredients in your area.

Porkips

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Meat chips 

You may have already figured out that meat is a huge deal in our house; our family motto may need to be meat with everything. Protein-rich snacks are a firm favourite for everyone including the cat. 

We all know chips and dips are awesome, the downside is the bloating and carb coma. Enter the salty alternative to standard chips – porkips. 

Pork whats? 

These chips are just meat. They are crunchy and salty goodness. I usually break out these bad boys for special occasions like birthdays and Christmas. They last about 5 minutes once they are done, they are easy to make and if you can stop them being eaten as is go great with dips. 

Porkip recipe

Ingredients

  • 10 slices of prosciutto di Parma

Porkips

  • Servings: 20
  • Rating: ★★★★★
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salty alternative to standard chips - porkips.



Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

  • 10 slices of prosciutto di Parma

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/ 350 degrees F.
  2. Line a baking tray with baking paper; layout slices on the baking paper
  3. Bake for 10/15 minutes until crunchy then allow them to cool (if you can)
  4. If they get to a point where they have cooled they are good to eat (you have also managed to get much further than we do), if they survive the day you can store them in an airtight container for about 4 days in the fridge.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 122 calories; 7.5 g fat; 0 g carbohydrates; 13.5 g protein

Equipment

  • Baking tray
  • Baking paper or a silicone liner 
  • Cooling rack

Nutritional disclaimer

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients used and available in my area (New Zealand). The nutritional information is here to help you understand the recipe; I use MyFitnessPal to generate my estimates. For more accurate nutritional information, please use a nutritional calculator with the ingredients in your area.

Tuscan pork chops

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Simple meals don’t have to be boring  

I have been on a mission to make simple and tasty meals. I aim to create recipes that can be prepared and cooked quickly on a busy weeknight. We all struggle to make healthy and delicious meals while keeping on top of everything else in life. So, this recipe is designed to be healthy, delicious and easy to make. You can cook this meal in a single pan. The preparation takes no more than 20 minutes and is portioned to feed four adults.  

Serve straight from the pan
How to make Tuscan pork chops

Tuscan chops recipe

Tuscan pork chop ingredients

Ingredients

  • 4 pork chops
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 tbsp. Tuscan Seasoning
Thick and rich sauce with ready to eat pork chops

Tuscan chops

  • Servings: 4
  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

“This



Credit: cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 tbsp. Tuscan Seasoning

Directions

  1. In a large frying pan heat the olive oil over a medium to high heat.
  2. Add the pork chops to the pan and cook for two minutes on each side or until they have browned.
  3. Remove the chops from the pan and set them to one side.
  4. Add the onion to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, stir the onions, so they do not burn.
  5. Add the chops back to the pair and add the garlic to the pan.
  6. Sprinkle the Tuscan seasoning over the chops.
  7. Pour the chopped tomatoes over the chops and let everything simmer for 10 minutes.
  8. Serve with coodles.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 186 calories; 8 g fat; 12 g carbohydrates; 16 g protein

Try this with

Equipment

  • Knife
  • Chopping board
  • Frying pan
  • Tongs
  • Wooden spoon
  • Lid for the pan
  • Measuring spoons

Nutritional disclaimer

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients used and available in my area (New Zealand). The nutritional information is here to help you understand the recipe; I use MyFitnessPal to generate my estimates. For more accurate nutritional information, please use a nutritional calculator with the ingredients in your area.

Lemon marinade

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Simple meals don’t have to be boring

I have been on a mission this year to make simple but tasty meals. The aim was to create recipes that can be prepared and cooked quickly on a busy weeknight.

We all struggle to make healthy and tasty meals while keeping on top of everything else in life. 

This recipe is healthy, delicious and easy to make recipes that you can cook on a single tray in the oven. The preparation takes no more than 20 minutes, that is all of the slicing, dicing and mixing. 

Each meal is portioned to feed four adults. 

Marinade makes it better

This is my go-to marinade for chicken at the minute. To free up some time on the weekends I have been bulk buying meat, preparing and then freezing the meat. Chicken has been the primary meat over the last few weeks, but it can get boring quickly. Enter this amazing marinade. When we can’t face boring plain chicken any more, I pull the chicken out to defrost before we go to bed. Next morning, I put the chicken in the marinade and let it hang out in fridge for the day. After our workouts I cook the chicken and stick it with some veggies. 

Dinner sorted.

Lemon marinade recipe

Ingredients

Lemon marinade ingredients.
Lemon marinade ingredients.
  • 250ml plain yoghurt
  • 2 garlic cloves 
  • 1 tsp. chilli powder
  • 1 tbsp. ground coriander
  • juice and zest 1 lemon
Add the yoghurt, chilli powder and ground coriander to a bowl.
Add the yoghurt, chilli powder and ground coriander to a bowl.
Add the garlic, lemon zest and juice to the bowl and mix well.
Add the garlic, lemon zest and juice to the bowl and mix well.
Lemon marinade mixed and ready to use.
Lemon marinade mixed and ready to use.
Chicken coated in marinade.
Chicken coated in marinade.
Marinaded chicken straight from the oven.
Marinaded chicken straight from the oven.

Lemon Marinade

  • Servings: 1
  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

A fresh and zesty marinade that is a great way to make your chicken tasty and juicy



Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

  • 250ml plain yoghurt
  • 2 garlic cloves 
  • 1 tsp. chilli powder
  • 1 tbsp. ground coriander
  • juice and zest 1 lemon

Directions

  1. Instructions
  2. Finely mince the two garlic cloves, mix in a bowl with yoghurt, chilli powder, coriander and lemon juice and zest.
  3. If marinating overnight you can add chicken and marinade to a zip lock bag and put it in the fridge if you are going to cook your chicken in a few hours just add the chicken to the bowl, cover the bowl and put it in the fridge.
  4. When you are ready to cook the chicken, remove any excess marinade, and cook
  5. The meat should remain very succulent because of the yoghurt.
  6. Cook the meat however you like.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 205 calories; 0 g fat; 24 g carbohydrates; 17 g protein

Equipment

  • Knife 
  • Chopping board
  • Mixing bowl
  • Zip lock bag
  • Measuring cup
  • Measuring spoons
  • Zester

Nutritional disclaimer

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients used and available in my area (New Zealand). The nutritional information is here to help you understand the recipe; I use MyFitnessPal to generate my estimates. For more accurate nutritional information, please use a nutritional calculator with the ingredients in your area.

Avocado tuna melts

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Do we have tuna? 

That is usually the response to the question what do you want for lunch? I won’t go into how much when people answer a question with a question. Let’s focus on the recurring request for tuna every weekend. Every week it is the same request for a tuna cheese melt. I don’t have any issues with providing tuna for lunch; I get bored with the leftover tuna in the fridge and no desire to eat it. 

How to make tuna interesting 

I have to admit I find tinned tuna very difficult to eat on its own. I know it is good for me, but it is just so boring! To make tuna more interesting and look for an alternative to the standard tuna melt. I came up with these avocado tuna melts. 

Two birds with one grill 

I figured that if we have the grill on to make tuna melts on bread. There is no reason I couldn’t create a bread free tuna melt that has an interesting flavour and didn’t take a lifetime to make. The avocado tuna melt was born. Avocado is the perfect ingredient that makes the tuna boring, adds a creamy texture that stands up to the heat of the grill. 

If you want a way to use up those uneaten bits of tuna, give these melts a go. 

Avocado tuna melt recipe 

Avocado tuna melts ingredients

Ingredients 

  • 1 avocado 
  • 2 cans of tuna 
  • 2 tbsp. Parsley, chopped 
  • 1 tbsp. Lemon juice 
  • 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika 
  • 1/4 tsp. salt 
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper 
  • 1/4 cup gruyere cheese, grated 
  • 2 tbsp. Chives, chopped 
Cut the avocado in half lengthwise
Cut the avocado in half lengthwise 
Cut the avocado in half lengthwise
Cut the avocado in half lengthwise 
Remove the pit
Remove the pit
Scoop out the avocado flesh
Scoop out the avocado flesh
Scoop out the avocado flesh into a large mixing bowl.
Scoop out the avocado flesh into a large mixing bowl.
Put the avocado skins on a lined baking tray.
Put the avocado skins on a lined baking tray.
Mash the avocado with a fork.
Mash the avocado with a fork.
Add the tuna to the avocado and mix.
Add the tuna to the avocado and mix.
In a the bowl add the parsley, lemon juice, paprika, salt, and pepper.
In a the bowl add the  parsley, lemon juice, paprika, salt, and pepper. 
Mix well
Mix well
Add the tuna avocado mix back into the avocado skin.
Add the tuna avocado mix back into the avocado skin then bake
Top the tuna mix with the cheese and grill again to melt the cheese. 
Melt the cheese.
Melt the cheese. 
Garnish with chopped chives and serve. 

Avocado tuna melt

  • Servings: 4
  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

Avocado is the perfect ingredient that makes the tuna boring, adds a creamy texture that stands up to the heat of the grill. 



Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

  • 1 avocado
  • 2 cans of tuna
  • 2 tbsp. Parsley, chopped
  • 1 tbsp. Lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/4 cup gruyere cheese, grated
  • 2 tbsp. Chives, chopped

Directions

  1. Preheat grill on the highest setting.
  2. Cut the avocado in half lengthwise and remove the pit.
  3. Scoop out the avocado flesh and coarsely chop it.
  4. In a bowl mix together the avocado, tuna, parsley, lemon juice, paprika, salt, and pepper.
  5. Add the tuna avocado mix back into the avocado skin.
  6. Grill for 5 minutes so that the tuna and avocado starts to colour.
  7. Top the tuna mix with the cheese and grill again to melt the cheese.
  8. Garnish with chopped chives and serve.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 240 calories; 17 g fat; 8 g carbohydrates; 17 g protein

Equipment  

  • Knife  
  • Chopping board  
  • Mixing bowl  
  • Spoon  
  • Fork  
  • Baking tray   
  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons

Nutritional disclaimer

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients used and available in my area (New Zealand). The nutritional information is here to help you understand the recipe; I use MyFitnessPal to generate my estimates. For more accurate nutritional information, please use a nutritional calculator with the ingredients in your area.

Easy ranch dressing

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Bonus recipe

This week I am posting two new recipes, one for a Ranch Impasta Salad and this Ranch dressing.

Alternative to the traditional

I love ranch dressing, it is creamy yet light with an amazing flavour of a traditional ranch dressing.

Ranch dressing recipe

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup easy mayo
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk
  • 1/2 tsp. onion powder
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. dill

Easy ranch dressing

  • Servings: 16
  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

An easy to make dressing that is perfect to add a new dimension of flavour to your salad.



Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup easy mayo
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk
  • 1/2 tsp. onion powder
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. dill

Directions

  1. Whisk together all of the ingredients and transfer the dressing into a jar.
  2. The dressing will keep in the fridge for up to one week.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 106 calories; 3 g fat; 19 g carbohydrates; g protein

Equipment

  • Jar
  • Whisk
  • Small mixing bowl
  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons

Nutritional disclaimer

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients used and available in my area (New Zealand). The nutritional information is here to help you understand the recipe; I use MyFitnessPal to generate my estimates. For more accurate nutritional information, please use a nutritional calculator with the ingredients in your area.