Healthy Salad Dressing

Looking for a delicious creamy salad dressing that is not loaded with sneaky calories? Try this one out, at only approximately 11 calories per tablespoon it's just the solution to jazzing up those leafy greens.

I popped some iceberg lettuce wedges on the grill for a few minutes and topped with this dressing for a yummy accompaniment to a nice steak.

Creamy Healthy Dressing

Ingredients

3/4 cup green spring onions finely chopped
1/3 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
3-6 cloves of crushed garlic, depends how much you like
1 tablespoon dill, finely chopped (omit if not available)
1 tablespoon truffle zest (optional)
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup non fat Greek Yoghurt
8 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1/2 cup low fat buttermilk

Method

Combine spring onions, parsley, garlic, an dill in a food processor and whiz until combined.
Add remaining ingredients except buttermilk.
Wiz and add enough buttermilk to obtain desired consistency.

Can serve immediately but flavours will develop if left for a few hours.

Dressing will keep for upto 7 days in the fridge.

Delicious!

Mamma Marmalade

Food for the senses . Doreen Reid Nakamarra painting. Queensland Art Gallery. Brisbane

For many Australians, the Easter long weekend tradition includes a road trip - either to visit family or as a 'getaway mini holiday'.  Often our country vistas are flat and parched, lit by harsh sunlight that creates colours unlike those of the northern hemisphere.  It is different and beautiful.  I love visiting GOMA and the Queensland Art Gallery in Brisbane.  Every visit unearths a new discovery or I see an old favourite in a new light.  One of my favourites is by Doreen Reid Nakamarra, Untitled (Marrapinti) 2008.  It has been positioned on the floor so as you walk around and gaze from different perspectives the landscape of the paiting undulates before your eyes.  It is mesmerising, magical, mystical and magnificient.  

Wherever you happen to be for Easter, take a moment and look around.  

Feed your senses and marvel at the beauty in this world.  

I think we all need a little of that in our lives.     Love,  Colleen.

                 

Choc chip banana muffin - light

Looking for a low calorie sweet treat with no artificial ingredients.  This little sweet muffin fits the bill. Banana gives it the sweetness naturally.  Pop any spares into the freezer to keep fresh and just warm through when needed.  Inspiration from blogger "Chocolate covered Katie"

Dry ingredients and wet ingredients

 

Ingredients

1 cup mashed banana (tip have a stash of overripe bananas stored in the freezer, leave in the skin)
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoon of white or apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoon of oil (I used olive oil)
1 cup of plain flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of bi carb soda
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 cup mini choc chips
1/3 cup sugar
1 extra tablespoon of sugar

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
Pop muffin cases into muffin tin
Mix first 5 ingredients in a large bowl
In a separate bowl combine all the dry ingredients and stir well.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until combined and batter is just evenly mixed.
Spoon into muffin paper cases.

Bake for 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted, comes out clean.
Allow to rest in the tin for 10 minutes.

Perfect with a cup of tea.

Mamma Marmalade

Carrot Salad

Sunshine on a plate - a simple salad that is fresh and works as a delicious side for so many dishes - Enjoy!   Colleen

Carrot salad by Feed Your Inner Cook

 Ingredients
few tablespoons of Greek Yoghurt - drain for a few hours to make your own Labne
http://feedyourinnercook.blogspot.com/2014/07/labna-make-your-own-low-fat-quick-no.html
or use some soft goat's cheese

500 gram carrots - peeled and grated or julienned for a change
1/4 cup orange juice (add the zest too)
1/2 cup dried cranberries - less if you prefer
1/2 cup fresh roughly chopped herb leaves - parsely, mint
1/2 cup lettuce roughly chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (add the zest too)
3 tablespoons Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Freshly cracked black pepper and optional sea salt flakes to taste
Optional  - some Dukkah to sprinkle over before serving
Variation:  add some crunchy julienned green apple slivers
Method
Soak the cranberries in the orange juice and set aside.
In a large bowl combine the grated carrots with the chopped herbs and lettuce.
Then fold through the plumped cranberries
Combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper in a clean tight lidded jam jam and shake vigourously
Toss some of the dressing through the salad (you might not need all of it)
Place the prepared carrot salad into serving bowl.
Dot with strained labna dollops and sprinkle with a little Dukkah if desired.
                                                Enjoy!   Colleen