Mumsnet Talk

For those following the 5:2 diet and would like ideas for fast day meals. Please post your favourites.

Yesterdays lunch was carrot and coriander soup - 110 cals

recipe here: www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/7003/carrot-and-coriander-soup it was delicious

Had squash and chorizo stew last week also very nice - 264 cals

Recipe here: www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4824/squash-and-chorizo-stew

Would love to see all your ideas.

I'll try and pick up some of the recipes posted in the 3 long threads we have running.

Meagain9, thanks for the link to the beetroot and quinoa burgers.

www.allotment2kitchen.blogspot.ch/2011/03/beetroot-and-quinoa-burgers.html?m=1

skinnyeye posted this:

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1775642/chilli-crusted-fish-with-green-beans

girlwithmousyhair posted this:

lentil stew here www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/9483381/52-diet-healthy-recipes-250-calories-or-less.html

Talkinpeace2 posted her baked egg recipe

The recipe derives from this
www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/vegetarian-food/alpine-eggs.html
but as its a calorific bomb, replace the lower layer of cheese with thawed and drained frozen spinach and make the upper cheese layer a tad less generous and then we do three eggs each.

I'll look for some older links later - must try and get some work done first.

Thai spiced veggie noodles with egg

1 nest of M&S fine egg noodles (80cal)
Mushrooms, Chinese leaf, courgette and carrot (or whatever is in fridge, I use >80cal worth)
stock cube
Thai spice mix (I use the frozen Waitrose one as it's easier than getting separate ingredients)
egg (70cal)

Use a good non stick pan to dry fry veg in the spice mix (or use spray oil), then add stock to cover, par cook noodles in the mix, then cmake a dent in the noodles and crack an egg in, simmer until cooked. Very filling and really tasty, less than 250cals

Any ideas why the Chinese style egg noodles are so much lower in calories than every other noodle I've come across? Hope it's not a typo, or today's fast is going to go way over!

www.lavenderandlovage.com/2012/09/taxis-trains-and-temptation-52-diet-fast-day-recipe-smoky-mexican-stir-fry-with-chicken.html

Made this on Monday, really tasty and even my DH who wasn't fasting was sniffing around the stirfry pan!

That's a great link loulou, there are a few recipes on that site I want to try.

Here's a couple more links from other threads:

Ilovestripysocks posted this:

Tomato and Garlic Soup

91 cals per portion (recipe gives 4 portions)

Very tasty, very healthy & very filling!

and this:

summer vegetable curry

207 calsper portion (makes 4 portions)

This totally filled me up! Lovely flavours too.

I'm going to try both of those.

Fancy I have made the soup and it's really tasty

just found this page ....
www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/recipes/healthy/200-400-cal/

Marking my place to use one of these tonight and will do some sourcing over the weekend

A few more links from the original thread:

Rolled chicken breast with mushrooms

Vegetable chilli bowl

Stir fry Prawn and noodle soup From SpringGoddess
1tsp ground nut oil
3 spring onions chopped
2 cloves of garlic chopped
2 Thai chillis chopped
1 inch of ginger grated

Then add a combination of green beans, mushrooms, courgettes, cook on high heat.

Add 400g prawns, bean sprouts & bok choi, coriander, 10ml creamed coconut, 10ml brown rice vinegar, calorie free noodles, heat to boil, take off heat and add 1 pt of miso soup & tamari to taste.

Calorie free noodles????? Where can I get these?

How many calories in the prawn soup fancy?

25 recipes under 500 calories (allegedly, if you eat just enough to sustain a mouse). The ideas are good though.
www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/25-recipes-under-500-calories/2012/03/08/gIQA1NZV7R_gallery.html#photo=1

Springgoddess didn't say how many calories there are in the prawn soup. But by my calculation it comes in at about 200cals

I think 400g of prawns alone would be quite a bit more than 200 calories french fancy. How big are they?

I assumed the recipe was for 4 people. I guess we need Springgoddess to come along and tell us.

Sorry, wasn't paying attention frenchfancy

Someone asked about calorie free noodles - they are the [[ http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=shirataki+noodles&tag=googhydr-21&index=aps&hvadid=13682958588&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14532113571840403414&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&ref=pd_sl_6wycy2hwvr_e shirataki]] noodles and they're not exactly no calorie, just very low.

hmm will tray again. www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=shirataki+noodles

WOW what a find - interesting! many thanks for that I will definitely try these out, just the thing to pad out a stir fry!!!

Just found this

butternut squash and red lentil curry

My calculations give it 226 calories per portion

I've just harvested the butternut squash from the garden so I am definately having this next fast day.

Heres a link to Anilas curry sauces .. I used to get them at our farmers market before I moved to another part of the country ,but now get them mail order. they are So much better than any other ive tried.. all veggie and great for making a curry for a fast day I just drain off most of the oil before I add in a couple of spoonfuls and sweat my base veg (usually onion celery and carrot ) in chicken or veggie stock instead of browning them in oil and if I'm adding meat just put it in after , then the rest of my veggies..

Lentil soup - it's simple, healthy, tasty and filling. Chop one large potato, one large carrot, one large onion and a leek. Sweat for a few minutes. Add 6oz (6 tbsps) red lentils, a tin of chopped tomatoes and enough stock to more than cover. Bring to the boil, then simmer for as long as you like. I usually give it a couple of hours, checking it's not catching, as lentils appreciate a lot of cooking (BTW, don't add salt til they're cooked as it hardens them). It's even better next day and freezes well. I also jazz it up with a few chilli flakes, ground cumin and coriander and sometimes blitz it a bit to make it a bit smoother. Six portions with these quantities, and only 170 cals each!

I had butternut squashf and lentil curry last night, but I did the Hugh Fearnly W. version here (mainly because the thai curry paste I had was VERY out of date

I reduced his 4 tblspns of oil to 2 and worked out the cals at about 300.

It was delicious

I also had the tomato and garlic soup as posted above, very tasty but does need seiving.

I've just had a plate full of roast veg - whatever was in the fridge and yet more courgettes just tossed in one desert spoon of oil (well rubbed in by hand) and roasted on a non stick tray (I used cauli, broccoli, onion, carrot, celery, courgette, parsnip and mushroom).

On a non fast day I would have it smothered with grated cheese and salsa and wrapped with salad in a tortilla tonight I mixed a large spoonful of yoghurt with some spicy sauce and cider vinegar (to thin it) then I drizzled that all over the veggies. I'm not actually counting calories on fast days (just sticking to veg and salad with the odd egg and a bit of milk / yoghurt) but it's certainly not many.

I always do far more than I'm going to eat and then turn what's left into soup with a tin of tomatoes and some stock

Mumofcrazynamedkids asked me for this chili non carne (I’m a vegan) recipe:

Basically it’s about 600g of low calorie veg (whatever’s in season, mainly), with added red kidney beans. I have half of this with a diced vegan sausage plus a small baked potato and maybe some broccoli.

In a small pan I put 2cms of water (I try and use saved vegetable cooking water) and a teaspoon of chili powder. Then I add, in no particular order, the chopped veg. Here’s what I used for yesterday’s and tomorrow’s fasting days:

155g celery - 12 cals
95g onion – 31 cals
115g cabbage – 15 cals
64g carrot -19 cals
100g cauli – 31 cals
115 mushrooms – 15 cals
200g red kidney beans – 200 cals (I cook 500g of dried r-k-beans, then freeze them, so I always have them to hand)
200g tinned tomatoes - 42 cals
10g bouillon powder – 24 cals
1 teaspoon chili powder - 8 cals
1 teaspoon mixed herbs - 0 cals

Total 400 calories.

I measured this out onto two side plates (I use a side plate instead of a dinner plate these days) and it came to 7 large serving spoons – but I only used three yesterday, since that filled up the plate.

To this I added a Fry’s vegan sausage, chopped – 58 cals
I had this with 120g microwaved potato – 86 cals

And I had it with 50g red wine – 44

Total 171 (400/7) + 190 = 361 cals

I vary the amount of r-k-beans depending on how many calories I have to play with. This dish works perfectly well with 100g of beans.

You could leave out the beans and sausage and make a perfectly acceptable veg curry – I would probably fry the curry powder in a teaspoon of oil (16 cals)

I’m always full after this meal – especially if I have some broccoli with it.

Tuna rice recipe:-

Fry in 3 squirts low cal spray oil 2 chopped spring onions 10 cal
Add small tin tuna 70 calories
Add small tin tomatoes 49 cal
Add 28g rice 100 calories
Optional stock cube abt 35 cal
Add capers if desired 20 cal

Yum meal!

Veg chilli
Fry spring onion as above
Add small tin red kidney beans 112 cal
Add tin tomatoes
Plenty chilli flakes
I always add rice together as I think it gives better flavour
So add 28g rice

Done

Aftereight i like the look of the tuna rice - one question, do you add any more liquid or is it just the canned tomatoes?

It varies french, I keep an eye on it & if I think needs more water I pour water into tin of tomatoes & add that gradually. I think it gives better flavour. I have made with fresh tomatoes also in which case I squeeze in some lemon juice for extra zing.

Roasted carrot, red pepper tomato and lentil soup, with rosemary, thyme and chilli.
Servings: 4

75g dried red lentils, rinsed
2 onions, peeled and left whole
3 red peppers, split and seeds out
Fresh tomatoes about 5-6 med depending on size (mine were cherry toms and I used about 15)
2 chilli peppers, (more or less or none!)
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
6 carrots, peeled and sliced
Spray or 1 teaspoon olive oil
2 pints chicken or veg stock
A sprig of fresh rosemary and 1 of thyme chopped (or you could use fresh parsley instead but put that in at the end )

Directions:

Put all veg in a baking tray spray with oil or drizzle a little on and mix to coat and roast in hot oven for about 45 mins until all is done, ( I didn’t need to cover mine but you don’t want the liquid to evaporate so you might need to after a while, or take it out before the carrots are quite done as I did )

Simmer the lentils in a little water (just to cover) until tender.
Add the stock, the herbs and the roasted veggies (I leave all skins on except for the garlic cloves ).
Simmer together for 15 20 mins depending on how done your carrots were..
Blend (I use a stick blender), and purée the soup until no lumps remain,

Season with salt and pepper or soy sauce to taste ..

Works out at around 180 cals a big bowlful (depending on how much oil .. These cals are for 10ml oil) and is very satisfying

oh yes , and you need to chop the onions and peppers after roasting before you add it to the stock

You could also save 267 calories on the recipe and 66 cals per serving if you leave out the lentils altogether but it wont be so thick or IMHO so satisfying .. .

Brill

5:2 is a Way of Eating, right?

And on feast days you want something special. This cake is that something special! It needs no filling or icing (although you can of course include them) - it's just gorgeous as it is. If there's a moister cake around, please let me know. It's lower in calories than other sponge cakes (no butter or eggs) and it's as cheap as chips.

Easy chocolate cake (Vegan)

Ingredients:
165g self raising flour (I use Sainsbury's Basic)
25g cocoa powder
200g sugar
80g vegetable oil
250g water

Method:
Measure the dry ingredients, sifting the flour and the cocoa powder, then add the oil and water. Stir, initially with a dessertspoon, and then with a whisk, then pour into a prepared 20cm (8") cake tin.

Bake at 180C (gas 5) for 35-40 minutes.

Calories:
165 flour = 355 x 1.65 = 586
200 sugar = 400 x 2 = 800
25 c/powder = 355 x .25 = 89
80 oil = 900 x .8 = 720

Total= 2195

The finished cake weighed 640g. 10 slices at 64g, say, would give 220 calories a slice.

Cost, well, last time I checked, the ingredients came to 70p – or 7p a slice.

I've got pics of the cake, plus many more recipes (mainly bread, I have to say) on my blog. I've just applied to Mumsnet to register, but its title is in my profile.

Useful blog here by someone who's doing the 5:2 WOE and blogging about it - plus she's posting her low-cal recipes which look pretty good.

Tin of whole earth baked beans
slice of really good ham underneath
parmesan shavings on top

or do half a tin and put a dollop of scrambled egg or a slice of toast on the side ....

Frenchfancy the noodles you need are Shirataki and mine are zero calories as they are not mixed with Tofu. Mine are pure fibre and can be purchaes from Asian food stores. I bought mine from Central Oriental Supermarkets.

Im off to buy some vegiies and stuff to start cooking some of the yummy recipes.

My favourite fast day meal. Butternut squash and sweet potato casserole

320 cals per portion. I skip the wine, and up the bulgar to 100g (for 4 servings) to make up the calories. It is filling and very tasty. I've been making the 4 servings, then splitting into 2 to cover a weeks worth of fast days for me and DH. Keeps in fridge then reheats fine.

Had this soup today - it was lovely. I forgot to put the cinnamon in but I really don't think it needs it. The ginger gives a lovely flavour.

butternut squash soup

Hello, can I join in? Been thinking about this for a while and decided I was going to give it go and today is my first fast day, tomorrow will be my second and I'll try and have 16 hrs without food from tonight until tomorrow.

Can I ask where people get their calorie info from?

oops just realised I've posted to the recipe threads I'll skoot over to the other thread!

I bought a slow cooker yesterday. i was desperate to try it, but it was a fast day so I made this:

Vegetable Chilli

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion , roughly chopped
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 small aubergine
1 small courgette
1 tsp cumin
1 red chilli
2 x 410g/14oz cans mixed pulses in water, rinsed and drained
2 cans chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp dark chocolate , chopped

Put oil into slow cooker and spread around. Put rest of ingredients in and cook on high for 4 hours (I guess 8 hours on low would work too)

Serves 4. 228 cals per serving.

It was really good.

I'm on about week 5 of doing this now and have just started to get the hang of what might work in terms of calories, as I've never tried to count them before. I had been kind of cheating by having an Innocent Veg Pot as my main meal (c.330 calories, depending on the type) then having a half can of soup or similar for lunch and skipping breakfast. I found myself getting really grumpy with it - perhaps that's just getting to used to it too? - and am now doing better by trying to eat more 100 - 150 calorie meals. A typical 150 cal meal might be some lightly fried or baked skinless fish, plus green veg and maybe some lo cal bread, or a slice of turkey plus lots of salad. Any other advances on these mini-meals? I don't think my body can cope with holding on all day and then having a calorie splurge as I then get really hungry after the splurge. And grumpy, obviously! I do hope this diet has the health benefits it implies as my family have a grumpier (and occasionally smellier - anyone else getting this?) member in me recently. :D Although on the plus side I think my jeans are baggier and I actually woke up yesterday wanting to fast - what's that all about?

This is great for a fast day .. sort of like a plate of chips..

MFP has 1 whole 5-6" head of cauli at about 150 cals .. it makes a big bowlful

Roasted cauliflower with Cumin and lemon Juice

Chop up a cauli into small florets and the stalk also , (fairly thin ) . bung in a thin layer on a baking pan (i use 2 trays for a head of cauli as you dont want it to steam) , spray with oil and sprinkle with ground cumin and black pepper spray a bit more oil again over the lot .Roast on high (220c) until starting to lo0k a bit charred round edges about 15 mins

Turn over the pieces , sprinkle some more cumin and black pepper , squeeze lemon juice over and return to oven until nice and charred on edges.. about another 20 mins

Sprinkle with salt and more LJ and wolf down .. ( for elegance try and put on plate first , though I often just eat out of pan its so yummy!)

(I suppose if you wanted to make it more like chips you could leave out the cumin and use S&P and malt vinegar after!

Curried wedges - fried:
Microwave your potato then cut into quarters. Oil your frying pan and fry the cut sides for several minutes - until they've browned a little. Turn them on their backs so that both cut sides are uppermost and sprinkle curry powder over them. Turn them over and fry each side for two minutes more. Serve.

When I'm calorie counting I take a potato weighing 100g (72 cals) and spray the pan with one-cal oil a couple of times. Before adding the curry I spray the cut surfaces with oil. I figure the oil and curry powder add another 15 calories.

If I'm not calorie counting, I just make sure there's enough oil in the pan.

(I used to quarter the potatoes and boil until soft, but, since my wife was microwaving hers I found it just as easy to stick mine in there as well.)

Red Cabbage and Beet Borscht

This makes a rather startling colour but filling and earthy tasting soup (and has no pretensions towards being ‘the real thing’), but is great for a fast day.

Serves 6 at 667 cals for the whole recipe so about 111 a portion


200g Potato
1 pack of Sainsbury's Cooked Beetroot In Natural Juices,
2 Medium Onion -
1 Celery stalk, medium
1 large Carrot
Half a Red Cabbage chopped
Smoked Pancetta 110g, 1 pack
400g can Tinned chopped Tomatoes
Caraway Seed I teaspoon
Dried Dill half teaspoon
Fresh - Dill, small packet
Smoked Pancetta 110g, 1 pack
Chicken (or veggie) Stock Cube, 1 cube
Splash of red wine or cider vinegar

Chop up celery onion carrot into small dice , Fry off with pancetta in large pans until soft and then drain off excess fat. (or if making veggie version use spray oil for this stage) .

Thinly slice potatoes (I left the skins on) and add to the pot with caraway seeds and dried dill. Add made up stock add to cover and simmer until pots are tender.

Shred cabbage and chop beetroot and add to the pot with the tinned tomatoes .salt and pepper to taste and simmer until cabbage is tender.

Add chopped fresh dill and splash of vinegar to taste and liquidise.

I like mine with a little crumbled feta on top and a splash of hot sauce (of course as it’s me!) ..though you could have half fat crème fraiche or sour cream
Tis yum

The veggie version (no pancetta) will be only 542 for the whole recipe and 90cals a portion!!

oh and there should be only ONE pack of smoked pancetta in the recipe if you are making the non veg-version .. Thats a cut and paste error . Sorry

The link to butternut squash curry is broken on previous page so here is the recipe:

Butternut squash curry

Serves four.

2 tbsp sunflower oil
3 onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
1 small green chilli, halved, deseeded and thinly sliced
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp garam masala
1 butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into 2cm chunks
100g red lentils, rinsed
About 700ml vegetable stock
400g tinned plum tomatoes
1 big handful fresh coriander, tough stalks removed, leaves chopped

Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onions and sauté with a pinch of salt until softened and turning golden, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and green chilli, and cook, stirring, for about five minutes. Add the ground coriander, cumin and garam masala, stir for a minute, then toss in the cubes of squash and lentils, and stir until well coated. Pour in the stock and tomatoes, crushing the tomatoes against the sides of the pan with a fork to break them up a bit.

Simmer, part-covered, until the squash and lentils are very tender, about 30 minutes, stirring from time to time. Stir in about two-thirds of the coriander, taste and check the seasoning – add salt and pepper if desired.

300 cals per serving.

I'm going to do this tonight with some cauliflower rice (50 cals)

Two easy low cal stuffed Mushroom recipes here and here

When fasting you often need something quick filling and tasty, I find this recipe fits the bill and some or all of the preparation can be done the previous day.
I modify the recipe regularly and my other half who is not dieting eats the same but has larger portions or has a naan bread with it.

I have not written up the calories as it depends on the portion sizes of each ingredient but potatoes and cauliflower are easy to weigh and calculate.

The Basic recipe
Dry potato and Cauliflower curry.
Potatoes approx 75 calories per 100g
Cauliflower – larger ratio to potato approx 33 calories per 100g
Spices of your choice, I use a teaspoon of each of the below if im making enough for two.
Cumin
Coriander
Turmeric
Garam masala
Chili powder
Salt
1-2 tomatoes or you can use a tin of tomatoes if you want to make this recipe slightly less dry. aprrox 21 cals each

Roughly chop potatoes, leave them in reasonable sized chunks as some with break down later.
Boil potatoes ( I boil in the skins and peel after they have cooled)
Cook cauliflower in good sized florets ( you can use frozen cauliflower as it works just as well and is easier to prepare).
In a bowl mix your spices and salt together and mash the tomatoes into the bowl so the spices are all blended in .
Spay a fry pan with Fry light and add potatoes and cauliflower , stir together and add the tomato mixture. Turn the contents several times so everything is coated. Cover the pan and place on a low heat for a few minutes. (Longer if you prepared the veg yesterday and they are cold to start with).
Serve as it or if you like add a squeeze of lemon juice first.

You can add more or less of any spices and it will change the flavour every day.

I often modify this and add peas , onions or a tin of chick peas that come in at 145 cals per half a can. By using tinned tomatoes and a little water you can make this curry a little moister to ring the changes. You can add anything you like depending on your preferences and calories allowed.

I'm blogging all my 5:2 diet low calorie recipes - they generally are under 100 cals for soups and around 200-350 calories for main courses.

I'd love any feedback - check them out in my 5:2 diet recipes section and let me know what you think if you try any of them!

They look excellent Eclecticbabe, and I'd already spotted them online and bookmarked them before you posted on here!

Thanks for the link Eclecticbabe your blog is really good.

This chorizo and bean salad is delicious and only 75 calories a portion.
http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/pictures/27182/150-family-dinners-under-500-calories

www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/pictures/27182/150-family-dinners-under-500-calories

Nice looking recipe justonemorepie but I'm afraid it isn't 75 cals per portion, I work it out at a whopping 398cals/portion

I checked it as I cook beans often and it didn't look right. It would still make a good fast day dinner.

Well I had a serving of this

www.kalynskitchen.com/2009/07/recipe-for-tuscan-baked-eggs-with.html

tonight. MFP puts it at 315 cals, then I added spinach and had lettuce on the side to take it up to 391 - celery for lunch and a low cal Graze punnet, and I'm in at 500 exactly, and feel stuffed!

Frenchfancy

What did you use to calculate? The recipe analyser I used put it at 600cals for 1 serving, assuming 4 servings... I like yours better

I use caloriecount.about.com/ I've found it to be pretty acurate when I have compared things I can count.

Seems a big difference though. Did you put teaspoons or tablespoons of oil? (I made that mistake the first time around)

Having this next week:

Healthy Mexican Sweet potato skins

192 cals per half potato - I'll be having 2 halves ;)

Link to fasting recipes from Telegraph via yesterday's Guardian article:

Stella Body Plan Fasting Supper Recipes

spicy prawn noodle soup

Just 200 cals per portion.

Fast Day today and (for multiple reasons all related to the weather) I just didn't feel much like 'proper' cooking this evening.

I scoured the cupboard and freezer and came up with this 'make do' for 268 calories - 50g Sainsbury's wholemeal and white spaghetti (292 calories per 90g), 50g Lloyd Grossman Wild Mushroom pasta sauce (61 calories per 100g) and 100g Waitrose frozen Fruit De Mer (75 calories per 100g).

Here's a lasagne-type dish, layered with potatoes, and it's only 205 calories! Admittedly, it's vegan, and the cheese substitutes are very low calorie - but try it, it's a very tasty dish indeed!

nobreadisanisland.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/52-diet-lasagne-layered-with-potato.html

These look great thanks everyone for sharing. Can't wait to try them out.

In response to a certain amount of, what I can only call 'disrespect' towards one of my favourite foods, I've been galvanised to post this calorie counted cheese and tomato pizza recipe.

At 910 cals for the whole pizza, 304c for 1/3rd and 228c for a quarter, you can incorporate it into either a non-fasting day or indeed, into a fasting day!

And, using basic ingredients, the cost comes in under 60p at today's prices!

Should read galvanised into posting...

This is my recipe for Portobello mushroom and halloumi burgers with spicy salsa. First came across this at Nandos and loved it, a veggie burger with a 'meaty feel' to it so started making at home with a spicy salsa and it became a firm favourite with my missus and I. 

When I started doing the 5:2 thing, I typed in the ingredients into MFP and was stupidly excited to see its calorie count was only 372 calories for one burger and thus I could eat it on fast days!!!!
I'm sure you could replace the granary bap with something else to get the calorie count further down. 

Ingredients (per person)

One large granary bap (142 calories)
Half a roasted red pepper (22 calories)
One Portobello mushroom (16)
40g Halloumi cheese
A good handful of watercress, spinach and rocket salad (16)
Olive oil spray (fry light or similar)
Some basil
Some chillis (green/ scotch bonnets)

Take the mushroom and remove the stalk. Give each side a couple of sprays of olive oil and some salt and pepper. 

Place cap down in a baking tray and place in the oven at 190C. Set timer for ten mins

For the salsa : Take the red pepper out of the jar and drain the liquid back onto the jar. chop the pepper and add in basil (chopped) and some pepper. I chuck in some green chilis and a couple of shards of scotch bonnets for that real kick. 

After ten minutes timer goes off add the Halloumi to the tray (give the tray a quick squirt of olive oil spray where you place the halloumi. Put it back in the oven for five mins. After five mins turn the halloumiover and cook for a further five mins

Cut the bap, pile on the salad, add the portobello mushroom, then the grilled halloumi and top with the salsa. 

One burger will more than fill you up

Pancake day is fast approaching - but did you know you could make an excellent pancake with just flour and water?

These will cost you approx 1p each - as against 9-10p for those using traditional ingredients - and they taste just as good:

www.nobreadisanisland.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/pancakes-using-just-flour-and-water.html

Around 70 calories per pancake - I haven't counted the calories in a traditional pancake, but it's got to be more!

Also flagging up the Hairy Dieters book which gives calories per protion for all the recipes. Lots in there for under 300 calories.

Celery and spinach soup

Mmm just made a yum soup, very easy, too.

2 red onions
6 stalks celery
250g frozen spinach
100g petits pois
4 cups vegetable stock
Fresh basil

I sweated the onion/celery in a tiny bit of stock, when they were soft I added the rest of the stock and the spinach. After about 10 mins simmering, I added the peas and then blended, with a few leaves of basil.

MFP says: 293 cals for the whole lot so for 4 servings, it's 73kcal each!

Yesterday, as a change from my usual curry or chilli, I made pasta and veg sauce for my fast day - total calories, less than 300!

nobreadisanisland.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/52-diet-homemade-pasta-and-ragu-sauce.html

It doesn't have to be homemade pasta, of course. 40g of dried pasta comes to about the same as mine - 140 cals.

CHILLI EGGS (slightly adapted from Delia's Complete Cookery Course)

Serves 2
(though on a non-fasting day I would share this with 3 DCs, padding it out with couscous or rice)

4 large eggs
10 sprays Frylight olive oil (she has 3 tbsp olive oil !)
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp hot chilli powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chopped fresh basil (or pinch dried oregano)
Tabasco to taste
400g can chopped tomatoes
s + p

Fry onion, pepper + garlic in oil spray until softened;
Add chilli, cumin, basil (oregano) + Tabasco;
Mix thoroughly then add chopped tomatoes;
Turn up the heat and let it cook, uncovered, for about 10 min until tomatoes have reduced to a thick pulp, then season;
Carefully break eggs into pan on top of mixture;
Cover and simmer for about 10-15 mins until eggs cooked to your liking (we like them not quite hard-boiled).

Original recipe has 110g cheddar grated over the eggs, which makes it very delicious, but not very fast-friendly!

Total calories (using MFP) = 542-ish, so just over 270 calories per adult portion, and it's pretty filling - though you'd probably want a huge salad or roasted veg or something with it.

Here’s my Broccoli and Leek Bake recipe. I’ve written this so even people with limited cooking skills can do it so apologies if it reads a bit Janet and John! You can adjust the quanities as you please, just remember to adjust the calorie count if you do.

Serves 2, 250 kcal per portion

Ingredients:

1 leek, washed and chopped (I’ve assumed this weighs 90g for calorie counting purposes)
All the florets from a whole head of broccoli (I’ve assumed this weighs 200g for calorie counting purposes)
100g potato, very thinly sliced (I find charlotte potatoes good, but any will do, exact quantity will vary depending on the size of the dish you use and how thinly you manage to slice it)
Half pint of milk (I’ve assumed semi-skim for calorie counting purposes)
15g Cornflour
Vegetable stock cube (I’ve assumed oxo for calorie counting purposes, but any will do)
25g extra mature cheddar cheese, grated (any cheddar will do, I just find the extra mature or vintage cheddar gives you a more cheesy flavour so don’t have to spend to many calories on it)

Note: I usually keep the broccoli stalk as I think it tastes good chopped up and chucked in a chilli or a curry

Method:

1) Pre-heat oven to around gas mark 6 or 7
2) Boil or steam the broccoli for 5 minutes and arrange in a baking dish
3) Fry off the leeks (if you have a good quality frying pan you should be able to dry fry, or fry in just a dash of water, otherwise, use a few sprays of oil. If you don’t have an oil spray pump then add a tiny bit of oil to the pan and wipe it around the pan with kitchen towel before heating which should leave you less than a gram of oil in the pan. If using oil, please remember to add it to the calorie count) and arrange on top of the broccoli florets.
4) If you haven’t already sliced the potato, do that now before making up the cheese sauce.
5) Pour most of the milk into a saucepan leaving enough in the measuring just to dissolve the cornflour and stock cube. Add a sprinkle of the cheese to the measuring jug mixture.
6) Heat the milk in the pan stirring gently. Do not allow the milk to boil. As the milk reaches simmering point pour the hot milk quickly back into the measuring jug which has the cold milk mixture and stir vigorously.
7) Pour the mixture straight back into the saucepan and continue to heat it while stirring gently with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens. Don’t be tempted to walk away from the pan at this point, but continue gently stirring to avoid lumps.
8) Once the mixture has thickened, pour almost all of it over the broccoli and leek.
9) Arrange a thin layer of potato on top of this and pour the remaining cheese sauce over the potatoes.
10) Sprinkle the remaining cheese on the top and put in the oven.
11) Cook until all the vegetables are soft (testing with a knife if necessary) and the cheese is lightly brown and bubbly. I’m not quite sure how long that takes but I usually check it after 20 minutes or so. Sometimes it needs longer.

Note: You can skip steps 2 and 3 if you’d prefer and put the ingredients in the dish raw, but this will significantly add to the cooking time.

bookmarking

Roasted carrot , cardamom and orange spiced soup
this recipe taken from this recipe in the Guardian but made 5:2 friendly

Should make 4 portions at 507 the whole recipe and 127 a portion.

Ingredients
8 medium Carrots
Olive Oil Spray 2 /3sprays
1 Orange
1 Onion
1 leek
Garlic 3 clove
Harissa 1 dessert spoon (or less to taste) and/or half a teaspoon of smoked paprika (mild or hot to taste)
Sun Dried Tomato Paste, 1 dessert spoon (or less)
6 cardamom pods split Chicken Stock Cubes, or cube (made to 1 litre)

Method

Roast carrots and onion and garlic in oven until soft and slightly charred, ( or chop and fry in spray oil .( I think the soup is nicer if the carrots are roasted)
Split the cardamom pods, remove seeds then steep seeds and pods and make into a ‘tea’ in small cupful of boiling water for 5-10 mins
Chop and add leek to pot with a little stock and soften (if you’ve stir fried the carrots onions and garlic just add the leeks in after they are soft). If not add roasted veg to the pot after softening leeks.
Add the harissa , paprika if using, sundried tomato paste , the cardamom ‘tea’ (husks removed but seeds left in) and the chicken stock .
Zest the orange and add the zest to the pot.
Cook until all veg are soft,
Juice the orange and add this juice to the soup along with S&P to taste.
Liquidise the soup .. Add more water if it seems too thick

Obviously (left this out , you can use vegetable stock instead .. DUH! sorry)

Hi all, hope you've had a good weekend. I found this recipe and it is delicious and only 236kcal per portion which seems too good to be true, but will be having it again tonight!

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1681/salmon-with-mustardy-celeriac-mash

speckers that looks lovely - runs off to supermarket to buy some salmon.

Speckers the salmon recipe is fab but it is slightly too good to be true, cutting the olive oil down from 1tbsp to 1/2 tbsp, the olive oil that wasn't in the ingredients list and they cunningly didn't count - I got 295kcal on MFP. But it is a truly glorious dish - not too fishy, very satisfying both on the tastebuds and the stomach....will definitely make again...possibly even a non fast night - low carb too! Would be perfect for entertaining other fasters. Thank you very much for sharing!

Poached Salmon in lime & ginger with salad leaves & veg (serves 2, approx 250 cals per portion)

2 salmon fillets, skin removed (standard supermarket size 130g each)
1 small leek, sliced
1 tomato chopped into wedges
Juice of 1 lime
chunk of ginger, grated
jalapeno peppers
1 clove garlic
few fine slices fennel

Place the sliced leek and fennel at the bottom of a small oven-proof dish
Put salmon fillets on top
pour over the lime juice, & ginger, garlic, jalapenos & tomato.
Cover with foil or a lid and bake at a medium oven temp (160-170ish) for around 15mins depending on how well you like the salmon to be cooked - can always pop it back in the oven for a few mins if not done enough to your taste.

Meanwhile, steam half a head of broccoli and a handful (technical term) of green beans & mangetout, or whatever colourful, low calorie veg you fancy.

Arrange a generous load of salad leaves (my pref is babyleaf spinach, rocket & watercress) on a plate, top with the poached salmon and steamed veg and drizzle the limey salmon juices over everything.

nb the salmon mix can be poached on the hob in a heavy based lidded pan and if you like the salad mix can be wilted on the top at the end of the cooking.

Meant to say that fennel & peppers are all completely optional and often I'd stick some finely sliced celery in there too or instead of fennel.

5:2 is a Way of Eating, right? (Part no. 2)

Or it's a WOL (Way of living/life).

So we have fast days - feed days - and, one day a week, I reckon, feast days!

And on feast days you want something special. This cake is that something special! It needs no filling or icing (although you can of course include them) - it's just gorgeous as it is. At 134 calories per 42g slice, you could even slot it into your fast days, never mind your feast days!

nobreadisanisland.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/52-diet-vegan-carrot-cake-134-calsslice.html

I have been posting every meal I have during my fast days on a blog I started.
5and2er.blogspot.com

Today I'm having smoked salmon pate wrapped in lettuce for lunch and vegetable green curry for dinner, but I haven't posted these there yet...

One of my fave new discoveries is actually a Nigella one and it's delicious, esp if spinach added to it. One portion is about 225 cals so enough for a chapatti too! www.nigella.com/recipes/view/butternut-squash-and-red-lentil-curry-2777
I'm fasting again tomorrow and will be eating this which looks delicious, for my tea and is only 303 cals www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2121652/harissa-chicken-traybake

Here's another calorie-counted bread recipe - a wonderful pie using bread dough instead of pastry and filled with a hearty, tomatoey veg filling. <270 calories per (large) portion.

nobreadisanisland.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/52-diet-ratatouille-pie-vegan-made-with.html

Every time I encase something in a bread dough I'm always impressed - and delighted - by how the flavour is enhanced. Of course I realise this applies just as well to other types of enclosure, including aluminium foil, but the way that the ingredients meld together in a bread casing absolutely ticks all my boxes!

How about this fun "Cake in a mug"? Ideal to make with your youngster. Only takes a few minutes in the microwave:

nobreadisanisland.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/52-diet-cake-in-mug-vegan.html

Burger and fries 352 calories -Vegan

I wasn't going to have dinner last night but felt like something later on. I made a veg "chilli" with cauli rice and the whole thing was lovely.

Half a can of chopped tomatoes (next time will use a whole can, I had a half can lurking in the fridge needing used up) heated up in a small non-stick frying pan
Add a large grated carrot
Add about 10 sliced up black (green would do) olives
About a teaspoon on minced garlic
7 or 8 chopped up thin green fresh chillies (I like things hot and spicy)
30g of tomato puree
some water from the kettle to keep it moist

While this was bubbling away I whizzed up half a cauliflower in the food processor with a few sprigs of fresh coriander. I transferred the cauli/coriander into a bowl. I picked out two large lumps (crap processor), sliced them and threw them into the chilli. Micro'd the whizzed cauliflower, covered with a plate, for 3 mins.

When done I poured over the chilli and topped with 15g of grated cheese.

The calorie count was 276 for the whole meal. I'd probably use less tomato puree if I used a whole tin of tomatoes next time which would reduce the count.

It was a huge bowlful, very tasty and filling.

Prawn noodle stir fry is my favourite fast day standby:-

Half tablespoon sesame oil 60 calories
M&S peashoot & veg stir fry 280g 80 calories
M&S rice vermicelli noodles 50g 185 calories
Diced chilli garlic & ginger to taste around 20 calories
2 tablespoons Kikkoman gluten free soy sauce 20 calories
M&S large peeled king prawns 140g 98 calories

Total 463 calories (if my maths is right)

That's a massive portion sometimes I eat the whole lot sometimes not! Obviously fry above soak noodles & then add into pan give a good mix & eat.

Oh if you like your stir fry extra spicy (like me) avoid breathing on people the next day.

Aubergine Chickpea and Spinach curry

serves 4 huge portions at about 200 cals each

1 x 400g tin chickpeas
2 medium aubergines, cut into cubes
2 onions chopped
A couple of sprays of olive oil
2.5cm knob of fresh root ginger, grated
4 cloves of garlic,
1 hot chilli pepper, seeded and chopped (more or less depending on how hot you like it)
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp Turmeric
3 cardamom split
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
225g spinach, chopped roughly
Bunch of fresh coriander chopped
Vegetable stock cube made up to about 400ml

Stir fry the onion in a couple of sprays of oil to brown, adding a little stock if it seems to burn
Add the aubergine cubes and just enough stock to keep them moist,. Add the ginger, garlic chilli, coriander and cumin and stir fry a little taking care not to burn the spices. Add the tomatoes and their juice, the turmeric the cardamom the rinsed chickpeas and the rest of the stock or water Bring to a fast simmer the turn down heat and cook for 25 minutes, or until the aubergine feels soft but is still in cubes. Add the spinach and cook for a further minute or two till the spinach is wilted . Add the chopped coriander ,

Season with salt and pepper, and serve. This is even better made the day before you want to eat it . and good with a dollop of 0% fat yoghurt and some more fresh chopped coriander

Just finished fried Jackfruit - the below does 2
1 small unripe, immature
or mature jackfruit (500g)
3ml cumin seeds
5ml vegetable oil
3 chopped onions
2 chopped, hot chilies (?)
2ml turmeric powder
40ml desiccated coconut
20ml lemon juice

with courgette noodles and a few cashew nuts - 353 cals in total! Very very yummy!

Celery soup serves 6
1 whole head celery incl leaves
450g potatoes
1 onion
1tbsp butter
900ml veg stock
150ml milk
bay leaf
nutmeg
Chop onion and celery finely. Peel and dice potato.Fry onion gently in butter until a bit soft. Add potato and celery. Cook gently with lid on for 5 mins. Add stock and bay leaf. Simmer for 30 mins until soft. Whizz in blender. Return to clean pan, stir in milk and a grating of nutmeg and gently heat through. 110cal per serving, if you manage to get 6 servings out of it.

Here's a 125 calorie 'cheese sauce' - vegan, so it's healthy, and very tasty:

nobreadisanisland.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/52-diet-cheese-sauce-vegan-and-125.html

Sugar snap peas :- a whole 150g bag.. eaten raw in front of the computer..
..53 calories [grin[

even..

Here's a spicy tomato soup. Tin chopped toms,3 tablespoons butter beans,handful chopped peppers,garlic,smoked paprika, chilli flakes,pinch sugar,lemon. Just roast peppers & garlic. Meanwhile heat toms n beans in one pan. Add roasted peppers & Garlic,TSP paprika,chilli powder and flakes and sugar. Whizz with blender. Add squirt lemon juice. Add hot water until consistency you like. 270 cals'v filling and healthy and cheap! Best served next day.

One pot Moroccan chicken. Only 324 cals and looks lovely. You could have with a little brown rice to take you up to 400 or so cals. www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2468641/moroccan-chicken-onepot

Chilli chicken soup (though more like a stew!)

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts - poached and shredded
1 green and 1 yellow pepper - chopped
1 onion - chopped
1 clove garlic - crushed
1 chilli - finely chopped
1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 400g carton passata
500ml water or veg/chicken stock
1 tin kidney beans
1 tin borlotti beans (or any others you fancy)
1-2 tsps chilli powder (dependent on how spicy you like it)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cayenne papper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried parsley

Method

Fry off the onion, peppers, garlic and chilli until soft (10-15 mins - I use spray oil, but olive oil is fine). Add the tomatoes, passata, stock/water, beans and spices. Stir well and simmer for 25 mins.

Add the chicken and parsley, stir well and simmer for a further 5 minutes.

Done.

MFP tells me that a portion of 1/6 of the recipe is 160cals and 1/4 of it is 240.

Yellow Thai Veg Curry

1/2 aubergine
2 leeks
150g fine green beans
1 small can of bamboo shoots
1 400ml can of Kingfisher light coconut milk (could use another brand - just check cals)
Simply Thai yellow curry paste (1/3 of pack)

Chop all veg up and cook for a few minutes, until leeks start to wilt. Use spray oil.
Add curry paste and cook for another few minutes.
Add coconut milk and simmer until the veg is soft.

Serve on its own or with a poppadom (only 37 cals). Makes two big portions.

I usually add some fish sauce to taste too. Sometimes vary the veg.

Egg White Omelette

1 whole egg
1 egg white
1 tsp oil

Heat oil in a small frying pan. Whisk egg/egg white with salt/pepper. Pour into the frying pan. Flip when it's a bit bubbly but firm. Cooks really quickly. Could sprinkle on a teensy bit of parmesan.

Hi, i just started and did my first Fast day on Monday and then on Wednesday. Which i found quite easy! I made Soup which was a breeze to make as a bit ago i bought a Soupmaker. You can make Smooth Soup in 21mins and Chunky in 28, you can also make Smoothies. But i don't want to just do Soup all the time and any nice Breakfast tips Please! Really need to lose weight! Thanks

am still soldiering on though haven't been on the main thread for a while. On the advice of many on here I have changed to using mainly vegetarian recipes on fast days (I need bulk to feel full). This site has lots of good recipes I have been using: http://5-2veg.tumblr.com/

Otherwise if I am getting hunger pangs before bed I eat some plain low fat yogurt with some wheatbran mixed in. I have found that keeping my fibre levels up helps on fast days.

Potaje. Serves 4.
100.0g Macaroni, raw
ave. portion, 60g Onions,
1 med. Courgette,
1 Large Carrot,
2 stick, 30g Celery,
1 can Sainsbury's Italian Plum Tomatoes in Tomato Juice
200g Spinach, Frozen, Boiled In Unsalted Water
Dry fry onions and courgettes with half a teaspoon of smoked paprika.
Add tomatoes and all the other veg, fill can of tomatoes with water and add along with a good pinch of italian herbs. Add pasta. Serve when pasta is cooked.
I serve in a bowl with a tablespoon of grated cheese on top. It's really filling and 172 calories per bowl.

only a fee cals left and want a big bowl of food for under 50 calories?

spicy White Cabbage ...yes,, white cabbage

shred 200g white cabbage into a bowl, squeeze a little lemon juice over ,cover and nuke in microwave until tender with still a little crunch.
sprinkle on some soy or chilli sauce (or both if you are me ).. black pepper and eat .

it really is good.. but better if you can afford the cals for some tomato sauce or something with it . so you cab pretend you are eating spag bol or something ..

For anyone practicing 5:2 there are 2.5 times more eating days than fasting days!

Here's a wonderful dish that really sticks to the ribs - and one you would have approached with great care before beginning this WOL! Now, of course, there is no need to worry!

It's a very simple recipe, which, at it's most basic, should take less than 30 minutes to make. I regard lentils - red lentils in particular - as being a fast food. And, of course, it's a very economical dish.

nobreadisanisland.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/lentil-hash.html

Hello fellow fasters! Have a wee look at my 5:2 blog if you're looking for food inspiration - there are lots of fast day recipes on there, as well as ready meal/convenience food suggestions: http://fastdays.wordpress.com/ Hope you find something you like! :-)

Sorry - should have converted the link. Let's try that again! fastdays.wordpress.com/

I've tried this recipe for 60 cal chocolate pots and it's really good.

Enjoy ...
52-dieter.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/quick-low-cal-chocolate-pots-60-cals.html

Artichoke Ceasar

In a shallow bowl, mush 2 anchovies.
Add 2 good blobs of greek yoghurt or quark
Season with black pepper and a dash of lemon juice.
Arrange 4 quartered artichoke hearts (from a tin, drained) and some thick slices of cucumber over the dressing.
Sprinkle with fennel seeds, snipped cress, or chopped parsley.

Serves one, 80 calories

I've just made my first Thai curry! And it's left me wondering why it took me so long to get round to it!

I promise that a tin of coconut milk will be on my weekly shopping list from now on!

Here's the recipe - calorie counted, and great for a fasting day:

nobreadisanisland.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/52-diet-simple-thai-red-curry-vegan.html

I made the Thai curry again - and stupidly used a low calorie coconut milk. Not a good idea, and not something I'll do again! I've got the other half in the freezer, but I can rescue that by whizzing up some coconut cream and adding that! [Phew!]

Here's an eggless 'omelette' recipe, very tasty, vegan and gluten-free!

nobreadisanisland.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/a-soya-free-vegan-feast-socca-omelette.html

Made with gram (chick-pea flour) and served with curried potato wedges and broccoli, the meal works out at around 370 calories.

Marking my place. Fab thread

Made this last fast day and it was beautiful and hubby (non faster) loved it too:

Cod and chickpea Spanish stew

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/9647/

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/9647/

Sorry, hope it works this time!

Two new recipes from me:

Soy-ginger baked fish with greens (Serves 2, 250 cals per serve)

400g white fish fillets. I buy these in frozen 100g portions and do two parcels per person.
1 head broccoli, chopped into small florets
1 bunch asparagus, snapped
1 bunch bok choy
Generous handful of fresh coriander

Pre-heat oven to 180C. Lay each fillet on its own big piece of aluminium foil on baking tray. Divide vegetables and arrange on top of fish. Scatter coriander all cheffy-like over the lot.

In small bowl, combine:
2-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or crushed
1 tbs chopped ginger
1-2 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs mirin
A big glug of lime juice

Divide sauce by portion and drizzle over fish and vegetables.
Close up each piece of foil to create individual parcels - 2 or 4 depending on fillet size.
Bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve in foil.

NOTE: I 'costed' this out very strictly, so even the, say, 5 cals of garlic etc are counted. You can make it even lower cal by changing the broccoli for spinach or something leafier. If you want something heartier, 1/3 cup of cooked rice per person will take you to a 350 cal meal.

Spicy Harissa chicken and lentil soup (serves three, 250 cal per serve)

1 tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
300g lean chicken breast, no skin, thinly sliced
1 bunch spinach, washed and chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
500ml chicken stock
2 tbs Harissa spice mix (I buy a ready made mix so I can't break this down accurately, sorry)
2 tsp hot cayenne pepper (omit if you don't like spicy food)
1 - 2 tbs lemon juice
Handful of fresh coriander.

Saute onion and garlic in oil until softened. Add spices and stir for one minute or until fragrant. Add chicken and stir to coat in onion mixture. Add chicken consomme, spinach and carrot. Simmer for 10 -15 minutes. Add cayenne and lemon juice. Divide between bowls and add fresh coriander.

NOTE: If you want this to be a bit more indulgent, use chicken consomme instead of stock, but it'll cost you another 30 cals per bowl.

Argh! Noooo, I forgot to say about the lentils.

Add one can of brown lentils (rinsed, drained) to soup when you add the vegetables.