Hey folks!
one of the most common issues people have when trying to lose weight or eat healthier is eating enough calories and protein. When we eat unhealthy it’s sooo easy to eat (or drink) a humongous amount of calories. The minute we try to eat healthily it’s really tough to get those calories up without feeling like we’re bursting at the seams. But if we don’t eat enough calories that’s when we are reaching for the chocolate and crisps at 8pm.
One suggestion I make to my clients is to make an easy, high protein soup. (plus this is a great option for a tasty and quick lunch!)
Here are my 5 favourites that I like to make when I want to strip some body fat, enjoy!
Cheese and broccoli (V)
Ingredients
Serves 4:
- 5 cups chopped broccoli florets (about 16 ounces)
- 1 cup grated carrots, 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 100g Philedelphia reduced fat cream cheese (do not use fat free)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 2 1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 can 2% evaporated milk (carnation)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 200g of Kerry’s low low grated cheddar cheese
Method
Place the broccoli, carrots, onion, and garlic in the bottom of 5-to-6-quart slow cooker. Top with the cream cheese, oregano, nutmeg, and chicken broth. Stir to evenly distribute the ingredients. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4-6 hours, until the broccoli is tender.
Remove the lid and stir in the evaporated milk. With an immersion blender, puree about 3/4 of the soup, so that it is mostly smooth but still has a few chunks of broccoli remaining. Alternatively, you can puree the soup in a food processor or blender.
Recover the soup and let cook on low for 10 minutes until warmed through. Stir the salt, pepper, and grated cheese. Taste and add additional salt and pepper as desired. Recover and cook on high until the cheese is fully melted and the soup is hot, about 5 additional minutes. Serve warm.
(20g protein, 14.5g of fat, 9.75g of carbs per serving)
Tom Kha Gai
Ingredients serves 6
- 1500ml chicken stock
- 3” piece ginger, sliced thin
- 2 stalks fresh lemongrass, bruised and sliced
- kefir lime or lemon leaves, sliced
- 2 tbsp cilantro stems
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes, or to taste
- 600g cubed turkey or chicken or prawns
- little mushrooms
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp. fish sauce
- 1 (13-oz) can coconut milk
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- spring onion
- Chilli oil, cilantro leaves, and lime wedges to garnish
Method
Place chicken stock on medium-high heat. Pound lemongrass to release flavour and roughly slice along with ginger root, Kaffir lime leaves, and fresh coriander (stems only)and add to the broth along with dried chilli flakes. Cook on low heat once simmering. Prep veg of choice: mushroom, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts etc. finely chop chicken/turkey. Option: Take a strainer and remove ginger, lemongrass, lime leaves etc. Add in meat, veg and sugar (white, or palm sugar). Add in fish sauce then simmer for approx. 15 mins. Squeeze fresh lime juice and add in can of coconut milk, spring onion, chopped coriander then finally add lime juice. Garnish with chilli oil as an option
Lentil and Barley
Ingredients
(serves 4)
- 1x onion
- 4+ carrots
- 2 medium summer squash
- vegetable stock
- 1 carton of chopped tomatoes
- ½ cup red lentil
- 1/2 cup yellow lentils
- 1/2 cup pearl barley
- basil/black pepper
Method
Boil ingredients in a large pot and when they start to soften and turn to an orange/brown colour; cook for a few hours on low heat to enhance flavour.
Cullen Skink
Ingredients
per serving:
- 150g Undyed Smoked Haddock
- 250ml Semi-Skimmed Milk
- Water
- ½ Med Potato (approx. 100g)
- Chopped Parsley
- Chives
- Black pepper
- Low sodium Vegetable stock
- Method
Bring water and milk to the boil and add the stock cube. Add all above ingredients and leave to simmer for a few hours until preferable consistency- the longer it cooks the richer the taste!
Spicy Tofu and Chickpea (V)
Ingredients
serves 4:
- 200g cooked chickpeas
- 600g tofu (can replace with chicken or prawns too)
- Low sodium veggie stock
- low fat coconut milk 200ml
- coriander, thai 7 spice, chillis, garlic, black pepper, lime leaves
- veg of choice: bean sprouts, chestnuts, bamboo shoots, leeks, spring onions, onions, peppers, celery etc
Method
Fill large pot with water and bring to the boil simply add all above ingredients and leave to simmer for a few hours; stirring occasionally until flavoursome and consistency of preference.
**As a non vegetarian option it can be made with pork and prawns!
I hope you’ve found the recipes today helpful. I’d love to hear how you get on with them, please share your experiences below or on the Xena Facebook page
Is nutrition something you find really difficult to get your head around or maybe you feel like you’re eating healthy and still not losing weight? Book in for a free Turnaround Call to discover what might be holding you back!
