Skinny Sundays

This will be a regular post each Sunday, talking about low-calorie recipes and tips on eating healthy.

I don’t know about you, but to me, as soon as I’m at a party, my diet and self-control tend to go out the window, especially after a couple of wines!

I’ve found that the trick is to be prepared. If I’m going somewhere where I have no control over the food, I eat a healthy but filling meal beforehand, or I use my “diet day off ” day for that event.

If it’s a catch-up with friends though, the best trick is to offer to bring the food yourself! It’s a win-win situation, the hostess falls over in gratitude at one less job to do, and you get control over what you eat.

So what to bring? It has to be healthy, but no-one wants to go to a party or barbeque and eat boring food.

We went to a barbeque with friends this Sunday, and I had offered to bring a salad and some nibblies. The salad bit was easy, throw some lettuce, celery, cucumber, capsicum and tomato in a bowl, then segment an orange, peel it and cut it into bite size pieces and sprinkle over the top. Then use your knife to scrape to juice that is left on your board over the salad, season with some salt and pepper and you’re done.

I also did a potato salad, as it’s my husband’s favourite. Not so healthy, but you can use light sour cream and mayonnaise, and cut every skerrick of fat off the bacon (using short-rind cuts help).

I find the nibblies part can be tricky, so here’s some ideas on what you can bring that are healthy, tasty and look impressive on a plate!

Salsa and Baked Tortilla Chips

Finely diced tomato, Spanish onion, parsley and yellow capsicum mixed together, squeeze over some lime juice, season with salt and pepper. Serve with low-fat baked tortilla chips.

Rice Paper Rolls

1 cup cooked chicken breast, pork fillet or prawns (or leave it out altogether)

1/2 cup wombok, finely shredded

1/2 cup bean sprouts, trimmed

1 small red capsicum, thinly sliced

1/3 cup fresh mint leaves

1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves

1 lime, juiced

1 tablespoon fish sauce

12 x 22cm rice paper rounds (see note)

Sweet chilli sauce, to serve

Combine everything in a large bowl (leave a bit of coriander out to sprinkle over the top to serve).
Soak the rice paper in lukewarm water til soft, then put on a damp clean tea towel, fill with mixture and roll up, tucking the ends in to keep the filling in. Keep them damp til serving, or they’ll dry out and go gross.

Lettuce Cups

300g cooked crab meat or prawns

1 large fresh red chilli, deseeded, finely chopped (keep some for serving)

2 tbs finely shredded fresh mint leaves (keep some for serving)

2 tsp finely grated lime rind

2 tbs fresh lime juice

Iceberg lettuce or witlof leaves, use the nice crunchy part.

Combine ingredients and season with salt and pepper. Spoon into lettuce cups and sprinkle with leftover mint leaves and chilli.

Easy peasy!!!