Low-Calorie Recipes

Healthy food kids will love It always feels great to watch your child polish off a healthy, home-cooked meal, so we've chosen our favourites for the whole family to enjoy together. Feeding children can be one of the most satisfying but also one of the most stressful parts of parenting – and it's not uncommon to get embroiled in a fearsome stand-off at mealtimes. So, to avoid the meltdowns, we've cooked up some sneaky ideas for giving kids the foods they love, packed full of the nutrients they need, from breakfast to dessert , with help from our nutritionist Kerry Torrens. Healthy food kids will love [toc heading_levels="3,4,5"] Make the best of breakfast It goes without saying, but setting your child up for the day with a healthy breakfast will make you both feel good. Something filling and fibrous should get the digestive system going, keep kids full until lunch and help sustain their concentration and mood . Try serving porridge with a side portion of blueberri...

How to use grains From brown rice to buckwheat - good-for-you grains are now widely available, but how do you put them to good use? Chrissy Freer, author of Supergrains, provides a handy guide to grains and how to use them... How to use grains [toc heading_levels="3,4,5"] 1. Quinoa Flavour characteristics... Mild, nutty, slightly bitter. Goes well with... Extremely versatile. Great with Middle Eastern spices, Mediterranean flavours, fresh herbs, citrus and even Asian flavours. Use in... Salads, pilafs, stuffings for meat or vegetables, soups, stews, porridge and desserts. 2. Amaranth Flavour characteristics... Herbaceous, grassy, sticky. Goes well with... Nuts, honey, chocolate and cinnamon. Mexican flavours such as chilli, paprika and corn. Use in... Porridge, salads, soups and stews (when combined with other grains). 3. Buckwheat Flavour characteristics... Earthy, dark, slightly meaty. Goes well with... Foods that have natural sweetness and/or saltiness such as miso, roast...

How to make healthier bakes Victoria Taylor, senior dietician at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), shares her tips for creating heart-healthy bakes, so you can have your cake and eat it… Baking doesn’t have to be bad for you, and healthy baking doesn’t have to taste, or look, terrible. Next time you’re in the kitchen, put these tips to the test and see if you can create something delicious and nutritious… [toc heading_levels="3,4,5"] Top tips for making your cakes healthier Often when you use healthier alternatives in recipes, the flavour or texture may differ. Keep an open mind, your tastebuds soon get used to the change and it is worth it when you reap the benefits! Just by making a few simple tweaks, you can make better-for-you bakes. Here are four tips to get you on your way: Start by using unsaturated oils like rapeseed and sunflower instead of saturated fats like butter and coconut. Not only does this lower the amount of saturated fat in your bake, but it gives a...

Top 10 tips for healthy Moroccan cooking - Celebrity chef Jenny Morris hails from South Africa and has recently embarked on a culinary adventure around Morocco for her Food Network series, Jenny Morris cooks Morocco. Here Jenny shares her top tips for keeping your home-cooked Moroccan fare authentic and healthy ... Top 10 tips for healthy Moroccan cooking [toc heading_levels="3,4,5"] 1. Chickpeas Chickpeas are not only a traditional Moroccan ingredient used in multiple dishes but they're also a great source of protein. In my experience the best method to cook them is to pre-soak and when they are swollen and hydrated, gently boil them. Divide the chickpeas into portions and freeze (for future use) before adding to meals.   2. Cumin Introduce cumin into your diet . Its benefits are numerous and varied. Not only does it add amazing flavour but when I travelled around Morocco many of the locals told me about its many health benefits. It is excellent for digestion, acts li...

Junie Kovacs is the founder and owner of creative Thai cookery school, Time For Lime, on the island of Koh Lanta, Thailand. Born in California, Junie built her reputation in Norway and has been teaching and cooking Thai cuisine for 19 years in both Asia and Europe. Here she shares her top tips for keeping your Thai food authentic and healthy ... Top 10 tips for healthy Thai cooking [toc heading_levels="3,4,5"] 1. Use fresh ingredients I believe most homemade food that tastes really special is made from scratch using fresh ingredients - and great Thai food is no exception. Many Thais still today do not own a fridge so will buy fresh produce on a daily basis at one of Thailand's many famous food markets. In the West, not everyone has an Asian shop on their doorstep but simply making the journey to your nearest supplier twice a year will keep you in fresh Thai flavours. Be sure to ask what day their fresh ingredients arrive from Thailand (it's the same day every week)...

Top tips for healthy Indian cooking - Mehernosh Mody is behind the eclectic menu at West London 's La Porte des Indes, which features classic, vegetarian and light lunch menus as well as offering live cooking demonstrations. Here Mehernosh shares his top tips for keeping your Indian dishes authentic and healthy... Top tips for healthy Indian cooking Use oil sparingly... Olive oil has been found to have great health benefits but should be used only for stir-frying and pan-frying, and just a splash is needed. It is not recommended for deep-frying due to the large quantity required. Using non-stick cookware can help you to limit the use of oil when cooking curries.   Cut down on fat... If trying to cut down the fat content of your meal, change the menu and cook Indian dishes and breads that require no frying.   Substitutions for coconut milk... For adding richness to a dish, try using skimmed milk, cashew nut paste or poppy seed paste instead of the regular coconut milk or crea...

Liz Earle's top five foods to improve your complexion Liz Earle is known worldwide for her wealth of knowledge on all things health and beauty. Here she shares her five natural beauty secrets that will help your skin to glow with health... Whether you're battling dry skin in the winter or an oily sheen come summertime, it seems we're rarely at ease with our complexions. Pollution, sun exposure, stress and a diet full of sugary, processed foods are just a few of the external factors that can cause your skin to look less than its best. Beauty expert, Liz Earle has honed her expertise for over 25 years and knows that great skin starts from within. Save face with her top five dietary do's and don'ts for a glowing complexion all year long...   Five natural ways to get perfect skin... 1) Avoid sugar   Wean yourself off the white stuff! Sugar is a real enemy to our skin, as raised blood sugar levels increase the risk of skin inflammation, and research...