Month: July 2020

Ginger Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry

The Sunshine Inn BlogLeave a comment

Ginger Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

This recipe is well balanced. You have your protein. You have your veggies. You get to decide how spicy you want it and you choose your starch.

IMG_1626

Ingredients

  • 1 lb inside round beef
  • 2 tbsp of cornstarch
  • 4 tbsp of soya sauce
  • 1 tsp of hot pepper sauce
  • 1 tsp of sesame oil
  • 2 tsp vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 tbsp minced ginger root
  • 6 cups of broccoli pieces into bite size about 1 lb
  • 1 cup water

Directions

  1. In a bowl, mix 1 tbsp of cornstarch, 2 tbsp of soya sauce, hot pepper sauce and half the ginger. Stir in beef strips to coat and let stand for 10 minutes.
  2. Sauce: in a small bowl mix 1/2 cup of water, remaining cornstarch and soya sauce and set aside.
  3. In a wok, heat 1 tsp of oil over high heat and stir fry beef, in two batches until browned. Set aside.
  4. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add remaining oil, stir-fry onion, garlic, and remaining ginger for 1 minute. Stir in broccoli and water. Cover and steam for 3 minutes.
  5. Return beef to the pan. Stir in sauce, bring to boil, stirring to coat beef well.

Nutrition Per Serving

  • Calories 273
  • Sugar 3.2 g
  • Carbohydrates 12.7 g
  • Protein 12.3 g
  • Fiber 2.8 g
  • Fat 20.6 g

IMG_1625

This recipe is not overpowering in spice or very spicy. You can adjust as you need. This was the original recipe. I add about a teaspoon of crushed chilli peppers to step 1. Your starch is your choice. I served with 1/2 cup cooked rice but you could serve with a small tortilla or pasta or noodles. You can try it a different way every time. So have fun and make it your own.

Skillet Pork Curry with Apples

The Sunshine Inn Blog1 Comment

Skillet Pork Curry with Apples

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Pork is a very versatile and economic meat. Pork tenderloin is often readily available. If you don’t like pork, you can easily sub this with chicken or turkey breast.

IMG_1504

Ingredients

  • 1 to 1-1/2 pork tenderloin
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp of ground coriander
  • 1 tsp of ground cumin
  • 1 tsp of turmeric
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 large onion sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tbsp minced ginger root
  • 2 red skinned apples cored and cubed
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 tbsp of flour
  • 1 cup of low fat plain yogourt
  • 1 tbsp liquid honey
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
  • 1/4 cup of raisins
  • 1/4 cup of chopped peanuts

Directions

  1. Slice meat into small coin sized pieces by cutting twice length wide the tenderloin and then again into coins
  2. Heat a little of the oil in a non stick skillet and brown the pork on high heat
  3. Reduce heat to medium low, add remaining oil, coriander, cumin, turmeric, red pepper flakes stirring for about 1 minute. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring often.
  4. Add apples, stirring frequently, approximately 5 minutes. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and stir in pork. Cover and simmer for about 3 minutes.
  5. Sprinkle flour over yogourt, add honey and mix well. Stir into pork mixture

Nutrition Per Serving

  • Calories 320
  • Sugar 19.9 g
  • Carbohydrates 27 g
  • Protein 29.7 g
  • Fiber 3.8 g
  • Fat 11.4 g

This recipe is not overpowering in spice or very spicy. It’s is fine for most pallets. You can adjust as you need. The original recipe called for Chinese noodles, unfortunately those are extremely high in carbs. My suggestion would be over rice. A half cup of cooked rice is a good portion for a calorie reduced plan. Anything you chose, the key is portion size. Your choices are endless so have fun and make it your own.

Basic French Crepes

The Sunshine Inn BlogLeave a comment

Basic French Crepes

  • Servings: 10
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Here is a basic crepe batter that is easy, tasty, and can be ready in minutes. The ingredients are usually readily available in any house. These are low in calorie, it’s up to you what you put in them

IMG_1528

Ingredients

  • 1-1/4 cups of all purpose flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup of low fat milk
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • 1/4 tsp of salt
  • 2 tbsp of margarine

Directions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk milk, eggs, water, butter
  2. Combine flour and salt in a small bowl
  3. Gradually add the flour to the milk mixture while whisking until smooth
  4. In a nonstick 8 inch pan over medium heat pour 1/4 cup of batter and tilt the pan in a circular motion to coat the bottom evenly with batter
  5. Cook for approximately 1-1/2 minutes until bottom is light brown and flip and cook for another 30 seconds
  6. Place each crepe on a plate separated with wax paper

Nutrition Per Serving (one crepe)

  • Calories 103
  • Sugar 1.5 g
  • Carbohydrates 13.2 g
  • Protein 3.6 g
  • Fiber 0.8 g
  • Fat 3.6 g

Now for the fun part. As a dessert, as seen in picture you can add 1/2 cup of fruit with 1/3 cup of greek vanilla yogourt and this is approximately 180 cal. That is one of my favourite ways to do this. For someone where calories and fat don’t matter you could do it with whipped cream. You could do it as a breakfast crepe where you would heat it for 20 seconds in microwave and put Nutella and bananas in it. The possibilities are endless.

Let your imagination go, have fun and make it your own

Oatmeal Carrot Muffins

The Sunshine Inn BlogLeave a comment

Oatmeal Carrot Muffins

  • Servings: 12
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

I can not take credit for this recipe. This is a variation from John Ashlie, and Anne Lindsay made it her own and now I have adapted it slightly here.

3806971F-CD7E-4588-A8C6-59C372A96DF7

Ingredients

  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup grated carrots
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup margarine melted
  • 1 egg slightly beaten
  • 1 tsp grated orange rind
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/4 granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 baking soda
  • 3/4 cup raisins
  • 1 tsp of cinnamon

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, pour buttermilk over oats, stir to mix. Cover and left stand for 2 hours or refrigerate overnight.
  2. Mix together carrots, brown sugar, margarine egg and orange rind: stir into oat mixture.
  3. Sift together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, baking soda; stir in raisins. Stir until batter is moistened.
  4. Using an ice-cream scoop (I love this trick) scoop into a lined muffin tin. Should fill just about to the top.
  5. Place in preheated oven at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until cake tester comes out clean. Let stand for 2 minutes

Nutrition Per Serving

  • Calories 145
  • Sugar 13.8 g
  • Carbohydrates 30 g
  • Protein 3.3 g
  • Fiber 1.6 g
  • Fat 1.4 g

These muffins are moist, delicious, healthy and light. What more could we ask for. I like dark raisins but if you prefer the light those are good too. I added some time in the preparation due to the grating of the carrots. 1 large carrot should do it.
Play with the spices, and remember to have fun and make it your own.

Weight management

The Sunshine Inn Blog1 Comment

There are many reasons for weight management, health being the primary reason. Let’s face it, one of the reasons is vanity. No one likes looking in the mirror and seeing those extra pounds just hanging around. No one likes taking out their favourite outfit and it’s just too snug or doesn’t fit at all.

A friend of mine had a close call with her diabetes, which reinforced the fact that we must maintain a healthy weight with a healthy diet and exercise. It made me look in the mirror and admit that I have quite a few pounds to lose myself.

We all know some of the downfalls of being overweight. Diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, gallbladder disease, arthritis, joint problems, sleep disorders, menstrual issues and fertility issues. That is beside the emotional well-being of ourselves.

Losing weight is all about a lifestyle change. Eating better, leaner, smaller portions, healthy snacks, and of course being active.

A diet that takes away any of the essentials foods can not be healthy. I’m not a doctor, nor do I claim to be one, but telling me I can’t eat something makes me think I will want it. I like my carbs, take them away, I will lose the 10 or 20 lbs in a short time but the minute I reach that goal, I will sit there in front of a large plate of pasta, with a cream sauce, and have a chocolate molten cake for dessert. Within a few months to a year, I will put that weight back on.

I believe that anything in moderation is fine. I had been followed by a nutritionist a while back and her main thing was portion control and healthy choices. I succeeded at that time losing 75 lbs. Over the last decade I’ve put 40 of those lbs back on. Foods a little richer, portions got a little bigger. Time to get back on track.

For a while, most of the recipes that will be posted will be fat reduced, healthy and tasty. This is no way means, boring, dull, unflavourful, tasteless meals, and no treats. Quite the opposite, let us have fun and make this our own.