Are you trying to lose weight this year? If so, you’ve probably already started focusing on cutting down on sugar and fat. One way to do that is to eliminate, or at least reduce, the amount of oil you use when cooking.
The FlavorStone Diamond can be a great help for this. The clever way it’s designed means it has a super non-stick surface. You can cook more or less anything on it, with barely a drop of oil needed. Of course, healthy eating is about more than cutting down on fat and sugar. Here are 5 ingredients with superfood properties that you can use to help you lose weight.
Quinoa
Quinoa is a great ingredient for two reasons. Firstly, it’s really versatile. You can eat it for breakfast like porridge, or as a side grain for lunch and dinner, like rice. But secondly, it’s what’s called a complex carbohydrate. It’s high in both fibre and protein, which means it helps you feel full when you eat it. This is good news if you’re trying to lose weight, as it means you’re eating less frequently, cutting down your calories.
Cayenne Pepper
The trouble with dieting to lose weight is that you can end up making your food feel a bit joyless. One way around this is to get familiar with herbs and spices. Especially the ones with health benefits. Cayenne Pepper is like a mild chilli powder. The main active ingredient inside it – the one that makes you feel heat when you eat it – is called capsaicin. When you eat anything containing capsaicin, it helps to speed up your metabolism and reduce your appetite.
Ginger
Remember, healthy eating isn’t just about what you eat. You should also pay attention to what you drink, too. It’s easy to confuse hunger for thirst and reach for a snack when in fact what you really need is a nice drink. There’s something comforting about making yourself a warm drink. And if you’ve never tried fresh ginger tea, you should give it a go. Ginger is used a lot in eastern cooking, but it’s also used as an aid to digestion. It contains special properties, which stop your feeling bloated and gassy. Try it finely grated with lemon juice, hot water and a little honey.
Nut butter
Nuts are packed with protein and high in healthy fats. So even just a small amount of nut butter can feel like a satisfying snack. Some people spoon a small amount straight out of the jar. Others spread it on toast or crackers. Another tip is to use it in your cooking. It adds a powerful boost of flavour to curries and stir-fries. You’ll find all sorts of nut butters in the supermarkets these days – cashew, almond, peanut – and all are fine. Just aim for the ones with no added sugar. They’re naturally sweet enough.
Eggs
Eggs are super high in protein, meaning that they’re surprisingly filling, especially given how small they are. What’s great about eggs is that you can cook them in lots of different ways. For example, if you’re getting up in the morning to work out, try knocking yourself up a quick 3 egg omelette. Or how about a boiled egg and toast soldiers to kickstart your weekend routine? Both simple and easy options that taste delicious.
Give these 2 healthy recipes a try in your FlavorStone Diamond
Butternut Squash Stuffed with Quinoa
What you need
- 1 medium butternut squash
- Olive oil
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 150g of ready-made quinoa
- 100g feta cheese
- 1 tbsp pine nuts
- ½ a carrot grated using a box grater
- 3 or 4 spring onions
- Zest and juice of ½ a lemon
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 8-10 black olives
What you do
- Pre-heat your oven to 180℃.
- Cut your butternut squash in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds. Then flip over and score the outer skin
- Pop the two halves onto your FlavorStone Diamond and rub with olive oil, then season with salt, pepper and dried oregano
- Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, then pop the peppers onto the FlavorStone Diamond with the squash. Bake for another 10 minutes or until softened.
- While that’s cooking, combine the rest of the ingredients in a bowl.
- Using the cool-touch handle, take your FlavorStone Diamond out of the oven. Remove the peppers and stir into the bowl, then spoon the mixture evenly into the squash.
- Put the FlavorStone Diamond back into the oven for a final 10 minutes then serve with lemon wedges on the side.
Chicken in Paprika and Cayenne Pepper
What you need
- 600g skinless chicken thigh fillets, roughly chopped
- 3 nice ripe tomatoes
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 4 fat cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1 level tbsp cayenne pepper
- 1 heaped tbsp paprika
- Olive oil
- ½ pint chicken stock
What you do
- Prep your tomatoes first. Make an incision at the bottom of each one and squeeze out the seeds. Then finely chop what’s left
- Next heat a couple of lugs of olive oil in your FlavorStone Diamond then fry your chicken until nicely browned. Remove onto a piece of kitchen towel to drain
- Add the onion to your FlavorStone Diamond and fry in the chicken fat and olive oil until softened
- Add in the garlic, fry for a minute, then add in the tomatoes. Cook for another five minute until nice and saucy
- Add the chicken back into the FlavorStone Diamond, sprinkle in the spices, then top up with the chicken stock
- Put the lid on your FlavorStone Diamond, then simmer gently for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked properly – if it still looks a bit loose, remove the lid and let the sauce reduce and thicken
- Check the seasoning, then use the cool-touch handle to bring your FlavorStone Diamond to the table, so that the whole family can tuck in – it’s great served with crusty bread.
