Women Only Weight Loss & Wellbeing Retreats
Christmas is a time for celebration, for spending time with friends and family , its also a time to enjoy a few splurges through the month. At The Body Retreat we know that t can be a worry how you entertain while still maintain your waistline. It can be hard to combine celebration and moderation. This well balanced three course winter menu is perfect when you want to serve a delicious meal for friends or family during the winter.
Starting the meal with a light but warming Parsnip and Lemon soup will help you to feel fuller sooner and while help to moderate your appetite fort the rest of the meal. Main course is Spiced Pork Casserole served with Couscous which is a rich and opulent and will impress your guests, who will never guess that it only took you 15 mins to prepare. Then we finish the meal with Plum and Almond Meringue
Plum & Almond MeringueMethod
Oven at 180
Halve and stone the luis and slice. Place in a pan with the honey and gently simmer for about 5/6 mins until the plums soften but before they turn pulpy. Transfer to four individual ramekin dishes. Sprinkle each dish with ground almonds.
Separate the eggs and whisk the whites until stiff, then beat in the caster sugar until glossy. Pile or pipe the meringue on top of the plum and almonds.
Bake in the oven for 10 mins until golden.
Christmas is a time for celebration, for spending time with friends and family , its also a time to enjoy a few splurges through the month. At The Body Retreat we know that t can be a worry how you entertain while still maintain your waistline. It can be hard to combine celebration and moderation. This well balanced three course winter menu is perfect when you want to serve a delicious meal for friends or family during the winter.
Starting the meal with a light but warming Parsnip and Lemon soup will help you to feel fuller sooner and while help to moderate your appetite fort the rest of the meal. Main course is Spiced Pork Casserole served with Couscous which is a rich and opulent and will impress your guests, who will never guess that it only took you 15 mins to prepare. Then we finish the meal with Plum and Almond Meringue
Spiced Pork with Cous CousMethod
Preheat Oven to 150
Trim the meat and cut into large chunks, then heat the oil in a large frying pan and brown the meat in batches. Transfer the meat to an ovenproof casserole dish.
In the frying pan saute the onion and garlic. Add the flour and spices and then cook out for a further minute. add the wine, vegetables, orange juice and peel, honey, rosemary. Simmer for a couple of minutes. then add the fruit and nuts, stir through and then pour over the meat in the casserole dish. Transfer to the oven and cook covered for 90 mins, checking at 1 hr if the meat is tender and the sauce is beginning to thicken. If sauce hasn’t thicken then remove lid for last 1–15 mins of cooking time.
Prepare the cous cous to the preparation guidelines, and before service stir through the pomegranate seeds and chopped parsley.
Christmas is a time for celebration, for spending time with friends and family , its also a time to enjoy a few splurges through the month. At The Body Retreat we know that t can be a worry how you entertain while still maintain your waistline. It can be hard to combine celebration and moderation. This well balanced three course winter menu is perfect when you want to serve a delicious meal for friends or family during the winter.
Starting the meal with a light but warming Parsnip and Lemon soup will help you to feel fuller sooner and while help to moderate your appetite fort the rest of the meal. Main course is Spiced Pork Casserole served with Couscous which is a rich and opulent and will impress your guests, who will never guess that it only took you 15 mins to prepare. Then we finish the meal with Plum and Almond Meringue
Parsnip and Lemon Soup
Method
In a large pot heat the oil, add the vegetables and ginger, give a sprinkle of salt. Gently sauté for 5 mins until the vegetables begin to soften but not brown.
Add the stock and the half the lemon and simmer for 20 mins.
Once cooked, remove the lemon half and blend the soup until silky and smooth.
Stir through the cream and season with salt and white pepper to taste.
When ready to serve, gentle reheat. Serve topped with a squeeze of lemon, a sprinkle of chopped chives and a garnish of parsnip crisps.
Perfect for Meat Free Mondays or in fact any day of the week these super tasty Carrot Burgers are a big hit on every retreat. I defy even the most hardy meat eater to not be satisfied with one of these.
Making these carrot burgers take only a few minutes if you have a food processor, but you can make them with a hand grater its just an extra work out.
To cook, heat a non-stick frying pan and brush the burgers with the remaining oil. Cook the burgers for 5 mins on each side, until golden and crisp and then transfer to a warm over for up to 10 mins while you get on with preparing the salad.
If you want to freeze these Carrot Burgers do so after you have moulded them into the burger shape, just place a little bit of baking paper between each burger and then pop into a freezer bag or box. They will keep for up to three months in freezer and are a perfect stand by meal as you can cook the Carrot Burger straight from frozen, just follow the same steps above nut keep int eh over for 15 minutes to ensure they are warmed the whole way through before serving.
If you have been reading the newspapers recently then you could be forgiven for thinking that there’s a whole new diet craze in town. It’s called Clean Eating.
Just this weekend the lovely Nigella Lawson told the papers that she was against clean eating as it could promote eating disorders. I’m not sure that Nigella gets what Clean Eating is really about. Clean Eating is not a diet, it’s a healthy lifestyle.
True there are a number of high profile trendy advocates of Clean Eating, some of whom add their own twist to Clean Eating, so you may have read that you should avoid wheat, dairy, red meat sugar etc etc. No reason to if you don’t have an allergy or intolerance.
Clean Eating is a deceptively simple concept.
The heart of Clean Eating is consuming food in its most natural state, or as close to it as possible. It is not a diet; its not a craze and its not a dangerous fad….it’s a lifestyle approach to food and its preparation leading to improved health – one meal at a time.
The idea is to avoid processed foods and only eat ‘real’ and so therefore Clean foods.
Unprocessed foods to include in your daily diet:
Minimally processed foods include in moderation in your diet:
Sticking to this golden rule of choosing real clean foods can involve a bit more cooking from scratch, but when you choose to eat clean then you can enjoy anything from steak to cake.
Going back to basics, by reducing the chemicals, preservatives or additives along with heavily processed foods tend to be higher in salt and calories, and may also be less nutritious places additional strain on your body, especially your liver, which means that your overall health can be compromised in the long term.
Clean Eating emphasises whole grains, lean cuts of meat, sustainable fish and seafood, healthy fats and lots of fruits and vegetables. No whole foods are completely banned, and the plan promotes an overall balanced diet of grains, fruits, vegetables, fats, and protein. Nothing faddy here.
Only eat ‘real’ foods: Put simply, this means buying recognisable ingredients to prepare at home and avoiding processed and packaged foods.
Cook your own meals. Instead of buying meals in a box or packet, cook the majority of your meals from scratch. That’s not as hard as it sounds. Clean, whole foods need little preparation beyond a bit of chopping and light cooking to make satisfying, delicious meals your family will love.
Keep meals simple: Delicious, healthy food doesn’t have to mean hours in the kitchen. Keep your ingredients to a minimum. Just be sure to include a source of whole grains, lean protein and healthy fat at each meal.
Eat regular meals: Don’t let more than four hours go by between meals or snacks. This will help regulate blood sugar, which will keep you energised and help curb your appetite.
Eat Proteins and Fats. When you do snack or eat a meal, make sure that meal is balanced. For the most satisfaction from your diet, and so you’ll be less tempted to eat junk food, combine protein with carbs or carbs and fat. This simple act will fuel your body and quash hunger pangs, meaning you are less likely to be tempted by quick and convenient processed foods.
Listen to your body: Eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re satisfied, not full up or over-stuffed.
So there you have it , Clean Eating in a nutshell. Eat what you like, just make a conscious choice to eat real whole foods where possible and then enjoy it in moderation.
