Seriously Fit Food Technology

This diamante puma has seen me through some very early and chilly starts this winter.

Once again, if you have been paying due diligence,

you'll know that I really like going to Seriously Fit's Boot Camp

exercise sessions, at least three mornings a week.

To be honest, I more than love it.

And can't recommend it enough.

It has done wonders for my disposition and temperament,

and who would have thought I'd be playing 'stick-in-the-mud' or

shooting hoops at 6am?

Let alone now being able to run further than to my fridge and back.

This week; however, I am trying to up the ante.

I've spent some nights critically modifying recipes

to meet the Seriously Fit shopping list we were given a couple of

weeks ago as part of the Eight Week Challenge.
All the usual suspects were there:
tinned tuna (brine) oats, cottage cheese, low fat yoghurt, chicken fillets, lots of fruits and vegetables,
wholemeal this-and-thats,
lentils, brown rice, dark leafy greens you-know-the-rest.
I made a list for Mr Fascinata to take to the supermarket via an email
and accidentally emailed it to my e-pen-pal B,
it came back with, 'What, no wine and chocolates!'
Here's a look at Flora's technology.
Firstly an almost fat free lasagne.
No oil, no butter in the white sauce,
no cheese, 'cept some good Parmesan, grated (about 1/4 cup)

Halve your mince, chuck in heaps of finely processed carrots, zucchinis and mushrooms.
Lots of garlic and parsley.
Simmer for ages.
You can sort of brown your mince in a tablespoon or two or water, just keep stirring it and keep the heat high.
You don't need the oil. Really.
Throw a little tiny splash of red wine vinegar in it, this balances the flavor.
Go hard with the pepper. Chilli flakes work well, too.

Remeber, simmer for a good while.

Here's the cheese sauce. Cottage cheese + nutmeg+ pepper.
I got nervous and added a tablespoon of SR flour.
Probably didn't need too.
Gentle heat, melt and mix.

Just be careful you don't over-coagulate your
proteins like I did. Don't panic if the sauce does split, it didn't make
any difference in the end.
The cottage cheese likes a gentle heat.

Here it is before baking for about one hour.
Moderate oven.
Before baking I like to let it sit in the fridge for
half a day or so. This helps the pasta to really soften nicely.

Throw some nutmeg or paprika on the top, because you won't have
as much oily and cheesy to brown.
Portion control = strict
The palm of your hand - no seconds, sorry.
Accompaniment large leafy and green, plenty of it.
Now another dinner.
Creative ways with tuna + lentils.

Throw the tuna in brine in to a bowl.
Mix in parsley, lemon, some capers and finely processed wholemeal bread.
Chill. Make into patties.

Dry fry in a good non-stick pan. Just use a spray of oil.
Leave the patty to really caramelise before you turn.
Soak lentils in boiling water for two - three hours.

Simmer for about one hour.
Until it's like a gruel, or worse looking.
Add parsley and lemon. Pepper if you wish.
I add peas to mine, I really like the combination of the peas + lentils.
Plus it's another vegetable.

Throw it on a plate using a bit of glamour, stack it, artfully
place the bok-choy. Arrange the lemon.
Remember, essentially it is lentils and tinned tuna
you don't want to feel like you are missing out.
Don't panic about the amount of pepper in the
serving suggestion above, the mill broke as I was grinding the corns over the plate.
Now, what about breakfast?
If you are at Boot Camp, you must eat breakfast.
Here's a step-by-step Bircher muesli.

Pulverise some nuts, finely.
Not too much per serve, a tablespoon or so.
Place about 1-2 cups of oats into a bowl with
a good tablespoon of honey.

I chuck in lots of cinnamon, too.
It's a superfood apparently good for blood pressure.
If only it was that easy?
Then add about 3/4 cup of low-fat yoghurt.

Mix, add about 3/4 cup water.
Throw it in a container and refrigerate.
I make enough for about three days.
Get stuck into it after Boot Camp, with fruit.
Just try not to eat too much of it.

Try strawberries, they are as cheap as chips at the minute.
Poor farmers.
Or try grated apples.

Other ways and means:

Huge cook ups of a rainbow of vegetables
with an array of spices, cumin, coriander and marjoram.

Or dry roasting, just with a sprinkle of pepper and rosemary and
a spray of mono-unsaturated oil.