This post is sponsored by SunRice
Ihave a theory that whatever big diet movement happened when you were a teenager, you will be forever scarred by it. For Mama Smaggle who was a teenager in the 70s, it’s fat. She’s terrified of fat and hasn’t bought anything but light milk for 30 years. For my friends that are in their 40s, they’re terrified of calories and have major dessert/cake/chocolate guilt. I’m a white carb-avoider because Jennifer Anniston made Atkins happen in the early noughties when I was an impressionable 17 year old. I’m never going to be able to eat a bowl of white rice without feeling like a giant tub of lard. I can’t help it. I can eat bacon without a second thought but a crusty white bread roll? FOR SHAME NAUGHTY SMAGGLE!
I’ve never given up on my good carbs though. Brown rice, lentils and quinoa are daily staples for me so I’ve teamed up with SunRice this month to introduce you to their new lentil rice. It’s like regular rice but with lentils in it. If you’ve never tried lentils before, let me tell you they’re a damn miracle food – they’re protein rich which means they keep you full for AGES after you’ve eaten them and they can turn almost any comfort food recipe into a healthy one.
I’ve been crazy busy this month so I’ve been cooking a pot of rice and lentils every few days and then leaving it in the fridge to add to salads or to make stir frys with during the week. I’ve been having a major Mexican moment with my food lately and I’ve adapted a few of my Mexican favourites to be low calorie, healthy and filling. These recipes work on the assumption that you have pre-cooked SunRice rice and lentils in the fridge but if you haven’t pre-made your rice just boil some up, it’s super easy and the instructions are on the packet. Here’s my 300 calorie Mexican recipes – enjoy!
- 2 eggs
- 1 egg white
- 1 teaspoon of taco salsa
- Cooking spray
- ½ cup cooked SunRice rice and lentils
- 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
- 1 handful of baby spinach leaves
- 1 small capsicum finely diced
- Heat cooking spray in a fry pan.
- Whisk eggs with a fork and pour into frying pan, spreading evenly to create an omelette. Cook for 2 minutes, flip and cook the other side for 2 minutes. Place on a plate.
- Gently stir fry capsicum in the pan. Add the rice and stir fry until thoroughly warmed through.
- Place all vegetables, herbs and rice mixture on one side of the omelette, fold over and serve.
- Total calories - 311
- 1 wrap (I used a gluten free wrap but you can you use mountain bread or tortillas)
- 65 grams of diced, cooked chicken breast (dinner leftovers or sliced deli chicken is also great)
- ¼ cup of SunRice rice and lentils
- 20 grams shredded cheese
- 30 grams of avocado
- 1 medium diced tomato
- 1 teaspoon of taco salsa
- 1 handful of kale
- Chuck all the ingredients in a wrap and shove it in your pie hole!
- Total Calories - 355
- ½ cup of SunRice rice and lentils
- 1 small tin of corn
- 50 gms of avocado, finely diced
- 1 medium tomato, finely diced
- 1 cup of finely diced purple cabbage
- 2 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves
- 1 small cucumber finely diced
- 4 finely chopped jalapenos
- Lime juice
- Chuck all the ingredients together in a bowl and you’re done! You can also add salsa if you like.
- Total calories - 298
I just love Mexican flavours – coriander, jalapenos, chilli – when life slows down a little (November? February 2015???) I’m totally going to make a giant Mexican feast complete with Coronas and lime.
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