Clean Eating Recipe #2: Spinach Konnyaku Noodles on a Bed of Garlic Sauteed Fresh Greens

If you haven't heard of Konnyaku noodles, you're either A) not Asian (although I admit I'm Chinese and I'd never heard of them until they made their way into the health industry haha) or B) not particularly bothered about counting calories (count yourself lucky! :P)

Konnyaku jelly is traditionally used in sweet jellies and in Asian hotpots (I used to think they were seafood - like little octopuses! Lols.) but have been garnishing more and more attention these days as a health food. Because of their similar texture to pasta, it is now promoted as a low-calorie alternative to the traditional carb-heavy ingredient.

Pasta without the calories?! Of course I'm intrigued....but it's taken me quite a while to find the stuff.

At 1.99 pounds (HKD 24) this sure is one pricey dish of homecooked noodles.

Living in the UK, I couldn't find it anywhere in the supermarkets. In the end, I traipsed through the refrigerator aisle at my local chinese supermarket and found it between the tofu and kimchi.

After all the water is drained....this pitiful portion is all that's left :'(

On the front of the packet it says the entire pack is 28 kcal. Being the calorie-stinge that I try to be, I wanted to split the packet in two portions and only consume 14kcal - but alas, once all the water was drained, there was...not much left. So the full pack went into the pan :)

My favorite herbs of all time - fresh basil and thyme

Quarter cup of chopped herbs and my favorite greens - only 1.50 pounds for two packs at Tesco!

One of my favorite tips to eating healthy is to cut down on the salt and MSG/flavorings by using as many herbs (fresh or dried) as you can. My favorites are the above two because of their versatility and nutty flavors which often enhance the chopped roasted almonds that I add to most of my dishes. I'm a bit of a nut ;)

As a sauce, one of my favorite ways to cut down on cream and unnecessary calories as well as enhance the flavour of the dish is to melt a little bit of salted butter into the pan when everything is cooked. A little butter is harmless, adds flavor and moisture to the dish and overall keeps me satisfied with its buttery aroma and taste. 

The finished product:

My mama taught me to love my greens. I think I took it to the next level ;) 

A closer look at that hot green goodness

The verdict on Konnyaku jelly noodles? The truth is, they surprised me. Usually health foods leave me unsatisfied and eating even more - but these were surprisingly filling and satisfying in both taste and texture. However, at 2 pounds/HKD 24 a pack, it's not exactly something I'll be running out to buy as a daily grocery ingredient. (Maybe it's cheaper in HK?)

But other than the price - it really is a great alternative to pasta and if you're interested in trying it out I'd definitely recommend it! As for me, I think it's back to portion control with the carbs until I can afford to eat this stuff on a daily basis ;)

Have you tried Konnyaku jelly noodles?

Nikki

Gluten Free Dinner at Noodlemi

I had a wonderful, delicious and healthy meal at Noodlemi at Sheung Wan! It's a MSG free and gluten free vietnamese restaurant <3

It is a decent, quiet and comfy place good for chitchatting. (It may not be the case in the afternoons)

I ordered a bowl of noodles served with veggie spring rolls, the spring rolls are DIVINE! Crunchy, fresh are the words to describe it, you can totally tell they used fresh ingredients and they only make it upon customers' orders. You simply never had enough of it :P

Then I also ordered a bowl of chicken salad with crunchy cabbage and carrot in it. I never expected the bowl to be that big and it is seriously full of chicken meat, the whole dish is so satisfying!! I personally like the sourness of vietnamese dishes so I added quite a lot of sour sauce and it tastes heaven! They also have many other options for salads, say vegetarian, beef and pork too!



It is definitely a place to go to for healthy and happy lunch :)

Let us know if you have tried it too:)

Ada

Clean Eating Recipe #1 - Blueberry Oatmeal Pancakes

I have always been a big fan of pancakes, so I have been testing different flourless pancakes recipes in the past few months. Below is the one recipe which I've found to be the healthiest and easiest so far.  There are so many varieties to this recipe, just add in whatever toppings or ingredients to the oatmeal mixture.

I paired this blueberry oatmeal pancakes with strawberry puree and low-fat maple syrup.  Tastes divineeee!

Slices of banana and blueberry jam are also an alternative for healthy and tasty toppings.

On a side note, pancakes taste even better when served with Assam tea.

Ingredients (Serve 1)

• 1/2 c of rolled oats
• 1/2 tsp. of baking powder
• 1/2 c of skimmed milk / almond milk
• 1 beaten egg
• A handful of blueberries
• Any kind of toppings you want (sliced bananas, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, butter, maple syrup...the choices are endless!)

Directions

1. Put the oatmeal into the food processor and blend it until it is flour consistency.

2. Mix the blended oatmeal with baking powder, milk, egg and blueberries.

3. Swipe the non-sticky skillet with olive oil and turn to low heat.  Once it is heated, drop 2-3 tablespoons of the batter onto the skillet (depends on the size of pancakes you want).  Once you see bubbles on the batter, flip it to the other side and cook the batter until it is golden brown.

Enjoy :)

Natalie