Healthy and not so healthy

Ok so in following the 80/20 rule of life I have one healthy recipe and one slightly less healthy recipe.

I read a quote by Jillian Michaels where she said 80/20 is the best way to balance life. She stressed that eating clean as much as you can and cut out all preservatives and junk in the foods that you choose.

No this isn't rocket science, I am aware but it's refreshing to hear such good sense from a fitness guru.

For dinner tonight I made tomato sauce and meatballs. I served mine over zucchini "pasta" and regular pasta for the hubby.

Meatballs

400g ground beef (normal size packet of ground beef)
2 chorizo sausages (chopped up finely) with casing removed
1/2 sweet onion
1/2 cup ground almonds
2 tsp dried oregano (I used Greek oregano)
3 black garlic cloves chopped
2 free range eggs (you can probably get away with 1 if preferred)
1 tsp black pepper (or good sprinkling)
1  T tomato puree/paste

Mix all ingredients by hand and make into 12 golf ball sized meatballs.

Cook at 180c/350f for approximately 30 minutes. I cooked mine on greaseproof paper over a baking tray to soak up some of the excess fat.

Tomato Sauce

1 chorizo sausage, casing removed and finely chopped
1/2 sweet onion finely chopped
1 T tomato puree/paste
1 T oregano
2 400g cans of italian tomatoes
5 roasted fresh tomatoes
1 tsp garlic puree
10 button mushrooms chopped up
3 T sun dried tomato paste
1/2 tsp sea salt
Ground pepper
Handful of fresh basil
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tsp coconut oil

Roast the fresh tomatoes with 1 tsp rapeseed oil in the oven at 180C/350F for approximately 30 minutes or until lightly golden and well cooked. Set to one side.

In a saucepan melt coconut oil. Add chorizo and cook for several minutes and then add onion. Once the onion is soft add the mushrooms and cook for a further minute.

Next add all other ingredients including the roasted tomatoes and simmer for approximately 30 minutes.

Serve sauce with the meatballs over pasta or over julienned zucchini/courgette.

It was really tasty and filling. I have no appetite now for the ice cream sadly but it's there just in case. I did go for a run and a long walk today.

Vanilla chia seed protein ice cream

1.5 cups of plain greek yoghurt
1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder (or flavour of choice)
2 pinches xanthan gum (optional)
8 drops liquid vanilla stevia or 2 tsp of sweetner of choice. Maple agave would be nice here. Taste as you add sweetner to ensure it's to your taste.
4 drops butter flavouring (optional)
1/2 tsp natural almond extract* (or flavouring of choice)
1 heaped teaspoon chia seeds

Mix yoghurt and protein powder and then add flavourings tasting as you add each. Add xanthan gum and mix well. Then add sweetener to taste. Finally stir in chia seeds and then put mix in the freezer.

This mix needs only a couple of hours to set. Stir well halfway through. This makes 2 good sized servings. If you freeze for longer and it freezes solid, just remove from freezer about 30 minutes before serving and give it a good stir. I like to serve mine with chia jam. My latest batch is raspberry which is a lovely mix. You can also melt sole coconut oil and drizzle over. It will reharden and give it a lovely taste.

* One word of note, almond extract is very powerful, so use sparingly.

Enjoy!
Steph