RECIPE: Cheese “Steak” Subs & Sweet Potato Fries | #ThisGirlEats

Serves: 2
How much does it cost? This recipe cost me less than £1.25 per person.
What are the benefits? This recipe is low fat compared to an original cheese steak, helps you out with at least two of your five a day and, best of all, is great substitute for vegetarians!


First off, I’m super excited to share this totally delicious recipe with you! What’s even more awesome about it is that the trial run was actually carried out by my boyfriend, who is somewhat clueless in the kitchen but managed to cook this all by himself (following my very detailed instructions, of course). But more on that coming soon…

Cheese sauce is cheese sauce, I’m not gonna pretend it’s a health food. But #ThisGirlEats is all about giving food we know and love a healthier twist.

Removing red meat for aubergine rich in fibre, potassium and magnesium? That’s a big tick! Not to mention wholemeal rolls instead of sugary subs, low fat cheese sauce and a side of veggies – that’s right, sweet potato fries are vegetables!

This recipe is full of benefits and is honestly so tasty, I’d really recommend giving it a go.


INGREDIENTS
2 Sweet Potatoes, Sliced Into Chips
1 Onion, Sliced
1 Green Pepper, Sliced
3 Mushrooms, Chopped
8 Slices of Aubergine
2 tsp of Plain Flour
1/2 Mug of Milk or Milk Alternative
Handful of Low Fat Cheddar Cheese
Handful of Spicy Grated Cheese
1/2 tsp of American Mustard
4 Wholemeal Hot Dog Rolls
The pickle on top is optional!

SEASONING
When the sweet potato chips go into the oven, make sure they’re seasoned with plenty of salt and pepper, as well as a sprinkling of dried thyme and dried garlic. You’ll need the garlic, salt and pepper again to season the veggies, and the slices of aubergine will need a pinch of salt and pepper too.


So, this is how I did it…

1. Heat the oven to 200°C, lightly coat a baking tray with cooking spray or a dash of oil and spread the chips across it. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic and thyme and cook for 45 minutes, turning halfway through.

2. Add cooking spray (or oil), onions and garlic to a pan and fry on a medium heat for a couple of minutes. Add the peppers and seasoning, and cook for a further 5 minutes.

3. Lower the heat, add the mushrooms and cook for a final 5 minutes. If the vegetables start to stick, add a splash of water to the pan 💦

4. With a touch of cooking spray, grill the aubergine slices for around 5 minutes on each side.

5. To make the cheese sauce, add the flour to a saucepan, very slowly pour in the milk and whisk gently with a fork over a low heat. When the mixture has been simmering for a minute or so, remove from the heat and add the cheese and mustard, stirring until melted and combined.

6. Either serve the sauce immediately or, if you’re not quite ready, return the pan to the hob but on a really, really low heat. Keep stirring too! If the sauce is allowed to cool, it’ll go thick and gloopy.

7. Serve the aubergine, toppings and cheese sauce in the rolls and plate up with the fries 🍆

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RECIPE: Pepperoni Pizza With a Tortilla Base | #ThisGirlEats

Serves: 1
How much does it cost? This cost me less than 75p per person.
What are the benefits? This makes a great takeaway alternative, provides one of your five a day with the passata and mushroom, and is low carb compared to a normal pizza.


We all know pizza is pretty low on the scale of nutritional food. Even I, a dedicated pizza lover, can accept that.

But we also know that it’s probably the best food on God’s given earth and life without it just isn’t worth living – and no, I’m not being dramatic, this is genuinely how I feel about pizza.

So I’ve come up with an alternative so we don’t miss out by sticking to a balanced diet. By making a pizza at home you’re already cutting calories, but using a wholewheat tortilla as the base instead of going full-on deep crust is also lower in carbs and sugar content, plus the fresh toppings help contribute to your daily dose of vegetables.

I’ve done the maths and this recipe equals out to less than 500 calories for a WHOLE. GODDAMN. PIZZA. I know calories don’t count for much but it’s the most obvious piece of nutritional information on any takeaway menu (you have to go on a proper hunt to find full nutritional info) so it’s an easy comparison – my favourtie pizza takeaway, for example, offers one single slice of pepperoni at 226 calories. It’s not the be all and end all, but it gives an idea.

joey pizza
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INGREDIENTS
1 Wholemeal Tortilla Wrap
1/3 Carton of Passata
1/2 a Ball of Light Mozzarella (approx 65g)
Sprinkling of Low Fat Cheese
5 Slices of Pepperoni
2 Mushrooms, Chopped

SEASONING
There is a hefty dose of seasoning that goes with this recipe – but don’t worry, it’s nothing complicated! When preparing the passata, pour it into a bowl and stir in some dried garlic flakes, mixed herbs, a pinch of dried chilli flakes, salt and pepper. When you’re adding toppings to the pizza, sprinkle over a generous helping of dried basil.


So, this is how I did it…

1. The last thing you want is a soggy bottom (shout out to my fellow GBBO fans) so spread the tiniest amount of oil or cooking spray across a frying pan and heat it up.

2. The oil/spray shouldn’t take too long to heat. Once it does, lay the tortilla flat in the pan and immediately spread the passata sauce all over it, right to the edges, then top with torn mozzarella (make sure it’s drained otherwise you’ll get a puddle on your pizza!), pepperoni, mushroom and dried basil.

3. When the mozzarella begins to melt, sprinkle  a light layer of low fat grated cheese on top – I used cheddar, but it’s personal preference really.

4. The toppings will begin to cook and the grated cheese will begin to melt. Once everything looks like it’s almost cooked, pop it under the grill for a couple of minutes to crisp up the tortilla and ensure everything melts together nicely. And that’s it!

tortilla pizza