Canned Tuna

A quick note about tuna. Tuna makes a quick and easy snack, but you need to be careful when choosing canned tuna. I suppose it is the Dukan principles, avoid processed food, oils and buy basic ingredients and jazz it up yourself using Dukan-compliant ingredients.

Tuna canned in springwater is a better choice than tuna in brine as it minimises your salt consumption (which can lead to fluid retention). In general, I prefer the taste and appearance of Sirena branded tuna, and their springwater tuna is no exception.

Lately, for lunch, I have been draining a 185 g can, splitting it bewteen two screw top containers and adding natural no fat yoghurt (Tamar no fat is my favourite, but not available this week, so a small pack of Black swan was a substitute), lemon juice and pepper, and stirring it up. Works well. I have been taking one for lunch and storing the other for the next day. 

Sweetening without sugar

I love sweet things. I need more sweetner than most people, having 3 tablets in my coffee. My theory is that the reason why some people need more sweetness than others has to do with the amount of 'sweet' taste buds they have inherited. My guess is that I don't have many, so I need lots of sweetness to get the message to my brain that something is sweet. It is only a theory.

So when Dukaning, it is important to know the ins and outs of how to sweeten your food without using sugar.

First, I do try to avoid those foods that have sweeteners that say 'excess consumption may have a laxative effect'. They never actually say what excess is, do they? I may have some sugar free gum or lollies in the late afternoon, which generally have phenylanaline.

Here are some of my favourites: Extra Lemon and lime gum, Jila spearmint (Australian made) and Licorette (packaged in Australia).

When cooking, you have some other options. I know started with Splenda, which contain sucralose, which works well as tablets, but the granulated form has maltodetrin which really ups the Calories in this so called 'low calorie' sweetener. 

100g Splenda granulated has 373 Calories (1560 kJ)!

My absolute favourite is Natvia. Like sugar it is made from a plant, the Reb A fraction of Stevia. No laxative effect, great sweetness and it really is low calorie (Australian product). It comes in satchets, (Coles)  and even in tablets (IGA). Unfortunately, Natvia is expensive, but I figure, I am worth it.

100g Natvia granulated has 20 Calories (85 kJ).

When making liquid Drinks or desserts I sometimes add a few drops of Sweet As, which is a saccharin sweetener (Australian). You need to be very careful as a drop too much and sweet becomes bitter. This is not very expensive and lasts a long time.

100 ml Sweet As has 0 Calories (0 kJ)

Hot and spicy seafood soup (mock laksa)

Time to warm up with this ultra quick soup - sort of like a laksa with lots of chilli to get your metabolism racing!

Put seafood (cooked frozen prawns and sliced squid) into a saucepan.

Add spicy paste, look for a low fat one, I am using Nonya Laksa Paste whick is 8.5% fat.

Add 1/2 of a packet of drained and rinsed slim pasta

Add water to suit, about 2 cups for a hungry girl

Then a squirt of fish sauce

Bring to the boil for a few seconds, 

Decant to a bowl

Stir in a dollop of low fat yoghurt.

Yummy. I suppose you could add some coconut essence to have a more laksa taste, but I thought it was great at this stage and ate it all up!

Half eaten....A PP day cold day treat.

This is a variation of the Goji berry cookies the Elena shared last year.
http://dukaninadelaide.blogspot.com/2011/09/goji-berry-cookies.html

with the berries replaced with strawberry essence and red food colouring.

Warm oven to 180C
Prepare a 12 muffin tray ( I spray my 2x6 silicon muffin trays with oil and then wipe with a kitchen paper)

Mix in a bowl
6 heaped dessertspoons oatbran
2 heaped dessertspoons natvia
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
3 heaped dessertspoons forme yoghurt
(base recipe)
Add a cap if strawberry essence and a few drops of red food colouring.

Spoon a dessertspoon-full into a muffin tray, just covering the bottom. Adjust levels with remaining mixture until roughly even.

Cook about 20-30 mins and allow to cool on wire rack.

The 'cream filling' was made by sweetening some phildelphia extra light with natvia to taste. You can thin with a little yoghurt or quark.

Allow cookies to cool, slice with a knife, smear cream on and replace top.

A pretty pink oatbran treat!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Strawberry oatbran cookies

New Product review: Slim pasta

Have you missed noodles on Dukan? Now you don't have to - with a newly available product on Adelaide shelves called Slim Pasta. (Update: it has had a name change Slendier Slim).


These gelatinous noodles are made from the root of a plant called Konjac, grown in Asian countries. Being a plant, I suppose it would sit best for inclusion on a PV day. (Update: Dukan has approved these for all stages of the Dukan Diet). 

Slim pasta make two products, http://www.slimpasta.com.au/ an Angel hair and a spaghetti version (with added wheat flour). I have only ever found the Angel hair product - not sure the other is Dukan compliant. 

(Update: the lines have been extended to wok noodles, rice and lasagne).  

I have found the Angel hair product in two places, my health food shop and my local Fruit and Vegetable specialist shop, but if you are keen you can by online (30 packs for $99)! 

(Update: the product is available in most supermarkets now).  

The noodles are delicate and arrive suspended in fluid. You have to drain, wash and warm. I tipped mine into a seive, ran tap water over it and then transferred to a pyrex bowl and poured on boiling water from the kettle to cover. I left this for a minute and then drained again before including in my dishes. I have served them in various ways with some success. My favourite so far was a laksa-style dish with a spicy clear soup with prawns, greens and slim pasta as the noodles. I also served it alongside some rather hot currys and as a rice substitute. I plan to try modifying some of my other Thai recipes next.

Basically it has little taste - it is a carrier food, just like regular noodles. It feels like a firm jelly to eat. It was somewhat filling - but then so is meat. My family are happy to eat it too - but then they were surprised to see noodles again. Definitely worth a go. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Adelaide, South,Australia