Dr. Ava's Sweet Curry Prawn Sauce with Egg Noodles

Is it possible to eat low calorie food and like it? Can tasty food be good for you or is "rabbit food" the only way to cut down on calories? I hope not! There is no doubting it, we have a major problem with weight in this country, latest statistics say that 2 out of 3 adults are overweight here on the island of Ireland and what's worse we don't even know it, on the 17th January 2012 SafeFood.eu had this press release:

"New research announced by safefood today revealed that despite 2 out of 3 adults on the island of Ireland being overweight (1), only 40% of adults now classify themselves as such (2). This indicates that thousands of men and women are still failing to recognise that they themselves are overweight, and are putting their health at increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. The research was conducted as part of safefood’s ongoing ‘Stop the Spread’ campaign to tackle overweight and obesity." 

So the first step is finding out if you are overweight, this is not a difficult task, all that is required is a measuring tape ("Stop the Spread" measuring tapes are free from your local GP or Chemist), if you waist is more than 32 inches for women or 37 inches for men, you are overweight. Simple as that!

The next step is trying to loose those extra kilos, which may seem like a difficult task but with the help of friends and family it's doable. There are plenty of diet books on the shelves but what's really needed is a change of lifestyle. This is not for the short term, this is for life, so take the time to really look at your diet and lifestyle and perhaps some changes could be made. Take the stairs instead of the lift, park that bit further away from the door, go for walks with your family, small changes that might make a huge difference. I personally believe that keeping active and eating sensible is the key to having a healthier outlook.

Dr. Ava Osmond is one of the leaders with RTE Operation Transformation, a television show that helps kick start a new lifestyle and fitness programme for five overweight people. Does low calorie food have to be tasteless, this recipe certainly isn't and it's 570kCals (approx) per portion, so perhaps this is the first step in the right direction.

Recipe complements of Dr. Ava Orsmond - The Last Diet

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 tbsp Olive Oil
150g/1 Onion, cut in half rings (I used shallots instead)
400g/4 Carrots, cut in very thin strips
1 Vegetable stock cube dissolved in 100ml of boiling water from the kettle
3tbsp Soy sauce
1tbsp Medium curry powder
1tbsp Low calorie sweetener
150g Low fat soft cheese
200g Low fat milk
600g Large cooked and peeled prawns
300g Pre-cooked ready to wok Thai-style ribbon noodles
Pinch of coriander or parsley, to garnish

Method
Heat oil in non-stick pan and add onions and carrot strips.





Add vegetable stock, cover and leave to simmer for 10 minutes. When onions and carrots are soft, add soy sauce, curry powder and low calorie sweetener.





Cook for 1 minute. Add soft cheese and milk and stir to create a sauce. Cover for 1 minute and then add  the king prawns.





Add pre-cooked noodles to the wok and stir. Cover for 1-2 minutes to warm the noodles up. If you have fresh coriander or parsley, add some for extra colour and taste.


Relate Reading:
SafeFood: Stop the Spread Campaign
RTE: Operation Transformation recipes