A MOST VERSATILE HOLIDAY RECIPE

 

Every year, as Christmas nears, I find myself racing around and sometimes almost forgetting to eat (but maybe wouldn’t if I had something quick and easy to grab in the refrigerator); wonder what to give a casual (but welcome) caller as a snack or light bite; and ponder over what I can put on the table as a starter on Christmas Day and sometimes beyond that doesn’t need much last-minute attention. This year I think I have found the perfect bariatric solution – it’s a smoked salmon pate or spread recipe that I have doctored and adapted (the original being an Annie Bell one) to make bariatric-friendly. It’s a light pate made with smoked salmon and quark (find in the cheese chiller cabinet) and in my version it’s flavoured with a little horseradish sauce for a bit of a kick. It has just 60 calories per normal (non-bariatric) portion but a hefty 9 g protein! It also is low in fat and carbs/sugars so suits just about everyone. It needn’t break the bank either if you opt to make with smoked salmon trimmings.

 

I have been serving it with a new range of crispbreads that I am pleased to tell you about. These are brilliant because they are chick pea crisp breads (so healthy!) that are perfect for snacking, dipping and sharing and come in 3 great flavours – seed and black pepper, mung bean and chive and, my favourite, Moroccan spice. They are crunchy rather than crispy and have a nutty-tasting flavour from the flour they are made from.  The seeded topping also looks so wholesome and nutritious (not surprising since the crisp breads are hand made). I shall use them not only for dipping and spreading but also on my cheeseboard because they will partner well with a great selection of cheeses, fruit and nuts this holiday time. See more details about them below the recipe:

 

A MOST VERSATILE SMOKED SALMON PATE

 

Ingredients

METRIC/US

150 g/5 oz smoked salmon (or smoked salmon trimmings)

150 g/5 oz quark

1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp horseradish sauce

few drops Tabasco sauce

2 tsp snipped fresh chives

 

Method

1.  Place the salmon, quark, lemon zest, lemon juice, horseradish sauce and Tabasco in a food processor or blender and process to a smooth creamy paste.

2.  Spoon into a jar or serving dish then cover and chill until required. The pate will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

3.  Serve sprinkled with snipped chives.

 

SERVES 6

WLS PORTION: 1/2

 

CALORIES PER PORTION: 60

PROTEIN: 9g

CARBOHYDRATE: 1.5g

FAT: 2g

Image courtesy of YOU MAGAZINE http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you

 

New Chickpea Crispbreads from Easy Bean are packed with protein and fibre. Typically a crispbread has about 100 calories and 3g protein – so great for the bariatric eater. They are great multi-taskers – I have tasted them with dips, soups, as a base for countless toppings and just plain. What I particularly like is that they are also filling and satisfying – they have some substance and not just a bit of a light-weight crunch. They’re also suitable for those who need a gluten-free, wheat-free or vegetarian crisp bread option.  Check them out on www.easybean.co.uk