Staying In Shape Doesn’t Mean You Have To Give Up The Spice In Your Life!

It’s a common myth. Everyone assumes that if you’re going to commit to staying in shape, you have to sacrifice all the flavour in your diet and eat nothing but white rice, protein powder and chicken breasts day in and day out.

That’s simply not true! We asked some of the top athletes to help explode that myth, and they were delighted to provide us with some of their favourite recipes. Here you’ll find menus for every meal of the day – even dessert and late-night snacks.

Wait until you sink your teeth into these flavourful creations – you’ll be amazed that something that tastes so good can be so good for you!

1. FRENCH CREPES

2 cups flour

2 large eggs

2 Tbs sugar

2 cups milk

2 Tbs Cooking oil

Combine the flour, sugar, eggs and milk and beat until smooth. The resulting batter should be the consistency of thick cream. Add oil to the batter and mix lightly. Spray an 8-inch crepe pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Ladle about ½ cup of the batter into the pan and rotate the pan to spread the mixture evenly. Cook the crepe until it looks firm and is lightly browned at the edges (about one minute). Turn the crepe over with a thin spatula and cook the other side about 30 seconds. Re-coat pan with non-stick cooking spray about every other crepe, or when crepes begin to stick.

Add your favourite sugar-free fruit filling to top off these thin, delicious breakfast favourites.

(* Standard Cup Measurement: 1 cup = 250ml)

2. FRUIT FLAVOURED OATMEAL

1 cup one-minute oatmeal

½ cup raisins

¼ cup walnuts, chopped

1 banana, sliced

¼ cup skimmed milk

1 tsp artificial sweetener

Cook the oatmeal and place in a bowl. Add fruit and walnuts; mix in milk and sweetener and enjoy! Add cinnamon if desired.

3. BLUEBERRY PROTEIN PANCAKES

1 cup oatmeal

8 egg whites

¾ cup blueberries (frozen or tinned if not in season)

6 tsp sweetener

Mix all ingredients in a blender until consistency is smooth. Cook in pan coated with non-fat cooking spray; turn once to cook both sides. Makes one serving. Each serving consists of: protein 50g, carbohydrates 60g, and calories 440.

This recipe really packs the protein and carbs to give you energy for your morning workout.

4. EGG WHITE OATMEAL PANCAKES

8 egg whites

1½ cup Quaker Oats

2 tsp sweetener

Pinch of salt

1 tsp cinnamon

Blend all ingredients in a large bowl until mixture resembles pancake mix. Use a quarter of a cup for each pancake, pouring the mixture onto a hot frying pan. Cook until golden brown on each side and serve. This recipe delivers 30 grams of protein and 78 grams of carbohydrates.

These pancakes are great for dieting or anytime at all. Eat them plain or add your favourite jam or syrup.

5. OATMEAL PANCAKES OR WAFFLES

2-3 cups oatmeal (quick or old fashioned) or oatmeal flour

5 egg whites, lightly beaten

2 large apples

2 bananas

2 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp sweetener

Grate the apples and mash the bananas. Mix the oats with egg whites and stir until well mixed and add sweetener and cinnamon. Preheat frying pan (for pancakes) or waffle iron (for waffles) to 375°F/190°C. Add the apples and bananas to the mix and stir well.

For Pancakes: Pour slightly less than ¼ cup batter for each pancake onto hot frying pan (lightly greased with non-stick cooking spray if necessary). Turn pancakes when top and edges look dry.

For Waffles: Cook in hot waffle iron (lightly greased with non-stick cooking spray) until steaming stops and the waffles look brown and dry.

Start your day right with this sweetener!

6. BEST-EVER PANCAKES

1½ cup porridge oats

8-10 egg whites

1 egg yolk

1 cup raisins

1banana (sliced)

1 cup strawberries (sliced)

½ cup almonds (slivered)

½ cup sodium free baby food (pear, apple sauce, banana or peach cobbler flavour).

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp sweetener

Mix oats in large bowl with egg whites and yolk. Pour into frying pan coated with non-fat cooking spray. Cook like a pancake, turning once to cook both sides. Transfer from pan to plate. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sweetener, and then spread other ingredients over the top.

7. MARINATED STEAK WITH HONEY-PINEAPPLE SAUCE

1 small onion, chopped

1 green pepper sliced

½ cup white wine

½ cup apple juice

½ cup teriyaki sauce

2 tap soy sauce

1 clove fresh garlic, minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder)

¼ tsp ginger

16 oz very lean steak, cut into strips

½ cup tinned crushed pineapple (unsweetened)

2 tsp cornflour

2 tsp honey

Non-stick cooking spray

In a medium mixing bowl combine onion, pepper, wine, apple juice, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, garlic and ginger. Add steak, marinate in refrigerator for three hours or overnight for incredibly flavoured meat. Remove steak from marinade. Grill for 3-4 minutes per side on a foil-covered grill pan coated with non-stick cooking spray. Meanwhile, pour remaining marinade into a saucepan. Add pineapple, cornflour and honey. Mix while heating over a low heat for three minutes. Pour sauce over steak and serve with rice.

Makes four servings. Each serving contains: protein 24g, carbohydrates 27g, fat 11g, fibre 1.5g, calories 303.

8. MEAL-IN-A-POTATO

2 large russet potatoes

1/3 cup skimmed-milk

¼ cup reduced-calorie margarine

½ cup grated low-fat mature cheddar cheese

1 Tbs chopped chives

Pinch salt (if desired)

Pinch black pepper

½ cup tinned black beans

½ cup low-fat cottage cheese

Preheat oven to 425°F/220°C/Gas Mark 7. Scrub potatoes, then prick skins thoroughly with a fork. Place them on the middle shelf in the oven and bake for about one hour (they are done when you can easily pierce them with a fork). Cool for 10 minutes. Slit the tops and scoop out the insides into a medium mixing bowl, leaving the skins intact. Add milk, margarine, cheese and chives to the bowl and mash with a fork. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Stuff each potato skin with filling, place on a non-stick baking sheet and return potatoes to the oven for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat black beans in microwave. When potatoes are done, top each with half the beans and cottage cheese.

This souped-up potato is perfect for lunch, dinner or a post workout treat.

9. FRESH FISH SALAD

1 cup fresh tuna fillet

1½ cups fresh salmon fillet

1 cup iceberg lettuce

½ cup red pepper

1 cup asparagus

Grill the tuna and salmon, adding some natural salt-free seasoning to taste. Chop the lettuce, red pepper and asparagus, and place in a bowl. When fish is ready, cut into small pieces and toss with salad. Add your favourite low-fat salad dressing or balsamic vinegar, and some walnuts for healthy fat.

If fish isn’t your game, try this recipe with chicken breast instead!

10. BLUEBERRY APPLE FILLET SALAD

3 oz of fillet of beef

4 cups of fresh spinach – discard the stems

2 oz blueberries (fresh if in season, if not use frozen or tinned)

1 large apple (sliced)

1 large tomato (sliced)

1 large onion (sliced)

1 oz oatmeal (uncooked)

2 Tbs balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Balsamic Dressing:

2 Tbs balsamic vinegar

1 tsp sweetener

1 cup water

Grill the fillet to your liking (rare, medium, etc). in a frying pan add a few drops of olive oil and then add the oatmeal and sliced onion. Stir until golden brown. In a medium bowl, toss the spinach with the balsamic dressing and add the blueberries, sliced apple and tomato. Sprinkle the roasted oatmeal over the top and slice the fillet of beef over the salad.

Makes one serving. Each serving consists of: protein 17g, carbohydrate 48g, fat 12g, calories 359.

11. YUGOSLAVIAN CHICKEN

8-10 oz of skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes

3 cups green pepper strips

2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup mushrooms

2 tsp extra virgin oil

1 tsp crushed garlic

½ tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat one teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add pieces of chicken breast; add salt and pepper. Sauté chicken lightly. As it browns, add one teaspoon olive oil, vegetables and spices into a second frying pan and cook for about five minutes. Pour vegetable mixture over chicken and serve.

Makes 4 servings. Each serving contains: protein 50-65g, carbohydrates 44-55g, calories 800.

12. HONEY-BOURBON PORK TENDERLOIN

3 X ¾ lb pork tenderloins

½ cup diced onions

1 Tbs minced fresh ginger

½ cup lemon juice

2 Tbs olive oil

½ cup bourbon

4 cloves garlic minced

¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce

½ cup honey

½ tsp salt-free seasoning

¼ tsp black pepper

Cooking spray

Trim the fat from the pork. Combine onion and next 7 ingredients in a large bowl. Add pork to bowl and cover with cling film. Marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Remove pork from bowl, reserving marinade. Sprinkle salt-free seasoning and pepper over pork. Spray grill with non-stick cooking spray. Place pork on grill under a medium-low heat. Cover with foil and grill for 30 minutes or until the meat is just slightly pink in the middle. Turn and baste the pork occasionally with the remaining marinade. (If you have a meat thermometer, use this to test the temperature of the meat: it should be a constant 160°F/71°C).

When cooked, cut tenderloins into ¼ inch thick slices. Serve and enjoy.

13. FRUITY CARROT CAKE

2 cups wholemeal flour

1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp cloves

1¼ cup finely grated carrots

1 cup unsweetened apple sauce

1 cup vanilla fat-free yogurt

½ cup diced dried fruit and raisin mixture

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup sugar-free apricot jam

3 egg whites

¼ cup crushed pineapple

2 tsp vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla essence

Preheat oven to 350°F/180°CGas Mark 4. Spray a cake tin 9”x3” with non-stick cooking spray. Mix flour, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and cloves in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients, mix until well-blended. Pour into cake tin. Bake for about 45-50 minutes or until skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool cake in tin for 10 minutes. Run knife around edges of tin to loosen and turn out.

14. STRAWBERRY BANANA LOAF

2 eggs

¼ cup oil

1 cup sugar

½ cup mashed strawberries

½ cup mashed bananas

1¾ cups flour

½ cup rolled oats

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp salt

In a bowl, beat eggs until frothy, stir in cooking oil, sugar, strawberries and bananas. In a separate bowl, combine flour, rolled oats, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Stir to distribute evenly, then add to first bowl, stirring lightly. Spoon into a greased loaf tin. Bake in oven at 350°F/180°C/Gas Mark 4 for about an hour or until skewer placed in centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for about ten minutes, and then remove from the tin to finish cooling on a rack.

15. BEEF STROGANOFF

16 oz lean sirloin cut into cubes

2 oz sweet and sour pickles

2 oz onions

2 oz chopped tomatoes

1 cup soya milk

1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

8 oz cooked rice

1 Tbs olive oil

¼ tsp crushed pepper

¼ tsp paprika

1tsp garlic salt

Pour the olive oil into a frying pan; heat on high. Add the beef and seasoning with half the garlic and salt; stir until medium rare. Add the onions and pickles (and cayenne pepper if you desire a spicier stroganoff). Stir-fry for one minute, then add the tomatoes. Continue to stir and add the rest of the seasoning except the soya milk. Turn down the heat and allow to simmer. Add the soya milk, continue to stir. Remove the pan from the heat before the soya milk begins to coagulate. Serve over the rice.

Makes 4 servings. Each serving contains: protein 24.7g, carbohydrates 20g, fibre 1.6g, fat 9g, calories 258.