4 veggie packed winter recipes to help blast belly fat

With the cool weather well and truly settled in, it’s natural to start craving comfort foods. But if you want to lose pregnancy weight, now isn’t the time to start eating less than healthy meals.

With that in mind, we are giving you a sneak peek at FOUR 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge recipes that will fill hungry bellies but also have added benefits…

4 veggie packed winter recipes to help blast belly fat

With ingredients like legumes, brown rice, parsley (and a ton of vegetables for added fibre) these healthy meals from the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge will also help you BLAST belly fat!

1. Butternut squash, rice and feta bake

Increasing the number of vegetarian meals you serve your family is great for your health and also your budget. We have hundreds of vegetarian options on the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.

Ingredients (Makes 4 servings)

• cooking oil spray
• 
1/2 cup brown rice, uncooked (80 grams)
• 4 cups pumpkin or butternut squash, grated (480 grams)
• 4 medium carrots, grated (280 grams)
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced (30 grams)
• 
4 tsp dried Italian herbs (4 grams)
• 4 free-range eggs, beaten (200 grams)
• 1/3 cup reduced-fat feta, crumbled (80 grams)
• 1 cup grated Parmesan (144 grams)
• 4 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (20 grams)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C / gas mark 4. Lightly grease an individual baking dish with cooking oil spray (or a larger dish if preparing more than one serve).
2. Cook rice according to packet directions. Cool. Combine with butternut squash, carrot, spring onion and dried herbs.
3. Add egg, feta and half the Parmesan and stir to combine.
4. Spread into prepared baking dish, sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and bake for 30-40 minutes, checking regularly from 20 minutes, until lightly brown and firm. Remove from oven and sprinkle with parsley to serve.

364 calories per serve

2. Stuffed aubergine with couscous

The combination of spiced couscous and veggies transform the simple aubergine into a delicious baked dinner. Use gluten free couscous if preferred.

Ingredients (Makes 4 servings)

• 1/3 cup couscous, uncooked (90 grams)
• 2 aubergines (800 grams)
• 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, diced (240 grams)
• 1 red onion, diced (100 grams)
• 1 green pepper, diced (100 grams)
• 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil (20 mls)
• 1 tsp ground cumin (1 gram)
• 2 tsp smoked paprika (2 grams)
• pepper
• 
1/4 cup reduced-fat feta (60 grams)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C / gas mark 4. Combine the couscous with an equal amount of water in a bowl. Cover with cling wrap and set aside to let the water absorb. Then fluff with a fork.
2. Cut the aubergine into quarters lengthways, so you have 2 quarters of aubergine per serve.
3. Place one quarter of aubergine (per serve) into an ovenproof dish and bake for 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, dice the other quarter of aubergine (per serve), and combine with the sun-dried tomatoes, green pepper and red onion.
5. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add the aubergine, sun-dried tomato and veggie mix. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until tender. Add the cooked couscous to the pan with the cumin and paprika. Stir to combine and season with pepper.
6. Remove the aubergine from the oven and scoop the couscous and veggie mix over the top of each baked aubergine quarter. Crumble feta over the top of everything and return aubergine to the oven for a further 5 minutes or until feta is golden. Serve one quarter of baked aubergine with couscous filling per person.

433 calories per serve

3. Italian mushroom buckwheat risotto

A healthy Italian inspired meal from the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge. This risotto recipe doesn’t require you to stand at the stove stirring constantly. It’s a great meal to prepare ahead of time so you can just reheat when ready to serve.

Ingredients (Makes 4 servings)

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (45 mls)
• 2 leeks, finely chopped (160 grams)
• 
2 cups raw buckwheat seeds (360 grams)
 or use arborio rice
• 4 cups mushrooms, sliced (300 grams)
• 7 cups liquid vegetable stock, salt reduced (1750 mls)
• 1/3 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped (20 grams)
• 1 tbsp grated Parmesan (12 grams)
• salt
• 
pepper

Method

1. Heat oil in a saucepan, add the leek and cook until soft. Add the mushrooms and cook until browned.
2. Add the buckwheat and stir for a minute.
3. Add stock to the pan and bring to the boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 25 minutes until buckwheat is tender.
4. Uncover and stir vigorously for a minute or two until the risotto becomes creamy. Remove from heat and stir through parsley and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to serve.

298 calories per serve

4. Chilli bean and bacon soup

A tasty, hearty soup that will suit the whole family. Make a large batch and freeze in single serves to defrost for a quick lunch another day. You’ll find a ton of soup recipes on the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.

Ingredients (Makes 4 servings)

• 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil (20 mls)
• 
4 bacon rashers, lean & trimmed (108 grams)
• 
240 grams tinned mixed beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 brown onion (100 grams)
• 2 medium carrots (140 grams)
• 2 sticks celery (80 grams)
• 
2 small red chillis (20 grams)
• 3 cloves garlic (9 grams)
• 4 tomatoes (400 grams)
• 
2 tsp dried Italian herbs (2 grams)
• 
6 cups liquid vegetable stock, salt reduced (1500 mls)
• 
salt
• 
pepper
• 
4 slices wholegrain or gluten-free bread of choice (160 grams)

Method

1. Finely chop the bacon, dice the onion, garlic, carrot, celery and tomato.
2. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat and add onion, bacon, celery and carrot. Cook for 5 minutes until bacon is golden and vegetables are tender.
3. Add tomato, sliced chilli, garlic, dried herbs, beans and stock. Bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes until veggies are tender.
4. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Just before ready to serve, toast the bread to have with the soup.

366 calories per serve

Want to lose weight in a healthy way?

If you are interested in kickstarting your weight loss and want to improve your energy – not to mention – improve your overall health and wellbeing – our 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge is an awesome program to check out. 

Our 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge includes:

• 28 days of at home exercise routines (no gym needed) – with video instruction
• Customisable and breastfeeding friendly meal plans (including a 7 day cleanse)
• Time-efficient exercises for busy mums – under 30 mins
• Challenge combines Pilates exercises with interval and circuit training (HIIT)
• Suitable for basic to advanced fitness levels
• Home to thousands of EASY-TO-MAKE recipes!

To learn more about our 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge click on the link.