Australian chef, restaurateur and former MasterChef judge Gary Mehigan is a self-proclaimed pleasure seeker when it comes to food. Gary also says as he gets older, he finds it increasingly harder to maintain a healthy lifestyle surrounded by all that glorious food. This was particularly problematic during his time on MasterChef, gaining weight every season over the last ten years. Not only did he feel sluggish, but worse than that – he knew he was unhealthy. Gary wanted to buck the trend and choose a healthier approach to living. And he did.
Now a WW (Weight Watchers) Ambassador, Gary’s weight is the lowest it has been both during and after filming MasterChef. He says he took on the WW challenge to become healthier and feels more energised than ever.
Gary has recently released a WW cookbook called Bringing Flavour Home, which contains a collection of delicious recipes developed by Gary that don’t compromise on flavour or enjoyment.
For those with additional dietary needs, the recipes are usefully divided into categories such as gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, vegan and nut free.
But why not give it a go yourself. Here are two delicious recipes Gary has shared with us to give you a taster of just how good, healthy eating is!
Bringing Flavour Home is available for purchase online (RRP $15.95)
Prawn & Mussel Curry
Serves: 4 Preparation: 15 minutes Cooking: 15 minutes
“Most prawns in Australia arrive at the market or fishmonger’s frozen. There’s nothing
wrong with this as they get frozen on the boat before they hit the shore. There are a couple
of short seasons during the year when prawns can be bought fresh but these are not always
easy to find. Unless you’re using them on the day, I would recommend asking for the frozen
green prawns and popping them straight into the freezer when you get home. You can then
defrost only what you need when you want them.”
Ingredients
1½ tsp ground turmeric
500g large green prawns, peeled and deveined, tails in tact
1 tbs coconut oil
1 brown onion, cut into eighths
1 long fresh green chilli, halved
6 curry leaves
400ml light coconut milk
500g pot-ready mussels, drained
¼ cup (60ml) lime juice
1 cup fresh coriander leaves
Curry paste (makes 10 tbs)
1 tsp coconut oil
4 garlic cloves, sliced
20g fresh ginger, sliced
1½ tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp black peppercorns
5 cardamom pods, deseeded,
pods discarded
1½ tsp coriander seeds
Method
1. Combine ½ teaspoon turmeric and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Add prawns
and stir to coat. Cover and place in fridge for at least 1 hour.
2. For the curry paste, heat 1 teaspoon coconut oil in a heavy-based saucepan over
medium heat. Cook garlic and ginger, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until light golden.
Add remaining curry paste ingredients and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until
aromatic and flavours have combined. Cool slightly and transfer to a blender with ½
cup (125ml) water. Blend until smooth, adding more water if necessary to spin
blades and create a fine, rich curry paste. Remove paste from blender and set aside.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over low heat. Cook
onion and green chilli, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until softened. Add remaining 1
teaspoon turmeric, curry paste, curry leaves and coconut milk and cook, stirring, for
10 minutes to allow flavours to infuse. Add prawns with marinade and simmer for 2-
3 minutes, then add mussels. Cover and cook for 3 minutes or until mussels open
and are cooked through. Add lime juice, scatter with coriander leaves and serve.
This recipe is 7 SmartPoints value per serve
Green Team Smoothie
Serves: 1 Preparation: 5 minutes
“I’m a coffee addict, so my mornings seem incomplete without a hit of caffeine to fire me
up for the day. But one of my positive changes has been to have a green smoothie in the
morning instead. For me, it has the same uplifting effect but, frankly, it’s more delicious. The
secret is 50 per cent fruit and 50 per cent leafy greens so you get the right balance of
sweetness and cleansing goodness. This one will get you started then it’s up to you to play
around with different ingredients.”
Ingredients
1 apple, cored, chopped
50g baby spinach leaves
1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
1 tsp honey
120g silken tofu
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs 99% fat-free plain yoghurt
Method
1. Crush 1 cup ice in a blender. Add ? cup (80ml) water and remaining ingredients and
whiz until smooth.
This recipe is 6 SmartPoints value per serve