Did you know that sweet potatoes are lower on the glycaemic index than regular potatoes?
I found out while perusing Denise Austin’s diet and fitness site, where I got the original recipe for this satisfying soup. I made some variations to make it suit my family’s taste.

Ingredients:
- One large sweet potato
- one large onion
- 1 10 oz package of frozen corn
- two celery stalks
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salsa
- sour cream
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 small ripe avocado or 1/2 of a large one

Peel and chop onion. Wash and cut celery stalks. Peel and cut the potato in 1/2 inch cubes.
Heat the oil in a medium soup pot or dutch oven. Add the chopped onion and celery and saute on medium heat until soft.
Add salt, pepper, oregano and cumin.
Add sweet potato cubes and stir in the oil.
Add corn and stock, and let the soup cook, covered, for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.

Add 1/4 cup salsa and let the soup cook for another couple of minutes.
(I omitted this step, adding the salsa to the individual bowls)

While the soup cooks, cut the chicken breasts into small strips or bite sized pieces and fry in a small amount of olive oil until it’s browned and cooked through.

Peel, stone and cut the avocado in small cubes.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls, add a dollop of sour cream, extra salsa (if you like), some chicken breast pieces and some avocado.

I like to serve it like this because salsa, avocado and sour cream are optional ingredients. The chicken breast tastes nicer if it is fried on it’s own and added to the individual bowls rather than added to the soup in the pot.

The original recipe didn’t call for chicken or sour cream.

Yes, sweet scrambled eggs taste good!
I got the original recipe in an email from “fat-loss guru” Craig Ballantyne.
His version didn’t include milk or vanilla, and used extra virgin coconut oil. It was an improvisation, using the food he had in the house. I must say, the improvisation (with my tweaks) went down very well in my house.

You will need:

- 5 eggs
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 2 very large or 4 small apples
- 3-4 Tablespoons raisins
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar (if you are using sour apples)
- Dash of cinnamon (to taste)
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla

Peel, core and chop apples.
Heat butter in a non-stick pan, add apples and fry in the butter for a few minutes.
Add raisins, sugar (if using) and cinnamon, stir, and let cook for 5 minutes or until apples are soft.
While apples are cooking, whisk eggs, milk and vanilla in a bowl.
Pour egg mixture over the apples, and scramble.

Serve hot, with toast, for a yummy breakfast or snack.
My children loved it and it was done in under 15 minutes!

If you love chocolate, and you want to be healthy, you will like this recipe. Try having only one!

Ingredients
- 1/3 cup melted butter or margarine, or oil
- 1/3 cup buttermilk or nonfat yogurt
- 2 eggs, or 1 egg and 2 egg whites if you want to cut down further on calories and fat
- 1 1/4 cup sugar (we cut it down to 1 cup)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup wholewheat pastry flour

Preheat oven to 350 f (175C).
Grease a 9×13 inch cake pan or two small pans (I make mine in two small round cake pans)

Melt butter or margarine, or pour measured oil into a large bowl. Add yogurt and sugar and mix well.
Add eggs and egg whites, beating well after each addition.
Stir in cocoa powder, vanilla and baking soda, and mix well.
Add flour, and beat the mixture until it’s homogenous and satiny.
Pour into prepared pan(s) and bake for 20 minutes. Watch closely after 15 minutes. Depending on your oven, they may get done faster. You want them to be moist, but done.

Enjoy!

Although the orginal recipe labels them light, I wouldn’t exactly classify these brownies as diet food. Just a much healthier version of a much-loved yet very unhealthy dessert!

Hello!
Do you cook every day, or are you the one responsible for feeding more than just yourself, and don’t get paid for it?
Are you planning balanced and varied meals that will satisfy those in your care, and getting little more than an occasional thank you for your efforts?
Are your cooking skills constantly subject to criticism from those who take your hard work for granted?

You have arrived at the right place on the web! You are an Unpaid Chef!

Welcome to my kitchen, where I will share with you recipes that have passed the test of my four very picky eaters (maybe not all of them at once!). This site is a work in progress. I will be adding recipes and photographs on a weekly basis, so check back. I welcome any good recipes and will be happy to try them out and post them, or even just go by your word and give you the credit!