KEY INGREDIENTS

When you are on a diet, every mealtime should be about maximising flavour, texture and portion size, so you feel full and satisfied and never feel like you’re missing out. These are some of my favourite ingredients that won’t pile up the calories but will still deliver on taste.

Cauliflower ‘rice’ You can buy this in packets, but it is preferable – and easy – to make your own by grating cauliflower on a box grater or in a food processor. If you use it instead of regular rice (or mix the two together), you’ll be full from the extra fibre and you can have a larger portion size as the cauliflower version has virtually no calories.

Chicken This is a popular dieter’s choice, as it’s low in fat but high in protein. In some of my recipes I use chicken crowns, which are cooked with the breasts still on the bone – this helps the meat to keep its size and stay succulent as it cooks. You can, of course, use regular chicken breasts or thighs instead, but a crown will give a better result.

Chickpeas and beans High in protein and fibre, these are handy to have in the cupboard for instantly bulking up soups, stews and curries. I like black beans, butter beans, kidney beans and mixed beans.

Chilli, garlic and ginger I use a lot of these aromatics, as they pack a massive flavour punch for almost zero calories.

Cornflour This is effective for thickening sauces, and takes away the need for lots of flour, butter or potato. It’s also a key ingredient in my oil-free dressings (see here, here and here). It’s important to mix cornflour to a smooth paste with a little water before adding it to the dish, as you don’t want clumps of unmixed cornflour in there.

Cream alternatives Reduced-fat substitutes for single and double cream, often labelled ‘light single (or double) cream alternative’, are useful if you’re on a diet. These are made from a blend of buttermilk and vegetable oils, to be lower in calories than real cream but provide a similar rich taste and consistency.

Dairy reduced/low-fat options Skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, reduced-fat cheese, 0% fat yoghurt, quark, ricotta and low-fat spreads are easy lower calorie swaps. In particular, 0% fat Greek yoghurt has a thick and creamy texture so it can easily replace higher calorie foods, such as cream, crème fraîche, soured cream and mayonnaise. It has no fat but is high in protein and is filling, with a tangy taste. Quark is a lesser known low-fat cheese curd and is great for making cheesy-tasting dishes – and cheesecakes, like the one here.

Eggs Always use organic and free-range eggs if you can. Eggs are great to have on hand for a quick low-cal meal.

Fish and seafood These are a great source of low-fat protein. Fresh is best, so get to know your fishmonger and find out when the fish is delivered. Salmon and other oily fish may be higher in calories than white fish, but they’re a great source of valuable omega-3s and really good for you. Keep a bag of frozen prawns in the freezer and a tin of good-quality tuna in the cupboard for meals that can be assembled in minutes.

Fruit If you need to snack, eat fruit. Opt for varieties that are lower in sugar and calories, like berries and apples. Lemons and limes are flavour powerhouses – buy them unwaxed and use both the zest and juice when cooking. The natural sweetness of fruit means you can make it the basis for your puddings too.

Herbs Fresh coriander, mint, basil, thyme (including lemon thyme), chives and flat-leaf parsley will introduce fantastic layers of flavour and extra texture to your cooking. Dried herbs are stronger in flavour than fresh ones, so you won’t need to use as much.

High-flavour, higher calorie ingredients Using just a small amount of ingredients such as smoked salmon, Parma ham, chorizo, cheese, truffle oil, sesame oil, coconut milk, chocolate, nuts and seeds can boost your mealtimes. You don’t need a lot of these rich ingredients to make a meal feel really special. Just watch your portion control!

Hot sauce and mustard These offer an instant way of adding extra flavour to a recipe. I like to add a spoonful of mustard to marinades and stews, and I’ll drizzle hot sauce over just about anything.

Meat Always buy the best meat you can afford, preferably free-range and grass-fed – check with your butcher. Opt for lower-fat cuts, such as tenderloin, lamb leg or lean mince (5–10% fat) and trim off any visible excess fat where you can. Before roasting or cooking meat, take it out of the fridge and allow it to come up to room temperature, loosely covered, on the work surface. The closer the meat is to its final eating temperature, the more evenly it will cook. And don’t forget to rest your meat once it is cooked, for extra tenderness.

Pastry, pre-rolled reduced-fat There is nothing wrong with using ready-made puff pastry! Even most chefs have this to hand because making your own takes ages. You can get reduced-fat options now, usually with around 30% less fat. Filo pastry is another excellent way of adding crunch when you’re in need of something a bit special.

Salt and pepper A properly seasoned dish can make all the difference between bland food and a tasty, satisfying meal. I generally use flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. For Asian-style dishes, I usually rely on soy sauce for seasoning. If you are looking to lower your salt intake, you can, of course, use less in the recipes and reduced-salt soy sauce where appropriate.

Spices An easy shortcut to maxing out flavour for virtually no calories is using spices. I use them in rubs and marinades for meat, as well as in curries and all manner of spicy dishes. The ones I use most often are ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, paprika (hot and smoked), dried chilli flakes, cardamom, Chinese five-spice and ground mixed spice. Toasting spices in a dry pan before you use them – or letting them cook for 30 seconds or so before you add the other ingredients – can really intensify their flavour. Spice pastes such as harissa, chipotle and curry paste are great to have on standby too, to add instant interest to meat or vegetables. Spices are also thought to help curb your appetite!

Spray oil At just one calorie a spray this will instantly cut down on all the calories you usually add with regular cooking oils and fats. Both olive oil and sunflower oil versions are available.

Stock If you’re making any of the chicken crown recipes in the Chicken & Turkey chapter, you’ll have lots of fresh chicken stock in your freezer. Always try to use fresh stock (including veg and fish stock) whenever you can, as it makes such a difference to the finished dish. You can buy fresh stock in most supermarkets. Otherwise, use a really good stock cube.

Sweeteners I have used a sweetener in place of regular sugar in some recipes to cut back on calories (most sweeteners are virtually calorie-free). I mostly use erythritol, although inulin is a good option if you’re looking to caramelise it. Stevia is becoming very popular now, but just be aware that it can be a lot sweeter than other sweeteners. I also use agave syrup (from the agave plant) in a few recipes, which is a bit like honey or maple syrup but it has a sweeter taste so you only need to use a little. In the long term, it will help your weight loss if you can adjust to preferring a less sweet taste, so try to reduce the amount of sweetener you add to dishes over time.

Sweets, biscuits and crisps NO! You can’t lose weight and carry on eating the way you were before. Forget about these unhealthy, high-calorie snacks that were doing you no good at all. If you’re eating proper, satisfying meals, you won’t even want them. Remember: don’t be beaten by a potato!

Tortillas Corn, wholewheat and wholegrain tortillas are higher in fibre than plain flour tortillas, keeping you fuller for longer. Keep a pack of tortillas in your freezer for quick and easy wraps, burritos and pizza bases. I also use them for making tacos (see here).

Turkey mince This low-fat mince makes a great alternative to beef or lamb mince. Just remember that it can dry out more quickly than regular mince as it cooks, so keep it moist with lots of extra veg.

Vegetables Most veg are low in calories and packed with nutrients and fibre, so using more of them is an easy way to reduce the overall calorie count of your meals. Substantial veg like aubergines and mushrooms are good alternatives to meat, and they’re lower in calories than potatoes. A tub of dried mushrooms is a particularly useful store-cupboard standby. Swap regular white potatoes for sweet potatoes or celeriac (this makes a great mash); both are lower in starch and higher in fibre, so they’ll fill you up. And make sure you eat your greens too – I love broccoli, kale, cabbage and courgettes. Shredded cabbage and spiralized courgettes are brilliant alternatives to pasta. Frozen peas are great to have on hand in the freezer, and tins of tomatoes are essential.