Barb's Healthy Hearty Minestrone - Filling & nutritious!

Yesterday I took a look in my fridge and had vegetables that needed to be eaten, since it was lunch time I decided to turn the veges into a lovely soup! This soup is delicious, full of nutrition and come winter I think will be a staple meal for me to have to curb cravings or have for lunch or dinner!

Barb's Hearty Healthy Minestrone! - Serves 4

2 tins 400g crushed tomatoes (passata)
1 tin 415g red kidney beans
2 carrots, chopped
1 stalk celery chopped
1 red onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
6 medium sized button mushrooms
2 tsp italian herbs
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 cups water

Grab a large pot and heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Fry onion, garlic, celery, carrots and italian herbs and cook till the onion is soft. Add the two tins of tomatoes, 2 cups water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook till the carrots are tender. Add the kidney beans, brown sugar and mushrooms and cook a further 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Salmon Mango Chilli Cream Cheese Tarts - extremely simple appetizer!

These tarts or tartlets are so easy to make your kids could make them! Everything I used is either reduced fat or low in fat, we do not have fat free anything in New Zealand which is a pain in the rear!

12 small pre-made short pastry cases
1 small pack sliced salmon
100g Mango Chilli Cream Cheese
Dill to garnish (optional)

Place pastry cases on a platter and fill each with 1 tsp of Mango Chilli Cream Cheese.

Slice the salmon into 1 inch strips and place on top of the cream cheese.

Note: Incredibly simple use low fat ingredients to keep the tarts low in fat, great for guests who are watching their weight!