We know 12WBT members love our recipes, but there’s another important audience our meals have to win over – 12WBT members’ kids! It seems we’re getting it very, very right! We put a call out on 12WBT Facebook to find out which 12WBT recipes kids love the most. More than 300 members past and present got back to us. There were quite a few responses that said, “Everything!!!” (Shucks guys.)
There were however, also a few overwhelming favourites that popped up again and again. The winners are…
1. Penang Chicken
This recipe for 12WBT Penang Chicken won the recipe popularity contest by a mile! It truly is one of our most popular meals across all age groups. It may taste like it came from a restaurant, but it’s much healthier than your typical curry. Coconut milk-based curries can be laden with fat, but with some clever substitutions, this recipe submitted by 12WBTer Alison comes in at just 300 calories per serve!
2. Lasagne
This 12WBT Lasagne comes in at 269 calories per serve – about one-third of the calories of your average lasagne recipe.
It serves six, so it’s a great one to cut into portions and keep in the freezer for a rainy day. If you’re a vegetarian, you can also substitute lentils for the mince and add more parmesan.
Word of advice, though – this recipe is SO good, it can be tempting to overeat. We recommend making a delicious, green leafy salad to serve with it. When you’re serving it up, make sure three-quarters of your plate is filled with greens, NOT lasagne.
3. Meat Pie with Mushy Peas
Third on the list of kid’s favourites is an Aussie favourite – our 12WBT Meat Pie with Mushy Peas. This one is made with kangaroo mince and served with mushy peas. Kangaroo mince is super-lean and a great source of protein. If its gamey taste has deterred you in the past, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by this guilt-free option. It’s 288 calories per serve; a much healthier choice compared to one Four’N Twenty meat pie, which comes in at 401 calories.
Other faves flagged by 12WBTers were Smokey Chicken Pizzas (recipe below!), Not So Naughty Nachos, Beef Fajita with Capsicum & Red Onion and I-can’t-believe-it’s-not Butter Chicken.
Free Recipe: 12WBT Smokey Chicken Pizzas
- 2 serves
- 15 min prep time
- 15 min cooking
- 283 calories/serve
A good hot oven is the secret to a great pizza, this way you get a nice crisp base and toppings that have warmed all the way through.
Ingredients
1 Cups Passata (250g)
1 Cloves Garlic (3g), thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons Basil Leaves (6g), finely shredded
2 Pieces Wholemeal Pita Bread (80g)
100g Smoked Chicken, sliced
1/4 Red Onion (37g), thinly sliced
30g Red Capsicum, sliced
20g Reduced Fat Ricotta
12 Kalamata Olives, Pitted (36g)
50g Rocket
Method
1. Preheat oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
2. Put passata, garlic and basil into a non-stick frying pan and cook over a medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until reduced and thickened slightly. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
3. Arrange pita breads onto prepared tray and spread with passata mixture, leaving a small rim around the edge.
4. Top with sliced chicken, red onion, capsicum, ricotta and olives. Bake for 10 minutes or until pizza bases are crisp and cheese is lightly golden.
5. Season with freshly ground black pepper, scatter with a few rocket leaves and serve remaining rocket as a side salad.
Mish Tips
- Drizzle rocket leaves with a little lemon juice to dress, if you like.
- Be sure to check the serving size of the pita breads as there can be variations between products.
Would love to do the program down the track but at the moment have just had breast cancer surgery & recently finished my Radiotherapy. Unfortunately it has left me suffering from extreme fatigue so just going for a walk is as good as it gets but would love to have access to recipes so I can start to build myself up in readiness to partake in this program. Thank you.
Leila
I really like that you guys have taken the time to respond on the coconut milk debate. Not because I have a strong view either way, but because it shows you are interested and are paying attention to your customers. Also, had an interesting conversation over a BBQ breakfast yesterday about the woolies ad campaign. Upshot was that people shouldn’t take themselves too seriously, whether they are fitness ‘freaks’ or vegie growers!
The recipes are delicious but my only comment is about the attitude that coconut milk curries can be laden with fat. This thinking is out of date with current knowledge around coconut milk and the good fat and great nutritional benefits it has. I think there is nutritional benefit ( and taste benefit ) in using coconut milk. Overall, we need to get away from this attitude that all fat is bad, and we need to go low fat. Low fat eating ( and consequently eating higher carbs and sugar) has been significantly responsible for the issue so many people have with overweight and diabetes.
Hi Debbie – You are right – coconut oil and milks are not ‘bad guys’, but let me explain a bit more. At 12WBT we often choose to use alternatives simply because coconut oils, creams and milks are much higher in calories.
What’s distinctive about coconut oil is that it also gives rise to the good HDL cholesterol. Coconut fat is extremely rich in a saturated fat called lauric acid. Unlike the longer chain saturated fats, lauric acid has a positive effect on blood cholesterol profiles. Coconut oil also has small levels of medium chain saturated fats and the body is able to breakdown these fats as fuel more easily than long chain saturated fats. BUT does that make it OK to add spoonfuls to your smoothies or to deep fry your potato chips in? Put simply, is coconut oil some sort of fat burning superfood?
No.
What we need to keep in mind is that coconut oil, like any other fat, is extremely high in calories. Along with high energy levels, there are virtually no vitamins and minerals in coconut oil and the antioxidant compounds are inferior to the levels you would find in extra virgin olive oil.
In terms of research, there are no long-term population studies to examine its effect on cholesterol levels over time, nor is there solid evidence to explain how coconut oil affects heart health/disease. At this time, the lack of research and the current science fails to convince me it is a ‘superfood’.
Sure, coconut oil’s distinctive HDL boosting effect certainly makes it a better choice than butter or lard, but it’s still not the best choice amongst a range of oils that have been proven to reduce the risk of heart disease. If you love how it makes your Asian dishes taste or how it works in raw fudge, have a little for that delicious flavour. What you need to keep in mind is that it’s not a miraculous cure for your heart, nor is it going to get you lean. It is however delicious and should be consumed in sensible portions and be neither revered or feared.
My final recommendation? Eat your coconut as a whole food, enjoy the taste and gain benefit from the awesome fibre it contains… As for the oil, milks and creams, use small amounts for the flavour rather than the health benefits…
Kindest Regards,
Lisa
12WBT Support Crew
I have never been able to find coconut flavored condensed milk at either Coles or Woolies. How do I find it?
Hi Bek,
Coconut flavoured evaporated milk is made my Carnation and should be with the other condensed milks in the supermarket. You should find it with long life milk or close to the baking section (flour, cooking chocolate, etc.).
If you can’t find it, use low fat/light coconut milk instead and adjust the calories/quantities if needed.
The feedback I’ve had with Spaghetti & Meatballs was it is better than my regular. My family have given the thumbs up to Chicken sliders, the mini meatloaf, Not so Naughty Nachos, Mac n cheese with chicken & vege & Beef with Sesame teriyaki noodles. We are only half way through week 3. No doubt there will be plenty of other recipes that will make their way onto our weekly staple.
Hi!
Is there any way of purchasing the recipes without doing the program? This is not because I’m not keen on exercise but I’m in the middle of the ‘Insanity’ program by Shaun T and use Michelle’s recipes a fair bit (from ‘How to Lose th Last 5kg’ and ‘No Excuses’) but do find many of them not great for kids. Would LOVE some more options!
Hi Jenni,
Unfortunately the only way to access 12WBT recipes is by signing up as a Member.
The next Round of the 12WBT actually started today but there is still time to sign up if you’d like to check it out.
Cheers,
Madeleine
12WBT Content and Commnications
There are SO many of the 12WBT recipes that are fantastic and loved by children. My son’s favourite is the “I can’t believe it’s not butter chicken. But also the steak with creamy mushroom mustard sauce. He actually asked if he could lick his plate with that one!
Makes following the program so much easier, with so many of the meals being family friendly. You don’t have to just cook for yourself, the whole family, including kids can eat the 12WBT food!