Books & Literature

Cookbook Extract: The Fast 800 Easy, by Dr Clare Bailey & Justine Pattison

Try 3 free recipes from The Fast 800, which has remained the bestselling diet book in Australia since its publication in 2019.

Following their bestselling Fast 800 Recipe Book, Dr Clare Bailey and Justine Pattison return with a fabulous new cookbook, featuring super-simple recipes to enable you to eat well with minimum prep time on your fasting days.

All of the dishes in this book are based on the Mediterranean style of eating now proven to revolutionise your health, and many can be thrown together from freezer or store-cupboard staples. There are numerous vegetarian options, plus simple ways to expand meals for non-fast days or when you are eating with friends or family.

With everything from salads and wraps to winter stews and curries, The Fast 800 Easy will help you rustle up delicious, nutritious meals in minutes – food that tastes so good you won’t feel the low calorie count.

It seems Australians just can’t get enough of Dr Michael Mosley’s revolutionary approach to weight-loss, with The Fast 800 remaining the bestselling diet book in Australia since its publication in 2019. Thanks to Simon & Schuster Australia, you can find out why with three free recipes below that not only taste great, but will blow away any notion that a calorie-controlled diet has to be boring.

Sausage ‘Lasagne’

SERVES 6
PREP 15 mins
COOK 40 mins

PER SERVING 379 cals | PROTEIN 16g | CARBS 10g | FAT 30g | FIBRE 3g

This easy low-carb ‘lasagne’ was created during a brilliant Zoom session when we had to come up with a dish using specific ingredients. These included sausages, tinned tomatoes and spinach. We skipped the starchy lasagne sheets and used layers of zucchini instead.

  • 6 good-quality sausages (around 400g total weight)
  • 2 medium onions, peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 × 400g can chopped tomatoes
  • 250g young spinach leaves
  • 2 medium zucchinis, trimmed and sliced lengthways into strips 3–4mm thick
  • good pinch ground nutmeg
  • 200g full-fat crème fraîche
  • 40g Parmesan, finely grated

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/Gas 6.
  2. Place a shallow, flameproof casserole over a medium heat. Squeeze the sausages out of their skins and into the pan in small chunks. Add the onions and fry together, stirring, for 10 minutes, or until the onion is softened and the sausages are lightly browned. Add the garlic and oregano and cook for a few seconds. Tip the tomatoes into the pan and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until thick.
  3. Place the spinach in a colander in the sink and pour just-boiled water over the top until it softens. Otherwise, you can soften it in the microwave. Leave to stand until cool enough to handle, then squeeze the leaves to remove as much water as possible.
  4. Remove the casserole from the heat and season well. Place the zucchini slices over the sausage mixture, then top with the spinach leaves.
  5. Stir the nutmeg into the crème fraîche and spread over the spinach – you don’t need to be too neat. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and season with more ground black pepper. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until starting to brown.
  6. Remove from the oven and serve with a large green salad.

Cook’s Tip

Avoid cooking this dish for any longer than stated, as the zucchinis will release more liquid as they bake.

Portobello ‘Pizzas’

SERVES 2
PREP 10 mins
COOK 10 mins

PER SERVING 287 cals | PROTEIN 15.5g | CARBS 6g | FAT 22g | FIBRE 3g

This is adapted from a particularly popular recipe in our Fast 800 online program. With a wide Portobello mushroom as a base and a delicious tomato and mozzarella topping, it has all the flavour of a traditional pizza but only a fraction of the calories.

  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
  • 1 tsp dried oregano, plus some fresh oregano leaves (optional), to serve
  • 4 Portobello or large flat mushrooms (each around 90g)
  • 3–4 tbsp tomato purée
  • 6–8 cherry tomatoes, sliced
  • 100g ready-grated mozzarella

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/Gas 6 and lightly grease a baking tray.
  2. Mix the olive oil, garlic and oregano in a small bowl.
  3. Place the mushrooms on the tray, stalk side up, and spread each one thickly with the tomato purée. Top with the sliced tomatoes and drizzle with the olive oil mixture. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and season with a little salt and plenty of ground black pepper. Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and has started to brown.
  4. Serve sprinkled with fresh oregano leaves, if using, and lots of green vegetables or a large salad.

Cook’s Tip:

Add extra protein by topping each mushroom with anchovy fillets, chorizo or salami. But don’t forget to add the extra calories.

Baked Nectarines with Blackberries

SERVES 4
PREP 5 mins
COOK 40 mins

PER SERVING 102 cals | PROTEIN 3g | CARBS 15g | FAT 2.5g | FIBRE 4g

This is one of our favourite summer desserts. It’s incredibly easy to make and can be served warm or cold. It also makes a lovely, fruity breakfast, served with yoghurt and a sprinkling of sugar-free granola.

  • 4 ripe nectarines or peaches, halved and stoned
  • 150g fresh or frozen blackberries
  • 2 tbsp flaked almonds (around 15g)

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/Gas 6.
  2. Place the nectarine or peach halves in a small, shallow ovenproof dish or tin, cut side up. Sprinkle over 6 tablespoons of cold water. Scatter over the blackberries and the flaked almonds. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
  3. Remove the foil and bake for a further 5–10 minutes, or until the almonds are lightly toasted and the nectarines are very soft.
  4. Serve warm or cold with full-fat Greek yoghurt (20cals per tablespoon) or crème fraîche (57cals per tablespoon).

Cook’s Tip:

If you don’t have blackberries, use raspberries instead.

Extracted from The Fast 800 Easy, by Dr Clare Bailey and Justine Pattison. Published by Simon & Schuster Australia, RRP $35. Photography © Smith & Gilmour

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