Virgin Mary oyster shots with chia, pistachio and kefir
Serves 6 as a mini meal, canapé or dinner party appetiser. This fun, fresh recipe is packed with ingredients that support a healthy metabolism. No single food will melt fat away, but meals built around protein, vegetables and big flavour help you feel satisfied on fewer kilojoules.
Ingredients
Virgin Mary mix
- 125 ml homemade tomato juice from cooked tomatoes, sweetened with a little stevia or rapadura sugar if desired
- A dash of balsamic vinegar in place of Worcestershire sauce
- Fresh chopped chilli to taste, in place of Tabasco
- 2 teaspoons lime juice, or to taste
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 cup crushed ice
- Celery sticks, cut into thin strips, to finish
Protein
- 6 fresh oysters, or 200 g salmon, tofu (for vegetarians), lean free-range chicken breast or grass-fed beef, cut into bite-sized pieces
To finish
- 6 teaspoons kefir
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds
- 12 pistachios, chopped
Method
- Mix all the Virgin Mary ingredients except the celery and shake well with the crushed ice.
- Pour into 6 shot glasses and add a celery stick to each.
- Top each with a spoonful of kefir mixed with chia seeds and pistachios.
- Finish with an oyster or your choice of protein.
Food safety: raw oysters can carry bacteria and viruses that cause food poisoning. If you are pregnant, elderly, have a weakened immune system or liver disease, use cooked oysters or cooked salmon, chicken or tofu instead. Keep oysters cold and serve them straight from the fridge.
Why these ingredients?
- Cooked tomatoes: cooking makes the antioxidant lycopene easier for your body to absorb.
- Chilli and black pepper: capsaicin in chilli and piperine in black pepper may give your metabolism a small, short-lived boost, and they add big flavour without kilojoules.
- Balsamic and lime: fresh, sharp flavour without the added caramel colour and sugar of some sauces. Vinegar with a meal may also help soften the rise in blood sugar afterwards.
- Celery: crunchy, hydrating and very low in kilojoules.
- Protein: your body uses more energy digesting protein than fat or carbohydrate, and protein helps you feel full. Oysters are also one of the richest sources of zinc, and salmon provides omega-3 fats.
- Kefir: a fermented milk drink that provides probiotics for gut health, plus protein and calcium. Some studies suggest getting enough calcium may help with weight management.
- Chia seeds and pistachios: fibre, healthy fats and protein that help keep you satisfied.
Other tips
Green tea contains caffeine and catechins that may slightly increase the energy your body burns, and it’s a great swap for sugary drinks.
For more on how food can help you, get in touch about Kitchen and Nutrition Coaching, and subscribe to my newsletter at casstronomy.info for giveaways, resources and information.
This article is general information about food and wellbeing, not medical advice. Please talk to your GP or a qualified health professional about any health condition, medication or major change to your diet.
