Can you make a Burns Supper for less than 500 calories?

Robert Burns

On January 25th every year Scots around the world celebrate the birthday of Rabbie (Robert) Burns, the Scottish poet and lyricist. But is it possible to create a version of the traditional Burns Supper for less than 500 calories?

The meal consists of haggis served with neeps (turnip/swede) and tatties (potatoes) – and for many it’s an excuse for a big night out less than 4 long weeks after New Year.

However, there’s a problem: in January so many people are working hard to stick to their diets, they’re on a roll and they don’t want to go off track with a big unhealthy meal. But they don’t want to miss out on Burns Night.

So I’m going to try and re-create this famous Scottish dish while keeping the calories down. I’m going to make a Burns Supper for less than 500 calories. Can it be done?

The challenge: a healthy Burns Supper

Create a version of the classic Haggis, Neeps and Tatties with a rich whisky sauce that comes in under 500 calories per portion.

As with any challenge, there are some rules:

1. This must be a decent-sized portion that would be acceptable for a main course, not a starter. That would be too easy!
2. Substitutes are allowed but it must look and taste like the original dish.
3. The sauce must include a decent measure of single malt Scotch whisky.
4. The total amount of calories for one portion, including the sauce, must not exceed 500.

My challenge to make a healthy Burns Supper for less than 500 calories is on!

Attempt 1

I need a starting point so I’m going to make the dish “properly”. I’m using 125g of haggis, which is the average suggested portion size on the packets I’ve seen in the shops. I don’t really want to go below this whatever happens, so I’ll need to compromise elsewhere.

I’ve mashed the turnip with some butter and the potatoes are mashed with butter and splash of cream.

There’s cream, stock, whisky, honey and mustard in the sauce.

It tastes really good – but I’ve just done the maths and it’s way over the 500 calorie target! There are some obvious places that I can start to make calorie savings. The trick is going to be not compromising on flavour.

Result: Tasted great, 810 calories.

Attempt 2

Okay, so I was a bit off the mark first time round. But, to be honest, if you’re looking for a great whisky sauce recipe and aren’t counting calories then make it with cream, honey and mustard.

For this challenge, though, I need to start shaving off some calories so let’s take a look at the sauce.

Let’s ditch the honey and mustard. It’ll take a little bit of excitement and depth from the overall taste it’s still going to have its distinctive whisky taste.

That’s saved a few calories but let’s be honest – it’s the cream that’s causing the problems here. I’m replacing the cream with semi-skimmed milk mixed with cornflour. It’s still creamy and once I’ve stirred in the stock, it looks and tastes almost identical to the previous version.

I’m happy with my sauce but if I want to make a Burns Supper for less than 500 calories I’m going to have to look at the main parts of the dish. This isn’t as straight-forward as I thought it was going to be.

Result: Still tastes good and I’ve trimmed a few calories from the bottom line, 628 calories.

Attempt 3

The obvious place to save calories now is to reduce the amount of haggis but I’ve already decided that there’s going to be 250g of haggis on the plate. That’s the main part of the dish.

I can take the butter out of the neeps, they’ll mash fine without it, but it’s not going to get me down to calories.

I think the answer lies in the tatties. That mashed potato contains around 200 calories – almost half of my target of 500. Talk about building up your part!

Could I replace it with something that’s a similar colour and texture but with much fewer calories?

I’m going to try cauliflower. I’ve heard of it being used as a potato substitute before so let’s see if it works with the haggis.

I’ve simmered 175g of cauliflower per person in boiling water until it’s really soft. It’s taken about 20 minutes to get to this stage. Once it’s drained, I’m mashing it with a potato masher until it’s all broken up.

Next, I’m going to add 15g of light cream cheese (I’m using Philadelphia Light) and mixing it all together. I think we may have a winner!

I’m putting the cauliflower together with 175g of mashed neeps and 125g of haggis. I’ve also made the sauce with my revised recipe.

It looks like haggis, neeps and tatties – it tastes like haggis neeps and tatties. Scroll down for the full recipe.

Result: Nailed it, 500 calories.

I was beginning to think that it couldn’t be done but it has ended up being dead on 500 calories! The haggis is still the star of the show with a decent-sized portion and the sauce is creamy with the unmistakable taste of whisky. I’m calling that a result.

Sláinte mhaith!

The 500 Calorie Burns Supper