Delicious meals with minimum ingredients.

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN CURRY - Serves 4 Syn Free 4 large, skinless chicken breast, cubed Approx. 600g potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes 400g can chopped tomatoes 1 onion, diced 1 tbsp. grated, fresh ginger, or to taste 1-2 tbsp. curry powder Frozen peas FF coconut yoghurt or a few drops of coconut essence Spray the slow cooker with Frylight - just to make washing up easier. Mix the curry powder into the chopped tomatoes. Add everything, except the peas and yoghurt (add the essence, if using), to the slow cooker. Stir in a sprinkling of salt. Cook on Low for about 7 hours or on High for about 3 hours. Add the frozen peas during the last two minutes of cooking. Turn off the cooker and add in some coconut yoghurt, if using. Lovely served with plain boiled rice. Instead of yoghurt, you could add in some reduced-fat coconut milk, along with the other ingredients but, don't forget to Syn. 400g = 14.5 Syns. When I have used coconut milk, there is sometimes quite a large amount of liquid left at the end of cooking so I transfer everything to a large pan and boil it rapidly, until the desired consistency is reached. I also sometimes stir in some baby spinach, just prior to serving.


Sounds really nice.. Shall be doing this soon x
 
Forgot to say on here, it was yummy and enough left for two portions at a later date, popped into the freezer. Thanks for another good recipe Kathy :)

You're very welcome, Cloudy! Glad it turned out ok. Always a worry when posting recipes you yourself think are nice. :S x
 
Cooking the chicken and chorizo in the slow cooker, I'm actually in Spain so proper Spanish chorizo, think I are nearly half of it whist dicing it up ;-) xx
 
SLOW COOKER CHICKEN CURRY - Serves 4

Syn Free

4 large, skinless chicken breast, cubed
Approx. 600g potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
400g can chopped tomatoes
1 onion, diced
1 tbsp. grated, fresh ginger, or to taste
1-2 tbsp. curry powder
Frozen peas
FF coconut yoghurt or a few drops of coconut essence

Spray the slow cooker with Frylight - just to make washing up easier.
Mix the curry powder into the chopped tomatoes.
Add everything, except the peas and yoghurt (add the essence, if using), to the slow cooker.
Stir in a sprinkling of salt.
Cook on Low for about 7 hours or on High for about 3 hours.
Add the frozen peas during the last two minutes of cooking.
Turn off the cooker and add in some coconut yoghurt, if using.
Lovely served with plain boiled rice.

Instead of yoghurt, you could add in some reduced-fat coconut milk, along with the other ingredients but, don't forget to Syn. 400g = 14.5 Syns. When I have used coconut milk, there is sometimes quite a large amount of liquid left at the end of cooking so I transfer everything to a large pan and boil it rapidly, until the desired consistency is reached.

I also sometimes stir in some baby spinach, just prior to serving.

Gonna try this at weekend :D Xx
 
TAGLIATELLE ARRABIATA - Serves 3-4

0.5 Syn per serving, based on 3 servings

1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
200g fresh tomatoes, chopped
400g can chopped tomatoes
1 x Knorr Mixed Chillies Flavour Pot - 1.5 Syns
Pinch of sweetener
300g dried tagliatelle pasta

Spray a large, non-stick pan well with Frylight and cook the onion and garlic, until the onion has softened. Without wanting to sound boring - I start mine off in the microwave (minus the garlic), with a splash of water, to speed things up!
Add the tomatoes, Flavour Pot and the sweetener.
Season with salt and pepper and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until thickened.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta, according to pack instructions, drain, rinse with boiling water and serve on hot plates, topped with the tomato sauce.

Lovely sprinkled with HEX grated cheese and a few fresh basil leaves, if you happen to have any in.

This is a take on a Knorr Flavour Pots recipe. I love those little pots! They add lots of flavour for hardly any Syns.
 
MUSHROOM STROGANOFF - Serves 4-6

Approx. 2.5 Syns per serving (based on 4 people)

Approx. 25g butter - 9 Syns You may not need quite this much, hence the 'approx.', however, you do really need to use butter for this recipe, not Frylight, as it adds to the taste.
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or crushed
2 tsp. paprika
800g mix of mushrooms - baby, chestnut, exotic, etc. Quarter or slice any that are on the large side.
4 level tbsp. BGTY half-fat crème fraiche - 2 Syns
Handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Splash of brandy (optional) - don't forget to Syn it

Heat the butter in a large, deep pan.
Add the onion, season and cook for a couple of minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Stir in the paprika and cook for 30 seconds, stirring.
Add in all the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until softened.
If using, add the brandy, once the mushrooms have softened, increase the heat and bubble for one minute.
Reduce the heat and stir in the crème fraiche. Simmer for a couple of minutes, then stir in some ground black pepper.
Finally, stir through the parsley and serve.

Good with boiled rice.
 
CHORIZO PAELLA - Serves 4

2.5 Syns per serving

1 large, skinless chicken breast, cut into small pieces
150g chorizo, diced
6 spring onions, finely chopped
200g paella rice
180g raw king prawns
100g frozen peas
4 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 tsp. sweet paprika
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
650ml hot vegetable stock

Toss the chicken pieces in the paprika.
In a deep, non-stick pan, over a medium heat, fry the chorizo, until the oils run.
Add the chicken pieces and the garlic and continue to cook, until the chicken has browned.
Add the spring onions and rice. Stir and heat for 2-3 minutes, until the rice is opaque.
Add the stock. Stir gently, then simmer slowly for 10 minutes, until the rice is half cooked.
Add the prawns, peas and tomato quarters to the pan. Heat for a further 10 minutes or until the rice is fluffy and the chicken cooked through.
Season and serve.

I sometimes add in some finely chopped red pepper too but I suppose you could add whatever you like!

Think this was one of Sainsbury's recipes. Must admit, it's really tasty.
 
CHORIZO PAELLA - Serves 4

2.5 Syns per serving

1 large, skinless chicken breast, cut into small pieces
150g chorizo, diced
6 spring onions, finely chopped
200g paella rice
180g raw king prawns
100g frozen peas
4 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 tsp. sweet paprika
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
650ml hot vegetable stock

Toss the chicken pieces in the paprika.
In a deep, non-stick pan, over a medium heat, fry the chorizo, until the oils run.
Add the chicken pieces and the garlic and continue to cook, until the chicken has browned.
Add the spring onions and rice. Stir and heat for 2-3 minutes, until the rice is opaque.
Add the stock. Stir gently, then simmer slowly for 10 minutes, until the rice is half cooked.
Add the prawns, peas and tomato quarters to the pan. Heat for a further 10 minutes or until the rice is fluffy and the chicken cooked through.
Season and serve.

I sometimes add in some finely chopped red pepper too but I suppose you could add whatever you like!

Think this was one of Sainsbury's recipes. Must admit, it's really tasty.

I love your paella recipes Kathy!! Your cheats paella (quite early on in this thread!) so will definitely be trying this!
 
CHORIZO PAELLA - Serves 4

2.5 Syns per serving

1 large, skinless chicken breast, cut into small pieces
150g chorizo, diced
6 spring onions, finely chopped
200g paella rice
180g raw king prawns
100g frozen peas
4 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 tsp. sweet paprika
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
650ml hot vegetable stock

Toss the chicken pieces in the paprika.
In a deep, non-stick pan, over a medium heat, fry the chorizo, until the oils run.
Add the chicken pieces and the garlic and continue to cook, until the chicken has browned.
Add the spring onions and rice. Stir and heat for 2-3 minutes, until the rice is opaque.
Add the stock. Stir gently, then simmer slowly for 10 minutes, until the rice is half cooked.
Add the prawns, peas and tomato quarters to the pan. Heat for a further 10 minutes or until the rice is fluffy and the chicken cooked through.
Season and serve.

I sometimes add in some finely chopped red pepper too but I suppose you could add whatever you like!

Think this was one of Sainsbury's recipes. Must admit, it's really tasty.

Gosh Chocko you're a one woman recipe machine!! Thank you for sharing!xx
 
SWEET POTATO AND KALE CHILLI - Serves 4

1.5 Syns per serving

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1 inch cubes
1 tbsp. olive oil - 6 Syns
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 red chilli, finely chopped
Half tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cumin
400g can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
400g can chopped tomatoes
2 large handfuls of kale

Heat the olive oil in a large pan and add the sweet potato cubes, onion and garlic. Cook over a medium heat until the veg has softened slightly, stirring frequently.
Stir in the chilli, cinnamon and cumin and cook for a further couple of minutes.
Add the kidney beans and chopped tomatoes.
Stir thoroughly, then simmer gently for 30-35 minutes, adding a little water if it becomes too thick.
At the last minute, add the kale, allowing it to just wilt slightly, retaining it's colour and texture.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.

This is based on a recipe by someone called Wallflower Girl.

I haven't actually made this yet (am doing so this coming week) but imagine the potatoes wouldn't cook so well with Frylight so I've left the olive oil in.
I'm also going to use baby spinach, instead of kale.
In the original recipe, it also says, if you prefer more heat, to add in half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper, at the same time as the cinnamon and cumin.
 
You're welcome, cloudy! :) I've never tried kale, hence the reason I'm sticking with spinach. We're having chilli tonight too but made with Quorn for a change! Everything has to be cooked under the grill, on the hob or in the slow cooker at the moment, as the oven isn't working. It's such a nuisance! Been without it for weeks now but we can't decide on a replacement. I really want to stick with gas oven and hob but most seem to be electric oven/gas hob and lots appear to have double ovens, when I'd prefer a larger single oven. Maybe I'm just too fussy!! :D

Kathy x
 
In my old house, I had an eye level double oven (electric fan) and a gas hob separately.... I loved the hob, it was quick and got hot so quickly, great for a wok. Now we have an under counter double oven, still an electric fan but I miss it being eye level, its much harder on the knees. However we have an amazing induction hob and there is no way I'd go back to gas. It gets hot even more quickly because of the way it works, it heats the actual pan rather than the hob getting hot and transferring that heat - the hob actually stays almost cool to the touch and my 'party trick' was to put a tea towel under the saucepan and turn it on and the water would boil so quickly, lol. It is super easy to clean, just a wipe over with a damp cloth and because the actual surface doesn't get very hot, nothing that boils over sticks or burns. I love it!
Anyway, I hope you find a replacement soon as it must be very annoying, even though its surprising how much you can cook without an oven when you have to. x
 
Mmm, thanks, Cloudy! That's definitely food for thought, so to speak! :D At the moment, mine's just an ordinary cooker, with an eye level grill, which I much prefer but, I must admit, it does look old fashioned. I wish now that I'd had a fitted unit when we moved in but I always think a free-standing, ordinary cooker is so much more practical. Anyway, I'll have to decide whether to pay for a whole new worktop and have one fitted or go for a slot-in one, with a glass top, so it looks a bit more modern. Decisions, decisions! Mind you, we won't be buying anything for a while! After being told we were £349 in credit, with our water bill, a month ago, we've now been told we owe way over £1000!! Such a shock! The guy's just been round and says there must be a leak but, of course, it's under the ground, on the part where we are responsible for the bill!! Just what we need before Christmas! : ( Oh, well. Thanks for all the info anyway, Cloudy. I'll have a nosey at the induction hobs. xx
 
TOMATO AND FENNEL RISOTTO - Serves 4

2 Syns per serving, if using the Feta as part HEX's

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil - 6 Syns
1 onion, finely chopped
1 fennel bulb, finely chopped
300g risotto rice
50ml white wine - 2 Syns
400g can chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp. tomato puree
800ml hot vegetable stock
40g Feta, crumbled - 45g Feta = 1 x HEX
Large handful of fresh basil, roughly chopped, to garnish

Heat the oil in a large pan and gently fry the onion and fennel, with a splash of water, until softened. Stir occasionally.
Stir in the rice, wine, tomatoes and puree and cook for 1 minute.
Gradually add the stock, one ladleful at a time, adding each ladleful only when the previous one has been absorbed. Stir well after each addition. Continue until the rice is tender, adding more or less stock, depending on how the rice is cooking.
Serve on warmed plates or in warmed dishes, garnished with Feta and basil.

This recipe is from Good Housekeeping and is another I haven't yet tried but definitely will. I haven't cooked with fennel before so left the recipe as it was, including the oil. If you think it would cook as well using Frylight then, of course, that reduces the overall Syns considerably.

Could add in some chicken or chorizo (Synned) to make it more substantial.
 
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Mmm, thanks, Cloudy! That's definitely food for thought, so to speak! :D At the moment, mine's just an ordinary cooker, with an eye level grill, which I much prefer but, I must admit, it does look old fashioned. I wish now that I'd had a fitted unit when we moved in but I always think a free-standing, ordinary cooker is so much more practical. Anyway, I'll have to decide whether to pay for a whole new worktop and have one fitted or go for a slot-in one, with a glass top, so it looks a bit more modern. Decisions, decisions! Mind you, we won't be buying anything for a while! After being told we were £349 in credit, with our water bill, a month ago, we've now been told we owe way over £1000!! Such a shock! The guy's just been round and says there must be a leak but, of course, it's under the ground, on the part where we are responsible for the bill!! Just what we need before Christmas! : ( Oh, well. Thanks for all the info anyway, Cloudy. I'll have a nosey at the induction hobs. xx

Just reading this Kathy and my advice is to check with your insurance company about the water bill- I work in insurance and we provide cover for something called "Loss of Metered Water" on properties. Something a lot people don't realise they may be covered for.
 
TOMATO AND FENNEL RISOTTO - Serves 4

2 Syns per serving, if using the Feta as part HEX's

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil - 6 Syns
1 onion, finely chopped
1 fennel bulb, finely chopped
300g risotto rice
50ml white wine - 2 Syns
400g can chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp. tomato puree
800ml hot vegetable stock
40g Feta, crumbled - 45g Feta = 1 x HEX
Large handful of fresh basil, roughly chopped, to garnish

Heat the oil in a large pan and gently fry the onion and fennel, with a splash of water, until softened. Stir occasionally.
Stir in the rice, wine, tomatoes and puree and cook for 1 minute.
Gradually add the stock, one ladleful at a time, adding each ladleful only when the previous one has been absorbed. Stir well after each addition. Continue until the rice is tender, adding more or less stock, depending on how the rice is cooking.
Serve on warmed plates or in warmed dishes, garnished with Feta and basil.

This recipe is from Good Housekeeping and is another I haven't yet tried but definitely will. I haven't cooked with fennel before so left the recipe as it was, including the oil. If you think it would cook as well using Frylight then, of course, that reduces the overall Syns considerably.

I saw some fennel in my local greengrocer today- wish I'd seen this recipe because I'd have grabbed it!
I've heard it's got a slight aniseed taste though and thats always put me off- if you do try it then please let me know if it is aniseed-y!
 
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