Delicious meals with minimum ingredients.

[chocko1]

Sorry - not technically able at all!! That's why Nanny Doreen ended up sorting out the numbered index for me! Also, some of them, I haven't made for ages - just dredged up from old cookery scrap books, etc. So, sorry! You'll have to use your imagination, I'm afraid!!

Kathy x

 

[chocko1]

Lemon Roasted Sea Bass - Serves 2

3 Syns per serving

2 sea bass fillets
100g cherry tomatoes
1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced
1 yellow pepper, deseeded and sliced
1 lemon, zest and juice
10g of fresh basil, roughly chopped
1 tbsp. olive oil - 6 Syns

Pre-heat the oven to 200C/Gas 6.
Lie the tomatoes and peppers in a sprayed roasting tin. Spray over the veg well with Frylight. Roast for about 40 minutes.
Mix the lemon juice, zest, basil and 1 tbsp. olive oil together.
Spread evenly over the fish.
Put the fish on top of the roasted veg and return to the oven for 15 minutes.
The fish will be white and flaky when cooked. Serve immediately.
Place the fish on top

 

[chocko1]

HOT, SWEET AND SPICY CHICKEN - Serves 4

2 Syns per serving

1 tbsp. dark brown sugar - 3 Syns
2 level tbsp. runny honey - 5 Syns
4 tbsp. reduced salt soy sauce
2 tsp. chopped fresh ginger or half tsp. dried
2 tsp. chopped garlic
1-2 tbsp. hot sauce - Tabasco, etc.
4 skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

Mix together the sugar, honey, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and hot sauce.
Lightly season the chicken strips.
Spray a large frying pan with Frylight and heat over a medium heat.
Brown the chicken strips on both sides.
Pour the sauce over the chicken and simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally. This should only take about 10 mins.

Lovely served with rice, mange tout and baby sweetcorn.

 

[chocko1]

BEAN CASSEROLE WITH CHORIZO AND CHICKEN - Serves 4

4 Syns per serving

400g kidney beans, drained
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tbsp. smoked paprika
2 tsp. chilli powder - strength is down to personal taste
230g diced chorizo - 16 Syns
600g skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
400g can chopped tomatoes
A few sprigs of thyme

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/Gas 4.
Spray an oven and hob proof casserole dish well with Frylight.
Gently fry the onion and garlic until the onion begins to soften.
Add the paprika and chilli powder and cook for a further 2 mins.
Add the chorizo and chicken pieces and cook until the chicken is browned all over.
Add the beans, tomatoes and thyme, plus 200ml of water. Bring to the boil and season to taste.
Put the casserole dish in the oven and cook for 30 minutes.
When the cooking time is up, if there is too much liquid, just stick back on the hob and simmer rapidly, uncovered, until it has reduced.

If I have enough Syns to spare, I sometimes add in some runny honey before putting in the oven.

 

[beslim2014]

Sticky marmalade chicken sounds lovely, defo going to be making that one. Just need the marmalade!

 

[geordiegirl1806]

MUSHROOM COUSCOUS RISOTTO - Serves 1 Syn Free Half an onion, chopped 1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed 600ml veg or chicken stock Button mushrooms sliced About 3 tbsp. of couscous Chilli powder to taste Spray a pan with Frylight and fry the onion and garlic until the onion softens. Add the mushrooms and any other veg you may want to use. Fry over a moderate heat for about 5 minutes. Add the couscous and chilli and stir into the onion, garlic and mushroom mixture. Make the stock and add, a ladleful at a time, adding the next ladleful when the liquid has been absorbed by the couscous. After about 10 minutes the couscous will not want to absorb any more so reduce the final ladleful to the desired consistency. It should look creamy. Easy but tasty. Suppose you could stir through a HEX cheese, if you liked.

Just made a batch of this for lunch today and tomorrow n have to say it is lovely will def keep this one in mind for when I return to work too as it's easy and cheap to make, syn free and most of all tasty! x

 

[beslim2014]

STICKY CHILLI CHICKEN - Serves 6

3 Syns per serving

6 skinless chicken thighs or breasts
3 tbsp. Discovery chipotle paste - 2.5 Syns
3 tsp. ground coriander
2 tbsp. olive oil - 12 Syns (sorry, it doesn't work anywhere near as well with Frylight)
Juice of 1 lime
2 onions, each cut into 8 wedges
6 cloves of garlic, bashed flat
1 mild red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 tbsp. muscovado sugar - 3 Syns
200 ml chicken stock

Heat the oven to 200C/Gas 6.
Put the chicken into a plastic food bag with 2 tbsp. of the chipotle paste, the ground coriander, 1 tbsp. of the oil, a squeeze of lime juice and a grinding of black pepper.
Marinate for at least 30 minutes but, much better, overnight.
Tip into a roasting tin, scatter the onion over, drizzle with the remainder of the oil, then roast for 1 hour, until the chicken is turning golden.
After 30 minutes, tuck the garlic in around the chicken.
Lift the chicken and onions out of the tin and onto a warmed plate.
Turn the oven to Low and keep the chicken warm, uncovered.
Place the tin on the top of the hob, spoon off any excess fat, then add most of the chilli and fry for 2 mins until fragrant.
Stir in the sugar and remaining chipotle paste, then add the stock and bubble down for about 5 mins, until you have a sticky sauce.
Season with salt and pepper and another squeeze of lime juice.
To serve, spoon the sauce and garlic over and around the chicken and scatter with the remaining chilli.

Lovely served with rice salad.

chocko1 your recipes look fantastic, what a brilliant thread

 

[chocko1]

Thank-you so much, beslim. It always makes it worthwhile to find out some of the recipes are appreciated.

Kathy x

 

[chocko1]

Just made a batch of this for lunch today and tomorrow n have to say it is lovely will def keep this one in mind for when I return to work too as it's easy and cheap to make, syn free and most of all tasty! x

So glad you enjoyed it, geordeigirl. Glad you think it's tasty, as it's sometimes pretty scary typing up recipes you yourself think are yummy, just in case others spend their money and time on them and they think they're awful! :S Thanks so much for commenting - I really appreciate it.

Kathy x

 

[Kay003]

Kathy your meals are fab and all the hard work you put in ! I've heard a lot of members praising your thread. I really think you should speak to the mods about making this a sticky .

Kay xx

 

[Llamasoks]

^^ I agree with that completely - your thread has saved my evenings multiple times!!
X

 

[chocko1]

Kathy your meals are fab and all the hard work you put in ! I've heard a lot of members praising your thread. I really think you should speak to the mods about making this a sticky .

Kay xx

Hi, Kay. So glad you enjoy the recipes and thanks very much for your kind comments. Sorry, but I've never understood what a Sticky is!!!

Kathy x

 

[chocko1]

^^ I agree with that completely - your thread has saved my evenings multiple times!!
X

Thank-you, Llamasoks. Glad they've come in handy!

Kathy x

 

[chocko1]

CREAMY KORMA - Serves 4 (Obviously there are other Korma recipes on this thread but this one is for when you've extra Syns to spare and I must admit, it's my favourite. I even sometimes go without other things just so I can use my Syns on this! :S Just hope you enjoy it as much, if you give it a go!)

4.5 Syns per serving

700g skinless chicken breasts, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
One and a half tsp. finely grated ginger or half a tsp. dried
200ml FF natural yoghurt
1 large onion, blended (can use finely chopped, if you can't be bothered!)
3 tbsp. Shwartz Korma spice blend
400ml can Blue Dragon, light coconut milk - 14.5 Syns
12g ground almonds - 3.5 Syns
4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed (optional)
Juice of quarter of a lemon

Marinate the chicken in the garlic, ginger and yoghurt, in the fridge, overnight.
Blend the onion to a smooth paste, adding a little water, if necessary.
Spray a large pan well with Frylight and heat over a medium heat.
Fry the spices gently for one minute, stirring continuously.
Turn up the heat a little, re-spraying if necessary, and add the onion paste or chopped onions. Fry for a couple of minutes, then add the chicken and all the marinade.
Cook for 10 minutes.
Add the coconut milk and bring to the boil.
Stir in the ground almonds and add the crushed cardamom pods. Reduce the heat to low.
Cover the pan and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
Season to taste and stir in a squeeze of lemon juice.

If you want the sauce thicker than it appears by the end of cooking, remove the pan lid and simmer rapidly until the liquid reduces.

 

[chocko1]

5 SPICE SALMON - Serves 4

1 Syn per serving

2 tsp 5-Spice
4 salmon steaks
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil - 2 Syns
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tbsp. reduced salt soy sauce
2 tbsp. rice wine - 2 Syns

Rub the 5-spice onto both sides of the salmon steaks.
Spray a large frying pan with Frylight and cook the salmon for 2 minutes on each side until lightly browned.
Add the rice wine, soy sauce and toasted sesame oil.
Simmer gently until the salmon is just cooked through or to your liking.
Stir in the zest of the lemon and serve immediately.

Lovely with new potatoes and petit pois.

 

[chocko1]

SLOW-COOKER CHINESE STYLE BRAISED BEEF - Serves 4 (Adapted from Good Food)

2.5 Syns per serving

6 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
Thumb-size piece of fresh ginger, peeled and shredded (Sure dried would do.)
1 bunch of spring onions, sliced
1 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
1.5kg braising steak, cut into large pieces
2 tbsp. plain flour, well seasoned - 7 Syns
2 tsp. Chinese 5-spice powder
3 tbsp. rice wine - 3 Syns
3 tbsp. dark soy sauce
500ml beef stock

Now, I never fry anything before adding to my slow cooker, except chorizo to crisp it up, but thought I'd better stick to the recipe, as I've never made this. Will do, in the future though and will be omitting the frying and the flour, therefore bringing the Syns way down. I'll let you know how it goes! :S

Spray a large frying pan well with Frylight and fry the garlic, ginger, onions and chilli until soft and fragrant.
Tip onto a plate.
Toss the beef in the flour, re-spray the pan well and brown the beef in batches, adding a little water if it's seeming to stick.
Add the 5-spice to the pan, tip in the ginger mix, then cook for a minute.
Add the beef and stir until well combined. Splash in the rice wine.
Place all the contents of the frying pan into the slow cooker, add in the soy sauce and stock, bring to a boil on High, then switch to Low and cook for 7-8 hours.

If still too much liquid left at the end of cooking, I just put it all in a large pan on the hob and simmer rapidly until the desired consistency is reached. Much better than adding cornflour!

 

[chocko1]

CAJUN STICKY PASTE - Great for chicken, chops, sausages, etc. Enough for 4 servings.

2.5 Syns per serving

1 onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 red pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
5 tbsp. black treacle - 10 Syns
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tsp Cajun seasoning

Put all the ingredients into a blender and whizz until smooth.
Pour over whatever meat you are using and turn the meat until completely covered.
During the cooking time, turn the meat from time to time, re-basting with the sauce.

I love this on chicken breasts, which I then serve with either SW wedges or baked potato and salad.

 

[sparty]

Like that last idea of paste Kathy. Do you know if it would freeze? Would be a handy one to batch cook and have in portions for pulling out the freezer the night before.

 

[chocko1]

I never have frozen it, Sparty but might be worth trying if I double up next time.

Kathy

 

[chocko1]

SPICY CHICKEN STIR-FRY - Serves 2

3 Syns per serving

2 skinless chicken breasts, diced
Chilli powder to taste
1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 large clove of garlic, crushed
2 green chillies, deseeded and very finely chopped
2 large tomatoes, cut into chunks
100g extra light Philadelphia - 6 Syns

Season the chicken with the chilli powder and salt and pepper.
Spray a large frying pan well with Frylight and heat over a medium heat.
Fry the chicken until cooked through. Remove from the pan and keep warm.
Re-spray the pan and fry the pepper, garlic and onion until soft, adding a splash of water, if necessary.
Add the green chilli and the tomatoes and cook for a further 3-5 mins.
Stir in the Philadelphia and stir round for a minute before adding in the chicken and stir-frying for 2 minutes more.

This is lovely served with SW wedges or noodles and is particularly tasty with a HEX serving of light Mozarella (65g) melted over the top.