Delicious meals with minimum ingredients.

[chocko1]

GARLIC AND HERB CHICKEN - Serves 4

1.5 Syns per serving

100g Boursin Light Garlic and Herb cheese - 6 Syns
8 rashers of bacon, all visible fat removed
4 skinless chicken breasts
Fresh sage leaves

Pre-heat oven to 200C/Gas 6.
Make a deep cut along the top of each chicken breast. Stuff 25g Boursin into the slit of each chicken breast.
Place a sage leaf on either side of the slit of each chicken breast.
Wrap each breast in bacon rashers, bringing the slit together, securing with a wooden cocktail stick.
Spray a roasting tin with Frylight and roast in the oven for 40 minutes.
Spoon the juices over and serve hot with some new potatoes, maybe, and lots of fresh veg.

 

[chocko1]

HONEY, LEMON CHICKEN - Serves 4

Approx. 3 Syns per serving

4 skinless chicken breasts
4 level tbsp. runny honey - 10 Syns
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard - 1.5 Syns

Slash each chicken breast along the top with scissors or a sharp knife, two or three times.
In a shallow baking dish, mix together the honey, lemon zest and juice, garlic, mustard and 2 tsp. black pepper.
Add the chicken in a single layer and turn to coat all over. Leave, covered in the fridge for at least an hour or, preferably, overnight.
Pre-heat the oven to 220C/Gas 7. Cook for 30-40 minutes, ensuring the chicken is thoroughly cooked through before serving.

We had these the other night and, although really simple, they were very fresh and tasty. We had them with new potatoes, sweetcorn and mange tout.

 

[chocko1]

They did wear me out Kathy. They were here from Tuesday till Sunday t.time.I am feeling more refreshed now. I really enjoy having them. We have a great rapport. They always both want to sleep with me. I miss them when they are gone, but will generally see them at least one week in three.

However have a family get together Fri to Sun, more food. I am to make some corned beef & onion pies. They are lovely and a family favourite. I know somebody who will be putting on some lbs this weekend. Still will have 4 days to get them off again.

Aww, so glad you had a lovely time. Hope you enjoy your get-together too and, sometimes, you just have to forget about what you're eating, don't you and just enjoy! At least you know, any weight you do put on will soon be gone again! Those pies sound lovely! x

 

[chocko1]

LAMB AND CHEESE BURGERS - Serves 4

Approx. 1.5 Syns per serving, if using cheese and bread as HEX's

500g extra lean lamb mince
1 level tbsp. mustard - 1.5 Syns
1 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 tsp. dried oregano
60g of breadcrumbs
60g of freshly grated Parmesan
1 egg, whisked

Spray a frying pan well with Frylight and cook the onion until softened.
Add the onion to all the other ingredients, along with some salt and pepper, in a large bowl and mix well.
Shape into burgers and place on some baking parchment in the fridge for half an hour.
Either fry or grill for about 20 minutes, turning half-way through, until thoroughly cooked through.
Lovely served with jacket potatoes and crunchy salad.

 

[chocko1]

CHUNKY BEEF AND CHORIZO CHILLI - Serves 4

0.5 Syn per serving

450g lean braising steak, cut into chunky cubes
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
25g diced chorizo - approx. 1.5 Syns
1 green chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
1 red pepper, deseeded and finely diced
400g can black eye beans, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp. tomato puree
150ml beef stock
400g can chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp. fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/Gas 4-5.
Brown the beef cubes in a large, non-stick pan until coloured all over.
Add the chorizo and cook for a further minute.
Add all the remaining ingredients, except the parsley, season to taste, stir well, cover and cook gently for one and a half to two hours or until the meat is tender.
Sprinkle with the parsley and serve on warmed plates.

Lovely with rice, mash or SW wedges.

 

[mo53]

Hello I wondered if you coud help. I got a brilliant tip on here about putting butternut squash in the microwave for 4 mins to make it easier to peel. How about swede? It is always so rd to peel and cut. Is there any way of making the preparation easier? Thank you

 

[chocko1]

Hi Mo. Must admit, I've never tried it with swede but I know what you mean about peeling them! When I put BNS in the microwave for a short time, it just softens the hard skin, making it much easier to peel so it sounds like it might work with veg, such as swede but I can't say from experience, I'm afraid. Sorry I can't be more helpful with this. Do let us all know though, if you give it a try and I will do the same.

Kathy

 

[Texty_F]

Hi Mo

You can actually cook your swede in the microwave - it takes about 20mins on full power depending on size and then just hollow out the middle when cooked

 

[chocko1]

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE POTS - Serves 4

Approx. 2 Syns per serving, if using the Ricotta as part HEX's (85g = 1 HEX)

250g Ricotta - 3 x HEX's = 255g
45g icing sugar - 9 Syns (have tried with sweetener and, although it tasted ok, the icing sugar is much better and for 2 Syns, so what?!)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Quarter tsp. ground cinnamon
1 medium egg, beaten
Fresh strawberries, quartered

Pre-heat the oven to 150C/Gas 2.
Spray 4 x 100ml ovenproof dishes/ramekins with Frylight and spread round with a pastry brush.
Put the Ricotta, icing sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon and egg in a mixing bowl and mix well until smooth.
Spoon the mixture into the dishes, cover with foil and put into a deep roasting tin.
Pour boiling water into the tin until it reaches halfway up the sides of the dishes, then cook for 20-25 minutes until set.
Remove the dishes from the roasting tin and set aside to cool. Transfer to the fridge, once cooled and chill for 2-3 hours.
Place some of the strawberry quarters on top of each dish and serve the rest alongside.

This is a take on a recipe from the Healthy Food mag. If you want a cheesecake like base, you could soften 2 Alpen Light bars (1 x HEX) in the microwave, squash down with the back of a spoon, put into a small bowl and top with the Ricotta cheesecake - a bit like an upside down dessert but equally as tasty!

 

[chocko1]

WARM BEAN SALAD WITH ROSEMARY CHICKEN - Serves 4

Syn Free

4 skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
Crushed, dried chillies, to taste
4 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 red onion, thinly sliced
400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
250g fine green beans, sliced
250g cherry tomatoes

Spray a large non-stick frying pan with Frylight and cook the sliced chicken over a high heat for about 6 minutes until golden all over and cooked through.
Add the rosemary, balsamic and chillies and continue cooking, stirring for a further minute.
Transfer to a warmed plate, cover and keep warm.
Spray the pan with more Frylight and cook the red onion until soft. I usually start mine off with a splash of water in the microwave, to help the softening process.
Add the cannellini beans, green beans, cherry tomatoes and 2 tbsp. water. Cook for about 3 minutes, until the veg is hot and the tomatoes are beginning to split.
Divide the chicken and bean salad between 4 warmed plates.

Lovely served with fresh, new potatoes or HEX cheese stuffed jacket potato.

 

[Nanny Doreen]

Aww, so glad you had a lovely time. Hope you enjoy your get-together too and, sometimes, you just have to forget about what you're eating, don't you and just enjoy! At least you know, any weight you do put on will soon be gone again! Those pies sound lovely! x

I was so popular with the pies. I also picked up cheap in M&S some strawberry trifles (delicious) 16 hot cross buns and victoria sandwiches on use by date. Fab.
I really enjoyed it and will have 4 days to try and get off what I have probably put on.

 

[mo53]

Thanks for the ideas for the swede. I will let you know when I try them how I get on. Thanks

 

[Autumn500]

SPICED HONEY ROAST SQUASH, PRAWN AND FETA SALAD (Inspired by the How To Cook Good Food site). - Serves 2 2.5 Syns per serving, if using the Feta as part HEX's. 45g Feta = 1 HEX. 1 BNS, peeled, deseeded and cut into bite-size chunks. Easier to peel after 'cooking' for about 4 mins on High in the microwave. 2 level tbsp. runny honey - 5 Syns 1 small bag of rocket 100g king prawns 1-2 tsp. Discovery chipotle paste - 2 level tsp. = 0.5 Syn (nominal so haven't included Syn) 100g cooked, chopped bacon, smoked or unsmoked 50g Feta cheese, crumbled Pre-heat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. Line a large baking tray with baking parchment and spray it with Frylight. Put the BNS into a large food bag, spray really well with Frylight, add seasoning and shake until thoroughly mixed. Spread the BNS out on the baking tray and spray again with Frylight. Cook in the oven for about 40 minutes or until softened. Put gently into a bowl. Warm the honey, with the chipotle paste stirred through, in the microwave for 20 seconds, then pour gently over the warm,cooked BNS, stirring gently with a spoon, to combine. Put the BNS back in the oven for 5 minutes, then remove. While the BNS is finishing off in the oven, put the rocket leaves into a serving bowl, adding the prawns and cooked bacon. Allow the BNS to cool slightly, before adding some of it to the salad. Depending on the size of the BNS, there will probably be some left over, which tastes lovely stirred through some cous cous for later, maybe! Finish off the salad by crumbling the Feta over the top. The original recipe for this used 100g chorizo, instead of the bacon and I have used this in the past - it tastes absolutely gorgeous. This, of course, increases the Syn value, making it 5.5 - 6 Syns per serving but, if you can spare the Syns that day, is well worth it!

Hiya, can I just ask where you can buy the chipotle paste from and what the container looks like? Thanks!

 

[chocko1]

Hi Autumn. I've always bought it from Sainsbury's in the section that sells more specialised foods. It's not expensive though and, when I bought it, it was in a silvery squirty tube, I think. Hope that helps.

Kathy

Waitrose sells it too.

 

[chocko1]

I was so popular with the pies. I also picked up cheap in M&S some strawberry trifles (delicious) 16 hot cross buns and victoria sandwiches on use by date. Fab.
I really enjoyed it and will have 4 days to try and get off what I have probably put on.

Why four days? Is that until your weigh in? Sounds delicious though! x

 

[Nanny Doreen]

Why four days? Is that until your weigh in? Sounds delicious though! x

Yes, weigh in day is Thursday or Friday, opting for Friday under the circumstances

 

[chocko1]

SPICY PORK For the Slow Cooker - Serves 4

Syns - nominal

4 thick pork loin steaks, all visible fat removed
2 large onions, sliced
2-4 peppers, a variety of colours is best - deseeded and sliced
2 large cloves of garlic, crushed
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
400g can of cherry tomatoes or fresh
500ml hot chicken stock
Good pinch of dried oregano
Good pinch of dried thyme
Chipotle paste to taste - be careful because it can be quite hot, especially for spice wimps, like me! - Discovery Chipotle Paste = 2 level tsp. - 0.5 Syn

Throw everything into the slow cooker (brown things off first, if you like but I never bother) and cook on Low for 7-8 hours.
If it isn't quite thick enough when finished cooking, I transfer it to a pan and boil rapidly until desired consistency is reached. However, if you can't be bothered, stir in some blended cornflour but don't forget to Syn - 1 level tbsp. = 3.5 Syns.

You could use smoked paprika in place of chipotle paste, if you prefer. Don't add salt until you have tasted it at the end as, you may not need it.

Lovely served with rice or a HEX serving of crusty bread.

 

[chocko1]

TROUT WITH FENNEL - Serves 4

5 Syns for the whole recipe

8 trout fillets
4 sprigs of dill, chopped
2 small bulbs of fennel, thinly sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 level tbsp. wholegrain mustard - 3 Syns
60ml dry white wine - 2 Syns

Pre-heat the oven to 200C/Gas 6.
Mix together the onion, fennel and dill.
Sandwich together two of the fillets with a little mustard in between. Place on a sheet of baking parchment large enough to enclose the fish.
Repeat with the remaining fillets.
Top each 'sandwich' with the fennel mixture and sprinkle each with the white wine. Season with salt and pepper.
Wrap all the parcels up so the fish is completely enclosed. Place on a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes or until the fish is cooked through and the veg are tender.

I decided on this recipe the other day, when I decided we need to eat more fish and we weren't disappointed. We had it with baby new potatoes and peas. Suppose you could use any fish if you're not keen on trout.

 

[chocko1]

BABY BAKED POTATOES - Serves 4

3 Syns for the whole recipe

12 new potatoes
3 level tbsp. half fat sour cream - 3 Syns
1 tbsp. snipped chives
Smoked paprika

Pre-heat the oven to 190C/Gas 5.
Prick the potatoes all over and place in a bowl or food bag.
Spray all over, liberally, with Frylight and toss together until well coated.
Place on a baking tray and cook for about an hour or until tender to the squeeze.
Remove and cool slightly for 10 minutes. Cut a cross into the top of each potato and gently squeeze at the base to open the potatoes up slightly.
Top each with a little soured cream, garnish with some snipped chives and dust with a little smoked paprika.

Could obviously use some HEX Philly, etc. instead of soured cream but, I have to say, we love these!

 

[catwoman644]

Oooh those new potatoes sound lovely - must try those!