Orange, Garlic and Soy Chicken Drumsticks

Chicken drumsticks are syn free on extra easy, so how about cooking up a batch as snacks for when your peckish.
These drumsticks are marinaded in just orange juice, light soy sauce and garlic and it adds such a depth of flavour. Unfortunately you have to syn the orange juice, but it adds hardly any syns to the drumsticks.
In fact some would argue that as your not actually eating/drinking the orange juice, you may not need to syn it.
I made a batch of 9 drumsticks and it works out as 0.2 syns per drumstick, so the choice of syning is totally up to you. You could marinade a lot more drumsticks in that amount of marinade.

Preheat oven 200c, 400f, gas mark 5

Ingredients

9 chicken drumsticks skin removed
100 ml orange juice 2 syns
100 ml light soy sauce
2 garlic cloves grated

Method

In a large zip lock bag mix the orange juice, soy sauce and garlic, add the chicken and rub the marinade in, marinade the chicken over night.
Lay the drumsticks out on a tray sprayed with frylight, and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

Gammon, Hash Omelette

I cooked a gammon joint in the slow cooker and it came out amazing, i added nothing to it, just the joint and cooked it on low for 8 hours.
It was used for snacks, sandwiches, salads and this delicious omelette.
It is syn free on extra easy.

Ingredients

3 eggs beaten
salt and pepper
200g cooked gammon chopped
250g mushrooms chopped
½ onion diced
½ cup jalapeños
1 tsp Cajun seasoning

Method

In a frying pan sprayed with butter frylight, fry the onions and mushrooms until golden, season with salt and pepper, add the Cajun seasoning, fry for 1 minute, add the gammon and fry for 1 minute. Pour over the egg cook for 2 minutes, then place under a grill until just cooked through, and serve.

Orange,Harissa and Giant Cous Cous Salad

This is a beautifully, light and refreshing salad, it compliments any meat or fish dish, or is great by its self.
It has a smoky kick from the harissa and a sweet note from the oranges with a slight tang from the lemon, the combination of flavours tingle your taste buds.

The whole dish is 5 syns on extra easy

It goes great with Griddled Chermoula Pork

Serves 6 as a side dish and 4 as a main

Ingredients

1 packet of giant cous cous, cooked as per packet instructions
4 oranges, 1 juiced, the rest segmented 2 syns
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp harissa 3 syns
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 red onion finely chopped
10 cherry tomatoes quartered
half a cucumber, peeled and de seeded, then finely chopped
handful of each coriander leaves and mint leaves, chopped

Method

Mix together the orange juice, harissa, lemon juice, cumin and ground coriander.
In a large bowl combine the rest of the ingredients, then stir in the dressing, leave to stand for 30 minutes then serve.

Griddled Chermoula Pork

This dish is normally done with lamb but as i couldn't get the cut of lamb i needed i decided to substitute it with pork and it turned out lovely.
It is sweet, spicy and juicy. It is great hot or cold.

3 syns for the whole tenderloin on extra easy.

Ingredients

1 large pork tenderloin all the fat removed and cut into 8 pieces.
½ red onion
1 small bunch of coriander
3 cm ginger
juice ½ lemon
1 tbsp honey 3 syns
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp turmeric
salt and pepper to season


Method

Blitz everything but the pork in a blender, rub the marinade into the pork and leave it to marinade for  at least 2 hours.
Heat a griddle pan until it smokes, then spray the pork with frylight and griddle for 3-4 minutes on each side.

I served the pork with a beautiful Orange, Harrisa and  Giant Cous Cous Salad.

Lemon Pepper Roasted Vegetables

There is nothing like a plate of roasted vegetables for a comfort food, full of super free and very filling. This meal is all cooked on one tray so very little washing up too!
You can use any vegetables you like.

Syn free on extra easy.

Preheat oven 200c, 400f, gas mark 5

Ingredients

3 large potatoes
1 large sweet potato
½ butternut squash
2 portobello mushrooms
10 asparagus
1 tbsp lemon pepper seasoning
salt
garlic frylight
2 8oz salmon fillets (optional)

Method

Chop the potatoes, butternut squash and sweet potato all the same size, thickly slice the mushrooms and cut the asparagus in half.
Spray a large baking tray with the frylight, lay the potatoes, sweet potato and butternut squash on the tray spray with frylight, sprinkle over the lemon pepper seasoning and season with salt. bake in the oven for 20 minutes, then toss them and spray again, bake for another 10 minutes, then toss in the asparagus and mushrooms, spray again and bake for 15 minutes.

I added 2 8oz fillets of salmon on top of the vegetables and baked for an extra 8 minutes, to make it a meal.

Asian Style Chilli Beef

I loved this dish, it was sweet, sour, spicy, and salty all the flavours you expect from an Asian dish. You can serve it with noodles, rice salad, and even chips like i did.

Its is also very quick to make so perfect for when your in a hurry!

It is syn free on extra easy.

Ingredients

500g extra lean mince beef 5% fat or less
1 tbsp ginger
3 garlic cloves
2 red chillies one de-seeded and one sliced
2 lemon grass outer layers removed and chopped
3 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sweetener
1 tbsp rice vinegar
coriander leaves
2 inches cucumber sliced
4 spring onions sliced

Method

Blitz the ginger, garlic one of the chillies and lemon grass in a blender with 2 tsp water.
In a pan sprayed with frylight brown the mince then add the garlic mix and fry for 1 minute. Stir in the soy sauce, sweetener, vinegar and 50ml water and simmer until the meat starts to get sticky, stir in the coriander then serve with the cucumber and spring onions.

Fruity Rice Pudding

I expect you all know the recipe for the syn free rice pudding, but i thought i would post my version. I must admit i was very sceptical about a rice pudding made with cream soda and no milk or cream, but i have to admit it is very good!

I much prefer it cold with lots of fruit in it.

Although it is syn free on extra easy, please be careful because if you eat too much of it, it may affect your weight loss. If you find you aren't losing while having this delicious dessert it could be down to eating too much!

Ingredients

2 litres low calories or no added sugar cream soda

400g pudding rice

1 vanilla pod or 1 tsp vanilla extract

I used ½ tube of Muller light vanilla yoghurt per serving

Selection of fruit to serve

Method

Pour the cream soda and rice into the slow cooker, split the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds add the seeds and pod to the slow cooker, i set my slow cooker to 4 hours as that was my shortest high setting.

Stir every now and then.

I divided mine into 8 portions and each time i had one i stirred in ½ tube of yoghurt and a selection of fruit.

Best served cold.

Crab and Prawn Singapore Noodles

I love Singapore noodles from the Chinese, so when i came across a recipe for them i decided to adapt it for Slimming World, so instead of using lots of syns, i have created a syn free noodle dish with all the taste and flavour of what you will get from a Chinese takeaway, in fact i would even say it tastes better.

It went really well with a big bowl of Crispy Kale

Syn free on extra easy

Ingredients

1 packet of vermicelli noodles
½ tsp turmeric
2 tsp sweet curry powder
4 spring onions sliced diagonally
1 red chilli
1 garlic clove
1 red pepper sliced
200g crab meat
20 cooked prawns
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 egg beaten
handful coriander leaves

Method

Cook the noodles as per packet instructions.
Blitz the chilli and garlic in a blender or finely chop.
In a wok sprayed with frylight pour in the egg and swirl around to make a thin omelette, toss and cook on the other side until set. remove and chop up.
In a wok sprayed with frylight, fry the onions and red pepper, add the garlic and chilli, turmeric and curry powder and fry for 1 minute, stir in the noodles and stir together, then stir through the crab, prawns, egg and coriander until warmed through, pour in the soy sauce and mix together then serve.

Crispy Kale

OMG!!!! I am addicted to these, i love crispy seaweed from the Chinese takeaway but it has so many syns. But these are syn free on extra easy and taste just the same. So simple to make, and even better they are superfree!! but don't blame me if you end up addicted too!!!

Preheat oven 160c, 320f, gas mark 4

Ingredients

1 large bag of sliced kale
1 tsp salt
sprinkling of sweetener
butter frylight

Method

Spray a baking tray with the frylight then lay out a single layer of the kale, spray again then sprinkle with the salt and sweetener, bake for 5 to 6 minutes, but watch it carefully as it will burn very quickly.
Remove them as they become crispy and put the rest back in the oven, keep doing this until they are all done.
Eat and enjoy, then try not to go back and make another batch, but don't worry if you do, as they are superfree!!!

Liver and Bacon Sauté with Roasted New Potatoes

This may not be a dish for everyone as a lot of people don't like liver, but personally I love it and would encourage you to try it!
There is so much flavour to this dish and it is very low in syns. As the whole pot is 1 syn on extra easy.

Preheat oven 200c, 400f, gas mark 5

Ingredients

1 lb new potatoes
4 spring onions sliced diagonally
2 thick bacon chops, all fat removed and diced, or 1 large gammon steak
2 tsp paprika
250g liver sliced
200ml hot vegetable stock
1 tsp flour 1 syn
salt and pepper
4 tbsp fat free natural yoghurt

Method

Halve the new potatoes and boil until tender, let them dry, then lay them on a baking tray sprayed with frylight and spray them again then roast for about 20 minutes until they are golden and crispy.
Meanwhile in a large pan fry the bacon until it is golden. Season the liver with the paprika, salt and pepper and stir in the flour. Add the liver to the pan and fry until cooked to your liking. Add the spring onions and potatoes to the pan to warm through. Then divide between 2 plates.
Add the stock to the pan and scrap all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan to make a very tasty gravy, pour over the meals, dollop 2 tbsps of yoghurt on top of each and sprinkle with coriander.

Red Lentil, Jalapeno and Lime Soup

I was a bit apprehensive about this soup as i don't usually like beans and pulses, i was worried it would have a really grainy texture.
I couldn't have been more wrong, it was smooth and creamy!
You have a bite from the jalapenos and a zing from the lime, that makes you just keep on eating it, i had to go back for more!!

It is syn free on extra easy, and the pot i made served 6.

Ingredients

1 large onion chopped
2 carrots chopped
2 green chillies deseeded
1 inch ginger
1 tsp cumin seeds
4 tbsp red lentils
500g passata
750ml vegetable stock
salt and pepper
zest and juice of 1 lime
handful coriander leaves
6 tbsp fat free yogurt

Method

In a blender blitz the chilli and ginger.
In a large pan sprayed with frylight, fry the onions and carrots until soft. Add the ginger and chillies and fry for 1 minute, add the cumin seeds and lentils, stir together then pour in the passata and stock, season to taste, then bring to a boil and simmer over a low heat for about 45 minutes, and the lentils and carrots are soft.
Using either a stick blender or a normal blender, blend the soup until it is smooth, return to the heat and warm through, take off the heat and stir in the lime juice and zest.

Serve up with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkling of chopped coriander.

Butternut Squash and Coriander Fried Rice

I made up this rice to go with my No Butter Chicken Curry, and it complimented it wonderfully.
The sweetness of the butternut squash went so well with the spicy sauce.
It is so easy to make also, and again syn free on extra easy!!
This rice dish would go well with any curry, Cajun Salmon, or any cut of meat with a spicy rub.

Preheat oven 200c, 400f, gas mark 5

Ingredients

½ butternut squash diced into 1cm cubes
2 cups cooked rice
handful of chopped coriander leaves
butter frylight
salt and pepper

Method

Lay the butternut squash cubes in a single layer on a baking tray sprayed with frylight, spray and season them. Bake in the oven for 15/20 minutes, then toss them and spray again, bake for another 15/20 minutes until the are golden, set aside.

In a large frying pan or wok, sprayed with butter frylight, toss in the cooked rice, butternut squash and coriander, season and gently toss until warmed through, then serve.

No Butter Chicken Curry

Butter Chicken on Slimming World, who'd have thought, ok so technically there isn't any butter in it, but it melted like butter and was so flavoursome!!

This has got to be one of the most tastiest currys i have had. You can make it as spicy as you want, by adjusting the chilli flakes. Get this it is SYN FREE!! yes i said syn free on extra easy.......

The batch i made served 4

Ingredients

4 chicken breast diced

2 red onions chopped

2 inches of grated ginger 

1 tsp sweetener

2 tsps cumin seeds

1 tsp turmeric

2 tsp chilli flakes

1 tbsp garam masala

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp tomato puree

500 ml chicken stock

salt and pepper

handful chopped coriander leaves

½ cup fat free yogurt optional, i didn't use it.

Method

In a large pan sprayed with frylight, fry the onions until soft and golden, to stop them burning before they are soft, every 5 minutes, i put a dash of water in with them and cover the pot for 2 minutes, this helps them become soft like butter, you will need to fry them for about 30 minutes.

Add the ginger and the next 7 ingredients stir into a paste and cook for 1 minute, then add the chicken, stir to coat the chicken and cook for 3 minutes, stir in the stock and season, bring to a boil then simmer over a low heat for 1 hour.

If using the yogurt, remove from the heat and stir it in then serve. I served mine with Butternut Squash and Coriander Fried Rice, and sprinkled it with the coriander leaves.

Orange and Balsamic Orzo Salad

This is a gorgeous salad, it's light, refreshing and zingy! Sweetness from the honey, a twang from the balsamic vinegar and a combination of both from the oranges which brings both flavours together. Full of lovely super free and as colourful as a rainbow.

This salad goes beautifully with Orange and Ginger Tilapia

The whole dish is 2.5 syns on extra easy and it served 3 as a main dish or 5 as a side.

Ingredients

2 cups of cooked orzo or any other small pasta
8 cherry tomatoes quartered
3 inches of cucumber peeled deseeded and sliced
4 spring onions finely sliced
segments of 1 large orange
handful of chopped coriander leaves
50ml freshly squeezed orange juice 1 syn
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard 0.5 syn
1 tsp honey 1 syn
salt and pepper to taste


Method

Mix together the first 6 ingredients.
whisk together the remaining ingredients, then pour over the pasta and mix together, let it sit for 30 minutes then serve.
I served this with Orange and Ginger Tilapia

Orange and Ginger Tilapia

This dish has become one of my favourites, it is light, refreshing and so tasty. I've been told you should eat the colours of a rainbow in your meals, well this one certainly is colourful, it makes it look so appetising, but believe it tastes as good as it looks.

I served the fish with an Orange and Balsamic Orzo Salad and some mixed green lettuce.

This dish is 1 syn on extra easy.

Serves 2

Ingredients

4 Tilapia fillets
1 tsp finely grated orange zest
3 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice ½ syn
1 inch of grated ginger
2 tsp chilli sauce ½ syn
salt and pepper

Mix all but the fish together, pour into a bowl and lay the fish in, let them marinade for 30 minutes to an hour.
Heat a frying pan sprayed with frylight until very hot then cook the fish for 3 minutes each side.