One Pot Pasta

I found this dish when i was looking for something quick and easy to make as i wasn't feeling well.
I was a bit sceptical about just throwing everything in one pot and cooking it, but it worked and it was delicious!!!
I adapted it so it is syn free on extra easy and as the oil has been left out the starch from the pasta does make it a bit stodgy, but it still tastes great!!
You can put anything you like in this dish, i made mine on an Italian theme.
This dish is syn free on extra easy and serves about 4 people.

Ingredients

500g of any pasta you like.
1 punnet of cherry tomatoes halved
1 small onion sliced
1 vegetable stock cube
2 tbsps capers
2 cloves of garlic sliced
2 tsp italian seasoning
1 tsp chilli flakes
4.5 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
big handful basil leaves.

Method

As the title says, put everything in a large pan, apart from a few leaves which you save for garnish.
Bring the water to a boil, then boil for about 8 minutes until the pasta is cooked and the water has been absorbed. Stir the dish from time to time to stop it sticking on the bottom.
Serve straight away, garnished with the rest of the basil leaves.

One Pan Brunch

If you don't want a lot of cleaning up and fancy a fry up this dish is just for you!!
I used 2 syns in this dish on the sausages. I used weight watcher sausages at ½ syn each.
But if you want it syn free just leave out the sausages. You can put whatever you want into it.

Ingredients

4 low fat sausages halved
6 rashers bacon with all the fat cut off
8oz mushrooms sliced
12 cherry tomatoes halved
2 eggs

Method

In a large pan sprayed with frylight cook the sausages, remove and set aside, fry the bacon remove cut in half and set aside, Fry the mushrooms until golden, add the tomatoes and return the sausages and bacon. fry for 1 minute then crack in the eggs, fry until they turn white then pop under a grill to cook the top to your liking.

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.

Sausage, Mushroom and Red Pepper Mini Quiches

We were going on a picnic and i didn't want the boring old sandwiches, so i decided to make some mini quiches.
You can use any filling you like, but i chose Sausage, Mushroom and Red Pepper, topped with tomato.

Really easy to make, they can be syn free on extra easy and very tasty!!!

These are 2 syns for all 8 quiches.

Preheat oven 200c, 400f, gas mark 5

Makes 8 quiches

Ingredients

4 low fat sausages cooked and chopped
8oz cremini mushrooms diced
1 jarred red pepper diced
4 large eggs
25 ml skimmed milk
salt and pepper to taste
4 cherry tomatoes sliced

Method

Fry the mushrooms in a pan sprayed with frylight till golden, add the diced red pepper and chopped sausages.
Spray a muffin tin with frylight, pile in the sausage mixture.
Beat together the eggs and milk and season, pour over the sausage mixture, top with the sliced tomatoes and bake in the oven for 15 minutes till set and golden.

Greek Salad

A zesty salad that goes well with grilled meats, kebabs, fish or by itself as a light lunch.

Just one syn for 8 olives.
Cheese is healthy extra A


Serves 2

Ingredients

½ cucumber seeds removed and thinly sliced
12 cherry tomatoes quartered
16 olives halved
half a red onion thinly sliced into half moons
1 tbsp capers
small handful basil thinly sliced
small handful mint thinly sliced
45 g feta cheese
juice of ½ lemon
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
½ tsp sweetener
salt and pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp water

Method

In a salad bowl mix together the first 8 ingredients.
In another bowl mix together the rest of the ingredients.
Spoon over the dressing and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Tilapia and Lemon and Caper Dressing with Orzo and Salad

This is a light and zesty dish, with a kick of chilli, which compliments the soft flakes of fish and crunchy salad.

Syn free on extra easy and lots of superfree too.


Serves 2

Ingredients

4 tilapia fillets
1 cup of orzo
2 tbsp capers
1 red chilli deseeded
juice of a lemon
handful of basil chopped
1 garlic clove chopped
¼ tsp sweetener
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 iceburg leaves
2 handfuls of mixed salad leaves
10 cherry tomatoes
2 inches of cucumber thinly sliced and cut into half moons
4 radishes thinly sliced
half a red pepper thinly sliced
4 spring onions thinly sliced

Method

Cook the orzo as per packet instructions. When cooked drain and run under the cold tap.

Blitz the chilli and garlic in a blender, tip into a bowl and add the lemon juice, sweetener, balsamic vinegar, chopped basil and capers, mix together.

Make up the salad with the mixed salad leaves, tomatoes, cucumber, radishes, peppers and spring onion, pile it all in the iceburg leaves.

Spray a frying pan with extra virgin olive oil frylight and fry the tilapia for 2 minutes on each side.

Serve everything up and drizzle over the dressing.

Tilapia, Shrimp and Tomato Bake

This dish is perfect before a weigh in as it's filling, but light. The tilapia is a white flaky fish that has a delicate taste and is very moist if cooked right. If you can't get tilapia, haddock or cod fillets will do.


preheat oven 200c, 400f, gas mark 5

Serves 2

Ingredients

4 tilapia fillets
20 raw shrimp
punnet of cherry tomatoes
4 spring onions sliced
2 tbsp capers
1 red chilli thinly sliced
handful of basil leaves torn
salt and pepper

Method

Line a baking tray with kitchen foil, spray with extra virgin olive oil frylight, lay out the fillets and shrimp, sprinkle over the cherry tomatoes, spring onions, capers, chilli and basil, spray again with frylight and bake for 10 to 12 minutes till the tilapia and shrimp are cook.

I like to serve it with Spicy Crushed Roasted New Potatoes and salad.