Barbacoa Beef Wraps

This dish is so easy to make, you just throw it all in the slow cooker and wait!! I have used romaine lettuce leaves instead of wraps, which makes it less synful and you get a lot more super free. You can top the meat with anything you like, i only used coriander, chilli and yogurt, but you could use peppers, refined beans, cheese, salsa, avocado, but remember to syn the things that aren't free!!
The whole dish is 2 syns, but it served 4/6.

Ingredients

3lb braising steak cut into 2 inch chunks
4 garlic cloves
1 onion
2 tbsp chipotle paste 2 syns
juice of 2 limes
2 tbsp cider vinegar
3 bay leaves
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp dried oregano
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 cloves
200ml beef stock

Method

In a blender blitz the onion and garlic until smooth with a tbsp of water.
Mix all the ingredients together then put into a slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.
When the meat is cook shred it in the slow cooker and let it cook for 10 more minutes so it absorbs the juices. Remove with tongs or a slotted spoon so it is not too wet in the wrap.

Orange Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry

I was sorting all the photos I have taken of food for this blog and came across these and realised i hadn't shared this gorgeous recipe with you. It's another Asian stir fry, but in my eyes you can't go wrong with a stir fry, especially Asian as they are always so packed with flavour!

This dish isn't syn free, but it is still better than a takeaway and tastes so much better!!

The whole pan would serve 2/4 people depending how hungry and greedy you are HA HA!!
The whole dish is 5.5 syns on extra easy, so you do the math........

Ingredients

100ml freshly squeezed orange juice  2.5 syns
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp oyster sauce  1 syn
1 tbsp orange zest
2 large garlic cloves grated
1 inch ginger peeled and grated
1 tsp honey  1 syn
2 large chicken breast cubed
1 tsp cornflour  1 syn
as much mixed vegetables as you like, i used tenderstem broccoli, and oriental mushrooms
1 onion chopped
1 red chilli sliced

noodles or rice to serve, cooked as per packet instructions.

Method

In a blender blitz together the first 8 ingredients, set aside.

In a bowl mix together the cubed chicken and the cornflour and season with salt and pepper.

In a hot wok sprayed with frylight, add the chicken and stir-fry until golden, add the onion, chilli and broccoli and stir fry for 2 more minutes, add the oriental mushrooms and fry for 1 more minute, pour in the sauce and stir fry for 5/6 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is cooked through.
Serve with the rice or noodles

Spanish Hash

I love this dish, it is so versatile and goes with anything or just great by itself. Yet again another comforting dish!!
The cheese is optional, i used my healthy A or you can syn it. You can add anything you want to this, maybe some peppers, mushrooms or onions, as i said so versatile.
Best of all, all this flavour is syn free on extra easy!!

I also discovered that the tomato sauce, is great cold as a ketchup, my son loves ketchup, but this he couldn't get in his mouth quick enough, and the plus side is it's home-made so you know exactly what's in it and it's better for you.
Just keep it in the fridge.

Pre heat oven 200c, 400f, gas mark 5

This dish served 2 but were greedy.

Ingredients

1lb potatoes peeled if desired then cubed

4 eggs

60g goats cheese (optional)

Sauce Ingredients

1 onion chopped

4 cloves garlic chopped

1 red chilli chopped

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tin tomatoes

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

salt and pepper

Method

Spray a baking tray with frylight then lay out the potatoes and season and spray again. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes until golden, tossing and spraying half way through.

While the potatoes cook make the sauce.

In a blender blitz the onion, garlic and chilli. Fry in a pan sprayed with frylight for 2 minutes, then stir in the rest of the ingredients. Simmer for 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened to you liking. Then put it all back into the blender and blitz until smooth.

Pour into a seal-able container, you won't need all of it for this dish.

In a large oven proof pan, pour in the cooked potatoes, pour over as much sauce as you require, make 4 holes and crack in the eggs, add the cheese if using, then bake in the oven until the eggs are cooked to your liking, and serve. I served mine with Grilled chicken and a green salad.

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.

Steamed Thai Salmon

This is a beautiful light Thai dish, full of flavour!!

The original recipe called for the salmon to be grilled but i decided to steam the salmon instead as it remains nice and moist and enhances the flavours, plus it is healthier.

I served it with stir fried vegetables and noodles. I used the marinade from steaming it as a sauce for the vegetables and noodles, so the flavour ran through the whole of the dish.

I used a wok and a bamboo steamer. I put a plate in the steamer with the salmon and marinade on top. A trick to getting the plate back out the steamer is to put a clean new j cloth under the plate with the edges hanging over the side of the steamer, then you can take the plate out with the cloth, and that way you won't spill anything, as you are left with lots of lovely juices that you don't want to waste!

This dish serves two and is 1 syn each on extra easy.

Ingredients

1lb salmon fillet

1 inch ginger

2 red chillies

3 garlic cloves

¼ cup light soy sauce

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tsp sesame oil 2 syns

handful thai basil leaves torn

A selection of vegetables of your choice, enough for two. I used broccoli, mushrooms, peppers, chilli, spring onions and thai basil.

Dried egg noodles, cooked as per packet instructions.

Method

In a blender blitz the chilli, ginger and garlic, divide it into two portions.

In a bowl mix together the rest of the ingredients apart from the salmon. Add one portion of the chilli mixture to the sauce.

Place the salmon on a plate and put into the steamer on top of a j cloth, pour half the marinade over the salmon, leave for 10 minutes.

Fill the wok with water, up to the where the bottom of the steamer will sit, bring to a boil, place the steamer in the wok, turn the heat down to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes, or until the fish is cooked to your liking.

Take the steamer out the wok and with the j cloth lift out the plate, be careful it will be very hot.

Empty the water out the wok and spray with frylight, add the broccoli and mushrooms and stir fry for 2 minutes, then add the rest of the vegetables  and the second portion of the chilli mix, stir fry for 1 minutes, then pour in the remaining sauce and any juices from the salmon, stir fry for 1 minute, add the cooked noodles to the wok, warm through then serve with the salmon.

Orange and Chilli Lamb Kebabs

Beautiful tender lamb with a kick from the chilli, warmth from the cinnamon and allspice and a sweet touch from the orange.
They are beautifully paired with sweet potato chips, a greek salad and mint yogurt sauce.
If you want to use some syns a pitta bread would be good too!
This dish is 2 syns on extra easy for all the kebabs. in our house it served two.

Ingredients

4 large lamb leg steaks cubed with all the fat removed

4 garlic cloves minced

2 bay leaves torn

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp all spice/chinese 5 spice

100ml orange juice 2 syns

3 red chillies sliced in half and deseeded then quartered

salt and pepper

Method

In a large plastic bag mix together all the ingredients apart from the salt, massage the marinade into the lamb and leave to marinade overnight.

Skewer the lamb and chilli sprinkle with salt and spray with frylight, then griddle for 4 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

Serve with side dishes of your choice.

Five Spice Squid with Noodles

Here is another delicious fake away for you, a lot tastier and healthier than a take away from a Chinese.

7 syns for the whole dish.

Ingredients

2 tbsp hoisin sauce    4 syns
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp shaoxing rice wine    1 syn
½ tsp five spice
1 tsp sesame oil     2 syns
200ml vegetable stock
2 garlic cloves
1 cm fresh ginger
1 red chilli
8 oz squid cleaned and sliced into rings
8 oz oriental mushrooms sliced
1 red pepper diced
1 onion diced
½ cup edamame beans
8 asparagus spears chopped
Handful of thai basil leaves
Cooked noodles

Methods

Mix together the first 6 ingredients, set aside.
In a blender blitz the garlic, chilli and ginger, set aside.
In a wok sprayed with frylight, fry the onion for 2 minutes, add the asparagus and pepper, fry for 2 minutes, add the mushrooms and fry for 2 minutes, add the squid and fry for 1 minute, add the garlic mix, fry for 1 minute. Add the sauce and edamame beans, bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes, stir in the noodles, heat through and sprinkle over the basil leaves.

Pesto Linguine with Shrimp and Rocket

I didn't know what to have for my lunch the other day, i didn't want to use my healthy A & B in a sandwich, but i was craving carbs and was starving, so i decided to cook up some pasta. Then i had to decide what to put on it??

I found a jar of reduced fat pesto in the cupboard, so i looked up the syns and it was only 1.5 syns for 1 tbsp on extra easy, so i decided to see if it was any good.

As jarred pesto goes and bearing in mind it is low fat, it was very tasty and i'd say worth the syns. If i'm perfectly honest i don't think you could make a proper pesto for that many syns. Just add some fresh basil and grated parmesan to freshen up the pesto.

It was quick and easy to make and delicious!!

3 syns per serving on extra easy if you use part of your healthy A for the cheese.

Serves 2

Ingredients

½ packet dried linguine, cooked as packet instructions

8oz cooked shrimp

4 tbsp reduced fat basil pesto (6 syns)

1 red chilli finely chopped

handful basil leaves

½ packet rocket

½ cup pasta water

salt and pepper

30g parmesan optional

Method

Put the cooked pasta in a large bowl with the pesto, chilli, shrimp and pasta water, tear in the basil leaves and season, toss up and serve, Sprinkle over the rocket leaves and grate over the parmesan.

Ginger and Coriander Baked Tilapia

This is a light refreshing dish, full of superfree. The fish is light, moist and flaky with a delicate flavour, but it stands up to the punchy flavours of the sauce. The flavours just dance on your tongue.

This dish serves 2 and is 2 syns on extra easy per person.

Preheat oven 200c, 400f, gas mark 5

Ingredients

4 tilapia fillets

3 garlic cloves finely chopped

1 inch ginger grated

1 red chilli finely chopped

handful coriander leaves

2 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil (2 syns)

1 tbsp shaoxing rice wine (2 syns)

Stir Fried Vegetables

1 onion chopped

1 red pepper chopped

½ chinese leaf lettuce

8oz oriental mushrooms

½ head broccoli

1 red chilli sliced

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp fish sauce

remaining juices from the fish

handful coriander leaves

Method

Lay the fish in a baking tray sprayed with frylight.

Combine the garlic, ginger, chilli, light soy sauce, shaoxing rice wine, sesame oil and coriander together, pour over the fish. Bake for 8 minutes.

Spray a hot wok with frylight, add the broccoli with 2 tbsp of water to create some steam to help it cook, add the stems of the chinese leaves and onions, fry for 1 minute, add the red pepper, chilli and mushrooms, fry for 2 minutes, add the soy sauce, fish sauce and remaining juices from the fish, fry for 1 minute the stir in the chinese leaves and coriander.

Serve up the vegetables and lay the fish on top, spoon over sauce and serve with basmati and wild rice.

Spicy BBQ Sauce

I got the inspiration for this recipe from one of my favourite American Chefs Ina Garten. I have adapted it to be as Slimming World friendly as possible.

As she put it it is a fusion of world wide BBQ sauces, a bit of Indian, Chinese and American, with a touch of Britain in it too!!

The whole pan is 7 syns on extra easy, so it's up to you how much you eat.......

Ingredients

3 shallots sliced 

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

1 tub passata

¼ cup soy sauce

2 tbsp hoisin sauce (4 syns)

1 tbsp honey (3 syns)

3 tbsp worcester sauce

2 tbsp tomato puree

2 tsp english mustard powder

¼ cup cider vinegar

2 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp chilli flakes

1 tsp hot chilli powder (more if you want more spice)

Method

In a large pan sprayed with frylight, fry the shallots till golden and soft, then add the garlic and fry for 1 minute, put into a blender with all the other ingredients and blitz till smooth.

Return the sauce to the pan and bring to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes until it has darkened and thickened. Season to taste.

Then serve with whatever you like....

Goes great on Hunters Chicken, as a dip for chips, with a juicy steak or even pulled pork..

Thai Basil and Seafood Fried Rice

I adore Thai food and knowing i can make it virtually syn free on Slimming World is Fab!!!

This is a quick and easy recipe and so much better than a take away, not just for lack of syns but taste too!

Just 1 syn for the whole pot on extra easy, so if you really greedy, like me it will serve two, not so hungry maybe four...

Ingredients

3 garlic cloves

1 thai red chilli (more if you like it spicy)

1 lb squid cleaned and ringed

20 raw shrimp

½ red pepper thinly sliced

½ onion sliced

1 cup edamame beans

8oz oriental mushrooms

handful thai basil leaves

1 tbsp oyster sauce (1 syn)

1 tsp dark soy sauce

2 tsp light soy sauce

cooked rice for 2

Method

Blitz the garlic and chilli in a blender.

Mix together the oyster sauce and the soy sauces

In a wok sprayed with frylight, stir fry all the veggies for 1 minute, add the chilli and garlic, stir and add the shrimp and squid stir for 1 minute then add the sauce, stir in the rice and heat it all through, take off the heat and tear in the basil. 

Season with fish sauce if needed.

Paprika Pork One Pot

This recipe is an adaptation of the Paprika Pork in the Slimming World Family Feast on a Budget recipe book.

I have added orzo to the recipe to make it a one pot dish. I also omitted the yogurt as i personally thought it was creamy enough without it.

Syn free on extra easy.

Ingredients

1 large onion cut into wedges

1 red pepper diced

1 pork tenderloin all fat removed and diced

8 oz cremini mushrooms

1 red chilli sliced

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

2 tbsp paprika

500 ml chicken stock

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 cup orzo pasta

handful of roughly chopped coriander leaves

6 tbsp fat free yogurt (optional)

Method

In a large pan sprayed with frylight fry the onions till golden, add the pork and brown. Add the peppers and mushrooms and fry till golden, then add the chilli and garlic, fry for 1 minute. Stir in the paprika and red wine vinegar, then pour in the stock and season. 

Bring to a boil then add 1 cup of orzo pasta, stir, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

If using the yogurt, take the pan off the heat and stir it in. Sprinkle over the coriander and serve.

Chinese Lemon Chicken

A fake away to be proud of! This dish is light and refreshing with a kick and a lot less syns than from a Chinese Restaurant, and taste so much better too!

The whole dish is only 5 syns on extra easy.

Ingredients

1 level tbsp potato flour (3 syns)
2 large skinless and boneless chicken breasts sliced
1 tbsp shaoxing rice wine (1 syn)
1 red pepper diced
1 yellow pepper diced
8 oz oriental mushrooms
1 cup edamame beans
1 onion chopped
juice of 1 lemon
200ml chicken stock
1 tsp sweetener
3 tbsp light soy sauce
1 garlic clove grated
1 red chilli finely chopped
1 inch ginger grated
1 tbsp chilli sauce (1 syn)


Method

Mix the sliced chicken with the potato flour and season.
To make the sauce mix together the lemon juice, chicken stock, sweetener, soy sauce, garlic, chilli, ginger and chilli sauce.
In a hot wok sprayed with frylight stir fry the chicken until it turns opaque then pour over the rice wine and stir fry until liquid has gone, add the onion, peppers and mushrooms and stir fry for 1 minute. Pour in the sauce and bring to a boil then simmer until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is cooked through.
Serve with egg fried rice.

Garlic Tuna, Salsa and Roasted Spiced Butternut Squash

This recipe is in the October 2013 Slimming World Magazine. I have adapted it to my tastes. It is delicious! You have the meatiness of the tuna, the soft and warm sweetness of the butternut squash and the zing and kick from the light refreshing salsa, topped off with a crunchy salad.

The whole meal is syn free on extra easy.

Preheat oven 200c, 400f, gas mark 5

Salsa Ingredients

1 red onion finely diced

4 red chillies deseeded and deveined and finely chopped

1 red and 1 yellow pepper finely diced

1 tin chopped tomatoes

2 tsp dried oregano

juice of 3 limes

1 tsp sweetener

handful of chopped coriander leaves

salt and pepper to season

Salsa Method

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and let it stand for at least 20 minutes.

Spiced Roasted Butternut Squash Ingredients

1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to season

Method

Spray a baking sheet with frylight, cover in a single layer with the squash and spray the squash with more frylight. Sprinkle over the cumin, cinnamon and cayenne pepper, then season, toss the squash to cover and bake for 35 - 40 minutes, turning and spraying half way through cooking.

Tuna Ingredients

2 8oz tuna steaks

½ tsp garlic salt

fresh ground black pepper

Method

Spray the tuna steaks with frylight, heat a griddle pan till smoking, sprinkle the garlic salt and pepper over the tuna and griddle the tuna for 2 minutes each side or till done to your liking.

Chilli and Garlic Grilled Chicken with Quinoa Greek Salad

This is a very healthy and syn free meal on extra easy. If you can't find quinoa you can always use rice, or a combination of basmati and wild rice, you could even try spelt.

Syn free if you use the feta as your healthy A, if not the feta is 3 syns for 25g

Chicken serves 2 Quinoa Greek Salad serves 8, so plenty of leftovers for future lunches or picnics.


Chilli and Garlic Grilled Chicken Ingredients

2 large skinless and boneless chicken breasts, sliced into quarters
1 red chilli finely chopped
1 garlic clove finely chopped
extra virgin olive oil fry light

Method

Spray the chicken pieces with frylight and sprinkle over the chopped chilli and garlic, season and leave to marinade for at least 1 hour.

Heat a griddle pan till smoking then fry the chicken till cooked through, turning half way.


Quinoa Greek Salad Ingredients

2 cups of quinoa cooked as per packets instructions.
1 punnet of cherry tomatoes quartered
8 black olives chopped
1 red onion finely chopped
½ cucumber seeds removed and sliced
100g feta, or your daily allowance
small bunch of mint leaves roughly chopped
juice and zest of a lemon
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
½ tsp sweetener
1 tbsp mint sauce unsweetened
1 tsp greek seasoning
1 tbsp water

Method

Put all the vegetables in a large bowl, stir in the quinoa. Whisk together the lemon juice and zest, red wine vinegar, sweetener, mint sauce, greek seasoning and water. Pour over the dressing, mix in and sprinkle over the feta and chopped mint, serve with the chicken.

Salsa Chicken with the Works

Craving nachos, Tex Mex or something spicy then this is the dish for you!
This dish takes a long time to cook but is so easy to prepare. Just stick it in your slow cooker in the morning and your meal is ready when you get home from work or play!

Depending on what salsa you use in this dish, makes a difference on the syns per portion.


Serves 6

Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
8 oz mushrooms sliced
2 red peppers diced
1 cup of salsa, shop bought or homemade
1 tins of chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp fajita seasoning
8 spring onions chopped
1 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp chilli flakes
1 cup basmati rice

Method

Lay the chicken breasts on the bottom of the slow cooker and sprinkle with the fajita seasoning, layer the rest of the ingredients on top of the chicken, pour over ½ cup water, stir it all together and set the slow cooker to 8 hours, an hour before the cooking ends stir in the rice.

I served the Salsa Chicken with coriander leaves, 30g grated cheddar cheese, sliced jalapenos, and instead of sour cream i made a coriander and lime fat free creme fraiche. Instead of having nachos i used crisp little gem leaves.

Chilli Crab Linguine

This is a lovely light and refreshing dish, the sweetness of the crab with the bite of the chilli and tang of the lemon juice complement each other perfectly!

Syn free on extra easy


Serves 4

Ingredients

1 packet of dried linguine
1 red chilli
1 garlic clove
finely grated zest of a lemon
2 tbsp capers
200 ml fish stock
2 tbsp lemon juice
small handful basil leaves torn
2 tins of white crab meat ( i use ½ tub which i get from Costco)

Method

Cook the pasta as per packet instructions.
Chop the chilli and garlic in a blender or finely chop.
Heat the stock, chopped chilli and garlic with the lemon zest in a large frying pan until it boils then simmer over a low heat, add the capers and lemon juice and gently stir in the crab meat and basil. Add the cooked pasta to the pan and gentle mix together.
Season to taste and serve.

Baked Shrimp in Tomato Feta Sauce

This dish can be served as a main course, starter or as a small plate Tapas dish.
The base sauce also makes a great topping for Patatas Bravas, which is why i serves the sauteed potatoes with it.

Syne free on extra easy as long as the cheese is used as your healthy A.

45 g Feta cheese is the healthy A


Preheat oven to 200c, 400f, gas mark 5

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 medium onions finely chopped
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
2 red chillies finely chopped
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
A small handful of thai basil leaves roughly chopped or basic basil leaves if you prefer, i like the slight aniseed taste you get.
2 tsp dried oregano
2 lb large raw shrimp
salt and pepper
A pinch of sweetener
180g Feta cheese ( free if using as you healthy A, 6 syns on extra easy if not)
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

In a large pan sprayed with frylight, fry the onions till soft, add the chilli and garlic and fry for 30 seconds more.
Add the tomatoes and 1 tomato tin filled with water, sprinkle in the dried oregano, stir together then simmer for 30 minutes over a low heat till the sauce has thickened.
Add the shrimp, thai basil and feta, and salt and pepper to taste then transfer to an oven dish and bake for 10 - 15 minutes until the shrimp are cooked.
Serve with Sauteed Potatoes, rice or pasta.

I also served mine with a Greek Salad and little gem leaves.

For the Base sauce, follow the instructions through to the sauce thickening, this sauce can be used for so many things, like a pasta sauce, as mentioned the Patatas Bravas and Ratatouille.

Baked Potato with Chilli and a Fried Egg

I wasn't feeling very well and didn't want to be stuck in the kitchen cooking a meal, so i got a portion of Beef Chilli out the freezer and stuck a potato in the oven, while i was in the fridge getting the cheese, i noticed the eggs and suddenly had a craving for one on the top of my Baked potato. Well i was very pleasantly surprised, it went really well and was delicious, the richness of the yolk cut through the sharpness of the cheese and the kick from the spicy chilli!!

Syn free on extra easy, as long as you use the cheese as your healthy A.


Preheat oven 200c, 400f, gas mark 5

Ingredients

1 Large baking potato
1 portion of Beef Chilli
40g reduced fat cheddar cheese or 30g full fat cheddar cheese
1 egg (i used a duck egg)
Chipotle tabasco sauce (optional)

An afterthought, a handful of jalapenos would be good too!

Method

Wash the potato and prick all over, bake for about an hour, until the skin is crispy and the centre is tender.
Reheat the Beef Chilli on the hob for about 10 minutes till hot, or in the microwave for 5 minutes till hot.
Put the potato on a plate and cut a cross in it, then push down on the edge of each quarter, pour over the chilli and if using Jalapenos sprinkle them over, then sprinkle with the cheese.

Heat a frying pan sprayed with frylight and fry you egg to your liking, then lay on top of the cheese, sprinkle with the tabasco sauce and serve.