Mushroom and Green Bean Bhaji

This a lovely side dish that goes with any curry, especially my Chittinad Chicken Curry or grilled chicken or fish, even a nice steak.
Perfect for vegetarians as a main dish too. Syn free on extra easy and full of super free, Great for an SP day too.

Ingredients

1 onion

3 garlic cloves

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

salt to taste

1 tbsp tomato puree

8oz mushrooms quartered

8oz green beans chopped into 3

Method

Blitz the onion and garlic until smooth, mix together all the spices.

In a large pan sprayed with frylight, fry the onion mixture for 2 minutes over a low heat so as not to burn, then mix in the spices, salt and tomato puree. Have a cup of water ready. Add a tbsp of water to the mixture and keep stirring so the spices don't stick to the pan, keep doing this for about 5 minutes, you should end up with a sauce. Add the mushrooms and green beans, simmer until they are cooked through about 10 minutes, keep adding water if needed and stirring occasionally.

Chettinad Chicken Curry

I love this curry!! It has fast become my favourite one to make and of course eat....
You can make it as spicy as you like, by adding more chillies. It has desiccated coconut in it, but that is optional if you don't want the syns.

Ingredients

3 garlic cloves peeled
2 inches ginger peeled
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs with all fat removed quartered
1 tsp turmeric
1 onion chopped
2 red chillies sliced
1 tbsp tomato purée
2 tbsp desiccated coconut toasted optional 9 syns
2 cinnamon sticks
400ml vegetable stock

Spice Mix

fennel seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds 2 tsp of each.
1 long dried chilli
1 star anise

Method

Blitz the garlic and ginger with a tsp water until smooth, then mix with the turmeric and massage into the chicken, leave to marinade for at least an hour, if possible over night.
Toast all the whole spices in a pan until aromatic, then grind.
In a pan sprayed with frylight, fry the onion and red chilli seasoned with salt until soft, add the chicken, tomato purée, cinnamon sticks, coconut if using and spices, fry for 2 minutes, pour in the stock and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes.

I served it with rice and Mushroom and Green Bean Bhaji.

Salmon with Fennel and New Potatoes

I have never really been a big fennel fan, i love the anise taste but never liked the texture, but having it roasted with the soft and oily salmon is a match made in heaven. The roasted new potatoes are an extra touch of deliciousness!!

This dish is syn free and very filling. I like it served with roasted green beans and broccoli.

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

Ingredients

1 onion cut into wedges
2 fennel bulbs cut into wedges keep the green feathery foliage
12 new potatoes halved
handful mint leaves torn
salt and pepper
zest of ½ lemon

Method

In a large pan of boiling water, parboil the potatoes and fennel for 6 minutes, then drain and let steam dry.
Transfer to a tray sprayed with frylight, spray with more frylight sprinkle with salt and pepper and the mint leaves, bake for 30 minutes, tossing half way through, after 30 minutes add the salmon to the tray and sprinkle over the lemon zest and green foliage, bake for 10 minutes, then serve.

Gammon and Roasted Vegetable Pasta

I was going through the fridge trying to decide what to have for dinner, I was having a fussy day, but remembered i really enjoyed the roasted vegetables i made the other day, then i noticed some leftover pasta and a gammon steak, so i decided to put it all together. I'm so glad i did as it was yummy!!!!

This dish is syn free and full of super free.

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

Ingredients

1 onion chopped

1 pepper sliced

1 tbsp capers

2 tomatoes halved

1 gammon steak fat removed and diced

8 mushrooms sliced

2 cups cooked pasta

1 tsp Cajun seasoning

Method

In a tray sprayed with frylight place the tomatoes, and scatter the onions and pepper around them, then sprinkle over the capers, season and roast for about 20 minutes.

In a pan sprayed with frylight, fry the gammon until cooked through, then remove. Then fry the mushrooms until golden.

Warm the pasta in a covered microwave bowl for 2 minutes. 

When the vegetables are cooked add to the pan, with the gammon and pasta, crush the tomatoes and then stir together until all the pasta is coated, then serve.

Indonisian Chicken Fried Rice

This is a very quick and easy meal to make. It has now become one of my husbands favourite dishes that i make. I agree it is very yummy!!!
I love rice and when its paired with very tasty spices and condiments it can't get much better.
You can use whatever vegetables you like in this, i say the more the better!
It isn't syn free but still a lot healthier than a take away.

Makes 3 large servings

Ingredients

1 onion diced
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
8oz mushrooms chopped
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
2 chicken breast diced
3 cups cooked basmati rice
2 tbsp chilli sauce 1 syn
2 tbsp ketjap manis 6 syns depending on brand
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 cup bean sprouts
1 cup of sliced Chinese leaves
1 chilli sliced
Juice of ½ a lime

Method

In a wok or large pan sprayed with frylight, stir fry the onions, until soft, then add the mushrooms and stir fry until golden, then add the garlic and chicken, when the chicken is sealed add all the dry spices, stir for 1 minute.then add the rice and stir to combine, add the chilli sauce, ketjap manis and soy sauce, stir through to combine. Add the vegetables and sliced chilli, stir fry for 3 minutes. squeeze over the lime juice and serve.

Fisherman's Soup

If you love fish and seafood you with love this soup, light and refreshing, but warming on a cold winters night! Synfree on extra easy, and very filling, full of protein from the fish and there's superfree in there too.
You will notice in my method that i cook the squid for a long time, with squid it either has to be quickly seared or simmered for at least 30 minutes for it be tender.

This recipe makes 2 large bowls or 4 for starters.

Ingredients

1 onion finely diced
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 red pepper finely diced
1 large carrot finely diced
½ tsp chilli flakes or more if you like it hotter
1 tin tomatoes
750ml fish stock
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp celery salt
1 tsp paprika
salt and pepper
2 tbsp capers
1 packet frozen prepared squid, i get mine from Asda, cut into rings, use the tenticules too.
2 tilapia fillets
20 large shrimp
Basil to serve


Method

In a large pot sprayed with frylight fry the onions until soft, add the carrot, pepper, garlic and chilli flakes, fry for 4 minutes. Pour in the tomatoes and stock then add the herbs and spices.
Add the capers and squid, bring to a boil then simmer for 30 minutes. Add the shrimp and tilapia and simmer until they are cooked through then serve.

Spicy Beef and Red Pepper Soup with Giant Cous Cous

Soup!!! Think i may have to start a page for soups, there is nothing like a hot steaming bowl in this weather and when it's got a little kick it makes it all the better!!
To bulk this dish out i added some giant cous cous and it was fab! It didn't make it heavy but made it slightly more filling.
You could add rice or orzo to it also.
This dish is synfree on extra easy, so even better, you could use some of your syns for a nice chunk of bread to mop the bowl out!!

I managed to make 6 portions out of these ingredients.

Ingredients

1 kg minced beef 5% fat or less
1 onion finely diced
2 red peppers finely diced
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 red chilli deseeded and finely chopped
1 tin tomatoes
500ml passata
500ml beef stock
500ml vegetable stock
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
one large handful of giant cous cous

Method

In a large pot sprayed with frylight brown the minced beef then remove. Add the onions to the pot and fry until soft, then add the peppers, chilli and garlic fry for 2 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients apart from the cous cous, bring to a boil, return the mince to the pot, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in the cous cous and cook for about 15 minutes until it is cooked.

I like to serve mine with some avocado and goats cheese, but remember to syn them if you do.

One Pot Pizza Pasta

What can i say about this dish, apart from, forget Pizza this is so much better!!!
You can make this syn free or add as many syns as you like, this one has chorizo in it so the whole dish is 6.5 syns on extra easy but it served 3 very big portions.
You basically add any topping you would normally have a pizza. I used chorizo as i didn't have any pepperoni, and I'm so glad i did as it added so much flavour....

Ingredients

100g chorizo sausage casing removed and crumbled  6.5 syns
1 pepper diced
8oz mushrooms chopped
1 red onion diced
1 tin tomatoes chopped
500ml passata
1 garlic clove grated
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
8oz dried pasta
handful of basil leaves
90g light mozzarella per serving Healthy A please check make as they vary


Method

In a large pan sprayed with frylight, fry the chorizo until golden, remove from pan, add onions to the pan and fry for 2 minutes, add the pepper and mushrooms and fry for 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and passata, garlic and seasoning's, add 400 ml water and the pasta, stir together, return the chorizo to the pan then cover and cook until the pasta is cooked, stirring occasionally so the mixture doesn't stick to the pan. Serve up your portions, then dice the mozzarella and tear the basil leaves and stir into your individual dishes.

Lemon Chicken and Orzo Soup

This soup is really easy to make and tastes amazing! It is light and refreshing but very filling.
full of super free and is syn free on extra easy.
Great on a cold evening or if you are feeling ill.

Ingredients

1 pound of chicken thighs with the skin and all the fat removed cut into inch chunks.
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 onion diced
2 carrots peeled and diced
8oz cremini mushrooms sliced
1 tsp celery salt
½ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp chilli flakes
2 bay leaves
1¼ litres chicken stock
1 cup orzo
1 sprig rosemary
juice of 1 lemon

Method

In a large pot sprayed with frylight, brown the chicken and remove.
Add the onions and fry until golden, add the carrots and mushrooms and fry until tender, stir in the garlic, celery salt, thyme, chilli flakes and bay leaves, fry for 1 minute then add the stock and chicken, bring to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes. Add the orzo and rosemary and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the orzo is cooked. Stir in the lemon juice and serve.

Mexican Salmon Stack

I normally make this dish with chicken, but i had run out so replaced it with salmon and it was just as good.
As you have probably noticed by now from all my recipes, i am very much into comfort food and this recipes fits that category very well.
With all the ingredients i have used this recipe isn't syn free, but the cheese and avocado are optional, although i will say they make the dish. You can use your healthy extra for the cheese. Avocado is 9.5 syns for 100g, which does seem a lot, but i think it is worth it as avocado is very good for you, full of vitamins and minerals, it also boosts your metabolism which is good for weight loss.

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

Ingredients

16oz salmon fillet
1lb maris piper potatoes diced
2 eggs
200g avocado sliced 19 syns
70g halloumi sliced  use your Healthy A or 25g is 4 syns
4 tbsp salsa click for recipe

Method

Spray a baking tray with frylight, lay out the diced potatoes in a single layer, spray with more frylight and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes until golden tossing and spraying again half way through.
Roast the salmon fillet for 10 minutes seasoned with salt and pepper on a pan sprayed with frylight.
In a frying pan sprayed with frylight, fry the sliced halloumi until golden on both sides.
Fry the eggs in a frying pan sprayed with frylight.
Now layer the dish, lay the potatoes on the bottom, top with half the salmon fillet, lay the halloumi on top spoon on the salsa, add the avocado and top with a egg.

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.

Sausage, Mushroom, Potato and Feta Gratin

This is a tasty comforting dish, quick and easy to cook. I used weight watcher sausages at 0.5 syns each on extra easy.

I used the feta as my healthy A but you can syn it 3.5 syns for 25g.

Preheat oven 200c, 400f, gas mark 5

Ingredients

8 low fat sausages, skinned and crumbled

1 large onion chopped

8oz cremini mushrooms chopped

1 tsp chopped thyme

1lb potatoes washed and diced

100 ml chicken broth

90g feta crumbled

Method

Spray a large baking tray with frylight and spread the potatoes out, spray with more frylight and roast for 30 minutes, tossing and spraying again halfway through.

In a large frying pan brown the sausages and remove.

Fry the onions, thyme and mushrooms until golden, return the sausage and stir in the roasted potatoes, stir in the chicken broth, then tip it all into an oven dish, sprinkle with the feta, cover the dish with foil and bake for 15 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 10 minutes and serve with a big 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.

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.

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.

Pastitsio

This dish is what they call a Greek Lasagne, you usually use lamb mince, but as i couldn't find any extra lean lamb mince i used extra lean beef mince, it was just as tasty. I love the warmth you get from the cinnamon and nutmeg.

The whole dish is syn free on extra easy.

These ingredients make enough ragu for a large Pastitsio and some left over ragu which you can use for a topping for a baked spud, or just mix it into pasta with some rocket leaves, you could even make a Sloppy Joe sandwich out of it!

Preheat oven 200c, 400f, gas mark 5

Ingredients

1 kg extra lean lamb or beef mince
1 onion chopped
1 garlic clove finely chopped
500g mushrooms chopped
1 tbsp dried mint
1 tbsp dried oregano
½ tsp chilli flakes
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp all spice
1 tbsp tomato puree
2 tins tomatoes
1 litre lamb stock

500g macaroni cooked as per packet instructions, and cooled

1 500ml tube fat free yogurt
1 250ml tube quark
2 eggs beaten
½ tsp nutmeg

Method

In a large pot brown the lamb or beef mince then remove.
Fry the onion until soft then add the mushrooms, fry until golden, stir in the garlic and all the herbs and spices cook for 1 minute, return the mince, stir in the tomato puree and tinned tomatoes, then add the stock, bring to a boil, then simmer on a low heat for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Mix together the yogurt, quark, eggs and nutmeg, and season.

Mix a couple of large spoonfuls of the quark mixture with the pasta.

In a large baking dish, layer the meat on the bottom, top with the pasta, then pour over the white sauce. Bake in the oven for 30/35 minutes.